Poll: As a Skins fan, Should I hate the Ravens and Why?

[skinsarethebest]

don't need an award, but I do feel like I'm better than any bandwagon jumper becasue I'm loyal.

And you dont know anything about Howard County. You can't relate it to the Carolina situation, becasue we are the central most county in the Baltimore/Washington area. Naturally there should be a mix of fans here, but not to the extent it is now. I work for the county, our god damn executive declares it Ravens country and even had a bet against the PG county executive when we played the ravens this year. Something about the symbolism of my county executive betting against my home town team that really bothers me.

No doubt their recent success and our lack there of has caused this shift, but my hate doesn't stem from jealousy as much as my disdain for bandwagon jumpers.

See this is where it gets tricky.... I'm not so sure I would characterize some of those you describe as "bandwagon jumpers" to actually be bandwagon fans, as I define that term.

For instance, if someone is born and raised in Maryland, and has a lot of ties to Maryland, and grew up a Skins fan but slowly became a Ravens fan, I'm not so sure that's exactly bandwagon jumping as much as finding that person's "natural" niche.... I see the Ravens as very much a "Maryland" team (especially insofar they have the darn state flag as part of their logo for crying out loud ha!). And especially if that person, i.e., the Maryland native, who switched from Skins to Ravens still supports the Skins and actively roots for the Skins but just not as much as the Ravens, I wouldn't actually call them a bandwagoner. Now on the other hand, if someone from DC, born and raised in the District, who grew up rooting for the Skins and lived through the glory years at RFK, suddenly ditched the Skins during the "lean years" (basically the last 2 decades) and latched onto the Ravens as soon as they won a Super Bowl, well then sure, that's one disloyal traitorous SOB....

But my guess is there's a wide spectrum of people who fall in between those two extremes. I just wouldn't be quick to assume that someone who is able to feel a level of support for the Ravens is automatically a "bandwagonner" (unless they actively combine that Ravens support with the unforgivable sin of actually rooting AGAINST the Skins).

[Gamebreaker]

Even though I hate the Ravens you cannot help but admire their consistent success forged by good decisions, by good people, year in and year out.

They have Ozzie Newsome to thank for that. I'd pay that guy whatever he wants to run my organization.

[GoSkins561]

Personally, I've never had an issue with any Ravens' fan. Besides, they're in the AFC, it's a waste of time to hate an AFC team that we've never had a single game of significance against. No problems with the Ravens here, probably my favorite AFC team.

I'm with you, i'm not going to buy a jersey, but like to see them do well. They are far from having any type of impact on The Redskins organization.

[illone]

Ravens don't bother me in the least, but I dont live in the DC area any longer. If I was back there and I had to listen to them all the time, Im sure my stance would be different.

I'm a Boldin fan, always have been, was actually hoping the Skins signed him a few years ago when he wanted out of AZ..... and I also like how Ed Reed plays the game, bigtime player.

[panel]

I think it is a must for Ravens fans to dislike the skins, but it is not a must for skins fans to hate the Ravens.

[Morneblade]

I cant stand the Ravens for a number of reasons. Right now they rank behind Dallas and Philly, in that order. I even rooted for the Pats to beat them, and I can't stand the Pats.

[HLF]

DC and Baltimore are night and day and only 30 minutes away. You want everyone to care less by showing how much you care? This doesn't make much sense. In terms of fans, there's a whole lot more I dislike than the Ravens. And as far as making an area look bad....outside the Georgia Dome they're stabbing people..

Makes you guys look like disgusting pathetic morons.

"You guys" lol I just live here bro. Im from MD lmao. Im positive u took what I said outta context about "the area"

[skinzwiz]

I'm a fan of Torrey Smith. It seems he's played even better after the death of his brother. I like and respect people that get stronger after tribulations. This is also why I have respect for Lewis for his turnaround the past decade.

Overall I do not care about the Ravens though. And Ngata didn't have park his obese *** on RGIII's knee like that!

[HighOnHendrix]

Considering they left all the team history and records in Cleveland and the Browns restarted their franchise with all their records intact, you can argue the Ravens are now the "expansion" team.

One can argue that but it's merely a matter of semantics. Lots of Ravens fans will try to sell the expansion team line because it assuages the guilt they would otherwise feel about welcoming in another city's team - which we know they all said they would NEVER do during the twelve years they had no team.

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

I'm in the last category. No ties to the area so I had no idea of the DC/Bmore hatred until I joined Extremeskins.

[TD Riggo]

Well, first off their coach is a jerk. Second, I only watch the Ratbirds games on TV and their fans seem like a bunch seem like a bunch of pre-teen jackasses and hooligans. Third, they do that obnoxious "OOOOOOOOO" like at the Orioles games during the national anthem and that is extremely disrespectful.

So .. yeah .. I hate the Ratbirds because of their coach and their fans. The DC area only needs one team. Not some fly-by-the-dark-of-night moving van team that has no tradition. IMO, their one SB win was lucky. And we beat them this year.

[Spaceman Spiff]

There's the much talked about Baltimore inferiority complex that their fans inherently have. Baltimore fans will always have a chip on their shoulder.

I do believe part of their contempt for the Redskins is based on the fact that after the Colts left, Jack Kent Cooke tried to corner the Baltimore market by shoving the Redskins down their throat and in the mid 90's, tried to block the Browns move to Baltimore. Say what you want, but you'd probably hate the team that tried to block your city from getting a new franchise.

I don't really care about the Ravens all that much. I like Ray, I love Ed Reed. I won't care all that much if they lose, I won't care all that much if they win, either.

[HighOnHendrix]

There's the much talked about Baltimore inferiority complex that their fans inherently have. Baltimore fans will always have a chip on their shoulder.

^This. I lived there for five years, never been anywhere else that has penis envy of everybody else everywhere like they do. It must be rooted all the way back to post-Revolution America whey they were second fiddle to New York and Philadelphia, and later to DC. They talk like they should be king **** and that everybody else should recognize it but they realize they're not b/c Baltimore is just that dirty little city with a harbor that nobody cares about. And that realization IMO makes them crave recognition. All I've heard from the Ravens fans I know is how NOBODY picked them to beat Denver, NOBODY picked them over New England, and EVERYBODY should have KNOWN because Ray Lewis. When you calmly explain to them that their team limped into the playoffs having lost four out of five, Denver was the #1 seed at home, NE was the #2 seed at home, so why do you EXPECT "experts" to pick you? They're wrong a lot anyway. In closing, I'll repeat what many others have said: I don't hate the team, I dislike their fans, overall they like a 2 out of 10 on my relevance meter. They're annoying but I don't care much about what happens with an AFC team, even if they crave a rivalry with our storied franchise.

[BleedBNG]

I do believe part of their contempt for the Redskins is based on the fact that after the Colts left, Jack Kent Cooke tried to corner the Baltimore market by shoving the Redskins down their throat and in the mid 90's, tried to block the Browns move to Baltimore. Say what you want, but you'd probably hate the team that tried to block your city from getting a new franchise.

And this is where they should calm down a bit. As if Angelos was completely blameless in DC having to wait longer in getting a baseball club.

[FletchLives]

I'm a hater from Maryland.

The ravens are a stolen team, named after poem written by a guy who isn't even from their city. Their star player should be in prison. And they have one of the most arrogant and whiniest fanbases ever. (every game they lose is because of bad officiating)

I am so sick of hearing how every team they play is afraid of them, the Steelers / ravens rivalry is the greatest in sports and the AFC north is the toughest hardest hitting division in football. Then there are the cries that Ray is the greatest player to ever play the game and Reed is the greatest safety ever. Heck, last week one of the radio show host morons was even using the word "dynasty". Really??? I swear they think the NFL started in 2000.

I will say they have had good management and coaching. They have been pretty much consistently competitive since coming to Baltimore. But that won't last forever. And when it ends, their loudmouth fanbase will dwindle. HTTR! :logo:

Thank God it's hockey season!

[SkinsTerpsFan]

I don' know how you can say that with any certainty outside of a handful of examples you know of specifically. For all you know, the majority of the Ravens fanbase are just old Colts fans who once latched on to the Redskins as their local team for 25 years or whatever it was when the Colts packed up for Indy. They went back when MD got their own team back to get behind.

I also, see very little problem with any executive or mayor or whatever declaring his county, Ravens country. It is their state team, why would that possibly be a slap in the face to you? Do you hate the OKC Thunder fans? They were probably Maverick, Spur or Rocket fans before fate granted them a team to call their own.

As far as bandwagon jumpers, I guess you hate a large majority of Redskins fans too. We are getting and will continue to get a huge crowd of bandwagon fans with RG3 and our continued success. I wouldn't want some Ravens fan since birth painting the broad brush you just did hating on Redskins fans as bandwagon jumpers...

Your hate and anger seems misplaced.

yeah, that's why I said earlier that it's a generation thing. I don't have a problem with older (than me) ravens fans who not only remember the colts, but once cheered for them. It seems to me that when it comes to fans my age in my area, the ravens fans hate the redskins and vice versa. That's just the way it is.

The executive thing is just a personal thing. I'm not saying what he did was wrong, just makes me feel like a minority in my hometown. This is a place where they were teaching kids how to sing hail to the redskins in 91, now all our county buildings are lighted purple.. It's all personal to me, I don't expect everyone else to feel the same way.

And yes, all teams have band-wagoners when they win, this includes the redskins and the rg3 craze, and yes I hate them too.

Finally, this is by no means the only reason I hate them. Many other reasons have already been mentioned: obnoxious fans, Ray Lewis, etc..I have several friends of other teams (Cowboys, steelers, seahawks, giants, broncos) who all agree the Ravens have some of the most annoying fans.

[cjbrown]

I root for the skins first. Then I used to root for the old Colts from Baltimore too. When the Ravens came along I was slow to embrace them, but I like good D and a strong running game and tough blu color type play and they have had that for years. I like the coach and the management was stellar. So I am ok with them. I would even go to a game.

I root for:

1. Skins

2. Skins

3. Skins

4. Ravens

5. Good Football

6. In playoffs - against New England, NFC, or NFC East ((except cowboys) mainly because it helps our reputation when the east kicks butt - but this changed since Mara became a butt).

7. I used to like the Chargers, but Norv just wasted the talent

[Mr. Nostril]

As a fan of things that don't suck, every sports fan should hate the Ravens. The Browns being moved from Cleveland is one of the ****tiest things that ever happened to a fan base in the history of sports, perhaps by bested only by the Colts move to Indianapolis. So, if anyone should know how ****ty it is to be a Ravens fan, it's the people of Baltimore.

[Commander PK]

As a Marylander, I would love to be happy for the Ravens success...but I can't. Many of their fans are just too damn obnoxious. The Redskins have 80 years of tradition in this area. Even though I am from Maryland, some of my family over the years have lived in Washington, and we are geographically closer to D.C. than Baltimore anyway. We were always Washington Redskins fans even when the Colts were here.

For me, I really think that Ravens fans (especially ex-Redskin fan turncoats, of which there are plenty) are constantly looking for justification and validation in their choice to switch teams. I don't know a single Ravens fan born before 1985 who was not a fan of another team before the Ravens came to town. To me, I just couldn't switch up no matter how bad things got. The bottom line is they do have an inferiority complex when it comes to everything Washington D.C. The Redskins will always be the "elder son" of the area, and will always get more attention. Ravens fans can't stand that, and despise us for it.

---------- Post added January-22nd-2013 at 01:13 AM ----------

and I can't really answer the poll. I'm from Maryland, and I don't hate the Ravens. I despise their fans.

[NewCliche21]

I root for the skins first. Then I used to root for the old Colts from Baltimore too. When the Ravens came along I was slow to embrace them, but I like good D and a strong running game and tough blu color type play and they have had that for years. I like the coach and the management was stellar. So I am ok with them. I would even go to a game.

I root for:

1. Skins

2. Skins

3. Skins

4. Ravens

5. Good Football

6. In playoffs - against New England, NFC, or NFC East ((except cowboys) mainly because it helps our reputation when the east kicks butt - but this changed since Mara became a butt).

7. I used to like the Chargers, but Norv just wasted the talent

I don't understand your number four and six.

The Nazis had some pretty incredible generals and soldiers. That doesn't mean that I don't still hate them.

Why would you EVER want a rival to do well, ever? I do get the cheering against New England and for the NFC, but I want the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants to lose every single game that they play unless it's to our advantage (i.e. knocking someone else out of the playoff race).

[cjbrown]

I don't understand your number four and six.

The Nazis had some pretty incredible generals and soldiers. That doesn't mean that I don't still hate them.

Why would you EVER want a rival to do well, ever? I do get the cheering against New England and for the NFC, but I want the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants to lose every single game that they play unless it's to our advantage (i.e. knocking someone else out of the playoff race).

As I said, I was a fan of the skins and the old Colts. I used to like Bert Jones and Joe Washington. When they left I was hoping the old Colts would come back but they did' not and we have the Ravens. So it took a while to even like them a little. As far as #6. I admire good football. Even the old Cowboys with Roger & Co. were good players. I root for the Skins, but it is just a game. Nazis is a bit extreme, considering millions dead vs. a game. Secondly, guy like Lawrence Taylor and Walter Payton, almost any fan would admire their play, if they understood the heart and impact of such players. Off the field is another matter for some, but as players...

As far as playoffs I liked the Giants and Eagles in the Playoffs because it made us look better and stronger as a division. So when I'm watching the playoffs and I have to choose someone to root for division rivals play into it.

[HailtoClark#84]

I'm with you, i'm not going to buy a jersey, but like to see them do well. They are far from having any type of impact on The Redskins organization.

OK,try wearing your Redskins gear in Baltimore for a full day.That's as long as it's gonna take for you to see how these people hate the Redskins to no end.

Doesn't even have to do with the fact the we don't play that often,I lived in Columbia,Md for about 15 years and I can tell you anywhere North of Laurel,you're gonna get hated

by everyone!

I moved to Columbia in 1980 before the Colts moved out.I had lived in D.C. 15 years prior to this.I had NO idea about how much Hatred these people had about the Redskins.

I had even thought of maybe buying an Orioles hat since there was no baseball team at that time.But after I saw the Hate,I said F the Orioles and the Colts and especially all things Baltimore!

I went to a sportsbar near Annapolis to watch a Redskins game.Had my flag up on the car,it was RIPPED off when I got back!

So I have had enough about the Gayvens and Baltimore!I hope they lose in the best possible way!

[rictus58]

OK,try wearing your Redskins gear in Baltimore for a full day.That's as long as it's gonna take for you to see how these people hate the Redskins to no end......

So I have had enough about the Gayvens and Baltimore!I hope they lose in the best possible way!

To your first point. I do. All the time. And have since I moved up here 13 years ago. And I don't hear anything but good natured ribbing from people I know. I've never once had a stranger give me crap for it.

to your second point, "Gayvens"? Seriously? Are we sure you're not in middle-school?

[Momma There Goes That Man]

As far as playoffs I liked the Giants and Eagles in the Playoffs because it made us look better and stronger as a division. So when I'm watching the playoffs and I have to choose someone to root for division rivals play into it.

I get what you are saying but that is a college football mentality. I doubt the Patriots care that for the last 13 years of their dominance the AFC East has been pretty weak.

[pjfootballer]

No Redskin fan under ANY cicumstances should ever root for the Eagles, Cowboys or Giants to go or win a SB. Seriously. I've been watching SBs since SB 12 (Den/Dallass) and never once have I rooted for any of them. Once the Cardinals were out of the NFCE, I rooted for them to beat the Steelers.

There are no banners, trophies, accolades or pats on the back if an NFCE team other than our team wins the SB. Never in my life have I had someone come up to me and say, "Congratulations on the Giants win in the SB for the NFC East. I bet you're proud of your division." You should have your toenails taken out by pliers for rooting for any of our division rivals.

I don't give a rats ass if the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens or Colts win the next 20 SBs. They are in another league, we play them once every 4 years and at home once every 8 years. NEVER root for the Pukes, Iggles or VaGiants in the SB.

---------- Post added January-22nd-2013 at 12:42 PM ----------

Funny, but growing up, I never hated the Colts. They were just in the "other" conference and there was always a dividing line in MD between PG and Howard counties. I never had any animosity towards them and I can say,not living in the area, I hear alot less than you do, though I was living in Waldorf in 1994-1998.