Drew Forrester's Blog, sponsored by Koons Ford Security Blvd

And YOUR question is?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:08:07 GMT

It's Wednesday.

A lot is going on today.

The O's are on the verge of getting swept at Fenway Park at Camden Yards.

The Ravens have no idea who their quarterback is going to be and the season starts in about three weeks.

So feel free to ask me anything that's on your mind. Just don't ask me whether or not I think the Redskins are going to make the playoffs. I pray to the football gods every night that they go 0-16.

Ready? Ask away.

Ravens are in the "no fret" zone...

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:25:15 GMT

I'll give the Ravens credit. If they are concerned about the team's lackluster pre-season play to date, they're certainly not showing it.

What's it say when the fan base is more worried about the team's prognosis than the team itself?

That's the feeling I got yesterday when I talked to two different Ravens staffers and a veteran player. Granted, a sampling of three people hardly qualifies as mass-polling, but I remain convinced the Ravens are taking this pre-season in stride after my discussions on Monday. They're not making Super Bowl plans by any means, but they're not ready to start thinking about next year's draft, either. In other words, the Ravens are confident in the fact that they're going to compete in 2008.

"We're in the process of trying to get ready for September 7," said one staffer. "That's not something that happens overnight. We're evaluating players, introducing new schemes on offense and, with the injuries we've had, a number of guys are stepping up to play at levels they haven't played at before. It takes a little time for it to all come together."

Whether or not it comes together before September 7 is the real question at hand. The Bengals won't care if the Ravens aren't ready.

One veteran member of the organization thinks the positives have balanced out the negatives in the two pre-season games thus far. "Rice, Nakumura, Zbikowski, Hale...those guys have done a nice job. Marcus Smith looks like he's going to be a keeper. Flacco is starting to feel more comfortable. Our crop of rookies is pretty solid. We just need to get those six or seven veterans completely healthy and we'll be OK."

Getting those six or seven starters healthy isn't the difference between being OK or not. It's the difference between competing for a playoff spot or competing, perhaps, for one of the top 3 draft picks next April. Reed's injury looks to be the worst of them all. "We don't have it figured out yet," a staffer said Monday. "Our medical people are working with Ed every day to get him to a point where he's comfortable with contact, but right now he's not ready to go full tilt." If Reed's out and McAlister's knee pesters him in the early going, the Ravens might get tired of seeing Johnson's by week #2. As in Chad and Andre. Anyone remember that Monday night game in Pittsburgh last year when Big Ben put the Big Torch on the Ravens' inexperienced secondary? It wasn't pretty.

The quarterback situation continues to be a quandry for everyone, from the fans, to the media, to the team itself. "I think John knows who he wants to be the starter, but he's being as fair as he can be to the process and he's making sure that he's making the right call," a source said yesterday. "We've seen good and bad from all three in the pre-season, which isn't totally unexpected, especially since our offensive line is so young at this point. We expect that Cam's system will help protect whichever guy winds up starting on the 7th."

A veteran player told me the players thought Smith handled himself well on Saturday night vs. Minnesota. "Troy only made that one mistake. Other than that, he handled the pressure well. We were all talking about how comfortable he looked back there."

Advantage Smith? Maybe. The players don't want Boller, which makes Harbaugh's task that much harder. If he chooses Smith, he'll be throwing a guy to the wolves who only has a total of about 200 snaps under his belt. If it's Boller, Harbaugh will be sacrificing the experience level (42 NFL starts) for the comfort level, since very few players in the locker room have full faith in Kyle. Quite a dilemma for a first year coach.

The fans no longer want Boller, but they don't have a say in the matter. Still, Harbaugh has to know in his heart of hearts that there are two different types of losing in 2008. Losing WITH Boller at the helm and losing WITHOUT Boller at the helm. As strange as it sounds, losing WITHOUT Boller would be far more acceptable to the folks in the seats than losing WITH him. Harbaugh has to have some sense of that, right? If he starts Troy Smith and the team loses, people will say, "Well, the team's young and inexperienced and Smith is still learning the system." If Boller gets the gig and the team loses, the fans are merely going to say, "It's Harbaugh's fault for starting Boller in the first place."

As the former coach found out - and Harbaugh is set-up for this as well: if the Ravens win WITH Boller, it will be because of the defense. If they lose with Boller, it will be John Harbaugh's fault. Harbaugh can only come out smelling like a rose if he gives Smith the job and somehow, probably by the Grace of God more than anything, the Ravens put together a 10-6 season and snatch the AFC North from the Browns, Steelers and Bengals.

I'm sure glad it's not my decision.

I mentioned to a veteran player yesterday that I'm fearful of a 4 or 5 win season. "If we're healthy, you can forget that," the player said, "We'll be right in the thick of it if these guys come back and play when the season starts. Don't count us out. That would be a mistake."

Fair enough. I want the players to think like that. And, in all fairness, if Reed, Willis, CMac, Heap, Terry, Ngata, Gregg and Rolle are all 100% or close to it by the beginning of September, the Ravens could wind up winning as many as they lose throughout 2008. That's not entirely out of the question. Perhaps some combination of Smith and Boller will prove itself effective over 16 weeks. Maybe this is the year Pittsburgh gets bit by the injury bug and THEY go 5-11. Perhaps Carson Palmer goes out with an injury in week #5 and the Bengals win a game a month.

But if the Ravens gets ravaged by injuries this year in the same manner they did in '07, there's no amount of wishful thinking that can save them from a top 5 pick in the '09 Draft. And, unlike last year, firing the coach won't be an option this December 31.

And, it's all likely to come down to quarterback play - injuries or not - and if you're putting your mortgage up as a wager, are you betting ON Smith or Boller or betting AGAINST them? Yep, me too.

So, while the fan base rightfully remains in panic mode, the Ravens go along like it's business as usual. The way THEY see it, the pre-season is only halfway over. Two games down, two games to go. I don't hear much panic or concern in the voices of the people I talk to at Owings Mills and the players seem fairly unfazed by the pedestrian offensive play thus far.

Give me some of what they're sipping on, 'cuz I'm nervous as a burglar about this '08 campaign.

19 Purple Points...

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:07:15 GMT

1. There's really no other way to say it and there's no sense in pussy-footing around. People who come out to pre-season football games in Baltimore and boo members of the Ravens can only be classified as nitwits. And the "I paid for my tickets and I can boo if I want" excuse is something only a nitwit would say. It's pre-frigging-season, folks. Lay off the booze if it's going to affect you that much. Sheesh...

2. I wrote last week that ONE of the results in '08 could be a "win a month". Add that up and it's 4-12. If these injuries to Reed and CMac are going to persist throughout the season, the boys in purple are in deep doo-doo. Deep. Same for the offense without McGahee and Heap. Yeah, I know, Ray Rice was a rock star on Saturday night. I think he'll be a contributor, sure, but I don't want him carrying the load as a rookie. If McGahee and Heap are bothered with injuries all year, you're looking at another season of 1 touchdown per-game.

3. What to do at quarterback? Here's what I think they should do. They're two games into a 4-game pre-season. As we all know, Game #4 really doesn't count (as if any of them do in August...that's a big reason why you don't boo...see #1 above), so it's a 3-game pre-season for all intents and purposes. Anyway, between now and next weekend, is Troy Smith going to suddenly find his "A game" and miraculously turn into a prime-time NFL quarterback? Of course not. So - and I say this with gritted teeth - what John Harbaugh SHOULD do, right now, is annoint Kyle Boller the starting quarterback for the regular season. He has the most experience. Period. Smith hasn't been unable to unseat Boller after nearly a month of training camp, so that tells you something right there. In the end, though, if it were up to me, I'd go with the guy who has the most experience.

4. Let's face the facts. You can put Tony Romo in Ravens purple tomorrow and he's not going to have much success behind that thing they call an offensive line. I'm not trying to defend Boller or Smith for their play, but the protection they're receiving (or not) is about 67% of the reason why neither of them can play effectively.

5. Hope you have a good, clear photo of Frank Walker in a Ravens uniform.

6. So they didn't let Ray Lewis do his pre-game dance on Saturday night? What gives? I wrote this a month ago and I'm not changing my tune now. Let the guy dance. Why try and change him now? You've been letting him hop around out there for a decade now. All the sudden you're gonna tell him to stop doing it? Bad move. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

7. I sure hope Suggs doesn't look like Re-Run from What's Happening? when he shows up at practice today. That dude better be in shape and ready to roll. By the way, Sizz, that sure was some fancy negotiatin' you did for the last three weeks. Before camp started, you were due to get $8.5 million. Now, you're still getting $8.5 million. Let me sign up for a class on negotiating if you ever teach one.

8. I still can't get over that people booed at a pre-season game. Nice first impression for John Harbaugh, eh?

9. Bring on the Joe Flacco era. David Steele of The Sun was right on target in today's paper. Had Flacco completed that late TD pass to Justin Harper, we'd have a full-fledged controversy on our hands.

10. If the Ravens go 4-12, I say fire Billick again.

11. All the sudden, guys like Edwin Mulitalo, Mike Flynn and Tony Pashos start to earn a little more respect.

12. Those mid-week radio shows should be a lot of fun this year if the Ravens wind up losing two out of every three they play.

13. Two games in the Cam Cameron offense and the Ravens have precisely TWO offensive touchdowns. At least we're not going backwards.

14. You'll have a very good grasp on the '08 Ravens after two weeks of the regular season. They SHOULD beat the Bengals at home, but they might not. They SHOULD beat the Texans on the road in week 2, but they might not. A good team goes 2-0. An average team goes 1-1. A bad team goes 0-2. We won't have to wait long to find out where Baltimore ranks.

15. We need to see more from Mark Clayton. Much more, in fact.

16. Ben Grubbs is solid. Wait a minute, I thought the urban legend was Ozzie didn't use draft picks on offensive lineman.

17. Why would a team in the midst of a quarterback competition allow one of the QB's to only throw five passes in his half of work? We KNOW he can hand the ball off to Ray Rice. We want to see him T-H-R-O-W. In defense of the coaches, though, as soon as Smith drops back to pass, he's almost always on the run...sometimes it looks like that's actually what he WANTS to do. Too bad the Ravens don't run the wishbone when Smith's in there.

18. If these injuries to the key starters linger, I'm telling you it's going to be a win a month. I hope I'm wrong.

19. What do you and Jason Campbell of the Redskins have in common? You'll both be watching the Super Bowl from your living room next February.

Paging T-Sizzle, Paging T-Sizzle...

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:07:47 GMT

Someone needs to let Terrell Suggs know there's a football season on the horizon.

While the rest of his teammates battle their way through Camp Hardball, T-Sizzle continues to sun himself in Arizona.

Some "franchise player" he is, eh?

The team's real franchise player, the middle linebacker on his way to the Hall of Fame, will continue to run the defense (and, some say, the team as a whole) while Suggs plays this silly game called "watch me take advantage of the system so I don't have to go through training camp."

It was bush-league three weeks ago when he first failed to show up and it's still bush-league today.

Oh, that's right, T-Sizzle "knows the defense" so his absence is somehow more acceptable. Yeah, tell that to Jarrett Johnson and Bart Scott. A Ravens vet tells me they're thrilled with Suggs' no-show-act.

"Franchise player"...talk about a conflicting term.

A lesson in "what was said"

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:16:58 GMT

So, Ray Lewis is having daily meetings with John Harbaugh about the team's starting quarterback derby.

Right? After all, there was a story in a Boston newspaper that said Lewis is telling Harbaugh that Troy Smith should be the Ravens' starting QB on Sept. 7.

Right?

Wrong.

This is how Ray Lewis gets in trouble with the fans.

On Sunday, Boston Globe writer Mike Reiss ran this piece in his weekly column: "One of the undercurrents felt from the Ravens' visit to Gillette Stadium was the support in the team's locker room for Troy Smth to be the team's starting quarterback on opening day. Linebacker Ray Lewis, in particular, is privately lobbying for Smith - the former Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State..."

That's it.

OK, fans, here's a little reading lesson for you, especially those of you angry with Ray for "running his mouth".

Where in that paragraph by Reiss does it say Lewis MET with John Harbaugh about Troy Smith? I don't see it. Do you?

Yet, the e-mails and calls are coming in from fans who want Ray to "stay out of personnel decisions" and "leave Harbaugh alone".

Here's what MIGHT have happened after the game. Reiss is in the Ravens locker room, waiting to speak with Lewis when he notices Ray and Troy Smith are having a private conversation near 52's locker. When they split up, Reiss settles in and Ray says, "That kid's gonna be good someday. I keep telling the guys here to stick with him and he'll figure out how to play the game soon. I'm telling you, he's got something."

That COULD have been the "private lobbying" that Reiss was referring to in his column.

I don't subscribe to the theory that players should have an open invitation to campaign for other players with the coaching staff. I think the "Anthony Wright should play" campaign from a few years back should still be lodged firmly in our brains, don't you?

But, it IS entirely possible that Harbaugh and/or Cam Cameron would gather a select group of guys, Lewis included, and say to them, "How's it FEEL around here to you this summer? Different? What's the locker room vibe regarding the quarterbacks? How does the sports drink taste? Are we mixing it right?

Ray - as the team's REAL franchise player (the faux franchise player is sunning himself in Arizona) - should be a player the coaching staff relies on when they have a question that requires determining the pulse of the locker room. Ray shouldn't be the ONLY voice, of course, but his squawk is fairly loud around there.

People will say - and are, actually - that Ray should just shut up and play football. People will say "let the coaches pick the quarterback". People will say "Ray has too much power."

All of those statements are true to a degree, but Ray's not entirely at fault either.

In this case, folks in Baltimore are making a big deal out of paragraph that is about as benign as it can possibly be. There's no direct quote from Ray saying, "I told Johnny boy that my dawg Smitty should be the quarterback." There's nothing to be attributed to Ray other than a very vague "privately lobbying" reference.

Smells like a non-story to me.

I'm privately lobbying for a hot tub, a putting green and an on-site massage therapist here at WNST, but that doesn't mean I'm going to Nestor on behalf of the crew to see if it can happen.

19 of 'em...ponder away

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:42:39 GMT

1. If they're healthy, the Ravens defense won't allow more than 260 points this year. Last year, not one team in the league surrendered less than 260. Three teams (Indy, 262 - Pittsburgh, 269 - Tampa Bay, 270) allowed 270 or less and all three made the playoffs.

2. Padraig Harrington won both the British Open* and PGA Championship* this year. That makes him the 2nd best player in the world in my book. Sorry, Phil.

3. It's Troy Smith's job to lose this Saturday when he plays with the first-team against the Vikings in Baltimore. If he impresses, he gets a leg up in the QB derby. If he doesn't, the California Kid gets the nod.

4. Brandon Webb (17-4) probably has the NL Cy Young award all but locked up. However, the A.L. Cy Young could go right down to the wire - and don't look now, but that guy in New York is 15-7 with a 3.27 e.r.a. -- yeah, a lot has to go right for Mike Mussina still, but he's "in the hunt" for that elusive 20-win season and a Cy Young award, perhaps, if Cliff Lee and Dice-K stumble down the stretch.

5. Ben Curtis locked up a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team with his tie for 2nd in the PGA Championship. Paul Azinger still has three weeks before he has to make his 4 "captain's picks" but I can make them for him now. 'Zinger, you need to take J.B. Holmes, Steve Stricker, David Toms and Brandt Snedeker. Two young guys, two veterans. Good combination. I'd think about taking Rocco Mediate, but I'm not sure he can physically handle the three days of golf and the 36-holes on Friday and Saturday.

6. Psst...did you hear the one about the Redskins going to the Super Bowl in 2008? Neither did anyone else.

7. So Willis McGahee is getting his knee scoped? Uh oh...I don't like that. Smells like a season-long "issue" to me.

8. Tampa Bay just keeps on winning, but the A.L. East will be decided in mid-September when the Rays and Red Sox play 6 games in a two week span. As for the Yankees, their next important game will be opening day '09 when they unveil the new Yankee Stadium. They're d-o-n-e.

9. Michael Phelps has won two gold medals so far in Beijing. You probably didn't know that, huh?

10. Another Friday night, another evening of long ticket lines and frustrated customers at OPACY. Why on earth don't they make provisions for overflow walk-up crowds so people don't have to stand in line until 8pm? I don't understand...

11. If the Texas Rangers had some real pitching, they'd be dangerous.

12. What's the story with the field they're playing soccer on at the Olympics in Beijing? It looks like something cows should be eating from. Rather, it looks like they've already BEEN eating from it. That's the best conditioned surface they could provide?

13. Speaking of the Olympics, I have just about zero interest in the "Redeem Team". Not sure why, but Olympic basketball doesn't seem the same playing NBA players.

14. Anthony Kim will be a U.S. Ryder Cup rock star. You heard it here.

15. I really hope Hayden Penn gets a call-up soon and makes 6-8 starts between now and the end of September so we can figure out if he's a real possibility for an '09 rotation-spot. I'm just about "Hayden Penn'd-out" and he hasn't even pitched here this year.

16. I'll take Maryland football to go 8-4 this year.

17. I'd give Oniel Cousins the "get in one more fight in training camp and you're gone" speech if I'm John Harbaugh.

18. Those of you who bet "the over" on the O's win total (66) for the season should be collecting by early September. Those of you who thought the O's were going to finish in last place were right, too.

19. The Ravens PR chief made an appearance at our 10th anniversary party on Friday but the O's main PR guy didn't. Maybe he couldn't find parking?

2. * - won the British Open and PGA Championship without Tiger in the field, which greatly reduces the credibility of both wins.

Round 1 goes to Boller...but stay tuned

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:58:16 GMT

For one night, anyway, Kyle Boller separated himself from the rest of the pack in the Ravens' quarterback derby.

The Ravens beat the Patriots, 16-15, on Thursday night when Bill Belichick decided to get the game over with early by going for two points after a late New England TD. The QB race in Baltimore rolls on though, and Boller acquitted himself fairly well on Thursday.

It wasn't a landslide victory, mind you, mainly because the playing field wasn't completely level. Boller played with the "first team" while Troy Smith and Joe Flacco worked with "others". On the night, Kyle was 11-for-15 for 102 yards.

Still, Boller made several nice throws and didn't seem to have the typical "technical glitches" that have plagued him for the better part of five years. No sign of happy feet, no throwing off of his back foot. All of the things the anti-Boller club point to as reasons why he can't play weren't there on Thursday. He did have a fumble and an interception - come on, you didn't expect him to be perfect, did you? - for good measure, but his offensive line was inexperienced and gave the Pats plenty of chances to chase Boller down. Those two turnovers will fuel all of the Boller-sucks calls at WNST today and there's no doubt your starting QB can't have two hiccups in less than 30 minutes of work in the NFL. If that happens, you'll lose a lot.

Overall, though, while working with an offense missing several key veterans, Boller's performance was acceptable on Thursday night. The haters will be out in full force today (see The Sun this morning for verification of that), but you can either look at the positive and say, "that was good to see" or you can look at the negative and say "nothing's changed." That's your call today.

Troy Smith went 5-for-12 for 74 yards and looked exactly like the Troy Smith of 2007. Eager to get out of the pocket and "make something happen", Smith has a good sense of when the world is crumbling around him. He can sniff out a pass rush...an attribute that will come in handy in '08 when he finally gets to play. His accuracy is coming into question, though, and several of his misfires on Thursday night looked sandlot-football-like. All in all, though, Smith handled his role of playing with the second-string decently, I thought.

We'll learn more about Smith next Saturday when he starts against the Vikings. That's his next chance to even the starting quarterback race as he'll get the benefit of playing with more experienced players.

As for Joe Flacco...he looked exactly like a guy playing in his first NFL game. And, of course, he was. 0-for-3 in limited mop-up time, Flacco had a fumble during his stint and failed to connect on any of his throws. It didn't look like Flacco was out of place, though. It just looked like he wasn't working with much, talent wise, around him.

The Ravens' defensive star of the night was Fabian Washington. One pre-season game does not a season make, but Washington's play on Thursday should calm our fears that the Ravens secondary depth wasn't improved in the off-season. Jim Leonhard created problems back there as well and played a big role on special teams. With the expected emergence of Nakamura and Zbikowski, the Ravens defensive backfield might be the team's strongest department in '08...as long as Ed Reed and Chris McAlister are healthy, that is.

All in all, it was a pretty good night for John Harbaugh's team. The offense didn't do much, scoring only one TD and that score was set up by a punt return to the 2-yard line. Matt Stover looked his usual reliable self with two FG's and the defense didn't give the Patriots much to work with. Then again, some guy named Brady didn't play for New England. Yeah, that makes a difference. Just a little bit...

Our thanks to Bill Belichick for proving that pre-season games really don't matter.

Ravens '08 (part 4) -- It could get ugly...

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:29:04 GMT

I did a 15-minute Ravens preview segment on a Cleveland radio station late last week and the on-air announcer said to me: "I guess it's fair to say the jury is out on John Harbaugh as a coach, right?"

I didn't know how to respond to that question at first, but I tossed out the most reasonable answer I could come up with at the time. Now, nearly a week later, it strikes me I gave him the ONLY answer I could.

"The jury is out on everyone...from the owner, to the GM, to the coach, to the players...everyone."

The jury IS out on the '08 Ravens. And I honestly don't know what's going to happen. The jury is out on the owner because he's the guy who summarily dismissed his 9-year head coach last December. Without gaining the approval of his "football people", should an owner make such a move? The jury is out on that one.

The jury is out on the GM because right now his football team reeks of inexperience at key positions. His team - if we're going to wear our "honest helmet" during this preview - has to be able to operate at nearly full health just to have a chance at a post-season berth this season. If a dozen veteran players go down with injuries - which happened last year, you'll recall - it could make the '07 team that went 5-11 look like the Cowboys of the early 90's. This is the first time in a decade or so that you can honestly point to the regular season and say, "We could be in for a four or five win season". If that happens, Ozzie Newsome's going to be a contestant on "The Blame Game" and could wind up the big loser if the owner's trigger finger perks up on New Year's Eve again.

The jury is out on the coach, but only because he's never been a head coach before. It will take a while before all of the evidence is in on John Harbaugh, but early returns indicate the players respect him and his coaching staff enjoys working with him. Now all we need are wins, playoff visits and a Super Bowl trophy within the next decade and we'll consider his hiring to be "the right move".

The jury is out on the players, in a big way. Can ANYONE quarterback this team and establish himself as the unquestioned leader of the franchise? Is Todd Heap going to return with a vengeance and re-establish himself as one of the game's premier tight end playmakers? Can the inexperienced Ravens offensive line hold its own against some of the best rush defense teams in the league in '08? What about pre-season injuries to stars like Willis McGahee, Ed Reed, Chris McAlister and Kelly Gregg? Any chance at all that those injuries plague those four throughout the season? What will Terrell Suggs offer the club after his month-long sulkfest in Arizona? And, of course, what will '08 do for Ray Lewis? Could this be his final season in Baltimore or will the club once again send the Brinks truck to Ray's driveway and let him pull cash out of it? What about the play of Mark Clayton? Can Trevor Pryce rebound from his injury woes of '07? What about Bart Scott, who had an off-year in '07 and was expected to emerge as an elite linebacker after breaking through with a Pro Bowl-type year in '06? The names and the questions go on and on and on.

The jury is out and this case won't be heard until at least the 8-game mark of the season. That's how long it will take to answer what's been asked above.

I have to admit as training camp has progressed, I'm feeling less and less enthusiastic about the Ravens chances this season. In the late spring, I figured this was a team that would put together an 8-win season. I assumed they could, if things really went their way, challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC North if they could string together 9 wins or more.

Then training camp began and the injuries started to mount and the inexperience started to show.

And that's where we are right now.

Privately, Ravens officials (or at least the ones I talk with) are generally optimistic about the upcoming campaign. They're not predicting a Super Bowl trip or anything, but they're also quick to point out that the coaching staff they've assembled is experienced and understanding of how to cover up and protect weaknesses on both sides of the ball. "We won't get blown out this year," one staffer said to me this week. "Our staff won't let that happen. Week to week, we're going to put a plan in place that gives us the best chance to win against the team we're playing on that given Sunday. You'll see us change styles throughout the season based on the opponent. We'll be better than people think."

Let's hope so, because right now, today, I'm not feeling it.

Inexperience is the team's biggest weakness. You can't remove veteran players like Ogden, Flynn and Mulitalo ('07) and replace them with guys who don't have much experience in the league and expect the young players to duplicate the success of the now-departed veterans. You can't "wish your way" through a 60-minute game in the NFL. Experience always wins out in the end. All you have to do is look back (if your stomach will allow it) at last year's games against Pittsburgh and Indianapolis when the Ravens faced those two teams without defensive secondary starters like McAlister and Rolle. It was ugly. Experience is non-negotiable.

My summary on how things could go in '08 is like this: If the Ravens starting 22 remain relatively healthy and intact for the regular season, I can see the purple birds hovering around the 8-win mark. A good bounce of the ball here and there and it could set them up for an AFC North playoff battle. A bad bounce or two and they could once again be scratching their way to 6 or 7 wins. If injuries continue to pile up and the trainer's room looks like a M*A*S*H unit week to week, it could make for one of those "once a decade" disasters where the club struggles to win a game a month and the fans start talking about the '09 draft around Thanksgiving.

I hope we're talking about playoff possibilities in late November, not which offensive tackle we'll be taking with the #5 pick in late April, 2009.

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:10:26 GMT

One year ago today, Ethan Joseph arrived on the scene at GBMC.

Life hasn't been the same since. To say it's been the best year of my life (and my wife's) would be an understatement.

Ethan turns one today which is always cause for a celebration, but he and I will be in front of the TV watching the Ravens-Patriots tonight. Hey, you gotta start 'em early, right? lol

And just to show there's no team favoritism in our house, my wife dressed him in Orioles pajamas last night. Imagine that...I went in to give him a good morning birthday kiss at 5:00 am today and there he was in Orioles gear.

My wife has a great sense of humor...

Happy Birthday Ethan! We love you buddy.

Ravens '08 (part 3) - An early cup of Joe?

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:54:29 GMT

These are interesting days for the Ravens' quarterback triangle.

In this corner, and the rightful starter for Thursday's pre-season opener at New England...Kyle Boller. Career accomplishments? Well, he's started 42 games in the NFL - has won a bunch of them - and didn't give the stadium the finger back in 2005 when he was injured in the season's first game and 20,000 or so actually cheered the fallen player. Experience is absolutely his best friend. He's played more games in one month than his two competitors have played in their respective NFL careers.

But that doesn't mean Boller has a cakewalk to the starting job in '08. And, it doesn't mean he deserves the starting job "just because".

In another corner is Troy Smith, whose career resume includes three total games - a win, a loss and an "incomplete" highlight his personal scorecard. To judge Smith on those three games would be grossly unfair as all three came at the end of a miserable campaign when both teams on the field were disinterested, for the most part.

Smith could be the team's starter on September 7 when the Ravens host Cincinnati. If he wins "the derby", I say go ahead and start him.

In the other corner sits Joe Flacco, the prospective golden child who, by nearly all accounts, will assume the keys to the team by 2009 at the very latest, leaving Smith and Boller on the sidelines with a clipboard and a headset or, perhaps, battling for a job in another NFL city.

These ARE interesting days in Westminster, though, because for once, there's actually excitement about the team's quarterback situation. And for a franchise that has spent upwards of $60 million on the starting quarterback position since 2003, any ray of hope requires SPF 50 sunscreen, a pair of Oakley's and an umbrella. The Ravens burn easily when it comes to identifying, grooming and holding on to a proven quarterback. In the case of their new number one draft pick, though, it's safe to say "the future's so bright, I need to wear shades..."

To summarize what's happened so far in this training camp and to point ahead to what MIGHT happen in the regular season and beyond, let's recap what we know to date. The only big news so far was delivered on Tuesday of this week when Boller was named the starter for Thursday in the pre-season opener. Read NOTHING into that, though. It was merely a gesture of respect from John Harbaugh, who understands that five seasons in the NFL accounts for something.

However, I'm hearing from someone completely in the know at McDaniel College that Kyle Boller has moved ahead in the quarterback derby for 2008. He was NOT given the starting nod for this Thursday at New England based on that note...the coaching staff needs to see everyone in "live" game action before they'll even hint at who's ahead and who's behind in the derby. That's fair and it's the right thing to do. Boller isn't light years ahead in the '08 battle to stand behind center on September 7. As someone associated with the team told me yesterday: "If this were being scored like a boxing match, Troy won the first three rounds (days) on points and Kyle has won the last six or seven rounds. But no one has knocked the other guy down."

That purple bird on the tree also tells me that it's already been determined that Troy Smith will start pre-season game #2. "The only fair way to do it," I was told. "Give them both (Kyle and Troy) equal time with the first team, even though the opponents are different and one game is home and one is away."

Lastly, and you might want to sit down for this one 'cuz it's a potential doozy. My high ranking source says the players are completely enamored with -- grab the arm of your chair -- J-o-e F-l-a-c-c-o. One Ravens veteran who was on the sideline nursing a training camp injury said to my source, "We're not really going to leave that kid on the bench this year are we? We want to win games, you know."

The doozy-fest isn't over yet. I'm hearing - and this is a direct quote - "we haven't completely ruled out starting Flacco on September 7."

Whhhaaaaaat? I almost fell into the steamed rice and vegetables in the cafeteria at the team hotel when a team staffer told me that earlier this week.

"Flacco knows the offense better than Kyle or Troy right now..."

How is that possible, I wonder?

A veteran player told me this week that Smith's accuracy has been consistently inconsistent throughout training camp. And, while he acknowledged that Boller "looks better" in this training camp than ever before, the vet also reminded me that the games they play right now are about 40% of what the game will look like on September 7. "There's something about Flacco," the player said. "It's the way he delivers the ball. He looks around, steps up and zips the ball. He's a thrower. We see it and we're like, 'holy smoke, this guy's the real deal' and that's not a slap at Kyle or Troy."

Keep in mind that's just one player's opinion on Smith, Boller and Flacco and others in camp might see things differently. Players watch the quarterbacks closely, though, particularly the injured ones who have nothing better to do but bide their time on the sidelines serving as apprentice coaches - mostly in their own mind(s).

John Harbaugh and his staff see the same things in all of the quarterbacks. There aren't any surprises with Boller. He's an athlete and a hard worker and a guy you want to root for to succeed because if anyone in this town ever DESERVED to have his day in the sun, it's Boller. But being athletic and working hard don't help when Troy Polamalu is lurking in the defensive backfield and he knows where you're throwing the ball before you know where it's going. You know what you're getting with Smith as well. His oft-criticized height is non-negotiable and can't be fixed or improved upon. He is what he is. A small'ish quarterback with a bigger-than-most chip on his shoulder, Troy Smith is well liked in the locker room and the players play for him in a way they don't or haven't for Boller. There's something to that. But, is it enough to give him the starting job and rest your hopes on someone who's built more like a point guard than a quarterback? Maybe. Maybe not. Everything is "maybe, maybe not" with Smith. That's one of the things working against him. No one's quite sure if he can do it or not.

As for Flacco, despite their head-over-heels affection for him, I can't imagine the coaching staff will hand him the ball on September 7. It should be noted, though, that more than one staffer has said to me recently, "What happened with Boller in '03 has no bearing on us and our decisions this year...we can't be swayed by decisions that were made 6 seasons ago. Times have changed, players are different and our offensive philosophies and formations are different." Fair enough.

Still, though, I can't see Flacco under center on September 7. When I reiterated that to a Ravens staffer Tuesday, he smiled and said, "If it happens, don't say I didn't tip you off to it..."

At this point, I say stick with the plan that includes a Boller-Smith competition and give the guy who performs the best the keys to the game in week #1.

In my mind, there's no favorite in this race, mainly because it's still far too early for anyone to separate himself from the pack. Kyle Boller could have a great game in New England or a bad one. Troy Smith could wow us in week #2 when he plays with the starters or he could stink it up. By September, though, one of those two will emerge as the "go to" guy for the opener vs. the Bengals.

Waiting his turn will be Joe Flacco. I don't think he's going to be waiting that long, though.

Get your sunglasses ready.

Ravens '08 (part 2) - What to do with 52?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:01:12 GMT

He's this city's most polarizing sports figure.

He might very well be the best player at his position ever.

He's a champion.

He's a leader.

And he's brought more notoriety to this city than any football player since a guy named Unitas.

Yet, in Baltimore, Ray Lewis doesn't have 100% of the vote.

How that's even possible is probably more of a story than the Ray Lewis story itself, but it's true. Despite carrying the Ravens on his back for the better part of a decade now, #52 has enough critics to fill up the whole club level at M&T Bank Stadium. Unfair? You bet. But people believe what they want to believe. And some believe Ray Lewis isn't due the credit he receives.

Baltimore revered the likes of Johnny U., Brooks and Cal, but merely appreciated Frank, Eddie and now, Ray. It's always been that way in our city, for some reason. 50% of the people think Ray showboats too much while the other 50% view his act as "connecting with the fans". In Baltimore, the two colors we see the most when it comes to sports AREN'T purple and orange. Unfortunately, Ray's contribution to the Ravens has been somewhat tainted by a city's inability to fully grasp all that he's done.

Ray's future with the team could be a major link in the John Harbaugh success-bracelet. If Lewis re-signs with the club and helps mold Harbaugh's defense through the turn of the decade and beyond, perhaps Lewis can do for his new coach what he did for the old coach -- help to fit him with a championship ring. But, should Ray depart at the conclusion of '08 and finish his career elsewhere, Ravens fans, and Harbaugh, will quickly see a meteor-like hole in the team's infrastructure. Repair time? Years, maybe.

My sources tell me Ray Lewis is looking for a $20 million deal with the Ravens when his contract expires after the '08 season. Lewis and the Ravens - most notably Ozzie Newsome - have talked contract already, but the two sides couldn't strike a deal in the off-season and Ray will play '08 without the guarantee of '09 money. The Ravens have informally looked at a $20 million deal but the numbers only work out in a 5 or 6-year contract with Lewis. And the club is keenly aware - as is Ray, certainly - that he will not be playing in the league in 2013 or 2014. He's good, but he's not THAT good. A possible scenario exists where the Ravens could ink Lewis to a deal in the $20 million range and give him $15 million of that up front, with the other $5 million earned out over the length of the contract. That's a deal Lewis would like, but it's unlikely the club will devote $15 million to a 33-year old linebacker nearing the Thanksgiving of his career. It will come down to money - as it almost always does - and that's where ego and pride sometimes get in the way. Ray's NOT going to play for free - or even at a discount - and the Ravens can't possibly sink $20 million into him over a 2 or 3-year period. It would be salary cap suicide - and remember, there might not even be a salary cap by 2011, which makes striking a deal with a guy who's in position to once again collect a big check all the more difficult for Ozzie Newsome.

Of course, the Ravens COULD just tell Ray "no thanks", offer him some kind of intentional low-ball sum and watch him test the free agent market next winter. They COULD do that. And that COULD be construed as bush-league by some - and rightfully so, if you ask me. Either strike a deal with the man that is fair and compensates him fairly for what he brings to the table or give him one helluva fairwell party and watch him play in Foxboro or Miami for a couple of years to culminate his Hall of Fame career.

What will be interesting this year, though, is to watch how Ray moves through the '08 campaign. For all the blessings he's provided this city on the field, it's only fair to note that Lewis has also earned the wrath that his detractor's provide. At times, he's been a malcontent. A misunderstood malcontent, perhaps, but a strife-causer nonetheless. There will ALWAYS be questions about what happened to him in the final two months of the 2005 campaign, when he scampered out of town in the middle of the night sans Mayflower Vans and loosely tossed us a story about a hamstring injury that required surgery. Because he was reluctant to provide details on that whole affair, questions still loom to this day. Was Ray really hurt? Or did the prospects of a disastrous season give him cause to think more about his future than the task at hand and did he simply "pack it in" to prolong his tenure in the league? No one really knows, but those questions haven't gone away, even though the hamstring-surgery scar probably has by now. There are some who believe Lewis was the conductor of a grass-roots campaign to have Brian Billick removed from his position as Head Coach, but as much proof exists with that claim as do sightings of UFO's and Bigfoot. Does Lewis carry a big stick at Owings Mills? Absolutely. Do he and owner Steve Bisciotti apparently have a relationship that borders on "intrusion to the system"? Perhaps. But, in the end, if Lewis DOES receive special treatment at 1 Winning Drive, it's because he earns it 16 times a year.

Are some players on the team envious of Ray's stature with the club? Sure. Do they privately bristle at the VIP robe he wears? You bet. Has the club enabled some of that tension by making Ray the centerpiece of the team's on-field product? Definitely. But you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Now is NOT the time to try and change Ray Lewis, the football player. Now is the time to extract every morsel of wisdom, talent and enthusiasm you can from him in the hopes his greatness rubs off on others who have more time to perfect their trade.

The Ravens have a lot of difficult decisions ahead of them and none will resonate as loudly as the one that comes along when they establish their next chapter with Ray Lewis. Keep him and pay him? If only it were that easy. To keep him, they will have to OVERPAY him. There'll be no hometown discount with Lewis, mainly because Baltimore's not his hometown and his roots here will easily be shoveled away the day his playing career is over. For Ray - and nearly every player in the league - these deals are about cash and business. If they were about WINNING, every guy would try to sign with New England the minute they become a free agent.

So what to do with 52? Spend more money on him and help usher him out into the Russell Street sunset within two or three years? That's the RIGHT thing to do. Like him or not - and there are reasons for both - you can never, ever question what he's done for the organization and for football in Baltimore. If our memories have been enhanced by his stay here - and no one can argue otherwise - the only thing for Lewis and Newsome to do is sit down like men and make sure Ray Lewis stays in purple forever.

If only it were that easy.

Here's my list of invitees - haters included

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:21:58 GMT

Our 10th anniversary party is this Friday at the Sports Legends Museum. It's also going to feature the "crowning" of the King of Baltimore, which, apparently, will be John Unitas. Like I said on the show today...it's not MY fault you folks voted for the wrong winner!

Anyway, the event - as you probably know - is sold out. However, I was given 100 tickets about two weeks ago and told to "do with them what I please." After taking care of some of my personal sponsors, I made up a list of folks that I would like to personally invite to the event. These are people that I consider "Comcast Morning Show VIP's" and others who actively participate in either the show or my web-blog. I've been reading the names off for the last few days and a lot of people have responded...but a few of you haven't.

Here's the list of people that I'm personally inviting to the 10th anniversary party. If you e-mail me at drew@wnst.net (if you're on the list below), I'll gladly leave you tickets at the door on Friday night.

>Bob in Parkville
>Greg in North East Baltimore
>Lou in Phoenix
>Jerry in Timonium
>Scott in Highlandtown
>John in Highlandtown
>Mark in Rosedale
>Mike in Rosedale
>Wayne in Timonium (haven't heard from him in a while).
>Chuck in Bel Air
>Art in Bel Air
>John in Towson
>Jason in Parkville
>Nick in Govans
>Bob in Hereford (mad at me because I'm too hard on the O's)
>Tom in Abingdon (where are you, bro?)
>Al the Bowling Guy
>Deacon Al (I think Rob already invited him...)
>Ken in Owings Mills
>Derrick on the East Side
>"T" from Ravens Roost 50
>Ravens Roost 82 in Parkville
>Tom in Bel Air (blog regular)
>CBR (blog regular)
>Columbia Ken (hater)
>Johnny Rocket (Redskins fan/hater)
>Ira Silverstein (hater)
>Crazy Mike T (blog regular)
>MGMC (another Crazy Mike/hater)
>Captain Jerk (funny dude)
>Captain Kirk (traffic pro/golf buddy)
>Greg Bader (major league hater)
>Mickey from Union Square (hater)
>Fergie in White Marsh
>Goomba (mad at me)
>Dan in Fallston
>The Ethical Governor of the state of Maryland, Ralph Jaffe.
>Ed in Park Heights
>Will in Randallstown
>Neal from "The Loss Column" (hater)

What a list! We have the Ethical Governor of the state of Maryland, a couple of policeman, a doctor, a fireman, some retired guys and a few people who use fake names on the web-site who won't show but I'll invite them anyway.

It's a party...who cares who shows up, right?

So there's the list. If I forgot you, it wasn't intentional, I promise. If you're a regular and you feel slighted, e-mail me and I'll see if I can squeeze you in.

Ravens '08 (Part 1) - The Coach

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:39:50 GMT

"I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day." - James Joyce.

Joyce has probably never before been used to describe an NFL training camp, but here, in Baltimore, it's certainly symbolic of what the Ravens are trying to do in this debut season for coach John Harbaugh.

What Harbaugh is trying to establish today, right now, is newness. A fresh approach isn't bulletproof, but the luxury of not knowing what lies ahead is. You can't shoot what you can't see. Today, and tomorrow, even, no one is going to know if John Harbaugh is the right man to lead the Ravens -- or the wrong man to lead the Ravens. Only one thing will determine the answer to that -- winning. The Ravens hired John Harbaugh because they stopped believing in the old system. A new system, with new ideas, new people and new goals, is only useful if those goals are attained. Anyone can come along and talk the talk. The best people are the ones who walk the walk.

The pitfalls of hard work contribute to physical and mental failures. Harbaugh's approach to the game tests both. At the nine-day mark of training camp, 23 different players have been injured enough to miss time from practice. Is that Harbaugh's fault? Not necessarily. Should he be blamed? Not really. Will he? Absolutely. But only if the team doesn't win. If the '08 season features more losing than winning, skeptics will quickly point to the summertime blues when "Harbaugh worked the players too hard..." However, if the Ravens surprise the experts and battle their way through the AFC North and a bear of a non-conference schedule to bounce back into the playoffs, Harbaugh will be lauded as the guy who "toughened those guys up and got them ready to battle in the trenches." It's John Harbaugh's team and the results will be attached to John Harbaugh. Fair? Not totally. But it IS the American Way. Someone has to take the blame. Or get the credit.

John Harbaugh's rise (or fall) will not happen overnight. He faces a myriad of issues in his first season as a professional coach, the least of which is guiding a room of men in the same direction when virtually every single one of them has his own agenda. I said that was the least of his issues? Make that his biggest issue, actually. He'll come across players who don't care for his style. In fact, there are already some who don't. What to do with them? What's the solution if the team languishes at 4-8 with four weeks to go and a handful of veteran players suddenly feel their quad muscle tighten in practice? What decision gets made in week #2 if two members of the starting defense slip in at 1:30 am and miss curfew by 90 minutes? Send them home and risk a loss? That's why John Harbaugh gets paid the big bucks.

There will be on-field decisions to be made, almost on a weekly basis, that will have the eyes of an entire city cast upon the Ravens' new head coach. It's a pressure-filled position, for sure. And when you're the guy taking over for the ex-coach who just happened to "fluke his way" to a Super Bowl title during his tenure...well...you can only hope you can pull off a fluke like that during your time in town. Anything less, of course, won't be good enough.

Pre-Monday edition of "19 points"

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:49:07 GMT

With Thursday's pre-season opener in New England on the horizon, I'm posting a 4-part blog series on the Ravens '08 season starting on Monday. With that in mind, I've thrown together a late Sunday night version of "19 points" that will carry over into Monday. Hope you don't mind.

1. So "Bush League Danny" is at it again. The Redskins owner recently announced the team will introduce a "fast lane" through security for all home games at FedEx field. Great concept, huh? Avoid the long lines and fly by "the great unwashed". Oh, I almost forgot to mention: That'll be $100, please. Yep, Daniel Snyder is going to charge people $100 if they want an "EZ Pass" at FedEx field. Want the regular pat-down? It's free. Want the quick version? $100, please.

2. The funniest part about Michelle Wie shooting 73-80 at the PGA Tour event in Reno last week? She beat nine other players. All men. One of them was David Duval, who shot 154. Anyone hear from "Ryan in Fallston"?

3. I wonder how many training camp injuries the Ravens would have if, say, they practiced indoors at Owings Mills every day?

4. I'm not sure why, but I have to admit Pudge Rodriguez looks like a Yankee in that uniform. I never thought Jason Giambi "looked the part", actually, but I-Rod does for some weird reason.

5. It's August and the Tampa Bay Rays are still in first place. I'll admit it, I'm shocked. Glad I didn't make THAT bet.

6. It's August and the Orioles are in last place. But...(drum roll please)...they're still better than the Nationals.

7. I know he's been suspended for two games for beating up his own teammate and that's not a great testament to locker room unity, but I'd take Steve Smith in Baltimore. He'd be our version of Hines Ward.

8. The NFL Hall of Fame is cool and all, but they need to do something about those induction speeches. A few of them were almost embarrassing on Saturday.

9. So Paul Azinger has already told Anthony Kim he's on the Ryder Cup team no matter what happens next week at the PGA Championship ("AK" is likely to make it on points anyway...). That's one of my slam-dunk captain's picks off the market. I think J.B. Holmes and John Rollins should be considered too.

10. How cool would it be if somehow, someway, the Rays and Marlins met in the World Series? Two teams from Florida that no one cares about playing for the title. The Rays haven't ever had a winning season and A-Rod makes more ($32 mil) than the entire Marlins roster ($22 mil). If there are baseball gods...

11. I watched about 7 minutes of a UFC "fight" on Saturday and it's just not interesting enough. Maybe I caught a bad match-up or something, but those two guys hugged more than a boy and girl at a 7th grade dance.

12. I'm sticking with my June NFL '08 prediction: I like the Chargers and Cowboys in the Super Bowl. I think the Saints will be better than advertised and I think the Bengals won't live up to their hype.

13. So my pre-season baseball prediction of the Cubs beating the Tigers in the World Series is looking halfway decent. The Cubbies have a real shot - the Tigers, don't.

14. The best CURRENT logo in baseball belongs to the Mets. The best all-time logo in baseball is the old Milwaukee Brewers logo with the "MB" that looks like a baseball glove with a ball in it.

15. Is it me or does Cito Gaston look like the guy from "Weekend at Bernie's"? I swear, everytime they show Gaston in the dugout, I want to put a mirror in front of his face to make sure he's breathing.

16. I played in a charity golf event last Monday and saw a fairly popular ex-Oriole at the dinner/reception afterwards. I said, "How are the Birds treating you?" and he said, "The same way they've been treating me for 20 years...like I don't exist."

17. Troy Smith starts on September 7 vs. Cincinnati.

18. It's the Browns division to lose. When's the last time you could say that?

19. Not one single point about Brett Favre. I'm the only guy in the country who can ignore him, it seems.

Boras is on "the good stuff"

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:44:29 GMT

Did I read that right today? Scott Boras is floating the figure of 10-years/$230 million as the price-tag for Mark Teixeira?

$23 million a year for a guy whose never won anything in his career?

$230 million for Mark Freakin' Teixeira?

Sure, as long as the Statue of Liberty is included.

I know it's just his opening salvo...he can't POSSIBLY be serious...but Boras is out-of-his-mind if he thinks anyone in the league is going to give "Tex" $23 million a year.

Even the Yankees aren't that crazy.

Maybe Boras is just trying to get A-Rod another raise. After all, if Teixeira gets $23 million in New York, that immediately makes #13 worth $40 mil a year, right?

Miller Lite's Big League & Bush League

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:41:01 GMT

Note: Some of the elements of this edition of Miller Lite's "Big League and Bush League" were included in a Thursday blog that was lost when we encountered server issues on Thursday night. That explains the repetition. That explains the repetition.

Big League -- Andy MacPhail isn't throwing a perfect game in his 13-plus months with the Orioles, but it's a 2-hitter over 7.2 innings with 9 strikeouts and no earned runs. In other words, he's been REALLY good. This week, he once again did the right thing by not jumping the gun on a trade offer "just to make a deal." Sure, moving Aubrey Huff somewhere would have been cool by me...getting a really good prospect or two for George Sherrill or Chad Bradford might have been interesting as well. But, MacPhail's accumen has been on full display since June of '07 and it's worth trusting him based on the results he's generated thus far.

Bush League -- This time last year, a slew of Ravens players were dipping their toe(s) into the world of radio, hosting or co-hosting their own weekly radio show during the 2007 NFL season. I raised an immediate "red flag" on those shows and noted that not only do they cause internal strife within the business-side of the organization, but they also provide players with a forum to talk about "team business" in a public environment that is not good for locker-room unity. Last year, the shows became a hot topic when players openly criticized the coach, styles of play and other elements of the organization. I assumed one of John Harbaugh's first "stamps" on his team would be to eliminate those shows in 2008, but evidently the new sheriff in town only has one set of handcuffs, because FOUR more shows are set to air this year on a competing radio station in town. Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Chris McAlister and Terrell Suggs will get behind the mic this year...for better or worse. I said it in August of 2007 and here I am saying it in August of 2008: Having players do weekly radio shows outside of the organization's best interests is not a good thing. It usually leads to more bad than good. It did last year. It will this year, too.

Big League -- Theo Epstein will get a standing ovation when he walks into the Red Sox locker room around 3:45 pm this afternoon. I'm sure every player on the team yelled out "THANK GOD!" yesterday afternoon when they heard the news that Manny Ramirez was on his way to Los Angeles and would no longer be poisoning the Boston clubhouse. How much of a royal pain-in-the-rear did Manny become for Epstein to ship him out while the Red Sox are involved in a daily fight for their lives in the American League East? Think about that...Boston just traded one of the most powerful and prolific hitters of our generation during a pennant race because he was wrecking their locker room. I love it. Ramirez has become the most ungrateful athlete in all of sports (yep, more ungrateful than Favre) and yesterday he got his due when Epstein said, "The joke's on you, pal...we won two World Series titles with you...we're sick of you...and now, you can pack your stuff and we'll carry on with our work."

Bush League -- Brett Favre. Enough said.

Big League -- I heard Ray Lewis on a radio show this week and he commented on his lack of an '09 contract by saying this..."I'm not even focused on that now. I'm worried about this football season and getting my defense ready to play 16 games. That contract stuff will be dealt with later on." Now THAT is the kind of comment you want to hear from your team leader.

22 answers for 22 questions

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:53:54 GMT

I like Wednesday's, mainly because I offer "22 Questions". Well, actually, it also means we're on the downside of another work-week, but 22 Questions IS near and dear to my heart.

Go ahead and ask anything you want.

Well, almost anything. You can't ask me if Daniel Cabrera was intentionally throwing at A-Rod in the 8th inning last night. Of course he wasn't. However, when you're a guy (Cabrera) who has thrown at hitters in the past, you get that label as a loose-cannon...and that's what got him thrown out last night.

And now...it's question time.

Go get 'em...

Trembley vs. MASN won't be much of a fight

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:53:58 GMT

Dave Trembley might find the Orioles front office a tougher foe than any he's faced in the American League East over the last 13 months or so. The only problem? You rankle the Red Sox or Yankees and lose a series or two, there's "always next time"...rankle the folks who sign your paycheck and maybe, just maybe, "next time" doesn't come around.

For any of you who have closely followed the Orioles this season, it's becoming more and more apparent that Dave Trembley is embroiled in some kind of rocky relationship with members of the team's front office, including folks who work for the team's MASN TV network.

I'm not sure if Dave realizes it, but fighting the MASN gang is like fighting Peter Angelos himself. Peter's son, John, runs the outfit and MASN's revenues are, in part, supposed to fuel the team's roster resurgence over the next decade.

Yet, Trembley has time and time again seemed openly agitated during his post-game press conferences that are televised live by MASN. Some of that agitation has spilled over to the media, where DT has occasionally conducted his post-game "give and take" with an acerbic tone directed at members of the press.

As one locker room regular said to me earlier this week, "we all know he has issues with MASN and he knows that we know it...yet he still takes some of that out on us after games when all we're trying to do is get a quote or two and move on to do our story."

As a matter of full disclosure, I'll openly share that I have not been in the Orioles locker room since opening day this year. Three days earlier, on March 28, the team's Director of Communications told me point-blank he would rather NOT see me at the stadium covering the team. Ask and ye shall receive.

However, I do TALK about the O's every single day on the air and therefore, I watch a good portion of most games and always make it a point to tune in to the post-game show on MASN to hear Trembley speak on the game and/or the decisions he made. Thanks to MASN's fine work, I actually DON'T have to go to the ballpark to cover the team...I can just sit home and do it. So, I do.

I also talk with members of the media on a regular basis and those that cover the club almost unanimously agree that Trembley is starting to wobble a bit as August rolls around. In other words, some are starting to question his stability.

Already this year, he has publicly criticized Greg Bader in a pre-game press conference and has, on more than one occasion after a loss, been combative with members of the media who questioned a move he made during the game. Earlier this year in Chicago, he evidently took exception to something that Amber Theoharris reported during one of her MASN updates and has been, shall we say, less than warm with her throughout the campaign.

Now, let's spend some time taking up for Dave Trembley, since few in the Orioles organization appear willing to do so. He's a man who took over a group of misfits last year at mid-season and, predictably, it got worse before it got better. He's also a man who - despite some problems handling his pitching staff - has blossomed this year as a "no holds barred" kind of guy - precisely the style that has been needed in Baltimore for quite some time. While the '08 team is likely to once again finish in last place, they will do so without embarrassing themselves. That, alone, can be attributed to some solid off-season moves by Andy MacPhail and a summer-long dedication to professionalism from Trembley. Yet, Trembley still doesn't have a contract in place for '09, although the team has an option to exercise an '09 deal that will bring him back for his 2nd full campaign with the club.

Some members of the media who cover the team on a daily basis feel like Trembley's recent anti-MASN approach might hurt his chances at an '09 deal. Last Sunday, he remarked during his post-game press conference that Roch Kubatko of The Sun would be leaving the paper to work for MASN and added, "maybe you can straighten some stuff out around here..."

It's those kinds of one-liners that the casual fan might not even pick up on, but those of us who follow the team on a daily basis and have some idea of the inner workings of the club fully know "a shot" when we hear it. There have been a lot of "shots" fired by Trembley this year. Just listen a little more closely and you'll pick them up.

Someone associated with the club told me last week that Trembley is not a fan of the team's "Wired Wednesday" segment when they throw a headset on him during the middle of the game and do a 2-3 minute inteview as play proceeds on the field. "Dave thought it was an early-season, promotional gimmick kind of thing...a once a month type deal...he wasn't prepared for it to be a weekly intrusion."

It's not quite George Steinbrenner-Billy Martin, of course. Trembley has too much respect for the game and Andy MacPhail to cause havoc in-season. But he's also a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and, as some of those post-game comments have indicated, he'll only take so much before speaking his mind.

In the end, will a team offer a new contract to a manager who is borderline combative and openly critical of the club's cash-cow TV network?

It's a Catch-22, because Trembley should know a successful TV venture by the O's could lead to a larger player payroll investment and, ultimately, more wins for HIM as the skipper. That being said, if the Orioles continue to put money, TV, advertising, in-game interviews with a manager who's trying to manage the game and post-game press conferences ahead of the baseball GAME itself, they might create a monster they themselves don't even know how to slay.

Ultimately, money will always win out and if someone has to put his tail between his legs and scurry into the corner, you can bet your orange rear-end it won't be John Angelos or the folks at MASN.

It's not easy working for the Orioles and it's not easy being told what to do by folks who've never managed a game in their life.

But, as Dave Trembley might find out - and as I have learned on numerous occasions over the last two years - questioning the team's motives and wondering aloud if they could be doing things differently will only lead to one thing: Exclusion.

And if Trembley think he's "untouchable", all he needs to do is get a hold of Davey Johnson or Pat Gillick.

They'll confirm it for him. Everyone's expendable at The Warehouse.

Ponder these 19 points

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:01:37 GMT

1. For all of the talk about how this year's O's club is so much more entertaining and exciting as last year's (true, by the way), guess how many more wins this year's team has - after 104 games - than last year's band of misfits? ZERO. Both teams are/were 49-55 at this stage in the season.

2. My Ravens "bird in a tree" tells me the newcomer they've been the most impressed with so far in training camp is Ray Rice.

3. Manny is "tired" of the Red Sox? That's funny. "Tired" of the team that has paid him $20 million a year for the last eight years. Sometimes I wonder if these guys have any brain matter up there.

4. So Chad Johnson wound up reporting to camp after all that posturing and pontificating during the off-season? Another coward exposed.

5. What on earth was Dave Trembley thinking in his Sunday post-game press conference when he blabbed the news that Roch Kubatko was leaving The Sun and joining MASN? Shouldn't Roch be allowed to tell everyone the news on his own schedule?

6. Perspective: The O's have a total of TWO complete games as a staff this season. Johan Santana has SEVEN with the Mets.

7. I like John Harbaugh's "30-plus" club concept. He gives players who are 30 and over every 3rd day off...smart move, Coach. Funny, though, had the "former coach" instituted the 30-plus rule, it would have been scoffed at as another example of "Camp CreamPuff". It IS a great idea, though and another touch from Harbaugh that shows he's in tune with what's necessary to get the players ready to play in September.

8. With Radhames Liz being optioned to Triple AAA, that leaves an opening for a starter...why not give Jim Johnson a chance? He's been the team's most reliable non-starter over the last 50 games or so.

9. If the O's can't move Aubrey Huff NOW (hitting .293 with 20 HR), what's that say about how the rest of the league perceives him?

10. Except for the AL West, it looks like every race in baseball will go down to the final week of the season. Should be interesting in the AL East, where Boston finishes at home vs. New York and Tampa travels to Detroit to end their season.

11. Note to Jay Brodie and the gang at the Baltimore Development Corp. -- Since a new arena (even though it's in Baltimore) would be contributing admission tax to the STATE of Maryland, how about going to the esteemed Governor and asking him to put some heat on the University of Maryland to play at least ONE home basketball game (Men's and Women's) in the new Baltimore arena for the next 10 years? And don't make it Maryland vs. UNC-Asheville, either. Give Baltimore the ACC/Big Ten challenge game or some other strong non-conference opponent.

12. One Ravens vet tells me everything is going fine in training camp with the exception of a couple of the team's new assistant coaches who are bordering on being disrespectful to the players who are making mistakes in camp. As the player told me, "on one of those days when it's really, really hot and people are ready to boil over, one of those coaches is going to chew out the wrong guy and get himself in trouble..."

13. If I had to bet on one team right now to win the World Series, I'd put my money on the Angels. Good starting pitching, good offense and a great bullpen with a tireless closer. Oh, and they also have a very good manager, which comes into play a lot during the post-season.

14. Q. What do you get if you see a Redskins fan buried up to his neck in sand? Answer at the bottom of the page...

15. I'm the biggest golf fan in the world and I'm barely following the sport with Tiger out of action. I didn't watch ONE hole of the Canadian Open over the weekend. Not one. Chez Reavie won. Yeah, I don't care either. Hurry back, T-Dub.

16. KOBS Final Four: Ripken vs. Palmer and Brooks vs. Unitas. Here's who SHOULD win: Palmer and Unitas. Here's who WILL win: Ripken and Unitas. It's shameful if Palmer isn't the overall winner, but I'm not holding out much hope.

17. There was a rumor floating around town last week that Brian Roberts "popped the question" to a lady friend. Have no fear, ladies, it's not true. According to Scott Hoffman at OriolesHangout.com, Roberts is very much still an unengaged bachelor.

18. We have some VERY big news here at WNST.net that will be well received by Ravens fans this season. Let's just say we'll be "in the huddle" with the team...each and every day. And you'll be able to read it all ONLY at WNST.net. Details coming soon...

19. A.J. Burnett is telling people in these parts that he's coming to Baltimore next season. I'll take him. Especially if it's the A.J. Burnett who pitched against the O's last week when Toronto came to town.

Answer: More sand.

The Arena, Camp CreamPuff and O's Bashing

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:32:08 GMT

Three lively topics for a beautiful Friday in Bawlmer.

First, the Arena. I'll sum it all up in four words. Dont. Hold. Your. Breath.

I say all of this with no disrespect intended to Jay Brodie and everyone else involved with the Baltimore Development Corporation. In fact, frankly, I think putting the new building on the site of the current facility is the RIGHT thing to do. I think Jay and his group have done their due diligence and I applaud them for at least getting us to this step in the process.

Now, though, it's time to talk about the only thing that REALLY matters in this endeavor. Money.

Where the hell are we going to come up with $300 million for a new facility? Answer: We aren't.

Let me think this through for a second. No NHL team is coming here. No NBA team is coming here. No college basketball team can put 18,500 in there 15 nights/days a year in the winter.

Boy, seems like a good investment to me. I'm sure business folks all over town will be signing on the dotted line when they'll be asked to put money in on a new building that has no major tenants.

The shame of it all is that Baltimore is in dire need of a new building. That's the "gee, tell me something I don't already know" statement of the day, right? As much as we like to pick on the city of Pittsburgh, they even have a new building in the works. Of course, they have a hockey team to put in there and a college (Pitt) that will fill the Arena for basketball.

Baltimore might be the only city east of the Mississippi that considers itself "big league" that doesn't have a "big league" indoor venue. So much for being "big league", I guess.

I hope the new arena happens. Even without the NBA or NHL, it's still a necessity in our city. I just wonder, though, where the $300 million is coming from to build it. Until those checks are deposited, I'm still a non-believer.

On to Camp CreamPuff. Actually, Camp CreamPuff is a thing of the past. But the thought of it still exists with some people out there who have this weird rationale that not battering your players over the head with a 2x4 during summer practices somehow makes them LESS prepared during the season.

The John Harbaugh era started this morning with a full-pads contact work-out at 8:30 am. I said from the outset that I don't like that approach. Not on day one. Guys just rolled into town. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I think players should work up to the level of full contact. But, that's just me. By the way, it should be noted that Brian Billick would practice the team in full pads on the first day of training camp and I didn't really like it back then either.

My opinion on this subject has nothing to do with Camp CreamPuff (which never really existed actually...it was an urban-legend created by - oh, never mind) or Brian Billick or the manner in which he ran practices throughout training camp. My opinion is this: get the players fit, ease them into hitting and full contact and save the real "kick their ass" blood-boiling stuff for the pre-season games and then, of course, the regular season.

I put no stock in the theory that some subscribe to: "they're football players...put those helmets out there and hit someone...we need to be tough from the very first practice of the year!"

Have you ever met a NFL football player? Have you talked to Ray Lewis? Or Gary Stills? Or Bart Scott? Or Kelly Gregg? Let me tell you something, those guys are tough as nails and they don't need to practice in full pads on day one of training camp to make them ANY MORE TOUGH once the season begins in earnest. If you think otherwise, you're just showing your lack of knowledge of the game of football.

I'm not saying I dislike contact in training camp. It is, after all, "training" camp, which means they're training for the season that starts in 7 weeks. Contact and physicality are part of practice...I get that.

I just don't like having a guy get off the plane on Wednesday, put the uniform on beginning Friday morning...and then start hitting people and going all out 30 minutes into the first practice.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. We're not winning any games right now.

But I also get the idea that John Harbaugh needs to assert himself from day one. And, as Quinn Sypniewski can unfortunately attest to, occasionally someone has to "take one for the team" - unnecessary or not - to put a stamp on the new attitude the coach brings to the table.

I'm hoping no one gets hurt today. It would be a bad way to kick things off, particularly when you take into account that most everything else Harbaugh as touched this off-season has been well received.

I think John Harbaugh will be an outstanding coach here in Baltimore. Someone needs to remind him that he can't win everyone over on day one of training camp. There's this thing called the Super Bowl that we care a lot more about than busting each other up on July 25.

Now, if Harbaugh doesn't hold up the Lombardi Trophy within 9 years, we'll all have reason to complain.

As for now, we'll have to stick with Camp HardBall and hope it yields the same results over the next nine years that Camp CreamPuff did. If so, we'll be quite pleased.

And for those of you who think I bash the Orioles too much, I'll just add this:

You're right.

It's old and tiring. I agree.

I'm tired of the franchise doing the wrong things as much as you're tired of hearing or reading me complaining about them.

There's only one little issue. They keep on doing the wrong things.

I'll just keep doing what I've been doing because that seems to be the fairest way to handle them.

When they do the RIGHT thing, I'll give them their due.

When they do the WRONG thing, I'll bring that up as well.

It's their job to do more right things than wrong things.

I can't control that.

Neither can they, it seems.