By Jeff Zrebiec
The Baltimore Sun
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama praised the Ravens' resilience, toughness and their commitment to the Baltimore community. However, when it came to paying homage to one of their most dominant and well-known players, Obama made it clear that he does have his limits.
The president responded to Ray Lewis' challenge to mimic the retired linebacker's elaborate pre-game entrance by saying, “No, I'm not doing that dance. It caused [you] to miss most of the season.”
Obama's comment drew laughter from Ravens' players and team officials who stood behind the 44th president and in the backdrop of the Lombardi Trophy. On a sun-drenched and seasonably warm day in the nation's capital, the 2012-13 NFL champions were honored by Obama on the South Lawn of the White House a little more than four months after their victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
Elected officials from Maryland, including Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings were among the attendees.
Wearing a purple tie and gray suit, Obama kept the 10-minute ceremony light, joking about the dance steps of Lewis and wide receiver Jacoby Jones, chiding former Ravens safety Ed Reed for his graying hair and agreeing with Joe Flacco's assessment that the former University of Delaware standout is an “elite” quarterback.
“That was some good timing,” Obama said to Flacco, referencing the quarterback's near flawless postseason performance which earned him a six-year, $120.6 million contract extension. “I'd say that if you keep on playing like that, you're going to challenge [Vice President Joe Biden] for the most popular person from Delaware.”
When the Ravens went to the White House in 2001 following their first Super Bowl victory, the visit was marred by transportation difficulties after train service to Washington was interrupted by a downed electrical line, and outside criticism that some players were dressed too casually.
However, when the nine buses, carrying players, coaches, executives, and support staff from the team's Owings Mills-based facility, arrived on Pennsylvania Avenue on Wednesday, the players were decked out in suits and ties, and clearly enjoying one of the perks of winning the Super Bowl.
The group got a White House tour as many players snapped cell phone pictures that they displayed on their Twitter accounts. Players weren't accessible to reporters at the event, but linebacker Terrell Suggs said on Twitter that it was one of the best experiences of his life while the normally loquacious Jones summed up the White House visit in one word: “Wow.”
Head coach John Harbaugh and a small group of players met with first lady Michelle Obama and some Chicago-area high school students. Harbaugh and Flacco also did public service announcements about the importance of eating healthy and staying active.
Then, shortly after noon, the team trickled out of the White House and onto the South Lawn amid much applause. Obama was flanked by Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and Harbaugh, and the president pointed out that he made a far more subtle entrance than Lewis, who he encouraged not to do the “Squirrel Dance” on the South Lawn.
“I imagine there were times last year when these players were the only ones who knew that they'd make it here to show off this trophy,” Obama said before discussing a few of the ups and downs of the season. “But these Ravens always pulled through.”
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