We received an e-mail from a reader late last night that was clever and made us laugh:
Mr. Rand:
Imagine, your team's arch rival is playing in yet another Super Bowl. Meanwhile, your team has suffered through a disastrous season that was supposed to be full of promise, with a good defense, a strong running game, good receivers, and an All-Pro QB. Oh, now your QB wants to retire, rather than play for you anymore.
It's hard to be a Vikings fan. It's harder to be a Bengals fan.
Brice,
lifelong, long-suffering Bengals fan.
Go, Pack, Go.
Brice has a point. While we're not sure any franchise can approach the combination of playoff heartbreak and comical failure the Vikings have provided over the years, the Bengals sure do try. They've lost their only two Super Bowl appearances. They've won only five playoff games in their existence. From 1991-2004, they didn't even make the playoffs. They followed a promising 2009 season with an implosion to 4-12 in 2010, and they seem most interesting off the field than on it. The rival Steelers, meanwhile, are in the Super Bowl. Again.
Oh, and yes, Carson Palmer is apparently threatening to retire if he doesn't get traded.
Aside from the "Go, Pack, Go" closing, most Minnesotans can feel Brice's pain. But can the Bengals compete with the Vikings in terms of short-term and long-term misery? Can anybody?
That is for you to hash out in the comments.
