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Monday, June 24, 2024

NFL veteran Trey Flowers hosts third annual Flowers of the Future Field Day Extravaganza

 














NFL veteran Trey Flowers hosts third annual Flowers of the Future Field Day Extravaganza (waff.com)


More than 300 kids signed up for a fun-filled day at the Shurney Legacy Center.

By Cam Derr

Published: Jun. 22, 2024 at 6:56 PM EDT

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - In a time where video games keep kids inside during the summer months, two-time NFL Pro-bowler and Huntsville native Trey Flowers returned home, Saturday afternoon to provide kids in his community a day full of fun in the sun. His foundation Flowers of the Future hosted its third annual Field Day Extravaganza.

More than 300 kids signed up for the event that featured bouncy houses, water slides and horse-back riding, as well as some friendly competition.

The Flowers of the Future foundation is a non-profit, started by Trey Flowers, that’s mission is to instill a healthy mindset in youth, whether it be through nutrition, exercise or mental health.

“This is where I grew up at and I just remember in the back yard days, back at my house, we played kick ball, we played basketball, we outside all day,” said Flowers, “It’s definitely fun just to be able to come back, show the community good energy and a fun time.”

This was the third time the Field Day was put on in Huntsville and is an annual summertime event.


Friday, June 21, 2024

The 10 best offensive linemen in the history of the Baltimore Ravens

 




The Ravens have built some walls up front.

By Mike Luciano | Jun 19, 2024











San Francisco 49ers v Baltimore Ravens / Rob Carr/GettyImages

No team can build a foundation for success without a tremendous offensive line, and the Baltimore Ravens are no different. In their early years, decade-plus of dominance in the early 2000s, and recent runs, the one common thread has been well above average play up front.

While offensive linemen are never celebrated to their full potential due to their lack of tangible stats and highlight-reel plays, there is no more non-quarterback unit more important to nail than the big boys in the trenches. Baltimore's short history has produced some Hall of Fame talent at these positions.

These 10 offensive linemen have cemented themselves as the best the franchise has ever seen. Prospective stars like Tyler Linderbaum have multiple examples of consistency and excellent performance to model themselves after. Perhaps they could end up on this list soon.

Criteria for selection

These linemen were chosen based on a combination of:

·         Statistical Achievements

·         Impact on Success

·         Longevity

·         Memorable Moments

The top 10 offensive linemen in Baltimore Ravens history

10. Michael Oher

Fans may remember Oher for his Hollywood story chronicled in The Blind Side, but the film has overshadowed his overall performance as a player. Picked in the first round by the Ravens out of Ole Miss, Oher became a solid starter in five seasons with the Ravens in the early 2012.

When the Ravens made it to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season and won the franchise's second-ever championship, it was Oher who started at right tackle. At his best, Oher was a solid pass blocker who was able to go up against a gauntlet of top edge rushers in the AFC North and come out unscathed.

9. Orlando Brown Jr.

One-half of the father-son duo that had some of their best and brightest moments with the Ravens, Brown's time with Baltimore was only three seasons long. However, his time with the Ravens was so effective that he was able to pile up the Pro Bowls.

Brown was named a Pro Bowler in his last two years with the Ravens, beginning a streak of four consecutive Pro Bowl nods for one of the biggest players in NFL history. Ultimately, Brown found his way out of town when it became clear that Brown was not going to get the big left tackle deal he was looking for.

Brown ultimately was traded to the Chiefs (where he won a Super Bowl at Baltimore's expense) before signing with the rival Cincinnati Bengals. While it stinks to see him putting on rival colors, and his time with Baltimore didn't end on the best of terms, his Ravens tenure puts more respect on his family's name.

8. Orlando Brown Sr.

In terms of his value to the Ravens, Senior's six-year tenure gives him the edge over Junior. The first thing anyone ever thinks about when referring to Brown, however, is his infamous penalty flag incident. After an errant flag hit him in the eye, Brown missed three consecutive seasons due to a bout with temporary blindness.

Brown, nicknamed "Zeus" in his prime, was an original Ravens who spent his first few years in Cleveland. A powerful right tackle who helped keep Vinny Testaverde upright during his Ravens tenure, Brown's return to Cleveland was sullied by the penalty flag incident. Luckily, he spent. a few more years with the Ravens after returning.

While far from the physical force of nature he was during his time before the accident, Brown managed to start 35 games in three seasons and still be effective until he turned 35. Brown unfortunately passes away at just 40 years old, but his legacy as a Raven is still solid gold.

7. Matt Birk

Birk's career was defined by a very productive stint with the Minnesota Vikings, as the former Harvard alum was named to six Pro Bowl squads in eight years. Birk didn't join the Ravens until he was 33 years old, but he made his mark as one of the best interior linemen the franchise has ever seen.

Birk did not miss a single game during his career with the Ravens, making him one of the most durable and reliable players up front the league had during his 14 seasons in the pros. Having him help a young Joe Flacco find his way was an invaluable tool.

While Birk never made a Pro Bowl with the Ravens, he routinely was considered one of the best centers in the league. The Ravens' Super Bowl-winning offensive line was nothing short of elite when they were at full strength, and they wouldn't have been as well-regarded as they were without Birk.

6. Ben Grubbs

Grubbs finished his nine-year career, in which he was named to two Pro Bowls, with stints as a Raven, Chief, and Saint. The 2007 Ravens first-round pick translated a stellar college career at Auburn to the pros, as the Ravens' strong running game was due in part to Grubbs clearing the way.

Grubbs played for five seasons with Baltimore, making a Pro Bowl and putting together multiple seasons that were worthy of consideration alongside it. While the Ravens did win a Super Bowl without him, that doesn't negate the fact that they turned him into a reliable run-blocker who helped New Orleans' offense stay elite when he made the trip over.

5. Edwin Mulitalo

It didn't take very long for the gargantuan Mulitalo, a fourth-round pick in 1999, to become a starter after taking to the role during his rookie season. His career with Baltimore after that ascension made him one of the best guards the team has ever seen and an underrated performer when compared to his peers.

Mulitalo never made a Pro Bowl for the Ravens, but he is one of just four offensive linemen in Ravens history to start over 100 games for Baltimore. Mulitalo was the starting left guard on the Super Bowl-winning 2000s team and a 2003 offense that helped Jamal Lewis run for 2,000 yards.

Mulitalo ending his career as an injured member of the 0-16 Lions is a travesty, as it ended a very solid career on a sour note. Not only is Mulitalo one of the best linemen in team history, but he is clearly one of the most effective Day 3 selections this well-drafting franchise ever made.

4. Mike Flynn

While it would take even the staunchest Ravens fan a bit of time to single out Flynn as one of the top performers of his era, his impact on the team's offensive line should be held in higher regard than it is. Flynn was an omnipresent fixture on some of the most memorable teams in franchise history.

Flynn, who got his start as an undrafted free agent from Maine in 1997, played both center and right guard for the Ravens while serving on the same championship-winning offensive line as Mulitalo. Flynn played 10 seasons with the Ravens, starting 115 games in the process.

Bringing versatility, effort, and power to the table in one compact package, Flynn was one of the most rock-solid players Brian Billick had at a time when his offenses were often in flux. The fact he seemed to always level up in the postseason, especially when blocking for Lewis and Trent Dilfer in 2000, should be noted.

3. Ronnie Stanley

While Ravens fans may be used to the declining player who has suffered some destabilizing injuries, the overall body of work Stanley has put together in Baltimore puts him in a class very few tackles in team history have ever reached. Stanley heads into the future trying to recapture his past glory.

Stanley has a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro nod under his belt, showing there was at least one year where some writers believed the Notre Dame star was the best at his position. Injuries have taken their toll, as he played seven games in two seasons after 2019 and hasn't played more than 13 games in a season since that campaign.

Stanley's time in Baltimore may not extend much further than this season, but his overall body of work appears to be much more impressive than his recent downturn in form would suggest. The Ravens took a risk by picking him at No. 6 overall in a deep draft, but Baltimore would likely still say they are happy with this choice.

2. Marshal Yanda

If Yanda doesn't end up in the Hall of Fame relatively soon, the committee has made a severe technical error. Yanda was as good a right guard as the game had for a decade, which isn't bad for a player the Ravens took a chance on as a third-round pick out of Iowa.

Yanda was named a Pro Bowl player eight times in nine seasons, playing just two games in the lone season without those honors he had mixed in. To further add to his greatness, he was a First-Team All-Pro twice in that span while adding five more Second-Team nods. No. 73 did it without bending the rules, as he was called for holding just 11 times in his 13-year career.

Yanda has the distinction of starting in between Birk and Oher for Baltimore during their Super Bowl run. A Ravens lifer, Yanda was a unanimous selection to the 2010s All-Decade team. In a world where anything and everything can be debated, Yanda's status as one of the best guards of his era and the best guard in Ravens history is unquestioned.

1. Jonathan Ogden

The Ravens' inaugural first round will go down as one of the best such rounds in NFL Draft history. While they landed an all-time great linebacker on Ray Lewis later in the draft, they used their first pick on a player who would become an immovable object at left tackle for a decade.

At 6-9 and 350 pounds, the former UCLA star toyed with opposing defenders on his way to a championship and status as one of the greatest to ever play this game at any position. Ogden's tape was comical at times due to his dominance, and his accolades back up his legendary status.

Ogden, who has just 11 holding calls and 13 false starts in 12 years, was an 11-time Pro Bowl, with his rookie year being the only time he missed out. He was an All-Pro nine times, four of which were First-Team selections. Ogden was honored as a 2000s All-Decade First Team performer alongside Seahawks great Walter Jones and a Hall of Fame tackle in 2013.

Ogden was added to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, making him just one of just seven tackles to be honored as such and one of two who began their playing careers after 1990. It is by no means hyperbole to call Ogden the greatest offensive player in Ravens history and a top-five offensive tackle in NFL history.

The 3 best offensive linemen in Ravens history by games started

Rank

Player

Years with Ravens

Starts

1

Jonathan Ogden

1996-2007

176

2

Marshal Yanda

2007-2019

166

3

Mike Flynn

1998-2007

115

 


Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Phil Dawson to be inducted into the 2024 Class of Browns Legends

 





















Former Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson smashes a San Francisco 49ers styled guitar, October 15, 2023, at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

John Kuntz, cleveland.com


By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Phil Dawson’s Browns career began with former coach Chris Palmer warning him, “we’re going to start with you” and see how it goes, to Dawson being immortalized in team history as a member of the 2024 Class of Legends.

The Browns announced the honor on Tuesday, and he’ll be inducted during a halftime ceremony in Week 3, when the Browns host the Giants at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 22.

“I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t ever dream about it,” Dawson said in a release. “You see these things through the years, and you get to know some of these former players, and you look up to them, and you start dreaming like, man, I want to be one of those guys someday. And that certainly was me. And it’s not about me. I want to represent the Browns and to have a chance to come back home and be recognized like this is about as humbling recognition as I’ve ever received, and it’s all because of the way I love Cleveland and I love the Browns organization. So, it’s as impactful of recognition as I’ve ever received and it just kind of blows me away, to be honest.”

In his 14 seasons with the Browns, Dawson was voted the 2012 Browns Player of the Year by the local PFWA chapter, the 2007 Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy” Award honoree by the PFWA, the 2006 Ed Block Courage Award winner by his teammates and the 2006 winner of the Doug Dieken Humanitarian Award for his charitable and community efforts.

“I was very fortunate that I had a long run in one place,” Dawson said. “A lot of guys in the league these days don’t have that. So, because of my 14 years there, I was really able to build relationships and develop a love for the city of Cleveland. It became a home for my family. We were plugged in. And so, as I look back on the whole thing, just the relationships I was able to build and then my love for the city – I really felt a connection with the people of Cleveland. I was one of them. It was my home. And I was very fortunate to be able to be in one place long enough for those things to happen.”

Signed by the Browns during their expansion season of 1999, Dawson won the job during training camp and held onto through the 2012 season, retiring as a Brown in 2019. He holds team records for most career field goals (305), highest career field goal percentage (84 percent) and highest field goal percentage in a season (93.5 percent in 2012). He also holds team records for most field goals in a game with six on Nov. 5, 2006, most consecutive field goals made with 29, and most consecutive games with a field goal at 23.

His 1,271 points are second-most by a Brown, and his 215 games are the third-most in club annals. His 14 seasons with the Browns are tied for second-most in club history.

“I had a very kind of a boutique role on the team,” Dawson said. “I got a handful of plays a game. It was an opportunity for me to go on the field and help my team. I wanted to be a guy that could be counted on at any moment, at any time, to do his job. And so, I really took a great deal of satisfaction – whether it was a long game winner that everyone remembers, or a nothing burger of a kick early in the game that really didn’t have an impact on the outcome – I’ve looked back really fondly on just knowing I was able to do my job meant a lot to me.”

Two of his most memorable kicks came during the 10-6 season of 2007, one in which they narrowly missed the playoffs. His 51-yard attempt bounced off the stanchion in Baltimore, and was originally ruled no good. But they overturned it, and Dawson went on to kick the game-winning field goal in overtime. His two field goals in a blizzard to beat the Bills 8-0 are among his favorites.

“That one means a lot to me, because on face value looking back on it, I had no business making those kicks,” Dawson said. “But somehow, someway, in that moment, was able to figure out a way to just kind of get the ball through the uprights. That’s one I really look back on.”

In 2008, he denied the Bills again, this time on Monday Night Football, when he boomed a 56-yard game winner with less than two minutes remaining.

“Playing on Monday Night Football and being a Texas kid – even though I’m at home in Cleveland – just chance for everybody back home kind of see what I’m up to,” Dawson said. “And so that was a big win for our team. It was a big personal moment for me, because anytime you can hit a long one on Monday Night Football at the end of the game, that’s pretty cool.”

But his most cherished memory, as he stated during his retirement press conference, was his love affair with the fans. He felt it again in full force when he served as Dawg Pound Captain last season and smashed the guitar to the roar of the crowd.

“The connection that I had and still have to the City of Cleveland is my most cherished accomplishment of my career,” he said.




Tuesday, June 18, 2024

1 NFL Player at Each Position Who Will Explode into Stardom in 2024

 





RYAN FOWLER | JUNE 8, 2024

 

Offensive Line












Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum | Michael Owens/Getty Images

 

Center: Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens

One of the NFL's most athletic interior offensive linemen, Tyler Linderbaum is everything teams desire in a cornerstone at the pivot.

Tasked with identifying the "Mike" linebacker and relaying protections to either shoulder on each down, Linderbaum has been nothing short of sensational for Baltimore since entering the league as the No. 25 overall picks in 2022.

Linderbaum, a fleet-footed pass protector with the unique ability to pull from the center spot in the run game, didn't allow a single sack on 572 pass-protection snaps in 2023, per PFF.

 

 


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