The Starting Five

(Mel Evans/AP)

Jeremy Maclin returns at a time when the Eagles need him most.

Week 4 in the NFL carries the first bye week of the season as the Steelers and Colts take an early breather. Some of the games of note this week feature the Jets hosting the Niners, the Vikings at 2-1 take on the 1-2 Lions. Sunday’s later games include the Redskins against the Buccaneers, the Packers welcome in the Saints to Lambeau Field and the Giants and Eagles renew their rivalry in South Philly.

Monday night the Cowboys meet the Bears.

Read more »

(Getty Images)

Flop Star Paul Pierce will have to play some D this season.

It looks like the days of flopping in the NBA are numbered. The NBA competition committee is in the process of finalizing procedures that will penalize players who are observed trying to fake out NBA officials.

Off in the distance, Bill Laimbeer weeps.

Read more »

(Associated Press)

Cary Williams’ pick six put the game away for the Ravens.

The return of NFL officials drew a standing ovation from the crowd of over 70,000 at M&T Stadium last night. Players like Ray Lewis went out of their way to greet the officials prior to the game.

The Ravens broke open a 16-10 contest when cornerback Cary Williams returned a Brandon Weeden pass 63 yards for a score at the end of the third quarter to give the Ravens a 23-10 lead. The Browns cut the lead to seven, but quarterback Brandon Weeden was unable to find anyone in the end zone late sealing the win for the home team.

Read more »

(Getty Images)

Trent Richardson has to go above and beyond for the Browns to have a chance tonight.

The Baltimore Ravens opened up the 2012 season against the Bengals, Patriots and Eagles. Ray Lewis and Co. are a questionable call in Philly from being 3-0. They’re also a reviewable call from possibly being 1-2.

Tonight the Ravens have the Browns coming into M&T Stadium on a night where the regular officials will make their season debut.

Before the Ravens can mark this one as a win they must control Trent Richardson.

Read more »

(Photo: Baltimore Sun)

Power with a great glove hand to match.

This baseball season will be remembered for a lot of things. The Stephen Strasburg imbroglio about when he should be shut down. What damage shutting him down would do to the Zombie Expos’ playoff hopes and if he should have been shut down at all. It will also be remembered for playoff races fraught with drama, Miguel Cabrera snatching the greatest hitter alive title from Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter leading the league in hits at the age of 38, and Josh Hamilton being the most intriguing free-agent pickup in my living memory.

But when I look back on the 2012 MLB season, I think of something else entirely. I think of ascendance. Not just Mike Trout and Bryce Harper already becoming the faces of their respective franchises at scarily young ages. Not even the A’s and Orioles who ascended to heights that no one expected them to.

I also think of the players known as young guys with potential who became franchise cornerstones. Andre Ethier was this way. Robinson Cano has become this, even as he is surrounded by quite a few stars. And Andrew McCutchen is putting his name in the hat as the guy who can restore the old glory to the Pirates. BJ Upton is becoming that for the Rays, and going forward for whatever team he signs with in the off season.

The player I’m thinking of right now has done more to make the proverbial leap from future star to star. The player I’m thinking about has revived a moribund franchise. Reminding his city that people actually still play baseball, and in a normal year would be an AL MVP candidate. The player I’m talking about is Adam Jones.

Read more »

(Getty Images)

It’s all good!

The NFL owners and officials have reached an agreement just in time for tonight’s contest between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns.

Monday night’s debacle proved to be the determining factor in the negotiation process. A little push from the President of the United States didn’t hurt either.

Read more »

(Michael Layton/Getty Images)

Will McNabb speak favorably of former head coach Andy Reid?

Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb will make his debut as a media personality on Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia today. McNabb will serve as a football analyst every Thursday for the remainder of the NFL season.

Joining a local sports program didn’t seem like an ideal fit for McNabb since he’s doing part-time work with the NFL Network. How ironic is it that some of McNabb’s new colleagues were the same people calling for his job his last handful of years in Philly.

An even greater irony is McNabb’s presence in the Philadelphia media could be a decisive element in the future of Andy Reid.

Read more »

(Derick Hingle/US Presswire)

With a new deal in the works these replacement officials have dropped the ball for the last time.

According to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, the NFL owners and officials have a deal in principle that would have the locked out referees possibly returning to work as early as this weekend.

Read more »

(Nick Wass/AP)

If the recent playcalling for RG3 continues, you can count on his career being shortened.

Robert Griffin III has taken a beating three weeks into his highly anticipated rookie season.

Two weeks ago against the St. Louis Rams Griffin claimed that the Rams took shots at him after the play. Last week against the Cincinnati Bengals the pounding continued. Griffin was sacked six times and by his own recollection cannot remember the number of times he was hit. 

The question that needs to be asked is why are multi-talented quarterbacks like Griffin are being asked to run when his arm is just as effective?

Read more »

(Associated Press)

The signals of the officials at the end of the play tell the story.

It was going to happen at some point if things didn’t change.

A great game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks was marred by replacement officials once again stealing the headlines in the worst of scenarios.

Read more »

(AP)

This is a talent looking to regain greatness…

I’ll take the Mike McCarthy approach and not discuss the replacement officials or last night’s game. A great defensive effort by both teams was eclipsed by one of the great blown calls in recent memory. More on that in the Tip-Off.

Instead we’ll check in on Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals and more.

Read more »

(Associated Press)

The loss of Darrelle Revis leaves a gaping hole in the Jets defense.

The worst fears of the New York Jets were confirmed today when All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis was declared out for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Read more »

(Getty Images)

What has Roger Goodell done to protect the integrity of the NFL?

He has ongoing issues with player safety, survived a recent lockout, and is trying to close the book on the Saints bounty scandal. Now with an official’s work stoppage on his watch NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has fumbled the snap. He may oversee the most popular professional sport in the United States but he’s far from the best commissioner.

Read more »

(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The game was probably just a blur for Torrey Smith who played in the wake of his brother’s passing

Early Sunday morning Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith learned that his younger brother Tevin Jones, 19 lost his life in a motorcycle accident. After talking things over with his mother and other siblings Smith decided to play.

We’re all glad he did.

With little sleep and the weight of the world on his mind, Smith had six receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens edged the New England Patriots 31-30.

Read more »

(Getty Images)

A stunned Stan Koch is still waiting for Billy Cundiff’s kick to split the uprights…

Gone are Lee Evans and Billy Cundiff — the culprits responsible for the Ravens loss in last year’s AFC Championship Game. This week’s rematch catches both teams coming of tough losses.  Both teams were in physical contests last week –I’m curious to see which team is able to take control of the game.

Other games of note: the undefeated Eagles and Cardinals meet in the desert, the Chargers host the Falcons and the Texans take on the Broncos.

Read more »