BALTIMORE, AUG. 31 -- So it begins.
The franchise whose history is locked away in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and whose trophy case has nothing in it but dust, the Baltimore Ravens, starts a hopeful journey at 1 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Stadium.
And the town without an NFL team for 13 years would like to go totally bonkers, except a significant number of fans still cannot wash away the guilt over how the Ravens came here. Cleveland, they say, we've known your pain.
Even by NFL standards, winning in a hurry seems overly important for the Ravens. They want to rekindle enthusiasm in a stadium once called "the world's largest outdoor insane asylum" and to generate interest in pricey personal seat licenses soon to go on sale for the new facility under construction at Camden Yards.
The opponent, the Oakland Raiders, could not be more appropriate. The Raiders excite the generation here that recalls important collisions in the 1970s, when the Colts belonged to Baltimore and were led by Coach Ted Marchibroda, now the coach of the Ravens.
The game has been sold out for about a month. Also, media credentials were playoff-thick: 169 for radio and newspaper reporters, 150 for photographers, 199 for television.
"I'm totally looking forward to seeing the atmosphere for the first time," said center Steve Everitt, "because the people were going nuts in the preseason."
Referring to the Browns' home games last season after owner Art Modell announced Nov. 6 that the Browns would be moving, Everitt said: "They weren't miserable, but you almost didn't want to go out there."
In addition to the team, much else is new at Memorial Stadium, including a tough-grass field reconfigured so that a wide receiver who catches a touchdown pass in the area once known as Orrville no longer fears plopping almost immediately into the stands.
The mood also will be collegial, with a rally tonight at Harbor Place that was to feature fireworks instead of a bonfire. It will also be nostalgic, with about 50 former Colts -- among them Johnny Unitas, Art Donovan and Lenny Moore -- to be introduced during the pregame ceremonies. And team officials said a "mystery guest" will present the game ball to referee Dale Hamer.
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Once the game begins, the Ravens' and Raiders' veterans have something to prove. After an 8-2 start under new coach Mike White last season, Oakland lost its final six games. Early this week, quarterback Jeff Hostetler was declared out with a knee injury. However, White later in the week said Hostetler would be available, but only if starter Billy Joe Hobert and backup David Klingler were injured.
Ravens veterans who played for the Browns a year ago suffered through 10 losses in their last 12 games. The disruption caused by the announcement of the move here has been blamed for six of those setbacks.
"But we also lost to {expansion} Jacksonville before the move was announced," Modell said. "And that loss was at home. I asked for a highlight tape and they sent me a Polaroid shot."
The Ravens seem to have fewer question marks than they had at the start of the preseason, which ended 3-1. Linebacker seems stronger. Safeties Eric Turner and Stevon Moore are excellent. The other strengths are both lines and place kicker Matt Stover.
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Still, can the Ravens run on offense, especially with Earnest Byner, in his 13th season, as the lead back? His legs seemed fresh in the exhibition games, but he carried the ball only 18 times. "I keep hearing negative things like that about our entire team," Marchibroda said. "From what people are telling me, we're being picked for last place. But Earnest has given us some spark. Let's hope the Ravens are Earnest Byner."
And what about quarterback Vinny Testaverde? His performances will be even more significant. In the preseason he threw three touchdowns and an equal number of interceptions. Marchibroda said Testaverde will be fine -- and has hinted that the Ravens will pass more than usual. The team clearly is upbeat. "You don't want this to be something you'll look back on and be embarrassed by," Everitt said. "You want to set a tone. Regardless of what other people think, I think we're going to beat some people up this year. Hopefully, that will start Sunday."
