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Ravens

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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…

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

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

Will benching be a wake up call for CMac?

Nestor Aparicio

The Ravens report back to practice again today in preparation for the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. The team is 3-3, far ahead of where many thought they’d be before the season began and are even about to go through the “soft spot” on their schedule with Oakland, Cleveland and Houston in the headlights. With a little luck, they could be 6-3 or 5-4 going up to the Meadowlands on Nov. 16th to play the defending World Champs. (BTW: Yes, seats are still available on our Miller Lite bus trip that day!) So, what the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh need least in the world right now is a player controversy. But, it appears, as long as Chris McAlister is on the team that won’t happen. The team has now stated its “official” position on McAlister: he’s not one of the three best cornerbacks on the roster. He’s been demoted based on his “on field” play alone. Personally, I find that hard to accept. But as one member of the organization said yesterday, “Did you see the Colts game? Did you see Marvin Harrison torch him?” There are more rumors and opinions on McAlister’s personality, habits, activities and his decisions

A $20 ticket to Game 7 of the ALCS in Tampa on a victory Sunday night…

Nestor Aparicio

Needless to say it’s been a whirlwind first week of my 40’s. Some folks told me it’d get hectic on the other side of the hill but as Jimmy Buffett once sang, “I can’t run at this pace very long…” If you haven’t seen the videos on wnsTV, I hope you watch and enjoy them. What I’m basically trying to do is to put you “there” as Brent Musberger would say back in my childhood on CBS. We were there Sunday night for Game 7 and it was extraordinary fun, even for my wife who drove 240 miles at breakneck speed through the Everglades – faster than a hurricane – to see her team lose a dramatic decisive game. (Honestly, and trust me she hears this all the time, I’m done with Boston winning anything! Two baseball titles, bloody socks, Tom Brady comebacks, three Super Bowls and now a Celtics title – enough, already! I don’t openly root against the Red Sox because it does make my wife happy and at least they’re not the Yankees, but my heart ain’t breaking either.) But even as enthusiastic as the Tampa fans were – and those freaking cowbells are beyond obnoxious after

Are you or a friend headed south to Miami?

Nestor Aparicio

Every week someone sends me texts, emails or inquiries regarding roadtrip tailgates or events. Perhaps in the future, WNST.net will sponsor events for every roadtrip to bring Ravens fans together on the road but for now Baltimore’s ultimate roadtrip warrior, local DJ Bobby Nyk, has put together a charity event for this weekend’s trip to South Florida. Bobby is tireless in his efforts to do these parties on the road and we’re trying to help him get the word out. Below is his pres release. I will be at Toucan’s on Saturday and hope to say hello to everyone who is taking the purple south into the sunshine this weekend. •    COLUMBIA, MD, OCTOBER 11, 2008:  Bobby Nyk, Columbia based DJ and Raven enthusiast, in association with the Ed Block Courage Awards Foundation to help Abused Children, are proud to announce their collaboration for a fund raiser that is planned for Hollywood Beach, Florida on Saturday, October 18, 2008.  This event coincides with the Baltimore Ravens/Miami Dolphins NFL game the week end of October 19. •     “Bobby’s Beach Bash with Captain Dee” will be hosted by Toucan’s Oceanside Bar and Grill, 502 Broadwalk from 12 PM to 5 PM.  An

Another lost afternoon in Indy

Nestor Aparicio

If there was any doubt about where the Ravens stand amongst the elite teams in the NFL, this afternoon’s resounding thud in Indianapolis made it clear as most in the locker room said in the postgame: “There’s a lot of work to be done.” It was all beer, girls and giggles for a little while, John Harbaugh’s arrival as the new head coach of the Ravens and the likeable rookie from tiny Delaware leading the charge to a 2-0 record and near-wins in Pittsburgh and at home last weekend against the upstart Tennessee Titans. Today’s three hours in Indy (and it felt like the game lasted three days) made it clear that the stakes are a little higher as teams starts figuring out tendencies, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Oh, and that Peyton Manning guy is still pretty good, especially when he has time and healthy receivers. To a man, there were 53 very embarrassed and abused football players in the purple locker room at Lukas Oil Stadium. It was a licking of the century, by far the worst and most disappointing loss in team history, reminiscent of the waning days of the Ted Marchibroda era in 1998. The only game I

Ravens theme from locker room: “FINISH GAMES!”

Nestor Aparicio

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

Nestor Aparicio

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?

Nestor Aparicio

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…

Nestor Aparicio

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

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

Nestor Aparicio

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…

Nestor Aparicio

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?

Ravens game officially moved to Nov. 9th in Houston

Nestor Aparicio

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?

Nestor Aparicio

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

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

Nestor Aparicio

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…

Nestor Aparicio

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

Nestor Aparicio

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

Nestor Aparicio

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

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

Another lost afternoon in Indy

Nestor Aparicio

If there was any doubt about where the Ravens stand amongst the elite teams in the NFL, this afternoon’s resounding

I had to laugh…

Nestor Aparicio

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

Joe Cool

Nestor Aparicio

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

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