Bad Bengals Better Than No Bengals

I understand. I see and feel the frustration of all the losing the Bengals have occurred over the past 20 plus years. It is tough, unsatisfying, deflating and possibly expensive in rooting and backing a losing, or at best, a non-winning football team year after year after year. And there seems to be little progress being made. The same things keep being done and the non-winning continues. And you know what they say about doing the same things and expecting different results. Who ARE the insane ones?

But there is one thing I want the citizens of Cincinnati to understand; we are better off with them than without them. I want a winner as much as the next person, and enjoy a winner as much as the next person. I hope things could be done a little differently and maybe by different people, but you will never have it come out of my mouth that the commissioners of Hamilton County should just let them leave. Even in their present state they are good for too many citizens of Cincinnati; weather they be fans of the Bengals, football or not. Too many people depend on the Bengals directly or indirectly for their goods or services. Their existence brings in tax dollars, regardless of the present shortfall of projections. If you don't want to support the Bengals financially because of their situation, again, I understand. But understand that without them in the area , things could and would be worse.

First of all, I remember when there was no Cincinnati Bengals. I remember the process and the jubilation when the city landed an American Football League franchise. I remember going to the Bengals first home game against the Denver Broncos at Nippert Stadium. I am still angry that I lost the WLW souvenir football that they gave away that day. That the Bengals won that day was icing on the cake. Cincinnati had a professional football team. We had the Bengals.

I was also here when the city lost the Cincinnati Royals. And the city has never been the same when it comes to the love of basketball since. Sure there has been the years when the city rallied around Cincinnati Bearcat Basketball, but only when the won, and won big, and regularly advanced in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati is NOT a "support your college team town." Cincinnati is not Columbus. OH. or Lexington, KY. You can see that by how they support the current Basketball Bearcats. The State of Ohio is not going to be majority supporters of Cincinnati college athletics, especially football. Believe me, the difference between Cincinnati, Columbus and Lexington is the Cincinnati Reds and the CINCINNATI BENGALS. Believe me, we don't want to lose them.

And while I am not making excuses for Mike Brown and his handling of the organizations’, I must say that I UNDERSTAND. He was around when his father, Paul Brown lost/gave away/sold control of the Cleveland Browns. He saw what it did to his family and I am sure that has a lot to do with his keeping the Bengals so close to the vest. I would love for him to have additional help or outside help from other than family members. But I understand! And keep this in mind; it was Mike Brown who recommended to his father that he pursue a franchise in Cincinnati.

Root for a winner. Root for change. Do what you gonna do to make it easy on yourself as a fan, whatever that may be. But don't ask for the Bengals
to leave town. Don't later regret what you asked for. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, or the Bengals.