I am a fan of a football(American) team that has inevitably lived up to an infamous quote:
"When I die, I want ______ to be my pallbearers so they can let me down one more time."
I am a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals.
After looking like they could be legit contenders in the 2015-16 season, things have been all downhill ever since Jeremy Hill lost the ball and Vontaze Burfict nearly decapitated Antonio Brown, leading to a stunning snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory.
Yes, Jeremy, a lot of people had the same expression as you do here when you lost the ball.
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Last year was a drudgery, with the offense absolutely impotent and the defense worn out from an offense unable to stay on the damn field to allow them to catch their breath.
I believe that their woes resulted from two mistakes in free agency--the departures of Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler.
Whitworth, who was a stalwart for the Bengals for a decade, was mysteriously allowed to leave even though he was still a good, if no longer great, offensive tackle--a fact which became more evident after his replacements, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, were completely incapable of filling his void. Ogbuehi was a colossal disappointment, and his subpar play directly led to the "bad Andy Dalton" that analysts have harped about ever since he came into the league.
I still can't quite shake the feeling he's in the wrong uniform.
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Zeitler, while he would have cost a pretty penny, should have also been retained. Zeitler's strength has always been run blocking, and without Zeitler, the offense had 3.6 yards per carry and 85.4 yards per game--2nd last in the league. And this was with Joe Mixon, who has shown flashes of being a good-to-great back.
In addition, I've always maintained that the Bengals have been suspect at the center position for a while. Inside rushes have been pitiful for the Bengals ever since Russell Bodine became the center, and now Bodine is gone.
The team has good skill position players--AJ Green is a stud WR, and Tyler Boyd and Brandon Lafell are good complementary receivers. Tyler Eifert and Tyler Kroft are TD magnets, although that is contingent on Eifert actually being on the field--the man is made of glass, it seems. Mixon and Gio Bernard are a solid RB duo, and Dalton, despite his criticisms, is a solid QB. But their problems in the trenches have dragged the offense down.
A lot of mock drafts had the Bengals picking a center, and I was glad they made a choice that finally addresses a big need--and they selected a local kid as well!
Enter Billy Price.
Full disclaimer: I am not an expert on o-line play. I am a fan that has seen a lot of football but is, like most others, relatively un-nuanced when it comes to the finer points of o-line play.
Nevertheless, they selected a player from a premier college team who has shown leadership and skills--and leadership is something the Bengals sorely lack.
Coupled with the acquisition of Cordy Glenn from the Bills, I have some hopes that the offense can find its footing again. I've been bitten on the ass by having any semblance of hope in this team many times, but dammit, I am a fan and I'll hope again.