High possibility Ray Lewis throws opening day first pitch for O's

**Purpleguy** · 04-06-2013, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by TTRaven

A 1pm game would have been impossible. Both the Orioles and White Sox play night games on the road on September 4th.

I've bashed the Orioles for all their fuck ups(there have been many), but this situation was not their fault. There were 2 other parties involved(White Sox, MLB). I'll admit they probably could have tried harder to come up with a solution, but in the end this falls on the NFL. They tried to bully MLB and it blew up in Goodell's face.

Why is a 1PM game impossible? They are playing in Cleveland and New York the night before. It isn't exactly Hong Kong. Are you unable to work the next morning (late morning) when you get home after 11PM? I also don't see how the NFL strong armed anyone. They asked a favor and probably even offered financial renumeration. I guess Pete is just bitter because he's never won anything.

**Purpleguy** · 04-06-2013, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by TTRaven

11:30 pm? An average baseball game last 3-3 1/2 hours. The game is ending anywhere between 10-10:30pm. You then have at least an hour of post game interviews and players getting dressed and on the buses. Those buses aren't pulling out of the stadium until around 11:30pm. Then you add on the 1 hour flight for both teams. The absolute earliest they're landing at BWI is 12:30am. And that's if it's an average game. You could have extra innings, a high scoring game, or weather delay adding another 30+ minutes onto the game.

Skip the post game interviews. Try and get those games moved up to an afternoon start. Play a damn double header on Saturday or Sunday like you may end up doing anyway if it rains. They offered nothing but a 4:05 start, which obviously doesn't work considering they share a parking lot.

**TTRaven** · 04-06-2013, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

Skip the post game interviews. Try and get those games moved up to an afternoon start. Play a damn double header on Saturday or Sunday like you may end up doing anyway if it rains. They offered nothing but a 4:05 start, which obviously doesn't work considering they share a parking lot.

I think they're obligated to do post game interviews.

**alien bird** · 04-06-2013, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

We can debate the fact that they should have moved the game to Wednesday until we are blue in the face, but it wasn't going to happen.

And we can also debate the fact that they should have moved the game to 1:05, but that wasn't going to happen, either. So there you go.

The bottom line is that the NFL had an opportunity months ago to inform the MLB schedulers of potential conflicts, and the Ravens weren't even on their radar. So the NFL pulled the religious card, then tried to stare down MLB to cover their own asses and when that didn't work they shifted the blame to someone other than themselves. And you bought it.

**Purpleguy** · 04-06-2013, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

And we can also debate the fact that they should have moved the game to 1:05, but that wasn't going to happen, either. So there you go.

The bottom line is that the NFL had an opportunity months ago to inform the MLB schedulers of potential conflicts, and the Ravens weren't even on their radar. So the NFL pulled the religious card, then tried to stare down MLB to cover their own asses and when that didn't work they shifted the blame to someone other than themselves. And you bought it.

Sorry, I'll side with one of the best organizations in one of the most profitable sports leagues in the world over an ambulance chaser that has had one winning season in 15 years, fired the manager of the year after going wire to wire, over-ruled one of the greatest GMs in the game, and fired the best radio announcer in the game. The man obviously knows nothing about civic pride and pleasing a fan base. The fact is that the Orioles were as stubborn as could be when they were asked a favor. You can't deny that. That's why they got a ball on a mound yesterday guised as some half-assed tribute to a great manager that Angelos probably would have fired anyway instead of a World Champion, which the Orioles were obviously hinting at with their aura of surprise and excitement about who was going to throw out the first pitch.

**OhThePossibilities** · 04-06-2013, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

And we can also debate the fact that they should have moved the game to 1:05, but that wasn't going to happen, either. So there you go.

The bottom line is that the NFL had an opportunity months ago to inform the MLB schedulers of potential conflicts, and the Ravens weren't even on their radar. So the NFL pulled the religious card, then tried to stare down MLB to cover their own asses and when that didn't work they shifted the blame to someone other than themselves. And you bought it.

It's not worth the argument. Anyone looking to blame the O's on this is probably looking for a reason to blame the O's for anything and they're not gonna have a change of heart no matter what.

**OriAl** · 04-06-2013, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

maybe, but I thought when all was said and done, there really was no workable solution for MLB to move the game and still hold the opener on Thursday. The only workable solution I heard would've been holding it on Wednesday night, when the O's have a currently scheduled road game, but that'd violate the "Game can not be played on Rosh Hashanah" principal set forth by the NFL before the whole thing came down

(No offense to any Jewish posters out there...I simply point that out because I don't buy that the NFL was really concerned about Rosh Hashanah, but instead concerned about a Wednesday Night Football game over a Thursday Night Football game and the money they'd lose. The NFL played on Rosh Hashanah this past year.)

Wednesday night was the only workable solution, but, as you say, the NFL (the same NFL that didn't deem the Ravens to be a potential Super Bowl winner, and ask MLB's schedulemaker to leave that Thursday night open for the Orioles via road game or open day) didn't want potential lower ratings from a Wednesday game. Instead, Goodell managed to get some Ravens fans pissed off at the Orioles for not wanting to screw up their pitching rotation and increase their chance at a loss by scheduling a day-night doubleheader on Saturday (most doubleheaders are split, in part because some starting players only play one game, weakening the offense) in the middle of a pennant race in which they fully expect to be involved.) Of course, the Orioles could not have made such a game move unilaterally, and I'm sure the White Sox, who also expect to be contending in September, would have been happy to mess up their rotation for the Ravens.

The situation was and is 100% the fault of the NFL.

**OriAl** · 04-06-2013, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by middleriverterp

Playing devil's advocate, what if Ravens management asked their players not to participate. What if the Ravens are still butt hurt about not being able to strongarm the O's into changing there schedule to support opening night in September.

Then someone in the organization is a lot more immature and lacking in knowledge of the ins and outs of the situation than he should be.

**OriAl** · 04-06-2013, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by downside52

Still, if the Orioles had done the right thing for the city and moved ONE game up a few hours to allow for the their world champion neighbors to bring in the new season the way they deserve then I am sure the Ravens would have been able to produce some players.

And yes, I've heard the sob stories about how hard it would be to travel and then play baseball at 1pm.

THEY CAN'T MOVE A GAME UP MORE THAN A FEW HOURS WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE OPPONENT AND THE MLB PLAYERS UNION!!!! They did offer to move it up to 4:05, and the City (not Angelos) said no.

**OriAl** · 04-06-2013, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

This. The fact that Bisciotti said that he was sure something could be worked out before the negotiations, and then nothing was worked out, would lead me to believe that he is rightfully pissed off. Nevermind all of the PR BS. I'm sure if the O's could have somehow managed to play a freaking baseball game a mere 13 hours after landing at the local airport you would have had any player or coach the Orioles wanted there along with the Lombardi Trophy. I think after the Pats won the Superbowl in 2002 the whole team showed up and was on the field at Fenway.

You know somehow that neither the Orioles nor White Sox night games on Sept. 4 will be rain delayed or go into extra innings?

**Purpleguy** · 04-06-2013, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by OriAl

THEY CAN'T MOVE A GAME UP MORE THAN A FEW HOURS WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE OPPONENT AND THE MLB PLAYERS UNION!!!! They did offer to move it up to 4:05, and the City (not Angelos) said no.

They didn't even ask the White Sox or the Players Union because they weren't willing to agree to it themselves!

The Orioles had no obligation to change their schedule. I agree with that, but would it have been the nice and probably right thing to do? I certainly think so. I just hope it pours.

**alien bird** · 04-06-2013, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

The Orioles had no obligation to change their schedule. I agree with that, but would it have been the nice and probably right thing to do? I certainly think so. I just hope it pours.

Well, if it pours on Camden Yards, it would be pouring on M&T Bank Stadium, too. Tailgating, standing and cheering in the pouring rain on a school night? Not exactly ideal for a Super Bowl celebration.