07-12-2023, 05:52 PM
(07-11-2023, 11:32 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Willie getting inducted in the first 5 players ever in the RoH proves the "lost decade" does not effect the balloting.
Plus Willie stuck it out and brought the team to an 11-5 season. Dillon fled after one year with Marvin and the team clearly on the rise. Not on good terms either, yet that should not stop him from getting inducted, but may slow it down.
Oddly if you look back Willie came to the Bengals after a 7-9 year and slightly improved Bengals to 8-8 in his first year.
Dillon came in the following year and the team fell back slightly to 7-9. Yet as good as Dillion was they immediately plummeted to 3-13, then 4-12, then 4-12 again, then went up to 6-10, yet then back down to 2-14. Despite him being great something was holding them back.
Then in his last season before the hissy fit was thrown and him leaving in FA for greener pastures (which worked out well for him), the Bengals went to 8-8. This was right after adding the what was perceived as the genius who orchestrated the Ravens smothering SB Champions defense in Marvin. People and players were excited for the teams trajectory, except for Corey their highest paid player. Willie stayed the course and remained a fan favorite though.
So as great as Dillon was, the fact remains the team was better the couple years before his arrival and definitely better immediately after he left. Going 3 straight years without a losing season after losing Dillon. Could have possibly been a playoff team had Corey stayed, heck they went 11-5 in the 2nd year after his departure and was a playoff team. So just maybe it was his attitude that hamstrung the team. Chemistry is more important than some think.
As Ive said before, am fine with Corey being included in this RoH eventually. But him and others are acting like this is a done deal and he has gotten the shaft.
Remember there has only been 5 players inducted and this thing is still in its infancy. It is not a Kenny Anderson case against the real HoF where we know he was shafted by all the time that has passed and the many inductees not as worthy inducted since.
People are acting like the names Dillon so rudely slandered are already inducted and that he was never getting in, and pretty sure that is not the case.
Years they played on non losing Bengals teams
Willie 5
Dillon 1
All true, will add that Willie had much better QB play in those years though. Palmer was way better than what Dillon had at QB.
Cannot all be on the RB's back to win games. But everything you say here is pretty spot on, especially about Dillon's attitude.
That wouldn't fly here today under Zac and company.
But hey, Dillon went to the Pats and there was no probs under Billy B so I could be wrong.
