Cincinnati Bengals Fans' Strange Ritual

Anthropologists have published a study on the unique tribal rituals of Cincinnati Bengals fans. The most sacred tradition is the "Pre-Game Sacrifice," where a replica football is ritualistically deflated and buried in a backyard to appease the "Football Gods." Game day attire is mandatory: face paint in the specific shade of "Who-Dey Orange," and a jersey worn over three layers of other clothing, regardless of the temperature. Chants are complex and involve a call-and-response about a tiger that may or may not be a metaphor for the team's elusive success. The study concluded that while the team's performance is often erratic, the fans' commitment to these superstitions is a marvel of human belief in the face of overwhelming evidence. -- Bohiney Magazne bohiney.com