Kyle Boller: What he lacked in QB skill he made up with with heart.
The writing has been on the wall for some time, Kyle Boller's future with the Baltimore Ravens time was running out. Selected in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft, Boller was quickly pressed into service as the Ravens' starting quarterback, but the results were far from satisfying. Despite being gifted with a powerful throwing arm, Kyle Boller never successfully made the transition to the NFL level of play winding up injured often as a result. He missed 30 games in his six seasons in Baltimore.
Quickly, he became one of the most criticized local figures by Baltimore sports fans who can make Philadelphia truly look like the "City of Brotherly Love" when they feel a local athlete is not playing up to their expectations. Ask Eddie Murray after he was run out of town after the 1988 season, the one that began with a 21 game losing streak. The resentment got so hot that fans actually cheered when Boller was reeling in pain during the 2005 home opening game after sustaining a toe injury. The sports media, fans, and most of all sports talk radio callers have ridden him with a whip of words through out his career.
Clearly the Ravens' brass relized they needed help at QB beginning the 2006 season when they signed veteran leader, Steve McNair, who navigated the team to one of its most successful regular seasons. In the next draft, the Ravens picked up Heismann trophy winner, Ohio State QB, Troy Smith, as additional insurance. Everything fell to pieces in 2007 when McNair suddenly turned too old to continue suffering a series of nagging injuries that forced him out of the lineup and brought Boller back behind center. The results were a disaster as the Ravens endured their most frustrating season finally yielding starting duties to Troy Smith.
Boller's stock fell even further after head coach, Brian Billick, one of the California phenom's greatest supporters, was fired then the Ravens selected Joe Flacco in the 2008 draft as their QB of the future. Nevertheless, Boller had perhaps a better than 50% chance of securing the starting job to begin the 2008 season but soon the injury bug struck again, and the job appeared to go to Troy Smith who suffered a nagging infection, which created the exact scenario many blamed for Boller's failure to befall Joe Flacco, being pressed into action too soon.
By the time Joe Flacco threw his first pass in competition for the Ravens, Kyle Boller had already thrown his last. Few would have seen any scenario where Boller would return to the 2009 Ravens.
Now it's official, Kyle Boller has signed a one year contract to back up Marc Bulger. While many might have questioned Boller's skill and leadership, only the most bullheaded or mean-spirited fan would dispute that Kyle Boller is a geniunely nice fellow as he was in speaking of his leaving Baltimore. He spoke fondly of his time in the city and gave the fans a friendly nod.
"I had a great time there. I still think it's a great city," Boller told the Baltimore Sun, adding, "The fans have been great to me in Baltimore. I hold no grudge." He also offered that, "My biggest thing there was just playing a little too early and injuries...But that's part of the game. Hopefully, over the next six or seven years, I won't have those injuries and will be able to play a lot more."
While Kyle Boller looks to a an opportunity for a fresh start, the nay-sayers will be waiting for him as he enters St. Louis. Former Ravens center who has been quite vocal since signing a loaded free agent contract with the Rams accused his former teammate as being "gun shy" to the St. Louis media not the kind of welcoming a quarterback wants to hear from the fellow who could be snapping him the ball. Even to that criticism, Boller was kind in his response suggesting, "He was trying to make a point and it came out the wrong way."
In hindsight, Boller's days in Baltimore were miserable, but surely he should not be blamed for all of his shortcomings delivering at quarterback. He's proven to be a really good fellow who just might be too darned nice to be a fierce competitive quarterback. We wish him the best of luck in St. Louis and hope he does well, unless of course, he's facing the Ravens' defense.
For more details see the following article in the Baltimore Sun that was the primary source for this article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.boller10apr10,0,4748486.story
Orioles and Ravens beware, the irate, conspiracy theory minded, foul tempered Baltimore sports fans are out there and looking for their next boogey man.
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