BALTIMORE — Former Baltimore Ravens player Orlando Brown was found dead Friday inside a townhouse near the Inner Harbor. He was 40 years old.Paramedics called Baltimore City police at 11 a.m., according to a city police spokesperson. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.There were no signs of foul play, police said. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1993, Brown was part of the team that moved to Baltimore in 1996. He returned to the Browns in 1999, then returned to the Ravens in 2003.

“I just saw him a few days ago,” said linebacker Ray Lewis. “He’s one of the greatest men I know — really a gentle giant away from the game. He was the original Raven. He set the tone for how we were going to play tough and physical, backing down from no opponent.”The Ravens released the offensive tackle in 2006, after he had injured his back in a car accident. Brown was known as “Zeus” because of his dominating size.
“Sadness, this is a sad day,” said safety Ed Reed. “‘Zeus’ was a fire-starter. His energy — he would get us going at practices, in training camp and games … I send prayers to his family, to his boys.”In December 1999 in a Browns game against Jacksonville, Brown was accidentally hit in the eye by a penalty marker thrown by referee Jeff Triplette. Although the referee apologized, Brown ran out onto the field and shoved Tripletee.Brown was suspended by the NFL, but the suspension was lifted after his injury did not heal.On Twitter, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs called Brown “a beast on the field and a great friend off it. It’s a shame he had to leave us so young.”Coach John Harbaugh said the organization was grateful for Brown’s contributions.”I think everybody knows what he meant to this organization, to this team and to the Ravens. He’s still a big part of us,” Harbaugh said.Brown played 129 NFL games in his career, starting all but 10 of them. He attended college at South Carolina State and Central State.Brown was divorced and is survived by three sons.

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OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens cut linebacker Tavares
Gooden from the roster Saturday after haggling with the San
Francisco 49ers in trade discussions that fizzled out.

The Ravens were seeking help along the offensive line,
preferably a center, but a proposed trade fell apart.

A speedy former third-round draft pick from the University of
Miami, Gooden was the highest-profile player the Ravens released
Saturday as they got down to the NFL roster limit.

Gooden could have remained on the team if he had accepted a
reduction of his $1.2 million salary, but ultimately he declined
the offer. Gooden’s tendency to get hurt was another factor in his
release.

As the Ravens cut Gooden and fellow veterans in linebacker
Prescott Burgess, wide receiver Marcus Smith and running back Jalen
Parmele, the departures created opportunities for rookie running
back Anthony Allen, outside linebacker Michael McAdoo, undrafted
wide receiver LaQuan Williams and inside linebacker Jason
Phillips.

Williams emerged as the biggest surprise of the Ravens’
preseason, outshining fellow former University of Maryland wide
receiver Torrey Smith, the Ravens’ second-round draft pick.

Williams’ blend of punt return skills and playmaking ability as
a receiver earned him one of the final roster spots as he caught
four passes for 84 yards and averaged 35.5 yards per punt return
and 30.5 yards per kickoff return.

“It’s a great feeling,” Williams told the Times in a telephone
interview. “It’s something I’ve been working towards my entire
life. I just needed the opportunity, and I made the best of it. It
was just me coming in and knowing what I was capable of.

“I knew I had the talents. Now, I have to keep it up. This is
the first phase for me. I’ve got to keep getting better. You can’t
relax or take it easy. You’ve got to keep pushing every day.”

Phillips made the team behind the strength of an interception
and a fumble recovery during the Ravens’ preseason finale victory
over the Atlanta Falcons.

The former Texas Christian standout had expected to make the
squad.

“I want to make the decision as hard on them as I can,” Phillips
said before learning his fate. “I definitely think I helped myself
out.”

Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Chykie Brown also made a good final
impression on the coaching staff and personnel department. The
fifth-round draft pick from the University of Texas returned an
interception 65 yards for a touchdown against the Falcons.

By choosing Allen over Parmele in what amounted to a mild
surprise, the Ravens kept all eight of their draft picks on the
roster.

The Ravens held onto several young players rather than expose
them to the waiver wire where they could potentially be claimed by
another team. The team is upbeat about its rookie class, especially
first-round cornerback Jimmy Smith.

“I was talking about that with Jimmy,” Allen said. “This rookie
class, we brought a little personality to this team. Hopefully, we
can contribute right away and help the team win.”

Parmele scored a touchdown, but he also lost a fumble and
averaged just three yards per carry.

A seventh-round draft pick from Georgia Tech, Allen averaged 6.8
yards per carry and scored a touchdown.

“It feels great,” said Allen, who got the news that he had made
the team from coach John Harbaugh. “I feel like all the hard work I
put out came back to me. There was some anxiety, but you can only
control what you can control.

“I talked to coach Harbaugh and it was a short meeting. He came
up to me and told me congratulations that I made the team, and he
told me that he expects good things out of me and to make sure I
learn everything I need to know on special teams.”

In a move that speaks volumes about his long-term potential,
McAdoo made the team after going undrafted in the NFL supplemental
draft in late August.

McAdoo hadn’t played football in over a year after being
declared ineligible due to NCAA and academic violations, but the
athletic, lanky 6-foot-7, 245-pound had a sack and forced fumble
against the Falcons when he hit quarterback John Parker Wilson.

“It’s a dream come true,” McAdoo said. “Everything happened so
fast. I had to take it how it was given to me. A couple weeks ago I
wasn’t on a team and I didn’t know how it things were going to go.
I’m so glad I’m here. I think how I played in the game helped me a
lot.”

It’s a gloomier outlook, though, for second-year offensive
tackle Ramon Harewood.

He was placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row
after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a torn ligament in
his ankle that will require surgery to repair the damage.

A sixth-round draft pick from Morehouse last year, Harewood
missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both
knees. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist in Charlotte, N.C., is set
to perform the procedure.

Kris Wilson beat out Davon Drew for the third tight end job,
parlaying a team-high eight receptions for 101 yards into a niche
after being signed during training camp.

Besides cutting Drew, Gooden, Burgess, Smith and Parmele, the
Ravens also released center Tim Barnes, running back Damien Berry,
center-guard Justin Boren, linebacker Josh Bynes, third quarterback
Hunter Cantwell, defensive tackle Lamar Divens, cornerback Danny
Gorrer, defensive tackle Bryan Hall, wide receiver James Hardy,
cornerback Talmadge Jackson, wide receiver Brandon Jones, fullback
Ryan Mahaffey, tight end Johdrick Morris, center Jason Murphy,
offensive tackle Andre Ramsey, long snapper Patrick Scales, safety
Mana Silva, defensive tackle Derek Simmons, cornerback Josh
Victorian, linebacker Chavis Williams and safety Nate Williams.

A former Buffalo Bills second-round draft pick blessed with
size, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hardy was hampered for nearly the
entire preseason with a hamstring problem.

Divens was beaten out by Brandon McKinney for the final
defensive line spot.

A Baltimore native who lives near the Ravens’ training complex,
Murphy is hoping to get another opportunity with the Ravens in the
future.

“I told coach Harbaugh I appreciated the opportunity,” Murphy
said. “I’m a phone call away. I’m right down the street. He said
the same thing.”

Under NFL rules, the Ravens can form an eight-man practice squad
as soon as today and have already informed several players to
remain in town to be signed.

“It looks like I’m going to be on the practice squad,” said
Berry, an undrafted rookie from the University of Miami. “It’s a
starting point. I’m not complaining. They could have told me to go
home. I’m still a Raven. Luckily, I’m still here.”

Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-857-7896 or
sports@carrollcountytimes.com.

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens cut linebacker Tavares
Gooden from the roster Saturday after haggling with the San
Francisco 49ers in trade discussions that fizzled out.

The Ravens were seeking help along the offensive line,
preferably a center, but a proposed trade fell apart.

A speedy former third-round draft pick from the University of
Miami, Gooden was the highest-profile player the Ravens released
Saturday as they got down to the NFL roster limit.

Gooden could have remained on the team if he had accepted a
reduction of his $1.2 million salary, but ultimately he declined
the offer. Gooden’s tendency to get hurt was another factor in his
release.

As the Ravens cut Gooden and fellow veterans in linebacker
Prescott Burgess, wide receiver Marcus Smith and running back Jalen
Parmele, the departures created opportunities for rookie running
back Anthony Allen, outside linebacker Michael McAdoo, undrafted
wide receiver LaQuan Williams and inside linebacker Jason
Phillips.

Williams emerged as the biggest surprise of the Ravens’
preseason, outshining fellow former University of Maryland wide
receiver Torrey Smith, the Ravens’ second-round draft pick.

Williams’ blend of punt return skills and playmaking ability as
a receiver earned him one of the final roster spots as he caught
four passes for 84 yards and averaged 35.5 yards per punt return
and 30.5 yards per kickoff return.

“It’s a great feeling,” Williams told the Times in a telephone
interview. “It’s something I’ve been working towards my entire
life. I just needed the opportunity, and I made the best of it. It
was just me coming in and knowing what I was capable of.

“I knew I had the talents. Now, I have to keep it up. This is
the first phase for me. I’ve got to keep getting better. You can’t
relax or take it easy. You’ve got to keep pushing every day.”

Phillips made the team behind the strength of an interception
and a fumble recovery during the Ravens’ preseason finale victory
over the Atlanta Falcons.

The former Texas Christian standout had expected to make the
squad.

“I want to make the decision as hard on them as I can,” Phillips
said before learning his fate. “I definitely think I helped myself
out.”

Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Chykie Brown also made a good final
impression on the coaching staff and personnel department. The
fifth-round draft pick from the University of Texas returned an
interception 65 yards for a touchdown against the Falcons.

By choosing Allen over Parmele in what amounted to a mild
surprise, the Ravens kept all eight of their draft picks on the
roster.

The Ravens held onto several young players rather than expose
them to the waiver wire where they could potentially be claimed by
another team. The team is upbeat about its rookie class, especially
first-round cornerback Jimmy Smith.

“I was talking about that with Jimmy,” Allen said. “This rookie
class, we brought a little personality to this team. Hopefully, we
can contribute right away and help the team win.”

Parmele scored a touchdown, but he also lost a fumble and
averaged just three yards per carry.

A seventh-round draft pick from Georgia Tech, Allen averaged 6.8
yards per carry and scored a touchdown.

“It feels great,” said Allen, who got the news that he had made
the team from coach John Harbaugh. “I feel like all the hard work I
put out came back to me. There was some anxiety, but you can only
control what you can control.

“I talked to coach Harbaugh and it was a short meeting. He came
up to me and told me congratulations that I made the team, and he
told me that he expects good things out of me and to make sure I
learn everything I need to know on special teams.”

In a move that speaks volumes about his long-term potential,
McAdoo made the team after going undrafted in the NFL supplemental
draft in late August.

McAdoo hadn’t played football in over a year after being
declared ineligible due to NCAA and academic violations, but the
athletic, lanky 6-foot-7, 245-pound had a sack and forced fumble
against the Falcons when he hit quarterback John Parker Wilson.

“It’s a dream come true,” McAdoo said. “Everything happened so
fast. I had to take it how it was given to me. A couple weeks ago I
wasn’t on a team and I didn’t know how it things were going to go.
I’m so glad I’m here. I think how I played in the game helped me a
lot.”

It’s a gloomier outlook, though, for second-year offensive
tackle Ramon Harewood.

He was placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row
after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a torn ligament in
his ankle that will require surgery to repair the damage.

A sixth-round draft pick from Morehouse last year, Harewood
missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both
knees. Dr. Robert Anderson, a specialist in Charlotte, N.C., is set
to perform the procedure.

Kris Wilson beat out Davon Drew for the third tight end job,
parlaying a team-high eight receptions for 101 yards into a niche
after being signed during training camp.

Besides cutting Drew, Gooden, Burgess, Smith and Parmele, the
Ravens also released center Tim Barnes, running back Damien Berry,
center-guard Justin Boren, linebacker Josh Bynes, third quarterback
Hunter Cantwell, defensive tackle Lamar Divens, cornerback Danny
Gorrer, defensive tackle Bryan Hall, wide receiver James Hardy,
cornerback Talmadge Jackson, wide receiver Brandon Jones, fullback
Ryan Mahaffey, tight end Johdrick Morris, center Jason Murphy,
offensive tackle Andre Ramsey, long snapper Patrick Scales, safety
Mana Silva, defensive tackle Derek Simmons, cornerback Josh
Victorian, linebacker Chavis Williams and safety Nate Williams.

A former Buffalo Bills second-round draft pick blessed with
size, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hardy was hampered for nearly the
entire preseason with a hamstring problem.

Divens was beaten out by Brandon McKinney for the final
defensive line spot.

A Baltimore native who lives near the Ravens’ training complex,
Murphy is hoping to get another opportunity with the Ravens in the
future.

“I told coach Harbaugh I appreciated the opportunity,” Murphy
said. “I’m a phone call away. I’m right down the street. He said
the same thing.”

Under NFL rules, the Ravens can form an eight-man practice squad
as soon as today and have already informed several players to
remain in town to be signed.

“It looks like I’m going to be on the practice squad,” said
Berry, an undrafted rookie from the University of Miami. “It’s a
starting point. I’m not complaining. They could have told me to go
home. I’m still a Raven. Luckily, I’m still here.”

Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-857-7896 or
sports@carrollcountytimes.com.

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OWINGS MILLS – The huge crowd inside the Baltimore Ravens’
locker room is about to thin considerably as over two dozen players
are about to make their exit.

As the Ravens (2-1) conclude the preseason tonight against the
Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome, their primary mission is still
making final determinations on whom to keep and whom to cut.

The NFL roster deadline to get down to 53 players looms Saturday
night, so this marks the last chance for players on the bubble to
impress the coaching staff and personnel department.

That means the Ravens will be parting ways with least 27 players
by Saturday, and they could cut even more if they want to save
roster spots for potential waiver claims or veteran free agent
signings Sunday.

That reality increases the importance of this game for several
players, including promising undrafted rookie wide receiver LaQuan
Williams.

“This is going to decide whether I make the team or not,” said
Williams, a Baltimore native. “Just got to come out and do the best
that I can. Not really much pressure, just trying to make a play
when I get the opportunity.

“There’s always more to do, but I feel like I put myself in a
good opportunity to succeed. We’ll see how things turn out
[tonight], and I hope everything goes well.”

For the former University of Maryland player, it’s ultimately
going to come down to special teams and how the Ravens crunch their
numbers at other positions.

If Williams makes the team, he would be the sixth wide receiver
and the Ravens would cut veterans Marcus Smith and James Hardy.

“I feel like I stood out a little bit,” Williams said. “I feel
like I definitely made enough plays to stand out, not enough to
secure a spot on the team, but enough to stand out. So, I’ve got to
do the best I can do [tonight] and take advantage of the
opportunity.”

Williams has caught four passes for 84 yards, averaging 21 yards
per reception. He returned a punt 38 yards.

However, the former Terrapin hasn’t recorded any special-teams
tackles.

“I definitely want to come out in special teams this week and
dominate,” Williams said. “I want to show up as the guy, that
special-teams guy. Hopefully, that will help me out with my
campaign to make the team.”

Williams isn’t alone in hoping that he’s done enough to leave a
lasting impression to remain with the Ravens organization.

Rookie running back Anthony Allen is battling with incumbent
Jalen Parmele for the final running back spot, if the Ravens keep
that many since they have Ricky Williams in place to back up
featured runner Ray Rice.

Allen dropped a potential touchdown pass a week ago against the
Washington Redskins, but has rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown on
10 carries this preseason.

The former All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection is looking to
give the Ravens a tough decision.

“I’m doing everything I can to prove myself,” Allen said. “It’s
what you put out on film that matters the most. The film doesn’t
lie.”

The Ravens’ other decisions include whether to keep Tavares
Gooden or Jason Phillips at inside linebacker, how many offensive
linemen they’ll hold onto, deciding between Lamar Divens and
Michael McAdoo on the defensive line and if they’ll keep Davon Drew
or Kris Wilson as a third tight end.

The Ravens are also contemplating whether rookie quarterback
Tyrod Taylor will be the primary backup to Joe Flacco.

“Great opportunity for the young guys, no doubt about it,” coach
John Harbaugh said. They’ll be playing obviously the majority of
the game. This is their chance to get some tape and get some live
NFL action to prove to us and the rest of the league what they can
do.”

The move of kickoffs to the 35 yard line has led to increased
touchbacks making it more difficult to evaluate young players who
are going to be counted on to play special teams if they make the
team.

“You can tell only so much in practice, like will a guy really
go out and make a tackle?” Harbaugh said. “The guys have had
limited reps. A lot of times early in the preseason, a guy will
miss a couple and then he’ll start making them. You can see the
progress.

“We just haven’t had enough reps in the kickoff team to see it.
We’ve seen it on punt, but we haven’t seen it on kickoff. So, I
think it’s a legitimate issue. It’s a negative for the young guys
because it makes it tough for them to make the team.”

Meanwhile, this marks the last and only chance for Hardy to show
the coaches what he can do.

An imposing former Buffalo Bills second-round draft pick, the
6-foot-5, 220-pounder has missed every preseason game to date with
a hamstring problem. He’s been practicing, though, and is slated to
play extensively tonight.

“We just haven’t seen him, and it’s no fault of his own,”
Harbaugh said. “He’s worked really hard to get that hamstring back.
The trainers will tell you, he’s been a model citizen in there.
But, this was a big camp for him and he missed it. So this is his
one shot.”

Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-857-7896 or
sports@carrollcountytimes.com.

 

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

At this point in his career, Beck has a chance to stand atop the depth chart. With the Ravens, his only chance to play came in the days leading up to Sunday.

“I treated every practice when I was there like it was my game, so I know what it’s like to go against Ed and to go against Ray and Haloti,” Beck said. “They are an unbelievable defense.”

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan wouldn’t name his starter against Baltimore and does not intend to choose his starting quarterback until shortly before Washington opens the regular season against the New York Giants on Sept. 11.

Thus far, the competition is fairly even.

Grossman went 19 for 26 for 207 yards and a touchdown in a 16-7 win over Pittsburgh while Beck was sidelined with a groin injury. Beck returned last week and was 14 for 17 for 140 yards in a 16-3 rout of Indianapolis.

“We’ve got two guys that we believe in, two guys that are very close right now,” Shanahan said. “I’d feel very comfortable going into our first game with either quarterback.”

Beck and Grossman hope to create a bit of separation in the competition by performing well against Baltimore (1-1). Regardless of who starts, both will play with Washington’s first-string offense.

“I’ve often wondered what it was going to be like to go back and play against the Ravens,” Beck said. “When I do get my chance, I want to be at my best.”

Said Grossman: “The most important thing to do is make the right play, and that trumps any emotion. I don’t think it’s that difficult. Would you like to make big plays? Yes. You don’t want to miss an opportunity. But you don’t want to force it, either.”

Beck knows the Ravens, and they know him. Although he didn’t play a single down before being traded to the Redskins in August 2010, Beck made a lasting impression on Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

“He is one of the harder workers I have been around,” Cameron said. “I think everybody around here has a lot of respect for him because when he was here, he worked hard. Nothing John can do in a positive way would surprise me.”

Beyond the quarterback competition, the Redskins are seeking a third straight win over an AFC team that reached the postseason last season.

“I really am excited for our team, because I think with where we’re going, this is a great team to play against,” Beck said. “I know the type of intensity the Baltimore Ravens bring to every game. That’s why they’re a playoff team. And we’re trying to become a playoff team.”

The Ravens haven’t had a quarterback controversy since Joe Flacco took over three years ago. Their incentive in this game centers on fine-tuning an offense with several new working parts, including wide receiver Lee Evans, running back Ricky Williams, fullback Vonta Leach and rookie right tackle Jah Reid.

Defensively, the logjam at cornerback between Domonique Foxworth, Chris Carr, Lardarius Webb and rookie Jimmy Smith will be observed closely by first-year defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano.

“We’ve got great competition going on, and we feel like they’re all doing what they’re supposed to do,” Pagano said. “We’ve got guys in position to make some plays out there.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said most of his starters will play until deep into the third quarter. Preseason results are usually perceived to be meaningless, even in a game between two teams whose stadiums are located only 33 miles apart, but Harbaugh still wants to win.

“We want to see us developing into a winning and a championship football team. The things that you will be able to recognize, whether it’s on offense or defense or special teams, we want to play well,” he said. “If you watch the tape on the Redskins, they are dominating in the preseason. That’s a huge test for us. They’ve done a great job with their team, and it’s just a great opportunity for us to get better.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Bills received a fourth-round 2012 draft pick from the Ravens in exchange for Evans, according to ESPN. The receiver is likely to fit in with the Ravens, who NFL networks report are looking to fill the position after Derrick Mason, their former wideout, chose the New York Jets during his free agency.

Ozzie Newsome, Ravens’ general manager, expressed his excitement about acquiring the wide receiver.

“Our fans will remember him from his outstanding game against us last season. He’s a quality veteran receiver who stretches the field and gives us a significant downfield presence.” Newsome said on the Baltimore Ravens website. “He’s the type of person you want on your team. He brings leadership and maturity to the locker room.”

Evans seemed equally enthusiastic about the trade.

“I’m really excited about it,” Evans said, according to Buffalo News. “You look at their team and what they’ve done over the years and the personnel that they have. I’m really excited to get over there and be a part of what they have going. I’ll do anything I can to try to help them win.”

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Evans, who would have made $3.27 million with the Bills this season, told the Buffalo News that his situation with the team was no longer working. Although he had respect for the team and its staff, they were looking to find younger talent.

“New coaches come in, they always like to bring new guys in, bring new talent in and bring guys they’re familiar with,” said 30-year-old Evans. “So you don’t know. I just tried to work as hard as I could to try to fit in. at the end of the day it just wasn’t a fit. I talked to them both today, and it wasn’t a personal thing. They both said they have a tremendous amount of respect for me. It’s just the way the game is. They want to get a little younger and move forward.”

Ben Dogra, Evans’ agent, said he feels the move is beneficial for both Evans and the Bills.

“I think personally it’s a great move for Lee,” Dogra said, according to Buffalo News. “Lee has had an unbelievable stay in Buffalo. I know for a fact he likes Buffalo. The organization has been very good to him and at some point in a business career, people have to make difficult decisions. Obviously Buffalo thinks this is a good move for their team moving forward. I think it’s a terrific move for Lee.”

Over the course of his Bills career, Evans made 377 catches for 5,934 yards and 43 touchdowns. Last season, he caught 37 passes for 578 yards and made four touchdowns.

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Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk recently
had a surgical procedure to clean the bursa sac in his left knee, the team
announced Wednesday.

Birk will miss three to four weeks, according to Ravens head coach John
Harbaugh.

Center Casey Rabach, who agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the
Ravens on Tuesday, failed his physical and will not join the club.

“We will be looking for another center,” Harbaugh said on the team’s website.
“Matt will be our starting center. But Matt’s older; I don’t think he
necessarily needs training camp. That’s my feeling — let him get this cleaned
up right now, and we’ll get a week or two of training camp with him and he’ll
be ready to play.”

After Birk, the Ravens have practice squad lineman Bryan Mattison and
undrafted rookies Ryan Bartholomew and Tim Barnes.

©2011 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The three weeks when the Baltimore Ravens typically train in Westminster is a time for this Carroll County city to revive itself from the dog days of summer and get ready for the return of students to McDaniel College.

But these days the downtown area is devoid of many people — and most shades of purple — as the team opted to train at its in-season facility in Owings Mills because of the uncertainty surrounding the NFL lockout that ended last week after more than 100 days.

Though lifelong resident and first-term mayor Kevin Utz can’t put an exact dollar figure on the loss of revenue due to the team’s absence, he said Sunday that restaurants whose clientele came strictly to watch their favorite NFL team practice could lose between “10 and 20 percent” of their expected revenue and the Best Western hotel where the Ravens housed their players and coaches would likely be affected even more.

“It’s significant,” said Utz, a former Maryland State Trooper who now works in his daughter’s real estate company.

Utz said the recognition that came with the city’s affiliation with the Ravens was nearly as important and would also be missed.

“The sportscasters would say they were in Westminster and our website would get a lot of Google hits with people wanting to know, ‘Where’s that?’” Utz said.

Despite the team not being there for the first time since its inception in 1996, Utz said that the tradition of “painting the town purple” will continue later this month by replacing American and Maryland flags with Ravens flags,

At Rafael’s, a restaurant on West Main Street, a handful of customers ate lunch or sipped on a beer as the Orioles-Yankees game played on the flat screen television behind the bar. Chris Ruby, the manager, said that “we don’t have the foot traffic we normally have” when the Ravens are in town. The restaurant also hosts a local fan club, the Ravens Roost, during the season.

Ruby recalled how when some of the players, including Jarret Johnson, recently departed Kelly Gregg or even Joe Flacco, came in for dinner during training camp, word would spread and suddenly a quiet night became a busy one.

“We would go from nearly empty to completely full in minutes,” Ruby said.

But not this summer.

Gordon Brauning, who everyone in town knows as Geno, said he used to go to training camp every day the team was there practicing, but doubted that he would make the trek to Baltimore when the Ravens open up their workout to the public Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.

As the maintenance man at Johansson’s, another popular Westminster restaurant, Brauning admits that there is a benefit to the Ravens not being around.

“I get more work done,” he said, half-joking.

Not all of the local bars and restaurants within a long punt of the McDaniel College practice fields were quiet Sunday.

Baugher’s, the 63-year old landmark restaurant that typically attracts many more locals than visitors, was jammed in the early afternoon. For a few minutes before 2 p.m., the line went out the door and into the parking lot.

Harold Stultz, the general manager of the restaurant for 11 years, said that there was barely any increase in the number of usual 5,000 to 6,000 customers a week when the Ravens were in training.

“I think it came to something like 27 more customers a week,” said Stultz.

In fact, Stultz used to get complaints from some of the restaurant’s longtime patrons that Ravens fans would fill up the parking lot and then walk over to the college. The parking lot was filled Sunday, but not a single one had a Ravens flag attached. The regulars were back to their routine.

The Best Western had a sign at its front desk advertising the fact that Ravens’ training camp was canceled and rooms were available; the same information was posted recently on the display outside. A desk clerk who declined to give her name said that the 101-room hotel was about half filled.

Ruby, the manager at Rafael’s, said that not everyone received the news of the Ravens moving their training camp away from Westminster.

“I had a few people ask me earlier today where the Ravens were training [in Westminster] and I told them they were in Owings Mills,” he said.

Told that practice is closed there to the general public, and that the Ravens had Sunday off, Ruby realized that he had unwittingly given out bad information.

“I gave her good directions,” he said.

don.markus@baltsun.com

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Then, almost immediately after the NFL lockout ended, Flacco learned he might be without two of his favorite targets: tight end Todd Heap and wide receiver Derrick Mason, who have been told by the Ravens they will be cut.

Flacco has taken the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his three seasons, yet some people aren’t impressed.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said the Ravens won’t win a Super Bowl with Flacco “in this lifetime.” NFL analyst Jaime Dukes questioned the quarterback’s work ethic, and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones said, “If you put a lot of pressure on him, he makes bad decisions.”

After taking his physical and conditioning test Wednesday at Baltimore’s training complex, Flacco addressed the criticism with his head held high.

“We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve gotten better each year and played pretty darn good, so I don’t understand it,” he said. “People are going to say what they’re going to say. We’ve just got to go out there and win football games, continue to win football games really, because we’ve won football games every year here.”

Flacco gets it. The Ravens haven’t reached the Super Bowl during his tenure, and until that happens he knows there will be people who question his performance.

“The world we live in today, there’s usually one good quarterback at the end of the year and 31 other not-good ones,” he said.

That, however, is not his perspective.

“I think I’m pretty (darn) good, and I don’t need to go out and tell everybody that and show it on every given day, every play, every Sunday and do all that stuff. I go out there and I play,” he said. “You can think what you want about me. The bottom line is, I’m still going to think the way I think about myself, and I feel pretty good about myself. I would like some more people than myself to think good about me, but they never do. They never do.”

Sporting a wedding ring on his left hand, the 26-year-old quarterback declared himself in excellent shape and ready to get back on the field. He spoke hopefully about getting back Heap and Mason, who haven’t signed yet with another team and could still return if the price is right.

“I had no idea anything like that was going to happen,” Flacco said. “You expect to come back and see some new faces just like every year. But I definitely was not expecting (Baltimore) to get rid of Derrick and Todd. I wasn’t even really thinking about that. I was thinking about getting back to playing football, getting back to normal life for us.”

It’s going to take Flacco a while to get used to playing without Mason, the team’s career leader in receptions, and Heap, the starting tight end for the past 10 years.

“I’m sure at first there will be an initial shock without those guys being out there,” Flacco said. “I hope we can go out there and operate no matter what. If those guys aren’t there, it’s because we are confident with the guys that we have. I would say if they’re not there, we know we have a great group of guys. If they are there, then we’re only going to benefit from that.”

Replacing Heap, at least initially, is second-year tight end Ed Dickson. He doesn’t have the credentials of Heap, but is not backing down from the challenge.

“It means a lot to me that they have that much faith in me,” Dickson said. “I’ve got a year under my belt, so I’ll definitely be more comfortable in our playbook.”

But it’s going to be up to Flacco to make the offense work, and he’s ready to do just that.

“I just want to go out there and win football games. I want the ball to be put in my hands. I want to be in control,” he said. “I want to be in position to lose football games, I’ve always said that. I want it to be on me. … In order to do that, you got to have trust in me, and I think we’re there. I think we just need to go out there and put it all forward and do what we need to do to get to that next step, get past the hump and win these really big football games.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—What a crazy offseason it was for Baltimore Ravens
quarterback Joe Flacco(notes).

Instead of working with coaches and teammates to prepare for the 2011
season, Flacco got married and took some flagrant hits from a few outspoken
critics.

Then, almost immediately after the NFL lockout ended, Flacco learned he
might be without two of his favorite targets: tight end Todd Heap(notes) and wide
receiver Derrick Mason(notes), who have been told by the Ravens they will be cut.

Flacco has taken the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his three seasons,
yet some people aren’t impressed.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley(notes) said the Ravens won’t win a
Super Bowl with Flacco “in this lifetime.” NFL analyst Jaime Dukes questioned
the quarterback’s work ethic, and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones(notes)
said, “If you put a lot of pressure on him, he makes bad decisions.”

After taking his physical and conditioning test Wednesday at Baltimore’s
training complex, Flacco addressed the criticism with his head held high.

“We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve gotten better
each year and played pretty darn good, so I don’t understand it,” he said.
“People are going to say what they’re going to say. We’ve just got to go out
there and win football games, continue to win football games really, because
we’ve won football games every year here.”

Flacco gets it. The Ravens haven’t reached the Super Bowl during his tenure,
and until that happens he knows there will be people who question his
performance.

“The world we live in today, there’s usually one good quarterback at the
end of the year and 31 other not-good ones,” he said.

That, however, is not his perspective.

“I think I’m pretty (darn) good, and I don’t need to go out and tell
everybody that and show it on every given day, every play, every Sunday and do
all that stuff. I go out there and I play,” he said. “You can think what you
want about me. The bottom line is, I’m still going to think the way I think
about myself, and I feel pretty good about myself. I would like some more people
than myself to think good about me, but they never do. They never do.”

Sporting a wedding ring on his left hand, the 26-year-old quarterback
declared himself in excellent shape and ready to get back on the field. He spoke
hopefully about getting back Heap and Mason, who haven’t signed yet with another
team and could still return if the price is right.

“I had no idea anything like that was going to happen,” Flacco said. “You
expect to come back and see some new faces just like every year. But I
definitely was not expecting (Baltimore) to get rid of Derrick and Todd. I
wasn’t even really thinking about that. I was thinking about getting back to
playing football, getting back to normal life for us.”

It’s going to take Flacco a while to get used to playing without Mason, the
team’s career leader in receptions, and Heap, the starting tight end for the
past 10 years.

“I’m sure at first there will be an initial shock without those guys being
out there,” Flacco said. “I hope we can go out there and operate no matter
what. If those guys aren’t there, it’s because we are confident with the guys
that we have. I would say if they’re not there, we know we have a great group of
guys. If they are there, then we’re only going to benefit from that.”

Replacing Heap, at least initially, is second-year tight end Ed Dickson(notes). He
doesn’t have the credentials of Heap, but is not backing down from the
challenge.

“It means a lot to me that they have that much faith in me,” Dickson said.
“I’ve got a year under my belt, so I’ll definitely be more comfortable in our
playbook.”

But it’s going to be up to Flacco to make the offense work, and he’s ready
to do just that.

“I just want to go out there and win football games. I want the ball to be
put in my hands. I want to be in control,” he said. “I want to be in position
to lose football games, I’ve always said that. I want it to be on me. … In
order to do that, you got to have trust in me, and I think we’re there. I think
we just need to go out there and put it all forward and do what we need to do to
get to that next step, get past the hump and win these really big football
games.”