Returning Animosity to where it belongs

[Speedy Thomas]

First of all, thanks to Murdock for this amazing post. I used to teach English and I think you deserve a Pulitzer.

Second, about the Ratbirds. Don't judge me, but I was a passionate Browns fan back in the 50's/60's (pre-Bengals). Art Modell, a New York businessman who couldn't tell a football from an oversized oblong turd, fired Paul Brown, then moved the team to Baltimore. I kinda lump Browns and Ravens together in my pantheon of hatred -- despised, but a distant second to Shittsburgh and their rag-waving Pig worshippers, who are all that Murdock said and then some.

[Bengalitis]

(05-11-2021, 10:39 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: To be fair, if Fitzpatrick didn’t get benched they likely make the Playoffs.  He was easily the best QB in Miami.

Nobody likes to talk about it but Fitzpatrick was a starter for our team too. All you can remember is him running A LOT of during those days as our QB. here we are last season,  with same predicament.

[BengalFanInNJ]

(05-13-2021, 08:21 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: I have an old, simmering reason to hate the Jets, nearly 40 years in the making:  the January '83 playoff game.  Freeman ***** McNeil running all over the Bengals.  Still pisses me off

Holy shit, I had repressed the memory of that game. I remember it well being around a few Jets fans. Bengals got freaking annihilated that game. Freeman McNeil, who was a solid running back, ALWAYS had big games against us. I vividly remember when they were doing the ending credits of that game, they were showing the Darrol Ray's 98-yard pick 6 in the background. I was like, "That is going to be the last play I see from this season??". e. 

Not only did McNeil run for 200+ yards, he threw a TD pass as well. Hard to believe that at one point in that game, the Bengals were up 14-3 and looking like they would blow the Jets out. 

Side story to that game:  I HATED going to school the next day getting tortured by a bunch of 3rd-grade Jets fans. I was walking down the hall towards my classroom, and a friend of mine, who was a Jets fan, ran over and started talking shit. I grabbed both of his shoulders and pushed him hard into a wall. He banged his head and had to go to the nurse. I, of course, had to go to the principal's office. I told the principal what happened and that I was sorry. The principal was kind of cool and said, "Well, I should probably punish you but I'm a Giants fan and hate the Jets so you can go back to class". 


***** Freeman McNeil.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(05-15-2021, 01:20 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: It's sad, I didn't used to be so annoyed about things. On the old board and even when I first came to this board, I didn't post a ton and was more just wanting to talk with other fans and discuss things.

The past few seasons have just jaded me and made me rather bitter towards Mike Brown and the team and honestly I don't like that. I used to enjoy watching the games on Sunday and now it's more just waiting to see how they will screw things up next. It sucks, I really just want to get back to having faith in the team, well until the playoffs of course. I've liked talking with fellow Bengal fans and all the fun of crapping on the Browns and hating on the Steelers. Going to try to get back to that point, and maybe just be less invested in the team emotionally, and return to when it was just an excuse to drink with friends and watch the game.

It has been really frustrating the last few years and especially last year when Burrow went down after poor O-line play 
where some of us were silently thinking it could happen all year and it eventually did. But I think we have done enough 
with bringing in Pollack, Reiff, Spain, Carman, D'Ante and Trey Hill where we can be decent at the very least on OL.

The DL really got upgraded which needed to happen just as much if not more so with Hendrickson, Ogunjobi, Ossai, 
Cam Sample, Shelvin and Reader coming back healthy. Hobby is a forgotten coach around here with a good resume who
I think could get this DL back to being more than decent at both stopping the run and rushing the passer.

The trenches needed upgraded badly and we can still do more. We start winning and we all will start to enjoy the Bengals
again. If not, we need to move on from Taylor and company as the bitterness will grow to unmanageable levels.

(05-15-2021, 08:59 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I hear ya.  It is like a bad codependent relationship:  They treat me poorly and I keep coming back for more.  

I sincerely tried to become the fan that just "enjoys the game" and doesn't get "worked up" or anything.  I would tell myself each time that it doesn't really matter and I am just going to watch the game and enjoy....only to find myself yelling at the TV and jumping up and down when they score.  Being at the games was worse.  Our section was awesome and we would get so fired up and have no voice by the end of the game. 

I finally just gave up and said:  "Hey, this is me....can't change it" and know that I will always feel such hate for the fat pig QB at that state to the East that my blood boils.  I will always find ways for the Bengals to do the unthinkable, and have that magical Super Bowl Victory Season.  Most recently, I was so excited to have new coaches (Marv was a nice guy and talent evaluator, but I felt "limited" with him) only to have major let downs.  Now, that coaching staff has turned the roster and, most importantly, we have Joe Burrow.

Watching that guy play last year felt so different.  It became that any time he cocked his arm, I would think "He's got someone", instead of "Oh, God, I hope this isn't a pick".  He has brought so much optimism that I even feel the team believes it.  Now that the old guard is completely purged, it is 100% his team, and I can't wait to see what he does with it.  

Same thing, with Burrow it is just different when he drops back. I actually have confidence in good things to happen everytime,
unlike Dalton and Palmer. It is Burrow's team and I believe the FO has done the right things in bringing in players around him to 
make it extremely comfortable for him. Trying to make this team as much like that LSU team as possible. We will see if it works.