Brian Billick (Baltimore Ravens) and the Media Finish Round One

After a 10-minute introduction, during which the coach noted that the Ravens would have no curfew during the week leading up to Super Bowl XXXV, Billick went on the offensive to quell any continued interest or questions revolving around his star middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Lewis, who was charged with murder after two men were killed outside an Atlanta nightclub last January, went to trial last Spring and charges against him were dropped. Lewis agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice charges and to offer testimony against two other defendants, neither of whom were found guilty.

The story, which has been rehashed by the national media continuously since then, was apparently behind Lewis until he stepped once again into the national spotlight for Baltimore's first trip to the Super Bowl since the Baltimore Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. Billick, sensing that his young superstar has been through quite enough, took the initiative in his press conference to protect the NFL's defensive player of the year.

Noted Billick, "As much as some of you want to, we are not going to retry this. It's inappropriate, and you're not qualified." Billick also went on to say "I'm not naive enough to not recognize that there's going to be an interest, but to be quite frank, I'm a little disturbed with some of the focus being brought to it for the reason it's being brought. I equate it to an ambulance-chasing mode; you decide that you want to take on a certain sensational aspect of it." The press, which does seem accustomed to producing sensationalized versions of even the oldest of stories and a fair share of criticism to boot, picked up on Billick's tone immediately.

Accustomed to dishing out the criticism but squeamish about receiving it, a member of the assembled press asked Billick how he could tell so many people how to do their jobs. Billick answered, "I have the podium, and you all are here to listen to me. Next question."