Harbaugh on his way to Owings Mills...

[Raveninwoodlawn]

per the Sun. (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/01/here_comes_another_candidate.html)

If he is your guy...Get 'er done.

Edit...actually he is already there.

[Prolific]

Harbaugh huh? Everyone likes him but the reasons are just the same repetitive info spurned out of the Sun sports article in reference to the impression that he made upon the Ravens brass.

I mean really, what kind of leader is this guy? That remains to be seen, but he does come with more experience in the league as a bonafide NFL coach. That's more than an unmentionable 2nd year coach can say.

What are we getting if he indeed is annointed the new H.C. of the Baltimore Ravens?

Discuss!-Pro-

[Bez513]

I too am concerned about his experience. He's a DB coach, never a DC. He doesn't seem to be HC material just yet. That's why I want Marty as HC and let this guy be DC and see where it goes.

[RavensInBrazil]

How many times must we go over this? Coordinating experience is way overrated. Look at Cowher, who went straight from special teams to HC, and look at Billick! He had enormous success as an offensive coordinator, but his offense was cover-your-eyes during his tenure here. Hell, maybe if we hire a coach with no offensive coordinator experience we'll get a great offense!

[ravenjoe]

I too am concerned about his experience. He's a DB coach, never a DC. He doesn't seem to be HC material just yet. That's why I want Marty as HC and let this guy be DC and see where it goes.
I agree. Bring Marty in as HC, to get the respect of the clubhouse and/or weed them out as need be; Harbaugh in as DC; and Cameron in as OC, and maybe Marty Jr as his understudy. This gives us a young nucleus to learn and go forward with. Of course, this all depends on who Marty wants to bring in. IMO, though, the ideal scenario is to bring the young guys in, because Marty will probably only be around for a few more years.

[RavenScallywag]

I like Harbaugh, I'd be very happy with him being HC, and I'm glad they brough him in first.

That said, I'm not going to be refreshing the Baltimore Sun, ESPN, or WNST website every ten minutes waiting for some news. I think we interview him, tell him we like him a lot and tell him he'll hear from us in a week.

[jonboy79]

Being a HC and a Coordinator aren't really even related. Compare them to any sort of sales business. The best salesman, rarely, if ever make the best managers. A HC doesn't need to be an x's and o'x guy, they simply need to be a leader, and get the best out of his coaches. Coordinators are X's and O's, almost completely, and positional coahces do the real coaching.

I s ay jsut get this over with and Hire Harbaugh. It's been said that Cam Cameron would be his OC, which would make me happy, I'm curious who'd be hsi DC though? I guess I want to see a 4-3 guy, Jim Johnson style. I could take a 3-4 guy as well.

[festivus]

Once this hire is done - and the drama has now gone on long enough - I hope they pick someone who will be effective as the new HC. Harbaugh is fine with me.

I also hope this is the last time in a *long* time we will see the names Bisciotti and Cass featured so prominently in the news.

:grbac:

[ravenwoman]

I will be happy with either Marty or Harbaugh. I would be happy to have them both, because if we hire Marty, he won't be coaching the 10-15 years that Bisciotti wants. However, we would have some good understudies.

I am hearing that the interview could last long into the late afternoon. That means they are giving him serious consideration.

[HoustonRaven]

If we're doing the hard core press on Harbaugh, I have to think Marty will be option 3. I think it's safe to say Bisciotti wants to go young in the hopes of a 10-15 year run with one head coach ... assuming he does well.

[ExiledRaven]

Once this hire is done - and the drama has now gone on long enough - I hope they pick someone who will be effective as the new HC. Harbaugh is fine with me.

I also hope this is the last time in a *long* time we will see the names Bisciotti and Cass featured so prominently in the news.

:grbac:

Spot on as always...though I have the feeling that Bisciotti and Cass don't enjoy being in the spotlight. Bisciotti especially...he likes to be more behind the scenes which I respect to a degree.

So Harbaugh isn't a coordinator....look at his special teams units. I think that says enough. Discipline while playing starts with special teams.

Either way, I don't have a big problem with "lack" of coordinator experience...some coaches sure were great coordinators and can't really do much as a head coach (Norv Turner?)

Let's see what happens here (hopefully a hire) and then find out what coordinators are coming in.

Soon we'll be able to go back to the same old grind...arguing about Quarterbacks, who the ravens will take in the draft, and complaining about the offensive line ineptitude (...and arguing about the O-line coach?) :celery

[jonboy79]

Two words for Exiled- HUdson Houck! Hudson Houck! Hudson Houck!

And I think it's quite possible with him leaving with the Cameron Regime a couple of weeks ago and Cameron being linked to our OC job with essentially every HC candidate.

[B-more Ravor]

I'd like to see them line up Houck too, but I did see recently were Dallas was expected to hire him to replace Sparano. Houck had coached in Dallas for years before he went to Miami. He would also have connections to Garrett from his time in Miami.

[HoustonRaven]

Two words for Exiled- HUdson Houck! Hudson Houck! Hudson Houck!

And I think it's quite possible with him leaving with the Cameron Regime a couple of weeks ago and Cameron being linked to our OC job with essentially every HC candidate.

He was already snatched up by the Cowboys I believe.

[sopranocorleone]

At least we have some sembelence of an idea of Harbaugh's ideals for how to run a team.

Media members who cover the Eagles have raved about how he is a no-nonsense, disciplined, energetic and organized coach.

I NEVER heard any of those qualities mentioned when referring to Garrett. All I heard about Garrett was that he was an Ivy league guy who caddied for Troy Aikman for years.

I think Harbaugh is the perfect fit for this team. If Marty was about 15 years younger, I would be more comfortable hiring him. And if the Ravens go in that direction, I'm fine with it.

But I'd rather higher a younger coach who seems to exhibit a lot of the same qualities of a Marty or a Cowher.

[The Fanatic]

I think this goes down one of two ways with Harbaugh today.

Normally once one of these guys is brought in for interview #2, it ends with a contract offer and that guy being named head coach.

That is why when Garrett walked away and said he was weighing out his options alot of us knew he wasn't coming and the offer should have been pulled.

If this guy leaves without a contract offer, or leaves with an offer and no announcement of being head coach, I believe he is done as far as consideration.

I don't think another Garrett debacle will occur.
They can't be that freakin' stupid to do it again!!

If he leaves without an offer, then I think he is no longer in the running for this job.

If that happens, then Marty junior might be next in.

I'm kind of hoping that since Harbaugh is first in that they regard him higher then Marty junior which would contradict some of what we've read recently.

I'm of the opinion that Harbaugh is announced the new head coach today based primarily this is his second time back, and the FO (Biscotti) really seems to want a young, up and coming type coach to grow with the organization versus an older type guy like Marty.

With that being said...

A certain part of me believes that someone like Marty is what we need here for a little while.

Hopefully Harbaugh has a little Marty in him himself.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Well, apparently Bisciotti has left the building.

The media can go home now I'd assume

[RavenScallywag]

I still don't expect anything, but maybe SB had to take care of something...If Harbaugh is still there, I wouldn't say the interview went badly...Why would you make the guy sit there if the owner just acknowledged "we're not hiring you".

I think he had his interview, and the Ravens are really doing this as a "PROCESS"...they may bring in someone else for a 2nd interview, or they may bring Harbaugh back down next week to officially take the job, or who knows.

[highwater]

I'm unclear as to why so many here think Harbaugh would jump at the chance to leave the Eagles and come here as a DC, when he's here interviewing for the HC job. I wouldn't be so quick to make that assumption.

[RavenScallywag]

that's true...I think he'd only come here as a DC if he thought it was a better opportunity than Philly...and honestly, he could have a shot as HC in Philly in the next couple years, since I think Andy Reid is going to retire soon, what with his family issues.

[psuasskicker]

I'm unclear as to why so many here think Harbaugh would jump at the chance to leave the Eagles and come here as a DC, when he's here interviewing for the HC job. I wouldn't be so quick to make that assumption.

Because intelligent people don't turn down promotions.

Read into that what you will about Garrett. I'm completely on board with that being a terrible decision on his part. He probably should have talked to Russ Grimm about how well things like that can work out.

- C -

[AZRAVEN]

That, of course, is assuming the Ravens HC spot is considered a "promotion". In Garrett's case, apparently he did not regard it as such. People have different values in their lives and just because most would jump at something doesn't make you unintelligent if you choose not to.

[highwater]

Because intelligent people don't turn down promotions.
Read into that what you will about Garrett.

I don't disagree about Garrett, but I'm talking about Harbaugh leaving his ST gig with the Eagles to become our DC. He might not consider that to be as big a promotion as you do, especially since he's here interviewing for the HC job. Why would he leave Philly to become a coordinator for a new HC here?

[braven98]

The fans in Philly love the guy and so does the team...hopefully we dont lose him back to Philly. The Eagles may try to keep him...just alittle thought

[RavenScallywag]

all indications are that Harbaugh drove down today with the intention of taking the job, provided the Ravens offer it to him. I don't think he goes back to Andy Reid and asks what he thinks...Unlike Garrett, he likes the Ravens, he knows what he wants, and he's ready to go for it.

That said, not sure if we're offering the job to him today, or just registering that he's still a top contender.

[Losac]

I wish they'd just make a decision here. At first it sounded like they were all set to hire Harbaugh if Garrett turned them down, then something came out about how that was just a smoke screen to try to pressure Garrett. Are they really as interested in Harbaugh as we thought? Are they seriously going to bring Marty's son back?

[The Fanatic]

Are they really as interested in Harbaugh as we thought?

Eight freakin' hours on a second interview I'd like to think is spent because they have serious interest and not to build a large smoke screen.

[Mobtown Matt]

WNST says the Biscuit showed back up in a business suit & Harbaugh's agent is suddenly unavailable to talk.

[RavenScallywag]

again, being pessimistic here, I think the worst you can say is John Harbaugh had a good interview and we're going to continue the process. I don't think we talked to him for 8 hours and part company saying "He's not the right guy" You should be able to tell that in 4-5 hours...8 hours to me indicates advancing into second stage of the process. Hell, Garrett was only here for 7 hours!

[highwater]

8 hours to me indicates advancing into second stage of the process. Hell, Garrett was only here for 7 hours!

But this IS the second stage of the process, isn't it? That's how Kevin Bryne described it, and I believe this was Harbaugh's second interview. It could be they want to look at other candidates before making him an offer, but by now they should know everything they need to know about him to make a decision.