Daugherty article about Bengals on Primetime

[jjakq27]

The part that pissed me off was when Lewis was talking about the videos at the NFL meetings.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...COL03/504170382

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Prime time not ready for Bengals

They get no love from schedulers

By Paul Daugherty

Enquirer staff writer

One game.

The NFL schedule arrives like Christmas in April. Except in Cincinnati, where it's a box of rocks. The Bengals get one lousy prime-time game for the 2005-06 season, against the lousy Jaguars on a Sunday night in October, when everybody is watching the season premiere of "Desperate Housewives."

I realize we're just Cincinnati, Flyover, U.S.A, 45201. I understand the only time the coast folks are intrigued by our city is when our citizens mingle unfavorably with our police force. I also know local modesty borders on religious.

But c'mon. Improving young team plus compelling, maturing coach should equal more than one stinkin' game in the watching hours. What are we, chopped leather?

This might seem a little thing. It's not. It has everything to do with respect, image and perception. Every time you think the Bengals have overcome their credibility issues, something happens to remind you they haven't.

Coach Marvin Lewis tells a story. The NFL kicks off its owners meetings each year with a highlight video from the previous season. Two years ago, the Bengals, with a new coach and a Heisman Trophy-winning rookie quarterback, got lots of time.

This year, "we were only one clip, kind of a negative thing, one of our guys missing a tackle against the Browns," Lewis says.

He isn't complaining. Lewis even prefers the regimentation of knowing that for 15 of 16 weeks, kickoff will be on Sunday afternoon. It suits the militaristic routine cherished by football coaches everywhere. And Lewis is still delightfully old-school enough to believe you never stop earning your place in the sun. "We get the chance to prove ourselves again," Lewis says.

But the larger issue remains. The NFL thinks the Bengals lack the sex appeal needed to be a prime-time player. If the NFL believes this, its players can't be far behind. Players like the spotlight, if only because higher visibility leads to more honors, which leads to bigger paychecks. As Lewis says: "(Players) love to play in front of their peers. It helps when a Tory James is elected to the Pro Bowl. His peers see him intercept two balls against Denver" on Monday night last season. "Willie Anderson, that's the only time an offensive lineman gets glamour, in a national game."

The Bengals will never be confused with the Cowboys, who will play to a national audience four times this season, a reward for their stunning 6-10 effort in 2004. The Bengals aren't the Oakland Randy Mosses, whose awe-inspiring 5-11 effort got them four national games this year.

Apparently, if you don't have a wildly egocentric owner and/or a prima donna jerk superstar, you don't rate.

But Kansas City? The Chiefs were 7-9. From Malibu to Caribou, no one was asking, "When's the Chiefs game on?" The Chiefs are on three times this season.

The Bengals were 8-8. They have one of the best young QBs in the game. They have a wide receiver who'd be Terrell Owens, if Terrell Owens weren't a goof. They have a running back who does something so unusual, he'd have the whole nation talking about him, if the whole nation were watching: Dude scores a touchdown and ... drops the ball. What a concept. Carson Palmer and the Johnson Twins, Chad and Rudi, aren't sexy enough for more than one visit to prime time. But Trent Green is. Quick - name me five Cowboys not named Parcells.

The Bengals are making steady image progress. A prominent agent told me last week: "I don't think twice about sending players to the Bengals. I could not say that five years ago."

They could have signed free-agent linebacker Jamie Sharper, if support for Sharper had been unanimous. This was not the here-we-go-again scenario commonly supposed. At age 30 and entering his 10th season, Sharper wasn't a significant upgrade on the players the Bengals already have or the ones they might draft, the team believed.

We see this every year, though, even in Year 3 of the Marvin Era. Whether it's Bobby Taylor, Warren Sapp or Jamie Sharper, the perception is Cincinnati is a bus stop on the road to someone else's bank vault.

Perceptions die hard in Bengaldom. The networks aren't helping.

[Kirkendall]

Personally, I think we got a little spoiled with 2 home night games last year and then this? I think Daugh has great points, but there's a reason why the NFL gave us one night game away.

I still, however, don't understand Dallas getting 4 games. I understand they are considered "America's team". But what do they have going for them right now? Star power? Other than owner and coaching, they are limited. Potential... hahahahaha.

I just don't get their selection process..

[oldschooler]

Personally, I think we got a little spoiled with 2 home night games last year and then this? I think Daugh has great points, but there's a reason why the NFL gave us one night game away.

I still, however, don't understand Dallas getting 4 games. I understand they are considered "America's team". But what do they have going for them right now? Star power? Other than owner and coaching, they are limited. Potential... hahahahaha.

I just don't get their selection process..

It`s all about $$$.

The nfl is in negotiating a new TV contract...the better

ratings they have the more $$$ they can demand...

[bengalindian]

I think ML is fine with this schedule, as Paul says, because its so consistent. And if the NFL wants to snub Cincy, that's fine too, because the Bengals will be making a huge run this postseason, while the likes of Oakland and Dallas and KC won't. So, I'm fine with that.

WHO DEY!

[HoosierCat]

It`s all about $$$.

The nfl is in negotiating a new TV contract...the better

ratings they have the more $$$ they can demand...

Bingo.

[Kirkendall]

Personally, I think we got a little spoiled with 2 home night games last year and then this?  I think Daugh has great points, but there's a reason why the NFL gave us one night game away.

I still, however, don't understand Dallas getting 4 games.  I understand they are considered "America's team".  But what do they have going for them right now?  Star power?  Other than owner and coaching, they are limited.  Potential... hahahahaha. 

I just don't get their selection process..

It`s all about $$$.

The nfl is in negotiating a new TV contract...the better

ratings they have the more $$$ they can demand...

And they wonder why Monday Night Football ratings continue to drop drastically.

[HairOnFire]

Perceptions die hard in Bengaldom. The networks aren't helping.

And why should they?

Trying to change the opinion of an audience that prefers perception over facts is impossible to do. Presidential elections teach us this. And on a daily basis the nightly news almost always ignores hard news story that impact everyone in favor of propped up diversions that are easier to digest and discuss around the water cooler. As a people we prefer entertainment to enlightenment, celebrity over accomplishment, name recognition over quality.

Newsflash: Major networks want to give EXACTLY what the public tells them it wants.

And lets not forget for even a moment that prime time games are targeted at a different audience than normal NFL fare. On Monday nights across America desperate housewives and sticky 4 year-old tikes decked out head-to-toe in Steeler or Cowboy garb take their seats next to a face painted hubby who could recite the roster of every team in the NFL without skipping a beat.

The solution for Bengal fans is easy. Real easy.

Purchasing NFL Sunday ticket makes every weeks game a national game.

Can't afford it you say?

Well try voting differently in the next presidential election.

[UK Bengal]

easy for u to say we dont get the sunday ticket over here !!!!

and it works the same way as the us networks here they pick the most supported teams in this country unless they are playing badly then you constantly get the pats or indy.

just for the record

we get in the uk

one early game

one late game

and another channel shows MNF

so basically we take the feed from fox,espn etc and they just pick a game

we were lucky last year got the bengals 3 times live

they have just started using the tech behind sunday ticket so u never know we might get lucky

[andybren]

After watching so many meaningless games between mediocre teams on Monday nights, I don't take it as an insult that the Bengals won't have the opportunity to disappoint a national audience. And when the Bengals do make their run, it will be that much bigger of a story that nobody saw it coming, including the league brass. There's nothing quite like proving people wrong where it counts...on the football field.

It might be difficult for the lifelong fans to appreciate that the team doesn't have the confidence of the nationwide NFL fanbase, but out here on the west coast, I routinely have people tell me, with the tone of somebody who genuinely thinks they're going out on a limb, "you know, I think the Bengals are going to do well this year." It's all I can do to keep from mentioning the Chiefs game in '03 or the Ravens game in '04.

Just the other day I had a Raiders fan wonder if the Bengals wouldn't do better than the old Silver and Black this year. I just smiled and congratulated him on signing Lamont Jordan, the backup RB they gave the franchise-level contract to. Should be fun watching them implode on national TV all four times.

[HoosierCat]

It might be difficult for the lifelong fans to appreciate that the team doesn't have the confidence of the nationwide NFL fanbase, but out here on the west coast, I routinely have people tell me, with the tone of somebody who genuinely thinks they're going out on a limb, "you know, I think the Bengals are going to do well this year."

Based on what I've seen in NJ, I'd argue that the team's national fanbase might be a tad larger than the NFL suspects. I was at Giants' stadium for the preseason Bengals-Jets tilt a couple year's back -- Palmer's first outing -- and the place was loaded with bengals jerseys. And I'm talking (relatively) classic ones...Munoz, Collinsworth, Esiason, Anderson...as well as CJ and Palmer.

[BengalszoneBilly]

we were lucky last year got the bengals 3 times live

That's as "lucky" as we Bengal fans were out here in Arizona as well. I felt fortunate it was that often!

The Bengals will never be confused with the Cowboys, who will play to a national audience four times this season, a reward for their stunning 6-10 effort in 2004. The Bengals aren't the Oakland Randy Mosses, whose awe-inspiring 5-11 effort got them four national games this year.

Apparently, if you don't have a wildly egocentric owner and/or a prima donna jerk superstar, you don't rate.

So now I finally understand what drafting the "BPA" really stands for:

The "Best Prima-donna-jerk Available!" Well then, THAT'S the way we need to draft this year to get on Primetime!

I can't believe it. Plowboys and Faiders. Four times each. Puleeeeze!

[Ox]

Well try voting differently in the next presidential election.

Yea and I hope by voting differently you don't mean voting for former President Clinton..errrr I mean Hillary Clinton. Ya wanna talk about a smack down on the middle class? If ya vote in that direction that's exactly what your gonna get.

At any rate, let us all take satisfaction in the hopes for an 11-5 playoff run that will be kicking off in about 4 months.

[schweinhart]

This primetime snub should prove to be a great motivational tool for the players to dig a little deeper and roll some teams hard this year.

[HairOnFire]

I can't believe it. Plowboys and Faiders. Four times each. Puleeeeze!

C'mon, don't we expect that? Cowboys, Raiders, Steelers...all teams that even the most casual fringe fan knows something about. Oh, and when I say casual fan I think I want to include John Madden into the mix. Throw in a couple of games featuring whoever happens to be the world champs at the time and then a couple more who start QB's that even your mom knows about and you're almost done filling out the MNF schedule. Just flesh it out with a game or two introducing a team that everyone agrees is on the rise and call it a day. And no, you're not going to get everyone to agree that a team that has broken even two years in a row is deserving of "team on the rise" status. The Bengals have to win more.

Then again, were the Patriots on the MNF schedule the year after they won their first Super Bowl? I'm not sure but I don't think they were. So I guess this respect building thing takes time, ehh?

Sorry, I can't get mad at the snub...probably because I'm a selfish bastard who knows he'll get all the games. Besides, the Bengals did get one prime time gig and that's more than they used to get. Best, it's a game that they actually have a chance to win, and it features a storyline that will highlite Carson Palmer, hopefully an emerging superstar of our very own.

They'll get there. Maybe not four games a year kinda get there, but it's coming...if they keep winning.

[BengalsOwn]

Daugherty article about Bengals on Primetime

Was it titled "Bengals, please don't embarass us?"

What a jackass.

[LesterLyles]

Great article...excellent point on the Chiefs. Why does this team have a perception of being an elite team? They have the same # of playoff wins as Cincy in the last 8 years. They have one friggin playoff appearance since '97. I am sure Cincy fans are upset about this and rightfully so. Heck, as a Jets fan I get upset that there is perception out there that the Chiefs have been a more successful franchise in the last 8 or so years than the Jets...its not even close. All I can say is go out there and prove the NFL world wrong!

[ArmyBengal]

I think ML is happy with this. He has made comments about how playing in the evening messes things up with the players, so on and so on... I hate that there isn't at least one Monday Night game, but I think the selection process is F**KED... I understand about the whole $$ thing, but Atlanta with 3 Monday Night games AT HOME is just F**KING stupid. Who picks these schedules anyway, the guy who gave Vick herpes to begin with and this is his repayment ?? I think it sucks, but not as much as having to wait another 4 months to get the season going. The time after the draft and before the beginning of the season BLOWS !!!

WHODEY !!!