vmax

Just spent 15-20 minutes shovelling off my front pourch and steps. It's wet and heavy and hard going so if you are old and feeble, like cravn, shovel for 15 minutes and then stop. Pace yourself. The plows aren't comming anyway. FYI...at my bottom step I measured 25 inches of snow 8am Catonsville. My street is totally impassable.

Just add another gerbel to the cage.

That's a disaster...call 911!...call the govenor! I just lost 2 big limbs from my magnolia tree. I love how all the closings are being scrawled at the bottom of the news reports...like we're too dumb to put 2 + 2 together.

I have that channel now. We have thunder and lightning on top of almost 2 feet of snow here. It's the wet, hard to shovel stuff. No sign of any snow plows yet. It's almost a white out outside with the wind.

Report just in...Catonsville getting hammered...not with snow.

"Does anybody have some toilet paper?...and some grey Poupon?"

Here's what Bisciotti said...with a Dick Cass addition... That link has the complete transcript of the press conference.

State of the Ravens press conference update....

"Yea but only somebody like you finds stuff like this!"

Some random notes on the Ravens this week... The Baltimore Ravens are not raising ticket prices in 2010. Also the 'State of the Ravens' press conference will be this afternoon....you can probably hear it all on MASN. a young Ray Lewis... Update on Webb and Nakamura...

Yea that is good stuff...Thanks for the heads up and information. Say "Hi!" to Mittermier for me...I miss him. What do you have on legit #1 pass rushing DE's and CB's?

and everybody could have had Tom Brady. And how many Super Bowl rings does Moss, Jackson and Marshall have? I'll take Ozzies 'hits and misses' over any GM's. Sure he misses at times, but damn he's had an incredible number of hits.

It may or may not get worse. I'll explain. This morning I read...I'm sure it was from Don Banks (reputable/reliable)...that Nnamdi Asomugha said he and Revis want to play together and they were trying to talk Rex into bringing Asomugha to the Jets. The articles (actually 2 paragraphs) was all quotes from Asomugha stating this. Talk about a sick back field! ...but the point is... that is tampering if Rex said anything to Asomugha (who's under contract for the next 2 years). I just got home from work and checked Banks collumn and that story is no longer there. Maybe it has no truth to it so Banks yanked it(but why the Asomugha quotes verifying this?). Maybe it's a bomb about top go off. I would think the media would be all over this by now...but they are not.

With the news on Freeney's torn ligament I have to change this to "Saint's Prayer Answered"... ... they have a shot because the Colts D works only because they get steady pressure by rushing 4. That pressure probably won't be there...even if Freeney plays. This is shaping up to be 'whoever has the ball last wins'. Speaking of shootouts....watching the Pro Bowl last night and games like the Cards/Vikings I have to say the NFL is starting to get like the NBA. With defense being negated by rules that favor passing, it's getting...boring. No strategy. No "Force clashing with Force". Like the NBA, just tune into the end of the game to see who wins.

by a cell phone camera.. I think he threw the finger but he could also have raised his shirt as an obscene gesture.

Ever hear the phrase "putting lipstick on a pig"... They are the 25th ranked D in the NFL. Now...I will be pulling for them all the way. I'd love to see them win the Super Bowl...but that 'Ain't gonna happen'.

Hey Troy! The Browns showed their love by passing on you 6 times on draft day! I really don't want him on the team now that he's shown he's dumb enough to want to go to the Elephant Graveyard. The moron is under contract, has accomplished nothing in the NFL, can't crack the starting lineup...who the hell does he think he is? You can bet this pisses the Front Office off. They do not and will not negotiate in the press.

Don't like the hire. Now I know this position is QB coach but I want a guy who can fill Cam's shoes should he move on. What Zorn did in DC scares the hell out of me. I like his character...I have doubts about his coaching skills.

How's that for good English... That's what I see. No shot in hell to win the Super Bowl unless Manning has brain farts and LSD flashbacks all game long. The Vikings did everything they wanted to do to the Saints except win. The Saints struggled into the playoffs losing 3 straight...1 to the lowly Bucs in a game the Saints needed to win and played everybody. The Cardnals...no defense whatsoever...don't let that game fool you. The Colts D won't evaporate in a mist like the Cardnals but one thing you can count on happening... Peyton Manning will tear the Saints D up. He will be the Super Bowl MVP. He is hell bent to cement his legacy and make history. They have no answer. Won't be able to keep up. Bad timing for the Saints.

Ok...Ok...you guys win. Bring back Vinnie as the back up mentor. And while we're at it, get two receivers like these guys and the Ravens are Super Bowl bound.

varav...this is how I see it. The amount of good QB's in the league is maybe the best it's been in 20 years. Until now, it's been a QB starved league for a long time which means the quality of back up QB's was even worse. Weak and disappointing. The back up QB's, in general, are guys who had a shot and failed. In general. They have flaws. We see the Ravens D destroy back up QB's regularly....doesn't matter if they are a vet. Think about the 'vet back up'...what does he know? If he was all together then he would be a starter somewhere. So what does he have to give as a mentor? Any back up to Flacco that the Ravens can get will bring with him lesser skills and fatal flaws(given the available talent pool) so it's a 'no win' situation in my mind. I'd rather go with Troy Smith, who's been in this offense for a while, than any career back up QB....and I don't think Smith can lead this team to the playoffs. Just get a guy who is smart enough to not make the fatal turnovers, has some guts and character and can hand the ball off....maybe make a big play or 2...find that guy and the Ravens are fine at back up.

Here's a more in depth article on Pees...I like the hire. Between the lines...it sounds like he had enough of Bellichek. It also confirms what a great job the Ravens are doing toward becomming a well respected and 'Elite" organization.

I have some questions on "mentoring" Does it actually matter and help? I think it's one too many voices in the QB's ear. You have the OC's and QB coaches guidance and direction daily. If you have a good QB coach then let him be the single point of accountability. Let him work in tandum with the OC for the desired results of the offense. Plus...Joe is going into his 3rd year with 2 trips to the playoffs...he's no rookie or raw talent. Does a veteren back up QB matter as a mentor? How much do these guys want to mentor? I think having a solid vet as a back up is helpfull because not too many QB's make it through a 16 game schedule. You need a very solid and capable #2 who can step in and help a team make the playoffs. Can Troy Smith do that? I have my doubts....but with the solid O line and running game he might be able to help the team stay on a run until Joe got healthy. I also think he will remain a Raven because they will not get the compensation or value they feel is adequate on the market. Here's Cam's take on Joe development although it does not mention mentoring... http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2010/01/Cam_Convinced_Joe_Will_be_Elite.aspx

a little update here.... I would love to see Joe out there with some receivers...oh well!