The sensation is surreal

[wcu]

I don't know how or what to feel. Obviously I'm elated that we've performed as we have over the past month of football. It's such a strange sensation to have wanted something for so long and then it actually happens. I've been imagining the past month for decades and now its staring us in the face. I don't know, I guess I never gave it serious consideration for actually happening (even though I expected us to make the playoffs at the beginning of the season....this is just above and beyond). It almost feels like I'm in shock and can't take in the enormity of what is happening. We're in the friggin AFC Championship Game!

How have you experienced and handled the emotion of the last few weeks?

[TecmoBengals]

Your thread title made me wonder if this was NSFW...

[WeezyBengal]

(01-24-2022, 01:52 PM)wcu Wrote: I don't know how or what to feel.  Obviously I'm elated that we've performed as we have over the past month of football.  It's such a strange sensation to have wanted something for so long and then it actually happens.  I've been imagining the past month for decades and now its staring us in the face.  I don't know, I guess I never gave it serious consideration for actually happening (even though I expected us to make the playoffs at the beginning of the season....this is just above and beyond).  It almost feels like I'm in shock and can't take in the enormity of what is happening.  We're in the friggin AFC Championship Game!  

How have you experienced and handled the emotion of the last few weeks?

That's how I felt after the Raiders win. Now though, it just feels like business as usual. I was def hyped after the Titans win, but nothing will ever compare to that win against the Raiders unless we actually make it to or win the Super Bowl. 

[Bengalpool]

Idk... I've been on the edge of my seat this post season like the rest of us during the games. I'm not nervous before the game. I actually believe every team before we've played them was beatable, and I never had worry. That includes this week. Maybe it's just me, but I believe we can do this. Maybe I'm in shock and don't know how to act? I'm being honest when I say, I am not worried at all about KC. I know they can beat us. I know next week can be our last week this season. It will come down protecting Burrow and big defensive stops. We can do it,we've already proven that we can stop KC. We held them to 3 points in the second half. It's a different week, but I'm not betting against Burrow ever.

[Hammerstripes]

It's definitely a change. I've been a fan since they changed to striped helmets (I was 8 and lived in South Dakota) and thought they were the coolest thing in the world. One of my character strengths/flaws is loyalty. I couldn't quit the team, even in the 90s.

There's only been 1 game I haven't watched live since Sunday Ticket came out - and that was the Raiders playoff game. I just couldn't do it. It was way too stressful for me.

Of course, I checked in on the score late and then had to turn it on. I was completely shaking after they won.

Fast forward to the Titans game and I was able to just purely enjoy the game now that the curse was gone. Amazing how things change with one win,

[Johnny Cupcakes]

Every time I think about it, the feeling becomes more surprising, yet more comfortable. They deserve to be here, and when I saw each of their first two playoff opponents, I expected them to be here. It's still a shock...especially considering that most picked this team to win somewhere between 5 and 7 games. Now we're in the final four, and we've already beaten our next opponent once.

I imagine the surprise will be less when this happens again next year, but I hope the overall feeling remains the same.

[*Nately120*]

(01-24-2022, 01:59 PM)Takedown Wrote: Idk... I've been on the edge of my seat this post season like the rest of us during the games. I'm not nervous before the game. I actually believe every team before we've played them was beatable, and I never had worry. That includes this week. Maybe it's just me, but I believe we can do this. Maybe I'm in shock and don't know how to act? I'm being honest when I say, I am not worried at all about KC. I know they can beat us. I know next week can be our last week this season. It will come down protecting Burrow and big defensive stops. We can do it,we've already proven that we can stop KC. We held them to 3 points in the second half. It's a different week, but I'm not betting against Burrow ever.

That's how I feel.  As long as Burrow is playing I just assume we win until it's over and we lost.  Of course, I was wrong when I was sure the Jets couldn't beat us, and so on but if Burrow is the coolest, calmest, smartest, perfectest, QB there is as he currently looks, well, I'm sold.

I mean, I get that the Raiders and Titans made us sweat, but I'm assuming we win the Super Bowl until I see otherwise.  I don't see why i should assume anything else.  Burrow even got sacked 9 times and still played like a top tier QB.  What else can be done?

[wcu]

(01-24-2022, 02:05 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: Every time I think about it, the feeling becomes more surprising, yet more comfortable...

I think that's a really good way to put it.  That helps me contextualize my feelings.  Thanks.

[MileHighGrowler]

I was obviously excited after the Raiders win. Such a long wait, so many opportunities to get that monkey off our back and failed over the years. It was relief I think maybe more than anything. But the game this past weekend, I was smiling so big all night and all day yesterday. We're in the AFC Championship game. That's huge. One game removed from the SB. Beating a team in wild card weekend was a relief, but beating the #1 seed in the conference and advancing to the final conference game, and I'm elated.

I'm also trying to just enjoy it all and soak it in. This year it's unexpected to be in this game. Every win is a bonus. I feel like the team is playing with house money. They're loose, relaxed, having fun. And the fans can be as well. Next year I think it'll be different. This is the expectation now. They've shown what they can do, and should improve next year. If they don't reach the same mark, people will be disappointed. So that's how I'm approaching the current postseason. Celebrate it and soak it in and have fun with it, no matter what happens the next few weeks.

[Sled21]

To say I'm excited is an understatement. I want that Super Bowl win. That said, I'm not that nervous about it because no matter what happens, this year is a success beyond imagination from where it started. And I fully expect to be right back in this position next year. I believe the term is "playing with house money" so I'm enjoying watching our guys play their best football and running all over the League's "elites"

[Tomkat]

There was a time not too long ago where I couldn't even bring myself to watch big (Bengal) games, because I was convinced the team was "jinxed" and I was somehow contributing to it. Not anymore. Now, I just sit back and enjoy the games. I still get plenty nervous/excited when good things happen, but other than a "dammit" I don't get too upset when something bad happens. It IS a surreal sensation, though.. when you've come to expect "BAD" for so long... it's hard to soak in the good. I'm doing my best to... as I'm sure we all are.

[Stewy]

(01-24-2022, 02:15 PM)Sled21 Wrote: To say I'm excited is an understatement. I want that Super Bowl win. That said, I'm not that nervous about it because no matter what happens, this year is a success beyond imagination from where it started. And I fully expect to be right back in this position next year. I believe the term is "playing with house money" so I'm enjoying watching our guys play their best football and running all over the League's "elites"

This is mostly how I feel.  Im not worried or nervous or even really all that excited.  I am SO happy for my fellow fans, for the team and for the FO and yes Im happy for Mike Brown.

This is a beginning, not a final destination, no matter what happens over the coming week or weeks.

[JaggedJimmyJay]

I don't think it has entirely hit me yet. I know in purely objective terms what the situation is.

I am a Bengals fan. Conference championship weekend is coming up in six days. The Bengals are involved. Those are all facts, and I am aware of those facts.

The surreal nature of this situation is going to bowl over me by game day though, especially when the televised broadcast starts talking about and showing the Lamar Hunt Trophy.

We're right ***** there, folks. We've waited for this for decades and decades. Reaching further, we've waited for a Super Bowl victory since 1968, figuratively or literally for those of age. We're right there.

[Shake n Blake]

The win against the Raiders didn't feel real to me, and was definitely an emotional moment.

Since then I've adjusted, and I'm just making sure I soak it all in and appreciate it, because it's always possible it never happens again in my lifetime.

I will say this: my fandom was on life support after the 2015 playoff loss and all the politics being infused into the sport.

This run has reignited my love for the Bengals and the sport. It's been a great thing to see.

[magikod]

One more game we have to win, til we are in the Super Bowl!!!!

CANT BELIEVE IT!!!

WHO DEY!!

[Nepa]

(01-24-2022, 02:15 PM)Sled21 Wrote: To say I'm excited is an understatement. I want that Super Bowl win. That said, I'm not that nervous about it because no matter what happens, this year is a success beyond imagination from where it started. And I fully expect to be right back in this position next year. I believe the term is "playing with house money" so I'm enjoying watching our guys play their best football and running all over the League's "elites"

I've been a fan since the franchise started, so I have some years on me. Yet, I was pacing the floor the entire time last two games. Yeah, I'm as nervous as I've ever been, probably more if I'm honest, and I've seen two Bengal Super Bowls. 

I guess I just want to see a Super Bowl win before I'm on the other side of the ground. My daughter pledged to buy me Super Bowl tickets if the Bengals ever got in and she called on Sunday to say she was going to do if they get by the Chiefs. And she lives in California. But I asked her to save her money if the Bengals got in, because it is a lot of money and she has mounds of student debt yet to pay. 

Yeah, I'm as nervous as can be, as probably can be seen by my perusing this website over and over and re-reading threads. Don't want another heartbreak, but the Bengals have majorly exceeded my expectations and it is, as Sled stated, "this year is a success beyond imagination from where it started."

[samhain]

It's odd.

I really don't feel like this team is overwhelmed by anyone they have to play. They are killing ancient narratives with every advancing week.

They've forced themselves to be taken seriously by the league and national media in the last month. A win this week does something entirely different. It takes this offense and moves them from being a perceived young upstart on the cusp of something, to being the undisputed A1 beast of the conference. Burrow pushes Mahomes aside as the quarterback you have to get through to go anywhere meaningful, and it took him less than 2 seasons.

Its a tough task, but it's what we've all always wanted whether we knew what we were asking for or not. This team has a newfound respect. This week provides and opportunity to become the standard bearer for the conference. Beating KC twice in a month makes us the black cat in the playoffs. It builds the legend of Burrow beyond anything we could have imagined.

I think it's very doable, and they might as well do it now.

[Sled21]

(01-24-2022, 03:30 PM)Nepa Wrote: I've been a fan since the franchise started, so I have some years on me. Yet, I was pacing the floor the entire time last two games. Yeah, I'm as nervous as I've ever been, probably more if I'm honest, and I've seen two Bengal Super Bowls. 

I guess I just want to see a Super Bowl win before I'm on the other side of the ground. My daughter pledged to buy me Super Bowl tickets if the Bengals ever got in and she called on Sunday to say she was going to do if they get by the Chiefs. And she lives in California. But I asked her to save her money if the Bengals got in, because it is a lot of money and she has mounds of student debt yet to pay. 

Yeah, I'm as nervous as can be, as probably can be seen by my perusing this website over and over and re-reading threads. Don't want another heartbreak, but the Bengals have majorly exceeded my expectations and it is, as Sled stated, "this year is a success beyond imagination from where it started."

Right there with you, been here since the first season.

[AlphaBengal]

Get used to this sensation. You'll be feeling it a lot over the next decade. We have a special QB and after growing up watching Elway, Aikman, Young, Manning, Brady, Favre, it's good to finally have THAT guy on your team. Every week you feel like you can win.

[StoneTheCrow]

(01-24-2022, 03:07 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The win against the Raiders didn't feel real to me, and was definitely an emotional moment.

Since then I've adjusted, and I'm just making sure I soak it all in and appreciate it, because it's always possible it never happens again in my lifetime.

I will say this: my fandom was on life support after the 2015 playoff loss and all the politics being infused into the sport.

This run has reignited my love for the Bengals and the sport. It's been a great thing to see.

Perfectly said. I was completely numb and totally indifferent as to the product on the field since 2015. This team’s attitude and camaraderie has made them my favorite version of the Bengals of all time. Whatever happens, it’s all icing anyway. I will say, if they get past the chiefs I think they’ll take the whole damn thing down.