George Washington High product McClain signs with Ravens

Sometimes it's better for a player to do the picking.
In the, ahem, eighth round of the NFL draft, which began Sunday night and continues around the country even as you read this, Jameel McClain selected the Baltimore Ravens and agreed to free-agent terms.
"It was probably the quickest decision I made in my life," he noted.
The 6-1, 256-pound McClain, a dual-degreed product (communications, sociology) of George Washington High, Syracuse University and North Philly (30th and Lehigh), subjected himself to private scrutiny by the Eagles and Browns and hoped to at least be a late-round selection as a defensive end or linebacker.
Didn't happen. Didn't crush his spirit.
"Even as the sixth and seventh rounds were going on," McClain said, "I was getting calls from teams asking about the chances of signing me as a free agent. It was like, 'We don't have any more picks, but we still like you.' That kind of stuff.
"My agent and I decided to go with Baltimore within a half-hour [of the draft's conclusion]. I was hearing from Cleveland, Atlanta, Houston . . . But I'm best suited for Baltimore because of the strengths I bring to the table and how they run their system.
"I can fill either hole. I'm universal. I'm a football player."
McClain reports Thursday for a minicamp.
"I'd love to be anywhere in the NFL," he said. "But I think Baltimore is a great decision." *
- Ted Silary

Ravens add another O-lineman. Another on the right side.

Grand Valley State University offensive lineman Brandon Barnes signed a free-agent contract with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens Monday, said Tim Nott, the school’s associate athletic director for media relations.
Barnes, a right tackle, is the second GVSU player to join a NFL team. Defensive back Brandon Carr went to the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the NFL Draft Sunday.
The native of Detroit became the first offensive lineman to earn all-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors four times during his career. As a senior, Barnes was named the 2007 Gene Upshaw Award winner, given annually to the top lineman in NCAA Division II.
Barnes helped the Lakers win two Division II national championships and make four playoff berths. They posted a 50-4 record during his career, including a 40-game win streak snapped in a national semifinal loss at Northwest Missouri State University.

The Draft

The draft has gained a notoriety all its own. Even ESPN has another “draft expert” to have specific arguments with Mel Kiper Jr. Not that I don’t listen to a lot of what he has to say. I don’t disagree with his logic, he makes a lot of sense. I am just beginning to find it comical how much stock people put into what he has to say. I mean to say that Kiper and all of the other “draft experts” know just as much about who the Baltimore Ravens or any other NFL franchise is going to pick as the rest of us.. He might be closer to the right answer, but really his just taking a stab in the dark.

All that being said, who are Harbaugh, Biscotti, and Newsome (Attys At Law) going to pick. I have a hunch that Matt Ryan won’t be there when pick number eight comes up. There are too many needs for a franchise quarterback elsewhere. If he is great, grab him up. If not, then who? Stick with the quarterback position or start looking at other needs. Wait, this is the Ravens, they look for the best talent in the draft, not to fill needs alone. So who is the best talent for the money in the draft sans picks one through seven. That is the magic question in Baltimore. So who is it? Turn on ESPN and see what the experts have to say.

BREAKING NEWS - McNair announces retirement

Story HERE

McNair is hanging up his spikes after 13 years in the NFL. I know Ravens fans will have mixed feelings on this - but sometimes you can't teach an old QB a new system.

Mel Kiper thinks Ravens need a QB

Kiper thinks Ravens need QB help. KIPER

I was just talking to my brother about this today. McNair is a known commodity. Boller has a contract, but was Billick's guy to the core. He has proven what he can do (which isn't much). Then there is Smith. Most of our offense came from him scrambling last year. If the Ravens draft a QB it will be a repeat of last year. McNair, Boller, and Anderson (in 07). Why do that again? Pick one/ Dump one, but don't use a pick on a third quarterback just to make them compete for a spot and a possible practice squad designation. IF the Ravens are serious about moving in a direction where they are looking for the "Quarterback of the Future" and it isn't one of the ones they have - then cut the fat.

Ravens vs. Dallas - Final Game in Texas Stadium

The Cowboys will play host to the Ravens for the final game. This bothers some Texans, as they were looking for more of a rivalry, but that is how it goes. On a side note - The Cowboys haven't beaten the Ravens, facing them in 2000 and 2004. Story HERE

How is the NFL Schedule set?

From Wikipedia:

Currently, each team's 16 game regular season schedule is set using a pre-determined formula:
Each team plays the other three teams in their division twice: once at home, and once on the road (six games).
Each team plays the four teams from another division within its own conference once on a rotating three-year cycle: two at home, and two on the road (four games).
Each team plays the four teams from a division in the other conference once on a rotating four-year cycle: two at home, and two on the road (four games).
Each team plays once against the other teams in its conference that finished in the same place in their own divisions as themselves, not counting the division they were already scheduled to play: one at home, one on the road (two games). This schedule guarantees that all teams will play each other at least once every four years, and will play in every other team's stadium at least once every eight years.

Not from Wikipedia (from me)
Each conference is given an INTRACONFERENCE division to play and an INTERCONFERENCE scheduled to play.

In 2007 AFC North faced off against the AFC East and (intraconference) and NFC West (interconference)

Ravens Release Schedule

HERE it is

Ravens have the fourth toughest schedule according to last year's winning percentage. In a following post I will explain more how that happens.

Fan Buzz - Ray a Raven at any cost??

Sy Saulynas at ProFootball24x7.com debates whether Ray should remain a Raven "whatever it takes". He brings up a few good points, but football is not the same as when John Unitas played. There are very few like Favre. I'm not sure Ray Lewis is one of them. Jump in HERE

Subtraction - Sams goes to Chiefs

B.J. Sams agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent the last four years with the Ravens but saw limited play due to injury. Story HERE

OR a Wide Receiver??

We have also been watching a lot of talk about a comparatively weak WR class in this year's class, but the Ravens will work out Michigan State wideout Devin Thomas next week according to reports on ProFootballTalk.com

What the Ravens need - Another QB!

There is another name in the news today, QB Chad Henne. He has been gaining momentum leading up to the draft. The positions where the Ravens have the greatest need has been debated all over the place, so I won't beat it up more here. Here is one article on Henne CLICK HERE

Billick visits Towson University

Brian Billick spoke to some students at Towson University. Not very interersting, but here you go Billick Speaks

Draft Rumors

There is lots of talk about the Ravens chasing a QB in the draft, and much is centered on Boston College's Matt Ryan. Stories here:
HERE
There is also some talk about drafting a cornerback if Ryan is not available. It looks like the convential wisdom on that position points to Leodis McKelvin, Cornerback, Troy State. Yet some other people are pointing toward Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State.
The Bleach Report has a good team review, in which he talks about many of the Ravens needs. See the article HERE

Ravens News from around the league

NFLPA Crisis: Players Call for Ouster of Gene UpshawBleacher Report - Menlo Park,CA,USABaltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover constructed an e-mail to other player representatives calling for the immediate ouster of Upshaw before they sit down

Ravens' Stover hatches plan to replace UpshawDenver Post - Denver,CO,USAUpshaw will mark his 25th anniversary as the union's boss in June, but Baltimore Ravens kicker and player representative Matt Stover is among those who ...

Stover Wants to Oust Union Head UpshawLedger Independent - Maysville,KY,USANEW YORK - Matt Stover, the Baltimore Ravens' veteran kicker, has begun a campaign to replace Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players ...

Report: Ravens' Stover wants to oust UpshawTSN.ca - Scarborough,Ontario,CanadaThe network obtained a copy of an e-mail from Baltimore Ravens' Matt Stover that outlined a plan to put a new Executive Director in place in 2009.

Stover e-mail shows plan to find successor to NFLPA boss Upshaw - NFLESPN - USABy Chris Mortensen An effort to oust Gene Upshaw as the NFL Players Association Executive Director became evident Monday, when veteran Baltimore Ravens ..

Draft Analysis: Baltimore Ravens Team NeedsKFFL - Escondido,CA,USAAfter 12 seasons manning the left post in the Ravens offense, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden (toe) is leaning towards retirement due to a lingering toe

Stover Wants to Oust Union Head UpshawThe Associated Press - NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Stover, the Baltimore Ravens' veteran kicker, has begun a campaign to replace Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players

Report: NFL players want to oust Gene UpshawSportingNews.com - USAAn e-mail from Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover to other player representatives outlines a plan to put a new NFL Players Association Executive Director

Matt Stover Wants to Oust Gene UpshawAOL SPORTS - New York,NY,USABaltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover is leading an uprising within the NFL Players Association in an effort to oust longtime union head Gene Upshaw.


Ravens to host hard-hitting safetyBy Aaron Wilson OWINGS MILLS -- Which hard-hitting safety is about to visit the Baltimore Ravens? Which player just re-signed with the Ravens? Subscribers, please keep reading for further details.Scout.com > NFL > National Football... - http://www.scout.com/

Baltimore Ravens NFLPA Player Representative Says Union "Must ...Ravens kicker Matt Stover wants to put a plan in motion to find a new Executive Director for the NFLPA. Players have little influence on the decisions made by the union. There were no active players involved with the 2006 CBA ...Yardbarker: National Football League - http://yardbarker.com/content/sport/2

Ravens' kicker Stover wants new union bossMatt Stover, the Baltimore Ravens' veteran kicker, has begun a campaign to replace Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association by next March.PittsburghLIVE.com - http://www.pittsburghlive.com