Where does this rank in terms of disappointment? Particularly curious for those who watched all 3 live..

In order of most hearbreaking:

1) Super Bowl XXIII (Montana to Taylor)
2) Super Bowl LVI (Aaron Donald dominates)
3) Super Bowl XVI (Goal line stand)

I was about 2 months old for the first one, and Terry Bradshaw hadn't been run out of Pittsburgh yet and my ol man hadn't yet been soured by the idiot Steeler fans, so we were still a pro-Steelers family...oddly enough. In 88 I was 7 and was convinced the team I decided to like because they had a left-handed QB, a RB who danced, and a HC who would get in altercations with Chuck Noll would be awesome forever...so the reality didn't set it until the 90s.

I'd say this one is the worst, because it took 33 years to get here but I can also picture this team being back in it next year (and that ain't just wishful thinking, right?). To me the more interesting thing is how the passage of time reflects on things. I'm older now than my ol man was when the Bengals lost in 88. The time between the 88 SB and today is the same as the time between the Eisenhower era and the 88 SB. Stuff like that....

Anyways, I ain't hurt, I'm just ready to see how this team handles things now that they aren't expected to be losers.

(02-14-2022, 12:42 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: In order of most hearbreaking:

1) Super Bowl XXIII (Montana to Taylor)
2) Super Bowl LVI  (Aaron Donald dominates)
3) Super Bowl XVI  (Goal line stand)

THIS!!

(02-14-2022, 12:33 PM)Oasis5055 Wrote: Where does this rank interns of disappointment? Particularly curious for those who watched all 3 live..

I suffered through all three. I was in my mid-20s for the first one. Last night's game was the worse for  me, simply because I invested 100% this season, watching every minute of every game, recording the games and re-watching.

1988 was a horrendous loss that I never recovered from. I still see Lewis Billups dropped interception. I didn't sleep well for three days. But because of my work schedule, I didn't invest as much time as now. In fact, living in Steeler country, and not having any way to access games by Internet, I didn't get to even see that many games live. This year it was every game, every minute.

So, now I've been up all night and everyone in the office is all excited about the game and want to talk about it. (Those Steelers fans are ecstatic.) 

Now I'm going to delete every single recorded game, because when you don't win the final one, the others are just painful reminders of the big game. Each have their own way of coping with loss. My way is to remove reminders of the event and focus on spending time working harder. And making a pledge that next year I will not invest so much time -- sacrificing so much time to watch games.

Sorry, but for me, the only thing that will remove the sting of the three Super Bowl losses is a win in the Super Bowl. I thought last night was going to be the night.

(02-14-2022, 12:54 PM)Nepa Wrote: So, now I've been up all night and everyone in the office is all excited about the game and want to talk about it. (I live in Steeler country. Those fans are ecstatic.) 

Interesting...I feel like most Steeler fans I know are dreading the prospect of having to watch Mason Rudolph play against Joe Burrow. Though, they're probably glad the Rams won like we were glad the Patriots won every time they got in their way, so there is that.

It can't hurt any worse than this. I can't imagine what the players are going through because I couldn't even sleep last night. This is by far the most heartbreaking sports moment I've felt.

(02-14-2022, 12:59 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Interesting...I feel like most Steeler fans I know are dreading the prospect of having to watch Mason Rudolph play against Joe Burrow.  Though, they're probably glad the Rams won like we were glad the Patriots won every time they got in their way, so there is that.

Steelers have won 6 of the 8 Super Bowls they have played in. They are very proud of that. Anything that keeps the hated Bengals from challenging their mastery brings them joy. And they seem to get joy from knowing that no matter how much the Bengals improve, they won't come close to what their franchise has accomplished.

(02-14-2022, 01:05 PM)Nepa Wrote: Steelers have won 6 of the 8 Super Bowls they have played in. They are very proud of that. Anything that keeps the hated Bengals from challenging their mastery brings them joy. And they seem to get joy from knowing that no matter how much the Bengals improve, they won't come close to what their franchise has accomplished.

I get that, I just have actual friends who are Steeler fans that I talk football with.  I assume the run of mill jackass fan is probably celebrating, sure.  Actually, if the Bengals are in the SB and the Steelers are looking to get back into QB purgatory, well...the average dumbass Steeler fan might just jump on our bandwagon. 

This one is the worst. I was not alive during the first one, and I have had over 30 years to get over the second one.

(02-14-2022, 01:09 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I get that, I just have actual friends who are Steeler fans that I talk football with.  I assume the run of mill jackass fan is probably celebrating, sure.  Actually, if the Bengals are in the SB and the Steelers are looking to get back into QB purgatory, well...the average dumbass Steeler fan might just jump on our bandwagon. 

I coach football with two guys who are big Steeler fans and one of my best friends is also a Steeler fan and all three of those guys swear they were rooting for the Bengals. I actually believe them, but, I think most Steeler fans (Raven and Browns as well) did not root for the Bengals. 

This one was they only one that I won't obsess over for days to come, so it's the easiest. The XXXIII was the worst and the XVI, so many "what ifs" in those.

Of course it could also be that I'm 30 years older and wiser and realize it's just a game and getting there is huge in itself.

This was the worst because they had it and also the referee factor.

I would rank this as the least disappointing of the the three. I was a wee young one for the first and not too much older for the 2nd Super Bowl but one thing I know about those two games was that the Bengals had high expectations going into the season. This run was unexpected and there is a good chance for another run.

(02-14-2022, 01:21 PM)bfine32 Wrote: This one was they only one that I won't obsess over for days to come, so it's the easiest. The XXXIII was the worst and the XVI, so many "what ifs" in those.

Of course it could also be that I'm 30 years older and wiser and realize it's just a game and getting there is huge in itself.

I think there is simple wisdom with this thought. Sure, I'm disappointed the team lost but this morning on my drive to work I had the, "it's just a game" thought as well. It's worth noting this and good you shared the thought.

(02-14-2022, 01:22 PM)Joelist Wrote: This was the worst because they had it and also the referee factor.

I've said this before, but you do have to wonder how much of the referee factor was missed back in the good ol days when we watched it on a low def 13 inch TV and there weren't seventeen instant replays from 360 degree cameras in ultra HD on 900 inch televisions and every frame of every game wasn't posted on the internet for everyone to analyze for years to come.

It's sort of like how now that everyone has a high quality camera in their pocket via a cell phone Bigfoot is nowhere to be seen.

(02-14-2022, 12:42 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: In order of most hearbreaking:

1) Super Bowl XXIII (Montana to Taylor)
2) Super Bowl LVI  (Aaron Donald dominates)
3) Super Bowl XVI  (Goal line stand)

It's funny - after the game I couldn't help but think "at least it wasn't Joe Effing Montana again."

This one is the worst because it’s the most recent. This scar hasn’t had time to heal.
Also this one is the worst for me because it was against a freakin’ LA team. That makes it twice as bad.