Written by Haley Parnell, LINK nky reporter
Joyce Dorgan has been a die-hard Bengals fan for as long as she can remember. For at least the past 42 years, she has worn Bengals gear to show her support for the team.
“I mean, I’ve got socks, shirts, earrings, a watch,” Dorgan, of Cold Spring, said. “I’ve even got a Bengals ring.”
Dorgan held up her wrist.Â
“And then I’ve got this, rubber bracelets,” she said. “I’ll bet you I’ve had it on my wrist for three years. And it stays on there 365 days a year, and if I have to go somewhere dressy or to a funeral, I take it off and tuck it in my bra.”
She also makes sure to hang her Bengals clothes on black and orange hangers.
Some pieces of Bengals decor around Dorgan’s home include salt and pepper shakers, a flag outside on her porch, a Bengals coffee cup that she drinks out of every day, and a wall in her living room decked out with memorabilia. She also makes sure that a Bengals flag flies proudly from her truck.
“When preseason starts, I’ve got my shower curtain up, I’ve got my towels, I got a little brass table with bobbleheads on it,” she said. “My ‘piece de resistance’ is what I call it, is a glass from 1968 with the very first Bengals schedule on it.”
Dorgan said her husband doesn’t mind her obsession with the team and has even contributed to her collection by winning her approximately 20 Bengals-themed stuffed animals from claw machines.
Dorgan said she puts out her Bengals kitchen towels and sips on something orange on game days. She also makes sure both her kitchen TV and living room TV are on, so she doesn’t miss anything when she goes between rooms.
For Christmas, Dorgan’s son got her tickets to the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Bengals game on Jan. 2.
“I was just ecstatic. I couldn’t scream enough,” Dorgan said. “I love watching them on TV and then seeing them in person. I mean, it just goes through my veins like you wouldn’t believe. It’s breathtaking. I just can’t explain it.”
As for the big game Saturday, “I got my orange water all ready,” Dorgan said. “My kitchen towels are clean and ready to hang up. Both TVs will be on starting at 4:30.”
Photos: Provided by Joyce Dorgan
