05-27-2022, 02:00 PM
(05-27-2022, 01:29 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: To bolded, that is why I used an extreme example like the Patriots to make my point that the Bengals haven't enjoyed enough sustained success required to demand respect across the pundit community. In most people's eyes, the Bengals simply had a fluke hot run that landed them in the Superbowl. Now, if they back it up with another strong season and advance in the playoffs? Then they should command a bit more respect in the sporting world.
As for the rest of your post, that is a great list of examples, but you never really wound up to any conclusion from it. Was there something else that you wanted to add?
Right on.
And many things have contributed to the Bengals bad reputation among the pundits over the years/decades. The dark age of the 90's and early 00's. Mike Brown's cheapness, a good bit of it was deserved. Mike Brown's swimming against the NFL tide in general on many issues.
Many ML lead teams getting embarrassed regularly in prime time. Marvin Lewis being owned by the Steelers for a decade and a half. All of Marvin's one and dones. Taking many players with checkered pasts. The what was it 06 ? Where we had so many bad headlines off the field. Just on and on.
If we were winning more a lot of that would get overlooked. But when you put out losing season after losing season it gets magnified. You just can't erase that in one foul swoop.