TEAM'S SUPER BOWL TITLE A MERE BONUS
By Joe Platania
OCEAN CITY -- It has been said that "what is past, is prologue."
For the Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts, the sameness of its annual beachfront convention and parade is what makes it spectacular. The 49th-annual edition was no exception.
The usual turnout of approximately 3,000 purple-clad fans representing the 130 Roost chapters throughout the mid-Atlantic region that crowded the Castle In The Sand Hotel still put together spectacular parade floats, played horseshoes and volleyball, sang karaoke, tossed bean bags, and ate and drank to their hearts' content.
The annual purple-clad bacchanalia began May 30 and ended the night of June 1, as is its custom.
But what's most amazing about all that is the simple fact is Council members needed to add no extra energy, no extra ferocity and no further proof of their devotion to the Ravens -- or to each other, for that matter -- just because their favorite football team won a second Super Bowl.
The "Fly Like A Raven" theme notwithstanding, the same passion would have been there if the team had been coming off a season that resembled its 4-12 maiden effort in 1996, council president Charlotte Krause said.
"We love the team regardless," Krause said. "Sure, there might be more people along the parade route and more people might come out [to the hotel], but we just love the team. ... We're about friendship, loyalty and community.
"Besides, we should have won it [the year before]."
The strong loyalties and long memories that are typical of the Baltimore sports fan reared their heads among many at the gathering, who still brought up the pass that was stripped away from Lee Evans and the missed Billy Cundiff kick that kept the Ravens out of the previous year's title clash, won by the New York Giants.
But those passions also showed up in one of the few noticeable changes to this year's convention crowd: many Ravens fans were wearing orange-colored Orioles T-shirts as well.
"People are fired up," Krause said. "Last year, I thought we had the biggest crowd we'd ever had, and this year might top it."
Parade chairwoman Sue Draper agreed.
"Baltimore people simply love their football team," Draper said. "Did anyone really think a fan club could still exist when there was no [NFL] team [in Baltimore from 1984-95]? What does that say about the fan base?
"It's all about the team. Is there a little extra hype with a Super Bowl win? Absolutely. But would we still have that without [the title]? Absolutely."
Extra hype would be an understatement, considering what some of the Roost chapters came up with for float ideas.
For example, Roost 118 (Parkton) used a real four-seater airplane on its float, one that had crashed near York Road eight years ago and the pilot hadn't re-claimed. Roost 94 (Point Pleasant) had a giant raven put together with 25,000 real feathers that were individually glued in place.
But when the parade ends and the floats are put away, members that like to work hard and play hard also like to show that they care hard, cheering just as loudly with their hearts and wallets year-round as they do with their lungs during the fall.
During the past six years -- since more complete records started to be kept -- the Roosts have donated more than $2.7 million to various player charities, $1.1 million of that going to Maryland Special Olympics.
Ravens players appreciate the passion; in recent years, the team has not only begun its own franchise-sanctioned Beach Bash, but players with bigger names have begun to show up at the Roost event as part of a player caravan that encompasses the entire length of the beach resort.
Appearing onstage to sing karaoke and personally thank the fans for their support -- roughly six hours after the second week of organized team activity practices were completed -- were wideout Deonte Thompson, cornerback Chykie Brown, safety Omar Brown, linebacker Adrian Hamilton and safety James Ihedigbo.
Joining that quintet in the parade caravan were tight end Ed Dickson and linebacker Josh Bynes and four assistant coaches: defensive coordinator Dean Pees, secondary coach Teryl Austin, inside linebackers coach Don Martindale and defensive line coach Clarence Brooks.
Providing a link to the past, three members of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team also rode in the parade: punter Kyle Richardson, cornerback Duane Starks and linebacker/special teamer Brad Jackson.
Ihedigbo, who started a Super Bowl for the New England Patriots two years ago, nevertheless embraced the spirit of the event by dedicating renditions of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and Nelly's "Hot In Herre" -- the song to which Ray Lewis performed his legendary squirrel dance -- to the fans, saying they had been loyal since 1996.
"This is what it means to be Ravens Nation," an enthusiastic Ihedigbo told a deafening crowd. "We appreciate your support. This is what it's all about. This is the culmination. We're two-time world champions. What more can you say?"
For Thompson's part, even though he hails from sports-crazy Florida -- a breeding ground for some of the nation's best athletes -- the fan frenzy surprised even him.
"It's amazing," Thompson said. "There are no fans like Ravens fans. These fans support us lose, win or draw. They support us 100 percent."
Their attendance was even more impressive, given the fact that another popular offseason event -- cornerback Lardarius Webb's annual charity softball game in Aberdeen -- usually takes place the day after the parade.
Many players hurriedly dash to the shore for the parade before high-tailing it back north for the Webb game, and their task is made even more difficult by the fact that there is usually a high volume of traffic heading toward Dover, Del., for the annual spring NASCAR race held there annually on the first Sunday in June.
(The parade's reviewing-stand lineup featured a change this year; because of recent surgery, PressBox publisher/founder Stan "The Fan" Charles could not attend, but this reporter manned the microphone for an eighth straight year, working alongside WBAL-AM/WIYY-FM sportscaster Keith Mills.)
The players will receive their Super Bowl rings June 7 at the Under Armour Performance Center as part of a private ceremony closed to the media and public. The Super Bowl XXXV winners got their rings in a tented event at M&T Bank Stadium, but that couldn't happen this time around because the facility will be in the midst of preparations for a monster-truck event.
But not even the likes of "Grave Digger" could ever make enough of a racket to outdo what the Roosts do every year, no matter how many games -- or trophies -- the Ravens win.
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