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 Wednesday, February 7, 2001
The other Dickie V is back in business
By Brent Musburger
Special to ABC Sports Online
While we await the Super Bowl between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens, we have leftovers to talk about during this NFL season. Our old broadcast partner, Dick Vermeil, has returned to the lifestyle of 12-hour days, limited sleep and the air of the locker room, this time with the Kansas City Chiefs.
There are several reasons why I'm not surprised that Dick decided to return:
|  | | Dick Vermeil has taken two teams to the Super Bowl. Is Kansas City next? |
The money: Ten million dollars over three years is hard for anyone to turn down. When Dick was coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, coaching salaries were not nearly as lucrative as they are today. He missed the big money bonanza and now he's making up for it, first with the Rams and now with the Chiefs. Dick has a lot of grandchildren that he cares for, and I'm sure that played a role in his decision.
The people: He missed the relationship with his assistants and his players. He found out that traveling around the country on various speaking engagements isn't nearly as rewarding as communicating with the staff and players he genuinely loves being around.
The wife: This was the biggest surprise to me. His wife Carol missed the energy the Rams job provided the previous three years. When he found out Carol missed waking up on Sundays and going to the stadium, he was encouraged to get back into coaching.
The Prez: The final reason was his lasting relationship with Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson. The two of them go back to the mid-1970s when Vermeil was at UCLA and hired Peterson as an assistant. They won a Rose Bowl out there and continued to coach together in Philadelphia, then went their separate ways after Vermeil left coaching for the broadcast booth.
Dick will have his hands full in K.C. He inherits a better team than he did in St. Louis, but in a much tougher division. The only cupcake in the AFC West is San Diego, and who knows what that No. 1 draft choice will do for the Chargers? However, going against Oakland, Denver and Seattle six times a season is a tough task for any coach.
One thing about Vermeil is that he has more friends in the coaching community than anyone I've ever been around. We all wish him well in his post retirement career.
Super Bowl XXXV
Now, about that Super Bowl. The oddsmakers have posted the lowest over-under in the history of the Super Bowl at 33 ½. This shows a tremendous respect for the Ravens' defense. Having just witnessed the New York Giants put 41 points on the Minnesota Vikings (and don't we all think it could have been 50 had they not called off the dogs after the third quarter), anything can happen in this one.
It's amazing to me that they're expecting a Super Bowl to be played to a 17-10 final. One thing I remember, though, is that Super Bowls have a way of blowing open in the second half. Teams that fall behind become more desperate, knowing it's their last chance in the last game and they want to achieve the ultimate glory. Those teams take undue risks, and there's a lot of scoring in the fourth quarter. We shall see.
|  | | Baltimore's Ray Lewis has been the most dominant defensive player this season. |
Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis is playing at a level I haven't seen since the days of Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke. Given the speed of today's backs and receivers, I never thought I'd see a middle linebacker dominate a game like Lewis has. He is much faster than either Butkus or Nitschke, and his speed allows him to stay on the field in third-and long situations.
Lewis defends the pass as well as he defends the run. It will be a tough assignment for the Giants to move the ball on this defense. When Kerry Collins drops back to pass, he's looking at a tougher defensive backfield than the Vikings had. First, there is the sure-fire Hall of Famer Rod Woodson, who is one of the most consistent defensive backs of his time. Corners Chris McAlister and Duane Starks are one of the league's top tandems. It will take a creative game plan for the G-Men to get past this tenacious Baltimore defensive unit.
What the Giants have going for them is that the Baltimore offense isn't great. It isn't likely Trent Dilfer, Jamal Lewis or Shannon Sharpe can blow this game out in the first half. Their defense proved it isn't too shabby, either, folks. Even if they're behind, the Giants should have a chance in the fourth quarter.
If this game evolves into a field position contest as the experts say it will, the Ravens have an advantage is the kicking game. I was impressed with Matt Stover's ability to convert field goals (35-39 in regular season, 4-5 in playoffs) and their punter, Kyle Richardson, is underrated. He continually pins opponents inside their own 20, which makes the defense happy, and kick returner Jermaine Lewis gives the offense good field position. I'm sure the Giants staff noticed how the Ravens blocked two field goals against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional playoff, and successfully defended another field goal attempt in that game.
It's a fascinating Super Bowl matchup. Over the last two years, we've seen St. Louis, Baltimore, Tennessee, and now the Giants reach the main stage, and what this says to me is that every team has a chance to win it all. This is where the National Football League has a distinct advantage over Major League Baseball. When analyzing the salary cap, the draft, the manipulation of the schedule, the have-nots have a chance against the haves.
In the end, parity is the ultimate goal. That's what it's all about, and it makes a better game for the fans paying top dollar to see these contests. The fans deserve the opportunity to pull for a team that has a chance to win.
Otherwise, why bother?
Brent Musburger is a play-by-play commentator for ABC's coverage of college football and college basketball. He is a regular contributor to ABC Sports Online.
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 The Kansas City Chiefs announce Dick Vermeil as their new head coach.
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 Dick Vermeil talks with ESPN's Chris McKendry about his decision be the head coach the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Dick Vermeil says he is not worried about his age.
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