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Blackbird Singing - Inside The Ravens War Room?

Say No to KJ...this and more in Blackbird Singing
Posted On: 5/3/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
Inside The Ravens War Room? Inside The Ravens War Room?
SWEET HOME ALABAMA ~ While it was unusual for Ozzie Newsome to go to the Tiger well of Auburn University for collegiate talent, he certainly remained true to the State of Alabama.  Besides first round pick Ben Grubbs, the Ravens caught the wave of a Crimson Tide when they selected Le’Ron McClain with the final pick of Round 4 and then signed undrafted free agent offensive tackle Kyle Tatum.
 
CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SONS ~ It seems that whenever a player with a productive past is released by his current team, fans here in B’more want to add him to the Ravens’ roster.  Case in point – Keyshawn Johnson.  I say “Pass!”  Why?  That’s simple!  KJ plays on a team that needs help at receiver yet after 70 catches and 815 yards to go with 4 TD’s the Panthers “Just Gave Him the Damn Boot!”
 
"We appreciated the contribution of Keyshawn in his season with the Panthers," coach John Fox said. "He brought us high production, but at this time, we are in a situation in which we have a number of young receivers and thought this was the right time to make the decision."
 
Maybe that “Me-shawn” thing was beginning to rear its ugly head.  It’s not like he was expensive given the production.  KJ was set to make $1 million in 2007. Me thinks there’s more to this story and where there's smoke, there's fire.
 
GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME AND MY WILLIE MCGAHEE ~ Earlier this week I blogged about the silliness of post draft grading (DRAFT GRADES ARE A JOKE!).  Perhaps you’ve read these various shots in the dark on the web, papers, etc., most grading the Ravens out from a C- to a B.  But what most are overlooking is that the Ravens gave up three picks in this draft (a No. 3, 4 & 7) to acquire Willis McGahee and Steve McNair. Regardless of who is grading, that HAS TO BE factored in and when you do, well who can really question the great and powerful Oz?
 
DON’T WANT NO SHORT PEOPLE ‘ROUND HERE ~ Much has been made of Troy Smith’s height or lack thereof.  Last time I checked, Smith played in the Big Ten against some formidable competition and some seriously big bodies.  Do players grow much after they hit 21?  Well maybe horizontally but usually not vertically and that being the case, I think the issue of height is a bit overblown (see Drew Brees and Jeff Garcia).  If Smith can carry his collegiate pocket presence into the NFL, I can envision him finding the passing lanes to offset the three inches that probably would have made him a first round pick instead of a pick on the very southern tip of the fifth round.
 
TIC-TOC, TIC…DOO, DOO, DOO-DOO ~ Ravens UDFA QB Cullen Finnerty had hoped to be a late second day draft pick.  But when Mr. Irrelevant, cornerback Ramzee Robinson from Alabama was selected, Finnerty’s hopes had officially vanished until the calls began to flow in from Carolina, Seattle, Minnesota, Buffalo and Baltimore. 
 
Just after 10 a.m. on Monday, Finnerty’s agent, Justin VanFulpen informed the Grand Valley State signal caller that he had roughly 10 minutes to make up his mind on a one year deal being offered by the Ravens.  Only the Bills had offered Finnerty something similar.  So why did he pick the Ravens? After comparing the quarterbacking situations of both clubs, Finnerty felt that his chances were greater in Baltimore.  Buffalo has J.P. Losman who made strides in ’06 and they spent a third round pick on Trent Edwards from Stanford.
 
Conversely the Ravens have an aging quarterback as a starter, a backup who is likely to be gone in ’08 unless something unusual happens in ’07 and a fifth round pick who will push for a roster spot.  Finnerty seemingly giving little regard to Drew Olson, said yes to Baltimore.
 
DO YOU WANNA KNOW A SECRET? ~ Brian Eller, a sophomore majoring in journalism at Penn State University and son of Ravens’ Director of Operations Bob Eller wrote a piece in The Daily Collegian, a PSU student online publication, that claims to provide a Ravens’ war room vantage point for his readers.  Eller, who pens tennis articles for the publication, positions himself as an outside set of eyes and ears rarely allowed in the Owings Mills think tank.  No one asked me but I think Eller is in need of an eye exam and an ear flush. Eller paints Brian Billick as the trigger man in the war room.  Sorry there Brian.  I know that’s not how it goes down. Billick might volley his thoughts but the setups come from Eric DeCosta and the overhead smashes belong to Ozzie Newsome.  Trust me on this one folks…Eller’s reality should be filed under science fiction.  Perhaps, the young Eller is in need of a new racket. 

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Posted On: 5/3/07
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

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