(Credit: Baltimore.org)
Hello,
The Ray Rice saga ends with Baltimore terminating him yet the outrage continues. Owners are calling for sanctions, players are outraged, the NFLPA barred the team from voting in the HGH testing... what's next?
Let's start with Cowboys DE Josh Brent. He commits vehicular homicide with a DUI, killing another player. He was driving 134mph in a 45mph zone. He was not banned from the NFL at all, instead was given a 10 week suspension for what he did.
Where's the outrage? Players remained mum, Ownership stayed silent, and no one else spoke up.
Now let's move to Jim Irsay, Owner of the Indianapolis Colts. He gets a DUI and is busted for drug possession. There was a pill bottle found in his car that the police COVERED UP in order to protect him. He was not banned from the NFL at all, instead, fined $100k, banned for 6 games.
Where's the outrage? Players remained mum, Ownership stayed silent, and no one else spoke up.
Now we have Ray Rice. He commits domestic violence, a second video surfaces at suspect timing. There's outrage from players, owners are calling for sanctions, the media is defacing the city, and the NFL looks at us as a bad mannered organization.
Wait just a minute... Where's the outrage against Irsay and Brent? They committed high crimes. BRENT ACTUALLY KILLED someone and he's off the hook!? How is that possible? What is the matter with the NFL today, I see no outrage over them!
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The City of Baltimore for the expansion of 1993 was passed over because the Washington REDSKINS (yes that's right. RED! SKINS!) were planning on moving to Laurel, Maryland this way interest on the Baltimore franchise was cooled and the owners (persuaded by the commish) were convinced to pass over Baltimore. Despite a strong package, everyone passed the city. Jacksonville and Carolina received new franchises. Jacksonville can't even fill the stands anymore. Carolina has done well, but that Super Bowl XXXVIII loss may have just killed them.
Indianapolis took the Colts and there was no outrage. Just: "thank god we don't have to deal with Baltimore anymore."
Pete Rozelle was even relieved as well.
Ever since Baltimore arrived here in 1996, we have received so much negative attention for our "stealing" of the Browns. It's time for Browns fans to GET OVER IT. You had to wait 3 years for a franchise, we had to wait 12! You guys got to KEEP your records, the Colts? Didn't. Johnny Unitas did not play for the Indianapolis Colts, Art Donovan neither... All of the records were taken with the Colts and the Baltimore Colts history was re-written as Indianapolis history.
Ray Lewis has received heavy criticism as well. It was not proven that he murdered anyone. Once Lewis was gone, it was "thank god, a murderer is gone."
Super Bowl XXXV: Ravens win it fair and square, 34-7. Taglibue looks pretty upset to even hand the trophy off to Baltimore. Walks away dejectedly.
Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens win, 34-31. The national media pays it as a fluke win and how the last play of the game should've been a penalty.
NFL Kickoff Game last year: Due the Orioles playing on that day, the NFL decided to move the game to Denver despite many ways they could've fixed it! Nope, owners were putting their hands in the commissioner's pocket, NBC said no to putting on Wednesday, Jerry Reinsdorf, who has a personal beef with Baltimore, said he would not accept a change in venue. Also Robert Kraft said: NO GAMES ON ROSH HASHANAH. Ok, wait a minute...
NFL Kickoff Game for 2012 was moved to Wednesday so that Obama could make his speech. NBC was fine with it... the acts were fine with it... owners had no problem with it...
Now there was this: Owners had a problem with the game being moved to Wednesday because it was Rosh Hashanah. No concessions were made for the Ravens. The NFL gives a just consolation of playing on Thanksgiving but even that was a debacle.
Hold on JUST A MOMENT! If that's the case: No games on Thanksgiving (Sorry, but Thanksgiving was founded on traditionalist Christian principles. God's divine providence), No games on Christmas (as it is a Christian holiday). Christian holidays should be afforded this honor as well. It's tradition but it comes time to BREAK with tradition.
Another big problem: Terrell Owens.
Owens was traded to Baltimore but he wouldn't report... In turn, we lost out on a lot of free agents, we got a draft pick back, plus a compensated pick, but nothing else... The NFL was like: Boo hoo, MOVE ON!!!
Another big problem: National Television
Did you know that Ravens are the least featured team at home on National Television for Monday Night Football? Last 7 years, just 2 MNF Home games.... which... I don't get. The Seahawks get 2 MNF games at home.
Another big problem: The quarterback
Joe Flacco has received major criticism ever since he walked into this league. So what if he came from a small school in Delaware. I thought FCS quarterbacks could make it in this league (Kurt Warner certainly did). Every time the Ravens FRANCHISE quarterback has a great game, it's dismissed as someone else bailing him out or he just got lucky.
Yet we continue to allow Matt Stafford, Matt Ryan, and other players who have a bad game get a pass. Ryan has a 5-INT game, it's perfectly fine. Flacco has one, it's the end of the world!
Flacco outguns Manning and Brady and Kaepernick in the playoffs for the XLVII run, it's dismissed as Boldin bailing the team out ,the defense coming up big, or... nothing else. Flacco gets ZERO credit despite his 71 wins as a starter. It's either someone else won it for him... or he didn't win it at all.
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The media needs to stop defacing Baltimore like we are a bad organization full of primadonnas and murderers. Hell, if that was the case, we shouldn't even be in the league.
Ray Rice was cut and that's it. The franchise made the right decision and now the team is moving on.
While yes there is a heavy outrage. I see a complete double standard of how Irsay and Brent get off mighty easy.
This is a sad day and if the Bengals loss yesterday wasn't enough, this just made the wound hurt even more.
The NFL is exploring sanctions against the team... Many owners are calling for it. Elway himself called for Baltimore to receive "Harsh Punishment" like loss of draft picks, fines.
If the team gets a fine, the first thing Biscotti should say is:"How do you want it? Cash or Check?"
Fans are calling for Harbaugh's head... ITS NOT HIS FAULT
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This is a sad day in Baltimore football history... But I'll tell you, this team will rise to the occasion. I know it and this city knows it too.
If you have a problem with my opinions, that's tough. But I love my city and where I grew up. Crime is rampant everywhere and there's no stopping it. I love my teams and support them 100%.
So knock it off. Welcome to Baltimore, our city, our teams, our history, our traditions, don't like it? Tough.
I'm done
~ Joshua
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