Monday Morning Cheerleader: Abbie of the Baltimore Ravens
By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire
After a tight loss to the Colts, a Ravenette vet accentuates the positives, including a fast-learning QB, a Peyton-foiling D, and a turf-chewing LB
So close, and yet so far. That’s how Baltimore must feel after holding Indianapolis to 17 points and reaching the Indy 12, down two, with under five to play. But thanks to a Gary Brackett interception — one of many Raven red zone failures — the Colts escaped with another narrow win as the Ravens lost by three points or less for the third time this season, falling to 5-5.
Still, if dark thoughts lurk on the sideline, you won’t hear them from fifth-year cheerleader Abbie. Quoth this Raven: “Don’t say if we’re gonna make the playoffs, we’re gonna do it!” And that’s not just pom-pom positivity. A nuclear power plant analyst and MBA student by day (“I majored in kinesiology and never thought I’d be here, but I love my job”), Abbie talked up her future trip in support of the troops (“I’m pretty sure we’re going to Djibouti and possibly Kuwait and Dubai — it’s gonna be amazing”), a secret weapon (“We’re the only NFL team with a male stunt team — it’s really cool to watch”), and why these birds of prey might yet soar into the postseason.
ESQUIRE: Was this game as frustrating from the sidelines as it appeared?
ABBIE: There were a few mistakes, but we played awesome. The Colts were 9-0, so we didn’t know what to expect. A lot of times with a close loss, the fans are down, but people were just excited we played so well. There aren’t many games Peyton Manning throws two interceptions. It sucks we couldn’t get into the end zone, but we did show how well we can play, and I know we have what it takes to beat the Steelers next week.
ESQ: Linebacker Terrell Suggs, who’s started 105 straight games, sat out with a knee injury. How much did you miss him today?
A: He’s one of our best defensive players, but it’s hard to say how things would have been different because our defense stepped up to the plate and played really well. We stuffed them in the red zone. I was very impressed.
ESQ: Last week, the Ravens cut kicker Steve Hauschka after he missed a 36-yarder and an extra point against the Cleveland Browns. Today, you faced the team that used to play in Baltimore, the Colts, whose kicker is Matt Stover, who had been with the Ravens franchise since 1991, when they were the Cleveland Browns. And Stover, your franchise’s all-time leading scorer, booted the game-winning field goal against you. How did that feel?
A: Obviously, Baltimore misses him. He’s a great guy. But our new kicker, Billy Cundiff, made five field goals. He tied Stover’s record. He missed one, but Matt missed a couple when he played for us. It’s a bummer seeing him kicking the game-winner, but he’s good, he deserves to be in that situation.
ESQ: Do you think it was a mistake to not re-sign Stover before the season?
A: I don’t really have much say in that. I think the team and the coach do what they feel needs to be done at the time, and I support them. And Cundiff is gonna keep us on the right track. They just got him last week, so I give him props for everything he did in today’s game.
ESQ: What are your thoughts on the progress of young Joe Flacco from last season to this season?
A: This season, he just came out passing the ball over the place. He’s got a great arm, and he’s so confident. He has the trust of the players, and even though we lost today, he threw for 256 yards. That’s huge. Peyton had 299, and he’s one of the top QBs, if not the best. Flacco’s very modest, too. Watching him out on the field, he seems so comfortable. Even when guys are attacking him, he’s looking to make plays.
ESQ: Does the fact that Ray Lewis ate a bit of Cleveland’s turf last week change your feelings about him being your favorite player?
A: It’s funny because when he comes out onto the field, he always has his piece of grass that he rips up and does his dance. It doesn’t surprise me. He will always be my favorite player, because he plays his heart out, and he’s never missing in action. He’s the one that pumps the team up. He played very well today — he had a few big hits, as usual.
ESQ: Are you planning to see The Blind Side, the new movie about rookie left tackle Michael Oher, based on the Michael Lewis book?
A: I’m familiar with the story. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve heard it’s a great movie and I definitely want to see it. It’s very inspiring. It takes a strong person to overcome all the stuff he’s been through.
ESQ: Three of your last six games are against teams you’ll likely be battling for the AFC wild card. What’s going to happen?
A: If we make fewer mistakes, get into the end zone, and our defense plays like it did today, we can win games going forward. We were a team to beat in beginning of the year, and we can get that back. We always play big and hard against the Steelers. It’s a Sunday night game. The crowd’s gonna be awesome. So much adrenaline. It’s gonna be exciting.
ESQ: Most importantly… does the male stunt team have a calendar?
A: No, but the girls do! It’s only our second one. I am August 2009, the first thing you see besides the cover, so that’s pretty cool.
