Chad Ochocinco's charity cereal dials up quite the wrong number

By Wire reports

Sept. 30, 2010 12 AM PT

Philanthropic Cincinnati Bengals fans got an unexpected – and unwanted -- surprise when they dialed a phone number listed on boxes of receiver Chad Ochocinco’s cereal expecting to reach a charity.

Instead of being connected to Feed the Children, they were greeted by a seductive-sounding woman asking for a credit card number and this warning, “You must be 18 or older to get into this party, baby!”

Rather than the correct number, 1-888-HELP-FTC, a number with a 1-800 prefix appeared on boxes of Ochocino’s that directed callers to a sex line. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of cereal goes to the charity, which took responsibility for the error.

Cincinnati-based Kroger grocery stores pulled the boxes from their shelves on Thursday and in the Bengals’ locker room, Ochocinco apologized for the error.

“I’ve been part of the (Feed the Children) and been doing things to help bring awareness to the causes. Having the cereal was another way,” Ochocinco told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Anyone I’ve affected I really do apologize. Some people got a laugh out of it, others are upset.

“It’s a little bit of a negative but it sheds a positive light on what I’m doing. They have to get the right number 1-888-Help FTC. Not 800. If you dial 800 you’re on your own.”

Ochocinco then made light of the origin of the cereal, which is supplied by a company in the home of the rival Steelers.

“Remember, this was made in Pittsburgh,” he said. “Something isn’t right.”

Pryce chooses Jets over returning to Ravens

Veteran defensive end Trevor Pryce reunited with Rex Ryan on Thursday when he signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets a day after being released by the Baltimore Ravens.

Pryce said the Jets head coach was the reason chose New York rather than re-sign with the Ravens on Monday.

“I’m humbled that Rex wanted me to play here,” Pryce said at news conference. “When this opportunity pops up, you go, ‘Ah, I don’t think I’m going back (to Baltimore).’ ”

Baltimore released Pryce to open up a roster spot for safety Ken Hamlin but expected to re-sign him next week. Pryce said he talked to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on Thursday.

“John was very cool about it,” Pryce said. “He was as positive as he could be. It was a half-hour talk. He said I really didn’t want to do it, but I need that spot until Monday. John was very candid that they were bringing me back Monday. My agent knew that if Rex called, that is where I was going.”

The 35-year-old ranks third among active players with 90 sacks but had only one tackle this season. Pryce, a four-time Pro-Bowler, had 19 ½ sacks in two seasons when Ryan was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, including a career-best 13 sacks in 2006, and credits Ryan with resurrecting his career.

“He instills confidence in you that you don’t have,” Pryce said of Ryan. “I got released from Denver, that whole thing went down, and he just thought I was more than I knew I was. And by doing that, you don’t want to let somebody like that down.”

In other Jets news, cornerback Darrelle Revis (hamstring) has been ruled out for the second consecutive week.

Saints to go with 46-year-old Carney

Veteran John Carney will be the New Orleans Saints kicker Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

The Saints signed the 46 year old this week after kicker Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime last week in a 27-24 loss to Atlanta.

Hartley is 4-for-7 this season, but was a playoff hero for the Saints last season, kicking an overtime field goal in the NFC title game and then nailing three kicks of at least 40 yards in the Super Bowl victory over the Colts.

Carney first played in the NFL in 1988 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and kicked for the Saints last season when Hartley was suspended four games for a positive test for the banned stimulant Adderall.

Delhomme returns to practice for Browns

Still favoring his injured right ankle, Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme returned to practice Thursday for the first time in two weeks and said he hopes to play against Cincinnati on Sunday.

Delhomme suffered a high ankle sprain in a Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay and has watched backup Seneca Wallace fill in the past two weeks in losses to Kansas City and Baltimore.

“It’s very difficult when you got to the stadium on Sunday and there’s a hollow feeling inside,” he said. “To me, that’s always something that you just don’t feel like you’re there for your teammates. That’s always something that bothered me a great deal.”

Delhomme said he still wasn’t sure he could play and would need to test the ankle further.

Browns coach Eric Mangini said Delhomme will start on Sunday if he’s healthy enough.

“He’s our starting quarterback,” Mangini said. “So when he’s ready to start, he’ll start.”