Head Coach John Harbaugh was playing the air guitar.
Safety Bernard Pollard rocked to the White Stripes.
Yes, the 11-on-11 portion of Ravens training camp practice has gone all hip on us.
Usually the team pumps mind-numbing crowd noise into practice to simulate a road game and make it more difficult for the offense to communicate.
But for the past three practices, Harbaugh has turned it into a medley of rap, hard rock and oldies. I must say, it’s an extremely welcomed change of pace.
“We got tired of the white noise, I guess,” Harbaugh said.
Here’s some of the music the Ravens have been rocking out to last three days:
- Rick Ross – Blowin Money Fast
- Lil Wayne – John
- The Who – Baba O’Riley
- Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
- Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
- Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild
- The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
- Styx – Renegade, Blue Collar Man
- Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear The Reaper
- The Clash – Rock The Casbah, Should I Stay Or Should I Go
- Metallica – Sandman
- U2 – Bloody Sunday
- DJ Khaled – All I Do Is Win
Harbaugh has been involved in deciding the playlist, but everybody is welcome to make contributions.
“We need to mix in some old school, some Johnnie Taylor some Mel Waiters,” wide receiver Jacoby Jones said. “You know what I’m saying? Can we get that played out there?”
The most popular music amongst the players is rap, and there are some rumblings that more should be added to the playlist. Harbaugh’s cool with that – but no more Rick Ross and Lil Wayne.
“That one has been scratched from the list. Did you notice?” Harbaugh said with a laugh. “We haven’t heard that one since. And I like some rap music. There are a few of them I like, but that’s not one of them. Keep it clean.”
I have received a non-approved list of the songs, and players will be happy to know that there’s more hip hop on the docket. Eminem, George Clinton, Run-DMC, Young Jeezy, 50- Cent, Flo Rida, Chiddy Bang and a lot of Jay Z are temporarily penciled in.
The music is spun by DJ Master/Facilities Maintenance Manager Keith Mathews and operations intern Dan Parsons, who are pretty much the equivalent of Girl Talk and Deadmau5.
Harbaugh was asked about including “Renegade,” the Steelers’ signature song used to drum up the Heinz Field crowd to help get a critical defensive stop.
“We love that song,” Harbaugh said. “It’s one of our favorite songs.”
And do the other songs have any special meaning?
“Look at some of the lyrics and you decide,” Harbaugh said to a reporter (not myself). “You’re a connoisseur of rock n’ roll music.”
I don’t see a theme. Fans? And don’t be shy about giving us your playlist suggestions.
