Of course Greivis Vasquez won his last game at Comcast Center {thanks, AP}

A lot went down the past few days, with the O’s starting the spring season and the Ravens getting tender with players, but let’s be honest: This week was all about Greivis and the Terps.

[1] The Terps secured their signature win of the season Wednesday night, beating Duke to pull in a first-place tie with the Blue Devils in the ACC. The Terps are red-hot at the right time, but don’t worry about brackets and seeding and selection committees just yet. Take a few days to celebrate this win — though not like what went down in College Park (but hey, if you want to set the family sofa on fire, go nuts.) I’m all for a good sports-related riot, but I’ll admit, I was surprised by this one. Did they really think there was any way Greivis Vasquez would lose his last game at Comcast Center?

Read the rest of this entry »

Sports fans love to talk about sports — especially here in Baltimore — so we’d like to give our readers with sports-savvy an opportunity to rant and rave about what’s going on in the world of sports, both locally and nationally. Each weekday, we’ll pose a new question for you to discuss at the water cooler. Here’s your chance to be an armchair quarterback. Now speak up, play nice and let us know what you think.

Today’s topic at the water cooler:
Who is the most underrated player in this year’s NFL draft?

Sports fans love to talk about sports — especially here in Baltimore — so we’d like to give our readers with sports-savvy an opportunity to rant and rave about what’s going on in the world of sports, both locally and nationally. Each weekday, we’ll pose a new question for you to discuss at the water cooler. Here’s your chance to be an armchair quarterback. Now speak up, play nice and let us know what you think.

Today’s topic at the water cooler:
Where will LaDainian Tomlinson land, and does he have anything left in the tank?

Maryland freshman Jordan Williams is a beast {thanks, AP}

There’s a lot going on up there in Vancouver, but it was impossible to ignore what the Terps and Ravens were up to this week.

[1] With back-to-back wins this week, the Terps reclaimed second place in the ACC and pretty much solidified their spot in the NCAA tournament (now the question is where they’ll be seeded). Greivis Vasquez continues to carry the Maryland men with his emotional play and scoring. But the difference between this squad and last year’s is the interior play of senior forward Landon Milbourne and fab frosh Jordan Williams. Williams, who is averaging 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, is a beast. The Terps will be a dangerous team in the tourney.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sports fans love to talk about sports — especially here in Baltimore — so we’d like to give our readers with sports-savvy an opportunity to rant and rave about what’s going on in the world of sports, both locally and nationally. Each weekday, we’ll pose a new question for you to discuss at the water cooler. Here’s your chance to be an armchair quarterback. Now speak up, play nice and let us know what you think.

Today’s topic at the water cooler:
Who should be the top pick in the 2010 NFL draft?

Who doesn’t love a good mailbag? Some good sportswriters do them — including two of my favorites, ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons and SI’s Peter King. Maybe having my own will make me a good writer, too.

Wait, Stuart Scott has one, right? Nevermind, I guess it’s not a cause-effect relationship after all. Oh well, you’re getting my mailbag anyway. It won’t be monthly, just whenever I feel like doing it. So send over your questions, and they might make it in b.

jeffw171 on Twitter responds to Wednesday’s mock draft where I had the Ravens taking Illinois WR Arrelious Benn: “Why not Jermaine Gresham or Brandon LaFell?”

Jeff added that he’s not a big Benn fan because he played in the Big Ten and didn’t put up big stats with Juice Williams, who is atrocious.

Benn is going to be a good player, trust me. He’s a raw talent, but is fast and strong with good hands and an NFL body. He’s the bigger, physical target Joe Flacco needs to work the middle of the field. I’m not sold on LaFell, who can’t stretch the field, as a first-rounder. But I wouldn’t complain if the Ravens took Gresham, the top tight end in the draft. He can run. He can catch. And he can block, which is important in Baltimore.

wheelsee on Twitter writes: “Do you foresee the Ravens taking [Boise State CB] Kyle Wilson in Round 1 under any circumstance?

It’s a possibility. The Ravens have to draft a corner at some point, that’s for sure. But they will draft for value, not need, in the first round. If Wilson is at the top of their board when they pick, they’ll take him. He’s a bit on the small side, but he’s quick and has good cover skills. Read the rest of this entry »

The NFL began its annual on-field hiatus Sunday night when the Saints won their first Super Bowl. We all know the league never sleeps, though — and thank God for that. Now that the ’09 season is doneskies, 31 franchises are drawing a blueprint to knock off New Orleans. And it all starts with the draft.

The 2010 NFL draft is still a couple of months away, but it’s never too early for a mock draft. Free agency, the scouting combine and individual workouts come first, of course, so expect this first one to get shaken up soon.

1. Rams: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The Rams have needs at pretty much every position, including quarterback. But with no slam-dunk signal-caller in this year’s draft, St. Louis plays it smart and takes Suh, who many analysts say is the best defensive prospect in a decade.
2. Lions: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. The Lions have plenty of holes to fill, too, and could use a playmaking safety (Eric Berry) or a stud defensive end. But they can’t stop the run, and McCoy will help plug up the inside right away.
3. Bucs: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, S. Florida. Berry is also an option here, but safety isn’t their biggest need. They need a pass rusher more, and this raw athlete could be the best of the bunch.
4. Redskins: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. The ’Skins could take an offensive tackle if they give Jason Campbell one last chance. But I’m assuming Mike Shanahan will want to handpick his franchise QB. It will be Bradford, who was the consensus top pick before he was injured.
5. Chiefs: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. K.C. will be thrilled if Berry falls to them here. He has drawn a lot of comparisons to Ed Reed with his speed, versatility and big-play ability at free safety.
6. Seahawks: Russell Okung, OT, Okla. State. With the first of its two first-round picks, Seattle takes this 6-foot-8 beast to replace Walter Jones. Read the rest of this entry »

Sports fans love to talk about sports — especially here in Baltimore — so we’d like to give our readers with sports-savvy an opportunity to rant and rave about what’s going on in the world of sports, both locally and nationally. Each weekday, we’ll pose a new question for you to discuss at the water cooler. Here’s your chance to be an armchair quarterback. Now speak up, play nice and let us know what you think.

Today’s topic at the water cooler:
Which historically bad NFL team will win the Super Bowl next?

After everything Drew Brees, the Saints and the city of New Orleans had to endure just to make it to Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday night, overcoming a double-digit deficit to knock off Peyton Manning and the mighty Colts, 31-17, probably felt like one of the simpler steps on their long road to redemption.

Spotting the Colts a 10-point lead before outscoring them 31-7 over the game’s final three quarters?

Psssh. Don’t call that a comeback.

That’s nothing considering what it took for them to get to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

Brees battled back from a career-threatening injury to his throwing shoulder in 2005 that made him a pigskin pariah. The Saints — the Aints no more — transformed themselves from punchline and punching bag to a formidable team that was given a puncher’s chance against Indianapolis. Read the rest of this entry »

Sports fans love to talk about sports — especially here in Baltimore — so we’d like to give our readers with sports-savvy an opportunity to rant and rave about what’s going on in the world of sports, both locally and nationally. Each weekday, we’ll pose a new question for you to discuss at the water cooler. Here’s your chance to be an armchair quarterback. Now speak up, play nice and let us know what you think.

Today’s topic at the water cooler:

How long before the Ravens win another Super Bowl?