Suspending My Disbelief

So, the worst-case scenario has played out.  And now, my morning and mid-day routines of listening to ESPN Radio and Fox Sports on XM must be put on hold.  At least for the past couple weeks I could pretend that the improbable hopeful Cardinals would somehow pull another rabbit out of their helmets.  But now the radio waves will inevitably be bombarded by talk of the Steelers Super Bowl title.  I'd rather swallow shards of glass.

Am I a sore loser?  Yes.  Will I keep pretending the NFL season ended when the Ravens beat the Titans?  Yes.  Will I respond with a blank stare if you start talking about how the Steelers won the Super Bowl?  What Super Bowl?  I am jealous?  No.  You couldn't offer me anything that would make me stop cheering on the Ravens.  Being the constant under-dog, a city that finally reclaimed its football glory after having it uprooted 29 years ago, a true sense of renewed pride and love for the color purple is something that will always remain.

No major analyst had the Ravens anywhere close to .500, and most predicted that we would go 5-11, not 13-5.  Excuses?  Not at all.  If you had said to me at the dawn of starting an NFL season with a rookie head coach and a rookie, 3rd string quarterback,  "Would you be happy, without any regrets, if the Ravens get to the AFC Championship game?" I would say, "damn straight!"  

26 injured reserve players later, playing the majority of the season without one of the best corners in the league, without one of the best nose tackles in the league, with second stringers scattered over the field, the Ravens prove that we are undoubtedly the toughest win to get in the NFL.  No other team will out-work you and out-hit you.  We ended the seasons of several running backs,  put a stop to the ridiculous wild-cat/wild-hog formation, hammered the final nail in the coffin of "America's Team", and ended the silly notion that Tennessee actually had a decent team this year.  We made it further than 28 teams.  Coming in 3rd place (yes, 3rd place because in week 12 we kinda put a 36-7 beating on the Eagles) when many picked us to finish 3rd in OUR OWN DIVISION... I'll take it.  O yea, do you all mind doing all of that while playing 18 straight weeks, a season with virtually no bye?  Our players' responses resounded each week as they, through their play, said, "sure thing, no problem".  

Show me a tougher team, with more stacked against them, who made more out of less than the Ravens.  

Crabcakes and football, baby!