Heartbreaking Reflections

Cincinnati sports and heartbreak have seemingly been joined at the hip for my entire life. My two favorite professional sports teams, the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals, have let down the city of Cincinnati numerous times over the past few years. When it seems like the Reds could make a run at the World Series or the Bengals could finally capture a Super Bowl championship, the cruel hand of fate intervenes and seemingly bounces both teams from the first round of the playoffs of their respective sports year after year. The most heartbreaking playoff losses that I have seen are the 2012 postseason collapse of the Reds and the 2015 implosion of the Bengals. Both of these losses had the entire city of Cincinnati hang its head in disappointment, and they caused many sleepless nights for fans of the queen city’s sports teams. Which one of these was the most depressing? Although it pains me to do this, I feel that it will be therapeutic if I write about both of these losses before picking which one of them was the worst for Cincinnati sports fans.

Let’s start with the 2012 Cincinnati Reds playoff collapse. 2012 was my favorite year as a Reds fan. The team was loaded with talent and put together one of the hottest runs in recent Reds history by winning 10 games in a row which resulted in Hall of Fame Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman shaving his head for charity. Homer Bailey also pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates in September, and the team rolled into the postseason as National League Central Division Champions with a record of 97-65. After going to the west coast and attaining a 2-0 division series lead over the San Francisco Giants without their ace pitcher Johnny Cueto, the Redlegs came home to Great American Ball Park needing to only win one more game to advance to the National League Championship Series. What happened next was unfathomable. The Reds dropped the next three games to lose the division series to the Giants as the fun and memorable 2012 season of the Reds came to a horrendous end that left members of Reds Country with a feeling of heartache.

Fast-forward three years to 2015. This was easily my favorite year as Bengals fan. The Bengals started the season out in scorching fashion by winning their first eight games in a row. They were victorious over their all three of their division rivals and had dramatic down to the wire wins over teams such as the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks. They had a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and entered the playoffs as AFC North Division Champions with a record of 12-4. After splitting the regular season matchups with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the two teams faced off in a rubber match in the wildcard round of the postseason. After being shutout for the first three quarters, the Bengals came roaring back and took a 16-15 lead off an A.J. Green touchdown catch that sent Who Dey Nation into a frenzy. A few plays later, Vontaze Burfict came up with a pick that seemingly clinched the game for the Bengals as Paul Brown Stadium exploded with cheers. It seemed that 25 years of prayers were finally being answered and a playoff win draught that lasted a quarter of a century was finally coming to an end. But then the Bengals’ own worst enemy, the Bungles, appeared at the worst possible time. Bengals running back Jeremy Hill fumbled the ball and a few plays and two horrendous penalties later, the Steelers kicked a game winning field goal and kicked the Bengals out of the playoffs again. It was the worst possible way to end what had been a fantastic season.

Those are my two tragic tales of Cincinnati sports. My two favorite teams having the best seasons I have ever witnessed imploded when the games mattered most. Both are heartbreaking, and they bring up feelings of disgust, anger, sadness, and depression when called to mind. Out of the two though, the Bengals 2015 playoff loss is the worst for me. The Bengals have not won a playoff game in my lifetime, and the fact that they had victory in their clutches only to give it away to the football team I hate the most, the Pittsburgh Steelers, makes me sick. I’m still a fan though. The Reds and the Bengals are the two teams I will always root for and hopefully one day I will be able to witness a Reds World Series Championship and a Bengals Super Bowl Championship.

Go Redlegs and Who Dey!

Fastlane 2016 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Fastlane 2016.

Ken Anderson Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Bengals Fan Club Ken Anderson bobblehead.

Making a Case for Ambrose

Please note that this was written before the February 18, 2016, episode of SmackDown so it was not taken into account when writing this post.

WWE is speeding along the road to Wrestlemania 32 and unlike last year’s buildup to the “Showcase of the Immortals,” the 2016 rendition has been filled with intrigue and excitement. The final pay-per-view stop before Wrestlemania, Fastlane 2016, is this Sunday, and the main event of the night will be a triple threat bout between Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose with the winner earning a main event WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H at Wrestlemania 32. So who will emerge as the victor when the dust settles and smoke clears?

It I were in charge, I would say Dean Ambrose as he has been on fire as of late. At the Royal Rumble, he successfully defended the Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens in jaw dropping “Last Man Standing Match” that is being talked about as a “Match of the Year” candidate, and he was the final wrestler eliminated in the Royal Rumble match. After it was announced that Ambrose was in the main event of Fastlane, the spotlight has been shining brightest on him and he has flourished. He showed tremendous moxey by not only getting in the face of Brock Lesnar multiple times, but by calling out the Beast and enduring F-5 after F-5 only to continuously get back up while asking for more. His promos have been fantastic, and every time his music hits, the crowd pops loudly for him. He is more than capable of main eventing the biggest wrestling show of the year, and if he wins on Sunday, then you can bet that AT&T Stadium will become the Ambrose Asylum on April 3.

I am probably being biased because Ambrose is my favorite wrestler, but I truly think he deserves to win. On Monday Night Raw, he lost the Intercontinental Championship despite never being pinned or forced to submit. Usually when a wrestler loses a secondary title in that fashion, it is a sign that WWE is looking to push that wrestler to the next level. What better way for WWE to push Ambrose to the next level than by having him win at Fastlane?

In all reality though, Reigns will most likely have his arm raised in victory at the end of the match. It is no secret that he is being groomed to be the next face of the company, and despite the mixed reactions and lackluster charisma, he has the look that Vince McMahon values in a company representative. WWE has been building to Reigns versus Triple H for quite some time, and I doubt that McMahon will green light a last second swerve and have somebody else battle Triple H for the title at Wrestlemania. Should Reigns win, I hope Ambrose has a high profile Wrestlemania match against Lesnar. The budding rivalry between these two has been the most intriguing part of the road to Wrestlemania, and a match between the Beast and the Lunatic Fringe on the biggest stage of them all could blow the roof off the stadium. Either way, I am still rooting for the Cincinnati favorite.

Let’s go Ambrose!

Bobblehead Page Update

#BOBBLEHEAD PAGE UPDATE @ https://t.co/7szAEAxyiu WITH NEW #BENGALS NODDER #WhoDey #LetsRoar #Reds #RedsST #NFL #MLB pic.twitter.com/zwomBR7cXz

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) February 17, 2016

Cincinnati Reds Retro Bobble Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Retro Bobble bobblehead.

Thank You, Daniel Bryan

No! No! No! While that was the sentiment of wrestling fans around the world on Monday night, the reality of the matter is that the “American Dragon” has hung up his boots for good. Daniel Bryan, one of the best in ring performers and one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history confirmed his retirement during the final segment of Monday Night Raw due to medical reasons.

This news shocked me, and I am still stunned that the professional wrestling career of the greatest Cinderella story in WWE history has come to an end. I knew that he had a history of injuries and that he endured a lot of wear and tear during his days on the “Indy” scene, but he was so good in the ring that it looked like the pain had no effect on him at all. He was one of the most skilled in ring performers in WWE, and despite lacking charisma when he first arrived on the scene; he managed to capture the hearts of wrestling fans around the world by popularizing the word “yes” and growing a beard.

Bryan was one of the current crop of wrestlers in WWE that made it fun again. He changed the way people think of what a “WWE Superstar” is supposed to be by establishing one of the most genuine connections with an audience that I have ever seen. While he did not have the build of a stereotypical wrestler, he had that intangible “it” factor that demanded people’s attention. Fans around the world supported him by mimicking his “yes” cheer, booing the roofs off arenas when he was not being featured in certain matches and segments such as in the 2014 and 2015 Royal Rumbles, and by chanting “you deserve it” the night after he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 30.

Bryan is easily one of my most favorite wrestlers of all time. I first came across him in a 2007 issue of “Pro Wrestling Illustrated” that documented his Ring of Honor Championship loss to Homicide. Three years later, I saw him on WWE NXT. While I thought it was strange that WWE made him switch his name from Bryan Danielson to Daniel Bryan, I was still happy to see him in WWE and watched as his popularity skyrocketed during his time with the biggest wrestling promotion on the planet. I was thrilled when he captured the United States Championship, and laughed as he and Kane joined forces to create the highly entertaining Team Hell No. I was one of his supporters during the “Yes Movement” and was ecstatic when he made Batista submit at Wrestlemania 30. I watched as he won an exciting ladder match at Wrestlemania 31 to claim the Intercontinental Championship, and I was at the shocking episode of Monday Night Raw when he vacated the title due to injury. I said that I hoped he would return to the ring soon. Unfortunately that will not be happening.

I am not happy about Bryan’s retirement, but I support it 100 percent. He has a life outside the ring that he needs to live and a family to start. I wish him nothing but the best as he starts a new chapter of his life. Thank you for entertaining me for nine years and taking the wrestling world on an unforgettable ride. Thank you, Daniel Bryan.

Bobblehead Page Update

#BOBBLEHEAD PAGE UPDATE @ https://t.co/7szAEAfWTU WITH NEW #REDS NODDER #RedsST #MLB #NBA #Baseball #Sports #NFL pic.twitter.com/we1JHcBmcA

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) February 10, 2016

Bengals Graphs 2015 Part 4

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the different Cincinnati Bengals autographs he has gotten.

Top Five Bengals Free Agents

Now that I have had some time to pick up the pieces of my broken heart that shattered when my Cincinnati Bengals proved to be their own worst enemy during their 2015 playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, I believe it is time to put that horrendous night in the rearview mirror and look ahead to the 2016 season. There is no doubt that this team will indeed look different next year. A few coaches such as Hue Jackson and Vance Joseph have left the Bengals to take coaching positions with other teams, and 15 players are now free agents. These players are cornerback Leon Hall, tackle Andre Smith, safety Reggie Nelson, linebacker Vinny Rey, cornerback Adam Jones, linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, defensive end Wallace Gilberry, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, safety George Iloka, tackle Eric Winston, defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, wide receiver Marvin Jones, wide receiver Brandon Tate, defensive tackle Pat Sims, and center T.J. Johnson. In a perfect world, the Bengals would bring back every player (yes, even Adam Jones). Unfortunately, salary cap restrictions and high contract offers from other teams pretty much guarantee that some of these free agents will end up somewhere else. So who should the Bengals offer new contracts to out of these 15 players? Keep reading to see who I think are the top five players that need to be brought back.

Marvin Jones is a no brainer. If there is a must have player on this list, it is number 82 for the Bengals. Jones is a fantastic wide receiver and made some incredible catches and plays this season. He bounced back nicely after injuries put him on the bench for all of 2014, and he proved that his breakout 2013 campaign was no fluke. The Bengals need to bring him back and keep their triple threat of wide receivers together. The triple threat I am referring to is A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, and Mohamed Sanu. Speaking of Sanu…

…the Bengals need to bring him back as well. Sanu has proven to be the most versatile player on the team. He hauls in touchdown passes and has even thrown a touchdown pass to A.J. Green. In fact, he has a perfect passer rating! Aside from catching and throwing touchdowns, he has also rushed for a few and has become a man of all trades for this team. The Bengals need to bring him back as his versatility on the field is something that the offense has used time and time again to its advantage.

George Iloka is another player I would love to see back as a Bengal. He has had a solid four years as a Bengals safety and is a guy that I definitely see becoming a leader of the defense. He may not have as many picks as Reggie Nelson, but he has something that Nelson does not have: youth. Iloka is only 25 years old while Nelson is at the age of 32. Plus, Iloka will be cheaper than Nelson as Nelson is sure to garner a huge contract in the offseason. So when it comes to Iloka, I would definitely bring him back. He is a leader in the making, a solid safety, and a much more affordable option for the Bengals.

I would also bring back linebacker Vinny Rey. Not only is he one of the best linebackers on the team, but he is also the smartest linebacker on the team. He routinely makes excellent plays, he knows how to control his emotions, and he has come through in the clutch on multiple occasions. Just look at his game clinching interception against the San Diego Chargers. With Vontaze Burfict being suspended for the first three games of the 2016 season, the Bengals need somebody to fill the void. Rey has filled that void before, and I know he is more than capable of filling it again.

The last player I would bring back is Wallace Gilberry. The man is an intelligent football player who is also a beast on the defensive line. He along with Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, and Domata Peko were monsters for opposing offensive lines for most of the season. Like Iloka, I also see him beginning to emerge as a leader on the defensive side of the ball. He is a really good player and one that I believe can keep the other defensive players in check.

Those are my top five Bengals free agents that I would bring back. Obviously I would love it if the Bengals could bring them all back, but everybody knows that is virtually impossible. Guys will want more money and the Bengals can only offer so much. Football, like every other professional sport, is all about the “Benjamins” and hopefully the Bengals offer money to the right players.

Who Dey!