http://www.yardbarker.com/content/team/31 Recent articles about the Baltimore Ravens en-us This in depth analysis of the offensive line includes the projected starters for the upcoming season, statistics and injuries from the past season, an overview of players on the line and an outlook for the 2008 season. Thu, 15 May 2008 16:38:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267409 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267409 As legend has it, sports broadcaster extraordinaire Al Michaels once proclaimed as to the prospects of working at ESPN that he won't be working for a four-letter network. Apparently, that vow still applies. Per a media source, Michaels has turned down an opportunity to serve as the play-by-play man for NFLN's regular-season slate of pro football games. Michaels was pursued by the league-owned network to replace Bryant Gumbel, the big name with small talent who handled the duties for the first two years of the NFLN effort. Michaels currently provides the play-by-play call for NBC's weekly Sunday night coverage. It's unclear where the NFL will go from here. Others who have been linked to the job include Tom Hammond, Brad Nessler, Marv Albert, and Pat Summerall. Other possibilities, in our view, would be Mike Patrick and Brent Musberger. We also are intrigued by one or more outside-the-box possibilities, such as our pal Dan Patrick, whose weekday radio show streams live on SI.com — and who from time to time allows us to pollute his air waves. Another possibility would be to hire both Albert and our other pal Boomer Esiason (who currently team up for a national radio broadcast of the Monday night games), and make it a three-man crew, with the incumbent Cris Collinsworth, a former teammate of Esiason's. Wed, 14 May 2008 21:43:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267100 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267100 Enjoy Ray Lewis while you can. Because in a few years, the future Hall of Fame linebacker plans to separate himself from the NFL completely -- with no second-guessing and no regrets. "When it's time for me to hang up those cleats, there is no coming back,'' Lewis said. "There is no 'Yeah, I feel good again and I'm in better shape.' Because I know what I give every day of my life, and that is complete focus on my task at hand.'' That current task is bringing Baltimore back to prominence. Just two years ago the Ravens were Super Bowl contenders after a 13-3 season, but injuries and inconsistent play resulted in last season's 5-11 finish. Despite nine Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl MVP on his résumé, Lewis says he is training harder than ever. Increasing his workout regimen with age is a trick he learned from former teammates Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe, who played 17 and 14 years, respectively. Lewis, who turns 33 Thursday, is in his 13th season and believes his intense training will help him play "another three or four years, easily.'' He arrived at minicamp in midseason form last weekend, weighing 255 pounds with 6 percent body fat and biceps large enough to make running backs cringe. RAY ROCKS!!! CLICK it......i'm backkkkkkkk Wed, 14 May 2008 13:45:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266886 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266886 In an unprecedented move, the Ravens have created a position for the part-time defensive lineman, part-time linebacker that will earn him a one-year tender of $8.5 million under the franchise tag. Obviously, Kordell Stewart is not thrilled by the news. Wed, 14 May 2008 11:23:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266832 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266832 Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould has signed a five year contract worth $15.5 million to extend his contract through 2013. The deal also includes a $4.25 million signing bonus and makes him the highest paid kicker in NFL history. It trumps the $12 million paid to Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri and the $14.2 million paid to St. Louis Rams kicker Josh Brown. Gould signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State in 2005 and became a fan favorite for his mixture of professionalism and personality. He frequently makes himself available to media and fans and has stayed humble through his popularity. He is mindful of his days getting cut by the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens and keeps a positive attitude. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and has made 84 of 99 field goals for his career, an 85% success rate. His most notable kick came in the playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field in overtime that led the Bears to the NFC Championship Game. Gould has the fourth highest career field goal percentage in NFL history behind kickers Nate Keading, Mike Vanderjagt, and Shayne Graham. In 2006, Gould scored 143 points, ranking him 23rd for most points scored in a single season in NFL history. His 143 points also ranked him 2nd only behind LaDainian Tomlinson's 186 points for most points scored in the NFL that season. Last season, his 126 points was good enough to rank him 8th in the NFL in points scored. In 2006, Gould's 32 successful field goals ranked him in a tie for 1st with Jeff Wilkins for most field goals made that season. In 2007, his 31 successful field goals ranked him in a three way tie for 2nd for most field goals made with Mason Crosby and Shayne Graham, and trailing Rob Bironas. Those are big numbers for a kid that was working as construction worker in Pennsylvania three years ago before signing with the Bears. Please visit: http://beargoggleson.com Tue, 13 May 2008 12:03:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266467 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266467 If those goofs at ESPN can post a useless offseason power ranking, then so can we, damn it. Tue, 13 May 2008 07:28:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266360 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266360 Between Buzz Bissinger and the fact that newspapers are dying, I genuinely thought that any franchise run by happy-go-lucky owner Steve Bisciotti would welcome bloggers like the press box was where caring happens. But alas, the 2008 Baltimore Ravens will not be welcoming me as a media guest. Mon, 12 May 2008 22:01:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266284 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266284 Gone are the days of Camp Creampuff. Now the Ravens players will bet a taste of Camp Harbaugh. Mon, 12 May 2008 14:44:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266130 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266130 The newest batch of NFL rookies had their official initiations into the NFL as mini-camps took place with numerous NFL teams this past weekend. Here's a look at what went down. Mon, 12 May 2008 08:54:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265958 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265958 1 Patriots 16-0-0 A healthy Tom Brady and a happy Randy Moss make the Patriots championship contenders this season and for years to come. 2 Colts 13-3-0 They haven't had a lot of offseason turnover and they already were very good. Continuity means a lot. 3 Chargers 11-5-0 If the Chargers can get over their injury issues, they could be in the Super Bowl mix all the way to Tampa. 4 Cowboys 13-3-0 Felix Jones should help the running game immediately. But who will emerge as the No. 2 receiver? Patrick Crayton wasn't up to the task in late '07. 5 Jaguars 11-5-0 They sometimes get overshadowed by division rival Indianapolis, but the Jaguars have an elite roster and an coach in Jack Del Rio. 6 Giants 10-6-0 Teams other than the Patriots aren't supposed to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Will Michael Strahan retire? Can they compensate for free-agent losses at LB? 7 Steelers 10-6-0 A very strong draft catapults the Steelers into Super Bowl contenders. RBs Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall should be one of the best 1-2 punches. 8 Seahawks 10-6-0 New O-line coach Mike Solari stands out as the Seahawks' top offseason acquisition, perhaps allowing them to keep their edge in the NFC West. 9 Browns 10-6-0 The 2007 darlings face high expectations. The offense will score. Can the D, anchored by additions Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, hold up its end? 10 Packers 13-3-0 This is an unpredictable team in the wake of the retirement of Brett Favre. Who will step up and make the big plays this year? 11 Saints 7-9-0 The offense already was very good. Defensive improvements will make the Saints one of this year's biggest turnarounds. 12 Vikings 8-8-0 If they settle on a QB, the Vikes could become a playoff team. RB Adrian Peterson is at the top of the list for MVP candidates. 13 Eagles 8-8-0 Last season, they hit their stride when it was too late. With a fully healed Donovan McNabb and an improved secondary, the Eagles could be dangerous. 14 Redskins 9-7-0 Too many questions: a new coach, young QB and a pair of rookie WRs. Hard to get a good read. 15 Buccaneers 9-7-0 They didn't make any splash offseason moves. But RB Warrick Dunn's return is going to help more than many recognize. 16 Titans 10-6-0 They didn't get as much help from QB Vince Young as they should have. But he's going to become good enough to carry the offense. 17 Cardinals 8-8-0 Ken Whisenhunt and staff changed the culture in Arizona. Kurt Warner provides top-notch insurance at QB. Depth along the O-line and on defense in general remain the question. 18 Panthers 7-9-0 The return of QB Jake Delhomme might be enough to get them to the playoffs. But there are no guarantees with Tommy John surgery. 19 Bills 7-9-0 Marcus Stroud turns 30 this summer and his starts have declined over three seasons. Will he be healthy enough to help the Bills in December? 20 Texans 8-8-0 They reached respectability in 2007. Improving will be difficult because their division is so tough. 21 Jets 4-12-0 An offseason spending spree upgraded the roster without answering the Jets' most pressing question: Do they have the right QB? 22 Ravens 5-11-0 Are the 2008 Ravens more like the 13-3 team in 2006, or the 5-11 unit last season? This is certain: QB play is key. 23 Broncos 7-9-0 This is the second-best team in the AFC West. That is an indictment of the division, not a pat on the back for this team, which has many holes. 24 Bears 7-9-0 Seems like ages ago the Bears were NFC champs. For better or worse, fans will have to endure another season of good Rex Grossman and bad Rex Grossman. 25 Bengals 7-9-0 If WR Chad Johnson sits out, the Bengals will suffer. If Johnson shows, he's a distraction. Neither situation is good. 26 Raiders 4-12-0 The Raiders' offense won't make people sick anymore, but their defense might. 27 49ers 5-11-0 New offensive coordinator Mike Martz provides credibility on offense, but head coach Mike Nolan still must prove he can manage the team more smoothly. 28 Rams 3-13-0 Quietly, Jim Haslett has turned the defense into a respectable unit. The Rams could contend for a playoff spot if their offensive line can keep Marc Bulger healthy. 29 Lions 7-9-0 QB Jon Kitna says it will be a disappointment if the Lions don't win 10 games this season. Perhaps he doesn't realize Detroit hasn't won 10 games since 1995. 30 Chiefs 4-12-0 The Chiefs' rebuilding project has begun, but it's unrealistic to believe they will become contenders anytime soon. 31 Dolphins 1-15-0 A rookie head coach and an unsettled QB situation add up to growing pains, even though the Dolphins have upgraded their talent base. 32 Falcons 4-12-0 New coach Mike Smith is the right guy to turn this team around, but it's going to take a few years. Mon, 12 May 2008 06:52:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265930 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265930 Kenny Phillips never played football with Sean Taylor. And even though they were both safeties at the University of Miami, they'd never met. Yet there was a bond between them. And when Taylor was murdered last November, Phillips felt a loss. "It touched all of us," Phillips said. "We are a big family down there at the University of Miami. He was our brother and when we lost someone we were really sad." That's why when Phillips, the Giants' first-round draft pick, took the field for the Giants' rookie mini-camp this weekend, he was wearing No. 21. That may have been Tiki Barber's old number with the Giants, but it was also the number Taylor wore with the Washington Redskins. The 21-year-old Phillips said he's wearing it "out of respect" to him. "He was a guy who my whole career, even in high school, I had pictures of him in my locker," Phillips said. "I wanted to get a chance to meet him, and I never did. I watch him on film and he was just an exceptional athlete. The plays he made were crazy. I just wanted to pay my respects by having his number and trying to live up to that." Of course, as a Miami safety, Phillips has a lot of expectations to live up to. Taylor was just 24 when he was shot on Nov. 27 and was only just beginning to come into his own as an NFL player. Ed Reed, another Miami safety, became a Pro Bowler in Baltimore. And Brandon Meriweather, yet another Miami safety, was a first-round draft pick last year. Miami has been a pipeline to the NFL for years. When the Giants took Phillips with the last pick of the first round in April, it marked the 14th straight year at least one Hurricane had been taken in Round 1. The safeties have been particularly good in recent years. They've set the bar pretty high for Phillips. "Of course anytime you think of the safeties from Miami you think about the late Sean Taylor, Ed Reed, Benny Blades, and Brandon Meriwether, and of course you want to live up to that tradition," Phillips said. "They all have been doing well and they did well in college and went to the league. I don't want to say there is any pressure because in the end I can only be myself." The Giants expect Phillips to compete for a starting job quickly, especially since they lost Gibril Wilson to free agency in March. One safety spot seems to have been secured by the signing of veteran Sammy Knight. The other is currently held by James Butler, a third-year pro who was up and down last season. And the only other safety in the picture is Michael Johnson, a seventh-round pick from last year. That would seem to leave a door open for Phillips, especially if he's as good as Miami safeties usually are. "With (Wilson) leaving they are definitely looking to fill a void," Phillips said. "There are already a few guys on the team that are capable of doing that so I am just trying to come in and compete and hopefully I can win a starting job." If he did, he'd prove to be a worthy heir to the Hurricane alumni sprinkled throughout the NFL. Those ex-'Canes, though, warned him not to worry too much about that legacy. They all have a healthy respect for their tradition, but they advised Phillips to just go out and do what he does best. "They were just basically telling me that I already know how to play football, so don't worry about it," he said. "It's not going to be much faster or much different. You can play ball so just come in and be yourself and it will work out for you." Mon, 12 May 2008 06:19:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265927 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265927 Prime Time Love, the reality series on the Oxygen Network that chronicles the day to day "struggles" of Deion Sanders and Family, has a lot of "playing to the camera"… and not in a good way. At first it was slightly amusing when Deion would do the trademark smirk as if to say "I got this" but it's slowly taken a turn into portraying him as not only a chauvinist pig but possibly less than human. Wow do I feel sorry for his wife (ex and present). While I know you sell your soul for that life, the lifestyle and the opportunity of being a semi-celebrity, his current wife, Pilar, has sold her soul, her dignity and any sense of good judgment right up the river by staying married to him. A little banter is ok between couples… it keeps it interesting. But Deion basically treats her like the maid, the nanny and the chef and he's just supposed to be the breadwinner and reap the benefits. The fact that he rides around on a RASCAL SCOOTER throughout his mansion (complaining that he needs it because his feet hurt from his football days) is not only pathetic but a joke. You don't see Emmitt Smith needing to hop a Segway to roll from the car to the studio for an interview. It's ridiculous and he should be embarrassed for how he is portraying himself and his family on national television. I'm not sure which I find more offensive about him. The fact that he can't seem to give his wife an inch and thus picks fights at every turn just to make sure everyone knows that he's "The Man Of The House" or the fact that he basically told his son "Don't open car doors or pay for meals for women because then you'll always be expected to do it." While it surprised me that he has already been divorced once before, (since I thought all 5 kids were Pilar's), it won't surprise me one bit if he's shopping for wife #3 by the time this GARBAGE of a reality show is CANCELLED. Deion, you're on the clock and your 15 minutes is up. Mon, 12 May 2008 01:35:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265908 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265908 Maybe this cheerleader will allow cooler heads to prevail. Sun, 11 May 2008 10:26:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265684 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265684 The Baltimore Ravens have a little scuffle at Mini-Camp, What is impressive is the amount of people participating in this brawl. Question is; Are these the actions of Professionals? Champions? Click the link and comment! Nearly all 85 players in camp were involved in a squabble Saturday that began when offensive tackle Oniel Cousins and defensive tackle Amon Gordon threw punches after running back Allen Patrick was taken down hard on a burst up the middle. Sat, 10 May 2008 22:43:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265597 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265597 A bench-clearing brawl at Ravens' mini-camp shows that the days of Camp Cupcake are over. Said new coach John Harbaugh "Guys are competing, so tempers flare a little bit." According to the article, "Nearly all 85 players in camp were involved in a squabble Saturday that began when offensive tackle Oniel Cousins and defensive tackle Amon Gordon threw punches after running back Allen Patrick was taken down hard on a burst up the middle. All the players surged toward the middle of the field, and it was nearly two minutes before peace was restored." It's good to see some intensity after years of yawning on the sidelines under Billick, but hopefully, everyone will heed Trevor Pryce's advice. Pryce said, "If we can get all this out of the way now, scrapping and being undisciplined and 80 men jumping in a pile together, fine. So now we've proved I'm tough, you're tough, hooray, we're all tough. Are we a good football team? What's more important, proving you're tough or proving we're a good football team? That's how I look at it." Sat, 10 May 2008 17:52:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265558 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265558