The Ravens are the bad guys

**FadeToBlack** · 01-29-2013, 10:05 PM

I read all this negativity from Ray's alleged deer antler spray to Flacco using the word "retarded" toward Roger Goddell's cold weather Super Bowl, to Pollard's extremist view of the NFL's future, to Reed saying Seau was responsible for "signing up for" the risks of football, and at first, I start to get upset at all the negative press we're getting on such a national stage.

But then I think of all the Redskin, Steeler, Bronco and assorted team's fans who are my friends, who harbor this negative view of Ray and the Ravens, and I start to bask in their self-righteous ire. I like watching these folks stew in their populist ignorance. And then I realize, this is how the Ravens will always succeed - with little external praise, but a raging internal explosion of defiance against the establishment. This isn't the Rocky-type of underdog the mainstream butters up to. It draws out the bigoted underbelly of the typical American nimrod. I hope a few walls get punched in America late on Sunday night. Play like a Raven.

**Uli2001** · 01-29-2013, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by FadeToBlack

I read all this negativity from Ray's alleged deer antler spray to Flacco using the word "retarded" toward Roger Goddell's cold weather Super Bowl, to Pollard's extremist view of the NFL's future, to Reed saying Seau was responsible for "signing up for" the risks of football, and at first, I start to get upset at all the negative press we're getting on such a national stage.

But then I think of all the Redskin, Steeler, Bronco and assorted team's fans who are my friends, who harbor this negative view of Ray and the Ravens, and I start to bask in their self-righteous ire. I like watching these folks stew in their populist ignorance. And then I realize, this is how the Ravens will always succeed - with little external praise, but a raging internal explosion of defiance against the establishment. This isn't the Rocky-type of underdog the mainstream butters up to. It draws out the bigoted underbelly of the typical American nimrod. I hope a few walls get punched in America late on Sunday night. Play like a Raven.

Teams, at least the good ones, seem to have an identity. The Ravens' is this one. They play with a chip on their shoulder.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-29-2013, 10:17 PM

it's been that way...

Flacco complaining about being elite
Ravens going against the HUGELY emotional story of Pagano and Chuckstrong

Ravens are not generally the media darlings. We're used to winnning games in a very non-flashy manner, we're a strong, physical team...our offensive style doesn't really fit with the "norm" (Anquan and Torrey each could disappear one week, then take over the game the next week, many catches by RBs and TEs)

Just the way we like it.

**FadeToBlack** · 01-29-2013, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

Just the way we like it.

I think this sentence should typify the attitude Ravens fans should have.

I recently had my aunt, who is a Buffalo Bills fan and who loves me just fine, write a scathing, typical ignorant post on my Facebook timeline about how the Ravens are second class and don't deserve to play the Patriots. I responded, saying something to the effect of "we enjoy leaving the public with broken hearts and shattered dreams." We wear the black hat. Like it or not, we aren't very well liked. And don't get me wrong, I like people in general, but when it comes to their perception of the Ravens, I take a certain satisfaction in seeing the bottom fall out of their world, at least in sports.

**Lime in the Coconut** · 01-29-2013, 10:46 PM

The Ravens aren't getting much love at all. All I keep hearing about is Kaepernick, how do you stop-- sound familiar?

**Bigfish** · 01-29-2013, 10:51 PM

I love what I'm seeing so far from the interviews in NO. They seem loose and natural. Reed has been as giddy as I've ever seen him and seems to have a creepy sparkle in his eyes. If anything, the 49ers seem tight.

**Lime in the Coconut** · 01-29-2013, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Bigfish

I love what I'm seeing so far from the interviews in NO. They seem loose and natural. Reed has been as giddy as I've ever seen him and seems to have a creepy sparkle in his eyes. If anything, the 49ers seem tight.

Exactly what I've picked up on as well. I just can't help but feel very good about this game. That may be just me, but I have a lot of confidence in our team.

**Shambla** · 01-29-2013, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by Lime in the Coconut

The Ravens aren't getting much love at all. All I keep hearing about is Kaepernick, how do you stop-- sound familiar?

I open up this link to where NFL.com debates Kaepernick vs. Flacco and all seven of them pick Kaepernick. For 16 years they hated us because we played tough defense oriented football and then we finally get a pocket QB who's playing at a Super Bowl caliber level and now? "Colin Kaepernick is the future of the NFL", "Colin Kaepernick is the wave of the present -- and future", "It's tight, but NFL evolution tugs me in one direction".

Once again we're the unsexy team stuck playing yesteryear's style of football (who knew Brady and Manning style of quarterbacking would fall out of vogue with all this RGIII/Wilson/Kaepernick knob slobbing?)

**bpmurr** · 01-29-2013, 11:38 PM

I like being the bad guys. It makes winning that much sweeter!

**iggyman555** · 01-29-2013, 11:46 PM

**GOTA** · 01-30-2013, 04:37 AM

There are certain teams that fans of the sport love to hate. We're one of them along with the Patrtiots. The Raiders used to be that way but they've sucked for so long that hate has turned into apathy.

**wickedsolo** · 01-30-2013, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

There are certain teams that fans of the sport love to hate. We're one of them along with the Patrtiots. The Raiders used to be that way but they've sucked for so long that hate has turned into apathy.

Agreed. You could probably make an argument for the Cowboys in there as well.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum Runner

**Lee Van Cleef** · 01-30-2013, 05:22 AM

People just don't like the Ravens. The players talk smack, they're tough and physical, old school style footballers and people can't dig that. Almost any other team in the leauge in the Ravens position would be the cinderella story, we're just the underdogs with no chance. Fuck em.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-30-2013, 05:32 AM

yeah, so far, the majority of people picking have gone 49ers...Ryan Clark had ulterior motives (he didn't want to hear us smack talking all season lol), but eveyone else has been claiming the 49ers are younger and more dynamic, and just will find the way to get that one play over us that puts them over the top.

And that is fine. Keep telling us we're just a hair short of good enough. This seriously goes hand in hand with the Muhammad Ali story Jack Harbaugh gave to the 2008 Ravens, mentioned on the Harbaugh Roundtable...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v-akeLNyIo

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-30-2013, 05:46 AM

When people bring up Ray and murder and say "no offense" I always smile and tell them it doesn't bother me at all. Same thing here, I laugh at them and keep rooting for my team.

Nice OP

**Paintballguy** · 01-30-2013, 06:38 AM

That's fine with me. As Suggs said, "the bandwagon is full".

**Bufflehead** · 01-30-2013, 06:44 AM

Great post!

Bring on the hate. I totally agree this team thrives on it. It is their nature.

**NC Raven** · 01-30-2013, 06:51 AM

Lemmy from Motorhead once said something like "We're the kind of band that if we move in next door, your lawn will die." That's the Ravens - always taking a shit on somebody's birthday cake.

See also, my sig below, which sums it up for me.

**HotInHere** · 01-30-2013, 08:12 AM

I remember in 2000 thinking, and hoping, that the Ravens would have this huge surge in popularity. I thought people would love us and our defense, and across the country people would jump on the bandwagon like they did for the Steelers and Raiders of the seventies.

Somewhere along the past thirteen years, I went from hoping other people would grow to love my team, to not caring, to now actively saying screw you, you didn't want to love us then, don't even think about it now. I would feel as dirty as a stripper at a Duke lacrosse party if we attracted the front-runners who also root for the Lakers, Yankees, Carolina, and Bama.

The very headline of this column in the Washington Post made me want to go find someone wearing a rubber pig snout run them through a meat grinder: "Hail to the Ravens?..." http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...5e7_story.html Read the whole thing if you really want to get pissed off.

Don't you DARE soil my beautiful purple with your burgundy and yellow slime. I don't want the your 'regional' love, I don't want Squealer fans rooting for us for AFC North pride, I don't want Cleveland fans rooting for us for... well, nevermind. At least we don't have to worry about Cleveland fans rooting for us.

**somedumbguy** · 01-30-2013, 08:55 AM

Every team with success has haters. Since coming to Baltimore the Ravens have won 150 game, made 9 playoff appearance and are going to their second Super Bowl. Joe Flacco has won more playoff games in the last 5 years than the Cardinals, saints, Bucs, Lions, Falcons and Bengals have won in their history. We have beaten a lot of teams in important games, we have ended a lot of seasons, and we have players who like to talk smack sometimes even though they mostly back it up. Over the last 10 years the 49 ears have been largely irrelevant.

It doesn't matter though, this is not American Idol. Nobody votes for who wins this game. the Ravens need to take care of business on Sunday and then who cares what the rest of the country thinks.