The Ravens could REALLY be helped by Chris McAlister on Monday Night. Not because the Ravens shouldn’t be able to survive one man down; but because the Ravens swagger might be stronger knowing they were totally back from injury. I honestly don’t know where this team’s psyche is right now, but with this game on the road-they could use ANY emotional or psychological advantage possible. Mac would help that. He’s not OUT yet, and let’s hope things improve by Monday.
Let’s see what everyone is saying…
RAVENS:
The Official Site’s Kevin Byrne talks Ravens/Steelers history
Steelers’ Official Site’s Teresa Varley welcomes back Anthony Madison
Steelers’ Official Site’s Teresa Varley announces Big Ben as winner of Ed Block Courage Award
The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says the Ravens have a difficult road to the postseason
The Sun’s Jamison Hensley looks at 52 and Billick moving on
The Sun’s Jamison Hensley looks at players tried out by the Ravens
The Sun’s Jamison Hensley wonders how the offense will benefit from getting healthy
Just when you thought everyone was healthy, The Sun’s Jamison Hensley says Chris McAlister could be out on Monday night
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac says Anthony Smith will start for Steelers on Monday
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac says Steelers want to run against Ravens
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Mike Prisuta concurs that Bruce Arians wants Steelers offense to run
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Scott Brown says Steelers’ O-Line will determine whether or not they can run the ball
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Mike Prisuta says Steelers getting healthy too
The AP reports on Hines Ward approaching Steelers history
The AP says Steve McNair is back for MNF
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s John Harris & Scott Brown break down Ravens/Steelers
The Examiner’s Matt Palmer also says Mac could miss MNF
The Examiner’s Matt Palmer profiles Mike Tomlin’s first season in Pittsburgh
Aaron Wilson says Steve McNair is ‘ready’ for Monday
Aaron Wilson looks at McAlister’s status for Monday
Frederick News Post’s Stan Goldberg says McNair ‘controls’ the offense
Washington Post’s Camille Powell says McNair is ‘rested and ready’
Press Box’s Joe Platania re-lives some of the Ravens’ D’s greatest hits
Pro Football 24×7’s Tony Lombardi says the refs screwed up a PI call in the Buffalo game
B-More Birds Nest’s “Nest Minder” hasn’t been impressed by the Steelers thus far
The Sun’s Mike Preston says McAlister may be more important than McNair
Fanhouse’s Josh Alper looks at Ravens’ injury returns
Fanhouse’s Ryan Wilson looks back on one of my least favorite SNL bits of all time
Fanhouse’s Ryan Wilson says Big Ben doesn’t remember ‘The Hit’
Fanhouse’s Ryan Wilson says Big Ben should get paid ‘Big’
The AP reports on heat between Ravens and Steelers
Steel City Insider goes ‘inside’ the Steelers (must subscribe) (again-novel idea from a site called ‘Insider’)
Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver wonders if 52 can cash the check his mouth has been writing
The AP previews Ravens-Steelers
TERRAPINS FOOTBALL:
The Official Site recaps final practice before Carolina
The Sun’s Heather Dinich says Chris Turner is the starter, Jordan Steffy could play
The Sun’s Heather Dinich says Ralph Friedgen made sure his players behaved on Halloween
Washington Post’s Marc Carig breaks down Terps’ QB situation
Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says there needs to be more of a Haynos factor for Terps
Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens says Terps aren’t talking much about injuries
Washington Times’ Patrick Stevens re-lives some of Ralph’s comedy
Diamondback’s Andrew Zuckerman says Jordan Steffy “ain’t scurred”
Terrapin Territory’s “JFliegel” picks the Terps
Inside Carolina’s Greg Barnes offers quotes from Butch Davis’ radio show
Winston-Salem Journal’s Bill Cole says Zack Pianalto has been a ‘bright spot’ for Heels
Terrapin Times’ Chris King says this is a “must-win” for the Terps (must subscribe)
Terrapin Times’ Mark Clem looks at a new recruit who showed up at the Clemson game (must subscribe)
Carolina Blue’s Adam Powell says Heels are seeking revenge (must subscribe)
NAVY FOOTBALL:
The Official Site offers post-practice quotes from Paul Johnson
Annapolis Capital’s Bill Wagner says Navy is scheming to improve defense
Washington Post’s Christian Swezey looks at Paul Bridgers’ second start
South Bend Tribune’s Eric Hansen looks at “Diamond from Sierra Leone” Abu Kamara
South Bend Tribune’s Eric Hansen says despite tragedy, Hughes may play
Notre Dame Official Site offers quotes from Irish defensive captains
The Sun’s Bill Ordine says Navy has their best chance to beat Notre Dame
Go Mids’ Chris Rohe offers ‘key match-ups’ for Navy-Notre Dame
Go Mids offers a Gameday Guide for Notre Dame
Irish Eyes’ Colin Burns looks at Irish defensive captains (must subscribe)
Irish Eyes’ Steve Wiltfong says David Bruton got no rest during Bye week
Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister says the Notre Dame coaching staff has option experience (must subscribe)
ORIOLES:
The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec reports O’s won’t bring back Kris Benson
The Sun’s Roch Kubatko doesn’t expect any more announcements before the GM meetings next week
The Sun’s Roch Kubatko says the injuries were too much of an issue for Kris Benson to get $7.5 million
The Sun’s Roch Kubatko says Alan Mills has a new job
The Sun’s Rick Maese looks at Cal’s trip to The Great Wall
Washington Post’s Dave Sheinin looks at O’s cutting Kris Benson loose (Goodbye Anna!)
The Sun’s Jeff Barker looks at Cal’s relationship with Murray Cook
Oriole Central won’t miss Kris Benson
Camden Chat’s Scott Christ thinks Kris Benson is being done a favor when he is called “average”
Camden Chat’s Scott Christ finds an old Orioles photo that might put a tear in your eye
Orioles Hangout looks at decline of Benson’s option
The Loss Column’s Neal Shaffer recaps what the O’s have done since the end of the season
The AP reports the end of Kris Benson’s tenure in Baltimore
TERRAPINS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL:
The Official Site says Terps ranked 4th in season’s 1st Coaches’ Poll
The Examiner’s David Duberstein says Terps are building off Team USA loss
Terrapin Times’ Chris King says Terps should be ‘smiling’ (must subscribe)
UMBC BASKETBALL:
The Examiner’s Ron Snyder looks at how transfers will help the Retrievers
COPPIN BASKETBALL:
The Examiner’s Sean Walsh looks at Eagles’ (always) difficult non-conference schedule
TERRAPINS BASKETBALL:
Fanhouse’s Sportz Assassin wants Maryland to be a player in the ACC
Fanhouse’s Sportz Assassin picks Terps to finish 6th in ACC
SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:
-I want to throw out two conversation starters here. First of all, with all of the talk of Ravens-Steelers “history”, what is your favorite moment in the brief Ravens-Steelers history? I’m going to go with the first Ravens/Steelers match-up in Baltimore, where the Ravens survived a monsoon to end a long losing streak against the Steelers at Memorial Stadium.
Second, following up on Joe Platania’s look at the Ravens’ D’s greatest hits; what is your favorite MOMENT in Ravens D history? If your answer is ANYTHING besides 52 breaking Eddie George’s spirit in a 2001 playoff game, I don’t know if I can look at you the same way.
-Attention Ralph Friedgen: please end the sentence with “Chris Turner is our starting quarterback.” It is too late in the season to be experimenting at the QB position, and if you’re not going to make Jordan Steffy “the man”, then what is the sense in making Chris Turner look over his shoulders? I understand the decision to start Turner, and I hope we only see Steffy should this game be a blowout. Stick with your guns. A 2 QB system was a good idea a few weeks back, now you just have to win games.
-The Navy/Notre Dame match-up is much different than the losing streaks Kansas and Kansas State snapped in recent years against Nebraska. Despite how often these two teams see each other, Navy has no home field advantage in the series (the two teams either meet in South Bend or at a neutral site, as Navy cannot host such a large scale game), and the nature of the service academy automatically handicaps Navy. That being said, if there ever was a year for Navy to break through, this is obviously the year. Navy’s Achilles Heel is their defense, and Notre Dame is completely inept on offense. But this Notre Dame team (despite how downright tragic their season has been so far) will still have a sense of pride when they walk out to Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. These guys don’t want to have to look at alumni and admit to being the team that ended the streak vs. Navy.
-I’m not surprised that the Orioles wouldn’t pick up a $7.5 million option on Kris Benson for 2008, and I don’t blame them. But the Orioles better have a Plan B in this situation. The O’s can’t afford to let Benson go and NOT sign any other veteran pitchers. Obviously there’s bigger problems with the Orioles, but in this scenario-the Birds NEED pitching first.
-I remember when the news first came down that Kris Benson had been traded to Baltimore. Just to show the differences between WNST and a certain other sports frequency in town, I can assure you that NO ONE at the station I was working for at the time knew anything about Kris Benson as a pitcher. In fact, i’m reasonably certain that even though we were told by management 1000 times to make sure we booked Anna Benson on one of our shows, i’m pretty sure no one ever cared when we booked our first interview with Kris. Funny world.
Talk to you tomorrow.
-G
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