Honest ? - why do Bengals fans care what other fan bases think?

[*jason*]

This fan doesn't give a damn what other fan bases think.

[BengalsBong]

(01-25-2023, 02:17 PM)GAWhoDey Wrote: Coming off what might be our most impressive postseason win as a franchise Sunday, seems a lot of the NFL has taken notice of the Bengals and our young core of stars. They've also taken notice of the brashness and trash talking from Eli Apple and others, and it's resulted in a lot of negative backlash towards our team and fan base.  

In turn, it seems that some of our fans are calling for our team to "be humble" or to stop the trash talking as to not draw this type of "negative" attention or to keep the outside perception of us in some kind of positive light.

I guess I understand all that, what I don't understand is why Bengals fans are choosing to push back against our own team right now when they're on the doorstep of getting to the Super Bowl for the second straight year. Who are we to tell the players how to think/act/behave/express themselves?  

And most of all, why would we care what other fan bases think of us at all? Are we trying to be buddies with everyone?  I love the brashness personally, but I'm wondering if this is a generational thing?  Are zoomers more sensitive to this kind of thing?  Personally, I'm not trying to be buddies with anyone, barely even fellow Bengals fans. Definitely not opposing fans on social media.  If 100% of them hate us, I'm cool with that.  

This mindset of worrying about our image with the media or other fans is just very weird.

I need more Zim type fans up in here talk more trash than the players ever thought about.

[*jason*]

(01-25-2023, 03:18 PM)GAWhoDey Wrote: Yet other fan bases see him as cocky and brash, too. That's kind of my point.  If you're winning, the other fan bases are going to hate you regardless, so just enjoy the winning and stop caring what other people think.  

I'm partial, but I think he's the most likeable cocky player in all of sports. I don't know if it's the baby face, the senior year in college, or what... Most of my friends that are fans of other teams all seem to like him. My girlfriend is a Steelers fan, and she likes him.

[packerbacker]

This fan loves you guys.

[Roland]

If I cared what other fan bases thought I probably would have given up sometime around 2000. I really don't. I just want a team that wins and conducts itself in a way that I can respect and admire.

[*michaelsean*]

It doesn’t have anything to do with other fanbases, it has to do with a standard you hold for yourself and would like the team you root for to hold. If the team were to win a couple Super Bowls, yeah others are going to hate them. That’s fine and I would really love to have the Bengals hated for that, but having a team full of jackasses is a different story. Thankfully this team doesn’t have that.

[Jojo the Circus Boy]

(01-26-2023, 01:06 AM)Roland Wrote: If I cared what other fan bases thought I probably would have given up sometime around 2000.  I really don't.  I just want a team that wins and conducts itself in a way that I can respect and admire.

I would second this. Cincinnati and the surrounding areas of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana are very blue collar. They don't really care what other areas think, but they do care how a person behaves and represents their team and community. We like our "lunch pail" athletes. You can send the drama queens to LA

[puddycat]

I don't like trash-talking other teams or players unless they are asking for it. I got no problem with having confidence especially when you can back it up. The Bengals built this team mostly from scratch along with many smart free-agent signings, they have earned their place.
Asking for it examples: dancing on the opponents 50 yard line logo, celebrating a cheap hit, taunting, talking big only after the game.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(01-25-2023, 03:19 PM)Nepa Wrote: None of us live in a cocoon. We have family, friends, associates. We do care what they think of us. One advice on whether or not a certain action is ethical or not is to imagine what you did appeared on the front page of your newspaper: would you be proud or embarrassed by what was printed. That's because what others think of us is important.

Wearing Bengals jerseys and hats and being known as Bengals fans, we would like to be proud of our affiliation. I very glad that this is a high-character Bengals team. DeShaun Watson is a terrific athlete. I thank my lucky stars we have Burrow, someone to be proud of, rather than DeShaun Watson.

For some of us, it extends to how Bengals players treat others. it was so inspiring after the Bills game to see the Bengals and Bills players genuinely embracing one another and congratulating one another. Makes me proud to be a Bengals fan.

But it's mute point, because this Bengals team is filled with very high-character players, high-character coaches, and a high-character ownership. And when someone gets out of line, there are others who tend to rein them in. Even a rookie, CTB, was doing some of that with Apple.

And if DW gets the Clowns to the Playoffs, i doubt most fans will give 2 sh*ts about his past. Most will be thinking "we going to SB". 

They are young 20 somethings with high testosterone levels and now have money (not all of them had money before they joined the NFL). Can't expect them all to conduct themselves like gentleman. 

[Mike M (the other one)]

(01-25-2023, 03:55 PM)HarleyDog Wrote:

When the Patriots went on their winning spree for several years, I didn't recall a lot of trash talking. They did their talking on the field. It shows class and sets a good example for the youth. 

Uhmmmm the Patriots were some of the biggest on field trash talkers out there during that time.
Brady himself is right up there with Rivers/Rodgers when it comes to trash talking.

Twitter was created in 2006, by that point Brady already had 3 rings, so it really wasn't a part of their generation.

[Graphicguy]

(01-25-2023, 03:26 PM)GAWhoDey Wrote: Good job making a totally apolitical topic on a sports forum political.  

I didn't imply anything as far as it being all Bengals fans.  

Thanks for calling him out.

[TecmoBengals]

I personally don't care what other fans or the media thinks about the Bengals. I suppose it becomes a talking point on this forum because we're going to exhaust talking about anything and everything related to the Cincinnati Bengals - it's part of the fun interacting with this community, there is a lot to discuss.

[PDub80]

To anyone who is worked up over trash talk or the Bengals talking, or whatever, this youtube Bengals short narration really sums up what the deal is quite simply. That is how it is....

https://youtube.com/shorts/wb8a-1bb5sc?feature=share

As far as caring what other fans think, I enjoy talking to fans of teams the Bengals' have on their schedule, division rivals, etc. And I enjoy seeing other fans perspectives on message boards and engaging with them from time to time. An INCREDIBLY fun way to kill some time is reading past gameday threads of the Ravens, Chiefs, Steelers, Titans message boards of last year's AFC CG. Watching people get so so so high up on the Chiefs lead..... only to know the crash that comes after, and reading those comments is pretty fun.

Regardless of team allegiances, we all share a love of pro football. Someone else's team of choice shouldn't dictate how I treat another person in a conversation or my fear or feelings about watching or going to a game. NFL stuff should be FUN for everyone, win or lose. The Bengals win.... I don't win anything. I'm not fighting out there for cash or a trophy or a legacy. I win higher ticket, merch, and food prices for the following season and that's no prize, let me tell you! I'm not going to talk shit or feel better about myself or worse about another person due to how someone else's favorite team did. That's for lesser men.

That being said, please look for me front row behind the Bengals bench and right in front of the CBS broadcast booth this Sunday holding this 3'x4' poster I had printed. Fastsigns in Beavercreek, OH loved my idea and hooked me up!

[GAWhoDey]

(01-26-2023, 12:38 AM)jason Wrote: I'm partial, but I think he's the most likeable cocky player in all of sports. I don't know if it's the baby face, the senior year in college, or what... Most of my friends that are fans of other teams all seem to like him. My girlfriend is a Steelers fan, and she likes him.

I love Joe, he's already my favorite Bengal of all time.  But if you go to KC's message boards and Twitter, as well as those of our AFCN rivals, they hate him already.  

[Interceptor]

Don't care. The more you win, the more haters (or bandwagon jumpers) you accumulate. It comes with the territory.

[GAWhoDey]

(01-26-2023, 11:53 AM)Interceptor Wrote: Don't care. The more you win, the more haters (or bandwagon jumpers) you accumulate. It comes with the territory.

Exactly. Perfect examples are the Brady Patriots teams and Nick Saban's Alabama teams.  They get great TV ratings because most people are watching and rooting for them to lose.  If you're hated like these teams you're at the top of your game. 

As for the team talking trash and being cocky and brash, I see fans saying "well, this team or that team does it the classy way, they let their play do the talking."  Good for those teams, I'd rather have the guys we have and I find the brashness entertaining.  

[THE PISTONS]

Lots of espn shows are starting to realize Burrow is a top 2 qb and maybe better than Mahommes.

[*Synric*]

(01-26-2023, 11:58 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Lots of espn shows are starting to realize Burrow is a top 2 qb and maybe better than Mahommes.

Someone this week said Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the NFL but Joe Burrow is the best Quarterback. I think that statement pretty much sums it up.

[Housh]

Apparently Hilton’s Burrowhead comments have everyone wanting KC to win.

I always find it funny how the modern athlete is always condemned for being cocky.
But the same ppl condemning Hilton for his Burrowhead joke will be the same ones that get on Xbox and act like god almighty if they are one of the best players on a video game.


So to me i think average ppl hate cocky athletes because of jealousy. A regular dude will never get the attention Mike Hilton gets so it’s like “how dare he be good AND let everyone know he’s good.”


We’ve all had coworkers who were the best at something and met everyone know it.


I just find the Burrowhead shit hypocritical.

[Interceptor]

(01-26-2023, 11:58 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Lots of espn shows are starting to realize Burrow is a top 2 qb and maybe better than Mahommes.

Took them this long, eh?