Weeklong Ochocinco/MLS Publicity Stunt Culminates In Predictable Publicity Stunt

We honestly love Chad Ochocinco without reserve. He's like if a little kid wished to the Big fortune teller machine to be a pro athlete, and got it. His actions seem genuine, so we weren't as turned off as a lot of people by his experiment with Sporting KC, to see if he still had his soccer skills from high school.

After a practice game with the reserves, in which even his coach said he looked rusty, we figured that would be the end of it. Another episode in the life of Chad Ochocinco.

But no! Here's the press release we just got from Sporting KC:

Sporting Kansas City announced on Tuesday that NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has been named an honorary member of the Major League Soccer Club following his six-day tryout that began last Wednesday. Ochocinco will depart Kansas City tomorrow, but will have the opportunity to re-join the team for reserve training and fitness/conditioning workouts throughout the Major League Soccer season.

"This is a positive outcome for everyone involved," Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. "It's been great to have Chad here and we'll welcome him back when he's ready to return. He's been a true professional throughout his tryout, he has fit right in with the other players and he has been a great presence in the locker room. He has definitely earned the right to be an honorary member of the squad."

Honorary member! Like that's even a thing! So Ochocinco will leave the team tomorrow, and never play for them again, except he's welcome to come back sometime to work out with them.

And that's actually kind of a neat compromise. Sporting KC has gotten itself in the news an awful lot at the same time they're doing a major rebranding. Ochocinco gets to dick around on a soccer field if he wants to, and piss off Marvin Lewis at the same time. Everybody wins.