Inside the Nest: A Baltimore Ravens Fan Perspective with Tyler

Dive into the heart of football fandom as we sit down with our die-hard guest, Tyler, to dissect the Baltimore Ravens' recent performance and upcoming matches, with a keen focus on the rivalries within the AFC North division. Let Tyler walk you back to his first memory of being a Ravens fan at the tender age of six and get a first-hand account of the adrenaline-filled atmosphere in downtown Baltimore on game days. As we shine a spotlight on the Ravens' quarterback, Lamar Jackson, you'll gain insight into his unique skills and challenges, all while basking in the spirit of football and loyalty.

Our chat with Tyler takes an exciting detour as we paint a picture of downtown Baltimore, pulsating with energy on game days. As a season ticket holder, Tyler recalls his exhilarating experiences at games and paints a vivid picture of the city's love for football. How about some pop culture mingling with football fandom? From the popular saying "Ravens and O's, crabs and bows" to references from the TV show "The Wire", we've got it all. 

In a playful twist to our football discourse, we reimagine the cast of "The Office" with the Baltimore Ravens' players. We'll also ponder upon a new house, "Raven", in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, and create a Quidditch team with current and former Ravens players. Wrapping up our chat, sharing thoughts on the upcoming NFL season, while expressing anticipation for the potential match between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs. So, tune in for an engaging, passionate, and thoroughly enjoyable discussion on football, fandom, and all things Ravens!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

All right, everybody, welcome back to Fandom from afar. So this is kind of an exciting episode because I have my friend Tyler here today to talk about the Ravens. Welcome, Tyler, Thank you, Thank you. But Tyler reached out because he saw me advertising one of my other podcasts and Tyler and I hadn't spoken in a while but I know he's a really big sports fan and he said, hey, I'd love to be on the podcast. And I was like yeah for sure let's do it.

Speaker 1: 0:29

So if anyone else is out there and thinking that they want to tell their story, then hit me up either by text or social media and we can get you on the podcast as well. But today let's talk about those Baltimore Ravens.

Speaker 2: 0:44

Those.

Speaker 1: 0:44

Ravens, those Ravens just coming off of a little bit of a heartbreaker yesterday.

Speaker 2: 0:49

Yeah, I didn't want to be around for a little while.

Speaker 1: 0:53

I thought, for sure you guys had it. When what's his face? Missed the extra point.

Speaker 2: 0:58

Oh yeah, Because like if a team misses extra point.

Speaker 1: 1:01

Hardly ever do they come back and actually win the game.

Speaker 2: 1:04

Yeah, you don't ever have that like that, that energy after you miss an extra point. It's the easiest part of the game.

Speaker 1: 1:09

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 1:10

And you missed it and we still ended up giving that game away. It just I don't know. He started off hot with Kyle Hamilton on the pick six and the second play of the game.

Speaker 1: 1:18

Oh I love that. What he's crazy. He really walked in Crazy interception.

Speaker 2: 1:23

And then it just seems like. It seems like once Lamar makes a mistake, he can't come back from it.

Speaker 1: 1:30

Yeah, he's. He's interesting. I actually have it on the list. We'll talk about Lamar specifically later, but you guys have a big game Quick turnaround on Thursday night For the audience. We're recording this a little bit early. This is actually going to be the episode that I'm going to post while the family and I are on a vacation, so, Tyler.

Speaker 2: 1:51

I'll be the placeholder. Exactly, tyler stepped up to hold that down.

Speaker 1: 1:54

So let's see you guys play the Bengals Thursday. Thursday night, bangles in Baltimore, that's going to be huge. Yeah, those games are always so fun no matter how good the teams are.

Speaker 2: 2:04

I really dislike the Bengals. I figured their fans are the worst. I mean our whole division. I think our fans are the most diehard fans. I think the AFC North hands down as the most competitive division. I think combined records were 22 and 11 this year and no other division has 20 wins.

Speaker 1: 2:23

Well, and it's been that way for so long because almost every team in that division is consistently good. So you guys have those real rivalries where it means something.

Speaker 2: 2:31

I mean you got the Steelers. Like that is my most disliked hated team.

Speaker 1: 2:36

I don't know.

Speaker 2: 2:36

Whatever you want to call it, I cannot stand the Pittsburgh Steelers and it Um. I'm just glad they're kind of on a down tick right now.

Speaker 1: 2:45

Yeah, I say yes, I don't think you're crying for them.

Speaker 2: 2:47

I fully expected Kenny Pickett and George Pickett to actually be really freaking good. And they just haven't really panned out yet, so I'm just waiting for them to click, and then it's going to be on again.

Speaker 1: 2:58

And if they don't, you won't be sad.

Speaker 2: 3:00

No, not at all, not at all. We already got to deal with the Browns and the Bengals now because the Bengals just decided to be good again, so yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:07

And yeah, just to fact knowing you have Joe Burrow to deal with. But I'm sure other teams are thinking, oh, we have to deal with Lamar or Jackson for the next 10 years, so no exactly.

Speaker 2: 3:16

I mean, there's nobody like Lamar.

Speaker 1: 3:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 3:18

I mean teams sign dudes to their practice squad to give somewhat of a look of what Lamar might be like.

Speaker 1: 3:25

Yeah, because no one does that week. That's just crazy.

Speaker 2: 3:28

I think he's awesome. He's great. I love him. I think he's worth every penny. He just needs to be a little bit more consistent. Yeah and for sure.

Speaker 1: 3:36

Well, let's, let's work our way towards Lamar. Let's, let's start with your origin story and tell me how did it all start Like? I've had some pretty interesting origin stories on here, from video games to aspirin commercials to all sorts of stuff. So what do you remember? Like the first time you were like I'm a Ravens man.

Speaker 2: 3:57

Yeah, I was six years old and my dad, he, worked for Toys R Us in Owings Mills, which is where their training facility is.

Speaker 1: 4:05

I had the Under Armour.

Speaker 2: 4:07

Center and he called. He called my mom from work one day and was like, hey, do you mind if I take Tyler the Ravens practice across the street tonight? She was like no, no, no, go ahead Absolutely. And I hadn't watched it down a football in my life. And then, while I was at the practice, my dad, he brought this football and he was like when the players come over, ask him to sign it. So I was like, ok, cool. And this guy number 52, ray Lewis.

Speaker 2: 4:35

Oh, man and he walked over and I was like hey, five, two, five, two, can you sign this? Like I didn't even know his name, yeah, and he walked up to me and he was like man, you're not wearing any Ravens stuff. And he went into his like duffel bag and he got me a hoodie that he had in his bag. Oh, dang, and he gave it to me and I was like I'm a Ravens fan from this day on Like yeah, oh, my goodness, nothing anybody can say to me to ever take me away from the Ravens.

Speaker 1: 5:00

That is so cool, especially as a six year old.

Speaker 2: 5:03

Like I had no idea what he was giving me, who he was, or like the stature of his of Ray Lewis, but it was. I mean, he's a behemoth of a human being. So I was scared to begin with, but it was. It was just so cool like I gave my. I gave that hoodie to my dad. He's got it framed and all that.

Speaker 1: 5:21

Oh man, I love that. Yeah, it's so. Yeah, cuz, for all you know, he could have been like a third stringer nobody, but yeah, it's gonna be one of the greatest players in my backers in history. That is so cool.

Speaker 2: 5:32

It was cool. Yeah, I got that football signed by Ray Lewis. I got it signed by. Ed Reed to rel Suggs.

Speaker 1: 5:38

I got everyone signature on this, so this was like right in their peak, of all those guys I mean yeah, we won the Super Bowl in 2001.

Speaker 2: 5:45

I was, yeah, I mean I I kind of understood what was going on, like I didn't really know football a whole lot, but I knew that 52 was on the field.

Speaker 1: 5:54

So that was their Super Bowl season. Yeah, oh, okay.

Speaker 2: 5:57

Yep, yep. I was born in 95, they came along in 96 and Then, when I was six, in 2001, it was when I started to like them.

Speaker 1: 6:06

Wow, that's so cool, Right? I love hearing these origins.

Speaker 2: 6:09

It's a cool story and like I love telling it because not many people get to interact with Ray Lewis like that, you know.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Oh yeah, and I just love the fact that you and your dad still have the sweatshirt.

Speaker 2: 6:19

It hasn't been touched since he put it in her frame 15 years ago. I love that, and it was. It was the greatest day of my life, honestly, yeah, and I didn't know what was happening.

Speaker 1: 6:29

No, it's fun to like kind of realize how great it was later on right.

Speaker 2: 6:32

That's pretty awesome.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Yes, you might have been too nervous to enjoy it if you actually knew who he was. Right, that's fun.

Speaker 2: 6:39

Yeah, that was a fun season, man, I loved, I loved that. Oh, one team. Oh yeah, talk about Hooking you it was the greatest defense to ever exist in the history of the NFL. And now we're on Like the Super Bowl team. In 01, we had Trent Dill for a quarterback. Yeah, that's how good our defense was Like. We didn't give up more than 14 points in a game that season.

Speaker 1: 6:58

That's wild, that's insane.

Speaker 2: 7:01

Like their average. I think their points per game was like 10.8 or 10.9 or something like that.

Speaker 1: 7:06

It's just incredible.

Speaker 2: 7:07

Like I can't even imagine. But it was entertaining to watch their defense and that's not. It's not the case most of time.

Speaker 1: 7:15

Well, it kind of made it more entertaining because, like you mentioned, dilfer, it's not like you guys were lighting up the scoreboard either, right. No it was, it was the.

Speaker 2: 7:23

The defense had to do that yeah but we beat the Giants in the Super Bowl that year 31-0.

Speaker 1: 7:27

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:28

I mean that's like the only shutout in Super Bowl history, I think, like there hasn't. I think there's maybe been two or three man. That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 7:35

Yeah, man, what a year to start paying attention, right. Right that's really good ever since then.

Speaker 2: 7:40

Like 2012, getting getting that second Super Bowl with Joe Flacco, that was, that was great. I was. I was like 16 years old and I knew exactly what was going on and I I actually had a Friend that I met who moved here from Maryland with his family, okay, and they were like four houses down from us. So you got to enjoy it with, yeah. So we had some more Ravens fans in our neighborhood and it was nice to have them, because you were the only people with Ravens flags.

Speaker 1: 8:07

I'll say our house. You can all band together, everybody else but that team. Well, I was gonna bring it up later, but we might as well now. That team had one of my all-time heartbreaking moments as a Bronco fan. I know what was it the deep past to Jacobi Jones.

Speaker 2: 8:26

Kobe Jones caught it. Your defensive back fell down and, yeah, he ran it in the rest of the way.

Speaker 1: 8:30

He just totally missed, misjudged the ball. He should have intercepted it easy and need is I remember every single frame of that play that was insane.

Speaker 2: 8:42

I mean, that whole playoff run was insane. He had 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Speaker 1: 8:45

Oh yeah, playoff run. He was out of his mind and then he got paid because of it and then, hey, good for him. He's probably living in a mansion right now. I mean.

Speaker 2: 8:54

You know. It's crazy, though, is that he got a hundred and sixty million dollars, and that was the highest paid player in the NFL at that time and now guys are signing like five hundred million dollars, and now you got my home billion dollars over ten years.

Speaker 1: 9:07

Yeah, but he, he was unstoppable that year, like it was just kind of destined.

Speaker 2: 9:11

Yeah, it was a meant to be thing because I I remember the Ravens, their social media team. They posted a video of Ray Lewis in the locker room after practice. It was the day before our first playoff game of that season and he said, boys, I'm retiring this year. And then he was like I want to go out a champion, I want to go out on top. Like it's giving me chills talking about it.

Speaker 2: 9:31

Yeah and and then we just went out and did that for him like I loved it. I loved every second of it.

Speaker 1: 9:37

That's so cool. So Ray Lewis obviously amazing linebacker, like one of the great snowed out there. I don't think that even need to be discussed, but what was it like being a fan of him? Because I Think most teams dream of having a leader like that Just someone that can be the face of your franchise, that all your guys will run through a wall for like what was? It like having him on your team as a fan.

Speaker 2: 10:05

You want to run through a wall every week Exactly every single week you want to run through a wall for that man. Like it was just nice knowing that we had a quarterback on offense and defense, you know, like he put his guys where he knew they needed to be and he was never wrong. He was never, ever wrong. He could dissect plays like it was nobody's business and and just like sitting there watching that, watching him be so dominant. It was so much fun to watch Ray Lewis.

Speaker 2: 10:30

I'm much fun to watch Ray Lewis and and having him lay someone out and just I mean you being at the game. If you're in the stands you could hear when Ray Lewis hit somebody. Oh, I'm sure he laid the hurt he was just like pure muscle.

Speaker 2: 10:45

I mean, it was nothing, it was just a freight train coming through Like I remember one play, specifically when Chad Johnson it was a goal line. It was a goal line play, I think it was on like the two or three yard line and he tried to come across the middle and block Ray Lewis and Ray Lewis just absolutely sent him six feet under and he got back to the sideline. His coach was like hey, chad you good. And he was like I tried to block Ray.

Speaker 1: 11:13

I tried to block Ray. I immediately regretted it. That was a mistake.

Speaker 2: 11:18

That's the best. I love stuff like that. It's just like that team just had a swagger about them, Like like you didn't want to play us. Oh yeah, you did not want to play that defense. You didn't want to play Ed Reid and he was a ball hawk.

Speaker 1: 11:29

I love that.

Speaker 2: 11:31

And then I mean we had Anquan Bolden that season. We signed him and everybody said he was washed up and he went out and caught five touchdowns in the playoffs. It was just meant to be that year, I think, and it was. That was such a cool team. It was a fairytale story, honestly.

Speaker 1: 11:47

Did you ever go to any other practices, like after you were six years old and just happened to get to meet Ray Lewis again?

Speaker 2: 11:54

Oh, yeah, yeah, no, I met. I met T Cissel. I met Ed Reid. I met. I met Chris McAllister. A lot of people forget about him. He was dominant.

Speaker 1: 12:02

Oh, yeah, he was a corner, he was so dominant. Yeah, he was dominant.

Speaker 2: 12:07

We had Dion Sanders for a little bit. I never got to meet him. I did meet Charles Woodson.

Speaker 1: 12:13

Oh nice.

Speaker 2: 12:13

Which is really cool. No I think it was Rod, woodson, charles or Rod.

Speaker 1: 12:19

Oh Rod played for the.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Ravens yeah, rod Woodson, rod Woodson. Sorry, I got to meet him, I got to meet oh. I met Jamal Lewis. Oh nice Jamal, I mean he was 2000-yard rushing. He was one of the greatest ever and I mean I've been spoiled. As far as being a Ravens fan, though, I've never really had a season where I'm like I don't want to watch this team anymore. Yeah, like I mean we've had two coaches in our history. I mean we've had Brian Billick and John Harbaugh, so consistency is great with us.

Speaker 2: 12:49

That's crazy, and I mean Harbaugh is going on year 14 now. If you can believe that.

Speaker 1: 12:54

Wow.

Speaker 2: 12:55

I can't believe he's been there that long.

Speaker 1: 12:56

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:58

Yeah, it's been a great ride as Ravens.

Speaker 1: 13:00

I bet All the friends and family we have here in Jacksonville are not going to want to hear that because they have not had the same luck.

Speaker 2: 13:08

Yeah, I was listening to your episode with Eric.

Speaker 1: 13:11

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:11

He was trying to make it sound as good as he possibly could, but, man being a Jags fan, I've been here since 06. Gotcha gotcha. So I've seen the city when they were down. I've seen the city when they were up. I've been to games when they were good and in the games when they were horrible. Like I see it, but I just it's hard for me to believe.

Speaker 1: 13:30

They've had those peaks. They just haven't had the consistency, like you guys, no, they're very up and down. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:35

And that's what I'm grateful for. Yeah exactly that. The Ravens have consistency and we haven't had a losing season in almost 10 years, I think.

Speaker 1: 13:44

Nice Broncos used to have that. We had an amazing streak where we didn't have back-to-back losing seasons for over 30 years, but then the last 10 years has been all losing season.

Speaker 2: 13:58

So it's been rough. I mean, you guys just need Russell Wilson to figure it out. You guys have the pieces you got a good defense, you got good corners, you got I mean, we're a ways away.

Speaker 1: 14:10

We don't need to waste time with the Broncos. You're about the right age, Did you?

Speaker 2: 14:16

you must have loved playing with the Ravens on video games as well, oh yeah, like yeah, there wasn't a different team that I played with Exactly Like.

Speaker 1: 14:23

That would have been fun too.

Speaker 2: 14:25

Like early Madden days, I would be playing my brother or something or I'd be playing one of my buddies. Like 2001 to like 2005, when the Ravens had all their dudes and I mean you still couldn't get anything done in the video game against their teammates.

Speaker 1: 14:38

Oh yeah, because they make them so good you still couldn't get anything done. And that's what's fun when they have a good linebacker like that, because it's fun to be a linebacker on Madden and just destroy everything and just roam and hit, stick everybody. So the fact that you had the best linebacker in the world kind of would make it pretty fun.

Speaker 2: 14:53

Well, shoot, now we got Rokwon Smith, like he's there's no drop off. Yeah, he's really nice.

Speaker 1: 14:59

Well, lucky you. So sounds like you guys would go to practices pretty often up there and then go to go into games as well.

Speaker 2: 15:09

Yeah games. We were season ticket holders for three years and it we were on a year long waiting list for season tickets. Nice, the city of Baltimore, they love football.

Speaker 2: 15:20

Yeah we have this saying it's Ravens and O's, crabs and bows, like that's cool because we have Natty Bo beer. It's like. It's like the Natty light in Baltimore. So we say that a lot. But downtown Baltimore is so much fun to go to for games because you got canvun yards right across the street, then you got M&T Bank right behind it and on days when, when the Ravens and the Oral is are playing, it's just like a giant party. Some of the most fun you'll ever have.

Speaker 1: 15:46

That's cool.

Speaker 2: 15:48

Behind Candon Yards and right field is Utah Street and then that huge warehouse in the back there.

Speaker 1: 15:52

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:53

They got all the bars and restaurants and all the radio shows that are going on there, tv sets being set up there. It's a lot of fun down there, that's really cool. Yeah, it's fun.

Speaker 1: 16:02

That's fun when they turn the whole downtown into like a gathering area for that and it's not just like you come in and out for the game and you don't hang out Like there's there's stuff to do, right.

Speaker 2: 16:10

That's great Right, and it was fun too. Just like a lot of people think, downtown Baltimore is not really the greatest area to be. And don't get me wrong, it's not because of the wire, yeah, the wire.

Speaker 1: 16:22

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 16:23

But no, it's definitely not the greatest area to be. But they do a good job of you. Stay within that little bubble. Yeah, you stay within your three block area where both the stadiums are, you'll be good. But go outside of that, it's at your own risk.

Speaker 1: 16:38

That's fine. I'll have to go up there and try that sometime, like, like you said, it'd be fun to hit up a weekend when you can go to one football, one baseball game.

Speaker 2: 16:45

Yeah, so we're actually my uncle and I were actually going to. He's a Braves fan, so we went to Atlanta this past year to go watch Orioles and Braves and we got swept in that series. So I had to watch all three games.

Speaker 1: 16:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 16:58

Swept. But, um, yeah, we're going up to Baltimore when the Braves are there next season Very cool. I'm going to stay there for a week and go see some family and then go to the games too. That's awesome, it's gonna be fun.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Now you said we would go to the games. Was that your yourself and your dad or like? Would your brother come to, or did you and your brother have to rotate with your?

Speaker 2: 17:15

dad. No, I mean, he, my brother. He didn't really get into NFL football until he was older, like after we got down here, probably like 10 or 11 years old, Um, but I, I tried very hard to get him to be a Ravens fan. Yeah, but he's a Jaguars fan.

Speaker 1: 17:33

Oh, really Okay yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:34

He's a Jags fan and I can tell you the specific moment his fandom switched. It was a. It was a Sunday night game against the Jags here in Jacksonville and we were down. It was the most boring game I've ever watched in my entire life. There were eight field goals kicked between both teams.

Speaker 1: 17:52

Oh fun.

Speaker 2: 17:52

Yeah, it was just all field goals. So the Ravens ended up losing and with about two minutes left in the fourth quarter, jags have the ball. My brother, he's got his face painted purple and gold and white Like he's a Ravens fan the whole game and as soon as he realized that they weren't going to win, he took off his. He took off his Ravens jersey and he got my uncle's Jags jersey and he threw it on him and I was like what no way, so he's literally changed at the game.

Speaker 2: 18:20

changed at the game and he hasn't looked back since. Wow, Well, good for him for being loyal.

Speaker 1: 18:24

But that's that's a pretty dramatic decision All of a sudden.

Speaker 2: 18:28

I was like dang, you left a Super Bowl winning team to go. Cheer for the Jaguars.

Speaker 1: 18:32

But now, now he's going to be happy when the Jags win it this year.

Speaker 2: 18:36

I think they're still. I think they're still a ways away too.

Speaker 1: 18:38

I don't know, We'll see. Afc is going to be fun in the playoffs, Like uh. I think a lot of teams are pretty evenly matched, so it should be. Should be good AFC is just strong.

Speaker 2: 18:47

Yeah, that's all it is. Yeah, I'm never worried about NSC teams with Lamar he's 18 and one against them. I'm not.

Speaker 1: 18:54

Really yeah, he doesn't lose to NSC teams.

Speaker 2: 18:57

Wow, it just for two and three in our division this year.

Speaker 1: 19:00

So Really Mm-hmm. Wow See, that's surprising because I was thinking of Baltimore as like one of the best teams just overall. But I didn't realize all your division games have been kind of struggle this year.

Speaker 2: 19:18

Well, I mean all three of our losses have been with leads greater than 10 points going into the fourth quarter. Oh really, all three of them Colts, colts Browns and Steelers we all get a 10 plus point lead.

Speaker 1: 19:34

So you're not that far away from just being like the dominant team this year.

Speaker 2: 19:38

Yeah, no, we should be 10 though. Wow, we should be 10 though, but it just really bad mistakes at really bad times. It really hurt us.

Speaker 1: 19:46

Hey, you never know, you could look back on it and be like. Hey, I'm glad we lost those games, because then it made us kind of refocus and not be just overconfident.

Speaker 2: 19:53

Right, yeah, I mean getting back to your question, though it was mainly me and my dad going into the games. Okay, like if we had family in town, he always got games from work at Toys R Us because some of the players would come in like during a holiday season and they would do their like charity, like throw whatever you want in the cart and I'll pay for it. Like you got 10 minutes to go throw whatever you want in the cart, that's cool. So he would get to talk to them all the time doing that kind of stuff and he would just be like hey, you got some tickets for this weekend and of course they did Every time they had tickets.

Speaker 2: 20:23

it was great. That's really cool. It was cool.

Speaker 1: 20:25

And does your uncle still live up there.

Speaker 2: 20:27

No, he lives here now, okay, yeah, he moved here not long after we did, I think 2008. He moved here, okay, him and his wife had a baby and they didn't want to be in Baltimore anymore, so they came down here at St John's.

Speaker 1: 20:39

County and very nice Little bit different.

Speaker 2: 20:42

Got him into the bubble.

Speaker 1: 20:43

Yeah, exactly yeah. Now it sounds like you guys aren't afraid to fly up there to go to games, though God no. So you stay in touch with the team that way, can you? What are some other ways that you like to stay in touch with the team, whether through specific shows that you watch on YouTube or listen to podcasts or anything like that, like what kind of resources do you use?

Speaker 2: 21:05

I actually don't have a show that I watch or listen to, I just use Twitter or X now. But the Ravens Beatwriters, Hoodie Raimi, Sarah Ellison she is incredible. She literally has the insight with every single player. She has a great relationship with all of them and she has all the information all the time.

Speaker 1: 21:28

It's amazing how much the and I'm sure they only are able to share like half of what they know.

Speaker 2: 21:33

Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure, and she's got a podcast herself too, and so I'll listen to that every once in a while, but it's mainly her ex account, and she probably posts a 30 to 45 tweets a day.

Speaker 1: 21:45

Oh my goodness, she's on it, yeah.

Speaker 2: 21:47

She's on it, that's cool.

Speaker 1: 21:48

Yeah, that's really all you need. That's a ton of information. That's it. This just jumped in my mind, but you had mentioned that you like Harry Potter and the biggest Ravens fan I know is also the biggest Harry Potter fan I know. So you should follow Mallory Rubin.

Speaker 2: 22:07

She works for the ringer like Bill Simmons, the whole empire.

Speaker 1: 22:12

Um, Mallory Rubin is someone that I think you would really like because she's a good mix of sports and all the nerd culture stuff I like that yeah, I like that, yeah, um well cool. So we've kind of danced around the subject a little bit. But let's talk about Lamar. Yeah, because I think he's super interesting, not only in why or because he's unique as a player, but it also seems like it doesn't make sense how good he is and how underappreciated he is, because You're preaching in a choir.

Speaker 1: 22:42

Well, yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure, but like what other quarterback would have the success that he's had and become a free agent or whatever his contract situation was his past off season and have such little interest from teams Like it just doesn't make sense to me Well.

Speaker 2: 23:00

so what we did with him is we put the restricted tag on him.

Speaker 1: 23:04

Sure.

Speaker 2: 23:05

So he could go out and seek a trade or a new contract from somebody else. But I know the Ravens were demanding two first round picks if you wanted the rights to him.

Speaker 1: 23:15

But for a quarterback that good.

Speaker 2: 23:18

I would think it was incredible. To me it shouldn't have even been.

Speaker 1: 23:21

Yeah, broncos gave up two first round picks for Russell Wilson, who is 12 years older than.

Speaker 2: 23:29

Lamar and getting paid more than them.

Speaker 1: 23:31

Like if you would have given me a choice. Oh, you can have Russell Wilson or Lamar Jackson for two first round picks. I'm like oh well, that's an easy choice Give me.

Speaker 2: 23:38

Lamar.

Speaker 1: 23:38

So I don't know, was there something I was missing that was scaring away teams, or was it just the two first round picks? Do you think?

Speaker 2: 23:46

Well, it was definitely the two first round picks and I think owners have a reservation about his play style and how long he can keep that up for. But you've seen it this year he can throw the ball. He's having his best passing season of his career. He leads the NFL in completion percentage, so that's not his issue, it just I really don't think owners wanted to pay him. That was it. I don't think the two first round picks were which is just wild.

Speaker 2: 24:14

And then we come back and give him $265 million and 180 of it guaranteed.

Speaker 1: 24:20

There's definitely other teams out there that could have swung that For sure that's not that much more than the same signed Derek Carr for Like, come on no.

Speaker 2: 24:30

Like it. Just it baffled me that he was still a Raven after this offseason.

Speaker 1: 24:34

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 24:35

Because I was ready to move on with Tyler Huntley.

Speaker 1: 24:38

Yeah, you were like resigning yourself to that.

Speaker 2: 24:40

I was like man I don't want to move on with Tyler Huntley, but if I have to, I will.

Speaker 1: 24:46

I just, I don't understand, like it just. I guess it's just one of those things. Do you feel like him representing himself had anything to do with it? Like 100%, like 100%. Do you think he could have gotten more money if he had an agent?

Speaker 2: 24:59

No, no, no. I think he got the max of what he could have gotten.

Speaker 1: 25:03

But it was just a weird situation because basically the Ravens probably were having to tell him why he's not worth.

Speaker 2: 25:10

Yeah, no, and it's a weird situation because your agent is usually the is usually the buffer between the player and the team and they filter what player hears, you know.

Speaker 1: 25:21

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:22

He heard. He had to hear all of it. He had to hear the ups, he had to hear the downs, he had to hear all of it.

Speaker 1: 25:26

Do you feel like he's moved on and that didn't really?

Speaker 2: 25:29

affect him, or I think he's fine If they if they were struggling this year.

Speaker 1: 25:32

Do you think he'd be like, yeah, get me out of here?

Speaker 2: 25:35

I don't think he would want to leave if we were struggling. I think the call for like if we didn't go out and draft safe flowers and get Rashad Bateman back healthy and go out and sign Odell Beckham Jr.

Speaker 1: 25:47

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:48

I think he would have wanted to leave if we didn't get him help.

Speaker 1: 25:50

Well, see, that's a great point Like he's never had. He's never had good receivers. So I'd love safe hours, but just the fact Bateman's healthy, and then Odell starting to come on a little bit now, but like that past. Odell yesterday was in that slant and just he, just perfect pass. So it took off and I don't know how you can tell Lamar to his face like he can't do this, he can't do this, when you don't give him actual professional receivers.

Speaker 2: 26:14

And I mean in 2019, when he won the unanimous MVP, his wide receiver one was Devon Duvernay. He's returning kicks and punts for us now.

Speaker 1: 26:24

Yeah exactly.

Speaker 2: 26:26

You can't, like you can't expect him to be Superman every week and I think that's what we're seeing now is that he doesn't need to be Superman anymore.

Speaker 1: 26:33

Yeah, I feel like he's balancing it really well, as far as he doesn't take off running every single time.

Speaker 2: 26:37

Yeah, but he's still got almost 500 yards rushing on this so it's got five rushing touchdowns. So he still produces. And I hate when people there's just one stat floating around right now that at Lamar Jackson has the same number of throwing touchdowns as Mac Jones.

Speaker 1: 26:54

Really.

Speaker 2: 26:55

But I mean, look at the record and he has. He has five rushing touchdowns. So if you're, if you want to count everything, he's got 16 touchdowns, not not 11.

Speaker 1: 27:06

So it just I think that's going to change because Mac's not seeing the field anymore Moving forward. No, Bailey's app is a guy.

Speaker 2: 27:13

This is third time being benched this week, so yeah, that was just bad. But um yeah, like the Patriots to the Patriots. I have a long history with the Patriots.

Speaker 1: 27:23

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:23

Tom Brady and keeping us from that many Super Bowls every single season. It seemed like like we get to the AFC championship and Tom Brady is waiting for you.

Speaker 1: 27:34

So save those thoughts, because I have a question about that in one of our games later, all right, cool. Who who would you say that's playing right now is the closest comparison to Lamar.

Speaker 2: 27:48

Hmm. I mean as far as like speed I mean, I think the closest would have to be Justin Fields.

Speaker 1: 27:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:59

Like there's just nobody like him, like you have to go back to Michael Vick to find somebody like him.

Speaker 1: 28:04

Well, that's what I was going to say. Maybe, historically, who would you say? Because I'd say Michael.

Speaker 2: 28:07

Vick yeah modern day.

Speaker 1: 28:09

I don't think Fields is anywhere close to being the passer that Lamar is.

Speaker 2: 28:12

No, no, he's not, but I mean that's the closest comparison, because Lamar can throw and then if he doesn't have anything, he's just going to. He's going to make you fall over and look down when he juxt you out.

Speaker 1: 28:22

Prime Michael Vick. He was pretty awesome, incredible, I guess. To kind of tie this up, I think Lamar has it and I don't see any reason why he can't lead you guys to a Super Bowl. No, I don't.

Speaker 2: 28:36

I think he's very capable of it. I think people like to nitpick at the small stats that really don't matter and like we're not having these same conversations about Joe Burrow.

Speaker 1: 28:47

Right.

Speaker 2: 28:48

I mean last week he had two interceptions against the Texans, the Houston Texans, that lost them the game. I was like where's the burrow? Hey, where. Like why aren't we concerned for Joe Burrow?

Speaker 1: 28:59

I will say that, as a fan, it always feels like everyone's picking on your guy.

Speaker 2: 29:04

They do, yeah, and it's Jags fans too. It's tough living here and like because Duvall fans they're relentless and they are. But if they were to come to Baltimore they would say the same thing.

Speaker 1: 29:15

Oh yeah, that's kind of what makes it fun.

Speaker 2: 29:17

Exactly, everybody has to protect their own guys and I look at their quarterback and Trevor Lawrence and I look at my quarterback and Lamar Jackson and I'm like he is so much more fun to watch Like Trevor's good. He's good. The Jags football, the brand of football they put out, is just not like.

Speaker 1: 29:37

Which is surprising, they have so many weapons.

Speaker 2: 29:39

I'm saying so, and they went out like they have all their players from last year and added Calvin Ridley and he's just like a no show and they just don't throw to him.

Speaker 1: 29:48

I hope the Ravens and the Jags like match up in the playoffs and then I can just have you and Eric come and do a pond together.

Speaker 2: 29:53

Let's do it. Let's do a live stream. I'll do it on YouTube.

Speaker 1: 29:58

Let's move on a little bit and play some games. Do it All right. Before you came on, I asked you what were some of your favorite kind of shows or movies or whatever like that. And you went right up my alley and said the office and Harry Potter.

Speaker 1: 30:12

So that's what my games are based on now because I love the office and Harry Potter, so we'll start out the office. Now let's pretend we're in a world that they are recasting the office using Ravens players. So we're going to. I'll give you some characters or famous scenes or whatever, and just first player that pops to your mind will be the correct answer. So you can't lose this game. But I want to know who will recreate the awesome episode prison Mike.

Speaker 2: 30:50

Marlin Humphrey.

Speaker 1: 30:51

Okay, tell me why.

Speaker 2: 30:52

Marlin Humphrey. He is the goofiest dude on the Ravens Really. Every time we win he has a victory stream and it's a live stream of everybody on the team playing.

Speaker 1: 31:03

Oh really.

Speaker 2: 31:03

And like he's the guy who, like he, like, walks up to Roquan Smith while he's sleeping. It was like a Ro, what'd you think about the game today? And he's still fast asleep Like he knows, he's not going to say anything. He's just like hey, why are you ignoring me? Man, like he just he does like stuff in their face while they're sleeping and like tickles their ear and stuff. Like he's hilarious. I love Marlin Humphrey.

Speaker 1: 31:23

That sounds pretty perfect. Love him. Put a purple bandana on him.

Speaker 2: 31:27

He's prison, mike, he's it.

Speaker 1: 31:29

My first thought was it'd be funny to see Ray Lewis do that, but he would legit be scary.

Speaker 2: 31:34

He would be really scary. You would actually think that he was prison, prison Ray so that would be funny. It's funny because the bandana is kind of like his look too Exactly, so that would be good, yeah All right who, what Raven player would be most likely to burn his feet?

Speaker 1: 31:50

because he wanted to wake up to the smell of bacon.

Speaker 2: 31:55

Tyler Linderbaum our center.

Speaker 1: 31:57

You know that. Quick, tell me why.

Speaker 2: 31:58

Our center. He's from Iowa and he was raised on a pig farm. Oh, there you go he probably he literally said I eat bacon every single day of my life. That's perfect. There it is. There you go. I love it All right.

Speaker 1: 32:13

What player do you consider to be your Toby when, when he's on the field, you just scream no, no, no.

Speaker 2: 32:23

Oh man, Right now Justice Hill. Oh okay, our backup running back.

Speaker 1: 32:29

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 32:30

I mean, Keaton Mitchell has come onto the scenes. He is so fast, but Justice Hill and Lamar haven't been able to get on the same page. So anytime I see 43 in the game I'm like no, don't hand on the ball, please, please, don't give him the ball. He's fumbled four times this year, lost off.

Speaker 1: 32:43

Oh yeah, that'll do it.

Speaker 2: 32:45

It just he gives me the creeps when he gets on the field.

Speaker 1: 32:48

Well, that's perfect too, then All right. Last one what Raven's player would promise a bunch of elementary school kids that he's going to pay for their college and then awkwardly tell them that he can't do it when they're seniors?

Speaker 2: 33:04

Oh man, who would I have to pick for that I was. I mean, does it have to be current Ravens?

Speaker 1: 33:12

No anybody.

Speaker 2: 33:13

No, I would say Tyrell Suggs, just because he would forget about it. They would chop up, excuse me, like hey, mr Suggs, like you have this today, it's like oh no, I don't.

Speaker 1: 33:27

He's like. That doesn't sound like me. That's what he would say He'd be like. That doesn't sound like me. Now we're switching universes. We're going over to Harry Potter. So Harry Potter has the four houses Slytherin, gryffindor, ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I've just been informed they're adding a fifth house named Raven. So describe what the new house of Raven? What kind of students would you be looking for in this house? It is the head professor in Raven is Edgar Allen Poe. Oh, beautiful.

Speaker 2: 34:06

Just so you know, I would think people that are just for lack of better words balls to the wall, just always on full go, 100%, like if someone tells you not to do something, we're going to do it anyway.

Speaker 1: 34:22

So, like young Ray Lewis is your ideal student, exactly, exactly so. You guys are going to give Slytherin a run for your money. They think they're the big tough guys and you will put them in your place 100%.

Speaker 2: 34:33

I like it. It's got to get Raven's players. I like it.

Speaker 1: 34:37

All right. So I think you guys will have an advantage if you have all Raven's players, but let's make a quidditch team. So I need one seeker, one chaser, one beater and one keeper. And tell me, tell me why you picked a current or former Raven's player for each position. Here would be Ed Reid because he's a ball.

Speaker 2: 34:59

I think that's perfect. He's a ball. He's going to find it. Keeper, I would say Marshall Yanda.

Speaker 1: 35:08

I haven't thought about Marshall in a long time, just a big old dude, you know, just to sit in front of the hoops.

Speaker 2: 35:13

right there he was dominant for what 12?

Speaker 1: 35:16

years.

Speaker 2: 35:16

Oh, he was incredible. For 12 years he didn't give up a sack for three years. It was insane. That's wild, I would say the chaser would I'd say the chaser, someone lights. They could be fast on their broom and say like Keaton Mitchell yeah, my as well, let's get a little dude on there.

Speaker 1: 35:40

He looked ridiculously fast this past week either him or Zay flowers.

Speaker 2: 35:45

Ah, there you go. That'd be a good one, very good. And then what was the last one I forgot? What have I already hit? Did you say a beater? Yet A beater. Okay, so the beater is definitely gonna be Ray Lewis yeah so you gotta, it's gonna be Ray Lewis or Rowe Kwan Smith.

Speaker 1: 35:59

So I don't imagine Harry Potter scoring Too many points if Ray Lewis is hitting him.

Speaker 2: 36:05

I like it. No, he's not coming back in the game, yeah.

Speaker 1: 36:08

I like it, I like All right. So I mentioned this earlier, but I'd like to hear more detail now. Mm-hmm, was Tom Brady and or Bill Belichick your Voldemort?

Speaker 2: 36:21

Yes, tom Brady was my Voldemort, because I mean, yeah, we hated the Steelers and we hated and hated Ben Ralfersberger and Heinz Ward and all those guys, but Tom Brady was the one dude who kept us from the glory land. Yeah from getting to the Super Bowl and because every year we get, you know, we get past the first round Pretty easily and then like, like the second and third round. It was like Tom. Brady's waiting for you, with Wes Welker and Gronk and all his guys. Yeah, it was impossible to beat him Impossible.

Speaker 1: 36:56

I bet so many teams feel that way, but of course you guys, being so good at that time, mm-hmm, it was frustrating.

Speaker 2: 37:01

Had to deal with it, more so than any frustrating because we were good for so long, but then Tom Brady just stuck around for so long yeah, he like just go relevant like go away oh please now are you picturing Tom Brady without a nose.

Speaker 1: 37:15

Huh, what? All right, last one, let's pretend you are the new Harry Potter. Mm-hmm and you need to hunt down some Horcrux. Pick two best friends who just happen to be former Ravens players or current Raven players. Who are you hunting Horcrux's with, and why?

Speaker 2: 37:38

Mm-hmm, one would be Roquan Smith, okay, cuz he literally said that he used to hunt hogs with his hands, like he would, I believe it. He would jump on top of a hog and Choke it out pretty much, and that's how he would hunt for hog. That guy's ridiculous. It's crazy. Yeah, him, and I would probably, probably, probably probably, lamar. Yeah, I have one fast guy, you know oh, true speed becoming Andy.

Speaker 1: 38:12

Have one fast dude.

Speaker 2: 38:12

I like it.

Speaker 1: 38:13

That's a good trio. I think you guys will save the world. Yeah, we definitely. Good, it's save hog words very good. So to finish it up, you want to give me a prediction for the Ravens this year. No this whole year had like a record and how far they're going okay.

Speaker 2: 38:30

Well, right now we are 7-3. So I, we got 17 games. Now, right, and we got 17.

Speaker 1: 38:38

Yep.

Speaker 2: 38:38

Yeah, so I think we finish. Our schedule here on out is fairly tough, like after our bi-week. We get the Jags, niners, dolphins and then Steelers again oh dang to end the season. So I think we lose a couple of those. I think we're gonna be 11, 11 and 6, maybe like 12 and 5. I think we still win our division. I think we get you don't get the first round by. Chiefs will get the first round by, as they always do.

Speaker 2: 39:06

Yes it'll click eventually and they'll just figure it out all of a sudden. But I think we get past the second round and then we're gonna have to play the chiefs, and I Mean we beat them before we can do it again. So it just I think we get to the AOC championship and lose this year. I know it sucks, but like I don't think we're ready for Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs quite yet.

Speaker 1: 39:29

I think that would be such a good matchup because the chiefs don't have the weapons they used to, but he still does it.

Speaker 2: 39:37

I know he still does it, but like.

Speaker 1: 39:39

If you ask me right now to take the chiefs wide receivers or Baltimore's wide receivers, I would take Baltimore's, but it's just Mahomes, it's Mahomes, it's just, it's just, but you never know, like Lamar is not that far off. No, he's not.

Speaker 2: 39:53

So if he, has one of his days. I wish I wish we played the chiefs every year In the regular season to kind of see where we stack up, because I hate not knowing what we're gonna look like and then it all comes down to the playoff and then get there and we got to like, oh yeah, now we got the chiefs.

Speaker 1: 40:12

Well, I like it. You're, I think. I think you're being a bit cautious, but that's okay that way.

Speaker 2: 40:17

I mean, I'm not gonna say Super Bowl and then, yeah, have everybody dance all over my grave and we will now I know you would. Yeah, all of Jacksonville.

Speaker 1: 40:28

No, I won't hold you to it, but I think, even if you don't want to say it, I think that's what you believe, that's what I believe.

Speaker 2: 40:33

Yeah, I think we're ready. I just we need the consistency and we need the second half, defense and the second half scoring. I love it. Can't lose 10 point lead in fourth quarter three times in one season. Yeah, let's not do that Just can't do it. Yeah, exactly, just can't.

Speaker 1: 40:48

Well, cool man.

Speaker 2: 40:49

I think we did it awesome. I appreciate you having me on, brian. I appreciate you reaching out. This is awesome.

Speaker 1: 40:53

It's fun to catch up and we'll, like I said, we'll do it again. Yeah, come play off time.

Speaker 2: 40:58

Well, actually December 17th, the Ravens are coming here to play the Jags. Oh, okay, so if you want to have Eric on, talk some trash, I'm definitely down.

Speaker 1: 41:07

Okay, that sounds awesome. All right, man. Thanks, Tyler.