They are not Champions of the World...they are US Champions!

[Jimb]

Boy that bugs me. Why do football announcers build their league up to be the crème de la crème of the world? A World Championship usually requires someone else from the World in a challenge.

Good game though.

Jim

[narfire]

That game was the best I've seen that I can remember.
SF perhaps next year eh....

You're right about the world champ thing.... should have the rest of the world competing to claim that title. World cup , soccer(football the rest of the world), rugby....

[RRoller123]

Agreed, only the Olympics are truly international.

[Gunsmith]

Yeah I never understood why US sports call many things world championships when there are no foreign competitors? OK there are many foreign players but I don't think that counts. What's wrong with National Champions, that's not good enough?

[RRoller123]

There is baseball in Japan, Hockey in Canada, but that's about it. Just a misnomer.

[Gunsmith]

I don't have time to watch a lot of sports but I think what we call football her in the US would be a lot more entertaining to watch if other countries participated.

[narfire]

Well, Baltimore actually won the CFL's Grey Cup in 95 so perhaps we could go as far as saying "North American Champs" ??
Underlying the same with slightly different rules and number of men on the field though..

[courtenay]

"I don't have time to watch a lot of sports but I think what we call football her in the US would be a lot more entertaining to watch if other countries participated."

Don't think that's going to happen any time soon, Gunsmith. Many other countries play rugby - similar to North American football without all the padding and play stoppages. There are World Cup matches in Rugby and both the US and Canada have participated.

[TX82FIAT]

American football is so American at this point that I don't think any country could field a team at this time that could compete with the NFL teams unless the money was right. The years of building a football culture has put the US years ahead of the rest of the world developing a market for the game and a system of developing youth to play... FOR NOW. I know there are American footbal leagues around the globe. I agree that it is typical and in bad taste for Americans to call a championship a "world championship". Personally, I think the term World Series is much more offensive when used for the Major Legue Baseball championshiop in the US. I would only say that if some team outside of the NFL thinks they can take down the Baltimore Ravens then have a go at it. It is not about athleticism because people from the US are not better athletes. there are great athletes across the globe. At this time, with respect to this specific game, I do not think it is a streatch to call this team the best in the world.

Believe me... It gives me great pain to hear world Chamopion Baltimore Ravens. Ray Lewis is a thug that was present during a murder and did not come forward to the authorities. The fact that this man (Ray Lewis) has been able to have a career in the NFL when other have served time for things like hosting a dog fight or walking into a NY bar with a gun is outrageous.

[RRoller123]

Well at least baseball has Canadian team(s) and they play some games in Japan and a LOT of Japanese players are now involved, but I agree, the "World" part seems contrived.

[Fi8spider]

"I don't have time to watch a lot of sports but I think what we call football her in the US would be a lot more entertaining to watch if other countries participated."

Don't think that's going to happen any time soon, Gunsmith. Many other countries play rugby - similar to North American football without all the padding and play stoppages. There are World Cup matches in Rugby and both the US and Canada have participated.

North American football and Rugby leauge were both derived from Rugby, I much prefer to watch NFL or Rugby Leauge over Rugby. Not a big fan of the rolling ruck and maul and much prefer it when a tackle is the end of that play. The stoppages during an NFL game are over the top but I love the strategies and creativity the game presents right across the park. I watch most of my NFL as delayed telecast or a replay from the week prior so most of the stoppages are cut out or shortened. For what it's worth - Go the Bengals!

You'll find that there is a world cup Rugby Leauge played every 4 years, 2013 will see the tournament played in the UK.
USA will be fielding a team as they have done for as long as I can remember and of the 14 teams the US have drawn against The Cook Islands, Wales and Scotland. Good luck against The Cook Islands - dem' boys know how to beat em' up and drag em' out though I think Wales will win the group to advance.

[johndemar]

Believe me... It gives me great pain to hear world Chamopion Baltimore Ravens. Ray Lewis is a thug that was present during a murder and did not come forward to the authorities. The fact that this man (Ray Lewis) has been able to have a career in the NFL when other have served time for things like hosting a dog fight or walking into a NY bar with a gun is outrageous.

But Ray-Ray has found God, so everything is A OK! (sarcasm)
Actually can't comment on the game because I had zero interest in either team and spent most of the time in the garage. My hope was, and I know it isn't possible, that they would play to a tie. Even the commercials weren't that great this year from what I understand. And yeah world champions is over the top. Just the ego of the commissioner and the league in general showing.

[baltobernie]

Ray Lewis is a thug that was present during a murder and did not come forward to the authorities.

Sunday's Washington Post had the temerity to suggest that Ray Lewis is the equivalent of London Fletcher, John Harbaugh is similar to Joe Gibbs, etc. etc. and that 'Skins fans should root for the Ravens.

[ga.spyder]

That is a huge insult to London Fletcher.As Tex said,Lewis is a thug.He spouts his Christianity then goes home to raise his 6 kids from 4 different mothers.Never bothered to marry any of them.He bought off the families in the murders in Atlanta.Not a nice guy.