Kyle Goon
@kylegoon
Sports columnist at The Baltimore Banner. Covering the Ravens, the Orioles and sports in Maryland.
“I’d love for him to be my quarterback till I’m done playing.” Zay Flowers is the Raven who spent all offseason trying rouse Lamar Jackson out of bed for 5 a.m. workouts. His long term deal now makes him a key piece in convincing Jackson to re-sign: www.thebanner.com/sports/raven...
Mike Elias stood aside Adley Rutschman after the 2019 draft, marking him as the start of a bright future. Now, Elias has sold his All-Star, acknowledging yet another failed roster. Why should the Orioles keep trusting this guy to fix his own mistakes? www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
“When I left, it was really hard, because I felt like I had let a lot of people down.” For years, Chris Davis let the ugly finish of his Orioles career color the whole thing. But as he enters the team’s Hall of Fame, he finally appreciates the highs: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Is there good reason to worry about Lamar Jackson’s contract situation? Of course there is, no matter how he skirts questions about it. But the most important thing about training camp might actually be how invested Lamar is — and he seems bought in: www.thebanner.com/opinion/colu...
On Friday, Orioles owner David Rubenstein painted rosy expectations about making the playoffs and said he was “very, very happy” with Mike Elias leading the franchise. Is Rubenstein watching the same disappointing team as the rest of us? www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Ty Head is in the Splash Zone signing autographs and shaking hands for the fans.
There has been a hint of trade buzz for CJ Abrams this year, but given his season — especially his tear in the last week — why would you trade the 25-year old if you’re the Nationals? The franchise should show investment by finding a way to extend him: www.thebanner.com/sports/natio...
In February, USA Rugby banned trans women from all levels of one of the world’s most inclusive sports. What happened next was telling. Across the country, teams refused to comply. The story of the Baltimore Ferals, who are pushing back: www.thebanner.com/sports/rugby...
This time next year, Samuel Basallo will be an All-Star for the Orioles. It’s not a prediction as much as the next logical step for the 21-year-old who is on a trajectory to be one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. BASALLO 2027 starts today: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
in which Jon and I strain a private equity metaphor to the limit while talking about Mike Elias’ job performance
“The future is bright for U.S. Soccer.” It’s an empty line I’ve heard about the men’s national team for at least 24 years now. After an embarrassing loss to Belgium, it’s time to get real. The USMNT is stuck in place, and no one should feel proud of that: www.thebanner.com/opinion/colu...
We’re about to learn if David Rubenstein, Michael Arougheti and the Orioles ownership group care about winning as much as their fans. If the Orioles continue to fall behind and can’t be buyers at the trade deadline, Mike Elias must be fired. Here’s why: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Since last season, there has been a low-humming trade buzz around Adley Rutschman. Mike Elias countered the speculation, saying he wanted to keep Adley “forever.” Here’s why I actually see the sense in holding on — at least past this trade deadline: app.thebaltimorebanner.com/ZQYGXAE5HRGR...
ICYMI — @paulmancano.bsky.social and I shared our Orioles feelings yesterday. This was my biggest: Why don’t the Orioles plan for success and go harder in the offseason?
I think the world of Gunnar Henderson. As he’s struggled to start the season, I’ve assumed he will eventually turn things around. Now, as we get to a critical point, he *has* to be better. And that might require Gunnar to not ride his emotions so often: app.thebaltimorebanner.com/VBAMRGDT45A5...
Orioles fans have been looking for Gunnar Henderson to be the complete player he showed on Friday night: 3 for 3, homer, walk. A web gem against Fernando Tatis. As Henderson hit his 100th career homer, he showed how he's headed in the right direction: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Love this delightful story from @andrewgolden.bsky.social — Andre Mintze came out of retirement to make one last run for a title with the DC Defenders. The only catch? He had to ask his boss for PTO. “If you’re going to spend it, you spend it at the right time.” www.thebanner.com/sports/ufl-c...
After his massive setback in Pittsburgh, Tyler Loop seems ready to move forward. Inner peace is well and good for the 2nd year kicker, but for the Ravens to have inner peace — and trust — with Loop, he needs to beat someone out for his job in camp: app.thebaltimorebanner.com/ZVGZTAYXBFH4...
Life tried to break Elijah Sarratt. In a two-year span: - COVID zapped his DI offers - his childhood home burned down - a close teammate died But in the Ravens rookie’s eyes, he never makes the NFL without those years at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore: app.thebaltimorebanner.com/VM4SBDTEHNDD...
There’s no compelling reason Tyler O’Neill needs to keep playing for the Orioles. As the team rises to semi-respectability, it actually makes more sense to finally cut him loose — freeing the club (and O’Neill) of bad juju: app.thebaltimorebanner.com/IZAZMWS7FVEN...
At MLB ballparks across the country, young men are ripping off their shirts and shouting to spice up late games. Is this the future of baseball fandom? I doubt it. When I saw it up close, it reminded me of a youthful bravado phase in my own life: www.thebanner.com/opinion/colu...
It was a smashing success of a Memorial Day weekend for Colton Cowser, who hit walkoff homers on back-to-back days. He seized the moment. Now, the Orioles need him to parlay more big games into seizing the role the franchise once envisioned for him: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
Mustard cutting promos has become one of the most exciting parts of Os games (derogatory)
You know it’s bad for the Orioles when the most eyebrow-raising critiques are coming from within the organization itself. If trends keep up, the team will implode. This 10-game home stand feels like a now-or-never moment for a team that needs to believe in itself: www.thebanner.com/sports/oriol...
A Preakness with fewer than 5,000 spectators was a hollow experience, to say the least. What if (and please, bear with me here) horse racing pushed *affordability* over exclusivity? Why a dying industry should open up its velvet ropes to save itself: www.thebanner.com/opinion/colu...
If Churchill Downs acquires the Preakness IP rights, it could leave Maryland taxpayers sending money to Kentucky for decades. At an unsavory crossroads, the state has to decide. Is Maryland all the way in on horse racing? Or is it time to get all the way out? www.thebanner.com/sports/horse...
The Baseball Savant page is shaping up. The quality of his contact is really, really good.