Baltimore Ravens

 

The Baltimore Ravens are a fairly new franchise, headquartered out of Owings Mills, Maryland, but are based out of Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens were established in 1996 and are currently part of the AFC North. Going along with their name, their team colors are Purple, Black, Metallic Gold, and White; showing the most raven-like colors with their alternate uniform. The team has two different mascots, Poe is the costumed mascot of the team, and Rise and Conquer are a set of real ravens. They currently play all of their home games at the M&T Bank Stadium, which was referred to as the “Ravens Stadium” for a short year.

 

Ravens Brief Team History

The Baltimore Ravens franchise was established in 1996. One may think they entered the NFL pretty late, but there was more that happened in the past. The Ravens were not always the Ravens and were not always located in Maryland. It was when Art Modell, the previous owner of the Cleveland Browns, decided it would be a good opportunity if he moved the team to Baltimore. They became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996, which was inspired by the famous Edgar Allan Poe poem The Raven; since Poe lived and died in Baltimore.

Even with their short history, the Ravens have been able to cause quite an impact on the entire NFL. They have been to eight playoffs, three division championships, a conference championship, and a Super Bowl championship. They accomplished more than any fan could have predicted in 2000, which is why they are naming the best NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens team of 2000. The Ravens have had their ups and downs ever since, but one thing is for certain is that they are still a top-notch defensive team.

 

Notable Ravens Figures

Across their brief history they have had several key personalities that made a world of difference for the team, and even now there are certain people that are making an impact on the Ravens.

 

Past Ravens Figures

 

Brian Billick was the Baltimore Ravens head coach from 1999 to 2007, and is one of the main reasons the Ravens had such an amazing year in 2000. He took the Ravens from three consecutive losing seasons and turned them into a top ranking NFL team. He was able to organize the Ravens into the powerful defensive team that it is today.

 

Jamal Lewis was an important figure for the Ravens offense, as he became a very well-known Running Back for the Ravens from 2000 to 2006. He was very influential during the Ravens 2000 Super Bowl win, rushing a total of 1,364 yards that season.

 

Ray Lewis actually started out with the Baltimore Ravens ever since they were established in 1996 and still plays as their starting Linebacker. For his amazing performance, he has won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award twice; in 2000 and 2003. He has won other awards, decorating him as a highly dangerous Linebacker and one of the reasons the Ravens are still a strong defensive team.

 

Present Ravens Figures

 

Joe Flacco is the current Quarterback for the Ravens, acquired during the first round of the NFL draft in 2008. He has managed to give the Ravens a stronger and more efficient offense, and with the experience he has gained, it is certainly being demonstrated during the 2012 NFL season. In his short career with the Ravens, he has managed to throw for over 15,500 yards, with a record high of 315 completed passes during his 2009 season. It appears that he may top this figure during this season.

 

Ray Rice is another important factor for the Ravens, as they tend to rely mostly on their defense; this Running Back is making great strides for the offense. After his rookie year in 2008, he has managed to rush for more than 1,000 yards each season since, giving the Ravens much more opportunities to score and advance. Having strengthened their passing, Rice is a valuable player as he brings in a different strategy to the Ravens gameplay.

 

Ray Lewis and Bernard Pollard are amazing teammates on the Ravens defense. Having Lewis as Linebacker and Pollard playing as Strong Safety, these two have been able to improve the defensive line and maintain their high defensive status. Between the two of these players, they have managed to already get over 70 tackles, bringing in another era of Ravens defensive prowess. Look for these two on the field, as they will surely be tackling players left and right.

 

Present Team Personnel

After buying out previous Ravens owner, Art Modell, Steve Bisciotti became the new team owner. They have Dick Cass as the president, which with his background in law, brings in great decisions for the team. In 2008, the Ravens acquired John Harbaugh as Head Coach, which has brought about even more great changes for the franchise. The Ravens are looking very strong during this 2012 season.