I cannot surf. I tried once in my younger years, but for some reason did not pursue it. As much time as I spend in the ocean, you would have thought I would be all over it. I can water ski, knee – wake – and boogie board. I enjoy body surfing the most. Then finally I bought myself some “Fins” and discovered a whole new ballgame. I can actually cut the wave, ride in the barrel and semi-survive. I just haven’t  taken the time to have someone teach me the long board. Maybe that goes on the “Bucket List”. After viewing some of these shots during “Sandy”, I saw more evidence of maybe why I have used my better judgement. I do have to give props to these guys in the pictures. Here’s my stretch of surf lingo – How “stoked” those boys must have been to experience those ”drops” off those “bombs” and survive. When you hear them say – “Killer Wave”, they mean it…………literally.” The Ocean” – (Led Zepplin), ALWAYS lets you know who is in charge. Mother Ocean shows no mercy.

How cool it must have been to experience that kind of surf in your own backyard. Cool, but extremely dangerous. Obviously those talented young men were quite the seasoned vets. I’ll even give them credit for an attempt at ”safety”? In their slideshow, they did have a ”spotter/tow-in” on a jet ski. These pics were labeled as taken on Sunday. Those boys got guts (to put it lightly). Taking positive advantage during a negative situation. Monster surf, heck large swells, are  NOT for the meek, inexperienced, once/twice a year foam boarder.  

Ocean City took a hit. How much of a hit, is yet to be determined. I do not believe another inlet was formed. But there is serious flooding and property damage. A wake up call to all of those who care to heed the warning. That island down there is pretty fragile. Take an airplane ride next time you visit. Even just a Para-sail and you’ ll see a birds eye view of a vacation destiny ripe for disaster. “Sandy” packed quite a punch. It appears OC absorbed a few rough rounds but remained standing.

Hopefully those young lads didn’t take on to much of a “Wipeout” – (The Safaris). I remember as a kid watching the surfing championships from The Pipeline at Oahu’s North Shore in Hawaii on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. I remember as a kid wishing I could experience that ride. I remember going down da ocean hun for vacation and spending 8 hours a day on my “rubber/blow-up” raft and chewing my chest all up, to where it was raw. I always wondered if OC would ever experience those kind of waves and if it did how would it survive? Well the OC Surf was up Saturday, Sunday and yesterday. Not to Pipeline extremes, but for a few brave souls during “Sandy” – those boys will have stories for a lifetime. ”That’s just extremely tight – dudes.”

D.I.Y.

Fedman 

The post Surfs Up appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Friend our FB page (search Damon Yaffe – CatchTheBuzz) to find out how you can join in on the fun and win a weekly prize. Also, pick along with us and see how you do, week-to-week, playing “U Sure Can Pick “Em”.

(Meet Nikki – Ms. Excape 2012)

Here’s the game sheet for Wee#2! Good luck Nikki…

The post Catch The Buzz: “U Sure Can Pick ‘Em” – WEEK#1 appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

WEEK #2

When do we draft?

We’ll draft  live on the show each Friday of the NFL season @ 10:40am

Do you want to take us on?

Email us (damon@wnst. net) – include your full name, your phone number and use a valid email address.

(or) friend us on Facebook (search – Damon Yaffe)

How do we draft?

Each week we’ll draft from the rosters of the Baltimore Ravens and the Ravens’ opponent AND we ADD one weekly WILD CARD team.

You must be ready to draft 1x-each (QB, RB, WR, TE, K, Defense, Head Coach)

How do we keep score?

TD=6

FG=3

Missed FG= (-3)

XP=1

MXP= (-1)

SACK=2

INT=2

FUMBLE RECOVERY=2

COACH: WIN=3 LOSE (-3)

(+1 PT) For each field player on your roster who’s team wins during the game week.

BONUS POINTS:

100 yards rushing= 2

100 yards receiving= 2

300 yards passing=2

Defensive Shutout=5

LIVE ROSTERS THIS WEEK:

CTBuzzers:

QB: Flacco – 6

RB: McCoy – 7

WR: Boldin – 0

TE: Graham – 6

K: Tucker – 11

D: Baltimore Ravens – 12

HC: Saints HC – (-3)

Total: 39

Team Stefanie – Severn

QB: Brees – 14

RB: Rice – 0

WR: D. Jackson – 1

TE: Pitta – 0

K: – Henery – 7

D: Philadelphia Eagles – 9

HC: Harbaugh – (-3)

Total: 28

CTBuzzers WIN! 39-28 (2-0 on the season)

The post Catch The Buzz: Fantasy Football Challenge 2012 appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Personally, the idea of handcuffing simply does not make sense. When drafting, reaching for any player is a terrible strategy but reaching for a back-up is just ridiculous. So you are supposed to hold a roster spot for someone you may play for two or three weeks (at most) in an entire season. And it’s not like these players can be a Buy Week fill in either. Why would you take Toby Gerhart because you have Adrian Peterson over players that you know will get a full work load all season (barring injury)? Is Gerhart a better option than Shonn Greene and BenJarvus Green-Ellis?

And with the way most leagues are set up, the Flex player only adds more options for you to replace an injured running back. No one can say that they would rather have Rashad Jennings over a legit #1 Receiver like Stevie Johnson or Reggie Wayne. If you draft Jennings in general, you are likely to be more focused on your Fantasy Basketball team come December.

So even if you did follow this strategy, it is early enough to fix the problem. Players like Gerhart and Jennings value right now (both of which likely to start Week 1) is higher than ever. Move them to some sucker in your league for an upgrade at TE or WR or QB. Don’t waste your time with players you’ll probably end up releasing come Week 7, when you need a fill in for your Buy Week. Or I hope you are good at throwing darts.

The post Handcuffing Fantasy Wins appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Not only are the Orioles winning, but they are winning impressively and they are winning even when they don’t play their best baseball. Jason Hammel may pitch this week and it is just in time if there is a serious issue with Chris Tillman’s elbow. You know what though, hasn’t that kind of been the way it has gone for this team all year long? After 14 seasons of losing baseball this may truly be their year. Once again Orioles this “What Had Happened Was” is for you as the magical season of 2012 continues. For you conspiracy and end of the world enthusiasts out there I leave you with this, The Orioles are going to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years in a year where the world is supposed to end? Well played Mayans, well played.  On to our countdown

#3

The third best victory of the holiday weekend was Friday night’s dominant performance over the Yankees. In itself it could have been #1, but the other two wins were just more impressive. Miguel Gonzalez was dominant.

How dominant you ask? His change-up was so good that even the Yankees, who just don’t swing at pitches out of the strike zone, were swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. Gonzalez went seven innings, gave up just four hits and struck out nine Yankee batters. That is the way you set the tone on the road in a huge series late in the season. Now we get to Mark Reynolds. How big of an A.L. East killer has this guy been? He is much maligned but he loves to hit against the Red Sox and Yankees. You have to respect a guy that does things against those two clubs that haven’t been done in decades. This weekend he was the first Oriole to hit multiple home runs in two games of a series at Yankee Stadium since Doug DeCinces did it back in 1981. Earlier this year he single handedly beat the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Oh, and did I mention his defense at first base? Friday night he robbed Russell Martin of a hit early on and he continues to make great plays around the bag even though he is still just learning the position.

#2

The second best victory for the Orioles over the weekend was Monday’s 4-0 blanking of the Toronto Blue Jays. This win was big in my opinion because the Orioles flat out didn’t play their best baseball but they still managed to get the win. The Orioles put the leadoff man on in seven of nine innings, and left 15 men on base. They failed to score a runner from third and less than two outs on three different occasions but they still won the game. Why? It all has to do with Starting Pitching. Joe Saunders rebounded nicely from his first start against the White Sox and was dominant on Monday vs. the Blue Jays.

Saunders pitched no hit ball for 5 2/3 innings and when he did get in trouble in the Seventh Luis Ayala was there to bail him out. I have a quick question for Oriole fans. How do you like the fact that the game is over once the Orioles get a lead heading into the 8^th inning? (59-0). It sure beats the alternative that we have all had to watch in year’s past.  The other impressive thing about Monday’s win was that the Orioles actually won a game where they didn’t hit a home run. It was a tough day for Manny Machado and the official scorer. How in the world was Machado’s second inning triple ruled an error? Sierra had to run about 200 feet just to get to the ball and while he certainly got there in time by no means was it an easy play. That should have been scored a triple. Then in his next at bat he hit a slow roller that was mishandled by Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ. Again this was a play that may have been made, but it certainly was not easy. Once again it was ruled an error. Two AB’s and Machado was 0-2 when he probably should have been 2-2. That’s just my opinion.

The post What Had Happened Was appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Homeruns for Ryan Braun in 2012…over/under 25.5

Braun’s post-PED allegation numbers will likely be the truest barometer of where public opinion ultimately falls in regard to his overturned steroids suspension. Braun’s worst season in homeruns was 2010 where he hit 25. Braun’s best single season homerun total was 37 in 2008, and in last year’s MVP campaign he hit 33. My thoughts on the allegations, along with the pressure Braun will likely feel to put up big numbers for his critics have me feeling like the under is the safest bet here.

Games Dwight Howard has left with the Orlando Magic…over/under 7.5

The Magic has 9 games left before the March 15^th trade deadline, so the easy number is 9.5. Under if you think he’ll go and over if you think he’ll stay. We’re making it 7.5 to allow for some thought. Let’s see what the market has to offer and when. Something tells me the Howard dam is about to break and he’ll be headed for LA before the weekend is over, so give me the under here.

Terps Basketball Wins in what’s left of 2012…over/under 1.5

Safe money suggests not to expect much from the Terps with regular season dates remaining against Carolina and Virginia plus who knows what in the ACC Tourney. Whether or not they’ll get any opportunities beyond those 3 depends obviously on how well they do in them. Ever the optimist when it comes to these Terps, I’ll take the over in this one anyway.

Brian Roberts Games Played in 2012…over/under 50

The tale of Brian Roberts is devolving into a sad one indeed. At present there seems to be no expectation (from the fans at least) that Roberts will have much to offer the Orioles anytime soon or possibly ever. Injuries limited Roberts to 39 games in 2011 and 59 games in 2010. The under on 50 games seems like a gimme, so I’ll take it.

Orioles wins in 2012…over/under 62.5

Most seem resigned to the notion that this team isn’t even as good as last year’s iteration, which stumbled to 69 wins amidst modest expectations. The O’s won 66 games in 2010 and 64 in 2009. Their low water mark during the 14-year run of ongoing futility is 63 wins in 2001, and 54 wins in 1988 is the O’s worst total ever. Sixty-two and a half is simply asking whether the O’s could lose 100 games. Reluctantly I’ll keep them in the upper-mid-sixties and take the over here.

The post MobTown Sports Beat Wednesday Over / Under appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

1. Joe Flacco passing yards (over or under 199.5) – 1 pt.

2. Joe Flacco completion percentage (over or under 49.9) – 1 pt.

3. Ray Rice total yards from scrimmage (over or under 124.5) – 1 pt.

4. Torrey Smith receptions (over or under 3.5) – 1 pt.

5. Anquan Boldin receiving yards (over or under 99.5) – 1 pt.

6. Terrell Suggs sacks (over or under 1.25) – 1 pt.

7. Ed Reed interceptions (over or under 0.5) – 1 pt.

8. Baltimore defensive and/or special teams  TDs (over or under 0.5) – 1 pt.

9. Mike Wallace receiving yards (over or under 99.5)  – 1 pt.

10. Who wins the game? (Baltimore or Pittsburgh) - 1 pt.

11. Which player scores the first TD? (player’s name) – 5 pts.

12. (tie-breaker) Total points scored both teams combined

*Entries will not be published until after the results are tallied

The post Week 9 MobTown $15.70 Prop Card appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

I would encourage anyone looking for a little extra interest in Sunday’s game to try the MobTown $15.70 prop card. It’s free it’s easy and cash and bragging rights are on the line.

All lines taken from sportsbook.com.

Loves (100 pts for a win and -110 for a loss)

week 4: 4-1 (290 pts)    season: 11-9 (110 pts) 

Chargers -2 @ Jets 

Texans +3 @ Titans

Steelers -3.5 @ Cardinals

Packers -9 @. Vikings

Ravens -7.5 @ Jaguars

Likes (50 pts for a win and -55 for a loss)

week 4: 3-2 (40 pts)    season: 8-10 (-150 pts)

Redskins +2.5 @ Panthers

Browns -3 vs. Seahawks

Broncos +1.5 @ Dolphins

Raiders -4.5 vs. Chiefs

Saints -14 vs. Colts

Feeling Lucky? (20 pts for a win and -22 for a loss)

Week 4: 1-1-1 (-2 pts)    season 8-8-2 (-16 pts)

Buccaneers +1 vs. Bears (in London)

Lions -3.5 vs. Falcons

Cowboys -12.5 vs. Rams

Last week Total: 8-4-1 (328 pts)     Season Total: 27-27-2 (-56 pts)

The post Week 7: Locks, Lumps & Luck (or Lack Thereof) appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

1. Joe Flacco passing yards (over or under 224.5) – 1 pt.

2. Joe Flacco completion percentage (over or under 49.9) – 1 pt.

3. Ray Rice total yards from scrimmage (over or under 124.5) – 1 pt.

4. Torrey Smith receptions (over or under 3.5) – 1 pt.

5. Anquan Boldin receiving yards (over or under 99.5) – 1 pt.

6. Terrell Suggs sacks (over or under 1.25) – 1 pt.

7. Ed Reed interceptions (over or under 0.5) – 1 pt.

8. Baltimore defensive and/or special teams  TDs (over or under 0.5) – 1 pt.

9. Maurice Jones-Drew rushing yards (over or under 64.5)  – 1 pt.

10. Jacksonville offensive TDs (over or under 1.5) – 1 pt.

11. Which player scores the first TD? (player’s name) – 5 pts.

12. (tie-breaker) Total points scored both teams combined

*Entries will not be published until after the results are tallied

The post Week 7 MobTown $15.70 Prop Card appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

I would encourage anyone looking for a little extra interest in Sunday’s game to try the MobTown $15.70 prop card. It’s free it’s easy and cash and bragging rights are on the line.

All lines taken from sportsbook.com.

Loves (100 pts for a win and -110 for a loss)

week 4: 2-3     season: 7-8 (-180pts)

Falcons -3.5 vs. Panthers

Bills +3 @ Giants

Ravens -7.5 vs. Texans

Bears -3 vs. Vikings

Jets -7 vs. Dolphins

Likes (50 pts for a win and -55 for a loss)

week 4: 3-2    season: 5-9 (-245 pts)

Eagles -1.5 @ Redskins

Lions -4.5 vs. 49ers

Bengals -7 vs. Colts

Cowboys +7 @ Patriots

Saints -4.5 @ Buccaneers

Feeling Lucky? (20 pts for a win and -22 for a loss)

Week 4: 4-1     season 7-7-1 (-14 pts.)

Packers -15 vs. Rams

Steelers -12 vs. Jaguars

Raiders -7 vs. Browns

Season Total: 19-24-1 (-439 pts)

The post Week 6: Locks, Lumps & Luck (or lack thereof) appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.