Author Archives: Tony Lombardi

About Tony Lombardi

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

Ravens have fared well as underdogs

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Ray Rice Run v Patriots
Most of the country gives the Ravens little chance on Saturday in the Mile High City. Vegas initially pegged the Broncos as a 9-point favorite and so far there has been no movement in the line. But regardless of what that blockhead on NFL Network Heath Evans might tell you, the Ravens have a shot in this game – a good one. And if you aren’t buying into this way of thinking, let me remind you of a few things in Ravens playoff history. Last season in the AFC Championship … Continue reading →

Ray Lewis could never become the player we know in today’s NFL

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Ray Lewis hit on Dustin Keller
Now that Baltimore Ravens certain first ballot Hall of Famer Ray Lewis has announced that he’ll be retiring at the end of the season, many are pondering the post-Lewis Ravens. What will they look like? Will they lose their identity? How will the Ravens replace Ray Lewis? The simple and probably most accurate answer to the last question is, “You don’t!” Ray Lewis is a one in a billion player. The Ravens will have to look to other areas of their locker room for leadership. Ray Rice and Terrell Suggs … Continue reading →

Ray Lewis: “Of course I’m older. That’s the beauty of it!”

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Ray alone in locker room
“I’m older. Of course I’m older. That’s the beauty of it. Sixteen years PLUS! Different level of listening. Different level of understanding; Different level of punishment. I’m going to live LONG after my records have fallen…LONG after my rings have tarnished. Whatever you’ve got to do to make sure you chase your legacy – EVERY SECOND OF YOUR LIFE…leave your mark to endure.” Ray Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens   If you are a businessman and you are looking to motivate your employees watch the video below. If you are a … Continue reading →

Ray Lewis’ swan song will be more epic than 2131

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frs_dskjj_03steamed
As kickoff approaches on Sunday and the anticipation builds for what will likely be the last time Ray Lewis emerges from the tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium, I can’t help but to think back to Cal Ripken Jr.’s epic 2131 game on September 6, 1995. Cal was MLB’s poster child. His perseverance and mind boggling streak of consecutive games combined with a well-crafted wholesome image was a needed distraction for a league coming off a strike-shortened season during which the Fall Classic, the World Series was canceled. Originally I didn’t … Continue reading →

Quotes From and About Ray Lewis

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rl-bw-quote
MEMORABLE RAY LEWIS QUOTES ON GOING TO ‘WAR’: “In any war, you put your back to mine, I put my back to yours, and let’s do what we gotta do.” WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY? “We get one opportunity in life, one chance at life to do whatever you’re going to do, and lay your foundation and make whatever mark you’re going to make. Whatever legacy you’re going to leave; leave your legacy!” SACRIFICING FOR TEAM: “With the mindset that I give everything I’ve got for the man that’s next to … Continue reading →

Ravens owner doesn’t expect Ray Lewis to remain in organization

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Ray and Bisciotti 1
Ray Lewis without question is the face of the Baltimore Ravens. For 17 seasons Lewis has been the heart and soul of the Ravens’ defense and the team leader for nearly as long. It isn’t often that a player possesses extreme physical talent, an outstanding work ethic, can lead a team both emotionally and by example and can be a source of inspiration the way Ray Lewis has during his career. When No. 52 is gone, it would be completely shortsighted of us all to think that one man can … Continue reading →

Baltimore Prepares to say Goodbye to a Friend

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Ray smiling 2
Some great players aren’t necessarily leaders. Some leaders aren’t necessarily the best players. Some of the best players aren’t necessarily the most dedicated ones. Some dedicated players are overachievers. Some overachievers aren’t necessarily gifted athletes. But every now and then a rare player comes along who is blessed with God-given abilities yet still driven by some insatiable desire to excel; to reach unprecedented heights without limitations – or at least refusing to admit that they exist. During his uncommon pursuit of excellence he can will his team through his infectious … Continue reading →

The Good, Bad, Ugly & The Megan Fox: A look ahead to postseason 2013

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Ray Lewis a look ahead
There’s little to take away from what amounted to the Ravens fifth preseason game yesterday and it along with several other meaningless games around the NFL should be proof positive to King Goodell that an 18 game schedule is a joke in more ways than one. Therefore this edition of The Good, Bad, Ugly & The Megan Fox won’t try to give meaning to the meaningless but instead it will focus in on the current status of your 2012 Baltimore Ravens. THE GOOD: The Ravens are actually getting healthier and … Continue reading →

Is Ray Lewis’ final curtain call coming soon?

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ray lewis intro
Although he’s listed as “Probable” for today’s game in Cincinnati, Ray Lewis will not see the field. Technically it will go on the Gamebook as a “DNP” with an asterisk of some sort in the team’s records labeled “coach’s decision.” Clearly the Ravens and the future Hall of Famer have their collective sights set on next weekend’s Wild Card Game as a return date for No. 52. Many wonder if that WC Game at M&T Bank Stadium will be the last time Ray exits the tunnel and does his squirrel … Continue reading →

A look ahead at the Baltimore Ravens 2013 Schedule of Opponents

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AFC Wild Card Game: Baltimore Ravens v Miami Dolphins
The Ravens 2013 schedule of opponents includes some intriguing matchups that will surely inspire friendly debate at the office water cooler. Each season fans weigh in on schedules primarily to: 1) Determine how strong or weak a schedule is; 2) Study the pacing of the schedule for home and away games including kickoff times and nationally televised games; and 3) Examine which games might be attractive road trips. The actual schedule will not be released until sometime in April during an overly dramatic presentation by NFL Network, however we do … Continue reading →

Games this weekend will have a preseason quality

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Tyrod preseason
Week 17 of the NFL season includes six games that have absolutely no bearing on the postseason whatsoever. Of the games that are meaningful, three have an average point spread of over 14 points. Two games will take place that include teams that have nothing to gain or lose in terms of playoff positioning regardless of the outcome of their respective games. So if you’re counting, that’s eleven of the sixteen games likely to be snooze fests. Some will play out like preseason games, as teams will field some rookies … Continue reading →

HAPPY FESTIVUS: Could history repeat itself?

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Super Bowl XXXV
Yesterday during Christmas Eve gatherings family and friends seemed more proud and stood a little taller when they discussed the Ravens or rocked their purple or their Ravens gear. One game can make a big difference. And it has! Our resident NFL historian here at RSR, Kurt Backert, shared some interesting historical facts. Collectively they may not represent what WILL happen over the next couple of weeks however, in the NFL, history does have a way of repeating itself. Let us take you on a little trip down memory lane, … Continue reading →

The Good, Bad, Ugly & The Megan Fox: Ravens Dunk Giants, Claim AFCN

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New York Giants v Baltimore Ravens
When teams take the field on the first day of training camp their goal is to win their respective division. That’s the first rung on the ladder in the climb towards the top and The Lombardi Trophy. So for the Baltimore Ravens, that’s a check. The next rung is to win the Wild Card Playoff Game at M&T Bank Stadium where their likely opponent will be the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have locked up the fifth seed in the playoffs. They hold tiebreakers over the sixth-seeded Cincinnati Bengals. The seedings … Continue reading →

The story of a young Ravens fan

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girl sunset
This is a story about a little girl who just a few days ago celebrated a birthday. She’s a happy child with a magnetic personality, engagingly social who laughs and hugs often. Having entered the world just seven years ago Joey is known for her affection and incredibly wonderful sense of humor for someone so young. She loves to swim, swing, play with her Barbie dolls and enjoys her iPad and computer. And she really loves her sisters. Joey’s hair is sandy brown and her cute little bangs rest comfortably … Continue reading →

May their lives be honored with good deeds

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sandy hook memorial
Forward: Our goal from the day Ravens24x7.com launched back in 2003 was to deliver from the perspective of a fan, Ravens news, opinions and insight in an informative and fun way. Along the way our journey has taken twists and we’ve ventured down new paths. Sometimes those paths have little to do with the Ravens or the NFL because it seemed to make sense to travel such paths if for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. Such is the case today with this…   Perhaps … Continue reading →

It’s time for the great and powerful Oz to be just that!

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Ozzie The Wizard 600
Whenever results don’t match up with or exceed expectations, there’s bound to be disappointment followed closely by the blame game. If achievement falls short of the mark, it’s only natural to want to know why and correct the flaws. Clearly the Ravens have fallen short of expectations and there’s little that we’ve seen from them in recent weeks to believe that the decline will end any time in the foreseeable future. The first attempt towards reversing the slide was made by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti when he called for the … Continue reading →

Ravens v. Broncos: The Good, Bad, Ugly & The Megan Fox

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Flacco down
The Ravens are like a levy that is breaking down and the leaks are becoming bigger and more plentiful. Sooner or later the whole thing begins to crumble particularly if the rain doesn’t stop. And for the Ravens the rain is pounding down in the form of injuries and ineptness on offense. If the offensive players had the fire in their bellies like their defensive counterparts yesterday, it’s quite possible the Ravens could have given the Broncos a fight to the wire. But huge mistakes by Joe Flacco and an … Continue reading →

Harbaugh muffs another timeout

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harbaugh presser
During the Monday press conference following the Ravens loss to the Washington Redskins, John Harbaugh was asked about the timeout that was called following what appeared to be a fake, fake punt that most thought was intended to draw an offsides penalty on fourth and 3. Here was Harbaugh’s response: “We just had a situation out there where the guys couldn’t hear Anthony [Allen] make the ‘hut’ call. It got real loud at that point in time, and we executed it really well. We made a substitution, and we were … Continue reading →

Is going to the game worth it?

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Fans at M and T
You know I think I must be nuts. Maybe you are too. I’m talking about my investment in the NFL. My tickets are $120 each. Parking is another $40. So at minimum I invest $280 per game. But we all know it goes well beyond that. There are tailgating and in-stadium food and refreshment expenses. On a smaller scale there’s the time invested in the commute and the accompanying tolls. Then if you are as unfortunate as me, you have a couple of knuckleheads around you who complain whenever you … Continue reading →

Roger Greedell

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Roger Goodell
I am so fed up with Roger Goodell! There was a time when I thought he was exactly what the NFL needed – not the empty suit that MLB is saddled with or the master manipulator who treated Baltimore like a street whore during the expansion process. But right now, and I can’t believe these words are appearing on this page… I miss Paul Tagliabue. Any relationship is grounded in trust. Take it away and there’s no relationship at all, only angst and contempt. Is there any compelling reason to … Continue reading →