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Weekend Wrap: Aaron Harrison goes off, Damonte Dodd stands out [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-28T11:28:00-07:00

Maryland shooting guard target Aaron Harrison scored 42 points (including 35 in the second half) in the Houston Defenders' win over Net Gain Sports at Under Armour's Are You From Here? Classic near Dallas. Rivals.com's Eric Bossi weighed in on Harrison's performance .

Report: Former Walbrook star Roscoe Smith headed to UNLV [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-25T15:29:00-07:00

After two seasons at Connecticut, Roscoe Smith is headed west to finish out his college basketball career.

Continuity will be key for the Ravens offense [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-25T13:00:00-07:00

The most significant offensive additions the Ravens made this offseason were free-agent wide receiver Jacoby Jones and a pair of rookie linemen in Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski. Their personnel losses include Pro Bowl guard Ben Grubbs and veteran backups in running back Ricky Williams and wide receiver Lee Evans.

Site set for Maryland State Private School baseball championship [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-25T12:45:00-07:00

The Maryland State Private School baseball championship game between St. Frances Academy and The Heights School will be played Saturday, 4 p.m., at Cardinal Gibbons' Babe Ruth Field, 3225 Wilkens...

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Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-25T10:02:00-07:00

Albany transfer Logan Aronhalt's commitment to Maryland this week was big news in the shooting guard's hometown of Zanesville.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-25T10:02:00-07:00

Albany transfer Logan Aronhalt's commitment to Maryland this week was big news in the shooting guard's hometown of Zanesville.

Walbrook grad Peete headed to D-II title game with Limestone [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-25T09:56:00-07:00

Learning the game of lacrosse in Baltimore City and playing for Walbrook during his high school days, Limestone College freshman Jamar Peete has come a long way.

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Our Take: The week in Maryland sports [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-25T09:18:00-07:00

Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Don Markus and editor Matt Bracken weigh in on the three biggest topics of the past week in Maryland basketball and football.

Painter enjoying time with Flacco, Taylor so far [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-25T09:00:00-07:00

The past 12 months have been a bit of a whirlwind for new Ravens quarterback Curtis Painter. A year ago, he was expected to be the backup to Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts, but Manning sat out the season with a neck injury. Kerry Collins was ineffective early, pushing Painter into the starting lineup for Week 4. He made eight starts for the Colts, who ultimately finished 2-14, before giving way to Dan Orlovsky.

St. Frances overcomes adversity to reach state semifinals [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-24T19:57:00-07:00

UPDATED (10:55 p.m.) -- St. Frances won the semifinal game, 4-0, and will advance to play The Heights in the championship game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at a site to be determined.

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Anquan Boldin is ready to mentor, hungry to win [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-24T14:00:00-07:00

At 31, Anquan Boldin is the oldest receiver on the Ravens roster by a few years (newcomer Jacoby Jones is closest in age at 27). Some of his fellow wide-outs were in middle school when he broke into the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals nine years ago, and they no doubt grew up watching him score touchdowns on TV.

Pollard on the Ravens defense: 'You can't stop us' [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-24T11:00:00-07:00

Ravens strong safety Bernard Pollard was rewarded this month with a contract extension, a deal that can keep him in Baltimore through 2015. Pollard made 75 tackles and broke up a career-high 13 passes in 2011, his first season here, but he insists his attitude and his play won’t change now that he has a new deal.

Team Melo forward Trevis Buckhanon Jr. getting high-major interest [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-24T10:20:00-07:00

As a freshman at Kenwood, Trevis Buckhanon Jr. was targeted regularly by opponents looking to embarrass the gangly big man.

Brooks Robinson All-Star game set for June 10 [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-24T09:29:00-07:00

The 30 best high school baseball players as selected by the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches will be playing in the 31st annual Brooks Robinson All-Star game on Sunday, June 10.

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Maryland athletics department teams up with Maroon PR [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-24T08:23:00-07:00

Firm to help school with media

Maryland has a deal with Maroon PR to work with the school’s athletic department on a number of initiatives, including branding and coaches’ media training, according to school officials.

Maryland basketball schedule coming together [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-24T08:15:00-07:00

Kentucky is the headliner

Let’s look at what we know so far about Maryland’s men’s basketball nonconference schedule.

More on the Ravens' competition at left guard [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-24T08:00:00-07:00

Many of the eyes Wednesday at the Ravens’ first organized team activities (OTA) workout that was open to the media were fixated for a decent chunk of practice on the team’s offensive line. Team officials had identified that area as one they would like to improve this offseason, and they have attempted to do so by spending a pair of draft picks on linemen, Kelechi Osemele (second round) and Gino Gradkowski(fourth).

The Last Word with Jon Dillard [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-24T07:37:00-07:00

At 5-11, 165 pounds, Jon Dillard looks like a regular, inconspicuous college student. For three years at Maryland, that’s exactly what he was.

Observations after first Ravens OTA viewing [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-24T05:31:00-07:00

The Ravens will finish up the first of three voluntary offseason team activities today, though they’ll do it outside the glare of the media. Yesterday was the one day for media availability, and while no big news came out of it, it was still good to see some action after so much attention has been placed on off-the-field stories over the past couple of months. Making any conclusions after a two-hour practice -- which did not include some of the team’s top veteran players, including running back Ray Rice , linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed , and featured most of the players in jerseys, gym shorts and no shoulder pads -- would be foolish. However, I think it is appropriate to make a couple of observations:

Hereford-Glenelg boys lacrosse game postponed due to lightning [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-23T19:04:00-07:00

The Hereford-Glenelg boys lacrosse Class 3A-2A state title game has been postponed to 4 p.m. tomorrow at UMBC due to lightning.

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North Harford pitcher wants perfect repeat in 3A title game [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-23T16:20:00-07:00

When North Harford pitcher Kevin Mooney opened his eyes Wednesday morning, the first thing he thought was that the Hawks were going to the Class 3A state championship game.

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Jacoby Jones adjusting to life as a member of the Ravens [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-23T14:29:00-07:00

Wide receiver Jacoby Jones, who signed a two-year deal earlier this month, is excited to join a Ravens team that knocked his former team, the Houston Texans, out of the playoffs in January.

Bryant McKinnie discovering the benefits of OTAs [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-23T13:29:00-07:00

Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, whose weight and conditioning were scrutinized during his first season in Baltimore, attended this week’s organized team activities and has been a regular participant in the team’s offseason program for most of the past few weeks.

Sergio Kindle: 'I haven't proven anything yet' [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-23T12:45:00-07:00

Two years after the Ravens selected him in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, linebacker Sergio Kindle has yet to make a start, a tackle or a significant impact on the team’s fortunes.

MPSSAA 4A baseball title game site, time changed [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-23T12:21:00-07:00

The site and time of Friday's Class 4A state championship baseball game has been changed.

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Reed not at OTAs but Ravens counting on him to be there when it counts [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-23T12:13:00-07:00

Harbaugh: "There's been no indication that he's not going to play."

Ed Reed was one of a handful of the Ravens' high-profile veterans not present at organized team activities today, but neither that nor his recent radio comments that he's not "100 percent committed" to playing football this season has head coach John Harbaugh concerned.

Rice, Lewis, Reed, Ngata among players absent from Ravens OTA [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-23T09:27:00-07:00

Although some of the Ravens’ biggest names were missing from the team’s OTA (organized team activity) today, more than 80 on the 90-man roster were in attendance at the Owings Mills training facility.

InsideMDSports: Paul Harris has top four, visits on tap [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-23T08:56:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

Varsity Q&A: Ashley Ross, Liberty, track and field [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-23T08:18:00-07:00

Runner has her sights set on a state title before she heads to Navy to become a fighter pilot In both the classroom and running track, Liberty standout Ashley Ross has shown a knack for getting...

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Naji Hibbert talks about transferring to Gardner-Webb from Texas A&M [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-23T04:00:00-07:00

Naji Hibbert has never been to Gardner-Webb, and he didn’t know much about the small Division I school in Boiling Springs, N.C., until a few weeks ago.

Harbaugh to be honored by U.S. Army [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-22T16:15:00-07:00

Ravens coach will receive Outstanding Civilian Service Award

Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be honored tomorrow for his support of the U.S. Army.

Mark Turgeon comments on Logan Aronhalt's signing [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-22T14:46:00-07:00

Former Albany shooting guard Logan Aronhalt said Sunday that he planned to transfer to Maryland for his final year of eligibility. On Tuesday, Terps coach Mark Turgeon made it official.

Mark Turgeon comments on Logan Aronhalt's signing [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-22T14:46:00-07:00

Former Albany shooting guard Logan Aronhalt said Sunday that he planned to transfer to Maryland for his final year of eligibility. On Tuesday, Terps coach Mark Turgeon made it official.

NFL owners approve some rule changes [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-22T13:00:00-07:00

The NFL tweaked some of its rules Tuesday, making thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for players (starting in 2013) and pushing forward a pair of other changes involving the trade deadline and injured reserve.

Girls Athlete of the Week: Sam Nolan, Fallston, lacrosse [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-22T12:58:00-07:00

The senior scored five goals in Saturday's Class 2A-1A state semifinal against Parkside, inluding the game-winner in the second overtime for a 14-13 win that sent the Cougars to Tuesday's...

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Boys Athlete of the Week: Jordan Portner, Mount St. Joseph, tennis [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-22T12:57:00-07:00

On Friday, the junior won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference individual tennis title, beating McDonogh's Jake Gober, 6-3, 6-1. That performance came after Portner won at...

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Under Armour announces 'WIN Baltimore' community program [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-22T12:50:00-07:00

Under Armour has announced a new "community-based empowerment program" titled "WIN Baltimore," with its first initiative being the renovation of the football stadium at Dunbar.

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11 players to watch at Ravens OTAs this week [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-22T08:30:00-07:00

The Ravens began organized team activities Tuesday, marking the first time this offseason that the team's rookies have been on the practice field with veterans. These workouts at the team’s facility in Owings Mills are optional for veterans, though I'm sure coach John Harbaugh hopes all of them will be in attendance. The OTAs will continue into June, setting the table for next month's mandatory minicamp.

Meet the Recruit: Terps commitment Shaquille Cleare [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-22T07:44:00-07:00

With each passing day, Shaquille Cleare becomes a little more aware of what he can expect as a Maryland basketball player.

Meet the Recruit: Terps commitment Shaquille Cleare [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-22T07:44:00-07:00

With each passing day, Shaquille Cleare becomes a little more aware of what he can expect as a Maryland basketball player.

Wicomico linebacker Derrick Hayward 'very excited' about Terps pledge [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-21T19:11:00-07:00

Patrick McGlinchey heard “great things” about Derrick Hayward before the young linebacker/defensive end ever set foot in the Wicomico weight room as a freshman.

Wicomico linebacker Derrick Hayward 'very excited' about Terps pledge [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-21T19:11:00-07:00

Patrick McGlinchey heard “great things” about Derrick Hayward before the young linebacker/defensive end ever set foot in the Wicomico weight room as a freshman.

Ravens: Looking at five questions during OTAs [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-21T12:59:00-07:00

From contract negotiations with quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice to a potentially season-ending Achilles injury to star linebacker Terrell Suggs to coach John Harbaugh ’s comments on the New England Patriots to mercurial safety Ed Reed ’s controversial radio interviews, the Ravens have made plenty of off-the-field news this offseason.

MIAA baseball championship postponed to Tuesday [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-21T11:23:00-07:00

The final game of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference baseball championship between Calvert Hall and Archbishop Curley has been postponed because of rain.

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Bernard Pollard says team supports Ed Reed no matter what [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-21T08:17:00-07:00

On Thursday afternoon, Ravens safety Ed Reed told Sirius/XM NFL Radio that he wasn’t 100 percent committed to the 2012 season and that he has considered retirement this offseason and the two previous. He quickly backtracked, releasing a statement later in the day that said he wasn’t referring to retirement.

Ray Rice might not be in the building, but some progress has been made in contract talks [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-21T05:00:00-07:00

Optimism remains that deal gets done before July 16 deadline

For the next three weeks, the Ravens will have three-day, organized team activities that will undoubtedly attract many of the team’s veteran players along with the rookie class.

Albany shooting guard transfer Logan Aronhalt commits to the Terps [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-20T14:40:00-07:00

Maryland’s 11-point win over Albany last season featured the debut of Alex Len , but was an otherwise unremarkable non-conference game for the Terps. For Great Danes guard Logan Aronhalt , however, the late-December matchup was unforgettable.

Albany shooting guard transfer Logan Aronhalt commits to the Terps [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-20T14:40:00-07:00

State lacrosse finals set for Tuesday, Wednesday at UMBC [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-19T17:32:00-07:00

The state boys and girls lacrosse championship matchups have been set for Tuesday and Wednesday night at UMBC. Two schools have teams in boys and girls finals -- Fallston and Westminster.

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MIAA A,B Conference baseball finals set [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-19T14:06:00-07:00

The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A and B Championship games are set.

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Interesting job or exciting plans this summer? We want to hear about it [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-18T11:43:00-07:00

After the school year concludes, the Baltimore Sun's high school sports staff writes a story featuring student-athletes and high school coaches that have interesting jobs or unique plans during the...

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Going after Terrell Suggs' money would have ramifications for Ravens [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-18T10:05:00-07:00

Ravens have the option but here's doubting they will exercise it

Though the idea that the Ravens could put injured linebacker Terrell Suggs on the non-football injury list and not pay him all of his $4.9 million base salary during the coming season has picked up steam this week, there has been no indication that it’s something the Ravens would consider doing.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-18T09:09:00-07:00

It's no secret that the Maryland men's basketball staff is aiming high for its 2013 class. Scout.com's updated rankings this week brought further evidence of the Terps' lofty recruiting goals.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-18T09:09:00-07:00

It's no secret that the Maryland men's basketball staff is aiming high for its 2013 class. Scout.com's updated rankings this week brought further evidence of the Terps' lofty recruiting goals.

Baltimore Bohemians to open inaugural soccer season Saturday [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-18T08:03:00-07:00

The Baltimore Bohomians are set to kick off their inaugural season in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League, taking on visiting Ocean City FC at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Lane Park in...

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Another concussion prompts Diehl to retire rather than pursue NFL dreams [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-18T06:01:00-07:00

Former Clemson fullback was released by the Ravens this week

A day after making a handful of roster additions and cuts, the Ravens announced on Wednesday that they had released fullback Chad Diehl, an undrafted free agent who had participated in the team's rookie minicamp over the weekend.

Our Take: The week in Maryland sports [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-18T04:00:00-07:00

Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Don Markus and editor Matt Bracken weigh in on the three biggest topics of the past week in Maryland basketball and football.

Could McCoy's new extension be a template for Rice deal? [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-17T16:46:00-07:00

Eagles running back signed Thursday to a five-year, $45-million deal

If you were wondering what Ray Rice's reaction was to LeSean McCoy's new contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Ravens' running back wasted little time responding to the news.

Under Armour to build Dunbar a new football field [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-17T16:17:00-07:00

After playing almost all of its games on the road in recent years, Dunbar’s football team will finally get a chance to protect its own house.

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Varsity Q&A: Alice Mercer, Century, lacrosse [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-17T12:59:00-07:00

Three-sport standout headed to Maryland admits her love for Duke, discusses her choice of a career path Alice Mercer has been a leader on Century's field hockey, basketball and lacrosse teams, which...

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MIAA A Conference lacrosse championship preview [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-17T12:37:00-07:00

No. 1 Calvert Hall (15-2) faces No. 2 Loyola (16-3) at Johnny Unitas Stadium No. 1 Calvert Hall (15-2) vs. No. 2 Loyola (16-3)

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Ed Reed says he isn't 100 percent committed for 2012 [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-17T12:30:00-07:00

Ed Reed being non-committal about his future is an annual rite of spring here in Baltimore, and he kept the tradition going Thursday by telling Sirius/XM NFL Radio he isn’t 100 percent committed to playing in 2012.

DeCosta promoted to Ravens' assistant general manager [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-17T10:57:00-07:00

Well-respected executive is considered heir apparent to Ozzie Newsome

When several teams, including the Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears, expressed interest in Baltimore director of player personnel Eric DeCosta for their general manager opening earlier this offseason, the Ravens responded by giving their long-time executive a contract extension and a title change.

Ex-Raven Foxworth says he's 'probably' going to retire [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-17T08:27:00-07:00

Cornerback has played just two games over last two seasons because of injuries

Former Ravens cornerback and current NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth is “probably” going to retire.

State boys, girls lacrosse semifinals set [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-17T08:00:00-07:00

Times and dates have been set for the girls and boys state lacrosse semifinals Friday night and Saturday. Following is the complete schedule. State finals will be held Tuesday and Wednesday nights at...

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Loyola completes win against Gilman [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-16T19:29:00-07:00

A day after Loyola's bid to secure a berth in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship was interrupted by lightning Tuesday night at Johnny Unitas Stadium, the No....

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8 local boys picked for Under Armour All-America game [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-16T18:06:00-07:00

Calvert Hall and Gilman each have three boys on the South roster for this summer's Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic, leading the way among local teams.

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A look at the Ravens' options for handling Suggs' salary [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-16T16:39:00-07:00

Nearly two weeks ago, when it was revealed that Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs had sustained a season-threatening tear of his Achilles tendon while training in Arizona, we reported that the Ravens could, theoretically, put Suggs on the non-football injury list if he was injured while working out away from the team’s facility. By doing so, they could get off the hook for some or all of the linebacker’s 2012 base salary.

At wide receiver, the Ravens have the numbers but not the experience [Ravens Insider]

2012-05-16T12:31:00-07:00

Of the 13 receivers on their roster,only four have caught an NFL pass

The Ravens may lack experience at the wide receiver position, but they certainly don’t lack depth. How much quality exists within that depth remains to be seen.

11 local girls selected Under Armour lacrosse All-Americans [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-16T11:54:00-07:00

Eleven local girls lacrosse players, including three from No. 1 McDonogh, are among 45 girls selected as Under Armour All Americans to play in the seventh annual Under Armour All-America Lacrosse...

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The Last Word with Berend Weijs [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-16T06:30:00-07:00

Berend Weijs was a favorite of Maryland men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon. It’s not that the 6-foot-10 center was a top scorer. But he was affable, worked hard in practice and was a shot blocker.

InsideMDSports: 2013 point guard RaShawn Powell wants to get to know Terps [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-16T04:05:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

InsideMDSports: 2013 point guard RaShawn Powell wants to get to know Terps [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-16T04:05:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

Loyola-Gilman boys lacrosse game halted due to lightning [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-15T20:11:00-07:00

Only Mother Nature was able to slow down No. 2 Loyola against No. 3 Gilman in the second game of a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference semifinal doubleheader Tuesday night at...

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Boys Athlete of the Week: Peter Merritt, Gilman, track and field [Varsity Letters]

2012-05-15T12:15:00-07:00

The senior captain capped his four-year varsity career with four victories at the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association track and field championships. He ran the anchor leg of the 3,200-meter...

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Ashton Pankey will transfer from Maryland [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-15T12:00:00-07:00

Ashton Pankey will leave Maryland and transfer to a school closer to his New York City home, the UM athletic department announced today.

Mychal Parker talks about transferring to Loyola from Maryland [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-15T04:14:00-07:00

After parting ways with Maryland last month, Mychal Parker decided he wanted to finish his college career closer to home.

Mychal Parker talks about transferring to Loyola from Maryland [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-15T04:14:00-07:00

After parting ways with Maryland last month, Mychal Parker decided he wanted to finish his college career closer to home.

Weekend Wrap: Shane Cockerille wins QB MVP at Nike camp in Westminster [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-14T05:54:00-07:00

Gilman's Shane Cockerille wasn't the most touted quarterback heading into the Nike Football Training Camp at McDaniel College, but the future Terp finished Sunday as the event's most impressive signal-caller.

Former Terps point guard Steve Blake helps Lakers survive first round [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-13T14:46:00-07:00

There’s not been a lot to cheer about for Maryland basketball fans the past couple of years -- most notably two seasons without a postseason invitation and Terrell Stoglin’s misguided decision-making off the court that recently ended the college career of last season’s top scorer in the ACC.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-11T08:33:00-07:00

Many of Maryland's top 2013 targets are guards, but the Terps have identified several post players as top priorities as well.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-11T08:33:00-07:00

Many of Maryland's top 2013 targets are guards, but the Terps have identified several post players as top priorities as well.

Our Take: The week in Maryland sports [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-11T07:35:00-07:00

Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Don Markus and editor Matt Bracken weigh in on the biggest topic of the past week in Maryland sports.

Edsall ranked 65th among college football coaches by The Sporting News [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-11T05:00:00-07:00

The 2012 college football season is still months away, but those who oversee its coverage at The Sporting News did their best this week to turn some of the attention away from the NFL’s concussion controversy, the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, the NBA’s latest playoff injury and Josh Hamilton’s home run derby at Camden Yards.

InsideMDSports: Change of plans for Rysheed Jordan [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-11T04:00:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

InsideMDSports: Change of plans for Rysheed Jordan [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-11T04:00:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

Cody Joyce, former Southern forward, commits to Houston Baptist [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-10T06:09:00-07:00

Cody Joyce received a harsh introduction to the cutthroat world of college basketball recruiting less than a week after he accepted his first Division I scholarship offer.

More from the Mark Turgeon interview [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-10T05:40:00-07:00

Coach wishes he could have helped Stoglin make 'better decisions'

All season, it seemed, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon and leading scorer Terrell Stoglin had to work at getting to a place where each was comfortable.

Promising Maryland basketball recruiting class will get chance to make early impact [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-09T17:39:00-07:00

Five freshmen will be counted on as Turgeon says he'll 'play the best players'

Seth Allen wasn't quite satisfied.

High-major programs tracking Poly point guard John Crosby [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-09T09:07:00-07:00

Sophomore starring for Team Melo on the AAU circuit

Every offseason in Baltimore, some of the city’s top players transfer high schools in search of what they hope is a better basketball situation.

The Last Word with Austin Walker [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-09T04:00:00-07:00

At Maryland, Austin Walker lived the dream of walk-on football players everywhere.

Forest Park guard Wayne Hill 'a definite DI prospect' [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-08T05:47:00-07:00

Wayne Hill left Walbrook two years ago as a 5-foot-7 freshman. When Hill returned to Baltimore last fall after a year in North Carolina, Forest Park coach Greate White was struck by a fairly obvious change in the combo guard’s appearance.

Weekend Wrap: Perry Hills stars in Pennsylvania all-star game [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-07T09:44:00-07:00

Perry Hills turned in a near-flawless performance Sunday in his final high school football game.

After FIU coaching change, Forest Park grad Antoine Myers commits to Troy [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-04T18:04:00-07:00

Antoine Myers loved the idea of learning from one of the game’s best point guards of all time, making his commitment to Isiah Thomas ’ Florida International program an easy decision.

Weekly Maryland recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-04T14:18:00-07:00

Maryland could look locally for a top forward target in the 2014 class.

Our Take: The week in Maryland sports [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-04T06:31:00-07:00

Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Don Markus and editor Matt Bracken weigh in on the three biggest topics of the past week in Maryland sports.

Meet the Recruit: Terps small forward commitment Jake Layman [Tracking the Terps]

2012-05-03T10:01:00-07:00

With relatives living in Maryland and fond memories of the Terps’ 2002 national championship lingering in his mind, Jake Layman always had interest in UM’s basketball program. Maryland’s interest in the 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward, however, took a bit longer to develop.

Meet the Recruit: Terps small forward commitment Jake Layman [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-03T10:01:00-07:00

InsideMDSports: Terps in early on point guard Kaleb Joseph [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-02T08:30:00-07:00

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site.

Gilman linebacker Kiser headed for Virginia [Recruiting Report]

2012-05-01T13:05:00-07:00

Gilman middle linebacker Micah Kiser planned all along to make his college commitment before the start of his senior year. Monday night, he made it official. He'll play for Virginia.

Shogun Fights VI: Highlights [MMA Insider]

2012-04-15T11:27:52-07:00

brightcove.createExperiences(); If video doesn't work, click here to view. Shogun ...

Shogun Fights VI: Hear from the fighters [MMA Insider]

2012-04-09T17:47:24-07:00

brightcove.createExperiences(); ...

Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans: Who will win? [MMA Insider]

2012-03-28T04:29:40-07:00

The last several months, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (above, right) has presented his case to the media like a court-appoint Ryan Bader was an undefeated (12-0) fighter at the time he fought Jones. Let the evidence show that he suffered his first loss, by submission, in le ...

Cowboy Cerrone is looking for a title shot this year [MMA Insider]

2012-03-15T14:13:43-07:00

brightcove.createExperiences(); If you cannot view the above video, click here UFC ...

Time to move [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-02-23T07:05:32-08:00

If you're stopping by here and wondering why there is nothing new up on the blog anymore, it's because this isn't the blog anymore. The Schmuck Stops Here has m ...

Faceoff's home for the 2012 season and beyond [Faceoff]

2012-02-06T12:58:14-08:00

Faceoff has moved. The new address is: baltimoresun.com/sports/lacrosse-blog/ ...

Terps: Happy days will be here again soon [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-29T08:36:14-08:00

The Maryland men's basketball team couldn't sustain a solid game against Duke and nearly let Saturday's victory over Virginia Tech slip away, but it's pretty ob ...

Orioles: What Duquette is doing [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-26T08:12:24-08:00

There has been a lot of chatter on the various blogs and Orioles fan sites about the direction that Dan Duquette is taking the game in his first months as execu ...

Orioles Pantheon [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-18T06:53:05-08:00

The Orioles just announced their promotional schedule for the upcoming season and I'm going to give them some love for the way they are unveiling the six statue ...

NFC: Simply incredible [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-14T17:17:07-08:00

The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints just put on a show for the ages. The Saints rallied from a mistake-riddled first half and an early 17-point defic ...

Great Scott: The Orioles just got less interesting [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-11T11:30:26-08:00

Frankly, I have no idea how the loss of Luke Scott is going to affect the Orioles. It all depends on whether Scott would have have made a successful comeback fr ...

Don't wish too hard... [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-09T07:36:23-08:00

Everybody -- including me -- wanted the Ravens to play the Texans this Sunday in the first home playoff game of the John Harbaugh era, but if you think that thi ...

Bring on the Texans [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2012-01-04T22:15:16-08:00

My gut tells me that the Cincinnati Bengals can take the Texans on the road this weekend, but I think it would help the Ravens' chances of reaching the Super Bo ...

Bengals are a scary proposition, but... [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2011-12-30T10:34:11-08:00

It's almost hard to believe that the 2011 regular season has come down to this, since there were several seemingly golden opportunities for the Ravens to lock u ...

Ravens fans dreaming of a Purple Christmas [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2011-12-24T05:51:50-08:00

Clearly, no one is feeling terribly apprehensive about today's game against the Cleveland Browns, who will be starting Seneca Wallace at quarterback and playing ...

Duquette's global ambitions [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2011-12-15T06:46:25-08:00

New baseball operations guru Dan Duquette has made no secret of his desire to make international player development a high priority in the Orioles organization, ...

Navy holds on [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2011-12-10T14:59:32-08:00

It was a sloppy game that featured five turnovers (by both teams) and an off-side penalty on Army that iced the game for the Midshipman, but in this rivalry, a ...

Navy back on top...No, wait! [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2011-12-10T13:46:43-08:00

Army's Black Knights appeared to be falling out of the 112th Army-Navy Game in the second quarter, but they rallied for two touchdowns to tie the game at 14-14 ...

The Best of Ring Posts Xtra: Bloopers & Bleeps [Ring Posts]

2011-08-24T15:46:15-07:00

The third and final Ring Posts Xtra, featuring highlights and outtakes with Kevin Eck and Axl Rotten.

The Best of Ring Posts Xtra: Part 2 [Ring Posts]

2011-08-22T11:03:50-07:00

The second of three videos featuring highlights from Ring Posts Xtra with Kevin Eck and Axl Rotten.

The Best of Ring Posts Xtra: Part 1 [Ring Posts]

2011-08-20T02:47:06-07:00

The first of three videos featuring highlights from Ring Posts Xtra with Kevin Eck and Axl Rotten.

ESPN's Kessenich previews 2012 MLL Draft [Faceoff]

2011-08-16T06:00:00-07:00

ESPN analyst and former Johns Hopkins All-American goalkeeper Quint Kessenich has been intently following the current Major League Lacrosse season as Kessenich has Princeton goalie Tyler Fiorito at No. 4. The Phoenix native and McDonogh graduate ranked second in the country in save percentage and ei ...

Goodbye, Baltimore Sun; hello, WWE [Ring Posts]

2011-08-10T05:00:00-07:00

It was a little more than four years ago that I launched Ring Posts on baltimoresun.com and began a chapter in my career that has been both fun and gratifying.

This entry will mark the closing of that chapter and the opening of a new one.

I am leaving my job as sports content editor and pro wrestling blogger at The Baltimore Sun to become a member of the WWE creative team.

It’s a bittersweet time for me to say the least. While I am very excited to be going to work for the professional wrestling industry leader – which also happens to be a company that I have been passionate about since I was 6 years old – saying goodbye to a place where I have so much history is extremely difficult.

I began working at The Sun as a part-time editorial assistant in the Sports department in 1986 when I was a 19-year-old college student. I went on to spend 13 years there before leaving to become the editor of WCW Magazine. After WWE bought WCW and I lost that gig as a result, I was fortunate enough to return to The Sun in 2002. That adds up to a total of 22 years that I have been at The Sun – literally half my life.

I can’t thank the powers that be at The Sun enough for allowing me to earn a living all these years doing something I enjoy. While working in the pro wrestling industry was a childhood dream, so was being an employee of my hometown newspaper.

I also fully realize that I would not have gotten my old job with WCW or my new one with WWE if not for the experience and exposure I gained through my employment with The Sun.

I wrote my first article on pro wrestling for The Sun in 1994 – a feature story on Randy “Macho Man” Savage that focused on his minor-league baseball career – and with that I became the paper’s unofficial wrestling writer.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to interview just about every major figure in the wrestling business, including Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Steve Austin, Ric Flair, John Cena, Eric Bischoff, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Sting.

In 2007, with the Internet changing how newspapers think and operate, some people at The Sun suggested that I write a wrestling blog. To be honest, I was initially lukewarm to the idea of taking on extra work, but once I got started, the blog became a labor of love.

I can’t stress enough how few jobs there are that could get me to entertain the thought of leaving The Sun for even a second. In fact, this opportunity with WWE may be the only one.

I think this is an exciting time to be joining WWE, which is currently in the process of altering its creative approach. I’ve accepted a position that will allow me to contribute from a creative standpoint and also use my skills as a journalist.

Ring Posts became more successful than I ever could have imagined, and I’d like to thank everyone reading this for making that possible, especially any of you who ever took the time to leave a comment. I truly believe the “comments” section – which provided a forum for readers to express their opinions and engage in discussions with me and their fellow readers – was as important in drawing people to the blog as anything I wrote. While some of the debates I had with readers became heated, I ultimately appreciated the fact that we had at least one thing in common: a passion for pro wrestling.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the time to publicly thank Dan McDevitt and everyone associated with Maryland Championship Wrestling for allowing me to become a member of their family over the past several years and furthering my education in the wrestling business.

In addition to being able to serve as a referee and actually getting to wrestle (well, sort of) in a match, the lessons I’ve learned from my association with MCW about wrestling as an art form and locker room etiquette have been invaluable, and I will take that knowledge with me to WWE.

I’ll be moving to Stamford, Conn., and starting with WWE at the end of the month. For anyone who is interested in keeping up with me, feel free to follow me on Twitter (@ringposts) or send me a friend request on Facebook.

In closing, I want to reiterate how incredibly gratifying and humbling it has been for me these past four-plus years to have people actually care what I have to say about a form of entertainment that I’ve been hooked on since I was in first grade.

I only hope that you all enjoyed reading Ring Posts at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Editor's note: The Baltimore Sun plans to continue coverage of professional wrestling. We'll keep you posted.

Five performers gone from WWE [Ring Posts]

2011-08-06T01:26:02-07:00

This is probably old news to many of you, but just in case anyone missed it, WWE released Melina, Chris Masters, Vladimir Kozlov and David Hart Smith on Friday.

Meanwhile, Gail Kim announced on Twitter that she has officially quit her job with WWE.

In what ended up being her final appearance on Raw earlier this week, Kim eliminated herself just a few seconds into a Divas battle royal.

Impact Wrestling: Am I crazy or did Sting suddenly become sane again? [Ring Posts]

2011-08-05T10:56:59-07:00

TNA had the right idea on Thursday night’s episode of Impact Wrestling as far as hyping Sunday’s Sting-Kurt Angle match at the Hardcore Justice pay-per-view.

In addition to a nicely done video package, the empty arena match between the two from a couple years ago was shown – with Angle providing commentary – and the final segment of the show featured the official contract signing for Sunday’s match for Sting’s TNA world title.

After signing the contract, Sting and Angle both cut good promos that were designed to make their showdown at Hardcore Justice seem special.

However, the segment wasn’t as effective as it should have been because I was distracted by the fact that “Joker Sting” had slipped into “Sane Sting” in the blink of an eye.

I understand that having Sting do his Heath Ledger/Jim Carrey shtick would have seemed ridiculously out of place following Angle’s serious promo, but after weeks of seeing a mentally unbalanced Sting, it didn’t make any sense in the story line for him to break character like that.

Then again, this is the same creative team that had Angelina Love walking around as a drugged-up zombie who was impervious to pain before abruptly becoming “normal” again.

Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:

While I do think it was a good idea to revisit the empty arena match to show that Sting and Angle were once fierce rivals, I don’t get the sense that it’s the much-talked about classic match that TNA was making it out to be. …

The feud between Immortal members Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson – who will face each other at Hardcore Justice – is happening way too fast. To make matters worse, it appears that Anderson is supposed to be the babyface here. By turning Anderson so frequently, TNA has succeeded in making me totally lose interest in a guy who I thought was one of the most compelling characters in the company not all that long ago. By the way, could TNA possibly make Anderson look any more ridiculous than he did when he fell for Ray’s fake apology? …

As bad as Anderson’s character has been booked as of late, that’s nothing compared to all the damage that has been done to Samoa Joe over the years. After losing by disqualification to “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero in a Bound for Glory series match (Joe had won by submission but the referee reversed the decision when Joe refused to release the Kokina Clutch), Joe – who now has minus-10 points in the series – cut an angry promo about TNA brass screwing him over and how the blood will be on their hands. I suppose that means that Joe is about to go on a tear, but the problem is that he has done so much whining and complaining over the years and his character has had so many re-starts that I don’t see how any fan could possibly have any emotional investment in him. At this point, he should just ask for his release and go to Ring of Honor, where he can be the proverbial big fish in a small pond. …

The Bobby Roode-Hernandez street fight was the most entertaining match on the show, although I could have done without all the unprotected shots to the head with garbage cans and lids. I also didn’t care for the finish – Hernandez rolled up a distracted Roode for the win – but I understand why it was done. With no one really believing Mexican America has any chance to beat Beer Money for the TNA world tag team title at Hardcore Justice, Hernandez needed to get the win. It’s also being played up that Roode and tag team partner James Storm are both banged up heading into Sunday’s match. …

There were two other good matches: the tag team bout that saw Rob Van Dam and Crimson defeat Scott Steiner and Gunner, and the X Division contest in which Austin Aries beat Alex Shelley. …

Joe doing the Undertaker gimmick of rolling his eyes in the back of his head while choking out Dinero was unintentionally funny. …

I don’t care if it was booked to look like a fluke or not, Devon should not be scoring pinfall victories over A.J. Styles. …

Styles lost the match due to an inadvertent distraction from Christopher Daniels. It seems as if TNA is determined to have Daniels turn on Styles, although for the life of me I don’t know why. It’s not like it’s anything we haven’t seen before. …

What’s with guys spitting in each other’s faces in TNA? On this episode, Ray did it to Anderson, Steiner did it to Crimson, and Angle did it to Sting (in the clip of their empty arena match). TNA has never learned the lesson that less is more. In WWE, it was a big deal when Christian spit in Randy Orton’s face because it’s something that you rarely see there. …

Speaking of Steiner and Crimson, unless I zoned out and missed it, the announcers failed to mention that Steiner was mentoring Crimson just a few months ago. …

While the match between Miss Tessmacher and Madison Rayne (which Tessmacher won) only lasted about 90 seconds, TNA did manage to get six Knockouts some camera time during it. Mickie James sat in on commentary, and she was attacked after the match by Angelina Love and Winter. Plus, Tara accompanied Tessmacher to the ring. ...

Matt Morgan did a decent job on commentary during the Joe-Dinero match. It’s a good move by TNA to keep him involved in things while he recovers from his torn pectoral injury.

Top 10 favorite wrestlers of all time [Ring Posts]

2011-08-04T10:49:54-07:00

I’ve often been asked who my all-time favorite wrestlers are, so I finally decided to really give it some thought and come up with my top 10.

In looking at my list, I think it’s apparent that I tend to gravitate to wrestlers with larger-than-life personas who can cut strong promos. It’s also clear that I have always favored the heels.

To reiterate, this is simply a list of my personal favorites. There are some on the list who I really marked out for when I was a child or a teenager, and others who I became fans of as an adult.

So, here’s my top 10, in descending order. Feel free to share your list.

10. LARRY ZBYSZKO

If I could use just one word to describe Zbyszko from 1974 to 1979 it would be “boring.” As the young protégé of Bruno Sammartino in the WWWF, Zbyszko was the epitome of a bland, white-meat babyface. And then in 1980, he turned on his mentor and instantly became the coolest guy on the planet as far as I was concerned. Suddenly, Zbyszko had a swagger and a mean streak. He was cunning in the ring and sarcastic and condescending on the microphone. He was the ultimate disrespectful young punk rebelling against his elders. As a 13-year-old going through my own rebellious stage, I loved it. After he left the WWF, Zbyszko continued to be an entertaining heel for more than a decade in the NWA, WCW and AWA.

9. RIC FLAIR

Having grown up in a traditional WWF city during the territorial days, I only knew Flair initially from photos and stories in wrestling magazines. Even with that limited exposure to him, however, I could tell that he was someone special. When my family got cable television in the early ’80s and I actually got to see “The Nature Boy” walk the walk and talk the talk, he became must-see TV for me before that term ever entered the lexicon. I finally saw Flair wrestle in person when Georgia Championship Wrestling came to Baltimore in 1984, and he lived up to the hype. Twenty-four years later, I shed a tear while sitting in The Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., watching what I thought at the time was Flair’s final match. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, and seeing what Flair has become since joining TNA makes me sad. But for more than 30 years, Flair created countless wrestling memories for me that cannot be diminished.

8. DUSTY RHODES

During my early years as a wrestling fan, it seemed as if every babyface was humble, honorable and clean-cut. In other words, they were boring. Rhodes, however, was as charismatic as any heel. “The American Dream” was cocky, had bleached-blond hair and used jive talk to cut the best promos I had ever seen. Whenever Rhodes would make an occasional appearance in the WWF in the ’70s and early ’80s, it was a big deal. Several years later, when it became fashionable to cheer for cool heels Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen during their epic battles with Rhodes in the NWA, I remained a steadfast Dusty supporter. Heck, I even loved him when he became a yellow polka dot-clad, dancing “common man” in the WWF in the late ’80s.

7. RANDY SAVAGE

The first time I saw Savage in the WWF I knew that he was going to be a huge star. It wasn’t just the sparkly robes and the gravelly voice that made him stand out, it was his fantastic skills inside the ring. Nobody blended power, speed, agility and technical skills like the “Macho Man” in his prime. Having the lovely Miss Elizabeth as his manager added to his mystique, as no matter how badly he treated her, she remained loyal to him (until that rat Hulk Hogan, with lust in his eyes, lured her away). Savage was effective as both a heel and a babyface, but it was during his two heel runs in the WWF that I marked out for him the most. It’s a shame that he never got a run as a heel world champion in the WWF.

6. SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM

When Graham came to the WWWF in the mid-70s, I had never seen anyone like him. Most of world champion Bruno Sammartino’s challengers were either menacing tough guys with grizzled features, wild men or foreign heels, but Graham had a tan, sculpted physique, bleached-blond hair and colorful tie-dye tights. He also cut boastful, entertaining promos that were reminiscent of boxing great Muhammad Ali. Graham instantly became my favorite wrestler, and while most of the wrestling world was in mourning when he ended Sammartino’s second title reign in Baltimore, April 30, 1977 was one of the greatest days of 9-year-old Kevin Eck’s life. Consequently, Feb. 20, 1978 – when Graham dropped the title to the ultra-bland Bob Backlund – was one of the worst. I wasn’t a fan of Graham’s attempt to re-invent himself years later as a bald-headed karate master, and trying to turn back the clock and put on the tie-dye again didn’t really work either. But from 1975 to 1978, the Superstar, truly was the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour.

5. THE VALIANT BROTHERS

When “Handsome” Jimmy and “Luscious” Johnny burst onto the WWWF scene in 1974, they became the first wrestlers that I was totally obsessed with. I had to have any wrestling magazine that had the cocky, bleached-blond “brothers” on the cover, and I even dressed up as Jimmy Valiant for Halloween (although no one in my neighborhood could figure out who I was supposed to be). Whenever I saw them wrestle in person, I would get goose bumps as the entire arena would be booing and hurling obscenities at them. The Valiants held the WWWF tag team title for a little over a year, a record that stood for 14 years. It was a sad day when they dropped the belts to the rather unimpressive duo of Dominic DeNucci and Victor Rivera. When the Valiant Brothers returned to the WWF a few years later with a third member – “Gentleman” Jerry – the magic was gone. I was never a big fan of Jimmy as the “Boogie Woogie Man” or Johnny as a WWF manager, either.

4. CHRIS JERICHO

I took notice of Jericho when he was a member of WCW’s talented cruiserweight division around 1996 or 1997. He had an exciting in-ring style and a good look, but I remember thinking that it was a shame his inability to cut a decent promo was going to keep him from ever making it big in wrestling. After he turned heel, however, he became one of the company’s most entertaining characters, and I became a diehard Jericho-holic. Since jumping to WWE in 1999, Jericho has proved to be one of best all-around performers in the business and someone who is equally effective as a heel or a babyface. The guy who I once thought didn’t have the mic skills to be a player is now regarded as one of the very best talkers in the business. Jericho is a textbook example of talent winning out in the end.

3. RODDY PIPER

I became a Piper fan before I ever saw him wrestle a match. In 1981, Piper was the heel color commentator alongside the legendary Gordon Solie on TBS’ Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Piper’s quick wit and acerbic comments were the best part of the show for me. What I loved about Piper – beyond the fact that he was wrestling’s most entertaining talker until The Rock came around many years later – was that he was a loud-mouth jerk who no one could shut up. The heat he generated was incredible. After the infamous incident in the WWF when Piper smashed Jimmy Snuka in the head with a coconut during a Piper’s Pit, I remember actually being fearful for my own safety because I was cheering enthusiastically for Piper when he wrestled the wildly popular “Superfly” in Baltimore and used every dirty trick in the book. Piper solidified his status as my all-time favorite heel when he battled Hulk Hogan and tried to take down the Rock and Wrestling Connection. Even though I always preferred the heels, I remained a huge mark for Piper when he became a babyface.

2. THE ROCK

I like to think that I have a pretty good eye for spotting future superstars, but I have to admit that my first impressions of Rocky Maivia were not favorable. He was athletic and had a decent-enough look, but he seemed to be lacking the “it” factor. Of course, when he morphed into The Rock, he set a new standard for having “it.” In my nearly 40 years of watching wrestling, I haven’t seen anyone more charismatic or better at trash-talking than The Rock. You just can’t help but marvel at a guy who gets a bigger crowd reaction raising an eyebrow or dropping an elbow than someone performing a 450 Splash. Whether he’s a heel or a babyface, The Rock has always been the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. Having interviewed him several times both before and after he became a movie star, I’ve also become a fan of Dwayne Johnson for the way he has handled his success.

1. SHAWN MICHAELS

After watching The Rockers – Michaels and Marty Jannetty – for a few years in the AWA and WWF in the late ’80s and early ’90s, it became apparent to me that Michaels was a singles star waiting to happen. He eventually got his opportunity, and it was around 1994 that I was convinced that he was the best all-around performer in the business. It was also at that time that Michaels became my favorite performer. Sixteen years later, when he finished his career with yet another show-stealing performance at WrestleMania, Michaels still was as good or better than any of his peers. As talented as he was athletically, “The Heartbreak Kid” also had charisma, the gift of gab and the uncanny ability to get a reaction from the crowd – whether he was trying to make them love him or hate him. It didn’t matter if he was a crotch-chopping degenerate or a God-fearing family man, Michaels was always The Showstopper whenever he appeared on the card.

WWE Raw: Triple H makes CM Punk-John Cena match at SummerSlam official [Ring Posts]

2011-08-02T10:19:37-07:00

New WWE COO Triple H announced at the end of Raw Monday night that WWE title claimants CM Punk and John Cena would meet in a championship unification match at the SummerSlam pay-per-view on Aug. 14.

That was expected. What was less predictable going into Monday’s show was how the crowd was going to react to the two champs. I was expecting the people to be pro-Punk, but it didn’t sound that way to me.

Punk, who was practically begging the crowd to cheer for him, got a good – but not great – pop from the fans in Indianapolis when he came out to open the show, but Triple H got a louder reaction when he made his way to the ring later in the segment. At the end of the show, when Punk and Cena were taking turns playing to the crowd, both received mixed reactions, but it seemed to me that Cena received more cheers.

I’m not sure what exactly to make of that, and it was just one crowd, but when wwe.com ran a poll during the show asking who the rightful WWE champion is, Cena got 54 percent of the vote to Punk’s 46 percent – and that’s with Punk having just beaten Cena clean at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view a couple weeks ago.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but the crowd reaction and results of the poll suggest that Punk’s babyface turn hasn’t fully taken hold with the casual fans, who clearly outnumber the “smart” fans.

If WWE truly wants to get Punk over in a big way – and if they really want to make waves – it should have Cena and Triple H both turn heel and screw over Punk at SummerSlam.

Do I think that will happen? Not really, but I can hope.

Other thoughts on Monday’s show:

The verbal exchange between Punk and Triple H was compelling and both guys did a great job. Even though Triple H said later in the show that Punk playing the “you’re married to the boss’ daughter” card was nothing that he hasn’t been hearing for years, Punk did say things to Triple H that have never been said before on WWE television, such as how he buries talent and used to carry Shawn Michaels’ bags. …

While I still think that Punk returned to WWE too soon, his explanation did make sense, as he said that he couldn’t create change in WWE by sitting on his couch at home. To be the voice of the voiceless, he said he needs a microphone on WWE television. …

WWE executive John Laurinaitis making an appearance during the final segment with Triple H, Punk and Cena was a nice touch. Laurinaitis – who implored Triple H to strip Cena of his title – represents the old Vince McMahon regime, and by Triple H disregarding him, it further establishes that it’s a new day in WWE. It also plants the seed if Triple H and Cena do end up conspiring against Punk. …

The dueling music shtick with Punk and Cena was a little silly, but I thought it worked. …

When confronting Laurinaitis, Cena got in an inside reference to Laurinaitis’ old gimmick as a member of the Dynamic Dudes tag team in WCW, saying that he used to carry around a skateboard. Cena also could have said that Laurinaitis used to carry around the flag of New Zealand. …

The crowd was really hot for the exciting team match that saw The Miz and R-Truth defeat Rey Mysterio and John Morrison. …

The backstage interaction between Miz and R-Truth was entertaining. They played off each other very well. …

I thought for sure that Eve was going to win the battle royal that determined Divas champion Kelly Kelly’s opponent at SummerSlam, but I certainly wasn’t upset to see Beth Phoenix get the victory. After the match, Phoenix turned on KK, which was a good booking decision since WWE needs a strong heel Diva in Kharma’s absence. …

I think Melina lasted about two seconds in the battle royal, and Gail Kim was eliminated a couple seconds after that. It’s obvious that Melina is in the doghouse and is being buried, but it’s a real shame that WWE hasn’t done anything with Kim since she came over from TNA. …

Alberto Del Rio, who needs to get on a roll again to re-establish himself as a threat to the WWE title, got a solid win over Evan Bourne. …

Dolph Ziggler and Alex Riley had a decent verbal exchange. Vickie Guerrero hasn’t had as big of a role lately as she’s had in the past, but she’s still a heat magnet. …

Zack Ryder was over with the crowd, but the fact that he – and not tag team partner Santino Marella – did the job in their match against WWE tag team champions David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty tells you all you need to know about how hard WWE is going to push Ryder. …

Marella wearing the Cobra sock puppet was pretty funny. …

I’m still not sold on McGillicutty and Otunga as champs, but they did show more fire than usual this week.

Ring Posts Xtra: Episode 21 [Ring Posts]

2011-07-31T19:50:17-07:00

Axl Rotten returns to the show to discuss whether John Cena is a good worker and if WWE dropped the ball with the CM Punk angle. We also play a game of word association with Axl.

WWE Smackdown: Sheamus puts a new 'face' on Smackdown [Ring Posts]

2011-07-30T14:07:57-07:00

Sheamus took a giant step toward becoming Smackdown’s No. 2 babyface on Friday night’s episode.

Sheamus, who has gradually been moving toward a babyface turn, got a huge pop when he came out to confront Mark Henry, who was intimidating Smackdown general manager Teddy Long and preparing to break the ankle of a severely undersized enhancement talent.

Just as Long was telling Henry that no one in the back wanted to face him because of the rampage he has been on, Sheamus’ music hit. When he got to the ring, Sheamus told Henry that he’d be glad to fight him. The crowd loved that Sheamus was standing up to the massive bully and began chanting his name.

A physical confrontation was teased, but there was very minimal contact, which is a smart move to build anticipation for their inevitable match. Henry, Sheamus and Long – as the authority figure who was trying to control the situation but was terrified of Henry – all played their roles very well.

WWE has done a great job of getting Henry over as a monster heel, and Sheamus now has enough credibility to be seen as a guy who poses a threat to him. I’m actually really looking forward to seeing a match between these two, and it wasn’t all that long ago that I certainly wouldn’t have believed that.

As I’ve said several times recently, I think Sheamus will be a solid babyface, and now is the perfect time to pull the trigger on his turn. He is more than capable of filling the void of being the No. 2 babyface behind Randy Orton on Smackdown.

Other thoughts on Friday’s show:

New WWE COO Triple H made an appearance and announced that he re-signed CM Punk late Monday night, which explains why Punk appeared at the end of Raw. …

Having Raw’s R-Truth and John Morrison on the show continued the recent creative direction in WWE of adding a sense of unpredictability to the programs. …

The main event between Orton and R-Truth served its purpose of advancing the Orton-Christian program. With Christian set to defend the world heavyweight title against Orton in a No Holds Barred Match at SummerSlam on Aug. 14, Orton lost by disqualification here and then brutalized R-Truth after the match while a worried Christian looked on from the stage as he realized that Orton can do all of that against him and it will be legal. …

The Christian-Morrison match wasn’t bad, although there were a couple rough spots. It was good to see Christian get another clean win, and I don’t think the loss really hurts Morrison all that much because the story being told was that he may have come back too soon from his injury and his health could be in jeopardy when he eventually faces R-Truth. …

The verbal exchange between Triple H, Christian and R-Truth got the show off to a good start. …

Broskis everywhere can rejoice, as Zack Ryder now has a role on TV – as Long’s assistant. This has the potential to be entertaining, although I was a little underwhelmed with Ryder’s segments this week. …

I like Michael Cole as a heel commentator, but he was really annoying me by constantly talking over Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett during their verbal exchange. There comes a time when the announcers just need to shut up and let the focus be on the wrestlers, and that was one of those times. …

The funniest moment of the night was when an enraged Henry stormed out of the ring, approached the announce table and yelled “move!” and Cole, Booker T. and Josh Matthews all immediately got up and hurried away. …

Cole got in a funny line when Rosa Mendes took off her t-shirt prior to the six-woman tag match. “Well, she has to do something in this match. I guess that was it,” he said. …

I was glad that Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. defeated Ezekiel Jackson in a handicap match. I feared that DiBiase was going to do the job, which would have buried both him and Rhodes. …

I was disappointed that the Usos didn’t win the WWE tag team title from David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty. The belts are pretty meaningless as long as Otunga and McGillicutty have them, in my opinion. …

The video feature on Justin Gabriel wrestling in his native South Africa was well done and made him look like a star. By the way, Gabriel used the terms “wrestler” and “wrestling” in the piece, so it appears that the ban on the “w” words are over.

CM Punk is coming to TNA? [Ring Posts]

2011-07-29T19:42:56-07:00

Hey look, there’s a picture CM Punk – the rightful WWE champion and the most talked-about wrestler in the industry today – splashed on the homepage of TNA’s website.

The top headline on the site announces that Punk is coming to TNA. Well, sort of.

It actually says that he is coming to TNAOnDemand.com.

As part of the new TNA Archives Superstar Series, Punk’s matches in TNA from 2003 and 2004 will be available for viewing online next week.

I think it’s actually a smart move by TNA to try to cash in on Punk-Mania.

Maryland Championship Wrestling presents Shamrock Cup XI in Baltimore Saturday [Ring Posts]

2011-07-29T16:24:20-07:00

Maryland Championship Wrestling presents its biggest show of the year, The Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup XI on Saturday night at The Green Room in Dundalk.

In addition to the Shamrock Cup tournament, the event also features an MCW heavyweight title match between champion Cobian and The Bruiser. The MCW Rage TV and tag team titles also will be defended.

Bell time is 7:30.

Impact Wrestling: Hulk Hogan’s return to the ring appears all but certain [Ring Posts]

2011-07-29T13:02:21-07:00

During the opening segment of Impact Wrestling Thursday night, Kurt Angle challenged Hulk Hogan to “prove that you can still go.”

Personally, I wouldn’t be upset to see Hogan go – and I’m not talking about him putting the tights and boots back on for a wrestling match.

Moments after Hogan told Angle that he was never going to wrestle again – which I was glad to hear – it sure seemed as if TNA was building to a match between Hogan and Sting at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view in October.

Fueled by the appearance of Hogan on the promotional poster for BFG, there has been speculation among wrestling fans and pundits as of late about a Hogan-Sting match taking place on the show. When the rumors began to swirl, I kept thinking – and hoping – that TNA and Hogan had to know that the negatives far outweigh the positives when it comes to him wrestling again.

First and foremost, there is the question of how risky it would be for Hogan – who is two weeks away from turning 58 and has been through multiple serious back, knee and hip surgeries – to take any bumps.

But beyond that, does TNA really believe that there is a demand for a match between Hogan and the 52-year-old Sting? Or for that matter, a match between Hogan and anybody?

To put it in perspective, remember when fans used to say that WCW stood for Wheelchair Wrestling because a number of its top stars – including Hogan – were past their prime? Well, that was about 15 years ago.

Other thoughts on Thursday’ show:

I groaned when Sting crashed a meeting of Immortal members in Eric Bischoff’s office and announced that he had been named an executive of The Network and now had more power than Hogan and Bischoff. The convoluted Immortal-Network power struggle just isn’t very interesting. Fortunately, it was revealed near the end of the show that Sting was bluffing and had just been messing with Immortal. By the way, Sting’s awesome red suit may have been the highlight of the show. …

Speaking of convoluted, the cage match between Angle and Mr. Anderson was overbooked. Hogan had made it clear earlier in the show that the main goal was to take out Angle, so what does Bully Ray do? Instead of helping Anderson, he distracted him, which allowed Angle to get the win. Is it really necessary to have Anderson feuding with Ray so soon after Anderson joined Immortal? Who are fans supposed to care about in all of this? …

I liked that Angle in his promo clarified that he has never beaten Sting “without outside interference.” A couple weeks ago he said that he had never beaten Sting, which, of course, isn’t true, since Angle defeated Sting for the TNA world title in 2007. …

An emotional Matt Morgan officially pulled out of the Bound for Glory series because of suffering a torn pectoral muscle. It’s a tough break for Morgan, but there’s an opportunity here for TNA to use the injury to add another layer to the story line of Morgan’s career-long quest to be a world champion. …

Rob Van Dam and Gunner had a good, hard-hitting match. Gunner got in a lot of offense before doing the clean job, so he wasn’t hurt by the loss. …

The Crimson-Bully Ray match was serviceable. Ray had the advantage most of the way before Crimson hit Red Sky for the victory. TNA is establishing Crimson’s finisher as something that can be hit out of nowhere, similar to Randy Orton’s RKO. …

I liked the way the Ultimate X match between TNA X Division champion Brian Kendrick and Abyss was laid out, with Abyss repeatedly gaining the advantage but being reluctant to scale the structure and grab the championship belt. The finish was clever. Abyss attempted to chokeslam Kendrick, but Kendrick was able to unhook the belt from the cable while being hoisted in the air. …

Austin Aries’ promo was very good. Not only did he nail it with his delivery, but I liked the message, which was that he has had plenty of five-star matches, but now he’s more interested in winning titles and making money, and he’ll do so by any means necessary. …

I’m not sure why Alex Shelley was so happy that his rematch for the TNA X Division title with Kendrick at the Hardcore Justice pay-per-view on Aug. 7 is a three-way match also involving Aries. Shouldn’t Shelley be upset that it’s not a one-on-one contest? …

I liked that Bully Ray in his backstage promo referenced an upcoming house show match he has with A.J. Styles. TNA should do more of that, especially with BFG series matches taking place at house shows.It reminded me of the old NWA days on TBS when Ric Flair and others would always mention the cities they were coming to in their promos. ...

The Tara-Winter match (which Winter won) wasn’t bad, but Winter had trouble executing her spinning backbreaker finisher on someone Tara’s size and it ended up looking a little sloppy. …

I’m not finding the Velvet Sky-ODB-Jackie-Traci Brooks story line all that compelling at the moment.

Top 10 list: Favorite wrestling entrance music [Ring Posts]

2011-07-27T16:13:15-07:00

Entrance music in pro wrestling has become a topic of discussion this past week, thanks to an article by ESPN’s Bill Simmons and the fact that CM Punk came out to new music (well, it was actually his old music) on Raw Monday night.

Here are my top 10 favorite entrance themes in wrestling today. Only wrestling personalities who are currently active in WWE or TNA were considered. (Note: If Edge, Shawn Michaels, Batista and Chris Jericho were active, their music would certainly be on the list. So would "What's Up" if R-Truth was still using it.) The list is based entirely on my musical taste and nothing else.

I welcome your comments and your top 10 lists.

10. “DOMINATION” (EZEKIEL JACKSON): This one didn’t grab me right away, but it has really grown on me.

9. “SOME BODIES GONNA GET IT” (MARK HENRY): I’m more of a hard rock guy than a hip hop guy, but this song kicks a**.

8. “ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER” (VELVET SKY): Whenever this song begins, I know that Velvet Sky is about to enter the ring – and that’s a good thing.

7. “SAY IT TO MY FACE” (ALEX RILEY): The newest theme on the list, this one is rising fast – just like A-Ry.

6. “JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES” (CHRISTIAN): This song is just plain catchy. I liked it the very first time I heard it.

5. “VOICES” (RANDY ORTON): I was a big fan of Orton’s previous theme, but it wasn’t long before “Voices” was stuck in my head.

4. “GET ON YOUR KNEES” (JACK SWAGGER): Any song that sounds like it’s by Rage Against The Machine has to be good.

3. “SLEEPING GIANT” (MATT MORGAN): An infectious guitar riff and screaming vocals. What’s not to like?

2. “THE GAME” (TRIPLE H): One of the ballsiest wrestling entrance themes ever. It’s the perfect music for a guy who walks around pounding people with a sledgehammer.

1. “THIS FIRE BURNS” (CM PUNK): It’s only fitting that the best wrestler in the world also has the best entrance music. I hear the brain-scorching opening strains of this song several times every day – whenever my cellphone rings.

Sports 101 video series: So you want to be a pro wrestler? [Ring Posts]

2011-07-27T08:52:41-07:00

Check out my colleague Kevin Richardson's new video series for baltimoresun.com. In this episode, see what it takes to become a professional wrestler.

What are your memories of Mike Cuellar? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-04-02T21:00:29-07:00

There’s something about growing up as a fan of a successful team.

The guys you never saw play still seem like your heroes, youthful legends trapped in time.

I don’t remember seeing any baseball until 1976 or so. But those Orioles’ World Championship teams in 1966 and 1970 still seem like part of my history. Because they were my dad’s favorites and my brothers’ and I heard all about them.

My sisters and I were more aligned to the 1979-83 clubs. But I never discounted those older teams – or my father would quickly explain what real baseball was, when pitchers finished what they started and sluggers played the field and yadda yadda yadda.

The point is I never saw Mike Cuellar pitch – or Dave McNally or Pat Dobson – but I know the history, I know how important Cuellar, who died Friday of stomach cancer, was to the franchise. I met Cuellar a couple times in the past few years while doing my job. Brief, friendly encounters, nothing too memorable.

Still, when an Orioles’ great passes on, it strikes a chord in all of us who once followed the team. Even for those of us who have moved past the fan stage and now follow the team to make ends meet.

The lights are low in this place tonight. The Orioles title flag behind the bar is at half mast. Salsa music is playing softly in the background. Raise your glass.

Here’s to Mike Cuellar and his screwball. And to the memories he provided a generation – and then some – of Orioles fans.

Daily Think Special: What are your memories of Mike Cuellar?

Which worries you the most: O's offense, defense, rotation or bullpen? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-31T17:45:21-07:00

Just watched the Orioles get their brains beat in by the Boston Red Sox, 14-6.

Are you sure it isn’t May yet?

Seriously, we all know about the Orioles’ struggles in the past 12 years. But it just seems to get magnified when they play the Red Sox – even more than it does when they play the New York Yankees.

Chew on this unsavory tidbit: The Orioles are 17-55 in the past four regular seasons against the Red Sox. That’s not a cruel, cruel April Fool’s joke. Sorry.

The Orioles are 28-45 against the Yankees. Practically dominating in comparison.

I know I have ruined your appetite, but hopefully you are still willing to drown your sorrows.

Anyway, there was a whole lot to make an Orioles fan shiver after this one – the fourth to last before the games count – in sunny Florida.

The starting lineup, sans only a sick Adam Jones, managed just three hits in seven innings against Red Sox starter Jon Lester. Felix Pie is the only regular batting over .300.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox bashed Jason Berken and Jim Johnson, two members of the Orioles’ Opening Day bullpen.

And Robert Andino, who made the team as a utility infielder because he can play shortstop, made two errors at the position and has four on the season.

Yes, it’s only spring training. So no reason to sound the alarm yet. But ... it might be coming in a few weeks.

Here’s my question: Based on what you have read, heard or seen, which part of the Orioles concerns you the most? Is it the offense, defense, rotation or bullpen?

Mine is the bullpen. Closer Mike Gonzalez hasn’t looked sharp – though he pitched a scoreless inning Wednesday -- and neither has Johnson, his setup man. The other setup man, Koji Uehara, will start the season on the disabled list. And the young power arm the Orioles were counting on, Kam Mickolio, won’t make the team.

I think the offense has enough quality talent that it will be fine. And the rotation will take its lumps at times – for sure. But the bullpen? That gets my vote.

Daily Think Special: Which worries you the most: O’s offense, defense, rotation or bullpen?

Does it matter who the Orioles' backup catcher is? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-30T08:12:38-07:00

Two days in a row you get a bar entry from me. Pretty impressive.

I think Cal Ripken Jr., may start getting worried about my streak.

The big news in Orioles’ camp Tuesday is the pending announcement that Chris Tillman will be sent to Triple-A Norfolk and David Hernandez is going to be the club’s fifth starter.

But we’ve already talked about that one.

The smaller news – whispers turning into a blip, really – is that Craig Tatum is getting the backup catcher job over veteran Chad Moeller.

Tatum is 27 and has played just 26 major league games (batting .162 with one homer for the Reds last year).

Moeller is 35 and spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues (a career .226 hitter with 29 lifetime homers).

The front-office thinking was obvious on three fronts: The Orioles are choosing the younger and cheaper player. And they are taking the guy with the better arm.

The belief is that the backup to Matt Wieters will play just once or twice a week, and that person is going to get run on – that’s a truism in baseball, run on the catcher who doesn’t get to throw in a game often.

And Moeller’s arm is not his strength; Tatum’s is. So, on the surface, the move makes plenty of sense.

But there’s more to it. Moeller is arguably the most respected – and respectful – player in that clubhouse. He is not a rah-rah guy, but he loves talking the game. He aspires to be a front-office guy one day, and it would be shocking if he doesn’t achieve that, given his smarts (he studied economics at USC) and experience.

Catching prospect Caleb Joseph couldn’t stop raving about Moeller this spring. The core of young pitchers on the Orioles feels the same way. Many of them threw to him at either Triple-A or the majors last year, so they are incredibly comfortable with him.

Given how infrequent the reserve catcher will play, and given how much Moeller has seized the mentor role, it just seems wrong to cut him loose and go with Tatum, when Wieters, no matter how talented he is, has less than a year of big league service time.

This is absolutely no slight on Tatum, who seems like a nice guy and hard worker. He just doesn't have the experience I think is required for the backup of a young starting catcher.

But this may be one of those issues that rankles beat writers but makes no difference to the general public. I mean, the Orioles have serious obstacles ahead of them and I am pontificating on the backup catcher. So put me in my place if I am wrong here.

I want to know whether the backup catcher spot means anything. I say it does, because Wieters is your franchise, your young pitchers are your future and having an experienced, calming influence on the bench and in the clubhouse is key.

Daily Think Special: Does it matter who is the Orioles’ reserve catcher?

Who should be the Orioles' fifth starter? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-29T08:18:37-07:00

We’re back. This bar keeps rising from the dead like Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

Sorry that I’ve been slacking lately. Major computer problems – and stolen shipments of Dos Equis and Guinness – led to a shut down here. Plus, we’re officially into Swamp Week in Sarasota, which has nothing to do with alligators.

This is the final week of spring training, so we at The Sun will be burning a bunch of candles at a bunch of ends to get you ready for next Tuesday’s Opening Day.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t pour some libations today.

The most interesting thing in camp right now is the No. 5 starter battle, which technically is still among Chris Tillman, David Hernandez and Jason Berken.

But honestly it is between Hernandez, who has pitched well this spring, and Tillman, who has had trouble with his command at times.

It is a tough call – or a complex issue as Dave Trembley has called it.

Trembley has said all along that this would be a competition to be decided this spring. And if that is true, then it would seem unfair not to give Hernandez the spot. Also, Tillman is only 21, so getting more seasoning in the minors wouldn’t be a terrible thing.

But the flip side is Tillman is most likely a bigger part of this team’s future. His spring has been uneven, but OK. He’s a great kid and you don’t want to mess with one of your top prospect’s head.

Honestly, I think Tillman is so well adjusted – even at his age – that beginning in Triple-A would only make him work harder, and want it that much more. I still think this guy is a special talent, but we can’t forget how he young he is.

It really is a tough choice. But if the team doesn’t think Tillman will be successful in April, it’s best to send him down now instead of a few regular-season beatings. So I say go with Hernandez. But, yeah, it’s not an easy one.

What say you?

Daily Think Special: Who should be the Orioles’ fifth starter?

How will you remember the Terps' 2009-10 season? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-23T16:10:55-07:00

I have been keeping it quiet in here since Monday.

Low piano on the jukebox, maybe Billie Holliday’s smoky voice soothing your nerves.

I was covering the Orioles in Clearwater on Sunday so I only saw the final two minutes of the Maryland-Michigan State game. Didn’t really have to watch much more.

That had to be one of the most exhausting losses in recent Baltimore/Maryland history. I won’t even attempt to stir those up.

We’ll make this one simple -- and hushed.

Now that the initial sting has gone, I want to know how you’ll remember this University of Maryland men’s basketball season. Good, bad or just plain painful?

Daily Think Special: How will you remember this Terps’ season?

Which No. 3 seed or worse gets the farthest? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-19T09:58:18-07:00

I’ve gotten a little wrapped up in baseball as of late, and hadn’t yet made good on my promise to talk NCAA hoops.

Good Irish Catholics keep their promises, so long as they are made in bars.

Every year I fill out several March Madness brackets. Every year I stink, usually jinxing at least one fine educational institution.

This year it was Georgetown. On two brackets I had them in the Elite Eight. On one I had them in the national championship game and in one I had them win it.

Why? In retrospect, I couldn’t tell you.

But I can tell you that those entries are now in the trash. In the one pool, I am leading with 13 correct through the first night, but when your national championship club is out before the second day of the tournament, well, that’s not particularly good.

For the record, I think either Kansas or Kentucky wins the tourney. I know I am not alone there. The only pick I made that was slightly out on a limb – besides Georgetown, a spinning branch in a hurricane – was Pittsburgh, a three seed, to get to the Final Four.

Not a huge surprise, but not a No. 1 or 2 either.

So here is what I want to know? Which deeper seed – a No. 3 or worse – will get the farthest?

I am saying Pittsburgh.

Daily Think Special: Which NCAA hoops No. 3 seed or worse goes the farthest?

If not Brian Roberts, who should play second base on Opening Day? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-16T18:04:09-07:00

We started off slow at the bar Monday.

I’ve heard about that legendary Kevin Cowherd hangover, and now I have experienced it.

I feel like Jay Leno following Conan O’Brien, who followed Leno.

At least this gig can be calculated in years and not months.

I am getting ready to ride up I-75 so I am going to make this a quick one. Because I know you all have some St. Patrick’s Day libations to attend to. (The Pogues, Van Morrison and Flogging Molly are on the jukebox all day long.)

Brian Roberts had an epidural on his back Monday and is hoping the pain subsides and he can resume baseball activities soon. He’s behind the other players, of course, but if he can get back soon he probably can be ready for Opening Day.

If he doesn’t, the Orioles have some decisions to make.

If Roberts has to be placed on the disabled list because he is not ready, the club’s Opening Day starting second baseman will be Ty Wigginton, Justin Turner, Robert Andino or a player yet to wear an Orioles uniform.

There are pros and cons to all four options. Trading for someone, for instance, has its pitfalls. The Orioles will have to give someone up, and they likely won’t get anyone back of significance since they already have Roberts and they don’t want to spend a lot on another second baseman.

So whomever they get probably won’t be much better than what they have. Turner is an unknown, and it’d be nice for him to get a shot. But no one knows if he can play in the majors. Andino held his own defensively but has never shown much with the bat, though he is having a solid spring.

That leaves Wigginton, who I think is by far the best option to play second if Roberts is out for a short -- or an extended -- period. Remember, one of the reasons they signed him last year was in case Roberts left as a free agent before 2010.

Wiggy has his warts. But he is definitely a pro and wouldn’t hurt the team with his play. But I know there are a lot of people who want to see Turner in action or would like someone completely different.

What are your thoughts?

Daily Think Special: What’s your preference at second base if Brian Roberts isn’t ready for Opening Day?

Which Orioles' minor leaguer will be the best big leaguer? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-15T16:31:12-07:00

Well I am back. I’m not going to ask if you missed me. I can’t handle the truth.

And I am afraid to tell you I am gone again from the bar – but only physically. The entries for the next three-plus weeks will keep coming, but will be shipped in from Florida, slightly sunburned (even my words have fair skin).

That means you still have some time to fix the holes in the bar’s drywall before I start pointing fingers in person in April.

First, I want to thank Sun columnist Kevin Cowherd, who is much more comfortable passed out at a bar than tending behind it. But he did a heck of a job keeping this dive afloat for the past three weeks as our guest bartender.

I am going to have to buy him a beer or six for helping out. And that’s real beers, not the fictional ones poured in the blogging world.

Since I am in Sarasota, and spent my first day with the 2010 Orioles on Monday, I figured it’s most appropriate to talk baseball. We will get to that tournament thing later this week – I promise.

The Orioles made their first cuts on Monday, and there were no surprises. Among those jettisoned to minor leaguer camp were pitchers Luis Lebron and Brandon Erbe.

I asked manager Dave Trembley what he thought of those two – and let’s just say he gushed, talking about how the duo has everything it takes to be major leaguers one day, maybe one day soon.

It’s nice to think the Orioles still have some real prospects in the minors despite graduating so much talent last season. And it got me thinking. Who is the best Orioles’ prospect that has yet to arrive in Baltimore?

Baseball America thinks it is third baseman Josh Bell, with pitchers Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta and Matt Hobgood next in line. Also getting consideration are Brandon Snyder, Mychal Givens, Caleb Joseph and Lebron.

Here’s what I want to know: Of the current Orioles minor leaguers – ones that have not yet played in the majors – which one do you think will eventually emerge as the best big leaguer? In other words, when their careers are over, which one will be considered the jewel of this minor-league crop?

Because pitching is so unpredictable, the safe pick is a hitter like Bell or Snyder. I, however, am going with Britton; I just think he’s got the whole package, including the ability to throw with a left hand.

But I have never seen him pitch in a game of significance. And I know some of you minor league junkies have.

So let’s hear it. Get the crystal balls out and predict the future.

Pete Schmuck, my colleague and reluctant roomie for the next three weeks, says Snyder. And he’s the guy that called Wilfrido Perez as the surprise of the 2009 camp before Perez threw a pitch.

Daily Think Special: Which Orioles’ minor leaguer will be the best big leaguer?

Which position should the Ravens upgrade next? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-12T12:32:55-08:00

Interesting piece by Ravens beat writer Jamison Hensley in today's Sun -- you can read it here -- about where the team should turn its attention next, now that Derrick Mason has been signed and the wide receiver position has been shored up.

Hensley says defensive end is probably the Ravens' next priority, and that could involve re-signing Dwan Edwards.

Edwards has been making free-agent visits to the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, Hensley reports, but has yet to sign with another team.

Which brings us to today's question, which we ask you to kick around in-between your beer-swilling and postseason college basketball watching: Which position do YOU think the Ravens should concentrate on now?

Do you agree with Hensley that it should be DE?

Or do you think -- as I do -- that the more pressing need is cornerback, with Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington both coming off serious knee injuries.

Or do you think tight end should be the priority, now that Todd Heap has lost a step or two -- or maybe three -- and there's absolutely no one behind him on the depth chart.

Put down that beer and remote and let us know.

Daily Think Special: Which hole should the Ravens try to fill next?

How worried are you about Brian Roberts? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-10T08:49:40-08:00

OK, we kind of all saw this coming, didn't we?

All-Star second baseman reports to spring training camp, mentions he has a bad back, a general fan freak-out ensues and the club hastens to put out the word that it's no big deal, the player should be 100 per cent in no time.

Except in Brian Roberts case, it hasn't worked out that way, has it? Now the herniated disk in Robert's back has him shut down until at least Thursday. And GM Andy MacPhail is admitting the coub is concerned Roberts might not be healthy to start the season.

So that's today's question, Orioles fans and bar-flies: how concerned are YOU about Brian Roberts' back problem?

He hasn't played a game all spring. And he's gotten sick from the medication he took to control the swelling in the disk. Is it time to panic about this guy, or what?

And is is time for the Orioles to enact Plan B and start looking around for -- gulp -- a replacement at second base?

Or are we here at Connolly's Corner hole-in-the-wall over-reacting to the whole thing?

Sure, we'll occasionally plead guilty to that.

Daily Think Special: How worried are you about Brian Roberts health?

Is Derrick Mason keeping you up at night? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-08T08:32:00-08:00

By my unofficial count, the Ravens now have, what, 35 wide receivers? Or does it only seem that way?

And now comes word from a league source -- I love that phrase, it smacks of so much intrigue -- that the signing of unrestricted free agent Derrick Mason is no longer a priority for the team.

Oh, sure, the Ravens would still like to have D-Mase back -- as the No. 2 receiver. But now that they signed Pro Bowler Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth, team officials won't hurl themselves off a cliff if they can't come to terms with Mason and he signs with another team.

Which brings us to today's question here at the bar: how do you feel about all this?

How important is it to you that the Ravens re-sign the popular Mason? Is this something that has been keeping you awake at night?

Or do you feel the addition of Boldin and Stallworth -- and any other receiver the Ravens get in the draft next month -- has strengthened the WR position sufficiently so that the Ravens should turn their attention elsewhere, maybe to shoring up cornerback or defensive end?

Free drinks to the first 20 respondents. Yes, that's a lie -- I'm not sure we even have a liquor license anymore.

Daily Think Special: Should the Ravens bring back Derrick Mason?

Should the NCAA Tournament expand? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-05T08:37:44-08:00

Old joke: a reporter and editor are stranded in the desert. They're dying of thirst, exposure, etc. Finally they come to an oasis with a sparkling pool of water.

The reporter drops to his hands and knees and begins drinking greedily. But when he looks up, he's horrified to see the editor urinating in the water.

"What in God's name are you doing?!" he yells.

"Making it better," replies the editor.

Which brings us to today's question, bar-flies: Should they really be messing with the NCAA men's basketball tournament?

Isn't this about the most perfect post-season tournament around? But now there's talk that the NCAA wants to expand the field from 65 to 96 teams, generating even more millions of dollars for themselves and whatever network gets to cover the tourney.

What's prompting all this is that the NCAA's contract with CBS is over after this year's Final Four. And a new TV deal with an expanded field has college sports governing body seeing green and thinking: ka-ching!

But does anyone really want to see the top 32 seeds getting a bye and the tournament dragging on for another week? And wouldn't expansion cheapen the value of the regular season even more, with so many lesser teams now able to make the tourney?

Or do you think expansion would just double the excitement and that we here at Connolly's should just shut up and stick to pouring drinks?

If so, you just might make a great editor.

Daily Think Special: Should the NCAA Tournament expand?

Should Trembley crack the whip this season? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-03T07:11:54-08:00

Interesting column on Dave Trembley by my buddy Peter Schmuck in today's Baltimore Sun, which you can read here.

The gist of it is that the Orioles manager had dropped hints in the off-season that he would be a tougher manager this year, a guy willing to "drop the hammer" on anyone not playing sound, fundamental baseball or otherwise failing to live up to expectations.

But according to various players Schmuck talked to in spring training camp, Trembley seems to be the same manager he always was, more passionate, enthusiastic nice guy than no-nonsense butt-kicker.

"Dave is Dave," Nick Markakis told Schmuck. "What you see is what you get."

Which brings us to today's question, bar-flies: do you think Trembley has to change his managerial style this year?

With Andy MacPhail's mandate that the club show definite improvement and that the manager and players be judged on wins and losses this season, does Trembley need to start kicking butt and taking names?

Me, I think a manager trying to be someone he's not is a recipe for disaster in a major league clubhouse -- witness how mild-mannered Sam Perlozzo lost the players a few years ago when he went from "good old Sammy" to a butt-chewer.

But let's hear what you think. Or maybe you think there's a middle ground Trembley could walk this season to show he's tough and no-nonsense, but still a guy who won't throw his players under the bus.

Get off that bar stool, hit the keyboard and let us know.

Daily Think Special: Should Trembley crack the whip this season?

How psyched are you for Maryland-Duke II: The Sequel? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-03-01T08:19:36-08:00

As even the most addled and hungover of Connolly's customers should know, it's March, the high holy season for college basketball. So let the madness begin.

Here in the Free State, it begins with the huge Maryland-Duke game Wednesday night at Comcast Center, with the Terps hoping to avenge that 77-56 drubbing they took in Durham on Feb. 13 and tie the Blue Devils for first place in the ACC.

So today's question is this: how psyched are you to see this rematch between the two best teams in the conference?

And how do you think it's going to play out with the Terps, winners of five in a row and riding the hot hand of National Player of the Year candidate Greivis Vasquez -- yes, I actually wrote that and yes, he has to be considered -- now on their home court?

I wrote in today's Baltimore Sun that the game has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster (you can read that column here). And according to my colleague Jeff Barker in his Tracking the Terps blog, all the hype for the game has sent the price of tickets skyrocketing.

But let's hear what you think. Get up off that bar stool, splash some water on your face and drop us an e-mail.

Daily Think Special: How psyched are you for Maryland-Duke II: The Sequel?

Orioles fans: What's freaking you out already? [Connolly's Corner Sports Bar]

2010-02-26T09:49:10-08:00

We throw out this topic today because we know many of you -- especially our more down-at-the-mouth, hard-drinking customers -- are Orioles fans.

Oh, we understand why you're so mopey and irritable at times. You cheer for a team that's had 12 losing seasons in a row. A team that specializes in second-half collapses of almost Biblical proportions. A team that has to go up against the rich bullies of the American League East -- the Yankees and Red Sox -- and almost always gets its butt kicked.

So to you, our lovable, neurotic Orioles fans, we throw out this question: after one full week of spring training, what's your biggest concern about this 2010 team?

Is it second baseman Brian Roberts and his $40-million contract and the 'small' herniated disk in his back, an injury everyone at the Orioles camp in Sarasota, including the janitors, seems eager to spin in a positive way?

Is it pitcher Brad Bergesen's shoulder, hurt when he filmed a 'This is Birdland' commercial over the winter, proving there's no end to the innovative ways O's players can end up in the trainer's room?

Is it pitcher Chris Tillman's back, which tightened up after a night of sleeping on a couch? (See above paragraph regarding innovative ways O's players get hurt.)

Or is your concern non-injury-related? Do you stress about whether Miguel Tejada can successfully make the switch from shortstop to third base? Or whether Garrett Atkins, who played mostly third for the Colorado Rockies, can be the first baseman the Orioles so desperately need?

Let us know. We're here for you. No free drinks, but you get the next best thing (well, sort of): someone to listen to all your crazy fears.

Wait, did we say crazy fears? Check that. We meant we're here to listen to all your well-founded concerns.

Daily Think Special: What's freaking you out already, O's fans?