Just got back from Baltimore and boy are my wings tired...
It's been an extended weekend of reconnecting and illness, but I'd like to let you in on the view from inside Baltimore on gameday:
Driving in, 105.7 (the Baltimore Sports Channel), was in full emergency mode. No one was talking about the game an matchups. Everyone was crying about poor Ray Rice. It was handled wrong. He should still be a Raven. Woe is us. The league is against us. The country is against us. WAAAAHHHH!! I loved every second of those broadcasts. The announcers had nothing positive to spin, it seemed like they were preparing for a funeral. And that was the mindset for all Ravens fans on the ground.
I got in town and the first thing my friend wants to talk about is how unfair it is that Rice is suspended for the year and Ben only got 6 games. Well, 4, but he's a Raven's fan, so I don't expect addition to be a strong suit. Or logic for that matter, but I'll get to that later. I told him, I know it sucks when a star player on your team gets smeared by the court room of public opinion, but you can't compare the two instances (since one was criminal, and the other was speculative), after seeing the video footage. Who wants to get behind the face of the league's new police against domestic violence. It will always be remembered as the Ray Rice Rule from here on. Sorry, but I don't share the outrage. It sucks that he can't play, but he can be reinstated next year (and I think he will be).
So after a few drinks I get dressed in my full Steelers gear and proudly walk to the stadium (after a short stop at the inner harbor for a crab cake). I get the occasional **** talker, but not like the bullying past years, and mob mentality of being a dick to opposing fans. Charm city indeed... But this was a distant fart to those earlier contests. The Ray Rice thing really ripped the balls off this fan base. And DAMN, did they need to come down to earth for a change. The only ones talking were either driving too fast to have to look me in the eye, or had just enough liquid courage to think I'd care about their decision to wear purple and yell homophobic slurs (i know the irony is palpable!).
Literally I think only about 7 people were outright rude on the way in, which is about 200 less than I'm used to. Here's the test I was checking as well. I was wearing my Roethlisberger jersey. The first time wearing in that stadium since his rape accusations. I didn't get a single comment about rape, or Rapethisburger, or way to have a Raping Quarterback. Nothing. Not a single rape worthy stone flung from inside their glass house. Smart move. Just the common, you must be lost, you're gay, or you're wearing the wrong colors dummy (I find the last one the funniest since the Baltimore City flag colors are......black and gold). I mentioned it to a female ravens fan that razzed me on the colors and her head nearly exploded. Nah, ahh, We're purple and black.....and orange. Check the flag at city hall.
Inside the stadium, on the concourse, people were actually pleasant. There were a decent amount of steeler fans there 5-8% which was up from 1-2% on the 9/11/11 season opener (still waaaayyy lower than the 50-80% we got at memorial stadium before they actually had fans). I actually was asked to be in a couple pics with some ravens fans, and we had fun with it. Though one of the girls was wearing a 27 Rice jersey.
Got up to the seats (after saying hi to some old friends and regulars), and took the initial ribbing from ruffled feathers having a black and golden egg amongst them. One interesting point. A ravens fan sitting near us, who I hadn't met before, had to say he was genuinely surprised and impressed in the way the steelers players reacted to the Ray Rice situation. All of those who were quoted had nothing degrading to say, and offered encouragement to the Rices. It wasn't lost on that fan, and I was proud to represent the Steelers at that moment. Nothing to stoke the fires, just a mutual respect from a heated rival.
It was a calm night, no weather, and no excitement. The 911 ceremonies begin, and there is a bunch of hooting, but not the level of the 911 game in 2011. Suggs gets the crowd into it leaving the tunnel with a steel (chrome) gladiator helmet. Personally, I felt it was a nice touch, and it got the crowd up. Then the game starts. 3rd and long, We're loud ravens fans now! Caw! CAW!!. Ruffing the passer. Silence. Nothing. Damn easy drive for ben until JB fumbles another first down pickup (perhaps we should hold players up while stripping them too). Then they're in it a bit. No one's a dick. Just some cheers. TD the other way, Cheers. We get the ball back and convert one first down and it's like the wheels are falling off the wagon in that stadium. The whole night, they seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even when they're up 10-0 and we hit a FG, you'd of thought we took the lead the way that crowd was reacting.
That crowd didn't get into it until the 3rd quarter when they were up by 3 scores, and they turn back into their primal form of front running douchebags. Here come the insults. Time to beat a dead horse, everybody grab a purple stick. I can take it. I seen blowouts by each side in that stadium. It was disappointing that we didn't mount anything even resembling a TD that game, but when you go, all you can do is cheer and pick your battles with the fans. I took the high road that night. I congratulated the fans for being the better team, since they clearly were that night, and I walked out with my head held high. I walked by a young Steeler fan who looked terrible. Chin up, I said. It's a long season and we'll get another shot at em. He perked up and smiled.
And that's what it is. It's a bad loss to a hated rival, but it's still early and I'm not ready to throw in my terrible towel just yet. If I can take it from 70,000 Baltimorons and still support my team, I'm not going to roll over, no matter what colors are flown.
GO STEELERS!!!
It's been an extended weekend of reconnecting and illness, but I'd like to let you in on the view from inside Baltimore on gameday:
Driving in, 105.7 (the Baltimore Sports Channel), was in full emergency mode. No one was talking about the game an matchups. Everyone was crying about poor Ray Rice. It was handled wrong. He should still be a Raven. Woe is us. The league is against us. The country is against us. WAAAAHHHH!! I loved every second of those broadcasts. The announcers had nothing positive to spin, it seemed like they were preparing for a funeral. And that was the mindset for all Ravens fans on the ground.
I got in town and the first thing my friend wants to talk about is how unfair it is that Rice is suspended for the year and Ben only got 6 games. Well, 4, but he's a Raven's fan, so I don't expect addition to be a strong suit. Or logic for that matter, but I'll get to that later. I told him, I know it sucks when a star player on your team gets smeared by the court room of public opinion, but you can't compare the two instances (since one was criminal, and the other was speculative), after seeing the video footage. Who wants to get behind the face of the league's new police against domestic violence. It will always be remembered as the Ray Rice Rule from here on. Sorry, but I don't share the outrage. It sucks that he can't play, but he can be reinstated next year (and I think he will be).
So after a few drinks I get dressed in my full Steelers gear and proudly walk to the stadium (after a short stop at the inner harbor for a crab cake). I get the occasional **** talker, but not like the bullying past years, and mob mentality of being a dick to opposing fans. Charm city indeed... But this was a distant fart to those earlier contests. The Ray Rice thing really ripped the balls off this fan base. And DAMN, did they need to come down to earth for a change. The only ones talking were either driving too fast to have to look me in the eye, or had just enough liquid courage to think I'd care about their decision to wear purple and yell homophobic slurs (i know the irony is palpable!).
Literally I think only about 7 people were outright rude on the way in, which is about 200 less than I'm used to. Here's the test I was checking as well. I was wearing my Roethlisberger jersey. The first time wearing in that stadium since his rape accusations. I didn't get a single comment about rape, or Rapethisburger, or way to have a Raping Quarterback. Nothing. Not a single rape worthy stone flung from inside their glass house. Smart move. Just the common, you must be lost, you're gay, or you're wearing the wrong colors dummy (I find the last one the funniest since the Baltimore City flag colors are......black and gold). I mentioned it to a female ravens fan that razzed me on the colors and her head nearly exploded. Nah, ahh, We're purple and black.....and orange. Check the flag at city hall.
Inside the stadium, on the concourse, people were actually pleasant. There were a decent amount of steeler fans there 5-8% which was up from 1-2% on the 9/11/11 season opener (still waaaayyy lower than the 50-80% we got at memorial stadium before they actually had fans). I actually was asked to be in a couple pics with some ravens fans, and we had fun with it. Though one of the girls was wearing a 27 Rice jersey.
Got up to the seats (after saying hi to some old friends and regulars), and took the initial ribbing from ruffled feathers having a black and golden egg amongst them. One interesting point. A ravens fan sitting near us, who I hadn't met before, had to say he was genuinely surprised and impressed in the way the steelers players reacted to the Ray Rice situation. All of those who were quoted had nothing degrading to say, and offered encouragement to the Rices. It wasn't lost on that fan, and I was proud to represent the Steelers at that moment. Nothing to stoke the fires, just a mutual respect from a heated rival.
It was a calm night, no weather, and no excitement. The 911 ceremonies begin, and there is a bunch of hooting, but not the level of the 911 game in 2011. Suggs gets the crowd into it leaving the tunnel with a steel (chrome) gladiator helmet. Personally, I felt it was a nice touch, and it got the crowd up. Then the game starts. 3rd and long, We're loud ravens fans now! Caw! CAW!!. Ruffing the passer. Silence. Nothing. Damn easy drive for ben until JB fumbles another first down pickup (perhaps we should hold players up while stripping them too). Then they're in it a bit. No one's a dick. Just some cheers. TD the other way, Cheers. We get the ball back and convert one first down and it's like the wheels are falling off the wagon in that stadium. The whole night, they seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even when they're up 10-0 and we hit a FG, you'd of thought we took the lead the way that crowd was reacting.
That crowd didn't get into it until the 3rd quarter when they were up by 3 scores, and they turn back into their primal form of front running douchebags. Here come the insults. Time to beat a dead horse, everybody grab a purple stick. I can take it. I seen blowouts by each side in that stadium. It was disappointing that we didn't mount anything even resembling a TD that game, but when you go, all you can do is cheer and pick your battles with the fans. I took the high road that night. I congratulated the fans for being the better team, since they clearly were that night, and I walked out with my head held high. I walked by a young Steeler fan who looked terrible. Chin up, I said. It's a long season and we'll get another shot at em. He perked up and smiled.
And that's what it is. It's a bad loss to a hated rival, but it's still early and I'm not ready to throw in my terrible towel just yet. If I can take it from 70,000 Baltimorons and still support my team, I'm not going to roll over, no matter what colors are flown.
GO STEELERS!!!
