Didn’t the Cincinnati Bengals just defeat the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers?  Yes, they did!  And with that early season accomplishment came great local PR for the club, right?  WRONG! 

I am sure Bengals fans couldn’t wait for this week’s media coverage.  They couldn’t wait for the discussion around how this team exorcised last year’s playoff demons.  How they physically traded punches with the Steelers, eventually winning on the Steelers home turf amidst a sea of yellow-towel waving Steelers fanatics.  Even Cincinnati’s favorite go-to-work radio show, The 2 Angry Guys (for those unfamiliar with Cincinnati sports talk radio, the 2 Angry Guys represent the best early morning sports talk radio the city of Cincinnati has to offer) were more focused on the Bengals off the field antics rather than their win over Pittsburgh.   

Where in the world was the Bengal-Steelers discussion this past week in the media?  Where was the discussion on how great the Cincinnati Bengals have started the 2006 season under storybook circumstances?  Yes, that was all briefly mentioned but the main topic this week focused on two (oops, I forgot Reggie McNeil), three Bengals players and their irresponsible decisions to celebrate the Pittsburgh victory by getting embarrassingly intoxicated.  Not to mention one of the player’s (Odell Thurman) decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, potentially jeopardizing the lives of others. 

Now, I’m not condoning what any of these players did, but correct me if I’m wrong, do the other 50 or so upstanding Cincinnati Bengals players deserve to be overshadowed by the irresponsible actions of their three teammates?  Of course not!  Why then do the local Cincinnati media keep yapping about these goof balls?  And don’t tell me it’s because they’re setting a bad example for my little “Jimmy!  First of all, most kids could care less what pro athletes are doing with their free time and whether or not they get into trouble. They certainly don’t go break the law because Odell Thurman did!  Secondly, many parents who call these talk shows are hypocrites because they set bad examples themselves.  The truth of the matter is there are many great individuals in the Cincinnati Bengal organization.  The vast majority of players do not deserve to have their accomplishments underscored by the media continually focusing on the negative of a select few individuals. 

The problem with society today is that negativity sells.  We are essentially a society of complainers; people who like to point the finger at others, because we ourselves didn’t get in trouble.  And why not, it’s more exciting than talking about positive things – that’s boring!  Take a look around at all the positive things the Bengals players do on an annual basis: visits to children’s hospital, food drives for the needy, the list goes on and on.  I say, why not consistently report the positive things.  Yeah, report the negative, but make your point and move on.

Shame on the news outlets and radio talks shows for continually fueling the negative.  There is a professional organization called the Cincinnati Bengals doing positive things for our community everyday.  They need our support more than the irresponsible need our ears.  Let’s end the negative discussion and PLAY BALL! 

G-Man

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