Blog

Ravens:
I can finally say it! Team of Destiny. 4th and 29: That was the first sign. 70 yard TD to Jacoby Jones with 30 second left in Denver to send the game to overtime: That was the 2nd sign. But now, with the game on the line, the defense kept Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers out of the end zone, and the moniker is official. Team of Destiny. Only 1 team in the playoffs was an underdog, and won. The Ravens did it. Not once. Not twice. But three times they were underdogs, and came out victorious. And if you thought winning the title was remarkable, then came the victory parade! Un-bliev-able hon!

Ravens:
With all the success of the Ravens, and human interest stories of how we got there, what does the media hone in on? Ray Lewis and the double murder charges of 2000 in Atlanta, and a publicity stunt by SWATS to claim that he used banned PEDs to recover and take the field. First of all, the double murder is 12 years ago. He did his time for obstruction of justice, and paid off the family of the so-called victims (true victims wouldn’t have found themselves in an alley fight). ’nuff said there. Now, with regards to the Deer Antler Velvet Spray, here is what I have summarized from the whole stink: There are small amounts of IGF-1 in the live antlers, but by the time the antlers get processed, little to no amount of the hormone can be passed on in pill or spray format (confirmed by JHU professor); There is no reliable test for the substance because it is so similar to a comparable human hormone; the players have not approved any test that might produce a positive result in this area. Long story short, this story came out of Boston after the Pats lost the AFC championship game, in what appears to me as a publicity stunt to get alternative natural medicines on the radar. I’m done with it. Move on.

Now that this “distraction” has taken over, Ray Lewis has been the center of attention (his preferred location), allowing everyone else to stay relatively low and focus on what they are in New Orleans for in the first place: prepare for the biggest game of their lives. Going by the Stats, the Niners have a better Defense, and the Ravens have a better offense. Flacco is currently on a post-season tear that ranks among the top 6 performance all time by any quarterback in the post season. If he can continue that progression for one more game, he will not only have back up his claim as being an elitest quarterback, but he will probably have the Super Bowl Ring to back it up. The Ravens have guaranteed that Flacco will be back with Baltimore next season, and the only question at this point is if it will be as a franchised player, estimated to be worth about $14.6M, or signed to a long term deal. I’ll discuss this more in the coming weeks.

Two weeks off is a long time to wait, but it does allow both teams to get healthy before the big game. Unfortunately, it can also destroy momentum. Current Vegas odds are still favoring the Niners by 3+ points, which suits the Ravens well, still carrying the “No Respect” card. Raven players have presented themselves more relaxed and comfortable in their surroundings then the Forty Niners, which could mean… just about anything. I predict a good game. Look for the Ravens to present a balance attack with runs and passes, with Flacco periodically testing the cornerbacks and stretching the field. On Defense, they need to be wary of the versatility of Kaepernick, and shut down gore. The real x-factor in the game will be special teams: The Ravens are certainly built to break one loose with Jacoby Jones… but the coverage team is almost as apt to give it right back. Anything goes, but GO RAVENS!