"Once the undefeated Colts burn out under the heat of the national spotlight again, I can't see any reason to pick against Baltimore to get back to the Super Bowl."
FitzFacts
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
"The Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl. I don't see why anything else needs to be said ... I'm telling you right now, book it."
FitzFacts
Friday, December 29
Mmmm ... yummy. I always find that words taste a little better when they are italicized rather than boldfaced, which can so easily overwhelm the delicate flavors. So, I was wrong, but it's not like I jumped on the bandwagon late, and I think it's official now. I am a Ravens fan. If anything, this loss solidifies that more than a win.
It turns out that it really didn't matter that the Colts were stolen away from Baltimore all those years ago. That former Colts cheerleaders now in their 60s and 70s were torn about which team to root for. Or that the local supervisor of the Mayflower Moving Company said he had no idea what was going into the trucks on that snowy night that so many Baltimoreans refuse to let go. Or that the mayor of Indianapolis at that time now lives in Maryland. (I'm not going to provide all the links to those stories; they were all in the Baltimore Sun last week).
Nope, none of the history or the karma came into play at M&T Bank Stadium last night. The Colts sure came to play though. In the kind of defensive struggle that was hard to watch - boring if you weren't a fan of either team, excruciating if you were - Indianapolis endured its mistakes and stuck with a gameplan that was conservative and risky at the same time. The Colts' record-setting QB threw two interceptions and no touchdowns, but five times Indianapolis got the ball close enough for Adam Vinatieri to kick it through the uprights, and with each successful boot, the pressure on the Ravens nudged up a few more psis.
So, credit Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning and especially the oft-maligned Indianapolis defense. The only really bad decision the Colts made all day was the third down no-huddle offense that never worked and led to at least one turnover. Aside from that ill-conceived tactic, Indianapolis stuck with the run and the medium-range passing game to move the ball into field goal range. This was not the kind of performance that will get Manning any more commercials, but a few more like it could get him a Super Bowl ring.
Now, what went wrong for the Ravens? Let's see, when Brian Billick fired Jim Fassel midseason and took the reins of the offense, he was able to rejuvenate Jamal Lewis and the running game. On the Ravens' best drive of the first half, they drove 51 yards to the Indianapolis four on six runs and one pass before Steve McNair was picked off by Antoine Bethea. So, what did they do when they got the ball again, this time in the third quarter? Passed the ball six straight plays and then punted. Lewis got all of two carries in the third, against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. He got two more in the fourth, in a game when the lead was never more than nine points.
Okay, what else? Todd Heap fumbled for the first time this year, which gave Indianapolis field position for its second score. Bethea picked off McNair at the goal line, saving at least three points, and somehow he hung onto the ball despite a violent collision with his teammate. When McNair finally completed a deep ball to Mark Clayton late in the third, Clayton fumbled, but thanks to an Indy penalty, the Ravens ended up with a five-yard gain to their own 22 instead of a 48-yard gain into field goal range.
On defense, Ed Reed had two interceptions but would likely have had four if Ray Lewis hadn't just barely tipped two Manning passes. And on one of his picks, Reed lateraled to Chris McAlister but was wrongly ruled out of bounds, and the play was blown dead. Terrell Suggs forced a fumbled at the Baltimore 24 that bounced right to Ben Utecht, the only Colt anywhere near the ball.
And, just for good measure, on special teams, don't forget Vinatieri's 51-yarder that bounced on, and then over, the crossbar. If the above paragraphs sound like excuses, I can't offer any argument. Being a fan is all about emotional and irrational justification of nonsensical behavior.
This game could not have been more hyped locally. In a town whose residents wear their inferiority complices like badges of honor, the media dug up every painful memory, ripped apart more than two decades of scar tissue to whip the populace into a purple frenzy. For the last few days, you saw purple everywhere you looked. Today, at church, at the coffee shop, at the grocery store, not a stitch. Just like that, it's all gone.
But of course, the fans will remember. And when next year's schedule is released, the date with Indianapolis will be circled in purple.
Showing posts with label Ravens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ravens. Show all posts
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
Friday Finale
Well, it's the end of the year, but more importantly it's the end of the week, so let's take a look at some recent events:
Colonials
First, one of the objects of my subtitular obsession. GW lost, 66-52, to a better team last night, the Air Force Academy. I listened to the first half driving the family home from the Maryland-Mount St. Mary's game (more on that later), and the powerful Washington Post Radio signal (AM 1500) stayed with me almost to my driveway, more than an hour from the Foggy Bottom campus. Nice upgrade there. The Colonials were trailing the sharp-shooting Falcons early, but by the time my sleeping kids had been transferred from Suburban to bed, GW had fought back and taken a 31-30 halftime lead.
Through the magic of the Internet, I watched the second half on a CSTV live video feed, listened to the Post Radio via the website, and checked in on the GWHoops chat room (Hey, I'm obsessed, remember?). Unfortunately, the audio and video were out of synch, so my little digital sports sensory festival was not quite perfect, but still, it's pretty amazing to think that all this is possible. More unfortunately, the Colonials were also off kilter and could not get untracked offensively in the second half.
After surrendering eight first half turnovers - they average just 10 per game - the Falcons settled down and and locked up GW for nearly five minutes as they retook the lead with a 10-0 run. The Colonials rallied to within four after Karl Hobbs called a second timeout, but Air Force applied the clamps for another three minutes, built the lead back to nine, and GW never threatened again. Air Force runs the "Princeton" offense effectively, which usually means that a second half lead becomes a death march of wide open three-pointers and late in the shot clock backdoor layups. GW is a team that you can never give up on, but once the Falcons found their comfort zone, it was all over.
The Colonials should regain their footing tonight against Colgate, but the only remaining non-con opponent is Marshall. Despite Duquesne's shocking OT win against BC last night, the Atlantic 10 looks like a one-bid league this year. That bid could be GW's, but there will be some bumps along the way. Hobbs has to incorporate Cheyenne Moore into the mix without sacrificing the impressive development of Rob Diggs and the potential flashed by Travis King and Damian Hollis. Should be fun to watch.
Wizards
At 16-12, the Wizards are in first place in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference and could have the second-best record in the conference with a win tonight. Go back and read that sentence again. When I predicted that Washington would get to .500 by the New Year, I never dreamed they would be brushing up against .600. Gilbert Arenas has been simply unbelievable, Caron Butler has been a beast, Antawn Jamison has decided to rebound as well as score, and Brendan Haywood(!) has shaken off the shackles of his detractors and brought legitimate inside game. The only thing more shocking than Washington's record in December (11-3 so far) is Comcast's decision to show the last two games on tape delay while putting the Caps on live. And tomorrow's game against Milwaukee is not televised at all? Looks like it's back to the video feed for me.
Terps
I made my first trip to the Comcast Center last night to watch Maryland dismember Mount St. Marys. On the Terps' first possession, Mike Jones got free on the left wing and made a three. The next possession, the Mount defense sagged on an inbounds play and Jones was wide open for another three from the same spot. He did the same thing on the next three possessions, from the exact same spot! Meanwhile, the Mounties had only mustered one free throw. It wasn't ever much of a contest but it's always fun for me to watch my kids enjoy a game. The arena is quite impressive, with some nice tributes to great moments in Maryland history sprinkled around the concourse.
I don't think I'll ever be a Terps fan, but I do enjoy watching them play. This team definitely has the talent to get to the Final Four, but they could just as easily bomb out in the early rounds of the tournament. If Gary Williams can play his freshman point guard combo right, there is no reason they can't challenge UNC for the ACC title.
Ravens
The Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl. I don't see why anything else needs to be said. Yes, San Diego has a record-breaking tailback, but Baltimore's defense dismantles and demoralizes, and the offense is good enough. And they are getting all kinds of motivation from being overlooked by the national media. Maybe I'll have more on this after the regualr season, but, I'm telling you right now, book it.
Movies
Night at the Museum
Four thumbs up from my family for this one. Creative and amusing for adults and kiddies and should be a bonanza for the Museum of Natural History. Obviously, if you are allergic to Ben Stiller's array of double-takes and his three facial displays of shock, surprise, and disbelief, you want to avoid this one, although only one of his usual coconspirators makes an appearance (shocking that Will Ferrell did not get a cameo). Also, I am a little tired of the "let's prove to the preteen kid that his divorced Dad isn't a loser" plotline, but there was enough other distraction to make this one work.
Charlotte's Web
From down south, my brother makes a strong buy recomendation for this classic, despite my earlier trepidations. He is something of an aficionado, with at least two candidates for Ferndom in his clan and multiple out-loud readings. I guess I will reconsider, as I can only hope that it is "radiant," "humble," and "some movie."
Rocky Balboa
Like most people, I lost track of Rocky somewhere between IV and V, but head on over to Bill Simmons to get an authoritative read of this latest installment. As he often does, Simmons captures the mindset of the average American male approaching middle age on matters of sports and pop culture, even if he had the Ravens as only the sixth best team in the NFL going into last weekend.
Noteable Deaths
James Brown
The body of the Godfather of Soul lay in state at the Apollo Theater this week as mourners paid their respects. How cool is that? U.S. politicians get the Capitol, Russians get the Kremlin, and the pope gets St. Peter's, I would take the Apollo every time, given the choice.
Gerald Ford
Here we have a guy who was a great college football player who turned down the NFl for a life of public service. I know the money was nowhere near what it is now, but some reason, this makes me think of Pat Tillman, and the awesome sacrifice he made when he chose armed combat in Afghanistan over professional football.
Ralph Stebbins
Don't recognize the name? In April, 2005, the former well-digger won a $208 million Mega Millions jackpot. He and his wife quit their jobs and bought an RV. He died of a heart attack last Saturday. He was 43. Won't stop me from buying a ticket when the jackpot is more than $50 million.
Fini
So have a Happy New Year! We'll be watching the ball drop and a lot of football, but FitzFacts will return sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed reading this year as much as I enjoyed writing.
Colonials
First, one of the objects of my subtitular obsession. GW lost, 66-52, to a better team last night, the Air Force Academy. I listened to the first half driving the family home from the Maryland-Mount St. Mary's game (more on that later), and the powerful Washington Post Radio signal (AM 1500) stayed with me almost to my driveway, more than an hour from the Foggy Bottom campus. Nice upgrade there. The Colonials were trailing the sharp-shooting Falcons early, but by the time my sleeping kids had been transferred from Suburban to bed, GW had fought back and taken a 31-30 halftime lead.
Through the magic of the Internet, I watched the second half on a CSTV live video feed, listened to the Post Radio via the website, and checked in on the GWHoops chat room (Hey, I'm obsessed, remember?). Unfortunately, the audio and video were out of synch, so my little digital sports sensory festival was not quite perfect, but still, it's pretty amazing to think that all this is possible. More unfortunately, the Colonials were also off kilter and could not get untracked offensively in the second half.
After surrendering eight first half turnovers - they average just 10 per game - the Falcons settled down and and locked up GW for nearly five minutes as they retook the lead with a 10-0 run. The Colonials rallied to within four after Karl Hobbs called a second timeout, but Air Force applied the clamps for another three minutes, built the lead back to nine, and GW never threatened again. Air Force runs the "Princeton" offense effectively, which usually means that a second half lead becomes a death march of wide open three-pointers and late in the shot clock backdoor layups. GW is a team that you can never give up on, but once the Falcons found their comfort zone, it was all over.
The Colonials should regain their footing tonight against Colgate, but the only remaining non-con opponent is Marshall. Despite Duquesne's shocking OT win against BC last night, the Atlantic 10 looks like a one-bid league this year. That bid could be GW's, but there will be some bumps along the way. Hobbs has to incorporate Cheyenne Moore into the mix without sacrificing the impressive development of Rob Diggs and the potential flashed by Travis King and Damian Hollis. Should be fun to watch.
Wizards
At 16-12, the Wizards are in first place in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference and could have the second-best record in the conference with a win tonight. Go back and read that sentence again. When I predicted that Washington would get to .500 by the New Year, I never dreamed they would be brushing up against .600. Gilbert Arenas has been simply unbelievable, Caron Butler has been a beast, Antawn Jamison has decided to rebound as well as score, and Brendan Haywood(!) has shaken off the shackles of his detractors and brought legitimate inside game. The only thing more shocking than Washington's record in December (11-3 so far) is Comcast's decision to show the last two games on tape delay while putting the Caps on live. And tomorrow's game against Milwaukee is not televised at all? Looks like it's back to the video feed for me.
Terps
I made my first trip to the Comcast Center last night to watch Maryland dismember Mount St. Marys. On the Terps' first possession, Mike Jones got free on the left wing and made a three. The next possession, the Mount defense sagged on an inbounds play and Jones was wide open for another three from the same spot. He did the same thing on the next three possessions, from the exact same spot! Meanwhile, the Mounties had only mustered one free throw. It wasn't ever much of a contest but it's always fun for me to watch my kids enjoy a game. The arena is quite impressive, with some nice tributes to great moments in Maryland history sprinkled around the concourse.
I don't think I'll ever be a Terps fan, but I do enjoy watching them play. This team definitely has the talent to get to the Final Four, but they could just as easily bomb out in the early rounds of the tournament. If Gary Williams can play his freshman point guard combo right, there is no reason they can't challenge UNC for the ACC title.
Ravens
The Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl. I don't see why anything else needs to be said. Yes, San Diego has a record-breaking tailback, but Baltimore's defense dismantles and demoralizes, and the offense is good enough. And they are getting all kinds of motivation from being overlooked by the national media. Maybe I'll have more on this after the regualr season, but, I'm telling you right now, book it.
Movies
Night at the Museum
Four thumbs up from my family for this one. Creative and amusing for adults and kiddies and should be a bonanza for the Museum of Natural History. Obviously, if you are allergic to Ben Stiller's array of double-takes and his three facial displays of shock, surprise, and disbelief, you want to avoid this one, although only one of his usual coconspirators makes an appearance (shocking that Will Ferrell did not get a cameo). Also, I am a little tired of the "let's prove to the preteen kid that his divorced Dad isn't a loser" plotline, but there was enough other distraction to make this one work.
Charlotte's Web
From down south, my brother makes a strong buy recomendation for this classic, despite my earlier trepidations. He is something of an aficionado, with at least two candidates for Ferndom in his clan and multiple out-loud readings. I guess I will reconsider, as I can only hope that it is "radiant," "humble," and "some movie."
Rocky Balboa
Like most people, I lost track of Rocky somewhere between IV and V, but head on over to Bill Simmons to get an authoritative read of this latest installment. As he often does, Simmons captures the mindset of the average American male approaching middle age on matters of sports and pop culture, even if he had the Ravens as only the sixth best team in the NFL going into last weekend.
Noteable Deaths
James Brown
The body of the Godfather of Soul lay in state at the Apollo Theater this week as mourners paid their respects. How cool is that? U.S. politicians get the Capitol, Russians get the Kremlin, and the pope gets St. Peter's, I would take the Apollo every time, given the choice.
Gerald Ford
Here we have a guy who was a great college football player who turned down the NFl for a life of public service. I know the money was nowhere near what it is now, but some reason, this makes me think of Pat Tillman, and the awesome sacrifice he made when he chose armed combat in Afghanistan over professional football.
Ralph Stebbins
Don't recognize the name? In April, 2005, the former well-digger won a $208 million Mega Millions jackpot. He and his wife quit their jobs and bought an RV. He died of a heart attack last Saturday. He was 43. Won't stop me from buying a ticket when the jackpot is more than $50 million.
Fini
So have a Happy New Year! We'll be watching the ball drop and a lot of football, but FitzFacts will return sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed reading this year as much as I enjoyed writing.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Fa fa fa Friday, fa fa fa Friday
Run run run, run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu'est Que C'est?
Today's post title and subtitle come courtesy of the Talking Heads, of course. Don't read anything into it, I just liked the way it sounded with Friday.
So what's on tap for the weekend? Two great choices tonight. You've got the Rudolph/ Frosty doubleheader beginning at 8:00 on CBS, or Wizards-Sixers on ESPN - or Comcast SportsNet for you locals who like the homer announcing. If you're looking for something Xmassy from the new millenium, there's "The Polar Express" on ABC Family. We'll be on the cartoons from our couch, but the commercials required to stretch Rudolph to an hour should leave plenty of time to see if Gilbert and Co. can win their third in a row. And if neither of the above holiday video offerings are putting you in the spirit, then head on over to Big Stein's Bog and check out what YouTube is - or should be - all about.
For tomorrow, we've got the Colonials at Southern Cal; the Trojans are 5-2 coming off a loss at #13 Kansas. The game's marquee matchup pits USC's leading scorer Lodrick Stewart against GW's Carl Elliott. At 6-4, 210, Stewart shoots the three frequently and efficiently (17-39) and has the size to get to the basket. Freshman center Taj Gibson averages nearly 10 rebounds and has 12 blocks this season, but he has also fouled out of three games already. USC also has trouble hanging onto the ball (19.4 TOs/gm) and their lead assist man Daniel Hackett has an assist/turnover ratio lower than 1/1. Coming off an intense battle against the Jayhawks, look for USC to start slowly against GW, recover, and then become another victim of GW coach Karl Hobbs' halftime adjustments. Colonials 82, Trojans 75.
We will also be getting a Christmas tree tomorrow. At least, that's the plan. This particular holiday tradition has generations of family history, giving it a very high bloggability factor. Tune in Monday to see if tomorrow's expedition makes the annals.
Sunday, we've got the Ravens at Kansas City. Baltimore's toughest remaining game comes after a ten-day layoff following the loss at Cincinnati. If the defense scores a touchdown, the Ravens win by at least two TD's. If not, it probably comes down to a field goal. The Chiefs are playing for a wildcard spot, but they won't advance their cause this weekend. The Ravens have shut down top AFC backs LaDanian Tomlinson and Willie Parker, and it will be no different for KC's Larry Johnson.
That's it for me today. As my mother would say when her dog won't stop barking at a guest, "Peace!"
Psycho Killer
Qu'est Que C'est?
Today's post title and subtitle come courtesy of the Talking Heads, of course. Don't read anything into it, I just liked the way it sounded with Friday.
So what's on tap for the weekend? Two great choices tonight. You've got the Rudolph/ Frosty doubleheader beginning at 8:00 on CBS, or Wizards-Sixers on ESPN - or Comcast SportsNet for you locals who like the homer announcing. If you're looking for something Xmassy from the new millenium, there's "The Polar Express" on ABC Family. We'll be on the cartoons from our couch, but the commercials required to stretch Rudolph to an hour should leave plenty of time to see if Gilbert and Co. can win their third in a row. And if neither of the above holiday video offerings are putting you in the spirit, then head on over to Big Stein's Bog and check out what YouTube is - or should be - all about.
For tomorrow, we've got the Colonials at Southern Cal; the Trojans are 5-2 coming off a loss at #13 Kansas. The game's marquee matchup pits USC's leading scorer Lodrick Stewart against GW's Carl Elliott. At 6-4, 210, Stewart shoots the three frequently and efficiently (17-39) and has the size to get to the basket. Freshman center Taj Gibson averages nearly 10 rebounds and has 12 blocks this season, but he has also fouled out of three games already. USC also has trouble hanging onto the ball (19.4 TOs/gm) and their lead assist man Daniel Hackett has an assist/turnover ratio lower than 1/1. Coming off an intense battle against the Jayhawks, look for USC to start slowly against GW, recover, and then become another victim of GW coach Karl Hobbs' halftime adjustments. Colonials 82, Trojans 75.
We will also be getting a Christmas tree tomorrow. At least, that's the plan. This particular holiday tradition has generations of family history, giving it a very high bloggability factor. Tune in Monday to see if tomorrow's expedition makes the annals.
Sunday, we've got the Ravens at Kansas City. Baltimore's toughest remaining game comes after a ten-day layoff following the loss at Cincinnati. If the defense scores a touchdown, the Ravens win by at least two TD's. If not, it probably comes down to a field goal. The Chiefs are playing for a wildcard spot, but they won't advance their cause this weekend. The Ravens have shut down top AFC backs LaDanian Tomlinson and Willie Parker, and it will be no different for KC's Larry Johnson.
That's it for me today. As my mother would say when her dog won't stop barking at a guest, "Peace!"
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Wednesday Whatever
No hot topic to blog on today, but I guess I am not alone. ESPN.com's lead story asks the burning question, "Did Ali invent rap?"
GW won 79-56 over a subpar UMES team last night. Another strong second half by the Colonials put this one away with solid games from Rice (20 pts, 4-6 3FG), Elliott (13 pts, 7 rebounds, 5 steals), and an excellent performance from Rob Diggs (16pts, 7 rebounds, 7 blocks). Most noteworthy for the future was the first appearance of Cheyenne Moore in a GW uniform. Moore, who transferred from Clemson, had been out with a stress fracture and only played two minutes, but he is expected to be a major contributor this season. Also a nice 14 minutes from freshman Damian Hollis who was 4-4 from the field. The 7-1 Colonials get a better test on the road this Saturday at USC.
The Wizards walloped the hottest team in the NBA Monday night, but I was busy coaching my own cagers and didn't see a minute of the action. Big Stein has some all-access Gilbert material in the Bog today, but I'm more interested to see how the Wiz go at the Knicks tonight. They still haven't won on the road and got embarrassed in their last trip to the Garden, so the pieces would seem to be in place, but you just can't tell with this team yet. I'd love to see them get to .500 by the end of the month and then take a closer look.
The Ravens have had plenty of time to recover from last week's loss at Cincinnati. It wasn't a disaster, and the rest of the games this weekend showed how wide open the league is. New England looked shaky in their win, Indianapolis got dumped, and San Diego escaped from a bad Buffalo team. I know Dallas, Seattle and New Orleans are gathering momentum, but the NFC still stands for Nobody Freaking Cares when it comes to this year's Super Bowl race. Indy probably has a lock on home field for the playoffs, but Baltimore shouldn't have to go on the road until then.
Finally, on a nonsports note, I was walking the dog this morning, and as we turned up the hill for home, I noticed an object about the size of a football lying in the road. As we got closer, Sweet Pea did her usual curious, but easily-spooked, investigation (she was once startled by a bag of leaves). The item turned out to be a piece of meat, some sort of large, gristly roast, lying a few feet from the curb. It was quite red, not rotted at all, so I don' t think it had been there very long, and I guess it was too early for discovery by the turkey vultures that often take care of this sort of thing. There was not a shred of packaging nearby; I have no idea how it got there, and really can't come up with a plausible scenario. All I keep thinking is that if my life were a Tarantino or Coen brothers movie, I would have picked up the meat and set in motion a profanely hilarious and astonishingly violent sequence of events involving a multinational cast of grotesquely idiosyncratic characters. But my life, even with its daily moments of drama and comedy, is not a movie, so I kept the dog away from it, and headed home.
GW won 79-56 over a subpar UMES team last night. Another strong second half by the Colonials put this one away with solid games from Rice (20 pts, 4-6 3FG), Elliott (13 pts, 7 rebounds, 5 steals), and an excellent performance from Rob Diggs (16pts, 7 rebounds, 7 blocks). Most noteworthy for the future was the first appearance of Cheyenne Moore in a GW uniform. Moore, who transferred from Clemson, had been out with a stress fracture and only played two minutes, but he is expected to be a major contributor this season. Also a nice 14 minutes from freshman Damian Hollis who was 4-4 from the field. The 7-1 Colonials get a better test on the road this Saturday at USC.
The Wizards walloped the hottest team in the NBA Monday night, but I was busy coaching my own cagers and didn't see a minute of the action. Big Stein has some all-access Gilbert material in the Bog today, but I'm more interested to see how the Wiz go at the Knicks tonight. They still haven't won on the road and got embarrassed in their last trip to the Garden, so the pieces would seem to be in place, but you just can't tell with this team yet. I'd love to see them get to .500 by the end of the month and then take a closer look.
The Ravens have had plenty of time to recover from last week's loss at Cincinnati. It wasn't a disaster, and the rest of the games this weekend showed how wide open the league is. New England looked shaky in their win, Indianapolis got dumped, and San Diego escaped from a bad Buffalo team. I know Dallas, Seattle and New Orleans are gathering momentum, but the NFC still stands for Nobody Freaking Cares when it comes to this year's Super Bowl race. Indy probably has a lock on home field for the playoffs, but Baltimore shouldn't have to go on the road until then.
Finally, on a nonsports note, I was walking the dog this morning, and as we turned up the hill for home, I noticed an object about the size of a football lying in the road. As we got closer, Sweet Pea did her usual curious, but easily-spooked, investigation (she was once startled by a bag of leaves). The item turned out to be a piece of meat, some sort of large, gristly roast, lying a few feet from the curb. It was quite red, not rotted at all, so I don' t think it had been there very long, and I guess it was too early for discovery by the turkey vultures that often take care of this sort of thing. There was not a shred of packaging nearby; I have no idea how it got there, and really can't come up with a plausible scenario. All I keep thinking is that if my life were a Tarantino or Coen brothers movie, I would have picked up the meat and set in motion a profanely hilarious and astonishingly violent sequence of events involving a multinational cast of grotesquely idiosyncratic characters. But my life, even with its daily moments of drama and comedy, is not a movie, so I kept the dog away from it, and headed home.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Ravens Rumble
Media darlings Indianapolis and New England posted impressive wins on Sunday, but the Ravens slapped Pittsburgh so hard the Penguins dropped two places in the NHL standings. Ray Lewis' return to the Baltimore lineup inspired the defense's second shutout performance of the season, a team effort that included nine sacks, two interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown. This defense doesn't just hold teams, it brutalizes them like O-Dog stomping a crackhead in Menace II Society. (Check that, it was Caine who did the stomping; O-Dog just casually and frequently blew people away). Pittsburgh converted only one third down in 12 attempts and Willie Parker, who came in as one of the top rushers in the AFC, was held to 22 yards on 10 carries.
On the other side of the ball, Steve McNair, Jamal Lewis and a suddenly impressive offensive line did exactly what is required of a unit that has to live in the defense's shadow while benefiting from its prowess. McNair picked apart the Pittsburgh secondary, going 18-24 with no interceptions and one touchdown. His longest completion was the 20-yard TD to Todd Heap, but he wasn't sacked or even forced to run, and he played a mistake free game. Lewis' longest gain from scrimmage was only 11 yards, but he scored a touchdown and, for the fourth straight game, did not fumble.
In 2000, after the Ravens edged the division-leading Tennessee Titans 14-13 to push their record to 7-4, Brian Billick threatened to fine anyone in the Baltimore organization who even uttered the word "playoffs." After starting the season 5-1, his team had suffered a three-game losing streak in which the offense had produced a paltry total of 15 points, and the head coach was understandably concerned about getting distracted and overconfident. Of course, the Ravens ripped through the rest of the season undefeated and went on to win Super Bowl XXXV. Now that Baltimore is 9-2, with the opportunity to clinch the division title this Thursday at Cincinnati, no such edict has been issued.
The last time the Ravens played the Bengals, Baltimore scored two quick touchdowns as Cincinnati fumbled away the opening kickoff and Carson Palmer's first pass was picked off and returned all the way. The Bengals fought to get back in the game, and injuries to Ed Reed and Ray Lewis weakened the Ravens on D, but not even some bewildering clock management by Billick in the fourth quarter could make up such a significant early deficit. Both teams will be on short rest this week, but a healthy Ravens' defense should scare Cincinnati.
ESPN's current power rankings place the Ravens third behind Indianapolis and San Diego (whom the Ravens beat). As usual, offensive pyrotechnics have captured the fancy of writers like Len Pasquarelli, who writes today about an increase in big plays and fails to mention that the Ravens' defense has scored five touchdowns this season and would have at least two more if a few defensive linemen hadn't run out of gas near the goal line on long fumble returns. This is exactly the sort of bulletin board material that will allow Billick to convince his team that they are not being given the respect they deserve. Opposing quarterbacks should double-check their insurance policies, and make sure their chiropractor and massage therapists have their calendars cleared.
On the other side of the ball, Steve McNair, Jamal Lewis and a suddenly impressive offensive line did exactly what is required of a unit that has to live in the defense's shadow while benefiting from its prowess. McNair picked apart the Pittsburgh secondary, going 18-24 with no interceptions and one touchdown. His longest completion was the 20-yard TD to Todd Heap, but he wasn't sacked or even forced to run, and he played a mistake free game. Lewis' longest gain from scrimmage was only 11 yards, but he scored a touchdown and, for the fourth straight game, did not fumble.
In 2000, after the Ravens edged the division-leading Tennessee Titans 14-13 to push their record to 7-4, Brian Billick threatened to fine anyone in the Baltimore organization who even uttered the word "playoffs." After starting the season 5-1, his team had suffered a three-game losing streak in which the offense had produced a paltry total of 15 points, and the head coach was understandably concerned about getting distracted and overconfident. Of course, the Ravens ripped through the rest of the season undefeated and went on to win Super Bowl XXXV. Now that Baltimore is 9-2, with the opportunity to clinch the division title this Thursday at Cincinnati, no such edict has been issued.
The last time the Ravens played the Bengals, Baltimore scored two quick touchdowns as Cincinnati fumbled away the opening kickoff and Carson Palmer's first pass was picked off and returned all the way. The Bengals fought to get back in the game, and injuries to Ed Reed and Ray Lewis weakened the Ravens on D, but not even some bewildering clock management by Billick in the fourth quarter could make up such a significant early deficit. Both teams will be on short rest this week, but a healthy Ravens' defense should scare Cincinnati.
ESPN's current power rankings place the Ravens third behind Indianapolis and San Diego (whom the Ravens beat). As usual, offensive pyrotechnics have captured the fancy of writers like Len Pasquarelli, who writes today about an increase in big plays and fails to mention that the Ravens' defense has scored five touchdowns this season and would have at least two more if a few defensive linemen hadn't run out of gas near the goal line on long fumble returns. This is exactly the sort of bulletin board material that will allow Billick to convince his team that they are not being given the respect they deserve. Opposing quarterbacks should double-check their insurance policies, and make sure their chiropractor and massage therapists have their calendars cleared.
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