A Grip on Sports: Fandom works in strange ways, even leading a young boy to adopt a team from far away

A GRIP ON SPORTS • At the end of the 1981 and 1988 seasons, there was at least one Cincinnati Bengals fan on the West Coast rejoicing. Some idiot who adopted the Bengals in 1968. A pre-teen looking for something different. An expansion NFL team filled the bill.

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• It’s a weird story. For some reason lost in the mists of time – hey, the ‘60s were a long time ago, dude – the Bengals became my team. Maybe it was the helmets. Maybe it was my dad’s affinity for Paul Brown, their owner and coach. Maybe it was my contrarian nature. But for whatever reason, I started rooting for an expansion franchise more than 2,000 miles away.

That promptly lost all but three games it’s first season in existence.

Talk about deflating. But not defeating. That Christmas, my mom bought me some Bengal gear. An insulated coffee cup with their helmet on it. I was 12.

Let’s just say my mom really didn’t understand the concept of “gear” and leave it at that.

That coffee cup set on my desk throughout college, though after franchise-savior quarterback Greg Cook injured his shoulder and was never the same, my depth of love for the Bengals faltered.

Paul Brown aged out of coaching. Forrest Gregg and then Sam Wyche replaced him. The Bengals changed their helmets and, after my mom’s gift fell apart – the handle broke off, quite possibly because it was thrown against a wall – my friend bought me a replacement coffee cup with their new-look, tiger-stripe helmet.

Some 30 years later, it was still on my work desk, filled with paper clips or rubber bands or some other piece of essential minutiae. After switching jobs, it was packed up and forgotten, hidden away in some box in a basement room that looks like the opening scene of Citizen Kane.

But its spirit lives on. And revealed itself yesterday around 3:30 in the afternoon. Just after Evan McPherson’s 31-yard field goal sent the franchise to its third Super Bowl and first this century.

The fact the Bengals, once again led by a young, strong-armed quarterback with a bright future, rallied from an 18-point deficit was one thing. But to win in overtime after Kansas City won the coin toss – hey, that’s not supposed to be possible, right? – thanks to the defense picking off Patrick Mahomes, that made it extra special. And completely unexpected.

This 65-year-old retiree turned into that 12-year-old boy for a moment. But only for a moment. The idea the Bengals were headed to the Super Bowl was cool and all, but they lost their only two other appearances – in the 1980s, both against the 49ers – and they will be underdogs in this one. Having the team you are rooting for lose a Super Bowl may feel worse than not getting there at all. At least that’s been my experience. And, over the years, I’ve had only a little less experience at it than a Buffalo fan.

But for the next two weeks we can savor this feeling. And dig around the basement for that old coffee cup.

• That the Bengals are playing the Rams only makes it better. Or worse. Not sure which. Before Cincinnati came into existence, they were the only NFL team I really knew. I loved Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen and the rest of the Fearsome Foursome. Tolerated Roman Gabriel. Had a soft spot for Eddie Meador. Admired Maxie Baughan and Tom Mack. Figured I was related, somehow, to Joe Scibelli.

The team of your sports awakening, no matter what the sport, is never forgotten. Or remembered correctly. They were all 8-feet tall to me. Still are. No matter. In two weeks we will be rooting for the Rams’ opponent. Have to. I hope Father Murphy can grant me absolution.

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Gonzaga: Jim Meehan has his second-day look at the win over Portland. And some Zag alums getting together for a block party. … Seth Davis has his rankings – GU is still No. 1 with him – and his thoughts in The Athletic. … Around the WCC, everyone noticed BYU’s two losses over the weekend. That’s not good for the Cougars.

WSU: It’s been an up-and-down season for Washington State. Sunday, the Cougars were way up, routing inconsistent Colorado 70-43. Colton Clark was in Beasley and has this game story. … Colton also is keeping track of football recruiting with the normal signing period starting this week. He has this story on the weekend’s commitments. … The women swept the season series with Washington this week, winning 57-43 Sunday after winning in overtime Friday. We can also pass along the Times’ story. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college basketball, UCLA is on a roll as it gets ready for a rematch with Arizona on Thursday. … No. 2 Stanford won its showdown with eighth-ranked Arizona. And in other games from the women’s side of the standings, both Oregon and Oregon State won. … In football news, a former Washington State kicker will be doing his thing for Oregon next season. … Washington is casting a wider net in recruiting. … With Arizona State’s NCAA issues, recruiting is harder. … There is a pretty deep quarterback room at Oregon State.

EWU: What a shock (just kidding). Cooper Kupp was pretty darn good – he did drop a possible touchdown pass – in the Rams’ win. … Around the Big Sky, Montana and Idaho will not hold their rescheduled women’s game this week. Another COVID-19-cause pause. … This story about an Idaho State women’s player and her dog is worth your time.

Kraken: Seattle had a chance to at least get to overtime yesterday in New York, but the Rangers scored with 34 seconds left to win 3-2.

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• We didn’t mention the Australian Open tennis all week, mainly because we always seemed a day behind. But Rafael Nadal’s 21st Grand Slam title not only put him in the record books, it was also his greatest comeback ever. Good for him. Until later …