“Very small.”
Upon the request of the Modell family, the Ravens set up a memorial viewing at midfield of M&T Bank Stadium on the Saturday afternoon before the home opener on Monday night against the Bengals. More than 5,000 fans wrapped around the building, waiting to pay their respects to the man who brought football back to Baltimore.
Modell’s funeral was broadcast on live television throughout Baltimore. Art Modell was treated in the end like royalty in Baltimore.
He died a civic hero in Baltimore and a bum in Cleveland.
On September 3, 2012 in Pikesville at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation he was praised for his contributions, kindness, charity, and the grand life he led from New York to Beverly Hills, from Cleveland to Baltimore to Palm Beach.
His fellow owners, Jerry Jones from Dallas, John Mara from the New York Giants, and Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts flew in for the memorial. Former players Peter Boulware, Matt Stover, Kyle Richardson, Spencer Folau, Brad Jackson, Tony Siragusa, Duane Starks, Jamie Sharper, and Todd Heap, who flew on a redeye from Phoenix after playing in a game the day before, were in attendance. Of the 2012 team, Lewis, Joe Flacco, Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, Ray Rice, Sam Koch, and Morgan Cox came for the morning service after a Monday Night Football victory that was dedicated to Art. The team would wear a black and white button that simply said “Art” on it to honor him all season.
“His skills as an owner and league contributor were matched only by his great sense of humor,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who came and began the service. “Any conversation with Art included laughs.”
Lewis, who had once given the eulogy for his dear friend Steve McNair in Nashville, spoke from the heart as only he can.
“The good book proclaims, without a vision the people shall perish,” Lewis began. “Mr. Modell had a vision to change the way people thought about opportunities in life. There is no Jim Brown if there’s no vision from Mr. Modell. There is no Baltimore Ravens without Mr. Modell’s vision. If you did nothing else in life, what will you fight for, what will your legacy be? My father stood as a great man. My father stood for change. Me and Ogden drafted in first round, we didn’t even know what was going on. When Mr. Modell drafted me with the 26th pick and Ozzie called me, I said, ‘What team are we going to be, Ozzie?’ To not know, that uncertainty and to go back and research what he had done and why he made that move…
“God makes no mistakes. As people, when we come into this earth, we’re supposed to love. When we leave this earth, we’re supposed to rejoice. This man lived a life that should make every person in this room smile and to find a different way to impact somebody along the way. When it all settles, and we all will have to lay here one day – what will your legacy be? A legend leaving a legacy of commitment, of sacrifice, of obedience – a vision– to honor a great man!
“This man used to grab me all the time and kiss me on my face. I’d say, ‘One day I’m gonna be like Art!’ and I meant it in a joking way because I was always trying to figure…out…that…fragrance…that Art was wearing. You always knew when Papa was around or if he was just leaving. Ah, that smell!
“But he used to kiss me in a way and tell me how much he loved me and tell me how much he really cared about me. To pass the team along to another owner who exhibits the same attributes as Art Modell? What he did was a vision! Mr. Bisciotti, what he did for us and what you’ve come to finish off.”
Lewis’ voiced trailed off.
“Well done! At the end of the day, those are the words God wants for all of us: “Well done!” Rest in peace, Papa!”
David Modell, who was president and C.E.O. of the Ravens when they won the Super Bowl and was Art’s best friend and shadow ever since that first date with his mother, Pat, when the owner of the Cleveland Browns taught him how to properly light a cigar, spoke last that day and spent 23 minutes extolling a love letter to his mother informing her that Art was joining her.
