Esquire
Monday Morning (Super Bowl) Cheerleader: Alyssa of the Baltimore Ravens
[as originally published on esquire.com]
After days of hearing about "The Harbowl," it finally has passed. And now, as we all go back to our lives without football, we're left with the memories of last night to tide us over until September. From an inspiring kickoff of "America the Beautiful" by Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook choir, to Beyonce and Destiny's Child's halftime extravaganza to even Joe Flacco putting on a clinic on the big stage to hush critics and win his team a Lombardi trophy with a 34-31 victory over the Niners — some things you simply do not have to see to feel. And although the lights went out for some time, nothing shined brighter than the Ravens and the smile on cheerleader captain Alyssa's face.
ALYSSA: I was proud that I predicted before the game that Joe Flacco would get MVP.
LINDSAY MCCORMICK: I feel like a lot of people were riding the Colin Kaepernick bandwagon and didn't give Flacco the credit he deserved leading up to this game, especially after how well he's played in the playoffs. What do you think of Flacco's preseason comments now?
ALYSSA: He's now proved everyone wrong, everyone who doubted him. The whole team proved everyone wrong, and it was the doubt that drove them to show up even more.
LM: It probably didn't hurt to have leaders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed in the locker room as well.
ALYSSA: He's an amazing athlete with a lot of passion and heart. It's so evident how well respected he is in the NFL. Everyone has their own reasons for why they love or hate him, but he really has proven himself as a true athlete. The thing that impresses me the most is that he has stuck with his team the entire time. You see all of these other players in the NFL always bouncing around, so this shows a lot of heart and dedication.
LM: As the captain of your team, what do you find is the most challenging part of being in a leadership position?
ALYSSA: You have to pay attention to every little detail and everything that is going on. And sometimes, that means you won't get to see the entire game. Yesterday, I cheered the hardest I've ever cheered. There is so much going on and so much to take in, especially it being the Super Bowl. Once the game got extremely close in the second half and the Ravens were on defense, I was trying to get our fans amped even more. And for offense, I was trying to get all of the cheerleaders quiet. The fans really help out and all of us were a part of that yesterday. But of course, the players are the ones making it happen.
LM: Surprisingly, you guys had more fans than the Niners did to work with yesterday.
ALYSSA: That was one of the coolest parts of this trip. New Orleans was covered in purple, and it wasn't because of Mardi Gras. You could hear the streets echoing the "Seven Nation Army" chant we do. I knew that if it was that crazy on the streets, then that's what it would be like inside the stadium.
LM: Where were all the Niners fans?
ALYSSA: I thought about that too. I thought that was a little strange. I think our fans are just extremely dedicated, and it was Ray Lewis's last game. I think once we beat the Broncos everyone started to really believe. You would have thought that was the game that took us to the Super Bowl. We still had to go up against the Patriots, but we just could feel it in our bones. Pure excitement.
LM: What did everyone feel when the lights went out?
ALYSSA: [Laughs.] We all knew it was because of Beyonce and that halftime show, which was absolutely incredible. There was no sound, so as cheerleaders we thought, "We'll just keep cheering." Because of that, we were absolutely exhausted after the game. We had ripples and more cheers and stunts throwing baskets. We were doing anything we knew would entertain the crowd, since there was nothing else for them to watch during that time. We had to be the show.
LM: As a performer yourself, was the Beyonce performance worth it?
ALYSSA: We all were wondering if she needed backup dancers. We wanted to be a part of that show somehow. She was absolutely amazing.
LM: She looked exhausted after that performance, as I'm sure you guys are after last night and then a crazy week leading up to that.
ALYSSA: We got there on Thursday, and I feel like I've had an out-of-body experience because it's been so fast-paced. You are running off of pure adrenaline and seeing all of these celebrities. I'm just now starting to absorb it all.
LM: Was there anyone in particular you enjoyed meeting?
ALYSSA: I got to take a picture with Tim McGraw and meet Emmitt Smith. The guys were so excited to see Kate Upton. They were going crazy fighting over who would take a picture with her.
LM: Do you think the guys were more excited to meet Upton or for the end of that game?
ALYSSA: Honestly, it's probably a close call.
LM: During the fourth quarter, was there ever a thought in your mind that the Ravens wouldn't win?
ALYSSA: You always have doubts knowing that the game of football comes down to inches and time. So there is always that thought that it might not work out in your favor. But it's also important to think positively and have confidence, especially if you are going to be a Super Bowl champion. About a minute or two before the game ended, we knew we had it. We just didn't want to jinx it.
LM: Do you guys get Super Bowl rings, too?
ALYSSA: I think just the players and then front office. I'm not quite sure, but we are going to have our own rings made. After you have been on the team for so long, then you get a Ravens cheerleader ring. So maybe we'll put something like that together. And then, on Tuesday we'll have the parade. We are really excited to go home tomorrow and celebrate with the city. It's been an incredible ride.
Lindsay McCormick (pictured at left) has covered the NFL for ESPN The Magazine and CBS. She is the former host of "The Fan" on Comcast SportsNet, where she was the sideline reporter for the Portland Trail Blazers.