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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

Is Mark Sanchez really a fruitcake? We’ll find out tonight as Ravens visit Jets

Nestor Aparicio

If you don’t watch Hard Knocks on HBO, you won’t get the humor in the headline but I have a hunch you will be watching tonight as eight months of sports silence in Baltimore and a revenge game on national TV for Jets coach Rex Ryan should whet your appetite for the deliciousness of the next 17 weeks and beyond. Tonight, the Ravens finally play football. For real… I have been quite silent this summer as the Orioles have continued to tank it en route to a last-place finish but today I recommit to telling you what I think during the football season. I’ve been busy 24 hours a day building the new WNST.net that many of you are enjoying daily via our many means to reach you: the Morning Newspaper, text service, Facebook, Twitter, AM 1570, this very website at WNST.net, etc. The Orioles are winning and no one is watching while the Ravens have been dormant since that dark night in Indianapolis eight months ago but have once again captured the imagination not only of the local marketplace but they’ve become the national media darlings and are expected to be in Dallas in early February by many pundits.

2010 NFL Forecast: Will the Ravens raise the Lombardi Trophy?

Luke Jones

With the beginning of the 2010 NFL season only hours away, expectations have never been higher in Baltimore as the Ravens have their eyes fixed on their first Super Bowl title since the 2000 season. Questions remain in the secondary and whether Joe Flacco can reach elite status with an abundance of new weapons in the Baltimore offense, but contenders and pretenders alike face some level of uncertainty on the eve of Week 1. Easy schedules — and the unsophisticated attempts to predict a team’s fate week by week — in early September frequently transform into daunting slates in the unpredictable nature of the NFL. An injury to a key performer at the wrong position can derail even the strongest teams’ championship aspirations. Inevitably, a sexy preseason contender or two will collapse under fatal flaws, and an anonymous outfit that no one is even pondering as a victor will find itself playing long into January. We just never can tell. And with that digression, I toss my hat into the futile, but enjoyable, pool of forecasting the 2010 season. If nothing else, predictions offer damning proof that most of us (all of us?) really don’t know what we’re talking about

Peter King gives a Football 101 Tweetup at Amicci’s

Nestor Aparicio

A big thank you to all of the local football zealots who braved the raindrops and joined us at Amicci’s in Little Italy tonight for our first-ever, official “Tweetup.” Our gracious host Peter King of SI.com held court for two hours of banter, beer drinking, football chatter, storytelling and laughs. Oh, and it’s Amicci’s — so you know the food didn’t suck! Too much to tell you about but here’s a brief video clip of the beginning of what was an illuminating and entertaining session of NFL insider information: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrE8CtCm7pU[/youtube]

Great pasta and great football talk with Peter King at Amicci’s today

Nestor Aparicio

If the rain has you down today, please come indoors with us after 4 p.m. down at Amicci’s in Little Italy for our first-ever “Tweetup” with legendary Sports Illustrated writer and NBC personality Peter King. Peter loves Twitter (who doesn’t?) and he asked me a few weeks ago about doing a Tweetup in Baltimore because today is his very wet day to be in Westminster doing a SI.com postcard on the Ravens. The event is free, the food is spectacular and the football conversation will be legendary. All you need to do is be at Amicci’s between 4 and 6:30 for all of the Italian food, American football and cold beer and cocktails. I dare you to find a better happy hour in Baltimore today…

Let me tell you a story about Michael Vick…

Nestor Aparicio

So the circus came to town tonight. And I met Michael Vick. At least, briefly, I did. This story is gonna ramble a little – don’t they all? – but I almost skipped the Ed Block Courage Awards dinner earlier tonight. I wasn’t in the mood to go, I’ve had some long days of work lately and I just didn’t feel much like being in the room with a thousand people and dealing with angry mobs of PETA people and, quite frankly, I just wasn’t in the mood for the hassle. Earlier in the day one of my oldest friends from Dundalk, Frank Vanik, sent me a series of emails saying that he needed tickets to the Ed Block event. Honestly, I didn’t have any tickets for the event and I sent him back a series of emails all day from a variety of meetings. Frank said it was his birthday and he wanted to be at the banquet. And I felt like a tremendous heel because I really didn’t have the tickets, time or ability to help him at the last minute on a heavy workload day. And I knew my friend Sam Lamantia and his staff would be

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The theme of Ravens’ fanbase this week

Nestor Aparicio

I’m not an expert on much, but Baltimore sports and enthusiasm are two things I’ve spent my entire existence since 1972 immersed in here in the Charm City. And even though the Ravens are traveling to New England this weekend for an honest-to-God, NFL playoff game, I’m sensing this is the least-exciting postseason run in the history of Baltimore sports. I have more ways to take the temperature of the city than I care to admit. From emails and AM 1570 to thousands of people on Facebook, Twitter and in a variety of web locales — this is a tepid metropolis right now regarding the Ravens. I’m just looking for some purple string lights around the region and I’m not “feeling the love” for the 2009 Ravens. Where’s YOUR purple, Baltimore? Now before you say, “Nasty – I’m fired up for the game on Sunday, what are you talking about?” I will respond with facts (not low blows…). Fact: There are still many flights into Providence, Boston and Manchester all day on Friday and Saturday. Fact: There were still seats left on my bus a few hours ago. I reserved NINE buses for the weekend. I’m using TWO. Fact: Seats

Are you headed to New England this weekend?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s no secret that this is our favorite time of the year. The Ravens are in the playoffs, with the possibility of surprising the NFL and shocking the world, and we’re headed to New England this weekend for drinks, smiles, cheers and some postseason, chilly football in Foxborough. If you (or someone you know or love) is headed to the Ravens-Patriots game this weekend, please share this blog and have them join our Facebook group called “I’m going to New England this weekend.” We are finalizing all of our party plans today and will announce it all via WNST AM 1570, our Twitter feed (@WNST) and on our group Facebook page over the next few days. We still have seats left on our 2nd Miller Lite Purple Playoff bus as well. If anyone needs me directly, I can be reached here (nasty@wnst.net) or on Facebook at Nestor J. Aparicio. As our baseball owner once said: “I’m a very available individual…”

Bears are in air, headed to BWI now: FOLLOW FLIGHT HERE LIVE!!!

Nestor Aparicio

UPDATE 9:16 p.m. — Bears flight has departed O’Hare for BWI. Officially left at 8:16 CST/now and slated to land at 10:43 p.m. with early arrival expected. You can follow the entire flight path with this link: Chicago Bears flight to BWI! Isn’t technology cool? Isn’t the web superbadass? UPDATE 8:05 p.m. — The Bears buses just left Halas Hall en route to O’Hare Airport. Will they get out of Chicago? Will BWI be open? We’ll keep updating you as we know! UPDATE: 1:51 p.m. –I just got a confirmation that the Bears are being told they’ll depart O’Hare Airport at 8 p.m. That would have them touch down at BWI at 10:30 p.m. We’ll see if they make it. If there are any further “moves” you’ll know first if you keep checking back to WNST.net. Or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our free, easy and awesome Text Service. 1:35 p.m. — I just got off the phone with two sources within Halas Hall. They both have confirmed that the Bears are in a bit of a “holding pattern.” One put it best: “You kinda have to go where the acts of Mother Nature take you. You have

Yikes!!! Bears are stuck in Chicago…

Nestor Aparicio

I just got off the phone with Bears PR director Scott Hagel who confirmed that the Chicago Bears are still in Chicago and conducting business as usual in preparation to get Baltimore for tomorrow’s 4:15 p.m. game. Here’s the link to their official website blog, which confirms that the Bears’ flight last night was canceled. “The Bears tried to beat the snow in Baltimore, but they got sacked by Mother Nature. With 10-20 inches of snow expected to fall this weekend, the team moved its flight from Saturday afternoon to Friday night. But the Bears never made it to Baltimore. They boarded their charter at O’Hare at 10:30 p.m., and then sat on the plane before the flight was canceled at 12:30 a.m. because the snowstorm had arrived earlier than expected. The Bears bused back to Halas Hall, arriving at 1:15 a.m., and will attempt to fly to Baltimore late Saturday.” WNST will update you if/when the Bears get off of the ground at O’Hare in north Chicago, where it’s not snowing. The biggest issue will clearly be whether the BWI runway stays open.

Postcard from Green Bay & Lambeau Field

Nestor Aparicio

It’s early morning here in Green Bay and the snow is beginning to fall. It’s 19 degrees here in the land of the frozen tundra and we’re expected to get 1-to-2 inches of fresh snow before the indoor tailgates begin this afternoon. And, no, they will not be closing schools here in Wisconsin today or freaking out on the local news. The Ravens are in a pretty good position if they can find a way to win this football game tonight at Lambeau Field. The Steelers lost yesterday. The Jaguars won. There is still plenty of football left and for anyone who just pencils in “win” vs. Detroit, Chicago or Oakland, all you need to do is check the results every Sunday to realize there are no “easy” wins in the NFL. (Except if you’re playing Cleveland, that is, and thankfully we don’t have to see them again!) I’ll be writing from the press box at Lambeau Field tonight. We’ll have the Purple Haze chat room open, we’ll be Tweeting, Facebooking and texting you all of the info as the game unfolds. We hope you keep it tuned to WNST.net on the net tonight or join Eric Aaronson and his

First aid & Band aids don’t aid Ravens’ Festivus run

Nestor Aparicio

The nagging injuries to Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis & Haloti Ngata are doing nothing to help the Ravens’ postseason run here in December. Here’s one gloomy observation on the upcoming purple postseason hopes for January in the AFC.

Lots of questions but not lots of answers for Ravens

Nestor Aparicio

To say that frustration has fallen across the land here in Baltimore along with an early sunset would be an understatement. Today, once again, the sun continued to set on another season of Ravens football as the Ravens dropped their fifth game of the season as the Indianapolis Colts walked across the purple bird toward the visiting locker room as the winners in their former land of Baltimore. Today, it is NOT the land of pleasant living. After a 7th-consecutive disgusting loss for a fan base who built that horseshoe for the Irsay family before having it shoved up its civic backside in March 1984, there are many questions, but few answers the Ravens can provide beyond a disappointing 5-5 record. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis didn’t even chat with the media. (Why Reed was trying to pitch the ball in that situation is just inexplicable — except that he’s been doing it for a decade, Brian Billick-be-damned!) John Harbaugh had a rather terse “no comment”-style response in regard to this action. I’m not a guy who’s ever looked for “goats” in losses. I’ve been around this game long enough to know that mistakes of the physical nature are usually

At least one Harbaugh is a rock star…

Nestor Aparicio

John Harbaugh is 5-4. His brother, former Ravens QB Jim Harbaugh, is 7-3 at Stanford and fresh off of knocking off USC and Pete Carroll last weekend. If you saw the game, you know that Harbaugh rubbed Carroll’s nose in the dirt when going for up a two-pointer while up 27 points in the 4th quarter. I ran across a great story about Jim Harbaugh’s new-found rock star status in Palo Alto on www.sportsline.com written by Dennis Dodd. A great read! I had a great time with Jim when he was with the Ravens in 1998. We did some radio shows together and he had a very quirky way about him, even then. A funny guy, we once went to see Hootie and The Blowfish together with Tony Siragusa and Michael McCrary. I wrote about it in my book, Purple Reign. It was crazy night with a lot of twists and turns but I’ll never forget Harbaugh carrying a girl who was on crutches down a flight of steep stairs trying to help her. He was really a good guy and he’s now the toast of the football world and the hottest coaching prospect in the business. Good for him!

Hey Jon Gruden: Welcome to the Baltimore manure list!

Nestor Aparicio

It didn’t take long for the manure to hit the fan in Baltimore during the Monday Night Football broadcast from Cleveland on ESPN after Jon Gruden made his comments regarding the Ravens and their “historic contributions” to the NFL’s newest drive to market hideously grotesque old AFL laundry. While swimming in the sea of obvious insensitivity and double negatives that encompass every Ravens-Browns matchup since Art Modell moved his franchise to the Charm City in 1996, Gruden uttered one of the more ignorant one-liners since Bob Trumpy wished us bad weather and cold hot dogs back in September of that fateful year: “If the Ravens wore their throwback jerseys, they’d be the Browns.” While I was awash in the WNST Purple Haze chat room as well as scanning Twitter and Facebook, I saw that the Baltimore folks were bristling in social media during the second quarter. At halftime, I chased down Ron Jaworski, who I knew pretty well from our days working together at NFL Films on Mondays a decade ago and told him to deliver a message to Gruden for me: “If the Ravens wore their throwback jerseys, they’d ACTUALLY be blue and white with a horseshoe on them!

Hey John: You can’t be 4-4 and seriously talk playoffs

Nestor Aparicio

Just judging from the sheer volume of social media I consumed all day yesterday, the fan base here is in “quit on the 2009 season” mode. The lofty expectations following a rookie campaign for John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco that ended in the AFC Championship Game led all of us in the Charm City to feel as though this year would somehow be better. Well, we’re halfway through the race and things haven’t gone according to the best laid plan. The Ravens have lost four of their last five, including yesterday’s turd in Cincinnati. The team, overall, just hasn’t been as good as advertised in many ways. The Bengals have now embarrassed the Ravens twice in four weeks en route to sole possession of the AFC North lead and have earned the right to crow. While yesterday’s loss certainly felt like more of a beatdown than the final score — and we’ll get to Steve Hauschka’s missed kick in a minute — the NFL only counts one thing en route to a playoff berth in the tournament: wins. And right now, at 4-4, this isn’t going to get it done. I could make excuses for all of the other three

Kokinis the latest former Ravens exec shown door in Cleveland

Nestor Aparicio

The names change but the team remains the same. The Cleveland Browns stink. The Cleveland Browns, after taking their second “hot shot” executive from Ozzie Newsome’s staff here in Baltimore, have once again shown another Baltimore rock star the gate, this time forcing general manager George Kokinis out the door around lunchtime today according to this WKYC report in Cleveland. Earlier this year, Browns owner Randy Lerner fired another former Ravens executive with a Super Bowl ring in Phil Savage, who is still owed four years of pay from the franchise, which lost again yesterday to fall to 1-7. Lerner has had major problems with a malcontent fanbase who have called for a protest when the team plays the Ravens on Monday Night Football two weeks from tonight. (By the way, we still have seats on our Miller Lite Roadie to that game here…) More to come for sure. But it looks like Kokinis is gone in Cleveland.

Don’t ask…just click! Very, very funny…

Nestor Aparicio

I’m not one for cartoons, jokes, chain letters or general web stuff that I refer to as “spam.” (And for the 1000th time, NO, I don’t want to play Mafia Wars with you on Facebook! Stop sending me that manure!) However, I got this link forwarded to me on Facebook (thanks, Tom!) and, well, it’s pretty freaking good. It’s PG-13, don’t worry…thank me later! Just click here… Be ready to laugh…

A somber locker room in Minnesota

Nestor Aparicio

All of the videos are up now here at WNST.net. I’m sure folks will be crazy in the Purple Haze in a little while as well. If you ever want to know what I’m thinking during the games, I’ve been TWEETING LIKE A RAVEN on Twitter each week during this season. It’s a LOT of fun for me to share my thoughts via the internet from my seat in the upper deck of the Metrodome surrounded by people in braids. Simply follow us on Twitter and you’ll know every stupid thought that’s on my mind. It was a tough, tough loss today. The Ravens were outplayed dramatically in the first half and the comeback should’ve been good enough to save the day. Honestly, I was filing out of the upper deck before Ray Rice caught that pass thinking the game was over. It was an amazing, memorable comeback and it leads you to believe that anything is possible with this team. The final Frank Walker penalty was so blatant that it’s not even worth discussing. And, if you have a kicker who can’t hit a 43-yarder with the game on the line on the road, you’re not good enough to

“Colt” Matt Stover reaches out to WNST and Ravens fans

Nestor Aparicio

Matt Stover and I have been trading texts and phone calls for months. People asked me almost daily, “What’s happening with Matt?” Today, he spent about 20 minutes with Bob Haynie and you can hear the entire episode here in the audio vault. It was a sensational interview by Haynie and I hope you check it out! For the record, Stover has become one of my favorite all-time Ravens, even though we’ve never been publicly linked because he wasn’t a frequent visitor on my show throughout the years. Even though I don’t think I’ve done five “on the record” conversations with him in nearly 15 years, No. 3 was always “go to” guy in the clubhouse literally since the nanosecond the team arrived from Cleveland in 1996. I always love to tell the story of the “altercation” we had in the Memorial Stadium locker room after the first game against Oakland. I was wearing a hardhat with the flying B logo. He chastised me. I introduced myself. We came to terms and and it’s been “all good” ever since. Stover is a rock star of a great guy. A community, family and biblical guy. Always very straightforward and honest, I

Matt Birk is laying down charity roots in Baltimore as well as Minneapolis

Nestor Aparicio

I spent the early part of last night with Ravens center Matt Birk at Mother’s Grille in Federal Hill where he kicked off his local charity initiative, the HIKE Foundation, with a dinner and cocktail reception. Birk was extremely active (think, like Cal Ripken kinda active) in the Twin Cities while playing for more than a decade for the Vikings. A well-publicized Harvard alum, Birk has been a finalist for NFL Man of The Year and routinely won awards and accolades for his public service in Minnesota. His work in Baltimore is just beginning and we had a little fun shooting this video about what HIKE stands for and why there’s a pizza with his name on it at Mother’s. Here’s the 411 in his words: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieKSCC95Da4&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

Want a better WNST purple fan experience?

Nestor Aparicio

We are two weeks into the new media revolution at WNST. For Week 1 vs. Kansas City and last weekend in San Diego, I was busy during the game actually Tweeting everything I’m thinking from the seats. It’s been a cathartic, engaging experience, summing up my thoughts as the games unfold. It’s almost like being the color commentator during the game, which at one point was something I thought I really wanted to do. Well, now, through the magic of social media and Twitter, I can. Per NFL rules, we are not allowed to give play by play on Twitter, but honestly, why would we? We’re ASSUMING you’re watching the game when we’re tweeting and giving feedback. We’re simply “joining you at the bar” and getting involved in the conversation of the game while the game is in progress. It’s really cool and revolutionary — especially for us “old guys.” So, if you’re on the couch — safe from the wet weather — and want a new experience in watching the Ravens, come watch them with us on Twitter and follow us while we chat about the game during the game. Everything we’re thinking at WNST is just a click

Another prime example of what Al Davis & Peter Angelos have in common

Nestor Aparicio

Banning free speech and free access to information by legitimate journalists is now apparently catching on in the NFL, as Al Davis has banned former-QB and current CBS broadcaster Rich Gannon from the Oakland Raiders facility in advance of Sunday’s game against the Broncos. “Rich Gannon is not welcome here,” Raiders executive John Herrera said Friday when asked about the ban. “We told CBS we did not want him in our building, we did not want him to be part of our production meeting, and that’s where it sits.” “He’s attacked us on a regular basis since becoming a member of the media,” Raiders King of Propaganda (also known as public relations executive) John Herrera said. “After affording him the opportunity to establish a career here, he has since gone on to attack us in a way that’s totally unacceptable.” This has become a way of life in Oakland, as it is here in Baltimore with Peter Angelos in regard to me and WNST, who continually report the truth only to be scorned and castigated in an effort to undermine the credibility of our journalistic conviction. (Hey, WNST is a Top 100K Alexa company and the Orioles are 60-93 —

Billick Chaltktalk 101 at Mother’s was a blast…

Nestor Aparicio

“When you go into the lion’s den, you don’t tippy toe in, you carry a spear, you go in screaming like a banshee, you kick whatever doors in, and say, ‘Where’s the son of a bitch?!’ If you go in any other way, you’re gonna lose.” A guy wearing this on the back of his shirt sauntered onto the second floor of Mother’s Grille last night for our Billick Chalktalk 101 series with cold Coors Light. Instead of just writing about, via the power of the internet, we can take you live to Mother’s… [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IHpU_vDth8[/youtube]

Morning After: Undefeated Ravens now will play role of favorite in AFC

Nestor Aparicio

It’s hard to write these old-man “analysis” columns for the “morning newspaper” after I’ve been talking and Twittering and Facebooking and basically “analyzing” the game from every perspective imaginable literally every moment of the game. (If you’re not following us on your mobile device during the game on Sunday, you’re missing the best “team” analysis of the games as the situations happen. God, I love the internet in 2009!) But before I spend all day Monday flying back from San Diego and inevitably talking to more Ravens fans about the game on the airplane, I suppose I must sum it all by saying this: Sunday’s win has solidified Baltimore’s role as a leader of the AFC pack for a Super Bowl championship this year. I haven’t looked, but I guarantee you that the Ravens will be No. 1 on many “power ranking” or “Fine Fifteens” all across the internet today and all week. Sure, the Ravens 31-26 win at Qualcomm Stadium exposed some of the deficiencies of the team in the secondary, but it also showed the resiliency of the unit and their ability to make a play 3,000 miles from home with the game on the line and the

A postcard from San Diego: touring the most beautiful city in the world

Nestor Aparicio

So, I’m really, really trying hard for these posts to not be “rubbing it in,” but this really is a great, great place. I flew out last night on a very delayed flight with a plane full of purple maniacs who are all here to watch the Ravens win and enjoy all of the excesses that Southern California affords human beings. So far today, I’ve eaten breakfast at the best restaurant I’ve found on the planet (and I’ve done a lot of searching) — it’s a place called the Hash House A Go Go. If you ever come to San Diego, check this place out: Also, my pal needed to run out to the Chargers complex so I shot a little vlog postcard for you here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqGOUIsmZgE&feature=channel_page[/youtube] And, of course, we returned downtown and visited Petco Park. Here’s a little synopsis of what I’m seeing here in this land of paradise: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV-3FptkLns&feature=channel_page[/youtube] The Purple Pep Rally and party is at the Tilted Kilt tomorrow. It starts at 9 a.m. Just like all football games should. Man, the West Coast is great. All of the details are here for the big party…

‘Twas The Night before the Ravens opener…

Nestor Aparicio

It kinda reminds me of Christmas Eve with anticipation. We’ve been waiting…and waiting…and waiting…and finally, football season is really here in Baltimore. Wash away those ghosts of Troy Polamalu – the ones from the AFC Championship Game in January not the one from Thursday night – and let us begin a season anew. First up, it’s the woeful Kansas City Chiefs. The general vibe around town all week has been one of supreme confidence. Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed began their Wednesday press conference with dancing. John Harbaugh has sounded confident. Joe Flacco seems like a veteran all of a sudden. I’ve quizzed several Kansas City media members and I had a chance to watch parts of two of their preseason games (both without Matt Cassel). No one is brimming with confidence in the land of the red Chiefs and no one really expects them to win tomorrow. The Vegas line started at 10 ½ and has now moved to 13 points. Even if Matt Cassel plays on Sunday – and that seems to be a sure bet given their backup options with Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle – the Chiefs are a team of nobodys and “who

CMac is selling crib in 90210 & getting back in NFL next week

Nestor Aparicio

Here’s the direct quote from Chris McAlister in today’s Los Angeles Times: “I will be back in full force on Sept. 15. I can’t say what team yet, but I will be playing again.” His crib is on the market for $7.8 million in Beverly Hills. I’m wondering where CMac will end up or if this is a smokescreen? Either way…just passing it along!

Nestor’s quick NFL preview

Nestor Aparicio

I’m so immersed in getting stuff done with the website and company that I realized we’re four hours away from the start of the season and I haven’t even made any bold predictions or written anything nasty about the Steelers. Well, here goes: AFC winners: NE, BAL, IND, SD AFC Wild cards: PIT & HOU NFC winners: PHI, CHI, ATL, ARI NFC Wild cards: GB, NO Super Bowl: Ravens over Bears (OK. So you thought I was going to pick against the Ravens? No way…) See you at Donna’s Tavern in Dundalk tonight for a cold beer to start the season.

Not Auto-Matt-ic: Paging Stover…Matt Stover!

Nestor Aparicio

Just in case you’re wondering, the Ravens have NOT contacted Matt Stover about their kicking needs for the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 13. Not yet, anyway. But, of course, there are more than just a few people around the Charm City who think that might not be a bad idea. And the team is led by head coach John Harbaugh, who spent his entire existence in the world of special teams and kickers and punters. This has to perturb Harbaugh more than most coaches. The kicking game and life in the NFL is a strange one. Here is this macho game played by the biggest, fastest and toughest guys in our culture and along comes a little kicker with it all on the line to win the game on his foot and the 40 yards between the line of scrimmage and goal posts. It’s not a cruel joke or coincidence as much as it’s weekly reality in the NFL. After he made the game-winning kick in Tennessee last January, the Ravens jettisoned Matt Stover for three reasons, really: 1. He wasn’t their best bet on kickoffs, which forced them to carry an extra man on the

An example of great journalism by Yahoo’s Mike Silver

Nestor Aparicio

We spend plenty of time “outing” phonies and charlatans in our business. But, alas, there are many, many dedicated, responsible and interesting journalists in the cyber-universe and when I find them, simply put, I celebrate them. If you’ve been following this Raiders story closely — and I am, mainly because of the bizarre nature of the management, ownership, leadership and discipline of the Oakland Raiders, whose success and franchise closely mirrors the Baltimore Orioles in many ways — this story by Yahoo’s Mike Silver is a must-read. So just when you think the Orioles are really bad, just consider that you could be a Raider fan as well. Angelos and Davis really do have a lot in common: old world owner, a little too involved, no one who is competent or wise wants to work for them, etc. But, like Bob Haynie, I digress… This is one of the best “exposes” in recent memory on the dysfunction of the Raider Nation under Al Davis. Keep in mind: Davis is in the Hall of Fame and Art Modell is not. Feel free to comment below…

I knew the Raiders were screwed up, but c’mon…

Nestor Aparicio

Three months ago I had the privilege — well, actually, it was more disgusting than enjoyable — of sitting two feet behind Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis on a flight from Southern California to the Bay Area. He was pleasant, filthy and old. Like, VERY old. At the owner’s meetings, you can only imagine the treatment he’s given after treating the first “establishment” like enemies — moving his team, suing them and coining the phrase “abstain” during any of the league’s votes on various issues from collective bargaining to television deals. The Oakland Raiders have always been a little kooky because, like the Orioles, they have a kooky owner. Davis is eccentric, borderline senile and clearly marches to his own beat. But tonight, with whispered words leaking that his current head coach Tom Cable might’ve assaulted one of his own assistant coaches (defensive assistant Randy Hanson) in a meeting and went as far as to send him to a clinic for an apparent broken jaw, this puts the league and the rest of the teams on red alert as to how weird and uprofessional a place that Oakland is to work in the NFL. (Later tonight, ESPN refuted the intial

Harbaugh refutes ESPN report regarding Ozzie’s interest in Vick

Nestor Aparicio

On a bizarre night for breaking news in Baltimore — with Michael Phelps getting into an accident at Calvert & Biddle and Michael Vick abruptly signing in Philly — the wildest story came an hour after the Eagles fans went into deep shock and disgust when ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that the Ravens were very much in the hunt for Vick’s services. ESPN reported that Ozzie Newsome wanted Vick and had a lack of agreement with owner Steve Bisciotti and head coach John Harbaugh. It didn’t take me five minutes after the game to find one “off the record” official who called it “bulls**t” and John Harbaugh then told me he was happy to go on the record as saying “that’s completely false, completely untrue.” Who knows what those conversations sounded like in Westminster last week but both of my sources were very perplexed and almost angry about the report. Either way, we can collectively breath a sigh of relief that Vick isn’t heading here. For the folks in Philadelphia the second guessing and the drama has only begun.

Hey Baltimore: Where is the fight in you on this Art Modell issue?

Nestor Aparicio

I am a little embarrassed to be from Baltimore these days. And it has nothing to do with the 30,000 Red Sox fans who invaded the Inner Harbor two weeks ago. Look, no one loves the city or the sports teams or the “culture” of Baltimore more than me and I dare you to find someone who has displayed more civic pride over the last 25 years in the sports circle here than me and/or WNST.net. But, honestly, I don’t know what that’s worth these days. Every Facebook user and tweeter I can find within earshot all share the same opinion: DAMN, I’m glad it’s football season! Hear, hear… Yet the man who brought the team here, Art Modell, continues to be coldly left out of the Hall of Fame and no one here seems to be interested in picking up the torch and taking the slight a little more “seriously” or “personally” as a civic cause. As a community, we were the city that fought desperately and embarrassingly through the loss of the Colts and the frequent use of our metropolis and tax payers by the NFL machine as a $20 hooker for more than a dozen years. The

Ravens should end Vick speculation now: Just officially say “no thanks”

Nestor Aparicio

Chris Mortensen of ESPN has opined this morning — with speculation, and nothing more — that the Ravens might be a very interested suitor in Michael Vick. Personally, I think it’s hogwash and one source from the organization has already told me it’s not even close to the truth. There has been no indication at all that the Ravens have their sights on Michael Vick, nor should they in my opinion. Barring some miracle, mystery rendezvous that Ozzie Newsome has been doing behind the scenes this almost seems outlandish. Really, what’s the upside here for a team that was four minutes away and one drive from going to the Super Bowl in late January? This would be a major late training camp summer distraction for a guy who will have the PETA police and any other dog-lover and convict-hater out in full force in a protest of the organization, league and all things Vick in general. All of this for a guy who had trouble running real offenses in Atlanta and a guy who — on his best day — would be a No. 2 banana in Baltimore behind Joe Flacco and drive the team and the city to distraction?

Cleveland continues to show why manure is Brown

Nestor Aparicio

(UPDATE: The blogger who inspired this piece and who said Rod Woodson entered the “Hall of Shame” for mentioning Art Modell in his induction speech was on Limited Access on Tuesday. The audio is in the audio vault.) As I have opined many times, I believe the powers that be in the NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame want no part of Art Modell being rightfully enshrined in Canton, Ohio for one glaring reason: the proximity of the induction ceremonies to Cleveland. As was witnessed on Saturday night when Rod Woodson had the audicity to utter the words “Art Modell” within an earshot of both the Hall and the Cuyahoga River — the natives there are all but ready to roll into Canton and wreck the weekend for everyone if Modell were to be enshrined while he’s alive. Why would the NFL lords and the Pro Football Hall of Fame want to deal with a very cranky and messy local contingent on their biggest weekend and promotional arm on the year? Answer: They wouldn’t and won’t. And most of the people who would fight for Modell’s place in Canton are already dead. Pete Rozelle and the men of

Rod Woodson states the obvious: Art Modell belongs in Canton

Nestor Aparicio

9:34 p.m. –Rod Woodson just talked about Baltimore and about Art Modell. “Without Art Modell, old school owner. And I hope the voters get this right — by putting Art Modell in the Hall of Fame, he belongs there.” With that came the usual cascade of classless “boos” from the Cleveland fans in Canton. Woodson shook his head and responded visecerally: “You can boo him because you disagree with him moving them but you can’t disagree with he did as an owner.” He then said: “We had fun in Baltimore in 2000.” He thanked Marvin Lewis, Steve Bisciotti, Ray Lewis and Shannon Sharpe but left Brian Billick out of the speech. This is my column from earlier in the evening: 9:05 p.m. — I sat down to the watch the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies tonight and really expected to be moved by great speeches made by great football players. But before Rod Woodson even got a nanosecond of face time, I was watching Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson having the ultimate honor wearing the gold jacket and entering the hallowed halls of Canton. And as his family rose to his feet and Chris Berman “circled the wagons”

Rod Woodson, in his own words, on WNST

Nestor Aparicio

I’ve known Rod Woodson, the man, since 1998 when he joined the Ravens after heavy recruitment from then-defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis. I had already watched Rod Woodson, the player, for a number of years as a Pittsburgh Steeler and a San Francisco 49er. I love Rod Woodson, one of my favorite people in the sport to chat with about life, football and the “real world” of what it’s like to be a Hall of Famer. I’ll be tuning in today to see his induction speech and will be emotional as the first Raven of this era of Baltimore NFL football gets a bronze statue and goes into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Here are a series of cool interviews we’ve done over the years with Rod Woodson. Enjoy… [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCyPSGuS1c[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVVOK1SChsA[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7vzX-37VHU[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWVOnw8aq9A[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owbeTbC4i_o[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_amGs3XAoA[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwM2lVwyfEc[/youtube]

Getting down to 53: An early projection

Luke Jones

We’re a week and a half into training camp, so I thought I would give my VERY early look at the 53-man roster.  Keep in mind, injuries are bound to occur and will change the makeup of the roster considerably. The first preseason game will take place against the Washington Redskins next Thursday night, but here’s my roster projections based on my early observations in Westminster. I’ve listed the number of players I predict the Ravens to keep at each position in parentheses. This list does not include the practice squad of eight players the Ravens could keep in addition to the 53-man roster. And, remember, I’m not John Harbaugh, nor will I ever claim to be. QUARTERBACKS (3) LOCK: Joe Flacco, Troy Smith, John Beck BUBBLE: None LONG SHOT: None Skinny: Though Smith and Beck will continue to battle for the No. 2 job, there are no other quarterbacks currently in camp to even compete. RUNNING BACKS (4) LOCK: Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain BUBBLE: Cedric Peerman, Jason Cook LONGSHOT: Jalen Parmele, Matt Lawrence Skinny: It will most likely come down to special teams in determining whether Peerman and Cook find their way on the roster. Cook would

First aid & Band aids don’t aid Ravens’ Festivus run

Nestor Aparicio

The nagging injuries to Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis & Haloti Ngata are doing nothing to help the Ravens’ postseason run here in December. Here’s one gloomy observation on the upcoming purple postseason hopes for January in the AFC.

Nestor’s quick NFL preview

Nestor Aparicio

I’m so immersed in getting stuff done with the website and company that I realized we’re four hours away from

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