Terps Getting Noticed in AP Football Poll

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 29, 2014 - It's not much. In the latest AP football poll out today the Maryland Terrapins received some five points. Just five. You need at least 109 points in this week's poll to break into the Top 25. If you extend the poll out past the Top 25 - it isn't a ludicrous idea because the AP itself does it in the last column of the poll on their official website - Maryland is No. 34.

What does it mean for Maryland. Hard to say. It is more than possible that they could upset Ohio State on Saturday and still not crack the top 25. Why? The Buckeyes are only ranked No. 20 after losing to Virginia Tech and struggling against Cincin But if Maryland can win another three in a row, they would certainly crack the poll. For Terp coach Randy Edsall, it would be a tremendous boost. Edsall wasn't exactly on thin ice coming into the season, but he wasn't on solid ground either. It was time for him to show the team was improving, and coming into the season, a lot of people doubted he could do that. But so far, he has. I did not think Maryland would be 4-1 at this point in the season. I thought they would be 2-3 and gasping for air. I thought they would lose to Indiana when I saw the game on the schedule before the season. And after Indiana put it to powerful MIssouri, I really thought we would lose. But Maryland's only loss so far was against West Virginia, and the Moutaineers needed a long field goal on the last play of the game to beat Maryland.

Maryland's offense is just plain wonderful so long as they avoid turnovers. They flipped possession six times in the second game of the season, on the road at South Florida, but won anyway. They have improved every week since then, and at Indiana on Saturday they didn't commit even one. If they can duplicate that against the Buckeyes, they can stay in the game. I watched the Ohio State Cincinatti game on Saturday night and I was stunned at how poorly the Ohio State defense played. They were burned time and again with long passes, which is something Maryland does well. Maryland's offensive coordinator, Mike Locksley, has to be licking his chops today. I think Maryland can't wait to have at them.

If you think Maryland is being jobbed by the sportswriters who vote in the poll, you will find that, as Maryland fans or fans of other schools, you are hardly in a minority. The FBS people sponsor a column at their website which examines the cases of three major college schools that are currently undefeated and yet unranked. Georgia Tech, which just took down Virginia Tech in Blacksburg - the same Virginia Tech that took down Ohio State at Columbus - Marshall and Arizona are all undefeated and unranked. The story is at: http://www.fbschedules.com/2014/09/undefeated-and-unranked-three-cfb-teams-that-need-a-signature-win/

Maryland Leads Big Ten Conference East Division Football Standings

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 28, 2014 - OK. OK. OK. It is very early. And you may never see the standings line up like this again. But as of September 28, 2014 the Maryland Terrapins lead the East Division of the Big Ten Conference Football Standings. If you are a Maryland Fan, you may want to cut these out and save them.

Big Ten Conference 2014-15 Football Standings
EAST DIVISION

1. Maryland: Overall: 4-1, .800 pct; Conference: 1-0, 1.000 pct; Div: 1-0, 1.000 pct
2. Penn State: Overall: 4-1, .800 pct; Conference: 1-1, .500 pct; Div: 1-0, 1.000 pct
3. Mich. State: Overall: 3-1, .750 pct; Conference: 0-0, .000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
4. Ohio State: Overall: 3-1, .750 pct; Conference: 0-0, .000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
5. Michigan: Overall: 2-3, .400 pct; Conference: 0-1, .000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
6. Rutgers: Overall: 4-1, .800 pct; Conference: 0-1, .000 pct; Div: 0-1, .000 pct
7. Indiana: Overall: 2-2, .500 pct; Conference: 0-1, .000 pct; Div: 0-1, .000 pct

WEST DIVISION

1. Nebraska: Overall: 5-0, 1.000 pct; Conference: 1-0, 1.000 pct; Div: 1-0, 1.000 pct
2. Iowa: Overall: 4-1, .800 pct; Conference: 1-0, 1.000 pct; Div: 1-0, 1.000 pct
3. Minnesota: Overall: 4-1, .800 pct; Conference: 1-0, 1.000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
4. Northwestern: Overall: 2-2, .500 pct; Conference: 1-0, 1.000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
5. Wisconsin: Overall: 3-1, .750 pct; Conference: 0-0, .000 pct; Div: 0-0, .000 pct
6. Illinois: Overall: 3-2, .600 pct; Conference: 0-1, .000 pct; Div: 0-1, .000 pct
7. Purdue: Overall: 2-3, .400 pct; Conference: 0-1, .000 pct; Div: 0-1, .000 pct



Updated through all games of September 27.

Terps Stun Hoosiers in Big Ten Opener, 37-15; Maryland Now Prepares for Ohio State Next Saturday in College Park

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 27, 2014 - How many football fans, even serious football fans, had Maryland at 4-1 awaiting their first Big Ten home game next week against Ohio State. How many Maryland fans thought they would really have a chance against the Buckeyes. They are 4-1. They do have a chance against Ohio State. Really, they do.

Saturday they wondered into Bloomington to play Indiana in the Big Ten opener for both teams. For Maryland, it was their first Big Ten league game ever. Indiana was coming off a stunning road win at powerhouse Missouri. Fans were starting to think that Indiana football had finally arrived under fourth-year coach Kevin Wilson. When had the Hoosiers ever beaten a powerful team like Missouri on the road? The only win that could compare in my humble opinion was Indiana's amazing 1979 Holiday Bowl victory over unbeaten Brigham Young. Lee Corso - the ESPN commentator - was the coach back then and that win propelled the Hoosiers to No. 16 in the final UPI poll. Now, indaina was returning home to open the conference season against Maryland. Maryland was not a power in the football-weak ACC the last few years. True, they were coming in with a 3-1 mark, but the wins were over James Madison, South Florida and Syracuse. Okay, well, except for James Madison, the teams Maryland played were not that bad. Against Indiana, starting quarterback C.J. Brown threw one touchdown pass and ran for another touchdown, and backup Caleb Rowe threw for two more touchdowns as the Terps scored early and often in routing Indiana. Brown left the game with a wrist injury at the half and Rowe played the entire second half. The switch was seamless. Touchdown passes were caught by Stefon Diggs, Brandon Ross, and Juwann Winfree, the latter a true freshman who beat his man deep and caught a beautifully thrown ball by Rowe. Meanwhile, Maryland's unpredictable defense stood tall against Indiana's free-wheeling offense. Nate Studfeld threw not one touchdown pass. Tevin Coleman ran for 122 yards, but 46 of those came on one run in the third quarter, and Indiana did not score on that drive.

There are a lot of football fans wiping their eyes right now. Maryland is 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is coming to College Park, and a share of first place in the Big Ten is on the line. Really, it is.

Terps Whack Badgers for First Big Ten Soccer Victory

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 27, 2014 - The beginning of the 2014 season will be remembered for the ultimate frustration that reigned down upon Maryland's always-formidable soccer team. Three losses and three draws in the first eight games for a team that plays an entire season on a regular basis without accumulating that many losses or ties is, you must admit, the working definition of frustration. On Friday, the lads gave firm proof that they have somehow managed to put all of that behind them. With Big Ten bad boy Wisconsin at Ludwig Field, the Maryland defense again threw a shutout down the opponent's throat. This time, however, the offense joined in the fun - it came late, mind you, but it did finally arrive - and the Terps enjoyed, thoroughly, a 2-0 victory over the Badgers.

The Terps controlled possession, again, like they always do, even in the first eight games. This time, starting eight minutes into the second half, possession turned into goals. At the 52:36 mark of the second half, Michael Sauers broke through Wisconsin's defense with a sensational rocket shot from 24 feet away. Jeroen Meefout got the play started for the Terps, snagging a ball near midfield on Maryland's right, then passing ahead of Eric Carbajal, who was sprinting down the center of the field. Carabajal deftly one touched the pass to Sauers for the shot. And then, just six minutes later, the Terps struck again. Mikey Ambrose took a corner kick and lifted the ball into the box, where Dan Metzger lifted himself skyward, and headed the ball past the Badger Keeper, Casey Beyers.

Maryland is now 3-3-3, while the Badgers slumped to 1-5-1. In the Big Ten, Maryland improved to 1-1-1, while Wisconsin is 0 wins, 2 losses and 0 draws.

Maryland now braces for an invasion from just down the road. Georgetown will be at Ludwig on Tuesday night.

Democratic Big Wigs Trashing Obama to Aide Hilary; Elites and PC Police in Cynical Assault on NFL; Sports: Maryland Soccer Scores, and Wins; Courageous Burnley About to Get Vokes Back

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 22, 2014 - They are all coming out of the woodwork, acting like they've been pro-American Patriots all along, but trapped in an administration willing to go to any length to avoid using military force, even when such use is for the general good of the country and the world. Leon Panetta, the California coat and tie leftist who did a turn as defense secretary under Obama after serving as Clinton's Chief of Staff, is just the latest example. Appearing on the now shamelessly left-leaning 60 Minutes show on CBS, mainly to plug a new book, Panetta said that when he was Obama's defense secretary he told the President he was in favor of leaving 8,000 to 10,000 American Troops in Iraq at the end of hostilities, plus an adequate intelligence contingent. But Obama was hell-bent on taking every military person out; every single one. He bragged about it time and again until just recently, when the absurdity of it became painfully apparent. Panetta said every military advisor told Obama the same thing he did. If only we would have done that - and by "we" Panetta means Obama and his administration - ISIS would never have incubated into a growing world-wide threat, and the United States could have kept former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from hopelessly corrupting the government left in charge in Iraq by Obama. I can only imagine thousands of low information types sitting at home drinking all of that Kool Aid as if it was absolutely true. But it isn't even a little bit true, and here is why: Panetta had plenty of media sources who would have been only too glad to run with a story like that back at crunch-time. If he was convinced that what Obama was doing was hair-brained, he could have went to these sources to get the story out that Obama was about to make a huge error, or he could have reached out to other party regulars to talk to Obama. Or, he could have resigned: which would have been extremely effective in upping the ante for Obama. Instead, Panetta and other pro-Hilary administration insiders stood around yawning, only too happy that the USA was washing its hands of all things Iraq. The war in Iraq was started by President Bush, and Panetta and every other Democratic Operative wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. These days, Obama is trying to blame Maliki for the failure to leave behind a contingent of American troops in Iraq. This, too, is total Hogwash. Obama has bragged constantly about the wisdom of his decision to pull all troops out of Iraq. He no more pushed a plan to leave troops in Iraq with Maliki than he pushed Ms. Lerner to clean up the IRS. But as for Panetta, he is willing to trash Obama to assist Hilary. Obama's approval rating is in the absolute tank. A new Reuters Poll has it at 35%. Hilary sees Obama as a lead ring around her neck and she is maneuvering to separate herself from him. She is pushing this fraud for purely political reasons. In fact, HIlary is every bit the leftist that Obama is. Like Obama, Hilary will do her best to trick voters into believing she is really a moderate, I believe an 8-year Hilary term will be far worse for America than was the 8 years of Obama. Many of Obama's biggest mistakes can be reversed if the next President and Congress can work together. But Hilary will not reverse any of Obama's nightmarish policies. And when she is finished, those policies will be in effect for 16 years. People turning adult age will have no memory of a president other than two uber leftists and their 16 years on a downbound train.

Why PC Police and Other Elites are Assaulting NFL Over Domestic Violence There was something about the entire Ray Rice debacle that I could not get my arms around, and it bothered me.

It wasn't the premise of the debate. A truly civilized society should have a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violcnce of any kind. Men should never physically assault or intimidate their partners, nor should women. And adults should never assault or physically intimidate their children or any children, for that matter. The penalty Rice ended up with is fine with me. I have a huge problem with the way Rice was punished, as I explained in a column here on September 9. But putting that issue aside, I was increasingly uncomfortable with the way the domestic violence story was hanging around the NFL's neck.

Society's interest in curbing and ending domestic violence has nothing at all to do with the NFL. Nothing. As has been revealed many times in recent days, incidents of domestic violence among NFL players are significantly below the national average. That should be the end of the connection between the NFL and the overall issue of domestic violence for these elites and PC Police who are out front in the discussion of the issue, telling us what to think about this and that. But the din of howling from the PC police and other elites shows no sign of letting up. I, for one, would be interested in knowing which segment of society really is most prone to commiting domestic violence. I would love to know which segments of society have the lowest rate of domestic violence. But the NFL is neither at the top or the bottom. They are in the middle and of no compelling interest under any definition of legitimate interest. The league's behanvior in recent weeks is almost refreshing. They quickly came to the conclusion that they had been out of touch in having a policy about the issue. They fixed the problem. I don't think they have overdone it. I don't think they have taken the problem too lightly when all is said and done. What more can they do? But the elites pushing the conversation seem to want to punish the league for falling short of what they think should have been their policy all along. Oh if we all were as smart as the elites of this country what a wonderful world we would live in. League officials admit their policy was virtually non-existant and their handling of the Rice incident was incorrect. But the league and the Ravens broke no law. They never said that they condoned domestic violence. They didn't even hint at such an absurd idea. Push the issue, folks. Think through how we as a civilized society can end domestic violence. Stop using the NFL as a whipping boy because in the end you're alienating people who should never arrive at that opinion.

I believe that what is really going on is the growing opinion on the far left, among elites and PC types, that the NFL and football generally is a bad thing. Anytime these types can trash the NFL they jump on it. The NFL is not a forced occupation. Millions of people love football. But in the opinion of these really awful people, football is violent, it is all male, and, therefore, it is all bad. These types want the millions to watch women's bowling on Sunday afternoon. Get your season tickets today.

Sports:

Maryland's Soccer team won a very important game on Monday night as they go about trying to right their ship. Their coach, the genius-like Sasho Cirovski, doesn't seem too concerned, and good for him. I'm sure he will get the lads playing far better than they are now. Against Michigan State last Friday, Maryland controlled the ball and pressed the attack, but they looked like lost souls when it came to scoring. A ball would be lifted into the State box and, at most, one player would run to it. On one play a ball was played through to a Maryland forward who had gotten ahead of the field without being offside. What did he do with the ball? He passed it. My remaining hair was pulled hard at that point. I suspect a bit of the problem - maybe more - is the fact that most of Maryland's players were teammates of Patrick Mullins for the last four years. By the middle of the 2012 season, and then throughout the 2013 season, Mullins did all of the scoring. Everybody else concentrated on getting Mullins the ball. Now, Mullins is gone and no one has stepped in to take his place. Cirovski is said to have told one of the Big Ten Network's announcers that David Kabelik is his best finisher right now. Great. Kabelik was listed as a defenseman at the start of the season and does not start.

So the Terps lost last Friday to Michigan STate, 1-0. On Monday they played better but still needed a penalty shot to edge Dayton, 1-0. Maryland is now 2 wins, 3 losses and 2 ties, including 0 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie in the Big Ten, a league they were picked to win. The lads have two huge games coming up. Friday night they are home to play Wisconsin and then, four days later, Georgetown comes to Ludwig Field on Tuesday night. If there is a college coach who can right this ship in time to make the NCAA Tournament, it is Cirovski. In his 22nd year and with two NCAA titles under his belt, (and last season's NCAA title thieved from his team by a slumbering referee), he will find a way to get these guys to score. I'd bet on it. Most times a team with scoring problems is really having trouble getting on offense. That is not Maryland's problem. They controlled the second half against Michigan State the same way they control games against weaker opponents. They just weren't capitalizing on the chances they were giving themselves. The only player I saw who was actually looking to score was Tsubasa Endoh. Endoh is a fabulous player. Last season he was like a general directing the offense as it probed the other team's defense for ways to get the ball to Mullins in a place where he could score. His only drawback is his lack of speed. He isn't slow, mind you, but he isn't lightning quick in the way a scorer needs to be if he is going to be successful in making one-on-one moves that lead to goals. He will score with a decent pass, but he is by far the player most likely to make such passes, not receive them. This is a severe test for Cirovski. After reaching the final four the last two seasons, most programs would be happy if the team struggled this year but returned to glory next season. One person who won't settle for doing it that way is the Maryland Coach.

In Europe, qualifying games for the 2016 European Championships are underway. All of the 53 participating national teams have been grouped into eight six-nation divisions and one five-team division. Each nation plays a home and home series with every other team in their division. The nine division champs and the nine division runner-ups make the 24 team finals in France. Like the World Cup, the European Championship awards the host nation an automatic berth in the finals. Thus, France is in the final 24.

The tiny nation of Andorra, located in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain, is one of the 53 nations playing in the qualifying rounds. They have had little luck through the years, and currently own an unfathonable 44 game losing streak. What's worse, their last goal came in 2010. That is, until September 9. On that night, playing in their new 3,300 seat national stadium, they took a 1-0 lead over visiting Wales. The Welsh have had a drought of their own, but nothing compared to that of Andorra. The last time Wales made the finals of a major tournament was in 1958, when they made the finals of the World Cup. Many fans find it strange that the Welsh don't play for England, but the nationalism involved there would take years to explain. Still, Wales is a soccer hotbed and the folks there support the national team in a very vocal and devoted way. Plus, one of the world's best players - and the highest paid player - is from Wales and he plays for the National Team. He is Gareth Bale, the Real Madrid star. When Andorra grabbed the lead in the sixth minute, Bale knew, Wales knew, and Andorra probably knew, that the rest of the match would be Bale v. Andorra. Bale did not disappoint. He tied the match in the 22nd minute with a breathtaking header, and won it in the second half on a beautiful curling free kick, to the pure delight of the 1500 Welsh fans who made the trip. Still, the narrow victory and the goal Wales allowed did not sit well in Wales. The coach of the national team, Chris Coleman, was roundly booed at halftime by the Welsh fans.

One of the reasons that Wales was struggling against Andorra is the same reason Burnley is finding it difficult to score in the Premier League, even though their defense is among the league's best. Sam Vokes, who combined with Danny Ings to score 42 goals last season for the Claret, before being injured in a match against Leicester, is a huge missing part for both squads. The injury Vokes sustained was s torn anterior cruciate ligament, and it has kept Vokes idle since that time. But a release by the Wales National Team carried in the BBC indicates Vokes will be back in October in time for some of the national team's Euro 2016 qualifying matches. He is missed also by Burnley. Not only is he completely absent, but Ings has not been himself since Vokes' injury. Many think that Vokes' return could have a double impact on Burnley, by getting his scoring back on the pitch and getting Ings back to scoring. Sounds good to me.

Kurdish Peshmerga Forces Kill Top ISIS Commander

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 16, 2014 - The increasingly powerful and fully determined Kurdish Peshmerga Military has killed a top ISIS Commander in action near Kazir in Iraq, the Assyrian News Agency (AINA) reported today. The commander, Yasin Ali Suleiman Shlash known as Abu Abdullah, was killed Tuesday, AINA said.

The military action which resulted in the commander's death was coordinated around air strikes by USA Jets, the Peshmerga Spokesman told AINA. Other ISIS operatives were also killed, AINA reported.

AINA provided this history of Abu Abdullah: "Abu Abdullah was a senior military commander and a top ISIS official in the state (Wilayat) of Mosul. Abu Abdullah was the mastermind behind the 2007 explosion in front of the ministry of the interior in Erbil. The Kurdish Security Council described Abu Abdullah, also known as Abu Sumaya, as a native of Mosul, 39 years old and former Arabic language teacher in Mosul. In 2010 he was arrested by the American forces and later transferred to the jurisdiction of the Iraqi government, where he was set free during the infamous Abu Ghraib jailbreak in 2013 and fled to Syria where he joined the Islamic State group," read the statement. Abu Abdulla is said to have had strong ties with the former Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The security statement said that Abu Abdullah was in charge of IS's military operations in Nineveh and responsible for the abduction of many Yezidi women after the capture of Shingal last month."

Orioles Clinch American League Eastern Division Crown

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 16, 2014 - The Orioles, to no one's surprise, have clinched the American League Eastern Division Championship, their first since 1997. Breaking on top in the first inning in Baltimore, the Orioles pummeled second place Toronto, 8-2, behind the determined pitching of Ubaldo Jimenez, and the homerun power of Steve Pearce and Jimmy Paredes. Pearce belted his 18th homerun of the season - a three-run blast - in the first inning after the Blue Jays had pushed across a single run in the top of the first to take a brief, 1-0 lead. After Toronto pulled back to within 3-2 in their half of the second inning, Paredes led off the bottom of the second with his second round tripper since joining Baltimore two weeks ago. The score remained 4-2 in favor of Baltimore until the bottom of the seventh, when Alejandro De Aza smashed a bases-loaded triple to put the Orioles ahead, 7-2. Jimenez, whom Baltimore acquired in the off-season for more money than it had ever paid to a free agent, struggled throughout the season, but given a start last night, he battled ferociously through five innings, and, even though he walked four and gave up two hits while throwing 97 pitches, he earned the win. He is now 5-9.

After the game the team celebrated with unrestrained joy on the field. When some of the players retreated to the clubhouse, where champagne and other adult beverages were on ice, the crowd, many of whom remained in their seats, chanted for them to return. Many of them did. Adam Jones, the All Star centerfielder whose resurrected batting style coincided with the Orioles' midseason surge into first place, ran around the warning track that surrounds the field, giving high-fives and throwing celebratory pies into the faces of willing fans. All season long Jones had put cream pies in the faces of game heroes as they were interviewed on local TV. Last night, fans called for their own pies and Jones obliged. Other players pulled their young children onto the field to share in the celebrations. Buck Showalter, the Oriole manager, and Dan Duquette, the general manager, both filtered through the on-field crowd, stopping to congratulate this player and that team executive.

For 14 of the 17 years that separate the last division title and this one, the Orioles languished in last place with woeful records. The team was often out of the title race by Memorial Day, and some years earlier than that. Team owner Peter Angelos, a Baltimore attorney, was charged by fans and media figures alike with interfering with the running of the team, to the team's detriment. To counter those charges, Angelos brought Showalter and Duquette to Baltimore and reportedly promised, as part of the agreement with Duquette, to stay away from team operations. Whatever the nature of their agreement, the fact is that Duquette has moved swiftly when situations warranted, something prior general managers could not do. The result has been a total restructuring of the Oriole organization, from top to bottom. The Orioles make more roster moves than almost any other team, sometimes placing regular players on the minor league rosters so that a certain player from the minors would be available for a given game. The turnaround came in 2012 when the Orioles ended 14 straight losing seasons and reached the American League playoffs. After defeating Texas in the new one-game Wild Card Playoff, they took on the Eastern Division Champion Yankees in an epic five-game series, finally won by the Yanks in Game 5 after they repelled two dramatic rallies. That game included a hotly disputed umpire's call on an apparent homerun by Baltimore's Nate McClouth in the sixth inning that would have cut the Yank's narrow two-run lead in half. The umps ruled McClouth's blast was foul, even though fans at Yankee Stadium admitted to TV reporters that the ball glanced off the foul pole. Then, last year, the Orioles narrowly missed the playoffs, but produced a second-straight winning season.

Now, in 2014, a quietly determined core of players battled through an up and down first half of the season that saw them 6 and one-half games behind the division leader nearing the middle of June. They have also overcome two season-ending injuries to key players who were All Stars in 2013 - Catcher Matt Wieters and Third Baseman Manny Machado - and a suspension meted out to First Baseman - Third Baseman Chris Davis that makes him inactive for the final 17 games of the regular season and up to 8 playoff games. Davis led all of baseball in homeruns and RBIs in 2013, and he had hit 26 homers and knocked in 72 runs this season before the early September suspension for having Aderall, an amphetimine used by persons suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Though Davis has been diagnosed with this condition and has taken the drug legally in the past, he did not have a prescription when tested randomly in early September. It was the second time he has been found in violation of the MLB Drug Policy, meaning that he was subject to a suspension.

Despite these setbacks - and losing three All Stars in one season is a staggering set back, to say the least - the Orioles have continued to win, with other players stepping in for those unable to play, and performing so well that the All Stars were hardly missed. When Wieters went down with a throwing arm injury in late April, the Orioles recalled promising young catcher Caleb Joseph and made him the everyday catcher. He has responded with nine homeruns and a defensive performance that has made the loss of Wieters, one of the best defensive catchers in all of baseball, a loss that the team has not felt nearly as much as many feared. When Machado went down, Showalter juggled players depending on their statistics against the pitcher the Orioles were facing that night. At first he moved Davis to third and put Steve Pearce at first. Davis proved an excellant choice because his overall athleticism enabled him to play third base in a competent and professional manner. It also seemed to help his hitting. Davis had hit .286 last season while smashing 53 homers and knocking in a staggering 138 runs. This year he struggled often and his average had plummeted to under .200. He was still hitting with power when he made contact, as the 26 homeruns indicate. But he had struck out an alarming 173 times in 127 games, and seemed unable to lay off breaking pitches that dove away from him into the dirt. Duquette combed the waiver wires and talked endlessly to other GMs, finally making a trade with the defending World Champion Red Sox for infielder Kelly Johnson. The team also recalled Jimmy Paredes - whom they acquired from Houston - and both Johnson and Paredes have played several games at third base since joining the team. Another acquisition, De Aza, has made a huge impact in his short time with the team. In 31 at bats over ten games, Paredes is hitting .419 with two homers and 7 RBIs. De Aza, who came over from the White Sox at the end of August, has regained the form that saw him hit 17 homers and knock in 62 runs for Chicago in 153 games last season. For the Birds, he has 3 triples, 2 home runs and 9 RBIs in 49 at bats over 12 games, and will apparently start against right handed pitchers in the playoffs. Johnson's avergae doesn't compare to Paredes and De Aza - it is under .200 - but he smacked a walkoff double in the last week in a key game against the Yankees.

The real story of the Orioles success is the pitching staff. When the Orioles struggled in the early season the starting pitching was inconsistent. Even No. 1 starter Chris Tillman wasn't on his game, and Jimenez, installed at the start of the season as the No. 2 starter, was having even less success. But as the weather warmed, the starting pitching stepped up their collective game, and the starting rotation has now emerged as one of the best in baseball. Chris Tillman is 12-5 with a 3.29 ERA while striking out 139 hitters in 194 and one-third innings. No. 2 starter Wei-Yin Chen is an astounding 16-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 173 and two-thirds innings. The No. 3 starter is the dependable Bud Norris. He is 13-8 with a 3.74 ERA in 150 and two-thirds innings. The No. 4 Starter is Miguel Gonzalez. Hit hard at times early in the season, he, like many of the starters, has finished very strong. Overall, Gonzalez is 9-8 with a 3.28 ERA in 148 and one-third innings. In his last ten starts, covering 67 and one-third innings his ERA is 2.13 and he has compiled a 5-3 record. The fifth starter is one of the brightest stars in the Oriole camp, Kevin Gausmann. He started the season in Norfolk and was up and down over the early part of the season. At one point Showalter said publicly that if Gausman wanted to be a major league pitcher he could be a major league pitcher. He apparently wants to be a major league pitcher. Gausman, a No. 1 Draft Pick by the Orioles out of Louisiana State University, is 7-7 overall with a 3.57 ERA. He consistently throws in the mid and upper nineties, and his control has been outstanding. When five starters take the hill, day after day, and pitch in a way that always gives their team a chance to win, it gives their team a growing confidence. When the starters give way, it is to one of the best bullpens in all of baseball. Zach Britton unexpectedly emerged as the Oriole's closer in May after Tommy Hunter was injured. He has recorded 35 saves in 39 games, and his ERA over 72 and one-third innings - including the opening months when he wasn't a closer - is a miniscule 1.74. Andrew Miller has emerged as the prime set-up man, and he has been equally phenomanal. Coming over from the Defending World Champion Red Sox in August, he has pitched to a 1.04 ERA over 17 and one-third innings, and has struck out some 30 hitters. That is almost two strike outs per inning. Darren O'Day pitches in the same stratosphere as Miller and Britton. He is 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA over 64 and one-third innings. The side-armed O'Day has struck out 70. The fourth late-inning arm in the bullpen is Tommy Hunter. He started the season as the closer and has racked up 11 saves. Overall he has pitched 58 innings in 56 games, striking out 43 and walking only 12. He has won 3 and lost 2. Like many of the Orioles' pitchers, he has been incredible of late. Over his last ten outings he is 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA.

The Orioles will open their playoff quest on either October 2 or 3. They are currently 91-60, and stand 13 and one-half games ahead of the Blue Jays and 14 and one-half ahead of the Yankees. They still have 11 games left to play, beginning tonight when they host the Blue Jays in the final game of the three-game series.

Huge Philippine Volcano May Erupt At Anytime

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 16, 2014 - Mount Mayon, an active volcano on the Philippine Island of Luzon, is nearing an eruption, with officials conducting forced evacuations of residents living within four miles of the crater, and those living within six miles currently being strongly urged to evacuate voluntarily. The official threat level of an eruption is "critical," according to the BBC.

The volcano has begun spewing lava and smoke, Philippine officials say. Scientists advise that an actual full eruption could happen "within weeks."

The worst recorded eruption of Mount Mayon occurred 200 years ago in 1814, when over 1,200 people were killed and several small towns were said to have been totally "devastated". In calm times the volcano is called one of the most picturesque volcanoes in the world, with its high perfectly circular crater in breathtaking silhouette against a tropical sky. Now, however, the crater is filled with lava that glowed bright Monday in the dead of night. Small earthquakes have been observed and rock slides on the mountain have also been noted.

Hilary's Top Aides Removed Documents Unflattering to Her Role in Benghazi Affair, Former State Department Official Charges

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 16, 2014 - The intrepid and incredible Sharyl Attkisson - formerly of CBS (until they declined to carry her objective reports that were not positive about Obama and his functionaries - has broken a Benghazi story that is, in a word, "explosive." According to Attkisson, a former State Department official who had a role in the department's inquiry into Benghazi, is prepared to testify that he found top department officials, including at least two of Hilary Clinton's top aides, huddled in a basement room at Foggy Bottom one weekend, culling documents from those that were to be turned over to a government investigative body known as the Accountability Review Board (ARB). The official, Raymond Maxwell, told Attkisson that the documents being culled (or removed) were those that cast Hilary in a negative light.

Shocking.

Maxwell's job at the time was as a leader in the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, which was charged with collecting emails and documents relevant to the Benghazi probe. Despite this position, Maxwell was not invited to the meeting, which started on a Saturday and continued into Sunday. Nevertheless, he got wind of the meeting and decided to check it out that particular Saturday. When he walked in he saw a number of department officials, including one woman who worked for him. He also saw piles of department documents piled everywhere in the room. He asked the woman whom he normally supervised what was going on, and the woman told him they were going through the documents to be turned over to ARB, and removing those that cast "the seventh floor" in a bad light. The seventh floor was department vernacular for Hilary and her top functionaries, whose offices were on the seventh floor at Foggy Bottom.

When Maxwell asked the woman if what they were doing was ethical, she responded, "Ray, those are our orders."

So Shocking.

Subsequently, Maxwell was one of four department officials who were disciplined - but later cleared - for devastating security lapses that were said to have been responsible for the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans, including the United States' ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens.

After he arrived in the basement room, Maxwell said that in walked two of Hilary's top aides, Cheryl Mills, her chief of staff and an attorney who defended Bill Clinton at his impeachment trial in the Senate, and Jake Sullivan, Hilary's Deputy Chief of Staff. When they arrived and looked around the room, Mills snapped upon seeing Maxwell, "Who's he?" Sullivan responded, saying, "That’s Ray Maxwell, an NEA deputy assistant secretary."

To Sullivan's response, Mills said, ‘Well, OK.’”

Maxwell told Ms. Attkisson that after that exchange, Mills and Sullivan made some cursory inquiries and left. He believes they were there to check on how the work being done in the room was progressing. Maxwell says that he, the woman whom he supervised and an intern, were given a stack of documents and moved into a small office adjacent to the room that he initially entered. He says he looked through this short stack and saw cables from the Tripoli, Libya embassy to Foggy Bottom. The cables were from a period of time prior to the attack, he said. Because he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, Maxwell says he left after only a short period of time.

Maxwell says that he immediately began to wonder if the ARB received a "scrubbed set of documents," to its request to be furnished with all State Department documents concerning, in any way, the incidents at Benghazi. He also was critical of the ARB and questioned its independence, citing an incident in which one of the ARB directors admitted to Congress that he called Hilary and offered her advice after one department employee had testified.

Without reservation, I urge everyone to take the few minutes required to read Ms. Attkisson's report, which she contributed to the news site called the "Daily Signal". The cite for the report is: http://dailysignal.com/2014/09/15/benghazi-bombshell-clinton-state-department-official-reveals-alleged-details-document-review/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

The Select Congressional Committee charged with investigating Benghazi meets for the first time today. Maxwell is not scheduled to testify today, but it is certain that he will be called to testify. Attkisson says in her report that she contacted the current offices of Hilary, Cheryl Mills and Jake Sullivan to get comments, but none of them have responded to her.

So very shocking.

Classical Music's Best Kept Secret Right Here in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 15, 2014 - It has the innocuous name of "Community Concerts at Second." The group of music lovers who organize the shows sponsor two sets of concerts that run each year from September through May. One set features chamber music talent from all over these United States playing concerts later on Sunday afternoons about once a month. The second set features members of the extremely wonderful Baltimore Symphony Orchestra playing chamber music selections of their choosing on Sunday evenings. All of the concerts are staged at the beautiful - and accoustically superb - Second Presbyterian Church just south of Loyola College in the northern part of Baltimore. Best of all, and most amazing of all, all of these concerts are free. Now, there is a collection plate at the doors that gets filled up fast with free will gifts, and from time to time a member of the governing board gets up and asks for contributions. But that is it.

Last night was the first of the Sunday night concerts, and it was superb. The concert started with two brass selections. First was Victor Ewald's Quintet No. 5, played by Andrew Balio on trumpet, Nathaniel Hepfer on trumpet, Phillip Munds on horn, Aaron LeVere on trombone and Seth Horner on tuba. Ewald had two accomplished professions: not only was he an accomplished and oft-performed composer, he was also one of his time's best civil engineers. He lived most of his life in St. Petersburg, Russia, and he is known as a composer who adopted the methods and, if you will, spirit of Johannes Brahms, to the genre of brass instruments. For those who know about these things, the one group of instruments Brahms did not do much composing for were the brass instruments. Ewald admired Brahms' music and did what he could to bring his style and methods to the brass section. Amazingly enough, Ewald himself was an accomplished cellist. The quintet on display for this piece was superb, accomplished, and meshing the sounds of their instruments in a beautiful way. The audience of several hundred gave them a very warm reception. Next, the Sextet in E-flat Minor by Oskar Bohme was played. Bolio, Hepfer, Munds, Levere and Horner returned, joined by a third trumpet played by Rene Hernandez. Bohme was born near Dresden, Germany in 1870. He was a member of several orchestrals in Eastern Europe and Russia before expiring in exile ordered by Josef Stalin in either 1938 or 1941. Because he died in exile, his music was not played often during his life. In these later days, however, his scores are being performed with increasing regularity. On You Tube, for instance, the Sextet heard last night in Baltimore can be seen and heard played by several different performance groups. It is a beautiful and soulful piece, reflecting Bohme's frequent association with orchestras associated with large operas. The Baltimore Symphony Sextet on display last night was superb and accomplished, and the music reflected that.

The third selection on the program was Gabriel Faure's elegant Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, opus 13. Faure is the famous and beloved French composer of the late 1800's and first quarter of the twentieth century. He was regarded, in his time, as extremely modern, and even cutting edge. But when he died in 1924 at the age of 79, he was given a state funeral. The superb virtuoso, Qing Li - who the BSO is supremely fortunate to have as a member - played the lead, accompanied by the equally virtuistic Choo Choo Hu on piano. The demanding and elegant Sonata involves a wide range of musical styles, from the soulful and mournful, to the up-tempo and lightning fast. In one part of the Sonata, Qing Li plays pizzicato while Hu plays up tempo and forcefully. Quickly enough, the Sonata returns to elegance. It was amazing to hear and see, and the audience was on its feet at the end. If you have never heard Qing Li play, you are missing an accomplished and extremely talented violinist.

The final piece, Ralph Vaughan Williams' String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, is a haunting and, at the same time, captivating work. Williams, of course, is the legendary English Composer who, although born to an upperclass family (his mother was a member of the Wedgwood family which made Wedgwood China), he enlisted as a private in the Royal Army and earned a promotion in the artillery corps, where he served with gallantry and valor in World War I. Williams was also related to Charles Darwin. Williams was a collector of and student of English Folk Music, and included many of the styles and rhythms in his compositions. The quartet heard last night was composed by Williams between 1942 and 1944 and thoroughly reflects the English Musical Style to which he is always associated. It is unusual in the sense that the violist instead of the first violinist or cellist, plays the lead or principal part. BSO Violist Rebekah Newman played that role with her rich and resonating style that was, for me, extremely memorable. Ivan Stefanovic and Angela Lee were the violinists and Seth Low was the cellist. They were superb. The audience responded with a standing ovation.

The Concerts continue at 3:30 pm on September 28 with a performance by the oft-praised Trio Cavatina. It is a Piano Trio (piano, cello and violin) formed at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont in 2005. Their program will include works by Beethoven and Schubert and a recent composition by Douglas Boyce. The next Sunday night concert is October 5 at 7:30 pm, where the program will include Martinu's Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano; York Bowen's Fantasie for Four Violas, Opus 41; Rossini's Duet for Cello and Double Bass in D Major; Robert Patterson's instrumental piece entitled "Embracing the Wind," composed for a trio of instruments: flute, viola and harp; and, to conclude the concert, Mendelssohn's legendary String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Opus 80.

Burnley Takes Point at Crystal Palace After Second Consecutive Premier Clean Sheet; Victory Denied When Arfield's 85th Minute Penalty Shot Blocked by Palace Keeper Julian Speroni

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 13, 2014 - Burnley earned a second consecutive clean sheet, this time on the road, but when Scott Arfield's penalty shot in the 85th minute was parried by Crystal Palace Keeper Julian Speroni, Burnley had to "settle" for a second straight scoreless draw. Burnley Coach Sean Dyche kept his cool about it and refused to second guess or criticize his midfielder, who has Burnley's only Premier League goal this season, scored in the 14th minute against Chelsea on opening night. The Claret are now 0 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses in the Premier, good for two total points. Their goal differential after four matches is only -3. Burnley next takes the field one week from today at Sunderland.

In this, their second Premier League season, today's result is Burnley's first clean sheet away from Turf Moor. Last Saturday, when they posted a scoreless draw with Manchester United, it was the Claret's first ever Premier League clean sheet. The rapidly improving Burnley defense has now surrendered only one goal since halftime of the opening night match against Chelsea. The league leaders are currently 4-0-0, with a goal differential of +12. They scored all three of their opening night goals in the first half against Burnley. Since that half ended, the only goal against the Claret in the 3 and one-half matches since then was the one homestanding Swansea scored in its 1-0 win in the second game of the season. Tom Heaton has been in goal for all four games, and his goals against average is now exactly one.

Crystal Palace was on the attack seconds after the opening whistle sounded, but Heaton and his mates dealt with it, and by the second half, Burnley was in charge of the ball and swarming to nets for a score. Arfield made a strong run down the field and launched what the BBC called a "fierce, curling drive" at the Crystal Palace net, but Speroni blocked that shot also. When Palace defender Mile Jedinak conceded the penalty shot by tackling Lukas Jutkiewicz in the box at the 83:24 mark, it looked like Burnley would get the maximum three points available in the match. But Arfield's hard shot to the Keeper's left and at virtual ground level was saved by a diving Speroni.

The Burnley defense (Keeper Tom Heaton, and fullbacks Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Michael Duff and Kieran Trippier) has built a virtual wall around the Burnley net. Today's starting line-up for Burnley included Midfielder George Boyd, who Burnley signed this week for the most money ever paid by the Claret's ownership body. Of concern to Burnley going forward is the injury sustained by forward Danny Ings just under five minutes before the half. The team is describing the injury as being to Ings' hamstring. He left the match at the 40:11 mark, replaced by Marvin Sordell. As the BBC pointed out, Ings and Sam Vokes were the dynamic duo last season for Burnley, scoring 47 goals between them. But Vokes sustained a serious knee injury in the final weeks of the last campaign, and has yet to return to the bench in uniform. There is still no prediction as to when that day will come. Ings seems out of sorts without Vokes, and he, too, has failed to score. He even failed to score in the preseason. The Claret are in desperate need of these two lads to get back on the field in shape and scoring goals.

Obama Says He Wants to Stop ISIS; Germany Won't Help (Much), Nor Will Turkey, but France will participate; Forum Looks at Growing Tension Between Cold War Foes; Orioles Lose Davis for 25 Games But Sweep Yanks to Drop Magic Number to 5; Ravens Impressive in Cake Walk Over Steelers; Terps Score Late to Tie Michigan in Big Ten Opener; Terp Football Team Drops Thriller to West Virginia, 40-37

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 12, 2014 - Some say President Obama sounded presidential the other night as he assured USA citizens and others around the world that he is on the case against ISIS, the Muslim Extremist Rabble Intent on World Domination (as hard to fathom as it is, these people really say that). Obama told the world how dangerous ISIS is, and in the same breath assured anyone listening that American Troops will not get involved. Left unsaid, but truly garish in its absence, is the uber leftist Obama's promise to other uber leftists that he won't send troops anywhere that President Bush did. Obama and other uber leftists blasted President Bush relentlessly for everything. In a speech about foreign policy issues, Obama even managed to remind us that he had been the leader that led us in overcoming Bush's economic mistakes. We all know that he has to be the only one who believes that his long list of incomprehensible, ridiculous economic maneuvers and policy choices would give the worst economic policy in history a run for the money. He and Bush aren't even in same volume when it comes to economic management. But I digress.

Don't get me wrong here about sending troops to the Middle East. I'm not anxious to dispatch troops to fight ISIS in Iraq or Syria. But there may come a time - and it might come soon - when we have to. My issue with Obama is the way he is always gussying up to his pals on the uber left when other things are much more important. Why tell the lousy scum of ISIS that the USA is not going to come and get them? They know that the USA has a history of mobilizing to fight evil in the very country where they are now ensconced. Why spell out for them that we will not do it again? Let them expend resources preparing for the western invasion. Let our intentions be ominous by their unannounced direction. President Obama is so utterly beholden to all the little uber leftists on his donor list that he can't just do what they want, he has to publicly announce that he is beholden to them, even if it means giving away a huge strategic advantage.

On the other hand: Gen. David Petraeus, the former head of Allied forces in Iraq and Obama's former head of the CIA, says ISIS on the ground in Iraq and Syria pales in comparison to al Qaeda's numbers and degree of organization on the eve of the highly successful 2007 surge ordered by President Bush. Speaking in Denver on Thursday, Petraeus said the danger in formulating strategy now is in overestimating ISIS and its capabilities.

It was reported Friday morning that Germany has told the USA it will not actively participate in an air campaign against ISIS. According to these reports, Turkey has told the USA the same thing. France, on the other hand, will take an active role in the air strikes, while England is still debating the pros and cons. A group of Arab nations says it will offer appropriate help to the coalition Obama says he is putting together. I, for one, am wondering what this group means by "appropriate help." And, as for putting together a coalition, I am wondering how that will go. When the "older" President Bush put the first Iraq coalition together back when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and massed troops on his border with Saudi Arabia, President Bush deployed tens of thousands of United States' Marines before he started making the phone calls about joining a coalition. In other words, he led by example. President Obama, on the other hand, may be asking many countries to act in our stead. Imagine him calling up Poland, or Georgia, and saying he wants them to join a militsry coalition which the USA is putting together, but also one that the USA will not be deploying ground troops for, even though such ground troops may well be needed. As a prime minister or president of a country being asked to contribute fighter jets, troops, military hardware and whatever else, will you quickly join in if the superpower building the coalition is not really going to get knee deep in the military part? "But," Obama adds at the end of his pitch, "we sure will be cheering for you."

Carnegie Forum: USA and Russia Come Closer to the Brink over Ukraine
The Carnegie Corporation has sponsored a forum of international experts to analyze and break down the growing rise in the level of tension and conflict between the United States and Russia. Authorities from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Georgetown and elsewhere weighed in for the forum. When and if you read their contributions, expect some elitist nonsense. But also count on some real insights into this immense and ominous conflict. Here is the web page: http://perspectives.carnegie.org/us-russia/?utm_source=googlegrants&utm_medium=AdWords&utm_content=WhatisRussiaThinking1&utm_campaign=USRussia082014&gclid=Cj0KEQjws8qgBRCLp-aploLbqcQBEiQAm0rD5_L4stHTx-1A4OztbJaZrhSzS27iwYMXmTiIBZD6xVYaAg8L8P8HAQ

In case you are wondering, this is how I see the growing tension between the USA and Russia. You have two megapowers. One is led by a virtual dictator hell bent on rebuilding what he selectively recalls as a great world power: the Soviet Union. He will stop at nothing to achieve this and doesn't care what the cost is, either economically or in blood and lives. I speak here, obviously, of Vlad Putin, the Russian strongman. The other megapower is trying hard to reduce the power of his country. He is against so many of this country's achievements. And while one of America's hallmarks is its willingness, indeed even its compunction, to air all of its errors for the world to see, President Obama believes the fact that mistakes were made disqualifies it from taking any credit at all for its achievements. In fact, he and other uber leftists believe that what they believe are terrible mistakes are actually unforgivable. But enough about the past. Obama wants the United States' role as a military power to be scaled way back. He does not want the United States to be a leading military power. He is quite uncomfortable in his role as leader of the west in the current showdown over the Ukraine. Hence, Putin says little and lets his military and its pulsing prowess do all of his talking. On the other side, President Obama virtually hides when he is expected to lead the west. He believes that the Europeans - as Russia's neighbors, should be at the point in the conflict. The friction between him and German Chancellor Angela Merkle is palpable. In other decades, a conflict of this sort would be about the desire of both the USA and Germany to lead the western nations. Now, the conflict is about the USA's strong desire not to lead militarily, and Germany's absolute reluctance to allow the USA to abdicate its role as the military leader of the western nations. Merkle and others believe that the western nations of Europe and elsewhere have developed under the umbrella of American dominance. For her country and others to begin to fill this role will be prohibitively expensive, to begin with. It will require her to undertake a forced retooling of German industry and, in computer science and other areas of technological development, the entire focal point going forward will change from capital growth to military growth. It is unpalpable for her and many of the other leaders. They don't live in Obama's cloistered world, nor do they want to. Meanwhile, Putin goes about his business, moving troops brazenly into Ukraine, fortifying the Crimea, strengthening the strategic tie to Iran, and so on. He moves forward militarily. We watch, grunt, cry out loud, and go back, again, to watching.

Orioles Lose Davis for 25 Games After He Tests Positive for Aderall, an Amphetamine, and is suspended by MLB On Thursday night and Friday morning, with 17 games left in the regular season, and the Oriole magic number to clinch the American League Eastern Division Race at 8, the team received the shocking news that it will have to finish the regular season and play up to 8 playoff games without one of the baseball's premier sluggers, first baseman - third baseman Chris Davis. The suspension - which can only happen the way it did if this is the second time that Davis failed a blood test - that Davis has tested positive twice for a banned substance, will be for the next 25 games the Orioles play. If they are still alive in the playoffs when his suspension expires, Davis may rejoin the Orioles, and the team has received permission to play Davis on their roster of eligible players. Davis received news of the suspension Thursday, and personally called manager Buck Showalter and several teammates with the news. He also released a statement taking full blame for the suspension and apologizing to Oriole Management, the team and the fans.

In First Game Without Davis, Orioles Use Dramatic Rally in Bottom of 11th Inning to Defeat Yankees, 2-1, Lower Magic Number to 7 On Friday afternoon the Birds played their first of the 25 games, and they rallied dramatically in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat the Yankees, 2-1. The game was a classic pitchers' duel between New York rookie Brandon McCarthy and the Orioles' outstanding young flamethrower, Kevin Gausman. Neither gave up a run. Gausman threw seven innings of seven-hit baseball, while McCarthy pitched into the 8th, leaving after Kelly Johnson led off the Oriole eighth with a ground-rule double. The game remained scoreless into the 11th inning. With two out and no one on in the top of the 11th, Chris Young homered for the Yankees, giving them a 1-0 lead. But the Orioles would not quit. Nelson Cruz got the Birds started in the bottom of the 11th with a walk. Showalter then inserted David Lough to pinch run for Cruz. Lough took second on Ryan Flaherty's sacrifice bunt. J.J. Hardy, who returned to the Oriole line-up today after missing a week with a sore back, was hit by a pitch, putting Orioles at first and second with one out. The Yankees moved within one out of getting a victory when Adam Warren, summonsed to start the inning, struck out Kelly Johnson. Showalter made another move here, bringing No. 3 catcher, Steve Clevenger, in to pinch hit for No. 2 catcher, Nick Hundley, who had started this first game of the day/night doubleheader. Clevenger remained calm and walked to load the bases. Again Showalter went to his extended September bench, bringing in Jimmy Paredes to bat for Jonathan Schoop. This move paid instant dividends, as Paredes lined a shot to right field that scored both Lough and Hardy, winning the game for the Orioles. Brad Brach, who surrendered the home run to Young in the top of the 11th, got the win to improve to 7-1. Adam Warren took the loss to fall to 3-6. Norris, De Aza lead birds to 5-0 Win in Game 2; Combined with Toronto's loss, Magic Number Plunges to 5
Bud Norris struck out ten Yankees and scattered just three Yankee hits over seven strong innings Friday night to lead the Orioles to a 5-0 win over New York and a sweep of the two teams' day/night doubleheader in Baltimore. Alejandro De Aza led the offense with two triples, the first one knocking in the first two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, and the second, in the eighth inning, missing homerun distance by just a couple of inches. De Aza has now hit in all eight games sine joining the Orioles earlier in the month. Baltimore now leads second plaee Toronto by 11 and one-half games. New York fell to 12 and one-half games behind the Orioles, and the magic number to eliminate the Yankees has shrunk to four. Should Baltimore win the remaining two games of the series they would eliminate the Yankees from the divisional race and deal a near terminal blow to even their wild card chances.

Ravens Impressive in 26-6 Win Over Steelers; Steelers Under Fire in Pittsburgh In Pittsburgh this morning, the usually pro-Steeler Pittsburgh Post Gazette was all over the Steelers for the way they played and didn't play against the Ravens. A target for more than one writer was Quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, known here as Mr. In Decline and Always Over-Rated. Gene Collier, the wiley sports columnist, laid into ol' Ben for not accepting the blame for his poor play. Suddenly, Ben says the Ravens have the toughest Defense around, especially in the Red Zone. After a miserable preseason and first half against the Bengals, Steven Smith, Sr. has turned into a ball-catching machine. Dennis Pita looked unstoppalble, and Bernard Pierce was the Rookie-season Pierce, running around and through the Steelers like he owned them. That defense bent a little less and never broke, holding the Steelers without a touchdown. Here is one little delightful tidbit from the Collins column:

"“Yeah,” Ben said when asked if he felt like he was sharp right now. “I don’t think it was horrible, I just think you’ve got to give them a lot of credit; they’re a good defense.”

That’s fine as far as it goes, but I don’t see Ed Reed out there and I don’t see Ray Lewis out there, and I don’t even see Lardarius Webb, a secondary cornerstone who hasn’t gotten onto the field for the Ravens yet this season. What I did see was 340-pound defensive tackle Haloti Ngata leap into the path of a feckless Roethlisberger pass and tip an interception to himself in the fourth, sending most of the 71,000-plus to the exits."

My man Gene Collier.

Maryland scores in 90th minute, earns tie at Michigan in Big Ten Opener David Kabelik was at it again. The junior defenseman hasn't been starting, but he has developed a knack for finishing, both games and shots on goal. He did both Friday night at Michigan, scoring in the 90th minute - just 22 seconds from time - enabling the Terps to tie the Wolverines and earn a point in their Big Ten opener. The Terps, on the face of it, are a disappointing 1-2-1 at this juncture, but not to worry. Coach Sasho Cirovski is a genius in this game, and as he tries to get a young and untested offense up and running, the Terps are still playing good soccer in a brutal schedule. Friday, the Wolverines scored in the 75th minute to go one top before nearly 1500 at An Arbor. Kabelik answered in the nick of time on an assist from Alex Crognale. The Terps play their Big Ten home opener next Friday in a game to be televised nationwide by the Big Ten Network.

And, as I post this updated piece, West Virginia kicks a 47-yard field goal on the last play of the game in College Park to give the Mountaineers a 40-37 win over Maryland. West Virginia's quarterback threw for over 500 yards. The Mountaineers built up a huge halftime lead, but Maryland outscored West Virginia, 31-9, from halftime until the start of the Mountaineer's final drive. West Virginia drove in and attempted a shorter field goal about five minutes before the winning kick, but Maryland blocked it.

Ray Rice and the issue of Double Jeopardy

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 9,2014 - Ray Rice, the Raven's now-former running back, was caught red-handed in an ugly domestic violence incident. He apologized to everyone involved during the summer when the incident became public. The NFL held a hearing at which Rice testified. It was known at the time that there was a video from inside of an elevator where the incident took place, but the NFL - now an admitted lacky for the politically-correct-at-all-cost crowd - just couldn't wait to get out there and have at Ray Rice, and they promptly suspended him for two games. And, they fined him one-half million dollars. Now, there is an unconfirmed rumor that the NFL leaders, including the Commissioner, had access to and viewed the video last summer before they levied the punishment on Mr. Rice.

In what used to be the real world, a wrong was done, a substantial wrong. No criminal charges were levied. But the NFL investigated, held an evidentiary hearing, took testimony from Ray Rice, found him in violation of league rules, and levied a quite substantial punishment. In what used to be the real world, that would have been the end of the matter. But more and more of late, including in the public courtrooms across our country, the politically correct, which is another way of saying elitists, or people who think they are so well educated, smart, and worthy of having their opinions count for way more than your opinion or my opinion, more and more these people and their lackies are reconvening tribunals and doling out punishments a second and third time. So if you do something that is on the hit list of the politically correct, you will be tried and convicted and sentenced, and if it is the opinion of the elitists that the penalty wasn't up to their current standards, they will add their own punishments on top of the one given at the end of your trial. This is what happened to Ray Rice.

One thing that is perfectly clear is that Ray Rice had whacked his girlfriend - who is now his wife - and she apparently also whacked him, but that is irrevelvant here because it is the punishment of Ray Rice that is my issue. My issue is now whether the final penalty is fair for the crime. I believe it is. If the NFL had suspended Rice indefinetly from the gitgo, and if the Ravens had cut Rice immediately after he admitted to whacking his girlfriend, I would have no problem with it. There is no excuse for whacking a woman. None. If doing such a thing is something you do, you get what you deserve, and it can't be too severe.

My issue is called double jeopardy. The NFL isn't officially bound by the age old concept that you only get punished once for a crime, because the NFL is not the government. But the NFL operates in these United States, where Double Jeopardy has been part of our legal system since we broke away from England those two-plus centuries ago. The NFL and the Ravens should do more than pay lip service to the concept. They were in such a hurry to sanction Rice that they had to get out there and levy the punishment. There is no allegation that Rice was suppressing the video. His apologies were sincere and the original punishment - a one-half million dollar fine and two game suspension - was not something to sneeze at. The NFL was lambasted for the "lightness" of the penalty, but in my world, one-half million dollars isn't a little bit of nothing. It is a lot of money, enough to make anyone with half a brain remember their crime and the potential punsishment for a second offense. It was a real penalty. If, in retrospect, the NFL and the Ravens, believe they were too easy with Rice, they should correct the error the next time the rule is violated. This, in fact, is what they did. Last week, as Rice began his two game suspension, the NFL announced that henceforth all incidents of domestic violence will result in a six game suspension if it is your first offense. For a second offense, you will get a lifetime exclusion. They should apologize for making the original sentence too lenient. They should not punish a person like Rice because the politically correct crowd started howling when some publicity hound dumped a video on the internet.

But, alas, the video was dumped on the net and boy did the you know what hit the fan. As an aside, I believe this incident is an indictment of the NFL Players Association. How can a player be punished by the league, and then get punished again for the same offense. Did Rice insist his punishment be meted out quickly in case the video surfaced. If he did, it is being kept a secret. No, instead Rice admitted to striking his then=girlfriend and now wife. Say you are charged with assaulting a co=worker. In court, you admit you struck the person. You plead guilty and the judge sentences you to a heft fine and two weekends in jail. You pay the fine and report to the jail for the first weekend. Then, the state's attorney calls the judge and says, "Your Honor, we just found out that the person the defendant struck was old. We believe you should change his sentence to life in prison. And the judge says, dag=nab-it, you're right Mr. Prosecuter. I hereby change the sentence to life with no possibility for parole.

The NFL and the Ravens were quick to get on the good side of the political correctness crowd, and so they punished Ray Rice AGAIN. Now, I understand that there is another video that is full length and with sound and this video is said to lessen the totality of Rice's offenses. Will the NFL tweek the punishment in this case in view of this new video? Don't hold your breath. Hold your nose.

Ravens Loss Just Depressing

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 8, 2014 - Chykie Brown played better than most thought he would. Of course, wouldn't you know that the weak-armed Andy Dalton benefitted when Brown was barely beaten by all-pro receiver A.J. Green late in the final period and almost immediately after the Ravens, down 15-0 until well into the third quarter (and in reality, the score was misleading: if the Bengals hadn't twice sent Dalton on runs up the middle on third downs inside the Raven five-yard-line, who knows how lopsided the score would've been?) finally grabbed the lead with under five-minutes left to play.

Cincinatti is the defending division champ, yet their defense collapsed in the middle of the third quarter, and didn't recover until the Ravens tried to make a second desperate drive at the end of the game. The Ravens got on the board for the first time in the game when 3rd-string RB Justin Forsett ran 13 yards after Joe Flacco marched the Ravens down the field. Then the Bengals went three and out and Flacco marched them again, this time settling for a field goal. When the Bengals again came up empty on offense, Flacco scrambled and then heaved a long pass to a wide open Steve Smith, who was then caught from behind by that mild-mannered Bengal DB, Pacman Jones. With the ref screened, however, Smith grabbed Jones' facemask and flung him out of the way, and he then waltzed into the endzone to give the Ravens the lead.

Usually, you just flip off those who say losses can do you good. But this one, at least, will force the Ravens to confront their problems. Had they won, some of them would've been forgotten. The defense was a typical Ravens defense in these latter days: bend and bend and bend, but do not break, and give the offense a chance to win. They almost took that to extremes Sunday, giving Cincinatti five first half field goals. But Baltimore blocked a sixth attempt in the second half, and, when the Ravens grabbed the lead, it looked like all would end well. The offense, on the other hand, and some of the coaching decisions, looked like throwbacks to last season. I did not agree even slightly with the decision to bench Pierce. The fumble was the first one the man had ever lost in his three seasons here. Harbaugh didn't bench Smith or Jones when they got the dropsies, but Pierce was yanked for the remainder of the game. Not right, not right at all. But both Pierce and Joe Flacco stood tall after the game and accepted blame for their errors. What about the decision not to trade or draft a defensive back? What about the decision to keep Ladarius Webb inactive although he worked out well before the game? Where was Marlon Brown?

I coached a lot of teams that played effectively for 90% of the game or match, but had trouble getting focused at the start. The trick was to get them focused at the outset. But these were kids. Harbaugh's lads are said to be professionals. I think he needs to treat them as such. Don't get down on your knees in front of the press at Pierce's locker after the game. Instead, tell ALL of the backs BEFORE the game, "do not fumble, or I will take you out and you will not go back in

On a Saturday Night: Vlad Putin, the Scourge of All the World, or, in Vlad's Words, "The World is My Military Playground;" plus Sports

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 7, 2014 - Low-Browed Dictators throughout history cannot be reigned in by concepts such as morality, values, religion, or just plain old common decency. No sir! Not Vlad. Russia can never be too big in this megalomaniac's world (and for me, calling Vlad a megalomaniac is being way too kind; in reality, he is just a mentally limited bully with a big army and a timid political opposition, if indeed any opposition worth talking about remains in dear old Russia, At least Peter the Great had a plan and some workable ideas.). And when your population as a whole has been through just one too many long cold winters, well, let us get up and push those borders outward. To Hell with Ukraine. That's what Vlad the Invader says.

Sadly, our President has no plan. When Vlad steps up the invasion, Obama steps up the rhetoric. It's like he'll avoid doing the hard work at all cost, because if he really did push back, his buddies on the uber left would have a coniption. Tell me I'm wrong. The last thing Obama wants is to have his buddies pissed off at him. He says, now, that if Vlad invades a NATO country, we'll fight. If I were a NATO nation, I'd be checking for loopholes in a big hurry.

I recall my parents and other adults when I was a kid just shaking their heads when I had "my music" on anywhere within their earshot. Now that I'm the adult, I'm doing much of the same with some of the rap stuff. I have nothing at all against the idea of those being adversely affected by being poor and downtrodden putting it in front of the public. That's purely American. It's just that rock was eminently more pleasant on my ears than so much of the rap. And why does so much of the rap just paint women as nothing but dogs? Why aren't more women appalled by that? Or, if they are appalled, why not speak up? So few do, especially left-leaning women who want us to believe they are really threatened by people like Romney but not rappers screaming literally for their lynching. Explain this to me.

There are people in College Park who are dreaming of being undefeated going into the Big Ten home opener against Ohio State. Their numbers grew somewhat today when the Terps rallied on the road to beat South Florida, 24-17. For these folk, the six turnovers committed by Maryland mean nothing. And you've read that correctly: Maryland committed six turnovers and still won by scoring ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Good thing. If they'd have lost with that many turnovers, the group who are dreaming instead of a new coach would be the one growing. Or, maybe they grew despite the win.

For Maryland to go into that game undefeated, they will have to beat West Virginia in College Park next weekend, Syracuse on the road the following week, and Indiana in their Big Ten opener in Bloomington the following week. If, somehow, Maryland was able to do that, they would be 5-0 going into the game with the Buckeyes. It is a nice thought. In reality, Maryland will be underdogs in all three games before Ohio State. I wonder what the line would be if Maryland did manage to win those three games? We Terrapin fans are a hardy lot with very thick skins. We wouldn't be Terrapin fans without that make-up. Imagine being a Maryland fan with thin skin.

The Orioles managed to lose their second straight to Tampa on Saturday afternoon. I wouldn't want to be a David Lough supporter this weekend. Twice picked off in two games. Last night, Alex Cobb picked Lough off first in the first inning, with only one out. Adam Jones followed with a single, but the Orioles failed to score in that inning on any other inning in the 3-0 loss. Today, he pinch ran in the 8th inning after the Orioles tied the game on a Nelson Cruz single. He was at second base when Delmon Young lined a ball down the line that Evan Longoria caught. He then threw to second to get Lough before he could get back to the base. Lough has argued in a respectable way for more playing time, and the main reason he hasn't gotten it is his lack of offense. He is often used in key late game situations as a defensive replacement and as a pinch runner. That latter group of opportunities may be relinquished now that the Orioles have added Quintin Berry, and Lough's back-to-back goofs won't help, either.

The Orioles have played far better than anyone expected. But runs like the last two games in Tampa show how fragile their success really is. Good pitching can shut down their offense, at least in spurts. I worry about their bench. When the Orioles were in Weaver's days, they always had a strong bench. Jim Dwyer, John Loewenstein, Pat Kelly, Terry Crowley, Chico Salmon, Floyd Rayford, Joe Nolan, the list goes on and on. This team has a few good bench players: Delmon Young, Ryan Flaherty...and that's about it. And more and more, those two guys are in the starting line-up. Quintin Berry is a good idea, but he is not eligible for the post-season. What's the magic number? And how many do we have left with New York?

I didn't get to the Maryland-UMBC game Friday, but it must've been a good one. 0-0 after two overtimes. Maryland apparently outplayed the Retrievers but did not score. They outshot UMBC, 13-6, and none of the Retrievers' shots required Zack Steffen to make a save. Maryland is now 1-1-1 while UMBC is 2-0-1 on a far weaker schedule. In three games and two exhibitions, Maryland has yet to take the field against an unranked team. Monday they are at Navy, which was No. 25 last I looked.

The Ravens open their season tomorrow when the Bengals play here. Then, four days later, the Steelers come here. If the Ravens can be 2-0 after those two games - and I believe they will be - than John Harbaugh hasn't been exagerating when he says this team is something special. In my humble opinion, a key to the Ravens making the playoffs is how many games Ladarius Webb plays. If he plays in at least 14 games, the Ravens will win at least 12 of them. You read it here, first.