Ravens head to San Diego

Ravens head to San Diego tomorrow to visit the LT-less Chargers. Should be an interesting game on both sides of the ball. The Chargers are banged up on Defense as well. The Ravens should be able to move the ball on Offense and I anticipate that the Defense will be strong as usual.


Homer's Prediction:

Ravens 28
Chargers 21

Flacco - 2 Touchdowns, 1 int, 250 yds passing
Rice - 115 yards rushing, 55 yards receiving, 1 TD
McGahee - 52 yards rushing, 1 TD

Baltimore Ravens Preview

OFFENSE
The Baltimore Ravens offense, led by Cam Cameron and Joe Flacco, should be an exciting one to watch this year. Mason un-retires for another season, one that will be dedicated to best friend Steve McNair who was shot and killed this offseason. Flacco and Mason had good chemistry last year and should pick up where they left off. Baltimore acquired LJ Smith in the offseason which will hopefully give us a backup in case Heap has another injury plagued season. I think I am most excited about Joe Flacco and the offense. This is the first year I can say that we have something to look forward to on the offesive side of the ball. Joe Flacco has matured, has worked his tail off and it showed all preseason long. Ray Rice will lead the running attack with veteran Willis McGahee right there behind him. Leron McClain is back when we need that power punch. I know I know... The offense isn't going to rank high in the league but hey... This is the best offense I can remember us having since the franchise came back to Baltimore. Rumor has it we are looking at David Tyree and or Bobby Wade. David Tyree has already came in for a tryout and impressed the coaches. Coach Harbaugh knows him well from his days in Philly when Tyree was a WR and an ace on special teams. I would love for us to make a play for Boldin or another big name WR but I understand where the Ravens ownership is coming from and not wanting to pay the big $$ for one. Ozzie Newsome has always wanted to put the best talent on the defensive side of the ball. I just think we can't afford not to have the WRs for Joe Flacco to throw to or we are wasting his skill set.

DEFENSE
We lose Rex Ryan, Bart Scott and a player who I think is the biggest loss, Jim Leonard. I know I know. People are saying who is Jim Leonard. He was the salt to Ed Reed's pepper. Corny I know. But true. First year coordinator Greg Mattison is excited about his defense. Ray Lewis is excited about this season. I think our secondary is better than it has ever been. With Fabien Washington, Foxworth, and Ed Reed I think we have the best pass defense that we have ever had. Terrell Suggs coming off the end and Haloti Ngata is a force you do not want to see coming your way. We will definitely create turnovers and stop opposing teams from executing their game plans. I look for this to be one of the best defenses we have had. Big prediction, I know... But that is how good I feel about our team this year.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Not much I can say about special teams. We picked up Carr to return kicks which should give us a boost just like in the old days with BJ Sams. Harbaugh is a former special teams coach so I anticipate us having one of the best in the league.

Division Predictions:
AFC EAST - New England Patriots
AFC NORTH - Baltimore Ravens (homer pick)
AFC SOUTH - Indianapolis Colts
AFC WEST - San Diego Chargers
Wild Cards - Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans

NFC EAST - Philadelphia Eagles
NFC NORTH - Green Bay Packers
NFC SOUTH - New Orleans Saints
NFC WEST - San Francisco 49ers
Wild Cards - New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings (wanted to pick Carolina badly)

Super Bowl: Baltimore Ravens vs. Green Bay Packers

Champions: Green Bay Packers (prove me wrong Bmore)

Tomorrow should tell us alot, we open up at home against the KC Chiefs. Newly acquired Matt Cassell might come into Baltimore with a chip on his shoulder and definitely has alot to prove. I think our secondary will be up for it. Should be a good game. If we can hold the running attack of the Chiefs to under 100 yards I think a victory will come fairly easy.

Are you ready for some football?

I know I am...

Questions that need to be answered:

1. Can the Ravens D produce without the mastermind of Rex Ryan?
2. Can Ray Lewis continue to play at a high level? It is his 14th season after all...
3. Who will Joe Flacco count on when Mason is covered?
4. Will Ray Rice/Willis McGahee provide that 1-2 punch?
5. Can/Will we be a playoff caliber team?

All these should be answered pretty quickly this season.

Yard Work

So everyone who knows me, know that I start a ton of projects around the house and they all seem to stop around the 75% before a new one starts. Well this post is not to tell anyone that I finished any of those projects. Its to let you know that I started a new one, and completed it. So F- you buddy!

I decided to do the front flower beds, finally. Got the beds cut out, plants in the ground, mulch down and the soaker hoses blazing. I finally have my Japanese Maple and a couple other trees and shrubs that I like.

The before and after pictures tell it all. If I can find the before pictures they will come later.

Next on the list:

1. Front landscape lighting
2. Fort for the boys
3. fence (in progress)
4. Finish the pond (in progress)
5. some touch ups on the deck and stain (in progress)
6. build new front porch railing
7. fascia and wrapping
8. path/walkway around deck and pond
9. shed
10. 3 tier (already in progress)
11. clean up hop garden

Bobble Is Back

Ok, so its been a while and I have a lot to update.

First things first. I won the biggest loser in our office. I knew it would come down to myself and the BCO and that's exactly how it played out.

Final Weigh In

BCO 183 - Total weight loss of 38lbs
Bobble 173 - Total weight loss of 48lbs

Its not so much that I won, but more that I managed to stay constant through my ankle injury. Maintained by weight for 4-5 weeks without being able to do cardio. I did hit the pool a couple times a week.

I am also proud that I have been able to keep the weight off. I have gained 6 lbs back but have been hitting the weights hard which in turn makes me eat like crazy and I have gained a lot of muscle mass and tone. I am in the low teens as far as body fat is concerned and my goal is to get into high single digits which I think I can do by winter.

BOBBLE vs BCO, and some other guys too

So I am in a little bet/contest in my office with 5 other guys to see who can lose the most percentage of weight over a 12.5 week period. I weighed in at a whopping 221 (my heaviest ever) along with my friend and fellow blogger, the BCO, writer of beercontroloffense. 3 of the guys don't have a shot and 1 of them has made steady progress. Just to get him to put down the "chicken leg" and coffee cup, well lets just say he already accomplished a lot.

Anyway, so back to the BCO vs. Bobble scenario. I think we both have taken similar but totally different approaches. He is eating a lot less than normal, and taking intense walks, and now he has thrown in some perfect push up and core exercises. (and whatever else he is doing on the side that I don't know about) I on the other hand haven't changed my eating too much besides the fact that I spread it out into 6 meals a day. I am doing more with exercise, 6-7 days a week, sometimes twice a day when I am feeling up to it and definitely working on my core. But now, my ankle injury has me thinking on my feet. (well more on my a$$ but you get the point) I need to change my strategy. Or do I...

When I weighed in before I went to Arlington, Va for VmWare training I tipped the scales at 173 which is 48 lbs with another 4 weeks or so until the final weigh in. I haven't been able to weigh in since my injury because I haven't been able to put any weight on my left ankle. I think I have put on a few pounds since then and I still have 3 weeks until the final weigh in. All in all I don't really care. I talked a lot of trash (which I never do... cough) in the beginning and have backed up every bit of it. I told everyone I would lose 40 lbs. Which I have done. I am not trying to lose anymore weight and pre-injury had already started to try to add more muscle by hitting the weights. If the BCO (already lost a ton) can pass me down the stretch then I will gladly hand over my 100 bones...



Who knows, maybe I will be showing these off in the summer...

Thank You Mr. Bisciotti

In a league where a salary cap can tear a team apart, Raven's Owner Steve Bisciotti, decided that losing Ray Lewis would do just that. Some might not agree that letting Bart Scott go to keep Ray Ray was the best thing, but he has been the face of the franchise since they have been in Baltimore. Leading one of the best defenses in League history and taking us to the "Promised Land."



Ray only has 2-3 years left and will turn over the defensive reigns to another stud, Ed Reed. Nothing can prepare us for the Sundays when your not in Purple and Black but we are just glad that we have at least 2 years to enjoy your presence on the field.

One of my favorite athlete quotes is definitely from Ray.

"They pay me $70 million to practice, I give them Sunday for Free."

So thank you Steve Bisciotti for keeping OUR team together. And thank you Ray for staying in OUR City, Charm City.

Decisions Decisions

So we are thinking about getting another dog. Here is the little guy we are looking at. 3 weeks old right now. He is 100% English Bulldog coming from good lines. His name will either be Poe after Edgar Allen Poe, Clancy after Tom Clancy, Mugsy after Mugsy Bogues, or Romeo. All with the exception of Romeo are people who originated from Baltimore. I really want another dog just not 100% sure I want a bulldog. I want a small/medium sized dog and I love bully breeds. Already the owner of a 180lb. Italian Mastiff. We visited the SPCA and various local humane societies but everything there were mixed with pit bull. I don't think pit bulls are bad dogs when raised right but around here, you never know who raised them or what they have been through. (ie. Mike Vick) A bulldog comes with a hefty price tag, the purchase and afterwords. They are known to have various health issues. They are cute, ugly and funny all at the same time. But most importantly they are excellent around kids. I also don't want to get a very hyper dog. We already had to get rid of a dog previously because she was hyper. I think the search will continue up until our bulldog is 7 weeks old. As we won't be able to bring him home until the 8th or 9th week.

To be continued...

Not So Young Anymore

So I can't jump as high as I used to. And I obviously can't land like I used too either. I play in a basketball league at the Coast Guard Base in P-Town for my work/command team. We are the ones that everyone guns for. Mainly because we are all contractors but also because we won a couple championships, complain to the refs and talk a lot of trash. I of course do none of the above...

I am known as the shooter (don't ask me why, a couple of years in the league and a dozen good games) so I get a lot of attention around the perimeter. Which in turn, on occasion opens up my ability to use my speed (cough, bullsh!t) and get to the hole. Well it sounded good. I pump faked, drove left and instead of pulling up from about 10 feet decided to try a runner and draw the foul. I got the foul called, well kind of. A guy we call "Big Country" stepped up and drew the charge and I came down on his foot. Left ankle turned over on the toes all the way. I immediately knew it wasn't pretty because I have had ankle injuries in the past. That happened at about the 7 minute mark when we were making a run to come back from a 13 pt deficit. I think we ended up losing by 3. I didn't go watch the next game but from what I heard we played hard as hell and ended up losing by 2. Wish I could have been there and who knows, maybe I could have knocked down a 3 or two.

I tore just about every ligament in my ankle. On the outside, top, and potentially one on the interior portion of the ankle. I have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Monday to find out for sure what needs to happen next. My ankle was a grapefruit within minutes of the above said incident. Hurts like hell but I am a soldier and can deal. (Now the common cold is another story) And I have a wonderful woman and children who have been doing everything possible to make sure I am taken care of. Probably so I don't whine and complain. Definite thanks for that. And thanks to the Dr. who prescribed the vicodin.

Basketball will have to wait until next year...

Now I need to recover so I can get ready for softball.