Say what you want about Brian Billick, but notice how the man can still stir emotions even two months after he was fired as Ravens head coach. We had Billick in studio for a three hour radio show, then I sat with him for a TV interview that aired that same night. He shared his perspective on his December 31st firing, and the reaction to his words was strong- both good and bad.

The haters who hadn’t heard Billick speak in so long were quickly reminded of his perceived arrogance. Billick is so available and open, he makes himself an easy target and he stands tall while he’s cursed by fans and media alike. But, he hurts, too. That pain is clear in his reluctance to talk to the Baltimore Sun because he feels the newspaper was personal in its attacks on him while he coached. The disdain for Billick is fascinating. Since he’s a bit smug (and he admits he is), fans and media are quick to direct their anger and hatred at him. I believe that element was at play with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti in his hasty decision to fire Billick. The owner called it a gut decision and that sounds a lot like he pulled the trigger out of growing spite for Billick (a poison that had spread to some players, too).

A further observation about the negative energy directed at Billick: it’s human nature to find a target to unload ones disappointment and pain. The fans wanted someone to pay for a 5-and-11 season, regardless of the number of injuries to key players that were mostly responsible for the record. Someone has to pay, and it’s usually the coach. The cries and screams grow and the media picks up on it. Columnists and talk show hosts fan the flames and an unreasonable swell builds until the owner can no longer justify keeping the guy around. It’s fascinating in its run-away nature. It becomes a therapeutic civic exercise to unload on the coach, because it brings relief. I’m fascinated by the lemming principle at play, and yes, media types become lemmings in the process, too.

There was plenty of positive feeling for Billick, too. In the two months since his firing he’s become a sympathetic figure in some ways. He was always fair to this players, and open and honest with the media (as honest as ANY coach can be in the cloak-and-dagger, paranoid NFL). Two months after his swift, unexpected firing there’s almost (but not quite) some sense of compassion for the guy. If nothing else, a lot of people were just happy to hear his voice because it reminded them of good times, and gave them a chance to say “thanks.”

The NFL is a game of emotion, good and bad. And to that end, Billick delivered…and still does.

Posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 10:13 pm.
Categories: Opinion.
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