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Ravens theme from locker room: “FINISH GAMES!”

After today’s late afternoon debacle, I had the honor of walking from one end of the Ravens’ locker room to the other and I heard at least six guys say the exact same thing over and over again: “We need to learn to finish games,” was echoed from Jarret Johnson to Joe Flacco, from Bart Scott to Willis McGahee. For the second time in six days, the Ravens let “the better team” come back from a hole and beat them with late errors and breakdowns. NFL coaches always accept physical breakdowns. If a guy beats you on a straight play, you tip your cap and get back in the huddle. But mental mistakes and stupid late penalities? Well, until the Ravens stop taking their licks 15 yards at a time at key junctures against teams with a lot of talent, they’ll never consistently win in this league. The Titans clearly woke up on the wrong side of the Inner Harbor this morning, picking several chippy, dirty fights in the first half. But in the end it was the Ravens and late hits to the head that cost the team a 3-1 start to the 2008 season. John Harbaugh now finally

Today we continue out education about the 2008 Ravens

The undefeated Tennessee Titans roll into town believing (as they should) that they are a Super Bowl contender. Sure, the Ravens are 2-1 and are one play, one red flag, one fumble, one whistle away from being 3-0. But today the Ravens will have the chance to show us whether they’ll be a very good team this year, or simply one of the many who will be playing “win one, lose one” style in the NFL. They’ll either sport a pedestrian 2-2 by the end of the day or they’ll be 3-1 at the quarter pole. And either one of them is perfectly acceptable to me. A month ago many us of believed they’d stink. A win today here against the Titans would make them 3-1 and they would be getting the kind of attention playoff teams will get from the national media. But let’s be honest: beating the Clevelands and Cincinnatis at home doesn’t earn you honors in the AFC in 2008. We’re pretty sure they both stink. But beat a 4-0 team and you’ve showed the entire NFL something. Concerns for the Ravens today: How will the offensive line and a max protect serve quarterback Joe Flacco against

It was fun for a little while, wasn’t it?

I suppose it was too much to ask for this season, this 3-0 thing. We went to Pittsburgh 57 strong on the Miller Lite Purple Roadie. We sat in the upper deck. We raised hell as the videos will attest. We really had a lot of fun and cheered a lot and had a lot of high fives. And when the Ravens were winning 13-3 at the half, it was one big freaking party as we looked out over the bright lights of Pittsburgh. Drew and Glenn were talking smack. The Steelers fans were strongly considering not returning to their seats in the second half and Joe Flacco was running around like Fran Tarkenton on the Heinz Field sod. I don’t know that I’ve ever been happier. (Well, at least not since 13-3 two years ago!) But the NFL is an unforgiving roller coaster as those few seconds of torture in the third quarter showed us. A bad punt, a bad penalty, a busted coverage, a missed tackle, a slip and sack and fumble combo for the quarterback – and voila – it’s suddenly a long ride home from Western Pennsylvania. Another loss in Pittsburgh. Another knife from Ben Roethlisberger

Pittsburgh is a box of chocolates…

You never know what you’re going to get. Since 1996, I’ve been on all but two of these excursions. I’ve seen us lose close games and I have the memories of dread: •    The night Vinny Testaverde threw an interception to Rod Woodson from his knees and Eric Zeier came in and we lost 37-0 on Sunday Night Football. •    The playoff meltdown of Elvis Grbac. Enough said… •    The close loss on Monday Night Football a few years ago… •    And, of course, last year’s debacle. Thankfully, I watched that one from my hotel room in Tokyo via satellite. I think I was the only person in the Eastern Hemisphere watching the game. So, in a few hours, we’ll depart with a completely full bus for The ‘Burgh as they like to call it. We’ll be with a bunch of drunken ‘yins from donton in the upper deck playing for civic honor. And, hopefully, it’ll turn out better than Kyle Boller’s first disaster up there on that hot opener five years ago. I also remember the joy of a five-hour bus ride home after kicking their asses in the old ashtray while our fans draped a “Pittsburgh is Ravens

What it must feel like in Milwaukee tonight?

I’m a little conflicted to be honest with you. I spent today downtown watching the dozens of Orioles fans who blew off the NFL Ticket to spend one last day “at The Yard” before they close up shop for another winter. And I do mean “close up.” My guess is that we won’t hear a peep outta The Warehouse for weeks. That could be MANY weeks. Like November at the earliest… I think they want us all to forget that they played this season and that it didn’t end back around Memorial Day. From now until then – and I’m guessing the next formal gathering will be the one when they don’t sign Mark Teixiera — the few of us who actually remember real Orioles baseball and are ashamed of what this sham has become over the past 11 years will watch something that is a faded memory: the MLB postseason. Remember rushing around and setting your schedule to watch baseball in October? Crisp fall afternoon doubleheaders, with one game at 3 in the shadows and the other waiting after dinner. From Yankee Stadium to Chavez Ravine, from Royals Stadium to Riverfront Stadium. And sometimes, once in a while, we

‘See The Birds’ journey of 2008 ends with another lost season of failure tonight at Camden Yards

Come one, come all! As a matter of fact, I hope more than one of you actually COME to Oriole Park at Camden Yards tonight where a few hopeless losers like me will set forth a few last phantom, hollow cheers for another season that never was. That’s 11 in a row on my watch. The Orioles haven’t played a meaningful game since October 1997. And the crowds have withered to virtual nothingness. I know you probably haven’t noticed through the servings of the Purple Kool Aid on MASN, but they’ve now quietly lost eight in a row. And they’ve won six times since August 17th. “Wake Me Up When September Ends” indeed… How bad is it? Well, the team has $1 tickets available tonight and most of the city doesn’t even think it’s worth that. There might be 5,000 in the park tonight. It’s kinda like a minor league baseball game or something out of “Major League,” which 20 years ago was just a funny movie about the Indians and Cleveland. At this point, it’s the current state of Baltimore baseball. Empty seats that the Orioles can’t beg people to come and sit in for ONE DOLLAR! So, why

Let The Fun Begin! Who wants to go to Pittsburgh?

For those of you wondering, these are the good days. The ones where you wake up and all of the years of your sports fandom are rewarded with a magical start to a Ravens season where hopelessness was the offseason prediction. Three weeks ago, Las Vegas had the over/under on wins at six. And business wasn’t booming on betting the over, not even here at WNST where we all live to see the purple team win. We love ‘em, but who knew that they’d actually be any good, right? This is when the real fun happens when we get a real season when we never expected it. Look, they’re not the gonna win the Super Bowl every year and with the decade-plus-and-ongoing annual vomit the baseball team has served up for this community, we have to pick our spots. THIS, most certainly, is one of those spots. Get excited, yell loud, throw a WACKO 4 FLACCO sign in your car window or cubicle! Talk football at the watercooler and here at WNST. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BE EXCITED!!! (If not now, then when? They could still finish 2-14. Who knows how this is gonna turn out? But I’m having fun!)

Update on Landry, other injuries…

The Ravens were quite concerned about Dawan Landry as was half of the city with that ugly hit just before halftime. By the postgame press conference, they had confirmed that he was in shock trauma and ability to move some extremities. Now, two hours after the game they have confirmed that Landry suffered a spinal cord concussion but has neurologically recovered. He will remain in shock trauma overnight for testing and observation. Other injury news: Willis McGahee has a laceration over one eyelid and got poked in the other eye. Samari Rolle has tingling in his right arm and will have tests done tomorrow. I will post an extensive Ravens blog in the morning with my excited thoughts about a 2-0 first-place start. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco’s postgame thoughts are on wnsTV. Purple Kool Aid, anyone?

Even Angelos isn’t this bad…

Obviously, you’re reading this blog expecting me to do another defecating drive by on the Orioles but I’ve found solace this morning in the evidence that Peter Angelos isn’t the worst owner in sports at least THIS week. No, that title would belong to Al Davis, who has once again proven that he is the granddaddy of “obscenely wealthy weird sports owners.” Two weeks into the season, Davis has once again taken the term “dysfunctional” to a new level. We’ve only had this Angelos guy since 1993. The Raiders fans have had “Weird Al” since birth. Whenever I see how empty their stadium is during their losing seasons, I think of the Raider Nation “abstaining” like their owner always does. I wish I could abstain from Orioles baseball, but I can’t. So this Raiders’ situation is so bizarre that I had to compare it to the nutty stuff Angelos has done. By now you know that head coach Lane Kiffin has been twisting for several days (if not months and years) waiting to be fired. The two clearly aren’t simpatico, but then again who is compatible with Davis? Mike Shanahan got screwed out of money 15 years ago and has

A Free The Birds event in 2008?

With the Orioles recent run of losses and the front office’s continuation of Marxist policies regarding the fans and media, my email lights up at least a few times a day asking me whether FREE THE BIRDS is a living breathing movement. A guy named Ray dropped me a note this morning and I answered him with the response below. I’ll have more to write on the second anniversary of FTB next week, but this is my official position: There SHOULD be one… But I honestly don’t have time or energy to organize one at this point… No one seems to care about the Orioles, which is the real problem… But the Angelos family continues to lie to us about “better days ahead” and the city and the “establishment” that feeds at the trough continues to take the payouts in the way of advertising and “partnership” and shut up… Call Channel 13 or CBS Radio or The Sun or The Examiner or PressBox and see if they want to organize a walkout? They’re the only ones making money off of the team via orange advertisments…. The Orioles write them big checks and their “journalists” wave the pom poms and ignore

Ravens game officially moved to Nov. 9th in Houston

Finding a fair answer to Ravens-Texans scheduling wasn’t easy. As the afternoon dragged on and the NFL powers-that-be stressed out and searched for a sensible solution, it became more clear that the “fallback” plan of moving bye weeks and keeping the schedule “in tact” might be the ONLY solution. For the Ravens and Texans, it means tomorrow BECOMES the bye week. Obviously, it’s more punitive to these two teams than anyone else, having basically forfeited the chance to go rest for a few days in the middle of a grueling season. Perhaps John Harbaugh will allow the Ravens a quick escape from tonight through Wednesday morning, but it’s not the same as a bye week on Nov. 9th, that’s for sure. The Cincinnati Bengals will be the only other affected party and it will essentially move their bye week back by three weeks, moving their game from Nov. 9th back to Oct. 26 with the Texans in Houston (assuming the stadium isn’t still trashed). Marvin Lewis would probably welcome a bye in November vs. October, but he clearly has bigger fish to fry at 0-1 with the way they played last week here. And it’s not like Roger Goodell is

How will Houston Texans leave town for game at this point?

Like the rest of you, I’m watching in horror at what’s happening in Houston right now. On the football side, it appears that New Orleans could be the first option but even that must be a sticky proposition right now and I’ll go into that later in this blog. But before I do, I’d prefer to address the “real world” issue by saying that i was up late and into the early morning tracking this storm because I have some other vested interests. I have family in Houston. I have friends in Houston. I have some really great memories of Houston. But seeing this storm roll through has been painful. We’re all praying for them but it looks quite messy and devastating. Glass everywhere downtown, buildings just devastated. Back to Ravens football and the game: Yesterday I took a straw poll of all of the folks around WNST and none of us really believed they were going to be playing this football game on Monday night at Reliant Stadium. All you had to do was look at the storm and see its tracking and know this was a bad situation. Now word comes out of Houston that Reliant Stadium has

Another September with the disappearing orange baseball…

I looked through all of the WNST blogs over the past couple days and there has been a one glaring omission: the Orioles are nowhere to be found. Playing out the string for the 11th consecutive September – the franchise hasn’t hosted a meaningful game since October 1997 – the worst-run and meanest and most paranoid franchise in professional sports has now put together another pathetic crawl to the finish line with a 3-17 record since the middle of August. It’s been the quietest “slump” in the history of Baltimore baseball. No one is saying anything. No one is calling. And, apparently, no one is even watching. Every night this week, I’ve seen downtown almost completely empty while I’ve watched Fenway Park on NESN packed with fans watching the Tampa Bay Rays come to Beantown as upstart first-place winners. I’m watching baseball this week. I’m just not watching the pathetic Orioles. Maybe one day it’ll be our turn to win at baseball again in Baltimore. Maybe one day we’ll all feel like the Orioles are “our” team. But we’re getting up on the two-year anniversary of FREE THE BIRDS and the Orioles are 16 games under .500, 23 games behind

Could this week’s Ravens-Houston Texans game get moved to Baltimore?

Well, the Baltimore conspiracy theorists are at it again around the Charm City. We got a mystery call at WNST today with a caller saying “the Ravens game is going to get moved to Baltimore this weekend if Hurricane Ike hits Texas.” So, I went into action making some calls to my league sources and investigating the possibilities. This is just a “top of mind” set of notes saying why it might — or might — not happen. First, the storm is tracking more west than northwest right this minute. Obviously, that could change. (And we’ll hope for the best for all the folks in Texas, Lousiana and Mexico. Hurricanes clearly suck. As a guy who left New Orleans literally the morning that panic broke out before Hurricane Katrina after a Ravens game three years ago, I have maximum respect for the devastation they bring and the way people’s lives are affected. I have pals who live in West Palm Beach, Fla. who literally don’t feel safe making any plans for September because they’ve seen the gas lines, property damage and general “freak out” that happens to citizens when evacuations happen.) Second, the Ravens would be the team LEAST affected

I had to laugh…

On my usual early morning tour of the world via my mouse, I clicked on ESPN.com this morning to see this headline: “Ravens rookie Flacco earns another start” And I thought to myself, wow, no one in the league or at ESPN must’ve seen the game on Sunday? Or, perhaps, they haven’t seen the Ravens or their quarterbacks play the past 10 years? I was thinking to myself: “Does America think Harbaugh is going to name Casey Bramlet the starter at this point?” I know, I know…it’s just a headline. But Flacco has turned this town sideways with his play on Sunday and now the expectations go through the roof. But we all wanna grab onto something with the Ravens being the “only game in town that matters.” It’s been 20 months since we’ve all had anything to be excited about with sports in Baltimore. And it ended with that thud in the Colts game and we’ve been dormant like cicadas ever since. (By the way, is it just me or have the Orioles disappeared and will be appearing next week on a milk carton?) But Flacco, that defensive play on Sunday and “Hard-Ball” have made us want to come

Joe Cool

I’d like to think as I approach my 40th birthday in a few weeks, I’m not as excitable as I was in my younger days. As a fan, I’ve been through all of the wins and loses, Super Bowls and World Series, thrills and disappointments. But today as the 13th season of Ravens football commences, it all came back to me, just why we all still watch the games and care so much. Today is what being a fan is all about. This is the “juice” and the beautiful reward of being a sports fan: that feeling you get when your team wins. The team has a fresh start with a fresh coach and fresh rookie quarterback, who is extremely likeable and calm amidst the storm. And I left the house this morning thinking the Ravens would have to do some special things to win, and specifically to stifle Carson Palmer, who I think is among the best in the business. The injuries have been dreadful. The play on the field has been less than inspiring. The age factor will haunt them each week of the season. And the lack of depth has felt hopeless. But instead of a loss

Hopes and fears for the 2008 Ravens

On every barstool and at every dinner table in Baltimore, the question comes: “How do you think the Ravens are going to do this year?” People ask me dozens of times a day everywhere I go around town. I’m not Kreskin, but the Las Vegas “over/under” line on wins is six. As in 6-10. Honestly, if you give me a dollar and make me bet on the Ravens at this point I’d take the under because I think they will need a myriad of positive developments to see 7-9. So, in the spirit of debate and with the ability to have your feedback in the comments, I will make this column a simple “point/counterpoint” in hopes and fears format. Hope: Ray Lewis can play at the same level he did last year for one more year in purple. Fear: This team might be bad enough early enough that Lewis will go back to being a complainer and a divider instead of one who unites the team. We’ll see how the “walk” year goes. Hope: Joe Flacco shows that he belongs in the NFL as a quality starting quarterback and shows the early signs you want to see from a rookie

Bouman in and Harrington leaves for BWI???

As the quarterback turns… Despite Chris Mortenson of ESPN reporting that Joey Harrington signed with the Ravens yesterday, our sources tell us that Harrington left Owings Mills today without officially becoming a Raven. Or did he? Is he flying away to go elsewhere or to get his bags and come back to Baltimore? We’re now hearing that Todd Bouman has become the frontrunner to be the No. 3 QB here… We dunno…but we’ll find out soon! They have to practice tomorrow, right?

Joe Flacco joins WNST as a blogger and weekly Tuesday guest

Even though we didn’t know he’d be the starting quarterback this Sunday, we’ve known for quite some time that Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco would be in our starting lineup at WNST. Beginning this morning at 8:30 a.m., Flacco will appear each Tuesday morning on the Comcast Morning Show with Drew Forrester. His segment will appear live on WNST-AM 1570 and be heard again in our audio vault on demand. He will also write a blog each Friday, one we’re dubbing “Joe Fridays.” We might even be texting out his three keys to the game on Fridays as well. The best part about this arrangement? We won’t have to guess what he’s thinking about all of this rookie stuff, being the starting quarterback (or even the backup) or how he’s handling Baltimore’s expectations. Now, we can just ask him and give it to you in his words. I’ve had the good fortune to get to know Joe and his family over the past few months and I really hope he has the kind of success that we want him to have in Baltimore. He’s a nice, polite, quiet kid who seems like being an athlete and an NFL quarterback comes

Flacco named starter for Sunday; Harrington rumored to be signed

The quarterback carousel and Labor Day news continues as John Harbaugh has named Joe Flacco the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against Cinncinnati. Earlier in the day, the “who’s the backup?” story unfolded. The Ravens brought three QBs into Owings Mills today — Chris Simms, Todd Bouman and Joey Harrington and in the end have selected Harrington. Chris Mortenson of ESPN reported first (meaning the agent leaked it to him)… It’s been a wild and wacky weekend in Owings Mills as the Ravens try to rearrange the proverbial chairs on the deck and hope the ship doesn’t sink. Any NFL team that begins practice with a rookie as a No. 1 QB and two other guys who have never attended a practice and are ready to suit up for a game in six days is probably in trouble. Gonna be an interesting week…

UPDATE: Simms in Baltimore, Pittman waived

Updated at 2:27 p.m. Orioles broadcaster and Mr. Angelos employee, Jim Hunter, apparently boarded an airplane with former Bucs quarterback Chris Simms in Tampa this morning bound for BWI. MASN is reporting that Simms is heading to Owings Mills for a job interview. Meanwhile, the Ravens PR has released this: The Baltimore Ravens have waived the following player (injured): David Pittman (CB, 5-11, 185, 3rd-year, Northwestern State) Baltimore has also signed the following players to its practice squad: Nate Lawrie (TE, 6-6, 255, 4th-year, Yale) Marcus Mason (RB, 5-9, 215, 1st-year, Youngstown State) Bryan Mattison (DE, 6-3, 272, Rookie, Iowa) Matt Willis (WR, 5-11, 190, 2nd-year, UCLA) Not a surprise to see Simms in town given the Ravens’ frustrating quarterback depth situation. At best they only have two live arms for practice on Wednesday as they prep for the Bengals: Joe Flacco (who they don’t want to start but it appears that’s the way it’s going to be) and Casey Bramlet, who looked better coming off a plane 15 hours before gametime than most QBs have looked here over the last decade. Troy Smith’s illness remains a mystery (and the Ravens and NFL don’t ever discuss personal illnesses with media

A note from a ‘guardian angel’

Everyone in their life has a mentor or a “guardian angel” who calls when they think you’re doing the wrong stuff or saying the wrong stuff. If you don’t, you should! So, yesterday my “surrogate Uncle” called me to blather on about Steve Bisciotti, Dick Cass, Ozzie Newsome, Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He said I’ve been unfair. I argued, in a spirited fashion, that I can justify my opinions with facts. And that, yes, I really am concerned about the direction the Ravens are going with their new management structure. So, I advised him to do what anyone and everyone who disagrees with is free to do: write it on WNST.net! I’m not saying I’m “right.” I’m simpling saying they are making many recent choices that are not in line with what has been — for the most part — a winning formula. And some of it has appeared to be less than polite, in many cases, and downright embarrassing in the case of Jason Garrett. I think Ozzie Newsome should be making football decisions. He did NOT play a role in firing Brian Billick. And from there, every brick in the building changes dramatically and I think it’s

Harbaugh press conference play by play & notes

This will be a running blog from inside the press conference… The podium is Steve Bisciotti, Dick Cass, John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome. Steve Bisciotti looks a little more well-rested. Art Modell is sitting in the front row of the auditorium. How Bisciotti got to John Harbaugh: Getting this to a manageable number was all on the “football people.” Coaches and reputations came from the football people: Eric Decosta, the Newsomes, Kevin Byrne, george Kokinis and Pat Moriarty. Bisciotti says it was very easy for him, because he’s hired many people. He also alluded to the blueprint from Art Modell’s search from 1998 that unearthed Brian Billick. There were six candidates. Bisciotti said he spoke to Art Blank in Atlanta. And he liked the process of his interior football management team. Bisciotti lauded Harbaugh’s family background. He then praised Art Modell’s legacy and support. Harbaugh spoke next. Art Modell gave Harbaugh advice, although harbaugh didn’t say what the “advice” was. Harbaugh said the committee asked very tough questions and that it was a very thorough effort and he enjoyed his two days of interviewing. Harbaugh said he can’t wait to get going. Harbaugh praised his family and wife, and spent

What I really think about the Ravens job search and John Harbaugh…

I’ve written lots of critical stuff over the past three weeks – all of it well-founded, well-sourced and honest about the Ravens’ coaching search. As much as some of the “traditional media” loves to portend that I’m some knucklehead, I’m VERY much a John Steadman-trained journalist at heart and I’m very heartened and flattered by the universal praise WNST’s coverage of the “Coachingate” saga has received. The WNSTeam rocked the coverage and I owe Casey, Drew, Ray, Adam, Rob and Bob a big “shout out” because I’ve never been prouder of our work as a radio station and a news source. My guys and gals just bust their ass here! I know we have the best people in town! Write and tell THEM that! I’ll warn you: this is long. I have a lot to say, I’ve been up late thinking some deep thoughts and you can consider this my “shoot” blog. This is what I REALLY think! Unabridged… Much of what I’ve written over the past three weeks has centered around criticism of Steve Bisciotti and his handling of the firing of Brian Billick and the process the job search entailed. I have seen some people on our message

Damn…get it OVER with already!

The media is tired. The Ravens’ front office must be whipped. And the fans are worn out waiting. Every single sign that could possibly point toward the Ravens’ coronation of John Harbaugh as the third coach of the team is emanating out of The Bellagio. Reports from Philadelphia indicate that Harbaugh came down today ready to take the job. Harbaugh’s agent has been unabashed about his client’s desire to be here. And, again, it would be “The Ozzie Way” to call on the “next man up,” who Harbaugh has been all along. It’s been 18 days of waiting, it’s late on Friday (and we should ALL be out listening to Jimmy Buffett and having a TGIF cocktail), but we’re glued to the activity in Owings Mills. If they DO hire Harbaugh, I hope they have indeed found their “future Hall of Famer.” I’ve heard he’s a Hall of Fame person. I know many friends and associates of Harbaugh, and they all say he’s going to be an excellent head coach. We’ll keep you in the loop, and if you REALLY want to know FIRST, just join the text service. We’ve got you covered!

The situation room: Jason Garrett and Steve Bisciotti

So, today the Ravens might have a new coach, and as we’ve seen over the past 72 hours,  maybe they WON’T. Predictions are out this window at this point, and there are as many “scenarios” as there are coaching candidates. Below I will try to give you the flavor of what I’ve been sifting through as a 24-year journalist over the past few days. (I’ve gone old school here, calling upon every resource I have in the league trying to figure out what’s happening here!) Everyone in the league is buzzing about all of the changes on the coaching carousel and the six days off between games in mid-January usually lend themselves to the rumorama that comes with owners, coaches, agents and executives all jockeying for seats in the boardrooms of 32 NFL teams. Incidentally, almost unanimously my sources say that the stunt that Garrett pulled on Tuesday was very against the “etiquette” of how these job situations are handled. The whole notion of a “second interview” means that you’re coming to take the job. No doubt, Bisciotti talked money with Garrett’s team before he got on the plane Monday night. Garrett, and his slippery agent David Dunn, apparently didn’t

Wanted: An NFL Head Coach

OK, so this one is making the rounds on the internet. I haven’t seen it posted anywhere, but it’s quite funny (and I usually don’t find these things funny enough to post). Ask around, I have a lame sense of humor. But it’s kinda hard for me to argue with this particular pundit’s product. It’s closer to reality than fiction. Some people have too much time on their hands. I have a gift certficate to a local sponsor for $100 if you can prove to me that YOU are the author! But anyway, here it is: Any comments below are welcomed…and by all means, if YOU’RE this clever and creative, I wanna hear from you. I’d love for you to contribute to WNST!

WOW…

I’ve covered the team for 12 years and, just when you think you’ve seen it all, THIS happens. In 12 years, I’ve NEVER been lied to or led astray — NEVER — by anyone in the building in Owings Mills! (That’s what I’ve come to expect from the Orioles, not the Ravens!) Not one coach or player or front office person has EVER been dishonest with me, so obviously, it’s easy to buy into the credibility of all of your sources. Especially, when they’re all saying the same thing: Billick is the safest guy in the building. I’m floored, shocked beyond belief actually — but not TOTALLY baffled by it. * The team was 5-11. * Billick clearly had issues with some of the players, including Ray Lewis, who ultimately has won the war. *  The loudest fans were screaming at the top of their lungs to get rid of Billick, but that ALWAYS happens when a team is 5-11. (I gotta think Mike Preston is the happiest man on the face of the earth. It’ll be his best New Year’s Eve ever!) *  There were definitely some “disciplinary” issues that became an issue when the team started losing, and

Orioles continue ban on free speech in Baltimore

So who is it gonna be next week? Or next year? Scott Garceau? Peter Schmuck? Steve Davis? Who’s next? So it seems, these days only Fred Manfra, Jim Hunter and Tom Davis — those bastions of journalistic integrity and fellow MASN employees — are safe. Maybe that’s the question the rest of the local and national media should be asking. Who’s next? Who will be the next person to show up at a sporting event — after spending nearly a quarter of a century in press boxes all around the continent in virtually every sport imaginable, it’s all I’ve ever done to feed my family since 1984 — only to be turned away by management for being too critical of the team? Having been an accredited media member for the totality of my career, I have never heard of such a thing, nor has anyone in my industry, until yesterday when I was denied entrance to Camden Yards. To have some young PR flunky in a tie meet me at the front door and say: “No thanks, the owner is not only not taking questions from the fans or the media, but he is now no longer making his team

Orioles deny WNST press credentials for 2007 season

PRESS RELEASE April 8, 2007                                                                                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WNST RADIO BEING DENIED PRESS CREDENTIALS BY ORIOLES ON OPENING DAY IN BALTIMORE Towson-based Sports Media organization and radio station is considering legal action Baltimore — WNST-AM 1570, a 5,000-watt sports-talk radio station in Baltimore — and a staple in Baltimore sports media — is being denied credentials for the upcoming 2007 Orioles season by the team’s ownership and media relations department. Station owner “Nasty” Nestor Aparicio has repeatedly made attempts to procure press credentials from the team and has continued to be rebuffed. Aparicio and his staff have covered Baltimore Orioles’ baseball since Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened in 1992. “It’s just amazing that every single year, when you think it can’t get any worse, it does,” Aparicio said in a blog on his website, www.wnst.net. “Are they honestly trying to say that we’re not a legitimate media entity, after we’ve covered every major sporting event in this country for 15 years? Is it a personal attack? Is it an attempt to punish us for being honest in our assessment of the Orioles franchise? I really don’t know. But one of our chief complaints as an organization and as

Even Angelos isn’t this bad…

Obviously, you’re reading this blog expecting me to do another defecating drive by on the Orioles but I’ve found solace

A Free The Birds event in 2008?

With the Orioles recent run of losses and the front office’s continuation of Marxist policies regarding the fans and media,

I had to laugh…

On my usual early morning tour of the world via my mouse, I clicked on ESPN.com this morning to see

Joe Cool

I’d like to think as I approach my 40th birthday in a few weeks, I’m not as excitable as I

Wanted: An NFL Head Coach

OK, so this one is making the rounds on the internet. I haven’t seen it posted anywhere, but it’s quite

WOW…

I’ve covered the team for 12 years and, just when you think you’ve seen it all, THIS happens. In 12

Orioles deny WNST press credentials for 2007 season

PRESS RELEASE April 8, 2007                                                                                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WNST RADIO BEING DENIED PRESS CREDENTIALS BY ORIOLES ON OPENING DAY

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