Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ravens Japanese Quake Relief

From the Baltimore Ravens website:


Date of Event: 4/2/2011 
Time of Event: 12 - 3pm 
Location: Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen MD




The Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief effort in Japan will benefit from an afternoon of entertainment, autographs and family fun on April 2 from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.
Organized by Baltimore Ravens safety Haruki Nakamura, the event will include other players like Joe Flacco who will be on hand to autograph two items for a $50 donation and five items for $100. All proceeds from the autograph sessions and day-long raffles will be donated to the Red Cross International Relief Fund which is providing emergency relief for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.
About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization—not a government agency—and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross-cmd.org
Attendees: Haruki Nakamura, Joe Flacco

Finding Another Ray Lewis Is An Impossible Task

While they may be expressing interest in Matthews as indicated in my post below quoting ESPN's AFC North Blog, the Baltimore Ravens website states that they are not necessarily looking for his heir in this years draft.

Even though Ray Lewis is entering his 16th year, the Ravens aren’t necessarily looking for his heir in this year’s NFL Draft.
According to Ravens Director of College Scouting Joe Hortiz, finding another Lewis is an impossible task.
Arguably the greatest draft pick in Ravens history, the former first-rounder (1996) is still playing at an extremely-high level.
“How can you follow Ray Lewis?  It’s impossible to do.  It’s not going to happen. You’re not going to get another Ray Lewis,” said Hortiz.  “There’s been one Ray Lewis, and those guys are rare.  We’re blessed to have him on this team and be able to watch him go into his 16th season. 
“All of us and the City of Baltimore have been touched by him in one way or another.”

ESPN AFC North Blog: Ravens hold private workout for Casey Matthews

According the James Walker, ESPN's AFC North blogger:


The Baltimore Ravens continue to show significant interest in Oregon middle linebacker Casey Matthews. The Ravens are holding a private workout for Matthews on Wednesday, the AFC North blog has learned.

Baltimore will put Matthews through team-specific drills and get an up-close look at the middle linebacker. The Ravens are putting a strong effort into finding a pupil and possible successor to future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis in this draft. Lewis will be 36 in May and is entering his 16th season. 




ESPN SportsNation voters say Ray Lewis had best hit of 2010

According to the Baltimore Sun:


Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis blew up Dustin Keller in Week 1 as if the Jets tight end was another puny planet in the path of his rocket-powered raven ride through outer space. Lewis' huge hit stood the test of time, as voters on ESPN's SportsNation recently voted it as the best hit of the 2010 NFL season.

Lewis' hit on Keller received more than 55 percent of the 2,754 votes. 


Players Staying Busy Despite Lockout

It is actually really interesting to see what kind of hobbies our beloved Ravens have off of the football field as evidenced by their recent activities during the work stoppage. 


Want to know what your favorite Raven has been up to during the lockout? 


The Baltimore Ravens website has compiled a list of some of the most high-profile Ravens and what they have been up to in their down time! Check it out!

Coaches Closer Than Ever To Prospects

According to the Baltimore Ravens website, one perk to the lockout has been the opportunity for Ravens coaches to spend more time getting to know their prospective players. 



“We’ve been able to get coaches to more pro days and workouts, so that’s going to be an added benefit for us,” said Ravens Director of College Scouting Joe Hortiz.  “In terms of volume of players [we study], that’s going to be the same. 
“But I think the biggest positive is that our coaches have been able to spend more time on the road, whereas in the past, they would have to be back for football school.”
Representatives in purple and black have reportedly attended several pro days of first-round draft picks, such as Colorado’s – which featured cornerback Jimmy Smith and offensive tackle Nate Solder – Georgia’s (Justin Houston), Maryland’s (Torrey Smith), Missouri (Adrian Clayborn) and Arizona (Brooks Reed).

Who Would You Draft? OLBs

According to the Baltimore Ravens website, they are actively scouting out a pass rusher opposite Terrell Suggs in this years NFL Draft and are interested in what fans have to say about it!
As far as outside linebackers go, there is a plethora of pass rushers that could fit into Baltimore’s multiple-look scheme.

The Ravens have made no secret about their desire to add another pressure player opposite 2010 sack leader Terrell Suggs, and this draft is full of them.
In fact, several draft pundits have called this year’s pass-rushing group one of the deepest in recent years.
Visit the site to see who the Ravens are considering in this years draft class and cast your vote for who Y O U would choose!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

NFL Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice Invites Kids to Fuel Up To Play 60

National Football Post Aaron Wilson Reports on Will Rackley's Day With the Ravens


Lehigh offensive lineman Will Rackley runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)


According to Aaron Wilson, Lehigh offensive guard Will Rackley participated in a private workout with the Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach Andy Moeller today. 



Rackley is regarded as a rising draft prospect who's projected to go in the third round.
The 6-foot-3, 309-pounder bench pressed 225 pounds 29 times at the NFL scouting combine and ran the 40-yard dash in 5.39 seconds at his Pro Day workout with a 27-inch vertical leap.
He's a first-team All-American selection and a three-time All-Patriot League choice who started 40 consecutive games.
Rackley held his Pro Day here at Lehigh on March 17th and it was attended by several teams including the Giants, Jets, Vikings, 49ers, Bengals and Seahawks. 
Wilson also reported that:
Rackley was only 6-foot-2, 260 pounds coming out of high school. A good student with a 3.4 grade point average in high school and a 1080 SAT score, Rackley was recruited by several Patriot League schools.
"I wasn't too highly recruited, but fortunately I had good academics out of high school," Rackley said at the NFL scouting combine. "I was getting recruited by a lot of Patriot League schools--Lehigh, Lafayette, Colgate. I took my visit to Lehigh, loved the atmostphere, loved the academic tradition, loved the football tradition, so it was a good fit."
As a student at Lehigh, I can honestly say the entire campus community is waiting anxiously to see what is in store for Will! I might be a little bit biased here but I really hope he ends up wearing black and purple!




Which NFL star has the most interesting off-season hobby during the lockout?

Click here to cast your vote in my new poll! 

Exlusive Locker Room Twit-Vid: Kelly Gregg slams Arthur Jones



 Ray Rice 

Well Here it is people @ getting slammed by Kelly Gregg

Narrated by the one and only, Ray Lewis!

Lehigh University's own Will Rackley to work out with the Ravens this morning



 Will Rackley 
@: got a workout with your boys this morning haha

At a smaller school like Lehigh, we rarely have the opportunity to watch one of our own work his way into playing professional sports. However, this year, our very own Will Rackley of the Lehigh football team was named an NFL draft prospect. After watching him travel to the combine, it is so exciting to follow his story and see what is next for him! Just heard news from him this morning that he will be working out with "[my] boys" aka THE RAVENS this morning! Can't wait to hear how it goes!

Haruki Nakamura’s Fundraiser For Japan

According to CBS Baltimore:

Ravens Safety Haruki Nakamura joined The Norris & Davis Show to talk about his fundraising event for The Red Cross/Japan Earthquakes & Tsunami at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen April 2nd.

Check out the following link for the live conversation with Nakamura!



Tom Zbikowski says he wants to box in Baltimore

According to the Baltimore Sun's Ravens Insider


Tom Zbikowski sported white trunks with purple trim at his most recent fight, an obvious nod to the Ravens. His ring entrance music came from a local rapper.

Zbikowski certainly brought Baltimore to Atlantic City, N.J., where he won a hard-fought unanimous decision over Caleb Grummet on Saturday night.

So, when will the Ravens safety bring one of his professional boxing matches to Baltimore?

"I'm trying to," Zbikowski said after he improved his record to 3-0. "I'll do whatever I can to get a fight there."



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Zbikowski's Boxing An Unexpected Positive

Photo: http://bit.ly/hKdzGH

While many speculated that the Ravens wouldn't approve of their player putting himself in such an injury prone situation, Zbikowski's boxing has actually proven to be a welcome distraction from the drama surrounding the lockout. 


Owner Steve Bisciotti thought it was so “awesome” that he wanted to lead “Tommy Z” into the ring. And while Head Coach John Harbaugh was slightly more circumspect, saying Zbikowski told him before the lockout “there was no risk of injury so I guess I’ll have to take him at his word,” he didn’t sound upset.

Amid the daily onslaught of blah-blah reports from the labor front, Zbikowski is actually competing, giving fans in Baltimore something to follow and get excited about. Just like the old song said, Saturday nights are for fighting!
While teams elsewhere fret about their fans dozing off at the news of lawyers exchanging briefs, the Ravens are actually polishing their image as one of the NFL’s toughest teams thanks to Zbikowski.
They should be thrilled he is out there battling in trunks with purple trim, offering an upbeat distraction from the sobering reality that pro football has hit the pause button. Few other teams are getting such positive P.R.



Meet the 2011 Rookie Cheerleaders!

After intense auditions, including a final audition in front of a live audience full of fans, the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders have selected their rookies!

Check out this video if you want to meet the rookies of the 2011 cheer squad and see their reactions to be selected moments after they learned that they had made the team!


Photo: http://bit.ly/ebb8oL

What's going on at the castle?


Photo: http://bit.ly/fnQYMt

Usually at this time of year over at the castle, iron can be heard clanging and music blaring as the players begin their voluntary workouts. However, due to this year's lockout, the players' side of the Ravens Owings Mills facility is unusually quiet. While the players might not be around, the Ravens staff is certainly hard at work preparing for Baltimore's next draft class. 

According to the Baltimore Ravens website, Harbaugh preparing for the draft is a lot of work especially when you also have to be prepared for free agency to start at any second. 

“We’re doing the draft,” Head Coach John Harbaugh told reporters last week in New Orleans. “You always feel like you’re catching up on the draft. Secondly, you have to be ready for free agency because you don’t know what that process is going to be and when it’s going to happen.”

The coaches have not been allowed to contact the players and have spent their time watching films of their college prospects, reviewing every play from the Ravens' 2010 season and trying to work on their plans and schemes for the 2011 season. Coaches are having offensive, defensive and special teams meetings to create what they want the units' schemes to look like in the upcoming season. 

“The element that is not there right now is the half of the day that you’re with your players,” Harbaugh said. “This is an opportunity for us to strip everything down and build everything up from the ground floor, which you really want to do every year anyway. But it’s really hard to find the time to do that.”




Ravens-Steelers Draft Trends

The National Football Post's Joe Fortenbaugh gives fans an inside look at the choices that the Ravens and the Steelers have made in the draft over the last ten years. He breaks it down by year and each team's picks by position.

Interesting fact that I found when reading: The Steelers have eight of their past ten #1 draft pics still active on their roster and the Ravens have seven of their past nine #1 draft picks still playing for them.

If you follow the draft or just want to take a closer look into Baltimore's most intense rivalry, check it out!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Moving Up Kickoffs Marks Biggest Rule Change This Year


Moving kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35 marked the biggest rule change at this year’s NFL owners meetings.
But touchbacks will still be spotted at the 20-yard line. The competition committee had suggested moving touchbacks to the 25.
This rule change – which is supposed to decrease injuries – will reduce the number of kickoff returns and lessen the impact of kickoff returners. The Ravens were among the 26 teams that voted in favor of the proposal.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he was in favor of keeping touchbacks at the 20-yard line and bringing back the two-man wedge (which also passed) to help protect returners. But moving kickoffs up 5 yards negates the advantage of a strong-legged kicker like Billy Cundiff, whose 40 touchbacks from the 30-yard line last season broke a league record.
“We can live with the ball at the 35-yard line, although to me that doesn’t help our football team,” Harbaugh said. “Without question, I’d rather it all stay the same.”

Vote Ray Rice for Madden NFL 12 Cover

Don't forget to vote Ravens running back Ray Rice to appear on the cover of the next edition of Madden. The last time that a Raven appeared on the cover was when Ray Lewis was on in 2005!


EA Sports has created a list of 32 players representing every NFL team and are asking fans to vote in a bracket-style cover contest. The contest will consist of five round of voting and the winner will be announced April 27!

In the first round of bracket voting, Rice is paired up with AFC North foe Peyton Hillis. The first round results will be revealed on Monday, March 28.

VOTE!!

madden-12-cover-vote-530w.jpg (530×285)

Training camp practices could shift to M&T Bank Stadium this year

According to the Baltimore Sun's Ravens Insider, if the Ravens are unable to use McDaniel College as their training camp site they might consider using M&T Bank Stadium.

Ravens headquarters can’t handle thousands of fans, so the Ravens would allow the public to view practices at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens held a training camp practice last year.
“I think we're planning on doing more at the stadium any way,” Harbaugh said. “That was so good last year. We'll probably do it two or three times this year even if we're at McDaniel. I think we're going to come down there more. You hit the segment of your fans downtown that can just walk over or catch the bus.”
m-and-t-bank-stadium-image.jpeg (235×176)

Training Camp In Westminster Uncertain


(photo: http://bit.ly/hOQQk9)

According to the Baltimore Ravens website, if training camp is pushed back, there is a chance that it could interfere with classes at McDaniel College.

If the start of the 2011 offseason gets pushed into August, the Raven-izing of Westminster, Md., would clash with the influx of students to campus.
Both the Ravens and McDaniel have agreed to wait on making an official decision until after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.
“We’re in discussions with McDaniel about having camp there this season,” Ravens President Dick Cass said, according to the Baltimore Sun. “But we won’t be able to make a final decision until we know what our schedule is.”


The Ravens have been in Westminster for the past 15 summers!

Last year, a record 112, 051 fans attended the public practices, besting the 111,492 fans who came out in 2001 following the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory.

The Ravens’ contract with McDaniel College expired in 2010, coincidentally along with the expiration of the CBA, Ravens Vice President of Operations Bob Eller told the Carroll County Times earlier this month.
“We’re waiting to see how things play themselves out in labor negotiations,” Eller said.  “That would dictate when camp would start, and it’s difficult to pinpoint an unknown.”


Let's Get Connected!

Recently I have expanded my social media use and I want to update my readers on where they can find some of my other work as well as where they can get in touch with me!

I am in the midst of embarking on a very exciting collaboration with www.ravens24x7.com. I will be doing video blogging next season with them as well as contributing articles to their Ravens Chix Chat blog. Check it out!

I also will continue to contribute 'Purple Friday' articles to thepurplechaos.com.

You can follow me on Twitter for daily news updates @tayloraboyd or on Facebook under the name 'Ravens Chick', friend me! I will also be posting the video blogs I mentioned above on my YouTube channel, BmoreRavensChick.

You can also e-mail me with suggestions or comments at bmoreravenschick@gmail.com!

Monday, March 21, 2011

CSN Baltimore: Ravens Insider Report

Biscotti "embarrassed" by labor dispute


According to the Baltimore Sun's Ravens Insider, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti admitted that he is worried about losing fans because of a labor fight over billions of dollars when many fans are affected by the current economy. 
"I don’t think anybody is going to win the war of public opinion, and I don’t think it’s going to matter in the long run," Bisciotti told The Baltimore Sun at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans. "I think fighting turns off the fans regardless of who is in the right or wrong. I don’t want to curry favor with my fans."
"I’m embarrassed that we’re fighting over money, just like you would be embarrassed if you and your wife were fighting over money in public. It’s an embarrassing topic to have to get into. Unfortunately, it is a public forum running a professional football team. I’m very concerned."
Bisciotti is very optimistic that there will definitely be a football season in 2011. 
"I believe in my heart that we’re not going to miss games," he said. "I believe in my heart that we should be negotiating yesterday and today and the next day. I understand all of the leverage that can be gained or lost by favorable or unfavorable rulings. When it’s all said and done, all of the players and all the owners want to play football."


Biscotti Sees a Contract Extension for Flacco


In a recent post on the Baltimore Ravens website, Biscotti stated that he does indeed see a contract extension for QB Joe Flacco happening before the 2012 season. He doesn't want Flacco to enter the final year of his contract without being sure of his future career here in Baltimore. 
“I hate to speak for [Ravens General Manager] Ozzie [Newsome], but I would imagine that like John Harbaugh, we would be starting negotiations with [Flacco] so that entering 2012 he won’t be playing in his final year,” Bisciotti told The Baltimore Sun at the annual owners meetings. “I would anticipate an extension that starts in 2012.”
Photo: http://bit.ly/hPTqQF