Super Bowl: Billick looks back
Just so you don't think that I've been loafing the past few weeks, take a look at my lengthy interview with Brian Billick. It just went up on the Web site this morning -- so you can read it right here -- and it will be part of our 10th Anniversary Super Bowl Commemorative section in Friday's print edition.
I hope you enjoy it. Billick delivers some interesting insights that you may not have heard before and lets us see the 2000-2001 postseason through his eyes.
Here's a quick excerpt in which Billick talks about one of his most memorable moments of that championship season:
There are so many of them. There's one that comes to mind. I knew how good this defense was. We're playing the Cleveland Browns, and they're terrible. And we were all about shutouts. This team wanted to break the all-time shutout record. I forget what it was. We had like six or something [actually four], and we were going for it. We're playing Cleveland, and the guys all week thought, "This is one we're going to get," and then Cleveland comes out on the opening drive and goes 86 yards to score. We're down 7-0. At home. So I'm walking down toward the defense, they're going to come off and I'm going to do my coaching thing, and Ray -- I remember like yesterday -- Ray and Rod Woodson are coming off the field and look at me and go, "Don't say a thing." Basically saying: "We got this. Don't say a word." So I make an immediate left turn to the Gatorade, figuring: "OK, you got it. I'm out." You'd have to check the exact number. We gave up 86 yards in that first drive, and we gave up like 112 yards on the day. The rest of the day, they were pissed off. The ability to crank up to that level, that they could hold themselves accountable and knew that they were that good -- that's when I realized, wow, this is a special, special group.
Of course, I only had a small part in the special Super Bowl retrospective, so you'll want to read all the stories and take a happy trip down memory lane. You can even read Ken Murray's original game story from Tampa if you click here.
> 
Comments
That season was interesting in many ways. People talk about exorcizing football ghosts. The Super Bowl was a major turning point but it was preceded in the determination to get football back in Baltimore.
The elder statesman of Baltimore sports, John Steadman, told me in a conversation at the Rotunda one day in the early 1990s: "We're gonna get football back here. We're gonna get .... an NFL team." It was the certainty and gleam in his eyes. That unconquerable spirit and optimism were behind the events which set in motion the Ravens coming to Baltimore and the unique collection of players and coaches that brought the Lombardi Trophy back.
The 2000 Ravens Super Bowl team put Baltimore football back in the postseason where it had always belonged. If you like football and comebacks, you gotta love that narrative.
Posted by: Unitasland | October 22, 2010 4:05 PM
Pete,
Tremendous interview..... Possibly the best I've ever seen from the Sun.
Overall, I just believe you have a significantly better perspective and freedom when it comes to covering anything Ravens.
Outstanding!
..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Thanks Wayne, though I sense a small undercurrent of damning with faint praise. I'm going to wait for you opinion on my Orioles column for Sunday's print edition.
Posted by: wayne | October 23, 2010 1:50 PM
Great interview; somehow you managed to get past Billick's PR manager persona and get something real. A pleasure to read.
Posted by: Andrew | October 23, 2010 4:38 PM