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Cutdown day live updates: Ravens trimming to 53

Luke Jones

***Stay right here for updates throughout the day as the Ravens form their 53-man roster for the start of the regular season. Follow us on Twitter and be sure to subscribe to the WNST Text Service for all updates sent directly to your mobile device.*** 3:10 p.m. — Three hours ahead of the 6 p.m. deadline, the Ravens have announced their remaining cuts, which include QB Hunter Cantwell, FB Ryan Mahaffey, C Jason Murphy, CB Talmadge Jackson, DT Bryan Hall, LS Patrick Scales, OT Andre Ramsey, S Mana Silva, LB Chavis Williams, CB Josh Victorian, LB Josh Bynes, CB Danny Gorrer, and WR James Hardy. This means the Ravens have decided to keep — for now — rookie defensive end Michael McAdoo and inebackers Jason Phillips and Albert McClellan. The roster currently has 53 players, which is a bit peculiar with David Reed’s spot not counting against the roster for Week 1. However, it’s of little consequence with the Ravens expected to sign a veteran backup for quarterback Joe Flacco. 2:11 p.m. — By my count, the Ravens have cleared 14 players from the roster, meaning there are 12 unaccounted for to get down to 54 players (David Reed’s spot

Sizing up the Ravens' final 53 before cut day

Luke Jones

With the Ravens needing to pare down from 80 players to a 53-man roster for the start of the regular season, John Harbaugh and the coaching staff will make their final decisions by 6 p.m. on Saturday. The Ravens will almost certainly add a veteran quarterback to back up Joe Flacco and wouldn’t mind adding another interior offensive lineman with Matt Birk’s status for the start of the season still up in the air. However, those moves likely won’t come until after Saturday when a number of options around the league will hit the open market. As a result, my roster projection reflects decisions based solely on players currently with the Ravens. The roster we’ll see against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11 will look different — even if I nail all 53 projected spots by some act of God — than what you’ll find below. The projection also reflects Friday’s news of receiver/kick returner David Reed being suspended Week 1 for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Suspended players do not count against the 53-man roster, allowing the Ravens to keep another player for the regular-season opener. Therefore, the mock roster below contains a total of 54 players. QUARTERBACKS (2)

Ravens wide receiver David Reed suspended Week 1

Luke Jones

(Updated: 5:40 p.m.) With final cuts taking placing on Saturday, the Ravens have confirmed they will be without receiver/kick returner David Reed for the regular-season opener due to a one-game suspension handed down by the NFL. Reed’s suspension stems from an incident last year in which marijuana was found at his residence in Owings Mills. The issue was resolved in February without any jail time or fine being handed down, but the NFL ruled this a violation of its substance-abuse policy and will suspend Reed without pay for the first game of the season. Since suspended players do not count against the 53-man roster, the Ravens will be allowed to keep an extra player in the opener against the Steelers. The suspension will leave rookies Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss as the remaining options at the No. 3 receiver spot in Reed’s absense. The Ravens will also have to use a replacement at kick returner with Smith, Lardarius Webb, and bubble players Jalen Parmele and LaQuan Williams as viable alternatives.

Ravens take practice field for last time before final cuts

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens closed the book on their 3-1 preseason in Atlanta on Thursday night, many on the current 80-man roster took the field in Owings Mills on Friday afternoon for the last time. Facing a deadline to trim the team down to 53 players by 6 p.m. on Saturday, coach John Harbaugh shifts his attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a final look at the 27 players — or more, depending on other potential moves — who won’t be deemed good enough to take the turf at M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 11. “You are excited to finalize your roster,” Harbaugh said. “You are excited to say this is going to be our team. This is how we’re going to move forward, but that’s going to not include some guys, and that’s the toughest thing.” Among those decisions will be a number of players with promising upside, but may prove too raw to take up a 53-man roster spot. Second-year offensive tackle Ramon Harewood is the quintessential example after being drafted in the sixth round from Morehouse in 2010. Spending last season on injured reserve, Harewood’s return to the practice field was delayed this summer

Live from Owings Mills: Ravens without Birk, Evans for Friday's practice

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After arriving back in Baltimore early Friday morning, the Ravens returned to the practice field several hours later for a shells-and-shorts workout following their 21-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason finale. Center Matt Birk (knee) and receiver Lee Evans (foot) were not present for the portion of practice open to the media, as concern grows whether the two veterans will be 100 percent for the opener against Pittsburgh on Sept. 11. With Birk not practicing, Bryan Mattison was once again filling in at center as he has throughout the preseason. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor (left shoulder) and offensive tackle Ramon Harewood (undisclosed) were also absent from practice. Taylor left Thursday’s game in the first quarter after his left shoulder was driven to the Georgia Dome turf. The Ravens labeled it a contusion after initial tests, and Taylor was seen with his left arm in a sling on the sideline during the second half. Cornerback Chris Carr (hamstring) and offensive lineman Mark LeVoir (undisclosed) returned to practice after missing workouts earlier this week. Carr missed the final three preseason games after injuring his left hamstring while covering Evans during practice on Aug. 15. As for

With preseason complete, Ravens still filled with unknowns entering Steelers week

Luke Jones

Any answers we hoped to uncover on Thursday night were history when coach John Harbaugh elected to rest most of his starters on both sides of the ball in a 21-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason finale. With the coaching staff not wanting to risk any injuries on the fast turf at the Georgia Dome, left tackle Bryant McKinnie and the new-look offensive line didn’t even receive as much as a cameo appearance against Atlanta despite suggestions otherwise. The decision means the first time we’ll get a look at McKinnie and veteran center Matt Birk in live-game action will be against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11. It’s a scary proposition, but the Ravens will hope practice reps against the vaunted Baltimore defense as well as veteran moxie will be enough to prepare McKinnie, Ben Grubbs, Birk, Marshal Yanda, and Michael Oher for the likes of James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and the brutal Pittsburgh defense. As offensive coordinator Cam Cameron put it earlier this week, the Ravens have no other choice but to be ready in a critical battle in Week 1. The preseason finale managed to create even more doubt at the backup quarterback position after

Ravens-Falcons Purple Haze live chat at 7:30

Luke Jones

As if it weren’t difficult enough to get excited about the final preseason game, the Ravens announced they would only be playing a handful of starters tonight against the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. Despite discussion of the reconfigured offensive line playing a series or two in the first quarter, coach John Harbaugh has elected to play it safe and not risk any injuries, meaning the starting line will see its first live-game action together against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11. The only projected offensive starter playing in tonight’s game will be tight end Ed Dickson. Defensively, the Ravens have elected to deactivate Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Jarret Johnson, and Cory Redding against the Falcons. Terrence Cody, Jameel McClain, Domonique Foxworth, Cary Williams, and the combination of Tom Zbikowski and Bernard Pollard — it’s still undetermined who will start at strong safety next to Reed — will be the only starters taking the turf in Atlanta. That said, a number of veteran backups and rookies will be fighting for their roster lives as the Ravens conclude the preseason and make final decisions on the 53 men who will be taking the field against Pittsburgh

Ravens-Falcons Preseason Primer: What to watch

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Purple Haze live chat beginning at 7:30 p.m. as we talk about the preseason finale and what to expect this season. For the quickest updates and analysis, follow WNST on Twitter and be sure to subscribe to the WNST Text Service.*** As the calendar turns to September, we’ve finally reached the light at the end of the preseason tunnel as the Ravens travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons on Thursday night. Of course, interest isn’t exactly bubbling over in the final preseason game, but plenty of players will be fighting for their professional lives, whether with Baltimore or the 31 other NFL teams that will trim down their rosters to 53 on Saturday. It’s unknown how long the starters will play against the Falcons, but John Harbaugh and the coaching staff will at least give the revamped offensive line — particularly newly-signed left tackle Bryant McKinnie — a brief look in live-game action during the first quarter. The reins will then be turned over to veteran backups and rookies trying to stake their final claims as to why they belong among the 53 that will take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept.

Harbaugh not revealing Ravens' plans for playing time against Atlanta

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The fourth preseason game is typically reserved for younger players and veterans squarely on the bubble, with starters making little more than a cameo appearance — if that. However, given the unprecedented nature of the 134-day lockout and the lack of a regular offseason, teams may elect to play starters more extensively. However, Ravens coach John Harbaugh wasn’t tipping his hand one way or the other in terms of his plans for the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. So, how long should we expect to see the Baltimore starters? “We’ll see. That’s what I think about it.” With the Ravens signing Bryant McKinnie last week and veterans Matt Birk and Marshal Yanda just returning to the practice field on Saturday, concern exists over how quickly the offensive line can gel as the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town for the season opener on Sept. 11. Harbaugh is weighing his options in balancing live-game reps for the line with keeping everyone healthy in the final preseason game. Thursday marks the last chance for rookies such as former Maryland receiver LaQuan Williams and veterans on the bubble such as linebackers Prescott Burgess and Tavares Gooden to make an impression

Live from Owings Mills: Ravens place Lawrence on IR to get down to 80 players

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Needing to trim down their roster to 80 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, the Ravens have placed running back Matt Lawrence on Injured Reserve with a concussion. Plagued by knee issues the last two seasons, this marks the third straight year the Ravens have placed Lawrence on IR. Given the timing of the move, it’s likely the Ravens will eventually reach an injury settlement with Lawrence, freeing him to explore other options. Receiver Lee Evans (left foot) was not practicing for the third straight day, making it highly unlikely for the 30-year-old to make an appearance in the Ravens’ final preseason game in Atlanta on Thursday night. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron downplayed the significance of the injury on Monday, saying the Ravens expect Evans to return “pretty quick.” Cornerback Chris Carr (hamstring), offensive lineman Mark LeVoir (undisclosed), and interior offensive linemen Justin Boren were also absent from the portion of practice open to the media. Carr and LeVoir were both missing for the second straight day. With the roster now down at 80 players, the Ravens have until Saturday to trim the roster to 53 players for the start of the regular season.

Ravens saying all the right things amid doubts on offensive line

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It felt a bit like the start of training camp again on Saturday as the Ravens finally had their first look at the offensive line expected to line up against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11. The newly-signed Bryant McKinnie — all 370 pounds of him — lined up at left tackle while center Matt Birk saw his first work since undergoing knee surgery on Aug. 2. It all looks great on paper, the former Pro Bowl tackle anchoring the blind side and Michael Oher returning to the right side where he dominated during his rookie season two years ago. But, with Pittsburgh looming less than two weeks away, will the Ravens’ new offensive line — featuring only two starters playing the same position as last season — be ready in time? “Absolutely. We don’t have a choice,” offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. “This is pro football, and I think we all know what that means. No one really cares. No one cares. By the time that game comes around, the expectation for the player, for us as coaches, for the fans is we’re ready to play. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. No excuses.

Leaky offensive line needs improvement or Flacco will scuffle

Nestor Aparicio

I’m not the kind to pass judgment on any team based on anything I see in the preseason. Schemes, game plans and “real” football are never really seen in August but my eyes see a few things that are disconcerting for any Ravens fan. First, the offensive line is suspect and that’s a foundation item that seems to get lost on most NFL fans until the quarterback is running for his life and imminently unproductive. There’s no way the Ravens will be effective on offense if Joe Flacco is constantly scrambling like we’ve seen for the better part of three quarters in the past eight days. What’s even worse is how dreadful the backups and “hope for the future” have been in protecting for Tyrod Taylor, who really isn’t being given a fair shot when he’s getting chased on every play as well. Against the Chiefs last night, Flacco was ineffective through most of the first half and was consistently overthrowing receivers who either didn’t have their timing down or just couldn’t get to the passes. Anquan Boldin looked frighteningly slow on a few of the passes but Lee Evans had some productivity in his reps vs. Kansas City. I

Ch-ch-ch-changes at WNST for football season and Ravens coverage

Nestor Aparicio

It’s a momentous day here at WNST.net in many ways. Some great news will be divulged here today and other tidbits and updates will be best savored on another day. But make no mistake about it: today is a very proud day for me at WNST.net. We’ve quietly made some changes in our format and I’m really blessed to loudly and proudly announce the addition of Luke Jones to our WNSTeam as Drew Forrester’s new co-host, producer and whipping boy on The Morning Reaction and the promotion of Glenn Clark to afternoon drive show host from 2-to-6 on weekdays replacing Rex Snider, who submitted his resignation last week. I enjoyed Rex Snider’s passion and I really wish him well in the future. He was one of many folks who I was fortunate to meet and afford an opportunity to live the dream of doing a daily radio show at WNST and I hope this will launch him to greater things. He’s a man of integrity and I enjoyed watching his brand (and his hair) grow. On a personal note, I can’t appropriately express my bursting pride in Glenn Clark’s progress as a host, writer, journalist and learner of all things

Coordinators expect young Ravens to grow up quickly

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It was only hours after the 134-day lockout ended before we learned just how much the Ravens would lean on youth to continue their postseason success of the last three seasons. Projecting to be roughly $14 million over the new $120 million salary cap after an uncapped year, general manager Ozzie Newsome said goodbye to four key veterans and watched a number of others depart via free agency. In a matter of days, the Ravens were young — and cheaper. The loss of offseason training and organized team activities (OTAs) further complicated that realization, but after nearly three weeks of training camp and one preseason game under their belts, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron sees no reasons why the bar shouldn’t be high for rookies such as right tackle Jah Reid and receivers Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss (even with the veteran acquisition of Lee Evans to boost the receiver position). After all, there are no redshirts in the National Football League, where players are expected to contribute at a high level from day one. “There are no four-year scholarships,” Camerson said. “There are a lot of different things that go through these guys’ minds. We’re trying

Ravens defense squawks, gets upper hand in Sunday's practice

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens practice began later than usual, but there was no sign of it hurting the defense on Sunday evening. Starting practice at 4:45 p.m. instead of the usual 1:30 p.m. start to give players some extra rest, the starting defense was flying around throughout the session and clearly got the best of the offense. Linebacker Terrell Suggs was chirping the loudest, several times questioning the calls of Cam Cameron during 11-on-11 team periods. Of course, it’s important to remember it was practice and not an actual game before anyone makes too much of Suggs’ playful jabbing. On one third-and-long situation inside the red zone, Cameron called for a run play, and the defense sniffed it out well short of the first-down marker. Suggs quipped that the Ravens better have a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter if they’re going to call that play. It’s hard to disagree with him, either. “I think it was positive, it was competitive, and challenging one another,” Harbaugh said. “We’re a team, but kind of in practice, we’re kind of not. We kind of get after each other a little bit. I thought the defense, at times, had the better

Live from Owings Mills: C. Williams, J. Smith work with starting defense

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens had their full allotment of cornerbacks on the practice field Sunday, making the two players working with the first defense all the more surprising. Rookie Jimmy Smith and third-year defensive back Cary Williams played extensively with the starting defense as Chris Carr and Lardarius Webb — the starters in the preseason opener — rotated inside in nickel and dime packages. Veteran Domonique Foxworth practiced on a limited basis but did not take reps in 11-on-11 team sessions as he continues to work his way back to full strength from ACL surgery a year ago. Smith’s involvement with the starting defense should not surprise too many people, given the fact that the Ravens viewed him as a top-10 talent when they selected him with the 27th overall pick in April. However, seeing the 6-foot-1 Williams work with the first unit was a product of his strong play in camp and performance against the Eagles last Thursday. “A guy deserves an opportunity,” coach John Harbaugh, who wanted to get a look at how Williams and Smith fit with the rest of the starting defense. “He’s played really well, and we try to do that. We always

Live from Owings Mills: Cody returns to practice, Yanda still sidelined

Luke Jones

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens hit the practice field late Sunday afternoon, defensive tackle Terrence Cody returned after being sidelined Saturday with a minor ankle injury. However, starting right guard Marshal Yanda was again missing as he continues to deal with back spasms. Maligned offensive lineman Oniel Cousins is once again working at right guard with rookie Jah Reid assuming duties at right tackle with the first offense. A day after returning to the practice field after dealing with a hamstring injury throughout training camp, receiver James Hardy was not practicing. At 6-foot-5, the 25-year-old Hardy appeared to have a good chance to crack the 53-man roster — especially after the Ravens failed in their effort to sign San Diego wideout Malcom Floyd — but his chances continue to fade as he can’t stay on the field. Safety Ed Reed was present on the field but not dressed to practice, indicating the 32-year-old was taking the day off as he has on a few occasions this summer. He was doing some individual work with the other defensive backs while wearing his jersey, shorts, and a ball cap. Others not practicing included receiver David Reed (physically-unable-to-perform list – wrist),

Ravens acquire veteran receiver Lee Evans for 4th round draft pick

Luke Jones

On the heels of a lackluster 13-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Ravens’ preseason opener on Thursday night, general manager Ozzie Newsome apparently saw the same pressing need at wide receiver that everyone else did. The Ravens have traded for Buffalo receiver Lee Evans, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Bills had reportedly been shopping the 30-year-old receiver for a third-round pick, but Baltimore instead sent a 2012 fourth-round selection to acquire the 5-foot-10 receiver. “He’s a quality veteran receiver who stretches the field and gives us a significant downfield presence,” said Newsome to the team’s official website. “He’s the type of person you want on your team. He brings leadership and maturity to the locker room.” Evans spent seven seasons in Buffalo and has caught 43 touchdowns and accumulated 5,934 receiving yards in his NFL career. With draft picks Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss projected as the No. 2 and No. 3 receivers entering the preseason opener, the rookies struggled to gain separation in the first half against Philadelphia. Ravens wide receivers failed to record a catch until the 6:15 mark of the second quarter when Doss caught a 6-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor. Though

Ravens falter on third down, nearly everywhere else in preseason opener

Luke Jones

PHILADELPHIA — While most concern lies with the changes to the Ravens’ offensive personnel through the first two weeks of training camp, the starting defense — or second and third units, for that matter — raised plenty of concerns on their own Thursday night. In the Eagles’ 13-6 win over the Ravens, the Baltimore defense struggled to get off the field on third down, continually missing tackles and failing to force incompletions. The numbers were particularly troubling in the first half with key personnel on the field through the first 30 minutes. Philadelphia was 4-for-4 on third-down conversions in the first quarter and 5-for-7 by halftime. “We were in position to make the tackle in the backfield, including two sacks, and we didn’t make the plays,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We have to get off the field in those third-down situations, and we didn’t in the first half.” The only touchdown of the game came on the Eagles’ opening drive when Michael Vick threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Brent Celek with starting inside linebacker Jameel McClain covering. McClain struggled in the first quarter, allowing two completions and missing a tackle on Ronnie Brown on a beautifully-designed run blitz. That

Don’t go jumping off the Key Bridge just yet fellow purple bird watchers

Nestor Aparicio

PHILADELPHIA — As I sit here wrapping up a futile evening of unusually awful preseason football — and the bar was set pretty low to begin with — I’m just going to throw out a few random observations from tonight’s Ravens’ 13-6 loss to the Eagles here at The Linc: The Ravens need to get on the phone and find a backup quarterback and probably sooner than later. Not unexpectedly, Tyrod Taylor stank in his NFL debut last night playing primarily with and against the usual second-teamers. Harbaugh, who always seems to provide us with some quotes that are outlandish, had nothing but praise for Taylor. Check it out here. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJdWh1TBl0[/youtube] Taylor is going to be mighty sore all weekend but the three interceptions were ill-timed even by preseason standards and certainly avoidable. Pray for the health of Joe Flacco, Baltimore! Or pray for someone legitimate to fall out of a tree. Call Marc Bulger. Call Brett Favre. Call someone, Ozzie! It’s impossible to gauge how good the team is as a whole when the starters were out of the game before we blinked but it was pretty easy to see that Michael Vick and the Eagles offense were far

Live from Lincoln Financial Field: Purple Haze chat at 7:30 as Ravens begin preseason

Luke Jones

***Join us in the Purple Haze live chat beginning at 7:30 p.m. as WNST.net brings you live coverage from the preseason opener in Philadelphia. For the quickest updates and analysis, follow WNST on Twitter and be sure to subscribe to the WNST Text Service.*** PHILADELPHIA — With two weeks of training camp under their belt, the Ravens travel to Philadelphia to open the preseason against the restocked Eagles on Thursday night. With key veterans figuring to play little more than a series and other starters only going for a quarter, tonight will bring plenty of opportunity for young players to leave an impression on Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, and the Baltimore coaching staff. Here are the Ravens’ inactives for tonight: RB Ricky Williams (coach’s decision) CB Domonique Foxworth (knee) TE Ed Dickson (hamstring) WR Rodney Bradley (undisclosed) WR David Reed (PUP list – wrist) WR James Hardy (hamstring) RB Matt Lawrence (undisclosed) C Matt Birk (knee surgery) OT Ramon Harewood (PUP list – knees) DT Brandon McKinney (knee) Eagles inactives: WR DeSean Jackson WR Jeremy Maclin S Marlin Jackson DT Brandon Collier DT Trevor Laws DT Mike Patterson Surprisingly, rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith has not been deactivated despite Harbaugh saying

It needs to be said: Good riddance, Derrick Mason!

Nestor Aparicio

Over the past two weeks I’ve read and heard and watched a myriad of different reactions to the swath of cuts the Baltimore Ravens have made to veteran players and unlike the overwhelming majority of the fan base here, I understand the salary cap and how it works. (If you have any questions, feel free to forward them along: nasty@wnst.net. That’s why WNST.net exists – to educate you and answer your questions about Baltimore sports.) Bottom line: the Ravens played about $14 million over the cap last year in a “wild, wild west” uncapped NFL season. In the new post-lockout 2011 season, everyone will need to align franchise expenditures with the reality of the league. For the Ravens, that means playing with less veteran (re: well-paid) talent. This brings us to wide receiver Derrick Mason, who has somehow at 37 years of age  managed to stir up the fans of Baltimore using his Twitter account and his ever-present voice to make a case for himself as a returning veteran to the Ravens. He was texting with John Harbaugh. He was talking about other opportunities and greener pastures. He was “shocked” by the Ravens’ cut, which had almost happened two other

WNST Purple Football Roadtrips now on sale to San Diego, Jacksonville, more…

Nestor Aparicio

With all of the frenzy of the lockout and the ensuing fallout of free agency and mayhem, I’m getting tons of requests for the WNST Purple Football Roadtrip information. It took a week to put it all together but we proudly announce four total roadtrips for your selection and we’ll also be throwing our traditional Purple Pep Rallies and Parties in virtually every city on the road in 2011. Our first trip is next Thursday to Philadelphia to see the Ravens first game of the preseason. It’s just $89 for the entire evening of fun in the City of Brotherly Love. If you are interested in a specific party on the road and you’ve already made your travel plans, simply drop me an email: nasty@wnst.net and I’ll get you on the “first information” list once the parties go on sale next week. To purchase seats for all of our roadtrips, simply click on the TRIPS tab at www.wnst.net or here. If you want to see what our Purple Parties look like, just click here to see the evidence from Charlotte last fall: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA0xYf3IeQk[/youtube] Here’s a full lineup of all of our trips for 2011: 2011 Purple Roadtrip to Jacksonville (Oct.

What the hell do these people want from Joe Flacco?

Nestor Aparicio

I love it when Joe Flacco talks dirty. Somehow it hasn’t raised a lot of eyebrows or created a ton of conversation just yet but Joe Flacco’s “Welcome Home” meet up with the media on Wednesday afternoon sure created some stir in my mind. Perhaps a lot of folks haven’t heard it yet or really processed it the way I did but you can listen here. About his skills, Joe Flacco said: “I’m pretty damned good.” And you know what? I agree with him. And his perspective on the whole situation – “there’s only one good quarterback and 31 others who aren’t” – is dead on. Joe Flacco “gets it.” Look, I was as dumbfounded as the rest of you when the Ravens picked him three years ago, especially when on draft day the organization managed to keep it a state secret about their affection for the pride of Newark and all of Blue Hendom. Small school kid, almost geekish in his passion for football, sports and very little else, but he’s made everyone in the scouting department look like a genius with three consecutive January road playoff runs and wins every year. He’s done everything that Kyle Boller —

Before we cry for Westminster and crush NFL, let us not forget what Orioles have done to Baltimore’s business community

Nestor Aparicio

So, here’s where we call a spade a spade and separate the “righteous” from the wretched in the media. With all of the drama unfolding this week between the fans and the NFL teams in every city as the witching hour looms and there’s no labor deal and only haphazard snippets of alternating optimism and doom and gloom, I’ve remained pretty unfazed. Let’s also call a spade a spade here and say that very few businesses in Baltimore would be greater impacted by a lost NFL season than the one I own at WNST.net. If the Ravens don’t play in 2011 the impact on my life and the lives of my employees will be devastating. It would be a virtual tsunami to my company and many others who are directly related to the NFL and fall sports in America. So, I’m not some loud-mouthed outsider or a disgruntled fan simply throwing out an opinion, here. I’m the “affected” in this dispute between rich players and wealthy owners. And that’s before I start to discuss that I’m also a customer who buys PSL’s, all kinds of NFL purple swag and spends gobs of my hard-earned money chasing the Ravens around the

Rush vs. hockey: Hard to say which is Canada’s greatest import?

Nestor Aparicio

(Originally published in April 2011, this is my story about Rush. They’re back in the area this weekend and I’m geeked up about seeing them so I’m re-posting this blog…) With Friday’s reappearance in Baltimore of the greatest musical trio of all time, I thought it was time to put words on a page to describe why seeing Rush at age 42 still inspires me and makes me feel like an eighth grade-school dork with a Super Bowl ticket. I might even buy a tour shirt this time so I’ll look cool at work on Monday morning! Yes, I’ll be at First Mariner Arena with 12,000 others who “get it” when it comes to Rush, Canada’s greatest export this side of Don Cherry and Lord Stanley’s Goblet. But I’m about as old-school as you can be with Rush these days, one of the few who were there back on Sept. 26, 1980 in Largo when I spent my first of 38 evenings with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. I’m sure there are some in our WNST audience who saw them at the Civic Center with Kiss or at some point in the 1970’s when they toured tirelessly as

Get prepared for the summer of the NFL S**tstorm because it has arrived

Nestor Aparicio

I wanted to give the NFL skirmish 48 hours and a full weekend to let my emotions settle before I officially opined and got long-winded and loud-mouthed. So for those of you who love my rants and tirades, this blog is for you. For those of you who don’t like facts, figures, education and well-founded opinions about business in America circa 2011 and having a corporate and civic soul, this is a not going to be a happy read for you today to start your week. To whom much is given, much is expected. (That’s always been my battle cry and unrequited expectation from Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who has taken hundreds millions of dollars from our citizens only to leave our city empty and penniless on summer nights with 14 years of mostly last-place baseball.) And even though I know I should’ve known better knowing what I know about money, greedy people, big business and political influence (if not sheer corruption) I expected this NFL money grab to end somewhat amicably with both sides getting more than their fair share of wealth and happiness. But, the demon seeds of greed have given way to what has now become standard

Do you really care about this NFL money brawl?

Nestor Aparicio

I saw all of this coming three years ago in Palm Beach, Fla. at the NFL’s annual winter meetings amongst owners, NFL front office leaders and coaches. The owner’s voted to terminate the collective bargaining agreement, the words “uncapped year” become all the rage and here we are now at the fringe of a full-scale work stoppage, meltdown and the end of the world as we know it. I’ve spent a LOT of time over the past three years talking to virtually everyone I know in the NFL community about every facet of this negotiation in the hopes that I’d somehow be “expert” on what’s happening down in D.C. this week. I really thought that fans would be thirsty for what’s really happening behind the scenes and that somehow, there could be a happy ending behind the red, white and blue shield for 2011 football. Now that the witching hour has arrived it’s become very clear to me that the issues that are making the fight — percentages, salaries, trust, open books, medical insurance and a myriad of other arguments that have made 66 rounds of negotiating feel worthless — none of these are of any interest to most NFL

With latest win, Pittsburgh isn’t just our Daddy — but now our Granddaddy, too

Nestor Aparicio

These postseason losses are getting harder and harder for Baltimore to shake off. Like you, I awakened on Sunday to the sounds of silence. Like you, I spent the better part of Saturday night and all day Sunday and parts of the last two days trying to figure out and process just what the hell happened after 6 p.m. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Drew, Glenn and I have a little tradition going now where we shoot the postgame “gut reactions” as we cross the Fort Pittsburgh Bridge back into the city and as we chatted that same sick, sinking feeling grabbed me as I saw the city and the bridges behind me as we pulled out of the city – we lost to Pittsburgh again and we have to wait another year (at least) and wait for the stars to align yet again to have a chance to vanquish our oppressors. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWmmvvef4Y[/youtube] No matter the opponent, all of these postseason wins and losses take on memorable twists and turns but this recent vomiting of a 14-point, halftime lead to the dreaded Pittsburgh Steelers after blowing the home field advantage six weeks earlier on a blown assignment on Troy Polamalu

All Pittsburgh bustrips and major purple party on sale now!!!

Nestor Aparicio

With the Ravens moving on to Pittsburgh for a 4:30 p.m. AFC Divisional Playoff game this Saturday, WNST proudly continues out tradition of taking you to the game and planning the best purple pre-game parties on the planet. You can buy tickets for our bustrip ($350 all inclusive) or our Purple Playoff Pep Rally & Indoor Tailgate Party at the Pittsburgh Westin ($12) here now…

Are you headed to Kansas City? We have two great Saturday parties for you!

Nestor Aparicio

Are you going to Kansas City? We have two great purple pep rallies set for Saturday! As always, WNST.net has scouted the local terrain and we’ve put together two fabulous Miller Lite Purple Pep Rallies in Kansas City on Saturday. We’ll consider it a “day-night doubleheader” for all of the traveling fans of the Ravens who want to convene and have some Baltimore-style fun. You can buy tickets for the events in Kansas City HERE!!! Here are the details: Saturday 810 Zone Sports Bar Meet And Greet (11 a.m. ‘til 3 p.m.) We’ll gather at Kansas City’s No. 1 sports bar, The 810Zone, at Country Club Plaza for some pre-game food, cocktails, spirit in a great, friendly Midwestern environment. The folks at the 810 are owned by local radio station WHB-AM, who we consider our best radio friends in America. We’ll have a great buffet all afternoon and all of the games in the game room are included in the purchase price. MENU includes: Nacho Bar Cordon Bleu “Purple Balls” Wings done different ways Baked Ziti Pot Stickers Queso and chips Veggie and fruit tray Spinach Dip Many Miller Lite & cocktail specials as well ADMISSION: $15 in advance, $20

Yes, we’re doing a bustrip to Kansas City for Ravens playoff game

Nestor Aparicio

It takes a special individual to join us on these crazy adventures, but we are planning a once-in-a-lifetime Miller Lite Purple Playoff Roadtrip via bus to Kansas City this weekend. The trip is on sale here at WNST.net NOW… Here are all of the details on the trip, which is “priced to fly” considering that flying to Kansas City this weekend would cost almost $600 alone on Southwest Airlines: Sure, it’s a long ride but we’re doing our best to get you to Kansas City! KEEP COMING BACK HERE FOR MORE UPDATES ON THIS TRIP!!! PLANS ARE EVOLVING but this will be another great WNST.net classic! Our Miller Lite Purple Playoff Express will depart Baltimore at 5 a.m. Friday from White Marsh with a stop at I-70/Security at 5:30 a.m. and we’re off to Kansas City for three days of fun and adventure. We’ll have parties planned for Saturday and you’ll have a full day to recoup and enjoy your stay in the Country Club Plaza area, a beautiful area of Kansas City. We will depart for Baltimore immediately following the game on Sunday afternoon for Baltimore. We will return home sometime mid-morning on Monday. Trip includes: Snacks and Miller

Yes, we’re doing a bustrip to Kansas City for Ravens playoff game

Nestor Aparicio

It takes a special individual to join us on these crazy adventures, but we are planning a once-in-a-lifetime Miller Lite Purple Playoff Roadtrip via bus to Kansas City this weekend. The trip is on sale here at WNST.net NOW… Here are all of the details on the trip, which is “priced to fly” considering that flying to Kansas City this weekend would cost almost $600 alone on Southwest Airlines: Sure, it’s a long ride but we’re doing our best to get you to Kansas City! KEEP COMING BACK HERE FOR MORE UPDATES ON THIS TRIP!!! PLANS ARE EVOLVING but this will be another great WNST.net classic! Our Miller Lite Purple Playoff Express will depart Baltimore at 5 a.m. Friday from White Marsh with a stop at I-70/Security at 5:30 a.m. and we’re off to Kansas City for three days of fun and adventure. We’ll have parties planned for Saturday and you’ll have a full day to recoup and enjoy your stay in the Country Club Plaza area, a beautiful area of Kansas City. We will depart for Baltimore immediately following the game on Sunday afternoon for Baltimore. We will return home sometime mid-morning on Monday. Trip includes: Snacks and Miller

A Dear John letter…

Nestor Aparicio

Dear John: It’s Pittsburgh week here and we’re finally on the cusp of getting to the promised land of having some home “Festivus” games in January. And it’s all come down to this: if we win this week and vanquish the Steelers, who have been our oppressors as a community since 1971, we’re probably going to have a week off to watch the playoffs on TV and then have some home cooking. And maybe some folks will even bring those ridiculous purple towels back for another meeting with the Steelers here in Baltimore in January. But if we lose – and let’s be honest – we’ve NEVER won this kind of game at home on your watch – we’ll be back on the road to Jacksonville or Indianapolis or San Diego or Kansas City for Week 1 of the playoffs. That is, if we even get there at all, because we all know nothing is automatic in the NFL. This is an open letter and I think this is going to be a trial way of communicating and writing what I think about what you’ve done and what you’re doing here as the leader of the 53 Mighty Men. I

The biggest story in Charlotte wasn’t on the field — it was in the stands!

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been an interesting couple of days of meltdowns, chill outs and re-energizing the batteries for me since the wild weekend in Charlotte when our Baltimore fans essentially went down there and took over the entire city. After a 48-hour marathon of parties, beer drinking, tailgates, football and bus rides my plan on Monday was to do as little as Andy MacPhail for a day and I can honestly say I failed. Even when I wasn’t trying, I STILL got more done than the Orioles did on Monday and Tuesday. But seeing the “old media” coverage of the magnificence of the events in Carolina was almost laughable given how many miles I put on the tread seeing Baltimoreans of all walks of life come to life in Charlotte on Saturday and Sunday. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I’ll show you what I’m seeing and when I see it. This is what I saw Saturday night: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA0xYf3IeQk[/youtube] It really occurred to me as I perused the field from the 20-yard line and saw thick swaths of purple throughout the teal building and everywhere in concourses and stands that Sunday was a transcendent day for Baltimore fans and sports.

Are you going to Carolina this weekend? Join our WNST Purple Pep Rallies

Nestor Aparicio

The size of the party crowd kept growing – hence the delay – but WNST.net is poised to host the biggest Purple Pep Rally we’ve ever thrown for any road trip in our history in Charlotte this weekend. Based on the overwhelming amount of interest we needed to find a space big enough to handle all of the purple fans traveling from Baltimore and we’re proud to announce two awesome parties — one on Saturday night at Whisky River at The Epicenter of Charlotte and a Bojangles/Miller Lite picnic tailgate just two blocks from the stadium on Sunday. IF YOU WANT TO BUY TICKETS FOR THIS WEEKEND, CLICK HERE… If you are already booked on the WNST Miller Lite Roadtrip to Carolina your party passes are INCLUDED in our package. There will be no party at the Tilted Kilt in Charlotte — our group outgrew the space there and we had to move the party to a bigger location! I’ve never, ever seen this volume of interest or email for parties. I think half of Baltimore is headed to Charlotte this weekend! These events WILL sell out so please plan to join us and sign up early!!! TICKETS TO BOTH

Ray Lewis past, present and future: Will he be a Ray of Light in the future?

Nestor Aparicio

The really interesting part of watching all of this Baltimore football history unfold around me in so many ways is watching us all age. I don’t think there was a person in the stadium Sunday that didn’t have some anchor to identify emotions that are tied to the 2000 Ravens and what that Super Bowl did for the spirit and soul of our community during 2001. And there was no one in the crowd who wasn’t 10 years younger and wasn’t thinking about pulling out whatever Whiskey Joe’s memories or whatever emotional bond we all have to Jan. 28, 2001. These stories and memories have surfaced with a variety of interesting and fun comments on Facebook this week but all of this Super Bowl XXXV frivolity – and apparently the Ravens had one whopper of an internal party on Saturday night with all sorts of interesting “fallout” – has made us all misty

Ray Lewis past, present and future: Celebrating the Ray of today

Nestor Aparicio

People still ask me every day of my life what Ray Lewis is like and if I don’t put forth any other theories about No. 52 over the next few days just know this: he is very complex and leads a complicated and very full life with tons of responsibilities and obligations that I wouldn’t care to list or profess to know a whole lot about. But I’m convinced there’s no time for “down time” being Ray Lewis circa Nov. 2010. And I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t want to trade places in life with him. Because I really don’t think it’s easy being Ray Lewis. First, I’m not around the team six days a week anymore. Because I’m running this awesome web and new media company that occupies every waking moment of my existence these days and I because I have the great Glenn Clark to chase the team every day as Baltimore’s best Ravens beat reporter, I only encounter Ray Lewis twice a week – on Wednesday during media day and Sunday after the games in the locker room. Despite my 15 years of ups and downs with him, I’m just another guy with a microphone and a

Ray Lewis past, present and future: Is it safe to say the Ghost of Ray has passed?

Nestor Aparicio

I was sitting in a Canton restaurant six weeks ago doing a WNST.net sales presentation and out of the corner of my eye I caught a purple flash. There, larger than life was the familiar sight of Ray Lewis coming down on Darren Sproles on the San Diego turf last fall on all of the flat screens at once in a jarring HD highlight reel, then pounding more running backs, belting quarterbacks and creating that beautiful purple havoc that we’ve grown to love to watch on Sunday afternoons in Baltimore. The volume was down but it didn’t take me long to realize that Steve Sabol and a series of former Ravens coaches were doing a roundtable conversation about the career of Ray Lewis and I realized this was the NFL Films special that was shot in Orlando back during the NFL Owners Meetings that I attended. It was the same day when I spent time with all of these same people – Jack Del Rio, Mike Smith, Marvin Lewis, Rex Ryan, Mike Singletary – for a coffee table conversation book I’m working on about the lineage of Baltimore coaching and leadership. In case you missed any of the segments on

Bench Flacco for Bulger? Are you people on dope?

Nestor Aparicio

In the era of the internet, it doesn’t take long to ferret out the bitchers, moaners, whiners, complainers and bridge jumpers on a fall NFL Sunday afternoon. Being the social media zealot that I am, it’s easy to feel the temperature of the never-ending Baltimore “barstool” here at WNST.net during our Purple Haze live chats as well as all over Facebook and Twitter during games. For an old fart like me, it’s quite compelling (if not entertaining) to gauge the shaky and ever-changing morale of the purple fan base during each possession, each drive and each success and failure by the Ravens. To say Sunday’s performance by Joe Flacco was a hot button would be an understatement. I could only hope that the Orioles 14-year free-fall would have such relevance and concern to the Baltimore sports community. Sure, Flacco stunk. He stunk early and often and looked bewildered at different points during the first half of a 5-for-18, 23-yard first half. The second half started with a solo burst of offensive success as Flacco led the team into the Bengals’ end zone on the initial drive but in the end it wasn’t good enough as he threw four interceptions in

A Dear John letter…

Nestor Aparicio

Dear John: It’s Pittsburgh week here and we’re finally on the cusp of getting to the promised land of having

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