Yesterday, 05:53 PM
(Yesterday, 04:57 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Ok. I need to take a break from the bashing and do something a little different. Some of you may start thinking that i don't actually like the team. I'm sure we've done this before, but i'd like to know why and when you became a Bengals fan.
I've told this story before but it's been a while and i'm sure we have new people over the last couple years. So here's littly Ricky's story...
Back in 1978 i was 12 years old and me and my friends were just getting into sports seriously. Playing around the neighborhood and watching pro and college sports on TV. At the time, my Uncle worked at Barleycorn's downtown and it just so happened that Bengals players would hang out there on Friday nights before home games. My dad had told me this and on this particular Friday, i asked him to bring me some autographs to show off to my friends. So, the next morning i wake up, eat some cereal and sit down to watch Saturday morning cartoons. That's what we did back in the day. Anyway, i'm sitting there and i think, "hmm, that was a pretty cool dream last night...wait, was it a dream?". So i get up and go back in my room and there on top of the dresser was an NFL football and a signed pic of Gary Burley. Not only that, my dad said i had 2 tickets to the upcoming home game against the Falcons.
Now, any of you that know the history of the Bengals, know they weren't very good in the late 70s. At that particular time, the Bengals were 1-12 with their only win coming against Houston earlier in the season. The football that was sitting on top of my dresser just happened to be a game ball that Gary Burley had received for getting 4 sacks in Houston the week before, in a loss (they got game balls even in losses back then), and he just kept it in his trunk.
So, i go to the game with my Uncle, the one that worked at Barleycorn's and low and behold, the Bengals win their 2nd game of the year 37-7 and go on an OG DCB. The Falcons had been fighting for a playoff spot at the time at 8-5. After the game, me and another kid got to ride in Burley's cadillac on the way to get something to eat with my Uncle and a couple other players (who i don't recall right now).
I've been hooked ever since. NFL football is my #1 sport to watch, bar none. I love college basketball too but not nearly as much as NFL football and as fate would have it...i bleed orange and black, despite my distaste for who owns and runs the organization.
For those interested, here is that game, with little Ricky sitting in some end zone seats, taking in all the action.
I was able to call into the Lance McCallister show some time back when he had Burley as a guest and related this story to him.
What's your story?
I remember seeing a full page color ad in the Springfield News Sun with the new helmet & my oldest brother saying they were the best helmets in the league, I became a fan of football that day. I was 6 years old and was hooked, all because of the bad ass helmets. I fell asleep watching the Super Bowl that year.
