Ravens 03 0 Posted October 24, 2005 - So, I’m sitting out in the driving, freezing rain in the third quarter of yesterday’s game at Soldier Field in Chicago. Not just sitting there, parka encasing me, but sitting in the last row of the stadium, in the upper corner endzone – Section 447, Row 31 if you want to look it up – and I’m wondering what the hell I’m doing there and how we’ve gotten to this point where simply kicking a field goal would be a major moral victory. As the sleet bounced off of me, I thought about that magical night in Tampa almost five years ago and wondered how it ever got this bad, and I was honestly wondering whether Brian Billick was thinking the same thing. I was wondering what was worse: coaching it, playing in it or just watching it from the roof on as a bad a day to sit out and watch a football, in as bad a stadium as there is in the NFL. And I was wondering aloud this: even if they win today, will it even matter? If any of the multitude of things that went wrong during the game – pick a penalty, false start, holding, personal foul, you name it -- wouldn’t have happened, would escaping this disaster at 3-3 at days end truly mean anything. I’ve been saying it for weeks and I’ll say it again: this is just a bad football team. Not bad because their record is 2-4, not bad because of the penalties or anemic offense or inability to make a play on defense. They’re bad because it’s just so awful and unfun to watch it. It feels like nothing good ever happens, even when they’re only losing by a point, which they were at halftime yesterday. And it’s been that way since the first snap of training camp. Maybe I’m missing something, but even the pair of wins against New York and Cleveland were a dreadful way to spend almost four hours on a Sunday, twelve if you factor in travel, tailgating time, etc. It’s almost at an apocalyptic point for me with my Ravens and the NFL, especially when you factor in how little fun the Orioles and Terps have been lately. For the Ravens’ part, it’s not just our team because the other team wasn’t much better.There’s a lot of bad football being played in this league right now. The Ravens are just worse than even most of the bad teams. Overmatched blockers on the offensive line, defensive players that are much too athletic and quick, running backs who have nowhere to go, quarterbacks who look like they’ve got a nanosecond to read and react before running for their lives. Joey Harrington, Brooks Bollinger, Kyle Orton, Trent Dilfer, Anthony Wright, Kyle Boller – does it really matter. It’s just bad! Of course, having the laundry fly at the most inopportune time every Sunday adds a little more pain to the process for the guys in purple. How can this team full of veteran players – and lest we forget that that’s really what the Ravens are at this point, a veteran team by NFL standards – get coached up all week (all their lives really) to avoid penalties and continually hit the century mark for disobedience by days end? Eleven penalties, 100 yards, a 10-6 defeat against another dreadful team going nowhere on the road. Now Ray Lewis is hurt, to go along with Ed Reed and Boller’s injury (and Todd Heap is playing on one leg, basically), and the team has very little to look forward to over the next five weeks, seeing the best teams they’ll play all year in Pittsburgh (twice), Cincinnati (twice) and Jacksonville. If you can’t move the ball in Nashville or Detroit or Chicago, how in the world will the next six weeks be any different from the past six weeks? Oh sure, there will be the obligatory lines about these games having extra significance and a winning streak here against the division rivals could bring them back into a playoff hunt. There will be chopping wood references, back to work references and lines about character and professionalism. But, as a Raven fan, what has you excited about tuning in next week? Will Jamal Lewis ever run like he used to? Will Boller make it back onto the field? How will all of the contractual drama over contracts at season’s end pan out? What becomes of Jim Fassel and Brian Billick when this disaster of a season hits its conclusion? OK, so there might be some storyline/gossip to be had. But what about the football? What about those four hours on Sundays when the outside world stops and you get to spend your leisure time and money on something you enjoy? The Ravens now go into the belly of the beast in Pittsburgh for a nationally televised embarrassment waiting to happen. I’ve got eight days to muster up the strength, determination and enthusiasm to drive four hours each way on work days to sit in yet another upper deck, get howled at by ugly, drunk women with mustaches and their lovers in Western Pennsylvania and freeze my ass off watching some of the most uninspired football we’ve seen here since the 1982 Colts. And I’m wondering, is this ever going to become fun again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Martini 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Cheer Up - you'll get to see Fast Willie Parker live and in person on Halloween Night....now that is some excitement!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mickeyk9 0 Posted October 24, 2005 why so bummed? We still got Natty Boh to hold us over! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2JORDAN3 0 Posted October 24, 2005 WE KICKED YOUR ARSE. SOLDIER FIELD IS QUICKLY BECOMING A REAL HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE IN THE NFL...OUR DEFENSE CAME OUT AND PLAYED SMASHMOUTH FOOTBALL ALL DAY. THE RAVENS DIDN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE THEY WANTED TO PLAY THE 2ND HALF.... 1ST PLACE CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ignition Technition 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Yeah but "Genius" Brian Billick invented Football Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
josephreese 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Heartfelt letter, Ravens 03. If you've really sent it to people in the Ravens organization, I hope it reaches people that are receptive to its message. Cheers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwimango 0 Posted October 24, 2005 2JORDAN3 Posted on Oct 24 2005, 02:05 PM WE KICKED YOUR ARSE. SOLDIER FIELD IS QUICKLY BECOMING A REAL HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE IN THE NFL...OUR DEFENSE CAME OUT AND PLAYED SMASHMOUTH FOOTBALL ALL DAY. THE RAVENS DIDN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE THEY WANTED TO PLAY THE 2ND HALF.... 1ST PLACE CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! What does it mean when your defense comes out and plays smashmouth football? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cuse9 128 Posted October 24, 2005 1ST PLACE CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man that is something to be proud of!! It's gonna take almost 6 wins to wrap up that tough division! Says alot when you are in first over mash unit, Green Bay, loveboat flops, Minnesota and the piano playin Lions. That division is the worst in all of sports (even worst than the NL West). Whoever wins it is gonna get pummeled in the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TUM301 10 Posted October 24, 2005 The Ravens have known of there "glaring needs" for 4 or 5 seasons. Good thing for the rest of the league, Pats fan here, that the Genius Coach Brian B was sold on his skill position players. With that Def, which finally crashed, any off. that could have averaged 22-24 pts a game would have meant a couple more S Bowl appearances!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Martini 0 Posted October 24, 2005 1ST PLACE CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man that is something to be proud of!! It's gonna take almost 6 wins to wrap up that tough division! Says alot when you are in first over mash unit, Green Bay, loveboat flops, Minnesota and the piano playin Lions. That division is the worst in all of sports (even worst than the NL West). Whoever wins it is gonna get pummeled in the playoffs. Lions are done with pianoman, and they are tied for 1st...Sunday breaks the tie as the 4-3 Detroit Lions roll! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Riceball Kenny 0 Posted October 24, 2005 While offensively challenged, the Bears D is for real. They put on a clinic on Sunday. If anyone could appreciate that, I would think it would be a Ravens fan. Ugly weather to sit out and watch your team lose here in Chi, I'll give you that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Liberals are Clueless 0 Posted October 24, 2005 1ST PLACE CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (even worst than the NL West). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SFGeek 0 Posted October 24, 2005 People here should just answer your question. The answer. is: Not soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captian America 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Looks like you outted your secret sex life you have got to be a Sado-Masochist to travel to Chicago and sit in freezing rain just to watch the Ravens play the Bears. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GhostofMeanMachine99 1 Posted October 24, 2005 Ravens have too much cap tied up on the defensive side of the ball, and that really limited their options on offense. Boller's a bust. Get rid of him now and move on. They also need another option coming out of the backfield. A good receiving back who can give them another option is needed. I think the coaching philosophy needs a major overhaul. With that said, it's prolly time to let Billick go. The defense will take care of itself. At this point, there needs to be a new offensive perspective making the calls and writing up the gameplan on the sidelines. 2 yards and a cloud of dust will not get it done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SFGeek 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Looks like you outted your secret sex life you have got to be a Sado-Masochist to travel to Chicago and sit in freezing rain just to watch the Ravens play the Bears. I wouldn't even walk down the block to watch that game. If I could open my living room window and see/hear the game from my living room, I'd close the window, draw the curtains and turn on some loud music to try and avoid that game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gpann101 32 Posted October 24, 2005 I was wondering what was worse: coaching it, playing in it or just watching it from the roof on as a bad a day to sit out and watch a football, in as bad a stadium as there is in the NFL. I was at Soldier Field last year for the first time.I was in awe! To hear it is a dump??? Check out what we have for a stadium in Buffalo and get back to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mobb_deep 917 Posted October 24, 2005 atleast you dont live in one of the crappiest states in the continental USA... wait nevermind... atleast you don't live in nebraska Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daishadar 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Not only did you steal a football team from another town, but you tasted SuperBowl victory only 5 years ago. oh man life is so hard STOP YOUR FOCKING WHINING. It's about time you deal with what other cities have dealt with for years- losing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Da Judge 2 Posted October 24, 2005 That was one of the ugliest games ever. Painful to watch two offenses try not to lose, instead of playing to win. How many passes were thrown over 20 yards all day? Just pitiful..Can't wait to see what my Steeler D does to the Ravens next Monday night. I'm predicting 5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 TD's.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BStones 0 Posted October 24, 2005 We (Stiller fans) don't offer this option much....but there is room on the Steelers Band Wagon... Halloween Night MNF should be fun to watch...Wanna road trip? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captian America 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Looks like you outted your secret sex life you have got to be a Sado-Masochist to travel to Chicago and sit in freezing rain just to watch the Ravens play the Bears. I wouldn't even walk down the block to watch that game. If I could open my living room window and see/hear the game from my living room, I'd close the window, draw the curtains and turn on some loud music to try and avoid that game. Forgot to mention Derectv loves games like this I'll bet sales go up in these markets for the NFL Ticket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lindust20 2 Posted October 24, 2005 u still have the bengals for 2 games Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ravens 03 0 Posted October 25, 2005 I didn't write it. Just copied from something I saw. HTH Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MUGS Posted October 25, 2005 It would have been much easier to just say the Ravens suxor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prymetyme25 0 Posted October 25, 2005 Brian Billick yet another person who got a free ride on the Moss Express. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RLLD 3,455 Posted October 25, 2005 Damb shame, and it should be obvious to us all at this time that the team won in spite of Billick in the past. He does not hire asssitant coashes worth squat, is a poor judge of talent, and without the defense that Ozzy built has nothing to show..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
