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05 Feb 2010

NPR Interview With Brian Billick

Thanks to Pete for passing along this interesting interview with Brian Billick from NPR. He's also hyping his book from Scribner, More Than A Game, which features some data from FO.

Posted by: Bill Barnwell on 05 Feb 2010

11 comments, Last at 06 Feb 2010, 6:20am by Jerry

Comments

1
by Dean :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 2:19pm

Has anybody read his book? Is it worth checking out?

2
by Phil Osopher :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 2:32pm

Was curious to why he got no interviews (Bills especially since they hired a complete dud that will be fired in two years)

Also Jim Fassell too. Something about the old Ravens that the rest of the league hates?

Doubt there will be much in this book of value to the "smart" fan, but you never know. The excerpt was extra wordy for what he was talking about. If someone reads it, then post on here if it was worth more than a yawn

9
by Dan :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 11:44pm

deleted

3
by Johnny Socko (not verified) :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 4:27pm

I've read the book and would give it a mild thumbs up. Many of the points he makes in the book are already well known among the Football Outsiders crowd (you know, because we are all so smart here!)

By far the most fascinating part of the book was Billick's stance on Spygate. He didn't mince any words and came out STRONGLY against the Pats and Belichick. Saying it was the "most blatant" form of cheating he has seen in his football career, and it bothers him greatly when people say "everybody does it". It's only a paragraph long and I would post the excerpt if I can find it.

10
by Dan :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 11:44pm

Here it is, found on Google books searching for "spygate":

One of the things I resented the most during that time was the assumption by some people that "all coaches do that." Well, no, we don't. I have coached for thirty years and have been in the NFL for eighteen years and never once have I seen or heard of anyone doing something so blatantly illegal.

4
by MarkB (not verified) :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 7:10pm

Perhaps he could elaborate and explain why everyone (coaches) holds up their cheat sheets in front of their mouths when they talk into their microphones. Because they think that everyone doesn't do it?

5
by Johnny Socko (not verified) :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 8:03pm

Probably because its perfectly legal for the opposing team to watch (with their naked eye or with binoculars) the coach calling the plays and try to interpret the signals "on the fly". On the other hand, it's patently illegal to video tape the signals in the manner the Pats did, catelog them in a database, and keep them in a library dating back several years.

6
by tuluse :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 8:50pm

Because teams can easily acquire the TV feed?

That was easy.

11
by Jerry :: Sat, 02/06/2010 - 6:20am

He talks about it in the linked interview.

7
by Raiderjoe :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 9:54pm

agree with coahc Boillock. what Bellichick did was worst form of chetaing in nfl history.

8
by Raiderjoe :: Fri, 02/05/2010 - 9:55pm

makes you wonder if Pates cheated in tuck rule game. Sings point to yes.
Raiders were clearly better twam than pataes so you know belichick did a litle cheating in that one.

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