Kyle Boller in the house
Former Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller no longer plays in Baltimore, but the city left enough of an impression on him that he came back for the Preakness.
"I'm just back to see some old friends," Boller said backstage after ZZ Top finished playing. "I've gone to Preakness a couple years in a row and I'm just here to hang out and have a good time."
Boller, who now resides in St. Louis, is slotted to be the Rams' backup quarterback.
"It's good to come back, but I'm ready for a fresh start in a new city," said Boller, who at times was the subject of much criticism from fans and media. "Baltimore was a great place and I met a lot of great people. I wouldn't change anything I went through here."
- Kevin Eck



Comments
Class Act...
I wish him the best of luck in his new role in St. Louis.
Posted by: Steve from Bel Air | May 16, 2009 5:27 PM
boller still plays football...now thats funny
Posted by: bob | May 16, 2009 5:51 PM
I wish him the best of luck in the future as well but I must admit the headline "Boller back in Baltimore" unnerved me for a second.
Posted by: JoeG | May 16, 2009 5:55 PM
I agree, very classy individual.
Posted by: Jason from Ocean City | May 16, 2009 6:39 PM
Steve,
I have to disagree with you on this guy. Kyle Boller has always been someone who says all the right things in the paper or said the things that would make him look like a great guy. However, I've met him twice and he's really an arrogant person who treats people like he's better than them or he's some type of "god." I used to stick up for Boller a lot because I felt some of the ciriticisms were too harsh or unjustified but after meeting him he's a jerk. Also, there is a reason his teammates never endorsed their confidence in him.
Posted by: Bmoresportsfan28 | May 16, 2009 6:41 PM
Even when Boller was here playing.. I always thought of him as a class act.. he took a physical pounding and never complained. Never put the blame elsewhere.. yes, it is true he just didn't have the skills AND we expected too much of him AND with hindsight, he was thrown to the wolves in 2003. I hope the guy gets a true 2nd chance in St. Louis and redeems himself. A good young man.
Posted by: Bobby Kopczenski | May 16, 2009 6:54 PM
He's a great kid. I wish him the best of luck. I hope a fresh start does him well.
Posted by: Ken | May 16, 2009 6:59 PM
Boller I think if you was healthy we could ahve made the playoffs with you and I hate the Flacco pick at first I wanted Ryan. But you stayed a class act and just kept your role. I think the city jumped on the Flacco bandwagon to soon I dont putting up 3500-4000 ever or 18-20 td's. I think he will be another Trent Dilfer but with a better arm. Maybe its the weapons around him but he will never have the Vinny T numbers in the short time he was here.
Posted by: DANNYP | May 16, 2009 8:26 PM
Wish Kyle Boller the very best. He gave it his all every time he played. Took some terrible hits but always came back.
A true gentleman.
The very best to you Kyle Boller.
Posted by: Bill lONG | May 16, 2009 9:42 PM
Boller good luck, very classy guy...
Posted by: Teapot | May 16, 2009 10:37 PM
Best wishes to Kyle Boller, a class act. And...Congratulations to the idiots O'Malley, Dixon, and the Maryland Jockey Club for banning beer at the Preakness. The shots of the EMPTY infield on national television was PRICELESS! Good work you bunch of inept morons. When the Preakness goes elsewhere you can look in the mirror for who to blame.
Posted by: Julie | May 16, 2009 11:14 PM
I agree. He was a class act and the best team player the Ravens ever had.
Posted by: Bruce | May 16, 2009 11:26 PM
Agreed Steve. I've always had a high opinion of Boller. I hope he does well.
Posted by: Chris from Annapolis | May 17, 2009 3:50 AM
Kyle, you were Billicked.
I'm amazed you can still touch a football without wincing.
Wasn't all your fault when the O-line didn't block.
Good luck in brew city, but watch out cause they don't block either!
Posted by: Ed Lulie | May 17, 2009 8:08 AM
Agreed. I think he will get his chance to start there, and look forward to seeing what he makes of it.
Posted by: Mark in DE | May 17, 2009 8:50 AM
Hey Kyle, your as welcome as rhe flowers.
Posted by: Bob | May 17, 2009 8:51 AM
There's plenty to learn from Kyle; he could have been an arse about his situation here in Baltimore. But, he's taken the high road and has earned respect from many of us; even his biggest critics including me. I guess I see now why Billick liked him so much. Good luck to you Kyle; everyone in Baltimore will be pulling for you in a Rams uniform.
Posted by: TO | May 17, 2009 11:03 AM
What a shame it is that billick and his offense ruined this guy. I wouldn't be suprised if he gets another shot and excels as a qb. He is a class act. I still think Joe is the man though. Joe will go down as one of the greats when all is said and done. Thanx Kyle and good luck.
Posted by: dennis | May 17, 2009 11:04 AM
Bmoresportsfan28 - I also met Kyle a few times, and I disagree with you. In terms of NFL players, Kyle is about as down to Earth as they come.
Posted by: Dave | May 17, 2009 2:27 PM
I used to like Kyle until I saw him smoking cigarettes at Preakness...for some reason this made me very upset
Posted by: Vik | May 17, 2009 4:48 PM
.......yawn.
Posted by: Roderick Robinson | May 17, 2009 6:07 PM
Despite Mike Preston's efforts to destroy Kyle Boller he appears to be on his way to gaining respect and is getting another chance prove himself. Good Luck & thanks Kyle.
Posted by: Bill Mohler | May 17, 2009 7:34 PM
billick started him as a rookie and jinxed the poor guy...that was a big mistake and not kyle's fault. i hope he goes far.
Posted by: heather | May 17, 2009 8:25 PM
"Baltimore was a great place and I met a lot of great people. I wouldn't change anything I went through here."
He's no rodes skoller- he woulnt change anything?
Posted by: rocky | May 17, 2009 10:33 PM
Please no more updates on Kyle Boller ever again. He left this city and thats the end of stories about him. who cares if he visits our city? He cost our team possible championships but definetly playoffs when our defense was in its prime. Please i dnt care where he goes.
Posted by: IBG | May 18, 2009 12:25 AM
i agree with most of the comments here. boller had most of the physical talents needed to be a top flight qb in the nfl but could never make the complete mental connection. despite the constant criticism by both fans and local media (i'm looking at you, mike preston), the man never complained or embarrassed the team in any way (i'm looking at you T.O.). he went out and got his butt kicked every weekend and then got skewered every monday by us. i was always a fan and wish him nothing but the best out in st. louis and wherever else his nfl career takes him. good luck and godspeed kyle.
Posted by: pjchoya | May 18, 2009 12:50 AM
Sorry to BSportfan, but Kyle was class act. I can say with a straight face, I think someone starting at QB for an NFL team has some arrogance. Thats what got them there. But Kyle also has ample ammunition to take shots at Baltimore, and he has not. Thats what defines class. You are talking about fans that cheered when he got hurt and removed from the game. And he never shot back. Thats class.
Posted by: Scott G | May 18, 2009 6:40 AM
I, along with my Dad, was one of the very few who stood behind Boller throughout his tenure in Baltimore. He is a heck of an athlete. I think we may have been able to get by Pittsburg at least once last season with him under center. No knock on Flacco, he is the future and a fantastic QB. But, with Kyle in an NFC uniform I hope he shreds up those teams then gives a big 'ole F* U to all his critics from Baltimore.
Good Luck Kyle.
Posted by: Mike | May 18, 2009 8:59 AM
In all fairness to Boller..., I've met Bmoresportsfan28 a couple of times and I know that I am better then you. I don't see why Kyle Boller wouldn't feel the same way. I think most of us are and rather then get mad at us about it..., maybe you should look to improve your sorry self.
Posted by: BC | May 18, 2009 9:36 AM
DANNYP, yes, DANNYP this post is for you! Please take an English 101 class before you post comments on a blog. Typical Baltimoron who can't put a sentence together. On top of that, his opinions about Flacco are laughable...
Posted by: TJ | May 18, 2009 9:47 AM
Say what you will, Kyle has responded as a professional to every bit of bad press (deserved or not) heaped on him during his stay in Baltimore. I wish him the best More athletes need to follow his lead.
Posted by: Richard | May 18, 2009 10:25 AM
BOLLER! BOLLER!! BOLLER!!!
Posted by: bigchipski | May 18, 2009 2:54 PM
Good Luck Kyle...Agree he was a class act especially after the getting hurt in the Colts game and listening to those morons cheering. I'm sure most of the negative comments were from those same individuals.
Posted by: Tony | May 18, 2009 3:44 PM
Boller IS a decent guy. At the end of a long autograph session during training camp, he called my kids over and signed everything they wanted and took pictures with them. The dude's gone...let him be.
Posted by: Pete Skeebo | May 18, 2009 6:35 PM
Pretty boy, jock, "not the sharpest tool in the shed". All talk...
Posted by: tashunkewitko | May 19, 2009 8:42 AM
Kyle spent most of his time in Balto. trowing from a levitated horizontal position, thanks to the worst tackle in the history of the NFL... Orlando "i can't wait to punch somebody after the play is over and my man has beaten me again" Brown.
Somehow you never hear Brown's name mentioned when Kyle's failures are discussed.
Posted by: ICE | May 19, 2009 2:03 PM
I wish him well, in his new scenery. You can call the guy a lot of things, but weak or classless, wouldn't be 2 of them.
Often wondered how he got out of bed on Monday and Tuesday A.M.s.
The sad thing is that he may have been a better QB, had they just stuck with Redman for Boller's rookie Season. We'll never know and it doesn't matter , here in 2009.
This is definitely Flacco's team, now.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 19, 2009 6:04 PM