Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell “T-Sizzle” Suggs signed a lucrative 6 year 63 million dollar deal making him the highest paid LB to ever take the field. He signed a 33.1 million dollar signing bonus, second to only Peyton Manning, star QB of the Indianapolis Colts.

Suggs signed a 6 yr./63 million dollar deal

 If Suggs and your Baltimore Ravens did not reach a deal by 4 p.m. today he would have had to play another year under his 10.7 million a year contract and become a free agent the next year. Suggs has been the Ravens’ franchise player for the past two seasons. 

 Suggs, a 7 year veteran started his career at the DE position, but as the Ravens started using more 3-4 formations he shifted to being a linebacker. In his career with the Ravens, Suggs has recorded 369 tackles and 53 sacks. This deal was very important to the Ravens due to the fact that linebacker Bart Scott left for the New York Jets.

 With Suggs in the bag, and money in his, look for the this partnership to develop into another top 5 defensive season.

 Breaking the story at 9:30 was John Clayton at ESPN. Check it out!

I’ll have the interviews with some players and media types coming up, and more on that later, also.  Anyways, I’ll be back in full swing next week, enjoy Casey and continue crying about Derrick Mason’s retirement. 

The Ebony Bird is proud to be FanSided.com’s Baltimore Ravens blog, and is all over those social networking things.  Follow on Twitter, subscribe to the RSS feed, email Joe here, and hype up the EB’s articles on BallHype.  Only if you want to.  Check out FanSided’s main site here, and the Orioles blog I contribute to here.  And no, the network did not force me to make this. Seriously.

STEP 1- Remove all sharp objects from reach

STEP 2- Grab a box of tissues

STEP 3- Now click me! NOW

Mind you, this is a quick post, there will be a longer one on the subject later…

Top of the Underrated List for the 2000's

 Mason has seven different seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards and ranks seventh overall in total wide receiver DYAR for the decade. He ranked among the top 20 wide receivers in DYAR (total value) for five straight years in Tennessee, then did it again last year in Baltimore. He also ranked among the top four wide receivers in DVOA (value per play) three times in four years (2000, 2001 and 2003), and he has put up an above average catch rate every single year this decade, including two years over 70 percent. Yet somehow, he’s only made two Pro Bowls.

 Allow me to clear up a few of those statistics mentioned. Derrick ranks seventh overall in total wideout DYAR. And that means what exactly? He also ranked what three times in four years? DVOA? Say wha? Here is a link that helped me understand these numbers, and you will too; Here you go! While we are on the topic of Derrick Mason, it seems appropriate to mention that he spoke at former teammate’s QB Steve McNair’s memorial service. Here is a little of what he said:

” To my friend, my buddy… I thank you for allowing me to be a friend… Every time you scored, every time you came out of the huddle, you gave two bumps to your chest and you pointed to the sky. So I’m a give ya two bumps and point to the sky [double chest pump followed by pointing to the sky]“

 This can be watched through ESPN Videos, and I suggest you do.

Ex Heisman Quarterback Troy Smith

In 2008 the offensive side of the ball was revolutionized by the Miami Dolphins when they installed what became know as the Wildcat Formations. Following in their wake various teams have installed similar systems; the Baltimore Ravens have had perhaps the most success. This package gained popularity when 6 foot 6 rookie quarterback Joe Flacco caught a 43 yard catch from Troy Smith. Raven’s TE L.J. Smith told a local Baltimore camp that, ex Ohio State Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith will be involved a bit more in the offense this year.

“Troy Smith is a great player, and he has helped me adjust to the locker room [L.J. is in his first year with the Raven's organization], and I won’t say too much but look for [Troy Smith] to be involved a lot more this year. He is the real deal”

I don’t know about you, but I was extremely excited to here this. Smith is an undersized, yet athletic quarterback who, in my opinion, deserves a chance. So tune into the Raven’s season to see what offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has up his sleeve.

• Toro Times has been giving a lot of details about this event, today he posts about how the gun was acquired.
• Titan Sized has a compilation, tabulation, collection, whatever you want to call it of McNair links.
• Titan Sized also gives details about McNair’s upcoming memorial service.
• Brian Billick commented on McNair’s death on 1570 WNST, Baltimore Sports Report posts his comments, and you can interpret them however you want, but some people are bound to really disagree with what he said.
• BuffaLowDown posts about Michael Vick and the UFL.
• While Peter King is on vacation, Ravens center Matt Birk fills in for King with some high quality writing.

Also, the EB is about to add another writer, I will give more details on that soon.

When Usain Bolt dominated last year’s Olympic sprints, winning and setting records in both the 100m and 200m, questions arose with Americans if he could be a good NFL player.  It was a topic of discussion for a month or so, maybe more, but it’s been put on the back burner.  First off, he would not stop being a sprinter.  There’s so much money and national pride involved, and that’s the thing that he has to thank for his fruitful career.  But, it’s still fun to debate what could happen if he were a football player.  

Bolt ran 200 meters in 19 seconds in Beijing.

Now, how did the NFL become the main choice for a crossover sport for Bolt by fans?  Well, he probably can’t hit a baseball, he probably isn’t a big basketball player, and there’s not much Ice Hockey in Jamaica.  He actually said that if his favorite soccer team, FC Barcelona offered him a contract, he would accept it right away, but the MLS, ehhh.  The question with the NFL is, how would he fit in?  What would his role be?  That’s what I’ll be looking at today.

Running Back: Obviously, Bolt’s speed would be his main weapon in the backfield, but he has other favorable attributes for the position. He’s 6′5″, 190 lbs, and has bulging muscles.  He’d be a power back, even while being pretty lean and tall, just because of the strength he has in his legs.  The main con of putting Bolt or any new football player at running back is that it’s a very technical position.  You have to know blocking schemes, what holes to hit, and you have to be very comfortable with the playbook.  

Wide Receiver. A suitable choice for sprinters, multiple former Olympians have excelled as NFL pass catchers.  Tommie Smith, well known for putting his shoe on his hand at the 1968 Summer Olympics, was a receiver for the AFL Cincinnati Bengals.  ”Bullet” Bob Hayes was a sprinter who went on to football success with the Cowboys, being one of football’s top receivers in the 1960s.  Willie Gault, known for his time with the Chicago Bears as a receiver, was a gold medalist in the 1983 track and field World Championships in Helinski.  Bolt would get an incredible burst off the line, opening up the short passing game, with DBs playing him very conservatively.  Receiver may seem like the easiest position for a non-football player to be, but routes need to be run with such precision and caution that a guy who might not apply himself like Bolt might have trouble in the NFL.

Defensive Back. The least likely of any of the positions I have mentioned yet.  Playing DB requires too much knowledge of the game that Bolt wouldn’t have and might never get.  He would have the speed, but might not be able to tackle, or understand offensive schemes.  Just seems like too advanced a position for a “newbie” to play.

Kick Returner. This is a position that would make a ton of sense.  All he has to do is catch a kick, and follow his blockers, if he even needed them.  He might be too strong and too fast for anyone to catch up with him and tackle him when he’s on his game.  This position would make sense, but there is one, huge problem.  Bolt could get the Hester treatment, where the other team kicks it out of bounds, but not just in certain situations.  All situations.  What a waste of a salary that would certainly be huge.  This leads into the position that I think would a perfect fit for Bolt, or any top-class sprinter:

Punt/Kick Blocker. When you think about this, it’s the obvious choice.  Let’s say your opponent is lining up for a punt, after their first drive, which was unsuccessful.  The punt block team lines up, and the punt goes off, lands inside the 10 yard line.  Your team has very little chance to generate a touchdown drive with that type of field position, and a block would have been huge. Enter world-class sprinter.  Jumps off the line of scrimmage, jumps in front of the punter, ball rolls, a 4th-string linebacker picks it up, and takes it in for a TD.  6-0, and the game has barely started.  How great would that be, if you had one guy who could consistently block punts or late-game field goals, and give your team an extra few wins a year.  Could be the key to a Super Bowl and a revolutionary concept.

So, it’s something to mull over.  How would a guy like Bolt fit in with other top-class athletes in the 2nd biggest sports league in the world? (English Premier League makes more money)  Would he even want to play football?  I would love for a team to sign him to a huge deal for one year, then see what they do with him.  I can dream, can’t I?

I’ll be in England the next two weeks, but still try to get some stuff up.  An interview with TE Edgar Jones will be posted in a few days, and some news: We’re adding another blogger to the site, more details on him later.  

Steve McNair will always be known for two things. His leadership and his legs. Anytime Air McNair’s Titan offense stepped onto the field, you could see the players just looking at him, waiting for his word. He commanded leadership, and got it without question. He earned his power by throwing for 3,000+ yards year in, year out and by running all over defenses. He won the co-MVP in 2003 with Peyton Manning and went to a Super Bowl with an unlikely team in 1999, that had been solid all season. He was one of the first QB’s in the late 90s and early 2000s to use his legs as a weapon. From 1997-2002, McNair ran for over 400 yards, and peaked with 674 in the first season of that stretch, also adding 8 rushing touchdowns in that 1997 campaign.

McNair will always have the lore about him, whether it’s his career at small Alcorn State in Mississippi, or his drive in Super Bowl XXXIV, there will always be that aura surrounding him. He gained 6,000 total yards in his senior season at ASU (yes, 6 thousand yards) and finished 3rd in Heisman voting that year, the highest ever finish by a Divison 1-AA player, and was drafted #3 overall by the Oilers (soon to be Titans). In that Super Bowl, advancing there from the Music City Miracle, McNair led a drive down the field resulting in Kevin Dyson being taken down at the goal line, and losing his only Super Bowl appearance 23-16. Seeing what he could do on a field awed me, and obviously awed defenses, as he was never able to be stopped.

He came to Baltimore in 2006, after an injury-plagued fallout with the Titans, and was exactly what the Ravens needed. A guy who could pass effectively and bring the offense to the same caliber as the famous D. His scrambling skills were basically done, and the team couldn’t afford a season-ending hit to their new QB. He threw for over 3,000 yards, which was incredible for a Ravens passer at that time, and led the team to a 13-3 record. In my opinion, that season was the best to be a Ravens fan. Everything seemed like it was clicking, and McNair was the key. He got them a bye, and maybe, just maybe, he could mentor Kyle Boller to finally have him fulfill the potential that he always had. Well, the team lost the first game and Boller gained nothing noticeable from the experience. McNair was injured the next season, and retired after the season.

With career totals of 31,000 passing yards, a 194.4 YPG average, 174 TDs and an 82.8 QB rating, McNair was an incredibly prolific passer, but his impact as a QB has to be shown by his rushing stats. He ran for 3,590 yards and 37 TD and had 41% of his rushes end up in first downs. He led to the acceptance and embracing of scramblers like Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick in an era of big, slow QBs with big arms. He was a great person, donating tons of money to charities, and starting the Steve McNair foundation. He opened a restaurant in Nashville, and had a Ray Lewis-type impact on that city. The Titans fans loved him, we loved him in Baltimore, and it’s a shame that he’s gone.

A first ballot hall-of-famer, a guy who will be talked about for a while, and a guy who had a noticeable impact on quarterbacks. His achievements at Alcorn is stuff of legends, and his career will be talked about for a long time. His death made me feel as crappy as I did the day I found out Nick Adenhart was dead. I love being a blogger, especially for my favorite team, but things like this are the worst to write about. When someone like Steve McNair dies, it’s not just an athlete, it’s a great person and a guy who really, really didn’t deserve it. He did so much for so many, and now he deserves our respect.

Good night, and happy 4th of July.

Roger Goodell is in my opinion, the best commish in sports right now.  David Stern of the NBA seems like he has a bendable spine, Gary Bettman of the NHL and Bud Selig of the MLB, well…let’s just say Goodell is the best.  What would I change about the NFL if I had the power of Roger Goodell, just for one day?  Well, here you go:

• Bring back force-outs.  Last year was the first season where defensive backs could push receivers out of bounds before they have the shot to get their feet down.  For whatever reason, I just don’t think that’s fair.  When they catch the ball they should have an opportunity to get both their 18-sized feet down.
• Let the players celebrate….kind of.  I would let the players celebrate all they want, it was incredibly fun that year when Chad Johnson Ochocinco came up with touchdown dance after dance every time he scored.  With that, though, players should have to be finished their celebration in under 15 seconds or until the field goal unit comes on the field, whichever comes first.  No penalties for the celebrations would mean chaos.
• Actually make real fines.  When players do celebrations that the league fines for, they get maybe a $75,000 fine at the very most, and when they say things that are completely inappropriate after games, they get a nominal fine of $20,000. Like I said, if there are no big consequences, players won’t stop doing things.  The fines are so small, and barely put a little dent in players’ salaries.
• Expand NFL Network’s success.  Yes, it is incredibly good right now, and maybe some people like it this way, but I think there is too much game replay and highlights, and not enough analysis/interviews/etc.  Yes, you’ve got ESPN and your local channels like MASN here in Baltimore, NESN in Boston, Comcast Sportsnet in Philly, so on and so forth, but the NFL Network should be able to get the best analysts and the easiest access to teams and players.
• Have a slotting system.  These rookies are getting paid too much, when they’ve done nothing yet as a pro.  Not one snap, and they’re making more than guys who have been in the league, starting, even, for 7-10 years.  If I were the head honcho of the NFL, I would establish a logical system with the players’ union that gives pick #1 $XXX, pick #2 $XXX, and just keep it going like that for all 7 rounds.  Yes, they will still have high salaries, but you won’t think “holy crap” every time you see a rookie just signed with an NFL team.  
• No future draft picks could be traded.  I wouldn’t let teams mortgage their future by trading away draft picks from next season in the current draft.  Sure, many big names wouldn’t be moved, but wait until one month after the draft.  That way, teams don’t make impulsive deals that their fans will eventually hate if they don’t work out.
• Mandate guidelines for press credentials.  This is more of a thing that I like because I’m a blogger, but I would make guidelines that every team has to strictly follow that would only let certain people get media credentials.  I would say that they have to be either local writers, team-specific bloggers, people from the wire service or well-established national writers.  So no more reporters from the Nashua Telegraph (New Hampshire) at a Ravens game, if that’s ever happened before.  

So, what would you change, sound off any way you want, comments, email, Twitter, do whatever you knuckleheads like to network yourself with.  Now, without further ado, my spankin’ new sign-off on every post.

The Ebony Bird is proud to be FanSided.com’s Baltimore Ravens blog, and is all over those social networking things.  Follow on Twitter, subscribe to the RSS feed, email Joe here, and hype up the EB’s articles on BallHype.  Only if you want to.  Check out FanSided’s main site here, and the Orioles blog I contribute to here. And no, the network did not force me to make this. Seriously.