jjakq27 Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 http://cincinnati.co...count-the-ways/Local scribe Joe Reedy is asking for 122 ways to improve the local football team. This was based on the team being ranked 122 in the ESPN sports franchise rankings a few weeks ago. />http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/15/packers-named-best-franchise-in-sports-bengals-named-worst/The rankings were determined by the following categories:Bang For The Buck: Wins during the past three years (regular season plus postseason) per revenues directly from fans, adjusted for league schedules.Fan Relations: Openness and consideration toward fans by players, coaches and management. Ownership: Honesty and loyalty to core players and local community. Affordability: Price of tickets, parking and concessions. Stadium Experience: Quality of arena and game-day promotions as well as friendliness of environment. Players: Effort on the field and likability off it. Coaching: Strength of on-field leadership. Title Track: Championships already won or expected in the lifetime of current fans.He spotted us a few by taking "hire a GM", "step down" and "sell the team". But here's the BZ chance to fill in the blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 How to improve the Bengals in 122 easy steps? Step # 1 - More cow bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 How to improve the Bengals in 122 easy steps? Step # 1 - More cow bell.If this were Facebook, I would click on "LIKE". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I'm not so sure this is such an easy question to answer even when given the parameters with which we have to work within.Meaning, some of those things would require inside knowledge of how things are ran.Wins during the past three seasons (INCLUDING POSTSEASON) ?? How about win more games including a playoff game which hasn't happened in over 20 years ??Fan Relations ??When I came home on my midtour leave from Afghanistan, my wife surprised me with tickets to the Monday night game against the Patriots in 2007. She wrote a nice letter to the organization explaining what she was doing for me and asked if there were anything else the organization might be able to do that could make the evening more special for me. The response ?? An email (since she gave hers in the letter) stating the organization can't assist her, but thanks for buying the tickets and supporting the team. My wife didn't want them to have me lead the team onto the field that night, just something simple. Needless to say, she still has a hard time being a fan these days. Oh well...Ownership ??While I can give Mike credit where he has done some good things, he was given a sweet ass deal with the building of PBS and while the taxpayers get bent over (yeah they voted for it) he hasn't done much of anything to produce a winner. See no playoff wins in over 20 years.Affordability ??Thank God for people needing to get rid of tickets on Ebay and Stubhub. $7+ dollars for a beer ?? Hardly affordable and no, I don't care how much it costs in New York, Dallas, Philly, Atlanta, or any other larger market team when trying to make me feel better about a $7+ dollar beer.Stadium Experience ??I like PBS just fine, it's the whole affordability thing we already covered.Players ??I've never met any of the current players, so it's hard to comment here and resist the urge to be negative for no other reason.Coaching ??I've always liked Marvin for the most part, but really can't understand how coaches that have failed so miserably for such a considerable amount of time continue to have a job within the organization.Title Track ??Well, this is easy. No Super Bowls and just last week I posted a thought I had while mowing the lawn about wondering if I will ever see the Bengals win a Super Bowl in my lifetime. Brutal.So what would I do based upon that ??How about something that wouldn't cost a single red cent ?? ACCOUNTABILITY.Accountability of the players, coaches, and staff responsible for doing their freakin' jobs.What's that ??You haven't won a single playoff game in 8 seasons coach ?? FIREDYou have been a position coach under that head coach and are part of the failure ?? FIREDYou continually underperform on the field as a player ?? FIREDYou scout and recommend players that have known issues and underperform ?? FIREDIt goes on and on. Heck, you might be able to find 122 ways just to hold people within the organization accountable.Start there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walzav29 Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110723/SPT02/107240336/No-122-Who-s-Counting-?odyssey=obinsite86-122 was me - NiceExcept for 90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Joe Reedy has released his 122 ways to improve the team. Here are the top 10http://news.cincinna...Who-s-Counting-1. Hire a general manager The runaway leader, especially for a regime that has gone 115-206-1 since the death of team founder Paul Brown in 1991. Mike Brown points to the fact that in terms of games played by their draft picks - the Bengals rank among the NFL's top 10. But the most recent Bengals draft pick to be selected to the Pro Bowl was Carson Palmer.2. More scoutsWhile the past three drafts have been solid, many wonder if more scouts and evaluators in the personnel department could have prevented recent free-agent duds like Antonio Bryant and Laveranues Coles.3. Build a practice bubble This would be No. 1 the list for Lewis and players. Granted, Cincinnati is not Minnesota or Green Bay, but practicing in freezing conditions while your opponent is nice and toasty in an indoor facility puts you at a competitive disadvantage.4. Create a ring of honor Paul Brown Stadium has no tangible link to the past outside of its name. For a younger generation that has known mostly losing seasons, it would provide a way to connect with the team's two Super Bowl appearances and honor players like Ken Anderson, Anthony Munoz, Bob Johnson and Isaac Curtis, to name a few.5. Retire Nos. 14 and 78 The Bengals have retired only one uniform number, Bob Johnson's 54. Why Munoz's and Anderson's numbers are not retired is a source of frustration to fans.6. Responsibility for the stadium The team should resume negotiations with Hamilton County Commissioners and show it is willing to assume the cost of some major capital improvements, even if not bound by lease terms to do so.7. Stop talking down to fans Most of your season ticket holders feel they are not appreciated. Said one in an email: "Consistently claiming that the fans do not have the insight or ability to recommend winning ideas wears on people."8. Better concessions According to some fans: "Concession stands that serve food need to be better staffed and prepared. The wait in line (is) way too long. The managers never have the organization to handle the halftime rush. The vendors are regularly out of basic food items." Some asked for more Cincinnati-specific products like Montgomery Inn barbecue or Christian Moerlein beers.9. Hold a Bengalsfest Teams have begun conducting fan fests on draft weekend and have had great success. If it were modeled after Redsfest, with interactive activities and autograph opportunities with past and current players, that would be a good step in helping repair the franchise's standing with the public.10. More interaction from Mike Brown Some have suggested a weekly luncheon during the season, while others have said the Bengals president should have his own Twitter account (that's not happening anytime soon). Brown rarely gives interviews, especially since the hiring of Lewis in 2003.Said one fan: "The fact one has to write Mr. Brown a letter to express concern, in order for him to respond is a bit worrisome. I attempted to email Mr. Brown last year to voice my disappointment with the direction of the franchise. I received a response email from a club employee informing me that Mr. Brown could be reached by writing him a letter at such and such address . Really? When various clubs across the league are using technology to their advantage in order to promote the club, educate the fan base and offer team deals and incentives, we have an owner who doesn't receive email." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 And nowhere in that entire list did someone think accountability would be a positive thing.What's that they say about the more things change ??Yeah... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 So, my desire for more cowbell didn't make the Top 10? I will NOT spend very much time on this but here's my immediate reaction to the Top 10.1. Hire a general manager This one always tops the lists despite the fact that by demanding Mike Brown fire himself Bengal fans have embraced a guaranteed way of making sure the rest of their list of grievances is promptly ignored. And there's the rub because while the criticism of Brown may have merit....the demand being made is stupid.2. More scoutsWhile the past three drafts have been solid, many wonder if more scouts and evaluators in the personnel department could have prevented recent free-agent duds like Antonio Bryant and Laveranues Coles. This one is also mired in stupidity. In fact, the Bengals recent draft strategy, while hardly perfect, has been good enough for this rant to be rejected flatly. And yeah, because it's no longer easy to criticize the Bengals draft methods the same corp of angry and stupid Bengal fans have moved the goalposts by tweaking the rant about scouts until it is now based upon free agency.....thereby proving the rant is based upon a need to criticize and not on actual facts.3. Build a practice bubble Why build when you can rent? In most years a practice bubble isn't needed more than a few days. In some years it isn't needed at all. Yet somehow we're led to believe the lack of a covered practice facility is a much needed priority? Why? 4. Create a ring of honor A great idea that has my full support. That said, it's a feel good thing, right? So I have to ask aloud how important feel good things are in the grand scheme of things? Or if you prefer, when debating what steps need to be taken to improve a horrible franchise I ask aloud if ANY feel good thing deserves to make the list at #4? Or for that matter, at #44 or #400?5. Retire Nos. 14 and 78 See above.6. Responsibility for the stadium The team should resume negotiations with Hamilton County Commissioners and show it is willing to assume the cost of some major capital improvements, even if not bound by lease terms to do so. Yet another unrealistic demand so mind numbingly stupid that it invalidates the rest of the ideas included in the list.7. Stop talking down to fans Most of your season ticket holders feel they are not appreciated. Said one in an email: "Consistently claiming that the fans do not have the insight or ability to recommend winning ideas wears on people." More stupidity. With every opportunity Bengal fans feel compelled to make demands upon this team, and it's ownership, that they know will not and cannot be met. So who is guilty of talking down to whom? Which party is likely to feel it's being talked down to when every list like this one starts with a demand for ownership to fire itself? Furthermore, there are plenty of personally written responses from Mike Brown to make a mockery of any suggestion that he talks down to fans. 8. Better concessions Well, I enjoy a good frothy beverage as much as anyone. Even better if it's free.9. Hold a Bengalsfest Teams have begun conducting fan fests on draft weekend and have had great success. If it were modeled after Redsfest, with interactive activities and autograph opportunities with past and current players, that would be a good step in helping repair the franchise's standing with the public. More feel good stuff? Frankly, these types of ideas have my full support, but I'm surprised by how few practicle ideas Bengal fans have for improving the team itself. Most of these ideas being presented here are little more than ways to improve the fan experience and would have nothing to do with improving the team itself.10. More interaction from Mike Brown Some have suggested a weekly luncheon during the season, while others have said the Bengals president should have his own Twitter account (that's not happening anytime soon). Brown rarely gives interviews, especially since the hiring of Lewis in 2003. Probably the dumbest idea yet. After all, this very list begins by demanding Mike Brown replace himself as defacto GM, and then predictably ends with a further demand that he become more involved. Point blank, Bengal fans are demanding Brown be more accessable simply because it would give them more opportunities to bitch and bleat directly to the source of their frustration. Currently all fans can do is whine indirectly by way of easily ignorable grievance lists and messageboard postings. And that brings us full circle, ehh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincyhokie Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Here's my list1. Stop sucking2. Pretend you care about the fans. When you think you're there, pretend you care about them a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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