The first full-squad practice at Ravens training camp Friday attracted an overflow crowd, over-the-top expectations and a kiss for the team's iconic star, linebacker Ray Lewis.
An estimated throng of 11,000 marked the largest crowd for a nonscrimmage practice in Ravens' history. Fans serenaded the team with chants, cheers and lots of love as the Ravens embarked on their latest Super Bowl chase.
"Amazing atmosphere," coach John Harbaugh said afterward. "I don't know how many were here, but the place is absolutely stuffed. I remember standing behind, as we started the live drill, looking up, and they were on levels back here - up on the steps, on the hillside and everything. Guys are excited about that. It makes it fun to get out here. We have great fans."
Fans were lined up seven-deep, and the bleacher section along one side of the practice field was filled. Even a balcony at the end of McDaniel's gymnasium was bulging with people.
A year ago, a crowd of 6,625 was on hand in Westminster for Harbaugh's first full-team practice. This year, after an appearance in the AFC championship game, the buzz of anticipation has grown to a deafening roar of expectation.
"It's probably [that] the expectations are high, but people are anxious to get back to football," team president Dick Cass said. "And I think this crowd reinforces the fact we made the right decision to keep the camp in a place like McDaniel College, where the fans can get up close and personal."
Players noticed the difference, too.
"You can definitely notice a big increase from last year, that's for sure. You can definitely hear them out there," said offensive guard Marshal Yanda.
They came from near and far. Erin Ingrisano, 47, and her son Mike, 20, came from Fairfax County, Va., where she is a special education teacher and a huge Ray Lewis fan. Lewis was the last player off the field after the morning workout, and he exited only after signing a lot of autographs.
Ingrisano got one of them - on a close-up picture that bore the intensity in Lewis' face - and before he could slip away, she asked a question: "Ray, can I get a kiss?"
Lewis leaned across the barrier and Ingrisano gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm happy," she said. "Ray is the most inspiring player to watch."
The fan who perhaps came the farthest to see the opening practice was Reginald Johnson, an insurance agent who lives in Dallas. He brought his 12-year-old nephew, Timothy Johnson of Shreveport, La., with him for a five-day visit to Westminster.
