Baltimore Beatdown: Questions for Ravens Coach John Harbaugh
by Bruce Raffel on Aug 10, 2009 7:00 AM EDT
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I managed to get an question into Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh as he was finishing up his time at the podium after Saturday morning's practice session. Then after the questions were done, I patiently waited until he finished a long one-on-one interview. As I attempted to get in one final question, he was almost whisked away by Ravens Senior VP of Public & Community Relations, Kevin Byrne. They relented and when I asked my question, both Coach Harbaugh and Kevin agreed it was "a very good question" and Harbaugh took a moment to answer it.
My initial question at the podium was this:
Beatdown: What went on with that scuffle (during Saturday's practice)?
Harbaugh: What went on in the scuffle? One of the offensive linemen and one of the defensive linemen got tangled up in the pass rush and tempers flared a little.
BB: Who was it, do you know?
JH: I think it was (Joe ) Reitz, and I'm not sure who else.
Click on the to see my "very good" question and Coach Harbaugh's answer.
Head Coach John Harbaugh:
Beatdown: I know the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is today and Ralph Wilson is getting inducted as an owner (of the Buffalo Bills). I know you weren't here under the ownership of Art Modell, but how do you feel about him being inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Harbaugh: Well, that's a good question. That's a very good question. We've said many times, I'm a big supporter of Art Modell in the Hall of Fame. To me, it's a no-brainer. The league would not be where it is today, from a television standpoint, a marketing standpoint, the coaches he hired, if not for Art Modell.
BB: Why does Cleveland have such a stranglehold on blocking that?
JH: I don't know. There are so many people who are so viciously opposed to it because of what happened, and even Art Modell did everything he could to keep the team in Cleveland. I mean he did everything humanly possible. It was either move the team or lose the team.
BB: No comparison between Art Modell moving here and Bob Irsay moving to Indy?
JH: Hey, I don't know the details of that, but I know the Art Modell story and I know that Art Modell did everything he could to keep the team in Cleveland. Everything humanly possible, yeah.
BB: Thanks John.
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There's a few questions I'd like to ask him
Like “How does it feel to be the second Harbaugh to lose to Pittsburgh in an AFCCG” and “Why does everyone think that either you or the Steelers will win the division when Cleveland has Brady Quinn and Shaun Rogers? You have to know that no one has a chance against them.”
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
Napoleon Bonaparte
by LV Steelers Fan on Aug 10, 2009 7:09 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Good Question!
It’s good to see that a lot of people respect Art Model for who he is. I can’t believe that Cleveland can be so aggrieved when they essentially ran him out of town. They were even able to keep all their Browns legacy. (Just as well – I wouldn’t WANT the Browns!)
The only problem is
That all Browns fans and people in Cleveland are heartless, low life’s who have no respect for anyone. During Rod Woodson’s HOF speech, he very graciously and gentlemanly brought up Art Modell and said that he hopes the voters get it right with him.
Of course, all the assholes in Ohio started booing the man because of the move. They have absolutely no class and respect for the game. The NFL would in no way be what it is today without Art Modell. There would be no such thing as primetime football if not for him.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
There would be no such thing as primetime football if not for him.
There would almost not be a Cleveland Browns team if not for him. I guess nobody swings a thousand.
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
LOL
So true.
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
Napoleon Bonaparte
by LV Steelers Fan on Aug 10, 2009 1:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Irish:
Make it over here for a game and you’ll sit with me in the Club Level, okay?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Aug 16, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions
could you guys...
help a fellow blogger out and just go to the site. you dont have to read anything, just go to the page. i owe you all, thanks a ton from one fellow Ravens fan to another.
Done
not a bad photo comparison between the rookie Troy and the current one.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Aug 16, 2009 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Modell and Irsay are two very stories.
Glad to know that Harbaugh can tell.
"Hey ump, how about a warning? Sure. Watch out you don't get killed". -Moonlight Graham talking to an umpire after two straight pitches at his head
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Aug 11, 2009 2:23 PM EDT reply actions
Wow, what an incredible moron you have for a coach.
1) He was probably the most inept owner in the history of sports (how do you make the claim to move a franchise that’s selling out home games?).
2) Modell did nothing, absolutely nothing, to advance the game of football. The TV contracts were obviously inevitable. Rexx is as qualified for the Football Hall of Fame as Art Modell.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Oh get over it
There were mixed signals with the improvement of the stadium and talks of the city actually fixing up that dump started coming about once Modell took into consideration the move to Baltimore. At that time, the move to Baltimore was economically smarter than staying in Cleveland and going through all the crap of not just renovating the stadium, but renovating that whole franchise.
He did nothing to advance football? What about the lucrative television contracts he created to promote the league on a national scale? The move to Baltimore actually helped out so many teams in the league with new stadiums. His move showed other cities that if they do not share the right care, financially, than a move is unavoidable. His move to Baltimore encouraged cities to use public funds to build new stadiums to keep their teams.
Modell was upset that the Indians got a brand new field with Jacob’s field, even though the Browns asked the city multiple times for a new stadium or major renovations. Modell did so much for the creation of free agency when players started refusing to come to training camp, so he cut their asses.
You got football back in your shitty ass city 2 years later, so stop freaking crying. This city was without football for 15 years and our move was farrrrrrrrrrrr more worse than yours ever was. Modell gave the city of Cleveless multiple opportunities to advance the franchise, and nothing ever happened. Yes, Modell said he would never move the team, but he also thought at the time that he was going to be taken care of economically. He was not and the city ignored what he asked for. He actually did you guys a favor of moving that team, because you were unable to take care of it in the right way it needed to be successful in the NFL.
You and I both know he deserves to be in the HOF, you are just too ignorant of a fuckhead to let go of the fact that he took your old team, gave them to us, we win the superbowl and now you are the shittiest franchise in the NFL, yes even behind Oakland.
You want anymore of our wash-up players? Yamon Figurs is probably going to get cut, he could surely improve your passing game. We have another beast practice squad QB you guys can sign to a 30 million dollar contract if you want.
Keep crying kwoog……
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Our moron coach got us two wins in the playoffs last season. When was the last time the Browns managed even one? About fifteen years ago?
And I understand you don’t condone trolling in the Dogpound. Do you come here to get yours in?
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
You made not one valid point. You called our head coach a “moron” because of a statement on how he feels about Art Modell. Did you know that John Harbaugh grew up a huge Cleveland Browns fan? I do not see him complaining about this. He only has nice things to say about Art.
You still have yet to make a point. You said Rexx has a better shot of making the HOF and that Modell did nothing for the NFL. Please elaborate on that.
Your statements are based off of anger and lack of intelligence.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Again, I’m not angry at Modell, I just don’t see anything on his resume that is Hall of Fame worthy. Maybe you guys know more than me and can provide some worthwhile credentials that I don’t know about. The TV contracts were inevitable, and his role was communal at best in that. Otherwise, he’s just another owner.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
kwoog....come on brother...
The most inept owner in the history of sports? You can’t say he was the most inept owner in our division. Can you honestly say that he was worst than Mike Brown has been for Cincinnati? He refuses to get a GM because he says its an unnecessary position yet he gives himself a massive bonus every year for his “GM” duties. Brown getting sued by his own ticket holders over the bullshit way he change their contracts years after they were signed. Last year the Browns imploded (I willingly admit that I had the Browns with a much better record than the Ravens last year), but that was more of a perfect storm where nothing went right as opposed to just an inept franchise. The Bungles are a fucking mess year in and year out. Your ownership at least does things to improve whereas Mike Brown and family seem not to even understand the basic principles of owning a team.
And this is in complete honesty, the way Baltimore got a team left a bad taste in my mouth. The last thing I wanted, along with a lot of Baltimore fans, was to get a team in anyway remotely close to how the drunk lying bastard took our Colts. That said, can anyone please explain to me the logic behind the NFL giving Carolina or Jacksonville a team over Baltimore? After so many years of getting jerked around by the NFL, watching them whitewash our city out of the history books, and ignoring the potential of a franchise in our city despite all logic…I put the entire situation on Paul Tagliabue (however you spell that douche bag’s name).
I think Modell’s legacy is somewhere in the middle. He wasn’t nearly as great as people in Baltimore thinks he was nor was he as evil as he is portrayed by the Browns fan base. To be honest, I kind of think that too many owners are in the Hall of Fame. At least with players, its much easier to compare their impact on the field as opposed to what an owner may or may not have done in the backgrounds of the league. That said, calling our 2 playoff game winning head coach an “incredible moron” is a bit out of bounds.
Hey, but the new season is almost upon us, and I for one look forward to heated smack talk and a cut throat fight in the division. Pretty much the only thing the NFL has done right between Baltimore and Cleveland is keeping us in the same division.
"The ball always seems to find Ed Reed...The man is a menace
"
by UMBC Oriole fan on Aug 12, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
In all honesty, I’m not holding the move against him, as I would hope you guys don’t hold the move for him. I don’t think moving one of the most storied franchises in NFL History is an “achievement” to pad one’s HOF credentials, so ignoring the charged subject of the move altogether… what are his credentials? I said why the TV contracts argument isn’t valid (inevitable), and I honestly don’t see any innovations or advancements that were his doing. Perhaps you guys can educate me. In essence, he’s just another owner really. Big deal. I didn’t know that meant you got a bust in Canton.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Obviously Harbaugh isn’t a moron at football, and I’ll take back that comment. To put it better, his opinions on non-player Hall of Fame candidates are less than intelligent, in my humble opinion.
The league would not be where it is today, from a television standpoint, a marketing standpoint, the coaches he hired, if not for Art Modell.
I disagree with all this. The television standpoint would be exactly the same, and the “coaches he hired” argument just baffles me, especially considering the Paul Brown fiasco.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
To put it better, [Harbaugh’s] opinions on non-player Hall of Fame candidates are less than intelligent…
What would you have him say? It’d be moronic to think that a Ravens head coach with more than one brain cell would admit to anything but the utmost of respect for Modell. Deserved or undeserved, there’s a lot of love for Modell among the Ravens fans, and Harbaugh would take a huge PR hit (not to mention cause an unwanted pre-season distraction) if he didn’t essentially gush over Modell when given the chance by the press. On subjects like this that are just tangentially related to the Ravens, Harbaugh isn’t being paid to give his personal opinion, and he knows it. It’d be less-than-intelligent to argue otherwise.
…in my humble opinion.
Saying that a statement is humble doesn’t make it so. I seriously doubt it’s humility that brings you onto a Ravens website to bash on their coach. From here, it looks a little like envy. Although, I guess it must be nice to have such low expectations for your own team; no pressure, right?
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
I don’t respect people who spout off incorrect opinions simply b/c they’re PR whores. He’s a football coach, he doesn’t have to gush over a former owner of his current team. “I respect Art Modell and his contributions to football and the city of Baltimore. But I’ll leave the Hall of Fame questions to actual voters.” But I guess the egocentricity in Baltimore runs very deep.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
I don’t respect people who disagree with me.
I fixed that for you.
He’s a football coach, he doesn’t have to gush over a former owner of his current team.
He doesn’t have to, but it’s still his prerogative. It’s his job (as it relates to the media) to make sure there are no non-football distractions going into our pre-season game tonight. If his way of handling that makes him a “PR whore,” then I’ve got his back, because he already has two post-season wins going into his sophomore year; whatever is his method, it apparently works.
"I respect Art Modell and his contributions to football and the city of Baltimore. But I’ll leave the Hall of Fame questions to actual voters."
That sounds like a line straight from somebody who hasn’t won a playoff game in 15 years.
But I guess the egocentricity in Baltimore runs very deep.
That’s the envy talking again.
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
Modell is certainly as desrving...
…if not easily moreso, than the Bills’ Ralph Wilson, who just got in.
Wonder how Cleveland fans would feel if the Browns had stayed in Clevelnad and Modell was still their owner?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Aug 16, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Even if you don't agree with the
idea that Modell was instrumental with regards to TV and the NFL, he was vital to the success of the NFL/AFL Union. Without Modell agreeing to moving the Browns to the AFL and forcing the Colts and Steelers with him, the AFL would have remained the minor league to the NFL. That would have made the situation almost impossible to normalize. Lets not forget, he was president of the league during the merger. I have a difficult time assuming that just anyone could have handled that as smoothly.
As per his ownership of the Browns, ignoring what his effect on the league was and just him runing the Browns…I would honestly judge it as a failure. The Paul Brown firing was a serious blow to his standing in Cleveland. Obviously he could have handled that better, although Paul Brown wasn’t the saint he is portrayed in Cleveland. He should have done what he did in Baltimore…sell part of the team. I ain’t going to lie, I was estatic when he started selling to our current owner.
I still maintain that the league, Modell, and the city of Cleveland should have handled the situation much better. Having dealt with the mess with Irsay, I cannot blame any Cleveland fan from hating Modell or hating the Ravens…nor would I want them not to (I still maintain that Baltimore was f-d over much worse than Cleveland).
While I understand the angst at putting Modell in the Hall of Fame, if Al Davis is in it, why not Art?
"The ball always seems to find Ed Reed...The man is a menace
"
by UMBC Oriole fan on Aug 13, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Did you know that Modell
was the only owner in the NFL whose only business was his NFL team. All the others had big businesses to fall back into and onto if financial issues arose. Modell didn’t, the current Browns stadium was sufficient w/o skyboxes to bring in the reve3nue he needed to compete with other cities and teams, and the Mayor of cleveland told him “no” when he said he needed a new stadium or he had to move the team. As the previous guy said, we tried the legit way to get a team, but Tags stonewalled us so we had no other way to get back in the league after 12 miserable years.
Get over it Cleveland and get outta Art’s way and just let the man in the HOF, for god’s sake!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Aug 16, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I can give you three words why Jacksonville and Carolina got a team. JACK KENT COOK. As long as he was around he and tagliaboob wern’t going to allow a team in Baltimore. Cook felt he could draw the Baltimore fans to DC. I would rather get a root canal. I hated the way it went down too, but we’d still be waiting otherwise. Modell and Irsay shouldn’t be even named in the same sentence. At least Modell let Cleveland have their history. Irsay was only willig to sell it to Baltimore for an outragous sum.
Kwoog sighting
Oh there he is. Bored to death with his Brown Stains. This is Cleveland’s only month of optimism. The Indians aren’t officially out of the race. Lebron hasn’t threatened to bolt in a while and the Brown Stains still think a pipsqueek QB and stone hand Edwards can lead them to a .500 record. LOL. i digress. please join us in victory Kwoog.
Lots of smack on this site for a team that can barely muster a .500 record against us in the last two years.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
I could care less
You can talk smack when you are actually making it to the playoffs and maybe even win one! How is DA doing these days? I here he misses practice squad….
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
You’re a junior in College? Wow. This is why I’ve stopped at Masters and probably won’t go PHD. I can’t imagine trying to teach minds like this in a higher education setting.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Dude, I’m surprised at your comments here.
For someone who claims to have high standards of online and commenting conduct, you have really stooped to some low comments in this story.
Come on
You of all people should know by now that it is alright to come here and post garbage without being a Ravens fan, but of course we must not do it at the DBN website. Kwoog is far from a troll, quite possibly the greatest contributor in SB Nation history.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
See above when he, unprovoked, called me an “ignorant fuckhead.” Malor doesn’t deserve an iota of respect.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Oh yea I did. There is your personal attack. Nice. Can you now go back to DBN and try to figure out how you are going to dig yourself out of the bottom of the division. Unless you want me to go over there and troll like you’ve never seen before.
SB Nation has the beauty of being able to create an unlimited number of accounts.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Anyway, I’m out Bal Hawk. I just wanted to stop by and give a non “Harbaugh is always right” opinion. Multiple times I admitted I didn’t know everything about Modell’s entire career, and I asked if anyone could educate me on some special things on his resume that are actually HOF worthy. Multiple times I said that even if you ignore the disasters he caused (Jim Brown, Paul Brown, moving the Browns), I didn’t seen anything positive on his resume that deserved to be criteria for the HOF. UMBC gave some good arguments concerning moving to the AFL, but even that is a bit “eh” to me. I always want to have a respectful dialogue, I never start the invective, and I don’t use straw man tactics like Ampallang.
Malor is just a kid who likes using swear words now that he’s moved out of his Mommy’s house.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
You were my age at one point to, so calm yourself bud.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Hey man, I’m perfectly calm. I shouldn’t have called your coach a moron, and I said as much. I thought it was rather innocuous, and I genuinely came here to give a different perspective. In response I was called an “ignorant fuckhead”, in a pretty angry reply… It’s cool, whatever. Peace out.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
Well you and me have had our fair share of differences, so whenever I see your name posting on this site, it angers me. Especially coming from a Browns fan.
I apologize. I think hearing the fans at Canton boo Modell when Rod Woodson brought his name up was extremely rude and immature. What is even more immature is that a handful of Browns fans are going to be happy when he passes away.
Would really like to squash this beef between you and I.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Consider it squashed. But you better not to censor yourself. No special treatment, so you better keep calling us the “the Stains” and all that other jazz. Laughing at yourself is the only way to get through 9 losing seasons out of 10.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
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