Shutdown Corner - NFL

Don't expect to see Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco wearing his new name on a jersey anytime soon. CNBC's Darren Rovell reports on his blog that the former Mr. Johnson would be forced to buy out the stock of the 100,000 remaining "C. Johnson" jerseys before making the switch to "Ocho Cinco". If Reebok asked Ocho Cinco to pay for the cost of making the unsold jerseys, the total could reach upwards of $4 million (or $50 million pesos).

Because Johnson changed his name so close to the start of the season, Reebok was left in a bind since they'd have to produce new jerseys and eat the old ones. That's why the NFL has told Johnson he'd have to reimburse the company for the price of the jerseys. That's not unprecedented, rookie linebacker Keith Rivers did it last week when he changed his uniform number. Of course, Rivers didn't have thousands of jerseys with his name on it on sales racks nationwide.

This whole charade, of course, is pretty ridiculous. It's tough to defend Johnson, as he's so narcissistic that he makes T.O. look like Mother Teresa. And the NFL is so blatant in their attempts to block Johnson from donning his new name on the back of his Bengals jersey that it almost seems beneath them. Sure, it's inane and self-serving and could set a bad precedent, but shouldn't the league be focusing on more important issues, like stopping players from celebrating touchdowns?

Photo via Getty Images

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  1. TheBWeezy
    1. Posted by TheBWeezy Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:43 pm EDT

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    As if Reebok and the league wouldn't make up that money(and then some) in the sales of the "Ocho Cinco" jerseys...As much as I love football, the way the league is being run now is a joke unto itself...
  2. Chris C
    2. Posted by Chris C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

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    Agreed. Rovell makes a good point when he says that all those unsold "C. Johnson" jerseys aren't going to be sold now anyway. Who's going to buy one of those after the name change?
  3. Bell Curve
    3. Posted by Bell Curve Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    Shouldn't the league be doing something about steroids and HGH making the players so big and fast that it's becoming almost unconscionably dangerous to play the sport? I gotta think the league is aware of the connection between performance enhancing drugs (which don't draw the same outrage from the football fans as they do from baseball fans) and the preponderance of injuries such as the one that Tom Brady, one of the league's golden boys, suffered on Sunday. Forget Ocho Cinco. Forget Pac Man. Forget Gang signals, etc. Do something about steroids. Just because they aren't facing the same outside pressures as MLB and just because they have a supposed testing system doesn't mean they shouldn't do something genuine about the problem. Rant Over.
  4. STEEPS
    4. Posted by STEEPS Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    The article failed to mention chad's last name is not eighty-five. ocho means eight and not 80. so his last name is now eight five. you would think he would have checked out how to spell this in spanish before legally changing his name.
  5. 2 Damn Defiant
    5. Posted by 2 Damn Defiant Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:19 pm EDT

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    no wonder they call it the NO FUN LEAGUE!! i say go ahead and let him do it and worry about the jersey thing later just make more or they could keep both on the rack it is still the same reciever!!
  6. TheBWeezy
    6. Posted by TheBWeezy Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:43 pm EDT

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    STEEPS: Which rolls off the tongue better, ocho cinco, or ochenta y cinco? Ocho cinco...He grew up in Miami so I'm pretty sure he knows at least enough Spanish to know the difference...
    spoiler: America is a melting pot of cultures..By extending your logic, then nobody should learn another language to help themselves in the business world or the community in general, which means that you should not have learned english..Nor should any of the millions of immigrants, legal and illegal, from around the world who come here to improve their lives...
  7. happy spoiler
    7. Posted by happy spoiler Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

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    thebweezy---to learn the language to communicate is deferrent then using the language to draw more people from other cultures. i see the ignorence that continue to exist in this country, even thougth it is also mine too since being born from parents that were also born here. you truly miss the point, always it is missed, remember, this country is 99.98% immigrants from far away, so who knows, maybe even your ancesters were immigrants too. i can tell your only language is english, the my men doesnt make you supirior.
  8. stephen a smith
    8. Posted by stephen a smith Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    To Post #5 he started the ocho cinco thing a few years ago when the nfl was celebrating hispanic heritage month. he knows ocho cinco isn't 85, hell he's from miami i'm sure he knows some people that speak spanish. i have been trying to order the ocho cinco jersey sincei saw it, but the nfl shop doesnt have the size in the oclor i wanted
  9. Dana P
    9. Posted by Dana P Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    what's the difference between him changing his number/name and being traded to another team? they'd have to print new jerseys in that case as well. they should donate the jerseys to clothing homeless or something like that and give him his new jersey. all he wants is attention and the longer this drags out the more he gets.
  10. cruizr
    10. Posted by cruizr Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    Wait a minute here. 100,000 jerseys for $4,000,000? That's $40 each.
    They sell these for $125 a piece and up? Crooks.....
  11. The Crow
    11. Posted by The Crow Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm EDT

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    This is a complete farce by Reebok. He LEGALLY changed his last name. Reebok is not above the last last I checked. They sell jerseys, they don't have the right to tell players what the last name on the back of the jersey has to be.
  12. skullman2x
    12. Posted by skullman2x Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    steeps......you commented that ocho cinco is 8...5.. not eighty five and that he did not research it.. .... if you ever played football or where a coach at anytime, you would know that players are refered to as....nice catch...8...5....he has stated that before thats the reason. nice try though
  13. ubbone1999
    13. Posted by ubbone1999 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:26 pm EDT

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    happy spoiler - im hispanic n by chad havin ocho cinco as his last name doesnt bug me at all or any hispanic i know u must be a racist or somethin to be trippin over somethin like dat.
  14. ubbone1999
    14. Posted by ubbone1999 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:26 pm EDT

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    how come its ok for "london fletcher" to switch his last name to "fletcher baker" n they make big deal for chad johnson to have his legal ocho cinco
  15. happy spoiler
    15. Posted by happy spoiler Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

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    think about what you just said----matt-- he was not promoting he was promotioning and geting the attention himself by useing someone elses customes, I'm sure that if if someone used the american culture to benefitt, youd be all pissed off, or maybe your not as proud as I am of my culture and also being an american. discrimination my friend is all around, needs to stop and have respect for all not just themselfes.
  16. V for Vendetta
    16. Posted by V for Vendetta Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT

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    Happy Spoiler ..you are an idiot. Stop reaching! You must be the only hispanic who is offended. In fact I find your comments to be quite unintelligible. If he needs to go back to Africa then where do you need to go back to? Go back to school and learn to spell, read, and write.
    cruizr..I am definitely in agreement with your comments. Reebok is making more than enough on the jersey and stands to make even more on the name change jersey.
  17. Scott S
    17. Posted by Scott S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:08 pm EDT

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    awwwww poor reebok :-( It's a shame they won't be able to make money off somebody else by selling there stuff.
  18. EagleFan
    18. Posted by EagleFan Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    you know what, now that i think about it i am pissed shoot what right do they have pronouncing their names in English its insulting to my heritage, those announcers think they can just get away with saying stuff like " nice catch by 23" well it ends now. From now on they should start using sign language that way it's fair.
  19. EagleFan
    19. Posted by EagleFan Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    By the way im not really seriouse about this in the least i just cant believe there's an argument over it.
  20. arroz08
    20. Posted by arroz08 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    would be funny if he gets traded to another team and someone else has #85. if i was that guy i would charge him a million bucks for it.
  21. 2FACE OR JIGSAW
    21. Posted by 2FACE OR JIGSAW Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:51 pm EDT

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    I will still call him chad johnson because that is the name he had for years and there isno point to change it but it is good to i like it but not like that im a big fan of this team since i was born
  22. salvatore l
    22. Posted by salvatore l Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:50 pm EDT

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    hypothetical situation: what if chad got married and took on a new name? would reebok have the right to charge him for that?
  23. Celtics Girl Toy
    23. Posted by Celtics Girl Toy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    I think its kind of funny, and people who take offense to the name change r reading far to deep....Lighten up it's not that serious.
  24. Dawin
    24. Posted by Dawin Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

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    ....lol i just believe that the NFL is trying so hard to take the fun away from the game, i know i am not the only one when you sit and hear about t.o or 85 make a touchdown what kind of celevration did they come up with this time......
  25. joe m
    25. Posted by joe m Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

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    make it 8.5 million

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