Worst offseason ever

[Corvus_corax]

This is the worst close season ever.

When I heard the news today about Ed signing for the Texans it just felt like the last straw for me. It was like that punch in the guts that just knocks the wind out of you and leaves you slouched in the corner.

If someone had asked me 3 months ago who my 3 favourite Ravens players were, my answer would have been as follows................

1. Ray Lewis
2. Ed Reed




3. Bernard Pollard


BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! They're all gone. And it hurts. Yeah yeah I get all the "It's just a business" "Ed's 35 and wasn't worth the money anymore" "In Ozzie we trust" and "We have to cut players to stay under the cap" stuff. That's all fine and dandy. But frankly I just don't care about any of that right now. All I care about is that the players I got the most joy out of watching have all left the building and they ain't coming back.

I knew Ray was going and that was never going to be easy for me. The man is a legend and one of the reasons I became a Ravens fan. I tried to prepare myself mentally for it but somehow it is still hard to believe that I'll never see him in a Ravens jersey again.

Seeing Ed in a Texans cap is just tough to watch too. There was never going to be a good time to see him go but to see him leave only a few weeks after Ray retiring just makes that much harder to take.

The departure of Bernard Pollard was something I just didn't see coming and it has blindsided me a bit. Pollard epitomised the slogan 'Play like a Raven' and I will miss watching him. Although his departure doesn't bother me as much as seeing Ray and Ed go.

I feel like someone has hollowed me out inside. The bright lights and the glory of the Superbowl seem 100 years ago. The events of the last few weeks have really taken some of the shine off of it for me. I know there is still the draft to look forward to, I know we might get Dumervil, yadda yadda yadda but boy this really does suck.

No doubt as we get closer to the new season I will start to feel more upbeat again and begin looking towards the future but right now I feel pretty darn fed up. Sorry for the doom and gloom guys but seeing all 3 of my favourite players leave the team in quick succession has just really thrown me for a loop and I needed to vent.


Cc

[SecretAgentMan]

Oh no. Another vent thread

BRACE YOURSELVES! THEY ARE COMING

[A Fish Called Yanda]

I don't understand the title of this thread.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364013850' post='1411734']
I don't understand the title of this thread.
[/quote]

Lol.

[raybaby]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364013850' post='1411734']
I don't understand the title of this thread.
[/quote]

I think he means offseason

[Corvus_corax]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364013850' post='1411734']
I don't understand the title of this thread.
[/quote]

The close season part? Close season = off season. Sorry, it's probably a UK phrase that. We use it when we talk about the off season in football(soccer). lol

[A Fish Called Yanda]

[quote name='raybaby' timestamp='1364013993' post='1411736']
I think he means offseason
[/quote]

Yeah, I think so too.

But do you think, when reading the title, you say close as in "let me close the door", or close as in "boy, that was close"?

I can't quite decide.

[Purple Nurple]

This has to happen from time to time. It sucks, but that's the way it goes. Be thankful we were able to keep Ray and Ed together for so damn long. It was awesome!!!

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364014175' post='1411739']


Yeah, I think so too.

But do you think, when reading the title, you say close as in "let me close the door", or close as in "boy, that was close"?

I can't quite decide.
[/quote]

Close the door.

EDIT : wrong.

EDIT II : right. Corvus edited his answer, lol.

[melvinmelon123]

It's tough to watch the players this franchise was built on walk away, but time waits for no man. The morning always comes again, so don't get too down.

[Corvus_corax]

[quote name='terpsnation' timestamp='1364014175' post='1411739']
Yeah, I think so too.

But do you think, when reading the title, you say close as in "let me close the door", or close as in "boy, that was close"?

I can't quite decide.
[/quote]

It's close as in "Close the door!". lol

[A Fish Called Yanda]

Learn something new every day.

[Corvus_corax]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1364014202' post='1411740']
This has to happen from time to time. It sucks, but that's the way it goes. Be thankful we were able to keep Ray and Ed together for so damn long. It was awesome!!!
[/quote]

Yeah I am grateful for that. I feel lucky that we had those guys on our team and it was a real privilege to watch them play. Those 2 guys just epitomised the Ravens team and what it is to be a Raven. It's going to be very strange watching the Ravens next year with neither of those guys being there.

[MassRavens]

You know, although it may suck when iconic players leave, I'm a Ravens fan first and fan of the players second. As long as the team is doing well I don't really care who plays what position. Starting to pay close attention since 07, I support Rice and Joe but if the our front office, the best front office in NFL, thinks they've got to go, then they have to go. Root for the Ravens, cheer for the players.

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='Corvus_corax' timestamp='1364014630' post='1411748']


Yeah I am grateful for that. I feel lucky that we had those guys on our team and it was a real privilege to watch them play. Those 2 guys just epitomised the Ravens team and what it is to be a Raven. It's going to be very strange watching the Ravens next year with neither of those guys being there.
[/quote]

Yes it is. Exciting as well. It's a new age for this team.

[raybaby]

I think fans have every right to be sad. It's the end of an era. An era that I can say confidently will never be matched in its greatness. I've been sad all day since I saw Ed in the Texans hat. Even though I prepared for this day it hit me really hard. I feel quite irrational at how attached I am to someone Ive never met lol. The fans that dont understand the moves and thinks we'll suck for years to come are the ones that make you shake your head.

[Corvus_corax]

[quote name='raybaby' timestamp='1364015029' post='1411753']
I think fans have every right to be sad. It's the end of an era. An extremely great and one of a kind era at that. I've been sad all day since I saw Ed in the Texans hat. Even though I prepared for this day it hit me really hard.[b] I feel quite irrational at how attached I am to someone Ive never met lol.[/b] The fans that dont understand the moves and thinks we'll suck for years to come are the ones that make you shake your head.
[/quote]

Crazy ain't it? I guess that's one of the great things about sport though, it can make you feel that way.

[DMH_in_WA]

Honestly, all I have right now to go on is faith. Faith in Ozzie. There's a lot of talk about what we can do or will do, but as usual the Ravens are slow and methodical ... nothing seems to actually be happening (as per usual). What I hold on to is that this is nothing new. July 27, 2011 ..... I remember that day well.

Ravens announced they were releasing Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Kelly Gregg and Willis McGahee. They also lost/released Donte Stallworth, Chris Chester, Josh Wilson, Dawan Landry, Le'Ron McClain and Jared Gaither that off-season.

I remember my feelings then, but I also remember Ozzie and the FO did what they said they were going to do and we ended up 12-4 in the 2011 season and going to the AFC CG (I still want to push you down stairs, Lee Evans). Then 2012 hits and we know the rest.

So now I sit here and wait for Ozzie's plan to come into focus and mature. Trying to figure out what he's planning is like trying to figure out what Batman is doing ... it's not for us lesser mortals to understand.

[redrum52]

Maybe part of the reason foe the cuts as well is so the players don't get complacent and stay hungry during the off/close season. The goal wasn't one ring when Harbaugh got here... It was a dynasty. Hate to see Reed go but I'm happy he was at least sent off in style.

[NorthernCaliforniaRaven]

I'd have hated to share a foxhole with you. Oh, by-the-way, where you when the Ravens lost to the Broncos in the regular season?

The sky has fallen, the sky has fallen.......

A new dawn has risen.

Look at as a challenge. Develop new players to focus on. We have plenty of talented players to choose from.

Go Ravens

[Corvus_corax]

[quote name='NorthernCaliforniaRaven' timestamp='1364017292' post='1411771']
Oh, by-the-way, where you when the Ravens lost to the Broncos in the regular season?
[/quote]

Er........I was doing the same thing you were probably doing.............watching the game.

What exactly does that have to do with anything anyway?

[SuRihtanil]

You can call me crazy but I've been a Ravens fan for a good 8-9 seasons now. I welcome this years change I think it was time for a new look. I would like to see the Ravens go young, like 20s young on defense and offense. Id like to see some new guys get a shot. I don't want to sign Huff or any other 7 year Vet to start that is a so-so player. I want to bring in some young guys out of the draft and see what they can do on the field or let our young guys we have now step up, the ones who are ready.

[SuRihtanil]

You can call me crazy but I've been a Ravens fan for a good 8-9 seasons now. I welcome this years change I think it was time for a new look. I would like to see the Ravens go young, like 20s young on defense and offense. Id like to see some new guys get a shot. I don't want to sign Huff or any other 7 year Vet to start that is a so-so player. I want to bring in some young guys out of the draft and see what they can do on the field or let our young guys we have now step up, the ones who are ready.

[Medications]

The players don't care about you in the end so you really shouldn't invest any emotional attachment into them either. Root for the team itself and what it represents and the pawn pieces that comprise it at any given time, but the pawns are interchangeable and do in any given year.

[K-Dog]

I always just assumed Ray and Ed would go out together, so I was well prepared for that.
No biggie.
Boldin and Pollard, those descsions did disappoint me.

[arnie_uk]

Being for the uk I've never heard this before in my life

[757RavensFan]

Someone said it best on talk radio yesterday, "I love the players, but I love the team more". That about sums it up!!

[Tank 92]

It's always sad to lose players(well maybe not CW!) but that is now the way of the game.

Worst off season? I tend to think that this may end up being the best off season in the history of the franchise.The Ravens just won the SB for God's sake! We've locked up our franchise QB for a number of years, who is the all time best Raven QB. We've assembled a D line that could possibly be the best since 2000. We have some good young players that now have a chance to step up. We have 12, count em, 12 draft picks and more comp picks next year. etc., etc..

Be positive and enjoy our reign as World Champions! And look to next season with the hope that we make history and repeat. The odds are much higher than most seem to think.

[jimmypowder]

Why is this the worst offseason when Ozzy is breaking up a defense that allowed so many points and yards it was an embarrassment ?

How many points did they give up in the Super Bowl? Yeah 31 to 2nd year rookie . This would
have never happened with our previous defenses .

[Medications]

[quote name='jimmypowder' timestamp='1364042987' post='1411896']
Yeah 31 to [b] 2nd year rookie [/b]
[/quote]

Does not compute