Baltimore, home of the Ravens, is a huge and famous football city of the NFL and partially the CFL. It is the only city that has won every single professional championship... including a Grey Cup. Even though the Baltimore Ravens are a young football team founded in 1996, Baltimore has a long and confusing history with a couple other different professional teams. But their fans are great and they are cheering their team to another championship!
Their mascot's name is Poe, named after Edgar Allen Poe, a famous poet who wrote a poem named "The Raven". Edgar lived in Baltimore until he died in 1849, so Baltimore honoured him by naming their new team after this famous poet. Since he wrote a lot of scary poems, maybe his spirit can help scare their opponents.
If you like coincidences, the San Francisco 49ers were named after the 1849 California Gold Rush. So both teams, the 49ers and the Ravens, in this year's Super Bowl were named after two historical events that happened precisely 164 years ago.
Poe the mascotCourtesy of the NFL
Historical Hysteria
Baltimore used to be the Colts who are now in Indianapolis, and the Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns before they moved to Baltimore. That may seem confusing because Cleveland currently has a team called the Browns. The story goes like this:
- The Baltimore Colts were established in the NFL in 1953
- The Baltimore Colts won the Super Bowl in 1970
- The Baltimore Colts lost their team in 1983 to the Indianapolis Colts because the owner wanted money
- A new Baltimore Colts team entered the CFL in 1994 and they had to change their name to the Stallions because the NFL sued them
- The Baltimore Stallions won the grey Cup in 1995
- The Baltimore Colts folded in 1995 because no fans showed up for the parade
- The Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996
- A new Cleveland Browns returned to the NFL as an expansion team
- The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000
- The Baltimore Ravens have returned to the Super Bowl in 2013
The Band that wouldn't Die
Baltimore Marching BandCourtesy of the NFL
The Baltimore Colts fans were so upset that they lost their football team to Indianapolis in 1983, that the marching band didn't quit. They kept playing the songs that they played the Colts' game even when there was no football game. They marched up and down the streets in protest of having no team for more than 10 years. ESPN made a 30 for 30 documentary called "The Band that wouldn't Die". These Baltimore fans are truly crazy about football.
Franchise MVP
Ray LewisCourtesy of the NFL
Ray Lewis is the heart and Soul of the Baltimore Ravens. He has played his whole career as a Raven and he has always been their MVP. Year after year, Ray leads the team with tackles, NFL records and the best defensive plays you'll ever see. He won the MVP at Superbowl 2000 and even though he's probably too old too win it again, he'll definitely be part of the difference vs the San Fransisco 49ers at Super Bowl XLVII.
Have your say...
Who's your favorite team? Do the Ravens have a shot against the 49ers? Let us know in the comments below...
