By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bengals fans said Monday that team owner Mike Brown shouldn't stop the firings with head coach Dick LeBeau.Anything less than a clean sweep of the coaching staff will result in more losing seasons and a continuing decline in fan support, they said. Many Tristate fans said the house cleaning should include the removal of Brown as general manager.

"It's not just the coaching," said Rick Baker of Fairfield. "It was a change that was needed, but not without some changes at the top."

Monday's firing of LeBeau didn't engender much optimism from unimpressed fans who have gone down this road before. They said whoever replaces LeBeau needs to be autonomous.

"I don't know what will have to happen for (Brown) to realize that what we've been doing for the past 12 years hasn't worked," said Charlie Disney of Middletown.

But most fans who have stayed loyal to the Bengals for the past decade know that common sense rarely applies when it comes to the NFL's most hapless franchise. Many suspect the Bengals will settle for a cheaper, second-tier coach who will merely act as Brown's puppet.

"Mike Brown will still make the final decision on everything, no matter who we get," said Bruce McCarty, 40, of Westwood.

Despite the Bengals' lackluster 12-33 record during LeBeau's 45-game run, many fans expressed sympathy for him. Replacing the head coach merely treats the team's symptoms, they said, not its disease.

"You can just add Dick to the long list of sacrificial lambs we've seen in this town over the past 12 years," said Mike Samet, 45, of Montgomery. "I feel terrible for the guy, because he ain't the problem.

While the Dec.22 game against the New Orleans Saints might have been LeBeau's last foray into Paul Brown Stadium, the same cannot be said for some season-ticket holders who said they would renew their season tickets.

"What can I say? I'm Irish and we are little stubborn," said McCarty, who owns nine seat licenses at the stadium. "Why do I stay loyal? Why do the (Chicago) Cubs still sell season tickets?"

E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...