Earlier this week Cincinnati Bengals' linebacker Vontaze Burfict was quoted as saying "I hate Pittsburgh. It's nothing personal; that's just the way it is." Burfict is the player previously responsible for the hit that ended Le'veon Bell's season ~20 minutes after it began; he was also fined for a low/potentially dangerous hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (see above). The teams are 1-1 in head-to-head matchups this season.
So when Steelers players were asked about Burfict's comments, they were a bit confused. Steelers Guard Ramon Foster:
“That’s bad because we are such great guys over here,” Steelers guard Ramon Foster said, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I honestly don’t know why they hate us. I don’t know. Maybe it is something personal, but it is just a game.”
Now a response like that could be taken as trolling, but I'm going to assume it's sincere here. Look, Ramon Foster is a 30 year old undrafted free agent who carved out a 7+ year career with the greatest NFL franchise of all time if we're going by super bowl trophies. His twitter has ~1000 tweets that are mostly just different variations of this:
This is not a man who engages in trolling. So let's try to get Mr. Foster an answer; why do the Bengals hate us?
History
The media covering the NFL have been falling all over themselves to tell us that the Cincinnati Bengals haven't won a playoff game in 25 years. Great stat, nice round number. Their last win was a 41-14 home shellacking of the Houston Oilers, a team that either doesn't exist anymore or is actually two teams now, depending on your perspective.
How did this all happen to the settlers of southern Ohio/northern Kentucky? It's actually pretty interesting. Per wikipedia, a quick timeline:
- In 1944 Cleveland, OH is award an AAFC franchise. They are founded by a newspaper tycoon who immediately installs popular Ohio State Buckeyes coach Paul Brown as GM, Head Coach, and a charter member with a share of the team's profits. Brown was also given the job of naming the team
- Despite protests from Brown, who wanted to call them the Cleveland Panthers, the team is named the Cleveland Browns due to overwhelming popular demand
- In 1961, the Browns are sold to jagoff Brooklyn advertising hotshot Art Modell, a man who will later move the Browns to Baltimore, MD. There is an immediate power struggle between Modell and Brown, who still owns 12% of the team himself. After going 7-6-1 in 1962, Modell unceremoniously fires Paul Brown
- In 1966, Brown gets back into the game by founding the AFL's Cincinnati Bengals. Brown spent a few years wanting to get back into professional football, and considered both Columbus and Cincinnati for the new team. The nasty 'nati won out when Brown was able to strike a deal sharing a new riverfront stadium with the Cincinnati Reds baseball team
- The upstart Bengals win AFC championships in both 1981 and '88, but lose both Super Bowls XVI and XXIII to the San Francisco 49ers. They win the aforementioned '91 playoff game on January 6, 1991
- Moving along, take it away wiki:
"The 1990s and the 2000s were a period of great struggle. The Bengals had several head coaches and several of their top draft picks did not pan out. Mike Brown, the team's de facto general manager,[5] was rated as among the worst team owners in American professional sports.[6] Compounding matters were off-field problems of several players, notably receiver Chris Henry, who was suspended several times during his short professional career and was actually released by the Bengals at one point, but was then re-signed for the 2009 season."
- In 2003 Carson Palmer comes to save the day, and the Bengals we know and love begin their run of regular season successes capped by first round playoff losses after just 6 short years of development
So how does Pittsburgh fit into all of this?
On Sunday, January 8, 2006 (so 10 years ago), Carson Palmer is knocked out of Cincinnati's first playoff appearance in 15 years on the Bengals first offensive drive. It's an awkward tackle by the Steelers Kimo von Oelhoffen, who is basically blamed for ending the Carson Palmer era in Cincinnati. I dunno or really care whether anyone thinks this is a dirty hit; von Oelhoffen was your classic soft-spoken Hawaiian NFL guy who has too much honor to conduct himself like a dirty player. Sorry you lost your wildcard game.
On a more macro level, since moving to Paul Brown Stadium in 2000, the Bengals are 3-14 hosting Pittsburgh in regular and postseason games. Since their franchise renaissance under Andy Dalton (beginning in 2011):
Ok, now we're getting somewhere. The above table was compiled by neurotic SBNation Cincinnati representative blog Cincy Stripes. It was part of a post urging Bengals fans not to boo the Steelers today, because all that booing makes them stronger. So 'Cincy hates Pittsburgh' is an inferiority complex. Got it.
That's fine for the city, but what's Vontaze Burfict's problem?
Vontaze Burfict was an extremely talented undrafted free agent signing who struggled his whole career to stay on the field due to academic issues and generic "attitude problems." He was an instant contributor for the Bengals and earned a 4-year contract extension in 2014.
I think that snapshot of Burfict's career makes the case for a guy who would be loyal to the Cincinnati Bengals for life, provided he's treated right. These are the seasons he's experienced since joining the team in 2012:
If you're a Bengals guy, this is a distressing table. You have played 8 difficult games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and you've seen 3 promising seasons end in the wild card round of the playoffs. If 'I hate Pittsburgh' gets you fired up then more power to you.
Personal Reasons/Trash Talk
There's been some strong tweets coming out of the 'burgh this season; while I think it's clear that Vince Williams isn't going to do anything, a death threat is certainly personal
Pacman Jones, unhappy with ESPN's coverage of Vontaze Burfict
Marcus Gilbert wishing for Cincy in the playoffs because that's where they always choke
Burfict - you mad bro? After ending Le'veon Bell's season in a week 8 CIN victory
Our hero Ramon Foster, not trash talking so much as explaining how Burfict always seems to end up in controversial plays
Wikipedia list of NFL fines on Vontaze Burfict
- $31,000 for hitting a defenseless GB receiver and striking another player in the groin (same game)
- $69,454 for low hit on Big Ben
- "On October 10, 2014, Panthers TE Greg Olsen accused Burfict of intentionally trying to injure Olsen and Panther's QB Cam Newton by twisting their ankles after the play was over.[43]On October 15, 2014, Burfict was fined $25,000 for twisting ankles on both Newton and Olsen.[44]"
- That last one is hilarious; also, are NFL fine dollar amounts just completely arbitrary?
Mayors bet on the game
So Burfict and Cincy hate us; that doesn't mean our two towns' mayors can't be civil and break bread / french fry over a silly playoff bet, does it? Post Gazette:
"The mayors of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will battle for bragging rights, but their fortunes will depend on the success of their city's football team.
Mayor Bill Peduto and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley are placing friendly wagers on who will win Saturday night's AFC Wild Card game. The bet also will benefit local charities.
Mr. Peduto will wager a care package of sandwiches from Primanti Bros ...If Pittsburgh wins, Mr. Cranley will be sending items from Gold Star Chili.
“I stand with all Pittsburghers in the support of our Steelers,” Mr. Peduto said in a statement. “I’d like to thank Mayor Cranley for being a good sport and our local food partners for their continued commitment to our community. I’ve never had Cincinnati’s Gold Star Chili but I think it will pair nicely with a Black and Gold victory.” "
Yeah, no kidding you've never heard of Gold Star Chili, even Cincinnatians won't touch that stuff. You couldn't spring for Skyline, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley? Now you guys are just being petty.
The Pick
Vontaze Burfict is being a pre-emptive sore loser. Go Steelers
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