So, the Ravens lost tonight, the game they needed to win to advance to the SuperBowl. And before I go on, allow me to acknowledge it is a game. It is a pastime, it is a sport, it is a hobby. There are far more important things to worry about in this world.
But, I’m devastated.
Baltimore is where I was born, my hometown. Baltimore is where I will say my vows in June. Baltimore is a great place to live, a wonderful place to grow up, a city full of culture, excitement and most of all, charm. But since I’ve been living in DC for the last 18 months, I have woefully learned that it does not carry this same level of honor to people outside of Baltimore.
Baltimore’s got a reputation (forged in no small part thanks to the Ravens themselves) as gritty, working-class, scrappy and hardscrabble. And, well, weird. People know it as what they saw on The Wire, and it’s no-less-uninviting predecessor Homicide: Life on the Street. Our most well-known filmmaker, John Waters, has made some of cinema’s most unusual stories. And our most well-known poet is known for his tales of mystery and macabre. Our accent is unappealing, with a long drop of the letter “o” resulting in the bastardization of words like home to heaummm, and no to neauuux. It’s quasi-southern and quite honestly, pretty unharmonious to the ears.
But if you can see past the outward reputation, it’s a remarkable city. Small enough to be intimate (Small-timore, anyone?) and big enough to have the vitality and bustle of a major city. The history in Baltimore is deep – our National Anthem was written here – and our own Johns Hopkins hospital has been ranked at the top of U.S. News list of best overall hospitals for more than 20 years.
So, what does this have to do with the AFC Championship?
My hopes and dreams of the Ravens heading to the SuperBowl was my abstruse way of making a statement that Baltimore is not nearly second-class city you might think it is.
Baltimore is a city who deserves a second look. It has earned the right to be more than that stop on the Amtrak Northeast Regional between Union Station and Wilmington. And it’s most certainly not a suburb of DC.
My dream for the Ravens to hit the national stage for the most televised sporting event of the year was not about touchdowns and interceptions. It was about giving the city the platform to show the country that it IS a city worth noticing. It is a city that has bred remarkable athletes (let’s not forget Michael Phelps, too!) and has a fan base of locals and transplants who BELIEVE in it.
There’s always next year, absolutely.
I just wasn’t ready for it to end yet.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am sad too, mainly because the boy loves the Ravens and I love him.
1. I totally get this. I’m a huge Phillies fan (grew up outside Philly in South Jersey, went to Temple & lived in the city for four years, had a father who adored the phillies and baseball, etc.) and I get SO sad each year when the season is over, no matter how it ends.
2. I effing LOVE Baltimore. We’ve gone down there for the past three years to celebrate my sister’s birthday weekend in late October and have had amazing times every year. It’s the perfect quick getaway and filled with awesome food, drinks, people and, as you said, CHARM. Maybe I love it so much because I can relate to it – Jersey and Philly have similar reputations and I’m proud of my scrappy, less than glamorous roots! I feel like Philly and Baltimore are the perfect mix of what makes a city great…along with not being too full of ourselves!
Well put, my esteemed cousin.
I love Baltimore. My friends love Baltimore. I had a blast for the short time I was there a few years ago for a baseball game (on my way to D.C.). Camden Yards is a gorgeous park. The people were SUPER nice (despite finding out I’m a Sox fan. Seeing as how I was actually assaulted in another city while there for a game, it was a nice change of pace.). The Inner Harbor was a lot of fun, too. We wandered around for awhile before the game.
I love this post, because I think it’s great when people take pride in their hometowns. I love my dirty water. I’m proud to be from Boston, no matter what anyone thinks of the city or the people. I think it’s great and I love when people realize it’s more than just a city full of obnoxious sports fans (although we are a part of the charm…). I’ll travel anywhere, but I’ll never love anywhere as much as I love home.
That being said, the Ravens played a great game last night. I wasn’t sure that was going to turn out quite as it did. I was ready to throw things at my tv. My bank account is glad that I didn’t. Despite my being happy about the outcome, I’m sorry that you’re sad. Hopefully people can see past the reputation and realize that Baltimore is a pretty cool place and worthy of recognition.