SB Nation User Blog: Carl Zander

Jump on the bandwagon and drink the kool aid!

Carl Zander — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:08:50 -0000

According to playoffstatus.com the Bengals at 3-1 have a 60% chance to make the playoffs this season. This website uses historical data to determine the odds of making it to the ever elusive postseason. By contrast the Pittsburgh Steelers currently sitting at 2-2 have only a 36% chance of making the playoffs. The Browns and Titans are gripping a miniscule 2% chance of moving on and their grasp is slipping away quickly.

I know that Bengals fans have been jaded by recent (the last two decades) history. I know us fans have a king size chip on their shoulder since Stokely plucked that deflected miracle out of the sky. I know it hasn't been pretty, but the bottom line is that the Bengals are 3-1 and that beats the alternative.

The schedule gets tough now. Right? Well two out of their next 4 games are against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have one of the best Linebackers of all time. The Ravens were in the AFC championship game last year. The Ravens were #1 in the ESPN power rankings coming into the week, none of which bodes well for us Bengals fans... but "not so fast" my friend!

In the Marvin Lewis era the Bengals are 7-5 (.580) against the Ravens while they have posted a .428 record against the rest of the league. If we could take a mulligan on the 2008 season it would be 7-3! When your a Bengals fan you have to look for any edge, because...because we rarely have any edge. Maybe I'm still drunk from the state record effort I put in down at PBS two Sundays ago, but I want to believe in the Bengals.

One other thought...The Bengals reported today that the Chicago game is sold out. Hopefully the Houston game will sell out this week, but if...scratch that, when the Bengals win on Sunday a sell out against Houston is merely a formality. But even if the Bengals were to lose to the 8.5 point favorite Ravens on Sunday they would still come home for their third home game with a winning record. Under Marvin Lewis they have only come home for their third home game with a winning record twice (2005 and 2006). If NOTHING ELSE, at least the Bengals have kept our interest level into mid October.

Who Dey? So far only the undefeated Denver Broncos...and it took a miracle to do so.

Predictions?

Carl Zander — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:54:25 -0000

Allright, now that it is for real...

What is your prediction for week 1 against the Broncos and what is your prediction for the season record?

I'm an eternal optimist, but I am trying to temper my enthusiasm for 2009, but I forsee a victory next Sunday and 9-10 wins on the season.

One thing I find amusing...the whining from the fans who won't get to see the victory on the tube next Sunday. Maybe you shouldn't have given up your season tickets so hastily?

How far away are they?

Carl Zander — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:44:51 -0000

A tie? I had always heard a tie is like kissing your sister, but my sister is hot so I think it is more like giving your grandmother a bath. Anyway...

The Bengals have consistently found a way not to win. Yesterday's tie with the Eagles was encouraging for a team that is just playing to keep season ticket holders around next season. The Bengals have been in every game late into the game with the exception of the Texans game.

They are not that far off. Maybe the 8 inches between their ears is the difference between them and the Titans or the Giants. The Bengals are hanging in their without their best offensive player (Palmer) and without their best defensive player (Rivers). They have played a tough schedule. Their opponents have an average of 6 wins a piece. The Titans' opponents, for instance, have an average of 4 wins each. I believe they aren't that far off. They can get this turned around, but it will take a change in attitude.

Whats the Soup du jour?

Carl Zander — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:27:13 -0000

Keith Rivers better get used to saying that phrase because he will be eating his meals through a straw for a while. I am a Bengals fan through and through, but I couldn't believe how many people went off the hook about the Hines Ward hit. Everyone was saying it was dirty and unnecessary. I want to set the record straight. 1. It was a clean hit. The head was in front. It didn't draw a flag. 2. It was necessary. If you watch the replay Rivers was going in for the tackle. I don't like the Steelers, but you have to like the way they play. Physical to the whistle. Disagree if you must. Here is the link to highlight of the hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXxc9OxIJyc

Keep The Faith

Carl Zander — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:55:31 -0000

Several days after Cincy lost in what I thought would end up being that one game the Bengals win that you don't expect every year I am reminded to keep the faith. The town is starting to shit on the best QB to ever don the stripes and everyone is pissing on the coach who brought them back from the depths of NFL depravity. I admit Marvin is horrible in the press conferences and doesn't realize that he needs to be more salesman like Brian Kelly of UC. Kelly gets it that he is selling a product. Lewis knows the games are sold out and doesn't give a shit if asses warm the seats or not. With that said Marvin is a good coach. You don't get to be head coach or D coordinator ,or assistant to the assistant ball boy for that matter, in the NFL if you don't know what you are doing. He is .500 lifetime in a .500 league and he has 13 more opportunities (maybe) to improve on that mark. So as an eternal optimist I will tell you how I will get to say I told you so at the end of the year and get to keep my title as a Bengals fan. I will keep the faith. While you are bellyaching about not going for it on 4th down in NY and hurricane Ike's impact on the Ten game I am looking forward and I see wins. So here is my game by game prediction.

Browns at home. We hear "I don't wanna work, I just wanna play on my drums all day..." all day at PBS while the Bengals O gets untracked. Bengals 31-10. Record 1-3

Cowboys in Dallas. While I am tempted to call this that one game the Bengals win that you don't expect, I'll refrain. Boys are the best in the biz. Cowboys 28-17. Record 1-4.

Jets in NY. Favre throws 3 picks and the Bengals win 24-17. Record 2-4.

Pitt at home. Cincy wins one against Pitt this year, might as well be at home. Bengals D gets 4 sacks and the hometown celebrates 27-21 victory. Record 3-4

Texans at Houston. Bengals dominate 35-14. Record 4-4

Jacksonville at home. Iffy game, injuries to Jags backfield and momentum helps Bengals to win tight one, 17-10. Record 5-4.

Eagles at home. The streak is snapped. Bengals give up 5 sacks, lose big 35-10. 5-5 record.

Steelers at Pitt. Hangover from Philly, Steelers get healthy beat bengals 21-20. 5-6.

Bal at home. Redemption song, 24-7 Bengals. Record 6-6.

At Indy. This may be that win, but I hesitate. Indy wins. Record 6-7.

Washington at home. Bengals 21-10. 7-7.

At Cle. Bengals sweep the Browns. 8-7.

KC at home. Bengals 31-17. Final record, 9-7.

Baltimore finishes 8-8: @ pit w, ten l, @ ind l, @ mia w, oak w, @ cle w, @ hou w, @nyg l, phi l, @ cin l, was w, pit l, @ dal l, jac l

Pittsburgh finishes 8-8: bal l, @ jac l, @ cin l, nyg l, @ was w, ind l, sd w, cin w, @ ne w, dal l, @ bal w, @ ten l, cle w

It could happen. Keep the faith...

B'more (the city) sucks and Lance is a hack...

Carl Zander — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:11:53 -0000

I tune into 1530 today and hear Lance babbling. This guy doesn't know if the ball is stuffed or pumped and annoints himself qualified to label Marvin Lewis a "hack". Granted Sunday's loss to B'more was a joke. Palmer had the worst game of his career while Falco (who prior to Sunday was best known for his hit song Amadeus) had his only game of his career. The defense again showed America's youth football players how not to tackle. All in all the Bengals showed the league how not to win a football game, all while B'more showed me how not to pre game.

I had traveled to that shit hole of a town to enjoy the season opener. I was shocked that the entire town smelled like a bum's nutsack until I walked out of my hotel and noticed that most of America's unemployed were in town for the opener too. First I walked through the much ballyhooed Inner Harbor section of town. The ESPN Zone wasn't opened until 11:30 (what???) and other watering holes had the energy of an insurance seminar. We walked towards the stadium to get a drink and saw something you'd never find in the Nati at 10 am, open parking spots in lots less than a 1/2 mile from the stadium. We pressed on thinking we must be in the wrong spot, until we got to the Raven Walk which was the only sign of life in the whole town....and it wasn't much to speak of. A few tents selling bbq and beer and playing...get this, Baggo. Not Cornhole, but Baggo. Playing Baggo is like shooting a BB gun after you've shot a Bazooka. The worst part about playing Baggo is the 1999 court ruling stating that you have to call your dad to let him know you are gay (it is in the Geneva Convention, look it up). B'more guy: Come to Cincy. Set your alarm. Splash some water on your face. Walk down to Longworth's or to Lot D and watch a real town with real fans pregame like men, albeit for a mediocre team. In a nutshell B'more is the worst NFL town I have ever traveled to.

Back to my original point...The Bengals didn't look real good in what I felt was a must win game. But, for Lance McCallister to call Marvin a hack is out of bounds. Marvin Lewis has had success, however modest, in the NFL. He has a ring. He has been a D coordinator and somehow was qualified enough to earn the job as a head coach. I know you are going to say, "yeah, but it was the Bengals who hired him, so it doesn't count." Well as dumb as Mike Brown may be, he was smart enough not to hire you, me or Lance McCallister. Until you, I or LM gets an interview I will assume that Marvin is more qualified. I will assume he knows more about football. I will also assume he knows more about what is going on with his team. Furthermore he coaches in a league where parity is king. It has long been said that it is an 8-8 league. Marv has managed to amass a 42-39 record during his first 5 seasons. I have been disappointed with the Bengals over those years, but when I think back to the final game of 2002 when I was walking to the stadium. Hundreds of fans had placed their tickets under a windshield wiper in disgust. The Bengals were the worst team of the decade of the 90s and the early 2000s weren't shaping up too well either. Lesson learned? It could be worse, it was worse!

I am not a Marvin fan. He is condescending in his press conferences. He has turned a blind eye while his high dollar thugs get all liqoured up and embarass an otherwise conservative town. He has underachieved with a talented team. With that said he cannot be called a hack. A hack is a golfer who shoots 120. A hack bowls a 98. A hack goes 3-13. Anyway...who is Lance? Where is his blinding success? He has had some success in his field, but he isn't Jim Rome or Dan Patrick. He is in a small market, he does a reasonable job. I would say by most standards Lance is 8-8 day in and day out, season in and season out. There is nothing wrong with that. He works hard. Most of us in this world are 8-8. What bothers me is that he perpetuates the front running personality our fans have become known for.

As a town we have a great pre game atmosphere (for now). We have a cool stadium. We have some exciting players such as Carson and Chad, but the second things don't go right...as soon as the deck is stacked against us, we fold. Look up Cubs fan, look up Browns fan, look up Celtics fan. When are we going to believe in our team for more than one loss and let the team and the coach do what they do and, I promise, the team and coach will let you do what you do when you go to the office? When? Lance and most Cincy fans remind me of Bosko in All the Right Moves. You throw trash on Coach's lawn just because his fullback fumbled trying to run out the clock? I just hope if B'more guy does show up to see how a real town does it on game day it isn't too late. What if we are 3-7 or 4-6 when B'more comes to town? Are we going to be there to show them how to do it? Or worse what if we aren't around to show B'more how to do it and us fans aren't around to show support for the Bengals and Mikey pulls an Art Modell on us? I, for one, don't want to see those Mayflower trucks pulling onto 75.