When the going gets tough... give up?

Ravens fans are known throughout the NFL as being the most loyal and supportive in the league. After some of the recent blog posts and Twitter posts that I've been reading this week, I had to check the definition of loyal. The dictionary defines 'loyal' as 'giving or showing firm and and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.' Seeing fans knocking Ray Lewis on his own Facebook page or writing blog posts like, "The Worst 9-4 Team in the NFL?"makes me wonder, have we lost the true meaning of the word loyalty in context of loving your team no matter what? We are currently in the Christmas season and despite finals, I am enjoying every minute of the anticipation leading up to my favorite holiday. It makes me sad that some people lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas and what the holiday is really about as they get caught up in the stress of entertaining family or buying the perfect gifts. Just as some lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, I think there are some fans who have lost the true meaning of being a loyal fan. As we are nearing the playoffs, fans are so worried about making it there that they aren't enjoying the roller coaster ride that we are on to get there. I'm not saying that there aren't things happening on the field that we have room to criticize, there were things on Monday night that made me absolutely cringe. But at the end of the day, look at what an amazing save Josh Wilson made with his interception and 12 yard touchdown in overtime for the win. Come on, that was exciting! Nerve-wracking, but exciting nonetheless. I understand peoples need to vent and let out their frustration but to do it so publicly and directly towards the players themselves, makes me a little embarrassed. Arguably one of the most influential players in football, Ray Lewis, has Baltimore fans telling him he 'sucks' on his own Facebook page. Seriously? If I were the Baltimore Ravens right now, I would feel pretty disappointed about the so called loyalty of the fans. Free speech, first amendment, blah blah blah, let's not go disrespect the very team that has produced a winning record for us this season and that is very much alive and well in the race to the playoffs. I love having a team that I am proud of and I have never been prouder than I was following the Ravens vs. Steelers game. Yes, we lost, but those guys played their hearts out and I have FAITH in the fact that we will most definitely beat that nasty team in the playoffs. I was proud of how we dominated the first half on Monday night and I was disappointed that we gave up in the second half. But you know what? I haven't given up on my team. I haven't disregarded the fact that a win is a win and as sloppy as the win in Houston was, it counts the same as a blowout win. I'm not going to ramble on much longer but I want to end with this, on Sunday the Ravens will be playing the reigning Super Bowl champions in Baltimore. Up until the loss to the Steelers, we were undefeated at home. When I watch replays from home games, I am always blown away by the sea of purple and the enthusiasm that the fans show. Yes, this is going to be a tough game on Sunday but rather than lose faith and look at all the odds against a Ravens win, let's get ready to brave the elements and stand loyal and true to a team that has been pretty darn good to us this season. Don't lose faith and don't give up on them because we still have a chance. When the going gets tough for our Baltimore Ravens, lets stand by them as they keep on going!