Great Owner in Baltimore

[BcRaven]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...football-guys/
... Bc

[GOTA]

Great to see some others figure out what we've known for years.

[RavenScallywag]

I remember a few years ago, there was a story that Steve Bisciotti had gotten upset at the press for saying things about how we lacked a deep threat or something, and he suggested to John Harbaugh that next game, our first play should be a shot to the end zone. John Harbaugh kind've agreed, then when the game came, he ran the ball. Steve said he learned then, you can't be that type of owner to dictate the football moves. A lot of people were up in arms over it, but I understood. He wasn't "Calling the plays" like Irsay was, he just wanted to shut up the critics. But he understood that our coaches have a plan they stick to, and they know what they are doing.

[AirFlacco]

Just think if he owned the O's too.

[Paintballguy]

Just think if he owned the O's too.

I wish...

[AirFlacco]

Bisciotti didn't have the money for a team when Petey bought Os but said on radio he'd never own a baseball
team because it favors the large markets. There's no incentive for an owner to succeed but a small market team
like Bmore in football can do well with a smart organization.

When he got the Ravens he said from the
very beginning he'll be a hands off owner and he said that before he talked to Ozzie about that draft. He
remembered as a fan what Irsay did to the Colts.

I remember that draft and many if not most of the boards wanted Lito. Even at the draft day party at
the stadium Tom Davis and Tom Matte who did the radio show thought it would be Lito. Matte said he
was surprised when Oz took Reed.

Kiper said it was the safe pick.

Hell, he should have been the first pick but nobody knew him that well including Oz. I don't think even he
knew Reed would be the best safety ever but that's just a guess.

[Paintballguy]

Bisciotti didn't have the money for a team when Petey bought Os but said on radio he'd never own a baseball
team because it favors the large markets. There's no incentive for an owner to succeed but a small market team
like Bmore in football can do well with a smart organization.

When he got the Ravens he said from the
very beginning he'll be a hands off owner and he said that before he talked to Ozzie about that draft. He
remembered as a fan what Irsay did to the Colts.

It makes sense. Small market baseball teams like Baltimore are hand cuffed because of not having a salary cap and no revenue sharing. Teams like NY and LA can just buy teams.

[AirFlacco]

Yea and a great movie to see which is on cable is MONEY BALL starring Brad Pitt.

It brings that point up big.

It's the true story about Billy Bean who built the A's, a small market team who lost to the Yankees in the
final game of the POs before the World Series.

The Yankees had a payroll of $115M while A's had a $39M payroll. Bean turned down the Red Sox job and
they finally beat the Bambino Curse after 80 years and won the World Series.

Of course, now the Yankees now have over a $200M payroll and Buck's guys almost beat them like the A's with
just a fraction of that payroll.

[Real Fan Dan]

“I kind of learned from that point on that I better not engage too much and try and alter their decision-making, or else we would have had Lito,” Bisciotti said.

So does anyone think that he pulled the trigger on making the change at OC?

Along with Ray Lewis anouncing his retirement, that move was probably the number one event that put us on our way to the Superbowl.

Did he pressure Coach Harbaugh or did he flat out tell him to do it? Or did Harbaugh come to him about it?

Tell you the truth, after Cam Cameron made his comments to the press after he was let go, I think they all discussed it (including Cam) and came to the conclusion as a group. After that either Mr. Bisciotti made the final decision or he defered to Coach.

[pslholder96]

Not news to anyone that loves the Ravens in and outside of BMore. Some of salty cowboys fans weighed in asking Jerry to pay attention LOL. Best comment is the one below by a fellow ravens fan though.

That is why the Free Agents flock to Baltimore. It is a compliment when Ozzie comes calling. So the Ravens will lose some Free Agents that leave for money (McLain, Grubbs, Jason Smith), but we will pick up some diamonds in the rough that want to win GOLD.

[admartian]

lol I love how they ran with a story that was a simple footnote from pour State of the Ravens presser.


Love B as the owner though - seems very down to earth and LOVES his team in a good, non-smothering way.

[pslholder96]

So does anyone think that he pulled the trigger on making the change at OC?

Along with Ray Lewis anouncing his retirement, that move was probably the number one event that put us on our way to the Superbowl.

Did he pressure Coach Harbaugh or did he flat out tell him to do it? Or did Harbaugh come to him about it?

Tell you the truth, after Cam Cameron made his comments to the press after he was let go, I think they all discussed it (including Cam) and came to the conclusion as a group. After that either Mr. Bisciotti made the final decision or he defered to Coach.

Ozzie was asked about the firing of Cam. He said John only sought advice from him and Steve B but ultimately it was John's call. Take it for its worth but knowing Steve B I'm pretty sure he gave his $.02 and let John make the call.

[GaTechRavens]

Bisciotti didn't have the money for a team when Petey bought Os but said on radio he'd never own a baseball
team because it favors the large markets. There's no incentive for an owner to succeed but a small market team
like Bmore in football can do well with a smart organization.

When he got the Ravens he said from the
very beginning he'll be a hands off owner and he said that before he talked to Ozzie about that draft. He
remembered as a fan what Irsay did to the Colts.

I remember that draft and many if not most of the boards wanted Lito. Even at the draft day party at
the stadium Tom Davis and Tom Matte who did the radio show thought it would be Lito. Matte said he
was surprised when Oz took Reed.

Kiper said it was the safe pick.

Hell, he should have been the first pick but nobody knew him that well including Oz. I don't think even he
knew Reed would be the best safety ever but that's just a guess.

To be fair, Lito was pretty good himself back in the day. If that was our "worst case" scenario, that reflects well on Oz.

[CincyCat]

It makes sense. Small market baseball teams like Baltimore are hand cuffed because of not having a salary cap and no revenue sharing. Teams like NY and LA can just buy teams.

Ain't THAT the truth....

[Beau Petard]

AF--
"I remember that draft and many if not most of the boards wanted Lito [in lieu of Reed]."

I seem to recall that wizard of wisdom, that alchemist of analysis, that "genious" of football, Mike Preston, wondering why in the wide world of sports the Ravens would ever draft someone as useless as Reed. In fact, I done heard that he was looking for a shot at a coaching stint with the team back in the day.

Always wondered why they never called him...

[PalladinInNC]

AF--
"I remember that draft and many if not most of the boards wanted Lito [in lieu of Reed]."

I seem to recall that wizard of wisdom, that alchemist of analysis, that "genious" of football, Mike Preston, wondering why in the wide world of sports the Ravens would ever draft someone as useless as Reed. In fact, I done heard that he was looking for a shot at a coaching stint with the team back in the day.

Always wondered why they never called him...

Actually, a number of mocks that year did have the Ravens picking Reed too! It was just that too many mocks and individuals do picks by "need basis" rather than BPA. The Ravens needed CBs that year so that is why so many said they would pick Lito. This is why Oz hits so often on his picks! Great players will always make a team stronger whether they are immediately needed or not!

And as for Preston trying to get a job with the Ravens, with regards to Sports in general....those that can't, become HACK sports writers!!!

[AirFlacco]

AF--
"I remember that draft and many if not most of the boards wanted Lito [in lieu of Reed]."

I seem to recall that wizard of wisdom, that alchemist of analysis, that "genious" of football, Mike Preston, wondering why in the wide world of sports the Ravens would ever draft someone as useless as Reed. In fact, I done heard that he was looking for a shot at a coaching stint with the team back in the day.

Always wondered why they never called him...

You're right about the boards. As another one says some wanted Reed but we needed a corner. We forgot at the
time or didn't know Ozzie goes by BPA, not need. Bisciotti learned too.

Mike played college ball at Towson State as a lineman. He spoke to Nest 1 and was really cool dude in person.
He said the more complaints my editor gets about my columns the more he likes it because they sell papers
and just think, I made them write about something. ILMAO.

Back to Bisciotti, I remember a MNF game and the camera zoomed on him in his sky box and Al Michaels said to
Madden, how did such a young man get enough money to buy a football team. He was the second youngest
owner after Danny boy but no one on TV knew his story.

Bisciotti graduated from Salisbury State and worked for an employment agency suppilying hi tech people to
companies. His agency was owned by two brothers and there was a power struggle. He was aligned with the
losing brother so he lost his job when the other brother swept them all out.

He was engaged to be married (I've never seen her but I've heard she is one hot chick worthy of our
hottest chicks thread) at the time and didn't have aa job. His future father in law suggested he start his own company so he did in his father's basement with his cousin ala Steve Jobs who started Apple in his father's garage.

Anyway, Bisciotti was kicking the hold boss' ass so he sued him and accused of taking his old customers. Bisciotti would have won in court but settled by offering him $10,000 and staying out of the market for a year but after that he woulld come back in. The owner accepted.

Bisciotti said it was the hardest and leanest year of his life but the trick to his success was working hard and
late. Most of the hi tech people were out in Silicone Valley in Calif and their time line was 4 hours after ours
of course but all the competition in Bmore went home at 5 pm.

Steve said he and his cousin worked to midnight every night calling the tech people during their business hours.
They got them jobs on the east coast, so by the time the competition here call them on Monday, they were already signed by Bisciotti on and their way here.

He got his big break by getting the DOD contracts for supplying all their computer jocks and Engineers for
the entire Pentagon. My cousin was one of those employees and still works there. He can never say what
he does but he's in computers. He met his wife there.

Bisciotti now has the 6th largest such firm in the world and supplies most the companies and gov'ts with
the world with tech people.

Several years agon Forbes listed him as the 89th richest American. BTW, he was tied with Danny boy but
non one on MNF did their homeworkd on Bisciotti, the coolest owner in the NFL.

[RavenScallywag]

His cousin, Jim Davis, is actually Chairman of the company I'm with now. He and Steve started Aerotek, then branched that out to become Allegis, which was a general staffing firm, with Aerotek and TEKsystems underneath it. They've also acquired several other companies "underneath" that umbrella (including mine). For my own safety, I'll avoid saying the name of the company (Don't want HR from there linking me to my screen name on here in any way)

I will say this. The old owners of the company...were not great business people. They made MANY decisions with their heart, not their head, which lead to a LOT of pain in the recession of 2009. Once Jim Davis took over and installed many new people from his other companies to lead the company, it's been 180 difference in terms of how things are run. VERY smart decision making, very good results, and they still do a lot to make us feel appreciated as employees.

I believe Steve is no longer involved day-to-day with any of those companies, outside of being basically a silent minority owner.

[AirFlacco]

Thanks Scally, I didn't know any of that.

The last thing I read was right after Steve bought the Ravens and moved into the Castle full
time and he met with his cousin in the morning about Aerotek but that was years ago.

Someone posted the story how his daughter was a summer temp hired as a receptionist after getting a psych degree. There was a prob with personnel but Steve as CEO intervened and took
care of the mis-understanding and took care of her. Not many CEOs would care about employees at that level.

Another thing Steve does is buy food for all the players and employees. He installed a
first rate cafeteria in the Castle, quite elaborate and even the employees get to eat there
for free. They get their lunches or even dinners for free.

Kevin says in the tour which you can take on-line the idea is to get the players into the
weight room during the off season and stay late during the season. So he uses the
cafeteria and players lounge with TVs, computers, pin ball machines and pool tables as
the carats to lure them.

Several players come in on Saturdays to watch their former college team play.

Ravens got Trevor Price years ago as a FA because he took the on-line tour and called
his agent and said get me to Bmore. Shannan Sharpe also said if you have the
chance to play for Billick - do it when he returned to Denver.

[RavenScallywag]

I still remember...two years ago?...when Steve had an ice cream truck brought onto the field after practice for all the players to get stuff. It was a little oddball, but a lighthearted fun move that the players got a huge kick out of.

Our facilities have definitely been a major selling point for years. In Bart Scott's first free agency test (he ended up re-signing with us), he visited Cleveland and basically, upon seeing their facilities, said "Nope, Baltimore is where it's at". Simply because of how their facilities looked compared to ours. At the time, I was ecstatic and ready to go out and buy a Bart Scott jersey.

Then, when he left for the money in 2009, his true nature reared it's ugly head. He essentially burned his bridges with Baltimore and when Trevor Pryce got cut here and signed with the Jets, was quoted as saying half the team was jealous of Pryce because they all wanted to come to play for Rex instead of John. Now of course, since he got cut from the Jets, he's saying the Jets failed because of "a lack of quality players". I guess all those quality players are "stuck" in Baltimore, huh?