Excitement builds in Cincinnati as the Bengals prep for the Super Bowl

Excitement builds in Cincinnati as the Bengals prep for the Super Bowl

Transcript¹

The Cincinnati Bengals will be in the Super Bowl for the first time in more than three decades. On Sunday, they'll take on the Los Angeles Rams² in Super Bowl LVI.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I've got the stuff for chili³ and guac. Heck, I might even make football-shaped cookies. On Sunday, the LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals are going to go head-to-head in Super Bowl LVI. This is the first championship game for the Bengals in more than three decades. So apologies to Rams fans, but who doesn't love an underdog? Here's Cory Sharber from member station WVXU.

CORY SHARBER, BYLINE⁴: It was only two seasons ago the Cincinnati Bengals were the worst team in the NFL, finishing with only two wins. Now they're one game away from being Super Bowl champions. The excitement surrounding the Bengals this year is both palpable and unexpected. Football fans around the country are rooting for the underdogs this Sunday, and yes, that even includes some fans of the Cleveland Browns, their in-state rivals. A lot of the excitement revolves⁵ around Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow⁶. On social media, you can see him wearing funny sunglasses or smoking cigars. On the field, you'll see him leading game-winning drives and commanding the offense⁷. On Sunday, he could become the first quarterback to ever win a Heisman Trophy⁸, a college football championship and a Super Bowl. Bengals radio play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard⁹ says Burrow is exactly what the franchise¹⁰ has been looking for.

DAN HOARD: A great leader, a tremendous quarterback and perfect for Cincinnati. The Bengals were fortunate to be really bad two years ago and be in a position to draft Joe Burrow.

SHARBER: The stunning¹¹ turnaround certainly caught Cincinnati by surprise, and now the city is abuzz for its underdog team. Buildings are lit up orange. People are lining¹² up to buy a limited-edition Bengals beer. And some are even chugging cans of Skyline Chili in the streets. The last time the Bengals were in the Super Bowl was 1989, where they lost by four points to the San Francisco 49ers. That was the last game of Pro¹³ Bowler¹⁴ receiver Cris Collinsworth's career, who's calling the Super Bowl for NBC this Sunday.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: I think for a Midwestern city, when they get this kind of opportunity, when they get the chance to go on the world stage, in many ways, for the first time in over 30 years, that it's just - there's a buzz and an excitement and a coming-together for a city.

SHARBER: The Bengals have only managed nine winning seasons since their last Super Bowl appearance. Katelyn Snyder was born after that season and has been a fan her whole life.

KATELYN SNYDER: You have to just keep telling yourself that next season is going to be the season, that we're going to do better next season. I feel like every season, you know, OK, we're going to do better this season. This is the season.

SHARBER: And this season, not only is the quarterback shining but so is the kicker. The rookie Evan McPherson kicked game-winning field goals in the Bengals' last two playoff games. Shortly before taking his kicks, a nun¹⁵ from Old Saint Mary's Church in Cincinnati knelt and prayed. Sister Marie Cecile says they see how much the Bengals are uniting the city. She saw that firsthand after they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.

MARIE CECILE: Walking outside on Monday morning, going for a walk, everyone was saying, who dey (ph). They don't even know each other, never seen each other, probably sometimes. But just the joy and reaching out and seeing each other again and recognizing each other, that is something you don't see often.

SHARBER: And it's not just the team's success uniting the city but also its underdog status. Dan Hoard says the team is embracing that.

HOARD: Tight end C.J. Uzomah famously said at the beginning of training camp at a fan gathering¹⁶, why not us? That kind of became the rallying cry early. And then at the end of the year, Joe Burrow flipped¹⁷ it and said, you know what? I don't like that anymore. We're no longer underdogs. We've proven we can beat anybody on our schedule. So let's change it from why not us to it is us.

SHARBER: Fans here will be cheering on their team in multiple gatherings¹⁸ throughout the weekend. After years of shortcomings and rebuilds, Bengals fans finally get to experience something few expected this year - a shot at winning the big game.

For NPR News, I'm Cory Sharber in Cincinnati.

(SOUNDBITE OF MATT LARGE'S "I'LL TREAT YOU RIGHT")

MARTIN: It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

And I'm Leila Fadel.

MARTIN: Go Bengals.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 rams   

n.公羊( ram的名词复数 )；(R-)白羊（星）座；夯；攻城槌v.夯实（土等）( ram的第三人称单数 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• A couple of rams are butting at each other. 两只羊正在用角互相抵触。 来自辞典例句
• More than anything the rams helped to break what should have been on interminable marriage. 那些牡羊比任何东西都更严重地加速了他们那本该天长地久的婚姻的破裂。 来自辞典例句

3 chili   

n.辣椒

参考例句：

• He helped himself to another two small spoonfuls of chili oil.他自己下手又加了两小勺辣椒油。
• It has chocolate,chili,and other spices.有巧克力粉，辣椒，和其他的调味品。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 revolves   

v.（使）旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 )；细想

参考例句：

• The earth revolves both round the sun and on its own axis. 地球既公转又自转。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Thus a wheel revolves on its axle. 于是，轮子在轴上旋转。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 burrow   

vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞

参考例句：

• Earthworms burrow deep into the subsoil.蚯蚓深深地钻进底土。
• The dog had chased a rabbit into its burrow.狗把兔子追进了洞穴。

7 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

8 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

9 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

10 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

11 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

12 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

13 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

14 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

15 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

16 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

17 flipped   

轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。
• The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

18 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。