12/03/24
December 31, 2007
Nevermore! Ravens Fire Brian Billick: The Super Bowl XXXV winning coach has been fired after a 5-11 season, his eighth with the team and sixth straight year without a playoff win. Owner Steve Bisciotti told Billick weeks ago that he'd be retained for another year. "I just changed my mind," he said.
Do you think that Brsciotti could call up and fire Linehan since John Shaw doesn't seem to have the cajones to do it for us Ram's fans?
posted by budman13 at 07:10 PM on December 31, 2007
There were indications but no promises. This line from the article cracks me up. How do you indicate that someone is keeping their job and leave room open for other interpretation? I guess thats business. Its a bit surprising that Billick is getting canned one year removed from 13-3. The offense badly missed McNair and Heap, and any offense is going to struggle with Kyle "should have been a" Boller at QB. Bisciotti probably already has someone lined up...surely not Martz?
posted by curlyelk at 07:37 PM on December 31, 2007
Martz if they desire to lose and get high draft picks, if they want to win, well, they should prepare to wait for a few months, unless they want John Fox.
posted by SFValley_Dude at 08:22 PM on December 31, 2007
he should have went for it on fourth and goal on the 1 foot line against Miami. If they weren't the only team to lose to the fins he may still have a job.
posted by greenin at 09:08 PM on December 31, 2007
I don't understand this. Especially after they beat the Patriots. </snark>
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:05 PM on December 31, 2007
...getting canned one year removed from 13-3... I know what you are saying, but a coach is only as good as his current season record. And I am sure his firing is only the first of the bunch. Ah, come on doc!
posted by steelergirl at 12:21 AM on January 01, 2008
I haven't had much use for Brian Billick since he used Super Bowl media week to play media critic and tell journalists how to report the murder allegations against Ray Lewis. Even under the most generous interpretation of the facts, Lewis told people in his entourage to lie after they were involved in the deaths of two men, gave a false statement to police and hid his white suit. No one has ever been convicted of those crimes. Billick, at the moment when his words had the widest audience he'd ever have, berated the media for covering two murders.
posted by rcade at 08:27 AM on January 01, 2008
Billick sure got a lot of mileage out of the one one good year he had as the offensive coordinator of the Vikings. It's funny how he was a thoroughly mediocre OC until the Vikings drafted Randy Moss, then suddenly he became an offensive genius. Baltimore learned the truth the hard way on that one.
posted by TheQatarian at 09:43 AM on January 01, 2008
please please please arthur blank just keep walking do NOT look mr billick in the eye....
posted by BitterOldPunk at 04:00 PM on January 01, 2008
C'mon doc,your not going to start the Ravens beat the Pats thing again are you?
posted by Ghastly1 at 07:05 PM on January 01, 2008
Billick is an OC or DC at the very best. I hope that Blank isn't that desperate. I know he won't end up in Miami, but either some downtrodden NFL team or an unsuspecting college team will pick him up. Sad, sad, sad.
posted by Mickster at 07:31 PM on January 01, 2008
Billick did win a Super Bowl as a head coach. Surely he should recieve some credit for that.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:48 PM on January 01, 2008
cant we all just agree that the team with the higher score at the end of the game won regardless of how it happened? doc, i can almost see people saying the pats lost that game, but i cant justify anyone saying the ravens won it. THEY were the ones who called time-out and committed the penaltys that gave the game back to the pats! the ravens lost. get over it.
posted by elijahin at 08:13 PM on January 01, 2008
I think the bigger issue with Billick is that he lost the team, especially in the later weeks. Unless they were prepared to release the core of the team and Ray Lewis, I think Billick was going to have to go. No offense is decent without a stud at QB and there are not many in the NFL today. Shanahan was a genius (sorry, a mastermind) with Young and Elway. Now with Cutler, he struggles. I am not looking to bait anyone but I wonder how good NE would have been with Boller and not Brady under centre. Anyone have any thoughts on who else (other than Cam Cameron) will be fired in the next couple of weeks.
posted by jc at 09:02 PM on January 01, 2008
i think shanahan and cutler will be fine. keep in mind that cutler is still pretty young. hes still developing. the team isnt great. the shanahan special (the running game) is really not up to standard right now either. i think in the next 2 or 3 years you'll see cutler rise to the top and shanahan will be a genius again. im a 49ers fan, and love steve young, but he wasnt a stud when he first took the reigns, from joe montana. he needed time to develop. cutler will do the same.
posted by elijahin at 09:18 PM on January 01, 2008
I got a feeling Marvin Lewis will be the next Raven's head coach
posted by mick at 09:59 PM on January 01, 2008
I believe that Marvin Lewis will be the next to go. I think the coaches in Detroit are done too. Then I think we will see a few surprises like maybe a resignation from one of the proven. I believe every year a guy or two has had enough and decides to walk away. Last year it was Parcells and Cowher. This year I would say maybe Dungy, Andy Reid, Holmgren or Bellichick if he wins out. Take a few years off then come back. I predict the coach that will be back next year is Schottenheimer. I could be WAY off base with these, but I just feel that there will be some surprises and shockers in weeks to come.
posted by Mickster at 10:57 PM on January 01, 2008
No worries, Ghastly1, it was a snarky (and somewhat tasteless) joke, as evidenced by the snark tag at the end of the comment. I am fully in favour of the concept of the win being awarded to the team who scores the most points.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:29 PM on January 01, 2008
Perhaps we should institute an Irony Recognition Test as a requirement of membership. Never apologize for being funny, Doc, no matter what anybody says. Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:17 AM on January 02, 2008
I just wonder what retread coach they will hire next.
posted by Knuckles at 06:01 AM on January 02, 2008
I think the coaches in Detroit are done too. Mike Martz may be finished as the offensive coordinator but Ford has strongly indicated that Rob Marinelli still has his job as head coach. There is (sadly) no indication that Matt Millen will be fired either.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:43 AM on January 02, 2008
I am fully in favour of the concept of the win being awarded to the team who scores the most points. Capitalist pig. And you call yourself a Canadian...
posted by holden at 10:52 AM on January 02, 2008
Billick did win a Super Bowl as a head coach. Surely he should recieve some credit for that. Sure, he deserves some credit, but then so does Trent Dilfer. Then again, last year's 13-3 was nothing to sneeze at. I would've loved to see McNair get one more crack at the Super Bowl.
posted by drumdance at 12:45 PM on January 02, 2008
billick deserves credit for the super bowl ring, but in this what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, that just isnt enough. the point that the offensive guru couldnt build an offense is a strong one, and it didnt look likely that it was gonna change anytime soon. i think it was time for them to part ways. billick will have a job by valentines day. probably detroit or atlanta.
posted by elijahin at 06:11 PM on January 02, 2008
Not in Detroit. Like I said before, Marinelli isn't going anywhere. Unfortunately. Ford has it in his mind that the Lions are going to someday win with Matt Millen in charge that isn't going to change anytime soon.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:41 PM on January 02, 2008
yeah i have it in mind that the niners are gonna win a title with mike nolan and alex smith, but like mr ford, i may have to come to terms with reality soon.
posted by elijahin at 06:59 PM on January 02, 2008
shanahan will be a genius again Only if he relinquishes his double role as a GM and coach, and returns to just coaching. There are very few people in this world who can succeed at both roles at the same time, even if they are great coaches (ex: Holmgren, Mike). I think Cowherd made this point a few weeks ago, and i believe it. I'm a chiefs fan, so obviously i'm not in love with Shanahan, but i do think he is a great coach. It is fairly obvious that his team has gone downhill since he has tried to take on so much. For the rest of the AFC West's sake, i hope he doesn't wise up.
posted by brainofdtrain at 01:03 PM on January 03, 2008
Only if he relinquishes his double role as a GM and coach I think this was a bad trend that went too far. Mike Nolan had to give up the GM job this week and that should only be a positive for the Niners, elijahin. Oddly, this doesn't seem to be the case in European soccer where the managers generally control personnel. Hence all the manager/owner battles over transfer purses.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:26 PM on January 03, 2008
I guess ending on a win did help but Billick never impressed anyone with his offense, even the year they won the Super Bowl it was the ultimate example of defense winning games.