I Bleed Purple

We woke up excited today because Yuri found out that the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game was going to be aired live today on ASN (All Sports Network).  Our Monday morning football fix.  What a disappointment!  During the last 2 minutes of the game the score was 13 Steelers and 10 Ravens.  We had the ball and it was down to the wire.  Flacco folded under the pressure and threw a bad pass.  Ugh.  I felt my chest tighten.  There goes my day.  They should've just attempted the field goal.  These games aren't good for my health. 

I would've felt better if we had a few beers, a box of Cluck-U Wings, and Ledo Pizza.  Yummmmmmy.  It's the best wings and pizza combination in all of Maryland.  When we were both still living in Maryland (where we met), that was our thing.  We'd buy our beer, pizza, and wings 30 minutes before the game and then we'd rush over to Yuri's place or my place and camp out in front of the TV.  I'm telling you we are Ravens fans through and through.  I have 2 original NFL Ravens jerseys... kiddie size.  Haha.  Yuri has three.   

We used to both work for Marriott, which was just a 15-minute drive from downtown Baltimore so it was hard not to get into the spirit of American football.   All the NFL referees and officials stay at our hotel from time to time so I get to chat with them when they're there.  I even scored 2 tickets to the game at the M & T stadium from an NFL official but my boss wouldn't let me get off work.  Hmph.  I've still got a grudge over that.  In the Baltimore area the world stops for a few hours whenever there's a Ravens game.   It's intense.  Now I too love the game.  It's one of the things I miss dearly.  Thank God for the ASN channel.

I had a neighbor, at the apartment complex where I used to live, who's moods were dependent on the how well the Ravens did.  Whenever we won you'd see all 6 Ravens flags standing proudly on the roof of his jeep.  During one of the sucky seasons of the Ravens you could tell that he was seriously pissed because he'd only leave one flag on his jeep. Plus all of his clothes, no matter the season, had some sort of Ravens logo on it... even his socks!  I think all of his shirts are purple too.  I never found out his real name I always called him Mr. Ravens.  I think he started talking to me when he saw that my car had a Ravens sticker on the hood too just like his since his slot is next to mine.  His wife would usually decorate their front door and balcony with a Halloween Ravens theme or a Christmas Ravens theme.  The funniest one was a Valentines Ravens theme!  I was always excited to see what they'd come up with next.  They were my favorite neighbors by far. 

I was digging through my 2008 pictures and found these.  This one's my baby Beamer.  I miss her dearly. :(  This was technically my first car ever since I paid for every cent with my hard-earned money.  I stuck this magnetic logo on her for a little over a year and it took me a whole day to get it off when I was getting ready to sell the car.  That sticker withstood even all the ice and snow.  It's no wonder I had such a tough time removing it. 

In this picture you'll see my car next to Mr. Ravens jeep.  Brings back memories. :)  Hmmm three flags only.  It must've been a so-so game that day.  His hood and all his car doors have (and probably still do have) Ravens logos stuck on them. 

Anyways, we've still got a shot at the Superbowl so all is not lost.  Plus Roethlessberger broke his nose so that's something I'm sorta happy about.  I wish I was in Baltimore right now.