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Nestor Aparicio

Exclusive John Harbaugh breakfast footage here at WNST!

It was an early morning here in Dana Point, Calif., but very much worth the early wakeup call. Every year at the NFL Owners Meetings all 32 NFL coaches are made available during breakfast for “sitdown” interviews and a general rap session and B.S. conversation with the media. Due to the newspaper economy being on the rapid decline, the number of pure journalists is down making access almost unprecedented. Today, it was the AFC so we’ve spent the morning with Marvin Lewis, Mike Tomlin, Rex Ryan and, of course, our own John Harbaugh. I’m working hard to platform and post the videos from the morning “rap” session and hope you enjoy all of the information, which is fresh and exclusive to WNST. There will be at least a dozen separate videos coming throughout the afternoon here in the wnsTV video vault. They’re not tightly edited and some of the questions were a little hard for our microphones to pick up, but I think you’ll enjoy having “breakfast with John Harbaugh” in a very informal, cool setting here in Southern California. I’ll be writing more in a little while…lots going on here including a fun visit with David Modell, who is

FINALLY…Baltimore gets a World Soccer match!

Over the past decade fans in New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. have been treated to a European “friendly” football matchup and finally Baltimore and M&T Bank Stadium will get ours: Chelsea will face A.C. Milan on July 24 in downtown of the Charm City. Here’s the press release from the Ravens, who are promoting the event. BREAKING NEWS: Chelsea vs. AC Milan to play at M&T Bank Stadium! On Friday, July 24th at 8:00 p.m, Chelsea, of the English Premier League will take on AC Milan, of Italy’s top division Serie A at M&T Bank Stadium. This match will mark the first soccer event to be played at M&T Bank Stadium. A sell out crowd is expected and as a PSL Owner, we would like to offer you the first opportunity to purchase tickets for this exciting event before tickets go on sale to the general public. General public sales begin today, Tuesday, March 24th at 12:30 p.m. Special VIP hospitality packages are also available on both an individual basis and for groups of 30. VIP package, club level and lower level midfield purchasers will get access to a private practice session on Thursday, July 23rd from 6-9 p.m

Titans — not Ravens — will open season in Pittsburgh on Thursday night

Some breaking news from the NFL Owners Meetings: It will be the Tennessee Titans, not the Ravens, who will draw the short straw of opening the season on Thursday Night’s kickoff in Pittsburgh as the Steelers hoist their sixth Super Bowl banner at Heinz Field. There has been weeks of speculation that the Ravens would be the “preferred” opponent for the Steelers but the Ravens made it clear that they preferred to not play a nationally televised evening game in Pittsburgh for the fourth time in five years. My sources tell me that it was a “competitive balance” issue more than being “afraid” to go to Pittsburgh, which the Ravens will do anyway at some point this season as they do every year. The Ravens thought it was unfair that the league has continually made them sit in a hotel stewing on the road all day and then being forced into short rest the following week. The mandate from Ravens’ management was simple: we’ve gone up there enough for evening games so make them come down and play in Baltimore for a nighttime game for a change. I don’t agree with the Ravens position, but as one team official told

Live from Southern California…

It’s been a chilly trip all the way around. It’s cold in California this week. It was freezing at Dodger Stadium last night and Laguna Beach is no better. I’m spending the next three days here in Dana Point at the NFL Owners Meetings, chatting with coaches, executives and owners from around the league. Most of the media has commented that it’s “quiet” here this week, with no major rules changes or negotiations to be held. The only potential “landmark” concept is the notion of making the regular season a 17 or 18-game affair, with the elimination of those dreadful preseason games. It appears that changes to overtime possession aren’t coming right now. There’s too much support to keep the current (yet flawed) system. But it’s truly the calm before the potential financial storm as the NFL Players Association has named its new leader in DeMaurice Smith last week. Commisioner Roger Goodell is addressing the entire contingent this morning with a “State of The NFL” speech, which no doubt will be addressing the sagging economy and the paramount issue of a new collective bargaining agreement with the players, which could be a dog fight over the next 18 months as

Orioles pitching woes continue: Hill won’t be in rotation

Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz told the media this morning that LHP Rich Hill will not begin the season in the starting rotation due to lack of work. Hill threw 25 batting practice pitches earlier today but time is running short for the team to find five major-league worthy starters to begin the season as the Yankees come to Camden Yards in just two weeks. Read more here…

Angelos wants to “save” horse racing and Preakness for Maryland

“The Preakness is going to stay in Maryland. Period. It’s not leaving. Guaranteed!” Those are the words that Maryland State Senate president Mike Miller told the local media earlier this week. I hope that he’s right. I’ve long been a proponent of finding ways to salvage what’s left of the dying local industry of horse racing but most importantly adding some future luster and pageantry back into what was once an annual “Super Bowl” for Baltimore and Maryland. But it’s not just about the Preakness or the long-tailed reach of the economics of having horse racing go extinct in our state. It’s not about jockeys and horses and vets and farms and people. It’s about whether anyone in the public truly cares enough to support horse racing with their wallets in a world where bets are available online, just a click away around the clock. If a “supertrack” is ever created, will anyone come back to horse racing or try it for the first time? Will it ever be a true money maker worthy of spending several hundred million dollars to resurrect a sport that hasn’t really mattered in our community in a quarter of a century? This morning, The

Orlando Pace coming to Baltimore?

Ozzie Newsome continues to recruit, court and host more veteran NFL players. The next two days figure to be busy as word leaked late tonight that veteran St. Louis Rams tackle Orlando Pace is scheduled to come to Baltimore, according to NBCSports.com. In addition, the Ravens have also cut Samari Rolle and signed Chris Carr. On Thursday, the Ravens will hold a press conference with Ray Lewis, Steve Bisciotti, John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome officially re-welcoming No. 52 back to the only home he’s ever known in Owings Mills. The line of questioning and what the press conference indicates will be of great interest to many Ravens fans who saw Lewis’ negotiating tactics as an embarrassment to his legendary status here in Baltimore. All the talk of the Jets and Cowboys will no doubt be revisited, even if the event does figure to have a “time limit” on it due to it being held during halftime of the Maryland Terps’ first-round game against California in Kansas City. But Ozzie Newsome, just as he said a few weeks ago, clearly isn’t done with the free agency period.

Ravens sign former Eagles tight end L. J. Smith

Several media outlets are reporting that the Ravens have signed veteran tight end L.J. Smith to a 1-year, $1.5 million deal to potentially join Todd Heap in the team’s corps. Read more here… This might’ve been moved forward by John Harbaugh’s years with the Eagles. Strangely enough, Harbs hasn’t attemted to raid any of the Philadelphia roster over the past 13 months.

Just like the WNST logo: purple and orange together in one parking lot

Just got a press release regarding NFL Draft Day activities in downtown Baltimore. Looks like the Ravens continue to “cozy up” to the Orioles, who are in woeful need of some purple to fill up those empty green seats in April. Your Baltimore Orioles — finally reaching out to the community in the most obvious ways that have been ignored for 13 years. Ravens and Orioles Team Up for Double-Header Baltimore’s two biggest sports franchises have teamed up to offer fans a unique double-header. The Baltimore Ravens and the Baltimore Orioles have packaged together the Ravens’ Spring Football Festival with an Orioles’ home game against the Texas Rangers to offer fans two great events for one ticket. On Saturday, April 25, the Ravens will hold their 12th annual Spring Football Festival, presented by Verizon Wireless, at M&T Bank Stadium from 3-7 p.m. The family-friendly event consists of various elements in which fans can participate, including interactive on-field activities, a locker room tour, player autograph sessions, Poe’s Mascot Game and watching the 2009 NFL Draft live on SmartVision and TVs throughout the stadium. Immediately following the football festivities, the Orioles will host the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park for a 7:05

Steve Bisciotti’s Thursday dilemma: Ray or Gary?

I sorta knew that Bob Haynie’s “schlep rock” (or whatever the hell he calls it) would be at work on the Maryland Terps this weekend when the Baltimore Ravens called a 4 p.m. Thursday press conference in Owings Mills to march Ray Lewis out to the local firing squad for questions about loyalty, community, commitment, Hall of Fame inevitability and his future plans as a “Baltimorean” among other inquires. But now word broke around 11 p.m. last night that the Maryland Terps will be in the second half of their game against the California Golden Bears in Kansas City at that hour on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. So, that begs the question, where will Steve Bisciotti be at 4 p.m. on Thursday? Hmmmm… Bisciotti broke his long silence on the Gary Williams/friendship/support/vote of confidence front last week, getting front page love in The Sun with “I love Gary” quotes and basically stating that the reason he’s a Maryland financial backer during these tough economic times is because Gary Williams is the coach. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I gotta think Bisciotti’s never, ever missed a March Madness postseason game? He’s the biggest Terp fan

Brian Roberts feels at “home” in Team USA Jersey

I’m following up on all of the residue of the NCAA March Madness draw and filling out my own brackets and doodling this evening and my TV is tuned to the USA-Netherlands elimination game in Miami. In the same awkward ballpark that I watched the Ravens beat the Dolphins in the wild card round about 10 weeks ago, there are about 5,000 people — and I might be accused of kindness with that estimate — watching as the Orioles’ own Brian Roberts has been an 11th hour “call up” due to the Dustin Pedroia injury. It’s, of course, a preview of the kinds of crowds he’ll see at Camden Yards next month here in Baltimore. Lots of empty seats must help his game as he got a helluva good look at the ball in Miami. BRob — always the pro — singled to right field in his first at bat and went on to go 3-for-3 with a pair of walks in five trips to the plate in Team USA’s 9-3 win over the Dutch. Roberts also looks spiffy in his USA duds. The World Baseball Classic interests me more than it did last time because I’m actually planning on

Baltimore still has three chances to dance in NCAA bracket madness

Clearly, it has not been a banner year on the local men’s basketball circuit. Maryland has been a choppy, up-and-down ride for three months. UMBC, Towson, Loyola and Coppin have all been disappointing during the regular season, to say the least. And Morgan State, again the best team in their conference, has been the most consistent squad since November, even managing to slay the giants from College Park along the way. But, in the world of March Madness and conference tournaments, it’s these last-gasp few days of “Tournament Week” that decide the true “success” of a men’s basketball teams’ season. Towson and Coppin went on little runs but came up short. The Terps have won a pair of games in the last 48 hours to now have a legitimate hope that they’ll be dancing on Thursday or Friday. With just more than 24 hours remaining before the NCAA committee fills out the only brackets that matter, our state and region still has three chances to “dance.” UMBC starts things at 11 a.m. this morning with a tall task of going to a nutty gym in Binghamton, N.Y. to slay the No. 1 team in America East on ESPN2. As you

Torry Holt released by Rams: Are Ravens interested?

We’ve been waiting several weeks and with all of the talk of Torry Holt’s imminent departure from the St. Louis Rams, it’s now a reality. Holt was released this afternoon and the Ravens now have the opportunity to pounce if they are indeed interested. We’ll see what happens over the weekend with Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens’ glaring need at the wide receiver position.

So you want to be a Baltimore sports media personality in 2009?

The resumes and cover letters from people who love Baltimore sports and think they can be a 2009 local media sensation are flooding into my email inbox. Some of them are pretty cool and impressive. Lots of folks – all male at this point but I’d love to find some females who really knows sports as well to enter – are thinking this “competition” will be fun. So instead of bringing in people and sitting them in a room, I figure if these folks REALLY think they can do this for a living, I’ll just give them the chance to prove it in “real time.” On the radio and on the web, you’ll have a chance to knock it out of the park if you enter our competition and are selected by our staff. At WNST.net and AM 1570, we have the medium, the outlet, the resources and a bunch of sponsors to provide a grand prize to make it all worthwhile. We’re are still putting together the finer points and details of how this will go between now and Memorial Day but I want to have an open, on-the-air and on-the-web competition (a talent show meets American Idol-kinda thing)

Ray Lewis’ deal is reported as a 7-year deal

Obviously with all NFL contracts, the only truth lies in the actual bonus money. But reports abound that Ray Lewis’ deal, which was signed yesterday, was actually listed as a 7-year deal with $15.5 million of guaranteed money. The Ravens have said that Lewis will be back in Baltimore sometime late next week for a formal press conference to announce that he’s planning to spend the rest of his career as a Raven. The questions at that press conference should be notable. WNST will cover the event.

Ravens tell Matt Stover he’s no longer in their 2009 plans

Earlier in the day, Ravens officials said they were still essentially “on the fence” regarding Matt Stover’s future with the team. This afternoon, Matt Stover made it official telling the world that the Ravens have informed him that he’s no longer in their plans. Stover, the last of the “original” Ravens to come off the boat from Cleveland when Art Modell and the Browns made the move east, has made his last appearance in purple. It was clear that the franchise always valued his reliability and professionalism but his leg strength — specifically on kickoffs — was always an issue. He wasn’t going to kick the 56-yarder to win the game, but he wasn’t going to miss the 45-yarder to win the game. One of the classiest Ravens there will ever be, Stover hasn’t ruled out going elsewhere to prolong his 17-year NFL career. At the age of 41, he’s still a solid choice for many teams. Apparently, the Ravens will rely on second-year Steve Hauschka who handled most kickoffs last season. Speculation that Matt Stover could end up with the Jets apparently ended yesterday when Jay Feely signed with Rex Ryan.

Happy 90th Birthday to my Pop!!!

On a morning when the coffee buzz is about Ray Lewis and Matt Birk getting signed and Terrell Owens getting released — and I can’t believe any serious or rational Ravens fan would think signing T.O. is a good idea — my thoughts have been about my father on what would’ve been his 90th birthday. As many of you know, I dedicate each March 5th broadcast on AM 1570 to my dad and in 2006 I wrote a book about my father and his influence on my life and what it’s become. I’ve said it many, many times: my father is really the one responsible for building WNST. My career and my passion for sports and Baltimore is all a result of those trips on the No. 23 bus from Dundalk through Highlandtown and the connection to the No. 22 over to 33rd Street. It has now been 30 months since our “Free The Birds” march on Camden Yards. I’ll save the report card for the changes it enacted for closer to Opening Day. But I wanted to “reprint” the book here online over the next few weeks. There are 19 chapters about how I was raised, my love of

Caps and Brashear represent NHL in downtown Baltimore

For the first time in as long as I can remember — and as you know, I have a pretty long memory — the Washington Capitals did a Baltimore event last night downtown at the ESPN Zone. Left wing Donald Brashear came to the Inner Harbor for a one-hour autograph and photo event and wound up having to stay for 90 minutes because the crowd and line were so overwhelming. My guess is that more than 400 people came by to greet Brashear and talk about “rocking the red.” As a lifer hockey fan, it was a pretty cool and unique event. Even in the days of Mike Gartner and Rod Langway, the Caps never, ever did events in Baltimore. Geez, their affiliate was here for four years and they barely made a sound inside the beltway here even when the NHL team played 35 minutes away at the Capital Centre. We’ve been without hockey here for almost 15 years now — since Mike Caggiano and the Bandits pulled the plug — and as the only remaining media entity that still cares about and supports the puck it was a pleasure to have WNST involved. We’ll be doing at least

Ray Lewis and Matt Birk both in the Ravens’ fold

In the span of 20 minutes, we got two well-sourced confirmations that both of Ozzie Newsome’s shopping sprees today have come full circle. Both Matt Birk and Ray Lewis have agreed to terms with the Ravens in the 4 p.m. hour today. Word is that both Lewis and Birk received a 3-year deals. Lewis was reported at $22 million and Birk at $9 million, with $6 guaranteed. WNST will continue to talk about these huge signings all of Thursday on AM 1570 and comments here are welcomed. I will also be hosting my annual “Pop’s Birthday Celebration” with four hours of tributes to dads everywhere. For Immediate Release RAVENS AGREE TO TERMS WITH LEWIS, BIRK The Baltimore Ravens reached agreements in principle with two Pro Bowl players Wednesday afternoon. LB Ray Lewis will remain a Raven. “We have agreed in principle on a multi-year contract that will allow Ray to finish his career as a Baltimore Raven,” general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced. “From beginning to end as a Raven… Wow! To be with the same team with the same fans for an entire career, that doesn’t happen in the NFL,” Lewis said. “The bottom line for me is

Love for Dads everywhere pouring in…

In anticipation of my show tomorrow on my Pop’s 90th birthday, I’ve begun receiving various emails of support, stories and tales about fathers all around Baltimore. Here’s a nice one I got last night that I thought I’d share: Dear Nestor, I began writing this last summer and wanted to share it with you. Your writing about your father a few years ago was part of my inspiration to write about my own father, a diehard Baltimore sports fan if there ever were one.  Ultimately, my love for Baltimore sports can be traced to no one but him.  I hope you enjoy it, as it’s often difficult to open up my feelings about losing him.  I also sent it as an attachment in case the format is difficult to read in the email. Thanks and Happy Birthday to your dad! Sincerely, Luke Jones My passion for Baltimore sports begins and ends with my love for my dad.  From the time I was a toddler, I attended numerous Orioles games with Dad, who had the greatest part-time job of his life as an usher at Memorial Stadium from 1983 to 1991.  I vividly remember sitting on his lap, chanting ED-die, ED-die,

Today’s Ravens guest: center Matt Birk of Vikings

According to the Minneapolis media machine, highly intelligent center Matt Birk — he graduated from Harvard — is here in Baltimore talking shop with the Ravens brass today. Hopefully, he’s smart enough to sign here and make our offensive line better. FYI: per Pro Football Talk, Birk is represented by Joe Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta. Incidentally, I met Linta in Tampa at the Super Bowl. He’s a good dude…

Good news about the Orioles!

A friend of mine sent along a note about an “out of town” friend who had a good experience with the Orioles. Here it is…from Kristie from Nebraska, who I’m sure has never heard of me, but her annoying friend has been pestering me about this kind act from the Orioles and accusing me of “covering up” their good deeds. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need more “good deeds” from the Orioles. “Hello there! Please bear with me! I am a friend of a friend. Within the last year and a half, my 9yr. old daughter was diagnosed with a debilitating disease leaving her suffering with chronic pain on a daily basis. Making it difficult to enjoy life. For this reason, we sought help in Baltimore at John’s Hopkin’s with the encouragement of our neurologist there.  Needless to say we spent several months in Baltimore, and what may very well have been a totally bad experience, actually turned into a rather pleasant one in several different ways! Met several new friends..One in which, who introduced us to “The Ulimate Oriole’s Experience!”  Not only were we in “awe” of the beautiful stadium, but, also by all of the

Reminder: Tribute to Dads everywhere is two days away

As many of you know who have followed me and/or WNST through the years, March 5th is my Pop’s birthday. He was born in 1919, so this Thursday he would’ve been 90. As a tribute to him — and Dads everywhere — we have made a 17-year tradition of dedicating our March 5 shows to my father and your father as well. Just wanted to give everyone a head’s up because it’s the most asked-about day of the year. I’m in the process of recapaturing and platforming on WNST.net the text from my 2006 pre-Free The Birds 19-chapter book on why WNST exists, why I love sports and all that my Pop taught me about the world through sports and baseball. If you remember the book or any of the shows I’ve done in honor of my Pop, I hope you tune in on Thursday and share a story or two. I think my Pop would be proud that we stood up and did the right thing in regard to the baseball team almost 2 1/2 years ago and the book and that entire event was because of my Pop and his dedication to the Orioles and to Baltimore sports

Bad news for local skate and bike community: Dew Tour dusts Baltimore

I can’t say that I was a skateboarder or a biker as a kid (I left that to my friend Chip Cowan), but I did attend the Dew Tour’s 2007 stop here in Baltimore and got a chance to meet with fellow Dundalkian Bucky Lasek. But it’s not really about what I like (and I really didn’t understand much about the scoring or the rules but I did get to see the Tomato Kid, Shawn White from the Olympics, go wildly up and down the ramps on the southside of our football stadium). The sad news for locals who love the X Games and the bike and skate action sports: the Dew Tour will not be coming back to Baltimore this summer. As someone who lives downtown and sees the daily plight of the downtown business community with how many millions of live bodies the Orioles have sucked out of downtown on summer nights, it was awesome seeing the drawing power of the Dew Tour. The Baltimore Sun said 52,000 people attended last year. And they came early, stayed late and hung around downtown. Trust me, it was a big boon to the city. And now it’s gone as the

Oh, the weather outside is frightful…

Just five weeks from today, the Yankees fans will descend on downtown and the bunting will be out and the Orioles will celebrate Opening Day. Today, however, I’m sitting here having my first cup of coffee of the week, watching an absolutely stunning beautiful snow event, listening to Drew and Glenn talk about the Terps and Ray Lewis and watching all of the local TV talking heads continue a sick, little Baltimore tradition: “It’s snowing! STOP EVERYTHING!” And if Don and Marty are going to freak out over schools being closed and no one is going to work, then the least I can do is blog and tell you that I’M GOING TO WORK! And I hope you tune me in at 2 p.m.! And today is the first snowstorm day when our website is a destination or a way to reach the radio at home because I have a feeling rush hour traffic will be limited. Especially when for 40 years every time it’s ever snowed in Baltimore, all of the TV stations freeze and they tell everyone to basically “take the day off.” I don’t know how it works in your office, but most people are happy to

Jason Brown will be a big loss in the middle for the Ravens

The economic reality of the NFL comes to us every March when players we like, players we know are quality performers and citizens, wind up in different jerseys due solely to the salary cap and the league’s ability and desire to disperse its talent equality. (Or at least that’s the goal!) So, late last night (you might’ve received the WNST Text just before 11 p.m.), the Ravens lost another one of their “good” guys in center Jason Brown, who just got overwhelmed with an enormous offer by the St. Louis Rams. Brown, like his wealthy counterpart free agent Bart Scott, was one of the standup guys in the locker room, a movie buff in his spare time and a joy to be around and chat with. He always kept a photo of a brother he lost to the war in the Middle East in his locker. The Ravens will hope that Chris Chester continues his emergence as a starter on the offensive line and would also consider Marshal Yanda in the mix in the middle. No doubt they’ll use a draft pick or two on the O line. It sure doesn’t help with stability — and let’s be honest, the

A trip to the mall and Bart Scott was sold on the Jets

There will be no statues built for Bart Scott or streets named after him in Baltimore. But he was a really cool, good Raven during the time he spent here. Scott was underappreciated on draft day, worked his way through development, special teams and finally onto the roster for good and now has gotten a bigger contract than his Hall of Fame counterpart Ray Lewis, who was left at the alter by Rex Ryan yesterday when the big contracts were being handed out. Apparently, Rex Ryan, Mike Pettine and Bart Scott all went out for a trip to the local mall near the Jets facility while the agents and financial folks were working out the terms. As a fan, it might not sound like a big deal. But those are three, special dudes there who will no longer be working every day to make the Ravens better in Owings Mills. It’s hard to replace good people… Scott was a kid from Detroit who always had to work a little harder and a little smarter to make his way. He was polite, sharp, loquacious and charming. He was frequently spotted at the team facility in the offseason pushing his kids through

Strange daze for Ray Lewis and the Ravens

I’ve had the rare good fortune that most of you haven’t had over the past six weeks. Sometimes it kinda gets lost on me that as a media member for 25 years here in Baltimore, I get to do what every PSL owner and fan would love to do: actually sit with Steve Bisciotti and Ray Lewis and ask them questions. In one eight day span last month, I got to sit with Bisciotti in Owings Mills (on video here) and with Ray Lewis in Tampa (one of four videos here) and ask them the exact same question: “Do you think this contract thing could get awkward for you?” Both of them sort of skirted the question. You can see their exact answers for yourself with a click so there’s no need for me to transcribe here. The bottom line is this: I think six weeks later it’s a pretty fair question and I give myself bonus journalism points for asking the question of both men. I really don’t know if anyone had mentally taken the “free agency” train into the reality of yesterday’s situation and lo and behold, yesterday, the day of reckoning arrived and it wasn’t pretty and

Has Ray Lewis vs. Ravens turned ugly already this morning?

Adam Schefter of NFL.com just posted a bombshell on the Ravens and Ray Lewis on the league’s official website. Schefter, quoting ties close to Lewis, says that Lewis is miffed beyond repair at the offer from the Ravens and the negotiating and that Lewis will not be coming back to Baltimore. Essentially, Schefter says that Ray Lewis will sign anywhere BUT Baltimore. Or potentially retire (which we find VERY hard to believe). I’ve been saying for years – YES, YEARS – that when it was time to end his playing days in Baltimore that I would be shocked if it ended with peace, harmony and that long-awaited “statue” of Ray Lewis wearing his No. 52 at M&T Bank Stadium. It’s fairy tale stuff and gives us the warm fuzzies but it’s always been a longshot given the economic climate for a 34-year old linebacker whose legend will now outweigh his future contributions. My views are well founded and well researched after 13 years of following Lewis’ career here and his business dealings. Ray’s play on the field has been superhuman. His “off the field” decisions have always been a bit suspect and flawed. I have simply called Ray Lewis “mercurial.”

Let the NFL Free Agency games begin!

This morning if you awoke to read any website with NFL-related headlines, it appears that the world is upside down and the apocolypse is near. Albert Haynesworth found a cash-rich suitor in Daniel Snyder down in D.C. (yes, he’s at it again!) Linebacker Bart Scott is off to see Rex Ryan and potentially get overwhelmed with a generous offer by the New York Jets. Peter King of SI.com is reporting that No. 57 will get $8 million per year in a deal that could be five or six years in length. Jason Brown and his agent released the “news” that the Ravens aren’t interested in him anymore, when the truth is that they were never “not interested” in the free agent center/guard. In fact, they made him a multi-million dollar offer. Brown will apparently be in St. Louis today. It all makes good radio and good web rumorama. But the truth is that this free agent game hasn’t changed so much over the years. It’s just that the Ravens and several of their key players are involved in the fray in a major way this weekend and this year. Let’s be honest: today is the first day that Ozzie Newsome

Ravens release Chris McAlister this afternoon

As has been suspected, reported and speculated, the Chris McAlister era in Baltimore has come to an end. ProFootballTalk.com first reported that McAlister will be released. His $8 million base salary was too much for Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh to stomach. His antics at the team’s hotel in Miami were legendary and it was no secret that Harbaugh thought the team was better off without him. And, of course, the team came four minutes away from going to the Super Bowl without him. Newsome met with McAlister earlier today in Owings Mills and told him that he would be released. Here is the Ravens’ official press release: Feb. 16, 2009 For Immediate Release McALISTER The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of CB Chris McAlister this afternoon, it was announced by Ozzie Newsome, the team’s general manager and executive vice president. McAlister, a three-time Pro Bowl standout, played 10 seasons for the Ravens after being selected in the first round (10th pick) in the 1999 draft. A starter on the 2000 Super Bowl championship Baltimore team, “C-Mac” produced 26 career interceptions, good for third place on the franchise’s all-time list (behind S Ed Reed, 43, and LB Ray Lewis, 28).

More on Baltimore’s Jim Schwartz: The Lion King

Perhaps you heard my reunion last week with Arbutus native and Mt. St. Joe grad Jim Schwartz, who has beeen a regular for years on our Friday afternoon shows on WNST. If you missed it, it’s in our audio vault. The new coach of the Detroit Lions was featured over the weekend with a magazine-style piece in The Boston Globe about his roots to Bill Belichick among other things. It’s a good read.

R.I.P. to The Baltimore Examiner and “So you wanna be a sports media star?”

Where have the old-time “voices in sports media” gone in our community? Who are the commentators who “matter?” Does ANYONE’s opinion on radio or TV or in the newspaper or on the web matter?  Did it ever? And where is the internet heading and what lies ahead for the next generation of sports media in Baltimore? These are all topics and questions on my mind as The Baltimore Examiner closed its doors on Valentine’s weekend. So stands the old white “masthead” lights over the harbor tonight — the light in the ‘r’ is ironically burned out on Pratt Street — and another dream has been vanquished for another “out of town” media entity whose management thought they would whisk into Baltimore, urinate on highly unpopular (yet unchallenged) bully of The Sun, which is such a corporate “lamb” these days that it’s in bankruptcy, and dominate the market with a concept and a primary medium whose time has clearly passed. Today’s blog will not be about sports as much as it will be about local sports media and how it works in 2009. And how much of a “mess” it is these days to be involved in old world media. For

Now The Washington Post is piling on Gary Williams

Another missile comes flying onto Route 1 and into the Comcast Center every day it seems, as Maryland Terps head coach Gary Williams contunues to get pelted for the poor recruiting and lack of success in the ACC and in getting the Terps back off of “the bubble” and into the NCAA Tournament and March Madness. Today, it’s The Washington Post’s turn to begin what could be a lengthy series about how the Terps have fallen from the nation’s elite on the hardwood. Clearly, Williams’ personality has been an acquired taste for many in the regional media and now that the team has lost its way on the floor, many who have been stung by him in the past are taking their turns using him like a pinata. Today’s piece is a long, magazine-style take on the plight of the Terps.

A great show coming at 2 p.m. today…

This blog is a great way to give listeners to “Limited Access” (our new show name if you haven’t heard) some heads up about what’s coming on the show each day. Today, we have John Rallo, Tom Verducci and Jim Schwartz booked onto the program already. It is shaping up to be a classic and I can’t wait to get started! Every Thursday at 2 p.m. my old childhood buddy and MMA expert Rallo comes in for a UFC and mixed martial arts segment but we’ll also mix it up a bit and today is no exception with the Verducci visit. Schwartz is one of my best friends in sports and he just took the Detroit Lions head coaching job and has been blowing me off (including changing his cell phone number!) ever since I got the initial text saying he got the job. I will crank up the Judas Priest and be giving him a very hard time for his all of friends and family in Arbutus who also haven’t heard from him. Old Schwartzie must be drinking from the 0-16 firehouse in Detroit. And I have to be kinda nice because it was his connection that got me

More national media pile on Gary Williams

The story about Kendall Marshall is now a few days old but it’s making the email rounds so I thought I’d pass it along for your Terps reading. Penned by Jason King of Yahoo! Sports, this is an interesting read from an interesting perspective. Most of Gary Williams’ critics would say it’s a recruiting issue, the team’s demise from the elite of the ACC and the absence from March Madness annually. I’m just passing it along.

Another bad news day for Orioles as Alomar & Tejada are front and center

There’s no doubt that “Roberto Alomar” and “AIDS” will be among the most googled phrases on the internet today, as these outlandish and crazy rumors start flying now that the N.Y. Post has outed a story of an ex-lover who has made allegations galore about the former Oriole All Star and potential future Hall of Famer, Roberto Alomar. Among them, the $15 million suit by his ex-girlfriend Ilya Dall alleges that Alomar had AIDS and had unprotected sex with her after being raped by two Mexican men. (Like I said, it’s a racy one!) There are links everywhere and no doubt this will be a bloggers’ paradise today on the world wide web. While you are reading about Alomar on the New York Post, be sure to click on the insert piece about Darryl Strawberry’s sex life, circa 1986 and a preview of his upcoming book, “Straw: Finding My Way.” Here’s a sample paragraph: Strawberry writes the goal on the road was to “tear up your best bars and nightclubs and take your finest women . . . The only hard part for us was choosing which hottie to take back to your hotel room. Lots of times you .

In defense of, or a possible defense, for Michael Phelps…

One of the best parts of this website’s appeal is our ability recommend fun stories and items to our listeners — just like it works on the real web. LOL. A listener sent me over this humorously accurate “defense” for Michael Phelps if the South Carolina authorities come knocking in Fells Point this weekend. I’m (puff puff) passing it along to you… This legal eagle seems to think Phelps is safe for now.

So lemme guess: you skipped the Pro Bowl again?

I spent the afternoon yesterday at Sylvia’s house in Parkville watching the Pro Bowl, eating chicken wings and pizza and drinking Miller Lite. Honestly, I’m glad we did make a date to watch the game with her many Ravens buddies and waiting for a random big play from a guy in a purple helmet or to get a look at the many Ravens staffers donning Don Ho-style red Hawaiian flowered print shirts. The entire coaching staff from John Harbaugh and Cam Cameron right on down looked like Peter Schmuck at Camden Yards on a summer night. But the Pro Bowl sucks even when you’re with people you like in a really cool basement (Sylvia won our “Miller Lite Purple Palace” contest last month). We all know that. Vanilla defenses. Lots of “no shows,” including our own Ed Reed. Even the quarterbacks stunk yesterday, with everyone from Peyton Manning to Kerry Collins to Drew Brees to Kurt Warner throwing these wobbling dying duck passes all over the Honolulu turf. Brendon Ayanbejdo played more base defense in the Pro Bowl yesterday than he did during the entire NFL season. LeRon McClain missed at one shot at the endzone and got in on

Michael Phelps fallout continues with 3-month suspension

Our Alex Thomas has called it Waterbong Gate and it’s certainly continues to seemingly have no end as Michael Phelps has been suspended from competitive swimming for three months by USA Swimming and Kellogg’s has dropped its sponsorship. Read more here…

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