membengal Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Where does this one rank? So many different ways to figure it...pure badness, pure disappointment, and so many candidates to sift through.The season contenders: 1987---4-11 (game 2 nut-punch loss to SF and the ghosts of Super Bowl XVI due to worst coaching decision I have ever seen, then the league goes on strike, Boomer Esisason leads Bengals players in being most vocal, lays down in front of bus, etc., replacement players go 1-1, and then when the real team gets back, they sleep-walk throught the year, wasting a prime year during the Boomer years. Good thing is they came into 1988 mad as hell, and went to a Super Bowl).1991---3-13 (Playoff runs die, Wyche fired, Mikey era in full effect)1993--3-13 (Boomer traded, Klingler takes over, leading rusher H. Green with 589 yards and 0 TDs, leading receiver J. Query 654 yards---4 TDs)1994---3-13 (8 losses to start the year, Blake takes over mid-year, Derrick Fenner leading rusher with 468 yards and 1 whole touchdown)1998---3-13 (Neil O'Donnell era in full effect, Pickens era winding down, Corey Dillon era in season two)2000---4-12 (makes the list because this was the Bruce Coslet "no mas" year, quits after week 3 shellacking in Baltimore, season memorable in a good way for Dillon's supernova against Denver in Cincy's first win)2002---2-14 (the opening game embarrassment against San Diego, the Atlanta national debacle, the end of the Lebeau Bengals era, ushering him back to Pittsburgh, where he is genius-y again, the Kitna/Frerotte "battle" and an 0-7 start leading to a 1-13 record before they won a truly meaningless game in Week 16)2008---1-11-1 (the Palmer bloody nose in the pre-season, Palmer ruined by Week 4 due to no line, no running game to speak of, no O-line play, Lewis castrated in public by Mike Brown, injuries a'plenty, and a chance to get to 1-14-1 which would statistically be the worst showing for the Bengals ever, and, as usual, a confirmation from Mike Brown that nothing is wrong and nothing will change)So, what you got? Others I should have listed? I remember back to about 1975, and even the bad teams 1977-79 didn't leave you feeling as hopeless as a fan as you do today. I think that had a lot to do with Paul Brown being alive and running things, although, frankly, the franchise never really recovered when he passed over Bill Walsh for the head coaching spot at the start of those years.At any rate, this is as bad as I have seen it, because, for my part, I can see them wasting Carson Palmer due to general incompetence and lack of vision. His best years are passing in a flurry of injury and pain. There are infinite miles to go to fix things on the lines, and no recognition that I can see from Mike Brown about the need to do that.It is next to impossible to see good things from here, and no big changes planned.So, this is it...the low point for me. Worst I have ever seen it. My vote goes to 2008 as worst ever Bengals season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 This is hopefully a place where we can vent. About this or other seasons. Memory lane people, let it fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregstephens Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Where does this one rank? So many different ways to figure it...pure badness, pure disappointment, and so many candidates to sift through.The season contenders: 1987---4-11 (game 2 nut-punch loss to SF and the ghosts of Super Bowl XVI due to worst coaching decision I have ever seen, then the league goes on strike, Boomer Esisason leads Bengals players in being most vocal, lays down in front of bus, etc., replacement players go 1-1, and then when the real team gets back, they sleep-walk throught the year, wasting a prime year during the Boomer years. Good thing is they came into 1988 mad as hell, and went to a Super Bowl).1991---3-13 (Playoff runs die, Wyche fired, Mikey era in full effect)1993--3-13 (Boomer traded, Klingler takes over, leading rusher H. Green with 589 yards and 0 TDs, leading receiver J. Query 654 yards---4 TDs)1994---3-13 (8 losses to start the year, Blake takes over mid-year, Derrick Fenner leading rusher with 468 yards and 1 whole touchdown)1998---3-13 (Neil O'Donnell era in full effect, Pickens era winding down, Corey Dillon era in season two)2000---4-12 (makes the list because this was the Bruce Coslet "no mas" year, quits after week 3 shellacking in Baltimore, season memorable in a good way for Dillon's supernova against Denver in Cincy's first win)2002---2-14 (the opening game embarrassment against San Diego, the Atlanta national debacle, the end of the Lebeau Bengals era, ushering him back to Pittsburgh, where he is genius-y again, the Kitna/Frerotte "battle" and an 0-7 start leading to a 1-13 record before they won a truly meaningless game in Week 16)2008---1-11-1 (the Palmer bloody nose in the pre-season, Palmer ruined by Week 4 due to no line, no running game to speak of, no O-line play, Lewis castrated in public by Mike Brown, injuries a'plenty, and a chance to get to 1-14-1 which would statistically be the worst showing for the Bengals ever, and, as usual, a confirmation from Mike Brown that nothing is wrong and nothing will change)So, what you got? Others I should have listed? I remember back to about 1975, and even the bad teams 1977-79 didn't leave you feeling as hopeless as a fan as you do today. I think that had a lot to do with Paul Brown being alive and running things, although, frankly, the franchise never really recovered when he passed over Bill Walsh for the head coaching spot at the start of those years.At any rate, this is as bad as I have seen it, because, for my part, I can see them wasting Carson Palmer due to general incompetence and lack of vision. His best years are passing in a flurry of injury and pain. There are infinite miles to go to fix things on the lines, and no recognition that I can see from Mike Brown about the need to do that.It is next to impossible to see good things from here, and no big changes planned.So, this is it...the low point for me. Worst I have ever seen it. My vote goes to 2008 as worst ever Bengals season.I have to agree. 2008 is the worst ever. The other suck-teams didn't have the talent, so their performances weren't unexpected or that disastrous. This team has ON PAPER as much skill player talent as any team--and still SUCKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoTbOy Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I picked the 02 season, we may still get a win before this season is over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Yeah, but even if we squeeze out another one to get to 2-13-1, even though the 2002 record would be worse, I still rank this as their worst season ever. The pervasive rot that accompaies this one is what gets that honor from me. At least in 2002, Brown knew he had to make a fundamental change. This time around? Not so much, and there is so much wrong with this team, that there is no way to easily foresee real fixes.Low point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 For me, 08 is the worst. Maybe because it's so fresh. Maybe because of the talent that has been misused, under-coached and flat out wasted. Maybe because of the massive amount of injuries. Mostly because of the blatent who gives a s**t as long as I make money attitude our inept owner shows. Some teams always have a spark of hope for the future. Here, it seems we don't even have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsbengalsbucks Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 98 because of Neil o"Donnell, he sucked worse than Klingler. Well maybe not quite that bad, but still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Also in the arguments for '98...it led directly to the reach for Akili Smith. So 1998 begat a bunch of awfulness all its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I'd vote for 2005 but it isn't on the list.If that had been just another .500-ish season, then this year would be nothing more than the usual slide back into the morass/ditch after another Coslet/LeBeau-like flirtation with mediocrity. But no, instead they actually had a winning season, made the playoffs and brought hope back to a dying fan base.Now it's all been snatched away again. Without '05, this year doesn't hurt half as bad.Had they listened to me back in 2005, stuck with Kitna, passed over Palmer and taken Terence Newman with the first pick, we'd all be much happier people right now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I considered 2005, because of the way it ended, but figured the good from the year outweighed the truly bad way it ended. Course, that did start the cycle of arrests, so that weighs in in as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet23 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 2008 is the worst. It's like religion. If you pick the wrong one, every week you just make God madder and madder. Every year SOP is in charge of this garbage, I get madder and madder.Come on people, who was I plagiarizing there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat1975 Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I too have to list 2008 as the worst. 1993 would have won, but Mike Brown's recent affirmation that "all is well and nothing will change" puts this year over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 I almost miss the Derrick Fenner days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesperateDerelict Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 2009.Get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clackwoods Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Where does this one rank? So many different ways to figure it...pure badness, pure disappointment, and so many candidates to sift through.The season contenders: 1987---4-11 (game 2 nut-punch loss to SF and the ghosts of Super Bowl XVI due to worst coaching decision I have ever seen, then the league goes on strike, Boomer Esisason leads Bengals players in being most vocal, lays down in front of bus, etc., replacement players go 1-1, and then when the real team gets back, they sleep-walk throught the year, wasting a prime year during the Boomer years. Good thing is they came into 1988 mad as hell, and went to a Super Bowl).1991---3-13 (Playoff runs die, Wyche fired, Mikey era in full effect)1993--3-13 (Boomer traded, Klingler takes over, leading rusher H. Green with 589 yards and 0 TDs, leading receiver J. Query 654 yards---4 TDs)1994---3-13 (8 losses to start the year, Blake takes over mid-year, Derrick Fenner leading rusher with 468 yards and 1 whole touchdown)1998---3-13 (Neil O'Donnell era in full effect, Pickens era winding down, Corey Dillon era in season two)2000---4-12 (makes the list because this was the Bruce Coslet "no mas" year, quits after week 3 shellacking in Baltimore, season memorable in a good way for Dillon's supernova against Denver in Cincy's first win)2002---2-14 (the opening game embarrassment against San Diego, the Atlanta national debacle, the end of the Lebeau Bengals era, ushering him back to Pittsburgh, where he is genius-y again, the Kitna/Frerotte "battle" and an 0-7 start leading to a 1-13 record before they won a truly meaningless game in Week 16)2008---1-11-1 (the Palmer bloody nose in the pre-season, Palmer ruined by Week 4 due to no line, no running game to speak of, no O-line play, Lewis castrated in public by Mike Brown, injuries a'plenty, and a chance to get to 1-14-1 which would statistically be the worst showing for the Bengals ever, and, as usual, a confirmation from Mike Brown that nothing is wrong and nothing will change)So, what you got? Others I should have listed? I remember back to about 1975, and even the bad teams 1977-79 didn't leave you feeling as hopeless as a fan as you do today. I think that had a lot to do with Paul Brown being alive and running things, although, frankly, the franchise never really recovered when he passed over Bill Walsh for the head coaching spot at the start of those years.At any rate, this is as bad as I have seen it, because, for my part, I can see them wasting Carson Palmer due to general incompetence and lack of vision. His best years are passing in a flurry of injury and pain. There are infinite miles to go to fix things on the lines, and no recognition that I can see from Mike Brown about the need to do that.It is next to impossible to see good things from here, and no big changes planned.So, this is it...the low point for me. Worst I have ever seen it. My vote goes to 2008 as worst ever Bengals season.I vote for the 2005 season. The year we won the division and saw our franchise go down on the second play of the game. I was in Iraq watching the game at like 2 in the morning and that was horrible. The subsequent loss of Steinbach, the injury to pollack, the odell demise, chris henry (Our first three picks from that year), the collapse to miss the playoffs in 2006, the collapse of Rudy, Chad's rants, and this year. All this was triggered by that one play.I for one think 2005 was the glimmer of hope the Bengals hadn't seen since the 80's. It was nice to see, but it is kind of painful to think they have fallen so far, so fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walzav29 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 I say 2002. We had a little hope because in 01' the Bengals beat the Ravens and the Pats. That 1st game when Olivar Gibson was rolling has fat out of shape a$$ on the ground was pathetic. They were sooo out of shape. Didn't LeBeau dress like Elvis at a team function? Remember Gus's underhand throw against Cleveland? I would say the Fenner era was bad days as well. This year sucks, but I think with Palmer they would have 5 wins. Getting a QB is so hard, that this doesn't feel as hopeless like in 02' or dreams were with Gus and Baby-Hands Kitna. My vote is 02'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmond_mat Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 I went with 2008 as no one expected the team to be this pathetic. It's hard not to laugh at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet23 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 I almost miss the Derrick Fenner days...Jeff Query was so way better than Derrick Fenner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted December 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 No way on Query! Fenner didn't fear his mullet-tude... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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