August 22, 2024 • 22 mins
Tony and Austin talk with Michelle Smallmon from Unsportsmanlike on ESPN Radio about her fanhood decision and how the Bengals are among the final six, on ESPN 1530!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
About Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Cinci Shirts.
Cinci Shirts all since all day. This is ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
It is since he three to sixty right here on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, a service of our
good friends at Cincy Shirts. If you have been following along,
and by now most people are following along with what's
going on every morning on Sportsman like six to ten
am right here on ESPN Radio. Michelle Smallman is a
part of that show and her team, her team left
(00:39):
her to put it lightly, the Rams relocated to Los Angeles,
and now she is ready to pledge her allegiance to
a different fan base. And out of the thirty two
NFL teams, it just so happens at the Cincinnati Bengals
are one of the finalists. So I've seen the Green
Bay Packers have have had Michelle on in Green Bay.
(01:01):
The Chicago Bears lifted a band and have welcomed Michelle back.
So we should get a shot at this as well.
And she's been nice enough to join us today. Joining
us right now is Michelle Smallman. Michelle, what's going on?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
How are you guys. Thank you so much for having me,
and it feels good to join you. Guys. I've never
been banned from Cincinnati, so that's a good start.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
We're already off to a great start.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
The the the unique part about this for you is
you're you're now learning about a different fan base, You're
learning about different teams in the city. What was it
about Cincinnati that at least got them as one of
your finalists.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Well, As a girl who grew up in Illinois and
Saint Louis, obviously my heart is always in the Midwest,
so that's a huge plus for Cincinnati. But I want
to join a franchise that has a passionate fan base.
I obviously know Cincinnati has that. I want to join
a franchise that that feels like right now, they're in
(02:02):
a great position to try to win and for the future.
Obviously with the state of the Bengals, having Joe Burrow
and so much talent around him, it feels like a
good time to jump on board. And it just feels right.
There's something about Cincinnati and the Bengals that feels right
for me. And whenever you are choosing a lifelong partnership,
whether it's a romantic one or friendship. You have to
(02:23):
listen to your intuition. Sometimes you just know when something's right,
and Cincinnati certainly feels that way for me.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, how much do you take into consideration, you know,
the previous thirty years before Joe Burrow got here. I mean,
because if you go into a romantic relationship, you might
ask around a little bit about some of the previous
people this person has dated and how those things have
gone wrong. Things went really wrong for the Bengals for
a long time. So how do you justify that when
(02:49):
you consider the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I'm so glad you asked that, because that has been
my one reservation about the Bengals is what life was
like before Joe Burrow or what life could take potentially
be after Joe Burrow. Because when I say that I
am giving a team one final rows. This is it
for me. This is till death to us part. This
is a forever type of commitment from me, in the
(03:13):
best of times and the worst of times. So I
am a little concerned about what the vehicles it could
be like after Joe Burrow given the previous history. But
it reminds me a little bit of my Saint Louis Blues,
because for a long time we just felt like the
Blues were cursed and that they couldn't get it done.
And then twenty nineteen happens and they go on this
magical run and they win the Stanley Cup, And it
(03:35):
does feel like sometimes it just takes the right leadership.
It feels like Cincinnati has that, certainly with Zach Taylor
right now and the right pieces in place in order
to turn the tide for a long time. So despite
having some down years, to put it nicely, in Cincinnati,
it does feel like maybe there's a shift there that
could last for a while. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
The ironic thing here, Michelle is that many times in
life people have to go through heartbreak before they find
what that true love and true passion is. And to
Austin's point, that's no different than the city of Cincinnati
as a whole. The Reds have struggled mightily, but Ellie
de la Cruz is at the heart of the Cincinnati Reds.
(04:16):
The college teams that the UC bearcatch are in the
Big Twelve, the Xavier Musketeers in the Big East FC.
Cincinnati has a reigning MLS MVP and playing really well
and here are the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow. Ideally,
at some point soon, Jamar Chase, you don't want to
be the person that waits to jump on the bandwagon
when it's red hot. Getting in at this level where
(04:38):
there is so much positive ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals,
knowing what the past has been could be perfect timing
for you to join this fan base.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
That is such a great point because it's not as
if I'm jumping in the season after the Bengals were
in the Super Bowl. There has been some gray area.
You know, they performed so well last year. Once Joe
Burrow goes down, you automatically write off the team. They
certainly exceeded what my expectations were for them last year.
But having Burrow coming back being healthy, hopefully the Jamar
(05:10):
tape situation gets worked out. It does feel like the
arrow is pointing up. And that was something that I
really took into consideration when I was making this decision,
is yes, I'm thinking about life beyond this year, but
the beginning of a relationship it's supposed to be the
most fun time when you're in that blissful state, and
it does. I do want this first year of my
(05:31):
fandom to be a really fun one, to have that
early stages of a relationship vibe, And it feels like
this season for the Cincinnati Bengals could be just that.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
You talked about the Saint Louis Blues, and I believe
you're a Cardinals fan as well. Do you worry at
all about the crossover with other Cincinnati fans because we
don't really like the Cardinals very much.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Here I do, and my sweet six, as I'm calling it,
I not only have the Cincinnati Bengals, but the Chicago Bears,
and a lot of people in Cincinnati don't love Saint
Louis people because of the Cardinals. Same thing obviously with
Chicago and the Cubs and the Blackhawks. So I was
a little concerned about that, and I understand why the
(06:11):
great people of Cincinnati might be a little reluctant to
accept a Saint Louis girl, given some of the past
tensions between the Cardinals and the Reds. But I have
to say I've been so pleasantly surprised and so overwhelmed
by so many great Bengals fans that have reached out
to me, extended the warm welcome, asked me to join
the fan base and have given me reasons why it's
(06:34):
so great to be a Bengals fan. So while I
was nervous about that, so far, so good. I mean,
you guys are our boots on the ground there. You
can tell me, am I going to make this decision
to become a Bengal fan and then receive any resistance
to it if that's my final despot because of my family.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Absolutely not. This is a passionate fan base. And look
there we have cross down rivals right in the city
and Cincinnati and Xavier one of the most hated ry,
but people coexist and everyone gets on the same board.
For the Cincinnati Bengals that Austin and I were talking earlier,
the fan base in Cincinnati is incredible and with what
this city is starving for, which is success. The points
(07:15):
you made that this is a team that's on the brink,
and many people here, especially in Cincinnati, feel as long
as Joe Burrow is the quarterback, there is a legitimate
super Bowl window. And to your point, you're not jumping
into a team the year after they went to the
Super Bowl or relying on past successes of previous Super bowls.
Everything in Cincinnati is new. You could be part of
(07:36):
the first ever Super Bowl and if you choose to
jump on board this year, imagine the parade. Imagine where
you're sitting in the Paradeuntain as one of the the
true artist that put this together, whose fan hood helped
spur a franchise to their first Super Bowl ever.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Oh my gosh, I'd be on the first flight. You
know that I would be there.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
You, Joe Burrow, m Chase.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Oh my gosh, can you imagine so this? I think
about Taylor Swift a little bit in this right Like
she started dating Travis Kelsey, she became a Chiefs fan,
and then her quote unquote rookie season, the Chiefs win
the Super Bowl. Obviously they had all the pieces in
place prior to her arrival, but people were like, look
at Taylor Swift in her rookie season winning a super Bowl.
I think about that with Cincinnati a lot. If in
(08:25):
my first season, I could join fo Day Nation and
I could be a part of them hoisting the Lombardi
Trophy and experience that excitement and just the ultimate pinnacle
of what it is to be a fan in sports.
In my first season or shortly after my first season.
That's ideal, honestly along courtship.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
You had the first season.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I mean, the Travis Travis Kelcey played right here at
the University of Cincinnati is true.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So you've already got that tie in right there.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
The Taylor Taylor performed at pay Court Stadium twice last summer.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Unbelievable, she came to town.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So, I mean, I don't know if it's great, if
the swiftiness will help in that way at all. Also,
what about this, Michelle. The Bengals are among the leaders
in the National Football League of female leadership. Katie Blackburn
is one of the most accomplished women in the NFL
and now her daughters Caroline and Elizabeth have been a
part of this resurgence and getting the Bengals back in
(09:21):
the community and kind of getting them up to par
in terms of the relationship with the fans. How much
does you know impactful and important female leadership within the
organization mean to you?
Speaker 4 (09:33):
That is something that just hit me in the heartstrings.
That is very important to me. Obviously, having women be
elevated and empowered into leadership positions and sports is hugely
important to me and something that I hope to be
associated with in any way. Part of what I want
to do with on sportsmanlike being the only woman on
(09:56):
the show, is hopefully pull up a chair for another
woman at some point, any anytime, we can fold more
women into sports. I am so thrilled about that. So
that is a great point, and I'm glad that you
brought that up because part of the reason I was
so excited to have this conversation with you guys is
because I need a scouting report. I need to know
what it's going to be like if I'm a Bengals fan,
Well can I expect on game day? What are the
(10:17):
traditions that I need to know? Things like you just
brought up with the women in leadership. I wasn't aware
of all of these things. I need to know exactly
what I'm going to be stepping into. So thank you
for providing me with that nuggative information there that is
certainly going to weigh heavily am my decision.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
You also have a team that has implemented this new
ruler of the jungle where a fan or a someone
involved with the franchise gets to be each game's ruler
of the jungle. There are pregame festivities that come with that.
The tailgate scenes second to none here in Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
We obviously have the phrase who Day, which we had first.
The Saints stole who Dat and they made that their own,
but the Bengals had it first.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Stadium renovations. The stadium renovations are fantastic, the endgame atmosphere,
new field turf, Field Turf is brand new Ring of Honor.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
They just brought back orange pants. Orange pants are back
for the Cincinnati Bengals, along with all white uniforms.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I was gonna say the best uniforms in the NFL.
Some are saying, I don't know how much style means
to you, but you gotta look good to play good.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You watch the show every day, you know, sounds important
to me. I'm buddy brought up to white uniforms, and
those uniforms are the best in the NFL. They are
so clean. I absolutely love the all whites of the
Bengals have.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
How much, Michelle, are you looking into the rest of
the city. You know, the food in Cincinnati, the dessert scene,
the like, and the restaurant scene. You also have what
seems to be now eighty seven hundred different concert venues
that you could go see shows all throughout the year
right here in the downtown area, the banks, the area
between the football stadium and the baseball park, the new
(11:52):
MLS Stadium that's built just a couple miles away. How
important is is the whole city in this decision for you?
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Incredibly important. I'm a little ashamed to say it, but
I've never actually been to Cincinnati. Oh well, it's always
something that I know. When I lived in Saint Louis,
it was always something that was on my bucket list.
I always wanted to go to see the Reds play
the Cardinals in Cincinnati. I actually was making plans to
do it in twenty twenty, and then the pandemic happened, obviously,
(12:20):
so those plans got scrapped. But in the wake of that,
I ended up moving to New York, and I just
never really had the opportunity. So if the Bengals are
in fact the team that receives the final rows, I
have to go to a home game this season, and
I'm so looking forward to going to Cincinnati, checking out
the city and of course trying out the cuisine. Because
(12:40):
when the Reds and the Cardinals have that rivalry, we
always hear about skyline, Kelly, I've never had it, of course,
it's so famous. I've heard all about it, and I
really want.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
To try it as well as someone that's been here
my whole life. The fact that that Cincinnati's in your
top six and you've not stepped foot.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
In Cincinnati, I think that says a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I'm confident to say that if you were to step
foot in since Cincinnati, you would never regret this decision
for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Oh really, why that it's a blue collar city.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Yeah, it's It's the smallest big city I've ever been
in my life. It's a beautiful city community, the cuisine,
the nightlife is fantastic. There are museums, there are concert venues,
there are upgraded stadiums everywhere you turn. I mean, the
historical signific my goodness of Cincinnati on the other side
of the Ohio River cannot be underestimated.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Bridges, bridges everywhere.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
You know.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
The Brooklyn Bridge, which you guys are right over there by,
that was actually modeled after the Robling Bridge which is
here in Cincinnati. It was there first, and then they
built the Brooklyn Bridge based off of the Robling.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
You actually crossed that bridge to get back into Cincinnati.
If you fly into the Cincinnati Airport, which is oddly enough,
located in northern Kentucky, you do get a really good
view of northern Kentucky right into the beautiful city of Cincinnati.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
So a lot of what you're saying reminds me of
Saint Louis. How it's a you know, a city with
a small town feel. Just that's another thing about this decision.
Since this is for life, I want my adopted team
and therefore my adopted city to feel like home. And
so much of what you're saying reflects so much of
what I love about Saint Louis.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
And at the very core of this, Now you will,
Joe Burrow, you will have to deal with I will,
sorry to interrupt, Tony, you will have to deal with.
I mean, obviously you're going to be a Cardinals fan.
But the good news for you in that sense is
that the Reds are not committed to winning anything. They
don't care about trying to win. So it's become a
football town through air, So you don't really have to
worry about the Reds at all, now that I think
about it.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That's a good point. And you know, what sat lows
is pretty down on the Cardinals right now. So Red
fans and Cardinals fans could lament together. We could finally
join forces and complain about our team.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
This is the time to join forces. And like I said,
at the root of all of this is a super
Bowl caliber team, and at the root of it all
is Joe Burrow, Who's going to be a Cincinnati Bengal
for a very long time. And I don't think you
could go wrong hitching yourself to that wagon for the
rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
I don't either. He's one of the main reasons why
I made this decision. Like I mentioned when I took
a team, I want this first season to be fun.
And I always look at Bengal stance and I think, gosh,
it must be so fun to wake up on a
Sunday and know that that's your quarterback. Like CC always
talks about what it feels like to go into a
game knowing that you have a quarterback that can win
(15:24):
the game. Just what a different feeling that is as
a fan. And when I was really little, that's when
the greatest show on turf was happening in Saint Louis,
So of course I remember it, but I wasn't really
fully formed in my fandom yet. When I was a
Saint Louis Rounds fan then was fifteen and sixty five,
which is tied for the worst five years stretch of
football and NFL history. I can't really say in my
(15:46):
adult life that I've ever woken up on a game
day and been so confident and pumped in my quarterback situation.
And what a treat it would be to wake up
on a Sunday and no matter who the opposition, and
the opposition is even and if it's Patrick Mahomes, how
many other fan bases can say that, even if it's
Patrick Mahomes, you feel like you could win the game
(16:06):
because of your quarterback. And that is a very enticing
part of all of this.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, that's what I was going to rap with here, Michelle.
Imagine getting ready for unsportsmanlike on September sixteenth, and you're
downed in your Cincinnati Bengals gear because the previous morning
you just woke up, you enjoyed a tailgate, and you
watch the Cincinnati Bengals go on the road to Kansas
City and knock off in Arrowhead, the defending back to
(16:33):
back Super Bowl champs. Imagine the fun that you're going
to have the next morning on on Sportsmanlike with all
your Bengals gear and Super Bowl aspirations at an all
time high.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I'll be insufferable. I will be absolutely insufferable. The boys
aren't really ready for how annoying I'm going to be
in my fandom with my new team. I'm going to
ride for whoever I picked so hard, and if I
choose the Bengals and they beat Patrick Mahomes and a
Chiefs that next month, anyone I'm from Kansas City is
not going to want to tune into the show because
I'm going to let everybody know what's up with the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Michelle, this has been awesome. Is there anything else we
can answer from your standpoint that can help your decision?
Speaker 4 (17:15):
I don't think. Oh I do have one final question
just just popped into my head. Obviously, I'm in this
predicament because I had a terrible owner who, in the
name of greed, ripped the team from my city and
then torch shifts on the way out. What can you
tell me about Bengals ownership because that is something I'm
very nervous about. Whoever I pick whatever team and city
(17:37):
I fall in love with, I just never want to
be in this predicament again. I want to know that
I have solid ownership behind me and that I'm never
going to have to worry about anything bad happening again.
Are having a disdain for an owner quite frankly.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Well, I'm not going to lie to you, Michelle. There
are a lot of different feelings around ownership. But that
is why I brought up the point earlier that Katie
Blackburn and Elizabeth and Caroline that they're next in line
after Mike Brown moves on, and so that is something
to keep in mind. But he has made and the
organization have made significant strides to turn themselves into a
(18:12):
relevant NFL franchise. Now, I will say this, there's also
a deal going on right now working through the lease
for the stadium, still got a couple of years till
it's up, trying to figure out if they want a
new one. I can't I can't possibly imagine the Bengals
would leave, but I can't say it's a zero percent
chance that they will. They will not leave, So something
(18:35):
to keep in mind for sure. But ownership has taken
significant strides and invested millions and millions of dollars back
into the franchise to become a relevant NFL franchise. They've
helped the players. They just redid the locker room. They've
they've learned a lot from their mistakes in the pest.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
And at the at the very core.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Since Zach Taylor has been the head coach, that has
been the fundamental change of paying a lot of money
to free agents, hitting some home runs in the draft,
enhancing the fan experience. It took a while, but there
is now a ring of honor. As Austin said celebrating
the greats of Bengals past.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
It's a family business too.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Like he's not like the Rams guy who owns like
six soccer teams and all that sort of stuff. This
is all this is their whole life. Paul Brown created
and founded this team, the greatest innovator in the history
of football. As you know, Michelle, and you know, it's
their family. It's they've they've known it their whole life.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Okay, I appreciate your candor with that and that you
didn't just give me the sugar coated everything is great response,
because yes, and that's what I love. Because Stan Cronchi
was never honest with Saint Louis. It was always oh no, no,
I'm never going to move the team. Don't worry about
that plot of land. I bought in Inglewood. I buy
real estate in Land all the time. And obviously this
wasn't the works for a long time. So that just
(19:51):
made me like Cincinnati and you guys even more that
you didn't just sugarcoat it. You gave me the truth,
which I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I wouldn't walk across the street to see Stan.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Right, Michelle, when can Cincinnati fans listening outside of hearing
you each morning on Sportsman Like? When can can fans
here in Cincinnati expect your decision on where your your
journey goes next?
Speaker 4 (20:18):
So we are going to make the final decision, or
I will make the final decision with the help of
Chris Kanty and Evan Cohen, the day before the first
game of the NFL season, So that Wednesday, first week
of September. I believe it's September fourth. It is the
Wednesday that is when I'm going to make my decision
on on Sportsman like six to ten am Eastern time.
(20:39):
We haven't set a specific time yet for when the
actual reveal is going to happen because I think I'm
going to meet every possible minute that I can.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Do really great this decision before I have to decide,
but we will be of course talking about it on
the show and tweeting it out the exact time on
that Wednesday before the first game of the twenty twenty
fourth season when I do decide.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
Well, you have our phone number. You call us anytime
if you have any questions. We'll clear out the lines
just for you.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Evan can give a good character reference as well. Yes,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
I will make sure to get that from him. But
I just want to thank you guys for having me on,
for being so welcoming and giving me all the information
I need in order to make this decision. And seriously,
I cannot thank the great people of Cincinnati enough. I've
gotten so many wonderful and thoughtful messages from Bengals fans
opening up their arms and their hearts to me, and
I have to say it does feel like such a
(21:30):
great fan base to be a part.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Of awesome stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Michelle, thank you so much for your time today, and
we look forward to your decision.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Thank you, guys, Thank you Jim.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
That is Michelle Smallman of a ESPN radio unsportsman like
six to ten AM.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
That's funny, good stuff. I think we I think we
gave our best. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
I mean, I don't know what the other classes are
around the country or what else you could be looking
for our offeringer, But I don't know that you could
be sold any better than that.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
There it is Talkbackers Next Sincy three sixty, ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati sports station, and a service of Cinci shirts.
About Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Cinci Shirts.
Cinci Shirts all since all day. This is ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All right, welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
It is since he three to sixty right here on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, a service of our
good friends at Cincy Shirts. If you have been following along,
and by now most people are following along with what's
going on every morning on Sportsman like six to ten
am right here on ESPN Radio. Michelle Smallman is a
part of that show and her team, her team left
(00:39):
her to put it lightly, the Rams relocated to Los Angeles,
and now she is ready to pledge her allegiance to
a different fan base. And out of the thirty two
NFL teams, it just so happens at the Cincinnati Bengals
are one of the finalists. So I've seen the Green
Bay Packers have have had Michelle on in Green Bay.
(01:01):
The Chicago Bears lifted a band and have welcomed Michelle back.
So we should get a shot at this as well.
And she's been nice enough to join us today. Joining
us right now is Michelle Smallman. Michelle, what's going on?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
How are you guys. Thank you so much for having me,
and it feels good to join you. Guys. I've never
been banned from Cincinnati, so that's a good start.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
We're already off to a great start.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
The the the unique part about this for you is
you're you're now learning about a different fan base, You're
learning about different teams in the city. What was it
about Cincinnati that at least got them as one of
your finalists.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Well, As a girl who grew up in Illinois and
Saint Louis, obviously my heart is always in the Midwest,
so that's a huge plus for Cincinnati. But I want
to join a franchise that has a passionate fan base.
I obviously know Cincinnati has that. I want to join
a franchise that that feels like right now, they're in
(02:02):
a great position to try to win and for the future.
Obviously with the state of the Bengals, having Joe Burrow
and so much talent around him, it feels like a
good time to jump on board. And it just feels right.
There's something about Cincinnati and the Bengals that feels right
for me. And whenever you are choosing a lifelong partnership,
whether it's a romantic one or friendship. You have to
(02:23):
listen to your intuition. Sometimes you just know when something's right,
and Cincinnati certainly feels that way for me.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, how much do you take into consideration, you know,
the previous thirty years before Joe Burrow got here. I mean,
because if you go into a romantic relationship, you might
ask around a little bit about some of the previous
people this person has dated and how those things have
gone wrong. Things went really wrong for the Bengals for
a long time. So how do you justify that when
(02:49):
you consider the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I'm so glad you asked that, because that has been
my one reservation about the Bengals is what life was
like before Joe Burrow or what life could take potentially
be after Joe Burrow. Because when I say that I
am giving a team one final rows. This is it
for me. This is till death to us part. This
is a forever type of commitment from me, in the
(03:13):
best of times and the worst of times. So I
am a little concerned about what the vehicles it could
be like after Joe Burrow given the previous history. But
it reminds me a little bit of my Saint Louis Blues,
because for a long time we just felt like the
Blues were cursed and that they couldn't get it done.
And then twenty nineteen happens and they go on this
magical run and they win the Stanley Cup, And it
(03:35):
does feel like sometimes it just takes the right leadership.
It feels like Cincinnati has that, certainly with Zach Taylor
right now and the right pieces in place in order
to turn the tide for a long time. So despite
having some down years, to put it nicely, in Cincinnati,
it does feel like maybe there's a shift there that
could last for a while. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
The ironic thing here, Michelle is that many times in
life people have to go through heartbreak before they find
what that true love and true passion is. And to
Austin's point, that's no different than the city of Cincinnati
as a whole. The Reds have struggled mightily, but Ellie
de la Cruz is at the heart of the Cincinnati Reds.
(04:16):
The college teams that the UC bearcatch are in the
Big Twelve, the Xavier Musketeers in the Big East FC.
Cincinnati has a reigning MLS MVP and playing really well
and here are the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow. Ideally,
at some point soon, Jamar Chase, you don't want to
be the person that waits to jump on the bandwagon
when it's red hot. Getting in at this level where
(04:38):
there is so much positive ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals,
knowing what the past has been could be perfect timing
for you to join this fan base.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
That is such a great point because it's not as
if I'm jumping in the season after the Bengals were
in the Super Bowl. There has been some gray area.
You know, they performed so well last year. Once Joe
Burrow goes down, you automatically write off the team. They
certainly exceeded what my expectations were for them last year.
But having Burrow coming back being healthy, hopefully the Jamar
(05:10):
tape situation gets worked out. It does feel like the
arrow is pointing up. And that was something that I
really took into consideration when I was making this decision,
is yes, I'm thinking about life beyond this year, but
the beginning of a relationship it's supposed to be the
most fun time when you're in that blissful state, and
it does. I do want this first year of my
(05:31):
fandom to be a really fun one, to have that
early stages of a relationship vibe, And it feels like
this season for the Cincinnati Bengals could be just that.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
You talked about the Saint Louis Blues, and I believe
you're a Cardinals fan as well. Do you worry at
all about the crossover with other Cincinnati fans because we
don't really like the Cardinals very much.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Here I do, and my sweet six, as I'm calling it,
I not only have the Cincinnati Bengals, but the Chicago Bears,
and a lot of people in Cincinnati don't love Saint
Louis people because of the Cardinals. Same thing obviously with
Chicago and the Cubs and the Blackhawks. So I was
a little concerned about that, and I understand why the
(06:11):
great people of Cincinnati might be a little reluctant to
accept a Saint Louis girl, given some of the past
tensions between the Cardinals and the Reds. But I have
to say I've been so pleasantly surprised and so overwhelmed
by so many great Bengals fans that have reached out
to me, extended the warm welcome, asked me to join
the fan base and have given me reasons why it's
(06:34):
so great to be a Bengals fan. So while I
was nervous about that, so far, so good. I mean,
you guys are our boots on the ground there. You
can tell me, am I going to make this decision
to become a Bengal fan and then receive any resistance
to it if that's my final despot because of my family.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Absolutely not. This is a passionate fan base. And look
there we have cross down rivals right in the city
and Cincinnati and Xavier one of the most hated ry,
but people coexist and everyone gets on the same board.
For the Cincinnati Bengals that Austin and I were talking earlier,
the fan base in Cincinnati is incredible and with what
this city is starving for, which is success. The points
(07:15):
you made that this is a team that's on the brink,
and many people here, especially in Cincinnati, feel as long
as Joe Burrow is the quarterback, there is a legitimate
super Bowl window. And to your point, you're not jumping
into a team the year after they went to the
Super Bowl or relying on past successes of previous Super bowls.
Everything in Cincinnati is new. You could be part of
(07:36):
the first ever Super Bowl and if you choose to
jump on board this year, imagine the parade. Imagine where
you're sitting in the Paradeuntain as one of the the
true artist that put this together, whose fan hood helped
spur a franchise to their first Super Bowl ever.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Oh my gosh, I'd be on the first flight. You
know that I would be there.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
You, Joe Burrow, m Chase.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Oh my gosh, can you imagine so this? I think
about Taylor Swift a little bit in this right Like
she started dating Travis Kelsey, she became a Chiefs fan,
and then her quote unquote rookie season, the Chiefs win
the Super Bowl. Obviously they had all the pieces in
place prior to her arrival, but people were like, look
at Taylor Swift in her rookie season winning a super Bowl.
I think about that with Cincinnati a lot. If in
(08:25):
my first season, I could join fo Day Nation and
I could be a part of them hoisting the Lombardi
Trophy and experience that excitement and just the ultimate pinnacle
of what it is to be a fan in sports.
In my first season or shortly after my first season.
That's ideal, honestly along courtship.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
You had the first season.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I mean, the Travis Travis Kelcey played right here at
the University of Cincinnati is true.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So you've already got that tie in right there.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
The Taylor Taylor performed at pay Court Stadium twice last summer.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Unbelievable, she came to town.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
So, I mean, I don't know if it's great, if
the swiftiness will help in that way at all. Also,
what about this, Michelle. The Bengals are among the leaders
in the National Football League of female leadership. Katie Blackburn
is one of the most accomplished women in the NFL
and now her daughters Caroline and Elizabeth have been a
part of this resurgence and getting the Bengals back in
(09:21):
the community and kind of getting them up to par
in terms of the relationship with the fans. How much
does you know impactful and important female leadership within the
organization mean to you?
Speaker 4 (09:33):
That is something that just hit me in the heartstrings.
That is very important to me. Obviously, having women be
elevated and empowered into leadership positions and sports is hugely
important to me and something that I hope to be
associated with in any way. Part of what I want
to do with on sportsmanlike being the only woman on
(09:56):
the show, is hopefully pull up a chair for another
woman at some point, any anytime, we can fold more
women into sports. I am so thrilled about that. So
that is a great point, and I'm glad that you
brought that up because part of the reason I was
so excited to have this conversation with you guys is
because I need a scouting report. I need to know
what it's going to be like if I'm a Bengals fan,
Well can I expect on game day? What are the
(10:17):
traditions that I need to know? Things like you just
brought up with the women in leadership. I wasn't aware
of all of these things. I need to know exactly
what I'm going to be stepping into. So thank you
for providing me with that nuggative information there that is
certainly going to weigh heavily am my decision.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
You also have a team that has implemented this new
ruler of the jungle where a fan or a someone
involved with the franchise gets to be each game's ruler
of the jungle. There are pregame festivities that come with that.
The tailgate scenes second to none here in Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
We obviously have the phrase who Day, which we had first.
The Saints stole who Dat and they made that their own,
but the Bengals had it first.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Stadium renovations. The stadium renovations are fantastic, the endgame atmosphere,
new field turf, Field Turf is brand new Ring of Honor.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Man.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
They just brought back orange pants. Orange pants are back
for the Cincinnati Bengals, along with all white uniforms.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I was gonna say the best uniforms in the NFL.
Some are saying, I don't know how much style means
to you, but you gotta look good to play good.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You watch the show every day, you know, sounds important
to me. I'm buddy brought up to white uniforms, and
those uniforms are the best in the NFL. They are
so clean. I absolutely love the all whites of the
Bengals have.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
How much, Michelle, are you looking into the rest of
the city. You know, the food in Cincinnati, the dessert scene,
the like, and the restaurant scene. You also have what
seems to be now eighty seven hundred different concert venues
that you could go see shows all throughout the year
right here in the downtown area, the banks, the area
between the football stadium and the baseball park, the new
(11:52):
MLS Stadium that's built just a couple miles away. How
important is is the whole city in this decision for you?
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Incredibly important. I'm a little ashamed to say it, but
I've never actually been to Cincinnati. Oh well, it's always
something that I know. When I lived in Saint Louis,
it was always something that was on my bucket list.
I always wanted to go to see the Reds play
the Cardinals in Cincinnati. I actually was making plans to
do it in twenty twenty, and then the pandemic happened, obviously,
(12:20):
so those plans got scrapped. But in the wake of that,
I ended up moving to New York, and I just
never really had the opportunity. So if the Bengals are
in fact the team that receives the final rows, I
have to go to a home game this season, and
I'm so looking forward to going to Cincinnati, checking out
the city and of course trying out the cuisine. Because
(12:40):
when the Reds and the Cardinals have that rivalry, we
always hear about skyline, Kelly, I've never had it, of course,
it's so famous. I've heard all about it, and I
really want.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
To try it as well as someone that's been here
my whole life. The fact that that Cincinnati's in your
top six and you've not stepped foot.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
In Cincinnati, I think that says a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I'm confident to say that if you were to step
foot in since Cincinnati, you would never regret this decision
for the rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Oh really, why that it's a blue collar city.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Yeah, it's It's the smallest big city I've ever been
in my life. It's a beautiful city community, the cuisine,
the nightlife is fantastic. There are museums, there are concert venues,
there are upgraded stadiums everywhere you turn. I mean, the
historical signific my goodness of Cincinnati on the other side
of the Ohio River cannot be underestimated.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Bridges, bridges everywhere.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
You know.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
The Brooklyn Bridge, which you guys are right over there by,
that was actually modeled after the Robling Bridge which is
here in Cincinnati. It was there first, and then they
built the Brooklyn Bridge based off of the Robling.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
You actually crossed that bridge to get back into Cincinnati.
If you fly into the Cincinnati Airport, which is oddly enough,
located in northern Kentucky, you do get a really good
view of northern Kentucky right into the beautiful city of Cincinnati.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
So a lot of what you're saying reminds me of
Saint Louis. How it's a you know, a city with
a small town feel. Just that's another thing about this decision.
Since this is for life, I want my adopted team
and therefore my adopted city to feel like home. And
so much of what you're saying reflects so much of
what I love about Saint Louis.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
And at the very core of this, Now you will,
Joe Burrow, you will have to deal with I will,
sorry to interrupt, Tony, you will have to deal with.
I mean, obviously you're going to be a Cardinals fan.
But the good news for you in that sense is
that the Reds are not committed to winning anything. They
don't care about trying to win. So it's become a
football town through air, So you don't really have to
worry about the Reds at all, now that I think
about it.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That's a good point. And you know, what sat lows
is pretty down on the Cardinals right now. So Red
fans and Cardinals fans could lament together. We could finally
join forces and complain about our team.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
This is the time to join forces. And like I said,
at the root of all of this is a super
Bowl caliber team, and at the root of it all
is Joe Burrow, Who's going to be a Cincinnati Bengal
for a very long time. And I don't think you
could go wrong hitching yourself to that wagon for the
rest of your life.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
I don't either. He's one of the main reasons why
I made this decision. Like I mentioned when I took
a team, I want this first season to be fun.
And I always look at Bengal stance and I think, gosh,
it must be so fun to wake up on a
Sunday and know that that's your quarterback. Like CC always
talks about what it feels like to go into a
game knowing that you have a quarterback that can win
(15:24):
the game. Just what a different feeling that is as
a fan. And when I was really little, that's when
the greatest show on turf was happening in Saint Louis,
So of course I remember it, but I wasn't really
fully formed in my fandom yet. When I was a
Saint Louis Rounds fan then was fifteen and sixty five,
which is tied for the worst five years stretch of
football and NFL history. I can't really say in my
(15:46):
adult life that I've ever woken up on a game
day and been so confident and pumped in my quarterback situation.
And what a treat it would be to wake up
on a Sunday and no matter who the opposition, and
the opposition is even and if it's Patrick Mahomes, how
many other fan bases can say that, even if it's
Patrick Mahomes, you feel like you could win the game
(16:06):
because of your quarterback. And that is a very enticing
part of all of this.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, that's what I was going to rap with here, Michelle.
Imagine getting ready for unsportsmanlike on September sixteenth, and you're
downed in your Cincinnati Bengals gear because the previous morning
you just woke up, you enjoyed a tailgate, and you
watch the Cincinnati Bengals go on the road to Kansas
City and knock off in Arrowhead, the defending back to
(16:33):
back Super Bowl champs. Imagine the fun that you're going
to have the next morning on on Sportsmanlike with all
your Bengals gear and Super Bowl aspirations at an all
time high.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I'll be insufferable. I will be absolutely insufferable. The boys
aren't really ready for how annoying I'm going to be
in my fandom with my new team. I'm going to
ride for whoever I picked so hard, and if I
choose the Bengals and they beat Patrick Mahomes and a
Chiefs that next month, anyone I'm from Kansas City is
not going to want to tune into the show because
I'm going to let everybody know what's up with the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Michelle, this has been awesome. Is there anything else we
can answer from your standpoint that can help your decision?
Speaker 4 (17:15):
I don't think. Oh I do have one final question
just just popped into my head. Obviously, I'm in this
predicament because I had a terrible owner who, in the
name of greed, ripped the team from my city and
then torch shifts on the way out. What can you
tell me about Bengals ownership because that is something I'm
very nervous about. Whoever I pick whatever team and city
(17:37):
I fall in love with, I just never want to
be in this predicament again. I want to know that
I have solid ownership behind me and that I'm never
going to have to worry about anything bad happening again.
Are having a disdain for an owner quite frankly.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Well, I'm not going to lie to you, Michelle. There
are a lot of different feelings around ownership. But that
is why I brought up the point earlier that Katie
Blackburn and Elizabeth and Caroline that they're next in line
after Mike Brown moves on, and so that is something
to keep in mind. But he has made and the
organization have made significant strides to turn themselves into a
(18:12):
relevant NFL franchise. Now, I will say this, there's also
a deal going on right now working through the lease
for the stadium, still got a couple of years till
it's up, trying to figure out if they want a
new one. I can't I can't possibly imagine the Bengals
would leave, but I can't say it's a zero percent
chance that they will. They will not leave, So something
(18:35):
to keep in mind for sure. But ownership has taken
significant strides and invested millions and millions of dollars back
into the franchise to become a relevant NFL franchise. They've
helped the players. They just redid the locker room. They've
they've learned a lot from their mistakes in the pest.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
And at the at the very core.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Since Zach Taylor has been the head coach, that has
been the fundamental change of paying a lot of money
to free agents, hitting some home runs in the draft,
enhancing the fan experience. It took a while, but there
is now a ring of honor. As Austin said celebrating
the greats of Bengals past.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
It's a family business too.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Like he's not like the Rams guy who owns like
six soccer teams and all that sort of stuff. This
is all this is their whole life. Paul Brown created
and founded this team, the greatest innovator in the history
of football. As you know, Michelle, and you know, it's
their family. It's they've they've known it their whole life.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Okay, I appreciate your candor with that and that you
didn't just give me the sugar coated everything is great response,
because yes, and that's what I love. Because Stan Cronchi
was never honest with Saint Louis. It was always oh no, no,
I'm never going to move the team. Don't worry about
that plot of land. I bought in Inglewood. I buy
real estate in Land all the time. And obviously this
wasn't the works for a long time. So that just
(19:51):
made me like Cincinnati and you guys even more that
you didn't just sugarcoat it. You gave me the truth,
which I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I wouldn't walk across the street to see Stan.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Right, Michelle, when can Cincinnati fans listening outside of hearing
you each morning on Sportsman Like? When can can fans
here in Cincinnati expect your decision on where your your
journey goes next?
Speaker 4 (20:18):
So we are going to make the final decision, or
I will make the final decision with the help of
Chris Kanty and Evan Cohen, the day before the first
game of the NFL season, So that Wednesday, first week
of September. I believe it's September fourth. It is the
Wednesday that is when I'm going to make my decision
on on Sportsman like six to ten am Eastern time.
(20:39):
We haven't set a specific time yet for when the
actual reveal is going to happen because I think I'm
going to meet every possible minute that I can.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Do really great this decision before I have to decide,
but we will be of course talking about it on
the show and tweeting it out the exact time on
that Wednesday before the first game of the twenty twenty
fourth season when I do decide.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
Well, you have our phone number. You call us anytime
if you have any questions. We'll clear out the lines
just for you.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Evan can give a good character reference as well. Yes,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
I will make sure to get that from him. But
I just want to thank you guys for having me on,
for being so welcoming and giving me all the information
I need in order to make this decision. And seriously,
I cannot thank the great people of Cincinnati enough. I've
gotten so many wonderful and thoughtful messages from Bengals fans
opening up their arms and their hearts to me, and
I have to say it does feel like such a
(21:30):
great fan base to be a part.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
Of awesome stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Michelle, thank you so much for your time today, and
we look forward to your decision.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Thank you, guys, Thank you Jim.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
That is Michelle Smallman of a ESPN radio unsportsman like
six to ten AM.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
That's funny, good stuff. I think we I think we
gave our best. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
I mean, I don't know what the other classes are
around the country or what else you could be looking
for our offeringer, But I don't know that you could
be sold any better than that.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
There it is Talkbackers Next Sincy three sixty, ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati sports station, and a service of Cinci shirts.
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