You’re a “young old-timer” if you get that reference.
I’m watching ESPN HD and the Jaguars and Colts tonight.
WOW…what a night we had at Piv’s Pub!
Ravens defensive guru and linebackers coach Mike Pettine joined us with projector in tow for a little chalk talk and Football education. You can hear the show on the air Tuesday at 9 a.m. with repeat broadcasts coming as well.
But, if you missed it, you missed a wonderful night of background on the game of football and how it’s taught and schemed at the highest level in the world. And Pettine is just a fantastic teacher. He told us and showed us why Kelly Gregg is so good, and how Terrell Suggs is playing unselfish, quality football despite not having sacks to show for it.
As for the TV game, Jack Del Rio looks good in his suit, but how they are gonna win games without David Garrard is beyond me. They look like yet another AFC team that has no chance of making the playoffs. And the Colts, look, well, like the COLTS! Ya know the “World Champion” Colts. And the highlights of yesterday’s Patriots game make my head spin.
Those two teams are on another planet, and the rest of the teams look as flat as the Ravens do for the most part. And, again, the Ravens are 4-3, NOT 1-6!
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So, do the Ravens HONESTLY not have a shot at the playoffs when you take a look at the stench from the remaining pretenders in the red conference?
Let’s take a look: Miami, the Jets, Oakland, Houston and Cincinnati all stink. Buffalo and Cleveland can’t be taken seriously. So it’s a toss amongst the rest of the teams to see who can steal 9 or 10 wins. And 10 is almost a SURE thing to get in, especially considering the weak field.
Now, the Ravens need to get healthy and improve over the second half if they have a prayer. But, I wouldn’t bet against them beating the Colts or Patriots, especially considering that they are home games where WE, the fans, can be a difference maker in the game. I hope Baltimore considers being a “12th man stadium” more than what I routinely see on the road: teams that have a fan base that boos the home team at the first three and out. Philadelphia, Cleveland and other places where the locals turn every game into a road game for the home team.
It’s really disturbed me seeing what lousy fans we’ve become. How demanding and demeaning we’ve become as a community. I’m going to be a voice of reason in a sea of distress. I HATE when our fans boo the Ravens! I just think it’s the most small-minded, cruddy thing you can do: turn on the home team in the home stadium when they’re struggling and playing like garbage. That’s when they need the fans the most, honestly!
Yeah, they’ve kinda stunk so far this year and the games have been far less than entertaining, if not out-and-out lousy. Yeah, they’ve been banged up and injured for long stretches. Yeah, the penalties are hard to watch. And deep down, I just don’t think they’re a very good team as it stands today.
But I’ll never boo them unless I see a lack of effort. There’s nothing worse than home fans turning on the home team and being drunken idiots. I wanna be there to watch an upset of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady on national television. And I want to cheer it on and have a chance of celebrating seeing it!
I can envision a remote fantasy scenario where Tom Brady will throw three picks here en route to a 23-21 upset. I KNOW the fans will be ready for the horseshoes no matter what our record or theirs is. The old “BEAT INDY” shirts will be dusted off that week and the locals will rally for this game. Peyton Manning has looked like garbage on other occasions. No reason the Ravens defense can’t smack him the mouth and score TDs en route to a 20-16 win over the Colts.
8I still have faith…
I see enough week to week in this league to know how quickly things can change, how quickly a team can rally. Just take the 2000 Ravens season as an example…
The Ravens season is far from over, in my opinion, and mainly because the rest of the teams aren’t very good, either. When the Ravens lose 34-14 to the Colts and 42-16 to the Patriots is when I’ll throw in the towel. And this is possible, for sure, especially if Chris McAlister is out for the season.
(But I still won’t boo!)
And as much as the Ravens’ odds feel dreary to many, I won’t quit on their playoff odds until their loss total gets to 7 or 8. They currently have 3. It’s still very early!
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How weird are those giant ads that the Jaguars have placed over thousands of seats in the Upper Deck. And the disgusting part?
8THEY got a team before WE did! That bozo Paul Tagliabue actually thought JACKSONVILLE was a better football community than Baltimore?
And even after ALL of those years in the late 1990’s when they were actually a perennial 12-4 and 13-3 team, they STILL cover thousands of empty seats with a tarp sales piece!
And how the television blimp makes Jacksonville look like Paris is just crazy for anyone who has ever been there!
Oh, speaking of the TV broadcast, did anybody see the dude with the clappers and the tongue coming through it? We THOUGHT we saw it (and the ESPN cameras quickly moved away), but apparently it was a youtube MUST SEE! Anybody got a link? Lemme know!!!
As much as I hate Tony Kornheiser’s act, he does add some color to what could be a drab broadcast. I mean, I don’t hate what he says as much as HOW says it. Ron Jaworski is the best in the business. I’m neutral on Mike Tirico, as I should be with a play-by-play guy, I think.
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Does anybody ever see our WNST.net commercials on Monday Night Football. I just saw mine on Comcast! Kinda cool, but I always wonder if anyone ever sees it? I don’t get emails about it. So, if you SAW it and are reading this, email me.
8AND…if you DO see it sometimes, just know that I know it’s not NEARLY as good as Barry Glazers’! WOW…urinated upon! I LOVE BARRY GLAZER!!!! And I’ve never met him or anyone who has!!!
One more piece of “interior” business. I’m sooooo excited to have my dear friend Mike Ricigliano join our WNST.net family via our header bar above. Not only is it a cool addition to our masthead, but Ricig is one of my oldest friends in the business. His kids are responsible for me being called “Nasty Nestor” and he’s just a brilliant guy.
We’ll get some of his archived work up and whenever he wants to add to WNST.net, he will. We’re honored to call him a friend and a semi-frequent contributor.
Again, we’re just thrilled!
Lots of additions coming to WNST.net in the near future.
We’re gonna make you love this website!
