THEY MAKE IT L.A.S.T.™

The Cincinnati Bengals, fairly or unfairly, used to receive a lot of criticism for players who chose themselves to go astray or drift from the confines of football and what is deemed appropriate behavior. What's more complex is those usually filing or reporting the complaints were no better but simply didn't live in the spotlight. I learned a long time ago that we're all just like the people we criticize whether we believe it or not. Well that's good news if I'm like these two former and highly successful Cincinnati Bengals Dave Lapham and Takeo Spikes.

I had a chance to sit with them this week as we talked football, life and family. One common denominator about players who are successful off the field as much as they were on the gridiron is their down the field of life vision. Dave spent ten years in the NFL as a multi-purpose lineman and two more years with the now pre-historic USFL. He was consistent, reliable and part of the Bengals first Super Bowl team that ultimately lost to those find-a-way-to-win 49ers. Now a 30 year veteran of football broadcasting including the analyst for Bengal Radio, he has seen the good and the bad in players past and present and will be happy to tell you there are so many good character players on the team now it's hard to remember when it wasn't. I have never worked in radio with a more prepared, detail oriented broadcaster than Dave Lapham with the exception of Dan Hoard (On Twitter) so I'll call that one a tie. If you ever get the chance to talk football with Dave Lapham you will never watch the game the same way again.

There was nothing ordinary about Takeo Spikes (webpage) when he came into the NFL. The first round pick out of Auburn was noted for his speed, tackling ability and yes his large neck. But I can tell having worked with him on the marketing side when he first arrived in town is that he is goal oriented and task focused. Not many players have goals above their headboard to remind them why they are getting up everyday to play this game and play it better than most. As a result his 15 years in the NFL were not by luck but by hard work, professionalism and commitment to his craft. Takeo could have played in eras that preceded his because he was that tough, brash and respected the game. As he now spends some time on the NFL Network, in media for the ACC and is involved in several other ventures, I can tell you he is already evaluating how it will all come together. Takeo Spikes looks as if he can walk on the field right now and give you 10 tackles and 4 assist yet as he says the scars are hidden so thats just conversation for now.

Either way it goes there are so many other Bengal Players who have successfully transitioned into great media and business careers off the field it would take a while to document them all. Solomon Wilcots, Cris Collinsworth and Bob Trumpy to name a few have really help establish the Bengal to media pipeline as a viable one. When I started a concept called "Make it Last™"Life After Sports Today this is what the end result looks like. We all know football careers and life won't last forever but some of us pretend otherwise. These former Cincinnati Bengals and others have set a tone for doing it with the end in mind. They realize being a pro is more akin to your personality than your profession. That's the way I see it sitting in The Box Seat. I'm Wayne Box Miller