Saturday, December 11, 1999Brown recalls first stadium visit
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati EnquirerBengals President Mike Brown on Friday attended the team's last practice at Cinergy Field. The stadium will play host to its final NFL game Sunday vs. Cleveland.
Brown, who in the 1960s helped his father, Paul, lay the groundwork for the Cincinnati franchise, remembers one of his first trips into what was then Riverfront Stadium in 1970. The stadium was still under construction when Brown slipped in for a peek.
“One day I wandered in and just sat down in one of the red seats and just looked around at it,” Brown said. “Was I ever proud. I have a great fondness for it.”
Cincinnati won its first game in the stadium, a 27-12 preseason victory over Washington on Aug.8, 1970. The Bengals also won the regular- season inaugural, 31-21 over Oakland on Sept.20, 1970.
Overall, the Bengals are 127-100 (.559 winning percentage) in regular-season games at the stadium.
TOP GAMES: Before the season, Cincinnati media who cover the Bengals regularly were asked to vote on the 10 most memorable Bengals games at Cinergy/Riverfront.
The landslide winner, with 23 of 25 first-place votes, was the Freezer Bowl, the AFC title game of Jan.10, 1982. The Bengals beat the San Diego Chargers 27-7 with a temperature of minus-9 degrees and a wind-chill of minus-59.
Runner-up was the Bengals' second AFC title, the 21-10 victory over Buffalo on Jan.8, 1989.
The No. 3 pick was Corey Dillon's 246-yard rushing night vs. Tennessee on Dec.4, 1997.
No. 4 — The Bengals' 27-21 win over Seattle on Sept.6, 1981, when they overcame a 21-0 deficit. That set the stage for the team's first Super Bowl season.
No. 5 — The Bengals' 61-7 rout of the Houston Oilers on Dec.17, 1989.
No. 6 — Bengals 20, Washington 17, in December 1988, as the Bengals clinched the AFC Central title.
No. 7 — Bengals 33, Buffalo 24, in a memorable 1975 Monday night game.
No. 8 — Bengals 14, Cleveland 10, in 1970 as the Bengals score their first-ever win over the Browns.
No. 9 — Bengals 28, Buffalo 21, on Jan. 3, 1982, in the first NFL playoff game played in Cincinnati. (Previous Bengals playoff appearances were all on the road).
No. 10 — Bengals 31, Oakland 21, on Sept. 20, 1970, as the Bengals stunned heavily favored Oakland in the first regular-season game at Riverfront.
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