While flipping through the channels on Sunday night, I caught a few minutes here and there of the Washington at Cincinnati NFL preseason game on NBC. There really wasn't much else on, and I was mildly interested to see their coverage. I was less interested in watching a QB matchup of Doug Johnson vs. Jason Campbell, but that's preseason football.
The play on the field did catch my eye when Clinton Portis absolutely blew up the Bengals' Keiwan Ratliff on an interception return, with a hit so hard Portis got hurt. He dislocated his shoulder and immediately spouted the knee-jerk reaction every time a player gets hurt in the preseason: "For whoever's watching: Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said. "Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that."
Clinton Portis' new character: Overzealous Preseason Superstar
The high point for me was when I caught some of the halftime, anchored by Bob Costas, flanked by Cris Collinsworth, Sterling Sharpe, and Jerome Bettis. This was one of those "inside the stadium" sets that are normally reserved for events like playoff games. Which meant Bengal fans were basically right on top of these guys. They were merciless in their booing of the Bus, to the point of Costas' comment, not verbatim, but along the lines of: "I wondered if there was anyone in America that didn't like Jerome Bettis. Well, it looks like there are a few thousand people here in Cincinnati that don't."
The play on the field did catch my eye when Clinton Portis absolutely blew up the Bengals' Keiwan Ratliff on an interception return, with a hit so hard Portis got hurt. He dislocated his shoulder and immediately spouted the knee-jerk reaction every time a player gets hurt in the preseason: "For whoever's watching: Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said. "Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that."
Clinton Portis' new character: Overzealous Preseason SuperstarThe high point for me was when I caught some of the halftime, anchored by Bob Costas, flanked by Cris Collinsworth, Sterling Sharpe, and Jerome Bettis. This was one of those "inside the stadium" sets that are normally reserved for events like playoff games. Which meant Bengal fans were basically right on top of these guys. They were merciless in their booing of the Bus, to the point of Costas' comment, not verbatim, but along the lines of: "I wondered if there was anyone in America that didn't like Jerome Bettis. Well, it looks like there are a few thousand people here in Cincinnati that don't."
Jerome Bettis: not as popular in Cincinnati as Nick LacheyThe jeers were loud and persistent. Then, in a move of WWE showmanship, Bettis stands up and flashes his Super Bowl ring to the Bengal fans. To which Collinsworth immediately retorted, "Just like a lot of Bengal fans, I'll tell you that if Carson Palmer didn't get hurt, you wouldn't have that ring."
Blah, blah, blah. If Tommy Maddox never got hurt against the Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger might still be holding a clipboard. If Duce Staley were not always wearing a gray sweatsuit on the sidelines then Willie Parker probably never would have been activated off the practice squad. If The Tuck Rule didn't exist, the Patriots may never have had a dynasty. If there's one bonus to the regular season starting, it's that we don't have to hear any more from fans of the Bengals, Seahawks, Broncos, Colts, or anyone else the Steelers beat last year. These Bengal apologists who always moan and groan about Palmer...weren't they the same ones beating their chest about how great of a backup Kitna was all year?
Football is a game that can change on an injury, a rotten call, the weather, or just plain bad luck. The Steelers have certainly had their share of breaks go the other way in the 26 years in between Super Bowls. That's part of the game. Sometimes, you can overcome it, like the Steelers winning in Indianapolis despite the overturned Polamalu interception and the Bettis goal line fumble. Sometimes, you can't, like Neil O'Donnell hooking up with Larry Brown for two Cowboys TDs in Super Bowl 30. The sports universe has a way of equalling out over time. Anyone who thinks the Steelers get all the breaks must have missed the AFC Championships in 1994, 1997, 2001, and 2004. What goes around, comes around. The test of a true champion is one who can roll with the punches in the bad times and be more motivated to succeed the next time around.
Neil O'Donnell, the true MVP of Super Bowl XXXdigg story
11 comments:
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Clinton looks like Fee Waybill's mock rock star character from when he was in The Tubes. All that's missing is the fake penis for a nose.
Since I live in Cinci, I was at a buddy's (and Bengal's fan) place with a couple of friends to hopefully mock Wright's performance (though he actually was impressive, damn). During the Bettis booing episode, my Bengal fan buds started yelling "Throw something at him. Throw beer bottles at him!" To which I disgustingly replied, "Yeah, that is exactly what a classless Bengals fan would do." Is there a single team in the NFL with more thugs than the Bengals? The fans aren't much better... we've coined a term "Bitter Bengals' fans" for them.
Yes, it's so easy for Bengals fans to say "If Palmer hadn't been injured" but that's just a little convenient, and hypocritical when they call the Steelers dirty when Thurman hit Ben so deliberately in Ben's rehabitilating knees in the last game they'd played each other during regular season that Thurman actually got a flag! Needless to say that the league has already stated that even with the new hitting QBs in the knees rule, Kimo's hit would have STILL been legal, so it's about time the Bengals fessed up and admit that their defense totally lost the game for them.
I hate living in Cincinnati, mostly just because of the Bengals' fans. Yes, they are that bad.
Chris Collinsworth has been an unabashed Steeler hater since his days of routinely getting KILLED every time he faced them.
He's no coward, but he thoroughly became ground meat every time the Steelers played him. So as a result, today he just cries and cries about the Steelers when in fact he's really crying because of his own lack of a Superbowl ring!
Jerome should have shoved his ring right up his spindly little ass!!!
First off, fuck Chris Collinsworth. That guy has hated the Steelers since he stepped off the field and into the studio many moons ago.
Also, I've heard it said that Bengals fans went from nonexistent to overzealous in just a year's time.
This team couldnt sell out their stadium for years, then they have a good season, and now all their fans come out in droves and they all seem to be REALLY nasty too.
No rule, you can't start acting like the Eagles fans unless you've had a viable fanbase for over a decade.
I don't get booing Bettis. If it was Kimo or one of our players who has some sort of a bad rep, maybe S. Holmes or Joey Porter, but Bettis, the constant professional, why?
That would be like me booing Carson Palmer during an interview? Why would i do that, he is a great player?
Now, booing Chad Johnson, that would make sense...
Philly fans are the worst btw. They booed Santa Clause once during an Eagles game, and they cheered when Michael Irvin had to be taken off the field with his neck stabalized. They boo their own fans when they drop foul balls at Phillys games. Worst of all, they are proud of these actions.
Philadelphia sucks donkey.
Cris Collinsworth, wow. How did he get a job on TV? My Boston Terrier taking a sh*t in the yard is more intriguing. He's just a little angry that he keeps having to sit next to more accomplished athletes.
Also, I agree with the other posters before me. All of a sudden there is great bungal pride in the flat hell that is Ohio? I guess if I had to suffer through David Klinger, Jeff Blake, Neil "The Pretender" O'Donnell, Akili Smith, and the "Bizarro" Kitna, i'd be a little ornery too.
"I'll tell you that if Carson Palmer didn't get hurt, you wouldn't have that ring."
And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.
My Brothers and I went to last year's 1st game in Cincy where we dominated the line of scimmage and play. The playoff game was no different. ONce the Steelers spotted the Bengals 10 points we dominated the game. Collinsworth should spend time with another Bengal, QB - Boomer Esiason because Booner saw first hand the halftime performance of CJ and Coach Lewis losing control and respect of the players. Steelers are a Class organization. The Bengals are a Steelers-want-to-be team. Who Dey? "We Dey" Team that kicks their ass everytime the chips are on the line. 2006 Season will be no different.
I might stir up a sh*tstorm here, but I'm sure Mondesi won't mind.
I like football just fine. It's a fine game. But I can't stand football players, football coaches, football announcers and, ESPECIALLY, football fans.
Baseball fans don't have time to get caught up in this name-calling nonsense because there's always another game to pay attention to 21 hours later.
Football people have waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much freakin' time on their hands between games, and they waste it on nonsense like what announcers hate our team and whose fans are the biggest d*cks and other attempts at one-upping each other on the obnoxiousness scale.
Criminy, it's only been one exhibition game and I'm pissed off already. Wish I had a baseball team in a pennant race to pay attention to.
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