When John Harbaugh arrived here in January for the first of two interviews with the Ravens, he carried with him a copious, 5-inch-thick binder that held practice schedules, computer programs and assorted literature on running a football team.
He called it the "Andy Reid binder," with good reason.
In 1999, Reid won the Philadelphia Eagles' head coaching job - at least in small part - because of the thoroughness of that binder. In January, a replica binder played almost no role in Harbaugh's getting the Ravens' job, but it certainly was a declaration of where he was coming from.
Having spent nine years under Reid in Philadelphia - the first eight as special teams coach and the last as secondary coach - Coach Harbaugh embraces everything that's in that cumbersome binder.
On Sunday, when the Eagles visit the Ravens, the two coaches with a shared football philosophy and similar tough-mindedness will stand on opposite sidelines for the first time, pull on their headsets and put aside all personal feelings.
The pre- and post-game handshakes might be different, but the game will still be the same, both said this week.
"You're going against your brothers. It means something. It's exciting," Harbaugh said. "There's a little bit of something at stake, and it'll be fun before the game. But when the game starts, it's going to be our players playing against their players, and whoever plays the best is going to win."
Know this: In Harbaugh's first season as head coach, Nov. 23 was the only date he remembered from the 2008 schedule. And that every few weeks, he and Reid talk on the phone or text-message each other.
The formative years of Harbaugh's coaching career were shaped by his father, Jack, and Michigan icon Bo Schembechler. The past nine years, though, were shaded in green and belonged to Reid.
Aside from his organizational outlook on running a team, one of the biggest lessons Harbaugh got came in 1999, Reid's first season in Philadelphia.
He watched Reid turn over a depleted organization, lay down rules and take on all challenges. Perhaps the most famous incident from that first season was when starting guard George Hegamin left the team in training camp after being demoted. A contrite Hegamin returned a day later, but Reid, wanting to send a message, had him push a blocking sled the length of the field after practice - while reporters watched. At final cuts two weeks later, Hegamin was released.
