I am saddened…

[HoustonRaven]

I think the Parents are not allowed in the autograph area but yes, they should be allowed there or there needs to be staff there making sure non of this happens.

Gotcha. Thanks for clarifying.

[MinnesotaRaven]

If you want grace and civility roll the clock back to the 50s. Rear your kids so that they have no illusions as to who's on their side and who's not!

I'm not soft, or naive... I'm sure I'll go to more games... I may just go to less games and pick better seats... even if they are $250. I just need to vent. But, there is a "timeless" and proper way to treat people. I will get into specifics of the things I saw. I will not beat around the bush because I think race is an issue here....

Our seats were in one of the top "sideline corners", about 10 rows from the top. There wasn't a shortage of empty seats up there. About 5 minutes before kick-off two large (210lb) black men with dreadlocks sat down with hotdogs and cokes in a mostly empty row, 3 rows in front of me. They were just sitting and eating and watching the game. About halfway through the second qtr. a 130lb white male and 2 white females come up to this row to sit down. Now, when most people show up to their seats and someone is sitting in them they ask nicely for those people to check their seats and ask them to politely move down if they are in the wrong seats. Especially when their are 20 empty seats surrounding you. If you are not making a mistake and they are your seats I would say that about 99.9% the issue is resolve right there. But, the first words out of this punk-ass hillbilly were yelling "get the f*!ck outta' his seats". The two men quietly ask him to settle down as they are moving down the row to other seats. But this guy doesn't stop, and he doesn't stop until half the section and the two guys he's yelling at want to kill him. Eventually this guy is standing clawing over people trying g to restrain him to get at the two guys trying to mind their own business and watch the game. I left with my son to get some food at halftime and when we came back they were gone.

more... to come.

[Irish Raven]

I will not beat around the bush because I think race is an issue here....

I don't think it's that, more small man syndrome

Small guy, 130lbs you say trying to overcompensate and act the hard man in front of the two ladies he was with

Probably got bullied at school, now he goes around picking fights due to hard time he got in the past

Did you never have a supervisor in work who went crazy when they got a tiny amount of power? I certainly have

[MinnesotaRaven]

I don't think it's that, more small man syndrome

Small guy, 130lbs you say trying to overcompensate and act the hard man in front of the two ladies he was with

Probably got bullied at school, now he goes around picking fights due to hard time he got in the past

ehh... maybe. Each of the women with him more than doubled his weight as well. Maybe they were backup.

[festivus]

Cool! You went to a football game, expecting only sporting event, but you caught a glimpse of the Maryland Half-Pint White Asshat, in its native environment!

[MinnesotaRaven]

haha... this was only the introduction to the main event.... haha. The best is yet to come. And I wasn't even going to comment on the dude slapping his girlfriend around for talking to another dude in the beer tent/bar things they have set up in the main level concourse.

[BcRaven]

Glad you edited this to make it a *little* nicer, but you're still wrong.
The Ravens separate the parents from the kids. Which is fine, I get it, but then the kids need to be monitored by the team.

(1) I edited it because of spelling, my intent was still intact.
(2) When my daughter was a young child (she's 24 now), and I took her to the park, zoo, ball game, circus, she was always (not only) within my sight, but mostly holding daddy's hand. It is IMO still a parent's responsibility to protect their own child.
(3) I understand this generation's need to have two parents working, and send their underage children to day care.
But at a Ravens practice or game? Shame on you (us) for thinking another entity (like a football team) will watch over them like and you or I would... Bc

[Loco Ravens Fan]

Who knows... he was there on business and may have been in a box or something. Which removes you from everything... I'm sure even at a Ravens game the seats make a difference. I'm sure people who are in expensive lower level seats spend much less time getting really drunk outside and coming in halfway through the game and spend more time in watching the game.

Hmm... sorry your experience was so negative. I was sitting in the lower section about the twenty yard line and stayed into the fourth quarter. Everything was fine all around and in the sections next to us nothing going on even with Lions' fans scattered throughout the seats.
I learned many years ago even in DisneyWorld that adults will do almost anything for an autograph of a Disney character. It is society.

[MinnesotaRaven]

I understand this generation's need to have two parents working, and send their underage children to day care.
But at a Ravens practice or game? Shame on you (us) for thinking another entity (like a football team) will watch over them like and you or I would... Bc

I just want to be clear. I personally never said the Ravens should watch over my kid. To be specific, I have never been to a camp since the new autograph rules were in place. I love the intent of the new rule, which is to get the kids close to the players and get kids autographs. I think that is awesome! And I agree with the poster that said 6 year olds don't know much about the players or care about autographs. probably true. I wasn't a fan or shuttling 500 kids off to the other side of the stadium. That leaves about 10 Ravens Employees (or whoever they are) looking out for 500 kids. At that point as a parent, there is little you can do. I couldn't even see my kid. While I don't expect the Ravens to be responsible for my kid.... at this point the take a little bit of general responsibility of the group of kids wellbeing on. But in the end... I let my kid go with the group.

And if they are going to post and publish a rule that says "1 Autograph allowed" then at least attempt to get the kids with 15 out of the way so some little kids can least get a glimpse of a player.

Whatever... my gripe wan't with the Ravens at all. They do a great job. And the players did too. EVERY player went over there for 15 minutes. My gripe is with some 43 year old first class A-hole sending his 16 year old to do his dirty work so he can live out his stupid autograph dreams....

[Mista T]

These little kids (4,5,6,7 etc ) don't even know what a Autograph is and honestly i don't think it would mean as much to them as it would for a 16yr old or a grown man. I know that sounds kind of mean but lets keep it real. The Grown men are the ones that give the NFL teams money, not 5 yr olds who don't know what or who a Football player is.

Sorry, but that statement is off. :grbac: Many youngsters know a lot about football, and they hero-worship the star athletes. I have a few in my family who could outdo many adult Ravens fans with their knowledge of the complex game of NFL football.

Adults can attend other events where players & coaches autographs can be had. I fully support the Ravens 6-14 kids only policy.

Like Greg, I believe there should be some lining up by size -- shortest first - and go the the back of the line after getting any autographs.

[festivus]

(1) I edited it because of spelling, my intent was still intact.
(2) When my daughter was a young child (she's 24 now), and I took her to the park, zoo, ball game, circus, she was always (not only) within my sight, but mostly holding daddy's hand. It is IMO still a parent's responsibility to protect their own child.
(3) I understand this generation's need to have two parents working, and send their underage children to day care.
But at a Ravens practice or game? Shame on you (us) for thinking another entity (like a football team) will watch over them like and you or I would... Bc

Ok. You don't know what the rest of us are talking about.

edit: And you were so sure of yourself! Very amusing.

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

I will say that I haven't been to as many games as you, but as I think back on the Ravens games I've attended, the premier examples of bad behavior have all been at preseason games.


.

:word FWIW Most of those IDIOTS at the pre-season game are probably not season ticket holders. Most season ticket holders sell their tickets for at least one pre-season game.