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Bernard Pollard Speaks Out on Harbaugh Again
- Thread starter NaturalBornHitters
- Start date
Im still not sure what Pollard means by "breaking up something good" or why he thinks Harbaugh has a ton of say over personnel. Not to mention the defense was average at best in 2012.
The only player that they let walk that ended up being a bad decision was Boldin. Nonsense to think the team would have fared a lot better by retaining guys like Pollard, Ellerbe, Kruger, Cary Williams.
I get why the people who hate Harbaugh want to make a big deal over this, but lets not act like keeping the Super Bowl team together would have been (a) doable or (b) a good decision.
The only player that they let walk that ended up being a bad decision was Boldin. Nonsense to think the team would have fared a lot better by retaining guys like Pollard, Ellerbe, Kruger, Cary Williams.
I get why the people who hate Harbaugh want to make a big deal over this, but lets not act like keeping the Super Bowl team together would have been (a) doable or (b) a good decision.
Ravensnation5220
Ravens Ring of Honor
I read all of his tweets and he makes a good point. Harbaugh doesnt do much coaching he just fills the spot. After the 2012 super bowl and put on a pedastool. Hes been given more responsibilities since then and it shows. 2014 was successful only because we had kubiak. If you look at the numbers it makes sense. Plus he was in the locker room.
Cville-Raven
MVP
See thats what make zero sense to me. Like if you didn't like his coaching style I could get that, but to say we had something special is hilarious and prevents me from taking him very serious. Boldin was the only player that wasn't on the team in 2013 that was worth a damn. There was honestly nothing special about that team talent wise. You could maybe argue Ed reed from a veteran leadership standpoint, but he wasn't worth anywhere near what houston gave him; which is why the texans dispatched him before he could even finish his first season there. We ended up finding better players on defense anyway.
Exactly this. We replaced Kruger with Elvis Dumervil, a cheaper and more productive option. Kruger fared somewhat well but by most accounts did not live up to the contract. Pollard performed well in Tennessee before retiring less than one and a half years later. We replaced him with James Ihedigbo, who mirrored his level of play, if not outperformed it. Williams went on to struggle in Philadelphia, was mentioned as a cut candidate after his first season, somewhat bounced back, was released, signed with Seattle and was given his walking papers after ending up as a healthy scratch in numerous games. Ellerbe was considered to be part of several overpaid whiffs by Jeff Ireland, having his role limited after the first season by being taken off the field in Nickel sets. He was then released after missing most of the following season. His presence was replaced by Daryl Smith, who raised the bar. Ray Lewis and Matt Birk retired, which couldn't have been prevented. The OL was exactly the same on paper minus Birk. The QB, RB and TE situations were virtually identical.
In hindsight, we could've avoided giving Gino Gradkowski the keys to the center position. Obviously the loss of Boldin was the most avoidable and arguably the most debilitating of the bunch. From what I recall, we ended up clearing space to chase Ellerbe and ended up with neither, missing out on the latter being a positive. I would preferred that we kept Ed Reed, though that's partly for sentimental reasons. It would've been difficult to compete with the offer he received from Houston, from where he was released. There's a better case to be made against whom we brought in, i.e. Matt Elam, Terrence Cody and Michael Huff. However, all of that is a different argument entirely given that neither prevented any re-signings with two being draft picks and Huff netting a mere $2 million per season. Looking back at the roster, we did have some festering talent at the reserve spots such as Ricky Wagner, Brandon Williams and Ryan Jensen, but it's no guarantee that they were ready given their youth and inexperience. We had a tough season in 2013, but had we broken up something good, we wouldn't have contended so soon in 2014. I'll never forget the team of destiny that brought home the trophy, but we arguably had a better roster two years later, which could've very well made the SuperBowl without the Jimmy Smith injury. On its own merit, this sentiment is simply misguided bitterness. Pass the salt.
NaturalBornHitters
Veteran
Yup, I was thinking 4 or 5 tbh
Exactly and it’s a bizarre thing for him to harp on given that the front office nearly mortgaged the future to keep those guys there for the Super Bowl year in the first place - conventional wisdom might have blown that team up a year earlier - but those guys weren’t incredible and it would be franchise suicide to keep them all there - if anything we should have blown it up even harder than we did
RayRayRaven
Veteran
Well, the first thing you have to know about is the "The Mutiny". If you don't know about "The Mutiny", you really are not in a position to comment. I'll end below with some words on "The Mutiny", but you'd also have to know about the written notice Pollard received and what verbiage it contained. I won't help you with that, because there's two kinds: Those that know and those that don't.
I guess you're right in lock step with Ozzie Newsome and Harball, because the two of them certainly disbanded that team just when it had jelled. Pollard is spot on and we haven't been the same without him or key others. If you think Weddle and Jefferson, Elam ....heck, not even gonna itemize the other mistakes. As stated previously, one knows or one doesn't .
Those are the moves that made it clear Ozzie and Harball had relied upon luck more than acumen and that convinced many it was time. The subsequent proof has been in the pudding.
Well, you are one of the former...one who knows. It's tough isn't it?
Only Boldin huh? Now I'll agree it would have been difficult to keep everyone...but do you think they tried? or was it purge time? What do you know? And what makes you think the purge was only one year? They've been sinking the ship with almost every decision for some time.
One other thing for perspective C'Ville. You're the guy that put a Matt Elam avatar on your profile and were defending his lame carcass long after it was clear he was a midget in the NFL. And I bet you're just as high on Humpf!!!
So you're saying they resigned guys like Boldin, Reed and Williams for that one final year? No worries about how hard it got blowed up. Kim Jung Ill and Vladimer Putin aren't even close to the the A Bomb Ozze and Harball fired off. Oz and Harball still don't realize they got hit with the radioactive blowback, but you can tell because they glowin!
The mutiny?.......oh heck ...go learn yourselves!!
Was there ever really Harball?...........that is so yesterday.
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Do you honestly mean to tell me that the team made a mistake letting go guys like Kruger, Ellerbe and Cary Williams- each of which became a top 5 paid player at their respective position and the retention of which would have put the team in cap hell for years?
TheCity5
MVP
I don't agree with Pollard on his remarks about the moves Harbaugh and the team made, the only one that I think we really regret was letting go of Boldin, and then Corey Graham after that. Outside of that I think some of the situations were unavoidable, this isn't surprising from Pollard though because he's never been a fan of Harbaugh.
RayRayRaven
Veteran
I literally despise two things. One is being too wordy, meandering and not getting to the point. That happens because the point is elusive for one who relies upon words more than insight. But that's not you.
The other is when someone makes a blanket statement of purported fact in an attempt to cloak oneself with credibility. Tell the board again what rank in pay at his position Mr. Williams notched in at in 2013. Say it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............SAY IT!!! and then support yourself. Not even going into the others.
Sledge Hammer
Pro Bowler
I get what you are saying. I tend to agree that pollard is onto something but can't quite reel it in. He has a point here. Harbaugh can't coach offense and defense. He was a special teams coach for centuries it seemed and nobody ever promoted him to anything more significant on offense and defense. Then ravens come along and make him a head coach. Ozzie and Biscotti were likely enamored with his demand for a players top effort. And buying into team goals, culture, and system. As well as demand every player fall in. Cuz Harbs was so opposite of what ravens fired in Billick.
Pollard is correct about Harbaugh can't coach. Harbaugh seems to contribute jack to offense and defense. He gets credit for when the team wins. Yet never shares blame when the offense and defense performs subpar. It's always the coordinator. Harbs never shares blame for failure. And is never criticized for being useless in contributing to fixing the offense and defense. Harbs is a manager that hires the coaches and demands results from coaches and effort from players. But judging from the blame and responsibility he takes for subpar performance. He is absolutely useless scheming for offense and defense. As well as coaching up players. The ravens are always full cupboard when it comes to positional coaches and coordinators.
Now we come to players and Harbaughs insight and coaching. There is no denying Harbaugh wants players with a particular mindset. He likes players that fall in line. It is good he likes work ethic and players that set a good example with intangibles. But he is watering the talent by excluding players with to strong a personality and outspoken and somewhat rebellious in some ways. And nobody can deny Harbaugh is like that. He said blatantly " a players mental state and mindset is 3 times as important as his takent" There you have it Harbaugh would prefer a try hard average player than an elite talent that is a little rebellious of Maybe some team guidelines and style. Example. Harbaugh gave out stickers. If a player insulted him as it being a stupid and cheesy childish idea. That player would probably be in Harbaughs doghouse. Maybe some of the players let go were over compensated. It's likely better we didn't resign some of them. But you can't argue those players were better together. The fear Pollard struck in opponents doesn't show up on stat sheets. But that hit sure demoralized the patriots. And hitting is contagious!! Is there any argument Ellerbe woulda played better with the ravens if retained?? I get it. Salary cap played its role. But Harbaugh sure probably wanted some outspoken strong personality players to leave.
Then there is drafting and free agency. How much of the terrible drafting of late is Harbaughs ideas?? We know he values mindset over skill and then having to coach concepts into a player. Harbaughs own words a players mental state is 3 times as important as his skills. How much of that statement was inspired by Harbaughs experience with players that don't have a personality that Harbaugh approves of?? How many of the recent busts did Harbaugh have some insight on?? Correa and Kufusi are 2 recent busts that have Harbaughs preferred character and mindset. We all know how his brother bragged about Wormleys character. I said this dude was a loser from the jump. What is he doing on the team?? That's right he has Harbaughs preferred mindset and character!! Saying Harbaugh broke the team up is kinda out of text a little. But Pollard is onto something about Harbaugh having issues that will make sustained winning kinda elusive as a coach. Like his extreme biasedness toward personalities. And his total ineptness contributing to coaching offense and defense!! Sorry about some of the wording here dudes. It's late I have work in 6 hours and I already didn't sleep last night. I think Pollard is onto something but missing the point. I dunno really. it's all only ideas and opinion here.
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805 yards allowed in 2013, within the 10 worst CB totals in the NFL. 4th most TDs with 6. 3rd most first downs with 39 as a member of the league's 32nd ranked pass defense (9th the year before). Tell the board again what rank in play at his position Mr. Williams notched in at in 2013.
We had $13.3 million in March after the Flacco contract per the Baltimore Sun. Williams took home $5.75 million in his first season from Philadelphia. Dumervil took home $8.5 million. Between an often-burned corner and an effective pass rusher, we could only afford one. I suppose we should've taken Williams. He would've helped our offense overcome a historically poor running game averaging 3.1 a pop. Womp, womp.
RayRayRaven
Veteran
805 yards allowed in 2013, within the 10 worst CB totals in the NFL. 4th most TDs with 6. 3rd most first downs with 39 as a member of the league's 32nd ranked pass defense (9th the year before). Tell the board again what rank in play at his position Mr. Williams notched in at in 2013.
We had $13.3 million in March after the Flacco contract per the Baltimore Sun. Williams took home $5.75 million in his first season from Philadelphia. Dumervil took home $8.5 million. Between an often-burned corner and an effective pass rusher, we could only afford one. I suppose we should've taken Williams. He would've helped our offense overcome a historically poor running game averaging 3.1 a pop. Womp, womp.
whats lost on ozze and harball is that a player's value is his value to the team he played for. for a host of reasons a player cannot be measured by the changing chemistry with another team. so many of our fans say "see...see" "he didn't do as well....Ozze was right!!" Of course those same fans gloss over ozze's replacements.
its tough to pick apart an icon, but hes doing it to himself. long past time.
as far as PFF no comment
you are more guilty of meandering than literally anyone else here on these boards
what other evidence can you use other than how a player plays at their next position - there is no evidence that they were good enough to subsequently be re-signed - the fact that these guys have disappeared into obscurity for the most part should tell you enough but the fact that they are not hailed as good signings should emphasise the fact that ozzie made the right decisions individually with most of them - if you want people to believe you when you say ozzie's wrong you have to provide evidence yourself that they would have succeeded in baltimore
When it's carried by the offense and the defense (which was 16th btw) got rightfully blown up. Yes it would have been better to keep Boldin but beyond that none of the losses in FA were a problem.
RL52TheGreatest
Ravens Ring of Honor
I'd really love to know what Harbaugh did to Pollard that makes Pollard hate him so much. The dude just needs to let it go already.