Lewis went .500 for the first time in six years and then drafted Carson Palmer with the first overall pick and they went 8-8 again while Palmer got acclaimed with the system and then the team improved drastically and made it to the playoffs and then Palmer went down and everything changed.
The Bengals went 8-8 the following season, but all people could wonder is what if Palmer didn't get hurt and it was a question that plagued the Bengals for most of the season and the next couple years after that were miserable and also included another Palmer injury in 2008.
The injury in '08 tainted his numbers during a resurgent 2009 season for the Bengals which still ended with a wild card loss and we all know and remember just how terrible the Bengals were this year and that was probably the final straw for Palmer with this team and organization.
You have to wonder about the inner workings of a organization when both player and coach have to evaluate a team's front office.
Marvin Lewis, before resigning with Cincinnati had reservations about returning because he thought the team had to perform better in regards to personnel moves like the Baltimore Ravens.
And now Carson Palmer has the same concerns as Lewis and isn't as easily encouraged about the future of the Bengals as he now views them as "hopeless" and it's not a secret that the Bengals are not the picture of stability by any means, but Palmer is doing more to hurt their image this way than anything Chad Ochocinco has done the past five years.
It's understandable where Palmer is coming from in terms of wanting to win and hating the uncertainty of not knowing whether your bosses are going to do what's needed, but have some tact in the matter. There's nothing wrong with wanting to leave a city, but understand that there are ways to go about doing it.
You don't bash an organization on the way out, because it devalues your character and even though Carmelo forced his way out of Denver in the guise of "wanting to win a championship", I can't remember a single comment that was either said to the media or leaked to the media that resembled him bashing the Nuggets.
Frustration is one thing, but remember Carson, even though this team hasn't won a single playoff game during your tenure and have shot themselves in the foot more times than many people can remember, don't forget that in both of those games you were the starting QB under center. So yeah, the Bengals are now hopeless and that's partly because you lost hope.
Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press
Posts
