Federal rule change results in chaos for fans used to taking the bus to FedEx

By Nate Sandstrom

For those traveling to FedEx Field this year, they no longer have the buses that run from the Landover Metro to the stadium for $6. The MTA bus service to Ravens games (and apparently many other teams) is also affected as new federal guidelines now prohibit government agencies (like Metro, the Maryland Transit Administration) from offering the service when private companies also to do so.

I'm trying to find a news article that explains this all, but I remember reading about it early this spring. My recollection is that private companies argued that it was unfair that public entities were subsidizing the cost of transporting people to stadiums and made it impossible for them offer competitive rates.

Sounds fair enough, but here's the net effect: The Redskins said in a press release they looked into offering the service through a private company and the $6 fee would increase to $20. The 'Skins decided not to bother at that point. I'm not sure what the Ravens are doing.

So now you either have to start driving — further clogging the roads, spewing more CO2 in the air and burning more gasoline — or take the Metro Blue Line to the Morgan Boulevard station and walk (that's what I did).

Last night, for a preseason game, the trains were packed, kids were crying and there was much confusion. I guarantee this will be a disaster on Sept. 14.

Some helpful tips from my experience:

• Leave early.

• It took about 20 minutes to walk to the stadium once I reached the stop; it could've been quicker but the sidewalks are not built to handle the amount of foot traffic the games draw.

• Some guys were trying to sell water for like $4 a bottle right outside the stop, but there are many people selling for $1 a bottle along the way. No one was selling food, but one couple was selling Bud and Bud Light from their front yard for $3 each or two for $5. Don't know how long 'til police shut that down.

• If you go from New Carrollton, use the bathroom there. You won't see one again until the Port-A-Potties outside the stadium.

Sports page run down

Add Jim Fassel, who believed he would have the job by now, to the list of people upset with Dan Snyder, the Washington Post reports.

I thought he was all but written off, but the Baltimore Examiner reports that Steve McNair may QB the Ravens next year.

USA Today looks at Super Bowls that are rematches from the regular season, and finds the winner in the regular season is 1/5 in the Big One.

Hines Ward had his feelings hurt, the Post-Gazette reports.

This chopped AP story reveals that Bill Clinton is supporting the Giants in the Super Bowl, but plays golf with Tom Brady. Imagine the chicks they can get as a team.

One more reason not to watch the Pro Bowl, Brett Favre isn't playing.

Could Drew Rosenhaus have another Willis McGahee sales job? Top CB prospect Jack Ikegwuonu, a junior from Wisconsin, tore his ACL during a workout Tuesday; however, agent Drew Rosenhaus says everything is fine, just like he did with Willis. My heart's still broken he left the Badgers early.

Here's a dose of "I told you so":

He made himself eligible for the draft earlier this month, leaving UW after his junior season, and signed with Rosenhaus on Jan. 5.

Ikegwuonu was pulling a sled, in a drill designed to improve his speed, when the injury occurred.

He exploded out of a start and planted his leg when the knee gave way.

"I blame the agent for telling him to come out, when we told him to stay in," an NFL scout said.

--Nate Sandstrom

Lockdown -- Week 4

I bounced back last week going 2-1, but I'm still looking for perfection.

Saturday
Purdue (-21.5) vs. Notre Dame
If you just bet against Notre Dame all year, you could retire by now. I'm coming late to the game, but better late than never. Curtis Painter has a 16/1 TD ratio, and the Irish should allow him to add to his impressive stats.
Purdue 45 Notre Dame 10

Sunday
Over 40 Baltimore/Cleveland. Baltimore has played in games with totals over 40 twice and Cleveland has each week. Plus, the Ravens are banged up. I'm calling for a total of 50.
Cleveland 27 Baltimore 23

Monday
New England (-7.5) at Cincinnati.
The Patriots have been the model of consistency. They have won 38-14, 38-14 and 38-7. The Bengals D has given up 20 points or more in each of their games. Uh-oh. Usually when games look this easy I go the other way, but I think people might just be putting too much stock into the Bengals being at home.
New England 45 Cincinnati 21

Upset Special (10-point or more dog to win)
Indiana (+365/+10.5) at Iowa
This is the second straight week when I would rather pick no upset special, but like I said then, it's a weekly feature.
The fact that the Hoosiers caught the Hawks off-guard last year makes me even more skeptical, but the Hawks have had two narrow losses in a row and I'm hoping their heads are down.
The line has actually moved in Indiana's favor since it opened, so what they hey, here we go on the high payout:
Indiana 24 Iowa 23

NFL QB Revenge Weekend

Three NFL quarterbacks will have a chance to get back at the teams that got rid of them this weekend.

None will likely be more motivated than Daunte Culpepper in his return to Miami. Billed as the answer and then the problem in his one season with the 'Phins, it was kind of convenient that McCown got injured before this game to elevate Daunte as the starter. Should be an interesting game, partly because both teams' highly-touted D's have played so poorly. I wouldn't want to touch a line of Miami -4. Pick: Miami 27 Oakland 21.

In Atlanta, fans are wishing that Vick's idiot cousin or whoever it was had been popped for selling drugs a few weeks earlier. Despite his bad rep, Harrington has a passer rating of 90.6 this season.

But Schaub is over 100, and Texans fans for the first time can dream of the playoffs.

Atlanta outyardaged the Panthers by more than 100 last weekend but still lost. This still strikes me as a good spot for Atlanta, but in this matchup, I'll take Houston. Pick: Houston 20 Atlanta 16

Finally, the Browns' Derek Anderson gets another shot at the team who drafted him, even though Jamal Lewis is the one really fired up to get back at the Ravens. The Ravens should have lost on this trip last year. Pick: Cleveland 27 Baltimore 23


Bonus revenge comes in the Pittsburgh-Arizona game. Former Steelers coaches Ken Whisenhunt and the snubbed Russ Grimm will have their Cardinals ready for the Steelers, who have run over all comers thus far. Before the year I marked this down as a Cards win, but I'm less confident now. Hines Ward was listed as doubtful today. Pick: Arizona 23 Pittsburgh 19

--Nate Sandstrom

More than a loss

The Ravens lost far more than a football game on Monday night. B.J. Sams is out for the year, Ogden is out indefinitely and McNair's and Ray Lewis' status are uncertain, the Sun reports.

Luckily for Baltimore, the early schedule is soft. Even if neither McNair or Ray play against the Jets, I think the Baltimore D can preserve a win for them.