Steve started off by asking about Orb. Laffit said that rarely when horses get so much hype do they live up to it. In this case Orb exceeded expectations.

Bob asked about what this meant for Shug Mcgahee. It was great because it is something that everyone was happy to see. Laffit said Shug wouldn’t say it but winning the Derby was huge.

Steve asked Laffit to stack up Orb against some of the best horses recently. Laffit said that he was no more impressive than Smarty Jones, Barbaro or Big Brown. However, you go in every year with some optimism in hoping for a triple crown. Laffit said that Orbs pedigree looks great for Belmont if he is able to win at the Preakness.

Bob asked how foolish people would be to keep Orb out of the money all together. He said that it would be kind of crazy but there haven’t been great payoffs from the Preakness.

Steve asked who is the best of D Wayne Lukas or is he stretching to have three horses involved. Laffit said that Oxbow is good horse and he has a chance.

To wrap it up Steve asked who the horse to pick is. Laffit said it Orbs race to lose and it would be hard to pick against him.

Steve started off by asking about the horses training in the morning. Jeannine said she has seen Orb run this morning and he looked great, Goldencents had a gallop and there have been a handful of other horses.

Bob asked what about Orb had proved that he is the class of the 3-year-olds. Jeannine said that analyst were hesitant to pick Orb in the derby because it seems like the best horse often times doesn’t win the Derby, but this time it did.  Orb looks to be the real deal and he is thriving the last few weeks.

Steve asked why are there so few horses at the Preakness this year. She said it partially because Orb is so good and it is also because the Derby is such a difficult race.

Bob asked what we should make of Mylute. Jeannine said that Mylute is one of the horses she likes to possibly get in the money and she likes Itsmyluckyday too.  Itsmyluckyday had a rough trip in the Derby and should be better at the Preakness.

Steve wanted to know about the new shooters in the Preakness. She told the guys that Departing is the horse to watch because he has a lot of ability and has performed well in his career.

Steve started off by asking about the concern for Orb being on the inside rail. Bob thinks it won’t be a problem and that he will just hug the rail until he sees the opportunity to get wide and blow the field away.

Bob asked if any of the horses who finished 2-4 would participate in the Belmont.  He said yeah of course but we will know a whole lot more after the Preakness

Bob believes the race is well setup for Orb and he is the definite favorite to win, but he wonders if that pressure could get to him.

Steve who are the greatest challengers to Orb. Bob thinks that this is tough question.  He believes Departing might be his second option however he might not be any better than Mylute or Itsmyluckyday.  The other horse is Governor Charlie but his only problem could be his injury history.

Bob wanted to know about Oxbow. Neumeier said he is a solid horse and that he will take a look at Will take charge, but it is Orbs race to lose.  Bob believes that if Orb wins the Belmont will be a huge deal because Orb is a New York horse and people will latch on to him. In the end though he is picking Orb to win the race.

Steve started off by asking why he decided to say Manny needs to be in the conversation with Trout and Harper. Albert said you can go back to last year and offensively it wasn’t spectacular, but historically they are compared to hall of fame players.  Now that his bat is developing his bat and already has the glove he needs to be in conversation for players under 25 who you can build a franchise around.

Bob brought the strength of third base in the American League and where Manny ranks.  Albert said defensively he is already up there with the elite defensive third basemen. He also said a lot of praise has to be put on the Orioles for how they handled bringing Machado up to the big leagues.

Steve wanted to know which guy of the star third basemen would be left out. Albert thinks it would be great to have Longoria , Machado, Cabrera and Beltre all in the all-star game, but currently Beltre is a little bit behind.

Bob asked if Machado keeps at this pace does he become a guy for Madison Avenue. He said absolutely and Manny is a kid who won’t be in the press for the wrong reasons.  He said there is a reason why he was being compared to Alex Rodriguez starting in his junior year in high school. Albert believes that the only reason Machado hasn’t garnered a ton of buzz nationwide is because of Trout and Harper.

Albert thinks that Chase Utley is a possible target for the Orioles at second base if the players at the position continue to struggle offensively, and as the trade deadline grows closer if the second basemen continues to struggle rumors will continue  still exist.

Steve wanted some insight on why McClain retired. Bob said Rolando gave him some indications that football isn’t the most important thing in is life anymore.  It has taken a backseat to his family, and it just seems like his heart isn’t in it anymore.

Bob asked about McClain as a young person. Labbe told the guys that he was always outgoing and that might be partially because he was an athlete. However, he has always been a troubled young man and at Alabama Saban acted like a father figure.

Steve asked if McClain has been good with his money and doesn’t have to work. Bob said that as everyone knows there is a good chunk of money that comes off the top.  As far as money is concerned Rolando recently purchased a one million dollar house with cash.

Steve wanted to know if Rolando is a guy who in a few months might want to play again. Bob said absolutely and he won’t be surprised at all it Rolando has a change of heart in the near future.

(Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

Steve asked about Jim Johnson and if he saw anything different. Buck said no that there has been nights where Jim didn’t have his best stuff and went 1, 2, 3.

Bob asked about Chris Tillman’s outing. Buck said that Chris looks to be growing into a lot of thing. He told the guys that Tillman gave up 24 foul balls in the first four innings and that is the difference between Triple A and Major League Baseball.

Steve wanted know about Manny Machado’s comparison to Jeter. Buck said that he would never put that kind of pressure on Manny.  What he has seen is the support system that Manny has from family and teammates.  Buck said you can tell that Manny loves baseball and is very alert to his surroundings.

Bob asked about Freddy Garcia’s transition from power pitcher to finesse pitcher. Buck said that today will be a tough game to pitch but Freddy will keep giving the team a chance to win.

Buck thinks that the National League has a big advantage over the American League because now they get to use a designated hitter.  Steve asked if they should make a rule for uniformity between the leagues with the DH. Buck said he has his opinions, but he thinks it is really up to what the fans want.  If he to pick he would pick for there to be a DH in both leagues.

Bob brought up the issue with the umpires recently.  Buck said that this isn’t really a recent issue and all the people involved want to get the game right.  He says it so tough to get all the close calls right, and it is so tough with the naked eye.

Steve wanted to wrap it up with the injury situation of Brian Roberts and Dylan Bundy.  Buck said that Brian was starting the bike yesterday and Dylan will be out the six weeks so hopefully in a few weeks this will not be an issue.

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Now that the Orioles are involved in interleague play, and baseball is playing interleague play every day, MLB really does need to decide on whether to have the DH in both leagues or neither.

It is dumb to have the 2 leagues playing each other when their rosters are stacked different ways. I would lean towards a DH in both leagues, since the pitchers are pretty inept. However, there aren’t 30 good DH’s, so it would defeat the purpose of the DH.

It was never designed to be used to give position players a day off, or take a bench player and rotate him in. It was to increase offensive production. However, there aren’t enough guys to do it.

Here’s a thought: allow each team to designate two players to be the DH. Those players are excused from drug testing and thus can take as many steroids as they want. That would the “hitter” back to designated hitter.

I’m kidding, of course…..kind of.

Hall of Fame Jockey Gary Stevens joined the Norris & Davis show to talk about the Preakness.  Stevens will ride Oxbow just looking to win another Preakness.

Steve asked about Gary coming out of retirement to start racing again this year. Gary said that he was getting the itch to race again during last year.  By the time the Breeders Cup rolled around he had his mind made up and he is loving it.

Bob asked if maybe he felt that he had some unfinished business.  Gary said that he would love to win a Breeders Cup whether or not he will get the chance is something he will have to wait on.

Steve asked about how he feels as a jockey compared to the end of his career. He said that he feels a whole lot better, and that it is no secret he had many operations on his knee.

Bob asked about his running at the Kentucky Derby. Gary said that he has a good trip and was happy but just ran out of gas at the end.

Steve asked the small field at the Preakness and why the second through fourth finishers aren’t running.  Gary said that Orb was just that good and people don’t want to challenge this horse.  He does think that Departing runs a lot like Orb and could prove to be a threat.

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Steve asked about Bernard’s reaction to being released. He said it caught him by surprise a little bit but for the most part he understands it’s part of the business.

Pollard said that it hasn’t hit him that he is a Super Bowl champion yet and it sucks as a player to know he is going to go get his ring and see that he is not with his boys anymore.

Steve asked about how the his release went down. Pollard said that he has only talked with Ozzie and said that he really doesn’t know or understand why they parted ways with him. However, he is at the point where he doesn’t care anymore and is thankful to have found another job.

Bob wanted to know about going to the White House. Bernard said he isn’t going to be attending the event. He said that he has a vacation planned at that time, but even if he didn’t he wasn’t going to attend anyway.

Listen to the full interview:

Steve also asked if Bernard believes the story that Ozzie gave him. Pollard said he is the type of player who speaks his mind when asked.  He said he loves Ozzie and everything that he has done for him. Pollard also said he misses the guys and that he talks to them all the time.

Asked about the infamous “near mutiny” player meeting the Ravens’ had following their regular season loss to the Texans Pollard said that the team had an open floor and let the coaches know what they thought.  Bernard said that the way it happened seemed like the best way to do things.  He says that he knows what happened and the person who leaked it should be ashamed.

Pollard also said that he sticks with his oft quoted statement about football not being around in 20 years because of the rule changes making the NFL like flag football.

Steve asked if he is a little bit sour with all the transpired. Bernard said that he isn’t sour or bitter.  He said he already had the vacation planned and they just found out the date for the White House visit and his family comes first.  There are however a select number of people he doesn’t really want to deal with, although he declined to mention them by name.

Gabby Gaudet, the new horse handicapper at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, joined the Norris & Davis show to talk about the Preakness.  Conditions are expected to be dry and fast at the Preakness and the probable favorite is Derby winner Orb.

Steve started off by asking being the face of Pimlico and Laurel.  Gabby said it has been a whirlwind and that she found out about the job in March.  She said she is looking forward to it.

Bob wanted to know if there is going to be  revival of interest in horse racing from the young generation. Gabby said she hopes so and that there are a lot of young people at the track.  She believes it is definitely on the incline.

Steve asked about Orb’s chances. Gabby said she loves Orb and that she has been on the bandwagon for a long time because she saw him run a time ago.

Bob asked how closely should we watch Governor Charlie. She said that there are a handful of horses that she likes at the derby and Governor Charlie is one of those. However, her favorite is Orb and she really likes Mylute.

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Arrieta and Britton have both tried and been sent to the minors.

Steve Johnson had a start and was sent down, but could be right back up.

Freddy Garcia has been called up and has had one great start and one mediocre start.

Dylan Bundy is hurt, and Kevin Gausman isn’t ready yet.

That leaves Jair Jurrjens, who has 8 starts at AAA and has pitched reasonably well. It might be his turn now.

Don’t forget, the Orioles also have starters in their bullpen–Matusz, Hunter and McFarland, so they remain options, although probably not good ones.

They better find a couple guys, however, to hold down the fort until Gonzales and Chen are back.

Richard Alan “Dick” Enberg is an American sportscaster. He provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on Fox Sports San Diego, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN. Dick joined Bob & Steve today to talk about the Orioles vs the Padres.

Steve asked Dick Enberg if he has ever called a game at Camden Yards. Dick said he has never called a game at Camden Yards and is really looking forward to calling a game in our beautiful baseball stadium.

Dick talked about when he called college basketball and how much he enjoyed doing basketball games and how challenging they were.

Dick then went on to dismiss any praise about his many awards saying that they don’t matter, it’s about how he is perceived by his peers.

Steve finally asked Dick Enberg what is his favorite sport or event to cover. Dick said as an event his favorite thing to cover is Wimbledon because it goes 2 weeks and that’s it to decide who is the best tennis player.

MASN Orioles play-by-play man Mike bordick joined Bob & Steve to talk about the Baltimore Orioles.

Steve asked Mike Bordick about Wie-Yin Chin being headed to the disabled list. Mike said it’s a shame because Wei-Yin was pitching well, and because the Orioles had to do so much scrambling for pitching last year and are headed back down the same path.

Bob asked Mike Manny Machado and how impressed Mike is by Manny’s conversion to 3rd base. Mike said being a Short Stop helped Manny move to different positions, and said that Manny’s reaction times and instincts make him such a great player. Mike also said he doesn’t believe Manny will move back to short stop because it is so hard to find a good 3rd baseman.

Bob asked Mike about JJ Hardy at the plate. Mike said the month of April was very tough on JJ because he was trying to find his swing, but now he is heating up and is a very aggressive hitter who pounds the ball when he is in a groove.

Mike also talked about how he feels like the game is over when Jim Johnson gets to the mound because of how his pitches are moving right now.

Doug O’Neil the trainer for former Preakness winner I’ll Have Another joins Bob & Steve to talk about the Preakness this Saturday.

Steve asked Doug about last year’s Preakness and how his horse I’ll Have Another won it. Doug said it was a rough roller-coaster of emotions because I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, but then was scratched from the Belmont. Doug followed up by saying that it was even more painful because they just don’t know what could have happened had he run for the triple crown. Doug also said I’ll Have Another is having a great life as he’s been put out to stud.

Steve asked Doug about his horse Golden Sense who finished 17th after the Derby, and why he is racing him at Preakness. Doug said it was all about the jockey and how he felt they ran a nice race but it didn’t go their way and they want to come take the Preakness. Doug also said his current horse loves Baltimore, ad is enjoying the atmosphere.

Steve then asked Doug who he thinks is the favorite to win. Doug said Orb is a brilliant horse who had an incredible run in Florida and then was great in Kentucky. Doug also said he likes his horse too to possibly upset Orb.

Former Baltimore Colts Safety Bruce Laird joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk about his former teammate Toni Linhart who passed away this past weekend.

Bruce said that Toni was a wonderful individual. He played and lived here and was a dear friend of his.  Bruce said that Toni was a world class athlete in soccer and skiing.

Bruce told the guys how Toni was always at the different events around town. He said whenever you needed Toni he always had your back.

Bruce then talked about the  unity that the Colts teams from the 1970s. He said that there was no better love between a team and he feels like it was because of the fans and just the town in general. He said the band of brothers stayed here in Baltimore because it is a special group of guys.

Steve asked about Toni as a kicker. Bruce said that Toni was a big part of the team during the division championships the Colts won in the 70s. They kind of took him for granted because he always worked hard and he was like Matt Stover in that way. Bruce said he remembers locking Toni in the bathroom after he missed 3 chip shots in Cleveland.

To wrap it up Steve asked what he thought about the Ravens off-season. Bruce said what they have done is bring in lots of competition and now with this team the coaches can come back and say this is the Baltimore Ravens. This is a team that looks like, at least defensively, they won’t have a Super Bowl hangover.

Brittany said Wei-Yin’s injury usually requires a stint on the DL.

The Executive Editor of Golf World Magazine Ron Sirak joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk about The Players Championship this past weekend.  At the event Tiger Woods pulled away late to win with a -13 for the weekend.

Steve asked if Ron was right in the thick things when the event took place. Ron said yes he was and he was right by Tiger when the incident happened. He said that part of a golf championship test is overcoming tough obstacles.

Bob wanted to know about Sergio’s reputation as a whiner. Ron basically said he does and the Tiger said “Sergio was being Sergio” which isn’t a good thing. He also said Tiger and Sergio have a little bit of history between one another.

Steve brought up the 17th hole and Sergio putting the ball in the water. Ron thinks Sergio kind of had a brain fart because you need to play the hole the way Tiger did.

Ron told the guys he thinks that Sergio is way too talented not to have a major, but his biggest problem might be the five inches between his ears.

Steve asked about Tiger’s recent form. Ron said that recently he hadn’t played well on this course but he played very well over the weekend. He said this could be a good preview of what he could see at the British Open.

Steve then asked how many majors will Tiger win. Ron said he thinks at least one but there is still a shred out doubt out there and he needs to prove himself. Ron believes if he going to win its going to be at the U.S. Open or the British Open, but it wouldn’t shock him if Tiger didn’t win any major this year.

Ed said he appreciates the amount of support he has gotten and that there is no possible way he could get back to everyone.

Steve asked how he is feeling. Ed said that he is feeling better day by day and it is definitely feeling better than the first few days and today he will be undergoing shoulder surgery.

Bob asked if he has been watching the price is right or any other daytime shows. Ed said no, but he has been watching a lot of Orioles and really is enjoying being able to see all the games.

Ed said he looks to be back soon, but doesn’t have a set time yet.

MLB.com Orioles insider Brittany Ghiroli joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk about the Orioles. Baltimore is currently 21-14 and tied for first place in the AL East after taking 2 out of 3 from the Kansas City Royals.

Steve asked about Freddy Garcia’s performance last night. Brittany said when you compare him to how the other guys who have been brought up did Garcia did alright.  Brittany is really interested to see Steve Johnson.

Bob asked if T.J. McFarland’s spot is a definite. Brittany said that they don’t want to lose McFarland but it will be interesting to see what the Orioles do when Wada is fully healthy.

Steve brought about Ryan Flaherty and his struggles in the lineup. Brittany said he has struggled but Ryan does have the ability to hit well and they don’t have any other real options.

Bob asked about the interesting schedule the Orioles have had thus far. Brittany said that its been tough and that it always seems like they’re always on the move.  She believes when they get home after the Minnesota things should settle down, but the opening stretch has been dreadful.

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Steve asked Kyle about how mini-camp went for him. Kyle said it was a great weekend and it was great to get a feel for professional football. Kyle also said he enjoyed meeting some teammates and some more coaches, and enjoyed learning the tempo of practice.

Bob asked Kyle what he’ll be doing for the next couple months until training camp. Kyle said he is headed back to Baltimore to keep working out and have meetings with coaches and teammates.

Steve asked Kyle if there were any restrictions on what he can do because of college schedule. Kyle said he doesn’t believe he has any restrictions on his time to workout with Ravens, Kyle let us know he is one semester from graduating at Harvard.

Steve asked Kyle if he has a playbook yet and if he is studying it. Kyle said he got his playbook on the first day and that during the rookie mini-camp he and his teammates installed probably 80% of it. Kyle said now its about refining his skills and studying the intricacies of the playbook.

Finally Bob asked Kyle about how intricate the Ravens offense is. Kyle said it’s very intricate and it is a lot of material.  Kyle also said that once you grasp the terminology of the playbook it’s fairly simple to get it down.

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The Ravens aren’t done shopping this off-season, at least I hope not. They have done an amazing job filling in some holes, re-tooling, and even upgrading.

That said, they still need to do something at receiver.

They have one starter on their team, Torrey Smith. They don’t want Jones to be the other starter, and for good reason. He’s not that good at receiver, and he’s too valuable returning punts and kicks.

The others: Doss, Thompson, Reed, Streeter, Williams, and now Mellette, are too unproven to count on one of them.

I am sure the Ravens know that, and I would be stunned if there isn’t an addition before the season starts, of a veteran, proven receiver.

Mel Antonen, a reporter for MASN, joined the Norris & Davis show to talk about Major League Baseball.

Steve started off by asking about the Orioles concern about Brian Roberts. Mel said they’re obviously concerned, but it has to be frustrating because injuries have been his legacy.

Bob asked if the Orioles need to look for a second basemen from outside the organization. Mel said it would be nice, but he thinks they will be fine if an improvement is not made.

Steve wanted to know about Freddy Garcia’s chance to be with the Orioles permanently. Mel said that he won’t be dominate like he was in his Seattle days however he can give the Orioles plenty of innings.

Bob asked about the transition for Tommy Hunter to the bullpen. Mel said how the trade the Orioles made to get Hunter and Chris Davis looks really great now.  He said that Hunter was given opportunities to be a starter, but looks good in his new role.

Bob wanted to know about the chances Kansas City continues to hang around this year. Mel said that the Royals will hang around and compete with the Tigers because of their pitching staff.

Steve brought up J.A. Happ and how can better protect the pitchers. Mel thinks that the eventual solution will be batting helmets because of how light helmets are being made nowadays.

Mel talked about how Manny Machado is so valuable to the Orioles, and how he was one of those few players who can come straight to the majors and not have a learning curve.  He went on to say that Matt Harvey, the young pitcher for the New York Mets, is the pitching version of Manny Machado.

To wrap it up Steve asked about Dylan Bundy and the concern for him. Mel said that sometimes you have injuries when a young guy throws that hard.  It is definitely a concern, but also a wait and see process.

(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Forbes just released its list of the Most Influential Athletes in America. #1 on the list: Tim Tebow. He finished ahead of other NFL QB’s Peyton Manning (5), Drew Brees (6) and Aaron Rodgers (8). By the way, he also finished ahead of a trio of Olympians Michael Phelps, (good to see a Baltimore guy!) who was 2nd, Usain Bolt 3rd and Gabby Douglas 7th.

Others on the list include a baseball player, Derek Jeter, who was 5th, Lebron James at 9 and David Beckham 10th.

So what’s wrong here? Tebow doesn’t play, and basically stinks as a professional athlete, so how can be #1. Well, he has 2.2 million twitter followers, so he can reach people to influence. You can say what’s wrong with the notion that a bad athlete can be so popular? Actually, maybe nothing. Tebow is a really good guy. Maybe that’s a good thing, that people gravitate towards a good guy who is a good role model, as opposed to some athletes who offer far less in the role model department

(Photo by: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Jeremy talked about the Central and said the Tigers are a really tough team with a great line-up. Jeremy said whichever team stays healthy has a shot.

Jeremy then went on to talk about how he is doing this year. Jeremy said he is getting a lot of help from the defense behind him.

Jeremy said after he was traded by the Orioles to the Colorado Rockies that he couldn’t get going in a positive direction. After a couple of quick transitions he has landed on his feet in Kansas City.

Finally Steve asked Jeremy about pitching in Colorado and if it truly is more difficult. Jeremy said it is a bit more difficult but it’s not something he uses as an excuse for his struggles there. And Jeremy added that he did not want to leave Baltimore at all.

Steve asked Jameel is it a question that he’ll be back playing this year. Jameel said there is no question he will be back playing for the Ravens next season.

Jameel said the Superbowl victory was a bittersweet feeling. The team won while Jameel was sidelined with an injury and Jameel wished he could be out there competing with his teammates to be champions.

Jameel said that all the turnover the Ravens roster is facing is just the way it goes in the NFL today. He said it is difficult but it’s just the business and those players will always be linked together.

Steve asked Jameel about losing Ed Reed who was his mentor. Jameel said that losing Ed was a big deal, and it will be tough to not have Ed around to be there for him for everything he’ll go through during the season. Jameel did say however that he and Ed will always remain in contact with another.

Bob asked Jameel about the rehab process he is going through with his neck injury. Jameel said it’s all about rest and letting nature take its course with the healing process. Jameel said he has a lot of techniques to help him recover quicker.

Jameel does not know if he’ll be back for mini-camps or just training camp, Jameel said its all about what the doctors want to do.

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Eisenberg told the guys that Matt Elam looks like the leader of the rookies, Kyle Juszczyk looks good and the rookies have overall been impressive.

NBC sports horse racing analyst Mike Battaglia joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk about what we saw at the Kentucky Derby and what we might see at the Preakness.  At the Derby co-favorite Orb used a late charge to win his 5th consecutive race.

Steve started off by asking about picking Orb. Mike said this is really a good horse and this win doesn’t shock him at all.

Bob asked about the number four horse Golden Soul. Mike said maybe we should have expected this because he was second in the Louisiana Derby.

Steve asked about how is pointing towards the Preakness. Mike says Orb will be the heavy favorite in the race and that he is capable of running in any type of conditions.

Bob wanted to know if the slop affected any of the horses a lot more than others. Mike said he didn’t believe so. He thought that the thing that affected these horses the most was the fast pace.

To finish the interview Steve asked if there were any horse that let him down. Mike told the guys that Itsmyluckyday and Verrazano were a little disappointing in respect to their final place.

NBC Analyst Laffit Pincay joined Bob & Steve to talk about the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. This is the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby and the oddsmakers have made Orb the 7-2 favorite.

Steve started off by asking about his thoughts on the race. Laffit said he is going to change everything, but in his opinion Verrazano is the most talented and Orb is the horse coming on the most at the end.

Steve asked is there any horse that will be helped by the poor track conditions.  Laffit said that Palace Malice is a horse to look at because of his pedigree.

Bob asked if Verrazano’s jockey John Velazquez will be ready after missing the last month with a fall.  Laffit said there might be some rust, but Velazquez wouldn’t ride such a talented horse if he was still hurt.

Former MLB player and current ESPN analyst Doug Glanville joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk about the Op-Ed piece he wrote on Jason Collins coming out.

Steve wanted to know about the Op-Ed piece he wrote on Jason Collins. Doug said he wanted to take a different approach to it. He wanted to say how its not just these certain people are the ones who can play sports.

Bob asked about that stereotype that the pro athlete is the guy who gets all the women. Doug said that he played in the MLB for 15 years and there were probably gay players he played with.

Steve said how Doug had to fight a box to as a dumb jock. Doug told the guys yeah that everyone has a box that people are trying to put them in. He thinks its a shame that people try to pinhole people.

Doug talked about how the support Jackie Robinson and Jason Collins is a little bit different. Jackie didn’t get the support out in the world that Jason has.

Bob asked about the Blue Jays start to the year. Doug said that when teams spend a lot of money it doesn’t always translate and that any team you play on you need to find a way to play together. He said that this adjustment isn’t as easy as it sounds and that perhaps what the Yankees have done is more special.

Steve asked about his take on the Orioles. Doug said he loves Buck Showalter and how he is a great coach. Doug said he likes the sustainability this Orioles team has and likes what they have with the team.

NBC Horse Racing Analyst Bob Neumeier joined the Norris & Davis Show to preview Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.  This will be the 139th running of the Derby and this years early favorite is Orb who is starting with 7-2 odds.

Steve asked about the possibility of rain and how that affects the Derby.  Bob said he didn’t figure in how a sloppy track will affect the horses.  Bob thinks don’t need  to worry too much about the track conditions if you’re betting.

Bob asked about Bob Baffert not having a horse at the Kentucky Derby.  Neumeier says that yeah that is true, but Baffert believes he has the horse who will win the Preakness.

Steve asked which horse he has the winning the race. Bob told him he has a number of horses he is looking at. A couple of them are Orb, the favorite, and Verrazano, who is the 2nd on the odds, and Itsmyluckyday is another horse he really likes.

Mike Battaglia is a horse racing analyst who joined Bob & Steve to talk about the Kentucky Derby tomorrow.

Steve asked Mike if there were any issues with Orb getting the outside post position. Mike said he believes Orb would rather be out there than stuck inside against the rail. Mike said Orb has tactical speed and can pick and choose when to run and when to gallop.

Bob asked Mike about pre-race rumors and if you can buy any of them. Mike said you have to take the rumors with a grain of salt, he remembered hearing about horses not running because of soreness and then watching those horses win the race.

Steve asked Mike about Rick Petino’s horse and if he is a serious contender in the Derby. Mike said that Rick really knows horses as well as college basketball and that his horse is a contender and can definitely be a threat at this distance.

Finally Steve asked Mike for his pick to win the Derby and about weather conditions. Mike said it may rain but it will not effect his pick which is Orb.

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

University of Maryland Football Head Coach Randy Edsall joined the Norris & Davis show to talk about his Terps. Maryland had one player taken in the NFL draft last week and a few other players who joined NFL teams as undrafted free agents including tight end Matt Furstenburg.

Steve asked about Furstenburg’s potential as an NFL tight end.  Edsall said that he is a guy who can do a lot of things, he works and has the potential if he is given a chance.

Bob asked about Kenny Tate and what his prospects are. Edsall said that currently Kenny hasn’t been signed by anyone, but what he needs to do is prove to people he can be healthy.

Steve wanted to known which one of the guy that just was taken from his program has the best chance at sticking in the NFL.  He said that Kevin Dorsey has the best opportunity and that the Packers really liked his speed.  What Dorsey needs to do is prove himself on special teams.

Bob asked if C.J. Brown is going to be ready for the start of the season. Coach said absolutely and that his other injured quarterbacks are also healing well.

Steve asked what Edsall thought about paying college athletes. Edsall said he doesn’t thing they should be paid, but there should be some sort of stipend. He said the big problem comes into determining who to pay and how much to pay.

Bob asked about being in the Eastern Division in the new Big Ten. Coach said it is great to have such a high level of competition. He said that if you want to be the champion then you have to get to through those teams at some point.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

However, there are still 2 gaping holes on offense. Left tackle and wide receiver. The Ravens appear to not want to play Michael Oher at left tackle. So, they have no one on their roster that can play that position, at least that is proven in the NFL.

Keleche Osemele is a huge question mark.

Wide receiver is a huge question mark. Torrey Smith is one starter. Who is the other? They don’t want Jones to start. And, I don’t think anyone wants Doss, Reed, Streeter, Thompson or Mellette to start. So, who is the other starting receiver?

Like I said. 2 big questions remain. My guess is the Ravens will answer them, but, until they do, it’s a concern.

MLB.com writer Brittany Ghiroli joined Bob & Steve to talk about the current Orioles roadtrip.

Steve asked Brittany about Adam Jones’s defenses lapse. Brittany said no one takes it worse than Adam and that Adam believes he can catch everything in the park. She did say however he was a stand up guy and right by his locker to face the heat from reporters.

Brittany said that Adam is not having any vision problems, and if he was it would effect his hitting, and he would go see someone if it was a real problem. Steve said we should get Coleman to go ask Adam about getting his eyes checked.

Bob asked Brittany about Flaherty and the back end of the lineup and their futility. And Bob also asked if JJ Hardy has said anything about his hitting futility. Brittany said he is extremely frustrated as are all of the back end guys with how much they’re struggling at the plate this season.

Steve asked Brittany about Michael Morse and if the Orioles should have tried harder to get. Brittany said absolutely he was a player she liked a lot and that the Orioles probably should have gone after him harder on the trade market.

(Photo by Roberto Serra/Iguana Press/Getty Images)

Count me among those who applaud Jason Collins for his courage in announcing that he is gay. It is a gutsy step.

However, do not count me among those who would equate this to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.

First of all, Jackie Robinson and other African-Americans didn’t have the choice of whether to tell people they were black or not. They were black. Every time they walked out of their house into public, it was apparent they were black. For people that are gay, they do have the power to hide that, like Jason did for his entire 12 year career.

That isn’t to diminish what that is like to have to hide that; it is just recognize a difference.

In addition, Jackie Robinson and other black players weren’t the ones that had the big decision to make. It was the people that controlled the game that had to let them in. Jason Collins and others at least have the ability to make the announcement if and when they choose. Again, not diminishing what he did, just pointing out a difference.

Also, we must recognize that these are totally different times. People are far more open to hearing from and accepting LGBT people in our society than what African-Americans faced in the 1940′s. Sure, there is prejudice today toward LGBT, but to say it is on the scale of what black athletes faced back then just isn’t realistic.

One other point; Jackie Robinson was a great player, so he was in far more of a position to be heckled. Jason Collins is a role player who barely plays. Plus, the kind of heckling Robinson faced was tolerated back then. It will never be tolerated in today’s society.

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Steve wanted to know what he thought about the Ravens trading to go get him. He said it was quite humbling to have a franchise have that type of belief in him.

Bob asked about the draft process for Arthur. Brown said he had a little party and it was big for his family, friends and the community.

Steve asked about Arthur’s expectations on the draft. He said he didn’t have any expectation on where he would be drafted, but his agent was telling him anywhere from 24 to 40.

Steve asked what Arthur says to the critics who say he is too small. Arthur said he thought a lot of teams would want him to put on weight, but teams really liked what he did at his current weight.

Listen To The Full Interview:

Arthur told the guys he is a downhill player who will try to bring the defense together.

Bob asked about the possibility of playing right away. Arthur said he is going to come in compete so he has a shot to fill the hole at the inside linebacker player.

Steve asked who Arthur who was his favorite player growing up. Brown said he was a big Barry Sanders fan because he was from Wichita and that was just about all he knew.

Steve started the interview by making sure we all know how to pronounce Kyle’s last name……it’s pronounced yous-check.

(Photo by Ryan S. Burkett / RSB Photography)

Steve asked Kyle what position he will play in the NFL. Kyle said he’s a football player and whatever position they want to put him at he will excel.

Bob asked Kyle what draft weekend and the off-season have been like. Kyle said he first chose an agent, he went with Joe Linta who also represents Joe Flacco. Then Kyle was able to be a part of the senior bowl, and then trained for the combine though he was not invited which just gave him more time to train for his pro day. Kyle also talked about how he went on a pre-draft visit with the Ravens, and then on Saturday had a big draft party at home in Ohio. Kyle said he knew he was high on the Ravens radar after his visit with the Ravens, and hearing the Ravens had called his coaches.

Kyle also said he was recruited by a lot of MAC schools like Toledo and Miami (OH), but in the end chose Harvard for its tradition of winning and prestige.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW:

Steve then asked Kyle about the night of the MIT shootings related to the marathon bombing and subsequent search for the suspect (Kyle was in Boston at that time). Kyle said he received a text from the schools alert system and said it was incredibly eerie walking home with no one on the streets and a lot of silence. Kyle said it felt like he was watching a movie and it was a very surreal. Kyle then said even though the school was on lock-down he was still able to get a workout in. Kyle went on to say that Boston seems to be getting back to normal.

Finally Steve asked Kyle about expectations and if he was nervous coming in to this workout. Kyle said he’s got some nervousness going on but he believes he’ll be able to handle anything.

Former NFL player and current NFL Network Analyst Brian Baldinger joined Bob & Steve to talk about the Baltimore Ravens.  The Ravens will hold a mandatory rookie camp this weekend for all of their rookies.

Steve asked what Brian thought of the Ravens draft.  Brian said he really liked it and that Matt Elam was in his opinion the best safety in the draft. He also said getting Arthur Brown at 56 was a nice move and that he can be an inside or outside linebacker.

Bob asked if Brian thought the defense had made some upgrades.  Brian said that last year’s Super Bowl run had one of the worst playoff defense performances, but he believes they will be a little bit better than last year.

Steve wanted to know how big of a deal it is that the Ravens don’t have a Left Tackle and that they only have one wide receiver. Brian said he talked to offensive line coach Juan Castillo and Castillo believes that Kelechi Osemele can play left tackle and be successful. As for wide receiver Tandon Doss seems to be the favorite to get the job along side Torrey Smith.

Steve asked about how big a deal  HGH use in the NFL is and how many people are using it. Brian said it wouldn’t surprise him if a certain percentage of players on each team are using it.

To close out the interview Bob asked about the Redskins should change their name. Brian said he hasn’t really thought of it, but if the Native Americans have a problem with the name then it would be better to change the name.

Steve asked Matt about first round pick Matt Elam. Matt loves the Matt Elam pick and believes that Elam will replace Pollard. Williamson says that Elam is a great hitter and a great cover safety, and thinks Elam plays bigger than he is.

(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Bob asked Matt if he was surprised the Ravens went defense with their first 4 picks. Matt said he was a little surprised but that defense is the Ravens bread and butter, and Matt thinks our defense will be drastically improved next season.

Bob asked Matt about Ricky Wagner our 5th round pick and how he best fits the team. Matt said he believes Ricky will be a right tackle because he doesn’t have the footwork to play left tackle. Matt ended that with saying he is worried about left tackle and wide receiver for the Ravens.

Finally Steve asked Matt what will the Ravens do at the number 2 wide receiver position. Matt said he doesn’t know what the Ravens will do because Jacoby Jones is not a starting wr and Torrey Smith is a high end #2 wr. Matt said the Ravens will more than likely wait for a veteran wide receiver to get cut and scoop in and pick them up.

Former NBA player and current Washington Wizards play-by-play man Phil Chenier joins Bob & Steve to talk about everything around the Jason Collins coming out situation.

Phil said that Jason Collins was a very engaging character and a very physical player. Phil said he hopes that this brings about a moving forward of the country to supporting the gay community.

Bob asked Phil if this had happened in 1977 what would the response have been. Phil said it’s a great question, it would have depended upon the team he was a part of at the time. Phil said on his team he thinks that they would have supported him as a teammate, as they should. Phil also said the issue was very different back then so who knows what the reaction would have been.

Steve said he believes that undressing in a locker room with a gay teammate will still be an issue and asked Phil what he thought. Phil said he doesn’t think it’ll be a problem and that nothing has changed about Jason Collins other than now you know he is gay.

Phil said he hopes that Jason coming out makes everyone think about the issue more and develop new ways of thinking about it.