Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has officially cited fictional race car driver Ricky Bobby from the famous comedy movie “Talladega Nights.”
When asked if winning in the preseason is important Harbaugh responded with, “Second is the first loser.”
Harbaugh may have cited this quote from a comedy movie, but he was very serious when repeating it. To keep his name in good standards with the parents of the world he made it very clear that when this statement was made he was not referring to youth sports or high school sports.
“All you kids out there- that’s not true in youth sports, or even high school sports, or probably anything in amateur sports. But in pro football, that’s true.”
The Ravens are one win away from becoming undefeated in preseason, along with the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
Harbaugh just wants his team to go out there and play well just as any other coach would for their team.
“How you play in the preseason matters,” Harbaugh said. “Now, there’s been 0-4 teams that have gone on to win Super Bowls. Somebody can call B.S. on that and say that’s not right, but I think it matters, I want to go out there and play well. We should play well, because if we’re a good football team, we should play well every time we go out there.”
The Ravens have been extremely successful when it comes to winning preseason games in the past. During the 2008-2012 seasons, Baltimore went to the playoffs every year and were 13-7.
This upcoming Thursday night the Baltimore Ravens will take on the New Orleans Saints for the preseason finale. Two undefeated teams will go head to head to claim that undefeated preseason title. However, there’s no trophy for this accomplishment. It’s more of so for your pride and dignity. But, for Harbaugh’s sake it’s for greater success in the regular season.
“We don’t go down there to New Orleans to not win the game,” Harbaugh said. “We are going to do everything we can to win the game. If we walk off the field without the win, I’m not going to be happy about it. I want to walk over and shake the other coach’s hand as the winner, not the loser.”
Most of the starters for the Ravens will not play in Thursday’s preseason finale in New Orleans. Therefore, rookies, second team and third team better come prepared for a battle.
In the famous words of Cal and Ricky Bobby, “Shake and Bake.”
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