Welcome to Part 2 of my look back at the 2001 Hard Knocks episodes, the inaugural season of this series which featured the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. After reviewing the first three episodes last week, I’ll go through the final three this week.
The tone of the series, and camp itself, had changed in the third episode when Jamal Lewis went down for the season with a torn ACL. We watched while the coaches stayed positive and focused on coaching up some of the young running backs and acclimating newly signed veteran Terry Allen (what else could they do?), Ultimately, though, Lewis’ injury dealt a fatal blow to the Ravens’ chances of repeating as Super Bowl Champs.
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Episode 4 continued the more somber tone, beginning with the annual warning talk to the players of the bad things that can happen to them with women they don’t know well. That was followed by some intense coaching of some of the young players and the constant emphasis, often delivered loudly, to “Get in your playbooks!” Coaches were making the point that players do not have time to think on the field, that they need to know their assignments so well that they can execute and react on the fly. Kenny Jackson, the rookie linebacker, was someone who demonstrated particular difficulty with that concept. If he had not had such apparent physical gifts, he probably would have been out the door with QB Ortege Jenkins, who did not make it through the second episode.
We were also treated (?) to Tony Siragusa’s pre- and post-op for an arthroscopic procedure on his knee (and his obligatory smart-ass remarks). Sharpe, tongue-in-cheek (probably), accused Goose of timing the procedure so he could miss part of camp that he loathed so much. The Ravens’ subsequent 16-3 loss to the Jets in their first preseason game brought a warning from Coach Billick to his team, and a quiet ending to a difficult episode.
Fortunately, the tone changed in the fifth episode, my favorite of the series, where the team put on its annual rookie talent show and what was regarded as the highlight of camp, the crowning of “King Ugly.”
The talent show was a lot of fun to watch, as the rookies did some dead-on impressions of Coach Billick (by Todd Heap, of all people), Shannon Sharpe (by LB Tim Johnson, who was rewarded with a standing ovation), and Ray Lewis’ pre-game routine (couldn’t catch which player did that portrayal). The best part was watching how hard the subjects laughed at being mocked, again showing a team very comfortable with itself.
“King Ugly” was an annual competition where players and coaches paid to vote for the ugliest player or coach on the team. Coach Donnie Hardman was the “winner,” and feted with a ceremony bestowing upon him a paper crown and a scepter which looked a lot like a plunger (hopefully unused). Rookie RB Jason Brookins stole the show, however, when he was named the runner up, walking through the room pointing out more “deserving” people, winding up selecting Coach Billick, who not only laughed along with everyone else, but later shared how Brookins impressed him with his moxie doing that.
Rookies who failed to participate were punished by the veterans. One was taped to the goalpost; others were treated with an impromptu ice bath in the whirlpool. This episode really struck me, not only for the hijinks, but for how little camp traditions have changed over the years. I had recently watched the movie “Paper Lion,’ the adaptation of George Plimpton’s book detailing his participation in the Detroit Lions’ camp in 1967 with a pre-MASH Alan Alda playing the author. The movie also featured rookies singing, waiting on veterans, and the general camaraderie players enjoyed then, and, as Hard Knocks displayed, now.
The final episode, the shortest of the six, focused on final cutdown day. We saw the emotional agony players on the bubble suffered, the joy of those who eventually made it, and the pain of those who did not. It was all up-close and personal, real, and relatable. Anyone who has ever gone through a job interview, survived as applicants are narrowed down, and sweat through waiting for the final decision could empathize. The main difference is that anyone reading this likely did not have a television camera following them around through the process.
Postscript
It’s customary to end a retrospective with a review of what happened to the featured subjects, and who I am to go against custom, at least this time. Here’s what I found about the stars of this show.
Brian Billick – He coached the Ravens for six more seasons, posted a 13-3 record in 2006 that stood as the franchise best until 2019, but never won another playoff game after 2001. Not surprisingly, he found a niche in television, working as an analyst with the NFL Network. I’m unclear if he gets paid by the word.
Shannon Sharpe – He returned to Denver for two more productive seasons and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He can be seen on FS1 weekday mornings arguing with Skip Bayless because someone has to.
Rod Woodson – He returned to the Super Bowl in 2002 with the Oakland Raiders, tying his career high with 8 interceptions and finished his career in 2003. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and spent most of the ensuing years moving between broadcasting and coaching.
Ray Lewis – It took him 12 years to return to the Super Bowl, which was the swan song of his career. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2018 and has been in broadcasting and, of course, busy with community work since his retirement.
Todd Heap – He lived up to his first-round draft position, playing with the Ravens through 2010, then finishing his career in Arizona. He and his wife have five kids, but tragically lost their youngest, Holly, when Todd accidentally ran over her in their driveway in 2017.
Tony Siragusa – Goose retired after that season and was a sideline reporter for FOX thru 2015. If it seemed at times during Hard Knocks that he was auditioning for “The Sopranos,” well, he got the gig, appearing in four episodes during their final season in 2004.
Qadry Ismail – He played one final year in Indianapolis in 2002, the 5th stop in his NFL career. He was a color analyst on the Ravens’ radio broadcasts for many years and is now a sports performance coach, as well as a Co-host of the Purple Pregame show on WJZ. His two sons both played college football, and his daughter played college basketball.
Dwayne Missouri – He was signed by the Cowboys off the Ravens practice squad in 2001 and played in 2 games for them. He was allocated to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe in 2002 and was second in the league in sacks. The 49ers signed and released him in 2003, and he played for Colorado, Philadelphia, and Utah of the Arena League through 2007. He went into high school football coaching and teaching special ed after he was finished playing football.
Ortege Jenkins – He took Billick’s advice and sought out work in Canada. He was signed by the BC Lions (Vancouver) and dressed for one game in 2001 and four in 2002 before being released. He had CFL totals of 42 passing yards, 1 INT, and 0 TDs. He currently owns a gym in his hometown of Long Beach, California.
Kenny Jackson – He got a lot of nibbles after the Ravens cut him. He was signed by the Packers, Broncos, Panthers, Bengals, and Jaguars…and cut by them all between 2001-04. I found an inactive twitter account he set up in 2010 @HardKnocks_KJ but nothing else from his post-football life.
Reggie Waddell – He played one game for the Ravens in 2001, did not record a tackle, and later played 2 seasons for Detroit in the Arena League. I also came up empty on his post-football life.
I can’t encourage you enough to go back and watch all six episodes, which are all on You Tube. Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 If you are too young to have watched the 2000 Champs, this series will give you some insight to how that team came and stayed together through a very challenging path to the Super Bowl.
Coming Next – The annual Hall of Fame ceremony is upon us, and it will have a very strong Steelers flavor this year. I’m going to counterprogram a bit and look at the Baltimore Colts Hall of Famers who are members of the Ravens’ ring of honor.
Between columns you can hit me up on Twitter @jimjfootball.
Until next time, That’s All, Folks! No, that was Porky Pig (without the stutter).
Good day and good mental health…no, that was Fraser Crane.
Oh well, have a great week everyone!
Jim Johnson spent most of his life in Maryland, growing up with the Orioles, the Colts, Terps, and later Ravens. He started his sports writing career as “The Courtmaster,” covering the Terps and ACC hoops and was a frequent guest on Bob Haynie’s old WNST show and other sports talk across the region. He is currently in his second run at BSL. After previously covering Maryland and Big Ten Football, he now writes about the NFL, primarily the action in the AFC North. Jim covers both current and historic stories, seeking perspective and having fun in the process.