It’s a fitting finish to a bad year for Baltimore sports. The Ravens fire Brian Billick on New Year’s Eve: out with the old, in with the new, right?

The Billick dismissal seems a perfect capper to a 2007 year that also included the firing of Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo in that team’s 10th straight losing season. The Ravens’ 5-and-11 campaign is no doubt the most disappointing year in their 12 year existence, and it included a team record 9-game losing streak.

It was an awful year, but for Billick- what a way to go out! He gets $15 million to walk away from a team that included a sub-culture of disgruntled players who no longer responded to his leadership. While players griped and complained behind his back, Billick bit his lip and kept coaching…and kept his eye on that golden parachute he knew he could cling to when he was pushed off the airplane amidst a growing mutiny. The coach protected his players publicly, never calling them out for their inadequacies (or complaining about roster inadequacies). But that’s the way it works at the highest level of sports: the lone leader is the one to go, not the players.

A similar scenario played out at Camden Yards this year. In the O’s case it was sub-standard talent that managed to play even below the most modest of expectations, and the lone leader was left hanging by the players. Out with Sam, in with Dave Trembley and with the same players, guess what happened? They still lost a lot.

So, as Billick is given a bundle to go away, how much better can the Ravens be with the same cast of players? They need a new coach, renewed health, increased roster depth and balance, and a healthy dose of humility before they can expect to be better. But what do I know? I’m the one who espouses that it’s players who make the biggest difference, not coaches (or managers).

Happy New Year, Brian. You deserve it.

Posted on Monday, December 31st, 2007 at 10:19 pm.
Categories: Opinion.
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