The Death of Optimism

Optimism. Optimism is a wonderful thing. It helps turn any questionable situation into a tolerable one. Economics, politics, sports…Gas prices keep rising…we should be walking more anyway. No one knows who will win the next election…can’t be any worse than the last guy…the Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since 1988…that means they are due for one…right?

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am an extremely optimistic person. I always try to put things in the best perspective possible, because I don’t want to live my life sad and depressed. The reason I am telling you this is because recently, it has been brought to my attention that, similar to the city of Cincinnati, I am running out of optimism for the Bengals. I am not saying that I am giving up hope or that there s no way back from where we are, but it is becoming much more difficult to support a team that just does not care about improving their situation.

 

I don’t like to look farther back than a few years; because so much changes in sports every season, but I want to paint you guys a picture. Let’s call it the Death of the Optimists Timeline. This will help show you the downward spiral that has become the Cincinnati Bengals.

January 14 2003- Cincinnati hires Marvin Lewis. With him came a fresh, young, defensive mind, the potential to draft a franchise QB in Carson Palmer, and a whole new approach to football. For once the papers were talking about the potential of a winning team, instead of bracing for another losing season. (They had just come off a 2-14 season). ***Optimism rises***
April 26 2003- The Bengals draft a genetic marvel in Carson Palmer to “save” the franchise and turn us from the laughing stock of the league to an actual contender ***Optimism keeps rising***
2003 Season- The Bengals finish 8-8 (respectable for the time) under the helm of Jon Kitna. Everyone knows that Carson's just waiting to take over the following year, but you have to love a guy who plays his heart out, regardless. ***Optimism rises even further***
September 12 2004 - Carson Palmer makes his NFL debut. Although the Bengals once again finish 8-8, Bengals fans are quickly jumping on the bandwagon because they know something great is brewing. ***Optimism is at an all-time high***
2005 Season- AFC North CHAMPIONS!!! It finally happened. Everything clicked. The offense was unstoppable. The defense was mean and intense. If it wasn’t for bad tackle t by Kimo von Cheap Shot- there would probably be a Super Bowl trophy at Paul Brown Stadium today. ***I am in a state of optimistic euphoria***
December 15^th 2005, September 25^th 2006, August 6th 2006, July 22^nd 2006, December 3^rd 2006- Just a few of the many arrests of Cincinnati Bengals players, while under contract by the team. This lead to the demise of an extremely promising franchise. ***Optimism, drops, drops more, starts plummeting, continues to plummet…you get the point***
September 29^th 2006- Odell Thurman has his 4 game suspension extended for the entire season. (He would not be reinstated after the 2006 season, and would have to sit out the entire 2007 season, as well) ***Optimism is in some type of coma, with no end in site***
January 11^th 2008- Chad  “Me Me Me” Johnson goes on the Mike and Mike Morning Show and tells the world that he feels sorry for himself and wants out of Cincinnati.  Mike Brown says he will not trade Johnson and as a result, Ocho Stinko threatens to sit out until 2011. He is still standing by this comment today. ***Optimism is on its death bed, gasping for its last breath***

The best way to describe my feeling about the Bengals from the past two seasons is that they are like a bad dream trapped inside a bad dream. You know, when you are asleep and you “wake up” from a nightmare, only to find out you are actually still dreaming and are in another nightmare. They have glaring weaknesses (no run stopping defensive tackle)…so what do they do? Try and trade for two of them. (YAY… Optimism rises)…but wait, both trades fall through and we end up with no one. The NFL Draft is approaching and there are two future superstar defensive tackles available (YAY for weeks of optimism leading up to the draft)…what do they do? Nothing, they let New Orleans jump two spots ahead of them and steal Sedrick Ellis. These are only a few of the many MANY recent problems plaguing the Cincinnati Bengals.

So what is my point of all of this rambling? I have two of them… (I think)
1.  Optimism is dying in Cincinnati, even from the die hard optimists
2.  Management needs to figure out some way to fix this or there will be terrible consequences (people will actually revert to become 1990’s Bengals fans. They will stop buying apparel, stop going to games, and stop CARING)

I love the Cincinnati Bengals. If you saw my apartment you would know this from the second you walked in. The Chad “fathead”, the Bengals flag, the signed 2006 Bengals helmet. I am not willing to give up on this team, yet, because I know of the potential. I think as poor as the management has been, there will always be that glimmer of hope telling me that a Championship is coming. Now this might be many years down the road, once Mike Brown is no longer the owner, but someday it will be there. I am just hoping it does not have to take that long and management will hear our cries for change. A GM, some big time free agents, a larger scouting department. Please Please Mr. Brown...save the optimists...do what it takes...under any circumstances.  That is all.

Comments

[Marc Brown]

Lynn Swann once told my father while playing golf in The Mario Lemieux charity event that the Bengals will never be good until Mike Brown either sells the team (will never happen) or passes away. I believe he is absolutely 100% dead on here. The Bengals are a lower level NFL organization. If the Cowboys are the Yankees of the NFL then the Bengals are the Royals. Are scouting department is under staffed and most likely consists of sons or maybe even one daughter of Mike Brown and her husband. Can you name the full time doctor of the Cincinnati Bengals? I can't because they don't have one. Docs like Rob Heidt moonlight for the team on Sundays. Ever wonder why guys like Chris Perry havent played a lick since 2004? I can go on and on but the truth is that we need new ownership in town. Until that happens the Bengals are doomed! WHO DEY!