Enquirer Bengals Coverage Meeting Tomorrow

[DesperateDerelict]

Article: Readers invited to discuss Bengals

The Enquirer sports department is inviting readers to join us for a conversation about the Cincinnati Bengals and our NFL coverage.

Attending will be Bengals beat reporter Mark Curnutte, reporter Kevin Kelly, sports editor Michael Perry and assistant sports editor Josh Pichler.

The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. June 16 at The Enquirer. If interested, e-mail Robin Buchanan at rbuchanan@enquirer.com. Include your name, age, phone number and the area in which you live.

You can also send the information to: Robin Buchanan, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH, 45202.

Space is limited.

I'm in a sales meeting and won't be able to go - do we have any representation from the 'Zone'?

[jjakq27]

I received an invite last week. I will be there on behalf of the "boys on the board".

Any requests??? Likes or dislikes?

[bengalboomer7]

Yeah, slip them my resume

[schweinhart]

I received an invite last week. I will be there on behalf of the "boys on the board".

Any requests??? Likes or dislikes?

Dude

In the "We want to find out specifically what you read and don't read and what ideas you may have." part of the discussion, let 'em know what you think of an ideer called "3rd & Far Away" if it should come up. :player:

[jjakq27]

Just got back from the meeting. It was well done but in a loose give-and-take format. Mark Curnutte, Josh Pichler (sp?) and Michael Perry were there from the Enquirer. There were about 40 people there mostly from their 20's though 50's and a couple of women. It was certainly a neat opportunity to talk Bengals football. And I thought I had it bad....

We filled out a questionaire about their current features/coverage and our likes and dislikes of each. There was also room for personal comments.

Curnutte spoke and answered questions for the majority of the time. A few of the highlights and requests were:

1. Increased coverage on the AFC North with a personal touch not just a wire report.

2. Less "generic" NFL articles that might be available on-line or in other papers like USAToday.

3. Even though there is a great deal of mutual respect, he views Hobson as his main competition.

4. Marvin has made it difficult to get info out of the players and Marvin himself.

5. Give more insight into the roster battles at camp. Create an up-arrow or down-arrow depending on a guys status for making the team.

6 Sometimes bengals.com and the Enquirer have the same topics at the same time because of the limited access to players or coaches. They might actually do the interview with a group of reporters at the same time.

7. Begin coverage of the opponent on Tuesday rather than later in the week.

8. Perhaps expand the Sunday section to more than just two pages for the Bengals.

9. They rarely look at message boards or blogs because some of it is just a rehash of their own stories and the topics and comments get out of hand...lol.

10. They also welcome any comments directly via their email addresses which are usually attached at the end of their articles.

A few stories:

1. He relayed a story from '01 when he gave the Bengals D-line a D in the season preview. The team started 2-0 and Oliver Gibson jumped in his s*it after the game. They ended up 6-10 and that line (Vaughn Booker, JSmith-rookie year, Tom Barndt and others) could stop no one. Guess he was right.

2. He said Corey used to hide in the players lounge and play video games rather than talk to the media. And he was pretty much a jerk from the beginning.

3. He also said Corey's attitude was the reason why he slipped to the second round and also put Darnay Scott and Carl Pickens in that category.

4. He has gotten calls indirectly from Marvin about things he has written, but that Marvin has been more than accommodating towards them.

Inside info (some we already know)

1. Kelly Washington is on the bubble and will be gone if PDub makes the team.

2. Nate Webster will probably be on IR this year.

3. The reason why the Bengals have had better drafts is because of the Tobin family. Bill Tobin built the mid-80's Bears and the Brown family and Marvin trust them totally.

4. Willie Anderson is one of the smartest guys on that team.

5. Marvin also has shifted his core defensive theory to allowing guys to roam more than he did in Baltimore. He will allow Bresnihan the freedom to move guys around.

6. Pollack will be lined up all over the field looking for a mismatch.

[schweinhart]

Sounds like a good experience. Surprised they didn't mention The Post as competition.

If there not looking at this forum, they proly should. There's some tight sh*t that goes down here

What did you recommend they consider doing for coverage?

And, oh yeah, was the pizza LaRosa's?

[jjakq27]

LaRosa's...how'd you guess.

Someone in the room mentioned four sources: Bengals.com, The Enquirer, Dave Lapham and CHick Ludwig with the Dayton Daily News. No one mentioned the Post.

I was one of the people involved in the discussion about the up-and-down arrows for the guys on the roster bubble. A few of us also said no more wire articles about Bill Parcells or Joe Gibbs.

I also suggested, in my written comments, that they try to run a weekly feature on local guys in the NFL and what they did that week. Also a closer look at the daily on-field activities of each group (O, D, ST) during training camp so we get a feel for their routine, since many of us can not get there each day.

By the way I did throw Bengalszone.com out to a few people and they said they would check it out. It is one of the most sane message boards that I have run across.

[membengal]

LaRosa's...how'd you guess.

Someone in the room mentioned four sources: Bengals.com, The Enquirer, Dave Lapham and CHick Ludwig with the Dayton Daily News. No one mentioned the Post.

I was one of the people involved in the discussion about the up-and-down arrows for the guys on the roster bubble. A few of us also said no more wire articles about Bill Parcells or Joe Gibbs.

I also suggested, in my written comments, that they try to run a weekly feature on local guys in the NFL and what they did that week. Also a closer look at the daily on-field activities of each group (O, D, ST) during training camp so we get a feel for their routine, since many of us can not get there each day.

By the way I did throw Bengalszone.com out to a few people and they said they would check it out. It is one of the most sane message boards that I have run across.

jjak:

Sweet write-up. Feel like I was there.

Much appreciated.

I also happen to think it a very good thing the Enquirer is moving to address its Bengals coverage. I suspect this is in reponse to two things:

1. The Bengals have passed the Reds for local interest and passion (there I said it) and the extra coverage is more than warrented, it is good business sense.

2. He is correct about hobson being competition... .com is a real nice spur in their side in forcing them to examine what they are doing and try to be better. In that case, we all win.

The ideas sound solid to me. Looking forward to any changes. Thanks a ton for the report.

[schweinhart]

What? No more wire articles about Tuna or Grandpa Gibbs? There should be some really hilarious ones this year

I like the idea about more detail at traning camp by group. Sheds more light on what's shaping up and who's doing what. That up-and-down arrow thing seems a good way too to show where players might stand based on how they practice and perform in pre-season games.

Good stuff. Glad you got to check it out. And the LaRosa's too

[turningpoint]

well i think they don't consider the post competition due to the fact the enquier owns it.

[BengalsOwn]

well i think they don't consider the post competition due to the fact the enquier owns it.

[DesperateDerelict]

GREAT STUFF, JJAG - Thanks for representing the 'zone so well.

Inside info (some we already know)

1. Kelly Washington is on the bubble and will be gone if PDub makes the team.

2. Nate Webster will probably be on IR this year.

3. The reason why the Bengals have had better drafts is because of the Tobin family. Bill Tobin built the mid-80's Bears and the Brown family and Marvin trust them totally.

4. Willie Anderson is one of the smartest guys on that team.

5. Marvin also has shifted his core defensive theory to allowing guys to roam more than he did in Baltimore. He will allow Bresnihan the freedom to move guys around.

6. Pollack will be lined up all over the field looking for a mismatch.

I find these interesting:

1) KW may be on the bubble even without P-Dub: He's not a slot receiver and several guys seem to be impressing early.

2) That relieves the logjam at LB - I wonder if they can PUP him in case we have a rash of Defensive injuries.

3) Very insightful news about Tobins - I guess I need to research big Bill a little prior to our next draft.

4) Willie was a Rhodes scholar - or was it Levi? Both are highly intelligent.

5) As the cell company says, it can get expensive to Roam. The team defensive philosophy works much better when everybody knows where everybody else is (supposed to be.)

6) I hope the Cracker-Sacker is quick/fast enough to make an impact. Many rookies are slower than expected because they need to think about their assignments instead of reacting.

REALLY, REALLY GREAT STUFF - Thanks again.

[bengalboomer7]

Cracker Sacker That should have been one of the choices in our poll

[schweinhart]

well i think they don't consider the post competition due to the fact the enquier owns it.

Did the Enquirer buy the Post?

I thought they just had an operations agreement for all the advertising and production but they aren't going to renew the agreement. That might put an end to the Post unless someone steps in and decides it's going to be a two-horse town.

Editorial wise, I dare say there is competition for now.

[BengalszoneBilly]

LaRosa's...how'd you guess.

***Homer Simpson voice*** LaRosa's...MMMmmmm!

I wish they'd open a franchise or 10 out here in Arizona!

[jjakq27]

LaRosa's...how'd you guess. 

***Homer Simpson voice*** LaRosa's...MMMmmmm!

I wish they'd open a franchise or 10 out here in Arizona!

Billy I think there is a website where you can order LaRosa's, Montgomery Inn, Skyline and Graeter's. I pass a billboard on the way to work everyday but I can't remember the site. I will get it for you and let you know. Sounds like you got a cravin'.....

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Yup. Sure can. There's a company that sends out "Flavor of Cincinnati" items that include MI, Skyline, Graeters, and LaRosas.

Or we can just send you some sauce...

[HairOnFire]

3. The reason why the Bengals have had better drafts is because of the Tobin family. Bill Tobin built the mid-80's Bears and the Brown family and Marvin trust them totally.

A great point. I thought one of the most important additions the Bengals have made of late is the addition of Tobin, and I've often wondered if Tobin gets too little credit for the last couple of drafts.

[jjakq27]

3. The reason why the Bengals have had better drafts is because of the Tobin family. Bill Tobin built the mid-80's Bears and the Brown family and Marvin trust them totally.

A great point. I thought one of the most important additions the Bengals have made of late is the addition of Tobin, and I've often wondered if Tobin gets too little credit for the last couple of drafts.

Curnutte said that Bill and Duke set the Bengals entire draft board for them. The last three drafts have been much better than the ones before. I hope these guys stay for a long time. If we aren't going to go out and buy up every FA then our drafts have to work. We can't afford to have only 1 or 2 guys left a few years after they were drafted.

[jjakq27]

The four people quoted in the article were participants in the focus group the other night.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../506180354/1066

[andybren]

Do you think "Cracker Sacker" will fit on the back of jersey? But seriously, this...

6. Pollack will be lined up all over the field looking for a mismatch.

...gets me really excited.

People will be talking about the Tobins soon enough...once the rest of the world realizes the depth of the team that's been assembled in the past three years. I've said it before, but years from now, when they're talking about ML's legacy as a head coach, it will be all about the long-term depth and intense-but-friendly competition that he sets up in the pre-season. The Tobins will certainly get an asterix or two there.

And clearly Curnette thinks very highly of Willie, and rightfully so. Let's hope we can keep the big guy around for the rest of his career.