John Harbaugh is the Greatest Football Coach in Colts/Ravens History

[JimZipCode]

Did Jimmy Zip Code make a fake account?

Jesus, I can only write so much in a day. I can't manage to supply content for two accounts – and prep for the bowl game plus recruit. Come on.

I don't think anyone will disagree with putting Shula ahead of Harbaugh, any Harbaugh. I can justify putting Harbs ahead of Weeb, but that's a weird one. Weeb deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, because he won the two most important games in NFL history, a decade apart. But his overall record is around 0.500. Harbs probly a better coach; but nowhere near as important a figure. This is a weird situation where one guy is deservedly a HOFer over the other, but the other guy the better overall coach (maybe).

Next 3 are Marchibroda , Billick, and McCafferty. But I have no idea in what order.

[JimZipCode]

I hate Frank Kush. The Colts should have fired him so that John Elway would have come here. If Elway plays for the Colts, they probably win enough games that attendance doesn't drop, which would have deprived Irsay the excuse he used to move the team.

In Ernie Accorsi's book, he wrote that Elway reached out to him a little after the height of the media frenzy, and said that he would sign later in the Summer. Accorsi also said that season ticket sales had already spiked up.

Then Irsay traded Elway to Denver.

I don't hate Frank Kush. I hate Irsay.

[Iamjacks]

Why is Belichick not discussed? Because we weren't technically the Ravens yet? Because he didn't coach a game or even a training camp?

In all seriousness I think Belichick should be listed in the list of the Ravens/Baltimore football team greatest coaches. I suggest he is listed appropriately as follows:

Ravens/Baltimore greatest coaches
1. Bill Belichick*
2. ...

[rhapsody]

Weeb Ewbank was the best and I'm not sure it's close.

When he came in ca 1953 the Colts stunk and had almost nobody of quality outside of Art Donovan and Gino Marchetti. Marchetti was diluted by playing both ways, being a mediocre OT. When Ewbank quickly made him a full-time DE, Marchetti said fervently, "Thank you, Coach!". Weeb converted two JAGgy TEs, Alex Sandusky and Art Spinney into good and excellent Gs, respectively. He fielded the unknown Unitas in a 1956 tryout - Johnny was too nervous to call the signals when he first came and his first pass was a pick 6. Weeb developed the raw and sensitive project who became a great DT - Big Daddy Lipscomb. Weeb developed the difficult project at DB, Johnny Sample, who became almost instantly an impact player. Weeb patiently developed the walk-on LB Bill Pellington, who became a solid starter. The Colts also drafted well in the mid-1950s but Weeb put it all together and made Baltimore a professional organization for the first time, even micro-managing towel supplies and what the players wanted for breakfast. Injuries wrecked a probable third consecutive championship in 1960. And if GM Kellett had not traded G Fuzzy Thurston to Green Bay (smdh) for a large but lousy LB, Marv Matuszak, or if draftee Ron Mix had not opted to play OT for the new Los Angeles Chargers of the AFL, then Unitas's protection would have held up in 1961 and the Colts might have competed for a fourth consecutive title.

Weeb was not perfect, he held grudges, was petty, and according to Unitas, was too nervous to be any help during the game. But Weeb's achievement was colossal.

Shula was very good, but he inherited great impact players and was the beneficiary of the great 1963 draft which featured John Mackey, Bob Vogel and other good players. Shula also did not prepare the team well for the 1964 championship game, and was far too cautious with play calling in the tragic-heroic OT loss in the 1965 playoff game to Green Bay, where the Packers' tying late field goal was wide, but called good. As a result of that game, the goal post uprights were made higher in the future. But I digress. The 1968 SB loss is not a good look for Shula, either.

Harbaugh benefited from a strong core with some great players when he came in. While he is a good PR face, holds the locker room well, and is modern in his approach, he has held on to lousy coordinators, costing us dearly.

[AQKingRaven]

Alright. Let's rank him among other coaches, but only the years without their best player. How is Bellichik looking without Brady?

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You have to know my post refered to Ray's leadership/coaching skills... as he was the greatest leader in team sports history! Ray had already peaked he was never Johns best player and by 2012 he ran like 2018 Eric Weddle. I dont think your analogy is on target but i see your point i just dont agree. Ray never stopped coaching, at practice, in the lockeroom, and on the field on Sundays. He was a player/coach, there is no doubt and most refer to him as GOAT as i mentioned.

Ozzie managed, The OC/DC called plays, Ray lead, the team played, John talked to the press and gave cringy speeches.

[PeterB58]

Weeb Ewbank put Baltimore on the sports world map (our first two professional world championships in 1958-59). It was Weeb who shocked the nation in Super Bowl III (although Namath's fulfilled guarantee got a lot more press). That upset was a cultural phenomena that transcended sports. Shula's defense (actually it was Chuck Noll's) showed up for the game; his offense did not. QB Earl Morral (1968 MVP who came out of nowhere) wrote a letter of apology to Baltimore fans. He showed a lot of class.

I could'a sworn Shula was coach in Superbowl V but no, it was Don McCafferty!

America's Game on the Super Bowl V winning Colts actually went into the whole dynamics of why Shula left.

Apparently, Carrol Rosenbloom had arranged for an elaborate post-game victory party at his mansion in Florida. When the team gets there, he basically stands up right in front of Shula and tells them that the coaching staff let them down and that changes would be forthcoming. I believe Bill Curry is quoted in the program as saying it was one of the most uncomfortable moments of his life. Shula left for Miami after the following season.

While Shula went on to become a HOF coach with Miami, his tenure in Baltimore was marked by a lot of woulda-shoulda-coulda. My personal ranking:

1. Weeb Ewbank
2. John Harbaugh
3. Brian Billick
4. Don Shula
5. Don McCafferty
6. Ted Marchibroda
7. All the rest...

[JimZipCode]

My personal ranking:

...
...
...
4. Don Shula

I read your post and I get what you're saying. But wow, that just looks wrong.

[ERey]

In Ernie Accorsi's book, he wrote that Elway reached out to him a little after the height of the media frenzy, and said that he would sign later in the Summer. Accorsi also said that season ticket sales had already spiked up.

Then Irsay traded Elway to Denver.

I don't hate Frank Kush. I hate Irsay.

Oh wow. I never heard that. So Elway could have been a Colt and Irsay traded one of the greatest ever. Nice...

[PeterB58]

[

I don't hate Frank Kush. I hate Irsay.

A horrible owner who hired a bad coach.

Oh wow. I never heard that. So Elway could have been a Colt and Irsay traded one of the greatest ever. Nice...

Irsay didn't even tell his GM (Acorsi) that he was making the trade. Did it all himself.

You hear talk these days about "bad" NFL owners (Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder, Mike Brown, Art Modell when in Cleveland), they pale in comparison to Irsay.

Go read this: https://www.si.com/vault/1986/12/15/...m-now-you-dont

And then come back and talk to me about bad owners.

[Iamjacks]

F me! That guy is a zillion times worse than I thought and I despise the guy. His own mother called him the devil. He stole from and bankrupted his parents! No wonder his son is an opioid addicted whore killer.

[quoth_the_raven]

When you talk about Frank Kush, I always remember that Kush got Art Schliester (check spelling) and then two rounds later took another quarterback (forgot his name). Both busts with the former leaving the Colts and football due to gambling. I think he had significant jail time. Can't even take a good quarterback when two of your first three round picks are quarterbacks.

[Terpsfan82]

When you talk about Frank Kush, I always remember that Kush got Art Schliester (check spelling) and then two rounds later took another quarterback (forgot his name). Both busts with the former leaving the Colts and football due to gambling. I think he had significant jail time. Can't even take a good quarterback when two of your first three round picks are quarterbacks.

Mike Pagel. I remember leaving my job at Towson Mall (back then it was a two story structure) and walking up to Goucher College during the summer of '82 to watch them go at it in full pads. Frank Kush was a nut. Nesby Glasgow laid out Ray Butler and he was cheering from the sidelines.