It was a super day for the Baltimore Ravens franchise as they put on a first quarter clinic en route to a 33-14 whipping of the New England Patriots on their home turf in the opening round of the NFL Playoffs. There were lots of firsts for the Ravens on Sunday, as chronicled by Drew in this blog, and a city that seemed a little bit skeptical of this team’s ability to win in the post season will no doubt be going purple crazy all week as Baltimore gets ready to head to Indianapolis. We have several days to analyze that matchup and as Glenn mentioned in his blog, there are things that need some correcting. However, for tonight, this blog is just going to primarily talk about the positives (my dad would call this the anti-Phil Jackman blog - and Phil you know I still love ya!):

- I don’t think I am going out on a limb in declaring this the best performance by the team all season. They defeated an elite club that has a one of the best QB’s in the NFL by lining up and just physically beating the Patriots in nearly every aspect of the game. New England had the deer in the headlights look after Ray Rice went 83 yards on the game’s opening play from scrimmage followed by the Terrell Suggs sack and fumble of Tom Brady that set up the Ravens second touchdown. It was smash mouth Ravens football, no doubt.

- After the game Ray Lewis, who was outstanding with 13 tackles and a sack on Sunday, praised defensive coordinator Greg Mattison for coming up with a great game plan. Mattison, however, said that it was not his schemes, it was the players execution that did the job. Whatever the case, the Baltimore defense was the most aggressive it has been all year and clearly that style fits the personnel. New England only had 196 total yards, wow! Charlie Frye threw for 180 yards on the Ravens in the 1st half alone in last week’s victory in Oakland. #52 talked in the post game about disguising the blitz until the last second for fear of Brady recognizing it and checking off, something the 3-time Super Bowl Champion excels at. Well today, #12 had no clue what was coming most of the time and he played like it. Mattison felt that the team could generate pressure rushing just four players and for the most part he was right. If there is one thing I would like to see less of, it would be the three man rush. The NFL rules are set up so much for the offense that if you give the receivers time to get open they either will or likely draw a penalty.

- Speaking of penalties, Baltimore only was flagged 3 times for a total of 15 yards! That was incredible focus and discipline by a team that has struggled to maintain its composure in several instances this year. Yes, the team was winning so it was easier to stay in control, but mentally that may have been the best the squad collectively has executed all year. Not a single personal foul or pass interference infraction was whistled on the Ravens today.

- Did the offense remind you a bit of the 2000 Ravens in Tennessee? Baltimore only threw the ball 10 times and Joe Flacco completed just four passes (but two were huge ones to Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton to keep second half drives going). But when you get an early lead after an 83 yd scamper why not keep pounding the ball like the Ravens used to do with Jamal Lewis? The rushing totals were 52 carries for 234 yards, a 4.5 yard per carry average. The backs were good and the offensive line was flat out dominant. It is clear that a healthy Jared Gaither at left tackle plays a huge role in offensive success.

- The much maligned secondary was superb today forcing 3 interceptions and holding Randy Moss to 5 catches for 48 yards (and most of those came in garbage time). Dominique Foxworth, Frank Walker, and Dwan Landry might have had their best games of the season. The pressure put on Brady certainly helped and having a healthier Ed Reed at safety contributed as well. Ravens fans can only hope that #20 continues to progress physically this week because they will need his smarts against Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and company. Reed even had a good lateral today to Landry on his INT that put the Ravens in the red zone.

- Special teams were fairly solid. Tom Zbikowski’s 30 yard return after New England cut the Ravens lead to 27-14 put the ball near midfield and on the shorter grid the Ravens drove for the score that put the nail in the coffin in this one. Sam Koch punted well with two good kicks that pinned the Pats inside their own 20 yard line and even Matt Katula’s long snaps were better allowing kicker Billy Cundiff to hit on both of his field goals and all three PATs.

- The Ravens came out as healthy as you can be after 17 weeks of football and tight end Todd Heap’s back injury appears to be minor. So could a team that has been banged up so badly since starting 3-0 finally be getting healthier in some key areas (see Gaither and Reed)? One has to hope that is true and Flacco will likely have an easier time getting his aching hip loose in a dome instead of the freezing north east.

- All in all it was a very good day to be affiliated with the Ravens and somewhere heading south on I-95 at 1000pm on Sunday night there are two full buses of very happy people who decided to go on the WNST road trip to Gillette Stadium. Those people, and any other Ravens fan who attended the game in person, are truly great for showing such faith in a team that many thought would get beat today, including myself. As anyone that has traveled with WNST knows, WNST bus trips, whether to a Ravens game, a Caps or Bears hockey game, or to a horse race, is a ton of fun. I’m sure this weekend to Indianapolis will be no exception so sign up, if you can. By the way, it was great to hear Ravens Coach John Harbaugh mention and praise the support the team received from the Ravens fans who attended the contest today. So how about we more than double that for next week’s Saturday night contest and get at least five WNST buses going to Indy?

Happy Festivus! (que the Ravens Mania music now…)

Let me get this straight.

New England hadn’t lost a home playoff game in 31 years — and in that time they were 11-0 in Foxborough.

Tom Brady was 8-0 at home in his post-season career.

Baltimore’s pedestrian 9-7 regular season mark this year included a dismal 3-5 away record.

So with all of that statistical data overloaded against Baltimore, it made perfect sense that the Ravens would race out to a 24-0 first quarter lead and cruise to a 33-14 win in New England today.

Right?

If you say so.

What a crazy league the NFL has become.

And what a crazy season it’s been for the Ravens, who literally entered the 4th quarter of their final regular season game in Oakland with their playoff berth still very much in jeopardy.

7 days later, they’ve polished off the mystique of the New England Patriots and they’re on their way to Indianapolis for a Saturday evening showdown with Peyton Manning and the Colts.

The New England fans hung around until there were about 9 minutes to go in the game.

They put in more of an effort than Randy Moss, that’s for sure.

So how did it happen today?

In a way only the dreamer could possibly imagine, the Ravens scored on their first play from scrimmage and then parlayed two first quarter turnovers into a 24-0 lead before half the crowd could say, “Want another cup of chow-dahh?”

And with their star quarterback obviously in need of a spark-plug change and Moss mailing it in like a member of the Postal Service, the Patriots were left with nothing to do except entertain an afternoon of boos from their faithful and wonder to themselves how on earth they picked today to have their worst game of the season.

As for the Ravens, they picked a great time to produce their best 30 minutes of defensive football all season, that’s for sure.

With Ray Lewis providing yet another epic post-season performance and Domonique Foxworth leading an opportunistic secondary, Baltimore clamped down early and often on both Brady and the running game en-route to a comfortable 24-7 halftime lead.

And when Willis McGahee scampered in with 10:32 to play to make it 33-14, the stands started to empty.

So it’s now on to Indianapolis, where the Ravens will undoubtedly have January 13, 2007 on their minds.  Fresh off of a 13-3 regular season and a first-week playoff bye, Steve McNair had a game only Tom Brady could duplicate (today) and the Baltimore offense stalled in a 15-6 loss to Indy.

Next Saturday night in Indy, it’s payback time for Ray Lewis, Todd Heap, Ed Reed and the rest of the guys who were part of that disappointing home defeat.

It had to be this way, right?

Baltimore vs. Indianapolis.

Winner goes to the AFC Championship game.

Loser goes home.

One thing for sure:  Tom Brady won’t be making a trip to South Florida in early February to gun for his 4th ring.

The Ravens made sure of that today in New England.

Now if they can send next week’s opposing quarterback home early, we might really be on to something.

As a card-carrying, eternal purple optimist, I suppose today is a day when my lavender heart gets tarnished. I’m going to do the unthinkable and be rational in my observation of where the Ravens are and where they could be heading between now and Jan. 3 in Oakland.

After seeing how this works over the last decade, since the Ravens really became a competitive squad in 1999, I think the NFL really boils to one thing – talent not withstanding – it’s injuries.

And this is why I think the Ravens are doomed this year, why they aren’t a good bet to make it through this minefield of games against the mostly lousy NFC North:

The most injured team in December loses. The healthiest team – with talent and key positions in tact – in January wins.

Right now, after watching them the past few weeks and after walking into the Ravens locker room last night, my veteran sportswriter eyeball test tells me that any purple Festivus miracle this year is a major, major uphill battle.

Part of why the team stinks right now is because they’re battered and bruised and the locker room looks like the walking wounded.

And it’s not just the devastating Terrell Suggs, Brendon Ayanbadejo and Fabian Washington injuries, it’s more about the walking wounded right now who are playing at far less than 90% and giving it all they have but just can’t perform at a Pro Bowl level with a variety of limiting injuries.

Let’s address the gimpy infirmary, not to mention the other aged players like Matt Birk, Trevor Pryce and Derrick Mason on the Ravens:

The three best players on the Ravens – and I’ll take any argument here – are Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco and Haloti Ngata. Right now, they are the “Purple Hearts,” if you will.

Let be honest – the NFL is all about speed. It’s the most significant attribute any player can have and it’s universal. Why do you think they spend so much time on 40-yard dashes at the combine every year? Speed kills. If you don’t have it, you don’t win.

Ray Lewis has a bad foot. Joe Flacco has a bad ankle. Haloti Ngata has a bad leg.

Lewis has shown it less in his gait than Flacco or Ngata (and the naked eye can tell from just watching them take normal walking steps in between plays what’s going on there) but he’s just as bad off from what we can tell and his several days of missing practice last week would tell you all you need to know. Lewis LIVES for practice. He loves it!

Flacco just looks like a mess right now. He’s all heart, but it’s pretty clear he’s gimpy and he got rolled up on again last night. Planting, moving, having a busted play become a big gainer – all of that is questionable on any given play. It also looks like his throws are sailing because of these subtle adjustments he’s making on the fly with monsters trying to tear his head off.

Ngata, another one with a heart the size of his own giant girth, is only playing on select downs and is about as banged up as any guy I’ve seen in my years of doing this who is still going out there on Sundays. Kinda reminds me of the year Peter Boulware played with one arm. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is mixing up the units and keeping Kelly Gregg, Justin Bannan and Brendan McKinney fresh, but there’s a major difference between a healthy Ngata and the rest of these guys – especially if you’re talking about 60-70 snaps a game.

This, my friends, is bad for the purple business and the Ravens aren’t going very far for very long with the trio of Lewis, Flacco & Ngata on the hobble.

How long will it take them to heal? Will they heal in the midst of five more games, three more roadtrips and 15 more hours of the physical hell the NFL game wreaks on the framework of these massive bodies?

We’ll see. But I wouldn’t take odds that any of these injuries are going to miraculously heal. They’re nagging, prolonged bouts.

It’s not that I don’t think the Ravens are “good” enough. Properly assembled and with less injured personnel, I’d think they Ravens would be a division winner – and that’s just if they had a kicker who was NFL-caliber the first half of the season.

But right now, at 6-5 with trips still pending to Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Oakland, the road is fraught with more bumps and bruises.

Coach John Harbaugh will downplay all of this. These guys won’t even address their injuries when we ask them on Wednesday’s media day. That’s fine. They shouldn’t talk about it.

But any astute observer would tell you that the Ravens are among the most banged up teams in the league and all at key positions. And banged up teams don’t fare well in the cold having to go on the road. And this is before we address the obvious shortcomings this 6-5 unit has as a whole.

They’re weak on special teams returns and magic. They’ve been previously weak on kicking and the team missed another 54-yarder that could’ve won the game on Sunday night. The offense has been nothing special and the wide receivers have been MIA some weeks. The pass rush has been less than we’ve known it for a decade and don’t get me started on the secondary, which is also playing with spare parts now that Washington is on IR and Frank Walker and Chris Carr continue to get exposed in key situations.

Sure Ray Rice has been explosive. And there have been times, especially early in the year, when the offense looked like it was in sync and could dazzle us with 30 points every week. But that’s not what we’ve seen in large part since September.

If Bill Parcells coined the phrase, “You are what you are!” than the Ravens of 2009 are the embodiment of that expression. They’re 6-5.

I want to believe. I’m going to pick them to win every week. I’m going to travel to Green Bay with a bus full of purple zealots on Sunday and Monday. We’re going to root hard and hope for the best.

But this injury thing, for me, it’s unshakeable. The late-season, winning NFL teams are usually much, much healthier than the Ravens appear to be here on Dec. 1.

Twenty years from now when an outsider goes leafing through the 2009 NFL Record Book, they’ll have no idea what REALLY transpired on November 29 when the Ravens beat the Steelers, 20-17, in overtime.

The entire season — regardless of what happens from here — could have changed on one play with a little over three minutes to play.  Faced with 4th and 5 from their own 46, the Ravens initially set-up to punt…then called time-out and sent Joe Flacco and the offense back on the field for a daring gamble.  What followed was a 44-yard gain, on a short pass, by Ray Rice and a field goal that tied the game with 1:56 to play.

That Ray Rice played a major role in the game’s big moment wasn’t a surprise.  He’s the team’s MVP at the 11-game mark of the season.

But the hero in overtime was the most unlikely of sources.  With the ball at the 50, Pittsburgh gambled themselves, calling for rookie QB Dennis Dixon to go to the air on 3rd and 7…and Paul Kruger stepped in front of the throw and returned it 26 yards deep into Pittsburgh territory.  It was the first time all season Kruger did anything of note for the Ravens.  And it came at a great time.

The Ravens worked their way down to the 11 yard line and Billy Cundiff connected on a 29-yard field goal to end it and give Baltimore a huge win.

Some would say, based on the flow of play in the game, it was an “unlikely win.”  But 20 years from now, no one will know the difference.

The analysis that will follow this week will lead many to critique the Ravens poor pass protection on Sunday night.  Some will wonder if Joe Flacco has regressed in his sophomore season.  Many will point to the fact that the Steelers, using a QB making his first-ever start in the league, extended the Ravens to overtime in their own building before losing.

None of that matters going forward.

The Ravens won on Sunday night.  They didn’t lose.

Pittsburgh did.

And now, with five games left, Baltimore and Pittsburgh are both deadlocked at 6-5.

That’s the only fact that really matters now.

With their backs still against the wall, Baltimore will need to produce a better effort than tonight if they want to compete with the Packers in Green Bay next Monday night.

Occasionally, though, you win when maybe you didn’t deserve to win.

The Ravens have lost one or two this year that perhaps they didn’t deserve to lose.

By season’s end, games and outcomes have a way of evening themselves out.

Tonight in Baltimore, the Ravens escaped with a win.

They’ll take it.

As Pittsburgh can tell you, it’s much better than losing.

Terrence Ross (Montrose Christian) did not sign this week; but is still committed to Maryland and is expected to sign in the Spring. However, the Terps did ink Mychal Parker, Terrell Stogin and Ashton Pankey this week. Here is the official release from Maryland……

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Head Coach Gary Williams landed one of his best recruiting classes in recent memory this week when Ashton Pankey, Mychal Parker, and Terrell Stoglin signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball at Maryland.

The trio has the Terrapins’ 2010 recruiting class among the top 20 in the nation, according to a number of national recruiting analysts. Rivals.com currently has Maryland’s signing class ranked 15th in the nation, while ESPN.com has ranked the Maryland signing class at No. 19.

“All three players should have an immediate impact on our program,” said Williams. “They have the maturity and ability to play at a high level.”

All three signees are listed by analysts as outstanding prospects at the high-major level.

Pankey is a 6-foot-9 power forward from Bronx, N.Y., who plays at St. Anthony High School. He was ranked 36th in the nation among power forwards by Scout.com.

Parker is a 6-foot-6 small forward who plays for the Miller School in Crozet, Va. A four-star prospect by Rivals.com, he was ranked 13th nationally among shooting guards by ESPN.com.

Stoglin is a 6-foot-1 point guard from Tucson, Ariz. He averaged 27 points and seven assists a game as a junior at Santa Rita High School and is a two-time player of the year in the Tucson area. He is the 19th-ranked point guard in the nation by ESPN.com.

The threesome is slated to replace the three-player senior class which is on pace to graduate in the spring. Maryland’s roster includes seniors Greivis Vasquez, Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes, who are slated to graduate in the spring.

ASHTON PANKEY (6-foot-9, 220, power forward, Bronx, N.Y., St. Anthony HS)

Graded at 91 by ESPN.com… 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com… Rated as No. 36 power forward in nation by Scout.com… Solid shot-blocker and rebounder… Averaged 10 points, three blocks per game as a junior… ESPN.com says Pankey “is very active on the blocks. He’s an impressive athlete who finishes well, has long arms, good hands and a strong frame”… High school coach is Bob Hurley… Says Steve Francis is his favorite Terp… Transferred to St. Anthony from Archbishop Molloy after 2008 season… Chose Maryland over Drexel, Hofstra, Houston and Rice among others.

Williams on Pankey: “Ashton is an aggressive high school player who plays for one of the legendary coaches in Bob Hurley. He’s worked very hard academically and on his basketball to become an outstanding player.”

MYCHAL PARKER (6-foot-6, 195, small forward, Washington, N.C., Miller School)

4-star prospect by Rivals.com… ranked 53rd nationally by Rivals.com… Rated 13th nationally among shooting guards by ESPN.com and 42nd overall… Chose Maryland over Virginia, Clemson and Miami among others… Transferred to Miller School in Crozet, Va., after attending Southside (N.C.) High and Terra Ceia Christian School… Former AAU coach Tony Squire told the Baltimore Sun, “he reminds me of a similar version of Ray Allen at this stage in the game.”…  Squire also coached Terrapin alumnus Bambale Osby.

Wililams on Parker: “Mychal has a well-rounded game with the ability to score in bunches. He’s a very good fit for our program.”

TERRELL STOGLIN (6-foot-1, 160, point guard, Tucson, Ariz., Santa Rita HS)

3-star prospect by Rivals.com… Member of ESPN150… Ranked by ESPN.com as the 19th-best point guard in the 2010 recruiting class… Played AAU ball with Pump N’ Run Elite… Outstanding scorer despite playing the point-guard spot… Averaged 27 points, seven assists as a junior… Santa Rita played in the Arizona State high school title game… Two-time All-State selection… Two-time player of the year in Tucson… Chose Maryland over Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Arizona, UCLA and USC… Enjoys playing the drums in his spare time… Lists Steve Francis as his all-time favorite Terp.

Williams on Stoglin: “Terrell is a well-rounded point guard. He has the ability to run an offense well.”

Note: First name pronounced “ter-RELL”

-G

All of the videos are up now here at WNST.net. I’m sure folks will be crazy in the Purple Haze in a little while as well.

If you ever want to know what I’m thinking during the games, I’ve been TWEETING LIKE A RAVEN on Twitter each week during this season. It’s a LOT of fun for me to share my thoughts via the internet from my seat in the upper deck of the Metrodome surrounded by people in braids. Simply follow us on Twitter and you’ll know every stupid thought that’s on my mind.

It was a tough, tough loss today. The Ravens were outplayed dramatically in the first half and the comeback should’ve been good enough to save the day. Honestly, I was filing out of the upper deck before Ray Rice caught that pass thinking the game was over.

It was an amazing, memorable comeback and it leads you to believe that anything is possible with this team.

The final Frank Walker penalty was so blatant that it’s not even worth discussing. And, if you have a kicker who can’t hit a 43-yarder with the game on the line on the road, you’re not good enough to win.

The Ravens “victims” were very upfront in their candor after the loss and everyone in the locker room went out of their way to not throw teammates under the bus.

Steve Hauschka had bloodshot eyes a few minutes after the game when he faced the media.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo9KZEVa2G0[/youtube]

And Frank Walker was somber at his locker…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkR3lH-Xwyc[/youtube]

Meanwhile, Ray Rice talked at length about the comeback and how strong mentally his offensive teammates were in getting back in the game with such a large deficit…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUCfe5SX8U[/youtube]

The Purple Haze chat begins in a bit. Hope you come in and chat with the crew. I might be a little late getting into the sphere but I’m going to try to participate.

Here’s a recap of the game stories of all of the area College Football teams (besides Maryland) who were winners today…..

Towson beats Rhode Island 36-28

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) Hakeem Moore caught a 78-yard touchdown pass from Peter Athens on the second play of the game to spark Towson to a 36-28 win over Rhode Island on Saturday.

Tremayne Dameron added touchdown runs of 5 and 3 yards as the Tigers (2-3, 1-1 Colonial Athletic Association) scored on each of their first three possessions to take a 20-0 lead with 7:21 left in the first quarter.

Athens, who was 11 of 21 for 188 yards, also rushed for 74 yards. Moore finished with 91 yards on four catches for Towson.

Rhode Island (1-4, 0-2) used two big plays to cut the deficit to 20-14 at the half. Ayo Isijola scored on a 48-yard run with 6:03 left in the second quarter, and Shawn Leonard caught a 35-yard pass from D.J. Stefovich with 3:06 remaining before halftime.

Isijola finished with 100 yards rushing and Stefovich was 11 of 20 for 163 yards and three touchdowns.

Morgan State beats North Carolina A&T 7-6

BALTIMORE (AP) Devan James ran for a 7-yard touchdown in the first quarter and Morgan State held on for a 7-6 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday.

The Bears (4-1, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) are 4-1 for the first time in 30 years. Morgan State has won four straight games and remains tied for first in the MEAC.

James scored with 24 seconds left in the first quarter to give Morgan State a 7-0 lead. North Carolina A&T (3-3, 1-2) missed two field goals and a penalty cost the mistake-plagued Aggies a touchdown on a kickoff return in the first half.

Midway through the third quarter, an Aggies punt hit a Morgan State player at the Bears’ 11-yard line. North Carolina A&T scored three plays later on a 1-yard touchdown run by Tony Coles, but Fred Davis blocked Patrick Courtney’s extra-point attempt.

The Aggies’ Wallace Miles missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired.

Dobbs, Navy run all over Rice 63-14

HOUSTON (AP) Ricky Dobbs had more touchdowns than passes.

Navy’s quarterback ran for four touchdowns and passed three times in a 63-14 win over Rice on Saturday that showcased the Midshipmen’s option offense.

“I thought we played great offensively, great defensively,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo. “I thought it was a great team win. That’s what we were trying to get. After a big win over Air Force, I was concerned how we would respond.”

Dobbs ran for 105 yards and before yielding to backup Kriss Proctor, who added three scoring runs of his own to finish off the Midshipmen’s most comprehensive win of the season.

Marcus Curry ran for 86 yards and a score on 10 carries and Proctor finished with 83 yards.

The Owls were outgained 538 yards to 271, and held to 16 yards rushing. Nick Fanuzzi completed 20 of 33 passes for 241 yards and two TDs, but was picked off twice.

Rice didn’t score until after Navy got touchdowns on its first five possessions. Dobbs completed two passes for 66 yards, including a 51-yarder to Curry on the Mids’ first snap. Dobbs ran it in from 2 yards out on the next play, adding TD runs from 12 yards and 1 yard on his next two possessions before Vince Murray’s 7-yard run and Curry’s 1-yarder put the Midshipmen up 35-0.

The Owls got Patrick Randolph’s 12-yard touchdown catch, but couldn’t do anything else until Randolph’s second touchdown made it 56-14 in the fourth quarter.

Navy’s methodical triple-option was on display all afternoon, with three drives longer than 10 plays and not a single three-and-out until the game was well out of reach.

The Midshipmen ran 82 plays on offense to Rice’s 54, and converted eight of 14 third and fourth downs, including all three on fourth down.

“I thought it was a great team win. I thought we played great in all three phases,” Niumatalolo said. Kick-off coverage is probably the one thing we could have been better. I thought we plated pretty well in every phase.”

Kase, Hopkins Slip Past 25th Ranked Dickinson, 23-12

CARLISLE, PA – For the second consecutive week the Johns Hopkins football team needed a late-game drive and touchdown to seal a crucial Centennial Conference victory on the road. For the second consecutive week, the Blue Jays turned to senior running back Andrew Kase, who rushed nine times for 54 yards and what proved to be the game-clinching touchdown as the Blue Jays knocked off previously unbeaten and 25th-ranked Dickinson, 23-12, at Biddle Field Saturday afternoon.

The win is the fifth straight for the Blue Jays, who improve to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the Centennial Conference. Coupled with a 21-14 win for Franklin & Marshall over Ursinus earlier today, Johns Hopkins takes over sole possession of first place in the Centennial Conference.

The game was also the 200th for Jim Margraff as the head coach at Johns Hopkins and he improves to 124-73-3 in 20 seasons at Homewood.

-G

Here are your weekend picks:

Ravens 24, Bengals 16

Everything comes down to red zone defense. If the Ravens keep Ochocinco and Benson out of the end zone, they’ll win. If they don’t…..this one could be close.

Wake Forest 30, Maryland 27

I think Maryland is improving; but they have ALWAYS struggled with outside running. If Wake can get the ball outside early, the Terps will be in trouble.

Navy 34, Rice 17

Rice is not any good at all. Navy hasn’t been putting up points the way they have in the past; but they won’t have a problem against the Owls.

Towson 10, Rhode Island 9

It won’t be pretty. But I think Rob Ambrose’s spirit can will his team to another win Saturday.

Morgan State 23, North Carolina A&T 10

The Bears are playing good football. They won’t lose at Hughes Stadium.

Let’s see what everyone else has to say….

Best of Thursday’s WNST Blogs:

Glenn Clark says Le’Ron McClain ‘disappointed’ he hasn’t been on field in big short yardage situations

Rex Snider suggests ideas for 2010 promotions at Camden Yards

Bob Haynie wonders if Flacco or Palmer will have more passing yards Sunday

Thyrl Nelson thinks Flacco, McGahee, Mason Top 10 Fantasy plays vs. Cincy

Rex Snider still would take Terrell Owens with Ravens

Tom Clayton says Ravens need ‘big play’ from Ed Reed

Ed Frankovic says Caps ‘lethargic’ in 4-3 loss to Rangers

RAVENS:

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Chris Carr, Lardarius Webb will continue to be involved in return game

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Jarret Johnson, Derrick Mason returned to practice; Jared Gaither, Demetrius Williams remained out

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Reed will be ‘tested’ by Carson Palmer

The Official Site says Rosburg believes Ayanbadejo will return to team to work as ‘assistant coach’

The Official Site says Terrell Suggs knows Ravens ‘can’t stop being aggressive’ even with penalties against New England

The Official Site says Bengals returned 250 tickets for Sunday’s game; available via Ticketmaster

Bengals Official Site says Cedric Benson would like to be 2nd Cincinnati RB to snap long Ravens streak of not allowing 100 yard rusher (Corey Dillon snapped a 50 game streak in ’01)

The Sun’s Ken Murray says high draft picks Keith Rivers, Maualuga, Leon Hall, Jonathan Joseph paying off for Bengals

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Ravens need to run football, protect Flacco, get big returns

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Ravens must avoid turnovers, stay strong defensively in red zone, and can’t allow Bengals to put together dramatic drive late

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Jeff Triplette’s crew will officiate Ravens-Bengals Sunday; crew led NFL in holding calls last season

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says defense trying to ‘mesh’ with Greg Mattison

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Lardarius Webb will be primary kick returner Sunday

The Sun’s Mike Preston says Jarret Johnson knows defense supports Mattison

The Sun’s Mike Preston wonders if Tavares Gooden better served playing safety

The Sun’s Mike Preston says Lardarius Webb can get ‘wild’

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Reed, Ngata, Gooden fully practiced

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain, Dannell Ellerbe will all play Sunday

The Sun remembers Flacco winning NFL debut last season against Cincinnati in Baltimore

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says Ravens ‘comfortable’ if Oher has to start at LT

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says Chris Carr remains primary punt returner, nickel back

Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Erardi says Bengals DT Tank Johnson believes Ravens capable of running for 300 yards or throwing for 300 yards

Dayton Daily News’ Kyle Nagel says Ray Lewis believes there’s still something special about facing Marvin Lewis

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger and Joe Theismann picked Ravens, Shannon Sharpe picked Bengals

NFL.com’s Gil Brandt looking forward to seeing Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth vs. Ravens’ Terrell Suggs

Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer picks Ravens 27-13

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco gives Ravens B+ for first 4 games of season

ESPN.com’s Mike Sando has Flacco 8th in MVP rankings

ESPN.com’s James Walker doubts Benson can reach 100 yards

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Kelley Washington has something to show against former team

TERRAPINS FOOTBALL:

The Official Site says Davin Meggett, Demetrius Hartsfield will carry flags for Terps before Wake kickoff

Wake Forest Official Site says Terps trying to avenge choke job in last trip to Winston-Salem back in ‘07

The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Bruce Campbell OUT for tomorrow’s game

The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Fridge believes Morgan Green ‘hasn’t really progressed’

The Diamondback’s Adi Joseph says Terps have chance to contend in ACC Atlantic if they beat WFU

The Diamondback’s Eric Detweiler says O-Line has allowed ACC-high 18 sacks this season

The Diamondback’s Michael Katz says Friedgen knows Jim Grobe likes to ‘think outside the box’ offensively

The Diamondback’s Adi Joseph says Mike Barbour out tomorrow, David May to travel as backup kicker

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell picks Wake 26-23

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell says Pinegar, RJ Dill to start at OT positions

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell says freshmen D-Linemen Isaiah Ross, A.J. Francis, Zach Kerr, Carl Russell give Terps ‘bright future’

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens picks Terps 21-20

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Terps lead all-time series with Wake 41-15-1

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Travis Baltz ‘questionable’ for next week against Virginia

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Terps likely to ‘lean heavy’ on Da’Rel Scott, Gary Douglas this week

Washington Examiner’s Kevin Dunleavy says Terps must slow down Wake combo of Riley Skinner, Marshall Williams

Winston-Salem Journal’s Dan Collins says CB Kenny Okoro to make first start for Deacs Saturday against Terps

ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich says Grobe believes Chris Turner ‘owned’ Deacs last season

ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich says Terps have won 6 of last 8 with Wake

ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich says Terps have offered Connor Wujciak (Alex’s little brother)

ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich picks Deacs 21-14

Terrapin Times’ Keith Cavanaugh says Nick Ferrara putting together impressive resume with Terps (must subscribe)

Terrapin Times’ Keith Cavanaugh says backup center Danny Edwards will miss tomorrow’s game with concussion (must subscribe)

Turtle Sports Report’s Matt Owings breaks down Terrapins-Demon Deacons

Turtle Sports Report’s John Talty says Maryland interested in ’11 prospect Lamonte Clark (must subscribe)

TERRAPINS BASKETBALL:

Terrapin Times’ Dan Painter says Germany native/Point Pleasant Beach (NJ) prospect Jarelle Reischel visiting campus (must subscribe)

TERRAPINS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL:

Terrapin Times’ Dan Painter says commit Whitney Bays had ‘comfort level’ in College Park (must subscribe)

NAVY FOOTBALL:

Annapolis Capital’s Bill Wagner says Teich won’t rule himself out of Rice game in native Houston

Washington Post’s Camille Powell says Buddy Green ‘preaching preparation’ for Mids

Washington Post’s Camille Powell says Tuani leader on field even if he isn’t stats guy

Washington Times’ Mike Fratto says Pospisil ‘emotional leader’ for Navy

Washington Examiner’s Kevin Dunleavy says Mids showing ‘improvement’ defensively even without Nate Frazier

Go Mids breaks down “need to know” facts about Midshipmen, Owls

TOWSON FOOTBALL:

Examiner Matthew Schlissel says Tigers, Rhode Island each looking for first CAA win tomorrow

LOYOLA BASKETBALL:

The Official Site says Greyhounds AD Joe Boylan will end 19 year run as Athletic Director next year with retirement

HOPKINS LACROSSE:

Washington Examiner’s Brian McNally says former Blue Jay Rabil amongst greatest athletes in DeMatha history

ORIOLES:

The Sun says Markakis finalist for Hutch award

Examiner Jay Trucker thinks Matusz, Guthrie, Tillman, Bergesen looks for Birds’ rotation in ‘10

ORIOLES MINOR LEAGUES:

The Sun’s Dean Jones Jr. says Josh Bell top 3B in organization

CRYSTAL PALACE USA:

The Official Site says Palace hosting Team USA’s U-17 squad next Saturday at Loyola

HORSE RACING:

Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman says Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird reunited with jockey Borel for Goodwood Stakes

Daily Racing Form’s Jay Hovdey says New Mexico has rallied behind Mine That Bird trainer Woolley

RUNNING:

The Sun’s Mike Klingaman says Ellicott City’s Timothy Kirby to race ‘shadow’ run in Iraq while marathon held tomorrow

FIGURE SKATING:

The Sun’s Candus Thomson says Meissner withdraws from competition for spot on 2010 Olympics team

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:

-Might as well give Lardarius Webb a shot to return kicks. It won’t change the team, but it’s worth the look.

Talk to you from Owings Mills.

-G

So many Ravens tidbits yesterday-my comments were spread out on the air on AM1570, on Twitter, etc. Let me consolidate them here.

Tony Fein’s death: Tony was one of the better guys to be around in Westminster during Training Camp. Sadly, he will be best remembered for an incident in the Inner Harbor (a source there that night called the incident “complete overreaction” on both parties) that probably would have been dismissed, which is unfortunate. Tony’s service to his country and his dedication to the game of football were really special. He was friends with fellow former Ole Miss Rebels Jason Cook and Michael Oher; I imagine Oher is hurting today.

Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs NOT fined: I think it is important to remember that the comments made by these players were more about the RULES themselves than about the actual calls made by Ron Winter’s crew Sunday in Foxborough. Had T-Sizzle said something like “Ron Winter is blind”, he definitely would have been fined. Instead, all players talked about how quarterbacks are overprotected. They’re probably right.

Brendon Ayanbadejo OFFICIALLY to IR, Prescott Burgess OFFICIALLY brought back: Least surprising move I’ve ever seen. Burgess will join Antwan Barnes and Dannell Ellerbe as guys who will be counted on to contribute on both special teams and defense. We all knew this was coming; now Prescott gets his chance to prove himself again.

Chad Ochocinco gets into Twitter fight with Domonique Foxworth, Fabian Washington: Chad Ochocinco is an entertainer. Dom and Fabe (is that a good name for a pop group?) just need to be football players. Everything said yesterday was in good fun; and I actually LOVE 85’s “Kiss Da Baby” line, and none if the back and forth will matter if the Ravens’ corners play well Sunday.

Matt Stover tries out with Giants: I really thought the Browns would have tried to get Matt to kick for a day when they came to town with Phil Dawson hurt 2 weeks ago. New York is a close enough commute that I believe Matt would consider doing it if he was offered. However, it looks like Lawrence Tynes will remain in New York.

Best of Tuesday’s WNST Blogs:

Thyrl Nelson says Belichick appeared ‘truly giddy’ to beat Ravens

Luke Jones says Fein was teammates with Oher, Jason Cook at Ole Miss

Glenn Clark remembers great Maryland-Wake Forest moment

Ed Frankovic says Caps fell to Flyers 6-5 in OT

Drew Forrester not taking Capitals’ loss well

RAVENS:

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Ravens officially brought back Prescott Burgess from Patriots’ practice squad

The Official Site says Ayanbadejo placed on IR to make room for Burgess

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says NFL chose not to fine Ray Lewis, Ed Reed for officiating comments

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Harbaugh standing by Mark Clayton

The Official Site’s Mike Duffy says Pats zeroed in on Derrick Mason after early success Sunday

The Official Site says Chris Carr doesn’t think he could play NHL hockey

Bengals Official Site’s Geoff Hobson says TE J.P. Foschi playing like ‘pro’ for Cincinnati

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says no details known in death of former Ravens LB hopeful Tony Fein

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Ayanbadejo to have surgery after meeting with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Kelley Washington excited to face former team Saturday

The Sun’s Kevin Cowherd says Clayton ‘tough’ through adversity of late drop

The Sun’s Dean Jones Jr. cleans up after me

The Sun’s Edward Lee says Ochocinco, Dominique Foxworth, Fabian Washington fought on Twitter Tuesday

The Sun’s Ron Fritz says Matt Stover tried out with Giants

The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Burgess had been playing very well before being traded to NE

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says Dannell Ellerbe got off to ‘strong’ start for Ravens in first action against New England

Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson says VP of football operations Ray Anderson did not believe comments by 52, Reed warranted fines

The AP says Fein’s agent Milton Hobbs said player was working out in Port Orchard, WA in hopes of playing football again

Cincinnati Enquirer’s Joe Reedy says Bengals hoping to have Tank Johnson, Roy Williams back for Sunday’s game

USA Today has Ravens 5th in power rankings

Sporting News says Baltimore 28th best sports city in country

Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver has Ravens 7th in power rankings

NFL.com has Ravens 4th in power rankings

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco has Ravens 8th in power rankings

Fox Sports’ Adrian Hasenmayer has Ravens 7th in power rankings

ESPN.com has Ravens 7th in power rankings

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ravens have stayed high on Dannell Ellerbe

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ayanbadejo will be a ‘significant loss’

ESPN.com’s James Walker thinks Ravens deserve to be ahead of Jets in power rankings

ESPN.com’s James Walker says Ray Rice hot, Mark Clayton not so much

TERRAPINS FOOTBALL:

Wake Forest Official Site previews Demon Deacons’ game against Maryland Saturday

Wake Forest Official Site offers complete Deacs-Terps release (pdf)

The Sun’s Sandra McKee says Fridge wouldn’t rule Campbell out for Saturday in Winston-Salem

The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Ralph doesn’t appear to be looking to Morgan Green for help at RB

The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Pinegar working as starter with Bruce Campbell hurt

Carroll County Times’ Matt Zenitz says things finally clicking for Don Brown’s defense

The AP says Friedgen knows Terps can’t ‘relax’ after win over Clemson

The Diamondback’s Adi Joseph says Nick Klemm or Pete deSouza could be forced into action with Bruce Campbell’s injury

The Diamondback’s Michael Katz says Demetrius Hartsfield nominated for AT&T All-America Player of the Week Award

Washington Post’s Eric Prisbell says Campbell likely to be game time decision against Wake

Washington Post’s Steve Yanda says supporter Jack Heise passed away

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Cam Chism has contributed earlier that he was expected to

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Chris Turner bounced back from rough performance against Rutgers

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Tony Logan listed ahead of Anthony Wiseman on depth chart at punt returner

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Travis Baltz, Louis Berman, Nolan Carroll, Da’Rel Scott, Joe Vellano definitely OUT Saturday

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Ralph prefers D.J. Adams, Caleb Porzel to Morgan Green

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Jack Heise’s death came shortly after fellow supporter Bob Novak’s death

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says James Franklin admitted Terps need to go with younger backs because Morgan Green just hasn’t shown enough

Winston-Salem Journal’s Dan Collins says RB Kevin Harris, TE’s Cameron Ford, Ben Wooster not expected to play Saturday against Terps

ESPN.com’s Pat Forde offers Clemson ‘apology’ for loss to Maryland

TERRAPINS BASKETBALL:

Examiner Matthew Bouchard says Terps better to have Jordan Williams issue resolved before Maryland Madness

NAVY FOOTBALL:

The Official Site says Niumatalolo believes Teich doubtful for Saturday against Rice

Annapolis Capital’s Gerry Jackson says Navy football fans don’t have much to complain about with Niumatalolo’s Midshipmen

Washington Post’s Camille Powell says Joe Buckley getting special treatment in Annapolis after big kick

Washington Post’s Camille Powell says Vince Murray to start at Fullback for Mids against Rice

NAVY BASKETBALL:

The Official Site says MASN, CBS College Sports will carry 5 Midshipmen games this season

Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says former Mid David Robinson named to CAA’s 25th anniversary team

ORIOLES:

The Sun’s Dan Connolly says Wieters brought ‘poise, persistence’ to O’s in rookie campaign

The Sun’s Peter Schmuck doesn’t see Juan Samuel leaving club

USA Today has Birds 28th in final power rankings

CBS Sports’ Larry Dobrow has Birds 28th in final power rankings

ORIOLES MINOR LEAGUES:

The Sun’s Dean Jones Jr. says Pedro Florimon top SS in organization

SOCCER:

The Sun’s Kevin Van Valkenburg and Lorraine Mirabella say Sheila Dixon interested in building soccer stadium downtown to try to lure DC United to Baltimore

Examiner Jeff Hemelt says Dixon wants stadium near Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium

Washington Post’s Steve Goff says United recognizes Baltimore’s ability to build ‘world-class’ sports facilities

Washington Times’ Tim Lemke says United ‘look forward’ to results of Maryland Stadium Authority’s study of Baltimore as possible new home

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:

-Having Bruce Campbell would make a WORLD of difference for Maryland Saturday against WFU. Davin Meggett will have to shoulder a load, and Chris Turner HAS to stay on his feet. With no offense to Paul Pinegar, they could REALLY use Bruce Campbell.

-I am ALL FOR the city of Baltimore building a “secondary stadium” with hopes of having MLS as a primary tenant. Much like Drew Forrester, I think an arena is a more PRESSING priority; but cities across the country are building stadiums like this, and Baltimore has the chance to make money off of an immediate professional sports franchise that needs a new home.

Talk to you from Owings Mills.

-G

(For the record, I’m going to continue to call this “Top 10 Baseball Distractions”, even after the World Series ends. I thought maybe it could go in another direction, but this is what I’ve got.)

Honorable Mention: NASCAR Pepsi 500 (Sunday 2:30 from Fontana live on ABC), IRL Firestone Indy 300 (Saturday 4pm from Miami live on VERSUS), High School Football: Perry Hall @ Woodlawn (Friday 7pm),

10-Baltimore Beer Week: Oktoberfest (Saturday noon Timonium Fairgrounds)

This is going to come as a surprise to you guys, but………I…….enjoy……beer.

I know, you’re stunned. I probably should have prepared you a little bit more. I apologize. I was never particularly good about delivering stunning news. Sorta like when I had to let the people of Gotham City know that I was both Bruce Wayne AND Batman. Tough times in the Clark household.

If you don’t like beer, I have two thoughts:

1-Are you sure you’re a real person and not actually some sort of alien?
2-Maybe THIS can help convince you that this is an event worth attending……

Of course, I’ll just be there for this……..

9-NBA Preseason: Wizards vs. Mavericks (Friday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet); NBA 2K10 and NBA Live 2010 released in stores (Tuesday)

Oh, the NBA is back; huh? Ummm…..that’s cool? I don’t root for the Wizards-especially since they got rid of Juan Dixon-but I MIGHT be willing to consider rooting for DeShawn Stevenson’s tattoo……

Is there anything-ANYTHING-IN THE WORLD-funnier than the fact that a human being walked out of a tattoo parlor one day thinking THAT was cool?

8-Fall Ball Lacrosse: Maryland vs. Alumni (Friday 7:30pm from College Park), Navy Fall Ball Event featuring Syracuse, Georgetown, Penn State, Hobart, and Harvard (Saturday, Annapolis), Loyola vs. Team England (Monday, Diane Geppi-Aikens Field)

This is a LITTLE uncomfortable for me, because it is difficult for me to talk about lacrosse AT ALL without the entire conversation being about my FAVORITE lacrosse player-Cincinnati’s Laura Simanski….

(She’s on the right, and you MAY know her better as “The Future Mrs. Glenn Clark”)

But I digress, as I’m a big fan of Fall Ball Lacrosse. Mostly because it gives me something to tailgate for this weekend while Maryland and Towson football are both out of town. Frankly, if I could tailgate at a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra show, I’d be sitting here telling you about the BSO.

Actually, you think we COULD tailgate at a BSO concert?

7-Rangers @ Capitals, Devils @ Capitals (Thursday & Monday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet)

Again, I don’t root for the Caps. Not because I don’t like them-they’re a model organization not only in the NHL but in ALL of sports. I just don’t root for them because it says “Washington” in front of their name. And those people root for the Redskins, too. And I HATE the Skins. No matter what Lindsay King looks like in a Clinton Portis jersey…..

BUT, I’ll make a special exception this weekend. After the Terps lost to FREAKING RUTGERS, I could really use some revenge towards the GOD AWFUL state of New Jersey. Seriously, these people MUST be dealt with……

6-Golf: Presidents Cup (Thursday 3pm & Friday 2pm live on Golf Channel; Saturday 11am & Sunday noon live on NBC; all golf from San Francisco)

The first time Forrester looks over at me Sunday in the Press Box and says “Which of these TV’s do you think they’re going to put the golf on?”, I’m probably going to punch him in the face. Love you DF; but this is football season. For example, my family asked me if I wanted to come over for crabs Sunday. I-being a warm-blooded, God-fearing American of course LOVE crabs, but I had to look back at them and say “ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!? You know they didn’t cancel NFL season this year, right?”

Why don’t they just pay this event during the week? People that care about golf never seem to have real jobs anyway, so they’d still be able to watch; and if they do it late enough in the day, some of us might even watch too.

Or if they want me to watch on a weekend, just make all of the contestants look like this…..

Or this……

5-WEC: Cerrone vs. Henderson (Saturday 10pm from San Antonio live on VERSUS)

Everything about having fights on free TV is good news to me. Kinda like when they had Bachman sit on Kimbo last week on SpikeTV……

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0TKJMTuamo[/youtube]

4-World Cup Qualifying: Team USA vs. Honduras (Saturday 10pm from San Pedro Sula, Honduras-NO TV-Match will be shown at Slainte in Federal Hill), College Soccer: Virginia Tech @ Maryland (Friday 8pm from Ludwig Field)

WHY IN THE EFF IS THIS MATCH NOT ON TV?!?!?!? Something tells me you might hear more about this during “Cheap Shots From the Bleachers” Thursday morning…..

And as if I NEEDED another reason to hate Honduras; THIS is what I found when I Google image searched “sexy Honduras”….

I hope we not only beat them in soccer, I hope we annex their country.

3-Baltimore Running Festival (Saturday 8am Downtown Baltimore)

I was going to run in this on Sunday, but the last time I tried running competitively, I lost to fat women……

And what’s the point of running this thing anyway? The first time you tell someone you won a race, they’re just gonna look bat you and say “Usain Bolt is faster.”

Of course, I did just hear that Kelly Bell Band is playing on course…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNmcmFCCNI4[/youtube]

Can you run after smoking a lot marijuana? My friend wanted me to ask…..

2-College Football: Maryland @ Wake Forest (Saturday 6:30pm from Winston-Salem live on ESPN360), Navy @ Rice (Saturday 3:30pm from Houston live on CBS College Sports), Towson @ Rhode Island (Saturday 1pm from Kingston, RI live on AM 1570 WNST), North Carolina A&T @ Morgan State (Saturday 1pm Hughes Stadium), Florida @ LSU (Saturday 8pm from Baton Rouge live on CBS)

If you’re not praying for the recovery of “America’s Quarterback” in time for Saturday’s trip to the Bayou; you are CLEARLY a communist who needs to get out of my country.

Also, since we’re playing the Deacs on Saturday; I think this is appropriate…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBXKsH8khh8[/youtube]

1-Bengals @ Ravens (Sunday 1pm from M&T Bank Stadium live on CBS); Premiere of “The Band That Wouldn’t Die” (Tuesday 6pm M&T Bank Stadium); UFL Season Opener: California Redwoods vs. Las Vegas Locomotives (Thursday 9pm from Vegas live on VERSUS)

Thoughts all over the place here.

First-Can’t make it to the stadium Sunday? You’ll be in the VERY capable hands of one Gus Johnson…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx_e6R4O2wE[/youtube]

Second-I have NO DOUBT that Barry Levinson’s flick about the Baltimore Colts marching band is AMAZING, but why not show THIS instead…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW1qHA5Hqwc[/youtube]

Third-I am looking forward to watching Anita patrol the sidelines as much as anyone, but if the UFL REALLY wanted to succeed, I’m pretty sure Christine Nubla would have been a better choice…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ji8Ig2p8wo[/youtube]

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…..

-G