Reuters North American News Service, January 1st, 2008
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Dec 31 (Reuters) - The Baltimore
Ravens sacked long-time head coach Brian Billick on Monday, a
day after finishing a disappointing 5-11 season.
The 53-year-old Billick won a Super Bowl with the Ravens
following the 2000 season but the club went on to win only one
playoff game over the next seven years.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said the firing "was in the
Ravens' best interest".
"He (Billick) was very gracious to me when we met today,"
Bisciotti told a news conference. "He understood, at least gave
me the confidence that I was true to go with my gut.
"I believed it was time for a change. I believe that we
have the nucleus of a team that can get back to the Super Bowl
and we felt that in the next five years we'd have a better
chance with a new coach."
Billick had spent nine seasons in Baltimore and was the
Ravens' most successful coach with an 85-67 record.
"It has been a great ride with the Ravens and the fans
here," Billick said in a statement.
"The passion, the dedication and the willingness to work by
the players is so appreciated. Even in this difficult season,
they fought through it.
"My respect for the players, every single one who has
played for the Ravens in the last nine years, is hard to
articulate. They have my complete respect and admiration."
Billick was brought to Baltimore from Minnesota where he
was the offensive coordinator. However, it was the Ravens'
defense that led them to the Super Bowl and Billick was often
criticized for the team's lagging offense.
One year after winning the AFC North with a 13-3 record,
the Ravens struggled this season, losing a team record nine
consecutive games before a season-ending 27-21 victory over the
Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
"He gets a disproportionate amount of blame for the
position that we're in," Bisciotti said of Billick.
"We are collectively a 5-11 team."
Bisciotti denied reports he was talking with former
Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who won the Super Bowl following
the 2005 campaign, to succeed Billick.
"I have never met Bill Cowher," he said. "I have not spent
one minute thinking about Brian's replacement."
(Writing by Steve Ginsburg in Baltimore; additional
reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by John Mehaffey
and Greg Stutchbury)
