Bengal Shows 2018

With the 2018 NFL season officially underway, the opportunities for fans of the Cincinnati Bengals to get autographs are popping up each and every week in the form of Bengal shows. Bengal shows are shows where fans can get autographs from Cincinnati Bengals players, and I have attended at least one show a week in hopes of snagging a signature for my Bengals autograph collection. In this post, I will discuss the two Bengal shows that take place each week.

The first show of the week is “Benagls Line.” It is held at the Holy Grail on the banks in Cincinnati the day after Bengals games and can be heard on ESPN 1530. The show features radio personality Lance McAllister and former Bengals player Dave Lapham as the hosts and goes from 6 pm to 9 pm. The show has undergone a format change as now only one guest player is feature as opposed to two players like previous years. McAllister and Lapham will discuss the game from 6 pm to 7 pm and the player is interviewed from 7 pm to 8 pm with the final hour being mainly more discussion between McAllister and Lapham. Players sign autographs during commercials and there are raffles throughout the night with the prizes ranging from Bengals apparel to Bengals tickets.

The other Bengals show that takes place during the week is “Bengals Pep Rally.” This is another radio show and is hosted by Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham. This show takes place on Fridays throughout the season from various Buffalo Wings and Rings restaurants throughout the greater Cincinnati area. It goes from 3 pm to 6 pm and a player will join Hoard and Lapham during the 5 pm hour. Like Bengals Line, the guest player signs autographs during commercials and prizes are raffled off throughout the show.

Those are the only two Bengals shows that I am aware of that are happening throughout the 2018 NFL season. This is less than previous years as Beyond the Stripes and Bengals Nation are no longer filmed in bars and have been moved to studios. Also, the format change of Bengals Line means 16 players instead of 32 will be available for autographs. The lack of shows this year combined with my training camp absence means that my series of “Bengal Graphs” videos will be cancelled for the 2018 season. I have decided to save my autograph football for next season and head to the Holy Grail for Bengals Line only when the guest player is somebody who is missing from my autographed Bengals banner. 

Who Dey!

Joe Morgan Replica Statue Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Joe Morgan replica statue. 

And Then There Was One

After a season with two skippers and weeks of speculation following interviews with 12 candidates, the Cincinnati Reds have named David Bell as the club’s 63^rdmanager. The Redlegs signed Bell to a three-year contract that will run through the 2021 season and includes a club option for 2022. As I write this, he is scheduled to be formerly introduced as the team’s next manager on Monday at 11 a.m. 

Bell was named as one of three finalists for the position along Joe Girardi and Brad Ausmus. Girardi was the favorite to secure the job before he withdrew his name on Friday. Bell grew up in the Queen City as his grandfather Gus and his father Buddy both played for the Reds with Buddy currently serving as a senior adviser for the team. David played baseball for Moeller High School, the same school that featured future Reds players and hall of famers Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr., and played in the big leagues for 12 years as a second and third baseman. 

The Redlegs hired a manager in Bell who brings with him experience in developing and coaching players. Aside from serving as the San Francisco Giants’ vice president of player development for the 2018 season, Bell was also a manager in the Reds’ farm system from 2009-11 at the Double-A level with the Carolina Mudcats and at the Triple-A level with the Lousiville Bats in 2012. He was also the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs in 2013 and was the St. Louis Cardinals’ bench coach from 2014-17. Bell will attempt to reverse the fortunes of a Redlegs team that has not reached the playoffs since 2013 and has had more than 90 losses in each of the last four seasons.

I am excited to see what David Bell can do as the new manager of the Reds. The last four seasons have been tough to bear for Reds Country as the team continuously finished in the basement of the National League Central. Hopefully his combination of managerial experience and player development will enable the Reds to rise from the ashes and compete with the best in Major League Baseball once again.

Go Redlegs!

Ken Anderson and Anthony Munoz Double Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Florence Freedom SGA double bobblehead of Ken Anderson and Anthony Munoz. 

Sunday Night Lights

The National Football League flexed its muscle last Tuesday. Literally. The league flexed the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs game from a 1:00 p.m. kickoff to an 8:20 p.m. primetime game that will be broadcasted nationally on NBC.

As I type, this the Bengals are currently preparing for a big game on Sunday against their arch nemesis of the AFC north, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chiefs’ offense owned the Steeler defense when those two teams met earlier in the season. The Bengals defense has been spotty through five games. They looked weak against the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons but were able to force key turnovers against the Indianapolis Colts, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Miami Dolphins. The defense will unquestionably need to play one of its best games of the season in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have been arguably the best team in the NFL and are led by their dynamic quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, who has been nothing short of incredible. He commands a high-powered offense that is sure to be a huge test for the Bengals. That being said, the Bengals’ offense has been just as exciting to watch as the Chiefs’ offense in my opinion. Andy Dalton has been solid, A.J. Green is still A.J. Green, Joe Mixon is building upon his good rookie campaign, and Tyler Boyd has emerged as the breakout start of the offense and clear number two receiver behind Green. With two high-octane offenses slugging it out at Arrowhead Stadium, the game should be a fun one to watch.

There is the dubious characteristic of the Bengals wilting in primetime games, however, and that has been a big topic of conversation ahead of the team’s Sunday night showdown with the Chiefs. To me though, this team feels different. They have been resilient, they have made key plays when needed, and most importantly, they have found ways to win. I am excited for the Sunday night game. It is an opportunity for my beloved Bengals to make a big statement on a national stage. I have been chugging the orange Kool-Aid since training camp, and maybe a lot more people will join me following Sunday’s game.

Who Dey!

FC Cincinnati USL Regular Season Championship Shirt Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an FC Cincinnati USL Regular Season Championship shirt and a Cincinnati Royals pennant. 

Starrcade in Cincinnati

Starrcade is back and coming to Cincinnati! World Championship Wrestling’s flagship pay-per-view which was revived by World Wrestling Entertainment last year is coming to the Queen City, and the card looks stacked.

At the time that this post was written, five matches have been advertised. AJ Styles and Samoa Joe will clash inside a steel cage for the WWE Championship. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair are also scheduled to battle inside the cage with the SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line. The United States Championship will be up for grabs as Shinsuke Nakamura will take on Rusev, and the Bar and the New Day are scheduled to face off for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.  The Starrcade main event is a Cincinnati Street Fight that will pit the team of Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre against the Shield. Also scheduled for the event is a special Elias concert that will feature “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

The Starrcade 2018 card is looking great, and the matches that have been announced are all worthy of Wrestlemania. Personally, I am looking forward to the Cincinnati Street Fight that will feature Cincinnati’s own Dean Ambrose in action. That match alone is why all wrestling fans in Cincinnati should try to attend the event. Tickets for Starrcade 2018 can be purchased through the US Bank Arena website.

Reds Recap 2018

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2018 season of the Cincinnati Reds. 

Bengals on the Ballot

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2019 selection process is currently underway. Fans have a unique opportunity to help select who gets inducted from the list of 102 Modern-Era nominees by voting for who they think deserves a gold hall of fame jacket. Once the votes are tallied, the list will be reduced to 25 semi-finalists in November before being reduced again to 15 finalists who will be revealed in January.  

My beloved Cincinnati Bengals have a few former players on the list. Willie Anderson, one of the best offensive lineman to have worn the black and orange stripes is on the ballot as is former linebacker Takeo Spikes who stood head and shoulders above the other defensive players on the team during his time with the Bengals in the late 90s and early 2000s. Former offensive tackle Richmond Webb, who spent most of his career with the Miami Dolphins but did play two seasons with the the Bengals, is also on the list. Local product Shaun Alexander is also up for nomination. Despite being known for his dominant run game with the Seattle Seahawks, Alexander had a cup of coffee with the Bengals but ultimately could not come to terms on a final contract with the franchise although I do have a football card of Alexander in a Bengals uniform.

Another former Bengal on the ballot is running back Corey Dillon. During the dark ages of the franchise in the 90s, Dillon was able to put crazy numbers and run roughshod over opposing defenses. He is arguably the greatest running back in franchise history and is deserving of a spot in the hall of fame. The last player on the list of nominees is Chad Johnson. Ochocinco was one of the greatest if not the best wide receiver in the history of the Bengals. His numbers are jaw dropping, and he was the first true superstar the team had since the 1980s. Johnson was my favorite player as a kid because he played a huge part in turning the franchise around, and he made being a Bengals fan fun again. In my opinion, he has definitely earned a gold jacket. 

As you can see, the Bengals are well represented on the Modern-Era ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Out of the players listed, I think Alexander, Dillon, and Johnson have the best chances of being inducted. Make you sure visit the NFL website and vote for these former Bengals players!

Who Dey!

Scott Schebler Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Scott Schebler bobblehead.