In keeping with the spirit of ecumenical regionalism, is it appropriate for a Redskins fan to cast aside regular season loyalties and embrace the Ravens in their march to the Super Bowl?
In other words, is it okay for a Redskin fan to root for the Ravens on Sunday?
That is the question posed by Robert McCartney in this column in The Washington Post today. It’s a particularly poignant question here in HoCo, a county pretty evenly divided between Redskin fans and Ravens fans.
The short answer is no.
“A real fan only has one team,” Jerroyd Goode, 37, explained at Jilly’s in Ellicott City . “I grew up with the Redskins, and I’m not going to change.”
McCartney agrees.
“No, being a fan satisfies some deep need, embedded in our nature, to be part of something bigger. In caveman days — and I pick that comparison deliberately — it was belonging to an extended family or clan. Today, it’s Redskins Nation. We wear the colors. We sing the song. Whether we’re celebrating (occasionally) or despairing (usually), we do it as one.
Given all that, I cannot bring myself to endorse rooting for the Ravens. It would betray my kin.”
It’s okay Bob. I feel your pain. Last year, with the Steelers in the Super Bowl, I decided to try and be supportive of another AFC team. After half heartedly rooting for them through the game, I went immediately home and took a shower. I didn’t even feel totally clean again until November 6th.
