Former Ravens coach Brian Billick has been giving interviews this week, mostly to the TV and radio guys who smooched up to him during his tenure here in Baltimore. It's basically a favors game: you took care of me when I was coach, and now I'll take care of you. Also, when Billick wants to promote his new book, he'll be granted air time.

There wasn't much substance to any of the interviews, certainly no earth-shattering news. I liked it when Billick said owner Steve Bisciotti never told him why he was fired. Did he really have to?

Billick was fired because he lost to a quarterback named Cleo Lemon. He was fired because the offense was inept. He was fired because the Ravens couldn't score touchdowns. He was fired because he was changing offensive coordinators like Hillary Clinton changes moods in the presidential election race. He was fired because fans stopped coming to games and his locker room was in disarray. He was fired because he no longer could connect with his players, and he won only five games and had a losing record with a team that was expected to be one of the league's elite.

And did we mention he lost to a quarterback named Cleo Lemon? A Lemon?

Excuse me, what did Bisciotti need to say?

Owners don't need to tell head coaches why they are fired. With the exception of Marty Schottenheimer at the end of the 2006 season with the San Diego Chargers, most of them are fired because they lose too many games. Former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell didn't tell Bill Belichick why he was fired at the end of the 1995 season. And Modell didn't tell Ted Marchibroda why he was fired as Ravens coach in late December 1998. They just thank you for your service, pat you on the butt, hand you a severance check and show you the door.

We understand why Billick is on the circuit. He doesn't want people to think he just curled up in his proverbial fetal position and is shrinking away. Regardless of the way he was fired, you can't feel sorry for Billick. He is making $15 million over the next three years if he doesn't coach again. Forgive me if I don't go and cry in my beer.

It's great that Billick did get to speak and say what was on his mind. Some of the questions, especially those from WBAL's Steve Davis, were poor, especially when he tried to set Billick up by asking him about me. Nice try Stevie. Billick didn't bite, and the question wasn't fair to him or me.

Billick moved on from the question well, just as he did during most of his time in Baltimore. He'll land on his feet somewhere. Guys with his kind of perseverance usually do.

And maybe now, we can put closure to his tenure here. Apparently Billick has, and maybe some of the Ravens' radio shills in town will quickly follow. Anyway BB, good luck down the road.

P.S. I'll be calling you for an interview soon. Love ya.

Posted by Mike Preston at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (108)
        

I'm wondering if Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is just posturing when he talks about putting the franchise tag on Pro Bowl outside linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs. He has used that threat before and then not followed through.

Certainly, I would not put Suggs in a class with Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, who is the league's highest paid defensive player after signing a 6-year contract worth $72 million. Suggs isn't worth that much, but at age 25, he has a huge upside.

Newsome, in fact, should put the tag on Suggs, who then would make $8.065 million -- the average of the five highest paid NFL linebackers -- in 2008. To do that, the Ravens would have to restructure some contracts. I wonder if Ray Lewis, whose contract expires at the end of the 2008 season, would be one of the players restructured.

Posted by Mike Preston at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)
        

After spending considerable time with Ravens tight end Todd Heap the other day, I got the feeling there has been some miscommunication from the Ravens about the severity of injuries to key players. I don't know if it was done intentionally for strategy or maybe Ravens officials just didn't want to go in-depth into the extent of injuries.

But it was apparent that Heap was dismayed that the general public was unaware of how serious his injury was last season. A torn hamstring is a serious injury, but the Ravens always made it seem like there was a possibility Heap was going to play the following week, and according to Heap, that was never the case.

He also said he got tired of talking about it every week because he knew his chances of returning were very slim.

He also talked about how offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden played in great pain last season, as did running back Jamal Lewis the previous two seasons. Former head coach Brian Billick always made it seem like they were close to playing again, yet they really weren't.

About two weeks ago, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Rex Ryan told me how cornerback Chris McAlister played most of the first half of last season with ligament damage in his knee, and how McAlister withstood a great deal of pain to play in the game against the New England Patriots.

"He couldn't go any more during that last series they had the ball," said Ryan. "After that game, he never played again during the season. He was shot."

It just makes me think that sometimes we label these guys "soft," and we really don't know the whole story. Nearly three years ago, the Ravens said Heap was having surgery to repair his ankle and shoulder, but didn't mention both were major reconstructive surgeries.

In all these years, Billick never went to great lengths to explain any injuries with the exception of Ray Lewis' a couple of years ago. After talking with Heap, I think these guys played with a lot more pain than most of us thought.

Posted by Mike Preston at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)