Football Season Is Here!

The Ravens won! The Terps won! Even the Orioles won 2 out of 3 against the Yankees! It was a great weekend to be a Baltimore/MD sports fan. So what if the MD win was ugly. And who cares if the Ravens special teams leaves a little to be desired. It's still early in the season and there were a lot of good things that happened.

First of all, MD is going to struggle for any wins they can get this season. And for that reason, I don't care if it's ugly. This is not a national championship team. This is a young team trying to figure out what it's doing on the football field. I have faith that this team will continue to get better over the season. And since MD is always tumultuous to watch, I think they will still be able to finish with a decent, but not great record.

As for the Ravens, they won the opening game. That's whats important. At the end of the season, it's really all about wins and loses. Flacco looked good under center and the Ravens are undefeated right now. All of the sudden the Ravens have a passing game. So while the defense and special teams might not have shined yesterday, the Ravens have a new element to their game. And the special teams might be a bit rusty. But I'm happy with the play. If we can consistently pull out wins, I'm not that worried about how we get them.

Overall, it was a good weekend. And it's now football season. I can hardly contain my glee. I love everything about it. So exciting. Cheering on my team, tailgating with friends, talking trash about fantasy teams. Yeah, this is a great time of year.

Photo: David Bergman/SI

Going to Miami

The Ravens did it. They beat Jacksonville and are now on their way to the playoffs as the last wild card team. WOO HOO! Baltimore will now be playing the Miami Dolphins next weekend in Miami. This to me is just great. I had no thoughts at the beginning of the season of being in the playoffs. And now I think we have a winnable first round game.

I'm glad that Miami won out today. Otherwise, the Ravens would have had to play the Patriots in Foxborough. I think the Ravens got the better game. The Patriots won 11 games this season without their star quarterback and probably feel pretty ripped off right now to be ending their season without a playoff game. But my team gets to go so I don't feel that bad. And Baltimore has beaten Miami once this year so I think they are better prepared to beat them again.

Also, the Ravens have improved and grown as a team since they played at Miami. Joe Flacco is much more comfortable playing and has been given much more free rein. Also, the team is surprisingly healthy right now. With only a few big injuries and backup players ready to step up. This Ravens team is going to be hard for Miami to beat.

Today the Ravens looked like a team that was really having fun. Flacco was launching the ball down field. Mason and Clayton kept coming up big. Reed had two interceptions and there were a bunch of trick plays that kept the Jacksonville defense one step behind the Baltimore offense. Baltimore just dominated this game. It was fun to watch. I'm already excited for next weeks game.

GO RAVENS!!

Maybe Next Year

This has been a year of unlikely happenings. And while the world seems to be falling apart everywhere you look with the economic crisis, the on going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the end of these being nowhere in sight, there have been some great things that have happened this year. And with the new year comes new hope.

I'm just going to talk about the good things in the sports world. Though I love politics, I've tried to keep this blog free of my personal views on the election. However, it is impossible to talk about things happening this year without at least mentioning the historic election of Barack Obama. And to tie this into sports somehow, he has expressed interest in getting a playoff system for college football. And for that policy he has my whole hearted support.

This year has been one of upsets and unlikely characters winning. The World Series featured the Tampa Bay Ray, who had never before had a winning season and the Philadelphia Phillies, whose city had suffered from a 25 year championship drought. The Phillies won and the in an even more unlikely turn of events, everyone is Philadelphia was happy for a few weeks. That was a truly amazing sight. The Rays gave hope to every small market team that with good management and a well stocked farm system allows a team to compete even in a division with the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Another surprise this year for me was the Ravens actually being competitive. With so much turnover and so many changes I picked them to go 5-11. They are now one win away from having the opposite record and going to the playoffs. My hopes for maybe next year turned into maybe this year. A win over Jacksonville tomorrow will cement a playoff berth and even a loss with some help could send them into the post season. The Ravens have been competitive all season and had some hard losses. Overall, they've been really fun to watch and it's been great to finally see some offense from this team.

The Terps football team was one of constant surprises. Each week a different team seemed to take the field. And they seemed to win the games they were supposed to lose and lose the ones they were supposed to win. They went from thoroughly enjoyable to completely unwatchable. It was a frustrating season, but they ended with a respectable record and a bowl game. So next year hopefully they'll be a tad more consistent and go to a bowl game in a warm city, instead of Boise. But a bowl game is always nice, expect another post about this soon.

The Terps basketball team is off to a great start this season. They are 8-2 and winning at the moment. They haven't lost any truly damaging out of conference games. They're only two losses coming to Georgetown and Gonzaga, both ranked. And they have managed upset wins over Michigan and Michigan State. They are playing well with a young team and look to be in a good position going into ACC play in the new year. Hopefully this season will end with a tournament appearance, and not the NIT. Right now things are looking good for the young Terps team.

I also discovered hockey this year. And apparently at the right time. The Caps went from being one of the worst teams in the league to winning their division and making the playoffs last year. Even though they were eliminated in the first round, they fought til the end and gained good experience. This season, the Caps have suffered injury after injury and are still leading their division by ten points. They could make a good run this season if they can get everyone or mostly everyone healthy by playoff time.

Even the Orioles seem to be moving in the right direction. They are shoring up their farm system and trying to sign young players to improve their core. They didn't get Teixeira, but not all is lost. The hometown boy probably wouldn't have been the savior they were looking for anyway. And while it's a slap in the face to go play in New York, that money can be better spent on quality pitching, a far more pressing need for this team. But with Baltimore back on the jerseys, maybe next season will be a winning one.

The Summer Olympics also took place this year. Michael Phelps popularized swimming and won a record eight gold medals. There was also some scandal involved with possibly underage gymnasts. And Usain Bolt shattered his world record 100 meter time even though he slowed down at the end to showboat. China dominated sports I didn't know existed like synchronized diving and trampoline. But the US had strong showing overall and I got sucked into watching sports I didn't care about and cheering for unlikely comebacks. I'm actually excited to see what happens in four years.

The new year is a time to look back and see how far things have come. Its a time to remember the good things of the year and think of ways to make the next year better. With so much turmoil and uncertainty in the world right now its nice to be able to look at sports think of the eternal hope of sports fans. Maybe next year things will turn around.

Thanks for everyone who has supported and read my blog this year. I've really enjoyed writing it and appreciate all the comments and criticisms. I'll try to get a few more posts up this year, but I thought I'd thank you all in advance. Have a happy new year.

Incontrovertable Evidence?

So I know everyone has been complaining about the call at the end of the Ravens-Steelers game since the end of the Ravens-Steelers game. So I'm a little late in adding onto the complaining. However, I've been busy with exams so my complaining has mostly been directed elsewhere. But now I'm back to procrastinating, so here's the complaining. How could that call have been made?

That call was so close and it was originally ruled not a touchdown. If it had been ruled a touchdown on the field then there was not enough evidence to overturn that call either. It was just way to close. And the rules state that if there is not incontrovertable evidence then the ruling on the field stands, or something like that. And the ruling on the field should have stood.

The Ravens still control their own destiny. So if they win out their last two games then they will still make the playoffs as a wild card. If not then they will need some help. But if they miss the playoffs because of this I'm going to be really pissed. I know I've been talking all season about how the Ravens have done so much better than I expected and I'll be happy with whatever happens. But this is just so wrong. A season shouldn't be decided by one bad call.

If the Ravens win the next two games it won't really matter. But right now that's a big IF. This week the Ravens go to Dallas to play a resurgent Cowboys team. I'm not really sure how one moment the Cowboys seem ready to implode and the next moment they're destroying the Giants. The Ravens seem to be playing this team at the wrong time. And I'm a little worried.

I've tried to keep my playoff hopes under control. But Baltimore has been playing so well they started to creep into my mind. And no rookie quarterback, rookie coach, rookie runningback talk could douse them. I'm not ready to have those hopes dashed by a pretty boy, a drama queen and a bad call.

So Ravens, please win. Please. I'm a strong believer in maybe next year, but right now, I'm still not ready to give up on this year.

Photo: AP/Rob Carr found at http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/NFL/2008/12/14/7749046-ap.html

Higher Expectations Lower Spirits

Yesterday the Ravens destroyed the Bengals 34-3. And honestly, the score probably could have been a lot worse for the Bungles. The Ravens now have an 8-4 record. They can't have a losing season. And somehow, they are still in the playoff race and could still win the division. Yet watching them demolish the Bengals was not that exciting. It was merely expected, the Bengals are so bad, it almost takes the sport out of the game. As I watched the game, I realized there was nothing the Ravens could do that would surprise me. Mark Clayton throws a touchdown, Clayton's one handed TD grab, Flacco throwing for 280 yards, none of it was that surprising, though that one handed grab was pretty sweet. But if it was going to happen, it would happen against the Bengals, they really are just that bad.

I just can't get that worked up about this win. The Ravens should beat the Bengals. If you had told me at the beginning of the season the Ravens would be 8-4, with a rookie coach, quarterback, running back, and no real bye week I would have been ecstatic. But now my expectations have been raised. I know they will win games against the bad teams, it's just a matter of by how much.

I like watching Flacco progress, I like seeing my team do well. But it's hard for me to get excited about a win like this. Next week, we'll play the Redskins, then the Steelers, then the Cowboys and the Jaguars. All of those teams are legitimate competitive teams. It's possible the Ravens could lose the last four games. I doubt this will happen, but I could believe it. And yet, I can't enjoy that win yesterday. I now expect the Ravens to compete on a high level and watching them play the Bengals was like watching them play my high school team. If the Ravens didn't win, something would be seriously wrong.

This was a rebuilding year, and while I'm glad the rebuilding is going faster than expected, I don't know why I'm not more excited. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, it's almost exam time and my stress level is pretty high, but I wasn't really wowed by this last game. I don't think I'll have to worry about this anymore, since the rest of the season should be good games or at least competitive ones. As a fan, I like to see a little competition. Is that too much to ask?

Photo: http://www.ravensgab.com/2008/07/28/paging-mark-clayton/

Fun Times at Ravens Stadium

Yesterday the Ravens pounded the Eagles 36-7 for a thrilling 60 minutes of game time. Luckily, it wasn't a close game so we, the fans, were not subjected to talk of possible ties and players who may or may not know the rules of overtime. This was, on a personal note, the game I was looking forward to the most all season. In Baltimore, there are several teams we love to beat, including the Steelers, the Colts(though that never seems to happen) and the Redskins, among others. But Philadelphia was really the team I was most hoping to win against. I even took the energy to bundle up in 400 layers and spent the money to go to the game.

I live in Philadelphia for school, so I have to put up with Eagles fans pretty much all year round. And while I was happy for the citizens of Philadelphia to win the World Series, and happier to join in their revelry, I have no love lost for the Eagles. Mostly, I just hate that stupid chant that seems to emerge any time there are more than two Eagles fans in the room, no matter what the event. It just annoys the hell out of me. Also, I now have a lot of friends who are Eagles fans, and there is always competition and friendly rivalries between fans. I knew that no matter what happened the rest of the season, if the Ravens lost to the Eagles, I would be hearing about it for years. And I just wasn't ready to deal with that.

So thank you, the Baltimore Ravens, for allowing me to hold my head up high upon my return to the City of Brotherly Love. Those four interceptions, the safety, the high score, and pretty much the complete dominance of the Eagles allowed me to go basically the whole game without hearing that stupid fight song. The only slip up was the runback for a touchdown. But that was over so fast and was the only pause in the thrashing you gave Philadelphia, that no time need be spent dwelling on it. The Ravens even succeeded in getting McNabb benched, a rare feat.

I actually like McNabb, despite his inability to manage the clock, his lack of knowledge about the rules of overtime, and his puking on the sidelines, he has always been a very likeable guy. He's always smiling and composed. He appears to be trying hard despite the situation, and he never seems to be on the wrong side of his teammates or coach. (With the exception of T.O., who seems to put himself on everyone's wrong side.) So while I'm a little sad it looks like McNabb's legacy is going to be mired in his overtime incident instead of all the games he won for the Eagles and his years of consistent play, I can't help but rejoice in my team's overpowering performance.

The Ravens were able to rebound from last weeks abyssmal performance and show their resilience. This team is now still in contention to win the AFC North, at 7-4, only one game behind the Steelers. And if the season ended today, they would claim a wildcard spot and make the playoffs. But right now that doesn't matter to me. This team has won the game I really wanted them to win, and has done much better than I expected this season. So right now I'm just going to bask in the glow of this win for a little longer.

Photo from the Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Get Giant Beating

The Ravens lost yesterday at the Meadowlands to the Giants 30-10. They were outplayed in pretty much every aspect of the game. The Giants ran all over the Ravens' top ranked rush defense. They threw the ball well, and they shut down the Ravens' running game, putting more pressure on rookie Joe Flacco. But honestly, I'm not that upset.

Usually, I'm painfully pissed off after a loss, but yesterday, I just didn't have my usual ire. Maybe it's because Maryland has actually been winning recently and still controls its destiny in the ACC Atlantic Division. But maybe, it's because this Ravens team has already way exceeded my expectations. I picked them to go 5-11, they've already done better than that. This team has come a long way since the first preseason game where Flacco didn't have a clue.

Right now the Ravens are one game behind in the AFC North and well situated to get a wild card spot even if they don't win the division. Really, at the beginning of the season were we even talking about the playoffs? No. This was a rebuilding year, new coach, new quarterback, young offensive line and lot of injuries in the secondary. This team isn't giving up, they are going to continue to play solid the rest of the season, and next season is going to look even better.

The Giants beat the Ravens. The Giants looked like a better team. Really, the Giants looked like the best team I've seen all year. They are the defending Superbowl Champs. And they only have one loss and are leading what is considered the toughest division in the NFL, the NFC East. There's no shame in losing to the Giants, it's not like we tied the Bengals. That would just be shameful.

So instead of being angry about this loss, lets focus on the next game. The Ravens need to win against the bumbling Eagles team. I mean they tied the Bengals. And their quarterback was not aware that an NFL game could end in a tie. I mean it hasn't happened in six seasons, but that doesn't seem like much of an excuse.

So Ravens, please, try to learn from last week, and then go out there and pummel the Eagles in Baltimore. Otherwise, fans will have a real reason to be angry.

END NOTE: My ticket to the Ravens-Eagles games seems to have fallen through. So I am now in the market again for a ticket. Shoot me an email at meghanlg@gmail.com if you have an extra you are looking to get rid of. Thanks.

Photo: AP courtesy of the Charlotte Observer

Ravens Are Bowl Eligible

Well, I was wrong. Before the season began, I predicted the Ravens final record to be 5-11. As of right now the Ravens are 6-3 are tied with Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC North after a 41-13 win over the Texans. And the Ravens are looking better than anyone I know expected and have compiled four straight wins. The Ravens are taking advantage of the weaker teams they have to play and getting the wins they need to get. They have only beaten one team with a winning record, but two of the three games they have lost were very close. And as the Ravens seemingly get better each week, they will probably have a good chance to make the playoffs.

A lot of this renewed hope in Baltimore is due to the 'three headed monster" running back approach. Call me an elitist if you will, I am going to rename this the Ravens' Hydra. I think it sounds better, and makes sense. Running backs Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le'Ron McClain combine to tear apart defenses week after week. It seems as if a team tries to shut one down just has to worry about another. In a way, if you cut off one head, another grows back in its place.

One reason that the Hydra is so effective is the offensive line good play. This line was suspect coming into this season. Plagued with injury and inexperienced players, the O-line has overcome these obstacles and come together quite nicely. They open running lanes and help to make the big plays. They will however face a big challenge next week against the Giants' defense. And we'll get to see if the Ravens' offense is really coming together or has just capitalized against weak defenses.

The Hydra and the offensive line also allows Joe Flacco to excel. The Ravens are able to run the ball so there is less pressure on Flacco. And the offensive line relieves pressure by giving him plenty of time in the pocket. He's been able to mature from game to game and can lead the team down the field. He can spread the defense by throwing the long ball, man, he has a rocket for an arm. And it turn, this helps the Hydra to succeed. If a defense stuffs the box to block the run, he can throw a long pass and open up the field.

Every part of this team seems to be working together to make the other parts better. The second string quarterback, Troy Smith comes in and runs the option, he creates another threat and adds another highly skilled player to the offense. He enables Flacco to become a receiver, which helps to confuse defenses. And receiver Derek Mason has been running great routes making Flacco's passes look even better because Mason keeps coming down with the ball. Even Todd Heap was getting in on the action last week, reminding everyone why we used to love this tight end.

Cam Cameron has done a great job this year making this offense work. He deserves some type of award for finally giving Baltimore an offense. I'm happy Miami was so bad last year so the Ravens were able to pick him up. I guess something good came out of the 1-15 season.

But this is still a very good defense. Ray Lewis, who people were saying was past his prime, came down with two interceptions yesterday. He continues to be a dynamic force on the field and great leader on the sidelines. Even in his 13th season he continues to be effective in leading the defense which has not allowed a 100 yard rusher in recent memory. Only three teams this season have scored over 20 points on the season and only one team, the Colts, have scored over 30 points. Those are impressive numbers. This is a defense that cannot be overlooked, even though the offense has been shining this year as well.

Expect the defense to play a big part next week against the Giants, the defending Super Bowl Champions are 8-1 this season and are pulling away from the NFC East, considered the best conference in football right now. They are looking to be serious contenders again this year, and a win by the Ravens would be a big statement about how far this young Baltimore team has come.
It should be an exciting game next week. We'll see if the Ravens' Hydra combined with new dynamic offense and brutal defense can shut down the Giants' own three headed monster. It'll be a good test for the Ravens who have so far this season exceeded expectations. While playoffs this year would be great, knowing that we are able to compete with the best teams in the league will be a good enough result for me.

Flacco for President

For years, Ravens' fans have watched our beloved defense win games and haven't complained too much. But this weekend we saw something different. The offense actually came from behind and won the game. When the Ravens were down 27-13 in the third quarter I thought it was over. Yeah, I was ready to call it quits and go take a nap. But I hung on and something wonderful happened. We cam from behind and won. The Ravens scored 24 unanswered points in the second half.

There have been many games over the years where the Ravens have scored 24 points over the course of several games. So this is a big change for us loyal fans. All of a sudden, we're not out of the game when down. All of a sudden, we can come from behind. This is a huge change. And its something to get excited about. Games will be more fun to watch because everyone loves offense. People will have more reasons to cheer. And Baltimore will have a much better chance to not only have a winning record but make the playoffs.

Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have found a franchise quarterback. He has a cannon for an arm, can run if need by, and even has pretty good hands for any of those crazy trick plays. I doubted him in the beginning. I didn't think he was ready. But it goes to show that a level head, poise and steep learning curve can count for more than experience. Experience doesn't hurt. With every game he gets better and better. And that has to have something to do with experience, but I guess it could also be comfort within the system.

Flacco now has my full vote of confidence as a starter. And if there are any fans still not behind him, I think you should take another look at his accomplishments. He has no interceptions in the last three games while having four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. He's not afraid to take risks and throw the long ball to spread the field. He stays calm in a crisis and can orchestrate a come from behind win on the road. He even runs a no huddle offense with only minor snafus.

So as a Ravens fans, I think I've found change I can believe in.

Ravens Offense Runs Wild

This weekend was a little bit of sports overload for me. Homecoming, World Series, Ravens game, as well as an exam on Monday and a paper due Thursday left me a somewhat overwhelmed. So while I was super excited about the Ravens' win over Oakland, it was hard for me to find time to write about it. Please excuse this late editorial about last weekends game. It was one of the most fun games to watch in a while. It was almost as if Oakland was so bad the Ravens felt they could just run any offensive scheme. And well, they were kind of right.

The Ravens are a team that relies on its defense. Defense wins championships. This is something we have been taught again and again and again. But as many times as I hear this adage, it doesn't matter, offense is fun to watch. And as a Ravens fan, offense has been sorely missing. When there is something exciting happening in a Ravens game, it's usually bad, or a brief moment of defensive brilliance. But offense is what crowds want to see. And the Ravens came through winning 29-10.

Last weekend the Ravens went wild. Defensive players playing offense. Quarterbacks playing receivers. Trick plays, running plays, passing plays, overwhelming amounts of offense. Forget Miami's Wildcat, Baltimore has their two quarterback offense. And I'll take any offense that scores points for the Ravens. Especially when there is an extra skilled player, Troy Smith, on the field.

I think Flacco is great. Or at least is going to be great. He has shown poise and the ability to bounce back after losing. But I feel a little twinge for Troy Smith. He won a Heisman and would have been starting this season if not for a virulent strain of tonsillitis. He lost over 20 lbs. in two weeks. Man I want that diet, except if I lost 20 lbs I might shrivel up and die. Anyway, he is a great player, even if he's not our starting quarterback, it helps to have him on the field.

And this weekend the Ravens coaching staff came to the same conclusion. So Cam Cameron, Rex Ryan and John Harbaugh decided to utilize this valuable asset. And it worked out well. It was really fun to watch Troy Smith throw a 43 yard pass to Joe Flacco. Flacco could have had a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown if he had not tripped near the goal line. But still, an unusually fun game by the Ravens.

Yes, it was against the Oakland Raiders. And without their star running back Darren McFadden. But still, it was good to see the Ravens offense put the points on the board. This was a showdown of defensive coordinators. With the Ravens Rex Ryan going up against his brother, the Raiders, Rob Ryan. It was clear the Rex was the winner on Sunday.

I hope the offense continues to produce. I also hope they keep utilizing all the possible strengths and assets that are available. If they do, it'll be a fun season for Ravens fans. Because while our defense will continue to be stellar, our offense will finally start to match up.

Good Day for Ray Ray and the Rays

This was a great sports weekend for me. But since I already addressed the total madness that is the Maryland football team, I'll limit this post to the events of Sunday Funday. It was a really good day for the Ravens. In a game that they needed to win to keep the faith for this season, the whole team stepped up and played solid football. Also, the Tampa Bay Rays restored hope to all the perennial cellar dwellers by holding off another Boston comeback to go from last in the division to ALCS winners in one season. Thank you for that.

The Ravens had to win this game. They had lost three in a row and were beginning to look like the team everyone thought they were going to be this season. Hell, I couldn't even bring myself to write about last weeks game. It was just too painful. But after throwing just one touchdown and seven interceptions this season, Flacco came back with a solid performance with a TD and no interceptions. He seemed to still be confident even after a being picked apart last week. I met another Ravens fan at the bar yesterday while watching the game who said he lived in the same building as Flacco. He told me that after last weeks game, him and his wife wanted to get a cardboard cutout of Troy Smith and put it in from of Flacco's door as if he were knocking. I think this is hysterical. But after Sunday's game, Flacco really doesn't deserve it. Oh well, I'll take a win and a solid showing over a good prank almost any day.

What was really great about the Miami game though was the Ravens' defense. They managed to contain Miami's wildcat offense that had wreaked havoc on other teams. They were also responsible for a TD that helped the Ravens put Miami away for good. The Ravens scored 27 points and could not have done it without the brilliant play of the defense. The Ravens are known for having their defense carry them. And this game was a good sign that defense will continue to shoulder some of the weight as Joe Flacco continues to improve into the future of this football team. With every game he should be able to rely less and less on the defense, but as long as they are contributing, it takes some of the pressure off of him and lets him play and mature without the whole weight of the team on his shoulders.

With the Ravens playing the lackluster Raiders next week at home, they should be able to garner an above .500 record. The Raiders star rookie, Darren McFadden will have to contend against a defense that has not allowed a 100 yd rusher in 25 straight games. The best in the league. And while the team managed to earn its second win against the Jets on Sunday. They'll have a very different team to contend with this coming Sunday. Let's hope the Ravens step up to the task and continue to shut teams down and win.

The other great story on Sunday was the Tampa Bay Rays managing to keep Boston at bay and win the ALCS. Matt Garza got the MVP for pitching two solid games. Last night he continued to throw strikes and get players out even after pitching the magic number of 100 pitches. This makes me question the seemingly widely held belief that pitchers should be taken out after 100 pitches. Every pitcher has his own limit and if he's in a groove or 'settled in' and doing well, why bring in someone new. Will pitching an extra 15-20 pitches make it that much harder to recover and be able to pitch again four days later? I am asking this sincerely as I really don't know anything about pitching and how much it tires you out.

I was worried after the Rays blew game 5 in the last few innings and then couldn't seem to get their act together for game 6. But those scrappy Rays came out ready to play yesterday and even after going down by one run in the first inning never gave up hope. They fought back, held on, and managed to strand Red Sox base runner after base runner. Every time a Red Sox player came up to bat, I thought this was it, this was the batter that was going to swing the momentum back to Boston, this is the one thats going to end it. But that never happened. Even after errors and a bunch of pitchers. Tampa hung on for all 27 outs.

After the last batter grounded out, the team rushed the pitcher. There was giant mound of celebrating Rays. I was actually worried that the pitcher, Price, would get hurt. Afterwards he said he couldn't breathe at the bottom of the pile, but wouldn't change it for the world. I love the way the team celebrates. The players were soaked before they even got the ALCS Champ trophy. Their Rayhawks were dripping. This is a team that really treasures the victory and appreciates how far its come. They are a team that gives hope to all the other losing disheartened teams out there.

It'll be great to see two new teams in the World Series. I know the Phillies are not a new team but they haven't been in a World Series in 15 years. So they're not the teams we've seen in the playoffs year in and year out for the last few years. And the Rays have never been in a playoffs before, let alone a World Series. I'm still deciding who I really want to root for. But I think I'll be happy either way. Wednesday should be fun.

Hokies are Turkeys

This weekend I headed down to Virginia Tech. Not only did I unexpectedly get to enjoy their homecoming, but I also was busy celebrating their win during the Maryland game, so I got to miss out on that agony. And while I thought the five hour drive back to Baltimore was long and painful. It probably wasn't as bad a watching the Ravens blow their lead in the fourth quarter after a hard fought game. The Ravens offensive line was impressive and prevented Flacco from getting sacked by one of the best defenses in the league. I'm not saying the Ravens didn't play well. I'm just glad I didn't have to watch them lose.

Two seasons ago the Ravens were 2-2 after their first four games. They went 11-1 for the rest of the season. Flacco is progressing nicely. The defense is doing great. And they've faced some really tough games. I'm optimistic for next week against the Colts. Not only do I despise the Colts, but they are not having the best year. I think that the Ravens' defense will be able to do well, especially since the Colts are not known for their tough physical game. Hopefully, the Ravens will be able to turn this around.

This weekend instead of watching my teams lose, I watched VT win their homecoming against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Some of my brothers friends were making fun of the Hilltopper mascot. It's a big red furry thing. I can't really describe it all that well. But I thought it was funny considering the Virginia Tech mascot is a Hokie, otherwise known as a turkey. The VT fans even make turkey sounds when cheering on their team. But despite this, VT fans get very upset if you call the hokie bird a turkey. I mean I'm a little more afraid of giant red monster than a turkey. I'm just saying.

No disrespect to VT. It was an awesome place to visit. And a great place to tailgate and watch a game. I really forgot how much I like watching college football live. It's fun because any play could truly be a breakout play. And the level of excitement is so high. It could just be because it was homecoming, but I think that it's probably like that every game. WKU was an inferior team. I'd like to see VT fans when their team is playing a competitive game. I highly recommend a visit, even if it's not to see a game. Blacksburg is really cute and the campus is made completely of hokie stone (local granite) and is really pretty. Plus the fans are really friendly and nice. But remember to not call the hokie a turkey.

Nevermind, Fall Just Brings New Pain

A few days ago I was reeling in the amazingness that was the Maryland comeback win, even though it was incredibly hard to watch, and rattling on about how all the fall sports happening somehow manage to make me forget or at least ease the pain of being an Orioles fan in September. I must have been setting myself up for heartbreak. And last night it happened. The Ravens lost 23-20 in overtime to the Steelers after dominating the first half of the game. Thus, the dull constant heartache caused by the end of the Orioles season was replaced by the stabbing heartache of losing a totally winnable game in OT.

So I started to think about some of the different types of losses and which is really harder? Watching a blowout is terrible, but at the same time, you usually see them coming. Or at least had an idea that the team was out of your league. It's like getting rejected by the young Brad Pitt look alike. It stings, but you saw it coming. And it's not that hard to get over. A blow out you didn't see coming is harder to accept. Just ask those any Georgia fan after getting routed by Alabama this weekend. Yeah, they came back in the second half to make it not completely embarrassing but still, they were predicted number one in the preseason, and were down 31-0 at halftime, at home, during a blackout. That stings. But at the same time, you know whats happening pretty quickly. Well before the end of the game you've sunk into despair and can start stages of grief.

But overtime losses have to be the most cruel. The Ravens weren't supposed to win this game. They have a rookie coach and a rookie quarterback, at his first road start, on a Monday night. They had only beaten the Bengals and the Browns, two of the worst teams in football, and were playing against a Steelers team that may have lost to the Eagles but are still ranked pretty high and were expected to run away with the AFC North this season. Which is why when Flacco looked poised, even after multiple sacks; when the defense forced Pittsburgh to kick two field goals instead of touchdowns; when Roethlisberger and the offense were being booed by the Pittsburgh fans; and when our offense managed to score a touchdown; I believed we could win. The hope started to grow. I thought we had a chance before the game, I was pretty sure it would be close, but after the first half I really thought we could win.

Then there were those 15 seconds in the third quarter where the Steelers scored two touchdowns. And my hope was dashed. But all of a sudden the score was tied again. And the teams were headed into overtime. Now, NFL overtime rules are possibly the worst in any sport. So much of it depends on the coin toss. Which is why when the Ravens won the toss I was excited. To be fair I was also excited that they won by calling tails because I always call tails. Hope was once again blooming. All we had to do was get into field goal range and we could win. And Matt Stover is one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL. I started to believe it could happen. We were going to upset the Steelers on Monday night with a rookie.

But then the Ravens screwed up the kickoff return and just kind of stalled. They couldn't stop the Steelers and as I was hoping for a wide right, I saw number one in our divison slip away.

That roller coaster of emotions is why overtime losses are so hard. You have hope, its gone, wait no, there's still a chance, nevermind, oh yes, maybe, maybe, it could happen.....NNNNOOOO!!!!! Overtime losses are like that on again off again relationship. Its good and you think it could work, but then somethings wrong and you part ways, only to realize it was good and maybe you too should try again. In the end you go back and forth a lot but end up there's just a lot of heartbreak. You tell people you learned something from the relationship, and maybe you did, but that doesn't make the heartache any less.

So in true heartbreak fashion, here's what I learned from the overtime loss. Flacco has a lot of potential and really could be our starter of the future. But he is still a rookie and I can't just go fall in love with him because he was nice on the first few dates. The Ravens are more for real than they looked in the preseason, but I can't start planning the wedding a.k.a the playoff run this early in the season, theres still tough times ahead, like the entire NFC East and 15 straight games. Mostly I'm hoping that this overtime loss isn't the first in a series of heartbreaks this season. Because I still haven't learned not to get overly emotionally invested in these games and in this season.

Fall Eases Pain

Fall might be the best sports season of the year. The air is crisp. Well actually its a little humid in Philly this weekend. There's excitement abounding for all the different sports that are starting and getting into the meat of their schedules. Summer is fading away and the its time to replace swimsuits with sweaters, beach weekends with tailgates and baseball with a myriad of other sports.

Baseball is winding down. And even though the playoffs will go into October, my Orioles won't be heading there. I can't say that I'm that upset. I'm actually pretty excited, they have already won 18 more games than I thought they would and since they play their last game today, it might be 19. And they kept me interested in baseball all the way until August, which is longer than most years. But still watching them fall apart in August is always hard. Its a pain that even though its completely expected, never really hurts less because you know its coming. And I'm ready to go from cautious to overly optimistic about my other sports teams and forget the pain the Orioles have inflicted on me once again. And now I'll have some time to forget about it so I can be excited for the heartbreak that will be next season. Though...if the O's could just get some healthy starting pitchers maybe we could be good, maybe even winning season good. See I'm already managing to forget this September.

Another thing about fall is that there's just some gut instinct that this is a time when things are supposed to happen. Yesterday was a prime example. It was just full of upsets in college football. It seemed like all the top 25 teams lost or when they played each other, the lower ranked team won. Even Maryland beat Clemson in an upset. It was completely unexpected and awesome. Maryland didn't really show up in the first half and it seemed like a lost cause. I'm pretty sure my head was in my hands every time Clemson had the ball, I really didn't want to watch them run all over my Terps. I mean, our best play of the first half came when a ball bounced of the shoulder of a Maryland player and being somehow caught by another Maryland receiver. It wasn't even a designed play that got us the most yardage. That's hard to watch. But in the second half something changed. The defense stepped up and suddenly Clemson was facing third downs (which they hadn't really had to deal with in the first half) and Clemson was punting. PUNTING!!! I don't think that happened in the whole first half. But I'm not entirely sure about that, like I said, I spent a lot of time staring at my hands. If you had told me after barely beating Delaware that Maryland would be 4-1 and have beaten two ranked teams at this time of year I would have looked at you quizzically and made some comment about you being overly optimistic. But hell, we could win the ACC, no one else seems to be rising to the challenge. Its a wide open race at this point. Now its completely possible that this team will also bring me pain. I mean just watching the first half against Clemson was excruciating, but we won in the end so its just a minor ache in hindsight.

Also helping me to forget the pain of baseball is the NFL. The Ravens are 2-0 and the defense is looking nasty. Pittsburgh's offensive line allowed Big Ben to get sacked 8 times last week. I'm thinking that he better get ready, because Baltimore loves nothing more than throwing the quarterback around. After two solid starts against terrible teams, the Ravens will finally have a chance to show they can be a contender against a solid Pittsburgh team. Tomorrow will truly be the time for Joe Flacco to step up. Despite the poor offensive line, the Steelers are still a team to be reckoned with, and playing them at Pittsburgh will be a tough challenge for Flaccos first away game. I'm hoping the Ravens bring their A-game and take control of the AFC North.

And as an added bonus hockey season has started. Well, its just preseason, but still. Now a few years ago, I couldn't have cared less about hockey. Then I moved to Philadelphia where people love their hockey. I have to give it to Philly, they love their sports teams, even if they do boo them mercilessly. But that wasn't enough to really sell me on the sport. I watched a couple games, learned a few terms and found out that Ovechkin is awesome, but didn't really pay that much attention. I mean that Caps were still pretty terrible and I can't really cheer for a Philly team and thereby be considered a Philadelphia fan. But then I met a guy who loved hockey. Wanting to be able to talk to him about the Caps and as a result impress him I started paying attention. Needless to say, things didn't really work out with the guy, but that's ok, because I developed a longer lasting and stronger relationship with hockey. It helped that the Caps turned the team around and made the playoffs. Now the season is starting up again and the Caps are 3-0. Hockey season is really long, but its always nice to start out winning. It'll probably be hard for me to watch a lot of Caps games up here in Philly but since hockey plays pretty much every night of the week, I'm sure I'll get a few games in eventually.

I'm even mildly interested in the NBA this year. Not that I'll ever go out of my way to watch a game. But Juan Dixon of the Maryland National Championship team was signed by the Wizards. And that is a move that makes me slightly interested and willing to pay at least a little attention to them.

Overall, I'm excited about the way things have been shaping up so far. And regardless of how all these seasons finish up, I'm happy to enjoy them now. It helps to ease the pain of the looming cold weather and the terrible September for the Orioles.

Bye Week

As a result of hurricane Ike, the Ravens have a bye week this week. The game was originally supposed to be played in Houston but the stadium was damaged during the storm and would not be ready for play on the first rescheduled time on Monday. The NFL also did not want to rush the people of Houston back to their city to watch the game or force the Texans to play for a home crowd full of people who had just lost their homes. While I admire the NFL for trying to do the right thing, why do they have to do it when it screws my team? A bye the second week of the season. That means the Ravens will now play 15 straight weeks. That sucks for them. There will be no time for their future injured players to really recover.

I am not trying to be heartless here. I used to live in New Orleans several years before Katrina. After Katrina and Rita I volunteered with the Red Cross for three weeks and was placed in Baton Rouge and visited New Orleans and saw the damage for myself. It was heartbreaking. But I believe the Saints played their first couple games in Baton Rouge. Also a few years ago there were wild fires I think in San Diego, again not exactly sure and too lazy to look it up. But the Monday Night game was moved to the University of Arizona in Tempe. I remember this because if you went to the Arizona you got to go to the game for free and I was jealous. So is the NFL trying to tell me that there is not a big college football stadium somewhere in the vicinity of Houston where the Texans could play for a week. I mean a week 2 bye also screws the Texans. They really would rather have a long season with no real bye than play in a different site with a still Texas bias crowd? Really? Really? I know neither team is supposed to be good this year, but still, are we trying to stack the deck against us?

On the plus side, the Ravens go one more week undefeated. Which is nice for people like me to contemplate. Even if its because of a hurricane. And since the Ravens play the Browns next week at Baltimore, we could be undefeated for the first three weeks of the season. The Browns have not been playing up to their hype this year. I have Derek Anderson on my fantasy team so I actually have paid a tiny bit of attention to them. That and it was impossible to miss how they got creamed at Dallas last week. This week isn't look much better for the Dog Pound. As I write this they are losing to Pittsburgh. Yes, its the end of the third quarter and the score is 10-3 Pittsburgh, so the Browns could come back. But Anderson has thrown 2 interceptions and no touchdowns so I'm not holding my breath.

Since the Ravens didn't play today, I spent some time watching other random games. Pretty much whatever was on. And also got several reals of highlights. So I'll throw out a couple random observations about the season.

Adrian Peterson is awesome and the Vikings are wusses. They/he ran all over the Colts and still lost because they only scored touchdowns. I'm sorry, but if you have someone run for 160 yards, your team should score a touchdown. Instead, they let Manning show that even injured he has learned to play in the clutch situations. And he came back and let Adam Viniteri kick a field goal to win the game.

Jay Cutler is awesome. Its possible that the Chargers are just bad this year. But Cutler cut them to shreds by passing for 350 yards with 4 touchdowns and a 2 point conversion. I mean he had an end zone interception but if you put up numbers like this every week your team is probably going to win. Even though Denver's defense almost gave up the game and let San Diego come back and take the lead near the end of the fourth quarter, Cutler carved up the Chargers D and scored. And then Shanahan did what everyone else called the risky move and went for the two point conversion for the win. I think this was the obvious right move. Everything that day had gone Denver's way. There were two botched calls that should have led to turnovers, one as a result of replay/review malfunction and one where Cutler fumbled but the ref blew the ball dead so it was not actually a fumble. Furthermore, Denver wasn't able to stop San Diego most of the second half, so if they lost the coin flip, I think they would have lost the game. And finally, Cutler's receiver seemed to have magnets or glue or something, they just kept coming up with the ball. I admire the "risky" play of Shanahan. I think he made the right choice and I'm glad it worked out for him.

The Pats managed to win without Brady. This is not really that shocking. The Jets barely beat the Dolphins last week. And the Pats have a great supporting cast and a great defense. As long as Cassel could manage to not mess up, the Pats were probably going to win. But, I'll have to say that next week Cassel is going to have to look more towards Randy Moss. Moss was happy with Brady because he got lots of passes and lots of touchdowns. Today Moss had 22 receiving yards for 2 receptions. He stepped up to the media this week and sounded more mature. But if he doesn't get his spotlight its just a matter of time before he implodes and takes whoever happens to be around him down with him. So throw him the ball Cassel, he's a super talented receiver, he'll probably come up with it and make you look better. It'll work out best for everyone this way.

My last observation of this week. Kansas City has won the title of the worst team in the NFL. Now I know some of you are thinking Cincinnati, but I'm pretty sure its KC. They lost to Oakland today. The Raiders were/are a contender for worst team in the league, but Darren McFadden had a great game and the Chiefs just got embarrassed. Next week Cincy could try and take the crown for worst team. But right not the Chiefs have won it.

Also, I have to briefly mention that somehow Maryland won. They beat 23 ranked Cal. Well, not ranked anymore, but they were at the time. I'm not sure exactly how this happened after their first two terrible showings, a loss to Middle Tennessee and a pathetic win against Delaware, but the Fridge came through. I didn't actually watch the game, I didn't want the pain. But now I'm tempted to watch the Terps play next week, which will undoubtedly bring if not pain then unneeded amounts of stress to my life. The Terps seem to play at the level of their competition. Which scares the hell out of me. It means a lot of close games and no telling if they are going to be the good team or the god awful team from week to week. But hopefully they'll manage to squeak out enough wins to get to a bowl game. Or maybe this Cal game was a sign that they have their shit together and will actually play well the rest of the season. That seems like too much to hope for right now. Anyway GO TERPS!!!!

Wacko for Flacco!

The Ravens' first game of the season has come and gone. And compared to last years season opener this game was a 180 degree turn around. Instead of a hyped up season full of unmet expectations, we had the our expectations exceeded. A rookie quarterback flung into the starting role who didn't make any mistakes. Compare that to a year ago with a veteran quarterback who had 6 turnovers in the first half. Last year was a season of injuries and underachieving, of aging quarterbacks and asking too much from the team. This year is different. This year has a new feel. This is a year where everyone seems to be fighting for a starting job. The preseason has come and gone but the starting line up is still very malleable.

First, there's the quarterback situation. Flacco earned himself another start next week by playing with poise on the field. He did throw an interception. He did not give up a fumble. And he managed to avoid getting sacked. This had a lot to do with the offensive line which didn't seem to be missing future Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden all that much. The offensive line is young and inexperienced, but they played like veterans, protecting Flacco in the pocket and allowing him to barely be rushed. It was an inspiring performance, even if it was against the Bungles...I mean Bengals.

The defense led by Ray Lewis was stellar. Carson Palmer got knocked around like a rag doll. And they really only let up one field goal, partially because of a questionable pass interference call on Chris McAlister. (The first one, not the second one) The only touchdown the Bengals score was off a fumble by rookie running back Ray Rice. But he played a solid game otherwise, tearing up the Bengals defense, so the mistake is easily forgiven by the fans.

The Ravens looked all around surprisingly good. A lot of credit for that has to go to the Bengals being terrible, but they were terrible last year and creamed us in the season opener, so I'm going to focus on the positive. John Harbaugh's philosophy of working hard in the preseason must have paid off. Because these Ravens came out looking to dominate and to work together. This was a team that respected and wanted to protect the quarterback. And he returned the favor by throwing a hard block on Mark Clayton's double reverse touchdown play. The team really seemed to be looking out for each other.

And as an added bonus, many of the defenders who's starts seemed questionable were able to play and avoid any further injury. Ed Reed and Chris McAlister both played well, even with the penalties on McAlister. And the defense didn't have to score points for the team to win. The offense actually scored the points. Making this season seem promising all of a sudden. (Last year no one scored points and two seasons ago the defense scored most of the points.)

Now, we still have a tough schedule and things that worked Sunday can't be expected every week. A double reverse is almost never heard of, and while cool, I doubt its going to be a regular play. Also, Flacco's rush for a touchdown was longer than any rush in college, so I'm not ready to believe he's about to become a running quarterback. But the way the team played and the way Flacco managed to stay cool under pressure and improvise when needed wins my vote of confidence. I'm ready to watch next weeks Houston game and believe from the beginning that we can win.

GO RAVENS!!!!!

Ravens Preview

The Ravens' season starts today so I thought I'd spout out a some general observations and a final record prediction. I think one of the main reasons people write sports blogs besides sports obsessions and wasting time from their real lives of being lawyers is to have proof that they predicted something, in the off chance they are actually right. I don't think I'm likely to get many predictions right so if I do I want to be able to cite when it happened so I'm not accused of changing my story. And screw it, if I'm wrong, maybe I'll just come back and edit this post. It's not like many people read this anyway.

This Raven's season is not looking to promising. Yes, we do have some promising young players that might play a huge part eventually, but they are being thrust into starting positions right away. Let's start with the obvious, Joe Flacco. He is a rookie quarterback out of Delaware, not the biggest football powerhouse. And while he has consistently improved during the preseason, he still doesn't seem quite ready for the big time yet. But with Troy Smith still recovering from possibly the worst case of tonsilitis ever, he got the starting nod. The other promising rookie with a lot of promise is Ray Rice, a running back from Rutgers. Rutgers has been improving its football name recently and he had a lot of yards during college. If Willis McGahee isn't ready to play then Rice will be in there. He's a little guy at only 5'8 so I'm rooting for him to do well. Short people have to support each other.

Other than our "exciting" young prospects, the team has been plagued with injury, and its not even the regular season yet. This does not bode well. Ed Reed, apparently was able to practice without his red jersey, which means he has been cleared for hitting in practice and says he would like to play in the season opener. We'll find out in a few hours. Overall, I'd like Reed healthy in the long run, even if does mean missing the first game of the season. And Chris McAlister had a full practice this week, which means he will also be able to start. So things are looking up a bit for our defense.

John Harbaugh has managed to earn the respect and inspire confidence from the team as the coach. Hopefully this will translate into a better attitude that brings about more wins. We'll soon see if he can face up to the hard schedule this year. Ravens play the AFC South, which sent three teams to the playoffs last year, and the NFC East, which also sent three teams to the playoffs. And of course we play our division twice, and even though the AFC North is not a powerhouse this year, division games are always a little more intense. But maybe we can manage to beat Miami this year.

This preview is pretty short because I don't want to dwell on the negative and there really is not too much positive. I do want to give a quick shout out to Matt Stover, the most reliable person on the Ravens offense. He is entering his 18th season as the starting kicker for this franchise. (He is the only holdover from the Browns) He has been outstanding in his time with the team, and here's hoping he has another great season.

I'm hoping that the new coach John Harbaugh does well in his first season, that Flacco shines and that Smith recovers quickly just in case. I'm hoping that this team will overcome injury and find its form from two years ago. I'm hoping that we win more games than we did last year.

All that being said, I think we'll wind up with the same record as last year, 5-11. I'm hoping I'm wrong.

It's Going to Be a Long Fall Season

Saturday marked the start of college football for me. Maryland managed to win their first game against Delaware 14-7. Despite getting the most rushing yards since a 2003 game, Da'Rel Scott ran for 197 of them, they barely squeak past the Fighting Blue Hens. While its true that the Terps' normally solid and consistent kicker, Egekeze, missed three field goals, two that he should have made, this score is still a little too close for comfort. To be honest, I didn't watch most of the game. I watch snippets of it at the bar but didn't give it my full attention. From the recaps, all I can figure is that if we can barely beat Delaware, its going to be a long season. So much for being the dark horse of the ACC. We don't even have a definite starter. Sounds like the Ravens. Oh well, we can only hope it'll get better as first game nerves start to settle down.

As for the Ravens, the season just looks more and more ominous. We still don't have a starting quarterback. And the battle seems to be far from over. I think it should be Smith, if he recovers from his viral illness in time. Even though he hasn't practiced in over a week, I still think he is the best choice. He has shown poise when being thrown into a game suddenly and has some experience in the pocket. While Flacco has progressed a lot since the first pre-season game, I don't think he's ready to get thrown in there yet. Let him have the 4th quarter, if the game isn't too close. And for that we'll have to wait and see how healthy the defense is. If they can come up big like they did two seasons ago then we may just have a shot at a winning record this year.

Two seasons ago, they led the league in turnover differential. That was the part of what helped them go 13-3. If they can come back to their old form, then this season might not be so bad. But with Ed Reed missing the first game and maybe more, one of our biggest threats for an interception is out of the game. Let's hope someone else steps up. We're going to need it.

Overall I'm hoping for some pleasant surprises this fall. But I'm not going to base my expectations on that hope. Realistically, the Ravens have one of the hardest schedules in football, playing in the AFC North and playing the AFC South and NFC East this season. Both of those division sent three teams to the playoffs last year. And they don't look like they will be getting much worse this season. It might be a long season.

Apologies

I'm heading back to school tomorrow and the last few weeks have been pretty hectic for me. So I want to apologize to my ten regular readers out there for being a slacker and not updating regularly. I had a great weekend celebrating my friends wedding, then was sick and wrote my last post with a clogged head and a fever, so I'm not sure it makes much sense, and then had another wedding.

But with college football starting soon, NFL starting soon, and the baseball playoff race starting to heat up I'll have lots to write about in the coming weeks. And by baseball playoff race I mean the Orioles Drive for 5. It would be a huge team victory to finish at .500. They haven't been doing that well over the last few games but they have been swinging their bats so we're bound to win a few more. While winning 24 out of the next 34 games seems tough it is possible. I still have hope. And regardless, they have far exceeded my expectations this season already. So I'm happy either way.

As far as college football goes, the ACC is not known for its great football. But it seems to keep getting better. There are even a few analysts who believe Maryland could be the dark horse of the ACC this year. I would love to see that happen. But I'm not ready to get my hopes up quite yet. I'll wait a few games to see what the Fridge has in store for me before I get all bright eyed and optimistic. Whatever happens, it'll be nice to see the ACC actually having some real contenders this year. Let's see what Clemson, Georgia Tech and the rest have this year.

As for the Ravens, I haven't been paying nearly enough attention. People keep getting married during their pre-season games. So I haven't been watching them. Right now I think Troy Smith should be the starter. From what I've read, Flacco is nowhere ready to start and we shouldn't rush him. Boller is Boller. He's not really going to do much for us but he could help us to not lose games. But Smith has shown a lot of potential and growth. And while he can be wildly inconsistent he deserves a chance. Plus Boller has a hurt shoulder, so I think we should wait on him. Smith showed tremendous poise in his few outings last year. And given the chance he can step up and move the ball down the field. He is our best option for starter.

I will be starting school again tomorrow, so I should be able to post more often as I try to avoid doing actual law work. So keep checking back for updates. I'll be trying to post at least 3 times a week. And with all the sporting events to write about I think it will be totally doable. Thanks all for your patience as I've slacked off recently.

Its Time to Start Getting Excited

The end of summer is generally a time of anticipation for sports fans. NFL training camps start up. College football is almost here and the preseason rankings and speculation come out. And the playoff race in baseball is heating up. But this year we sports fans have an extra treat. In just a few day the Olympics are going to begin.

Eight is a lucky number in China, so the Opening Ceremony will take place on 8/8/08 at 8:08 pm. Hmmm.....the number 8 is also significant to Americans this Olypmics. Or at least one American swimmer who is vying to win 8 gold medals in one games for the first time in history. Michael Phelps, in case you haven't heard, is the swimming prodigy for Maryland, who actually has a shot at doing this. He has freakishly long arms, with huge hands and feet. He's broken what seems like every possible world record and he just keeps getting better. And man, is he fun to watch swim. I'd check it out if I were you. In a concession to the Americans, the major swim races will be held in the morning so they can be broadcast live in prime time in the US. So you won't have to hear the announcer disclaim that this event is on a 12 hour time delay, which is sure to happen during pretty much every other telecast.

I love to watch swimming but the Summer Games are really just all around great. Track and field, gymnastics, I even find myself watching pieces of cycling during the Olympics. Most of the time I'll just flip through those other random sports, but something about competing on the world stage against not just other athletes but other countries is enthralling to me.

So while training camp is going on (and I plan on going soon) and people are talking about whether or not the recent arrests will effect UGA's chances as the number one ranked school for preseason college football, I will probably find myself watching Judo, or synchronized swimming. Not that I won't be keeping up with everything else going on. It'll just be on the back burner. I'll still know that the Ravens are injury plagued already, but still are only saying good things about Harbaurgh. Or that Maryland managed to get 4 points in the USA Today poll. But the Olympics only happen every 4 years. So right now I'll stick to watching the rhythmic gymnastics and the medal count. And hoping and dreaming that a 8 gold medals really is possible. It's going to be fun.