As a season ticket holder of the last four seasons (Section 222 rocks!), I would like to thank Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals for their efforts this season in making this the most exciting year in recent memory and giving us hope heading into next season. Thank you for bringing National Football League excitement back to Cincinnati.

Kevin Gallagher, Miamisburg

---

No credit due Brown for team success

I am baffled and a bit annoyed by the news that Mike Brown is basking over the recent success of the Bengals. What exactly has he done to deserve the praises of fans? For 12 years he lorded over a dysfunctional organization. In the real world, who gets 12 years to produce, or make changes, before they are fired or go out of business?

There are those who defend Brown as a good businessman. In what business can an owner consistently put forth an inferior product and not be undone by the competition? No, Mike Brown is the owner of a monopoly, an owner who coerced the people of Hamilton County into footing the bill for a stadium and franchise that was an embarrassment to the city it represented, and one winning season cannot erase that.

Steve Bleh, Colerain Township

---

Borgman is a Cincinnati treasure

Sometimes it is difficult to see the humor in a situation that is overtly sad, but Jim Borgman has the intellect and the sensitivity to do so with aplomb. He can really zero in on irony. The Cincinnati Enquirer's review of Borgman's best of the year cartoons (Dec. 28) included perfect examples of his sharp intellect and his built-in ability to see the humor in every situation, with style. The Cincinnati Enquirer and its readers are fortunate to enjoy his skill to help put their lives into perspective.

Helen W. Joffe, Hamilton

---

U.S. policies have changed over time

This is in response to a letter to the editor suggesting that the United States look for skeletons in its closet because Donald Rumsfeld shook hands with Saddam Hussein in 1983 and the Reagan administration gave weapons to Osama bin Laden and Afghanistan ("Better check our closets in U.S., too," Dec. 27). The United States' closest ally, Great Britain, fought two wars against us in the 1700s and 1800s, and the United States fought along with the Soviet Union to defeat Germany in World War II. So what is this reader's point? Times and policies change in world events.

Tim Lambert, Clifton

---

Keep those cheery lights burning

Just a quick thought to those who'd like to brighten up January's dull, dark nights - leave white lights on, or red, white and blue lights on at night. People say it gives them a smile when coming home from work in the dark, in the morning. It's so much fun to see all the lights in December. Please prolong the brightness through January.

Ted and Mary Haglage, West Chester Township

---

Dillon is a cancer; let him leave

The Bengals need to let Corey Dillon leave Cincinnati. He has been nothing more than an annoying distraction this entire season. He was once a great player, but he needs to be let in on the secret that those days are behind him. If it were not for the constant whining by Dillon, maybe his lackluster season would not be so laughable.

Though he does make a good play once or twice a game, he needs to be sent to Arizona to work on his shuffleboard. Let him leave, and let us begin next year without the cancer that is Corey Dillon.

Thadd Scott, Eastgate

---

Teepen forgets destructive fringe

Syndicated columnist Tom Teepen's column "Fundamental freedoms are on trial" (Dec. 23) was most interesting. There is one item Teepen seems to conveniently forget - we are at war with a fringe element that wishes to destroy us and our way of life. This is no game being played out in Congress or any political election.

There was another event in the 20th century that is very similar. It was the start of World War II. At that time, President Franklin Roosevelt rounded up all persons of Japanese heritage and put them in camps. They were interned for the duration of the war. Many of these people were American citizens. Now that was destroying basic rights big-time.

Robert Patterson, Mason