The Loss Column — Baltimore Sports Blog and Community

Congratulations to Friend-of-The Loss Column Sara, who has claimed the coveted prize of bragging rights in our Bracket Bonanza. Nobody had Kansas — surprise — but her pick of Memphis was close enough.

Yours truly finished near the bottom, which will happen when you buy into misguided Big East hype and subsequently lose two of your Final Four teams in the second round.

But what a finish last night, no? How Memphis forgets to foul in that situation is beyond me, but it certainly made for great drama. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a title game quite like that before — in any sport.

– Speaking of prizes, some of you may be wondering what became of the Featured Comments Feature. It’ll be back either later today or tomorrow, but with different rules. I really like the idea of featuring comments because it highlights the strength of our growing community. I thought a small, token prize would be a nice gesture from me to you. I was sort of surprised when I got negative feedback on that notion, and then I was downright bothered when the prize started showing up as an object of ridicule in the comments themselves.

So, I ditched it.

From now on I’ll feature comments on a quasi-weekly basis for no reason other than to bring the best aspects of the discussions up to the front. That, I believe, is still very much worth doing.

– Lost in all of the Opening Day/5-game winning streak hype is the fact that our area has no fewer than three teams currently gearing up for a playoff push.

The Baltimore Blast open up their playoff series on Thursday at 1st Mariner Arena against the hated New Jersey Ironmen. The Washington Captials open up against the doubly hated Philadelphia Phlyers at home on Friday night. And, eventually, the Washington Wizards will themselves embark on a title quest.

All in all it’s a pretty exciting time, especially if your scope isn’t limited to just the Orioles and Ravens. And, really, it shouldn’t be.

– Finally, have you all heard about Muxtape yet? It’s so rad, especially for anyone who grew up actually making mix tapes. The only problem is it’ll probably get shut down in about ten minutes. In the meantime, though, head on over and have a listen to a few of my selections. Feel free to make your own and post links in the comments.

It’s a good Friday night to relax, sip a bit of this, and consider some weekend discussion topics.

The Loss Column is — justifiably — known as primarily an Orioles site, but in fact this is a clearinghouse for all things Baltimore Sports. The O’s are a primary focus but I don’t want to entirely lose sight of the bigger picture. So, here we go.

– The NFL free agent signing period is open. I don’t have a read on whether or not the Ravens will be active — any thoughts?

They did jettison both Mike Anderson and Mike Flynn this week. Neither move surprises me (maybe Flynn a little), and I take it as a sign that they’re looking to get a little younger and more versatile. Both of which are good things.

With any luck, Chris will have a full NFL post coming soon.

– You might not be paying attention (it’s hard to keep up), but college basketball in Baltimore right now is as healthy as it’s ever been.

UMBC (my beloved alma mater): they’ve won nine straight games and currently sit at 21-7 overall, 13-2 in the America East. They have a very realistic shot at winning their conference tournament and making it into the NCAA field of 65.

Loyola: winners of 11 of 13, they’re at first place in the MAAC and likewise have a real shot at the NCAAs.

Towson: not doing nearly as well at 11-17 overall, 6-11 in the CAA. But they’ve shown signs of improvement, and let’s not forget that the CAA is a very tough mid-major conference.

Maryland: on the bubble but still looking OK. At 8-6 in the ACC they have to beat either Clemson (home) or Virginia (away), ideally both. One loss and a conference tournament win or two will get them in.

– Down in DC, the Capitals are putting together a nice playoff run. I don’t know if you can call them serious contenders but they’re certainly a team to watch.

– There’s a fascinating and terribly long article in the New York Times about the new leadership of the Yankees. This isn’t something you can really skim, but it’s worth a read. Check it out here.

I can’t help but look at that fat bastard on the right and think that the Yankees might be headed for a 1980s redux. Probably just wishful thinking.

So there’s all that and anything else you want to talk about. Floor is all kinds of open.

I’ve had a few interesting things building up over the past week or two, so here we go:

– This one comes from the “this is what the Internet is really for” files: NumerOlogy, a site dedicated to Orioles uniform numbers.

It’s an absolutely amazing piece of work, chock full of both interesting information and incredible photos. I can’t imagine the effort it took to put this thing together, but I’m grateful. Plan on wasting a good chunk of your day upon clicking the link.

– A site called Hardball Scouts sent me an email a few days back with their list of the Orioles’ top 20 prospects. Check it out here. You have to figure it’ll change if/when the Erik Bedard deal goes through, but it’s a decent list.

For my part, though, no rundown of O’s prospects means much until we’ve seen some of these guys sort it out at Spring Training and then in the minors this year. Who can really say what the difference is — right now — between Adam Loewen and Troy Patton? 2008 is going to go a long way to establishing just what we have on the farm, and to what extent we can count on it in the next few years.

– Admit it: you’re dying to know what’s up with Jay Payton. Well, wonder no more.

– You might not realize it, but Baltimore has a new indoor football team, the Baltimore Mariners. They’ve taken the place of the short-lived Baltimore Blackbirds, who were around for one useless season. They’ve also got cheerleaders.

– I’m officially in “no idea why it’s taking so long” territory with the Bedard trade. As of tonight, he’s still not in Seattle. Also as of tonight, it still looks like the trade will happen. At some point. Eventually. Soon.

That’s about it for now. Posting might be light over the next couple of weeks, depending on what happens with trades and such. This is The Great Lull for sports fans, as we wait between the end of football and the beginning of Spring Training. As always, though, seize the day in the comments if something strikes your fancy that I haven’t covered in a post.

Also, feel free to take this time to send me any suggestions you have about the site. Want something changed? Have a comment on the layout or design? Want to write a guest post? Want more coverage of something? Send me an email and I’ll do what I can. Thanks for all of your support.

(that bad-ass photo of Eddie Murray, by the way, comes from Robert K. Hamilton at the Sun)

Wherein we begin with a few Orioles notes…

– The Mariners still have a strong interest in trading for Erik Bedard. I’ve also read that Toronto still likes him, and I suppose we can’t completely discount the Reds. Nothing appears close, though, which tells me that nothing’s going to happen before spring training.

– Here’s an interesting article about recently acquired Mike Costanzo. Dig this nugget:

Then, former Phillies general manager Ed Wade, now the Astros’ GM, called Costanzo and told him how much he liked him. But Wade had to part with Costanzo in the deal with the Orioles.

“He told me I was the key part of the trade, that they wouldn’t do it unless I was a part of the deal,” said Costanzo, who plays third base.

– Here’s a short piece on Dave Trembley. Nothing new there, but it’s worth a read.

– Here’s a piece on the O’s prospects. Again, nothing new but worth a look.

Moving on…

– If you haven’t been tracking WNST’s reaction to the Brian Billick dismissal, you’re missing out. Head on over to the site and read Nestor and Drew’s latest blog posts. There’s a whopper of a conversation taking place.

If you’re still out there, Drew, I’ve got a question. I heard you insist repeatedly this morning that Ozzie Newsome didn’t want to let Billick go. You refuse, though, to talk at all about your source. I understand you can’t give a name, but it’s simply not enough, journalistically speaking, to just say “trust me, I know.” What kind of source do you have? Are we talking a high-ranking official or just someone with the team? And have you done your due diligence to corroborate the story?

You’re effectively breaking the news that Newsome lied during the press conference and that there’s a high level of dissent within the management group. Those are serious charges that need to be treated seriously.

– Rex Ryan will be interviewing for the vacant spot in Atlanta, in addition to his interview with the Ravens. He’s also been contacted by the Dolphins, but no interview has been scheduled.

– Had enough football drama for awhile? Check out this article about the Dakar Rally. Seriously fascinating stuff, made even more so by the fact that an American has a legit shot this year.

If any of you had difficulty accessing the site, there was a minor problem with the server. I have to give credit to Dreamhost for an amazingly quick and effective response to my support inquiry. If you happen to need hosting services, I’m not ashamed to say that I’ll get a kickback if you go to them through me.

Moving on…

– It appears that the Ravens are going to start Troy Smith this week against the Seahawks. Pretty hard to argue with that whether Kyle Boller is actually hurt or not.

With that said, why do so many people seem to believe that Smith is the answer? What is it about this guy that inspires so much hope? It can’t be his Heisman Trophy, which has proven over the years to mean very little. It can’t be his demonstrated ability to perform in clutch situations, with last year’s national championship game as evidence. It can’t be his physical tools, since those just aren’t that impressive (outside, I suppose, of some natural athleticism).

So is it simply that he isn’t Kyle Boller? Because, well, that’s just sad.

– The contents of the Jason Grimsley affidavit (remember that?) have been unsealed. Add one more former Oriole to the tainted list in Pete Incaviglia.

– Kris Benson has been out looking for a job.

– I haven’t said much about my beloved Maryland Terps men’s baskeball program this year. If you’re wondering why, it’s simple: they’re depressing.

Last week’s home loss to Ohio University — not Ohio State, Ohio University — was just awful. Nothing much matters until the ACC season starts on January 12th at Virginia Tech, but so far they simply don’t seem like a legitimate threat.

Still, January 27th at home is the first Duke game. Circle it.

– This is perfect. Just perfect.

We’ll be mostly active throughout the holidays, with maybe a slightly lighter schedule than usual. For those of you who don’t check in for awhile, The Loss Column sends our best to you and yours.

The latest in a periodic, enigmatic series…

– First it was Nick Saban and his franchise-sinking stint in Miami. Now, Falcons coach Bobby Petrino has pulled a similar vanishing act.

Petrino now has zero credibility as a teacher and leader. Say you’re an Arkansas player and your team is down 34-10 in the fourth quarter. Are you really going to listen when Petrino starts talking about commitment and respect and showing up to play? Are you really going to play hurt, or constantly give 100%, for a man who didn’t even have the stones to finish out his first season in Atlanta?

What a weak move.

– I suppose something like this was inevitable: this blogger wants to fight Tom Brady.

I link that mostly for the comments, some of which are choice:

America doesn’t hate Tom Brady… just you and a small percentage of jealous low lifes. Tom Brady is the greatest quaterback ever.. you sir are a piece of shit with a internet access.

– The much-anticipated Mitchell Report is coming any day now, possibly even later this week.

I’ve got a hunch that this thing will flop. I’ll be real surprised if there’s a bombshell in there. No reason in particular for feeling that way, it’s just gut instinct.

– The Nationals have been all kinds of busy, adding Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, and Paul LoDuca. They’ve got all the makings down there of a team set to make a run. Maybe not this year, but probably before the Orioles get there.

– This is old news, but I neglected to mention it back in September: the Penguins and Sabres will play a game outdoors in Buffalo on January 1st. So awesome.

– The Ravens will beat the Dolphins on Sunday. Everybody relax and enjoy it.

Expect to see more and more of these. Of course I said that last time, too.

– The Indians are up 9-3 in the sixth!

The Rockies lead their series 2-0, and the Cubs play game two against the Diamondbacks later tonight.

– By now you’ve probably heard the troubling news: the Maryland men’s basketball program ranks dead last in graduation rate at…zero.

Gary Williams, predictably, defended his program and his guys:

“These people are very successful people,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. “If you go to school to improve yourself economically, where have they failed? They make more than the average college graduate. Far more. If you’re judging them just based on getting a degree, then OK, they haven’t gotten a degree.”

I like Gary, and his “close the ranks” mentality has probably helped a few talent-challenged Terps teams win games they shouldn’t have won. But, really, he couldn’t graduate even one guy? I get that everybody covered by the stats went on to play professionally in one capacity or another, but this just looks bad.

And, as a side note, can anyone really say that Lonny Baxter — who just tried to FedEx a gun to himself — is a “very successful” person? He played in the NBA, yes, but come on.

– Those who know me well know that my issues with the Ravens come down, basically, to Brian Billick. I’ve got other issues, but everything pretty much starts and ends with Billick. Specifically, disrespecting Trent Dilfer was as low-class a move as I’ve ever seen in sports. I know it’s a subject of much debate but that’s where I stand.

So it was nice to see that Dilfer has buried the hatchet. I’m not ready to do the same, but it was nice to see.

– Nobody’s paying much attention to it, but Dario Franchitti’s move to NASCAR is huge news. Coming one year after F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya made the same jump, Franchitti’s decision serves notice to the international auto racing community that America either already has or will soon have the premier circuit. The money’s here, the media’s here, the sponsors are here, and pretty soon all the drivers will be here, too.

The perception of NASCAR as a “good old boys” circuit won’t hold for long, and we’re going to be able to look forward to some exciting races in the near future. Keep an eye on it.

– Let’s take a moment to applaud our neighbors the Washington Nationals. Before the year started more than one pundit predicted them to be the worst team in history. Not only did they avoid that particular notoriety, they managed to scrap their way to a respectable 73-89 (four games better than the Orioles).

There just might be exciting baseball in the mid-Atlantic region next year after all.

All that and anything else on your mind in the comments…

Welcome to a brand new, semi-regular Loss Column featurette: the Sports Latitudes. I took the name from one of my very favorite natural oddities, the horse latitudes. In much the same way that sailors had to occasionally jettison some extra weight, the Sports Latitudes is a place where I’ll dump all the extra links and thoughts that have built up over time. Feel free to do the same in the comments.

– According to Sports by Brooks, relaying a report on Larry Brown Sports, fast-declining broadcasting stalwart Dan Patrick might be leaving ESPN.

You could make a case that without the mighty ESPN brand behind him Patrick would never have gotten as far as he did. It’ll be interesting to see if he can pull this off.

– One of my all-time favorite ballplayers, Dale Murphy, recently spoke out on Barry Bonds and related issues. Which makes for a good excuse to remind everyone of my pet cause: Dale Murphy belongs in the Hall of Fame.

– Girls are Pretty is just about the best digest-sized, daily dose of humor on the internet. At least if you’re like me, which may or may not be something to be proud of.

– Remember Ivan Stewart’s Super Off Road? God damn that game was amazing. If you know of any arcades in the area that still have one (hell, if you know of any arcades in the area, period), let me know.

– One could easily get lost in the life of a Tennessee Titans cheerleader.

Julia listens to Christmas music all year long and is afraid of “missing God’s plan” for her life. Is that even possible?

Kristina’s biggest fears are regrets and birds. And the most unique thing about her? She lives in Kentucky.

LaToya fears both “failure” and not being able to accomplish her goals.

And on and on.