Not too many losses hurt local sports fans more than the Baltimore Ravens? 15-6 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts in Saturday?s AFC divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium.
For many, the loss stung more than when the New York Jets upset the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, when the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles in the Jeffrey Maier game in the 1996 ALCS or even when theDuke basketball team stormed back after trailing by more than 20 points to defeat Maryland in the 2001 NCAA semifinals.
Saturday?s loss went far beyond asking “What if?” for a Ravens season in which the team won a franchise-best 13 regular-season games. This game had everything to do about sticking it to the Irsay family who, nearly 23 years ago, ripped out the hearts and spit in the face of every Baltimore sports fans that packed Memorial Stadium while making it “The World?s Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum.”
When those Mayflower trucks pulled out of town on that snowy March morning in 1984, they took with them far more than just football, pads, uniforms and furniture. They took with them the history, legacy and tradition of more than 30 years of Baltimore football.
By the time the Colts left town, many fans felt it was good riddance to a lying, conniving, meddlesome, alcoholic owner like Bob Irsay. But no one ever thought men like Johnny Unitas and Lenny Moore would have their names associated with Indianapolis in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or in the team?s media guide. Those men, those records and those memories belong to Charm City.
Today?s Baltimore football fans love the Ravens and everything they have done for the community since coming from Cleveland in 1996. Super Bowl XXXV was the ultimate prize for fans that went 12 years without professional football. I know some younger fans and those from out of town don?t understand why Baltimoreans can?t just move on and completely embrace the Ravens. Those people just don?t get it.
Bob Irsay robbed me of childhood memories of going to football games with my dad on a Sunday afternoon. Instead, we had the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins shoved down our throats every week on television from the time I was in first grade until the year I graduated high school. The only Baltimore football memories I have are that of reading about things like the 1958championship game and enjoying two seasons of the Canadian Football League with the Baltimore Stallions.
Most Baltimore fans don?t want the Colts back. They just can?t stand the sight of seeing their legacy and contributions to the sport prior to 1996 soiled by not being associated with the city they call home.
While Saturday?s loss will sting for a long time, maybe the attention this week brought to Baltimore football will give the NFL and the Hall of Fame the motivation they need to right the wrong of 23 years ago and allow this city to finally have closure.
Ron Snyder is a staff writer for The Examiner. He can be reached at [email protected].
