The only question that matters is

[walzav29]

When will Katie take over. Really that is the only thing that will help. Could you imagine if she took over and hired a GM? I'd be dancing in the streets. We had a great coach and a franchise qb wasted because of that big dummy.

[volcom69]

When will Katie take over. Really that is the only thing that will help. Could you imagine if she took over and hired a GM? I'd be dancing in the streets. We had a great coach and a franchise qb wasted because of that big dummy.

I dont think for sometime. Even so whos to say if she takes over thats what she will do?????

[TJJackson]

Can't be worse than the misery under Son-of-Genius

It just can't be.

[Kazkal]

Well I worry Katie may love her daddy way 2 much I think once She & Troy take over there will be change,I just can't see them being that stupid to continue on with losing ways.

I think they would atleast bring in a consultant.It's hard to say How long until she takes over but I do think Mike will pass it over before he dies...It's been twenty years he's had two winning seasons and the quickest owner to 200 defeats it's time for him to pass the torch....Hopefully with these Facts with one of the best players under his ownership calling him out for how terrible he is he'll finally realize it and pass the freaking torch...

[BengalPimp]

Unfortunately, I don't see Mikey handing over control any time soon. Sucks, but that's the reality, and it's not like Pumpkin can force his hand....Can you imagine a family war over the franchise? I would never hope for anyone to fall ill or worse, so I'll just say...I hope Mike Brown goes to prison for something.....

[HoosierCat]

Whether Mikey or Katie is in charge won't matter as long as the rest of the The Family and its longtime cronies like Duke Tobin and Lippy continue to clutter up the player personnel and scouting ranks. Even if Katie were to hire a GM, that person would never be given permission to fire any of these people, and so would never be able to impose any kind of fresh vision or direction on the organization.

[TJJackson]

Sea change doesn't happen all at once.

One piece has to fall, then another, then another

The key piece is Mike Brown. When he is done, things can start changing for the better

[HoosierCat]

Sea change doesn't happen all at once.

One piece has to fall, then another, then another

The key piece is Mike Brown. When he is done, things can start changing for the better

The trouble is that when one piece falls, another appears. You just cycle to the next generation of The Family. As long as the primary criteria for an executive position with the team remains a person's last name, not their experience or track record of success, then all we get is another generation taking its turn on the NFL dole.

The sad thing is that it doesn't have to be this way. There are plenty of jobs in the organization that could be given to The Family that would not impact the product on the field -- sales, marketing, business development, community relations, etc. -- and still allow for a more professional football staff. Of course, they use those jobs to reward other cronies like Bedinghaus...

[COB]

The trouble is that when one piece falls, another appears.

The trouble is that weebles wobble, but they don't fall down. Which means Lippincott is incapable of falling, which means we're subjected to years and years in the future of incompetence at whatever task the Bengals are blind enough to give him.

[jjakq27]

The trouble is that when one piece falls, another appears.

The trouble is that weebles wobble, but they don't fall down. Which means Lippincott is incapable of falling, which means we're subjected to years and years in the future of incompetence at whatever task the Bengals are blind enough to give him.

Lippy's son is listed in the Bengals media guide as a member of the staff in some capacity. Possibly QC assistant for the offense.

[COB]

Lippy's son is listed in the Bengals media guide as a member of the staff in some capacity. Possibly QC assistant for the offense.

I'm speechless.

[membengal]

I say this in all seriousness...I wish I were a family friend of mike brown. Unemployment concerns...nevermore.

[jjakq27]

I say this in all seriousness...I wish I were a family friend of mike brown. Unemployment concerns...nevermore.

or 99 weeks!

[kingwilly]

Lippy's son is listed in the Bengals media guide as a member of the staff in some capacity. Possibly QC assistant for the offense.

I'm speechless.

This is referred to, in scientific circles, as NepoFail.

[Horsemen]

It is interesting, all this talk about Katie lately.

Truth is? We don't know how she'll be. All this speculation is just that, speculation. What we DO know, however, is.....

We know that Katie is regarded as being highly competitive. She wants a winning team and we know she wants to make her own way in life. It's been said in articles she is competitive like her grandfather, and he was VERY competitive. She is a former athlete in her own right, so she no doubt understands sporting competitiveness and the desire to win.

We know she is intelligent. She's a college educated Attorney, like her father. Unlike her father, she didn't come up under a great football mind and probably doesn't have the same arrogance as Mikey. She's great with numbers, good with contracts and her strength is business dealings.

We know that she has alot of day to day dealings with the players, and going by Big Willies twitter rant along with comments years back the players have respect for her. Mike Brown is known as a hermit who doesn't meet with his players before/after games and has little dealings with them. Katie on the other hand seems to be the opposite.

We know via Hard Knocks you're not going to take advantage of her nor bury the team financially. Alot of negative has been made over her dealings with Andre Smith. The reality is while daddy and giggles took ANOTHER chance on a prospective bust, Katie drew up a contract so if/when that happened the team wouldn't be out $40 million dollars. That little act showed more than people realize, and it isn't what people think. It showed us that Katie Blackburn will NOT be taken advantage of(unlike Mike) and it showed that Katie Blackburn isn't willing to tolerate laziness. You could get the sense she isn't a fan of those types of players.

We know via that commercial she is in as well as her philanthropic works that she, like Paul Brown and unlike Mike Brown cares about the image of the Bengals.

We know that since Mike Brown started grooming her for the ownership in 2000, slowly but surely changes have taken place. We upgraded our training facilities, we hired a HC with no known connections to the Bengals and gave him SOME control, we've started to pay players alot better, we've given coaches a bit better contracts, we hired new strength&conditioning coaches, we upgraded out computer networks for the coaches ect. Granted that isn't a whole hell of alot, we're talking about wrestling concessions from Mike Brown of all people.

We know that Mike Brown is 74 years old and started grooming his replacement a decade ago. It's unlikely he plans to own the team for another 20 years like his father. We know Pete Brown is also up in age and has been grooming Paul H. Brown for quite awhile as well. We know that our part time "scouting consultants" range in age from 70-80. They're retired from their previous jobs and just help us here and there.

We know that Big Willie among other players honestly believe changes will come when Katie takes over. Here's a guy who spent 11 years around the Brown Family appearing to know something we don't.

Let's not stand against Katie Blackburn before we even see what she is about. We don't know her plans yet, and she hasn't taken over yet. Shouldn't she get a fair shake first before we bring out the pitchforks and lanterns? Just because Mikey likes Lippy, Duke and the others doesn't mean Katie plans on keeping them. Did Mikey keep all of Paul Browns people? No. Here's a few examples to think about....

Jim Irsay. Jim is the current owner of the Colts, a team he inherited from his father Bob Irsay. Bob Irsay wasn't a good owner. He didn't make good decisions, had 6 winning seasons out of 24 and made Jim the GM for several years. Flash forward to the 1990's, Jim Irsay takes over as owner. He proceeds to revamp the entire front office, brings in the best GM in the NFL and turns the Colts into perennial winners.

Example #2: Michael Bidwill. He recently took over day to day operations of the AZ Cards from his father Bill Bidwill. Bill is the one owner worse than Mike Brown. Look it up, Billy here had over four decades of being a horrible franchise. Flash forward to 2005, Michael takes over most of the daily operations, revamps the system and they make a Superbowl. They also posted their first back to back winning seasons in nearly three decades. All indications are he is the polar opposite of his father.

What's that have to do with us? Maybe nothing, but keep it in mind. Just because a parent is one way doesn't mean their children will be the same. Wait and see if Katie is another Jim Irsay before throwing her under the bus. I mentioned the ages of our F.O. and "scouts." Also keep that in mind. They don't have a long time left and change is in the air, not far off.

Does that mean a GM, more scouts, ect? I don't know. HOWEVER, keep in mind we actually have FOUR people handling GM Duties, Mike Brown, Katie Blackburn, Pete Brown and Marvin Lewis. Mike Brown delegates, that's why he gets away with no GM. It's also why we're a clusterf***. When Mikey and Pete retire? That leaves Katie holding the bag of Owner and GM. Paul H. Brown is being groomed for VP of Player Personnel, a fulltime job in itself. Instead of two people handling that position with four sharing the GM duties it will be Katie and Paul H. on their own so i'd say from that alone the chances she hires a GM are good. That's discounting all the other factors.

A GM of course will want their own scouting department, another positive. Now after typing all this I have returned to hoping Mikey retires SOON.

[BengalszoneBilly]

The trouble is that when one piece falls, another appears.

The trouble is that weebles wobble, but they don't fall down. Which means Lippincott is incapable of falling, which means we're subjected to years and years in the future of incompetence at whatever task the Bengals are blind enough to give him.

Lippy's son is listed in the Bengals media guide as a member of the staff in some capacity. Possibly QC assistant for the offense.

That might explain some issues there...

[HoosierCat]

We know that since Mike Brown started grooming her for the ownership in 2000, slowly but surely changes have taken place.

And yet here we are in 2010 back in the same damp, smelly cellar we inhabited back then. And if what you say is true, then Pumpkie must share in the blame for that.

Man, I hope you're right. But I ain't counting on it.

[HoosierCat]

From the "s**t we already knew, but here it is anyhow" file:

Mikey says a "GM brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

[Horsemen]

From the "s**t we already knew, but here it is anyhow" file:

Mikey says a "GM brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

Sure she shares some blame. However until she's actually in charge with some power it's premature to say she'll be horrible. Jim Irsay shared some of the blame for the Colts sucking balls for years as well, but once in power....

Anyways the above link kinda puts that to bed for awhile. It doesn't sound like the golf course is beckoning Mikey anytime soon.

[BengalszoneBilly]

From the "s**t we already knew, but here it is anyhow" file:

Mikey says a "GM brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

Yeah... let's definitely stick with what hasn't worked for decades. :frustrated:

[HoosierCat]

From the "s**t we already knew, but here it is anyhow" file:

Mikey says a "GM brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

Yeah... let's definitely stick with what hasn't worked for decades. :frustrated:

Well, it hasn't worked for us...Mikey on the other hand...

[Kazkal]

that was recent? not from 2009? if so shet were doomed.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

From the "s**t we already knew, but here it is anyhow" file:

Mikey says a "GM brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

Yeah... let's definitely stick with what hasn't worked for decades. :frustrated:

Well, it hasn't worked for us...Mikey on the other hand...

That's the problem with the NFL - it's nearly impossible to go bankrupt as long as you keep pocketing all that TV money. You like to believe in sports as the ultimate meritocracy, but not for owners.

[COB]

Mike Brown personally answers letters from concerned season ticket holders? Jim Lippincot must have a low-center-of-gravity neice or something who could do that for Mike.

[Horsemen]

Well at least he's going to try hard to be "competitive" again.