For those that have been on these and the old forums knows I'm a generally optimistic kind of guy. I'm the guy that criticises those for claiming "game over" after a turnover in the 1st quarter.

With that said, I don't know if I can do it anymore. I went through the entire 90s decade as a Bengal fan and never gave up. But somehow, last season and what looks like this season will turn into, have just started kill me inside.

I don't live in the Cincinnati area so aside from nationally televised games, I have to go through some effort to get to watch them every week and I just don't know if I can do it if these last 2 games are indicative of how the season is going to go.

Maybe if ML is fired, I'll get optimisitc again, but if the new HC is just a promoted current Bengals coach, then I will definitely be done with this team.

I'm right there with ya, man.
I live in PA, so I have to go through "effort" to watch them, as well.
However, I don't know if I'm willing to MAKE THAT EFFORT, anymore, since the Bengals staff seems to be making no effort.

I'll just detach myself from the passion, casually check on the scores every week, and hope for the best.

I hear ya man, I've wanted to give up on this pathetic franchise for most of my life. But somehow, I just can't. I'm stuck with this team, no matter what. Unless drastic changes are made, I'll likely be spending the rest of my Sunday's this season doing something else. I'll still be fan and wear my Bengals gear occasionally, but I feel my time would be much better spent doing something (anything) else.

(09-15-2017, 11:30 AM)Pat5775 Wrote: I hear ya man, I've wanted to give up on this pathetic franchise for most of my life. But somehow, I just can't. I'm stuck with this team, no matter what. Unless drastic changes are made, I'll likely be spending the rest of my Sunday's this season doing something else. I'll still be fan and wear my Bengals gear occasionally, but I feel my time would be much better spent doing something (anything) else.

I often wonder if in the past it would have been better to be a Browns fan.

Is NO hope better than hope that continually rips your heart out?

At least you know that you can do something else when the game is on.  No love lost.

(09-15-2017, 11:27 AM)Tomkat Wrote: I'm right there with ya, man.
I live in PA, so I have to go through "effort" to watch them, as well.
However, I don't know if I'm willing to MAKE THAT EFFORT, anymore, since the Bengals staff seems to be making no effort.

I'll just detach myself from the passion, casually check on the scores every week, and hope for the best.

I live in Pa too. What city are you from?

Honestly - What made the 90's the 90's was a poor offensive line. We generally had decent QB's. We had good WR's. We had flashy RB's.

We're back to that.

That playoff game sucked a lot of life out of a lot of fans. I've been basically checked out since then. I'm honestly to the point where I don't even like using the energy to criticize the team anymore. I just shake my head, laugh,and change the channel.

I won't give up on the team until they leave Cincinnati, at which point I'll give zero ***** about the NFL.

I didn't have very high expectations for the season to begin with, so I've actually handled the last two weeks pretty well all things considered. There's no point in being overly invested in this team emotionally if the owner isn't.

I will never stop being a fan as far as pulling for them but I will just no longer watch them, when the Eagles are on at the same time! My wife's from PA and my son adopted them, because of her, when he was young.

I'm not the doom and gloom type at all but I can hardly stomach watching Marvin anymore.

I was fine with giving him a 2nd chance in 2011 because the team made the post-season against all odds but it's obvious the progress went from a sprint, to a crawl to stepping back completely. Truthfully the final nail for me was the WC game. Total meltdown mode, I'm not sure a team could have failed as hard as that team did.

I've been watching Marvin since 05 and he hasn't adapted at all over these years. It's like watching a person who decided they know how to do something and won't re-think anything despite failing to meet the objective every year. He and Mike are really two peas.

I'm not done with the Bengal but I'm done with Marv and all the position coaches who have gotten a free ride.

I'm always an optimist as well. I always think we'll find a way to pull it out in the end. I always think that this is the time we get over the hump.

I had a queasy feeling going into the season, but felt a bit better after we weren't a dumpster fire during the preseason. But this is just as bad as I imagined it could be. This wasn't a secret. The coaches and front office had to know what it would be like with Ogbuehi and Fisher out there. You're right, it does seem like they don't care. Why should I?

We always go up to Cincinnati for a game or two every year from NC. We've got the colts game scheduled this year, but I don't think I can justify spending the money on such a poor product.

It's not the fact that they lose it is the perception that they don't give a crap about winning or are so stupid that they make the same mistakes year in and year out. That's what makes it hard to root for the Bengals. It's like beating your head against the wall and expecting a different result.

I will say they are helping me make up my mind about spending my money by coming back to watch a game this year.

(09-15-2017, 11:35 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I live in Pa too. What city are you from?

Jersey Shore - near Williamsport.  

(09-15-2017, 11:33 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I often wonder if in the past it would have been better to be a Browns fan.

Is NO hope better than hope that continually rips your heart out?

At least you know that you can do something else when the game is on.  No love lost.

Well.. I was a lot less cynical and (I guess) happier in the 90's. Granted, I was just a kid then (born in '88) but even then I knew and expected the Bengals to suck. It wasn't easy wearing my Jeff Blake jersey around school but I had a lot more pity back then. Nowadays, for whatever reason, the Bengals are straight up hated. In a way, I hate them a bit more myself. I'm not sure why... but I'll bet it has something to do with the constant, embarrassing failure on big stages and all the false hope we get year after year. 

Count me in. I'm about ready to throw in the towel as I basically I don't see any hope on the horizon to believe its going to get any better. Even if Lewis is fired, Brown still runs the team and no reason to believe we'll get a coach who's worth anything. I wouldn't be surprised to see Alexander or Zampese promoted to HC or Lewis extended. There is absolutely nothing to be excited about with this team anymore, I only see a downhill slide from here.

I really want to just pick another team but I've been brought up and raised on the Bungals and just cant bring myself to root for anyone else. (except anyone playing the Steelers and Patriots) I also can't see continuing to watch this trainwreck. Its not remotely fun anymore and I end up just getting angrier the longer the games go on. I honestly wouldn't be upset to see this team sold and moved as maybe they'd finally have a shot at being a real franchise. Whatever....

The only reason I am not checking out is because my dad who is gone loved the Bengals, we were original season ticket holders, I spent many great Sundays at Nippert and riverfront when team was run by professionals who cared about winning, and - most importantly for now - because I really like all the people on this board.

I have said this several times, but the Marvin era was finished when we lost the playoff game to the Steelers with the team and coaches completely melting down. Marvin should have resigned the next day and if not should have been fired for that completely unacceptable performance culminating in Marvin becoming the undisputed worst playoff coach in NFL history.

He has been punching a clock since then playing out his cards until his contract expires.

Mike too cheap to fire Marvin and pay off his contract.

Too cheap or too soft to let a new coach clean house on assistants and in particular get rid of Alexander who might have been good 20 years ago but is not any more.

This is going to be a bad season that was completely predictable after the Steeler loss in the 2015 playoffs.

Team will crash, Mike won't invest or make changes, fans will stop going, team will be gone as soon as lease is up.

(09-15-2017, 11:37 AM)CageTheBengal Wrote: I'm not the doom and gloom type at all but I can hardly stomach watching Marvin anymore.

I was fine with giving him a 2nd chance in 2011 because the team made the post-season against all odds but it's obvious the progress went from a sprint, to a crawl to stepping back completely. Truthfully the final nail for me was the WC game. Total meltdown mode, I'm not sure a team could have failed as hard as that team did.

I've been watching Marvin since 05 and he hasn't adapted at all over these years. It's like watching a person who decided they know how to do something and won't re-think anything despite failing to meet the objective every year. He and Mike are really two peas.

I'm not done with the Bengal but I'm done with Marv and all the position coaches who have gotten a free ride.

I've been quiet on these boards the past two seasons because I hate to be that guy venting after every loss, but this new low the Bengals have reached has me seriously questioning why I still follow this team. I've been a die-hard fan since I was a kid back in the early 80's and I've stuck by them through some really shitty seasons, but like the OP said, last season and these first two games are getting to be too much. They've killed all enjoyment I get from the NFL. And since I don't have it in me to root for any other team, they've basically ruined the entire league for me.

So until this organization shows they give a shit about winning and either fires Marvin, or at least that joke of an OC, Zampese, then I'm done following them. I feel really bad for Dalton, since he's shown that with good play-calling, like he got from Hue Jackson, he can play at a high level, but he's got nothing to work with as the Marvin/Zampese combo is uninspiring, lacks creativity and is painfully predictable. One of them absolutely has to go and someone from outside the building needs to be brought in. Anymore in-house promotions will not spur hope in me and will only further my belief that ownership does not give a shit about winning and cares only about money.

Like another post said, I'll casually check the scores on Sundays, but that's about it. I'm detaching myself from the Cincinnati Bengals and since I don't live in Cincy and had to put forth effort to watch their games, It should be pretty easy.

(09-15-2017, 11:37 AM)CageTheBengal Wrote: I'm not the doom and gloom type at all but I can hardly stomach watching Marvin anymore.

I was fine with giving him a 2nd chance in 2011 because the team made the post-season against all odds but it's obvious the progress went from a sprint, to a crawl to stepping back completely. Truthfully the final nail for me was the WC game. Total meltdown mode, I'm not sure a team could have failed as hard as that team did.

I've been watching Marvin since 05 and he hasn't adapted at all over these years. It's like watching a person who decided they know how to do something and won't re-think anything despite failing to meet the objective every year. He and Mike are really two peas.

I'm not done with the Bengal but I'm done with Marv and all the position coaches who have gotten a free ride.

I thought Marvin should've been fired after the 2010 season. But, I was glad he wasn't when it seemed like we were an up-and-coming team. Then after the Steeler playoff loss, he should've been fired again and last season and this season have only reinforced that belief. I hope he's gone BEFORE the end of the season, but if he's resigned, I'm done.

(09-15-2017, 11:45 AM)Tomkat Wrote: Jersey Shore - near Williamsport.  

Currently in Lancaster, moving to York next month.