I shared this Saturday night on both Facebook and Twitter (via Sulia, which I will admit I’ve NEVER used before).

This is going to be a quick thought from me before New Year’s Eve. It’s the last thing I want to say in calendar 2012. I’ll have plenty to say about the Baltimore Ravens during the course of the next fews days. It’s (once again) Indianapolis Colts week and a lot of people are going to have a lot of opinions.

I’ll save the majority of mine for January 2, 2012. In the meantime, this is it for me in 2012. I hope this final thought will strike you. It was the only thing I could think about after I learned Buck Showalter had been named the Baltimore Sun’s “Marylander of the Year” for 2012.

It’s really important to me.

This is genuine. 

What Buck Showalter accomplished in 2012 was nothing short of amazing. There’s a reason why we named him WNST.net’s “Local Sports Person of the Year”. 

That being said, it’s unconscionable that The Baltimore Sun create an honor called “Marylander of the Year” and screw it up so much. 

There was ONE answer to this question this year. ONE. 

I feel so strongly about this that I would prefer to wait until my show Monday to really discuss it, but because I only have two hours on Monday’s show I’ll do it here. 

Perry Hall High School’s Jesse Wasmer was the only person that should have even been CONSIDERED for this award, more or less named a winner. I understand The Sun made this an open vote, but that’s their own mistake. 

The title of “Marylander of The Year” is far too significant for a popularity contest. A hero who protected our young people and risked his own life/safety in the process should have made this a no-brainer. 

I know Jesse doesn’t want the recognition, but as whatever form of public figure I am, I can’t let it go. 

Perhaps when it comes time for “Marylander of the Decade” it will be made right.

(If you don’t remember, Jesse Wasmer was the guidance counselor and Perry Hall High School alum who confronted a gunman on the first day of school at PHHS this year after he wounded student Daniel Borowy. Wasmer was hailed as protecting perhaps many lives that day while placing his own life at risk. He was aided by fellow faculty members Richard Rosenthal and Kathleen Watkins. If you need your memory jogged, please go ahead. I shared some of my own emotions that day too.)

I add the disclosure that I am a Perry Hall alum myself and still involved with the school for multiple events every year. I add another disclosure that I know Jesse, having attended Perry Hall at the same time. His brother and I were classmates. Jesse was always the typed you looked up to because of how cool and collected he was. I never knew as a young man that composure would turn into completely legitimate heroism.

I’m not exactly impartial when it comes to my feelings here. I hardly believe that matters in this case.

As I reminded someone who told me “Whoever they picked, there would be controversy” Saturday night, there is absolutely ZERO debate about a real hero who risked his own safety to save the lives of area children. None.

Thank you Jesse Wasmer. You’re my hero. You deserve so much more than just “Marylander of the Year” for what you’ve done. It’s just a shame they couldn’t even figure that much out.

I promise I’ll ramp up some Indy angst and purple passion in the coming days. I just wanted to leave you with this final thought and image in 2012 as the tragedies of Aurora and New Town have dominated year-end recaps. I’m so grateful this doesn’t have to be remembered the same way, but I hope we recognize that as the year closes.

Happy New Year, Charm City.

-G

There were a number of great choices for WNST’s fifth annual “Local Sportsperson of the Year” in 2012.

Let me remind you that there are only a few qualifications for the honor.

First, the person must be local. They must be an athlete, coach or front office member for a pro, college or high school team in the state of Maryland. Individual sport athletes who represent the state of Maryland also qualify.

Second, the person must stand out from other people over the course of the 12 calendar months. The accomplishments of that individual must be comparable to if not greater than the accomplishments of others in the area.

And finally, that person’s year must stand out from other years during their tenure/career in the area.

If you’ve forgotten, 2012 is the fifth year we’ve given the honor, with our past winners being Michael Phelps (2008), Todd Bozeman (2009), Greivis Vasquez (2010) and Rob Ambrose (2011).

There were a handful of candidates whose 2012 accomplishments would make them easy winners almost any year.

-Loyola basketball coach Jimmy Patsos lead the school back to the NCAA Tournament after inheriting a program that could only be described as “in the doldrums.” The sweat equity Patsos put into building a MAAC Championship program is perhaps unmatched, as the coach spent almost as much time shaking hands and kissing babies as he did running drills until finally reaching the ultimate goal for a low-to-mid major program.

-Even with the success Patsos had, perhaps he wouldn’t even be deemed the most qualified candidate as his own school. Charley Toomey lead the Greyhounds to one of the most improbable National Championship runs in recent lacrosse history. The Hounds came into the season unranked, but ran off 12 straight wins to open the season and finished the campaign with only one loss-a one goal defeat and the hands of Johns Hopkins. The Hounds posted a dominant national title victory over Maryland to deliver the first national championship in school history (any sport) at the D1 level.

-Adam Jones wasn’t just the Baltimore Orioles’ MVP, an All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner in 2012. He was the anchor of a team that finally snapped a decade-and-a-half long playoff drought and perhaps most importantly endeared himself to Baltimore baseball fans forever by inking a six year contract extension to ensure fans he wouldn’t be breaking their hearts by donning pinstripes in the next few years.

-Ray Rice is likely headed to another Baltimore Ravens Team MVP honor and also warmed the hearts of purple & black fans by signing a five year contract extension of his own. Rice picked up his third Pro Bowl nod while being the rock for an offense poised to break the franchise record for most points scored in a season and helping to claim a second consecutive AFC North title for the first time in team history.

Like I said, there were plenty of great candidates.

But when it came to picking a winner, Baltimore fans were right. It actually was quite easy.

Buck Showalter actually came just ONE POINT shy of winning this honor before. The 34-23 finish he guided the Orioles to in 2010 nearly nabbed him the award, and the contentiousness of the fighting between contributors here at WNST actually lead to a change in how we selected our recipient.

In a way, Showalter has essentially owned this town ever since his first game as skipper in orange and black. Fans swooned when he famously proclaimed “I know the save rule and, quite frankly, it doesn’t carry much weight with me. I like the win rule a little bit better” following his late inning handling of Mike Gonzalez and Alfredo Simon in a win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Perhaps even more admirably, Showalter showed immense class each and every time he was asked about the seeming reluctance for Orioles fans to return to Oriole Park at Camden Yards in droves after the misery that had experienced in rooting for an organization that seemed disinterested in returning a quality product to Baltimore. Even as the Orioles were in the mix for the AL East crown in late August in front of small crowds during a series against the Chicago White Sox, Showalter continued to say things like ”it would be pretty presumptuous on anybody’s part to think that they’re going to trust us that quickly”. He didn’t just save baseball in this town, he remained as classy as possible in the process.

(Continued on Page 2…)

Cam Cameron is out. Jim Caldwell is in. Steve Bisciotti is involved. John Harbaugh is testy.

Mark Reynolds is gone. Peter Angelos is cheap.

There’s a lot going on, but not everything is changing.

It’s been an active few days here in Charm City, as you could tell on-air Monday on AM1570 WNST.net. We’re going to be even more active in the community over the next few days, and we need you to be a part of it.

On December 18, we’ll be making our annual donation to the Helping Up Mission downtown. If you’re not familiar with the work of the Mission, I encourage you to head to their website. I’m always overwhelmed by the work that group is doing every year when we get down there. The Helping Up Mission welcomes men who are absolutely broken-due to poverty, homelessness, addiction, etc. and works to get them back on their feet and return them to the community. They also work as an overnight shelter to keep people off the street at night.

This is the third straight year we’re collecting coats here at WNST. Our friends at Enoch Office Equipment partner with us annually, as they allow people to drop off coats at their office and then help us transport them downtown. Here’s a picture they posted on their Facebook page last year of just a few of the coats and one of the men from the Mission…

We’re up against it a bit this year, as we need to make the donation ONE WEEK FROM TODAY (Tuesday, December 18) and we’ve been off to a bit of a slow start because there’s just been so much going on. We NEED to step it up.

We need you to bring us your coats. We also need your jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and any other warm clothes you can gather up. We need your old clothes and your new clothes. We need your clothes that don’t fit. We need your clothes with the one button missing. We need men’s clothes, but we also need clothes for women, kids and even babies. You have to keep in mind that many of these mean have children and families and will not be able to give gifts without donations.

We need to lift up those less fortunate this holiday season. We need to help keep our community warm as the temperatures eventually stay below 40 for a few months. Keep in mind-winter doesn’t even officially start for more than a week.

So we’re gathering together Tuesday night to celebrate and raise coats. Our annual coat drive hits Buffalo Wild Wings in White Marsh (at the White Marsh Mall). Drew Forrester will be over there at 6pm, Ryan Chell and I will head that way as soon as “The Reality Check” goes off the air. We’ll be collecting coats, talking sports, eating asian zing wings (or maybe even other types of wings), drinking beer and just hanging out. No radio show, no silly events, just the opportunity to hang out with fellow members of the WNST.net community and do some good this holiday season.

To further entice you to hang out with us Tuesday night, it’s $.50 traditional wing night at B-Dubs and anyone who brings at least one coat will receive a $5 gift card. Since Mr. Radcliffe did a hell of a job teaching me math at Perry Hall High School, I can tell you with assurance that means a single coat will get you ten free wings. I’m absolutely certain I’ll be taking advantage of this.

It’s going to be a great night and I can’t wait to see everybody out there. I REALLY hope you’ll be bringing out coats. John Harbaugh said Monday “my charge…is to maximize the opportunities for our team to win.” Our charge as members of the WNST.net community is to lift up those in need. This is a simple opportunity to do just that and have a great time hanging out with other Baltimore sports fans.

You all did an amazing job coming through for the community during our annual canned food drive…

…we need you to come through similarly in the next week with warm clothes.

If for some reason you can’t make it Tuesday night, there are some more options for donating coats this week. Nestor Aparicio will be back at the White Marsh Mall Wednesday night for Santa Spirit Night and would gladly take your donation then. We’ll be at Greenmount Station in Hampstead with Dennis Pitta Thursday night for “Thursday Night Live” presented by Freedmont Mortgage at 7pm. The Weekend Warriors will be at Top Hat Cue Club on Satyr Hill Rd. Saturday from 12-3pm and would also be happy to accept donations. You can also stop by any day Monday-Friday 6am-6pm (until next Tuesday at 10am) at the Zone Superstore Studios at 1550 Hart Rd. in Towson with your donation.

But we REALLY hope to see you Tuesday night at BWW White Marsh.

Let’s celebrate community service at least HALF as much as we celebrated a coach getting fired Monday.

Please?

-G

The Orioles had some success last season with their Rule 5 pick in INF Ryan Flaherty, and in Nashville, Baltimore Executive Vice President Dan Duquette felt like there were players that could make the team better in 2013.

With the 23rd selection in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles selected 23-year old left-hander T.J. McFarland from the Cleveland Indians organization.

McFarland, a sinkerball pitcher and fourth-round pick in 2007, went 16-8 with a 4.03 ERA in starts between Double-A and Triple-A Columbus.

At the Triple-A level, he was 8-6 with a 4.82 ERA.

McFarland will be given a chance to compete for a starting spot in the Orioles rotation, and like Flaherty, he must be kept on Buck Showalter’s 25-man roster for the entire length of the season or be offered back to the Indians.

Follow WNST on Twitter for your Orioles and Ravens news! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

Ok, I was having a great Baltimore sports weekend, the Blast won Friday Night, Towson absolutely destroyed New Hampshire at New Hampshire without their best defensive player, and the Ravens were about to play at Pittsburgh in the best rivalry in the NFL…..then I got pissed off to say the least.

How in the world did the FCS selection committee keep the Towson Tigers out of the tournament? They absolutely beat the hell out of New Hampshire, the 7th ranked team in the country, in their own stadium. Not good enough! Towson also scored the most points against LSU, yes that LSU, at Death Valley than any other team has all year! Not good enough, oh Towson also lost to a Kent State team that is currently in the top 25 in the BCS rankings as well, and played them close. Not good enough! I feel bad for the Tigers and WNST’s own Damon Yaffe, you litterally got robbed and those players deserve better.

UMBC played an outstanding game at North Carolina and took them to penalty kicks to decide the game, have to admire that effort and am proud of the Retrievers. UNC is the defending National Champs, not too bad for a school with county in its name!

The University of Maryland announces they are attempting to leave the ACC and head to the Big 10. WHAT?? Good luck with that, I know more goes into that move than just Athletics, but we all know Athletics are your biggest money maker, and its going to be pure embarassment when they join the Big 10. Wooo they have their own TV network, joyous occassion to get beat on TV every week. Maryland was already struggling to bring in big time recruits, don’t see the Terrapins beating out Ohio State and Michigan for top recruits much easier than beating North Carolina and Duke, or even Virginia Tech for that matter…..disappointing.

Ahhh some emotion uplifting, the Ravens beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh, couldn’t be happier, sure the offense could play better and undoubtedly Cam Cameron could have called a better game, but we are 8-2 with a two game lead in the AFC North! Turn on WNST this morning and all I hear is how disappointed fans are with the win?? the win?? Wow, simply stunning. Baltimore is 8-2 right? Sure we have to get better, but what team in week 11 doesn’t say to themselves, “we need to get better before the playoffs”. Zero, listen to the New England Patriots, they are always stating how they have pleanty of things to work on.

Bring on San Diego, and let’s make it 9-2!

We were in our weekly WNST.net staff meeting Tuesday when Drew Forrester looked up and said, “wait? Did you Thanksgiving was NEXT Thursday? That has to be inaccurate!”

I think we’ve all had a sinking feeling over the course of the last few weeks, as we’ve realized Thanksgiving is happening on the earliest possible date on the calendar-next Thursday, November 22nd.

It’s with that in mind that I’m making one last push for you guys to help us out before then.

The last few years, Drew Forrester and I (with the incredible help of Nestor Aparicio and the rest of the WNST Staff, as well as Enoch Office Equipment) have collected canned goods and other non-perishable food items to help make Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season brighter for the less fortunate in the Baltimore area.

You know what? I misspoke there.

YOU all have collected the cans, we’ve just tried to pitch in and help out all of you.

When I was part of “The Morning Reaction”, I used to try to explain it this way.

All of us are part of the WNST Community. As hosts, we’re just the part of the community that has microphones in front of us. Otherwise, we’re just part of the group. The community isn’t necessarily people who are fans of Drew, Nestor, Luke Jones, Catch The Buzz, Thyrl Nelson or myself; the community is made up of Baltimoreans who are sports fans.

We fall into that group. We’re Baltimore Ravens fans. We’re Baltimore Orioles fans. We’re Maryland Terrapins and Towson Tigers and Baltimore Blast and UMBC Retrievers and Morgan State Bears and Navy Midshipmen and Coppin State Eagles and Loyola Greyhounds and Calvert how the Calvert Hall Cardinals and Perry Hall Gators fans.

It’s a community I’m incredibly proud to call myself a part of. In fact, I have made it clear I was a part of the WNST community long before I ever worked at WNST. I was a part of the WNST community from the inception of the outlet. I was a part of the WNST community when I was working at the community of living in Arizona.

Some of the members of the WNST community are going to need our help to have a more meaningful holiday season.

I’ll never…EVER…forget when a listener and caller who is a REGULAR at WNST events approached me a few years ago and told me it meant a little bit more to them to be donating to our effort because it had only been a few years earlier that they found themselves at a shelter needing the donations of others not only to provide a holiday celebration, but just to get by.

Once again, that listener was in the studio at 1550 Hart Rd. in Towson last week making their annual donation to our efforts. It warmed my heart in a way I couldn’t possibly explain.

I don’t want to sound like I’m begging, but I’m absolutely begging.

We got off to a great start to our canned good drive thanks to some significant donations early in November. But as our deadline approaches next Tuesday, we NEED you guys to step up a bit.

We’ll be taking our food donations to the Canton Baptist Church food kitchen and the Bea Gaddy Thanksgiving Dinner again this year, but we have to make the donation next TUESDAY the 20th. We’re up against it.

So I’m making one more push.

We usually do an annual “hangout” night during the food drive. Unfortunately between our WNST.net live Ravens player shows, Hurricane Sandy, an election and a trip to Brooklyn, it was almost impossible for us to work out a date before the early Thanksgiving date.

Instead, I’m hoping you’ll come hang out with us this Thursday night. Bud Light Thursday Night Live presented by Freedmont Mortgage is at The Grill at Harryman House, 340 Main Street in Reisterstown. Our host is Ravens TE Dennis Pitta, his special guest is LB Dannell Ellerbe-who has been playing as well if not better than any Ravens defensive player recently.

If you come out Thursday night and bring me canned goods/other non-perishable food items, I will give you a “PRIORITY” spot at the front of the line to meet the guys. I’ll also throw in a pair of tickets to the Maryland/Towson women’s basketball game December 11th at the Towson Center. I know damn well you’ll be begging me for tickets to this game (I remember because you were doing the same thing the last time the Terrapins visited Towson) which will likely end up sold out. I have ten pairs of tickets, so the first ten of you to bring me canned goods Thursday night will get them.

Also, I’ll be hanging out after the show Thursday night in the Tavern Room at The Grill at Harryman House, checking out the Bills/Dolphins game, debating the merits of whether or not the Orioles should sign Jonny Gomes, doing vodka shots in honor of Alex Len, trying out quarterbacks who could play against Florida State next week and talking about some little football game in the Steel City Sunday night.

I’m hoping to convince Drew, Luke and Ryan to stick around as well and hang out after the show. It should be a good time.

We’ll do the same thing next Monday night at Hooters in Towson for Monday Night Live.

If you can’t get out to either show, we’d LOVE to have you stop by the station any day between now and Tuesday with your donations.

We need to get this done Baltimore. We owe this to those who need it this holiday season, have needed in the past and might need it in the future.

These are O’s fans. They’re Ravens fans and Terps fans. They need us. Like Bruce Springsteen would say, we need to take care of our own.

Hope to see you Thursday night.

-G

Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as “The Five Plays That Determined The Game.”

It’s a simple concept. We’ll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.

This will be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule.

Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens’ 25-15 win over the Cleveland Browns Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium…

(Note: not all pictures are always of actual play)

Glenn Clark’s Plays…

5. Bernard Pierce 12 yard TD run on 3rd & 1 (1st quarter)

4. Brandon Weeden pass intended for Greg Little incomplete on 4th & 2 (4th quarter)

3. TJ Ward roughing the passer called after Joe Flacco incompletion (4th quarter)

2. Torrey Smith 19 yard TD catch from Joe Flacco (4th quarter)

1. Anquan Boldin 21 yard catch from Joe Flacco (4th quarter)

(Ryan Chell’s Plays on Page 2…)