ESPN Hashmarks

• Mike Preston provides an excellent account of where it all went wrong for former Ravens coach Brian Billick. He talks about how Ed Reed and Ray Lewis would occasionally turn their backs on Billick when he addressed the team. Also find it interesting that Preston takes a jab at the local media that he's a part of.

Is Mike Preston known as the hammer in Baltimore? If that's the case, no one notified the Hashmarks editorial staff. Again, it's a really interesting column, but I just hope he wrote some of that stuff when Billick was still the head coach. Regarding Billick's arrogance, Preston was spot on. It's sort of amusing to watch a grown man puff out his chest like a rooster. That's the Billick that a lot of us got to know through HBO's first edition of "Hard Knocks." But when you lose, all that bravado simply becomes annoying.

• As the presidential primaries heat up, it's nice to see that David Steele has mastered the art of flip-flopping. He's changed his mind about the talent in the Ravens' locker room, and thinks that owner Steve Bisciotti should let popular defensive coordinator Rex Ryan take over as head coach. Now, I've always been a fan of Ryan's work, but he doesn't address this coaching staff's greatest need: someone to develop and nurture a young quarterback. The Ravens have been held hostage by that position for years, and that's why Bisciotti better at least consider some of the top young offensive coordinators (Cleveland, Dallas, New England) around the league before going with Ryan.

• Rick Maese reflects on the good times. He talks about the attributes that caused the Modells to fall in love with Billick in 1999.

• At least one columnist from Cleveland wanted a better effort from the Colts on Sunday night. Are we really going to do this? I think most Browns fans would agree that Derek Anderson's four interceptions the previous week contributed more to their team missing the playoffs than anything Jim Sorgi did.

• Dan Le Batard throws a wet blanket on all the enthusiasm that Bill Parcells' arrival in Miami has caused. His basic premise is that successful franchises aren't constantly blowing things up. Le Batard wonders if Big Bill will stick around long enough to see this thing through.

• Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post weighs in on Parcells. If you're not familiar with Bill's nomadic ways, you might want to check this one out.

• How will the Bills keep up with the "two greatest minds in football?" Perhaps Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News can help us with this one.

• Jeff Fisher knows Vince Young will play Sunday. He's just not saying it.

• Pasquarelli had this story first, but here's the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's account of Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano being interviewed by the Falcons. This could get interesting if Bill Parcells fires Cam Cameron tomorrow. He would immediately seek permission from his former employer, Jerry Jones, to interview Sparano. And yet another man could use Arthur Blank as leverage. The Dolphins would have to interview Sparano before Saturday or risk waiting until the week before the Super Bowl. But it's not like Parcells needs to spend much time with him. They coached together for four years and talk by phone on an almost weekly basis.

• More on this topic from my pal Todd Archer.

• The Raiders, Chiefs and Falcons will flip a coin for draft position.

• The newest member of the Hashmarks Nation, Jason Whitlock, uses a "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme to grade the Chiefs.

• What did rookie head coach Lane Kiffin learn this season?

• A Connecticut boy has won a Brett Favre jersey 1,466 days.

• Our pal Bill Williamson provides some classic Javon Walker.