Yesterday was exciting, rewarding, and very wet. For some reason, it reminded me of an old saying…

“I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.”

Rodney Dangerfield

Except, it was not a fight, just a sloppy, rainy mess. And the hockey game was actually a football game. And it was not just any football game, it was the Baltimore Ravens home game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers – one of the great rivalries of the National Football League.

For the Ravens, this game was meaningless as far as their playoff situation. They were 13-2 and had already gained a bye for the 1st playoff weekend and then home field advantage for the next two games. Six starting Ravens would not play in order to recover from injuries and get some much needed rest, including Most Valuable Player candidate, Lamar Jackson.

On the other hand, the Steelers needed a victory plus a Tennessee Titans’ loss to gain a wild card slot in the playoffs. Surely, Pittsburg (who always plays Baltimore tough) would be hungry for a win.

To make things even more interesting, it had been raining all day and would continue to rain during the entire game. Players were slipping and sliding on this sloppy, messy, pig sty of a field. I joined the poncho-clad crowd of fans cheering to keep warm and drinking beer just cuz. Nearing the end of the game, the weather had turned us all into drowned rats.

The craft beer choices at M&T Stadium are slim pickins. I found a stand offering Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA, which is a rose among thorns in this macro-beer stadium. It was delicious and a wonderful way to celebrate the Ravens 28-10 victory and their 14-2 season. Both teams struggled, mostly because of the constant rain. Turnovers, sliding running backs and even a safety highlighted the game. Go Ravens!

Cheers!

Warren