Baltimore Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens
Before you read this blog I need everyone to know that there is NOTHING that will get me to not love my Ravens anymore. I love my team dearly and nothing will ever change that. I was a fan when they sucked and I was a fan when they ruled. Having said that....
Last night was the one night when I can honestly say I was the angriest I had ever been. And it's not because the Ravens lost. It's because they lost to the friggin Colts. And, no, it's not "just a game". Not in Baltimore. Not when we play the Colts. It's revenge (or Ravenge if you prefer). 23 years ago, the Baltimore Colts were taken from us. The teams owner, I can't rememeber his first name Irsay, took Baltimore in the middle of the night in a friggin snowstorm. Most of us are still bitter about that. It was cowardly and underhanded. And now there is the Irsay curse. Which basically means that as long as a member of the Irsay family owns the team, they keep the name and the history, they will NEVER win a superbowl. They haven't won a superbowl since 1984. And I fucking HATE Peyton Manning. Having said THAT....
Baltimore came together yesterday. Breaking records all over M&T Bank Stadium (over 71,000 fans came out) and showing off the Purple Passion. From the airel shots, you could see the sea of Purple in the stadium. It was breathtaking. We all knew that we had this game and we were probably going to the superbowl.
When the score was 3-0 Colts, I wasn't worried. It was the first quarter.
When it was 6-0 Colts, I still wasn't worried.
When it was 9-3 Colts, I still wasn't worried. It was only the first half.
When it was 12-3, I got a little worried.
When it was 12-6, I started to feel better. At that point, I knew all we needed was a touchdown to win the game. That's all we needed.
But...in the last 1:30 seconds of the game when the Colts kicker, Adam Viniatieri, came out to kick, I knew it was over.
Final score 15-6 Colts. In our own house. On our own turf. In front of 71,000 Ravens fans. Not cool. I was in tears, I was PISSED. I had never been that angry in my entire life. Not entirely at my Ravens, although I'd like to throddle them. But you know what made me mad? Not just that, of all the teams to lose too, it was the Colts, but....they didn't want it. They just didn't want it bad enough. Because if they had WANTED that superbowl ring they would have BROUGHT IT. They didn't show me they wanted it and that makes me sad. Everyone in Baltimore wanted it....except for the Ravens. And maybe they did want it. But not bad enough. The Colts wanted it more, they proved it. They brought it.
We've had both sides now. A shit season with a superbowl ring and a fantastic season with no chance at the superbowl. Now we need a fantastic season COMPLETE with a superbowl win. And I think 2008 is where it's at.
So....to quote my friend Erik "Hell hath no fury like a Ravens fan scorned". So to Peyton Manning and the Colts I leave this piece of advice for you for 2008:
Get Ready. Cause here we come!
Last night was the one night when I can honestly say I was the angriest I had ever been. And it's not because the Ravens lost. It's because they lost to the friggin Colts. And, no, it's not "just a game". Not in Baltimore. Not when we play the Colts. It's revenge (or Ravenge if you prefer). 23 years ago, the Baltimore Colts were taken from us. The teams owner, I can't rememeber his first name Irsay, took Baltimore in the middle of the night in a friggin snowstorm. Most of us are still bitter about that. It was cowardly and underhanded. And now there is the Irsay curse. Which basically means that as long as a member of the Irsay family owns the team, they keep the name and the history, they will NEVER win a superbowl. They haven't won a superbowl since 1984. And I fucking HATE Peyton Manning. Having said THAT....
Baltimore came together yesterday. Breaking records all over M&T Bank Stadium (over 71,000 fans came out) and showing off the Purple Passion. From the airel shots, you could see the sea of Purple in the stadium. It was breathtaking. We all knew that we had this game and we were probably going to the superbowl.
When the score was 3-0 Colts, I wasn't worried. It was the first quarter.
When it was 6-0 Colts, I still wasn't worried.
When it was 9-3 Colts, I still wasn't worried. It was only the first half.
When it was 12-3, I got a little worried.
When it was 12-6, I started to feel better. At that point, I knew all we needed was a touchdown to win the game. That's all we needed.
But...in the last 1:30 seconds of the game when the Colts kicker, Adam Viniatieri, came out to kick, I knew it was over.
Final score 15-6 Colts. In our own house. On our own turf. In front of 71,000 Ravens fans. Not cool. I was in tears, I was PISSED. I had never been that angry in my entire life. Not entirely at my Ravens, although I'd like to throddle them. But you know what made me mad? Not just that, of all the teams to lose too, it was the Colts, but....they didn't want it. They just didn't want it bad enough. Because if they had WANTED that superbowl ring they would have BROUGHT IT. They didn't show me they wanted it and that makes me sad. Everyone in Baltimore wanted it....except for the Ravens. And maybe they did want it. But not bad enough. The Colts wanted it more, they proved it. They brought it.
We've had both sides now. A shit season with a superbowl ring and a fantastic season with no chance at the superbowl. Now we need a fantastic season COMPLETE with a superbowl win. And I think 2008 is where it's at.
So....to quote my friend Erik "Hell hath no fury like a Ravens fan scorned". So to Peyton Manning and the Colts I leave this piece of advice for you for 2008:
Get Ready. Cause here we come!