Baltimore is turning out in force to support the Super Bowl champion Ravens today.
The victorious Ravens are parading through Baltimore and making their way to a rally at M&T Bank Stadium, and the huge crowd seems so enthusiastic that the parade organizers may have been overwhelmed: Local TV station WJZ showed fans climbing over the barriers and onto the parade route to get near Ray Lewis. (When WJZ’s reporter on the scene attempted to reach Lewis to get a word from him, the police told him to get back.) The time of the rally was pushed back 30 minutes to give everyone more time to get through the crowd.
Players, coaches and team officials are riding military trucks on the parade route, and WJZ reported that there were concerns about fans going onto the parade route, with one reporter pointing out, “These military trucks are enormous and they would crush somebody.” Another WJZ reporter mentioned that the turnout seems more enthusiastic than when the Pope visited Baltimore.
At the outset of the parade, Lewis addressed the cheering crowd, saying, “Baltimore, I love you forever.” The feeling is obviously mutual.