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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > July > 02 > Entry
Chris Henry hits Dayton’s WONE airwaves
HENRY CLAIMS HE’LL NEVER
GET IN TROUBLE AGAIN
Former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry hit Dayton’s airwaves on Wednesday, July 2, 2008, as the star guest on WONE-AM radio’s Sportstalk 980.
The Bengals released Henry on April 3, 2008 — after he was charged with misdemeanor assault and property damage — and he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in June. He has been serving a house arrest sentence.
Henry’s court case for assault in Hamilton County that alleged he punched an 18-year old in the face on March 31 resulted in a hung jury on Tuesday, July 1. The judge dismissed the second charge of criminal damaging.
Sportstalk 980 host Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer and in-studio guest Carlos “Big C” Holmes of the Dayton Daily News interviewed Henry.
Here’s a transcript of the Schlemmer-Holmes interview with Henry:
Q. How are you?
A. I’m doing pretty good.
Q. What are you doing these days?
A. Actually, I’m just now starting to get back into (playing shape).
Q. What are you looking to do once all these legal issues are behind you?
A. Just getting back to playing ball, you know, what I love to do. Right now, I’m just planning on going and training for a few weeks until things come together for me.
Q. How can a team trust you when you come back into the league?
A. I’m pretty sure they will look at that. I’m just going to have to prove it to whoever gives me an opportunity and a chance to play with their team. So it’ll be up to me.
Q. What did you learn from this situation?
A. I learned a lot, man. It’s been like that for a while, you know? This little incident that happened a couple months ago, it really was out of my hands. I’m just going to keep doing the same things I’ve been doing since I came back from my suspension last season.
Q. Are you still living in Cincinnati? Will you train there?
A. I’m still in Cincinnati right now. I’m planning on training down in North Carolina.
Q. Talk about some of the regrets you have.
A. It’s been tough, man. It’s been a long three months, not being on a ball club and just being in the house for three months. I’ve just got to try to put it all behind me and hopefully it’ll all come together here soon and I’ll be able to move on with my life.
Q. Is it possible we could see Chris Henry in a Bengals uniform again?
A. I hope so, man. I love playing for Cincinnati. I got really tight with a bunch of my teammates in Cincinnati. I would love for that to happen, but you never know.
Q. How tough of an adjustment was it coming from college to the NFL?
A. It’s different for a lot of people, that changeover from college to the NFL. With me, it was pretty easy for me, actually. I got used to it real quick. I felt real comfortable after my first training camp.
Q. What are the toughest things that Bengals rookie receiver Jerome Simpson will face this season?
A. Just knowing that all the defensive backs in the league are top-notch and everybody’s going to give them a challenge every time you step up to the line. You’ve got to be prepared for that mentally and physically. If he gets past that, he’ll be fine.
Q. What have you learned from this whole situation and what will you do differently?
A. I learned a lot, man. I learned a lot about everything that happened, and everything taught me a lesson. Just about being in the wrong places and hanging out with the wrong people. I just need to handle myself like a professional at all times. That’s pretty much what I need to do to stay in the league and get another shot at this. That’s what I plan on doing.
Q. Have any of the Bengals reached out to you since you were cut by the club?
A. I’ve lost contact with a lot of guys, but there’s a few guys on the team I’ve talked to. I actually talked to Chad (Johnson) this morning. And (team president) Mike Brown reached out to me.
Q. What did Chad have to say?
A. Chad’s good. He’s down in Miami right now just focusing on getting his ankle 100 percent, and he’s just getting ready for the season. Chad is a good guy. He’s always going to be a friend no matter what with me.
Q. Is Chad a positive influence for you?
A. It’s always positive when I talk to Chad. As soon as I came to Cincinnati, he was the first person I talked to on the team. We’ve been tight ever since then. He’s just one of those guys that young guys come into the NFL and look up to. I learned a lot from Chad. He’s a real good guy.
Q. What’s one thing you want fans to know about Chris Henry?
A. That I’m truly and really a good guy, a good person, fun to be around, and just love to play football. It ain’t all what it seems like when they hear all the negative stuff about me and all the stuff I’ve been through. There’s more to me than that.
Q. What are you going to do to keep yourself out of these situations?
A. Like I say, carry myself and handle myself as a professional at all times. By me doing that, it’s pretty much going to take care of everything. That’s all I really need to do.
Q. Will teams have to worry about Chris Henry ever being in trouble again?
A. Definitely not, man. I’m just going to stay away from the wrong people and never put myself in a bad situation, just try to stay positive about everything and just continue to work and think football at all times.
Q. What’s your former coach at West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez, going to do for Michigan?
A. Oh, man, I can definitely say Rodriguez is a great coach and he can really turn a program around once the players start believing in him and just going with the flow. I can just say that it’s going to be a good game (against Ohio State) this year.
Q. Some of his Michigan players have already transferred. One guy even transferred to Ohio State. Does that surprise you?
A. He’s a tough coach to get cool with, but he’s really a good coach and it’s going to be a good game to watch this year. Should be one of the best.
For more on Henry, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChrisHenry(wide_receiver)
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By psychostats
July 2, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this
I read this interview before looking at the previous blog post and thought, gee, at least Henry has learned to say all the right things. Then I read about the reporters submitting their questions ahead of time and thought… Oh never mind. What I thought could never be posted. Hey, can we PLEASE put Henry far back in the rear view mirror? And while we’re at it, let’s do the same with Odell Thurman. I wouldn’t mind if I never heard another thing from either one of them.By Ray
July 3, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this
Why doesn’t he just commit a felony and get it over with. We have heard this all before. This isn’t his second chance it is his fifth or sixth. Just go away chris henry. Leave us alone, go get arrested in some other city.By t800
July 3, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
I have seen Chris Henry in public and I would have to say he is a good person. He speaks and acts friendly to everyone. I don’t wish anything bad upon him.By t800
July 3, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
I have seen Chris Henry in public and I would have to say he is a good person. He speaks and acts friendly to everyone. I don’t wish anything bad upon him.By boxter
July 3, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
Wanys to play football again? When he was playing you couldn’t keep him out of jail, now he wants to play again. What a waste. He needs to go away, no far far away. Another wasted talent. I wish him nothing but the worst. He brought this on himself.By No More Chances
July 3, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this
Three strikes and your out dude! He should not be given preferential treatment just because he is a good football player. The Bengals need to take a stand - on the side of integrity!By bigrobj111
July 3, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this
i hope the best for chris…but he has not changed….he still wants another chance…and another..and another..he is not dealing with his problems…why he is out of football…all he is dealing with..is how to get back in the game…he should be dealing with…the “why”..he is out of the nfl…he is trying to ignore that part..and put it behind him…you have to deal with your past..and be true to yourself…and progress from theirBy cincykid
July 3, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
Pure and simple…..SCUM! He will never change. What strikes me as odd is how does a guy only pay 800.00 in three years of mortage payments and not get his house forclosed? Oh and his car was repo’d. He gives alcohol to minors, drives under the influence, smokes week, pulls a gun on someone, beats up a college student, and drives on suspended tags. Its like he is going out of his way to be the worst possible human being around. He is a punk, a thug and a waste of human talent. He doesn’t deserve to entertain us on sundays anymore.By Firstpick
July 5, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
If he truley understands thaqt he cant get into trouble anymore, and that he cant get himself in bad situations, or hang out with the wrong people. then i have one question for him… why did it take you 3 years in the NFL to figure this out? You had your last chance. you should have thought about this before you punched and 18 year old in the headBy tony
July 9, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this
The best thing about it is today Carlos Holmes called out racist like Alan Cutler and Chick Ludwig for spreading lies about his interview with Chris Henry. If brotherss dont speak up and speak out against the racist in the white media who will? Thank you Carlos for setting the record straight. Black America appreciates it.By tony
July 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
The best thing about it is today Carlos Holmes called out racist like Alan Cutler and Chick Ludwig for spreading lies about his interview with Chris Henry. If brotherss dont speak up and speak out against the racist in the white media who will? Thank you Carlos for setting the record straight. Black America appreciates it.By tony
July 9, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
The best thing about it is today Carlos Holmes called out racist like Alan Cutler and Chick Ludwig for spreading lies about his interview with Chris Henry. If brotherss dont speak up and speak out against the racist in the white media who will? Thank you Carlos for setting the record straight. Black America appreciates it.