Thanks Lance...

[damiancasey]

I don't think anyone is satisfied (well maybe MB is satisfied) but I do think everyone is very frustrated. Some fans react by being optimistic (overly optimistic in my opinion) ans some fans react by acting like Boston Red Sox fans (writing off the season after the first strike).

I'm actually ashamed to say that I fall into the second category.

[Stripes]

There's no doubt at all that everyone's frustrated. That's essentially the opposite of what Lance is trying to point out. If his comments made any sense, this message board would be full of rainbows and unicorns right now.

[damiancasey]

There's no doubt at all that everyone's frustrated. That's essentially the opposite of what Lance is trying to point out. If his comments made any sense, this message board would be full of rainbows and unicorns right now.

Yep - I agree with you - he's saying that everyone in Cincy is happy right now.

I think that the optimism you see from a lot of Bengals fans (we're not out of it yet or we have a chance of beating the pat s this weekend) is missinterpreted as satisfaction with the status quo.

I'll confess that it agravates me sometimes when I see someone being overly optimistic. Optimism is a good thing but take it to far and you sound like a kindergarten teacher handing out unicorns and rainbows - as you put it.

[HoosierCat]

And as usual blowhards like yourself have nothing to back up your statements with other than childish personal attacks.

I'm still wondering who in the Bengals fanbase is satisfied with the current state of affairs? Who are you and Lance accusing of settling for less?

Everyone who isn't standing outside Mike Brown's house with a torch and a pitchfork.

Welcome (and for those who have been around since the 90s, welcome back) to the Great War: Fed-Ups versus Die-Hards. The terms were popularized on the now-on-life-support footballhuddles.com board years and years ago. The sides differ from our own, more whimsical, Moe is We versus Blind Homer, in that the latter at least tends to be mostly about what's on the field, though it does bleed over into the front office.

Fed-Up versus Die-Hard, however, is in the end about who's a better (or "real") fan. For the Fed-Ups, anyone who isn't baying for Mikey's blood, wholesale coaching change, etc., is an appeaser. And the worst appeasers are those that go to games, buy merchandise, etc. They are just sheep, willing to be shorn by the FO, enabling management, which isn't committed to winning, to laugh all the way to the bank. In short, endless losing seasons of Bengals football can be blamed on those dumb, Die-Hard fans.

The Die-Hards hold just as fast to the belief that the Fed-Us aren't real fans. At least they stick with their team, right? Hope always springs eternal. And they tend to have the benefit of reason on their side: Mikey isn't going to fire himself, no one short of the commissioner, and maybe not even him, can sway him to change his ways, and even if PBS were empty the bengals would still make money. So what's the point of all the pitchforks and torches? If the team upsets you so, find another hobby.

Expect it to only get uglier if the bengals keep losing.

[The PatternMaster]

I think Lance is way off base and quite frankliy dead wrong for a number of reasons. Marvin

Lewis inherited one of the worst ran franchises in American sports history. He has turned a

decade of despair and embarrassment to championship expectations in less than 5 years.

That is proof right there of his worth. Also what Lance McCallister fails to point out, is that

there has been no other coach thats been effected by such catastrophic injuries and player

suspensions quite like Marvin Lewis. The 2005 draft class has vanished because of injuries

or stupidity. Sure 8-8 is nothing to write home about but considering all the adversity and

team history, that 8-8 doesn't look so bad when its all said and done.

Finally, this team isn't 1-6.....it's just 1-2. We have a long way to go before this season is

over. This time time last year the Bengals were 3-0 and seemed like a lock for a playoff

spot....but we all know how that turned out. I cannot believe how many people that are

calling for Lewis' head and we are not even in October yet.

Lance is a joke and I am confident Marvin will make all of his current detractors look really

silly come December.

By the way, Marvin Lewis is the Bengals all time best head coach when it comes to winning

percentage. Do you think you can find a coach who can do better here and co-exist with

the way Mike Brown does business?

I dont think so.

How much do you really know about football and the NFL? I mean how long have you been watching games? Point being, the NFL is the ultimate league of parody. One year a team can go from having a 3-13 record to making the league championship game (Saints), yet the next year, a team that made the championship game can go without making the playoffs. The NFL gives teams so many tools in order to improve their team. There is the draft, there is compensatory draft picks, there is a supplemental draft, and lastly free agency. 5 years is a lifetime when it comes to the NFL. Look at the Bengal's roster and tell me how many players are on the team now that was there the year before Marvin got here. I guarantee it is less than 5! Despite all the changes that have been made, despite having an all-world offense that includes a top 3 QB, All-pro WR's, All-pro RB, and All-pro OT's, and having a defense full of top tier draft picks, Marvin hasn't been able to do more than give the city of Cincinnati one playoff loss. In what other NFL city would this be excepted, or even accepted? How many other NFL owners would sit back and accept this? Even Arizona only gave Dennis Green 3 years to try and turn around that horrible franchise. Marriucci was fired by San Fran after 5 years with a 60-43 record and making it into the second round of the playoffs in his final year! Wake up people, changing coaches doesn't doom a franchise into more years of sub par results. Sean Peyton took the Saints to the league championship last year. Mangini took the Jets to the playoffs his first year. Herm Edwards took the Chiefs to the playoffs in his first year there. With the attitude this team has seemed to be displaying at this point, maybe a coaching change will do them some good.

Your failing to realize one thing..the Bengals were in worse shape than all of those teams you mentioned above. The Bengals were the worst franchise in all of SPORTS not just the NFL but all of SPORTS and Marvin is responsible for turning that around. Cincinnati was thought to be a grave yard, a place were you go to collect a pay check. No coach or player worth a damn would even consider coming here before Marvin showed up, or did you forget that. Hell Marvin had people telling him not to take the job when it was offered to him, but he did anyway because he knew that he could get the job done and he will.

He has changed the culture, overhauled the roster, and improved the team's reputation amongst the players in 5 years, that is nothing short of amazing. Instead of calling for the man's head you should be glad he's the coach.

Until you can name a coach who can do a better job than stop with the whole, "Marvin needs to be fired, we need a coaching change" nonsense because it makes you look silly.

[HairOnFire]

This entire concept makes no sense to me. Isn't Bengaldom currently drowning itself in a flood of negativity and inferiority? Who the hell is satisfied right now?

Giving Marvin the benefit of the doubt is not equivalent to being satisfied with mediocrity. That is such a ridiculous accusation in every way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again.

This team has way too many fans whose idea of being a demanding fan is based upon whining about the owner, demanding somebody or anybody be named GM, argue that the entire coaching staff needs to be fired, or scream for a practice bubble or any other display of wasted money. In short, way too many empty minded losers hiding behind the disguise of being more critical and harder to please than the docile masses.

Last point. The lifeblood of any entertainment business is it's fanbase, but IMHO the Bengals would be far better off if many of it's so-called fans followed through on their empty threats to walk away.

[skyline]

This entire concept makes no sense to me. Isn't Bengaldom currently drowning itself in a flood of negativity and inferiority? Who the hell is satisfied right now?

Giving Marvin the benefit of the doubt is not equivalent to being satisfied with mediocrity. That is such a ridiculous accusation in every way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again.

This team has way too many fans whose idea of being a demanding fan is based upon whining about the owner, demanding somebody or anybody be named GM, argue that the entire coaching staff needs to be fired, or scream for a practice bubble or any other display of wasted money. In short, way too many empty minded losers hiding behind the disguise of being more critical and harder to please than the docile masses.

Last point. The lifeblood of any entertainment business is it's fanbase, but IMHO the Bengals would be far better off if many of it's so-called fans followed through on their empty threats to walk away.

Couldn't agree more

[Spor_tees]

This entire concept makes no sense to me. Isn't Bengaldom currently drowning itself in a flood of negativity and inferiority? Who the hell is satisfied right now?

Giving Marvin the benefit of the doubt is not equivalent to being satisfied with mediocrity. That is such a ridiculous accusation in every way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again.

This team has way too many fans whose idea of being a demanding fan is based upon whining about the owner, demanding somebody or anybody be named GM, argue that the entire coaching staff needs to be fired, or scream for a practice bubble or any other display of wasted money. In short, way too many empty minded losers hiding behind the disguise of being more critical and harder to please than the docile masses.

Last point. The lifeblood of any entertainment business is it's fanbase, but IMHO the Bengals would be far better off if many of it's so-called fans followed through on their empty threats to walk away.

That is an even worse assumption pointed towards people than what Lance said. Being critical when people make poor decisions is a part of being a fan. Monday morning QB or armchair QB were phrases that were coined for a reason. It's amazing to sit and watch people complain about fans of the Bengals being critical of coaches, owners, and players of an underachieving team that has one winning season in 16-17 years. You can look at probably 50% of the other franchises in the NFL, and they have fans that are ready to jump off cliffs because they lose in the playoffs. When the Bengals made the playoffs and lost in the first round, people were ready to throw a parade and crown Marvin Lewis a holy savior. One playoff appearance should only get a coach a free pass for so long. It's time to take things to the next level, or find someone else that can and will.

Your failing to realize one thing..the Bengals were in worse shape than all of those teams you mentioned above.

No, the Arizona Cardinals were even WORSE than the Bengals. Even people on this board would admit in several instances that Bill Bidwell was a worse owner than Mike Brown.

[TJJackson]

people on this board would admit in several instances that Bill Bidwell was a worse owner than Mike Brown.

Me included....but I must note that preferring one over the other is kinda like preferring to be thrown off a 500 foot cliff rather than a 550 foot cliff.

[The PatternMaster]

This entire concept makes no sense to me. Isn't Bengaldom currently drowning itself in a flood of negativity and inferiority? Who the hell is satisfied right now?

Giving Marvin the benefit of the doubt is not equivalent to being satisfied with mediocrity. That is such a ridiculous accusation in every way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again.

This team has way too many fans whose idea of being a demanding fan is based upon whining about the owner, demanding somebody or anybody be named GM, argue that the entire coaching staff needs to be fired, or scream for a practice bubble or any other display of wasted money. In short, way too many empty minded losers hiding behind the disguise of being more critical and harder to please than the docile masses.

Last point. The lifeblood of any entertainment business is it's fanbase, but IMHO the Bengals would be far better off if many of it's so-called fans followed through on their empty threats to walk away.

That is an even worse assumption pointed towards people than what Lance said. Being critical when people make poor decisions is a part of being a fan. Monday morning QB or armchair QB were phrases that were coined for a reason. It's amazing to sit and watch people complain about fans of the Bengals being critical of coaches, owners, and players of an underachieving team that has one winning season in 16-17 years. You can look at probably 50% of the other franchises in the NFL, and they have fans that are ready to jump off cliffs because they lose in the playoffs. When the Bengals made the playoffs and lost in the first round, people were ready to throw a parade and crown Marvin Lewis a holy savior. One playoff appearance should only get a coach a free pass for so long. It's time to take things to the next level, or find someone else that can and will.

Your failing to realize one thing..the Bengals were in worse shape than all of those teams you mentioned above.

No, the Arizona Cardinals were even WORSE than the Bengals. Even people on this board would admit in several instances that Bill Bidwell was a worse owner than Mike Brown.

Actually we were, the Cards went to the playoffs in '98 with Jake Plummer. Before the now hated Marvin Lewis showed up we hadn't gone to the playoffs since the 80's, remember?

[HoosierCat]

Before the now hated Marvin Lewis showed up we hadn't gone to the playoffs since the 80's, remember?

The "now hated" Marvin Lewis?

Who here hates Marvin Lewis?

Y'know, the ideas that 1. Marvin Lewis is a good coach and 2. Marvin Lewis shouldn't be coach in Cincinnati, are not mutually exclusive.

Belichick didn't win in Cleveland. Dungy didn't win in Tampa. Maybe...just maybe...it's not meant to be for Marvin in Cincy, either.

Maybe he isn't "Black Jesus." Maybe he's "Black Moses." Meant to lead us into sight of the Promised Land -- but it's up to someone else to lead us in.

I don't know one way or the other, and I think Marvin's future with the team is a discussion for next year anyhow. But I don't think even Shula hates Marvin Lewis.

[Bengals1]

Maybe he isn't "Black Jesus." Maybe he's "Black Moses." Meant to lead us into sight of the Promised Land -- but it's up to someone else to lead us in.

Flag! 10 yards for Biblical references!

[damiancasey]

This entire concept makes no sense to me. Isn't Bengaldom currently drowning itself in a flood of negativity and inferiority? Who the hell is satisfied right now?

Giving Marvin the benefit of the doubt is not equivalent to being satisfied with mediocrity. That is such a ridiculous accusation in every way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again.

This team has way too many fans whose idea of being a demanding fan is based upon whining about the owner, demanding somebody or anybody be named GM, argue that the entire coaching staff needs to be fired, or scream for a practice bubble or any other display of wasted money. In short, way too many empty minded losers hiding behind the disguise of being more critical and harder to please than the docile masses.

Last point. The lifeblood of any entertainment business is it's fanbase, but IMHO the Bengals would be far better off if many of it's so-called fans followed through on their empty threats to walk away.

That is an even worse assumption pointed towards people than what Lance said. Being critical when people make poor decisions is a part of being a fan. Monday morning QB or armchair QB were phrases that were coined for a reason. It's amazing to sit and watch people complain about fans of the Bengals being critical of coaches, owners, and players of an underachieving team that has one winning season in 16-17 years. You can look at probably 50% of the other franchises in the NFL, and they have fans that are ready to jump off cliffs because they lose in the playoffs. When the Bengals made the playoffs and lost in the first round, people were ready to throw a parade and crown Marvin Lewis a holy savior. One playoff appearance should only get a coach a free pass for so long. It's time to take things to the next level, or find someone else that can and will.

Your failing to realize one thing..the Bengals were in worse shape than all of those teams you mentioned above.

No, the Arizona Cardinals were even WORSE than the Bengals. Even people on this board would admit in several instances that Bill Bidwell was a worse owner than Mike Brown.

Look - whether you think it's ML or MB, assistant coaches, injuries, sun spots or gremlins - you have to agree that something is wrong.

1) We've had a CHUNK of the team arrested within the past year

2) Yes we went to the wildcard playoffs two years ago but last year we were back to mediocre

3) This year - so far - we look absolutely laughable

This is not the history or profile of a well functioning team championship team.

We're very bad - period.

Next question...why?

In my opinion it's 2 high level reasons:

1) Bad luck - injuries are hurting us now and I think even last year Carson's knee probably effected him and the entire team in terms of confidence

2) Coaching - now before you jump on me I don't think anyone should get rid of ML. But - I think he took a calculated risk by drafting players of questionable moral fiber and thinking he could control them. I think he learned a hard lesson but he's a smart guy and I think he won't make the same mistake twice. Frankly - I like a coach that is willing to take a risk like that.

The problem is that now we are in a perfect storm. Both of these forces have come together at the exact wrong time.

[HoosierCat]

Maybe he isn't "Black Jesus." Maybe he's "Black Moses." Meant to lead us into sight of the Promised Land -- but it's up to someone else to lead us in.

Flag! 10 yards for Biblical references!

Shouldn't that be 10 cubits or something?

[HairOnFire]

From me...

" I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again."

Spor_tees responds and quickly confirms the above...

"It's amazing to sit and watch people complain about fans of the Bengals being critical of coaches, owners, and players of an underachieving team that has one winning season in 16-17 years."

Bottom Line: It's remarkably stupid to hold Marvin Lewis accountable for the years of failure and frustration that he had nothing to do with, but that's exactly what many of you are doing.

[Bengals1]

Maybe he isn't "Black Jesus." Maybe he's "Black Moses." Meant to lead us into sight of the Promised Land -- but it's up to someone else to lead us in.

Flag! 10 yards for Biblical references!

Shouldn't that be 10 cubits or something?

[Spor_tees]

From me...

" I've said it before and I'll say it again. Marvin Lewis did a remarkable job turning around the losing culture that had come to define all things Bengal, but he couldn't change the negativity that exists in this teams fanbase. Far too many Bengal fans are only concerned with fighting old fights over and over again."

Spor_tees responds and quickly confirms the above...

"It's amazing to sit and watch people complain about fans of the Bengals being critical of coaches, owners, and players of an underachieving team that has one winning season in 16-17 years."

Bottom Line: It's remarkably stupid to hold Marvin Lewis accountable for the years of failure and frustration that he had nothing to do with, but that's exactly what many of you are doing.

Should I say one winning season in what is the beginning of Marvin's 5th year with the Bengals? At this point, Marvin is now only 4 games over .500 in his coaching career with the Bengals. Of coarse you can't hold Marvin Lewis responsible for what happened before he got to the Bengals, but at the same time, how many coaches prior to Lewis had the weapons at their disposal that Lewis has? Yet Lewis hasn't been able to get the Bengals over the hump because of the defense. The same defense that he is supposed to be a guru of. I think it was said best when someone pointed out that Baltimore really hasn't lost much of a step since Marvin left. That tells you one of two things: A. Marvin didn't create that defense, the players did, and B. Ozzie Newsome was the guy who brought in the players not Marvin. If Marvin was the guy that brought those players in, he would have had the eye for talent to be able to do that in Cincy too, yet he hasn't.

[HairOnFire]

Should I say one winning season in what is the beginning of Marvin's 5th year with the Bengals? At this point, Marvin is now only 4 games over .500 in his coaching career with the Bengals. Of coarse you can't hold Marvin Lewis responsible for what happened before he got to the Bengals, but...

But nothing. Lewis inherited a 2 win football team and wasn't expected to win early, often, or big for several seasons. He also inherited a team with very little defensive talent and a salary cap AND potential losses in free agency heavily tilted towards the offensive side of the ball.

[HairOnFire]

I think it was said best when someone pointed out that Baltimore really hasn't lost much of a step since Marvin left. That tells you one of two things: A. Marvin didn't create that defense, the players did, and B. Ozzie Newsome was the guy who brought in the players not Marvin. If Marvin was the guy that brought those players in, he would have had the eye for talent to be able to do that in Cincy too, yet he hasn't.

It cracks me up how ALL of you clowns write stuff like the above but add in other posts that you're not really calling for Marvin's head.

At least not now. But yeah, just wait till the end of the season. Maybe.

Grow some stones.

[Spor_tees]

Should I say one winning season in what is the beginning of Marvin's 5th year with the Bengals? At this point, Marvin is now only 4 games over .500 in his coaching career with the Bengals. Of coarse you can't hold Marvin Lewis responsible for what happened before he got to the Bengals, but...

But nothing. Lewis inherited a 2 win football team and wasn't expected to win early, often, or big for several seasons. He also inherited a team with very little defensive talent and a salary cap AND potential losses in free agency heavily tilted towards the offensive side of the ball.

If you could spin cotton as well as you try to spin your arguments you might be able to make a dollar or two. Yet once again you took part of my point to make your argument and not the whole. Tony Dungy has proven you can win with a heavily weighted Offensive team. In fact Dungy hasn't had a losing season in Indy. Sean Peyton inherited a 3 win team and took them to the NFC Championship in his first year. The NFL gives every team tools in order to improve their franchise. What each team does with those tools is up to them and their staff. Lewis has had 5 years to get his "defense" in place and yet going into his 5th year, they are extremely thin and in fact the laughing stock of the NFL. Marvin's defense is more like Goo than Guru.

[Spor_tees]

I think it was said best when someone pointed out that Baltimore really hasn't lost much of a step since Marvin left. That tells you one of two things: A. Marvin didn't create that defense, the players did, and B. Ozzie Newsome was the guy who brought in the players not Marvin. If Marvin was the guy that brought those players in, he would have had the eye for talent to be able to do that in Cincy too, yet he hasn't.

It cracks me up how ALL of you clowns write stuff like the above but add in other posts that you're not really calling for Marvin's head.

At least not now. But yeah, just wait till the end of the season. Maybe.

Grow some stones.

I have never said I don't think Marvin should get fired this year. Get your facts straight! That was Hoosier...damn you are so flustered you can't even tell one person's post from another.

[HairOnFire]

If you could spin cotton as well as you try to spin your arguments you might be able to make a dollar or two. Yet once again you took part of my point to make your argument and not the whole. Tony Dungy has proven you can win with a heavily weighted Offensive team. In fact Dungy hasn't had a losing season in Indy. Sean Peyton inherited a 3 win team and took them to the NFC Championship in his first year.

Uhhhh, Sean Payton's team is winless this season, right?

And how long did it take Dungy to win a championship with a championship contending team? Or should I make that team(s) since Dungy couldn't get over the hump in Tampa long before he couldn't get over the hump in Indy?

But let's be perfectly fair, as Dungy did eventually get over the hump and won a championship. A championship he wouldn't have produced if the Colts would have fired him shortly after the first idiot fan cried loudly about how the talents of Manning and Harrison were being wasted by a defensive minded heads coach who year after year couldn't build a defense.

BTW, for whatever it might be worth, I'm rich....beotch.

[HairOnFire]

I have never said I don't think Marvin should get fired this year. Get your facts straight!

I stand corrected.

Let the permanent record show that you're a huge idiot who had some stones.

Props.

[ONYX]

I think Lance is way off base and quite frankliy dead wrong for a number of reasons. Marvin

Lewis inherited one of the worst ran franchises in American sports history. He has turned a

decade of despair and embarrassment to championship expectations in less than 5 years.

That is proof right there of his worth. Also what Lance McCallister fails to point out, is that

there has been no other coach thats been effected by such catastrophic injuries and player

suspensions quite like Marvin Lewis. The 2005 draft class has vanished because of injuries

or stupidity. Sure 8-8 is nothing to write home about but considering all the adversity and

team history, that 8-8 doesn't look so bad when its all said and done.

Finally, this team isn't 1-6.....it's just 1-2. We have a long way to go before this season is

over. This time time last year the Bengals were 3-0 and seemed like a lock for a playoff

spot....but we all know how that turned out. I cannot believe how many people that are

calling for Lewis' head and we are not even in October yet.

Lance is a joke and I am confident Marvin will make all of his current detractors look really

silly come December.

By the way, Marvin Lewis is the Bengals all time best head coach when it comes to winning

percentage. Do you think you can find a coach who can do better here and co-exist with

the way Mike Brown does business?

I dont think so.

How much do you really know about football and the NFL? I mean how long have you been watching games? Point being, the NFL is the ultimate league of parody. One year a team can go from having a 3-13 record to making the league championship game (Saints), yet the next year, a team that made the championship game can go without making the playoffs. The NFL gives teams so many tools in order to improve their team. There is the draft, there is compensatory draft picks, there is a supplemental draft, and lastly free agency. 5 years is a lifetime when it comes to the NFL. Look at the Bengal's roster and tell me how many players are on the team now that was there the year before Marvin got here. I guarantee it is less than 5! Despite all the changes that have been made, despite having an all-world offense that includes a top 3 QB, All-pro WR's, All-pro RB, and All-pro OT's, and having a defense full of top tier draft picks, Marvin hasn't been able to do more than give the city of Cincinnati one playoff loss. In what other NFL city would this be excepted, or even accepted? How many other NFL owners would sit back and accept this? Even Arizona only gave Dennis Green 3 years to try and turn around that horrible franchise. Marriucci was fired by San Fran after 5 years with a 60-43 record and making it into the second round of the playoffs in his final year! Wake up people, changing coaches doesn't doom a franchise into more years of sub par results. Sean Peyton took the Saints to the league championship last year. Mangini took the Jets to the playoffs his first year. Herm Edwards took the Chiefs to the playoffs in his first year there. With the attitude this team has seemed to be displaying at this point, maybe a coaching change will do them some good.

How much do you really know about football and the NFL? If I am not mistaken, weren't you the same guy on that

other message board, who wanted the Bengals to trade up and draft Reggie Bush a couple of years ago?

What you fail to recognize is HOW Marvin has rebuilt this team.

Now if you know anything about the Bengals, then you should know that Mike Brown is not the kind of owner that is going

to throw crazy big money around like a Jerry Jones or Dan Snyder.

So the way Marvin has built this team is through the draft and by bringing in relative cheap but servicable

role players via free agency. You want to say that all Marvin has delivered is one playoff loss, but you fail

to mentioned that in that playoff loss, our quarterback was injured by a cheap shot on his first pass attempt.

Do you think the Colts would have gotten far if Manning went down in their first playoff game last year?

And once again I must ask, how much do you really know about football and the NFL? Because you pose

the question, "how many owners would sit back and accept a 36-31 record with no playoff wins?"

You must not know Mike Brown very well or this team's history. Because since Marvins been here, Mike

Brown is no longer Cincinnati's most hated sports figure and he has "sat back" and watched ticket sells go

through the roof.

And lets look at your examples shall we.................

Dennis Green wore out his welcome fast with management because of his ego and antics. His football team quit on

him after the Chicago game meltdown in 2006. The Cardinals just built a brand new stadium and they didnt want

it to be empty like their last one, so they let Green go.

No similarity to Marvin's situation what so ever.

Steve Marriucci inherited a team and a franchise that won 5 Super Bowls in San Fransisco. The enviroment

back then in San Fran was "Super Bowl or bust" every year. The fans and management actually expected

to win Super Bowls every year. Mere playoff appearences were not good enough. That is why they sent his

60-43 record packing. I bet San Fransisco misses him now though.

Again, no similarity to Marvin's situation what so ever.

The Saints play in the NFC South which is one of the weakest divisions in football. All they had to

was beat a Donovan McNabb-less Eagles team to get them to the NFC Championship game.

They are 0-3 so far.

Edwards inherited an old playoff ready team on its last leg from Vermeil, that leg is gone in 2007....Mangini inherited one

of the leagues easiest schedules......but not this year.

They are a combined 2-4 so far.

Again, no similarity to Marvin what so ever.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Bottom Line: It's remarkably stupid to hold Marvin Lewis accountable for the years of failure and frustration that he had nothing to do with, but that's exactly what many of you are doing.

I just hold him responsible for THIS year. OTOH, I give him credit for the 2005 season. What has happened in between is utterly baffling.