Facts for the "Get Over It" and "Hypocrites" Crowd

A few weeks ago the Ravens faced the Colts in the playoffs in Baltimore. Much was made at the time about the Baltimore fans and their continued anger regarding the Colts midnight move in 1984. Many national and Indiana media members told Baltimore fans to "get over it." Many even pointed out that Baltimore "stole" the Browns, and that Baltimore fans are "hypocrites" because they "did the same thing to Cleveland."

What the media failed to do in their rush to judgment is gather and share all of the facts. (What a surprise!) So here is the Baltimore perspective supported with the facts the media was too LAZY to provide:

• The vast majority of Baltimore fans are over the move. We have our own team, the Ravens, who have sold out EVERY one of their 91 regular season and playoff games since starting in Baltimore in 1996. How can fans who aren't "over it" "move on" to show such support for another team?

• Baltimoreans (including many former BALTIMORE Colts) DESPISE the Indianapolis Colts because they HOLD OUR HISTORY HOSTAGE! Go to the NFL Hall of Fame and you see Johnny U listed under the INDIANAPOLIS Colts. Believe me, if the Indianapolis Racers had played in Baltimore several weeks ago, you would not have seen near the anger.
  

Amazingly, there were some members of the media who actually talked to (or were themselves) old Baltimore Colts players and fans and got the story right:

All Baltimore wants is its Colts History

Former Baltimore Colts

Former Colts, Browns, Giants GM Ernie Accorsi

Set the Record Straight

 

Now, did Baltimore and the Ravens do "the same thing" to Cleveland that Indianapolis and the Colts (primarily) did to Baltimore? Again, here are some facts:

• In the early 90's Baltimore made a full effort to get an expansion team. Baltimore jumped through all of the hoops required by the NFL - they hosted a sold-out preseason game at Memorial Stadium, they committed to building a new state-of-the art stadium, and they had TWO solid ownership groups (the other cities only had one). Indianapolis built a stadium and then looked for an existing team. They never put together a formal ownership group to try to get an expansion team.
  
• Despite Baltimore having the strongest financial offer, the NFL expanded to Charlotte and Jacksonville. Amazingly, Jacksonville got a team despite the fact that they REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM CONSIDERATION! They had to be convinced by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to re-enter the race. (BTW - Jacksonville has played in 2 AFC championship games and made the playoffs 3 other times in their 12 year history. Despite their success, the team has had to COVER SECTIONS OF SEATS because they CAN'T SELL THEM!)
• When interviewed on a Baltimore TV station after the charade of expansion, Tagliabue said that cities can choose "to build a museum" instead of trying to get an NFL team.
• Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore but LEFT THE NAME, COLORS, & HISTORY in Cleveland.
  
• The Cleveland Browns still compete in the NFL. The BALTIMORE Colts do not.
  
• The Cleveland Browns play in a brand-new stadium subsidized by the NFL. The Ravens play in a new stadium NOT subsidized by the NFL.
  
• Jim Brown, Otto Graham, and the rest of the Browns legends are in the Hall of Fame as CLEVELAND BROWNS.
  
• Jim Brown, Otto Graham, and the rest of the Browns legends are NOT in the record book of the Baltimore Ravens.
• Cleveland was guaranteed a new team named the Browns when Art Modell's franchise left. Baltimore was guaranteed NOTHING.
• Baltimore went 12 seasons without a team. Cleveland went 3.

Now that you have the facts, you can make your own judgment.