Hungry Joe Dead?

Apreche

Poe's mysterious stranger misses annual grave visit.

Or have rumors of his death been greatly exaggerated?

Apreche

Minor tangent.

In 2001, as the Baltimore Ravens — named in honor of the bird in Poe's most famous poem — were preparing to face the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, the toaster left a note that praised the Giants and said the Ravens would suffer "a thousand injuries."

I never realized the Baltimore Ravens name came from Poe. Awesome. They just lost this past weekend. Sad, because they are better than the Jets who are still alive. Also, sadly, the Giants did not win that Super Bowl.

HungryJoe

I never realized the Baltimore Ravens name came from Poe. Awesome.

Where, exactly, did you think it came from? The large population of ravens roosting at M & T Stadium?

BTW, there's no way you'll outlive me, so don't get all excited thinking I'm dead.

George Patches

Where, exactly, did you think it came from?

I had no idea really, very cool. I did overhear someone at the bar the other day saying, "What kind of a name is Ravens anyway?"

Apreche

Where, exactly, did you think it came from? The large population of ravens roosting at M & T Stadium?

Well, team names don't really need to come from anywhere. New York Giants. Are New Yorkers taller than other people?

HungryJoe

Is it really that hard to make the connection? That was the first thing I thought about when I heard that name.

Of course, I'm kind of predisposed to think along those lines. I'm the only one I know, for instance, who is reminded of Halloween by the Orioles' colors.

Sail

I read the news yesterday. The Poe Toaster is a legend fit for Poe himself.

George Patches

I read the news yesterday. The Poe Toaster is a legend fit for Poe himself.

See I heard Poe Toaster Dead and thought, "are they sure it's plugged in?"

TheWhaleShark

Are New Yorkers taller than other people?

Well, we are more important than everyone else. So, I'd say we're giants amongst men.

Sixthpence

Well, wearemore important than everyone else.

Cough. Sure. Cough.

Sail

Are New Yorkers taller than other people?

Well, wearemore important than everyone else. So, I'd say we're giants amongst men.

California has a baseball team called the Angels.

That is all.

HungryJoe

Where, exactly, did you think it came from? The large population of ravens roosting at M& T Stadium?

Well, team names don't really need to come from anywhere. New York Giants. Are New Yorkers taller than other people?

Mets, Yankees, Forty - niners, Vikings, Oilers, Cowboys, Knicks (Knickerbockers), Celtics, Patriots. Many team names are a reflection of some easily recognizable aspect of the teams' hometown or region. Poe has a strong association with B'more, so it should be easy to get the ravens reference.

Ahem, you have read Poe, haven't you? Or does he not employ enough giant ninja robot zombie girls in his stories for your tastes?

Sail

Poe is one of my top three writers and I've never made that connection, either. That may have a lot to do with not paying any attention to football, though.

TheWhaleShark

giant ninja robot zombie girls

He never did tell us much about Lenore. Well, except for "rare" and "radiant." But that could easily apply to a ninja robot.

HungryJoe

Poe is one of my top three writers and I've never made that connection, either. That may have a lot to do with not paying any attention to football, though.

I don't follow football either, but it's kind of hard not to notice at least a bit when you live less than a mile from the stadium.

Li_Akahi

I never realized the Baltimore Ravens name came from Poe. Awesome.

Yeah, and we have three mascots: Edgar, Allen, and Poe.

Sixthpence

I never realized the Baltimore Ravens name came from Poe. Awesome.

Yeah, and we have three mascots: Edgar, Allen, and Poe.

What is this I sense? Is it... Sarcasm?

Axel

I never realized the Baltimore Ravens name came from Poe. Awesome.

Yeah, and we have three mascots: Edgar, Allen, and Poe.

What is this I sense? Is it...Sarcasm?

Can it be? The elusive art, on display in these hallowed and unknown halls? It is a rare and incredible opportunity for us to observe.

Sail

No, I'm pretty sure he's serious. Definitely the kind of thing a guy like Li would say.

Nuri

Well, um...many sports teams are named after animals and birds, so... It's not like it's obvious they were named specifically for the poem. I mean, ravens are a type of bird, and they were before the poem was written. It's cool that that's where the name comes from, but it is perfectly plausible to think the name came from, well, ravens. Right? I mean, it sounds more sinister than Toronto Blue Jays, even without the Poe reference.

Li_Akahi

No, I'm pretty sure he's serious. Definitely the kind of thing a guy likeLiwould say.

I am completely serious, we have three mascots. Usually Poe is the only one seen, but the other two do exist.

...

The annual tribute began in 1949 — unless it started earlier, or later.

QUALITY NEWS REPORTING! Who the fuck gave Captain Obvious a job? He should be saving the internet, not writing articles.

Also Wikipedia:

Mascot:
Poe (costumed mascot)
Rise and Conquer (2 real live ravens)

No other mention of other costumed mascots, but that doesn't say a lot.

As for New York Giants. Stop reading it as "State/City of Giants", it's obviously "Giant City".

HungryJoe

Well, um...many sports teams are named after animals and birds, so... It's not like it's obvious they were named specifically for the poem. I mean, ravens are a type of bird, and they were before the poem was written. It's cool that that's where the name comes from, but it is perfectly plausible to think the name came from, well, ravens. Right? I mean, it sounds more sinister than Toronto Blue Jays, even without the Poe reference.

When you add the fact that, as Li pointed out, the team mascot is a RAVEN named POE, it actually does seem pretty damned obvious.

How many popular images of Poe exist that somehow include a raven? What poem is Poe most associated with in popular culture? How closely do ravens have to be related to Poe before it becomes obvious? How obvious does it have to be?

Einstein lived and worked in Princeton for many years. If there were a Princeton team named "The Princeton Photoelectric Effect" with a mascot made up to "look" like a photon and whose name was "Albert", wouldn't the reference be kind of obvious?

Maybe a better example: Bill Gates lives in Seattle, right? Given the nature of this forum, I'm sure someone will say he has a house or two somewhere else, but let's just freakin' assume that he lives in Seattle. If there were a team called "The Seattle Windows" whose mascot was a Windows symbol named "Bill", would that be obvious enough?

George Patches

When you add the fact that, as Li pointed out, the team mascot is a RAVEN named POE, it actually does seem pretty damned obvious.

And how would you know this unless you've been to a Ravens home game?

HungryJoe

When you add the fact that, as Li pointed out, the team mascot is a RAVEN named POE, it actually does seem pretty damned obvious.

And how would you know this unless you've been to a Ravens home game?

Well, you see his image plastered over just about every flat surface in town with slogans like, "Come to our stadium and see Poe the Raven, you stupid fucks."

Apreche

Well, you see his image plastered over just about every flat surface in town with slogans like, "Come to our stadium and see Poe the Raven, you stupid fucks."

I only go to that horrible place during Otakon, when I am usually not looking at said signs.

Rym

I'm pretty sure that the reason many people outside of Baltimore never associate Poe with the Ravens (the team) is simply that few people outside of Baltimore connect Baltimore to Poe in any way. They know Poe, and, independently, they know Baltimore. There is no link of which they are aware.

HungryJoe

I'm pretty sure that the reason many people outside of Baltimore never associate Poe with the Ravens (the team) is simply that few people outside of Baltimore connect Baltimore to Poe in any way. They know Poe, and, independently, they know Baltimore. There is no link of which they are aware.

I submit that anyone with more than a passing knowledge of Poe knows his Baltimore connection. It's not like it's a secret.

Isn't there some kind of logical fallacy about arguing from ignorance? Or are you just celebrating popular ignorance? Perhaps Poe is irrelevant because he didn't create a cartoon five minutes ago about some techno thingee. Or, as I find more likely, are uou arguing just to be contentious?

lackofcheese

Stating that people are ignorant is not an argument from ignorance. In fact, there's not even an argument here. Joe, you're saying that there's an obvious connection between Poe and the Ravens, which there is. Rym is saying a lot of people fail to make the connection (including me) due to ignorance, which is also true.

Just because Rym isn't actively denouncing any and all people who fail to make this connection doesn't mean he is celebrating them. Incidentally, Joe, your crowing is quite reminiscent of Kilarney.

Cremlian

I didn't even know baltimore had a football team.

HungryJoe

Incidentally, Joe, your crowing is quite reminiscent of Kilarney.

It really hurts me that you would say that, no sarcasm intended at all. It actually makes me feel bad. I'm sorry if I offended you.

However, in my defense, there is a difference. Kilarney crows about knowledge or insight he imagines is unique to him that makes him special when it's usually some stale bullshit he read on The Drudge Report. I'm not saying I have any unique knowledge or insight at all or that I'm special in any way. I'm saying that this should be a common, shared insight. I'm just amazed that anyone else would not make the connection and I'm going on the assumption that anyone here who says they didn't is just being contentious for the sake of contention.

Edit: Also, in my defense, please not that I said early on that "[o]f course, I'm kind of predisposed to think along those lines. I'm the only one I know, for instance, who is reminded of Halloween by the Orioles' colors".

I guess it's hard for me to think otherwise because I'm so close to it. They make a BIG deal about Poe here in Baltimore. I live about a block and a half from Poe's grave. The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum is not much farther away. There's been a exhibit of original Poe Letters and First Editions at the Pratt Library for about six months now, and they have a full-time, dedicated Poe Room and Poe Collection.