The internet is full of inspirational videos. Sports videos, spiritual videos, just plain old inspirational videos, but there are few that touch me and make a big difference. Being that team sports have not always been a part of my life, but have recently come up and made an impact I look for something to keep me moving. Something that makes me want to play hard and something to inspire my teammates. A quote by Henry Ford is something I keep in my mind when the team is having a hard time, “Keeping together is progress, coming together is a beginning, and working together is success.” 
Sometimes our teams don’t work together, but work as individuals. That isn’t how the game is played. Some people have to be willing to work hard and get none of the glory. Being a lineman in football I understand this feeling very well. I go out everyday and I try and I try. Am I the best at it? No, not even close, but do I try? Yea, I try really hard day in and day out. But nobody ever says, “hey he really took up space so that that someone else could get the glory.” The glory goes to the people who run the ball, throw the ball, but that’s not possible without the people on the line. As our coach said, we are the Dirty Dogs. Nobody wants a dirty dog, but they are rough and tough, but get no glory. That is how to work as a team, everyone has to be willing to put in 110% and get nothing in return personally, but understand it was for the betterment of the team. This is one of the first speeches that truly inspired me to be better and do better.
Tag: Ray Lewis
The Finale/Beginning of the NFL Season
Well it’s all over now. The Super Bowl is finished and another season is in the books. The Baltimore Ravens have emerged as the Super Bowl Champions over the favored San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens were in control for most of the game, and for a moment, really lost their edge. However, the Ravens were able to get it together when it mattered, and held on to win. The Harbowl ended with John very badly outcoaching his brother, Jim. John went for some very gutsy calls all game.
His first was a fake field goal run for Justin Tucker that while did not result in a first down or a score, resulted in a 3 and out for the 9ers on their own 6 yard line. It was a win-win for John. The next gut-wrencher was when John decided to call a pass on a 3rd down and short that resulted in a 15-20 yard gain from Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin. It was a great pass and catch, but was somewhat unneeded. The final one was the most impressive, however. With 13 seconds left in the game, the punter, Sam Koch, must have been told to HOLD ONTO THE BALL AT ALL COSTS. DO NOT PUNT. DO NOT FUMBLE!!!
The play resulted in the 9ers getting a safety. But the clock ran down so far, that Colin Kaepernick was not going to step on the field again. The game was left to the return game with only 4 seconds left. The kick off was taken and the rest is history. No score meant a ravens victory.
My shoutout goes to Ray Lewis, who has been an idol of mine since the very beginning. I gotta love that guy.
The 2012/2013 season has come to a close, but the new 2013/2014 season began at 12 AM eastern time. The new season is an hour and a half old. Time to get back to work. Many trades, contracts and player drama will occur in the coming months. Free agency opens in a month and a half, which is one of my favorite times of the league year. I love watching money go flying. Hopefully my Eagles can pick up some big names. But the night belongs to Baltimore. Congratulations to Ray Lewis on finishing his career on a high note, and congrats to the Baltimore Ravens. They earned it!
Super Bowl Week
This has been a somewhat ridiculous Super Bowl week filled with rumors, dumb comments and of course drama.
The rumors start with Ray Lewis and deer antler spray. For those that have no idea what deer antler spray is, you’re not alone. I don’t really know that much about it either. What I do know is that one ingredient in the spray is on the NFL’s list of banned substances. The ingredient is considered a performance enhancing drug.
Ray Lewis is rumored to have used the spray in order to heal faster from his torn triceps injury. One of his doctors has “confirmed” that he in fact did prescribe the spray to Lewis. However, one big piece of the story was left out.
Ray was never tested. There is absolutely no proof that he was or is currently on any form of PED. There was no test. There are only stupid rumors. Ray issued a denial (duh) immediately following the allegations. He’s still playing so don’t be upset. I guess the doctor must have been a San Fran fan.
Choices Follow Up
So I was thinking again yesterday, occasionally it can be dangerous when I do that, but it wasn’t, it rather was quite productive.
I went home and turned on the TV and was looking for some sport to watch being as the NHL is STILL locked out… cough* cough* Bettman (still waiting).
Any who, I saw something called “A Football Life” and turned it on.
It is a series who follows a different player every week, but it shows their life through the season.
Yesterday’s episode was featuring Ray Lewis, “the Ravens 16 year defensive soul,” as the show called him.
He is actually someone I can admire and look up to.
NFL week 2 recap-A reflection on a year ago
This time last year, the Eagles were 1-1, after beating the Rams in their first week and losing to the Falcons a week later. People were beginning to question just how good the “Dream Team” was. This year, we have a different situation. The Eagles BARELY stole a win in week 1 by beating the Browns 17-16. This week, they had to deal with the Ravens, and the Eagles needed to step it up in order to beat the Ravens. Turnovers were once again an issue, as Michael Vick threw two interceptions (only one was his fault, the other was a tipped pass that should have been caught).
Before I continue about the Ravens-Eagles game, I want to point out my rational behind stating that Vick is only accountable for a certain number of interceptions. When the ball leaves his hand, if it hits his receiver first, I expect it to be either caught or fall incomplete. But if the receiver has good enough contact with the ball, the interception should not be on Vick. My one exception is the fact that Vick throws with such an extreme amount of velocity. It must be hard catching that ball.
Anyway back to the game. The Eagles were dropping like flies. Jeremy Maclin, Jason Kelce and King Dunlap all dealt with injuries. Maclin aggravated his hip pointer from week 1, and Kelce is likely lost for season with a torn MCL and partially torn ACL. Dunlap (who I have no sympathy for) apparently strained his hamstring. Quite frankly, I could care less about King Dunlap. Kelce and Mac are tough losses.
At halftime, 17-7 Ravens. The air was taken out of the stadium and spirits suffered.
That is…until DeMeco Ryans intercepted Joe Flacco.
A turnover can go a long way, and this time, it went for a touchdown. The Eagles were rallying.
We go inside the two minute warning. Eagles down 23-17. They need a touchdown to take the lead. They’re close to midfield, and Michael Vick showed why he’s an elite quarterback.
He chucks the ball down the field to tight end Clay Harbor (who caught the winning touchdown pass a week before in Cleveland) and gets them down inside the Ravens five yard line.
1st and goal the Eagles rush from the 3 yard line to the 1.
2nd and goal, the Eagles give everyone a heart attack by sending Vick on a pass play. He was being rushed by star defensive end Haloti Ngata, and almost fumbled the ball. However, he was able to throw it away.
3rd and goal, the prayers were answered. Vick decided to run through everyone into the end zone.
Only one problem remained. The Eagles, now up 24-23, needed to hold the Ravens in check with just less then 2 minutes remaining. A lot can happen in 2 minutes.
1:48 left in the game, Ravens at their own 21. Anyone that has followed the NFL like I have can remember last season. When it came down to close games, the Eagles defense failed to hold onto the lead, and usually cost the team the game.
Not today.
Today, Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Brandon Boykin, Mychael Kendricks, Trent Cole, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins, Derek Landri, Fletcher Cox, and DEMECO RYANS shut down the Ravens.
It wasn’t pretty however.
On 3rd down, Nnamdi played an incredible dose of coverage to keep the ball away from Ed Dickson of the Ravens. It looked completely legal, and yet was called illegal contact. That gave the Ravens a fresh set of downs. But in the end, it wouldn’t matter. The defense refused to budge. They forced the Ravens into a 4th down and 2 yards to go situation, and forced Flacco to overthrow star running back Ray Rice.
The stadium has never been louder. I’ve been to a lot of Eagles game, and I can’t remember one being much louder than that.
Now let’s break down one very funny play. Enter BRENT CELEK!
The tight end accounted for more than 150 yards of total offense, and capped off his day with a hurdle over All-Pro and future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed.
Coaches always teach players to stay low when engaging a tackle. They also tell you to keep your head up.
Ed Reed simply whiffed. But man was it funny!
The Eagles next week travel to Arizona, where they will take on a Cardinals team fresh off an upset over the New England Patriots. The Cardinals have showcased a relatively strong defense in the first two weeks, and the Eagles may have their work cut out for them. These two squads played against each other last season, and the Eagles fell in the minute.
There are two things that I’m very excited about going into this matchup.
Number one is seeing if Juan Castillo uses Nnamdi correctly this year against Larry Fitzgerald. If they stay 1-on-1 all day, that’s gunna be a very interesting duel.
Number two is that last year, the Cardinals used John Skelton as their quarterback.
This year, they may be forced to use Kevin Kolb, the former Eagle.
Last year, the Eagles traded Kolb to Arizona for Cromartie and a 2nd round pick that turned out to be Mychael Kendricks. Needless to say, the Eagles ended up winning that trade.
Maybe Babin and Cole can break Kolb.
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