CINCINNATI \u2013 A friendly piece of advice for the Castellini family, fall on your sword and offer a genuine apology to Reds fans. <\/p>\n
Laugh if you must. But the image right now ain’t good. It’s downright awful. <\/p>\n
There doesn\u2019t need to be a \u201ctruce\u201d between fans and the team. There needs to be an overhaul of team messaging and image. Period.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s obligation is to provide the fan base with the most competitive product possible within financial means. <\/p>\n
Those financial means were impacted very negatively by the pandemic and a collapse in September last season when fans weren\u2019t showing up in the final month for a team that was in playoff position. <\/p>\n
General manager Nick Krall was under a directive to slash payroll. And slash he did, saying goodbye to Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suarez, Wade Miley, Sonny Gray and Amir Garrett. <\/p>\n
Besides the above players in other uniforms and not Cincinnati red and white, there was something else that was unmistakable to Phil Castellini and the 43,036 in attendance Tuesday. <\/p>\n
The reaction to the Cincinnati Bengals was overwhelming. From Joe Burrow throwing the first pitch to head coach Zac Taylor to Ja\u2019Marr Chase to the spontaneous \u201cWho-Dey\u201d chants, the city is in a love affair with the new-look, new-attitude men in stripes. <\/p>\n
Full kudos to the Reds for recognizing this, capitalizing on the fever and fervor, and making them apart of the greatest Cincinnati annual holiday.<\/p>\n
But that love from the fans is not an entitlement. It\u2019s earned. Just ask the Bengals. Any Cincinnatian knows this. It\u2019s a show-me city. Show them a reason to show support and they will. <\/p>\n
However, tear down a popular team and sell them off like used parts and you should expect the criticism that Bob and Phil Castellini experienced over the last several months. Throw in a lockout, and they could not have expected to be showered with bouquets. <\/p>\n
With the whole city and fan base engaged on Opening Day, Phil Castellini had his chance to allay the fears of the fan base and sympathize with the frustration of those calling for ownership to sell the team. <\/p>\n
Instead, we got: <\/p>\n
\u201cWell, where are you gonna go? Let\u2019s start there. Sell the team to who?\u201d Castellini asked rhetorically on 700 WLW, the biggest platform in the region. \u201cThat\u2019s the thing. You want to have this debate? If you want to look at what you\u2019d do to make this team more profitable, make more money, compete more in the current economic system that this game exists [in], it would be to pick it up and move it to somewhere else.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, be careful what you ask for. I think we\u2019re doing the best we can do with the resources that we have. We\u2019re no more pleased with the results than any of the fans. I\u2019m not sitting here saying anybody should be happy. I\u2019m not polishing trophies in the office right now, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re here to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second half of that is well-intentioned, except of course for the “be careful what you ask for” part. <\/p>\n
\n4-12-22 Reds COO Phil Castellini Clears the Air https:\/\/t.co\/A8bDPmGj2x<\/a><\/p>\n
— Bill Cunningham (@Willie700WLW) April 12, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n