Lewis Leery of Bengals' Open Practice

[HotRod]

Anyone can watch the Cincinnati Bengals practice at their downtown fields, a wide-open arrangement that makes their latest head coach leery.

Marvin Lewis is closing practices to the media and taking other measures to protect the Bengals' competitive advantages. The location of the practice fields makes it tough to keep anything private.

"It's something I've thought about," Lewis said. "We'll see. I don't think it will become a problem."

Even if it does, there's not a lot he could do.

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[Cntrygal]

M. Lewis trying to win over Bengals' fans

As the new coach of the NFL's worst team, Marvin Lewis has to start winning now.
He has to win the respect of Cincinnati Bengals players ground down by years of losing. He has to persuade free agents to spend their prime years on a team that hasn't won in 12 years.

His toughest sell? Getting fans to believe that they should keep spending money on what has amounted to a losing cause.

The Bengals had the three smallest crowds in Paul Brown Stadium history last season, when they finished a franchise-worst 2-14.

The Bengals sent letters this month to their dwindling base of ticket holders, asking them to renew. The mailing included a letter from Lewis.

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