No, the purpose of this thread is to call out the idiocy of the Baltimore Ravens.
The meltdown started with the Pats around the 50 yard line. After a long reception by Ben Watson, the Ravens shut the Patriots down on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down. On a crucial 4th and 1 the Ravens poured into the backfield and stopped the Pats from converting, essentially ending the game, but the play had to be repeated because defensive coordinator Rex Ryan got cold feet and called the timeout miliseconds before the snap. The Pats ended up getting the first down and continued marching down the field. Then on 3rd down, defensive back Samari Rolle tackled Pats receiver Randy Moss away from the play. Penalty, 1st down. Again, the Ravens made a stand and put the Patriots in a 4th down situation. Brady throws to the end zone, no catch, game over. But wait, we have a penalty. Replay clearly showed a hold against the intended receiver. 1st down and goal from the 8. Two plays later, Brady finds Jabar Gaffney in the back of the end zone for the go ahead touch down.
But wait, there's more.
The game IS NOT over. About 40 seconds remained on the clock, the Ravens still had a timeout, and they were only down three points. A decent return and a couple of big plays and the Ravens can kick a field goal to send the game to overtime. It's not likely but it's possible. The only problem is, Ravens linebacker Bart Scott absolutely loses it in the endzone following the touchdown. Not only is he called for unsportsmanlike conduct for barrating the official who threw the previous (well deserved) flag. To add stupidity to uncontrolled emotion, Scott then picked up the flag and chucked it into the stands. Add another penalty. To make himself look even more like a jackass, he then goes into the whole "hold me back or I'm going to kill this guy" routine perfected by NBA players and had to be restrained by teammates. After an offside penalty on the extra point attempt by Ed Reed, the Pats kicked off from the Baltimore 35. Just to give a little perspective on that, the ball would have normally been kicked from the Patriot 30. 35 yards in penalties were assessed because the THUGS that play defense for Baltimore couldn't keep their composure. The Patriots booted the ball into the stands thereby negating any return the Ravens might have had and essentially ending the game. To make it worse, on the final play of the game, Ravens QB Kyle Boller threw a BOMB that was caught at the 2 yard line and was almost taken into the end zone. Obviously things might have changed had the Pats been in the end zone instead of outside the goal line, but an extra 5 or 10 yards on a return might have made a big difference.
After the game I got exactly what I expected from the Ravens: pissing and moaning about the refs. Dozens of quotes about how the NFL wants the Patriots to go undefeated and how they were screwed out of their win. Samari Rolle complaining about how the ref called him a "boy" and how that disrespect led to Scott's indefensible outburst. (It should be noted that the connotations surrounding the word "boy" for a black man are not lost on this writer. The ref in question, however, is black. Nuff said.) Rolle went on to say that he is "a man with a wife and three kids...I ain't no boy." Another player commented that the ref in question didn't know anything about football because he'd never played, an argument that hasn't ever held a drop of water. (It should be noted that the ref in question spent 6 years in the NFL. Nuff said.) Complaint after complaint emmenated from Baltimore today and I'm sure will continue to be heard for the next week as the NFL decides who to fine.
Here's the rub, though. No matter how bad the refs are, no matter how badly you think you're getting screwed over, you HAVE to keep your composure. After the game you can say whatever you want. You can call over every camera in the room, cuss a blue stream, talk about the unjustices of the league, and rip your clothes in protest. You are free to do that, as long as you accept the fine that is sure to come. But DURING the game, especially a game of this magnitude, ESPECIALLY down the stretch, you just can't go throwing the officials flag into the stands and threatening to go Hannibal Lecter on the man's face. Disrespect or not, shut your hole and play the game until the last second ticks off.
Two more quick points on this, because I'm disgusted at the lack of composure the Ravens displayed. First of all, to get so ticked off about a ref calling you "boy" is pretty hypocritical. The Ravens, as noted above, are thugs and they talk and talk and talk the entire game, every game, and this one was no exception. What kind of trash do you think Rolle was yelling at Randy Moss throughout the game? "I intend to keep you from catching passes tonight, though I respect your ability and find you to be a very talented and entertaining opponent." Somehow I doubt that was what Rolle was saying. You can bet that he dropped any derrogatory term he could think of, including the n-bomb, words that make "boy" sound respectful. Second, if you morons want to blame someone for this loss (because obviously it couldn't be your own fault for letting the Pats drive 80 yards in 3 minutes), look no further than your coach. If Ryan would have kept his mouth shut and trusted his veteran and star filled defense to make a stand, all of this would have been a moot point. The Ravens could have essentially run the clock to zero and sent the Pats packing with their first loss of the year. It was a stupid decision by the coach and it had a huge impact on the game. If you really have to complain about someone, Ryan is the obvious choice.
I'm no Patriots fan. Brady is my fantasy QB and I want to see him put up stats but I could really care less if they win or not. All I ever hope for on Monday Night is a good game. But the classless display that the Ravens put on last night only served to reinforce the feeling of disdain I have for the Ravens, who more than any other team in the league, exemplify the thug lifestyle that has overtaken the NFL and the NBA. And sadly, these actions ruined what was about a thrilling a Monday night game as I have seen in some time.
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