Bleacher Report - Articles by Tony Lombardi

Read My Lips: Derrick Mason Is NOT Retiring

Tony Lombardi — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:21:52 -0400

Derrick Mason will be back. In a few weeks he’ll spin a story of how he got caught up in the emotion of Steve McNair’s death and the retirement announcement was a result of that. He’ll say something to the effect that he knows McNair would want him to continue playing and that he’ll dedicate this season to his friend.

But let’s make no mistake about it this whole retirement charade is the brainchild of his agent Lamont Smith.

And it just might work. Mason could get a year added to his deal and you know what, he deserves it!

However, until he decides to return the Ravens can and will benefit from Mason’s absence. The reps normally assigned to Mason will be given to Mark Clayton, Clayton’s to Demetrius Williams, Williams’ to Marcus Smith and Smith’s to Kelley Washington.

It will enable Flacco to develop a stronger rapport with the other receivers which in turn will strengthen the depth at the position particularly when Mason returns. I did say “when” not “if.”

For those concerned about Mason, don’t be. He looked great during OTA’s and his conditioning has always been excellent. When he reports to Westminster sometime in August it will be as though he had never gone.

Well almost.

Clayton didn’t get the opportunity to get in synch with Flacco last summer primarily because Flacco rarely took snaps with the first unit. That changes this year. Maybe the pair will even develop the little idiosyncrasies that Flacco shares with Mason. The same could be said of Flacco and Williams.

Think of it this way, in basketball if you detect your opponent really favors his right, what do you do? Well, of course, you take away the right and force him to his left. If he doesn’t improve going to his left, he’ll lose. Similarly if you take Mason away from Flacco, he’s forced to go elsewhere and when that improves, so will the success of the passing game.

We’ll see you soon Derrick.

But take your time.

Tony Lombardi covers the Ravens for Ravens24x7.com.

Bengals about to prove again why they are losers

Tony Lombardi — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:32:43 -0400

Some fans here in the Land of Pleasant Living might recall that during Baltimore’s forced 13-year hiatus from the NFL, rumors circulated from time to time that the Cincinnati Bengals may be interested in moving to B’more.

Thankfully they didn’t because Mike Brown & Co. often remind NFL observers what an inept organization the Bengals’ owner runs.

Everyone is well aware that over the years Brown has employed a number of players who collectively might push the cell capacity of Shawshank. This past Spring, there were hints that the Bengals had finally seen and heard enough when the Mike Brown issued this statement on April 3:

"Chris Henry has forfeited his opportunity to pursue a career with the Bengals. His conduct can no longer be tolerated.

"The Bengals tried for an extended period of time to support Chris and his potentially bright career. We had hoped to guide him toward an appropriate standard of personal responsibility that this community would support and that would allow him to play in the NFL. We acknowledge those fans who had concerns about Chris; at the same time we tried to help a young man.

"But those efforts end today, as we move on with what is best for our team."

Just prior to the start of Bengals training camp this summer, the subject of Chris Henry was brought up again. The media questioned Bengals’ head coach Marvin Lewis on the possibility of Henry, a player labeled a “one man crime wave” by a Hamilton County judge, returning to Cincinnati.

"I'm not interested," Lewis told reporters. "I don't think it would be productive for our football team. You have to be a productive part to be an NFL player, and there's responsibilities to being an NFL player. It's a privilege, it's not a right. There's a lot that comes with being an NFL football player."

Less than a month later with Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh both ailing, the team is now singing a new tune.

"I guess the world is divided up between redeemers and non-redeemers," said owner Mike Brown. “I happen to be a redeemer. I think people can be made better and right. If that's a fault, so be it. These guys mis-stepped, they made mistakes and they paid prices for it verging on ruinous, but that doesn't mean I don't like them personally, I like them as people. I regret what's happened to them and I regret they're no longer here. As far as going forward, we don't want that kind of behavior."

So Brown is turning the other cheek—AGAIN! ESPN.com and Henry's agent Marvin Frazier (hey, is he the son of Smokin' Joe?) claim that the troubled receiver will be reunited with the Bengals.

Let’s just call this Brown's version of Shawshank Redemption.

Now even if you buy into this philosophy of forgiveness and the Bengals extending Henry yet another lifeline giving still more credence to the belief that cats have nine lives (Henry has used six but who’s counting), does Brown realize that Henry can’t help them until week 5? The one-man crime wave has to first serve another four-game suspension before he takes the field again.

The Bengals aren’t really that dumb, are they?

Apparently so and we should be thankful that this bungling organization calls the AFC North home.

Where would they be without Carson Palmer, who by the way has to be crawling out of his skin. He’s caught in a purgatory called Cincinnati, Ohio and there’s absolutely no relief in sight.

And as long as Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis remain at the helm, there never will be.

Don't worry fans of Cincinnati. Opening day for the Reds is just 8 months away.

Tony Lombardi covers the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens for Profootball24x7.com

Brett Favre stabs Packers' fans in back

Tony Lombardi — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:29:20 -0400

We are all sick of Jet Favre by now. Truth be told, his trade to the Jets just elevated Eric Mangini’s gang to near the top of my list of least favorite teams. I hope they get the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

I bought the Brett Favre story. The Iron Man of football was my favorite player not wearing purple. But that has all changed. I now feel betrayed by him given all of his antics and drama over the past six or so months.

So I wondered, if I feel betrayed, how do the loyal Packer fans who have weathered brutal elements that I can’t even imagine in northern Wisconsin feel about Brett Favre today? What were they thinking when Favre was given the keys to Broadway and introduced to the New York media by Gotham City’s mayor? How did they respond to Favre proudly touting his new Jets’ jersey?

To put it in perspective, think about Cal Ripken.

Turn the clock back about six years when Ripken retired. Then imagine how you might feel if after a couple of months of retirement, the Iron Man of baseball decided to un-retire and join his buddy A-Rod in New York. How would you feel?

Without question, Favre is every bit as important to the fabric of Green Bay as Ripken is to Baltimore. You may even argue that Favre’s legend is even bigger given the size of that city and the Packers’ importance to the Green Bay’s history.

Michelle Walker, a self-proclaimed Packers "Die-Hard" speaks for those like her when she recently wrote, "Some Packer fans like my husband and I feel like fools for supporting him. We never thought he would unretire, act like a giant baby and then go to another team. Throughout this entire "Favre Saga" I've had a constant nauseousness in my stomach. It's amazing that one man can create SO many different emotions. HE SUCKS."

So when you see Favre in a new shade of green this season think about Michelle along with the outrageous thought of Cal Ripken in pinstripes.

Sure, one day Favre and his PR folks will spin it in his favor in an attempt to re-store his image and Packers’ management will have no choice but to bite their collective lip. And then for some, perhaps most, his good-guy stature will be restored.

But not for me!

The next time I see Broadway Brett cry a river, I hope it is driven by his wretched performance and it pours mightily into the Hudson along with the Jets’ hopes for a successful 2008.

J-E-T-S, JETS-JETS-JETS.

Yeah, whatever….

Ray Lewis & Terrell Suggs both tell the Ravens to, "Show me the money!"

Tony Lombardi — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:48:42 -0400

Some have suggested that the Ravens might use the franchise tag on Ray Lewis if the two sides remain light years apart on contractual numbers.

Tag Ray Lewis in ‘09?

Are you kidding me?

Look I get that Ray is the face of the Ravens and I admire all of his accomplishments on the field and his leadership skills. But let’s face it—Ray is not the player he once was and he is not among the top five players at linebacker anymore. The franchise tag would pay Ray the average of the top five linebacker salaries. He should be happy to get that, but we all know he wouldn’t be. He’d say something foolish like this:

“Football is just getting started for me. Some people try to lie to you and tell you as you get older that you decline. If you take care of yourself right, you never decline. Your decline only starts when you stop having the energy. My energy for it is more now than when I was a young kid."

"When you come back and your mind is completely free, then you want to play football every year. I don't build my body up for one season. What I did this offseason is build my body up for another three or four. Realistically after that, it's all situational.”

Realistically Ray is unrealistic.

Do yourself a favor and come to this realty—the NFL is a business and with Ray’s next round of negotiations it will be, or already is, a high stakes game of poker.

The Ravens front office needs to play out their hand. Let Ray hit the open market. Chances are Steve Bisciotti is right. The Ravens will outbid everyone else and if they play the game right, the price will not be anywhere near the number Ray thinks it will be.

Ray hired a new agent and this new agent more than likely made promises to Ray about another big signing bonus. Well what else was this hired rainmaker supposed to say? He had to promise something, right?

Here’s a safe bet—whatever Ray’s new handlers get for him going forward it will pale in comparison to what they likely promised. And then they too will be fired.

Next agent up?

Tagging Ray shouldn’t happen. Besides, the team might need that franchise tag for Terrell Suggs again next year, although the argument could also be made that Suggs isn’t among the top five at his position either. Come to think of it, while Suggs is a very good player, he’s not a $30 million plus signing bonus player.

No one asked me, but count me among those who feel that Suggs is a bit overrated. If you want to be paid more than any other defender then you better be an impact player NOT dependent upon Trevor Pryce to eat up pass protectors so that you can get favorable one-on-one match ups.

Did Reggie White need someone else to eat up two blockers to be effective? No, Reggie took on the two blockers and was still effective.

Now you might say that no one even thinks that Suggs is Reggie White. Well you are wrong. His agent apparently thinks so, and if Gary Wichard wants Suggs to be the highest paid defender, logic would suggest that Suggs is the best defender.

NEWSFLASH

He’s not the best defender. He's probably not even the Ravens’ best defender.

For years Peter Boulware took on double teams sometimes with his arm in a sling. Is Suggs any better than Boulware? Is he as good as Boulware? Can he impact the game like old No. 58?

I’ll admit that Suggs is probably a better all around linebacker than Boulware. He supports the run much more efficiently and scrapes down the line of scrimmage as well as any OLB in the league on runs to the opposite side of the line.

He’s still young and probably has seven or so seasons left in him. But if Suggs doesn’t get it done in ’08 should the Ravens cave in to a $30 million demand? And if he does get it done, will $30 million be enough?

I don’t think so…

The Ravens might find a $9 million franchise figure in '09 much more appealing than a $40 million noose.

Tony Lombardi covers the Baltimore Ravens for Profootball24x7.com

Photo by Sabina Moran

Gaither Around: Ravens' Second-Year Tackle Could Be the Key To 2008

Tony Lombardi — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:26:22 -0400

The key to the Ravens’ season could lie in some rather questionable hands. Those hands belong to Jared Gaither. If Gaither doesn’t quickly become a more focused and professional athlete, the hole at left tackle stemming from Jonathan Ogden’s retirement could be as gaping as the now bankrupt pockets of Michael Vick.

Gaither’s work ethic was questioned while he played for Ralph Friedgen at the University of Maryland. Apparently not much has changed, and the Ravens’ coaching staff and front-office personnel are rumored to have had a little powwow with Gaither to put it in no uncertain terms that it’s now or never for the skilled offensive lineman.

If Gaither doesn’t work out, it could bring Cam Cameron’s offense to its knees. Adam Terry, who in spot duty filling in for Ogden has been very serviceable at left tackle, leaving many to wonder why the team is entering camp with Gaither penciled in at the top of the depth charts at LT. Terry hasn’t been nearly as dependable at right tackle, but that appears to be his job to lose.

If Gaither fails, the team could switch Terry back to his more natural left-tackle position and let a couple of other camp battles determine the remaining configuration of the Ravens’ young offensive line.

Rookie Oniel Cousins has been very combative in team OTAs, and he could press for time at RT if Terry flips over to the left, or if he fails to hold down the right flank.

The team could also move Marshal Yanda to RT, assuming that Chris Chester can establish himself at one of the interior line positions. But that is a big assumption. Chester has been a disappointment thus far particularly considering that he cost the Ravens a second round pick in 2006.

Chester could be yet another player whose Scouting Combine measurables lured scouts more so than his productivity on the field. That is always a risky proposition, particularly on day one of the draft. Just ask the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Back in 2005, with the draft's 21st pick, the Jaguars’ GM James “Shack” Harris selected WR Matt Jones from Arkansas, one pick ahead of the Ravens, who were jubilant over the availability of Mark Clayton. One of Jones’ huge supporters prior to the ’05 draft was ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Mortensen’s son Alex played with Jones at Arkansas, and perhaps that influenced the NFL insider’s love affair with Jones. Mortensen then referred to Jones as “the best player in the draft.”

Between his Razorback ties and Jones’ measurables, Mortensen was so sucked in that he concluded in a 2005 article for ESPN Insider, “Matt Jones won't be among the top-10 players selected in the April 23-24 draft, but I will venture to say that he'll play in more Pro Bowls than almost any of those guys. And I will laugh, knowing I told you so.”

Apparently Jones prefers bowls of a different nature and substance.

This week, the “best player in the draft” was arrested in Fayetteville, AR for possession of cocaine. I’m sure at some point, after being confronted by the authorities, Jones dropped the bag of white powder. After all, he’s dropped everything else thrown his way over the past two seasons. Look for this incident to be the snorting straw that broke Jack’s back in Jacksonville.

Laughing yet, Chris?

And finally, while we’re on the subject of laughing, Baltimoreans will probably find delight in a report from the Philadelphia Daily News that the Jaguars may be up for sale and headed to southern California.

As you probably painfully recall, Baltimore was used like a backup prom date by the league’s expansion committee, spearheaded by former Commish Paul Tagliabue. Tagliabue was enamored with the more attractive Sun Belt and pushed for teams to enter virgin NFL territory.

Despite being the home of a legitimate Super Bowl XLIII contender, the city of Jacksonville continues to struggle to sell out Municipal Stadium. The city probably should have remained virgin NFL territory.

Things have apparently become so tight for Jags’ owner Wayne Weaver that he recently laid off members of the team’s marketing staff. Although judging from the poor ticket sales, it could be argued that their ineffectiveness probably had something to do with the pink slips.

Naturally, Weaver publicly denies any interest in selling and has reaffirmed his commitment to the city of Jacksonville.

The Los Angeles Jaguars...not exactly music to the ears, now is it?

Tony Lombardi covers the Baltimore Ravens for ProFootball24x7.com

Baltimore Ravens: Hopes Are High for Bazooka Joe Flacco

Tony Lombardi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:44:47 -0400

Joe Flacco has yet to play a down in the NFL. In fact, he has yet to see an NFL defense in a live full-speed practice where linebackers can outrun the swiftest collegiate safeties.

All the perfect throws during passing camps amount to absolutely nothing if Flacco can’t get it done when it counts.

Take a little tour around the Ravens’ locker room and ask a few of the players both on and off the record what they think of the team’s No. 1 pick in 2008 and the reviews are unanimous. Everyone is predicting a very successful NFL career for the player soon to be labeled Bazooka Joe.

And boy, can this guy fling it!

Joe Flacco can make all of the throws. He lofts a deep sideline pass with enough trajectory to hit a receiver in stride, but not so much as to enable the safety rolling over to make a play on the ball.

He scans the field and knows where to go with the football when the primary, secondary and tertiary options are covered. I think he even knows what tertiary means, too.

Besides a powerful and accurate arm that loses no zip regardless of his arm angle, the lights are actually on upstairs and apparently someone is home.

No wonder the players are excited. Samari Rolle compared Flacco to Carson Palmer!

But slow down!

Is he really that good, or are the players so used to incompetent play at quarterback that relatively speaking, Flacco does look like Palmer?

The yearning for a good quarterback is so strong here in Baltimore. From the owner right on down to the guy who cleans up the dirty discarded adhesive strips in the locker room after practice, everyone connected to the Ravens wants the team to find a franchise signal caller.

After all, we are talking about an organization whose fans think that either Trent Dilfer or Vinny Testaverde is the best QB in franchise history. How bad is that?

Players know players, and they can usually spot talent. When enough players say the same thing, it starts to shape you into a believer. Remember, though, this is Baltimore, where we think that good QB play is only true in fairy tales and even then for some other team, not ours.

With this Flacco guy, Ozzie & Co. might be on to something good.

But let’s wait until Sundays in the fall before we get as happy as a sailor on Bourbon Street.

Tony Lombardi covers the Baltimore Ravens for ProFootball24x7.com

Ravens should just say "No!" to Brett Favre

Tony Lombardi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:27:33 -0400

I’ve been asked often by folks around town what I think of John Harbaugh and how I think the Ravens will do this year. Let’s start with Harbaugh.

John Harbaugh is tailor made for the Ravens and for this city. First off, he seems to me to be the prototypical guy for Steve Bisciotti.

From an observer’s perspective, and after speaking with folks who have worked for Bisciotti both as owner of the Ravens and with The Allegis Group, Bisciotti seems to take pride in hiring people who have something to prove, possess a strong work ethic, can work with and be respectful of their peers, superiors, and subordinates, and deliver more than they are expected.

That to me is Harbaugh. He’s a Bisciotti kind of guy. He strikes me as a scrapper, a battler, a hard hat guy who refuses to leave any stone unturned.

Jason Garrett in my opinion is none of those things. Harbaugh is Baltimore. Garrett is DC—and if you are from these parts, that should tell you all you need to know.

Now how might the Ravens do?

To me the response is no different than it’s been for the past few years. If the Ravens get consistently efficient quarterback play, they will be a team that can join the dance in January. If they don’t, they won’t! It’s that simple.

Admittedly that is no cutting edge thought. It’s just the truth.

The Ravens don’t need a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady or Carson Palmer at QB. They just need consistency. Steve McNair provided that in 2006. His play was hardly spectacular. It was pretty average really. Yet the Ravens won 13 games that year.

But McNair was an experienced pro and despite his physical shortcomings, he was battle tested, and he knew the game. He knew how to win when he could stay upright, and his right arm wasn’t shattered like a Stones’ song.

So what can we expect from the Ravens trio of Smith, Boller & Flacco?

Unfortunately at this point it’s hard to confidently expect consistency, and consequently I don’t expect the Ravens as a team to be very consistent. They might beat a team or two they shouldn’t and they’ll lose a couple that on paper they should win.

My guess is that Troy Smith will open the season as the starter. He will have his ups and downs and as a result Kyle Boller will get a spot start or two.

Both will give way to Joe Flacco by about the 12th game of the season provided the offensive line has shown signs that they can adequately protect the key to the Ravens’ future. I’m thinking come January 1, 2009 the Ravens will be looking back upon a 7-9, 8-8 season.

It will be a fun season—a season of change and the team’s style of play will prove to be a breath of fresh air, not far removed from the results of the 1999 season.

Next year, who knows? Brian Billick’s first season ended 8-8 and we all felt optimistic about 2000, although no one besides Phil Mickelson thought a Super Bowl XXXV victory was possible for the Ravens.

Can 2009 be on par with 2000? Possibly.

But until then, while I’m not comfortable predicting a final 2008 record for the Ravens, I can very safely say that it will be fun beginning with a training camp at McDaniel College that promises to be much different than anything we’ve seen in quite some time. Treat yourself to a road trip to Westminster this summer, provided of course you’ve saved enough money for gas…

Someone who won’t be making a road trip to these parts is Brett Favre.

Look it’s natural for some of these national media folk to fill the dead NFL air with stories that very loosely make sense. Favre keeps stirring the ambers of his comeback flame instead of pouring a bucket of Gatorade on them once and for all. And until he does, there will be speculation when there’s not much else to discuss—like now!

But Favre to Baltimore makes sense only in fantasy football. With solid play at quarterback the Ravens can contend and Favre could be the missing piece. That’s about the only sensible thing to arise from such speculation.

Yet there are compelling reasons not to consider Favre, and the guess here is that such discussion is no more than comical conversation over a couple of cold summer beers for members of the Ravens’ front office.

Favre to Baltimore will only happen if Brett craves steamed crabs. Otherwise it is nothing more than fantasy football speculation and/or offseason filler. Simply put, there’s no cap room to pay a player who is more indecisive than The Clash.

One minute he’s retired, the next he’s not. Then he’s retired followed by a cry-me-a-river retirement press conference followed by “I’ve got the itch again” to play. Should he stay or should he go now?

Just go and if you don’t Brett, just don’t tell anyone that Baltimore would be a good fit for you.

It’s not. In my best Ben Stiller voice, nothing could be Favre from the truth.

The future is Bazooka Joe—as in Flacco. Let’s not take our eyes off the ball here folks.

Besides No. 4 is already taken, right Sam?

Tony Lombardi covers the Baltimore Ravens for Profootball24x7.com

M&T Bank Stadium a no fly zone for ravens?

Tony Lombardi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:16:58 -0400

What would we talk about regarding the Ravens during this, the Dead Zone period in the NFL, if it weren’t for good ole Derrick Martin carrying three baggies of Mother Earth through airport security checkpoints in Cleveland?

Look, let’s not be naïve here, these athletes are a reflection of society. They are part of an experimental by nature demographic. The percentage of professional athletes who are tempted by marijuana is probably no different than a cross-section of men in a like peer group.

That said, if given a choice between an athlete smoking pot at home or having him out in Canton throwing back Jaeger Bombs, I think he’s safer at home.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning Martin’s behavior. It’s really rather laughable, but in a sad way. Martin is a sixth round draft choice entering his third season. To date he’s proven almost nothing.

He has an opportunity to contribute on a defense that annually is among the league’s best. He’s part of a defensive system that has an uncanny knack for getting the most from an athlete’s skills sets, elevating them to levels that a second day draft choice, or an unrestricted free agent, could previously only have dreamed of.

Just ask Adalius Thomas, Bart Scott, Will Demps, Ed Hartwell, Kelly Gregg and Dawan Landry.

Yet despite it all, Martin had a momentary lapse of reasoning that will probably cost him dearly.

Some might say that Martin was just flat out dumb!

I am one of those some.

This particular incident may not affect Martin at all in terms of the league’s substance abuse policy. But now he’s surrounded by undesirable red flags, and for an unproven sixth round draft choice, that is about as inviting to prospective new employers in the Goodell Era as a match to spilled gasoline in a tiki bar.

Derrick Martin’s transgressions aren’t the only “newsworthy” Ravens’ items being bantered these days.

The Ravens have wisely leaked word during the Dead Zone that Edgar, Allen, and Poe aren’t the only ravens that we’ll see at M&T Bank Stadium this season. The team plans on flying a live raven through the billowing smoke and throughout the stadium during team introductions. Pretty cool idea if you ask me.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (“PETA”) disagree.

Via a letter (that I’m sure a homing pigeon DID NOT deliver) PETA has reached out to Gabrielle Dow, the Ravens' vice president of marketing. The letter urges her to abandon this fun idea and encourages Dow and the Ravens to prohibit the use of live animals at Ravens games.

Does that mean no more Steelers’ fans are allowed in any more?

I digress…

Anyway PETA sees the bright lights of M&T, The Commodore Hotel, maniacal fans and raucous noises as threatening to the birds, which apparently they believe is unethical.

I wonder what the bird thinks?

Hey what about that red-tailed hawk that lives at Fenway. She likes the accommodations so much she’s raising her family there.

What’s the big deal? For eight minutes per season, the bird is fed well, nourished, protected and loved in exchange for enduring a few loud noises. Seems like a pretty good trade to me. Maybe it’s the Dead Zone for PETA too, and they are digging for something to crow about.

"If the Ravens want to increase fan support, they don't need cheap gimmicks. They just need to start winning games," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy.

Ouch!

But hey these gimmicks aren’t cheap! By their own admission the Ravens spent well into four figures for each of the birds they plan to use, and I’m sure their intensive training isn’t cheap either.

Leahy added, “Edgar Allan Poe would be spinning in his grave if he knew that his poem had prompted Baltimore to harm ravens in the name of marketing."

Ah cut it out Debbie! That is a total reach. You know as well as I Edgar would have traded his principle for another bottle of Cognac, and the only thing spinning would have been his bed or some comfortable sidewalk in Fells Point.

Sorry Mr. Poe, I admit it. That was a bit of a humiliating kick in the crotch.

Tony Lombardi covers the Baltimore Ravens for ProFootball24x7.com