London Calling

“Swim across the Atlantic Ocean - 3,462 mi”

This is the 24th of 63 steps Google Maps offers when you request directions from New York to London. Estimated travel time is 29 days, 10 hours; however, Google typically forgets to take into account stops at the gas station or drowning. Well short of coughing up a few hundred pounds to fly across the pond, I’ll have to stay stateside when New York plays Miami in the first ever regular season NFL game in the UK this October. I suppose its for the best, I probably couldn’t get tickets anyway.

The first 40,000 seats to watch American Football at Wembley Stadium sold out in 90 minutes earlier this week. The lucky ‘few’ were chosen from more than half a million requests made to the NFL after they announced the game in February. The stunning show of support is in contrast to the lack of interest typically shown by Americans when the best of the pitch come to town. It’s not as if London is deprived of sport in the Fall. The Premier League is underway, Cricket could be interesting I suppose, and Wimbledon, well, is just 9 short months away

Okay, so maybe the arrival of the NFL is a welcome sight to the fans of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. A duel between the Giants of New York and the Dolphins of Miami sounds like a stress free way to spend a Sunday afternoon. After all, soccer club affiliations are passed down from generation to generation and if you’ve ever read Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch, you get the feeling that no one in England really enjoys being a fan, its just something you have to endure. Like the taste of vinegar on your French fries.

So what does this mean for the future of the NFL? Could an annual regular season game on the banks of the Thames become a reality? The league is already considering adding a 17th game to the regular season that would allow all 32 games to play at least one match abroad each year. And apparently, London is just the beginning. Mexico, Germany, Canada, and maybe even Australia await visits from Tom Brady, Ladanian Tomlinson, and TO. But is the world ready for the Ravens?

A defense-led team could possibly be accepted amongst those used to watching nil-nil finals. And according to Chris Quayle, an NFL fan in the UK, the purple and black could become quite popular. “I’d been aware of the Ravens’ defense from 2000 and found it exhilarating to watch Ray Lewis perform.” Says Quayle on his UKRavens fan website. “The fact that watching your team defend could be as exciting as watching them attack was new.”

Here that Mr. Goodell? Sounds like London’s calling for the Ravens.

Tappy Tap Tap Tapparoo

It might still be May, but on the greens of Mitchell’s Golf Complex last weekend, the action was reminiscent of a Monday Night at M&T Bank Stadium. There was drama. There was trash talking. There was a DJ, door prizes, and an ice cream break.

Okay, so maybe the game day comparison is a bit of a stretch, but there were at least a few Ravens on the field this past Saturday at the first annual Empowerment M.I.N.D.S. Miniature Golf Tournament, hosted by Daniel Wilcox (yes, of rival blog, 83 Degreez). The event raised money for Wilcox’s foundation, which provides young people in Baltimore with growth and learning opportunities they might not otherwise have a chance at. To help the cause, Wilcox and a few of his famed friends played a little putt-putt. Apparently the event organizers caught Wilcox “doing the bull dance, feeling the flow” at AD’s charity golf event last year and thought #83 might be better suited for windmills rather than Winged Foot.


The ‘professionals’ in attendance included Quinn Sypniewski, Evan Oglesby, Justin Green, Romby Bryant, Attiyah Ellison, and straight from the shores of Miami – Ed Reed. Bart Scott showed up just in time for dessert, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Another famous face on hand for the event was Nathan Corbett of HBO’s, “The Wire”. Appropriately, Corbett plays “Donut” on the Baltimore-based series, as he spent the entire afternoon looking for the hole. Ba-Dum-CHING!

The funny thing about watching 6-foot tall football players play miniature golf is watching 6-foot tall football players play miniature golf. These men are anything but mini and to see a man like Sypniewski, standing 6’6”, line-up for a putt with a 3-foot piece of aluminum in his hands, you almost expect the club to crack at first grip.

Of course the players did find a way to not only make the action more physical, but also managed to take an early lead on the Steelers this season. Reluctantly, Wilcox allowed some good friends to participate in the party who just happened to be fans of the black and gold. One of them was paired with Justin Green and they made a friendly bet that required the loser of each hole to do 15 push-ups. Fortunately, for RaveTV and fans of the purple and black, we showed up just in time to see the Steelers fan put one in the drink. He got on his knees, started to pump and was quickly joined by Green and Wilcox who were happy to shout out the push count.


The main event on Saturday, apart from the De La Hoya-Mayweather battle to save boxing, was a closest-to-the-hole competition featuring the Ravens, Donut, and a guest appearance by the Chick-fil-A Cow. The chicken chain provided food for the event and just happened to have a mascot on hand to test his skills on the green. “Play Mor Golf?” More like “Practice Mor!” The Cow nearly missed the ball as his shot immediately sliced to the right.

The real drama began as Reed took aim using a University of Miami approved orange ball. His shot came within a few feet of the hole and provided a mark for the rest of the Ravens to attack. Nathan and Attiyah hit their shots way too far and “Q” and Oglesby came up about 15 feet too short. Bryant stepped up next and his ball barely nudged past Reed’s to give him the clubhouse lead with just Bart and Dan left to play.


Bart, wearing a quasi golf uniform (madras shorts – very trendy), sent a bullet right at the hole and as the fans looking on collectively breathed in, the ball hit the left side of the rim and kept on rolling. Breathe out….

Then came #83. The kids lining the green began cheering, “Wil-cox! Wil-cox!” Of course golfers typically require silence as they begin their backswing, but anyone who has seen Dan waving the white towel on the sidelines knows that he thrives on the crowd noise. Unfortunately, Wilcox just didn’t have his golf game going and he too came up short. On this day, Romby reigned supreme.

The event came to a close as Ed and Dan played one more hole on the Championship course. It was a serious course; one shot even required you to chip the ball off a wall so that it would ricochet over to the second half of the hole. Wilcox lined up for his last shot and a-la Happy Gilmore, preceded to take a full swing, knock the ball high in the air, off our cameraman, and into the rough. Not the ideal first stroke, but the day was not about wins and losses. It was about the nearly one hundred kids in attendance who had the chance to spend an afternoon with their heroes and the hundreds more that Wilcox gets to help through Empowerment M.I.N.D.S. in an attempt to bring them all to a Happy Place.

Draft Dodger

Ten years from now, I will still remember where I was the day Ben Grubbs was drafted.

I wasn’t at Radio City in New York or the war room in Owings Mills. I wasn’t enjoying the Spring Football Festival at the stadium or at Coburn’s in Canton (this blogger’s recommendation for best bar food in Baltimore). In fact, you could say I wasn’t even in the country as I spent draft weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, in the heart of NASCAR Nation.

I promise to do my best to give you my thoughts on the Ravens draft, although by now you’ve probably learned more about Grubbs’ sophomore year of college than you can remember about your own, but you’ll have to forgive me if I start to stray. This was my first NASCAR experience and I’m still wiping the impression of my face (apparently when you sit close to the track, its common to be sprayed with specs of rubber coming off new tires).


First off, what was I doing in Alabama? My day job brought me to The Cotton State on behalf of my client, CSX, to promote safety at railroad crossings. Our slogan, “Keep on Living”, was printed on thousands of promotional items, including free t-shirts. We brought about 10,000 shirts to hand out, however, my team at Exit10 underestimated one very important aspect of racing fans – many of them don’t bother wearing shirts to the race. Maybe they knew we’d be providing free wardrobe this weekend, but the line in to our tent was out the door at 8AM! It was clear I wasn’t going to have a break all day, but luckily I had my trusty Treo by my side to track the draft – I’m sure this is what my boss had in mind when he decided to arm me with internet access everywhere I go.

At about 2:00 EST I was able to check in on the progress in New York for the first time and I was astonished to find that only a handful of choices had been made in the first two hours. My first thought was if the NFL allowed fans into the stadium to watch the paint in the end zones dry, would it sell out? My second thought was now that Dawan Landry’s brother will be playing just down the road in DC, my prediction for a new satellite radio show called “Washing the Landry” could actually happen, considering XM’s headquarters is located in The District.

As for Baltimore, I knew it would be a while until I learned who would be the next to put on the pads for the purple and black. The Busch Series race was just about over when pick #29 appeared on my screen and ironically our top choice’s Alma Mater was just down the road from me in Auburn, AL. I was tempted to ask some of the locals about the potential of our newest guard, but the football chatter was kept to a minimum amongst the crowd. All they cared about was Junior, Smoke, the Rainbow Warrior, or Kasey Kaaaaaaahne (that’s how the women say it). It was also easy to see which racer they were supporting as the fashion du jour appeared to be t-shirts with full length faces of their favorite driver, along with matching hats, pants, and beer coolers.

Day two of the draft started early for Exit10 as our 4:45 wake-up call was necessary just to beat the traffic created by 200,000 fans lining up for the Nextel Cup race on Sunday. That’s almost three sellouts at M&T Bank Stadium combined.

The sponsor seating section was halfway around the track from our tent – fortunately we had golf carts all weekend – and when we arrived I was greeted by former Raiders quarterback Kenny Stabler, who stared for the Crimson and hosts a radio show in Birmingham. Stabler wasn’t the only Raider that caught my attention on Sunday as the Randy Moss trade was broadcast on my Treo to the dismay of, well, at least to me. No one else seemed to notice.


My PDA was put to shame, however, by the scanning devices available to fans at the race. This is going to take a few minutes to describe, but it’s worth it. For those of you who are NASCAR novices like myself, the fan development department at the Association’s headquarters in Charlotte clearly knows what they are doing. You see, you can rent a scanner that comes with Bose-like headphones and a portable television for the weekend at $70 a pop! You can then listen to the broadcast of the race – a mix between the radio call and the PA announcer – or you can decide to listen into the conversation between pit crews and their drivers. Any driver! The radio frequencies are published in the program and local papers and fans are allowed to hear the chatter throughout the race. Can you imagine if NFL fans had access to the conversations between coordinators, coaches, and the quarterback? Sort of like Ravens Wired on Red Bull. But that’s not all.

Remember the little TV I told you about, well not only can you watch the broadcast of the race, but you can also switch back and forth to individual driver cams placed on the front and rear bumpers. You can see the race from the driver’s point of view. I know you don’t need a football comparison to realize what it would be like, but sports writing is nothing without similes and metaphors so here it goes – it would be like strapping a camera to Steve McNair’s helmet as he drops back to pass, or better yet, tapping into camera #52 located behind Ray’s eyes.

Again, I digress. Troy Smith was a nice pick. Headline prediction: “McNair Apparent”.

Okay, back to ‘Bama. Our seats were just off the track and about 110 laps in, two cars crashed right in front of us. I had no clue how to react, so at first I ducked (not sure what that would do) and then stood up and took pictures (wouldn’t you?). In either case, it was by far the most exciting moment of the race and I don’t know what that says about me, or more importantly, the sport.

When the dust, smoke, and rubber debris settled, Jeff Gordon had won the Aaron’s 499;
JaMarcus Russell had won the lottery; Boy Wonder was headed to the Browns; the Heisman winner won a trip to the Charm City; and NFL fans everywhere were left wondering what will be in 2007. And after watching 500 miles of drafting strategy, while following the drafting strategy of 32 NFL teams, I believe Ricky Bobby and General Ozzie share at least one common belief, if you ain’t first your last.

Art of Darkness

I’m still fairly new to the world of television production. I may have been born into the MTV Generation, was once an avid viewer of the now defunct Project Greenlight (How did Shia Labeouf go from Shaker Heights to the Temple of Doom in three years?), and a graduate of one of the top communications school in the country, but I have only logged one full season on the sidelines with RaveTV. So forgive me for initially questioning the shot list from this past Saturday’s shoot with the Ravens Cheerleading squad.

The Ravens broadcasting department spent the afternoon filming twenty of the team’s most photogenic faces for a new feature called, “Silhouettes.” As a result, more than half of the footage was shot with the lights off! As in, the dark.

The creative minds behind the production decided to invite twenty female cheerleaders to the shoot, put them through make-up, dress them in mini-skirts, get them in front of the camera and flip the switch – the light switch. By now I assume you have a picture in your mind of what could have been and want answers. Well after five hours on the set, I think I might be able to shed some light on the darkness.


First off, silhouettes are a surefire scene-stealer. Picture the opening credits to a Bond movie, the first batch of iPod commercials (before they shined the light on Bono and Dylan), or the voluptuous woman from the mud flaps who gets in the car with Yosemite Sam. In each case, the mystery of the unknown creates interest, intrigue, and eventually, iconic status. RaveTV has similar hopes for “Silhouettes” this fall as part of their weekly line-up on Ravens Report.

During the editing process, the green-screen background will be replaced with game day highlights, while keeping the cheerleaders in the dark. In order to achieve this visual effect, a few details had to be perfected while the cameras were rolling. Most notably, their hair. You would think a girl wouldn’t care about her hair in the dark, but because of the shadow puppets created by the carefully angled ceiling lights, it was easy to spot a stray strand, or as we call it in the biz – a “fly-away”. See, I’m learning more each day. Luckily we also had a few women on hand who were trained to deal with such matters.

The second reason for shooting in the shadows became more apparent as the day wore on. Each participant was asked to describe themselves and what they enjoyed most about being a Ravens cheerleader. Without the benefit of sight my focus remained on what they said. Their stories were as stunning as their smiles:

Talmesha is getting her PHD at Johns Hopkins. Tasha’s father pitched for the Detroit Tigers. Collette has been dancing since she was three. Leslie traveled to the Middle East to entertain our troops. Sarita appeared in a Pepsi commercial as a child. Suzanne speaks French. Incroyable!

Clearly, these women are more than just pretty faces and pom poms. But they’re more than just charitable and charming as well. These girls are also athletic. And backlit back flips, toe-taps, tumbles, and handsprings are beautiful to watch, even if you can’t really see. In fact, these images might be the most important in building an icon. Consider Jim Pollard, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Scottie Pippen, and even Brent Barry have all attempted dunks form the foul line, but only one legendary leaper turned it into his own logo.

When the lights finally did come on, it was easy to understand why these women were selected to stand on the sidelines each and every Sunday. And it has nothing to do with their matching 6-pack abs. They are professionals. They are athletes. They are your Ravens Cheerleaders. And this fall, from the depths of the players tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium, they will once again emerge from the darkness and into the spotlight, right where they belong.

Save Ferris

At first glance, the Baltimore Ravens 2007 regular season schedule has the looks of a masterpiece.

Four nationally televised games – two live from our Charming City. Three west-coast road trips separated by a minimum of four weeks each. A mid-season bye. A visit to Buffalo before Thanksgiving and trips to Sun Diego and the Sunshine State long after the turkey has been carved. Of course, looks can be deceiving.

Consider the scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the Art Institute of Chicago. Cameron is burning a hole in the canvas of a Seurat painting made up of thousands of tiny dots that when viewed from afar, compose a picturesque scene along the banks of the River Seine. But as Cameron comes to realize, when you look a little deeper, things aren’t exactly as they appear.


The trees don’t really have leaves on them. Ferris isn’t the Sausage King of Chicago. And the Ravens have to play three of the top four seeds from last year’s AFC playoffs – in a row!

Seriously, this is a good comparison. The title of the painting in the movie is actually “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”. Of course if it was called “Sunday Afternoon on the Field of Lambeau” it would be dead-on, but this is close enough.

So what happens when you look at the tiny dots that connect to form a seventeen-week season?

First, seven straight games to start the year against teams that finished at .500 or below in 2006. Look deeper, however, and you see that this stretch includes back-to-back road trips against some of our former feathered friends in Cleveland and San Francisco, who always seem to pack an extra punch when they line-up against the men in purple.

Next, fifteen days off before a divisional dual with the Steelers on Monday Night Football. Look deeper, however, and you will see that Pittsburgh will be celebrating their 75th Anniversary that evening and are likely to line ‘The Bus’ up in the backfield with Bradshaw under center.

And finally, the perverbial hat trick: Lighting bolts, freedom fighters, and horseshoes. Possibly the most anticipated three-week stretch in the NFL as Baltimore faces off against the three [other] teams predicted to possibly represent the AFC in the desert next February. But again, look deeper.

Apart from losing their head coach and both coordinators, the Chargers will be sleeping at home for two extra nights following the Thanksgiving holiday, which could only mean one thing – more leftovers. And turkey is a known cause of drowsiness.

The Patriots are clearly locked and reloaded for another run at a title, however, AD might be able to play all 11 defensive positions, but only one at a time. Wes Welker returning extra kickoffs means the Ravens are scoring more often. And Donte Stallworth typically has both hamstrings strained by mid-October.

And then come the Colts. Yes, those Colts. The same team that knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs last year. The same team that won their first Super Bowl since calling Owings Mills home themselves. The same team, however, that not only lost 5 starters, but one stubborn monkey off their back that may have given them the edge they needed to finally win a Championship.

The point of my homage to John Hughes’ classic, or maybe to Seurat’s classic depending on how you look at it, is that no matter how you look at the 2007 season, each game will bring its own storyline, subplots, and media scrutiny that we can’t begin to predict with two weeks left before the Draft! But after a 13-3 regular season seemed to begin and end on an unusually warm night in January, we need to be prepared to enjoy each and every game the league has given us. Monday Nights and Sunday Nights, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, Jamal and AD, LT and Big Ben, South Beach and the Space Needle. To paraphrase the immortal words of Matthew Broderick, “The NFL moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Bright Lights, Cin City

Aretha asked for it. Rodney never got it. But after a year spent in the shadows of the NFL spotlight, the Ravens may have finally received it. In the immortal words of Ali G – Respek.

The league announced its Kickoff Weekend schedule last week and low and behold, your Baltimore Ravens were up on the marquee. Of course they will be sharing the stage with a full 25% of the NFL, including a rare Monday Night Football double header with the Cardinals and 49ers battling in the bay area in the nightcap. But on September 10th, 2007 at 7PM EST, the eyes of the nation will be on the AFC North as the Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals.

Unfortunately, Monday nights boast a brutal line up of entertainment options that even make Jerry Bruckheimer sweat. CSI Caruso is just the beginning as Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Two and Half Men, Prison Break, and 24 all grab their fare share of Nielsen numbers. If we’re lucky, Jack Bauer could take the fall off to eat and use the bathroom, but ABC is usually good for a reality show or two – Bachelorettes, Ice Dancing with the Stars, who knows. Throw in Howie Mandel and at least one more NBC drama (Studio 60 and The Black Donnelly’s are waging a ratings war as we speak) and it might not be the entire country tuned in to NFL action live from Ohio.

There is still cause for optimism, however, because ESPN will most likely tout the debut of Jaws on Monday Night Football all summer long and the sports world is itching for in depth film review of last year’s classic Thursday Night Thriller between these two division rivals. Although that game was played in a monsoon and every Vegas vet won the under, so the analysis may only take us through the coin toss.

But we are headed to The Queen City. And with an evening start time, the entire day is left open to experience all the city has to offer. You could take a tour of Proctor & Gamble’s headquarters. Or the United States Playing Card Company in nearby Norwood, OH. You could take a boat ride along the famed beaches of the Kentucky coast. Or grab a bowl of chili as Cincinnati boasts more chili restaurants than any other city in the world. Seriously. Their tagline, “All together surprising” is dead on.

No matter how you look at it, after a 13-3 season in 2006, the Ravens have earned some respect among the schedule makers who apparently think fantasy football fanatics are ready to embrace the concept of IDP’s (Individual Defensive Players). The Charm City was also rewarded for their strong season of support with a nationally televised exhibition game on August 19th against the Giants live from Baltimore. The remaining regular season schedule will be released later this month, but for now, Ravens fans can take solace in the fact that after a year of feeling jacked, so far this off-season they’ve received the royal treatment. It all starts with the Queen.

Cinderella, Where Art Thou?

If memory serves, I earned a solid B in Psychology 101 my freshman year of college. PSY101 was one of those mandatory classes that just about every undergraduate student needed to take, regardless of whether you were studying graphic design or intelligent design. The lecture hall seated you and your 800 closest friends and inevitably started before 10:00AM, which in college hours is roughly equivalent to the crack of dawn.

Why do I bother reliving those gray-sky Syracuse mornings with you? It is because through the early morning flurries, and thanks to numerous large French vanilla coffees from Dunkin Donuts, I managed to pick up a few basic principles on the subject that allow me to understand what causes such Madness each and every March (and what the NFL could do to ensure a Jubilant, or maybe just Jovial January).

The answer? Three words: The Underdog Effect.
Proof? Three more words: Dewey Defeats Truman.

What am I talking about? The concept that in any competition, whether it be for a spot in the Sweet 16 or a seat in the Oval Office, there is a tendency for people to shift their support in favor of the perceived loser. It’s why we remember Jim Valvano and Valparaiso. It’s why Wally Szerbiak was drafted in the first round and why you claimed to live in the same general area of George Mason last spring. Historians will also tell you its why Truman won re-election in 1948 as Democrats across the country, assuming Dewey was winning big (the Chicago Tribune famously agreed), came out in droves in the final hours of voting to return him to office.

As the Truman example shows, America will inevitably pull for the underdog. The fabric of our country is built on the notion of overcoming the odds to be successful. Which is why we root for the 13-seeds come March and why the first four days of the Tournament are so special – because of the chance that a 13-seed will still be playing the following week. And that hope, that chance, that possibility is what the NFL might need one day.

The so-called parity in the league has rid the sport of dynasty teams, and in effect, teams of destiny. If a team earning a bye has a record equal, or perhaps worse than a team who is designated a Wild Card, when the two teams meet in the playoffs, is it really an upset if the visiting team wins? Would there be a true favorite? (i.e. more than the 3 points odds makers typically assign to a home team)

The 2000 Baltimore Ravens were technically underdogs heading into Oakland for the AFC Championship Game, but when they emerged victorious, was it such a surprise? The 2006 Ravens were favored against the visiting Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the Playoffs, but given the fact that Indy now owns a Lombardi Trophy, was it considered an upset to see the highest rated quarterback in the league lead his team to victory?

Ironically, the NFL’s last true ‘Goliath’ and the most recent ‘David’ were probably both from New England. The 2001 Patriots, led by an unproven backup QB named Tom, did serve as a true underdog; while the 2004 Patriots, led by a two-time Super Bowl MVP named Brady, managed to play the role of Super Power in beating T.O. and the Eagles (hardly a ‘David’).

So how do you ensure more fairy-tale magic, the likes of which we see in March, to make more appearances in January? Play-in games? Playoff expansion? Let Boise State play the Super Bowl Champion? Did you know they’re making a documentary on “The Game”. No matter what the method, I think it could only enhance the most popular sport in the country and allow the NFL to remain atop its pedestal. The sport will always produce Champions, but sometimes, sports fans are also looking for a Cinderella. Time to strap on those glass slippers. Click-Clack.

What Willis Means to Me(dia)

There are plenty of off-season signings that don’t make their way out of the transactions listing in the back of the sports pages. Of course most of those involve offensive lineman, punters, and the scout team. Rarely do these players provide highlight reel material worthy of the lead in the Monday Sports section. But when a so called ‘skill position’ player is added to the roster, one that is already a household name in NFL circles, the wheels inside the minds of sports writers, their editors, and the blogosphere start churning. Enter Willis McGahee – a game-breaking back that will most certainly make an impact on the field and the front page.

After years of finding words that rhyme with Jamal, or even just start with the letter “J”, it’s now time to focus on the future and consider what might be seen in big bold letters in the months and years to come. A few predictions:

• Whatcha Talkin’ ‘Bout Willis (a gimme)
• That’s What I’m Talkin’ ‘Bout (can only use once a year)
• Battle of Wills (for the Sunday headlines when we play the Steelers)
• Faster Willie (for the Monday headlines when we play the Steelers)
• Oh Willie You’re So Fine (I know, his name is not Willie…)
• Willie or Won’t He (...but I loved this one)
• Will-Us to Victory
• Mac Attack (could apply to McNair, McGahee, or possibly a rare public sighting of Mark McGwire)
• McGame-Time (opening weekend?)
• McGame-Breaker
• McGlory (probably more appropriate for a future crabacake sandwich at McDonalds)

As you can see, the new running back in town has brought quite a few catch phrases with him from Upstate New York. (Speaking of which, how did Syracuse get left out of the NCAA tournament? We (I mean they) beat Georgetown!) Hopefully the local media keeps the repetition to a minimum to avoid overexposure a la “Astro-Nut” (in reference to the women who worked for NASA and drove cross-country to confront another woman dating the same man she was having an affair with) or “Britney Shears” (no explanation necessary).

The Fourth Estate in ‘The Charm City’ has been calling for a new running back ‘to carry the load’ in Baltimore for the last few years. Now that Willis will be handling ‘the rock’ we can expect to see a slew of stories about his potential in the pre-season, his performance during the year, and most importantly, his play during the playoffs. So with more than four months until training camp, a seventeen week season, and hopefully a post-season run to ‘The Big Game’, the local scribes better start thinking about headlines now in order to avoid the collection of clichés listed above, after all, this one back is expected to take the Ravens ‘two steps forward’.

Back to Reality

Ozzie had a conversation with Marv. Jamal had a conversation with Phil. Ed had a conversation with Ozzie. And just like that, Willis McGahee became a member of the Baltimore Ravens. At least as far as I can tell.

You see, just when I thought it was safe to leave the state; the Ravens went ahead and made one of the biggest trades in franchise history while I was on my way out of town for a long weekend in the Rockies. The first seven days of free agency started with a series of big-name departures from Owings Mills, but as my flight taxied from the gate at BWI, a new arrival was on his way in to Baltimore. And hopefully he booked a one-way ticket because McGahee is now penciled in as a Raven until 2013.

So what happened? Could it really be that simple? A casual conversation at the Sky Bar between two GM’s and all of a sudden one of the premier tail backs in the league is looking for shoes that go with purple.

Of course a few dots had to be connected in between. Jamal Lewis signed with the Cleveland Browns. Ozzie Newsome and his staff talked to Ed Reed, who spent two seasons on the field with Willis at ‘The U’, about the potential and work ethic of Mr. McGahee. But that seems like the meat of it. My only question is why no one called me.

I have so much insight to offer. Willis McGahee has played running back for me the last three seasons. I drafted him in the late rounds of my 2004 fantasy draft only to see his value soar during the second half of a spectacular sophomore season. Obviously, I kept him through 2005 (in which he was named as a Pro Bowl alternate) and then again in 2006. Thanks to the former #21, Canton FC (I came up with the team name while watching the World Cup) finished in third place 2 out of 3 years and won one regular season title in the Retired Orangemen Fantasy Football League.

I’ve lived through his ups and downs. I’ve kept my eyes glued to the LED’s underneath the SmartVision boards at M&T Bank Stadium, anxiously awaiting an up-tick in the number next to BUF. I was following along when he scored four touchdowns against the Seahawks. I scoffed at the emergence of Lee Evans who seemed to catch 77-yard touchdown passes every time the Bills scored, barely allowing Willis to get a carry, let alone a quick six. But now I will be watching in person. I will bare witness to each and every cutback, out pattern, screen pass, and scoring drive that McGahee manages to take part in. Due to official league rules (ROFFL not NFL) I can no longer keep Willis on my roster after three years on one team. Fitting, considering I would have to split my allegiances between a Ravens win and an extra reception for one of my starting running backs. (I’m not too upset, I have Laurence Maroney coming back in ’07 and thanks to the departure of Corey Dillon, he is looking like a first round pick in most leagues).

So now I shift my focus away from the big boards and back to the action on the field. Back to the importance of a lead block. Back to rooting for a defensive score. Back to the little things that contribute to a win in the real world. Back to reality.

Free Agency Eve

Twas the night before Free Agency, when all through the league
Every GM was still stirring, oh the intrigue!
The stats were reviewed by the coaches with care,
In hopes that a left tackle soon would be theirs.

Okay, enough rhyming. And enough waiting. At 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time the 2007 NFL Free Agency period begins with players and agents all around the country waiting to see what’s under the sports-turf tree. And they’re not looking for the Nintendo Wii or a PlayStation3 (well maybe some are). No, the most desirable presents this year are guaranteed contracts with stockings full of performances incentives.

Of course with the NFL Network’s coverage of the Combine, Draft, and everything in between – you might expect live web-cams in the offices and even the bedrooms of the league’s 32 General Managers. It makes sense, the combine coverage last weekend bordered on the edge of Real World Indianapolis with the most disturbing scene being the bench-press exhibition in which a room full of reporters watched guys grunt and groan while benching 225 lbs 30 to 40 times! So the green-glow of night vision in Ozzie’s home office seems reasonable, right? Maybe someday soon, but for now, all a fan has to rely on is good old-fashioned news reporting. Well maybe not so old, considering the sports blogosphere will most likely provide the timeliest updates. (Sports Business Journal even included ESPN Page2 Columnist, Bill Simmons, and Deadspin.com editor, Will Leitch, as two of the 20 most influential people in the online sports world.

The free agent class of 2007 unfortunately includes a few members of the 2006 Ravens, but former foes of the men in purple have also been admitted into the program including Pittsburgh’s Joey Porter and a few familiar faces from Indianapolis – Cato June, Nick Harper and Dominic Rhodes. Cap room may be the most important factor in forecasting where they will end up, but determining the dollars available is not a calculation you’d find on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. Have you seen this show yet? I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel afterwards. If you get the questions right – nice work, you are smarter than a fifth grader. If you don’t – well a fifth grader could figure that out. For those of you who actually want to know how to crunch the numbers in order for you to be able to implement a similar scheme in your fantasy football league, check this out: Ask the Commish. Speaking of which, how is the Tatum Bell trade to Detroit going to affect the fantasy value of Mike Bell and Kevin Jones?

Well the most important thing right now is that Dick and Ozzie know how to work the math and stay under the $109 Million mark for the 2007 season. Luckily for all of Ravens Nation, these guys are pretty handy with a calculator – or do they use Excel for everything like the rest of us. In any case, one only has to look to 2006 to see their success stories in action with Bart Scott earning a Pro Bowl spot and Trevor Pryce deserving one. Pryce was also named among the Top Ten Free Agent signings of last year on NFL Total Access, just one spot behind TO.

As is the case all around the league today, there are many decisions still to be made this morning and the madness of March could play a role in the playoffs next year. But unlike Lost and even Heroes, which all of a sudden decided to incorporate flashbacks into the show (providing the most exhilarating episode yet), the future cannot be foretold and the past cannot be revisited. All we can see, on this Free Agency Eve, is the ‘present’, under the tree.

Sorry, I said I would stop the rhyming and while I’m at it, no more puns either. Stay glued to your local blog for updates throughout the day.