First, we want to make this clear: Buffalo tight end Kevin Everett, who was seriously injured in the first game of the season on a kickoff tackle against Denver, has been improving. It was feared at first that Everett may not walk again or perhaps, not even survive. However, he has been making substantial progress in his recovery. And there is no making light of Everett's condition.

Second, we want to make this clear: The person you are about to see IS NOT Kevin Everett, although a local TV news show in Florida apparently broadcast this clip in describing Everett's situation.

Big Ooops here.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

U.S. women's soccer goalie Hope Solo has apologized to teammate Briana Scurry after Solo blasted coach Greg Ryan for playing Scurry over Solo in the World Cup semifinal that the Americans lost to Brazil, 4-0, on Thursday.

Solo said she stands by her criticism of the coach's decision but added that she didn't intend to take a shot at Scurry. In her initial remarks, Solo said Ryan's move was rooted in Scurry's past performances in big U.S. victories, such as the 1999 World Cup.

"You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past,"  Solo said after the game.

On her MySpace Web site today, Solo tried to make amends for what was a fairly clear swipe at Scurry.

Her Web site carried the following message: "I only wanted to speak of my own abilities yet also recognize that the past is the past. Things were taken out of context, or analyzed differently from my true meaning of my own words. For that, I am sorry. I hope everybody will come to know I have a deep respect for this team and for Bri. For all of whom I disappointed, I am truly sorry."

Posted by Bill Ordine at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

You know, the NCAA gets wound up about a lot of things ... so how about this one?

The Texas A&M football coach, Dennis Franchione, has been selling what amounts to an insider's tip sheet to an elite group of Aggie boosters for $1,200 a pop. Apparently, this has been going on for three years. Franchione now says he'll no longer do it and is refunding the money.

The newsletter, titled VIP Connection, listed injury information not otherwise available to the public and passed along Franchione's unvarnished opinions about players and their skills.

Franchione dismissed gambling concerns saying that subscribers were "asked ...to sign something," apparently saying that they would not use the closely held information for those purposes. And besides, the coach said, "these people are tremendously loyal Aggies."

While the newsletter -- which was written by Franchione's personal assistant -- may appear to be expensive, reportedly there were only about a dozen subscribers. And Franchione insisted that he didn't personally profit but that proceeds went to underwrite his Web site, coachfran.com. The kicker to this surprising little tale is that Franchione already makes about $2 million a year on a deal that runs through 2011.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The United States women's soccer team was bounced in the semifinals of the World Cup yesterday, getting trounced by Brazil, 4-0. And it was full of controversy.

Brazil's first score came on a U.S. own goal and the Americans finished with 10 players because of a two-yellow card ejection. But things really heated up when Hope Solo, who had been the starting goalie but was replaced by Briana Scurry for the Brazil game, criticized the decision by coach Greg Ryan.
Ryan said that Solo broke ranks with a team code to keep criticism private.

"Players have the right to say whatever they want to say," Ryan said. "You want to go out in front of everybody and stand together."

Here's what Solo had to say.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
                    

After going 3-1 last week, we're 5-1-2 on the year against the spread. A development that many  handicappers have noticed is the that over-under was dominated by the over last week. The reason has been simple, a lot more passing. But it goes beyond that. More and more teams are using no-huddle offenses, even teams that you don't associate with that type of attack. No-huddles lengthen games, meaning more plays, and that means more points. Look at last week's Cardinals-Ravens game. The O-U was 38. With a minute left in the first half, the point total was 16 and then Yamon Figurs returned a punt 75 yards for a TD (normally in that situation, the best Baltimore does is drive for a field goal). But the real influence on the O-U came in the fourth quarter with the Ravens in position to sit on a 23-6 lead (nine points under the line). Arizona went to a no-huddle with a hot Kurt Warner and busted the O-U with 10 minutes left in the game (the final was 26-23) . So, if you're an O-U bettor, consider whether either or both teams have become no-huddle converts.

Green Bay at Minnesota (1) -- Shopping this one online, I've seen spreads making the Packers 1- to 3-point favorites. This has long been a contrarian's play. The road team is 9-1 in the last 10 against the spread and the underdog is 17-4 in the last 21.  As most football fans know, the hot Packers are 3-0 and Brett Favre is about to break Dan Marino's all-time record for TD passes. This may be a trap play but I've sipped the Kool-Aid on Favre at the moment. If I can get the little points, I'm with the Pack. Pick: Packers, giving 1.

Houston at Atlanta (2 1/2) -- This one is teetering between 2 1/2 and 3 on the Internet with the smaller number leading. If you've been reading, you know that Houston is one of my favorite teams and Atlanta one of my least-favorites (in terms of beating the spread, that is). So we have an eclipse here.  The Texans put up some stubborn resistance against the Colts last week on a day when QB Matt Schaub was not at his best so that shows Houston is a more well-rounded team than they've been given credit for. Houston WR Andre Johnson is still out (knee). But Atlanta CB DeAngelo Hall will sit part of the game (discipline). Pick: Houston, giving 2 1/2.

Tampa Bay at Carolina (-3) -- I think the Buccaneers are sneaky good, mainly because of an upgrade at quarterback in Jeff Garcia (above), who has always been underrated. This is one of those games where I think the 'dog can win outright. I wasn't too thrilled with the way Carolina let Atlanta hang around last week, either. I also like the under on this one at 40 but I confess, I don't have a good enough handle on whether either one of these clubs is inclined to pull the no-huddle out of its bag of tricks (see above). Pick: Buccaneers, getting 3.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants (2 1/2) -- I will admit that if you want the Eagles at less than a field goal, you have to shop hard. But I did. I found a 2 1/2-point line. Both teams are 1-2 and need this one badly with Dallas at 3-0. Eli Manning is having a pretty good season, and he has played well against Philadelphia in the past. The New York defense finally dug in its cleats against Washington in the second half last week. And the concern with the Eagles is that so many key players are nicked, especially RB Brian Westbrook (abdominal strain). The actual evaluation here is whether Westbrook plays. I think he does. Pick: Eagles, giving 2 1/2.

Photo credit: Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:30 AM | Permalink
                    

The Orioles take their comforts where they can find them these days, regardless of how modest. And one of those meager victories came last night -- not so much in the 8-5 win over Toronto  that helps Baltimore stay out of the AL East cellar -- but in rookie pitcher Jeremy Guthrie's return to the mound.

Guthrie, a first-half All-Star candidate who had missed the last three weeks with a strained oblique, tossed five innings of three-run ball. It certainly wasn't Guthrie at his most dominant, and he wasn't even all that efficient (he threw 48 strikes in 80 pitches), but that he returned at all and showed some semblance of his early-season form was heartening for Orioles fans. 

As usual, Guthrie, 7-5 this season, came away with a no-decision. Earlier this year, a lack of run-support cost Guthrie several victories as he had built a 7-3 record by late July. Last night, defensive problems torpedoed him. But he pitched. And he pitched well enough to have won given some better circumstances. For Baltimore baseball these days, that's what we call a "bright spot."

*  In the National League, the Mets find themselves facing the very real possibility of not making the playoffs after having had a seven-game lead in the NL East with 17 games remaining. New York has lost seven straight at home after being shut out, 3-0, last night by the Cardinals. The Phillies beat Atlanta, 6-4, and have climbed into a tie with the Mets. Both teams play their final three regular-season games at home -- the Mets against Florida and the Phillies against Washington.

Both NL East contenders are one-game behind San Diego in the wild-card race. The Padres are one game behind first-place Arizona in the NL West, and Colorado, which has won 11 straight, is one game behind San Diego. Somewhere, baseball draws more than yawns this time of year.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan on stopping Cleveland's running game which, of course, now includes former Baltimore star running back Jamal Lewis. After acknowledging that Cleveland has one of the top rushing offenses at the moment (5.5 yards per carry), Ryan said:

"If we were playing Jim Brown right now, we would stop him. ... Now, Jim Brown is 65 years old right now.  But if we  were playing Jim Brown right now, we would stop him.  You can write that down."

Actually, Brown is 71. So he'd probably only gain 50, 60 yards, tops.

Photo credit: Trading card courtesy of Vintage Football Card Gallery

Posted by Bill Ordine at 2:49 PM | Permalink
                    

We're always a little dismayed by the lack of Ravens videos available on the Internet while YouTube seems to be brimming with stuff about teams such as the Cowboys and Packers.But this one has come to our attention and props go out to WHFS 105.7 for its role in this outstanding tribute to Baltimore's Mr. Clutch, Matt Stover. The YouTube liner notes credit radio personalities Kirk & Mark. Last week, Stover was four-for-four on field goal tries in the 26-23 win over Arizona with each attempt being progressively longer -- 21, 28, 43 and finally, the 46-yard game-winner at the buzzer. We encourage Ravens fans to let us know if they produce music videos and post on YouTube. We'll try to make you a star. Thanks to colleague Rick Maese and D.C. Sports Bog's Dan Steinberg for pointing it out. Music fans will recognize Daughtry's It's Not Over here. Photo credit: Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

While the Ravens' quarterback switch from Steve McNair to Kyle Boller on Sunday has created chatter here about how Baltimore coach Brian Billick may juggle his two QBs, the real raging controversy was created on the other side of the field, where Arizona came up just short, 26-23.

McNair and Boller are 1A and 1B statistically and Billick is indicating that future use of Boller is likely to be associated with helping McNair avoid aggravating what certainly is a delicate muscle strain.

But for the losing Cardinals, the contrast couldn't have been more stark. Starter Matt Leinart was a deer caught in the headlights, helpless in the face of the Ravens' defense. Veteran backup Kurt Warner looked like the league MVP and Super Bowl champion that he was when he played with the Rams, and nearly pulled off an extraordinary comeback.

In the aftermath, the tap dance that Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt is doing in the Valley of the Sun is so artful that it's really quite amusing to watch. What Whisenhunt is selling out there is that Leinart will continue to start unless they want to use the hurry-up offense and then they'll go to Warner because he's better at that very limited portion of the playbook.

Does that sound like, "We're going with the first-round draft pick until we get behind and then we're going to ask the vet who we think is only going to be here a couple more seasons to save our butts?"

Just for the record, here are the passing lines for these guys against Baltimore.

Leinart: 9-for-20, 53 yards, 0 TDs, 0 interceptions

Warner: 15-for-20, 258 yards, 2 TDs, 0 interceptions

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Last night, Barry Bonds played his final game as a San Francisco Giant -- maybe his last game ever in the major leagues. As you read the account of Bonds' farewell in his home ballpark, it's hard not to be reminded of Cal Ripken's famous trot around Camden Yards.

The fans in San Francisco were every bit as adoring.The player who was the focus of their adulation was exceedingly gracious. Opposing players clapped respectfully. He went 0-for-3 in a Giants loss to the Padres, but it mattered not.

And yet we all recognize -- at least those of us outside the self-delusional confines of the Bay Area -- the gulf that separates a Ripken from a Bonds. It is so evident, I won't belabor it. But it is discouraging to be reminded that, for hometown fans, basking in the reflected glory of a local athlete seems to make up for everything.

There are a lot of takes on Bonds on the Internet. This one seems to combine/contrast how San Francisco sees him as opposed to the rest of the baseball world.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:44 AM | Permalink
                    

That Rick Dempsey is a brave guy.

The former Orioles catcher, World Series MVP and current broadcaster will be at the Inner Harbor ESPN Zone today for a Q&A session with fans from noon to 1 p.m.  Dempsey is expected to discuss the team's future, including the minor leaguers Oriole followers may see next season, and sign autographs. This is the final such fan session of a series that has featured players and members of the Orioles' organization at the restaurant.

Photo credit:  Jim McIsaac/Getty

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

At least the Orioles allowed their fans to call it an early night. For the fifth time in the last month or so, the O's gave up at least eight runs in a single inning; in this case, it happened to be eight in the first inning with Toronto the lucky opponent. 

The Blue Jays -- who also apparently called it a night early because they never did score again-- won, 8-5, at Camden Yards. Victor Zambrano (left) was the Orioles' starter (obviously, also an early night). With four games remaining, Baltimore is two games ahead of Tampa Bay in an effort to stay out of the AL East cellar. There's also an opportunity for the O's to finish with the worst record in baseball.

*  All the playoff spots in the American League are decided and none are settled in the National League.  The Yankees clinched at least a wild card with a win over Tampa Bay and they'll  probably have to be satisfied with that finish since they trail first-place Boston by three games in the AL East with four to go.  Cleveland has clinched the AL Central and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in lovely Orange County conveniently located off I-5 on Gene Autry Way won the AL West and the honor of having most awkward full name in professional sports.

*  Meanwhile, in the National League, every playoff spot is up for grabs. The Mets were swept by the Nationals last night, trimming their NL East lead over Philadelphia to a single game with four to go. In the NL Central, the Cubs are two games in front of the Brewers and a restraining order has been issued, prohibiting Steve Bartman from coming within 3,000 feet of any Cubs game regardless of where it's being played. And in the NL West, Arizona leads San Diego by one game and Colorado by two. The Padres are the wild-card leader with the Phillies and Rockies a game back.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:52 AM | Permalink
                    

The fashion designer who won an online auction for the baseball that Barry Bonds hit for his 756th home run announced that the ball will be branded with an asterisk and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Marc Ecko had essentially conducted an Internet election where the choices were to send the ball to Cooperstown unmarked, have it marked with an asterisk, or blasted into space.

What the mark with certainly do is ensure that the ball will become one of the most visited artifacts at the Hall of Fame.

Photo credit: Kathy Willens/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Baseball in the National League Central, and particularly in Milwaukee, isn't much on our radar screen in these parts, but there's an interesting and sort of sad little drama going on there.

Brewer slugger Prince Fielder hit two homers last night against St. Louis -- Nos. 49 and 50, making him the youngest player in major league history to reach that mark (23 years, 139 days to be exact). Willie Mays was the previous youngest ever (24 in 1955) to hit 50.

But Fielder's reflection on his accomplishment and the possibility of winning the National League's Most Valuable Player Award is shaded by his ongoing estrangement from his father, Cecil, a power hitter himself with several American League teams in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

Rather than simply bask in the glory of his youngest-ever feat, Prince Fielder (right) said he looked forward to hitting 52 homers so that he would eclipse his father's best (51) and that he wanted to win the MVP because, again, that is something his father never accomplished.

Like most family squabbles, there are two sides to the story. However, it is disheartening to hear a son say as Prince did in a Milwaukee newspaper article: "I don't mind people comparing me to him but I'm a completely different player. One day I want people to mention my name and not have to mention his."

Photo credit: Morry Gash/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Just three weeks into the NFL season only five teams remain undefeated and the surprise among that group, especially considering they've beaten three playoff clubs, is Green Bay.
This Sunday, the Pack plays the Vikings in Minnesota, where they are 1 1/2-point favorites. As the object of adoration by a fanatical following, the Packers are the subject of numerous Internet tributes and this is one that we like best -- mainly because of the Vince Lombardi speech a couple of minutes into it where the NFL's patron saint preaches the gospel of victory (with a backdrop of America the Beautiful).

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

A week after former Maryland-current 49er tight end Vernon Davis met with San Francisco coach Mike Nolan to say he hoped to be become more active in the team's offense, Davis finds himself out of action for an estimated two weeks. Davis suffered a sprained knee against the Pittsburgh Steelers on a play where the officials ruled Davis dropped an apparent reception before hitting the ground. The 49ers disagree.

After meeting with Nolan and reviewing game tapes to show he's been open more than his production would have indicated, Davis had four catches for 56 yards in the 49ers' 37-16 loss to the Steelers on Sunday. Davis has just eight catches for 83 yards and no TDs this season. After scoring a 31-yard touchdown on his first NFL reception as a rookie a year ago, Davis has failed to live up to the hopes the 'Niners had for him when they made him the No. 6 overall pick in the '06 draft. Now there have to be concerns about his durability. He missed six games with a cracked fibula last year.

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Some things are so funny, all you have to do is introduce them with almost no comment. It's something I learned from George Burns, who admitted to doing just that throughout his career and marriage to Gracie Allen.

So here we have the Panthers' own Luke and Bo -- Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith, or the other way around -- in a fast food commercial. Props to the With Leather blog (which, in turn, credits Grimey of the LOL Athletes blog) for bringing this to light.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:23 AM | Permalink
                    

It doesn't take long in the NFL for a whole offseason of a city's frothy expectations to turn into full-scale panic.

Atlanta, New Orleans and Chicago are three franchises in deep trouble before we even get out of September.

* The Falcons' woes were entirely predictable. In this case, fans couldn't have been expecting much from the team to begin with. Michael Vick's legal problems -- which just got worse when state prosecutors in Virginia decided to pile on the federal government's already incredibly effective investigation -- have doomed Atlanta for the foreseeable future. That is unless you think Byron Leftwich can be the answer. ... I didn't think so. The fiasco involving CB DeAngelo Hall (left), where he cost his team 67 yards on three penalties and then blew up on the coaching staff, was beyond belief.  The Falcons actually had a chance to win that game before Hall flipped out.  Reportedly, he's being dinged with a six-figure fine but no suspension.

* New Orleans is simply a sad situation that may be righted -- but it has to happen quickly. As much as an 0-3 start hurts, the season-long loss of much-respected running back Deuce McAllister is even worse. McAllister's absence puts even more weight on Reggie Bush, and I don't think he can be effective if he has to touch the ball 25 or 30 times every game. At least not at this stage of his career.

* And in Chicago, coach Lovie Smith reportedly is pulling the plug on QB Rex Grossman after a 1-2 start. The belief in Chicagoland is that the unspectacular but steadier Brian Griese will be enough of an improvement to allow the Bears' defense and special teams win games. It'll help, but I don't think it'll be enough. The Chicago defense is a very good one, but I don't think they can consistently give Griese a short field and following the Cowboys' lead, a lot of opponents will not give Devin Hester the chance to beat them. The Bears have to win both games against Green Bay to win the NFC North, and I don't see that happening as long as there's breath left in Brett Favre.

Photo credit:  John Bazemore/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Nothing about this last week of the baseball season for the Orioles is is about this season. It's all about next season -- if, in fact, anything meaningful can be derived from 2007 that be projected into 2008.

If recent games -- such as last night's 11-4 loss to Toronto -- do have any message for next season, it's pretty gloomy. A few days ago, Daniel Cabrera continued his second-half tailspin that has to make everyone connected with the Orioles wonder whether his potential and performance will ever meet on the same street corner. Last night, pitcher Brian Burres -- a guy who was just being praised by manager Dave Trembley as a factor going into next season -- looked awful in surrendering seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.

In addition, the Orioles revealed that relief pitcher Danys Baez will miss all of next year recovering from ligament transplant surgery. Closer Chris Ray is also already out for '08. Whether it has been long periods (Adam Loewen) or much briefer ones (Erik Bedard), pitchers who are expected to make up the strength of the staff next year have spent time on the disabled list, making you wonder whether they'll hold up over the long run.

Bottom-line, team president Andy MacPhail will be a busy guy in the offseason -- and busy translates to expensive. Orioles fans have come to their judgments about owner Peter Angelos. I won't go there. However, I will say this: This offseason needs to be a watershed for the Baltimore baseball franchise. If this team does not make the right significant moves over the next four or five months that at least get it headed toward contention, the franchise is looking at another half decade of the same.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Maybe you've heard by now -- even have seen by now -- Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy's animated critique of a column in a local newspaper discussing the benching of quarterback Bobby Reid. In short, the column suggested Reid was being replaced because he lacked the Right Stuff you would expect in a quarterback.

Rather than come to any conclusions for you, we thought this would be an excellent chance to allow the thing to play out. We have three videos here: Gundy after OSU beat Texas Tech on Saturday; the columnist and the sports editor telling their side; and Gundy a day or two after the postgame press conference.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

If you want end zone-to-end zone kickoff returns, rainbow touchdown passes or tackle-breaking runs to daylight, head over to ESPN. But for the NFL game highlights you can only find in the hidden corners of the Internet, well, we got your ticket.

Here we have a sharp defensive move by K.C. Wolf, the Chiefs' mascot, who helps stalk and bring down an interloper at Arrowhead Stadium during Kansas City's first win of the season against Minnesota on Sunday.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Lingering over the fortunes of the New Orleans Saints, we bring you this historical video montage of the Saints from the days of Archie Manning and Danny Abramowicz through the Bobby Hebert-Sam Mills era up until today's Drew Brees-Reggie Bush edition. It's set appropriately to Phil Collins' "Survivors."

These are the lyrics I think are most appropriate:

When all is said and done
we'll find a way
to put all this behind us
we'll find some way
'cos you know that I won't be leaving
yes I'm here and i won't be leaving

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:02 PM | Permalink
                    

Every pro football fan should be a little sad today about the early misfortunes of the New Orleans Saints. They're looking more like those old Aints at 0-3 after last night's 31-14 bruising at the hands of Tennessee and the reported season-ending knee injury to running back Deuce McAllister (below), whose career could be over.

I had the opportunity last year to be in New Orleans, advancing the Ravens' game against the Saints. I have friends down there so I got the full tour, the Lower Ninth, Lakeview, the works. More than a year after Katrina, the place was simply beyond belief. Not just the abandoned houses that I expected but there was block after block of abandoned schools, hospitals, fire stations. The institutions that are absolutely vital were just gone. 

But we all know what the Saints were doing for that region last season. I can't think of another time in American sports history when a pro team represented so much to its city.  

Well, the swell of national sympathy for battered New Orleans is ebbing. The benefit concerts aren't as frequent. The armies of volunteers are slowing. But there's still an enormous amount of work to be done. FEMA trailers are now as much a part of the New Orleans landscape as wrought-iron balconies. And as the reality sets in of what a long haul this is going to be for that part of America, the place could have really used the continued success of the Saints as a morale-booster and rallying flag.

Instead, what New Orleans is getting is more blows to its pride and self-esteem. Just as a winning team invigorated and energized the region last year, I think a losing Saints season will sap the drive from the people down there and have a deleterious effect that's palpable and quite real, even if not necessarily measurable. In light of all that, I think in this case, it's OK to root for an out-of-town team.

Photo credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 11:06 AM | Permalink
                    

The recent hubbub concerning supposed bizarre photos of popular boxer Oscar De La Hoya speaks volumes about the power of the Internet -- as if we needed to be reminded.

You may have missed it but in seamier quadrants of the cyber universe, a number of sports- and celebrity-oriented Web sites have been running what I'll simply call "odd" photos that may or may not be of De La Hoya in unusual feminine apparel (some of the fishnet variety) occasionally with a similarly dressed woman who is being identified as a topless dancer.

You can find the photos easily enough so we won't link to them.

De La Hoya is contending that the pictures are fabrications. The implication would be that there is some photo manipulation going on. While the Internet has been buzzing with it, mainstream media has done almost nothing with the story. Finally, a big city paper has referenced the situation, The New York Post on its Page Six.

This reminds me of a story last spring when non-MSM Internet sports Web sites reported that an NFL assistant coach had had the classic office computer "D'oh" moment when he mistakenly sent an inappropriate e-mail to just about everyone in the league, including headquarters in New York.  For quite a while, it was impossible to verify and the allegation was a little delicate, so MSM shied away. Meanwhile, the Internet was crackling with it. Finally, around Memorial Day, when everyone was at the beach, Steelers assistant Larry Zierlein came clean.

The above are examples of the reach of this medium and how in the Balkanization of mass media, almost nothing goes undetected or unreported. These occasions also illustrate how the different strata of media react to the same events. And no one, I mean no one, knows what effect this might have on the practices of news gatherers in the future or what the audience can expect to be exposed to down the road.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:32 AM | Permalink
                    

This is an odd turn this Ravens' season has taken. Both The Sun's Jamison Hensley and Mike Preston did excellent jobs reporting and analyzing coach Brian Billick describing this surprising balancing act he has undertaken with his quarterbacks.

Expressing utmost confidence in both, Billick has left open the door for more of what we saw last Sunday against Arizona -- replacing Steve McNair, who has been nursing a mending groin pull, with Boller. That Billick diagnosed McNair beginning to favor the injury and that he believed the Cardinals, trailing badly at the time, would bring more pressure were the reasons for Sunday's move. One that turned out OK since Boller led the game-winning drive for a field goal.

But Billick said something else that was kind of interesting. He said that McNair was throwing -- and I paraphrase but it's close -- with more authority, that his arm was more lively after resting the week that Boller played against the Jets.

In that I hear that relieving McNair with Boller could go beyond simply this time when McNair is hurt. Or perhaps, the groin situation could be a season-long concern and if you want McNair there at the end of it all, he's going to need relief consistently.

When I heard that, I immediately thought what Mike Preston wrote today. This is tricky terrain for Billick to navigate. As long as the team wins, the locker room will be OK with the quarterback moves. And statistically, the two have performed similarly. But should any of that change -- especially if a loss is obviously connected to leaning toward one QB or the other (relieving McNair too early, leaving him in too long, not returning to McNair if Boller slips, potential scenarios are many)  -- all of a sudden, this could get very messy.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
                    

Daniel Cabrera did about all he could to be a part of next year's Orioles, but you wonder if it was enough. After serving a six-game suspension for an alleged brushback pitch against the Red Sox that cleared the benches on Sept. 7, the physically imposing, hard-throwing Cabrera went seven innings, gave up one run and -- more significantly -- walked just three batters in the Orioles' 3-2 win over Kansas City in a makeup game at Camden Yards. 

Cabrera had the lead when he left the game, but had to settle for a no-decision when the Royals tied it 2-2 in the top of the eighth. Nick Markakis continued he strong stretch drive with a game-winning home run in the bottom of the inning.

Over the last few seasons, Cabrera has been one of those tantalizing talents who has the stuff of a dominating pitcher but also has had the protracted control problems that drive his team and its fans nuts. By virtue of staying healthy this year while the rest of the Orioles' projected starters have gotten hurt and because of a second-half slump, Cabrera is among the major league leaders in losses at 9-17.

Team president Andy MacPhail has been making calculations regarding next year's team since he got here. Certainly, major changes are coming, especially considering the team's demoralizing meltdown over the last two months. And, unfortunately, no one has been more a part of that than Cabrera.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

It truly was a bizarre Saturday in college football. By now, you may have heard about ESPN announcer Mike Patrick's verbal meanderings about Britney Spears at a key juncture of the Georgia-Alabama game that went into overtime. If you haven't, we have the clip below. Meanwhile, poor former Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge, who was Patrick's broadcast partner, acted like he was blindsided by the entire Michigan defense.

"Who?" says a stunned Blackledge when Patrick brings up "Britney" out of the clear blue.

As Patrick continues on the Spears tangent, Blackledge asks, "Is she here?" obviously wondering if Patrick has just been returned to the broadcast booth following an alien abduction.

And, of course, topping off the day for Blackledge was Michigan beating Penn State, 14-9, proving that you, me and nine random guys who attended your wedding could dress up in those goofy helmets and somehow outscore the Nittany Lions.

But in the most incredible, shocking, stupefying event of them all -- Wofford beat Appalachian State, 42-31.

Now, I won't go into the business of "since Appalachian State beat No. 5 Michigan and Michigan just beat No. 10 Penn State." But I'll issue this challenge -- without looking it up on the Internet -- what is Wofford's nickname?

I'll save you the trouble -- Terriers. And I believe the Terriers are now officially under BCS consideration as at-large. Or they should be.

So returning to the ESPN broadcast booth as the 'Dawgs and the Tide are in a death struggle, we have what can only be described as a desperate cry for help by Mike Patrick.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

It's not that we endorse kicking someone when he's down ... but. But when the usually generous John Madden says that for Rex Grossman to be successful he needs, I think I'm close on the quote, perfect pass protection, you know things are pret-ty bad. Can you imagine Madden saying anything more damning?

What you begin to notice about the Bears' quarterback is that when things aren't going well -- as they certainly were not in last night's 34-10 embarrassing loss to the Cowboys on national TV -- he just can't find another gear. In fact, he just gets worse.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

There are times when it seems like the above headline would be about the only way you could draw a crowd to a soccer game in the United States, but that's not what this is about.

The BBC reports (it has been a while since I've been able to write that phrase) that fans from competing Scottish soccer clubs -- the Rangers and Celtics -- gathered recently to take a group nude photo with the significant anatomical parts covered with partisan scarves. The picture is meant as a statement against the violence that's associated with soccer abroad, and I suppose the message is that underneath it all, they/we are all alike. Except for the scarves, of course.

So, whaddya think, do you see this happening between Ravens and Steelers fans any time soon?

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Lost in the dramatics of yesterday's cliffhanger at M&T Bank Stadium were a few calls by the referees that appear to be taking the league's anti-celebration crusade a little too far. Usually, it's receivers who are the targets of enforcement.

I was at the NFL owners' meeting in Orlando two years ago when the competition committee recommended the  tightening of rules that prohibited using parts of the playing field -- goal posts, pylons -- as part of a celebration. They did so even though some committee members admitted that when they reviewed the tapes themselves, they thought some of the stuff (read Chad Johnson) was darn funny. This year, the league has taken still another step in penalizing all spiking that can be construed as delay of game.

Yesterday, the Ravens were whistled twice in the first half after big plays. Once, when wide receiver  Demetrius Williams caught a 26-yarder on third-and-8 and spun -- not spiked -- the ball to the ground. Tweet, delay of game. Then, when Yamon Figurs scored on his 75-yard punt return late in the first half and did a Lambeau Leap into the end zone stands (above), Devard Darling also jumped up to congratulate Figurs. That drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty -- too many leapers. And it wasn't just the Ravens being dinged. Anquan Boldin was given a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty early in the fourth period after a TD catch. I'm not arguing that the calls were technically wrong -- although the one against Williams was a new one on me -- but it seems the league can't find a happy medium between arrogantly obnoxious and genuinely exuberant.

After the game, I asked Baltimore wide receiver Mark Clayton, who had five catches for 34 yards, whether it was clear what was permissible and what wasn't as the rules keep changing. Clayton was careful in selecting his words because in the NFL, there is zero-tolerance for dissent with officials' calls and it's often expensive.

"It's tough. You get caught up in the moment, everything is going 110 miles per hour and you make a play and you get up and go, 'Whooo!'  That's it -- and you don't know if they're going to flag it or not,  Clayton said. "But we just have to play our game and go with it.

"In the NFL, it's extremely hard to make plays and make plays consistently -- get in the end zone, convert third downs. It's tough, it's difficult." he added. "So when you finally do that, I've got this stuff in me that I've just got to release."

Photo credit:  Gene Sweeney Jr.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

For the second straight week, we had a decent performance against the spread.

Yesterday, we went 3-1 for an overall record of 5-1-2, so far.

The easiest win was taking the Cowboys, plus the three points, against the Bears. Chicago QB Rex Grossman continued to struggle, and the Cowboys' offense took over in the second half to breeze, 34-10.

The nailbiter was Houston needing all seven points to cover by one against the Colts in a 30-24 loss. And Carolina (giving 3 1/2 to Atlanta) had to put up a red zone stand late in the fourth quarter to hold the Falcons to a field goal and cover, 27-20.

It took a Hall of Famer on a record-tying TD pass to spoil the day. If you're going to get beat, it's a little comforting to get beat by the best. I had taken the Chargers, giving 5 to the Pack, and mused here that I might be a week early on San Diego. Well, Brett Favre (left) made me pay for that wishy-washy analysis when his 420th career touchdown pass (tied with Dan Marino) put the Pack ahead for good in a 31-24 Green Bay victory. Actually, that pick was in trouble from the start, and I have to re-evaluate the Chargers now. I had rated them the top team in the NFL at the season's start and one thing you can't do against the spread is allow a flawed opinion to keep you headed down a wrong path.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

It will go largely unnoticed -- and quite understandably -- that on a day when the Ravens accelerated the aging process for their fans, that the Orioles lost, 3-0, to the Rangers in the waning days of another lost baseball season.

But this is what gets me about that game. Baltimore starter Jon Leicester threw a complete game. Yep, Leicester tossed 103 pitches, 65 of them strikes, and got through the entire game without the bullpen. Do you realize how many complete games the Orioles staff has this year? Four. FOUR!

Granted, it was an eight-inning complete game because Texas was the home team, but it just makes you scratch your head. Why doesn't that happen more often -- and that's not just confined to the Orioles, either.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

So, about those Ravens and that 26-23 walk-off field goal against Arizona yesterday.

Have you ever been to a group dynamic workshop where one of the first things the "facilitator" did was have each person fall backward and the other people catch them? It's a trust exercise. Learning to depend on each other.

That's what these Ravens' games seem to be all about. After beating up on the other guys for three quarters, some portion of the team seems to put its arms across its chest, closes its eyes and falls back on its heels, waiting for someone to catch it. A couple of weeks ago against the Jets, that someone was linebacker Ray Lewis, who intercepted a pass late in the game. Yesterday, against the Cardinals, it was backup quarterback Kyle Boller and kicker Matt Stover.

That's pretty much how the players summed it up in the postgame interviews. Offense counting on defense (which has normally been the case). Defense counting on offense (which was yesterday). And everyone counting on Stover (game after game, year after year).

But you have to admire Cardinals QB Kurt Warner. Here's a guy who has played in every league that hands out shoulder pads, has been the NFL's MVP and a Super Bowl champion, has since sat on the bench for more than one team and, when called upon, performs with all the commitment and drive of a guy who still has something to prove. Let's put it this way, it's a good thing the game didn't go into overtime and Warner had another shot.

So folks, this falling backward with your eyes closed ... you havin' a good time?

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Another campus shooting occurred today, this time at Delaware State in Dover. Here's the latest on that. It appears there are two victims and one person of interest is being interviewed by police and another is being sought.

The school is adjacent to Dover International Speedway -- the closest NASCAR track to Baltimore -- and today marked the start of a semi-annual race weekend there. Today, qualifying for Sunday's Nextel Cup race is being held as well as a Busch East Series race later in the afternoon. Tomorrow, the RoadLoans.com 200 NASCAR Busch Series race is set to go. And on Sunday, it's the Dodge Dealer 400 Nextel Cup race.

Race officials are saying that the event schedule is unaffected.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Since former University of Maryland tight end Vernon Davis was drafted by the 49ers in 2006, I've thought  -- and I'm certainly not alone -- that he has a chance to make the leap into the Antonio Gates-Tony Gonzalez category as a high-production receiver at his position. He poses serious mismatch problems for defenses.

And on his first catch as a pro last year, a 31-yard TD reception, it looked as if Davis would fulfill that promise sooner than later. But a cracked fibula kept him out of six games and he finished the year with just 20 catches and three TDs. After a good training camp this summer, he seemed poised again to become QB Alex Smith's favorite target. But in the first two games, he has just four catches for 27 yards.

This past week, Davis took the unusual step of approaching San Francisco coach Mike Nolan to review game tapes to show that he has been open more than his production would indicate. Nolan agreed but told Davis to keep working hard and preparing. Quarterback Smith says he doesn't mind that Davis went to the coach (in explanation, Davis  said he didn't want to distract Smith's preparation for the Steelers this week). Pittsburgh is a huge favorite in this game even though the 49ers are 2-0.

Nolan says he gives Davis credit for having the nerve to discuss the issue.

Photo credit: Luis M. Alvarez/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Among my rather lengthy list of time-wasting obsessions and petty (or at least I think so) vices, Fantasy Football is not one of them.

I know, I know. I'm far outside the mainstream on this one, but I've alway considered myself a maverick, a contrarian, if you will. And for Fantasy Football advice, I direct you to the Sun's own Fantasy mavens. Having said that, if you're among the 300 or 400 million Americans who agonize over whether to start Julius Jones or Julius LaRosa (look 'em up) ... or actually drafted Rex Grossman, figuring that he couldn't possibly be worse this year, this music video is for you.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Since the initial dismal reports of Buffalo tight end Kevin Everett's cervical spine injury, the prognosis has been getting better and better. 

Doctors are now saying that Everett could be walking in a matter of weeks. And today he was transferred from a Buffalo hospital to one in Houston for rehabilitation. Everett's family lives in Texas.

When Everett was initially injured while covering a kickoff against Denver in Week 1, doctors feared for his life and felt that he might never walk again. Since then, he has made significant progress, likely due to a couple of factors that may have been particularly specific to Everett's case. For one, he received immediate medical treatment beginning on the field and continuing to the hospital. And second, Everett received an experimental procedure where he was given a cold saline solution that reduced his body temperature to control further damage.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Last week in our first swipe at picking against the spread, we went 2-0-2 -- two wins, two pushes.

Arizona at Baltimore (-8) Baltimore continues to be a prohibitive favorite at home. I've seen the Ravens' line from 7 1/2 to 9 points against the Cardinals. Anything over a touchdown is risky business with these guys. We saw that last week. We took the under last week at 33 and that was unnecessarily blown as well. So with the game a risky wager and the O-U at 35 1/2 with some real offensive talent on the other side, we're staying off this one. If I had an inclination, the inclination would be the over but not this time. No Pick.

Overall, I have a real problem this week. Most of the teams I like are all on the road and most of them are favorites. There's nothing more dangerous than a home 'dog, so here goes.

San Diego at Green Bay (5) -- The Patriots made the Chargers look horrible last week, but I made San Diego my pick for the Super Bowl. Sometimes you have to look beyond one game. I'm sticking with my opinion that the Chargers are an exceptional team. Green Bay is playing great defense and the Chargers have  produced just 28 points so far. But I know they're going to be a lot better than that. I just hope I'm not a week too early on them. Pick: Chargers, giving 5.

Carolina at Atlanta (3.5) -- I think you'll be able to make a living picking against the Falcons this year. They're that horrible. In signing Byron Leftwich, the Falcons have just sent a message to Joey Harrington that he's headed for the bench. I don't see that doing his psyche much good. Carolina was stunned by Houston last week and Panthers coach John Fox will have his team ready to play. Pick: Carolina, giving 3 1/2.

Dallas at Chicago (-3) -- Dallas is thinking about not kicking to Devin Hester. Return guys are like relief pitchers -- they can get hot. And Hester is torrid. But this comes down to quarterbacks. Tony Romo is playing well. Rex Grossman is struggling badly. If Grossman gets off to a poor start, the Soldier Field crowd will turn on him and cancel out the home-field advantage. I only like picking 'dogs if I think they can win outright. And that's the case here. Pick:  Dallas, getting 3.

Indianapolis at Houston (7) -- I've seen this game at 6, 6 1/2 and 7. I wouldn't pick it without getting the full 7. It opened at 5. Some of that has to do with an injury to Houston WR Andre Johnson. Still, I've announced that Houston is my surprise team and while I have to get off the Texans eventually, the line move (the public's opinion of the Super Bowl champs vs. the oddsmakers' reassessment of the Texans) nudges me onto Houston. Pick:  Houston, getting 7.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Floyd Landis, the Mennonite-turned-bicycle racer, was stripped of his Tour de France yellow jersey when a three-person arbitration panel upheld a positive test result that quickly cast a shadow over his comeback win in 2006.

Landis (right) has another appeal opportunity but he's clearly fighting an uphill battle, and he has said to continue the battle would drain him financially. The findings yesterday also ban him from racing until January 2009.

In today's Sun, sports reporter Childs Walker does an excellent job reviewing the Landis case and placing it in the context of all the recent sports cheating scandals -- football coach Bill Belichick, NBA ref Tim Donaghy, baseball's performance-enhancing substances.

My connection with the Landis story was brief but it left an impression. Just as he was closing in on his victory in France when all the world was enthralled by his miraculous comeback victory, I was dispatched to Farmersville in Lancaster County, Pa., to find his parents. I caught up with Arlene and Paul Landis, who are Mennonites, at a modest picnic in a neighbor's backyard. They were very sweet, gracious people -- certainly proud as parents but not wildly celebratory. That was a reflection of their religion, where God is held as the focus rather than man's accomplishments. They saw in their son's triumph some greater divine purpose.

"The Lord's will is being worked out," Paul Landis told me, "and I think it'll blossom from here."

The words ring sadly now.

If you read Floyd Landis' comments, he sounds so earnest in declaring his innocence, even right up to this moment. I never met Floyd Landis, the bicycle racer. But I met his parents. Sometimes that tells you even more about a person. And from my brief encounter with those good folks in Farmersville, Pa., I am even more perplexed by what's happened.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Oriole regulars became substitutes last night and came off the bench to help pull out an extra-inning win against a bad team on the road. So, is there anything to make of that?

Probably not.

After Baltimore had scored just one run in two losses at Yankee Stadium in the middle of the week, manager Dave Trembley sat down the stars -- Miguel Tejeda, Brian Roberts and Ramon Hernandez. But trailing 1-0 in the ninth, Roberts and Tejada made pinch-hitting appearances. Robert moved Melvin Mora from second to third with a ground ball, and Tejada got the game-tying single. In the 10th, after the O's had scratched out two runs, Roberts hit a three-run homer for insurance. The Orioles needed it, considering the Rangers scored twice in the bottom of the inning.

In bigger news, Sun beat writer Jeff Zrebiec reports that Tejada, the 31-year-old shortstop, probably will be playing somewhere else next year -- either a different position, assuming he's with the Orioles, or in another city. Tejada's fielding has been a concern and considering his age, the defensive part of his game is unlikely to improve. However, Tejada has never been keen on the idea of playing anywhere but at short.  Finally, as fans will recall, Tejada flip-flopped on whether he wanted to stay in Baltimore after the 2005 season with the constant losing being an issue. 

That's another thing that's hard to see improving any time soon.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:40 AM | Permalink
                    

So you think criminal court in a place like Baltimore is a busy place? Well, how about the NFL offices on Park Avenue?
If it's not "Pacman" Jones or Michael Vick or Tank Johnson or Chris Henry or Frostee Rucker or (I'm running out of breath) ... Well, it's Bill Belichick and the video scandal or Rodney Harrison with human growth hormone.
But apparently, those folks up on Park Avenue still have plenty of time to hand out some speeding tickets for end-zone celebrations.
And who just got one? Our old pal, T.O.
After scoring against Miami last Sunday, Owens performed what I though was a pretty clever spoof of Videogate by pretending he was using the ball like an old-time motion picture camera with a hand crank. It was kind of funny, and he wasn't mocking the opposition. Here it is. But we have this rule now about using the ball as a prop. It's a no-no. So, Owens' topical humor reportedly is costing him $7,500.

This is what I imagine the league office has to say to Owens and all of his class cut-up colleagues.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Quick quiz. What American League pitcher is the current strikeout leader?

If you guess the Orioles' Erik Bedard, you'd be correct. Even though Bedard has not pitched in more than three weeks, his 221 Ks have him one ahead of Minnesota's Johan Santana and Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir.

Of course, Bedard's strained oblique has knocked him out for the season and out of AL Cy Young contention. And, like the AL East race itself, that honor will be decided in the next 10 days. Until the Red Sox' swoon, Boston's Josh Beckett (left) was the odds-on favorite, but if the Bosox spit out the bit, Beckett (19-6) could suffer by association.

So if team fortunes have some bearing on who wins the Cy Young, you'd have to consider the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang and the Indians' C.C. Sabathia, both 18-7, and carrying the water for teams on a tear. The two Angels' aces, Kelvim Escobar (17-7) and John Lackey (17-9), probably cancel each other out.

There are a couple of games tonight that could affect the outcome. Beckett pitches against Kazmir (13-8) down in Florida and Wang faces Toronto star Roy Halladay (15-7) in the Bronx.

Photo credit: Charles Krupa/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

All those Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans can now decide what they want to do with those tattoos. Junior's car number for next season when he goes behind the wheel for Hendrick Motorsports has been decided -- and it'll be No. 88.

Of course, Earnhardt had the No. 8 Budweiser ride when he was with DEI, the company named after his late father. When he left DEI for Hendrick, Junior and Hendrick were unable to swing a deal with Dale's stepmother, Teresa, for the No. 8 decal and the hunt for a new number was on. 

The No. 88 honors Dale's grandfather, Ralph, who drove a No. 88 Oldsmobile in 1957. The new sponsor with be Pepsi products, particularly the caffeine-charged Mountain Dew AMP energy drink.  So in terms of products endorsement, Junior is making the switch from hops to hopped up.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

So there's this Brazilian soccer star, Kerlon, who has mastered a new technique for moving the ball downfield that is known as the Seal Dribble (this is a true story). It's really kinda cool. He takes the ball on his foot, bounces it up to his knee and then to his forehead, and he takes off down the pitch with the ball hopping on his forehead. Kind of like Flippy the Seal does with a beach ball. But it appears some of his fellow footballers, clearly from the Joey Porter school of soccer, take a dim view of Kerlon's antics as we see in the following videos.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:56 AM | Permalink
                    

Lose by an inch, lose by a mile. The Orioles have done it all this season and, in fact, did it during the just-completed series against the Yankees in the Bronx. After Tuesday's 12-0 drubbing, Baltimore continued to be the facilitator in the Yanks' improbable run at the AL East title last night. With the Orioles' 2-1 loss to New York and Toronto's sweep of Boston, the Yankees are just 1 1/2 games behind the Red Sox.

Boston moves on to play the Devil Rays in west Florida, where surely the only fans at the ballpark will be Red Sox partisans, while the Blue Jays visit the Yankees. Baltimore gets one more shot at reclaiming some self-respect when it finishes the season with the Yankees at Camden Yards. 

Meanwhile, the Orioles' thin ray of sunshine last night was starter Brian Burres, who threw 7 1/3 innings of two-run ball. What was interesting was that manager Dave Trembley implied that Burres should be in the rotation next year. Considering the Orioles expect quite a few candidates for the rotation -- when a number of hurt pitchers return from injuries -- that's quite an endorsement for Burres. 

* Cleveland did more damage to Detroit in the AL Central by completing a three-game sweep with a 4-2 win. Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia raised his record to 18-7. The Indians not only doused the Tigers' hopes for the division but also crushed their chances for a wild-card berth. Detroit trails the Indians by 7 1/2 in the division and are 5 1/2 behind the Yankees in the wild-card race.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The following comes from a reader, Bob. It's one of the funniest things we've posted here. The audience is in rare form today. So here goes, from Bob ...

I watched the 1957 movie Twelve Angry Men last night. I laughed out loud at the following exchange between two jurors, No. 7 played by Jack Warden (right), and No. 5 played by Jack Klugman. No. 7 had tickets to the Yankee game that night. No. 5 was reading the sports section of the paper.

Juror No. 7: You a Yankee fan?
Juror No. 5: No, Baltimore.
Juror No. 7: Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day.

Some things just don't change much.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

We've already featured a couple of Ryan Parker songs here. Parker, a Cincinnati fan who lives in Kentucky, wrote and performed a couple of satirical songs, one on the Bengals' legal problems and another on the Bill Belichick dust-up. But Parker also does some serious ballads and this one is about the Marshall football program and it's revival after the 1970 airplane crash that killed most of the team and coaching staff. A movie on the same subject was released last year.

This is nicely done.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 11:48 AM | Permalink
                    

I'm a lot shorter than Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, weigh a little less, have spent only a fraction of the time with his dad, Buddy (but it was fun), and have about 1 percent of his understanding of football ... but here goes.

This upcoming game against Arizona is an interesting matchup for the Ravens, particularly defensively. The Cardinals are 1-1, losing by three to San Francisco and winning by three over Seattle.

They've been chronic underachievers on offense considering they have two of the best receivers in football, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, and running back Edgerrin James, who appears to have plenty left in the tank. James is averaging 100 yards a game in the early season, and Boldin and Fitzgerald had good games last week but started slowly. Quarterback Matt Leinart has been so-so. But you just keep waiting for these guys to break out.

On the Ravens' side, they dominated defensively against the Jets and then were nearly embarrassed in the fourth quarter when New York -- which should have been thinking about the ride home -- came back and had several chances to send the game into overtime. Among the chief reasons were missed tackles in the secondary.

As the Ravens start game-planning defensively for the Cardinals, here are some ponderables.  (And I want to make clear that trying to read Rex Ryan's mind is risky business, just ask opposing offensive coordinators.) Both Boldin and Fitzgerald warrant frequent double-teams. If the Ravens do that, though, it means using safeties in pass protection rather than run support. Also, last week a lot of the QB pressure came when DBs were sprung as free runners (three of four sacks came from blitzing DBs). Corey Ivy had two shots himself, missing one sack and getting the other. So either Rex (above) brings LBs against the Cards when he's playing them straight up or, he goes with nickel packages and tries to get Leinart guessing about who is the cover DB and who is the rush DB. But when you do that, you're going light on run defense. It kinda comes down to the hosses on the line. If the three knuckle-down guys can control the line of scrimmage and allow the LBs to keep James in check, it allows Rex to turn the wolves loose on Leinart.

But what do I know.

Psychologically, the near-collapse in the fourth quarter should motivate the Ravens' defense. But the Cardinals remain an enigma -- mostly to themselves. And you wonder if this is the week they manage to put the puzzle pieces together.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

This O.J. Simpson thing has become a big rock rolling down a steep hill. Now, Simpson is being charged with kidnapping in the Las Vegas sports memorabilia heist. So when did an autographed football become the Lindbergh baby?

OK, so the kidnapping charge is related to allegedly holding two memorabilia collectors against their will in a  Vegas hotel room with a member of Simpson's party brandishing a gun. And there's a whole bunch of other stuff the Las Vegas DA is tossing in there, such as robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Now, one of the two collectors who were allegedly held at gunpoint by one of Simpson's companions in this fiasco is reportedly in critical condition with a heart attack. What would happen if -- heaven forbid -- this alleged victim/witness were not to recover? If the heart attack could be connected to the episode in the Palace Station hotel room when Simpson & Friends confronted the two collectors, could there be a homicide charge tacked on? Hey, I've seen enough Law & Order to at least pose the question.

And how bizarre is this -- that after dodging a bullet on double murder charges more than a decade ago, Simpson goes to prison over some Joe Montana lithographs and Pete Rose-signed baseballs.

Photo credit: Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Boy, do I have Buffalo wing sauce on my face. Yesterday, I mentioned that the NHL was planning an outdoor hockey game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Sabres at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium, tossing in some clever (as least some people thought they were clever) remarks about the January weather in Buffalo.

And guess what? They sold out the stinkin' game (42,000 tickets) in less time than it takes the average sports fan to channel surf through the average NHL playoff game. OK, OK ... no more with the hockey digs.

Honestly, I give the folks in Buffalo (and, I assume, in Pittsburgh) credit for supporting their teams. We have a loyal contingent of Buffalo ex-patriots here in Baltimore that gather at a Fells Point bar called Fletcher's to watch the Sabres games (we wrote about them during the playoffs earlier this year) and they are great folks -- both the people who run Fletcher's and the patrons.

But some hockey fans took my comments personally. Hey, I like hockey. I may not be an Al Morganti, with whom I worked with many moons ago, but I once wrote running stories for a Stanley Cup finals so Al could loiter in the locker room and get quotes for the REAL story that would run in later editions of the paper. And even before that, I think I sort of championed the cause of youth hockey as a writer and sports editor at small and large papers and even in a major magazine article.

But, you know, hockey fans are like their sport. Tough. So I'm going to take my chances and run this video. Weird combination of anime and some indescribable music. And, hey hockey fans, I'm just funnin' with ya.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:39 AM | Permalink
                    

We've asked Ravens fans in our quick poll question this week whether, after the first two games, they felt more confident or less confident that the Ravens would reach the playoffs. One reader sent this literary response in rhyming verse. I added some punctuation (a little habit from when I taught junior high), but other than that, this is all from Burt in Essex. Just to be clear, the opinions expressed are solely those of the poet.

There once was a Super Bowl team

Whose coach had a terrible scheme.

He'd pass when he should run

When it was all said and done,

It was like reliving the same old bad dream.

There was no imagination at all

Just the dunk and the dink and "jump ball."

On third-and-10, they'd go nine

And do it time after time,

And "the Genius" would defend the call

He'd say, "You all would just not understand

My amazing and stupendous plan.

You see, they rotated two

And ran a double zone through.

So I took the shot while I can."

Luckily, we were playing the Jets,

Who in crunch time were as inept as it gets.

They dropped two or three balls

So those terrible calls

Didn't come back to cause us regrets.

So am I as confident as I was before?

Not if anyone is watching the score.

We should be 2 and 0

But it's a long way to go

And if not, let's show Billick the door!

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

So, does anyone remember how we -- and I include myself -- were all sort of chuckling about how the Yankees were battling the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to stay out of the AL East cellar ... and there was all this fretting over Joe Torre possibly losing his job ... and we sort of snickered over the Yankees' desperation in signing Roger Clemens ... and New York had the Jason Giambi distraction ... and the Red Sox were building an INSURMOUNTABLE lead in the division.

Well, as that little kid said in the old horror movie a bunch of years ago, "They're b-a-a-a-c-k."

Last night, the Yankees pummeled the Orioles, 12-0, as Mike Mussina (another guy we all figured was road kill) pitched seven scoreless. Since he was given a timeout in the bullpen, the former Oriole has now gone 12 2/3 innings without surrendering a run. Meanwhile, the Yanks are just 2 1/2 behind the Red Sox with 11 to go. And guess who the Yanks finish against. Yep, against the O's at Camden Yards. In a sense, the AL East title will go through Baltimore. Unfortunately, it'll be like the Superchief going through Podunk -- at full throttle without stopping.

*  Meanwhile in the National League, all three divisions are tightening up. The Phillies are now just 1 1/2 behind the Mets as New York can't seem to figure out Washington (or anyone else for that matter); the Cubs lost and the Brewers won so those two are tied in the Central; and Arizona is only a single game in front of the Padres in the West.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Sunday's win keeps the Ravens' season intact -- they're tied at 1-1 with Cincinnati and Cleveland while Pittsburgh is 2-0 -- but it certainly didn't come easy.

Although the Ravens dominated the Jets for more than three quarters, Baltimore needed some huge help from New York to keep the game from going into overtime. As I mentioned to a few colleagues as we waited for Brian Billick to address the media, the final minute was like being in a poker game that comes down to the river card and your opponent has both flush and open-ended straight draws. In other words, it wouldn't take a whole lot to get you beat.

Meanwhile, defensive lineman Trevor Pryce (fractured wrist) joined the wounded list.

So, here's the discussion point and our poll question: After watching an easy victory become not-so-easy -- this time because of defensive lapses -- are you still as confident about the Ravens' chances of reaching the playoffs as you were before the season started?

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
                    

You can expect this story to get some traction over the next few days.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb gave an interview to HBO's Real Sports in which he says that African-American quarterbacks receive harsher criticism than whites who play the position. Now, McNabb being McNabb (meaning he's careful in his remarks), goes out of his way to express his fondness for the likes of Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning. And when you examine his comments closely, what he says may not be all that incendiary. But this is a delicate area and the Q&A is likely to elicit a lot of reaction.

There are some twists here as well. It was McNabb who Rush Limbaugh said received favorable treatment from the media because of race. That helped end Limbaugh's short career in sports broadcasting. And as this circulates in Philadelphia,  the Eagles' offense has been struggling this season and the team is 1-6 in McNabb's last seven starts.

Photo credit: Elaine Thompson/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Morten Andersen, who may still have that Hupmobile that he bought at the Canton car dealership when the NFL was founded, is back in the league. 

The Falcons, in a fit of desperation, have re-signed Andersen (right) and are considering former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Leftwich makes sense. The Falcons were deluding themselves with Joey Harrington and they have to be sick as they watch who would have been the future of their franchise, quarterback Matt Schaub, lead Houston to a 2-0 start. Atlanta dealt Schuab to the Texans just before Michael Vick's world fell apart, taking the Falcons with him.

But back to Andersen. He's 47 -- closing in on George Blanda's record (played at age 48) and those AARP discounts -- and is still one of the most reliable legs from less than 50 yards. Last season, he was 20-for-23 in field goals, including 7-for-8 from 40-to-49 yards. The Falcons cut their most recent kicker, Matt Prater, after he missed two field goals in a 13-7 loss to Jacksonville Sunday.

Oh, and as was pointed out last night on Monday Night Football, Blanda celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday. Now that feels weird, doesn't it?

Photo credit:  Getty Images

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

As if the NHL isn't in enough trouble, someone just figured out how to make matters worse. I wanted to mention this because I know so many Baltimore fans will want to book hotel rooms early.

They're going to play an outdoor NHL game in Buffalo on New Year's Day.

Yep, the Sabres will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in Ralph Wilson Stadium, where 74,000 usually gather to root for the Buffalo Bills.

Here's an excerpt from an Associated Press article on the topic:

"Buffalo was chosen for its dependably cold winters and proximity to Pittsburgh, from where fans are expected to make the 225-mile trip in droves."

"Dependably cold," what a hoot!  No offense to Buffalonians, but Buffalo weather in January is like Josef Stalin's mood -- grim, threatening and always on the verge of getting worse.

And how about all those Pittsburgh fans all bundled up in their new Christmas reindeer sweaters and toting their Thermos of hot chocolate motoring in droves to Buffalo for an outdoor hockey game.

More to the point was this observation from Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, who actually played in an outdoor college game six years ago: "I got off the ice after that game and I was red in the face, windburned, and my toes were frozen ... I'm hoping I learned a little bit and can make some adjustments and figure out how to stay warm."

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

It will come as no surprise to Oriole fans, but in SI.com's most recent power rankings of the major leagues, Baltimore was ranked dead last. Even Tampa Bay, probably because it has been trending up modestly, is a notch above the Orioles. And keep this in mind -- Baltimore reportedly spends about four times as much as the Devil Rays on its team.

The top four clubs are all in the American League -- Red Sox, Indians, Yankees and Angels, in that order.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Of note in the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Yankees last night was another discouraging outing by Daniel Cabrera.

As Sun beat writer Jeff Zrebiec points out, Cabrera's season has been unraveling for the last two months or so. He's had only three or so effective outings since the All-Star break and has really been getting hammered of late. He hasn't won a game since Aug. 14 and the team has lost his last six starts. And here's a point to ponder: Of all the Orioles' starters who were counted on this season to form a solid rotation, only Cabrera remains healthy. And going forward into next season, if the starting rotation is going to be the foundation for the reassembling of the club, is Cabrera someone you want in that group?

The game itself was significant for the Yankees in that it allowed them to close to with 3 1/2 games of the Red Sox in the AL East. It also put them 3 1/2 games in front of Detroit in the wild-card race.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:59 AM | Permalink
                    

So, you think that Yankees-Red Sox rivalry engenders a little bitterness? Not only did the Yankees take two of three from the Bosox at Fenway over the weekend to cut Boston's lead in the AL East to 4 1/2 games, but take a look at how Yankee outfielder Shelley Duncan signed his autograph for a 10-year-old Boston fan.

See, this is how the Evil Empire's arrogance swells the ranks of the resistance. Thanks to the Fark Web site for pointing it out.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Talk about a dry wit.

Maybe you've heard, maybe you haven't -- but the Raiders lost a heartbreaker to the Broncos yesterday after Oakland thought it had the game won on a Sebastian Janikowski 52-yard field goal in overtime. But wait, no, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan had called a timeout just before the apparent winning kick and Janikowski's do-over wound up hitting the left upright. Denver came back and its own kicker, Jason Elam, did win the game, 23-20, with an easy 23-yarder.

So this is what Elam had to say of Janikowski: "I've never seen anybody hit the top of the upright from 52 yards out. He's very talented."

If Elam wasn't trying to be funny, he has missed his calling.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:23 PM | Permalink
                    

Packers great Brett Favre set the all-time record for most wins by a quarterback when Green Bay walloped the New York Giants, 35-13, yesterday. Favre now has 149 victories, moving ahead of John Elway. Now, there are quite a few tributes to Favre out there in cyberland but none has quite the bounce of this tune by Packer backer Eddy J, Lemberger.

Photo credit: Mike Roemer/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:00 PM | Permalink
                    

This Bill Belichick cheating thing is an issue that -- as we say in the news biz -- has legs, meaning this is going to go on for a while.

Bob Costas interviewed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell last night, and while Goodell's words were that the NFL is vigilant regarding all 32 teams, the tone was, "Hmm, if we find out that the Patriots haven't 'fessed up to everything, the hammer could fall again -- and harder."

The NFL has requested (demanded) that the Patriots turn over quite a bit of material, including notes (presumably coaching notes), that could have a bearing on other cheating allegations that are beginning to surface. And this is what the the Patriots must be careful about:

A COVER-UP CAN BE WORSE THAN THE CRIME.

That was the lesson of the first of the (fill in the blank)-gates, Watergate.

If the Patriots bob-and-weave and wind up holding back on material they fear is incriminating, they could commit some further transgressions going forward from this point that will haunt them as badly or worse as the original bad acts. Just keep that in mind as this thing unfolds.

One more thought. FOX came up with video that the Patriots took of the Jets' defensive coaches. Notice how the New York coaches are openly sending in their signals. In contrast, the Eagles were shielding their coaches sending in signals in Green Bay that week. Do you think that New York may have suckered the Pats into blatantly spying by creating such an easy opportunity? Just something to consider.

Here's the FOX report.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
                    

I think it does folks in my business -- meaning the sports journalism business -- a lot of good to share the experiences of fans who keep this whole sports enterprise afloat. Yesterday, I did that in modest fashion by taking mass transit to cover the Ravens game. In this case, it was the light rail from North Baltimore County.

Long story short, the trip from M&T Bank Stadium to my front door took approximately two hours, about as long as it took me to get back from covering Army-Navy in Philadelphia last year. And I feel compelled to mention it out of loyalty to Ravens fans who were my fellow travelers, including one who had a 12-year old son with him. They were trying to get all the way back to New Freedom, Pa.  I won't bore you with the details other than to say that had some MTA folks offered some parking advice, they could have saved everyone a lot of problems (the northbound train temporarily stranded us in Timonium at 9:22 p.m. when we all were parked at stations farther north). But on behalf of the MTA, I want to say that everyone I dealt with was polite (if not as proactively informative as I would have liked), the price was unbelievably cheap ($3.50) and an MTA spokesman today promised the problems would be resolved by making sure passengers know where best to park in the future. I'll give it another shot.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:06 AM | Permalink
                    

That O.J. Simpson, he really believed that everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Simpson, while in Las Vegas -- apparently the crossroads of the universe these days -- found himself in handcuffs and facing criminal charges over some sports memorabilia. A bunch of items, including some that are fairly personal, such as his Pro Football Hall of Fame certificate and a videotape from his first marriage, are at issue. Some collectors apparently had them and may have been ready to auction them. Simpson claimed they were stolen and wanted them returned.

So apparently, Simpson -- along with a few guys who are described as people he met at a wedding cocktail party (what!!???) -- barge into a hotel room and demand the return of said items. Simpson did not have a weapon, but the police seized a couple of guns they said were involved in the alleged robbery/retrieval. And, of course, there's a recording allegedly of Simpson during the confrontation on the TMZ.com Web site, a celebrity tracking Internet site. Everything is up for instant replay these day, it seems.

The bad words are bleeped out.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

In case anyone is still interested, the Orioles needed 12 excruciating innings to eventually outscore Toronto, 8-6, yesterday. Giving this some sort of context, the win helps the Orioles avoid the embarrassment of dropping into last place in the AL East and also helps stave off the dubious distinction of having the worst record in the majors. The Orioles' 64 wins lead only Tampa Bay's 63. Kansas City and the White Sox also have 64 victories.

But you have to give credit to manager Dave Trembly. He remains Mr. Upbeat.

 "A lot of heroes today," was the way Trembley summed up the 4-hour, 25-minute marathon. And he meant it quite literally. He used seven pitchers and 14 position players.

Nick Markakis reached 20 home runs and 100 RBIs, if you're into nice round numbers.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:30 AM | Permalink
                    

In the first week of picking against the Vegas line, we did OK here at O, by the Way.

Bottom line, we went 2-0-2. Two wins, no losses and two pushes.

We had the Texans taking 6 1/2, making the observation that we think Houston is this year's turnaround team, at least in terms of the spread. Yesterday, they absolutely hammered the line.  The Texans were 6 1/2-point 'dogs and won outright, 34-21. This probably means our easy ride with the Texans is over. The oddsmakers' adjustments will be swift.

We had Dallas, giving 3 1/2 to Miami and although the Cowboys allowed the Dolphins to stay close through the third period, they finally pulled away, 37-20.

One of the two pushes involved the Ravens. Even though we certainly liked the Ravens to win, we stayed away from picking the game because Baltimore was giving too many, 10 points, and instead, took the under -- 33 points. The final, as Ravens fans know, was 20-13. The other push was Minnesota-Detroit, We had the Lions, giving three, and that's exactly how many they won by, on a Jason Hanson 37-yard field goal in overtime.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:00 AM | Permalink
                    

It shouldn't have been that close. Everyone knows that, including the Ravens.

But as Sun beat reporter Jamison Hensely points out, an important development in yesterday's 20-13 victory over the New York Jets was that backup quarterback Kyle Boller not only generated enough offense to produce a win, he kept his composure when things occasionally fell apart. He kept away from the big negative plays -- he threw no interceptions and he took no sacks. It may not be fair to say that yesterday was the first time Boller exhibited an ability to manage a game, but it is reasonable to say that it was one of the first times that his game management was so strong that it could be credited with being a deciding factor in a win.

Tight end Todd Heap said it best when he observed, "You look at some of the throws he made, some of the throw-aways he made. That's kind of different from the past where sometimes he'd try to force things. He made some good decisions when we needed it."

Boller was 23-for-35 for 185 yards, two TDs and no interceptions, good for a 97.9 passing rating. Willis McGahee had a productive day with 97 yards on 26 carries, none for more than nine yards. And he caught a two-yard TD pass.

* Cleveland did the Ravens a favor in surprising Cincinnati, 51-45. In case you missed it, Jamal Lewis had one of those monster games for the Browns he used to treat Baltimore fans to. Old No. 31 gained 215 yards and scored a touchdown on 28 carries. It's still too early to tell exactly which Jamal Lewis Browns fans will get more of this year -- the vintage Lewis they saw yesterday, or the one they got on opening day when he gained just 35 yards and lost a fumble on 11 carries.

*  And it's time to be officially concerned about the New England Patriots being unstoppable. Before the season, Vegas oddsmakers had them as 2-to-1 favorites to win the Super Bowl. Those are incredibly short odds. But after crushing the Jets in the Cheat Bowl and San Diego last night, you have to legitimately wonder if this is finally the team that goes 16-0. Sure, it's early. Way early. But other than the game against the Colts on Nov. 4 and the one against the Ravens on Dec. 3 and just maybe their game in Dallas, I don't see anyone who won't be at least a touchdown underdog to the Pats. If you missed it, the Patriots were demolishing the Chargers, 24-0, by halftime on their way to a 38-14 win. And the Chargers are one of the few teams who matched up with New England on paper. A former Raven got in on the scoring for New England. Linebacker Adalius Thomas returned an interception 65 yards for a TD.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Talk about a lightning rod for trouble. O.J. Simpson is considered a suspect in a break-in at a casino-hotel in Las Vegas where police believe sports collectibles were involved.

The break-in occurred last night at the Palace Station, a less-expensive bargain hotel west of the famous Strip. According to police, Simpson said he believed the sports items belonged to him. Prosecutors are mulling whether to pursue charges.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:08 PM | Permalink
                    

The NFL isn't the only sports organization dealing with a spy controversy. The International Automobile Federation, which oversees Formula One racing, just hit the McLaren race team with a fine for an for an estimated $31 million for having Ferrari information in its possession. Early reports had the fine announced at a humongous $100 million and, in reality, that's what it could cost McLaren in the long run. McLaren lost all its points for the season championship and the title would have been worth more than $68 million. The eventual monetary value of the lost points is being subtracted from the announced total fine of 100 mil.

Now, that would have gotten Patriot owner Bob Kraft's attention.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Earlier in the week, we brought you a music video by a fellow named Ryan Parker, who lives in Flatwoods, Ky. Parker's tune, Marvin's Reindeers, lampooned the Cincinnati Bengals and all their legal problems. To our surprise, that night Parker and his daughter showed up on Monday Night Football itself with a guitar-strumming rah-rah to their hometown Bengals as part of an ongoing ESPN promotion that hopes to engage fans during the broadcast.

Well, the talented Mr. Parker is on a roll because now he's the first with a musical shot at Bill Belichick. Poor Tom Brady gets it as well.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

The operative word in this item's headline is "dope." We're going to look at a handful of the weekend's NFL games taking into consideration the point spread. Risky business to say the least.

First of all, this is a weekend when there are lots of big favorites, which always makes for tough picks and lots of nail-biting. The winning team could go soft defensively at the end of the game and easily win on the scoreboard but fail to cover for the bettors. There are at least eight games with a point spread of 6 1/2, and some of those could move to a full touchdown by kickoff.

Not the least of the big-spread games is the Jets-Ravens, where Baltimore is giving 10 points. By the way, this game opened at -12, so that public money coming out of New York has had a substantial effect. If injuries are part of the line movement, I think it's a reflection more of Jonathan Ogden's status because if Steve McNair and Chad Pennington are both scratched, bettors are probably giving Baltimore the nod at backup QB. The Ravens have been dynamite at M&T Bank Stadium -- 8-3 in their last 11 home games against the spread. But Baltimore games also skew  toward the under when it plays within the conference. The over-under total in this one is 33.

Obviously, I like the Ravens for the game outright, but the spread scares me. I like the under just a little more, although I would be worried about Baltimore's defense putting points on the board and taking it over the top, especially at the end when the Jets are in fire-drill mode. Force me to make a pick and I take the under.

Houston at Carolina (-6 1/2) -- Every year there is a team that comes out of nowhere to hammer the spread. A few years ago it was Cincinnati when Marvin Lewis got those guys on track. I think this year it'll be the Texans. The betting public is somewhat aware that Houston QB Matt Schaub is pretty good, but it's tough to get that loser stink off you when you've been as bad as the Texans.  So for a while, I think they'll be undervalued. I'd love the Texans with the full 7, but I still like them with the 6 1/2. Pick: Houston (taking 6 1/2).

Dallas at Miami (3 1/2) -- I'm never comfortable picking public teams and they don't come any more public than the Dallas Cowboys, especially when they're a little bit good. Both teams are starting with new head coaching regimes, but Dallas is a much smoother transition. Dallas' Wade Phillips has been there before. Miami's Cam Cameron is a first-time head coach. Sometimes it works out for a newbie -- as it did for Sean Payton in New Orleans last year -- but that's not usually the case. Despite allowing all those points to the Giants last Sunday night, Dallas still can play pretty good defense at times and the Miami offense is without an identity. And the 'Fins are coming off an emotional loss to Washington. As usual, there's that half-point that gives you second thoughts, but I think the Cowboys win going away. Pick: Dallas (giving 3 1/2)

Minnesota at Detroit (- 3)  -- I have this rule: Never take a really, really bad team no matter how many points it is getting. Well, for a long while, the Detroit Lions have fit that category. But I think Detroit might actually be raising the level of its game all the way to mediocre. Seriously, a second season with Jon Kitna at quarterback helps and rookie WR Calvin Johnson looks like the real deal. Two of Minnesota's TDs last week against Atlanta came on interceptions. In a matchup of Kitna vs. Tarvaris Jackson, I'll take Kitna.   Pick: Detroit (giving 3).

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:09 AM | Permalink
                    

The results of the fan voting in the highly unscientific "Who should start? McNair or Boller" poll are in -- and to be honest, they're a little surprising.

Now, if you go back and read the item that was part of the poll yesterday, you'll see that we're not really trying to stir the pot here, not yet anyway. We were reflecting on Steve McNair's groin injury and voicing some concern about him aggravating it against the Jets. We were also reflecting on how we thought the Steelers mishandled Ben Roethlisberger a year ago and rushed him back into the lineup after his assorted physical problems (motorcycle accident, appendicitis) with disastrous results when Pittsburgh had a capable backup in Charlie Batch. 

So we wondered that since the Ravens are playing at home against the Jets after a short week, and New York's own starting quarterback, Chad Pennington, has a banged-up ankle, well, maybe the prudent thing might be to play Kyle Boller and allow McNair to heal a little more.

Well, here are the results. With more than 1,000 votes cast, the fans said to start Boller by nearly a 4-to-1 margin. Wow! It was 803 votes for Boller (79.3 percent) to 210 for McNair (20.7 percent). I didn't see the TV show last night but someone connected with Fox's The Best Damn Sports Show e-mailed me to say that the poll was mentioned to guest Ray Lewis and he was astounded by the results.

Sun beat reporter Jamison Hensley says that Boller has been running the first-team offense in practice.

Photo credit: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun

Posted by Bill Ordine at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
                    

Argue if you will whether the penalties that Roger Goodell levied on Bill Belichick and the Patriots  for their videotape spying on the Jets were sufficient.

If you haven't heard by now, Belichick was nailed for $500,000, the maximum for a coach. The organization was tagged for another $250,000. And New England forfeits either a first-round draft pick if the Pats make the playoffs or second- and third-round choices if they do not. The Patriots happen to have extra first- and third-round picks in the 2008 draft anyway.

Look, the $250,000 fine to the team is immaterial. That's about what you'd pay a rookie making minimum salary. The shot to Belichick's wallet is an ouch. It has been estimated he makes about $4 million a year so that's a 12 percent hit. But that's not nearly as severe a hit as what Dallas assistant coach Wade Wilson will suffer (assuming his five-game suspension is unpaid), which will be closer to 30 percent. And Wilson was hit for buying human growth hormone after his was finished playing, contending it was for health issues related his diabetes. Hardly an issue of competitive advantage, unless he was supplying players, and that hasn't come up.

What really is irritating about Belichick is that he obviously doesn't get it. He doesn't get this whole thing about wrongdoing. His admission of culpability is no admission at all. Read his statement. He's sorry for the embarrassment and distraction and the penalties that resulted from the incident. Meaning he's sorry he got caught. And he says he takes "responsibility."  But responsibility for what? In his words an incorrect "interpretation" of the bylaws and constitution. What a novel approach to a guilty plea. The only thing missing was a resolute declaration from Belichick that ,"I am not a crook!"

Photo credit:  Vctoria Arocho/AP (Belichick), Associated Press (Nixon)

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:27 AM | Permalink
                    

The answer to the Orioles' problems is so obvious. It's been staring us in the face all along.

They can only win if they have an interim manager. Remember that Baltimore was playing great as long as Dave Trembley was the interim replacing Sam Perlozzo. The very day the front office gave the well-liked Trembley a contract to manage through 2008 -- which many felt he richly deserved -- they started their current month-long skid with a 30-3 loss to the Texas Rangers.  Now that Trembley is cooling his heels serving a three-game suspension for his animated protest a couple of nights ago and Tom Trebelhorn is managing in his stead, the Orioles beat the American League West-leading Angels -- and star pitcher John Lackey, no less -- in a 3-0 shutout.

The Orioles also happened to do it with a lineup that looked like it was being sent to Sarasota to play the B game of a spring training split-squad doubleheader. Brian Roberts, Miguel Tejada, Ramon Hernandez and Melvin Mora (sore back) sat out. The starter was Jon Leicester, who had pitched just under 16 innings this season before last night. He went 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

OK, so here's the plan. The Orioles name a new manager every two weeks -- now don't remind me of that Cubs thing 45 years ago when they rotated managers from the minors and finished 70 games under .500 over two seasons. That was way too calculated.

I'm talking radical here. Like picking names out of hat, grabbing guys -- and gals -- out of the stands, just running the team as if some dopey loon owned the  club. Oh, wait a minute, we already have that last thing, don't we.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:35 AM | Permalink
                    

We've all gotten so used to ridiculous dollar figures in the sports' universe -- whether it's player salaries, TV broadcast deals or the price of a game ticket -- that it takes something really shocking to get our attention.

So how's this -- less than $15 for a basketball shoe with a big-name NBA player's endorsement. Ben Wallace of the Chicago Bulls will be in Baltimore Saturday pitching his new basketball shoe, called the Big Ben Collection, that will retail for $14.98. Wallace (left), a four time Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star, is following in the sneaker-prints of fellow NBA star Stephon Marbury of the New York Knicks who introduced his own signature shoe for $14.98 last year. In both cases, the inexpensive show will be sold at sporting goods discounter Steve & Barry's.

"The motivation is to let people understand that you can get a good quality show and not have to pay outrageous prices,"  Wallace said today.

Two years ago, a 17-year-old in Chicago was shot to death for his $110 pair of Air Jordans. Sadly,  it wasn't the first time a city kid was literally a victim of fashion. Wallace, who grew up in a large family (he was the 10th of 11 children) in a small Alabama town, said it was important that kids understand they can have something of value "without doing something outrageous, like pulling a gun or jumping someone ... we've already lost too many kids over basically nothing."

Marbury and Wallace aren't the first NBA stars to be the anti-Jordan in terms of marketing. Years ago, Hakeem Olajuwon was one of a handful of stars who marketed a cheaper alternative to the pricey kicks. Sometimes, those shoes were a difficult sell for the very reason that kids attached a stigma to them because of the cheaper price.

"I think times have changed, I think the mentality has changed," Wallace said. "I believe people now understand you don't have to have a big sticker price on something and that a big price doesn't mean it's the best shoe. I think by having me go out every night and playing in these shoes and performing well ... that people will realize these are as good as any on the market."

Wallace will be at the Steve & Barry's at the Eastpoint Mall at 5 p.m., Saturday, signing autographs.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 3:21 PM | Permalink
                    

Here's an interesting angle off last week's Navy-Rutgers game, where the Scarlet Knights predictably beat the Middies, 41-24. Rutgers has turned around its football program, is nationally ranked and is now thrashing teams rather than getting the tar knocked out of it. However, some fraction of Rutgers rooters are having difficulties adjusting to the role of gracious winners and during last week's game against Navy, laced their rooting invective with profanity that -- while inappropriate under any circumstances -- seemed particularly offensive when directed at service academy students who soon could be in harm's way. Navy responded by playing Anchors Aweigh to drown out the purple jeers. To the New Jersey institution's credit, Rutgers officials quickly apologized to the Naval Academy.  Here are a few takes on the events from a New Jersey paper and from SI.com.

Photo credit: Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:06 PM | Permalink
                    

Yesterday, we brought you a video of Johnny Unitas in observance of the five-year anniversary of the passing of Baltimore's great quarterback, who died Sept. 11, 2002 of a heart attack. Today, we present still another musical remembrance of Johnny U. In this case, we don't think you can have too much of a good thing.

Today's video is below. To catch up with yesterday's, click here.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 12:00 PM | Permalink
                    

Patriots coach Bill Belichick apologized yesterday in a cryptic statement regarding the videotaping scandal his organization is caught up in, but it was kinda hazy exactly what the mea culpa was for.  Here's a bit of classic Belichick-ese: "Earlier this week, I spoke with Commissioner Goodell about a videotaping procedure during last Sunday's game and my interpretation of the rules."  Huh?

Wouldn't you just love to see Belichick under cross examination by Law & Order DA Jack McCoy.

"So tell us, when you ordered your team's video assistant to videotape the New York Jets' coaches as they sent in their signals, were you being astonishingly stupid or simply blindly arrogant?  Which was it, Mr Belichick?"

But this will be resolved soon by Roger Goodell.  Today or tomorrow, you would think.  Kind of funny was the observation by one Boston sports columnist, John Tomase, regarding Belichick squirming at his press conference yesterday.  For years, the New England coach's interviews with the media have been embarrassingly short on even nuts-and-bolts pregame information. But yesterday, Tomase wrote, Belichick was "all but begging for someone to ask him about football."

*  And there's a report that Major League Baseball is ready to starting administering a blood test for human growth hormone in 2008. The move is dependent on the development of a mass-use test. HGH has become the latest performance-enhancing substance in the limelight with revelations than an Albany-based investigation into the distribution of hGH by Florida clinics has implicated Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons, the St. Louis Cardinals' comeback kid, Rick Ankiel, and Toronto third baseman Troy Glaus. Patriots safety -- there's that team again -- Rodney Harrison has already been suspended for purchasing hGH.

Photo credit:  Associated Press

Posted by Bill Ordine at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Three observations related to Ravens fans.

*  Beginning this week, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith has declared Fridays to be Purple Fridays in Baltimore County, encouraging employees to wear the Ravens' signature color on the final workday throughout the regular season. There's a rally at 11 a.m. tomorrow, at the steps of the Old Courthouse in Towson, to kick-start the booster program.

*  Baltimore has been ranked the NFL's No. 1 tailgate city in America, according to "tailgate experts" from the "Ultimate Road Trip" Web site and their associates. The experts say they've visited every NFL stadium and have evaluated the tailgate experience on the basis of "parking lot sizes, fees, accessibility, operating hours and tailgating programs and facilities " -- as well as the overall sales of satellite TV ticket packages and in-vehicle TV systems.  In short, Baltimore ranked high because the organization takes steps that encourage tailgating and the fans are amomg the most savvy, high-tech practicioners of parking lot festivities.   But, hey, it's good to be No.1. 

*  And finally, Monday night's loss to the Bengals produced a record number of comments to this blog and of the dozens and dozens of observations I received -- and we vet them all for language and content -- not one was so out-of-bounds or offensive that it had to be left out. Considering the anguish Ravens fans experienced in the 27-20 loss to the Bengals over the official's call against Todd Heap in the end zone and the objections many fans had to Brian Billick's play selection, the conversation remained civil, even though animated. And for that, I salute you.

Photo credit:  Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun

Posted by Bill Ordine at 10:00 AM | Permalink
                    

Word from the Ravens' walking wounded is that MLB Ray Lewis (triceps) will play against the Jets on Sunday, OT Jonathan Ogden (toe) will not and QB Steve McNair (groin) is a maybe.

As Sun beat reporter Jamison Hensley wrote today, McNair may wind up being a game-time decision. Kyle Boller took all the snaps in practice but as McNair pointed out, there's been plenty of times in his long personal history of being banged up where he didn't take many or any practice reps but still played effectively.

Here's the concern, though. This is a groin injury. While I'm not trying to play doctor, it has been the type of injury that can be aggravated. And I am reminded of the Steelers last season when Pittsburgh rushed Ben Roethlisberger back into the lineup after the motorcycle accident and the appendicitis attack.

If you recall, Pittsburgh won its opener against Miami with Charlie Batch playing great. Then the Steelers put Roethlisberger back in and lost six of their next seven as Big Ben played extremely poorly in five of them. By mid-November, Roethlisberger started getting his bearings and except for the two games against the Ravens, played well the rest of the way as the Steelers finished 6-2 -- but 8-8 and out of the playoffs. And that begs the question: How might Pittsburgh's year have gone had they been more patient with Roethlisberger and let Batch play another game or two in the beginning?

Which gets us back to McNair and Boller. The Jets may be without Chad Pennington. The Ravens are at home. Boller has given the fans and team reason to have some confidence in him as a result of his relief appearances last year. You can see where I'm going with this.

Obviously, if McNair can play with minimal risk of re-injuring himself, he should be the guy. But in a borderline case, the 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers would seem to provide a lesson.

What's your opinion? Vote in our poll -- should the Ravens start McNair or Boller?

Photo credit:  Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun (Boller), David Mawell/Getty Images (McNair)

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
                    

The good news is that the Orioles scored five runs in a single inning in last night night's game against the Angels. The bad news is that the Angels scored fives runs in a single inning TWICE.

Los Angeles won, 18-6, in another game in which the Orioles would have failed to cover the spread even if the oddsmakers had made them the underdog by a touchdown. This is 18 losses in the last 21 games and Baltimore finds itself in a furious battle with Tampa Bay to not only stay out of the AL East cellar but to avoid the worst record in baseball.

As Sun Orioles beat reporter Jeff Zrebiec points out, it is a span during which the Orioles have been outscored by 100 runs, 196-96. Who's the defensive coordinator on this team?

From the clubhouse, there are these observations.

Outfielder Jay Payton: "I've been with six different teams and I've never been through anything like this."

Third baseman Melvin Mora: "This is the worst [stretch] ever in all the years I've been here and the worst ever in my life. The worst."

* Former Oriole-current Yankee Mike Mussina snapped out of his pitching slump, at least for the time being. Mussina had been pulled from the New York starting rotation but in a successful return last night against Toronto, he pitched six scoreless innings as New York won, 4-1. The Yanks, although five games behind Boston in the AL East, are four games ahead of their closest pursuer, Detroit, in the wild-card race.

*  And the Chicago Cubs continue to tease their fans by slipping into a first-place tie with Milwaukee in that red-hot NL Central where the division leaders are both three games over .500.  Chicago nipped Houston, 3-2, while Pittsburgh bounced Milwaukee, 7-4.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 7:46 AM | Permalink
                    

With the angst over the Ravens' Monday night loss to the Bengals still fresh yesterday, we allowed an important anniversary to pass without some recognition. Yesterday, was the five-year date of the passing of Johnny Unitas, who died Sept. 11, 2002 of a heart attack.

So in honor of the most significant player in Baltimore football history, we bring you this well-done tribute to Unitas and the Baltimore Colts.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

It is spectacular news that Buffalo tight end Kevin Everett has a chance to make a recovery from the severe cervical spine injury he suffered Sunday while making a tackle on a kickoff against Denver.

Everett was able to respond to verbal commands and move his arms and legs, said Dr. Andrew Cappuccino, the Bills' orthopedic surgeon.

While Everett's recovery is terrific in itself, there was something about his treatment that has broader implications for future victims of similar injuries. Apparently a key to this latest development was the quick action to run an ice cold saline solution through the player's system that put Everett in a hypothermic state. A physician at the Miami Project, a University of Miami neurological center that specializes in such medical issues, said that the protocol is being used there but that this is the first time he knew of that a doctor could administer the treatment so quickly.

A societal good that comes out of the unfortunate circumstances of war has been the advances in the treatment of trauma. Surgeons working under the immediate pressures and dealing with the devastating consequences of battle on the human body have often returned home and used techniques that resulted from wartime experiences to save lives and preserve quality of life for people hurt in day-to-day accidents.

In this case, a serious injury suffered on a field of sports combat may also play a key role in leading the way to help others.

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Baltimore relief pitcher Jamie Walker is scheduled to be at the ESPN Zone at the Inner Harbor at noon today for a Q&A session with fans and to sign autographs. Walker's appearance is part of a season-long program at the restaurant, where players and members of the Orioles' organization have been meeting with fans. The final Orioles' meet-and-greet with fans at the ESPN Zone  is scheduled for Sept. 27.

Photo credit: Jon Way/AP

Posted by Bill Ordine at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Losing Monday night's game to the Bengals, 27-20, was one thing but last night, on Ravens coach Brian Billick's radio show, Ravens fans learned officially about some critical player losses -- something that was already pretty obvious.

The biggest problem is going to be offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden. His toe injury is going to keep him out indefinitely and the domino effect will have Adam Terry, the starting right tackle, moving to the more crucial left tackle position and rookie Marshal Yanda jumping into the starting lineup. You have to think that the Ravens are going to go hunting for some veteran backup help at offensive tackle, but that's one of the toughest positions in football to fill. Both the Rams and Redskins also suffered major tackle injuries over the weekend.

Return specialist B.J. Sams saw his season end with an ACL injury. As Sun beat writer Jamison Hensley points out, it also may end Sams' career in Baltimore. He's a free agent after this season and this happens to be his second season-ending injury in two years. Last year, it was a broken ankle.

And the injuries to middle linebacker Ray Lewis and quarterback Steve McNair also could lead to significant time out of the lineup, depending on how they react to treatment. Lewis' triceps muscle problem and Mc