News item: The Ravens face what might be the pivotal challenge of the season Sunday when they visit the noisy Metrodome to take on Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.
My take: Before you go all wobbly about the Vikings and their high-decibel home-field advantage, you might want to consider that the Ravens have a significantly better home record (31-12) than the Vikings (27-15) during the past five seasons (plus 2009).
Bonus take: In case you're wondering whether there was a huge competitive disparity to account for that, the Ravens and Vikings each have one division title and two playoff appearances since the start of the 2004 season.
News item: The Orioles have brought back their entire coaching staff with the exception of bench coach Dave Jauss.
My take: Despite public speculation to the contrary, this was not a scapegoat situation. The decision apparently came down to the chemistry of the coaching staff, and Jauss was the odd man out.
News item: Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco said this week that he did not want the NFL to fine Ray Lewis for the violent helmet-to-helmet hit that leveled the Bengal late in Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium.
My take: I agree. Considering the impact of that play - on the outcome of the game, not on Ocho's head - I think the Bengals ought to send Ray a flower arrangement and a nice bottle of chardonnay and tell him there's more where that came from if he does the same thing to Ben Roethlisberger next month.
News item: New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi is going with a three-man rotation for the American League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Angels.
My take: Makes sense, especially when you consider that two of those pitchers - CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett - each made more this year than the entire Angels four-man rotation that will face the Yankees in the playoffs.
Bonus take: If you're keeping score at home, the three pitchers in the Yankees' playoff rotation (Andy Pettitte is the third) also made more ($45 million) than the entire roster of the San Diego Padres ($42.7 million) or Florida Marlins ($35.5 million).
News item: The Boston Red Sox trotted out 1986 playoff hero Dave Henderson to throw the ceremonial first pitch in Game 3 of their Division Series against the Angels, no doubt hoping that some of Hendu's karma would help the Sox bounce back from a two-game playoff deficit the way they did 23 years ago.
