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It was ugly a few weeks ago when the Baltimore Ravens were 1-5 and heavily injured. But, three wins in a row has fumigated the terrible start, and Luke Jones and Nestor assess the current reality of a weak schedule and a middling pack of AFC playoff hopefuls that still has Owings Mills believing in a January Super Bowl run.
The word is out that the reunion is on for the local 1990s band, Love Riot, and Lisa Mathews and “Young” Ron Campbell join Nestor at Koco’s Pub on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour to tell him how and why the band has reunited this month to make beautiful music again at the Creative Arts Alliance in Highlandtown on November 21st.
We knew inviting our old journalist-turned-communications pro Greg Abel would involve a walk down “Free The Birds” memory lane but Nestor did not bring him to Koco’s Pub on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour to talk about the past but instead to question the future of the Orioles brand and Baltimore sports media and marketing with a lifer chronicler and fan of Charm City glory.
The families of our sponsors are our family, too! Let our pal and chef Eric Campbell of Koco’s Pub give you all of the information about a former bartender in need of some family love this Sunday at Waverly Brewing to help the family of Paul Anderson.
The delicious pizza at Pizza John’s brings all of our friends together to talk baseball in Essex. Our MLB insider Luke Jones and legendary sports cartoonist Ricig join Nestor on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour to take a deep dive on the everything Baltimore Orioles offseason. From the leadership of Mike Elias and the hiring of Craig Albernaz to the expectations of spending hundreds of millions of David Rubenstein and Michael Arougheti’s money before Valentine’s Day, it’s always baseball season here.
We love mixing and match the best people in Baltimore. This time, John Hoey of The Y joins Nestor with Baltimore Magazine Senior Editor Ron Cassie to discuss the Turkey Trot and plenty of local history and optimism from Pizza John’s on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour.
The record says the Baltimore Ravens are 4-5 but Luke Jones and Nestor go all “Baltimore Positive” in celebrating three wins in a row for the men of John Harbaugh after another win over the Minnesota Vikings and the possibilities of a AFC North title. It’s been a much better month for health and results but is this team really a Super Bowl contender?
With many holiday promotions in progress, John Martin of The Maryland Lottery joins Nestor to discuss Thankswinning and huge jackpots in Mega Millions and Powerball and plenty of local winners in the Ravens second-chance drawings.
Longtime Minnesota sportswriter Kevin Seifert of ESPN and one-time local colleague of Nestor covering the Orioles back in the 1990s returns to Baltimore for a primer on the mystery of quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the belief Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has in him to lead the franchise. Plenty of purple knowledge in the this one.
No one can get you ready for a Minnesota Vikings game better than the longtime voice of Skol and the people in the Twin Cities. One-time Maryland resident and bon vivant Paul Allen (aka P.A. On The Mic) tells Nestor why Andrew Van Ginkel might be the most important player in Sunday’s match-up with the Baltimore Ravens and how the crowd will factor into Lamar Jackson’s day in Minneapolis.
They met as young sportswriters in early 1984 here at The News American right before the landscape of the NFL began changing. Longtime St. Louis sportswriter Jeff Gordon joins former colleague Nestor for a Mayflower journey on losing franchises and winning championships – and still losing franchises. From Colts to Cardinals to Rams to Ravens to Inglewood…
With all of the hubbub of the NFL trade deadline and all of the extra salary cap space Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had at his disposal, the team added just edge specialist Dre’Mont Jones from the Tennessee Titans for a 5th round pick. Luke Jones and Nestor assess the moves and machinations of a healthier 3-5 squad headed to Minnesota as a four-point favorite against the Vikings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Is it the job of the Orioles manager to recruit the community? Well, someone or something has to be a part of driving the Baltimore baseball brand forward this offseason. Luke Jones and Nestor welcome new skipper Craig Albernaz and discuss their hopes for improvements and acquisitions in this offseason that Mike Elias will be judged daily on progress.
This week, the Baltimore Orioles will welcome the next manager since Joe Altobelli to attempt to bring a World Series title to Camden Yards. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the glorious October playoff run and a legendary 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays – and look to the Orioles offseason with real expectations for the unexpected with money and deals. We’ve got baseball on the brain.
When there’s Game 7 World Series magic interrupting real life and parties on a Saturday night, the memories are made forever. Leonard Raskin and Nestor discuss an American Dream week for sports with big drama and snapshots and “where were you when?” moments for anyone who loves baseball. And the Ravens won two games, too!
Do you know who Catie Griggs is and what she does? How about Sashi Brown? Well, they are the millionaires who run your “local” sports franchise as the “caretaker” for billionaires David Rubenstein, Michael Arougheti and Steve Bisciotti. Nestor heard from them this week, even if they didn’t care to meet him for $100 a throw…
Making a massive deal at the NFL trade deadline would not be unique for the Baltimore Ravens. With needs on the offensive and defensive lines and an urgent need for a pass rusher, Luke Jones and Nestor get creative with the potential deals and conversations and the real NFL menu of Eric DeCosta as a 3-5 seeks to improve and chase an AFC playoff berth.
Helping local families facing urgent hardships has always been the goal of Starboard Society and longtime friend Cindy Atkinson of Hartman Associates joined Nestor at State Fare in Catonsville on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour to provide us the full scope of their work and impact. Join them at the Concept House in Timonium on Saturday, November 7th along with our friends at Ink + Numbers and learn about their local mission.
The deals began over the weekend with the Baltimore Ravens sending Jaire Alexander to Philadelphia but Luke Jones and Nestor expect the additions to be larger than the subtractions as the complex games of NFL trade deals crescendo on Tuesday afternoon.
The jackpots are huge and the winners have been having fun and producing tales of charity as well in the community. Seth Elkin of The Maryland Lottery returns to add it all up and set Nestor straight on the sweet smells of the holiday scratch-off season.
When it’s time to put a baseball round table together, we gather at least a hundred years worth of media and institutional insights about the Baltimore Orioles like no other group. Longtime MLB media analysts Luke Jones and Allen McCallum join Nestor at State Fare in Catonsville on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour for an Orioles offseason primer and plenty of insights on the hiring of new Birds manager Craig Albernaz and everything that needs to be on the checklist of Mike Elias in the coming weeks at Camden Yards.
Luke Jones and Nestor discuss improving and healing Ravens defense shutting down Tua and Dolphins attack
Luke Jones and Nestor discuss homecoming return of Lamar Jackson in victory over hapless Dolphins
Luke Jones and Nestor get ready for Miami and return of Lamar Jackson to Ravens
As the heavy lifting of the offseason begins for the last-place Baltimore Orioles, the first step is complete. New manager Craig Albernaz brings plenty of fresh blood and great recommendations but as Luke Jones and Nestor point out, the players the team acquires this offseason and the maturation of a bevy of young, high-ceiling prospects will decide his fate in the dugout. It’s still baseball season in Baltimore!
In our continuing series with GBMC Healthcare about wellness and all of life’s ailments along with some practical advice and information, we’re joined by Carroll County native and local orthopedic surgeon Dr. Grant Duvall, who helps Nestor better understand modern knee and hip replacement and a faster recovery to a better life. Those old sports injuries and scars are adding up to wisdom!
Longtime NFL insider and Gainesville bagel maker Jason Cole returns to discuss the gamble of trusting league injury reports, the return of Lamar Jackson and future of Ravens with Nestor over some memories of the Super Bowl glory of Joe Flacco.
As the Trump Revenge Tour takes hold and The Constitution of the United States of America is under attack and laws are being broken every day – including the destruction of the East Wing of The White House – we reached to former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh for a primer on the Emoluments Clause and the dangers ahead for our democracy without checks and balances in government.
No rest for the 2-5 Baltimore Ravens this week as Thursday night is almost here and most football fans (and gamblers, alike) believe Lamar Jackson will be returning to the field in his homeland of Miami. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the improved defensive effort against Bears and what will be needed in against Tua and the Dolphins during a short week.
The fiasco over putting Lamar Jackson as a “full” participant on a Friday afternoon injury report when he ran scout team and they knew he wasn’t going to start on Sunday has just begun for John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens. His “excuse” was far less than believable as Luke Jones and Nestor also take general manager Eric DeCosta to task for pushing the gambling line five points on a Saturday in the NFL with pretty blatant dishonesty and “gamesmanship” for no one.
It’s not easy being the backup quarterback in Baltimore. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley once again took the ball and led the Ravens to an impressive 30-14 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Luke Jones and Nestor recap a gritty effort and a short turnaround for the flock in the hopes that Lamar Jackson will return in Miami on Thursday night.
It’s been a while since longtime political insider Damian O’Doherty has returned to the Maryland Crab Cake Tour but he brings the changes in his public affairs business and the sweeping changing in Trump’s America with foreign money, big business, the destruction of government pillars and AI moving at the speed of humanity. Always a spirited debate about media, influence and power with this Catonsville native and Baltimore lover.
Discussing child abuse and the mistreatment of children is never easy but our partners at GBMC want our community to know that help is a reach away. Sarah Perl of GBMC takes Nestor on the difficult journey of child maltreatment and education awareness to discuss the unspeakable. We’ll also introduce you to beautiful Olivia, who is a making a difference with “Paws For a Cause.”
We always enjoy our chats with NFL super agent Leigh Steinberg about quarterbacks, contracts and league issues but when it’s World Series time in Los Angeles, the lead story is always his first love of the Dodgers and summer nights at Chavez Ravine. Don’t worry: we talk Lamar and Mahomes, too!
It only happens once a year at the most wonderful time of the year but who doesn’t love a scented lottery scratch-off ticket? John Martin of Maryland Lottery gives Nestor the sweet scent of the Candy Cane Cash tickets plus all of the other holiday offerings in addition to a round-up of a host of local winners and fun winter promotions ahead.
April Fowler of Planet Fitness joins Nestor at Costas Inn on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour to get Nestor ready for the big Timonium Grand Opening and reasons to join. And this is your grand chance to get in on the PF Black Card – good all over the world – for just $19.99 for the locals with the grand opening plan to get in the best shape of their lives.
It’s been a depressing year to be a Baltimore sports fan and our resident financial guy Leonard Raskin is trying to keep it all in perspective. But, the losses are adding up…as are the questions for management and ownership of the local franchises.
We don’t need to wait for the Bears to come to Baltimore to invite our longtime Chicago pal and legendary Sports Illustrated writer Rick Telander to share some Windy City takes of glory and more modern marvels of seeing Ohtani play and his children’s book with former MLB pitcher Steve Trout.
Our favorite longtime Washington Post baseball writer Dave Sheinin joins Nestor at the new Costas Inn at Timonium Race Track to discuss everything Orioles and World Series on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour. Birdland ownership, management, the manager, big money and how to start winning again at Camden Yards?
No one knows more about the business of the National Football League than longtime sports business insider Ken Belson of
