The past few seasons have not been kind to Cincinnati, but Bengals fans are a hardy group and there is no stronger refrain around the sportscrazed town than "Wait till next year!" Sam Wyche’s Tales from the Cincinnati Bengals Sideline provides plenty to tide the fans over until then. Contained within these pages is a revealing look at the stories—some legendary, some previously unheard—from the 35-year history of the franchise. The introduction of the no-huddle, the sideline huddle, and all their variations put a lot of pressure on television broadcasters and NFL officials, as well as opposing defenses. More than a mere Bengals primer, these tales delve into the many memorable incidents, from barring women from the locker room to the infamous comments heard over the public address system reminding fans that they live in Cincinnati, not Cleveland. The Cincinnati Bengals have done what 16 current NFL teams have been unable to do—they have fought their way into two Super Bowls. In fact, seven existing teams have never made it to the big game at all. Sam Wyche’s Tales from the Cincinnati Bengals Sideline gives Cincinnati fans who yearn for the good ol’ days of the 1981 and 1988 AFC championship seasons cause to celebrate once more.
About the Author
Sam Wyche led both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a head coach in the NFL for over 10 years. In 1989 he guided the Bengals to the AFC championship and into Super Bowl XXIII. Earlier in his coaching career he directed the passing game for Bill Walsh’s San Francisco 49ers, coaching Joe Montana in the team’s Super Bowl XVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. He later spent five years in the studio as an NFL analyst for both NBC and CBS. As a player, Wyche began his career in 1966 with the Wheeling Ironmen of the Continental Football League. In 1968 he became one of the original Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterbacks. After being traded to the Washington Redskins in 1971, he played in Super Bowl VII against the Miami Dolphins. He also played for the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Cardinals, and Buffalo Bills. A 1988 recipient of the Timmie Award for NFL Coach of the Year, Wyche is a private pilot of 32 years, an owner of two Harley- Davidsons, and an amateur magician. He and his wife Jane live in Pickens, South Carolina, and have two children and three grandchildren.
Matt Fulks is a freelance writer and author who has worked in every form of the media. He is a regular contributor to various publications, including the Kansas City Star. He is the author or coauthor of several sports-related books, including Tom Flores’s Tales from the Oakland Raiders, Marcus Allen: Road to Canton, and Denny Matthews’s Tales from the Royals Dugout for Sports Publishing. Fulks and his wife and children live in the Kansas City area.
