Thanks to the NFL Network for showing the replay of last season's Monday Night Football game between the undefeated New England Patriots and my hapless Baltimore Ravens yesterday morning.

No matter how many times I watch that last New England drive for the game winning TD pass from Brady to Gafney, it still sticks in my craw. How many fourth downs did they need to convert and how many stupid chances due to penalties and ill-fated timeouts!? Every time I watch it, and it must have been replayed at least a couple of times, I still expect the Ravens to pull it out and stop the Pats on one of those first downs, but dammit, nope it never comes true. Remember, the game ended on a Kyle Boller Hail Mary that Mark Clayton caught and was tackled on the Pats' two yard line, so a couple of more yards,....uh....no!

The entire nation expected another Monday Night blowout of the Ravens, just like the Steelers did earlier in the season, when the game was out of hand by the end of the first quarter. Instead, the Ravens played perhaps their most inspired game of their history in the loss, leading the game for over 59 minutes. Their defensive gameplan was played out to perfection, as their reputation for ferocious and confusing schemes was cemented once again for a national TV audience.

The network got exactly what they wanted from that game. The Ravens made a great game of it, and the Patriots continued their quest for what would end up being a perfect regular season (and we'll leave it at that, right Giants' fans?).

Even with the loss, watching the first 59 minutes of the game have me juiced for the upcoming training camp and regular season. The major position battles will be great to watch and who knows what could happen if the Ravens stay healthy and the QB battle ends up giving us a much better chance at a post season berth.

Just another way to pass the time, and a great segway from the previous posting. This is my list of the top football players by position ever to play in Baltimore. Of course, we are comparing the old Baltimore Colts to the new Baltimore Ravens, but feel free to rank those All-Stars from the now-defunct Baltimore Stars and Stallions as well. Remember, current Ravens assistant coach OJ Brigance was a great rush end for our CFL Champion Baltimore Stallions, but unfortunately doesn't quite make our list! Anyway, without much fanfare or national exposure at all, here we go:

QB:  Johnny U. - no comments necessary

RB: Jamal Lewis - I thought about Lenny Moore and even Tom Matte, but Lewis' record setting season puts him at the top, although I stutter-stepped while thinking about it.

WR: Raymond Berry - ran the best routes and the best hands

TE: John Mackey - revolutionized the TE position

C:  Bill Curry - anchored the o-line for those great Colts teams in the late 60's and early 70's.

G:  Ed Mulitalo - great dancer and very charitable guy, who not only made great t-shirts (Festivus Maximus) but also was a monster at LG.

OL:  Jon Ogden -will retire and become a first ballot Hall of Famer. Close call, but had to choose JO over the Colts' Jim Parker.

DE: Gino Marchetti -Thought about guys like big Bubba Smith, John Dutton, Joe Ehrman and Michael McCrary, but Marchetti is the obvious choice here, and no, not solely because he made the greatest burger of all time, the Gino Giant!

DT:  Artie Donovan - Gotta love Fatso, even though you could argue with Tony Siragusa and even the lovable Kelly Gregg, but Donovan is my pick.

MLB: Ray Lewis - I wouldn't take anyone else, but one of my favorite Baltimore players and ultimate tough guy, Mike Curtis, deserves mention here, especially with his broken forearm in a cast clotheslining the fan running across the field a very long time ago was one of the funniest memories ever of the old Colts!

OLB: Ted Hendricks - The Stork may have lived under a bridge for a time after retiring, but when he was on the field, he terrorized offenses and especially placekickers with his 6'7" lanky frame.

DB:  Chris McAlister - There could have been a bunch of guys listed here, but McAlister's shutdown skills, along with that 107 yard return put him at the top of my list of DB's.

S:  Ed Reed - I know there are a bunch of old Colts and even perhaps Rod Woodson that could be mentioned but Reed is by far the best of the bunch.

P:  David Lee - Wow, had to go looking for the best selection here, as the pickings were slim and uneventful, although Lee's consistency through the Colts' golden years give him the edge.

K:  Matt Stover - Thought about putting Super Bowl V hero Jim O'Brian, but other than kicking the game-winning FG in the 1970 game, and dating the coach's daughter, he doesn't have anywhere near the stats and career of Matt "It's not over 'til it's" Stover.

Coach:  Don Shula - I guess you could put Super Bowl winners Don McCafferty or Brian Billick here, but over his time here in Baltimore, Shula consistently put the best teams on the field (he certainly did the same in Miami as well, but that doesn't figure here).

 Give me your thoughts and opinions. Let the comments and debate begin!

A local radio station had a show recently on the top four Baltimore sports people of all time. To me, the top three were easy: Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken. The fourth could be a slew of people, such as Frank Robinson, Ray Lewis or even someone outside the main sports, such as a Michael Phelps.

This led me to think of whom I'd pick as my top Baltimore football players of all time. For purposes of time and space, I'm looking at the top five list. Five is a decent number, because the first two might be pretty easy to pick, but numbers 3-5 will be extremely debateable. So here's my top five:

1.  Johnny Unitas: This is an easy number one and I doubt anyone would ever even try to debate this choice, as Unitas is arguably one of the greatest QB's to ever play the game. He certainly is the one that modernized it and was the measuring stick of all other QB's for decades.

2.  Ray Lewis:  I'm picking Ray as number two, as he is also one of the greatest middle linebackers to ever play the game and is currently the measuring stick for his generation of players. His jersey is by far the most popular one worn by fans here and is a certain first ballot Hall of Famer when he retires. After 12 years in the league, there is still not another MLB I'd rather have on my team than Ray, including the Chicago Bears' Brian Uhrlacher.

(Wow, it gets hard now!)

3.  John Mackey:   At 225 pounds, he was almost as big as the lineman next to him and bigger than most of the defensive players trying to tackle him. He revolutionized the tight end position from a pure blocker to a key pass catching option. Mackey is slowly dying from Alzheimer's Disease related dementia. He is a mere replica of the bulldozing tight end that terrorized defensive secondaries of the mid-sixties to early seventies.

4.  Artie Donovan:  Yes, I'm picking Fatso! He might not be well known to the younger generation, but the old-timers and true Baltimore sports fans know him as one tough SOB. He's played defensive tackle with a broken leg and was a huge part of the 1958-59 Baltimore Colts NFL Championship teams. He's also one of the funniest guys around and is David Letterman's #1 returning guest on his show.

5.  Jonathon Ogden:  JO was the Baltimore Ravens very first draft pick in 1996 (Ray Lewis was picked in the same year, but later in the first round), their first season in Baltimore after relocating from Cleveland. Since then, he has been a fixture on the left side of the offensive line and perrennial Pro-Bowler. While he is still contemplating retirement as of this posting, there is no contemplating that he will shortly be in Canton, Ohio shortly after retiring.

The next five players would take all day and would continue to spur debate between the current Ravens and the old Baltimore Colts. However, these five should raise enough comments to last awhile. Let me know your top five and why, and we can trade comments on what should be great dialogue on a fun subject.

It's the end of an era for the Baltimore Ravens. Musa Smith, the 2002 draft pick and the third leading rusher in Georgia history (Guess who's #1 and 2? Answer at end of post.) has just signed a free agent contract with the New York Jets. Smith has been the backup running back for his entire career behind both Jamal Lewis and now Willis McGahee. However, the addition of 2nd round draft pick Ray Rice (RB-Louisville) made it no longer a priority to re-sign Smith, who was a good addition to Special Teams during his time here in Baltimore.

However, Musa may just be most well known as one of the unlucky recipients of the Dallas Cowboys' safety Roy Williams infamous "horsecollar" tackles, which have since been outlawed by the league. Williams broke Smith's ankle and went on to also break Terrell Owens' ankle as well, and has been repeatedly suspended for this cheap-shot tackling technique. Check out this photo of Musa Smith being horsecollar'ed by Williams and focus on his right leg. Ouch!

 To see highlights from Musa Smith's last game with the Baltimore Ravens, click here.

 Answer: 1. Hershel Walker; 2. Garrison Hearst

Rumor has it, and of course rumors are just that until they are facts, that digruntled Miami Dolphins' defensive end Jason Taylor is heading to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 2009 third round draft pick, which could end up a second round pick depending on certain circumstances.

This is a rumor that was reported today by Baltimore's ESPN1300 radio, a local sports talk station, and has not been verified not confirmed.

More to follow on Saturday, as this posting will continue to be updated as soon as it is confirmed or dismissed.

Wow!

Updated: Well, I've always told my kids that if it seems to good to be true, then it probably isn't. According to the local radio station it was originally reported from, there have been no talks between the Dolphins and Ravens regarding Jason Taylor. Miami has spoken with the San Diego Chargers, but no mention was made of the Ravens. It appears that a current female ESPN1300 Baltimore radio host, who is formerly from the Miami area, had made the remark, probably more out of dreaming than reality. She must have swooned when watching Jason Taylor's final 'Dancing With The Stars" routine, where his dance partner ripped his shirt off at the end to expose his manly pectorals.

If I can dream about Taylor playing for the Ravens, then I guess she can have her dreams as well!

Bummer. Can you imagine a D-line of Ngata and Gregg filling the inside holes, with Trevor Pryce and Taylor bringing it from the outsides? That would push Suggs back to LB, along with Bart Scott and some guy in the middle named Lewis. With those front seven, it automatically makes our secondary much better, woeful last season due to an almost non-existent pass rush. It also gives us depth up front, and might allow us to make some difficult choices after the 2009 season, when Lewis, Scott and Suggs all become free agents, although you know Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti is not letting Ray Lewis leave until he retires as a Ravens.

Haruki Nakamura, the Baltimore Ravens' 6th round draft pick, comes form the University of Cincinnati, where he played safety for the Bearcats. Nakamura is one of, if not the first player of Japanese heritage to be drafted into the NFL.

I was able to get in touch with his agent, Dave Lee, of Players Rep Sports, who forwarded a few questions to "Ruki" for me. Ruki just returned my questions and his answers are honest and insightful and should open the fans' eyes to what appears to be a steal as a late round draft pick. Based on his skills and confidence in his abilities, he should make an immediate contribution on Special Teams and may even figure into the secondary's plans before long.

Here's the interview Q&A: Enjoy!

Questions for Haruki Nakamura 

Q- How do you feel about being one of the few Asian players in the entire NFL and have you had to endure any inappropriate ethnic comments while playing for the University of Cincinnati? 

A- I feel it is a unique opportunity for someone of my ethnicity. While at the University of Cincinnati, I was very fortunate to have great teammates that respected not only as a player but also as a person.

Q- Looking at the current starting defensive backfield, as well as the reserves and other draft picks, where do you see yourself fitting into the Ravens’ defensive scheme? 

A- I feel as a safety, I fit in really well, but I feel my initial calling will be on the special teams to start off with, which I am very excited for.

Q- What are your strengths and specific talents that you bring to this team? 

A- I am very instinctive and I am always around the ball. I play physical and try to make an impact on the game. I feel I am football smart, but still have a lot to learn.

Q- Tell me about your input, development and choice of music that went into the YouTube video of your highlights at Cincinnati. 

A- Ha Ha. I actually left that up to my brother Yoshi. He is the one who put all that together and he has a good taste for highlight music, so I let him take care of it.

Q- I’m sure you’ve read about, watched and followed the ferocious reputation of the Baltimore Ravens defense. However, what do you know about the city of Baltimore, besides it’s own reputation for wonderful seafood, as well as crime and drug abuse? 

A- I really don’t know too much about Baltimore. Before coming here, I was told that it is a great town and that the seafood would be top of the line.

Q- Tell us about your family. Any brothers, sisters, pets? 

A- Everyone in my family was once involved in Judo.  My father was brought to the United States from Japan to teach Judo.  He was an 8^th Degree black belt, my mother was a 4^th and my brother Yoshi was a 1^st degree. All of my siblings are national champions including myself.

Q- Do you have a nickname? What did your teammates call you?

A- I just make it easy on everyone and just tell them to call me Ruki

Q- What little known non-football related fact, talent or gossip should we know about Haruki Nakamura? 

A- Well I am big hip/hop fan, but I love Kenny Chesney’s music and I love watching discovery channel and animal planet more than anything.

Note: See Haruki's YouTube Video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgVQVUqjmSw

Post-Interview Note: It's comforting to note that between Haruki Nakamura's judo skills as well as 3rd round pick Tom Zbikowski's (S-Notre Dame) boxing skills, we will once again have a tough, physical defense, beginning with these two guys making an immediate impact on Special Teams!

Additional Note: Nakamura has earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati and therefore will be eligible to attend the Ravens upcoming offseason mini-camps. Congrats to Ruki!

I guess that since there's absolutely nothing going on in the country and world right about now, Arlen Specter (Republican Senator-Pennsylvania) needs to get himself into the news. His intrusion on such a minor topic in the realm of what he is supposed to serve his state and this country for is a big, disgusting joke to me.

I somewhat remember that there is sonething going on in the Iraq/Afghanistan regions. Also, I believe there are energy, housing, environmental and crime situations throughout not only the enitre country, but your state of Pennsylvania as well. Let's see: critical national and international issues.....or the NFL's secret videotaping issue? Hmmm....a tough choice on where to focus your energy on behalf of those common people who elected you. Now I understand, Arlen, why you chose the NFL. After all, it's not the controversial steroid problem you're speaking about, which affects so many players in almost every sport, including for all we know, players on your Pennsylvania professional sports teams. No, this issue is about one team reportedly gaining a competitive advantage by copying signals for a football game.

Wow, you should be commended for going out on a limb and taking a stance to defend the integrity of what has become our nation's pasttime, now that baseball has been basically ruined by steroids and the lack of a salary cap. Thank god we have elected officials like you who can put the state's, nation's and world's issues on the back burner while you tirelessly put your name and face on the sports' pages, ESPN and other sports channels.

PS- A word of recommendation to you: Arlen, since you are beginning to look like a buffoon to all those who already didn't know you were a buffoon, perhaps you should leave the policing of an issue within a sport that only affects a team or three, to the NFL itself. That would allow you the time to look at other insignificant issues to jump on the bandwagon to make your constituents think that you have a clue as to what is going on in the world.

Jeez, what a waste of time, money and votes!

Whew, thank god they were able to negotiate this one to a happy conclusion! T-Sizzle was franchised by the Ravens as a linebacker for the 2008 season, thereby paying a tad over $8.0 million, the average of the top five paid linebackers in the league. His side argued that he should be franchised as a defensive end, as he put his hand on the ground more often than not. Why the argument? The franchise tag for d-linemen was around $8.8 million, over three quarters of a million more than the linebacker tag.

In the end, it probably won't matter, as the Ravens will sign Suggs to a long term contract, hopefully even before the season starts. However, it's good to know they could reach a compromise and now Suggs can sleep well at night knowing that he can put food on his table, at least for the next year!

Whew!

Check out the clip of former Baltimore Colt defensive tackle and longtime late-night favorite Artie ("Fatso") Donovan on the Johnny Carson show from way back in January 1990. I've also heard that the now 82 year old Donovan is the Late Show w/ David Letterman's guest with the most appearances on the show. He's always good for a barrel of laughs, as he tells it like it is, never mincing words, or unafraid of bashing the "sissiness" of today's stars. The Pro Football Hall of Famer speaks about a game that is far different from what we see on TV today, and offers the funny insight of what it was back in the "good old days." Sit back and enjoy!

Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl_Sa94gCzg

If still alive, Johnny U. would have celebrated his 75th birthday on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Here is a photo of the greatest QB who ever lived, standing on a patch of turf at old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, where he made so many wonderful memories for the fans of the Baltimore Colts. Damn you to hell, Bob Irsay, may you never rest in peace (let it go, Rexx, let it go). Sorry.