(Above Image Source: Cincy Jungle)

(WARNING: Potential spoilers for those who haven’t seen the episode yet)

VICE TV premiered the first episode of their all-new original miniseries Dark Side of Football, a spinoff of their hit miniseries, Dark Side of the Ring. This show tells stories of scandals, crimes, and transgressions in the world of football. These stories are the kind fans don’t want to hear about because they can damage what people think, love, and feel about the sport. Now those stories and the truth behind them are about to come out, and the people involved in each story will share their experiences.

The first episode may be titled, “Wide Receiver Divas,” but it mostly gives viewers a look into the career and antics of former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson (formerly Chad Ochocinco). We also get various appearances from former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, Johnson’s former teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Johnson’s cousin and former Tennessee Titans cornerback Samari Rolle, and many more. They all have said a lot about Johnson, his behavior, and the expectations of an NFL wide receiver during this episode.

Now here are my three takeaways from Episode 1:

1. The Hidden Nature of a Wide Receiver

We learn that wide receivers have a reputation for playing the game and being entertainers on the field. When watching football games, all eyes are mostly on two types of players: the quarterbacks and wide receivers. Fans would mostly count on the wide receivers to make all the catches and fulfill big plays to keep fans’ attention on the game. Fans have also seen wide receivers either going off on the sidelines or have a little fun with a touchdown celebration dance. These are a part of the wide receiver role.

We learn that the one important trait every wide receiver needs to play football is confidence. A majority of wide receivers are not humble because it does not really help them make a name for themselves. Fans want to see them acting all hyped up at a game. Good sportsmanship doesn’t really come until the game ends, so until then, they have to act as cocky and confident as possible. That’s what gives them the “diva personality” people would sometimes see on their TV, even if they think it’s not what it looks like.

2. Wide Receivers And Their Series of Unfortunate Events

Wide receivers like Johnson may have had their highs on the field, but they also had their unfortunate lows. During his career, sports media put out some of the most dramatic stories involving various wide receivers:

• Cowboys’ legend Michael Irvin was accused of stabbing a teammate.
• Bleacher Report writer Luke Grundy coined the acronym O.W.E.N.S. (Outspoken Wideout, Egotistical Nepotism Syndrome) to describe Terrell Owens’ attitude against quarterbacks.
• The house of Andre Rison was burned down by his wife, TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.

The series would even go on to bring up the event that would make the career of former Giants WR Plaxico Burress go down in infamy. Back in November 2008, Burress and teammate Antonio Pierce went to a New York nightclub one night. No one then would have imagined that he would be carrying a hidden gun into the place. They also could not have imagined that he would get himself shot in the leg trying to catch it when it fell down. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison, and his NFL career was over.

3. Johnson’s Antics Ended After Leaving Cincinnati

It seems hard to wonder how the Bengals were able to deal with 10 seasons of Johnson’s behavior. It seemed normal enough when he trash-talked against other players and talked back to referees. In my opinion, the major antics truly began when he unofficially changed his last name to “Ochocinco” in the NFL and was fined for it. It got weirder one day when he wore a makeshift gold jacket, and on the back, it said, “Future HOF 20??” He then took it further when he legally and literally decided to change his last name to “Ochocinco” altogether.

Cincinnati had enough, and they let him go. He would never make another wacky moment again. He changed his last name back to “Johnson” with hopes for a second chance to further his career. He got it with the New England Patriots but only lasted one season due to lack of plays. That would mark his final season as a wide receiver. His time with the Miami Dolphins never happened after he was arrested and charged with domestic battery days after he signed with the team in 2012. He was dismissed after the third week of training camp, and there was no third chance or a fitting, happy end for him.