(03-11-2018, 02:38 AM)Jakeypoo Wrote: How well did Rey work out last season he was PFF 62nd rated LB and our LB core was terrible last season. 

No doubt. At some point, the team has to upgrade LB significantly. In a passing league, you need faster guys who can cover. The Bengals over the past 10 years seem to prefer big thumpers who can’t cover backs and TE’s.

(03-11-2018, 02:38 AM)Jakeypoo Wrote: How well did Rey work out last season he was PFF 62nd rated LB and our LB core was terrible last season. 

Well, there are 32 teams, each having 3 to 4 starting LBs.  If our backup ranked 62nd, I'd say that's pretty damn good.  What are you complaining about, again?

Hard to get good FA to come here because we are not SB contenders.

When we start knocking on that door players will want to come.

Who could blame any player for choosing NE over Cincinnati ?

Players want to win SB and solidify their name in history.

Unless someone just throws an absurd amount of money at them they will always choose the better team.

Can not blame them either. Am a Bengals fan and would choose most teams over them if having to choose for same money.

Maybe a little less money even.

Don't we feel bad for AJ Green? Dude can't even win 1 playoff game in his career here!

(03-11-2018, 01:51 AM)BengalChris Wrote: I understand the thought that the NFL is fixed and I am sure the league has its preferred winners at times, but good and popular players stay away from the Bengals because Mikey Brown, our self appointed GM, doesn't believe in free agency as a way to improve a team.

He has been against free agency ever since it began and said it would ruin the NFL and he's been trying to prove himself right ever since.

Mikey Brown will make NO attempt to sign a good free agent. He'd rather take a flier on a draft pick with limited playing time and film than sign an experienced veteran where there are years of film and you have a good idea what you are getting.

A draft pick provides 4 to 5 years of relatively cheap labor compared to a veteran and that is more important to Mikey Brown. It's really just that simple.

Winning a championship just isn't very important to the guy.

I know it's the pats but they can make the most quietest big trades and nobody sees it as a big deal. Why would any team want to help them more by handing them a former 1st round pick? They get everybody I'm shocked they didn't get sherman.this goes for all the rest of the teams too just pay attention next week on all the rich teams getting richer. Pitt doesn't have to they got the 3 headed Monster on offense and their team gets away with murder. 

I've even thought about this. We can draft a player and he might not be much but whoever other teams draft or sign suddenly they are good players. Like no matter who we sign they are average,whoever they get is good.theres no winning.

If Mike Brown really believes free agency is bad then he really doesn't deserve to be a owner at all. No fan base should have to endure that owner. I remember when I was a cowboys fan as a kid. The cowboys had a downyear,and the 49ers took it all with deion Sanders. Next off-season the cowboys used free agency and got deion Sanders and they won another ring. Yeah free agency doesn't work mike.

(03-11-2018, 03:34 AM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: Don't we feel bad for AJ Green? Dude can't even win 1 playoff game in his career here!

Yeah he's probably gone if we don't win a playoff game by his contract is up. I also have a feeling if we was in the hunt doing good ,green or Dalton is going to go down again. That's another reason I'd like to pick up another good receiver,we need to be stacked like the pats.

(03-11-2018, 05:02 AM)bengalsturntup926 Wrote: I know it's the pats but they can make the most quietest big trades and nobody sees it as a big deal. Why would any team want to help them more by handing them a former 1st round pick? They get everybody I'm shocked they didn't get sherman.this goes for all the rest of the teams too just pay attention next week on all the rich teams getting richer. Pitt doesn't have to they got the 3 headed Monster on offense and their team gets away with murder. 

I've even thought about this. We can draft a player and he might not be much but whoever other teams draft or sign suddenly they are good players. Like no matter who we sign they are average,whoever they get is good.theres no winning.

The Pats make smart trades and the coaches there can get players to play. Players who want a good chance at a championship ring will go there for less.

The Bengals cannot say to a player that they'll have a good chance at a championship cause the owner really doesn't give a shit about that and the players know it.

(03-11-2018, 07:02 AM)BengalChris Wrote: The Pats make smart trades and the coaches there can get players to play. Players who want a good chance at a championship ring will go there for less.

The Bengals cannot say to a player that they'll have a good chance at a championship cause the owner really doesn't give a shit about that and the players know it.

But you're not getting it. All the other teams know how good the pats teams have been . Why would any team I don't care if it's Cleveland trade any player to them. Like that feels set up and rigged. Also notice how our elite qb was looking good Palmer but a team supposedly takes his knee out. And nobody does that too Brady or any other top qb like big Ben. I'm not buying it smells fishy.

It’s the curse of Paul Brown.

I respect Mike immensely for not selling the naming rights to the stadium. That right there should clue fans in on the false narrative that -ol’ Mikey- is some Scrooge McDuck type only interested in profit margins. He’s not.

My theory is that his father gave him explicit instructions on how to run an NFL team. To Mike’s credit, he has stayed true to these instructions. The man has integrity. However, his father’s NFL is an antiquated model that won’t fetch many championships in today’s game.

Mike loves & respects his father admirably, but it’s time to lift the curse & bring home a championship!!!

(03-11-2018, 01:29 AM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: No, blame those of us who are realistic, hah! It's funny as hell to hear Cleveland fans say "we're going to the playoffs" every year in pre-season. At least they're not as depressed as us I guess.

Haha good point. Those of us who are "depressing" are just very aware of the reality with this franchise. Makes it tough to be anything other than negative that vast majority of the time.

(03-11-2018, 07:50 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: It’s the curse of Paul Brown.

I respect Mike immensely for not selling the naming rights to the stadium. That right there should clue fans in on the false narrative that -ol’ Mikey- is some Scrooge McDuck type only interested in profit margins. He’s not.

My theory is that his father gave him explicit instructions on how to run an NFL team. To Mike’s credit, he has stayed true to these instructions. The man has integrity. However, his father’s NFL is an antiquated model that won’t fetch many championships in today’s game.

Mike loves & respects his father admirably, but it’s time to lift the curse & bring home a championship!!!

Very thought provoking post DA.

Antonio Bryant.

The signing that just keeps on giving...

(03-11-2018, 07:50 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: It’s the curse of Paul Brown.

I respect Mike immensely for not selling the naming rights to the stadium. That right there should clue fans in on the false narrative that -ol’ Mikey- is some Scrooge McDuck type only interested in profit margins. He’s not.

My theory is that his father gave him explicit instructions on how to run an NFL team. To Mike’s credit, he has stayed true to these instructions. The man has integrity. However, his father’s NFL is an antiquated model that won’t fetch many championships in today’s game.

Mike loves & respects his father admirably, but it’s time to lift the curse & bring home a championship!!!

I can respect that, but in reality the stadium should be  called " The People of Hamilton Counties' Stadium" for the people who pay for it. 

(03-11-2018, 07:50 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: It’s the curse of Paul Brown.

I respect Mike immensely for not selling the naming rights to the stadium. That right there should clue fans in on the false narrative that -ol’ Mikey- is some Scrooge McDuck type only interested in profit margins. He’s not.

My theory is that his father gave him explicit instructions on how to run an NFL team. To Mike’s credit, he has stayed true to these instructions. The man has integrity. However, his father’s NFL is an antiquated model that won’t fetch many championships in today’s game.

Mike loves & respects his father admirably, but it’s time to lift the curse & bring home a championship!!!

There is ample evidence that Mike Brown's loyalty to his family and friends is what plays a major role in us not winning a championship.  The guy is in it to win it for his family and friends, not us/football players/the city/etc.  I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if my ol' man left me an NFL team, but I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking Mike Brown is giving his all or that a supernatural curse is keeping them down.

Let me use an example of Mike Brown and a normal person (if I'm normal) to illustrate.  Mike Brown isn't a GM but he appoints himself the title.  Mike Brown takes Akili Smith instead of 100 picks from New Orleans.  It's the wrong choice, duh.  An actual GM who doesn't own the team who makes that move gets fired, but Mike doesn't because he's in charge.

I accidentally broke a light fixture in my house last month.  I'm no electrician and I know this, but it's my house so I can do it, sure why not, why pay someone else?  I ended up damaging another light fixture trying to frankenstein the original broken one back into working order by using "inessential parts" from light fixture #2.  So I ended up with 2 broken light fixtures because I blew it, but I didn't get fired because I'm working on my own house.  When I made the situation worse I did so because I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't want to pay someone else to do it...I didn't claim my house was unlucky or cursed, is the point.

So that's me vs Mike Brown.  He wouldn't be a GM for any other NFL team and no one would pay me to do electrical work of any kind.  Although now I'm wondering if I could finagle a side business where I sign on to do things for people (handyman work, dentistry, etc.) that I have no idea how to do, and then when things go wrong I declare the situation to be cursed.  Hmm...

(03-11-2018, 10:18 AM)Nately120 Wrote: So that's me vs Mike Brown.  He wouldn't be a GM for any other NFL team and no one would pay me to do electrical work of any kind.  Although now I'm wondering if I could finagle a side business where I sign on to do things for people (handyman work, dentistry, etc.) that I have no idea how to do, and then when things go wrong I declare the situation to be cursed.  Hmm...

(03-11-2018, 02:33 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Really?  How well did Paul Dawson and Nick Vigil work out?  Not as easy as it sounds, to just replace a valuable roster member.  Vincent Rey can play all 3 spots, not a master at any, but a good fill in for any.

Well, to be fair, apparently Nick Vigil worked out well enough that they're ready to hand him a starting job in 2018.  I think he sucks, but they sure seem to think he's terrific.

(03-11-2018, 03:16 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Hard to get good FA to come here because we are not SB contenders.

When we start knocking on that door players will want to come.

Who could blame any player for choosing NE over Cincinnati ?

Players want to win SB and solidify their name in history.

Unless someone just throws an absurd amount of money at them they will always choose the better team.  

Can not blame them either.  Am a Bengals fan and would choose most teams over them if having to choose for same money.

Maybe a little less money even.

Players don't care about that.  They want money.  Jacksonville was a complete disaster for years and signed some of the most expensive free agents in the league over the last couple of offseasons.  They want money first and foremost.

(03-11-2018, 11:02 AM)samhain Wrote: Players don't care about that.  They want money.  Jacksonville was a complete disaster for years and signed some of the most expensive free agents in the league over the last couple of offseasons.  They want money first and foremost.

There are teams that players will take a discount to play for, but we're much closer to the "I need team X to pay me more to not win there" side of that coin, though.  I will say it's still amusing that people couldn't believe Whitworth would take more money to play for a hopeless franchise like the Rams when he could stay here and maybe win a ring.

(03-11-2018, 10:18 AM)Nately120 Wrote: There is ample evidence that Mike Brown's loyalty to his family and friends is what plays a major role in us not winning a championship.  The guy is in it to win it for his family and friends, not us/football players/the city/etc.  I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if my ol' man left me an NFL team, but I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking Mike Brown is giving his all or that a supernatural curse is keeping them down.

Let me use an example of Mike Brown and a normal person (if I'm normal) to illustrate.  Mike Brown isn't a GM but he appoints himself the title.  Mike Brown takes Akili Smith instead of 100 picks from New Orleans.  It's the wrong choice, duh.  An actual GM who doesn't own the team who makes that move gets fired, but Mike doesn't because he's in charge.

I accidentally broke a light fixture in my house last month.  I'm no electrician and I know this, but it's my house so I can do it, sure why not, why pay someone else?  I ended up damaging another light fixture trying to frankenstein the original broken one back into working order by using "inessential parts" from light fixture #2.  So I ended up with 2 broken light fixtures because I blew it, but I didn't get fired because I'm working on my own house.  When I made the situation worse I did so because I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't want to pay someone else to do it...I didn't claim my house was unlucky or cursed, is the point.

So that's me vs Mike Brown.  He wouldn't be a GM for any other NFL team and no one would pay me to do electrical work of any kind.  Although now I'm wondering if I could finagle a side business where I sign on to do things for people (handyman work, dentistry, etc.) that I have no idea how to do, and then when things go wrong I declare the situation to be cursed.  Hmm...

This. There is definitely some truth to Mike running the franchise as he thought his father would (though I have a tough time believing that Paul would have let things get as bad a Mike did without making some major changes). 

Mike has a lot of flaws but his biggest is his sheer incompetence as an owner.. He simply doesn't know what he is doing, and he cannot swallow his pride and admit it. Plus, yknow, hiring a real GM would cost him his yearly $1 million bonus   And god forbid that new GM wants to build a practice bubble