M. Lewis winning fans in cynical Cincinnati

[The_Philster]

To make believers, former Ravens assistant faces daunting task
CINCINNATI - Several hundred American Red Cross workers and volunteers took final bites from their chicken and broccoli lunch as the keynote speaker moved to the lectern.

Marvin Lewis was about to make more fans.

The Cincinnati Bengals' first-year coach told stories Thursday about meeting injured troops during his visit to a naval hospital. He thanked the Red Cross and noted that his daughter is a volunteer....
more (http://www.sunspot.net/sports/football/bal-0612,0,3370890.story?coll=bal-sports-football)

[Cntrygal]

After their first preseason victory, coach Marvin Lewis gathered Cincinnati Bengals players around him in the locker room and introduced them to the "Who Dey'' cheer.

In unison, the players and coaches yelled "Who Dey!'' so loudly that it could be heard out in the hallways.

What's the point? Lewis is using preseason to do a lot more than just figure out starting assignments. The first-year coach wants to see his players acting like winners.

That will be a main point of emphasis - along with the running game - when the Bengals (1-1) play the Titans (2-0) before another less-than-capacity crowd at Paul Brown Stadium tonight.

"We talked a lot about our past tradition of winning - the Super Bowls, the AFC championships,'' Lewis said. "I think it's something that's significant in our city, so we're going to start a tradition.''

The "Who Dey'' cheer accompanied the Bengals to Super Bowls during the 1981 and 1988 seasons. The entire cheer: "Who dey? Who dey? Who dey think gonna beat them Bengals?''

Since 1991, just about everyone has. The Bengals have the NFL's worst record over the past 12 years, so Lewis has made a priority of trying to change perceptions.

more... (http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?SPORTS/sports_story.mv+link=200308235308875)

[Cntrygal]

How true this statement is!!!!!!!!

We're moving the football, but we're stopping ourselves with our own error. Now, we have a classic example of what can't happen to us. We can't get in our own way."

Bengals' woes self-inflicted (http://www.cincypost.com/2003/08/25/wheeler08-25-2003.html)

[The_Philster]

CINCINNATI -- Marvin Lewis giggled at the suggestion he'll have some sort of grace period in his first head coaching job.

A honeymoon in Cincinnati?

"What, one game?" Lewis said, wide-eyed. "A regular-season game-- you don't have any more promise than that."

Lewis knows he'll need more than one game-- or one season-- to turn around the NFL's most forlorn franchise. The Bengals haven't had a winning record since 1990, and finally decided to go in a different direction after finishing at a franchise-worst 2-14 last season....

more (http://www.suntimes.com/output/football/bengals.html)

[Cntrygal]

More than once, coach Marvin Lewis warned his Cincinnati Bengals that there would be some rough moments as they try to resurrect a franchise.

They didn't expect so many, so fast.

Eight months of optimism were dashed Sunday by three hours of familiar football. As Lewis watched helplessly from the sideline, his team turned back into the Bungles and lost to Denver 30-10.



more... (http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/sports/6723828.htm)

[Ebenezer]

He may be winning fans but he is losing games...30-10 to a team that made as many mistakes as Denver did?? not a good omen.