What do the Bengals have to do...

[derekshank]

Not all that surprizing I guess, but Golic said this morning "The Bengals play @Oakland next week. Then we'll see what kind of team the Bengals are."

Really? No one believed the Bengals could sweep Baltimore. They did. Immediately after, no one believed the Bengals could sweep the defending champs on the road. They did.

It seems like no matter what they do, people are still looking for the next bump in the road. Going 4-0 against the two teams previously in the AFC championship game isn't enough to tell you they are for real? Oakland is the benchmark?

C'mon. Just be honest. You'll refuse to believe until they win the Super Bowl. Quit acting like you'll be on board next week at this time... because you won't.

[skyline]

Fine by me. The more hate the better.

[derekshank]

Fine by me. The more hate the better.

Outright hate doesn't bother be that much. I don't mind outright bias, because that's all it is.

What I hate is a guy saying that it seems like the Bengals are playing good football... but let's see if they keep it up next week before I jump on the bandwagon.

No. f**k you. You are just as biased as Mashall Faulk. Just admit you'll never believe because the are "The Bungles." That sentiment is fine with me. I just hate the disingenuous pandering, as if you'll be on board if they continue taking care of business.

That's just politician speak for "I'll believe it when I see it." So f**k you and your not-so-subtle bias.

[membengal]

I'm with derek here, was heading to start this very thread based on what Golic said on winning in Oakland, it was unreal. Talk about a constantly moving line. Winning at Green Bay? Not enough. Winning at home agains the defending champs when down by 11 with 10 minutes to go? Not enough. Beat Baltimore on the road with a final drive in their face? Not enough. Smoke Baltimore at home? What happens when they go to Pittsburgh. Physically beat down the Steelers in Heinz? Well, what about Oakland.

It just gets kinda old to listen to.

[Pidge]

I agree Derek. I can get on board with outsiders just flat out not believing until we do it. Hell, even some Bengals fans still have lingering doubts I'm sure. 20 yrs of mostly futile play and crushing disappointment after crushing disappointment will generate that kind of distrust. I think it's a perfectly reasonable position. Winning the SB isn't needed to change that either. Just do it again next yr, make the playoffs in consecutive yrs and the attitude will really begin to change.

This whole, humming and harring is bulls**t though. Take a position based on what you see or just how you feel and stick with it either way.

[truthteller]

Who wants them on board anyhow? They can stay right where they are at. This team is for real and it doesn't matter what happened last year or last decade. They can watch ESPN Classic while picking their nose for all I care. Today we are the "it" team case closed. Not to take anything away from Baltimore and Pittsburgh, as stated, they did play in the AFC Championship game----last year. I heard one commentator say "let's wait until they win a playoff game". I am just going to enjoy the moment. Fudge them.

[agreen_112]

Not all that surprizing I guess, but Golic said this morning "The Bengals play @Oakland next week. Then we'll see what kind of team the Bengals are."

Really? No one believed the Bengals could sweep Baltimore. They did. Immediately after, no one believed the Bengals could sweep the defending champs on the road. They did.

It seems like no matter what they do, people are still looking for the next bump in the road. Going 4-0 against the two teams previously in the AFC championship game isn't enough to tell you they are for real? Oakland is the benchmark?

C'mon. Just be honest. You'll refuse to believe until they win the Super Bowl. Quit acting like you'll be on board next week at this time... because you won't.

I'm confident that the Bengals will beat Oakland but damn this is scary.. I'm just scared the [i'll never speak the word - ryhmes with fumbles] will show up at some point.

It's like Palmer said, we're not ready to win the SB. We're not even ready to win that big playoff game yet. We still have a lot of work to do.

He's right.

[TJJackson]

To be honest - it is a hurdle - this team has always had trouble with west coast trips

To look at it another way, its an opportunity for this team to separate itself of yet another piece of the past - "bengals dont win on the west coast"

Obviously Chargers will be harder than Oakland

[Stripes]

I don't think any of us thinks it's a foregone conclusion that the Bengals will go to Oakland and win. This team definitely looks disciplined enough to handle such an obvious trap game and already dealt with a close call in Cleveland. If we're not 100% sure (and anyone who claims to be sure is acting like a Steelers fan) that we'll win the game, can we really fault pundits for asking the question?

We'll probably handle the Raiders. We should handle the Raiders. That still remains to be seen.

At the same time, those same pundits better be consistent and not harbor any assumption that a team like Philadelphia, who already blew a game in Oakland, is still better than Cincinnati just because of their more impressive recent resume.

[COB]

Not all the media is doubting. Phil Simms and Mike Ditka are two guys that have been touting the Bengals for weeks. I know there are a lot more that just can't get off Pittsburgh's jock.

[Pidge]

To be honest - it is a hurdle - this team has always had trouble with west coast trips

To look at it another way, its an opportunity for this team to separate itself of yet another piece of the past - "bengals dont win on the west coast"

Obviously Chargers will be harder than Oakland

I think the Chargers game is at PBS.

[Stripes]

Not all the media is doubting.

Absolutely. Trent Dilfer, in his standard dramatic tone, was talking about the Bengals being a serious threat to win the AFC yesterday.

[Pidge]

I wonder what the bull-dyke Steve Young has to say about the Bengals now.

[derekshank]

I don't think any of us thinks it's a foregone conclusion that the Bengals will go to Oakland and win. This team definitely looks disciplined enough to handle such an obvious trap game and already dealt with a close call in Cleveland. If we're not 100% sure (and anyone who claims to be sure is acting like a Steelers fan) that we'll win the game, can we really fault pundits for asking the question?

We'll probably handle the Raiders. We should handle the Raiders. That still remains to be seen.

At the same time, those same pundits better be consistent and not harbor any assumption that a team like Philadelphia, who already blew a game in Oakland, is still better than Cincinnati just because of their more impressive recent resume.

The issue isn't assuming the Bengals will win every game. It's the assumption that they must do so to be taken seriously.

If the Steelers lost @Oakland, pundits would talk about how it was just a trap game. However, douchebags like Golic are already lookng for reasons to doubt the legitimacy of what the Bengals have already accomplished.

[Stripes]

The issue isn't assuming the Bengals will win every game. It's the assumption that they must do so to be taken seriously.

If we lose to the Raiders, would it really be such a sin for some outside objective thinkers to worry that the Bengals still have maturity issues and can't play consistently at one level of excellence? If these Bengals want to separate themselves even more definitively from old Bengals teams, I think they DO have to win this game.

[skyline]

Here's some more anti-Bengal (well, anti-ocho) sentiment for you:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/12525554/bengals-home-free-only-if-ochocinco-keeps-it-buttoned-up

Some chad-haters around here might nod their heads, but I do believe Gregg Doyel is my new "most-hated" sports writer. What a pathetic story...even if you don't like Chad, surely you can see this for the bad journalism that it is.

Also, an article from Wyche at NFLNetwork. Complimentary of the Bengals, but like Golic, brings up the next three games as possible banana peels for Cincy: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8143a7e0&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

[membengal]

The problem w/ that doyle piece is he was so clearly trying to bait CJ and that even when CJ refused to rise to the bait doyle wouldn't admit defeat.

Just a typical douchy article from a douchy writer.

He went into the lockerroom w/ an agenda. Ugly.

[Pidge]

The issue isn't assuming the Bengals will win every game. It's the assumption that they must do so to be taken seriously.

If we lose to the Raiders, would it really be such a sin for some outside objective thinkers to worry that the Bengals still have maturity issues and can't play consistently at one level of excellence? If these Bengals want to separate themselves even more definitively from old Bengals teams, I think they DO have to win this game.

Well, frankly, yes it would. Other fans - fine no problem. But "objective thinkers", and one who are paid to be such, should be shot in the face, twice, for being such lazy, ignorant f**ktards with no sense of professional pride or responsibility.

[Stripes]

Doyel's article is just confusing. He admits very frankly to trying to get Chad to take the bait, and clearly failed. Chad's responses to his questions, as he quoted them in the article, are entirely opposite to the things he was suggesting them to be. Does he think we don't know how to read?

[Pidge]

Reading the comments, it seems he used to live in Cincy and has had an agenda since he's left? Is that fair - it certainly seems like he's working an angle there.

[Stripes]

The issue isn't assuming the Bengals will win every game. It's the assumption that they must do so to be taken seriously.

If we lose to the Raiders, would it really be such a sin for some outside objective thinkers to worry that the Bengals still have maturity issues and can't play consistently at one level of excellence? If these Bengals want to separate themselves even more definitively from old Bengals teams, I think they DO have to win this game.

Well, frankly, yes it would. Other fans - fine no problem. But "objective thinkers", and one who are paid to be such, should be shot in the face, twice, for being such lazy, ignorant f**ktards with no sense of professional pride or responsibility.

I suppose I don't get it. The Bengals have done a great deal of good this year and deserve media respect. Should they lose to a team as bad as the Raiders though, some percentage of that respect will be lost and I think that's entirely sensible. I don't mean to argue with you or Derek, but I do disagree.

I also expect to beat the Raiders, mostly because they're freakin' horrible.

[Pidge]

I suppose I don't get it. The Bengals have done a great deal of good this year and deserve media respect. Should they lose to a team as bad as the Raiders though, some percentage of that respect will be lost and I think that's entirely sensible. I don't mean to argue with you or Derek, but I do disagree.

I also expect to beat the Raiders, mostly because they're freakin' horrible.

I understand your position. It's the expectations of the modern media to do their jobs - i.e. they don't. They're lazy, unprepared and cliche-ridden douchebags 99% of the time. Or they're just like us schmoes who sit around and wax idiotic about the local sports team in other words.

An objective thinker would have studied this team, it's personnel changes, both on the coaching staff and players, and its philosophies and schemes. Instead, they're going off and basing their 'expert opinions' on events that have no bearing on this yr's team. Who cares what happened 15, 10 or even 5 yrs ago?

There's nothing objective about that and there is zero thought or analysis involved.

That's my take anyhoo.

[derekshank]

The issue isn't assuming the Bengals will win every game. It's the assumption that they must do so to be taken seriously.

If we lose to the Raiders, would it really be such a sin for some outside objective thinkers to worry that the Bengals still have maturity issues and can't play consistently at one level of excellence? If these Bengals want to separate themselves even more definitively from old Bengals teams, I think they DO have to win this game.

Well, frankly, yes it would. Other fans - fine no problem. But "objective thinkers", and one who are paid to be such, should be shot in the face, twice, for being such lazy, ignorant f**ktards with no sense of professional pride or responsibility.

I suppose I don't get it. The Bengals have done a great deal of good this year and deserve media respect. Should they lose to a team as bad as the Raiders though, some percentage of that respect will be lost and I think that's entirely sensible. I don't mean to argue with you or Derek, but I do disagree.

I also expect to beat the Raiders, mostly because they're freakin' horrible.

Sure. But I think you're missing my point. No one looked at the Vikings or Saints this week against weak opponents and said prior to the game "We'll see if they are for real or not this week."

I agree that good teams beat bad teams. My point isn't that people wouldn't question the Saints if they had lost to the Rams. It's that no one was saying prior to the game, "This will be a game that tells me if they are legit."

The point is, people like Golic are waiting for the Bengals to become the Bungles rather than just admiting that what they have accomplished this season is legitimate and impressive.

[Stripes]

The point is, people like Golic are waiting for the Bengals to become the Bungles rather than just admiting that what they have accomplished this season is legitimate and impressive.

I see. I do wonder though, if another team who'd played so poorly last year as the Bengals did (for whatever reason) had risen to such heights so fast -- would they be receiving the same grain-of-salt sort of treatment? The Vikings won their division last year, and the Saints have been mostly competitive since their last playoff berth.

Perhaps the best example is Denver, who was mostly expected to blow serious chunder this season. They didn't start garnering serious attention until they beat New England, but plenty of people were still not completely sold on them. Now that they're struggling, suddenly the pundits are comparing the two division lead chokes of 2008 and now. I think that's the treatment the Bengals are getting from guys like Golic. Only the biggest of morons is going to apply 1997 logic to 2009.

[Ickey44]

I understand where you're coming from Derek, but as of right now it seems that the more people doubt the Bengals the better they play. So I'm totally fine with Golic saying stupid s**t like that because it's something the Marvin can use to keep the team motivated. They like being the underdog and I hope it stays that way.