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Baltimore Ravens: 5 Reasons You Know You’re A True Fan

By Joe Schiller

Sep 11, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; A general view of M&T Bank Stadium prior to the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; A general view of M&T Bank Stadium prior to the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 1, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Fans display their signs for Baltimore Ravens receiver Steve Smith (not pictured) after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-10. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Fans display their signs for Baltimore Ravens receiver Steve Smith (not pictured) after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-10. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

You know who shirtless Dan is

If you are a real Ravens fan, you know who shirtless Dan is. According to Ravens staff writer Ryan Mink, Dan has been a season ticket holder since 1997. 

In an interview with Mink, here is how Dan said it started:

"One day at a game in 1998, Real Fan Dan was sitting with the Ravens Roost’s president when he lamented that Big Wheel wasn’t coming to the games anymore. “Get up there and do it, you dumb @&$@#!,” he was told. Well, alright. So Real Fan Dan stood up and started doing the cheer, contorting his body to spell each letter. A guy in his section made signs for a living, so he helped with big letters to hold up and train the other fans in the section. Eventually, Real Fan Dan started moving along the upper concourse to spread the cheer."

To this day, if you go to a Ravens game you can find Dan on the big board leading the “R-A-V-E-N-S” chant when the team scores. There is nothing better than watching a big man take off his shirt and start leading the stadium in a chant. It is funny and exciting to watch at the same time. It definitely gets the crowd going and I am sure the players and coaches see it as well.

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