Doomsday101
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 107,762
- Reaction score
- 39,034
I'm Samurai Mike, I stop' em cold. Part of the defense, big and bold. I've been jammin' for quite a while, doin' what's right and settin' the style. Give me a chance, I'll rock you good -- nobody messin' in my neighborhood! I didn't come here lookin' for trouble, I just came to do The Super Bowl Shuffle."
(Feb. 6, 2003) -- It's been 17 years since Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary rapped those very words as a member of the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears. Now Singletary's hoping to help shuffle the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl as their linebackers coach.
Not many make their first foray into coaching at the NFL level. Then again, Singletary isn't just anybody.
Singletary took a break from working around the country as a motivational speaker and first attempted to dip his toe in coaching waters at Baylor University, his alma mater, when it had an opening at head coach. He was turned down, but the experience paid dividends.
"When I was in the mix at Baylor," Singletary recalled, "having the opportunity to interview for that job and go down to the last few people involved in it, I think that whole process really allowed both my wife and I to see that we should be in coaching. We prayed about it, and it was confirmed in that process that we should be back in coaching."
With the decision made to coach, Singletary contacted several teams, including the Ravens and Bears. His "in" with the Ravens, minority owner Steve Bisciotti, was the one who first heard of Singletary's plans. At the time, Singletary didn't think anything of it other than just making his intentions known.
He later interviewed but wasn't offered a job coaching linebackers with the Bengals, and even dropped a call to the Bill Parcells in Dallas. Singletary contacted about six teams, and even had two approach him, but it was the Ravens who eventually sold Singletary on coming to Baltimore.
"I think the No. 1 thing was having the opportunity to talk to coach [Brian] Billick, having the opportunity to talk to [owner] Mr. Modell, Steve Bisciotti, [defensive coordinator] Mike Nolan, [senior vice president] Ozzie Newsome, and feeling the energy and seeing the leadership and vision that's here to be the best they can possibly be in terms of doing what they need to do to get back to the Super Bowl. I'm excited to be a part of that."
It wasn't that long ago when the Ravens were in the Super Bowl -- two years ago, actually. But the truth is that they pulled off a near-perfect draft in 2002, got the most out of a young defense, and despite many believing they would face a steep "rebuilding" process, they compiled an impressive 7-9 record while fighting for a playoff spot with two weeks left last season. All this while defensive leader Ray Lewis was shelved by injury for 11 games.
Speaking of Lewis, the mere vision of Singletary coaching or even whispering something in his ear on the sidelines before he enters a game might be enough to make several AFC quarterbacks consider retirement.
"Ray is an intimidator," Singletary said. "Maybe he's going to tell me something different, but he is so excited about what he's doing, I'm not quite sure if he [thinks he's] an intimidator. I'll find out for sure in the next few weeks.
Mike Singletary won't be in pads, but he'll be involved in the game once again.
"As a linebacker, when you play the game and when you hit people and [those] people remember those hits, that's what intimidates. I don't think it's the stuff like getting on your hands and kicking the ground or spitting -- that doesn't really mean anything. It's what you bring to the play when you hit somebody."
Lewis won't be the only linebacker on Singletary's watch. Edgerton Hartwell and Pro Bowler Peter Boulware will also be a part of the Ravens linebacking corps, which is a key part of their 3-4 defense.
"The one thing I know is that they're a good group of guys," Singletary said. "They're passionate about being the best they can be. I'm excited about looking and listening to what their needs are and watching film like crazy and making sure that I'm here to help them take their game to another level.
"The last thing I want to do is to look back and sit around and tell these guys old war stories about what I used to do. I think certainly, there are some things that I will take forward with me that really are part of me and my makeup. But the thing I want to do is really try and help these linebackers really look at the situation and where they want to be and just try to help them get there."
Well said, especially for someone who's being called coach for the first time. Do something wrong in practice and his eyes -- those with the steely glare that mesmorizes in old Chicago Bears highlights -- fixate on the perpetrator.
And don't look across the field while playing the Ravens, or you will also find that iron gaze. But the man behind the eyes doesn't think it's that big of a deal.
"A lot of people really misconstrued my eyes," Singletary said. "They were not really too intimidating. They were really more to see the entire field. The thing I wanted to do is get back far enough -- this was a science for me -- where I could see from one sideline to the other and everything in front of me that moved, because that dictated so much of what the offense was trying to do in one single movement."
Yeah, right. Tell that to Steve Grogan and Tony Eason, the Patriots' sacrificial lambs in Super Bowl XX. Tell that to every other quarterback who lined up against Singletary during his 12-year career with Chicago.
And speaking of the Bears, where were they while Singletary was swiped by the Ravens? After all, "Samurai Mike" is one of the several Chicago athletes the city has held in high regard, much like they do now with linebacker Brian Urlacher. Singletary says in this instance, it was all business.
"Obviously, I played with the Bears, loved the Bears, will always love the Bears, but I believe things happen for a reason," Singletary said.
"I mean this from the bottom of my heart: I have no animosity and no disappointment whatsoever. Obviously, being in Chicago would have been very easy, would have been great, but I believe that God works things out for a reason. I believe that I am in Baltimore for a reason. Maybe there's another time I'll be in Chicago, I don't know, but I believe that right now, in Baltimore is where I'm supposed to be."
As if anyone who knows anything about Singletary needed a reminder of what he's capable of -- even from the sidelines -- he offered the following:
"The Bible has a verse in it that says 'The eyes are the mirror of the soul.' I really think the eyes are important. Many players I can look at, if I can see their eyes, I can tell you whether or not they're ready [to play]. If I was getting ready to play a quarterback and I'm looking at that quarterback, I can tell you if that quarterback was scared. Same (with) a running back."
Asked if he could still look into an opponent's eyes to determine if they're ready, Singletary said with a hint of intensity in his voice, "I think so."
He's still got it.
To paraphrase his lines from The Super Bowl Shuffle, you can be sure that no Ravens linebackers will be messin' in Singletary's neighborhood, which has been relocated to Maryland.
(Feb. 6, 2003) -- It's been 17 years since Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary rapped those very words as a member of the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears. Now Singletary's hoping to help shuffle the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl as their linebackers coach.
Not many make their first foray into coaching at the NFL level. Then again, Singletary isn't just anybody.
Singletary took a break from working around the country as a motivational speaker and first attempted to dip his toe in coaching waters at Baylor University, his alma mater, when it had an opening at head coach. He was turned down, but the experience paid dividends.
"When I was in the mix at Baylor," Singletary recalled, "having the opportunity to interview for that job and go down to the last few people involved in it, I think that whole process really allowed both my wife and I to see that we should be in coaching. We prayed about it, and it was confirmed in that process that we should be back in coaching."
With the decision made to coach, Singletary contacted several teams, including the Ravens and Bears. His "in" with the Ravens, minority owner Steve Bisciotti, was the one who first heard of Singletary's plans. At the time, Singletary didn't think anything of it other than just making his intentions known.
He later interviewed but wasn't offered a job coaching linebackers with the Bengals, and even dropped a call to the Bill Parcells in Dallas. Singletary contacted about six teams, and even had two approach him, but it was the Ravens who eventually sold Singletary on coming to Baltimore.
"I think the No. 1 thing was having the opportunity to talk to coach [Brian] Billick, having the opportunity to talk to [owner] Mr. Modell, Steve Bisciotti, [defensive coordinator] Mike Nolan, [senior vice president] Ozzie Newsome, and feeling the energy and seeing the leadership and vision that's here to be the best they can possibly be in terms of doing what they need to do to get back to the Super Bowl. I'm excited to be a part of that."
It wasn't that long ago when the Ravens were in the Super Bowl -- two years ago, actually. But the truth is that they pulled off a near-perfect draft in 2002, got the most out of a young defense, and despite many believing they would face a steep "rebuilding" process, they compiled an impressive 7-9 record while fighting for a playoff spot with two weeks left last season. All this while defensive leader Ray Lewis was shelved by injury for 11 games.
Speaking of Lewis, the mere vision of Singletary coaching or even whispering something in his ear on the sidelines before he enters a game might be enough to make several AFC quarterbacks consider retirement.
"Ray is an intimidator," Singletary said. "Maybe he's going to tell me something different, but he is so excited about what he's doing, I'm not quite sure if he [thinks he's] an intimidator. I'll find out for sure in the next few weeks.
Mike Singletary won't be in pads, but he'll be involved in the game once again.
"As a linebacker, when you play the game and when you hit people and [those] people remember those hits, that's what intimidates. I don't think it's the stuff like getting on your hands and kicking the ground or spitting -- that doesn't really mean anything. It's what you bring to the play when you hit somebody."
Lewis won't be the only linebacker on Singletary's watch. Edgerton Hartwell and Pro Bowler Peter Boulware will also be a part of the Ravens linebacking corps, which is a key part of their 3-4 defense.
"The one thing I know is that they're a good group of guys," Singletary said. "They're passionate about being the best they can be. I'm excited about looking and listening to what their needs are and watching film like crazy and making sure that I'm here to help them take their game to another level.
"The last thing I want to do is to look back and sit around and tell these guys old war stories about what I used to do. I think certainly, there are some things that I will take forward with me that really are part of me and my makeup. But the thing I want to do is really try and help these linebackers really look at the situation and where they want to be and just try to help them get there."
Well said, especially for someone who's being called coach for the first time. Do something wrong in practice and his eyes -- those with the steely glare that mesmorizes in old Chicago Bears highlights -- fixate on the perpetrator.
And don't look across the field while playing the Ravens, or you will also find that iron gaze. But the man behind the eyes doesn't think it's that big of a deal.
"A lot of people really misconstrued my eyes," Singletary said. "They were not really too intimidating. They were really more to see the entire field. The thing I wanted to do is get back far enough -- this was a science for me -- where I could see from one sideline to the other and everything in front of me that moved, because that dictated so much of what the offense was trying to do in one single movement."
Yeah, right. Tell that to Steve Grogan and Tony Eason, the Patriots' sacrificial lambs in Super Bowl XX. Tell that to every other quarterback who lined up against Singletary during his 12-year career with Chicago.
And speaking of the Bears, where were they while Singletary was swiped by the Ravens? After all, "Samurai Mike" is one of the several Chicago athletes the city has held in high regard, much like they do now with linebacker Brian Urlacher. Singletary says in this instance, it was all business.
"Obviously, I played with the Bears, loved the Bears, will always love the Bears, but I believe things happen for a reason," Singletary said.
"I mean this from the bottom of my heart: I have no animosity and no disappointment whatsoever. Obviously, being in Chicago would have been very easy, would have been great, but I believe that God works things out for a reason. I believe that I am in Baltimore for a reason. Maybe there's another time I'll be in Chicago, I don't know, but I believe that right now, in Baltimore is where I'm supposed to be."
As if anyone who knows anything about Singletary needed a reminder of what he's capable of -- even from the sidelines -- he offered the following:
"The Bible has a verse in it that says 'The eyes are the mirror of the soul.' I really think the eyes are important. Many players I can look at, if I can see their eyes, I can tell you whether or not they're ready [to play]. If I was getting ready to play a quarterback and I'm looking at that quarterback, I can tell you if that quarterback was scared. Same (with) a running back."
Asked if he could still look into an opponent's eyes to determine if they're ready, Singletary said with a hint of intensity in his voice, "I think so."
He's still got it.
To paraphrase his lines from The Super Bowl Shuffle, you can be sure that no Ravens linebackers will be messin' in Singletary's neighborhood, which has been relocated to Maryland.