September 21, 2021 • 35 mins
Lacie DeCosta, the wife of General Manager Eric DeCosta, talks about her family's deep history and love of the Ravens, interacting with fans on social media, and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to the very first episode of the Purple Chair Podcast.
I'm your host, Cassie Calvert, and I'll be introducing you
to the Ravens organization and the NFL in a way
you've never heard before before. Now, when you've heard about
the Ravens, the voices, you've heard from our mail, our
head coach, our general manager, most of the media that
(00:28):
cover the team. But there are a lot of smart,
dynamic women in and around this organization who have really
unique stories to tell and fresh perspectives. This isn't going
to be women talking about how they cliche quote got
jobs in sports or proving that they know the game
of football. I already know that they know the game.
(00:49):
This podcast will be an all access past, all things
Ravens like you've never heard it before. Okay, I'll get
off my soapbox now because our first guest deserves your
full attention. She's the Queen of Ravens Twitter, Baltimore born
and bread and the first Lady of the Baltimore Ravens.
Here's Lacy DaCosta, a k A Mrs e d C. So,
(01:10):
first of all, I think Ravens Twitter is going to
lose their minds and they find out about this one,
they're going to be so excited. So thank you for
joining me. Oh, oh my gosh, this is this is
an honor. I'm psyched to be here. We throw this
expression around a lot here, but I think you really
epitomize as more than anyone, and it's the football is family,
the Ravens family. We talk about those cliches a lot,
(01:30):
but your family has really intrinsically been tied to this organization.
And we'll get into that a little bit more later,
but first and start with the obvious. Obviously, your husband
is a general manager, so it doesn't really get closer
than that, so we'll start there. How did you and
Eric originally meet? Oh gosh, okay, so quickly, I'll tell
this story as fast as I can because it's a
little long. But basically, my dad was UM good friends
(01:53):
with our in Pat model through UM building the stadium.
My dad's company, UM owned a building and supply come
Bunny and Pat and Art actually came into his office
to pick out the brick for the stadium, which is
so iconic and beautiful and Um, so he they just
jelled like right off the bat. My dad had lost
his father and so Art had become like this UM
(02:15):
father figure for him. And the last game at Memorial Stadium,
UM it was during the holidays. UM. It was my
senior year in college. Senior, yeah, and UM. I was
home and we were down on the field and Eric
was with Ozzie somewhere up above, and he asked who
(02:37):
I was and and Ozzie was like, oh, he's that's
one of UM Art and Pat's UM friend's daughter. And
He's like hm hmm, I'm gonna find out who she is,
like and UM. And so then we went to the
UM part. They had like a closing Memorial Stadium party
(02:58):
after the game, and so my dad and my mom
and my UM younger sister, Maggie, and I were there
and I was trying to find I was actually a
senior college. So I was looking for a job and
my I was in a sociology major and I really
wanted to get into UM working in the public and
(03:21):
what I was doing at the time was working in
a juvenile delinquent center. My dad was like not not
having it. He was really nervous about it. So I
thought I'd worked for him, and then he said, no,
I think you need to do something on your own.
So he said, why do unless you asked Mr Model
if like there's something available. And I was so nervous.
I'm sitting next to him at this beautiful party and
(03:42):
Jonathan Ogden's on the other side of Mr Model and
it was just like this like crazy, like surreal feeling
the whole time. And I catched this guy looking at
me from across the party and I'm like, hm, he's
really cute. And I look at my sister Maggie, and
I was like, that staring at us and she's like,
I don't know if he's staring at us. I think
(04:04):
he might be staring at you. Why don't you go
get a drink at the bar. So I did and
I came back and she's like, he's not looking at me.
So anyway, I got up the nerve to ask Mr
Motel if I could at least send my resume. He
was so gracious and wonderful and he said absolutely, So
I was so excited. I'm getting ready to leave and
I I'm walking to the co check and I see
(04:25):
Eric following me and he comes up to me and
he's about to say hello. And my dad, who was
like six ft four big man. He's a little intimidating,
but a big teddy bear. Puts his arms around me,
He's like, you ready to go, kid, And I was like,
oh shoot. So I never talked to him then, but
we all we walked out together. He was in front
of us. He said goodbye to this the security guy
(04:48):
at the time, and it was like this feeling like
I had, like he was just like I was like,
oh my gosh, like he is the way he just
interacted with that security guard. It was just like this
warm feeling that I felt. And I remember thinking to myself,
he's not going away. I'm going to meet this guy
again sometime somewhere down the road. And six months later
I started working for the team and he was I
(05:12):
was working hard opening the stadium, and he was a
scout and he was off like he was off pretty
much all the whole summer. So we really never connected
until mid season that season and Um, Aaron Cashman, who
was working in marketing, was a friend of his, and
she um came up to me at at St. Paul's place,
which is where our offices were at the time, and
(05:33):
she's like, I know somebody that wants to take you
out on the date and I said, I know it's
Eric da Costa and she was like, what, how did
you know? And I was like, there's just a hit,
Like there's a history there. And we had seen each
other at a happy hour the first week that I'd
worked for the team, and he asked me if I
was the new chick and I was like, oh lord,
I mean this is the first time thing you're saying
to me. And I was like, I don't know about this,
(05:54):
but anyway, that's how we that's how we met. We
went on our first date November eight, after we played
UM the the Houston Oilers. At the time, I think, yeah, yeah,
I have to ask Eric that, but I think that's
what But November eight is like our our anniversary. Like
he he that's his anniversary for us. He doesn't really
(06:16):
count you in second I do. We really got married,
but that we went to UM out in Federal Hill.
We went on our first date, and then he left
the next day for Michigan for two weeks and I
was like, whoa, this is bizarre, like because he was
a scout, so he was literally home for the weekend
for a home game, and it's just sort of took
(06:36):
off from there and we never looked back. I love
that your dad just swooped in there because I feel
like that's like the classic, like somehow your dad's going
to get in the way of that first interaction. Oh
my god. Yeah, I mean it was just like, and
my dad was my best friend, and you know when
he passed away about eight years ago, but he was
the biggest Ravens fan ever ever ever. Um So yeah,
(06:57):
he definitely, and he loved Eric and just all of
the inside and being able to, you know, enjoy the
team through him in art. So I think I heard
you just tell this story one time that Eric actually
asked your dad for your hand in marriage during a
draft weekend, and your dad was like trying to get
the draft scoop, and he's like, we have bigger, bigger priorities. Yeah,
(07:19):
it was actually because remember way back when, well, so,
when did he ask me to marry him? I guess
it was right out two thousand? Okay was it two thousand? Yeah?
Two thousands and yeah, so it was the draft of
two thousand. We had just who we draft that year,
I don't remember, but anyway, it was the Sunday because
(07:41):
the draft used to be Saturday and Sunday, so it
was pouring down rain and the facility used to be
like a mile from my parents house. So Eric actually
ran to my parents house that morning to get exercise
and he my dad was in the kitchen making coffee
(08:04):
and my dad thought he was coming in to talk
about the draft. So he's like, oh, Eric, what do
you think about the guy that we just got in? Oh,
and I gotta remember who it was. I can't remember.
I wish we could go back and see. But anyway,
he Eric was like, yeah, no, George is gonna be good. God,
it's gonna be good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, today we're doing
this and that. He's like, but I'm not here for that,
and my dad was like, well, okay, well it's a
Sunday morning before the draft with the heck else are
(08:24):
you doing? And he's like, um, I want to ask
Lazy to marry me. And I have like a really
small window because I have to go up to Boston
and get the ring and then come back and this
was the only time I could do it. And he's
my dad was like huh, he's just like like fell
over and he was like, b J, that's my mom's name.
Betty Jane. But she came running in and she and
(08:46):
he He's like, Eric wants to marry Lacey. She's like, well, yeah,
let's say yeah, it's okay, it's good, you know. And
so that was the story. And then he had to
run back in the pouring down rain shower and get
ready for the I think it was the third un
that started then. So that's crazy. That's just like full circle.
And to go back a little bit, and you talked
about your dad and Arts friendship. You kind of talked
(09:08):
about how that came to be, but how did they
become so close and what was that relationship like, especially
for you, Like you said, you guys were such big
Ravens fans to begin with, so kind of creating that
bond with the organization had to have been pretty special
for him. Oh, it was so Basically, my dad called
me when I was, um a junior in college, I
guess and got he had gotten word from the Maryland
(09:31):
Stadium authority that um, the Browns were coming to Bottomore.
He's like, I had this big secret to tell you. You
You really can't tell anybody. And I was like, oh God,
I hate when you do that, because you know, I'm
gonna want to tell somebody whatever you're gonna tell me.
So he was like, um, the Browns are moving to Baltimore.
And I'm like what huh? Like that was just like
this weird concept to me. I'm like, because at the time,
(09:52):
we had been trying to get like one of those
expansion teams and whatever, and my dad was it's a
huge Baltimore sports fan, a huge Baltimore fan. I mean
the city of Baltimore. He embraced so much and so
proud of, and I, UM, I was just dumbfounded. I'm like,
this is I mean, he's like, Lacy, you think like
the Orioles are big wait until football, Like you never
(10:15):
because the Colts left. I think I was in like
first grade, so I don't really have a recollection of
them so much. So he um, their relationship just became
like it was like an organic relationship. They just hit
it off. I don't even know why. I guess because
my dad was just so proud of Baltimore and he
kind of like helped Art and Pat like get intrinsic
(10:36):
with Baltimore and their son David and John and like
basically like you know, helped them to um, meet the
right people and that kind of stuff and so and
be around UM. You know, showed them. He basically showed
them Baltimore and UM and my father just loved Art.
(10:58):
In every story that he told, my add would just
like he was just like intrinsic and everything that he
wanted to say, and they just they just had this
organic relationship that just built from the beginning UM to
like this almost father and son kind type relationship. So
I never really thought about, like, when you're an owner
moving the team, you really have to establish yourself in
(11:20):
the community too. I think people think that's just kind
of guaranteed, but that's like an adjustment for their family too.
I never really thought about it, like, yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
UM So you've mentioned you did get a role in
the organization, So what was that role exactly? What were
you doing? Uh? So I was hired as UM Teresa
about as assistant, who was the best first boss you
can ever. She was the best UM So. She was
(11:41):
at the time David's assistant and David model and she
was also UM director of Premium Services. So I helped
her with all of her sweet duties like on game
day and helping her get ready for the games and
um um, helping her with you know whatever it was
to help with the premium services suiteholders and entertaining them
(12:05):
what and answering David's phone when she couldn't and running
his errands, getting his drag culanting that kind of stuff.
So it was the best first job you could ever
ask where. It was so fun and I learned a
lot about marketing because the marketing people would ask me
for help um from time to time, and they would
take me to like different functions and things, and so
it was great. And I got to know some of
(12:26):
the players because we would do I did some community
service events, whatever the marketing people and community relations needed.
I was sort of like the you know girl, get go,
get a girl right, especially when you enter the organization.
I feel like it's very it's very hands on. Ever,
people who don't know. Teresa is now our VP of
suits at the stadium, So if you've ever been in
a suite that CEO two we call her t She's fantastic,
(12:48):
but she's she's a very special for sure. Um. You
mentioned kind of going back to eric schedule as a scout.
He was always on the road, always traveling, Obviously now
as a general manager, he's like a little more centrally
low keyed. But when he was a scout, what was
your life like when you're married or dating someone who's
gone so often, Well, this is the time of the
year that I absolutely dreaded every year. Um, when I
(13:12):
was working for the team, it was different because I,
you know, I was so busy and we I got
it like it was like, you know, I knew what
his schedule was, and um, you know, I was super
busy on my own. So I didn't really miss him
as much as when we got married and we started
to have children, and you know, I used to we
(13:32):
it was funny. I was just Actually one of the
things I just tweeted a couple of weeks ago was
being so proud of the scouts because we had a
send off dinner for them, and you know, they come
to training camp for like ten days and then they're off,
and my heart always just breaks a little for the
families because it's a stretch and it's hard, and you know,
(13:55):
I talked to a lot of the scouts that night
and I asked them, like, how and but a bunch
of them, you know, they didn't bring their wives, some
of them, the local ones did, but you know, because
of COVID or for whatever reason, they have responded. They could,
you know, if families have responsibility. So I always you know,
tell them like, please have them reach out to me
if they need anything. Like it's just because it's hard.
It's hard. They they're gone most of the fall, um,
(14:20):
and it's a tough stretch. And you know, having kids,
you know, small children, you know, these moms are stretched.
And so I was lucky because I lived in my
hometown and that was a huge blessing. Most of these
Scouts live in their territory, so they're not in their
(14:42):
hometowns and they are you know, they're they're leaving their
families behind, and so I feel for them. Um. But
it's it is such a rewarding organization. And we all
sort of rally around each other. Um. So when we
see each other, you know, in the small times that
(15:03):
we do throughout the season. You know, those scouts wise,
we kind of have a bond. It's kind of cool.
Starting with me and Lynnmoiarty and you know, moving on down.
So it's just a it's a it's a cool bond
and we all kind of get those feelings, and but
it's hard. Definitely, fans only see the finished product. They
(15:23):
see the five to seven guys that get drafted the
following year, and they don't realize the sacrifices that go
into that. What is it like now when you're you know,
your husband's a general manager and there's kind of more
of this like public scrutinty. You're more in like the
public eye now that people know obviously in Baltimore, people
are so dialed into the team, like they know who
your family is, Like, how do you handle that? Well,
(15:50):
you know, in the beginning, it was really hard. I
think that's kind of where I sort of started my
um why I got more on social media because I
was more like, kind of in a protective way, seeing
what people were saying about Eric, because I and I
wanted people to see him in a more personal light,
(16:12):
because I see I see how on social media, you know,
and on all the other teams, how like they're just
you know, they're not treated like they're regular people. They're like,
you know, they're not just like these you know, figureheads
behind a desk like making decisions. Everything is like calculated
(16:34):
and you know, from the heart and it works so
hard to make these decisions, and so it is hard.
It's hard for me to see it. But at the
same time, I'm I know that a lot of it
is just like of first reaction and if they just
like let it play out. And I think Eric in
(16:54):
his own right and Ozzie and this whole organization has
given UM the fans so much to be confident in,
so I I know that it's going to be short lived.
And I've grown to have a little bit more of
an armadillous scale, I guess over the years. But in
the beginning, I think the first time that really affected me,
(17:14):
I'll tell you real quick, I was it was when
we UM couldn't sign c J and on Twitter there
are these people coming to our house with torches. I'm like,
oh my gosh because and I'm like, oh my gosh, like, oh,
they're really upset UM, and I would and it upset me.
But then I was like, I know, I'm so I
(17:37):
I so trust in what Eric's vision is, and I like,
I know what it's all gonna be, okay, but you
know that it's it is. It's it's not easy to
see at first, sure, how do you balance like what
you should. I liked it. To let me back up
that you said, it's like sort of you feel like
it's your obligation to kind of give him that personal
face because he can't really like be they're doing that,
(17:58):
and so you kind of you minize him in a way.
But like how do you balance what you share? Um? Well,
I don't obviously share anything that he would ever want
me not to as far as like the team, and
he doesn't share that much with me anyway. Um, but
(18:18):
I I don't know. In the beginning, I was like
not really sharing anything about him. It was more about
like just the team raw raw around the team. But
then you know, I started to like, I don't know how,
I just it was it's kind of like just like
a natural thing, like whatever I feel like, and I
know that I can he wouldn't upset him. Um So
(18:44):
I don't know. I just sort of I guess because
I know him so well. We have such a great
close relationship that I would know where you know not
to put, what to say, not to not to say.
So one of the things that I love on your
Twitter is your jersey selection every weekend. Fans have gotten
really into this, so unfortunately, we know we had the
Hollywood Brown fifteen, the Patrick Queen forty Will you ever
(19:05):
rock those again? And what goes into your selection for
those each week? So it's so funny how it even started,
because I never had a jersey because I always thought
it was kind of weird, like, you know, the guy
that's helping pick the team is wife, shouldn't really be
picking one jersey over another. But so Eric always after
(19:27):
the the first round of the draft, he has I
don't know, the stadium store make the jerseys for our kids,
and every year he switches it up. So um, I
don't even remember when it started way back when. But
so Jackson um where he wears Ronnie Stanley and he's like,
(19:47):
loves you that he won't he will wear other ones,
but he's like he got Ronnie Stanley's when he was drafted,
Jane got Marlon Humphrey. Um, Michael has gotten several. I
think he got lamar and but anyway, it and I
never get on. And then when Patrick was um drafted,
(20:08):
you know it was COVID or whatever, and I think
just because of the name Queen, he was like, I
gotta get for Lacey, Like you just gave it to
me and now I was like, I've never gotten a
jersey before. He's like, well, it just fits you. So
he's never to queen the house and I was like, okay,
so anyway, so I I um, I will say, I
(20:28):
don't really know. Well, sometimes it just depends on the week.
But it was Patrick for a couple of weeks because
that's really all I had, and then um, I picked
them based on um, let's see, like the first like,
the first one I picked this week was um Taiwan
(20:49):
Young because I'm so happy he's back. Yeah. Yeah, And
like you know, last year there was a stretch where, um,
you know, I thought felt like Hollywood's having a little
bit of a tough time. So I was like, I
want to pick Hollywood. And that was the week he
got the touchdown, and like the fans went crazy. They're like,
(21:11):
it's because of the jersey and the the game that
I wore Patrick's he was defensive player, so that was
the one game that we could go to is family.
So there's usually like a reason why behind them, but
it's a pretty good streak. Defensive Player of the Week
(21:32):
back in the end zone had some power there. You
mentioned the draft during COVID, and I think it was
really special that as a family you got to have
a draft at home with Eric, which obviously normally you're
not in the facility when he's going through that whole process.
And you guys were great kind of showing the fans
the behind the scenes, Like what was it like to
be able to experience that with him, because it's such
a big part of his role, but like normally you
(21:53):
guys don't get to see it like actually in action. Um, well,
I thought it was really cool us it. First of all,
I thought the NFL and the Ravens gave so much
to their fans during that time because it was such
a hard stretch and they we all needed something positive
(22:15):
and so um for us, it was neat because we
don't see that side of Eric, and um we see
you know, the clips that you all put out and
like with a fan would and then you know that
weekend he's gone so much that we see him you know,
(22:36):
quickly in the morning and in the night, and he's
so exhausted. So to see him in action the way
he handled all of it, and actually to be there
to help him, you know, do things, um like for instance,
we were, you know, taking videos for you guys and
that kind of stuff, and um, it was it was amazing.
(23:00):
I mean, there's no doubt about it, there's nothing I mean.
It was like one of the coolest experiences ever. And
one of my favorite parts of the whole weekend was
when he would call the player and be able to
actually here and I'm holding my phone to videotape it,
and like I could hear the player on the other line.
(23:21):
It was just like it was absolutely one of the
coolest experiences as a family we've ever seen, like I've
been a part of and um, so I hope we
never have to do it again, but um being a
part of it, it was really really pretty special. It chills.
Those are such like life changing moments and those guys
(23:43):
and just to be a part of that always be
some special. Oh my gosh. Yes, and just it's amazing.
It's amazing. So so your life as a family obviously
truly revolves around the Ravens. And I heard you tell
a story on another podcast that like, ten days before
you got married, was when Phil Savage was interviewing for
another job and wanted Eric to come with him. Was like,
(24:05):
what's going through your head when you're literally about to
have a wedding and all of this is happening in
the football world. Well that was scary to say the least.
Um because that was when Eric was really starting to
like make a name of for himself. And so Phil
(24:28):
was Eric's best friend in the organization. UM Ozzie was
more of like a father figure and mentor, whereas Phil
was his best friend. So Phil was in our wedding
and he was getting um pursued to go to Philly,
and so I was Eric's like, he didn't want to go,
(24:55):
but at least he had to listen, so um he
it was when he came to talk to us, it
was like he was coming in from Paul to Baltimore
to talk to the model's. His flight would got delayed.
He didn't get intil like midnight. So he came to
our house first at one in the morning and he
(25:16):
I'm asleep and he's calling up to me to come
down and talk to him and Eric, and I'm like,
I'm getting married in ten days. This is not I
can't talk about this like, and knowing who I was marrying,
I knew that there was always going to be that
opportunity that I didn't think we'd stay in Baltimore forever.
I mean, there's I mean, there never crossed my mind
that we would be this far in to our marriage,
(25:39):
being married for twenty years, that we would still be
in Baltimore. UM. I knew that that was Eric's hope.
But you know, this, this business is not you don't
stick around form No, it's not so. UM. When Ozzi
called the next day, UM, and Eric and I were
just sitting in our little Federal Hill town house, UM,
(26:01):
and we had a we didn't have cell phones at
the time. We'd call our our landline, and you know,
Eric answered the phone and he said it's a oh
hi OS And he's like, you want to talk to Lacy.
And so he said to me, you know, don't worry.
Eric's not going anywhere. I'm gonna take care of him.
He's you guys are staying in Baltimore. So and that
made me feel like at ease. And I'm like, okay,
(26:21):
can we just concert on the wedding now? Like so,
and that's it. We stayed. That's a lot to be
going through at the same time of the stress of
planning a wedding and it's like, are we still going
to be staying in Baltimore. I I can't even imagine,
feel like the wedding is stressful enough for the average
person at all that And actually fill didn't end up going,
(26:42):
so no, he stayed. Yeah, he stayed, and I think
the following year he went to the Browns. Okay, okay,
I got you. So one moment you mentioned kind of
being in this community for so long. I think that
really solidified you as so beloved here. Was how involved
you were with Jimmy Seafood's famous fun last year during
COVID And obviously they've still continued that. Um, but it
started when the pandemic was really at its peak and they,
(27:05):
for people who don't know, UM, really invested in other
local restaurants here and got a lot of Ravens players involved.
And you were really involved in that. Why did you
kind of you jumped on it like so quickly. What
really struck you about that? UM? I think being from Baltimore, UM,
my father, my parents owned a small business. My father,
it's a family business. UM started with my grandfather back
(27:26):
in the in the forties and fifties, and um My,
just my knowing that these small businesses are not going
to survive. Um, and Jimmy's seafood has always been such
a catalyst for Baltimore, and UM, I knew right away
(27:47):
that like this was gonna be you know, he's going
to need some help, and UM, so I just ran
with it. And the thing with me is my mom
would always say, I I guess that's why you know,
my major was sociology. I'm always I just want to
help people. It's just part of who I am. Like,
(28:08):
I'm I want to solve the problem. I want to
be a helper. And that's the one thing that is
so awesome about Eric because he's the same way, but
he doesn't always have the time to put into it
and he's always getting asked to do things and UM,
and I'm like, I'm here, what can we do to help?
(28:28):
And so I had no idea that just my little donation,
UM and my you know, tweeting out would make any
difference at all. But UM, you know, Baltimore, I have
a feel a huge responsibility to take care of her,
and so whatever I can do, I will. I love
that you mentioned that you guys are a team, because
(28:50):
there's this quote that always stuck out to me from
Eric's introductory press conference when he was general manager. I'm
going to read it to you, back to you, he said.
My wife, Lacy, he was here today, is probably the
most selfless person who I know. She just gives so
much of herself, our family, for our friends, for me.
She's helped me in so many different ways over the
last twenty years we've been together. And she's also my
(29:11):
best friend. And how proud of are you when you
look back on like the what you guys have built
here of the last twenty years. Oh, I mean, I
don't know if it's pride, it's just, UM, I feel
a responsibility. I love Baltimore, I love our family, I
(29:32):
love the Ravens. Um. I'm proud of Eric. I'm proud
of the people that he's um surrounded by that have
helped build this team and this organization. UM. I love
every bit about having watched this franchise grow to be
(29:55):
what it is today. UM, And I'm just proud to
be a part of it. But UM, proud of Eric
and I I don't know if it's a pride thing.
It's more of just UM, a love for what we
each do and what we can give back and UM,
(30:18):
I guess that's really that's it. I'm not special. Thanks. Um.
So we're recording this after we talked about a little
about this before before we hopped on today. But you've
sent your oldest off to college and you're in state
football family. Now I heard they really rolled out the
red carpet for your family's initial visit there. Yes, well,
(30:38):
Jane wanted to go south and Eric loves Penn State.
It was this first big school that he ever scouted.
He has like this love for that school and he um,
I really wanted her to apply because her major is
she wants to be in sports broadcasting go figure, so
(31:00):
she um and communications. So they have one of the best,
you know, schools for that. So he was like, Jane,
you just have to at least look. You have to
look and so she's like, okay, I'll apply well as
COVID so we couldn't go see it for for forever.
So we um get up there the morning of in
March when she gotten in and it was one of
(31:22):
her top three choices. So um, when we got there,
um one of this like football interns came out gave
us like the red carpet tour of the the facility.
I mean it was just like, oh my gosh. I
mean I felt like I was here, I mean so
(31:44):
nice and the one person could have been nicer than
the next. And we finally get to after we go
through the tour, we met at some social media people
and they were really excited to meet Jane and you know,
what can we off you? It's you know, let me
tell you what we can offer a Penn State blah
blah blah. We finally get to go meet UH coach Franklin,
(32:06):
which was really cool. So he's a um father of
two girls, and so we're sitting in his office and
we were talking about trace and um the Bottomore connection.
There's a couple like, um Anthony Poindexter used to play
for the Ravens is now in their football office. And
so he looks at Jane and he says, how can
(32:28):
I get you to come to Penn State? And she said,
I don't you know, I don't know. It's definitely my
moving quickly to my top choice, but um, um, you
know I have other schools to consider. And he said,
well here he gets up, gets his business card which
is like this cool business cards like metal. Um. He
gives one of me, one to Eric, one to Jane,
and he said, listen, if when you come to Penn State,
(32:50):
first of all, I love for you to work in
the football office. And she lit up. She's like, oh
my gosh, would be great. And then he said, and
if anything ever happens to you, this is my personal
cell phone number. You call me. I'll be here until
you can get your parents can get here. And Eric
and I both looked at each other it was like,
sign me up, We're done. So yeah, So anyway, it
(33:11):
was great and then um we took a quick tour
of the rest of the UM state. It's not seeing
the campus, and we had lunch and that's she said,
that's where I want to be. So I didn't realize
that was the first place he ever scouted. Yeah, big school. Yeah,
he'll obviously be a little more looped in on everything
that's happening at Penn State. Yea. So yeah, I mean
(33:33):
already have too planned games to go up there, which
is great because you know that's where X started. Like
he he loves to scout, so now he has a
reason on his Saturdays when he doesn't have anything else
to do but go visit Jane and check out Auburn
Penn State or Michigan Penn State, whatever whoever they're playing,
So nice to check a couple of boxes off there. Yeah,
(33:53):
I mean roll it all into one absolutely before we finish,
We're going to play a little game we're going to
do at the end of every episode. We're calling up
the Purple hot seats since this is the Purple Chair podcast.
So it's just five rapid fire this or that questions.
So the first one is a first round pick or
three first third rounders? Excuse me? Would I rather have
(34:16):
round us crab cake or picking crabs? Oh? Gosh, picking
crabs I'm a bottomore girl. One o'clock or night game?
Mm hmm oh I love them both. I guess probably night.
I like the night prime time game, mid season trade
(34:37):
or a big extension. Oh, the trades are exciting, I
gotta say. And then defense or offense defense? I love it?
From the Queen the probably Yeah. All right, thank you
so much, so fun, so fun. Thanks for tuning into
our very first episode. Stay tuned for a sea an
(35:00):
incredible guests. All right here, don't forget to subscribe and
send us along to anyone you think would enjoy this podcast.
New episodes drop every other Tuesday. I'll catch you next time.
Welcome to the very first episode of the Purple Chair Podcast.
I'm your host, Cassie Calvert, and I'll be introducing you
to the Ravens organization and the NFL in a way
you've never heard before before. Now, when you've heard about
the Ravens, the voices, you've heard from our mail, our
head coach, our general manager, most of the media that
(00:28):
cover the team. But there are a lot of smart,
dynamic women in and around this organization who have really
unique stories to tell and fresh perspectives. This isn't going
to be women talking about how they cliche quote got
jobs in sports or proving that they know the game
of football. I already know that they know the game.
(00:49):
This podcast will be an all access past, all things
Ravens like you've never heard it before. Okay, I'll get
off my soapbox now because our first guest deserves your
full attention. She's the Queen of Ravens Twitter, Baltimore born
and bread and the first Lady of the Baltimore Ravens.
Here's Lacy DaCosta, a k A Mrs e d C. So,
(01:10):
first of all, I think Ravens Twitter is going to
lose their minds and they find out about this one,
they're going to be so excited. So thank you for
joining me. Oh, oh my gosh, this is this is
an honor. I'm psyched to be here. We throw this
expression around a lot here, but I think you really
epitomize as more than anyone, and it's the football is family,
the Ravens family. We talk about those cliches a lot,
(01:30):
but your family has really intrinsically been tied to this organization.
And we'll get into that a little bit more later,
but first and start with the obvious. Obviously, your husband
is a general manager, so it doesn't really get closer
than that, so we'll start there. How did you and
Eric originally meet? Oh gosh, okay, so quickly, I'll tell
this story as fast as I can because it's a
little long. But basically, my dad was UM good friends
(01:53):
with our in Pat model through UM building the stadium.
My dad's company, UM owned a building and supply come
Bunny and Pat and Art actually came into his office
to pick out the brick for the stadium, which is
so iconic and beautiful and Um, so he they just
jelled like right off the bat. My dad had lost
his father and so Art had become like this UM
(02:15):
father figure for him. And the last game at Memorial Stadium,
UM it was during the holidays. UM. It was my
senior year in college. Senior, yeah, and UM. I was
home and we were down on the field and Eric
was with Ozzie somewhere up above, and he asked who
(02:37):
I was and and Ozzie was like, oh, he's that's
one of UM Art and Pat's UM friend's daughter. And
He's like hm hmm, I'm gonna find out who she is,
like and UM. And so then we went to the
UM part. They had like a closing Memorial Stadium party
(02:58):
after the game, and so my dad and my mom
and my UM younger sister, Maggie, and I were there
and I was trying to find I was actually a
senior college. So I was looking for a job and
my I was in a sociology major and I really
wanted to get into UM working in the public and
(03:21):
what I was doing at the time was working in
a juvenile delinquent center. My dad was like not not
having it. He was really nervous about it. So I
thought I'd worked for him, and then he said, no,
I think you need to do something on your own.
So he said, why do unless you asked Mr Model
if like there's something available. And I was so nervous.
I'm sitting next to him at this beautiful party and
(03:42):
Jonathan Ogden's on the other side of Mr Model and
it was just like this like crazy, like surreal feeling
the whole time. And I catched this guy looking at
me from across the party and I'm like, hm, he's
really cute. And I look at my sister Maggie, and
I was like, that staring at us and she's like,
I don't know if he's staring at us. I think
(04:04):
he might be staring at you. Why don't you go
get a drink at the bar. So I did and
I came back and she's like, he's not looking at me.
So anyway, I got up the nerve to ask Mr
Motel if I could at least send my resume. He
was so gracious and wonderful and he said absolutely, So
I was so excited. I'm getting ready to leave and
I I'm walking to the co check and I see
(04:25):
Eric following me and he comes up to me and
he's about to say hello. And my dad, who was
like six ft four big man. He's a little intimidating,
but a big teddy bear. Puts his arms around me,
He's like, you ready to go, kid, And I was like,
oh shoot. So I never talked to him then, but
we all we walked out together. He was in front
of us. He said goodbye to this the security guy
(04:48):
at the time, and it was like this feeling like
I had, like he was just like I was like,
oh my gosh, like he is the way he just
interacted with that security guard. It was just like this
warm feeling that I felt. And I remember thinking to myself,
he's not going away. I'm going to meet this guy
again sometime somewhere down the road. And six months later
I started working for the team and he was I
(05:12):
was working hard opening the stadium, and he was a
scout and he was off like he was off pretty
much all the whole summer. So we really never connected
until mid season that season and Um, Aaron Cashman, who
was working in marketing, was a friend of his, and
she um came up to me at at St. Paul's place,
which is where our offices were at the time, and
(05:33):
she's like, I know somebody that wants to take you
out on the date and I said, I know it's
Eric da Costa and she was like, what, how did
you know? And I was like, there's just a hit,
Like there's a history there. And we had seen each
other at a happy hour the first week that I'd
worked for the team, and he asked me if I
was the new chick and I was like, oh lord,
I mean this is the first time thing you're saying
to me. And I was like, I don't know about this,
(05:54):
but anyway, that's how we that's how we met. We
went on our first date November eight, after we played
UM the the Houston Oilers. At the time, I think, yeah, yeah,
I have to ask Eric that, but I think that's
what But November eight is like our our anniversary. Like
he he that's his anniversary for us. He doesn't really
(06:16):
count you in second I do. We really got married,
but that we went to UM out in Federal Hill.
We went on our first date, and then he left
the next day for Michigan for two weeks and I
was like, whoa, this is bizarre, like because he was
a scout, so he was literally home for the weekend
for a home game, and it's just sort of took
(06:36):
off from there and we never looked back. I love
that your dad just swooped in there because I feel
like that's like the classic, like somehow your dad's going
to get in the way of that first interaction. Oh
my god. Yeah, I mean it was just like, and
my dad was my best friend, and you know when
he passed away about eight years ago, but he was
the biggest Ravens fan ever ever ever. Um So yeah,
(06:57):
he definitely, and he loved Eric and just all of
the inside and being able to, you know, enjoy the
team through him in art. So I think I heard
you just tell this story one time that Eric actually
asked your dad for your hand in marriage during a
draft weekend, and your dad was like trying to get
the draft scoop, and he's like, we have bigger, bigger priorities. Yeah,
(07:19):
it was actually because remember way back when, well, so,
when did he ask me to marry him? I guess
it was right out two thousand? Okay was it two thousand? Yeah?
Two thousands and yeah, so it was the draft of
two thousand. We had just who we draft that year,
I don't remember, but anyway, it was the Sunday because
(07:41):
the draft used to be Saturday and Sunday, so it
was pouring down rain and the facility used to be
like a mile from my parents house. So Eric actually
ran to my parents house that morning to get exercise
and he my dad was in the kitchen making coffee
(08:04):
and my dad thought he was coming in to talk
about the draft. So he's like, oh, Eric, what do
you think about the guy that we just got in? Oh,
and I gotta remember who it was. I can't remember.
I wish we could go back and see. But anyway,
he Eric was like, yeah, no, George is gonna be good. God,
it's gonna be good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, today we're doing
this and that. He's like, but I'm not here for that,
and my dad was like, well, okay, well it's a
Sunday morning before the draft with the heck else are
(08:24):
you doing? And he's like, um, I want to ask
Lazy to marry me. And I have like a really
small window because I have to go up to Boston
and get the ring and then come back and this
was the only time I could do it. And he's
my dad was like huh, he's just like like fell
over and he was like, b J, that's my mom's name.
Betty Jane. But she came running in and she and
(08:46):
he He's like, Eric wants to marry Lacey. She's like, well, yeah,
let's say yeah, it's okay, it's good, you know. And
so that was the story. And then he had to
run back in the pouring down rain shower and get
ready for the I think it was the third un
that started then. So that's crazy. That's just like full circle.
And to go back a little bit, and you talked
about your dad and Arts friendship. You kind of talked
(09:08):
about how that came to be, but how did they
become so close and what was that relationship like, especially
for you, Like you said, you guys were such big
Ravens fans to begin with, so kind of creating that
bond with the organization had to have been pretty special
for him. Oh, it was so Basically, my dad called
me when I was, um a junior in college, I
guess and got he had gotten word from the Maryland
(09:31):
Stadium authority that um, the Browns were coming to Bottomore.
He's like, I had this big secret to tell you. You
You really can't tell anybody. And I was like, oh God,
I hate when you do that, because you know, I'm
gonna want to tell somebody whatever you're gonna tell me.
So he was like, um, the Browns are moving to Baltimore.
And I'm like what huh? Like that was just like
this weird concept to me. I'm like, because at the time,
(09:52):
we had been trying to get like one of those
expansion teams and whatever, and my dad was it's a
huge Baltimore sports fan, a huge Baltimore fan. I mean
the city of Baltimore. He embraced so much and so
proud of, and I, UM, I was just dumbfounded. I'm like,
this is I mean, he's like, Lacy, you think like
the Orioles are big wait until football, Like you never
(10:15):
because the Colts left. I think I was in like
first grade, so I don't really have a recollection of
them so much. So he um, their relationship just became
like it was like an organic relationship. They just hit
it off. I don't even know why. I guess because
my dad was just so proud of Baltimore and he
kind of like helped Art and Pat like get intrinsic
(10:36):
with Baltimore and their son David and John and like
basically like you know, helped them to um, meet the
right people and that kind of stuff and so and
be around UM. You know, showed them. He basically showed
them Baltimore and UM and my father just loved Art.
(10:58):
In every story that he told, my add would just
like he was just like intrinsic and everything that he
wanted to say, and they just they just had this
organic relationship that just built from the beginning UM to
like this almost father and son kind type relationship. So
I never really thought about, like, when you're an owner
moving the team, you really have to establish yourself in
(11:20):
the community too. I think people think that's just kind
of guaranteed, but that's like an adjustment for their family too.
I never really thought about it, like, yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
UM So you've mentioned you did get a role in
the organization, So what was that role exactly? What were
you doing? Uh? So I was hired as UM Teresa
about as assistant, who was the best first boss you
can ever. She was the best UM So. She was
(11:41):
at the time David's assistant and David model and she
was also UM director of Premium Services. So I helped
her with all of her sweet duties like on game
day and helping her get ready for the games and
um um, helping her with you know whatever it was
to help with the premium services suiteholders and entertaining them
(12:05):
what and answering David's phone when she couldn't and running
his errands, getting his drag culanting that kind of stuff.
So it was the best first job you could ever
ask where. It was so fun and I learned a
lot about marketing because the marketing people would ask me
for help um from time to time, and they would
take me to like different functions and things, and so
it was great. And I got to know some of
(12:26):
the players because we would do I did some community
service events, whatever the marketing people and community relations needed.
I was sort of like the you know girl, get go,
get a girl right, especially when you enter the organization.
I feel like it's very it's very hands on. Ever,
people who don't know. Teresa is now our VP of
suits at the stadium, So if you've ever been in
a suite that CEO two we call her t She's fantastic,
(12:48):
but she's she's a very special for sure. Um. You
mentioned kind of going back to eric schedule as a scout.
He was always on the road, always traveling, Obviously now
as a general manager, he's like a little more centrally
low keyed. But when he was a scout, what was
your life like when you're married or dating someone who's
gone so often, Well, this is the time of the
year that I absolutely dreaded every year. Um, when I
(13:12):
was working for the team, it was different because I,
you know, I was so busy and we I got
it like it was like, you know, I knew what
his schedule was, and um, you know, I was super
busy on my own. So I didn't really miss him
as much as when we got married and we started
to have children, and you know, I used to we
(13:32):
it was funny. I was just Actually one of the
things I just tweeted a couple of weeks ago was
being so proud of the scouts because we had a
send off dinner for them, and you know, they come
to training camp for like ten days and then they're off,
and my heart always just breaks a little for the
families because it's a stretch and it's hard, and you know,
(13:55):
I talked to a lot of the scouts that night
and I asked them, like, how and but a bunch
of them, you know, they didn't bring their wives, some
of them, the local ones did, but you know, because
of COVID or for whatever reason, they have responded. They could,
you know, if families have responsibility. So I always you know,
tell them like, please have them reach out to me
if they need anything. Like it's just because it's hard.
It's hard. They they're gone most of the fall, um,
(14:20):
and it's a tough stretch. And you know, having kids,
you know, small children, you know, these moms are stretched.
And so I was lucky because I lived in my
hometown and that was a huge blessing. Most of these
Scouts live in their territory, so they're not in their
(14:42):
hometowns and they are you know, they're they're leaving their
families behind, and so I feel for them. Um. But
it's it is such a rewarding organization. And we all
sort of rally around each other. Um. So when we
see each other, you know, in the small times that
(15:03):
we do throughout the season. You know, those scouts wise,
we kind of have a bond. It's kind of cool.
Starting with me and Lynnmoiarty and you know, moving on down.
So it's just a it's a it's a cool bond
and we all kind of get those feelings, and but
it's hard. Definitely, fans only see the finished product. They
(15:23):
see the five to seven guys that get drafted the
following year, and they don't realize the sacrifices that go
into that. What is it like now when you're you know,
your husband's a general manager and there's kind of more
of this like public scrutinty. You're more in like the
public eye now that people know obviously in Baltimore, people
are so dialed into the team, like they know who
your family is, Like, how do you handle that? Well,
(15:50):
you know, in the beginning, it was really hard. I
think that's kind of where I sort of started my
um why I got more on social media because I
was more like, kind of in a protective way, seeing
what people were saying about Eric, because I and I
wanted people to see him in a more personal light,
(16:12):
because I see I see how on social media, you know,
and on all the other teams, how like they're just
you know, they're not treated like they're regular people. They're like,
you know, they're not just like these you know, figureheads
behind a desk like making decisions. Everything is like calculated
(16:34):
and you know, from the heart and it works so
hard to make these decisions, and so it is hard.
It's hard for me to see it. But at the
same time, I'm I know that a lot of it
is just like of first reaction and if they just
like let it play out. And I think Eric in
(16:54):
his own right and Ozzie and this whole organization has
given UM the fans so much to be confident in,
so I I know that it's going to be short lived.
And I've grown to have a little bit more of
an armadillous scale, I guess over the years. But in
the beginning, I think the first time that really affected me,
(17:14):
I'll tell you real quick, I was it was when
we UM couldn't sign c J and on Twitter there
are these people coming to our house with torches. I'm like,
oh my gosh because and I'm like, oh my gosh, like, oh,
they're really upset UM, and I would and it upset me.
But then I was like, I know, I'm so I
(17:37):
I so trust in what Eric's vision is, and I like,
I know what it's all gonna be, okay, but you
know that it's it is. It's it's not easy to
see at first, sure, how do you balance like what
you should. I liked it. To let me back up
that you said, it's like sort of you feel like
it's your obligation to kind of give him that personal
face because he can't really like be they're doing that,
(17:58):
and so you kind of you minize him in a way.
But like how do you balance what you share? Um? Well,
I don't obviously share anything that he would ever want
me not to as far as like the team, and
he doesn't share that much with me anyway. Um, but
(18:18):
I I don't know. In the beginning, I was like
not really sharing anything about him. It was more about
like just the team raw raw around the team. But
then you know, I started to like, I don't know how,
I just it was it's kind of like just like
a natural thing, like whatever I feel like, and I
know that I can he wouldn't upset him. Um So
(18:44):
I don't know. I just sort of I guess because
I know him so well. We have such a great
close relationship that I would know where you know not
to put, what to say, not to not to say.
So one of the things that I love on your
Twitter is your jersey selection every weekend. Fans have gotten
really into this, so unfortunately, we know we had the
Hollywood Brown fifteen, the Patrick Queen forty Will you ever
(19:05):
rock those again? And what goes into your selection for
those each week? So it's so funny how it even started,
because I never had a jersey because I always thought
it was kind of weird, like, you know, the guy
that's helping pick the team is wife, shouldn't really be
picking one jersey over another. But so Eric always after
(19:27):
the the first round of the draft, he has I
don't know, the stadium store make the jerseys for our kids,
and every year he switches it up. So um, I
don't even remember when it started way back when. But
so Jackson um where he wears Ronnie Stanley and he's like,
(19:47):
loves you that he won't he will wear other ones,
but he's like he got Ronnie Stanley's when he was drafted,
Jane got Marlon Humphrey. Um, Michael has gotten several. I
think he got lamar and but anyway, it and I
never get on. And then when Patrick was um drafted,
(20:08):
you know it was COVID or whatever, and I think
just because of the name Queen, he was like, I
gotta get for Lacey, Like you just gave it to
me and now I was like, I've never gotten a
jersey before. He's like, well, it just fits you. So
he's never to queen the house and I was like, okay,
so anyway, so I I um, I will say, I
(20:28):
don't really know. Well, sometimes it just depends on the week.
But it was Patrick for a couple of weeks because
that's really all I had, and then um, I picked
them based on um, let's see, like the first like,
the first one I picked this week was um Taiwan
(20:49):
Young because I'm so happy he's back. Yeah. Yeah, And
like you know, last year there was a stretch where, um,
you know, I thought felt like Hollywood's having a little
bit of a tough time. So I was like, I
want to pick Hollywood. And that was the week he
got the touchdown, and like the fans went crazy. They're like,
(21:11):
it's because of the jersey and the the game that
I wore Patrick's he was defensive player, so that was
the one game that we could go to is family.
So there's usually like a reason why behind them, but
it's a pretty good streak. Defensive Player of the Week
(21:32):
back in the end zone had some power there. You
mentioned the draft during COVID, and I think it was
really special that as a family you got to have
a draft at home with Eric, which obviously normally you're
not in the facility when he's going through that whole process.
And you guys were great kind of showing the fans
the behind the scenes, Like what was it like to
be able to experience that with him, because it's such
a big part of his role, but like normally you
(21:53):
guys don't get to see it like actually in action. Um, well,
I thought it was really cool us it. First of all,
I thought the NFL and the Ravens gave so much
to their fans during that time because it was such
a hard stretch and they we all needed something positive
(22:15):
and so um for us, it was neat because we
don't see that side of Eric, and um we see
you know, the clips that you all put out and
like with a fan would and then you know that
weekend he's gone so much that we see him you know,
(22:36):
quickly in the morning and in the night, and he's
so exhausted. So to see him in action the way
he handled all of it, and actually to be there
to help him, you know, do things, um like for instance,
we were, you know, taking videos for you guys and
that kind of stuff, and um, it was it was amazing.
(23:00):
I mean, there's no doubt about it, there's nothing I mean.
It was like one of the coolest experiences ever. And
one of my favorite parts of the whole weekend was
when he would call the player and be able to
actually here and I'm holding my phone to videotape it,
and like I could hear the player on the other line.
(23:21):
It was just like it was absolutely one of the
coolest experiences as a family we've ever seen, like I've
been a part of and um, so I hope we
never have to do it again, but um being a
part of it, it was really really pretty special. It chills.
Those are such like life changing moments and those guys
(23:43):
and just to be a part of that always be
some special. Oh my gosh. Yes, and just it's amazing.
It's amazing. So so your life as a family obviously
truly revolves around the Ravens. And I heard you tell
a story on another podcast that like, ten days before
you got married, was when Phil Savage was interviewing for
another job and wanted Eric to come with him. Was like,
(24:05):
what's going through your head when you're literally about to
have a wedding and all of this is happening in
the football world. Well that was scary to say the least.
Um because that was when Eric was really starting to
like make a name of for himself. And so Phil
(24:28):
was Eric's best friend in the organization. UM Ozzie was
more of like a father figure and mentor, whereas Phil
was his best friend. So Phil was in our wedding
and he was getting um pursued to go to Philly,
and so I was Eric's like, he didn't want to go,
(24:55):
but at least he had to listen, so um he
it was when he came to talk to us, it
was like he was coming in from Paul to Baltimore
to talk to the model's. His flight would got delayed.
He didn't get intil like midnight. So he came to
our house first at one in the morning and he
(25:16):
I'm asleep and he's calling up to me to come
down and talk to him and Eric, and I'm like,
I'm getting married in ten days. This is not I
can't talk about this like, and knowing who I was marrying,
I knew that there was always going to be that
opportunity that I didn't think we'd stay in Baltimore forever.
I mean, there's I mean, there never crossed my mind
that we would be this far in to our marriage,
(25:39):
being married for twenty years, that we would still be
in Baltimore. UM. I knew that that was Eric's hope.
But you know, this, this business is not you don't
stick around form No, it's not so. UM. When Ozzi
called the next day, UM, and Eric and I were
just sitting in our little Federal Hill town house, UM,
(26:01):
and we had a we didn't have cell phones at
the time. We'd call our our landline, and you know,
Eric answered the phone and he said it's a oh
hi OS And he's like, you want to talk to Lacy.
And so he said to me, you know, don't worry.
Eric's not going anywhere. I'm gonna take care of him.
He's you guys are staying in Baltimore. So and that
made me feel like at ease. And I'm like, okay,
(26:21):
can we just concert on the wedding now? Like so,
and that's it. We stayed. That's a lot to be
going through at the same time of the stress of
planning a wedding and it's like, are we still going
to be staying in Baltimore. I I can't even imagine,
feel like the wedding is stressful enough for the average
person at all that And actually fill didn't end up going,
(26:42):
so no, he stayed. Yeah, he stayed, and I think
the following year he went to the Browns. Okay, okay,
I got you. So one moment you mentioned kind of
being in this community for so long. I think that
really solidified you as so beloved here. Was how involved
you were with Jimmy Seafood's famous fun last year during
COVID And obviously they've still continued that. Um, but it
started when the pandemic was really at its peak and they,
(27:05):
for people who don't know, UM, really invested in other
local restaurants here and got a lot of Ravens players involved.
And you were really involved in that. Why did you
kind of you jumped on it like so quickly. What
really struck you about that? UM? I think being from Baltimore, UM,
my father, my parents owned a small business. My father,
it's a family business. UM started with my grandfather back
(27:26):
in the in the forties and fifties, and um My,
just my knowing that these small businesses are not going
to survive. Um, and Jimmy's seafood has always been such
a catalyst for Baltimore, and UM, I knew right away
(27:47):
that like this was gonna be you know, he's going
to need some help, and UM, so I just ran
with it. And the thing with me is my mom
would always say, I I guess that's why you know,
my major was sociology. I'm always I just want to
help people. It's just part of who I am. Like,
(28:08):
I'm I want to solve the problem. I want to
be a helper. And that's the one thing that is
so awesome about Eric because he's the same way, but
he doesn't always have the time to put into it
and he's always getting asked to do things and UM,
and I'm like, I'm here, what can we do to help?
(28:28):
And so I had no idea that just my little donation,
UM and my you know, tweeting out would make any
difference at all. But UM, you know, Baltimore, I have
a feel a huge responsibility to take care of her,
and so whatever I can do, I will. I love
that you mentioned that you guys are a team, because
(28:50):
there's this quote that always stuck out to me from
Eric's introductory press conference when he was general manager. I'm
going to read it to you, back to you, he said.
My wife, Lacy, he was here today, is probably the
most selfless person who I know. She just gives so
much of herself, our family, for our friends, for me.
She's helped me in so many different ways over the
last twenty years we've been together. And she's also my
(29:11):
best friend. And how proud of are you when you
look back on like the what you guys have built
here of the last twenty years. Oh, I mean, I
don't know if it's pride, it's just, UM, I feel
a responsibility. I love Baltimore, I love our family, I
(29:32):
love the Ravens. Um. I'm proud of Eric. I'm proud
of the people that he's um surrounded by that have
helped build this team and this organization. UM. I love
every bit about having watched this franchise grow to be
(29:55):
what it is today. UM, And I'm just proud to
be a part of it. But UM, proud of Eric
and I I don't know if it's a pride thing.
It's more of just UM, a love for what we
each do and what we can give back and UM,
(30:18):
I guess that's really that's it. I'm not special. Thanks. Um.
So we're recording this after we talked about a little
about this before before we hopped on today. But you've
sent your oldest off to college and you're in state
football family. Now I heard they really rolled out the
red carpet for your family's initial visit there. Yes, well,
(30:38):
Jane wanted to go south and Eric loves Penn State.
It was this first big school that he ever scouted.
He has like this love for that school and he um,
I really wanted her to apply because her major is
she wants to be in sports broadcasting go figure, so
(31:00):
she um and communications. So they have one of the best,
you know, schools for that. So he was like, Jane,
you just have to at least look. You have to
look and so she's like, okay, I'll apply well as
COVID so we couldn't go see it for for forever.
So we um get up there the morning of in
March when she gotten in and it was one of
(31:22):
her top three choices. So um, when we got there,
um one of this like football interns came out gave
us like the red carpet tour of the the facility.
I mean it was just like, oh my gosh. I
mean I felt like I was here, I mean so
(31:44):
nice and the one person could have been nicer than
the next. And we finally get to after we go
through the tour, we met at some social media people
and they were really excited to meet Jane and you know,
what can we off you? It's you know, let me
tell you what we can offer a Penn State blah
blah blah. We finally get to go meet UH coach Franklin,
(32:06):
which was really cool. So he's a um father of
two girls, and so we're sitting in his office and
we were talking about trace and um the Bottomore connection.
There's a couple like, um Anthony Poindexter used to play
for the Ravens is now in their football office. And
so he looks at Jane and he says, how can
(32:28):
I get you to come to Penn State? And she said,
I don't you know, I don't know. It's definitely my
moving quickly to my top choice, but um, um, you
know I have other schools to consider. And he said,
well here he gets up, gets his business card which
is like this cool business cards like metal. Um. He
gives one of me, one to Eric, one to Jane,
and he said, listen, if when you come to Penn State,
(32:50):
first of all, I love for you to work in
the football office. And she lit up. She's like, oh
my gosh, would be great. And then he said, and
if anything ever happens to you, this is my personal
cell phone number. You call me. I'll be here until
you can get your parents can get here. And Eric
and I both looked at each other it was like,
sign me up, We're done. So yeah, So anyway, it
(33:11):
was great and then um we took a quick tour
of the rest of the UM state. It's not seeing
the campus, and we had lunch and that's she said,
that's where I want to be. So I didn't realize
that was the first place he ever scouted. Yeah, big school. Yeah,
he'll obviously be a little more looped in on everything
that's happening at Penn State. Yea. So yeah, I mean
(33:33):
already have too planned games to go up there, which
is great because you know that's where X started. Like
he he loves to scout, so now he has a
reason on his Saturdays when he doesn't have anything else
to do but go visit Jane and check out Auburn
Penn State or Michigan Penn State, whatever whoever they're playing,
So nice to check a couple of boxes off there. Yeah,
(33:53):
I mean roll it all into one absolutely before we finish,
We're going to play a little game we're going to
do at the end of every episode. We're calling up
the Purple hot seats since this is the Purple Chair podcast.
So it's just five rapid fire this or that questions.
So the first one is a first round pick or
three first third rounders? Excuse me? Would I rather have
(34:16):
round us crab cake or picking crabs? Oh? Gosh, picking
crabs I'm a bottomore girl. One o'clock or night game?
Mm hmm oh I love them both. I guess probably night.
I like the night prime time game, mid season trade
(34:37):
or a big extension. Oh, the trades are exciting, I
gotta say. And then defense or offense defense? I love it?
From the Queen the probably Yeah. All right, thank you
so much, so fun, so fun. Thanks for tuning into
our very first episode. Stay tuned for a sea an
(35:00):
incredible guests. All right here, don't forget to subscribe and
send us along to anyone you think would enjoy this podcast.
New episodes drop every other Tuesday. I'll catch you next time.
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