The Ravens Pulling Out All The Stops For Sunday: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Michael Phelps, Jon Ogden, T-Pain And More

My GAWD. What a murderer's row of who's who in Baltimore to get the Bank rockin (bam, already took your Ray Lewis joke from you).

You get literally the sport's greatest motivator and gladiator back in the building where he fired up raucous crowds for years. His sidekick and all-time likable guy and respective GOAT at his own position. The most decorated Olympian of all-time. A top 5 O-Lineman. A genuinely awesome halftime performer. Hell, Sizzle and Anquan are basically afterthoughts and are just part of festivities outside the Bank. The Ravens are pulling all the stops for the biggest home game in franchise history.

The vibes in Baltimore have never been higher. There is an energy around the neighborhood that I've never even come close to experiencing. Baltimore has always been a football town and it's been showing its true colors this week. Every time I drive home from work and see the Bank on the way into the neighborhood, I get goosebumps. I know I'm not alone.

I had the pleasure of hosting a couple of Q&A's at Jimmy's Seafood the past two weeks with Justin Madubuike and Kyle Van Noy. It was a town hall type of setting where Ravens faithful had the opportunity to throw questions at them and feel the energy and excitement of the playoff run. The majority of those asking questions didn't even bother with questions, or at least not at first. They opened with soliloquys about what the Ravens mean to them personally and the city as a whole. Some were older folks that go way back to the days of Johnny U and Art Donovan. Others were younger like myself who came up knowing nothing other than high energy and defensive football. All were emotional and powerful, and I think it really resonated with the players. There's an understanding by all as to what Sunday means and hopefully another Sunday 2 weeks from now.

It's really fucking nuts that the Bank hasn't hosted an AFC Championship game before. Premier franchise and over a decade with both Ray and Reed in the fold and couldn't manage to get one to the Charm City. 4 AFC Championship games played, all on the road. This town has been thirsty for one, and that's part of what made 2019 so painful. Consequently, that's exactly what made the release of that 2nd half dominance last week that much more euphoric.

I talked about this last night on the Exit 52 Podcast - there's an interesting dichotomy at play here. Being road warriors is part of the character of the Ravens franchise. It's gritty, it's nasty, and the successes we've had have typically been hard earned by going into somebody else's barn and taking it from them. 

It's almost weird to be hosting this game. The Patriots had such a stranglehold on hosting this game, and the Colts and Steelers and Broncos were able to capitalize a few times in their off-years and got their shot at hosting it... but we missed the boat. Then the Chiefs had a damn monopoly on it. Not having had an AFCCG in Baltimore has put a bit of a chip on our shoulder. We're a GREAT franchise, clearly.... but have we really made it if we haven't hosted one of these? And defended the Bank in said scenario?

Sunday is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to take the crown from the champs and start to reverse the narrative of this generation of the AFC. Winning doesn't necessarily stamp it, because the Chiefs will be back next year and the Bills and Bengals aren't going anywhere either... but it is certainly a huge step forward towards becoming the alpha dog in the AFC. It's right there in front of us. Just gotta take it.

Sunday is going to be a religious experience and I can't fucking wait. Let's go get it.

PS... oh... almost forgot.

Marky Mark is BACK