AVON, CO -- For the first time in his life, Steve Garufi met a devoted and committed Cincinnati Bengals fan at a New Year’s Eve party in Avon, Colorado.

Noticing him wearing an attractive winter jacket with the Bengals design, Garufi was overjoyed to meet a genuine Cincinnati fan.

“I made such a fuss over him. He came in with this Bengals jacket and it was amazing.”

Matt Yerkes, who was also a guest of Anne Schnabbel’s New Years’ Eve party in the popular ski resort, performed the Ickey Woods’ dance for Steve and all his friends.

Asked about the team's dismal performance throughout the decade, Yerkes replied, “Oh it’s been terrible. It’s been really bad…it’s like, no fun.”

“The city of Cincinnati is committed to the Bengals; we’d just like to see them be reasonably competitive.”

Visiting the ski resort with his wife, Matt Yerkes of Cincinnati has been a dedicated Bengals supporter for over ten years. He became a fan during the late 1980’s after moving to southwestern Ohio. At the time, the Cincinnati Bengals were a winning roster with a potent offense led by Boomer Esiason and Ickey Woods. Their successful ways led them to the Super Bowl in 1989.

However, the Cincinnati Bengals had the worst winning percentage among NFL teams in the 1990's and has earned a reputation for being a league doormat for the past decade. Their uniform, which includes a display of black stripes on an orange helmet, has become a symbol of futility in football.

“That jacket was so hot. I love the Bengals uniforms the most, except for the Saints.” said an animated Steve. “It was so exciting to meet a real, live Bengals fan…I wanted to worship him.”

Yerkes said he and his wife personally know some of the Bengals players, including Jim Breech. He also “saw Boomer (Esiason) eating a hamburger once” at a local restaurant.

Yerkes has received many comments from strangers when wearing his jacket outside of his residence in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, but seemed to appreciate Garufi’s enthusiasm the most.

“You’ve got something to offer the world with that jacket!” Garufi yelled convincingly.