Why are 'Wake Up Call' Games Necessary for Bengals

[Bengal Dude]

(08-22-2017, 09:21 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Why is it necessary for the team to get a whooping before they 'realize' they need to play better?

Lap's reasoning for the dismal performance on D vs KC echoes statements made by the Cincinnati Organization for years.

"KC was embarrassed by the 49ers, KC lost upfront to the 49ers... so naturally that is why KC came out and dominated the Bengals upfront. Oh hey, by domino logic, the Bengals should do the same next week to their opponent because they were embarrassed! The parallels are astounding!!"

What is with this domino logic? Why can't the Bengals just perform without needing motivation from the previous week?

How often do we discuss Marvin's record 'after a loss'?

Why does it matter? Team should perform no matter what happened last week.

I understand this is just the rationale that we use to comprehend losing and to give us motivation moving forward, but to me, it happens far too often for this team.

Perhaps these wake up games are just what the doctor ordered.

[sandwedge]

(08-23-2017, 04:11 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: This came to mind as well when I had created the post.

All week, we heard 'NE is gonna give it to Cinci because NE did poorly the week before'.... Did we not buy into that logic and take it on the chin? We had a rationale for losing before it even happened!!

WTS
-Wake up call game scenario worked for NE because they rarely get humbled.
-Wake up call game scenario doesn't work for us because we get humbled a few times each year, and typically have an annual humbling in the playoffs.

IDK, I just don't buy into the whole motivated more one week vs another. This is the reason NE has been successful every year for the past decade; they are highly motivated for every game. They don't have a 'big brother' rival to 'play up' for. They play each week like it is their last, no room to go 'oh well we weren't expecting that'...

but at this point I'm comparing us to the Patriots which isn't really fair. :)

Can't argue with you there. Not sure why there are times this team just comes out flat and looks like a Chinese fire drill. 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(08-23-2017, 04:11 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: This came to mind as well when I had created the post.

All week, we heard 'NE is gonna give it to Cinci because NE did poorly the week before'.... Did we not buy into that logic and take it on the chin? We had a rationale for losing before it even happened!!

WTS
-Wake up call game scenario worked for NE because they rarely get humbled.
-Wake up call game scenario doesn't work for us because we get humbled a few times each year, and typically have an annual humbling in the playoffs.

IDK, I just don't buy into the whole motivated more one week vs another. This is the reason NE has been successful every year for the past decade; they are highly motivated for every game. They don't have a 'big brother' rival to 'play up' for. They play each week like it is their last, no room to go 'oh well we weren't expecting that'...

but at this point I'm comparing us to the Patriots which isn't really fair. :)

Specific to that game, we left a good 14 points or so on the board (early points too), due to Gresham drops (may have only been 1, but there was another), which most-definitely would've changed the flow and momentum of the game.

Man, if we had Eifert in '14...

[Derrick]

(08-22-2017, 09:35 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Good Lord.  It's preseason.  

Now, don't get me wrong, this could continue into the season.  However, until it does, it doesn't mean anything.

Uh, it has happened in many a season past too.

[Derrick]

(08-22-2017, 11:13 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: 0-7 can make a team cocky I guess?

The real reason is complacency. When an organization like ours leans on the side of loyalty instead of running it like a business, there is less accountability. Therefore, less fear of poor performance and decisions from everyone in the organization down to the mascot.

But it IS run like a business albeit a FAMILY business.

[grampahol]

Look how much these guys get paid, millions of dollars often. Even the worse player in the league makes more money than most of us will make in ten years and every year they get an automatic raise of $15,000 if they stay in the league. http://www.spotrac.com/blog/nfl-minimum-salaries-for-2017/
How many jobs get an automatic $15,000 raise every year?  Hell, my daughter's last job in Dayton 5 years ago gave her a 15 cent raise after a year.  FIFTEEN CENTS! I can remember telling an employer to stick his nickel raise up his ass once.. That was over 20 years ago, but....
Call me old fashioned, but the motivation is getting that kind of salary regardless of how well you play or not. 
Anyone who needs to be yelled at earning that kind of money really has no business playing football. You underperform you lose your job. It really doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. 
If I were coaching in the league that would be the prime motivation. 
You like making a minimum of $465,000 and an automatic raise next year of another $15,000? Play AT LEAST as good as the worse player in the league and consider that your next contract assuming you get one may pay you ten times that..
Nobody needs to get screamed at because with those kinds of salaries there's a very long line of young men ready and willing to take your place every single day. Plenty of college players are looking for jobs in the league. 
It ain't like a minimum wage job working at the drive through window where nobody really wants the job or picking crops in the hot sun for peanuts.  

[Essex Johnson]

(08-23-2017, 07:31 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: I understand where your coming from. So, I guess we have different opinions on the definition of success. If you build 7 houses, and forget to put a roof on each of them, then I guess you successfully built a house. However the investors that paid for them will probably advise you of your mistake and suggest you find a different career. If you don't, you shouldn't expect investors to believe in your abilities to complete a house successfully. With that said, I think Marvin would make one helluva hospice worker. He is an expert at telling people everything will be ok, as he watches them take their last breath.

Another way to look at it.. is you try to build 7 houses and they all collapse on you before you can build the roof... so yes we would have different opinions on success 

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-22-2017, 09:35 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Good Lord.  It's preseason.  

Now, don't get me wrong, this could continue into the season.  However, until it does, it doesn't mean anything.

If we went 12-4 last season, won a playoff game or two, and basically had the same team going in this year I'd fully agree with you. But we don't !

(08-22-2017, 11:13 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: 0-7 can make a team cocky I guess?

The real reason is complacency. When an organization like ours leans on the side of loyalty instead of running it like a business, there is less accountability. Therefore, less fear of poor performance and decisions from everyone in the organization down to the mascot.

Exactly Harley

Mike Browns weird obsession with honoring contracts and on and on kills accountability - period.

[Essex Johnson]

(08-23-2017, 06:23 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: If we went 12-4 last season, won a playoff game or two, and basically had the same team going in this year I'd fully agree with you. But we don't !


Exactly Harley

Mike Browns weird obsession with honoring contracts and on and on kills accountability - period.

If that was true explain that just 3 years ago in the middle of our playoff run, we had one of the youngest team in the league and now this year we might also have one of the younger teams again depending on our final roster. 

[*Nately120*]

We Win= Good. We are building momentum and it will carry into next week and help us win.
We Lose = Good. Wake-up call. We will be mad and carry that into next week which will help us win.

It's all in how you spin it.

[HarleyDog]

(08-23-2017, 06:01 PM)grampahol Wrote: Look how much these guys get paid, millions of dollars often. Even the worse player in the league makes more money than most of us will make in ten years and every year they get an automatic raise of $15,000 if they stay in the league. http://www.spotrac.com/blog/nfl-minimum-salaries-for-2017/
How many jobs get an automatic $15,000 raise every year?  Hell, my daughter's last job in Dayton 5 years ago gave her a 15 cent raise after a year.  FIFTEEN CENTS! I can remember telling an employer to stick his nickel raise up his ass once.. That was over 20 years ago, but....
Call me old fashioned, but the motivation is getting that kind of salary regardless of how well you play or not. 
Anyone who needs to be yelled at earning that kind of money really has no business playing football. You underperform you lose your job. It really doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. 
If I were coaching in the league that would be the prime motivation. 
You like making a minimum of $465,000 and an automatic raise next year of another $15,000? Play AT LEAST as good as the worse player in the league and consider that your next contract assuming you get one may pay you ten times that..
Nobody needs to get screamed at because with those kinds of salaries there's a very long line of young men ready and willing to take your place every single day. Plenty of college players are looking for jobs in the league. 
It ain't like a minimum wage job working at the drive through window where nobody really wants the job or picking crops in the hot sun for peanuts.  

Somehow you really had me tied to your analogy, but then there was a cliff and I fell off at the end?

[HarleyDog]

(08-23-2017, 06:59 PM)Nately120 Wrote: We Win= Good. We are building momentum and it will carry into next week and help us win.
We Lose = Good. Wake-up call. We will be mad and carry that into next week which will help us win.

It's all in how you spin it.

I think you literally just explained "The Football Fan!" Doesn't just apply to Bengal fans. I would almost say it broadens to fans of all sports. Very good post.

[GreenCornBengal]

(08-23-2017, 06:59 PM)Nately120 Wrote: We Win= Good.  We are building momentum and it will carry into next week and help us win.
We Lose = Good.  Wake-up call.  We will be mad and carry that into next week which will help us win.

It's all in how you spin it.

Hit the nail on the head here Nate. Which is exactly why the following irks me even more!

It's Steeler week, Marv preaches "we will practice like it is any other game"

It's Wildcard weekend, Marv preaches "we will practice like it is any other game"

After Loss, Marv preaches "Team was humbled and will now practice harder/make adjustments/be angry and do better next week"

Wait Marv... but you just said... you practice the same every.... ugh whatever.

I guess it's admittance that it is truly the coaches fault when we look like hot garbage out there.

[yellowxdiscipline]

I hope we arent discussing a preseason game as an actual wake up game.

[GreenCornBengal]

(08-24-2017, 01:44 PM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: I hope we arent discussing a preseason game as an actual wake up game.

According to Lap the, Chiefs preseason game 1 was a wake up call, and that is why they ran all over us. :andy:

[Interceptor]

They need to get rid of the snooze button.

[BMK]

"If I have to motivate you, I will fire you".


Chuck Knoll, in his very first meeting with players after taking over the steelers;

[*Nately120*]

(08-24-2017, 01:44 PM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: I hope we arent discussing a preseason game as an actual wake up game.

Nah, we usually have a wake-up game or five in primetime and then we have a wake-up game in the post-season.  Sadly, there is nothing to be gained from that beneficial beating we get in the playoffs.

[*jason*]

(08-24-2017, 06:24 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Nah, we usually have a wake-up game or five in primetime and then we have a wake-up game in the post-season.  Sadly, there is nothing to be gained from that beneficial beating we get in the playoffs.

I'm a big fan of our Sunday 1 pm est statement games.

[*Nately120*]

(08-24-2017, 06:26 PM)jason Wrote: I'm a big fan of our Sunday 1 pm est statement games.

And we can't even get THOSE right for decades at a time!