My Post From The Press Box Experience

[theFRANCHISE]

First off, before I share my experiences, I'd like to thank the Baltimore Ravens organization, particularly Sarah Ellison, Michelle Andres, and everyone else who contributed to a truly memorable day. I'll never forget this day, and it was a truly life-changing experience, to say the least.

As the first-ever winner of the BaltimoreRavens.com Post From The Press Box contest on the official Baltimore Ravens message board, I was filled with every emotion possible. There had been no precedent for me to follow, and I had no idea what was in store for me when I woke up this morning at 8:00AM to give myself ample time to get to the stadium.

After arriving at 10:30AM to M&T Bank Stadium, reality had yet to set in. I wandered aimlessly around the stadium (arriving MUCH EARLIER than I was told), looking for the entrance where I would meet with Sarah, with whom I'd spend the day in the press box and on the sideline. After some confusion, everything was sorted out, and the big day was underway.

I took a few minutes to get acclimated before heading down to the field with Sarah. On the way there, I spotted such luminaries as the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, ESPN's John Clayton, and other recognizable faces. Once on the sideline, however, I went from being a bewildered, pseudo-journalist, to an overgrown kid -- I was simply AMAZED. Seeing all of my favorite players warm-up only a FEW FEET AWAY from me was a sight to behold.

Corey Ivy entertaining a little girl standing next to me; Chris McAlister throwing his helmet off in disgust after doing drills; Mark Clayton catching passes in front of me with the other receivers; Trevor Pryce making eye contact with me while he and Haloti Ngata were stretching in front of me; Ray Lewis lunging across the field to meet Ed Reed and the rest of the team in the endzone to do his famous pre-game speech -- it was all surreal.

Roughly 20 minutes before kickoff, we made our way back up to the press box, where I did my thing on the message board while enjoying the fine catering that team owner Steve Bisciotti provided for the press members (thank you, sir!). Also, we literally had the best seats in the house, as the view of the game was arguably better than field-level seats, and there were televisions stationed everywhere that provided broadcasts of the game (the taped delay served as a pseudo-replay system).

Obviously, being in a professional atmosphere, it was important that I maintained a professional demeanor. That meant keeping my emotions in check, and conducting myself as I would in a business setting. But, given the up-and-down nature of the game, it was difficult, but I managed to pull through for the majority of the game.

Once Matt Stover connected on the seemingly game-winning field goal to make it 30-27 with 0:26 left to play, Sarah & I ran down to the post-game conference area, located next to the Ravens locker room, awaiting the players and coaches for what we thought would be their celebratory remarks. Instead, as we watched from a TV situated in the corner of the room with the camera crew and other press members, we witnessed one of the wildest endings to an NFL game ever. We all experienced the same highs and lows that everyone felt in that stadium and watching at home, as we celebrated what seemed to be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history.

However, as we saw the Ravens filing back into the locker room next to us, we heard the commentators say that the officials were still debating the call on the field, and that the game would then be continued. The smiles on everyone's faces were immediately erased, and it was surreal to see all these players, some already partially undressed, strapping all of their equipment back on as they headed back onto the field for an unexpected overtime. In a moment I'll never forget, Chris McAlister needed help from one of the equipment managers in getting his gear back on in the hallway; that scene brought to mind the distinct possibility that we'd all be feeling a very sobering dose of reality within minutes.

And, sadly, we all know the outcome of the game, as the Browns would drive down and kick a field goal to win 33-30 in overtime, after a controversial ruling by the officials at the end of regulation.

The hearts of everyone in that room, myself included, seemed to break simultaneously. Tears started welling up in everyone's eyes (including myself), and it was a very emotional time for everyone who cared so deeply about this courageous Baltimore Ravens squad. As Brian Billick, Kyle Boller, and Devard Darling filed in one-by-one for their post-game statements, I could tell from their eyes and the shakiness of their voices that this was a tough loss to cope with. As I briefly locked eyes with all three men while they spoke, I could tell that this was very difficult for the team to deal with, and they were hurting as much as we were, if not more.

But alas, at the end of the day, what's done is done, and the outcome can't be changed. Aside from the outcome of the game, this was an experience that I'll never forget. Memories were made today that I'll cherish for the rest of my life, and I owe it all to the entire Baltimore Ravens organization.

I hope that those who follow will appreciate the experience as much as I did today. Good luck to the next winner of the Post From The Press Box contest, and I hope to read about your experience from the Ravens/Patriots game on ESPN's Monday Night Football on December 3rd!

[#1 D]

First off, before I share my experiences, I'd like to thank the Baltimore Ravens organization, particularly Sarah Ellison, Michelle Andres, and everyone else who contributed to a truly memorable day. I'll never forget this day, and it was a truly life-changing experience, to say the least.

As the first-ever winner of the BaltimoreRavens.com Post From The Press Box contest on the official Baltimore Ravens message board, I was filled with every emotion possible. There had been no precedent for me to follow, and I had no idea what was in store for me when I woke up this morning at 8:00AM to give myself ample time to get to the stadium.

After arriving at 10:30AM to M&T Bank Stadium, reality had yet to set in. I wandered aimlessly around the stadium (arriving MUCH EARLIER than I was told), looking for the entrance where I would meet with Sarah, with whom I'd spend the day in the press box and on the sideline. After some confusion, everything was sorted out, and the big day was underway.

I took a few minutes to get acclimated before heading down to the field with Sarah. On the way there, I spotted such luminaries as the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, ESPN's John Clayton, and other recognizable faces. Once on the sideline, however, I went from being a bewildered, pseudo-journalist, to an overgrown kid -- I was simply AMAZED. Seeing all of my favorite players warm-up only a FEW FEET AWAY from me was a sight to behold.

Corey Ivy entertaining a little girl standing next to me; Chris McAlister throwing his helmet off in disgust after doing drills; Mark Clayton catching passes in front of me with the other receivers; Trevor Pryce making eye contact with me while he and Haloti Ngata were stretching in front of me; Ray Lewis lunging across the field to meet Ed Reed and the rest of the team in the endzone to do his famous pre-game speech -- it was all surreal.

Roughly 20 minutes before kickoff, we made our way back up to the press box, where I did my thing on the message board while enjoying the fine catering that team owner Steve Bisciotti provided for the press members (thank you, sir!). Also, we literally had the best seats in the house, as the view of the game was arguably better than field-level seats, and there were televisions stationed everywhere that provided broadcasts of the game (the taped delay served as a pseudo-replay system).

Obviously, being in a professional atmosphere, it was important that I maintained a professional demeanor. That meant keeping my emotions in check, and conducting myself as I would in a business setting. But, given the up-and-down nature of the game, it was difficult, but I managed to pull through for the majority of the game.

Once Matt Stover connected on the seemingly game-winning field goal to make it 30-27 with 0:26 left to play, Sarah & I ran down to the post-game conference area, located next to the Ravens locker room, awaiting the players and coaches for what we thought would be their celebratory remarks. Instead, as we watched from a TV situated in the corner of the room with the camera crew and other press members, we witnessed one of the wildest endings to an NFL game ever. We all experienced the same highs and lows that everyone felt in that stadium and watching at home, as we celebrated what seemed to be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history.

However, as we saw the Ravens filing back into the locker room next to us, we heard the commentators say that the officials were still debating the call on the field, and that the game would then be replayed. The smiles on everyone's faces were immediately erased, and it was surreal to see all these players, some already partially undressed, strapping all of their equipment back on as they headed back onto the field for an unexpected overtime. In a moment I'll never forget, Chris McAlister needed help from one of the equipment managers in getting his gear back on in the hallway; that scene brought to mind the distinct possibility that we'd all be feeling a very sobering does of reality within minutes.

And, sadly, we all know the outcome of the game, as the Browns would drive down and kick a field goal to win 33-30 in overtime, after a controversial ruling by the officials at the end of regulation.

The hearts of everyone in that room, myself included, seem to break almost simultaneously. Tears started welling up in everyone's eyes (including myself), and it was a very emotional time for everyone who cared so deeply about this courageous Baltimore Ravens squad. As Brian Billick, Kyle Boller, and Devard Darling filed in one-by-one for their post-game statements, I could tell from their eyes and the shakiness of their voices that this was a tough loss to cope with. As I briefly locked eyes with all three men while they spoke, I could tell that this was very difficult for the team to deal with, and they were hurting as much as we were, if not more.

But alas, at the end of the day, what's done is done, and the outcome can't be changed. Aside from the outcome of the game, this was an experience that I'll never forget. Memories were made today that I'll cherish for the rest of my life, and I owe it all to the entire Baltimore Ravens organization.

I hope that those who follow will appreciate the experience as much as I did today. Good luck to the next winner of the Post From The Press Box contest, and I hope to read about your experience from the Ravens/Patriots game on ESPN's Monday Night Football on December 3rd!

Wow man....looks like you had fun there! Unfortunately I'm not 18 yet so Im not able to get nominified (if thats even a word ) for the next one. but I'm happy for you bro...

[TopDawg1977]

wow. that sounds amazing. i wish the browns did stuff like that. it's moves like this that make the ravens a class organization.

[BrownsFan]

Awesome post Franchise. I'm glad it was such a great experience and I think more teams should look into doing things like this.

[ragnorok99]

Great post, and great job today. It really was awesome to have you posting from that point of view, regardless of how the game turned out. You did a good job capturing the emotions of the day.

[ravensfan1996]

Great post, and great job today. It really was awesome to have you posting from that point of view, regardless of how the game turned out. You did a good job capturing the emotions of the day.

Well you definitely did a better job of posting your experience then i would have. For one, it sounds like you havent been to many games before so made the experience even better for you. Ive been to every home game except 2 since they arrived here 1996. I sit in the 2nd row, so seeing them warm up within a few feet of you happens every game for me, (Id still rather be on the field and be that close to them!) I wouldnt have been able to be quiet in the press box either! hehe

Any pictures from the day?

[thecitythatreeds]

Good post man, but i doubt I would have the composure to stay calm during the parts of the game. Especially Rays int. But anyway how do you go about being nominated for this? Just post alot or what? Give us some info please.

[Guest Birdfan]

Nomination procedures and rules are available in this thread: http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/index.php?showtopic=1475

[MsMarvel73]

Totally awesome, dude. Congrats.

[ladyraven127]

franchise,

I'm glad you got to experience such a wonderful time. You have been a great contributor to this board from the very beginning. I'm just sorry that we mods didn't get to meet you. It's always nice to put a face to a name.

Many kudos to the Ravens organization to offer this opportunity to their fans. Just goes to show what a great fan experience that they offer.

Get to posting y'all. I can't wait to see who gets to go next time!!!!

[theFRANCHISE]

Thanks, guys.

For the record, it seems to be an eerie coincidence that this was only my second Ravens game ever, and in both games, I witnessed an INT returned for a TD by two future Hall of Famers.

My first game? In 2004, against the Buffalo Bills, Deion Sanders returned an INT for the final TD of his career.

This second game? Against the Cleveland Browns, Ray Lewis returned an INT for a crucial TD, his first INT TD since 2004, I believe.

Weird coincidence...maybe I should get more opportunities to go to more games *hint hint*

[Cartoon_Cartooon]

daamn thatz tiight u r soo lucky u got to be that close to the ravens.....i heard jimmy fallon or whatever his name is was there.....did u see him?? what food did they serve?? lol

[neepo13]

First off, before I share my experiences, I'd like to thank the Baltimore Ravens organization, particularly Sarah Ellison, Michelle Andres, and everyone else who contributed to a truly memorable day. I'll never forget this day, and it was a truly life-changing experience, to say the least.

As the first-ever winner of the BaltimoreRavens.com Post From The Press Box contest on the official Baltimore Ravens message board, I was filled with every emotion possible. There had been no precedent for me to follow, and I had no idea what was in store for me when I woke up this morning at 8:00AM to give myself ample time to get to the stadium.

After arriving at 10:30AM to M&T Bank Stadium, reality had yet to set in. I wandered aimlessly around the stadium (arriving MUCH EARLIER than I was told), looking for the entrance where I would meet with Sarah, with whom I'd spend the day in the press box and on the sideline. After some confusion, everything was sorted out, and the big day was underway.

I took a few minutes to get acclimated before heading down to the field with Sarah. On the way there, I spotted such luminaries as the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston, ESPN's John Clayton, and other recognizable faces. Once on the sideline, however, I went from being a bewildered, pseudo-journalist, to an overgrown kid -- I was simply AMAZED. Seeing all of my favorite players warm-up only a FEW FEET AWAY from me was a sight to behold.

Corey Ivy entertaining a little girl standing next to me; Chris McAlister throwing his helmet off in disgust after doing drills; Mark Clayton catching passes in front of me with the other receivers; Trevor Pryce making eye contact with me while he and Haloti Ngata were stretching in front of me; Ray Lewis lunging across the field to meet Ed Reed and the rest of the team in the endzone to do his famous pre-game speech -- it was all surreal.

Roughly 20 minutes before kickoff, we made our way back up to the press box, where I did my thing on the message board while enjoying the fine catering that team owner Steve Bisciotti provided for the press members (thank you, sir!). Also, we literally had the best seats in the house, as the view of the game was arguably better than field-level seats, and there were televisions stationed everywhere that provided broadcasts of the game (the taped delay served as a pseudo-replay system).

Obviously, being in a professional atmosphere, it was important that I maintained a professional demeanor. That meant keeping my emotions in check, and conducting myself as I would in a business setting. But, given the up-and-down nature of the game, it was difficult, but I managed to pull through for the majority of the game.

Once Matt Stover connected on the seemingly game-winning field goal to make it 30-27 with 0:26 left to play, Sarah & I ran down to the post-game conference area, located next to the Ravens locker room, awaiting the players and coaches for what we thought would be their celebratory remarks. Instead, as we watched from a TV situated in the corner of the room with the camera crew and other press members, we witnessed one of the wildest endings to an NFL game ever. We all experienced the same highs and lows that everyone felt in that stadium and watching at home, as we celebrated what seemed to be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history.

However, as we saw the Ravens filing back into the locker room next to us, we heard the commentators say that the officials were still debating the call on the field, and that the game would then be continued. The smiles on everyone's faces were immediately erased, and it was surreal to see all these players, some already partially undressed, strapping all of their equipment back on as they headed back onto the field for an unexpected overtime. In a moment I'll never forget, Chris McAlister needed help from one of the equipment managers in getting his gear back on in the hallway; that scene brought to mind the distinct possibility that we'd all be feeling a very sobering dose of reality within minutes.

And, sadly, we all know the outcome of the game, as the Browns would drive down and kick a field goal to win 33-30 in overtime, after a controversial ruling by the officials at the end of regulation.

The hearts of everyone in that room, myself included, seemed to break simultaneously. Tears started welling up in everyone's eyes (including myself), and it was a very emotional time for everyone who cared so deeply about this courageous Baltimore Ravens squad. As Brian Billick, Kyle Boller, and Devard Darling filed in one-by-one for their post-game statements, I could tell from their eyes and the shakiness of their voices that this was a tough loss to cope with. As I briefly locked eyes with all three men while they spoke, I could tell that this was very difficult for the team to deal with, and they were hurting as much as we were, if not more.

But alas, at the end of the day, what's done is done, and the outcome can't be changed. Aside from the outcome of the game, this was an experience that I'll never forget. Memories were made today that I'll cherish for the rest of my life, and I owe it all to the entire Baltimore Ravens organization.

I hope that those who follow will appreciate the experience as much as I did today. Good luck to the next winner of the Post From The Press Box contest, and I hope to read about your experience from the Ravens/Patriots game on ESPN's Monday Night Football on December 3rd!

Congrats!

[Raven07]

uh huh! woot woot! sounds like alot of fun you had up there and at the game overall! lol

[theFRANCHISE]

For the record, the food at the game was GREAT!

There was a HUGE spread at breakfast with pretty much ANYTHING you could want for breakfast (too bad I'm not a breakfast person, otherwise, I would've been in HEAVEN). For lunch, there was a nice selection of crab cakes, hot dogs, and pasta salad (and M&M's for dessert, as a nice, light-hearted touch). And after lunch, there were sandwich stations if you got hungry or if you were staying for a little longer after the game.

Steve Bisciotti knows how to treat his people well. We all know that crab cakes don't come cheap at big events.

[Drkraven]

Madden always talks about the crabcakes

[Raven07]

thats pretty awesome that Biscotti treats EVERYONE, not just a few people.... equally and gives everyone what they deserve...

[theFRANCHISE]

thats pretty awesome that Biscotti treats EVERYONE, not just a few people.... equally and gives everyone what they deserve...

Well, I didn't go up in the club level (even though my V.I.P. pass on the back of my press pass gave me the privilege to do so...LOL), but I'm assuming the food up there is EVEN BETTER for all the celebs and whatnot...

Plus, they have a wait-staff for the club suites, so I'm assuming the overall experience up there would be luxury to a T...

But the press box wasn't too shabby...it was well-designed (I especially liked the pictures all over the walls of Ravens greats, past and present), and there were plenty of monitors so that you could keep track of the games as you walked to get food and whatnot.

And the little cafeteria area had a cozy (office) vibe but could accommodate all of the press members at one time, if need be.

I mean, yes, when you're actually there, it might not seem like much, but compared to other office settings and things of that nature, it was pretty great.

And the view of the field certainly helped, of course.

[Raven07]

haha... im sure the Food up at that particular level is Insanely Good! hehe

oh yea...Luxury to a T......you can bet on it...i mean If i pay Top Dollar for my seat....by golley i want Top Dollar everything! lol

it seems'sounds like that was a Little bit of a Gourmet resturuant haha of course..when your always cooped up in an office for days on end and whatever else.....having this come your way....its like royalty isnt it?? lol