Baltimore Celebrates Super Bowl Win With Parade
B A L T I M O R E, Jan. 30 -- Ray Lewis danced on stage with the Super Bowltrophy on a cold and rainy day that was simply beautiful for 200,000Baltimore Ravens fans.
Lewis and the rest of team were feted in a victory paradetoday that ended in front of City Hall, where the MVP in the 34-7Super Bowl victory over the New York Giants was the first to comeon the stage.
The linebacker then broke into his sliding, side-to-side dancethat he does before each game.
Just a year ago, Lewis was implicated in a double murder afterthe Super Bowl in Atlanta. Murder charges against him were droppedand he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
"Baltimoooooooore. Hey, this is me and all my teammates and weneed you to help us," Lewis said, asking the crowd to join him inthe team's traditional pregame chant.
"What time is it?" Lewis asked.
"Game time," the crowd responded.
"Any dogs in the house?" he asked again.
"Woof, woof, woof," the crowd replied.
Let the Ravens Reign
Earlier, team owner Art Model thanked the crowd, whichresponded, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Lewis then joined Art Modell on stage. The 75-year-old ownertried to imitate the linebacker's dance, prompting Lewis to hughim, perhaps to stop the dancing.
Coach Brian Billick followed Lewis.
"This team taught me that the word team is really just anextension of the word family, and you all are a part of thatfamily," Billick said. "Believe me when I tell you it's youpeople that brought Art Modell and this organization here, and youall are the reason that I am here."
By the time the parade reached War Memorial Plaza in front ofCity Hall, thousands had packed the square, craning for a view ofthe stage.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Edward Norris estimated the crowdalong the parade and at City Hall to be 200,000.
The Marching Ravens band started the parade, along with theteam's three mascots, Edgar, Allan and Poe — named for the 19thcentury writer of the macabre poem from which the team derived itsname.
