Just venting, but... I'm seriously about fed up entirely with the mediocrity of this team. Overall, we had a great season in 2015, but it quickly sank with the implosion in the playoffs. We can ***** about coaching forever and a day, but in the end, the players have to get it done on the field. It starts at the top and goes all the way to the bottom. Where's the fire? Where's the attitude? Where's the will to win?
Do we see it on the field? I sure don't. I don't know what to think anymore. I'm a diehard fan and have pledged my forever allegiance to the Bengals. I will never root for another team in the NFL unless somehow the Bengals fall off the face of the earth. But I have days where I feel like if I continue to support THIS team, the current management, etc.... feels like I'm just enabling the mediocrity. I have days where I wonder what would happen if we all just got pissed off and "walked away?" I mean like, if the stadium was half empty. The TV ratings fell. Merchandise sales slowed down. Would it change anything? Doubt it.

Don't get me wrong, I can handle the losses, but only when I can clearly see the effort from coaches and players. Continuous mediocrity and acceptance of such is hard to swallow year after year. I have days where I ponder taking a few steps back and putting my fan allegiance on hold until they right this ship. I find myself less and less interested in watching this mess anymore. And I hate it, because I LOVE THIS TEAM!!

I know some will flame me for this post, but I also know most are just as embarrassed and fed up as I am. Anyone feel where I'm coming from?

Again, just venting. Frustrated man.. frustrated.

It's annoying but it's something you just learn to live with

You must be too young to remember the 1 and 2 win seasons of the 90's.....

(11-02-2016, 02:46 AM)sixxfan26 Wrote: Just venting, but... I'm seriously about fed up entirely with the mediocrity of this team. Overall, we had a great season in 2015, but it quickly sank with the implosion in the playoffs. We can ***** about coaching forever and a day, but in the end, the players have to get it done on the field. It starts at the top and goes all the way to the bottom. Where's the fire? Where's the attitude? Where's the will to win?
Do we see it on the field? I sure don't. I don't know what to think anymore. I'm a diehard fan and have pledged my forever allegiance to the Bengals. I will never root for another team in the NFL unless somehow the Bengals fall off the face of the earth. But I have days where I feel like if I continue to support THIS team, the current management, etc.... feels like I'm just enabling the mediocrity. I have days where I wonder what would happen if we all just got pissed off and "walked away?" I mean like, if the stadium was half empty. The TV ratings fell. Merchandise sales slowed down. Would it change anything? Doubt it.

Don't get me wrong, I can handle the losses, but only when I can clearly see the effort from coaches and players. Continuous mediocrity and acceptance of such is hard to swallow year after year. I have days where I ponder taking a few steps back and putting my fan allegiance on hold until they right this ship. I find myself less and less interested in watching this mess anymore. And I hate it, because I LOVE THIS TEAM!!

I know some will flame me for this post, but I also know most are just as embarrassed and fed up as I am. Anyone feel where I'm coming from?

Again, just venting. Frustrated man.. frustrated.

I know exactly where you are coming from.  It has been like the ultimate bait-and-switch.  You saw a defense that was outstanding in nearly every phase of the game.  An offense that was coming in to form, and then Dalton breaks his thumb and the season is seemingly over.  However, McCarron plays well enough for them to get the division crown, and had the steelers dead to rights in the opening week of the postseason.  Regardless of how bad the loss was, I felt that this year's team would be more determined than ever to win it all.  

Instead, we got a lifeless, effortless turd of a defense.  A coaching staff that have ZERO BALLS in any way, shape, or form (cue burnt toast and some lame stat about going for it on fourth down).  And, lastly, some of our rookies that looked so promising last year have regressed in to some of the worst talent in the league with no apparent gain of strength in the offseason.  

It was as though last season killed the spirit of this team.  And as much as I love the Bengals, I hate watching this team.  They are a dumpster fire.  The worst kind of team is the one that plays without any energy.  Aside from Andy and AJ, this team is one of the worst in the league at virtually every other category:  Rushing, Sacks, INTs, forced turnovers, opposing QB rating, total defense....you name it, they suck at it.  

Oh, they are really good at TALKING about being a good team.  How angry they are about their performance, and how changes are coming, and how this past weekend was a "business trip", blah, blah, blah....

It feels like mediocrity has finally set in with the Dalton/Green era, and we've seen Marvins teams get stuck in that culture. It's all downhill from here until he's gone. Window is closed.

(11-02-2016, 09:33 AM)jj22 Wrote: It feels like mediocrity has finally set in with the Dalton/Green era, and we've seen Marvins teams get stuck in that culture. It's all downhill from here until he's gone. Window is closed.

.....or he gets another reboot.

(11-02-2016, 08:38 AM)Sled21 Wrote: You must be too young to remember the 1 and 2 win seasons of the 90's.....

Yeah...exactly. 7-9 was a good year back then.

We as fans must stop fearing the 90's 20 years later. Can't let Mike Brown keep that over our heads as reason to keep Marvin and all his warts. Marvin has pulled us up from the abyss, but we are still floating aimlessly and have yet to dock on the promise land. We keep seeing it and getting close, but the playoff wave just sweeps us back  to mid ocean. We're hungry, dehydrated, have lost a couple people along the way, but at least we're alive screams those who fear a new captain.

For me personally, I'd rather stay in the abyss then be teased with seeing the prosperity on the promise land in the distance just out of reach. Next time a potential captain jumps ship and makes a swim for it, I'm going too. It's too much to see them dancing and joining the festivities on the island of prosperity as we float back to mid ocean. Sometimes you've got to take a risk.

The last 16 games this team has played, the Bengals are 7-8-1. Mediocre at best.

Since the great 8-0 start, they are 7-9-1.

(11-02-2016, 09:59 AM)jj22 Wrote: We as fans must stop fearing the 90's 20 years later. Can't let Mike Brown keep that over our heads as reason to keep Marvin and all his warts. Marvin has pulled us up from the abyss, but we are still floating aimlessly and have yet to dock on the promise land. We keep seeing it and getting close, but the playoff wave just sweeps us back  to mid ocean. We're hungry, dehydrated, have lost a couple people along the way, but at least we're alive screams those who fear a new captain.

For me personally, I'd rather stay in the abyss then be teased with seeing the prosperity on the promise land in the distance just out of reach. Next time a potential captain jumps ship and makes a swim for it, I'm going too. It's too much to see them dancing and joining the festivities on the island of prosperity as we float back to mid ocean. Sometimes you've got to take a risk.

Largely the same organizational structure is in place that led to the 90's.

The be a coach with the Bengals...you have to be a scout too. There are demands other than coaching that you have to excel at. Get a coach in there who can't do that...and it could get bad.

I thought we had grown to believe it wasn't just Marvin? As long as we have Tobin? I'm starting to believe he's enough to keep us "afloat".

(11-02-2016, 08:38 AM)Sled21 Wrote: You must be too young to remember the 1 and 2 win seasons of the 90's.....

We never had a 1 or 2 win season in that decade, but yeah the 90's.

I bet Bucs fans really regret the firing of Tony Dungy? 

If we know we're not winning a Lombardi with Marv, what are we scared of? Being bad instead of mediocre?

(11-02-2016, 11:32 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: We never had a 1 or 2 win season in that decade, but yeah the 90's.

I bet Bucs fans really regret the firing of Tony Dungy? 

If we know we're not winning a Lombardi with Marv, what are we scared of? Being bad instead of mediocre?

Well it was 2002 that we went 2-14, but you get the point. 3-13 in 1998, 3-13 in 1994, 3-13 in 1993, 3-13 in 1991.....

(11-02-2016, 11:56 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Well it was 2002 that we went 2-14, but you get the point. 3-13 in 1998, 3-13 in 1994, 3-13 in 1993, 3-13 in 1991.....

.....and Piano Man was on all of those staffs.  Let. That. Sink. In. :paul:

(11-02-2016, 12:19 PM)Wyche Wrote: .....and Piano Man was on all of those staffs.  Let. That. Sink. In.

At least in the 90s, they were so bad I could turn it off at half and not look back.  Now I have this hope that they show up and finish and instead watch 3 hours of heartless effort only to see a ***** tie.

Blow it up, I want my Sundays back.

(11-02-2016, 09:47 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yeah...exactly. 7-9 was a good year back then.

Hell with all that noice, the 90s are over!  Times change, this is a new era, and expectations of the fan base are higher and will remain so! 

(11-02-2016, 12:24 PM)Shouldamapads Wrote: At least in the 90s, they were so bad I could turn it off at half and not look back.  Now I have this hope that they show up and finish and instead watch 3 hours of heartless effort only to see a ***** tie.

Blow it up, I want my Sundays back.

 .....amen brother. I can remember being the lone guy in Bengals gear on campus in the latter years of the abyss.

(11-02-2016, 12:29 PM)740Bengal Wrote: Hell with all that noice, the 90s are over!  Times change, this is a new era, and expectations of the fan base are higher and will remain so! 

Largely the same management team is in place from the 90's.

Your statement makes it sound like a bunch of things changed. The major change was the coaching staff.

The regression that this team has shown is pretty astounding. This time last year they were talked about as one of the very best teams in the NFL. This year we all see the product on the field. I know that they lost some players, and some coaches changed, but I did not see them falling this far. The really good franchises lose people all the time, yet still find a way to persevere.

(11-02-2016, 12:34 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: The regression that this team has shown is pretty astounding.  This time last year they were talked about as one of the very best teams in the NFL.  This year we all see the product on the field.  I know that they lost some players, and some coaches changed, but I did not see them falling this far.  The really good franchises lose people all the time, yet still find a way to persevere.

Honestly, we should have expected it.  Ol' Mediocre Marv seems to lose a locker room about every 5 years.  Time for a reboot!