Camp won't be picnic

DB3L wrote:

I think we finaly have a real QB. No offense Kyle.

Yes we do. His name is Troy Smith.

It all depends on the O-line if they gel fast we will be fine this season if not well it may be a very long one. My personal prediction is on the latter I think they will gel and by the 3rd or 4th game they will be in full stride and Ravens fans will see something that hasn't been seen in a very Very long time..........touchdowns!

It's a shame that Brian Billick continues to get trashed by the media and the fans for treating his players like adults during the old the so-called Camp Billick.

That is, however, not a knock on either the media or the fans, as it is obvious that it wasn't working.

It is, however, a major knock on the players, who should certainly be old enough to know how much sleep they need for optimum performance the following day in training camp without having the necessity and absurdity of a bed check.

This hasn't been brought up yet but I think the Ravens need to keep Piotr Czech the kicker from Wagner because we need a young guy that can kick multiple touchbacks in each game. Stover just cannot kick far enough anymore and that gave teams good field position the majority of the season. I know he can still kick field goals from at least the 45 yd line though.

Fang Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes we do. His name is Troy Smith.

Now, that is funny. Troy Smith will be a good backup QB his entire career. He will AT TIMES excite, but over the long haul, no chance. He is Jeff Blake, Aaron Brooks, Chet Lemon, Doug Flutie, all over again. Flacco is the man. Smith can ride his coattails to the Super Bowl in a few years. He will be our Seneca Wallace.

Shake 'em up Johnny Boy! With the talent on this team, we should always compete in this division. I'm tired of loosing to the browns

Bazooka is right...But we should keep him around. I'd like to see Smith in gadget plays.

I think these SO called "Brutal Camps" with extended hitting and such shorten careers and ruin seasons. I'll withhold judgment for the next few weeks but if some of our key players are on the sideline in street clothes this September we'll all know why.

I can't wait for all the hitting and injuries to begin! Careful what you wish for.

i can see alot of people getting there feelings hurt over flacco. i think he could be a big time flop. the guy played at Delaware what big games has he had? how many top 10 picks or 1st rounders did he face in this years draft. i think the ravens rushed by drafting flacco. Smith is only in his 2nd year a guy who has played for something in his collage days a winner and a leader. and the players respect him and rally around smith. besides if the ravens did finish with another bad record this season there will be alot better QB's in nexts years draft then this years.

Well it's about time.

Camp Creampuff was obviously not working.

How injury prone has this team been the past few years ANYWAY?

Now, how unprepared has this team been the past few years?

See what I am getting at?

So, without having played a down Falco (or whatever his name is); according to the Sun papers will probably be the starter - because he knows the offense better.

Thanks for the laugh.

Boller starts, the Smith experiment is over, and Falco (whatever his name is); may get a few reps in Week 14 or so.

The Ravens went 13-3 in 2006 with, for the most part, a healthy team. The same team entered last season not really in condition due to Billick's soft training camp. lf that team had been in playing condition starting the season things might've been different. A healthy team, even with Boller would've won ten games! The o line was especially desimated! They also need to be better prepaired to play in the slop!

lol.....

Dude, McNair was washed up. Everyone with any common sense knows that in the last two seasons, the better QB on the roster has been Boller. If he had remained the started, as he SHOULD HAVE in 2006, not only could the Ravens have still gone 13-3...but it's likely they would have beaten the Colts in the playoffs, and perhaps gone on to win their second Super Bowl. Don't believe me?

Well, then I've got a little story to tell......the Ravens, with lesser offensive talent, went to the Super Bowl and won it in 2000, with TRENT DILFER at the helm. You know....the guy who never had another successful season after the fact? That is not a knock on Dilfer, I love Trent. But my point is, Boller is capable of being a more well rounded and more gifted QB than Trent, and if we could win a SB with Dilfer, we CERTAINLY could have, and still could, win one with Boller.

Wouldn't all the haters be crapping the pants then......

Not a Boller fan just a comment. It's unfortunate that Kyle Boller never actaully had a decent offensive coordinator or veteran QB to guide him. Under Billicks reign he now has a stigma of poor QB, when we really don't know what he's capable of and may never know. His confidence in his abilities may be damaged forever. Hopefully if or when he's traded he doesn't turn into a Bret Favre, just as Bret Favre was traded from Atlanta to Green Bay and look where he stands, how many years later. Baltimore fans are begging to have him here as a Raven. I was hoping to catch a game or two in my travels this year however, I will mis the entire season out of the country so GO RAVENS! I'll watch from the internet.

I don't see any reason to trash Billick at all. He may have ran easy camps. He may have done some bonehead things over the years...but he also pulld a lot of wins out when no one ever thought we would.

People always say that it was Marvin Lewis who won that SB. While Marvin was an excellent D-Coach, he hasnt been back to the show and his team has fallen apart.

The facts are that Billick was smart enough to put Marvin in that position, and as a Head Coach, Billick won a SB.

Who could ever forget Billick running down the sideline against Denver?

The man lost his job, and I agree it was time for him to go...but he wasnt all bad.

I find it very interesting that veterans have responded so much to Troy Smith. Say what you want about Smith being a career backup...but here is something to be said about veterans responding to you. Last year, Bart Scott said that it was amazing watching Smith, and seeing him turn into an NFL Superstar before his eyes.

Just a week or so ago...Scott said that Troy Smith was a "dark horse" and then he went on to refer to him as "Willie Beaman".

Troy Smith is getting respect from the best Defense in football...the guy must be special.

Looking forward to seeing the camp changes. Maybe it will lead to tighter game time tempo. I like what I am seeing so far. Its still early, but the changes that are in place now have been long overdue. Better late than never.The Ravens management team are some of the best in the league, so we will just have to wait and see. Go Ravens!!

Billick wrote:

Don't worry about tight end , I'm going to send them Scott Mitchell to back up Heap and Flacco , I won super bowl you know.

Dude you just don't get it. Brian Billick was the right guy at the right time. Thanks to Art, Ozzie, and the selection committee for bringing us Brian. Not only did he keep his team straight when Ray was dealing with the murder trial, but managed to orchestrate a lombardi trophy for Baltimore. Brians only down fall was he just lost focus and got tired. Just look at his press conferences the last 2 years here. Sometimes change is good and I believe that brian will have another opportunity in this league. He just needs to get back to the 1999/2000 energy level. Thanks Brian for leading the town to victory and for all of you other folks who think marvin was the architect dream on. You had just look at the veterans that were on that defense they were hungry for a ring.

THis is Boler's last audition as a raven.
He signed a one year deal and if he doesn't show something this year, he'll get picked up by another squad.

My question is, If all things are equal between smith and boller wouldn't it be smart from an organizational standpoint to give Smith the shot as opposed to Boller?

I'm not suire their salaries but Smith has got to be the cheaper option at this point, and hes a few years younger...

Must agree. The Billick bashing isn't going to change history. Give the guy some credit. He took the team to the super bowl, stood up and defended Ray to the press and he never threw players under the bus. He would never blame one person or the other for anything bad. I think that head coaches have a certain lifespan with a team and Billick had worn his out and a change of scenery doesn't hurt, but give the guy some credit!

Anyway, looking forward to the season and what it has in store with the new coaching staff!

For QB I pick

1. Smith
2. Boller
3. Flacco

Flacco will play if we have no playoff chances the last 3 weeks. Just my prediction!