A lot of the talk today was about who should be the Ravens MVP this season. This got me thinking. As more and more people gave their differing opinions, it became clear. You can't single out 1 player/coach to be the MVP. This season has truly been a team effort. When one aspect of the team fails, the other picks it up. I'll make my case for a few, but I really can't pick just one.
Cam Cameron - After coming from Miami he has turned this offense around. Granted, the players need to execute the plays that he calls, but he has put the players in the positions to make those plays. With all of the doubt surrouding this team and this offense, he has turned it into something exciting to watch.
John Matsko (OL Coach) - This group was supposed to be the weakest part of the team. He has coached them to one of the best running attacks in the league and has kept Flacco upright for most of the season.
Joe Flacco - What else can you say about him? He seems to have all the tools you would want in a QB and has turned in one of the better seasons by a QB in Ravens history. He earned the respect of his teammates early, and has flourished under pressure.
Le'Ron McClain - He has carried the ball more times this season than he ever had in his career. And when I say career, I mean his ENTIRE career. College included. 10 TD's and almost 1,000 yards in a 3 back system. Very good.
Derrick Mason - A true football player. That Dallas game will be remembered around here for a very long time. Mason catching the ball in the corner with one arm dangling by his side. He has represented everything this team is this season. Heart.
Jared Gaither - Nobody had bigger shoes to fill. Literally and figuratively. He has stepped up and kept the left side of the line safe. Even when he was hurt, he stepped up and played through it all.
Sam Koch - I know, I know. How can a punter get the MVP? This guy is amazing. It seems like he always gets the Ravens out of trouble when they need it and helps them win the field position battle. He's been great at getting the ball inside the 10, which with this defense, deserves some recognition.
Ray Lewis - He makes everybody around him better. He is the heartbeat of this franchise and at times, this city. He's a playmaker.
Ed Reed - Leads the league in INT's. Can be a little careless at times, but you take the good with the bad and let Ed Reed be Ed Reed. I'm glad he's on our side.
I'm sure there are plenty that I missed, but those were the ones at the top of my list. I can't pick any of those that stand out above and beyond the others. It wouldn't surprise me if Harbaugh does away with the Team MVP because honestly, I don't think there has been a MOST valuable player. If you take any one of those players/coaches away, the whole season could have changed. In the end, with this years team, I really don't think you can pick a MVP because every player has contributed at some point to the season's success.
Here's to hoping they bring some hardware back home in February.
-Drew
Monday, December 29, 2008
Look out Yankees...
The Yankees better watch out. The O's are trying to keep up with their offseason pickups by signing...drumroll please...Mark Hendrickson. Now the O's have Izturis and Hendrickson. A dynamite duo. I'm sure you're thinking the same thing I am, "we're in trouble."
This signing makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. It goes against everything that they have been preaching to us over the last year. Why sign this guy? Here are his numbers per start:
5.2 innings
5.4 strikeouts
3.17 walks
1.14 home runs
5.38 ERA
Oh, and he's 34 years old. I mean, obviously he's a winner and somebody we can build around right? What a joke the Orioles are turning out to be. They preach to us a rebuilding plan and then go and sign a guy like this. Daniel "wild thing" Cabrera would give you better numbers than those. Everything they do in the warehouse is backwards. They'll say the offer Texiera $140 million and then the low ball the current face of their franchise. I heard the Orioles offered Markakis 6 years ~$57 million and he wants $68 million. GIVE IT TO HIM. They have used Markakis for the past several seasons as the face of the franchise while paying him next to nothing. If you're going to dub him the face of the franchise, he deserves to get paid as the face of any franchise should get paid.
And I also don't understand the catcher situation. Why is there any talk of bringing in Zaun or Pudge? We are going to win 70 games MAX. LET WEITERS PLAY. If he's truly as good as they tell us he is, he'll be fine. Sign some catcher who is fine playing once every 6/7 games.
I really don't understand anything they do anymore. If you're rebuilding, rebuild. You have to be either 100% committed or not at all.
I just have to remember to bring my glove to the left field seats when Hendrickson pitches. Odds are, one will come flying.
-Drew
This signing makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. It goes against everything that they have been preaching to us over the last year. Why sign this guy? Here are his numbers per start:
5.2 innings
5.4 strikeouts
3.17 walks
1.14 home runs
5.38 ERA
Oh, and he's 34 years old. I mean, obviously he's a winner and somebody we can build around right? What a joke the Orioles are turning out to be. They preach to us a rebuilding plan and then go and sign a guy like this. Daniel "wild thing" Cabrera would give you better numbers than those. Everything they do in the warehouse is backwards. They'll say the offer Texiera $140 million and then the low ball the current face of their franchise. I heard the Orioles offered Markakis 6 years ~$57 million and he wants $68 million. GIVE IT TO HIM. They have used Markakis for the past several seasons as the face of the franchise while paying him next to nothing. If you're going to dub him the face of the franchise, he deserves to get paid as the face of any franchise should get paid.
And I also don't understand the catcher situation. Why is there any talk of bringing in Zaun or Pudge? We are going to win 70 games MAX. LET WEITERS PLAY. If he's truly as good as they tell us he is, he'll be fine. Sign some catcher who is fine playing once every 6/7 games.
I really don't understand anything they do anymore. If you're rebuilding, rebuild. You have to be either 100% committed or not at all.
I just have to remember to bring my glove to the left field seats when Hendrickson pitches. Odds are, one will come flying.
-Drew
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Merry Festivus!!!
Wow...
What a game. What a season. 11-5. Most people would have thought those numbers would have been flipped and even that was more wins then many predicted. It's incredible to think that a rookie coach, and a rookie quarterback could turn around this team the way they did. No more selfishness, no more individuality, just team football. Even in the down times they seem to keep everything in perspective. When the Steelers drove 92 yds in the 4th quarter to beat the Ravens, all you heard was, "the refs didn't cost us the game, WE let them drive 92 yds." Last years Ravens team would have been looking ahead to the playoffs and may have blown the game tonight, but not this years team. This years team went out and pounded a team they should have pounded. They have treated every game as if it were a playoff game and now they have been rewarded with a real playoff game. Besides Ed Reed lateraling every time he makes an interception, I'd say tonight's game was exactly the kind of game the Ravens wanted. Pound the ball and take a few shots. Everything clicked tonight.
The Ravens should be able to handle the Dolphins next Sunday, but regardless, they've had a great season. Granted, expectations change with the circumstances, but even with a loss next Sunday, this season has to be considered a success. Flacco has shown that he may be the franchise quarterback we've all been waiting for. I say "may" because he's only played 1 season, but from all I can tell he'll be a great quarterback for many years. If he is that missing link, we can only be excited about the possibilities for the years to come. I have faith that they'll resign Ray and Suggs which will keep our defense great and if they pick up 1 go to receiver, the Ravens could be a dangerous team for many, many years.
If they lose, sure I'll be disappointed, but as I said, expectations change with different circumstances and I think I speak for everyone when I say, I kind of like these circumstances.
Merry Festivus!!!
-Drew
What a game. What a season. 11-5. Most people would have thought those numbers would have been flipped and even that was more wins then many predicted. It's incredible to think that a rookie coach, and a rookie quarterback could turn around this team the way they did. No more selfishness, no more individuality, just team football. Even in the down times they seem to keep everything in perspective. When the Steelers drove 92 yds in the 4th quarter to beat the Ravens, all you heard was, "the refs didn't cost us the game, WE let them drive 92 yds." Last years Ravens team would have been looking ahead to the playoffs and may have blown the game tonight, but not this years team. This years team went out and pounded a team they should have pounded. They have treated every game as if it were a playoff game and now they have been rewarded with a real playoff game. Besides Ed Reed lateraling every time he makes an interception, I'd say tonight's game was exactly the kind of game the Ravens wanted. Pound the ball and take a few shots. Everything clicked tonight.
The Ravens should be able to handle the Dolphins next Sunday, but regardless, they've had a great season. Granted, expectations change with the circumstances, but even with a loss next Sunday, this season has to be considered a success. Flacco has shown that he may be the franchise quarterback we've all been waiting for. I say "may" because he's only played 1 season, but from all I can tell he'll be a great quarterback for many years. If he is that missing link, we can only be excited about the possibilities for the years to come. I have faith that they'll resign Ray and Suggs which will keep our defense great and if they pick up 1 go to receiver, the Ravens could be a dangerous team for many, many years.
If they lose, sure I'll be disappointed, but as I said, expectations change with different circumstances and I think I speak for everyone when I say, I kind of like these circumstances.
Merry Festivus!!!
-Drew
Friday, December 26, 2008
Welcome and Thoughts on Recent Events
Hello all. This is my first blog. I'm a 22 year old sports fan living in Baltimore, MD. I'm a believer that real men wear purple. I still believe in Orioles Magic and I bleed Purple and Orange. I am starting this blog so I can get my thoughts out on the world of sports here in Baltimore. I hope anyone who reads this gets some enjoyment out of it...
A local radio station recently ran a campaign to try and get the fans at M&T Bank Stadium to stand up at the start of the 2nd quarter and start an "INDUCT ART" chant (referring to Art Modell). At first, I wasn't against the campaign, I just didn't think he deserved to be inducted. Now my feeling has changed. Let me start my case by saying, I wasn't alive when the Colts left town so I don't have the same kind of hatred for the Colts that some people have in Baltimore. My hatred comes from not having football until I was 10. Art brought that to Baltimore. I am not aware of the things he has done inside of football, but I am aware of what he has brought this city. For 17+ weeks a year, this city is alive. The new commercial that says "Feelin' kinda Sunday," is exactly the way it feels all week leading up to a game and that's because of Art Modell. I look forward to Sundays knowing that Now, do I think he "deserves" to be in the Hall of Fame for what he has accomplished? I can't say because I really don't know all that he has done, but I can say that I should have been one of the people standing up chanting "INDUCT ART."
Now, on to the train wreck we call the Baltimore Orioles. I listen to all the radio stations saying we should have signed Texiera (or however you spell his name) and since we didn't they are selling their tickets and not going back or whatever. I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I would have loved to have seen Tex here. I think he would have done wonders for the lineup and he could have become the face of the franchise over night. He obviously didn't want that. For that people that are bashing Angelos and McPhail, I like what they did. Let me start by saying this, I HATE PETER ANGELOS, but I support what he did in this situation. I like the fact that they made him a respectable offer and they didn't let Scott Boras use us as a puppet and stayed strong with our original offer. Hey, i'd take $20 mil a year. Did anybody really think he was coming here anyway? Listen, THEY WERE USING US. They were trying to drive his price up, but McPhail didn't budge. Looking back at the situation now that it is over, I can say that in this situation I think they did the right thing. I know most people don't agree with that, but look at the offers. He got 8 yrs $180 mil from the Yankees. That's $22.5 mil a year. We offered 7 yrs $140 mil. That's $20 mil a year. Those numbers are close enough that if he wanted to come here, he would have. He never truly wanted to play here, but to sign with the Yankees is a slap in the face to all us Baltimore sports fans. He played the "hometown boy" card and we all bought into it. Now he's with the hated Yankees and I hope that you all will be out there with me opening day BOOING the hell out of Mark Texiera. Welcome home Tex.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and hopefully there will be many more posts to come. Hope you have a happy and safe new year and a GREAT Festivus Maximus.
GO RAVENS!!!
Ravens: 27
Jaguars: 13
PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Drew
A local radio station recently ran a campaign to try and get the fans at M&T Bank Stadium to stand up at the start of the 2nd quarter and start an "INDUCT ART" chant (referring to Art Modell). At first, I wasn't against the campaign, I just didn't think he deserved to be inducted. Now my feeling has changed. Let me start my case by saying, I wasn't alive when the Colts left town so I don't have the same kind of hatred for the Colts that some people have in Baltimore. My hatred comes from not having football until I was 10. Art brought that to Baltimore. I am not aware of the things he has done inside of football, but I am aware of what he has brought this city. For 17+ weeks a year, this city is alive. The new commercial that says "Feelin' kinda Sunday," is exactly the way it feels all week leading up to a game and that's because of Art Modell. I look forward to Sundays knowing that Now, do I think he "deserves" to be in the Hall of Fame for what he has accomplished? I can't say because I really don't know all that he has done, but I can say that I should have been one of the people standing up chanting "INDUCT ART."
Now, on to the train wreck we call the Baltimore Orioles. I listen to all the radio stations saying we should have signed Texiera (or however you spell his name) and since we didn't they are selling their tickets and not going back or whatever. I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I would have loved to have seen Tex here. I think he would have done wonders for the lineup and he could have become the face of the franchise over night. He obviously didn't want that. For that people that are bashing Angelos and McPhail, I like what they did. Let me start by saying this, I HATE PETER ANGELOS, but I support what he did in this situation. I like the fact that they made him a respectable offer and they didn't let Scott Boras use us as a puppet and stayed strong with our original offer. Hey, i'd take $20 mil a year. Did anybody really think he was coming here anyway? Listen, THEY WERE USING US. They were trying to drive his price up, but McPhail didn't budge. Looking back at the situation now that it is over, I can say that in this situation I think they did the right thing. I know most people don't agree with that, but look at the offers. He got 8 yrs $180 mil from the Yankees. That's $22.5 mil a year. We offered 7 yrs $140 mil. That's $20 mil a year. Those numbers are close enough that if he wanted to come here, he would have. He never truly wanted to play here, but to sign with the Yankees is a slap in the face to all us Baltimore sports fans. He played the "hometown boy" card and we all bought into it. Now he's with the hated Yankees and I hope that you all will be out there with me opening day BOOING the hell out of Mark Texiera. Welcome home Tex.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and hopefully there will be many more posts to come. Hope you have a happy and safe new year and a GREAT Festivus Maximus.
GO RAVENS!!!
Ravens: 27
Jaguars: 13
PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Drew
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