About Paul Dehner Jr.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer: Paul is the beat writer and video host for The Cincinnati Enquirer. "From the field to front office and well outside the walls of Paul Brown Stadium, I bring to life the news and personalities defining the Bengals.
Diction
Paul Dehner Jr’s emotions are as the Bengals play. His writing varies by the week, after a big win, Dehner’s uses an energetic, jovial tone. However, following a loss, the tone shifts to gloomy and disdainful. For example, after Cincinnati’s most recent playoff loss to the Colts, Jr. says: “The same question circled the subdued Bengals locker room. As players quietly dressed, gathered their belongings and shuffled off to the busses for the fourth straight year digesting a one-and-done playoff disappointment, there was no avoiding the obvious.” The words “quietly” and “disappointment” represent the agony being felt by the entire city, Jr. feels the sadness and portrays it in his writing. In contrast, following the Bengals playoff-clinching win against the Broncos, he sounds like a different person: “The Bengals have their breakthrough moment. And their breakthrough win. And now they are headed back to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year with the prime-time failure stereotype faded into their rear view mirror.” Excitement fills his words as optimism looms. He uses “breakthrough” twice which explains the significance of the win and the accomplishment of the team. Jr. and his writing live and die with the Bengals, his emotional attachment stands out in each of his unique pieces.