(Image: thepurplechaos.com)
Monday, January 31, 2011
A Letter to Baltimore Ravens Fans: Moving Forward
Looking for some positive reflection on the Ravens 2010 season? Head over to www.thepurplechaos.com and read the latest post from Conoon Kim about what we should be happy about coming out of the season!
Jamison Hensley's 2010 Ravens awards
Here are a FEW of the highlights from the Baltimore Sun's Jamison Hensley's 2010 Ravens Awards! Be sure to check out his full list!
Most Valuable Player:
Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle. When analyzing why the Ravens allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL, it starts with one of the most feared defensive linemen in the league. Ngata's impact was felt in three of the Ravens' biggest victories this season: making 11 tackles at Pittsburgh, pressuring Matt Schaub into throwing the game-winning interception in Houston and deflecting a fourth-quarter pass from Drew Brees that led to a victory-clinching interception against defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans.
Offensive Player of the Year:
Todd Heap, tight end. Anquan Boldin was the best offensive weapon in the first half of the season, and Derrick Mason took that title for the final two months of the regular season. But no one was more consistent over the entire season than Heap, who led the Ravens with a 15-yard-per-catch average and scored at critical times. All five of his touchdowns either gave the Ravens the lead or cut the deficit to one score.
Defensive Player of the Year:
Ed Reed, safety. Reed led the NFL with eight interceptions despite being on the physically-unable-to-perform list for the first six games of the season. He influenced games even when he wasn't recording the turnover himself. In six games without Reed, the Ravens managed five turnovers. In 10 games with him, they forced 22.
Worst Play:
The strip of Joe Flacco by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu. With the Ravens not picking up the blitz on the left side (whether it was Michael Oher's missing a block on the Steelers safety or Flacco's holding onto the ball too long), this fourth-quarter turnover cost the Ravens a victory against their biggest rival, first place in the AFC North and control over a first-round bye in the playoffs. No play changed the Ravens' Super Bowl fortune more than this one.
Most Frsutrating Trend:
Michael Oher's false starts. It seemed he was jumping early once every game. He finished with eight of them, a sign that he might not be comfortable with the switch to left tackle.
Best Hit:
Linebacker Ray Lewis on the Jets' Dustin Keller. In an era where every hit is now scrutinized, Lewis' blow to the tight end was legal and devastating. Lewis drove his right shoulder into the chest of Keller, who was leveled to the ground. Lewis later described his fourth-quarter hit, saying, “It's like a quarterback throwing a big touchdown.
Biggest Surprise:
Billy Cundiff, kicker. Most consistent player on the entire team, Cundiff earned his first Pro Bowl and a five-year contract when he tied the NFL record with 40 touchbacks and converted 26 of 29 field goals (89.7 percent).
Most Frustrating Moment:
"The third-quarter meltdown at Pittsburgh. The Ravens were one half away from beating the Steelers in the AFC divisional round, but three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception) in a span of seven snaps caused a 14-point lead to disintegrate along with the Ravens' Super Bowl dreams."
Wall Street Journal Article Ranks Ravens NFL's #6 Most Exciting Team
"[ Thuuz, the company referenced in this NFL piece - was the lead for Wall Street Journal Sports on Thursday, January 27th. Thuuz is changing the way people watch sports. Thuuz measures the excitement levels of games and lets you know where the best games are (see Sports Illustrated article).
How Thuuz works: Thuuz's complex algorithm analyzes sports excitement as it happens by automatically using Gamecast information, charting a play-by-play rating of excitement. The algorithm assigns each games excitement level on a 0-100 scale. It's a pretty cool service for sports fans everywhere. With Thuuz, everyone can make sure they never miss any of the week's best action. We'll even tell you when during the game to tune in to get all the game's excitement. ]"
Original post from Baltimore Beat Down
How Thuuz works: Thuuz's complex algorithm analyzes sports excitement as it happens by automatically using Gamecast information, charting a play-by-play rating of excitement. The algorithm assigns each games excitement level on a 0-100 scale. It's a pretty cool service for sports fans everywhere. With Thuuz, everyone can make sure they never miss any of the week's best action. We'll even tell you when during the game to tune in to get all the game's excitement. ]"
Original post from Baltimore Beat Down
Ravens 24x7: The Recipe for a 5 Star Ravens' Offseason
"[ 1. Bookend pass rusher to pair with Terrell Suggs: The Ravens can’t hold their collective breath hoping for Sergio Kindle’s cranium to strengthen to the point of being able to withstand the collisions of the NFL. They also can’t keep hoping for Paul Kruger to develop some consistency. A tag team edge rusher makes the Ravens secondary better and they’ll likely force more turnovers and win the battles for field position.
2. Offensive tackle: I’m not one to conclude that Michael Oher can’t handle left tackle. I think a predictable offense makes his job more difficult. That said, the Ravens need to find another tackle in the draft and third or fourth round projects like Oniel Cousins or David Hale are unacceptable. Convincing a motivated Jared Gaither to give it one more try is a worthy effort.
3. Speed at WR: The Ravens need to find their own Mike Wallace and that is a challenge for an organization that has failed consistently in identifying talent at the position. Back in 2000 they burned a first round pick on Travis Taylor (10) and passed on more productive players like Laveranues Coles (78) and Darrell Jackson (80) and in 2005 they opted for Mark Clayton (22) and passed on Roddy White (27) and Vincent Jackson (61). Stiffs like Devard Darling and Marcus Smith (both 3rd round picks) won’t cut it either.
4. Inside LB: Inconsistency plagues the Ray Lewis sidekick flavor of the day (Dannell Ellerbe, Jameel McClain, Tavares Gooden) and that has to change, particularly as the end draws nearer for No. 52.
5. Safety: Dawan Landry had an up and down season in 2010; Haruki Nakamura is too small to be a strong safety and Tom Zbikowski isn’t dependable. The Ravens could use a more consistent enforcer to pair with Ed Reed. ]"
Original post from Ravensx24x7
2. Offensive tackle: I’m not one to conclude that Michael Oher can’t handle left tackle. I think a predictable offense makes his job more difficult. That said, the Ravens need to find another tackle in the draft and third or fourth round projects like Oniel Cousins or David Hale are unacceptable. Convincing a motivated Jared Gaither to give it one more try is a worthy effort.
3. Speed at WR: The Ravens need to find their own Mike Wallace and that is a challenge for an organization that has failed consistently in identifying talent at the position. Back in 2000 they burned a first round pick on Travis Taylor (10) and passed on more productive players like Laveranues Coles (78) and Darrell Jackson (80) and in 2005 they opted for Mark Clayton (22) and passed on Roddy White (27) and Vincent Jackson (61). Stiffs like Devard Darling and Marcus Smith (both 3rd round picks) won’t cut it either.
4. Inside LB: Inconsistency plagues the Ray Lewis sidekick flavor of the day (Dannell Ellerbe, Jameel McClain, Tavares Gooden) and that has to change, particularly as the end draws nearer for No. 52.
5. Safety: Dawan Landry had an up and down season in 2010; Haruki Nakamura is too small to be a strong safety and Tom Zbikowski isn’t dependable. The Ravens could use a more consistent enforcer to pair with Ed Reed. ]"
Original post from Ravensx24x7
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Taylor Talks: Was Firing Zorn An Insult To Flacco?
I think that there is certainly a lot of drama around the announcement that the Ravens decided to fire QB coach Jim Zorn. Quite frankly, I'm glad to see Joe Flacco get so fired up about something but at the same time, should he really be so surprised? It can't come as a shock to him that the Ravens would make some changes to their coaching staff after their disappointment with the offensive play this season. After announcing that Cam Cameron would return to the coaching staff in 2011, I think that replacing Jim Zorn was somewhat predictable. However, I don't think that Flacco should be reacting so personally to this announcement. People have been criticizing the inability of the offense to make big plays all season and his name has certainly has earned its own fair share of criticism. I think Flacco should look at this as the Ravens giving him the opportunity to work with someone who will continue to help shape him into the all-star QB that he seems to have the potential to be. Something wasn't working this season and the Ravens have finally made an attempt to shake things up and make some changes. For that, I respect them and I look forward to seeing what else they do to strengthen our offense and elevate our overall level of play in 2011. The internet, in particular Twitter, is certainly on fire over this issue and the Ravens have announced that they do not plan to respond to Flacco's comments. I will throw the question out to you all in the mean time; do you think that there is legitimate reason for Flacco to be offended?
Flacco called Bisciotti and Harbaugh to support Zorn
"[ Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is angered about the firing of Jim Zorn and expressed disappointment that the organization didn’t take his opinion into account.
Flacco voiced his support of Zorn to owner Steve Bisciotti and coach John Harbaugh after the season and left those conversations believing Zorn’s job was safe.
On Thursday, the Ravens fired Zorn and expanded offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s responsibilities with quarterbacks.
“I'm not happy about it, and they know I'm not happy about it,” Flacco said. “I’m not going to be happy about it for a long time.”
By getting rid of Zorn, Flacco felt like the Ravens were taking a swipe at his performance this season.
“I’m kind of taking it personal,” Flacco said. “You’re saying that you’re not happy with the position. I’m not sure if there is any truth to that, but that’s the vibe you’re sending to your quarterback. I feel like I’m being attacked.” ]"
Flacco's Thoughts On QB Coaches Move
"[ “Things will go just great,” Flacco said moments after he participated in the MSP Polar Bear Plunge, which benefits Special Olympics Maryland. “We’ve got a bunch of guys who want to win football games and we’re going to win football games. That’s what we do, on a year-to-year basis. We’d like to win a little bit more than we have the last couple of years, but, hey, that’s how it goes sometimes.
“I guess Cam [Cameron, Offensive Coordinator] is going to take more of a role in the quarterback room, he’s always in the quarterback room. He’s going to have his influence. He’s the offensive coordinator. We’re going to do things the way he wants them. And I still wish Jim would have been part of that.”
Without Zorn, Cameron will share quarterback duties with Offensive Assistant Craig Ver Steeg. And, Head Coach John Harbaugh said he will be more involved with the offensive meetings, after spending his first three years in Baltimore with a more active role on defense and special teams.
“John’s going to be make sure things are ran, that things are going the way he wants them to,” said Flacco. “I don’t think he’s going to necessarily have too many opinions about what we should be doing and putting in the game plan as an offense, but I think he’s going to be overseeing everything and making sure that everybody is in tune to the meetings and things like that.”
Flacco, who is a spokesman for Special Olympics Maryland, said he took Zorn’s firing personally.
After throwing for a career-best 3,622 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, Flacco believes the Ravens’ offense was moving in the right direction with Zorn on staff.
Flacco said he made his feelings clear to the organization.
“I also feel like a little bit like I’m being attacked,” Flacco said. “You fire the quarterback coach. Usually when your fire a position coach, it’s because you’re not really happy with how that position did. And when I look back on my season and our season as a team, I mean, we won 13 games. I felt like I had a pretty good year and you’re firing the quarterback coach? It’s kind of an attack on me, I feel like. ]"
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Purple Chaos
I am thrilled to have linked forces with one of my favorite Ravens sites, The Purple Chaos! I will be guest writing for them as well as continuing to feature some of their writing on my own blog! Check out some of the interesting things they have going on over there!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Cam Cameron To Have Greater Role With Ravens QB's
"[ The Baltimore Ravens are banking on offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in a major way, firing quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn and inserting Cameron as his primary replacement.
The Ravens are definitely pushing their chips into the middle of the table with Cameron, who drew heavy criticism for a lackluster offense that failed to live up to expectations despite the presence of a former Pro Bowl player at every skill position except for quarterback.
Cameron was retained by coach John Harbaugh, but Zorn and offensive line coach John Matsko have been dismissed since the Ravens' crushing playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"We’ve talked about this since the end of the season, and we believe this will help improve our offense," Harbaugh said. “Cam is noted for his development of quarterbacks, and that includes Joe Flacco and Pro Bowl players like Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. Cam is excited about this change and is looking forward to it.” ]"
Happy 10-year anniversary!
"[ On Jan. 28, 2001, the Ravens routed the New York Giants, 34-7, in Tampa, Fla., where their crowning glory came on the wings of what brought them there: suffocating defense, big-play special teams and timely offense.
A decade ago – has it really been that long – the Ravens found themselves on top of the football world when they got a 38-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trent Dilfer to Brandon Stokley for the early lead, an 84-yard kickoff return from Jermaine Lewis for a clinching touchdown, and an MVP performance from Ray Lewis.
Lewis finished with five tackles and deflected four passes to become the seventh defensive player in the history of the Super Bowl -- and first middle linebacker -- to win the Pete Rozelle Award as MVP.
"This win is something they can't take away from us,” Lewis said after the Super Bowl triumph. “We are the best ever, the best ever right now."
The Ravens didn't get the shutout -- New York's Ron Dixon returned a kickoff for a 97-yard touchdown in the third quarter -- even though the defense deserved one.
The Ravens’ defense intercepted overmatched quarterback Kerry Collins for times and held the Giants to 152 total yards.
"This is the best defense ever to play the game," defensive tackle Tony Siragusa said.
Dilfer completed 12 of 25 passes for 153 yards, and rookie running back Jamal Lewis punched out 102 yards with one touchdown.
"We're the best team in football and we proved it," said Dilfer, who made his return to Tampa triumphant. "We knew it. We had the heart, the will and the confidence. We knew we had a great team. Today was just a matter of going out and proving what we already knew." ]"
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Inside The Ravens With Aaron Wilson - Ravens Fire QB Coach Jim Zorn!
"[ The Baltimore Ravens have fired quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn after one season, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.
The former Washington Redskins head coach spent one season in Baltimore coaching Joe Flacco.
According to a source, Zorn wasn't an ideal fit with the rest of the staff. Privately, he was often described as quirky or odd in terms of his coaching style.
Zorn had a strong background in the West Coast offense and close ties to Cleveland Browns team president Mike Holmgren. He's expected to draw interest from teams.
When he wasn't brought to the Senior Bowl this week and remained in Baltimore to huddle with coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, it was regarded as a negative sign about his status.
Zorn replaced popular Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, the new Oakland Raiders coach, last January when Jackson was hired as the Raiders' offensive coordinator. ]"
Willis McGahee 'Plays Defense' for Animals by Posing in PETA's "Ink, Not Mink" Campaign
While the record setting running-back may play offense for the Baltimore Ravens, Willis McGahee recently shifted roles to play defense for animals to help prevent them from being killed for their fur. McGahee is the latest athlete featured in PETA's, "Ink, Not Mink" campaign. In his photo shoot, McGahee shows off his tattoo's (and a whole lot more!) as he seeks to raise awareness for cruelty toward animals.
He posed for two print advertisements, one pictured below and the other a little too racy for this site, and also shot a behind-the-scenes interview with PETA. In the interview he talks about his personal feelings about celebrities who wear fur.
“Somebody see a celebrity with a fur coat on, you know it’s going to be a trending topic, so somebody’s going to have to go out and get it,” McGahee said. “I don’t think they understand where it comes from or how they treat the animal to get the fur.”
The Ravens star made it even more personal when he talked about his relationship with his dogs.
“Dogs are somewhat like human beings,” he said. “You gotta treat them like you treat your kids.”
Good for him! (and lucky for us!) Check out his full interview below!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Re-shaping the offensive line
"[ Pressed for answers about the Ravens' dysfunctional offense, coach John Harbaugh reluctantly identified the biggest problem as lack of a consistent run game and cited the fact the team had three offensive linemen playing at three different positions.
How that offensive line shapes up next season is anyone's guess, but it isn't likely to shape up the same way. Harbaugh declined to go into specifics about his plans for next year, but he did supply some hints! ]"
Harbaugh's influence on offense to increase
"[ In the wake of another divisional playoff loss, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he is going to become more involved with the offense and make more clear to the staff his idea of what that offense should be.
After last week's series of news conferences, Harbaugh said he has been reluctant to interrupt offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's thought process during a game. What he hopes to do, he said, is to give the staff more direction on what he expects and wants out of the offense.
"I try not to knock Cam off his thought process while he's calling plays," Harbaugh said. "So as soon as a play ends, the coordinator's already got a thought process while that play's going on. So if I interject — call this play or that play, or run the ball or pass the ball — he'll do it. But then again, I've got to respect the fact he's trying to build something. He's setting things up and he's building the next play call.
"I don't want to mess with that, especially if I'm not involved with the offensive game plan. Yet, before the series starts or during the course of a game, a lot of times, I'll make him aware of what I'm seeing, what they're doing defensively, what I think he's doing offensively. Especially if it's a situation, is it going to be four downs here? ... I'm thinking about going for it if it's going to be close.
"There are times we call timeouts, we talk about some of those things, some of those crunch situations. Sometimes I'll dictate, [but] not that often. I rarely dictate a specific play, but I might dictate how to approach the play." ]"
Dickson Sees Big Things In 2011
"[ Tight end Ed Dickson was perhaps the rookie who stood out the most during Baltimore’s Organized Team Activities and training camp in 2010.
But like all of Baltimore’s rookies, he spent much of his first season playing behind an established veteran starter.
Dickson logged 11 receptions for 152 yards and one touchdown as Todd Heap’s backup in 2010. The confident Oregon product envisions much more next season.
“I’m happy with the experience that I got, but I’m definitely going to continue to get better,” Dickson said.
“It was my rookie season. You’re definitely going to see big things coming out of me next year. I’m going to get a little bit stronger, faster, everything.”
Dickson did have two of the more memorable catches of the year. He hauled in a 58-yard bomb against Denver in Week 5, in which he out-muscled former Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins, and a 34-yard touchdown in Week 15, in which he ran over a Saints defender. ]"
Framing the Free-Agent Market
Feeling a little confused about all of the free-agent talk? Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun, breaks it all down for you and clears up anything you might have questions about! Check it out!
Taylor’s Twitter Talk: Trending Topics Among Ravens Tweeters
Before taking my introduction to communication course last semester, I had a complete misunderstanding about what Twitter was and the purpose that it served. I assumed it was a self-indulgent platform for celebrities to endorse themselves as well as an expanded platform for Facebook addicts to update their current status. Boy was I wrong! As soon as I created a Twitter account, I was blown away by the amount of information I could find there.
My most exciting moment was when I realized how many Ravens players have personal Twitter accounts that they update frequently throughout the day. Through Twitter, I have immediate access to the thoughts and day-to-day actions of these guys that I idolize on the football field. Reading their Tweets makes me connect to them on a more personal level, as I am given the opportunity to see what it is that they do and think about off the field.
Who Tweets? My favorite players to follow on Twitter are probably Le’Ron McClain (@LeRonMcClain33) and Donte Stallworth (@DonteStallworth). Why? Le’Ron is always talking about where the next party is and it is fun to get a glimpse into what the social life of a NFL player is like. His Tweets are entertaining and he frequently converses with other Ravens on Twitter. This has led me to the discovery of many other Tweeting Ravens that I might not have found on my own! Donte Stallworth on the other hand, likes to Tweet thought provoking quotes and deep insight. The discovery of his Twitter account was kind of surprising to me, as his Tweets are pretty different from those of other NFL players.
Ray Rice (@RayRice27), Michael Oher (@MichaelOher), Fabian Washington (FabeWash31), Anquan Boldin (@AnquanBoldin), Willis McGahee (@WillisMcGahee), Ray Lewis (@RayLewis52com), and Qadry Ismail (@QadryIsmail) are among the other frequent Ravens Tweeters. These guys post anything from injury and health updates to pre and post-game thoughts on gameday. They also comment on practice or link to funny personal pictures and videos of teammates.
As if following the players isnt enough incentive to check out Twitter, there are also a lot of Ravens news sites that post updates to Twitter! I find the bulk of my links and interesting blog posts from scanning my Twitter-feed daily. I can follow ESPN Sports Analysts like James Walker and get updates on his AFC North blog or I can follow other Ravens bloggers to help share and promote their links and stories!
The offseason is here and there is a lot of down time for the players so my guess is that they will be Tweeting frequently! Want to get to know them a little better before the 2011 season rolls around? Sign up for Twitter and start following them today! I’m going to post some funny or interesting Tweets from the players as I come across them so that everyone can see what I am talking about!
If I missed anyone or if you have any suggestions about who else to follow on Twitter, I want to hear from you! What else are you going to do in the offseason?! START TWEETING!
This Week's Top Tweeters: (Just a few of the many Ravens Tweets from the week!)
"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." ~Confucius
Am I a fat guy just because I can eat a dozen krispy Kream glazed donuts
I've been up since 5:15 am not a good look right now
Watching "Third Reich: The Rise" on the History channel... So many things I didn't know
24 years young thank god for letting me see another year happy birthday to myself and thanks to everyone for the bday love
Humans are creatures of habit... Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of
Got a question me and ed reed have had arguments about which college Team was better to watch my year 02,03 or his 01,02 (canes)
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