By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

On only two hours sleep from working the night before, Terri Sherman, a Delhi nurse, came alone to Sunday's sellout Bengals game. She brought a Bengals hat and a ray of hope.

She thought her team could beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the only unbeaten team in the NFL, and earn respect - something the Bengals haven't known for a long time.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

Downtown Cincinnati pulsed with excitement, the periodic roars of a record Paul Brown Stadium crowd traveling blocks away. In the fourth quarter, after Peter Warrick returned a punt for a touchdown and the dream suddenly seemed quite possible, Sherman slapped hands with ushers. Men with face paint and Bengals jerseys rushed up the aisle, screaming "Who-Dey!" and hugging strangers.

"I can't take much more excitement," she said, just before the delirious crowd celebrated the 24-19 victory. "This is such a sports city. They deserve a good team like this."

Forgive these fans if they've forgotten what celebrating a winning team - a first place team to boot - is like. It's been a while. The last playoff team was in 1990. That's many, many late-night TV jokes and "Bungles" references ago.

"Any time you've got a professional sports franchise doing well, it reflects on the city," said season-ticket holder Danny Keeton of Harrison. "I remember the glory days, and I think we'll be there again soon."

Now, it's The Jungle again.

Who dey fans there in the upper deck, filling Paul Brown Stadium? Who dey rowdy and proud Bengals fans, with black and orange face paint, sporting mohawks with "Who" painted on one side and "Dey" on the other, wearing a full Bengal tiger costume?

Stadium regulars relished the excitement over the Bengals' biggest game in November since 1990, a distant memory now after a decade of futility in which the team finished 3-13 four times and fell to 2-14 last year. From 1991 through 2002, the Bengals posted a 55-137 record.

"There's so much negative energy in Cincinnati, and it's good for people to have something to cheer about," said Dishon Woody, who played an African drum outside the stadium Sunday. "It's just a real good vibe here."

"We don't have to be embarrassed to be a Bengals fan anymore," said season-ticket holder Tony Ventre of Cheviot.

It's not only good for the city's psyche - Bengal success is good for business, too.

The manager of the Bengals Pro Shop said the store is doubling last year's sales. (The hottest items are Chad Johnson jerseys and the sideline caps.)

Mark Jackson, owner of American Tickets in Fairfield, purchased 200 Bengals tickets in advance and sold them all.

"I usually live off the Reds and just get by on the Bengals," he said. "But this is just great."

For the die-hards, it's been a long time coming.

"It's been pure misery," said Ron Miller of Norwood, a season ticket holder since 1968. "It got to the point where you couldn't wait for the football season to end and basketball season to begin. But now Mike Brown has turned over the reins to Marvin Lewis, and it's obvious. It's great to be really excited about football again."

A group of young ladies, all hairdressers, stood on the south side of the stadium, chugging beers, saying (with a straight face) that the Bengals are going to the Super Bowl.

"All my clients are talking about the Bengals," said Tara Earles, who dyed her brother's hair like a Bengals helmet. For the longtime Bengals fans, Sunday was a day of redemption.

"I don't want this day to end," said Mary Carrington of Eastgate, drinking a Bud Lite and smoking a cigarette during halftime. "This is what I've been waiting for 10 years: to have a winning team."

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E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com

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