Chris's Bio
Growing up on Baltimore's southwest side, Chris developed a love of the city's sports teams, thanks to John Steadman's writing and Chuck Thompson's voice. Those influences led the Mt. St. Joe and Loyola College grad to a sports media relations and new media career. He worked in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints (2000-05) as the club's Manager of Media & PR, and later, Director of New Media, and with the Atlanta Falcons (2006) as New Media Producer. Prior to the NFL, he worked on the sports information staffs at UAB, George Washington and Loyola. In between a pair of stints at UAB, he was the Class-AA Birmingham Barons' Director of Media Relations, including the 1994 season when hoops star Michael Jordan played for the club. A veteran of media relations work at major sports events, he has been part of the NFL's staff at seven Super Bowls and assisted at other events including the BCS National Championship Game, NCAA Men’s and Women's Final Four, MLB All-Star Game and the Goodwill Games. He brings his insight on the NFL's inner workings as an analyst each week on WNST and through his "Blog And Tackle" on WNST.net.
Chris's Posts
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Chris's Archive
The loss to the Steelers on Sunday was tough for the Ravens and their fans to take, especially in light of the replay-contested touchdown in the final minute. But in the NFL, teams must forget the game just played and focus on the one coming up.
Fans can look at the replay of the “touchdown” catch by Santonio Holmes with their DVRs, slow-motion captures, etc. But none of that will be done today at the Ravens facility in Owings Mills. The only film study will be on the Cowboys’ defense and their eight-sack performance against Eli Manning and the Giants on Sunday night.
Ravens rooters will look at the defensive effort on the Steelers’ final drive and criticize the offensive and defensive play calls by Baltimore’s coaching staff. The Ravens will be looking at film of Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens and trying to figure out a way to stop a team that can be as lethal as the Steelers in its best moments.
The bottom line is: The loss hurts, but it’s a short week for those who are playing on Saturday night. The biggest challenge of the season lies ahead for the Ravens in an emotional atmosphere in Dallas as Texas Stadium sees its final NFL regular-season game.
Good teams hold fourth-quarter leads against Pittsburgh twice and Tennessee. Great teams find a way to completely finish those games and win. Good teams get a chance to shut the door when the opponents need 92 yards to win. Great teams find a way to get those yards in the late moments. Pittsburgh has been great over the last month, while the Ravens have been good, and it showed at the most crucial of times in the late afternoon dusk at M&T Bank Stadium.
In order to stay in playoff position, John Harbaugh and the Ravens can’t dwell on the past, but the team must complete the journey from good to great this week against the Cowboys.
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There were no scenarios that put the Ravens in the playoffs this past week with a loss and help from other clubs, so the Ravens find themselves without a playoff-clinching scenario for Week 16. Only Indianapolis (that has 10 different ways to clinch) can sew up a Wild Card spot this week.
As for the proverbial “if the season ended today …” look at the AFC standings, Baltimore, Miami and New England are tied for the sixth playoff spot. To break the three-way tie, the division tie in the AFC East must be dealt with first. The Jets have a better record among the three teams against each other (2-1) and goes into the No. 3 position. Miami moves ahead of New England because of a better conference record (currently 6-4 to 6-5). Baltimore owns head-to-head over Miami. So the order goes: No. 6 Baltimore, No. 7 Miami and No. 8 New England.
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December 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Chris,
Will the NFL Officiating Crews “complete the journey” this Saturday Night on the NFL Network to close Texas Stadium by calling a fair and clean game????
Ask Commissioner Goodell why he allowed his sub-contracted schedule makers to book the Ravens @ Cowboys for 12/20 to be “honored” to close Texas Stadium????
America’s Team in the NFC Playoffs is a revenue generator for the NFL (National Fixed League)!!!!
Therefore, Coach Harbaugh must game plan for the fact that the Ravens must defeat both the Cowboys and the Officiting Crew!!!!
Regards,
Mike Perriera
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December 17th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Franchise, your love of conspiracy theories cracks me up. Since you think the results are fixed in advance, how much money do you have on the Cowboys to win this week? With that amount of winnings coming your way, I’m sure Nestor, Drew and others at WNST will get a nice present from the Franchise household for the holidays, LOL.
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December 17th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Chris,
Yes, the NFL (National Fixed League) have pre-determined outcomes for games with links to Vegas betting lines…..The fact is that gambling on NFL games is big money and the Commissioner’s Office is in on all of it.
Don’t be so blind to the fact that earlier in the year with the SD @ Pittsburgh game the reversal of the TD that changed the score from 18-10 Pittsburgh to 11-10 Pittsburgh made Vegas $65 Million and that is just on 1 game for an NFL week!!!! Remember Denver and SD with Hochuli earlier in the year??? Remember last week the Officiating Crew huddling-up, watching the Jumbo-Tron replay and then reversing the St. Louis Holt TD with an offensive pass interfernce call without having thrown any flag on the play???? Remember last week that the Ravens were up 9-6 with the ruling on the field no TD and a spot at the 1 foot line and an apparent 4th down decision for Coach Mike Tomlin with 30 seconds remaining in the game????…..It was reported today that Tomlin would have gone for it on 4th down. If the Ravens hold on 4th down then the 3 point Vegas line makes it a 9-9 “PUSH” versus a 16-9 Steeler win….Want to venture a guess on how much Vegas cleared on that game changing reversal by Walt Coleman????
Why is it that the NFL has mandated injury reports?? Because the Vegas Book handicappers need this vital information to set their lines throughout the week!
It is not a conspiracy theory when the FIX IS IN!!!
Regards,
Tim Donaghy
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December 17th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Franchise, I think we could all use the money to be gained from Vegas with your inside knowledge. How ’bout letting us who the “National Fixed League” has winning Saturday night’s game, and the Super Bowl, while you’re at it. I need to take care of folks on my holiday shopping list, LOL. Where are you putting your money this weekend?
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December 17th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Chris,
With your financial support I would be happy to start a website dedicated to my weekly analysis expertise for NFL wagering (entertainment purposes only)!!!
Please let me know when I can count on your donation to arrive at my POB to extend my inside information. Information like this doesn’t come free and I have to play Santa too!!!!
Regards,
Franchise