http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/04/20/mike-brown-hope-50th-season-bring-lifetime-memories/100659370/

This season will mark the Bengals’ 50th season in Cincinnati. Since we were formed in 1968, we have enjoyed great support – first at Nippert Stadium, then at Riverfront Stadium, and now at Paul Brown Stadium. Throughout all those years, there has been one constant: you, our fans. We appreciate your support, and I say "thank you" on behalf of the entire organization. We look forward to celebrating our team’s history with you this season.

Memories of our first 49 years are too many to mention, but through all the good times and bad, our fans have been right there with us. Our fans got us started on the right foot with a successful expansion franchise. We made the playoffs in our third season, an NFL record at the time. You cheered us on to our first Super Bowl in 1981 – after enduring a memorable Freezer Bowl along the way – and then supported us to a second Super Bowl that ended 34 seconds too late. You have shown us the way to six playoff appearances in the past eight years, including three AFC North Division crowns. You have been there for hundreds of other games. Some good, some agonizing, some too cold to recall, but we have always felt your presence and appreciated your support.

While we have had many good steps along the way, this 50th season reminds me that we have more steps that we want to take. My passion is to bring Cincinnati a much-deserved NFL championship and you have my pledge that our organization is hard at work with this goal in mind. I care deeply about this town. I raised my kids here, and I have an abiding appreciation for the support you have lent us through the years.


I don't know what our 50th season will hold for us. We have a good team, yet the NFL is a tough league. Will this be our season? I hope so. If I had my choice, our 50th season would give you a lifetime of memories, much as you have given me a lifetime of memories. I am thankful to you, and though the simple words “thank you” seem inadequate, for me, they really say it all.

Sincerely,

Mike Brown

President

(04-20-2017, 11:58 AM)kdgjr Wrote: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/04/20/mike-brown-hope-50th-season-bring-lifetime-memories/100659370/

This season will mark the Bengals’ 50th season in Cincinnati. Since we were formed in 1968, we have enjoyed great support – first at Nippert Stadium, then at Riverfront Stadium, and now at Paul Brown Stadium. Throughout all those years, there has been one constant: you, our fans. We appreciate your support, and I say "thank you" on behalf of the entire organization. We look forward to celebrating our team’s history with you this season.

Memories of our first 49 years are too many to mention, but through all the good times and bad, our fans have been right there with us. Our fans got us started on the right foot with a successful expansion franchise. We made the playoffs in our third season, an NFL record at the time. You cheered us on to our first Super Bowl in 1981 – after enduring a memorable Freezer Bowl along the way – and then supported us to a second Super Bowl that ended 34 seconds too late. You have shown us the way to six playoff appearances in the past eight years, including three AFC North Division crowns. You have been there for hundreds of other games. Some good, some agonizing, some too cold to recall, but we have always felt your presence and appreciated your support.

While we have had many good steps along the way, this 50th season reminds me that we have more steps that we want to take. My passion is to bring Cincinnati a much-deserved NFL championship and you have my pledge that our organization is hard at work with this goal in mind. I care deeply about this town. I raised my kids here, and I have an abiding appreciation for the support you have lent us through the years.


I don't know what our 50th season will hold for us. We have a good team, yet the NFL is a tough league. Will this be our season? I hope so. If I had my choice, our 50th season would give you a lifetime of memories, much as you have given me a lifetime of memories. I am thankful to you, and though the simple words “thank you” seem inadequate, for me, they really say it all.

Sincerely,

Mike Brown

President

Nice and classy letter. I know the MB haters won't agree and that is fine.

Actions speak louder than words. This team's spending this offseason and their stale approach says so much more than a phoney, canned press release like this. Mike can claim to be thankful all he likes, his actions show that he couldn't care less what the majority of this fanbase wants.

Want a new coach after 15 years? Too bad. Want a practice facility? Nope, not gonna happen. Want a notable free agent here and there? Eat shit. Have a strong opinion about the character of my employees and their actions? Shove it up your arse.

He's not changing a thing, and your opinion is meaningless. He's thankful enough to take 5 minutes to write fluff like this, but not enough to invest more into rewarding his customers.

To each their own, but his feigned gratitude is as worth as much to me as my opinion is to him. Absolutely nothing. **** this letter and **** him.

I appreciate the letter and all, but I have to agree with Wes. Actions speak louder than words.

Btw..."We have a good team, yet the NFL is a tough league. Will this be our season? I hope so." This is a weak mindset where he's already making excuses for a failure that hasn't even happened yet. Yeah, it is a tough league, Mike...but I somehow doubt that Kraft or the Rooney's try to lower their fan's expectations by telling them it's a tough league.

I want to like Mike Brown. I say that with complete sincerity...but until he backs up words with actions (not being overly passive in FA, overly loyal to coaches/players, building a practice bubble, etc) then it's hard to take the talk seriously.

(04-20-2017, 01:38 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I appreciate the letter and all, but I have to agree with Wes. Actions speak louder than words.

Btw..."We have a good team, yet the NFL is a tough league. Will this be our season? I hope so." This is a weak mindset where he's already making excuses for a failure that hasn't even happened yet. Yeah, it is a tough league, Mike...but I somehow doubt that Kraft or the Rooney's try to lower their fan's expectations by telling them it's a tough league.

I want to like Mike Brown. I say that with complete sincerity...but until he backs up words with actions (not being overly passive in FA, overly loyal to coaches/players, building a practice bubble, etc) then it's hard to take the talk seriously.

In the words of Marvin, I see better than I hear. I see no playoff wins under his stewardship. I pay little credence to what he says.

He's thankful the cash cow keeps producing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(04-20-2017, 11:58 AM)kdgjr Wrote: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/04/20/mike-brown-hope-50th-season-bring-lifetime-memories/100659370/

The article left out a very important paragraph from his letter:

"Even though some feel this team has underachieved lately from the front office straight on down, I firmly believe after this years draft (no matter who we take) and preseason, our wonderful fans will once again fall prey to my business structure. What structure you ask? I call it the "Short-Term-Memory Structure". This is simple formula that has worked for me and that is the fans will once again be excited no matter what the previous year brought. You might have been upset in January but come September you will be ready once again to pour your money, time and emotions into Uncle Mike and his Bengals. I love it and thank you all for your short term memories. Now Im going to have the most most expensive Rib Eye Steak money can buy....on the fans buck"

Reminds me of the Reds fans letter from Castellini. We will bring Championship baseball back to Cincinnati. We all know what the result was. Expect the same from Mike Brown.

MB is a nice guy and all, so is his family and so is Marv, but i am with Wes and Shake.

Accountability starts from the top down and there has been none for quite awhile. Coaches and players need to be held
accountable when they don't do their job up to a certain standard or when certain players are pretty much criminals off
the field. Instead of pursuing perfection like the Patriots do, we pursue being competitive.

He doesn't give a damn what we think.

He just wants to keep fans in their seats and buying merchandise, that is all this is saying.

Sorry Mr. Brown, the one constant since you took over is not winning a playoff game or not making the changes that would allow us the chance to be called Champs.

(04-20-2017, 12:41 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Actions speak louder than words. This team's spending this offseason and their stale approach says so much more than a phoney, canned press release like this. Mike can claim to be thankful all he likes, his actions show that he couldn't care less what the majority of this fanbase wants.

Want a new coach after 15 years? Too bad. Want a practice facility?  Nope, not gonna happen. Want a notable free agent here and there? Eat shit.  Have a strong opinion about the character of my employees and their actions? Shove it up your arse.

He's not changing a thing, and your opinion is meaningless. He's thankful enough to take 5 minutes to write fluff like this, but not enough to invest more into rewarding his customers.

To each their own, but his feigned gratitude is as worth as much to me as my opinion is to him. Absolutely nothing. **** this letter and **** him.

This^^^

(04-20-2017, 12:41 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Actions speak louder than words. This team's spending this offseason and their stale approach says so much more than a phoney, canned press release like this. Mike can claim to be thankful all he likes, his actions show that he couldn't care less what the majority of this fanbase wants.

Want a new coach after 15 years? Too bad. Want a practice facility? Nope, not gonna happen. Want a notable free agent here and there? Eat shit. Have a strong opinion about the character of my employees and their actions? Shove it up your arse.

He's not changing a thing, and your opinion is meaningless. He's thankful enough to take 5 minutes to write fluff like this, but not enough to invest more into rewarding his customers.

To each their own, but his feigned gratitude is as worth as much to me as my opinion is to him. Absolutely nothing. **** this letter and **** him.

(04-20-2017, 01:38 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I appreciate the letter and all, but I have to agree with Wes. Actions speak louder than words.

Btw..."We have a good team, yet the NFL is a tough league. Will this be our season? I hope so." This is a weak mindset where he's already making excuses for a failure that hasn't even happened yet. Yeah, it is a tough league, Mike...but I somehow doubt that Kraft or the Rooney's try to lower their fan's expectations by telling them it's a tough league.

I want to like Mike Brown. I say that with complete sincerity...but until he backs up words with actions (not being overly passive in FA, overly loyal to coaches/players, building a practice bubble, etc) then it's hard to take the talk seriously.

You two are hilarious. Opinions are great and all, but I find it mighty funny that you think he should give a damn about what anyone in the fanbase thinks. To be a "fan" of something is short for "fanatical". The definition for fanatical is "to be filled with excessive and single-minded zeal". When it comes to major decisions on HIS organization, does that sound like a group of people that he or anyone in that front office should be concerned with? Should they alter their view and the way they do things because of you two nobodies? The direct and CORRECT answer is NO.

The bottom line here, aand maybe this is a tough pill to swallow for many, is: he doesn't and SHOULDN'T give a single **** about what you , I or anyone else in the fan base thinks. Would I love for things here and there to be different? Sure. But am I so naive as to think he SHOULD do anything different on my or anyone else's behalf outside of the organization? Nope.

This is entertainment. You are welcome to move on if you are unhappy. Feel free to move on to greener pastures and suggest other front offices to change things and think they will happen simply because you think it's best. Good luck with that.

Might as well have farted on a piece of paper and sent it out for all the sincerity in that letter.

MB only wants butts in the stadium IMO.

Mike Brown only truly cares about making money. This is just fluff, he could care less about the fans or city. Watch them move when the stadium lease is up in 9 years. They won't get another sucker deal.

(04-20-2017, 02:18 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: MB is a nice guy and all...

Well being a nice guy, and having $5 will get you a caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks...

nice letter.

he drives me crazy but I do not doubt his good intentions

Hate Brown all you like, but if it weren't for Mikey there would be no Cincinnati Bengals,  period.  You would all likely still be Browns fans . 
Tough mindedness ? Christ! The guy is older than dirt and still running the team. That alone is pretty damn tough minded. Most guys his age are either dead or wasting away in nursing homes. My own dad, 88 going on 108 still does laundry, still does a lot of stuff and does it blind.. 
I'm not saying that I agree with everything he does or has done, but you really can't say he's not tough minded with any bit of credibility.  

(04-20-2017, 02:05 PM)GodFather Wrote: The article left out a very important paragraph from his letter:

"Even though some feel this team has underachieved lately from the front office straight on down, I firmly believe after this years draft (no matter who we take) and preseason, our wonderful fans will once again fall prey to my business structure. What structure you ask? I call it the "Short-Term-Memory Structure". This is simple formula that has worked for me and that is the fans will once again be excited no matter what the previous year brought. You might have been upset in January but come September you will be ready once again to pour your money, time and emotions into Uncle Mike and his Bengals. I love it and thank you all for your short term memories. Now Im going to have the most most expensive Rib Eye Steak money can buy....on the fans buck"

Almost accurate, but you missed with the rib eye remark.  Mike would only spring for the hamburger/cottage cheese diet platter and take half of it home in a doggy bag.

He's going to die without ever winning a championship under his leadership.  Hell, a playoff game.  But, at least he built a nice fortune he can leave to his inbred front office.  He could have made money doing anything else, like any talented, grifting attorney, so what the **** was the point of owning a football team?

Why anybody who lives in the Cincinnati area would continue to spend money on this jerkoff's franchise is beyond me.

(04-20-2017, 08:27 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: Why anybody who lives in the Cincinnati area would continue to spend money on this jerkoff's franchise is beyond me.

i feel the same about your posts...