Before every home game, BaltimoreRavens.com will run the feature story in Sunday's program. Here is this weekend's spotlight:
Describe your brother in six words or less.JOHN: "Great brother, great friend."
JIM: "My best friend."
When have you been most proud of your brother?JOHN: "When I watch him with his kids. The way he plays with them is amazing. It's just like he's a kid."
JIM: "Each and every day, both personally and professionally."
What is the best advice your brother has given you in life?JOHN: "After I had been coaching for awhile, he told me, 'Believe in yourself, because there are a lot of people who think you're good at what you do, and there's no reason why you shouldn't.'"
JIM: "Trust and be trustworthy."
What's the best advice your brother has given you since you became an NFL head coach?JOHN: "'Run the Power Off-Tackle play.' That's his main play. He said to, 'Run the ball and play great defense.'"
JIM: ""Be yourself and trust your instincts… It's good enough."
In your immediate family of five – (dad) Jack, (mom) Jackie, (sister) Joani, John and Jim, who is most competitive? An example why?JOHN:"Jackie – by far. She's never played golf, but the one or two times we'd take her out to play golf, she thinks she should be Jan Stevenson. Whatever she does, she fully expects to be a pro the first time she does it. It shocks her if she's not."
JIM: "Jackie. She allows no one to rest on their laurels and constantly challenges you to be the best you can be."
What's the most important life lesson your father taught you?JOHN: "'Don't take any wooden nickels.' Also, 'Always guard the line – whether it's in baseball or basketball.' And, 'Practice dribbling with your left hand.' Those are all good life lessons."
JIM: "'Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind,' and, 'Take no wooden nickels.'"
What's the most important football lesson your father taught you?JOHN: "Never throw your headset. When we were coaching at Western [Michigan] together, there was a bad call, and I threw my headset back onto the track. It shattered all over the place. He made me go get it in front of the entire crowd."
JIM: "Get ahead, stay ahead."
What do you think was the crowning athletic achievement of your brother's life?JOHN: "The obvious is the Colts' run to the AFC Championship game [in 1995]. There was a lot of redemption in that, because I always thought he was an underrated and underappreciated player. He made the Pro Bowl that year. That's the one, so far…"
JIM:"John has had many athletic achievements as a player and coach. Yet, it is my belief and confidence that the crowning achievement lies ahead."
WHEN WE WERE KIDS…JOHN: I hated that my brother…"didn't cut the grass when it was his turn. I'd always cut it when it was my turn."
JIM: I hated that my brother… "challenged me academically, athletically and in every facet of life."
JOHN: I loved that my brother… "imitated the pros when he played sports. He was always the best player at everything, but it wasn't enough just to be Jim Harbaugh. In his Little League games, he had to be a great player from the pros."
JIM: I loved that my brother… "challenged me academically, athletically and in every facet of life."
JOHN: I wished that my brother… "could have hit a curveball. I also wish he would have passed the ball to me more often in basketball. I would have had more points."
JIM: I wished that my brother… "had shared with me not only what I know, but everything that he knows."
JOHN: "Me hitting all my jump shots, because I was a better shooter" …drove my brother nuts.JIM: "Taking him down to the low post"…drove my brother nuts.JOHN: "Playing football together, he as the quarterback and me the receiver"…was some of the most fun we had together. "We hooked up on some good passes. Harbaugh to Harbaugh."JIM: "Playing as teammates for the Ann Arbor Junior Packers"…was some of the most fun we had together.What was one thing your brother always beat you at?JOHN: "I can remember nothing that he always beat me at."
JIM: "My memories now are of great competitions rather than who won or lost."
What was one thing you always beat your brother at?JOHN: "I always beat him in school and grades. In sports, I was always a better baseball player."
JIM:"My memories now are of great competitions rather than who won or lost."
What is your greatest family memory from Thanksgiving?JOHN: "We'd visit our grandparents, watch football and play in the backyard. Grandpa Cipiti had a huge backyard, and we'd always play out there."
JIM:"My mom's uncanny ability to serve the turkey exactly at the beginning of halftime of the Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers football game."
JOHN: This Thanksgiving Night, my parents will be rooting for… "probably the clock."
JIM: This Thanksgiving Night, my parents will be rooting for…"a well-played, hard-fought, competitive contest played by two well-coached football teams."
JOHN: In five years, my brother will be… "great father, great husband, great coach."
JIM: In five years, my brother will be… "highly successful and the same respected quality individual he is today."
JOHN: Being a head coach in the NFL is… "a blessing and a thrill."
JIM: Being a head coach in the NFL is… "an opportunity to compete against the finest, most-competitive players and coaches in the sporting world."
JOHN: Being in the Harbaugh family means… "that you better strap it up every day. You better always buckle up your chinstrap."
JIM: Being in the Harbaugh family means… "You must bring your best game every day. Anything less is not acceptable. Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
