New Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh has said he plans to be tough on his players during off-season workouts and minicamps, and at the team’s practice today, the players were tough on each other.
Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun reports that there was a “knockdown drag-out midfield brawl” that started when offensive tackle Oniel Cousins and defensive tackle Amon Gordon “started flailing at each other at the end of a running play.”
The Associated Press reports that “nearly all 85 players got involved in a squabble” that started with Cousins and Gordon throwing punches at each other after running back Allen Patrick was tackled. Per the AP, it took almost two minutes to break things up.
And that wasn’t the end of it: defensive backs Corey Ivy and Frank Walker later came to blows during a blocking drill, the AP reports.
This isn’t the first time the Ravens have gotten physical with each other; tight end Quinn Sypniewski suffered a season-ending knee injury when he collided with linebacker Antwan Barnes in what was supposed to be a non-contact practice last month.
Said Harbaugh after today’s fights, “Guys are competing, so tempers flare a little bit.”
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May 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I’m willing to bet that Ray-Ray was in the middle of all of this and was an instigator. I’m willing to bet that he did little to defuse the situation. This is why Ray-Ray isn’t a great leader. He’s a leader for sure, but if you don’t lead people down the correct paths, you are a poor leader.
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Rating: 2.15 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Sounds like this is a close-knit team
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Did Ray Lewis remember his knife?
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Rating: 3.1 / 5 with 11 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
After last season they need to develop a hard core attitude. Still why did they let Center Mike Flynn go???
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
The vets aren’t used to contact during camps because Pillick ran Camp Creampuff for so long.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
It’s def not a close-knit team. Everyone is either an older vet or a very young player. There are very few “in-betweeners”.
I actually like that there is a fire and a tenacity on this team for everyone to feel all pre-season. There should be a sense of intenseness and urgency to make the team. Harbaugh has made it clear that there is essentially open competition at pretty much every position.
I took away from this article that Oniel Cousins has a mean-streak that you really like in an OL. I think the drafting of Ray Rice and these OL that have a nastiness to them is a sign that we are going to get back to the smash-mouth style of play from our offense. I would expect our offense to look a lot like the offense that Ken Whisenhut ran while in Pittsburgh.
Cam has also said that he wants to run a more power-style run game. I think it plays well to the personnel we have on this roster at the moment.
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Rating: 4.5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
After last season they need to develop a hard core attitude. Still why did they let Center Mike Flynn go???
Because he sucked, that’s why.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Wow Roast what a great observation…..Ray Lewis not a great leader…2 time defensive player of the year, Superbowl MVP, multiple pro-bowls, top 5 defense since he has been playing….you are right he could not be a great leader!
You can always tell when a player is GREAT…there are always so many haters!!!!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
So many haters? ONE comment by ONE person now theres so many haters? LOL…Everyone knows years ago Ray was the man, hate to break it to ya but no so much anymore…All good things must come to an end..and hes definately at “the end”….So there now you have 2 comments!!!
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Love to see fight in the group. Too many years of mellow camp with Billick. HardBall camp is going to be different. This team may not win the North this year, but it won’t be very long before Harbaugh has this team in the upper echelon of the NFL stomping on the Clowns, the Bungles, and the Squealers. Bring on the new season. Can’t wait to put on the purple!!!!!!
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 10th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
“flailing at each other”….I picture these two dudes in their purple tights cat-fighting like a couple of drunk girls at a party!!
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May 11th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I think this whole thing was set off when Phil McKinnely called Amon Gordon, “Boy.”
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May 11th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Ray is overrated now. I love Ramsey
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 11th, 2008 at 1:51 am
Competition is one thing, but possibly causing a season-ending injury is something else. I disagree with those who say it’s not a big deal. Getting hurt during a fight with one of your own teammates is a stupid reason to miss games.
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May 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Thanks so much for the extra comment JARED. You saved my whole point!!
I was actually referring to the fact that any time you bring up Ray Lewis, opposing fans always hate. There is no middle ground,
Anyway, I still love your commercials JARED!!!
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Rating: 2.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
May 11th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I love the people that call Ray Lewis “overrated now”. He only ranked 13th in the NFL last year with 121 tackles…83 of the solo. Hey, I am an Eagles fan, but I would LOVE to have a LB as “overrated” as Ray Lewis. Not to mention a leader does not necessarily mean you are the BEST player on your team…it means you are the most RESPECTED player…which he is. Whether the blogging world likes it or not.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Ray is overrated and over the hill.
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Rating: 2.5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 11th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
wingnut…..great argument.
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May 11th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
It’s great that Harbaugh has the team practicing with passion and competing intensely for positions, but brawls and melees ought to be discouraged.
If a player started punching and kicking, and otherwise pummeling, an opponent after a play in a regular-season game, he’d incur a major penalty against himself and his team. That’s not good, no matter how you look at it.
Playing with intensity and passion is good, but playing without control and discipline isn’t so good. In fact, it’s entirely counterproductive. As the season nears, Harbaugh needs to channel the aggression accordingly.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 11th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
this is just an old frustrated roster that lacks talent.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 12th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Well put Sonnycroc!!
I love the people that will put out a comment about a team (bigballamrey/wingnut) but does not mention who there loyalty is behind.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 12th, 2008 at 6:30 am
I’m a Baltimorian, and I don’t support this team.
I’m a Bucs fan. I’ve got nothing to hide.
True story, Ray Lewis has lost more than a step, he should lead by example more, instead of leading by “Who let the dogs out”, because just like the song, the Ravens are a played out old roster.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 12th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Fight breaks out at Ravens mini-camp, but all pillows were returned before nap time.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 12th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Still a point to remember is that the new guy running the offense of the Ravens is Scam Shameron, the X-HC of the worst team in the NFL for 2007 the M-I-A Dullfins… He called really terrible plays offensively… How did this guy get his job? I don’t hold out much hope for the Ravens to do any better under his play calling than was under the ‘Offensive Genius of HC Billick…’ Old Team, Old Ways, = Long Dayz! Purple seems to be a color for mourning?
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Their fighting already because they know they’re going to finish at the bottom of the division AGAIN. As bad as that ravens offense is they should be fighting they selfs
I hate the ravens but ray ray is a hell of a leader but he along with the rest of the defense has lost a step or 2
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