^THIS!
Joe wants to get paid (and will get paid), but if he can structure it in a way that helps keep Boldin for a couple more years, one has to think he'll be somewhat flexible.:alien:
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All well and good but stats don't decide who gets in the RoH ....
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/...-of-honor.html
I'd say he meets the criteria to a T.
Also, I think the Ravens will count Boldin's career stats, not just his stats for the Ravens....
Q is one of the guys that I was most happy for. I hope we can retain him without hurting ourselves too much.
Question: Do you count Mason as RoH worthy?
To me, I do. And yes, I would put Boldin in the RoH, but I think it'd be weird to keep Mason out (for reasons like he was on the Titans longer than Ravens, didn't win a SB, etc) while putting in a receiver who didn't do as much as him.
Then again, I still think Ed Mulitalo belongs in the RoH, simply because of how awesome he was off the field.
Mason? No. His antics, leading up to and including his assault on Joe in Carolina, preclude him IMO. Too much of a "me" guy for my taste.
Boldin? Yes. The consummate teammate whose charitable work is something every player should strive for.
To play Devil's Advocate, what about Jamal?
Jamal is our franchise leader in rushing, and was a huge part of our SB 35 squad...but his last few years here were rough, I recall him getting pouty and when he went to Cleveland, held onto a bit of animosity. He let it go after he was done there, but again...He would seem to me to fit the same flaws that Mason had, but he is in the RoH.
You may be right. I always took Mason's outbursts like that for just game passion, but you don't see any of that from Boldin. Couple more years of Boldin being productive with Joe and I think Boldin's case does surpass Mason's. If Boldin retired today, I think it'd be borderline.
Well at times he does light people up, and appears stronger than DEs
E.g. at 3:40 in this clip.
Would love to see him for another season.
Fair enough, but I still think we see Mason in the Ring of Honor in a few years. We're going to have a slight bit of backlog with Heap, Ray, and possibly OJ Brigance, but I could see a Jamal case happening with Mason (Jamal retired a few years ago, but we inducted him this year when we didn't have any more obvious candidates "ready")
I agree he is a tough case, and I think if Boldin's numbers get closer, the ring and his attitude and toughness put him in better position.
Off topic a bit...but do you think Heap goes in this year, or Ray? It would hands down be Ray, but if the statue for him isn't happening this year, I could see them waiting until 2014 and doing it all in one fell swoop.
Stover most definitely. He was MR. RAVEN for gosh sakes. Seriously, the ring on Stover's finger was probably a distant 4th or 5th on the reasons why he was inducted.
McCrary, you have a stronger case on. He was 2nd in career sacks to Boulware at the time he retired...but I always thought a big reason for him getting in was the way he destroyed his body in 2001 and 2002 to try to keep it going for the Ravens. That guy knew his knees were getting ruined, but kept plugging away anyway.