It’s Super Bowl week, but in Baltimore there’s nothing Super about it — besides maybe the strange 65 degree weather.

The guys discuss the biggest topics going down in Indianapolis this week, make some Super Bowl prop bets, put a bow on the Ravens season . . . → Read More: BSR Podcast: Super Bowl Prop Bets, Peyton Or Eli, MLB Playoff Expansion]]>

AskMen.com votes Sofia Vergara hottest woman of 2012

It’s Super Bowl week, but in Baltimore there’s nothing Super about it — besides maybe the strange 65 degree weather.

The guys discuss the biggest topics going down in Indianapolis this week, make some Super Bowl prop bets, put a bow on the Ravens season and discuss playoff expansion in Major League Baseball.

You can get in touch with the BSR Podcast by sending your emails to podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or leaving a voicemail at 443-379-4BSR (4377).

Here are some of topics discussed in this week’s show:

Super Bowl Week

•  Bernard Pollard knocked Tom Brady out for an entire season, now his hit on Rob Gronkowski in the AFC Championship could could keep him out of the big game.
• Who is bigger news: Peyton Manning or Eli Manning?  Will Peyton Manning ever play again and if he does with who?

Recapping The Ravens

• Steve Bisciotti promises to keep both Ray Rice and Joe Flacco
• Cam Cameron is back as the Ravens offensive coordinator.  Is bringing Cam back the best move for the Ravens going forward?
• Jim Caldwell joins the Ravens coaching staff as the quarterbacks coach.

Talking Baseball

• Edwin Jackson will likely take a one year deal rather than a multi-year deal in Baltimore.
• Roy Oswalt is still on the market.  Which team is the best fit for the veteran?
• Bud Selig wants playoff expansion NOW.  Which two teams benefit the most from another Wild Card?

Super Bowl Prop Bets

• Kelly Clarkson national anthem over/under  - 1:34
• Madonna’s hair color during the halftime show – blond or any other colo
• Number of times Peyton Manning will be shown during the game over/under – 3.5
• Number of times Jim Irsay will be mentioned over/under – 1
• Number of times Robert Kraft will be shown over/under – 3.5
• Who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first? – Teammates (8/5), Coach (12/1), Family (7/1), God (4/1), Owner (9/2), Does not thank anyone (11/4)

AskMen.com’s Top 99 Hottest Women

• Sofia Vergara is number one, Kate Upton is two.
• Rooney Mara is number three.
• The guys argue the entire list.

Bruzdzinski is a finalist in the Orioles Voice competition — the organization’s search for their next Public Address Announcer.

Gary auditioned for the PA Announcer job with hundreds of other fans at Orioles FanFest on . . . → Read More: A Conversation With Gary Bruzdzinski — A Finalist In The Orioles Voice Competition]]> Gary Bruzdzinski is a lifelong Orioles fan who has been given the chance to live out every sports fan’s dream.

Bruzdzinski is a finalist in the Orioles Voice competition — the organization’s search for their next Public Address Announcer.

Gary auditioned for the PA Announcer job with hundreds of other fans at Orioles FanFest on January 21 and now he finds himself among the remaining few for the role.

I spoke with him about the process, fulfilling the dream, his PA Announcing experience and heard a sample of what Baltimore fans could expect to hear at Camden Yards this season.

The best remaining free agent, now that Prince Fielder is off the market, is starting pitcher Edwin Jackson.  Coincidentally enough, both players are represented by Super Agent Scott Boras.

Dan Connolly of The Sun reports that the Orioles would consider offering Jackson a four year deal, but indicates that they are long shots to . . . → Read More: Edwin Jackson Will Probably Take A One-Year Deal From Boston Over A Four-Year Deal From Baltimore]]>

The best remaining free agent, now that Prince Fielder is off the market, is starting pitcher Edwin Jackson.  Coincidentally enough, both players are represented by Super Agent Scott Boras.

Dan Connolly of The Sun reports that the Orioles would consider offering Jackson a four year deal, but indicates that they are long shots to land him.  The Red Sox are reportedly the favorites.

Not because he’s getting a better offer, but because he’d take a one-year deal from Boston or a multi-year deal from Baltimore.

Son of a..

Everyone knows the Orioles have to overspend to bring in free agents.  But what do you do when that stops working?

It’s going to be a long season.

At one time it seemed that Jones definitely wouldn’t be wearing the new cartoon bird hat in Baltimore this season as he seemed to be linked . . . → Read More: Adam Jones Says He’s Hungry To Win In Baltimore]]> Quite possibly the most exciting part of what has been a relatively boring offseason for Orioles fans were the trade rumors linked to star center fielder Adam Jones.

At one time it seemed that Jones definitely wouldn’t be wearing the new cartoon bird hat in Baltimore this season as he seemed to be linked to a deal that would send him to Atlanta for Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado.  While Jones is the probably the face of the franchise, I don’t think Baltimore has anyone on their roster that is untouchable.

Throughout the rumors, Jones stayed positive to his fans on Twitter.  Many have wondered if he has a desire to stay in Baltimore when his contract expires at the end of next season.

“I’m so hungry to win for Bmore,” Jones tweeted on Thursday.  ”I’ll even try the damn crab cakes.”

Jones explained that he had crab cakes in 2006, but that he didn’t like them.  He added that he’s willing to give it another try.

I’ll always remember that.

Uehara’s . . . → Read More: Koji Liked Baltimore So Much That He Recommended It To Wada And Chen]]> There aren’t too many guys that like Baltimore so much that they cry when they get traded.  Koji Uehara was dealt by the Orioles to pitch for the American League Champion Texas Rangers and on his way out the door he thanked the organization that brought him to America.

I’ll always remember that.

Uehara’s love for the Charm City continued this offseason when he recommended the Orioles to free agents Tsuyoshi Wada of Japan and Wei-Yin Chen of Taiwan.

I love this guy.

On Wednesday, Uehara rejected a deal with the Blue Jays.  I guess Canada isn’t for him.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that Texas could potentially still deal him back to Baltimore.

Something tells me he wouldn’t invoke his no trade clause for that move.

Just as Lloyd Christmas found hope in his one in a million shot . . . → Read More: What If The Orioles Signed Prince Fielder?]]> If I were setting odds in Vegas, I’d say the Orioles chances of landing Prince Fielder are about 100:1.  But after witnessing the heartbreak that the Ravens just endured in New England, I have to have something to wish before September.

Just as Lloyd Christmas found hope in his one in a million shot of landing Mary Swanson — or Samsonite — I too have to take Prince’s last remaining hours as a free agent and wonder what the next 5-10 years would be like with him in a cartoon bird hat.

More than anything I wish to see the Orioles turn the ship around and put a winning product on the field.  I long for meaningful September baseball — and not just the kind where the O’s send the Sox (and their fans from Delaware and Virginia) home disappointed.  I don’t see those days in the near future, but some Orioles buzz would be generated if Dan Duquette could bring Prince Fielder to Baltimore.

Rumor has it that the Orioles are at least interested in baseball’s hottest remaining free agent.  Duquette didn’t deny his interest in Fielder at Orioles fanfest on Saturday and his cousin, Jim, confirmed that the O’s  are “definitely in on” him.

Being an Orioles fan, I’ve trained myself not to get excited about news like this, let us never forget the Orioles interest in Mark Teixeira just three off seasons ago.

But the AFC Championship loss has me feeling more gloomy than the Baltimore weather and I have to wonder what Prince would do for Baltimore.

Orioles optimists (and nothing against you guys, I used to be one) say that the timing is wrong for Prince Fielder.  What would he really bring to a team with so many holes? —  Wouldn’t the Orioles have to WAY overspend to bring him to Baltimore? — Shouldn’t their focus be on improving the rotation and building depth in the minor leagues?

These are all valid questions, but ones that can easily be answered.  Prince would put butts in seats at Camden Yards and improve television ratings for a team whose fan base continues to decline.  Let’s not forget that the Orioles share a television network with the Washington Nationals, a team on the rise with young stars and a solid core that could contend for the playoffs if things go their way.  Meanwhile the O’s, who own said network, remain in last place without a glimmer of hope in baseball’s toughest division.  Fielder may not give the Orioles a wild card berth, but he gives them credibility to their fan base, proof that the team is willing to spend money and will certainly be an enticing piece to woo free agents after this season.

Yes, the Orioles would have to way overspend to bring in Fielder.  This is an argument I’ve never understood from a fan’s perspective.  I’m not paying Prince, tickets at Camden Yards aren’t outrageous and MASN is doing just fine.  Who cares if ownership overspends?

The Nationals were laughed out of the 2011 Winter Meetings for signing Jayson Werth to a 7-year, $126 million deal.  It was way too much for a guy that is complimented by lineup protection.  But with the booming power of Michael Morse and some solid pitching, Washington won 80 games and now are rumored to be the number one (or two depending on the reporter) contender for Fielder.  They added an ace in Gio Gonzalez to pitch in front of one of baseball’s biggest stars, Stephen Strasburg, and their ownership proved to agents, baseball analysts and most importantly their fan base that winning is their number one priority.

Andy MacPhail’s plan in Baltimore hasn’t panned out.  That’s evident in the struggles of Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, Brad Bergesen and which ever other young pitcher(s) you want to lump in that group.  But if some of these guys click in 2012 and the Orioles pick up the slack with some power from the heart of their order, suddenly things don’t look so grim.  The Orioles scored more runs (708), hit more home runs (191) and hit for a higher team average (.257) than the Tampa Bay Rays did last season.  But the Rays won 22 more games.  That’s the power of pitching.

Baltimore’s team ERA (4.89) was last in all of baseball, Tampa Bay’s (3.58) was tied for seventh (with Washington coincidentally enough).

Prince doesn’t help in the ERA category, but he makes free agent pitchers easier to entice during the offseason.  He also will help to win more 5-4, 6-5, 7-6 type ball games.  That’s worked for the Texas Rangers the past two years hasn’t it?

I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I recognize the odds, I’m lived through the disappointment.  I’m merely pointing out that there’s motivation for the Orioles to add one of baseball’s biggest stars to their roster.  You want to rebuild?  Why not start with Fielder?

Zach Wilt is the Founding Editor of BaltimoreSportsReport.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @zamwi or send him an email: zach@baltimoresportsreport.com.

Legendary lead singer of Aerosmith and current American Idol judge Steven Tyler will sing the national anthem before the Ravens and New England Patriots square off on Sunday at Gillette Stadium for the AFC Championship.

This isn’t Tyler’s first time at the rodeo however, as he has sung the national anthem before some . . . → Read More: Idol’s Tyler to sing National Anthem before AFC Title game, links to both teams intriguing]]>

Legendary lead singer of Aerosmith and current American Idol judge Steven Tyler will sing the national anthem before the Ravens and New England Patriots square off on Sunday at Gillette Stadium for the AFC Championship.

This isn’t Tyler’s first time at the rodeo however, as he has sung the national anthem before some pretty big-time events including the Indianapolis 500 and the 2010 Boston Bruins season-opener.

But there are ties to Boston for both he and the band and Tyler himself is no stranger to the New England Patriots. The links and ironies are so many, that it feels like the movie “Six Degrees of Separation“, only we’re not just discussing people.

Tyler moved to Boston from Yonkers, N.Y.  in 1970 and the band eventually became known as “The Bad Boys from Boston”.

But it doesn’t stop there.

According to Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, “He’s been a loyal, good Pats fan.” Tyler has even performed the national anthem once before a Patriots regular season game in 1999. The opponent that day? The Indianapolis Colts, the home site being in Indianapolis, host of Super Bowl XLVI.

New England went on to win that game, but Ravens fans are hoping that this little “good luck charm” doesn’t send the Patriots onto the Super Bowl. Instead hoping he’ll be just the luck to get the Ravens to Indy.

Ready to have your mind blown again? The halftime performer for the Ravens Super Bowl XXXV win in 2001? You guessed it, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith.

Combating the force that is Idol judge Steven Tyler, the Ravens will have a force of their own, announcing that Orioles legend and Hall of Fame shortstop, Cal Ripken will be the honorary captain on field for the Ravens during the coin toss.

‘Rip’ was a good luck charm once before, being a guest of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti during the Ravens 33-14 trouncing of the Patriots in the 2009 wild-card playoff game in New England.

Not only will the national stage be big with a huge viewing audience, there will be some pretty iconic stars on hand in the building as well.

Let’s just hope for one day, Tyler’s favorite color is “purple.”

The only other time the All-Star festivities were held at Camden Yards was in 1993.  During that year we saw . . . → Read More: Orioles Submit Request for 2016 All-Star Game]]> According to a report by the Baltimore Business Journal, the Orioles are trying to bring the 2016 All-Star game to Camden Yards.  This would celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the best park in baseball.

The only other time the All-Star festivities were held at Camden Yards was in 1993.  During that year we saw Juan Gonzalez and Ken Griffey Jr. battle it out in the final round of the Home Run Derby, before Gonzalez won the final round with an uneventful 1 Home Run.  The actual game saw a 9-3 American League win with a Home Run assist by Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar.  Jim Palmer and Frank Robinson were honorary captains for the game.

Obviously bringing the All-Star game back to Baltimore would bring tremendous amounts of revenue to the city, and to the Baltimore franchise.  Over the last several seasons each All-Star game has paid tribute to the teams or stadiums that played host.  If this were to happen it could be a very nostalgic night for Orioles fans, as the whole world would watch tributes to Camden Yards and to the magic of the Orioles history.

Follow Mark Brown on Twitter @FantasyGodmb.

It was awesome.

Disappointed Bostonians flooded the streets of Baltimore as they watched their team complete one of . . . → Read More: Adam Jones: “Will Bmore End Boston’s Season Again”?]]> It was just four months ago that Robert Andino blooped a fly ball off Jonathan Papelbon to left field that Carl Crawford muffed as the Orioles defeated the Red Sox 4-3 eliminating Boston from postseason contention.

It was awesome.

Disappointed Bostonians flooded the streets of Baltimore as they watched their team complete one of the biggest collapses in baseball history.

Baltimore is a two sport city and one that has been dominated by football for over a decade.  But on September 28, baseball was top dog.

This Sunday, Baltimore’s other professional sports franchise, the Ravens, has a chance to eliminate another one of Boston’s teams.  The Ravens head to New England for the AFC Championship in a game that they listed as seven point underdogs.

Can Baltimore disappoint Boston twice?  That’s what Adam Jones wants to know.

We’ll find out Sunday night.  Kickoff is at 3:00.  Are you ready?

You can get in touch with the BSR Podcast by sending your emails to podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or leaving a voicemail at 443-379-4BSR (4377).

Here are . . . → Read More: BSR Podcast: Jay-Z And The B-Word, Ravens Keys To Victory, John Smolt’z House]]> The guys are back for another edition of the BSR Podcast.  Just like Jimmy The Greek, Patrick swept the weekend with his Divisional playoff picks and he made sure that everyone knew it.

You can get in touch with the BSR Podcast by sending your emails to podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or leaving a voicemail at 443-379-4BSR (4377).

Here are some of topics discussed in this week’s show:

NFL Divisional Playoffs Recap

The defending champion Green Bay Packers fell flat against the hottest team in the playoffs, the New York Giants. Alex Smith was dominant as the 49ers knocked out the New Orleans Saints, Tebow time came to an end as the Patriots smacked around the Broncos and the Ravens kept it close with the Texans.

Ed Reed Critical Of Joe Flacco’s Play Against Texans

The biggest story this week came from an interview that Ed Reed gave in which he said that Joe Flacco didn’t appear to have a hold on the Ravens offense. The guys break down Reed’s poor timing and Flacco’s response.

NFC Championship Predictions

The Giants head west as 2.5 point underdogs to the 49ers, but they have had no problem in that role so far. The guys give their pick on who advances to the Super Bowl.

AFC Championship Keys For The Ravens

Before giving their winner, the guys give their three keys to victory for the Ravens in New England. Can the Ravens stop the tight end duo of Gronkowski and Hernandez? How do they contain Tom Brady and how much of a role should Joe Flacco play?

AFC Championship Predictions

An absolute must listen. The guys give their surprising picks for the Ravens at Patriots AFC Championship game.

Rob Lowe Says Peyton Manning Will Retire

Rob Lowe, the guy from Parks and Recreation tweeted that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will retire. Who does this guy think he is, @incarceratedbob? The guys examine Manning’s injury and discuss the concussions and future of both Sidney Crosby and Brian Roberts.

Want To Buy John Smoltz’s House?

For just $7.2 million you can have John Smoltz’s 18,265 square foot house that features 10 bedrooms, 12 bathroom, a home gym movie theatre, outdoor kitchen, wet bar, golf course and football field. The only downside is that you have to live in Georgia.

Jay-Z Gives Up The B-Word?

Jay-Z and Beyonce welcomed Blue Ivy Carter this week and a rumor circulated that the rapper would give up the b-word after his daughter’s birth. The guys wonder how 99 problems would sound without it and give their favorite Jay-Z album.