A Hershey bar would mean more than a Bengals autograph.
Letters to the editor
 | Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Flacco jokes about dining alone in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco joked about time away from his family at a recent press conference. Here’s what he had to say.
So, Cincinnati Bengals player Shaka Heyward chose to hand out his precious autograph to youngsters instead of candy at a Findlay Market Halloween event on Oct. 31. Wow, we just didn’t know how important he has been to the Bengals’ success until now.
At best, Heyward is a third-string player who hasn’t made an impact this season. He will soon be a faded memory, and his prized autograph will be rubbish unless he becomes legendary as a part of the worst defensive team in NFL history, which is where the Bengals are headed this year.
When I was a kid at Halloween, we had a lady who handed out her homegrown apples instead of candy. We politely said, “Thank you,” and turned away disappointed, then, out of her sight, we threw them away.
While I give Heyward credit for showing up to excite the kids, I think they would have appreciated a bag of candy from a pro athlete who makes a million dollars a year and could have afforded to buy a skid of goodies from Sam’s Club to distribute. It might be the one time a year when they have a chance to munch on sweets that their family might not otherwise be able to afford.
The hubristic, self-centered action by Heyward, while well-meaning, is symptomatic of the entire Bengals organization − being blind to the obvious. They aren’t good, and they won’t be for a long time.
A Shaka Heyward autograph, precious? I think not. A Hershey bar for that young kid, priceless.
Mark Cann, Pierce Township