Coach Harbaugh On Rice, Flacco And Bounties
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh joined The Norris & Davis Morning Show on Baltimore's 105-7 THE FAN this week to discuss all things Ravens football. Coach addressed Joe Flacco's recent comments about being the NFL's best quarterback, Ed Reed's comments on his future with the team, bounty scandals, and the controversial Wonderlic test.
This week it was leaked to the media that former LSU Cornerback Morris Claiborne, the highest rated CB in the upcoming NFL draft, scored a 4 on the Wonderlic. That begged the question: Is the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test relevant to professional football? For Coach Harbaugh the answer is an emphatic 'NO.'
Coach Harbaugh feels the best way to measure a football player is the old-fashioned way, by 'watching tape and watching how a guy plays.'
Listen to interview here:
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The Ravens are focusing efforts on creating their perfect football player in other areas. Coach Harbaugh gave insight, 'We're doing a lot of research on schedules and energy management, sleep patterns and things like that to put our players in position to perform the best on Sunday. Prepare the best throughout the week. What's the best schedule when you play day games or night games.'
Coach was asked his thoughts on the NFL Bounty scandal, 'Football is a violent game. It's the most physical game so you gotta play that way. You cross the line when you start targeting injuries. You start targeting body parts.'
Ravens running back Ray Rice has been designated with the team's franchise tag as they negotiate a new contract. Ed Norris asked Coach Harbaugh if he'd be surprised if Rice's deal was not done before camp. Coach wants to build the strongest team with the resources given, 'we want everybody to make as much as they can but there are limitations and parameters there.'
Coach Harbaugh and Ray Rice have a great relationship. But, negotiations sometimes put a strain on friendships. The two have had little communication this offseason, 'I think Ray's agent has told him not to talk to me. I'm not negotiating the contract and I'd love to be talking to my running back now…The thing I know is that Ray wants to be here.'
Rice has said little this offseason but quarterback Joe Flacco has said a lot. Flacco made national headlines late last week when he said thinks he's the best quarterback in the NFL. Coach knows Joe, 'We know what he was saying. Joe Flacco is working to be the best quarterback in football and in his mind he's capable of being that. You gotta love Joe. He's a fierce competitor. I love the guy.'
