The NFL is losing integrity.

     Last night there was a report during the Pats vs. Ravens game stating that the NFL and the normal Ref's are not even close to an agreement. I can't speak for Greg, but after all the games I watched on Sunday I fully support a player strike! Below is a letter from the NFLPA to league owners. Let the NFLPA know what you think! Send them a message on twitter @NFLPA or you can follow my tweets @CaseRocker

MEMORANDUM

TO:   Owners of NFL Teams  

FROM:  NFLPA Executive Committee

DATE:  September 20, 2012

RE:  Your Lockout of the NFL Referees and the Negative Impact on Football

The NFL Players Association Executive Committee is calling on you to end the lockout of our referees.  We believe there is substantial evidence that you have failed in your obligation to provide as safe a working environment as possible.

Your decision to lock out officials with more than 1,500 years of collective NFL experience has led to a deterioration of order, safety and integrity.  This affirmative decision has not only resulted in poor calls, missed calls and bad game management, but the combination of those deficiencies will only continue to jeopardize player health and safety and the integrity of the game that has taken decades to build.

As we predicted and explained to you weeks ago, the removal of the veteran officials from regular season games left a group of your replacements who have proved to be incapable of keeping pace with the speed of the game. Coaches and players have complained of numerous errors and failures including: erratic and missed calls on egregious holds and hits, increased skirmishes between players and confusion about game rules. Many replacements have lost control of games due to inexperience and unfamiliarity with players and rules. 

The headlines are embarrassing: a scab working a game despite having been on the payroll of one of the teams, another who was assigned to referee a team he publicly supported on Facebook, and one who is a professional poker player when you propose even more stringent player rules on gambling.

It is lost on us as to how you allow a Commissioner to cavalierly issue suspensions and fines in the name of player health and safety yet permit the wholesale removal of the officials that you trained and entrusted to maintain that very health and safety. It has been reported that the two sides are apart by approximately $60,000 per team. We note that your Commissioner has fined an individual player as much in the name of “safety.”  Your actions are looking more and more like simple greed. As players, we see this game as more than the “product” you reference at times. You cannot simply switch to a group of cheaper officials and fulfill your legal, moral, and duty obligations to us and our fans. You need to end the lockout and bring back the officials immediately. 

We are all men who love and respect this game and believe that it represents something beyond just money. For our teammates, our coaches and our fans who deserve better, vote to end this lockout now.         

                                                            Sincerely,

Domonique Foxworth, NFLPA President                                     

Charlie Batch, NFLPA Vice President, Pittsburgh Steelers                         

Cornelius Bennett, NFLPA Former Players Board of Directors Chairman

Drew Brees, NFLPA Vice President, New Orleans Saints                          

Brian Dawkins, NFLPA Vice President                                        

Scott Fujita, NFLPA Vice President, Cleveland Browns                                        

Matt Hasselbeck, NFLPA Vice President, Tennessee Titans

Brandon Moore, NFLPA Vice President, New York Jets

Jeff Saturday, NFLPA Vice President, Green Bay Packers

Mickey Washington, NFLPA Former Players Board of Directors Member

Brian Waters, NFLPA Vice President, New England Patriots

Benjamin Watson, NFLPA Vice President, Cleveland Browns

Replacement Ref's are a disgusting joke!

Orioles Post Season Tickets info

     As promised in the latest Podcast available now for FREE on iTunes! Below is the official link on purchasing post season tickets for the Orioles!

  http://mlb.mlb.com/bal/ticketing/postseason.jsp


 Good luck!

 -Mike & Greg

Smack Talk?!?!

     Sunday 3:00pm is fast approaching and the anticipation of both Ravens fans and Pats fans is building! A few things to remember this weekend.

1. Remember that fans of the opposing team are people with feelings.

2. You are not paid by your team, so beating some one up that supports the other team will not earn you respect with Joe Flacco or Tom Brady.

3. Greg and Mike will not be drinking, but some people do so drink responsibly.

4. NEVER Drink and Drive!!!! EVER!!!!

5. Have fun and be sure the ones around you can also have fun....yes even if they are Pats fans!!!

     Today is Purple Friday in Ravens Land so today I decided to dress from head to toe in my Patriots gear. Let just say I have ruffled some feathers here in Baltimore! This is an AFC Championship match-up I have been waiting for since I moved down here from Boston back in 2002. I do not want to see a blow-out by either side. I really prefer the long hard fought out game like the Pats vs Raiders AFC Championship game a few years back.


     The Ravens need a game like this in their history. Their Superbowl win a few years back was a different time and a much different team. They had that energy, that look, the drive....ok their Defense carried them! But still! This years team I want them to perform well against the past but I am not sold, there is a large shadow in the back of my mind when it comes to the Ravens beating the Pats. I could be wrong, but I saw a giant wake up last weekend against Denver. Sunday we will all find out if that giant has returned!

Good Luck to both teams!

-Mike

Loose Lips Sink Ships

   As the Baltimore Ravens prepare to take on the New England Patriots Sunday in Foxboro, it seems the team is more interested in providing action through sound bites.  Ed Reed is a highly respected player around the NFL, and especially by Tom Brady and Coach Belichick up in New England.  For Reed to come out and make a comment about his quarterback looking rattled against the Texans on Sunday does not help the team in any way shape or form.  I'm a huge believer in team concept, and is why I've bought into how the Patriots roll and treat their interactions with the media for the most part.  The week headed into the conference championship game and for Reed to make those statements just doesn't seem to be helping the team.  If they need the extra motivation to get up for this game,  the Ravens are in big trouble already.   You shouldn't have to kick your teammates in the butt publicly to get them motivated in my opinion.

  What do you think?  Was Ed Reed out of line with his comments?  Or is it okay to take your teammates to task in the public media?

  I think Sunday will be a heck of a game for the record.  While actions do speak louder than words,  loose lips sink ships.  Maybe the Ravens should try zipping theirs before the ship bottoms out.

- Greg

No doubt in my mind!

     I don't know about you folks but I knew the Ravens had it all the way.....(ducks and watches the sky for lightning bolts!) What a game though, and man what a finish! Flacco to Boldin was hot when it needed to be, but I cringed when Rice could not get over the goal line. Flacco is a good QB. There I said it. What I see on that O line though is guys missing their blocks. Number 73 (Marshal Yanda) may as well have just stepped aside every time and said "There ya go boy, go get 'em!" There were very few plays where the D was stopped from getting to Flacco one way or another. I understand that is the job of the Defense, to knock down the O line to get pressure to the QB. The Offensive line must protect Flacco from the big hits that will come from the Patriots Defense if they want a chance at winning. The Ravens must bring an energy to the game like we have never seen from them on the road.

     Which brings me to the New England Patriots. How on earth are the Ravens going to shut down Gronkowski?!?! How are the Ravens going to own an angry Tom Brady who spews out hell fire and brimstone all four quarters of play?!?! How are the Ravens going to prevent Brady from reaching into the bellows and tossing thunder bolts that his targets are just not missing?!?!?! Ray Lewis has the ability of getting his team fired up but will Ed Reed and others that seemed to be there when it mattered be healthy enough to slay the New England beast? Tempting as it may be to rest and take it easy I am hoping for the Ravens sake they are all working hard and watching every reel they can find and making the adjustments they need to end out on top. I'm looking at you Marshal Yanda you need to block and protect your QB like your life depended on it!

Peace and good vibes,

     Mike