Iggy’s Ravens Report – October 30, 2012

Iggy’s Ravens Report – October 30, 2012


News & Commentary


News and Personal Thoughts:
Giants win 2nd World series in 3 years… their only 2 since moving from New York to San Francisco in 1958.


Ravens:
Ravens had an off week to try and figure something out, and with the stealers 1 game behind us now. The 2nd half of the season could be very long for Baltimore Football fans with several very dangerous teams lined up. Offensively, the Ravens need to push up Ray Rice’s touches, and emphasis a West Coast style offense that reduces the amount of time the ball is in Flacco’s hands (since the O-line couldn’t stop a one-winged fly). Defensively, the Ravens need to find a way to put more and more consistent pressure on the QB, otherwise, the holes in our secondary are going to look larger and larger every week. We may be in first in our division, and sitting on the number 2 seed in the conference, but that won’t last long, if they can’t find a way to keep the offense on the field more, to keep the defense better rested.

Orioles:
Orioles have 3 finalists for Gold Glove: Wieters, Jones and Hardy. Winners to be announced tonight… 7 Orioles filed for Free Agency. My analysis is that 2 should be resigned (McLouth, Saunders), and the rest let walk (Chavez, Thome, Nick Johnson, Bill Hall and Randy Wolf). Chavez underperformed all season, and was a last minute addition to the playoff roster after batting sub-.200 in the minors this season. Thome was a wasted acquisition whom we traded for to boost our playoff chances, but instead spent half the time on the DL. Nick Johnson was with the club longer, and spent more time on the DL than Thome, relatively speaking. Bill Hall barely put on an O’s uniform (if at all). Wolf should be kept, but the Orioles won’t resign him since he will miss all of 2013 with a 2nd Tommy John surgery. Look for his name to resurface in Spring 2014 as a long shot. Meanwhile, McLouth gave us stability in Left Field (or wherever we put him), and consistency at the plate. Saunders may not have had glamorous numbers, but he found ways to win games. Plus the Northern Virginia native grew up an Orioles fan, and wants to be here. Can’t say no to that, can we?

Alouettes
The Als (11-6) defeated Edmonton (7-10) 27-25 on Sunday. Leading 19-1 at half, and 20-4 at the end of 3, the Als nearly blow a double digit lead for the second straight week, as the Eskimos were only a 2-point conversion away from tying the game with 3 ticks left in regulation. The failed conversion sealed the win, and returned air to the home crowd who had to be nearly hyperventilating. The final regular season game will be at Winnipeg (5-12) on Saturday.

Blast:
2012-13 Schedule.

Chesapeake Bayhawks: (Home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)
Nothing to Report.

Charm:
(No change in status from last weeks report, but repeated in case you missed it) The Lingerie Football League announced that they are cancelling their 2012 season. The reason for the change is that the league plans on changing from a fall league to a spring and summer league in the 2012-13 season.
The League stated that they have plans to expand during the hiatus and continue to look for athletes, or talent, or (insert your own word) here to fill the new teams they have planned. The planned expansion includes having separate league based in Canada and launching a version of LFL Australia.
The League also announced that they will hold promotional tours in Mexico, Australia, and Asia during the hiatus in an effort to expand their brand globally. They have planned an “All-Fantasy Game” or All-Star Game for Brisbane.
The Toronto Triumph have moved from the LFL’s American Division to be part of the new all-Canadian league which be known as LFL Canada. This league will play their games starting in the fall of 2012. The league will feature four teams, the aforementioned Triumph, the B.C. Angels based in Vancouver, along with the Regina Rage, and Saskatoon Sirens who will be sure to be bitter hair-pulling rivals on the field.
The League is also planning LFL Europe league to launch in 2014. Cities have yet to be announced.
The League also announced that it hopes to have its 4 champions (USA, Canada, Europe, Australia) meet in a tournament every four years to determine an LFL World Champion

Capitals (See website for more details):
No real progress to report.

Wizards (See website for more details):
Regular Season opens November 3, in Cleveland.

Mystics (See website for more details):
Nothing to report.

D.C.United (See website for more details):
United (17-10-7) tied Chicago 1-1, and held on to the number 2 seed. Playoffs start November 3 at New York in a 2 game aggregate series. Game 2 is November 7, at RFK.


What do you want to see in the Ravens report? What should be scrapped? Actually, never mind. No one is reading this anyway so you probably won’t know the difference. Send an email to iggy at tealdragon.net. Thanks!


Schedule

2012 Preseason
Date Opponent Time Result
Thursday, August 9, 2012 @Atlanta Falcons 7:30 PM W 31-17
Friday, August 17, 2012 Detroit Lions 8:00 PM L 27-12
Thursday, August 23, 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars 7:30 PM W 48-17
Thursday, August 30, 2012 @Saint Louis Rams 8:00 PM L 31-17
2012 Regular Season
Date Opponent Record Time Result
Monday, September 10, 2012 Cincinnati Bengals 18-14 Overall, 11-6 Home 7:00 PM W 44-13
Sunday, September 16, 2012 @Philadelphia Eagles 1-1-1 Overall, 1-0-1 Away 1:00 PM L 24-23
Sunday, September 23, 2012 New England Patriots 1-7 Overall, 0-2 Home 8:20 PM W 31-30
Thursday, September 27, 2012 Cleveland Browns 19-7 Overall, 10-3 Home 8:20 PM W 23-16
Sunday, October 7, 2012 @Kansas City Chiefs 3-3 Overall, 2-0 Away 1:00 PM W 9-6
Sunday, October 14, 2012 Dallas Cowboys 3-0 Overall, 2-0 Home 1:00 PM W 31-29
Sunday, October 21, 2012 @Houston Texans 6-0 Overall, 3-0 Away 1:00 PM L 43-13
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @Cleveland Browns 19-7 Overall, 9-4 Away 1:00 PM
Sunday, November 11, 2012 Oakland Raiders 6-1 Overall, 4-0 Home 1:00 PM
Sunday, November 18, 2012 @pittsburgh steelers 14-21 Overall, 6-12 Away 8:20 PM
Sunday, November 25, 2012 @San Diego Chargers 4-4 Overall, 2-4 Away 4:05 PM
Sunday, December 2, 2012 pittsburgh steelers 14-21 Overall, 8-9 Home 4:25 PM
Sunday, December 9, 2012 @Washington Redskins 3-1 Overall, 2-1 Away 1:00 PM
Sunday, December 16, 2012 Denver Broncos 6-3 Overall, 5-0 Home 1:00 PM
Sunday, December 23, 2012 New York Giants 3-1 Overall, 1-0 Home 1:00 PM
Sunday, January 30, 2012 @Cincinnati Bengals 18-14 Overall, 7-9 Away 1:00 PM

Relevant Football Links


Iggy’s Predictions

  • Week 8:
    • Vikings over Tampa (+6.5), but take the points. Tampa is 3-1 as the dog, while Minnesota has failed to cover twice so far. Never mind covering, Tampa won!
    • Dolphins (+2.5) over Jets. Jets spent their luck last week, taking the Pats to OT. Now, about the Dolphins…
    • Chargers over Cleveland (+2.5). Twilight zone only kicks in when East Coast team travels West, not vice versa. Looks like Chargers missed their flight
    • Titans over Colts (+3.5) but take the points. This will be a neck and neck battle. Is Overtime neck and neck enough for ya?
    • Pats over Rams (+6.5) (in London). Was prepared to take the points in St. Louis, but this ain’t in St. Louis. It wasn’t even close to St. Louis!
    • Packers over Jags (+12.5). I looked back over the past several games and saw the Jags lost to the Bears 41-3 a few weeks back at home. Jags hung in enough to cover those points
    • Falcons (+2.5) over Eagles. Vick to fumble this one away. Atlanta is now 7-0. Show some respect!
    • stealers over skins (+5.5), but take the points. I’m pulling for a tie, personally. I really hate both teams.
    • Hawks (+2.5) over Lions. Seattle is 5-0 as the dog this season; Lions are 0-3 as the Fav. So much for those streaks and late TD flip flops the result.
    • Bears over Panthers (+7.5). I thought about those points, but that 41-3 clubbing of Jax a few weeks back was still on the brain. It took until the final seconds, but Bears finally sealed it.
    • Chefs over Raiders (+1.5). They say KC is one of the hardest places to play. So much for KC being a tough place to play.
    • Giants over Dallas (+1.5). Giants to bring their A game in Dallas. Giants almost crumble in nailbiter.
    • Denver over Saints (+5.5), but take the points. Good old fashion shootout? Broncos left no doubt here
    • Niners over Cardinals (+6.5), but take the points. The Desert does strange things to teams… Niners ignore environment.
    • This Week:: 9-5 Straight Up, and 6-8 Against the Spread
    • Season:: 71-47 Straight Up, and 60-58 Against the Spread
  • Week 9
    • Chargers over KC (+8.5). Chiefs looking a lot more like the Chefs lately.
    • Ravens over Cleveland (+3.5), but take the points. Other than first game of the season, and our last game, when have we put anyone away or been put away?
    • Packers over Zona (+10.5), but take the points. Awful large number of points to leave on the board.
    • Detroit over Jax (+3.5), but take the points. Lions are 1-3 as the favorite, and the Jags have had 3 games overturned on points so far this season.
    • Bears over Titans (+3.5). 2 mismatched teams.
    • Denver over Cincinnati (+3.5). Should be a good game, but Cincinnati is really struggling lately.
    • Washington over Carolina (+3.5). The stats say I should take Carolina, but gut says the skins are returning.
    • Fins over Indy. Miami might have something this year.
    • Houston over Buffalo (+10.5). Blow out of the week.
    • Seattle over Minnesota, but take the points. Seattle has the edge at home, but Vikings have been surprising so far.
    • Tampa (+1.5) over Oakland. Never mind the East to West Twilight zone, Tampa will find a way to win in Oakland.
    • Giants over pittsburgh (+3.5), but take the points. Giants need to step it up to beat stealers who have the #2 D in the NFL, despite their injuries.
    • Falcons over Boys (+4.5). Falcons are for real this year… The boys, not so much…
    • Saints over Philly (+3.5), but take the points. Saints at home, and Vick should play just good enough to lose.
  • MLB (2-7 — I should stick to Football)
    • Wild Card Round (0-2)
    • Divisional Round (0-4)
    • Championship Round (1-1)
    • World Series (1-0)
      • Giants over Tigers in 6. Despite the long rest period for Detroit, the Giants have remained competitive the last week and has refused to die, setting a MLB record for 6 straight wins when facing elimination in one post season. Giants won’t need any more of those as they take the series the old fashion way! Apparently Tigers never returned after beating the yanks, as they were swept.
  • MLS
    • Knockout Round
      • LA over Vancouver. LA is +12 in Goals this season and put up the 2nd highest Goals For totals in the league this season, while Vancouver is -6, and scored the 3rd fewest goals.
      • Chicago over Houston. Chicago finished the season 1-0-2 against Houston and have the home field advantage for this 1 game playoff.

Please send comments to Iggy at tealdragon.net