BY MARGO MASSEY, Editor-in-chief

The day after the Super Bowl aired, I found myself already asking, “Is it football season yet?”

Many people will give me the side-eye, saying football is boring and it’s just men running around on a field, stopping every few seconds, all while chasing an egg-shaped ball.

I can’t fault them entirely for their opinions because, five years ago, I was one of them.

I went through all of high school and my first year of college thinking football was a stupid sport.  I tried going to my school’s games, but always ended up walking around the stadium talking to friends.

I never understood anything about it and found myself drawn to soccer and baseball, saying they were more exciting and easier to understand.

I am ashamed now of my previous way of thinking.

All it took for me to completely fall in love with this great game was finding a team I actually cared about.

In the beginning of the 2009-2010 season, I found that team. I don’t remember how exactly, but that season I fell head over heels in love with the Baltimore Ravens.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the Seahawks.  They are my second-most- loved team, but that season I fell so deeply in love with the Ravens, they have stuck firmly in first place in my heart ever since.

Thinking back, I do believe that one of the reasons I’ve stuck with this team for so long, actually has a lot to do with the Seahawks.  The Ravens’ biggest rival team just happens to be the Steelers. Just like most green-and-blue-blooded Washingtonians, I still hate the Steelers for Super Bowl XL.  Because of that, I absolutely adore seeing the Ravens and the Steelers match up, and more often than not, I love watching the Ravens show those damn Steelers what’s up.

Unfortunately, being a Ravens girl in Seahawk country can be problematic. When I wear either my Joe Flacco or Ray Rice jersey around campus, the day does not finish without me getting at least one derogatory comment about how the Ravens suck, or how Flacco is a terrible quarterback.

Flacco gets a lot of flak (haha) for being one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, but frankly I think he has earned it. He led the Ravens to an amazing victory last year against the 49ers.

I take the hate in stride, however. I know that my team is a great one, despite our less-than-outstanding season this year. I bleed black and purple and have nothing but love for the previously mentioned players, as well as Justin Tucker, Michael Oher, Dennis Pitta and the rest of our outstanding lineup.

Every year, I count down to pre-season. On game day you can find me camped out in front of the TV, decked out in black and purple from head to toe. I bought my first Ravens jersey in Baltimore and wore it as much as I could for the rest of the season.  Since then, my collection of Ravens merchandise has grown, owing a lot to the fact that my parents spent a few days before this Christmas stuck in Baltimore. Bad for them, GREAT for me.  Black and purple everything!

What it all boils down to is I get it if you don’t understand or even like football, if you don’t have a team you bleed for. But don’t look at me weirdly if I’m already excited for next season just days after the last one ended.