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Nestor Aparicio

Induct Art postmortem…

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been a busy couple of days in my real life and I haven’t had a chance to write a full follow up to my tireless efforts last week to bring awareness to the fact that Art Modell is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and should be. (Special thanks to the many of you who have inquired about my Mom. Thankfully, She’s doing much better!) The facts about our “Induct Art” campaign are pretty clear: We tried hard. We educated. We made our case. We supported it with the expertise of many people who agree that Modell should be in the Hall of Fame. We printed 20,000 signs. We distributed them. We encouraged people to cheer at the beginning of the second quarter. We froze promoting the cause. And… Well, it all happened kinda fast. I heard the roar building behind me. I saw people standing and clamoring. The Ravens did their usual cheerleading, marketing between the quarters. I heard an “INDUCT ART” chanting brewing for sure. But then a few things happened rapidly. First, Jason Campbell snapped the ball pretty quickly. Second, it was 3rd and long and our defense was on the field so the

Did you have that special Billy Ripken baseball card?

Nestor Aparicio

If you’re already smiling, you probably did have that 1989 Fleer “special” Billy Ripken baseball card with the special knob of the bat. I was a MAJOR baseball card collector, trader and dealer as a kid. I still think baseball cards from one’s childhood are the greatest asset any grown man can obtain. The error cards and the rookie cards are always a lot of fun. But there was only one Ripken “error” card. So was it an “error”? Billy Ripken came clean with cnbc’s Darren Rovell. Now you know the rest of the story…

WNST announces three “Puck Bus” trips to Caps games

Nestor Aparicio

Greetings fellow puck lovers: WNST is proud to offer three more “Puck Bus” opportunities during 2009 to go to Washington Capitals games with a group of spirited Baltimore hockey fans. Here are the three dates: Tuesday, Jan. 6 vs. Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday, Feb. 18 vs. Montreal Canadiens Tuesday, March 3 vs. Carolina Hurricanes All of the trips will have the same 2-stop itinerary: We’ll leave White Marsh Park and Ride at 4:30 and pick up at the UMBC Park and Ride at 5 p.m. Each trip will include an upper deck group reserved seat, limited cold beer and soda on the bus, snacks provided by WNST sponsors and fun hockey-themed videos and trivia to win Caps giveaways. To see some wnsTV of what our first “Puck Bus” looked like, click here. And, yes, we’ll play the Baltimore Clippers fight song as well. Or was it the Skipjacks fight song? Or the Bandits fight song? Tickets are $60 per person and $150 for a three-game “WNST Three-Pack”. Click here to buy individual games or the WNST Puck Bus Three Pack:

Orioles appear to dump Ramon Hernandez off to the Reds

Nestor Aparicio

As has been reported all day from the winter meetings in Las Vegas, it appears as though the Orioles and the Reds have finally completed the transaction to send catcher Ramon Hernandez to Cincinnati for outfielder Ryan Freel and a pair of prospects. The $1 million in cash involved in the transaction will need to be approved by Bud Selig. Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com was the first with the story. He’s had a phenomenal running blog from Sin City… The rumors regarding Garrett Olson for Felix Pie continue to swirl. But they’re only rumors at this point.

Beating the Redskins in Baltimore…is anything better?

Nestor Aparicio

Let’s start by stating the obvious: any win over the Washington Redskins is a great win, especially when you only get that opportunity every four years. With so much at stake after the Steelers wild comeback over Dallas (the tailgate was essentially a giant, frigid outdoor viewing party), it became more of a playoff game for the Ravens and they answered the bell on Sunday night with a resounding 24-10 win over their weaker rivals from the D.C. beltway. Of course, the real playoff game comes this Sunday when the Steelers come to town for another huge game that will dictate whether the Ravens are “just” a playoff team or whether they’re built to win in January. A loss, and the playoffs are in peril and they’ll need to claw and scratch just to get in and go on the road for the month. A win over Pittsburgh here, and the Ravens can legitimately start talking about a first-round bye. What a long, crazy, unexpected season this has been. Last night was an “instant classic,” a legendary memory, both good and bad. Beating the Redskins like dogs might be the most fun you can have as a Ravens fan but

So, can we “INDUCT ART” tonight?

Nestor Aparicio

Can we get Art Modell’s name as loud as we ever got O-R-I-O-L-E-S back on 33rd Street? That booming sound, larger than anything this side of a rock concert singalong? IN-DUCT ART! IN-DUCT ART! IN-DUCT ART! As many of you who have followed my career as a sports journalist/civic activist over the years knows, I’m a dreamer. My official title on my business card says: DREAMER, WASHED UP HOST. I hand those cards out every day and they’re still pretty accurate. When people have told me over the years that “Art Modell will never get into the Hall of Fame,” I can only laugh at the liberal use of the word “never.” Because for years, I thought we’d “never” get into the NFL. And lo and behold, we’re 13 years into this odyssey called the Baltimore Ravens because of Art Modell. And we’re on national TV tonight playing essentially for a chance at a division title. Oh, and we won a Super Bowl as well. Here’s what I see tonight: A stadium full of half-tanked, really feisty Ravens fans swathed in purple ready to rip the roof off the sky over South Baltimore tonight. The Redskins are going to bring

Puck buses and hot dog eating…

Nestor Aparicio

The puck buses will go on sale tomorrow! Here are the dates for our excursions to D.C. for three Caps games: Tuesday, Jan. 6th vs. Philadelphia, Wed. Feb. 18th vs. Montreal & Tuesday March 3 vs. Carolina. We’re trying to figure out a way to make a “WNST season ticket” outta it. However, tonight, I’ll be going down to the Islanders-Caps game for a hot dog eating competition against Sonya Thomas, the “Black Widow” of competitive eating. Of course, WNSTV will be on the scene. Hope you also check out last night’s fun at the UMBC-Towson game. It sucks that the game wasn’t more competitive — Towson just shot the lights out and were tenacious on defense. I was hoping for a buzzer beater. The Dawgs will rise again. And Pat’s Cats looked tremendous. A really fun night for all of us and saw many WNST readers and listeners there as well. Brian Billick had better form than me but the scoreboard still reads: Nestor 2, Brian 0. (And yes, he’ll be hearing about that for the rest of eternity!) It’s been a really awesome week and I’ve received many very touching emails from people regarding the Modell issue. And

OUR BIGGEST CIVIC NIGHTMARE: What if Art Modell never came to Baltimore?

Nestor Aparicio

So today let’s pretend that Art Modell never moved the Cleveland Browns. Let’s pretend that there are no Baltimore Ravens and that the team never came and that the NFL continued to ignore Baltimore as a home for a franchise. Maybe some of our younger readers don’t remember the 13 years without the NFL, but I do. I said it on the radio earlier this week and I mean it with every ounce of truth and conviction possible: “The sheer fact that the Baltimore Ravens exist is nothing short of a MIRACLE for our community – a God send!” Of course, this begs the question for our purposes: Would Art Modell be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame if he never moved the Browns? OF COURSE HE WOULD! Here is a “fantasy” nightmare that is not at all far-fetched: In November 1995, after Baltimore agreed verbally to take the Browns, Art Modell went back to the city of Cleveland one last time and state of Ohio agreed to build him a new stadium. (Somewhere John Moag is reading this and saying: “I would have NEVER let that happen!”) Had Cleveland stepped up, this would have essentially ended any hope

THE COMPLETE ART MODELL PRIMER & FAQ REGARDING HIS HOF CANDIDACY

Nestor Aparicio

Here is a primer on all things Canton, Pro Football Hall of Fame voting, the politics, the rules, the history and most importantly “Where Art Modell stands” in his lifelong quest to be bronzed and rightfully enshrined amongst the greats of the NFL game. You can also listen to Tuesday’s interviews with Peter King and Len Shapiro in our audio vault for more discussion about the reality of Art’s bid. Shapiro wrote a huge piece yesterday in The Washington Post pimping Modell’s candidacy and calling it a “travesty” that he’s not in Canton. It’s a must read! (Incidentally, I’d love to link to a story in The Baltimore Sun regarding Modell’s candidacy, but once again our friends on Calvert Street are asleep at the wheel. Nice job of sticking up for your own, boys!) This getting into the Hall of Fame business is more about politics and less about achievements these days if my research and the people I’ve chatted with who are in the room are really being honest. The “clear cut” guys – this year it figures to a slam dunk for Rod Woodson, Shannon Sharpe and Bruce Smith as inductees – are mere formalities in many ways.

Pucks and hot dogs and Hall of Fame and free throws

Nestor Aparicio

So, I’m having a strange week. First, the surreal life in Cincinnati can be easily seen by watching my wnsTV accounts of the past two years in Cincinnati. The new video is on the box on the right and the ones from last year are here and here and here. I’ve been doing the Cincy trip (fly through Louisville, drive 100 miles, take in the game) for 13 years. It’s always easy, cheap and interesting. And if you ever get a chance to go to Lynn’s Paradise Cafe on Louisville, by all means get some eggs and bacon. But these videos will tell you the difference between a winning season and a losing season. Nothing unlike what we’ve seen here two of the last three seasons when we were losing. But in Cincinnati, it’s on steroids comparatively speaking. It really kinda reminded me of the 1981 and 82 Colts when there was nobody on 33rd Street at the games and my Pop never understood why in the world I’d want to go to the games. But I did. So, after getting back around midnight, I’ve been hard at work on getting our Art Modell promotion kicked off and I sincerely

It’s ‘Put Art Modell in the Hall of Fame week’ here at WNST

Nestor Aparicio

We will be using this week here at WNST and at this link on Facebook to recruit as many Ravens fans as possible in support of Art Modell’s Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy. The next two weeks are crucial as the 44 voters are making their final cuts from 25 candidates to 15 before Dec. 17th. If Modell can remain on the ballot, we think we could rally again in January before the actual induction vote. Please spread the word and tell your friends to participate! If we in Baltimore don’t support Art’s cause, he’ll never get into Canton. We are hoping to dispense tons of information this week via our radio station and website and the Facebook group called, “Put Art Modell in the Hall of Fame” and hope for a unified “Cheer for Art” during next Sunday night’s NBC nationally televised game against the Redskins. If we make the national media discuss Modell’s legitimate candidacy, we believe Art will rightfully be enshrined in Canton next summer with Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe, who will be the first Ravens in the Hall of Fame. We need your help in spreading the word and getting people motivated to make

LIVE BLOG from Cincinnati: Ravens crush hapless Bengals 34-3

Nestor Aparicio

It’s a lot more fun coming to Cincinnati when the team wins. After a few rough years of losses, the Ravens finally blistered the injured and hapless Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium, a thorough 34-3 beating which featured almost flawless football from Joe Flacco and company. The Ravens jumped out to a 13-point and only a mini two-minute drive at the end of the first half with three big plays allowed the Bengals to mount any sort of offensive threat. As far as Ravens’ domination games over their 13 years in Baltimore, it’d be hard to find a more inept effort than the one we saw from the Bengals today. So what did we learn? The Ravens are now 8-4 and again will face another week of: “Are they any good?” inquires leading up to a nationally televised showdown with the Redskins this Sunday. We at WNST will be mounting a serious effort to make some noise for Art Modell to get nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist status this week. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than division wins on the road, but one look at the Bengals today would tell you that they barely qualify as an

Does Art Modell belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nestor Aparicio

I know we’ve been through this argument on both sides many times, but Arthur Bertrand Modell is BACK on the Pro Football Hall of Fame “short list” of 25 names for consideration for the Class of 2009 in Canton, Ohio. Over the next few weeks, that list will be pared from 25 back to 15 finalists before the voting for the actual inductees comes the day before the Super Bowl in Tampa. We, in Baltimore, need to make sure that we do all we can do to make certain that Modell makes that cut over the next few weeks. The web is a big place. There are links to all sorts of information about Modell and his many achievements in television, the NFL’s early ownership and of course the move from Cleveland, which has now had 13 years of clarity. You’ll find accurate accounts of his many accomplishments from minority hiring to advising the league on the merger in 1969 to virtually every television enhancement in marketing from the late-afternoon game in Dallas on Thanksgiving to the advent of Monday Night Football, which has become an iconic achievement in modern sports in America. You will also see a variety of

Why all of the noise about A.J. Burnett?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s another offseason, another free agency period for the Baltimore Orioles and the fan base – or what’s left of it – is stirred up about whether the club will sign pitcher A.J. Burnett sometime soon. Apparently, he lives locally in Monkton (who knew THAT before this week?) and has made some overtures toward the team that he’d actually like to play here in his “hometown” as an Oriole. So writers are writing about it, Baltimore fans are talking about it, the Yankees are bidding for him and in my own mind I’m saying what any self-respecting Orioles fan should be saying: “Here we go again!” Are they really going to spend ANY money this offseason? Is anyone worth a damn REALLY going to say: “YES, I’d dying to play for the Orioles and I’ll take less money to do it?” First, the Orioles are making millions and millions of dollars of “free money” via MASN. Whatever else that comes out of their mouths to the contrary – as usual – are lies. They are absolutely printing money via that TV network. Now, whether they’ll continue to pocket the money or spend it is entirely up to them. (Or, they’ll

When do we paint the city purple and make some noise?

Nestor Aparicio

It occurred to me as the National Anthem was playing on Sunday as I began my three-hour freeze in the upper deck of M&T Bank Stadium that the late-arriving crowd might’ve been looking forward to the cold as much as I was. Which is to say, “not so much.” Sunday was the strangest of Ravens games from my perspective. Strange pacing. Strange crowd (I can honestly say that I didn’t see one problem with Eagles fans, although I heard a few horror stories. Of course, I sit in Sect. 513 and I only saw one person in green anywhere near my section.). Before the game I saw swaths of green and heard chants of “E-A-G-L-E-S” coming from inside the stadium as I circled to enter. The Eagles fans – as well as the team on the field – seemed to leave their “game” at the tailgate lot. But the purple crowd was even more bizarre and “dead.” Entering the game at 6-4, playing at home for the first time a few weeks and with a lot on the line, I thought our fans were kinda lame on Sunday. It was strangely silent. And the strong home field advantage we usually

Ravens-Redskins game moved to primetime on Dec. 7

Nestor Aparicio

The NFL is apparently as excited about the Ravens-Redskins game here in Baltimore as the rest of us. Earlier this morning, the league moved the big local game from a 1 p.m. start to an 8:15 p.m. NBC national game of the week. So, Al and John will be here on Sunday night and Faith Hill has been waiting a long time for this one. The previous game was listed as New England at Seattle. Get your grills ready and get rady for a major nationally televised death match between the team we love and the team we love to hate.

So…just how many people come to WNST.net every day for Baltimore sports?

Nestor Aparicio

Every day someone comes up to me on the streets of Baltimore and tells me that I should “turn up the signal” on AM 1570. That’s been going on since May 1998 when I first got involved in purchasing WNST, which was then WKDB, a failed kid’s radio station. As you know, this is the worst time of the year for us, when daylight ends around 5 p.m. and we are mandated by the FCC to “downpower” our transmitter, which restricts our AM radio access to an 8-mile circle around Towson, where our towers reside on the hill overlooking Loch Raven High School. Maybe you’ve heard our “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” promo on WNST? We did that for a reason. We’re NOT just an AM radio station anymore, as your eyes on this website should surely tell you. We have a lot more to offer than 12 hours of radio these days at AM 1570 on your radio. (But you’re already here on the website reading this, so that should be pretty self-explanatory.) Believe me, if we could petition the FCC to get more “hamsters running the power,” we would do it. But we don’t really

A beautiful day: Ravens 36, Eagles 7

Nestor Aparicio

The Ravens used an opportunistic offense and myriad of breakdowns by the hapless visitors to pummel the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium, 36-7 this afternoon. Andy Reid’s benching of Donovan McNabb at halftime will surely be debated across three states and the calling for his head surely will begin for calling a pass play at the goal line early in the fourth quarter when the Eagles were about six inches from making it a one-score game. Hard to say who was more quiet today at frigid M&T Bank Stadium today — the Eagles fans or the Ravens fans. It was a strange day of football all the way around. The game was long and out-of-synch in its pacing and reminded me of what would be the beginning of the end of Brian Billick’s tenure here — the ugly game in Detroit two years ago. Nothing the Eagles did went right. They got hosed on a couple of calls. Both of their quarterbacks threw hideous passes. The Ravens — and mainly Joe Flacco — stunk for most of the first half and the Eagles still couldn’t manage to score any points beyond the kickoff return, which clearly embarrassed John Harbaugh

We’ll learn a lot about Ravens and playoff hopes today

Nestor Aparicio

As painful as it was to witness, sitting home on Thursday night and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers dismantle the hapless Cincinnati Bengals during another god-awful NFL Network telecast got me thinking about where the Ravens really stand in this potential Festivus season of playoff football. The Steelers are now 8-3 and barring any extreme complication they appear to be in the driver’s seat for the AFC North title. By going out on three days of rest and winning at Heinz Field, the Steelers have cranked up the heat on the Ravens today with their scary matchup against Donovan McNabb and the Eagles here at the Crab Cake. I don’t think any of us were under the impression that the Ravens were a Super Bowl team, but after a 6-3 start and with four of the final six at home, you’d like to think on paper that anything short of a “play in” game on Dec. 29th would be a massive disappointment. Of course, I’m not even sure 10-6 will get you an automatic berth given the stack up of mediocrity that the AFC seems to be at this point. It’s been a confusing season for everyone from the bettors to

A rare matchup of cheesesteak vs. crab cake

Nestor Aparicio

It doesn’t happen often when the mean streets of the City of Brotherly Love and the quaint “Wire” world of Charm City get together in a meaningful sports contest. Four years ago, we had the infamous Halloween matchup where Terrell Owens – at that point still en vogue in fickle Filthy – danced over Ray Lewis in the north end zone of The Linc. Twenty five years ago we saw the Orioles take down the Phillies in Game 5 at The Vet to bring Baltimore its final sniff of a World Title in the great game of baseball. Of course, that was “B.A.” – before Angelos. But I can’t think of another time when Baltimore vs. Philly meant much of anything. And that’s a shame, really. So as a guy who travels to Philadelphia regularly for concerts, culture and rock and roll (BTW: Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers are reuniting next Wednesday night for a one-time only show at the Electric Factory) it’s always interesting when a sports battle actually involves Baltimore vs. Philly. As much as there is a “rivalry” of some kind – and let’s be honest, the Phillies are the World Champions and I see their

Let The Miller Lite Purple Palace Contest Begin!

Nestor Aparicio

WNST Sports Media has set forth to find the biggest Ravens fan of them all. You know the one we’re talking about? The one with the purple basement? Or the purple room? Or the one with an office, room or space that has purple pictures, memories, autographs, signed footballs, jerseys, etc. It might be a seasonal show of Festivus lights and a purple Christmas tree? Or just holiday lights and a train garden? Or maybe it’s a 365-day shrine to the purple on a new wing of the house? It might even look like a local sports bar? Or, as the contest is appropriately titled, “A Purple Palace.” Every one of us at WNST grew up collecting autographs, pictures, baseball cards – you name it! And we all have some trinkets lying around our house that have sentimental value in regard to sports. But for the first time, we’re trying to find the virtual All-Star team – or is it the Pro Bowl? — of Baltimore Ravens fans. There are no specific qualifications for entry. We’ll know the perfect “Purple Palace” when we see it! But we need you to help us find “the biggest and the best.” As a

Are they who we thought they were?

Nestor Aparicio

Any amateur football talking head can tell you that if you run the ball and play defense you’ll have a chance to win in the NFL. Of course, when you can’t stop the run it makes for a long afternoon for your defense. We’ve all been spoiled by the Ravens’ defense over the past decade. They’ve consistently nullified the running game of every team in the league over the past three seasons but today’s effort at Giants Stadium was pedestrian at best and we saw the result: Giants 30, Ravens 10. The Ravens got humbled today at the Meadowlands, beaten badly by the defending World Champions, who at 9-1 seemed to be toying with them after jumping out to a 20-0 lead with three straight scoring drives to start the day. It was a thorough beating by the NFC leaders, showing the Ravens to be more pretenders than contenders for a Super Bowl title at this point. The Ravens knew all week that the running game of Brandon Jacobs and company was coming but they were helpless to do anything to stop it. You had to know they were in the trouble the first time Ray Lewis got punched five

Beating the Giants would make Ravens a legit force in AFC

Nestor Aparicio

As I wake this morning the Baltimore Ravens – and, yes, they used the word “Baltimore” before it was “comprehensive branding effort” – are 6-3 and could be in sole possession of first place in the AFC North if a series of positive events transpire later today at the Meadowlands and in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers host a desperate San Diego Chargers club coming east to play with their season in the balance. No matter what, we’re gonna learn a lot about January today. In my 13 years of fandom I’ve never seen a purple team this hard to read. Are they this good? Or were THEY that BAD? I’m not really sure. Here are the irrefutable facts: • The Ravens have played nine games and have played eight of them well enough to win. That includes solid, representative efforts in Pittsburgh and here against the undefeated and “unstoppable” Tennessee Titans. • The Ravens played one of the biggest turds in the history of the franchise in Indianapolis and any horse player might “throw this one out” if they can legitimately run with the New York Football Giants. • Their only wins have come at the expense of the likes

Come cheer on the Blast tonight in Dundalk

Nestor Aparicio

The Blast kick off their 2008-08 campaign tomorrow night with a game at the First Mariner Arena against the Rockford Rampage but we’ll be starting the season tonight in Dundalk with a pep rally at Donna’s Tavern in Dundalk. Join Rob Long, myself and the folks from Coors Light in welcoming David Bascome, Mike Lookingland and Matt Tirschman for a Blast season kickoff party! Donna’s Tavern is located at 6607 Pine Avenue in Dundalk. The party starts at 6 p.m. The Blast and WNST will be giving away prizes throughout the night. This is also the last chance to win tickets to the home opener.

Pictures of the new Orioles jersey

Nestor Aparicio

We made it to the Gallery today. Lots of ways for you to see the new jerseys here at WNST.net. There are videos in wnsTV and there are pics here below… Enjoy…

‘BALTIMORE’ returns to The Orioles tomorrow

Nestor Aparicio

So the Orioles are throwing another free party tomorrow that most people in Baltimore won’t know about or care to attend. The team has been throwing 81 actual paid game events every year for a decade that get ignored by most of the metropolis so it’s hard to believe that there will be a mob scene at the Inner Harbor when the team officially “fixes” its ties to its own home town by restoring the word BALTIMORE to its road jerseys. In my opinion, they ought to concentrate on fixing the team, which went 5-26 to end the 2008 season. But nonetheless, the word ‘BALTIMORE’ will return to the team’s road jerseys just in time for your holiday shopping. Even when they finally do the “right” thing it’s thinly veiled as another mad dash for more money. (FYI: Looks like the jerseys will retail for about $80 if mlb.com’s current store is any indication.) So, what will the “Baltimore on the road jerseys” look like? Will they be taupe? Or sand? Or eggshell? Or retro? Or just…well, gray? Will it be in script? In block letters? Fat? Skinny? Black? Orange? Horizontal or vertical? Will they do some hideous version of

Just how good are the Ravens?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s not time to start printing playoff tickets just yet but if there’s any message that the Ravens sent to not only the Houston Texans but the NFL in general yesterday, it’s that this team is suddenly “for real.” Any team that can go on the road and paste a team 41-13 in November to go to 6-3 must be taken seriously as a January threat. Sure, it’s easy to say this: “Who have the Ravens beaten this year that matters?” The answer: Cleveland twice, Oakland, Cincinnati, Miami and now Houston – combined record of 13-29. Fair enough. But the next seven weeks will work all of that out. Are the Ravens a mediocre team that has bested a homely lot or an emerging playoff team waiting to break out and start beating some quality opponents? There is one thing we know for sure. With a date at the Meadowlands pending – and yes, we still have a handful of seats left on our “Miller Lite Purple Bus” to the swamps of Jersey this Sunday – the Ravens now control their own destiny in this chase for playoff football and a potential AFC North division crown. It’s down to the

Another successful Puck Bus and postgame Browns stains

Nestor Aparicio

Red hats off to our 57 hockey enthusiasts who ventured down to the Verizon Center last night and “Rocked The Red” for the Caps-Hurricanes game. And, wow, what an ending! Alexander Semin scored on an amazing pass from Alex Ovechkin and the Caps stole a 3-2 win with less than 11 seconds remaining in regulation, beating goalie Cam Ward and turning the rink into a joyous celebration. We had kids, families, moms, dads and most surprisingly, MANY people who had never been to a hockey game before. We watched “Slap Shot,” gave away autographed pucks, ate Captain Harvey’s yummy sandwiches and brownies and talked “old time” hockey. I suppose I’m a little spoiled having had hockey here in Baltimore most of my childhood. It’s been almost 15 years since we lost the puck, so I guess there really are a LOT of people who have never experienced the joy of hockey live. It’s kinda cool watching a kid see live hockey for the first time. Many folks asked me if we’d be doing more “Puck Bus” trips this season. Given the quick sellout of our trip last night, I think we’ll be offering a multi-game “season ticket” for a Baltimore

Mailbag: A postcard from Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

FROM THE MAILBAG: nestor: by the way, made the trip to cleveland last weekend. found the town and 99% of the people to be great. unfortunately there was one dude about 7 rows behind my 2 sons and i that seemed to have a problem with us wearing the purple. there were some pretty hairy moments, particularly after they scored 10 unanswered to take the lead. i thought i might be watching most of the 2nd half from the lock-up. needless to say, it suddenly got real quiet in the 4th quarter. we had a blast. signed, brad Hey Brad: Well done…send along a pic from the roadie and I’ll post it from now on… My videos are on wnstv…check ’em out… I go every year and I almost have a routine at this point. I love the RTA… I love the flight… I love Paninis…I always order the turkey and the cole slaw and fries are the bomb! I love paying $20 to a scalper for a ticket… I have great memories of Cleveland…from the 1995 World Series, the 1996 playoffs, Oilers trips back in the 1980’s, Indians games at the old ballpark, nights with Ohio’s finest in the

Will the Ravens extend Ray Lewis?

Nestor Aparicio

Ever since Drew Forrester posted his blog here at WNST.net yesterday about Ray Lewis and his pending return to the Ravens next year, folks have been talking. I’ve received several calls from inside the organization (and around the NFL) and the reports are mixed. Many think it’s a “done deal” and others, perhaps closer to understanding the business acumen of Ray Lewis circa 2008, think this is “part of the game.” Let’s start with the absolute obvious here: Twice this year Steve Bisciotti has publicly said what Drew wrote yesterday: Ray Lewis will remain a Raven for life. Bisciotti did this while appearing with the new Miami sidekick on a bad radio show in August and before that poolside at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla. at the owner’s meetings. (It’s kinda crazy that NFL Network was reporting that “WNST is reporting Lewis deal imminent,” etc. when it was simply Drew’s blog saying that he believes it’ll “get done.” We didn’t send a text. We didn’t write a headline screaming “Lewis signs 5-year deal with Ravens.” Drew simply put up an informed, sourced blog with good inside information.) But today – somewhat for sheer argument though I actually do feel

MUST I root for the Redskins tonight?

Nestor Aparicio

Tonight is the hardest place for any Steadman-reading, Eckman listening, WNST-enjoying Baltimoron to be. The kickoff in the ultimate matchup of our enemies — Steelers at Redskins — is soon at hand and I’m looking forward to the game. I hate them both equally. It’s so hard to separate. Given the standings in the AFC North and the miracle comeback yesterday in Cleveland, all we can hope for is that the Redskins can derail the Steelers for a few hours tonight and put us in a better position to earn a playoff berth. I won’t be singing “Hail To The Redskins” at any point this evening, but seeing Hines Ward and company get crushed down at Raljon won’t hurt my feelings an iota. The one Redskins fan I allow in my life — Chef Scotto — even called to see if I’d wish the Skins luck. I sheepishly admitted that yes, an old-fashioned burgundy and gold ass kicking of the Steelers would warm my heart and be the “neighborly” thing to do. Just like when he’s gonna need us vs. the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles in the coming weeks. So, yes, it’s shameful but I’ll be “on the bandwagon” tonight

The afterglow of Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. With just over a quarter remaining in yesterday’s key divisional AFC North matchup, the Ravens were 14 points down on the road, the Browns fans were coming to life with a chorus of “Hang on Sloopy” (don’t ask…just watch the video!) and the vultures were circling our black birds at Cleveland Stadium. Some of the Cleveland “faithful” had already begun to pile out onto the street to watch Bruce Springsteen perform before the Barack Obama rally, which was literally adjacent to the stadium (think as close as Oriole Park is to M&T Bank Stadium). The Browns had our rookie quarterback on the run. Our beaten defense had been pushed around for 30 minutes – or as Terrell Suggs said: “We were getting our asses handed to us.” And staring at a two-touchdown deficit on the road in a hostile environment, it didn’t feel as though a comeback was in the offering. Todd Heap hadn’t caught a pass. Willis McGahee was on the pine. The backend of the secondary, while not looking like Ike Booth and Donny Brady circa 1996 was still not Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle in their prime for

Off to Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

It’s always the best way to visit Cleveland – in and out. So, I’m on the 8:05 flight and we’ll be checking in throughout the day on WNST.net. I’m checking out the parking lots in downtown Cleveland on wnsTV (always interesting). The folks there still have such venom for Art Modell that it’s impossible for anything mentioning the word “Baltimore” with them that doesn’t set them off. And it’s always a little “rowdy” in Cleveland on gameday. The atmosphere is always fun and threatening, because the home fans are inspired. Or at least until the guys in the orange helmets do something wrong. Then it turns into a home game for the Ravens. It should be a good game, maybe the best on the docket for the weekend for pure “who’s is going to win” debate. No C-Mac (we think, anyway). A two-game winning streak. The Browns receiving corps could make it interesting. Ray Lewis loves going to Cleveland. It’ll be 60 degrees. Close game. Could come down to Matt Stover. Hey, I’m just guessing. Gonna be a fun day…

Hats off to Philadelphia…

Nestor Aparicio

Tonight, I’m a little jealous. I used to be a Phillies fan – a goober, drive up I-95 once a month, loved The Vet, pretzel-eating, NL-carpet loving Phillies fan. In the box of my life’s sporting fandom, I probably have 100 ticket stubs from games I saw at The Vet from the first time I visited Philadelphia during the summer of 1981 with my paternal father during the last time I ever saw him in America. I had been in love with baseball my whole life – all 11 years of it. And I chased the Phillies’ dream of a World Series that would match all of the joy and fun of the 1980 run they had. (And I was a George Brett fan!) I actually became a fan AFTER they won the title. But I honestly was one of those kids that just really loved baseball. And the National League was always more exotic. So, I loved the Fightin’ Fhils. Loved them so much that I went to the Vet to chase them 6 to 12 times per year. I did weekends with hotel rooms where I saw all three games of a weekend series if the Padres were

Rocking the Red with the Caps in D.C.

Nestor Aparicio

I’ll admit it. I’m biased. I inexplicably fell in love with hockey when I was five years old at the Baltimore Civic Center at an AHL Nova Scotia Voyageurs-Clippers game. I saw the ice. I saw the action. I was hooked. During my 40-plus years on the planet,  many of my best and most personal sports memories have been made at hockey games. Most of the people who’ve listened to my show or read my work over the past 17 years know of my affinity for the puck. We’re running our first-ever “Caps Puck Bus” next Thursday night (tickets are only $50 for the whole evening of fun) and I expect it to be memorable. Last night, I made my first of many pilgrimages down to the Verizon Center in D.C. to see the Caps take on my adopted favorite team, the Nashville Predators. It was a memorable game. The Caps took it to the Preds early, at one point holding a 23-5 lead in shots and a 2-1 advantage. Nashville came back to even the score late in the game, forcing a rare OT shootout, which the Caps won taking a 4-3 victory. Sure, Alex Ovechkin was missing last

Selig makes the right call in Philadelphia

Nestor Aparicio

Even the blind squirrel finds the nut eventually, my Mom once told me. And for once, Bud Selig and Major League Baseball did the right thing. Calling the game when they did in its suspended fashion was absolutely the obvious choice in deciding this sticky weather situation. Via the magic of the internet and the Comcast DVR, I’ve had quite an evening. My evening began at the Ravens team Halloween party to benefit Goodwill Industries at Dave & Buster’s at Arundel Mills Mall. My comrades Casey Willett and Ray Bachman joined me and we did a series of wnsTV interviews with Joe Flacco, Todd Heap, Jason Brown and Jameel McClain. It was a great party, raising over $100,00 for the charity and there were 15 Ravens players in the house, including co-host Mark Clayton, Haruki Nakamura, Adam Terry and a bunch of others. I got home at 10 p.m. I had both the World Series and the Tennessee-Indianapolis game set on the DVR. I got caught up in the baseball game before we even left the bar and joined it in real time. By 10:30, it was raining pretty hard and anyone who was watching had to be asking the

Ravens crush woeful Raiders, 29-10

Nestor Aparicio

The Raiders have played an interesting foil in the annals of Baltimore football history. There was the “Ghost To The Post” thriller on Christmas Eve in 1977. The Raiders were the first team to come to Baltimore to play the Ravens in 1996. And, of course, it was a trip to Oakland and a win in the AFC Championship Game in 2001 that took the Ravens to Tampa and a Super Bowl title. Today, however, the Raiders look to be a shadow of their famed black and silver pirate crest, a hapless franchise with second-rate talent and an owner that makes Peter Angelos seem sensible. What the hell happened to the “commitment to excellence”? We’ve seen some bad football teams roll into Baltimore since the Ravens came to town 13 years ago challenging the great Billy Jo Hobert, but today’s effort by the Raiders might’ve been one of the worst we’ve ever seen in the Charm City. That’s about as bad of a football team you’re gonna find with the red, white and blue NFL crest on it. Their offense was hopeless, the special teams were poor – making Jim Leonhard look like Dante Hall in his prime – and

Watching Moyer awakens old O’s memories

Nestor Aparicio

The World Series has returned to Philadelphia for the first time in 15 years. The fans are bathed in red and the series is tied 1-1. To the mound tonight for the Fightin’ Phils: Jamie Moyer. A blast from the past, and I suppose most fans don’t even associate him with the Orioles, but I remember his time in orange and black quite vividly. I met Jamie Moyer at the Huggins-Stengel Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. during the spring training of 1993. I wrote an extensive blog about my experience there last year but it was an incredible adventure covering those Orioles teams. One of my favorite experiences as a professional even after all of these years. Moyer was a super astute student of the game, a likeable guy who a young Mike Mussina and others like Todd Frohwirth and Mark Williamson liked to talk strategy and “real pitching” with. He was a borderline major-leaguer at that point, who had bounced around three organizations and didn’t pitch in the big leagues in 1992 (he spent the whole summer in AAA Toledo after six years in the big leagues) He was a long shot to make the team coming out of

Harbaugh’s handling of C-Mac situation is suspect

Nestor Aparicio

So this is where new head coach John Harbaugh is learning the pain, instead of the joy, of being an NFL head coach. There are only 32 of these jobs in world – captains of America’s favorite sports teams – and each of them brings a unique management structure and issues way beyond football. It’s about a LOT more than just drawing up the X’s and O’s and having a whistle on a string and being a gameday strategist. It’s truly a VERY-high profile corporate C.E.O. (and babysitting) position and when this week’s “off the field” activity of Chris McAlister and Terrell Suggs has led to the “on the field” benching of the team’s highest-paid player and resident passive-aggressive cornerback, unlike at Legg Mason or Aerotek, the media asks the questions the fans (customers) want answers to and they expect a straight answer. Or, like the other night on WBAL, some big-monied sponsor can call in directly to the coach to try to get an honest answer. And, honestly, as much as we realize the Ravens do have some rights to the privacy of their employees and how it’s handled, we don’t want to be lied to either. I get

World Series Game 1 LIVE blog…

Nestor Aparicio

Hockey Meg wound up in my kitchen again tonight. The Philadelphia sports enthusiast and kryptonite to Drew Forrester’s hatred of the City of Brotherly Love, was pacing the floor. “The last time they won a playoff game I had just gotten my driver’s license. I’m 32. In 1980, I was 4 years old my dad dragged me into the basement. Said take a look at this as Tug McGraw got the final out. He said, ‘You’ll probably never see this again.’ My brother and I we laughed about it for years. We STILL laugh about it.” It was 15 years ago this week. The World Series between the Phillies and the Blue Jays. God, how I hated the Blue Jays after their years of torturing the Orioles. I covered every game of the Series. I got written about in the Philadelphia Daily News and thought that was pretty cool, even though I had written for a newspaper for nine years at that point. Meg and I unwittingly were at the same concert at the Spectrum. The night of Game 4 of the 1993 World Series I was on the field doing a radio show, grabbing Mitch Williams, Curt Schilling, John

Induct Art postmortem…

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been a busy couple of days in my real life and I haven’t had a chance to write a

Just how good are the Ravens?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s not time to start printing playoff tickets just yet but if there’s any message that the Ravens sent to

MUST I root for the Redskins tonight?

Nestor Aparicio

Tonight is the hardest place for any Steadman-reading, Eckman listening, WNST-enjoying Baltimoron to be. The kickoff in the ultimate matchup

The afterglow of Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. With just over a quarter remaining in yesterday’s key divisional AFC

Off to Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

It’s always the best way to visit Cleveland – in and out. So, I’m on the 8:05 flight and we’ll

World Series Game 1 LIVE blog…

Nestor Aparicio

Hockey Meg wound up in my kitchen again tonight. The Philadelphia sports enthusiast and kryptonite to Drew Forrester’s hatred of

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