02-15-2016, 11:26 AM
(02-14-2016, 12:07 PM)Nately120 Wrote: That's a good point, but I go back to the franchise/winning effect on this one. James Harrison went to a division rival because he wanted more money, nothing else, but he goes back "home" a year later and they have a flippin' parade for him. Hines Ward goes on Dancing with the Stars while his on the field play is absolute free-fall and the same people who criticized Chad for being on there just go ga-ga for Hines' charisma....etc.
So Steelers players can go to division rivals for more money, work on dance routines while their production plummets, but all is forgiven. The Bengals? Geez, I know I'm sort of biased but you have to wonder why a franchise has so many noteworthy players speak out, or just plain ask to be let go. Again, I don't think Bengals fans SHOULD be thinking fondly of Carson, Chad, Boomer, Corey if they don't want to, but it has really fostered a sort of culture where we praise the hell out of the guys here RIGHT NOW and turn on them as soon as they even think of going elsewhere.
That's just poor brand management on Mike Brown's part, because a Steelers fan gets more pleasure out of thinking of the classic players on a single team in one single year than we get from nearly 50 years of football. Perhaps if Green, Dalton, Eifert etc. get it together and win it all and/or leave on good terms we will finally have some sort of decent sized hall of fame, though. At the moment it's like the Bengals are the RC Cola of the NFL world: when people think of established brands like Coke (the Steelers, the Steel Curtain, etc), or edgier but still old school Pepsi (the Patriots, etc.) and RC Cola is all about drinking it because it's there (liking the Bengals players here NOW and if they want more money to go to Cleveland, to hell with them!).
Ok, well I hate soda so that wasn't the best metaphor to use. Anyways, poor brand management when something that's been around for 50 years brings about relatively few long-term pleasant feelings with long-term users. Some of us watched Boomer Esiason make this team the most exciting one to watch at one point, and get us one dropped INT from world champions but many of us feel less positive vibes about the guy than a 13 year old feels about Franco Harris even though he's never seen him play.
That might say it all. Or not. I should get some real work done here.
True. Brand Management sucks and it's a shame that these players are looked upon as the forgotten and never to discuss again. I remember when Carson was gone and possibly his career wasn't looking too good with the Raiders> however, he found his bounce back with the Cardinals. They're doing an amazing job in that organization. He played terrible in the playoffs against the Panthers... But so did many other teams. They annihilated the first two teams in the playoffs.
However, to forget such great players as part of a great organization is sad. I will always remember them.
