tsylvester

He and his wife also had a new baby this year, maybe he just wants to take more time to get to know the child..... People forget, players have families too and to raise one takes a lot of time.

Excuse me, but if you read what I have posted about this topic, well before Byrne made his statement you will see I pretty much said what he stated. No, I do not believe everything everyone, Byrne included, says, but I know the team, the people involved better than most fans. I know how Preston and Lombardi work, how they get their stories, how their main motive is todrive conversation, good or bad about THEM, because it makes them money. I have backed up my claims with articles, have you? No, every time some one asks you for the direct quote, you change the subject, get defensive, why? Facts- Kubs wanted to be a head coach again. There were several teams in need of a new head coach. He wanted to see about those jobs before looking at the oc job with other teams. The Ravens were interested in him from the start, they made, as every team does, a list of new oc as soon as the season ended and Caldwell told them he wanted to interview for head coaching jobs. More Facts- While they waited for Kubs to posibly be hired as a head coach, they interviewed many, many candidates. ALL TEAMS DO THIS. They, as an organization, wanted to go with a zone blocking scheme, the league is moving in that direction, so they wanted an OC who coached that way; thus their final candidates. Kubs wanted to come here as an oc when he did not get any shots at a head coach position- HIS WORDS. Cleveland did not want to have Kubs have total say over the offfensive staff, so talks with them broke down. Shannahan was their (the Ravens) top choice and they vetted him properly-As every team would. He was their final choice up to the point Kubs was in final talks with the Browns. Dennison, HIS WORDs, backs all of this up and stated Kubs the job here, thus, opening up talks, AGAIN, just as they had to begin this process, with Kubs and he was hired. These are facts as told by Steve, Ozzie, John, Kubs, Dennison and yes, along with Byrne. Again, Check my posts, the dates of them, you will see I outlined the likely way this went down, before it was made known. Not because I have insider info, but because I know how teams, including the Ravens, go through their process of looking for coached. Thus, I do not doubt it happend very close to the way portrayed by the Ravens, because that is how business in the NFL is done.

I could see that, frankly I am torn. Wilson's ability to extend plays ala David Kreig, Fran Tarkington give me pause when trying to pick the Broncos. Add in Harvin & his return ability. Even so, four wide outs, 3 of them over 6'-2" and Manning is very hard to pick against.

Byrne has not changed his story, not in the context you speak. He has given more detail about what and how it all came together. Since Preston's story, anothe Sun reporter has come out and pretty much backed up what the Ravens have said, not Preston. And Tony has done nothing but back track as well. See, he gets paid per click, so even if he reports something that is wrong, he gets paid. When he has to print a retraction, he gets paid and people think; how stand up he is for admitting he was wrong. Like Preston, he knows, bad publicity is still publicity.

Yes, on his part, again.

No way, they either trade out, take the tight end from NC oe a wide out like Mathews from Vandy.

Um, Tony said the Harbs would not hire anyone who could replace him.... To me, he said the same thing Preston did, so it is not a choice between the two as to whom to believe, they were both wrong, time to move on.....

pinkie forgot Clayton gate............. still have the knife in my back..................

I'm sorry, there is no reason to change anything as far as the NFl right now. Not more games, not more playoff teams, not playing over seas (stop it!). Just clean up the game a little fix the officiating issues (finanlly), figure out instant replay, and let it be, as the Beatles sang. People will continue to watch and buy, the NFL will continue to make money. If they go through with the changes they are considering, they will end up losing fans, losing money, and some one will die on the field.

I agree, the players screwed them selves though. I am not sure about the corner money, proper technique and a little speed and boom, instant corner. A good pass rush and most anyone can be a good corner. Players today are coming out of colege more prepared because of better coaching at the lower levels. Today, coaches actually know how to coach good technique and that carries with a player all the way up.

Both can be true sir. They likely spoke to Kubs shortly after Caldwell started interviewing to see if he would be interested in coming to Baltimore. I am sure he stated he wanted to see about other Head Coaching jobs FIRST. That would lead to what i described earlier; thus both being correct and Preston being the instigator he is, wrong in his assertions, in the context he viewed....

That is one way to see it Papa, however, as I said on another thread. It is more likely they wanted Kubs very much but, with all the coaching jobs out there, he wanted to look at them first and made that known to the Ravens. They then were prudent in interviewing other coordinators for the job, including asking the Cowboys for permission to interview Callahan, but were denied, So when the talks between Cleveland and Kubs broke down, the Ravens called him, on thursday. He came in on Sunday and signed on Monday. To me, to most sensible people, you don't sign a person in one day unless you know everything you need to know about him, unless you see he is the best because you did your homework by talking to others first. This does not mean Harbs was not involved, does not mean Steve and Ozzie made the move without Harbs. I have already showed you in this thread now Preston spun the press conference, what makes you think he isn't spinning this as well? What makes you think Harmon, the odd man out after what, 15 years, didn't sour grape the Ravens to Preston? In the end it matters not, Preston is only interested in gaining hits, clicks, readers, talk radio mentions. Byrne's job yes is to make the Ravens look good, but Kibs said him self he spoke with John "a few days earlier about the job" so that should end it.....

That won't help much for the players, older, they want to get paid. Some teams, the Skins, Raiders, will not only have the money, because of past penalties being taken off, but have few draft choices so they will over spend. However, most teams are either very talented now and need to keep their own players, or don't have the room to pay high prices for free agents. Then you have the teams with new coaches, rarely do they over spend because they need a season to see exactly what they need for their system. I know I've said this before, but watch, once Wilson, Kap, Griffith, Newton maybe the kid in Tampa, all come up for new contracts, teams, the NFLPA will have no choice but to increase the % of cap raise to what it used to be. Oh and it is not just the quarterbacks, there are a lot of very good young players still under their drafting contracts, who will command top dollar in the next few years.....

Apparently everyone does or he would not have a job. Look, I heard him, Preston, say directly that when the staff for the Ravens came out for the presser, John uttered a "we are ordered to sit this way". Preston said, on radio mind you, that he heard it clearly. Did he? Sure, but not in the context he claims. Byrne is in control of press conferences. Every team, I repeat, EVERY TEAM has the same set of rules for press conferences. They want to present a certain look, so the media staff makes an order of who sits where who comes out first etc. Not an order such as rule from the owner as Preston was trying to say, but as 1, 2, 3, 4, order..... Some fans are now saying Byrne is just putting out fires, covering up. I submit, as proof, the above of what Preston, how he turns things into controversial issues. The sad part was, Norris & davis both have been through press conferences before, they know exactly the context those words were used and yet, they too let Preston keep going on that point as if it was some hidden cookie, or is that a hidden donut.

no, Preston wants just wht he got, your post, people talking about him, radio shows talking about him, having him on air, callers phoning in, .......

to an extent, yes. However, Kubs is best for putting players in a position to do well, using them to the best of their ability. Now, if he calls a play with an 11 set, say a hitch on the right, a stop & go on the left, tight end curl and half back leaking out and the quarterback locks onto his receiver, is that on Kubs or the quarterback? If the back leaks out too early, despite being taught, drilled into the timing of the play, is that on the coach or the back? We all know a quarterback, once outside the pocket, can throw the ball away, even into the stands so long as it goes past the line of scrimmage. Now, the coach drills this into his head, he practices it perfectly on bootlegs, but in the game, he either forces the throw while under pressure leading to a pick, or eats it for a sack, is that on the coach of the player? Again, take last season out, there was a lot going on there that most do not realize, most of it not on Kubs. Foster had major issues off the field plus some nagging injuries on the field. Tate was injured for most of the season as well and then to have to use three quarterbacks it all = a losing season and very little of that is on Kubs. Time will tell, on the surface this looks like a very good move. A fresh set of eyes for the offense. A new tight end coach, maybe a new set of positional coaches entirely. Frankly, Harmon was, even after all this time, unproven. Who did he ever develop? Sharpe? He was on his way to the Hall of Fame when he dropped in for a visit. Heap? He learned from Sharpe and most of his succes was in his hands, natural, not his route running. He could not block to save his life. Pita? Please, just like Heap it is his speed and hands that make him look like a good tight end. However, his route running stinks. So a fresh set of eyes, some more coaches with a different mindset maybe leads to a truly better tight end, offensive line, better blocking receivers which all equal a better running game. When the running game improves, play action, something Kubs loves and Joe does very well, opens up, works better. I will give Castillo a break, now he has an OC who lives in the zone blocking scheme, that may make a difference. It is also a fresher set of eyes for the draft and free agency, so we shall see.... All in all I think it is the best move they could have made for this offense.

Um, most of that was not the play calling, rather the execution. It is difficult to win games, to rebound in games when your quarterback throws consecutive pick sixes. Shaub played horrible this past season, that was the main reason for the losses. Foster was banged up, maybe washed up, the defense just didn't have it either, being on the field all the time. Pre season rankings are for fans, to generate conversation which = money; they mean little. Proof of that is this year, the first time in what 20 years that two #1's are playing in the Super Bowl.... I do agree, expecting a number 1 offense next season is quite the stretch, they realy can't get much worse. Much of it is on the offensive line, if they improve there, the offense, even if Cavs is calling plays, would be better....

yeah, mid season can make all the difference. had it been the end of the season, that might have made a difference. He has something to prove, so I expect his full attention....

Mort was saying Kubs wanted to bring five coaches with him, to Cleveland, and they balked. I wonder now who else will come if indeed he stuck with his guns of five coaches......

Kubs prefers zone blocking, so it is likely the line coach stays. Odd man out is likely to e Hostler. The 4th quarterback coach in six years, 3rd offensive coordinator in six years, yeah, let's put the final verdict on Joe next season........... According to ESPN, Kubs was waiting for the Ravens call, came in yesterday, signed today. This tells me they had him penciled in all along and were just feeling out other coaches incase they offered a better choice than Kubs. So I doubt either Preston or pinkie were correct in their opinions............

wait, no, Harbs would never make that move, two people who can replace him if things go wrong? No chance.......... even so, sometimes too many cooks in the kitchen ruins a dinner, just saying.

If reports are to be believed, it is down to two; Shannahan and Hostler.... oye vey

well, perhaps Kubs didn't want the job here, he may not like Baltimore or his family might not want to live here. That is, afterall, why Derrick Mason took less money to come here rather than New englad not so long ago-family... Could be his style of offense is not what Harbs wants, there are many reasons, I am sure, job security is way, way down the list. But knowing pinkie as I do, if it gets peole talking (about him) he will print it.....

Anyone could be hired to replace Harbs at any point; Kirby included if he did a good enough job. Quite a reach to get readers by pinkie...

In my opinion, it does not. To label a guy based soley on the on field interview right after a heated, contested game is stoooopid to the enth degree. Thus my stance, neither he nor the media should give this "race issue" and play time; be a duck, let it roll right off the back like water off a duck. FYI this goes back well before the game, the issue of Crab and LOB leader. Both are trash talkers on the field, but only one stands behind his words it isn't Crab. There will always be racists, unfortunately. In oder to overcome them now, in today's world, is to shut them out, not give them the audience they so desire.