Ravens @ Vikings: Pregame

The only bigger game on the NFL's schedule today is Giants@Saints, but this is, in my mind, a must-win game for the Ravens.

Many people may ask. "Why is this a must win? The Ravens even went UNDER .500 early last season and ended up making the playoffs."

That may be true, but the Ravens need to win the division this year. If they win the division, there won't be any doubt in their own minds that they are for real. If they win today against arguably the best team in the NFC, they're team morale will be back in full swing, where it was when they were 3-0.

They will definitely be continuing that "us against the world" mentality with all those questionable calls in the last couple weeks.

Goodbye, Stover. It's Been Nice.

Today veteran kicker Matt Stover signed with the Indianapolis Colts to replace injured kicker Adam Vinateri.

This may seem like a mediocre mid-season pickup to a lot of fans, but this actually means a lot more to Baltimore Ravens fans.

As of the end of last season, Stover was the only player left in Baltimore who played for the original Cleveland Browns and came over in the move. He was also a shining star in community service and had one of the highest jersey sales among any Special Teams kicker/punter of the last 15 years.

But wait, there's more! With the Colts' signing of Stover, he becomes the first, and only player who will ever have played for a team that was moving to Baltimore, a team that played in Baltimore, and a team that moved from Baltimore. This leaves a very bitter taste in the mouths of Ravens fans considering that Barry Levinson's documentary about the Colts leaving Baltimore aired last night. That in itself refueled a very good amount of distaste for the Colts in Baltimore.

Many Ravens fans (including myself), called for the re-signing of Stover this offseason after mediocre pre-season performances by young kickers Graham Gano and Steve Hauschka (who ended up winning the job).

It's a shame to see someone who played his entire 17 year career thus-far with one franchise go off and probably play one more with another, especially such a bitter rival. I'm sure when he goes to he Hall of Fame (which is debatable, but with the lackluster classes coming up is looking rather good), he will retire as a Raven and all will be forgiven...

Sucks that he went to Indy though.

Coming out of Retirement

Well, it wasn't really a retirement, but more of a leave of absence.

I was purely getting into the swing of things at school and I am ready to come back and blog regularly again.

The Ravens are 3-2, and the Orioles are done for the season. Basketball is going to be starting and Hockey has been going on for a little bit, so I will be trying to get regular columns out on this tuff as often as possible.