Within the past four years there were many times when season ticket holders who didn't want to go see the Bengals, couldn't give them away.
Things are changing in Bengal-land and for the better. And the prospects are only getting better for the team and the fans who wanted to love them but occasionally felt like chumps because they did. Years of losing tested their loyalty so severely that hundreds gave up their season tickets all together.
Not that they are all the way back though. The fact that at Thursday's NFL imposed deadline, there were nearly 3,000 unsold tickets for Sundays' game with Houston speaks to that. Whereupon Chad Johnson (aka: Ocho Cinco), saw an opportunity to continue mending his personal fences with fans.
He partnered with Motorola to buy 1,200 tickets. That ensures Sunday's game is a sellout, preventing the first TV blackout in 47 home games. Fans started camping out Friday night so as to be in line when the freebies started to fly.
That on top of a little love thrown the fans way by the team. For their home opener versus the Broncos, the Bengals offered complimentary tickets to military families. The gesture met with such resounding success that they will do it again Sunday.
This time offering 500 comps to coincide with the half time induction of 200 recruits to the United States Marine Corps. This is all new stuff for the Bengals. And necessary too, considering how many fans they alienated with incessant losing.
A recent Bengals' family loss, spawned another unsolicited gesture, this one from the Buskin Bakery Company. You'll recall how Vikki Zimmer, the late wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer would treat players to homemade cookies and other sweets. Well to fill the void, bakery owner Brian Buskin whipped up and delivered 30 dozen heart shaped cookies, slathered in orange and black striped icing in her memory.
They weren't Vikki's, but they went fast nonetheless.
Buskin's has plans to sell the cookies in their retail outlets, with a large chunk of the the proceeds going to the Marvin Lewis Community Fund.
A year ago when they were in the throes of an 8 game season opening losing streak, Bengal-related cookies were more likely to become mini-frisbees rather than the focal point of a fund raising campaign.
Even the Bengals weekly list of injuries is shorter than it has been since 2005. Winning it seems heals not only players but fans and feelings.
Cincinnati is a 5 1/2 point favorite to extend the lovefest Sunday. I say they will too. 31-17.
