[News] Steve Bisciotti: 'Pitchforks Are Out,' But Firing Is A Bad Business Model

[BR News]

After finishing the season 8-8, the Ravens owner said he feels ‘bewilderment’ but is not angry. He’s confident in his ‘partners’ of Head Coach John Harbaugh, General Manager Ozzie Newsome and quarterback Joe Flacco.

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[Bruce_Almty]

A relatively news free hour presser: no one is going to get fired, no one is on the hot seat, team needs are DBs, WR, O-line, and edge rusher. Bobbing my head; hoping for improvement. Bring it on.

[vext99]

So continuing to do the same thing expecting a different result doesn't bother you either huh?

[Chuckx999]

The past few years have been so bad. Flacco deserves most of the O blame and the secondary the rest. Don't fire poor performers, just more of the same. Season Ticket Holder do your duty and don't get them for 2017. Empty seats in the stands, that will make the owner notice!!!.

[Moderator 2]

2 minutes ago, Chuckx999 said:

The past few years have been so bad. Flacco deserves most of the O blame and the secondary the rest. Don't fire poor performers, just more of the same. Season Ticket Holder do your duty and don't get them for 2017. Empty seats in the stands, that will make the owner notice!!!.

Bad idea thats partially how Baltimore lost the Colts.

[verified]

Welp, guess that means more of the same. Trash draft picks (bust, and loading up on positions were already deep at just to stick with the "best player available strategy"), one trick ponys at WR (Deep ball or bust), and injury prone starters at every position. I see why people bangwagon so much, being a fan of a losing team sucks, But aw well go ravens blah blah

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

I think what he said was fair. However the coordinators both offensively and defensively need to get their stuff together when play calling next season since they are sticking around another season.

[YorkCountyRaven]

Welp, guess that means more of the same. Trash draft picks (bust, and loading up on positions were already deep at just to stick with the "best player available strategy"), one trick ponys at WR (Deep ball or bust), and injury prone starters at every position. I see why people bangwagon so much, being a fan of a losing team sucks, But aw well go ravens blah blah

I believe in this team and organization. Sorry if you all don't. I love my ravens and the fans... But after this past season reading some of the comments and hearing how angry and unfaithful the fans can be? I'm not sure how good our fan base is. Win OR Lose. I'm a ravens fan.

[Ravens nation 20]

2 hours ago, Chuckx999 said:

The past few years have been so bad. Flacco deserves most of the O blame and the secondary the rest. Don't fire poor performers, just more of the same. Season Ticket Holder do your duty and don't get them for 2017. Empty seats in the stands, that will make the owner notice!!!.

Your not a real fan if you want season ticket holders to not go to games. I guess if you want the team to leave the city then that's a great idea. Being a fan means you stick with the team through the thick and thin not just when there doing well. Ozzie is gonna figure it out. He's the best gm in the league and he's gonna figure out how to win more games but it isn't through fans boycotting games.

Edited January 11 by Ravens nation 20
Grammar fix

[iluvpurple]

  2 hours ago, verified said:

Welp, guess that means more of the same. Trash draft picks (bust, and loading up on positions were already deep at just to stick with the "best player available strategy"), one trick ponys at WR (Deep ball or bust), and injury prone starters at every position. I see why people bangwagon so much, being a fan of a losing team sucks, But aw well go ravens blah blah

I believe in this team and organization. Sorry if you all don't. I love my ravens and the fans... But after this past season reading some of the comments and hearing how angry and unfaithful the fans can be? I'm not sure how good our fan base is. Win OR Lose. I'm a ravens fan.

You said exactly what I am feeling, thank you 👍🏈

[#Nevermore]

Steve has been the same calculating guy since he purchased the team. He gives a long leash. He gives his team all the resources they need to complete their objectives. That leaves a "no excuse" position for the front office and coaches. It is admirable to a point. I want him to think more critically about why we are mediocre and demand better. Reading between the lines, I think he did that. John will be out next season, if we aren't better unless we are injury plagued.

[iluvpurple]

  2 hours ago, Chuckx999 said:

The past few years have been so bad. Flacco deserves most of the O blame and the secondary the rest. Don't fire poor performers, just more of the same. Season Ticket Holder do your duty and don't get them for 2017. Empty seats in the stands, that will make the owner notice!!!.

Your not a real fan if you want season ticket holders to not go to games. I guess if you want the team to leave the city then that's a great idea. Being a fan means you stick with the team through the thick and thin not just when there doing well. Ozzie is gonna figure it out. He's the best gm in the league and he's gonna figure out how to win more games but it isn't through fans boycotting games.

Yep, completely agree with you 👍🏈

[purpledown]

Bischotti doesnt want to pull the trigger. Its not hard to see why he wont, there is not much out there as far as proven coaches. I am willling to go with Harbs he is a good guy. But if he has the same results next season i wonder if the owner will use that pitchfork?

[The Beak]

  2 hours ago, verified said:

Welp, guess that means more of the same. Trash draft picks (bust, and loading up on positions were already deep at just to stick with the "best player available strategy"), one trick ponys at WR (Deep ball or bust), and injury prone starters at every position. I see why people bangwagon so much, being a fan of a losing team sucks, But aw well go ravens blah blah

I believe in this team and organization. Sorry if you all don't. I love my ravens and the fans... But after this past season reading some of the comments and hearing how angry and unfaithful the fans can be? I'm not sure how good our fan base is. Win OR Lose. I'm a ravens fan.

So as a die hard fans of the Ravens we can't express our opinions , The fan base has to adhere to your standards of acceptance?
Not me , I Love the Ravens but I believe Harbaugh and staff have brought staleness to this team, too much buddy system, people need to be held accountable, Definition of insanity... well you know!

[OzzieBisciotti]

Bisciotti is giving everyone one more year- if we have the same/ worse results next year, I can't see how wholesale changes won't be made. Harbaugh needs to win, and Oz needs to give him better players- also, I'm sure in Harb's mind, he wants to win a championship outside of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed's shadow. Since those guys left, this team has no emotion (that's why Flacco was never a captain in college) and no players that strike fear in their opponents. i agree, we've gone away from our identity of playing smash mouth defense. If I were Flacco, I'd give some money back to the team because of his avg Joe / poor play. I'm sick of him throwing 5-8 yard dinks to his best friend, Pitta bread.

[Purple Dawg 96]

They will not throw Joe under the bus while under contract! Not a good look like with the Jets and Fitzpatrick! The owner has to see the games like we do and see Joe isn't cutting it! Now people got the audacity to try and question how Ozzie and Co. draft etc when it's the QB not getting it done! Imagine Joe in Aaron Rodgers shoes against the giants, Lol the Packers would be at home! Rodgers moved the pocket and got it done! I'm sorry I really did like Joe but I LOVE THE Ravens and he holding us back! The giants jets and raiders were games we should have won the skins beat us cowboys got away pats did also and squeelers finally got it done! Smh I still cannot believe we're not in the hunt! Smh

[Godfather A]

I was a Commanding Officer in the Air Force for 9 years. I fired a grand total of 4 people over that period of time. I agree with Steve Bisciotti that mass firings rarely yield good results. Just look at teams like the Browns.

[ellicottraven]

I watched the entire presser very closely. Bisciotti is caught between a rock and a hard place and John Harbaugh and Flacco put him in that position. Now the quandary he's in is that he obviously cannot do anything about Flacco other than to give him all the help he can get him both via personal quarterback coaching, a coordinator that has his ears and every other tool that he can procure including stud WRs, TEs and RB and an O-line that will protect him more than any line protects any other QB in the league.

Now, not all that is in his control because he's affected by the salary cap like every other team. But, he can get him all the coaching help to assist Flacco with his mechanics, confidence, accuracy, etc. that are designed to make him a productive QB. Also, that doesn't count against a salary cap. It was clear when he used the 'pitchfork are out' analogy that this year is the final chance for Harbaugh. I think Marty is staying back not because John's loyal to him but more because Flacco wants him! That was clear in an exchange with Bisciotti.

Also, Flacco cannot take this job for granted because Bisciotti is the kind of guy that is analytical and if he sees diminishing returns with Flacco, especially if Flacco's poor play results in another 8-8 or worse year, then suddenly it affects the big picture - brand value and therefore valuation of the team itself. Steve is too smart to allow that to happen. So, I believe Flacco is under scrutiny too in a sense. Both Harbaugh and Flacco need to figure it out this year to become winners and productive. Otherwise we might see a new dawn in Baltimore.

Really Bisciotti is taking the most optimal route of retaining Harbaugh due to extraneous circumstances. Mostly because he has no good options out there right now! Who is he going to replace him with when 7 other teams have a good head start in their hunt for a HC? Remember not too many options out there that are better than Harbaugh. You could make an argument that Harbaugh is better than any option out there with the exception of perhaps a Kyle Shanahan who is already being courted by Denver!

Edited January 11 by ellicottraven

[bigcatfrank1]

10 hours ago, OzzieBisciotti said:

Bisciotti is giving everyone one more year- if we have the same/ worse results next year, I can't see how wholesale changes won't be made. Harbaugh needs to win, and Oz needs to give him better players- also, I'm sure in Harb's mind, he wants to win a championship outside of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed's shadow. Since those guys left, this team has no emotion (that's why Flacco was never a captain in college) and no players that strike fear in their opponents. i agree, we've gone away from our identity of playing smash mouth defense. If I were Flacco, I'd give some money back to the team because of his avg Joe / poor play. I'm sick of him throwing 5-8 yard dinks to his best friend, Pitta bread.

That's not what he said and he didn't even imply that. Your analogy is don't read the article, just go to the bottom of the page and write what you think because your mind is made up. The problem with that is -you will cause your own agony all year long. You will painfully watch as The Ravens prepare for the 2017 Draft. You will casually say it wont matter, As the Draft approaches you will frown and say Oz and Eric are not going to choose the right guys. Then of course according to your accounting record they won't, so there is no reason to wait for the season or for that matter multiple seasons for them to grow and mature into NFL players. The front office will make your face bend out of shape as they release FA after FA only to keep the ones you have condemned with "no emotion". And finally as camp starts and Joe trots back on the field, your blood turns cold and you get that nagging pain in the back of your neck, Joe is back- But here is the biggest problem its your own fault. If you would just take the time to read what the owner of your team says in response to the questions you might see that there is reason for him to proceed in HIS way.

[law215]

I don't think there is a need to read between the lines with Steve. Steve was very candid. He trust OZ, DeCosta, and Harbs. He trust his instinct about how to run a business while knowing the fans and media think it's a mistake to not immediately fire Harbs or his coaches or OZ.

He mentioned if next year is not successful, he will evaluate the why.
He also mentioned going from 5 wins to 8 wins to 11 wins next year as the expectation.

As far as Oz and Harbs, I never seen them appear to be under more pressure or tension between them. Harbs mentioned building talent around Joe better and OZ mentioned coaching up the young guys where needed.

Out of all the responses, Harbs responses still has me 'Bewildered'. If he and Marty have such a clear concept of the importance of a run game, then why so few attempts. I thought that's where Steve was headed with he comment.

Harbs appears to say the players under performed. The backs West and Dixon were productive when given the opportunity.

They all appeared to be aware of the expectations, the criticism, and the "pitch forks." As fans we'll see.

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

Surround Joe with talent that is a great idea. We just lost SSS probably the most vocal leader on the offensive side of the ball. That in it self is going to be very hard to replace. We definitely need a true #1 WR . I believe Wallace and Perriman can be a #2 and #3. We also need O-line help big guys who can run-block as well as pass block. On the defensive side we need DB help someone who can actually compliment Weddle in the middle and serious depth on the outside guys who can cover and be left on an island with WR's. We also need a serious pass rusher who can be a vocal leader when Sizzle hangs his cleats up.
Coaching staff we need them to be smart about play calling and make game plans that give our guys a chance to win.

[ellicottraven]

20 minutes ago, ALSKAN RAVEN FAN said:

Surround Joe with talent that is a great idea. We just lost SSS probably the most vocal leader on the offensive side of the ball. That in it self is going to be very hard to replace. We definitely need a true #1 WR . I believe Wallace and Perriman can be a #2 and #3. We also need O-line help big guys who can run-block as well as pass block. On the defensive side we need DB help someone who can actually compliment Weddle in the middle and serious depth on the outside guys who can cover and be left on an island with WR's. We also need a serious pass rusher who can be a vocal leader when Sizzle hangs his cleats up.
Coaching staff we need them to be smart about play calling and make game plans that give our guys a chance to win.

On a humorous note, Bisciotti is still holding out hope for SSS to show up in September wanting to play! But, you're right. Flacco needs all the help he can get and then some to be productive. He's uncharacteristically inaccuate on his deep throws and even intermediate throws. His decision making has regressed badly and it had never progressed to an elite level to begin with ever. So, now the conundrum is the Ravens have to figure out a way to enable Flacco to be productive one way or the other and hope for the best. That is the situation they find themselves in. They either float or sink with Flacco and its looking more likely they're going to sink if they can't give him a great O-line, a great running game and WRs that can make contested catches and get wide open!

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

20 minutes ago, ellicottraven said:

On a humorous note, Bisciotti is still holding out hope for SSS to show up in September wanting to play! But, you're right. Flacco needs all the help he can get and then some to be productive. He's uncharacteristically inaccuate on his deep throws and even intermediate throws. His decision making has regressed badly and it had never progressed to an elite level to begin with ever. So, now the conundrum is the Ravens have to figure out a way to enable Flacco to be productive one way or the other and hope for the best. That is the situation they find themselves in. They either float or sink with Flacco and its looking more likely they're going to sink if they can't give him a great O-line, a great running game and WRs that can make contested catches and get wide open!

I like Joe but to be totally honest Joe has not played up to the level for the amount of money he is getting paid with exception of the playoffs he has out played Brady, Rothlesburger and P. Manning during the playoffs. However during the regular season most of the time Joe is just average. I can remember a few regular season games Joe was AWESOME but only a couple against the Bucs I believe 2 seasons ago I think Joe had 5 TD's and against the Steelers a few seasons ago with C.Cameron as OC. I know other people on these boards might think of other games that he played at an awesome level  in the regular season but for the amount of money he is getting honestly thats not enough games for his amount of pay.  If Joe gets time he can play at a high level but part of getting paid at the level he is getting paid he has to be able to make things happen when its tough sledding on the field. Like I said I am a Flacco fan but it's time for him to play at the level he is getting paid. Just being honest.

Edited January 11 by ALSKAN RAVEN FAN

[Maurice0094]

I like to here bisciotti talk and give uncut feelings to his employees because it makes them take notice. The media is asking the hard question, the uncomfortable question, and he has to give the hard answer about what he expects from his employees. No more hiding giving coaches one liners it's or a what I think might do in free agency answers from GM. It's real if u don't do it then what were u thinking in not doing it because it was asked in front of your boss. I want absolute undeniable accountability. I'm tired of the buddy buddy we going to Florida to have a meeting for 3-4 days. I want answers on why this team hasn't gotten into playoffs as consumer/fan. Firing isnt always the best way but accountability is the only way. Bisciotti we are watching because we as fans demand accountability from top to bottom in this organization.

[b93333]

I'm sure glad someone is confident in this bunch.

[Militant X 1]

42 minutes ago, Maurice0094 said:

I like to here bisciotti talk and give uncut feelings to his employees because it makes them take notice. The media is asking the hard question, the uncomfortable question, and he has to give the hard answer about what he expects from his employees. No more hiding giving coaches one liners it's or a what I think might do in free agency answers from GM. It's real if u don't do it then what were u thinking in not doing it because it was asked in front of your boss. I want absolute undeniable accountability. I'm tired of the buddy buddy we going to Florida to have a meeting for 3-4 days. I want answers on why this team hasn't gotten into playoffs as consumer/fan. Firing isnt always the best way but accountability is the only way. Bisciotti we are watching because we as fans demand accountability from top to bottom in this organization.

I loved hearing Bisciotti more than Ozzie and John.  It was great hearing how he thinks about things and his answers were so direct and frank without pulling any punches.  He even called out a few players by name in reference to their playing better, those who's performance fell off and even those who may possibly be released.  Real refreshing!

[sami]

  6 hours ago, verified said:

Welp, guess that means more of the same. Trash draft picks (bust, and loading up on positions were already deep at just to stick with the "best player available strategy"), one trick ponys at WR (Deep ball or bust), and injury prone starters at every position. I see why people bangwagon so much, being a fan of a losing team sucks, But aw well go ravens blah blah

I believe in this team and organization. Sorry if you all don't. I love my ravens and the fans... But after this past season reading some of the comments and hearing how angry and unfaithful the fans can be? I'm not sure how good our fan base is. Win OR Lose. I'm a ravens fan.

I'm with ya, YorkCountyRaven.

[thegooddoc456]

So, why did we fire Billick after one bad season with no QB? After all, he just came off a 13-3 season the year before. We've exhausted every excuse in the book in trying to justify the prevailing suckitude...if we want continuity in mediocrity, sure we better stick with Harbaugh and his coaching staff. The result will be the same; 7-9 here we come again!

NB: Those of us criticizing the decision makers are not doing so because it's fun or because we are any less fans of the team as compared to those who choose to bury their heads in sand. We are frustrated because we care, and want to see the team we root for excel. Spare me the lack of loyalty mumbo jumbo.

[LaredoTx_RavensFan]

Coach Harbaugh and company are getting another chance to rectify the problems from the 2016 as they move forward. Are there better head. coaches out there? In reality I don't really care who the head coach is or will be....I just want the Ravens to win and return to the playoffs. In Ozzie We Trust. Go Ravens!

[hereweare]

1 hour ago, thegooddoc456 said:

So, why did we fire Billick after one bad season with no QB? After all, he just came off a 13-3 season the year before. We've exhausted every excuse in the book in trying to justify the prevailing suckitude...if we want continuity in mediocrity, sure we better stick with Harbaugh and his coaching staff. The result will be the same; 7-9 here we come again!

NB: Those of us criticizing the decision makers are not doing so because it's fun or because we are any less fans of the team as compared to those who choose to bury their heads in sand. We are frustrated because we care, and want to see the team we root for excel. Spare me the lack of loyalty mumbo jumbo.

Billick wasn't fired after one bad season. He had a losing record 3/4 years when Biscotti became majority owner and the 2007 season was extremely disappointing. More importantly though, Billick was tied to Kyle Boller and that time was over. 2008 meant new coach new QB.

I agree with Biscotti, this year was not the year to start firing people. The 2017 season is make or break 

Edited January 11 by hereweare