Can football do this?

[Frobby]

In America, football is king. And there seem to be more passionate Ravens fans around than there are passionate Orioles fans.

But I wonder, can football really do what baseball can do? There is something about playing almost every single day, the way that pennant races develop, and the way a game is never over until the last out is made, that to me does things for a fan base in a city that football simply can't do. It's partly just the rhythm of playing almost every day for six months as opposed to playing once a week for 17 weeks, with a week off thrown in for good measure. It's partly the fact that even good teams can go on losing streaks, and bad teams on winning streaks, that can last for quite a while. It's the fact that no baseball team, no matter how good, wins 75% of its games, and no bad team loses 75%. It's the streaky, fluky nature of the game.

I don't know if I am articulating this very well, but it seems to me that even though football is the more popular game, baseball has a capacity to capture a city's imagination at a deeper, more day to day level. Sure, you can talk at the water cooler on Monday about how Sunday's football game went, but by Tuesday there's nothing more to say. But in baseball, there's a whole new game to discuss. And, it's easier to discuss, because the strategies of the game are more apparent to the average fan and the individual performances are less interdependent. Football is way more complicated for an average fan to really analyze, even though we pretend otherwise.

The Orioles have captured nobody's imagination or attention for 14 years, but they certainly have now, and for me, it's just a different experience than what football provides, and it gets ingrained in you in a deeper way.

Am I off base here, Raven/Redskins fans?

[Tank]

I agree 100%. Excellent post. Last night was one of my favorite moments in my entire life. The wild card playoff game made me prouder than the ravens Super Bowl win and the Terps basketball championship.

[xKHx]

When the Ravens won the Superbowl and Playoff atmospheres year after year yes they are the same in my opinion. You just don't feel as passionate about football and that is ok but if the Ravens went on a 15 year playoff drought trust me the feelings would be the same as last night. The Ravens have not had a good offense so all the games against good teams come down to the last minute. You do have blow outs but in the post season not to many and yes last night was intense.

[zero1]

Last night was the best game I've ever watched on TV. I've been to some pretty cool sporting events but I have a feeling that on Sunday night it will top all of them regardless of the outcome.

I'm an Orioles fan before any other team in any sport.

[tennOsfan]

Baseball at its best is the greatest game on earth. The passion and love you can develop for a team is unparrelled. So is the potential heartbreak.

As Os fans, we had forgotten a lot of that.

[notfast]

In America, football is king. And there seem to be more passionate Ravens fans around than there are passionate Orioles fans.

But I wonder, can football really do what baseball can do? There is something about playing almost every single day, the way that pennant races develop, and the way a game is never over until the last out is made, that to me does things for a fan base in a city that football simply can't do. It's partly just the rhythm of playing almost every day for six months as opposed to playing once a week for 17 weeks, with a week off thrown in for good measure. It's partly the fact that even good teams can go on losing streaks, and bad teams on winning streaks, that can last for quite a while. It's the fact that no baseball team, no matter how good, wins 75% of its games, and no bad team loses 75%. It's the streaky, fluky nature of the game.

I don't know if I am articulating this very well, but it seems to me that even though football is the more popular game, baseball has a capacity to capture a city's imagination at a deeper, more day to day level. Sure, you can talk at the water cooler on Monday about how Sunday's football game went, but by Tuesday there's nothing more to say. But in baseball, there's a whole new game to discuss. And, it's easier to discuss, because the strategies of the game are more apparent to the average fan and the individual performances are less interdependent. Football is way more complicated for an average fan to really analyze, even though we pretend otherwise.

The Orioles have captured nobody's imagination or attention for 14 years, but they certainly have now, and for me, it's just a different experience than what football provides, and it gets ingrained in you in a deeper way.

Am I off base here, Raven/Redskins fans?

This is a great post and shows exactly why I am an Orioles fan first. Then a Ravens fan.

"It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again"

[waroriole]

Couldn't agree more. Baseball is a great book, while football is the movie version of that book. Book > movie.

This makes sense in my head, at least.

[Ohfan67]

1, 2, 3, cue video...

[OrangeJerseys]

Baseball makes the world go 'round.

[BmoreMatt]

I am a football guy. I am a Ravens guy. I have also been an O's fan my entire life. For years I thought football was the better game. I played football lax and wrestled in high school. I could just relate better to games where I can hit someone. I like my games to be physically intense and I like... on field legal physical conflict resolution.

Having said all that, last night I was pacing around the house, drinking more than I should have and more nervous about any sporting event I have ever watched, live or on tv, in my life! I talked and texted with my brother, sister and father all night and said more than once, "I have never felt like this watching any Ravens game, including the 2000 team."

I just don't know anymore. I can't answer your question honestly because I just don't know what to think. My mind has been blown and my thoughts on sports are all turned upside down because of this O's team. The entire year and especially last night's game, have blown my mind. I'm just going to keep enjoying the ride.

And we're just gettin' started!

[BmoreMatt]

I would also say that one of my favorite parts of home Ravens games is the tailgate. I really, really, wish that we could get tailgating at OPACY.

I caught a brewers game a couple years ago, and they have an amazing baseball tailgate. We could do the same.

[doctorbj]

This is the best thread of the day. I was saying the same thing to my wife last night while pacing the living room floor.

And when I read this stuff to her being written today i begin to well up a little over the emotion it brings out.

The othre interesting thing is what's gonna happen after we win the World Series?

We all spend the winter with hte trades and hopes that makes us remember the past year less, but this time......................

Finally thanks to all of you and Tony for again being the BEST place in the world to read about my favorite sport and not worry about the rest of the world.

Finally #2, it would be wonderful for a 5 minute standing ovation for the O's when they are introduced Sunday night.

Finally #3, did everyone catch the post game O's fans chanting 'Let's go O's' followed (in the background of one of the interviews) "Yankees suck, Yankees suck"?

[DrungoHazewood]

Football not only is missing the day-to-day thing, but it also has a clock. So if you're up 14 or 21 with 3:00 left you're a little nervous, but not even a tiny fraction as nervous as I was in the late innings last night. In football eventually you just go home because the clock ran out. In baseball there's always a chance.

[crissfan172]

Baseball is so much better than football...and I love football.

Of course...to get a real answer to this question, it would probably help to ask people that aren't as obsessed with the Orioles as those of us on here.

[wompfump]

Would this thread have been made if the Orioles were the same team as they were the previous 15 years?

Nope.

Football is the most perfectly set up sport. When they play their games, how they play it, where they play it... it's the ideal sport for marketing.

Teams fluctuate in football so much. You see new competitive teams every year. You're more likely to make a run.

This run by the O's is awesome, but it's also their first in 15 years.

I'm a Detroit Lions fan. I like them just as much as the O's.

But watching that Lions playoff game was so much more incredible than watching the Orioles game last night. And that water cooler talk is nonsense. There is more water cooler talk with the NFL every given day, Hell, even in the offseason there is more than with baseball.

Baseball is great, but NFL is just in a whole different stratosphere. And I'm not talking about my personal opinion of which sport I like more, because I like them equally. Hell, the NBA has caught up with baseball at this point, when it comes to popularity, excitement and stars.