Chapter 9: My life on Calvert Street at The Baltimore Sun and hitting the road
“Be careful what you wish for,” Nestor warns. “All I ever really wanted to do was work at The Baltimore Sun and be the Oscar Madison of local sports…”
#ColumnNes
Dear Eric DeCosta: Do I deserve to be? Is that the question? And if so, who answers?
“Son, have I got a little story for you! Is there something wrong? Well, of course there is. Hey, I’m still alive…just out on the porch. Hear my name. Take a good look. This could be the day.”
Leonard Raskin and Nestor discuss a week of exhaustive football and the weak aftermath of Ravens exit in Buffalo
In their weekly gathering of mutual Baltimore sports fandom, Leonard Raskin and Nestor discuss a week of exhaustive football. From his Ohio State Buckeyes pride, to the despair of the drop of Mark Andrews in Buffalo and now realizing the Washington Football Team is sixty minutes away from a Super Bowl – or the Eagles from another one! And a deeper dive here on accountability to the fans by a professional athlete after a bad beat.
Accountability and the agony of defeat
In their weekly gathering of mutual Baltimore sports fandom, Leonard Raskin and Nestor discuss a week of exhaustive football. From his Ohio State Buckeyes pride, to the despair of the drop of Mark Andrews in Buffalo and now realizing the Washington Football Team is sixty minutes away from a Super Bowl – or the Eagles from another one! And a deeper dive here on accountability to the fans by a professional athlete after a bad beat.
ColumnNes: Big plays, big hits and Ravens showed no quit against Steelers
The Ravens talked all week about being locked in, and in the end, they were. Creating turnovers. And even landing on your own fumbles. It all matters this time of year. Turnovers turn over games. The Steelers made too many mistakes. Russell Wilson fumbled early and got picked late. Ballgame.
#ColumnNes: The Eagles kicked Ravens’ mystique into the Inner Harbor on Sunday
The Ravens encountered the No. 1 defense in the NFL and lost the fight. The Eagles are a balanced football team. The Ravens run defense was gashed. And the greatest kicker in history of the sport has lost his mojo. The Baltimore Ravens have a lot to think about over the next two weeks.
#ColumnNes: Steel trying to figure out how to win in Pittsburgh
The Baltimore Ravens are not playing smart football. The lack of discipline across the board has reared its head and leaves them as indistinct as their 7-4 mark headed to face to the Chargers.
They are the most penalized team in the NFL. And continually adding to the resume.
They have earned the distinction of the 32nd-ranked team against the pass. Somehow, the Steelers even managed to run for 122 yards on them on Sunday.
ColumnNes: In the end, the Ravens came close but was it really a close game?
What is there to say about any Week 1 game in NFL in any year? It’s always choppy, sloppy and stoppy. And that’s just the officiating…
#ColumnNes Big mistakes, bright lights and forever a bad Baltimore beat for Lamar and Ravens
Patrick Mahomes > Lamar Jackson. Still. The more prepared, better coached, better led and more composed team is going to Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas. And the team that made massive mistakes at pivotal times and committed dumb penalty after stupid penalty followed by too many men on the field with the season on the line lost the football game. Read the #ColumnNes of Nestor Aparicio after the Ravens loss to the Chiefs.
#ColumnNes The real Super Bowl is at 3 p.m. on Sunday in Baltimore, believe that!
This Baltimore Ravens team appears to be on schedule for a third Purple Reign. And Lamar is ready to write that script. Believe that.
#ColumnNes Now, it’s time to win a Super Bowl
The Baltimore Ravens have never played an AFC Championship Game at home. This is the year to change that. Anything less than winning the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on February 11th will be unacceptable.
John Eisenberg and Nestor discuss black quarterbacks and legacy of Lamar Jackson changing the game
John Eisenberg and Nestor discuss black quarterbacks and legacy of Lamar Jackson changing the game
The Legacy of Lamar Jackson vs. other NFL quarterbacks
As the Maryland Crab Cake Tour presented by The Maryland Lottery, Window Nation and Jiffy Lube rolls toward the holidays, it’s always great to have Weis conversation with local authors like John Eisenberg, who recently wrote “Rocket Men,” a history of what led to the opportunity for someone like Lamar Jackson to change the quarterback game.
Chronicling the long, ugly trail for black quarterbacks in NFL
Local author and longtime Baltimore sportswriter John Eisenberg tells Nestor the long, ugly trail for black quarterbacks in the NFL chronicled in his new book, “Rocket Men,” at Pappas in Parkville on the Maryland Crab Cake Tour.
#ColumnNes The Browns ground down dirts the Ravens in embarrassing home meltdown
In Cleveland, they’ll call it a second half masterpiece. Here in Baltimore, it’s a wake-up call for the Ravens that they’re not as good as those Power Rankings and clips from last week said they were and the same ones that we’re sure John Harbaugh never reads or watches. Nestor Aparicio checks in with #ColumnNes after the hideous 33-31 loss.
#ColumnNes Now, the only question is how good the 2023 Baltimore Ravens can be
Don’t blink: Defense at work! The floor is suddenly rising and the health, cohesive improvement and sheer talent of the Ravens starts to flash the promise that something special is at work in the sixth season of The Revolution of Lamar Jackson. Read Nestor Aparicio’s latest #ColumnNes in the aftermath of the Ravens’ 37-3 rout over Seattle.
Now, the only question is how good the 2023 Baltimore Ravens can be
Don’t blink: Defense at work! The floor is suddenly rising and the health, cohesive improvement and sheer talent of the Ravens starts to flash the promise that something special is at work in the sixth season of The Revolution of Lamar Jackson. Hear Nestor Aparicio’s latest #ColumnNes in the aftermath of the Ravens’ 37-3 rout over Seattle.
ColunmnNes: The letdown – and victory – we all could’ve expected from the Ravens in the desert
It isn’t always going to be as easy as the Ravens made it look against the Detroit Lions last week.
#ColumnNes Lamar makes a statement by taking the heart of the cowardly Lions
There is never a day when the microphones turn on that Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh isn’t discussing his
Dear Adam Jones: Make your night one for the ages in Baltimore baseball history
This is the night where we well up, think nice thoughts about you and us and the way we were. And in the immortal words of Rex Barney, we say, “Thank youuuuu!” I wrote you a little love letter, Jonesy!
Dennis Koulatsos and Nestor discuss Ravens injuries and impact on hopes for a Super Bowl
The offseason promise and upside of the running attack with a rejuvenated J.K. Dobbins is now lost with his season ending injury. Dennis Koulatsos and Nestor discuss the Ravens’ numerous Week 1 injuries and the impact on hopes for winning a Super Bowl.
Ravens will install backup plan in running game with Dobbins lost and O line dinged
The offseason promise and upside of the running attack with a rejuvenated J.K. Dobbins is now lost with his season ending injury. Dennis Koulatsos and Nestor discuss the Ravens’ numerous Week 1 injuries and the impact on hopes for winning a Super Bowl.
#ColumnNes The kings of pain earn a Pyrrhic victory to start the purple campaign
It was a good thing this “fourth preseason game” that counts came against the lowly of the lowliest where you’re not punished for your mistakes and miscues – but nobody looked or felt like a winner after this costly 25-9 win over the Texans. Read #ColumnNes by Nestor Aparicio here.
Dear John Angelos: You’re a civic disgrace just like your father, now sign the lease!
With the news of the bizarre suspension of MASN broadcaster Kevin Brown making national headlines, Nestor Aparicio inks a personal letter to Baltimore Orioles owner John Angelos in #ColumnNes.
#ColumnNes Regarding Lamar Jackson, the lack of maturity is a bigger issue than an ugly tweet
If Lamar Jackson regrets the statement to the fellow in Pennsylvania, he should’ve offered an apology to him. If he regrets the world seeing his ugly words, Jackson has a platform with a million followers and could’ve offered an apology. If it was truly “out of character,” then show your character and admit a mistake and move on.
#ColumnNes Who in the purple congregation still believes – and why?
After doing bustrips and roadtrips for a quarter of a century to playoff games all over the country and taking tens of thousands of our citizens along, I really wondered if there’s anyone who wants to get on the bus to Cincinnati this weekend believing the Ravens will still be in the tournament at midnight on Sunday night?
#ColumnNes Somehow, Harbaugh is under siege at The Castle for Christmas
When there are only two legitimate reporters waiting to ask you questions after you lose to the Browns on the road with a foolish offensive game plan, does it really matter what you say to (or about) the fans at the end of the bar?
#ColumnNes The purple renegades answered the song with heroics in Pittsburgh
When Tommy Shaw starts the “Oh, mama” refrain of “Renegade,” it usually provides a spark of life for the black and gold faithful that spills from the stands and Terrible Towels onto the grass. The Steelers even exhumed Wiz Whalifa to sing that horrific song at halftime – and it still didn’t matter!
#ColumnNes Out in the cold and winning ugly
As the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens build confidence on defense, it’s the missing offense that worries Nestor Aparicio as the schedule allows for duds to be wins.
#ColumnNes John Harbaugh didn’t understand the question; Ravens fans still don’t understand the decision
Welcome to October. The high-ceiling Baltimore Ravens are suddenly a troubling 2-2 and the defending AFC champions are coming to town for Sunday Night Football. And head coach John Harbaugh is under siege from the Baltimore fan base.
Luke Jones and Nestor assess where Harbaugh and Ravens go after hard lessons in Dolphins defeat
Luke Jones and Nestor assess where Harbaugh and Ravens go after hard lessons in Dolphins defeat
Luke Jones and Nestor assess the marvelousness of Lamar even in defeat
Luke Jones and Nestor assess the marvelousness of Lamar even in defeat
Even in defeat, we still bear witness to the marvelousness of Lamar
Luke Jones and Nestor assess the wonders and “one of one” skill of Lamar Jackson and ponder how much a real running game would’ve helped against the Dolphins.
Author Buzz Bissinger talks football, war and the legend of Stoney Case
The legendary author of Friday Night Lights discusses his latest work “The Mosquito Bowl” and death of sports journalism via social media.
Trying to make sense of blowing a three touchdown lead at home
Luke Jones and Nestor take an initial attempt at trying to explain everything about the Baltimore Ravens that imploded on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
How will the Ravens respond to such a jarring defeat at hands of Tua and Dolphins?
In the postgame, John Harbaugh had no answers for the rarest of rarities in his 15 seasons coaching the Ravens – a historic loss that required lots of bad calls, bad plays, bad decisions and poor football that turned a 35-14 walkover into a stunning 42-38 loss.
