(01-03-2017, 04:19 PM)Marlon23 Wrote: If AJ McCarron is traded to the Cleveland Browns who will be switching teams?    I will also throw in if WE keep Marvin will you be switching Teams?  Has this year prompted anyone to have a Back Up Team?  If so who is your backup team?

PAALEEEEEEASE!!!

For me, if you switch teams because your team is losing, you are bandwagoning regardless of which team you change to.

I switched from a Browns to Bengals fan in 1968 ONLY because I lived in Dayton 54 miles due north of Cincinnati, and had been a Reds fan all my life.

I switched from a team with 8 championships to an expansion team.

Forty-eight years later, the Browns still have 8 more championships than the Bengals do!!  

(01-03-2017, 07:01 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: Same here.

I really liked the Chargers, when they had Fouts, Joiner, Chandler, and Winslow, but remained true to Cincy.

We made it through the early nineties.
Some of these young ones do not yet know pain.

Pain was watching Akili and Scott Mitchell attempt to play QB in 2000.

45.6% completions
2219 total passing yards
6 total TDs
14 INTs
52.0 passer rating
52 sacks

Has to be the worst passing performance by a team in the last 50 years.

(01-03-2017, 08:16 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: PAALEEEEEEASE!!!

For me, if you switch teams because your team is losing, you are bandwagoning regardless of which team you change to.

I switched from a Browns to Bengals fan in 1968 ONLY because I lived in Dayton 54 miles due north of Cincinnati, and had been a Reds fan all my life.

I switched from a team with 8 championships to an expansion team.

Forty-eight years later, the Browns still have 8 more championships than the Bengals do!!  

I'm the idiot who has never been to Cincinnati, started following the Bengals in the 90's because they were the closest to a Tiger in Madden, I follow the Tigers in Rugby League. Now I am as passionate about the Bengals as I am the Tigers, if anyone should be able to switch teams it's me, my attachment is through a video game and the association of a Tiger as a mascot, but I could not ever change to another team. I follow this team from the other side of the world as if it is my local team, all because of a stupid Tiger emblem lol.

(01-03-2017, 08:41 PM)AussieBengal Wrote: I'm the idiot who has never been to Cincinnati, started following the Bengals in the 90's because they were the closest to a Tiger in Madden, I follow the Tigers in Rugby League. Now I am as passionate about the Bengals as I am the Tigers, if anyone should be able to switch teams it's me, my attachment is through a video game and the association of a Tiger as a mascot, but I could not ever change to another team. I follow this team from the other side of the world as if it is my local team, all because of a stupid Tiger emblem lol.

Picking a favorite team sometimes has little to no logic involved.  Sure, some swear allegiance based on simple geography, but many follow a strange path to their fandom.  I have a buddy who was a child when the Vikings were in one of the early '70s Super Bowls.  He liked the color purple so he rooted for them that game.  40-some years later he's still a Viking fan.  Your story is unusual given your residing on the other side of the planet, but you're no less of a fan than someone who lives ten miles from PBS and cheers for the Bengals. You took a road less taken but arrived at the same spot as the rest of us. 

(01-03-2017, 09:06 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Picking a favorite team sometimes has little to no logic involved.  Sure, some swear allegiance based on simple geography, but many follow a strange path to their fandom.  I have a buddy who was a child when the Vikings were in one of the early '70s Super Bowls.  He liked the color purple so he rooted for them that game.  40-some years later he's still a Viking fan.  Your story is unusual given your residing on the other side of the planet, but you're no less of a fan than someone who lives ten miles from PBS and cheers for the Bengals. You took a road less taken but arrived at the same spot as the rest of us. 

No doubt, I don't miss a Bengals game. During the 90's it was hard we only had a weekly update show here in Australia but I'd find the scores in the Newspapers here, buried away in the result pages. The advent of the internet made it a lot easier to keep track of the scores and around 2008 the tv channels here started broadcasting about 3 games a week and I watched the Bengals when ever they were on. I eventually discovered gamepass and haven't missed a game since around 2010. Even attended my first game in 2011. I am now as passionate about the Bengals as my favourite sporting team, The Wests Tigers who I am a season ticket holder for. I ride the highs and lows like all of you from the otherside of the world and I am extremely grateful for this forum as it allows me to hear from other fans. 

People think i'm weird when I am visibly down when a sporting team that plays on the otherside of the world loses, but that's what the Bengals are to me, they are my team!!!

(01-03-2017, 05:32 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: In 93-94 (my first seasons following football), I was as much a Chiefs fan as a Bengals fan. Long story short, Montana retired, Blake blew up and I've been a huge fan of the home team ever since. I did try to become a Cowboys fan in the mid-90's...even had my Mom buy me a Cowboys sweat shirt, but it just never felt right. I grew up in Covington seeing the Cincy skyline every day, so being a Bengals fan was probably just inevitable.

I kinda wish I could've forced my way into being a Cowboys fan, but what's done is done. In my adult life, I've never been such a big fan of one player that I'd switch teams for one player. Like someone else said...if you do that, you never were a Bengals fan. You're a McCarron fan.

Shake, it's crazy how similar the arcs of our fandom are.  

In 93-94, the first day I ever watched football was on Thanksgiving and while I liked the Lions with Barry Sanders I became sort of a Cowboys fan even though they lost that day (a rare snow day at Cowboys stadium against the Dolphins).  Fast forward to the playoffs and Jimmy Johnson's guarantee against the 49ers in the NFC championship game and I was hooked.  However, when Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson at the end of the year, I became a Cowboys hater and have been one ever since - to the point that in 1995 I actually rooted for Pittsburgh in the super bowl against the Cowboys (I was about as naive a fan as you could find at that time, and in retrospect, I am happy that the game turned out the way it had thanks to Neil O'Donnell).  

Also, in 1994-95, I was a Chiefs fan when Montana was their QB and I stayed that way through the Derrick Thomas/Marty Schottenheimer years.  I was aware of the Bengals at this point, but didn't live in a place where I could watch their games.  In 1995, once I moved a bit closer, I became a Bengals fan for good, and they were my primary team.  I made this choice primarily because of the uniqueness of their helmets and their name.   Again, naivete at its finest!  Any knowledge about Mike Brown at that point would have dissuaded me from this choice, but I made my choice and it's stuck.  I would root for teams I considered "underdogs" like the Chiefs or the Patriots (I'm talking about back in the 90's, not now) or the Lions, mostly because, well, we all know about the Bengals and the 90's.  

I'd say my rooting interests now are the Bengals and whoever plays the Steelers.  Even after seeing some of my underdog favorites have success (like the Patriots), I can never switch away from the Bengals.  The moment the Bengals win the super bowl, I might just quit watching football forever.  

(01-03-2017, 04:36 PM)fredtoast Wrote: To me being a fan is about an emotional attachment.  I could not "switch teams" even if I wanted to.

I will admit that I grew up an OSU fan and eventually switched to being a UT fan.  But that only happened after I had been moved away from Ohio for years and attended UT.  

There seems to be something deeper about my attachment to the Bengals.  I lived in Colorado for a few years in the 90's when the Bengals were horrid and the Broncos were good, but I never even considered becoming a Bronco fan.

I've actually been a broncos fan in addition to the Bengals since about '86.

" No can doesville babydoll. "… When we are eliminated I usually root for an underdog. This year it's the Chiefs.

Even if we go 0-16 next year. I'm still a Bengals fan the season thereafter.

Who cares about McCarron unless he is playing here?

Never.

I stuck with this team through the David Klingler and Akili Smith eras. I can get through this.
This thread is Exhibit A of what a FAIR WEATHER fan is.

(01-04-2017, 08:36 AM)John Shaft Wrote: I stuck with this team through the David Klingler and Akili Smith eras. I can get through this.
This thread is Exhibit A  of what a FAIR WEATHER fan is.

For realz.....and the only time I was more pissed off than the day we drafted Klingler was the day we drafted Smith.

The Bengals are and will be my first team because I live in Cincy. However, I'll root for other teams like in the playoffs. This year I like the Dolphins, but don't expect much.

(01-03-2017, 04:19 PM)Marlon23 Wrote: If AJ McCarron is traded to the Cleveland Browns who will be switching teams?    I will also throw in if WE keep Marvin will you be switching Teams?  Has this year prompted anyone to have a Back Up Team?  If so who is your backup team?

(01-03-2017, 07:01 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: Same here.

I really liked the Chargers, when they had Fouts, Joiner, Chandler, and Winslow, but remained true to Cincy.

We made it through the early nineties.
Some of these young ones do not yet know what pain is. 

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This^^^^
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(01-03-2017, 04:19 PM)Marlon23 Wrote: If AJ McCarron is traded to the Cleveland Browns who will be switching teams?    I will also throw in if WE keep Marvin will you be switching Teams?  Has this year prompted anyone to have a Back Up Team?  If so who is your backup team?

Browns have been my second favorite team for some time.  But they are a VERY distant second to the Bengals.  There is no team that approaches my love for the Bengals....not the Buckeyes, not the Reds, not the Cavs...everything is way behind the Bengals.  Why?  I have no idea.  

(01-03-2017, 04:19 PM)Marlon23 Wrote: If AJ McCarron is traded to the Cleveland Browns who will be switching teams?    I will also throw in if WE keep Marvin will you be switching Teams?  Has this year prompted anyone to have a Back Up Team?  If so who is your backup team?

I've been a Bengals fan since their inception.  I could never change, as frustrated and angry as I get.   I will always be a Bengals fan.

My favorite other teams historically were the Raiders, the Cowboys, the Browns and (go ahead and puke) the Steelers.  I hate the Steelers now because they have become a bunch of cry babies in addition to being one of the (if not THE) dirtiest teams in the league.   I hate a hypocrite.

But I used to admire them, and still grudgingly admire their mental toughness and the smart way they operate - especially in terms of making adjustments.

I actually like the Browns because they were Paul Brown's team back in the day and they had a great heritage.

I generally have rooted for AFC North teams as a matter of pride, unless the Bengals had a stake in the game.  Now I'll route for any of them but Pittsburgh - until they stop whining like little girls.

(01-03-2017, 04:19 PM)Marlon23 Wrote: If AJ McCarron is traded to the Cleveland Browns who will be switching teams?    I will also throw in if WE keep Marvin will you be switching Teams?  Has this year prompted anyone to have a Back Up Team?  If so who is your backup team?

I'm from here.  I've lived here all my life.  That's why I like the Bengals.  They are my team.  I'm sure if they start out next season winning games every who leaves will be back.

(01-03-2017, 09:56 PM)masterpanthera_t Wrote: Shake, it's crazy how similar the arcs of our fandom are.  

In 93-94, the first day I ever watched football was on Thanksgiving and while I liked the Lions with Barry Sanders I became sort of a Cowboys fan even though they lost that day (a rare snow day at Cowboys stadium against the Dolphins).  Fast forward to the playoffs and Jimmy Johnson's guarantee against the 49ers in the NFC championship game and I was hooked.  However, when Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson at the end of the year, I became a Cowboys hater and have been one ever since - to the point that in 1995 I actually rooted for Pittsburgh in the super bowl against the Cowboys (I was about as naive a fan as you could find at that time, and in retrospect, I am happy that the game turned out the way it had thanks to Neil O'Donnell).  

Also, in 1994-95, I was a Chiefs fan when Montana was their QB and I stayed that way through the Derrick Thomas/Marty Schottenheimer years.  I was aware of the Bengals at this point, but didn't live in a place where I could watch their games.  In 1995, once I moved a bit closer, I became a Bengals fan for good, and they were my primary team.  I made this choice primarily because of the uniqueness of their helmets and their name.   Again, naivete at its finest!  Any knowledge about Mike Brown at that point would have dissuaded me from this choice, but I made my choice and it's stuck.  I would root for teams I considered "underdogs" like the Chiefs or the Patriots (I'm talking about back in the 90's, not now) or the Lions, mostly because, well, we all know about the Bengals and the 90's.  

I'd say my rooting interests now are the Bengals and whoever plays the Steelers.  Even after seeing some of my underdog favorites have success (like the Patriots), I can never switch away from the Bengals.  The moment the Bengals win the super bowl, I might just quit watching football forever.  

It's probably blasphemy to older fans on here, but I loved watching Montana and Marcus Allen with the Chiefs. Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith too. Once Montana retired I still kept tabs on the Chiefs for a couple years, but the Bengals took over as my primary team. Fwiw, I loved watching Barry too. I guess everyone did.

The problem with being a Bengals fan in that era is that they were hard to catch on national TV, and even locally most home games were blacked out. I guess that's why I tried to watch some Cowboys games, because they were on every week.