Let's take a collection for the poor Bengals

I'm not an economist, a capologist or an expert on socialist organizations, so maybe I'm not terribly qualified to comment on the Cincinnati Bengals' ongoing cries of poverty. But here's what I know about our starving little football team:

They sell every seat for every game.
They sell every luxury box, and keep all the money.
They sell lots of $7 beers, and keep most of the money.
They're the proud possessors of a Manhattan-for-beads lease that allows them to control the central riverfront.
The public built them a $600 million stadium that our children will be paying for.
And, oh yeah, they've had one winning season in 17 years.

On Tuesday, the Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars were the only 2 teams in the NFL to vote against a plan that would put more shared revenue in their pockets. Simply, it wasn't enough money. The team's point, essentially, is this:

The salary cap is based on a fixed percentage of what the league calls designated gross revenues. Because the Bengals are in the bottom third of revenues in the league, every time a Washington, New England or New York bumps up its revenues, the cap rises and the Bengals have to spend a greater portion of their money on salaries. Understood.

But here are some things to consider:
The Bengals are privately run. Their books are not open. We don't know how "poor'' they are. We have to take their word for it.

The list of people who partake in the Bengals "poverty'' is very short. Family, mostly.
If you choose to own a team in a place like Cincinnati, do not expect to generate the sort of cash you would if you owned a team in a place like New York.

For all the carping about Dan Snyder in D.C. and Jerry Jones in Dallas, remember this: The public didnt pay for Snyder's stadium; Jones busted his rear to resurrect the Cowboys brand. The Bengals ownership generally has benefited immensely from the NFL's exploding popularity, without doing a lot more than cashing checks.

To whom much is given, much is expected.

Even if I completely agreed with the Bengals position that they're heading toward the financial rocks, this constant poor-mouthing after so much public generosity, faith and good will makes me want to lie down in a cool place. The team's logo should not be a tiger. It should be an outstretched hand. Palm up.