Ravens vs Steelers

Well, its 12/20/2011 - and its been a heck of a weekend. The Steelers are in 5th place in the AFC lineup and we are in 2nd thanks to their loss on Monday Night. Ben should have stayed home and nursed that bad leg...'cause those '49ers sure did pound them into the ground with a 30-3 loss. Granted, the Ravens didn't play much better on Sunday and our 2nd place was in grave jeopardy for a day - but all of the weak teams seemed to win this weekend. What was up with that? Not only did they win, they played excellent games. But I'm not here to talk about the other teams...I'm here for the Ravens. I bleed purple. I want to see my team go to the Superbowl - so we'll take that Steelers loss on Monday night as a gift from the gods or whatever it was. Let's see what happens on Christmas Eve. Go Ravens !!!

Update 11/26/2011: My beloved Ravens - winners of the Harbowl! What an awesome game! The 49er's played a good game - only letting us get 1 touchdown in, the rest field goals. The magic purple stadium does it every time! And 9 sacks! What a Thanksgiving treat. It was great to watch the two brothers, John and Jim, both head coaches of NFL teams, play against each other on Thanksgiving Day. I have to say, Jim is a little more expressive during games than John though. I love John's game face. You don't have to be a professional lip reader to know exactly what Jim is yelling during a game! My favorites last night were Suggs, of course, Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Ed Reed - hey you know - I can't name them all, the whole team was on top of things last night. They really focused and played like the team. Especially in that play with the touchdown that involved SEVEN receivers. Awesome game guys. You've done us proud. AGAIN.

Update 11/20/2011 Yes! With the win against the Cinncinnati Bengals tonight, we're in first place! The games have been entertaining these last two weeks. I have been on the edge of my seat. I can say, football has been anything but boring this year. I've been wearing my Raven's shirts on Purple Fridays... and I have to say... I've not missed a game this year. I've become a die hard fan. The only thing on television that I must see every week. In fact, I hardly ever watch TV, but every time the game is on, I'm glued to it. And T. Smith...you're awesome this year. Ray Rice, way to go. Bouldin..you've done us good. And Mom...she's taking all these games so personally - she's yelling at the TV like she's right there with Harborough. Ngata, Lewis, Suggs, Reed, and all the Ravens...you rock my world. Oher, stay outta trouble, love you too.

That was such a close game on Sunday night - 6 November 2011! But such a wonderful game! I love when two teams who are such rivals play each other - and our Ravens pulled out from behind and won in the last 12 SECONDS of the game. Our offense has made some bad decisions, but I tell ya, when they are good, they are AMAZING. Our defense has just been literally ON THE BALL this season, with some outstanding recoveries. I want to see us go to the Super Bowl again this year!!!

Adapted liberally from Edgar Alan Poe's 'The Raven'

dedicated to my mom, the Raven's Biggest Fan in Baltimore

(I never thought I'd do a piece on football - but here it is Mom!!!)

Falling Down from the Sky, snow in flurries still may fly

Casting white diamonds, a blanket on the football field.

Ravens eyes nearby gleaming; season win all are dreaming

All the media are streaming, knocks upon the Steeler’s door

All of Pittsburgh in their shadow, quivers at the Raven’s lore

Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

And the rising cheering screaming dense black and purple curtain
Thrilled them - filled them with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of their heart, they stood repeating
`'Tis some Ravens entreating entrance at our city door -
Some Great Ravens entreating entrance at our city door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Deep into that darkness peering, long they stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Superbowl!'
This Pittsburg whispered, and a Raven echo roared back, `We’re going to the Superbowl!'
Merely this and nothing more.

The Ravens walked in the Steeler’s stadium door.

But the Raven, standing there staring the Steelers in the eyes, spoke only,
Those words, as if their souls in those words they did outpour.
Nothing further then they uttered - not a feather then they fluttered -
Till we scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow you will leave us, we’ve been here before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' They shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and play some other team! Leave us alone!
Leave no black and purple plume as a token of the lie that you hath spoken!
Leave our SuperBowl chance alone! - quit the noise inside our stadium!
Take thy beak from out our hearts, and take the Ravens from our city now!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the Ravens, never flitting, still are sitting, still are sitting
In a snowy Pittsburgh ready to play for a chance at the Superbowl;
And their eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the media ever streaming throws their graphics on the field;
And Pittsburgh’s soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!