The 2000 Baltimore Ravens were a popcorn-worthy time. Long before we streamed highlights on our cell phones and could catch a game on multiple tech gadgets, the NFL world sat around and watched Ray Lewis and Co. absolutely dominate their opponents.
Perhaps boasting one of the best defenses in league history, Baltimore yielded an average of 10.3 points per game during the regular season. Led by the likes of Lewis, Rod Woodson, Jamie Sharper, Duane Starks, Chris McAlister, Peter Boulware and Tony Siragusa, this unit acted as an imposing force.
All of it came to a culmination in a blowout 34-7 win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV back in January of 2001.
ESPN is now going to pay homage to this team, its characters and the off-field drama that defined that era of Ravens football in a soon-to-be released documentary.
The four-letter network announced on Tuesday that it has started production on a documentary under the umbrella of its awesome “30 for 30” series.
“ESPN Films today announced that production has started on a 30 for 30 documentary that will take viewers inside the world of one of the most notorious football teams to ever play the game.
No team in NFL history has boasted, bullied or brandished as much bravado as the 2000-2001 Baltimore Ravens. The rest of the NFL hated the Ravens but no one could say a thing, because they couldn’t beat them on the field, especially facing, arguably, the greatest defense ever.”
ESPN announcement on Baltimore Ravens 30 for 30 production
The documentary will be co-directed by Ken Rodgers and Jason Weber with Erik Powers producing it. ESPN Films and NFL Films will act as executive producers for the yet-to-be-named project.
NFL films presence is interesting in that the first season of “Hard Knocks” focused on the 2001 Baltimore Ravens as they attempted to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
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Baltimore Ravens’ 30 for 30 documentary won’t be without drama
Following a Super Bowl party in Atlanta one year before Ray Lewis’ Ravens took out the Giants, a fight broke out between the Hall of Fame linebacker and another group of people.
Two individuals by the name of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar were stabbed to death in the fight. After the Atlanta police questioned Lewis and his companions, Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting, the three were arrested on murder and aggravated assault charges.
Two weeks into the murder trial, Lewis’ attorneys negotiated a plea agreement in which the murder charges were dismissed in exchange for his testimony against the co-defendents. In the end, Lewis was sentenced to 12 months probation.
Given the previous iterations of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, there’s every reason to believe that this will be covered in detail.
Again, these Baltimore Ravens of 2000-01 will be a popcorn-worthy time for the football consumer in us.