Caste Football Looks at the 2010 Baltimore Ravens</font>
Under Brian Billick, Baltimore was one of the most caste teams in the NFL, annually competing with the Saints and Cardinals, among others, for the title of blackest team in the league. With Billick as coach, the Ravens had around 10-12 white players on their roster every year. A staple of his teams were starting inexperienced white QBs, like Kyle Boller, with an all-black team, a lot of them thugs, which of course never worked very well for Baltimore. Billick was fired after the 2007 season, and Jim Harbaugh was hired to replace him. Harbaugh has done a little bit to improve the Ravens demographically over the past three years, with this years' roster having 16 white players. The Ravens are around the middle of the pack when it comes to white players.
The Ravens finally have a good QB in third year man Joe Flacco, out of Delaware. Joe was thrown into the fire his rookie season, but performed well under pressure, taking his team to the AFC Championship game his rookie year. Flacco has a cannon for an arm, and decent accuracy to boot. Capable veteran Marc Bulger, the former Rams' QB, is Flacco's backup, after they released the overrated Troy Smith.
Todd Heap is an athletic veteran at the tight end position. In his tenth year out of Arizona State, he still makes plays for the Ravens when they need them. Rookie Dennis Pitta, out of BYU, should be a great recieving TE for the Ravens in a couple of years. He was a great tight end for the Cougars of BYU the last couple of seasons. He is a better reciever than fellow rookie TE Ed Dickson.
Baltimore starts two whites on the offensive line, with only one white backup. Center Matt Birk is in his 13th year out of Harvard, and the six time pro bowler is still playing at a high level. The former Viking anchors the Ravens' offensive line. Marshal Yanda is starting at right guard for Baltimore this season. Yanda starting out of the gates as a rookie in 2007 for the Ravens, he was hurt in 2008, but Yanda reclaimed his starting spot around halfway through the 2009 season, and looks to keep it this year. Backup swingman Tony Moll is the only other white lineman on the 2010 roster.
The Ravens have a total of 6 white defensive players on their roster, which is more than most of the league's team. Nose tackle Kelly Gregg is one of the best in the business at his position. He routinley racks up big tackle numbers for a nose tackle, but never gets noticed for his work. So far, Gregg has prevented sumo Terrance Cody from eating into his snaps. Unfortunatly, most of the time, Gregg is the only white defensive lineman on Baltimore's roster.
Jarret Johnson, out of Alabama, is one of Baltimore's better pash rushers, when they let him rush the passer. He posted a career high six sacks last year, and had 2 interceptions. He also is a great tackler, racking up 94 tackles last year. Talented second year DE/LB Paul Kruger, hasn't really been given an oppurtunity, but has produced when he's played. He'll likely serve his mandatory racial apprenticeship for a couple more years before he's given a chance to start. Jason Phillips is a backup linebacker and special teams demon.
Tommy Zibikowski, the third year safety out of Notre Dame is finally getting chance to start at free safety, with the perpetually injured, media proclaimed "superstar", Ed Reed out for at least six weeks to start the season. Hopefully, Tommy will finally be able to keep his spot. He is also the punt returner to start the season, but is already under fire after only one game. Such is the life of a white safety in the NFL, though. Haruki Nakamura, a half white, half asian safety out of Cincinnati, is considered white by the media. Nakamura has done good filling in due to injuries in the past, but is mostly a special teams demon.
17 of the team's 22 coaches are white.
NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON THE 53 MAN ROSTER: 16
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 7
GRADE: DEdited by: Jack Lambert
