"Calm down, it's just a game"

[AsianRice]

I hate that phrase.....

[Ravens1991]

The tough losses against indy in 06, Pitt in 08 and 10. Honestly prepared me for all losses and I had to tell myself it was just a game because I realized my life went on fine with those losses. I handled the cundiff kick better then I expected. And let's be real for the future we can't be to upset if we don't do well because we got a lot of breaks our way on that last Super Bowl run

[K-Dog]

I buy a lot of televisions, especially after Raven games. I have to buy new ones because the old ones get broken. They are broken because I break them in disgust. I bought 8 televisions this year and expect to buy about 10 televisions next year. I learned how healing it is to break televisions after watching a documentary about Elvis Presley and his disdain for Robert Goulet. Whenever Elvis would see Goulet on T.V. he would shoot his own T.V. out. Fortunately Ozzie Newsome is rarely on T.V. or I'd be buying a lot more televisions.

You must be rich,,,,,, or up to your nipples in debt.

[Willbacker]

Sometimes I hate the 1:00 clock games cuz if we lose it's hard watching the later games.

[JoeyFlex5]

I buy a lot of televisions, especially after Raven games. I have to buy new ones because the old ones get broken. They are broken because I break them in disgust. I bought 8 televisions this year and expect to buy about 10 televisions next year. I learned how healing it is to break televisions after watching a documentary about Elvis Presley and his disdain for Robert Goulet. Whenever Elvis would see Goulet on T.V. he would shoot his own T.V. out. Fortunately Ozzie Newsome is rarely on T.V. or I'd be buying a lot more televisions.

breaking something expensive really can get that anger out of the pit of your stomach, but about 2 minutes later its replaced with panic and regret.

This is a very good point. One of my very good friends is a Steelers fan, another one is a Patriots fan and a third is Redskins fan. Talk about trifecta of ughhhhhh.

A few years ago I probably wouldn't have been able to talk to them about football - I would have gotten too heated. But now, we're able to converse about the games, while still throwing a little hate each others' ways. I think the key to being able to talk football w/ a friend who is a fan of a team you hate is the need for both sides to admit the faults of their team. I used to refuse to admit that there was anything wrong with the Ravens, even though there clearly was, and would respond to my friends just bashing their team instead of discussing the Ravens shortcomings. That never leads to anything good - luckily me and my friends survived that phase of our life.

my girlfriend of 3 years is a steelers fan. please feel sorry for me lol

[FlocksGottaFeed]

I've got some family and life-long friends who get really, really 'amped-up' and sometimes the only thing that 'decompresses' the room or stadium seats is to say, 'Look it's only a game'. Yes, I am guilty as charged.

 

This is not to say that I'm not passionate about my Ravens - I just take a different approach when watching a game (The Spock Approach: Logical Balance). I've been fortunate enough to have personally known Division 1 and/or professional players and coaches through covering them on the sidelines as a journalist, playing beside them through high school/college and/or by 'chance' business encounters. What I've found is that we're all just human and football in fact is just a game. So, when we have to endure the 'blowout', the big drop, the sack, the O-line breakdown or the frustrating season - I don't get too emotional knowing this. 'Human Error' is my logical balance. I prefer to see the 'big' picture.

 

What does get me emotional is when the 'great' narrative happens. The improvable last  game-winning drive, the big 1st down denying hit, the big plays from underrated players, the inspirational team effort, etc. can bring me to a tear rolling-down unexpectedly. Like Spock, I regain my composure and wipe it away fast so that nobody else sees it. That's just my thing.

 

I'm just glad that we've got a team that inspires emotions. No matter how my family and friends display it, I know they still love our Ravens, too. I'm just there for a little balance and they've accepted that about me. Not a 'buzz' killer at all.

[Inqui]

I actually think it's really healthy to get emotive over sports. It's a healthy outlet for emotions imo. A lot of people say I'm one of the calmest people they know, and I attribute that to my own personality just as much as it is towards the fact that I have sports teams I can vent my anger on - the Steelers, Patriots, Manly Sea Eagles, Crusaders (rugby league and rugby, respectively), etc.

[MrDelDante]

I actually think it's really healthy to get emotive over sports. It's a healthy outlet for emotions imo. A lot of people say I'm one of the calmest people they know, and I attribute that to my own personality just as much as it is towards the fact that I have sports teams I can vent my anger on - the Steelers, Patriots, Manly Sea Eagles, Crusaders (rugby league and rugby, respectively), etc.

 

Emotive, yes.

 

Aggressive, no.

[display name]

I remember somebody made a thread similar to this after the loss to the Steelers in the 2010 Divisional Round. I have been guilty of getting too wound up about it in the past, but I believe I have gotten better. I remember talking about the 2011 AFC Championship game, felt a little down, and someone uttered that phrase to me. I did not need to hear it, though the intent was noble.

That being said, I am glad that the NFL is here, but the part where people get in fights about it is taking things too far. This is because, when you wake up on Monday morning, no matter what happened the previous day, how much has your life really changed?

[Capitalize]

Well the way I express myself in these forums should tell the whole story lmao.

 

I feell the way I do becuase the Ravens represent Baltimore and ultimately the state of Maryland where I was born and raised so they kind of represent me a bit so it can get personal for me.

[Guest Omerta]

I have been a football fan for many years and I understand that it is technically just a game. C that said ardent fans who follow it everyday see it as much more. For instance when looking at it in the grand scheme of things how important is a training camp battle between kickers ? Then end result might be a difference of twenty points. That said who among us everyday was doing whatever we could to keep hope alive that Tucker would win ?

I have had incredible highs and lows watching this game. The only moment that truly got to me ( I did not cry out soon though ) was Indianapolis last year in the playoffs. It finally hit me that I would never see Ray in [ profanity deleted] at the bank again...ever.

[Moderator 2]

The 2010 loss to the Steelers was one of the top3 worst days of my life-- my moms funeral it w as just piling on.

The cool thing, if I could really call it that, is we are Polish Catholic so after the funeral you go and eat, drink and toast the deceased. We did that until 4pm then the good silver and crystal was put away-- out came the crockpots, jeans and Ravens jerseys-- it was uniquely my family lol. My cousin married a Pittsburgh native and her 6 yo changed into his Ben jersey, saw the sea of purple and changed back into a t- shirt. The awful weeks leading up to that put that game in perspective for me.

[balfan23]

I realize it makes no sense to allow the outcome of a game to set my mood for the hours and/or days that follow. So I promise myself that after it is all over, I let it go. 

 

However, while the action is taking place, I allow myself the luxury of going off to some degree. I don't flip over the bowl of cheese puffs like "Ramsey", but I've been known to raise my voice. Given that - I cannot watch games at home with my wife and daughter around. They get irritated hearing me yell and I get irritated when they say, "why do you get so upset ... it is only a game"? Oh, how I don't want to hear that comment in the heat of the action!

 

I don't live in town, so I often need to go to a sports bar to catch games and there is a local (Raleigh, NC) Ravens fan group that meets up at a specific bar. If the game is on TV, my wife and daughter usually find something to do and clear out while I watch the game. Once it is over, I ratchet down the emotion after the game (though my wife unfortunately doesn't believe it and still thinks my mood is affected afterwards).

 

What can I do? I married someone who hates sports, so that bit presents a challenge. 

[hawkprey]

I enjoy the wins as much as possible and put the losses out of my mind. Does that make me a fair weather fan? Maybe. I'm just trying to enjoy all I can. Why should I feel bad when some other people do poorly? And if their doing well makes me happy, then that's what I'm going to feel.

[JoeyFlex5]

The 2010 loss to the Steelers was one of the top3 worst days of my life-- my moms funeral it w as just piling on.

The cool thing, if I could really call it that, is we are Polish Catholic so after the funeral you go and eat, drink and toast the deceased. We did that until 4pm then the good silver and crystal was put away-- out came the crockpots, jeans and Ravens jerseys-- it was uniquely my family lol. My cousin married a Pittsburgh native and her 6 yo changed into his Ben jersey, saw the sea of purple and changed back into a t- shirt. The awful weeks leading up to that put that game in perspective for me.

I remember the 08 loss to the steelers in the championship. that was my birthday weekend, I got dumped and found out I was cheated on for the past week, my great grandmother who was the 1 person that kept my moms whole side of the family together, passed away, and the ravens lost the first championship game they had been to since '01. that was such a painful week for me and it all happened in a 2 day span. this was only my 3rd year that I had really been into football, so I had felt the heartbreak of the 06 div. game against the colts, but I never knew the pain of winning 2 playoff games and coming SO close to the super bowl, only to have it ripped away by a pick-6, little did I know i'd experience that same crushing feeling 3 years straight afterwards, and it just never gets easier watching our season end so abruptly. having seen such a magical run for a Lombardi a year ago takes away a lot of the sting of not reaching the playoffs this year though, ill definitely say that having our 2nd Lombardi in only 18 years as afranchise made this season much easier to watch

[cursona pirate]

Im actually pretty Joe Cool about watching games. The one game where I freaked out probably way to much is when we beat Denver in OT(I ran outside and shouted "YEAH"). But if we are winning throughout the game I usually dont go crazy. Ill be like nice win. I was just in awe in the superbowl. I didnt even blink when we won. I was getting angry even though I told myself I should be happy win or lose.

[Moderator 2]

The only reason I can be on and moderate during the games now is because I have an iPad mini and iPhone in shock cases so if I happen to throw them as long they don't go through the TV or window I'm good.

[ravens533]

I don't throw things but have been known to try to coach from my armchair.   Last year was different for me. Normally I just shake off a loss and move on, looking forward to the next game. For some reason (probably how bad our offense was) I got very verbal and "in to" the games. I live in an apartment and knew I went too far one game because the dog upstairs started barking. All of that changed for me late in the season as some of you know. After one of our intense games, I realized my chest hurt - a lot. After that heart attack, even some of you on the forum reminded my it is just a game. I did not watch any more games last year until after I knew what the score was and then watched the game. I am hoping this year to be able to keep my enthusiasm and frustration in check. I may have to put a big sign above the TV saying "IT IS ONLY A GAME" in order to help me remember not to get too into it. With our new offensive coaching staff I am already getting optimistic about the 2014 season. Sure hope I have learned my lesson though.

[Ravenslifer]

After the Superbowl win, nothing that happened this season got me too upset.  I already had doubts concerning how the offense would look after so many injuries and losses to starters.  Besides, after being "Grbac'd" the last time we won it all, living through the Boller era and the 2006 team where we had fantastic defenses and couldn't do anything on offense against some of the worst Ds in the league, and the 2007 nightmare of a season, I don't think anything really irritates me anymore on gameday.  We win, we lose, and we've been winning a lot more than we've lost around here lately.  And unless it's the playoffs, a loss is a loss - if you have a must-win regular season game, it's only because you didn't take care of your business in another game, so I really can't ever get too up and down over any regular season win or loss, even against a team like the Steelers.

[BBRavens]

I have a propensity to swear a little bit when things aren't going our way, and get extremely excited when big plays happen. Obviously wins are nice, losses aren't. But over the years I've gotten better at dealing with them. As fans, we can't change the outcome of the game. We can second guess decisions and this and that, but after that, you need to move onto the next one.