1. Orioles get their man.
As the off-season sputtered along, many Orioles fans were losing hope that the team would be able to re-sign free agent slugger Chris Davis. There was ample reason for skepticism: Davis is represented by Scott Boras, who notoriously negotiates the kind of sky-high salaries that the Orioles have never paid. Plus, the Orioles were pursuing free agent Yoenis Céspedes, a clear Davis substitute. The concern was reaching a fevered pitch: Could our beloved first baseman end up with another team—maybe the Tigers, the Dodgers, or even . . . the dreaded Yankees? Well, you can all exhale, because on January 16, the Orioles signed the 29-year-old Davis, who has led the majors in home runs two out of the last three years, to a seven-year, $161 million contract—the highest in team history. If that number sounds mind-boggling, that’s because it is—but it’s not quite as astronomical as it seems: The final $42 million will be paid out over the course of 22 years, with no interest. Still, that kind of money can buy a fellow a whole lot of crabcakes—not that Davis will be needing to. Famously, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood offered Davis crabcakes for life if he re-signed with the O’s. Welcome home, Crush! (And pass the tartar sauce.)
2. Ted Marchibroda dies.
On Saturday, Ted Marchibroda, the Ravens first head coach, who coached the team from 1996-1999, died at the the age of 84. None were winning seasons, however, ESPN writer Jamison Hensley attributes Marchibroda with setting the winning tone that the Ravens have carried with them for two decades. Although Marchibroda didn’t technically coin the phrase, “Play Like a Raven,” Hensley notes that he started the tradition, focusing on hard-working players who had a passion for the game and who wanted to practice, still true to this day. “Ted is a founding father of the Ravens,” Ozzie Newsome is quoted as saying. RIP, Ted. Thanks for everything.
3. Ray Rice to coach prospects.
In a sign that there is still a possible future for Ray Rice in the NFL, the former Raven has been tapped to coach the running backs for the 2016 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on January 23. The game showcases college prospects to teams before the draft and, more importantly, prepares them for life in the NFL. It’s telling that the league chose Rice—along with former Raven (and model citizen) Priest Holmes—to coach the backs. It suggests that all of Rice’s community work and public outreach since the domestic violence incident that ousted him from the league is paying off. “Young rookies, anybody in college . . .” Rice has said, “I want to be able to spread all of my experiences to help other people, to make them understand that domestic violence is not okay, not even one time.”
But while this gig might indicate a shift from player to coach, Rice is not ready to give up on his NFL playing career. “I do want to play football again,” he told The Dan Patrick Show in December, “and I’m not ready to give up.”
4. Michael Phelps is really happy.
Earlier this year, an article in Sports Illustrated chronicled Michael Phelps’s long journey back from a dark period that was marked by heavy drinking (and a subsequent rehab stint) and feelings of depression. That article ended on an optimistic note—Phelps was out of rehab, engaged to be married, expecting his first child, and had recently reconnected with his estranged father—but a new article published last Friday in the Arizona Post shows just how far he has come. He’s in Arizona now, training for the 2016 Olympics and, apparently the desert air, not to mention his new commitment to both physical and mental fitness, agree with Phelps. According to coach Bob Bowman, Phelps has totally “reset” his life.
“I only dreamed of being able to be this happy,” Phelps says.
5. Sparrows Point girls soccer team: still awesome.
Sparrows Point High School girls soccer team, which claimed its third straight Class IA state title and is carrying a little thing we like to call a 32-game winning streak into next season, just received another big accolade. It was one of only 10 teams (out of 10,000 schools considered) to be selected for the Girls Soccer Tour of Champions honor from MaxPreps.com. The award, which is given in association with the Army National Guard, is a big deal for the public, Eastern Baltimore County School. Oh, and good news: One of the team’s top stars, forward Jamie Shiflett, just committed to UMBC. Go Pointers!
Bonus! Joe Flacco willing to restructure his contract.
Talk about a team player! Joe Flacco, who is slated to receive $28.55 million next year, has said he is open to restructure his contract so the Ravens will have more money to sign free agents under the salary cap. “Come on, I want to win, so I want to do everything we can to get something done,” Flacco told WBAL Radio on Thursday morning. “I want to be here for a while.” Emoji heart eyes forever.