Right Off Russell

January 10, 2010: Right Off Russell is embarking on a new adventure, and we are hoping that you come along for the ride.

Starting today, the staff of Right Off Russell (Jeff, Matt and Mark) will join forces with our friends at Baltimore Sports Report (http://baltimoresportsreport.com). Around the Harbor (http://aroundtheharbor.blogspot.com/) will also make the same transition. The goal is for the collective team of authors to provide an even more robust Baltimore Sports blog.

The new Baltimore Sports Report will be a mix of professional and amateur journalists. The hope is to offer you, the reader, feature length articles everyday with a variety of perspectives. We also see the extended communities of all the respective blogs joining together for some wonderful and knowledgeable interaction on Baltimore Sports Report’s new commenting system.

We will continue the Birds on the Wire podcast and The Right Off Russell site will remain intact for a couple months. Please reset your bookmarks, favorites, and rss feeds to our new content.

Before reporting to Camden Yards, Matt Wieters traveled through the time-space continuum and righted all the wrongs in Orioles history: He wiped Cleon Jones’ shoe polish off the ball, settled the 1981 baseball strike so they could win the division, straight-jacketed Jeffrey Maier, and intercepted Roberto Alomar’s loogie before it hit its mark.

-Mr. Masterdon (aka Howard Camerik)

For his victory, Howard will be donning the Navy Blue- Wieters - Catcher of Champions t-shirt

Here is a little bit about our winner:

1) Tell us the inspiration behind the your Matt Wieters Fact
My time-bending Wieters fact was actually inspired by my own baseball novel, The Curse of Carl Mays. In the book, a modern day paramedical team travels back in time to the Polo Grounds circa 1920, and saves the life of Ray Chapman, who hardcore baseball fans may know as the player from history who was actually killed by a beanball. Read more »

It might be too early to start talking NCAA tournament time but the 2 recent losses in the Maui Invitational have been the Terps in a hole. I’m not the only one worried here. This is a thought from Jeremy over at Turtle Soup

The schedule works against them from here on out. If they lose to Villanova (likely), then they will need to be 10-6 in the ACC to make the Tourney. If they lose to Indiana also (not out of the question by any means), or heaven forbid, any other non-conference opponent, and there may not be a way back into the Dance regardless of their ACC record. They won’t have the RPI to get in. The ACC is not as good as in years past and they won’t have as many opportunities for signature wins. The season is in dire straits whether you choose to believe it or not. It’s not even Thanksgiving!

Granted, they have one of the most prolific players in the college game. He has the ability to put the team on his shoulders and give the team the lift it needs. He just doesn’t seem to be able to do it consistently.

What should be the short term goals of this team in order to get back on track?

I just found this on YouTube, This guy Rocks!

So here is the deal. We would love to give away a Matt Wieters Facts t shirt here at Right Off Russell.

So here is the contest:
Using the comments section, submit your own Matt Wieters Fact. You can enter as many times as you want until 5 PM on November 20th. All submissions will be sent to the crew at Matt Wieters Facts. A panel of judges will decide the winner. The winner’s submission will also be featured on the Matt Wieters Facts website.

Good luck and may God have mercy on your soul.

Our friends at Eutaw Stree Holigans have said that the O’s Front Office is may have created a new postion and is looking for fan feedback…..

I recently came across a great blog called DC Landing Strip. These guys are basically doing for DC what we are trying to do for B’more. So if you are ever in the need to fill that Caps or Wizards fix, this is the place to go. If you are trying to read up on the Skins or Nats, May God Have Mercy on You!

FYI- they do touch on the O’s quite a bit. Here is a link to a recent article reviewing the season for the O’s.

Matt Cassel parlayed 15 starts into $28 million guaranteed from the Chiefs.  What he also got is a matchup with the Ravens on the road to start his tenure in Kansas City.  Of course, Cassel might not even see the field due to his knee injury.  Quietly Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle are huddling together trying to pull a Mr. Myagi from the Karate Kid and heal that knee stat!  Usually backup quarterbacks in the NFL crave the opportunity to start a game and prove to their teammates and coaches that they should be  the leader of the team.  Somehow I believe Thigpen and Croyle would be sleeping better at night if Cassel was 100% and they knew that he’d at least play part of the game before possibly being knocked out by the vicious Ravens defense.  And so here is my scouting report for the Ravens D vs the Kansas City O.

Defensive line vs. Offensive line: Haloti Ngata is going to have a field day as long as his foot doesn’t limit him.  With Kelly Gregg’s shoulder still a bit of a question mark, my bet is we’ll see Greg Mattison rotate his tackles all day.  Justin Bannan and Seth McKinney should see significant snaps as the Ravens should wear down the Chiefs in the second half.  Trevor Pryce will most likely be held 90% of the time (as usual)  while still forcing his way into the backfield and disrupting the offense.  Terrell Suggs will be matched up with Branden Albert, who is probably the Chiefs best lineman.  It should be a good matchup to watch. Expect Suggs to be a factor in both the stopping the run and pressuring the QB.
Read more »