 Now y'all know we could talk about some Baltimore Ravens all day, every day. I mean, we literally do that. But anyway, I think it's important with anything that you're talking about so much and going over so much, I think it's important to sort of take a step back, breathe and really just reflect on some different aspects of whatever that subject of conversation is. In this case, it's the Baltimore Ravens. And I think it's important to look at it maybe from a different point of view or different perspective. And in today's video, we're gonna do just that because we're gonna talk to a very, very special person, somebody who's been involved with the Baltimore Ravens for a very long time, somebody who plays a very big role when it comes to these Baltimore Ravens and somebody who is just an all out genuine nice person. So team, keep it clean. I love y'all and I promise you, you will love this. And this feels like a dream. That's what I made. You too, team, keep it clean. You see my boy, he like, automated, automated. Boy, that's my homie, ain't that right engraving? Right engraving. Team, keep it clean. A very, very, very special guest in the building. You know her, I'm sure. But if you don't, you've got to get to know her. This is Lacey DeCosta, the wife to Ravens general manager, Eric DeCosta. And you know, before we get into things, just introduce yourself to everybody, where can they find you at? And then we'll get started. Hi, thanks for having me. Well, I'm Lacey DeCosta. I, you can find me on Twitter, although I'm not really looking at it. I'm glad, I'm happy to talk to fans on Twitter. So anytime that you want to reach out, I'm there. I've been married to Eric DeCosta for 22 years. We have three kids. I've been a Ravens fan since 1996, and met Eric through the Ravens when I worked for the team in 1998. So that's it. Oh, that's cool. What did you do when you worked for the team back in 98? I was a marketing assistant. I worked directly under David Modell. He hired me right out of college to actually assist his assistant, Teresa Bada, who also oversaw premium services, so, which was like the suites and the club level. And so I helped her directly, but I also did anything that anyone in the marketing needed. No, that's cool. Yeah, I didn't know that. So, because there's a lot of people that thought that with Eric DeCosta, that's how you became a Ravens fan, but you've been there since the very beginning. Definitely not. I grew up in Baltimore. I grew up in Baltimore. My parents were, well, my dad was a die-hard sports fan. He loved the Colts. So when the Ravens came to Baltimore, he was so, so over the moon excited, and his company actually helped build Camden Yards. And so the Maryland already reached out to my dad when the Browns were moving to Baltimore. So he was one of the first to know, which was pretty cool. Oh, that's nice. That's neat. Now take us through, especially this week, because this week training camp is starting. So take us through just a normal day in the DeCosta household for training camp. Well, I have to say, like I have such an appreciation for all the moms and life, or any partners in the NFL, raising kids. This is like when your summer comes to a screeching halt. You get so excited when the draft is over and many camps and you have that nice month where you're just with your family. And a lot of families are getting, the summer's over. So I usually, when the kids were really young, and this time of year, I would start to stress out about how am I gonna get everyone where they need to be because I really can't depend on Eric at all. So now as my kids have gotten older, I have realized that on a daily basis, things are gonna work out. It's just, take a deep breath. It's, we all sort of like help each other. Eric and I usually have a talk with the kids right before training camp starts. And it's like, all hands on deck. Dad's not gonna be around. You all need to pitch in. We need to get whatever needed to get done. We can't bother dad unless it's absolute emergency. So basically any given day, we wake up and Eric's gone. He'll usually give me a hug in the morning and he's off by seven o'clock. And he doesn't come home usually until close to nine. That is a, that's a schedule right there. A long day. Yeah, super, super long day. But definitely, I'm sure, because like I was telling you offline, like my job is not on the same level of busyness as Eric DeCastes is, but I appreciate the support that my wife gives me. Cause it makes the world of a difference because had he not had your support, then that could make stressful things even more stressful. But the fact that you support him, that definitely goes a super, super long way. Now I'll go ahead. I'm really lucky though, because my family's close by and a lot of families don't have that. And that was one thing that kept us in Baltimore was because we had such a great support system. And the team does such a great job with the families. So I mean, we can come out to training camp anytime we want. So we get to see, you know, our husbands or our wives or whoever were there to support. And I think I know that the players really appreciate that too. Yeah, and I know there was a grading system that came out early this off season. And it said that with the Baltimore Ravens, they were one of the top teams when it comes to the families and the family involvement and everything and how the families are treated from the organization. So that's always something good to hear. And that's really not a surprise because viewing it from a fan's point of view, the Baltimore Ravens, they have such, I always tell people, they have such a great fan experience. When you come out to the stadium, going to the training camps, how they always, especially how they do so much for the kids, to the kids have a great experience. And that's whether they know about football or not. But especially if they appreciate football, they'll appreciate it even more. But even still, I know my son, he knows who Lamar Jackson is, he loves Lamar Jackson. But football in itself, he's like whatever about it. But still he has a good time, like at training camps, how they can have all the kids line up and meet some different players and whatnot. I know they have the kids that are in those football leagues where they can go into the facility and meet some of the players up there and whatnot. It's just, it's a super, super nice experience. That actually started back with the Models and when they came in 1996, that was one thing that David preached to us was that we have to set the standard for fan experience. And it's just, it's gotten even more amazing over the years with the Bichotti's. And so, I mean, the fans in Baltimore are so blessed. Yeah, they really are. Now, with that being said, the fan experience is, it's a wild one. There can be a lot of highs, there can be a lot of lows. And fans, fans are short for fanatics because fans can get crazy. They can get crazy in a great way. They can get crazy in a not so great way. Now, on here, my motto is team keep it clean. And what that is is a family friendly atmosphere. When we talk about football, we talk about Raven's like 28, seven. And when we talk about NFL in general, but with whatever we're talking about, a big thing with me, we talk about this and talk about that. We're criticized stuff, but it's important to do it with respect because everybody who we're talking about is sons, is fathers, is uncles, is brothers, is everything. These are human beings at both at the beginning and the end of the day. So speaking with respect is a big thing, but not everybody does that. You have been somebody that I follow for the past couple of years and I have continued to see just a lot of positivity from you. Like almost nonstop positivity from you. Amidst a lot of, there can be a lot of negativity, whether it's towards you directly, whether it's towards Eric. Now, how do you, and I know I'm sure it can be really hard, but how can you continue to maintain that positivity despite when there's negativity, whether it's toward you directly or because I know some people feel like, and I know you've expressed it plenty of times, like, hey, I'm not the messenger. I'm not going to go tail-haired this and that and the third and whatnot, but how do you continue to remain positive through all of that? Well, the way I use social media, I feel like it's a way to basically bring positivity to anyone for any reason, not just for fans or not just for under the ravens umbrella. I think it's important to, because social media is not going away. I think it's important to show this next generation of kids coming up that you cannot use this as a source to just attack people because whatever you send out there is going to be, it's out there forever. So it's, people need reinforcement every day, positivity every day, because life is hard, it's hard. And social media has made it so much more intense. People want to get their news that way. You know, Eric always says to me, at times he's like, how do you even put yourself through this all the time? I said, well, listen, just like all the fans, I want to see what the breaking news is when it comes out. And, you know, and yes, of course I see a lot of negativity, but I also know how hard the team is working behind closed doors that, and when I see things that fans are getting upset about, I know how hard the front office is working and the coaches are working and no one cares more about that team than anyone in that building. And so they will do whatever they can and leave no stone unturned to get it fixed and right. So I try to just keep a positive attitude because I know there'll be something that'll come down the line that's going to make everybody happy anyway, you know, because no one wants to win more than Eric. I know that. Yeah, I mean, there are times that I just have to shut down. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah, I completely get that because social media is like, it's a gift and a curse because it gives you instant access to people across the world. But at the same time, this occurs because it gives you instant access to people across the world. So there are people that'll get on then, hey, there'll be great conversations, there'll be great people uplifting you and whatnot showing support, but then on the flip side, you know how the flip side can go. But I do appreciate that about you, about your posts and your tweets and whatnot when the fact that they're just always so positive because I always tell people like, hey, as far as like news and stuff, when we watch the news, it just pushed out so much negative stuff. And a lot of times negative stories get more publicity than positive ones. And there's enough negativity in the world already. So why continue to add to it, there ain't no point. Right. So as you've been with the Ravens and around the Ravens and whatnot, you developed relationships. How was it when you first met John Hubbell? Oh, when I first met John, I actually reached out to his wife first, Ingrid, when they were hired or John was hired. And just being from Baltimore, I wanted to be sort of like a sounding board for her or like someone that she could reach out to with questions about, you know, where to go to the grocery store or what, you know, which schools should she be looking for or her daughter or churches to go belong to and different things like that. But I mean, John, he is what he is. It means he's been the same from the time that he started Ravens as a breath of fresh air. He's a wonderful person. He's a great friend to Eric. You know, he's just, he's a special person and he's a great coach. And he's an awesome neighbor too. And you know, I got the same question about Lamar Jackson. How was it when you first met him and just seeing his growth really over the years? The first time I met Lamar, let's see. I went to his press conference and he was, I mean, he's the type of player. He's not many like that you, he literally like radiates energy, like special energy where, I mean, he walks into any room or he's around anybody. The fans feel it, I know. And that's never gone away. I think he's grown in maturity, being as taking, you know, every year, he's taking that step as he should to become the leader. And he's just, he's such a great role model for this city. We're so blessed to have him here. And every, I see every day when we're around him, just the pure energy and love he exudes for the game, for the team, for this city. And so proud of that. We should all be proud of that. Oh yeah, yeah, for sure. I know one thing, I met Lamar a couple of times and every time I met him, he's been the exact same way. Just super positive, super approachable. Very, very, very approachable. Always willing to take pictures with people, say, what's up, and not just, because there could be some people, especially with like a celebrity status and whatnot, whatever you like, all right, let's get a picture real quick and then you got to get out of my face. But with Lamar, he'll take a picture with you and that's cool, but he'll also have a conversation with you. He'll talk to you, he'll treat you like a human being instead of just, oh, this a fan real quick, they want to take a picture. All right, take a picture and move. He has never been like that. So that's something that I always appreciated about him. No, he's not like that at all. We don't have any players that don't think they're like that. I love going to training camp and seeing how our players interact with you. They really, they appreciate it. They love, you can see it, how they interact with everybody. And those days go long and they're hard and they just having the fans out there, I'm sure gives them energy to get through. Now with that being said, because you develop a lot of relationships with different people in the front office, with different staff members, with different players, and there are some people who are around for a short period of time and some people who are around for longer periods of time. But how do you deal with, when you develop a relationship with somebody and whether the player retires or they're released or they're traded in their family, they end up having to move somewhere else? That's hard. That was one thing that, you know, when I first started working for the team, Mrs. Modell would tell me, she's like, you know, try not to get too attached because this is a transient business. And so, but at the same time, we are a family. So usually when someone moves on, it's first, you know, it's a great opportunity. So we lost, there were a lot of people in the front office when Eric was a scout and assistant GM would get greater good opportunities. And so, yeah, I miss those families like Joe Douglas's family, a lot of the scouts, but they all had these great opportunities. So we all kind of like cheer for each other in our own way and all support each other because we all know what each family is going through. And of course, you know, when we play the Jets I don't want them to win. But I do hope that, you know, that they succeed for that family's sake because they're our friends. Right, right. Yeah, that's tough right there. That's a tough spot to be in when you know somebody personally and yeah, you want to root for their success, but not too much, but I get it though. Yeah, that's the respect. Now, one thing on a more brighter note when it comes to transitions, because there will be some players, some Baltimore Ravens players that whether they release and they go to a different team or they end up retiring and whatnot, there will be, and I'm not sure how many other organizations, I'm not sure some other organizations do it, but I'm not sure to what extent. But one thing that I've noticed with the Baltimore Raven, especially over these past couple of years and I really appreciate is when there will be a former player that will retire and then they'll come back and end up working in the front office. Like more recently, there's been Anthony Weaver or not even a front office, but they'll be on the staff. There's Anthony Weaver, there's Anthony Levine, there's been Mill McLean, there's been Zach Orr. So it's been a lot of different people. How do you feel about like that transition and just to watch players that you've watched play on the field and then they move their way into becoming a member of the staff? Oh, and Tony Jefferson this year too. No, I think it's great. I mean, it's awesome. And the amount of players that want to come back, it just shows you just how well they loved being with the team. So I think those opportunities are amazing. And I love seeing them come back, especially like with Tony coming back. I couldn't be more happy for him. So yeah, I think it's great. Yeah, yeah, that's cool. And it's always nice because it provides more jobs for them, more opportunities because, I mean, you see like nowadays more than ever, you see players just they end up turning into coaches. You got guys like Mike Rable, who's the coach of the Titans. You have D'Amico Ryan, who was a player. Now he's a head coach of the Texans, I believe. So it's opportunities out there. And that's one thing about, that I've watched with the Baltimore Ravens, if you don't burn your bridges, because seeing some players, they burn their bridges with the Ravens, but if you don't burn your bridges, even if you get released or traded or whatnot, you leave on good terms, they'll look out for you. They'll definitely look out for you in a big way. So Lacey, I appreciate you coming on very, very, very much. I appreciate you taking the time. What are some of the things that you, before we get out of here, what's some of the things that you look forward to during the season? Cause I'm sure it's very, very hectic. But what do you look forward to during the season? What are some of your favorite moments during a Raven football season? The games, really just the atmosphere of our home games. I love the energy. Just that whole day is just like, we're so lucky to have this team in Baltimore and it brings so much joy, even if there are some hardships with some of the games, but it's just, we're so lucky. And I don't remember what it was like for those 13 years. I was so young, but just to see the fan base and feel that energy on Sundays is really my favorite part. Oh yeah, and that's a whole lot of energy too. I hate the away games, but. I don't like going to away games. People always ask me if I go to away games. No, I don't go to away games. I usually go to maybe one. I can't, it's difficult because I don't get to spend a whole lot of time with Eric. I certainly can't watch the games with him. So it's difficult to be in an environment like that. But I do, I look forward to those home games and seeing the energy of the fans. Okay, that's cool. Lazy, I thank you again. Thank you for taking the time out to speak with us today. Thank you for coming on here with us and just really sharing what your experience is when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens because you're in a very special, special spot. So we appreciate, oh yeah, for sure, for sure. We thank you. So enjoy this season. I hope, huh? Are we up here at all? Most likely, most likely. Hopefully, but toward the end of training camp and then maybe after that, because again, it was nice meeting you at last year's training camp at you and Jane too. So that was cool. So I really appreciate your time though, Lazy. Thank you very, very much. And anybody who follows Lazy on Twitter, if you don't, you can. Just if you want even more positivity in your life, which you can never have enough of, then yeah, you can follow on Twitter for sure. But I appreciate you. Thank you for everybody that's watching. Team Keep It Clean. I love y'all. Appreciate y'all. And we out. And you know just what I mean. You too, Team Keep It Clean. You see my boy, he like, out of made it. Well, that's my homie. Ain't that right engraving? Right engraving. Shout out to engraving.