I couldn't agree with you more, Wes Mantoast - you do usually write more than you need to.

Seriously, though, this really highlights something that I have had to deal with for much of the last 8 years. Frustrated and highly critical fans are still fans. Sure, some get carried away, but this team has certainly provided ample reason for fans to be frustrated and to be critical. I've said it plenty of times before - we all have different personalities yet one common love for this football team. It manifests itself so differently in so many people that a popular gathering place like this is inevitably going to have some clashes. Spoiler alert: there are plenty more clashes to come at some point in time in the future. For now, however, we are gradually getting the opportunity to truly enjoy this connection we have because - while we may not all agree on how to get there - we all have the same ultimate goal for this team. The closer the Bengals get to achieving that, the more connected we become.

It's nice to have this opportunity now because we cannot know just yet if it will be fractured by our injury luck running out or the playoff demons dragging us down once again. Just maybe, though, we'll see this team evolve beyond its current reputation and take us somewhere we haven't been in almost 3 decades. Even moreso, it would be the first opportunity for us to experience such a run since we've had the opportunity to grow even closer via the internet and communities like this one. I've been fortunate enough to see this team reach two Super Bowls previously, albeit from the isolation of my own home with no other Bengals fans to enjoy it with. I cannot imagine what it would be like to share that experience - and, hopefully, a championship - here with all of you....but I'm eager to find out.

Who Dey!

(10-21-2015, 12:25 PM)CornerBlitz Wrote: WhoDeyWho is the biggest Dalton homer on these forums. I remember in prior years Dalton would have games where he'd have ratings in the 60s and he'd come on these forums and consistently make excuses for him. It was sad.

(10-23-2015, 02:22 PM)Junglejuice Wrote: Making an extra million a year will not be enough.

The escalators and incentives at this point will not budge him too far up the QB pay scale.
Like I said they wont have to pay him crazy money(They wont) but I just do not think any guy who has a premier season at the most important position in football will be happy to still be paid as a bottom half of the league QB.

(10-21-2015, 10:41 AM)CoCoNuT Wrote: He is producing at a top 3 level, I would say that means he is elite.

Who do you have in your top 3 anyway?

(10-23-2015, 04:42 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: Dalton will average close to $19 mil a year for the rest of his contract if he goes to the SB this year.

(10-24-2015, 02:55 PM)Graphicguy Wrote: Sadly, this is probably the last chance for this group to win the SB.  Some will stay here.  A lot will head to greener pastures after the season and it may take 4-5 more years to reproduce (if we can reproduce) what we have now.

(10-25-2015, 01:54 AM)WhoDeyWho Wrote: We have a lot of our top players signed to multi-year deals.  There is no reason to think this team is going to fall off any time soon.