Marvin Lewis, meet futility
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by Suckatsports
When Marvin Lewis took over the Bengals, they were considered one of the worst franchises in all of sports. Starting from the very top, the management was not committed to winning, and made it known to the city and its fans. Their highly ranked draft choices piled up from years of inadequate coaching, handcuffed in part by the frugal nature of the Brown family. This was one of the only teams in the league that also lacked a scouting department.
In came, Marvin Lewis, of defensive genius fame, and sporting a newly shined Superbowl ring from his time in Baltimore.
The results were slow, but when Cincinnati beat then unbeaten Kansas City in "The Jungle" everyone knew they had arrived. Big armed, and no longer Heisman-trophy-cursed quarterback at the helm, the studious talent, lead by example on and off the field. A team that by everyone's account should have been led by its defense was now lighting things up with explosive and talented players on offense. They hit 8-8, and the next year won the division and flew into the playoffs. Things were looking up.
But since the time Kimo von Oelhoffen tore Carson's knee to shreds, the avalanche of success has come crashing down. Two years in a row, now, great things were expected from this team, be it winning the division, or in other ways qualifying for the playoffs, this team was to be reckoned with. But ever since that day, mediocrity is the word. As in the last calendar year, the highly touted Bengals are a mere 6-11.
At the fear of falling into last place in an already bad division, the Bengals had high expectations for the Monday night meeting with the best team in the league. Those high expectations turned sour when they were completely humiliated on national television.
Chad Johnson screaming like a little girl on the sidelines. Defense not being able to field an entire unit. Players questioning play calls. Coaches and players calling this team immature. And no more Monday off days for these guys. Is the whole thing falling apart? Marvin Lewis, meet futility.
You may indeed be a great X's and O's coach, but motivation might be lacking. The players have given up listening to you, but I think they've done the same to their parole officers as well. It's not completely your fault, it's just your situation. As a franchise, they've never been a winner, they've always stunk. Yes, they had their years of going to the Superbowl, but those days are now nearly 20 years behind, besides those handfuls, there's been nothing to be proud of as a Bengals fan.
There have been seedlings of success. Hope. But be weary of buying into this, and investing emotionally, because as history has continually shown you, it's hard to win as a Bengals fan.
Bengals lose 34-13 [WLWT Cincinnati]
Trying to fix what's broken [Cincinnati Enquirer]
Photo: Michael E. Keating [The Enquirer ]
This post is cross-published from We Suck at Sports.
