(07-22-2017, 10:56 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: I want to say the OL will be ok. However, such a daring thought to entertain. So many questions there. Even if they suck this year, as long as our team stays healthy and we have our best guys on the field, that will take a lot of heat off the OL because there is too much talent other defenses need to focus their attention. However, when we start getting injuries, it will put more pressure on the line.

And then there's Marvin. Ugh!

You might be onto something, should Andre Smith pan out well at Guard.  If so, I could see the interior becoming the strength of the OL.  And everyone knows that we needed some good push to get those critical 3rd and shorts, by running the ball.  I think that Fisher will be fine, with Smith playing next to him.  Ogbuehi is going to have to show me something, at this point, before I can rally behind him.

It seems to me that the front office's number one priority is to maintain the Bengal family. The front office has shown unconditional acceptance for mediocrity of players and coaching personnel.

(07-22-2017, 03:21 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: It seems to me that the front office's number one priority is to maintain the Bengal family.  The front office has shown unconditional acceptance for mediocrity of players and coaching personnel.

Yes, sort of like me saying "I want to be rich", but doing nothing more than working my job to pay the bills..

(07-22-2017, 02:59 AM)BonnieBengal Wrote: But does he mean it?  

I think he does, BUT it has to be his way !

(07-22-2017, 11:07 AM)Pat5775 Wrote: I don't doubt Mike's desire to win, I never have. He's just too stubborn and delusional to really understand what it takes. I'm happy he seems to have backed off in recent years, but his close relationships with coaches and players (i.e. His employees) is just plain stupid. It creates conflict of interest. It's bad business. Which is why the likes of Marvin, Paul Alexander and Pacman will be here as long as they please.

Agree,

I don't doubt Mike wants to win. Trouble is he's stuck in the past, his way doesn't work in the modern Free Agent NFL.

He don't care how much he got to spend
Oooh, He's gonna get the Bengals back winning again
All the losing days are gone, Our Super Bowls comin home.
Yeah, Mike Brown wrote us THE LETTER.

and the girls sing :
Mike Brown, He wrote us The Letter
Mike Brown, He wrote us The Letter
Mike Brown, He wrote us The Letter

1, 2, 3....I Feel Good
I knew that I would
I Feel Good
I knew that I would
SO GOOD
SO GOOD
Cause' WE GOT MIKE

Get on the Good Foot
Get on the Good Foot
Get on the Good Foot

Mike's got The Katie
The other teams got a mule to ride
Mike's got The Katie
The other teams got a mule to ride
Oh yeah now, Mikes got The Katie, Leaves them mules to ride
The Bengals Train pulls out, Leavin' Them far behind
Crazy About, That Hard Headed Owner, That Hard Headed Owner of Mine.

He don't care how much he gotta' spend
He gonna' get the Bengals back on top again.
All the losing days are gone
We're comin' Home
Oh Yeah, Mike Brown wrote us The Letter.

This is Mike Brown saying, Good Night Cincinnati, We Love You. You've been a great audience. For those about to Rock, we Salute You.

(07-21-2017, 08:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: As I was browsing JN, I was dumbfounded that I couldn't find a thread on this.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/7/21/16007086/mike-brown-pledges-dedication-bengals-winning-super-bowl-letter-fans

I read this a long time ago feels like.

Still, actions speak louder than words Mike and the Patriots are the team in the AFC that makes the moves.

They win a Superbowl and immediately get right back to work trying to get better in Free Agency.

Mike treats FA like it is overrated, the Pats don't.

(07-22-2017, 02:59 AM)BonnieBengal Wrote: But does he mean it?  

I don't distrust his sincerity at all.   I just don't trust his decisions all the time.

(07-22-2017, 10:38 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree Harley, Mike Brown wants the team to win, just not in any urgent sort of way.  I don't doubt his sincerity, he truly loves this team.  It will be interesting to watch as TC and the Preseason unfolds, to see if the team has any motivation to make any moves to shore up any weaknesses on the roster.  

In my opinion, the entire key to this season is going to be the play of the OL.  They have the skill position weaponry on board to put up Patriots like numbers on the scoreboard, but will the OL be able to give Andy time, and open holes for the RBs?  I have every confidence in the defense to stand strong, and pull out some 10-7, 13-10 kind of games, but every now and then, you have to be able to win a shootout as well.

And this is where his credibility breaks down.   Not for being without the passion to win, not for being an intelligent man and not for being a quality individual.   I will be glad to be wrong, but to me letting the fortunes of the team ride on Ogbuehi, Fisher and Smith is just too much of a risk.   He should have retained both Zeitler and Whit - at least Whit.

If for no other reason than to make SURE you have a plan B.

(07-24-2017, 02:50 PM)3wt Wrote: And this is where his credibility breaks down.   Not for being without the passion to win, not for being an intelligent man and not for being a quality individual.   I will be glad to be wrong, but to me letting the fortunes of the team ride on Ogbuehi, Fisher and Smith is just too much of a risk.   He should have retained both Zeitler and Whit - at least Whit.

If for no other reason than to make SURE you have a plan B.

I see both sides of the issue at hand.  However, if they had no intent on signing Whit or Zeitler, they could have at least showed a little more interest in OL in free agency or the draft.  (yes, I get the whole "it was a bad year for OT" in this year's draft)  Perhaps (at least hopefully) they're counting on a quality veteran OLman or two to get their unconditional release in TC this season?

(07-24-2017, 06:58 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I see both sides of the issue at hand.  However, if they had no intent on signing Whit or Zeitler, they could have at least showed a little more interest in OL in free agency or the draft.  (yes, I get the whole "it was a bad year for OT" in this year's draft)  Perhaps (at least hopefully) they're counting on a quality veteran OLman or two to get their unconditional release in TC this season?

This
Yet agree with Essex and do not hate MB and believe he wants to win here or he would have went elsewhere for much more money. 
Think he is just stubbornly trying to prove he can do it with himself as GM in lieu of hiring one. 

As his coach once said... "I see better than I hear".

After 26 years as the GM he still keeps making the same mistakes because he can't or won't learn from his mistakes.

I doubt he even wrote the letter. Probably hired another family member to do PR.

(07-24-2017, 06:58 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I see both sides of the issue at hand.  However, if they had no intent on signing Whit or Zeitler, they could have at least showed a little more interest in OL in free agency or the draft.  (yes, I get the whole "it was a bad year for OT" in this year's draft)  Perhaps (at least hopefully) they're counting on a quality veteran OLman or two to get their unconditional release in TC this season?

Valid point.  I mean I think signing Smith was a decent move, but they did nothing else.  Your whole season is riding on a wish and a prayer.   No effort at creating a fail safe.

(07-24-2017, 11:43 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: As his coach once said... "I see better than I hear".

(07-25-2017, 12:03 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: After 26 years as the GM he still keeps making the same mistakes because he can't or won't learn from his mistakes.

I doubt he even wrote the letter. Probably hired another family member to do PR.

Well said.   I'm over Mike and his nicely written letters and his desire to win, and his ties to the community, and blah blah blah.  The results speak for themselves: mired in mediocrity with Mike and Marvin. 

(07-24-2017, 02:50 PM)3wt Wrote:   He should have retained both Zeitler and Whit - at least Whit.

He'd have been a full for paying either one of those players what they got. Whit is at the end of his career, and Zeitler was overpaid (glad for him, but he was overpaid). Besides, both of those players, along with Peko and Maualuga,  were part of the losing mentality that was the "old and slow" Bengals. This is the "young and fast" Bengals. Big Ced, who I was really down on last year, got his pride hurt and put in the work this off season. I suspect he will be a different player now back on the left side. And I suspect Fish will hold down the right just fine, he certainly put in the gym time as well. And if not, they can swap Fish and Dre and put Dre back at tackle and Fish at Guard. Ced and Fish.... "young and fast", as opposed to Whit and Z.... "old and slow". Get that losing mentality out of the locker room....

(07-25-2017, 08:32 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Well said.   I'm over Mike and his nicely written letters and his desire to win, and his ties to the community, and blah blah blah.  The results speak for themselves: mired in mediocrity with Mike and Marvin. 

Look at what he has done so far this off season as GM; he let the two best offensive linemen (on a bad O-line) walk in free agency. Then he drafted two offensive skill players in the first two rounds of the draft; one with significant injury concerns and the other with character concerns.

It's like he is following the directions on a shampoo bottle; wash, rinse, repeat.

Sad.

(07-26-2017, 08:43 AM)Sled21 Wrote: He'd have been a full for paying either one of those players what they got. Whit is at the end of his career, and Zeitler was overpaid (glad for him, but he was overpaid). Besides, both of those players, along with Peko and Maualuga,  were part of the losing mentality that was the "old and slow" Bengals. This is the "young and fast" Bengals. Big Ced, who I was really down on last year, got his pride hurt and put in the work this off season. I suspect he will be a different player now back on the left side. And I suspect Fish will hold down the right just fine, he certainly put in the gym time as well. And if not, they can swap Fish and Dre and put Dre back at tackle and Fish at Guard. Ced and Fish.... "young and fast", as opposed to Whit and Z.... "old and slow". Get that losing mentality out of the locker room....

Whit is basically signed to a one year deal for close to the same amount the Bengals reportedly offered (if the reports are to be believed) and he can be cut with only 3 million in dead money if his level of play falls off the face of the Earth.

As far as Zeitler, we build through the draft. Right? Except when we don't. At least that is the BS Mike uses to explain his Kmart Blue Light Special approach to free agency. Zeitler won't be overpaid before he finishes his contract. Meanwhile the salary cap continues to increase annually. How much under the cap are the Bengals right now? I'm not sure, but I do know that artificially inflated injury cushion Hobson reports for the Bengals every spring could have covered a significant portion of Zeitler's salary this year. Meanwhile, Mike is still overpaying one year wonder, Michael Jonson. Cue the "his play doesn't show up in the stats" crowd to Johnson's defense.

Mike's been telling his committed to a championship lie for almost three decades. You can double check, but I'm 99% sure that lie was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Great Lies in 2010 along with other greats such as "The check's in the mail" and "I won't come in your mouth."

(07-26-2017, 11:04 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Whit is basically signed to a one year deal for close to the same amount the Bengals reportedly offered (if the reports are to be believed) and he can be cut with only 3 million in dead money if his level of play falls off the face of the Earth.

As far as Zeitler, we build through the draft. Right?  Except when we don't.  At least that is the BS Mike uses to explain his Kmart Blue Light Special approach to free agency. Zeitler won't be overpaid before he finishes his contract. Meanwhile the salary cap continues to increase annually. How much under the cap are the Bengals right now?  I'm not sure, but I do know that artificially inflated injury cushion Hobson reports for the Bengals every spring could have covered a significant portion of Zeitler's salary this year. Meanwhile, Mike is still overpaying one year wonder, Michael Jonson. Cue the "his play doesn't show up in the stats" crowd to Johnson's defense.

Whit would not sign a one year deal here, remember? He wanted a multi year deal, and at his age, that just is not smart. There was no good olineman in this draft to build with, so they signed Smith as a stopgap and will draft Z's replacement in the Spring.

(07-26-2017, 12:48 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Whit would not sign a one year deal here, remember? He wanted a multi year deal, and at his age, that just is not smart. There was no good olineman in this draft to build with, so they signed Smith as a stopgap and will draft Z's replacement in the Spring.

He signed a three deal for roughly the same amount per year as the Bengals offered per year and structured it so they can cut him with minimal dead money if he fails to live up to expectations. The Rams did a smart deal. Mike's (and Katie's) obstinace and lack of creative when it comes to negotiating contracts bit them in the ass once again. Don't take my word for it. Look up Whitworth's contract and go over the details for yourself. When I read the details I was disgusted by Mike's frugality.