It is here… an annual right of Spring, It  is the Triple Crown season!

As I have stated in previous blogs, I love horse racing. I love the tradition, I love the sound, I love the excitement of the stretch run. Plain and simple: I love the events. It is the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont…It is mint juleps and black eyed susans.

I love watching it… As a sports broadcasting aficionado I think it is perhaps the hardest sport to call, and right now with Tom Durkin and Dave Johnson. we are in an era of great horse racing broadcasting..

Bottom line: it truly is the sport of kings….

I am not an expert on the sport, but I do have a working knowledge….

So naturally I am excited for the Run for the Roses… Derby number 134…. I haven’t picked my pony yet… but I have done well in Derby’s past.

No doubt,  it is an event I will one day attend.  In fact it is an event that one day I must attend….

I am working some Preakness week events for ESPN Radio 1300…. If I’m not working the actual race, however, I might return for one more year in the infield… I have not decided, I may be finished…. Still , those were some of the best days of my life. It is like nothing else on earth.

Thoughts on the Draft…

First,  about my day on Sunday…. My work assignment was a fascinating one, to say the least. I first went to Ray Lewis’s Full Moon BBQ, where the Lewis/ Lattimore family was watching the draft. Then I headed out to the Castle in Owings  Mills to wrap up our two day coverage of the draft.

At the restaurant, the upstairs was blocked off  just for the family, and I was the lone member of the media who was there.  I spent two hours there, and
the family was great to. And they certainly didn’t have to be. It was an intense period for everyone there.

Keon Lattimore, the brother of Ray Lewis ,was a senior running back last year at Maryland. He completed a very solid career in College Park… He also played high school ball at Mt. St. Joe.

Obviously, the family hoped that the Ravens would draft him and he would get a chance to play with his brother. That didn’t happen, as you know.

Of course,  there  was no guarantee for Keon. The media and fans witness all of the glory surrounding the NFL draft… the 1st two rounds are simply a game of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” But, for everyone else hoping to be drafterd, it is the most stressful two days of their lives. Everything that they have ever worked for is on the line: they  either will or will not realize their dreams in a mere 48 hours.

Keon and his family put on brave faces. He was told to be ready in the third round. I had to leave for Owings Mills at around the 5th round, and he had yet to be chosen. People were getting very nervous at that point… Family members were trying to keep the mood light by cracking jokes. And people were consoling Keon. But, he definitely had to be tough and he was… he took each selection in stride.

He kept repeating “all I want is my shot to prove I’m better than every other back in this draft.”  Fortunately, Keon was eventually signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Dallas Cowboys.

It was a tough day all around for the Terps. Erin Henderson left college early and was not drafted. He led the ACC in tackles and was 1st team ALL-ACC. His brother is a very good MLB in Minnesota. It was just very surprising. And… I also expected Haynos and some other Terps to be  selected.

As for the Ravens… we will see. No one really knows how these players are going to turn out. I do like a lot of their selections on paper… like Gooden…. come on…. a linebacker from the U who wore number 52 in College. And the safety from Notre Dame… friends of mine who were teammates with him in college love everything about him.

As for Flacco… Let’s just say I really hope it works out.

The Detroit Lions selected Safety Caleb Campbell from Army yesterday in the 7th round of the draft … and I couldn’t be happier!

First off, I am a Captain and a veteran of the Iraq war and currently still serving in the Army National Guard. I was formerly active duty, deployed back in 2005-2006 to Baghdad and have over nine years of total service to my Army and my country. This being said, I feel emotionally tied to this issue.

Officers in the Army come from all walks of life. West Point, ROTC, direct commission and OCS. Regardless of the source of their commission, some are good and some are poor. Some meet and exceed the standard and some barely get by and sometimes fail. From the outside perspective, Caleb Campbell looks like a pot of gold. He is saying all the right things, at the right times and in the right manner.

It’s about time that the Army and West Point have caught up with life. The Army might be the most institutionalized place in the world. People who have spent a better part of their careers in the military and in the Army are so engrained in the way of life they can’t understand how to adjust to change. They get angry when others within the Army want to do so. Socitey, life, the Army and war have all changed and been modernized and we must adapt to it.

Pat Tillman set the world on fire with what he did for his country (unfortunately it had a sour ending). Caleb Campbell can do the same. You many never hear someone say “I joined the Army because of Caleb.” But the overall perception of what the Army is about will change. I share Campbell’s view of everyone in the Army having their own individual mission. While I was in Iraq, I faced more danger than probably 75% of the soldiers there (I deployed with the Special Forces), does that mean I was more important to the fight than the Private who was the administrative assistant in the personnel department??? Absolutely not. We all have a different role in this fight, the main thing is to embrace the role, and exceed all the expections of your job description. That’s how we win this fight.

I myself, have had similar situation, on a lesser scale, like Campbell. I was a cheerleader in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens for eight years and now with my job at ESPN. Both have conflicted with my military obligations on several occasions. But being a good leader of soldiers is in part about flexibility, creative thinking, and alternate solutions to complex problems. Caleb Campbell appears to be an officer of that mold.

Lastly, I felt so proud when he was drafted. The camaraderie of soldiers is nothing you can find anywhere in this world. When he got selected, I felt like it was my brother being picked. He is me … and I am him. We are in this together as soldiers. I hope that he has a great NFL career. I hope he fulfills his obligation in anyway the Army wants him to. I hope he continues to spread the good word of what it means to choose to be an officer and a leader in the military. Most importantly, I hope the Army has dozens more like him … we need young leaders who can challenge the norm and excel.

I will be placing an order for a Caleb Campbell jersey as soon as I can. I will sew an American flag on it and wear it proudly each time Campbell plays.

1 Jake Long- Miami Dolphins…. He’ll probably get 5 years with 30  million guaranteed or something like that….

2. Chris Long-St Louis rams… Don’t be surprised if the Saints trade up to grab Dorsey.  I believe if the Rams stay here, then they will grab the other Long.

3. Glen Dorsey- Atlanta Falcons…  Was a tough choice between him and Ryan but i think Dorsey is more Valuable here.

4. Darren Mcfadden- Oakland Raiders- What a perfect fit and what a steal for the raiders .  Fills a huge need that this team has had for the past few years.

5. Vernon Ghoulston- Kansas City- After trading Jared Allen, this is the perfect pick for them.  If Chris Long is on the board, he could go here as well.

6.Matt Ryan-New York Jets…. This is a hunch, but i believe the jets may grab the QB of the future here.  Kellen Clemens isn’t good and Pennington is too injury prone.

7. Sedrick Ellis - New England….  This is a tough call to see who the pats would take, i believe they want to trade out, but i think they will take the best player on the board and i think Ellis is the guy here.

8. Leodis Mckelvin- Baltimore Ravens…..  This guy is outstanding… Some believe it might be a reach.  This kid can do it all, he even returns punts.  I think it would be an excellent pick.  I do believe that if Matt Ryan is there…..The Ravens will select him.

- First thing on my mind, is this weekend.  Its the NFL draft and there is no clear cut favorite for the top end of this draft.  There are needs for every team, and plenty of talent to fill those voids.  I’m excited and i think Matt Ryan is the wild card in this draft.  I do believe the ravens will draft Leodis Mckelvin of Troy.

-NBA Playoffs have been great.  Philly was a bit of a shocker in game one, but Detroit will bounce back and take that series.  I still believe the Mavs series and the Suns series will go 7 games.  The wizards, Rockets, Nuggets and Hawks have looked less than impressive.  If you are not watching…your missing out. Oh yeah Kobe’s performance was off the hook in game 2.

-Daniel Cabrera has been pitching well.  I feel like that troubled wife on the show cops, just waiting to be hit again.  Constantly flinching every-time her husband raises his hand.  I wont get my hopes up with D-Cab.  I don’t want to let my guard down just to be hit again.  Although you have to give credit  for these last few outings.  Keep it up.

- Shaun Alexander let go by the Seahawks.  Kind of shocking because he was the MVP of the league just 2 seasons ago.  There are talks of Chad Johnson, Jason Taylor, Lito Shepard, and Brian Urlacher trades.  The NFL is not just a “what have you done for me lately league?”  Its also “what are you worth to me now?” type of league.  Here are my thoughts.. Ocho Cinco and Over Rated LB - Please shut up and play.  Lito shepard wants to be paid, so his value isn’t what it should be. Lastly  J.T. can dance and sack the Q.B., but he is up there in age and his value isn’t what it should be.

- Lastly, Im wondering whats happening with some of the players in MLB.  AndrewJones is awful, he cant even hit my weight.  Ryan Howard still striking out and barely hitting over .200.  Poor Matt Cain has an ERA under 3.00 and he is 0-4. Giants = worst team in baseball.  Verlander and Sabathia started off horribly.  These players have killed fantasy teams.  Oh Giambi anyone, Andrew Jones just called and told me he stinks.

Ill be back tomorrow with my top 8 Mock Draft and my thoughts on the whole thing….

The Ravens hold the 8th overall pick on Saturday in the NFL Draft.  The smart money is on the Ravens taking quarterback Matt Ryan.  For my money, it’s a bad move.  In most cases, I don’t use a first round draft pick on a quarterback unless it’s the number one overall pick.

Quarterbacks are too risky of a proposition in the first round.  The upside usually won’t deliver on that risk.  The Peyton Mannings of the world are too few and far between … the Ryan Leafs are more the norm.  The Ravens can solve their quarterback dilemma in the second round or by getting a second pick in the first round.  I just don’t waste the number 8 pick on a player that, odds are, won’t be able to make an impact on the team for another three years.  The 8th pick should help my team THIS YEAR.

Go get a cornerback … a defensive end … another linebacker … hell, an offensive lineman.  Just don’t draft a quarterback!  The best thing that could happen for the Ravens is for one of the six teams ahead of them (the Dolphins already selected) to take Matt Ryan and eliminate the problem altogether!

If the Ravens take Ryan, and he isn’t a pro-bowler in three -to-four years, this team will lose for the next five to six!

Here is a quick look at the  Orioles’ minor league prospects. As expected, there are some who are  performing up to par. There are some who are doing better than expected,  and others who are struggling and disappointing.

As I have stated before and as I’ve done I will continue to keep you updated on the O’s minor leagues. Perhaps in May and at the All-Star Break, I’ll blog an updated analysis of the prospects, with input from scouts and coaches.

AAA Mike Costanzo - Finally hit his 2nd homer last night… but overall struggling to hit .200.

AA Kam Mickolio- The big 6 foot 9 inch relief pitcher has been very sharp thus far for Bowie… on Tuesday he went 2 and 2/3’s, 0 ER, 2 k’s, 0 BB… His season ERA is 2.38.

AA Nolan Reimold- Probably the biggest dissapointment so far this season… he is hitting just .197.

AA Chris Tillman- Yesterday went 5 inn., 4h, 2 ER, 5 K’s… this season has a 3.31 ERA.

A+ Brandon Erbe- It looks like he has turned the corner. In his last start he pitched a complete 7 inning game (double header rules) … and he allowed just 3 hits. Most impresive for him this season… in 23 and 2/3 innings… just 3 walks and 21 K’s… with a .191 BAA.

A+ Billy Rowell- off the DL and drove in 2 last night.

Danica Patrick won a race this weekend.  She beat all the boys on an even playing field.  She faced the same rules and regulations.  No ladies tees here.  She beat the odds.

Why should I care???  Well, I don’t.  I don’t care at all.  Before the feminists show up at ESPN Radio in Baltimore with sticks, bats and balls of fire … chill … the reason I don’t care is not because she is a woman.  It’s because it’s FREAKIN’ AUTO RACING!!!!!!!!  No one cares … and no one should.  It’s auto racing.  So she is a better driver than the men.  So what?  My mom has only been in one accident, I have been in three.  My mom is a better driver than me … do you care?  I didn’t think so.

Now if she would have pulled off her shirt, a-la, Brandi Chastain from the women’s USA soccer … then I would care!!!  We all would! 

p.s.  Yes, that was sexist! It’s also a joke … once again … chill!

It was a great weekend for the O’s! Any time you take a series from the Yankees, it is a good thing. But here comes the grind. The Orioles are on their way to Seattle today; tomorrow they’ll begin a 7 game road trip. In fact, the O’s are on the road for 17 of their next 20 games, including two separate trips to the West Coast. Very rare.

So… is this when reality will bite the Birds? We will see… my hope is the O’s survive this roady.

Matt Wieters’ update… he leads the Carolina League in batting average, OPB, slugging, and OPS by 200 points over the next guy….

Keep tuned  to ESPN Radio 1300 and ESPN1300.com for the best Ravens Draft coverage.

Quick Hits…

One of the Orioles’ top prospects, Bill Rowell, was put on the DL yesterday. Many people with whom I spoke expect him to be back soon.

The White Sox starting pitcher tomorrow night is young Gavin Floyd. Floyd is from Bmore; he’s a Mt. St. Joe’s grad, and was a top 5 pick for the Phillies in 2001. He dominated the minors, and had a few opportunities in the bigs in recent years, and struggled. Now it looks like he has finally put it together in 2008. He is 2-0 with an ERA in the low 2’s… and in his last start he nearly pitched a no hitter.

Floyd and Mark Teixeira are the only two ahtletes from the same high school to be taken in the top 5 of a major sports draft… it was the MLB 2001 draft. Very cool… it is a nice Bawlmer stat.

Floyd was on with Anita Marks during her show today…. I am going to try and track him down at the end of the game….

I hope everyone has been enjoying my 1st week of live reports from the Yard.  Today was my last time for this current homestand. I will be back at ESPN 1300 world headquarters Thursday and Friday….