For all fellow O's fans on this board

[EarlJam]

I know there are quite a few of you, including yours truly. Here is a 2008 preview:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7...timore-Orioles

-EarlJam, fan of the 2008 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles (stop laughing)

[BlueDevilBaby]

Buster Olney this morning predicted 60 wins for your O's. I hope none are at the expense of my Nats.

[EarlJam]

Buster Olney this morning predicted 60 wins for your O's. I hope none are at the expense of my Nats.

Sixty?

Well, maybe so. But I guarantee you we won’t lose our first 21 games this year. The days of Baltimore losing their first 20+ games are OVER baby!!!!

Take THAT to the bank and cash it!

-EarlJam

[wilson]

[thread hijack] Olney also talked this morning about how the Braves are going to be better than billed by many this year. He talked about how even Mike Hampton has looked gangbusters thus far in FL (What's that? I think I just heard Hampton blow out his arm).[/thread hijack]

[snowdenscold]

-EarlJam, fan of the 2008 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles (stop laughing)

Ahhh, that combined with a 2008 Duke Championship and this could be the best year in a long time.

[TillyGalore]

I know there are quite a few of you, including yours truly. Here is a 2008 preview:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7...timore-Orioles

-EarlJam, fan of the 2008 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles (stop laughing)

If the Orioles win the World Series this year, I will buy a round of drinks for the entire board, at a bar of my choosing*.

Tilly, who would LOVE to see the O's dominate the AL East instead of the pesky yanks and sox, but isn't holding her breath.

*covering my arse from all the lawyers on the Board.

[pamtar]

I used to go to O's games like 4 times a year when Cal was playing. Now I go once a year - if that. And when I do go its usually to see the Sox or Yanks. I miss the days when the O's were good/decent.

Judging from that line-up (ONE guy hit for .300) i don't think I'll be frequenting Camden much this year either.

[BlueDevilBaby]

I used to go to O's games like 4 times a year when Cal was playing. Now I go once a year - if that. And when I do go its usually to see the Sox or Yanks. I miss the days when the O's were good/decent.

Judging from that line-up (ONE guy hit for .300) i don't think I'll be frequenting Camden much this year either.

Same here. Haven't even been to an O's/Yankees game in a few years with the Nats 15 minutes away. I could root for the O's when Cal was around, but now I really don't want to give Angelos any of my money.

[EarlJam]

I went to see last year's O's play in Toronto. While I enjoyed the city, the O's were just depressing. A very lame product.

God I miss the days of Cal. I wish he'd become a manager or something. They need a Ripken on the field somehow.

-EJ

[TheGodfather]

Same here. Haven't even been to an O's/Yankees game in a few years with the Nats 15 minutes away. I could root for the O's when Cal was around, but now I really don't want to give Angelos any of my money.

You have a problem with Angelos but not with the Natspos ownership/management? That may be the worst run franchise in the history of the big three sports. Orioles fans who want Angelos gone don't need to look far to see just how bad it can get.

[allenmurray]

You have a problem with Angelos but not with the Natspos ownership/management? That may be the worst run franchise in the history of the big three sports. Orioles fans who want Angelos gone don't need to look far to see just how bad it can get.

One difference is that Angelos took a competitive, thriving franchise and drove it into the ground. While the Nats ownership is equally poor, they didn't kill something as tradition filled and locally loved as were the Orioles.

[TheGodfather]

One difference is that Angelos took a competitive, thriving franchise and drove it into the ground. While the Nats ownership is equally poor, they didn't kill something as tradition filled and locally loved as were the Orioles.

I'll agree about the tradition but the local love couldn't have been too loyal if fans were willing to jump to a much worse franchise like the Natspos when the Orioles hit a losing streak. Cubs fans and Red Sox fans still fill their stadiums and they know a thing or two about losing.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

God help you (and you will need His help!)

They are simply a terrible team. You may well lose 110 games this year.
And I am a Mets fan, so I would love to see a strong Oriole team that could beat the yankees.


love
Jim

[EarlJam]

One difference is that Angelos took a competitive, thriving franchise and drove it into the ground. While the Nats ownership is equally poor, they didn't kill something as tradition filled and locally loved as were the Orioles.

In the beginning, wasn't Angelos okay? When they got Davey Johnson to manage and had the team with Alomar, Ripken Jr., Palmario, etc. that went to the ALCS in the late 90s?

What the hell happened?

-EarlJam

[TheGodfather]

In the beginning, wasn't Angelos okay? When they got Davey Johnson to manage and had the team with Alomar, Ripken Jr., Palmario, etc. that went to the ALCS in the late 90s?

What the hell happened?

He definitely was. Angelos was the last (and will remain the last now that he's gone) owner to outspend Big George. No other owner had the cajones. You can bet Steinbrenner never forgot that.

After Johnson resigned, a quality replacement was never found. Fan attendence dropped quickly when they weren't winning. Then came Albert Belle's contract and MLB deciding to put another franchise in DC.

[watzone]

Oh the memories! That's all we have. I remember standing in a bar on main street in downtoen Derm (Durham) watching the O's win their last World Series over the Phils. Wasn't Rip a rookie?

Grew up in the Triangle where most were for Atlanta or he New Yawk Spankees. Well, they were spankees back then because I am talking about the early seventies when I was a grasshopper. Earl baby! Not Earl Jam, but Earl Weaver! Defense and pitching and lots of wins.

Then came the demon critter called Angelos. What oh what happened to this proud franchise? The O's will not win until he is gone. Some of the most overpayed players and worst moves in the history of MLB for los. It even looks like our recent stars were "roid" boys!

Yep! The O's use to be a helluva organization. Now, they are a laughing stock has been. Trouble is, I stick with my teams thick and thin. But Angelos has made it hard and nobody would blame one for jumping ship to see decent baseball again. That is of course unless it is to the pin stripe guys. I can't tell you how many people I have seen do that.

Yeah. I traveled up there and saw the Birds before Memorial was demolished. They beat Nolan Ryan. Another time there was an amazing comeback versus the Angels and a controversial call of a home run which the Cali's thought was a foul ball and protested the game. Seeing Cal hit two homeruns in one game. Having people ask me to talk so they could make fun of my southern accent. Seeing a hottie flash the opposing teams dugout in right field. Memories.

[watzone]

Angelos ran Davey Johnson (played 2B for the O's) out and they never recovered. He was a good manager.

[TillyGalore]

Angelos ran Davey Johnson (played 2B for the O's) out and they never recovered. He was a good manager.

I agree with this 100%.

[allenmurray]

I'll agree about the tradition but the local love couldn't have been too loyal if fans were willing to jump to a much worse franchise like the Natspos when the Orioles hit a losing streak. Cubs fans and Red Sox fans still fill their stadiums and they know a thing or two about losing.

A lot of those fans were fans from the DC area, who had been fans of the Senators. That made it a lot easier to drift back as they didn't see themselves abandoning thier team, but returning to their old team.

RFK Stadium was the first place I ever saw a ball game. I was thrilled that it was used for the Nats for a few years so I could take my son to see a game in the same stadium where i saw my first.

[EarlJam]

Grew up in the Triangle where most were for Atlanta or he New Yawk Spankees. Well, they were spankees back then because I am talking about the early seventies when I was a grasshopper. Earl baby! Not Earl Jam, but Earl Weaver! Defense and pitching and lots of wins.

Man, you aren't kidding. There was only one Earl Weaver. The Earl of Baltimore!

The O's have lost all things that were entertaining:

-Weaver managing
-Ripken Jr. playing
-Wild Bill Haggy (sp) in the stands (RIP Bill)
-Lowenstein and Proctor announcing (why in the HELL did they break those two up?)
-John Denver singing Country Boy (RIP John)
-Winning

What do we have now? A cool stadium, but a team that's as lousy as our stadium is terrific.

Peter Angelos, may you develop cold sores on your eyeballs and/or nipples.

-Earl of DBR