millz58

For the record, I don't think the O's will finish substantially above .500, maybe within a few games either way, but not to be in contention for a division with several teams having much more established talent and consistent performance than the O's can overcome. But the very well might have enough of an improvement to generate some interest from other talent around the league.

I found this guy's prediction to be really goofy, and even before the apparent acquisition of Derrek Lee; this is Joe Sheehan's 10 predictions for MLB 2011 on SI.com http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_sheehan/12/20/2011.predictions/index.html?eref=sihp : Reasonable I guess, but made weird by prediction #3: Maybe he's just pointing out two teams that are going in different directions and intersecting at a point of symmetry somehow, but to me it sounds kind of circular. I believe the O's efforts to this point in building a base of young talent along with signing a few key veterans (as they have now done) bodes much better for them than whatever SD had last year.

Here's Jeff Zrebiec's blog report for the Sun: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/12/os_agree_to_terms_with_lee.html Even if Lee's just using the O's as a stepping stone before becoming a free agent, if he (and we?) have a good year, maybe the O's will finally be a team he might consider staying with for a minute... edit: $8 to $10 million for 1 year sounds like a lot to me...; too much?

Well, do we maybe finally have the makings of a serviceable infield? Do we have any reason to worry about the 'pending physical'? I know the O's have wanted this guy for a while, hopefully he's got at least one good year left in him. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5975254

I agree beating the Bengals would be a good start to getting up for killing other demons. The ravens NEED a playoff win against an even injury-depleted Colts team to avoid calling this year a failure IMO. And then we'll see what happens against NE/Pitt. I'm torn about which of those two I'd rather see in the divisional round, but aren't there some scenarios where Ravens would play some other team (KC or NYJ or else), at home even maybe? I'm not counting that out, but I'm not sure of the likelihood of such an event. In any event it would take some serious witch-doctoring to get ravens through a road-gauntlet like Colts, Steelers and New England. That would be a story for the playoff ages.

That's what I did. Rod Woodson picked the Bengals to "upset" the Ravens earlier on NFL Network today. He didn't seem too convinced of it though, just going on track record of recent years. I think the Ravens can win, but probably not by 10.

this kid (Lake Clifton product) is already looking "Diaper dandy"ish for Kansas, he's doing great stuff. He's making serious noise on an already deep Jayhawks squad; nice to see a BMore product do well, despite the early season forfeiture.

100 what? he figures in the passing game too; who really has stopped that guy this year? He's a beast. but some good safety play should help I think. Hillis may be the only thing we have to worry about, except 4th quarter road jitters.

ICK her feet ain't pretty, NO FEET ARE PRETTY feet are nasty period anyway it's hilarious but gross, and too personal for our consideration I feel; and the sole of her one foot had hella wrinkles on it, she should moisturize that one as much as her face And it should be "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWwwwwww"

I totally agree, especially how the ravens barely took care of them at home, and how we haven't been so great on the road. On the other hand, rookie QB right? should be enough to get over, and then come back to avenge the Bengals debacle (which apparently on our end guaranteed Pittsburgh's playoff clinch, UGGHHH!!)

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5938838 more of the money aspect

Fridge is a at least apparently only a victim of the budget; he lucked out getting the best out of a mediocre team down the stretch. Both he and the coach of my primary team (WV) will be replaced by better coaches.

They are bigger than the game because the media lets them be, and now lets them get paid for it. We'll see ultimately if either of those dickheads has a job in the NFL after this season, but right now they each have TWO jobs, one of them on an NFL team. So, yeah, they ARE bigger than the NFL; did either of them get suspended or not start today? Did they even get reprimanded? Couldn't have, the NFL has no jurisdiction over their show; obviously the fact that those knuckleheads even HAVE such a big 'extracurricular' engagement outside of their team responsibilities suggests a problem that the NFL can't deal with: reigning in the bigger personalities in the league that decide to utilize the media to their own benefit. Favre is a knucklehead that attracts attention; T.O. and Ocho have found a way to abuse and profit from it and not suffer occupationally; nay, they may even ulitimately benefit from it (they have to learn how to speak properly first, of course).

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/nflpreview?gameId=301219033 I really have bad feelings about this game, but then I remember how the #52 led ravens normally respond after being called out for bad defensive performances, like Schlereth and Golic did "on blast" in the video that accompanies the preview article; maybe the Pride will take effect and our new-found secondary stars will help in coverage so Suggs and Johnson and Ngata can do their thing. Anyway I think they'll be better against the Saints than they were against the Texans. How much better, is the question...

I wasn't trying to sound contradictory, but I would have preferred winning one of those 4 losses and maybe losing to the Texans. Either way we also blew another 4th quarter lead, so either way we deserve our record and are really only that good, regardless of the names on the jerseys. Besides, there seem to be too many names right now, right? and that's even without Heap, who was commanding considerable attention when he was playing. Part of our offensive issue is lack of identity in trying to work with so many talented players. we didn't even try to rely on RR recently as we had earlier, so now we're TOO pass happy. We're the most talented Offensively On Paper, but not so much any other way.

ick.

Get away with what? Is there some reason why those two can't have a show and say what they said? Are there league rules against it? Personally I think the show is moronic and I did see that episode and was equally appalled at the remarks by TO, but it's his gig (I don't think 85 even counts he doesn't say much of anything) and who's to say that they can't have their gig? It's totally perverse but that's how it is nowadays. The players are bigger than the game, and T.O. is the biggest player-ego out there. Lewis never HAD T.O. or Ocho to begin with they've always been personalities and attitudes as much as players. And I used to think Henry was the big problem on that team...

I'm not sure how I feel right now about either of those scenarios... not confident, I'd say for starters. But hey, anything except the Colts right now, and it sure looks like they're not in it. I sure hope the Jets come through this week... p.s. I do appreciate Mason's comment, and I agree with it mostly, except that the offense really has underperformed IMO. I'm really worried about the lack of consistent run-game, especially the way Flacco's protection has been so inconsistent and our O line is still jumbling around.

I think saying we should be 11-2 now is a bit much; also I'm much more concerned with them blowing 4 different 4th quarter leads in those losses than escaping with some other wins. they don't know how to score in the second halves of games, which is a big problem this time of year.

I find it weird now to say that I like the way the offense distributed touches, because everyone got a reception or at least a good try; but really Rice needed a lot more. and he has been so much a big factor for this team, if I were him I'd feel a bit disgruntled at being left to pass block so much when he could have been running or receiving more. shit, let McGahee do the chip-blocking for real! he only gets like -.5 to 1.5 yards per carry! utilize the personnel to their desire I say. sorry, just venting some more. ravens have a reasonable chance at going 11-5 now, and that should be enough for a wild card (I'm assuming a loss vs. either saints or browns).

Agreed, agreed; and also agree w/Smurf, why'd we not run enough? any way to get 27 involved; he is too valuable and talented, we underutilized him in this game (unlike in previous games where we went to him too much too soon and found him drowned with defenders). Yeah only one decent pass to Stallworth? c'mon I think the real problem is not being aggressive enough with the O. I agree with not going for the late field goal; I didn't like the play before that, the short pass that saw the f'n receiver rolling to get outta bounds instead of a pass to get him across the 1st down marker. anyway, another great installment in the rivalry, suck it up and move on (btw, whose assignment was it to get Polamalu on his blitz when he took Flacco's lunch money?)

I'm f**kin incensed, Miami and Clemson with worse records, playing better opponents in bowl games that Terps should have been offered first. Now they play E. Carolina, a C-USA team... sheesh, I hope Fridge and co. stop the balls off of those Pirates. I mean really, MD did lose to both Clemson and Miami, but they really came on late in the season; the only reason for this must be the DC location. f**k it, whatever...

Oh well, terps erased a 15-point Owls lead to tie it in the 2nd half and had a chance to tie it with a last second 1/3-court jumper that missed; anyway it'll still be a bit before we figure out how good this team will be. But one thing's for sure, they got NO shooters.... But they clawed their way back into a game against an decent opponent that was similarly hungry for a good non-conference win. However they got outrebounded (were especially 1-&-done offensively too often) and again had bad free-throw shooting. Not gonna do to well in the ACC like that.

... this may be one of the few chances; I think Gary's squad goes up against Villanova later in the year, so they better win this one. Is that Jim Hunter I hear calling the game for MASN? I've never heard that before... did something... happen? I know it's Steelers-Ravens right now, but I always have the Twerps in my scopes. They're shooting poorly, getting no second chances with little paint-presence and not passing well at all so far. Hopefully they can correct things before Temple gets in a groove.

I wouldn't either but that is the media's stance; and I said "only recently proven", not qualified enough to make my point?