In the Spotlight

For our overnight in Kuwait we're staying at Camp Arifjan, a 30 minute drive from the airport and Kuwait City. We arrive around 8pm and checked into our VIP dorm style rooms. There's really nothing VIP about the accommodations, which is fine. The best part is the rooms are in a dorm setting and our fellow "dorm livers" are today's young, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine servicemen and women. Randy, Spencer and Brian all experience what I did the first time I was in this environment with these soldiers. They thought they were on a college campus. But they quickly realize, as I did, all these students are carrying guns and know how to use them.

It didn't take long for the soldiers to start to turn their heads and to stare at our group as they recognized Brian, Randy and Spencer. The reaction was generally, "Hey isn't that Brian Billick the Ravens coach?" Or, "What are those guys doing over here?" It finally gave way to the soldiers coming up and saying hi or coming over to talk football. Brian, Randy and Spencer didn't hesitate to shake hands, sign autographs and take pictures. It was the first of what I was sure was going to be many more experiences like that. The stars had arrived, even though we felt they were the real stars and we were here to say "thank you."

I'm jumping ahead to share an experience that was repeated many times during the trip and was special and unique. Between Randy, Brian and Spencer they've won 5 Super Bowls and have the rings to prove it. For no particular reason, Spencer Tillman is the only one of the three to wear his Super Bowl ring. Every time I've been with Spencer he's never failed to let fans hold and try on his ring. I'm always amazed he does this and once I asked him if he was ever fearful someone might take off with it? With a smile he responded, "I never let anyone wear it I can't out run or catch." Throughout our visit he let soldiers hold, wear and photograph themselves with his Super Bowl ring. It added to the joy the soldiers had in meeting us and the look on their faces, when they held and wore the ring, brought Spencer an even greater joy.