Ravens Prioritize Quarterback Talent Over Long-Tenured Coach

Key Quotes

"I realized I got rid of the breaking news sound drops. I could not enemy group for Japan's gong, our caller Japan, so that will ring in the breaking news that we have a couple of coaching news, big news, obviously John Harbaugh has been fired by the Baltimore Ravens. I guess a little surprising, but not crazy surprise that he had he got let go."

The speaker notes the removal of a sound effect for breaking news, immediately transitioning to the significant news of John Harbaugh's firing from the Baltimore Ravens. This highlights the unexpected nature of the event, even if not entirely surprising to the speaker.

"I guess one Super Bowl, but then, you know, they've kind of just been stuck in limbo here in these Lamar years where can't get past the divisional round. So basically his his from when he started as a head coach in 2008 till 2012, that run, those five seasons there where, you know, they won the Super Bowl in '12, 2012, Joe Flacco proved he was elite, they were nine and four in playoff games, obviously going on that 4-0 playoff run."

The speaker reflects on John Harbaugh's tenure with the Ravens, acknowledging his Super Bowl win but emphasizing a perceived plateau in recent years with Lamar Jackson. This quote contextualizes Harbaugh's firing by pointing to a lack of playoff advancement despite having an MVP quarterback.

"I think it was just they probably felt like they were kind of stuck here and weren't making a run here with Lamar. Like you've, I wouldn't say wasted the best years of Lamar, but not even a conference championship for an MVP quarterback does feel like a bit of a disappointment for Harbaugh, and I think that's ultimately why they let him go."

The speaker posits that the Ravens organization felt stagnant with their current coaching and quarterback pairing, leading to Harbaugh's dismissal. This interpretation suggests that the inability to reach a Super Bowl or even a conference championship with an MVP quarterback like Lamar Jackson was a key factor in the decision.

"I think you're right, obviously there was a gap between Lamar and the coach. I think in modern athletics, the coach doesn't win really anymore when it comes to choosing between the player and the coach. What if you're the Ravens and you have to get rid of either Lamar Jackson or Harbaugh, what do you do?"

The speaker agrees with a previous point about a disconnect between Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh, suggesting that in contemporary sports, players often hold more sway than coaches. This quote frames the difficult decision the Ravens faced in prioritizing either their star quarterback or their head coach.

"Well, so that's now we have learned that Harbaugh refused to fire Todd Monken, yeah, which apparently ownership was trying to meddle in stuff, and maybe that's where this started, right? Like maybe when they wanted to meddle in his coaching staff, he was like, 'Okay, this is feeling a little different than...'"

The speaker introduces a new piece of information: John Harbaugh's refusal to fire offensive coordinator Todd Monken, implying that ownership's interference in coaching staff decisions may have been a catalyst for the situation. This suggests a conflict between Harbaugh's autonomy and the organization's desires.

"I tend to not, I think these, I think when franchises let go of good coaches because they're tired of getting to a point and they feel like their ceiling isn't being achieved, you're you're what you're doing and now I think people will disagree with this take, but I think you're it's no different than chasing any other kind of outlier because what's harder to do, to be consistently good and putting yourself in a position to go on that run every year or to have gone on that run one time?"

The speaker offers a perspective on why franchises move on from successful coaches, framing it as a pursuit of an elusive ceiling rather than a guarantee of future success. This quote suggests that organizations sometimes prioritize the potential for a breakthrough over sustained, albeit limited, success.