CRISIS!

Ok. I am having a serious identity crisis. It's driving me crazy. What is this dire dilemma, you are surely asking?

Well here it is. I do not know which NFL team I should be a fan of. I hate that I sound like such a girl when I say this, but what can I do? I am a girl. So here goes. I like The Ravens. And why do I like them? Well I have several reasons, none of which really make me feel like a true fan.

1. I am, technically, from Maryland. And Baltimore is in Maryland. Some argue that
The Redskins are the real Maryland team, since they are more established. Call me what you will, but the Redskins lose. All the time. I just can't bring myself to jump on a losing band wagon. And even though they were Maryland's team first, I didn't even really start liking football until like four years ago.

2. When I was little I used to think the Redskins were cool because I like Indians. But...I like the Ravens uniforms much better. I like the colors, I like the numbers, I love the poetic history behind the raven. I know, I know, these have unabashedly nothing to with football.

3. I do not have a problem with any of their key players. I'm the kind of person who will not cheer for a team because of one player. And on the other hand, I will cheer for a team because of one guy that I really like. For example, I love the Mannings. I think they are just really great guys, not to mention Eli looks just like my little brother. So how can I not love them?

But this doesn't help me pick a team. They're two of them. So that doesn't help.

I also cannot stand Tom Brady. I think he's such a cad. I know he's not playing right now, but I still can't like the Patriots. Ever. Just because of Tom.

So basically I cheer for teams on a game-by-game basis. But I don't want to! At least not all the time. I want to have a team.

So here's what it came down to. I lived in Charlotte for quite a while. Definitely long enough to like The Panthers. There's no huge thing pulls me to them except for that they're Carolina's team and I live in Carolina.

Buuuut I still like the Ravens. And this weekend I told myself this- whichever team wins their playoff game, that will be my team.

And The Ravens won! I have to say I was happy because I really like their uniforms so much better than The Panthers. But I'm not really feeling tied to Baltimore itself. Just The Ravens.

So can I do that? Is that allowed in football land?

I know all of this makes me sound like a total idiot- one of those girls who goes to a game but talks the whole time and never knows what's going on, but that's not the case, believe it or not. I l love watching football and sports in general. I watched it all day today, which has made this all the harder.

But I've gotta commit. So now that I've talked myself through this, and you probably think I am a crazy person, I'm committing. I am going to be a Ravens fan. Maybe I am a fairwheather fan. How can I know? They're doing pretty good, so when they start to suck maybe we'll find out. But there's one thing I do know.

They're uniforms are cool and I like birds and Edgar Allen Po. So go Ravens!