Bratkowski Fired

[nuts4xu]

Numerous sources have reported the Bengals have parted ways with Bratkowski. Let's hope this is the first of many changes to come....but I won't hold my breath.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2011/01/31/bratkowski-fired-as-offensive-coordinator/

[PM Thor]

And Palmer rejoices. Will it change anything? I guess it couldn't get any worse.

I HATE dayton.

[boozehound]

Holy crap! I didn't think that was ever going to happen.

Will it matter though?

[Porkopolis]

It may not help, but it certainly can't hurt!

[MCXU]

Keep shuffling those deck chairs Mikey!

Losers.

[MCXU]

I'm not done, I got a whole lot more because Mike Brown pisses me the hell off.

Why do we allow that A$$ Clown to put the name of our city on his sports team.

I think City Council should take this issue up, hell they got nothin better to do.

Until further notice the Bengals will be refered to as the Dayton Bengals.

That Dump deserves them.

I'm Done.

[XULucho27]

Finally!

http://www.christiangiftshop.ca/Wooden/Hallelujah.jpg

[PM Thor]

The more I think about this, Mikey Brown played this whole thing pretty well, from his perspective. I mean, he gets his scapegoat, appeasing not only a signifigant group of fans, but also a disgruntled QB. Meanwhile, he keeps his yes-man coach in place, with the same system, same fundamental organization there too.

It's not going to change a thing, Mikey didn't address any of the points that were being raised, like getting a FREAKING GM who knows football, and this firing simply is window dressing in terms of fundamental change over there. I'm sure fans will eat it up though. Hell, change, ANY change when it comes to the Bengals is good I guess.

I HATE dayton.

[xeus]

It's not going to change a thing, Mikey didn't address any of the points that were being raised, like getting a FREAKING GM who knows football, and this firing simply is window dressing in terms of fundamental change over there.



Do you really think hiring a GM would constitute "fundamental change" in the organization? I know that's the rallying cry of many disgruntled Bengals fans. But I fail to see how things would be much better with what, under Mike Brown, would amount to little more than a puppet middleman.

That said, I'm glad to see them finally pull the trigger on Brat. Now who replaces him?

[Juice]

Isn't it about time for him to sell the naming rights to the stadium too? If he is asking for $43 million from the taxpayers, why can't he do something easy like sell the naming rights first? I know it won't cover all of that $43 million but it can knock some of it down.

[X-band '01]

Yep - we really need a 4th stadium to be named Fifth Third Field along the I-75 corridor (to go along with the Shoemaker Center, the Dayton Dragons field and the Toledo Mud Hens field).

Look at teams like Oakland, Dallas and Washington Xeus; not too many teams win with the owner calling the shots instead of a GM.

[gladdenguy]

When you have a quarterback whom is so good at losing games and playing like a vagina....no, nothing will change.

[muckem muckem]

How did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln? Except for how it ended.

[danaandvictory]

Like everything else Mike Brown does, this was three years too late and timed in such a way to produce the worst possible public relations impact. This man is a stooge. If he had to pursue an actual capitalist pursuit he'd be living in a refridgerator box within six months.

[SlimKibbles]

Do you really think hiring a GM would constitute "fundamental change" in the organization? I know that's the rallying cry of many disgruntled Bengals fans. But I fail to see how things would be much better with what, under Mike Brown, would amount to little more than a puppet middleman.

That said, I'm glad to see them finally pull the trigger on Brat. Now who replaces him?

That is a very key point. As much as I would love for them to get a GM and a scouting staff, they would all just be puppets under Mikey Boy. I want to see real change - a GM with pull and a scouting staff that doesn't include coaches who just show up at the Senior Bowl and Indy Scouting Combine then call it a scouting job well done.

[waggy]

He always wanted be like dad. Painfully obvious now, even to him I would think, that he's not. Just hire someone to run the mofo. But it won't happen.

[PM Thor]

Isn't it about time for him to sell the naming rights to the stadium too? If he is asking for $43 million from the taxpayers, why can't he do something easy like sell the naming rights first? I know it won't cover all of that $43 million but it can knock some of it down.

I think that happens next year. And so, Mikey makes the call now that $43 million is needed immediately for the stadium, before he gets naming rights. He wants to pocket that money and leave the county with the upkeep costs before he hits that jackpot. Business wise it's smart, football and pr wise, it's an idiotic move. But this is Mikey we are talking about here.

I HATE dayton.

[danaandvictory]

This latest extortion attempt just sickens me. That franchise is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The city, meanwhile, is laying off firemen and police to make budget. And that loathsome piece of fucking shit has his hand out looking for public dollars again. I wish Mikey and his whole fucking family would get the hell out of Cincinnati for good. In more civilized times they'd leave covered in tar and feathers. That should be on the table.

[chico]

Speaking of Mike Brown, you need to watch this. It's hilarious.

Save the Bengals. (http://www.youtube.com/user/savethebengals#p/u/0/ybQi4H7E0xk)

[Cheesehead]

This latest extortion attempt just sickens me. That franchise is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The city, meanwhile, is laying off firemen and police to make budget. And that loathsome piece of fucking shit has his hand out looking for public dollars again. I wish Mikey and his whole fucking family would get the hell out of Cincinnati for good. In more civilized times they'd leave covered in tar and feathers. That should be on the table.


Mad reps to you, Sir. This couldn't capture my feelings about Mike B. and the Bengals any better.

[Jumpy]

Speaking of Mike Brown, you need to watch this. It's hilarious.

Save the Bengals. (http://www.youtube.com/user/savethebengals#p/u/0/ybQi4H7E0xk)

Those are hilarious. Sad, but true. I'm just glad we got an owner that seems to care about winning and creating pride in the stadium a few blocks down the street.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I'm sure everyone saw this.

http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/every-team-in-nfl-calls-bengals-to-let-them-know-t,18995/

[bigdiggins]

Is it funny or sad that the Bengals hired Jon Gruden's brother?

[danaandvictory]

Is it funny or sad that the Bengals hired Jon Gruden's brother?

Nepotism is the foundation of the Bengals franchise. Why should this hire be any different?

[xavierj]

Is it funny or sad that the Bengals hired Jon Gruden's brother?

I don't know anything about him but I guess it's better than recycling the same old guys that get canned with other NFL and college teams. Maybe they were thinking outside the box and being creative with this guy. Maybe he will bring a fresh approach instead of being exactly like the other 30 coordinators in the league.

[xavierj]

I had no idea that he was the quarterback for Louisville in the mid to late 80's. According to his stats he was not half bad. Who knew who his brother was until someone gave him a chance?

[danaandvictory]

I don't know anything about him but I guess it's better than recycling the same old guys that get canned with other NFL and college teams. Maybe they were thinking outside the box and being creative with this guy. Maybe he will bring a fresh approach instead of being exactly like the other 30 coordinators in the league.

Maybe he's being paid in Shoney's coupons.

[Juice]

I had no idea that he was the quarterback for Louisville in the mid to late 80's. According to his stats he was not half bad. Who knew who his brother was until someone gave him a chance?

Playing at Louisville is a lot better than playing at UD like Jon.

[Kahns Krazy]

This latest extortion attempt just sickens me. That franchise is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The city, meanwhile, is laying off firemen and police to make budget. And that loathsome piece of fucking shit has his hand out looking for public dollars again. I wish Mikey and his whole fucking family would get the hell out of Cincinnati for good. In more civilized times they'd leave covered in tar and feathers. That should be on the table.

Playing Devil's advocate here... first of all, the Bengals have a contract with the county, not the city, so the reference to the police and fire layoffs is irrelevant. Second, the county owns the stadium, and the lease with the Bengals requires the county to pay for maintenance. The $43 million number being thrown around is over ten years, which works out to $4.3 million per year, or less than 1% of the original construction cost over 10 years ago.

Mike Brown does plenty to deserve the hatred he gets around here, but I don't understand why asking the county to abide by the terms of the contract they signed with him is part of that. The idiot commissioners budgeted $1 million a year, which according to Mark Rosentraub, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan, is less than half of what the low end of the range would be.

I hate Mike Brown, and I will do a dance the day he dies. I don't blame him anymore than I do anyone else that exercises their rights under a contract.

Moreover, ignoring maintenance and improvements on Paul Brown Stadium is a really bad move long term for the county.

[Kahns Krazy]

Is it funny or sad that the Bengals hired Jon Gruden's brother?

What I am missing. Why would this be funny or sad?


Nepotism is the foundation of the Bengals franchise. Why should this hire be any different?

Are there Grudens already working for the Bengals? I really don't get it.

[danaandvictory]

Mike Brown does plenty to deserve the hatred he gets around here, but I don't understand why asking the county to abide by the terms of the contract they signed with him is part of that.

Because I think he had Bedinghaus in his pocket the whole time, and the lease is completely unconscionable and ludicrously one-sided. They put the county over the barrel and fucked us.

Giving Mike Brown continued corporate welfare while the county and city faces a budget crisis in the middle of a recession...to hell with him.

[PM Thor]

Gruden is from the Arena league, or at least that's what I heard.

That speaks volumes.

I HATE dayton.

[xavierj]

Gruden is from the Arena league, or at least that's what I heard.

That speaks volumes.

I HATE dayton.

Why? Who should they have gone after? Turk Shonert? I have no idea if the guy is good or not but he has a better resume than his bro did before he got his break.

[Kahns Krazy]

Gruden is from the Arena league, or at least that's what I heard.

That speaks volumes.

I HATE dayton.

What volumes exactly does it speak? I'm sure Kurt Warner is ashamed of his arena football background every time he polishes his Super Bowl MVP award.

[Juice]

Gruden is from the Arena league, or at least that's what I heard.

That speaks volumes.

I HATE dayton.

Arena League, some time in the NFL, and UFL head coach

[GoMuskies]

Jay is my favorite Louisville QB of all time. I may have to start rooting for the Bengals (or at least the offense).

[PM Thor]

Wow, didn't expect this vociferous response, but here goes answering you guys.

When it comes to the Arena league, it takes a very special PLAYER to make the transition , it hardly ever happens. Now, let's talk about coaches. This guy had been in the Arena league for years...yes years. Don't you think he might have gone into the college ranks if he was good? Where were the college offers? Why didn't he coach there? You think that an Arena league coach made more than say a college QB coach did (in the big 6)?

This is a joke of a hire. It's pretty funny to see so many defend the guy, when his resume' is so pathetic.

I HATE dayton.

[GoMuskies]

Don't you think he might have gone into the college ranks if he was good?

Jay was an assistant at Louisville when they beat a little team named Alabama in a little thing called the Fiesta Bowl.

I'm sure Jay was at least 98.7% responsible for Browning Nagle throwing for 400 yards that day.

[Kahns Krazy]

Wow, didn't expect this vociferous response, but here goes answering you guys.

When it comes to the Arena league, it takes a very special PLAYER to make the transition , it hardly ever happens. Now, let's talk about coaches. This guy had been in the Arena league for years...yes years. Don't you think he might have gone into the college ranks if he was good? Where were the college offers? Why didn't he coach there? You think that an Arena league coach made more than say a college QB coach did (in the big 6)?

This is a joke of a hire. It's pretty funny to see so many defend the guy, when his resume' is so pathetic.

I HATE dayton.

I don't know that I'm defending the guy, but it seems a little unfair to blast the guy simply because he found success in the arena league.

I didn't expect the Bengals to make a big time hire. They've taken an unknown entity. Since a monkey flinging feces at a play chart would have outplayed Brat, I'm just going to wait and see.

[xavierj]

Wow, didn't expect this vociferous response, but here goes answering you guys.

When it comes to the Arena league, it takes a very special PLAYER to make the transition , it hardly ever happens. Now, let's talk about coaches. This guy had been in the Arena league for years...yes years. Don't you think he might have gone into the college ranks if he was good? Where were the college offers? Why didn't he coach there? You think that an Arena league coach made more than say a college QB coach did (in the big 6)?

This is a joke of a hire. It's pretty funny to see so many defend the guy, when his resume' is so pathetic.

I HATE dayton.

You do realize that he was an NFL assistant for 6 years from 2002-2008 and has a Super Bowl ring as an NFL assistant coach right? So if the Bengals recycled some lame brain guy who has been fired 5 times you would probably be perfectly happy. Again the Bengals have been huge failures and Mike Brown is a joke but to bash Jay Gruden and claim he is a joke is a little over the top when you know nothing about him or his qualifications.

[boozehound]

I don't know a lot about Jay Gruden, but I know that the Bengals were not going to get a highly sought after coordinator. The front office is a league laughing stock and the head coach is playing on a 1 year deal (I think). Not a great organization, and not necessarily a lot of job security if Marvin leaves.

[PM Thor]

You do realize that he was an NFL assistant for 6 years from 2002-2008 and has a Super Bowl ring as an NFL assistant coach right? So if the Bengals recycled some lame brain guy who has been fired 5 times you would probably be perfectly happy. Again the Bengals have been huge failures and Mike Brown is a joke but to bash Jay Gruden and claim he is a joke is a little over the top when you know nothing about him or his qualifications.

So are you saying that this was a good hire? Not me, and I'll stick with saying it's a pathetic example of the Bengals organization. I can't wait until their next hire comes from the CFL or NFL Europe. And yeah, I don't really think his qualifications are very good. You don't go backwards in terms of a career, being an assistant coach in the NFL to take a job in the arena league. That's a pretty weird career move, to say the least. But I trust ol Mikey to make the right hire, since he's got a history of making such stellar choices for coaches.

I HATE dayton.

[nuts4xu]

I am back on the band wagon!!

At least we got one of the Grudens.

Who Dey Bitches!!!

[xavierj]

So are you saying that this was a good hire? Not me, and I'll stick with saying it's a pathetic example of the Bengals organization. I can't wait until their next hire comes from the CFL or NFL Europe. And yeah, I don't really think his qualifications are very good. You don't go backwards in terms of a career, being an assistant coach in the NFL to take a job in the arena league. That's a pretty weird career move, to say the least. But I trust ol Mikey to make the right hire, since he's got a history of making such stellar choices for coaches.

I HATE dayton.

I have no idea if it is a good hire. How could anyone ever know before he coaches a game? Were we sure Chris Mack was going to be a good hire? How about Mike Tomlin when the Steelers took him? What were his qualifications to be a head coach? What about Josh McDaniel's prior to becoming the Patriots OC? Hell you work for the fire department right? How did they know if you were going to be any good? Jay Gruden could be the next Bill Walsh for all I know or he could be the worst OC in the history of the league. But to say it is a bad hire because he played and coached for a period of time in the Arena Football league is way off base.

I will tell you this I would rather have a guy who played QB at a decent college, has a family history of coaching in the game, has over 15 years coaching experience himself, including numerous championships, than some guy who gets fired and recycled every other year. Time will tell but it is unfair to hold the Bengals against him. My guess is that if Baltimore had hired him than no one who be bashing his credentials.

[Kahns Krazy]

So are you saying that this was a good hire? Not me, and I'll stick with saying it's a pathetic example of the Bengals organization. I can't wait until their next hire comes from the CFL or NFL Europe. And yeah, I don't really think his qualifications are very good. You don't go backwards in terms of a career, being an assistant coach in the NFL to take a job in the arena league. That's a pretty weird career move, to say the least. But I trust ol Mikey to make the right hire, since he's got a history of making such stellar choices for coaches.

I HATE dayton.

They were saying on the radio that Jay made decisions to stay where he was in the Arena League because he has a family and didn't want to uproot them all every time a job offer came along.

Was the Sean Miller hire a pathetic example of the Xavier organization because he had no head coaching experience?

You love to bash the Bengals. Your bias, now that you've jumped off the bandwagon, is well documented. I question how you can possibly be informed enough about Jay Gruden to pass an informed opinion on the quality of the hire.

[Kahns Krazy]

I think that happens next year. And so, Mikey makes the call now that $43 million is needed immediately for the stadium, before he gets naming rights. He wants to pocket that money and leave the county with the upkeep costs before he hits that jackpot. Business wise it's smart, football and pr wise, it's an idiotic move. But this is Mikey we are talking about here.

I HATE dayton.

Needed immediately, or, more accurately, represents the Bengals forecast for maintenance and upgrades over the next ten years. Just one more example of your eagerness to bash the Bengals, regardless of the actual facts.

[boozehound]

So are you saying that this was a good hire? Not me, and I'll stick with saying it's a pathetic example of the Bengals organization. I can't wait until their next hire comes from the CFL or NFL Europe. And yeah, I don't really think his qualifications are very good. You don't go backwards in terms of a career, being an assistant coach in the NFL to take a job in the arena league. That's a pretty weird career move, to say the least. But I trust ol Mikey to make the right hire, since he's got a history of making such stellar choices for coaches.

I HATE dayton.

Man, you went from season ticket holder to biggest Bengals critic in the world pretty fast. The organization has been poorly run for a long time (since Mikey took over). That doesn't mean that every decision that they make is a bad one.

Who should they have gotten? Do you think that top flite OC's with glowing resumes were beating down the door to come coach in Cincinnati? I doubt that they were.

Let's at least see how it works out before we get too bent out of shape.

[Juice]

Man, you went from season ticket holder to biggest Bengals critic in the world pretty fast. The organization has been poorly run for a long time (since Mikey took over). That doesn't mean that every decision that they make is a bad one.

Who should they have gotten? Do you think that top flite OC's with glowing resumes were beating down the door to come coach in Cincinnati? I doubt that they were.

Let's at least see how it works out before we get too bent out of shape.

Besides that all of the good OCs had signed with other teams because The Bungles waited so long.

[xavierj]

Besides that all of the good OCs had signed with other teams because The Bungles waited so long.

Who are the good one's?

[PM Thor]

Comparing the Bengals organization to Xaviers organization? That's a huge, huge leap to make.

But, I guess if you want to make the comparison, I'll tell you why I had, and continue to have, confidence in Xaviers hiring history and not in the Bengals. It's because if you look at Xaviers track record in hiring, it's about as good as it gets, and so that gives me a level of confidence in future hires based on what they have done over the decades. In relation to Ol Mikey, he historically has made epically bad hires, and so, with that being said, I doubt his hiring now. To me, it's like he rehired Shula, with the same type of thinking that this guy has a football family name. I am highly pessimistic, with the track record of Ol Mikey, why shouldn't I be?

As for bashing the Bengals, I want them to win, but it won't happen with Ol Mikey at the helm, of this I am completely sure. Yeah, I was a season ticket holder for awhile, but I won't give that idiot any more of my money, ever. I tried to become a fan of another NFL team, but I just couldn't do it. There was no attachment to anybody other than the Bengals. So, I'm just resigned to being a Bengals follower, but will continue to say that Brown is the worst thing to ever happen to Cincinnati professional sports. And I will question every single move he makes, because he's got a long history of making dumb moves, over and over. Will I be wrong in this hire? I hope so, but I doubt it.

I HATE dayton.

[PM Thor]

Needed immediately, or, more accurately, represents the Bengals forecast for maintenance and upgrades over the next ten years. Just one more example of your eagerness to bash the Bengals, regardless of the actual facts.

Funny, because that wasn't how it was originally being reported, that's what I was going on. As for Mikey asking for the millions, why do it now? What was the motivation to go to the county for money that was already supposed to be in the contract anyhow? Ol Mikey has the county over the barrel and he knows it.

I HATE dayton.

[Juice]

Here is a nice list of the Pros and Cons of the Gruden hire: http://www.whodeyrevolution.com/whodeyrevolution/2011/02/heres-a-guy-with-a-great-last-name-and-hopefully-hell-be-good-at-you-know-coaching-too.html