Anatomy Of The Fans

[FerrariFan87]

Ever since I can remember, I have absolutely adored my Baltimore Ravens. The passion with which we play every down is unparalleled in sports. Our stadium is the best in the NFL and we have the strongest AND loudest 12th Man in the league as well. I will support this team until the day I leave this Earth. Not only do our players, coaches, and staff give us 110% every week, but they are amazing members of our community, and for those efforts I applaud them. There is so much more I would like to say, but for now, I give you all the floor...

[Mahatma_Sloth]

I was workin at Eastern House Resturant on Eastern ave. back in '95 I remember hearing a radio program while workin gonig over possible names I liked the Iron Horses hated the Bombers and thought to myself how about the Ravens. I was stoked when that one came true(love poe). I watched the birth of this franchise I feal like im a part of it you know. i went to the second game ever vs. the saints at memorial stadium and like three out here at mile high. Through good and bad times i stuck by this team and invested alot of emotion and beer money... plus this team is the one thing i truly kept from "tha more" after i moved to colorado.

[FerrariFan87]

[quote name='Mahatma_Sloth' post='65849' date='Sep 12 2008, 05:49 PM']I was workin at Eastern House Resturant on Eastern ave. back in '95 I remember hearing a radio program while workin gonig over possible names I liked the Iron Horses hated the Bombers and thought to myself how about the Ravens. I was stoked when that one came true(love poe). I watched the birth of this franchise I feal like im a part of it you know. i went to the second game ever vs. the saints at memorial stadium and like three out here at mile high. Through good and bad times i stuck by this team and invested alot of emotion and beer money... plus this team is the one thing i truly kept from "tha more" after i moved to colorado.[/quote]

Great story. I can't really remember when the Ravens first arrived (I was 9 or so and not really following football yet), but yeah I do feel like I am part of the team, especially with how something like Training Camp is so open to us and they welcome all of us....

[EXEravenforlife]

i know i am going to catch some crap about this but before we had the ravens i was a bandwagon cowboys fan back in the thriple threat (aikmen, smith, irvin) days but when they announced that baltimore once again had a team of their own i said screw the cowboys and instantly jumped on the ravens.

P.S.-screw all the PETA people, i think the live raven mascots are badass!!

[Corvus]

I can't lie and say I have been a Ravens fan since their inception. I live in Tennessee and the only times I have gotten to actually see them play were when they have played at the Titans (sometime in september of 05, and in 06 when we won by a point) and Panthers (the 06 season in that close loss). I had always kind of liked the way the Ravens played, and my Dad has been a Steelers fan his whole life, so whenever they would play I would just root for the ravens to rile up my dad. But both of the games I went to in the 06, I became a true fan. I really noticed first hand the gritty, smashmouth football that the Ravens played and they alway just seemed like a very hard working team on the field. As a result, I will be a Ravens fan as long as they and I both exist.

[PIG 20]

I'm just ecstatic that my kids will be able to grow up rooting for a NFL football team in Baltimore. I was born in 1979 so I was about 4 years old when the Colts left town. So needless to say, I don't remember any of that. So it was the Orioles and that was it. I just can't be a diehard fan of a team that isn't located in my home town. So the NFL was something I watched casually but I never revolved my Sunday's around football. Even the Redskins felt very distant. I had no relation to it.

Then in 1996 everything changed. I watched every single game since. I purchased a PSL the year we won the Superbowl (before the Superbowl season). I watched this team go 8-8 in Billicks first year and I said, now is the time to invest. Man, did I pick the right time to buy or what?

Now I go to every home game with my father. It's a shame that we never had a chance to experience that until I was much older. I can't wait to take my "infant" son to his first game. Even though that is "years" away, its something that my father never had the chance to do.

Last year was by far the most dissapointing season that I have experienced in the history of this team. I was disgusted and angry. I didn't understand how this football team could play like that. I know we suffered a ton of injuries but this team has usually had some sort of "resolve". The New England game showed what this team was capable of but for some reason, it was the only game they decided to show up for.

We went through a ton of changes going into this season. But things are looking bright and I am pretty sure we have the right guy leading this team. I wasn't sure at first but Harbaugh seems like he fits right in here.

I never missed a game (even last season). I would never sell my ticket to anyone. I don't care how bad they get, I will go to every single game. It's too important to me and the season is the shortest in all of sports. I am passionate about this team. When they lose, I'm angry and when they win, it's going to be a good week!

We have great ownership. Steve Bischotti wants to win! He's as passionate as we are. We have a lot of great years ahead of us! I can't wait!

[EXEravenforlife]

yea its weird because i was born a day before the colts left town....and i my dad used to joke with me about how my birth was the reason the colts left. but i am also proud to know that someday my children will have a football team as well

[macbrak]

I've never been much of a sports fan and largely only watched the Superbowl, usually looking forward to the commercials more then the games (although I vividly remember XXXV). Most of the way through 2006 I got caught up in the excitement and realized I started to enjoy watching football.Yes I know, bandwagon jumper, but I think I earned my stripes watching all of last year.

The thing that keeps me hooked is feeling of getting caught up in the game and screaming your head off at the tv, good and bad. I'm even more addicted after this whole off-season.

[RAVEN63]

My Dad got me to like the colts(when in Baltimore)when i was a kid.
When they left,I could not root for the Eagles.I live only an hour away from Phili.
The fans are just bad.
so i wanted to root for a underdog team.
I was just getting into blues and jazz guitar at the time and many musicians I was listening to was from new orleans.
so , I became a Saints fan.. talk about some bad times. sheesh.
so Ravens came back to baltimore and I try to make it to a game a year.
I still root for the Saints But the Ravens are #1.
thanks Baltimore!!!!

[Moderator 3]

The day they printed PSL applications in the Baltimore Sun (back in 1996) I cut it out, filled it out, mailed it in. I wanted to get in on the ground floor with our new team. I've been to every home game the Ravens have played.

[Redreed]

I actually grew up liking the Colts, because my dad told me to. He was raised in Baltimore, and raised me a O's fan. Although I was alive when the Colts blew town, I was too young to understand anything besides 'do what Dad says', and he said; even though they were out there in Indiana it was the same group of guys he had always rooted for, and that he wasn't about to put on a dress and root for the Skins. As soon as the Ravens were born we switched over. I was in college in Jan. of 2001, and I found myself the only Ravens fan at the Superbowl party. So, I did what any real Ravens fan would do, and got extremely drunk and talked alot of smack, eventually ending in me catching a serious beat down, pissing in a closet, and spitting blood in the beer pong ball-cleaner water. Our love affair had been cemented. Any time you can get your 455 kicked by a bunch of NJ frat ****s and walk away from the house on cloud 9 you know the reason is real. I lost the fight, but I won the Superbowl

In 2002 when the Ravens drafted Ed Reed I was, once again, the happiest man on earth. Growing up in ACC/Big East country and watching that quick **** beat up on my Hokies, plus playing FS in HS had already made Ed Reed one of my idols, but Jesus Christ man, I didn't know just how incredible a pro player he'd become.

Ravens to the Bowl baby!

[#1 D]

I was born in baltimore, and raised in glen burnie. there wasnot any football here until i was four, too small for me to remember. ever since i was 4, ive been a diehard fan since my early childhood. gotta love that D!

[Eurich]

I onno.

I was born and raised in LA.

I just like the Ravens.

[robermar]

I was not always a die hard football fan. Probably because the colts were gone by the time I was 8. And being a fan of the Redskins didn't seem right. I was an O's fan as my father was really into baseball and we had season tickets. It was the super bowl year that turned me into a lunatic. Mind you, it wasn't winning the super bowl that did it. A friend took me to a game, my first, at the 50 yard line, 10 rows back, that year...bungles game. We crushed them beyond belief. After that, I was a football fan. Ever since, I have seen every game. Ever since 2003, I have been to every home game. Win or lose, I am there or watching....screaming for victory. I have a feeling with this new Harbaugh era, I will be slapping high fives in victory a lot more then sitting in silence during a defeat.

[rayvenfan_52]

American Samoa

Its the defense that made me a fan. Then I eventually stopped bandwagoning and stuck with the Ravens. Then I started to hate the steelers with a passion. A lot of people where I live only follow samoan players in the NFL. examples are Troy Polamalu, Alofa Tatupu and on and on... but mostly Troy. You cant talk football with a lot of these people here because theyll just piss you off with what their saying. Its a different story with them depending on what happens to the team theyre cheering for. anyways...


[b]GO RAVENS[/b]

[Ravens Madness]

Nice thread.
This kind of thread gets started every once in a while on various message boards thoughout the years, and I never tire of adding to it.

Born in the very early 50's, of course lived and died with both the Colts and Orioles. Our family even cheered for the Baltimore Bullets, and any other Baltimore sports teams. The Baltimore CFL Colts turned 'no nickname' to Stallions filled a void and enjoyed both seasons. Unfortunately, when the Browns moved to Baltimore I was stuck living in Las Vegas. As soon as the news broke, I prepared to catch a flight to Baltimore when I heard Art Modell was going to make it official in the Inner Harbor. The Stallions went on to win their last game [a playoff game] at Memorial Stadium as I bought as many souvenirs as possible.

As soon as Ravens merchandise became available, took another flight back East and purchased hats, tee shirts, everything I could get my hands on and spread the souvenirs to many friends and family.
I have that tee-shirt with all those original players with autographs that came over from Cleveland. Some never played a down in the Reguar Season as a Raven.

My best friend [a season ticket holder] had a wedding reception the day the Ravens played the 1st preseason game at Memorial. After the reception, my brother and I drove to that game vs. the Eagles as I pulled in a few more souvenirs.

Afterwards, we went to a bar @ Northern Pkwy. near Lake Ave. where some dude was selling Raven caws. Had to get one of those, of course.

Anyway, throughout the years, I now own over 125 Ravens hats, 20 Ravens coffee mugs, about 15-20 Raven pint [ale] or pilsner or other glasses for drinking good beverage. About 60 Ravens tee shirts, and the list goes on and on.

During the early days of Message Boards and Chat Rooms, fellow poster [i][b]Macadamia[/b][/i] then known as [i]RavensfanNo1[/i] [I believe] was among the earliest posters I know rooting for our beloved 'Vens! One of my many user names back then was [i]RavensBWI[/i] on the [i]CBS/AOL [/i]boards, [i]RavensBalto[/i] on [i]The Baltimore Sun[/i], [i]Ravens Madness [/i]on many other boards including the original [i]Ravens Talk by James[/i].

Luckily there's Directv, where I can follow my favorite team when not visiting Baltimore for a live game. And Directv pulled through earlier today announcing it would show the game on channel 717 for us Ravens fans away from home.

[Ravens Madness]

[quote name='rayvenfan_52' post='65922' date='Sep 12 2008, 06:13 PM']American Samoa

Its the defense that made me a fan. Then I eventually stopped bandwagoning and stuck with the Ravens. Then I started to hate the steelers with a passion. A lot of people where I live only follow samoan players in the NFL. examples are Troy Polamalu, Alofa Tatupu and on and on... but mostly Troy. You cant talk football with a lot of these people here because theyll just piss you off with what their saying. Its a different story with them depending on what happens to the team theyre cheering for. anyways...


[b]GO RAVENS[/b][/quote]
I love this story. I work with an American Samoa gal. We get along very well until she mentions the Steelers and Troy, whose parents happens to be very good friends with her family back in Samoa.

This is when I have to defend my Ravens and voice my hatred against the Steelers.

As for samoan players, I bet your friends are also USC fans like my coworker and her family.

[BloodRaven]

Born and raised in L.A I never liked the Raiders or Chargers for a few simple reasons, I loved pro wrestling, grew up listening to Bob Marley and watching Lawrence Taylor destroy people...

Cue Ray Lewis, the most charismatic and intimidating LB since Taylor, who played at the U with Bob Marleys son Rohan, and the Rock (who is half black/half samoan like myself) who at the time was my favorite wrestler.

Rocked purple ever since.

[PuRock]

I was never a big football fan growing up. I loved Basketball and Hockey. I started getting into Football around 1998 with the Ravens when I went to School at Towson. Good timing too. Two years later they won the superbowl when I was living in Baltimore. That has had me sold ever since. Ravens have been the only Football team I have ever rooted for. I continued living in Maryland. Finding people I barely know to give me tickets when they can't make it. I go occasionally to the games. I've gotten tickets from a hotel GM, skybox tickets from some construction company, my realtor, resident dining manager, etc. One day I hope to be a season ticket holder.

[Moderator 2]

My father had season tickets for the BALTIMORE Colts so growing up there was always football. I remember my mom listening to the football games so she could plan dinner. My dad took me to Colt games I was at the last one at Memorial stadium though I don't really remember it. I became a rabid Redskins fan in the 80's much to my dad utter disgust. We used to watch games on the weekends and dissect games which funny since most men don't do that with their daughters.
Instead of candy and flowers my husband to be got me football tickets to RFK and the Vet. We had Stallion season tickets though I never made it to a game because I was pregnant. In 1995 when the announce the Browns were coming here I refused to get excited because I did not want someone else's team. My husbands friends could not handle that I was a Redskins fan so they game me a ticket in 1998 to 2 games, half way through the first game my husband got information on PSL's and a Ravens fan was born. 1999 we bought PSL's and we had to buy 3 so we could get the location we wanted and now I take my dad.
My youngest son is almost as rabid a fan as I am, he only wears Ravens t-shirts, I actually had a teacher ask me if that is all he owns.

[Ravens Madness]

[quote name='Moderator 2' post='65946' date='Sep 13 2008, 12:39 AM']My father had season tickets for the BALTIMORE Colts so growing up there was always football. I remember my mom listening to the football games so she could plan dinner. My dad took me to Colt games I was at the last one at Memorial stadium though I don't really remember it...

My youngest son is almost as rabid a fan as I am, he only wears Ravens t-shirts, I actually had a teacher ask me if that is all he owns.[/quote]
That last BALTIMORE Colts game @ Memorial, we won 20-10 over the Oilers. I was there and remember it well.
Now, I didn't like Bob Irsay as the next guy, but the Irsay Sux chants that circled the stadium were a bit much. I guess they knew more than I at the time, or was that the last straw? Who knows? I doubt the chants made Bob make his final decision, so I guess those chants were warranted.

Anyway, thank goodness for the Ravens now and that youngest son of yours sounds a-ok with me.

[Macadamia]

Well as my story goes, I consider myself a fan of this franchise since [b]1979[/b]. That's not possible, you say? Long story short, I was born and raised in "Steeler Country" in mid-western PA. When I became old enough to give a crap about football, I started cheering for the Steelers' biggest rival - the Cleveland Browns. I got hooked when they had Brian Sipe and became known as the "Cardiac Kids." I suffered long and hard as a fan of the pumpkin orange and poop brown; I had to live through "Red Right 88, The Drive, and The Fumble."

Then Art Modell decides to bail on the mistake by the lake and bolt to B-more hon. I remember calling my (younger) brother and him saying, "What are we going to do now?" I immediately replied, "Well, we aren't from Cleveland either, so I guess we're RAVENS fans now!" [b]And man has that worked out quite nicely for us! [/b] I live in the Tampa Bay area and although I did not shell out the bucks to see it in person, I thoroughly enjoyed the Ravens Super Bowl win right down here in my own back yard. That was awesome! Here's hoping they do it again THIS YEAR by some miracle. I would definitely do whatever it takes to go this time.

Better team, better name, better logos, better stadium, CHEERLEADERS, THREE mascots, better everything! I now bleed PURPLE and BLACK (which is a far cry from pumpkin orange and poop brown)!!!

[FerrariFan87]

[quote name='Macadamia' post='65972' date='Sep 13 2008, 09:56 AM']Well as my story goes, I consider myself a fan of this franchise since [b]1979[/b]. That's not possible, you say? Long story short, I was born and raised in "Steeler Country" in mid-western PA. When I became old enough to give a crap about football, I started cheering for the Steelers' biggest rival - the Cleveland Browns. I got hooked when they had Brian Sipe and became known as the "Cardiac Kids." I suffered long and hard as a fan of the pumpkin orange and poop brown; I had to live through "Red Right 88, The Drive, and The Fumble."

Then Art Modell decides to bail on the mistake by the lake and bolt to B-more hon. I remember calling my (younger) brother and him saying, "What are we going to do now?" I immediately replied, "Well, we aren't from Cleveland either, so I guess we're RAVENS fans now!" [b]And man has that worked out quite nicely for us! [/b] I live in the Tampa Bay area and although I did not shell out the bucks to see it in person, I thoroughly enjoyed the Ravens Super Bowl win right down here in my own back yard. That was awesome! Here's hoping they do it again THIS YEAR by some miracle. I would definitely do whatever it takes to go this time.

Better team, better name, better logos, better stadium, CHEERLEADERS, THREE mascots, better everything! I now bleed PURPLE and BLACK (which is a far cry from pumpkin orange and poop brown)!!! [/quote]

Wow, another awesome, unique story!

I wonder, though, do people who grew up with the BALTIMORE Colts cringe whenever they see a Mayflower moving van on the roads? I know I do, and I wasn't even born until many years later!

[Moderator 2]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' post='66102' date='Sep 13 2008, 06:20 PM']Wow, another awesome, unique story!

I wonder, though, do people who grew up with the BALTIMORE Colts cringe whenever they see a[b] Mayflower[/b] moving van on the roads? I know I do, and I wasn't even born until many years later![/quote]
I was over that until some Colts fans tried to raise a Mayflower flag in our parking lot for the last playoff game. All the talk leading up to and after that incident has me cursing Mayflower vans again.

[ROH522155]

i was born a Baltimore Orioles fan in 1994 (yea im a young guy). and it was all baseball for me till about 2004 when i began to pay attention to football and the ravens. before then i claimed that i was an eagles fan but that was because green was my favorite color and i didnt know anything about them so that doesnt really count. so yea ive basically been a Ravens fan since i started liking football in 2004. and im probably the most passionate fan there can be. i remember in 04 when they were eliminated from playoff contention and i cried. and in 06 when they lost to the colts i cried. and even this year when they shouldve beat the bengals but lost i cried (yea yea call me a baby) but thats just how passionate i am. every purple friday since i heard of it before the playoff game vs. the colts ive gone to school wearing a ravens jersey, ravens shorts, purple baseball socks pulled up to my knees, and ravens sandals or slides or whatever you call em. i also have a ravens backpack. people always tell me kyle youre way too obsessed with the Ravens. and i AM obsessed and im damn proud of that fact. RAVENS FOR LIFE!!

[ROH522155]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' post='66102' date='Sep 13 2008, 05:20 PM']Wow, another awesome, unique story!

I wonder, though, do people who grew up with the BALTIMORE Colts cringe whenever they see a Mayflower moving van on the roads? I know I do, and I wasn't even born until many years later![/quote]
.
and yea i cringe too even though i was born 10 years (it was in 84 right?) after they moved from baltimore.

[Marc2k6]

When I was in middle school some time ago, I awoke for school early one morning. While sitting at the table eating breakfast and watching the morning news, a reporter comes on to report that the Baltimore Colts had moved from Baltimore in the middle of the night. Now I was only 10 or 11 years old but I thought that was a mean and ugly thing to do to a City of Colt's Fan's. I was not a real big football fan at the time but I soon became a fan of the Cowboy's. After years with out a NFL team came the USFL Stallion's, a attempt to replace what was stolen in the middle of the night and there again was football at Memorial Stadium but not for long. You all know there is no replacing NFL football. Then here comes another NFL team to Baltimore who may have been in the same type os situation as the Colt's but the did not leave in the middle of the night. I remeber reading the paper and the team asking future fan's for help with naming the new team. So once our team was named The Raven's, I slowly let go of the Cowboy's and became a Raven's fan. Check my tat!

[Ravensman5220]

My first experience with the Ravens was listening to the game in the car on Sundays. I was still to young to drive and for some reason we seemed to always be going somewhere on Sundays. I remember Hearing Michael Jackson's name all the time. Anyway I started watching the games regularly but didn't really become a hardcore fan until 2003. Since then I have not missed a single minute of Raven football. I live an die with The Ravens. How they preform on Sunday sets the tone for how my week is going to go. I have been to at least on game every year. I have been to the Christmas game 3 years ago when we beat the Vikings, I went to the New Years Eve game 2 years ago when we beat the Bills, I went to the Seahawks game I think in 2002 when Anthony Wright was Qbing and Ray Lewis ripped the ball out of Mac Strong's hands to give us a chance to win the game which we did. I think Marcus Robinson had like 2 or 3 touchdowns that game. I went the the Steelers game last year in the freezing rain to witness one of the high points last season.

With that being said I am so tired of seeing Steeler's fans and bars around the maryland area. I don't care if we didn't have a team when the Colts left town. We have a team now so get out of my state. There are very few things in life that I hate more than the Steelers. The best year of my life was when we destroyed them 2 years ago. Seeing Worthlessburger get demolished by Bart Scott will probably only by topped by getting married, having kids or winning the Super Bowl.

[kash96ravenstotalfan]

[quote name='Redreed' post='65910' date='Sep 12 2008, 09:02 PM']I actually grew up liking the Colts, because my dad told me to. He was raised in Baltimore, and raised me a O's fan. Although I was alive when the Colts blew town, I was too young to understand anything besides 'do what Dad says', and he said; even though they were out there in Indiana it was the same group of guys he had always rooted for, and that he wasn't about to put on a dress and root for the Skins. As soon as the Ravens were born we switched over. I was in college in Jan. of 2001, and I found myself the only Ravens fan at the Superbowl party. So, I did what any real Ravens fan would do, and got extremely drunk and talked alot of smack, eventually ending in me catching a serious beat down, pissing in a closet, and spitting blood in the beer pong ball-cleaner water. Our love affair had been cemented. Any time you can get your 455 kicked by a bunch of NJ frat ****s and walk away from the house on cloud 9 you know the reason is real. I lost the fight, but I won the Superbowl

In 2002 when the Ravens drafted Ed Reed I was, once again, the happiest man on earth. Growing up in ACC/Big East country and watching that quick **** beat up on my Hokies, plus playing FS in HS had already made Ed Reed one of my idols, but Jesus Christ man, I didn't know just how incredible a pro player he'd become.

Ravens to the Bowl baby![/quote]
I grew up watching Baltimore Colts football. My family had seasons tickets. I remember running onto the field after a Colts victory (that was OK way back when). My husband and brother were at the game when the plane flew into the stadium. At the time there were no cell phones, so we were really concerned for their safety. I vividly remember the night the Colts left in the Mayflower van. Many people in MD. adopted another team to root for, but I never did. I am a Baltimore football fan and I was elated when Art Modell decided to bring his team to Baltimore. I respect that he left the name and history of his team with the City they originated from. My biggest regret is that Irsay not only took our team, but their legacy as well! I love the Baltimore Ravens. They represent Baltimore in the best of ways. The defense is hardnosed and hard knock, just like the City of Baltimore. Their Super Bowl win was one of the exciting nights of my life. "Who let the dogs out?" Go Ravens, I am your forever fan.

[Ravens Madness]

[quote name='Moderator 2' post='65946' date='Sep 12 2008, 11:39 PM']My father had season tickets for the BALTIMORE Colts so growing up there was always football. I remember my mom listening to the football games so she could plan dinner. My dad took me to Colt games I was at the last one at Memorial stadium though I don't really remember it. I became a rabid Redskins fan in the 80's much to my dad utter disgust. We used to watch games on the weekends and dissect games which funny since most men don't do that with their daughters.
Instead of candy and flowers my husband to be got me football tickets to RFK and the Vet. We had Stallion season tickets though I never made it to a game because I was pregnant. In 1995 when the announce the Browns were coming here I refused to get excited because I did not want someone else's team. My husbands friends could not handle that I was a Redskins fan so they game me a ticket in 1998 to 2 games, half way through the first game my husband got information on PSL's and a Ravens fan was born. 1999 we bought PSL's and we had to buy 3 so we could get the location we wanted and now I take my dad.
My youngest son is almost as rabid a fan as I am, he only wears Ravens t-shirts, I actually had a teacher ask me if that is all he owns.[/quote]
Okay, this Redskin-love I'll never ever understand. Even living in Ft. Meade at the age of 5, that was never an option. And as the years progressed, it was easy being a Baltimore Colts fan in the mid-50's through 1983.
In 1984, Washington wasn't an option, nor was Dallas, Pittburgh, or any NY teams.
Not only did I grow up as a Baltimore fan, but a St. Louis and Boston fan as well. Dad was from St. Louis, Mom from Boston/Salem. More reasons to NOT like the Redskins.

So, between 1984 and 1996 it was the San Franciso 49ers and/or Cincinnati Bengals in OUR HOUSE [Family] or the Boston/NE Patriots but the STL Cards also bolted for Tempe.