NFL Without A Johnson

(Broward County, Florida) Thirty-year-old, twice-arrested, unmarried father-of-four, professional football player Chad Johnson has legally changed his name to Ocho Cinco, "a rough Spanish translation" for his Cincinnati Bengals uniform number.

Reading through Johnson's petition to change his name, it's interesting to note that he apparently has no education to speak of and his four children are members of three different families living in two different states.

Presumably, Ocho Cinco's performance on the football field is substantially more disciplined than his decision-making off the field. After all, he still has a job.

It's noteworthy, though, that Johnson's name-changing may be a harbinger of future, similar moves by other players. Imagine, for instance, Joe Pizza Hut or Tom HighStakesPoker.com. Hey, if advertisers will pay you to tattoo your forehead, they would surely part with the big bucks for a name change.

It's also worth mentioning that the idea is hardly new. Kristian von Hornsleth, a Danish artist, for several years has been getting Africans to change their names in exchange for pigs and goats. Last I heard, thousands of Africans are now named Hornsleth.

More at The Smoking Gun.

Tip: Charley Nestor