12-06-2021, 01:18 AM
We invest immense emotion in this thing (which is probably foolish by default, and not just for Bengals fans), and I think it gives us a sense of entitlement about what is supposed to happen, what we "deserve", and most importantly -- how unique our experience is with our own team.
The truth is... we're experiencing a pretty typical NFL plot arc right now. This is just what professional football is like. We obviously do have the playoff win drought that will continue to serve as confirmatory evidence to anyone who wants such evidence that our experience is different, but I don't think that actually means anything. Fans who've seen one or two playoff wins in the same time frame probably feel about the same -- shitty more than they'd like.
The Bengals are 7-5. They have a quarterback that I think most of us trust even if he has his warts. The team is generally a fun one and is filled with a great deal of high-character individuals who seem to genuinely deserve our support. They're going to screw the pooch sometimes, because unless you're the absolute cream of the crop that's just what football teams do... even the ones that aren't the subject of our endless affection and disappointment.
This isn't meant as a counter to rfaulk's original post. It might even be born of some of the same philosophy. I am talking to myself too. There's value in this. It's a lot better than starting 12 new threads about everything that makes us mad.
The truth is... we're experiencing a pretty typical NFL plot arc right now. This is just what professional football is like. We obviously do have the playoff win drought that will continue to serve as confirmatory evidence to anyone who wants such evidence that our experience is different, but I don't think that actually means anything. Fans who've seen one or two playoff wins in the same time frame probably feel about the same -- shitty more than they'd like.
The Bengals are 7-5. They have a quarterback that I think most of us trust even if he has his warts. The team is generally a fun one and is filled with a great deal of high-character individuals who seem to genuinely deserve our support. They're going to screw the pooch sometimes, because unless you're the absolute cream of the crop that's just what football teams do... even the ones that aren't the subject of our endless affection and disappointment.
This isn't meant as a counter to rfaulk's original post. It might even be born of some of the same philosophy. I am talking to myself too. There's value in this. It's a lot better than starting 12 new threads about everything that makes us mad.
