Harbaugh still miffed by Bears draft day blunder

**TL24x7** · 07-19-2011, 04:05 PM

The anger hasn't ceased from the trade fiasco between the Baltimore Ravens and the Chicago Bears.

In April, the Ravens and the Bears had agreed on a trade in the first round. However, the Bears failed to call in the trade and refused to compensate the Ravens for the gaffe.

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said it was a simple, honest mistake, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn't buying that explanation.

"I'm not buying a 'mistake' thing," Harbaugh told WMVP 1000 in Chicago. "They knew what they were doing."

Under the terms of the aborted trade, the Bears were supposed to exchange their 29th overall pick of the first round and a fourth-round selection for the Ravens' 26th pick of the first round.

The Bears didn't get in touch with the league, though.

Although the Bears wound up with Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi and the Ravens selected Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith, the Ravens insist that the Bears didn't live up to their word.

"They agreed to a pick," Harbaugh said. "They got their guy on the phone. They recognized he wasn't getting calls from the team behind them (the Chiefs). And then they basically stalled for over a minute, telling us that they had called the trade in. So that was just not honest.

LINK

**BLSmokey** · 07-19-2011, 04:13 PM

Angelos will get his comeuppance the next time he tries to pull a draft-day trade.

Hope that 4th rounder was worth the trust of his fellow GMs.

**ballhawk** · 07-19-2011, 04:23 PM

Good for harbs. He has every right to still be pissed. Esp after the league did the cowardly thing in not taking any action against the bears.

**Captain Silver** · 07-19-2011, 04:33 PM

I still don't know how in the age of technology the NFL doesn't have a remedy for this... you'd think they were sending smoke signals...

**BLSmokey** · 07-19-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

I still don't know how in the age of technology the NFL doesn't have a remedy for this... you'd think they were sending smoke signals...

The issue here is that not as many people know morse code these days.

**wickedsolo** · 07-19-2011, 04:38 PM

Good point BL.

**houstonravensfan** · 07-19-2011, 04:44 PM

Good to see Harbs showing a little fire. Or is it petulance? Just a side show, IMO.

**goodandfast** · 07-19-2011, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by houstonravensfan

Good to see Harbs showing a little fire. Or is it petulance? Just a side show, IMO.

He was asked a question and he gave his opinion. I dot think there was any intention behind it, so I don't know that it even qualifies as a side show... It was just a radio interview.

What I take away from it is that the Ravens and bears won't be doing business in the future. GMs that are close with Ozzie will also be more likely to think twice before doing business with the Bears.

**Crean N Crimson** · 07-19-2011, 04:50 PM

In 2003, something similar happened between the Ravens and Vikings. The Ravens were gonna leapfrog Jacksonville to get the 7th pick from Minnesota to get Byron Leftwich, but when the Ravens went to phone the league, the lines were busy and the trade never happened. Time expired and the Vikings missed their pick at no. 7... That was the same year the Ravens drafted Boller. Ugh.

I don't really know why Harbaugh is still complaining. He got his guy still.

**ballhawk** · 07-19-2011, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by goodandfast

He was asked a question and he gave his opinion. I dot think there was any intention behind it, so I don't know that it even qualifies as a side show... It was just a radio interview.

You make a good point, but it was an interview for a chicago radio station. I am sure that harbs knew going into the interview that he would have the opportunity to rehash the incident and take a shot at the bears FO.

**Ngata Nother Suggs** · 07-19-2011, 06:05 PM

Makes sense. Harbaugh stayed mad at Ellerbe all season for dancing in a pre season game. Guy holds grudges. I could see still being pissed if they didn't get their guy, but it was no harm no foul. Harbaugh has bigger things to worry about such as being on his OC like white on rice.

**AirFlacco** · 07-19-2011, 06:57 PM

HARBs isn't the only one still pissed, Bisciotti is too.

I read comments that the Bears owner said he might try to speak to him
at the next owners meeting. He met Biscuit but never talked to him. He
doesn't know what all the fuss is.

One highly respected draft expert gave the Bears entire draft an F
just for messing up the Ravens. Same thing happened with the Leftwich
draft and Jags jammed the phone when Oz called Lefty's name in with 35 secs left
after Jags dragged out discussions with Minn just to run out the clock.

But they got theirs while Oz lucked out with Suggs who became one of the most
exciting players in the game.

I asked Phil Savage at the Barn on Nasty's show why they didn't make a trade earlier
in the day for Leftwich and he said Oz knew he would get either Leftwich or Suggs.

Me thinks he wanted Suggs all along.