The Cincinnati Bengals' veterans keep warning the rookies:"Beware the Toledo Bully."

As the oldest player on the team, 33-year-old defensive end Bryan Robinson has an image to uphold — big, tough, grumpy, ornery and sneaky.  Robinson has been relatively tame during training camp at Georgetown College.  "But it's still early yet," he said. "These are long, hot days, and we're all a little gassed right now. It's tough for those guys to get the playbook down. They're trying to be consistent and productive. So I know how it is. But all that stuff is coming."

In other words, rookies better protect their personal belongings at Paul Brown Stadium and keep their heads on a swivel.  "I'm not giving 'em anything more than anybody else — yet," Robinson said. "This is a no-hazing league. When I came in as a rookie, that type of stuff was around. Now I just look at 'em in a mean way or just growl at them."

Keiwan Ratliff has lined up with the starters throughout Bengals training camp. That's the good news for the Whitehall graduate.  The bad news is that it's probably not destined to last. His status on the team could be in peril.  Playing with the first unit this summer has been largely a function of Johnathan Joseph's foot surgery and rookie Leon Hall's brief holdout. Those two are Cincinnati's most recent first-round picks. With Deltha O'Neal playing better than he did last year, Ratliff could be squeezed out.

That could be a blessing in disguise for the fourth-year cornerback. If he doesn't have a significant role, Ratliff said, he'd rather not be on the 53-man roster.  "I look at this like this is my senior year in college," Ratliff said. "In your senior year, you don't want to be on the sideline."  A second-round draft pick in 2004, Ratliff expected to have established himself as a starter by now. Instead, his roles have continually changed -- cornerback, safety, even punt returner.

It's not often a politician is willing to say something he knows will upset half of his constituency, but Columbus mayor Michael B. Coleman didn't care. 

When it comes to the NFL, Coleman doesn't try to hide his allegiance. He's a Bengals man.  Yesterday, it was Hizzoner's honor to be the Bengals' guest at training camp. Decked out in a Bengals shirt, shorts and hat, Coleman stood on the sideline chatting with Bengals president Mike Brown. He sounded almost awe-struck talking about his conversation with coach Marvin Lewis, and during Lewis' news conference, Coleman stepped off to the side to snap a picture with a disposable camera.

While the Bengals were in Detroit for their preseason opener, Tab Perry remained at Georgetown College, working out in 100-degree heat, strengthening his achy right hip.  The third-year wide receiver is "chomping at the bit" to play, and that's part of his problem. He keeps re-aggravating the injury that kept him sidelined the final 14 games of 2006.  "(The trainers) keep saying I'm being hard-headed about it, but they want to really take care of it," Perry said. "They want me to be out there, but they want me to rest, too."

Perry, who practiced for the second straight day on Sunday, said he could've played at Detroit.  "Would it have been the smartest thing? Maybe not," he said. "I feel real good because I have fresh legs. I keep fighting and fighting. I've just got to be patient and not push it too hard."

New daddy:  Wide receiver Reggie McNeal became a father on Thursday night when his fiancee, Jenn, delivered a healthy boy, Reggie Jr., at Cincinnati's Good Samaritan Hospital. "It feels great. It feels wonderful. I can't explain it," McNeal said.  He got the news at halftime in Detroit.  "As soon as I walked in the locker room, I had a text message saying she was (delivering) now," McNeal added.  Little Reggie's measurements: 6 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 inches long.  "I'm happy he's healthy. That's the biggest thing," he said. "I just couldn't wait to get back to him."