Hanging Out With Hall (Leon Hall Autograph Signing)

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone heads to the 11-18-14 edition of "Beyond the Stripes" in hopes of getting Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall's autograph.

A Win’s a Win

After easily handing the New Orleans Saints a defeat and attaining an ugly win over the Houston Texans, the Cincinnati Bengals headed into their showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a two game win streak and a bit of momentum. Their game against the Bucs was the final stop of a three game road trip. Considering how tough the final four games of the regular season will be, a victory in Tampa Bay was a must for the Bengals, and despite Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton throwing three interceptions in the first half and Marvin Lewis calling for an inexplicable onside kick in the third quarter which resulted in the Bucs scoring points, the Bengals managed to escape Tampa Bay with a hideous 14-13 win.

The game started off on a bad note when Dalton, who was battling some sort of illness, threw a pick on the very first offensive play of the day. Luckily, the defense stood tall, and the Bucs only came away with a field goal to lead the Bengals 3-0. The Bucs would later extend their lead to 10-0 when running back Doug Martin took it in from the seven-yard line for the score. The Bengals responded late in the second quarter when Dalton raced into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown to make it 10-7 in favor of the Bucs.

On the Bucs’ next offensive drive, Bengals cornerback Terrance Newman picked off a pass from Bucs quarterback Josh McCown, giving the Bengals a shot to at least tie the game before halftime. Unfortunately, Dalton threw another interception, his third pick of the day, and the Bucs held onto their 10-7 lead over the Bengals as the half ended.

Based on the first half, Dalton was having a horrible game, throwing three picks and leading the Bengals offense to only seven points. The second half was an improvement for the Red Rifle, however, as Dalton found his groove in the third quarter. After leading the offense down the field, he connected with Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green for a 13-yard touchdown pass to give the Bengals a 14-10 lead over the Bucs.

All seemed good until the kickoff when, for some odd reason, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis called for an onside kick despite the defense playing very well. The Bucs recovered the kick, but only managed to get a field goal as they closed the gap to make it 14-13 in favor of the Bengals. From this point on, it was an offensive struggle for both teams as the defenses of the Bengals and the Bucs were able to keep points off the board. However, the game was far from over, and the final two minutes proved to be the most exciting and terrifying moments of the entire contest.

After Bengals punter Mike Nugent’s punt went into the end zone for a touchback, the Bucs offense moved the ball down the field and eventually reached the 20-yard line of the Bengals with a little over 20 seconds left in the game. That’s when Marvin Lewis made the play of the day.

Lewis threw the red challenge flag and ran onto the filed in order to get the attention of one of the referees, telling him that there were 12 offensive players on the field. Since there was under two minutes left in the game, coach’s challenges are no longer in play and the Bengals were charged with a timeout. However, the replay official called for an official review. The review proved that Lewis was right which resulted in not only the play being overturned, but also a penalty against the Bucs that pushed them out of field goal range. The defense then forced a turnover on downs, and the Bengals escaped Tamp Bay with a victory.

The win was the team’s third consecutive victory on the road. Not only did that set a franchise record, but it also put some distance between the Bengals and the rest of the teams in the AFC North as the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Pittsburgh Steelers all lost their games.

While the win was the ugliest victory of the year for the men in the black and orange stripes, it was still a win, and at the end of the day, that is all that matters. Next for the Bengals is the first of four straight games in what will be the toughest stretch of the season as the hated Steelers come to Paul Brown Stadium next Sunday with divisional title implications on the line. Hopefully this Bengals win streak gets extended to four when it is all said and done week. Until then, enjoy these highlights of the Bengals win in Tamp Bay.

Who-Dey!

Survivor Series 2014 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Survivor Series 2014.

Holding on in Houston

While the Cincinnati Bengals cruised to a an easy 27-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints last week in the Superdome, their game this week was an entirely different story but with the same result as the Bengals paid a visit to the Houston Texans and came away with an ugly 22-13 win.

Even though the win was ugly, the entire game itself was not as the first half was comparable to the game against the Saints in that, for the most part, it was a thing of beauty. The Bengals grabbed a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when quarterback Andy Dalton connected with wide receiver mighty Mo Sanu for a six-yard touchdown. The defense later added a safety to make the score at the half 9-3 in favor of the Bengals.

The Bengals looked good at the start of the third quarter as Rey Maualuga picked off Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett during Houston’s first offensive drive of the second half. Bengals running back Jeremy Hill took into the end zone a few plays later to give the Bengals a 16-3 lead. Then things got ugly.

NRG Stadium has been a house of horrors for the Bengals in recent years. The Bengals played the Texans in the playoffs two years in a row in Houston, and both times, the Texans sent the Bengals home with a playoff loss. It appeared that the Texans were going to send the team packing with a third straight defeat at NRG Stadium.

The Texans’ comeback attempt started when former Cincinnati Bengals and current Houston Texans cornerback Jonathan Joseph picked off Dalton and took it to the end zone for a touchdown to bring the Texans within six of the Bengals. The Texans would later add a field goal to make it a 16-13 game. At this point, I was watching the game in shock, as I could not believe that the Texans easily scored 10 points in only one quarter to be within three points of the Bengals.

The game remained close into the fourth quarter as the Bengals offense seemed to sputter. They were, however, able to add to their total when Bengals kicker Mike Nugent’s field goal gave them a six-point cushion. Nugent also had a 49-yard field goal late in the quarter, which iced the game, as the Bengals were able to escape Houston’s house of horrors with a 22-13 win.

The defense was the brightest aspect of the Bengals this week as they limited the offense of the Texans to only six points, and they bailed out the offense when it struggled in the second half. A.J. Green was another bright spot for the team as he hauled in 12 catches for 121 yards. Mo Sanu had a strong performance as well, catching 5 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.

While the Bengals’ offensive performance against the Texans was not as great as it was against the Saints, it was good enough to get the win and in the end, that is really all that matters as the victory allows the team to stay atop the tough AFC North for another week. The defense played really well today, and hopefully the offense is able to find the groove it had in the game against the Saints as the Bengals face a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team next week that earlier this season defeated the hated Pittsburgh Steelers much to the delight of Bengals fans everywhere. So until next week, enjoy these highlights from the Bengals game as well as some turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving and Who-Dey!

Updated Photo Page

UPDATED PHOTO PAGE WITH #BEYONDTHESTRIPES PICS WITH LEON HALL at http://t.co/hkmCQl0Twv #Bengals #WhoDey #LetsRoar pic.twitter.com/haHSYon7oO

— Cincy Fan Zone (@cincyfanzone) November 19, 2014

Johnny Bench Bobblehead Review

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone reviews the Forever Collectibles "Legends of the Park" Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench bobblehead.

Who-Dey Hammers Who-Dat

Great. Incredible. Fantastic. Phenomenal. Awesome. Outstanding. Amazing. These are just a few of the many words that can be used to describe the way the Cincinnati Bengals performed Sunday afternoon.

After a horrendous and embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns in what was the worst outing the Bengals had in a game this entire season, the men in the black and orange stripes rebounded and had one of their best games this year as they beat the New Orleans Saints by a score of 27-10.

This was a huge victory for the Bengals, and after the Thursday Night Football debacle, many Bengals fans, including myself, thought of this as a must win game as a loss could have put in motion a downward spiral for the team. Fortunately that was not the case as the Bengals bounced back big and silenced the Saints and the Superdome.

The game did not start out ideally for the Bengals as a combination of sloppy defensive play, penalties, and good plays by the Saints allowed New Orleans to grab an early 3-0 lead. The Bengals responded with an incredible offensive drive that was capped off with a play that was both bizarre and scary as Jermaine Gresham caught a pass from Andy Dalton and tried to extend his arm across the goal line for the touchdown while simultaneously attempting to break a tackle. The ball was then knocked out of his hand as he fell to the ground. A mad scramble for the fumbled ball ensued. Gresham ended up kicking the ball into the end zone and recovered it for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead.

After that, the Bengals never looked back as the defense rebounded nicely and held the Saints scoreless for the rest of the half and the offense added a pair of field goals, including one to end the second quarter after Jeremy Hill reeled off a huge 62-yard run, to give the Bengals a 13-3 lead.

In the second half, the Bengals offense added 14 more points as Jermaine Gresham and A.J. Green hauled in passes from Dalton for touchdowns. The defense allowed just one touchdown to the Saints and essentially stifled Drew Brees and his arsenal of offensive weapons as well as the Superdome crowd. Fans of the Saints are known for making the Superdome not only loud but also difficult for visiting offenses to make play calls. That was not the case today as the great play by both the defense and the offense of the Bengals turned the home of the Saints into a literal home of saints as the stadium was as quiet as a church for most of the game.

Overall, this was one of the best performances turned in by the Bengals all year, and it was reminiscent of the way they played during the first three weeks of the season. The defense played well, and the offense was balanced with its attack as the running game produced 186 yards and the passing game produced 220 yards. Dalton had one of his best games of the season as he threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Green had 127 yards receiving and a touchdown catch, and Hill had 152 yards rushing off 27 attempts.

As a Bengals fan, this was a beautiful game to watch. Not only did the defense finally show up to play, but the offense was able to establish a running game which opened up the passing game which led to 27 points and a Bengals win. It seemed like the day couldn’t get any better…or so I thought. The Browns lost to the Texans, allowing the Bengals to reclaim the top spot in the AFC North.

While this was a great win for the Bengals, the team cannot rest on its laurels as it has a date with the Houston Texans next Sunday. NRG Stadium, formerly known as Reliant Stadium, has been a house of horrors for the Bengals as the Texans beat the Bengals there two years in a row in the playoffs. 

Hopefully the Bengals will play the way they did today not only next week but throughout the rest of the season and into the playoffs as their schedule only gets tougher. For now though Who-Dey Nation, let’s enjoy this win as well as the highlights from the game as we get pumped up for next week.

Who-Dey! 

George Foster Bobblehead Review

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone reviews the 2012 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum George Foster bobblehead.

Primetime Problems...Again

Awful. Terrible. Horrendous. Ugly. Brutal. Sick. Nauseating. These are just a few of the many words that can be used to describe the way the Cincinnati Bengals performed Thursday night.

Once again the Bengals were showcased in a high profile, high stakes, primetime football game that was seen across the nation, and once again the Bengals embarrassed themselves when the lights were shining brightest. The Cleveland Browns cruised to a 24-3 victory over the Bengals and ended the team’s home-unbeaten streak that dated back to 2012.

In my opinion, this was a must win game for the Bengals as a victory would have put some distance between them and the other teams in the division as well as keep the Bengals atop the AFC North Division rankings. Unfortunately, the loss caused the Bengals to tumble to third in the standings.

To me, this loss was worse than the beating the New England Patriots handed the Bengals during their Sunday night game back in week five. Sure the Patriots absolutely crushed the Bengals, but it appeared that the Bengals were completely outplayed and outcoached by a better team. In the game against the Browns, it felt like the Bengals did not even take the field. They played so bad that I was literally lost for words when trying to discuss how awful the team looked.

Now don’t get me wrong. The Browns proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that their winning record is no fluke and that they are a real contender this season. They earned the win on Thursday night. My beef with the game is that the Bengals turned in their worst performance of the 2014 season. The defense still resembled Swiss cheese, the running game was a joke, receivers like Mighty Mo Sanu and A.J. Green could not haul in the few passes that were on target, and Andy Dalton had quite possibly the worst performance from a Bengals quarterback that I have ever seen, and I watched the Bengals during the Akili Smith years.

Remember when the Bengals were being praised and were thought of as one of the NFL’s top teams this year? That was after three weeks. After 10 weeks, they have become a laughingstock and rightfully so as they have failed to deliver when it matters most.

However, as an optimist and a diehard fan of the Bengals, I have to think that his performance is a one and done deal for the team this season. In fact, if the Bengals want to have any hope of making the playoffs this year, it has to be a one and done deal. The team still has to play the New Orleans Saints, the Denver Broncos, the Browns again, and the Pittsburgh Steelers twice. All of which are good teams that will manhandle the Bengals if they morph into the Bungles again this season. Oh yeah, that game against the Broncos is a primetime contest on a Monday night. Let’s hope the Bengals don’t wilt under the lights when Peyton comes to town.

Who-Dey!

Gettin' Tricky with Ickey (Ickey Woods Autograph Signing)

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone goes to the 10-28-2014 edition of “Beyond the Stripes” and meets Ickey Woods, competes in an “Ickey Shuffle” competition, and gets an autograph!

Is Newer Really Better?

1st College Football Playoff rankings are here: 1. Mississippi State 2. Florida State 3. Auburn 4. Ole Miss pic.twitter.com/82bbyx9fNJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2014

This past week, the very first College Football Playoff poll was released. If you do not follow college football or are unfamiliar with the College Football Playoff, allow me to explain what it is. The College Football Playoff is a single elimination tournament to determine the national champion of all the football teams that compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Four teams will be chosen at the end of the college football season to participate in the College Football Playoff, with the winner being crowned as the national champion.

How are these four teams chosen?  A special committee consisting of 13 members that range from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to former college football coach Tyrone Willingham will choose which four teams will compete for the national title at the end of the season. This new system of determining who will play for the national championship is supposed to be better and less controversial than the Bowl Championship Series that was in place from 1998-2013.

Personally, I think that this system is not much better than the BCS system that was in place for the last 15 years. I understand that the BCS system generated a ton of controversy, but a four-team playoff in which the teams are picked by a committee? This too is going to produce a large amount of debate. For example, if the committee picks a team that has one loss over a team that is undefeated as the fourth and final team in the College Football Playoff because that one loss team is in what is perceived as a stronger conference, the undefeated team that is left on the outside looking in is going to cry foul.

The only difference I really see between the Bowl Championship Series and the College Football Playoff is the number of teams that get to compete for the national title grows from two to four, and the anger associated with a team not being selected will be shifted from the computers that were used to determine the two teams that played for the BCS National Championship to the 13 members of the selection committee that choose who competes for the College Football Playoff National Championship. In other words, it increases the number of competing teams from two to four and gives angry college football fans a new target to blame and criticize.

If I were running the show, I would have a 16-team tournament. There are currently 10 conferences in Division I FBS, and under my system, every conference champion gets an automatic bid to the playoffs. There would then be six open spots for wildcard teams or teams that are considered Division I FBS Independents, such as Notre Dame. The wildcard teams that get the six remaining spots can be determined by a selection committee much like March Madness is. Should the sponsors want to keep the big bowls alive, then the “Elite Eight” of this tournament will play in four of the six current College Football Playoff bowls. The “Final Four” would then play in the two remaining bowl games with the winners advancing to the national championship final.

My system is not perfect, but I think it is much better than the one in play now, and since everything comes down to the almighty dollar, I also think it could be more lucrative with more teams having the chance to play for the national title. It also gives the schools in “non-power” conferences a chance to shine in the national spotlight and take on some of the best teams in the country.

However, the current College Football Playoff might actually work. According to its website, all ten conferences and Notre Dame are involved with it, so there is the possibility that this system could be the answer. I doubt it, but it’s possible.

Ickey Shuffle Champ!

Click the link in the tweet below to see yours truly compete in the Ickey Shuffle Competition at Beyond the Stripes with Ickey Woods featured as a judge!

VIDEO: Former #Bengals RB Ickey Woods judges Ickey Shuffle contest during #BeyondTheStripes http://t.co/0rb8Lh04F7 #ColdCuts @GlennHartong
— Enquirer Sports (@ENQSports) October 29, 2014

Updated Photo Page

UPDATED PIC PAGE FROM #BeyondTheStripes Featuring @THE_Ickster and @NKUmenshoops at http://t.co/urHRpUV00z #bengals pic.twitter.com/ujKaCbmMf4
— Cincy Fan Zone (@cincyfanzone) October 29, 2014

WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Hell in a Cell 2014.

I was on the WWE App!

As I was watching WWE Hell in a Cell 2014, I was also tweeting out the match results as well as my opinions. During the WWE United States Championship match between the Miz and the United States Champ Sheamus, I composed this tweet:

Somebody get mizdow an oscar for this performance #wwe #ustitle #hiac #wwehiac
— Cincy Fan Zone (@cincyfanzone) October 27, 2014

A little while later, it popped up on the WWE App! Needless to say I was excited! Obviously WWE liked what I was tweeting. Maybe you will like what I tweet too, so you should follow me on twitter @cincyfanzone!

Sporting News Galore in Cincinnati

It was a huge week for fans of Cincinnati sports teams. The Bearcats, the Reds, the Cyclones, and the Bengals all made news this week.

Let’s start with the Bearcats. On Friday, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats played host to the Bulls of South Florida. After cruising to a 20-3 lead in the first half, quarterback Gunner Kiel left the game with what appeared to be a rib injury. Prior to leaving the game, Kiel was having an excellent performance as he not only threw for 196 yards and a touchdown, but he also ran one in himself. Backup quarterback Munchie Legaux came in and closed out the game as the Bearcats defeated the Bulls 34-17.

The Cincinnati Cyclones are the next topic of discussion as they played their home opener on Saturday night against the Kalamazoo Wings. After grabbing a 2-1 lead, the Cyclones collapsed as the Wings scored seven unanswered goals in route to an 8-2 shellacking of the Queen City hockey team. Curtis Valk led the Winds with three points. Wade Megan and Andrew Yogan netted the only two goals for the Cyclones. The team looks to bounce back as they take on the Quad City Mallards next weekend.

Even though the baseball season is in its final week, the Cincinnati Reds are still making some noise as three players were named as gold glove finalists. Center fielder Billy Hamilton, shortstop Zack Cozart, and second baseman Brandon Phillips are all in the running to win gold glove awards.

Hamilton was simply incredible in center field as he made many phenomenal plays all year. The most recent one that comes to my mind is the homerun robbing catch he had against the Milwaukee Brewers. You can see that play here. Cozart routinely dazzled at the shortstop position as he flashed the leather on a daily basis for the Reds this past season, and despite injuring his thumb just before the All-Star break, Phillips did what Phillips does best and that is make incredible defense look ridiculously easy all year. Should these three players win Gold Gloves, it will be the first for Hamilton and Cozart and the fifth for Phillips.

The Cincinnati Bengals will conclude this post. On Sunday, the Bengals played host to the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore was one of the hottest teams in the NFL and entered the game with a 5-2 record. After the Bengals were shutout the week before by the Indianapolis Colts, you would have thought the sky was falling in Cincinnati; however, the Bengals rewarded those who remained faithful to Who-Dey Nation with a monumental win over the Ravens.

The game was a thriller as these two rivals went toe to toe with first place in the division on the line. The Bengals grabbed the lead early and held it until late in the game when the Ravens capitalized on two turnovers and snatched a 24-20 lead. As the cameras showed people heading to the exits of Paul Brown Stadium, the Bengal believers who remained were treated to one of the most thrilling endings to a game this season.

After starting the drive with two incompletions, the Bengals offense got hot as key catches by mighty Mo Sanu and Greg Little put the Bengals in prime position to reclaim the lead. Quarterback Andy Dalton took it in for the score from 1.5 yards out on fourth and goal with 57 seconds remaining in the game to make it 27-24 in favor of the Bengals. After an 80-yard touchdown bomb was wiped off the scoreboard due to offensive pass interference when Ravens reciever Steve Smith pushed off against Bengals safety George Iloka, the Ravens were faced with a fourth and 20. The defense then stood tall and sealed the deal as the Bengals beat the Ravens 27-24 and reclaimed the top spot in the AFC North. You can watch the game highlights here.

It was a big week for Cincinnati sports as the Bearcats beat the Bulls of South Florida, the Cyclones had their home opener, three members of the Redlegs were named Gold Glove finalists, and the Bengals regained first place in the division. I love being a Cincinnati sports fan!

Go Bearcats, go Cyclones, go Redlegs, and Who-Dey!

My Favorite Team Favorited My Tweet

This made my day. Even though it does not seem like a big deal, as diehard fan of the Redlegs, I was thrilled when I was notified they favorited my tweet. Hopefully it is a sign that the Reds will indeed give out a Devin Mesoraco bobblehead next season! You should favorite this tweet too, and while you're at it, give it a retweet and follow me on twitter @cincyfanzone!

Tony Perez Bobblehead Review

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone reviews the 2005 Cincinnati Reds SGA Tony Perez bobblehead.

3-0 Forever Ago

If you are a member of Who-Dey Nation, then you know the feeling of glum and disparity that has been hanging over the Queen City for the last few weeks, especially after the Bengals were blanked by the Indianapolis Colts in a 27-0 loss that really should have been much worse.

The last time the Bengals recorded a win was during week three of the NFL season when they cruised to a 33-7 win over the Tennessee Titans. This was the last time the Bengals looked phenomenal in all phases of the game. They dominated the Titans on the field, and they even pulled the starters out of the game towards the end of it. They were 3-0 and sitting atop the tough AFC North Division. The Bengals could not have gone into the bye week on a higher note.

That was four weeks ago, and to Bengals fans all around the world, it almost seems like an eternity ago. Following the bye week, the Bengals were crushed by the New England Patriots in a 43-17 bloodbath that saw the Cincinnati football squad once again suffer a meltdown in a primetime game.

The following week, the Bengals played host to the NFC South leading Carolina Panthers. This was a huge opportunity for the Bengals to not only extend their regular season home winning streak, but also rebound from the pummeling they suffered at the hands of the Patriots by defeating a quality team. If you read my “Terrible Ties” post, then you know this was not the case as the game ended in a 37-37 tie when Bengals kicker Mike Nugent missed a very makeable field goal as time expired in overtime.

This brings us to this past Sunday when the Bengals took on the AFC South leading Indianapolis Colts. Not only were they shutout, but the defense allowed the Colts to amass over 500 yards, and the offense had so many three and outs that I lost count. Had the Colts not turned the ball over twice, this game would have been a massacre.

Why are the Bengals playing like a peewee team? I realize that they have suffered numerous injuries to key players like A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Tyler Eifert, and Rey Maualuga among others, but this is not the only reason as to why they have played so poor. Ever since the bye week, the defense has struggled mightily as they have allowed opposing offenses to score 107 points in three games. Mike Nugent has missed six field goals in six games. The offensive production has been spotty, as it looked great against the Panthers but awful against the Colts and the Patriots.

Thankfully, the NFL season consists of 16 games, and the Bengals will have the opportunity to catch the Baltimore Ravens, who now lead the AFC North, when they pay a visit to Paul Brown Stadium next Sunday. They will then host the Jacksonville Jaguars followed by the Cleveland Browns in a Thursday night battle of Ohio. Hopefully the Bengals will get the season sweep of the Ravens and defeat the Jaguars and the Browns to reclaim the top spot in the AFC North. All of these games will be played at home, and usually the Bengals play great football in Paul Brown Stadium.

Keep the faith Who-Dey Nation. While 3-0 seems like a distant memory, the Bengals are still in the thick of things and have a chance to improve their 3-2-1 record to that of 6-2-1. Players will get healthy, adjustments and improvements will be made, and the gloom hanging over Cincinnati will vanish. I still believe they are very capable of bringing home the Lombardi Trophy this year!

Who-Dey!

Jerrell Freeman Follows Me!

I'm pretty stoked that Jerrell Freeman of the Indianapolis Colts follows me on Twitter! You should too! @cincyfanzone