dc.

Personally, I think Wieters should be on the opening day roster and should be our opening starter at catcher. We baby our prospects too much. Yes, there are times when "throwing them into the fire" is the wrong move. But that doesn't mean that everyone has to be coddled. Coddling creates weak players. There is such a thing as holding a player back for too long. Bring Wieters up, let him find a groove with us. I don't think he's the kind of talent or the kind of player that's going to be decimated by failure... if he fails.

Most still say that we'll sign a vet to play catcher before bringing Wieters up in June/July... probably Greg Zaun. But, either way.... AMEN.

I'm gonna write a post tonight going into that a bit...

http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...r-rankings_152/ http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...r-rankings_152/

Sounded to me like SNF had the crowd mics turned way up so everything was audible... very much the way FOX is known for turning up the crowd noise on broadcasts. That, or they just had the mics pointed in the right spots.

That's true. But many things hurt people. Many legal things hurt people. Many legal things that can never be made illegal... including everything from eating disorders (the "skinny" kind and the "heavy" kind) to working too much, or simply working out too much. Overstressed, overworked parents hurt themselves, their families and their friends. As much as drinkers and drinking can hurt people. Like you, I have a friend (more than one even) that drinks in excess. It hurts me constantly. I have trouble even thinking about it without getting upset. So you're right - it has ramifications and it needs to be considered a serious matter. But his abuses should not stop anyone else from being able to enjoy something in the proper manner. And while those examples should discourage abuse, I don't think they should be used to even discourage people from partaking in the activity.

But it's done by plenty of 21 year olds... 25 year olds... 35 year olds... etc etc etc... So ban it for all because of the few? Ye who brags about driving well over the speed limit... should we ban all cars and driving, force everyone to commute by train or bike, because of those who abuse the privilege they have? What negative consequence would allowing 18-21 year olds drink have? More DUI? More fighting? More vandalism? More than already occurs when these people are already breaking a law to drink? If anything - it would get more kids out of hiding places when they are drinking and into a spotlight where their actions can be safely monitored. Instead of trying to drive themselves home (afraid of calling for a ride from college buses, public buses, walking home or even calling police for an escort), they would have access to ways homes. I dunno, Ken... you have got me on this one. If you don't want to drink, don't. But age limits have always gotten to me a bit. As someone often considered more mature than people my age, setting random lines has never been a favorite of mine. Bengal Billy - while I agree with the sentiment that age is hardly the issue, I have to against disagree with your assertion that serving in the military is an automatic track to courage, greatness, honor, etc. That is no disrespect to people in the military. Many of my friends are in the service, including one who has come back from Iraq missing limbs and others coming back very much changed. I certainly respect people in the military and their sacrifices. But service does not automatically make you prouder, more courageous or more American. It certainly does not make you more mature automatically. Especially because, I believe, service today is very different from service in decades past. I suppose the bottom line is that I know plenty of military folk who do not act, speak or think in any way that I would consider courageous or mature. They joined because it was "cool," and they hold it over those who haven't served at any given opportunity. There are always exceptions.

Boxing is pretty dead. There are some fine fighters, but I feel like there have been no truly good fights in recent memory. That said... I still try to pay attention and watch. Never pay for the fights, but always watch the recaps and what not.

It's a question that needs to be considered. My biggest fear would be losing him as the FB. He is a great fullback. And as good as Neal is, he cannot play forever. Nor can we keep him forever. We would need to revert to step one in finding a fullback again... which would be a shame. But Le'Ron is one hell of a ball carrier. Regardless... we have some time to figure it out. If he continues to have slippery fingers... maybe not.

How about ... It was a fumble and I've never heard "forward progress was stopped" used as a fumble defense until this year - really, until just three weeks ago. Unless the official blows his whistle to stop the play because forward progress was stopped, he cannot go back later and claim that "the play was actually dead way up there" ... he exception of course being a touchdown.

http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...the-ravens_151/ http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...the-ravens_151/

I disagree. None of our runners had success against the Bengals because our entire OL was playing like crap. Joe was getting hit. Ray had no room. Le'Ron had no room. And as for dancing a bit at the line? No one dances more than Willis these days. Le'Ron is very much like Jerome Bettis... perhaps most in the fact that he always falls forward. That means that even if he is hit at the line, he is going to pick up two yards. If he gets hit a yard past the line, too late, he already has 3-4. Le'Ron has been hindered most often by play-calling that asks him to run outside. The outside pitches and wide runs don't work with him, but he is asked to do them 3-4 times a game. Perhaps that's where he is helped most by Willis and Rice - they go outside while he goes inside - but we are not the Denver Broncos. Not just anyone is successful behind our line. I have more than enough confidence in Le'Ron to let him run it 95% of the time if he wants the carries.

I'm the same as Kenny. Actually, I just don't have much to wear except jerseys when it comes to Ravens gear. Subtlety my friends... I cant blow my cover.

I agree, STL. Le'Ron is not someone that "gets figured out." He pounds away and gets down the field. You 'figure out' how to contain a fast, outside back. And you 'figure out' how to shut down a receiving back. But you can't really "figure out" a guy that just runs right at (and then over) people. As I said in my quick thoughts, all my Steelers fan friends who were watching the game were continually commenting how much McClain reminded them of Jerome Bettis - every time he touched the ball. And that wasn't making them happy or excited. It was scary.

http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...k-thoughts_150/ http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...k-thoughts_150/

girls arent allowed to play video games.

I think that's a fine reason, but I think there are others as well. What I think is particularly stupid is the near-criminal way underage drinking is treated. It is to the point that if two 20 year olds are drinking together, and one suffers alcohol poisoning, the other has to weigh calling an ambulance against getting himself in serious trouble - and I mean serious. At many colleges, the punishments are suspension, loss of on-campus housing privileges, and even expulsion. And additionally, kids who want to drink are forced to do so in unsafe ways because there is no safe outlet. In a sense, it's little different from kids being forced to ride their bikes on city streets or play in the street because the city offers too few parks, bike paths, etc...

Go to bed.

Seinfeld is one of my favorite shows... Even if I grant you the rest, I still can't just concede this. He has a reputation already, even if he's trying to shed it.

I was thinking just the opposite, Spen. I expect a law lowering the drinking age back to 18 again in the next 10 years or so. Upwards of 100 college presidents signed on to some petition about it already this year... college presidents, not sga presidents, like, the actual deans of the schools.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Goodbye to the worst defensive coordinator ever. The anti-Rex Ryan. No blitzes. No pressure. Nothing. Rush 1, drop 10! GO GO GO!

Never smoked, either, BallT. No outcast there. Drinking? A sip here and there is no biggie. I used to be sober all the while.

And to all this, I say simply: I wasn't trying to create issues where there were none. But that doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye. The issue should be discussed. If someone tells me to shut it or that my point is not worth talking about, then I am certainly happy to divulge the multitude of reasons and possibilities that it should be discussed. And as for the relevance of his pay... it's the same reason the discussion of Bart Scott's play and attitude are relevant. The league has a salary cap. At every juncture you have to determine what a player is worth in relation to every other because adding one may mean losing another. Again, it's not a matter of being anti-Willis. It's a matter of discussing the issue. We started it a few weeks back, if you remember. It's not an issue about this season specifically, it's an issue about this team as we move forward. Willis' actions on the bench deserve as much scrutiny as the actions of every player on the field, because come season's end, someone is going to have to decide how we pay and deal with three backs who all want to start. And as for the Mike Preston comment... In the first place, while I may be looking for problems, I am not making them up. Second, I know how to write. I know what a paragraph is. I know what a topic sentence is. My articles rarely start or end with sports cliches. And, most importantly, I know the proper use of a comma.

I don't necessarily agree that he'd be the best LB on many teams in this league. He has success in our system, just as many others have... Hartwell, Edge, Sharper, etc... but will they have success outside of it? Without the help? Scott's relatively mediocre season, while others are having standout years on this team, only leads me to believe that he is more and more a product of system over actual talent... Don't get me wrong, I like Scott. I would keep him around if we could. But as has often been discussed... three LBs up for new contracts, who is going to be the odd man out? At this point, it is very clearly Scott.

Entire Post: http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...-match-ups_149/ Read the rest... Entire Post: http://blogs.extremeravens.com/ravens/2008...-match-ups_149/