Updated: 7:30 p.m.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. - With the Bengals gathered in the locker room waiting for practice, a massive thunderstorm rolled through Georgetown College Tuesday afternoon in a deluge that tossed field equipment all over the lot and left the sidelines swimming in water. The stands were cleared and the facility closed, and head coach Marvin Lewis later called off practice.
The team regrouped for 4 p.m. meetings and 5:30 p.m. dinner before Lewis decided to head out to the main field for a 7:15 p.m. walkthrough with special teams. The rest of the team arrives at 7:30 and they should be off the field by 8:40 with a two-a-day scheduled to begin Wednesday at 9 a.m.
When Lewis met the media Tuesday afternoon, he said he didn't anticipate a drastic change to his schedule because of the missed day. The Bengals were supposed to go over short-yardage and goal-line situations for the first time Tuesday and hit it again Wednesday night. Lewis still expects all of the installation to be in by next Wednesday night, two days before the preseason opener in New Orleans.
If he had known Tuesday would be rained out, Lewis said he would have rested players like SAM linebacker Rashad Jeanty and defensive end Robert Geathers and worked them Monday night.
Georgetown athletic director Eric Ward said the school had to get people out of the stadium because the risk was too great with the lightning. There weren't many people to start with because of the balky weather before the storm, but it's a date the college just doesn't get back and loses a day of revenue.
"It's just not worth the risk with dangerous weather." Ward said.
He says it may have been the biggest rain he's seen here, but he's confident the main field at Toyota Stadium will drain well. But he also said, "We could use some sun."
SLANTS AND SCREENS
» It even rains on Hall of Famers. Anthony Muñoz drove down with daughter Michelle (about to maker him a grandad for the second time), but had to turn around when things got ditched. Muñoz is again the analyst on the club's TV games on Channel 12 with play-by-man Paul Keels, so he'll be back before the opener. When he does, he may go to work like last year when offensive line coach Paul Alexander pulled him off the sidelines to work with them.
"I loved it," Muñoz said.
» Lewis says he hopes tight end Reggie Kelly (Achilles) sticks around much of the season because of his great locker-room presence "when it's not cumbersome for him to get around." At 32 and the last year of his deal lost to injury, Kelly, Lewis said, obviously has some decisions to make.
"The good thing is medically we've come a long way," Lewis said. "That's how it has its name. Achilles heel. That was it. Now they can come back and be productive."
» When asked if cornerback David Jones (foot) needs surgery, Lewis said he's meeting with a doctor before deciding "on the next course of action." He had no timetable on WILL linebacker Brandon Johnson (hamstring).
» The Bengals Spirit Shop at Georgetown is up 30 percent in sales over last year's first four days of camp. Monty Montague, the club's merchandise manager, says anything with the No. 58 of rookie SAM linebacker Rey Maualuga on it is going like hotcakes and outselling Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco. "That's been the trend since the draft. Also big sellers are Lewis' '09 motto T-shirts of "Sacrifice" and "Fight Back."
