Ravens' LB
Bart Scott
March 13, 2006
On his thoughts after re-signing with the Ravens: "I'm excited. It's kind of
a dream come true. It's great coming back. Home is where the heart is, and my
heart was definitely here in Baltimore. I tried to make that very known, that I
wanted to be here. I was down in Cleveland and as soon as I heard the call, I
was like, ?Get me back on the plane and let me get back home. I just hope that I
can get out of Cleveland alive."
On what happened when he got the call in Cleveland: "I was actually laying
in their players' lounge and things were going on, they kept pushing my flight
back to get things done. I got the call from Harold Lewis, my agent, and asked
if I could talk. I made up something to get up out of there, so I went outside,
and we discussed business. He asked me how I felt about the current deal. I told
him from day one that if there was an opportunity for me to come back to
Baltimore, I wanted to give Baltimore the first opportunity and the last
opportunity to sign me. Loyalty is important to me. That's always been a staple
of my personality growing up, even in college, when I turned down Michigan State
to stay at Southern Illinois. It's a less glamorous road to travel, but that's
just how I was raised. I'm very appreciative for the Ravens, because when I came
out of college I was rough and uncut, but they were patient with me and helped
develop this talent. I thought it was only fitting that I give them an
opportunity to maintain something that they helped develop for four years."
On if he would have signed with Cleveland if the deal was made quicker: "I
was going to be patient. I was going to feel things out, and I knew that I would
have an opportunity to come back to the Ravens. I didn't want to jump the wire
and miss out on something good. I wasn't going to just jump the gun. I was
excited. There are a lot of things. We have a great coaching staff here; we have
a great owner. But, I love the relationships I have with the players. I have a
buddy in here. How many people have players show up to their press conferences?
I have Chris McAlister in the back. He's somebody that I've learned a great deal
[from] and have a tremendous respect for. How can you turn down playing on the
best defense with the best defensive coaching staff that lets us play reckless
with a wild abandon. I like to call Rex [Ryan[ the mad scientist. The guys in
Cleveland were trying to get tips, saying 'Why do you guys do this?' or 'What
are you out there doing?' It looks like organized chaos, but it's the freedom
that Rex gives us and the trust that he has in his players that we reflect to
each other. How can I turn my back on that? Playing with an Ed Reed, Chris
McAlister and a number of guys - I could name them all - is exciting to be back
and be able to come in for the next year and get let loose again. They let me be
untamed and be wild and be me, and I don't want to go somewhere and be tamed."
On what being undrafted means about the progress he has made: "It was
flattering. Coming out and taking the road-less-traveled, it was flattering that
anybody wanted me. The Ravens were the only team that showed up. They were the
only team that gave me a chance. It was flattering to, four years later, have
the opportunity to be courted. It was flattering, but at the end of the day it
was a lot better to be home. Come one, these tremendous facilities, (equipment
manager) Ed Carrol, the best training staff out here, you can't turn your back
on that. Those things will extend your career, and that's what helps you play at
the top of your game. We have an owner that is committed to winning. We have the
coaching staff. As you can see with the rest of the signings that we have, the
Ravens are going to have to be heard from. I don't want to be premature with
that, so we'll keep it a secret."
On if his house is still on the market (asked by Chris McAlister): "It never
was on the market. I was over here a couple of days ago, and George [Kokinis]
pulled a pen out for me and said to come on up [to his office]. I looked at him
and told him that I was here to checking to make sure they hadn't pulled my
nametag down. I came to polish it up and make sure it was still there."
On if he will be a role model for the rookies in training camp: "I just look
forward to continue to lead by example. Now I know that I can come in and have a
chance to play and get out there, and I don't have to worry about all of those
things that hinder young players, the pressure of not knowing if you're going to
make the team and things like that. Of course, I feel I have to go out and prove
it on the field, but I can go out with a clear mind and bust my butt and lead by
example. I'm sure they'll hear the stories and they'll see. I'm sure a lot of
those guys are unfamiliar, because before this year, they probably have never
heard of Bart Scott. When I pop up and they figure out I've been in the league,
they'll know about my expanded role. I would like to show them and be an example
of if you work hard and just keep pushing and keep pushing, eventually good
things will happen."
Rex Ryan
March 13, 2006
Opening statement: "First of all, (general manager) Ozzie (Newsome),
(director of pro personnel) George Kokinis and (head coach) Brian (Billick) have
been really busy. It's always tough to watch some of your players leave - guys
that you have a history with in (Maake Kemoeatu) Kemo and (Anthony) Weaver. I
understand that it's part of the game, but I feel very fortunate to get some
replacements. Trevor Pryce, a four-time Pro Bowl player, is one of the premier
pass-rushers in the game. I don't know how we're going to coach him because he's
6-6, 300 pounds. We haven't had a guy like that around here in a long time. He's
obviously a tremendous talent and will really boost that pass rush of ours, and
I think (Terrell) Suggs is probably the happiest guy around here right now
having Trevor here. Justin Bannan is a young man that is an inside player. He
played defensive tackle in Buffalo. It's funny because we were watching film of
Sam Adams and watching film on several tackles, and I'm trying to find Sam and
this guy replaced Sam for the last five or six games. I was like, 'Who is this
kid?' He's a free agent and I feel very fortunate to get him. He plays like a
Raven. You'll see that. I think everybody can get excited about him. His name
might not be a household name, but he fits what we do, and that's fly around and
get after it. He competes 100 percent, and as Bart can tell you, that's
important for this Raven defense and for the Ravens' family. That's something
we've always done."
On Bart Scott: "The guy next to me, this is huge. It's a great day. I'll be
honest with you, when I got a call from George Kokinis, No. 1, that Bart was
going to Cleveland (I was upset). After I threw some things at the wall and all
that kind of stuff, you always (still knew you) had faith in Bart. I knew that
Bart wanted to be here. There was no question about it. In today's game, you
always here about players where it's all about the money - and I'm not
disrespecting Kemo or Weaver by any stretch of the imagination because every
situation's different - but this young man had more money offered to him at a
division rival, and it had to be uncomfortable to him because he was actually in
their facility when he agreed to be a Baltimore Raven. He's a homegrown talent.
Our scouts spotted Bart when he was playing strong safety at Southern Illinois.
He's progressed since then. The ceiling on this young man, well, he's got Pro
Bowl ability. To us, he's not just a starter on the first and second downs, but
he's also going to start in our sub package, which means that Bart will be a
three-down player for us. He's a guy that we felt we couldn't afford to lose.
He's a Raven, and he wants to always be a Raven. We're proud to have him here."
On if it's easier adjusting to losing players in free agency each year, after
being through it for 13 years: "From a coaching standpoint, I think that
with the preparation that you do as a coach, you've better do your homework.
George Kokinis does a great job in our pro personnel department. He'll give
everybody a list of maybe 15 guys to look at. It's not by me saying it. If I
say, 'I want player A,' that doesn't mean that we're going to get player A by
any stretch of the imagination. It's a group effort. It's a scouting thing with
George, it's Ozzie's opinion. It's Brian's [opinion]. Everybody's got an opinion
of things. Obviously, the assistant coaches [have an opinion as well]. It just
goes together. Ozzie's got to fit it all in. I think that's the big thing. We as
coaches say, 'How can we lose Bart Scott? How can we lose Kemo and Weaver? These
are our players.' In today's game, it's hard to keep everybody. We're just
fortunate to be able to keep Bart and we're fortunate to add the two quality
players that we added. I'm excited and I can't wait. What's exciting to me also
is to have Ed Reed and Ray Lewis on the field for 16 games next year. We'll see
how much people have passed us."
On Scott's special abilities: "Bart has always had tremendous talent. There
is no question about that. He can run with any of these linebackers in the
league; you can put Bart up with all of them. You're changing his position (from
safety to linebacker), so that's tough because you know it's going to take
awhile for a guy to grow. But, he did an outstanding job on special teams when
that was his role. It became clear to us, especially during training camp, that
this guy needs an expanded role. He's knocking the heck out of people every day
in practice. He's running around - he's always had great cover ability - he can
blitz, so now we've got to expand his role. Everybody talks about when Ray
(Lewis) went down, and Bart replaced him. That's not necessarily the case. Bart
always had a role with us this year, and he was doing an outstanding job in that
role. It was just expanded, obviously, when Ray went down. Again, what I am
emphasizing, is that Bart will be a three-down player. Unless (he's matched
against) a Tony Gonzales or somebody like that, then we will put a corner in
there. But really, that's what Bart's role is going to be, and we expect him to
be up there amongst our leaders in tackles. I am excited to see him pared up
with Ray next year, so we can see who gets to the ball fast. Our group right
here, well, we will put our group up against anybody's in the league."
On what Scott's loyalty means: "I am sure (his decision) never came down to
me, but obviously (you must commend) the loyalty. It's got to be kind of a
two-way street. The Ravens took a leap of faith with him, and all he did was
progress. Jeff FitzGerald has done an outstanding job of coaching this young
man. But, the loyalty that he showed to the Raven family - and there is a
special unity in that defensive meeting room - the only thing I can comment on
are the special relationships those players have with each other. There is
accountability in there, and you have to play your tail off. If you're not
(going to do that), you're not going to fit in with this defense. It takes a
special person to buy into the style of play we have. And, Bart is one of those
guys."