ESPN "love"

**ed from Bel Air** · 08-30-2009, 06:00 AM

Sportscenter started this morning at 6:00 AM. It was nice of them to finally show the Ravens highlights at 6:57, all 15 seconds of them.

Actually it was very democratic. One Ravens play, one Panthers play.

Sure glad I watched --it was great to see the Italian soccer highlights before our Ravens.

**Merlin** · 08-30-2009, 06:04 AM

Love from the external media will be tightly correlated to our value in fantasy football. Which is improving.

Value in the real world doesn't count a lick in the media.

**xmradiodave** · 08-30-2009, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by ed from Bel Air

Sportscenter started this morning at 6:00 AM. It was nice of them to finally show the Ravens highlights at 6:57, all 15 seconds of them.

Actually it was very democratic. One Ravens play, one Panthers play.

Sure glad I watched --it was great to see the Italian soccer highlights before our Ravens.

What a surprise.

**Endzone 84** · 08-31-2009, 07:37 AM

I am starting to believe, we don't get the national media coverage, because of our media market. I bet we will be all over ESPN when we play the Steelers, when they are slapping us in the face.

**BackertFantasyFocus** · 08-31-2009, 07:59 AM

Good call, according to the NFL Record and Fact Book, Baltimore is the 26th largest television market, 4 spots behind Portland Or. That is why national coverage is modest at best and this was the root of the NFL's desire not to put an expansion team here, it was not all Paul T. it came down to TV money. We had no chance in 1995, despite all the efforts and hype the NFL did not want Baltimore.

**ravenjoe** · 08-31-2009, 08:07 AM

Well, if we do it on the field, the 'love' will be there! We just need to step up and be counted.

**Dave Lap** · 08-31-2009, 08:10 AM

Big market or small market, ESPN makes weird decisions on what to air that makes me wonder if anyone there has taken any journalism classes.

One small example was Sports Center on Monday. Flacco has the highest QB rating, most yards, etc. and they show one pass and barely mention his stat line or the team.

Maybe I'm being a little hypersensitive because the Ravens are my team and no one is perfect. I hope to see a lot more Ravens on Sports Center thoughout the year because ESPN will have no choice.

You pretty much have to give your full attention to the Super Bowl winner.

**Endzone 84** · 08-31-2009, 09:45 AM

I think one other thing we have to look at. If we can become that consistent winning team, we might get that national coverage. The larger market's are gonna get more airtime then the smaller markets, but that isn't any reason why we should only get 30 seconds of highlights. I think the Orioles get more coverage on ESPN then the Ravens. Things won't change until after we win the Super Bowl this year.

**Fcowher** · 08-31-2009, 09:54 AM

Good! Let ESPN and all the national cronies ignore us. Then when teams come to town we can whoop their ass. I love it when the Ravens can play the "no respect" card, all it does is piss off the defense.

**Endzone 84** · 08-31-2009, 10:46 AM

Thats right, we'll fly under the radar all season and then we'll show people we don't need no ESPN. As far as I am comcerned, ESPN can stick it up there you know what. Especially Cris Carter, talking about Flacco is gonna have a sophmore slump. I guess when you are drunk you have a hard time reading the stat sheets. Us fans know we are the real deal and we don't have to prove anything to anyone. Just wait until February when we are holding that Lombardi trophy. Then we might make ESPN for about 45 seconds.

**RAVENOUS52** · 08-31-2009, 11:42 PM

ESPN may not "love" us, but they definitely RESPECT the Ravens. The reverence they show when referring to our team, especially the defense and organization, is as clear as the fat on Rex Ryan's face.

**Dade** · 09-01-2009, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by RAVENOUS52

ESPN may not "love" us, but they definitely RESPECT the Ravens. The reverence they show when referring to our team, especially the defense and organization, is as clear as the fat on Rex Ryan's face.

So true, so true. Soon Flacco will make them respect he offense.

**RAVENOUS52** · 09-01-2009, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Dade

So true, so true. Soon Flacco will make them respect he offense.

That's the plan. I swear I don't want to jinx Joe by predicting too much though. If he turns out to be the next Bert Jones (minus the injury-shortened career), I'll be ecstatic.

If he for some inexplicable reason turns out to be a cleverly disguised Mike Pagel, I would immediately blame myself for placing too high of an expectation on the kid.

Somehow, I think he has the POTENTIAL to be the greatest QB Baltimore has seen since... nevermind, like I said, I'm not gonna jinx him!

**4G63** · 09-01-2009, 10:20 AM

Who gives a shit? I certainly don't.

Plus, its preseason and when we play teams like the Stoolers and the Vikings/Favre we'll get plenty of airtime....

**Jeremiah W** · 09-01-2009, 01:22 PM

They like to refer to the Ravens a lot, but do not like to talk about them. They say this guy can be the next Flacco, or they can use the Ravens formula, but it is very hard to find a national guy willing to say the Ravens can or even may beat the STeelers this year. There is a lot of mentions about the 3 wins, but never any talk about how the games were played, how the teams match up, ect. It is very tough to find good football talk anywhere. Most stuff is the same garbage repeated over and over until everyone starts to believe it, or just what ever an idiot said in front of a mic all of a sudden becomes a story. Favre, Vick, QB controversy in clowntown, hold outs, malcontents, police blotter, anything but x and o football.

**Flipping Birdie** · 09-01-2009, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by BackertFantasyFocus

That is why national coverage is modest at best and this was the root of the NFL's desire not to put an expansion team here, it was not all Paul T. it came down to TV money.

I hear ya, but our media market is larger than Charlotte and Jacksonville's market. Does Jacksonville even have a television market? A TV station? (I was fine with the Charlotte thing)

At the same time, I agree with you on the media market thing. With the size of the market and the age of the team, the only reason we get any media coverage at all is because of the quality of our team. The teams that represent new markets, with either new franchises or renamed/relocated old franchises all struggle for media coverage. Tennessee, a consistent competitor, struggles in that regard just like us. Charlotte, often a competitor, struggles even more.

Hell, even Jacksonville is good sometimes and look at their media coverage.

**Fcowher** · 09-01-2009, 02:54 PM

It really doesn't matter what size Jackonsville's tv market it because they wont be allowed to televise their games.

**Flipping Birdie** · 09-01-2009, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by RAVENOUS52

ESPN may not "love" us, but they definitely RESPECT the Ravens. The reverence they show when referring to our team, especially the defense and organization, is as clear as the fat on Rex Ryan's face.

I agree with you, but last year was an exception to the rule and a little ridiculous. I could understand them thinking we were garbage up until the first Pittsburgh game. After that game, I understood we were better than the media was saying, but the media still said we were garbage. After the Tennessee game... another noble loss, still garbage. Week after week of racking up a winning record with a killer schedule, garbage garbage garbage in the eyes of 8 out of 10 sports writers. It wasn't until after the Dallas game that half of the sports writers even bothered to perk their ears up.

Last year was when I finally realized that 90% of sports writers covering the NFL only watch about 3 Sunday games per week before they make their broad analytical generalizations of the league as a whole.

**Flipping Birdie** · 09-01-2009, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Fcowher

It really doesn't matter what size Jackonsville's tv market it because they wont be allowed to televise their games.

Ha! ftw.

**Dave Lap** · 09-01-2009, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by RAVENOUS52

That's the plan. I swear I don't want to jinx Joe by predicting too much though. If he turns out to be the next Bert Jones (minus the injury-shortened career), I'll be ecstatic.

If he for some inexplicable reason turns out to be a cleverly disguised Mike Pagel, I would immediately blame myself for placing too high of an expectation on the kid.

Somehow, I think he has the POTENTIAL to be the greatest QB Baltimore has seen since... nevermind, like I said, I'm not gonna jinx him!

Think I know where you are going and agree. I also don't want to jinx him.

BTW, I have seen Mike Pagel and don't think we have anything to worry about over that comparison. hehe.