(12-18-2022, 11:05 AM)grampahol Wrote: I'm enjoying this team more than years past with maybe the exception of the Icky Woods era..I sold him a cable TV package years ago back when one could still earn a living with door to door sales..
Anyway..Pardon me sir. I represent the Acme cable TV company of WallaWalla Washington. Can I interest you in some crap TV for the low, low price of too damned much? 

(12-18-2022, 12:33 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: The Bengals are miles ahead of any other sports franchise for me.  As a kid, I was a big Reds fan as well, but that has really waned since 1990.  Football is just so much fun to watch.  What happened last year has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.  I was around for the other two Super Bowl games, and just like then, the entire area was so electric in their support for the Bengals.  Seeing the stadium sold out to season ticket holders is incredible.  

I have prayed many a time that they win one Super Bowl while my dad (90 years old) is here to enjoy it with.  

The Bengals are my escape.  This message board, the draft, the game day rituals.  So, to summarize, they are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to me.  No, I don't beat people up when they lose or anything and it doesn't ruin my day or week, but when they are winning, it is sure a hell of a lot of fun.

(12-18-2022, 01:22 PM)Science Friction Wrote: Really good stuff. I'm really enjoying reading this. Let me ask you this. What's up with some of those Gameday thread folks? I've only been a participant on this board for a year or so and many of you have been here a lot longer and know more about the board than I do. There are some great fans on this forum(Jungle Noise) who, like me, are very invested in the team. But that Gameday forum is a different tiger , altogether. There are some folks who are there every week who hardly ever post here. They are clearly hyper-invested in the team emotionally. Some of those folks remind me of the 17% or so of UK basketball fans who go a little overboard when it comes to their Cats. Let's just say they have a ...well , ... interesting perspective(lol). 

(12-18-2022, 01:41 PM)BengalsLUFC Wrote: Considering I just flew halfway around the world to watch them live I’d say pretty important

Leeds United will always be my first love but I prefer to watch the American version of “football”

Wouldn’t matter if the Bengals were 2-15 like the old days or the way we are now, I see many similarities with not only Leeds and the Bengals as sports teams but the actual cities too it’s a culture a belonging through the good times and bad that makes you feel part of something bigger.

My wife always says I take sport too serious as a bad result for either team can make me sulk for hours but if they both win she’s a lucky girl that night

(12-18-2022, 02:12 AM)Science Friction Wrote: Good stuff, guys. Keep it coming. I'm enjoying reading.

By the way, in addition to Rodger Bird with the Raiders, there is also Steve Bird, his nephew, who I went to school with. Steve helped Eastern Ky. University to a couple of I-AA national titles back in  '79 and '82  and went on to play for the  Cardinals, Giants, and Chargers.  Also, Trent Taylor, our PR/WR  grew up here as well. I remember watching him play flag football here in Corbin  as a kid.

For those interested in a really good sports read, there is a book which was written by Gary P. West called "The Boys from Corbin: America's Greatest Little Sports Town, "  which details all of the athletes from this small town who went on to play professional sports in the NFL and NBA.  For those who don't know, Roy Kidd, the longtime head coach at EKU , and one of the winningest coaches in college football history, also grew up here.

(12-18-2022, 11:17 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Having policed for several decades in Lexington, I can tell you that is a fact. Wildcats fans are messed up. They're worse than Stealers fans, as their whole lives seem to tied to the success of a basketball team with little to no players from Kentucky on it. ANd the vast majority didn't go to school there.

As for the Bengals, I look forward to Sunday, and enjoy the wins. I find myself pissed for about 15 minutes after a loss, then I'm on to something else. I spend a lot of time on this board, but it's mostly because I'm bored at work when there isn't much going on. I consider myself a huge fan, but my life and self worth is not tied to the success of the team like some damn stealer fan.

(12-18-2022, 01:22 PM)Science Friction Wrote: Really good stuff. I'm really enjoying reading this. Let me ask you this. What's up with some of those Gameday thread folks? I've only been a participant on this board for a year or so and many of you have been here a lot longer and know more about the board than I do. There are some great fans on this forum(Jungle Noise) who, like me, are very invested in the team. But that Gameday forum is a different tiger , altogether. There are some folks who are there every week who hardly ever post here. They are clearly hyper-invested in the team emotionally. Some of those folks remind me of the 17% or so of UK basketball fans who go a little overboard when it comes to their Cats. Let's just say they have a ...well , ... interesting perspective(lol). 

I also concur with other who have said that they deal with losses better than they used to. Not saying that the losses don't still bother me because they do. But I can let them go and move on to the next week better than I could when I waas in my twenties. I guess it's a maturity and a perspective thing. I'm thankful now if I just wake up in the morning. At 25, if the Bengals didn't win, my whole week was effed up. I like being invested in my sport team because it makes the ride so much fun. Last season was an absolute blast. . There's  emotional risk-reward factor, obviously.

Sometimes, when losing becomes a pattern and expectations of winning are too low for zero, then apathy starts to set in. It's a defense mechanism, I think, but it's sad, nonetheless. It's kinda where I'm at with UK basketball and the Reds. I still watch and hope for wins but I'm not hopeful for the end result to be good. Losses don't register much on the emotional scale anymore.

(12-18-2022, 10:21 PM)Wyche Wrote: When I was 25, it was the end of that horrible 90s run. I was numb to losing by then.