I love this team, I love the Orioles

[Grt 2BA FL Gator]

I’ve been in a mild state of sports depression since Wednesday. Angry and disappointed at what felt like, for me personally, the worst Orioles loss of my life time.

But as I drove up to my house today, I looked at my Orioles flag, and I felt love. Love for the Orioles and love for the guys on this team.

I remember getting a little emotional in 2018 when the previous core got blown up. I wondered if I’d be as invested with a new cropping of players.

Well dammit, I ride with these dudes. They’ve ripped my heart out, but I believe in them. They’re young, they’re talented, and they play for each other. Growth is often not linear.

Maybe Hyde can adjust, maybe he can’t. There’s plenty of questions now.

It’s going to be long wait. And I have no idea if this team capitalizes on their potential. But I’ll be rooting for it.

Because I love Baltimore, I love the Orioles, and I love these guys.

I still don’t want to take down my flag just yet….

Go O’s! 

Edited 3 hours ago by Grt 2BA FL Gator

[JR Oriole]

This is a really good post and I very much appreciate the optimism.  I am hoping to spend the offseason working on more effective ways to enjoy the team and to hopefully remember why I have loved them more than any other sports team for over 40 years.

While the loss on Wednesday is not anywhere near my top 5 of worst Orioles losses ever (especially since 1997 and 2014 don't leave much room for anything else), I can genuinely say that I got less enjoyment out of this particular team and season than any that I can ever remember. From an entertainment standpoint, it just wasn't there at all for me this year. And even though it is probably immature, I don't know of a better word than resentment for how I felt towards these guys as these last three and a half months have played out. The two images that I will always have of this season are Cowser whiffing on the pitch that broke his hand and Adley looking at that 2-0 meatball with the bases loaded in Game 2. Those pictures captured the 2024 Orioles perfectly.

Hoping my now much lower expectations bring more enjoyment in 2025.

 

[Too Tall]

OP sums it up well. I'll buy my Extra Innings package again next year and hope to see a better balanced team. I've got a heck of a lot of years invested in this team and while I ended this year really pissed, I'll start next spring with hopeful optimism. It always has been and always will be The Orioles. 

[Orioles West]

A brutal loss and an abrupt ending will definitely cause some “mild sports depression” — I feel that.

I’m a Maryland native living out west, but I was planning to fly home to catch an ALDS game. Whoops.

I’m already breaking out the calendar in hopes of being in B-More for Opening Day next spring.

1 hour ago, Grt 2BA FL Gator said:

It’s going to be long wait. And I have no idea if this team capitalizes on their potential. But I’ll be rooting for it.

Because I love Baltimore, I love the Orioles, and I love these guys.

I still don’t want to take down my flag just yet….

Go O’s! 

I agree, more questions than answers this offseason to see if our O’s can take it to the next level.

Keep that flag flying!

We’ve got a long baseball winter ahead of us.

[Gurgi]

I love the Orioles but after the last three decades it is no longer unconditional love anymore from me.  The Orioles are going to have to put out once in a while to keep my interest.  They got to let us go all the way once in a while.  

[foxfield]

10 minutes ago, Gurgi said:

I love the Orioles but after the last three decades it is no longer unconditional love anymore from me.  The Orioles are going to have to put out once in a while to keep my interest.  They got to let us go all the way once in a while.  

Well, it's been 4 decades actually.  And I really can't tell you or anyone else how to be a fan.  But my gut says that if you made it this far, you're gonna be ok.  These last two years have been hard, but they have been pretty special too.  I do not want to return to the dark ages of having the Yankees and Red Sox fans own our stadium and our team.  I know you hurt, we all do.  But you're gonna be fine.  Now the Orioles?  Well, I hope so.  Lol.

[wildcard]

This years playoff lose does not reach the top 5 in terms of pain for me.

1.   When the Jet beat the Coltsin the 69 Superbowl.  Now that is pain.

2.  Mets beat the heavily favored O's in the 69 WS

3.  Pirates beat the O's in 71.   Family my ass.

4.  Jeffery Maier robs the O's in the 96 Championship game vs the Yankees

5. Cleveland's Tony Fernandez  homers off Benitez  in the 11th to beat the O's 1-0 in the 97 Champion Series.

Love the O's.  This years lose was not has bad as any of those.