yagersports

He was a Diva........and a Warrior. Tough little guy.

And that truthfully is better for everyone. It's better for the league and teams because the rookie's get in to camp and get playing right away, no learning on the fly because training camp or mini camps were missed. It's also better for agent/team relationships. You can't tell me teams don't get uber upset when an agent drives up the price for a rookie and the rook ends up being a huge disappointment.

The O-line has been fairly solid in my opinion. There's always room for improvement and the short yardage thing is definitely something that has to change. Who knows what our offensive stats and playoff outcome could have been if we would have been able to finish even 50% more of the failed short yardage attempts. Perhaps that is why we went after the rookie RB. Isn't a bit a hard nosed runner?

Is that alot compared to the NFL averages? What's considered average in the NFL as far as that stat goes?

I admire his passion and zeal, but I just don't see it. These injuries are troublesome.

This is good news, he's an extra LB in the secondary.

Good, seems we always get the shaft in that dept.

What other road have the Ravens ever taken? It's the NFL, all roads are tough, especially in the AFC North. The fact is, the other two teams have potential.....we have proven talent. That's the difference. That's what will propel this team again this year.

I'm really not interested in what the series record is.....it was light humor....a play off Mora's playoff rant. I realize the Bengals made the playoffs and they're a good team. I'm building up ours and having a little fun while doing it.

Rebuilding? Rebuilding? Cmon.....the Bengals are just trying to win a game here! We've got so many proven guys, Flacco, Rice, Boldin, Oher, Yanda, and super thumper Leech. Then on defense, we have Ray, Ed, Ngata, McClain, Webb, Smith, and Williams. Also, here's all the players that I expect that will improve this year, Kruger, McAdoo, Dickson, Pitta, Smith, Doss, and Cody. I also think I'm forgetting a defensive player or two. Kindle could be a major X factor if he's finally recovered. No to mention our #1 pick this year. Our team is stacked already. They're playing catch-up. There guys still have to prove they can play. As far as the Steelers go, their defense still has alot of holes. They have some work in front of them. We're definitely not rebuilding. We're making a run.

There's no way Suggs will ever be the same unless there's a new medical procedure out there that we don't know about. Every player that I've ever seen get a major ankle or achilles injury, they're never the same when they return. (I'm talking ligament damage in ankle ala Jamal Lewis and Curt Schilling) They just don't recover to 100% as an ACL will. I'm sure Suggs has the determination to rehab and come back. I'm sure he will still be good, but his dominat days are int he past. I'm hoping for a Suggs that's at least 85%-90%. That's my best case scenario. There's a reason it's called the Achilles.

This is unfortunate. Who knew that last season was Suggs' last as a dominant defensive player. I was thinking there would be 1 maybe 2 more years. I'm sure Suggs can comeback from the injury, but I doubt he'll ever be the same. Achilles injuries are so tough to rebound from. Players are just never the same. I'll be pulling for Suggs to make a full recovery, but it'll be tough for him to make any kind of impact at all this season. Best of luck Suggs! I hope you can buck the trend.

So you somehow knew this injury was coming?

No doubt that Oz didn't do well in that draft. But 1 draft since 96 is a stellar track record. As for the reference that you don't like the way Oz drafts papa. I don't have the time to look at all the past conversations, however I know that routinely you have second guessed his drafts and you have stated repeatedly that Oz doesn't know what he's doing in FA etc. I'm not gonna play word games here. I didn't say "xyz" exactly. You have definitely stated that you don't like how Oz has drafted and run this team, and you have definitely said that you think this team is on a downturn as a result.

And clearly the Ravens have failed to bring in talent with the way they have been drafting. Rice, Flacco, Torrey, Boldin (used a 3rd to get him), Grubbs, Yanda, Oher, Dickson, Webb, Jimmy Smith, and Pitta. Clearly we've gotten the scrap heap of players. Not to mention drafting all world players like Ogden, Lewis, and Reed. Let's think of some more notable players, Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap, Terrell Suggs, Boulware, Sharper, McAlister, Starks, Mulitalo, Chester Taylor, Priest Holmes. I can see that we've really missed the boat in our drafts. Look, trading down is good and all, but Oz has been very good. Second guessing one of the best aspects of this program gets tiresome. We've done well and it never seems like this team isn't doing their homework.

Are we not happy with Anthony Allen then? I really didnt think RB was a need in this draft. Maybe he was just the BPA and rated too highly on our board to pass up? I would have thought a WR or more LB's would have been in order. Interesting, Oz and co, I love em!

What a prediction Nostradamus lol. It must be hard making such a bold prediction. You're right on the edge with that one.

Konz would seem to be perfect. This is the guy I've been wanting. I want Flacco protected.

Oh no, you don't get to change the subject. You stated that you have been saying that you've been calling the downfall of the Ravens for years. Being 1 dropped pass from the Super Bowl is not failing. Making the playoffs 4 straight years is not failing. Only one team wins the Superbowl. That doesn't mean all the rest are failures.

And you have been wrong lol. We've had no downfall. You're chicken little. Saying we should trade back is not tremendous insight. We've got a lot of money wrapped up in some really good guys. Trading back in this draft if no one was available makes sense. We could use some more blue chip young guys, keeping this team in a state of constant but as stable as possible turnover. This Ravens team is no where close to being bad. (Barring injury of course as is always the case in the NFL)

Teams that maintain a high level of young guys are their roster are not successful. They're too young. Teams that maintain a high level of verterans on their roster are usually going for broke to win the SB. (Usually lol) Teams that maintain the mix, as has been previously stated, are in the running every single year. We have that mix. Ozzie has been doing very well in that regard. If we get Hightower this year, one defensive need is taken care of. Also, who's to say that Reed's replacement isn't in this draft. What round did we get Webb? Did anyone think Cary Williams was gonna be a starting CB? There's no need to get rid of rice for more picks. If we could get rid of an older Vet for more picks......well, now my ears are open. I won't mention names cuz it hurts.

That's the thing, if Rice was one of our only good players I would understand trading him to add more talent to the team ala Dallas many years ago with Hershel Walker. However, that's not the case. We have one of what, 3 or 4 dynamic backs in the league. Ray is a rare talent. He can use speed, moves, and vision as a RB. He can block. And most importantly, he deadly in the open field after catching passes. He's a part of our SB future, I don't see this team as lacking talent and needing to trade him. This team has a good mix of youth and veterans. Oz has this team poised to continue competing year after year.

It's easy to say trade back, but many teams are warry of giving up to much to trade up. Especially in a weak draft class. Ray Rice is a very special player. I would not trade him unless we receive some sort of proven talent in return. It would be different if Ray was our only good player. That is not the case, Ray is going to be a piece of our Super Bowl puzzle. I do not think there is any combination of rookies available that have a greater impact than Rice.

Honestly, I think Ray has a few more years than the average RB. We're not talking Jamal Lewis here. Ray hasn't taken the hits that a bruising RB takes. Ray is a shifty runner that avoids big contact. Those types of RBs seem to last a bit longer than others. I would keep Ray at least 2 more years before thinking trade. If he was AP in Minny. I would be trading right away. He's a great talent, but he's fumble prone and an injury waiting to happen. Too many big hits. Guys like MJD and RR don't take those hits.

It's a technicality, but Norwood was not immediately cut by the Bills after the Super Bowl. He was cut during the following year after he missed a couple of PATs. I think Cundiff will be ok. He wasn't an excuse maker. I like that.