ESPN AFC North Blog

	AP Photo/Tom Uhlman
	Marvin Lewis, left, and Chad Ocho Cinco have had their ups and downs during their time in Cincinnati.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

Gather around the dinner table, everyone. I have a Thanksgiving Day story to share.

This is a tale about a not-so-typical family. It involves a head coach named Marvin Lewis and a star receiver named Chad Ocho Cinco. In many ways, their relationship was like father and son.

They're arguably the two most recognizable faces for the Cincinnati Bengals the past six years. Yet, the coach and player are polar opposites.

Lewis is serious, frank and to the point. Ocho Cinco is playful, boisterous and long-winded whenever a microphone is around. These aforementioned differences often made their relationship flammable.

You always got the sense that Lewis wanted Ocho Cinco to be more serious, like his head coach, while Ocho Cinco wanted Lewis to loosen up, like his star player. About the only thing the pair had in common was they both loved football.

Chad on the decline? After making numerous trade demands, Chad Ocho Cinco is having his worst season since his rookie year. Year Rec. Yards Yards per catch TDs 2008 41 383 9.3 4 2003-07* 92.4 1,374 14.87 8.6 *Average numbers over five seasons.

When motivated, Ocho Cinco was a very hard worker, often sleeping at the facility studying opponents. Lewis appreciated that and gave his star player more rope to do and say outlandish things during the season.

Lewis knew he got the best from Ocho Cinco when the receiver stayed true to his personality, and Ocho Cinco is an entertainer who aims to please. "Chad has to be Chad" was one of the receiver's favorite phrases through the years.

So Lewis spent a lot of time and energy backtracking and downplaying Ocho Cinco's comments in the media and toward other teams. The boisterous celebrations on the field were allowed, and there was a clear double standard in the way Lewis treated Ocho Cinco and other players on the team.

But when the production doesn't match the constant hassle, the ends stop justifying the means. That is where this family story goes downhill between Lewis and Ocho Cinco.

The Bengals never duplicated their playoff run in 2005. Ocho Cinco was only a small part of the blame, but his act began to take a different meaning when the team wasn't successful.

The antics were no longer playful and fun. With losing, these bold acts became distractions and meaningless. It's hard enough to turnaround a sinking ship in the NFL. It's twice as hard when one of your best players creates drama and more holes for the head coach to patch up.

Lewis tried to convey that message to his Pro Bowl receiver. But Ocho Cinco, displaying some immaturity, took that as the head coach blaming him for all the losing and trying to change his personality.

And gradually Lewis lost Ocho Cinco mentally, which was the worst thing that could happen for this pair.

Ocho Cinco went off the deep end and the Bengals no longer got the Pro Bowl receiver. They got the one who dropped clutch passes, was all of a sudden inconsistent, and no longer had the same work ethic during or after the season. He spent more time demanding trades this past offseason than working out and getting the necessary ankle surgery and rehab.

Now, in 2008, Ocho Cinco is a shell of the player he once was -- or perhaps still could be. But his potential distractions constantly looms. He was a huge disruption in the offseason for the Bengals and most recently violated team rules and was deactivated before last week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lewis, who personally took a lot of shots for Ocho Cinco in the media and with his team, has to be among the most disappointed after all the pair has gone through.

Now their relationship has taken a big blow.

Although there may not be any residual animosity, last week was a wake-up call that the Lewis-Ocho Cinco pairing can no longer work in Cincinnati. It's officially time for at least one of these parties to skip town and move forward.