Folks, let me say right off, I am a science guy. I have been into science all my life, have taught math and science most of my adult life. I am the guy that needs to see the empirical scientific evidence before drawing a conclusion. I am not a ghosts, goblins, and gods type of guy. That's not to say that I'm not OPEN to the possibility of weird shit taking place that may not have an scientific explanation . But I always defer to the most reasonable explanation ...science.
Going back to the Titans game and certainly in the AFC Championship game, I could point to ten or twelve instances , at least, where, if a certain play had not have occurred the way it did , we likely would have been eliminated. Not only that, if not for some odd things that happened during the regular season , we might not be in this same position. Hell, think about the first Chiefs' game. What was it... a 20-play drive or something? How many plays from right near the goal line in the last two minutes. A non-call on the 4th and Goal PI in the endzone and we might not have won that one. Strange. Really bizarre stuff from that point on until the present.
And then the AFC Championship just had some bizarre, almost surreal moments that defy explanation. The strange end to the first half. If that goes differently, we probably lose. The ball thrown right to B.J. Hill at a time when we really needed something like that to happen. Even the two-point conversion to our punt returner, Trent Taylor. If that doesn't go our way, we may very well lose by a point on a walk off FG by Bukner. And what about Burrow somehow escaping the grasp of the defensive lineman in the 4th quarter drive when it looked like there was no way out of the big paws of Jones. The drive could have ended there, along with our season. You and I could name several other unlikely plays that went our way.
How many Bengals' teams in the past would have come out on top with the Chiefs having first and goal inside the five with a minute and a half left? Instead of punching it in, Mahommes decides to start running backwards for twenty yards until he gets tackled.
But this is the one that has stuck with me. When I think of it now chills run up and down my spine. The Chiefs' star QB , who never throws playoff INT's, throws a ball right into the hands of Eli Apple. I mean, right to him!!! And Apple drops the easy pick six. That was it... that was the game. IMMEDIATELY, I had visions of what has haunted my dreams for 33 damn years. LEWIS F' ING BILLUPS!!! Here it was happening AGAIN!!!! Eli dropped the game winner and now , just like Montana made us pay on the very next play, Mahommes was going to do the same. And sure enough, Patrick takes his shot downfield to break our hearts once again. We know what's gonna happen... sure we do. We've seen it run through our minds a thousand times before. But NO... a tipped pass CAUGHT THIS TIME by #24 Von Bell.
#24 ... the same number worn by ... you got it ... LEWIS BILLUPS !!!
It's like the Universe was saying, "NO MORE.. NOT THIS TIME...NEW DAY, WHO DEY! " It's almost like there was some message from somewhere off this planet. The dropped INT HAD TO HAPPEN right before #24 held on to it this time. It all still seems so surreal... almost magical. STRANGE MAGIC !!!
Btw, our last Big Dance" *** Superbowl 23 *** 2+3 = 5 ; 2 x 3 = 656 ... just sayin'.
Maybe something's up...
P.S. I am, and will always be, a science guy at heart and I know that unusual occurrences do take place. Even multiple unusual happenings can occur in a relatively short period of time. As a mathematician, I also know that the probability of multiple low probability events occurring becomes VERY low because of the multiplication rule . I'm not saying there is anything supernatural going on with the Bengals' magical carpet ride to the Superbowl, but I am saying that when you take all of these things together, the probability that we would find ourselves in this position is very, VERY low.
When I was growing up in the seventies , one of my favorite groups was ELO . They had a hit back in the mid to late seventies called "STRANGE MAGIC." The song is other worldly. As far as I'm concerned it's a song that really sums up this season for our beloved Bengals.
(02-03-2022, 11:05 PM)Science Friction Wrote: Folks, let me say right off, I am a science guy. I have been into science all my life, have taught math and science. I am the guy that needs to see the empirical scientific evidence before making a conclusion. I am not a ghosts, goblins, and gods type of guy. That's not to say that I'm not OPEN to the possibility of weird shit taking place that may not have an scientific explanation .
Going back to the Titans game and certainly in the AFC Championship game, I could point to ten or twelve instances , at least, where, if a certain play not have been made, we likely would have been eliminated. Not only that, but things that happened during the regular season even and we might not be in this same position. Hell, think about the first Chiefs' game. What was it... a 20-play drive or something? How many plays from right near the goal line? A non-call on the 4th and Goal PI in the endzone and we might not have won that one. Strange.
And then the AFC Championship just had some bizarre, almost surreal moments that defy explanation. The strange end to the first half. If that goes differently, we probably lose. The ball thrown right to B.J. Hill at a time when we really needed something like that to happen. Even the two-point conversion to our punt returner, Trent Taylor. If that doesn't go our way, we may very well lose by a point in a walk off FG by Bukner. Burrow somehow escaping the grasp of the defensive lineman in the 4th quarter drive when it looked like there was no way out of the big paws of Jones. You and I could name several other unlikely plays that went our way.
How many Bengals' teams in the past would have come out on top with the Chiefs having first and goal inside the five with a minute and a half left? Instead of punching it in, Mahommes decides to start running backwards for twenty yards until he gets tackled.
But this is the one that has stuck with me. When I think of it now chills run up and down my spine. The Chiefs' star QB , who never throws playoff INT's, throws a ball right into the hands of Eli Apple. I mean, right to him!!! And Apple drops the easy pick six. That was it... that was the game. IMMEDIATELY, I had visions of what has haunted my dreams for 33 damn years. LEWIS F' ING BILLUPS!!! Here it was happening AGAIN!!!! Eli dropped the game winner and now , just like Montana made us pay on the very next play, Mahommes was going to do the same. And sure enough, Patrick takes his shot downfield to break our hearts once again. We know what's gonna happen... sure we do. We've seen it run through our minds a thousand times before. But NO... a tipped pass CAUGHT THIS TIME by #24 Von Bell.
#24 ... the same number worn by ... you got it ... LEWIS BILLUPS !!!
It's like the Universe was saying, "NO MORE.. NOT THIS TIME...NEW DAY, WHO DEY! " It's almost like there was some message from somewhere off this planet. The dropped INT HAD TO HAPPEN right before #24 held on to it this time. It all still seems so surreal... almost magical. STRANGE MAGIC !!!
Btw, our last Big Dance" *** Superbowl 23 *** 2+3 = 5 ; 2 x 3 = 656 ... just sayin'.
Maybe something's up...
P.S. I am, and will always be, a science guy at heart and I know that unusual occurrences do take place. Even multiple unusual happenings can occur in a relatively short period of time. As a mathematician, I also know that the probability of multiple low probability events occurring becomes VERY low because of the multiplication rule . I'm not saying there is anything supernatural going on with the Bengals' magical carpet ride to the Superbowl, but I am saying that when you take all of these things together, the probability that we would find ourselves in this position is very, VERY low.
When I was growing up in the seventies , one of my favorite groups was ELO . They had a hit back in the mid to late seventies called "STRANGE MAGIC." The song is other worldly. As far as I'm concerned it's a song that really sums up this season for our beloved Bengals.
For the longest time I remembered Billups drop as being before the John Taylor TD. Weird how your memory can do things like that.
“History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”-Thurgood Marshall
You are a lucky man Science Friction. If I had made a thread like this there would be about 6 guys brutally attacking me for suggesting that luck or chance had anything to do with our success.
In terms of frustrating near-pick 6's, I still think about Hilton's on Tannehill. Like wth??? How did he not take that back to the house?! He had five blockers around him (Bates, Hendrickson, Wilson, Pratt and Apple) to handle Tannehill and that nameless receiver. Watching that on tv I just wish he would spin right and see 70 yards of open field calling his name. (I'm not serious about this, btw... it's just that the game looks so easy on replay lol.)
(02-04-2022, 02:19 AM)fredtoast Wrote: You are a lucky man Science Friction. If I had made a thread like this there would be about 6 guys brutally attacking me for suggesting that luck or chance had anything to do with our success.
I'm not a believer in anything supernatural. Just saying a lot of strange shit had to happen to get us to this position. Just a bunch of low probability occurrences coming together ? I'd say so. Just throwing the coincidences out there. People can come to their own conclusions.
It is interesting that over 80% of the population in the US believe there is a being in the sky somewhere that watches over every thing they do and even cares what they do or who they do with their genitalia . There's absolutely no proof of any of that yet people believe it. To those people that believe in angels and gods, is it so outlandish to think that maybe our team is receiving the benefit of good karma that is balancing out all of the bad shit we have had sent our way over the decades?
This team seems to have some really good energy flowing amongst themselves. Maybe the Universe is responding in kind. Law of Attraction???
(02-04-2022, 02:19 AM)fredtoast Wrote: You are a lucky man Science Friction. If I had made a thread like this there would be about 6 guys brutally attacking me for suggesting that luck or chance had anything to do with our success.
(02-04-2022, 03:08 AM)tms Wrote: Hehe I enjoyed reading this post. Good job.
In terms of frustrating near-pick 6's, I still think about Hilton's on Tannehill. Like wth??? How did he not take that back to the house?! He had five blockers around him (Bates, Hendrickson, Wilson, Pratt and Apple) to handle Tannehill and that nameless receiver. Watching that on tv I just wish he would spin right and see 70 yards of open field calling his name. (I'm not serious about this, btw... it's just that the game looks so easy on replay lol.)
If I remember correctly Hilton chase down a Titan on the previous play. He was probably pretty gassed still.
(02-04-2022, 03:08 AM)tms Wrote: Hehe I enjoyed reading this post. Good job.
In terms of frustrating near-pick 6's, I still think about Hilton's on Tannehill. Like wth??? How did he not take that back to the house?! He had five blockers around him (Bates, Hendrickson, Wilson, Pratt and Apple) to handle Tannehill and that nameless receiver. Watching that on tv I just wish he would spin right and see 70 yards of open field calling his name. (I'm not serious about this, btw... it's just that the game looks so easy on replay lol.)
I kept cringIng on the Chase catch and run. Even after we won and I watched it again. I think he got impatient and if he stays outside he scores easily. Doesn't matter we won I guess I just really wanted to see him take one to the house.
I tend to think more scientifically. But I still believe in supernatural or unexplained cosmic forces.
Having said that I've always thought for a team to win a Superbowl or even get to the Superbowl a lot of times they need the help from the proverbial bounce of the ball. It's really the same in the regular season it just stands out more in the playoffs because all the teams are generally playing good football and one or two plays standout as making the difference. I think one of the biggest things that went our way was the KC vs Buffalo game. 13 secs left in the game and we should've been going to Buffalo. Not saying we couldn't of won that game but I don't think we hold Josh Allen to 3pts in the 2nd half. Not sure what my point is about if cosmic forces are helping the Bengals or not or if it's they're time in the universe or not ( this is the year of the tiger) because I don't know but I sure hope so.
Thank you, Science Friction for such an enjoyable post. ELO is also one of my favorites. I like the "Strange Magic" song along with "Ma Belle." If you ever watch the Tom Hanks' movie "Larry Crowne," they do a really neat job with the opening credits with "Hold on Tight." There's a bunch of montage screens flashing all over the place during the song showing Tom Hanks' Larry Crowne character and a bunch of coworkers happily working at a big box retail store before he gets fired in the opening scene and sets into motion the story for the movie.
For me, the whole Bengals season has a "hell freezes over" quality to it, especially the playoffs. I thought they could be at least a 500 team after they blew out the Ravens in Baltimore, but if you told me then they would go to the Super Bowl, I would have said you were nuts. If you think about it, though, if the whole season had gone the way the playoffs have gone, they would have beaten the 49ers, the Bears, the Jets, and the Chargers. On paper, the Chargers game looks like the worst loss of the season, but in the third quarter they were at the 50-yard line driving for a go-ahead score and a Charger defender swatted the ball from Joe Mixon's hands and another player ran the fumble back for a TD. That took the wind out of the sails.
Oh, and I forgot the Green Bay Packers game where Mr. Luck of the Irish would have made the FG that won it. So really, the first Cleveland game is the only one all year where the Bengals got soundly beaten. It's kind of fun though that with the losses it made the Bengals a perpetual underdog and let them fly under the radar. Surely, all three teams the Bengals beat in the playoffs were thinking yeah, we can beat 'em. They always suck in the playoffs. Not now!
(02-04-2022, 03:08 AM)tms Wrote: Hehe I enjoyed reading this post. Good job.
In terms of frustrating near-pick 6's, I still think about Hilton's on Tannehill. Like wth??? How did he not take that back to the house?! He had five blockers around him (Bates, Hendrickson, Wilson, Pratt and Apple) to handle Tannehill and that nameless receiver. Watching that on tv I just wish he would spin right and see 70 yards of open field calling his name. (I'm not serious about this, btw... it's just that the game looks so easy on replay lol.)
People were killing Hilton on Twitter for that which really pissed me off.
First of all, Tannehill is a very athletic QB that even played WR at Texas A&M. Not your average QB runner.
Second, the play just prior, it was Hilton that made a TD-saving tackle on their RB that had just ran for a 50 yard gain. Hilton changed the game with both plays, and got shit for it. Damn, some people.
(02-04-2022, 09:12 AM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Having said that I've always thought for a team to win a Superbowl or even get to the Superbowl a lot of times they need the help from the proverbial bounce of the ball.
In college football just one single loss at any point in the season can cost you a championship. There are MANY examples of a team winning a championship thanks to just one "lucky" (or if you prefer "highly unlikely") play.
Think about it, folks, we might not be Superbowl-bound had the Bills not so royally screwed up those last 13 seconds. Did the Universe have a hand in those last 13 ticks?
13 seconds that should have never happened that way but did...
I told my wife that there's something weird, even kinda creepy about this season. You're right. Everything seems to be falling into place for the team. I suppose one can chalk it up to finally the football Gods (no I don't really believe in them) are smiling down on us after all the years when nothing would go right and we seemed to be cursed.
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