Message to old-timer Bengals fans.

[Kirkendall]

Hey guys.

If you've been a fan for a long time, and have memories of legendary Bengals players (most notably Kenny Anderson, Essex Johnson, Boobie Clark, Pete Johnson, Issac Curtis, etc..).

What I'm looking for is fans that have memories of the past players.

Please e-mail me at joshkirkendall@yahoo.com...

Thanks in advance.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Essex Johnson, Pete Johnson...Damn, the Bengals could field a 22 member team with players only named Johnson it seems!

You know Josh I've been watching the Bengals since '68. I was young, so those early years are a little hazy. I think I was hitting the "Goofy Grape" Koolaid a little hard back then. Things are a little clearer in the '70's, then got all foggy again after the '88 loss to the 'Niners in the Super Bowl. Only Marvin Lewis's arrival cleared things back up. A great ancedote for the losing induced blues I'd say!

Anyway I remember how feared Issac Curtis was as a WR. IMHO Chad has a ways to go to beat him in overall talent. He just has too many drops and too few yards after the catch. Issac excelled at yards after the catch.

[jjakq27]

According to (our favorite) Bob Trumpy, the Steelers were the first to use, what became the Cover 2 defense, against Curtis and the Bengals. I think he also said some of the bump and run rules had something to do with Curtis as well.

He was a sprinter in college and had the best hands around. He was better than Swann but didn't get the recogition that he deserved.

Over 7000 yards receiving and over 50 TDs in an era when a QB had a great day if he threw for over 200 yards. Kenny Anderson gets called a dink and dunk passer but some of my earliest memories of the Bengals are of Curtis streaking down the sideline, catching a 50 yard bomb in stride and gently flipping the ball back over his right shoulder.

Yet this guy is not in the Hall of Fame.

PS: Billy stay off the Goofy Grape. That s**t will kill ya.

[BengalszoneBilly]

PS: Billy stay off the Goofy Grape. That s**t will kill ya.

Not to worry Tony. Thanks to a combination of Wild Turkey and Jim Beam, I was able to kick the habit!

[Section 310]

Jeff Query...man that guy was awesome.

[bengalsfansince68]

Hey Kirk,

I saw this topic the other day and I did not respond because I felt I may echo what others have said. But since you asked so nicely and personally.....

I go all the way back to the very beginning. Paul Robinson was a great football player and there have been many over the years. The fact that Ken Riley and Ken Anderson are not in the Hall makes me want to pull my hair out, but my hair is too strikingly handsome for that.

My favorite player in our history would probably be Issac Curtis. Coolest TD celebration in NFL history.

[Kirkendall]

What is it about Paul Robinson that you think made him great? Style, charisma, personality?

[andybren]

I'm truly sorry, but this thread reminded me of an article from The Onion:

Your Grandpa Insists Someone You've Never Heard Of Should Be In Hall Of Fame

SCRANTON, PA—Your grandfather, a retired tradesman in his 80s, continues to demand that a scrappy, tenacious bulldog of a player whom no one else has ever heard of should be admitted to one of the Halls of Fame. "He'd be out there at center every game, giving it his all, playing tough, and never giving up on the play, right up until he went off to the war," your grandpa said, narrowing the unknown player's career down to 40 possible years and four possible sports. "That was before they had these new rules against tough play, too. He was all about fundamentals, playing hard every single minute, and putting in a hard day's work, either in the game or in the owner's factory during the off-season—something these spoiled millionaires today sure wouldn't understand." The only thing you are certain of concerning the player, whose name seems vaguely Italian or Polish on the occasions your grandpa mumbles it, is that he was white.

With that in mind, I must say that my favorite Bengal of all time was Buford "Shiny Pants" Johnson. Truly one of the best.

[bengalsfansince68]

What is it about Paul Robinson that you think made him great? Style, charisma, personality?

Paul Robinson was just a hard nosed runner who ran for 1,000 yards in the inaugural season of an expansion team and that was in the day of 12 games when 1,000 yards meant something. He made us look like a better team than we really were.

If Greg Cook had not suffered a career ending injury, I believe that he would have been great.

Mike Reid was the best DT in our history and could play boogie woogie piano as well. What I would give if we could find a player like him.

[schweinhart]

About the earliest thing I rememeber as a little kid was Essex Johnson getting 1,000 yards in the last game of the season in the early 70's, only to get one last carry for a loss and fall short of 1,000. Back in the 14-game season a 1,000 yard rushing year was a little more impressive than it is now and it seems like the Bengals got the ball back one more time that last game but didn't give it to Johnson.

On the fun side, watching Stan Fritts bowl his way for short yardage TDs was great. The guy looked like his idea of pre-game warmups was chugging a six-pack. But being able to run around yelling and hollering Boooooobie was sheer joy, may he RIP.

[Kirkendall]

Hey guys. Thanks to some of you that's responded.

I'm starting to post these on the blog with the title heading, "Veterans of Cincinnati". http://blogs.bengalszone.com/?cat=81

I want to keep this topic going throughout the off-season. If you guys have something that you want to share with memories of the Bengals -- your favorite player, favorite moment during a game, memories with the family, favorite season -- please e-mail me at JoshKirkendall[at]yahoo.com or post it here.