Two years after parlaying his job coordinating the Vikings' explosive 1998 offense into a head coaching job in Baltimore, Brian Billick had the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, Fla.

So I was doing a story on Billick and, because I'd gotten to know him well during that 1998 season, he agreed to give me a one-on-one interview the Thursday of Super Bowl week. He was going to do his news conference in a large tent, then he was going to meet me behind the tent.

He finished, walked out the back and we started talking. I was about 45 seconds into the interview when Sid Hartman came barreling around the corner, his huge tape recorder in hand. He hurried up to us, pushed me out of the way and started doing his own interview. The good-natured Billick answered Sid's questions, then gave me some more time. Just further proof that it's dangerous to get in Mr. Hartman's way.