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The Birds got a big win against the Broncos on Sunday and everything is back to normal.  Quick note: Frank Walker was on the bench.  Coincidence?  No way.  (See my WEEK 6 BLOG for further details)
The offense looked great.  Joe Flacco was nearly flawless and Ray Rice is proving to be unstoppable.  The D was back to doing what it does, limiting the Broncos to 200 total yards.  And the Special Teams finally showed up.  Hauschka bounced back with three FG’s and a big congrats to Lardarius Webb for his 95-yard kick return for a TD.  The Ravens were hitting on all cylinders.
Throughout the bye week I heard a lot of the media say that the Ravens were only 3 plays away from being 6-0 and that the Broncos were soft. Guess what?  Shoulda, woulda, coulda.  I’m only three payments away from being six months behind on my credit cards or else I’d have good credit.  And my grandmother is soft. Soft as they come. But she can still bring the wood.  Has moves like Jimmy Snuka.  I’m just sayin, it wouldn’t be odd to see her try this shit off her kitchen table.

Superfly

We’re 4-3.  The good news is that we know the Ravens are capable of beating anyone in the league.  The only way to prove it?  Buckle down, kick some ass and make the playoffs!
It starts next week with a huge division game against the Bengals.  See ya’s in Cincy.

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger

CLICK HERE FOR MY OFFICIAL NFL RAVENS BLOG
MY UNEDITED BLOG IS BELOW.
THE NFL HAS AN IMAGE TO UPHOLD.  SO DO I.

44 yards out.  For the win.  In a dome.  Perfect conditions.  Wide left.  I have two words for you.  MATT STOVER.  Now, I don’t want to put ALL the blame on Steve Hauschka because, frankly, Frank Walker deserves MOST of it.  I have faith that Steve Hauschka will make game winning kicks.  But Frank Walker?  Frank Walker sucks!  Plain and simple.  I don’t even know how to be nice about it.  If he were a little kid in a Pop Warner game, I wouldn’t know how to sugar coat it (honesty is a character flaw).  I’d have to tell the kid, “Hey.  I know you’re hurting…and you should be.  You stunk it up out there today.”  Walker should’ve been benched after the Bengals game for his sorry play.  And he should be cut after his “performance” against the Minnesota Vikings.  Frank Walker couldn’t cover a book!  Right now, I could put on a Ravens uniform, in the shape I’m in, and do the same job Frank Walker does.  How do you cause pass interference the way he does and STILL let the guy catch the damn ball??  I’m telling you.  I can do that.  I can hold jerseys and ride a guy’s back like a pack mule.  And I don’t make the money Frank Walker makes.  If you were paying me to make mistakes, like we pay Frank, I’d be rich!

My sources tell me this guy is still available.  Cut Frank Walker, sign this dude and let him do his thang!

*Quick thought: This guy is smiling and having a good time in his adidas.  What’s wrong with the lady in pink?  Look at her mug.  You can’t be happy for him?  I hate haters.

3-3 is not where I’d thought we’d be going into the bye week.  The pass defense is a mess!  Any QB in the league can pass on us.  Kyle Boller would look like Johnny Unitas against this defense.
I’m working on being positive (It’s a new year’s resolution that’s still hanging around) and I have faith in the Birds.  Our offense looks great and I know John Harbaugh, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will get this thing figured out.  It’s not a sprint.  It’s a marathon.  I just wish Frank Walker would run his ass off of our team.
Next up, the undefeated Broncos.  Stay positive, Ryan…

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger

CLICK HERE FOR MY OFFICIAL NFL RAVENS BLOG
MY UNEDITED BLOG IS BELOW.
THE NFL HAS AN IMAGE TO UPHOLD. 
SO DO I.

It hurts.  Physically and emotionally. Like the time Bill Gramatica lept in absurd celebration, tore his ACL and missed the rest of the season.

The Ravens lost a heart breaker to the Patriots on Sunday and it came down to the final drive.  The Ravens were right where they needed to be.  They had momentum & they were moving the ball with ease – a few yards here, a first down there.  Completion after completion.  You could feel it building.  Joe Flacco has em on the ropes!  We’re gonna score and win this game!
And then?  A perfect pass for first and goal.  Dropped.  Game over.  The excitement, the rush, the screams of joy…gone.  Just like that.
I’ve had that feeling before.  At my girlfriend’s place.  She was looking hot, we both had a few drinks and things were heating up.  I was right where I needed to be.  I had momentum and I was moving with ease – a bra here, panties there.  Completion after completion.  We felt it building.  It was inevitable.  I was gonna  score!
And then?  Doorbell.  Her parents.  “We brought Taboo!”  Game over.  The excitement, the rush, the screams of joy…my erection…gone.  Just like that.
I don’t mind losing.  Been doing it most my life.  It’s the way we lost that stings.  Fundamentals.  It always comes back to the basics.  You could look at a number of plays that hurt the Ravens but the one that everyone will remember is Mark Clayton’s dropped pass.  I’m not saying catching a potential game saving pass, under pressure, with other professionals trying to stop you, while thousands of fans scream at the top of their lungs is easy.  It’s not.  But when you get paid millions of dollars to do it?  Catch the damn ball!  If you were paid millions of dollars to make creamed corn, wouldn’t you make the creamiest damn corn anyone’s ever had?  You’d have to for that kind of $!  If not, you’re fired.  You’re not getting another opportunity next week.  They’ll find someone else to make the creamed corn.  Someone younger, quicker, smarter and better.  Who knows?  Might be Mark Clayton.

Next up, the Cincinnati prison squad, AKA, the Bengals.

New England.  See ya’s in the playoffs…

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger

CLICK HERE FOR MY OFFICIAL NFL RAVENS BLOG
MY UNEDITED BLOG IS BELOW.
THE NFL HAS AN IMAGE TO UPHOLD. SO DO I.

Sing it with me!

I’m coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show.
I’m coming out
I want the world to know
Bout Joe Fla-a-co!

Awwww yeah!  Woo!  Feel it??  That’s the good stuff right there!  Now, I know some of you are gonna say, “Take it easy. It was only the Browns.”
Say what you want, but I’m keeping it positive.  The birds were hitting on all cylinders Sunday.  They needed to make a statement – not just to the Browns but to the NFL.  Statement made.
Playing the Browns reminds me of the time in high school when I had to wrestle a kid with no legs.  He had them during weigh-ins but when we hit the mat?  Nubs.
If I won?  Big deal.  I beat a guy with no legs.  If I lost?  I’d never hear the end of it.
I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t…and I’ll be damned if I was gonna lose to a kid with no legs.  I pinned him in seconds!
And that’s exactly what the Ravens did to the legless Browns, limiting them to 186 total yards.  They took away the running game, the passing game, special teams AND Brady Quinn’s job. Probably took Mangini’s job too.  Did you see the look on Derek Anderson’s face after his second pick?  I had the same look on my face but for completely different reasons.
This game was important for the Ravens and this was the first time we’ve played the new Cleveland Browns without a member of the old Cleveland Browns (Matt Stover) on our team.  Joe Flacco and the offense put their foot in Cleveland’s brown ass and never let up.  479 yards of total offense, the D picked up 4 INT’s, and did you see the two laterals?  No team in the NFL plays defense like the Baltimore Ravens.  And now we have an offense to go with it.  Joe Flacco is the real deal. Baltimore, we finally have our QB!
This Sunday, it’s up to Foxborough to face Belichick and the Pats. If you wanna rank among the elite, this is the dragon you need to slay.

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger

CLICK HERE FOR MY OFFICIAL NFL RAVENS BLOG
MY UNEDITED BLOG IS BELOW.
THE NFL HAS AN IMAGE TO UPHOLD. SO DO I.

Since I’m a transplanted Ravens fan living in Los Angeles, there was no way I was missing this weekend’s game.  It was the home opener for the San Diego Chargers and Ray Lewis made sure the birds flew outta there with our second W of the young season.
This is my third Ravens vs. Chargers game in San Diego and each time I’ve headed down to tailgate.  This time was no different.  My crew was in it to win it!  Now, I’ve done my share of tailgating and San Diego…you need to step it up!  Flip flops and sushi??  That’s what you’re bringing to the table? Unacceptable.  Tailgating is all about claiming your spot on the asphalt and throwing down!  I’ve seen people steaming crabs in Baltimore, I’ve seen guys BBQ bison in Buffalo, hell, I’ve even seen a pregnant woman gut a deer in Pittsburgh!  But sushi?  That’s a damn shame.  And I LOVE sushi!  I’m a seafood guy.  I love fast women too…but I’m not bringing one to dinner at my grandma’s house.  Feel me?  What I’m saying is, there’s a time and a place for everything.
Check out some of the shots I got in San Diego.

WHERE’S THE BEEF?
On our fuckin grill. I told you we weren’t messin around. Guess what WASN’T on our menu?

CHEF WHAT?
Not sure what this “chef” was cooking up but I’m sure as hell not eating anything he makes. I overheard him say something about a “secret ingredient” and I gagged. Where’d he wash his hands after he was done?

QUALCRETE STADIUM
This thing reminds me of the Roman Coliseum. Only older and worse.

SWOLLED UP
LT was kickin it with us in the parking lot for a few. This is what his ankle looked like an hour before game time. Had to sit him.

VISION QUEST
I’m overlooking the fact that somewhere, a blind person is bumping into shit because a guy wants to make people laugh in a parking lot. Made me laugh.

TRAVIS TWITT
I can’t believe people still make the conscious decision to wear and maintain their hair like this. I gotta be honest, the whole mullet craze was a little too much. Got old REAL quick. But there was a point. I’m guessing this guy is a little slow on the uptake when it comes to a lot of phases in his life: cars, women, work, child support, the credit card payment for the tickets he just charged. Pretty sure I’m 5 for 5.

ROLL OUT
A cooler you can drive?? I love it! I almost cooler-jacked this fool and took off with his wheels. Seriously. I HAVE to get one of these. I’ll ride it everywhere.

HIDDEN REFRESHMENT
I’ve heard of a pup tent, but a pee tent? This is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen at a game! This is proof of evolution! No more long lines for the spot-a-pot. This thing was awesome and I gave it a run for its money. Thanks to the Chargers fans who let me use their tent to relieve myself liquidly. And a special shout out to the poor son of a bitch who had to empty it.

Next up, Cleveland!

Kuh Kaw!

- Ryan Sickler, Ravens Blogger