Watching The Game

After watching the game footage, Maryland coaches said the Virginia they saw bore little resemblance to the Virginia of previous games this season. Which is what Terps coaches were afraid of heading into the 31-0 loss. Once Virginia took an early lead, the Cavaliers and their fans seemed to unleash all of the pent-up frustration of earlier defeats. (For more, go to baltimoresun.com/blogs)

With TVs on the walls, in the booths and hanging from the ceiling, the Field House in Canton is a wonderful place to have a few beers and watch multiple games at once. On a recent visit, however, some of the food played third-string to the entertainment and libations. The enormous space, which used to be Ray Lewis' Full Moon BBQ, gives off a steak house-meets-frat house vibe: High-backed leather booths and college banners abound. Our first server was a bartender who, upon being asked whether the "local calamari" ($10)

Who's hot The Rangers have the major leagues' best record in August, 12-4. Who's not Rick Reed of the Twins is 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA in his past seven starts, and his 12 losses are a career high. Line of the day Adam Kennedy, Angels 2B AB R H RBI HR 4 4 3 3 1 On deck Jose Lima of the Royals tries to improve to 8-0 today, facing the Yankees in a battle of division leaders. He said it "The doctor and I were both watching the game, then we turned the television off when the baby was coming."

After watching the game footage, Maryland coaches said the Virginia they saw bore little resemblance to the Virginia of previous games this season. Which is what Terps coaches were afraid of heading into the 31-0 loss. Once Virginia took an early lead, the Cavaliers and their fans seemed to unleash all of the pent-up frustration of earlier defeats. (For more, go to baltimoresun.com/blogs)

Did anyone see Bengals receiver Chad Johnson uproot a pylon and putt the football after his touchdown against the Ravens? If you were watching the game on television, you couldn't miss it. And that's exactly what the NFL wants. Don't believe for a second that commissioner Paul Tagliabue is upset over the excessive celebrating that takes place each weekend throughout the league. As Bill Wentworth, the former North County High School principal, pointed out while we watched the Ravens-Steelers game the previous weekend, the networks would have been instructed to steer their cameras away from such theatrics a long time ago if Tagliabue didn't want them broadcast over the airwaves for all to see. A fan runs on the field and interrupts a game, and you don't see it unless you're there in person, because the NFL and Major League Baseball don't want to encourage this kind of behavior.

Chanting "Bring on the Raiders" and bearing signs declaring "All The Way to Tampa Bay," thousands of fans boisterously welcomed the Ravens last night at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The fans -- many decked out in Ravens jerseys and some with their faces painted in the team's colors -- screamed and chanted almost nonstop for nearly two hours before the Ravens arrived from Nashville, where they beat the Tennessee Titans, 24-10, to advance to next week's American Football Conference championship game against the Oakland Raiders.

Dear Ann Landers: I have made a really, really bad mistake, and I need advice in a hurry. Please understand I wasn't thinking clearly -- the Ravens had just been knocked out of the playoffs by the Steelers. I was grief-stricken and vulnerable when I foolishly told this man "yes." And he's a hard man to say "no" to, as we all know. Here's my problem: In my grief, I unwittingly invited Mike Tyson to my home to watch Sunday's AFC Championship game. Yes, that Mike Tyson. The thing is, Ann, I wasn't thinking, and now he's coming to my home around noon to watch the game.

Courtesy of the folks from TBS, here are some highlights of what Cal Ripken Jr. had to say in a teleconference last week as he begins his commentator role for TBS' baseball playoffs coverage: On how he will approach being an analyst during the postseason: "I always try to keep in mind that my job as an analyst is to have the background and understanding of what is going on and really to be able to give insight as to what happened in a particular game....

Wild Bill Hagy says he hasn't been to the ballpark all year. But this, this is different."This is probably the most amazing love-in you'll ever see in Mayor League Baseball," says Hagy, a fixture at Orioles games during the 1980s, a symbol of Oriole Magic. He was sitting in the field-level seats by the left-field foul pole in the trademark straw cowboy hat, the great gray brush of beard, the red face and ample belly. Someone handed him a beer. He took it.Why not? Time to celebrate.Hagy, who has been disenchanted with team management for years, says this was as good a night as any to make his first appearance of 1995.

You know it's been a slow summer at Camden Yards when nearly two months of baseball remain and sports fans are talking about the Ravens more than the Orioles at Pickles Pub, the most loyal of O's bars . Yesterday's Orioles game against the Indians in Cleveland wasn't even showing at the pub, just a stone's throw from the stadium, until a reporter asked about it. The area around the downtown stadium has bustled with activity every summer since it opened...

Courtesy of the folks from TBS, here are some highlights of what Cal Ripken Jr. had to say in a teleconference last week as he begins his commentator role for TBS' baseball playoffs coverage: On how he will approach being an analyst during the postseason: "I always try to keep in mind that my job as an analyst is to have the background and understanding of what is going on and really to be able to give insight as to what happened in a particular game....

This time, though, we'll let those within the game do the talking. No hearing from current Orioles. Or from the club's legends and Hall of Famers. Or from anyone else you've heard babble on incessantly about him over the years. Collected throughout the first half of the season, here are comments from guys who managed or played with Ripken, against Ripken or simply watched from afar. People currently in other major league uniforms who have shared their thoughts about the Orioles' new Hall of Famer.

LAS VEGAS -- Dennis Kelley, a nurse from Pittsburgh, came prepared for Super Bowl Sunday at Caesars Palace. Kelley had his Ben Roethlisberger jersey. He wore his gold football pants. He even pulled on his throwback Steelers leather helmet. And he had a pillow. If you want a good perch to watch the Super Bowl here, you better have a game plan. Kelley's strategy was to get to the Caesars Palace sports and race book, one of Vegas' premier spots to watch the game, early enough to save seats for his fiancee and her aunt.

Did anyone see Bengals receiver Chad Johnson uproot a pylon and putt the football after his touchdown against the Ravens? If you were watching the game on television, you couldn't miss it. And that's exactly what the NFL wants. Don't believe for a second that commissioner Paul Tagliabue is upset over the excessive celebrating that takes place each weekend throughout the league. As Bill Wentworth, the former North County High School principal, pointed out while we watched the Ravens-Steelers game the previous weekend, the networks would have been instructed to steer their cameras away from such theatrics a long time ago if Tagliabue didn't want them broadcast over the airwaves for all to see. A fan runs on the field and interrupts a game, and you don't see it unless you're there in person, because the NFL and Major League Baseball don't want to encourage this kind of behavior.

On Nightlife With the Ravens out of town last week, there was no better time to hunker down at a Fells Point pub and watch the action on the tube. Granted, Fells Point bars have their drawbacks. They can be small, dirty, smoky and filled with big, dirty, smoky people. s is at 1629 Thames St. Call 410-522-5820. sam.sessa@baltsun.com

Who's hot The Rangers have the major leagues' best record in August, 12-4. Who's not Rick Reed of the Twins is 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA in his past seven starts, and his 12 losses are a career high. Line of the day Adam Kennedy, Angels 2B AB R H RBI HR 4 4 3 3 1 On deck Jose Lima of the Royals tries to improve to 8-0 today, facing the Yankees in a battle of division leaders. He said it "The doctor and I were both watching the game, then we turned the television off when the baby was coming."

It's by no means an ironclad policy, but Steve Marks, Channel 45's general manager, is pretty sure that, whenever possible, he'll pass on carrying Washington Redskins games."

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - E.J. Henderson may be the heart and soul of Maryland's defense, but it could have used a little of Tony Okanlawon yesterday. Okanlawon missed the game with the flu, and it showed as Chris Rix and his receivers had the Terrapins' corners for lunch in Florida State's 52-31 runaway. Redshirt freshman Dennard Wilson and sophomore Curome Cox had a rough day, particularly against the Seminoles' Talman Gardner, who had 140 receiving yards on six catches. Atrews Bell had 104 yards on four receptions.

NEW YORK - Charles Oakley knows what most fans are thinking, namely, what the heck is he still doing playing basketball? Oakley, in his 18th season in the NBA, after stints in Chicago, New York, Toronto, back to Chicago and now with the Washington Wizards, sits on the baseline most nights and hears the scattered taunts, nodding at the amusing ones. "There's stuff that you can't control," Oakley said last week before the Wizards met the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. "I don't worry about it. I know fans come to the game and yell that I'm old and can't do anything."

Dear Ann Landers: I have made a really, really bad mistake, and I need advice in a hurry. Please understand I wasn't thinking clearly -- the Ravens had just been knocked out of the playoffs by the Steelers. I was grief-stricken and vulnerable when I foolishly told this man "yes." And he's a hard man to say "no" to, as we all know. Here's my problem: In my grief, I unwittingly invited Mike Tyson to my home to watch Sunday's AFC Championship game. Yes, that Mike Tyson. The thing is, Ann, I wasn't thinking, and now he's coming to my home around noon to watch the game.