Bryant, Huggins, and Couch find time to sit down

Pitt’s own Antonio Bryant is in the news again for all the wrong reasons. As is Cincinnati… Pitt’s own Antonio Bryant is in the news again for all the wrong reasons. As is Cincinnati Bearcats’ head basketball coach Bob Huggins. Tim Couch has found himself a nice cold spot on the bench for the next season as a Green Bay Packer, for what may be the best reason — a future starting job.

Heavy-weights.

Dallas Cowboys’ head coach Bill Parcells reportedly told his wide receiver and former Pitt Panther Antonio Bryant that he had one good fight left in him and not to let it be with Parcells.

Bryant, a renowned troublemaker in both Dallas’ and Pitt’s football programs, bought his ticket out of Dallas when he got into a verbal disagreement with standout wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and wide receiver coach Todd Haley. He reportedly took his pads and jersey off, threw them on the ground and started to leave the practice field. Parcells intervened and tossed Bryant’s jersey back at him. Bryant continued the game of catch by throwing it right back in his coach’s face.

Bryant did not report to the latest mini-camp, and, according to ESPN.com, a deal is being worked out so that he can be released before training camp begins.

Bryant has not put up the great numbers needed to get away with being such a hassle to coaches. He is easily expendable, as the Cowboys are showing. He is not like Terrell Owens, who is in a little dispute with Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid because he wants to wear tights to practice rather than Reid’s mandatory shorts.

Bryant should start catching touchdowns, making big plays and being a crucial part of a team’s offense before he throws his attitude around.

This isn’t college anymore. Walt Harris is not here to kick you out of practice for a day or two. Parcells is in charge, and he’ll make sure you won’t play at all.

Step out of the car.

Bob Huggins was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and has now been suspended from his duties as head basketball coach at Cincinnati. The Bearcats’ athletics director, Bob Goin, would not put a time limit on the suspension. Goin hopes to have Huggins back on the bench coaching at the start of next season.

Goin said they want to let Huggins get away from work, take some time to himself and come back with a clear conscience.

Huggins has already apologized and said he is going to fix the problem and make sure that the incident never occurs again.

I applaud Goin and Cincinnati for how they decided to go about disciplining Huggins, who has been coaching the Bearcats for 15 years.

Driving while intoxicated is a very dangerous act and should never be done by anyone, but the fact is, when people are drunk, they do stupid things — including climbing into their vehicle and driving home. It’s a mistake made by many, including those who do not get caught in the act.

It’s a mistake, and Huggins is going to face his punishment. But this does not make him less of a coach, which is why I hope to see a new, rejuvenated Huggins on the bench for the 2004-2005 basketball season.

Lazy boy.

Lambeau Field has finished with its renovations. It now has 2,500 more general admission seats and a couch.

A Tim Couch, to be exact. And it couldn’t have been a better move for the underachieving No. 1 draft pick.

Couch was said to be the best quarterback in the draft, and the Browns picked him as their first overall pick.

Couch never really produced for the Browns, and he found himself sitting on the bench behind Kelly Holcomb in Cleveland. After being released by the Browns, he signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal to back up perennial Pro-Bowl starter Brett Favre.

So why move from one bench to another?

Because Favre is soon to retire, and if Couch extends his contract, the starting job in Green Bay could be his. It may be a few years from now, but don’t count out this old Couch.

And even if he doesn’t extend his one-year contract at Green Bay, he could take what he learned and start elsewhere. Just look at the list of quarterbacks who left Green Bay and moved on to be starters elsewhere — Mark Brunell to Jacksonville, Aaron Brooks to New Orleans and Matt Hasselbeck to Seattle.

So have a seat Couch. The frozen tundra is not such a bad place after all.

Jimmy Johnson is the assistant sports editor for The Pitt News and can be reached at Jimmysjargon@yahoo.com.