Headed Across the Pond

​So yea... last night I kinda booked a trip to London, England, lol. 

 

About a month or so back it was announced by the NFL that the Ravens would play their 1st international game at Wembley Stadium in a regular season (Week 3 or Week 4) road game versus the Jaguars. At that point, I made it my business to somehow fund the trip an entire 8 months in advance of the game & 3 months ahead of the NFL's official schedule release.

 

*1/21/17 edit: the NFL confirmed the game for Week 3 (Sept. 24th) prior to the official schedule release in April - now I won't have to wait until to attach specific dates to various activities & events* 

 

But already, I've taken care of all of the major trip-related expenses to include a travel package that includes airfare, hotel accommodations, a River Thames cruise, London Eye ride & of course... tickets to the big game. 

 

I've been here at my desk since 6:30a researching additional things to do during the trip - I plan to make the most of it! I still have my international hall pass on ice & I'm so very anxious to get my first passport stamp in September. Now I just need to set aside more spending money & make sure I have enough Ravens gear to wear every day of the trip!

Just Thought this was Pretty Cool...

The Baltimore Ravens (my favorite football team) now distribute iPads to it's players, rather than the old-fashioned playbooks & to me, that seems like an excellent idea.

Players now have the convenience reviewing game film, studying plays & game plans all in one device. The only other team that seems to use iPads for playbooks are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so it appears the Ravens are on the cutting edge in this regard.

According to the blog I read on the teams website, Ravens offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron (pictured above) wondered if the team's several-hundred page playbook could somehow be transferred to some sort of tablet device. Less than a year later - the notion is a reality. The teams says the responses by players & coaches alike, have been rather positive so far -- well duhhh! Lol.

"There are things it’s good for & things that the paper is better for. You can put video on it, which is very convenient. It’s nice to not have to carry around a giant playbook all week. “I do print some things out so I can mark down the route progressions & things like that, but in all, it’s been an easy transition", said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

The team purchased 110 iPads & even purchased 10 more when the NFL expanded training camp rosters to 90 players this year. According to Nick Fusee, the Ravens' Director of Information Technology, several tablets were tested before settling on Apple's 64 gb iPad 2. Fusee expects the new playbook distribution method to save the considerable printing costs over the new few years.

“Our video staff has already got the game loaded on their laptop, so all they have to do is plug in through iTunes & load it up on the plane. It only takes a minute, & the guys like that,” Fusee added.

Another huge benefit of going the iPad route is that the Ravens cam always remotely wipe data from any stolen or missing iPad ensuring that playbook & scouting info doesn't 'conveniently' fall into the hand of another team. Additional security measures include automatic wiping of the device after 3 incorrect password entries.

The Atlanta Falcons also flirted with iPads this year. They used the tablet to conduct pre-draft interviews. In my opinion this is yet another example of how tablets are taking over & I, for 1, love it...

Showdown...

In this, the 3rd meeting of the year, I expect a full-on assault of anyone who carries the ball for either of the 2 teams. This will be the 8th meeting for Baltimore & Pittsburgh in the past 3 seasons & the simple fact is these 2 teams know 1 another far too well. Right down to each player, each coach, each tendency, each strength & specifically - each perceived weakness.

The NFL's AFC North Division Champion Steelers finished the season with a record identical to the Ravens (12-4), & the 2 teams split the regular season series (1-1). The past 4 meetings between the 2 have been split as well & get this - the total points scored by the 2 in those 4 games were 67 a piece! Even crazier, all 4 of those games were decided by 3 points, exactly. Both teams play in cities rich in tough, blue-collar tradition & accordingly, neither fan base appears to want Saturday's win any less than the other.

In the previous December meeting in Baltimore, both teams' quarterbacks were abused throughout the contest. The low-scoring affair featured a bloody, broken nosed Ben Roethlisberger & a baffled, overwhelmed Joe Flacco (who surrendered a game-changing fumble in the closing minutes of the game). Both men were courageous in the effort put fourth on behalf of their respective teams.

In that game, both quarterbacks threw for numbers in the neighborhood of 250 yards & each threw 1 touchdown pass (to Issac Remond & Anquan Boldin), accompanied by a turnover. Neither running back (Rashard Mendenhall or Ray Rice) eclipsed the 45-yard mark in the game & special teams really weren't a factor for either squad.

Though the match-up seems even on paper (not to mention the way it's actually been playing-out on the field in recent years), I expect 1 team to take control of this game early. There's no doubt players on both sides will exchange punches til the bitter end, but at this point in the season, injuries & fatigue should play a larger role, so you'd want to take a halftime lead into the locker room. In my estimation, it'll come down to the team that wants it more - I'm hoping that team will be the 1 wearing purple...

So I Hear the Champs are In-town...

Today the Ravens square-off with the New Orleans Saints & ever since Hurricane Katrina, I always root for the Saints - but not today. The Ravens are home today, so me & Pops are headin up to B-more in a few hours. I wont be bringing any moral victories back home with me today, lol. Fuck that, I want this win!

It's a crucial game & if they don't wanna end up sweating out the final weeks of the season, they have to win this game. I tell ya, I love the hell out of this game! There are so very few things that both capture & hold my attention like the NFL on a weekly basis.

That gets me to wondering what the hell is going on with this damn collective bargaining agreement. Are they serious? Some are playing-out the end of their contracts with the uncertainty of whether they'll get any checks after the final one rolls in. I hope those rookie workshops & symposiums made more NFL players cognizant of the proper financial planning.

But getting back to today's game, the defending champs don't appear to be in quite the same form as they were when they made their Super Bowl run last year, nonetheless they remain an offensive juggernaut, so the defense will have their hands full for sure.

The Ravens will need the offense to show up today, hopefully the offense can figure out a way to put together 2 complete halves of football for the 1st time this season. Almost every game has gone to the wire this season, so a decisive victory would be well received by all.

A Rivalry Renewed...

There are few things in sports better than December football & tonight my favorite NFL football team (the Ravens) will face-off with the big, bad Steelers on NBC's Sunday Night Football. This year, the road to the AFC North Division title runs through Baltimore, (as always) Pops & I will certainly be in attendance!

It always seems to come down to these two foes who are both 8-3 coming into the matchup, & I'm very excited to see how things play out. Both teams will likely qualify for the playoffs regardless of who wins, so it's hardly a make or break situation for either squad. But let's face it, these teams don't like each other very much & neither wants to lose.


Baltimore won the 1st game earlier this season, but both teams teams were playing without 1 of it's biggest stars. Safety Ed Reed of the Ravens was still on the Physically Unable to Perform list & Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger was still serving a 4-game suspension (stemming from sexual assault allegations earlier in the year). Most fans, pundits & other talking heads are expected to turn their attention towards tonight's contest as it will go a long way towards assessing the future climate of the AFC playoff picture.

I'd love to attend a home playoff game in Charm City this post season & if the Ravens have any desire of doing the same, they'll need to take care of business early & often in the game. The last thing they'd want to see Big Ben late in the game, with the ball in his hands & with an opportunity to win it all. I know I definitely don't want to see that, so hopefully the sentiment is shared in the locker room as well.

The League...

Hasn't this been one crazy year in the NFL? I think my beloved Baltimore Ravens have pretty much performed as expected this season, at least as far as my expectations are concerned. A 6-2 record & forward momentum going into the back-stretch of the season is all any fan can ask for in my opinion. But getting back to the rest of the league:

-Brett Favre & the Vikings have looked bewildered & lost most of the time in many of their games played this year...

-The Raiders are actually commanding respect once again...

-The Cowboys (who were hoping to play in the Superbowl, which is in their home stadium) have yet to win a home game PERIOD - did I mention they just fired their head coach today???

-Randy Moss has been on 3 (count em' ), 3 teams this year...

-& my favorite feel-good story of the season is the fact that Michael Vick is not just a starting, but credible quarterback in the NFL once again...

These are just a few major stories thus far, how's that for just half the season gone? There have been sooooo many story lines that you almost forget there's a game that remains to be played on Sundays. Speaking of the game itself, a MUCH heavier emphasis has been place upon violent head-to-head hits & its been very noticeable.

Still not so keen on the idea of fining players such large amounts for hits that have been part of the game since its inception, yet I do understand the need to protect players from numerous head injuries. Just not so sure the NFL is going about resolving the issue in the proper manner. Troy Polamalo (of the Steelers) had an interesting idea as far as the Roger Goodell so willfully playing judge & jury (& executioner).

He said something to the effect of there needing to be some sort of council or group that makes important decisions in regard to the game itself & not just one individual - he mentioned 'separation of powers.' I couldn't agree more with his thoughts. Goodell has far too much power & I think everyone can now see various examples of such, like the harsh punishments he hands out to some players at will, while at the same time, affording others the opportunity to make amends for their off-field transgressions.

Overall the league has been very exciting this season, & I look forward to seeing how things play out in the end. I just hope the league doesn't do anything further in terms of decreasing the enjoyment of the game. They've clearly done ENOUGH, any further changes should be reserved for the off-season when owners are given the opportunity to provide input before decisions with such far reaching ramifications are made.

And Life Resumes...

Finally homeward bound after a very good 4-day trip to Vegas. Got to catch up with a few folks from home, run with my partner in crime & as it would turn out - also spend some time with a new special friend of mine. I went to the Kevin Hart comedy show, hit a club, won big over the wknd by betting on some football games and just enjoyed the sights & sounds of the ever-so-busy Las Vegas Strip.

I even bumped into Brian Billick (2000 Super Bowl winning coach of my favorite NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens) while boarding the flight I'm currently on, so that was kinda cool. Now I'm just reflecting on the trip that was and also the months of grindin that I presently have before me. Time to really buckle down (financially speaking) & get things fully back in order for the Thanksgiving & Christmas seasons which are rapidly approaching.

I just might also be nearing a point where I'm ready to start a new relationship in the coming months. I've been dating a someone for the past couple of months & it actually appears that there just might be something to it. So if things continue to progress the way they've been thus far, just might end up with a cuddle buddy after all this winter. I've now come to the conclusion that living out the rest of my days in complete happiness trumps waiting for the perfect situation to come along.

So while this might not be the ideal situation I've always dreamed of in my head, it's definitely a situation that makes me happy. I haven't had the pleasure of uttering such words in terms of women in what has now become years. She's a considerate person who doesn't come-across as a know-it-all (I've had my share of those) & I'm in-turn able to sit back and trust the decisions she makes on a daily basis. She really seems to care & look out for my well-being (a missing aspect in my past one or two relationships), so I'm willing to take my time with her and allow things to develop naturally. She and I are by no means 'official' per se, but one never knows, things change quickly I've found in life, so stay tuned for the conclusion of this saga.

Failure after failure, I'm finally aware of the type of woman it takes to handle a guy such as myself, so hopefully I'm half the wonderful person I believe her to be. In either instance, I've completely moved beyond negative experiences of the past and have my eyes set upon the situations and people who are actively present in my life. I simply have no time for has-beens, coulda-beens & shoulda-beens - sometimes you have to use the 'addition by subtraction 'approach in order to truly enjoy & improve upon the quality of one's life. So how's the quality of yours?

So Ed Reed says he wants a new contract…

This muthafukka can’t be serious. This is the same dude who missed 4 games in December last season before recovering ‘just in time’ for the playoffs. Not to mention he has 3 yrs (each of which is worth over $6 million) left on his 6-year contract extension from 2007 in addition to a $15 million signing bonus that same year. “I appreciate the opportunity that the Ravens have given me. I’m not about to ask them for anything if I’m not going to be playing. My focus is to get myself back. I’m coming back for at least for one more year.” – Stop playin with me Ed, you comin back for ‘at least’ one more year but you want another extension beyond the 3 remaining years on your current extension? He also mentioned recently that he’s only 35 percent after having hip surgery, so wtf??? Not sayin he’s on bitch-mode like Haynesworth in Washington, but damn - come to the bargaining table with a lil’ more leverage than THAT before you start askin for new contracts & shit… End rant.