Yardbarker: Steve McNair

Questions Abound, as Another Season Unfolds

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:52:04 -0500

It's hard to believe that this is the thirteenth summer for the Ravens as they gear up for the 2008 season. It seems like only yesterday when I bought my first ticket to see the team play Da Raydahs at Memorial stadium. But,the team is so entrenched in the community and football so much a part of the city that it moves like clockwork. It's July. Baltimore fans are done with the O's as they sink to the bottom of the standings and all attention turns towards Westminster. Hope springs. Everyone can make the playoffs. Everyone has a chance. Can we release the magic of the 2000 campaign just one more time? Training camp means so many things; old vets get run through the paces, new players get initiated into the fold, and change is natural part of the process. With all of that come questions. Questions that won't have answers for maybe months. Here are some of the biggest that concern the Ravens: Who's the Quarterback : Steve McNair has retired to the Quarterback Rest Home. The team spends a first round selection on Joe Flacco. They still have former first rounder, Kyle Boller as well as, former Heisman winner, Troy Smith. So, who gets the shot? Early word was Flacco was quite impressive in mini-camp. I think he would have to blow away the competition in pre-season to be under center against Cincy Week One. I have a strong feeling that Smith will win out. He gained the respect of the vets and has shown the poise and leadership that Boller never has. But, if the season goes south early expect "Bazooka" Joe to take the snaps. New Offensive Line : Hall of Fame monster and greatest Gebco dancer ever, Jonathan Ogden has retired and long time staple, Mike Flynn has left as well. That means a younger and hopefully more athletic line. Lots of shifting around. Jason Brown steadies this group and he has played well. Ben Grubbs should be able to live up to billing this season. But the biggest concerns are the tackles. Adam Terry has been spotty and Jared Gaither may look like Ogden but he's still a baby in this league. Lines need time to gel and they should have growing pains. Camp Harbaugh : First year coach, John Harbaugh leads his first training camp. One of the biggest complaints about Brian Billick was that his camps were more like summer retreats and that should change this season. Harbaugh has been saying all the right things and fans are anxious to see the hard work pay off in a more disciplined team than we have seen in the past. When you take over a 5-11 team, your hope is to simply get better. If they stay healthy they should top that, weather they are playoff ready remains to be seen. Ray Lewis : This is the closest that the face of the franchise has ever gotten to free agency. He is in the final year of his contract and over the past several years hasn't been able to put together a full season. His claim of wanting "Peyton Manning" money had most people confused. He is on the downside of his career but, when healthy no one plays harder and he is the unquestioned leader of the team. His play this season will determine if he can finish his career in the purple and black.

Questions Abound, as Another Season Unfolds

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:52:04 -0500

There’s something about Bret

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:38:11 -0500

Question: If the Baltimore Ravens could get Brett Favre as their starting quarterback for the 2008 season, should they do it? It seems like a pretty simple question with even a simpler answer. Didn't he retire? And even if he un-retired, which I think he did, what would it take to get him from the Packers who still happen to own his rights? No way. He's too old. The team already has three quarterbacks on the roster. Two of which were first round draft choices and the third was a Heisman winner. There has to be a guy out of that bunch to lead this team. But, we're talking about Brett Favre. Future Hall of Famer, star of the big and small screen, and no doubt he could teach some of these young bucks a thing or two about the position. He'd be a great mentor to "Bazooka" Joe Flacco, wouldn't he? Yeah, he's really helped Aaron Rodgers settle into the Green Bay job well. The whole "I'm out", "I'm in" reeks of middle school bravado. I'm out and then I'm upset because the organization isn't doing triple lindies that I might want back on the field. Too much ego. No dice. But, he's still a quality player. Look at his numbers from a year ago. Sixty six percent completion rate, twenty eight touchdowns, quarterback rating of ninety five. When was the last time we ever saw a Baltimore quarterback with those kind of stats? It seems like never. But, check it and see that Vinny Testaverde, a Pro Bowl selection in 1996 put up more even more TD's. And people think he was a bum. Sure, and those same people that loved him this past season were ready to put him out to pasture after 2006 when he the same number of touchdowns and interceptions. Wasn't last year just a fluke? He still loves the game and he's tougher than shoe leather. He's that one piece that the recent Ravens have never had, high quality play under center. He's the kind of player that takes you places, playoff places. No one doubts his toughness. He at least looks tough in those jeans commercials, all stubbly and homespun. But, the Ravens had one of the toughest men ever to strap it up in Steve McNair. The guy was a warrior but too many hits robbed him of any ability to throw the ball with a spiral. And if you think the Ravens are just one player away from greatness, you must think it still 2000. But, com'on don't you think it would be exciting to see Favre slinging it around M & T, leading a fourth quarter comeback, and inspiring the masses of purple faithful? Well. Yeah maybe. Favre is like that hot girl that you know is trouble but if you think you have a chance you go for it. Because even though your head tells you that you have other questions to answer, your gut tells you that she's the answer to all your problems. Ultimately I don't think that Favre will end up in another uniform but, even I have to admit, there is something about Brett.

TOP 12 FORCES OR EVENTS THAT COULD SAVE US FROM FAVRARO

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:15:59 -0500

by DMtShooter, Five Tool Tool

Hello, my name is DMtShooter, and I'm a Favraholic.

I am powerless before my addiction to fill my sports blog with Brett Favre's latest comings, goings, itches and decisions.

So are you.

It's the perfect storm of Sports Dead Time Plus Irresistible Jock Itch.

And I... am... powerless to stop it.

But there are forces that can.

12. Child trapped. Maybe this is too old-school to really get the sports media off the Favre Hagging, but if the child is cute enough -- I'm thinking no more eight, and hopefully with a missing winsome baby tooth -- it's possible.

11. Mass hypnosis. Clearly, as we are dealing with a large percentage of football fans that continue to let Favre suckle at the publicity teat without turning on him, this has happened before. All we need is a very big shiny object, and the right droning voice that will let Packer Fan know that they are getting sleepy.... sleepy.... very sleepy....

10. Terrorist scare. We haven't one of these in a good long while, and with a presidential election coming up, we're just about due for a good pants-wetting. After the Bad Mail, Lite Brite or Shoe Fireworks keep us from voting with our brains, we'll gladly give up any hope of civil liberties and a Favre-free NFL telecast. Remember, if we're not talking about Brett, the terrorists have already won!

9. Missing white women. If I've learned anything from The Media, it's that the world stops when a Girls Gone Wild Goes Missing, preferably in a swarthy climate with sweat-soaked b-roll footage. Come on, Dolphin or Charger cheerleader -- get yourself abducted and/or famous. You could end up in a Lifetime movie, and your poon shots would have a certain over the top guilt factor in the bathroom.

8. Killing spree. Hey, I'm not an inhuman monster here -- I'm not hoping for the violent deaths of innocents just to help readjust media coverage away from Saint Brett. I'm thinking, say, people attending Redskins summer camp. That way, it's a win-win for all of us, and Sean Taylor's Ghost will have some company, and the Native American populace will get some tiny measure of payback.

7. Stake in heart. If Aaron Rodgers really wants this job, all he's got to do is break into Favre's crypt shortly after dawn with a wooden stake and good aim. Hey, if an angsty blonde teenager that's probably not even a hundred pounds soaking wet (and that's how I likes 'em) can do it a few hundred times, why can't he? (And speaking of people who need stakes in their hearts, someone get Joss Whedon to stop dicking around and make something already. I don't give a crap that Fox broke his heart when they canceled "Firefly." Boo freaking hoo. Get to work and stop wasting your gift, jerk. And we now return you to your regularly scheduled Favre HateFest.)

6. Violence against animals. Can't someone plant an abused kitten or twelve on the Favre Estate? Your local PETA activist, who hasn't really had enough to do since Vickgate, will thank you. (Off camera, of course. And if she shaves, that's good value, especially given the inevitable Daddy issues. Just don't leave your real number. Ah, memories.)

5. Heroic disease. This just in... Favre contracted Lou Gehrig Disease from Curt Schilling's kids. (I just assume, since he named them after the Iron Martyr, that they had it.) Or he got HIV from shaking hands with Magic Johnson as they were constructing housing for Katrina victims. I'll take what I can get here, folks -- even if it means decades of PSAs. JUST MAKE THE PLAYING / NOT PLAYING STOP.

4. Global warming. Finally, the lower standard of living that you'll be forced to endure just so that snooty liberals can make everyone live with less (Muhahahaha! Komrades, we have finally achieved the perfect gambit to defeat Capitalism!) pays off. Once the Canadian permafrost melts, Wisconsin will be flooded, and given the general aerobic state of its residents, I'm not counting on them being able to get out of the way of slowly rising water. Once the Cheesetards are gone, Favre will be sure to follow.

3. Domestic pandemic. Let's all breathe deep and take in that Asian Bird Of Death Flu that was supposed to take us all out a few years ago. Sure, the living will envy the dead, but you can't make a Bird of Death Flu without breaking a few pandemic eggs.

2. Angry black men. Someone call Reverend Wright, and tell him that there's no black quarterback that's done what Favre's doing -- and if you are counting by rings, Doug Williams has ever right. Heck, Steve McNair was gutty and well-liked by his teammates; couldn't he have drawn out his semi-retirement for a few more years? IT'S A CONSPIRACY! Get that Angry Black Man in front of a microphone, stat!

1. Thermonuclear War. The ultimate horror will be survived by only Keith Richards and the cockroaches... neither of whom have shown much of an interest in football, other than as a way towards their next meal. So even when (not if) Saint Brett survives the horrors and the nuclear winter and the meltdown, there won't be anyone to pay attention to his widdle boy will-I-or-won't-I routine. Which you'd think we could achieve without the thermonuclear war, but just to be sure....

Where’s He Going to Go?

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:55:06 -0500

Presumably, the Packers don't really want Favre back after all that's happened. Essentially, their message is they aren't going to free him to sign with any of the league's other 31 teams — especially not NFC North division rivals Minnesota, Chicago or Detroit — and he won't be given his starting job back if he returns to Green Bay. The most likely scenario would have Favre petitioning the league for reinstatement and the Packers trading him to an AFC team, or at least an NFC team outside the division. Among the teams that fit that profile are the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. The Packers' best-case scenario, in which Favre would've simply stayed retired, almost certainly won't happen. The Packers went so far as to send an intermediary down to Mississippi last week to try to talk Favre into staying retired, but their attempt failed. The Wisconsin State Journal's article puts serious contenders for Favre out there for the first time in a while. But would these really help Brett Favre? He obviously wants to go to a contender and the Minnesota Vikings are rumored to be his top choice (which means he's looking to follow Darren Sharper and Ryan Longwell), but Minnesota most likely isn't going to happen. Do these really give Favre a chance to be a winner though? The Miami Dolphins were 1-15 last year and are starting from the ground up. They have a new coach in Tony Sparano and a new head man in Bill Parcells. If Favre wants to win, Miami would probably not be the best option. Parcells and Sparano are getting reputations as strictly business, given their run-in with superstar-turned-wanna-be-actor Jason Taylor. A Taylor-for-Favre swap is pretty intriguing, but I don't think that's what Taylor wants and Favre wants a winner, but I don't see the Dolphins turning into playoff contenders right away. Right now, John Beck, Chad Henne, and Josh McCown are the quarterbacks on the roster for the Dolphins. Beck started last year and had a lot of trouble adjusting to the pro-game. He could have been Cam Cameron's quarterback of the future, but with Parcells coming in, his future is up in the air. Parcells used a high draft pick on Henne, who could be Parcells' "guy" while McCown is the veteran in the mix. McCown also happens to be a friend of the Packers family, along with Nathan Poole, for knocking the Vikings out and Packers into the playoffs in (I think) 2003. God, I love opening old wounds. So the Dolphins do not look that likely if Favre wants to win. If he wants to play and end up on MediCare, he can go for it. The Baltimore Ravens would be the worst situation for me besides an NFC North team. I may be in the Baltimore area, but I do not like the Ravens. Besides the personal anguish this would cost me, the Ravens cannot quite afford Favre. Right now the Packers have 2008 first round pick Joe Flacco, 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, and bust Kyle Boller. The Ravens are also reeling from the Steve McNair-era where they were at the mercy of an aging quarterback on the downside of his career. I have read many columnists in the Baltimore-area newspapers, and it's clear they do not want Favre. They know that on the heels of a 5-11 season that they need to rebuild and devote time and confidence to either Flacco or Smith, something they did not do with Boller. The only way to get their quarterbacks better and to put themselves in a position to win in the future would be to let Flacco and Smith play and become experienced. I pretty much covered the Chiefs, one of the most inept franchises in history. But they can still have fantasies. Like this one. And this one. And finally this one. The Jets are intriguing. Favre is older than head coach Eric Mangini. Kellen Clemens looks like he could be a good quarterback if he is given time to play, which wouldn't happen if Favre joined the team. Chad Pennington is still on the team and he has had some pretty good moments in his time in the Big Apple. I'm no Jets expert, but this scenario is pretty mysterious. Who knows here. I just don't know whether Favre would want to play for a team coming off a losing season. It seems like every year Sports Illustrated picks the Panthers to win the Super Bowl. But it doesn't happen. They are mired in the .500-ball heave that is the NFC South. The team does not have many offensive weapons outside of Steve Smith and at times last year, it seemed like they could not do anything right. Sure, they played in Super Bowl XXXVIII. But that feels like ancient history. Also, the Panthers seems set with Jake Delhomme as their signal caller. Tampa Bay is quarterback heaven. Jon Gruden is apparently tight with Favre because of the days of the Holmgren regime. But seriously, how many quarterbacks on the roster? Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Luke McCown, Chris Simms, and rookie Josh Johnson. They've got about every type in there. Let's add aging-gunslinger to that category. The Bucs won the division in 2007, but the fact that they won it at 9-7 leaves no guarantee for them to be a winner in 2008. Not seeing Favre here. The Redskins are another interesting possibility. They've got plenty of money (aka Dan Snyder) and a young quarterback in Jason Campbell. The Redskins know what they are doing with Campbell by letting him play last year. The only reason a player can get better is by playing. And he got better as the season went on before he got hurt and Todd Collins led the team to the playoffs. The Skins have been down this road before with Mark Brunell. I don't think that worked too well. So there we have it. I'd say Favre doesn't have any really good options out there. Anywhere he went (Minnesota included) he would get in the way of the development of a team.

Off-Season Run Down: Part 2 (Ravens)

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:36:35 -0500

Coming off their worst season since 1996, the Baltimore Ravens had some big holes to fill. Then came the news that former Pro Bowlers OL Jon Ogden and QB Steve McNair were retiring, and a glaring need emerged. Oh and let's not forget the Ravens uncanny ability to always need a QB. With that in mind the Ravens drafted like such: Round 1 - Joe Flaco, QB, Delaware (18) Round 2 - Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers (55) Round 3 - Tavares Gooden, OLB, Miami (FL) (71) Tom Zbikowski, S, Norte Dame (86) Oniel Cousins, OT, UTEP (99) Round 4 - Marcus Smith, WR, New Mexico (106) David Hale, OT, Weber St. (133) Round 6 - Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati (206) Round 7 - Justin Harper, WR, Virgina Tech (215) Allen Patrick, RB, Oklahoma (240) When it comes to the Browns, I feel that the Ravens are still a few years away from competing, but there's a catch 22 to this scenario, the Ravens aren't getting any younger and most of their defense has been around the block a couple times. Who knows when they'll retire but players like Ray Lewis aren't going to be around forever, and we began to see that this off-season with both Ogden's and McNair's retirements. I was a bit shocked that the Ravens actually spent a 1st round pick on a QB with former 1st rounder Kyle Boller and Heisman winner Troy Smith both on the team's roster. Interestingly enough it's been Smith who performed the best at the team's minicamp. (On a personal note as an OSU fan also, I pray that Smith is not subjected to have to play much longer for the Ravens.) The pick of Ray Rice I believe will really benefit the team as well, and it looks as if Cousins has also been impressive. Aside from these three look for the others to help out on special teams and be more developmental kinds of guys, at least for this coming season. That's not to say that a guy like Zbikowski won't contribute eventually, and personally I really would have liked for the Browns to have drafted him. Draft grade - C, like I stated before I can't for the life of me figure out why the Ravens selected Flaco, I felt that they really reached for him at 18, but I will admit the kid has all the intangibles to be a great QB in a few years; he kind of reminds me of Derek Anderson, with what he brings to the table, he's tall, isn't entirely mobile, and has a cannon arm, plus I know that Ozzie Newsome hated to lose Anderson a few years back. Ray Rice should be a good back-up for Willis McGahee, while the others will be developing over the course of the season. Though I felt that the Ravens could have better drafted by need, Newsome's track record has proven to be right more times than not. Season Prediction - 6-10 3rd in AFC North

The Ravens’ Declaration of Dependence

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:49:37 -0500

When you think about the short history of the Baltimore Ravens, and weigh that against the long-standing relationship the City of Baltimore has with professional football, it's reasonable to say that this season means everything to the direction and future of this franchise. That's not to say that the Ravens should or could go to the Super Bowl, but they shouldn't be far from it. This is a team in flux at its most important position. It is a team that has seen its first Hall of Famer in Jonathan Ogden retire, with Ray Lewis' big goodbye soon to come. The Ravens are a team with a new direction in coaching, which owner Steve Bisciotti has promised is a direction to be taken on a long, steady path. This is a team with defensive identity, mirroring the blue collar essence of its fans, but not quite out of the shadow of its AFC North rival in Pennsylvania and Ohio. And its a fan base that thirsts for more. It's do or die time for the Ravens. Either the franchise determines its quarterback of the present and future, or it will face wavering support from the city. Either they get an offense good enough to keep close, or face blowout defeats courtesy of injured and aging superstars. Its easy to remember 2000, that magical year of the Ravens Super Bowl run. But since then, the squad has won one playoff game in three appearances. It's easy to remember Steve McNair's first season and the 13-3 record, but it's often forgotten that the 2006 season was only the Ravens second winning season in the last four years, and only the fifth winning season in the team's 12-years history. The Ravens are unique, in that they are straddling a fence between league obscurity and national prominence. A generation of fans have grown up knowing names like Ogden, Lewis and Todd Heap. The Pro Bowls speak for the individual accolades, but they haven't translated into annual contention for the Super Bowl. Perhaps you can thank Peyton Manning and Tom Brady for that, or you can blame the Ravens' lackluster effort to take their place among the elite. Everything depends on this season for the Ravens. And for a team to have everything depending on one season, you have to wonder about the body of work created by the other 11.

Being a Raider may keep you out of the Hall of Fame

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:01:29 -0500

Is it any surprise that when players such as Ray Guy, Ken Stabler, Cliff Branch, Lester Hayes, Dave Dalby, Jack Tatum, George Atkinson, Steve Wisniewski, Tom Flores, and others haven't received the call to wear the golden jacket, that questions arise about some of the recent Raiders who should be surefire inductees? Most recently, I've read a few times that Warren Sapp isn't necessarily a first ballot Hall of Fame candidate. While I may not be his biggest supporter, even I would have to stipulate that there is no question to his worthiness.

2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Notes - Baltimore Ravens

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:39:06 -0500

After an impressive 2006 season, in which the Baltimore Ravens finished tied for the second best record in the NFL at 13-3 and came up just short against the potential Super Bowl Champs, the Indianapolis Colts, in an AFC divisional playoff game, 2007 began with high expectations. After all, the Ravens had the number one ranked defense in the NFL heading into 2007, so it appeared just a little more offense would do the trick and get them to the next level.

Steve McNair will always be a Titan

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:01:46 -0500

...Steve McNair will always be a Titan in the minds of Titans fans. His two years in Baltimore were simply an aberration...

Bus Cook's offseason has really sucked

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:05:35 -0500

When you are Brett Favre and Steve McNair's agent, you've had better offseasons. Sure you can comfort yourself knowing that you still represent Calvin Jonhson, Randy Moss, Adalius Thomas and Jay Cutler but those guys don't have the same kind of money-making power that Favre and McNair did. Favre was due to make $10 million this year, McNair $4 million plus whatever other money you could dredge up for them like book deals, appearance fees, golf tournaments. I don't care who you are, losing 3% of $14-$20 million in income is a hit. That works out to between $400,000 to $600,000 on lost income.

Damn You ESPN and Your Ridiculous McNair Teasers!

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:53:28 -0500

...Last night, the tease in question made reference to Steve McNair's retirement and then - hold, hold - one of those leading "is he a Hall of Famer" throw-ins that made me roll my eyes and curse ESPN. Oh yes, and also claim "are-you-f-in-kidding-me." Of course, they had me at Hall. They had me at Hall...

Finishing Steve McNair's retirement thoughts

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:48:23 -0500

Steve McNair announced his retirement from the NFL today, and while we continue to be in absolute awe over the fact that he had three years remaining on his contract with the Ravens, we felt obliged to complete the thoughts he shared during his press conference announcing his decision (Hernia sentiment in bold). (more...)

LAS - Life After Steve

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:50:17 -0500

Life after Steve McNair begins for the Ravens...and they had BETTER NOT draft Matt Ryan to replace him.

Steve McNair: one stinkin' yard away

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:35:27 -0500

i know there's a bunch floating around the yard right now, but this guy did a solid write up on him!! check it , if you are inclined ~ he will be missed ~i put a vid on here-it's brief of his retirement announcement-see replies-peace out,ck0712 One stinking yard. Steve McNair passed for 31,304 yards during his 13-year NFL career. Had he gained one more yard in Super Bowl XXXIV, he just might've ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. McNair, 35, announced his retirement today. He worked out hard during the offseason to "see how his body would react to my mind," he said today. "My mind was feeling, yes, but my body was saying, 'What are you doing?' " His legacy is clear and simple: Steve McNair was one of the toughest and most versatile quarterbacks ever to play the game. He epitomized the game's warrior mystique, playing hurt for most of the last half of his career, taking poundings and yet most often rising to play again. He's one of only three QBs to amass more than 30,000 yards passing and at least 3,000 rushing. The other two are Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young, both of whom are already enshrined. So why not McNair? CLICK!