Justin Forsett – Baltimore Magazine

Boy, That Red Sox Series Escalated Quickly

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 05 May 2017 13:03:00 +0000

Red Sox series ends, thankfully.

Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph summarized the week quite well, and on Wednesday night, with still one game left to be played in the O’s contentious series with the Red Sox. “I’m the most excited person to get the hell out of Boston,” Joseph told reporters.

Seriously.

What the heck was that?!

We wrote a good amount about the heated first two days of the four-game series, including the disgusting and racially motivated words Adam Jones said were tossed at him from the centerfield bleachers at Fenway Park, and the latest (fifth) intentionally thrown fastball by a Red Sox pitcher at our beloved Manny Machado.

That afternoon, the O’s and Red Sox essentially got called into the principal’s office. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred held a special conference call with representatives from both sides, telling them to knock off the childish, unwritten-rules-of-baseball feud that’s stretched back almost two weeks when the Sox took offense to a high Machado slide into second base.

On Wednesday night, quick-triggered home plate umpire Sam Holbrook ejected O’s starting pitcher Kevin Gausman in the second inning when he hit a batter with a 76 mile-per-hour hanging curveball. It wasn’t the type of pitch you’d typically intentionally hit someone with if you wanted to get your money’s worth. The 98 mile-per-hour fastball Chris Sale buzzed by Machado the night before was. “It’s malarkey,” Joseph said. (We need to talk more with this guy!) Then Jones got ejected later in the game for arguing balls and strikes.

Last night’s series-ending game, an 8-3 win, was less dramatic, and more sweet and orderly for the O’s. Machado launched a 466-foot moonshot home run that landed on the street outside Fenway – his third cathartic HR in the four games – and boos rained down as he circled the bases, as they did before every one of his at-bats on the road trip. Manny, after his epic rant against the Red Sox organization, is a serious villain in Boston. With the way some fans there behaved this week, we don’t mind being on this (right) side. “This is my team. I play for Baltimore,” Manny said last night. “I bleed for this team. I’m going to die out there, I’m going to do whatever I’ve got to do to keep this team going.”

The Manny, the myth, the legend. pic.twitter.com/8OosMFtzYN
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) May 5, 2017

Ravens tight end Ben Watson seems like one heck of a guy.
The 36-year-old veteran hasn’t played a regular season game with the Ravens yet (he tore an Achilles’ tendon last preseason), but he’s already doing things worth noting. How often can you write this sentence? Not only did he recently spend three days in Lebanon, helping Christian humanitarian charity World Vision assist refugees near the country’s border with Syria, but the father of five also this week released a new book, The New Dad’s Playbook: Gearing Up For the Biggest Game of Your Life. Waston, who signed with the Ravens last offseason and won a Super Bowl title with the Patriots, is obviously a Renaissance Man. Back in 2004, when he was rookie coming out of Georgia, he scored a 48 – the third-highest score ever – on the NFL’s Wonderlic test, used to evaluate the learning and problem-solving ability of prospects. Sounds like he and mathematician lineman John Urschel have their own section of the locker room.

These beautiful faces remind me that even in what seems to be the worst of times HOPE can be revived, strengthened, given and received. May we continue to intentionally search for opportunities to spread it, being mindful of the fact that at some point we all may be the ones who most desperately need it. - Syrian Refugee Informal Tent Settlement, Bakaa Valley, Lebanon

A post shared by benjaminswatson (@benjaminswatson) on Apr 30, 2017 at 11:18am PDT

So is former Ravens tight end Todd Heap.
Former Ravens tight end Todd Heap and wife, Ashley, are going through every parent’s worst nightmare: the unthinkable death of a child. A few weeks ago, Heap tragically and accidentally hit and killed his 3-year-old daughter, Holly, while moving his truck in the driveway of the family home in Arizona. Absolutely heart-breaking. On Wednesday, on what would have been the fourth birthday of their daughter, the Heaps asked the world to wear pink and hand out #HugsFromHolly in her memory. Twenty-five of the NFL’s 32 teams shared support on social media.

.@ravens PR/CR team in our pink in honor of #hugsfromholly #hugsforhollyday!! Love to the Heaps pic.twitter.com/lwpKTLVrKG
— Chad Steele (@CSteele32) May 3, 2017

Welcome a 330-pound London native and rugby player to town.
Jermaine Eluemunor, the Ravens fifth-round draft pick, selected last weekend, doesn’t exactly carry the usual NFL rookie profile. Aside from being typically large, as required for offensive lineman (he weighed 300 pounds when he was 14 years old and is now 6-foot-4, 330 pounds), Eluemunor sounds like he’s from London (because he is), and has only played one full season of football as a starter. He has more experience playing rugby. In any case, he’s in town with the Ravens now, who hope he’ll blossom into a bonafide NFL lineman, and he’ll get to visit his home country this season when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars Sept. 26 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

A post shared by Jermaine Eluemunor (@themainshow_) on Apr 20, 2017 at 12:39pm PDT

And say goodbye to an old Ravens fan favorite.

His stay in Baltimore wasn’t very long, but Justin Forsett’s retirement this week is notable because of how beloved he became in just two seasons with the team. He originally signed a one-year deal with the Ravens in 2014, expecting to be a third-string running back, but became the starter after Ray Rice’s suspension and release, and injuries to Bernard Pierce. Forsett, not the biggest or fastest guy, which he noted in his retirement announcement, helped during a difficult time, and had the best season of nine-year career, racking up 1,266 yards. “Congrats to Justin Forsett on his outstanding football career,” John Harbaugh said in a statement. “A Pro Bowl player and a Pro Bowl person. We were honored to have this outstanding and blessed man as a Raven. His success will continue, no doubt.”

Forsett wrote more about his retirement here:

It's been an amazing ride and I'm grateful for every moment the game of football has brought me. ✌????https://t.co/HRkDxb5MsD
— Justin Forsett (@JForsett) May 3, 2017

Brigade’s home opener is Sunday afternoon.
One more football note: The first-year Baltimore Brigade of the Arena Football League host their home opener at Royal Farms Arena at 1 p.m. Sunday. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect to see, from the field, at least:

A post shared by Baltimore Brigade (@bmorebrigade) on May 4, 2017 at 1:37pm PDT

Wonder if Joe Flacco will support the home team this time?

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Friday Replay: Canadians are the Worst

Ron Cassie — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 18:30:00 +0000

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Friday Replay: Manny Machado Wins Big at Westminster Dog Show

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 14:59:52 +0000

1. Manny Machado won Best of Breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Technically, this is true. A two-year-old Xoloitzcuintli (the national dog of Mexico) took Best of Breed on Monday in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He also happens to be named after the young Orioles third baseman. Trainer Lynda Hilton, who has been working with the dog since he was four months old, lives in Salisbury, home of the Delmarva Shorebirds, where the human Machado played 38 games. “The name is just one of those that flows so easily,” Hylton told The Washington Post. “And Manny Machado, he’s such a great guy. Without asking Mr. Machado if it would bother him if he would mind having a dog named after him, we just did it.” Championships run in the young Xolo’s family, since he’s the son of a three-time Best of Breed winner at Westminster. Perhaps, this could be a sign that our Machado might garner a championship in the near future. “If we get a chance to meet him, I’m going to give him a great big hug and say he has been an inspiration,” Hylton said. “I think he would be impressed that there’s actually no hair on [the dog] and he shows every bit of muscle.”

So someone at the #WKCDogShow had a dog named Manny Machado? Impressive.
— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) February 16, 2016

2. Social media in a tizzy with the idea of no Natty Boh cans at Camden Yards.
Nothing like the mention of spring baseball and cold beers to get people riled up in the middle of February. On Thursday, local blogger Beer in Baltimore reported that National Bohemian cans will not be available at Camden Yards next season. But Edward Encina at The Sun reported, according to an Orioles club official, Natty Boh will be sold at the ballpark, but only at one location—the first-base lower concourse bar. We just got off the phone with the stadium’s concession company Delaware North, where an official said that no food and beverage contracts have been finalized at this time.

So we really don’t know what to think at this point, but we’re shocked that people are so upset about Natty Boh at all. The fact is, the iconic “Baltimore” beer has been brewed in North Carolina for nearly 20 years. Plus, Delaware North has been very open to supporting local craft beer in recent years, making Maryland-based Flying Dog, Union, and Heavy Seas available in the park. (For what it’s worth, Flying Dog is maintaining its “Firkin Fridays” at the ballpark in 2016.) My personal opinion: If I’m going to pay stadium prices for a can of beer, I’d rather get more ABV for my buck. Bring on the Snake Dog and Loose Cannon IPAs.

3. Terps, Melo Trimble struggle this week.
This hasn’t been a fun week to be a Terps fan. After a 70-57 home loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, the No. 6 men’s basketball team really needed to pull it out last night against Minnesota. But the team struggled and ended up losing 68-63 to the Golden Gophers, who hadn’t yet won in Big Ten conference play. As the Terps try to remain in contention for a national title this year, the performance of its star point guard Melo Trimble is crucial. He came into last night’s match-up shooting just 5-for-27 over the past three games and missed five consecutive shots in the first half, ending with an airball and two turnovers late in the game. Hopefully Trimble and the Terps can shake off this bad juju, as March Madness looms ever closer.

4. Justin Forsett + Steph Curry = BFFs.
Ravens running back Justin Forsett is always up to something: whether it’s traveling to Flint, MI, to give out donations; meeting President Obama; or even riding horses. And his latest friendship is no different. On Sunday, Forsett posted a photo with NBA superstar Steph Curry after a Golden Warriors game. Turns out, according to the Ravens, the two have been friends for a few years, first meeting when Forsett was with the Texans. They also bonded last season in Oakland, CA, at one of Curry’s Under Armour Select basketball camps and again, a couple of weeks ago, at Super Bowl 50. “He’s just an all-around good dude,” Forsett said. “He’s definitely my favorite player in the NBA with the way he carries himself and his faith background.” We see an epic Under Armour billboard in their future.

S/O to my bros @StephenCurry30 & Bryant for the tix tonight! We had fun #SlyceFamily pic.twitter.com/koTo7eXikT
— Justin Forsett (@JForsett) February 7, 2016

5. Sports stars (and Babs!) honored by Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.
Joe Torre, Ed Reed, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski walk into a bar. Instead of a punchline, there was an awards ceremony. This past weekend, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation awarded the three honorees at the foundation’s Aspire Gala. The event raised $2 million for its mission of using sports-themed programs to teach life skills to at-risk youth. The three were honored for their longevity in their respective fields, as well as the work they’ve done with kids. “Young people desire to have things fast, and that means that sometimes they’ll look for the shortcut,” Cal Ripken Jr. said at the event. “We try to show them that they have the power within themselves to learn things, and that if they have the long-term view, they can have long-term success.”

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Friday Replay: M&T Bank Named No. 2 Stadium Experience in the Country

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 08:30:00 +0000

Awesome to interview @JordaNorwood at the @SuperBowl we've come a long way from Severna Park, MD hoops @Broncos pic.twitter.com/S6dOLMs8Oj
— Evan Washburn (@EvanWashburn) February 2, 2016

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Friday Replay: Buck Showalter and John Harbaugh Bond Over Disappointing Seasons

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 11:47:25 +0000

1. Buck Showalter and John Harbaugh bond over disappointing seasons.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn’t afraid to get candid on the mic, and such was the case on Wednesday at a Pathfinders for Autism event at SECU Arena at Towson University. Showalter and Ravens coach John Harbaugh took part in a discussion moderated by CBS sportscaster Mark Viviano. “Let’s not throw pats on the back at a .500 season. John and I are up here, and we ain’t happy, OK? I ain’t happy. It ain’t happening. It’s not good enough,” Showalter said. “There’s people that depend on that—for us to deliver—and I know John, and I know what’s going to go on between now and April. So get your stuff ready.” The Ravens coach smiled and agreed. “What Buck said is so true because in terms of creating an atmosphere where we’re building on the principles, what we believe in how we play, but you did it differently,” said Harbaugh. The two continued to shares their stories and lessons on leadership. You can listen to the entire discussion via WBAL 1090.

2. Orioles offer Yoenis Cespedes $90 million, continuing Chris Davis poker game.
On Thursday, the Baltimore Orioles made an offer to free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, which according to ESPN, is between $75-90 million for five years. Sources close to the team said that the Orioles have grown “increasingly frustrated” with the back-and-forth saga with Chris Davis, who was offered a seven-year deal worth $150 million that was turned down in the off-season. Like something out of the World Series of Poker, the $90 million might be a giant bluff—not convincing enough for the Gold Glove, All-Star Cespedes to sign, but motivation for Davis (and his agent Scott Boras) to finally make a decision. On the flipside, if Cespedes accepts the offer from Baltimore, then Davis will have lost his most interested party (though reporters have identified the Tigers and Angels as possible contenders). Either way, it’s about time for everyone to show their cards and end this poker game once and for all. In the meantime, the Orioles have also been linked to trade talks with the Colorado Rockies for their plethora of outfielders, like Carlos González or Corey Dickerson.

3. Ed Reed hired as an assistant coach for the Bills.
On Wednesday night, the Buffalo Bills announced that they hired Ed Reed as their assistant defensive backs coach. The former safety has made it very clear that he saw coaching in his future and working under his longtime coach Rex Ryan seems like a good fit. “Ed Reed is going to be such a great asset to our team,” Ryan said in a statement. “Obviously, he’s played in this system and has been an MVP-caliber guy in this system. He’s a real student of the game as well and he’s going to be a phenomenal coach.” Of course, Ryan and Reed have already established a good working relationship, after sharing six years on the Ravens and one year on the New York Jets. “Having spent time with Ed in Baltimore and then New York—I can attest to the incredibly high level of professionalism he is going to bring with him to Buffalo,” Ryan said. “He’s going to teach guys how he studies film, bring the guys along, and add so much in that way.” We just only wish he was helping the Ravens’ secondary along. Judging by Reed’s Twitter, he is excited to take the leap.

Sitting on the cliff of life watching others soar by, JUMP! Awesome word! Ephesians 3:20 https://t.co/AHowWjYw1a
— 20 reed (@TwentyER) January 15, 2016

4. Melo Trimble on short list for Wooden Award.
Okay, so the Terps aren’t totally invincible. After Saturday’s nearly buzzer-beater win against Wisconsin, Maryland basketball fans were riding high, but Tuesday’s 70-67 loss against Michigan brought us back down to earth. Though that wasn’t Melo Trimble’s best performance, the sophomore point guard has helped lead the Terps to their best start in school history, averaging 14.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Not to mention his 87-percent free-throw percentage. This all helps build the case for Trimble’s placement on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list on Wednesday. The 40th annual award will be give out during ESPN College Basketball Awards Show on the weekend of April 7-9. Past winners have included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Durant.

5. Justin Forsett and Sonja Sohn to be MLK Parade grand marshals.
Every year, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) selects a grand marshal to lead the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade through the streets of Baltimore. And this Monday, we’ll be lucky enough to have two. BOPA has appointed Ravens running back (and our “Best Raven”) Justin Forsett and actress Sonja Sohn, aka Det. Kima Gregg’s on HBO’s The Wire. Sohn is also known for her work as CEO and founder of nonprofit ReWired for Change, as well as being a consistent activist for underserved communities in Baltimore. The parade begins at noon on Monday at the fitting intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street. Check out our full list of MLK Day events.

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My Top Ten by Justin Forsett

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 08:30:00 +0000

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Haloti Ngata Traded to Lions

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 16:41:00 +0000

In the ever-changing landscape that is free agency, the Baltimore Ravens traded defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to the Detroit Lions for fourth- and fifth-round picks this afternoon, the Ravens confirmed on Twitter.

The Lions replaced Ndamukong Suh—the Pro Bowler who has been criticized for his aggressive style of play—who signed with the Miami Dolphins.

The Ngata trade frees up $8.5 million of salary cap space, according to ESPN. Reportedly, Terrell Suggs restructured his contract to free up another couple million.

Ngata, a five-time Pro Bowl player, has been the backbone of the Ravens’ run defense for the past eight seasons and has was poised to have his best year yet last season until he was suspended for violating the league’s PED policy.

Ravens fans have come to depend on watching the hulking #92, University of Oregon-graduate make instrumental plays for our defense. He became especially crucial after Ray Lewis’ retirement.

“Haloti has been an outstanding player for us for many years,” general manager Ozzie Newsome told BaltimoreRavens.com. “He consistently showed tremendous leadership in our locker room and on the field. At times, he was one of the NFL’s most dominant players.”

In related news, Ravens tight end Owen Daniels signed with the Denver Broncos today, new home of coach Gary Kubiak, who Daniels has played under for all of his nine NFL seasons. Daniels followed Kubiak from the Texas to the Ravens last off-season and he stepped up last year to replace the injured Dennis Pitta.

Additionally, several teams—including the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, and Indianapolis Colts—have been eyeing up running back Justin Forsett, who was crucial last year in revitalizing the Ravens’ running game after the termination of Ray Rice.

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Playoff Picture: Ravens Can Leapfrog Chargers With Win

Ron Cassie — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 15:39:00 +0000

It’s not often Baltimore and San Diego get lumped together, but at least on the football field both cities share some remarkable commonalities. Both teams, for example, are 7-4, albeit with San Diego currently possessing an edge in the NFL’s playoff tie-breaker rules. Both teams are led by durable veteran quarterbacks with remarkably similar stats this year—Charger QB Philip Rivers has thrown for exactly two more yards and one more touchdown than Joe Flacco.

Defensively, both teams are strong as well, with San Diego ranked ahead of Baltimore, at 8th in the NFL in total offensive yardage allowed. Although, the Ravens (18.9) allow slightly fewer points per game than the Chargers (19.6).

So, here’s the key difference as the weather turns cold and the winter winds howl and the grind for the playoffs shakes out in late November and December: The Ravens rank 5th in run defense while San Diego comes in at 13. Offensively, the running numbers are more stark: The Ravens, led by Justin Forsett, rank 7th in the NFL in rushing offense while San Diego comes in at 27th.

Potentially, that translates into another big day from Justin Forsett (good interview here) this Sunday on the heels of his career-best, 182-yard rushing game in New Orleans on Monday night. A journeyman, third-string back coming into this season, Forsett has displayed tremendous patience and cut-back running instincts behind new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak’s beloved zone-blocking scheme. In fact, Forsett’s averaging 5.8 yards per carry to date—far and away the top mark among leading NFL running backs—and is the main reason we think we are headed back to the playoffs and not San Diego.

Then again, Chargers fans can lay on the beach in January if their team doesn’t make the playoffs. So there’s that.

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Vegas: Ravens at Cincinnati is a Toss-up

Ron Cassie — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 17:55:00 +0000

We’re homers. Big homers. We’re Baltimore magazine and we root for Baltimore’s professional sports teams. Not hard, right?

That said, the Ravens have a tough game Sunday. The Bengals stole the AFC North title we were trying to defend last year; they beat us in the season-opener at M&T Bank Stadium this year; and they are 11-0-1 in their last dozen games at The Jungle. Still, the fortunes of the two teams have switched courses since that season opener. We’ve won five of six and Bengals haven’t won in more than a month, including blowout losses to the Colts and Patriots.

The oddsmakers have made the Ravens-Bengals clash a pick ‘em game. We’re of course picking the Ravens. Here are three reasons why:

The Bengals are banged up: Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been playing though head and neck injuries, which isn’t good for him or their defense, and starting middle linebacker Rey Maulaluga is definitely out. Also, wide receiver A.J Green, who killed the Ravens in Week 1, has been hampered with a toe injury—and may or may not play against the Ravens—and Giovani Bernard, their hyper-speed half back, has been limited in practice this week with bruised ribs.

The Ravens depth: We’re banged up, too, but the Ravens’s depth, always a team strength, has been holding things together as we get healthy. The biggest concern for us is starting two rookies on the left side of the offensive line. We’re not playing Tampa Bay or Atlanta this week, folks. Geno Atkins, Domata Peko, Wallace Gilberry, etc. have formed one of the league’s best defensive lines in recent years. Thankfully, Geno and the boys have been struggling lately, but let’s hope they don’t return to form this week. On the flip side, Ladarius Webb and Will Hill are back in our secondary and looked healthy and played well last week.

Owen Daniels: Last week we gave a big shout out to Justin Forsett here and we owe one to our new tight end. If the Ravens’s ground game would be lost without Forsett stepping in for Ray Rice, where would the passing game be without Daniels stepping up after Dennis Pitta when down with another hip injury? Daniels turns 32 in a couple of weeks and had us concerned during training camp—sitting out with mysterious leg ailments most of the time—now looks rejuvenated, catching six passes, including his third TD last week. Pitta had a big game against the Bengals in the opener and we expect Daniels to play a vital role keeping the chains moving Sunday.

We have something to play for: Okay, four reasons. This is more of the intangible variety. Winning on the road is tough in the NFL, but we’ve got good reason to go to Cincy and kick butt. The guys in the Ravens’s locker room know a win over the Bengals would go a long way toward taking the AFC North title back. Everyone around the league was singing the Bengals’s praises after they beat the Ravens here and players don’t usually forget those kinds of things. Football teams tend to play well when they have a chip on their shoulder and the Ravens may just have a big enough issue with the Bengals that they go into The Jungle and drag home a win.

Updated 5 p.m. Friday: The Ravens just announced that Owen Daniels—a day after offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said that he was “fine”—will miss the Bengals game while undergoing minor knee surgery. Not really what we wanted to hear, but it goes to point that depth is critical in the NFL. Third-round tight end pick Crockett Gilmore—it’s time to step up, buddy.

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Ravens vs. Falcons: Two Birds Flying in Opposite Directions

Ron Cassie — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:49:00 +0000

Joe Cool vs. Matty Ice. That’s what we’ve been hearing all week. The quarterback comparisons, both were first-round draft picks in 2008, are interesting to an extent and the Ravens even posted a handy graphic to highlight each QB’s career numbers. So what do the numbers reveal? One, start Matt Ryan on your fantasy team most weeks—he’s passed for 32 more TDs—and then bet on the Ravens to reach and win in the playoffs. Why? Because it’s defense and a running game that still wins championships, not inflated indoor passing stats.

Here’s three reasons the Ravens take down the Falcons Sunday:

1. Justin Forsett: The Steve Smith Sr. signing got all the attention in the offseason and early into this year, but where would the Ravens be without Forsett, who is averaging 6.4 yards per carry—far and away tops among NFL rushing leaders. We’re looking forward to seeing him lead the ground game this week. Did we mention Atlanta ranks 29th in run defense?

2. Ravens’s Front Seven: The Falcons’s offensive line wasn’t great to start with and now it’s injured to boot. Haloti Ngata and Brandon Williams have been tremendous inside so far and Chris Canty, Pernell McPhee, Courtney Upshaw, Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, C.J. Mosley, and Daryl Smith will be a handful for Atlanta.

3. M&T Bank Stadium: Okay, the weather is supposed to be pitch-perfect for football this weekend, but still, dome teams like the Falcons traditionally struggle on the road at outdoor stadiums. The Falcons fit the bill this year, with both wins coming at home and three of their four bad losses, including to the Vikings and Giants, not exactly powerhouses, coming outside on the road. Also, we kind of feel like Baltimore fans will be extra revved up this weekend, seeing how we could use a win after that ALCS debacle. (Not that the O’s didn’t have a great year, they did, but you know what we mean.)

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