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Birds of a feather flock together: Ravens show great support for the Orioles

It may be football season, but Baltimore sports fans are pulling double-duty with their support for the Orioles playoff push.

By Kris Jones
Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

It's a magical time in Baltimore.

I don't have the actual data to prove this thought, but judging by those I see in the stands each game at M&T Bank Stadium, around half of those in attendance can't explain the feeling of what it's like to have your home baseball team win a World Series. Personally, I was just a fetus back in 1983 and even if you're 40 or under, it's hard to really appreciate something that special when you're not even ten years old.

The Orioles 14-year skid of being a doormat in the AL East ended with a Wild Card berth in 2012. I can remember to this day, the Ravens playing a late-afternoon game and we sat in the tailgate lots, NOT watching the 1:00 p.m. football games, but the Orioles play the Red Sox while Dylan Bundy pitched some of his first major league innings.

Tailgating for football and watching baseball.... it was awesome!

While the expectations in 2012 were more along the lines of Hey! Happy to be here! Thanks for the invite and now the mindset is HOLY S*IT, LET'S WIN THIS THING!

You may ask, why the heck are you writing an Orioles blog on a Ravens site. Well, here's why:

  1. It have an excuse to write about the Orioles
  2. I'd like to point out how great the Ravens have been cheering on their neighbors in Camden Yards.

In the midst of all the baseball fever in Baltimore, the Ravens find themselves preparing to face a high-powered Indianapolis Colts team led by Andrew Luck. Without a doubt, this is the toughest challenge yet for a depleted Ravens defense.

However, even though football is the main topic, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has started off both of his podium sessions this week talking about the Orioles.

"Is there something going on in town right now? Rumor has it that the O's are up 2-0, huh? They're taking the Tigers' starters to school."

After hearing Harbs talk football for years, it was strange to hear him actually talk some hardball for a change.

"[The Orioles] don't take any pitches. They're going to try and get to that bullpen. They're swinging away, man. I love it. I love the way they play, and the way they built the roster is just incredible. They've done a great job and Buck has done a great job. It's fun to watch them."

In fact, Harbaugh actually texted Orioles manager Buck Showalter to congratulate his team on winning the American League East. My brain can barely wrap itself around the fact that two teams I have such passion for and play at different times of the year are actually working together to pump up the fan base.

I'd also like to tip my hat to the Ravens for being great with their lead on social media and dedicating so much time to the Orioles and even supporting the team as much to turn M&T Bank Stadium orange!

Here's one of the Ravens latest Twitter posts:


M&T Bank Stadium always looks great in purple, but I'm really feeling the orange, too.


Orange may have eclipsed Purple Friday and the way things are going, I hope it continues to do so for quite some time.  Regardless of what happens, the support from the Ravens has been great, especially considering that it makes me feel like they'll understand why I switched the channel at 3:45 p.m. for the first pitch of the O's game on Sunday.

Let's just hope the Ravens have the game wrapped up by then so we're not missing much.


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