Free The Bengals

Why does everybody give the Bengals such a hard time for having so many off-the-field troubles? ESPN, Joe Buck and the rest of the morality police continue to look down their noses at the Bengals. Even going so far to call them an embarrassment.

You want to know what was a real embarrassment?

When the Bengals were 4-12 every year during the 1990s. Monday was the first time anybody had ever looked forward to a Bengals game since Super Bowl 23. Who cares if they are getting arrested at a clip typically reserved for Raiders fan, they are relevant again. Well, until last night, at least. Still, let the Bengals have their fun as be it driving drunk or brandishing weapons. And let Chad Johnson wear whatever footwear he wants. Seriously.

What was more surprising to you last night, that Johnson was fined for his footwear or that Merton Hanks was the compliance officer? Yes, the same Merton Hanks who was fined every week because his neck was too long. The guy who couldn�t wear a turtle necks, so they forced him to wrap himself with a cutoff tube sock. The guy who had the worst end zone celebration in NFL history is now a compliance officer. That makes about as much sense as having Bill Romanowski investigate the Terrell Owens spitting incident.


WHAT IS up with Steve Young's hair? He looks like Jerry Seinfeld in the low-flow showerhead episode. Are Mormons forbidden to use hair gel, too? At least he is better than Chris Berman, who looks like Grandpa Munster after a (expletive) experiment.

WHY DOES Tony Maizheiser think that America is clamoring to see Peyton Manning win a Super Bowl? Nobody out of Indianapolis or Tennessee really cares. In fact, most people are likely so sick of Manning, they hope that he never wins. Do you think New England fans want to see a Manning Super Bowl? Probably not.

In fact, there is nothing greater than seeing a high-statistical quarterback never win a Super Bowl. If for nothing else, it really pains guys like John Madden, Buck, Berman, et al, who are openly rooting for these guys to win the big one. (Although, Buck has hitched his wagon to the wrong Manning.) They all cry, "Oh, this quarterback deserves to win a Super Bowl." Really? You know who deserves to win a Super Bowl? The quarterback that actually wins the game. Winning Super Bowls are tough to do. That is why they are held in high regard. If they gave out a Super Bowl to every Tom, Dick and Marino, it wouldn't mean as much.

Did Dan Fouts deserve to win a Super Bowl? No. Otherwise he would have. He might have more passing yards than Ken Stabler, but look who has the Super Bowl ring. So it is time to put away this notion that quarterbacks deserve to win. Deserve has nothing to do with it.