Nestor Aparicio sounds off with Luke Jones on the cowardice of Ravens PR and Chad Steele intimidating the media who dare to ask questions about the state of the franchise quarterback and the future of Lamar Jackson at a legitimate press conference. It was quite a show in Owings Mills on Wednesday at the Liars’ Luncheon.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lamar jackson, lamar, questions, draft, point, quarterback, eric, john, day, media, asked, fans, thrown, ravens, wednesday, disgraceful, people, understand, press conference, happened
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome back. wn S T tassel Baltimore and Baltimore positive happy opening day everyone celebrating get ready for the weekend. Happy Bruce arrival for everybody that loves Springsteen and same thing with the Eagles. Feels like the Eagles are getting like Philadelphia Eagles third party status around here and I’m not going to allow that to Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt. And the legend of Glenn Frey and the reality of Vince Gill and Joe Walsh. So big big weekend that CFG Bank Arena this weekend, we have moved our merrily crabcake toward a Tuesday fails, but I will be at Bally’s all day Friday. Before the game she’s not doing the show. We will have instant lottery scratch offs from the Maryland lottery and a whole bunch of these leftover from our constants event on a Wednesday we had a beautiful event it cost us at Anthony Adams the new UMBC as head soccer coach. He’s been my friend for a quarter of a century. That was wonderful. Well, my dear friend Gigi Causey who teaches Zumba and does real estate’s been my friend for a long, long time. Over on the east side hanging out with me, as well as Pete and John Martin. Good day Costas. We’re at Pappas next Thursday in Bel Air for two of the five. Come on up. I’ll have some instant lottery scratch offs to give away. We had some winners it cost us on. We had the wheel we had John Moore we had the half the lottery staff out there was crazy. TV crews were out there all that was going on, can’t believe they can peel off from the liars luncheon to make it out to cost us we are appreciative. Look, Joe is here he he peeled off twice on Wednesday peeling off to the liars luncheon. And then after that peeling off the wn S T text about opening day get bangle Friday. All that brought to you by friends includes Baltimore for a year Chad Steele made some news on Wednesday are pleased to tell you and I have full disclosure. We haven’t talked about this off the air at all other than everybody in the world has sent me a tweet a text video, the audio dropped out I don’t even know what the hell he said. So I’m just here asking you because I’m not a real media member anymore. And apparently, neither are any of the rest of you because you don’t get to make up your own questions anymore. Well,
Luke Jones 02:00
I mean, I think the truth falls somewhere in the middle here. A lot of the Ravens made it quite apparent before the press conference that look, guys we understand you have a job to do. We understand you’re gonna ask about Lamar, this is the pre draft press conference. Traditionally, the major focus is the draft. And that’s not out of bounds to say that anyone who’s covered the pre draft or listen, additionally,
Nestor Aparicio 02:24
I would tell him, I’m doing my job, you open up, we’re asking questions, you’re not going to make the questions up for me, I’d make that very ethic clear, correct, clear. And that’s why I’m thrown out because I made that clear that that was gonna be the way it that’s not the way it should be conducted. You embarrass everyone in the room when you conduct yourself in that way,
Luke Jones 02:43
every day. They embarrass themselves. They don’t embarrass the media. So the very first question right off the bat, it was a question directed at Eric, about Lamar, you know, being little over a week since his trade request. And you know, I asked him if he had a chance to talk to him. If so, what was the conversation? When a player asked to be traded? What’s your confidence level that, that he’s still going to be around assuming you want to keep them and everything? So I’ll read Eric’s question were his answer word for word. And then I’ll get to the rest of what happened. Eric’s response was, I understand the need to ask those kinds of questions. I think, just out of respect for the process. This is a draft luncheon. And we’re going to try to keep as much of this discussion as we can to the draft to the coming weeks and building the best football team we can build. So I understand those questions. I think we’re, we’ve spoken about this situation, probably five different times a spring and various different press conferences and such. So we’re going to try to just kind of defer to those questions move forward to draft. So in other words, it was no comment. Well, Eric,
Nestor Aparicio 03:45
you haven’t addressed the fact that he’s asked for a trade you haven’t you haven’t addressed? So let’s talk about that. Let’s be a grown up well.
Luke Jones 03:54
Okay, but you can’t what you can’t if he’s not going to answer the question. I mean, so what happens? Do we just keep asking the question and over over and over. So that was his answer. There were a couple questions about corners, other stuff to write related to the draft. Then there was another question about Lamar from the standpoint of
Nestor Aparicio 04:15
ice asking the Ukrainian president about something other than the war. There is nothing else there is nothing else other than Lamar Jackson. Now, that’s not and there needs to be some clarity on the front end of that, and then we’ll get to the draft talk, but you’re not going
Luke Jones 04:28
to Okay. I understand that Nestor. But then so So do we just keep asking questions, even though he’s saying no comment. What’s the
Nestor Aparicio 04:34
threat is the threat we’re gonna throw you out? If you ask him? What is the threat? Is the threat? Why are you yelling at me? Like what are you yelling at me? What is the threat? I guess? Look, um,
Luke Jones 04:46
should they answer the question? Sure. i But if they’re not going to, I guess my point is what’s like then what are we doing? Does everyone just walk out? The thing
Nestor Aparicio 04:56
becomes a sham for everybody for everybody. For the media signing up and going into a room and saying, we’re not going to ask the king about the war. We’re gonna ask about the curtains. And you know how it’s insane. It’s insane. I mean, it’s absolutely, I need to be on the record with how insane This is. Sure. And the fact that our organization is involved in it, and that I’ve been thrown out. This is a testament to my honesty and integrity that I’m not allowed in, because the follow ups asked the questions asked themselves, the fans know this. The media knows this. Everyone knows this. They look like fools. They look like cowards, and they look like bullies. And I’ll check all three of those boxes because I’ve been around this a while. It was that was disgraceful. It was disgraceful as a fan. Watching it from Costas, like it like to be in the room, and having Chad steel tell you what you can and can’t ask. That’s disgraceful. It’s I’ve been a part of the media for 38 years. I’ve never heard of such a thing just don’t have to press conference. Seriously. While they’re required
Luke Jones 06:09
to by the by the league. I mean, I’m just telling you, they’re required to by the League, you’re required to spend your
Nestor Aparicio 06:14
day doing it. I’m the one that’s financing it. And I’m appalled for all of us a PIs on their ass. It’s disgraceful.
Luke Jones 06:20
I’m not even I’m not saying that I agree with with their methods. I guess my point is, if they’re not going to comment on it, what, what do you want to do then?
Nestor Aparicio 06:32
Well, what do you want to do throw you out for asking? Well, no, I’m back to that. I want to go back to what happens if I keep asking, what do you do to me?
Luke Jones 06:44
But I’m just, I mean, I don’t know what you want me to say. Like, I’m not even saying I disagree with you. But at the same time, if Eric, it needs to
Nestor Aparicio 06:53
be said, it needs to be set by somebody like me, it needs to be said out loud, that this is this is disgraceful on behalf of every fan, that the way they behave, and the lack of accountability and the arrogance. It’s, it’s it’s just It smells. It’s awful, odious, I guess an opportunity for the Orioles to go sell tickets and make make fans because they’re not making fans doing this. They’re not. They’re not being transparent. They’re not being accountable. And they are insulting everyone’s intelligence through this, because they could say more without saying anything. And just say, Yes, it’s been acknowledged. And, you know, we’re working on it, you know, but but to say you can’t ask about it. That’s just that’s bullshit.
Luke Jones 07:36
Period. Fair enough. Fair enough. I guess my question would be, what should they say? And what would you want them to say?
Nestor Aparicio 07:45
Not understanding. Okay. This delicate circumstance, Lamar came to us on March 2, was it a text or an email, he texts me, it’s fine. We’re getting together, you know, like, say something that allows the fans to have some level of confidence that you are at least acknowledging that we care, and that you only have to speak three times four times in the whole offseason to be jerks. And to stare down the media and stand up and, and stomp around about what can and can’t be asked is juvenile. It’s disgraceful? It’s less than professional. And it’s an insult to the media. And it’s an insult to the fans. It is it is it is, I guess, behave differently. And Jon’s gonna go out and talk about God two weeks from now and do his own, you know, FCA and we do everything the right way except the accountable and except when it comes to intimidating people and then throwing them out or threatening to throw what is the threat? If the question like I just would like to know, when they direct the press conference, what is the threat? If someone were to say now about Lamar, or how to follow up? To your point, Eric’s comments allowed for a follow up from a professional, somebody that is there to seek truth, we’re there to seek truth, not there to polish up bullshit. So if you’re there to seek truth, you keep asking questions until you get it, or you just say, all right enough, and I would go home. And I would ask about I mean, I’m not saying it shouldn’t have been about the draft press conference. But the first 12 questions were about Lamar Jackson, you sit and answer the questions, because it’s your job,
Luke Jones 09:30
right. Now, I’m gonna be devil’s advocate here for a second. John Harbaugh answered questions a week ago. And I think someone even did the count. I don’t know this verbatim, because I can’t remember and I don’t care enough to actually have the numbers memorized. But he was asked somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 questions, and I think 30 of them are about Lamar. Now. He answered those questions, but you didn’t like his answers then. So I guess for my being the devil in Devil’s Advocate. What do you Billy wants them and expect them to say, understanding this absurd position that they’re in at this point with their franchise, quarterback, a quarterback that you’ve taken lots of issues with how he’s handled, and rightfully so I have as well and many people have. But understanding the reality of, you’re not going to dress down your quarterback in front of the public, you’re not going to say you think Lamar is completely unreasonable with what his contract demands are, they’re not going to say even if they truly do want to trade him or move on from him, they’re not going to say that because every one of those things, tanks his value. So I guess my point is, and I don’t really know, I don’t even disagree with your overall sentiments, I might not be quite as raw and how I would express that, but I understand it and you’re not thrown out after 27 years, I just said, I understand that. However, I don’t know what they could really say that would at all appease you that’s at all in reality world at this point like this
Nestor Aparicio 10:55
right of it. I don’t like the intimidation of it. I don’t like the bullying of it, I never.
Luke Jones 11:01
But again, go back to what I just said, like having
Nestor Aparicio 11:03
a shut up about it. I didn’t like having that shit happen in Chicago, and a real press conference after a game. And nobody said anything about it. I didn’t like being trapped in an elevator with Jamison Hensley when they’re three reporters in Las Vegas. And nobody said anything about it. And if I said anything about if they would have thrown me out then because they have a penchant to want to throw people out and shut them up. That’s obvious. That’s fascist, that’s not cool. That’s not what this franchise was built on. That’s not why the franchise was brought here. That’s not why I bought PSLs. That’s just not they’ve, they’ve jumped the shark on how they should be behaving not with Nestor, with you, with everybody in the room. And with everybody watching live via satellite, it was disgraceful, and they’re finding new lows, and I don’t know where the end of this is, the end of this is through, you’re gonna play with a pissed off quarterback, or they’re gonna play without him, or they’re gonna deal him for a bag of footballs or whatever they’re gonna get or draft picks or whatever that’s going to be. And the reality is, it looks like the seasons already in trouble. And it’s April, right. And there’s gonna be a lot of hard questions, John, there’s gonna be a lot of loops and Jeff’s Jamison’s asking you questions after a lot of a lot of bad beats with them, and a lot of losing around here. I mean, all they’ve done is win. And they act like this, it would be amazing to see how they would behave if they had real hardship. Really, like real hardship.
Luke Jones 12:32
Fair enough. Fair enough. You still didn’t really answer my question, though. What do you want them to say that
Nestor Aparicio 12:38
I don’t want them to stand up and tell me what I can ask. That’s it. That’s the beginning and the end for you, and Don Mohler. And anybody else that has has wondered what what the issue is the issue is you don’t make the Quincy was an issue down the media, you know, but but there’s don’t do that. Don’t do that. And at some point, we’ll add we’ll, we’ll shoot on low dude. 11 guy gives you one question. So you get one, if you ask about John, and you get nothing, you get nothing. So like, there’s 30 people in the room, at some point, it would have mellowed out. Because I know the people in the room and they’re intimidated. All of you are intimidated for being there. Because I got thrown out, you know, you could get thrown out, you know, all of you know, you can get thrown out. So there is a point where like enough would have been enough. But it’s Eric’s first time in front of everybody. It’s John’s first time in front of you, the local media, not last week, you had to fly to Scottsdale like I did last year and still get thrown out. And the owner, oh, my God, where the owner is. I’ve seen John Angelos all week and I haven’t seen the owner. So we’re not hearing from the leadership, we’re having the executive communicator, shout down and bullied the media in front of everyone just really showing what I’ve been writing about for a year. I just, they’re working in a in a very, very dangerous place for their own integrity. That’s all I’m saying.
Luke Jones 14:05
Okay, but but the point I was making was John Harbaugh answered 25 questions about it and you didn’t like his answers then because you just thought he was being disingenuous. So I guess my, I guess my point is, realistically speaking, pragmatically speaking what are they going to be able to say that serves their purpose whatsoever at this point, they’ve tried being as nice as possible with Lamar as they can and they’ve got nowhere with them being being mean about it is going to tank his value even worse than what it is right now. So I guess look, the questions need to be asked and should they have cut it off after a third one which wasn’t you know, the funny thing about it was the question that was cut off was more about the quarterback draft class than Lamar Jackson himself. So you know, there was that as well. But
Nestor Aparicio 14:50
speech to Chad steel is I mean, not even listen to what I guess that’s for sure. But I
Luke Jones 14:54
guess but I guess the point would be, if they’re not going to talk about it, then what What’s the appropriate number? Is it too? Is it four? Is it 10? Whatever,
Nestor Aparicio 15:04
there is no appropriate number where you stand up and say to professionals what they can and can’t ask, fair enough with with keeping their dignity and your own and your own and threatening? What? If you keep asking what happens? You sent me in the corner, you can take my job away, take my career away, take away my ability to feed my family. They did that to me. So they’ll do that to you. And they’ll do that to everybody in the room. And that, that’s trash. That’s modern trash. And what I saw out there on Wednesday, from just a sheer accountability to a fan in the Upper Deck, the fans deserve better than that. I’m one of them. I deserve better. As a fan myself for 27 years as a media member as a vested individual, as a professional. everyone in that room deserve better than whatever, Steve Ashati and Chad’s deal whatever manure, they were shoveling on behalf of hardball and to caster who looked like I don’t even want to say out loud, because, you know, I don’t want to use a five. They they look like impotent men is what they look they and that.
Luke Jones 16:13
I don’t know if I agree. If
Nestor Aparicio 16:16
somebody stands up and says, You’re not allowed to ask the question, I’d say, Chad, sit down, sit your ass down. You’re not speaking for me, as horrible has texted me many times. They don’t speak for me. I speak for myself. Yeah, except when he speaks for you. And you invite us all out. And we spend our day to come out there not to eat the food, but to ask questions and learn about the team on behalf of the fans. On behalf of the fans, not Cliff Brown, not paid employees, not people that are intimidated because they get their paycheck every two weeks from the Ravens. It’s the people like you that don’t that their boss has been intimidated. Their organization has been intimidated. And now the entire contingent was deep balled in front of everybody while hardball and the constant sat there and looked bewildered and deep down knew. That’s not right. That’s not right. Eric, the caster knows this isn’t right. And John horrible knows this isn’t right. They know it’s not right. And I think it’s fair to fast. And he’s sitting there watching stage deal broadcast from the masters like on the media side thinking that somebody would come up to her and tell her what questions you could ask and not ask. It’s it’s it’s an insane proposition. I’ve never seen anything like that in 38 years of covering sports and have it tolerated by the media. Can you imagine the F in New York media? Can you imagine that happening in New York, I just would never happen. It would never happen. It wouldn’t have happened with Phil Jackman. It wouldn’t happen with John Steadman, it wouldn’t happen with Larry Harris, it would never have happened. I’m telling you, that we were in it, we’re in a scary place with what they’re doing out there. That’s all as a media member. And I’ve watched this from the beginning. The fact that I’m not in there scary. Should be scary to everybody. And it is I mean,
Luke Jones 18:06
fair enough. I don’t I don’t I don’t disagree with that. I guess I just come back to the pragmatics. If they’re not going to talk about it, what are we going to do just hold a gun to their head?
Nestor Aparicio 18:15
You know, what, we’re not going to be threatened? We’ll figure it out. That’s, you know, it’s against the rules. I don’t know what the threat is, what the threat is what what’s I keep going back to that? What is your I would have stood up says what is your threat? By asking legitimate question about? I mean, everybody sent us here. Because they didn’t ask you another question, because they hear good boys. But girls, the boys and girls, I, I look, I’m highly offended. You know what I mean? Like, and I’m not gonna hide it. And I haven’t said a word about it. I understand. Yeah. And I haven’t said anything in seven months about it. So Today’s my day when fans and listeners are emailing me and saying, Oh, I maybe I was wrong about you. Maybe you were right. Like the seven months, I’ve gone everywhere. And people come up to me and say, What did you do to them that they would throw you out? Why you asked about Lamar Jackson? And he threw me out for asking about the quarterback that everybody’s asking me about. It’s it’s, they don’t even know the business they’re in. I mean, really, they don’t even know the business they’re in. They don’t even know who they’re serving. They’re serving their ego is what they’re serving. They’re not serving. They’re not serving their customers. They’re really not. They’re not helping to see they’re not helping season tickets. They’re not helping sweet sales. They’re not helping morale, and they’re certainly not helping the confidence of their integrity, the confidence of their integrity. They didn’t help themselves when Ray Rice punched his wife in the glass elevator and they all denied it. That didn’t help their integrity either. But this I found Wednesday to be very, very telling for other people, because I’ve I’ve been the guy in there being told what I can and can’t ask and I didn’t take it well, I didn’t like it.
Luke Jones 19:54
Fair enough. was
Nestor Aparicio 19:56
like it was there anything worthwhile Was it? Or was it just an hour of awkward for John and Eric?
Luke Jones 20:04
I mean, have you ever found the liars luncheon to be worthwhile? I mean, really serious, you know, and look, and you feel the way you feel, and I really don’t even disagree. I guess my point is, when there’s two, no comments, then how many no comments should go on? Like, should we ask eight times? We asked 12 times should we ask 14 times like, at some point in time, if they’re just not going to talk about it, they’re not going to talk about in the same way that a player doesn’t want to talk in the locker room, you know, you’re not going to get them to talk. I mean, ultimately, they aren’t accountable to anyone. And that’s just the truth. I mean, the NFL, look how big the NFL is they want to the NFL wants to start flexing Sunday games to Thursday nights. They don’t give him you know, what about any paying customers, they, they care about Amazon, and they care about ESPN, and they care about NFL Network. And the sad
Nestor Aparicio 20:57
part is that’s bled into my hometown. And that’s that that was not in the Spirit.
Luke Jones 21:02
And I’m not saying that’s right, let me be clear, I’m not taking up for them. I’m just trying to look at this as pragmatically as I can, that if they’re just not going to talk about it, you’re not going to make them talk about it and look it in fairness to a point and that doesn’t mean you should cut it off after two or three questions about Lamar. But in fairness, I also understand what do you want them to say at this point? They don’t know how this is going to work out. I mean, that’s just the truth at this.
Nestor Aparicio 21:28
I sit here talking about it all day. When Eric’s got a press conference. He can give me 120 seconds on, here’s where we are with Lamar. The last time I talked to Lamar was a month ago, Lamar demanded a trade. I went to Indianapolis, we don’t want to trade Lamar, we’d love Lamar, we want Lamar here, we’ve offered Lamar a significant amount of money. And we’ve tried where the official organization position is, is he’s under contract. We’d love to have him back. We expect him to come and play football. They need to say that out loud, that we expect him to come and play football. He’s under contract. And that that’s that now that being said, we have offered him in John say that last week, though, why can’t Eric say that worse, air wise, aircard air heights, but I’m just asked John Johnson for everybody for a long time. Let’s let Eric dance. They can also, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you need to say about Lamar in the first three minutes, and maybe there won’t be any questions. Because I know you can’t poop on him. I know you’re not gonna say, Here’s the evidence. Here’s the text we offered him 148 million, whatever. But Eric Could, could could provide. He’s smarter than anybody in the room. He could provide a notebook worth of here are the scenarios he’s asked for a trade. This is, this is what could happen. This is what could happen. This is where we are. We’re looking at we’re gonna draft a quarterback. You’re gonna ask me about that. You know, like all of that we’re preparing to play in September, all the things that Ozzie would have said, Right, we’re preparing to play he could have been proactive, to not have this bully stand up and play the role of bully to shout everybody down. Four minutes into a press conference. Everybody drove across the city. And everybody in the city is hanging on their every word hoping they clarify something. Just just clarify as much as you can. No speaky thing. No bueno. Look jokes can be found at Baltimore, Luke at Luke at wn St. dotnet. He’s in Owings Mills, he will be there I’ll be doing the Maryland crabcake tour. Um, you know, I wish this were performative. And I was just making. Lots of teams have been asked lots of tough questions for lots of years by lots of reporters who are a lot tougher than anybody in Baltimore these days without being intimidated or thrown out, and with giving an answer that they can give to the people that they can give to the customers with some level of confidence. That’s not happening right now. I’m Nestor we are wn St. And we’re rolling through this thing here. Luke Jones is with us. As always, I’ll be giving these marital lottery scratch offs away at Pappas on Thursday afternoon will be a fade these on Tuesday morning, as well as on opening day. And then on the 27th We’re back data calendars. Look my my ranting on all of this. There were so many ways to handle it without having to stand up and tell the people to shut up. There were so many different ways to handle Nestor without throwing them out and throwing his wife out and being a jerk. There are a lot of there are a lot of ways to do this professionally. But when you’re licensed to be a jerk, when your boss wants you to be a jerk. And when you feel like you have a job for life and you can be a jerk and you can do whatever you want against the law or not. Then then you get what we’re getting here. And it’s not serving the fans. And that’s that’s the issue. It’s not serving the fans. It really isn’t.
Luke Jones 24:58
Yeah, and look, let’s be clear. But I don’t disagree with your overall sentiment. I just kept coming back to if they’re not going to talk about it short of getting up and everyone walking out of the room, which maybe we should, you know, to your point, maybe that’s, that’s how we should have handled it, which, you know, I don’t know. You know, to me that’s giving the team is probably giving a team what they want at this point. Because very, you know, their access is going away rather than increasing just about anywhere you look as it relates to sports, and, you know, teams and media. But I hear you and you know, I do you think at this point in time, I think one of my big takeaways beyond just everything that you’ve talked about, is I think it represents a very clear shift in tone that they didn’t even want to, say Lamar Jackson’s name on Wednesday, compared to what we’ve heard for the better part of two years, which has been not good cop, bad cop with John and Eric, but more good cop and middle of the road cop, let’s say, you know, John’s been so effusive with praise. I mean, even last week, as Lamar is tweeting out, making public what his trade requests had been, John was still working off the old script that they’ve used for the better part of two years, right? 200% He’s gonna be our quarterback, He’s our guy. We love Lamar. He’s great. We love him as a person, all these different things. And you know, Eric’s been more than it takes two to tango. So I’m, I remain optimistic that we’re gonna get something done. But also acknowledging, alluding to the challenges of the negotiation.
Nestor Aparicio 26:34
point where if Lamar winds up in a cold stirs he 10 days from now, do they owe some sort of explanation to the public as to what the hell happened?
Luke Jones 26:42
Sure, like, sure. Or
Nestor Aparicio 26:44
do they not? invested? Are we in the soap opera? Are we just shed upon and ATMs out here? Like what? You told us to buy the jerseys you told us to buy in? He wanted out what the hell happened here? What happened here?
Luke Jones 26:59
Sure. Absolutely. And, look, I mean, I’ll I’ll even go back to something that you and I talked about a lot. Deshaun Watson steel happened 13 months ago, Lamar has been extension eligible for one he seven months ish. So what happened that first year? Where do you think this one arrived? I mean, again, going to your scenario that Lamar Jackson, ultimately does not sign long term and ultimately is with another team, whether it’s a week from now a month from now or next
Nestor Aparicio 27:33
year, and the Ravens are five and 13. Or whatever, right?
Luke Jones 27:38
That part of it’s to be determined. But if he’s not your quarterback anymore, what the heck happened? How did it get to this point? Yeah, there are absolutely no answers at that point. And there should be some answers at that point. Because you’re not, you know, it’s not as though you can retro actively fix it. So what are you hiding at that point? You know, at this point, you’re trying to maintain some semblance of integrity as far as negotiations between you and the player? Right, you know, something that Lamar, seemingly, you know, went by with what with tweeting out his trade request, but, you know, once it’s all said and done, yeah, if there’s not gonna be a happy ending here. There better be some explaining as far as what the heck happened in it. At that point, doesn’t mean you have to completely trash the guy personally, but at least say, Yeah, this is what happened. Yeah, the PR Director
Nestor Aparicio 28:26
stand up and say, we’re no no questions on the MAR. He’s gone next. Well, he’s gone.
Luke Jones 28:30
But I mean, that that, to me, would be even more extreme than what we saw on Wednesday. You know, I mean, again,
Nestor Aparicio 28:39
well, there is no limit. They’ve already thrown out accredited media members. I mean, you know what I mean, like, I don’t know where the edge is. I mean, literally.
Luke Jones 28:48
Yeah. I don’t know what you want me to say to that? I mean, I’m not, you know, I don’t know. Yeah. So. But yeah, I mean, again, I understood what happened Wednesday, to a point from the standpoint of, they very clearly did not want to talk about Lamar Jackson. It’s no comment. Eric gave up. I read the answer. It was a no comment. Next question. That came a couple questions later about it. It was an answer that had nothing to do really with Lamar himself. And it was just speaking in generalities. And then the third one, and it was cut off even though like I said, ironically, it was about the quarterback, you know, the draft class. And the one thing I will say and this is, you know, you asked me developments in the pre draft press conference. This was interesting from the standpoint of, again, does it mean anything one way or the other. Eric was flat out asked if would they consider taking a quarterback and he flat out said well, we have quarterbacks in our in our first round board. And he acknowledged that possibility now, whether they’re serious about that or not, of course, they have to acknowledge that because that’s still part of the negotiating process. You have to at least present to Lamar Jackson through these channels that you are prepared to move volunteer if you have to
Nestor Aparicio 30:02
finish seasons in a row, of course, you’re gonna be thinking about drafting a quarterback.
Luke Jones 30:05
Well, but they had they said that than any other point. You know, earlier this offseason, Eric was asked about the possibility of trading Lamar. And they said that that’s not a consideration for us right now, the fact that he did the fact that they didn’t laugh at that the fact that they didn’t dismiss that the fact that they didn’t say, Lamar Jackson is our quarterback, we love him. And we’re determined to make him our quarterback for many years to come. The fact that they acknowledged that yeah, they would consider taking a quarterback early, whether that’s likely or not, for one thing, the top four quarterbacks are not going to be there at 22. So you’d be talking about someone like Hendon, Hooker from Tennessee, who is a talented quarterback, but coming off of a knee injury and may not even play in 2023. But that was interesting to me. But as as Lamar Jackson dialogue goes, that’s about the full extent that we saw because, like I said, I don’t think they even mentioned him by name at any point in time. And of course, you know, after you cut it off after three questions, but there were still questions after that about the quarterback class about quarterbacks about Anthony Richardson about
Nestor Aparicio 31:07
they play football. It’s a quarterback. Like, it’s insane. I got the premise that you would drag the media out and tell them they can’t ask about the quarterback. I don’t know what to say, we we have lost the we have lost the plot. I mean, we really
Luke Jones 31:28
I mean, I don’t know what to tell you, that I disagree. I mean, it’s just, you know, it’s it’s what it is. A couple of questions were asked. They didn’t say anything, and then they cut it off after that. I mean, I you know, I don’t actually ravens
Nestor Aparicio 31:42
report from our ravens reporter, you know, but um anything else that that seeped out of quarterbacks or position players or anything in regard to the class itself, that would be a valid I mean, I talked to a lot of draft and Mike denier on a lot of people on talking about the draft and where the cornerbacks are, that they’re, that that’s the thick place for draft, there’ll be a lot of corners, the first three rounds that go off, right, yeah, corners,
Luke Jones 32:12
wide receivers, they spoke in glowing terms about the depth of the wide receiver class. You know, they they taught edge rushers, which you know, I’m not sure in the first round, based on the fact that, you know, it’s go time for adopt AOA and David Jabo. Although certainly if the right guys there on the board, you can’t dismiss it. But you know, I think, you know, they those are the positions they identified that has good, good depth into day three of the draft, I did find as much as there was not the you think of the liars lunch, and there was never a thought that you were getting earth shattering information, hence, the nickname the liars luncheon. But it always for the most part over the years had kind of a light hearted, fun tone to it. This was not a fun tone whatsoever. I mean, regardless of the Lamar question being caught off, they just didn’t look, they looked miserable. No, they looked miserable. For the most part, the one moment of levity, and one moment of humor was John Harbaugh was asked or it was, I think it was John was asked about joey Porter Jr. Of course, who’s the Penn State corner was asked about the possibility of the Ravens drafting him and Joey Porter senior asking to be a potential Ravens fan, which would be pretty funny. And Eric said, Well, how do we know he would still that he would root for the rave. And so that was like the one moment where there was actually a little bit of laughter. But by and large, it was, you know, and again, I don’t want to make this out to be that the liars luncheon is has all these incredible nuggets of information. It’s all about misinformation, and smoke screens and all of that, you know, you’re not going to give away who your absolute favorite players are. If you do have a quarterback, you’re you have designs of drafting at some point, even if it’s a guy later in the draft, you’re not going to broadcast that. So, you know, again, for what it is, you know, it there wasn’t a whole lot of earth shattering information. But, you know, at the same time, you know, some of the positions of depth that they mentioned are certainly positions the Ravens have needs for so you know, it again, nothing earth shattering, but the overall takeaway was what we saw at the beginning, which was a very clear shift in tone that they’re done talking about Lamar Jackson, and now we kind of, again, I didn’t know what exactly they would say at this point in time, but as we’re in this whole holding pattern, but we’re kind of just waiting and seeing what’s going to happen and see if a team steps up to try to sign them or trade forum and if not, then well we only have a few more months to go until we get to the mid July deadline for the franchise tag and, and all of that so
Nestor Aparicio 34:57
why don’t care what they do because I’m going opening day and I’m gonna sing with Bruce Springsteen. I’m gonna sing with Don Henley over the weekend. Gonna welcome this new arena. We’re gonna get through the Shanky series we got a lot of baseball and I’m gonna make I’m gonna make the most of it matter what you know what I mean? I’m not going to be miserable because they’re miserable. So I believe me I will not be miserable the cold beer in my hand. Delicious crab cake and fade these look you should stop down if at least Friday morning before the game. We’ll set you up right get you a delicious crab cake some mac and cheese. Everybody welcome. Come on down. We’re gonna give away some it’s a lottery scratch offs as well. Luke will be covering all things baseball. And I guess football is quiet now. Right, until there’s a purple thing that happens with Lamar. And that doesn’t feel imminent at all. There’s going to be a draft three weeks from now. And the ravens are gonna there’s gonna be code silence. Right? They’re probably not going to be doing much on their offseason program at this point,
Luke Jones 35:48
right? Yeah, well, I mean, there, there’ll be some access later this month as it pertains to that, you know, maybe we’ll get to talk to the new strength coach, how about that?
Nestor Aparicio 35:57
Look, you better go to those practices, you’ll take your press pass for not being there often enough.
Luke Jones 36:00
But I want to go back, I want to echo something that you just said. Because I understand there’s a lot of frustration from fans. I gosh, I get it. I mean, who knows what’s gonna I mean, when you’ve made one outside edition, it’s Nelson Aguilar. When the free agents that you’ve signed have been generally you know, roll players and guys of that nature and taking nothing away from Justice Hill or guys like that. But they’re not moving the needle, we get that. There’s a lot of frustration. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but to the point that you just made enjoy some baseball NBA playoffs are starting I know the caps are not going to be in a Stanley Cup playoffs. And you know, that’s disappointing locally for those who root for the caps. But there’s lacrosse, there’s a lot going on. Don’t Don’t let the Ravens dictate your mood. And I don’t mean that for you. Specifically. That’s I mean that for anyone there are there’s a lot of other stuff going on. There’ll be there. There will be life after Lamar Jackson, or maybe they can still work something out because there’s not a long list of teams knocking on Lamar Jackson’s.
Nestor Aparicio 36:58
I don’t think they want to give Lamar Jackson $100 Any Well,
Luke Jones 37:02
now, maybe not. But at the same time, until you find a resolution find a solution to this problem that is at all satisfying, you know, you’re not just gonna let them walk. So, you know, that’s where,
Nestor Aparicio 37:14
but are you gonna sit here and play hostage the next six months, and let him dictate all of this while your team sucks?
Luke Jones 37:20
Well, but if you if you let them go, you’re letting them dictate that too. Because then he gets he gets what he wants, he becomes a free agent. So you know, it’s not good. Believe me, I’m not saying it’s good. But I’m, I am not at all convinced how this thing’s gonna play out.
Nestor Aparicio 37:35
It’s great for them because they don’t have to ask any answer any questions even at a press conference. They just datas let you know. They let they let the big guy in the corner just get out and bully everybody so they don’t have to do it so they can sit there and smile efia It’s gross. It’s disgraceful. Having watched the Orioles and done this my whole life. This is disgraceful. And if you see Eric de Costa, you see John hardball. You let because I I’ve reached for the phone a dozen times to text them and tell them what a disgrace they are. But saying it over the over the mic. It’ll get to them. So if you see John, you see Eric, let them know. I think they’re a disgrace. And I think what happened on Wednesday is disgraceful. And what they’ve done to the fans by not answering questions for cat Lamarr forget their business were vested in the story. Don’t treat us like that. Don’t treat us like chumps. Don’t treat us like chumps. The Orioles have been treat people like chumps for a long, long time. I’ve pointed it out. The Ravens have now moved to that point move past that point. I mean, it’s I just always think about what art and David would think. And what Kevin Byrne is watching from this from afar and just can’t be like, this isn’t the way it’s done. It’s just not the way it’s done. It’s not the way it’s done anywhere else. And it shouldn’t be done here. And it should be unacceptable to everybody to everybody. Look, I’ll let you go while watching baseball because I know you’re ready. There’s no football to watch. There’s a draft coming up. I enjoyed women’s basketball. I enjoyed the Final Four. I am ready for baseball season we’ve been watching I’m ready for Grayson time and Adley time and all that stuff. I gotta get my special Lucky Orange shirt that I have out of Oreos or to window with me wearing the Lucky Orange shirt so they’re on to window on the season. Look at me down at Camden Yards. I’ll be a fade. Lee’s. We’ll be at Pappas on Thursday and around they’re just here covering all things and when the Lamar thing sorts itself out, we’ll be the first ones to let you know we are wn st am 1570, Towson Baltimore. And we never stop talking Baltimore positive
