In the immortal words of some coward somewhere...I'm scared!   

(03-22-2022, 02:17 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I am not sure how 2 accusations equates to 22 accusations in the eyes of the NFL and their fans, but the Browns have a lot of fans in an uproar about him playing for Cleveland.

Yes negative PR against the NFL is rough, ask Ray Rice.

You don't have to convince me, but what people will say is the Pig was actually accused of rape and Watson has 2 accusations of forced oral sex and the rest are sexual abuse.  Mind you, I'm not saying this, but this is what was alluded to already and if they hand down a huge suspension to Watson there will be accusations of race. 

Two things hurt the general public's opinion of the Bengals.

1. We won so many big games in the final seconds. Those games make us look lucky instead of good.

2. Fourteen weeks into the season we were 7-6 and did not look anything like a Super Bowl team. This makes our Super Bowl run look like just a "hot streak" instead of the sustained success of a legitimate powerhouse.

(03-22-2022, 11:14 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: So what's up with all the hate from the media, fans of other teams, etc?

Is this just what comes from being successful? It seems like NO ONE is giving this team a chance next year. The Browns and Ravens are the teams that people are already picking to win the division. Fans on other social media platforms are the worst. We went from being the darling in the playoffs last year to everyone shitting on us and calling last year a "fluke".

It just blows my mind. This team is really good, complete team that had success last year and got BETTER this year. NO ONE is talking about us.

And I know I know - I shouldn't listen to the media and fans...but I do. Because it's fun and it's part of being a fan. I mean, what the hell gives?

Bengals for sure look better on paper than they were last year.
The OL has two definite upgrades, if not three.
LG might be a bit of a downgrade from Spain, but we'll have to see.
Overall a better OL.

Defense looks exactly the same starting lineup that was featured in the Super Bowl.
Plus, Ossai should hopefully add a bit more pass rush.

I think the big things are that 1) many people thought the Bengals overachieved last season, and 2) Bengals were very lucky when it came to injuries compared to some other teams. 
The Bengals definitely do lack quality depth at quite a lot of positions, but many teams are in the same boat.
I think it's safe to assume the Bengals will be a 10-12 win team this coming season barring some critical injuries.

Still need depth, 3t and corners. They are much improved offensively but definitely not defensively

(03-22-2022, 03:58 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Formal charges don't make any difference when that video became public.

Sure did.
No vid and probably 2 game suspension and back to normal. 

Can't deny he punched her and dragged her out of the elevator by her hair, when vid shows it

Eeh, f'em.

Either the Bengals show up and prove last year was no accident or they don't.

Nothing anybody has to say will change that so let them talk.

(03-22-2022, 12:53 PM)Stewy Wrote: Why does what the national media being negative get you upset?  

#1 - Why do you care?
#2 - You should be happy because all the negativity will be used by Burrow and thus the rest of the team like fuel.

(03-22-2022, 04:04 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Two things hurt the general public's opinion of the Bengals.

1.  We won so many big games in the final seconds. Those games make us look lucky instead of good.

2. Fourteen weeks into the season we were 7-6 and did not look anything like a Super Bowl team. This makes our Super Bowl run look like just a "hot streak" instead of the sustained success of a legitimate powerhouse.

I follow an NFL discussion thread on another forum (mix of different team's fans), and the general consensus was that the Bengals are legit and they just need a better O-line. The same conclusion seems to have been made in my workplace (I live in NYC). I do think the Bengals have gained at least a decent amount of respect after this last season.

I definitely don't have my doubts after beating KC twice in one season with a horrible O-line.

Hopefully they are picking the Browns to win it all. That always works out well for them.

I do want to add that some fed up/bandwagon Browns' fans have jumped ship to support our Bengals team.

Are they diehard fans? Nope... but who cares? They still like the players on our team(especially Burrow)and watched that playoff/SB run.

The Watson thing might have turned some of those fair-weather fans into instant Bengals supporters even more.

It's all gravy and who gives two shits that the media doesn't give them love in rankings or attention?

We've got a strong homegrown support that puts more eyes and pressure on the FO to keep the window open and asses in seats.

When you've been one of the bigger laughingstocks of the league for 30+ years it's gonna take a minute to get past that.

(03-22-2022, 07:30 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Hopefully they are picking the Browns to win it all. That always works out well for them.

No doubt.

Hope they go all "dream team" mode.

(03-22-2022, 11:14 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: So what's up with all the hate from the media, fans of other teams, etc?

Is this just what comes from being successful? It seems like NO ONE is giving this team a chance next year. The Browns and Ravens are the teams that people are already picking to win the division. Fans on other social media platforms are the worst. We went from being the darling in the playoffs last year to everyone shitting on us and calling last year a "fluke".

It just blows my mind. This team is really good, complete team that had success last year and got BETTER this year. NO ONE is talking about us.

And I know I know - I shouldn't listen to the media and fans...but I do. Because it's fun and it's part of being a fan. I mean, what the hell gives?

Ive not read what you are reading, ive read it will be a dog fight between Bengals, Browns and Ravens... 

(03-22-2022, 03:58 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Formal charges don't make any difference when that video became public.

I bet one of these women will be doing an interview soon. Like on CBS or something. Now that he has 230 million more reasons to sue. I don't think that's going to fare very well for Watson either. 

(03-22-2022, 08:10 PM)CloeHokie Wrote: I bet one of these women will be doing an interview soon. Like on CBS or something. Now that he has 230 million more reasons to sue. I don't think that's going to fare very well for Watson either. 

Not the end of this no doubt about it for this Deshaun character or lack there of.

We all love women as men but that is not the way a gentleman rolls in any manner.

Sometimes I just really hope that this is true and it is all the man's horny ways. 

Otherwise it is all the woman's money grubbing ways....

Just want to have hope for the women.

I have turned my back on them at times for acting like something happened that didn't.

I denied them and they called it offensive and sexual harassment a couple times. It is weird honestly.

I don't have money even lol

(03-22-2022, 04:04 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Two things hurt the general public's opinion of the Bengals.

1.  We won so many big games in the final seconds. Those games make us look lucky instead of good.

2. Fourteen weeks into the season we were 7-6 and did not look anything like a Super Bowl team. This makes our Super Bowl run look like just a "hot streak" instead of the sustained success of a legitimate powerhouse.

Most of the teams making the Super Bowl are teams who peaked at the right time towards the last part of the schedule and get hot going into the playoffs. 

Those wanting to label the Bengals lucky or got hot need to realize they were 8-2 ( disregarding Browns loss) at the end of the year with 5 games against playoff teams.

(03-22-2022, 11:35 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: A lot of fans consider our playoff run "lucky." Blamed the KC loss not on our defense stepping up, but Mahomes "choking." Blamed Tennessee for running a clearly disabled Henry rather than their much more explosive Foreman and Tannehill choking. Blamed the whistle as a free tochdown against LV etc.

Nothing you can do to prove them wrong. We're just going to have to wait for the season.

No doubt we made a lot of well time big plays in the playoffs. But, still...that was enough to beat the Titans and Chiefs and Raiders.

Gotta do it again to get respect though. That's the bottom line.

Rich Eisen giving us some major love.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T ? @richeisen ? pic.twitter.com/2aiXpSRNwH

— ZIM (@zimwhodey) March 24, 2022