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*** Official Baltimore Ravens 2012/13 SB Champs Thread *** (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Uruk-Hai
- Start date
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Rumor has it that you scored big bucks last night at an FBG cornhole.
I'm looking around for somebody to be crappy to but everyone's being awfully nice. Especially considering how much they all hate Ray Lewis. Which we can't blame them much for.Anquan might have been the MVP of the Ravens' playoff run. How many catches did he make with a defender's arm in his grill?
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Yep. The safety at the end won it for meRumor has it that you scored big bucks last night at an FBG cornhole.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
I think we're all pretty happy that you took a big score down. Who better?Speaking of which, I guess we all saw Dickson blatantly holding his guy on the safety play, right? Well, the guy next to him was doing the exact same thing and my guess is that there was tons of holding going on by the Ravens punt team. It appears that Harbaugh/East found a loophole in the rules that I never once thought of in my 50 years of watching football. Pretty clever and I wonder if the NFL will think about this in their offseason rules sessions.In other news, I thought Flacco had a good arm but Kaepernick's is out of this world. What a howitzer. I think the Niners are much more likely to make a deep run into next year's playoffs than the Ravens.Yep. The safety at the end won it for meRumor has it that you scored big bucks last night at an FBG cornhole.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I'm wondering how the NFL could close that loophole. Put time on the clock?I think we're all pretty happy that you took a big score down. Who better?Speaking of which, I guess we all saw Dickson blatantly holding his guy on the safety play, right? Well, the guy next to him was doing the exact same thing and my guess is that there was tons of holding going on by the Ravens punt team. It appears that Harbaugh/East found a loophole in the rules that I never once thought of in my 50 years of watching football. Pretty clever and I wonder if the NFL will think about this in their offseason rules sessions.In other news, I thought Flacco had a good arm but Kaepernick's is out of this world. What a howitzer. I think the Niners are much more likely to make a deep run into next year's playoffs than the Ravens.Yep. The safety at the end won it for meRumor has it that you scored big bucks last night at an FBG cornhole.
James Daulton
Footballguy
Wow, what a game and what a feeling. Two supes in 17 years of existence, I'll take it. I would have loved to have gone downtown last night, but we had a big party instead since my kids are teens and really into the game. While we had great energy in the house, downtime must have been insane (was there for the 2000 supe). Me and the family did drive around downtown Saturday night to check out the lights and decorations. The city did a great job of representing. After having recently been in Dallas, I have to say that downtown Baltimore is pretty nice and classy, getting better each year. Another Lombardi will only help!Is Ray Lewis's exit, the "best" exit ever from a hall of fame football career? I can't remember another icon like him who actually announced his retirement prior to the playoffs, then went out on top.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Well, I'll certainly defer to Herm in this instance. What he said makes sense and I probably just haven't seen the situation come up often enough to think of it.
The_Man
Footballguy
Oh my God. From the time of the blackout, through the tackle on the final free kick, I felt like I was being subjected to some long, not painful but uncomfortable medical procedure. I just wanted it to be over RIGHT NOW and the longer it went, the more miserable I became. I've enjoyed this playoff run so much, feeling like every win after the Wild Card Game was a free gift that kept my happiness going another week. I never got bummed out or stressed or negative, even in the waning moments of regulation at Denver, before the Bomb to Jacoby Jones. But I was hating, hating the specter of being the team that blew a 22-point lead in the Super Bowl.Hearing a lot of gripes about the officiating today. Whatever. I thought they let them play all night long, and stayed consistent on the final play at the goal line. Loved the safety at the end, though Schmuck called it strange in today's paper. I'd sure as hell rather free kick from the 20 with :04 seconds left and a 3-point lead, then punt from the endzone (especially as bad as Koch's been in the post-season) with :15 seconds left - chance for block, chance for run back, chance for Hail Mary from inside the 50. I was kind of hoping Koch could have run out the entire game, but good job.Man, things went to hell when Ngata went out. He was stuffing the inside run, and suddenly it was wide open. But even as Cody continued his bust status, Jimmy Smith stepped it up. I still think he's going to be a very good starting NFL CB.
Dentist
***Official FBG Dentist***
20 million inches per year guaranteed?
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Sam Koch, who I think has been an important Raven the last couple of years, had an interesting night. He didn't pin the Niners all game and the third quarter punt that bounced to Ginn was a bad one. OTOH, he then sprinted pretty athletically over to the sideline and laid a hit on Ginn that temporarily saved a TD.I like the confidence The_Man is showing in Jimmy Smith, even if I don't totally share it. He sure made two big plays at the end, though, and if he does indeed keep improving, the secondary could be a real strength next year if Webb makes a full recovery. With Kruger and Courtney Upshaw coming on, the defense could actually be better in 2013 than it was this year.
They could be, but Ozzie's going to have to work his magic.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Outside of overall speed on defense, the team doesn't have any glaring holes to fill. Assuming Reed comes back, there's still two former Defensive Players of the Year in the lineup and Ngata is signed long term. The Kindle/Cody draft has not panned out, though Cody can't be written off yet, IMO, but there are others of value sprinkled throughout. If Ozzie hits on a couple of picks or free agents this year, and I like our chances of doing that over a lot of teams', then it's a squad that will once again be a tough out in 2013. That's about all you can hope for these days, get in and get hot.
James Daulton
Footballguy
I think Kruger is as good as gone. Cary Williams probably too. We should resign Ellerby since he some speed and seems to be able to get his nose around the ball. I think Reed is long gone. We draft some linebackers with speed, an OT, and a decent pass rusher and I think our defense will be better next year. Tough to call anything though without knowing how the team will respond to Ray not being out there. I also thought Boldin was gone before the season, now I think it's imperative they keep him.
The_Man
Footballguy
Here are some quick thoughts about next year.Kruger is gone and I don't think will be missed that much. He got extensive playing time vs. Indy, Denver, and NE when the Ravens basically played nickel the entire game, but only played 22 snaps last night. Upshaw was in his place, and did a nice job. I think he'll be a legit starter next year, kind of in the Jarrett Johnson mode.They need to resign Ellerbe, and I think they will. Otherwise, they would have a giant hole at ILB. Losing Ray has an impact of course, but he really couldn't play anymore. If McPhee is healthy, he can be a big contributor again, and I look for Suggs to be better once he's more recovered from his Achilles. The other D Tackle spot beside Ngata is a giant void -- Kemoeatu overperformed as a one-year stopgap, and Cody is just a bust.Cary Williams is gone, Jimmy Smith will have to be ready to take his place, and I think he will be - if he can stay healthy! Harbs said last night that Smith is finally healthy and that's part of why he played well. If Webb comes back, CB is still a position of strength on this team. It will be fascinating to see if they can get Reed back. If he does, then I think the defense will be better than it was most of the year, at least on par with how it was in the playoffs, and maybe a little better in pass rush with Suggs and McPhee healthy, and Webb blitzing from the slot in nickel packages. But if they lose him, they not only need a Safety, they also lose all the on-field wisdom of Ray and Ed.Offense looks good with the huge question of Left Tackle. They have an outstanding line if they can plug in a serviceable Left Tackle - because it puts Oher and Osemele in great position. BTW, Osemele was a beast last night. Just awesome vs. Justin Smith? Remember him - sure didn't hear his name called, did you? But I don't know where that LT is coming from.Also, Boldin could be a cap casualty. Hope that doesn't happen for sure. But if they work out those two issues, they have a chance to field a truly outstanding offense next year. Also, in the draft, look for the Ravens to take a first-round player at Center, Safety or Inside Linebacker. They love drafting guys at those positions late in the first round, because teams don't value those positions much and their is often a really, really good player available there at #32. And those positions happen to match areas of need this year for Baltimore.Way too early to tell, of course, but I think the Ravens D is at least as good as this year's (maybe a little more consistent) and the offense has the potential to play all year like they did in the playoffs. No reason to think they won't be in the hunt for a playoff spot again, and then who knows what happens? Because, after all, the Ravens are the team with the best postseason winning percentage in the history of the NFL>
James Daulton
Footballguy
Nice summary and I agree with almost all of it. I do think they find a way to keep Boldin, and I'm not too worried about losing Reed since I don't think he covers enough ground anymore. I'd like to have him back but I don't break the bank for him.The Ravens are now the only undefeated multi-Supe winning team in the NFL.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Why does everyone think Kruger is gone? Contract issues?Would Alabama's center be a nice pick at No. 32 or will he be gone by then?
The_Man
Footballguy
Kruger is an unrestricted free agent and the Ravens have cap issues. I won't call them problems, just issues. Getting Flacco's deal done before they would have to slap the franchise tag on him would help a LOT. But someone is going to pay a lot for Kruger - a lot more than he's worth - and they'll let him go. Hopefully this frees up the cash to keep Ellerbe, also an unrestricted free agent.Also, Bisciotti's bottomless pockets will help a lot. I heard he spent $2 million on last night's party, featuring Mary J. Blige. They can restructure Boldin and Ngata's deals by paying them a roster bonus up front, and then prorating the money over the remaining years of the contract. Those guys get their money now instead of later, and the Ravens get some cap relief. All that you need to make it work is ready access to many millions of cash dollars.So here's an important question - which 3 people get interviewed for the "America's Game" about the 2012 on the NFL Network? It won't be Ray, because he was on the 2000 one and they seem to never repeat.Harbaugh is a given. From the offense, it has to be Flacco, right? Though Boldin would be interesting. And from the defense, I think it's Ed Reed. Might have been Suggs, except that he missed so much of the season.
That and cap issues. Guys like Kruger and Ellerbe are FA's who have never had a big payday before, so it's hard to imagine they'd take much of a home town discount.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Did I just hear Mike & Mike about Jacoby Jones being a UFA, or did I mishear that?My top 3 retainees would be Boldin, Jones, and Ellerbe.
The_Man
Footballguy
Don't be changing this thread.Pretty sure that Jones is not a free agent. Boldin is not either, but has a pretty big cap number so will probably be restructured. He was probably the true postseason MVP, though Flacco is impossible to argue with.A couple of parade jokes I've heard:Ravens are 6-point underdogs for the victory parade.Just like in 2000, the Baja Men will be at the victory parade. They're parking lot attendants.
James Daulton
Footballguy
Me, wifey, both kids, my pops, and 2 nephews all went to the parade. Downtown was nuts and the whole parade route was crazy crowded. The energy was insane. I will say, through this whole run to the Superbowl the organization has shown nothing but class. Proud to be a Ravens fan!
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I was gonna go back through this thread and count how many times during the season one of us posted something like "so...where are we now?". Every time I thought I had a read on the Ravens, they'd go in another direction.At what point yesterday was Ed Reed singing "Two Tickets To Paradise"? I've heard clips a couple of times on ESPN but there's no context. Holy moly, that was bad 
Reed is an odd cat. I could see him, after retirement, melting in the Bayou and living a hermetic life carving figurines and eating gators. Maybe set up a still to make some 'shine.
Reed is an odd cat. I could see him, after retirement, melting in the Bayou and living a hermetic life carving figurines and eating gators. Maybe set up a still to make some 'shine.
bushdocda
Footballguy
He started singing at City Hall before the parade and then again at the stadium. I think his kid was on his neck all day and he had a camera strapped to his head as well. Funny dude. Amazing showing by the fand and city to follow an amazing show by the team. Pretty awesome.I was gonna go back through this thread and count how many times during the season one of us posted something like "so...where are we now?". Every time I thought I had a read on the Ravens, they'd go in another direction.At what point yesterday was Ed Reed singing "Two Tickets To Paradise"? I've heard clips a couple of times on ESPN but there's no context. Holy moly, that was bad
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
If they can find a way to keep both Jones & Boldin, and make a few tweaks to the OL, I'm really liking the offense next year. For the most part, I think Caldwell did a fine job under very difficult circumstances calling plays and look forward to see what he can do with a full offseason.'The_Man said:
The_Man
Footballguy
Still so tired, happy, and emotionally wrung out that it's hard to post coherently about this team.
But I really, really enjoyed this article, especially the stuff at the beginning about Harbaugh.
I try hard not to buy into mystical mumbojumbo when it comes to football, but I'm hard-pressed not to talk about this team's will to win when it comes to this Super Bowl championship. From the time Ray announced his retirement, their determination was really unbelievable. Beating Manning and Brady's teams (the #1 and #2 seeds) on the road in consecutive weeks was amazing.
And it's not that I think the team wanted to "win one for Ray." They all wanted to win for themselves. But I feel like his announcement brought each one of them face-to-face with the reality that if even Ray Lewis's career could end, then theirs would also end soon enough and they all found a new resolve to win a championship - which none of them ever had - before that day came.
But I really, really enjoyed this article, especially the stuff at the beginning about Harbaugh.
I try hard not to buy into mystical mumbojumbo when it comes to football, but I'm hard-pressed not to talk about this team's will to win when it comes to this Super Bowl championship. From the time Ray announced his retirement, their determination was really unbelievable. Beating Manning and Brady's teams (the #1 and #2 seeds) on the road in consecutive weeks was amazing.
And it's not that I think the team wanted to "win one for Ray." They all wanted to win for themselves. But I feel like his announcement brought each one of them face-to-face with the reality that if even Ray Lewis's career could end, then theirs would also end soon enough and they all found a new resolve to win a championship - which none of them ever had - before that day came.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
"Elite" is a very important word to Shark Poolers.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
#### 'emDon't care
The_Man
Footballguy
Maybe some people cheer for QBs to put up huge numbers and don't care about anything else in a game.I cheer for my team to win Super Bowls and don't care about the stats earned by the QB or anyone else on the team in achieving that goal.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
None of the elite quarterbacks appeared to have won the Super Bowl. So, what U-H said.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
Godsbrother, carry a message of peace and thanks back to your Stillers brothers -- the last four years of playing, and mostly losing, all those tough games with Pittsburgh really helped the 2012 Ravens, IMO. Always ending the season on a down note really toughened them up mentally and I think they were much better prepared to deal with adversity in the last game than were the Niners. And now that they're defending Super Bowl champs, it will feel extra sweet the next time your team beats them. Trust me, we know all about that, too.
Assani Fisher
Footballguy
Another instance where it could happen:Imagine the other team has the ball 1st and goal from the 6 with 0:07 left in the 1st half. They have time for one attempt at a TD, and then they will settle for a FG if they don't get it. On this play, the defense should just blatantly hold. They'll get a "half the distance to the goal" penalty, but the time will tick off and leave them with only time for one more play(the FG).
I absolutely LOVE that the Ravens/Stillers matchups are brutal, ugly affairs with almost always something on the line. Baltimore losing to a Charlie Batch-led Pittsburgh this year was a perfect metaphor for this rivalry.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Not gonna happenSlipping down the page, so BUMP
roadkill1292
Footballguy
As good as Ozzie is in the draft, he might even be better at procuring quality free agents. Look at the guys who made monster contributions this year -- Boldin, Birk, Graham, Mckinnie, J. Jones, Leach and Pollard, to name a bunch of them. All those guys were huge in the run through the playoffs. I hope that serves as encouragement to some more quality guys out there who get tired of playing for crappy teams and want to come here and have a chance of going deep.Thanks for regularly bumping this, U-H. We should be at least a minor irritant to everybody else, shouldn't we?
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I'm all about agitating the masses, my friend.#### 'em
The_Man
Footballguy
The Ravens' professional scouting operation is extraordinary - and that extends to how well they scout themselves and understand their own team's strengths and limitations. Last year's special teams was a disaster and they knew it. So they went out and signed Graham and Considine and this year's special teams were best in the NFL.They also almost never lose a really good player to free agency, but when they do, they know it and have a contingency in place. For example, this year they lost Jarrett Johnson and Ben Grubbs - not because they wanted to, but because of the cap. So who did they draft? Upshaw and Osemele who have now replaced JJ and Grubbs for the next 6 years. Reminder - they don't overvalue guys, so they traded down to get Upshaw. Know who they got with the pick they acquired for trading down? Bernard Pierce.Also, Baltimore has become a player's paradise - a winning team with a great facility, good locker room, and generous owner. Last year, Leach and Pollard helped "recruit" Jones from Houston.One more bit of praise for the scouting team - undrafted free agents. In the salary cap era, every UDFA you put in your starting lineup is a huge cap savings. This year, undrafted guys Ellerbe and Justin Tucker, along with Kemoeatu - who had been an undrafted guy who left Baltimore and then came back - played huge roles and cost almost nothing vs. the cap.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Oh no, you little slippery ******* of a thread. You will NOT slide off of page one. If I have to go back to doing 8 balls of coke to stay awake and bump you, I will (though my heart will explode like a rotten tomato in a microwave).T_M and others, why do you think Phil Savage flamed out in Cleveland (insert joke here)? Bad luck?
roadkill1292
Footballguy
It is indeed an encouraging situation. If you are a destination team for quality free agents, it's almost like having a lot more draft picks than everybody else has. It will be interesting to see how they go about addressing the lack of speed in the middle of the defense. Especially since they might also be turning over both inside linebacker spots.BTW, SI's guys were advising the Patriots to go after Ed Reed should he be cut loose. Belichick has always loved him.'The_Man said:
roadkill1292
Footballguy
"Average" appears to be a very important word to Shark Poolers, albeit one with a difficult definition to pin down.
Koya
Footballguy
Perhaps they are looking at the mean, or median?
