Trying To Be A Diehard Ravens Fan

[DThomp]

Ok! I was an Eagles fan for a long time, but stuff happened and although I am not totally all there, I have now changed my team to that of the Ravens. It was intense in my house today as my husband is a Raiders Fan (Diehard at that!) From watching all season though, I have seen wins slip away due to pure carelessness. Call me a flake, but I like to be part of a winning team. I expected this win against the Raiders, but they will need to step it up a few notches to have a win against the Patriots. Do you agree?

[NC Ravens Fan]

sounds like you are a bandwagener by your comment that you like to be part of a winning team

this team will not be for you if you dont like losing. the ravens rip the hearts out of their fans on a game by game basis

[MsMarvel73]

If you have to try then you're not diehard and never will be.

My love for this organization and all the players burns fiercely no matter what heartbreak they put me through. Yes the team has a LOT that needs to be addressed. I'm not sure they can address everything in one off-season but they damn well better start.

[theblackdog]

Here's the deal, when it comes to any sports team, they will have good games and bad ones, and good seasons and bad seasons. What makes a true fan are those who will stick by a team through the good and the bad, and that it takes an awful lot for them to break ties with a team. If you're the kind of person who just wants to follow winning teams, then you might as well just buy a shirt for every single team in the NFL and have them ready for when the next team goes on a hot streak. You'll be covered, but then you're also basically a bandwagon fan, and there are many fans who don't respect that.

As much as I give some folks who support rival teams grief when the Ravens are playing them, I have more respect for those who followed the Patriots through their really crappy years in the 80's and 90's than those who became fans after the 2004 Super Bowl win or during the perfect season of 2007 (and near perfect playoffs).

As much as I may get frustrated with the Ravens at times and suffer some heartbreaks, I have more than enough love for the Ravens that I can let go of the bad seasons or games and continue to support them. No matter what happens in the playoffs, you'll see me at the fan fest wearing a jersey in April.

[Militant X 1]

not to be harsh here....but...you are jumping ship from the Eagles who have played extremely well for the majority of this season.....to become a Ravens fan? sure...the Ravens won today and by beating the Raiders...they are in the playoffs. but the Eagles are also in the playoffs. so what you are saying doesn't make sense! smh!

my son is a die-hard Eagles fan and has been for nearly 5 years now. i myself am a die-hard Ravens fan....have been since they drafted Ray Lewis.

but my questions to you are these:

1. where were YOU when we were going through this up and down rollercoaster ride of a season this year?
2. where were YOU when we lost close games?
3. where were YOU when our kicker missed the game winning field goal in Minnesota?
4. where were YOU when our offense began to stal and couldn't get in the endzone within our 5 yard line against the Colts?
5. where were YOU when Clayton dropped a potential game winning drive against the Patriots?
6. where were YOU when the Ravens lost to the Packers due to horrendous penalties they made?
7. where were YOU when the Ravens "gift-wrapped" last weeks Steeler's win over them through their lack of urgency?

let me tell you where the "true" Ravens die-hard fans like myself was:

[b]WE WERE RIGHT HERE!![/b]

why? cause that is what [b]TRUE FANS DO! WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT!![/b]

can you say that? if not...you are nothing more than a bandwagoner that will be with us today and then gone tomorrow.

[theblackdog]

I just want to answer your questions for fun:

1. where were YOU when we were going through this up and down rollercoaster ride of a season this year? [i]Watching or following every single game I possibly could, and discussing the games here on the boards.[/i]

2. where were YOU when we lost close games? [i]At the bar, or in the case of the Colts game, backstage in between scenes of a play I was in.[/i]

3. where were YOU when our kicker missed the game winning field goal in Minnesota? [i]At a bar in Laurel, this was approximately my reaction [/i]

4. where were YOU when our offense began to stal and couldn't get in the endzone within our 5 yard line against the Colts? [i]Backstage because I was performing in a play, so I was following via Twitter[/i]

5. where were YOU when Clayton dropped a potential game winning drive against the Patriots?
[i]At a sports bar in Laurel. (I think I see a pattern here)[/i]

6. where were YOU when the Ravens lost to the Packers due to horrendous penalties they made? [i]At a bar in College Park, surrounded by other Ravens fans who were now very frustrated at what had just happened.[/i]

7. where were YOU when the Ravens "gift-wrapped" last weeks Steeler's win over them through their lack of urgency? [i]At my parents house in San Antonio, following the game using NFL.com since we could only see the Texans game during that time.[/i]

Now that I'm seeing a pattern of being at a certain bar when we had our loss to the Pats and the Vikings, and the same bar where I witnessed our loss to the Steelers in the AFC Championship, I think I will be avoiding that one during the playoffs.

[MsMarvel73]

[quote name='Militant X 1' date='03 January 2010 - 10:52 PM' timestamp='1262577131' post='330441']

[i]let me tell you where the "true" Ravens die-hard fans like myself was:

[b]WE WERE RIGHT HERE!![/b]

why? cause that is what [b]TRUE FANS DO! WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT!![/b]
[/i]


[/quote]

That we were, brother...we were here bashing our heads against our desks when things went wrong and being little bubbles of joy when things went right. Loyalty is priceless.

[H8R]

[quote name='Militant X 1' date='03 January 2010 - 10:52 PM' timestamp='1262577131' post='330441']
not to be harsh here....but...you are jumping ship from the Eagles who have played extremely well for the majority of this season.....to become a Ravens fan? sure...the Ravens won today and by beating the Raiders...they are in the playoffs. but the Eagles are also in the playoffs. so what you are saying doesn't make sense! smh!

my son is a die-hard Eagles fan and has been for nearly 5 years now. i myself am a die-hard Ravens fan....have been since they drafted Ray Lewis.

but my questions to you are these:

1. where were YOU when we were going through this up and down rollercoaster ride of a season this year?
2. where were YOU when we lost close games?
3. where were YOU when our kicker missed the game winning field goal in Minnesota?
4. where were YOU when our offense began to stal and couldn't get in the endzone within our 5 yard line against the Colts?
5. where were YOU when Clayton dropped a potential game winning drive against the Patriots?
6. where were YOU when the Ravens lost to the Packers due to horrendous penalties they made?
7. where were YOU when the Ravens "gift-wrapped" last weeks Steeler's win over them through their lack of urgency?

let me tell you where the "true" Ravens die-hard fans like myself was:

[b]WE WERE RIGHT HERE!![/b]

why? cause that is what [b]TRUE FANS DO! WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT!![/b]

can you say that? if not...you are nothing more than a bandwagoner that will be with us today and then gone tomorrow.


[/quote]


They dont have to answer these questions, like who you like , when you like them. I couldn't care less. A lot of fans start out as bandwagon fans and then turn into true fans. Just enjoy the NFL as a whole and pick your TEAM LOYALTY appropriatly.

[ravensfolife]

Yea its not about winning or losing. I became a fan cause of the intensity we played with. Bandwagon fans dont last long around here, the reason we are always a play or injury away from being (6-10) 2007 or (13-3) 2006.

[DThomp]

[quote name='NC Ravens Fan' date='03 January 2010 - 10:01 PM' timestamp='1262570475' post='330283']
sounds like you are a bandwagener by your comment that you like to be part of a winning team

this team will not be for you if you dont like losing. the ravens rip the hearts out of their fans on a game by game basis
[/quote]

[DThomp]

[quote name='PARavensgirl' date='03 January 2010 - 10:08 PM' timestamp='1262570881' post='330294']
If you have to try then you're not diehard and never will be.

My love for this organization and all the players burns fiercely no matter what heartbreak they put me through. Yes the team has a LOT that needs to be addressed. I'm not sure they can address everything in one off-season but they damn well better start.
[/quote]

[DThomp]

I beg to differ...my plan is by next year this time to be a good supportive fan. DieHard will come....
Whew! More talk about Heartbreak!!! I must admit that it is a bit intimidating...all these heartaches could mess with ones health!!!...Oh! Well! If they start addressing somethings in off-season it will go a long way...but yes...they have to start!!

[DThomp]

[quote name='theblackdog' date='03 January 2010 - 10:33 PM' timestamp='1262572406' post='330333']
Here's the deal, when it comes to any sports team, they will have good games and bad ones, and good seasons and bad seasons. What makes a true fan are those who will stick by a team through the good and the bad, and that it takes an awful lot for them to break ties with a team. If you're the kind of person who just wants to follow winning teams, then you might as well just buy a shirt for every single team in the NFL and have them ready for when the next team goes on a hot streak. You'll be covered, but then you're also basically a bandwagon fan, and there are many fans who don't respect that.

As much as I give some folks who support rival teams grief when the Ravens are playing them, I have more respect for those who followed the Patriots through their really crappy years in the 80's and 90's than those who became fans after the 2004 Super Bowl win or during the perfect season of 2007 (and near perfect playoffs).

As much as I may get frustrated with the Ravens at times and suffer some heartbreaks, I have more than enough love for the Ravens that I can let go of the bad seasons or games and continue to support them. No matter what happens in the playoffs, you'll see me at the fan fest wearing a jersey in April.
[/quote]

[DThomp]

Your points have been well taken and you are absolutely right. However!!! There comes a time in life when changes must be made. I have come to the decision that I want to stick with one team and although it may seem that the flavor this season for me is the Ravens, I feel deep within that I will stay....actually, I know that I will. If I was truly all about just being with the winning team, I would not be here. I really get into the games and I have been frustrated big time viewing this season. Interesting though, that this is the third straight blog that speaks of heartbreak!! You think that I would run while I am ahead. Should not the team be supplying heart medication for the fans? -lol-

[DThomp]

[quote name='Militant X 1' date='03 January 2010 - 11:52 PM' timestamp='1262577131' post='330441']
not to be harsh here....but...you are jumping ship from the Eagles who have played extremely well for the majority of this season.....to become a Ravens fan? sure...the Ravens won today and by beating the Raiders...they are in the playoffs. but the Eagles are also in the playoffs. so what you are saying doesn't make sense! smh!

my son is a die-hard Eagles fan and has been for nearly 5 years now. i myself am a die-hard Ravens fan....have been since they drafted Ray Lewis.

but my questions to you are these:

1. where were YOU when we were going through this up and down rollercoaster ride of a season this year?
2. where were YOU when we lost close games?
3. where were YOU when our kicker missed the game winning field goal in Minnesota?
4. where were YOU when our offense began to stal and couldn't get in the endzone within our 5 yard line against the Colts?
5. where were YOU when Clayton dropped a potential game winning drive against the Patriots?
6. where were YOU when the Ravens lost to the Packers due to horrendous penalties they made?
7. where were YOU when the Ravens "gift-wrapped" last weeks Steeler's win over them through their lack of urgency?

let me tell you where the "true" Ravens die-hard fans like myself was:

[b]WE WERE RIGHT HERE!![/b]

why? cause that is what [b]TRUE FANS DO! WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT!![/b]

can you say that? if not...you are nothing more than a bandwagoner that will be with us today and then gone tomorrow.


[/quote]

[DThomp]

Where was I?...in answer to all 7 questions, I was mightily ticked off!!! I do not drink so the Ravens will not drive me to do so, but I was royally mad!!! Admittedly, I did walk away in disgust and sometimes disbelief at what I had seen, but I am still here. Yes, I am getting teased a lot, folk are in my face. Hey! Give me some slack :-) I am a fan in training. So I was getting angry but still supporting. Nah! I am here to stay...and only time will make you the believer. I will do my time!

[DThomp]

[quote name='ravensfolife' date='04 January 2010 - 04:39 PM' timestamp='1262637595' post='330981']
Yea its not about winning or losing. I became a fan cause of the intensity we played with. Bandwagon fans dont last long around here, the reason we are always a play or injury away from being (6-10) 2007 or (13-3) 2006.
[/quote]

[DThomp]

If there is such a person as a reformed Bandwagoner, I am she!!! I will hang in there.

[DThomp]

[size="4"][color="#483D8B"]I thank you all for being real and letting me know that I will go thru some stuff hanging in there to be a real Raven Raver. Before you tell me, I will be the first to tell you that diehard will take time, but it will come. No one likes to get their heart broken but this seems to be criteria to be a fan!!! Mercy!!![/color][/size]

Let me know if I have passed my initiation yet?

[H8R]

Start by stopping by for the game thread this weekend.

[DThomp]

[color="#000080"][/color][font="Verdana"][/font][size="3"][/size]-Will do...good advice!

[DThomp]

[size="3"][/size][color="#4B0082"][/color][font="Verdana"][/font]Clue me in as to what you all are doing to get your 'Wild Card Game Day' psyche on?

[Moderator 2]

I have my sons best friends Eagle Scout ceremony--I need to find a buddy to text me the scores. I've known this kid since birth and love him like one of my own.

[MsMarvel73]

[quote name='Moderator 2' date='06 January 2010 - 03:41 AM' timestamp='1262767307' post='332321']
I have my sons best friends Eagle Scout ceremony--I need to find a buddy to text me the scores. I've known this kid since birth and love him like one of my own.
[/quote]

I'll be taking myself off the Sunday volunteer schedule this afternoon and switch those hours to a different day if I can.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='DThomp' date='04 January 2010 - 08:32 PM' timestamp='1262655144' post='331347']
[size="4"][color="#483D8B"][b]I thank you all for being real and letting me know that I will go thru some stuff hanging in there to be a real Raven Raver[/b][i][/i][u][/u]. Before you tell me, I will be the first to tell you that diehard will take time, but it will come. No one likes to get their heart broken but this seems to be criteria to be a fan!!! Mercy!!![/color][/size]

Let me know if I have passed my initiation yet?
[/quote]


DThomp....i will be the first to commend you on dealing with all of our responses to your original post!

as you can see...we are extremely passionate about our beloved Ravens and are die-hard faithfuls. sure...they may piss us all off from time to time (what team doesn't do that to their fans?) but...they are [b]OUR TEAM![/b] we love our team! we support our team! and believe it or not..we believe in our team (at least i do). we rejoice when they do well and win...and we are extremely disappointed when they lose...or shall i say..beat themselves!

what breaks our hearts about our Ravens is not that they lose a game or 2 or 3....but it is [b]"HOW"[/b] they lose them! there are times that our Ravens play waaaaay below their talent level and then there are times that they play up to the level of [i]"supposedly"[/i] better teams (i.e. Colts and Patriots). they are a good team but may not always realize that themselves.

so...being a [i]"true"[/i] Ravens fan simply means....being there for [b]OUR TEAM![/b] that may mean being pissed over a missed field goal(s, too many 3 and Out without a score, no defensive pressure on the QB, DBs getting beat and then creating penalties, biting your nails through a very close game due the the Ravens lack of inconsistency and just plain missed opportunities. or...being a Ravens fan means that we get to celebrate the hellacious stiff arm that we all witnessed from Willis McGhaee's 3 TD performance against the Raiders to secure the Ravens spot in the playoffs. either way DThomp....[b]WE ARE RAVENS FANS!!![/b]

[ravens_4life]

well we love you for trying to be a ravens fan. i dont know if you followed the ravens this year, but we had a roller coaster of a ride. most of us kept relaxed even during our close losses. fact is there are not a lot of raven fans. we are always the underdog. our offense isnt the flashiest but we do have the best running back in the game with mr. ray rice, and a blood thirsty defense which i personally named the purple death grip. i dont personally mind if you jump on board with us. if we go to ravens talk and say you switched teams from the eagles to the ravens you're going get ripped apart. there was a guy on that board this year that was a bills fan and said he's a raven's fan he got grilled. anyways welcome aboard.

[DThomp]

[quote name='Militant X 1' date='07 January 2010 - 01:46 AM' timestamp='1262843218' post='332980']
DThomp....i will be the first to commend you on dealing with all of our responses to your original post!

as you can see...we are extremely passionate about our beloved Ravens and are die-hard faithfuls. sure...they may piss us all off from time to time (what team doesn't do that to their fans?) but...they are [b]OUR TEAM![/b] we love our team! we support our team! and believe it or not..we believe in our team (at least i do). we rejoice when they do well and win...and we are extremely disappointed when they lose...or shall i say..beat themselves!

what breaks our hearts about our Ravens is not that they lose a game or 2 or 3....but it is [b]"HOW"[/b] they lose them! there are times that our Ravens play waaaaay below their talent level and then there are times that they play up to the level of [i]"supposedly"[/i] better teams (i.e. Colts and Patriots). they are a good team but may not always realize that themselves.

so...being a [i]"true"[/i] Ravens fan simply means....being there for [b]OUR TEAM![/b] that may mean being pissed over a missed field goal(s, too many 3 and Out without a score, no defensive pressure on the QB, DBs getting beat and then creating penalties, biting your nails through a very close game due the the Ravens lack of inconsistency and just plain missed opportunities. or...being a Ravens fan means that we get to celebrate the hellacious stiff arm that we all witnessed from Willis McGhaee's 3 TD performance against the Raiders to secure the Ravens spot in the playoffs. either way DThomp....[b]WE ARE RAVENS FANS!!![/b]
[/quote]

[DThomp]

Yes, Militant X 1, if folk can take time to respond, I will surely find the time to do likewise. Thanks to you, I can progress from my lame term of gifting (the other team) re those very unnecessary loses with your new term 'beat themselves.' See! I am acclimating...baby steps first - Holding onto my ticked off instead of pissed though.

This is my very first fan site that I have joined so I am really serious. In saying this, I therefore can not monitor the energy level / diehardiness here, than in the other fan sites...but you all are a very likeable group.

BTW these shoes that you see may indicate that perhaps I am just here ready to [i]walk[/i], but that is not so, I am going to cement those heels in, and prepare to stay!!

[DThomp]

Hi Ravens_4life,

Not just trying but actually, succeeding! I [i]have[/i] followed this year and at times, I have become a little more emotional than I wanted to be! Relaxed! No Way! I was banned to view the game at times in another room, because I was a bit too loud...I do not take losing lightly -lol- even when I am trying to become a fan. You all have been brutual (in a true fan kind-of-a-way), but nothing that I did not deserve!

THANK YOU, SO VERY MUCH FOR WELCOMING BE ABOARD!

[ttoney]

Bandwagoners are like terrorists to an organization. They are all for the team when they are winning but as soon as the team lose then they just destroy the team. An jump to a new team thats winning.


I will be A Ravens Fans no matter what happens. Just like I am a O"s fan. An they have not had a winning season since that lil boy(Jeffrey Maier) http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200805122685723 ) snatch the ball from the right fielder glove. What cause the Orioles to lose the series. F YOU JEFFREY MAIER. Anyways we always know who are fans and who is bandwagoners. Which one are you?

Here something tell if you are a fan?

1. You react the same way as john harbaugh when you disagree with a call.

2. The radio announcers drive you to crazy talking bad about the Ravens

3. If you hate the Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. If your wardrobe is composed of purple clothing.

5. You root for the Ravens no matter what the circumstance is.

6. You dislike the Vikings because they wear purple.

7. You have your purple on every Friday.

8. You know the Ravens is the best team ever!