Return of the Ravens

This isn’t America’s Team. Not by a long shot.

The Baltimore Ravens are, however, America’s pro football champions. And whether you like ‘em or not--well, they don’t really care.

Led by a brash coach, a defiant linebacker and a take-no-prisoners defense, trash-talking Baltimore won its final 11 games last season, capping the run with a 34-7 rout of the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

Now, as they prepare for the role of defending NFL champions, the Ravens are still carrying an us-against-the-world attitude.

“We know that some people consider us underdogs to do it again, and we know some people don’t like us,” said Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens vice president of player personnel. “We use that as a motivator. Our guys are thinking, ‘Well, they don’t like us. So what? We’re world champs, and we’re going to try and be world champs again.”’

The Ravens toiled in relative obscurity during training camp at Western Maryland College until last year, when linebacker Ray Lewis pleaded guilty to an obstruction of justice charge after being accused of murder in a double homicide in Atlanta.

Lewis was belabored by questions about the slayings from the beginning of training camp to the aftermath of the Super Bowl. When camp opens Sunday, he will be merely one of several Ravens operating under the scrutiny of the media.

TV sports anchors and reporters from virtually every major newspaper in the country will descend upon rural Westminster in the next few weeks. They will be joined by several camera crews from HBO, which is carrying a weekly reality-based series on the team throughout training camp.

Some coaches might have sought to avoid such a distraction. Brian Billick welcomed HBO’s intervention, figuring it couldn’t hurt a team that has already received plenty of attention--much of it uncomplimentary.

“We have some pretty good guys on this team, guys I’m very proud of, including Ray Lewis,” Billick said. “I think the bad boy, trash-talking image that we have is not a particularly valid one.”

Sure, the Ravens have an in-your-face attitude. But please, don’t take it personally.

“There’s a certain chip on your shoulder you carry that’s kind of fun, as long as people understand it’s not meant to be disrespectful,” Billick said. “And I don’t think we are.”

Fully aware of the risk, Billick broke precedent by opening the locker room door to HBO.

“I know the pitfalls, the dangers of doing this. But I think they’re offset by the potential gains we can garner as an organization,” he said. “The HBO thing will give us some notoriety and serve as an additional learning tool for us in dealing with the distractions that come with being world champion. That’s what training camp is all about, preparing you for what you’re going to encounter during the season.”

This season will be decidedly different for the Ravens, who went from an 8-8 team to world champions in the span of one year. Everyone wants to beat the defending champs, and Baltimore knows it.

“We were the hunter last year. We’re the hunted this year,” Newsome said. “Everybody knows when Baltimore is coming to town. Everybody knows when they are going to come to Baltimore.”

The bad news for the rest of the NFL is that the Ravens appear to be even better. They lost only one key player (safety Kim Herring) from a defense that set a league record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season (165). On offense, Baltimore apparently upgraded at quarterback by signing free agent Elvis Grbac to replace Trent Dilfer.

The Ravens also signed free agent right offensive tackle Leon Searcy, and retained free agent linebacker Jamie Sharper and defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, who seemed primed to take a head coaching job elsewhere.

Then, despite drafting last in the NFL draft, Baltimore snagged arguably the best tight end available, Todd Heap.

“We addressed what we thought we our primary objectives to put us in the best position possible to win a Super Bowl,” Billick said.

His aim is to put it all together by Sept. 8, regardless of the summer heat and in spite of the fans and media that will flock to watch practice.

“We’ve got to rebuild chemistry, insert certain offensive and defensive schematics, and get Elvis in sync with his receivers,” Billick said. “But the No. 1 priority is get to the opener with Chicago with our best players healthy and fresh. That’s the prime objective.”

Becoming popular and well-liked is nowhere on the list.

“We’re going to be who we are. What you see is what you get,” tight end Shannon Sharpe said. “We’re going to be the Baltimore Ravens.”

Until someone knocks them from their perch, the Ravens will be looking down on everyone else.

“There’s nothing like being the big dog,” Lewis said. “There’s nothing like being on top.”