Fans

Have any Orioles fans flown south for the final series? We want to hear from you. Please send an email to sports@baltsun.com letting us know if you'll be there tonight for the opening game. Give us a cell or way to contact you.

Fans of "The Wire" were taken aback to read that creator David Simon is sort of tired of their rah-rah, late-to-the-game enthusiasm. Simon on Thursday told the New York Times: I do have a certain amused contempt for the number of people who walk sideways into the thing and act like they were there all along. It's selling more DVDs now than when it was on the air. But I'm indifferent to who thinks Omar is really cool now, or that this is the best scene or this is the best season.

Hundreds of Ravens fans started lining up as early 6 a.m. outside M&T Bank Stadium to pay their last respects to former owner Art Modell. Mourners and fans lined up by his flag-draped casket, shook hands with his sons, John and David Modell, and touched the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which sat beside his coffin. Frank Sinatra tunes play in the background as the service continues under a canopy at the 50 yard line. John Ryan of Aberdeen was the first in line at 6 a.m. "I think it was awfully nice of his family to have this for the public," Ryan said.

Maybe now some of the Ravens fans will stop whining. Oh, they let Ed Reed go, they let Dannell Ellerbe go, they let Paul Kruger go, they cut Bernard Pollard ... Whine, whine, whine ... The entire time I kept saying the Ravens were making the right moves and they still could make a big, major acquisition. Forget the salary cap baloney -- when a team wants to make a deal, when they feel a player is a priority, then they can make the deal regardless of cap status. It might cost them a veteran or two, and it might hurt in the future, but it can happen.

Famed Orioles baseball manager Earl Weaver died early Saturday aboard a cruise ship after spending nearly a week sailing the Caribbean surrounded by fans, friends and family. The 82-year-old Weaver was taking part in The Original Baltimore Baseball Cruise aboard the Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship, which departed from Fort Lauderdale last Sunday with an itinerary that included stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Haiti. Cruisecritic.com, a website specializing in cruises and a gathering place for cruise-goers, reported that Weaver collapsed in his cabin and never regained consciousness.

Due to the enhanced security measures the NFL has implemented this season, the Ravens are asking their fans to arrive early for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. "We will do a better job of getting our fans into M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday in a timely fashion," said Ravens senior vice president of public and community relations Kevin Byrne. "We do ask fans to arrive earlier, because our increased security practices make for a longer entrance process.” With the rules in effect, there had been some complaints from fans about the amount of time it took to get into the stadium for the Oct. 2 game against the New York Jets.

Ravens fans in New Orleans clearly out numbers fans from San Francisco. The 49ers fans have come on in the last day or so, but the numbers are still in the Ravens' favor. While walking on the boardwalk last night, where several bands played throughout the evening, there were many Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco jerseys. City officials here apparently have spent a lot of money on security as police helicopters and boat patrols circled the river throughout the night. It's hard to get any place in New Orleans without bumping into Ravens fans.

I've always liked the Pittsburgh Steelers. I like the way they operate. I like their head coaches. The Steelers do it the right way, and play football the way it should be played. They play great, physical defense and usually have a strong running game. Everything about Pittsburgh is gritty, except for some of their fans.  The majority of them are good and knowledgeable people. And there is no better atmosphere, including Green Bay, than to watch a playoff football game in Pittsburgh with all those grills cooking outside the stadium.

The photos posted on The Baltimore Sun's web site don't do justice to the energy and enthusiasm my teammates and I were greeted with at the Corralin' the Colts Bull and Oyster Roast on March 6. On behalf of Fourth & Goal and members of the 1975, 1976 and 1977 division champion Baltimore Colts, I want to thank the more than 700 sponsors and fans who came out to support both our organization and the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation. We were overwhelmed by the warm reception we received. Bert Jones spoke for all of us when he commented that Baltimore is our home.

I will be assiduously praying for my Orioles to turn their recent fate around while they are off on their current road trip. There are many reasons why: They are our hometown team, we know they have talent, and they have their leader back in Miguel Tejada. Most importantly, though, is that I do not want to see the anonymous "bags" over fans' heads as optional clothing accoutrements when they return to Camden Yards. Patrick R. Lynch, Baltimore