Rob Long's Blog, Brought to you by Jerry's Toyota

I Give Up... Almost

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:33:22 GMT

Alright. The e-mails have been pouring in and the phone calls have been steady.

Okay, in my business, both of those are REALLY good.

However, for some reason, most of you are of the opinion that Troy Smith is intriguing enough to be given the starting quarterback job.

Nevermind the fact that he hasn't shown us anything, so far, let's give the guy a chance. It can't be any worst than Kyle Boller.

Yes it can, and it is. He is worst than Boller, but that's my opinion. I'm done with trying to convince you.

So, here's to hoping you get your wish. I hope Troy Smith is named the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. I hope that the players get what they want by getting their guy. I hope you all get what you want and Smith is "the guy."

So, I'll do all that I can to give my opinion about it, only when asked. I don't want to be the guy who's accussed of not being a Ravens' fan.

Don't get me wrong, when the time comes, I'll give my opinion. I'm just not going to keep pushing my opinion on you. I'll say it, only, when asked. I think...

So, What Do You Think...?

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:49:42 GMT

Now that you've had a chance to digest the second pre-season game, what do you think?

I'm sure most of us can agree that this game was a lot more challenging than the game against the Patriots.

The offense isn't good, the defense isn't as good, and the quarterback "battle" isn't positive.

In all, what are your thoughts on the upcoming season? Is this team better than we've seen so far, or is this as good as it gets?

Let's talk about it...

Comeback Player of The Year

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:26:20 GMT

The Comeback Player of The Year award is usually reserved for players who are coming back from an injury. This year's team has plenty of those candidates.

Samari Rolle was diagnosed with a serious life changing illness that could alter the way he plays the game. If he puts together a solid year, he could be a strong candidate for the award.

Trevor Pryce changed the face of the defense in 2006 with his ability to get to the quarterback without a complexed blitzing scheme. If he can mirror the '06 season, Pryce could be the Comeback Player of The Year.

Again, the possibilities are endless. The Ravens had several injuries last season, which means they're counting on those players to return to form in the upcoming season.

With that being said, I believe the Comeback Player of The Year will come from a player who missed no time at all.

This could be the season that Bart Scott proves he is REALLY a premiere linebacker.

In 2006, Scott had over 100 tackles with 9.5 sacks. Numbers aside, he was an impact player who the Ravens counted on to be a game changer on nearly every play.

Last season, Scott's impact wasn't nearly has great. He had 94 tackles, but his drop-off of only 1 sack reflected his drop-off of impact plays.

I believe that, in this contract season, Bart Scott will go back to being that "Mad Backer" that we've come to expect.

Bart Scott, my 2008, Ravens, Comeback Player of The Year.

Maybe I Just Hate Change.

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:57:48 GMT

I'm feeling very anxious about the upcoming Ravens' season. Not the anxiety that's, "I can't wait until the season begins."

This is the anxiety that says, "I'm really not sure about this season." I really believe it's because of the changes that have occured in this franchise during the off-season.

Maybe I'm showing my age, or maybe I'm just not liking what I'm seeing, so far. I don't know, but I'm trying to figure it out. I am willing to admit it's paranoia. If so, isn't that part of being a fan.

Your thoughts. I need therapy. Am I blowing things out of proportion?

This Is What It's All About

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:11:24 GMT

While at Ravens' Training Camp, I try to stand near the guys who win championships in the NFL. I enjoy watching what the offensive and defensive linemen are doing.

As I sit and watch the men in purple, I'm alarmed at what's happening at the tackle positions. Jason Brown, Marshal Yanda, and Ben Grubbs have been very impressive.

However, if the Ravens don't have a player who steps up to protect the quarterback, you may need three quarterbacks this season.

NFL Running Backs

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:29:13 GMT

We've had this conversation on many occassions. Now, I've shared my thoughts about NFL running backs on fansfantasyfootball.com

As you prepare for your fantasy football draft, don't get burned. It's all about yardage, and that's it. There of a number of NFL backs who can collect 1100 yards.

Check out my article on fansfantasyfootball.com

Flacco...

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:34:35 GMT

Today, in Westminster, I stood on the sidelines, near the end zone. I usually stand there at times during practice because I want to get every good angle possible.

Today, that angle gave me an opportunity to see the passing drills from a great vantage point.

I saw how impressive Joe Flacco really is. Flacco threw some passes that I haven't seen in Westminster in a long time. He was able to hit receivers on fade routes, deep out routes, post routes, and double moves.

Now, we can all agree that he's going to need time to execute, but he's clearly a guy who can make all of the throws with accuracy and with ease.

No, I'm not saying he's going to be our starting quarterback right away. But today, when I saw Flacco throwing to Marcus Smith with Ray Rice in the backfield, I got really excited.

An Observation...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:30:11 GMT

Football is played once a week. Yes, sometimes, teams may play on a Sunday, and then come back to play Thursday, but if that happens, they get more time to recover before the next game.

I believe, and I'm sure you do as well, this is done because of the physical and violent nature of the game. It's certainly not like baseball and not like basketball. You can create a game-like environment, in practice, on a daily basis for extended periods of time in those sports.

I think football would be much different than that. While I expect a team to go over situations to help the timing aspect of certain plays, but not sure if you can go beyond that on a regular basis.

Maybe it's the Camp Billick environment that I've grown accustomed to, but it seems to be a lot of "live" practices in Westminster. This seems unusual, due to all of the players on the offensive side learning a new system. The thought of learning your way through a new offense with this defense pounding on you is quite scary.

Rex Ryan's crew is back, but the offense, which by nature is always behind the defense, is trying to figure things out while dodging bullets everyday. That seems like an uncomfortable situation.

Will the daily grind of "playing tackle" beat this team up? We'll see. Sometimes, you can peak too soon. For all of the weight training and conditioning that these guys do in the off-season, nothing can prepare them for having another 230 pound man throw his body at you.

Maybe Coach Harbaugh's way is the best way. If not, the early bumps and bruises that this veteran team is experiencing now, will catch up with them later on.

Again, this is, for the most part, a veteran team.

Running Backs

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:25:35 GMT

I like Ray Rice. Yes, I know I wasn't in favor of the team taking a second round draft pick to get him, but the more I see, the more I like.

Yes, I know about his great personal story and I like that, but I love to see this guy run. He has great "wiggle" ability and he has the ability to cut without slowing down.

I believe Willis McGahee will get pushed by this rookie from Rutgers

Who's Number 6?

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:39:18 GMT

I think we can all agree that the top five teams in the AFC are the Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars, and Steelers. Things may change, but for now...

What we don't know is who's number six. The popular candidate is the Cleveland Browns, but not so fast. I believe the race for number six is wide open.

In fact, the sixth best team in the AFC may be a mediocre team. The team could be a team with an 8-8 record. This could be a team that stumbles into the play-offs. Could that team be the Baltimore Ravens?

A Very Special Time...

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:53:25 GMT

Last night, I got the chance to share something, very special, with my family.

My wife is from Camden, South Carolina and my oldest child was born in 1998. So, I was presented with the opportunity to give a history lesson.

As members of the 1983 World Champion Baltimore Orioles came onto the field at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, my family asked me questions about that team. It was an honor to be able to answer those questions.

I lived it, much like many of you who are reading this. I answered whether or not the Martinez's were related. My wife noticed that the team had three Hall of Famers who were announced. My daughter realized that the stadium that was on the video was different from the one the team plays in now.

Last night was special. For the first time, and maybe the last time, the people who mean the most to me had the chance to chant E-D-D-I-E, E-D-D-I-E with me.

The Green Ravens

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:52:46 GMT

I stood out today in Westminster, Maryland, as the young Baltimore Ravens get ready to make a splash in the NFL.

As Joe Flacco, Tavares Gooden, Ray Rice and other new Ravens took the field, I couldn't help but look ahead at what type of impact these guys would be in the NFL.

While you cannot predict whether or not these guys will be All-Pro or All-Cellar, these are exciting times for a fan.

I remember watching JO and Ray Lewis grow up as rookies and into Hall of Fame performers. I don't think any of us knew how good those guys were going to be. That's the beauty of starting over, you never know.

So, while we sit here, debating over Boller, Smith or Flacco, and trying to figure out whether or not Ray Rice was worth the pick, the excitement of the unknown is what keeps us tuned in. It's the television show that comes on once a week and haves you talking about it between episodes. It's the NFL. The ultimate cliffhanger.

The Ravens' QB Talk

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:16:09 GMT

The signing of Joe Flacco starts talks of, "Who's gonna start at quarterback for the Ravens?"

Flacco's confidence in his ability may cause the right kind of problems for the team. He seems to believe that he has what it takes to take over for the Ravens.

The question has been Boller or Smith for so long, that we haven't seriously taken into consideration whether or not Flacco may beat both of those guys out. If so, does he start?

Many Ravens' fans would say "no" to that because of the way Kyle Boller's career has gone since he was handed the starting job as a rookie. The fear is that Flacco would be ruined under the pressure of learning how to be an NFL quarterback, on the field.

It's been done before. There have been rookie quarterbacks who've turned out well after playing as rookies. We can't allow fear of what happened with Boller dictate what's best for Flacco and the current Baltimore Ravens. Maybe, Boller was a bad fit and that's what happened. Maybe Boller starting as a rookie has nothing to do with where his progression stands.

I hope the coaching staff evaluates the quarterbacks on what happens in camp, and not on preconceived notions. If Flacco looks better than Smith and Boller, let him play. If not, sit him and let him learn.

By the way, Joe Flacco will be on the show today during the 3:00 hour. Happy Chicken Box Friday.

Instant Relay?

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:03:50 GMT

First, the words, "That baseball game was too long," will never be said by me. There's no such thing.

With that in mind, last nights All-Star game should have ended, twice, in the 11th inning.

Now, I know the baseball purist are going to come out and debate what I have to say, but it's your right. That's why we have a "comment" option for our blogs.

Last night was proof of why baseball should have instant replay for calls at a base/plate.

Ian Kinsler singles to lead off the 11th. He goes to second on a pitch-out. Russell Martin throws to second. Miguel Tejada catches the ball and makes a "sweeping" motion through the bag. While watching it on television, it looked as if Tejada missed the tag. As Fox showed the replay, it was obvious Tejada missed the tag. This was a perfect time for instant replay.

Later in that inning, Michael Young delivers a ground ball hit to center. Dioner Navarro, who was on second, attempts to score to end the game. The throw from Nate McLouth is on the mark. Martin fields the short hop and applies the tag. It, once again appeared the umpire got the call wrong. It looked as if Navarro reached the plate before the tag was applied.

Today, there's going to be lots of debate about last night's game. The debates will probably center around issues like, the game was too long, the game shouldn't count, the rosters should be extended for situations like this, etc. Those are all valid arguments.

However, technology has allowed us the opportunity to "get it right." I guess if I'm not a purist, that makes me radical, but why would you want to get it wrong for the sake of "preserving the game's integrity?" Seems like, to me, bad calls that help decide games kill the game's integrity. Especially when you have the ability to "get it right."

Parker vs. Ogden

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:27:36 GMT

I'm really surprised by the early results of the Parker/Ogden, head-to-head match-up. As of 4pm, Ogden had received 60% of the votes. While Ogden is, arguably, the greatest who's ever played the position, so is Parker.

Is this a result of inactivity in the voting community? If so, that's surprising as well. This was our opportunity to make some noice in showing everyone what kind of sports tradition Baltimore has.

Some of the greatest athletes who ever played came through Baltimore and these two are among the greatest.

The Blame Game

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:05:13 GMT

After last night's game, there's plenty of people to blame. You can blame Dave Trembley. He did take Daniel Cabrera out of the game in the seventh inning. You could assume Cabrera would have gotten out of the inning with the O's lead still secured.

I don't like Trembley's decision, but I'm certainly not going to blame that loss on him. Players have to make plays.

Trembley went to the bullpen with a four-run lead. It's reasonable for him to believe he has enough arms to protect that lead.

I hope Oriole players aren't looking to pass blame. I'm hoping they are looking in the mirror at themselves. They blew that game last night. Miscues, errors and the lack of execution. Not a manager's decision in the seventh inning.

Players make plays, not excuses. I'm hoping our players aren't looking for someone to hide behind. I believe they have more character than that.

Do You Want This Man...

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:35:09 GMT

We don't even know if the Brett Favre talk is real. For all we know, it could all be rumors.

However, when talk such as this begins, we start to examine our own situation to figure out whether or not it can improve with a player such as Favre.

So, I ask, do you think a player like Favre would help the Ravens? Has all of the Favre talk goten boring?

The Ravens drafted a quarterback in April to be "their guy." I believe we will are better served to move forward with our plans.

Honoring The Real Heroes

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:48:38 GMT

Let's face it, we can all do a blog on what we believe MLB does wrong.

However, let me take this time to tip my hat to Bud Selig and MLB for what they did on Friday, July 4th.

Each team wore a hats with "Stars and Stripes" and had pre-game festivities, honoring our men and women who've served in our Armed Forces.

The Long family spent the day in Philadelphia, and the celebration gave me chills. MLB didn't just throw together some "cheezy" celebration for our heroes, they took their time with the festivities.

In fact, the talk in my section in the first inning was not Phillies/Mets, it was about the great job that was done to honor our nation's heroes. HOO-RAH

Excuse Me

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:36:09 GMT

I know, I'm not supposed to get excited. I'm not supposed to be impressed with what I see. I'm supposed to look at the product on the field and find something I don't like about the Orioles. I know what I'm supposed to do, but I'm a fan.

Just when you think this team is ready to "tank it," they defy what we've come to know about the Orioles and win a couple of games. Just when you think the old Daniel Cabrera is back, he goes out and pitches a gem, like last night. That was just what the doctor ordered for a very tired bullpen.

Okay, it was the Royals. Okay, it's only two in a row. Okay, they're only three games over .500. I know everything negative that can be said about what's going on at Camden Yards this year, but when did we stop ALLOWING ourselves to have fun?

In fact, we are just as guilty as the athletes when it comes to having fun. Sometimes we get so caught up in the business of what's going on that we forget to enjoy the game.

Well, last night was fun. In fact, I've had fun more often than not this baseball season. It's been fun to just watch.

So, with football season being just weeks away, let's manage to do what other good sports cities do: let's cheer for the home team(s).

How Long For Wrigley?

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:24:35 GMT

I've had the pleasure of watching a baseball game in Wrigley Field. To me, it's everything right with baseball.

I went to an afternoon game between the Cubs and the San Diego Padres during the 1998 season.

Although it was an afternoon game, the crowd was unbelievable. It had a play-off atmosphere.

That makes you wonder about the future of Wrigley. While watching the O's vs. Cubs game on Wednesday night, I noticed obstructed view seating and other nuances of the stadium that make it outdated.

I'm a huge fan of Wrigley, and I know it has to be replaced, someday. I'm just hoping that it's not a "corporate" decision. I hope baseball gets every single year out of Wrigley that's possible. It's truly a history lesson by itself.