Al Golden and the Coke Machine at Work

[Luvnit2]

(04-17-2025, 10:12 PM)samhain Wrote: At some point in my life, I drank soda.  I was caffeine dependent before the era of energy drinks and high-test prescriptions like Adderall and  Provigil were more commonplace as productivity enhancers.  Been awhile, as you can tell.  

I also was lazy and a crappy grocery shopper, therefore I ended up wasting a lot of money in vending machines buying soda.  Sometimes Diet Dew.  Sometimes Diet Coke.  maybe the real deal occasionally.  

One evening, I put the money in as I had a hundred times.  I hit the selection button.  Unlike in previous encounters, the once trusty machine before me failed to reciprocate my generosity.  No caffeine and also no buck 25 to boot.  I was pissed and tired.  

A few hours later, a co-worker came into the break room.  He had to wedge his foot in the door to open it.  Why?  Because he had about 7 bottles of various caffeinated beverages in his arms.  Apparently he had the courage to tip the machine (he was a bigger fella) and facilitate and end to the carbonated constipation.  

Why is this being posted on a Bengals forum?  I'll tell you.  You deserve that much.

The Bengals have approached the defense like a backed up pop machine this offseason.  They didn't put money into a different machine to get the things that never came out of their own.  They just want what they've already paid for in draft capital.  They want the first round DB they drafted in Dax Hill to dislodge itself.  They want the first round DE they blew a pick on in Murphy to come rolling out of the open slot.  They'd also like to get the second rounders like CTB and Turner to follow.  Same with DTs like Jackson and Jenkins.  They just can't stand the idea that they aren't getting those dollar bills and quarters out of the vending machine.  They want to rewrite a story that may have already been told.  

Is Al the gifted co-worker that comes along to punch, kick, or tip the machine?  Will an entire defense worth of NFL talent suddenly roll out?  

I feel like this is a really unusual approach for a team to take.  Normally when a coach is fired, a decent part of the unit they coached goes with them to be replaced by the new coach's guys.  This has been minimal so far.  

Was Lou so far gone that he was sitting there willfully dying of thirst rather than giving the machine a sharp kick in the junk?  No idea.

I understandd why you are pessimistic. Let me give you one huge reason to be optimistic or at a minimum change your thoughts to incomplete as far as defensive talent.

Injuries on the defense in 2024 especially those to young players.

Murphy - knee injury late in TC and missed a lot of games
McKinley - hurt in TC and missed games and he was a rookie
Jenkins hurt and played with one hand for a lot of the season, another rookie
Hill missed time - 3rd DT injured
Rankins missed almost entrie season and 4th DT injured
Hill - injured and missed most of season
Turner - 2nd CB hurt and missed most of season, CB1 and CB2 lost for season
Britt was injured at times
Wilson our best LB was injured and missed end of the season
On offfense, Higgins missed a lot of games
Cappa was one of worst guards in NFL in 2024 and is gone
Both of OT's missed time due to injury, our starting RT missed almost the entire season

Yes, we will always have injuries. But how can we grade the young guys who were injured in 2024?

I think with a good draft and possibly adding one mre guard in FA, we can be a very good team in 2024.

Think back to the end of the year, a Bengal's team decimated by injury made a huuge push and no AFC team wanted them to make the palyoffs.

Maybe, maybe just once fans are wrong and the Bengals have a great plan for 2025.