“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano

As we spent the day honoring our fathers, grandfathers, or any man who’s embraced the enormous responsibility of being called “Dad,” it’s easy to reflect on what was a great year for Dad if he’s a Baltimore sports fan.

Perhaps you were lucky enough to cherish the Orioles’ first playoff appearance in 15 years with the man who held your hand as he walked you through the gate at Memorial Stadium or Oriole Park at Camden Yards countless times or sat down to watch with you on TV or just happened to put the ballgame on the radio as he drove you nowhere in particular. Witnessing a raucous and packed Camden Yards wave rally towels for Games 1 and 2 of the American League Division Series was as good as it gets after 14 seasons largely filled with misery and eventual apathy.

The Ravens’ second Super Bowl championship undoubtedly meant more if you can remember your father crying when the Colts skipped town in the middle of the night or you spent a large portion of your childhood wondering with Dad if Baltimore would ever get another NFL team as autumn Sundays were all too quiet for far too many years. Whether you made the once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Orleans or celebrated at home with the rest of Charm City as Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and John Harbaugh raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the feeling accompanying that bear hug, high five, or glowing smile will never be forgotten by those fortunate enough to share them with their fathers.

It was the perfect way to bid farewell to Lewis, who was the omnipresent figure teaching Baltimore to “raise the roof” and to remember what it felt like to have an NFL team in the infancy of the franchise and making an improbable return from injury for the “last ride” of his career, entering the pantheon of the city’s all-time best sports figures over the last 17 years.

The last 12 months have been a wonderful time to spend with Dad, but many weren’t able to share those special memories with the man holding so much influence over not just their Baltimore sports fandom but in other aspects of their lives. For those individuals, his presence may no longer be here physically, but his spirit lives on through every pitch and each snap, the cheers and moments of disappointment, and with each breath his son or daughter takes.

I once heard someone say that when you lose your father at a young age, you spend the rest of your life trying to make him proud. Truer words have never been spoken if you’ve found yourself in that unenviable position, regardless of how old you might be.

Sunday marked the ninth Father’s Day I’ve spent without my dad, but his smile and embrace were felt as strongly as ever while watching what transpired on the Baltimore sports scene over the last year.

Many landing in this wonderful but difficult business of sports media will point to the influence their father had in sharing a love for sports, writing, or both at an early age. My dad didn’t live long enough to see me take the unique path to where I am today that began with five rewarding years in public education, continued with a unique media competition at WNST.net, and eventually turned into a full-time opportunity to cover the local teams with which I grew up. But he’s the biggest reason why I’m doing what I love today and he – along with my mom, of course – was my biggest fan in whatever I tried to accomplish.

I miss his physical presence and voice every day after nearly nine years without him, but I know he’s been right there with me along the way, starting with the first Ravens game I attended without him in 2004 when I sobbed uncontrollably just six days after he died – the emotion came immediately after Reed returned an interception 106 yards for a touchdown in the closing seconds to wrap up a victory against Cleveland — and continuing each time I walk into the press box or cover another training camp practice in the sweltering heat of Owings Mills in August.

Your perspective changes when you work in media as you get to know athletes and coaches – for better or worse – and remember the obligatory rule of no cheering in the press box. You have a job to do, so the manner in which you watch and enjoy games changes from your previous experiences as a fan. What was once only a passion becomes a profession, with responsibilities that accompany such an awesome job.

But it doesn’t change how you feel inside, especially when you had the kind of relationship I enjoyed with my father through the first 21 years of my life. There isn’t a time that I’m walking to my car after a late night at Camden Yards or an afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in which I don’t think of Dad, silently asking him what he thought of the game.

I can almost hear his opinions on Flacco, Harbaugh, Adam Jones, and Manny Machado even though each of those individuals came along years after his passing. And I know I’m not alone in sharing the sentiment that my late father has enjoyed the best seat in the house over this last year in particular.

What a year it was, Dad.

As the Orioles were on the verge of clinching their first postseason berth since 1997, one of the most unique scenes of the year occurred on the final home date of the regular season. Moments after a win over the Boston Red Sox, manager Buck Showalter and his club of talented but unproven players mixed with a few journeymen stood on the field watching a game between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels on the video board, with the outcome determining whether the Orioles would officially clinch a spot that afternoon or would need to wait a little longer.

It was a unique scene in which players and coaches transformed into fans just like the 41,000 gathered at the ballpark that afternoon. And it was a moment that brought a lump in my throat and moisture in my eyes as I thought of the countless games at the ballpark with my dad, who served as an usher for nine years at Memorial Stadium and was with me for virtually every game I attended through 2004.

I could remember the many times talking to him when I was away for college at Syracuse and how he’d inevitably fit into every conversation, “The Orioles still stink.” Truthfully, the language was a bit more colorful, but it was a running joke to mask the annual disappointment we both held.

In that moment sitting in the press box on that Sunday afternoon, I thought to myself, “Not anymore.”

Lucky enough to be at Yankee Stadium to cover the ALDS last October, I wore my favorite shirt to Game 5, a maroon polo that belonged to my dad and my grandfather before him. The color has faded to a light salmon and it has a few more holes around the collar and shoulders than I’d like to admit, but the shirt was the only garment of choice as the Orioles were unfortunately eliminated in a highly competitive series in which fans could still be proud of the club’s remarkable season.

A few months later, I wore the same shirt as I settled into my seat in the auxiliary press box at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for Super Bowl XLVII. Coincidence or not, there was something fitting about the seat to my left somehow remaining empty throughout the game as I thought back to 12 years earlier and the giant hug shared with my dad as we watched the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXXV on TV. I remembered the many conversations about our dream of one day attending a Super Bowl together and hoping we would get another chance.

As the confetti fell and I quickly made my way downstairs for post-game interviews, I felt the same lump in my throat and moisture in my eyes that I did on that final day of September in Baltimore a few months earlier.

I suppose it wasn’t exactly how we pictured it, but we did make it to a Super Bowl, Dad.

It would be difficult to ask for a better sports year as we spent Sunday honoring our fathers in various ways. Whether you took him to the ballpark or got together to watch the Orioles on TV, shared a meal, called him on the telephone, or simply spent a few moments lost in memory, I can only wish and pray you’re as lucky as I was – and still am — to have had such a wonderful dad.

His love of Baltimore sports and, more importantly, the valuable life lessons he offered about what it meant to be a man, a compassionate friend, a devoted husband, and a father are ones I remember and still try to fully grasp as I approach my 30th birthday and dream of one day having a family of my own.

Whenever someone who knew him tells me how much I resemble him, I smile proudly after once cringing when I was a teenager — though I’ll promise to refrain from growing his trademark mustache.

I feel his presence at every game, imagining him chomping on peanuts or popcorn while making an absolute mess, and it makes me smile far more often than I cry all these years later.

I’ll never stop trying to make him proud, hopefully experiencing a few more years like this past one along the way.

I hope you enjoyed it, Dad.

I know I did.

Ravens running back Damien Berry was arrested earlier this week by Baltimore County police for a failure to appear warrant coming from a charge of driving with a suspended license.

The news was reported by The Sun and Berry was released on his own recognizance Wednesday. He was cited for speeding and driving with a suspended out-of-state license in January.

The former Miami running back spent the 2011 season on the Ravens’ practice squad and last year on injured reserve.

Berry was absent from minicamp workouts on Wednesday and Thursday.

PRESS RELEASE

To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite fan entry into M&T Bank Stadium, the Baltimore Ravens announced Thursday an NFL policy that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the stadium.

The NFL Committee on Stadium Security in May unanimously recommended the implementation of this measure that will enhance public safety and make it easier for fans to gain access in all stadiums. It was discussed with all clubs at the May league meeting and will be implemented at all NFL stadiums beginning with preseason games.

The Ravens strongly encourage fans to not bring any type of bags, but outlined today what is permissible. Fans will be able to carry the following style and size bag, package or container at stadium plaza areas, stadium gates, or when approaching queue lines of fans awaiting entry into the stadium:

* Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12.” (Official NFL team logo clear plastic tote bags are available through club merchandise outlets or at nflshop.com), or

* One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc-type bag or similar).

* Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap, may be carried into the stadium along with one of the clear bag options.

* An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, seat cushions, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.

For additional information, go to NFL.com/allclear.

“Our focus is safety at our games, and this new policy helps that,” Ravens president Dick Cass said. “Plus, with the use of clear bags, entering our stadium will be faster and more convenient.”

Ravens fans will continue to be able to enjoy their tailgate activities in the parking lots and to do so with greater safety and the knowledge that their entry into the stadium will be smoother and faster.

In recent years the Ravens have enhanced their already comprehensive safety plans with the additional measures such as pat-downs, bag checks and metal detectors.

“Our fans deserve to be in a safe and secure environment,” said Jeffrey Miller, NFL vice president and chief security officer. “Public safety is our top priority. This will make the job of checking items much more efficient and effective. We will be able to deliver a better and quicker experience at the gates and also provide a safer environment.”

This public safety measure is being successfully used at other large venues. The University of Michigan, Penn State University and Michigan State University do not permit any bags, while the TD Garden in Boston only permits clutch bags.

Working personnel, including media, will continue to enter NFL stadiums through designated gates where they will be subject to screening and bag inspections already in effect at all stadiums.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens concluded their final day of mandatory minicamp, tight end Ed Dickson was absent from the field for a second straight day.

“Ed had a groin strain,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We are resting him. He wasn’t able to practice.”

Several others were absent from the field including Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda (shoulder surgery), offensive lineman Antoine McClain (foot surgery), safety Omar Brown (undisclosed), and running back Damien Berry (undisclosed). Harbaugh said Tuesday that Yanda should be ready to go for training camp on at least a limited basis to start.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, nose tackle Terrence Cody (hip surgery), defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore (ACL surgery), and wide receiver Marlon Brown (knee) were all present but not participating. Ngata appeared to be receiving the day off as he continues to work on his conditioning after rehabbing his injured knee for a large portion of the offseason.

Cornerback Lardarius Webb and linebackers Jameel McClain and Albert McClellan continued to work on a limited basis while rookie linebacker Arthur Brown (sports hernia surgery) appeared to be close to 100 percent as he took part in most individual and team drills.

The Ravens received another health scare during Friday’s midday practice as outside linebacker Adrian Hamilton went down with a lower back injury during an 11-on-11 session. However, all signs point to it only being a minor issue despite the second-year linebacker being in noticeable pain for a few minutes before walking off the indoor field gingerly.

“[We] got a quick report,” Harbaugh said. “It doesn’t seem serious. It was all muscular, so he should be fine. That’s early.”

Players dealing with injuries will now received a lengthy break as the Ravens will have the next several weeks off before reconvening in Owings Mills for the start of training camp in the final week of July.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Last year’s mandatory minicamp in Owings Mills was only the beginning of a trying season for Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie as he was held out of practices due to conditioning reasons.

The Ravens weren’t happy and the problems multiplied from there as McKinnie reported late to training camp after explaining he suffered a fall outside his Florida home in late July, injuring his back in the process. He wouldn’t regain his standing within the organization for quite some time as coach John Harbaugh replaced him at left tackle with Michael Oher. McKinnie was then nearly cut before the start of the season before agent Michael George and general manager Ozzie Newsome worked out a compromise for a reduced salary that kept him in Baltimore.

McKinnie didn’t start a single regular-season game at left tackle, but it all began to change after a December conversation with Harbaugh in which the two cleared the air over their respective expectations. McKinnie’s practice performance improved over the final few weeks of the regular season and he was eventually inserted in the starting lineup for the start of the postseason.

The rest was history as McKinnie’s exceptional play not only protected quarterback Joe Flacco’s blindside but reshuffled an offensive line that was dominant throughout the Ravens’ run to a Super Bowl title. McKinnie carried that momentum into the offseason with an eventual return on a two-year contract and a healthy and productive spring participating in organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp without any limitations.

“This time last year, I didn’t even participate, so yeah, I definitely feel a lot better in minicamp,” said McKinnie, who admitted how difficult most of last season was for the 33-year-old lineman. “You just have a lot going on mentally, but right now, I’m more focused so I can have a good year and be the best left tackle in the league.”

It’s a lofty goal for a player most expected to be long gone this offseason as the Ravens would look to the draft and potential free-agent options for a long-term solution at left tackle. A late draft position and limited cap space made that a difficult proposition as the Ravens completed draft weekend with left guard Kelechi Osemele projected to be their starting left tackle.

Meanwhile, McKinnie began receiving interest from the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers, taking free-agent visits and receiving offers from both teams before the Ravens jumped back into the picture. All along, McKinnie had remained in touch with Harbaugh, Oher, and new run-game coordinator Juan Castillo as he faced an uncertain future entering his 12th NFL season.

And after looking like he’d be one of the least likely of the Ravens’ many unrestricted free agents to return, he became the only one of significance to stay put in an offseason filled with changes.

“I always wanted to give the Ravens an option to match whatever other teams offered,” McKinnie said. “So I would tell my agent to check back to see what the Ravens have going on and we’ll decide from there.”

Less than a week after the draft, McKinnie agreed to a two-year deal with a reported base value of $6.3 million and $2 million in guaranteed money.

However, Harbaugh laid out the challenge that he was looking forward to seeing McKinnie come to work during offseason workouts as well as OTAs now that it was certain he’d be returning for a third season. The Baltimore coach provided positive reviews Thursday when asked whether his veteran tackle had lived up to his end of the bargain.

“He moved really well in this camp,” Harbaugh said. “As well as he moved at the end of the year last year when he started practicing so well and playing so well. He looks healthy, and he will continue to work on his conditioning. That’s always for all of us, that’s always a year-round, life-round proposition. He seems to be very committed. I love the way he’s playing and his effort.”

The addition of Castillo to the coaching staff has received plenty of praise from players and fellow coaches as the former Philadelphia Eagles assistant will not only oversee the running game but work with offensive line coach Andy Moeller to instruct an offensive line returning four of its five starters from last year’s postseason.

Castillo’s offseason communication isn’t the only way in which McKinnie has been impressed.

“He focuses on our technique, and that’s something that I kind of get away from sometimes,” McKinnie said. “Right now is a great time for us to work on our technique and me in pass protection – sitting straight back. Juan’s been a great help.”

McKinnie said Thursday he feels like he’s 26 and is out to prove that he is capable of performing at a high level for more than just the four-game stretch that helped the Ravens win their second world championship.

The 2002 first-round pick wants to prove he’s the best in the NFL at his position. And he knows exactly what it will take to go about proving it.

“When people turn on film, they’ll just see that I’m dominating,” McKinnie said. “I just feel that I’m going to do better than everybody else this year.”

Whether that lofty goal is realistic or not remains to be seen, but the Ravens will eagerly take the kind of play they saw last January and February from their starting left tackle.

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens convened for the start of their mandatory three-day minicamp on Tuesday, a critical piece of their offensive line was nowhere to be found as Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda was absent from the field.

Coach John Harbaugh wouldn’t disclose the exact ailment from which Yanda is recovering, but The Sun reports that the seventh-year lineman underwent offseason shoulder surgery. Yanda was present for the Ravens’ trip to the White House and the ring ceremony last week but will not return to the practice field until training camp as he continues to rehab.

“We expect him back by camp to some degree,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s done a great job. Marshal Yanda has done a great job with the rehab. He’s right on schedule, probably ahead of schedule. He’s doing really well.”

Yanda missed two games last year after suffering an ankle injury against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 9 but recovered to play in all four of the Ravens’ postseason games en route to the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship. Two years ago, Yanda suffered chest and leg injuries in the penultimate game of the regular season but played the following week as he helped the Ravens clinch a division title and first-round bye in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

He was elected to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons and is not only regarded as one of the toughest players on the team but also as one of the best guards in the NFL.

The long-term prognosis for Yanda doesn’t appear to be concerning, but the 28-year-old would be eligible to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list should he not be ready to practice by late July. Jah Reid and Ramon Harewood split time filling in for Yanda as the starting right guard on Tuesday.

Ngata feeling “80 percent”

Speaking to reporters in Owings Mills for the first time since he sprained the MCL of his left knee at the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata declared himself to be 80 to 85 percent of where he needs to be after spending much of the offseason rehabbing the injury.

Ngata did not need to undergo surgery, but the eighth-year defensive lineman acknowledged feeling frustrated after dealing with a plethora injuries over the last two seasons, including knee, shoulder, thigh, and ankle ailments at different points. He just began running a few weeks ago after rehabbing the knee injury that knocked him out of the second half of Super Bowl XLVII.

“It’s been real tough,” Ngata said. “Especially towards the end of the season, it just limited me. What I wanted to do was be an explosive player, and not being able to really come off or getting off blocks as well … It definitely was tough towards the end of the season, but you just fight through it, and we got a Super Bowl out of it.”

Much was made of Ngata’s noticeable weight gain last season as he played with 10 extra pounds after complaining of wearing down during the latter half of the 2011 season. Ngata doesn’t appear lighter than he did at the end of last season, but Harbaugh didn’t express concern over the defensive tackle’s level of conditioning with training camp roughly six weeks away.

“He’s in good shape. He’s fine,” Harbaugh said. “He’s right where he needs to be at this time. He’s doing well.”

With the offseason signings of Chris Canty and Marcus Spears, Ngata will not be asked to play defensive end this year and will instead play inside at nose tackle and defensive tackle where he feels he can take better advantage of interior linemen with his strength and quickness.

Ngata didn’t offer any predictions or specifics when asked about a specific weight goal he has in mind for this season, but the Ravens privately hope he’ll be in better condition than he was last season.

“We’ll see what it is. I definitely just want to come in in great shape,” Ngata said. “After this minicamp, these next five weeks are going to be really important for me to make sure I’m in really good shape to come in and participate in camp.”

The four-time Pro Bowl selection signed a five-year, $61 million contract early in the 2011 season and carries an $11.5 million salary cap number for 2013.

Leach’s presence will be missed

With the official release of Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach on Tuesday, there was plenty of talk about how the veteran will be missed not only on the field but in the locker room.

Leach was scheduled to make a $3 million base salary and was released when he and the Ravens were unable to work out a restructured contract.

“Vonta [Leach] has been as much of the heart and soul of this team as anybody since he’s been here,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been a great leader. He’s been a tremendous performer. I’ve never had more fun with a player since he’s been here, personally as a coach, than I have had with Vonta.”

Attention will now turn toward rookie fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is expected to inherit Leach’s starting role despite possessing different skills than the traditional blocking back. Teammates are looking forward to the versatility the fourth-round pick can provide at the position after gaining a reputation as an excellent receiver out of the backfield at Harvard.

Juszczyk caught a team-high 52 passes for 706 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season.

“I would just say his athleticism and the ways you can use him,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “Catching the football, blocking, running the football, lining him up in diesel formations and having him run routes. Obviously, we’re going to have to wait to see when we put on the pads in training camp to get a good sense for what he does with that kind of stuff.”

The Ravens began shying away from using Leach on a regular basis as the offense became more pass-heavy last season, but that doesn’t mean the 31-year-old’s departure and Juszczyk’s increased presence will dramatically change Baltimore’s plans on the offensive side of the ball.

“It doesn’t,” run-game coordinator Juan Castillo said. “[Running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery] is working with Kyle to get him so he can learn our schemes. He’s a rookie. He’s been working hard to learn our schemes. He should be able to do a good job once he gets some experience.”

Slimmer Suggs

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On the same day they released a member of their Super Bowl XLVII team, the Ravens announced the return of another as veteran tight end Billy Bajema has re-signed with Baltimore.

Taking the open roster spot created by the release of Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach, Bajema figures to once again compete for the third tight end spot behind Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. The 30-year-old appeared in eight games and made one start in 2012, serving in a larger role while Dickson was sidelined three games with a knee injury in December.

Serving almost exclusively in a blocking capacity, Bajema did not record a reception for the Ravens last season. In eight professional seasons with Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Francisco, he has made a total of 38 catches for 398 yards and two touchdowns.

Bajema’s primary competition for the third tight end job is 2012 practice squad member Alex Silvestro and rookie free agent Matt Furstenburg of Maryland.

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Despite two Pro Bowl seasons in Baltimore, fullback Vonta Leach’s time with the Ravens has officially come to an end.

After Leach and the Ravens were unable to restructure the fullback’s current contract, the organization announced the termination of the 31-year-old’s contract Tuesday morning. Leach was in the final year of a three-year, $11 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus.

Leach announced on his official Twitter account Monday evening that his time with the Ravens had come to an end, confirming the initial reports about his impending departure.

“Thank [Ravens] organization for a great two years,” he wrote. “I came here and did what we set out to do and that’s win the Super Bowl. My time here is up but what we accomplished, we will be forever linked. Thank the fans for accepting me and my family to [Baltimore].”

Leach’s status had been in jeopardy since the start of the offseason when the Ravens faced the perils of needing to sign franchise quarterback Joe Flacco without a great deal of salary-cap space. However, Leach survived the initial wave of salary dumps that included wide receiver Anquan Boldin by way of a trade and the releases of safety Bernard Pollard, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, and reserve guard Bobbie Williams.

The Ravens selected Harvard fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the fourth round of April’s draft, which clearly wasn’t a good sign for Leach’s long-term status with the organization. The veteran wasn’t present for the first two weeks of organized team activities but practiced last week and had expressed optimism that the sides would be able to restructure his current deal, which carried a $3 million base salary and $4.3 million cap figure for the 2013 season.

General manager Ozzie Newsome had explored trade possibilities before releasing the blocking back but left the door open for Leach’s return should he not find a free-agent offer to his liking. Considered by many to be the best fullback in the NFL, Leach wouldn’t figure to have too much difficulty in finding a new home.

“He played a significant role in helping us get to the AFC championship game in 2011 and win the Super Bowl last season,” Newsome said in a team statement. “He added to our toughness and will to win, plus he provided leadership. He’s a good football player. There could be an opportunity for him to return to the Ravens once he explores the free-agent market, and we could re-visit this before or during training camp,”

With Leach opening running lanes by way of his bruising blocking style, Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice rushed for a career-high 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns two seasons ago and credited the big fullback for being a major difference maker in the running game.

Of course, many will question why the Ravens waited until now to make the cap-saving move with few free-agent options of any significance remaining. Prior to Leach’s release, Baltimore had roughly $3 million in cap space remaining with all but one of their 10 draft picks — first-round safety Matt Elam being the exception — already signed to four-year contracts.

The Ravens also announced the re-signing of veteran Billy Bajema, who served as the third tight end last season. He will take Leach’s spot on the Ravens’ 90-man offseason roster.

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If there were any remaining doubts about who the new leader of the Ravens would be after the retirement of Ray Lewis and the free-agent departure of Ed Reed, owner Steve Bisciotti made it elementary during Friday’s ring ceremony.

Addressing the entire organization before unveiling the much-anticipated jewelry commemorating the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII victory, Bisciotti confirmed that sixth-year quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco will assume the role left behind by the two future Hall of Fame defensive players. No longer will Flacco just be entrusted to lead the offense but the 28-year-old will now be the principal figure of the entire roster, according to the owner.

“You are the leader now, like it or not,” said Bisciotti to Flacco, according to the team’s official site. “Not many guys do what you did in five years. Not many did it your way. Not many like the way you do it. But I said at the end-of-the-year press conference after last year’s [postseason] defeat that I think the fans of Baltimore will be rewarded by your low-key presence, and it will stand the test of time.”

It certainly has to this point as Flacco became just the second quarterback in NFL history — joining Joe Montana — to throw 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions in a single postseason. The 2008 first-round pick is also the only signal-caller in league history to not only advance to the postseason in each of his first five years but to win at least one playoff game per postseason.

Of course, no one should expect any dramatic changes in the quarterback’s personality or the camera-friendly flare of Lewis, but Flacco himself has acknowledged becoming more vocal over the years because he naturally feels more comfortable in his surroundings. Many have pointed out that Flacco is more vocal behind the scenes than what we see on game day and in interviews when he is often accused by critics of being too passive.

Flacco was rewarded with a six-year, $120.6 million contract this offseason, becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time. Speaking to reporters after receiving his first championship ring on Friday night, the Baltimore quarterback expressed how touched he was to have been singled out with praise by Bisciotti during the speech.

“It was pretty cool,” Flacco said. “Steve is an awesome dude, a great owner, and this is a great organization. You can see how special of a night this is and how over the top they went for it. I think that just says a lot about him, and obviously, I’m honored that he would bring me up.”

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The Super Bowl ring ceremony was quite the extravagant party in Owings Mills that served as a reunion for the 2012 Ravens as well as the final big celebration of the second championship in franchise history.

Yes, Baltimore’s home opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 15 will include the unveiling of a second Super Bowl championship banner, but that ceremony will be overshadowed by an actual game and won’t include those who’ve moved on to other organizations but were able to return to the team’s facility to receive their lavish Super Bowl rings.

Media access was limited at Friday night’s event as it was a party for members of the organization, but the Ravens provided an interesting foursome of players to speak to the media minutes after the rings were unveiled.

Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Joe Flacco, and Torrey Smith all stood at different stages of their career as they received their championship rings with the 38-year-old Lewis speaking to reporters first. Having retired after winning his second championship, Lewis spoke as a fatherly figure throughout the postseason and once again expressed his satisfaction over not only having the opportunity to go out on top but to see his teammates experience what it meant to be a champion.

“I always told them I wanted them to really feel what the confetti felt like. Now to be here, to have something that symbolizes it, it’s the ultimate because now it connects us forever,” said Lewis, who also wore his Super Bowl XXXV ring after receiving the Super Bowl XLVII one to wear on his opposite hand. “It took me 12 years to get back and get another ring. I want them to cherish what this moment feels like right now while we’re world champions.”

Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP, responded only how he could with the honest assessment of a gaudy ring that includes white gold and 243 round-cut diamonds. As Lewis pointed out, Flacco won a championship in his fifth season — like the linebacker did with the 2000 Ravens — and the championship surely provided validation in the minds of those who wondered whether he could lead Baltimore to a championship.

The quarterback admitted he probably won’t wear the ring, but it won’t be sitting locked up in his closet either.

“It’s kind of unwearable,” said Flacco, drawing laughter from reporters. “When I see people for the first time, I’m sure they’re going to have some interest in seeing it or at least I’m going to have some interest in showing it off to them. I’m definitely going to bring it a couple of places. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m going to wear it, but it’s pretty special.”

Entering his third season, Smith represented the younger players on the roster fortunate enough not to wait long to taste Super Bowl glory in their NFL careers.

And the former University of Maryland product struggled to keep his eyes off the hardware as he spoke to media.

“I told you all what I was going to be like. I didn’t cry or anything, but I can see how women feel when they get a ring,” said Smith as he laughed. “It has a lot of different meanings. There will never be another season like this. We can win the Super Bowl every year while I’m in the league and there will be nothing like this one.”

The most intriguing of the four to speak was 11th-year linebacker Terrell Suggs, who finally earned the Super Bowl ring he’s dreamed about after starring on the vaunted Baltimore defense for a decade. While Lewis, Flacco, and future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed received most of the attention for different reasons, Suggs won his first championship after the most difficult season of his career in which he recovered from a torn Achilles tendon in late April and then played with a torn biceps for the final two months of the 2012 season.

Always one to provide a colorful quote and having the reputation of being the class clown of the Ravens locker room, Suggs’ sincerity in describing how he felt upon finally seeing his first piece of championship jewelry was the highlight of the brief session.

“To have it so close, it finally hit me what exactly we accomplished together,” said Suggs, who figured out his ring was hidden in front of him when he was discouraged from moving his seat at the beginning of the ceremony. “It didn’t take a year. It took me 11 years to get it. It took coach [John] Harbaugh from when he got here in 2008 — we’ve been chasing this. It finally paid off, all that blood given. There’s not a word that describes what I’m feeling right now and all the emotions.

“The journey was long, but it was worth it. But I will tell you this, I damn sure want to feel like this again.”

Owner Steve Bisciotti took care of former members of the organization by not only awarding Super Bowl rings to David and John Modell, the sons of the late owner Art Modell, but to the five members of the team’s Ring of Honor who played on the Super Bowl XXXV championship team. It appears Bisciotti is setting a precedent by giving rings to Jonathan Ogden, Peter Boulware, Michael McCrary, Matt Stover, and Jamal Lewis, but fellow Ring of Honor member Earnest Byner wasn’t included in that group.

Byner was the only member of the Ring of Honor to have played for the Ravens — the Hall of Fame members of the Baltimore Colts are also honored — who did not receive a ring, so it appears this is a subtle way of ignoring the former Browns, Redskins, and Ravens running back’s inclusion, which was never accepted by fans from the time Byner was inducted in 2001.

He was a favorite of the late Modell, but seeing Byner’s name listed among Ravens greats as well as the Hall of Fame Colts has always looked out of place.