How Indy Has Won the Battle for NFL Supremacy and Cincy Has Failed

With only 100 miles of Indiana corn between them, the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts should have a lot in common.

Unfortunately, the only thing they share is a two-hour drive through farmland. What they differ on is so much more.

The Colts have easily become one of the dominating teams in the NFL and are touted as an essential lock to make the playoffs on any given year. But just to the southeast of the Circle City, the Bengals have amassed 13 losing seasons since 1991 and have made the playoffs only once.

So why do they differ?

Both teams have future Hall of Fame quarterbacks along with a lethal offensive attack.

On the other side of the ball, both defenses have the ability to scare many offensive coordinators. Along with defensive-minded coaches in both cities, the Colts and Bengals should be essential twins.

But it is one glaring difference that separates a NFL powerhouse from the laughingstock of the NFL.

That difference is a general manager.

One of the first items of business after Jim Irsay took over the Colts from his late father was to hire famed general manager Bill Polian. All Polian did was draft first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.

And besides drafting Manning, Polian has found gems in almost every draft. Those gems include Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark, just to name a few.

But down I-74, the absence of a general manager has led to decisions like drafting first-round busts Reinard Wilson, Peter Warrick, Akili Smith and David Klingler.

Do you see the difference?

Andrew Simon, coordinator of Who Dey Revolution, the grass-roots movement to urge Bengal owner Mike Brown to hire a general manager, understands the difference.

“We would be okay if the structure was successful,” Simon said during an exclusive Bleacher Report interview.

That ‘structure’ includes the vast disparity between the two teams’ scouting ranks.

“(The Colts) have a scouting department of 20-30 people,” Simon said. “The Bengals might have six. The results speak for themselves.”

Those results have equated into a near dynasty in Indianapolis and years of futility in Cincinnati.

That is why Simon is hopeful that the Bengals could one day consider following the Colts model. To ensure that, Simon plans on making the revolution heard any way they can.

One sure-fire way is to urge supporters to boycott tickets for home games. They also have purchased billboard space in Cincinnati, left urinal cakes in lavatories in Paul Brown Stadium and upcoming in 2009, they hope to make their case on national television.

With HBO set to chronicle Bengals’ training camp this summer, Simon promised to be out in full force.

 

“This (Hard Knocks) allows our cause to reach more people,” Simon said. “We can reach out to Bengals fans also not happy and want to see the team take some actions.”

 

Those actions would only have to include the Colts model.

 

If that does happen and the Bengals hire a general manager, than it could be more than corn that the Bengals and Colts share in the future.

Economic Depression Might End the Depression of Many Bengals Fans

Empty seats at Paul Brown Stadium and viewings of the CBS Movie of the Week on Bengals’ game days might just be the leverage needed to declare victory in the Who Dey Revolution.  

Andrew Simon and an army of Bengals fans frustrated with the current state of the team are hoping the 2009 season might be the tipping point in the fight to force owner Mike Brown hire a general manager.  

That is why revolutionaries in and around in Cincinnati are hoping an economic hit like blackouts on television and boycotts of season tickets could be the impetus of change in Cincinnati.  

“Bengals fans are upset with what’s going on,” Simon said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with the Bleacher Report. “They (fans) are sick and tired of spending good money to see the team lose.”  

Fed up with the failures of the franchise, Simon is about to embark on the second year of the grass roots movement aimed at remedying the losing in Cincinnati. If a general manager is hired, many Bengals fans hope permanent change would be on the horizon.  

But with Brown balking on the idea of hiring a general manager in the past, Simon is hopeful a hit to the bottom line might force what he believes are needed changes in the front office.  

That hit could be already coming as the Bengals business office is frantically trying to sell season tickets and fill Paul Brown Stadium to the brim.  

“I do know season ticket sales have gone down considerably,” Simon said. “The team has exhausted the waiting list.”  

As any fan of the NFL knows, season ticket revenue and merchandise sales are some of the biggest revenue producers for any franchise. A blow to those two facets could send a team into economic despair.  

That is why in 2008, Simon called on his followers to boycott buying single game tickets and purchasing Bengals merchandise. The hopes, according to followers, are to ignite financial woes in the front office, and force Brown to seek help in fielding a competitive team.  

And it could be Movies of the Week airing Sundays that finally ignite change in southwestern Ohio.  

With ticket sales down, Simon is quick to say his revolution isn’t the sole cause for the attack on the bottom line. With the nation headed deeper into a crippling recession, job loss and consumer confidence could also be reason people aren’t buying tickets. 

But whatever the reason, Simon believes the 4-11-1 mark set last year by the Bengals sends a clear message that change is needed.  

“I’m sure it has a lot to do with the economy,” Simon said. “But Bengals fans are upset and tired of losing.”  

While Simon sees the good in blackouts, the notion of economic warfare is coming under fire in Cincinnati. Simon’s quest to attack the financial side has been seen by some as an unneeded move in the quest.  

That notion bothers Simon.  

“A lot of people don’t think we are real fans,” Simon said. “I think that is a shame. Loyalty is unquestionably the only reason we are doing this. We are all fans. We just want the Bengals to adopt a common sense policy.”

The Revolution Marches On, One Urinal Cake At a Time

From urinal cakes at Paul Brown Stadium to billboards dotting major routes in Cincinnati, Andrew Simon and his fellow soldiers in the Who Dey Revolution are in the midst of battle to bring the Bengals back to relevancy.   

And now, nearly a year after the revolution was launched by Simon, the quest to get Bengals owner Mike Brown to hire a general manager is still in full effect.   

Brown is one of only a handful of owners in the NFL to not employ a general manager.  

And of those teams who are not using a general manager, Cincinnati is the only team to not record a Super Bowl victory.  

Fed up with the status of the Bengals, Simon urged fellow revolutionaries to “wreck havoc” in 2008 and spread the message of change.  

No matter if was billboards begging Brown to hire a general manager or urinal cakes touting the dismal 98-186-1 record Brown is believed responsible for, the message was clear.  

“(The front office) is totally disconnected from reality,” Simon said Wednesday in an exclusive Bleacher Report interview, “It’s just absurd the way they operate.”  

Simon of course is talking about the discontent with Brown and the Bengals record since 1991, the year Brown took over as the team owner. Since Brown took over for his late father, Paul Brown, the Bengals have slipped so far into mediocrity, they have been referred to as the Siberia of the NFL.  

Gone are the days of the “sugar huddle” and the Ickey Shuffle. Those events are replaced by years of frustration and discontent ranging from off-the-field problems to questionable moves by the front office. 

And in terms of wins and losses, the Bengals have been regarded as one of the worst professional sports teams in the country.  

That is why Simon, a 27-year-old die hard fan, started the web site whodeyrevolution.com. Since the launch last summer, the revolution has had quite a cult following along with exposure in the mainstream media.  

“We are doing this because we just want the Bengals to adopt a common-sense policy,” Simon said.  

That lack of common sense might have been exasperated by Brown’s comments to the media last year. In the midst of a 0-8 start, Brown answered critics by quoting Cincinnati’s problems on defense.  

According to Brown, the losses of linebackers Odell Thurman and David Pollack hurt the team’s strategy going into 2008.  

Brown’s hypothesis would be okay, had it not been that Thurman hadn’t played a down in two years due to suspension for substance abuse problems and Pollack was nearly paralyzed in 2006. Both players weren’t even considered to be a factor going into the 2008 season.  

“They (the Bengals front office) are not operating in reality,” Simon said with a laugh. “I am sure the excuse they will use for last year is how we were unlucky. It is amazing. I get so angry they think it was just bad luck. Winning teams don’t make excuses.”  

Take New England for instance. After losing future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in the first week to injury, the Patriots made a stampede for the playoffs, barely missing the postseason.   

The Bengals also lost their starting quarterback, Carson Palmer, for most of the season, but still suffered its 13th losing season since Mike Brown took over in 1991.   

That is why, one year after the revolution began, Simon, a self-proclaimed die-hard fan is still trying to shift the paradigm of mediocrity in Cincinnati.   

“We are all die-hard fans,” Simon said, “That is the only reason we are doing this.”

 

End Of an Era Part Three: Age Could Cripple Colts’ Chances For Dynasty

It is not often a talent like Peyton Manning can grace a team like he has Indianapolis. And many in the Circle City and throughout the NFL believe he can solely take the Colts to the promised land.

 

But as Manning prepares to celebrate another birthday and creep one year closer to that 40-year-old mark, his time to ignite a dynasty is starting to close.

 

And just like Peyton, the rest of the core group of Colts is beginning to lose the ultimate battle with age.

 

Everyone knows that statistically, the Colts have a young roster. In fact they have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. But the star power that propelled this team to dominance year-in and year-out are aging.

 

And it is those aging players that could signify the demise to Indy’s dominance. Take the leader of the Colts offensive line.

 

Center Jeff Saturday can retire at anytime. Sure, he probably has two maybe three more years left, but as was apparent in 2008, his body will not live up to the same torture as in years’ past.

 

When Saturday went down last year, the Colts did not look the same. That problem was more than cosmetic and it cost the Colts several losses. Indianapolis hasn’t typically been a team to lose to Chicago, Jacksonville, and Green Bay. And let’s not forget the Colts needing late game heroics against Minnesota and Houston to propel the Colts to the playoffs.

 

So with injuries to Saturday and company, coupled with the aging roster, Indianapolis won’t be the same this year as they were a year ago.

 

Besides Saturday, future hall of fame receiver Marvin Harrison is gone. Now some could argue that he was actually gone for some time now, but he will be missed in 2009. It is hard to replace a Jerry Rice-type talent in the wide receiving corps.

 

Although still on the roster, one would think receiver Reggie Wayne should show signs of slowing down as he gets another year older. Helping on the receiver corps is former Ohio State standout Anthony Gonzalez, who has shown brilliance, but isn’t the same caliber as Harrison or Wayne.

 

Then on the other side of the ball, DT Dwight Freeney is suffering the same loss to age as the rest of the stars. Offensive lines are catching up and starting to slow the twisting and turning Freeney down.

 

Compounding the problem is the unreliability of former defensive player of the year Bob Sanders. Sanders seemingly spends more time off the field nursing an injury than he does actually contributing. No one is denying his ability, but when he is off the field, Indy isn’t the same.

 

Just as Indy is getting older, the rest of the NFL is getting younger. And that could be the most important cog that keeps the Colts from playing on Super Sunday in 2009 or any other year in the near future.

End Of an Era Part Two: The Changing Of Guard in the AFC South

At one time, the AFC South was a joke for the other three teams in the division. Indy yawned through the division securing at worst a fourth seed every year in the playoffs.

 

It seemed that besides death and taxes, another absolute in life was Indianapolis making the playoffs.

 

While Indy secured its league-leading seven consecutive playoff appearance last year, those opportunities might not come as easy starting in 2009. And one sure sign Indy has lost its dominance is their vulnerability within the division.

 

After years of frantic pacing just to keep up with the Colts, the rest of the division has finally caught up to Indianapolis. We saw the first sign last year after former in-conference rival, Tennessee, dethroned the Colts and hoisted the AFC South banner, ending the Colts dominance in the south.

 

No team south of the Ohio River had won the south since Eddie George and the Titans did it in 2002.

 

Although Indy finished second last year, the 2009 season could be a further slide down the standings. And one sure sign of suitors to take Indy’s place in the rankings is growing larger by the day.  

 

Take Houston for example. One could say the lowly and perpetual doormat of the division Texans have ascended to contender for the division.

 

How and why did Houston manage to compete with Indianapolis?

 

Back in 2006, many in the media and across NFL fandom mocked the Texans’ pick of DT Mario Williams. Why would they take a solid defenseman from North Carolina State when Reggie Bush or hometown hero Vince Young was the anointed first round pick?

 

The answer, as Texans coach Gary Kubiak put it, “we need to slow down Peyton Manning.” Although Kubiak took heat from the Houston faithful, the gamble looks to be paying off as the Texans are quickly starting to keep up with the Colts.

 

And the Texans are not alone. Just like Houston, that stingy team from north Florida appears to be hungry to deflate the Colts.

 

Although Jacksonville struggled to a disappointing season in 2008, the mood in Jaguar camp this spring is positive. And just like Houston and Tennessee, a younger, more athletic roster could be all that’s needed to bypass Indy.  

 

Revamped rosters and rejuvenated young talent could be all that’s needed to end the Colts run as perennial class of the AFC South.

 

While the south could be difficult for Peyton Manning and company to win, the AFC is even more competitive. With Tom Brady back at the helm in New England, defending Super Bowl champ Pittsburgh and San Diego, a team that has ushered Indy out of the playoffs for the past two years are eager to take Indy’s place atop the division.

 

Helping those teams reach that goal could be the aging and depleting roster already found in Indianapolis.

 

And it is the aging roster coupled with the talent throughout the NFL that could expedite the Colts eventual descent into the doldrums of mediocrity.

 

For Colts fans throughout the state of Indiana, the eventual slide into mediocrity can’t come as a surprise.

 

This slide isn’t new. It didn’t begin on an overtime defensive collapse in January, but it began on the last game played in the RCA Dome. When San Diego defeated the Colts without Phillip Rivers or LT, the Colts began their slow and now painful slide to mediocrity.

 

Sure Manning could carry this team far, but with the aging roster and the improved division, Indianapolis could once again be a one and done team.

 

And don’t be surprised if they don’t even get a chance to bow out early in the playoffs in 2009 because the clock might have struck midnight in Indianapolis.

End of an Era Part One: Why the Colts Have Lost their Chance for Dynasty

Like Cinderella at the strike of midnight, or the single guy still standing dateless 10 minutes after last call at the bar, the Indianapolis Colts appear to be out of time.

 

Long thought to be the perennial powerhouse of the NFL, the Colts upcoming 2009 campaign will likely set the tone for times to come—the Colts’ window of opportunity could be shut.

 

Since 2000, Indianapolis was on every pundit’s short list to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for that given season. And for the exception of one magical year in 2006, the much-hyped Colts sulked off the field in January following a heartbreaking and surprising playoff loss.

 

But no matter if it came on a cold, snowy day in Foxboro or in the tranquil 72 degrees in San Diego, a deflated Peyton Manning and company could always rely on the optimism that next year would be the year of the Colts.

 

But that might not be the case this year.

 

The 2009 Colts ride into the season in turmoil. Between long-tenured and future hall of fame coaches like Tony Dungy, Tom Moore, or Howard Mudd leaving, and valued talent like center Jeff Saturday getting longer in the tooth, the usually high-octane Colts team could struggle to even sniff the playoffs. Sure, many pundits will still put them at the top of AFC South and possibly the entire conference.

 

But when the players actually take the field and the 2009 campaign has begun, a new era will begin in the Circle City.

 

Even the rhetoric and attitude this year from Indianapolis is changing. Gone are the swagger and confidence Super Bowl contenders possess. That is replaced by content and frustration.

 

Take the normally mild-mannered and company-towing quarterback Peyton Manning. He is expressing his frustration with the state of his team and the lack of communication that ensued following the parade of coaches into retirement.  

 

“I can’t tell you what’s going on,” Manning told USA Today last week. “I will say I don’t think it’s been the most properly communicated scenario around here.”

 

And those comments, while minute in some locker rooms, should send fear or at least some apprehension into the blue faithful. Times are changing in Indianapolis and it might not be related to the 56th Street headquarters in the Circle City.

 

A changing of the guard is taking place in what was at one time considered to be the Colts’ division.

Carson Palmer Hopeful for a Return to Form

It seems like a lesson in ancient history one overcast November Sunday in 2005 when the Cincinnati Bengals stood toe-to-toe with the vaunted Indianapolis Colts and lost a 45-37 shootout.

Since that day, the Bengals offense has been more extinct than the Republican Party.

In 2008, during a dismal 4-11-1 season, former Harvard quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was tasked with leading the Bengals offense while injured quarterback Carson Palmer spent his Sundays in sweatpants. The former Crimson standout spent most of the 2008 campaign trying to find his place on the field.

And in place of those shootout days way back in 2005, the Bengals would tally 12 points against instate rival Cleveland and that memorable three points put on the board against Baltimore.

Hopefully the 2009 season will be a return to the norm.

With Palmer out, the Bengal playbook was as exciting as spending a Saturday night watching C-Span re-runs. Sometimes due to a spotty offensive line or the weak arm of the former Ivy League standout, the Bengals relied heavily on safer plays.

But as Palmer anticipates his much-anticipated comeback, all indications are offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski will be more open to going down field. That is evident as the team is finishing the May OTAs even without the team’s No. 1 receiver, Chad Ochocinco.

Right now, Palmer hopes to hook up deep again with wide receiver Chris Henry. Palmer and Henry hooked up for the longest pass in Paul Brown Stadium in the second offensive play from scrimmage in the 2005 Wild Card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both Palmer and Henry were hurt on the play.

But with Ochocinco out, Palmer is hoping to rekindle the magic.

“We’ve got Chris Henry…,” Palmer told Yahoo sports. “He’s a guy that’s had a great offseason, really turned his life around. I’m excited to watch him play. He’s a guy that seems like he catches a touchdown every other ball that’s thrown to him, he’s that explosive.

“He’s kind of taken over for Chad’s position and he’s a guy that, like I said earlier, does not want to give up that spot right now.”

With the new attitude in Cincinnati coupled with Palmer’s oath of good health, the Bengals are hoping to return to the air. And if that happens, along with Bengals running back Cedric Benson returning to form and proving he can be an elite running back, the Bengals could raise a few eyebrows in 2009.

Cincinnati Bengals Hope To Get Out of Cellar and Restore Roar in 2009

When you are the proverbial cellar-dweller of the division and the brunt of many NFL jokes, one would think the only direction in 2009 is up for the Cincinnati Bengals—even if you have to take one step at a time.

It’s hard not to improve from a dismal 4-11-1 record and being the floor mat of the AFC North. Last season saw 17 players including first round draft pick Keith Rivers on the injured reserve. That number should have been 18 with the absence of quarterback Carson Palmer following a week three injury to his elbow.

With Palmer on the sideline wearing sweats, not pads, the Bengals fumbled and bumbled their way to mediocrity.

But just as injuries heal, and key players return, the Bengals look to make a move north in the standings in 2009. And when you finish at the bottom last year, up is the only way to go.

 

SIGNS OF A GOOD SEASON

The 2009 off-season included an almost impeccable draft where big names like OT Andre Smith and linebacker Rey Maualuga will don black stripes this fall.

Even with the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals maintained the status quo with the signing of former New York Jet Laveranues Coles. And lets not forget the defensive acquisitions in Tank Johnson and Roy Williams.

But adding the most excitement this offseason might be the resurgence of Palmer’s leadership both on and off the field. 

“We’re going to be really good, I guarantee it,” Palmer said earlier this spring.

And Palmer might be right. The offensive line looks to be much improved this year leaving fans in the Queen City with hope that rookie Smith could surpass all the hype and provide the much needed protection to Palmer’s blind side.

That would be welcome relief to Palmer who spent much of last year’s preseason and the first three weeks running for his life.

Adding to the hype this year is the defense that showed major signs of improvement late last year. With Maualuga and last year’s No. 1 draft pick LB Keith Rivers together again coupled with the run stopping ability of free agent safety Roy Williams, the Bengals could surprise some teams in its ability to stop the run.

 

STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE LOMBARDI TROPHY

Bengals fans shouldn’t book their tickets to Miami just yet for the upcoming Super Bowl. Fans need to remember this team still has some hurdles to cross before they can dethrone the Steelers.

The walking sound byte Chad Johnson…Ochocinco is still upset and demanding a trade. Questions are still being asked about the maturity of Smith who is on his third, no second, but third agent.

Taking the Ochocinco problem first, this could blow up in the Bengals’ face. Ochocinco has the ability to divide the locker room if he is unhappy. And once again, as the Bengals work in the shadows of Paul Brown Stadium, Ochocinco is nowhere to be found.

One bright side is that Palmer and the rest of the team seem to be moving on.

“It’s definitely a new look for the Bengals receiver corps but I couldn’t be happier with the guys we’ve got,” Palmer said recently in an interview.

“T.J.’s ( Houshmandzadeh) gone and Chad’s pretty much gone, he hasn’t been here, so we’ve got guys that want those two spots, guys that compete day in and day out, when we’re out there on the field, running, conditioning and in the weight room lifting. They’re guys that want to take over for those two spots. They look every bit capable of doing what we’re going to ask them to do.”

Moving inside of the receiver corps this year is the shakiness of the offensive line. Early in the year last season, Palmer could barely step back before being rushed from opposing defenses.

This year, while hope is abundant, if Smith and fellow lineman Andre Whitworth can’t step up, it could be a long Autumn in southwestern Ohio.

 

Prognosis

The Bengals appear to be doing the right thing this off season. Even the naysayers on whodeyrevolution.com wrecking havoc to the Bengals front office seem to be impressed, but this team still has holes to fill. Plus it is hard to get the losing mentality out of Cincinnati.

An optomist would say the Bengals could ride the wave of an easy schedule and increased hype to contend for one of the two AFC wild card slots.

A realist however could foresee another 8-8 season of mediocrity.

But as any Bengal fan would say, at least 8-8 is better than last year.

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