I have lived in Cincinnati 14 years this month. Prior to 2008 I grew up in Northern Indiana which means I’m a Cubs fan and a Bears fan. (Side Note: I’m a Miami Dolphins fan first but that’s a tale for another day). As a non-Bengals fan living in Cincinnati I am excited for the city and the fans. As a Cubs fan, I think back to the 2016 World Series. I know the feeling. It doesn’t matter if its 108 years or 33 years, the joy and euphoria is still the same.
I’ll admit that it’s hard not to get caught up in the energy. There is a small part of me that feels like I should run out and buy a Bengals shirt or a hat. It’s infectious, but I can’t claim to be a “closet Bengals fan” when I have friends/co-workers that have lived here their whole life. They have endured the rough years and disappointing seasons. As a Cubs fan, I can definitely relate to that as well.
To Root or Not To Root
I’m happy for Cincinnati and I’m excited for the fans. My wife was living in Chicago when the Bears won in 1985. The feeling you get just walking down the street is so electric that we want our kid to feel that too. So, despite having grown up a Bears fan, we will root for the Bengals.
Granted there is a small conundrum. My dad has been a Rams fan for as long as I’ve been alive. We can’t neglect the feeling of not only eliminating the 49ers but the rare opportunity of having actual home field advantage in the Super Bowl. I guess, for me personally, it’s a wash who wins. I’ll be happy for Cincinnati or I’ll be happy for my dad. Either way I win.
I’m also glad that I actually care who the Super Bowl contenders are this year. It will be nice that it’s not Brady or Mahomes or Rogers. Although I don’t think anyone predicted it would be the Bengals and the Rams!!
/cheers
I am, and always will be, a Cubs fan, Bears fan and Dolphins fan despite living in Cincinnati. When a Cincinnati team has a great year (or is currently undefeated in the NFL) the air around the city is electric. It’s hard not to be swallowed up by the excitement and hype centered around a winning team. You can see the elation in the faces of the locals and the news anchors. The Cincinnati Reds are in the same division as the Cubs so its far more difficult to be excited for the Reds when they are doing well (for obvious reasons); however, being such a big football fan, I find that I often get caught up in the hype of the Bengals 5-0 start to their season.
I could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!
You know Tom Brady’s last name is apt because he’s the cherished primadonna of the Patriots just as Marsha Brady was to Tom and Carol. The man is guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was, at least, knowledgeable of the under-inflated footballs. He won’t admit to it because he’s Tom Brady, the man that can do nothing wrong. The only other people completely diluted other than himself are the New England fans, while the rest of us, living in the real world, know the man is guilty. Despite his royal status the NFL did uphold the four game suspension, which surprised the heck out of me, I thought for sure they would cave and reduce it to two games. Of course that could all still change.
Sadly the Purdue tailgate season has ended (ended sooner for me as I cannot attend the last home game). Granted Purdue’s football team was terrible this year; and when I say terrible I mean awful! I don’t think I have the vocabulary to express in text just how awful they were this year. Be that as it may, I really enjoyed tailgating with my old tailgating crew and college friends!
I love how Greg Lloyd put it (regarding Football): “It’s a violent freaking sport!” I don’t understand what it is with players these days demanding changes to the game because of the injuries. It’s almost as if players these days are shocked that there are so many injuries in football.