What do the Bengals get with ‘Trouble?’

Laveranues Coles has already had a great NFL career and now the newest Cincinnati Bengal is by far the most interesting.

BENGALSTRIPES – Laveranues Coles has been through a lot.

The player, who held the nickname of “Trouble” during his youth, has been arrested, kicked out of college and molested as a teen.

For once the Bengals have a wide receiver worth writing a book about, sorry Chad, but you can just stop.

Coles kept his darkest secret for most of his life, coming forward just prior to 2005 season when he told the world that he was molested from ages 10 to 13 by a man that later married his mother.

The abuse went on for three years, Coles kept quiet not knowing what to do, which is the main reason he came forward.

“Some kids do look up to us,” he said to the press in ‘05. “Maybe if I say something, they’ll feel strong enough to say, ‘I can say something now because it’s happened to him.’ Even if it’s one kid who I can touch, who my story gives him the strength to come out and say something, I feel like it’s worth it.”

Eventually, his stepfather was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty in 1992, four years after Coles was first molested in 1988.

Seven years after he was sentenced, Coles was a senior at Florida State and he was about to have that taken away him.

“Trouble” went shopping with teammate Peter Warrick. A friendly Dillard’s store clerk, Rachel Myrtil charged Coles and Warrick $21.40 for $412.38 worth of clothing. The wide receivers were charged with a single count of grand theft.

Warrick was suspended for two games in what appeared to be a Heisman-type season. Coles, on the other hand, was kicked off the team.

The punishment seemed unfair, but FSU Athletic Director Dave Hart told the media, “”Peter Warrick has been a good citizen here prior to this, the door certainly is open for Peter to return.”

The door closed on Coles immediately because at the time he was already on probation for previous legal and academic problems. More importantly, Coles was not the well-known star that Warrick was.

Prior to the incident, “Trouble” was charged for a misdemeanor battery charge when he hit his stepmother outside her home. The charge caused Coles to be suspended for ‘98 FSU season opener and to serve 150 hours of community service.

At the time, Warrick hadn’t stayed completely out of trouble, getting in altercation in a fast-food parking lot and then resisting arrest.

Coles ended up a third-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. That same year, the Bengals selected Warrick with the fourth overall pick.

Eventually, Warrick would be replaced by T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Now Coles replaces Housh.

The question swirling around the Queen City is not whether Coles will stay out of trouble, by now he is known as solid teammate and person, but it is if the Bengals will try to trade Chad Johnson.

Personally I believe Johnson will stay and I am happy that Bengals have finally brought in the right type of trouble.

Tagged as: 2009 Bengals free agency, 2009 NFL free agency, Chad Johnson, Laveranues Coles, Laveranues Coles signs with Bengals