The Baltimore Ravens 2013 Season

The Ravens were surprisingly in it at the end of the season, but they need the off-season to regroup. I don't know if it was the loss of Matt Birk or what, but the offensive line was truly terrible this season. They couldn't make a hole to get the running game going and they couldn't stop defenders from pressuring and sacking Joe. After the tumultuous off-season they had, and the people they lost, for me, the offensive line was the last thing I'd think the Ravens would have a problem with. A shame.

It didn't help that the coach and offensive coordinator refused to adjust to the fact that the offensive line sucked. Running the draw a hell of a lot (seriously, are the outsides of the field foreign objects for the running back?) on 1st down even when they'd be down by a lot. Head-scratching decisions from John Harbaugh and Co.

Then after they picked up steam, Joe Flacco had his knee hit. It was obvious that this pre-occupied Joe Flacco and the coaching staff the last two games of the season. Combine cautious play with a crappy offensive line and you've got a disaster.

I think the best way for the Raven's playoff streak to end would be to win the Super Bowl the previous season, and that's exactly what they did. Can't be too mad after that.

Until next season.

/Seahawks to win it all.

//Must see them play the Broncos though.

The Super Bowl Has Been Over!

And coming from you live in this computer lab at my school university....it is the Super Bowl champs....

The Green Bay Packers!
After getting the lead in the first quarter (and a lead by 10 points, which no team has ever overcome) the Packers held of the Pittsburgh Steelers to get their record 13th NFL Championship and 4th Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers and Co. brought the namesake Lombardi Trophy (and a red Camaro) back to Green Bay. But the journey doesn't end. They showed the trophy to the small town of Green Bay, in which fans came out in below zero weather, and then they high-tailed it to Disney World so that Disney could air that traditional commercial over and over and over again (especially on ESPN).

I was reading some tweets from friends on Twitter noting how many were jumping on the bandwagon. And I responded "WHO DOESN'T?"There are only two teams in the game and if they aren't yours then you aren't going to sit indifferently. Ravens fans want to see Pittsburgh fall and Chicago fans want to see Green Bay fall. It is common. Now it is a problem when the next season starts and you're still on that bandwagon.

Super Bowl XLV is now the most watched television program in history. Beating out last year's Super Bowl, which in turn beat out the finale of M*A*S*H. 111 million people watched the game it's commercials (post to come later) and a Black Eyed Peas (feat. Slash and Usher) halftime show. Impressive as they lowered from the rafters and Dallas Cowboys Stadium is huge. And then unimpressive as their singing sounded off-key (at least they were live) and the "V" in a large stage on field that spelled "LOVE" didn't light up as the rest of the letters did. But it is all that comes with a large live show.

In all this Super Bowl was full of surprises and fun. I look forward to next year as it seems Super Bowls are getting closer and closer to where I live. Next year in Indianapolis and then in New York....do I hear Baltimore? No. J out.

EDIT: I refused to mention Brett Farve. I forgot Mike McCarthy and his irony. And I shall address Christina Aguilera in a later post.

What Happened to Messed Up Calls Falling on Deaf Ears?

For the second time in less than a month, a golfer was disqualified after a fan ratted him out over the internet.

Padraig Harrington was disqualified from the tournament he was competing in after moving his ball while picking up his marker. The officials at the course didn't notice, but an eagle eyed viewer did and reported it on the internet. The same thing happened only weeks earlier to Camilo Villegas. He was having a hard time making it up   a hill to a green. As his ball roll down the hill another time, he moved a divet. That was a no-no and once again instead of the tournament officials catching it, an eagle-eyed viewer turned him in. There seems to be a problem with this and it should be a no-brainer to any idiot trying to defend the "home officials."

Plain and simple; if I can't make calls on plays in other sports then golf should be no exception. I couldn't call the NFL and tell them that the holding call that took away a game changing touchdown was a mistake. Or that the charge in basketball wasn't as such. Or that the ball in baseball was outside the foul line. It really does make a difference and if I can't do it in these sports than golfing fans shouldn't be able to do it in theirs.

The Baltimore Ravens, Armando Galarraga, Venus Williams. All sports players affected by bad calls. Viewers cried in vain that the calls in those games were wrong. Why should golf viewers get their way? It is unfair and until other sports open up that option, which they shouldn't, then I will lighten up. J out.

Pick Em' (Divisional Playoffs '11)

So I missed the opportunity to post my picks for last weekend. But I can tell you this, I did not have the Seahawks at all.

After one weekend of 4 tumultuous games, we're back for Round 2. The Divisional Round.

The AFC is made up of two Week 13 divisional match-ups. The (5.) Baltimore Ravens will go against the (2.) Pittsburgh Steelers. This has been arguably the rivalry of the decade in the NFL. The Ravens and Steelers have been fighting hard for a while and once again they'll be coming together in what is expected to be a tight, hard hitting match. They split their games they had this year, both teams winning in the others city. Now the Ravens have to do it again. In their rivalry, the scoring is 302-302 and the game count is 8 wins for Baltimore and 9 for Pittsburgh. We'll see what happens come Saturday My pick is below.

The other match-up from Week 13 features the (6.) New York Jets at Foxborough to face the (1.) New England Patriots. After winning against New England in Week 2, the Jets lost a miserable 45-3, Week 13. Now they head back to their old foe of 6 weeks ago, trash talking along the way. The Jets defense is going to have to step it up, like Jefferson's Movin' on up, to stop the "score when we can" Pats. And the offense is going to have to put together more connections if they expect to score 6 in the Razor Blade. My pick is below.

The NFC is just....the NFC. No one wants to give them real credit. I don't, yet time and time again they prove that everyone should have their eyes on them. The (4.) Seattle Seahawks will travel to the (2.) Chicago Bears. The underrated losers that is the Seahawks have proved everyone wrong and beat the champion Saints. Putting something together against the Bears is plausible. Especially if the Bears defense has a liquidation meltdown like the Saints. My pick is below.

The final match-up of the NFC and the weekend is the (4.) Green Bay Packers travelling to the (1.) Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons seem to get no respect at all, even though their record suggest otherwise. I mean Matt Ryan is 20-2 at home and no respect for this team. I guess the Atlanta Falcons are the illegitimate child of the late Rodney Dangerfield. Meanwhile, the Packers are coming off of a good win against Philadelphia and Aaron Rodgers has had a good season thus far. Is momentum good enough to get them the win? My pick is below.

THE PICKS

Baltimore Ravens 17

@ Pittsburgh Steelers 13

(CBS, 4:30pm Saturday)

Even though Joe Flacco has never won against Big Ben, I gotta go with my home team. In a tight-fisted rivalry, it's anyone's game.

Green Bay Packers 21

@ Atlanta Falcons 27

(FOX, 8:00pm Saturday)

The Falcons have been the NFC team this year and anyone who disputes this must not have been watching their games this season. I think the Aaron Rodgers train ends here.

Seattle Seahawks 10

@ Chicago Bears 24

(FOX, 1:00pm Sunday)

Seattle may have had the Saints implode, but the Bears eh, maybe. And the Seahawks did allow 36 points against the Saints...luckily the Saints allowed more. So the Bears have it.

New York Jets 34

@ New England Patriots 31

(CBS, 4:30pm Sunday)

The game will yet again rest on a field goal after being tied for most of the 4th Quarter. And as crazy as it may seem and the Jets could do it. They talked all that $h*! before the game in Indy, maybe it'll payoff here....even though it didn't Week 13.

So there you have it. I'll probably be proven wrong on all accounts. But we'll see.

J out.

Football is BACK! (sort of. . .)

August 12th. On this day, in 1914, the United Kingdom declared war on Austria-Hungary and in 2010 football unofficially officially started (Is that a double negative?)

The preseason started with a number of games this Thursday night. Among the headliners were the New England Patriots taking on the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Also the nationally televised Carolina Panthers versus the Baltimore Ravens. Now I'm from Baltimore so you already know I'm ecstatic. To see the Ravens play for the first time in some organized game was thrilling and to see them win is great. Plus, the fact that they are getting so much national coverage is exciting. Not only did they open up Monday Night Football's preseason games they will also open Monday Night Football's first season game when they go against the New York Jets in the new Meadowlands stadium. It is just going to be a good year for football, I can feel it.

And as the preseason continues we hope for no injuries and think good thoughts. More football news is to follow. J out.

Remember When Players Did Drugs on the Field?

So the announcement was made yesterday that Ben Roethlisberger would not be charged with the sexual assault of young women in a Georgia nightclub and he made a statement about it that night. You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwzPG1o69jY

To me he thinks he can do anything he wants and get any girl he wants and he can't. He apologized and everything but missed one key point. That he's been partying and is going to make a change. I think that he was a little to full of himself and hopefully this has brought him back to earth. Although, you never know. He got in trouble after he got sued for the same thing. Terry Bradshaw talked about Big Ben and here is what he has to say. . .

I liked the statement. Too many professional athletes think that they can "party hardy" and fore go the consequences. May we point to Ray Lewis, Micheal Vick, Gilbert Arenas, and Tiger Woods. What sets them apart from Ben is that they learned their lessons. Although, it is too soon to say that of Gilbert and Tiger, I'm sure they won't be putting themselves into anymore trouble.

In any case, I think there is something rotten in news coverage. Tiger Woods received the utmost coverage on programs that hardly ever covered sports, but when Big Ben is in trouble, for the 2nd time remind you, we see nothing. Everyone was on Tiger's case and let's see. . .has any of Tiger's trouble involved the law? Uhhh NO. In fact in the list I previously mentioned, Tiger was the only one who didn't have anything to do with law. Yet he has been extremely censured. What's going on here? I leave you to ponder that. J out.