THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

Do you ever wonder about how different things may have turned out, if Dick Lebeau actually had some players when he was the head coach here? And, if the culture in Bengal-dom was something like he’s got in Pittsburgh, where winning isn’t a surprise, it’s expected?

Because, let’s face it, the man isn’t as dumb as you might’ve thought he was when he coached here. And you could argue that he’s not the head guy now, that he only has to worry about one side of the all. And you’d be right, but you’d also be wrong.

Think about who his quarterback was when he was here: Akili Smith. The only guy in Bengals history who made Akili Smith look good was David Klingler. And it wasn’t just Smith. Remember Scott Mitchell? Remember Gus Frerrotte?

And for every Takeo Spikes, Willie Anderson and Rich Braham there was plenty of Corey Dillon, Michael Westbrook and others who just didn’t give a damn….or were here simply because it was the end of the line and there was no where else to go.

Lebeau was caught up in the votex that got Bruce Coslet and Dave Shula before him and a votex that’s been whipping around Marvin Lewis lately. It was a culture of losing and a team with no plan. Players were drafted, signed and thrown together and dashed with a whole lot of ‘good luck’. For every Lorenzo Neal there was a Mark Roman, or Danny Farmer, or good Lord Sean Brewer. The games were played, lost, players came and went. Lebeau never had a chance.

Oliver Gibson was fat and ineffective, Riall Johnson was in over his head and Reinard Wilson was a candidate for the ultimate draft bust.

You could argue that Lebeau had a hand in this mess. I’m sure the bare bones Bengals front office listened and then did whatever they wanted to.
Lebeau went along because this was his big shot, his chance to be head coach. But he sure got a lot smarter after he left here, didn’t he?

Dick LeBeau didn’t invent the Zone Blitz defense after he left here in 2003. He invented it before he got here in 1984. Between ’84 and ’91, when he left for Pittsburgh the first time in his career, Lebcau’s schemes were part of what made the Bengals perennial contenders. It didn’t get the publicity then that it’s getting now. But it was a big reason why the Bengals got to the Super Bowl in ’89.

My point is, sometimes people don’t succeed because of the situation they’re in. All the talent in the world can’t help you when too much is out of your control and not enough of the power to change it, is.

Admit it, you booed the guy. You chanted Lebeau must go. You roared when he promised in a news conference that his offense was going to score 23 points a game. But he wasn’t dumb when he was here and he didn’t grow brains when he left.

Situations dictate everything. It’s why Lebeau is in the right place at the right time, right now. And why he won another Super Bowl ring Sunday.