Can you imagine being "benched" at your job for gaining 1.8 pounds?  Unbelievable right?  It has actually happened to Courtney Lenz, 23, a five-year member of the Ravens’ cheerleading squad.  She was not chosen to cheer in  New Orleansfor the Super Bowl for what she believes is retaliation for a minor weight gain during the season.

Due to a NFL rule, the Ravens had to choose 32 members of their 60-member cheerleading team to cheer at the Super Bowl, and Lenz was the only veteran of three or more years who did not make the cut.

“(The Ravens) said that I had quote-unquote ‘a rough year,’’’ Lenz said. “I’d been benched earlier in the season for a little bit of a 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 was not given a particular reason for why she was not chosen to cheer in the big game but said she was benched for weighing 125.4 pounds after weighing 124 for most of the season and that the organization wanted her to get down to 120 pounds.

“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 of 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.

“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.”

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.’’

Her supporters have created a Facebook page and an online petition requesting that she be reinstated.

The online petition, created by Ravens fan Debbie Kammerer, 52, of Pasadena, Md., also alleges that Lenz was denied for failing to make enough public appearances for the organization in addition to her weight gain.

“She was told she didn't put in as many appearance hours this season as she did the past 4 yrs while in college,’’ Kammerer wrote in the petition. “This season she earned her B.S. degree and got a full time job... Bad call. They also stated she struggled with weight on occasion & she had been benched for a 2 lb weight gain during a game earlier in the fall, which is absurd, unhealthy and a complete inaccurate measurement of a woman's ‘appearance’ and size!”

I'm not sure we are getting the whole story here but I am siding with Courtney.  Bad move on the Raven's part.  What do you think?

~Vanessa

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