The Bengals and Lions are locked in an 3 decade battle...

[*psychdoctor*]

You cannot group Paul Brown's team achievements with Mike Brown's unadulterated failures with the hope of creating a meaningful perspective of the status of the Bengal Franchise.

Look at all the broken hearts and misgivings in the wake of Mike Brown's leadership. I am unaware of any other team that has a Loyalty clause to prevent players from speaking badly about the team.

The only other franchise that comes to mind that has an Owner/GM leader is Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones is taking heat for McCarthy's failures and Dallas is looking bad. Nevertheless, Jones wants to win and will do most anything to win.

I have read from Lewis, Collingsworth, and even Boomer that Mike Brown wants to win badly. Marvin Lewis's 7 playoffs appearance may have set this franchise back years in that it allows Mike Brown to rationalize that his father only has 7 playoffs appearances and is considered a legend. Mike Brown rationalizes losing. Accepts Losing as part of the process of developing a competitive team.

Bengals losing 8 games by one score last year and several this year only solidifies his perception that the team is developing. The team is in the process of purging older players and losing is the process. Injury to your star QB only helps preserve the perception that the Bengals can be competitive when all the pieces on in place. W-L is a false dichotomy on the continuum of team progress in Mike Brown's mind.

If I were to summarize Mike Brown's "kryptonite" it would be loyalty to the individual or person (not to the group) and acceptance of losing. Public opinion, perception, and judgment does not matter. Acceptance of losing is a cultural norm; a way of life. For Mike Brown, losing is a disease with complacency. Zac Taylor fits right in does he not?