NFL

[vansmack]

Ohhhhh  Puuuuhhllleeeeaaaazzzeeee!!!!!!!!
 
 In 1996, the Baltimore Ravens were technically a new franchise although it maintained the roster of the Cleveland Browns, whose franchise was suspended until 1999. The transaction is widely viewed as a relocation, especially in Cleveland.  On Nov 6, 1995, Art Modell agreed to move the team to Baltimore citing a bad satdium deal in Cleveland.  On Nov 7, 1995, Cleveland voters approved a new stadium.  HE DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE VOTE; HE JUST DROVE THE TRUCK WITH THE TEAM OUT.  
 
 I'm quite certain that the "new" Browns were quite pleased to see the "old" Browns win two division titles, one AFC Championship and of course a Super Bowl in the 6 years that the "new francshise has been painfully rebuilding.  And I haven't even talked about the three years the best fans in football went without a team.
 
 You've got dirty hands in Baltimore just like Indy.  So stop with this higher than thou attitude.
 
  <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c2/Modell_move.jpg/200px-Modell_move.jpg" alt=" - " />

[shemptiness]

It was obvious that Tagliaboo-boo had no intentions of putting an expansion team in Charm City.  Carolina and Jacksonville??  Please.  Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

[vansmack]

Right.  I understand.
 
 Do unto to others as you had done to you.
 
 But do you really get to take the high road and accuse others of betrayal when you learned nothing from it?  I think not.

[shemptiness]

If only the name, the colors and the history remained where they rightfully belong, maybe we could get over it.

[shemptiness]

Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post:
 
 To compare Baltimore and Cleveland is whack.
 
 Baltimore went 12 years without a team, was twice passed over for expansion (Jacksonville and Carolina? Pleeeeze). All of the city's history is in the friggin Indy media guide. Turn on NFL Netwrok right now and you will probably see a commercial for the specail DVD on the history of the Indianapolis Colts, with Johnny U highlights all over the commercial.
 
 That's a joke. Johnny U hated the Colts. Never stepped foot in Indy. That joker Irsay will probably throw a big bash in Indy celebrating the 50th anniversary of the '58 NFL title next year - cashing in off a history he and his father pirated - and I can guarantee you none of the guys still alive from that team would even go.
 
 That's the difference, and it's a huge difference. The Browns got to keep everything, got a sparkling new stadium out of the deal, got fresh ownership and were out of the NFL for three years, immediatley guaranteed the Browns would be back by 1999.
 
 There is no comparison. Without Baltimore's suffering, the Browns would not have received all of those assuranaces.
 No one was overjoyed about the way it went down in 1996, but the NFL forced the city's hand. Had they done the right thing with expansion, it all could have been avoided.
 Bob Irsay and the league, there's your villians on this one.

[vansmack]

You're abolutely right.  BTW, Cleveland just called, they'd like Ozzie Newsome back. Being that you guys are the moral authority in all this, I'm sure you'll send him right over...
 
 The fine people of Cleveland had no problem with everything but the name and the colors being taken from them.  That's why they only filed 100 law suits and not 1000 - it's because they got to keep the image of Jim Brown.  This went to Congress it was such a big deal!  
 
 Come on!  The NFL is certainly partially to blame for both departures, but to say that Irsay and Modell aren't the same person is absolutely ludicrous.  How many games did the Ravens play in Memorial Stadium?  What's that you say, they got a new stadium too?  Oh wow, this looks more and more like the same deal to me every time I look at it...
 
 How quickly you forget that the last series of downs in Cleveland had to be moved to the other side of the field because the DAWG POUND had gotten so restless...

[godsshoeshine]

ROT IN HELL ART MODELL
 and yes, balmer should have know better
 cleveland was one of the best football cities in america

[vansmack]

Time of Possession:
 
 Indy 31:24
 Baltimore 28:36
 
 30 pass attempts, leading to 4 turnovers, compared to 20 rush attempts, leading to zero turnovers.  Bad gameplan.  If you're going to have a convservative offensive scheme, at least try to kill the clock with the running game...
 
 And since I was 2 for 2 taking the dogs today, I will offer the same advice for Sunday's games - take the points.  Might even make sense to tease both dogs as they both have legitimate chances to win.

[Mobius]

All McNair had to do is not make mistakes.  McNair SUCKED

[ChampionshipVinyl]

Time to jump back on the Chargers bandwagon!

[Seth Hurwitz]

what was up with walking off the field before the half with a minute left and all your timeouts

[shemptiness]

Billick's gameplan was vanilla awful.  And McNair picked a bad time to have his worst game of the year.

[Mobius]

The Ravens offense is worse than vanilla.  Its like cottage cheese or that flavorless yogurt.  But they did get rolling on a number of  occasions yesterday until drives (and momentum) were killed w/ turnovers or penalities.  I thought Billick's decision to run out the clock seemed justifiable at the time - he didn't trust McNair to not do something stupid.  The offense isn't built to force the issue.  They need to methodically make plays running Bo Schembechler's offense from 1971 and if nothing happens punt, wait for the D to do something awesome, get the ball back and try again.   But in a game coming down to FGs, w/ a good kicker, they should have tried to pick up 40 yds.  They had potentially a lot of plays to work with.   Maybe the Ravens' 3 and out start the game happened so quickly Bilick forgot that Indy kicked off and he thought the Ravens were getting the ball to start the second half.
 
 Still, not as idiotic as Andy Reid punting w/ 2 minutes left.

[sonickteam2]

everyone needs to quit sleeping on the bears already, they are a damn good team.

[vansmack]

Ka-ching!