Not-so-golden oldies

[Mike]

With a healthy Boller, a healthy o-line, and a healthy secondary, the Ravens might get off to a decent start this season! lt doesn't look good!

[Dee-Lut]

Unfortunately, its no doubt. I wish I could (and you) be wrong, but I don't think a miracle is in the cards.

[Maximilian]

Fritz wrote:

Been reading your column forever and this is the first time I can fully agree with you. The Ravens need to learn to forget the sentiment and make hard decisions like the best teams. They know when the player is declining and bring in someone else. Half this team needs to go.

I'm with you. Winning is more fun than losing, but some other teams seem to want to win more than we do. If the Ravens want to win, they need to put the best possible team on the field. We need talented, driven, and hungry athletes, not celebrities.

[Dave from St Marys Cnty]

lewesjim wrote:

What must not happen is that Flacco take the beating that Boller took in his first year. He was never able to get over it and it showed.

I wish all of you folks who say Flacco shouldn't start as a rookie could/would realize that he is not the same type of player as "Happy Feet Boller"...c'mon, you cannot generalize rookie QB's!
I'm not saying that the same thing that happened with Boller could not happen with Flacco, but it is unlikely. They are two different mindsets...Boller is anything but cool, calm & composed, which I think was evident even in his college days...while Flacco is a more level-headed QB.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think he should start. I really don't feel he's gonna learn anything on the sideline...especially without a proven QB to take him under his wing. Al of that aside, nothing matures a QB better than OJT.

[Dave from St Marys Cnty]

A fly on the wall wrote:

Last Winter:
Oz:[Calling the Sun] Mike Preston please.... Mike, we need a plan. Steve's figured out that I'm to blame for this mess and he's furious! Who's going to be our next fall guy?
Preston: Oz, I'm not sure. People are already starting to talk. Give me sometime to think about it. I'll come up with an agenda. We'll fix it, just sit tight and keep the checks coming.

NICE!
Wouldn't surprize if remotely true.

[Irishpat]

A fly on the wall wrote:

Last Winter:
Oz: Steve, don't fire Billick! Please he's a great....
Steve:[Interrupting] Oz, the horrible offense, the headcases on this team, someone needs to be accountable for this mess. People are leaving the damm games early!!
Oz: Steve, your right. Can him then.
Last Week:
Steve: Oz, I took your advice and canned Billick, but this team still looks exactly the same, if not worse!
Oz:[Worried now] Give it some time Steve. Let Harbs and Cam install their own profile.
Steve:[Getting angry now] You know what I think? I think I fired a coach that actually found a way to win more games than he lost with this group. And a coach that found a way to win a SB without a friggin offense!!
Oz: Well, there's only one thing we can do Steve and that's fire Harbs. He's too young, he's a special teams coach, he's....
Steve:[Interrupting] I won't make that mistake again you fool! What do you take me for? If this train wreck doesn't get cleaned up soon, your the next one out the door! And get your damm feet off the desk!
Oz:[Trembling, and thinking to himself} Damm it! He found out the guy responsible for the players on the field is the right one to blame. What do I do now? The gravy train with biscuit wheels is crashing into the side of the building! I need to call Preston.
Oz:[Calling the Sun] Mike Preston please.... Mike, we need a plan. Steve's figured out that I'm to blame for this mess and he's furious! Who's going to be our next fall guy?
Preston: Oz, I'm not sure. People are already starting to talk. Give me sometime to think about it. I'll come up with an agenda. We'll fix it, just sit tight and keep the checks coming.

My mother always told me "many a truth is said in jest".

[Ravens Ryan]

Yeah, Flacco was "clearly" outplayed by Smith and Flacco....seriously? They all looked the same to me, and at least Flacco showed progression - and didn't throw a pick. I don't think the difference here is that defined. Regardless, we all know Flacco is our starter at this point...

[Fair is Fair]

Shudom wrote:

<quoted text>
Two future hall of famers in the same round(albeit the first) is more than a nut, and more than any meat anyone can bring to the table about Savage or DeCosta. If you are going to blame Ozzie, why not blame DeCosta as well.
How many draft picks of Savage's have gone to the Pro Bowl?
Made the All Pro team?
I'm not saying that Ozzie is perfect, because he has made his mistakes, but no one has enough meat to argue that Savage was the "real genius". The Browns have one catch everyone off guard season and everyone jumps the gun

Very true about Savage. But you at least have to recognize our continual problems that are never adequately addressed. All things aside, Oz got all the credit in the past for defensive stars like Ray, AD, Reed, and etc. Now that the once in a lifetime defense is aging, our perpetual problems on offense are becoming even more apparent. At the end of the day, he's the GM so the presonnel decisions are his responsibility. It's only fair he gets the blame also.

The owner needs to evaluate Oz at the end of this season, if not before. These next few years are going to be down ones, and are very important for the future. If we have horrible drafts, these next few years will turn into a decade of futility. All I am saying is Steve B needs to conduct a very thorough review of Oz and decide if he is really the man to rebuild this team in today's NFL. If he's not and Steve makes the wrong decision, it will be his biggest mistake. Our Ravens will turn into the Orioles before our eyes. I trust Steve's decision, I just hope realizes he needs to take a long, hard look at Oz before going into the next draft.

Earth to Preston: This is what you should be writing about!! Stop covering up the need to at least evaluate the GM.

[Latest Bust by Ozzie]

3rd Round, David Pittman
Who's next?
Chris Chester is my pick...

[Shudom]

Fair is Fair wrote:

<quoted text>
Very true about Savage. But you at least have to recognize our continual problems that are never adequately addressed. All things aside, Oz got all the credit in the past for defensive stars like Ray, AD, Reed, and etc. Now that the once in a lifetime defense is aging, our perpetual problems on offense are becoming even more apparent. At the end of the day, he's the GM so the presonnel decisions are his responsibility. It's only fair he gets the blame also.
The owner needs to evaluate Oz at the end of this season, if not before. These next few years are going to be down ones, and are very important for the future. If we have horrible drafts, these next few years will turn into a decade of futility. All I am saying is Steve B needs to conduct a very thorough review of Oz and decide if he is really the man to rebuild this team in today's NFL. If he's not and Steve makes the wrong decision, it will be his biggest mistake. Our Ravens will turn into the Orioles before our eyes. I trust Steve's decision, I just hope realizes he needs to take a long, hard look at Oz before going into the next draft.
Earth to Preston: This is what you should be writing about!! Stop covering up the need to at least evaluate the GM.

Fair is Fair, that is, indeed, fair.

[RavenKen]

Fair is Fair wrote:

<quoted text>
Very true about Savage. But you at least have to recognize our continual problems that are never adequately addressed. All things aside, Oz got all the credit in the past for defensive stars like Ray, AD, Reed, and etc. Now that the once in a lifetime defense is aging, our perpetual problems on offense are becoming even more apparent. At the end of the day, he's the GM so the presonnel decisions are his responsibility. It's only fair he gets the blame also.
The owner needs to evaluate Oz at the end of this season, if not before. These next few years are going to be down ones, and are very important for the future. If we have horrible drafts, these next few years will turn into a decade of futility. All I am saying is Steve B needs to conduct a very thorough review of Oz and decide if he is really the man to rebuild this team in today's NFL. If he's not and Steve makes the wrong decision, it will be his biggest mistake. Our Ravens will turn into the Orioles before our eyes. I trust Steve's decision, I just hope realizes he needs to take a long, hard look at Oz before going into the next draft.
Earth to Preston: This is what you should be writing about!! Stop covering up the need to at least evaluate the GM.

You are nuts. We never had the offensive coach to take advantage of the talent. Are you going to blame Oz for the rotation of QB's through Baltimore? You're nuts if so. If Billick had any say about who to get it was on offense. Billick deserves the blame for our lackluster offense. The only time our offense did any good was when they were flying by the seat of their pants (Dilfer or McNair) or the talent overcame the poor coaching/game plan. TALENT overcame poor pitiful Billick. PERIOD.