About Tony Lombardi

Tony is 24x7 Networks, LLC's founder (the parent of EutawStreetReport.com and RussellStreetReport.com) and has been contributing columns, blogs and inside scoops for the organization since its inception on July 3, 2003. His work has been featured on various sports websites and he has been a guest on several local and out of town sports radio programs. A diehard Fab Four fan, Tony aspires to settle down on a Florida Coast, is a frustrated musician who thinks beating on the steering wheel is akin to being John Bonham and no, he isn't related to THAT Vince Lombardi although his grandfather, uncle and cousin all share the name. Follow Tony on Twitter @RussellStReport or @RSRLombardi

Local Area Girl a Boston Bombing Victim

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

We received this today on our Facebook page from the friend of a local girl who was one of the victim’s in yesterday’s bombing in Boston. This is my friend Erika Brannock (pictured). She is a diehard Ravens fan who has watched every game praying for the team and her favorite players. Yesterday, while watching her mother Carol Downing run in the Boston Marathon (wearing a Ravens shirt), she was a victim of the bombing that took place. Right now she is undergoing surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center … Continue reading →

Today we are all Bostonians

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Yesterday I walked into our office after an appointment and was quickly greeted by the unfolding tragedy, taking place in Boston. A solemn hush fell over our humble work abode. No one said much yet the silence spoke volumes. America once again was under attack! As updates on the situation rolled in I couldn’t help but to think that these violent attacks are just happening far too frequently in our country. So much so that it seems as though we simply accept them as a way of life. With each … Continue reading →

THE GRAPEVINE: Baltimore Ravens News & Notes

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

The Ravens have agreed to a one-year, $700,000 deal with troubled but promising linebacker Rolando McClain. When McClain is officially signed it will leave the Ravens with $3,920,252 in cap space. Approximately $1M – $1.5M of that figure will be set aside for signing draft picks. The Ravens will receive an additional $2.5M in cap space on June 2 tied to the release of Bernard Pollard. It’s interesting how some fans have adopted a holier-than-thou attitude when it comes to McClain, expecting him to somehow contaminate a well-cultivated locker room. … Continue reading →

Rolando McClain is Coming to Baltimore

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Bob Labbe of the Madison (Alabama) Weekly News is reporting that troubled former Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain, the defensive leader of Alabama’s 2010 BCS Championship team (2009 season) is on his way to Charm City to become the newest member of the Baltimore Ravens. (Note: As of 6:30PM today multiple sources have confirmed that McClain has signed a one-year deal with the Ravens.) According to Madison News Weekly McClain is quoted as saying, “It’s a move that can’t go wrong and I’m looking forward to playing in Baltimore as … Continue reading →

Baltimore, no Longer The City That REEDS?

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Last night I posted the picture here to the left of Ed Reed and asked, “Wouldn’t it be a great way to say goodbye to Ed Reed if this happened again on Opening Day?” I expected an overwhelmingly positive response. Boy was I wrong. Here’s a sampling of a few of the responses (and they are being shared exactly how they were written): * Get over it he took his two tickets and cashed them in for a cow palace. * Boo this man….were over Ed Reed he can keep … Continue reading →

RUMOR MILL: A Ray Lewis Comeback? Draft Day Trades and More

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

In the 2013 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens have 12 picks and given the depth on the roster, it is highly unlikely that the team will have room on their 53-man roster to accommodate them all. Therefore don’t be surprised to see them trade up and sacrifice a couple of picks or trade 2013 picks for higher selections in 2014. Word is the Ravens will look to take a quarterback in 2014 as they prepare for the possible departure of Joe Flacco. Keep in mind that Flacco’s deal is structured … Continue reading →

Patience is a Virtue That Pays Dividends for Ravens

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Intoxicated by a Super Bowl Championship, the Ravens sobered up their fans with some unexpected personnel moves. Their physical Super Bowl hero wide receiver traded away for what seems to be no more than a discount coupon at the grocery store – gone! Two top young, promising defensive starters signed away by 2013 Ravens’ opponents – gone! Eight starters in total missing from the Super Bowl XLVII winning team – gone! Two local legends, sure-fire Hall of Famers – gone! And Ozzie Newsome was the party pooper! Fans thought Ozzie … Continue reading →

After Boldin Loss Ravens Turn to Doss

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

During the Ravens’ Summer Training Camp in 2011 following a morning practice, former Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron took the podium to field questions from the media. One member of the media commented on how good then rookie wide receiver Tandon Doss looked during this particular practice. Cameron apparently unimpressed said, “We’ll see how he performs once we introduce the threat of contact.” The words hung in the air. Was Cameron sending a message? Players know that their teammates won’t initiate violent collisions during practice and that knowledge alone can … Continue reading →

Driven by Greed The NFL Sticks it to Baltimore!

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

If you go on Facebook and browse the photo galleries of anyone between the ages of 18-25, chances are you will find people with an inexplicable urge to flash the bird at the photographer. Today that would be me if Roger Goodell were the photographer. And THAT would NOT be inexplicable! Hey Baltimore fans, let’s just call Schedule-Gate what it is – a royal screwing courtesy the NFL! You are being asked to bend over and take it with a smile! Charm City, you are supposed to enjoy the limelight … Continue reading →

Ed Reed…There Will NEVER be Another Like Him

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Baltimore. A town defined by its quirkiness, neighborhoods and its ethnicity. We are blue collar and hard working and we admire an overachiever, those lunch pale guys who just seem to get the most out of their talents. Players like Donovan, Siragusa and Gregg come to mind. We are underdogs and we like it that way. We are mutts – kind and loyal, even if HBO’s The Wire doesn’t portray us quite that way. We love our teams and our players, particularly those who have played their entire careers in … Continue reading →

Baltimore Doesn’t Deserve Goodell’s Lying Eyes

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

To say the least there has been a ton of debate over the Ravens scheduling snafu for the NFL’s opening night and solutions to the dilemma have been offered up more regularly than Mark Sanchez turnovers. The simplest solution is obvious. Just move the game to Wednesday night. The NFL did it last year to step aside for the Democratic National Convention. Did it impact the game? Change each team’s preparedness? Was it any less exciting? Do you even remember? Of course standing in the way of a Wednesday night … Continue reading →

Ravens Opt to Gut Their Below Average Defense

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

The losses are mounting. Six defensive starters (Lewis, Kruger, Ellerbe, Pollard, Williams, Kemoeatu) are gone and a seventh could be leaving by the time you read this piece – Ed Reed. And even if Reed leaves, the current model, what will the Ravens have lost then? Put aside your emotional ties to the All-World safety. Forget all those times you chanted his name at M&T. Disregard that he’ll be in the Ring of Honor, a Hall of Famer and atop Baltimore’s sports Mount Rushmore. How good was he really in … Continue reading →

New Ravens Approach Leaves Some on the Outside Looking In

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

The release of Bernard Pollard to save no more than $1M in cap dollars has left many scratching their heads – some in shock. It shouldn’t. The league is changing and the days when teams can overlook poor coverage skills from their strong safety provided he’s a thumper and can play in the box are over. This is the new NFL, dominated by passing. If you need proof of Pollard’s weak coverage skills, go back and watch Super Bowl XLVII. He almost single-handedly lost the game for the Ravens. The … Continue reading →

Ozzie Sticks to His Credo on the NFL’s New Year’s Day

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

So Day 1 of the 2013 NFL Year is under way and for many Ravens’ fans, the Super Bowl Champion bubble has burst. First there was the trade of Anquan Boldin and then the departures of Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe. Some have taken to not only throwing Ozzie Newsome under the bus for the departures, some are backing the bus over him too. Thankfully such fans don’t run the Ravens’ front office. Does anyone really think Paul Kruger is worth $41M? Here’s a very good situational player who only … Continue reading →

One Unpopular Move Doesn’t Define an Offseason

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Only once since 2005 has a Super Bowl Champion won a playoff game the following season when defending their title. Let that marinate for a moment… Why is it so hard to defend The Lombardi? Well there’s the unavoidable target placed on the collective back of a champion. By nature teams come gunning for you and those teams are among the NFL’s most competitive by virtue of the first place schedule forced upon a champ. And then of course there’s the issue of the salary cap. Players and their agents … Continue reading →

Ravyns Still Reaching for the Stars!

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

One of the great marvels of sport is to watch a team gel, achieve unprecedented heights and reap the rewards of hours upon hours in the weight room, in the classroom, on the practice field and in the quiet of their homes studying film. There’s a surreal feeling, even for fans of such teams, when that team – their team, reaches the pinnacle of a sport as the champagne sprays and confetti tumbles from the sky. As fans of the Ravens we experienced that a little over a month ago. … Continue reading →

READING TIME: 1 Minute 60 Seconds

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

There is a ton of talk and speculation surrounding the future of Anquan Boldin these days. Clearly he was instrumental in the team’s successful playoff run hauling in 22 postseason catches for 380 yards and 4 scores during the four game stretch. But apparently the team doesn’t think that productivity is worthy of a $7.5M cap figure. And that’s understandable. So do the Ravens convince Q to take a pay cut or possibly extend him to ease the cap burden? For the moment it looks like Boldin will be a … Continue reading →

Keeping “Q” Will Boldin Hopes in 2013 for the Ravens

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

Multiple sources have suggested that the Baltimore Ravens have approached Anquan Boldin to convince him that a pay cut is in order. That likely comes as no surprise to the Boldin camp. Such deals when originally structured with high backend numbers often end with a re-structure, an extension or another cap casualty. Before drilling down on contract’s numbers and a proposed alternative, it’s important to take a look at Boldin’s body of work and what the team can expect from him going forward. At 32 years old clearly Boldin is … Continue reading →

Stadium Smoking Ban Could Curb Fan Enthusiasm

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

I’m not a smoker…never have been, never want to be. I loved it when the State of Maryland passed the law banning smoking in bars and restaurants. All of those bar owners who complained that they would lose business, remember them? Hear any bellyaching from them lately about lost revenue? Of course not, because they haven’t lost a dime! How great was it that it was YOUR choice whether to wash your clothes or take them to the dry cleaner after a night at the local tavern? No longer did … Continue reading →

ED REED: The Ravens Conundrum

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Tony Lombardi

On Monday at 4PM the bell will sound signaling the start of the NFL’s free agency period. That also coincides with the time when all teams must be in salary cap compliance. Big names will hit the street. One of those big names is Ed Reed and for the Ravens the All World safety represents a conundrum for Ozzie Newsome & Company. Like any negotiation, there’s a process – a natural ebb and flow, pull and tug where both sides try to assess value by weighing the plusses and minuses. … Continue reading →