I’m expectedly taking heat for having the audacity to tell the truth (it’s the story of my life) in regard to yesterday’s Army-Navy game.
I TOTALLY understand the "magnitude" of the history of the game, and the tradition, etc. All I cared about was seeing a good game and having some fun at a football game on a cold day. I also paid $100 to go to the game, so that more than gives me license to be honest.
I’ve had a lot of fun in my life and a lot of it has taken place at various football games. I waited my whole life to attend an Army-Navy game, thinking it would be super cool.
Yesterday at M&T Bank was not much fun. The game was bad. The atmosphere was surprisingly lame. The only noise was coming from the seats where the kids were in uniform. The rest of the stadium was asleep.
So I left.
Now, Monday night will be a completely different story. I will NOT be leaving Monday’s game early, no matter what.
Not many PSL owners are expecting to have much fun on Monday night. Most Ravens fans think it’s going to be a bloodletting, probably like most Pitt fans thought their 28-point underdogs had no chance on the road in Morgantown last night.
That’s what makes football, and ESPECIALLY the NFL so much fun — ANYTHING can happen.
Now, what are the odds of the Ravens shocking the world and beating Tom Brady and the Pats? Not good, obviously, as 21-point dogs.
BUT — it COULD happen. And that’s why I’ll brace for the frigid conditions and make my way into the upper deck with my Michelin Man snow suit.
I’d like to think that at least for the first couple of possessions, our fans will be keyed in, locked in on any morsel of hope that the Ravens can compete with the best team of this generation in the NFL.
But what happens if the Ravens are losing 24-3 at halftime.
Will the stadium empty out?
Will our fans boo Billick and the Ravens off the field because they’re not good enough (or healthy enough) to win?
I hope not.
But I’m not holding my breath. Like Brian Billick has said: it’s an opportunity. It’s also an opportunity for our fans to walk out on the team in the second half, and Vegas clearly thinks that it’ll go down that path.
Again, I’ll stick with my miracle prediction (buoyed more this morning by the shockers in the BCS last night).
Ravens win, 24-22. Shock the world!
Hey, it’s just a prediction. (And if I didn’t think they COULD win, I wouldn’t bother going.)
I figure at some point the Patriots will come out and stink for a road game. At some point our secondary will get a few picks. At some point, we’ll blitz Brady and put him on his back.
Our fans could be a difference maker on Monday night.
Or we could come late and leave early and concede victory before the game starts.
But, either way, it’s fun to have a chance to be the team that could change NFL history and allow those old Miami Dolphins to open their champagne.
I’ll be watching.
And I won’t be leaving early.
Even if it gets ugly and I probably should.
These are the "character building" years in being a Ravens fan. I was there in the beginning when they stunk and I’ll be in the upper deck on Monday night, win or lose.
