Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble event.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Bengal Graphs 2016 Part 4
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the different Cincinnati Bengals autographs he has gotten throughout the 2016 NFL season.
The Pacman Problem
Just when you thought a rough year for the Cincinnati
Bengals could not get any worse, it did. On January 3, 2017, Bengals cornerback
Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested after being accused of disorderly conduct and
assaulting a security employee at a hotel in Cincinnati. Officials said that
Jones was pounding on hotel room doors and when hotel security arrived to
investigate, Jones got into an altercation with an employee by pushing the
employee and poking him in the eye. According to court documents, the police
were called and while Jones was being arrested, he was “head-butting” and
“kicking” at officers. He was then taken to the county jail where things got
much worse.
While sitting in the back of the police car, Jones can be
seen on camera saying a lot of derogatory things to the officer that I have no
desire of typing out in this post. If you want to see the video of Jones in the
police car, click here.
In the video, Jones repeatedly calls the officer a racially insensitive word,
swears at the officer multiple times, kicks the door of the car, and says that
he hopes the officer dies. Once inside the jail, Jones was allegedly combative
and had to be placed in a restraint chair. According to court documents, Jones
also spat on a female nurse when she tried to examine him. That action led to a
felony charge of harassment with a bodily substance in addition to the multiple
misdemeanor charges Jones is currently facing.
The video of Jones in the police car went viral on January 23, and a tidal wave of
criticism and outrage came crashing down on Jones and the Bengals. The Bengals
issued an apology to its fans as well as the city of Cincinnati, and Jones’
attorneys issued an apology to the officers, the Bengals organization, and fans
of the team. At the time that this post was written, the NFL has yet to impose
any kind of punishment on Jones.
Jones has been a tremendous asset to the defense during his
time with the team, and he earned himself a hefty contract following a standout
2015 season. He seemingly turned his act around after years of off the field
trouble. I went to an episode of “Beyond the Stripes” during the 2016 season in
which Jones was the guest player. He was the best guest the show had all year,
and he had nothing but good things to say about the Bengals franchise, the city
of Cincinnati, and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. He credited Lewis with
saving his life. The Adam Jones I saw that night made the one from years past
seem nonexistent. Unfortunately that is no longer the case as the work Jones
did to rebuild his life and reputation has taken a huge hit due to his actions
on January 3rd.
Needless to say, the Bengals are in a tough situation. The
charges alone Jones is facing are enough for the Bengals to cut the cornerback.
Add in the video of Jones reverting to his past self in the back of the police
car, and it is almost a forgone conclusion that Jones will not be with the team
next season. He is a representation of the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that was
once known for its players getting into trouble with the law. After essentially
hitting the reset button and attaining the reputation of a model franchise in
the NFL, it would make no sense for the Bengals to keep Jones. I love the
Bengals, and I am a fan of Jones as a player. As a person though, Jones has
proven that he has some work to do. I hope that Jones apologizes for his
actions himself and takes the necessary steps to correct his behavior.
Here’s hoping to hear nothing but good news about the
Bengals the rest of the offseason! Who Dey!
Who Will The Phenom Face?
The road to Wrestlemania is officially underway. Over the
last few weeks, various wrestlers have announced their participation in the
Royal Rumble match. Wrestlers such as Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho,
the Miz, the Undertaker, and Dean Ambrose have all said that they will be
participating in the bout. The winner will earn a main event title shot at
Wrestlemania, and I believe that the Undertaker is the current odds on favorite
to emerge victorious. Should the Undertaker indeed win the Royal Rumble match,
who will he face? Allow me to explain.
There are currently two world champions in WWE. Raw is home
to reigning WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens, and SmackDown has WWE World
Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles. Owens is in the midst of a feud with Roman
Reigns and appears to have a showdown with Chris Jericho on the horizon. Styles
is currently set to defend his title against John Cena at the Royal Rumble in
what should be another fantastic bout between the two top wrestlers of the blue
brand. I think Cena will defeat Styles and win his record-tying 16th
world title. This will set up the much-anticipated Wrestlemania showdown with
the Undertaker.
A Wrestlemania match between “the face that runs the place”
and “the phenom” is a Wrestlemania dream match that has yet to come to
fruition. The two were engaged in a rivalry during Cena’s early days on the
roster in 2003, and they almost faced off at Wrestlemania 23 in 2007. The
Undertaker had won the Royal Rumble match that year and Cena was the reigning
WWE Champion. It was teased that “the dead man” was going to face Cena, but he
ultimately challenged Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship instead.
I think it would be very fitting if Cena and the Undertaker
clashed at the “Showcase of the Immortals.” The Undertaker has been a WWE
cornerstone for nearly three decades, and Cena has been the most well-known
wrestler on the roster for about 15 years. A bout between two of WWE’s
greatest wrestlers would definitely sell out Wrestlemania 33, and WWE needs to
capitalize on this opportunity. The Undertaker only has a few matches left in
him, and Cena is transitioning from a full time wrestler to a part time
wrestler/actor. The window is closing fast for this match, and I think that
this is the year WWE pulls the trigger on a Wrestlemania matchup between Cena
and the Undertaker.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Oh It’s True!
WWE has been home to some of the greatest athletes on the
planet. Shawn Michaels, A.J. Styles, and Shelton Benjamin all come to mind when
discussing wrestlers who personified pure athleticism. However there is one
wrestler that tops them all in my opinion, and that man is Kurt Angle. After a
long professional wrestling career that started in 1999, the 1996 Olympic Gold
Medalist will take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the
2017 induction class.
During my childhood, Angle was easily the most athletically
gifted wrestler on the WWE roster. He debuted with the company at Survivor Series 1999 and
transitioned from the world of amateur wrestling to professional wrestling with
unparalleled ease. His ability to perform in the ring was apparent very early
in his career, and he went on to have fantastic matches with some of the
biggest names in the industry at the time. His triple threat match at
Wrestlemania 16 for his Intercontinental Championship and European
Championships was a fun bout to watch, and it was the first real sign that
Angle would be a true WWE superstar.
Aside from holding both the Intercontinental and European
titles, Angle also won the 2000 King of the Ring tournament and capped off his
rookie year by capturing the WWE Championship with a win over the Rock at No
Mercy 2000. He is also the only man in WWE history to have defeated the Rock,
Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker, and Triple H in the same night as he
retained his WWE title over those four men plus Rikishi in a 6 man Hell in a Cell match
at Armageddon 2000. Angle would continue to win more titles and have more
fantastic matches throughout the rest of his WWE career. His rivalry with Brock
Lesnar for the WWE Championship in 2003 was easily the best feud in the company
that year, and his matches with wrestlers such as Edge, Eddie Guerrero, and
Shawn Michaels were incredible to watch.
Angle had more than just great in ring ability. He was an
excellent talker on the microphone and had a surprising amount of charisma. His
promos ranged from serious to funny, and every time he had a microphone in his
hand people listened. He could annoy an audience by bragging about his Olympic
gold medal. He could make an audience laugh with his rendition of “Jimmy Crack Corn” and
his take on Shawn Michaels’ theme song. He could also intimidate his opponents
by threatening to break their ankles with his trademark Ankle Lock submission
hold. Some of my all-time favorite segments of Angle include his interactions
with Edge during their run with Christian as Team ECK in 2000 and during their rivalry,
which saw Edge shave Angle’s head in 2002. These segments always make me laugh
and showcase the diverse talent of Angle.
Needless to say, Angle is quite deserving of a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. When
factoring in his accomplishments in other promotions such as Total Nonstop
Action Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Angle is one of the most
decorated professional wrestlers in history. He is the only person to have won
an Olympic gold medal, the WWE Championship, the TNA Championship, and the IWGP
Heavyweight Championship. He also held just about every title available in both
TNA and WWE and is regarded by many as the best pure athlete to ever grace a
wrestling ring. I am very excited that Angle will be inducted into the WWE Hall
of Fame, and I cannot wait to see him appear on WWE television one last time.
Photo Page Update
Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With New #louisville basketball pics#GoCards #L1C4 #ncaa #basketball #UofL #CardNation pic.twitter.com/F5hJVwY8UB— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 18, 2017
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Redsfest 2016 Day 2
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone vlogs about his experience at day 2 of Redsfest 2016.
Watch the day 1 vlog of Redsfest 2016 here.
The 2017 Reds Bobbleheads Are…
The Cincinnati Reds have finally announced what bobbleheads
they will be giving out during the 2017 season. For the most part, the lineup
of nodders is pretty solid. New players are being featured, but the team has
once again decided to showcase a certain first baseman. In this post, I will
share my thoughts on the bobbleheads that the Reds plan to give out in 2017.
Please note that I am only sharing my thoughts on the standard stadium giveaway
bobbleheads and not the special package bobbleheads.
The first bobblehead the Reds will be giving out is of Adam
Duvall. This was a no brainer. Duvall was the breakout star of the team last
season. He competed in both the homerun derby and the all-star game and really
made a name for himself at the plate. The Reds have already posted a picture
of the bobblehead on their twitter account, and it looks great. I will
definitely try to go to the ballpark on May 20 to pick up this bobblehead.
The second bobblehead of the year will feature pitcher
Anthony DeSclafani. This is another great choice as DeSclafani has been a very
solid member of the pitching rotation for the last few years. He usually has
very good starts and is almost guaranteed to have the Reds in position to pull
out a win. His bobblehead will be given out on June 3, the same day a special
ticket package Iron Man bobblehead will be featured. If you play your cards
right, you could go to the game and walk away with two bobbleheads.
Third on the list is Billy Hamilton. This will be the third
bobblehead the Reds have given out of Hamilton in the last four years. I do not
plan on going to the July 15 game to get it as I have the Hamilton bobble that
the team gave out in 2014. The previous two nodders featured Hamilton stealing
a base. Based on his emergence as a defensive stud last year, I think the Reds
will have this bobblehead showcase Hamilton in the midst of an incredible catch
in centerfield.
Fourth is a bobblehead of Raisel Iglesias. The heir apparent
to Aroldis Chapman stepped into the closer role last year and did a pretty good
job overall. While there is room for improvement, he was definitely the best
bullpen pitcher for the Reds in 2016. His work last year was deserving of a bobblehead,
and I plan on heading to the stadium on August 5 to get it.
The fifth bobblehead of the 2017 season is of pitcher Homer
Bailey. Reds Country has mixed feelings about Bailey. He was spectacular in
2012 and in 2013 and earned a hefty contract based on his performances on the
mound. Since he signed the new contract, he has seemingly barely pitched for
the Reds as injuries have shortened his season for the past three years. This
has many people claiming the Reds wasted a ton of money on the pitcher. Despite
this, the team will be giving out a Bailey bobblehead on August 26.
Sixth on the list of bobbleheads is a Reds “Past and
Present” triple bobblehead that will be given out on September 16. It will
feature three first basemen representing three different eras of the team. The
first basemen chosen for this nodder are Tony Perez, Sean Casey, and Joey
Votto. I have lost count on how many times the Reds have featured Votto as a
bobblehead. This will be the second time Perez will be featured and the third
time Casey will be showcased. The concept for this bobblehead seems pretty
cool, and I will probably try to add it to my collection.
The seventh and final bobblehead the Reds will give out in
2017 will feature somebody voted on by the fans. According to the Reds
promotional schedule, a poll will be held in April with the winner of the poll
being featured as the final bobblehead of 2017. I hope players and coaches who
have not had bobbleheads are featured in this poll. If Lou Piniella is a
choice, he has my vote. This game will be on September 23 and will be during
the 1975 Cincinnati Reds World Series Championship replica ring package
weekend. I plan on getting the ring, and the bobblehead would be a nice little
bonus.
Those are the bobbleheads that the Reds plan to give out to
fans in 2017. It is a mix of new and repeat players that makes for a solid
lineup overall. I plan on getting a few of these nodders for my collection, and
hopefully I can get the tickets to these games soon. More information on the
bobbleheads as well as the other promotions the Reds have planned can be found here.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the unboxing videos!
Go Redlegs!
Autograph Page Update
#Autograph Page Update @ https://t.co/ULDHSOUCJg With a New #Wwe Autograph#SDLive #RAW #nxt #WWENXT #205live #talkingsmack #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/64oq1JvrcY— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 11, 2017
Photo Page Update
Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With New #Wwe Pics#sdlive #raw #nxt #205live #WWENXT #talkingsmack #Wrestlemania #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/LMBGPyWdMy— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 11, 2017
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Taken for Granted
Being a Cincinnati Bengals fan is not always the easiest
thing. Aside from having to deal with the constant reminder that the Bengals
have not won a playoff game since 1990, you also have to deal with internal
conflicts and wars of words amongst fellow members of Who Dey Nation. There are
constant debates of whether or not Marvin Lewis should be fired or if AJ McCarron should be the starting quarterback over Andy Dalton. While these
internal arguments seemed to decrease within the last five years, the 2016
season has seen a resurgence of these debates. The conflicts are again raging
on with the topic of whether or not Ken Zampese should remain offensive
coordinator being thrown into the mix. But why are these arguments once again
the main focus of Bengals fans? It is because the team will not make the
playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season.
After a very disappointing 2010 campaign in which the team
finished with an abysmal 4-12 record, the franchise was essentially forced to hit
the reset button. Star quarterback Carson Palmer refused to come back to the
team, and the question of who would be behind center for the Bengals was a
topic hot discussion during the offseason. In response to Palmer’s poor display
of team leadership, the Bengals drafted Texas Christian University quarterback
Andy Dalton in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Dalton was paired with
Bengals first round draft pick A.J. Green, a wide receiver out of the
University of Georgia. Together the duo helped lead the Bengals to a 6-2 record
through the first nine weeks of the 2011 season which prompted the team to
trade Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for two future draft picks. The 2011
Bengals finished the season with a record of 9-7 and qualified for the playoffs
as a wildcard team.
2011 marked the first of five consecutive years in which the
Bengals qualified for the playoffs. They qualified as a wildcard team in 2011,
2012, and in 2014 and qualified as division champs in 2013 and in 2015. Bengals
fans began to expect the team to become a yearly contender. Instead of hoping
for the team to make the playoffs, fans began to hope that the team would find
postseason success. Questioning if the team would make the playoffs became
laughable. This state of mind was shared by nearly every member of Who Dey
Nation including me.
I had no doubt that the team would once again reach the
playoffs at the end of the 2016 season. In my Bengals 2016 season preview
video, I predicted that the team would reach the postseason and win in the
first round. That will not happen. I, like so many other Bengals fans, took
playoff qualification for granted. What us fans have to realize is that making
the playoffs is not a guarantee. Each game during the NFL season has huge
consequences when it comes to the playoffs, and members of Who Dey Nation are
getting an unpleasant reminder of those consequences this year.
I have come to terms with the fact that the Bengals will not
be playing for a chance to win the Super Bowl this season. I have also realized
that the opportunity to play for a Super Bowl title is not a guarantee. The
2016 season has proved that playoff qualification should not be taken for
granted and that the five-year stretch of success the Bengals had could be difficult
to duplicate in the future. I have learned my lesson, and I hope all Bengals
fans as well as the entire Bengals franchise has learned their lesson as well.
Hopefully 2017 will be a rebound year that will include a valuable trip to the
playoffs.
Who Dey!
Autograph Page Update
#Autograph Page Update @ https://t.co/ULDHSOUCJg With New #Bengals Autographs#whodey #letsroar #football #NFLPlayoffs #nfl #sports pic.twitter.com/jmiefKMcPt— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 4, 2017
Photo Page Update
Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With New #Bengals Pics#WhoDey #LetsRoar #NFLPlayoffs #Sports #NFL #BeyondTheStripes #football pic.twitter.com/q1CUygF1AL— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) January 4, 2017
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