American Football Thread (NFL, NCAA)

Well it's the strange thing with NFL, people think they have a rivalry with any random team in their division.
But there's really only a few rivalries that are more than "we play eachother often and compete for the same title". I'd say Baltimore - Pitt is the big matchup in that division every year.
Cleveland - Pitt is the historical one, but since Cleveland became Baltimore and got a new Cleveland... the rivalry never sprang back up again. Cinci - Pitt just seems silly and manufactured by Bungles who think the Shitstains are beneath them...

 

To reply:

Pittsburgh v. Cincy was never much of a rivalry till a few years ago, tbh, whenever any of the three historical AFC Central teams play each other its a pretty big affair for the fans. Been playing each other twice a year for over 40 years (which is saying something in the NFL with re-alignment and expansion).

We (Cincinnati) always wanted to win. It was a * good rivalry in the 70's when the Bengals were pretty good but the Steelers were elite. A few years the Bengals missed out on the playoffs going 10-4 or 11-3 becuase the Steelers went 12-2. It declined in the 80's when Cincy was an offensive dynamo and the Steelers fell into a rut and then the opposite happened in the 90's with success going to the Steelers. It had stayed pretty calm through the early part of the 2000's but when our qb went down on the opening drive of our first playoff game in 15 years, then it became a rivalry. The players got into it and the "We Dey" chant by the Steelers after that game (and their super bowl win that year, why they decided to chant that after they beat the Seahawks is beyond me) only made it worse.

To add to the players getting into it, the injury to Carson Palmer plus the we-dey chant has intensified the rivalry amongst the fans. The games that I have been to are really tense now with each team typically winning on the others soil over the past 7 or 8 years.

Add to that the way Steeler fans travel ( or in the case in Cincinnati, just appear out of the * woodwork, a lot of them live here), they attempt to take over our bars and tailgate areas it can get heated but generally its all pretty pleasant until the game starts. Getting hit in the face repeatidly with a terrible towel for 3 hours is infuriating.

Anyone who doesnt think this is a rivalry, simply has not been to a Bengals v. Steelers game recently.

It may not be Packers v. Bears but its a rivalry, just look up Bengals v. Steelers on youtube.

The Steelers v. Browns may be older, but I dont think its any better ( I actually think the triangle of games are all pretty good for different reasons). Cincinnati v. Cleveland is pretty good but I refuse to travel to Cleveland anymore with less than 10 people, it never ends good even if we win.



As far as Baltimore......* them they have barely been in existence for 10 years.

Success doesn't necessarily mean its a great rivalry and just because one team is clearly better than the other doesnt take away from it either.

ps: We are above the shitstains. Better record in the series, at least made some super bowls and dont have fan conduct rules named after our city. Browns fans can be quite hunish.

 

I think proximity has a lot to do with it. All three cities are quite close to each other (by American standards) and have been playing each other for 40 years with a lot of opposing fans living in the others cities.

The last two years I would agree, but I think it may be more of a three horse race this year.

 

Steelers v Browns used to be one of THE rivalries in NFL. It goes back to much more than simply playing against eachother 2 times a year and occasionally getting in eachothers' way.

However, it doesn't exist anymore. Both sides hate Baltimore more than eachother. Many Steelers see Baltimore as a continuation of the same rivalry. And most Cleveland people would prefer to see anybody but Baltimore win. On top of it all, the games don't matter because the shitstains have been just that since the expansion.

Exactly. This is just a divisional "rivalry": we play eachother twice a year and get in eachothers way a lot.

That's just an ignorant statement.
Baltimore may only be around for 10 years "officially" -- but their success goes back to legends like Ozzie Newsome. The organization has been around for forever, like it or not (and you can be sure I don't like it.)

Anyone who thinks it's a new organization just because they were rebranded doesn't know much about sports.

I doubt Pittsburgh takes this "rivalry" very seriously. They're 11-3 against you guys.

Cinci records...
vs cle 8-6
vs pitt 3-11
vs scum 7-7

Sorry, but real rivalries don't come and go. And you can't just pick them.
The one year you got in Pitsburghs' way they went on to win the Super Bowl anyway. I'm sure they're really * off about it.

Everything in this forum is "hunish" if you don't like it.

 

It's been a 3 horse race for the large majority of the decade.

 

OpenSecrets | Politicians Score Significant Cash From NFL Owners, Coaches and Players - Capital Eye

Large majority of donations go to Republicans (makes sense, they're against taxing the rich.)

San Diego Chargers are the biggest contributors with $2.4 million to R and $40,773 to D. The Rams were biggest contributors to Dems at $230k -- $4,750 to R.

Oakland and Green Bay contributed substantially less than everybody else. GB makes sense as they're publicly-owned not-for-profit. Apparently Al Davis just hates politicians

While the Steelers didn't donate a ton, the owners family has donated hundreds of thousands to Democrats in the past and has a lot to do with Steelers' owner Dan Rooney being named Ambassador to Ireland.

 

Funny story:
If nothing else, Duck fans, Chip Kelly respects the value of your bucks - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports

 

I have respect for the Baltimore Colts of old and what happened to that team when it moved overnight to Indy is a shame, but the Ravens will never be more than the Browns in-exile to me. They are a good team but even if you look at them as a continuation of the Baltimore Colts they don't really have a big history with the other three (outside of some championship games against Cleveland from the early 60's and back farther than that).

If for no other reason I think, if maybe only from a Cincinnati perspective, the Steeler games are the biggest of the season. Just say the words "Kemo Von Oelhoffen" to a cheerful Bengals fan and watch his attidute change.

I have never been to the black hole but as far as my experiences go, Browns home games are the worst fan behaviour I have ever seen. The Dawg Pound is just an excuse to dump beer on other fans and throw objects on the field.


The fact that a lot of typical Pittsburgh fans think that their team is "too good" to be a rival of Cincinnati, IS EXACTLY WHAT MAKES IT A RIVALRY. Cincy fans feel like jilted little brothers who want nothing else than to beat the ever loving * out of the Steelers twice a year.

Im pulling for a Bengals win with a few Rey Maluga devestators on Hines Ward. I care about this so much Im sitting all the Steelers on my fantasy team this week as I refuse to gain points from them against the Bengals.

 

They're a continuation of the Browns, not the Colts. I'm not sure how you went that direction after I referenced guys like Ozzie Newsome and how the entire organization is unchanged.
I have no sympathy for what happened to Baltimore. The * turned right around and had no problem doing it to somebody else. And even after that they're still * and whining about what the Colts did to them. Hypocrites. They can go * themselves for all I care.

But that's not a rivalry. It has to go both ways.

I'll be hoping Santonio Holmes continues to make Leon Hall and Morgan Trent (can't believe somebody actually drafted him) look stupid. Other than that, I couldn't really care about the score.

 

Must have misread it. Thought you were talking about the football culture of Baltimore.
The football organization is entirely changed....they win * now.

Im sensing a bit of an OSU bias. You sound like my dad (big bucks fan) hates the Steelers but wants Santonio to burn Leon Hall ever time. Morgan Trent doesnt see that much time. I could give a * though, I'm a UC grad and dont really care for either school.

 

Definitely. With a Browns organization made up of mostly ACC failures, the Buckeyes are really all I've got. Every year I check in for NFL draft to see how they're going to manage to * it up -- and so far I've unfortunately not been disappointed. As funny as I find it that Cinci drafted Morgan Trent -- it's nothing compared to the creative fuckups the Shitstains have found to throw away draft after draft after draft.

Mostly unrelated video from the weekend
NFL Videos: pick 6

 

Hey hey hey....apparently we have a defense now!!!! I dont think the Bengals are ready to contend this year but it is coming together. We got a defense and a running game and if Carson ever gets the bomb scare leg and elbow syndrome out of his game we might just be a quality team. If you compare rosters right now....the Steelers and Bengals arent all that different.

 

You could always come down to Cincinnati and support a school on the rise..... if you come, I have a ticket for you....this saturday noon, agaisnt Fresno St. Im serious.

 

I hope the Bungles beat the Steelers Finn. Never cared for the Steelers much.

 

I'd take you up on it, but I live in Seattle these days. (Makes it all the more easier to be oblivious of the brownies)
U of Cincinatti has been great in the Big East. Good to see somebody in the Midwest step up and beat teams like Oregon St! Brian Kelly (and Dantonio before him) is a class act.

 

Ole Miss - South Carolina
The scoreline isn't bad and they've kept it close. But it's like watching Michigan State play Notre Dame.
Ole Miss is vastly over-rated, and after this I'm sure South Carolina will be as well. Both of these teams look like they should belong on the end of top-25 polls (at best!)

Snead looks * awful. Let me guess... he's got Swine Flu too?

 

"Collins incomplete deep right and that'll do it, and the Jets will go 3-0"

Jim Nantz calls it as it is

J - E - T - S Jets Jets Jets

Next up New Oleans try to stop the Green Machine

 

Agree about Ole Miss, never saw the hype with them... but I find it hilarious that Penn State loses to Iowa, and yet they are still 15 and Iowa moves up to 13, despite almost losing to Iowa State at the beginning of the year, and now SC is still unranked despite their only loss being against Georgia.

 

Can't believe how easy we made it for them there for that TD, not one of players were anywhere near him

Chad may not be the best QB in the world but I hope his injury isn't too bad, we've got a tough enough season with our QB being out as well

 

It was a planned QB draw, which the Chargers never call because Philip Rivers makes JVoH look like Usain Bolt. I wouldn't blame the Dolphins defence on that, it was just a great play call and good execution.