Hey Pill!: You know a day in our beloved OC beats a day at the stadium! (provided you avoid one of the latest rash of "takeover" events, like the H20 car fiasco last weekend.)
I have to admit, I'm feeling the same way, and this kneeling crap has definitely made it worse (see post I just launched about the pissed off Ravens fan). For instance, when the O's lost their first 33 (or whatever it was) games a while back, I was still wearing the colors and putting up with the abuse around here. You always stick with your team, but again, the politics have got to go.
I've posted this angle before and I'll repeat it, with apologies to anyone that's already remembered it:
Living in a loser football town like Cincitucky really makes you appreciate our Ravens, not matter how infuriating they are on the field. Imagine FIFTY consecutive years of continuous loser football, with 5, count 'em, FIVE playoff wins. To some extent, we've been spoiled; in our 20+ years, we have the #1 playoff win percentage of ANY NFL team, including Stoolers, Pats, etc.
http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/gallery...32-to-1-010617
And there were lean years after 2001, when no hope was in sight and before long, we were on top again.
I'm as pissed off and embarrassed as everyone else, but unlike the locals here, we Ravens fans have some great memories, 2 SB titles and easily a successful franchise when you look at the big picture.
Have also told this story about my Brother-in Law, and will repeat it. This guy is the biggest bengals fan in the world. Season tickets, goes to 4 or so away games, writes annual 30 page letters to Mike Brown, etc. He's also the most positive, upbeat guy I've ever met. I literally have never seen him angry or sad. But a month or so after our first SB win, he came in my mancave, looked around at all the championship stuff and I've never seen him this depressed, the look on his face was memorably dejected. He looked at me and said "I can't believe you got there before we did, and in only 5 years".
So hang in there if possible, if you need to vent; this is a great forum to do that, but as was said in Shawshank Redemption; "hope is a good thing"
And Pill, let me know when you're headed to OC; we can drink away our sorrows (and I might need to buy your tickets for the colts game if you end up selling :)