This morning on “Morning Reaction” here at WNST, Luke and Drew were debating on the issue of steroid users and if they should be allowed in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is a very good question, but one that does not have a sheer cut answer.

I say yes, because it was the era that they played in and the true definition of a Hall of Famer is a player who dominated during his era. Was Barry Bonds a dominant player during his era? YES! Roger Clemens? YES. Also, many of the players in this era, including the two aforementioned players, never tested positive for steroids although many people feel they used them. I am with Drew though, as he stated they should be allowed in but there has to be something on on their plaque that states that they tested positive or were found guilty of using. I say this because if you look back in the History of baseball, you could make an arguement for every era that there should be an asterisk.

When you look at baseball history, you could make an arguement during the era that guys who played before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier should have an asterisk or something on their plaque that states African American players were not permitted in baseball, thus “x-player” was not purely competing against the best baseball players. Also, beer used to be allowed in the dugouts! Why not mention something on plaques about that?

It is just too dificult to keep these guys in the steroid era out of the Hall of Fame when it was the era that they played in. During the “Raised Mound era” pitchers were dominant, but how many of those pitchers would have been as dominant with the lower mound? Shouldn’t pitchers from that era in the Hall of Fame have something listed on their plaque? Again, it is too tough to justify keeping the steroid era players out of the Hall of Fame.

What do you think?

Orioles outfielder Nate McLouth would have never imagined having people telling him “Thank You” at the end of the 2012 season after manager Buck Showalter and GM Dan Duquette gave the 30-year old cast-off another opportunity at the big leagues.

But it turns out, McLouth happened to be one of the reasons why the Baltimore Orioles were able to end their stretch of 15 consecutive losing seasons and a lack of baseball being played in October, and he saw that appreciation come his way in masses.

McLouth, who was signed by the Orioles to a minor league deal on June 5th and eventually found his way to the big league club on August 3rd, jumped right in to the Baltimore lineup and played at a high level and provided a spark for manager Buck Showalter in the stretch run of the regular season.

In 55 games in the regular season, McLouth hit .268 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs. He had a .342 OBP and his slugging percentage reached .435.

Those were numbers that McLouth had not really seen consistently since 2008 when he made the All-Star team as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

That presence was even more important after right fielder and leadoff man Nick Markakis broke his wrist in early September from a CC Sabathia pitch, and McLouth-who had already been written off by his two previous teams in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, was called upon by Showalter to stabilize the offense.

McLouth not only proved the doubters wrong, but was the Orioles hottest bat in their ALDS set with the New York Yankees and admitted to Glenn Clark on “The Reality Check” Monday the weekend after their playoff run ended-that he had a lot of fun along the way.

“That’s what you play for,” McLouth said. ”It was as fun of time as you can have playing baseball.   I know a lot of people-probably everybody-didn’t expect this team to be where we were coming down there in September.  That may have made it even more fun.  But once we got there, we expected to be there.  It was exciting; it was a lot of fun.”

McLouth had two RBIs in the Orioles 5-1 Wild Card win over the Texas Rangers, and in the ALDS against the New York Yankees, he went hit .318 with one home run and 3 RBIs from the leadoff spot.

It was just a continued sense of added confidence for McLouth to be playing at that high of a level again on that big of a stage.

“I knew that I still had some good baseball left in me, and I still do.  It was so nice to have that opportunity, and to be able to take advantage of it.”

McLouth said that the whole process was made much easier when his manager, Buck Showalter, trusted in his skills as gave him the green light to go out and make plays on his own.

“Buck let me do my thing on the bases, in the outfield, at the plate, it was great. After struggling for a couple years it was really, really difficult, but it was like a breath of fresh air.  I couldn’t have had a better time.”

Unfortunately, McLouth-who had playoff experience with the Braves in 2010 NLDS-had no control over the rest of his teammates’ bats going cold against the Yankees, and the season sadly came to an end.

But as McLouth can attest to-the game of baseball can be a roller coaster ride sometimes.

“In that series at Camden Yards in September, we swung the bats pretty well, facing a lot of the same pitchers,” McLouth said. “Unfortunately, that’s how baseball works sometimes. That also goes to show you how hard baseball is…they got a couple more hits than we did.”

McLouth said losing last Friday night stinks and that bad taste in his mouth still lingers, but ultimately he knows both he and his teammates will be able to look at it from a much broader perspective.

“I don’t think it has still hasn’t hit yet, but I think it will. I don’t care if you’re expected to be there or not, it stinks losing,” McLouth told Clark. “I’m sure once the sting wears off a little bit here, we will be able to be happy about what we accomplished this year.”

And ultimately, McLouth said he’s going to use days like Friday and Saturday to better motivate himself toward doing more in 2013 next season for the Baltimore Orioles should he be given that opportunity.

It’s something he hasn’t felt in quite some time.

“Usually the last day of the season, if you’re not going to the playoffs, it’s one of the best days of the year,” McLouth admitted. You know you have some time off coming ahead of you- some time to rest.”

“But after losing on Friday, it was an awful feeling, it was empty, and it was terrible. I think all of us wanted to keep going, and that’s going to drive me personally in the offseason going into next season.”

But that’s a situation that is again out of McLouth’s control.

The 30-year old McLouth had signed a one year, 1.75 million dollar contract to play this season for the Orioles, and with the healthy returns of outfielders Nolan Reimold and Nick Markakis, you have to wonder if there is a spot and at-bats for McLouth on this roster.

McLouth said he will focus on coming back strong in 2013, and hopes that it’s back in Orange and Black because Charm City really grew on him.

“I can tell you I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Baltimore- everything about it,” McLouth said with a little emotion. “The people in that organization are awesome, I love my teammates. I like living in there in Baltimore-living down in the Harbor area. I really enjoyed playing here and I would enjoy to be back.”

McLouth said that seeing Oriole Park in Camden Yards filled to the brink in August, September, and October was one of the most exciting things he’s experienced in his lifetime, and he said the fans deserved what they did more than ever.

“I played in Baltimore I think twice as a visiting player, once with Pittsburgh, once with Atlanta, I think in ’08 and ’09. It was obviously a beautiful stadium but didn’t have much of excitement, which is normal for a team that hasn’t won in a long time. To see the way that stadium coming down the stretch in September, but especially those two playoff games was incredible.”

“As the playoffs were more of a real possibility and a likely possibility, you could feel that building every series and even every game really. I am so happy the fans got to experience that, to get a taste of that.”

And as much as McLouth has said thank you to Peter Angelos, Dan Duquette, and Buck Showalter over the last several months for giving him another shot at being a big league ball player, the last several weeks he has received as many words of appreciation from the thousands of Orioles fans who paid to see him rebound.

“When we got back on Friday night after we lost, I think there was 500-600 fans in that parking lot waiting for us. I think the most common thing I heard, even walking around Baltimore, was ‘Thank You,’ thank you for bringing baseball back to Baltimore and giving us some excitement.”

“Those first two playoff games, it was like they let out 15 years of frustration. You could just feel it, it was insane; it was the atmosphere and those are two games I’ll never forget.”

WNST thanks Nate McLouth for joining us! To hear the entire interview, check the BuyaToyota.com Audio Vault at WNST.net!

Wow.

As Glenn Clark said on “The Nasty Purple Post-Game Show” following the Ravens 44-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, John Harbaugh and the Ravens staffers should just tell their players that every week in the first week of the season.

It’s the second straight year that the Ravens laid a whooping to an AFC North foe in their Week 1 opener, as the Ravens slaughtered the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-7 in front of their home crowd in 2011.

The Ravens wasted no time showing off their no-huddle, “sugar” offense, as quarterback Joe Flacco quickly found WR Torrey Smith on the first play of the game for a 52-yard gain to grab an early 3-0 lead, and never looked back.

The Ravens out-gained the Bengals 430-322 in total yards, and forced three Cincinnati turnovers as the visitors fell behind 24-13 in the third quarter and were forced to play catch-up.

Which they never did.

That’s when the Ravens pounced on Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, as Ravens safety Ed Reed did what he does best against the Cincinnati-grabbing his tenth career interception against the visiting team and helped make a comeback all but inevitable.

The Ravens move into sole place in the AFC North with a 1-0 record and travel to Philadelphia next week to take on the Eagles.

But how did the Ravens do Monday night? I rate how they did against the Bengals…

Quarterback: 5/5

Joe Flacco was without a doubt the player of the game for the Baltimore Ravens, as anointed by Glenn post-game on “The Nasty Purple Post Game Show”.

Flacco finished 21-of-29 for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He had perfect touch on his deep call, connecting on long throws to Smith and wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a 34-yard strike.

Often times, Bengals corners Leon Hall and Nate Clements-who have had success against Flacco in his young NFL career-had good coverage on the receiver, but the Ravens fifth-year QB couldn’t have put the ball in a better spot for his receiver to make the play, and not the DB.

He did have several passes that could have been intercepted by the Bengals, but they fell incomplete and were insignificant in the outcome of the game.

Also give credit to Flacco for trusting his offensive line, which included rookie OL Kelechi Osemele and Ramon Harewood making their first NFL starts, and tackle Michael Oher playing out of position, to keep him upright in the face of a sometimes threatening Bengals pass rush.

Running Back 5/5

A casual observer may look at Ravens RB Ray Rice’s yardage in the game and say, “The Bengals stopped Ray Rice.”

That was certainly not the case, as Rice finished with 68 yards rushing on just 10 carries.

Simply put-Joe Flacco and the Ravens receiving corps were the stars of the show.

The Ravens had the opportunity to showcase their no-huddle offense and its best, and continue to pass in it with success.

And if it ain’t broke…don’t fix it.

Rice had two touchdowns in short yardage near the goal line, and for a guy who has had those opportunities taken away from him over the last couple seasons, it’s good to see-as long as he has Vonta Leach in front of him.

Rice also added 25 yards through the air, including a big catch on a 4th-and-1 saving Joe Flacco from a drive-ending incompletion.

He capped that drive with his 30th overall touchdown, and Baltimore took a 10-0 lead with 6:08 left in the first and never looked back.

Receivers: 4/5

Hard to not give this unit a perfect score given what Joe Flacco did with the football.

But receiver Torrey Smith was almost a non-factor after his first quarter connection with the Ravens quarterback.

Tight end Ed Dickson was almost irrelevant in his first regular season action since spraining his shoulder in preseason, but had good coverage on him all game.

Anquan Boldin may have been the benefactor of a good call from the NFL’s replacement refs, as his 34-yard touchdown pass that put the Ravens up 17-3 with 12:34 remaining in the 2nd quarter appeared to have touched the ground.

But replays-which are shown to officials on all scoring plays now in 2012-showed no conclusive evidence to overturn the call, so the touchdown stood for the Ravens.

Dennis Pitta had a career-high 73 yards and a touchdown-in his first game since breaking his hand in training camp. Imagine what he can do with Flacco once that injury is completely behind him…

Offensive Line: 4/5

This unit played well considering three-fifths of the unit was playing out of position. Michael Oher, the team’s right tackle from last season, was forced to return to left tackle given the conditioning concerns of Bryant McKinnie moving forward.

Oher allowed the Ravens to keep up the pace with their no-huddle offense, and on several plays made blocks way down the field, including a 3rd quarter outside screen to Ray Rice.

Also for Oher, there were no outlying concerns about Oher with false starts, holding calls, or just struggling with his man.

The Ravens also had Ramon Harewood starting at left guard in his first ever NFL start-a position he had never played until this preseason, and rookie second-round pick Kelechi Osemele started at right tackle.

Geno Atkins recorded two sacks for the Bengals, while Thomas Howard had the Bengals other quarterback grab. Both came early on in the game, and for a unit trying to be cohesive with each other, the unit did its part protecting Flacco.

Defensive Line: 2.5/5

This unit didn’t show up until the game was far out of reach for the Bengals, and they knew they could rush Bengals QB Andy Dalton.

It wasn’t until then that they started to rattle Dalton and force him to make mistakes.

The Bengals were able to churn out three long scoring drives of 76, 75, and 79 yards.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Both nose tackles Ma’ake Kemoeatu and Terrence Cody were blown off the ball to make plays, but Haloti Ngata‘s four tackles, pass deflections and two sacks bailed this unit out.

Linebackers: 3.5/5

Ray Lewis had 14 tackles Monday night.

Remember-he’s 37 years old. Maybe losing that weight and dropping to 235 pounds was a good idea for Lewis, who was able to keep up with the Bengals’ speedy receivers over the middle and was able to build up some speed to sack and force a fumble on Andy Dalton.

Linebacker Courtney Upshaw-in his regular season debut-shared a sack late in the game and also drew pressure on Dalton, forcing him to sail a ball high that safety Ed Reed came down with and returned for a touchdown that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the Bengals.

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe did not start, but saw more action against the Bengals receivers due to his speed. Jameel McClain was brought in on short yardage situations.

Secondary: 4/5

Not one of the Ravens defensive backs have to hang their head in shame after holding Dalton to 221 yards.

Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams didn’t allow WR A.J. Green to shift momentum back to the Bengals, and safety Bernard Pollard did an exceptional job patrolling the middle and containing TE Jermaine Gresham.

And Ed Reed continued to be himself against the Bengals, as he earned his seventh pick-six of his NFL career, and passed fellow Raven alum Rod Woodson for career interception return yardage.

Special Teams: 5/5

Rookie kicker Justin Tucker went 3-for-3 in his first taste of real NFL action. All you can ask for…

Sam Koch punted one of his two punts inside the 20 yard line.

Be sure to follow WNST on Twitter for your Ravens news! And give me a follow at @RyanChell87! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

Glenn Clark’s List

1. Ray Rice having success and a role in this no/sugar-huddle offense.

2. Rattle Andy Dalton.

3. This has to be a coming out game for Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta in this offense.

Ryan’s List

1. Force Andy Dalton into mistakes-like they did last year in their two wins

2. Bobbie Williams and Marshal Yanda have to stop Geno Atkins and Domata Peko from making plays in the backfield

3. Cary Williams has to lock down his assignment on the other side of Lardarius Webb-AJ Green

Be sure to tune into 1570 AM WNST following the conclusion of Ravens-Bengals for “The Nasty Purple Post-Game Show” to see if these things came true! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

As the Monday cuts have come and gone, one of the first notable cuts was Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff. It took twenty-four hours for him to land on another team’s roster. The Washington Redskins added their 17th kicker in 18 years. Is it a case of another team’s cut is another team’s treasure? And did the Ravens make the best personnel decision by choosing a rookie over a proven veteran? You decide!

The kicker position is known to be a replaceable position, so if you don’t have the last name “Vinatieri,” then you can bet that at any time, the kicker on the team has to display flawless effort during training camp and in games or another kicker will replace them. Billy Cundiff’s replacement, Justin Tucker, has been accurate in all of his field goal attempts, has shown great upside and ability, and bottom-line, replacing Cundiff saves the Ravens organization millions of dollars. These reasons alone justify the move. Tucker’s accuracy has been noted during the preseason, yielding a 94% on field goal attempts and has wowed the fans with a 53-yard field goal in the third preseason game against Jacksonville. This kick sealed the Ravens’ coaching staff’s decision to keep Tucker over Cundiff.

Last season put Cundiff on the hot seat after missing a critical field goal in the AFC Championship game. After the game, Cundiff had unbelievable support from his teammates and from the organization. It reminds me in baseball, how managers’ days are numbered when they get those first votes of confidence from ownership; just ask Bobby Valentine (His time is on the horizon). On the other hand, the fans were not as lenient. He didn’t stand a chance in this Ball-So-Hard nation. Every sports station in Baltimore was flooded with calls of dissent asking for Cundiff to be cut. The fans’ wish has come to true and now it’s the rookie’s opportunity to make a mark on this season. His fate will be determined either way: success or being replaced. It all boils down to having made more field goal attempts, especially in crucial moments.

Cundiff’s proven record is what makes a case for why the Ravens should have retained him. According to Cundiff, in two years, he has a Pro Bowl under his belt, is 90% inside the 50-yard line, and with all touchbacks combined, has lead the league in touchbacks and has made 12 for 13 in field goal attempts in postseason play. During this preseason, he is 2-for-2 in field goal attempts. The Ravens didn’t think, however, it was enough to retain his services.

Follow me on Twitter @WinLifestyle

Owings Mills-The drama of the Ravens kicking situation continued on Saturday, as Billy Cundiff was still present and on the field and working with the specialists for the team’s practice session available to the media.

Cundiff, who has been widely criticized for his 32-yard field goal miss in the AFC Championship game last season among  other struggles, has been competing with rookie kicker Justin Tucker in camp for the team’s job at the position.

And the situation got even more intriguing Wednesday night before the Ravens eventual 48-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, as Ravens coach John Harbaugh named the rookie Tucker as the team’s sole kicker for their third preseason game the following night.

Tucker excelled-going two-for-two in his attempts from 33 and 53-yards.

Tucker was excited and thrilled leading up to the game, and said he appreciated the fact that he was given a fair opportunity to compete.

Meanwhile, Cundiff, who did suit up and watched from the sidelines, certainly showed his frustration with the situation in the locker room following the game.

“I found out before this game that I wasn’t going to get any reps, which shocked me,” Cundiff said. “I felt like I had a really good week of practice. So, it’ll just play itself out.”

Cundiff defended himself, and he brought up his 90% completion percentage on kicks below 50 yards, and his 12-of-13 record  in the playoffs. And that’s where Cundiff said he feels like he deserves better.

“I feel like if that’s not good enough, I’ll take my services elsewhere to be perfectly honest,” Cundiff replied.

The Ravens have to make 15 cuts on Monday by 4PM to trim the roster limit to 75.

If Ravens coach John Harbaugh and the staff feel like Thursday was enough of a test to give Tucker the job, they would save roughly 1.8 million this season in cap savings by cutting Cundiff, as reported by the Baltimore Sun.

Harbaugh said the team will not be hurt by either kicker’s departure, and know what each of them has in store with their abilities.

“Obviously both of them bring something to the table..I dont think it’s as complicated with what the factors are, so we’ll just have to make a decision.”

But Harbaugh said they will not make any rash choices until they have to.

“I don’t think we’ve made any decision yet,” Harbaugh said. “We’re on schedule. We learned what we needed to learn. If it was an easy decision, we would have made it.”

“Why should we rush that? We can get as much information as we can.”

Dickson, Pitta return to practice

While Ravens fans may be hoping to see Billy Cundiff absent from team practices, they may be encouraged to hear about tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson’s return to the practice field Saturday in limited fashion.

Both were in uniform and doing light running and catching with tight ends coach Wade Harman.

Pitta has been slowly working his way back from a broken right hand suffered in the first days of training camp.

“It feels really good being able to practice a little bit-run around, catch a few balls but not at full-speed, but it feels good to be back certainly,” Pitta said.

Pitta said his right hand and wrist feel better each day, and he expects to be back ready to go with Joe Flacco for the season opener against the Bengals.

“I think being able to get out there and run around and actually catch the ball a little bit certainly helps my confidence. And it helps me understand that I will be back playing soon enough.”

Having missed the first three preseason games with Flacco, you could say that Pitta might be off-track with his quarterback.

But Pitta denied that, saying that he’s already built enough of a rapport with his quarterback in his first two NFL seasons.

“That’s something we’ve been developing for a few years now, and I don’t think it’s something that you lose right now,” Pitta said, “and I don’t think it’s something that you lose right away. I think it will come back quickly once I’m able to start jumping in there and running with the offense.”

Dickson meanwhile is nursing a sprained right shoulder that he sustained in the team’s preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

“I feel really good,” Dickson said. “It’s tough not to be out there, and once you get a chance to be out there for a little bit, you go out there with all smiles.”

Dickson said it’s pained him more to not be able to practice than it has to raise his arm or catch a pass.

“I’m a competitor,” Dickson said. “I don’t like sitting out for anything-it doesn’t matter if it’s a scrimmage or a game. Just missing these preseason games was tough on me.”

Dickson has been encouraged on his return and his role in the Ravens’ new “Sugar Huddle”, no-huddle offense.

“That’s all we did at Oregon,” Dickson said of his time in college. “I like it. I think it helps us out because we get more plays, and it puts the defense on their toes.”

Those absent from practice Saturday included LB Terrell Suggs (Achilles), G Marshal Yanda (leg), T Jah Reid (calf), WR/KR David Reed (ACL), S Emanuel Cook (broken leg), S Sean Considine (concussion), LB Stevie Baggs, Josh Bynes, WR Tommy Streeter and Ryan McBean (ankle).

Cook appears to be out for the year after suffering his leg injury Thursday, and both Considine and Baggs received their injuries in Thursday’s game as well.

This is the second concussion in preseason for Considine, so the team will have to be careful with that going forward.

WR Tommy Streeter, who caught two passes for 40 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars, received an MRI for a sprained foot Friday.

He had been battling back problems in camp, but told WNST, “I’m fine. Everything’s okay. Just a little banged up.”

Given the decisions the Ravens have at the wide receiver position, it also could be forseen that the Ravens may try to stash Streeter on IR to avoid having to cut him Monday.

Streeter has been raw so far, but certainly is an intriguing and difficult piece to give up given his 6’5” frame. If the team were to place him on IR, he would not be allowed to practice with the team.

CB Corey Graham returned to practice after suffering a stinger in Thursday’s game.

Be sure to follow WNST on Twitter for all your Ravens news! WNST-We Never Stop Talking!

TOWSON, Md. - With the introduction of the Towson Sports Network on TowsonTigers.com and the planned digital broadcasts of Towson sporting events, Towson University Athletics will be continuing its partnership with WNST to extend its coverage with weekly live interviews and the station’s social media reach, the Department announced today.

WNST and Towson have signed a one-year agreement that will bring Towson head coaches and student-athletes to the station’s morning airwaves several times a week with previews, recaps, and student-athlete interviews. During the football season head coach Rob Ambrose will appear twice weekly during the 7-8 a.m. hour on Tuesdays and Fridays as he recaps the previous week’s game on Tuesday and the previews the next game on Friday. Men’s basketball coach Pat Skerry, women’s basketball coach Joe Mathews, men’s lacrosse coach Shawn Nadelen, women’s lacrosse coach Sonia LaMonica and women’s gymnastics coach Vicki Chliszczyk will also make regular weekly appearances during their seasons.

In addition to the regular radio appearances on WNST, Towson will be featured throughout the station’s social media outreach with the “Morning Roar” from Towsontigers.com appearing in the WNST Morning e-Newspaper (sign up here) and additional coverage on WNST’s Twitter and Facebook.

“In the last two years at Towson we have made a strong commitment to developing our new website and social media portals,” said Senior Associate Director of Athletics for External Operations Michael Harris. “With continued strategic partnerships like the one we have with WNST, we are able to provide our fan base with enhanced information leading up to our expanded game programming.”

The Ravens have made it a habit over the years to grab veteran offensive lineman late in free agency or training camp to not only bring experience, but to also have that key backup in case an injury should occur to solidify that same offensive line.

Last year, it was Andre Gurode, who started several games for the injured Ben Grubbs. In 2008, it was Willie Anderson who saw action at right tackle.

This season, with the team reeling from the loss of Grubbs at the left guard position to free agency-as well as Gurode’s dismissal, the Ravens felt like they needed to keep up with that tradition.

And they did just that at the beginning of June, signing former Bengals and Eagles guard Bobbie Williams to a two-year contract.

Williams is adjusting to the atmosphere in Owings Mills, but he’s confident that he’ll fit right in with training camp the first opportunity to do so.

“I’m just taking it all in,” Williams said after practice Saturday. “I’ve been rolling for a week. I came in when the young guys came in, and it was good that I did that so I could get that advantage and get things going. We’re just hitting all cylinders now.”

Williams had spent the last eight seasons with the Bengals, and the 35-year old has started 130 games in his 12-year NFL career.

The Ravens certainly felt like they made the right decision by bringing in a stable and dependable Williams in with the early shuffling of their offensive line in camp.

When he was signed on June 8th, Williams was at first expected to battle for the left guard position with Ravens 2nd round pick Kelechi Osemele and second-year man Jah Reid.

However, both started off training camp with back and calf injuries respectively, and Williams was told to line up and clear the way for newly-paid running back Ray Rice.

Coach Harbaugh earlier in the week said that Williams has already made them forget about Ben Grubbs, and Harbaugh attributed that to his tremendous work ethic.

Those were strong words according to Williams.

“I’m just appreciative that they respect me on that level. I don’t plan on letting anyone down, including myself, and the good Lord.”

Williams said that when he came in, he was told that a spot wasn’t going to be given to him. And despite it looking that way, he still wants to prove himself to Coach John Harbaugh and the coaching staff.

“I came in with the attitude to work-period. And it ain’t going to leave. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it ain’t going to leave till February…let’s just put it that way.”

Williams remembers Coach Harbaugh from Harbaugh’s time as a special teams coach with the Eagles-who drafted Williams in the 2nd round of 2000 NFL Draft-and said that he has always been “a player’s coach.”

And the way Williams talks about offensive line Coach Andy Moeller-you would think they have been around each other for a lifetime-not two months.

“I’m used to the coaching staff and the guys around me. It’s a great group and I’m not just saying that.” And Coach Moeller man-I think the world of him. He’s a real teacher of the game. I truly respect him and his knowledge of the game. And that’s very key.”

He may have that familiarity with his coaches, but many are certain that the Ravens brought Williams in given his time with their AFC North rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals.

That kind of insight into an opposing locker room’s scheme could do wonders for a defensive coordinator, and the fact that he knows the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers blitz packages from seeing them 4 times a year the past eight seasons, that can only be added bonus.

“That might have played a little part of it knowing the division,” Williams laughed.”

But Williams said it could also be the exact opposite. The Ravens knew who he was from having to get past him to sack Carson Palmer or Andy Dalton for nearly a decade, and they wanted that kind of “lunch pail” attitude on their line.

To “Play like a Raven”, as the theme points out.

“I also know what kind of team this is, Williams said. “I know that the Baltimore Ravens are a tough, blue collar, hard-working team and they felt I could contribute to that and that I have some of those same qualities. They said, ‘Hey, we know this guy can play here’.”

And with a newly-paid running back in Ray Rice in the backfield and with an offense that lives and dies by his yardage, Williams says he’s the perfect guy to clear those holes for Rice.

“It’s what I’ve always been known to do. I’ve always been that hard-nosed, dependable guy that will get down and dirty and likes contact. I like to be physical. I like to get my hands on people.”

He said all it takes for him to get to that level is getting comfortable with the guys lining up next to him at left tackle and center.

“I’ve got to get familiar with my center. And then my left tackle. I’ve been leaning heavily on Matt Birk and Michael Oher. I sit next to Marshal Yanda in meetings and I’ve asked him some things.”

But obviously, with left tackle Bryant McKinnie not in camp so far-but yet announcing he would report Monday for his first practice-he may have to start all over again with that level of comfort with those playing next to him.

But Williams says that’s no problem at all. McKinnie’s addition to this offensive line finally-much like his own signing by the Ravens-only improves their chances of success.

“Whatever we have, we’re working with that and we’re doing a pretty good job. If another piece is added like I was added, it makes us even better.”

And even if things remain as they are, Williams is still confident that this team can do some special things this season. It’s one of the reasons he signed with the Ravens in the first place.

“That’s just the nature of the game. You learn the ropes and you learn to make do with what you had. You learn to make that work. And you go out there and solidify that.”

And the chance to win a ring? Any way I can help with that, I’m there.”

Thanks to Bobbie Williams for chatting with me after practice today! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

If anyone on the Baltimore Ravens roster poised for a “breakout” year, think of no one else other than defensive end Arthur Jones.

Jones, the Ravens’ fifth-round pick of Syracuse in 2010, has spent much of the last two years playing understudy to the likes of Haloti Ngata and Cory Redding.

And with Redding following ex-defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to Indianapolis, a position on the Ravens starting defensive line appears Jones’ for the taking.

Jones joined Glenn Clark on “The Reality Check” to talk about his expanded role and extra responsibilities this season in an all-important third year for the lineman.

“I have a different mindset,” Jones said. “The last few years have definitely been a learning process.”

Jones has lined up at both inside at tackle and outside at end for defensive coordinators Greg Mattison and Chuck Pagano the past several years, and he again figures to continue to hold that “tweener” role for this year’s play-caller, Dean Pees.

Essentially, Jones says he’s compiled and learned a lot of information over his first two NFL seasons to give Pees as many options as possible on where to fit him on his defense.

“It’s really helped me figure out this defense with the different coordinators that we had and kind of find my niche on the team,” Jones said.

Jones started to show up on the radar last season-in which he appeared in 14 games for the Ravens, and started one.

He registered 20 tackles and toward the end of the season began to see more playing time and slowly became a threat in some games despite not having the stats to back it up.

Just ask Colt McCoy, who sprained his ankle last December thanks to a hit from the 6’3, 313 pounder.

That experience has definitely boosted his morale and enthusiasm going into the start of this week’s training camp at Owings Mills.

“You know I’ve just got to keep on improving my skills,” Jones said. “I feel more explosive, I feel more alive, it’s hard to explain.”

But, Jones is also going to have show some mental toughness. Despite his playing time from last year and growth, he will be in a camp-battle with second-year guy Pernell McPhee, who most likely will take the field on third-down with the job of simply chasing down the quarterback and earning accolades by piling up sacks.

McPhee-a fellow fifth-round pick-grabbed six of them in his rookie season.

Jones said that even if he doesn’t get those opportunities, he still guaranteed that you’ll hear his name called a lot more this season.

“A the end of the day it really doesn’t matter, me and him both are going to get a lot of playing time and you’re going to hear both our names on the announcement a lot with tackles, sacks, tackles for loss.”

Having been in this league for two years to wait his turn, Jones said he fully understands that you’re never not fighting for a spot, and the battle is only going to make this defense better by bringing the best out of he and McPhee.

“I know it’s going to be a great competition competing for a starting job,” Jones said. “Me and [McPhee] and our whole defense…we’ve just been working hard and grinding and it’s been nothing but positives this off-season.”

And he said he’s learned from three of the best in the business in All-Pros Ngata, Terrell Suggs, and his mentor from last season in Redding-whose position he will be stepping into mostly on first and second downs.

Or whenever or how much he is needed in any capacity or role.

“Backing up Haloti Ngata isn’t a bad thing for two years. Having a leader like that and a guy who’s a huge mentor- him and Cory Redding-to show me how to play this defense…you know I’ve been a student and these guys have been the masters.”

Jones laughed saying he couldn’t be in a better spot to learn from the Defensive Player of the Year.

Literally.

They moved my locker in the locker room next to Terrell Suggs so hopefully some of that good luck rubs off on me and a couple sacks fall in my lap,” Jones replied.

WNST thanks Arthur Jones for joining WNST and will be watching him ever so closely in training camp! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!

The Baltimore Ravens 2011 season ended on a rushed field goal that sailed wide left, but there’s a new kicker on this year’s roster chomping at the bit trying to prove to the Ravens-or another NFL team-that he can be the best specialist on the team and make that kick should he get a chance.

That would be Justin Tucker out of the University of Texas. The rookie kicker joined Glenn Clark on “The Reality Check” Tuesday after the first official day of training camp practices located at Owings Mills, and couldn’t be happier to get started.

“It is exciting,” Tucker said of his first NFL shot. “This is definitely a big step. It really feels like we’re getting the ball rolling. OTAs and mini-camps were great…now we’re kicking it up a notch. It’s about to get real fun.”

Tucker, 22, was brought in by the Ravens at the end of May after a tremendous run of consistency on his four-year resume at the University of Texas.

Tucker made 40-of-48 field goal attempts for coach Mack Brown and the Longhorns-his most memorable of recent being a 40-yard game winner against Texas A&M which got him carried off the field by his Longhorn teammates.

He also took on punting and kick-off duties at times in Austin.

Tucker feels like all those experiences couldn’t have him more ready to kick in the NFL given the similarities in the kicking dimensions of the college game and the pro level, and having to kick in high-pressure situations in front of packed arenas.

“You have the same challenges,” Tucker said to Clark. “It’s still you versus yourself on an island. For me, I was fortunate enough to play at the University of Texas in front of 100,000 fans in our stadium…and a bunch more on TV. I can definitely use those experiences for when I’m out here.”

That poise had Tucker on the Ravens’ eye throughout the draft process, and it didn’t take long for coach John Harbaugh and special teams coach Jerry Rosburg to see him out and bring him in for a workout after the last name was called.

“I got a couple phone calls towards the end of the draft and it was really a no-brainer for me,” Tucker said. “I had my sights set on Baltimore…I couldn’t be anymore excited with this opportunity.”

And Tucker proved the Ravens right on the move-delighting them with his long leg and ability to make 55+ yard field goals throughout the OTA and mini-camp process.

Tucker will most likely be the extra leg in camp, but some have speculated that Tucker could give incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff a run for his money.

Cundiff, after making the Pro Bowl in 2010 and signing a five year, 15 million dollar contract, struggled with consistency last season and missed a potential game-tying 32-yard field goal in the AFC Championship Game, ending the season for Baltimore.

Cundiff only connected of 75.9% of his field goals last season compared to close to 90 percent two years ago.

He was 1-of-6 on field goals beyond 50 yards.

But Tucker wanted to make it clear that stats don’t matter-especially ones from a year ago-and that he’s not gunning for Cundiff.

But at the same time, he wants to do this in the NFL for a living and do that, he knows it’s all about getting the job done and putting the ball through the uprights when it matters.

And there’s only so many jobs out there for him to take a hold of and earn.

“Well, this is a competition and it’s a business,” Tucker said. “My goal at the end is to be the best kicker for this team that I can be.”

“Kicking the ball through these poles in really black and white. It’s either good or it’s not. I just need to do the best I can do, and really cherish this opportunity and try and make something out of it.”

In the end, he’s just trying to achieve the same goals as everyone else on this roster, which is to be successful and win football games-most importantly-the last one played in a season.

“It’s just remembering that we’re all in the same boat,” Tucker said. “We all have the same goal-whether you’re a first-year guy like myself or a fifteen-year veteran.”

“There’s definitely ways to achieve those goals, but really sticking your best foot forward and sticking to a plan is paramount.”

WNST thanks Justin Tucker for joining us after practice! Be sure to follow WNST on Twitter for tomorrow’s first full-practice for the Baltimore Ravens! WNST-We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports!