The Baltimore Inferiority Complex

If you have grown up in Baltimore you know what I am talking about - if you don't know what I am speaking of allow me to explain.

Virtually everyone that has grown up in the greater Baltimore area suffers from a unique condition called the "Baltimore Inferiority Complex" (BIC). The BIC results in your average Baltimorean taking a salty attitude towards virtually every other city in the US - especially on the east coast. Baltimore is sort of the forgotten middle child of the east coast. Sandwiched between Philadelphia and the national capital the larger bands, stage shows, comics, speakers and world in general tends to bypass us. We have lost a basketball team, and a football team and the biggest contribution to the larger picture of American culture has been "The Wire;" not exactly something for the tourist board.

Philly, DC, New York and Boston get songs written about them - happy songs, upbeat songs. Songs featuring Baltimore are usually in the Tom Waits vein.

Growing up in this type of environment lends someone to believe that the world has it out for our weird little town. The Orioles never get the calls, the NFL did everything it could to keep a team from coming to Baltimore, the NBA hates us. Hell even the war for which we are "famous" (the one where we saved the effing country?) is the one you gloss over in your high school history classes.

If cities were Presidents then Baltimore is James K Polk. Industrious, got things done, loud, brash and largely ignored.

Why am I bringing this up? Two words: Prince Fielder.

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