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Reprinted with permission from The San Francisco Chronicle

Baltimore Ravens Fan Glossary
Released by yourDictionary.com


Glossary contains everything you need
to better understand the Ravens

To view the CNN article, Click Here

January 24, 2001, DANVILLE, California - yourDictionary.com, the linguistic portal of record, sent its linguistic specialists into the heart of the Baltimore Ravens country to compile this glossary of terms, which is an indispensable aid for casual fans to better understand the Ravens and their fans.

According to Paul J.J. Payack, president and C.E.O. of yourDictionary.com, "The purpose of creating the Ravens Fan Glossary is to help the television viewer better understand the culture and the people who hail from Baltimore. The Glossary attempts to capture in a single place, the language, style, and idiomatic expressions employed by Ravens fans."

Robert Beard, Chief Linguistic Officer of yourDictionary.com, further explained, "Ravens fans have a linguistic patois that is interesting in that it encapsulates to a high degree the characteristics of speech in the Chesapeake basin as well that of the entire Middle Atlantic region."

The Baltimore Ravens play the New York Giants for the championship of the National Football League in the Super Bowl on Sunday, January 28th in Tampa, Florida.

Ravens Glossary


Commentary by Paul JJ Payack, Robert Beard and Peter Payack
Ravens Term Comment
1. Balmer The largest city in Maryland; home to the Ravens. Often mispronounced as Balt' ti-more. Official abbreviation, Balto, of unknown origin.
2. Bushel A bushel of softshell crabs ready to be steamed; also, the number of points scored by the Ravens.
3. BWI A quicker route to Super Bowl than Dulles. In fact, Baltimore proved a quicker route to Super Bowl than Washington.
4. Crab cake As in 'cake walk,' that the Ravens will experience on Sunday.
5. Draft Natty Bo on tap.
6. Fair Catch A date with a Ravens Cheerleader.
7. Football The All-American game, descended from rugby, first played by Rutgers and Princeton in the 19th century and, later, popularized by Las Vegas odds makers.
8. Fort McHenry Heroic defense of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key. The shelling of Giants will be one for the history books.
9. Founding Fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and company, or Wellington Mara & Art Model.
10. Francis Scott Key His tune has been atop the charts for 200 years. (See also, Soprano).
11. Fuhgetaboutit Jersey slang with 38 different nuances of meaning, depending upon inflection and accompanying gestures. Also, the chances of a Giants victory.
12. Harbor Tunnel Famous Balmer thoroughfare. Also, a very good place for Giants to hide from Raven's Defense.
13. Incomplete Pass Being turned down for a date by a Ravens cheerleader. (See also, fumble).
14. Inner Harbor The nesting ground (and purported final resting place) of the endangered species, Footballus Giantus.
15. Jints Official pronunciation of 'Giants'. One syllable only, please; linguistic construction known as syllable reduction.
16. Las Vegas The site of the real action on Super Bowl Sunday.
17. The Meadowlands Euphemism for the Swamps of New Jersey. Coined because The Petrochemical-Lands was too long to fit onto the stadium marquee.
18. 'Nevermore' Sage-like utterance of Edgar Allen Poe's protagonist in, "The Raven". Uncannily, all-too-accurately expresses the prospects of a Giants victory.
19. National Aquarium A large fish tank containing many species of sea creatures that did not make it to the Super Bowl, including Dolphins, Marlins, and Seahawks. Down the road at the National Zoo, tourists can see many other species of endangered wildlife including Jaguars, Rams, Bears, & Colts.
20. New York Giants Champions of the Jersey Swamplands. (See also, Jints.)
21. Neutral Zone An area of the Middle Atlantic states, approximating the Mason-Dixon Line, where fans root for neither the Giants nor the Ravens. Another name for Delaware.
22. Pocket Something an owner has to reach deep into, in order to field a contending team. (Usage hint: Never use in the presence of 'Skins management.)
23. Raven Roosts Favorite watering holes for Raven Fans.
24. Scrapple A local breakfast favorite that's hard to describe like 'grits' or 'hush puppies'. Literally, a fried pork-cornmeal combo.
25. 'Skins A bar room delicacy, usually served with sour cream. (See also, Washington 'Skins.)
26. Spread Law enforcement maneuver; also, lush presentations of food at Super Bowl parties.
27. The Sopranos How the Jints will sing at the end of the game on Sunday. (See also, 'hitting the high notes'.)
28. Tailgate Party 24/7 activity, with brief three-hour interlude on Sundays that includes fermented beverages, salty snacks, salty language and soon-to-be extinct animal from the swamps of Jersey. (See also, Jints).
29. Washington, D.C. One-time sports capital, now simply the national capitol.
Bonus Word
Ravens Term Comment
30. Isray (verb) Balmer term meaning to sneak out, under the cover of darkness, as in 'to isray'.

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