Purple Reign 1: Chapter 2 “A Silver Trophy But Not A Silver Spoon”

Donahue, who coached Eric Turner and Jonathan Ogden as Bruins, had more wins than any coach in UCLA history and there had always been some interest in him by NFL teams. The elder Modell had always worked on gut instinct – it was that instinct that led him to buy the Browns in 1961 – and it had served him well in the past. He was and is a very emotional shopper. Even as David Modell and Ozzie Newsome were trying to put the breaks on hiring Donahue in late December 1998, Art made both spend an hour on the phone with Donahue.

Newsome, but mainly David Modell, insisted that they wait for the best candidates and not just hire the first good name available. Art was very concerned that once word got out that Donahue wanted into the NFL, someone else would snatch him up first.

While applying the breaks on Art, David was picking up testimonials from dozens of sources not only on Billick, but also Sherm Lewis, Emmitt Thomas, Chris Palmer and Jim Haslett, who were also in line to be interviewed for the job.

David Modell was adamant about getting the best man for the job and he obviously did. David’s thorough nature and search for answers ultimately led to the hiring of Brian Billick.

Here is the original list of requirements:

Baltimore Ravens’ Head Coach Profile

Leadership

1. Disciplined Approach
2. Expects Accountability/Attention to Detail
3. Gains/Commands Respect
4. Motivates Players to Want to Excel
5. Teacher
6. Presence
7. Goal Oriented
8. Ability to Effectively Communicate Goals
9. Ability to Motivate Troops to Pursue Unified Goals
10. Confident/Conveys Confidence to Others
11. Assistant Coach Mentality?

Successful Background/Experience

1. Association with Winning Programs
2. Association with Excellence
3. Head Coach (College/Pro)
4. Coordinator (College/Pro)
5. Assistant Coach (College/Pro)

Football Knowledge/Philosophy

1. Reliance on Fundamentals
2. Offense
3. Defense
4. Special Teams
5. Talent Evaluation (Strength/Weakness)
6. Innovate
7. Strategy
8. Roots of Offense/Defense Systems
9. Knowledge and Ability to Implement Systems
10. Experience Play Calling
11. Game Planning

Management Skills

1. Attention to Detail
2. Makes Good Critical Analysis
3. Critical Decision Making Ability/Loves Pressure
4. Problem Solver/Loves Challenge
5. Delegates or Micro Manager
6. Relates Well and Respects All Facets of Organization
7. Willing to Compromise
8. How to Handle Administrative Role
9. Selection of Staff
10. Recruiter

Communication Skills

1. Understands and Respects Role of Media
2. Non-Combative Attitude Toward Media
3. Understands and Respects Role of Community
4. Willingness to “Recruit” Community
5. Speaking Skills
6. Physical Appearance

Goals and Objectives

1. Plan
2. Length of Time to Win
3. Use of Draft
4. Use of Free Agency
5. Use of Young Players
6. Use of Veterans

Personal Traits

1. Overriding Desire for Excellence
2. Exhibits Drive to Succeed in All Aspects of Life
3. Demanding (but fair)
4. Home Life (wife, kids – their habits)
5. Work Ethic
6. Spiritually Centered
7. Avocations
8. How Handle Adversity
9. Ego
10. Attitude
11. Goals
12. Balance

After winning the Super Bowl, Billick went back and examined these criteria and reported back to me.

“It’s an outstanding, detailed outline labeling the components of what you’re looking for in a head coach,” he said. “The methodology used – and I saw this list before they hired me – is one of the reasons I came here. When I saw this list, I thought, ‘We approach things the same way.’ This is how I would do it if I hired a coach. There was a very specific thought process that they were going to use to find a head coach. It wasn’t like they were grabbing at straws or were going to throw a dart and see where it lands.”

8

David Modell’s ability to analyze situations and keep the company cool has served him and the franchise well through some trying negotiations. It was Modell who got the Jonathan Ogden deal done in rapid fashion in 1996. It was Modell who hardlined Derrick Alexander, Steve Everitt, Wally Williams and Antonio Langham during their free agency bids that ultimately failed horribly in other cities. It was Modell who preached calm every time a drafted rookie would hold out of camp, be it Peter Boulware, Duane Starks or Jamal Lewis.

Just the fact that Jamal Lewis is a Raven is due partly to Modell’s acumen and foresight and tenaciousness.

Flash back to April 17, 1999, the NFL Draft Day that netted the organization Chris McAlister with the 10^th pick in the first round. While the Ravens were on the clock in the second round of the draft with the 42^nd pick overall, the Atlanta Falcons called and inquired about the pick, offering next year’s No. 1 in exchange for the right to draft Reggie Kelly, a tight end from Mississippi. Head of College Scouting Phil Savage, Billick and the other war room scouts were adamant about utilizing the pick to deal for more picks that year. Of course, they work all year to use their knowledge to make picks. They never want to trade for future picks. According to one scout, David Modell “nearly jumped on the table and demanded that we make the trade. He started saying that a No. 42 pick is silver but next year’s No. 1 would be gold, that Atlanta would falter and that the pick in 2000 could be a difference maker.”

Atlanta did falter and quickly became one of the worst teams in the league when running back Jamal Anderson got injured early in the 1999 season. That “gold” pick wound up being more like platinum, when the Ravens netted the No. 5 pick overall in the 2000 draft and landed Jamal Lewis, who ran them to a Lombardi Trophy on that sun-drenched day in Tampa.

“David never pretends to know football with Ozzie and me,” coach Brian Billick said of the sage advice Modell offered. “He lets us do our job as far as X’s and O’s. But he’s a kid who has grown up in this business all of his life and he gets our respect when he does say something because he’s not always hanging around and offering it. He has a clear grasp of the business and the game.”