Many of the Ravens positions were ravaged with injuries this season and tight end was definitely one of them. Gillmore and Williams were up and down with injuries and the surprise of the season Nick Boyle was suspended the final four games of the season when the team had unfortunately lost Gillmore for the rest of the year as well.
Minus the injuries and suspensions, the group of Gillmore, Williams and Boyle performed well. Gillmore shined in his first season as the number one option at tight end while Williams took some time to develop. He had some production in the last few games of the season when Boyle and Gillmore were out.
Potential Free Agent Additions:
Jermaine Gresham UFA: Gresham is coming off of an unimpressive role in a potent Cardinals offense from 2015. Gresham had only 18 catches and 1 TD in the regular season, quite the fall from his 62 catches and 5 TDs in 2014. What he would add is a veteran presence to a young group of players with the possible upside to the player we once saw. He is younger(27) than any of the other viable options (Antonio Gates, 35 or Vernon Davis, 32). The issues he may have had with the Cardinals could have been he wasn't an important part of the offense, mainly driven by deep threat receivers and a power running game. When you watched their games it seemed Larry Fitzgerald was their short yard receiver in the offense as opposed to in Baltimore where you may see Flacco go to his tight end more often than his slot receiver.
Coby Fleener UFA: Of the two I would prefer Fleener. However I don't see Luck's security blanket getting out of Indy. While Fleener is coming off a subpar season, he was performing like that because of the team playing their worst QB. Only nabbing 3 TDs and 491 yards with nearly the same amount of targets as the two previous seasons. Once again, this was without Luck who, by far, is the team's most accurate passer. IF Fleener got out of Indy I would love to see him in purple and black, however it seems like more of a pipe dream.
2016 Outlook:
One name mentioned above in this piece was that of Nick Boyle, who was recently suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 season for once again violating the league's substance abuse policy. He was again caught with PEDs in his system. More than likely ending his short career with the team. Harbaugh isn't a guy who enjoys being proved wrong and he thought Boyle had learned from his mistake at the end of last season.
This could be the season of the Pitta comeback...or not. There is really no definite answer whether he will or won't just that he is trying. However with two young tight ends shining and Ozzie's ability to find value in free agents and the draft when it comes to his old position, I don't see how Boyle will still be on the team after his suspension is up and Pitta's potential comeback. Expect the team to roll once again with Gillmore and Williams as their top 2 options at the position.
For months now we have all heard Raven nation nearly come after Dean Pees with pitch forks all over social media and radio. Blaming him completely for all the Ravens shortcomings and damn near all of their losses. There is a rift between fans and even some writers at Purple Reign. Some wanting him out of here yesterday with others focusing on how much of the problems were lack of depth, something out of his control. Without further adieu, here is how Ashley Anderson and I broke it all down. First we asked ourselves, what has Pees brought to the team? How have they performed under his tutelage? Ashley's take:
Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens have exercised nearly unquestioned loyalty to assistant coaches. Virtually the only time you will see a coach leave is if he has a more lucrative opportunity elsewhere like when Gary Kubiak left for Denver to become their head coach, otherwise, they tend to stick around regardless of performance. The most recent example of this is defensive coordinator Dean Pees who has been with the team since 2011. Pees was first hired to be the linebackers coach, making the switch to DC in 2012.
Since then, the Ravens have finished 12th, 12th, 6th, and 24th in points per game allowed. For YEars, Baltimore was known for its shut down defense that punished opponents who had the audacity to try to score, but they no longer elicit the same fear. While they may not be wholly inconsistent, the Ravens defense is the opposite of clutch, repeatedly surrendering long drives in crucial situations. Just this season alone they blew four fourth quarter leads. Had the Ravens won those four games, they would have finished a respectable 9-7. Brandan's take: While I agree that the defense has under performed at times this season (especially late in games early in 2015), the team did well towards the end of the season. I would say the big turnaround was the loss to the Jags. They held off the Rams (albeit with a concussed Case Keenum at the helm) and managed to beat the Steelers with their most powerful tandem healthy. Sure, they were awful against the Seahawks. Even good teams looked bad against them. My biggest beef was their inability to create turnovers and I'm not crazy enough to base their late success in that field on one game (Steelers) where Ben was giving them away like Oprah. I feel like the biggest issue this season was our team's inability to stay healthy on either side of the ball but our playmakers on defense (such as a decent pass rusher like Terrell Suggs) that struck that fear into opposing teams weren't there. While it is on Pees to figure out how to get to the QB without Suggs he eventually found players to fill that void. There were injuries all over the defensive line and we all knew going into the season that our secondary was amateur at best. You can't fault Pees in Elam's season ending injury in the preseason (we're talking about practice no less) or what was in the water this season with a bulk of the team. Our best corner came out and said he played through the pain of his nagging foot injury from last season (Jimmy Smith). Whether or not that is a true statement I have no idea but I have to side with Pees. He didn't have the pieces to make it work. I love Ozzie but I think he failed us this season. I mean look what Pees did with that sewn together secondary last year! We finished 6th in points per game allowed, you said it yourself! We should have beat the damn Patriots! 9-7 wouldn't have gotten us anywhere except damage the team, We would still have had to watch the Steelers and Bengals march into the postseason. Our depth would still be terrible. Moving on! I love a good turnover, who doesn't. Thoughts? Ashley's take:
This was a major issue in 2015, the lack of turnovers. As a team, the Ravens had a total of six interceptions; five individuals met or exceeded that number across the NFL. It may be difficult to coach turnovers, but there are exercises such as the tip drill that are designed to bring a clear focus on winning the ball. I do not bear witness to every Ravens practice, so it is entirely possible that they do work on these things, but the defensive backs clearly lack killer instinct.
Brandan's take: I agree that the lack of turnovers was despicable. I think what we can also agree on is this team's lack of depth at corner which we have all been talking about since Ed Reed left. What kills me about that name is that he would have been very valuable, to whatever young defensive backs we bring in, as a secondary coach. Unfortunately we all get to watch that pan out in Buffalo. I am interested to see what Leslie Frazier will bring to the table as the coach of the secondary in the upcoming season. Who knows, maybe his presence will keep Pees on his p's and q's(could't resist). After avoiding the corner position in last year's draft I'm hoping that they wise up after this season. Okay, next topic: development of players Ashley's take:
One has to wonder how Pees is functioning as a scout and key aspect of player development. In recent years, Baltimore has spent high draft picks on Arthur Brown (2nd round), Matt Elam (1st round) and Terrance Brooks (3rd round), yet they continue to lack explosive playmakers. The team also added Will Hill, Kyle Arrington and Kendrick Lewis via free agency to help improve a depleted secondary but only Hill has really panned out thus far.
So who is the problem? Does it start all the way at the top with Ozzie Newsome making poor draft and free agency choices, or is someone else failing these players once they arrive in Baltimore? My belief is that Dean Pees is responsible for the overall struggles on defese, particularly since there is a disconnect with player development under his direction. On a personal note, it also drives me crazy that Pees calls plays from the booth because that seems to cause difficulty making in-game adjustments.
Brandan's take: Okay, I get what you're saying. Pees can't develop film (before digital pics kids...ah screw it just google it). Terrance Cody was awful and Elam wasn't really a factor before his season ending injury this year. Add to that the failures in Arthur Brown (who was passed by Zach Orr on the depth chart) and Brooks and you've got yourself quite a fail list. Ozzie isn't used to failing on the defensive side of the ball in the draft. Offense(other than tight end) sure but defense, not so much. I don't believe that this is all on Ozzie but he has to take some of the blame here. What you are missing are the surprising value from undrafted(Orr) or late round picks like Brandon Williams(3rd round, 2013)
This season though once the replacements had enough reps, we started to see what monsters Williams, Timmy Jernigan(2nd round, 2014) and Za'Darius Smith(4th round, 2015) truly are. Williams and Jernigan don't have eye popping stats as most defensive tackles won't however they have truly been disruptive in the backfield causing an easier lane for Smith to the QB. Smith (in limited action) was able to get 5.5 sacks this season (more than Courtney Upshaw has in his career) with 3 of those being against the hated Steelers. Personally, even the Steeler loving wife enjoyed his sacks on Michael Vick. Last season's draft class performed better than I could have imagined. It's just unfortunate that none of those were corners. Carl Davis(3rd round, 2015) started the season well but unfortunately fell off as more and more players at the position healed up. Honestly he couldn't really see the field once Jernigan got healthy and Williams kept being awesome.
You're thoughts on him being in the booth calling plays does sound a bit crazy. Dom Capers does it in Green Bay but then again it's also -20 wind chill up there sometimes. There are too many ways for on field communication for that to matter on game day. Yes, the radio can go out and they would be screwed but how often does that happen in places that don't rhyme with boo tingland.
Okay fine, IF we fire him, who would we hire? Ashley's take: If the Ravens were to part ways with Pees, there are other candidates available to filll the void. For example, current Panthers DC Sean McDermott may be interested in a change of scenery after spending the last four years in Carolina, particularly if he does not draw interest as a a head coach. Jim Schwartz has frequently been mentioned as a possibility and he is an intriguing option since he already has head coaching experience. Moreover, Schwartz has a fiery personality, similar to that of Rex Ryan, and he could help give the defense an edgier attitude that they lack under Pees. Brandan's take:
First of all, there is absolutely no way McDermott goes anywhere right now with his team about to play for the NFC championship. The only way I see him leaving is to go on to be a head coach somewhere. He is an excellent coach with fantastic core players, stupid for him to leave when he can use that to his advantage in getting a promotion. Which in my opinion would not be the Ravens, HUGE step down from Carolina. As far as your other option I gotta say, I like the idea. Schwartz is best known for wanting to beat the hell out of Jim Harbaugh(when he refused to shake hands when Schwartz was the head coach in Detroit). So somehow, I don't think John is going to hire him. He does tend to take things personal and especially doesn't want anyone who can upend him as the king of the roost. I don't want another Kubiak or Caldwell type situation where we have a guy for a year and BOOM he's out to be a head coach somewhere else right away. I'd be happier with the situation we have now with Pees in there and someone looming as a position coach. What if Frazier develops/improves the secondary under Pees' watch? All of us as fans would take that in a heartbeat!
"Okay, enough you two! We can't take it anymore! Just get this over with!," says everyone on the interweb.
Ashley: In closing, this argument reminds me very clearly of Cam Cameron and the great debate about firing him year-after-year when the offense underwhelmed. John Harbaugh did not want to hurt his good friend, so Cameron lingered long past his stay potentially costing the Ravens additional chances to win the Super Bowl. When they finally did cut ties, Jim Caldwell took over and helped Joe Flacco orchestrate postseason history with 11 TDs to zero picks. 'Nuff said. Brandan: I feel like that is a bit of a stretch to compare Cameron (who was allegedly an offensive mastermind/guru) and Pees who has never had that kind of clout. Pees was successful in New England and has had some bright spots here in Baltimore as the defensive coordinator. Has it all been pretty? No! In all honesty, after this season I know that someone has to get the blame and there will be changes among the staff. As stated before, Leslie Frazier's hire is a good one and I look forward to seeing what his presence will do for the defense. I feel like I'm supporting the losing cause here, a losing presidential candidate who is up for re-election. Ah screw it, FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS! Let us know how you feel Baltimore. Does Pees need to go? Does he need one more chance? Should I cue up the Notorious B.I.G.? That answer, as always, is yes!
It literally takes half of a football team to bring down the beast that is Crockett Gillmore. Unfortunately, with the season playing out like it did some have been clamoring to move pieces around for better prospects. One of those pieces could legitimately be Gillmore. I'm just not sure if I'm ready to trade him.
If there is one thing we learned this season it was that this team has a huge problem with depth. Where you may ask? Everywhere! The main place there wasn't a huge drop off was the tight end position thanks to Maxx Williams, Nick Boyle and Dan "that wasn't pass interference dude" Brown actually showing the hell up throughout the season. However, I'm going to tell you all to pump your brakes on moving Gillmore.
To back up the "let's keep Crockett" campaign we gotta talk about the backups. You know, to prove his value to the team. Now while I agree that Maxx Williams FINALLY showed up towards the end of the season, I was hoping for more. There seemed to be more clutch drops than catches early on and he was quite injury prone. Yes he played in 14 games but had a late start due to missing some serious time in the preseason. Plus the dude only grabbed 1 TD. When we drafted him I expected him to be like Todd Heap, so far I have been disappointed. He looked to be very athletic in his Minnesota days and could clearly jump over any linebacker in his path. Speaking of hurdling defenders, the early surprise of the season was Flacco's fellow Blue Hen Nick Boyle. I need to see him compete in a season where he isn't on PEDs before I claim that he is as good as he looked during this season. Until then, I can't remain Boyle Loyal. When he was suspended we turned to Dan Brown, who most people remember for his phantom offensive pass interference call. He was drafted as a wide receiver (as I have talked about before) and seems small to be a tight end. His hands were strong nevertheless but other than Boyle I'm not confident in any of their abilities in blocking.
Let's take a look back in history. Remember the Patriots, before Aaron Hernandez started killing EVERYONE (please not me buddy I have a family) and the Pats leaned on him and Gronk? Remember how powerful that offense was? Sure you do, Brady had his best season since his knee injury with those two as his security blanket. Who has Flacco palled around with in previous seasons enough to make his wife jealous? Why his tight end of course!
I know, phrasing. Anyway more strong tight end play isn't a bad thing. Having multiple tight ends who can perform at a top level would be ideal. Gillmore (although he was injured) had a strong season having more yards and TDs than any of his counterparts. Honestly how much could we get for an injury prone TE who had less than 500 yards anyway?
That being said I feel like it would be crazy to trade away a developed piece of our offense who was starting to build chemistry with Flacco the way that Dennis Pitta (who is clearly not walking through that door) used to. Now all we can do as fans is watch and wait. Watch our rivals in the postseason and pay wayyyyyyyyyy too much attention to Mel Kiper Jr.
Before any of you try to give me a hard time about not hating in a long time think about this. How hard is it to hate on anyone when you are trying SO hard to figure out what you like about your crapfest of a team? I have an answer for you, pretty damn hard. Now I could easily have complained about the Rams, Dolphins or this week's fabulous opponent the Chiefs but no. I can't do it. Baltimore won't let me.
It has come to my attention that because we are terrible many "fans" have decided to tune out, not giving one iota about this team. That to me is a problem. If you are a "fan" I believe you stick through thick and thin. This season is pretty damn thin, Calista Flockhart thin. So I think some of us need to remember the reason why we should keep tuning in.
1) Duh, football season is only 4-5 months out of the year
The same people that are bitching that they won't watch Ravens games anymore this year, who have sold the remainder of their season tickets and who are probably communists (that last part may or may not be true) are going to be the same ones bitching there is no football until August come March. No one can have it both ways. I mean, do what most fans do. Bandwagon hop. Just stay the hell off social media ya poser! We know you haven't been a Panther fan since '99 and don't gimme that AFC/NFC team bullshit. I don't want to hear it. I'm just saying, want a better viewing experience? Watch anyone else in the division races UNLESS, they are in the NFC East.
2) Jarvaihudflkjahl Allen
Point being, stop trying to say his first name. You couldn't even say Ngata right commentators, you damn sure aren't saying Javorius correctly. Call him Buck, we in Baltimore are huge fans of Buck.
Shit, wrong one. Either way, we here are interested to see how both of them are going to do. Allen has shown that he can in fact be productive out of the backfield and possibly could give Forsett a run for the starting job. Taliaferro has been injury prone in his short career and it is clear (so far) that Allen is more dynamic out of the backfield as a receiver than he is. While Allen has yet to clear the 100 yard rushing mark he did drop a 100+ yards receiving against the Browns. Yes I know, they are terrible but he still did it! We need to figure out what we have back there because we really don't have any solid players at the running back position who have proven to be a dominant force for more than one season.
3) K.O. is LT
Okay, I promise not to bash Eugene Monroe too much in this section. I mean, if I do he might be out all of next season with damaged pride and low self esteem. Since coming to Baltimore, Monroe has been lackluster and injured. Not a good combination. Osemele, on the other hand, has been very productive as a guard and is going to be a free agent in the offseason. With the Ravens extending Yanda they can't put all that money towards the guard position. However, if Osemele dominates as a left tackle they can make it rain in his general direction. They threw him right into the wolves this past week with Seattle and it isn't like its going to get better moving forward. Chiefs, Steelers and Bengals all have an impressive pass rush that should really test whether or not Osemele can achieve man among bitches status. For our sake, let's hope he does.
4) Flaccups?
Honestly, this hurts to watch on Sunday. However, as fans we have to wonder who will be there to backup Flacco if this knee injury prolongs the start to his 2016 season. Add to the equation massive whiny pants Ryan Mallett who has led the league in complaining (a technique he learned in New England I'm sure) this season. Both Schaub and Claussen have been seen taking reps with the first team this week but you have to figure that these last few weeks will decide who will still be on the roster next season. From what I have seen (Mallett isn't even in the conversation) Schaub hasn't played himself out of the job if he in fact wants it next year. Claussen managed to not completely ruin the game until the second half when he realized, "Shit, I'm Jimmy Claussen! I have only won 1 NFL game in my career and this defense is hard. Sherman looks like he wants the ball, I'll throw to him!'
That being said expect either Schaub or Mallett to start the final two games. It all depends on how Harbs(or his QB) is feeling.
5) Would a real Wide Receiver Please Stand Up?!?
Honestly there are only a couple of names that stand out from our receiving core. One of them is technically a tight end. Kamar Aiken has been improving over the past few weeks and Dan Brown(as the last man standing in a decimated tight end depth chart) has been very impressive. If there is one thing this team can clearly do, it's seeing talent and developing that talent in tight ends. Makes sense with Ozzie at the helm. Amusingly enough Brown was cut from the practice squad the day after Thanksgiving(as a wide receiver). Only to be signed after sooooooooooooooooo many injuries. With that out there we really need to see what guys like Jeremy Butler, Chris Givens and Kaelin Clay. Clay has been impressive in the return game but hasn't done much else. Butler has been more involved the past two weeks so we shall see. All in all as fans and analysts alike, we need to keep an eye on this for the future,
If there is one thing that has been proven this season is that this team lacks depth. Anywhere. More than anything the remainder of this season is about improving that depth. Not only in our roster but our sanity as fans. So cheer up Baltimore, it's only going to be one down year. Right? RIGHT?!?!
Yeah, I know we are no picnic either this season. However, we aren't the toilet bowl on a regular basis that is the Cleveland Browns. Besides, even with us being terrible I can still hate whoever the hell I want. This is 'murica dammit, why Abraham Lincoln chopped down that maple tree or whatever. Kidding....kidding. What I am not kidding about is that pile of hot garbage that is the Cleveland Browns.
1) Josh McCown owned our souls
That game was hard to watch. As someone who was in the stands, every time their offense was on the field the air was sucked out of the stadium after each and every first down the defense gave up. McCown would go on to have a career day with the Browns receivers. Not even the good one who is a massive stoner! I mean what the hell is that? It was frustrating to hear a guy's name so much who I honestly thought could have given me an honest discount double check at a State Farm branch(Gary Barnidge). Worse yet, I know all of you had to hear it from the usual suspects about making this clown look like the G.O.A.T. It was when I knew our season was done for. I had hope and then this jerkwad had to take a big dump on my dreams. Thanks a lot Josh McCown...you dream crusher!
2) They ruin former Ravens
Credit: Cleveland Browns Memes
Let us look at their history. They always seem to grab up our players after they have stellar seasons and we can't/won't afford them. Kruger is the most recent but think about all the previous guys who haven't amounted to jack squat on their team. Jamal Lewis was a shell of himself in Cleveland. As was Gary Baxter. You hear that Cleveland?!? You're team is a toilet flushing the careers of these poor guys who USED to be successful. Congratulations buttholes. Well whatever, they left for the money anyway. They knew they weren't going to win the big one. At least Kruger and Lewis got a ring first.
3) This game is being promoted as a game for draft picks
Jesus tap dancing Christ. I think I liked it better when it was promoted as, a rivalry game that for some reason the Ravens will keep close for far too long before just blowing them away. Currently we are a game up on Cleveland in the division and would be a few picks behind them in the draft. I...I can't. I can't do this! I will not discuss draft position. Who cares? The Browns will waste theirs on some idiot and we will trade down for depth. Seriously who gives a crap. ESPN must be promoting it that way to tie in Monday Night Football and the draft. Well played...
4) Johnny Manziel's Overpublicized Drinking Problems
Don't get me wrong, I will not make fun of alcoholism...just Johnny Manziel's alcoholism. First of all, if the douche wants to start drinking after being in rehab for months during the offseason then so be it. However, that isn't part of the 12 steps Johnny. No where in there does it say to dress up like Scooby Doo and go party. Personally, I never understood why people were so head over heels for this guy. Again just another reason ESPN needs more things to do with their spare time. Focus on more than one pompous career backup at best. His big PR nightmare has just been wonderful and has now cost him the starting job. Here I thought him being god awful would do that for him.
That being said, just say no Johnny....just say no.
5) I think I might just sleep this one out
I might just have a tryptophan hangover for 5 days and sleep this one out. I mean honestly I might make it through 20 minutes of the Matt Schaub era before I throw up and go to sleep. Possibly in that order. Maybe not? Gotta keep it interesting. Anyway this is a game between a team with more than 50% of the big skill players injured and the Browns. THE BROWNS! Who decided to give them a Monday night game in the first place? Smooth move Goodell! I am thinking that the season finale rerun of The Walking Dead will get better ratings. You know it's going to be on again, you know you are going to watch it for easter eggs. Tasty.
With that being said, hope all the readers have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Filled with naps and football games better than this one.
All in all this is just a down and out season and I hope these little hate articles are helping you all through these tough times. I know that it helps me get the rage out of the closet. Its like the polar opposite of Little Sweet, just mad and not smooth at all. Not moving up a banister defying gravity but breaking said banister with someone's face! Think the Hulk with Loki in The Avengers.
Yawn, what a week. Locals here in Baltimore got to watch the unfortunate last second victory the Pittsburgh Steelers had over the Raiders, you know the last team I had a hell of a time hating on. As if that wasn't hard enough now I have the pleasure of looking at hating on one of the worst run franchises in the UK....er I mean America. Going to have to turn up the hate for this one...
That seems about right. Let's do this!
1) Jacksonville Jaguars or is it London's Losers?
Personally I enjoy having a game on while I eat my breakfast on a Sunday. Even if it is this god forsaken crap fest of a team. What is going to bother the ever loving crap out of me is when/if they move this franchise to London permanently. Could you imagine that road trip? What if you have back to back road games? Hell, why don't we put a team in Paris and Belgium. Knock the whole trip out at once. I get the globalization of the game, I do. For god's sake there aren't enough bye weeks or craps to give about the Jags over there. I mean, have any of you watched a game from the other side of the pond(that phrase is annoying)? Half the fans show up wearing 3 or 4 different team's gear. You're doing it wrong!
2) Their WRs are by far better than anything we have
credit: SB Nation
Hurns and Robinson have truly achieved "men above bitches" status this year. Bortles has clearly developed into a reliable guy who can chuck the damn ball 60 times a game and these guys snag it for scores. It's damn disgusting. The Ravens front office seem to be able to draft every position known to man except a freaking receiver. It pisses me the hell off. I think the most hilarious thing is the amount of people who thought Julius Thomas would be the best receiver on this team. Those same people decided to draft Thomas and leave Hurns/Robinson on the waiver wire. Nice work fantasy gurus!
3) Even when we aren't terrible they can beat us
credit: NFL Memes
Before we all start drinking the Kool-Aid believing we are NOT a 2-6 team as well, let's remember that even when we weren't terrible we had issues beating this team. Even when this team was starting the likes of Blaine Gabbert we had issues beating them in Jacksonville. You know, in front of 35 Jags fans. We lost to a Jack Del Rio run team on a Monday night when we were fighting for a playoff spot and they were attempting to not have the first pick. I'm just saying, their offense is powerful enough to run through our defense like a burrito from Chipotle through your digestive tract.
credit: Comedy Central
4) Wait a damn minute, we're both 2-6 right now?
That moment you realize that 3 months ago we were Super Bowl favorites (for some reason) and now can't seem to put a winning streak together. Which means we are currently battling it out for the bottom of the barrel also known as the "glory that is failure." An utter disappointment where you are barely playing for pride and a high draft pick. A phrase that is rampant in my fantasy league. I know, none of you care. That being said, how in the hell are we equal to this team in wins? In all honesty, we should be worse. Their offense (at some positions) is better than ours and their defense is not nearly is poor.
5) For some reason, the NFL gave them a team before they thought Baltimore deserved a team
credit: NFL Memes
Yeah....Paul Tagliabue can go to hell. The man that said we should build a museum instead of a stadium with our tax dollars back when he expanded the NFL in 1993. The Jags started playing games in 1995. Sure, the team was successful back when Mark Brunell was at the helm but since he has retired, not so much. Blackout games locally and a half empty stadium year after year while we here in Baltimore have to get on a list just to have a glimpse of going to more than one game without spending a mortgage payment/rent on said game. Sure I know this is a bad year to give anyone a hard time about attendance as now it seems that the Ravens are having as much difficulty to fill the place. That being said, Jacksonville as a football town is terrible. Whether our team is good or bad we still sell out we just don't always show up. Going to an NFL game shouldn't be similar to showing up in a town for a baseball game. Meaning I shouldn't be able to go to the ticket booth on a Sunday morning and grab a ticket for that days game. Pretty sure that could/would happen in Jacksonville. Your town is bad and you should feel bad Jacksonville!
While not my most difficult hate article, it definitely had it's hardships. Hopefully when we are enjoying wings and beers this Sunday we will be celebrating a Ravens victory of more than one score. That would be fantastic. Surprising but great nonetheless. Until we hate again...fools.
Well folks it's Halloween week, fellow Purple Reign writer Ashley Anderson and I were having this recent interaction...
"With the upcoming doom of our season, I almost forgot that Halloween is Saturday. It got me thinking about some of the scariest and most intimidating Ravens of all time," I said.
"Yes, Brandan, this has certainly been a haunted season in Baltimore, but we should focus on the bright side. There have been a number of terrifying guys donning purple and black throughout the years, and luckily they were only out to frighten opponents," she said.
What followed were numerous emails back and forth regarding who in Ravens history were some of the most intimidating, fear inducing, baddest mofos to ever wear the purple and black. It was by far the most productive lunch hour I have ever had. So without further adieu, let’s take a look at the top five scariest Ravens who were sure to cause nightmares for the rest of the league.
5. Tony "Goose" Siragusa
Ashley's Take - You wouldn’t think Siragusa was all that intimidating, but you would be wrong. During his five seasons in Baltimore, Goose was a beast at the defensive tackle position. He only recorded 5.5 sacks as a Raven, but he frequently gobbled up double teams to spring other defenders free. Standing in at 6’4,” 340 pounds, his size alone caused opponents to wither in fear, and he played with an arrogance that made him all the more intimidating.
Brandan's take - This is the one I had to make sure was on the list! Sure Goose was a maniac on the field but think of the fear he imposed during training camp on not only the rookies but the veterans as well. His pranks were legendary and part of the reason Hard Knocks had to start in Baltimore. Without Goose, Ray Lewis wouldn't have been the dominant force he was that season and he sure plugged the whole with the best of them. I mean, the defense was arguably the best ever. The best thing is, when the battle was over, he probably would make you some delicious ribs to help you heal from his hits. Rich Gannon still feels that hit that knocked him out back in 2000.
4. Jonathan Ogden
Ashley's Take - J.O. was the Ravens’ first draft pick when the franchise came to Baltimore in 1996. A monster of a man at a massive 6’9,” 345 pounds, Ogden stonewalled opponents on the blindside. A nightmare for defensive coordinators, he was nearly impossible to beat, leading to his election in the Hall of Fame.
Brandan's Take - One of the greatest left tackles to ever play the game, all Ozzie Newsome did in 1996 was draft hall of famers in the first round. J.O. turned most pass rushers into babies when they attempted to get after the slew of QBs we had. Only a few pass rushers had his number, very few.
3. Terrell Suggs
Ashley's take - When quarterbacks look across the line of scrimmage to see Sizzle waiting on the other side, it tends to strike fear in their hearts. Over the course of his career, Suggs has amassed a staggering 106.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and 27 forced fumbles. Long after Ben Roethlisberger retires, he will still see Suggs in his dreams and find himself waking up in a cold sweat. Happy haunting, Ben!
Brandan's take - First and foremost, IT'S THE SUGGERNAUT! Along with his fantastic numbers, Suggs is by far the greatest trash talker in Ravens history. Look it up. I'll wait. Here, I'll help you out. "His (Big Ben's) soul may belong to God, but his ass belongs to me." That will haunt you in your sleep. If you have a few years you could read up on all his hate towards Tom "Big Baby" Brady. By far the best pass rusher in franchise history.
2. Ed Reed
Ashley's Take - Few defenders can get into an opponent’s head like Ed Reed could. His presence in the secondary was extremely unnerving, and he would make QBs pay for throwing the ball in his direction. Like a killer stalking his prey, Reed would swoop in from out of nowhere to intercept passes, taking many of them back for touchdowns. With Hannibal Lecter-like mind games, Reed seemed to always manipulate opponents into making deadly mistakes.
Brandan's Take - He did enjoy his interceptions with some fava beans and a nice chiante. The best part about him was his play making ability. It caused numerous opposing coaches to have Freddy Krueger-esque nightmares about having to face Reed week to week. Special teams? No problem, just blocking punts and taking it to the house. Defense? Child please, interceptions and taking it to the house. No matter what, he always wanted the defense to score, his laterals were some of the most terrifying things to Raven fans.
1. Ray Lewis
Ashley's take - As the face of the franchise, there was no one more intimidating than Ray Lewis. He delivered not just powerful, motivating speeches, but also crushing tackles. Always the first person to bounce off the ground, Lewis made it his business to punish anyone who crossed his path. A run-in with Lewis surely meant an ice bath after the game.
Brandan's take - Ray Lewis single handedly ruined Eddie George's career. Kids, back when you used to be able to lay down crushing blows onto an opponent, Ray was a master at the task. It's what earned him being the 7th most feared tackler in NFL history. I won't let my or Ashley's words describe how bone crushing his tackles were. Just check out his hit list.
I feel like we are missing some people, we just couldn't leave a few people out.
Honorable mention: Steve Smith Sr.
Ashley's take - Though his career with the Ravens won’t be as long as the guys who made the list, Smith has been a force to be reckoned with in Baltimore. From his trash talking to his unmatched toughness, Smith embodies what it means to be a scary competitor. Every time he takes the field, he is looking to leave blood and guts in his wake. In his final season, he is sure to destroy all of his opponents.
Brandan's take - This is the main reason I tune in for a Ravens game these days. His trash talk is up there with Suggs and just so quotable you can't help but love the guy on your team. He will ride with you, he will die with you and if you cross him, he will punish you. I'm pretty sure he's gonna get fined for whatever he does to Lawrence Timmons for messing up his back.
Less-Than-Honorable Mention: Ray Rice in an elevator
Ashley's Take– Too soon? I think not. Like meeting up with your worst enemy in a back alley, no one wants to ride an elevator with Ray Rice.
Brandan's Take - It's never too soon. I'm not scared at all of him on the field. Hell we could give it to him 4 times and not get a first down. Thanks Ray! No I will NOT get on that elevator with you sir. Stop it!
How Could We Forget?: Michael Jackson
Ashley's Take – In true Halloween spirit, we’ve gotta give a shout-out to Baltimore’s own MJ. He may not have lived at the Neverland Ranch, but he could sometimes be a Thriller.
So here we are, a quarter of our way through the NFL season. That certainly escalated quickly. It tends to happen when our Ravens have started the season on the rough side going a mere 1-3 in their first four. In all honesty, I only thought they would be one game better at this point so let's see what the rest of this season has in store shall we.
We have four more games before our bye in week 9. Pretty sweet time for that to be right in the middle of the season. Considering our lack of depth at receiver earlier may have been better but we can't foresee our receiving core falling apart. The four games are split into two roadies after this week's home game against the Browns. That dumpster fire at the QB position leads me to believe that we should be able to hold strong at home. While I know this is a division opponent and anything can happen, the Ravens are the better team and should win this one. We head out to the west coast for the next two starting with the San Francisco 49ers. What the hell happened to this team? Half of their defense retired, their QB forgot how to play football and they have been an utter disappointment since week 2. I'm pretty sure that Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin are going to put on a little show to rub in us not having them. That is, if Kap can even get the ball to them. More than likely the team will not stay on the west coast (due to their utter failure earlier in the season doing the same thing) so expect them to come home and practice out the week before heading off to Arizona for their first Monday night game of the year. I was high on the Cardinals and figured Larry Fitzgerald found the fountain of youth. They aren't unbeatable, hell the Rams just beat them at their house so it is possible. We follow that up with an epic rematch against the Chargers back at home. We owe them for that heartbreaking loss from a year ago and this is a team that is hurting as much as us on the offensive side of the ball but by then could be healthy. Gates is back after serving his four game suspension but who knows if he stays healthy through the next three games.
So my fearless prediction:
vs. Browns - W, @49ers - W, @Cardinals - L, vs. Chargers W
Which would bring us back to a .500 record before the bye. At this point kiddies we have to take that considering the circumstances.
Our next four seem a bit easier all things considered. The toughest opponent is the second game after the bye. We start with the Jags, that doesn't even seem fair. Blake Bortles does seem to have improved since last season but honestly how couldn't he? Harbaugh has only lost 1 game after the bye week. However the Rams come to our house the following week to throw a wrench in our plans of fixing the season. The team is too inconsistent to really sway this game one way or the other. One thing that is certain is we need to contain Gurley and hope to God Tavon Austin is sick that day. We follow that up by heading to the toilet bowl of the AFC north when we stomp into Cleveland for another Monday night game. Now before you get all, "oh we're gonna stomp those idiots into the ground!" Remember that we have stumbled on Monday night before against a subpar team (cough cough Jack Del Rio's Jags cough cough) so anything is possible. Not plausible, but possible. We then head off to south beach to visit the steaming pile of mess that is the Miami Dolphins. New coach, no problem? Not really, he has called the team "soft" and by week 13 he may have toughened them up. No one on offense really scares me, Tannehill is still proving his worth and the defense has been subpar at best. The Jets just ran all over London on them. It's like they just opened the holes for them. Suh was supposed to plug those! This stretch is where we need to come off the bye strong and dismantle everyone.
Fearless prediction:
vs. Jags - W, vs. Rams - W, @Browns - W, @Dolphins - W
Okay so we have started to turn the season around and are finally pushing for what could possibly, maybe, hopefully a playoff season!
Then our final four games set in. There is some good news. Three out of our final four are at home. Especially with one of those being the Seahawks that is great news! The bad news is that Seattle is more than likely going to be in one of their playoff stretches where they are winning constantly. More than likely both teams will have the longest winning streak in the league at that time (unless no one wants to beat the Pats). Unfortunately I don't think our team has an answer for Jimmy Graham nor do we have a stellar playmaker to let loose on the legion of boom. The only hope is that they lay a stinker coming across the country. Another lucky home game is that against the Chiefs. Two places I would like to avoid playing in are Arrowhead in KC and Century Link in Seattle. KC has been playing a rough schedule so far but they have not been a good road team especially against good teams. The third game in the stretch is against every Raven fans favorite team to hate, the Steelers. By that time they should be running full throttle with Big Ben and Martivis Bryant back in the lineup. They also have a new kicker to blame other than Josh Scobee when they lose. Generally we split the season series with the Steelers unless they are especially bad or hurt. This could be a year that we sweep but it all depends on how our defense performs. They played like garbage against AJ Green so being at home won't matter when this high powered offense comes to town. Especially since you know Big Ben has revenge on his mind. We then finish the season on the road in Cincinnati where I will more than likely have to eat crow as they get ready for another postseason "run". I said they would be terrible, I said they wouldn't matter in the division, I said they would miss the playoffs and I admit, as of right now I'm wrong. By week 17 who knows where they will be, doubtful they will be undefeated but may need to win to lock up the division. These four games are going to determine whether we make or break our chances at the playoffs. Especially with two of the last four being against teams in the division that are fighting for the same spots as us.
Fearless prediction:
vs. Seahawks - L, vs Chiefs - W, vs. Steelers - W, @Bengals - L
This would bring us to a 10-6 record which will probably only get us a wild card spot. Way better than what we all were thinking at the beginning of the season.
If this all plays out like I think it will, we will be laughing (or kicking ourselves) about how this season started. Out of all of the quarters, that last four at season's end are going to be rough. All could be playoff teams that we play, but it will lead to tons of drama in the last month of the season. If we manage to pull this off its going to have me like...
Please stand up, please stand up. We're a contender so don't be a pretender and won't the real contender please stand up, please stand up, please stand up. Will Smith doesn't have to cuss in his blogs to get views, oh yeah well...
Well before I go all Marshall Mathers, this question is asked every season by the true contenders for a division. The Broncos faithful have to wonder if the Chiefs or Chargers are going to matter. The Colts have to hope for four more years of sucking for the Texans and Titans. The Patriots have, uh, the Patriots have, uhm, OH WAIT I GOT IT! The Patriots have to figure out how to make the NFL look like a bunch of morons each season and whether or not someone in their division might get out of mediocrity. While us in purple country, MD wonder who is going to be a bigger thorn in our side. The Steelers or Bengals.
If we all want to believe Sports Illustrated's Peter King who recently said we could go to the Super Bowl this season with the only thing being in our way....the Cincinnati Bengals. Citing that they have won 4 out of the last 5 meetings between us. That lone victory was the insane overtime home game where AJ Green caught that TD pass to tie the game off of a deflection from Ihedigbo. I had a Bengal fan drop this gem on me, "Andy Dalton (regular season version) always seems to be the Red Rifle against you, (terrible) against most everyone else." Easy bro, Dalton hasn't exactly been precise in our meetings. Surprisingly productive in crunch time yes but his TD-INT is terrible. He has 7(passing) TDs compared to 12 INTs. His QBR isn't that impressive either with only eclipsing a 90 rating twice (out of eight meetings). So while the Bengals fan may have said something silly, King points towards the Bengal defense as their reason for success. While our defense aged and hit kind of a rut, the Bengals have improved significantly on offense and defense over the past few years. Their D has held us to 18.8 points per game. Doesn't bode well for getting another important factor for success in the playoffs. King believes that for the Ravens to go to the promised land we need homefield advantage. I got to say, I 100% agree with that fact. The Harbaugh led Ravens are 45-11 at home and a measly 27-29 on the road during the regular season. Would you rather enjoy playing in the nest in downtown Baltimore for the AFC championship or freezing your nether regions off in Denver/New England?
That being said, let's look at who is actually playing New England on Thursday night. The Steelers will be opening the season against the reigning champs from New England where there are probably going to be a total of 90 points put up. The Steelers, like us, have had a severe change in their lineup over the past few years during our rivalry, arguably the best one in the sport. Their defense is just straight doo doo. While we (surprisingly) finished in the top 10 last year, Pittsburgh fell down into 18th. Not terrible but also not the Steeler football that we are used to seeing. On the flip side of that, they were the second in the league in both total offense (a mere .3 yards behind the Saints) and passing (behind Indy by 69 yards). The killer B's (Big Ben, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown) all
The Killer B's
Photo Credit: Bleacher Report
have something to do with that. Brown and Bell are arguably the best at their position. Ben is the best QB in the division, ouch that hurt to type. Anyway the man is more than likely going to post a 5,000 yard season this year especially with Bell out the first two games of the year while going against okay pass defenses. New England doesn't really have a shut down corner(and Ben has done well before since Belichick hasn't figured him out). San Francisco may have one, in the year 2020. So he might legitimately have nearly 1,000 yards by the end of week 2. No Bell means little to no run game (sorry DeAngelo Williams) and even though the team is without their deep threat in Bryant they still have a bevy of other weapons they can use. The cupboard isn't bare in Pittsburgh. What does this have to do with the Ravens you say? Well in all honesty, as far as the season series goes we can usually pencil whip a 1-1 split between the teams. Most times they will be close, someone may die/get severely injured and we are going to have one of a battle with some jerkwad on social media about something Suggs does. Happens every time. The thing is, Pittsburgh always plays well later in the season, you know when the season is on the line, and we do get to play them in a part of their schedule that they are usually in a groove.
In all honesty there is a wrong answer here. That answer is what King said. I don't see how, with the chip on our shoulder from last year, we don't march all over Cincy when we play them in week 3. Harbs seems to be quite pissy lately when the team isn't performing up to par and I don't see them doing that again against the Bengals. Hell, by week 17 they could be out of the playoff picture. They have a tougher (first place) schedule, an aging oft injured defense, their star player is coming back from several injuries from just a season ago (A.J. Green) and a QB who (most of the time) chokes under pressure. I hate/respect Big Ben. If we aren't up by 9 or more against the Steelers with more than :35 on the clock I'm nervous. If anyone says other wise they are lying more than Tom Brady in court.
All in all I expect this year to be a down year for the Bengals and Coach Lewis to finally be cut loose. The Steelers, whether we like them or not, get the Ravens to play their best football. Even in the Boller years (ugh) we always got amped up to beat/play them. Plus that high powered offense utterly destroyed us last season and considering our lack of depth in the secondary it could happen again. Look for the Ravens and Steelers to be going blow for blow all season.
I know, I know. The Browns are awful! Why would anyone waste any portion of their life previewing a team that is more than likely going to finish last in the division, of which they MIGHT win 2 games in said division? Well for starters, it allows the writer to mock a crappy team and laugh at what poor soul decided being on the Browns was a good career move in the offseason. "I'm gonna go to the Super Bowl!," said no Browns QB ever.
Key Departure
Josh Gordon and Johnny Football's substance abuse problems? Well yes and no. In all seriousness the team lost a key piece to their offense when Jordan Cameron (not to be confused with Cameron Jordan) took his talents to South Beach to catch passes from Ryan Tannehill. Cameron's biggest issue was staying on the field in 2014 but it is hard to deny that he, at one time, was a dominant force in this offense. A piece defensive coordinators had to focus on and figure out how to eliminate him from their game plan. Add to that Gordon is serving a one year suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy which unfortunately takes out two cogs in the offense.
Without Gordon and Cameron the Browns will rely heavily on Andrew Hawkins, somewhere over the Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline and Gary Barnidge. Gary who? Gary "never had more than 13 receptions in a season, God I hope we have a good running game this year, is it January yet?"
Also, Brian Hoyer is gone. We knew that was going to happen when the team drafted Manziel.
What about the draft?
The Browns may not have made too many free agent splashes however they did have 12 draft picks this year. Before we go too crazy let's remember that there are 7 rounds to the draft and this team had 5 of those 12 picks in the 6th and 7th. However, that allowed them to add some young depth to their squad. Starting with their piss poor defensive line from a year ago that EVERYONE ran on, they went with a plug up the middle in DT Danny Shelton who adds depth to a line that lost a man to free agency and has another (Phil Taylor) returning from injury AND playing in a contract year, going young is a good move. Also in the first round they added depth to their offensive line (also piss poor) by adding Cameron Erving. It will solidify the right side of the Browns line as well as add much needed depth. Which is basically what the team did with the rest of the draft. Why in the hell this team drafted yet another running back (who fantasy types like myself are just hoping bursts through) I have no idea. For some reason this team took a flyer on Duke Johnson in the third round. Adding him to an already crowded backfield makes little sense but when do the Browns honestly make sense.
Did they pick up anybody?
Well I kind of spoiled it above discussing who was in the receiving core. The team acquired oldie but goodie Brian Hartline and younger unproven Dwayne Bowe. The biggest acquisition was the person throwing these two guys the ball. Josh McCown is in town, throwing balls around, not very sound and probably gonna go down....a lot. I don't really see this is much of an improvement at the position with Hoyer's departure. McCown is more of a veteran but he is still not throwing balls to the likes of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey in Cleveland like he was when he was successful in Chicago. All in all this feels like a lateral move to McCown who is just a place holder until Manziel is ready to have another go at starting. I'm guessing by midseason it will be Johnny Football time.
Prediction
It's not hard to predict where these cellar dwellers will finish. They occasionally shock a division opponent and luck out playing the Raiders (who will probably beat them). Having a completely new offense as far as receivers go doesn't bode well along with a brand spanking new quarterback who is unproven without having superstar receivers to back him up. Their first four games are a complete tossup. They honestly could win all of the games (@Jets, Titans, Raiders & @Chargers) but after the division play starts. The NFC West starts and the good teams in the AFC West start. They go to Seattle and KC (losses no doubt) towards the end of the season. You know, to solidify their draft spot. It's going to be a long season for these guys. The defense may surprise some folks and if their offense can keep pace they are going to surprise some teams. Not enough to matter in the thick of things.
4-12, Last place, 2nd worst record in football
So that covers the division. Now we are ready for some FOOTBALL! Well after this last week of preseason that is. Let's just hope all teams get through this last game with the least amount of injuries, for fantasy purposes of course.
So let me get this straight. The Steeler's open the season with the Hall of Fame game and also open the regular season against what will probably be the Brady-less (waaa waa Pats fans) Patriots squad. Interesting. In all honesty I missed the game this past Thursday. Starters barely play in the first game and fans barely get a chance to see new players in action. Even realize the team has new players. I didn't get to hear the wife say,"Oh crap! He's a damn Steeler now?." Well now you(and she) will know.
Key Departure
This is a no brainer. It is a sad day when a future hall of famer leaves a team and the Steelers losing Troy Polamalu to retirement is disappointing. Ravens fans and Steeler fans alike loved arguing who was better between he and Ed Reed. Polamalu may have not been the same player in recent years but his presence definitely mattered in a young Steeler locker room. He was the quiet warrior and I for one am sad to see him go. Just like Hines Ward (who we all STILL hate respect) he was part of a beautiful disaster that was our rivalry with this team. I'm not going to miss him causing Flacco headaches near our own goal line (yes Steeler fan we remember that play) nor will I miss him terrorizing our entire backfield. In other words, respect!
Shamarko Thomas is stepping into the unfillable shoes of a legend.
Update: A few days after writing this article Martavis Bryant was handed a four game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Apparently, he couldn't stay out of Le'Veon Bell's stash. Anyway his suspension hurts the offense across the board(not JUST the fantasy board). An offense that will already be missing Bell for two of those games. Markus Wheaton is going to have to step up with those two key pieces missing on offense.
What about the draft?
While every one of their fans will argue, you know they were looking for the heir apparent to Heath Miller and we snagged Maxx Williams before they could. However they still had a successful draft grabbing some depth for their linebacking core and defensive backs. They grabbed a pass rushing LB (Alvin Dupree, Kentucky) something this team has been missing since James Harrison left. Yes I know he came back and did his thing for a few games but they need it on a more consistent basis. When he was in the backfield that is when this team was dominant on the defensive side of the ball. As we all know, their pass defense was terrible last season. Almost as bad as the Ravens (which was pretty terrible). They went with a corner in the second round(Senquez Golson, Ole Miss) who was known in his college years as a ballhawk (he had 10 INTs last season at Ole Miss). In all honesty I always try to keep an eye on the receivers this team drafts. Lately they have been hitting homeruns with their later round receiver picks. This year's diamond in the rough could be Sammie Coates out of Auburn. While he did have a case of the drops he also had a case of averaging over 20 yards a reception in the SEC last season.
Did they pick up anybody?
In a word...yes! The biggest knock on the Steelers last year was how one dimensional they became without Le'Veon Bell on the field. That all should change with a significant upgrade in his backup. Deangelo Williams will be spelling Bell this season and more than likely starting in his place for a the first two games while he serves his suspension. Williams is not the runner he once was but he is still a dangerous back when healthy. He certainly isn't Bell but he can at least be dangerous as a runner which this team was missing last season when Bell wasn't out there.
Update: While I still believe Williams to be the most significant pickup of the offseason for the Steelers, the team has signed veteran dog kill...er quarterback Michael Vick as a backup. Will Vick even see the field this season? Probably not. We all know that it literally takes a motorcycle accident for Big Ben to miss any significant amount of time. However, I can assure you that some Steeler fans (ie, the wife) were/are not too happy to see him on the team. Then again my wife likes dogs more than people.
Prediction
This really isn't prediction as much as it is a fact. This is a contending team for the division and possibly the AFC. They are year in and year out and that is mostly due to their franchise QB. There will be a battle between them and the Ravens for the AFC North which fortunately we play towards the end of the season (in week 16). However, this is during a 5 game stretch towards the end of the season where they have a quite a meaty sandwich with Browns bread. After their first game with the Browns in week 10 they get to rest up for a brutal stretch that includes @Seattle, Colts, @Cincinnati, Broncos and @Ravens before closing the season out against the Browns. This team is usually one who has started to pick up steam towards the end of the season but this one could fare differently because of that rough stretch. Yes, they are going to play the Pats without Brady more than likely in week one. Who cares? They still have to win the game without arguably their best player in Bell. So quit complaining Ravens fans, this is why they hate us. Not cause they ain't us. However if Janeane Garofalo or whatever that kids name is beats them (shut up I know his name is Jimmy Garoppolo) I will be the first to laugh at the wife until we play on Sunday against the Broncos.
10-6, wild card/possible division crown
There you have it, the division is wrapped up. Should make for an interesting football season. Remember kiddies, only a couple more sleeps until the beginning of the season!
