Because the Bengals seem to think it will. As the email below that Bengals "Ticket Sales Executive" Joe Ellerhorst just sent out, the hiring of Jay Gruden (Did you know he is the brother of Jon Gruden?!?) might just be the tipping point to have YOU purchase season tickets. Don't trip over each other running to get tickets! Call now as the phones are ringing off the hook! As the cliche goes, the Bengals just keep rearranging the deck chairs as the Titanic is going down. I don't think that this hiring will have the galvanizing effect on fans that hiring Marvin had in 2003. I think it will be more like the impact re-signing Marvin a few weeks ago had (hint: not much).
Email below.
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 14:54:44 -0500
Subject: Jay Gruden Introduced as Cincinnati Bengals' OC
To:
Hello –
I wanted to reach out quickly today to provide you with some information regarding some changes made within the Cincinnati Bengals’ organization in the past couple of weeks. As I am sure most of you have heard, Bob Bratkowski has been relieved of his responsibilities as Offensive Coordinator. Bratkowski had been with the team since 2001 and had his share of ups and downs with the franchise. The team enjoyed some of their best offensive seasons under Bratkowski, but recently he had come under fire from fans and critics that felt the offense had gotten stale and predictable. This afternoon, The Bengals took a step to cure what has ailed our offense. We announced that our new offensive coordinator will be Jay Gruden, brother of Super Bowl winning coach Jon Gruden. Jay has a lot of experience in football, both as a player and as a coach. He is known for his innovative offensive approach that should get us back towards our old roots in the West Coast Offense. Attached are both the press release that the organization provided regarding the hiring, and some other information about Gruden’s coaching resume. Also, click here to listen into Coach Gruden’s conference call with local media.
This is big news for the Cincinnati Bengals’ organization and our great fans. I just wanted to make sure that you all, both current season ticket holders and folks that may be considering joining us in 2011, were in the loop with some of the changes taking place. The Club will be rolling into 2011 with some momentum as a result of a relatively strong finish to 2010 from our young core of players, a solid returning defense, and a new offensive coordinator.
We should be able to start making some of our great 2011 season ticket locations available within the next month, and I will be reaching out to you at that point. If you have any questions about tickets for the upcoming season or anything else concerning the team, feel free to reach out to me. Thank you very much for your time.
___________________________________
Joseph
Ticket Sales Executive| Cincinnati Bengals
One Paul Brown Stadium | Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513.XXX.XXXX
I love how he makes sure to point out if was the "fans and critics" who thought things were stale, not anybody involved directly with the team.
Posted by: Kevin Jones | February 03, 2011 at 05:04 PM
It won't make me buy merchandise or tickets, but it'll make me interested in ore season games. I'll be very interested to see how they perform in pre season and if there is momentum going into the regular season.
Please note the Jr. has General Managers experience in the resume' which plays right into the "el cheapo" philosophy.
I'm somewhat surprised. Young, fresh, open offense philosophy. The defense looked like shit last year but the run-run-incomplete on 3rd and 7 Bratkowski play calling could make the Steelers D look bad.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised. I really thought that old tight wad piece of shit wasnt going to fire Bobby B.
I'm interested enough to watch pre season at this point.
Posted by: JM | February 03, 2011 at 08:10 PM
To answer the question in the heading... NOPE! But then again, there is just about nothing in the current environs that would make me buy a ticket. So it's redundant of course.. redundant of course.. redundant of course...
Posted by: wch | February 03, 2011 at 08:48 PM
No way am I shelling out my cash on this team yet. The incompetence and flat-out suckage has been around too long to be bought off by one coaching change. They have to earn me back, and I'm not that cheap. This hiring has moved me from Pessimistic to Curious, but it's still a loooooooong way to get to Ticket Holder. Moving that far is going to cost MFB a LOT of wins. And a real scouting department. And some quality free agent signings. And a real medical staff. And an indoor practice facility. And a...
Posted by: Major Payne | February 03, 2011 at 10:34 PM
One time at band camp I met this really hot girl and her fat sister. I talked 'em both over to my dorm room and let them both blow on my trumpet until we all fell asleep. Later that night I snuck a quickie in with the hot girl after her sister moved over onto the couch. When I woke up I noticed that it was actually the fat sister still with me while the hot girl was on the couch. I tried to lie to my friends later about who I did, and I almost believed my own lie. But everyone knew the truth, and eventually I realized that I waa just a cheap, loser dreamer.
That's a true story -- all except for the band camp and the two sisters.
Posted by: WestTX | February 03, 2011 at 11:56 PM
The writing was on the wall and none of us realized it until now. We have seen this movie before. The young up and coming all the talent in the world guy Mitch Mcdeere/Jay Gruden gets recruited to join the firm/team.
He could go to one of the larger more successful firms/teams but he is recruited heavily and compensated well to come to Memphis/Cincinnati and get his start.
Bendini, Lambert & Locke/Bengals both reside in a small market city. It soon unfolds that anyone who tries to change things or leave at the firm/stadium is murdered/bengalized. He now realizes his life as he knows it is over.
He then finds out that the firm/team has been over charging their customers for services/games & merchandise and devises a plan to escape back to his life before the firm/team.
I here it's Punkin's favorite movie/hiring process
Posted by: kotw65 | February 04, 2011 at 08:18 AM
What, the champ offensive coordinator of Strat-O-Matic was unavailable?
Posted by: HappySameYearFromYourCincinnatiGroundhogs | February 04, 2011 at 12:16 PM
These 2 guys are complete morons!
Call me what you want
Fool, sucker, stupid, part of the problem etc……win or lose, I love going to Bengals games. Would I rather see them win every game until the end of time….OF COURSE. Do I think Mike Brown is an idiot….YES. But, hanging out with friends, tailgating and just the overall event of going to the games on Sunday is what I look forward to at least eight times a year. I will renew my tickets this year because I am a Bengals fan and will always be a Bengals fan that enjoys going to the games. Plain and simple.
by n8dogg on Feb 4, 2011 7:05 AM PST reply actions
i completely agree actually
Tailgating with friends and the experience of being at the game is enough to convince me to buy season tickets every year. I’ve sat in my seat through winning seasons and losing ones (more of the second, unfortunately). While I wish they would win every game, just being there is awesome.
Editor at cincyjungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.
by Jason Garrison on Feb 4, 2011 7:18 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
This is why mike brown never changes anything because like half this city is the same way!
Posted by: STOP BUYING TICKETS | February 04, 2011 at 01:00 PM
STOPBUYING, yep, too many of them, and too few of "us." "DO I think Mike Brown is an idiot that doesn't know how to run a football franchise? Yep, I sure do. Am I an enabling moron who cares as little about having a winning team as Mike does? Yep to that too, because I value spending my hard earned money paying for parking, tickets and an inferior product so I have some actual "friends" to hang out with 8 times per year." Fucking Lemmings.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | February 04, 2011 at 01:08 PM
Oh Bo, you really get it don't you. Wave that judgment wand a little wider next time. If only everyone could be as strong in their morals as you. Thank you for saving the world.
Asshole.
Posted by: WhoDeyFans | February 04, 2011 at 02:45 PM
No, it won't. I told Mikey two years ago in my "Gold Star" letter what it would take to get me back on the season ticket roll, and I'm sticking to it. A new OC ain't enough!
1. Hire a competent GM,
2. Develop a professional personnel dept., and
3. Instill a culture where winning the Super Bowl is the goal, not merely "being competitive".
Btw, I heard 85 on the Dan Patrick Show this week claim that the Bengals weren't that bad this year. He said you'd think so looking at the record, but they were in every game going into the 4th Quarter. Sounds like he's been Bengalized to me!
Posted by: Leo DiTrotskyo | February 04, 2011 at 03:10 PM
AWWWWWW did I hit home for you enabler? Eat me, if you were offended by that, good, you deserve to be. I used exxageration because it amused me, sorry to upset your delicate season ticket holding sensibilities..... pansy
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | February 04, 2011 at 03:19 PM
Bo, I posted a rather lengthy comment on another article, I will repost some of it here. Nah, you didn't hurt my feelings, I actually think you just sound dumb. Continue to be angry, I am sure if it wasn't the Bengals, you would have something else to stand on your soapbox for and talk down to people about.
Yes, improving the team are goals of the revolution. Good luck with that, maybe hold your breath even. Me, being the realist (note, not youngster) will take what I can get. What I don't understand is how most of you even care anymore? It has become a pissing contest of who is the best fan based on bashing the sheep, or lemmings or those without actual football knowledge. Seriously, read the comments, all you guys really do is bicker amongst yourselves and talk about all the terrible things with the Bengals. There really is nothing of use passed in most of the comments. People like Wyatt for example are commenting less because of the moronic posts of most of you. It is a shame really, SWB brings some very good discussion points to the site and all it is met with is the immature name calling.
Yeah, I have tickets and the like. I don't have them because I expect anything more than what the Bengals are offering. If the Bengals win when I attend the game that is awesome. If they don't, oh well. My daughter loves going to the games, you see she is very young. When we go home she doesn't talk about the predicable play calling or the bad clock management. She talks about how loud we cheered sometimes for the defense or how fun it was when the fireworks went off and the planes flew over. She likes singing the song when the Bengals score. It IS a fun atmosphere if you can actually take it for what it is. So go ahead, make fun of me. I fell sorry for you that you don't get to experience that.
I also go to the movies sometimes. I can tell you I never buy a ticket for Toy Story 3 expecting to see the Godfather. It is all about leveling expectations. I know what I am paying for and I am ok with that. Maybe, just maybe that is what it is all about. It is a game you know.
Posted by: WhoDeyFans | February 04, 2011 at 08:57 PM
"Back to our roots in the West Coast offense"?????
Somebody better tell Marvin and Hobson. Because just a few days before "bubby" Gruden got hired we were trying to "get back to the smash mouth running game that made us division champs in 09"
WTF is going on? Am I the only one scratching my head? Are they trying to be west coast or smash mouth?
Thank you Cedric Benson. It was nice knowing you.
Posted by: JM | February 05, 2011 at 02:08 PM
I'm sorry, I expect a football franchise to care about winning, this one doesn't, and it pisses me off. Glad your daughter enjoys the ancillary aspects of the game, I'm truly happy for you both. But those aspects are not good enough for me to drop cash on alone. Good for you and your motivations, I have different expetations to "level" with before I pay for a product. If that makes me stupid, or if using a site like this to vent about it makes me stupid, well then so be it, my IQ is easily below the 75 line. Enjoy next season.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | February 05, 2011 at 03:59 PM
My issue with the whole "stop buying season tickets" to protest is that it'll cost me more money in the long run. Let's say i dont buy my tickets and 50,000 follow my lead. All the changes we want are made so the protest ends. Now I've lost my great seats and will have to pay another 600-1000 for new seat licenses for worse seats. I'm sorry but that sound like the dumb option to me. I also think it's hypocritical for people in NY and other states to say we should boycott games when it has no bad affect on them. They get the games in a blackout
Posted by: Seriously | February 05, 2011 at 08:21 PM
@Seriously: Wait, you want to watch the Bengals?
Should rename yourself Masochist.
Seriously.
Posted by: HappySameYearFromYourCincinnatiGroundhogs | February 05, 2011 at 08:43 PM
So basically, Seriously's argument is thus:
"I want change, but not bad enough to *POTENTIALLY* sacrifice anything for it."
Then you, sir, deserve the steaming pile of excrement that was dropped in your lap for every home game this past season.
Posted by: Wyatt | February 07, 2011 at 08:47 AM
Oh, and you complain about other people being selfish?
Bravo, that's a ground-rule, douchebag double.
Posted by: Wyatt | February 07, 2011 at 08:47 AM
And just what are the out of town people behind this site sacrificing?? Why should I sacrifice $1000 of my money for someone who offers up nothing themselves???
Posted by: Seriously | February 07, 2011 at 02:48 PM
Because you want to root for a winning team? Because you believe that your money is often (and especially in this case) equivalent to your voice? i know I don't care if "he" gets to watch the games we boycott because "he" lives somewhere else. And, for the record, I would consider it "saving" $1000 to make a statement rather than "sacrificing." You're sacrificing viewership, or viewing abiliity. So you might have to rebuy PSL's if there is some moment of clarity in the FO, darn-dy darn, now you can root (and pay) for a team that's not handicapping itself before it even steps out on the field.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | February 07, 2011 at 03:17 PM
I just find it funny that Seriously:
a) Is happy to pay for a product that is apparently (and rightfully) displeasing to him/her
b) Fails to see the logical fallacy inherent in his/her initial argument - if 50000 people dropped their PSLs and season tickets and things changed so that the Bengals put out a better product, wouldn't there be an equal chance of you getting BETTER seats as there are of you getting worse seats? I mean, if there's 50000 empty seats, some of them are bound to be better than yours.
And I stand firm that if you're willing to pay for the weekly abortion that is Bengals football in its current incarnation, then you deserve all the unhappiness it brings you.
Posted by: Wyatt | February 07, 2011 at 06:34 PM
I just find it hypocritical that a bunch of people who have never bought season tickets and never will are telling those of us that do that we should protest for them and be wling to pay an additional $1,000 for a new seat license. Yes I wish the bengals would change but I'm not willing to lose my seats for a pipe dream.
Posted by: Seriously | February 08, 2011 at 01:17 PM
As an out-of-state bengals fan who travels to cinci a couple times a year, we do have alot say. We stay in your hotels and spend money in your stores. Maybe in YOUR store. Maybe you should worry about how your going to pay for the PBS improvements (your taxes) cause it looks like Mike Brown doesnt give a shit about you or the county.
Posted by: njbengals | February 13, 2011 at 06:38 PM
@ seriously
i wipe my ass with your $1,000 for a seat license. It cost way more then that just to stay the weekend and go to the game.
Posted by: njbengals | February 13, 2011 at 07:26 PM
He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.
Posted by: supra for kids | December 17, 2011 at 05:57 PM