Pitt making strides with Ravens

Nice story on the Baltimore Ravens' fan website about second-year pro David Pittman, the former Demon great who had a disappointing rookie season in 2006 after being hampered by a hamstring injury in preseason.

Check "Inside The Ravens With Aaron Wilson - CB PITTMAN FEELING MORE ACCEPTED" at Ravens24x7.com, which is not the team's official website.

The Ravens didn't like Pittman's approach following the injury and he saw little action as a rookie. But he learned from his mistakes, evidently, and has impressed his position coach, former NFL player Dennis Thurman.

"He has started to understand what it is to be a pro, and his attitude has been 100 percent better than it was at this time a year ago. I think he has a bright future. He's very talented. He just has to continue to work toward what it takes to play in the NFL.

"He's a great natural athlete," Thurman said. "He has quick feet, wonderful change of direction, can cover man-to-man.

"If David understands what it means to be consistent and do his job play in and play out, it's a matter of us incorporating what he can do into our scheme."

Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan was quoted in the offseason as saying Pittman had more ability than most of the players in the NFL, but he needed to mature, or else. Pitt, who graduated with his business administration degree from NSU, took the challenge to heart.

"You have to take your game to another level, and this is the top level for this sport," Pittman said in Wilson's story on the website. "You have to take your game up higher. I was the guy at Northwestern, but that doesn't matter now. It doesn't change who I am.

"I'm just working hard to be like guys like Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. My work ethic, studying habits and ability to anticipate and react, all of that has gotten better."

Thanks to Otto Fad, the sage observer of the Football Championship Subdivision, for passing along the clip to us. Nobody knows the division formerly known as I-AA better than our friend Otto, who runs College Football Annual Advantage, a comprehensive news service based out of his hometown of Lakeland, Florida.

Otto has a fascinating day job - he oversees care of Orca the Whale at Sea World in nearby Orlando.

Doug Ireland, SID