If you've visited Bengals.com recently to read Baghdad Hob's latest fluff piece on JP Foschi or to get the PIN number for the latest Bengals FanForum (you too can listen in on a glorified conference call!), you undoubtedly know that tickets are still available for Sunday's game against Houston. After all, it's hard to miss Cedric Benson in monotone, reading a cue card, telling you so. WDR has long looked to this weekend as the one where the sellout streak which started in 2003 could end.
We have to let Mike Brown know that five games isn't enough to bring us back after 18 failed years of his leadership. While a 4-1 record and wins over the rest of the division have been nice, it should be a trend, not a treat. Buying tickets and merchandise now only empowers Mikey further. He'll then know that a decent season every few years will be enough to bring us suckers crawling back to the ticket window. NO MORE!
Here's what a presumably drunk Baghdad Hob reports Marvin Lewis had to say about a potential sellout (one giant [sic] tag):
"We wish it would. Hopefully it will," Lewis said. "We replayiog a vey god football team and pur guys areplauig good football right now. We're getting better every time we go out there. Every itme we have meeting we get better. Everttime we go out to practiced we get better.We just have to keep working, hopefully it will get filled up, we'll sell the rest of those tickets…To me it would be more fun to come the stadium instead of sitting at home and watch it, any way."
Seriously, what the hell? "We replayiog a vey god football team and pur guys areplauig good football right now." What. The. Hell. Here's a screengrab for when it gets corrected:
JP Foschi -- can he play defensive end?
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 14, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Question: can you please specify how many wins it will take before you suggest people should buy tickets?
If the Bengals go to the playoffs, would you buy then?
The Bengals are putting a good product on the field. If you want to go see it, then by all means go see it. If the Bengals revert back to putting a bad product on the field, then stay home.
Say what you want about MB, but the Bengals (the team you are paying to see) are doing things right SO FAR. Therefore, the is no reason not to support them by buying tickets to what have been very entertaining games. You can probably get a great deal on a ticket to see what will HOPEFULLY be some damn good football from an improving team that we are all excited about.
This does nothing to dilute the WDR message, it actually reinforces it. We will buy tickets when the team wins and does well. But when the team fails to compete, Bengals fans may choose to stay home.
Posted by: Artrell Hawkins | October 14, 2009 at 02:45 PM
Amen Artrell.
Also keep in mind that a lot of the contributors to this sight (including the founder) live out of the viewing area. What do they care if the game is blacked out? They can just fire up the NFL direct ticket,or go to a sports bar.
I hate MB,and I support the cause,but damn it! I want a chance to see them play!
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 14, 2009 at 02:57 PM
i totally agree with the above post. you pay for a good product, and this season their product (mike brown's product) is worth paying for. i haven't gone to a game in since the loss to the colts in a shootout at pbs way back, but that's because i don't live in cincy and think tix are too expensive anyway. when i do go, i never buy food/gear. just not worth it (load up on skyline and larosa's before the game, buy bootleg/unique gear from ebay) i prefer to watch on tv. it's criminal that the league can enforce blackouts. for older people who can't sit in the elements, or families with small childeren, it's absolutely criminal to penalize them by removing the opportunity to stay at home and follow the team on television.
what can be frustrating about this site, and it's been pointed out before, is that most of the founders/writers on here live outside the cincy area. they are free to call for ticket boycotts because blackouts don't disrupt their normal viewing pleasure; they're always in some dark/dank bars watching the bengals, and then getting moody when they win. that's a weak-ass revolution so far removed from the front lines. and then when these 'leaders' come in to town, you better believe they go to games. so i contend that if you're going to call for a ticket boycott and there happens to be a blackout, you have to follow through and share in the inconvenience by not going to a sports bar in your beloved dc/nyc. you can't watch it on tv at all. same restrictions apply to you as to the good people of cincinnati.
other than that, it's a dick maneuver not to go out and support the players of this team in person. we've seen how opposing teams' fans have made live hard for the benagls by being loud and causing procedure penalites, and this young team deserves that same kind of aid. they're playing their asses off and deserve solid support.
stop the pillow-biting and enjoy this run or stay the fuck out of the bars on sunday while the folks back home have to huddle around a radio.
Posted by: votasi | October 14, 2009 at 03:04 PM
WhoDey Revolution has officially jumped the shark. Now you just come off as a bunch of whiney entitled douchebags who will never, ever get what they want. Either enjoy the product on the field or stop watching. Having a winning football team is not a birth right.
Posted by: Mike | October 14, 2009 at 03:13 PM
I'm local. I gave up my season tickets this year. I will not be buying tickets (or merchandise) again until I am convinced the management is doing everything it can to put a consistent winner on the field. As happy as I am for the players, five games has not convinced me of that. I agree that "Having a winning football team is not a birth right", but I refuse to support an owner who does not strive for that goal.
As for HobSpin, anyone besides me notice that the "Hobson Q&A" today (10/14) has been there since Oct. 1? Either he's asleep at the wheel or no one sends him questions anymore.
Posted by: Leo deTrotskyo | October 14, 2009 at 03:23 PM
I send him a question about Brat's awful playcalling every week, making sure there's no way he can loophole out of it. Yet, for some reason, he's yet to pick me for his question of the week.
And, as much as I love the Hob hatred, out of all the drivel he's posted the past 10 days or so, the best you could come up with were a bunch of spelling errors?
Posted by: Wyatt | October 14, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Leo
I salute you for sticking to your guns,and I respect your decision. What I don't respect is some bitter Bengals fan in Washington DC,or Chicago telling us not to buy tickets because we're "supporting MB blah blah blah" while they are sitting in some expensive man cave or douchey sports bar watching the game with their popped collar buddies.
Besides,how much effect do you think not buying tickets is going to have? MB is just going to make his money some other way. Or relocate the team all together. How much chance do you think Cincy will have in getting another team? ZERO!
Personally, I would rather spend my money on other things, like my mortgage instead of tickets. I guess I'll be huddled around my radio,just like Votasi.
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 14, 2009 at 03:48 PM
Wow, five games and we're ready to quit? I offered a great suggestion, drive to Indy, drive to athens, drive to C-bus and watch at a bar with Sunday Ticket, you'll likely spend less money than the purchase of a ticket, and won't give it to the douchtards that run this organization. I am ashamed at the mutinous comments here, give the Brownburns your money = telling the Brownburns that you're a sucker and they can continue to fleece you. Be on board or don't, I FULLY understand the temptation to attend the game, I WANT to go, and I have affinity for every player on the team, except Vern, catch a ball man! But as much as I live and die with success or failure, the mission is not "ask for a 4-1 start and we're happy and won't boycott anymore" This team is achieving due to Marv and Zimm's incredible ability to scout players as well as play coach, not because of anything the MANAGEMENT has done differently, buy tix and let it be known that you don't actually give a fuck about organizational changes, just good starts to the season.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | October 14, 2009 at 03:53 PM
...and there you have it. The idiots have identified themselves.
Buying tickets when they are winning simply because they are winning is not being a true fan. It's the very definition of the bandwagon.
Yes, they are winning right now. Does it mean that the Bengals are a first rate franchise, optimally-run and properly resourced for success? Is Mikey doing everything he can within still-profitable reason to put the team in a position to succeed? Does it mean that the front office is football-savvy and staffed so as to get more than the sum of all of its many early draft pick parts? Is the ownership any more committed to providing a valuable experience to or develping a symbiotic relationship with the fans and community?
No. No. No. And no.
And by the way, take a look around the NFL this year : Mediocrity abounds. The Steelers are getting their just offensive line and cornerback desserts after a long history of feeding on weaker opponents like the Browns and ourselves. The Packers, Cowboys, Chargers, etc... that the Bengals are succeeding this year is as much a testament to coach turnover and schematic overall elsewhere as to the improvements (and there are some) the Bengals made in the off-season. If there was a time in the NFL when "Any Given Sunday" really rang true, it's now.
That probably all went over your head. So go buy a ticket. Go watch them beat the Texans. Mikey and yourself will both be happy. See you when the next Jerome Simpson is drafted over DeSean Jackson, Ben Utecht signed, threatening COA letter is sent, and poor-character player is redeemed. Good luck with that.
The Bengals will still be without a Superbowl win and Whodeyrevolution will still be right.
Posted by: P. Simonov | October 14, 2009 at 03:55 PM
KATT, to answer your question, "Who knows?" I don't think MB can relocate the team, not after the long-term lease he signed a few years ago. In the 90s, I took that threat seriously, but not today. I'm in complete agreement that this area will never get another franchise should the Bengals leave. That's why it's so important to get through to MB: it's the only chance we have for a successful franchise. We all know what results when he is left to his own motivations.
Will a ticket boycott do the trick? I hope so, but I just don't know. I often wish that the leaders of WDR would call for a sponsor boycott, just to amp up the pressure (short of that, a post as to why they have not yet done so would be appreciated). Until then, I (and many others, hopefully) will continue to do what we can.
Posted by: Leo deTrotskyo | October 14, 2009 at 04:04 PM
P. Simonov, CurseofBo, and others,
What is the ultimate goal of this site? I know, I know, scouts, GM, etc. etc. But what is the ULTIMATE goal? To have a winning Cincinnati Bengals football team.
Well the team is winning, and like it or not, it's on Mike Brown's watch. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you refuse to support the Bengals now, to go to games and root for a winning team with playoff dreams, you are saying your ultimate goal is not winning, but something else.
Telling people not to go to games when we are in the process of achieving the ultimate goal (winning) has no logical basis whatsoever. Fine, the jury is still out, but for now the team is winning and playing with guts. Your lack of support for this team, OUR team, when it is WINNING, makes you a bigger problem than all of the "bandwagon" fans combined.
Don't fool yourselves into thinking you are actually supporting the team, while telling everyone not to go to games. This is a contradiction. It doesn't just hurt Mike Brown if the stadium is empty when we are trying to uphold a #1 AFC north standing. It hurts the Bengals, and consequently their fans.
If the Bengals win, Mike Brown is going to get paid, one way or another. Do I care? No. I care about the Bengals winning. Period. Owners get paid when they put a winning product on the field. If they win, let him get paid. If they lose, let him lose.
Oh and just to be clear, this game will not be blacked out due to the "revolution". It will be blacked out because the employment rate in Cincinnati is ballooning and disposable income is drastically lower than last year. That's not something to cheer about.
Posted by: Artrell Hawkins | October 14, 2009 at 04:59 PM
Leo, MB's lease doesn't matter, typicall if a team up and moves like the Browns did to Balitmore the new city will pay the remaining lease owed by the team as part of the incentive package to get them to move there.
How sad is this so called Revolution. What will it take to stop people from being the typical cry baby cincinnati sport fan. I'd be willing to bet that even if the Bengals won the superbowl and were in the playoffs for the next 5 years there would still be people on here complaining that we hadn't one 6 superbowls so we suck.
BTW idiots MB makes more money off you watching Direct TV outside of Cincy then he ever will by you showing up to the stadium so who is the one lining his pocket???
I may hate MB but it's obvious to anyone who isn't just here to complain that something is different this year.
Posted by: Factcorrecter | October 14, 2009 at 05:22 PM
Leo
A sponsor boycott? That is the best idea I have heard in a long time! Makes a lot more sense than a ticket boycott. MB is more likely to listen to sponsors closing their wallets than fans....
Revolution works best from within........
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 14, 2009 at 05:51 PM
@Artrell: the goal isn't just winning 4 games or even making one year's playoffs. It's having a competent organization, so winning isn't a fluke. 4 games doesn't erase almost 200 losses.
@Factcorrector: You're wrong, the tv money pot is split/fixed before the season started. That's why they have an anti-trust exemption. Not buying merch or going to PBS is the only way you personally can make Brown's money pot smaller or bigger. And I'd love to see your experiment where the Bengals have five Super Bowl victories and people still whine. Instead of being the joke franchise for two decades. You're whining about people whining in the future. How effed up is that?
@Leo: A sponsor boycott is a good idea. At least if the sponsors of the Bengals heard from fans that the sponsors should exert pressure on MB to fix the nepotism and replace himself. To some extent this happens if luxury box orders are cancelled due to Bengals suckiness, since a lot of those are corporate customers.
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 14, 2009 at 06:12 PM
This CHARLES ROBINSON post deserves an article here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvzzBrbOszITwx6L0Kj1pQNDubYF?slug=cr-inconvenienttruths101409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Hard to ignore history and fully trust Bengals
"Without that “Under New Management” sign, can you really trust where this franchise is going? Come to your own conclusions, but I’m not there. I still don’t trust that something ridiculous isn’t around the corner... But five weeks in, I still don’t have faith that something disappointing isn’t around the corner – both on and off the field. On one hand, I want to see how this team handles success. One of the underrated downfalls of the Bengals under head coach Marvin Lewis is that they’ve never been all that mentally tough. Now that Cincinnati feels perception turning in its favor, this is when the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears come to town and pull the rug out. The Texans are a team Cincinnati should beat, and that’s an expectation that becomes a hurdle. When was the last time we expected the Bengals to beat anyone – OK, excluding the downtrodden Browns?"
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 14, 2009 at 06:13 PM
Artrell, the Bengals are winning this year. Will they win next year? The year after? Consistently throughout Mike Brown's tenure? This is the point. So yes, the ticket boycott IS about winning football games. It's just not about the short-term, which is what you've zeroed in on, presumably because you are so deprived of winning Bengals football (as are we all).
The logic is clear, and sound. Stop supporting the Browns financially until they have the pieces in place to enjoy long-term, consistent success. This means competing for the Super Bowl every single year, with that being the foremost goal behind all football operations. If the Bengals win the Super Bowl this year (they won't), of course we'll all be thrilled. But what if the next 8 years are 5-11 wastes of space because of it? Is that okay? Personally, I'd rather keep the heat on during the good times if it means ultimately extending them.
And Factcorrecter....learn to spell "corrector" before you start winging insults. This is the second time I've called you out on that, so there's no excuse.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 14, 2009 at 06:13 PM
why are the locals on here whining about this site and what it does? is this site getting to you? if this site has nothing to do with the non sellouts then why are you worried and why do you post here? you want to watch the games for free by having a sell out, but you won't go buy a ticket to get what you want and that is for the game to sell out? this makes no sense.
some of you don't have clue about this business or anything that MFB has done over the years. you are clueless and it shows in your posts. you write about something you have no facts on and just state as your opinion.
wake up, 4 winning games does not constitute buying into MFB's business! this is what he wants the sheep to do and have done over the past 18 years. you are lost! Let him have a competitive winning team for 5 straight years and then let's talk about continuing to buy into his business.
how many straight sell outs have there been? how much money has MFB made with this team losing over the past 18 years? he has a RENT FREE facility to run his business in! I could go on and on. Get a clue!
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 14, 2009 at 06:44 PM
@Artrell, this statement defines the fair weather-fan.
"What is the ultimate goal of this site? I know, I know, scouts, GM, etc. etc. But what is the ULTIMATE goal? To have a winning Cincinnati Bengals football team. Well the team is winning, and like it or not, it's on Mike Brown's watch. You can't have your cake and eat it too."......Wow. We’re winning right now so who cares about everything else!........right?
Great point. They have won four whole games early in the season. I guess you're right, we should probably pack it up WRD Nation. I can't comprehend how bad your ADD must be for you to forget the past two decades? We, WRD Nation, want the Bengals to win just as bad as any other die hard fan. Only a total maroon can't look beyond these few fantastic games in ’09 and not still worry about our sustained success. As it stands, we are not an organization that can put a playoff team on the field year after year. Artrell, Please continue to learn nothing from history. Also, do you think we are dumb enough to actually believe WDR is the reason for the blackout? The fact that you wrote that makes you look like an idiot. All I know is that WDR IS responsible for keeping money out of Mikey Boy’s hands. I don't care how large or small the effect is on him. WDR is without a doubt the catalyst which made me realize I was paying money to a man who was delivering me heartache, embarrassment, and incredible frustration.
Keep up the good work WDR.
VIVA!
Posted by: Ho Chi Maier | October 14, 2009 at 06:48 PM
Nothing's different this year - the injury bug just hasn't struck yet. Sure, Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht are down for the season, but we haven't had both offensive tackles and all three linebackers hurt like in seasons past (yes, seasons plural). This team is playing lights out right now, and that's all well and good, but the long-term goal isn't simply to win, it's to institute measures to ensure that winning is the rule and not the exception (which 2005 and the beginning of this season certainly have been, at least empirically). To quote the manifesto:
"THAT all decisions made by ownership, management, staff and players, both on and off the field, are judged only by this criterion: 'Does this help the Cincinnati Bengals win a Super Bowl?'"
As it stands right now, Mike Brown is still making decisions based only by the criterion "Will this make me money?" The team is winning IN SPITE OF MIKE BROWN, NOT BECAUSE OF HIM.
Until thick-skulled sheep like the ones showing up around this site only in past two weeks or so realize that, NOTHING is going to change. The Bengals will still manage a good season or two every two decades, and apparently, that's acceptable.
Posted by: Wyatt | October 14, 2009 at 07:08 PM
what the f*&^ is wrong with you pricks, thanks to you if the game doesnt sell out im not gonna be able to sit at home and watch a product that i am proud of take the field, just because you fags think that doing whatever you think will help your bitch cause will cause mb to hire a gm is absolute bullshit. regardless of if you buy tickets or not nothing is going to happen, there were plenty of blackouts in the 03 years and before but hey look at us now. MIKE BROWN IS STILL THE OWNER AND HE IS NOT GONNA GIVE INTO YOUR WHINEY BULLSHIT, he didnt give in during the blackouts before and he sure as hell is going to now. so on behalf of the cincinnati fans that wont be able to watch the game, thanks a lot assholes
Posted by: brandon c | October 14, 2009 at 09:00 PM
its the inconsistency. mikey boy has had 1-and-a-quarter winning seasons in 19 years. WE WILL NEVER HAVE THE CONSISTENCY OF A REAL FRANCHISE UNTIL MIKEY CHANGES THE ORGANIZATION FROM THE TOP/DOWN. turn on the radio on sunday, get to a bar. do not line mikey's pockets any more... here's to hoping the offensive line keeps it together for at least 11 more weeks. who dey.
Posted by: artist formerly known as Section 101 | October 14, 2009 at 09:13 PM
@artist: too funny, you say it is inconsistency and then point out 1 and a quarter winning seasons in 19 years. That is CONSISTENT! Consistent LOSING! That's why this site exists. To say we want consistent WINNING is to turn this franchise upside down. Not make a small correction.
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 14, 2009 at 09:42 PM
@brandon c: buy a ticket then! Instead of blaming other people that you cannot sit on your rear end and watch for free. Talk about being a prick. Help Mike Brown laugh all the way to the bank again. It's not other peoples' responsiblity to buy tickets so YOU can watch for free. Same goes for all the other cincinnati "fans" that you say won't be able to watch for free.
I guarantee if the stadium doesn't sell out the last 46 games in a row Mike Brown would be under a lot of pressure to get the hell out of the way. Before he conned everyone with the Marvin Lewis hiring, there was a lot of pressure coming to bear. The NFL even participated in the charade at the introduction of Lewis, the commish came to town to try to pretend that the franchise was gonna be different. They know how crappy Mr Brown is for the game.
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 14, 2009 at 09:51 PM
I am not a sheep. You tools that like to toss that term around are the morons. Maybe I am different than the whiny posters here but I kept my tickets. I am going to buy beers and I will be in the next cell phone video when we beat the Ravens at home. I was at the 2005 playoff game. It was pretty awesome to be at a playoff game. I like to go down and tailgate. I like to watch the games in person. No excuses like others on here about passing them down from generation to generation bs.
I keep my tickets because for a few hours on Sunday I like to go down and watch football. My week and life is not ruined by the Bengals win loss percentage. Do I wish they won more? Sure. Will I cry and fly planes with signs? nope.
Mike Brown is not going to change. Once you realize that, take a deep breath and enjoy the cards you were dealt. You will enjoy yourselves a lot more. I am not even saying don't boycott. Do whatever makes you happy, just be careful judging others when you don't know what their motivations are. The hardcore commenters on this site love to sling insults and judge, and now that the Bengals are winning the trolls come in and toss insults back.
It is all kind of sad really. It must suck to be you.
WhoDey. Man that sounds good.
Posted by: WhoDeyFans | October 14, 2009 at 10:36 PM
IMO, boycotting the games only hurts the fans and the team. Not MB. What does he care if he loses a little revenue? He doesn't! If you want to hit MB in the wallet and send a clear and resolute message that change must come,start with the sponsors!
If enough people refuse to spend their money with the businesses that sponsor Bengals football, they will wonder what's going on.If we as a fan base let them know that we will choose to spend our elsewhere until they pressure MB into making positive change,they will do so.
How do we convey the message?
1- The money spent on Project Mayhem should be directed to letting corporate sponsors know our intentions and why.
2-Circulate online petitions to their sponsors stating the same intentions.
3- Spread the word to everyone we know what our goals are and ask them to join the cause.
4-Stop spending our money with said sponsors,until they force change on MB.
MB will never listen to the average fan. He will however listen and react to the corporate sponsors whom provide the real money to keep his business afloat. Think about it people. Real change can only come from within.
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 14, 2009 at 11:04 PM
I agree with hitting the corporate sponsors! In fact, Goldstar is the official chili of the Bengals and I haven't been there in 10 years; Skyline all the way! I'm showing MFB whats up
Posted by: whodeybaby | October 14, 2009 at 11:17 PM
@WhoDeyFans: The first thing on the site you link shows a Tecmo simulation, in which you say the Bengals will open up the scoring with a long pass from Palmer to Leon Hall. Oops. It is kind of sad really. It must suck to be you.
Point is, don't say people "love to sling insults and judge," then wax hypocritical with lines like that. You're no better morally going solely off your post, and you're part of the problem financially. Is that a judgment about your overall character? Of course not. But it is factual that you are an enabler to Mike Brown. You say there's no problem with that. We disagree. That's the crux of it.
@KenAnderson'sTurfToe: I agree that a sponsor boycott is a good idea, but to claim that Mike Brown doesn't care about losing revenue is not in touch with reality. If there is anything Mike Brown DOES care about (short of continuing to have total control of his daddy's team and to run it his own way), it is his bottom line.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 15, 2009 at 02:41 AM
Mockenrue
I know that MB cares about losing revenue. But he doesn't care about losing revenue from a few thousand tickets that go unsold. Nor does he care about a few hundred ocho cinco jerseys that go unsold. That lost money is a drop in the bucket to him! To think otherwise is not being in touch with reality!
The real money is through the corporate sponsorship.Hit them hard,and in turn they will hit MB hard. Without the fan's money,he makes a few less trips to Denny's. Without sponsor money,he's in danger of losing the team!
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 15, 2009 at 07:01 AM
The reason the Q&A isn't updated and Hob's posts are misspelled is that Mikey has cut back Hob's hours in an effort to make, er, save more money; ergo, Hob spends less time on his "work".
Posted by: Jeff | October 15, 2009 at 07:54 AM
Unfortunately if the Bengals are winning, sponsors will be there to give money. You aren't going to convince Gold Star to stop sponsoring them just b/c he lost a lot of games in the past. If they are presently winning, they are going to keep mailing him checks. So good luck on a sponsor boycott. It'll never work. It MAY work for smaller business who sponsor him but corporations won't buy into it. Trust me, I'm all for a boycott on MB but I do enjoy the winning for the time being. Although like all Bengals fans, I'm waiting for them to fall flat on their face. Although this team likes a lot different from teams of the past. Who knows. Let's see what they do against Houston and Chicago.
Posted by: Randy | October 15, 2009 at 08:57 AM
@Mockenrue - It is like watching the news and seeing a sad story and think, man it must suck to be them. You are more concerned with telling everyone how they are wrong, or enablers, or whatever to enjoy the success the Bengals are having.
My post was not to take a moral high ground or say I am better, just to say from someone who knows the issues and still chooses to attend the games I am not a sheep. I am not blindly led with a false hope. I like going to go, I know what to expect.
Thanks for the Leon Hall catch. Not sure what I was thinking.
Posted by: WhoDeyFans | October 15, 2009 at 09:28 AM
Yeah, the Bengals are 4-1,the Bengals are great, Mike Brown is great, Katie Brown is a great. Ignore the pathetic history of this franchise since Mike took over. That's all in the past. YEAH!
All of you saps, keep enabling.
Posted by: PAl | October 15, 2009 at 11:44 AM
someone that is not in the cincy viewing area that has nfl sunday ticket and a slingbox can allow the rest of us to watch the game.
Posted by: Emmit Fitz-Hume | October 15, 2009 at 12:49 PM
@WhoDeyFans - I can and do fully enjoy the winning the Bengals are achieving at the moment, yet I do so with the understanding that they haven't really accomplished anything yet. I'm not saying you fail to have that understanding, and I'm not even necessarily condemning you for your decision to attend games (it's your disposable income to spend, after all). However, enabler IS the correct word based on almost two decades of futility. If you're okay with that, then you are. And that's a conscious decision you've made and are happy with. Just understand the ramifications if most people think like you do. That's all I think I'm saying.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 15, 2009 at 01:15 PM
@WhoDeyFans - Since I threw the dreaded "sheep" comment out there, I'll address your concern: You, personally, might not be a sheep, but all these people blindly arguing that because the Bengals are 4-1 RIGHT NOW, the Revolution loses its purpose are, assuredly, sheep. A winning record less than halfway through the season does not a winning organization make. That was my point, not anything to do with people going to the stadium. I don't comment on that, because I'll be one of those "douches watching in a sports bar with my popped collar friends" (except for the fact that I go with guys I work with in the construction industry who are the very definition of blue collar, and the bar we're sitting in is an Eagles bar, but I show up every week in my Carson Palmer jersey and Bengals hat (both of which were purchased prior to the founding of the Revolution) and bear the dirty looks), so I'd be a hypocrite if I did comment.
And, as Mockenrue so aptly pointed out, by buying tickets and going to the game and buying beer/food, you are, quite simply put, an enabler. That's your decision, and I won't begrudge you it. But don't get so defensive when I call a spade a spade (or, in this case, call a sheep a sheep).
Posted by: Wyatt | October 15, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Also:
@brandonc: as has already been said, stop whining about the people on this site and go buy a ticket if you want to watch the game so badly. What's that? You don't want to spend that kind of money? Then why should we? I realize that pointing out your flawed logic to you is like trying to teach a dog to conjugate a verb (and I'm sure that expression lost you too), so let me put it simply - DON'T COME TO THIS SITE AND WHINE. If you come to this site, you obviously have some idea of what the goals and methods of the Revolution are, so perhaps you'd be better suited on the Bengals.com message board, where people care about your incessant whining.
@KenAndersonsTurfToe: I don't really take issue with the majority of your post, but for future reference, just forget the online surveys. They're so easy to spam/fake that no reputable business takes them seriously (or else Mike Brown would've been replaced in 2001 or so, if I'm not mistaken). By propagating such a flawed tool, you're only hurting the rest of your relatively sound ideas.
Posted by: Wyatt | October 15, 2009 at 04:34 PM
@WhoDeyFans You are a perfect example of the real problem. You put the experience you get from the 'show' ahead of the results of the product on the field. You go to the game as pure entertainment, not a sporting contest with paid participants and a premium placed on winning and losing. For us real fans, those who understand that the objective is to win (and win consistently), you continue to enable a franchise that caters to others with your pathetic view. You don't get it. Go to your local HS or pee-wee game if you want to be simply 'entertained'. Do you understand that fans of 90% of the other NFL cities actually expect their team to be consistently successful, and that expectation supercedes any temporary pleasure obtained from the 'experience' on any given Sunday?
Go WDR!
Posted by: JP | October 15, 2009 at 04:49 PM
Wyatt
First, I want to say out I was out of line for my comments about the sports bars and popped collars. I don't like it when people generalize me, so I sure as hell have no right to generalize others. I'm sorry.
Upon further review your comment about the online petition is spot on. I have to give you that one.
However I still think my theory is a sound one. MB is never going to miss the profits from a few thousand unsold tickets. He'll just layoff a couple of stadium janitors or hot dog vendors or even worse, their one and only scout to make up the difference.
The real money comes from the sponsors if we can put pressure on them, they will put pressure on MB. Maybe not right now because they are winning,but we all know that worm will turn because MB is MB and he always manages to fuck things up.
Again, sorry about the insults. We should stop fighting, and start uniting! Who-Dey!
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 15, 2009 at 05:38 PM
@KenAnderson'sTurftoe you are one of the clueless fans I spoke about in my post. You know nothing about the business. Let me see, let's do some basic math shall we....7,000 x $64 (cheapest ticket) = $448,000.00 of lost revenue on tickets. That is not chump change as you so think. How much lost revenue in parking, concession stands, etc... will be lost from these tickets not bought?
Let's just say each person buys 1 hotdog, 1 soda or beer, 1 pretzel, and 1 hamburger and this is being on the low end, it will cost the one person about $20 or more for a person to buy these. Basic math here again, 7,000 x 20 = $140,000.00 lost in concession stand revenue and this is probably on the low end.
Is this not hitting his sponsors in their pockets? If they do not go to the game, the sponsors are not getting reimbursed for the contract money he gave MFB up front. If they take a hit, they will start thinking twice about not sponsoring the Bengals any more or at least make MFB lower his asking price for the contract.
$600,000.00 in lost revenue is CHUMP CHANGE? Get a clue! Why do you think he is pushing the players to sale the tickets on bengals.com? He has never used his players for advertising his product before. BTW, there is a 60/40 split in gate ticket revenue where the home team receives 60 percent of the gate revenue and the visiting team takes 40 percent of the gate revenue, but this is only after 15 percent is taken by the home team to cover other expenses.
If this revenue is not coming in to pay the visiting team and I believe there is a minimum amount that MFB must pay the team then the other owners will take it out on MFB at the owner's meetings because he is not pulling his weight at the gates.
Plus, MFB will take it in the hide if he can not cover the minimum to pay the visiting team. In the end, tickets and tv are the biggest revenues for all teams besides club seats. You need to learn the system.
MFB averages $48M in gate receipts every year. You take a chunk out of that every game, um, someone is going to say something for sure and will notice the lack of revenue coming in.
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 15, 2009 at 05:59 PM
TigerJ@w
Thank you so much for correcting me. I feel so enlightened now! I bask in the glow that is your infinite knowledge and wisdom.
Until the playoff run of 2005,the games were not selling out. Yet the franchise still managed to thrive for the previous 14 years before that. Why is this,oh omnipotent one? Because of corporate sponsors!
MB could give two shits about a few thousand tickets and the money it generates.He's also making money off of the franchises that are better run,when he splits their home gates as well.
Corporate sponsors spend millions to be associated with the only game in town.What's $600 thousand to him? If we start 10-15 thousand tickets going unsold, then you're on to something.
Have a nice day :)
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 15, 2009 at 06:52 PM
@JP
My views are pathetic? I am not a real fan? I voice an opinion that you happen to disagree with and that makes me wrong. I own a website, bus and season tickets. I make at least one away game a year. I like rooting for the Bengals. However I am not going to get up in arms to put a small dent in Mike Browns pocket just so I can go online on some blog and make fun of people in the comments.
To you I say get a life. Football on Sunday is a show for entertainment. If it holds something more from you then you have a problem. It is no different that a TV show or movie where people are paid to perform for your entertainment.
Do I want the Bengals to win more games? Yep.
I choose to look at things differently. I am not a problem, just a fan.
Posted by: WhoDeyFans | October 15, 2009 at 09:52 PM
oh my god this site is the most brilliant thing of all time, but wait i dont like the fact that out of towners are running it... if i boycott the site and get a whodeyrevolution for who dey fans website will that at all change anything... didnt think so. This is the most pointless waste of time i have ever heard of other than when WYATT realized he was gay. Just because you dont like the way something is run and dont think that it is in YOUR best interest to be a part of the product anymore doesnt mean that boycotting and not buying tickets is gonna make the owner sell the team. Stop what your doing and think for just one second... if you dont like the way a double cheeseburger tastes and create a mcdonalds revolution website, are they gonna sell the franchise and put out a better product. NO it makes no damn sense where you all came up with the idea that it could happen.
also @Wyatt and @mikebrownmustgo, what makes you think that you know everything that goes through the mind of a bengals fan? and what makes you think you know everything about the makers of this sites intentions. Just because i cant afford to buy a ticket 3 days before a game, when i find its blacked out, doesnt mean i want everyone else to. I want everyone that wants to buy a ticket not to be veared away by a bunch of jackasses that are gonna be able to sit at home and watch the game regardless of if its blacked out or not. hopefully the game does sell out and every game this year, i think people should started texting the jerk line on whodeyrevolution
Posted by: brandon c | October 15, 2009 at 10:06 PM
"Until the playoff run in 2005 the games were not selling out."
The current streak started in 2003. One of hell of a long playoff run in your imagination!
Posted by: MikeBrownMustGo | October 15, 2009 at 10:40 PM
@brandon c: Again, buddy, go visit the official Bengals.com message board, where someone might actually care what you have to say. Your logic atrocious - you don't think this website makes any difference, yet you're whining about potential ticket buyers being "veared" (not even sure what you mean, maybe "veered", although it doesn't really fit in that sentence and "steered" would work a lot better)away by this website - which is it? Does this website serve no purpose? Or does it potentially have the ability to prevent people from buying tickets, causing the dreaded blackout that would make you get off your ass and go watch the game somewhere (or on tha intrawebs!)?
And before you start trying to be funny by questioning my sexuality (which I'm pretty sure your line of questioning is invalidated by the fact that I have a daughter and that I'm currently involved in a heterosexual relationship), please go read my comment in the "Supporting the Players Without Enabling the Owner" post - by posting here with poor grammar and even more poorly chosen arguments (including ad hominem attacks - look it up!), you're only making yourself look less relevant and the rest of us look like the intelligent Bengals fans who aren't willing to believe a 4-1 start (or even a second playoff season in the past 5 years) is indicative of anything more than luck.
Posted by: Wyatt | October 16, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Until the playoff run in 2005 the games were not selling out."
The current streak started in 2003. One of hell of a long playoff run in your imagination!
You're right on that. I got my facts wrong. Sorry about that.
The point is,boycotting games does not hit nearly hard enough. Why should we wrap ourselves in sack cloth and ashes because of MB? A lot of franchises through history have a lot of fans disguise themselves as empty seats,yet still survive.Why is this? Because corporate sponsors spend a hell of a lot more money on the team than we do!
Luxury suites,vendors,merchandise in their stores,advertising etc.This is the money that MB respects. If we hit his enablers hard enough, they will start to abandon MB.
If you don't want to give MB your money,than don't. I respect your decision. Personally, I won't give my money to MB either. I made that decision a long time ago. However, I am not going to castigate others because they choose to buy tickets and go have a good time. That is their decision,and I respect that as well.
WDR has a lot of great ideas. I just do not think that boycotting games hit home hard enough. Excuse me for having a different viewpoint.Excuse me for thinking that fans shouldn't have to punish themselves either.
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 16, 2009 at 07:28 AM
@WYATT
well there you go the interesting one and motorolla bought out the rest of the tickets so there wont be a black out HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA
too bad loser.
Posted by: brandon c | October 16, 2009 at 01:22 PM
@brandon, if the Bengals fall flat on their face, and trust me, i hope they continue to win, but who will get the last laugh? As they say, don't count your chickens until they are hatched. It might come back to bite you! I am sure everyone on this site wants the Bengals to win, but supporting MFB is the problem, and funny how it takes Ocho Cinco and his sponsor to buy up the remaining tickets. Notice, it was not the FANS! Plus, Chad might want to watch out what he is doing because he owes back taxes to the county.
http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2008/05/29/Bengals-Johnson-owes-thousands-in-taxes/UPI-67541212099428/
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 16, 2009 at 05:18 PM
KenAnderson'sTurfToe, you still do not get it. That is only for 1 game. Times that by 8 and now we are talking millions lost. Man, i would not want to work for you if your business was losing millions. You must have worked for Enron.
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 16, 2009 at 05:20 PM
@ Tiger J@w
Whuut? There's more than one game? Wait you mean to tell me there's 8? What in the name of Minnie Pearl is going on here? Wowzers, I bet Virgil Carter and Bob Johnson must really get tired after such a long season!They are probably so tuckered out, they can't even make it to their off season jobs!
I'm so glad you are my new bestest friend Jabber J@w, I was getting so lonely in mama's basement after cousin Emma dumped me for uncle Jimmy Joe! The only reason she left me is because uncle Jimmy Joe has 12 toes and I only have 10. I feel like such a freak!
Maybe you could come over to my house and watch the game with me. I have a really comfy futon,and mama bought me a brand new 19 inch black and white tv with her sowin money. Aint mama really sweet? I think she'd really like you. She might even put her teeth in for you!
Don't worry about bringin anything. I'll ask cousin Earl (he lives in the attic,times are tuff down in the holler ya know) to whip us up a new batch of corn squeezins. I'll even skin and cook the rabbit I keep under the futon.Uncle Augie calls him Mr. Fluffy, I just call him good eats.
Of course you'll have to help me hook up the rabbit ears to the tv. I never wuz to good with directions. If you read em to me I think I can manage.
I am so excited! While the game is on you can tell me all about this thing called business. The only time I hear this word is when mama calls out to me in the outhouse "are you dun doin your business yet?"
I also want to hear about this Enron player you're so excited about. Did the Bengals recruit him to replace Isaac Curtis? I new that darkie would never last in this league.
Anyway, I gotta go and git ready. I gotta clean myself up for when you git here. I wanna be nice and clean for when we have the family tickle fight during half time! See you Sunday my smart friend!
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 16, 2009 at 09:04 PM
@Tigerj@w if you would ever so kindly take a look at the publish date of that article you would notice may of 2008.... if youre gonna sit here and try to tell anyone that a professional athlete that makes millions of dollars per year on top of their contract salary, is gonna leave a couple thousands of dollars in back taxes left unpaid? what is wrong with you and why is everyone on ochos back hes paid his dues
Posted by: brandon c | October 16, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Uh, Brandon C, yes, I know what the date of the article is and do you know what the date is when taxes are to be paid each year? Is it not April 15th? Not only the point that he still may owe his taxes, but he may have paid up, but the other point is you praise a guy who does not pay his taxes on time? So, you really think he paid for these tickets? LOL
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 17, 2009 at 09:37 AM
KenAnderson'sTurfToe, you are a MORON! Any time you want me to come to visit you at your double wide so when can have a one on one discussion then just let me know and i will come there so I can make it much clearer for you! Only a real hick would know how to demonstrate and talk like a hillbilly! I bet you are happy that I was able to bring you out of your double wide closet. BTW, nice name you have there! Bwwwwwwhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Posted by: TigerJ@w | October 17, 2009 at 09:44 AM
Tiger J@w
Boy I sure wish I had a double wide. Those things are so cool! Maybe on day I can save up enough from my paper route to buy one. I got bad news though. Mama kicked me out of the house down here in the holler. Something about birds leavin the nest. It's not so bad though. I found me a great big cardboard box to sleep in. I even moved it next to one of those new fangled drive in movies, so now i got free HBO!
Dag gone, I sure am glad I got a smart friend like you! Will you come visit me down at my new card board box! I sure am lonely! You are so cool! I really wish I could more like you. I bet if I wuz just like you, I would really impress my new pet rat. I named him Bitey :)
Say Lock J@w what are you doin today? I shur could use some help. Saturday's I go dumpster divin. Last week I found a box of week old donuts! I shur et good that day!
Thanks for the complement about name, I really like Ken! I bet if he works hard enuff, he might even beat out that Virgil Carter!
Anyway gotta go. dang old wind just up and blew my box away. gotta go chase it.
Posted by: KenAnderson'sTurfToe | October 17, 2009 at 11:56 AM