Tempers flare
You expect to see it in the middle of Ravens training camp when the temperature in Westminster reaches triple digits and nerves get a little frayed with players trying to make the team.
You don't expect to see it in the middle of minicamp inside the climate-controlled indoor practice field at the Ravens' complex in Owings Mills.
But those who were at today's workout got to see the first good knockdown drag-out midfield brawl during the John Harbaugh era. It occurred when offensive tackle Oniel Cousins and defensive tackle Amon Gordon started flailing at each other at the end of a running play.
It was hard to tell who got the best of it since their teammates were quick to surround, and eventually break up, the rookie from UTEP and the the four-year veteran who was recently signed as a free agent.
It wasn't hard to see that this might be the kind of feistiness Harbaugh is looking for from the Ravens.
Mike Preston has been with The Sun since 1983. Prior to becoming a columnist in 2000, he covered the Baltimore Ravens for four years. Preston is a native of Essex and a graduate of Towson State University, where he played football.
Jamison Hensley covers the Ravens for The Sun. 
Edward Lee covers the Ravens for The Sun. 
Don Markus covers the Ravens for The Sun. 
Comments
my rule for training camp fights - The player who makes the team at the end won. In this case, that's almost certainly Cousins, as Amon Gordon is probably the 7th or 8th best defensive lineman on the roster, after Gregg, Pryce, Ngata, Edwards, Bannan, and probably Zarnell Fitch and J'Vonne Parker as well.
Posted by: math_geek | May 10, 2008 1:07 PM
Good for Cousins. Sounds like he's got the kind of nasty streak you look for in O-linemen these days.
Posted by: skaybaltimore | May 10, 2008 1:19 PM
Yeah, good for Cousins but we don't need another OL like ZEUS losing games for the Ravens with personal fouls cause he doesnt like getting hit
Posted by: RICK SAVARD | May 10, 2008 2:04 PM
They'll probably become best of friends after this. And make no mistake, as one poster mentioned, he who makes the team, is the winner if we're worried about that. Yeah, I like the fiesty feeling here.
Posted by: Baltimore | May 10, 2008 8:13 PM