I Missed Football After All

By OldLine | Published: July 26, 2011

BohsandOs.com’s birthday wish came true and the NFL is back! When the lockout first started at the end of last season I told myself that I didn’t care if the NFL had a season.  If the players and owners wanted to act like idiots that was fine, but I didn’t want to hear about it.  I avoided all news on the lockout and focused solely on the O’s.

As summer crept along and the O’s drifted further and further away from first place and then from .500 my itch for Purple Sundays began to return.  I am still an O’s fan first, but the last couple weeks made me realize how much I need, and would miss, the Ravens.  As much as I love the O’s, OPACY, and the game of baseball itself, it is nice to be able to root for a winner once a year.

Mercifully the lockout has ended and now I can look forward to all my favorite autumn Sunday traditions in Baltimore.

  1. Purple Sunday – There is nothing like the general atmosphere in Baltimore on a crisp fall morning before a big Ravens game.  The streets are filled with purple and the excitement fills the air on the walk from Federal Hill to the stadium.
  2. Tailgating – Firing up the grill and opening up the cooler before a Ravens game is something that I would not be able to live without.  Doing the same at an O’s game or a concert really does not do tailgating justice.  It is a place only a Ravens game could make me want to leave.
  3. The Purple Patio – Sometimes it can be a little intense, but nothing satisfies your post-win excitement like some drinks and dance at Mother’s.
  4. CSM – Before the tailgate (or all morning for an away game) Cross Street Market is packed with purple-camo clad fans enjoying Bohs, 32 oz. beers, and oysters.

We here at BohsandOs.com pride ourselves on our undying love for the Orioles no matter how far they fall in the standings or how many losing seasons we have to endure.  We will be there every season no matter how bad they are.  Sometimes though, I wonder if we are able to do this because we know that we will be able to watch a winning team come fall.  The fear of losing football over the past few weeks has helped me understand why the bandwagoners do what they do.  I certainly don’t condone it, but I do understand it.  It sucks to root for a loser for 13 straight years and if we didn’t have the Ravens to cheer for come fall it might be unbearable.

I think my feelings of not needing football when the lockout began were mainly driven by my bitterness of losing to the Steelers again.  However, the potential of losing an entire football season has made me realize just how much I would have missed the feeling of watching meaningful games in Baltimore and the traditions and atmosphere that surrounds those games.  I am very thankful for the return of football and thankful that I can now return my undivided attention to the O’s until the Steelers come to town on September 11.

 

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Grand Prix Grandstand Work Has Begun!

By OldLine | Published: July 26, 2011

Grandstand work on Light St.

The first tangible signs of the Grand Prix (besides road construction) are beginning to pop up. The construction inspired the BohsandOs.com staff to finally buy their tickets!

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Bohero: Us! BohsandOs.com Turns 2!

By OldLine | Published: July 22, 2011

July 22, 2011 marks BohsandOs.com’s second birthday. In celebration we are awarding ourselves this week’s Bohero Award! For two years now BohsandOs.com has been providing you with all you need to know about Baltimore. There is really no other site you need to visit. Some may say that posts have been few and far in between recently, but that is only because there was very little you needed to know about Baltimore during that time. Thanks to all of you who have stuck with us over the past two years and we hope to remain your #1 spot for Baltimore info on the web. If you would like to join the staff to wish BohsandOs.com a happy second birthday we will probably be at Crazy Lil’s tonight at some point… Hope to see you there!

A return of the football and the Ravens would be a great birthday present!

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Boh 30

By OldLine | Published: July 22, 2011

Natty Boh 30 submitted by a friend of the blog.

Natty Boh is now being sold in 30s at select stores.  Hopefully this is a sign of further Boh innovation to come.  I am very jealous of current upper schoolers who will be able to take full advantage of this wonderful product.

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NCAA 12 Review

By OldLine | Published: July 21, 2011

BohsandOs.com first book review was so well received that we are going to try our fist videogame review!  We are going to review the BohsandOs.com staff’s favorite game, NCAA Football 12. Last year’s installment of NCAA Football was probably the best football game since NFL 2K5 (I still argue NFL Fever 2003 was better), but there is always room for improvement so here is a list of the key changes in 12:

  1. For the first time in a while running is more fun than passing.  I think this is mainly due to intelligent blocking by the offensive line.  Holes actually open up and finding them takes actual skill.  Running up the middle is now more than just pressing up on the joystick and hoping.  Unless the defense is in their goal line formation pitch plays are still pretty ineffective.  Blocking off the line still needs some work.
  2. Passing is harder.  The “Four Verticals” play now only works 50% of the time instead of 100% of the time.  I have found myself actually trying routes other than posts and slants.  I still feel that linebackers are too apt at swatting passes that seem out of their reach, but it does not have too much affect on the game.
  3. Tackling is more realistic. Tackle animations are more fluid this year and there is less warping by defenders.  The canned animations are much less noticeable and mercifully the creators got rid of the animation where the ball carrier and the tackler stand each other up and the fall one way or the other.
  4. Dynasty mode took up about 10% of my life last year and it may take even more this year.  Who needs an SNGF when you have the Coaching Carousel?  The Coaching Carousel allows you to create a coach, start him out at a lesser school and work your way up.  When you sign with a school your contract includes a set of goals and meeting those goals determines the boosters’ happiness and future offers from other programs.  This mode gives dynasty almost infinite replay value.  Custom conferences are another great addition that makes online dynasties even better.  Teams can be moved to any conference and conference size and rules are fully customizable.  Player progression is also improved and you will no longer be stuck with kickers who can’t hit an extra point.

 

(Even the virtual Byrd Stadium end zones are beautiful.)

If you thought BohsandOs.com was slacking recently you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!  Our online dynasty may cause us to actually write negative posts.  I guess we will, at the very least, have to keep our readers updated on the progress of our dynasty because I’m sure you are all dying to know the passer ratings of our virtual QBs. If you take my advice and go out and get this game let us know so we can add you to our online dynasty! There are four spots remaining so that is room for each person who will read this post plus three of their friends.

 

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Where is the Bottom?

By OldLine | Published: July 19, 2011

Over the past decade of watching the Orioles I have felt many times that, “this must be the bottom” just to watch our team sink even lower.  I feel like Peter from Office Space who thinks that every single day is the worse than the one before so every single day is the worst day of his life. His occupational hypnotherapist is right, it is messed up.  I thought that Manny Ramirez making a running catch, high-fiving a Red Sox fan in the stands and then doubling up a base runner would be rock bottom.  I was wrong. I knew that 30-3 was rock bottom.  I was wrong again.  Every single week that passes it seems that the Orioles seem to find new ravines inside the valley inside the canyon they are already in.

It's hard to imagine that I once though this would be the bottom...

Sure there have been times when things were looking up.  For example starting this season 6-1, but as always the O’s found an either bigger valley on the other side of the hill by losing their next nine.  Last season when we were 32-73 on August 1 we were in a valley that few teams had dared to venture. Then Buck came and for two months we actually stated to climb.  We all dared to dream that the mountain (or at least sea level) was right around the next bend, but that just made this year’s midseason collapse even more painful and officially the new record depth for the O’s.

Perhaps there is hope that the bottom is not too far away.  If the Pirates (50-44) finish the season with a winning record the Orioles will become the team with the most consecutive losing seasons.  That has to be the bottom, right? I would hate to imagine what lies below that.  The bottom of this canyon may stretch on for eternity, but at least we might have some comfort of knowing we are there.

Today, once again, I have realized that this is the worst day in my Orioles fanhood.  Last night we were embarrassed by a team we despise.  As I walk through the Inner Harbor surrounded by The Great Bandwagon of Boston I realize the worst part is that Red Sox fans don’t care about us or even worse they feel sorry for us. I hate to think what could awaits us tonight or for the rest of the season, because I have learned that even when it can’t get any worse, it still does.

 

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Let Our State Song Be

By OldLine | Published: June 17, 2011

Every year it seems that some group is trying to replace our state song, Mayrland! My Maryland! This year it is the Maryland Historical Society who is leading the charge. They are holding a contest to write a new state song, but I hope they too are unsuccessful. I understand that the song was originally written as a call for Maryland to join the confederacy and people complain that this makes it irrelevant. And it is true that it is not played very often because of some of the violent undertones, but it should be played more. It could be used to evoke pride in all Marylanders in modern times for reasons that have nothing to do with secession. It was written 150 years ago and has been our state song for over 70 years now. We should leave it be.

 
There are parts of the song that explicitly reference the call for Maryland to secede. Abraham Lincoln is referred to as a “tyrant,” a “despot,” and a “vandal.” The song also calls for Maryland to “spurn the Northern scum” and begs that “Virginia should not call in vain.” We should not be glorifying the wishes of many Marylanders to join the Confederacy, but there are other parts of the song that mention prouder moments in Maryland history. For example, the ninth verse reference Maryland’s Old Line that saved the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Many lines of the song are just general calls for Marylanders to stand up and defend their state. The first two lines in the third verse read, “Thou wilt now cower in the dust” and “the beaming sword shall never rust.” I see nothing wrong with that in a state song.

 
Any new state song that is written is going to be extremely cheesy and designed for a fourth grader so teachers can use it as part of their Maryland history curriculum. For example How I Love My Maryland was originally commissioned as a potential new state song. While I love Damion Wolfe’s classic and bought the single at Hightops, I don’t think the line where Damion tries to rhyme “all my friends” with “Cal Ripken” by moving the emphasis to the second syllable of “RipKEN” belongs in a state song.

 
Like it or not Maryland! My Maryland! has become a tradition and we should not try to change it. Despite being written during a dark period in our state’s history it still has the power to evoke pride in all Marylanders. It is sung every year at Preakness and I would not be opposed to singing about spurning Northern scum every time the Red Sox or Yankees come to OPACY. We all know that their bats have been flecking the Eutaw Streets of Baltimore with our pitchers gore for a long time now. I never oppose writing songs about Maryland (and we could use a few more good ones) but there is no need to replace Maryland! My Maryland! as our state song.

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Ray Lewis Entrance – Madden 12

By OldLine | Published: June 15, 2011

This is perhaps a reason to not only get NCAA 12 this year even if the lockout continues. I don’t like that they call M&T Bank Stadium “The Bank” at the end of the video. I’m not sure where they got that.

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Congratulations to the Mavs

By OldLine | Published: June 15, 2011

It is rare that I find myself happy when a non-Baltimore team wins a championship.  It is even rarer that I find myself interested in a NBA game.  But sure enough on Sunday night I found myself glued to game six of NBA Finals from my barstool at Regi’s.  This occurred both out of my respect for Mark Cuban and Dirk Nowitski and my hatred for Lebron and the city of Miami.

I was genuinely happy that the Mavs won the championship.  Many times I have been happy that a certain team loses the championship, but this was the first time that I was actually happy for the winner.  This can mostly be attributed to Baltimore not having a NBA franchise so I have no reason to be jealous of Dallas.  However, I did think that Dirk and Mark Cuban deserved a championship.  I even stayed in my seat to watch the Mavs hoist the trophy.  After the Packers won the most recent Super Bowl I was jumping for joy at the sight of Hines Ward without a smile, but I quickly turned off the TV so I would not have to see the Packers celebrate.

I was happy for the Mavs, but most of my happiness after game six still came from my hated for the Heat.  After “The Decision” the Heat quickly climbed to my 4th most hated team in sports behind the Red Sox, Steelers and Yankees.  The way Lebron handled free agency was a disgrace and the way the City of Miami jumped on the bandwagon was pathetic.  Heat fans had last celebrated a championship in 2006, but were already whining about their woes until the Heat tried to buy a championship over the off season.  For most Miamians signing Lebron wasn’t even about winning a championship it was about signing a star that would come to Miami and make going to Heat games trendy.

I assume most of you have been smart and never left Baltimore, but I was an idiot and had the misfortune of going to Miami.  It is a miserable city.  It is filled with Guidos who are obsessed with going to the hottest club.  There is a reason why The Jersey Shore spent a season there.  I would bet that most of the people at the Heat games were there because it was the cool thing to do and a way to show off their money.  Two days after losing the championship, most of them have already forgotten about the Heat.

Congratulations to Dallas, Dirk, and Mark.  Thank you for exposing Lebron as a bum and shutting up the city of Miami.  I don’t even care anymore if the Heat wins next year.  I hope Lebron never wins a championship, but anything he wins will now be tainted.  He no longer has a shot at being the next Michael Jordan and should be more concerned now about his star power going the way of Tiger Woods.  And most importantly the Mavs win means I can drop the Heat back down my list of most hated teams and once again blissfully not care about the NBA.

While we are on the topic of championships I wish I cared less about: Go Canucks!  Another Boston championship is definitely something we don’t need.  I won’t be watching tonight, and no matter what happens I will be happy that hockey is finally over until it starts again in three months…

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Sugarland at Merriweather

By OldLine | Published: May 24, 2011

For the second year in a row BohsandOs.com attended the Sugarland concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion.  For my money Sugarland is the best show touring right now.  I have admittedly limited experience with live music, but Sugarland is by far the best I have seen.  Lead singer Jennifer Nettles is an amazing performer.  To go along with her amazing voice, her bubbly personality had her bouncing and dancing all over the stage.  It also doesn’t hurt that she is just too cute.  She might not be Carrie Underwood hot, but she is super cute and she looks like she would be so much fun.  She could sing me to sleep any night.

Wine in the Woods was going on right before the concert so I assume many used it as a tailgate for the concert which would have made for a great day.  Matt Nathanson and Little Big Town opened for Sugarland.  Sugarland covered Matt Nathanson’s Come on Get Higher and asked him to join their tour.  I was a little upset that he sang it and not Sugarland, but it was still pretty good.  Little Big Town have a few hits including Little White Church and Boondocks.

Sugarland is not only Jennifer Nettles, though it may as well be.  She is accompanied by Kristian Bush on guitar.  No offense to Mr. Bush, but without Jennifer Nettles there is no Sugarland.  I’m sure Mr. Bush is a fine guitarist, but he hit the jackpot when he decided to join Sugarland.  I’m sure there are plenty guitarists who would play for free just to dance with Jennifer Nettles.

I just can’t get over how amazing Jennifer Nettles is on stage.  Whether it was doing a robotic dance to The Incredible Machine or giving a big “Fuck you” to Harold Camping by ending the show with It’s the End of the World she had the audience’s undivided attention.  She was bouncing up and down during the blow up of Little Miss and almost in tears during Stay.  You will not find anybody who owns the stage like Sugarland.

The only problem I have with the concert is that Jennifer Nettles kept addressing the crowd as “Maryland.”  I know Merriweather Post is in Columbia, but I still prefer to hear performers refer to us as “Baltimore.”  Besides that extremely minor detail it was an amazing show.  Even all you idiots out there who say, “I like anything but country” could not help but enjoy this show.  Hopefully Sugarland will grace us with their presence next year.

 

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