Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Anthony Munoz was selected to 11 straight Pro Bowls and became the first Hispanic and Bengals player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Munoz, now an ESPN analyst, talked with ESPN's Gary Miller about what he sees unfolding in Cincinnati in the near future.

"The first unit, other than the first half of the Colts game, have not played that well. The chemistry has not been there. There's been spotty emotion during the preseason."

Munoz also spoke about the renewed rivalry between the Bengals and Browns and what it meant for his son to give a speech in his honor at his Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

The following is an edited transcript of Munoz's interview.

Miller: Chris Spielman is going to retire, how does it affect you when you see guys like that lose their career due to injuries?

Munoz: Well, it's amazing. I played 13 years and I didn't experience a stinger until my thirteenth year, and it was just one. I can't imagine having gone through what he's gone through, not only with his family but his neck, and all of a sudden you make that comeback and then feel it again. As much as I love the game and as much as I know Spielman loves the game, I think it's time for him to walk away as long as you can walk; I think it's time for him to go.

Miller: What's it been like having ties to Cincinnati, but living in Ohio, to have the Browns back?

Munoz: I think it's great. I played 13 years and the whole time we'd go up there on the Lake (Erie) and play and the facility wasn't great, the locker room, I mean, you get the players and then the media in there and you're struggling to get dressed, but there's no other place like that. To have the Dawg Pound there as you're warming up and you have to duck from the dog biscuits and stuff flying over your head, it was a shame to see them leave, but it's great to see them back, not only for the rivalry for the Central Division but for the league.

Miller: Cincinnati had better years when you were there, so is it good for Cincinnati to have the Browns back and that rivalry back?

Munoz: I don't know about that, it would be a shame to see them win more football games this year than the Bengals, and the way they put that team together with Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark and that organization, we're down in Cincinnati looking up there thinking that might happen.

Miller: The Bengals finally got Akili Smith signed last week. How tough is it for the Bengals to survive with Mike Brown, who's known to be a penny-pincher? Will it be difficult to compete in today's marketplace?

Munoz: I think so. You look at the dollars and they're going to pay the dollars to the top guys. Ki-Jana Carter gets 7.1 million to sign, then all of a sudden Akili gets 10.8 million, so eventually they pay those guys what the other guys are making. But what happens down the line with the other players, they see how difficult it is for those guys coming in as number one picks to get that money, and then you have the guys that have been there who have established themselves that should be getting the big money, it's tough for them. So the younger guys have to be thinking, "if it's tough for these guys, what is the incentive for me to produce and get to that level and have to struggle to get that." The sad thing about that whole situation is it's such a great city, and I think that when the guys don't get that opportunity or they struggle to work out their contracts, they don't see what a great city it is. They miss out on that and they want to go somewhere else.

Miller: What do you envision for Akili Smith and the Bengals this year, considering the slow start they've gotten off to?

Munoz: I think it's another year of struggling quite a bit, and not only did his first appearance not go well, but the preseason has not gone well at all for the Bengals. The first unit, other than the first half of the Colts game, have not played that well. The chemistry has not been there. There's been spotty emotion during the preseason.

Miller: How much pressure is on Bruce Coslet to have a productive season this year?

Munoz: I think there's a tremendous amount of pressure, and from reading some of the quotes that Bruce has come out with, I believe he's feeling that pressure. Mike (Brown) is slow to pull the trigger, it's obvious with Mike Shula, who had 19 wins in five years. I believe he wanted to have that work in the worst way, but it didn't work. With Coslet I think he wants it to work, but we also believe with that new stadium sitting there ready for next season, the people are not going to put up with it. There will be a move made, at least that's what I think, if they don't win more than 3 or 4 games.

Miller: How much did it mean to you to have your son Michael speak on your behalf at your Hall of Fame ceremony?

Munoz: Well, it meant everything. The first thing is I wanted the whole family to be involved in that ceremony. My wife, Dedee, my daughter, Michelle, and of course Michael, who gave that speech. It would have been great to have all three up there but I couldn't, so I chose Michael. The Hall of Fame people said that you should have somebody present you who's had the most influence in your football career. There were certain individuals that I was considering, but I looked at it and I wanted someone who knew me away from the football field, because those are the things as a dad, a husband, and a friend that are the most important things. Sure, this was a football-related induction ceremony, but the message that I wanted to get across through this weekend was that the other things are more important. To have Michael get up there and blow me away with his speech, because I didn't know what he was going to say and to realize, as a father for 17 years and all of the mistakes I've made: I'll say "Michael, I'm sorry for that, forgive me, I'll try better next time."

Miller: Michael is a high school senior, he's bigger than YOU and he's one of the top offensive line prospects in the country. How much pressure are you getting from USC (your alma mater) to have your son come and play there?

Munoz: Let's put it this way, they realize he's made a decision to narrow it down to five other schools: Ohio State, Michigan Tennessee, Texas, if he does happen to come out west, he'd better not go to any other school besides USC. So I'm saying okay, okay. But he hasn't chosen USC as one of his five and he's basically decided on those five and he wants to take the trips after his high school season. I get a lot of pressure, it's natural. I played my career there, they want your kids to go there and the program has been down. They feel with a player of Michael's caliber, not only on the field but off the field ,that will help bring their program back and I can see that. But he's got to make the decision. He's the one that has to live in the dorms, go to class, and play football, so it's an exciting time right now.