Ravens OLB Tavius Robinson joins team insiders Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing to talk about how he’s had a Year 2 breakout, where his physicality comes from, his mindset against the Steelers and much more. Plus, two Ravens fans from Germany, Karsten Floegel and Anna Hochhalter, join to tell their story about bringing the Ravens organization German Christmas treats.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome into the Lounge, presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing and we are thrilled to be
joined by Tavius Robinson, second time on the Lounge. We
had him on the first time when during rookie mini camp.
He was fresh, he was new to the scene. So
happy to have you back, Tavius. And you know, as
established as you are now in your second season, I
got to inform you of this. I don't know if
(00:25):
you know this or not. When you google Tavius Robinson,
you know, it comes up a picture of Roquan Smith.
You're a YESPN bio. The headshot is Roquan.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
We got to get that up.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's kind of messed up. I mean, there's worse guys
to be, you know, compared to I guess you know,
it could be somebody worse headshot, But we gotta get
that fix. So that's the note to ESPN al right
after this podcast. We got to get that fixed, all right. So, uh, Tavious,
I mean, just a really big season for you, kind
of a breakout second season that you know, not to
(00:57):
pat myself on the back, but I predicted. And just
what's it been like? For you this year kind of
establishing yourself more.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yeah, it's been good.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I feel like with the experience for my first year
and kind of going into my second year here, you know,
the game has really started to slow down more with
more experience out there and uh, you know, playing more
to make plays rather than make not make mistakes.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
That kind of wasn't my first year.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So yeah, it's a credit to you know, the guys
in my in my room, the great veterans I have,
the coaches I have, and just uh yeah, so it's
been good so far.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Very cool.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Does it feel like the the the classic I guess
cliche is that the light bulb goes off and you
start to see things clearer? Has that been the case?
Like for you, do you feel that way or is it?
Has it been more gradual? How do you view that
piece of it?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, I think it's been more gradual, but like kind
of in a light bulb sense, like you're starting to
like I'm starting to see things better. I'm starting to
see formations better, and like having more time pre snap,
like like my mind is clear so I can see
things rather than the first year, you know, it's kind
of all thrown at you know, you're trying to worry
about being in the right spot, you're not really looking
formations and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So yeah, it's just.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
You know, my eyes I got to kind of open more,
Like I can see more on the field, and it's
allowing me to make more plays for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
How does that on the field, Like take me into
your shoes on a game day. You're seeing things better,
You're diagnosing the formations. How does that then allow you
to play more free?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Well, when you know what's coming and you know what
your job is, it allows you to play one hundred
percent freely and like like fast. So one thing this
year that has kind of changed what I did. Something
that kV does, Like he makes like as for every game,
it's like a pregame report of like the top things
you need to know. You just write it down. So
like after the week obviously I'm taking all my notes,
but then for each game I have like my final
(02:39):
final game day reports is at the top, Like I
write down the key things I need to look out for,
key formations, you know, what the tackles do, what I
got to be prepared for in past situations. And then
like in my locker for game day, I have that
page open and it's just to kind of know what
I need to look for when the time comes.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So that's that's helped a lot too.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So that's cool. How many bullet points are on that
list about.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
It's quick, like it's not like a whole lot, Like
obviously it's shortened down from the week, like what the
most important things are, So probably about five or six
reminders for like run game, and then like which moves
I want to use in passing situations when.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
They come up.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So that's really cool. And you talk about Kyle van Noy,
just how influential has he been for you?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
So influential, Like that part was a big part that
I've added this year. And then like the formations things
he always caused it football one or two, like get
to that next step, So just kind of knowing what
runs you're going to get out of certain formations and
like again, it just allows you to play so much faster.
So definitely grateful to have a be like him in
the room.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, Kyle, Like on the little cheat sheet that you
put together, was that something that he came to you
and said, hey, you should try this or did you
kind of notice this in his locker and you're like, hey,
what's this. I think that it's working out pretty well
for you, so maybe I try to emulate that. How
did it go?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
I noticed one of the earlier games he had his
cheat sheet and he was kind of looking at it
before we went out, and I noticed it and I
was like, and then I had asked him about it
during the week. I said, he makes a quick little
cheat sheet of what to know, and then kind of
turned it into my own thing. Did my own little
you know, like twist off of that, and then yeah,
it's helped me so far.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
So that's cool. To keep that going for the rest
of my career, that's cool.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
One thing that really stands out to me about your
game is just the physicality and you just you put
your hands on some people and move them. And I
feel like that's why, you know, part of the reason
that your snaps have been increasing. You've earned it along
the way. But we played these run heavy teams like
the Eagles, you know, the Steelers. You see a lot
of action. Do you feel like, hey, you know, hey,
you're getting after the passer more. You have three and
(04:33):
a half sacks this year, fourth most on the team.
But also when it comes to physicality, set in that
edge that they're going to call your number.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah, you know, I really think I think that's you know,
one of the main reasons why I was brought here
for sure.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
So that's uh something that I hold with pride.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
You know. That's how I try to play every day,
and that's how I try to practice every day when
we're in pads. So yeah, that's something that I'm always
focused on. I always want to continue to up the
physicality and just keep that as good as I can,
you know, while I continue to get better at rushing.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So how would you describe Raven Steelers? Is this your
kind of game?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
M M most definitely.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Yeah, I love this type of game, you know. I
I watched videos during the week. I watched videos of
the history of it and stuff like that. So, uh,
just seeing like the speeches from ray Lewis and stuff
like that, and and the plays that the big plays
that has happened over the years is kind of gets
my mind in the right move for what type of
game is going to be.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
So any of the hits from over the years kind
of stand out in your mind.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
There's one with ray Lewis over the middle. It's in
one of the.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Keith Miller probably probably on Heith Miller. There's a couple
of Yeah, all right.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Of course, because a bunch of plays in that game.
So those are a bunch of them.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I think Khalodi Nada broke shar mende Hall's chest or clavicle,
something like that, a rib something like that. Look that
one up if you haven't seen that.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
They actually the biggest one from kind of a similar
player to you a little bit sim position as Courtney Upshaw.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Oh that's a good one.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And that was That was on and Roethlisberger. And Ben
actually said after his career like that was the hardest
he's ever been hit. That was the hardest, and it
was one of those crazy plays where he just completely
blindside and lit him up and it was it was
a clean play, but they threw the like they threw
a flag, and like I still to this day, I
think it was just one of those like we have
to throw the flag because you hit him so hard.
(06:20):
He didn't hit him ahead, he didn't hit him low,
he didn't hit him light. It was just like that
was just too big of a hit, Like we just
have to throw the flag on that, So maybe you'll
have one of those plays this weekend. No flag, no flag,
no flag. But I'm just like when when this game
is played, Like, I'm curious as a player when you
get here last year's a rookie and now into your
(06:42):
second year, Like, do you do you feel the need
to go down the history wormhole in the YouTube wormhole
and watch some of these highlights and stuff like that,
or is that kind of ingrained in you? How do
you approach like the whole rivalry aspect of this game.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, no, I just thought that I feel the need to.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
It's more like, you know, coming in as a rookie,
I knew what typpy game it was like seeing that
was one of the games you know you watch you
grow up and you're watching that. You know, the Ravens Steelers,
and it's always the most physical, hard hitting, violent game.
You know, two violent teams. But yeah, going into the week,
I mean, it's you don't want to like change your
whole routine and like it's just it's just another football game.
(07:16):
But obviously there's history and it's a big rivalry, probably
the biggest in the NFL, so that that's always in
the back of your mind.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
How much obviously the Ravens you know, haven't won a
lot of games against the Steelers in recent years. How
much does that eat at you? And do you feel
like still, hey, you know the saying is you're not
a Raven until you beat the Steelers. Do you want
to get that badge?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Yeah, because you know, I've played them three times now
and we haven't won one yet, So it's definitely huge
and I want that win against them for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I want to go back to your point about setting
the edge and when you got here. Obviously you were
a physical player in college, but is there any part
of a mentality shift outside linebackers love to get the quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks often get getting set, get you paid against you,
the attention, all the stuff. But like, there really is
something here in this organization about for your position needing
(08:07):
to have somebody who can be physical and be an edgsetter,
Like that's part of Raven's football. And so I'm curious
when you got here was that something that there was
any part of a mentality shift? Did you already have that?
How did you really embrace the edge setting role?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, that's a good question.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
I think I already kind of had that, and that's
kind of going back to college, and like kind of
my coaches in college, Lane Kiff and Randall Joyner, their
biggest thing is like, like you always want to play
your role to the highest level, and whatever your role is,
like you play that at the highest level until you
get an increasing role and then you know you're expected
to do that. So of course the sacks and the
(08:41):
quarter but like that's always the flashy, the great plays,
but sometimes like it's the gritty stuff, the stuff that
you know most of the time goes unseen, but like
it's important that, you know, I try to pride myself
on and like I'm cool with that. Like, you know,
first year coming in, that was my role. You know,
that physical, violent guy that comes in and plays like that.
They aren't always the flashiest plays, but that's my role.
(09:03):
So do it to the highest level. And then kind
of going off of this year, you know, just being
more confident in that role and just kind of taking
it to another level. So with that, yeah, it's a
credit to my coaches and stuff from college and kind
of you know, you want to be an all around
good player, you know what I'm saying it's not so.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah. You you mentioned Raven's history. It seems like you're
a bit of a history buff. Have you looked back
on you know, Jarrett Johnson. You know, we talked about
Courtney Upshall like some of these guys, and I mean,
Jarrett was one of the most beloved Ravens players like
in Raven's defensive history. Have you watched him at all?
And is that something you embrace?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
I have.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
He's he's very similar and we both wore ninety.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Five as well, right right, right, good point.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
That was a guy that I looked up kind of
early on, and yeah, he was another physical edgeshtter type guy.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So yeah, definitely did somebody when you first got drafted
talk to you about that role and maybe the history
or what it means in this organization.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
I think, you know, coming in, you know, the standard
of Ravens football and Ravens defenses is about, you know,
being that physical edge player, physical physical physicality in general,
you know, running to the ball, hitting people, you know,
playing to the echo the whistle.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That's kind of the standard here.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
So I think early on I knew that, you know,
And it's crazy because I feel like I've always played
this way in my entire life, but I never really
knew like what's like, what what.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Is this style?
Speaker 4 (10:24):
And it really is it's Ravens football and how they
play defense and how they have played defense for their existence,
right right.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
What strikes me about you, and I think is the
funny kind of dichotomy here, is you're one of the
most physical guys out there and violent and all those
words that we've been using, but you're also like one
of the nicest guys on the team. You can go
on the fie, I mean the smile, you know, like,
how do you go about flipping that switch?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, I think you know, off the field, I'm always
going to be, you know, a good guy, nice guy
off the field, all that stuff. But like when the
pads come on, like regardless, it's like a complete different persons.
So during the game, I'm much your friend, I'm not anything.
But after the game, I'll shake your hand all that stuff.
That's cool, But yeah, it's definitely a different mentality when
the helmet goes on and all that.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
So is there anything pregame that you do to get
yourself in that headspace?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I think it's a mixture of music and then kind
of like just when you put the pads on. For me,
it's kind of eye black, eye black. It's something I've
done for since my first year of college. So like
as soon as the pads eye black, like it's a
different mode.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
It's not. It can't be a good guy out there.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's like your costume basically like a mask. Most Yeah, yeah, black,
I do think I black always just makes the guy
look tough.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
For two, it is Jared Johnson was kind of an
eye black guy. I want to say, Yeah, I think
he were he were I black to.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, So this defense is playing really well over the
past month. You guys seem to have kind of turned
a corner. Why do you think this defense is playing
better this last month compared earlier in the year.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yeah, I think it kind of changed.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
I forget which game it was, but we kind of
just came together and said, like we need to play
with more energy and like really be focused on doing
our job. So I forget exactly which game it was,
but eighty had got a pick early on and we
all went to the end zone celebrated, kind of built
off that energy and like that was the style that
we wanted to bring we wanted to get excited for
each other's plays and kind of, you know, feet out
(12:19):
of each other. So I think it was a mixture
of that and then just everyone really honing in and
focusing on their jobs. You know, when you have a
bunch of guys doing their one of eleven, that's how
you have great defense.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
And we got a bunch of guys like that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So I think part of just to get back to it,
I think part of the reason why you're so nice
is because you're Canadian. Also, you know, it's just like
it's the stereotypical Canadian.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yeah, you know, it's funny because I got a lot
of that in the pre draft process. Really yeah, it
was like, you know, you're such a nice guy, Like,
how do you flip it on game day?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Oh? People were like worried about this that you were
too nice.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Yeah, but it's like that's not how I play at all.
I could be a good guy off the field, but
on the you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
That's so funny that you got these questions. So I
guess I'm wondering, you know, how much Brent Urban, another
Canadian on the team, how much does that connection kind
of help you and and do you wear that as
a badge of honor.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
No, it was definitely great coming in on my rookiear
and having another Canadian I kind of showed me some
of the stuff behind the scenes, you know, visa and
all that stuff, like the stuff that we we deal with.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So it was good to have it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Do you do you get you know, whether it's media
or fans in Canada that kind of you know, you're
representing and you're representing really well, you know, who are
reaching out to you and really excited for your success.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, so many Canadian fans really excited from me.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Yeah, It's always amazing and I always try to give
back as much as I can. You know, anytime I'm
talking to Canadian athletes or anything, I say here's my
number Instagram, like hit me up with any questions you have.
So I try to, you know, pave the way for
them as much as I can, like other guys did
for me.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So, yeah, your hometown on a Sunday not just because
of you, but like if you take your your own
family or put friends out of it, are people watching
NFL football on a Sunday?
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Yeah, was definitely.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Yeah, I think like a lot of people watch NFL
and a lot of people play football up there, so
uh yeah, and there's always like my mom will always
be out when people we will have my jerseys on
in the city and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So it's cool. The support's amazing for sure, is.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
The Ravens have the Ravens become kind of a hometown
team and you're in your town, like a lot of
purple and black up there, a lot.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Of purple and black.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah, and even like friends and stuff, like people who
are fans of other teams are.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Now Ravens fans.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You've converted them.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, So it's been great for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It's Gwelph, right, is that how you say? And it's
not far from the border, right. I mean, so if
we play up in Buffalo in the playoffs, you do
you pop in go home at all?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You have the ticket request I'm sure would be large
for the you that if that's the case.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
That's true. I guess a snow game. You're kind of
built for a snow game too. Have you ever played
a snow game?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Yeah? Tons, tons of snow games. Yeah, and it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Like my freshman year of college in Canada, like one
of the rules was like, you can't wear sleeves, Rookie
a new snow games. So I just don't wear sleeves
anymore at all, because I've been used to it from
my first year in college up there.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I did notice. So we had a really cold practice
a week or two ago and there is like four
guys that weren't wearing sleeves, and I took note of
the of the guys, and you were one of them.
Brent Urban, however, wore the sleeves, which I was like, bro.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
In America.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
That's what I said. That's exactly said. I'm not down
that anymore. The Canadians. It's kind of out of my system. Now, Yeah,
that's cool. Well I don't know if you know this,
but yesterday was also maple what is it, hair? I
wrote it down National Maple Syrup Day, so it's kind
of like a Canadian holiday. It's a happy National Maple
Syrup Day.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Thank you for appreciate it, man, Thank you so much,
so big, thank you to Tavis.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
And now we have a special German treat. We are
joined by two German Ravens fans. We have Carston Flugel
and on a houter. I don't know, but it was
close enough.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
It's really hard to pronounce those needs.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Well, I took you know, I took three years of
German in high school, and you.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
They didn't didn't They don't teach you how to pronounce
those needs.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My teacher failed me. We're gonna blame him.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It was all building towards this moment of this podcast.
I was three years of journey, right, yeah, all down
the tubes.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But thank you for joining us and Ravens fans, you know,
check out our story I wrote about these two fine
people about coming to America with their treats. They brought
luggage full, multiple bags of luggage full of Christmas streets
to hand out to the entire Ravens organization. So we
had to have them on pod. Yes, if you feed us,
(16:46):
you put food our belt, you get an invite. It's
a standing policy here in the lounge. Uh So, so
start at the beginning. You know, how did you come
up with this idea that you were going to come
to the States and bring all these treats with you?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Well just actually, you know, the real beginning was actually
the London game in twenty twenty three, because this was
where we met and we know as your article says,
and that's actually true, is that I was with the
gym flock because there was the twenty twenty fee game.
We're like, oh, you know, after twenty seventeen, we want
(17:22):
to do it again, because even seventeen with the really
really hard loss, was such a good experience that we
want to come back. And then we had a really
awesome time thanks to you, thanks to the organization, because
especially for somebod the accounting house, the bar, absolutely awesome,
and also the fans, which are we're all there, coming
from America, coming from all over the world. It was just,
(17:44):
you know, like a big party. And then actually you
can say, like the starting point of this relationship is
your podcast.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
At the Counting House.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
It was so amazing. Like I was front row, he
was front and I didn't know who's standing next to me,
and I was just watching you guys and listening. And
then I suddenly took a look at the banner that
they were holding and I was like, are you guys German?
And they're like, yeah, we're from a were the German flock.
And then they kind of adopted me since I was
(18:16):
alone there, and we kind of kept in touch like
well after that and I came up with that idea,
like after that London game, I was like, oh my god, damn,
there so fantastic. I need to go. I need to
go to Baltimore. I need to go there where, like
where it's happening. So and and I took a look
at the schedule of the season and was like, hey,
(18:38):
I could actually do two games, and we texted and
Carson was like, oh my god, I'm coming with you.
After that it kind of started and he came up
with this idea.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
The Treats. So the idea of the Treats is basically,
you know, when they released the schedule, I was seeing
that this was another away game on Christmas Day, and
I really felt really really horrible for the team because,
I mean, I was working in the media industry, so
now how it is when you're working away from family
for a long time, even like very long time, being
not there for Christmas and this, I mean, and you
(19:14):
guys you only have like one day to celebrate and
then players are playing, you're working there. I felt like, man,
what should I do? And then I thought like, hey,
it's Christmas time? Why not do something you know, Christmas related?
And it was coming up with that, Hey, because I
(19:34):
knew somebody else you also know, and I found out
that you Americans don't have any clue about German Christmas candies.
So that's why I thought, Okay, maybe it's a nice
gesture just to fill a suitcase full of Christmas candy
and give it away to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, so you guys board on a plane, get on
a plane, and you have a suitcase completely packed full
of treats that you're basically Santa coming here to the
organization and delivering the gifts and delivering the treats to
the organization to folks who are working on Christmas. And
this is this is the bag, right, this is one
of one of the bags.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
You didn't bring any underwear.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
This is like Christmas. The clothes on your back, that's
all that you got.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
The rest of the hotels really, you.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Know, when you're packing, you're backpacking.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
That's amazing. So it's like seventy eight pounds of food
or something like that. And we did the math on this.
Carson did the math for me because you know my
mass kills, and we calculated it was it was like
over seventy five percent of your luggage space was used
for treats. Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
The reason for that is, you know, I checked because
of fortunately on the website you can see like how
many people working for it? I count myself because you
couldn't see like a number of it, like oh, it's
a hundred people. So you know, like having like one
stolen and one back of these is not enough. So
for like, okay, what could I do? It's not too
expensive like that, Like where which is my arrange? Financially?
(21:09):
I thought like, okay, then I have to skip close.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So if first of all, that's like super generous of
you and an awesome, awesome gesture from you, I'm just
curious what is it? You guys are obviously big time
Ravens fans, which is awesome, so aparent, what is it?
How did you become Ravens fans? And what is it
like being a fan of the Ravens and American football
in Germany?
Speaker 6 (21:33):
So do you want to go first or come on?
Your story?
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Well, my story is actually quite worrying way.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Well it started I don't think so in.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Twenty nineteen just a friend of mine was fan of
like New Orleans Saints, and I was like, I didn't
understand the game. I was like everybody else, like what
is that game about? Why is everybody so crazy about
some guys like jumping on top of each other doing there?
And I was just curious. So I started to read
the rules because I just wanted to know. And then
(22:03):
I just followed that season of twenty nineteen and I
was like, oh my god, it is interesting. There are
so many layers, there are so many levels, so many
details to be understood. So and then I was like
drawn into it more and more. And then I was like, okay,
I need a team, Like I know, I'm in it.
I'm addicted. I need a team.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So I followed that season where Lamar was like super special.
He did things that no other quarterback did, like running
and unpredictable, and I was like, oh my god, this
is very interesting. And in the beginning I was a
little bit afraid, like I was, oh my god, I'm
scared of that person and whatever. Yeah, so the team
was really great, and I read more about the Ravens,
(22:47):
about the background, about the name, and since I read
a lot of stories of Edgar and Poe myself and
I like writing, and I was like, oh my god,
this is a very nice and poetic shows for a team,
so it was like, yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Gonna be the Ravens.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
I'm like more and more every year every season, I
learn more and more and I dive deeper into it
and it's just beautiful. It's just And also I'm actually
still proud that I'm like a female fan by myself.
I'm not like part of a boyfriend or whatever. It's
somehow my gut feeling says to me, it's important because
(23:27):
I see, especially here that the female community is quite big.
Even when we did the tour earlier today at the stadium,
there was like there were like fifteen women or girls
who visited the stadium. So the female community is growing
and it is a strong gain. I feel like a
strong woman, So why not being a fan, I just
(23:49):
can encourage every single woman to just dive into it.
It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
I told you. I told you.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
My story sounds bored, so busy. For me, it was
so because in my family have to say my letters
from the military. There was always like we have to
do sport. So it's like in the mindset and I
was twenty eleven to twelve, I was backpacking. Afterwards, I
(24:19):
wanted to do something new. Then I fund was like saying, hey,
what about doing a team sport? And it was like
what team sport? And you said, like American football, was
like yeah, about that Super Bowl and all that. But
then I thought about it. Americans really liked teamwork and
all that, so it could work out so that while
I was joining then really a minor rewiner German team
(24:42):
in East Berlin. They are called Berlin Bullets and we
have several of them in the area, and that's where
I started playing.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
What positions did you play? O?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Line? Oh?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Line? Right?
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Yeah, but I was not good because you know, even
for the I sent it, that was not really good.
But also to do that because when you're working in
the media, you have like fifteen hour shifts in Germany
like fourteen hours, sixteen hours when he was sort of
filming all that, so it couldn't attend every training. That
(25:14):
was hurting me of my starting.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
The media industry. Had you'd have been an All pro
if it weren't for the media. Sure, yeah, that was
where we were headed.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
Yeah, but you mean, i ll say, you know, an
All pro in Germany meets probably high school in America.
So yeah, and then when we like we're havin together
as a team. We had this tradition like you have
to watch the superw together in American sports, where like
do the American treatment, like with all this coastlow burghers, barbecues,
(25:47):
bar roups and all that. So we come together. And
my first was actually the Super the Ravens. That's great,
and then I wanted to root for a team because
my teammates made me too, so and then they were
telling the story of the Harbors, and basically for me,
it was that you have like this accomplished Jim Harbor quarterback,
(26:07):
then coach, really successful working his way up, and then
you have John Harbor. He had to start with coaching
because he was not such a good player as Jim,
and I felt like, hmm, this is like an underdog
story and I like underdogs, so that's why I was
rooting them for John. And it was really great because
after waiting for almost half an hour because of the blackout,
(26:27):
they won. It was like the most amazing feeling, you know,
you had, And then afterwards I started following the Ravens.
But it was really difficult on that time because nowadays
in Germany it's like the best ever because you can
almost watch every game nowadays now, but back then it
was not possible. Maybe playoffs if you had money, maybe
(26:49):
game pass, but that was really expensive. And Super Bowl.
That's it. So basically, for the first four years watching Ravens,
I was only watching the games that were broadcasting. If
they were broadcasting that, that's usually only playoffs.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Okay, wow, that's really nice.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
It's growing more and more, like American football is growing
more and more in Europe right now. They're also building
up their own like European League, which is also nice. Yeah, yeah,
it's it's really nice to see that development.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
And you're you're part of the German Flock, right, which
was founded in twenty seventeen. You have your merchip. Oh
here we go. Nice, So which is it's an official
it's an official that this is like if you remember
you're getting the stuff. Oh my gosh, amazing, there's a swag.
There's the swag the double scar.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Because the other scar fresh from Wanda.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Actually we have an inofficial member because it was getting
my first one, which was the Foundry stuff, which is
a bit bider that was going to day Flowers.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Oh okay, he's part of the German Flock and so like,
how big has that group gotten.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
I've just like in twenty seven it started, seventeens are starting.
The only thing is I have to say at the
moment it's diminishing a bit because of the London games
were really good. But that's actually what I want to do,
Like starting next year is like growing up the community
because I mean we're more and more fans, like in
(28:21):
groups and all that. We have more than a thousand
German fans cheering for the Ravens. That's great, yeah, but
we have to organize more more.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Of I think what we needed is a Ravens game
in Germany. Yes, Oh, that's what I think we need.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Is that the dream right there?
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yeah, that would be just fantastic.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Oh my god, that would be honestly, that would be
probably like the true A plus game of the world.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yeah, I know you guys would be there. Well, so
you got you went to the game in New York
this weekend, and you're going to the game in Baltimore
this weekend. You picked a good one. Steelers. This is uh,
this is always an exciting one and especially this year
with the division online for both of you, just how
excited are you to walk into that. I know you went,
You've toured the stadium, but it's a warning. It's a
little different with fans that compared to when it's empty.
(29:06):
You know, it's a little bit more energy in there
on a game day. So how excited are you to
walk into that stadium on a game day?
Speaker 6 (29:12):
I would say, like shaking heart.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
I have butterflies in my stomach. It's baby goats, baby
goats all over the place. I cannot eat. I'm like
my heartbeat is like somewhere there, and I'm like about
to cry because I'm so emotional already and we're still
not there yet. It's still on Saturday, but it's just
(29:37):
a couple of hours. Yeah, days, I know.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It's just Coach Harper always says, don't peak, you know,
like for a night game. This thing is always don't
peak too soon. The game's not till Saturday at four thirty.
So you have to you have to build up the emotion. Yeah,
you got to. You got to build up to that
Saturday for thirty.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
Really, I'm a very emotionless person. It's so hard.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
That's great. What do you expect it to be? Like
Carson and we need a score prediction? Yes, for both
of you.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I have a feeling I know which side you're going
to lean on.
Speaker 6 (30:08):
You so all right? For me, honestly, I just I
think it would be really amazing. I mean, it's winter time,
so it's getting dark, so it's basically like a Thursday
night game, just not Thursday night. So the thing, the
atmosphere is just probably blown our heads off and then
(30:31):
we had to get new heads for that, and then
afterwards it's just going to be electric. And maybe I
start first with the score prediction, but I think it
will be love stcoing game again because the season is
just so nasty. But I don't know why, but I
feel like we're really going to do that. Probably buy
a hair but are we going to do that? I mean,
(30:52):
this team is so focused. I mean, for me, it
was the first time seeing Lamar curse in public and
seeing the death stair of Mark Andrews, like he's probably
now at the moment at the level.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Yeah, so awesome. Well, especially if if they get if
we let them have a taste of the German snacks, yeah,
that will elevate them even more.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Yeah, we just have to make sure that make doesn't
try to keep all the German stature himself.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
I mean, that's the key here.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
He's gonna I'll pass him out. I'll pass him out.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Yeah. Thank you so much for joining us, and I
know you'll have a blast on Saturday. Thank you, thank you,
thank you for both of you.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Well, you're listening to the Lounge podcast. We're coming to
you from the Sea Geek Studio. We also want to
mention our partners at Draftking Sportsbook. They are an official
sports betting partner of the baltim Ravens Draftking Sportsbook. The
Crown is Yours. Also shout out to wah Wah. If
you know a kid who would love to be a
wah wah kickoff game, get a chance to be on
the field for a Ravens game. Go out there and
get that tea after a kickoff is an exciting time.
(31:52):
Plus you get wahwah swag bag. So you get the
chance to be on the field, get the tea, and
you get that wahwah swag bag. If you know a
kid who would love to do that, I think there's
a lot of kids who would love to do that.
Then you love to do it, you would love to
do that, You're not eligible. Sorry, I hate to break
it to you. But if you want a kid to
nominate a kid for that, you can do that by
(32:13):
Busy Baltimore evens dot com slash Kickoff Kids. So it
was fun episode today talking both with Tavis and our
friends from Germany. International episode, an international episode of the Lounge.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
That's right. Yeah, we love our international listeners. Thank you
to all those watching and listening. We know there's a
bunch of them. We get emails for international listeners all
the time, so it's fun to have an international episode.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Yeah. I always say this. I think that the support
from fans internationally, and you saw it we just when
we sat down with the two of them. It's just
like that fandom. You have to work hard to be
a fan.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
It's rabid.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
You have to work hard to be a fan. It's
not you can't turn on the radio, you can't turn
on the TV. It's not just there in front of you.
You have to seek it out and you have to
be really intentional about it. And I think it's awesome
to see that and to see it like a weekend
like this where they get a chance to see game
in New York, Big Win, come here, go to a
Steelers game. It's just a really cool culmmination of all
that excitement.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
To be honest, when we launched this podcast many moons ago,
that was one of the first takeaways for me. One
of the things that struck me first was that, gosh,
we hear from a lot of international listeners that we
had a strong fan base there. So so honestly, thank
you to all of you out there.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Yeah, I was kind of like early on, like, is
anybody in America listening.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
To us aside from our founders.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Does this get distributed in America or is this only overseas?
But yeah, it's been it's been awesome, So thank you.
And as always, speaking of emails, we love to get
those emails. You can email us the lounge at Ravens
dot NFL dot net. We always appreciate hearing from you,
and we are going to be back with you again
later this week to really talk about that game against
the Steelers. Stationial listening. Talk with you again soon,
Welcome into the Lounge, presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink
here with Garrett Downing and we are thrilled to be
joined by Tavius Robinson, second time on the Lounge. We
had him on the first time when during rookie mini camp.
He was fresh, he was new to the scene. So
happy to have you back, Tavius. And you know, as
established as you are now in your second season, I
got to inform you of this. I don't know if
(00:25):
you know this or not. When you google Tavius Robinson,
you know, it comes up a picture of Roquan Smith.
You're a YESPN bio. The headshot is Roquan.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
We got to get that up.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's kind of messed up. I mean, there's worse guys
to be, you know, compared to I guess you know,
it could be somebody worse headshot, But we gotta get
that fix. So that's the note to ESPN al right
after this podcast. We got to get that fixed, all right. So, uh, Tavious,
I mean, just a really big season for you, kind
of a breakout second season that you know, not to
(00:57):
pat myself on the back, but I predicted. And just
what's it been like? For you this year kind of
establishing yourself more.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yeah, it's been good.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I feel like with the experience for my first year
and kind of going into my second year here, you know,
the game has really started to slow down more with
more experience out there and uh, you know, playing more
to make plays rather than make not make mistakes.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
That kind of wasn't my first year.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So yeah, it's a credit to you know, the guys
in my in my room, the great veterans I have,
the coaches I have, and just uh yeah, so it's
been good so far.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Very cool.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Does it feel like the the the classic I guess
cliche is that the light bulb goes off and you
start to see things clearer? Has that been the case?
Like for you, do you feel that way or is it?
Has it been more gradual? How do you view that
piece of it?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, I think it's been more gradual, but like kind
of in a light bulb sense, like you're starting to
like I'm starting to see things better. I'm starting to
see formations better, and like having more time pre snap,
like like my mind is clear so I can see
things rather than the first year, you know, it's kind
of all thrown at you know, you're trying to worry
about being in the right spot, you're not really looking
formations and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So yeah, it's just.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
You know, my eyes I got to kind of open more,
Like I can see more on the field, and it's
allowing me to make more plays for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
How does that on the field, Like take me into
your shoes on a game day. You're seeing things better,
You're diagnosing the formations. How does that then allow you
to play more free?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Well, when you know what's coming and you know what
your job is, it allows you to play one hundred
percent freely and like like fast. So one thing this
year that has kind of changed what I did. Something
that kV does, Like he makes like as for every game,
it's like a pregame report of like the top things
you need to know. You just write it down. So
like after the week obviously I'm taking all my notes,
but then for each game I have like my final
(02:39):
final game day reports is at the top, Like I
write down the key things I need to look out for,
key formations, you know, what the tackles do, what I
got to be prepared for in past situations. And then
like in my locker for game day, I have that
page open and it's just to kind of know what
I need to look for when the time comes.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So that's that's helped a lot too.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So that's cool. How many bullet points are on that
list about.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
It's quick, like it's not like a whole lot, Like
obviously it's shortened down from the week, like what the
most important things are, So probably about five or six
reminders for like run game, and then like which moves
I want to use in passing situations when.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
They come up.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So that's really cool. And you talk about Kyle van Noy,
just how influential has he been for you?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
So influential, Like that part was a big part that
I've added this year. And then like the formations things
he always caused it football one or two, like get
to that next step, So just kind of knowing what
runs you're going to get out of certain formations and
like again, it just allows you to play so much faster.
So definitely grateful to have a be like him in
the room.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, Kyle, Like on the little cheat sheet that you
put together, was that something that he came to you
and said, hey, you should try this or did you
kind of notice this in his locker and you're like, hey,
what's this. I think that it's working out pretty well
for you, so maybe I try to emulate that. How
did it go?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
I noticed one of the earlier games he had his
cheat sheet and he was kind of looking at it
before we went out, and I noticed it and I
was like, and then I had asked him about it
during the week. I said, he makes a quick little
cheat sheet of what to know, and then kind of
turned it into my own thing. Did my own little
you know, like twist off of that, and then yeah,
it's helped me so far.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
So that's cool. To keep that going for the rest
of my career, that's cool.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
One thing that really stands out to me about your
game is just the physicality and you just you put
your hands on some people and move them. And I
feel like that's why, you know, part of the reason
that your snaps have been increasing. You've earned it along
the way. But we played these run heavy teams like
the Eagles, you know, the Steelers. You see a lot
of action. Do you feel like, hey, you know, hey,
you're getting after the passer more. You have three and
(04:33):
a half sacks this year, fourth most on the team.
But also when it comes to physicality, set in that
edge that they're going to call your number.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah, you know, I really think I think that's you know,
one of the main reasons why I was brought here
for sure.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
So that's uh something that I hold with pride.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
You know. That's how I try to play every day,
and that's how I try to practice every day when
we're in pads. So yeah, that's something that I'm always
focused on. I always want to continue to up the
physicality and just keep that as good as I can,
you know, while I continue to get better at rushing.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So how would you describe Raven Steelers? Is this your
kind of game?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
M M most definitely.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Yeah, I love this type of game, you know. I
I watched videos during the week. I watched videos of
the history of it and stuff like that. So, uh,
just seeing like the speeches from ray Lewis and stuff
like that, and and the plays that the big plays
that has happened over the years is kind of gets
my mind in the right move for what type of
game is going to be.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
So any of the hits from over the years kind
of stand out in your mind.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
There's one with ray Lewis over the middle. It's in
one of the.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Keith Miller probably probably on Heith Miller. There's a couple
of Yeah, all right.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Of course, because a bunch of plays in that game.
So those are a bunch of them.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I think Khalodi Nada broke shar mende Hall's chest or clavicle,
something like that, a rib something like that. Look that
one up if you haven't seen that.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
They actually the biggest one from kind of a similar
player to you a little bit sim position as Courtney Upshaw.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Oh that's a good one.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And that was That was on and Roethlisberger. And Ben
actually said after his career like that was the hardest
he's ever been hit. That was the hardest, and it
was one of those crazy plays where he just completely
blindside and lit him up and it was it was
a clean play, but they threw the like they threw
a flag, and like I still to this day, I
think it was just one of those like we have
to throw the flag because you hit him so hard.
(06:20):
He didn't hit him ahead, he didn't hit him low,
he didn't hit him light. It was just like that
was just too big of a hit, Like we just
have to throw the flag on that, So maybe you'll
have one of those plays this weekend. No flag, no flag,
no flag. But I'm just like when when this game
is played, Like, I'm curious as a player when you
get here last year's a rookie and now into your
(06:42):
second year, Like, do you do you feel the need
to go down the history wormhole in the YouTube wormhole
and watch some of these highlights and stuff like that,
or is that kind of ingrained in you? How do
you approach like the whole rivalry aspect of this game.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, no, I just thought that I feel the need to.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
It's more like, you know, coming in as a rookie,
I knew what typpy game it was like seeing that
was one of the games you know you watch you
grow up and you're watching that. You know, the Ravens Steelers,
and it's always the most physical, hard hitting, violent game.
You know, two violent teams. But yeah, going into the week,
I mean, it's you don't want to like change your
whole routine and like it's just it's just another football game.
(07:16):
But obviously there's history and it's a big rivalry, probably
the biggest in the NFL, so that that's always in
the back of your mind.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
How much obviously the Ravens you know, haven't won a
lot of games against the Steelers in recent years. How
much does that eat at you? And do you feel
like still, hey, you know the saying is you're not
a Raven until you beat the Steelers. Do you want
to get that badge?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Yeah, because you know, I've played them three times now
and we haven't won one yet, So it's definitely huge
and I want that win against them for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I want to go back to your point about setting
the edge and when you got here. Obviously you were
a physical player in college, but is there any part
of a mentality shift outside linebackers love to get the quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks often get getting set, get you paid against you,
the attention, all the stuff. But like, there really is
something here in this organization about for your position needing
(08:07):
to have somebody who can be physical and be an edgsetter,
Like that's part of Raven's football. And so I'm curious
when you got here was that something that there was
any part of a mentality shift? Did you already have that?
How did you really embrace the edge setting role?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, that's a good question.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
I think I already kind of had that, and that's
kind of going back to college, and like kind of
my coaches in college, Lane Kiff and Randall Joyner, their
biggest thing is like, like you always want to play
your role to the highest level, and whatever your role is,
like you play that at the highest level until you
get an increasing role and then you know you're expected
to do that. So of course the sacks and the
(08:41):
quarter but like that's always the flashy, the great plays,
but sometimes like it's the gritty stuff, the stuff that
you know most of the time goes unseen, but like
it's important that, you know, I try to pride myself
on and like I'm cool with that. Like, you know,
first year coming in, that was my role. You know,
that physical, violent guy that comes in and plays like that.
They aren't always the flashiest plays, but that's my role.
(09:03):
So do it to the highest level. And then kind
of going off of this year, you know, just being
more confident in that role and just kind of taking
it to another level. So with that, yeah, it's a
credit to my coaches and stuff from college and kind
of you know, you want to be an all around
good player, you know what I'm saying it's not so.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah. You you mentioned Raven's history. It seems like you're
a bit of a history buff. Have you looked back
on you know, Jarrett Johnson. You know, we talked about
Courtney Upshall like some of these guys, and I mean,
Jarrett was one of the most beloved Ravens players like
in Raven's defensive history. Have you watched him at all?
And is that something you embrace?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
I have.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
He's he's very similar and we both wore ninety.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Five as well, right right, right, good point.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
That was a guy that I looked up kind of
early on, and yeah, he was another physical edgeshtter type guy.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So yeah, definitely did somebody when you first got drafted
talk to you about that role and maybe the history
or what it means in this organization.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
I think, you know, coming in, you know, the standard
of Ravens football and Ravens defenses is about, you know,
being that physical edge player, physical physical physicality in general,
you know, running to the ball, hitting people, you know,
playing to the echo the whistle.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
That's kind of the standard here.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
So I think early on I knew that, you know,
And it's crazy because I feel like I've always played
this way in my entire life, but I never really
knew like what's like, what what.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Is this style?
Speaker 4 (10:24):
And it really is it's Ravens football and how they
play defense and how they have played defense for their existence,
right right.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
What strikes me about you, and I think is the
funny kind of dichotomy here, is you're one of the
most physical guys out there and violent and all those
words that we've been using, but you're also like one
of the nicest guys on the team. You can go
on the fie, I mean the smile, you know, like,
how do you go about flipping that switch?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, I think you know, off the field, I'm always
going to be, you know, a good guy, nice guy
off the field, all that stuff. But like when the
pads come on, like regardless, it's like a complete different persons.
So during the game, I'm much your friend, I'm not anything.
But after the game, I'll shake your hand all that stuff.
That's cool, But yeah, it's definitely a different mentality when
the helmet goes on and all that.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
So is there anything pregame that you do to get
yourself in that headspace?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I think it's a mixture of music and then kind
of like just when you put the pads on. For me,
it's kind of eye black, eye black. It's something I've
done for since my first year of college. So like
as soon as the pads eye black, like it's a
different mode.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
It's not. It can't be a good guy out there.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's like your costume basically like a mask. Most Yeah, yeah, black,
I do think I black always just makes the guy
look tough.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
For two, it is Jared Johnson was kind of an
eye black guy. I want to say, Yeah, I think
he were he were I black to.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, So this defense is playing really well over the
past month. You guys seem to have kind of turned
a corner. Why do you think this defense is playing
better this last month compared earlier in the year.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yeah, I think it kind of changed.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
I forget which game it was, but we kind of
just came together and said, like we need to play
with more energy and like really be focused on doing
our job. So I forget exactly which game it was,
but eighty had got a pick early on and we
all went to the end zone celebrated, kind of built
off that energy and like that was the style that
we wanted to bring we wanted to get excited for
each other's plays and kind of, you know, feet out
(12:19):
of each other. So I think it was a mixture
of that and then just everyone really honing in and
focusing on their jobs. You know, when you have a
bunch of guys doing their one of eleven, that's how
you have great defense.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
And we got a bunch of guys like that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So I think part of just to get back to it,
I think part of the reason why you're so nice
is because you're Canadian. Also, you know, it's just like
it's the stereotypical Canadian.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yeah, you know, it's funny because I got a lot
of that in the pre draft process. Really yeah, it
was like, you know, you're such a nice guy, Like,
how do you flip it on game day?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Oh? People were like worried about this that you were
too nice.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Yeah, but it's like that's not how I play at all.
I could be a good guy off the field, but
on the you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
That's so funny that you got these questions. So I
guess I'm wondering, you know, how much Brent Urban, another
Canadian on the team, how much does that connection kind
of help you and and do you wear that as
a badge of honor.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
No, it was definitely great coming in on my rookiear
and having another Canadian I kind of showed me some
of the stuff behind the scenes, you know, visa and
all that stuff, like the stuff that we we deal with.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
So it was good to have it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Do you do you get you know, whether it's media
or fans in Canada that kind of you know, you're
representing and you're representing really well, you know, who are
reaching out to you and really excited for your success.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, so many Canadian fans really excited from me.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Yeah, It's always amazing and I always try to give
back as much as I can. You know, anytime I'm
talking to Canadian athletes or anything, I say here's my
number Instagram, like hit me up with any questions you have.
So I try to, you know, pave the way for
them as much as I can, like other guys did
for me.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So, yeah, your hometown on a Sunday not just because
of you, but like if you take your your own
family or put friends out of it, are people watching
NFL football on a Sunday?
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Yeah, was definitely.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Yeah, I think like a lot of people watch NFL
and a lot of people play football up there, so
uh yeah, and there's always like my mom will always
be out when people we will have my jerseys on
in the city and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So it's cool. The support's amazing for sure, is.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
The Ravens have the Ravens become kind of a hometown
team and you're in your town, like a lot of
purple and black up there, a lot.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Of purple and black.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah, and even like friends and stuff, like people who
are fans of other teams are.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Now Ravens fans.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You've converted them.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Yeah, So it's been great for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It's Gwelph, right, is that how you say? And it's
not far from the border, right. I mean, so if
we play up in Buffalo in the playoffs, you do
you pop in go home at all?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You have the ticket request I'm sure would be large
for the you that if that's the case.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
That's true. I guess a snow game. You're kind of
built for a snow game too. Have you ever played
a snow game?
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Yeah? Tons, tons of snow games. Yeah, and it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Like my freshman year of college in Canada, like one
of the rules was like, you can't wear sleeves, Rookie
a new snow games. So I just don't wear sleeves
anymore at all, because I've been used to it from
my first year in college up there.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I did notice. So we had a really cold practice
a week or two ago and there is like four
guys that weren't wearing sleeves, and I took note of
the of the guys, and you were one of them.
Brent Urban, however, wore the sleeves, which I was like, bro.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
In America.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
That's what I said. That's exactly said. I'm not down
that anymore. The Canadians. It's kind of out of my system. Now, Yeah,
that's cool. Well I don't know if you know this,
but yesterday was also maple what is it, hair? I
wrote it down National Maple Syrup Day, so it's kind
of like a Canadian holiday. It's a happy National Maple
Syrup Day.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Thank you for appreciate it, man, Thank you so much,
so big, thank you to Tavis.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
And now we have a special German treat. We are
joined by two German Ravens fans. We have Carston Flugel
and on a houter. I don't know, but it was
close enough.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
It's really hard to pronounce those needs.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Well, I took you know, I took three years of
German in high school, and you.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
They didn't didn't They don't teach you how to pronounce
those needs.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My teacher failed me. We're gonna blame him.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It was all building towards this moment of this podcast.
I was three years of journey, right, yeah, all down
the tubes.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But thank you for joining us and Ravens fans, you know,
check out our story I wrote about these two fine
people about coming to America with their treats. They brought
luggage full, multiple bags of luggage full of Christmas streets
to hand out to the entire Ravens organization. So we
had to have them on pod. Yes, if you feed us,
(16:46):
you put food our belt, you get an invite. It's
a standing policy here in the lounge. Uh So, so
start at the beginning. You know, how did you come
up with this idea that you were going to come
to the States and bring all these treats with you?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Well just actually, you know, the real beginning was actually
the London game in twenty twenty three, because this was
where we met and we know as your article says,
and that's actually true, is that I was with the
gym flock because there was the twenty twenty fee game.
We're like, oh, you know, after twenty seventeen, we want
(17:22):
to do it again, because even seventeen with the really
really hard loss, was such a good experience that we
want to come back. And then we had a really
awesome time thanks to you, thanks to the organization, because
especially for somebod the accounting house, the bar, absolutely awesome,
and also the fans, which are we're all there, coming
from America, coming from all over the world. It was just,
(17:44):
you know, like a big party. And then actually you
can say, like the starting point of this relationship is
your podcast.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
At the Counting House.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
It was so amazing. Like I was front row, he
was front and I didn't know who's standing next to me,
and I was just watching you guys and listening. And
then I suddenly took a look at the banner that
they were holding and I was like, are you guys German?
And they're like, yeah, we're from a were the German flock.
And then they kind of adopted me since I was
(18:16):
alone there, and we kind of kept in touch like
well after that and I came up with that idea,
like after that London game, I was like, oh my god, damn,
there so fantastic. I need to go. I need to
go to Baltimore. I need to go there where, like
where it's happening. So and and I took a look
at the schedule of the season and was like, hey,
(18:38):
I could actually do two games, and we texted and
Carson was like, oh my god, I'm coming with you.
After that it kind of started and he came up
with this idea.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
The Treats. So the idea of the Treats is basically,
you know, when they released the schedule, I was seeing
that this was another away game on Christmas Day, and
I really felt really really horrible for the team because,
I mean, I was working in the media industry, so
now how it is when you're working away from family
for a long time, even like very long time, being
not there for Christmas and this, I mean, and you
(19:14):
guys you only have like one day to celebrate and
then players are playing, you're working there. I felt like, man,
what should I do? And then I thought like, hey,
it's Christmas time? Why not do something you know, Christmas related?
And it was coming up with that, Hey, because I
(19:34):
knew somebody else you also know, and I found out
that you Americans don't have any clue about German Christmas candies.
So that's why I thought, Okay, maybe it's a nice
gesture just to fill a suitcase full of Christmas candy
and give it away to the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, so you guys board on a plane, get on
a plane, and you have a suitcase completely packed full
of treats that you're basically Santa coming here to the
organization and delivering the gifts and delivering the treats to
the organization to folks who are working on Christmas. And
this is this is the bag, right, this is one
of one of the bags.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
You didn't bring any underwear.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
This is like Christmas. The clothes on your back, that's
all that you got.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
The rest of the hotels really, you.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Know, when you're packing, you're backpacking.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
That's amazing. So it's like seventy eight pounds of food
or something like that. And we did the math on this.
Carson did the math for me because you know my
mass kills, and we calculated it was it was like
over seventy five percent of your luggage space was used
for treats. Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
The reason for that is, you know, I checked because
of fortunately on the website you can see like how
many people working for it? I count myself because you
couldn't see like a number of it, like oh, it's
a hundred people. So you know, like having like one
stolen and one back of these is not enough. So
for like, okay, what could I do? It's not too
expensive like that, Like where which is my arrange? Financially?
(21:09):
I thought like, okay, then I have to skip close.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So if first of all, that's like super generous of
you and an awesome, awesome gesture from you, I'm just
curious what is it? You guys are obviously big time
Ravens fans, which is awesome, so aparent, what is it?
How did you become Ravens fans? And what is it
like being a fan of the Ravens and American football
in Germany?
Speaker 6 (21:33):
So do you want to go first or come on?
Your story?
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Well, my story is actually quite worrying way.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Well it started I don't think so in.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Twenty nineteen just a friend of mine was fan of
like New Orleans Saints, and I was like, I didn't
understand the game. I was like everybody else, like what
is that game about? Why is everybody so crazy about
some guys like jumping on top of each other doing there?
And I was just curious. So I started to read
the rules because I just wanted to know. And then
(22:03):
I just followed that season of twenty nineteen and I
was like, oh my god, it is interesting. There are
so many layers, there are so many levels, so many
details to be understood. So and then I was like
drawn into it more and more. And then I was like, okay,
I need a team, Like I know, I'm in it.
I'm addicted. I need a team.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So I followed that season where Lamar was like super special.
He did things that no other quarterback did, like running
and unpredictable, and I was like, oh my god, this
is very interesting. And in the beginning I was a
little bit afraid, like I was, oh my god, I'm
scared of that person and whatever. Yeah, so the team
was really great, and I read more about the Ravens,
(22:47):
about the background, about the name, and since I read
a lot of stories of Edgar and Poe myself and
I like writing, and I was like, oh my god,
this is a very nice and poetic shows for a team,
so it was like, yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Gonna be the Ravens.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
I'm like more and more every year every season, I
learn more and more and I dive deeper into it
and it's just beautiful. It's just And also I'm actually
still proud that I'm like a female fan by myself.
I'm not like part of a boyfriend or whatever. It's
somehow my gut feeling says to me, it's important because
(23:27):
I see, especially here that the female community is quite big.
Even when we did the tour earlier today at the stadium,
there was like there were like fifteen women or girls
who visited the stadium. So the female community is growing
and it is a strong gain. I feel like a
strong woman, So why not being a fan, I just
(23:49):
can encourage every single woman to just dive into it.
It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
I told you. I told you.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
My story sounds bored, so busy. For me, it was
so because in my family have to say my letters
from the military. There was always like we have to
do sport. So it's like in the mindset and I
was twenty eleven to twelve, I was backpacking. Afterwards, I
(24:19):
wanted to do something new. Then I fund was like saying, hey,
what about doing a team sport? And it was like
what team sport? And you said, like American football, was
like yeah, about that Super Bowl and all that. But
then I thought about it. Americans really liked teamwork and
all that, so it could work out so that while
I was joining then really a minor rewiner German team
(24:42):
in East Berlin. They are called Berlin Bullets and we
have several of them in the area, and that's where
I started playing.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
What positions did you play? O?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Line? Oh?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Line? Right?
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Yeah, but I was not good because you know, even
for the I sent it, that was not really good.
But also to do that because when you're working in
the media, you have like fifteen hour shifts in Germany
like fourteen hours, sixteen hours when he was sort of
filming all that, so it couldn't attend every training. That
(25:14):
was hurting me of my starting.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
The media industry. Had you'd have been an All pro
if it weren't for the media. Sure, yeah, that was
where we were headed.
Speaker 6 (25:23):
Yeah, but you mean, i ll say, you know, an
All pro in Germany meets probably high school in America.
So yeah, and then when we like we're havin together
as a team. We had this tradition like you have
to watch the superw together in American sports, where like
do the American treatment, like with all this coastlow burghers, barbecues,
(25:47):
bar roups and all that. So we come together. And
my first was actually the Super the Ravens. That's great,
and then I wanted to root for a team because
my teammates made me too, so and then they were
telling the story of the Harbors, and basically for me,
it was that you have like this accomplished Jim Harbor quarterback,
(26:07):
then coach, really successful working his way up, and then
you have John Harbor. He had to start with coaching
because he was not such a good player as Jim,
and I felt like, hmm, this is like an underdog
story and I like underdogs, so that's why I was
rooting them for John. And it was really great because
after waiting for almost half an hour because of the blackout,
(26:27):
they won. It was like the most amazing feeling, you know,
you had, And then afterwards I started following the Ravens.
But it was really difficult on that time because nowadays
in Germany it's like the best ever because you can
almost watch every game nowadays now, but back then it
was not possible. Maybe playoffs if you had money, maybe
(26:49):
game pass, but that was really expensive. And Super Bowl.
That's it. So basically, for the first four years watching Ravens,
I was only watching the games that were broadcasting. If
they were broadcasting that, that's usually only playoffs.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Okay, wow, that's really nice.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
It's growing more and more, like American football is growing
more and more in Europe right now. They're also building
up their own like European League, which is also nice. Yeah, yeah,
it's it's really nice to see that development.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
And you're you're part of the German Flock, right, which
was founded in twenty seventeen. You have your merchip. Oh
here we go. Nice, So which is it's an official
it's an official that this is like if you remember
you're getting the stuff. Oh my gosh, amazing, there's a swag.
There's the swag the double scar.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Because the other scar fresh from Wanda.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Actually we have an inofficial member because it was getting
my first one, which was the Foundry stuff, which is
a bit bider that was going to day Flowers.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Oh okay, he's part of the German Flock and so like,
how big has that group gotten.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
I've just like in twenty seven it started, seventeens are starting.
The only thing is I have to say at the
moment it's diminishing a bit because of the London games
were really good. But that's actually what I want to do,
Like starting next year is like growing up the community
because I mean we're more and more fans, like in
(28:21):
groups and all that. We have more than a thousand
German fans cheering for the Ravens. That's great, yeah, but
we have to organize more more.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Of I think what we needed is a Ravens game
in Germany. Yes, Oh, that's what I think we need.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Is that the dream right there?
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yeah, that would be just fantastic.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Oh my god, that would be honestly, that would be
probably like the true A plus game of the world.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yeah, I know you guys would be there. Well, so
you got you went to the game in New York
this weekend, and you're going to the game in Baltimore
this weekend. You picked a good one. Steelers. This is uh,
this is always an exciting one and especially this year
with the division online for both of you, just how
excited are you to walk into that. I know you went,
You've toured the stadium, but it's a warning. It's a
little different with fans that compared to when it's empty.
(29:06):
You know, it's a little bit more energy in there
on a game day. So how excited are you to
walk into that stadium on a game day?
Speaker 6 (29:12):
I would say, like shaking heart.
Speaker 5 (29:15):
I have butterflies in my stomach. It's baby goats, baby
goats all over the place. I cannot eat. I'm like
my heartbeat is like somewhere there, and I'm like about
to cry because I'm so emotional already and we're still
not there yet. It's still on Saturday, but it's just
(29:37):
a couple of hours. Yeah, days, I know.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It's just Coach Harper always says, don't peak, you know,
like for a night game. This thing is always don't
peak too soon. The game's not till Saturday at four thirty.
So you have to you have to build up the emotion. Yeah,
you got to. You got to build up to that
Saturday for thirty.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
Really, I'm a very emotionless person. It's so hard.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
That's great. What do you expect it to be? Like
Carson and we need a score prediction? Yes, for both
of you.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I have a feeling I know which side you're going
to lean on.
Speaker 6 (30:08):
You so all right? For me, honestly, I just I
think it would be really amazing. I mean, it's winter time,
so it's getting dark, so it's basically like a Thursday
night game, just not Thursday night. So the thing, the
atmosphere is just probably blown our heads off and then
(30:31):
we had to get new heads for that, and then
afterwards it's just going to be electric. And maybe I
start first with the score prediction, but I think it
will be love stcoing game again because the season is
just so nasty. But I don't know why, but I
feel like we're really going to do that. Probably buy
a hair but are we going to do that? I mean,
(30:52):
this team is so focused. I mean, for me, it
was the first time seeing Lamar curse in public and
seeing the death stair of Mark Andrews, like he's probably
now at the moment at the level.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Yeah, so awesome. Well, especially if if they get if
we let them have a taste of the German snacks, yeah,
that will elevate them even more.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Yeah, we just have to make sure that make doesn't
try to keep all the German stature himself.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
I mean, that's the key here.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
He's gonna I'll pass him out. I'll pass him out.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Yeah. Thank you so much for joining us, and I
know you'll have a blast on Saturday. Thank you, thank you,
thank you for both of you.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Well, you're listening to the Lounge podcast. We're coming to
you from the Sea Geek Studio. We also want to
mention our partners at Draftking Sportsbook. They are an official
sports betting partner of the baltim Ravens Draftking Sportsbook. The
Crown is Yours. Also shout out to wah Wah. If
you know a kid who would love to be a
wah wah kickoff game, get a chance to be on
the field for a Ravens game. Go out there and
get that tea after a kickoff is an exciting time.
(31:52):
Plus you get wahwah swag bag. So you get the
chance to be on the field, get the tea, and
you get that wahwah swag bag. If you know a
kid who would love to do that, I think there's
a lot of kids who would love to do that.
Then you love to do it, you would love to
do that, You're not eligible. Sorry, I hate to break
it to you. But if you want a kid to
nominate a kid for that, you can do that by
(32:13):
Busy Baltimore evens dot com slash Kickoff Kids. So it
was fun episode today talking both with Tavis and our
friends from Germany. International episode, an international episode of the Lounge.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
That's right. Yeah, we love our international listeners. Thank you
to all those watching and listening. We know there's a
bunch of them. We get emails for international listeners all
the time, so it's fun to have an international episode.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Yeah. I always say this. I think that the support
from fans internationally, and you saw it we just when
we sat down with the two of them. It's just
like that fandom. You have to work hard to be
a fan.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
It's rabid.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
You have to work hard to be a fan. It's
not you can't turn on the radio, you can't turn
on the TV. It's not just there in front of you.
You have to seek it out and you have to
be really intentional about it. And I think it's awesome
to see that and to see it like a weekend
like this where they get a chance to see game
in New York, Big Win, come here, go to a
Steelers game. It's just a really cool culmmination of all
that excitement.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
To be honest, when we launched this podcast many moons ago,
that was one of the first takeaways for me. One
of the things that struck me first was that, gosh,
we hear from a lot of international listeners that we
had a strong fan base there. So so honestly, thank
you to all of you out there.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Yeah, I was kind of like early on, like, is
anybody in America listening.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
To us aside from our founders.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Does this get distributed in America or is this only overseas?
But yeah, it's been it's been awesome, So thank you.
And as always, speaking of emails, we love to get
those emails. You can email us the lounge at Ravens
dot NFL dot net. We always appreciate hearing from you,
and we are going to be back with you again
later this week to really talk about that game against
the Steelers. Stationial listening. Talk with you again soon,
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