On Friday morning, the Mothership is offering a new feature called "The Who Dey Perspective" on the team's website where periodically, "team spokespersons will bring the club's viewpoint on key issues directly to readers." The Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan introduces the segment by saying that the team's point of view isn't getting a "full hearing" in the the court of public opinion on issue -- for example, the team's stadium lease.
While one could argue that something like this would be a great way to reach out of the fans, we have to say that we're somewhat suspicious of this.
The Bengals have taken a massive public relations hit since last September. Aside from going 4-12 with fan expectations being nothing short of going back to the playoffs, Mike Brown's press conference with Marvin Lewis after the season to announce the head coach was returning was incredibly damaging. Mike Brown defended the scouting department by saying it's ranked 11th based on playing time of players he drafted. No idea if he realizes that no player drafted since 2004 has actually been voted into the Pro Bowl as a Bengal. He downgraded Marvin Lewis' importance for an indoor practice facility because of the old-school perspective that if you play in it, why not practice in it?
In other words, we had hoped that if Lewis returned, it was because the Bengals owner capitulated to the head coach's demands to modernize the team and give the players and coaches a better shot to be on par with the annually competitive Steelers and Ravens. That was shot to hell in a press conference some called the worst they've ever seen.
Then there's the Carson Palmer trade demand, the questionable (by some, not me) way that the team dismissed offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, and the countless historically headache-inducing decisions caused by this front office.
So we're not sure how we're supposed to take "The Who Dey Perspective". Is this going to be a way for the front office to repair its relationship with Bengals fans? (No) Or is this a way to circumvent the media, allowing themselves to present their case to the public when they must? I'm pretty sure it's the latter because why would the Bengals suddenly care about the exodus of fans leaving Paul Brown Stadium because they've had enough?