danielredbeard’s weblog

Dear Bengals Fans,

I moved to your city – gulp – 5 years ago, just after the arrival of both Carson and Marvin. Since the Bengals are an AFC, and my Bears are an NFC team, coupled with the fact that I could never cheer a baseball fan other than the Cubs, I logically arrived at the idea of adopting a team from my new city, the Bengals. It was hard to swallow at first, but Carson, Chad, TJ, etc. made a case for acceptance.

So I went for it. I adopted this team, baggage and all. I set aside every Sunday afternoon for the games, we bought game food, and my little dog learned to bark when I stood up cheering or screaming. Fun times.

And who can forget the 2005 season?! So much promise, until those dirty Steelers and Kimo ruined the party. At that time I hated the Steelers more than the Packers – and that’s saying a lot!

But then I started to notice a few things in the 2006 season. A general unwraveling. Marvin’s pressers became even more generic – if that’s possible – and there was a cloud over the team. That game on Christmas even in Denver was the first time I actually nearly cried after a game. That was a tough one to lose.

Last season the problem, to me, became apparent: This was a top-level management problem, and it didn’t matter who you threw into the system, this team is designed from the top down to suck.

In the last month this team let go of 3 Pro Bowl players, and signed a man with 5 arrests in less than as many years after releasing and vowing they were done with him. This team said they would blow up the play book, yet every pre-season game I saw I was able to predict almost every play the Bengals ran. I am a graphic designer, so I’m sure the guys whom actually notice this stuff REALLY notice it. Sunday’s embarassing loss to the Ravens proved that this entire on-field team has given up.

Here’s how I see it: In Mike Brown you have an owner who is a bottom-line watching guy. He’s something that needs to be profitable, and this team is just that. But in order to do that he has to cut corners: No GM, an unrealistic scouting staff, and a medical team that is straight out of a Simpsons episode. He chooses the players, not Marvin, whom are drafted, and he also chooses whom is resigned (see: Chris Henry). In essence and in reality, Mike Brown runs this team from the top down, and the players have turned into “pay check” mantra chanting employees, not football players.

What’s more, Marvin is done. You can see it in his body language and eyes. Whatever effort he is putting out is for his next gig as a D-coordinator somewhere else. I think last season (‘07) was his season to process all of this, and come to terms with the fact that he has no control and ever will as long as the Brown family are owners.

So what’s a fan base to do? If you’re a life-long Cincinnatian, might I point out that the Colts play just 90 minutes away, or that da Bears play just 4.5 hours away? Both are winning organizations, historically speaking.

As for me, I’m dropping my Bengals fandom. I wish them well, and I hope Carson and TJ can get out of their contracts to sign with a team that needs them. I’d love to see Carson in Navy and Orange. Hell, I’d love to see TJ up there, too. But with Mike Brown in charge, doubt that will happen.

Good luck to you, Bengals fans. I know you went through a lot in the 90s. Hope this time around isn’t quite so salty.