This Super Bowl was suppose to be special for five-year retiring Ravens cheerleader Courtney Lenz, but a decision by the Baltimore Ravens organization has left her benched for what would be her final game on Sunday. Lenz, 23, has told reporters that she believes the snub is retaliation for her slight weight gain during the season.
According to the 'Today' show, Lenz was the only veteran of three or more years who was not chosen as the 32-member Super Bowl squad. In return, the young cheerleader's fans have created a Facebook page and an online petition demanding that she be included in the special squad.
On Wednesday night, Lenz told Access Hollywood, "(The Ravens) said that I had quote-unquote 'a rough year.'" She added, "I'd been benched earlier in the season for a little bit of weight gain. We do get weighed every week during the season, and you can't fluctuate at all. I gained, I think it was 1.8 pounds."
Lenz told reporters that she was benched after weighing in at 125.4 pounds (after weighing 124 pounds throughout the season) and was told that the organization wanted her to drop down to 120 pounds. The petite brunette announced that she would be retiring at the Raven's final home game during the regular season, she said.
The Ravens did not give Lenz a specific reason for not including her in the 32-member Super Bowl squad, but she believes that it was due to her weight gain.
"They didn't specifically say that (I was disqualified for weight gain), but when it comes down to it, that;s the only disciplinary action I had during the year," she said. "I got benched because my weight, and they said that was the reason. Anybody that had disciplinary action taken during the season was automatically disqualified. However, there are some girls on the team that were also benched for their weight and are going."
Lenz added, "They just aren't consistent and it isn't fair, and that's why I brought this to the attention of the fans because what they're doing isn't right."
In a statement released by the organization, Ravens spokeswoman Heather Harness said, "Our selection process was based upon three criteria: seniority, performance ability and personal conduct throughout the season. As much as we would like to take the whole team, we are unable to do so, due to parameters set by the NFL."
Ravens fan Debbie Kammerer, 52, who began the petition and the Facebook page, told the NY Daily News, "When I found out I was just livid. We bought tickets to go to the Super Bowl and we were all excited...it was like a double whammy, we get to see Ray Lewis' last game and we got the see Courtney dance in front of a million people."
Krammerer said that she was now considering not going to the Super Bowl on Sunday, which is being held in New Orleans. "It was her dream," she added. "And she just got robbed."