The Ravens dominated the Brownies earlier today, 28-10, in front of an amped crowd of 70,000 plus at M&T Bank Stadium. The defense came up with timely turnovers, the running game once again played the part of "unstoppable force" in the fourth quarter and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco made enough plays to keep the chains moving. So impressive was the win that a giddy friend of mine actually texted me the following:
"This team looks pretty [similar] to another good Raven team."
He was of course referring to the 2000 Ravens squad that won Super Bowl XXXV behind a record-setting defense and a power running game. Hyperbole aside, there are some similarities between the 2000 and the 2008 brand of Baltimore football...but as former Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green would suggest, let's get through September before we crown their ass.
Here's the point though: My friend was more than likely speaking tongue-in-cheek, but sports fans sometimes get carried away. They make hyperbolic comparisons to Super teams of the past and live and die on every snap of the pigskin. Usually, this is a good thing. When a city is as behind a team as they are the Ravens in Baltimore, it makes the fall and winter more fun for everyone. But do fans occasionally allow themselves to get swept up in the moment a tad too much?
For instance: At the game today, there were Browns fans speckled throughout a sea of purple. In my section, only one of the Cleveland faithful was present, and he was verbally abused by some of the other fans, seemingly for little less than cheering for the Browns' first touchdown.
Should opposing fans be subject to abuse from the home fans? Where do you draw the line? When is it no longer in the spirit of competition and rivalry, and crossing into the needlessly vulgar?
And is it OK to wear your team's colors to an away game and cheer your team on in enemy territory? Where do you draw the line between supporting your team and being respectful of someone else's house?
Do you draw any lines at all?
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