Billick Show on WBAL

**Kevlar** · 11-06-2007, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Losac

The answer will be something involving the words "clearly", "parameters", "profile", and possibly "leap of faith".

:grbac: :bag:

Don't forget physicality. There has to be physicality.

**Dont Know** · 11-06-2007, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by camdenyard

Okay, what was said on the show?

Most memorable things I can remember off the top of my head.

1. Someone called in and asked what Billick could say to him to give him any hope after watching the @Pit debacle. Billick said something along the lines that there was nothing he could say, they would have to prove it on the field.

2. Someone asked what he saw in McNair that the caller couldn't see in his on field performances. I think the main point (can't remember all the things Billick said) was that he had looked good in practice, presumably much better than he did in the game. Makes you wonder what happened between the supposedly good saturday night practice and the monday night game.

Might have been more noteworthy stuff, can't remember any though. Replays should be up on baltimoreravens.com later this week.

**highwater** · 11-06-2007, 08:47 PM

I think the main point (can't remember all the things Billick said) was that he had looked good in practice, presumably much better than he did in the game. Makes you wonder what happened between the supposedly good saturday night practice and the monday night game.

I have a very hard time believing that he really looked that good in practice, because he looked like garbage in this game. I don't know if it was wishful thinking or a blatant lie, but something doesn't add up. Maybe he just can't play in the rain, I don't know.

**camdenyard** · 11-06-2007, 08:54 PM

It is true that every game he's played in the rain has been a disaster.

**jonboy79** · 11-06-2007, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by highwater

Now THAT would be a reasonable question that might get addressed. We might not like the answer, but at least it's a question as opposed to an insult posing as a question.

I have to agree... I'm real confused. I keep hearing complaints about the playcalling, btu to me guys were running routes past the sticks, McNair jsut didn't even LOOK down the field, down by 5 TD's, in the second half. That is flat out inexcusable.

**highwater** · 11-06-2007, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by jonboy79

I keep hearing complaints about the playcalling, btu to me guys were running routes past the sticks, McNair jsut didn't even LOOK down the field, down by 5 TD's, in the second half. That is flat out inexcusable.

I think Greg mentioned this in another thread, and he may be right. I hadn't thought about it before, but maybe the problem is not the plays being called but McNair changing the play to one of these dink and dunk jobs. It seems like the offense takes more shots downfield with Boller at QB, and some of us thought they were just calling different plays with Boller in, but it could be that they have the same game plan but McNair just audibles out of the call.

I don't know, but I'm sure we'll never find out.

**purplepoe** · 11-06-2007, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dont Know

1. Someone called in and asked what Billick could say to him to give him any hope after watching the @Pit debacle. Billick said something along the lines that there was nothing he could say, they would have to prove it on the field.

That was me.

I started out by saying that I was at both the Buffalo game and the Pittsburgh game and that they were total embarrassments.

My question was simply this.

"Coach, after watching those two games, please give me a reason to have any sort of confidence that we can win some meaningful games this season."

Of course, he gave the company line which was expected.

I usually don't listen to that show but was in the car at 6 so I called in.

It might be unique that he takes calls from fans but there really isn't a point to the show.

You get the same answers to every question.

PP

**RockyMRaven** · 11-06-2007, 11:34 PM

About why he didn't take McNair out earlier, he said something like: Nothing was going our way, and you watch a guy who is clearly having a bad game. But sometimes a player needs to be able to work through a bad period, so you try to allow that possibility. And then you have to decide - is the horrible way the game is going due just to that one person, or are there more players and other factors involved. So those were the factors he was trying to balance.

**highwater** · 11-06-2007, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by RockyMRaven

ABut sometimes a player needs to be able to work through a bad period, so you try to allow that possibility. And then you have to decide - is the horrible way the game is going due just to that one person, or are there more players and other factors involved.

I actually understand that point, that you give a player a chance to work his way out of a bad game, and I also understand that other players contribute to the poor overall performance. I get that. However, McNair, for whatever reason, obviously just didn't have it in this game, and given that we were blown out badly in the first half, there was really no reason to stick with him at the beginning of the second half. We had basically already lost the game, McNair looked terrible, so why even bring him out to start the second half, unless you wanted him to get injured?

I understand the philosophical argument that Billick is presenting, but in this particular game, I don't buy it.

**RockyMRaven** · 11-07-2007, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by highwater

I actually understand that point, that you give a player a chance to work his way out of a bad game, and I also understand that other players contribute to the poor overall performance. I get that. However, McNair, for whatever reason, obviously just didn't have it in this game, and given that we were blown out badly in the first half, there was really no reason to stick with him at the beginning of the second half. We had basically already lost the game, McNair looked terrible, so why even bring him out to start the second half, unless you wanted him to get injured?

I understand the philosophical argument that Billick is presenting, but in this particular game, I don't buy it.

I agree with you. I wanted to write what I heard him say, but it was so clear that McNair not only didn't have it, but wasn't going to get it in that game, Boller should have replaced him at the start of the third quarter. At that stage, he might have provided the needed spark, with 30 minutes of football to go. When he was eventually brought in, it was already too late to be a meaningful change, and not really fair to Kyle.

**4G63** · 11-07-2007, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by RockyMRaven

When he was eventually brought in, it was already too late to be a meaningful change, and not really fair to Kyle.

Or any Ravens' fan!!

**Ravenswarrior19** · 11-07-2007, 10:20 AM

You know what I keep hearing from Billick, without him ever saying it?
I hear,
"I need McNair to definitavely play himself out of a job, so I can bench him without losing my locker room and my team. McNair is a warrior and was brought in here as our savior. He lead us to 13-3 last year and the players on this team have the utmost faith and respect in him. I need to give him enough rope to hang himself. It must be blatantly obvious to every player on the this team that McNair is done. Only then can you bench a 'legend'."

If Billick lets McNair play on Sunday, and he lays the egg we all expect to see, Billick will have all the ingredients in place to make the change.