"With the 32^nd pick of the 2009 NFL draft the Baltimore Ravens have selected MAS, middle linebacker from the University of Maryland," the man said. I turned to my father who was sitting next to me and his face told the story. It was the best day of my life, for many reasons and he knew that my biggest dream in life was to play for the Ravens. I got up to that podium and smiled for the camera and I was excited out of my mind. I said to myself "I am going to play with the best linebacker ever Ray Lewis." I said while on the podium, "I'd like to thank so many people for this first my parents, friends, family, and my coaches. I will play my best for the Ravens and that I am psyched to be playing with such a great bunch of players. Finally for having the privilege to play with one of the best linebackers ever Ray Lewis." Let's back this story up though and let me give you background about myself.

I am MAS and I grew up in Owings Mills, Maryland. I grew up in a household where the Ravens were everything; I attended all of the home games and a few away games each year. My father had four season tickets so we went to all of the games together, along with two of his friends. I really didn't play football until my freshman year at the University of Maryland, and I got a scholarship for there but it was for academics. I was a walk on starting middle linebacker as a freshman, and after that I was offered scholarships for football at many top football schools. I never accepted any of them because I had always dreamed of going to Maryland. I was an All-American for all of my years in college football. I set records at the University of Maryland for most tackles in a season and career, most forced fumbles in a season and career, and most sacks in a single season. A lot of teams called my agent and said they passed over me because I was too small, and I was only 6 foot 0 inches. I weighed 225 and I was basically built like Ray Lewis who is 6 foot 1 inches and 250 pounds. Ray Lewis convinced the Ravens that I was the best choice and that I would keep the defense strong after he retired. Right after I got drafted I got a phone call from Lewis saying that I was being the most looked at by the Ravens. I was so excited for training camp within the next few weeks.

After I got drafted and finished my speech my mother called me from home and said, "Congratulations, I hope to see you soon." I was so excited that I couldn't respond and when I first got to Baltimore Ray Lewis greeted me as I got off of the plane. He said "We have to go talk to coach Harbaugh about playing a 3-4 defense or 4-3." I told him, "I am going to see my mom." He said "Be there in three hours." I said "Ok." When we got to John Harbaugh's office at the training camp he welcomed me to the team, and said right away that we are going to play a 3-4. He said that we are not going to pay Bart Scott 15 million to play another year. So it will probably be you and Ray at inside linebacker and T-sizzle and Jarret Johnson at the outside linebacker position. Harbaugh then sent Lewis out and said "Look Lewis is getting old, and he can't play forever. He is going to teach you everything he knows within the next three years," and I said "that would be an honor." He said "See you at training camp in two weeks, and try to watch some film of how Lewis plays." I said "Yes Sir." I left the complex with Ray.

Over the next two weeks I had watched over 30 hours of film, and learned some more techniques and skills that will make me a better player. I came into practice and the first thing they did was play a joke, they tied my hands and feet together. Next they tied me to a tree until I could escape, and it took about an hour. I understood that I was the rookie and that they had the right to do that to me, "their veterans," I said to coach Harbaugh. He just laughed and said "ok." That day after practice Lewis took me back to his house and said that he is going to teach me how to read one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Peyton Manning. Lewis wanted to teach me how to watch film effectively, learn quarterbacks signals, and how to fire up the fans and the team. He told me that firing up the fans and players were the last thing he'd teach me. He just wanted to teach me techniques of how to get the players fired up. So when we got back to his place he kept telling me to watch Peyton Manning's arms, because when he moves them in a certain way it means something. He never changes his signs and that is because 99% of the players don't recognize that they're the same signs every time. Lewis spent four hours with me teaching me his three most used signs, and I understood some of his play calls after that session. Lewis told me that we will meet at least three times a week to review film, and he told me he'll help me be the best player that I can be.

So after about three months of training camp the preseason was about to begin. Ray Lewis told me that he thinks that I can be one of the best defensive players on the team. He says that I have a great chance of being the rookie of the year, and that I will learn more and progress much more as the season continues. So the first preseason game was about to start versus the Seattle Seahawks and I was very nervous. Ray Lewis took me aside and called me down, I had always dreamed of him of becoming my mentor but now it came true. The opening kickoff just happened. Our defense took the field and we were sending a blitz with Ray and me. The quarterback said, "Hike." Lewis and I blitzed straight up the gut, they picked him up, but I was free. I hit the quarterback as hard as I could and he fumbled. Lewis picked it up and returned it for a touchdown, and we celebrated in the end zone. The rest of the game was easy and we won 38-10, and in the locker room coach Harbaugh gave a great talk. Basically saying that we played amazing, also that we were looking very good even though it's only preseason. In my heart I could tell that it would be a good year.

So the first regular season game was about to start, and we were playing at home versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Ray and I had an interview on Friday with Tom Jackson about the game on Sunday. He said, "Is the defense being introduced?" We said, "Yes." He asked us if Lewis would fire up the crowd, and we said it would have been a surprise. They called me and I just ran out and was jumping around, and the crowd got fired up. Then they called Lewis and the crowd got five times louder than when I came out, and Lewis did his dance. I was first to greet him and the stadium was louder than I had ever remembered when I was there. Then the game started and the whole world changed for me. We kicked off and the defense got on to the field. On the first play Lewis and I blitzed the gut, and we forced Carson Palmer to throw an interception to Ed Reed. Joe Flacco then threw a touchdown pass to Derrick Mason. The rest of the game was a breeze for us, and the final score of the game was 35-0. I had 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception. I had an amazing first game Lewis told me. The Ravens were 1-0.

The next day at training camp there was an altercation with me and another player. The other player that was in it was Terrell Suggs, and what happened was that I told the team that they don't pass the line of scrimmage. He got upset and on the next play Ray Rice got a pitch to the outside, and Suggs had him for a five yard loss. Ray Rice ran right at him and Suggs stepped aside and let him go by. I said, "Why did you just let him go?" He didn't respond so I yelled, "Why'd you let him go?" Again there was no response so I gave him a shove. He shoved me and then we took our helmets off, and I threw a few punches. He fell and I didn't touch him after that, he was on the ground. Lewis had pulled me back thinking that I would hit him a few more times. Suggs got up and was very upset, and then Coach Harbaugh wanted to meet with me in his office.

Coach Harbaugh said "Why did this happen?" I said "I was trying to get the team fired up by saying they don't pass the line of scrimmage. The next play was a pitch to Ray Rice to Suggs's side and Rice ran at him. Suggs just took a step to his left and let him go. When we got back to the huddle I asked why he did that. There was no response so I yelled the same thing, and again there was no response. I lost my temper and shoved him and then he shoved me back. After that we took out helmets off and I got a few punches on him and he fell over, and then Lewis held me back even though I thought I already got my point over." Harbaugh said "Ok, but the thing is that you can't do that to people." I said "He wasn't listening so I felt that I couldn't get through unless I did something. So I did something and then the rest happened." He said "I'm going to talk to Suggs and then the coaching staff and I will make a decision of a fine, suspension, or anything else." I said "Ok, sorry coach. I'll handle it differently next time." He said "Go back to practice." I said "Ok."

Coach Harbaugh called to Terrell Suggs and they went to the office, and about 25 minutes later I was called into the office. When I walked in Suggs was still in there I sat across from him, right away Harbaugh said "Suggs you're suspended for four games and Schwartz you are free to leave the office." I was in shock. I walked out of the room and Ray Lewis pulled me aside. Lewis told me that I did the right thing, and he said "You can't let these veterans just push you around, you need to make them earn your respect. We then both went to the sideline and got back into the workouts.

The next day I was approached by Terrell Suggs in the parking lot of the training complex. Suggs pulled a knife out and said "You made me lose three million dollars. Now you're going to lose your life." He immediately went to stab me in the leg, but I moved and he hit Ray Lewis's car. He then tried to stab me in the arm, and I moved that arm. After that I punched him three times in the mouth, and he fell onto a car. I went to grab the knife, but he stabbed me in my right arm and my stomach. I fell immediately and then a security guard came by and he handcuffed Suggs. I was bleeding very badly from the stomach, and the security guard called 9-1-1. The cop pulled out a towel and wrapped it around the wound of my stomach, and I just sat there in pain. When coach Harbaugh pulled up he saw the security guard standing over a player, and Harbaugh ran over immediately. He saw me lying there and also saw Suggs handcuffed on the ground.

When I woke up I was in the hospital and my dad was sitting next to me, and he was talking to somebody next to him. It was John Harbaugh and they were just talking about the injuries and his plan for the Ravens for the rest of the year. They saw me awake and said "Hey Mike, how are you feeling?" I said, "Ok." They had told me that the wounds would heal in 3-4 months, which is playoff time. I told them that I was going to play this week even with the injuries. They turned from me and talked and then said, "If you can play, then play." I said, "Ok. This whole situation reminds me of a story I read in my 9^th grade English class at Gerstell Academy. The story was called "The Most Dangerous Game" and it was about this guy being hunted, and right now it feels like I am being hunted by Suggs." They responded "Ok, we'll keep you safe."

Within the next week I knew what I was going to do, and it was I would sit out until the first or second week of December. It was going to be a tough recovery and a painful one. I said, "Guys try to play well without me, and play like if we were all together." So it was the second week in December and I decided that I was playing versus the Steelers. We were 9-4 and we (The Ravens) needed to win at least two more games to make the playoffs. We played the Steelers and we were all fired up. We were in the locker room bumping helmets, yelling, and screaming. Then the national anthem was played, and we were about to be announced. The time had come and I was ready. The announcer said the names in this order Antwan Barnes, Jarret Johnson, Trevor Pryce, Justin Bannan, Samari Rolle, Jim Leonhard, Fabian Washington, Ed Reed, Michael Schwartz, and Ray Lewis. After we all came out except for Ray Lewis, the crowd was loud. But, when Lewis came out the stadium was as load as it's ever been and it was the best feeling of my life. The game was about to start...

We were returning the ball, and on the return Jim Leonhard got to the 50 yard line. A terrific return to start the game for the Ravens offense, and I was feeling that it would be a great game. On the first play Flacco threw a 10 yard pass to Derrick Mason, and on the next play Willis McGahee broke a 15 yard run. A few plays later Matt Stover kicked a 38 yard field goal, and he made it. I was thinking now I'm going to get in and play after three months, and I was nervous but also very excited. We got on and on the first play Lewis and I blitzed, Lewis was blocked but I was in there clean. I hit him with all of my might and he fell, it was a sack and he stayed down for three minutes. I injured him, people on the team said things like good job and very nice shot. We were so fired up after that and the final score of the game was 17-9.

We traveled to Dallas and then played the final game at home versus the Jaguars. We made the playoffs by winning our last two games as the sixth seed, which is a wild card spot. First we traveled to Miami and it was an easy game, the final score was 27-9. Next game was versus the Titans and the final score was 13-0. To go to the Super Bowl all we had to do was beat the Chargers, and that was a close game until Lewis hit Vincent Jackson when he went for a catch. The ball fell right into Ed Reeds hands and he returned it for a touchdown, and after that the game was pretty easy. The final score was 24-21, but it was a rough game for three quarters.

We were going to play in the Super Bowl in two weeks in Tampa, Florida versus the Carolina Panthers. "Carolina is a good team, but we can beat them," Lewis said. I said "There is no way that we can lose!" We were pumped right after the game and my father called. He said "You're going to the Super Bowl!" I said excitedly "Yeah." He said "Do you get any tickets?" I said "Yeah two. Don't worry your getting them, when I come home I will give them to you." He was so excited and so was I.

Preparation was intense during the first week, including full contact drills and a lot of time in the weight room getting stronger. Each night I went to sleep at 10, because I was so tired from a hard day of practice. We arrived in Florida on Saturday night, so we had one week to go until the game. We worked hard there; having team practices four out of the five days of the week. It was very fun there even with all of the practice, and I was so excited for the big game. So it was the day Sunday, I was pumped up out of my mind and I had gotten a great night of sleep. I was so full of energy because of that night of sleep, and was waiting for tonight. It was time for the game when I got the news...

The news was that my grandmother had passed away, I was devastated but it was game day. I was trying to use that devastation to help me get more ready, but I was just so devastated. Lewis tried to comfort me but it really didn't work, and my dad had told me that you need to try to play with more intensity because of this. I had told him ok, but I also said I don't know if it would be off of my mind by game time.

We were about to be introduced when Lewis was announced before me, and he did his dance. They then called me and I came out doing my own dance, and it got the crowd fired up but there was still a part of me that felt very bad. I finally let that go when we first took the field, and this game was a breeze throughout the whole thing. The final score was 31-10, and I was named the Super Bowl M.V.P. My stats were 12 tackles, 1 interception (it was for a touchdown), and 2 sacks. The game was over we had won, and the next year was about to begin. The year was exactly how I wanted it to be, and I couldn't have pictured it any better.

That was it until the next year.

Debs DeAngelis

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