The search begins

The Ravens' search committee engaged in an all-day meeting yesterday to discuss potential coaching candidates.

[Old Townie]

Agree on Cowher...a distraction! Why did he leave Pittsburgh in the first place?

[islandmon]

Although Biscioti thinks that possible coaches will see the Raven's position as the most attractive, I think that most of the experienced coaches will see Biscioti as a medling owner (tells the coach to improve his relationship with the players and polls players to see if the coach is popular) who can not be trusted ( commits to bringing the coach back and then changes his mind. What coach in their right mind would want to work in such conditions? I think that Billick is lucky to be away from such an owner.

[Jimbo in Brooksville FL]

How To Tell If The Owner is a Lawyer:

Steve Bisciotti:" I have not spent one minute thinking about Brian's replacement. That's not something that I'm qualified to do without Ozzie's lead."

Attention Asbestos Man, those of us that suffer from both Raven and Oriole fever (birdbrains I guess) are comparing owners right now and Bisciotti is making you look as inept as you are.

[Randy]

If Cowher becomes the new head coach of the Ravens then that means Bisciotti lied about not meeting with him.
Also I can't stand the idea of a Squeelers retread for the job.

I think Bisciotti is creepy.

Hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl becasue we may never see another one.

Can you say instability?

[Ravens in Wv]

Billick was not the problem, take your $ and run Brian. I agree, Cowher would be a disaster, such as his broadcasting career is turning out to be. Keep Rex as the DC, I don't think he would stand up to Donivan McNab next year when we trade one ragged out QB for another.

[MMM]

What a fiasco this whole thing is. Oziie Newsome and Dick cass know nothing about the concept of winning football. Ozzie may have been a great player but, without Phil Savage and the other scouts he is NOTHING. And Dick Cass who is this Washington nobody to tell us people in Baltimore he suggested BB be fired. What a joke they both are. Ozzie please go back to Cleveland where you belong and drop off Cass the Clown in Washington on your way back. Why are there 2 out of towners running OUR football team. Mr. Owner is there not anyone in Baltimore qualified to do so ??? If you truly are concerned about BALTIMORE FOOTBALL and want to bring in a winner than bring in some Baltimore people, NOT these 2 clowns previously mentioned. The wrong people were fired and by the way why not get rid of the THUGS we have on defense starting with Big Mouth Bart and Mr. All World Linebacker and his dance. How disgraceful they are!!!

[MMM]

islandmon wrote:

Although Biscioti thinks that possible coaches will see the Raven's position as the most attractive, I think that most of the experienced coaches will see Biscioti as a medling owner (tells the coach to improve his relationship with the players and polls players to see if the coach is popular) who can not be trusted ( commits to bringing the coach back and then changes his mind. What coach in their right mind would want to work in such conditions? I think that Billick is lucky to be away from such an owner.

Absolutely 100% correct, another Angelos in the making!

[MMM]

I forgot to give credit to Cass for one thing and that is ABSOULTELY NOTHING!!!

[Rich]

Yeah Ozzie done a great job. Lets see. 9 years and no Q-B, no offenseive line, no recievers. Say what you will but T.O. was right when he choose not to come here. Any nit wit can draft J.O., Reed etc. Ozzie's only success was the Superbowl season when he went out and bought 6 players in a desparate gamble to win one for Modell who had been forced by the NFL to sell the team. It worked but put the team in cap problems. With Billick and Ozzie we have had a very exciting nine year beginning. 2000 was the greatest. Last year was very exciting. Thank them sincerely, they already been handsomely paid and set for life. It's time for Bisciotti to move this team forward and release the Baltimore Ravens from any ties to the Browns. Ozzie's got to go. Stover can stay. He's all Raven but Ozzie's still got to much Brown's running through him. And in the end Ozzie is responsible for this current mess. Come on Bisciotti bring in your own man and sweep Modell and company out. Win or lose let us be once and for all "THE BALTIMORE RAVENS"!

[Motorhead Fan]

HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!!! Enough about Biscotti being a meddler. During the season, he was hands off and gave BB every opportunity to improve things. He did what any responsible owner did when things got out of hand, he took action. He owns the team, he signs the paychecks and no business man worth his salt would have stood by and watched another season of "Ravens Melt Down" if he cares about his customers and his own cash flow.

Biscotti wants to put a winning product on the field for us. I'm o.k. with his degree of involvement. He's not Jerry Jones on the sidelines sniffing jocks and he's not George Steinbrenner or Peter Angelos in terms of temperament or stupidity.

The calls for Billick's head were abundant from forums like this to local media, to the players - the squeaky wheel gets the grease and Biscotti gave many of us just what we were screaming for. Everyone needs to pull up their pants and quit being stupid.

Don't hold your breath on Jason Garrett. If the Cowboys do not make it to the Super Bowl, Jones may fire Phillips and hand the job off to Garrett - Jones REALLY, REALLY likes Garrett.

[Rich]

I predict that the Raven's will be a so-so team at beat over the next few years, regardless of who's coach. Billick was not the problem. I think this was a poor move on Bichotti's part. This was the most injury plgued season in Raven's history. Jeff Fisher, who at best is as good as Billick as a head coach, had the Titans at 12-4 3 years ago, then 5-11, and 4-12, before going back to the playoffs this year. Looks like the Titans have more class as an organization.

[johnjames44]

Could this be actual REPORTING? Have truth and faith, it was done by Jamison Hensley, so the question has to be answered.

[skaybaltimore]

Motorhead Fan wrote:

HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!!! Enough about Biscotti being a meddler. During the season, he was hands off and gave BB every opportunity to improve things. He did what any responsible owner did when things got out of hand, he took action. He owns the team, he signs the paychecks and no business man worth his salt would have stood by and watched another season of "Ravens Melt Down" if he cares about his customers and his own cash flow.
Biscotti wants to put a winning product on the field for us. I'm o.k. with his degree of involvement. He's not Jerry Jones on the sidelines sniffing jocks and he's not George Steinbrenner or Peter Angelos in terms of temperament or stupidity.
The calls for Billick's head were abundant from forums like this to local media, to the players - the squeaky wheel gets the grease and Biscotti gave many of us just what we were screaming for. Everyone needs to pull up their pants and quit being stupid.
Don't hold your breath on Jason Garrett. If the Cowboys do not make it to the Super Bowl, Jones may fire Phillips and hand the job off to Garrett - Jones REALLY, REALLY likes Garrett.

Hey, MHF -- Happy New Year.

And good to hear a voice of reason amongst this basically moronic bunch of idiots.

1. Bisciotti clearly did the right thing, and he did it with class, DESPITE his obvious friendship with Brian Billick. Furthermore, Cass AND Ozzie were behind the decision. Anyone who couldn't see that it was time for Billick to go really just doesn't get it.

2. The next step is a big one. There are no guarantees when it comes to life; and there certainly are no guarantees when it comes to head coaches. But there are some solid options out there, and I have confidence that the powers that be will do a thorough search and come up with a choice that will move the Ravens further ahead than Billick ever could. And anybody who thinks going to Atlanta or Miami is a more enviable choice than coming here is just plain stupid.

3. You might be right about the situation with Jones and Garrett, but the way I understand it, there's nothing Jones can do to prevent Garrett from signing elsewhere. Sure, he can promise Garrett a future HC job with the 'Boys, but as they say...a bird in the hand, and all that. At the very least, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

4. I used to be a big Rex supporter. But after watching him this year, I wasn't impressed at all. I think he failed to adjust his schemes once Rolle & C-Mac went out, and his players are among the most penalized -- especially for stupid penalties -- in the league. And that's one are in which this team desperately needs to improve. I just don't think Rex is the guy to do that, although his players do seem to want to play for him. Time will tell.

[skaybaltimore]

GoodBar wrote:

You are all here to amuse me as well as others!

Likewise. I'm sure.

[itssteeven]

OK How about Fresno St.coach Pat Smith?......hard nose exciting football there.....June Jones deserves a look......Mike Martz also needs to be considered..........Jim Harbaugh is another great prospect.....don't know if hiring Rex would be a good idea......he is a great coach, but has he learned any of BB's bad habits??.....i say we cut the cord with him, even though he is GREAT "D' COACH and start from scratch with a new victim(coach)....do you think Deion Sanders is ready??......Howard Schnellenberger is waiting for our call too.......we have choices,which is a good thing.........but take your time and do it right.........

[itssteeven]

ooops what happened there!!!!

[Randy]

GoodBar wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm a Pats fan, but it's clear to see you are a STEELER FAN, you always cry like a biiitch about the Ravens but claim to be a fan, you have NO CLUE if the team will get better or worse under new direction but you are already crying doom!
LMAO
typical dirtbag baltimoron

First of all you're in Atlanta but a Patsie fan. Frontrunner by all means.

Secondly I was a Baltimore Colts fan before you even knew what a football looked like. Then I was a Baltimore Stars fan, then a Baltimore Stallions fan, and then a Ravens fan.
Also being a lifetime Orioles fan being a Squeelers fan is laughable. The Shitzburg football team of the 70's kept the Colts out of contention, The Orioles lost two World Series to the Pirates the worst being the '79 series with the Bucs and that song "We are family". I could never be a fan of anything that comes out of the city of Shitzburg including Cowher.

You are a moron from another city posting your comments on a Baltimore paper.

"Nuff said.

[John]

BRING IN JIMMIE JOHNSON AS THE NEXT COACH!!!! He will bring in the right OC and DC to run the offense and defense and the players will respect him.

[hungbelow]

DOESN'T IT JUST FIGURE..! THE LOSER FANS WHO'VE BEEN SLANDERING THE STEELERS ALL THESE YEARS NOW WANT THEIR OLD COACH!
yOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF STEELER WANNABES!!!!!!!!

[tiger904]

Thats right take your time in Billick's replacement. It definetly will have to be someone who the team can rally around and from the looks of thing Rex Ryan's name keeps popping up. To be honest he is a good DC and would be good for the position.Then the focus would have to be getting an OC that can bring that side to life like the defense so we can contend for a superbowl and or be in the playoff hunt year in and out.
From what I have seen in 1 year with Troy Smith versus 5 years w/Kyle Boller the team as battered as it was the last games of this season when Troy was in the game the offense had a spark and Troy was alot more careful with the ball and was not afraid to chuck it downfield.
Boller has improved but he is not the guy for this team. Mc Nair should be the backup and mentor Troy Smith as he fully recovers from any injuries he may still have. Maybe another fair shot down the road, at least you have a veteran backup going into December. I believe the right choices will be made with the draft. If another choice is made at HC other than Rex it should be a coach who is not afraid to go for it on 4th and inches on the goal line to win the game. Someone with a swagger reflects this team on defense and will hold the offense to stepping up to the plate like their better half.