Why the animosity between Redskin and Raven fans?

[Smokey 1]

I can't figure out why fans of the two local teams hate each others team so much? I see this mostly from Redskin fans who really hate the Ravens for some reason. It doesn't really make much sense since they are in two different conferences and the only time it matters is when they play each other and that is rare. I used to hate the Redskins myself when Cooke was the owner but that was for a good reason since he was partially responsible for keeping the NFL out of Baltimore. But since he is dead and sitting in hell with Bob Irsay and saving a seat for ole Tags I have buried that hatchet. I just don't get why so many Redskin fans hate the Ravens like they do. It doesn't make much sense. The only thing I can think of is that they are jealous.

[Aclobat]

Raven's fan's dont care about the redskins. Just like O's fan's dont care for the Nats. Its just there is a few redskins trolls on this board that feel like there team is better and must bring up little points to why the ravens player suck.

[Smokey 1]

Raven's fan's dont care about the redskins. Just like O's fan's dont care for the Nats. Its just there is a few redskins trolls on this board that feel like there team is better and must bring up little points to why the ravens player suck.

I know some Redskin fans who are not on this board who really hate the Ravens. I agree that most Raven fans don't care one way or the other about the Redskins since they are in the other conference.

[Frank Costanza 831]

It's complete and total envy. The Redskins are perennial losers and it bothers their fans that a vastly superior organization plays 40 miles north of them. As far as the Ravens fans hating the Skins, that I don't know. They're a team that I don't care even slightly about like the Bills or Jaguars. Can't drum up any animosity towards them

[Brohan]

The good thing is they are such a pathetic org that we get to kick them while they are down.

Dwarf Snyder is heaven sent.

[can you hear me now!]

the redskins fans hate the ravens out of sheer jealousy-- the ravens win, they don't, bisciotti's Ravens are a model franchise..the Redskins are not..the Ravens are relevant, the redskins are not....and down the line it goes....

the redskins fans are better trolls, but that's about it....

[AFKAR7]

I think Raven fans who are about 43 and above hate Washington more than the younger Raven fans now do.

I'm 50 and growing up in Laurel, where I graduated in 1981, I remember more Baltimore Colt fans than Washington fans. That all changed in 1983 when the Colts moved and Washington went on their ten year run. The Baltimore tv market then had the Redskins forced on them when they had no interest. The Washington fan based became increasingly arrogant during that time.

It also did not help that Cooke tried his best to keep a team from coming to the Baltimore market.

Over the past 20 years, despite many trying to say otherwise, Washington fans hate towards Baltimore has increased. People can say what they want but I have worked in and around D.C. For the past 23 years and I have seen it and heard it from them. Been married for 20 years and have had to hear it from my wife's family as well. All of them, except two, are Washington fans. One of them now has an extreme hate for the Ravens as he blames them for what happened to RGKNEE.

People outside of the Baltimore/Washington market have never understood how different they two cities are despite only being separated by roughly 60 miles.

[outerbanks]

Read the comments from this story in today's Wash. Post. 36 comments without a single comment supporting the Ravens. I do not understand how or why Ravens fans continue to support the Caps when the DC fans spew hatred toward the Ravens. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...tml?ctab=all_&

[AFKAR7]

Read the comments from this story in today's Wash. Post. 36 comments without a single comment supporting the Ravens. I do not understand how or why Ravens fans continue to support the Caps when the DC fans spew hatred toward the Ravens. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...tml?ctab=all_&

I have said the same things for years to people who call themselves "Baltimoreans" and will trash Washington and their sports teams but for some reason not the Crapitols. I made Rob Long a little angry with me for calling any sports reporter in Baltimore a sellout for supporting the Craps. I was surprised to learn that they Crapitols have about 20% of their season ticket holders from the Baltimore area.

One thing that I always thought Baltimore did a good job in was not supporting the Redskins and holding out for an NFL team. Now the possibility of ever getting an NHL team might be 0% but don't help the argument of not deserving one by supporting Washingtons team. BFD that fat Ted plays a lousy meaningless exhibition game. He doesn't care about Baltimore or the people there. He only cares about the suckers who give his team money. If he really cares about Baltimore then play half their season there.

[Baltimore Ravens Lets Go!]

I generally have no dislike for Redskin fans (at least the ones who live in my area (Western Maryland/WV panhandle). They are generally decent folk. In fact my son-in-law is a Redskin fan as well as my possible future son-in-law who is also an Orioles fan. It just seems like the ones who come on this board to post are a bunch of arrogant jerks who have nothing to back it up whatsover. It seems like those fans who live closer to DC are more of that nature, probably because they transfer their superiority complex that is based on DC being a superior city over Baltimore.

[terpmaniac]

Never really hated the Redskins until this year. The success of RGIII brought the absolute worst out in many Redskins fans. The game between the two teams was a perfect example. The Post asked the question if it was a legitamate rivalry and the DC fans pretty much made it clear that the Ravens and the city of Baltimore was so beneath them in every way that of course its not a rivalry! I have hated them ever since. GO RAVENS.

[ivanbalt]

I have said the same things for years to people who call themselves "Baltimoreans" and will trash Washington and their sports teams but for some reason not the Crapitols. I made Rob Long a little angry with me for calling any sports reporter in Baltimore a sellout for supporting the Craps. I was surprised to learn that they Crapitols have about 20% of their season ticket holders from the Baltimore area.

One thing that I always thought Baltimore did a good job in was not supporting the Redskins and holding out for an NFL team. Now the possibility of ever getting an NHL team might be 0% but don't help the argument of not deserving one by supporting Washingtons team. BFD that fat Ted plays a lousy meaningless exhibition game. He doesn't care about Baltimore or the people there. He only cares about the suckers who give his team money. If he really cares about Baltimore then play half their season there.

I like the Capitols to an extent. Big deal. It gives me the opportunity to talk trash with a friend who's a Penguins fan.

[Nightman]

Dealing with Deadskin fans on the Washington Post discussion threads is a lot like some Libreals, they are for all for free speech, just as long as you bash the Ravens and agree with them. Otherwise they can't handle the truth when you defend the Ravens.

[AFKAR7]

I like the Capitols to an extent. Big deal. It gives me the opportunity to talk trash with a friend who's a Penguins fan.

Not sure how seeing that the Penguins and the best player in the NHL, Sid, have won something. Oh and root for whomever you like. I will always call any person who considers themself are Baltimorean and trash all Washington teams but the Craps a hypocrite.

One year in the NHL playoffs my brother-in-law, who is a Crapitols fan, asked if I was pulling for the Craps because they were playing Pittsburgh. LOL yeah right, he was so wrong.

[bwlewis1964]

My take the Redskins maybe a good luck charm. They beat us in 2000 and the
Ravens win the Super Bowl. Again the Skins beat the Ravens and they reach
the Super Bowl once more.

[West Chester Raven]

The reason is this: When we did not have a football team and later tried to attract one, our efforts were stymied by the league because they wanted the Baltimore market to be covered by the Redskins.The Redskins were in a way, forced on us. Obviously, we finally got a team but that was despite the efforts of Paul Tagliabue.

[NCBirdfan]

My take the Redskins maybe a good luck charm. They beat us in 2000 and the
Ravens win the Super Bowl. Again the Skins beat the Ravens and they reach
the Super Bowl once more.

The reason is this: When we did not have a football team and later tried to attract one, our efforts were stymied by the league because they wanted the Baltimore market to be covered by the Redskins.The Redskins were in a way, forced on us. Obviously, we finally got a team but that was despite the efforts of Paul Tagliabue.

I agree with both these posts. I might add that I really don't follow the Redskins (or the Nationals for that matter) because my love is for the city of Baltimore. What the powers that be in the NFL never realize is that team loyalty ends for many people when teams relocate.

The NFL underestimates how the love of a city supersedes the love of a franchise and doesn't understand the connection between the city and the franchise. Once you break that connection, you lose fans. And forcing another franchise down the throats of those same fans is fruitless.

I remember full well when the Colts left Baltimore. I sure as heck wasn't going to root for the Colts in Indianapolis and didn't haIve any desire to adopt Washington (maybe because I lived in Pennsylvania at the time). I remember Green Bay being my foster child during the years when Baltimore didn't have an NFL team - and even that was lukewarm. I just liked a few of the players. The Packers weren't particularly good every year but they had some decent quarterbacks like Lynn Dickey and Don Majchowski and, of course Brett Favre.

But I was always waiting for Baltimore to get an NFL team. There were the Stars and Stallions to watch and enjoy, but they only filled the void so much.

[West Chester Raven]

I agree with both these posts. I might add that I really don't follow the Redskins (or the Nationals for that matter) because my love is for the city of Baltimore. What the powers that be in the NFL never realize is that team loyalty ends for many people when teams relocate.

The NFL underestimates how the love of a city supersedes the love of a franchise and doesn't understand the connection between the city and the franchise. Once you break that connection, you lose fans. And forcing another franchise down the throats of those same fans is fruitless.

I remember full well when the Colts left Baltimore. I sure as heck wasn't going to root for the Colts in Indianapolis and didn't haIve any desire to adopt Washington (maybe because I lived in Pennsylvania at the time). I remember Green Bay being my foster child during the years when Baltimore didn't have an NFL team - and even that was lukewarm. I just liked a few of the players. The Packers weren't particularly good every year but they had some decent quarterbacks like Lynn Dickey and Don Majchowski and, of course Brett Favre.

But I was always waiting for Baltimore to get an NFL team. There were the Stars and Stallions to watch and enjoy, but they only filled the void so much.

God - remember the Stallions. I was at those games. "It filled the void, but only so much" that is so true. I still have a hat and t-shirt with the CFL Colts logo. Remember that name/logo before they were forced to change the name to Stallions?

[NCBirdfan]

God - remember the Stallions. I was at those games. "It filled the void, but only so much" that is so true. I still have a hat and t-shirt with the CFL Colts logo. Remember that name/logo before they were forced to change the name to Stallions?

That was just another reason to dislike the Irsays. They stole the name and then made it hard for anybody to ever use it again. The name had great ties with Baltimore (horse racing has been a tradition in Baltimore) and almost none with Indianapolis (mostly known for auto racing).

I don't believe I've ever seen those hats/t-shirts you described or else I would have bought a few myself.

[JasonM]

Animosity? Only in the Washington Post's comment section. I have friends & co-workers who are big fans of the Landovers, they don't talk smack to me, we get along fine. When the topic comes up, they mostly complain about how much they hate Snyder, how he's destroyed a proud franchise, how he expects them to forget all the bad moves he's made because he shows them a shiny object every year with little impact.
And I have to say that the stands in Fed Ex Field were fairly peaceful on December 9. There was one drunken maniac in a Kerrigan jersey who was scaring everyone, but that was it. Hardly the "animosity" you'll see between, say, Red Sox fans & Yankee fans at their games.

But I do have a bit of contempt for Snyder. My city was a "secondary" market for the Ravens during the early years of their existence. They were on TV here almost as often as the skins in the late 90s/early 2000s, one of the reasons I became a Ravens fan. Snyder felt threatened, greedy and (with the help of "The Shield) put a stop to that.
I believe he's done the same in parts of MD as well. Now we don't get Ravens games here unless they're playing in the "national marquee" matchup (like the Dallas,Pittsburgh & Denver games). Redzone has basically fixed that problem for me, but Snyder's still a berk as far as I'm concerned.