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