Re: #72

So, this’ll likely be my last blog about football for a long while and what can I say about the game last night that hasn’t already been reported/blogged/twittered… As much as it fucking sucks to have half of our losses for the entire SEASON at the hands of the Steelers, if you want to play in the Super Bowl you’ve got to beat the best and they weren’t playing recent typical Ravens ball last night. They also haven’t had a week off since Week 2 and there’s a lot to be said for home field advantage in Pittsburgh and all those goddamn terrible towels.

-Willis McGahee was a thorn in the side of my fantasy football team. Most of his regular season games were mediocre at best but then as the post-season neared there was an added spring in his step. Glad the Steelers saw it fit to permanently remove him from the game after he scored 2 touchdowns.  I sincerely hope he’s doing okay.

-Le’Ron McClain… um, was he even in the game? What the hell! I don’t understand why they weren’t giving him the ball. He’s a big dude and can run through a pack of defenders better than McGahee. We could’ve used a little depth in our running game.

-Ed Reed… a name we didn’t often hear last night. But can you blame him? Samari Rolle didn’t even play and then his replacement and his replacement’s replacement both hobbled to their locker at points during the game. He is just one man.

-Matt Stover – This was a bummer of the game for him to end his career on. How much would I have loved to see a like 58-yard Stover field goal to send the game to 17-16. Yea… didn’t happen. Thanks Flacco for throwing that interception.

-Joe Flacco should be happy that his team isn’t from the New York metropolitan area… I can see the headline already “Flaccid Flacco Fails“. We don’t deserve to go to the Super Bowl if our quarterback rating is in the 20’s. Joe The Unflappable got flapped.

-Hines Ward. He got his. I hope he misses the Super Bowl.

When it’s all said and done, I should be so lucky that the Ravens had the season that they did. Only 2 teams seasons are lasting longer, and one of those will undoubtedly end in heartbreak.

There were so many great moments this season that I don't want to forget. McNabb getting his ass benched, beating Dallas at their last game at Texas Stadium, seeing them secure their wildcard spot in the flesh, TWO post-season wins… I just would have preferred for the season to not end with this:

But, with Flacco and Ray Rice and McClain and the amazing defense, I'm looking to the future and expect great things from this team next season. I also now have 8 more months to perfect my version of the Ray Lewis dance and now I get to play field hockey again on Sundays instead of being glued to the TV at a bar with a cold frosty beverage in hand. 

And, as Shane Told says, "That's why there's basketball." ...yes, except if the Lakers lose again tonight while I'm watching, Perry is banning me from the games.