Get LOST

4 8 15 16 23 42

For any fan of ABC’s hit show LOST, this list of seemingly unrelated numbers probably sends chills down your spine and puts a smile on your face. A knowing smile that implies, “I’m a LOST geek and I’m damn proud of it!” Well for those of you who consider yourselves avid supporters of the show and fans of the purple and black, here are two more numbers in the sequence that will thrill you:

20 85

The thought process of a typical LOST fan might go something like this:
“2085 must be the year that the survivors finally get off the island!” or
“20 must be the number of others and 85 is the number of survivors.” or
“20+85=105 which has to be the number of miles off the coast of Guam that the secret island sits!”

I’m serious, this is what the writers of the show have done to us. They make you question every detail, every number, every book, and even every character name you hear. “The writers are very mindful our writing is under a microscope.” Says Jeff Pinkner, Executive Producer and a writer for the show. “And most things do have a meaning.” They just don’t always have something to do with the whereabouts of Oceanic Flight 815. For instance, the names of the two detectives appearing in a flashback of one of the show’s main characters, John Locke, who introduce themselves as, “Detective Mason. That's Detective Reed. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

Detective Mason (l) and Detective Reed (r) question Locke in "The Man from Tallahassee"


That’s right, Mason and Reed. Sound familiar?

Pinkner, one of the writers for the season 3 episode entitled, The Man from Tallahassee, acknowledges that the inclusion of the two Ravens’ surnames is no coincidence. The Pikesville native used Mason and Reed as a tribute to his hometown team. “One of the incidental pleasures [of writing] is to make characters do things that mean something to you.” Pinker says, who also found ways to include the dates of his children’s birthdays in scripts written for his previous super secret show, Alias.

So why did Pinkner pick Mason and Reed? Apart from their talents on the field, Derrick just happens to count himself among the millions of LOST fanatics who DVR the episode each and every week, “I like to rewind. Sometimes they might throw something in there you might miss. A silhouette here. Some numbers in the smoke.” I wouldn’t say this to his face, but he sounds like a true LOST geek to me.

The news of Mason’s devotion to the show was passed on from Raven’s Senior Director of National Partnerships & Sales, Kevin Rochlitz, to a business associate who also happens to be Jeff’s dad and when father and son met in Kansas City last year to watch Baltimore battle the Chiefs, the fuse was lit. Of course Pinkner couldn’t just run home and create a new storyline in which Jack, Sawyer and Hurley flashback to their time together on the Ravens practice squad, this isn’t Quantum Leap. But he did send Derrick a few LOST action figures to satiate his appetite and then, as he was writing Tallahassee, realized that the episode called for two new characters from the past – detectives investigating the murder of boy that knew Locke. Detectives almost always introduce themselves by their titles, at least in Hollywood, so Pinkner needed names – last names. Enter “Mason” and another one of Pinkner’s favorite Ravens, “Reed”.

Of course, Detective Mason ended up being played by an actress, but nevertheless, #85 and #20 were written into television history, which according to Mason, will at least impress his youngest fans. “It’s pretty cool. I'm an avid LOST watcher. And at least I can tell my kids something.” Mason considers the show the best on TV “by far” as he explains, “It leaves you hanging. You always want a show that has that suspense. Has that doubt. Then in the end, when you think you have it, you really don’t…The producers are just playing mind games with you.”

The mind games are mystifying, but the real suspense could come next February as the return of LOST coincides with SuperBowl XLII. When asked which momentous occasion he was anticipating more, Mason responded, “Oh Man! If were in it, the Super Bowl. But if some strange things happen, and were not in it, of course LOST.” Don’t worry Detective, keep your focus on the field, your DVR will have the show waiting for you when you get back from Arizona.

On the Red Carpet (Okay, it was just a welcome mat that happened to be red)

By now you’ve heard about RaveTV’s unprecedented hat trick at the Capital District Emmy Awards earlier this month. Three nominations. Three Emmy’s. Three wonderful speeches, two of which included salutations to yours truly – come on Larry, what gives? But what you haven’t heard is how an evening affair in the Nation’s Capital transformed the staff of RaveTV into the Hollywood Icons they are today (okay, they’ve gotten some pub on BR.com and in The Baltimore Examiner, but I’m sure Peter Bart – Editor-in-Chief of Variety – reads Coffee on the 50 and will soon be calling).

The night began well before the first award was handed out as the RaveTV crew and their significant others, including this proud blogger, hopped in a limo outside M&T Bank Stadium. The parking lot was bustling as we left with an O’s game set to start later that night and preparations well underway for last weekend’s Dew Action Sports Tour. In case you missed it, they built a full-size half pipe in Lot D, where Shaun White would go on to win the Skateboard Vert Final, besting Baltimore native Bucky Lasek, and continuing his run as coolest kid in the world.

The ride to the Ritz went smoothly, thanks in part to the wine and Corona flowing freely in the back seats. Bonus points to Broadcast Coordinator Matt Brevet, who packed pre-sliced limes. Unfortunately Matt’s partner in crime couldn’t attend the affair as Multimedia Coordinator Jay O’Brien stayed home to battle the dreaded summer cold.

The beltway traffic delayed our arrival until the cocktail hour was already over, but fortunately for all of us who may have had one too many on the drive down, dinner was already being served and the ceremonies were about to begin. One annual pastime that I’ve learned in previous years is to flip ahead in the program to see when your category will be called. All three of RaveTV’s nominations were listed on the same spread, about two-thirds of the way through the book, so we knew we would be in for a few hours of festivities before our fun began. One award winner of note was Aisha Karimah, Community Affairs Director at NBC-4 in D.C., who won The Board of Governors Award. Her contributions to the community were inspiring, but her speech was even more memorable as she took time out to blow her nose (possibly fighting the same bug that bit O’Brien back in Baltimore) and started her speech over as she rightly claimed that this was her chance to shine.

The RaveTV run began with a win for Outstanding Achievement in Editing for I Am a Raven, which was produced by Senior Director of Broadcasting, Larry Rosen, filmed by Director of Photography, Jeff Atkinson, and edited by Manager of Broadcasting Lauryn Lukin (in case you hadn’t put two and two together up until now, she’s my better half). However, in her acceptance speech, which clocked in just under twelve seconds, (she’s a woman of few words, but wonderful eyes) she did refer to me as the better half, but I don’t buy it.

The second award was secured back in May when nominations were revealed as Jonathan Ogden’s Wired episode was the lone entry left standing in the category. The entire RaveTV team accepted this time, with Larry doing the verbal honors. In contrast to Lauryn, his speech surpassed the allotted 30 seconds, but he still managed to avoid thanking me as the maestro cued the music.

Their third win, for the broadcast of last seasons Eagles vs Ravens pre-season game, was the real upset of the night and judging by the look on Director of Broadcasting, Don DiRaddo’s face when the MC announced the winners, you knew he was either surprised or stammering for a speech now that he would have to talk the talk. Smart man that DiRaddo as he too included me, along with the other spouses and significant others at the table, in his impromptu remarks.


After the sweep, the group convened in the hallway outside the ballroom for the post-game paparazzi session. Bystanders remarked on the bevy of Golden Angels adorning the arms of all of us - there was enough for spouses to hold as well. For a brief moment, you could imagine what it was like to hang out with the cast of The West Wing when Aaron Sorkin’s scripts still earned statues and ratings (I really think Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip has hit its stride the last few weeks, too bad the show has already been cancelled).

Alas, we partied like rock stars for a few hours, but our true colors were revealed on the ride home. Nothing inappropriate, rather, half of those taking the limo back north had already dozed off by the time we hit 95. But not before we popped the almond flavored champagne (okay, sparkling wine) to celebrate the success of the past year. 13 wins in the regular season, 3 Emmy’s in the award season, and who knows, maybe a pilot deal for the new Fall season on NBC – Studio 60’s timeslot is open.

Ray Q. Public

He has been described as “fearsome”, “larger-than-life”, and even “the best damn football player in the world” by Football Digest. But last Friday, on a playing surface just 17 miles to the north of his home field, Ray Lewis appeared more human than superhuman. A mere mortal like you and me. That’s because on Friday night, Ray Lewis went bowling.


Following in the choppy footsteps of Dick Weber, Roy Munson, and Jeffery Lebowski (a.k.a. “The Dude”), #52 suited-up, or rather suited-down as I’ll explain in a moment, and took center stage at Perry Hall Lanes for the K Bank Celebrity Bowling Tournament. The tournament was one of myriad events during Ray’s Summer Day – a four-day charity event benefiting the Ray Lewis Foundation.

Although there was no red carpet to make his entrance on, the beige and olive linoleum served as an appropriate runway on this night for Ray and his high powered entourage, which included Steve McNair and Willis McGahee. Lewis arrived wearing a three piece, but his first brush with mortality struck quickly as he had to change out of his suit, take a seat and put on his bowling shoes, one foot at a time, just like you and me. There’s really no other way to do it, no matter how many tackles or sacks or stare-downs you’ve recorded.

Of course the ten pins awaiting his first toss were not buying the ‘John Q. Public’ act and ducked for cover as soon as the ball got close. Ray’s first roll was a strike. After a few more frames, Lewis left his post and returned to his role as Mayor of Ceremonies. As he party hopped from lane to lane, a throng of guests began to form in the aisle behind the bowling area, armed with digital cameras and craned necks, in a scene reminiscent of the gallery following Tiger on the 12th at Augusta.

Another lesson learned during the course of the evening was that the popularity of bowling must be at least partially due to the ability to feast in-between frames. With the smell of barbeque in the air, players and guests alike helped themselves to the free food and drink, including McGahee, who seemed happy to be seven hours closer to the sweet taste of southern Q. The beverage sponsor for the evening, Vitamin Water, was also on hand to distribute free product including one variety appropriately labeled, “Defense”. The mix of vitamin-C and zinc proved almost as potent as C-Mac and Sizzle and washed down the wings nicely.

The guest list for the evening included Ravens owner Steve Biscotti, who rolled a strike on cue with RaveTV filming and a celebratory cigar in-hand; stars of Baltimore morning radio, Mikey and Amelia from 98 Rock, whose team won the group competition; current Ravens such as Mark Clayton, Samari Rolle and Ed Reed, who finished second in the celebrity competition with a 182; new Ravens like Troy Smith and Willis McGahee, who beat Reed with a 191; former Raven Adalius Thomas; former Redskin LaVarr Arrington; and even Nathan Corbett of HBO’s The Wire, who has become a regular at Ravens related activities typically reserved for teenagers. But no one in the alley, not even the “best damn football player in the world”, commanded more attention than Magic Johnson.

Arriving fashionably well past late, the only thing accompanying the Magic Man as he entered the building was the buzz he brought with him. Johnson’s appearance added to an already strong track record of support for The Charm City as he previously partnered with Baltimore-based developer Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse on projects in Mount Vernon and Charles Village. As Magic made his way on to the hardwood, Ray and his Ravens were once again relegated to the real world. They were now the ones in awe of a sports legend and looked up to Magic, literally, as Johnson stands 6’9”, much taller than any of the purple and black in attendance, and the same height as Jonathan Ogden. But could you ever imagine JO running the point or driving by Jordan?

Another clear sign that Magic wasn’t your typical league bowler was that none of the bowling balls on hand fit the glove responsible for more than 10,000 assists during his Hall of Fame career. To solve the problem, the Pro Shop went into Pit Crew mode, measuring Magic’s fingers and drilling a new ball for him on the spot. I think he could have palmed the ball just as easily, but the emergency excavation made for an entertaining side note to the blog, right?

The action resumed soon thereafter and the celebrity bowler’s showdown was underway. McGahee would emerge victorious, but not before summoning the Arctic Monkeys. Willis did look good on the dance floor with celebrations ranging from a high-stepping sprint across the lanes; a walk away hook shot in which he threw the ball, turned his back, glanced over his shoulder and watched all ten pins scatter; and even a few push-ups during an impromptu frame-by-frame competition with another guest. Ravens fans can only hope the multi-talented tailback displays those fleet feet on the field come this fall.

Reed, on the other hand, was rewarded with a second-place trophy and a few memorable high fives and hand pounds. After rolling a strike midway through the final game, Ed was congratulated by his teammates, just a couple of dudes seemingly enjoying what could have been guys-night out at the bowling alley, with a few pitchers on the table and onion rings on order. (Speaking of onion rings, am I the only one who liked the final scene of The Sopranos?) Of course these Regular Joe’s had won six world championships in their respective sports and were named to a combined total of twenty all-star teams, but for one night, they were just Edward, Ray and Earvin. Dudes just like you, me, and Lebowski.

We Are All Witnesses

It has been one week since LeBron James made me jump off my couch and stand at attention during the last 20 minutes of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Finals. One week since King James announced his arrival at the gates of NBA greatness. One week since I developed a new found respect for the creative minds behind the marketing at Nike. One week. One word. “Witness.”

The campaign began in the fall of 2005 with a 212-ft wide banner on the side of a building near Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, that featured LeBron mid-flight and the headline, “We are all witnesses.” The idea being that the city of Cleveland was knowingly witnessing the emergence of the next great one.

Nike knew what they were talking about, and not just because they helped brand the last great one, but because James took the Cavs to the second round of the playoffs last season and as of last week, had carried them to the Eastern Conference finals as a 22-year old. In the process, sales of Nike t-shirts with nothing but a swoosh and the word, “Witness”, sold out in C-Town and were going for up to $100 on eBay. But to paraphrase the Bachman Turner Overdrive - you, me, the city of Cleveland, Pistons fans, the rest of the NBA, and even the good people of Espírito Santo, Brazil (hometown of Cavalier forward Anderson Varejao) ain’t seen nothing yet.

That’s because LJ dropped 48 points on Detroit in that historic Game 5, scoring 25 straight to close out a double overtime victory.

Bart Scott, a native of the Motor City and an avid Pistons fan, was a witness. “LeBron was exactly what we thought he was,” Scott told RaveTV’s Matt Brevet. “A superstar. We haven’t seen that since the likes of Michael Jordan.”

Daniel Wilcox was a witness. “He’s proved it every single year.” Wilcox said. “He’s one of the best players in this league. When it’s his time to takeover, that’s when he takes over.”

Corey Ivy was a witness. “LeBron started to come into his prime in the last series against the Pistons.” Ivy told BR.com’s Mike Duffy. “He’s a grown man out there and just bullies the rest of players around. LeBron is a man amongst boys, and this is his time to rise up his game to another level.”

So what would happen when James and Co. took on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA finals? Well despite the praise for the young King, one Raven’s prediction would prove to be the most poignant. “Larry Hughes can’t guard Tony Parker,” declared Terrell Suggs when asked about the series. Suggs added that he would take the Spurs in 7 and after watching the future Mr. Eva Longoria flash by Hughes, James, Boobie, and anyone else Mike Brown put in front of him, I’d say Suggs might be giving the Eastern Conference Champs too much credit. And it wasn’t just Parker exposing the Cavs, ABC made it clear that Cleveland was over matched thanks to their tie-in to the movie, Fantastic Four – Rise of the Silver Surfer. ABC singled out the “Fantastic Four” to watch during the game and three of those profiled were Spurs. Not even Mr. Fantastic (James) would stand a chance against The Human Torch (Ginobli), The Thing (Tim Duncan) and The Invisible Girl (Longoria?).

The Spurs won game one 85-76, but in the best-of-seven style of the NBA, the sports world is guaranteed at least three more nights of wondering just how good James can be and whether he will continue his ascension to the NBA throne. We will all be watching, waiting, and wondering because all we want is to make sure we are all witnesses.

London Calling

“Swim across the Atlantic Ocean - 3,462 mi”

This is the 24th of 63 steps Google Maps offers when you request directions from New York to London. Estimated travel time is 29 days, 10 hours; however, Google typically forgets to take into account stops at the gas station or drowning. Well short of coughing up a few hundred pounds to fly across the pond, I’ll have to stay stateside when New York plays Miami in the first ever regular season NFL game in the UK this October. I suppose its for the best, I probably couldn’t get tickets anyway.

The first 40,000 seats to watch American Football at Wembley Stadium sold out in 90 minutes earlier this week. The lucky ‘few’ were chosen from more than half a million requests made to the NFL after they announced the game in February. The stunning show of support is in contrast to the lack of interest typically shown by Americans when the best of the pitch come to town. It’s not as if London is deprived of sport in the Fall. The Premier League is underway, Cricket could be interesting I suppose, and Wimbledon, well, is just 9 short months away

Okay, so maybe the arrival of the NFL is a welcome sight to the fans of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. A duel between the Giants of New York and the Dolphins of Miami sounds like a stress free way to spend a Sunday afternoon. After all, soccer club affiliations are passed down from generation to generation and if you’ve ever read Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch, you get the feeling that no one in England really enjoys being a fan, its just something you have to endure. Like the taste of vinegar on your French fries.

So what does this mean for the future of the NFL? Could an annual regular season game on the banks of the Thames become a reality? The league is already considering adding a 17th game to the regular season that would allow all 32 games to play at least one match abroad each year. And apparently, London is just the beginning. Mexico, Germany, Canada, and maybe even Australia await visits from Tom Brady, Ladanian Tomlinson, and TO. But is the world ready for the Ravens?

A defense-led team could possibly be accepted amongst those used to watching nil-nil finals. And according to Chris Quayle, an NFL fan in the UK, the purple and black could become quite popular. “I’d been aware of the Ravens’ defense from 2000 and found it exhilarating to watch Ray Lewis perform.” Says Quayle on his UKRavens fan website. “The fact that watching your team defend could be as exciting as watching them attack was new.”

Here that Mr. Goodell? Sounds like London’s calling for the Ravens.

Tappy Tap Tap Tapparoo

It might still be May, but on the greens of Mitchell’s Golf Complex last weekend, the action was reminiscent of a Monday Night at M&T Bank Stadium. There was drama. There was trash talking. There was a DJ, door prizes, and an ice cream break.

Okay, so maybe the game day comparison is a bit of a stretch, but there were at least a few Ravens on the field this past Saturday at the first annual Empowerment M.I.N.D.S. Miniature Golf Tournament, hosted by Daniel Wilcox (yes, of rival blog, 83 Degreez). The event raised money for Wilcox’s foundation, which provides young people in Baltimore with growth and learning opportunities they might not otherwise have a chance at. To help the cause, Wilcox and a few of his famed friends played a little putt-putt. Apparently the event organizers caught Wilcox “doing the bull dance, feeling the flow” at AD’s charity golf event last year and thought #83 might be better suited for windmills rather than Winged Foot.


The ‘professionals’ in attendance included Quinn Sypniewski, Evan Oglesby, Justin Green, Romby Bryant, Attiyah Ellison, and straight from the shores of Miami – Ed Reed. Bart Scott showed up just in time for dessert, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Another famous face on hand for the event was Nathan Corbett of HBO’s, “The Wire”. Appropriately, Corbett plays “Donut” on the Baltimore-based series, as he spent the entire afternoon looking for the hole. Ba-Dum-CHING!

The funny thing about watching 6-foot tall football players play miniature golf is watching 6-foot tall football players play miniature golf. These men are anything but mini and to see a man like Sypniewski, standing 6’6”, line-up for a putt with a 3-foot piece of aluminum in his hands, you almost expect the club to crack at first grip.

Of course the players did find a way to not only make the action more physical, but also managed to take an early lead on the Steelers this season. Reluctantly, Wilcox allowed some good friends to participate in the party who just happened to be fans of the black and gold. One of them was paired with Justin Green and they made a friendly bet that required the loser of each hole to do 15 push-ups. Fortunately, for RaveTV and fans of the purple and black, we showed up just in time to see the Steelers fan put one in the drink. He got on his knees, started to pump and was quickly joined by Green and Wilcox who were happy to shout out the push count.


The main event on Saturday, apart from the De La Hoya-Mayweather battle to save boxing, was a closest-to-the-hole competition featuring the Ravens, Donut, and a guest appearance by the Chick-fil-A Cow. The chicken chain provided food for the event and just happened to have a mascot on hand to test his skills on the green. “Play Mor Golf?” More like “Practice Mor!” The Cow nearly missed the ball as his shot immediately sliced to the right.

The real drama began as Reed took aim using a University of Miami approved orange ball. His shot came within a few feet of the hole and provided a mark for the rest of the Ravens to attack. Nathan and Attiyah hit their shots way too far and “Q” and Oglesby came up about 15 feet too short. Bryant stepped up next and his ball barely nudged past Reed’s to give him the clubhouse lead with just Bart and Dan left to play.


Bart, wearing a quasi golf uniform (madras shorts – very trendy), sent a bullet right at the hole and as the fans looking on collectively breathed in, the ball hit the left side of the rim and kept on rolling. Breathe out….

Then came #83. The kids lining the green began cheering, “Wil-cox! Wil-cox!” Of course golfers typically require silence as they begin their backswing, but anyone who has seen Dan waving the white towel on the sidelines knows that he thrives on the crowd noise. Unfortunately, Wilcox just didn’t have his golf game going and he too came up short. On this day, Romby reigned supreme.

The event came to a close as Ed and Dan played one more hole on the Championship course. It was a serious course; one shot even required you to chip the ball off a wall so that it would ricochet over to the second half of the hole. Wilcox lined up for his last shot and a-la Happy Gilmore, preceded to take a full swing, knock the ball high in the air, off our cameraman, and into the rough. Not the ideal first stroke, but the day was not about wins and losses. It was about the nearly one hundred kids in attendance who had the chance to spend an afternoon with their heroes and the hundreds more that Wilcox gets to help through Empowerment M.I.N.D.S. in an attempt to bring them all to a Happy Place.

Draft Dodger

Ten years from now, I will still remember where I was the day Ben Grubbs was drafted.

I wasn’t at Radio City in New York or the war room in Owings Mills. I wasn’t enjoying the Spring Football Festival at the stadium or at Coburn’s in Canton (this blogger’s recommendation for best bar food in Baltimore). In fact, you could say I wasn’t even in the country as I spent draft weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, in the heart of NASCAR Nation.

I promise to do my best to give you my thoughts on the Ravens draft, although by now you’ve probably learned more about Grubbs’ sophomore year of college than you can remember about your own, but you’ll have to forgive me if I start to stray. This was my first NASCAR experience and I’m still wiping the impression of my face (apparently when you sit close to the track, its common to be sprayed with specs of rubber coming off new tires).


First off, what was I doing in Alabama? My day job brought me to The Cotton State on behalf of my client, CSX, to promote safety at railroad crossings. Our slogan, “Keep on Living”, was printed on thousands of promotional items, including free t-shirts. We brought about 10,000 shirts to hand out, however, my team at Exit10 underestimated one very important aspect of racing fans – many of them don’t bother wearing shirts to the race. Maybe they knew we’d be providing free wardrobe this weekend, but the line in to our tent was out the door at 8AM! It was clear I wasn’t going to have a break all day, but luckily I had my trusty Treo by my side to track the draft – I’m sure this is what my boss had in mind when he decided to arm me with internet access everywhere I go.

At about 2:00 EST I was able to check in on the progress in New York for the first time and I was astonished to find that only a handful of choices had been made in the first two hours. My first thought was if the NFL allowed fans into the stadium to watch the paint in the end zones dry, would it sell out? My second thought was now that Dawan Landry’s brother will be playing just down the road in DC, my prediction for a new satellite radio show called “Washing the Landry” could actually happen, considering XM’s headquarters is located in The District.

As for Baltimore, I knew it would be a while until I learned who would be the next to put on the pads for the purple and black. The Busch Series race was just about over when pick #29 appeared on my screen and ironically our top choice’s Alma Mater was just down the road from me in Auburn, AL. I was tempted to ask some of the locals about the potential of our newest guard, but the football chatter was kept to a minimum amongst the crowd. All they cared about was Junior, Smoke, the Rainbow Warrior, or Kasey Kaaaaaaahne (that’s how the women say it). It was also easy to see which racer they were supporting as the fashion du jour appeared to be t-shirts with full length faces of their favorite driver, along with matching hats, pants, and beer coolers.

Day two of the draft started early for Exit10 as our 4:45 wake-up call was necessary just to beat the traffic created by 200,000 fans lining up for the Nextel Cup race on Sunday. That’s almost three sellouts at M&T Bank Stadium combined.

The sponsor seating section was halfway around the track from our tent – fortunately we had golf carts all weekend – and when we arrived I was greeted by former Raiders quarterback Kenny Stabler, who stared for the Crimson and hosts a radio show in Birmingham. Stabler wasn’t the only Raider that caught my attention on Sunday as the Randy Moss trade was broadcast on my Treo to the dismay of, well, at least to me. No one else seemed to notice.


My PDA was put to shame, however, by the scanning devices available to fans at the race. This is going to take a few minutes to describe, but it’s worth it. For those of you who are NASCAR novices like myself, the fan development department at the Association’s headquarters in Charlotte clearly knows what they are doing. You see, you can rent a scanner that comes with Bose-like headphones and a portable television for the weekend at $70 a pop! You can then listen to the broadcast of the race – a mix between the radio call and the PA announcer – or you can decide to listen into the conversation between pit crews and their drivers. Any driver! The radio frequencies are published in the program and local papers and fans are allowed to hear the chatter throughout the race. Can you imagine if NFL fans had access to the conversations between coordinators, coaches, and the quarterback? Sort of like Ravens Wired on Red Bull. But that’s not all.

Remember the little TV I told you about, well not only can you watch the broadcast of the race, but you can also switch back and forth to individual driver cams placed on the front and rear bumpers. You can see the race from the driver’s point of view. I know you don’t need a football comparison to realize what it would be like, but sports writing is nothing without similes and metaphors so here it goes – it would be like strapping a camera to Steve McNair’s helmet as he drops back to pass, or better yet, tapping into camera #52 located behind Ray’s eyes.

Again, I digress. Troy Smith was a nice pick. Headline prediction: “McNair Apparent”.

Okay, back to ‘Bama. Our seats were just off the track and about 110 laps in, two cars crashed right in front of us. I had no clue how to react, so at first I ducked (not sure what that would do) and then stood up and took pictures (wouldn’t you?). In either case, it was by far the most exciting moment of the race and I don’t know what that says about me, or more importantly, the sport.

When the dust, smoke, and rubber debris settled, Jeff Gordon had won the Aaron’s 499;
JaMarcus Russell had won the lottery; Boy Wonder was headed to the Browns; the Heisman winner won a trip to the Charm City; and NFL fans everywhere were left wondering what will be in 2007. And after watching 500 miles of drafting strategy, while following the drafting strategy of 32 NFL teams, I believe Ricky Bobby and General Ozzie share at least one common belief, if you ain’t first your last.

Art of Darkness

I’m still fairly new to the world of television production. I may have been born into the MTV Generation, was once an avid viewer of the now defunct Project Greenlight (How did Shia Labeouf go from Shaker Heights to the Temple of Doom in three years?), and a graduate of one of the top communications school in the country, but I have only logged one full season on the sidelines with RaveTV. So forgive me for initially questioning the shot list from this past Saturday’s shoot with the Ravens Cheerleading squad.

The Ravens broadcasting department spent the afternoon filming twenty of the team’s most photogenic faces for a new feature called, “Silhouettes.” As a result, more than half of the footage was shot with the lights off! As in, the dark.

The creative minds behind the production decided to invite twenty female cheerleaders to the shoot, put them through make-up, dress them in mini-skirts, get them in front of the camera and flip the switch – the light switch. By now I assume you have a picture in your mind of what could have been and want answers. Well after five hours on the set, I think I might be able to shed some light on the darkness.


First off, silhouettes are a surefire scene-stealer. Picture the opening credits to a Bond movie, the first batch of iPod commercials (before they shined the light on Bono and Dylan), or the voluptuous woman from the mud flaps who gets in the car with Yosemite Sam. In each case, the mystery of the unknown creates interest, intrigue, and eventually, iconic status. RaveTV has similar hopes for “Silhouettes” this fall as part of their weekly line-up on Ravens Report.

During the editing process, the green-screen background will be replaced with game day highlights, while keeping the cheerleaders in the dark. In order to achieve this visual effect, a few details had to be perfected while the cameras were rolling. Most notably, their hair. You would think a girl wouldn’t care about her hair in the dark, but because of the shadow puppets created by the carefully angled ceiling lights, it was easy to spot a stray strand, or as we call it in the biz – a “fly-away”. See, I’m learning more each day. Luckily we also had a few women on hand who were trained to deal with such matters.

The second reason for shooting in the shadows became more apparent as the day wore on. Each participant was asked to describe themselves and what they enjoyed most about being a Ravens cheerleader. Without the benefit of sight my focus remained on what they said. Their stories were as stunning as their smiles:

Talmesha is getting her PHD at Johns Hopkins. Tasha’s father pitched for the Detroit Tigers. Collette has been dancing since she was three. Leslie traveled to the Middle East to entertain our troops. Sarita appeared in a Pepsi commercial as a child. Suzanne speaks French. Incroyable!

Clearly, these women are more than just pretty faces and pom poms. But they’re more than just charitable and charming as well. These girls are also athletic. And backlit back flips, toe-taps, tumbles, and handsprings are beautiful to watch, even if you can’t really see. In fact, these images might be the most important in building an icon. Consider Jim Pollard, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Scottie Pippen, and even Brent Barry have all attempted dunks form the foul line, but only one legendary leaper turned it into his own logo.

When the lights finally did come on, it was easy to understand why these women were selected to stand on the sidelines each and every Sunday. And it has nothing to do with their matching 6-pack abs. They are professionals. They are athletes. They are your Ravens Cheerleaders. And this fall, from the depths of the players tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium, they will once again emerge from the darkness and into the spotlight, right where they belong.

Save Ferris

At first glance, the Baltimore Ravens 2007 regular season schedule has the looks of a masterpiece.

Four nationally televised games – two live from our Charming City. Three west-coast road trips separated by a minimum of four weeks each. A mid-season bye. A visit to Buffalo before Thanksgiving and trips to Sun Diego and the Sunshine State long after the turkey has been carved. Of course, looks can be deceiving.

Consider the scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the Art Institute of Chicago. Cameron is burning a hole in the canvas of a Seurat painting made up of thousands of tiny dots that when viewed from afar, compose a picturesque scene along the banks of the River Seine. But as Cameron comes to realize, when you look a little deeper, things aren’t exactly as they appear.


The trees don’t really have leaves on them. Ferris isn’t the Sausage King of Chicago. And the Ravens have to play three of the top four seeds from last year’s AFC playoffs – in a row!

Seriously, this is a good comparison. The title of the painting in the movie is actually “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”. Of course if it was called “Sunday Afternoon on the Field of Lambeau” it would be dead-on, but this is close enough.

So what happens when you look at the tiny dots that connect to form a seventeen-week season?

First, seven straight games to start the year against teams that finished at .500 or below in 2006. Look deeper, however, and you see that this stretch includes back-to-back road trips against some of our former feathered friends in Cleveland and San Francisco, who always seem to pack an extra punch when they line-up against the men in purple.

Next, fifteen days off before a divisional dual with the Steelers on Monday Night Football. Look deeper, however, and you will see that Pittsburgh will be celebrating their 75th Anniversary that evening and are likely to line ‘The Bus’ up in the backfield with Bradshaw under center.

And finally, the perverbial hat trick: Lighting bolts, freedom fighters, and horseshoes. Possibly the most anticipated three-week stretch in the NFL as Baltimore faces off against the three [other] teams predicted to possibly represent the AFC in the desert next February. But again, look deeper.

Apart from losing their head coach and both coordinators, the Chargers will be sleeping at home for two extra nights following the Thanksgiving holiday, which could only mean one thing – more leftovers. And turkey is a known cause of drowsiness.

The Patriots are clearly locked and reloaded for another run at a title, however, AD might be able to play all 11 defensive positions, but only one at a time. Wes Welker returning extra kickoffs means the Ravens are scoring more often. And Donte Stallworth typically has both hamstrings strained by mid-October.

And then come the Colts. Yes, those Colts. The same team that knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs last year. The same team that won their first Super Bowl since calling Owings Mills home themselves. The same team, however, that not only lost 5 starters, but one stubborn monkey off their back that may have given them the edge they needed to finally win a Championship.

The point of my homage to John Hughes’ classic, or maybe to Seurat’s classic depending on how you look at it, is that no matter how you look at the 2007 season, each game will bring its own storyline, subplots, and media scrutiny that we can’t begin to predict with two weeks left before the Draft! But after a 13-3 regular season seemed to begin and end on an unusually warm night in January, we need to be prepared to enjoy each and every game the league has given us. Monday Nights and Sunday Nights, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, Jamal and AD, LT and Big Ben, South Beach and the Space Needle. To paraphrase the immortal words of Matthew Broderick, “The NFL moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Bright Lights, Cin City

Aretha asked for it. Rodney never got it. But after a year spent in the shadows of the NFL spotlight, the Ravens may have finally received it. In the immortal words of Ali G – Respek.

The league announced its Kickoff Weekend schedule last week and low and behold, your Baltimore Ravens were up on the marquee. Of course they will be sharing the stage with a full 25% of the NFL, including a rare Monday Night Football double header with the Cardinals and 49ers battling in the bay area in the nightcap. But on September 10th, 2007 at 7PM EST, the eyes of the nation will be on the AFC North as the Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals.

Unfortunately, Monday nights boast a brutal line up of entertainment options that even make Jerry Bruckheimer sweat. CSI Caruso is just the beginning as Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Two and Half Men, Prison Break, and 24 all grab their fare share of Nielsen numbers. If we’re lucky, Jack Bauer could take the fall off to eat and use the bathroom, but ABC is usually good for a reality show or two – Bachelorettes, Ice Dancing with the Stars, who knows. Throw in Howie Mandel and at least one more NBC drama (Studio 60 and The Black Donnelly’s are waging a ratings war as we speak) and it might not be the entire country tuned in to NFL action live from Ohio.

There is still cause for optimism, however, because ESPN will most likely tout the debut of Jaws on Monday Night Football all summer long and the sports world is itching for in depth film review of last year’s classic Thursday Night Thriller between these two division rivals. Although that game was played in a monsoon and every Vegas vet won the under, so the analysis may only take us through the coin toss.

But we are headed to The Queen City. And with an evening start time, the entire day is left open to experience all the city has to offer. You could take a tour of Proctor & Gamble’s headquarters. Or the United States Playing Card Company in nearby Norwood, OH. You could take a boat ride along the famed beaches of the Kentucky coast. Or grab a bowl of chili as Cincinnati boasts more chili restaurants than any other city in the world. Seriously. Their tagline, “All together surprising” is dead on.

No matter how you look at it, after a 13-3 season in 2006, the Ravens have earned some respect among the schedule makers who apparently think fantasy football fanatics are ready to embrace the concept of IDP’s (Individual Defensive Players). The Charm City was also rewarded for their strong season of support with a nationally televised exhibition game on August 19th against the Giants live from Baltimore. The remaining regular season schedule will be released later this month, but for now, Ravens fans can take solace in the fact that after a year of feeling jacked, so far this off-season they’ve received the royal treatment. It all starts with the Queen.