How did you become a Bengals fan?

[MasonDT70]

I'm curious on how you all became fans of this team. Being from Alaska, my situation is semi unique. Alaska has no team, so the Seahawks are sort of the adopted team of the state. I'd say anywhere from 30-40% of Alaskans are Seahawks fans(probably half of that from just their recent success).

I remember in roughly 1998 or 99 when I was 5 or 6, my family being huge football fans, decided I was old enough to pick my own team. They showed me all the teams. I was big into animals at the time, and it came between the 4 cat teams, Bengals, Lions, Jags, and Panthers. It was between the Jaguars and Bengals. I had a hard time deciding between the two until my uncle(also a Bengals fan) gave me a Bengals football card. Don't remember who it was unfortunately. That sealed the deal, and I've been a loyal fan ever since.

[McC]

Before there were Bengals, (yes, I'm THAT old), my dad was a Cleveland Browns fan. I was a huge Jim Brown fan.

We didn't live in Cincy but we were from there and my dad was a fan of anything Cincy. When the Bengals were born, there was no way he wouldn't be a Bengals fan and there was no way I wouldn't be a fan of whatever he loved. It was just inevitable, really.

[Se ky bengal]

My uncle 30 in 85 when I was 12. I use to go to my grandmother's and he would have the games on. Hooked every since.

[hitchopottimus]

Born into it.

[Sled21]

Grew up out in New Richmond, just east of Cincy. Been a Bengals fan my entire life...

[reuben.ahmed]

My father moved from Bangladesh to Texas for college. At that time, he discovered the mascot of an NFL team was the Bengal Tiger. So when Boomer went to the superbowl, I became a fan 27 years ago.

Living in Cleveland and being a Bengals fan is a lot of fun. 2 Bengals fans in the neighborhood, 1 Bengals Flag in the midst of a bunch of poo flags.

[mano de dios]

Nerd alert:
Being a role-playing-game kid from germany in the late eighties-early nineties I hadn't any football interest until two things appeared for me: 1. The World League (WLOF) with a German team and 2.:



My friends and me started this league of table top football with fantasy characters and I needed a name for my team  (I still have my self painted tin elves around here...). My home town had a lot of american influence as it was the main port in Germany for the troops so there where some people around wearing pilot-type sports jackets, mainly Raiders. One day I sat in a bus back from school and I saw a guy with this flashy orange-and-black coloured jacket and I knew I wanted these colours and the name for my team.
I followed the results of the Bengals ever since but didn't really get into it until the early 2000s when I started watching football regularly.
As for bad karma: I decided becoming a Bengals follower in 1991. The first game I ever was able to watch was the infamous WC-game in 2005. :snark:

[rungiorun25]

Was born in Cincy in July 1988 .. so needless to say (although I clearly don't rememeber) the city was buzzing for WhoDey for the next eight months (Bengals made Superbowl that winter).

I was never an avid football fan growing up, around 1995-96 I actually started rooting for the Jaguars.  My family moved to Western NY.. I hated the Bills, Giants, Jets (all that was talked about here).. Mark Brunell came in as a leftie (I am a leftie) and Tom Coughlin was from Western NY and coached in Waterloo, NY (where I went to school).

I enjoyed Bengals as a secondary team..I used to have a collection of things from them, but as most of you know...the 90s was not an ideal time to be a Bengals fan, plus I was under 10 years old.so I never celebrated them.

I took a couple more years off of football when the core of the Jags separated..and then when the Bengals drafted Carson Palmer, I was hooked.. I really have no idea what it was about Carson..but he got me really interested in football...I've been a huge fan since then.

[Atomic Orange]

1981. I was 9 years old and thought the stripes were the coolest thing ever.

[GodFather]

When I was a kid I lived in a small town called Tipp City in Ohio. Back in the 70's the kids liked two teams, the Bengals and the Steelers. Well all the bully's and assholes were Steeler fans so I chose the Bengals.

Its funny because all these years later the fan base for the Steelers hasn't changed at all!!

[yellowxdiscipline]

My uncles are somewhat close to me in age. The younger being only 8 years older then me, and they are both die hard Browns fans. These guys acted more like older brothers and teased me as if they were, so naturally to rebel against them I rooted for the Bengals, and have stuck with them ever since.

[JADefense]

Born, grew up and still live in Eastern PA, about an hour ride to Philadelphia or New York. Everybody around was either an Eagles, Giants or Jets fan. I was just getting really serious about football in 1968, the Bengals first year of existence. I wanted to get in from the beginning, so being the contrarian that I am, I've been a Bengal ever since. I was a huge Paul Robinson fan at the start. I used to decorate our Christmas tree with pictures of Ken Anderson and Isaac Curtis. I finally got season tickets this year and I'll be making the 1150 mile round trip for six of the games.

Who Dey!

[Wes Mantooth]

Born and raised here. You could say I was born into dysfunction. Although I did get on a short Chicago Bears kick when I was about 6. I loved McMahon, the Fridge, and Walter Payton.

I still have my Bengals team shirt with the big cartoon heads lying around here somewhere. Who else remembers those? I think I have a Reds one too.

[Tiger Teeth]

My father made me like them. When I started my interest in football, around 8 or so, he threatened me.

[bengal_fan_in_toronto]

back in 89 I didn't really have a team. two good buds at the time were San Fran fans. (grade 10) needed to put up some opposition in the Superbowl because I'm a jerk. been a fan ever since.

[grampahol]

It was back when bread was sliced for the very first time and I thought right then this team will someday become better than sliced bread. Those Pittsburgh fans still just gnaw bread off the end of the loaf..SAVAGES!

[UDWhoDey]

I am a rare breed.  I became a Bengals fan in the early 90s.  A reverse bandwagon fan.  Here is why:

• My dad was in the air force and I lived in Arkansas in the early-mid 80s
• I was annoyed by Cowboy fans.  My dad was watching football one day and said "Bob Griese is a great qb".  So I became a Dolphin fan
• I loved David Woodley and was pissed when they drafted Marino (talk about crow eating, but I was only 11 or 12)
• Moved to Ohio in 1986.  When Marino retired I was tired of Dolphins, and they were not local
• Despite the losing ways, I thought it was time to root for the local team.  Who Dey!
  

So in the darkest hours of Bengals history, I became a fan.

[MasonDT70]

(10-21-2015, 10:05 AM)JADefense Wrote: Born, grew up and still live in Eastern PA, about an hour ride to Philadelphia or New York.  Everybody around was either an Eagles, Giants or Jets fan.  I was just getting really serious about football in 1968, the Bengals first year of existence.  I wanted to get in from the beginning, so being the contrarian that I am, I've been a Bengal ever since.  I was a huge Paul Robinson fan at the start.  I used to decorate our Christmas tree with pictures of Ken Anderson and Isaac Curtis.  I finally got season tickets this year and I'll be making the 1150 mile round trip for six of the games.

Who Dey!

Nice. I'll eventually go see a game in Cincinnati. I'm going to try and go to the Cardinals games. The stadium is about 15 miles away from where I live. 

[OrlandoBengal]

The guy my mom was dating took me to the Super Bowl after the 1988 season. It was the first football game I ever saw live. The game was in Miami, so it was also the first time I saw women topless on the beach and Latin women. As you can tell by my Avatar, I instantly became hooked on all three!

[MasonDT70]

(10-21-2015, 11:39 AM)UDWhoDey Wrote: I am a rare breed.  I became a Bengals fan in the early 90s.  A reverse bandwagon fan.  Here is why:

• My dad was in the air force and I lived in Arkansas in the early-mid 80s
• I was annoyed by Cowboy fans.  My dad was watching football one day and said "Bob Griese is a great qb".  So I became a Dolphin fan
• I loved David Woodley and was pissed when they drafted Marino (talk about crow eating, but I was only 11 or 12)
• Moved to Ohio in 1986.  When Marino retired I was tired of Dolphins, and they were not local
• Despite the losing ways, I thought it was time to root for the local team.  Who Dey!
  

So in the darkest hours of Bengals history, I became a fan.

I guess I'm lucky that I was not born/not old enough to remember any of the 90s. I don't think I seriously started watching football until I was 10.