Ravens Walk, located on the walkway between Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium is intended to give a tailgating experience for fans who aren't tailgating. That would be the thousands who are arriving on foot or by rail, from their homes and from the nearby hotels.

There were Dolphins fans in evidence but no one cared about them.

The corporate presence at Ravens Walk is inescapable, but no one seems to mind that either. People have grown used to it. Keeping it mostly local is a good idea, though. Giant, the official sponsor of Ravens tailgating, was sampling Premo Italian sausage. Rise and Conquer, the ravens from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, were being introduced to fans today. The biggest line was forming at the Maryland Lottery booth.

Continue reading "On Ravens Walk, before the Miami game" »

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I'm headed down soon to M@T Bank Stadium for my second round of blogging on the tailgating scene at M@T Bank Stadium.

I truly had a great time two weeks ago checking out the pregame gatherings on lots G and H. The Ravens ended up beating Buffalo, and I'm pretty sure it was because of me.

Today, I'll be spending my time on Ravens Walk, located on the walkway between the baseball and football stadiums.

This is the area set up for fans without access to the paid parking lots or the stamina to pull off a tailgate. I wrote in Wednesday's paper about this revelation -- you don't have to have tickets to the game to join in the Ravens Walk fun.

Continue reading "Beneath the Planet of the Tailgaters" »

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Bel Air's Ed Naworol runs one of the most admired tailgates on Lot H. So far this year, Ed's group has staged an Oktoberfest and a New England boiled dinner -- for the November 7 home game against the Dophins, the theme is Italian.

But this week was a barbecue rib throwdown, complete with contest. I told Ed I'd be a judge, but then I had to run back to 501 Calvert. I felt bad. 

The contestants were Scott Steineitz, John "Whiplash John" Blevins, Jason Price, and Jerry Mikulski. Steineitz is a Kosher chef -- he was bringing beef ribs. Navorol had these trophies made. When he went to pick them up, the word "annual" was spelled wrong. He thought about leaving them that way.

Baltimore Sun photo/Amy Davis

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The night before today's game, I met a group of Bills fans at the Bullpen bar on Washington Boulevard. Pharmacists, most of them, they were drinking dollar beers and preparing to head over to Fells Point. They choose one away game every year to travel to. So far, they've done the Jets and the Browns. This year, it was Baltimore.

They were skeptical about Baltimore's tailgating scene. They're more used to the set-up in Orchard Park, the town where the Bills play. They like that there's no corporate presence up there, and especially that there's no admission price. i got their point, but I really loved the thick camaraderie at M@T.

They were having a great time when I saw them this morning, though, and I have to hand it to them - they were there at 8 a.m., just like they said they'd be, getting things ready for their deep-fried turkey. 

Baltimore Sun photo/Gabe Dinsmoor

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A huge group of Pikesville fans rotates the gameday hosting duties. The hosts arrive early, around 8 a.m., while their friends get to sleep in. This week, it was the turn for the Young Brothers, so called because, well, they all have older brothers in the group. Andy Attman (a cousin of the corned beef Attmans) saw my post on Friday asking for advice, and invited me down.

This group takes the food seriously, but the set-up isn't as elaborate or as competitive as it is at other tailgates. The bar, though, which today was featuring Jager bombs and John Dalys, was among the best I saw. Nice guys.

That's Kevin Ream at right, and, at left, Kenny Liner, vocalist and mandolin player from the The Bridge.

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Hidden from the other tailgaters behind a pillar, this group puts on a phenomenal brunch at every home game. It starts at 8 a.m. with biscuits, eggs how you like them, coffee and hot chocolate (Hennessy optional), and fresh bloody marys and mimosas. At 11 a.m. or so, the group gathers around a clothed table for eggs, lamb chops, ribeye steak, and sweet potato pie.

All of them are area residents, but not neighbors to each other.

Reed Winston, in front at left, fist bumps Gasson "Big Mike" Bradford at right. Their friends are, from left, Ralph Wright, Judson Wood, Allen Bennett, Alexander Brown and William Hankins. When I approached the group, "Big Mike" welcomed me with a ten-minute sit-down comedy set.

Baltimore Sun photo/Amy Davis

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Lots G and H are on the east side of M@T Bank Stadium. Among its assets are the shady areas under the viaducts near the Sharp Street basketball courts and its proximity to a Light Rail stop. (It's not uncommon for fans to take the Light Rail down to join tailgates in progress.)

Ask around, and you hear about the superstars of Lots G and H. Just across the border into Lot H, a group composed mostly of old Gilman buddies has been tailgating since the beginning.

Willis MacGill was beside himself for having left the house without the geese and ducks he usually brings. But Gian Alecce was behind the Weber Ranch Kettle --3 feet in diameter -- handling the beef tenderloin, sausage, and pork tenderloin.

The secret to his amazing beef tenderloin -- it begins with an overnight marinade in olive oil and basil, and then a pre-grilling application of black pepper and sea salt. Then, every time he flips the tenderloin on the grill, he coats it with butter. It's a New Orleans thing.

Baltimore Sun/Gabe Dinsmoor

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Along with some cool photo galleries of fans' gameday supersitions and the Ravens cheerleaders, this link to the Ravens Fun page will take you directly to a round-up of gameday food & drink specials and bars and clubs close by M&T Bank stadium.

Baltimore Sun Staff

Baltimore Sun Staff/Karl Merton Ferron

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I went down early this morning to check out the tailgating scene at M&T Bank Stadium.

I was looking in particlular for Lot G -- that's where my insider told me to look for his group's set-up. I got a little misdirected, but then I ran into Vanessa Payne, who pointed me in the right direction. Thanks so much.

Vanessa told me she's the head chef for the annual Bea Gaddy Thanksgiving dinner. In upcoming posts, I'll tell you about the five tailgates I spent time with -- the Gilman Grillers, the Secluded Brunch, the Young Brothers, the Theme of the Week, and the Buffalo Pharmacists.

Where are you watching the game today? Home in front of the big plasma box? At your favorite bar? 

Let us know, and keep checking back for updates.

blurry photo by me/good photos on the way

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