Author Archives: Wola Odeniran

About Wola Odeniran

Wola Odeniran

Born in Silver Spring, Wola Odeniran remains a Maryland resident. He is currently a student at UMUC with a major in graphics communication, the ultimate goal being a career in journalism. Wola is a lifelong Ravens, Orioles and Terps fan…all the way!

Woodley Not Backtracking on Comments About Flacco

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Woodley
Well, I can’t tell if Lamar Woodley is being stubborn or just being a fool. Remember two years ago, when Woodley stated that Joe Flacco would never go a Super Bowl in his lifetime? Did people actually think this question wouldn’t be brought to him again after what transpired in the 2012 season? ESPN’s Jamison Hensley caught up with the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and asked Woodley about his thoughts and if he would take it back. “I don’t take it back at all,” Woodley said to ESPN. “As a player … Continue reading →

The Heat is on for Matt Elam

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Matt Elam
When the Baltimore Ravens selected Matt Elam with the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft, many outside of the Ravens circles believed the pick was to secure the spot that future Hall of Famer Ed Reed so adeptly occupies for 11 seasons with the Ravens. Instead Elam will take over Bernard Pollard’s spot at strong safety. But will that erase the pressure Elam has with Reed gone? No it won’t. Being a first round draft pick by itself is pressure enough. Ravens fans for years … Continue reading →

Jimmy Smith’s Time Is Now

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Smith Superbowl
The dust has settled. Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith made the most critical plays during the Ravens final red zone stand in Super Bowl 47 against the San Francisco 49ers. The game probably ends differently without his efforts during crunch time. As if Smith didn’t need more confidence, former Ravens corner back Cary Williams left to take more money to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving the 2011 first round draft pick in prime position to claim the second corner spot opposite Lardarius Webb. This year will greatly define Smith’s … Continue reading →

Urlacher versus Lewis? No contest

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urlacherlewis5452
As we all know, linebacker Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears retired after spending his entire 13-year career with the team, just three months after Ray Lewis retired from our very own Baltimore Ravens. But since Urlacher retired earlier in the week, I did some research, looking into what Bears fans thought of him, because it seems that whenever Urlacher’s name comes up it is more than likely Lewis’ name does as well. And I was right. For whatever reason, there are quite a few Bears fans that think Urlacher … Continue reading →

Flacco Still Considered Average by Many

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Flacco pumped
You know, I have little choice but to accept that some people are clowns when it comes to Joe Flacco and Marc Sessler of NFL.com has earned a PSL among the Bozos. According to his quarterback rankings, Flacco is behind Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and Colin Kaepernick. Not to mention four rookies are ahead of him. Newton being ahead of Flacco is a sin by default. I don’t know what needs to be done. I don’t understand why Flacco gets so much disrespect. The most annoying thing about it is, … Continue reading →

With Boldin Gone Will Smith be as Productive?

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Boldin Smith 2
Torrey Smith was a key cog in the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl run this past season. Along with former teammate Anquan Boldin, the pair was quite the tandem towards the end of the season, representing a classic yin and yang to each other’s game. Smith would take the deep routes and the Boldin would take the underneath routes. But now that Boldin is gone, where does that leave Smith production wise? I wouldn’t expect Smith’s number to drop but I also wouldn’t expect them to rise significantly. The Surprising x-factor … Continue reading →

John Simon Should Have no Problem ‘Playing Like a Raven’

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John Simon
With the likes of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed departing from the Baltimore Ravens, the main question everyone has been asking is, “Who will step up as the leader in the Ravens locker room?” To begin the search look no further than Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs. They know what it takes to lead men. They have watched it and they should have no problem using their seniority and their Super Bowl rings to prove how much work will be and should be done around the castle. But luckily for … Continue reading →

Ravens turn in another stellar draft class

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elam
Talk about getting the job done. The Ravens went into the draft with their backs against the wall, obtaining the 32nd pick in the NFL Draft due to winning the Super Bowl. Obviously we would all take that every year. But to get the prime needs of this team addressed with their first two picks in Matt Elam at safety and Arthur Brown at inside linebacker? You can’t get any better than that. Elam is in the mold of Bernard Pollard – a strong safety who will come in the box … Continue reading →

Honorary Super Bowl rings for Mason and Heap?

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masonheap
After watching the Super Bowl again, and with every moment that went by making it more and more clear that the Baltimore Ravens would be the champions, I couldn’t help but wonder – should Todd Heap or Derrick Mason should get Super Bowl rings? I know they were not on the roster, but they paved the way for everything to turn out the way it did. How would you feel if you were Heap? You got drafted by the Ravens in 2001 after they became Super Bowl Champions. Then you … Continue reading →

Early look at Ravens’ 2013 schedule – piling up wins early will be key

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Baltimore Ravens v Cleveland Browns
The general feeling among Ravens fans about the team’s schedule is that it starts off a little easy and ends hard, at least on paper. As far as the Week 1 opponent, the Denver Broncos, it will be a difficult game on the road, but the Ravens have shown that they can win there under pressure. After that, three out of the next four opponents are the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. Those are – again, on paper – games the Ravens should win. The same could be … Continue reading →

Is Torrey Smith ready to step up?

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torreypatstd
When Anquan Boldin was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, many believed that it was a loss for the Baltimore Ravens and for Torrey Smith. The two players complimented each other really well over the course of the last two seasons, where Boldin would take care of the short routes and Smith will take the top off the defense. They both have been critical reasons as to why the Ravens have suddenly been able to score on defenses such as the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts, who have given … Continue reading →

Ravens/Redskins an annual rivalry?

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ravensskins
The NFL schedule release later this month is one of the great offseason events for fans. Everyone is excited to start looking at when their team plays and making plans for games still many months away. But I always felt like the league has been missing something when it comes to the schedule format and that would be in regional rivalries becoming an annual theme. For instance, would you like to see the Ravens face the Washington Redskins once a year (instead of once every four)? I would. There are … Continue reading →

Looking back: Win over Colts in Ray’s final home game was poetic justice

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thanksray
Looking back less than three months ago, much was made of Ray Lewis and his last game in Baltimore. He earned it. He earned the right to bask in the glory for a team he has helped make relevant. But less was made about the win against the Colts and the circumstances that came with it. With this week being the anniversary of the Baltimore Ravens being born, it sheds light on how good we have had it as fans. We all know what happened to the legendary Baltimore Colts. … Continue reading →

Would you draft Manti Te’o?

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teodraft
Manti Te’o has been in the public eye for quite some time now ever since the infamous girlfriend hoax/whatever it was. Watching this situation from afar, it has a Tim Tebow-esque impact on the way people view him in a negative way. If you are the Baltimore Ravens, is that something you really want to have on your team? A lot of teams will say, “Hey we are not worried about that we just need to see results and if the kid can play.” Well, that’s one way to look … Continue reading →

As quarterbacks rake in the money, the march towards flag football continues

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flaccosigns
The Baltimore Ravens find themselves in a bind with releasing veteran players in the last week. We are all aware of it, but if you are a fan of the Ravens or any other fan watching football, you have to wonder why money isn’t flowing the way it should with the new collective bargaining agreement. When looking at what people do in life, it’s all about competition. When someone sees someone else do something in a positive (or even negative), others start to process what they think is best. When … Continue reading →

Kruger and Ellerbe would be gone even if Flacco was playing for free

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flacco55.jpg
Oh what a world we live in. When certain people say something these days they do so hoping that all they need to do is say it enough for it to become true. Since Joe Flacco signed his new deal, the national media has made it a point to say every aspect of every loss the Ravens have had in free agency is due to Flacco’s $120 million contract.  The worst offenders were probably ESPN who ironically, earlier this week introduced Ray Lewis as their new analyst. You would have … Continue reading →

For the Ravens, Ray Rice comes first

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After the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl in early February, Ray Rice — from a individual stand point — may have had a bitter-sweet moment. Losing a fumble in the Super Bowl and also coughing it up in the wild-card round against the Indianapolis Colts left a lot Ravens fans lingering about the future, as well as the question of how much the Ravens should have paid Rice. To compound that, fellow running back Bernard Pierce made the best of his role during the latter stages of the regular … Continue reading →

Ed Reed must stay a Raven

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ct-red-0204-super-main-end-photo
Much was made earlier this week about free agent safety Ed Reed possibly signing with New England Patriots, and while he is in the twilight of his career, he is still among the top-five safeties in the NFL. Reed currently does not have an agent, so talks are still at a standstill. But don’t let his play over the last two years in terms of interceptions fool you. On NFL AM on Monday, Ed Reed indicated that he would like play two or three more years. If that is the … Continue reading →

Ravens sticking with their identity

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This past season was historic for the Baltimore Ravens. They peaked at the right time en route to winning the Lombardi Trophy, which is one of the greatest things to happen in Baltimore sports history. It’s arguably at the top. One could make the argument that during the last five years, this team might have been the weakest the Ravens have fielded. It speaks to the character and will that the team had as a collective whole. As the Ravens won it all, I think between the 2000 Ravens and … Continue reading →

Costly moves coming for the Ravens?

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The Ravens won this year’s Super Bowl with several players who were nearing the end of their careers. They were players who had either never won or even made the Super Bowl before. Players like Matt Birk, who retired yesterday after having a potentially 15-year Hall of Fame career, get to go out on top with no worries in his mind other than health, given what he has endured as an offensive linemen over the years. Meanwhile, Bobbie Williams, a backup guard for much of this season, spent most of … Continue reading →