Image Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images
There’s something interesting going on in Baltimore. This purple painted town has suddenly become a little more orange. It’s been two weeks since the Orioles were eliminated from baseball’s postseason and articles about the Ravens still seem to be taking a backseat to our O’s coverage.
Fans have embraced the World Series, despite having no rooting interest and local sports talk radio seems to be flooded with fans criticizing the coaching staff and front office of the Ravens.
Though the Ravens lead the AFC North with their 5-2 record, concern about the team’s aging defense and inconsistent offense has been growing. Everyone is talking about their inability to score away from the comfy confines of M&T Bank Stadium and for the first time in the team’s existence, some fans are even criticizing owner Steve Bisciotti for the contracts given to Ray Lewis, Ray Rice and the urgency of re-signing Joe Flacco.
It’s a quiet and subtle change, but a change nonetheless. Historically, Baltimore has been known as a football town, but I’ve always argued that it’s really a city that only supports one team at a time.
The Ravens have been the belle of the ball in Baltimore since their arrival from Cleveland, mostly because of the Orioles decade and a half of losing. But that isn’t the case anymore.
The fall sellouts and orange towels waving at Camden Yards are fresh in our minds while doom and gloom seems to be hovering inevitably over The Bank.
We’ll see if I’m wrong. Perhaps excitement about the Ravens will pick up and we’ll have two reasons to celebrate this year.
I hope so. Right now it seems like a change is a coming and baseball is back in Charm City.
It’s like kids…
Little 9 Inch Nails has always been a poor student, but suddenly he gets a B+ on an assignment. As a parent, 2488 goes ballistic with excitement.
Then 2488’s other kid, The Intimidator, has always been a straight A student and suddenly brings home a paper that gets a C.
2488 loves both kids, but he’s more proud of the struggling 9 Inch Nails for his B+ than he is for Intimidator’s C.
All this while spy plays in the sandbox with the cheerleaders,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh those pom-poms………………
I’d have to disagree on the your statement Zach when you say “Historically, Baltimore has been known as a football town.” I think there are folks out there that would argue for the Orioles and that it is a baseball town. Don’t let your youth fool you.
Dude,
I’m nearly 50 years old and I can tell you that aside from the years when the fans of Baltimore decided we “hated Irsay” – 1979 until the Colts moved – and when we only had one team, this town is a football first town.
In 1979 I was handed a coin that said “25 Years, 25 Million fans” to commemorate the fact that the Orioles drew around 1 million fans a season!
You could walk up to the ticket window for Playoff and World Series games in the 1960’s and 1970’s on game day. Depsite the Orioles owning the HIGHEST winning percentage in ALL of SPORTS for a 25 year period.
By contrast, the Baltimore Colts held a record in the 1960’s and early 1970’s for consecutive sellouts.
Then, I suppose it depends on the neighborhood you grew up in. I’m over 40 by two years and all i have ever known, as well as family and friends, is baseball. We took more to baseball games than to football growing up and my influence would start with my grandparents who where die hard fans of the sport. The enthusiasm and following created from the love of the Orioles certainly outweighed the Colts.
So, at this point, i think its safe to say that who you hang with will depend on the whether you view this town as a Football or Baseball town. WHICH .. is what i stated in my original post.
As big a baseball that I am, this town has always been a football town. Even in the glory years, the Birds were not filling up Memorial Stadium. The Colts ruled this town. The players were icons not only around town but the entire league. Johnny U. Lenny Moore, Artie, these guys were talked about year round. It was only untl the Colts left and the building of OPACY did fans get involved in baseball and half those fans were pink hats.:) This town spent more time and money trying to kiss the NFL’s ass to get another team than it cared about baseball. This town is still a football town but the tide is turning.
Zach , you must be smoking the wacky weed again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you better lay off that stuff , it is more powerful than it used to be , at least that is what I’ve been told………………….