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

[sizzlingdoom]

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

I'm glad Biscoitti takes a thoughtful approach to the team, the cohesiveness of the overall group and how important it is to build a culture of teamwork. Sure we are all frustrated, but this year saw positives along with negatives, the baby is in the bath water so being careful about what/whom you toss out is the correct approach.

Enlighten me on the positives please? And i'm not interested in any feel good silver linings that are as cliche as possible

[sizzlingdoom]

5 hours ago, OriolesMagicPlease said:

18 hours ago, The Beak said:

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!

All fans should express their opinions. But there is a difference between being frustrated and totally giving up on your team. Being a passionate fan can be really painful, but turning your back on the team in the bad times means you really weren't a real fan to begin with.

Please , o please tell me how I've given I've given up and turned my back on the team. By pointing out facts?? If I gave up and turned my back, I wouldn't be here posting. I just wouldn't give a damn. But I do as much as any of our fans. And discussing our teams flaws with other fans is FAR from turning my back and giving up on the team. I sleep with Ravens gear, I wear it ( in CA), and I'm on their site everyday of my life. I love the Ravens. Just discussing our serious problems with other knowledgeable fans. If there were one or two of us with these feelings it would be one thing. But it looks like at least half the users on here know there are serious problems at the helm. Where there's smoke there's fire. I'll never give up on them. But will I discuss our issues with fellow fans when I want to, yeah. why not?

[Ravenshine]

  11 minutes ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

I'm glad Biscoitti takes a thoughtful approach to the team, the cohesiveness of the overall group and how important it is to build a culture of teamwork. Sure we are all frustrated, but this year saw positives along with negatives, the baby is in the bath water so being careful about what/whom you toss out is the correct approach.

Enlighten me on the positives please? And i'm not interested in any feel good silver linings that are as cliche as possible

Our defense was one...in the first part of season, our offense in latter. New OC step in right direction...got run game going. Tucker has been a positive all along...this continued. Pitta back from injury and going strong. Camp back from injury and lighting up just as I remember him. Perriman beginning to get into a grove...some drops but also some awesome catches. Wallace had mixed season but some play making with him. Some good defensive steals (Mosley) , run game...West/Dixon combo made debut and over time built momentum resulting in scores ... basically all the good plays and players too numerous to mention, but enough to keep virtually every game we played close in score regardless. It just feels we came up short, couldn't close the deal. But to act like we played like Cleveland...is just inaccurate. So obviously we had positives. In fact 8-8 is a 50/50 record...so there ya go. Positives and negatives about equal. See, it's not hard to see the good when you are looking for it. Bisciotti wants to built upon the good, and yet is aware of the bad that needs fixing...as I can tell from his words here. He's aware of the lack of faith some fans have, yet he's determined, thoughtful and approaching from all angles giving credit to all sides INCLUDING some fans that are...not giving credit in return to this team. What more can you ask at this point? fire the team and get all new players? Lol, cause it's just so bad...no good here...we almost made the playoffs but....we must be horrible...right? Just nothing good to reflect on...SO BAD.

No, that's not right 😂 ...bad teams don't almost make playoffs. Bad teams get top draft picks.

[Ravens Raver]

I agree with Bisciotti that firing isn't always the answer. You start down that road and you end up being the Cleveland Browns. The constant turnover at OC is part of the reason we are where we are today.

Yeah, I'm disappointed with this season, but it was an improvement over last year, we were in the hunt most of the way, and if not for a few key plays/series we'd be in the playoffs now. We just need to keep making progress. Onward and upward.

[billiejean]

  39 minutes ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

I'm glad Biscoitti takes a thoughtful approach to the team, the cohesiveness of the overall group and how important it is to build a culture of teamwork. Sure we are all frustrated, but this year saw positives along with negatives, the baby is in the bath water so being careful about what/whom you toss out is the correct approach.

Enlighten me on the positives please? And i'm not interested in any feel good silver linings that are as cliche as possible

Well you did say that the Ravens roster was the best in the AFC and maybe all of football. I guess that would be a positive. How you came to that conclusion I am not sure. It seems like your opinion and your beef with the organization changes everyday. People think what you say is ridiculous because you continually contradict yourself.

[Drew P]

45 minutes ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

 

That's pathetic actually. A guy with history of injuries is one thing but for a defense to fold up (twice) due to one CB going down is the bewildering part

[Ravenshine]

  52 minutes ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

 

That's pathetic actually. A guy with history of injuries is one thing but for a defense to fold up (twice) due to one CB going down is the bewildering part

Yeah, the last two games our opponents kept getting the deep plays in (or pass interference call which is the same as a catch), moving down field quickly and scoring in 4th to beat us. I kept thinking 'not on JS's watch would they get away with it this much.' Why the defense (incl coaching) didn't adjust to compensate this weakness faster (at all even) falls into the negs category for sure.

[good_n_purple]

it was nice to hear that bisciotti has noticed the crappy qb play, poor drafting in the early rnds and avg. coaching and has made them all accountable moving forward. i am going to support all the decisions that have been made thus far and see how it all plays out next season and if we miss the playoffs im sure steve will make the right moves. go ravens!!

No one can say Steve B. has a hair trigger. Accountability at the coach and player level has just not been evident. So, now that the GM an HC seats are appropriately heated we have to wait for the leopard to change it's spots. I'm doubting it but oddly enough have been wrong before.

[Rav'n Maniac]

Nothing will change overnight and we have to find a way to get better playmakers here. Build both sides of the ball starting with the lines and go from there.

[eze17]

  1 hour ago, btfan2 said:

  2 hours ago, RavenManiac#7 said:

I've always thought that Mr. Bisciotti is the best owner of a sports team that I've seen, and I still do. We are very lucky that he is the owner of the Ravens. But, that doesn't mean that he's incapable of making a mistake. I know that a lot of people will think I'm really full of myself for saying this kind of stuff, but let me at least Try to dispel that thought by stating, emphatically, here that I believe that he is Much more intelligent than I am. That does not change my mind about thinking that he is making a mistake about this though. But, it's His team, not the fans' team. He has Every right to make ALL the decisions. As successful as he is in running the business that made him a billionaire, though, that doesn't mean that Every entity should be run the Exact same way in order for it to be the most successful as it can be. A football team, with it's particular situation within a league that has it's own unique rules to follow, along with a CBA with the Players' Union (which can be vastly different than, say, a more typical workers union, if applicable) may have a better chance for success being run differently than a company in a different business setting. And, I have to wonder if he sees Harbaugh's obvious shortcomings as an NFL HC. All I hear is praise for Harbs from him. No mention at all about his glaring weaknesses. Well, realistically, I guess he doesn't want to air out those things in public, but I sure hope that he addresses them with him at the big meeting. And then, that he holds him accountable for improvement in those areas, just like Harbaugh would, or should, be doing with his players. I Still hope that I am proved entirely wrong in thinking that Harbaugh should be fired. I would Much rather me be dead wrong than for the Ravens to continue to be a mediocre team at best. I truly want to eat crow on this one.

I must disagree on one point. In reality this is not Mr. Bisciotti's team. This team belongs to the city of Baltimore's citizens who paid for that expensive stadium on the backs of young students that have crap for schools. Why; because tax money can only do so much. Not to mention the police who direct traffic and protect fans, etc.

This team belongs to every fan that buys tickets, buys t shirts, sweat shirts and all manner of overpriced junk with the Ravens logo across the US and abroad. For every fan who watches on local TV or must pay for NFL Sunday Ticket out of state and all the other cable scams and then still must endure 2 + hours of inane commercials (that mightily fill the Ravens Org. bank account). Then this Web site that has the audacity to force users to endure more commercials to watch a replay, really dude? I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface. The final insult, raise ticket prices; priceless.

I have no idea what MR B. paid for this team but; you can bet he’s made millions maybe even a billion.
All that being said, he the FA, the coaches, the players, grounds keepers etc., all of them answer to us. Consumers(fans) to not understand their power. We pay for everything either directly or inadvertently. Our reply to this should be ok, but; we as fans are going to stop buying all manner of Ravens Junk, maybe skip a few games, and do whatever small thing possible to reduce the Ravens Organizations spending money until this crap gets fixed.
Mr. B. you’re on NOTICE, one more year!

That sounds all well and good but its a bunch of BS. You're not putting "Mr. B" on notice.

100% correct. Biscotti owns the team, not the city nor the fans. Anyone who believes he needs to answer to them is delusional. People in Baltimore once thought the same about a guy named Irsay. If you're old enough, you remember how that ended.

And any one who doesn't like that, well, quit buying tickets, t-shirts and other gear. Stop going to games. Stop watching games. No one "owes" you anything. The NFL is entertainment, not medical procedure that needs to be regulated. Get over it.

[Utah_Raven]

Whoever is in charge of scouting WRs for the draft needs to be fired right now.

[billiejean]

11 minutes ago, eze17 said:

100% correct. Biscotti owns the team, not the city nor the fans. Anyone who believes he needs to answer to them is delusional. People in Baltimore once thought the same about a guy named Irsay. If you're old enough, you remember how that ended.

And any one who doesn't like that, well, quit buying tickets, t-shirts and other gear. Stop going to games. Stop watching games. No one "owes" you anything. The NFL is entertainment, not medical procedure that needs to be regulated. Get over it.

Yea I am not old enough to have lived through the Irsay regime but new conferences and the Mayflower moving trucks leaving in the cover of  darkness.  I feel confident in saying that we are in much better hands with Steve.

[OriolesMagicPlease]

5 hours ago, sizzlingdoom said:

Please , o please tell me how I've given I've given up and turned my back on the team. By pointing out facts?? If I gave up and turned my back, I wouldn't be here posting. I just wouldn't give a damn. But I do as much as any of our fans. And discussing our teams flaws with other fans is FAR from turning my back and giving up on the team. I sleep with Ravens gear, I wear it ( in CA), and I'm on their site everyday of my life. I love the Ravens. Just discussing our serious problems with other knowledgeable fans. If there were one or two of us with these feelings it would be one thing. But it looks like at least half the users on here know there are serious problems at the helm. Where there's smoke there's fire. I'll never give up on them. But will I discuss our issues with fellow fans when I want to, yeah. why not?

I didn't state that you personally have given up on the team. You seem a bit defensive. But there are those who have and they are the "fans" I was talking about. I enjoy reading all the different opinions, even if I don't agree with them and even if I think some people have forgotten that football is just a game for entertainment and have lost perspective.

[Utah_Raven]

Nothing will change overnight and we have to find a way to get better playmakers here. Build both sides of the ball starting with the lines and go from there.

This is correct. No playmakers? No deep playoff run. It's as easy as that. Look at every team in the divisional round of the playoffs this weekend. Each team has playmakers/stars.

[ibleedpurpleandblack]

Whoever is in charge of scouting WRs for the draft needs to be fired right now.

You obviously missed the entire point of the article...Nobody is getting fired...

[ibleedpurpleandblack]

  1 hour ago, Drew P said:

  2 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

 

That's pathetic actually. A guy with history of injuries is one thing but for a defense to fold up (twice) due to one CB going down is the bewildering part

Yeah, the last two games our opponents kept getting the deep plays in (or pass interference call which is the same as a catch), moving down field quickly and scoring in 4th to beat us. I kept thinking 'not on JS's watch would they get away with it this much.' Why the defense (incl coaching) didn't adjust to compensate this weakness faster (at all even) falls into the negs category for sure.

ahhhhhhh, how do you adjust to compensate when the talent of the players you have to adjust with shouldn't even be playing on the team? The talent drop off is ridiculous. Wright and Powers are horrible and need to be released. BUT THEN WHO DO WE HAVE AFTER THAT? Secondary is/should be a major area of rebuilding bc without we can see what happens...

[good_n_purple]

  1 hour ago, Utah_Raven said:

Whoever is in charge of scouting WRs for the draft needs to be fired right now.

You obviously missed the entire point of the article...Nobody is getting fired...

Well not exactly true. The main cogs responsible for running the team were let go...the asst. offensive line coordinator, and the strength and conditioning coach. See! All fixed!

[Ravenshine]

  3 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

  3 hours ago, Drew P said:

  4 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

Jimmy Smith's injury was huge in effecting our defense giving up scores.

 

That's pathetic actually. A guy with history of injuries is one thing but for a defense to fold up (twice) due to one CB going down is the bewildering part

Yeah, the last two games our opponents kept getting the deep plays in (or pass interference call which is the same as a catch), moving down field quickly and scoring in 4th to beat us. I kept thinking 'not on JS's watch would they get away with it this much.' Why the defense (incl coaching) didn't adjust to compensate this weakness faster (at all even) falls into the negs category for sure.

ahhhhhhh, how do you adjust to compensate when the talent of the players you have to adjust with shouldn't even be playing on the team? The talent drop off is ridiculous. Wright and Powers are horrible and need to be released. BUT THEN WHO DO WE HAVE AFTER THAT? Secondary is/should be a major area of rebuilding bc without we can see what happens...

Yes, and I don't like to say such and such player should go. I know someone has to say it...so I'm glad coaches, brass, owners make those calls. So...it seems they will be tougher this off season on that regard. I incidentally am watching our 2012 season again...I do that sometimes it makes me happy to see that year play out over again. So...my advice to coaches/staff is to revive that type of caliber of player by one...yes acquiring from outside but two...getting more out of our current players talents...the players that stick around that is. So...bring in more like the likes of Weddle, SSS, and Wallace...to name a few, and those aforementioned will probably rise up even better too. Because, going back to 2012... Lewis, Reed, Boldin, Jacoby, ... well pretty much the whole team that year... brought out the best in each other. So when one player failed, had a bad day, got injured...others rose up and filled the void. Lately it seems a few good ones go down and we limp along.

So your point is understood. I just hate (myself) to call for firing or releasing players. Not saying you like to do it either btw...but 'some' within organization will have to do some cutting obviously this OS. Football is family and I like it when players leave because we can't afford them rather than they leave because they don't play well.

[RayRayRaven]

im not pleased with this article and don't accept the excuses the writer laid out. if the pitchforks are not out this year stevie b....when? Is 8-8 missing the playoffs next year enough to lite the lantern and chase the monsters out? is 7-9 enough? if one is not part of the cure one is part of the problem.

[sizzlingdoom]

  16 hours ago, sizzlingdoom said:

Please , o please tell me how I've given I've given up and turned my back on the team. By pointing out facts?? If I gave up and turned my back, I wouldn't be here posting. I just wouldn't give a damn. But I do as much as any of our fans. And discussing our teams flaws with other fans is FAR from turning my back and giving up on the team. I sleep with Ravens gear, I wear it ( in CA), and I'm on their site everyday of my life. I love the Ravens. Just discussing our serious problems with other knowledgeable fans. If there were one or two of us with these feelings it would be one thing. But it looks like at least half the users on here know there are serious problems at the helm. Where there's smoke there's fire. I'll never give up on them. But will I discuss our issues with fellow fans when I want to, yeah. why not?

I didn't state that you personally have given up on the team. You seem a bit defensive. But there are those who have and they are the "fans" I was talking about. I enjoy reading all the different opinions, even if I don't agree with them and even if I think some people have forgotten that football is just a game for entertainment and have lost perspective.

It is a game for entertainment. But there's a lot that goes into this "game". They are real people playing this game, that get injured as real humans, sometimes in a fashion so badly people don't even want to talk about it. And it's a game that a lot of fans invest a lot of time and money into. To some it's just a game that they might occassionally turn on just whenever the games on and it's fun to watch. But to others it means a whole lot. So why can't they voice their opinion? Or abandon a team if they invest a lot into them, then they don't believe in what that franchise is doing for years? Everyone can do whatever they want. One of the best parts about this country

[RaRaRavens]

16 hours ago, OriolesMagicPlease said:

All fans should express their opinions. But there is a difference between being frustrated and totally giving up on your team. Being a passionate fan can be really painful, but turning your back on the team in the bad times means you really weren't a real fan to begin with.

And there is also a difference on turning your back on the team and calling them out on their BS. I will never turn my back on the Ravens, but I'm starting to turn my back on Harbaugh and his bunch of friends he has hired as coaches, because Harbaugh has abandoned the Ravens identity.

[RaRaRavens]

14 hours ago, eze17 said:

100% correct. Biscotti owns the team, not the city nor the fans. Anyone who believes he needs to answer to them is delusional. People in Baltimore once thought the same about a guy named Irsay. If you're old enough, you remember how that ended.

And any one who doesn't like that, well, quit buying tickets, t-shirts and other gear. Stop going to games. Stop watching games. No one "owes" you anything. The NFL is entertainment, not medical procedure that needs to be regulated. Get over it.

That's true. NFL ownership is a two-bladed sword. I'm sure Mr.Biscotti knows it better than anyone. And I have no doubt in my mind that he is doing everything in his best judgement to make this team succeed. We the fans are always way more impatient than the ownership. That's probably the fundamental reason most of us would be crappy at running an NFL team. Cause we've seen what changing the FO every other year does to a team from Browns. Therefore, I was actually relieved by Biscotti's press conference, because despite his cool demeanor, it seemed he too was growing weary of the same recurring issues year after year. Now there should be at least a fire under Harbaugh&Co's collective arses.

[good_n_purple]

  21 hours ago, OriolesMagicPlease said:

All fans should express their opinions. But there is a difference between being frustrated and totally giving up on your team. Being a passionate fan can be really painful, but turning your back on the team in the bad times means you really weren't a real fan to begin with.

And there is also a difference on turning your back on the team and calling them out on their BS. I will never turn my back on the Ravens, but I'm starting to turn my back on Harbaugh and his bunch of friends he has hired as coaches, because Harbaugh has abandoned the Ravens identity.

I truly don't think Harbaugh seriously looks for coaches beyond the rolodex he has from 1989 on his desk.

[good_n_purple]

  19 hours ago, OriolesMagicPlease said:

  21 hours ago, sizzlingdoom said:

Please , o please tell me how I've given I've given up and turned my back on the team. By pointing out facts?? If I gave up and turned my back, I wouldn't be here posting. I just wouldn't give a damn. But I do as much as any of our fans. And discussing our teams flaws with other fans is FAR from turning my back and giving up on the team. I sleep with Ravens gear, I wear it ( in CA), and I'm on their site everyday of my life. I love the Ravens. Just discussing our serious problems with other knowledgeable fans. If there were one or two of us with these feelings it would be one thing. But it looks like at least half the users on here know there are serious problems at the helm. Where there's smoke there's fire. I'll never give up on them. But will I discuss our issues with fellow fans when I want to, yeah. why not?

I didn't state that you personally have given up on the team. You seem a bit defensive. But there are those who have and they are the "fans" I was talking about. I enjoy reading all the different opinions, even if I don't agree with them and even if I think some people have forgotten that football is just a game for entertainment and have lost perspective.

It is a game for entertainment. But there's a lot that goes into this "game". They are real people playing this game, that get injured as real humans, sometimes in a fashion so badly people don't even want to talk about it. And it's a game that a lot of fans invest a lot of time and money into. To some it's just a game that they might occassionally turn on just whenever the games on and it's fun to watch. But to others it means a whole lot. So why can't they voice their opinion? Or abandon a team if they invest a lot into them, then they don't believe in what that franchise is doing for years? Everyone can do whatever they want. One of the best parts about this country

And there you go. Fans should be able to express their opinions freely. But! Just like anything other subject if you give an opinion be ready for the counterpoint and don't get butt-hurt about it.

True...just a game and you already mentioned the investments of time and money, but the biggest investment for a lot of folks is the emotional one.

[OriolesMagicPlease]

11 hours ago, sizzlingdoom said:

It is a game for entertainment. But there's a lot that goes into this "game". They are real people playing this game, that get injured as real humans, sometimes in a fashion so badly people don't even want to talk about it. And it's a game that a lot of fans invest a lot of time and money into. To some it's just a game that they might occassionally turn on just whenever the games on and it's fun to watch. But to others it means a whole lot. So why can't they voice their opinion? Or abandon a team if they invest a lot into them, then they don't believe in what that franchise is doing for years? Everyone can do whatever they want. One of the best parts about this country

I agree that everyone can and should voice their opinion freely, never said otherwise. Just like I am voicing mine when I say that those who choose to abandon their team when the times get tough aren't real fans.

[OriolesMagicPlease]

11 hours ago, RaRaRavens said:

And there is also a difference on turning your back on the team and calling them out on their BS. I will never turn my back on the Ravens, but I'm starting to turn my back on Harbaugh and his bunch of friends he has hired as coaches, because Harbaugh has abandoned the Ravens identity.

I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with the ones who said they aren't Ravens fans anymore because of the BS, either perceived or real.