WhoDeyRevolution

Mike Brown Will Need to Make A Lot of Phone Calls

Getting to this a little late (as always), but saw this on Lance's blog last Monday:

Mike Brown responds

I got this email today from a disgruntled season ticket holder. Last week he wrote a letter to Mike Brown. Today he got a response from Brown.

"Did not get a letter back....I got a phone call. Talked for about 15min. He defended the stadium and amenities. Said he was very disappointed with the team and couldn't discuss changes during the season but there will be some. Very nice conversation. Told him that he just saved a season ticket holder for next year."

Some immediate reactions:

1. Mike, as previously noted, will respond to letters from disgruntled fans ("you're stuck with me") with letters...but now he appears to feel the need to go even further and make phone calls.  Confirmation the team feels extra heat this season?
2. Mr. Disgruntled Fan gave in pretty easy I'd say, but, fortunately it was only a verbal commitment for season tickets.  Hopefully, this guy holds off on renewing unless those "changes" this offseason involve completing revamping the whole organization.
3. If Mike wants to save all his season ticket holders, he should plan to be on the phone pretty much non-stop until next season kicks off.

This just adds to the mountain of anecdotal stories that paint Mike Brown in so many contradictory ways.  An aloof owner surrounded by family & friends who feels the need to call season ticket holders personally to explain his actions.  It's really just the tip of the iceberg.

How Did This Team Lose 10 Games In A Row?

The San Diego Chargers, despite some historically bad special teams play to open the year which cost them some wins, were among the best teams in the NFL.  They typically finish strong in the 2nd half of the year, particularly in December, and they basically had the edge in every area of the game.

And the Bengals just whooped their asses anyway.

It leaves a lot of questions to be asked, chief among them the title of this post, so let's do another fake Q&A!

How did this team lose 10 games in a row?

While not talented enough or coached well enough to win a Super Bowl, this team certainly should be better than 4 wins.  It was painfully obvious the Browns were outmatched facing us at virtually every position last week and yet they got more wins out of their schedule than we did ours (both ended up being about as difficult).

My main guesses:

Bengals v Chargers Open Thread - I Feel the Wrath of the Blackout

So I am back in town over the holidays and finally bear the brunt of the blackouts.  And. I. Love. It.  Feels like...progress.

However, it's also possible this will be the last home game for some people responsible for the only remotely successful football played in Cincinnati since 1991:  Chad & Marvin.  Remember in 2003 when Chad guaranteed we would beat the undefeated Chiefs?  7 years later and it looks like he'll be sitting this one out, with the Bengals at 3-11, floundering without direction or identity, and the game blacked out.  Sad.  Also inevitable.  Not the way this era should end (of course, I guess they could both be back yet).

Anyway, if you can watch, legally or not, below is your open thread.  Also this guy:

Bengals - Chargers Analysis

The Bengals will win if this article by Joe Reedy means Marvin Lewis has started to win concessions from ownership to make the Bengals into a modern NFL team.  You can't find this type of incisive, analytical breakdown anywhere else folks.  That's why I get the big bucks.

Seriously though, the specifics of what Marvin is asking for behind the scenes and what Mikey is willing to give up is the most important thing facing the Bengals basically ever.  We can break down what's happening on the field but it's all pointless because not just any organization can lose 10 in a row with this much talent on the roster.  So until the organization changes, the X's & O's do not matter.

That being said, can someone tell me the snap count for Evan Mathis last week?  I saw him in for more than a few plays last week and I am just trying to figure out what was going on.  Livings injured?  Was he in for Cook?  The running game looked quite good and it's a pet cause of mine (well, really more like Pro Football Prospectus) to get that guy in as a starter.  Mr. Reedy used to do a snap count breakdown but I imagine that's just waaaay too time consuming for him to put together on his own each week so I haven't seen it in awhile.  Help!

Mike Brown Wishes Bengals Fans A Merry Christmas

Another day, and another letter returned by Mike Brown.  Per Lance's blog, check out these gems:

 

A Bengals season ticket holder recently wrote Mike Brown to express his displeasure with the direction of the franchise. The following are excerpts from the letter Brown sent to the season ticket holder this week. Enjoy.

"We are not a team devoid of talent, as numerous analyst have noted, and we are committed to challenging strongly in 2011"

"A general manager brought in from the outside is not in the plans."

"We realize a quick return to contention will not happen just by wishing it so, and I pledge to you that we are taking a hard look at everything we do"

"Only 13 teams have two division titles in the last five years. While this does not satisfy us, I believe it shows we are not so far away from reaching some higher goals"

"Regarding the coaching staff, I can only say that they are included in an organization-wide review that has already begun. I am choosing not to speak of specific plans to the media until we have something concrete to announce"

"We are overdue for postseason success, but I believe we are on the way back and won't apologize for the whole of our play in recent years"

 

What the hell does this mean:  only 13 teams have two division titles in the last five years?  The Steelers have two Super Bowls in the last five years.  The Colts have been to the Super Bowl twice in five years.  Mr. Brown, the only stat that counts is that the Bengals have ZERO playoff wins since you have taken control of the team.  Let's focus on that stat.

Mike Brown Given Award!

Our comrades at MikeBrownSucks.com have organized an ingenius event where they plan to give Mike Brown the "100-200 Futility Award."  BMN wrote a few weeks back comparing Mikey to other historically incompetent owners, and now MikeBrownSucks.com is going another step to give out an actual award.

The full press release is below, and we encourage all to attend.

"Enraged Fan Site" to give Mike Brown award for futility

CINCINNATI - Local citizens from the website MikeBrownSucks.com will hold a presentation ceremony for the 100-200 Futility Award. Mike Brown, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Bengals NFL franchise, is the winner of this prestigious award, landing him atop the pantheon of insensate figures who exemplify gross underachievement and mismanagement. Lesser peers include George Armstrong Custer, Herbert Hoover, and Lauren Caitlin Upton.

The ceremony is open to the public and will be held at Molly Malone's Restaurant in Covington, KY on December 26th at 3:00PM. If the honoree chooses not to attend, the award will be received in absentia.

The 100-200 Futility Award recognizes the remarkable achievement of "slowest to 100 wins and fastest to 200 losses" among owners in NFL history. Mike Brown reached his 100th win in December of 2008, almost 18 complete seasons into his ongoing tenure. His 200th loss (including playoffs) came recently against the division archival Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise that amassed barely more than half as many losses in the same time period.

Michael "Mike" Brown, son of legendary football coach Paul Brown, assumed ownership control of the Bengals franchise upon his father's death in August of 1991. Since that time his team has achieved only two winning seasons and two playoff one-and-done appearances. For 10 seasons the win total was six or less, with the 20-year average season record being 6-10.

The 100-200 Award celebrates all-time levels of steadfast and enduring futility. Other top achievements of Mike Brown, as pertaining to the past 20 years, are recognized below.

• Fewest winning seasons (2), fewest playoff appearances (2), and fewest playoff wins (0) among franchises playing at least 10 seasons.
• Worst combined winning percentage, regular season (0.358).
• Longest streak of consecutive non-winning seasons (14).
• Most seasons begun with six or more straight losses (6).
• Most losing streaks lasting at least nine games (3)

MikeBrownSucks.com was established in 2000 as a rallying point for frustrated Cincinnati Bengals fans. While the site itself is frozen in time like the management style of the recipient of this award, the message board remains active, drawing long-suffering fans from all over North America and around the globe. Following the awards ceremony, website members will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the first forum post.

For more information, please contact: press@mikebrownsucks.com

Return to Sender Letter of the Day

 This one comes from Shamil Patel, who actually wrote his letter to Mike Brown before we made this an official Project Mayhem Task.  Shamil's letter gives 10 impossible to dispute facts (and check that out, a citation!) of why he has had enough, and the goes into what it would take to win him back - hiring a General Manager.  The piece of merchandise he sent back to the Bengals is shown to the left (along with a little photoshop fun).

Shamil's letter is exactly what we are looking for - passionate yet well written and with clear demands for what it will take to win you back.  I encourage everyone to read Shamil's letter and then send off one of your own with your Bengals gear.

So Shamil, come on down for your free WDR t-shirt!

Letters From Former Bengals Telling Mike Brown to Get Professional Help: I'm So Excited to Post This I Haven't Even Read Them Yet

Via the Enquirer:

1. Bob Trumpy
2. Dave Lapham
3. Louis Breeden
4. Mike Martin
5. Solomon Wilcots

That makes all these men Honorary Members of the Who Dey Revolution.  If only Al Gore had invented blogging earlier so that La Revolucion could have basked in the warm glow of these letters' warming glow in real time.

Update:  Great line from Solomon Wilcots, "Hamilton County has given the Bengals a palatial stadium, representing, in its fullness, the financial windfall and state-of-the-art technology befitting a new-millennium palace. In return, the mega-million dollar investment has been repaid with old-school practices and stubborn ideologies. What is clear to everyone is this formula simply isn’t working. Its tried-and-true failure is made evident by 12 consistent years of fractured hopes and broken dreams."

We Have Our First Letter

This one comes from someone who wishes to remain anonymous.  Pictures forthcoming as soon as they are available.  Text of letter after the jump:

Note:  we are "featuring" this post as part of Project Mayhem...new posts will appear below, like this one.

Mr. Brown (or whoever is charged with reading his mail) –

I do not want to be writing you this letter.  I wish I didn’t have to.  After all, I’m a busy guy, I’ve got other things to do.  However, I feel like I owe you an explanation, even though you’ve never given me one.  I owe you an explanation for why I’ve gone from crazed fan to apathetic observer in just a few short years.   I owe you an explanation for why I’m sending you these two articles of clothing that used to be mine.

If you’ve made it this far into my letter, you undoubtedly see that I’ve included two items for your enjoyment.  They both demonstrate how much of a fan of your football team I used to be.  A “2005 Division Champions” T-Shirt and a customized Ben Utecht jersey.  Give me a moment to explain each. 

Project Mayhem Task #10 - Return to Sender

Last week we published Comrade JM's letter where he ended his alligience with the Bengals until the team made some fundamental changes, and sent the team back his two remaining pieces of Bengals merchandise.  We called it "The Nuclear Option,"  after an arcane legislative procedure in the US Senate where the simple will of the majority can override a filibuster. 

The response we got from that letter was overwhelming and it surprised even us. Fans are sick of tired of losing and want do make their voice and frustration heard.

After another disappointing season, the 16th losing season in 20 years under Mike Brown, fans are fed up.  And this year seems different.  As Jason Buck wrote last week: "The reason 2010 is different than 2002 is that we know now.  Back then, we didn't know whether a head coach could possibly change things around here.  We didn't know whether a head coach could slowly, over time, convince Mike Brown to make the proper philosophical changes to the organization.  Build a front office staff, build a indoor practice facility, hire a general manager who could establish a system for procuring players."

So now we are asking all fellow comrades to take JM's lead and return your merchandise, and loyalty, to the Bengals.  Send a Christmas package to the team outlining why you can no longer support the team until you see change.  Include your Bengals merchandise.  And then send is a picture or video of what you sent back and your letter.  We will pick a few of the best ones and re-post them here, and in exchange send you a FREE WDR shirt, from our friends at DonkeyTs.

Anyone who thinks the team is a great draft away from competing is totally delusional.  Carson and Marvin (and anyone else) are basically powerless to do anything when you have the Brown family making all the decisions.  It is not enough for fans to just not buy tickets. In the midst of a 10 game losing streak and on a blisteringly cold day, 57,000 still showed up yesterday to see the "Battle of Ohio."  We need more Bengals fans to stand up and tell the team they have had enough.   So send the Bengals a letter that describes why you can no longer support the team and include your remaining Bengals merchandise, and then tell us about it. 

To check out Project Mayhem Tasks #1-9, click here.

UPDATE: Bengals address is:

Cincinnati Bengals
One Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, OH 45202