Ochocinco seeks Patriots fan to be roommate to start season

Ever wanted to be roommates with Chad Ochocinco? If you live near Foxborough, Mass., you have a chance.

That's because the newly acquired New England Patriots wide receiver still is looking for a place to live, and he said Tuesday that he's toying with a novel way of getting to know the Boston area.

"I'm going to do something different -- I'm actually going to stay with a fan, probably the first two or three weeks of the season," Ochocinco said. "So that should be fun until I get myself acclimated, I learn my way around and actually just find a place."

Ochocinco hasn't picked the fan yet, but he laid out a simple set of requirements.

"They have to have Internet, and they have to have Xbox, and that's about it," Ochocinco said.

The number of tweets by Ochocinco, who has more than 2 million followers on Twitter, have decreased since he became a Patriot on July 29. So, he was asked Tuesday if he could both be himself and still be a Patriot, and he just smiled.

After signing with New England, Ochocinco said he "will always be me," but he also said he was "going to blend in and do it the Patriot way, which is win. It has been a part of my game to always be me, but there is a certain way the Patriots do it and it's easy for me."

The veteran receiver said he still has a lot of work to do, but he's starting to feel comfortable with his new teammates. He gave fellow receivers Wes Welker and Deion Branch and quarterback Tom Brady credit for his progress.

"I've been able to assume a lot of information in a short period of time," Ochocinco said, while adding "there's still a lot of work to do."

Notes: Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he doubted he would play veterans more than he usually does in Thursday night's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also said it was "probably right" that players who haven't been practicing won't play in the game. ... Belichick said newly acquired Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis are both "day to day" when it comes to returning to the field. Haynesworth has missed the past four practices. "He's in the 'day to day' category and getting some treatment," Belichick said. "He'll be out there as soon as he can." He said Ellis is in a similar situation. Ellis has been placed on the physically unable to perform list. He can resume practicing whenever he is ready, and he still counts against the 90-man roster limit. "He's making progress and getting better," Belichick said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ochocinco receives warm reception, right at home as No. 85

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It looks like Chad Ochocinco won't have to change his name again.

That was the colorful wide receiver wearing his usual number 85 at practice for the New England Patriots on Friday, one day after being traded by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Warren among New England's cuts

Ochocinco, a reference to the Spanish words for the numbers 8 and 5, legally changed his name from Johnson before the 2008 season. On Friday, he had the number worn last year by rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez, who hasn't practiced following hip surgery in February. Hernandez was on the field wearing shorts with the number 81.

Fans cheered when Ochocinco took the field for the afternoon session. Tom Brady connected on passes to him. Teammates went over play charts with him.

"I've watched him for a long time," Brady said. "He brings a lot of energy to the team."

The verbose Ochocinco didn't speak with reporters, although the Patriots officially announced the trade for undisclosed draft considerations on Friday. They also announced the trade for Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Haynesworth needed 10 days to pass the conditioning test with the Redskins before last year's training camp. Haynesworth passed his Patriots physical on the first day, according to the team.

"They're at different stages" of completing the work needed to get on the field, coach Bill Belichick said before the morning walkthrough. "One player has some things and another player has other things."

Ochocinco joins Wes Welker and Deion Branch in a strong, experienced receiver corps.

"He's been a very prolific receiver. I think he's had a bunch of production over the years," Brady said. "Hopefully, he can come in here and find a role on this team, as we're all trying to do."

During the walkthrough, a serious-looking Ochocinco spent considerable time talking with Brady and Branch as teammates ran through plays.

"I know he's excited," Brady said. "He's excited to be out here and I think he's excited to be a part of a new team.

"Everyone's really searching for a role for themselves. We're all trying to establish a role for ourselves, Chad, myself, Wes, Deion and all of us are trying to figure out what we can do to help this team win."

Brady had surgery in January for a stress fracture in his right foot but participated in three days of voluntary workouts with teammates at Boston College during the 4½-month lockout.

"I feel really good," he said. "I feel about as good as I can feel."

Brady was one of the plaintiffs in the players' lawsuit against the NFL lockout. That suit was dismissed as part of the settlement on a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement.

"I think that I'm just glad that we're back here playing. I haven't thought too much about 'ah, it's over,' " he said of the lockout. "It feels like football season to me. It feels like training camp to me. And it feels like we have a lot of work to do."

So does Belichick. He has to run practices while assembling a roster.

On Friday he released six veterans and one rookie free agent. They were defensive end Ty Warren, offensive tackle Nick Kaczur, tight end Alge Crumpler, linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, defensive lineman Marcus Stroud, cornerback Tony Carter and rookie free agent linebacker Ryan Coulson of Nevada.

Warren, a starter for six seasons, and Kaczur, a regular for five seasons, spent all last year on injured reserve. Those two plus Crumpler each carried salary cap numbers of at least $3 million.

The Patriots also signed two draft choices -- quarterback Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, a third-rounder, and offensive lineman Marcus Cannon of TCU, a fifth-rounder.

Haynesworth can be a dominant player but feuded all last season with Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. And he's had a number of legal troubles.

"Everyone starts at a clean slate" when they join the Patriots, Brady said. "You put the team first and come out here and do your job. So I don't think we say, 'aw, man, because you did this 12 years ago, I think I should have an opinion of you.' I think you develop relationships with players and I think they develop relationships with you, and you see as you go."

Brady last played against Haynesworth in a preseason game before the 2009 season and suffered what the Patriots called a sore shoulder after being crushed to the turf by the 335-pound tackle late in the first half.

He missed the rest of the game, but played all 16 regular-season games.

"I saw him this morning and I said, 'I still haven't forgiven you for that,' " Brady said. "He said, 'God, I've got a lot of friends up here,' and they've all given him a lot of grief over the years."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Ochocinco on coach Lewis: 'Maybe he doesn't like me for real'

Chad Ochocinco's rollicking offseason continued Thursday when the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver roared around the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway with NASCAR driver Jeff Burton.

"I asked him to let loose," Ochocinco said. "Please don't waste my time. Step on the gas."

Ochocinco has been a busy man in Atlanta. In addition to crossing high-speed racing off his bucket list, he's continuing his offseason workouts and shooting a cameo in the latest "American Pie" sequel. Somewhere in between, he called in to an Atlanta radio station, sharing his thoughts on a number of issues, including his strained relationship with Marvin Lewis.

The Bengals' coach has been critical of his receiver in comments dating to last season. Ochocinco didn't hold back when asked where his relationship with his coach stands.

"I don't know. Hopefully Marvin is doing this maybe to help me out," Ochocinco told WQXI-AM. "Maybe he's trying to cause some friction between himself and me. Maybe he doesn't like me for real. He doesn't like me, well, I don't like him either.

"Maybe he's trying to do this to show (Bengals owner) Mike Brown, 'I don't think I can coincide with Chad,' but damn it, I can't coincide with him either, and if he really feels that way, when I see him, I'm going to whoop his (butt)."

Ochocinco has played his entire 10-season career with the Bengals, but it's believed he could be released or asked to take a pay cut when the NFL lockout is lifted. He didn't sound like a player itching to return to his familiar stomping grounds.

"It doesn't matter where I'm at," Ochocinco said. "People can say what they want. Wherever I am, I'm going to make it happen. And they always say the grass ain't greener on the other side, but my damn grass been brown for a long time."

Another longtime Bengal whose career with the team is in doubt is Carson Palmer. The quarterback has said he'll retire if he's not traded by the team, because he's fed up with the culture of losing that has enveloped the franchise.

Ochocinco doesn't believe Palmer is bluffing.

"He's not playing. When somebody goes out of character like that, especially a white guy with red hair that grows a random beard," Ochocinco said. "When he says he's going to do something, he's going to do it. He's not playing."

Ochocinco also has worked out with two of football's most controversial players this offseason, former New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress and former Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor. Ochocinco raved about Pryor -- who left Ohio State in April amid scandal surrounding improper benefits -- praising his timing and arm strength.

Ochocinco also was complimentary of Burress, who recently was released from a 22-month prison stay on gun charges.

"Plax looks like he's ready to play. ... He hasn't missed a beat," Ochocinco said. "We trained all last week together (and) he looks really good ... a lot bigger, too."

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

Ochocinco, a six-time Pro Bowl pick, took the ride with Burton about six weeks after visiting the Professional Bull Riders circuit near Atlanta to ride a 1,500-pound bull for 1.5 seconds. He also has tried out for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer and said he next plans to wrestle an alligator.

"You can't scare him," Burton said. "The man has ridden a bull. He runs routes across the middle of the field. He wants to wrestle an alligator. How do you scare an athlete like that?"

Ochocinco ended his day at the speedway with a new level of respect for NASCAR drivers.

"How the hell they are able to do that with 30 other drivers on the track is beyond me," he said, adding that NASCAR "really is a sport and it does take skill."

Asked in an ESPN interview if he worried about losing a limb battling alligators, Ochocinco said he already had a backup plan in mind.

"If I lose an arm wrestling alligators, I can just be the Bengals' kicker," said Ochocinco, who kicked an extra point in a 2009 preseason game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ochocinco: Palmer 'means business' with trade-or-retire talk

Chad Ochocinco's interesting offseason brought him to the University of Cincinnati on Friday, when he trained with the Bearcats before promising to wrestle an alligator.

Following his workout with the school's football team, the Bengals' loquacious wide receiver also told WXIX-TV that he's convinced quarterback Carson Palmer is serious about his plans to retire if the team doesn't trade him. Bengals owner Mike Brown repeatedly has said he won't deal Palmer.

"There's this one thing you have to understand about Carson. When a guy that grows a random beard says he's going to do something, he means it," Ochocinco said. "Seriously. Seriously, That's totally out of his character. When someone like that grows a random beard and says he's going to retire -- if he doesn't get traded -- he means business. And it's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

With the Bengals' leader on the outs, Ochocinco has begun studying college film of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who might wind up commanding Cincinnati's offense this season.

"I love (Palmer), you know that. You know how I feel about him, and I always will," Ochocinco said. "Everything I've done, I like to say that Carson is the reason for my success -- as so is everybody else. But, you know, he's the quarterback, period. And I think he's in a frustrated state, similar to what I was couple of years ago (when the receiver asked to be traded). And hopefully everything comes around. I understand we drafted Andy Dalton, who is a great quarterback, and after getting him, I've done my own homework in watching him ... and he's really good."

After 10 seasons with the Bengals, Ochocinco's relationship with longtime coach Marvin Lewis has been rocky, leading the receiver to joke that he could "whip Marvin's (expletive) right now," before clarifying that his coach has "been good to me."

Said Ochocinco: "He's the reason for my, ugh, everything. I've been with him eight, nine years. I mean, you know a little spat last year, a little spat here and there, it's a part of life. It's a part of marriage. ... I would love to still be here, and I have no problem ... I can't control the situation as a whole; I can only control me. And what I've done is I've been at peace for a while now. For a while now, you haven't heard a peep out of me as far as being a problem or saying things out of context, I'm just really supporting the Bengals' organization and the city."

Now, about that alligator. Ochocinco claims that when an exasperated Brown suggested the receiver next wrangle snakes as part of his carnivalesque offseason that also has included bull riding and a soccer tryout, he decided to go one step further.

"I just one-upped (Brown): I am going to wrestle alligators," Ochocinco said. "Don't laugh, like I am serious and you'll see it. And I am living life.

"In Okeechobee (Fla.), I am wrestling alligators. Actually, catching them in the wild. Which is going to be really interesting, I am catching them in the wild. I forgot the individual's name who is going with me, who does it for a living. It's pretty dangerous, I could lose an arm, lose a leg, you know ... so was bull riding. So the chance of me getting hurt on the bull is similar to the chance as me winning the lottery, slim to none. And the same thing with alligators. If he bites me, I can still play with one arm. (Because) I can kick, seriously."

Ochocinco also described a plot to sneak into Paul Brown Stadium during the lockout, when players are prevented from accessing team facilities, in order to use workout equipment.

"I freaking plotted to get into Paul Brown; they changed the freaking gate code!" he said. "Yeah, I tried to get in on my own, I tried to get in the back way. I don't want to say it, but there's a way to get into the stadium even though they have the security and all the cameras -- I got the blueprint of the stadium."

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Dalton among 47 Bengals at workouts; Palmer, Ochocinco not

A total of 47 Cincinnati Bengals, including five of the team's eight draft choices, attended the first day of player-organized workouts on Monday at two locations, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Monday night.

Tackle Andrew Whitworth and defensive tackle Domata Peko organized the sessions, which had 25 defensive players working out at Ignition Athletics in Mason, Ohio, and 22 offensive players training at the University of Cincinnati.

"We ran the offense, did some conditioning and got a chance to get our football legs back," Whitworth said. "We got a lot of quality work in."

Second-round pick Andy Dalton was one of three quarterbacks -- none of them named Carson Palmer -- who participated. Palmer has said he will retire if the Bengals don't trade him, something owner Mike Brown vowed won't happen. Wide receiver A.J. Green, the Bengals' first-round pick, is expected to join the workouts later this week.

Fellow wideout Chad Ochocinco, whose Bengals tenure appears tenuous as well, also was a no-show. He is in Montreal filming a cameo appearance for the Spike TV series "Blue Mountain State."

Each unit spent two hours on the field mirroring organized team activities -- stretching, position group work and then running plays together -- before lifting weights for another hour.

Monday's workouts were closed to the media, but Tuesday's defensive session and Wednesday's offensive workout will be open.

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Ochocinco draws inspiration from owner, eyes snake wrangling

If nothing else, Chad Ochocinco has proved this offseason that he's up for any challenge.

And while his soccer tryout was cute, and the bull riding was brave, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver's latest plan might qualify as downright crazy.

"I've partnered with Snake Jungle to go out and become the first black #SnakeWrangler," Ochocinco tweeted Wednesday. "Thanks to my owner Mike Brown for the great idea."

He was referring to Bengals owner Mike Brown, who offered his opinion on Ochocinco's colorful offseason during an interview Tuesday.

"He's going to do the things he does. Next maybe he'll be a snake wrangler and we'll watch to see if he gets bit," Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting in Indianapolis. "He's always up to some stunt. They amuse me in a way."

Brown's off-handed riff turned into inspiration for Ochocinco, who's apparently looking for any way to pass the time during the longest work stoppage in NFL history. The owners locked out the players March 12.

"I'm going to be a #SnakeWrangler, I got the awesome idea from my owner, catching a Black Mamba and a King Cobra #EPIC," Ochocinco added. "Does anyone know these snakes I'm gonna catch, Taipan, Blue Krait, Eastern Brown Snake, Rattle Snake and the Death Adder."

It remains to be seen if Ochocinco is serious or simply exhibiting online courage, 140 characters at a time. His track record makes going through with it a genuine possibility.

"Chad has a genius for bringing notice to himself," Brown said Tuesday.

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