This is one of the saddest days in Ravens history. The deaths of Jaylen Ferguson and Tony Siragusa on the same day leaves every Ravens fan stunned. A player so young with potential, and a legend who brought so joy and impact to the field. Gone. Tough to wrap your head around.
We're all facing problems right now. For many, big problems. I get it. Today Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini celebrated his 28th birthday, while recovering from cancer surgery. And who reached out to him? Super fan Mo Gabba, a middle schooler fighting cancer himself. Gold.
Fun moment to share. We put a camera in the broadcast booth to catch the end of the Ravens Wild Card game. I always look forward to putting the Hay in the Barn. My broadcast partner Femi Ayanbadejo and our spotter Dan Lundeen have as much fun with the moment as I do.
Ravens training camp early thoughts 2: J.K. Dobbins is a wow. He has explosive lateral movement, vertical burst, and looks silly smooth out of the backfield in the passing game. First round talent that the Ravens nabbed with a second round pick.
My wonderful friend and mentor, Vince Bagli passed away last night. He was 93. We called him the Dean. He taught so many of us what it meant to be a gentleman, to be fair, to tell stories that matter. Rest In Peace, Dean. Love you. Thank you. Miss you.
So sad over the passing of Mo Gaba, one of the brightest lights and sweetest souls I have had the good fortune to know. He passed only hours of election to the O's Hall of Fame and he lived long enough to hear the news. Godspeed Mo.
Devastated to hear the news of Jacoby Jones passing. He was the rare person who lit up a room just by walking in it. At the Super Bowl ring celebration he lit up the dance floor (even tried to teach me how to dance better). He was pure joy in motion. God speed my friend.
In last nights Ravens broadcast I commented on the use of a chain gang instead of technology on measurements. I did not intend to demean any individual. I apologize to the members of the chain gang for what I said. I recognize they are doing an important job as professionals.
Hope your Wednesday afternoon doesn't have a lot of appointments. The Ravens game in Pittsburgh will be Wednesday afternoon. Kickoff at 3:40. Stranger by the minute.
The Ravens releasing safety Eric Weddle is the unfortunate part of the business side of football. He goes down as one of their top free agent signings. 3 years. 3 Pro Bowls. Didn’t miss a game. Great leader. Hard worker. Pure class.
The Ravens decision to extend John Harbaugh makes sense. He has the number 1 ranked defense and the perfect offensive coaching staff for a Lamar Jackson offense. And he has the respect of his players. In other words, he has everything you would look for in a new coach.
Biggest observation for me from Ravens mandatory mini-camp is that 1st round WR Rashod Bateman is explosive. The trio of Hollywood Brown, Rashod Bateman, and Sammy Watkins looks intriguing. It will takes some of the defensive attention off Mark Andrews which is huge.
Very excited to learn over the weekend that the Ravens Broadcast Team, including Coach Billick and me, won an Emmy for our pre-season broadcast last year. One more reason I will miss pre-season this year. I love working with this group every August.
We all have something we are first at. Turns out I am currently first place in invitations to spend eternity in hell. Thanks for all the invitations, but if it’s just the same to you I will pass, thank you. Please remember the magic 7 words: Gerry with a G; no relation.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson said today he thinks he will get a new contract done by the start of the season. A lot of people—including the head coach and team owner are waiting for a “Yes.”
At a luncheon downtown today, O’s VP John Angelos was asked about the future of the O’s in Baltimore. His answer: “As long as Ft. McHenry is watching over the harbor the Orioles will be in Baltimore.” That is going on the record with a commitment.
Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris. Joe D was a wonderful man and a great coach. He was a friend whose conversations and wisdom I treasured and will miss. Enjoy the reunion with your wonderful wife my friend. Godspeed Joe D.
Like so many others right now, I have Covid. I am double vaccinated and I have received a booster shot and still, I tested positive this week. I look forward to returning next week. Until then, let's watch and listen together today—with our masks on.
The Jaguars signed K Kaare Vedvick to their practice squad. That's the kicker the Ravens traded a few years ago to Minnesota for a 5th round pick. Minn quickly cut Vedvick. The Ravens then traded that 5th rd pick to the Jaguars for Calais Campbell. Now Vedvick is a Jag. Whoa.
Poignant tribute to my late friend and mentor Vince Bagli today in the press box at M&T Bank Stadium. A Loyola cap, Baltimore Colts and Ravens media guides, folded sports section of the Sun all laid out in a front-row seat for the late Dean. His presence is both felt and missed.
My condolences to Cal and Bill Ripken and the entire Ripken family on the passing of Vi. Like her boys, she was a one of a kind treasure, a wonderful woman. As tough as it is for her children right now, I suspect Cal Sr is thrilled to have his Vi back by his side. Godspeed Vi,
Day 1 Ravens training camp observations:
👍 Lamar looks strong. Had nice touch on throws over the middle.
😁 TE Nick Boyle is running better and looked comfortable on routes.
🌟 The secondary looks like a game changer.
🤞 JK Dobbins looks eager & close to to return to practice
I had the unbelievable good fortune of growing up around Don Shula. My dad was his offensive line coach in Baltimore and Miami. The single most amazing leader of men I was ever around. I've never seen another coach who could elevate the people around him like Coach Shula.
Losing two divisional playoff games in a row is frustrating, but not as frustrating as not getting there. The challenge now is finding the way through to conference title game and Super Bowl. Big challenge, sure, but a far more focused challenge than most teams face.
I know it’s easy to criticize officials. But the fact that they missed the legal hit by Marlon Humphrey by such a wide margin is proof that everything should be reviewable. Officials are human. They will make mistakes. Make every call reviewable and then coaches have options.
As the Ravens get ready to play the Giants today scoreboard watching hits a new level. Ravens need the Jets to beat the Browns or the Steelers to beat the Colts today. C’mon you have to admit this is fun—even if the Raiders didn’t help the Ravens out.
This is an amazing NFC Championship game but it should be over already. Sinful that terrible officiating has extended it. The NFL has to address the poor officiating. This is terrible that Bill Vinovich’s crew is impacting the game so much.
Super excited for our sports producer, Chris Dachile,
@WBALDash
who will throw out the first pitch tonight at Camden Yards. Chris has fought cancer for the past two years and is starting to win the fight. He’s a great guy who deserves a great moment—and a whole lot more.
It's great the networks have a former ref in the broadcast booth to point out bad calls, so why doesn't the NFL put a Super Ref in the booth who has the power to overrule obviously bad calls on the field? That would reduce the impact of officials mistakes.
Standing ovation for Manny Machado at Camden Yards. Only a handful of boos. It’s why former players like coming back to Baltimore. You still get a warm welcome.
12 Ravens players selected to the Pro Bowl—first double digit group ever for the Ravens to the Pro Bowl. Largest number of players from 1 team since the '73 Dolphins. 1st Ravens Pro Bowl QB since Vinnie Testeverde in 1996. Pretty impressive milestones.
The business side of football always has some pain this time of the year. The Ravens parting ways with
@morgancox46
is one of those situations. Great at what he does, an even better guy. It will take a while to get used to not saying, "Morgan Cox with the snap..."
My friend and colleague
@dhamiltontv
wraps up her career at TV11 tonight. That’s the smile of someone looking forward to retirement! Gonna miss her. One of the really great people I’ve had the pleasure to get to know and work with over the years.
Vic Fangio also a likely consideration, but the Ravens have always elevated an assistant to defensive coordinator. They have never brought in a former head coach to be DC. Did that on offense once with Mark Trestman and it didn't work out well.
So excited for my longtime friend and colleague Chris Dachille, who today learned—after a three year battle with cancer—that his cancer is in remission! Way to go Chris. Enjoy the chance to smile and feel good about the future again.
I'm excited to have Dennis Pitta rejoining us on the Ravens broadcast team again this season and to have Femi Ayanbadejo joining us as well for the first time. Two great guys with tons of insight. Football season is starting to look real.
I feel for
@Brett_Kavanagh
. And I would like to tell him this will all go away soon, but I instead would advise long-term patience. That and a good sense of humor.
RIP Tom Matte, a good running back who played with determination but a better man who lived with joy. You always smiled in his presence. His stories were legendary.
Looking for a confidence barometer from Ravens fans. What is your confidence level for a Ravens win tomorrow against the Browns and a home playoff game?
Congratulations to Joe Angel on his retirement and great run in the broadcast booth.
@WaveItByeBye
officially announced his retirement today. Gonna miss you Joe. You’re a great listen and you made baseball fun in good times and bad times. Well done, sir.
Strategically, it’s better for the Ravens that the Steelers come back and win in Cincy today, but man, that feels really strange to root for a Steelers comeback.
Early thoughts from Ravens training camp.
1. Lamar Jackson is a charismatic leader. He has gifts you can’t teach or coach.
2. 2nd yr receiver Jaleel Scott could be this year’s pleasant surprise.
3. The tight ends might catch more passes than the WR’s this yr.
The next challenge for UMBC will be holding on to Coach Ryan Odom. Big schools will want to hire him now. Louisville should consider him. He already proved he can dominate ACC opponents.
I need your help. Please let everyone in your social media feeds who might follow my know my Instagram account, gsandusky, was hacked and hijacked and is no longer in my control.
Terrell Suggs says he didn’t really know until the last minute whether he would sign with the Ravens or Cardinals. After 16 years with one team, you would have thought he would have a more well thought out strategy than going with his gut at the last minute.
Early thoughts on Ravens schedule. I love getting Foxboro and New York trips out of the way early for weather reasons. Wk 4 vs Buffalo big, but too early to be huge. No Xmas day game. Amen. Pittsburgh & Cincy back to back to close out could be epic. What do you think?
The Cleveland
#Browns
starting offense for the 1953 NFL Championship
LG Abe Gibron
RG Chuck Noll (fut
#Steelers
coach)
LT Lou Groza
#HOF
RT John Sandusky
LE Pete Brewster
RE Dante Lavelli
#HOF
QB Otto Graham
#HOF
HB Ray Renfro
HB Dub Jones
HB Chick Jagade
I will always remember the seconds before the 49ers final offensive play in Super Bowl 47, thinking this was Ray Lewis’s last play as a Raven and it will cap his career with jubilation or heartbreak. Pinnacle or despair.
Now he gets the final pinnacle in Canton.
You know you’ve had a significant impact when the team room looks like this on the day you retire. Congratulations to Ravens punter Sam Koch on a remarkable career. The man changed the way everyone approaches thinking about punting and how they punt the ball.
Before Buck Showalter, the O’s endured 14 straight years without a winning season. Parting ways with him starts clock on a rebuild someone else will manage. Seems like a big risk with a front office that before Buck last hired a winning manager in the ‘90’s with Davey Johnson.
That’s why Gene Steratore is the best ref in the NFL. He took what could have been mayhem and controversy and turned it back into common sense. Well done.
In 1965, referee Jim Tunney blew the call on the Packers field goal, giving GB the playoff win over the Colts. The NFL extended the goal posts because of it. The league needs to adjust again and make all bad calls and all missed calls reviewable by coaches or booth.
Ozzie is on fire. Orlando Brown projected as a 1st round pick before he had a terrible combine. Ravens now have the TE and RT they needed. Next on the list, Inside LB.
NFL teams have a sliding scale I call the PAM scale. Productivity. Attitude. Maintenance. When a player's attitude and maintenance (what he costs a team financially, emotionally, socially) exceeds his productivity, teams move on from that player. That's why Eart Thomas is out.