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Live from Westminster: Fabian Washington sits out, 'Over 30 Club' gets morning off

Luke Jones

7:23 p.m. — The Ravens have signed a defensive tackle to the 80-man roster.  Nader Abdallah was out on the field during the afternoon special teams practice, wearing No. 61. Abdallah is a rookie out of Ohio State and is 6-4 and 292 pounds. 5:09 p.m. — Another player slowed by injury is special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo.  The linebacker has battled a toe injury but is now walking around without a protective boot.  He has not tested the toe in cleats, so it’s anyone’s guess when he’ll return to the field. Ayanbadejo said the toe is very sensitive, and he will take it slow in getting back. 5:05 p.m. — The Ravens will hold practices at 8:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.  Both workouts will include the full squad and are open to the public at McDaniel College. 5:03 p.m. — Harbaugh will not be present for Friday afternoon’s practice as he attends the memorial service for former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. The two men coached for a decade together in Philadelphia, and Harbaugh has referred to Johnson as a “football dad” to him. Special teams coach Jerry Rosburg will run practice in Harbaugh’s place. 3:42 p.m. — Punter

Live from Westminster: Adam Terry done for the season

Luke Jones

5:09 p.m. — Here’s a question for you: what would the Ravens do if long snapper Matt Katula went down in the middle of a game? We saw our answer after practice this afternoon.  Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata practiced field goal snaps while running back Willis McGahee was long snapping for punting situations.  Both players looked capable, but let’s hope neither has to be called into duty. While the average fan has no idea who Katula is, he has certainly been an excellent long snapper since joining the Ravens in 2005. 5:00 p.m. — Another rookie to keep an eye on is defensive end Will VanDeSteeg.  At 6-4 and 256 pounds, VanDeSteeg has good size and has received a few reps with the starting defense since Terrell Suggs is currently out with a strained heel.  Paul Kruger has been taking Suggs’ place in the starting lineup. He’s just another example of the fine work Eric DeCosta and the scouting staff do every season.  While there’s no guarantee that guys like VanDeSteeg or Dannell Ellerbe will make the team, they are more than capable of coming in and competing—exactly what you want during training camp. 4:55 p.m. — With Oniel Cousins

Live from Westminster: Suggs, Clayton do not practice

Luke Jones

4:51 p.m. — One player I haven’t discussed too much is tight end Todd Heap.  The veteran has looked good out there with no lingering effects from the back injury apparent.  He looks quick getting in and out of his cuts and is hoping to once again become a major factor in the passing game. “Todd has done a really good job in the offseason getting himself ready,” coach John Harbaugh said.  “He looks like he’s getting himself ready to have a really good season.  He’ll be the first to tell you that he’s got a lot of work to do betwen now and then, but he’s done well.” 4:45 p.m. — Dannell Ellerbe is a player to keep an eye on if you’re going to make your way out to Westminster.  An undrafted rookie inside linebacker out of Georgia, Ellerbe was considered a mid-round draft prospect before battling knee issues in 2008.  Ellerbe was 2nd team All-SEC in 2007. He has been so impressive that he received a few reps with some of the defensive starters at the end of practice this morning.  While he clearly won’t challenge Ray Lewis or Tavares Gooden for a starting spot, he could

Derrick Mason’s return to Ravens was never in doubt at WNST

Nestor Aparicio

In what has not been a surprise to us – if you go back to Monday July 13th’s blog vault you’ll see we can confirm this — Derrick Mason will in fact play for the Ravens this season, ending his temporary “retirement” from the Ravens and the NFL. Three weeks ago, it took us about 45 minutes after Mason announced his “retirement” via his agent’s sports website, to begin predicting that Mason would play in 2009 but somehow it’s a major “news” story today. This was in no way a huge upset/surprise/shocker for anyone using common sense and their “sniffer” for facts. The amount of money at stake, Mason’s lack of true leverage (he would’ve had to refund money to the Ravens if he didn’t play) and the fact that he attended virtually every camp in the offseason and is in world-class shape all were clues that we would be seeing Mason in a purple sweater on Sept. 13 when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town. So, while others may take the credit for “breaking” the story today we’ve felt all along that it would be a major upset if Mason didn’t play in 2009. Just this morning I

Ravens sign Michael Oher to a five-year contract

Nestor Aparicio

The waiting is over! Michael Oher will be in camp tomorrow and will meet with the media. In the end, he missed four workouts. He’ll be on the field Friday morning when the veterans all report for the first time. These eleventh hour signings are all-too-common but are a bit of a necessary evil. There’s a lot of money at stake. It’s a real fistfight on the negotiating side and I never pick sides on these and the Ravens do their best to not get the media or anyone else involved. Of course, agent Jimmy Sexton will be bandying the numbers at some point later tonight and we’ll report the signing bonus and salary. That’s just the way it works. In the end, it always gets done. It will all around the league for the other 26 first-round “holdout” draft picks as well. Every hour over the next few days you’ll be hearing of more signings. From Mike Duffy at the Ravens website: “At approximately 9 p.m. tonight, Michael Oher and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, agreed to a five-year contract with the Ravens. The Ravens are one of the first teams to have all of their draft picks signed this

Death of Eagles Jim Johnson is hitting Harbaugh hard tonight

Nestor Aparicio

I went to Westminster today and hung out for an hour. It’s always great to know that football season is here and the games, tailgates, travel and fun of the NFL campaign is upon us again. (Just to get geared up, I’ve been reading John Steadman’s book, “From Ravens To Colts.” God, I miss Steadman a lot!) I even got to spend some quality time with Lenny Moore. Video is in the vault to the right…I’d embed it here but it’s not the appropriate place for it. About 15 minutes ago my wife called me to tell me that Jim Johnson died. I just Tweeted it and I thought I’d throw a quick note together because I feel like I want to share my “link” to Jim Johnson. And this is sure to get complicated. But let me say that I actually pulled John Harbaugh up after practice today at 10:45 a.m. and specifically asked him about Jim Johnson. And Harbs said: “I’m not hearing anything good. I wish I could say I did.” I didn’t know Jim Johnson. I never met him. But, WOW, do I know a lot of people who do and people who really thought the

An early issue with Biren Ealy…

Nestor Aparicio

Well, it’s only been two hours since they signed this wide receiver kid Biren Ealy and the story about him allegedly exposing himself and urinating in public when the New Orleans Saints cut him three months ago has made the round on the social media circuit. According to the ESPN.com story, “Authorities alleged that they were drunk, urinated in public and then exposed themselves when the women who called authorities came upon them.” Meanwhile his agent, Donald “Chick” Foret defended Ealy and then-teammate and tight end Kolomona Kapanui with this statement: “This is not an obscenity crime,” Foret said. “How many times have you had fraternity kids who are urinating in public? And this is a case where you had two guys together who went out at night. They came home, one of them wanted to change his pants and he was urinating in what he thought was a secluded area and a young lady walked up on him and he overreacted verbally. “But never, ever, ever, did either of these young men threaten, intimidate or expose themselves to anyone.” I’m sure Ozzie Newsome must’ve googled Biren Ealy but feel free to click the link and read the allegations for

The “Drew Bennett era” ends before it begins

Nestor Aparicio

In yet another weird turnabout of July pre-camp events, wide receiver Drew Bennett who signed to become a top option for the Ravens on the edge has decided to retire instead of report to camp on Tuesday in Westminster. Apparently, he has re-injured his knee and has reconsidered his Friday decision to sign a one-year deal with the Ravens. “I’ve been blessed to have the opp to play in NFL for as long as I have but it’s time for me to move on to next chapter in my life,” Bennett said in a statement. “After returning home from Baltimore this weekend, a previous knee injury flared up, making me realizing that I am unable to play another NFL season. Therefore, I have decided to retire from the NFL.” “After an offseason of workouts and rehab, I thought I was ready to play again, but it became apparent over this weekend that while my mind is willing, my body will not be able to make it through another NFL season.” So, just who are the options left on the marketplace? Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Marvin Harrison, Joe Horn, Plaxico Burress and Ashley Lelie. Not exactly a buyer’s market. There’s a

NFL moves to a Thursday night “Festival” format for 2010 Draft

Nestor Aparicio

It was inevitable. The NFL has discovered that the April draft is the single largest event of their offseason and they’re gonna milk it. (As they should…) It’s a made-for-TV spectacular that captivates virtually every REAL football fan I know. It’s great for discussion. It’s great for drama. It’s MADE for primetime. The best part? We get to have it two days earlier! Primetime fun…big trades, lights…hell they should even bring in some bands and do concerts and songs between picks. (OK. I’m joking about that last part. BUT. It wouldn’t suck, either!) So, what do you think? Is this the worst, crass commercialism or does this make the draft even more fun than it already is. My first gut reaction: this sounds great to me! Here’s the NFL.com press release: The NFL draft will kick off in primetime for the first time in 2010, it was announced Thursday. The first round of the 2010 NFL Draft will start on Thursday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m. ET. The draft will continue to be televised

Suggs continues his double talk over camp

Nestor Aparicio

Today is the day. Either Terrell Suggs agrees to the deal the Ravens have put forth and becomes a long-term signee or he’ll be franchised at 4 p.m. and will have to suffer with a second year of detainment and a $10.2 million payday in 2009. After telling The Los Angeles Times that training camp is “overrated” two weeks ago, Suggs told Jamison Hensley this in this morning’s fishwrap: “The fans want to see me in training camp on time, and I want to be there on time.” A change of heart? Perhaps…but who can blame him about training camp? Not many are fond of the necessary evil. But here’s the key fact for the day: there’s a contract for about $30 million in guaranteed money sitting on the table awaiting his wet signature. Of course by signing the current multi-year deal the Ravens are offering, it would indeed mean that he’d need to be in Westminster in 12 days. Suggs told the world two weeks ago that the deal was “close” to a long-term agreement. One thing is for sure: the deadline is now close and we’ll know more by the end of the day. Either way, Suggs will

Ploy or legit? Derrick Mason shocks everyone, “retires” on his agent’s website

Nestor Aparicio

UPDATED 9:11 p.m. — In a turn of events that can only be deemed “shocking,” Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason announced his retirement from the NFL via a website called JockLife.net at precisely 5 p.m. tonight. This much is assured: Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens had NO idea this was happening. And privately, they aren’t as concerned about the announcement as the fan base has been over the last few hours. Honestly, it smells more like a negotiating ploy than a legitimate retirement and Mason’s agent has already responded to the initial purple response of “no response.” But, one of two things is happening: 1. Mason’s “retirement” is 100% sincere and the death of Steve McNair has affected his desire to play… or 2. His agent, C. Lamont Smith, who owns the website that “released” the news is angling to get Derrick Mason the final pay day that he cried out for in another story on the same website back in March. See that piece here… “For any player to retire, he has to send a letter to the NFL stating this. Derrick Mason has not done that,” said Kevin Byrne, the Ravens’ senior vice president of public relations. Before

Ray Lewis calls McNair “a king” in eulogy

Nestor Aparicio

Yesterday Ray Lewis had one of the toughest jobs any man can have – burying a friend and trying to put into words the significance of a relationship and a life that ended far too early. Steve McNair’s death – no matter your feelings regarding the situation, circumstances and salacious details of his decisions and subsequent murder – is a tragedy. For his wife. For his kids. For his friends. And for the NFL and the Titans and the city of Nashville. Yesterday, Ray Lewis began his lengthy speech by calling Steve McNair “a king.” In a passionate display, Lewis referred several times to their battles on the football field and said that he and McNair became friends “through fury.” He also implored McNair’s four sons to “walk with your head high.” Below is the unedited, nearly eight-minute version of the speech from Mississippi: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQVxW0kIkYs[/youtube]

Now that we are partners with The Associated Press…

Nestor Aparicio

We can link internally to stories like this one from the NFL link on our toolbar above. This is about the McNair-Kazemi police incident last week when the SUV was pulled over. Hope you check out all that the “new” WNST.net has to offer and please tell your sports friends that WNST is full service on the web.

Kazemi fired the gun that killed Steve McNair

Nestor Aparicio

Per TMZ.com, it’s now been confirmed by a Tennessean medical examiner that Sahel “Jenny” Kazemi fired the gun that killed Steve McNair on Saturday in Nashville. More here… Plus, The Tennessean is reporting that Kazemi listed all of her furniture on the internet the day before the murder-suicide.

Any memories of Steve McNair?

Nestor Aparicio

Obviously a very sad day here for anyone who cheered for Steve McNair or knew him. Obviously, he made quite a mark with the Baltimore fans just six months ago when he co-hosted our fan party in Nashville. This is a place to post memories. Post below and we’ll get them onto the site… Also, if anyone has any pictures they took from that night we’d love to get them (NASTY@WNST.net) and post them here on the site. Here’s the video from our night with McNair at Limelight in Tennessee back in January: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWIhXSp07UQ[/youtube]

Latest updates on Steve McNair murder here…

Nestor Aparicio

UPDATED 4:54 p.m. — Nashville police have now confirmed Steve McNair’s death was indeed a murder. More at The Tennessean including: “A Sunday morning autopsy revealed that McNair was shot four times – twice in the head, twice in the chest. His girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, died of a gunshot wound to the side of the head. A semi-automatic pistol was found on the floor under her body. But it will take many days of interviews with their families and friends and witnesses who saw McNair out on the town Friday night before police will rule whether the deaths were a murder-suicide or a double homicide. “While it is clear McNair’s death is a homicide, the police department is not classifying Kazemi’s death, pending further investigation and interviews with persons who knew her and McNair,” police spokesman Don Aaron said at press conference this afternoon. “We can’t be close-minded,” Aaron said. “All scenarios are on the table.” The autopsy showed the two had died in the early hours of Saturday morning, hours before their bodies were discovered by a friend of McNair’s who had a key to the Second Avenue condominium. Police are still waiting for the results of ballistics

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards since 1998. And despite what many would have you believe, the fans donning pink and green Boston hats and representing The Bandwagon Red Sox Nation haven’t hurled a single pitch or hit a single home run in those 62 losses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as frustrated as anyone to see Camden Yards invaded by Red Sox or Yankees fans 18 times every season, but pleas to Orioles fans to buy those tickets are a waste of words.  Nothing will change until this becomes a winning organization again. Because of their strong national following, the Yankees and Red Sox have a strong representation wherever they go, whether it’s in Baltimore, Kansas City, or Los Angeles.  The only way to contain—not eliminate—the number of Red Sox or Yankees fans is to field a winning team that fans want to pay to watch. Just look at the Ravens’ annual war with the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.  In the years in which the Ravens are competitive and in the playoff hunt, the number of Steelers fans is considerably

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards since 1998. And despite what many would have you believe, the fans donning pink and green Boston hats and representing The Bandwagon Red Sox Nation haven’t hurled a single pitch or hit a single home run in those 62 losses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as frustrated as anyone to see Camden Yards invaded by Red Sox or Yankees fans 18 times every season, but pleas to Orioles fans to buy those tickets are a waste of words.  Nothing will change until this becomes a winning organization again. Because of their strong national following, the Yankees and Red Sox have a strong representation wherever they go, whether it’s in Baltimore, Kansas City, or Los Angeles.  The only way to contain—not eliminate—the number of Red Sox or Yankees fans is to field a winning team that fans want to pay to watch. Just look at the Ravens’ annual war with the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.  In the years in which the Ravens are competitive and in the playoff hunt, the number of Steelers fans is considerably

Where does Ray Lewis rank among the greatest players of the decade?

Luke Jones

Leave it to “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” to jump the gun on an otherwise interesting promotion for the network this week. We’re still over two months away from the start of the 2009 season—the last season of the decade—but ESPN.com has decided it’s time to hand out its NFL all-decade honors.  I guess we don’t need to bother playing this season. The Ravens were well represented with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed being named to the all-decade defense while the first draft pick in franchise history, Jonathan Ogden, was the lone Raven on the all-decade offense.  Fullback Lorenzo Neal was also named to the team, but his one season in Baltimore hardly constitutes him as an all-decade representative for the Ravens. The Ravens were also ranked the fifth-best team of the decade. ESPN closed out the week by revealing their top 25 players of the decade on Friday, and this is the list with which Ravens fans are sure to take issue.  Lewis, the only player to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice this decade, ranks only ninth, behind defensive ends Jason Taylor (fifth) and Michael Strahan (eighth). With all due respect to Taylor and Strahan,

Ravens rookies a big hit at The Barn

Nestor Aparicio

Seven of the Ravens rookies for 2009 joined the WNST crew at The Barn last night for a Miller Lite event packed with purple fans and laughs. We’ll be running the audio on AM 1570 over the next few days and the audio vault here at WNST.net and video platform of wnsTV will also have the evidence. We did brief conversations with different sets of guys, most of whom drove together from Owings Mills not knowing what to expect when I accosted them an invited them to Carney for what has become an annual event. Paul Kruger and Jason Phillips did the first segment and admitted to being “lost” from time to time in the early going back in April. Next up with was kicker Graham Gano (who admitted to being nervous because of the “public speaking” angle of live radio) and running back Cedric Peerman, who talked about Al Groh’s pro set offense at Virginia. And finally, the trio of Lardarius Webb, Jason Cook (an undrafted free agent fullback who has been very impressive in OTAs) and Davon Drew joined me to close out the evening with some laughs. Webb provided the best comedy of the evening with some

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles’ team-wide offensive drought has mercifully come to an end, as Orioles’ hitters accumulated 21 runs and 41 hits over the weekend in their series win over the Atlanta Braves. As is often the case, the Orioles’ offense starts with Brian Roberts at the top of the order.  The second baseman went 6-for-10 over the weekend, driving in four runs, walking three times, and stealing two bases. The offense will try to keep it going against the New York Mets who were trampled by the cross-town rival Yankees on Sunday, 15-0.  Luckily, the Orioles will not face Johan Santana, though the southpaw gave up nine earned runs in the series finale in the Bronx. The series begins Tuesday with Jeremy Guthrie (4-6, 5.52 ERA) taking the ball against the Mets’ Mike Pelfrey (4-2, 4.68 ERA). Here are the 5 W’s and 1 H for the week: 1. Who would have thought rookie Brad Bergesen would be the Orioles’ best starting pitcher when pitchers and catchers reported to Ft. Lauderdale in February? In his last four starts, Bergesen is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA and averaging eight innings per start.  The right-hander continues to throw a heavy sinker, keeping the

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to the cookouts, sports, and fun with family and friends this weekend, let’s be sure to remember the fine men and women serving our great country throughout the world. With this in mind, it was great seeing Hall of Famer Bob Feller on the Orioles-Nationals telecast this afternoon.  At 90 years old, Feller has amazingly spent over half his life as a member of the Hall of Fame (inducted in 1962).  That’s just hard to comprehend! In addition to his remarkable career with the Cleveland Indians, which included a no-hitter on Opening Day in 1940, Feller served four years in the U.S. Navy.  He put his baseball career on hold immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, enlisting on Dec. 8, 1941.  That’s the stuff of a true hero. Now, it’s time for the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who have you most enjoyed watching in the NBA Playoffs this year? Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are the obvious headliners, but Orlando’s Dwight Howard has been a man among boys in the paint (averaging 16.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game), and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony

Info on final Ravens pick RB Cedric Peerman here…

Nestor Aparicio

With the 185th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected running back Cedric Peerman from the University of Virginia. Some videos here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqOORe6v1gM[/youtube] And a bio piece here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uExLaKck2OI[/youtube] Here is a bio: HONORS 2005–Second-team Freshman All-America kick returner by CollegeFootballNews.com … second-team All-State by the Roanoke Times. AT VIRGINIA 2007–Was having a dynamic season until injuring his foot early in the Middle Tennessee game in week six and underwent surgery … was the team’s leading rusher with a career-high 585 yards … was the ACC’s leading rusher at the time of his injury and his 97.5-yards per game average would have ranked second in the league, but he did not play in enough games to qualify … three 100-yard rushing games tied for fourth in the ACC … was the team’s leading rusher in the first five games of the season until his injury … rushed for 137 yards vs. Duke on just 19 carries in the second game … scored on a 58-yard run in the first quarter for UVa’s longest running play in two years … exploded for a career-high 186 yards against North Carolina on 30 carries … his 186 yards were the third-most

Meet tight end Davon Drew from East Carolina

Nestor Aparicio

With the 149th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected tight end Davon Drew from East Carolina. Here’s his bio: Overview Drew took advantage of ECU’s climb to national prominence early in the season to improve his draft stock. The honorable mention All-Conference USA pick is an ideal H-back candidate because of his size and receiving skills (43 catches for 695 yards and three scores). Came to college a successful high school quarterback out of North Carolina and played quarterback his first two seasons at ECU, so he’s still learning his new position. Scouts think his best football is yet to come. Had an arm span of 34 1/8 inches and a hand span of 9 1/2 inches at the combine. High School Helped lead Bears to back-to-back state championship appearances in 2002 and 2003 … Compiled a 30-3 record as a starting quarterback under the direction of coach Chip Williams … The Big East Conference Co-Player-of-the-Year as a junior … A two-time all-conference selection and an all-state pick during senior campaign … Completed 99 of 203 passes for 1,709 yards and 20 TDs while only suffering nine interceptions as a senior … Rushed for 492 yards and

Meet newest Raven Jason Phillips: Inside Linebacker from TCU

Nestor Aparicio

With the 137th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected TCU inside linebacker Jason Phillips. Here’s his bio: 2007: Named the State’s Best Linebacker by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … was also on the Dave Campbell’s first-team All-Texas College Team … a second-team All-Mountain West Conference selection … named all-conference for the third consecutive season … TCU’s leading tackler with 87 stops … has increased his tackle total each season … has 231 career stops to top all active Frogs … his 10.5 tackles for a loss tied for second on TCU … tied for fourth on the Frogs with six pass break-ups … started every game for the third consecutive season … closed the campaign by tying for team-high honors with 10 stops in the 20-13 Texas Bowl win over Houston … had two tackles for losses totaling 14 yards, including a 12-yard sack, against the Cougars … MWC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a career-best 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops, with two pass break-ups in a win at San Diego State … had at least five stops in 11 of 13 contests … posted a tackle for a loss in seven games …

A Great Sunday sports day on tap

Nestor Aparicio

What a great day to be alive! The NFL draft is starting at 10 a.m. The Orioles will send young Brad Bergesen back to the hill at 1:35 to try to actually win a game this weekend. The last two days have been putrid. And, of course, I’ll be pimping the puck and “Rocking my Red” at 2 p.m. when the Caps go back to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 with Rangers coach John Tortorella. The Ravens will introduce new tackle Michael Ohen at 2 p.m. as well. Gonna be a fun day of sports and blogging… Keep it here at WNST.net…

Paul Kruger is the 2nd round pick. Details here…

Nestor Aparicio

I had Paul Kruger on the show yesterday. He had an unbelievable story about being attacked and stabbed about 15 months ago with his Mormon family walking down the street in Salt Lake City. He did a two-year mission in Kansas City. He was a very, very well spoken kid and the Ravens are very, very happy with their first-day haul. You can get to our audio vault here. It’s about 25 down in the vault. Sorry we don’t have linkability just yet! Here are a few awesome stories about Kruger: One from Yahoo here… One from Salt Lake’s Deseret News here… One from ESPN.com… And perhaps the best one here… And a Q&A here… Here’s the first-look videos of Paul Kruger, who Eric DeCosta said is a “great, great kid”: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH-EDC9SNzc[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DtaZmw8lh4[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfzNN7WTFvI&feature=PlayList&p=97AC224E21EB43AC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=18[/youtube]

All you want to know about Michael Oher here…

Nestor Aparicio

It isn’t hard to find stories on the web about Ole Miss tackle Michael Oher, who the Baltimore Ravens made their pick for the future of the offensive line tonight. He’s the subject of a book. He’s having a movie made about his life. And his story is a human interest story that transcends football. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss his ability and his story in the coming days. His press conference is set for 2 p.m. Sunday in Owings Mills. I’ll be live blogging all day again tomorrow. Clearly the Ravens saw incredible value in Oher slipping down the board. Quite frankly, I don’t think anyone in the brain trust of the organization and the draft room thought they’d get a player this good when they woke up this morning. They’re “over-the-top” excited about having gotten a Top 12 kinda player at the No. 23 spot. Especially with what they deem to be a glaring need at the right tackle position. They essentially gave up pick No. 162 to get him. Not a huge price to pay if he’s a 5-year or more starter. Already, he looks pretty freaking good in purple… I did some aggregating and

Who will the Ravens pick this weekend? Some clues here…

Nestor Aparicio

You gotta love the NFL. The league hasn’t snapped the football in almost three months and the buzz is as strong for the draft as it is for Week 7 of the regular season. It never ends this love of American football. So much enthusiasm and energy and talk about the 26th pick on Saturday for the Ravens. Amidst that, there are all sorts of stories and storylines: What will happen with Anquan Boldin and are the Ravens really involved? My gut AND my sources tell me that it’s not very likely. The notion that Ozzie Newsome would trade a No. 1 and a No. 3 and then have to back up a brink’s truck for Boldin is highly unlikely. Plus, the cap issues of taking on another superstar making a super premium salary seem daunting. If the Ravens had that kind of money, they should’ve kept Bart Scott, right? Who are the players the Ravens really like and would select at No. 26? It’s always a crapshoot on draft day when you pick so low. The Ravens were greatly affected by the Atlanta trade for Tony Gonzales yesterday because it’s clear that the Falcons won’t be taking tight end

If you want to know how the Ravens draft…

Nestor Aparicio

I’ve been fortunate over the years to be able to ask both Phil Savage and Eric Decosta a trillion questions about scouting, film study, the combine and the draft “process” that Ozzie Newsome so proud discusses, but this video — and it’s only 3 minutes long — was pretty good. I just wanted to share it with you.

Roadtrips to Ravens 2009 Roadies coming soon…

Nestor Aparicio

6:52 p.m. — The Baltimore Ravens 2009 Schedule: Sept 13 Kansas City, 1 Sept 20 @San Diego, 4:15 Sept 27 Cleveland, 1 Oct 4   @ New England, 1 Oct 11  Cincinnati, 1 Oct 18  @ Minnesota, 1 Oct 26  BYE Nov 1   Denver, 1 Nov 8   @ Cincinnati, 1 Nov 16  @ Cleveland, 8:30 ESPN Nov 22  Indianapolis, 1 Nov 29  Pittsburgh, 8:20 NBC Dec 7   @ Green Bay, 8:30 ESPN Dec 13  Detroit, 1 Dec 20  Chicago, 1 Dec 27  @ Pittsburgh, 1 Jan 3   @ Oakland, 4:15 Flex schedule kicks in after Nov. 22nd We will be releasing information regarding the New England bus trip by the end of the week. We will also do Green Bay and Pittsburgh. We will do pre-game parties in most cities. More details will be coming in the weeks ahead. 6:48 p.m. –Well, here’s the schedule & text: From WNST.net: Sept: 13KC 20@sd 27CLE Oct. 4@ne 11CIN 18@min 26bye Nov. 1DEN 8@cin 16@cle 22IND 29PIT Dec. 7@gb 13DET 20CHI 27@pit Jan.3@oak www.buyatoyota.com 6:29 p.m. — Reports coming in that the Ravens have (logically — they’re business partners) given WBAL Radio the “leak” on a Sunday Night Football game in Baltimore against Pittsburgh

The NFL schedule is coming tonight! Do you want it first?

Nestor Aparicio

It’s probably my favorite day of the year. The NFL schedule will officially be announced at 7 p.m. I’ve had a 13-year track record of getting it before anyone in the market and the past two years — with our text service ready to send it out directly to you on your phone — we’ve been able to service the WNST community and Raven Maniacs with it before it’s available anywhere. (Here’s the joke of the day. I had a Ravens official text me this morning and ask me to send it to them when I get it before they do.) Who knows? Maybe this is the year that I DON’T get it first. But I have my moles out all across the country. And either way, it’s kinda fun for an old-school journalist and reporter like me. I know the deadline. It’s 7 p.m. Now, can I get it to you before NFL Network does? Hmmmm… We’ll see. But I do like my chances. And by 7:30 tonight we’ll all know what days we can begin to plan for San Diego, Oakland, Minnesota and Green Bay. We will DEFINITELY be doing road trips and parties on the road during

Join Brian Billick and Eric DeCosta tonight at Padonia Station for draft talk

Nestor Aparicio

A time-honored tradition, we proudly present our official WNST “Pre-Draft Breakdown” tonight at 7 p.m. at Padonia Station with special guests Brian Billick and Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta in Timonium. You will be able to hear and view all of the proceedings later this week on WNST AM-1570 and WNST.net in the audio and video vaults. We’ll be doing at least an hour of rambling conversation about drafts — new and old — and assessing and breaking down the purple possibilities for next weekend’s NFL Draft, which begins at 4 p.m. next Saturday, April 25th. We’ll also be doing our Draft Day celebration at Padonia Station. Hold your Monday, April 27th for a post-draft live show with Eric DeCosta as well. Our host location is TBA. Hope to see you tonight.

Ravens play “Truth or Dare” with media today regarding NFL Draft

Nestor Aparicio

The Ravens call it the “Pre-Draft Media Luncheon.” I have routinely referred to it as “The Liars Luncheon.” Just after noon today, Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, Joe Hortiz and Eric DeCosta will take questions and give a massive overview of the 2009 NFL Draft. It’s always a relaxed, interesting take on a variety of players and a cool assessment of the team’s needs for the last weekend of April. We’ll be chronicling the luncheon from Owings Mills and I’ll be blogging around 1 p.m. when it begins and I’ll have a full report on “Limited Access” at 2 p.m. on AM 1570 and here at WNST.net I’m sure the first question will have something to do with Darius Heyward-Bey. If you have any questions for the staff, drop a comment here and I’ll do my best to ask the brain trust.

It was 25 years ago already? Wow…

Nestor Aparicio

I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of March 28, 1984 and not get at least a little emotional “tug” when I think of that picture of the Mayflower vans rolling through the snow in Owings Mills with our football team headed toward Indianapolis. So instead of “geezing” and telling old stories and crying the blues over the Colts and the horseshoe and the records and all of that stuff today, I’m really more just shocked that it’s been 25 years! A quarter of a century! The Blast were cool, the Orioles were good, the hair was big, the Preakness was like a Super Bowl… The bittnerness has faded a bit for me. (Thankfully…) Otherwise, I’d have written a longer blog… I suppose it’s worth noting if you wake up and look at the calendar and realize it’s a significant “date in sports history.” But it doesn’t have the sting it once did, the whole Irsay-Colts thing. I’m glad I’m mellowing in my 40’s…

Roger Goodell wants to play 18 games…do you want to watch them?

Nestor Aparicio

As a parting shot of the NFL Owners Meetings, commissioner Roger Goodell lobbed a hand grenade in the direction of the players with the formal word that the league is looking very seriously at expanding its schedule to 18 games. There are all sorts of roadblocks, negotiations and dollars that will need to be worked out for this to become a reality. The current collective bargaining agreement states that the players play 20 games in service to their respective teams. It does not state how many are “real” and how many are “preseason.” Let be honest: the NFL does a LOT right in regard to fans. But the preseason games are the biggest scam in professional sports. For any of you PSL holders out there, think about how much you’ve spent over the last 13 years in buying “mandatory” preseason tickets that either become a giveaway or a paper fire starter for your Labor Day cookout. Goodell was merely stating the obvious: NFL fans think the preseason sucks and the league could benefit financially and spiritually by playing 18 real games and 2 preseason games. Now, the coaches clearly need some time to get the players ready for the season

Exclusive John Harbaugh breakfast footage here at WNST!

Nestor Aparicio

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

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

Nestor Aparicio

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

Live from Southern California…

Nestor Aparicio

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

Torry Holt released by Rams: Are Ravens interested?

Nestor Aparicio

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

Any memories of Steve McNair?

Nestor Aparicio

Obviously a very sad day here for anyone who cheered for Steve McNair or knew him. Obviously, he made quite

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles’ team-wide offensive drought has mercifully come to an end, as Orioles’ hitters accumulated 21 runs and 41 hits

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to the cookouts, sports, and fun with family and

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