Sunday, September 26, 1999Bengals' boss needs to see improvement
Brown not happy with way team has played
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerCHARLOTTE, N.C. — Under fire off the field and getting burned on it, the Bengals try to salvage September today against another 0-2 team in their first-ever matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
Bengals President Mike Brown is saying nothing about coach Bruce Coslet's status after an 0-2 start that follows a winless exhibition season. Don't expect to happen what happened the last time the Bengals lost to a George Seifert-coached team on the road. In 1996, coach Dave Shula got fired after a 28-21 loss to the 49ers.
But two things Brown detests are getting blown out at home and a sideline-to-sideline offense.
After the Bengals' 34-7 loss Sunday to San Diego at Cinergy Field, Brown needs to see a more solid outing to — at the very least — ease his mind.
The Bengals' woeful start has not only fueled media questions about Coslet's job, but also the the club's ability to re-capture the community. The point was driven home this week when the public excoriated Brown for preventing the Reds from putting grass in Cinergy Field despite what he feels are the club's stadium lease rights about conflicting dates with the baseball team.
“They've been after us pretty good,” Brown said. “That's because we haven't given people merit for their support. Until we do that, we're going to get pickled. That's what's going on. They kick us around. It's the thing to do, and that's the way the business works.
“We've lost more than we've expected for too long, There is stress, dissatisfaction and unhappiness and all the things that go with it.”
Brown realizes today is big.
“We have to win one here to maintain our own equilibrium,” he said.
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