Even more unfortunately, my two older brothers were both 49er fans at the time. We were living in Germany when this game was played and the Super Bowl came on much too late for us to watch it live. The morning after, my brothers and I eagerly awaited the highlights on CNN Headline News. The result may have been enough to make me cry regardless, but being that my brothers’ favorite pastime was making me cry, there was no way the tears weren’t going to flow. My first discernable memory of being a Bengals fan was that of heartbreak.
This became an enduring theme as Dan Wilkinson, David Klingler, Ki-Jana Carter, Jeff Blake, Carl Pickens, Akili Smith and many others continued to make Sundays in the fall disastrous for fans of the striped ones. Things looked like they might change for the better in 2005. The upstart Bengals won a division title and had a match-up with the hated Steelers in round one. On the second play, franchise QB Carson Palmer’s knee was blown out by that bastard Kimo von Oelhoffen and his evil sounding name. My hopes were dashed yet again. The subsequent years featured more disappointment and the Bengals reclaiming their throne as the laughingstock of the league once players started getting arrested in exceedingly ridiculous ways. Things might currently be looking up. My boys are coming off another improbable division championship this decade and seem to have figured things out at least a little bit. On the other hand, they did just sign the dueling delinquent Joneses, Adam (AKA Pacman, AKA the Rainmaker, AKA Huge Dumbass) and Matt (AKA the Cokehead). How next season will turn out remains to be seen. I do know that I will be rooting hard for the Bengals all season and for every season after.
Who Dey
I wouldn't be so tough on Pacman, it's clear he has changed his ways. As a Dallas fan, I can tell you he was only suspended once for a drunken altercation during his stay there. It should also be noted that this altercation didn't include gunfire OR strippers, although had he made it out of the hotel, who knows what may have happened. I think those facts alone are proof he has redeemed himself and will be a welcome addition to your roster.
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