Remember the older Bengals? (Cincinnati, Montgomery: credit, college, bill)

[kjbrill]

The Bengals have been here iin Cincinnati now for quite a few decades. People want to say nasty things about them, but I appreciate the good things they have brought to Cincinnati.

I was just thinking about some of the super players they had in their earlier years. One who comes to mine is Paul Robinson out of Arizona who had the tag the Cactus Comet. He was the only player to gain 1,000 yards rushing for an expansion team. Watched him play at Nippert Stadium at UC.

Another one was Isaac Curtis, one of the greatest wide receivers to play the game. He had world class speed, having been a track man in college. Some of his passes from Ken Anderson were pure gold.

Coy Bacon, a true all-pro lineman. He had a league high 21-1/2 sacks for the Bengals in 1976.

Kenny Anderson, QB from tiny Augustana College in Illinois. How many Division III QBs ever make it to the NFL? Do you know which Bengal coach said to draft him - BIll Walsh. Quess he recognized a couple of QBs over his career, one a guy named Joe. Kenny was the first to run the west coast offense right here in Cincinnati.

One of my favorites was not a player, but a coach, Sam Wyche. I felt Sam was one of the most innovative coaches I ever saw.

I have several more I feel were a real shot in the arm for the expansion Bengals. But I would like to see some others chime in here.

I never will forget a preseason game when we beat the Browns here in Cincinnati. Sure it was only preseason, but it was enough of an excuse to go out and tie one on that night.

I just had to come back and mention my favorite of all time, Anthony The Man Munoz. The only other persons I can put in the same class in Cincinnati pro sports history are Johnny Bench, Oscar Robertson, and Joe Nuxhall. Our city has been blessed to have some of these around.

[joyeaux]

OK, from a woman's point of view: Munoz is THE Man.

I literally ran into him when I turning the corner at Montgomery Inn about 10 years ago - WOW!
A huge & just gorgeous looking man - - I wish my skin could be that smooth & glowing. I recognized him immediately.
Never thought much about his looks before then & certainly haven't forgotten!

And, Kjbrill, sorry if I hijacked your football thread (not).

[ram2]

Chris Collinsworth, Icky Woods, Archie Griffin, and the former coach Forrest Gregg.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by ram2

Chris Collinsworth, Icky Woods, Archie Griffin, and the former coach Forrest Gregg.

They are all certainly worth mentioning. So is Boomer Esiason who I place along with Ken Anderson as our two best QBs and also good guys.

And how about the soccer player from Europe with the long leg, Horst Muhlmann.

[abr7rmj]

Did Archie Griffin really do much with the Bengals? Certainly his Ohio State career is one to celebrate, but I didn't think he was that productive in Cincinnati.

[abr7rmj]

How about Stanford Jennings, who returned the kickoff in the Super Bowl to briefly give the Bengals a 4th quarter 16-13 lead? Even though they lost the game in a heartbreaking way, this play has to be one of the all-time best Cincinnati moments:


Stanford Jennings returns kickoff in SuperBowl XXIII - YouTube

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Did Archie Griffin really do much with the Bengals? Certainly his Ohio State career is one to celebrate, but I didn't think he was that productive in Cincinnati.

Archie was a reasonably productive back with the Bengals, maybe not to the level of a 2-time Heismann winner, but respectable. People may forget he is not an overly large man. In college, particularly with the kind of offensive line Ohio State usually produces, you can get away with that. In the pros it is a different story unless you have absolutely explosive speed. But overall, Archie has been more than a credit to Ohio State and also a credit to the Bengals.

[kjbrill]

That touchdown runback by Stanford Jennings was an exhilerating play. I agree is in one of the moments in Bengal history. But where do I place it in Bengals lore. At least one place behind when I saw Tim Krumrie lying on the field with a broken leg in Super Bowl XXIII. I remember watching that and thinking we are done, he is only the most dynamic player on our team.

Another one I remember was when Kenyon Martin of UC broke his leg in the NCAAs. Another one looking pretty good until Oh **** we are done!

[abr7rmj]

Had Krumrie not got hurt, maybe he would have put just enough pressure on the San Francisco offensive line in the fourth quarter to rush some incompletions. But had Lewis Billups hung on to this interception that went through his hands in the fourth quarter, it would have prevented a San Francisco score and the Bengals probably hang on to win.


Bengals' Lewis Billups drops interception in 1988 SuperBowl - YouTube

Had Kenyon Martin not got hurt, I think UC would have won the national championship. They were better than the Michigan State team that eventually won. Of course, in the NCAA tournament, anything can and usually does happen.

[Ohiogirl81]

My favorite Bengals are Ki-Jana Carter, David Klingler, and Akili Smith. Oh, yeah, and Dave Shula.

Seriously, though, I met a bunch of various pro sports players over the years I worked in newspapers and nonprofits, and guys like Jim Breech, Doug Pelfrey and Anthony Munoz were just the nicest people you could want to meet.