There has been much speculation in the Ravens search for a new head coach, and some of the names being bandied about are intriguing. But I don't see many of them being the right person at the right time.

Forget about Mike Tice, the man has no positives what so ever. Why the main stream media have even put his name out is a mystery to me.

There are several other candidates out there who are rumored to be in contention for the Ravens head coach position, and I'll be happy to give you my view of them.

Maybe the most popular candidate for Ravens fans is Rex Ryan, but there is something that tells me that choosing him would be a mistake if it's really change that this team wants.

The defensive players are lobbying for him big time, and I understand that, he's their guy and they hold him in high regard, but there lies the problem. Rex Ryan would most likely bring back many of the former Raven coaches who I consider to have been much of the problem.

The Ravens coaching staff was probably a pretty close group, and the sort where you make friendships easily. I believe Ryan would feel obligated to bring back many of the same people that Brian Billick had chosen due to that friendship and to me that would be a mistake. If you are going to start fresh, then do just that.

One other thing that leads me away from Ryan assuming the head coach position is that the players have a comfort level with him, and that's not a positive in my opinion. What this team needs is to be on their toes with a new head coach, not one they think they can get away with the type of behavior they had shown this season.

I'd have no problem with Rex Ryan being the defensive coordinator once again, the man has shown a level of genius in his defensive schemes for sure, but putting him in as head coach might send a message to some players that they can act as they wish, and that is one of the biggest problems facing this team, a lack of discipline.

Brian Billick's approach of treating these players like men made him look like a fool because way too many of them acted like children. In my opinion that's why everyone was saying he had lost control of the team, he preached a message to them and they disregarded it and behaved as they wished. Now they deserve to reap the fruits of their behavior. Let the new coach be a task master that won't put up with childish conduct.

Would Cam Cameron be a good choice? He certainly didn't make a good showing during his one year stint in Miami, though he might make a decent offensive coordinator. Head coach? No.

Josh McDaniels, the New England Patriots offensive coordinator has already said he's not interested in moving up to be a head coach in the NFL, and I don't think the Ravens would give him much consideration if he was interested. He's way too young and unproven. Sure, Tom Brady can make any offensive coordinator look like a genius, but what would he be able to accomplish with lesser talent?

Jason Garrett, the current offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys would be an interesting choice, but I don't know if he's ready to take on a head coaching role. He may turn out to be a good choice to get this Ravens team some semblance of an offense having been a quarterback and knowing what the position entails, but much like McDaniels he's an unproven commodity. The risk factor is high here.

Marty Schottenheimer ? Please! I don't see any kid of a fit for this team with a coach that has shown he can't win a playoff game. I think Marty's time has came and went. He's an old school coach, and I actually admire that, but I don't think todays players particularly enjoy his coaching style. That's more a knock on the players than Schottenheimer.

Kirk Ferentz, current University of Iowa coach has ties to Ozzie Newsome, which may lead him to make a push to Steve Biscoitti for his services, but college coaches have had a hard time adjusting to the NFL. Just look at Steve Spurrier , a coach who had spectacular success at the college level but totally bombed in the NFL. Plus, his son plays on his Iowa team so I don't see him leaving his current position.

Jim Caldwell, the Colts quarterbacks coach definitely has a good grasp of offense, considering you have Peyton Manning as your primary quarterback. To me that has made his job far too easy and it remains to be seen whether or not he could repeat success at that level with the quarterbacks currently on the Ravens roster. He just might be the one who could drill the quarterbacks on this team the way that they should have been all along. Johnathan Ogden made note on his weekly radio show that he thinks this has been a problem with our quarterbacks during Billicks regime. God knows the man hadn't developed on in the last 9 years.

Perhaps the best fit would be Bill Cower, but he has made a promise to his daughter that he would be there for her in her senior year at Cary Academy, where she plays basketball. Although he has built a new house in Raleigh, N.C., and most people think he's waiting for the Carolina Panthers head coach spot to open, he may have a price that would convince him to take the job with the Ravens, say $8 million a year. And believe me, every man has a price. Cower would be a good fit in a number of ways. One, he knows the AFC North and how each team operates. Secondly he's a disciplined coach who wouldn't put up with a lot of the showmanship Ravens players have shown this past season. But I don't see it happening. I think Cower will live up to the promise he made to his daughter and sit out another year, knowing that the money will be waiting for him when he decides to get back into the fight.

So you tell me who looks to be the best candidate. All of them have many positives, but each has negatives as well. This isn't an exact science. If it were me I'd be looking for someone who would instill discipline, and either had a good offensive philosophy, or would hire a coordinator who did. That's what this team needs, and hopefully that's what they will get if they're lucky.