Mike Brown Has Given Back The Keys, Now Drive Marvin, Drive!

I love the Cincinnati Bengals and I would like to see them put together a stellar 2009 season! During the NFL season, my siblings and I use Sunday afternoon as a chance to get together at Mom and Dad's house. The food is good and I hope the 2009 Bengals won't make our meal sour in our stomachs.

What can I say about the Bengal's owner, Mike Brown, that hasn't already been said before? How about humbled?

I've always viewed Mike Brown has a man that dearly wanted to take the family business to new heights, but it takes more than wanting to be winners in the NFL. Mike thought he could jump into the driver's seat and drive the Family Caddy just like Daddy did, but he found out that the man that once provided the "booster" pillow wasn't alive anymore. Mike tried to drive the Caddy without a pillow, but he just couldn't see over the steering wheel.

Since Paul Brown's death in 1990, Bengal fans have suffered through year after year of terrible teams. Mike would not listen when fans and the media kept calling for Mike to hire a GM. Of course Mike still serves as the Bengals' version of a GM today.

The NFL and voters got some leverage to make Mike field a better product after the voters approved building Paul Brown Stadium in 2000. He tried to promote a great coach to head coach, but he never gave Dick LeBeau the keys to the Family Caddy. LeBeau was forced to drive the Caddy with a huge backseat driver looking over his shoulder.

Although this is my speculation, I think Mike Brown was getting heat from the NFL and the voters to start winning or else towards the end of the 2002 season, enter Marvin Lewis. From the time he started as head coach we saw a different Bengals team. Lewis had to muddle through a couple of mediocre years, but their performance was enough for Mike Brown to give Marvin the keys to the Family Caddy.

No longer riding shotgun, Marvin Lewis drove the Caddy straight to the playoffs by winning the AFC North divison title. Unfortunately, the Caddy suffered a flat tire when Carson Palmer got Kimoed. It could of been much more.

The next couple years saw the Bengals struggle on and off the field. Mounting losses and arrests caused Mike to take back the keys to the Caddy. Back to horrible Bengal football, but this time Mike was not permitted to drive the Family Caddy into the depths of Hell like he did before.

It appears that Mike Brown has given the keys to the Caddy back to Marvin Lewis. I think forcing Chris Henry back on Marvin was the last straw. Marvin demanded the keys or he was prepared to leave. Marvin was able to wrestle them back because he is proof that the Bengals can win despite having Mike as the owner.

Bengal fans, this is it. The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals are Marvin Lewis's team. This is the last chance for Marvin to field a winner. Because if the Bengals struggle again, Mike will take the keys back and Marvin isn't about to ride shotgun again!