New Blog: Letter to the Ravens from a Very Excited Fan

It was playoff Sunday and I started at my local Dunkin Donuts before heading to meet the other four females who would be joining me at the Ravens/Texans game.  I knew it was going to be a great day when I gave another customer a quarter, and you would have thought I was giving her a quarter of a million dollars!  Not only did she thank me profusely, but so did her daughters AND husband!

The five of us arrived at M&T Stadium bright and early to do a little tailgating, but we headed into the stadium well in advance to make sure we made it to our nosebleed seats in plenty of time.  Before getting in line we happily applied and donned our brand new purple Fanstaches!! 

To the following players, this is what I want to tell you:

Mr. Pitta, I may be an old lady, but I still think you’re hot!

Mr. Oher, I have a soft spot for you. Ever since training camp when you held out your hand to my son to give him five…I was smitten.  I will forever treasure the photograph that I captured that day.

Mr. Reed, you always amaze me!  Your athleticism and dedication is much admired.

Mr. Suggs, what can I say…you rock and I would be PROUD if I were a student of your university!!  I hope you understand the reason why I turned down the $5 shirt that they were selling after the game.  While I really, REALLY, wanted to buy one, once the gentleman turned it around, I couldn’t allow myself to purchase an item that depicted a cartoon character “relieving” himself on a Texans helmet.

Mr. Boldin, my 8 year old daughter is crazy about you! Not sure why, but your jersey was the one she wanted a year or so ago.  She wears it proudly to this day!  Her mom? Well, she thinks you have an amazing smile.

Mr. Rice, you my man, totally ROCK!!  I simply can’t get enough of you! 

Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lewis…what can I say.  My 12 year old daughter is the one who worships you!  I have a video of her screaming her head off at her first ever Ravens game (just this past October for Breast Cancer Awareness weekend), and I light up when I listen to it.  To hear her SO excited over you dancing is incredible!  In fact, it made me cry the first time I listened to it.  Now, my then 6 year old daughter ran screaming from you at training camp, but hey…I’m a big woman and quite frankly, your size even intimidates me ;)  I have to admit, this past Sunday when you came out dancing, I was so stinking excited that I wet my pants a little!!  Well, partly because I waited 15 minutes in the ladies room line and never got to go.  There was NO WAY I was missing your entrance!!!

Mr. Flacco, not only did I sport a #5 jersey on Sunday, the five of us also wore our Fanstaches…proudly!  I didn’t even get angry when two female Texans fans said, “At least we don’t have to wear THOSE stupid things!”  They were just jealous because they didn’t look as cute as us ;)  One person a team does not make, Mr. Flacco, but with the help of your amazing skills, your team is headed to New England this weekend!

To the rest of the Ravens team, each and every one of you should be holding your head high!  Not just anyone can be a Raven, it takes a special man, and you all…are those men.  When you arrive at New England, remember…”Play Like a Raven”.  Not that you needed that reminder.  YOU MAKE ME PROUD!!!

Finally, Mr. Harbaugh…

I am proud to say that I am a true Ravens fan through and through.  I refuse to let others actions affect who I am, or my enjoyment of the game.  You will be pleased to know that while walking to the stadium (and through, and from) I thanked each and every police officer I came in contact with.  I thanked them for keeping us safe AND…they thanked me!  While in line waiting to be poked and prodded, I thanked a soldier who was in line across from me, for his service to us and our Country.  He also thanked ME as well.  My proudest moment?  When I was finished getting checked in into the stadium and ran head on into two Texans fans.  I walked right over to them…AND HUGGED ONE!  I thanked them for visiting us and wished them luck.  I won’t share the nasty things they said to me after.  I refrained from shouting out “O!!!” during our National Anthem because one, we were not at an Orioles game and two, I highly disagree with that outburst even more so since 9/11.  Lastly, you will be happy to know that I let as many as possible around me know how incredibly rude it was to boo that teenage Steelers fan who was a part of the Punt, Kick and Pass program.  Not that anyone heard me, but I still let my voice be heard.  I was the epitome of what a Ravens fan should be:  confident, proud, respectable, and accepting.  I will admit, one of the highlights of that game was seeing you on the Jumbotron getting the crowd pumped up.  I could kick myself for not getting a picture of that!

I still am trying to beg my sister to make the trek to New England this Sunday, but we both are somewhat scared.  After all, this game is IT!  Not only that…we are girls, and no matter how “strong” we are, we always will have that fear of large, Patriots fans bullying us into hiding in the bathroom until the game is over.

Mr. Harbaugh, can I ask a favor??  Can you ask your team that if they see two young ladies outside of the players exit waiting for autographs, it very well may be my sister and I, and we came a long way to cheer our favorite team on?  We would appreciate it.  Oh, and to make it easy to recognize us, we will be the ones wearing our purple Fanstaches ;)

Sincerely,

Sharon Barski

P.S. I think Indianapolis is calling your name!