Ravens Getting Ready For New Orleans, Super Bowl XLVII
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) -- Purple madness everywhere. We're a little over a week from Super Bowl XLVII. The Baltimore Ravens are getting ready to take on the San Francisco 49ers.
Sports Director Mark Viviano was at the Ravens facility in Owings Mills as the team hit the field for practice Thursday.
The Super Bowl's a big deal, and there's a big build-up to the big game.
For the players that means arranging for tickets and travel for family and friends. They've had three days to get that done. With that now complete, the players can put their full focus on football.
The Ravens step onto the practice field to prepare for a game against the San Francisco 49ers, well aware it's not just any game. It's the Super Bowl. Players say they're controlling the excitement, but enjoying the Super Bowl experience as it begins to sink in.
"It's awesome, man. Like I said, I can't explain it. There's just so much joy that I have for all of us as an organization," said Ravens safety Ed Reed.
"You've got to embrace it. And I'm not going to shy around and say this ain't the best feeling in my life," said running back Ray Rice.
Practicing in Owings Mills for now, headed to New Orleans on Monday. The Ravens are preparing to handle the hype and potential distractions that await in Louisiana.
"We do have a plan for that. This is a business trip first and foremost. Yes, we want to enjoy it , but we want to enjoy all the things about it that make it special. You can do all those other things any time. You can do them next week if you want," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
"You can party your whole life and do whatever, but the main thing is winning this football game. 'Cause we're writing a story. We're writing a story here and our chapter isn't finished," said defensive lineman Arthur Jones.
"This is something that doesn't come up very often. So talking to the media and everything that goes on surrounding the game, that to us is secondary. But to everybody else is really like the prime reason we're playing the game, you have to enjoy that. And we all understand what that means and how to be smart about it," said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.
The Ravens are getting ready for New Orleans, and New Orleans is getting ready for the Ravens.
The team's logo is being painted in one of the end-zones of the Superdome in New Orleans. The Ravens will be on that field next week for media day, and of course the big game Feb. 3 against the San Francisco 49ers.
