Clearly the most overlooked part of football is special teams. All too often they are taken for granted. Something that is as seemingly simple as a PAT doesn’t just become an automatic overnight. The perfectly fired snap, spun just right with the proper velocity and aimed towards the waiting hands of the holder. The ball consists of highly polished leather, slick by nature and almost eel-like when dampened. Within fractions of a second the holder places the ball on the turf, spins and angles it to the kickers liking and … Continue reading →

For years TV cameras have zoomed in on football players along the sidelines after they’ve scored a big touchdown. Some engage in trash talking, others pound their chests and some hold up that famous digit. And then there are those who simply say, “Hi Mom!” It’s a very simple response to the presence and pressures of the camera really. It’s also very honest and genuine because when you stop and think about it and you remove all of the other distractions, fan hoopla and window dressing, the most vital, natural, … Continue reading →

One of the favorite debates amongst Baltimore area sports fans is metaphorical in nature and it involves the crowning jewel of Black Hills, South Dakota – Mount Rushmore. What if you could replace the faces of the majestic sculpture and give it a Baltimore sports theme. Whose likenesses would then adorn the hand carved cliff? Of course ground rules are often set (in stone). Some will welcome the addition of all types of sports figures. If you are an announcer, a coach, a manager or player, c’mon down and toss … Continue reading →

I’ll admit that when I heard of his most recent arrest, like many of you, I was ready to kick Rolando McClain to the curb and drive the final nail into a coffin called Rolando’s Ravens career – one dead on arrival. But Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh have so far refrained from doing that and you have to wonder why. After all isn’t a John Harbaugh team supposed to be rich with character consisting of over-achieving, hard-working Mighty Men who love the game of football? Such a description doesn’t … Continue reading →

When the Ravens drafted David Reed in 2010 they believed the Ute would be a player with precise route running skills and good hands. He wasn’t and isn’t a burner and won’t often gain separation on deep routes but he does possess good ball skills and has the ability to make a catch in traffic. Add it up and at best Reed could be a No. 2 wide receiver in the NFL. Running with the scout team, Reed has had a tremendous amount of success competing against the Ravens No. … Continue reading →

The Ravens were on the clock during the 2009 NFL Draft as they prepared to make the 88th overall selection in Round 3. They turned in the pick: Lardarius Webb, a 5’10”, 179 pound cornerback from Thibodaux, Louisiana’s Nicholls State. Immediately I thought back to a conversation I had with Ravens Assistant GM Eric DeCosta about a very similar selection they made back in 2006. Then while on the clock with the 87th overall pick the Ravens chose 5’11”, 182-pound cornerback from Natchitoches, Louisiana’s Northwestern State, David Pittman. DeCosta shared … Continue reading →

After the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV it was no small secret that the key to the team’s success CLEARLY was found on the defensive side of the football. During the 2000 season head coach Brian Billick fielded arguably the greatest defense of all time and the maestro of the unit was none other than Marvin Lewis. Predictably, Lewis was courted by a few organizations to be their new head coach, but it’s often difficult for teams to wait on Super Bowl winners. Many clubs just believe that there’s not … Continue reading →

Whether it was on the sidelines as the skipper of the Indianapolis Colts or in the coach’s booth above the field as the interim offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, the look on Jim Caldwell’s face was always the same. Stoic. Seemingly detached. Expressionless. Unemotional. Dispassionate. Dazed and confused. Recently the media was invited to a chalk talk session with the team’s coordinators: Jim Caldwell (now, officially the “OC”); Dean Pees; and Jerry Rosburg. Not having had any real exposure to Caldwell I expected his portion of the session to … Continue reading →

Give the Ravens credit for not resting on their laurels. Bringing back as many from the Super Bowl XLVII winning roster as humanly possible would have been the easy thing to do and clearly from the perspective of the team’s fan base, it would have been the path of least resistance. It would also have been the path to a .500 season – or worse. Instead Ozzie Newsome and his top-notch front office colleagues were determined to reclaim the team’s long-standing reputation as a defensive juggernaut by gutting the defense … Continue reading →

Many of us praised Ozzie Newsome for acquiring a player with a high ceiling, a former first round pick who is just 23 years old. Rolando McClain could potentially fill a need at inside linebacker and deliver extreme value on a near league minimum investment. The Ravens gave McClain a second chance. They gave him an opportunity to play on a high profile team and resurrect a once promising career. Last week when asked about the former defensive leader of the Alabama Crimson Tide Ozzie said, “Rolando is being given … Continue reading →

The NFL Players Union and its executive director DeMaurice Smith are tossing around the C-word – collusion. According to reports Smith authored a memo to player agents, the intent of which was basically to sniff around to see if the league’s owners where in cahoots to keep free agent salaries down. “We have heard reports of a concern that teams are working in concert to ‘peg’, ‘rig’ or ‘set’ market prices on player contracts. If you believe or have information that the teams have been colluding during this free agency … Continue reading →

Many are quick to give credit to Bryant McKinnie for the Ravens improved offensive line play down the homestretch of the 2012 season – a homestretch that placed them first at the finish line. It’s not that simple. The upgrade to the team’s offensive front was really the result of finding the right combination of players. Michael Oher is just more comfortable at right tackle and apparently that’s where he should and will stay. Perhaps you noticed during the Pre-Draft Press Conference on Tuesday that not a single syllable was … Continue reading →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →