A Day at the Beach

Jamie Hoffman's first career home run sailed into the Left Field Pavilion on Sunday afternoon, igniting a 54,000-fan frenzy around Dodger Stadium. But for 800 Dodger die-hards enjoying the debut of Bleacher Beach on the Lower Reserve, the three-run blast brought about a second wave of water from what seemed liked the skies above. However, this is Los Angeles, with no threat of a rain shower until Thanksgiving. In this case, the spray was courtesy of a water hose held by the 'lifeguard' on duty, celebrating the score with a sunny day respite.

And with that, Bleacher Beach was officially christened. The latest section of Dodger Stadium to feature unlimited nachos and Dodger Dogs also included enough BBQ burgers, chicken and watermelon to keep beach goers full all afternoon. The party began with the music of KIIS-FM entertaining the crowd as they basked in the mist of the cool zones and shade of the Malibu Clout tent.

Unlike Hermosa or Santa Monica, this beach came sans sand, but did offer a view of both the field and the surrounding foliage as the sights over the side of the tiki-hut handrails made for picturesque postcards from a three-hour vacation to Dodgertown. Among the sights at this beach were flip flop beach passes, flip-flop-footed fans, and a flip of the traditional lid with drink-holder boxes turned into cardboard cowboy hats. The unusual headgear kept a group of fans protected from the sun, but not from the attention as the crew posed for more photos than the lifeguard girls.

As the day came to a close, and the Angels turned to their closer, the mist had settled on Bleacher Beach as dusk rapidly approached - this was interleague baseball with the time of the game pushing four hours. The fun-filled day in the sun, with a dash of Dodger baseball thrown in, was coming to an end. But for the first flock of fans to enjoy the bird's eye view of the game from the beach, they walked out of the Stadium with more than the joy of a victory could have provided (although that would have been a nice way to cap off the day). Rather, they walked away with misty memories, mild sunburn, and an exclusive Dodgertown beach bag given to every beach bum on their way in. Excuse the obvious plug...as I said, it would have been easier if the boys in blue had won, but I still believe the fans enjoyed the experience. In this case, it was a day at the beach.

Originally appeared on Inside the Dodgers - the front office blog of the Los Angeles Dodgers
5/26/09

Baltimore's Passion: A History of Football

INTRODUCTION
Blue-collar bastions throughout the Northeast bred the first generation of American footballers on the grass and gravel of local colleges and high schools. The popularity of the sport spread to similar cities to the west and captured the heart of a young boy bound for glory.

Johnny Unitas would redefine the quarterback position, as his golden arm would lead the Baltimore Colts to victory in The Greatest Game Ever Played. That sudden death spectacle marked the start of the country’s love affair with watching football on TV and the new medium would propel the league to the forefront of American sports.

And although Baltimore had to rely solely on the small screen for more than a decade, the hardened resolve of the city kept the close knit neighborhoods unified until the glorious return of the NFL, inciting a renewed sense of hope, a revival of the game, and a passion for the men in purple now known as the Ravens.

CONCLUSION
From the Blue Jays to the Blue and White, the history of football in Baltimore has given definition to the sports landscape of the Charm City. However, the definition of what it means to be a Raven is still being written.

A Raven is one of the best offensive tackles in the history of the game; the most feared linebacker of his era; a Rookie of the Year; a record-breaker; a Pro Bowler; an MVP; a Division winner; a World Champion…

And so it is, with each passing year, each game, each play, what it means to be a Raven continues to evolve. But one defining characteristic is already written in stone as all those who wear the purple and black – past, present, and future – will always be branded as Baltimore Ravens, continuing the rich tradition of the sport in a city that’s helped write the history of the game.


These two paragaraphs are now used in a permanent exhibit on the Club Level at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD

Fridays to Remember

The Dillon Panthers are American’s Team. The fictional high school football squad featured in Friday Night Lights is so beloved around the country that NBC decided to renew the show for 22 new episodes starting this October. Why was there such strong support? Apart from the teenage love triangles and domestic dilemmas facing the Taylor’s, the creators of the show allowed football fans from Texas to Terre Haute to remember what it felt like to put your heart and hopes on the line for your home team.

The show brings back memories of putting on your team colors on Friday mornings; counting down the minutes to the pep rallies on Friday afternoons; and of course, cheering under the lights on Friday nights. Well Ravens fans, you don’t have to go back to high school to savor those moments anymore - you don’t even to watch the Panthers play – all you need to do to rekindle the fire is take part in Purple Fridays this fall.

Each and every Friday throughout the season, starting on September 7th, Ravens fans around the city and across the state are being asked to wear their pride on their sleeves, literally, by wearing purple attire to work and to school. It could be the excuse you’ve been looking for to wear the custom jersey you had made last Christmas, the purple boa that doesn’t match anything else in the closet, or the purple tie your kids bought you for Father’s Day. And if you’re really daring, I mean passionate, throw on some eye black and shoulder pads and tackle the water cooler Terry Tate style. It’s sure to spark conversation around the water, err, coffee machine on Monday.

Dressing the part is only the first part of Purple Fridays as the bars of Baltimore and various Bill Bateman’s locations will play host to pep rally style soirées beginning on the 7th. Beer and wing discounts are special enough, but Poe and both Ravens Cheerleaders and the new Ravens Playmakers will help put the pep in the rally. Chants, cheeseburgers, and cheerleaders will bring you back to your days at The Max and The Peach Pit.

Your support doesn’t have to end when you pay your tab, however, as Baltimoreans showed last January during the week before the Divisional Playoffs. The town had a purple tint thanks to the efforts of Ravens fans from Cross Street to Canton. Purple lights adorned the windows of homes and offices. Purple flags flew off the backs of cars and trucks. And homemade purple banners – think homecoming floats – adorned some of the city’s most notable addresses.

Of course the crowning culmination of any football weekend is the game itself. Whether it’s Dillon vs Gatling, City vs. Poly, or Ravens vs. Bengals, the action on the field is the foundation for the fervor. The players feed off the emotion of the fans and vice versa. The team plays to win, but more importantly, they play for their state, their city, and their town. On Friday’s this fall, remind the Ravens who they’re playing for and remember when Friday nights under the lights were all that mattered.

This article originally appeared on BaltimoreRavens.com before the start of the 2007 season

Don’t Call Him Zeus

Eleven years in the NFL earned him a reputation for being a rugged, rowdy, staunch, trash-talking, flat-out nasty offensive lineman. A man labeled the dirtiest player in the league by Sports Illustrated. A man you would follow into the trenches, but would avoid in a dark alley. A man who evoked fear in opponents and amongst most mortal men, earning him the nickname, Zeus. But after nearly 2 years away from the game, the 360-lb mountain of a man is now simply known as Orlando. Or ‘Coach’ by his little league football team.

“They just call me Coach Brown.” Said Orlando Brown of his mostly 5th grade football squad, which includes his 11 year-old son. Orlando did not plan on coaching when he was released by the Ravens in the spring of 2006, and was not going to force his kids on to the field either. But when his youngest son called to beg his father to allow him to play, Zeus knew it was time to hang up his helmet, pick up the whistle and return to life as Orlando.

His son, and the love of the game, brought Brown back to football, but during his first few months out of uniform; he questioned whether or not he would ever return. “It’s been hard,” said Brown. “You go through withdrawal. I played the game for the contact and aggression, to try and make another man bow down. You can’t do that in the regular world.”

Some of the most meaningful moments for the former Raven in the regular world have been the time spent teaching his 6’, 258-lb mini-Zeus the game he loves. “At that level, its like playing chess,” said Brown he as he described the lessons he has tried to teach the next generation of footballers. “You line them up; you go here, you block here. Then when they have a chance to make a play, the emotion comes back. I’ll yell, ‘Finish him! Like you do in the video game!’ ”

Orlando’s career appeared finished in 1999 when a penalty flag hit him in the right eye, causing a series of serious vision problems. He would spend four years out of the game and doubted whether he would ever play again. Remarkably, he would return to the NFL as a Baltimore Raven in 2003 and served admirably at right tackle for 3 more seasons. However, the time away from the field allowed Brown to contemplate his professional future as he began planning for life after football. “After my eye injury, I knew I needed something to fall back on.” Brown explained.

He would look to another athlete whose playing days were prematurely cut short, Magic Johnson, who has had success in the business world since retiring from the NBA after being diagnosed with HIV. One such investment that peaked Orlando’s interest was a restaurant chain whose name seemed apropos for the former lineman, Fatburger. The self-proclaimed ‘Last Great Hamburger Stand’ has attracted a number of high profile investors in addition to the Magic man, who has since left the franchise, including Kanye West, Montell Williams and Queen Latifah.

Brown’s plan includes the opening of 10 locations in the Baltimore/DC area over the next six years, with the first schedule to start serving in the spring of 2008. And don’t be surprised to see Orlando cooking up some Kingburgers behind the counter as he claims, “I can’t learn watching a chalkboard. I need to experience it.”

In addition to a possible stint behind the grill, Brown has also spent some time behind the mic as a panelist on RaveTV’s weekly roundtable, Purple Passion. The show features both Raven and Baltimore Colt alumni including Brown, Kyle Richardson, Qadry Ismail and Wally Williams, along with host Keith Mills. Brown enjoyed the experience and wouldn’t rule out a future in the booth, however, he might not be suited for the anchor desk. “I’d rather go in the locker room and interview,” said Brown of his broadcasting career. “I’d want to ask how’d it feel to get your butt kicked today.”

Brown probably wouldn’t get too much push back from his former teammates as he still keeps in touch with some of the veteran Ravens, including Ray Lewis. “I tell Ray, when you leave this game, man…” Brown remarked as he remembered how hard it was for him to finally call it a career. “He loves the game. He plays harder and harder each week. A guy like that – he loves the pain.”

Orlando once shared that passion for punishment and still feels an ache for the pain. “I do miss football [and] I do miss that pain.” Once he was able to move past the pain, from both opponents and from being away from the action, he was finally able to bring himself to the stadium to watch a game from the stands. “It took me a while,” said Brown, “I knew once I heard the crowd, I was going to want to play.” Fortunately, Brown made it through the game without rushing the field, although he was still itching to fight. However, this is the regular world, and as Brown said, “You got to be civilized. You got to be Orlando.”

This article was a part of a series highlighting Baltimore football alumni for BaltimoreRavens.com

Choice Words

There’s less than two minutes left in the game. You’re down by one. It’s fourth and goal from the two. The country is watching. The kicker is waiting. The long snapper swings his arm back. And now all you have to do is catch and plant the same football you’ve spent your whole life holding. And then…

Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books? If this were one of them, the options could read something like this:

If you choose to fumble the snap and come up two yards short of the end zone after trying to scramble for a score, turn to page 2007, your season is over.

If you choose to correctly place the ball laces out as a swift kick knocks it from underneath your fingers through the uprights for three points, return home a conquering hero, you’ve helped your team win the Super Bowl.

During last season’s Wild Card weekend, Tony Romo infamously found himself turning the page on 2006 after costing the Dallas Cowboys a chance to advance in the playoffs. Six years earlier, former Ravens punter, and place-kick holder, Kyle Richardson was worried he might suffer a similar fate on the grandest stage in sports. “I was more nervous about holding than punting,” said Richardson on his feelings before Super Bowl XXXV. “They [the media] said it was going to come down to a field goal and be on the foot of Stover, which meant it was going to be on the hands of me.”

Fortunately for all of Ravens Nation, Richardson chose a more prosperous path than Romo and returned home to Baltimore a World Champion. Richardson would spend one more season with the Ravens, followed by a year with the Minnesota Vikings, before rejoining the AFC North as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003. “I got back to the black and blue division,” Richardson recalled after receiving a call from a familiar voice. “Marvin [Lewis] called me at my house and said ‘I want you to come play for me’ and I enjoyed watching him bring that team along.”

Unfortunately for Kyle, all he could do was watch in 2004 as he was forced to sit out the entire year due to a torn bicep injury suffered in the pre-season. Now how in the world does a punter end up tearing a muscle in his arm? “On a return the Red Sea parts and I’m the last line of defense.” Richardson said of the fateful play in Tampa Bay. “He hit me going 100 miles per hour and I’m at ground zero. I stick out my arm and the guy took my left arm about 10 yards with him.”

Richardson’s road back required a lot of hard work and rehab, however, the time spent on the sidelines served him well and would eventually lead him back to Baltimore once again. “It was a whole new environment for me.” Said Richardson on not playing the game he grew up with. “I got to sit back and watch some of the other sides of football. Some of the inner workings. I was able to look and watch how coaches coach and how organizations are run.”

Not only did Kyle get to see what it was like behind the scenes of the NFL, he began learning more about what it was like behind the media microscope. While recovering, he became friendly with some of the members of the media in Cincinnati and for the first time was exposed to the world in which they operate. Of course he wasn’t sold on a career switch just yet. “I wanted to be out there on the field. You lose control of a career when those kinds of things happen.”

Kyle finally found his way back on to the field the following year, still in the AFC North, but this time in Cleveland for what would be his last year of action. And although he has hung up the pads for the time being, he hasn’t strayed to far from the gridiron. In 2006, Kyle returned to The Charm City and saddled up behind the microphone as a frequent studio guest on the Anita Marks Show on ESPN Radio. “I got my toe wet in the market,” said Richardson. “Trial by fire. But I really enjoyed it.”

Making the transition from punter to pundit seemed to go smoothly for Kyle, although there were some aspects of the job that caught him by surprise, “Just talking the talk. Filling up some time and getting across what you really want to say, but not just saying it in two words. It was three-hour blocks of conversation.”

Earlier this year, Richardson chose to continue down the press path and will have another half hour each week to find the right words as co-host of a new television show airing on MASN this season called Purple Passion, a roundtable discussion with former Ravens and Baltimore Colts. “I’m looking forward to getting better at whatever this craft is.” Said Richardson on his emerging career behind the camera. “I consider myself an entrepreneur. I’m not a cubicle kind of guy.” As a result, Kyle has chosen the confines of the studio for his next adventure. And judging by his previous performances under pressure, it’s safe to assume that this move will prove to be the right choice once again.

This article was a part of a series highlighting Baltimore football alumni for BaltimoreRavens.com

Your Sunday Best

A new installation on the Geppi’s Entertainment Club Level at M&T Bank Stadium features quotes by some of the most devoted fans of the Baltimore Ravens. One such quote just inside section 219 reads:

“It’s a chance to dress in purple, scream until we lose our voices, laugh and cry and feel like a kid again.”
- Linda, Parkville, MD

I’m sure Linda meant what she said, but judging by the female fans that flock to see our footballers play each week in the fall, I’d say it’s mostly about the whole dressing in purple thing. Women just have more experience working with the color - and it shows. Over the last twelve years, mothers, daughters, sisters and friends have continually made purple, black, and even a little pink the colors of choice for their autumn ensembles. Collectively, they form a substantial community of Ravens Nation and root for the men on the field as loud and as proud as any of our feathered fans.

The clothing choices do vary, but most don’t stray too far from the regal. And not just with their jerseys, as women can be seen wearing purple boas and beads around their necks, purple Ugg’s on their feet, purple tanks and halter tops of all sizes, purple accessories of all shapes, purple eyeliner on their faces and even purple camo-patterned hats on their heads. And I must say the ranger hat comes off much more appealing than the cargo pants that fill the stands most Sundays.

Of course jerseys are still a dominant part of the attire, and some non-scientific research (i.e. watching the crowds file in from Ravens Walk and Ostend St.) show that a few players are preferred. Numbers 3, 7, 20, 52, and 55 all make strong showings, but by far the most supported star among the women of Ravenstown is #86. Sorry ladies, Todd Heap is married and has 3 beautiful children - including twins - but please continue to show your support.

Wardrobes are just one way for women to show their pride, as tailgating rituals are just as wide spread among our female fans. Dawn Tognocchi of Towson has been a second ticket holder since 1998 and her RavensRV is the epicenter for game day gatherings in Lot G. The attention is warranted with a tailgate menu that features homemade meatballs, crab balls, and fried turkey cooked on-site. The RV itself attracts its fair share of followers as well, with a working television, a working bathroom and a select collection of autographed memorabilia adorning the walls.

Dawn isn’t the only woman making waves in the parking lots, at least not this year, as the girls of Abingdon also made a strong showing during the Giants-Ravens preseason game this August. Six girls in all. All from the same neighborhood, including two pairs of mothers and daughters. Their ages? Nineteen thru 39-plus was all they would admit.

Most had been to a game before, but this was the first all girls night for the sextet of starlets and their significant others sent them off with words laced with envy. “Ill just watch it on TV,” said one boyfriend, shocked that her girlfriend was going to the game – without him! “Our husbands took pictures of all us leaving in our jerseys,” said Terry, one of the Mom’s making the trip sans spouse. Of course the outfits followed the trends with Heap represented twice, in both purple and pink, followed by Boller, Reed, a “Paint the town purple” tee, and a custom jersey that simply read, “Betty Sue, #39”. Who could argue with her, she said she was 39 and had the threads to prove it.

On the other end of the spectrum, both daughters sported matching faux tattoo Ravens bracelets – think LiveStrong in purple and without the rubber. Apparently the younger generation has some fan fashions of their own this fall. Betty Sue and the rest of you take note; you may have the ‘dressed in purple’ part down, but now its time to start feeling and acting like a kid again. The season is upon us, get ready to scream and laugh and keep the crying for the men you left at home. It’s time to put on your Sunday best. I bet I know what color you’re wearing.

This article originally appeared on BaltimoreRavens.com as part of their women's fan club, Purple.

Tailgating: Well Done

Tailgating dates to the origins of football in America, but in Baltimore, many fans allude to the opening of Ravens Stadium as the turning point in their pre-game festivities. “We’ve had season tickets since day one at Memorial Stadium,” said Jim Turner of Ellicott City, MD. “But there wasn’t good space for tailgating there. When the new stadium opened, our tailgating really began.” Over the last 10 years, Jim and the rest of RavensNation have taken advantage of the added parking to perfect the art of the tailgate, and the sports world has taken notice.

In his evaluation of the tailgating experience for all 32 NFL teams, Sports Illustrated’s Paul Forrester described the typical scene on a fall Sunday in Charm City as being, “Surrounded by a flood of purple, RVs, grills and Ravens' flags. The lots near the stadium resemble a Ravens village that is packed from the second they open."

This village, however, barely resembles the fleeting fiefdoms formed by the original NFL parking lot dwellers. In 1919, the first year of the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin farmers would back their pickup trucks around the edge of an open field, drop their tailgates to serve as seats, and eat a prepared picnic while watching their team play. Nearly ninety years later, the tailgate process has evolved, with branded busses replacing the pickups; games of pleasure taking the place of the game itself; and feasts fit for kings, rather than meals that fit in a picnic basket, for those wearing the royal hue.

In addition to the food that feeds the tailgate troop, the vehicles that bring fans to Baltimore have become just as vital – and varied. “It’s a ’79 Dodge something,” said Turner as he described his purple van emblazoned with raven eyes over the grill and original shag carpeting. “We put in a couple hundred bucks a year to keep it going,” Turner added. “And the working bathroom is very popular.”

The ’79 shag isn’t the only car making its mark as Ravenesqe road warriors dot the asphalt landscape. From the “Dirty Dozen” camper parked near the corner of Russell and Ostend St., to the black box truck in Lot G that reads, “Emergency Response Tailgate”, Ravens fans have found many ways to wear their hearts on their hoods. And it doesn’t always stop at the front-end as one Jeep that sits alongside RavensWalk is completely covered in hand painted Ravens regalia, including a Baltimore skyline on the driver-side and a Super Bowl trophy on the passenger door. Quite literally, the art of tailgating come to life.















While fans of the feathered await the action on the field, their competitive drive has developed into a desire to play themselves. The games before the game range from the traditional – having a catch or two-hand touch – to the regional, with lacrosse sticks nearly as prevalent as pigskins. One activity that has grown in popularity is the tailgate toss, also known as corn hole. Consisting of beanbags (sometimes filled with corn) and a wooden ramp with a hole in it, the appeal seems to be part portability, part practicality. “I think it's become so popular because it is a very mobile game and easy to bring along for tailgating.” Said Saul Kloper of Curtis Bay, MD who has been playing on and off for a few years. “Also, it is an easy game to pick up and anyone can play.” It’s also easy to play with a burger or beverage in one hand. The objective of the tailgate toss, other than biding time while the steaks season, is to toss the bags in to the hole. That’s it. Points are tallied, teams are formed, and sometimes the slopes slant at different angles, especially when they’re homemade, but for the most part, the game’s the same and surprisingly stimulating.

The most prominent component of the pre-game pastime, however, takes place on the grilliron. Culinary creations range from pork chops to pancakes, but in the Old Line State, the cuisine of choice is the fruit de mer, or rather, the fruit de Chesapeake. Shrimp cocktail, seafood kabobs, bouillabaisse, clams, oysters, gumbo, scallops and even lobster line the paper plates at most parties. But the grub that makes even University of Maryland Basketball coach Gary Williams give a second look is the mighty blue crab. “He [Williams] was walking quickly through the tailgate crowd until he got to our location.” Said Sharon Kroupa, who has had season tickets since 1996 and along with her brother host an annual crab fest in the shadows of the stadium. “He stopped and looked with envy, as did most of the tailgaters that day, before giving his smiling approval and taking off.”

The smell of Old Bay is a signature scent among Baltimoreans and it is only fitting that the flavor finds a way into the building nicknamed “The Big Crab Cake” by ESPN’s official moniker maker, Chris Berman. But it’ not just the crab cakes and steaks that are well done. Forrester, who ranked the Ravens game day atmosphere 5th out of all 32 teams, awarded Baltimore an 8 out of 10 in the tailgate department as he declared, "For a downtown stadium there isn't much more you could ask for."

And not only does the Baltimore bash rank higher than 26 other NFL cities, but the purple and black also appear to be the clear victor in the intra-state tailgate rivalry. "Ravens fans seemed to know their tailgating stuff a lot better.” Said sportswriter Andrew Kulyk, when asked to compare the tailgates of the Ravens and Redskins for an article by Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post. “They seemed to be better decorated, more creative, with a more creative use of public spaces and private lots."

With equal parts crab, creativity and corn hole, the Ravens tailgate is not only well done, but judging by the critics, exceptionally rare – perhaps even purple in the middle.

This article originally appeared in the Ravens Gameday Program on Dec. 30th, 2007