Notes from Ravens-Redskins telecast
Some things I scribbled about NBC's telecast of Ravens-Redskins:
*John Madden anointed Joe Flacco as "something special."
*After Ed Reed's first interception, Madden said: "Any time there is any kind of ball in the middle of the field, Ed Reed is the biggest ballhawk in the league." This would be a recurring theme. As Madden is wont to do, he repeatedly referred to Reed with the old-fashioned "ballhawk." Not that you can really argue the term isn't appropriate.
*More than in any other Ravens telecast this season, NBC highlighted the Ravens' use of the unbalanced line, focusing replays and circling via Telestrator the two or even three tackles on one side of the offensive set.
*In the player introductions, Ravens defensive lineman Trevor Pryce listed his school as "multiple choice."
*Madden said Flacco is "the most unassuming quarterback I've ever met," adding that he didn't even own a car until he got one recently. Partner Al Michaels replied: "Is it a Bentley?"
*Madden and Michaels jumped the gun a bit in the first half, saying with certainty that the fumble by the Redskins' Clinton Portis would be overturned on review. By the time they returned from a commercial break, they had seen other angles of replay and backed off, which, as it turned out, was correct when the call wasn't reversed.
*Maybe it's something that happens to you when you're older. Speaking of players with multiple injuries, Madden said: "You can only hurt in one place." That certainly doesn't seem to be the case when I get out of bed every morning.
*Speaking of the energy Ray Lewis brings to his teammates, Madden said: "We always say that, and sometimes it's not true." So when Madden said it about the Redskins' London Fletcher later in the game, was it not true?
*Madden pointed out how the Ravens were having trouble in the passing game because the Redskins were unexpectedly playing zone instead of man-to-man. "Cam Cameron needs to dial up zone-beaters instead of man-beaters," he said.
*After the first shots of Michael Phelps watching the game from a skybox, Madden and Michaels talked about how the Olympian had joined them to watch film and how knowledgeable he was about the Ravens. They also related how Phelps got a call from Lewis while the swimmer was with them, but he didn't take time to talk with him. "Not now, Ray," Madden said.
*Madden expressed weariness with how fumbles are reviewed to see whether the ball carrier was down before the ball came out. "I'd like to go back. You hit the guy, the ball comes out, it's a fumble," he said. But isn't Madden the guy who popularized the phrase, "The ground can't cause a fumble"?
*Madden on Le'Ron McClain: "McClain has a fullback's body, but the feet of a tailback."
Comments
Two things I knew I could count on:
1. Shots of crabs and crab cakes.
2. Madden saying something amazingly confusing like this gem... "A fumble is a fumble. It's always been a fumble and that was a fumble."
Posted by: O4PetesSake | December 8, 2008 10:42 AM
Surprised you didn't note how both Madden and Michaels screwed up Haloti Ngata's name. Madden called him "Halatta Ngata" while Michaels called him "Halati Ngata."
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Ray replies: I heard Madden mess up the first name, but I thought Michaels got it right: ha-low-tee.
Posted by: Matthew | December 8, 2008 11:28 AM
It should be noted that the broadcast sure made Baltimore look good. The old crabtown looked like Oz or Xanadu or even Someplace I'd Live if I Didn't Have To. Great HD photography and superbly thought out camera placement turned the town into an architectural night wonderland. Is NBC working for the Greater Baltimore Bureau?
Posted by: Steve Hunter | December 8, 2008 12:55 PM
With the newspaper industry struggling to keep afloat, why does the Sun pay someone to regurgitate clips from last night's game? If I wanted to read what Madden and Michaels was saying last night, I would've had the closed captioning on. How about putting up a post-game interview or some play-by-play analysis?
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Ray replies: We have a clip of Derrick Mason talking after the game at baltimoresun.com/video and also analysis in columns by David Steele and Mike Preston in addition to Mike's report card.
Posted by: Dan | December 8, 2008 12:56 PM
Ray: Ignore Dan. He's obviously some knuckle-dragging mouth-breather who is too ignorant to realize that you write a SPORTS MEDIA column not a SPORTS column. Would he prefer that The Sun's film critics just quote lines from the movies that they review? Your stuff is good and informative. I enjoyed the feedback as I was at the game and unable to listen the broadcast.
BTW: Heard Scott Garceau this morning doing the Monday Morning QB show on 1300. Cemented in my mind that I would listen every afternoon if they would fire "Fake and Bake" and give him the slot.
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Ray replies: Thanks so much for the kind words.
Posted by: TRA | December 8, 2008 1:52 PM
I agree with the posters coment about how BEAUTIFUL the city looked on that from on high night shot - I said out loud when it came up - wow, AIN'T THAT PURRRTY!! Never knew Baltimore could look that good, especially at night! I liked Boller - but Flacco is everything he LACKED!! You never see Joe Cool tripping over his own feet from taking the snap or any of the other clumsiness Boller showed. Joe has convinced me he IS the real deal - stay healthy, live long and prosper! With HIM instead of all the others how many more trips to the super bowl would we have had by now?? Shame Ray didn't come into the league same time as Joe COOL!
Posted by: shoreman | December 8, 2008 3:02 PM
Dan has no clue....I was at the game and I had no idea what Madden was talking about...I enjoyed the article!
Posted by: Neil | December 8, 2008 4:15 PM
Hey Dan,
Maybe some of us who where actually AT the game and not listening/watching, appreciate the recap.
Which I do. Thanks, Ray.
Posted by: BudJ | December 8, 2008 5:07 PM
Was it "ballhawk"? I guess so. The entire time I thought he was saying "ball hog," and I was getting pretty irritated. If it's one thing that D.C. fans learned after Suggs tattooed Campbell over and over again, don't tick him off at Wizards games anymore. The same should apply to Ed Reed.
I'm living in Texas now. Seeing the shots of b'more made me homesick, hon.
Posted by: The other Dan | December 8, 2008 5:32 PM
I remember an old country song by Bobby Bare ("The Streets of Baltimore"). By the way, this song tells you how beautiful Baltimore really is.
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Ray replies: Some of the lyrics (via a few Web sites):
I sold the farm to take my woman where she longed to be/
We left our kin and all our friends back there in Tennessee/
I bought those one-way tickets she had often begged me for/
And they took us to the streets of Baltimore/
Her heart was filled with laughter when she saw those city lights/
She said the prettiest place on earth is Baltimore at night
Of course, by the end of the song, he heads back home, having lost his woman to the streets of Baltimore.
Posted by: frank | December 8, 2008 7:11 PM
Ray,
I wouldn't listen to that commenter Dan. You do a great job. I work in sports media and have a great deal of respect for your writing and opinions, and I agree with you as much or more than I do any columnist.
My feelings are that there will be more prime-time games in the Ravens' future because there's always a great backstory to every Thursday or Monday night game.
Last year, with the chance to beat the undefeated Pats was my favorite.
Why, Ray, in your opinion did the NFL flex this game against the floundering Redskins when this coming Sunday's game against the Steelers is more important and would get more of a nationwide audience ?
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Ray replies: First, thank you so much. I will have to remember this day when people were so nice to me. And it's not even my birthday. (That's next month, by the way. Please, don't buy anything too large; that would embarrass me.)
I would guess that the Ravens-Steelers didn't get moved because CBS and Fox get to protect games each week they don't want to get "flexed," and you would think that CBS really wanted to keep this one.
Posted by: Tony | December 8, 2008 9:32 PM
Ray, I'd bet the CBS/Fox protection clause helped, but I'm willing to bet NBC didn't even try to flex. Why? The Sunday night game is Giants/Cowboys. I know Ravens/Steelers is a big rivalry in the league, but the Giants are arguably the best team in the league and have been dominating the headlines recently and the Cowboys are ... well ... it's the Cowboys. Since when does the media NOT love the Cowboys?
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Ray replies: Point well-taken.
Posted by: Matthew | December 9, 2008 12:21 AM
I was braced to cringe every time I heard Joe described as "unflappable." Accurate, yes, but right up there with "something special." I don't think I heard it Sunday, although it's been painfully abused in previous games. I'll take the over-use of "ballhawk" for Reed any day (especially when it's appropriate).
Posted by: Dan | December 9, 2008 8:43 AM