Do you like the Superbowl or Bust expectations, or the Ravens being slept on and doubted

[BcRaven]

As a fan, I'm never Super-Bowl-or-Bust. All I ask for is a team that's in the hunt down to the wire most years, and wins playoff games more seasons than not. Winning a championship is a wonderful bonus.

We've had that in Baltimore since '00. I suppose you could say since '99, when Billick's team set the franchise season win record with eight wins, but I don't recall looking at them as having a shot at the playoffs.

Coming off a 14-2 season (best in franchise history), expectations are and should be high. I won't say they have to win a playoff game, but failing to do so will taint whatever happens in the regular season. On the flip side, if they stumble during the year, get into the dance with a Wild Card spot, and win at least one game it'll seem like a better season than going 13-3 or even 14-2 again yet failing to win a playoff game.

I think you may be understating there. Would the Billick/Ray Lewis/Jon Ogden Era been thought of as fondly without winning a Super Bowl? How about the Harbaugh/Flacco/Ray Rice Era? I'm not naive enough to think multiple Super Bowls, but a team can't always be in the wedding party without ever being the groom himself. Therefore, personally if we win another championship in the Harbs/Lamar Jackson/Hollywood Era, I'll be satisfied, but if we don't I'll be downright disappointed... Bc

[lfallo1]

I hate that Super Bowl or bust view but how can it possibly be anything else? History does not look kindly on teams with high win totals that don’t win a title. When is the last time you heard someone talk about the great 2015 Panthers team that went 15-1 or the 1998 Vikings with the same record? They are thought of as teams that underperformed and choked when it mattered most. The following year did not produce that same great win/loss record or Super Bowl win for either.

The most famous of these teams is the 2007 16-0 imperfect season Patriots. They proved that a perfect regular season and playoff wins isn’t enough when you can’t win the Super Bowl. Expectations were very high for the next year and Brady gets hurt and they miss the playoffs with an unheard of 11 wins.

The expectations for the Ravens are crazy high and based on history not very realistic but there’s just no way around them.

I dunno... Isn't like it's unheard of for teams with great records & choke early in the playoffs, to have had good seasons the year following. 1996 Broncos, 2005 Colts, 2010 Patriots, 2012 Broncos, off the top of my head, all had great reg seasons, and may have all been #1 seeds - lost their first game - and wound up making the SB following year.

Either way. We went 14-2 and have the reigning league MVP. Expectations are gonna be there.

[bacchys]

I think you may be understating there. Would the Billick/Ray Lewis/Jon Ogden Era been thought of as fondly without winning a Super Bowl? How about the Harbaugh/Flacco/Ray Rice Era? I'm not naive enough to think multiple Super Bowls, but a team can't always be in the wedding party without ever being the groom himself. Therefore, personally if we win another championship in the Harbs/Lamar Jackson/Hollywood Era, I'll be satisfied, but if we don't I'll be downright disappointed... Bc

We've all got our own standards. Some of my favorite Maryland men's basketball teams never got past the Sweet Sixteen.

Getting to the Super Bowl is difficult. As great as he was and as good as some of the teams around him were, Marino never made it back. He ran into the Bills, Natrone Means, or Drew Bledsoe with a Bellichik defense.

The Colts in the '70s won three division titles behind a great QB, Bert Jones. They just weren't as good as the Raiders and Steelers in the era. I don't look at those teams as disappointments.



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[BcRaven]

We've all got our own standards. Some of my favorite Maryland men's basketball teams never got past the Sweet Sixteen.

Getting to the Super Bowl is difficult. As great as he was and as good as some of the teams around him were, Marino never made it back. He ran into the Bills, Natrone Means, or Drew Bledsoe with a Bellichik defense.

The Colts in the '70s won three division titles behind a great QB, Bert Jones. They just weren't as good as the Raiders and Steelers in the era. I don't look at those teams as disappointments.

Did you ever wonder what Dan Marino or Jim Kelly would have given for just one NFL championship?
I can't prove it, but my gut says that's the only thing they regret about their long, productive, winning careers. IMO Lamar Jackson (LJ8) would be disappointed if he did not capture at lease one, and I can't blame him. BTW, I just wonder how Phillip Rivers feels... Hmmm... Bc

[bacchys]

They're players. I'm a fan.

Players have been known to leave teams hoping to win a ring somewhere else. I'm not going to go root for another team if I think the Ravens aren't likely to win it. For me, it'll always be "wait 'til next year" unless we win it, and even then.

[JimZipCode]

Some of my favorite Maryland men's basketball teams never got past the Sweet Sixteen.

Naw, man. Juan Dixon, Stevie Blake, Lonnie Baxter, Chris Wilcox, and Byron Mouton stand alone!

[darb72]

They're players. I'm a fan.

Players have been known to leave teams hoping to win a ring somewhere else. I'm not going to go root for another team if I think the Ravens aren't likely to win it. For me, it'll always be "wait 'til next year" unless we win it, and even then.

I think I should quantify my position based on bacchys two previous posts.

I tend to look at things from the perspective of a player. As a player, not winning a championship is a busted season. As a fan, yes, seasons that don't result in championships can be considered successful, taking any expectations into account.

[bacchys]

Naw, man. Juan Dixon, Stevie Blake, Lonnie Baxter, Chris Wilcox, and Byron Mouton stand alone!

When I ETS'd from the Army it was Smith, Boothe, Hipp, Rhodes, and Simpkins for the starting five. Loved those guys and that team. They didn’t back down from anyone.

The Vasquez years were good, too.

The '08 Ravens went to the AFCCG banged up but battling. It was a fun team to watch. I was disappointed after they lost to Pittsburgh for the third time that year, but I don't look back at the season as a disappointment. Jamal's 2,000 yard year is another one.

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[JimZipCode]

When I ETS'd from the Army it was Smith, Boothe, Hipp, Rhodes, and Simpkins for the starting five. Loved those guys and that team. They didn’t back down from anyone.

Gary's teams would smack you in the mouth, that's for sure.

One of my all-time favorite Maryland players was Evers Burns. Remember him?

Then there was the game where the Terps were blowing out N Carolina, and late in the game Sarunas Jasikevicius was in. He was guarding Carolina's Dante Calebrea; and he was ridiculously overplaying him to his right. Ridiculously: not just conceding the drive to the left, but even the straight-ahead drive. Completely sitting on the drive to the right.

On TV, the announcer (I think it was Billy Packer!) was saying, "Jasikevicius better watch out, Calebrea can go to his left." But evidently not. Calebrea faked to his left, and stopped; Sarunas didn't budge. Then Sarunas started LAUGHING at him! Just openly taunting him, from his position on defense. Was fucking awesome.

Jasikevicius also dated Miss Maryland, briefly. My hero.