As the Ravens and Steelers take the field in Pittsburgh on “Monday Night Football” tonight, I’ll be blogging live from my sofa in Cockeysville, providing you with updates and commentary as the two bitter rivals battle it out for first place in the AFC North. Log on to bthesite.com throughout the game for my two cents and rants and raves from fellow b readers. And feel free to let your voice be heard, too. With first place on the line, there should be a lot to talk about.

——Overtime:
12:17: And the kick is……… good! It barely goes through the uprights. Game over. Steelers win. Great game by the Ravens, though. They’ll still only a half-game behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

12:15: Nice blitz by the Ravens, but an even better play by Big Ben to read it and move the Steelers a little bit closer to the uprights. The game is now on Jeff Reed’s foot. No pressure, Jeff.

12:13: What a play by Moore. A 24-yard gain on 3rd and 9, and now the Steelers are in field goal range - barely. He broke four or five tackles on that play. The Steelers need to get a little bit closer to make this easier for Reed. The ‘D’ needs to deliver here.

12:09: On 3rd and 10, Flacco is sacked and the Ravens are forced to punt. The Steelers should have excellent field position here, but Sam Koch has been kicking really well today.

12:08: A chop block is called on the Ravens, and this drive is not off to a good start. I expect the Ravens will keep it simple to avoid a big mistake here.

12:03: And the coin toss goes to…………… the Ravens. They’ll get the ball to start OT. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s your favorite O’s moment from this past season?

From today’s b, the paper

1. ‘Blindness’
What would you do if you, along with the population of an entire city, went blind? Check out “Blindness,” a psychological thriller about the fragility of mankind, and maybe you’ll find out, based on the Jose Saramago novel. Opens Friday. {TIM WONG, B}
Read the rest of this entry »

Since the Ravens aren’t taking the field on Sunday, a forgotten team takes the top spot on this weekend’s list. And you can bet some of the Ravens will be on their couches watching these games, and you should be, too. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve got to see this catch by Morgan State wide receiver Edwin Baptiste. It hasn’t shown up on SportsCenter or any highlight reels that I’ve seen, but this might be the best catch I’ve seen this year. (Thanks to Andrew for pointing it out to me.)

And if you haven’t been following the Bears this year, they’re 2-1 to start the season for the first time since 1997, and they’ve got a suffocating defense and a beastly offensive line. They could make some noise in the MEAC this year. If you need something to do on a Saturday afternoon, go check them out.

What in God’s name — or should I say in the name of God’s Linebacker — is going on around here?

When the National Football League released its 2008 schedule, not many people had the Ravens at 2-0 through Week 3. OK, no one did (due to circumstances unforeseen, of course) but undefeated and atop the AFC North? I’ll admit I did not see that one coming. Read the rest of this entry »

Can we all just get along?

That question ran quietly through my mind as I prepared to lead a dozen workmates on a four-day bicycle ride along the C&O Canal from Cumberland in Western Maryland to Washington. Prickly personalities weren’t the concern. The big gap in biking experience was.

Read the rest of this entry »

The 2-0 Ravens are leading the AFC North heading into Monday night’s clash in the Steel City, but despite your love for all things purple and black, try not to overestimate the fantasy value of your favorite players.

Joe Flacco has an exciting future, but by no means should he be on your fantasy football roster. The rookie is raw and inexperienced, and coach John Harbaugh has already sent the message that the Ravens will be a running team this year. Stay away.

That brings us to the ground game, one area where being a homer may pay off on your fantasy team. Willis McGahee missed the Cincinnati game and split carries against Cleveland, but once he’s fully healthy, he should average about 80 yards a game and finish the season with a handful of touchdowns. Ray Rice was my super-sleeper this year, but Le’Ron McClain has passed him on the depth chart. The big, hybrid back has rumbled for 152 yards and two scores. Get him while he’s hot. Read the rest of this entry »

Andy MacPhail’s job isn’t easy. The Orioles’ president of baseball operations was tabbed with the precarious task of turning one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball into a World Series contender.

In his first year and change on the job, MacPhail made some major moves, dealing two of his biggest stars (Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada) for a hot-shot young centerfielder (Adam Jones), a pistol-toting, bible-reading slugger in left field (Luke Scott), an All-Star closer (George Sherrill) and a handful of pitching prospects with arms apparently made out of clay. You win some, and you lose some.

Still, MacPhail’s tenure atop the Orioles has to be considered a success. But to keep the positive momentum going, here’s what he needs to do this offseason: Read the rest of this entry »

For those of you who didn’t get enough of the Ravens home victory over Cleveland, here’s a selection of images I took during the game. Let the reminiscing begin. Read the rest of this entry »