It didn't take long for pandemonium to break out once the Super Bowl XLVII victory parade commenced in Baltimore just before noon local time Tuesday.
Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed stole the show early on, serenading the crowd with Eddie Money's "Two Tickets to Paradise" before eschewing his float to walk the parade route. With a microphone pilfered from a local television reporter and a camera strapped to his head, Reed carried the Lombardi Trophy through the streets of Baltimore, allowing fans to reach out and touch the grand prize.
On the heels of Reed's street performance, the scene turned to one of bedlam as fans ignored barriers and flocked to the military vehicle in which retiring linebacker Ray Lewis was riding. Six mounted police officers kept the throng at bay.
"There is no place on this earth that's better than Baltimore," Lewis told the crowd once the team arrived inside M&T Bank Stadium, according to The Associated Press.
With an estimated crowd of 80,000 in attendance for the celebration ceremony, the stadium reached maximum capacity in short order, forcing police to close the gates.
Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco also addressed fans. "Baltimore, we did it. Super Bowl champs, baby," the Ravens quarterback said.
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