THE RAVENS FILE
Home field: M&T Stadium
Coach: John Harbaugh
Offensive star: QB Lamar Jackson
Defensive star: CB Marlon Humphrey
2021 Season: Failed to make playoffs
Super Bowls: 2000, 2012
Greatest Player: LB Ray Lewis
Factoid: The Ravens nickname is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem,
“The Poet.” Poe is buried in Baltimore.
By Lenn Robbins
One of the greatest curiosities in coaching, one that has
anthropologists fascinated is this:
How do two brothers, who grew up in the same household, develop
into two drastically different adults. John Harbaugh, the head coach at
Michigan, has been describe as demonstrative, acerbic and fiery.
As the head coach of the 49ers, he almost sparked a postgame brawl
when he slapped then-Lions coach Jim Schwartz on the back after a San
Fran victory. When he was hired by Michigan, he was asked about his
personality.
“I feel like it’s the only personality I have,” he responded.
Which makes people wonder how could he be so different than his
brother John, head coach of the Ravens. John is controlled on the
sidelines, friendly and welcoming off it. Yet since Baltimore hired him in
2008, he has fielded team’s that are known for their physicality,
aggression, and passion.
If this doesn’t prove that human beings are complex and complicated,
what will?
Here’s another question that only John Harbaugh knows the answer to:
Why did the Injury Gods decide to set up shop in the Baltimore locker
room last season?
The Ravens and Giants lost the most man games to injury and
Baltimore’s injuries were suffered by some of the team’s best players,
including star QB Lamar Jackson, who missed the last four games of the season with a bruised ankle bone.
No wonder the team opened 8-3 and finished 8-9.
If the Ravens can remain healthy they should compete with the Bengals
and Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North title. John remained
remarkably upbeat as the injuries and losses mounted.
One could say it’s the only personality he has.