When Gooden was selected in the third round, the Ravens acknowledged they were shocked to see him there and drafted him based on the best player available mantra rather then need. After an injury plagued season in which he recorded only 5 tackles, Gooden is looking to avoid the fate of another high touted defender who slipped to the Ravens a round later then he was supposed, Dan Cody.

 The Ravens are looking for someone to replace Bart Scott and truly believe Gooden is the guy who can do this. Athletically, Gooden is second to none, but in just his second year, his football sense is what will determine his level of success. Luckily for Gooden he is playing along side one of the smartest linebackers to ever play the game and it would behoove him to soak up every piece of wisdom Ray Lewis gives him. It is hard to replace everything that Bart Scott brought to this defense but Gooden seems to have all the tools to be as good, if not better, then Scott was.

For years the Ravens defensive success has been marked by players that were unheralded. Players like Adalius Thomas (6^th round), Jarrett Johnson (4^th round), and Dawan Landry (5^th round) were passed over by many teams before being selected by the Ravens. Every year Ozzie Newsome and Company seemed to pick that “diamond in the rough” which not many other teams seem to do as often. While a 3^rd round pick is hardly considered to be a “diamond in the rough” Gooden flew under the radar on many team’s draft boards outside of the Ravens, a move those teams are likely to regret. The Ravens hope that Gooden can follow in the success of Thomas, Johnson and Landry and be a staple on this defense for years to come.

While Joe Flacco is looking to avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump” Gooden can only improve on his rookie season. Being thrust into the starting lineup should not intimidate him in the least and he is poised to have a big year.

Don’t discount the fact that Gooden is playing alongside Ray Lewis. Not only will Lewis impart his knowledge on Gooden both on and off the field, he seems to make the players playing next to him that much better on the field. For a 24 year old first year starter, having number 52 next to him is the best thing for him to progress.

 Perhaps it is fitting that Gooden’s nickname is “Baby Ray” since many people view him to be Lewis’ replacement when he ends his career in the next couple years. If Gooden has even half the career of his “idol” then the Ravens franchise will be set for the next few years.

Hopefully Tavares Gooden can avoid the fate of Dan Cody and live up to all of his potential. Either way I will enjoy watching him.

By the time his career is over; let’s hope Gooden’s number 56 could be in the Ravens Ring of Honor with our number 52; for now I will just take an injury free season.

Matusz is the 5^th pitcher called up from the Minor Leagues this season, leaving Jeremy Guthrie as the only starter from the original rotation on Opening Day. A rotation of Guthrie, Tillman, Berken, Hernandez and Matusz makes me more excited then the dismal Guthrie, Koji, Eaton, Hendrickson, Hill and Simon rotation that the Orioles sported for the beginning of the season. Once Bergesen gets off the DL, the Orioles rotation will start to take shape in a better direction, and I can’t help but get excited about this.

I have always been one who believes in the adage that pitchers need to get seasoning in the Minor leagues. Given the Orioles dismal state this year, I have no problem if the starting staff consisted of nothing but young pitchers who were called up from the minors. Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz have shown they can get Minor League hitters out, so it’s senseless to keep them down there. Since wins and losses don’t matter, it is better to get them some experience this season, hopefully earning them a starting spot in the rotation next spring training. I have never believed that calling a player up too early- and them not succeeding- can ruin their mindset. If you are good, you’re good, if you’re not then you’re not, simple as that. The difference between Chris Tillman and Jason Berken isn’t their mind set when they struggle, it’s their talent. Tillman looks to have it and Berken looks like he doesn’t.

Whether Matusz comes in and struggles or not, I believe he is the Orioles ace of the future and will anchor what could be one of the best rotations in all of baseball. This is the right time for Matusz to come up. Obviously fans would like to see him succeed for this season but if he doesn’t I am not worried. Seeing Brian Matusz give up seven runs a game is far more exciting then watching Rich Hill give up seven runs.

My birthday is August 7th and for the past 12 years the only present I have wanted from the Orioles was competitive baseball. Once again they aren’t providing me with competitive baseball but they are providing with some excitement and a small amount of hope in the pitching. Maybe one year soon I will get that present that I have longed for.

Brian Matusz is yet another piece in Andy MacPhail’s puzzle and with him, the puzzle is almost complete. Matusz’s debut could not come at a better time for Orioles fans who just watched Red Sox Nation take over Camden Yards like it was their own stadium. While that sour taste will stay in my mouth for a long time, Brian Matusz has at least helped lessen it.

After 11 straight losing seasons’ and en route to a 12^th, Brian Matusz has provided me with a reason to get a little excited in August. At this point, that is really all any Orioles fan can ask for.

Now please don’t let him be the next Rocky Coppinger, Matt Riley or Rick Krivda !!!

Coming into the off-season many fans believe that the Ravens were just one big time play-maker away from being a perennial Super Bowl contender for many years. Many fans were clamoring for the Ravens to address the wide receiver position via the draft or free agency and many ”experts” predicted them to draft a receiver in the first round. Seven rounds and two days later the Ravens only drafted one pass catcher, Devon Drew a tight end, leaving many fans puzzled but other still uttering “ in Ozzie we trust”.

In his tenure with the Ravens Ozzie Newsome only drafted two receivers in the first round in Travis “ hands of stone” Taylor and Mark Clayton. Taylor is with a doubt a bust; however the verdict is still out on Clayton. I wanted the Ravens to bring in Hakeem Nicks but ultimately supported Ozzie in his decision. I even went as far as giving the Ravens draft a “B” grade.

I assumed that the Ravens were happy with their receiving corps which at that time consisted of Mason, Clayton, Williams and Smith. Two months later, Mason is taken out of that equation, leaving Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams as the team’s top two receivers; not exactly a tandem that strikes fear in opposing secondaries. While it is likely the Mason returns, the Ravens have replaced him by singing Drew Bennett( who then retired), Biren Ealy( 1 career catch) and Jayson Foster who stands at 5′8” and has no career NFL receptions. While these two are likely to end up on the practice squad, one injury to a player on the roster will lead to them getting called up. Are these the “weapons” Joe Flacco should have around him? I think not.

Now before I get criticized by potential readers, I want to make it known that I do understand football. I know you can win without play- makers and I know that Ravens have been successful with a run oriented offense. All that being said, I think the organization would have won at least one other Super Bowl had they brought in some offensive play-makers. Having a top 5 defense every year is fine, but having an offense that ranks in the bottom 10 of the league, makes it that much harder to win. The Ravens defense will still be good, but let’s face it, they are aging. It is time for the identity of this franchise to start moving towards the offensive side of the ball and that needs to start.

Last season, the Ravens and Steelers were virtual mirror images of each other, with both teams possessing talented, hard hitting defenses. Ultimately, the difference why the Steelers beat the Ravens three times was the ability of Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward to get open for Ben Roethlisberger, particularly when he was scrambling. Holmes then went on to win MVP of the Super Bowl showing how important he really was to his team.

Every time the name of a receiver like Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall gets mentioned, people are quick to dismiss them by asking “ how many rings do they have?” Everyone who is an Ozzie supporter is quick to say that one player does not make the difference in winning a Super Bowl and I agree to an extent. However, the Giants and Steelers would not have won the last two Super Bowl’s without Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes.

One of the criticisms of bringing in a receiver like Marshall, Boldin or Buress is that they come with a lot of baggage. The Ravens are one of the class organizations in all of professional sports and do not like to deal with players that have a lot of “character” issues. I totally understand and support the stance of the front office on this subject, but outside of three receivers I just mentioned there are no other options out there. Biren Ealy, Jayson Foster and Kelly Washington may be better “character” guys but are they going to draw double teams and get open for Joe Flacco? I think not.

I am aware of the pros and cons of bringing in a talented but volatile receiver, but at this point I think it is worth a shot for the Ravens. The Ravens were five minutes from the Super Bowl last year but,Joe Flacco lacked the weapons to get the team over the hump. Even when Flacco got great protection in the AFC Championship game- which was often- aerial shots showed the receivers in ability to get open against what is at best a mediocre Steelers secondary. Add a Brandon Marshall, Plaxico Burress or Anquan Boldin and the pass game is not only helped but so is the run game because the Steelers have to fear the pass.

Football is a team sport, and I get that. Every one could spout off as many stats as they want and list as many teams as they want that have won a Super Bowl without a big time play maker ,but it won’t change my opinion. I hear people saying the offense will be fine and that Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams will step up, but what happens if they don’t?

Suddenly, you have a franchise quarterback with an aging tight end and two mediocre receivers to throw to. Having a great line and three good running backs is all well and good but if you can’t get teams to respect the pass then they will eat up your running game. Normally I give Ozzie Newsome the benefit of the doubt give his track record, but in this case he dropped the ball.

Fans can continue to look at things through purple colored glasses and cheer when Joe Flacco hits Biren Ealy with a long pass in training camp but this does not mean that things will be alright.

I still trust in Ozzie, but that trust is waning. I will have no problem eating crow if Clayton, Williams, Washington,Smith, Ealy and Foster prove me wrong, but I don’t think they will. When the Ravens take the field against the Patriots on October 4^th and Randy Moss is having a monster game, just remember we could have brought in a receiver of his ability but chose not to.

So when you say “ man I wish we had a guy like that” just remember the events of this off-season and the team’s inability to bring in a play-maker.

Do you still trust in Ozzie? If you do, you are more optimistic then me; I just hope you have the last laugh.

Though it is still viewed as the world’s game soccer has been picking up steam nationally and selling out this game is a major step toward that. Perhaps one of the reason’s this game has drawn so well is because it comes on the heals of one of the greatest wins in US soccer history; a game that has left many Americans intrigued by the game. Soccer seems to be growing in America and the AC Milan/Chelsea exhibition can do nothing but help this grow.

Baltimore- a city often overlooked by many sports fans- surprised a lot people when they were able to land a game between two of the best football clubs in the world. Baltimore is a city that has a tremendous soccer history so it should come as no surprise that fans are coming out to support this game. High school soccer in Baltimore is regarded by many to be the best soccer in the country and the perennial championship caliber Baltimore Blast have had some of the best attendance numbers in the league for the last few seasons. Baltimore once again rose to the challenge and showed that they truly are an elite sports city. Hopefully this game is a sign of more things to come. 

70,000 fans will create an atmosphere that is like none other. Even the loudest, most rocus Ravens crowd does not compare to the singing and chanting international soccer fan. I have been to a World Cup game and some other international games and there is nothing like it. Names like Lewis, Reed and Suggs are synonymous with M&T Bank stadium, but Friday, names like Drogba, Ronaldinho, Lampard and Ballack will take center stage Friday night.  Some of the world’s most recognizable athletes will be on display in Baltimore, Maryland of all places. From the opening kick off to the final whistle the atmosphere at M&T Bank Stadium is sure to be at a level nobody has ever experienced.

Many cities wanted to land the game but Baltimore ultimately won. For at least 90 minutes Baltimore will be the center of the sporting world and the envy of many other sports cities. That is something that every Baltimore fan has always wanted.  Who would have thought that soccer could have made it happen?

Here are some of the key positional battles that will shape the Ravens roster:

 Backup Quarterback:

Smith vs Beck:

The fact that some people still want Troy Smith to be the starter because he can scramble is absolutely absurd. The Ravens think so highly of Smith’s ability that they brought in Miami Dolphins outcast John Beck to compete with him for the back up job.

Neither one will have a chance at starting baring a major injury to Flacco, but it should be a good battle to see who holds the clipboard. Personally, Troy Smith hasn’t shown me anything that indicates he is even a capable back up in the NFL. The fact that he can “scramble” means nothing, and won’t be the reason if he wins the job.

Much like Troy Smith, John Beck was given the starting job, but unlike Smith, Beck lost it because of his play not sickness. All that being said there has to be something about Beck that Cam Cameron and John Harbaugh like otherwise they would not have brought him in.

This battle is likely to go on throughout the duration of training camp and likely not to be decided until right before week 1. I could personally care less as to the who the backup is but I am leaning towards John Beck.

Man isn’t it nice that we don’t have to worry about these guys competing for the starting quarterback job?

 Kicker:

Gano vs “the Kid”:

Matt Stover was the only player that was on the roster since they moved to Cleveland and he has amassed a Hall of Fame career. The Ravens have parted ways with Stover but have made it known he is just a phone call away if they feel that they need him.

With Stover gone, the starting job will be up for grabs between Steven “the kid” Hauschka and Graham Gano.

Hauschka was the Ravens kicker last year for field goals of 50 yards and higher. He has a booming leg but lacks consistent accuracy. Hauscka did not have the college career that Gano had and I do not believe he has the talent either

Last season at Florida State, Gano won the Lou Groza Award and only missed two field goals, both from 50+ yards. In the NFL you need a kicker that can hit 50+ yard field goals but you also need one that can hit consistently from inside 40 yards. Gano has that advantage over Hauschka and but he also has shown in practice that he can hit long field goals.

Rookie kickers tend to struggle but 1^st impressions of Gano lead me to think he has the makeup to succeed in year one.

Ultimately, I think his consistency and accuracy will win out and he will be the Ravens kicker for 2009 and many years to come.

 :Secondary:

Landry vs Zbikowski vs Nakamura :

There will be a major positional battle at the strong safety position alongside Ed Reed. Dawan Landry is coming off a major injury but has been awarded the starting safety position this coming into training camp.

There are still question marks about how Landry will respond from his injury and have to deal with Tom “Momma Said Knock You Out” Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura who the Ravens brass definitely like. Both Zbikowski and Nakamura got a lot playing time last season and should improve immensely in their second year.

Zbikowski and Nakamura are hard hitters and with another year of experience should be more versed in the cover game.

Many fans were unhappy with the Ravens parting ways with Jim Leonhard but Dawan Landry had better stats than Leonhard did before his injury so the guy can obviously play. Despite anything that has been said, it is likely that Landry will be a little “gun-shy” about making hard hits to protect his injury. Just look at Ed Reed for the first part of last season.

I think Landry has more talent then both Nakamura and Zbikowski but I believe they have improved enough to give Landry a battle for the starting position if his injury is not fully healed.

The Ravens also have another battle between Ladarius Webb and Samari Rolle for back up corner/ nickel position. Rolle is the incumbent but Webb seems to have all the tools to be a big time corner in this league. Ultimate, Rolle is on his last leg and Webb will win the job easily.

Wide Receiver:

Williams vs Washington vs Smith vs?:

The wide receiver position is an absolute mess for the Ravens after Derrick Mason announced his retirement. It is still likely Mason will return but if he doesn’t the Ravens are left with a bunch of un proven guy vying for 4 receiver spots.

Mark Clayton is the only garunteed starter as he will be the number 1 receiver without Mason or number 2 if Mason returns. Clayton has shown signs of brilliance and developed a rapport with Flacco in the second half of the year last year, but many question if he can be the “ go to “ guy for this offense.

Demetrius Williams is coming off an injury but may be the most talented receiver on the Ravens roster when healthy. Williams gives Flacco a big target and has the ability to stretch the field, but has major injury concerns. Right now Williams is penciled in as the number 2 but a bad training camp and poor health could bump him from that position.

After Williams and Clayton the Ravens are left with Kelly Washington, Marcus Smith, Ernie Wheelwright and Eron Riley.

Washington has NFL experience although he was never a major factor for the Bengals. Smith was injured for the majority of last season but he has good height, speed and a lot of upside. I like Smith but he missed pretty much the entire year last year which puts him behind the other three.

Eron Riley and Ernie Wheelwright are the long shots but if the the gap between them and Washington and Smith is not a huge one. Riley has blazing speed which makes him intriguing, and if he can develop as a route runner he may be an X factor. In the end I believe Riley and Wheelwright will be on the practice squad but you never know.

The Ravens receiving corps is a pot luck and even the coaching staff has no idea what will come of it. Mason could return or they could acquire another wide out or both.

Either way, the play of Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams will determine if the Ravens are Super Bowl bound or not.

Right Tackle:

Oher vs Terry:

This job is Michael Oher’s to lose, but if he fails to pick up the playbook quickly, he will lose it

These positional battles are what makes training camp fun and they will provide fans with a lot to argue about. Regardless of who wins them, the Ravens seem to have depth at every position and that will be a major strength for this team.

Personally I am going to enjoy watching these battle play out and see who is on the Ravens 60-man roster come Week 1.

The Ravens brass has soured on Terry and he has proved that he is not an adequate tackle in this league. The O-Line has depth and flexibility so Yanda could slide to tackle and Chester to guard if Oher is not ready and the Ravens don’t want to put Terry in.

Everything depends on Oher’s ability to pick up the playbook. Hopefully for the sake of the o- line he does it sooner than later.

Kick Returner:

Webb vs Carr:

Much to the delight of everyone the Yamon Figurs era in Baltimore looks to be over. With Figurs out of the picture and Jim Leohnard on the Jets, the Ravens now have a problem every team wants to have, too much talent at one position. Both Ladarius Webb and Chris Carr will be battling to see who wins the returner job and both have the big play ability the Special teams needs.

I have to give a slight edge to Carr given the fact that he already had success last season, but Webb has the speed and makeup to win the job. Both players look to give the Ravens a legitimate returner they have not since the departure of Jermaine Lewis.

Webb and Carr will help turn the once maligned special teams unit, into one of the best in the league. Fans don’t care who is returning kicks, as long as its not Yamon Figurs.

Positional battles like these are what makes training camp fun to watch. No matter who wins the Ravens fans should feel good about the depth this team has.

It will be interesting to watch these battles take shape and to see who is on the roster come September 13th.

Last season Le’Ron McClain came out of nowhere to lead the team in rushing with 920 yards and 10 touchdowns. McClain, who was a converted fullback, will now be forced to move back to his primary position thanks to the loss of Lorenzo Neal. Rumors are floating around that McClain has added some weight and not of the muscular variety. While McClain will still get a decent amount of carries, he will not handle the ball as much as he did last season. As the team’s new primary fullback, will he be able to open up holes for Ray Rice and Willis McGahee as effectively as Neal did last year? I doubt it. He has not come out and said anything publicly but it could be assumed that McClain is not happy with what he might view as a limited roll in the offense. McClain is likely to be the 3^rd option after McGahee and Rice and I am not sure if that is best for this offense.

Despite receiving limited action last year, Ray Rice impressed everyone with his explosiveness and big play ability. Rice is going to play a more significant role in the offense and is penciled in as the number two back behind McGahee. With McClain moving to fullback Rice is sure to get more then the 107 carries he got last season, but can he handle this role? Rice was an absolute workhorse during his four years at Rutgers, carrying the ball 910 times for 4,926 yards. In his senior year Rice carried the ball a whopping 380 times for 2,012 yards and 24 touchdowns and cemented himself as one of the best backs in college football.

My concern with Rice getting 200+ carries is that at 5′8” tall and 210 pounds his frame is not conducive to taking a lot of abuse at the NFL level. Rice was able to run by most defenders in college, but in the NFL he likely will not be as able to avoid contact and will have to absorb massive blows from some physically imposing linebackers. He is the back with the most shiftiness and big play ability but his size is an honest concern. He will need to model his game after players like Brian Westbrook and Warrick Dunn if he is to have long-term success. I think Rice has the heart and desire to make up for his lack of size but until he proves he can handle the wear and tear of carrying the ball 200+ times, I am going to be a little skeptical.

When healthy, Willis McGahee is the best back on the Ravens and one of the best in the NFL. Last season though, McGahee was riddled with injury, culminating with a knock-out shot in the AFC Championship after a helmet to helmet hit. If Willis worked hard to rehab his injuries and get himself into shape then he could revert back to his 1000+ yard form; however, if he didn’t, then the Ravens offense is in trouble. One of the knocks on McGahee throughout his career has been his work ethic and desire in the off-season. This was evident when he came into camp out-of-shape last season, leading to the Ravens ultimately successful experiment with LeRon McClain at running back.

In his first four season McGahee carried the ball over 250 times, rushing for over 1200 yards twice, including in his first season with the Ravens. While his yardage is impressive, McGahee has only averaged less then 4 yards per carry for his entire career. This means that for him to eclipse the 1000 yard mark, he will need to get the ball over 250 times for the season, an average of 15.6 carries per game. Normally this would not be a problem for him, but given the injuries sustained last year, it is unlikely his body will hold up for the duration of the season.

If McGahee’s body can’t handle 250 carries action will trickle down throughout the Ravens offense. Ray Rice will have to carry the ball 150 times or more and LeRon McClain will have to get his share of touches, leading to the Ravens having to start rookie Jamel Cook at fullback whenever they run an I-formation with McClain as the tailback.

The Ravens will be a run first team in 2009 and Cam Cameron will likely find a way to get all three backs involved and use multiple formations to do so. In 2008 the Ravens had the most rushing attempts in the NFL with 592 and ranked 4^th in rushing yards per game at 148.5 yards. This happened despite injuries among the offensive line and with injuries to both Willis McGahee and Ray Rice.

While I do believe the offensive line played a significant role, the main key to the Ravens rushing success was Lorenzo Neal. There is no telling the impact the loss of Neal will have on the offense; but it could be a major one. The success of the Ravens offense will definitely rely upon replacing the output of the player widely regarded as the best blocking fullback in the NFL during the last decade or two.

Last year’s improbable 11-5 season shows that in the NFL you can’t make any assumptions, so we can’t just assume the Ravens running game is going to produce like it did last season. Ultimately the running game should be good, but a deeper look at the stats and the personnel running the ball should concern more fans than just me.

Hopefully, when I am wearing my purple number 27 jersey, I will be watching McClain, McGahee and Rice prove me wrong. But for now, I am going to be slightly pessimistic.

Most fans fail to view professional sports as business and therefore don’t understand some decisions often made by players. Derrick Mason’s retirement is being viewed by Ravens fans as nothing more then a ploy to get more money; a tactic that doesn’t sit well with them. I do believe that Mason will be in uniform come Week 1 of the regular season. We will just have to wait to see if his actions tarnished his reputation with a majority of the fan base, since most fans still don’t see football for what it is - a Business.

“I would play for nothing” is a statement you will sometimes here from fans every time a disgruntled player complains about not making enough money. Nobody, in their right minds no matter what their profession, will work for free. In all types of jobs, including professional sports, a person will consider their talent better than some others and feel they deserve a higher salary. So, when someone of lesser talent gets more money, of course it will cause problems. To the average fan, there is no difference if a player makes $5 million a year versus $6 million, but to the player it is big. Most football players don’t have long careers because of the type of sport it is. So, they need to make as much money in their careers as possible. What is wrong with that – NOTHING!!

Money is used as sort of a rating system to gauge your value to the team and how good they feel you are as player and leader to get them to their ultimate goal.

Any person, who goes to their boss and demands more money - like Mason did - and does not get it, would not just sit idly waiting for something to happen. They would either leave the position or find a different way to accomplish what they feel they are worth in dollars. The fact that Derrick Mason may be the first player to use the “fake retirement” ploy as an attempt to gain leverage does not make him a despicable person. If it wasn’t Mason this year, it would be some other player very soon until it eventually became common place among players wanting contract extensions. Mason is simply exploring all the options he has in order to get more money. Something done is the business world daily.

Last year Derrick Mason played the entire season with a separated shoulder and still put up numbers better than most wide outs in football. Despite all of this; Ravens fans- myself included- still did not believe Mason could be the “go to” receiver on the team. Mason’s numbers showed his worth to the Ravens and he had every right to feel slighted by not receiving an extension. To Mason, more money and more years on his contract equals validation that he is a good player respected by the Raven’s Organization

During the free agency period Ray Lewis made some comments during his negotiations that did not sit well with some Ravens fans. Lewis eventually re-signed and those who viewed him as a bad guy during negotiations will be the first to cheer when he makes his first tackle. Derrick Mason likely won’t be so lucky. The longer his “retirement” goes, the more fans might turn their back on him, which would be a major mistake.

Derrick Mason has done nothing but leave his heart on the field every single week of the four years he has been in a Ravens uniform. Mason has cemented his legacy as the best receiver to put on the purple and black and suddenly fans forget all about this.

So if number 85 is on the field against the Chiefs on September 13th, how will fans respond to him? Will they cheer him because of all he has accomplished or will they boo him for making a business decision which he viewed was best for him?

Those of us who understand that football or any other major sports is a Business will put this thing behind us and give our “Ocho Cinco” the love he so rightfully deserves.

Many can argue that even from 1984-1996 Baltimore was still a football town despite not having any professional football outside of the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL. When the Colts left in 1984 people felt betrayed and hurt and Baltimore was left with one professional sports team, the Orioles. The O’s struggled late in the 80’s and earlyy90’s  until they built what was at the time and still is the most beautiful ballpark in the Major Leagues, Camden Yards.Because of Camden Yards there was a  baseball revival in Baltimore. However, just five short years after hosting the All-Star game, baseball was dying in Baltimore.

The reasons for the Ravens dominance of the Baltimore sports landscape are pretty simple. First, Baltimore was a starved football town that would embrace any team that came after a 12 year hiatus without an NFL franchise. Second, they won the Super Bowl in just their fifth season as a franchise. Third, Art Modell is one of the classiest men in all of professional sports and the Ravens treated their fans and community much better then the Orioles. Another reason for the Ravens dominance is the “us against the world” attitude they have had since their Super Bowl run - an attitude the fans have more then embraced. Lastly, the Ravens players are much more identifiable then the Orioles players. Even the most casual fan will recognize a second stringer like Justin Bannan more so then they would recognize Nick Markakis. Why is this?

Because of ownership, no access to players, fan treatment, poor playing and recruiting – the Orioles have been nothing more than an afterthought in this town for the last 12 years. Hopefully things are changing in the right direction.

Andy MacPhail has instilled a sense of hope in a fan base that has had nothing but despair for a decade. Hope alone will not return the Orioles back to relevance, but it is a major step. If the Orioles have a summer where they improve instead of digress then I truly believe Baltimore will be on its way back to being a two sports town.

I was born in 1983 and for my entire life outside of one or two years, Baltimore has been a “one sport” town.So for selfish reasons, more so then anything else, I want Baltimore to return to the glory days of the 60’s and 70’s. From 1984-1996, 12 of the first 13 years of my life, Baltimore was a one sport town because they only had one team – the Orioles. Enter Art Modell and the Ravens in 1996 combined with a wire-to-wire 1997 season for the Orioles; Baltimore seemed to be back on the sports map. Just a few short years after the arrival of the Ravens, the Orioles went down hill and became nothing more than a way to pass time until the start of football season.

I absolutely love the Ravens, and I support them through good times and bad, but all I have ever wanted in my life was for the Orioles to be good. When both teams are winning and relevant the city is a buzz and life is just better all around.

Baltimore sports fans have so many sports memories from the Miracles on 33rd st, the Orioles dominance of the 70’s, the Ravens arrival in Baltimore and the Lombardi trophy returning back to his rightful destination in 2001. Hopefully, under the direction of Andy MacPhail and our farm team prospects, along with some exciting wins this year, there is light at the end of tunnel.

I’m hoping to look back years from now and remember the “summer of 2009″ as the rejuvenation year – the beginning of Baltimore becoming a “Two Sport Town once again” – the re-emergence of “The Magic of Orioles Baseball”

Wouldn’t that be one the greatest memory of all?

 WNST broke the news 9:30 this morning that Terrell Suggs signed a 6-year, $63 million deal with the Ravens. This deal came in the final few hours of negotiation before the Ravens would have been forced to pay Suggs over $10 million for the season as part of the Franchise tag. Suggs will now be able to play this season without any issue of contract talk on his mind. I believe he will have his best season as a Raven.

When the Ravens had the number 10 draft pick in 2003, I was shocked that Terrell Suggs was still on the board. Suggs, who was projected as a top 5 pick, slipped to the Ravens thanks to a slow 40 yard dash time in the NFL Combine. Ozzie Newsome and company once again capitalized on their amazing scouting and drafted Suggs 10^th overall. Now 26, Suggs was the youngest player ever drafted until the Texans took Amobi Okoye two seasons ago. All he has done in his six years in the purple and black is record 368 tackles, 53 sacks (which ranks him sixth in the NFL since 2003), intercept five passes and get selected to three pro bowls. Is Terrell Suggs worth 63 million? Absolutely.

Three years ago I would have thought this deal was crazy because Suggs was a one dimensional football player. Suggs has evolved into the complete linebacker, not only having the ability to rush the passer, but also being able to defend the run and pass. There are more than just statistics in determining a player’s worth to his franchise; and Suggs’ worth to the Ravens in 2009 is at an all time high.

To see how valuable Suggs is to the Ravens, fans need to look no further then his inspired performance in the playoffs last year where he played with a shoulder injury that basically limited him to using one arm. Suggs not only played the Steelers game with the injury, but he played effectively recording two sacks. Fans need to start viewing Suggs as a good overall linebacker and not just the pass rusher that he was in the beginning of his career.

Football is a business and most NFL teams make decisions that are the best economic decisions for their franchise. Terrell Suggs may have felt disrespected by having the franchise tag slapped on him two years in a row, but it was what was best for the team.

After last season the Ravens needed to negotiate contracts with Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs, but it was unlikely they would retain all of them. Despite Ray Lewis being my all time favorite football player, I considered it a priority for the Ravens to retain Suggs and would have been immensely disappointed if they didn’t resign him. Once again Ozzie Newsome stepped up to the plate and made a decision that will help the Ravens franchise for the future.

Terrell Suggs has emerged into one of the best linebackers in the NFL and now the highest paid. He will remain a Raven through his prime football years. The 2003 Ravens draft will go down in history as the draft that gave us the enigma that was Kyle Boller; it also gave us what will eventually be one of the greatest Ravens to ever play the game in Terrell Suggs.

Once again Ozzie Newsome was smarter then everyone when he selected the 20 year old “tweener” from Arizona St. who was viewed as too slow.

All that Suggs has done since is s work hard to become one of the best Linebackers in the NFL.

I look forward to watching T-Sizzle for the next six seasons. I have no doubt he will have one of the best seasons of his career this year. I am sure “Number 55″ will dazzle us with some amazing performances, continue to represent the City of Baltimore and the Ravens Organization with honor.

 Hopefully, he ends his career with us and we can see “Number 55″ in our Ring of Honor.

Here are some thoughts I have on the 1^st half of the Orioles season:

88 games into the season, we still don’t know about the rotation:

Coming into the season the Orioles knew two things about the starting rotation: Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara were going to be in it. 88 games later, the Orioles seem to have more questions then answers about how the rotation will pan out. Guthrie has struggled, Koji is out for basically the rest of the season and the Rich Hill “experiment” seems to be over. The rotation is left with Brad Bergesen as the only “sure thing”.

It does the Orioles no good to trot Rich Hill and Jason Berken out to the mound every fifth day while Chris Tillman and Troy Patton are tearing it up in the Minor Leagues. I have a hunch we may see both them sometime in early August. This likely spells the end for Hill and Berken. The rotation has already under gone a major face lift and should continue to change throughout the summer.

One thing is certain; outside of Brad Bergesen, the Orioles rotation will continue to be an enigma.

Dave Trembley needs to change his managerial “style”:

When he became the manager a little over two seasons ago, Dave Trembley had a fire about him that exhibited a no nonsense style of managing. Fast forward to 2009; Dave Trembley is surly, mean and fiery, but to the media only and not his players. Although I don’t watch every other major league team regularly, I can’t imagine that they make as many fundamental mistakes as the Orioles. Fundamental baseball is one thing I believe the manager can control but Trembley seems to be more worried about attacking the media then fixing his team’s mistakes.

Personally, I don’t care if its Adam Jones or Felix Pie, if someone makes a bonehead mistake repeatedly then they need to be sitting on the bench next to Dave Trembley. Different players respond to the manager in different ways, but benching them is a universal way to get the message across. Something needs to change and that something to me is Dave Trembley.

The Orioles are interesting enough to keep me watching:

Just when the season looked to be over after a five game losing streak to start June, the Orioles turn around and win five straight, including a three game sweep in Philadelphia. One night they have the greatest comeback in team history then the next game they blow a 4 run lead in the 9^th inning. If there is one word you can use to describe the 2009 Orioles its “interesting”.

It is now mid July and the Orioles still have me interested. Even with Ravens training camp two weeks away, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Tillman and Patton and looking forward to see this team improve in the last 2+ months of the season.

The Orioles have been inconsistent but have shown enough in spurts to keep me entertained. These Birds are interesting and after 11 straight losing seasons, interesting is about as good as it gets.

The Orioles are eight games under .500 which is pretty much where I expected them to be. Luke Scott and Adam Jones had career 1^st halves, while Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters look to be the real deal.

With the trade deadline looming there could be some fireworks. Any trade Andy MacPhail makes is likely to improve the Orioles for the present and future.

While they may not hit the “unattainable” .500 mark, they are making strides towards it. I believe they will be a better team on the last day of the season then they were on Opening Day. This to me should excite everyone.

For once it looks like it could be a fun summer in Birdland, something I haven’t experienced since I was 13!!