Reader e-mail after an unbelievable game at PBS

It's 10:52 on Sunday night. I'm sitting here, in the Paul Brown Stadium press box, the
day's events catalogued for the "Enquirer," and I'm not believing what I saw.

The Bengals, in defeating the Browns 58-48, were part of the second highest scoring game
in the history of the NFL. Only the 113 points scored by Washington and the Giants in 1966 are
more than the 106 the Bengals and Browns put up today.

Time for reader e-mail.

Question, from Bruce in Winnipeg, Canada: Mark, you still at PBS? Guess Chad Johnson was right after today's up-and-down fireworks. The fans probably needed the Pepto they brought.

Answer: Bruce, I'm still here. Like I said, I can't believe what I've seen. Both sets of defensive backfield probably need the stomach-ache medicine after getting burned for a total of nine touchdown passes today.

Question, from Pat in Austin, Texas: As a life-long Bengals-lover (native of Xenia and
Jamestown, Ohio) I still feel the passion of the rivalry as it exists between the two teams'
fans.

When I walk into a sports bar here in Austin, believe it or not, wearing my Cincy gear to
watch the game every Sunday, I invariably take much heat from local AFC North and old Central transplants and natives. There are plenty of Browns, Steelers, Ravens and old Oilers fans here who love to dish it out to me whenever I show up with my "Who Dey" orange T-shirt on.

When the Browns were taken from the league by Art Modell for money in Baltimore, we
Bengals fans were outraged and saddened, almost as much as the people in Cleveland. And when the new edition of the Browns took the field in 1999 we were equally happy to see them back.

We're the followers of the rivalry, even if the players aren't. It still matters to us
who wins and loses and who's going to the playoffs out of our division. We still understand and
usually hate each other.

Answer: Sounds like "hate" might be too strong of a word -- sounds like you enjoy giving
each other a hard time in good fun.

The loyalty of Bengals and Browns fans is to be admired, given the lousy product (until late) the Bengals have put on the field since 1990 and how Modell and the NFL shafted Cleveland.

It was a wildly entertaining game today. But the rivalry still brings together two of the
team's worst teams since 1999.

Question, from Ray: Please relate to the players who celebrate after a single play that
it takes a series of great plays throughout the game to produce a winner. To me these individual
players celebrations makes them look silly.

They should wait until after the game has been won to display their celebrations. Chad Johnson, in particular, is only a winner if the team succeeds.

Answer: Kelley Washington, Johnson's fellow receiver, is the worst offender in the
excessive celebration department. At least Johnson is a consistent producer, and his under-stated after his touchdown was far more tasteful than Washinton's dance or first down gesture.