Here I go again.
Every year, it's the same thing: My football team, the Washington franchise, fails to qualify for the playoffs by week ten or so and then I (hat in hand) get on the bandwagon of my favorite AFC team, the Ravens for their annual playoff run. That's right, annual run (like the Tribe would say) like De Nero. Their current head coach has made the playoffs in each of his six years running the team. I'm not forgetting my team's NFC title run of last year. I just wouldn't call it a run--more like a sprint. Their season ended just in time for me to get in on the Ravens Super Bowl run of last year.
And I love it. I can't say what was last year's rallying cry. All I can say is that it's starts with the word party. Biggie fans can fill in the blank.
While I love my hometown team, in DC it's more non-football related drama than the Young & the Restless. From RG3 drinking too much swag juice (that we as fans gladly gave him by the case) to the head coach wanting to get fired (even though he denies it) so he can get another job to his son not wanting to work with his dad anymore, it's always something.
It's not like that down the road in B-More. Their formula for success is simple: players play, coaches coach and owners own.
I had to think about the name of the current owner of the Ravens: Steve Bisciotti. He started out as a minority owner in 2000. Thirteen years later, he has been behind the scenes of both of titles runs in Baltimore. Bisciotti, who is the second youngest owner to the 49-year-old owner of the Washington team, rarely makes any noise himself. He doesn't want to be "all on the video" like Diddy. He (wait for it) trusts his team to make the right calls. He is only one of 12 owners that has more than one Super Bowl Trophy.
Would barely reconize him if I saw him on the street.
Living and hanging out in Baltimore, one of the ongoing mantras that I hear in football circles is the phrase, "In Ozzie we trust". General Manager Ozzie Newsome has been the architect behind the success of the Ravens. His first two picks as GM were Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis. Ogden just got in the Hall of Fame this past year and the NFL is getting Ray's place ready. To a man (and woman), fans do not question any of his picks. Just last night, his latest first round pick, safety Matt Elam from Florida, sealed last night's game against the Lions with his second pick of the season.
As for the players, like Public Enemy, they refuse to lose. They won last night's game without scoring a touchdown. In fact, the winning field goal kick was 61 yards. As of today, they are in the driver's seat to make the playoffs for the seventh year in a row.
Ain't the beer cold.
