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If you write a book about the history of the Bengals, the title would have to be "What If?"
There are just so damn many of them. We may never get past the could have been. We approach glory, see it right there in front of us, then can't reach out and take it.
This thread is to rehash the could have been but, just for the hell of it, let's predict what would have been if not for the could have been.
I want to focus on the biggest bundle of what if's--the 2005 team.
There was so much promise there. It looked like we were a real threat to win it all for at least a few years. Astounding how quickly and hell, tragically it fell apart.
Turns out it was a house of cards. By the end of 2006, so many important guys were gone, the run was over before it really got started.
But if it hadn't crumbled, hadn't been so beset by bad luck and bone headedness, I believe that group would have played in 2 SB's and won one.
Also, name your biggest Bengal What If. To me, Bill Walsh.
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lol....."lagacy" pretty much sums it up.
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My book would be titled "3 shots from the 1, and other anticlimactic moments in sports history".
What if? What if Paul Brown could have held on another 5 years?
Volson is meh, but I like him, and he has far exceeded my expectations
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(06-12-2017, 08:01 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: My book would be titled "3 shots from the 1, and other anticlimactic moments in sports history".
What if? What if Paul Brown could have held on another 5 years?
No kidding!!! My book would be titled "What if Hacksaw Reynolds chose the wrong hole"........
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My book would be titled 101 uses for stickem written for Lewis billups.
And what if Stanley stays clean and krumrie's leg doesn't go pop.
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I'll never forget my elation for the 2005 playoff game - just WOW ! We had finally arrived after all that time spent in the muck and the mire. Then on the 2nd play Palmer completes a 50 yard bomb to Henry and it seemed we were off to the races. Then...............the crash, the train wreck, the rug pulled so far from under us in one second.
I will always believe we would have won that game, now how far we would have went ??? But yes good things seemed to be coming and one play sunk it like the Titanic.
As for biggest Bengal what if of all time Greg Cook has to be in the conversation. Everybody who seen him play said he was the real deal, one of a kind. And not just Bengal fans, other players, coaches, etc. Him and Bill Walsh are probably the two biggest what if's.
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PBS should be called Snake bite alley..Maybe Field of Snakes.. If you build it they will be snakebitten..
In the immortal words of my old man, "Wait'll you get to be my age!"
Chicago sounds rough to the maker of verse, but the one comfort we have is Cincinnati sounds worse. ~Oliver Wendal Holmes Sr.
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My book title would be "Stupid and Snake Bit" by The Hopeless Fans of the Cincinnati Bengals and start from the very beginning with the firing of Paul Brown in Cleveland.
Then
Greg Cook getting his shoulder injured by Kansas City.
Stanley Wilson staying sober for one freaking night.
Kenny Anderson not getting his head ripped off by Pittsburgh.
Tim Krumrei not breaking his ankle.
Ki'jana Carter not shredding his knee in Detroit preseason.
Mike Brown...nothing else to be said.
Jeff Blake...yes, Jeff Blake because if he would have had an O Line, the Bengals would have won games.
Carson Palmer getting cheap shotted by Pittsburgh.
Chris Henry being stupid.
T.O. and Chad Johnson my Lord what a terrible show that was.
Andy Dalton breaking his thumb against Pittsburgh.
Marvin Lewis who treats every game like its the third game of the season against non-conference teams.
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(06-12-2017, 07:20 PM)McC Wrote: If you write a book about the history of the Bengals, the title would have to be "What If?"
There are just so damn many of them. We may never get past the could have been. We approach glory, see it right there in front of us, then can't reach out and take it.
This thread is to rehash the could have been but, just for the hell of it, let's predict what would have been if not for the could have been.
I want to focus on the biggest bundle of what if's--the 2005 team.
There was so much promise there. It looked like we were a real threat to win it all for at least a few years. Astounding how quickly and hell, tragically it fell apart.
Turns out it was a house of cards. By the end of 2006, so many important guys were gone, the run was over before it really got started.
But if it hadn't crumbled, hadn't been so beset by bad luck and bone headedness, I believe that group would have played in 2 SB's and won one.
Also, name your biggest Bengal What If. To me, Bill Walsh.
Good topic, albeit a little painful...
1.) Greg Cook
2.) Palmer's knee/kimo
3.) Odell Thurman and David Pollack without off field troubles/injuries
4.) We had only drafted John Ross, Mixon, and Willis! Wait, we did? WOO HOO!!! I have optimism!!! (just trying to cast some sunshine on a cloudy thread)
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(06-12-2017, 08:09 PM)sandwedge Wrote: No kidding!!! My book would be titled "What if Hacksaw Reynolds chose the wrong hole"........
That's what she said 
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Some very good ones and a very good topic as well. Here's mine:
What if.......
1) Paul Brown swallowed his pride and made Bill Walsh head coach instead of Bill "Tiger" Johnson in 1976??
2) Lewis Billups doesn't drop that potential interception in the end zone?
3) Charles Alexander beats Dan Bunz one-on-one at the goal line?
Great! Now I am angry!!
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(06-13-2017, 10:38 AM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: Some very good ones and a very good topic as well. Here's mine:
What if.......
1) Paul Brown swallowed his pride and made Bill Walsh head coach instead of Bill "Tiger" Johnson in 1976??
2) Lewis Billups doesn't drop that potential interception in the end zone?
3) Charles Alexander beats Dan Bunz one-on-one at the goal line?
Great! Now I am angry!!
To me, this is the biggest one. It could have changed everything. Epic blunder by PB. And Bill obviously got the last laugh.
One thing that nobody mentions is how many of the what ifs happened when Paul was still in charge.
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Some of the biggest I can think of...what if:
Lewis Billups holds onto that INT?
The Bengals drafted Jerry Rice instead of Eddie Brown?
Mike Brown jumps on the offer for the Saints entire draft instead of picking Akili Smith?
Jeremy Hill doesn't fumble?
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(06-13-2017, 09:21 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: That's what she said
That's why I wear glass now!! 
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(06-13-2017, 11:41 AM)Beaker Wrote: Some of the biggest I can think of...what if:
Lewis Billups holds onto that INT?
The Bengals drafted Jerry Rice instead of Eddie Brown?
Mike Brown jumps on the offer for the Saints entire draft instead of picking Akili Smith?
Jeremy Hill doesn't fumble?
Bad luck plus bad decisions plus bad plays. Does any franchise in all of sports have even close to this many? It boggles the mind.
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(06-13-2017, 11:39 AM)McC Wrote: To me, this is the biggest one. It could have changed everything. Epic blunder by PB. And Bill obviously got the last laugh.
One thing that nobody mentions is how many of the what ifs happened when Paul was still in charge.
Very true. There were many "bungles" years even when PB ran the show.... Cleveland kicked our asses, Houston kicked our asses, Pittsburgh kicked our asses.....
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"What If - Bo Jackson"...
What if Bo Jackson doesn't get hurt in the playoff game against the Bengals? Would the Bengals still be in playoff win purgatory because the curse wouldn't exist?!
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
Sorry for Party Rocking!
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(06-13-2017, 12:23 PM)ochocincos Wrote: "What If - Bo Jackson"...
What if Bo Jackson doesn't get hurt in the playoff game against the Bengals? Would the Bengals still be in playoff win purgatory because the curse wouldn't exist?!
I've always thought that pissed off God himself. He makes the perfect athlete and look what we did to him.
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What IF?
Ki-Jana Carter doesn't tear up his knee in a preseason game.
Icky Woods doesn't tear up his knee.
The Bengals hire a GM in 1992.
Pollock doesn't break his neck.
Thurman didn't get banished from the league.
Boomer Esiason played his entire career here.
The Bengals drafted Steven Jackson over Chris Perry.
The Bengals signed 2nd and 3rd Tier free agents.
The Bengals addressed the Center position 3 years ago in free agency.
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What if the bengals drafted desean Jackson, like they should have, instead of Jerome Simpson?
What if eifert doesn't make and play in the pro bowl?
What if the bengals got coughlin instead of Lewis- that was a thing right?
What if the bengals traded their first overall for an entire draft?
What if Chad Johnson was never a Bengal, are they still irrelevant?
What if the bengals had kept mike Zimmer, and moved Lewis to another role in FO
What if the bengals replaced a kicker last year (earlier than they did)
What if the bengals had a indoor practice facility?
What if the bengals were not so loyal and got rid of bad contracts to sign better players?
What if the bengals had a GM?
What if the bengals hadn't given up a home game last year?
What if Chris Henry was drafted by another team? RIP
What if the bengals played rookies?
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