Brand New Fan

[midnightorb]

Greetings Bengals fans!

I have spent the last 30 years being a Detroit Lions fan. As you can imagine, it has been a rather aggravating 30 years of Sundays, and for some stupid reason Thanksgiving games. For the last 20 years I have casually noticed the Bengals. Always a bit upset when they lost, and a bit happy when they won. From Madden 2001 - Madden 2009 I always chose to play for the Bengals.

Recently I've been okay with the Lions because they started to feel like a team who, while still managing to find ways to lose, always seemed to fight to the end. But the last couple of weeks they just gave up. I'm 41 now, and I feel like my mental health could take a hit if I keep tuning in as a fan. I'll still watch Detroit, but I really wanted to find another team to devote my energy to. I'm through being disappointed by lack of wins and an overabundance of excuses.

I wanted to go with a team who wasn't in the NFC, and didn't want to go with the seemingly obvious choices of Brady, Rogers, and Mahomes. And, as an added bonus with regard to my son, the orange in the team colors helps, with that being his favorite color. I tuned into the Super Bowl, and while me joining your fanbase seems very bandwagon-esque, it was how they played that made me like the team. As a Lions fan, I tuned in to root for our Quarterback, having been a Stafford fan since his effort against an early game against the Browns where he destroyed his shoulder and managed to stay in the game to throw a much needed last second pass to tie the game. I ended up surprisingly disappointed that the Bengals lost. I loved the way they played, and felt the like refs absolutely helped that outcome.

I have purchased two Bengals shirts and a hat. Three more items than I ever purchased for the Lions. I have joined this board, having never even been a part of an online community of Lions fans. And I have felt very welcomed over on a Bengals Facebook fan page. And to top it all off, my first game as a Bengals fan is a Monday Night Football game on Halloween. It has been so long since I've been genuinely excited for an NFL game!

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this board! I look forward to being a part of the conversations!

[BengalsRocker]

I for one think it's great!

The team has again flipped it's culture and quite frankly don't have an abundance of old vets with the team.

With that being said. Your new allegiance is certainly welcomed and should not be questioned.

Having new fans support the team only raises expectations of their success.

Whether your 40 or 4 it does not matter.

Have fun. Scream at the TV. Do all the things us long term fans of the team have done.

Who Dey !

[midnightorb]

(10-28-2022, 11:41 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I for one think it's great!

The team has again flipped it's culture and quite frankly don't have an abundance of old vets with the team.

With that being said.  Your new allegiance is certainly welcomed and should not be questioned.

Having new fans support the team only raises expectations of their success.

Whether your 40 or 4 it does not matter.  

Have fun.  Scream at the TV.  Do all the things us long term fans of the team have done.  

Who Dey !

I am also rather a fan of the "who dey" slogan.  I'm looking forward to having a new team to follow. With the game highlights I enjoyed watching Burrow and Chase.  Of course I'll need to wait on Chase for a while, but that's alright.  I feel like people will definitely step up and play better ball.

[*Awful Llama*]

Welcome. I myself am somewhat of a Lions fan. My family and I used to attend the annual Thanksgiving Day game religiously. I always looked forward to it, and still do, even though we no longer attend. Come this Thanksgiving I'll be rocking my vintage Barry Sanders away uni. I've never been to Ford Field, all of my Lions' experiences took place up in Pontiac. I do miss the Silverdome.

Despite the Super Bowl run last year, we have our share of misery here. The '90s were horrendous. The Marvin Lewis era brought some winning, but despite four division titles and seven total playoff berths, we were just snake-bitten. And even though we came out of nowhere last season and were AFC Champs, the loss the Rams was still bitter.

My dream, expressed on this board numerous occasions, would be for a Bengals/Lions Super Bowl. You'd have to pull me off the ceiling were that to occur. I'd root for the Bengals of course but would still be happy for the Lions as NFC Champs. So, here's hoping we both get to see that one day.

Also, there's another Lions fan here, Ed, so you're not alone.

[midnightorb]

(10-29-2022, 09:03 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Welcome.  I myself am somewhat of a Lions fan.  My family and I used to attend the annual Thanksgiving Day game religiously.  I always looked forward to it, and still do, even though we no longer attend.  Come this Thanksgiving I'll be rocking my vintage Barry Sanders away uni.  I've never been to Ford Field, all of my Lions' experiences took place up in Pontiac.  I do miss the Silverdome.    

Despite the Super Bowl run last year, we have our share of misery here.  The '90s were horrendous.  The Marvin Lewis era brought some winning, but despite four division titles and seven total playoff berths, we were just snake-bitten.  And even though we came out of nowhere last season and were AFC Champs, the loss the Rams was still bitter.  

My dream, expressed on this board numerous occasions, would be for a Bengals/Lions Super Bowl.  You'd have to pull me off the ceiling were that to occur.  I'd root for the Bengals of course but would still be happy for the Lions as NFC Champs. So, here's hoping we both get to see that one day.  

Also, there's another Lions fan here, Ed, so you're not alone.

Thank you for the welcome! Bengals/Lions would be a neat matchup for sure, but there would probably need to be some sort of shift in the conferences for this to happen, because I honestly can't see the Lions making any sort of playoff run, let alone a Super Bowl.  

[kalibengal]

welcome!, 30 yrs following the Lions shows that you are no band wagoner. Ive been a bengals fan since 1975 and weathered the "lost decade" as we call it (the 90s ) and its a great feeling when your lame ass team finally finds that magic sauce to get better and make a SB.

[*Awful Llama*]

(10-31-2022, 10:27 AM)midnightorb Wrote: Thank you for the welcome! Bengals/Lions would be a neat matchup for sure, but there would probably need to be some sort of shift in the conferences for this to happen, because I honestly can't see the Lions making any sort of playoff run, let alone a Super Bowl.  

Yes, last season we were finally able to overcome the Curse of Bo Jackson, so perhaps one day the Lions will overcome the Curse of Bobby Layne.

[midnightorb]

(10-31-2022, 01:57 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Yes, last season we were finally able to overcome the Curse of Bo Jackson, so perhaps one day the Lions will overcome the Curse of Bobby Layne.

Curse of Bobby Layne was for 50 years. That was over 14 years ago.  I have no idea what the heck is going on now. lol

[midnightorb]

(10-31-2022, 10:39 AM)kalibengal Wrote: welcome!, 30 yrs following the Lions shows that you are no band wagoner. Ive been a bengals fan since 1975 and weathered the "lost decade" as we call it (the 90s ) and its a great feeling when your lame ass team finally finds that magic sauce to get better and make a SB.

Thank you!  Yea, plus I'm not totally dropping the Lions.  Like I'll watch a bit, and hope they do well.  But I just won't give them my energy anymore. No more excuses, false hopes, "we'll get 'em next time," and "we're almost there" from me.  I've moved on, and I'll give the Lions a little head nod if we pass on the street.

[SunsetBengal]

Welcome aboard! I noticed in your intro that you said that your mental health took a bit of a hit, from years of disappointment from being a Lions fan? I'm just going to go ahead and warn you that the Bengals have given most us mental issues from a lifetime of frustration, as well.

[midnightorb]

(10-31-2022, 02:49 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Welcome aboard!  I noticed in your intro that you said that your mental health took a bit of a hit, from years of disappointment from being a Lions fan?  I'm just going to go ahead and warn you that the Bengals have given most us mental issues from a lifetime of frustration, as well.

It's not really all the Lions fault, but being a fan of a team that is little more than an exercise in futility doesn't help. lol

[midnightorb]

Totally made an avatar and signature. Testing the signature here, because I don't know where else to test it. lol