How the suit makes the man- First impressions and the Cincinnati Bengals

By Milt Higgins      

        The Cincinnati Bengals clinched an AFC playoff berth for the fourth straight year, but it’s hard to take them seriously and it’s not because of talent.

The Bengals (10-4-1) defeated the Denver Broncos (11-4) 37-28 to earn one of the last two remaining postseason spots in a tight conference race. 

They’ve made it a habit, but when the playoffs begin their habitual early exits may not be the only reason NFL fans can’t take them seriously.

The Bengals changed their uniforms prior to the beginning of the 1981-82 season.  Prior to the change, their uniforms resembled the Cleveland Browns. The new uniforms included Bengal stripes on the helmet, shoulders and the side of the pants leg.

        The change from the dull orange and black was perfect for the early Punk Rock Ramones and New Wave, Billy Joel “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”-era.  

They made it to the Super Bowl in the first season wearing their new threads, before losing to the San Francisco 49ers.  

They kept the same uniform through the colorful big-hair 80s before losing the last Super Bowl of the decade to the 49ers once again.

The 90s came around and Cincinnati kept the same uniforms through that decade and all the way up to today without a Super Bowl appearance.  

If someone compared their uniforms to today’s business attire, they may say it’s like wearing a Z. Cavaricci suit to the office.  It’s hard to take them seriously.

Teams like the Steelers, Cowboys and Raiders haven’t made drastic changes to their uniforms since the 60’s, but people take them seriously.  It’s the Armani suits at the office.  It garners respect.

The Bengals made the risky brilliant change for the 80’s era, but never went back to Nordstrom to update their wardrobe.

It’s hard to watch their Arena football-like uniforms from week to week. 

The Denver Broncos added navy-blue to their loud and proud orange crush uniforms   in the 1997-98 season. They went on to win their first Super Bowl on their fifth attempt that same year against the Green Bay Packers and the following year vs. Atlanta Falcons.  

 

        

          See, sometimes change can be good.

        Maybe the win Monday night against Denver indicates “times are a changin’.” It’s respectable the Bengals haven’t changed their color scheme.  Animal print made a comeback a few years ago and so did the Bengals from the depths of NFL food chain. 

It’s admirable the Bengals are a small market team consistently making the playoffs, but until they make a change to the uniforms they may get the same results and NFL fans will keep looking at them as the team who plays on blue turf.


Note:  Join me next week when I talk about how the Vikings (0-4 in Super Bowls) should change their Purple Haze (violet) into a lovely lavender.