Mike Preston saga - him versus PR guys?

[OLD SCHOOL SMASH BALL]

well this board is split entirely 50 50 on him. It can't be his coaching because hes turned us into a winner, same for flacco. So why is it people hate them both so much. Has to be personality.

The problem is that he cant handle strong personalities in the locker room who will speak their minds ir question his dumb decisions.

He made sure those guys were gone this year.

[jazz1988]

The problem is that he cant handle strong personalities in the locker room who will speak their minds ir question his dumb decisions.

He made sure those guys were gone this year

 

 

I feel like if Harbaugh couldn't handle strong personalities then  the  incident with the players and him (aka the mutiny)  wouldn't have never ended well .  I hate that people are saying Harbaugh can't handle strong personalities because we let a old Ed Reed go,Anquan Boldin whom put up average numbers here because he was more of a west coast receiver , Bernard Pollard whom has been on more than 3 three teams in his career(kinda tells you something) and clearly  was replaced with a better player in James Ihedigbo .

[redrum52]

I feel like if Harbaugh couldn't handle strong personalities then  the  incident with the players and him (aka the mutiny)  wouldn't have never ended well .  I hate that people are saying Harbaugh can't handle strong personalities because we let a old Ed Reed go,Anquan Boldin whom put up average numbers here because he was more of a west coast receiver , Bernard Pollard whom has been on more than 3 three teams in his career(kinda tells you something) and clearly  was replaced with a better player in James Ihedigbo .

Do you think the players trust that they can go to Harbaugh now though?  

 

I'm not going to act like I know what the locker room is like, but it seems like he pretty much eliminated all the vocal presences last year.  Maybe it's me, but it seems like no one really spoke out this season and everyone kind of kept to themselves.  With that also seemed to go this teams personality and toughness.  As others have said, you can't have a bunch of choir boys.  It worked out last year, but if people feel that they can't voice their opinion it will have affects on the team down the road.

[arnie_uk]

I could care less if you like him, but don't characterize it as a popular opinion.

Harbs is a stand up guy. And he treats the media as he should, keep em in the dark and feed em poop. Most of those guys just look to spin a story any way they can to make it "sensational", so why give them anything or treat them like they're your friend. I'm sure there's certain ones he trusts and I'm also sure he treats them with respect.

half this board hates him snd criticises him every turn around. Don't tell me your oblivuous to that. Preston has got alottttt pf support for what he said simply because a lot of people dont like harbs. Thats rhe truth, im not characterising anything

[HoldingCall]

I feel like if Harbaugh couldn't handle strong personalities then  the  incident with the players and him (aka the mutiny)  wouldn't have never ended well .  I hate that people are saying Harbaugh can't handle strong personalities because we let a old Ed Reed go,Anquan Boldin whom put up average numbers here because he was more of a west coast receiver , Bernard Pollard whom has been on more than 3 three teams in his career(kinda tells you something) and clearly  was replaced with a better player in James Ihedigbo .

 

The players are professionals too. I believe it ended well for the sake of the team and season but beyond that, evidence point toward a problem that was eliminated. 

 

Boldin wasn't used to his ability and in the end was blamed by many for not getting separation and being too slow. Funny, we didn't see references to him being a better "west coast receiver" until after his rebound season this year. Clearly, the offense failed to get the most from him. 

 

Sadly, I believe they're doing the same to Torrey Smith. After his very good start to the season now folks say he is not a number one. How do we know that for sure? How can it be concluded after the season the offense just had? 

[berad]

What's with some of you guys and your pandering to sports media?  Why do you care how coaches/players treat the media?

Im glad Harbaugh treats them with contempt.  99% of them are gossip columnists and don't report anything worth a damn.

 

This is awesome and true. Most of them aren't "reporters", anyway, they're more spin-artists. So what does it matter what he/they tell them? They'll make it what they want.

[izvoodoo]

The problem is that he cant handle strong personalities in the locker room who will speak their minds ir question his dumb decisions.

He made sure those guys were gone this year.

The only one was Pollard, who's a little crazy.  Everything else was financial

[beasy2487]

Harbs is a great coach and better guy. He also doesn't owe anyone on this board anything but wins, which he does. Thanks Harbs.

[52N19]

i like preston. he keeps my purple shaded glasses clear.

[PurpleCityLights]

i like preston. he keeps my purple shaded glasses clear.

This

[B-more Ravor]

The only one was Pollard, who's a little crazy.  Everything else was financial

 

Agreed.  I'm not sure why people can't see this when repeating this anti-Harbaugh mantra.

 

Birk and Ray retired.  Not sure how that is on Harbaugh.

 

Houston offered Reed way more than the Ravens would - or could - pay him.  Not Harbaugh's decision to rid the team of him.

 

They wanted Boldin back and offered him the chance.  Leaving aside whether that was a wise more or not, they only got rid of him when it wasn't going to work out.  Again, how that can be placed against Harbaugh and/or used to blame him for getting rid of Boldin, I can't figure.

 

And, given that they finished 2013 with only $1.5M in excess Cap space, the $2.25M saved from Pollard's release was very much needed as well.

[izvoodoo]

Agreed.  I'm not sure why people can't see this when repeating this anti-Harbaugh mantra.

 

Houston offered Reed way more than the Ravens would - or could - pay him.  Not Harbaugh's decision to rid the team of him.

 

They wanted Boldin back and offered him the chance.  Leaving aside whether that was a wise more or not, they only got rid of him when it wasn't going to work out.  Again, how that can be placed against Harbaugh and/or used to blame him for getting rid of Boldin, I can't figure.

 

And, given that they finished 2013 with only $1.5M in excess Cap space, the $2.25M saved from Pollard's release was very much needed as well.

People are frustrated with the season.  It's natural.

[B-more Ravor]

People are frustrated with the season.  It's natural.

 

Not saying that Harbaugh doesn't have his faults - and being frustrated is certainly understandable and appropriate - but, constantly trashing a HC, as many seem to do, who has done nothing but win here, save one 8-8 season, is way more over the top than just frustrated, IMO.

[izvoodoo]

Not saying that Harbaugh doesn't have his faults - and being frustrated is certainly understandable and appropriate - but, constantly trashing a HC, as many seem to do, who has done nothing but win here, save one 8-8 season, is way more over the top than just frustrated, IMO.

Agreed.  Some fans don't deserve this team to be blunt

[gabefergy]

The only one was Pollard, who's a little crazy. Everything else was financial

Its not coincidence he was let go right after we resigned Ihedigbo. The FO clearly thought he was a better option and let Pollard go. He had his issues on the field to go along with whatever locker room nonsense he stirred up. Igedigbo turned out to be better anyways so I'm not sure what all the whining is about.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

And people are acting as if Harbaugh makes personnel decisions. That's Ozzie's job. Harbaugh may give some insight, but Ozzie still makes the final calls.

I love that line of thinking. When its a bad move, Harbaugh has all this power within the organization to resign, cut or trade any player he wants. Yet when its a great move for the organization, like hiring Kubiak, Harbaugh had nothing to do with it and had no power in the decision.

Agendas make people look silly.

[Ravenslifer]

The only one was Pollard, who's a little crazy.  Everything else was financial

 

I think the Pollard thing not only had to do with what he brought to the field, but also his off the field/locker room issues that most fans don't know about.  For one thing, we could all see that Pollard was a hard hitter but was pretty poor in coverage and gambled quite a bit, so he could be picked on.  And I think the most telling thing about him is that he's on his 4th team in 8 years, and this is a guy who's talented enough to have been a starter in 7 of those years.  Guys like that just aren't let go so easily if there aren't larger issues involved, and there were a few articles floating about alluding to the fact that he could be a distraction in both the locker room and on the field.

[berad]

And people are acting as if Harbaugh makes personnel decisions. That's Ozzie's job. Harbaugh may give some insight, but Ozzie still makes the final calls.

I love that line of thinking. When its a bad move, Harbaugh has all this power within the organization to resign, cut or trade any player he wants. Yet when its a great move for the organization, like hiring Kubiak, Harbaugh had nothing to do with it and had no power in the decision.

Agendas make people look silly.

 

YUP. The agenda of some who don't see eye-to-eye with him personally pretty much runs what they write.

[jazz1988]

Do you think the players trust that they can go to Harbaugh now though?  

 

I'm not going to act like I know what the locker room is like, but it seems like he pretty much eliminated all the vocal presences last year.  Maybe it's me, but it seems like no one really spoke out this season and everyone kind of kept to themselves.  With that also seemed to go this teams personality and toughness.  As others have said, you can't have a bunch of choir boys.  It worked out last year, but if people feel that they can't voice their opinion it will have affects on the team down the road.

 

I strongly believe players feel that  they can go to Harbaugh  and talk to him about anything.Okay you mention that it seems like we got rid of  all  the players that provided a  vocal presence and I guess you mean Pollard, Boldin, and Reed.  Bernard Pollard was a good player but he  really ran his mouth top much and played too reckless at times and Harbaugh had to constantly get on him about it . Boldin was just  a  money issue. Ed Reed is a player I believe Ozzie and Harbaugh wanted back  but he wanted more money than they were willing to offer also he was on the decline. 

 

 Overall theres nothing wrong with a player thats outspoken but if  it can potentially be a distraction to the team then you not going to find too many coaches willing  to allow that player to stick around for too long unless he's one heck of a player that can't be replaced. Ray Lewis  retired  and Ed Reed was potentially going to be  on another team  and that in it self is some serious lost of leadership. 

 

 I have no confidence that  a guy like Bernard Pollard would have provide that same type of leadership or atleast been a good role model for rookies like Matt Elam or Arthur Brown. I don't see how a player that has a hard time controlling his temper on the field , ready to fight a player, and even cussing out  other players should be consider a player that would be perfect role model for this young generation of players The Ravens had plan to bring in.  

[bauer77]

Crazy how any other article Preston writes, everyone just goes "Oh ignore it, its Preston." But because its an article about Harbs, "it must be true, i believe him!". LOL. 

 

The only other person in the media I've seen go along with this Preston bs is Vinny Cerrato, and we all know how much he bashes every Harbaugh move no matter what.

[Militant X 1]

whatever came of this?

 

#Mili

[Bump N Run]

I believe Preston's side to be closer to the truth. He's been disparaged by the club's paid writers, coaches and fan base on numerous occasions only to come out vindicated after the dust settled. 

 

It's in the clubs best interest to lie to protect Harbaugh from being perceived as a neutered lame duck by some on the team. What's in it for Preston to lie?  It only makes his job and good standing in dealing with the team more difficult.

 

While I appreciate the informative and sometimes entertaining articles I take anything the shills on this site write with a grain of salt.  It's smart business acumen to understand where the bread is buttered.

 

I enjoy the Byrne identify but understand much of it is PR oriented slanting of the actual facts.

 

The truth will surface.

 

my thoughts exactly. well said.