MeAngelo Hall traded to Oakland Raiders
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Palm Beach, Fla. ? Reconstructing his team after a 4-12 season was required to change the direction of the franchise, according to Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
In an interview at the NFL annual meeting with AJC Falcons beat writer Steve Wyche, Blank spoke about his inability to establish franchise stability, his hands-on involvement and whether he thinks imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick will play with the Falcons again.
Q: From the hiring of GM Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith to the free-agent signings, the changes in personnel have been very low-key.
A: It's not about splash. Splash is for the pool and water sports.
Q: What have you learned about the Dimitroff-Smith approach and how does that jibe with the formula of franchises that are consistently competitive?
A: The best teams in the NFL don't depend on free agency. They build through the draft, they draft wisely and they don't make mistakes in the draft. They extend their kids early and don't wait until their contract is up. They keep that core going for a long time. They keep continuity with the coaching staff. They keep continuity with their GM.
Q: So they do the things the Falcons haven't done.
A: That's what the best teams do and that's what we have to do. My frustration is that's what I've tried to do. Lord knows I tried. My criticism of myself is we haven't been successful doing that. I'm committed this time. I went on a search for a general manager and a head coach and said this is not about splash. This is about getting some good fundamental guys that we can build with over time. I believe with Mike and Thomas we have that.
: Neither was your first choice, though.
A: Bill Cowher, he would have been great. Bill Parcells would have been great in a lot of ways, but I'm happy with where we ended up. I couldn't be happier with how things ended up. In my view, I needed to change some of the folks who were involved in the process.
Q: You said that you are not a patient person, but are you prepared to go through a rebuilding phase and possibly another sub-.500 season?
A: It is a rebuilding year, but I'm not ready to say this is not going to be a good year for us. We'll be competitive, far more than last year. Where we'll end up, I don't know, but I think we'll be an exciting team. I'd love to see our fans come out this year and support our team. I think we've done a lot to gain their trust the last six years.
Q: Your quarterback situation isn't the best in the NFL right now ...
A: We have a lot of choices with that No. 3 pick [in the April 26-27 draft]. There are five or six players all worthy of that spot, including at least one quarterback [Boston College's Matt Ryan]. Chris [Redman] played well for us the last few games. We're happy Joey [Harrington] is back. We have D.J. Shockley back. But you can't win in the NFL if you don't have a good quarterback. That's an investment position, and we've got to look at it hard.???????-
Q: You have gone on visits to look at draft prospects. Are you trying to influence personnel decisions?
A: No. Those decisions are made by our personnel department. They [Dimitroff and Smith] want me to go. I make myself available if I'm invited. ... I'm never going to be an owner who says, "It's football and I don't care about it."
Q: If the No. 3 pick isn't a marquee player and you enter next season with no "face of the franchise," how do you get fans' interest?
A: It's a team game. We have good players on the roster from last year; a lot of them were guys we drafted. The No. 3 pick is going to be a great player, whether it's an offensive lineman, defensive lineman or quarterback. This is the best position we can be in: a team that is made up of high-quality players with a lot of depth.????-
Q: Have you been in touch with Michael Vick?
A: Michael has written a couple times. I've written him back. We have that kind of relationship. Despite the mixture of frustration, anger and disappointment in him, I believe in second chances and redemption. I would love to see Michael pay his debt to society and come out and play again in the NFL. I think he could also be a big help to ... speak to people about some of his choices.???????-
Q: Would you welcome him back to the Falcons?
A: I would not say yes. I would not say no. At this point, Michael is in a federal penitentiary [on a dogfighting conviction] and is suspended from football. We have to move forward. We are moving forward. We have to assume he's not coming back. I do wish him well. I'd love to see him play again. It would be good for the NFL.
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Man I hope they take Ryan now. Blank cannot get over his love for Vick. Geez why dont he go to the prison and kiss him on visiting hours.
From the sounds of it, Blank may end up on the sidelines after every game again aka Jerry Jones.
He just does not have much to do:scared
In an interview at the NFL annual meeting with AJC Falcons beat writer Steve Wyche, Blank spoke about his inability to establish franchise stability, his hands-on involvement and whether he thinks imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick will play with the Falcons again.
Q: From the hiring of GM Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith to the free-agent signings, the changes in personnel have been very low-key.
A: It's not about splash. Splash is for the pool and water sports.
Q: What have you learned about the Dimitroff-Smith approach and how does that jibe with the formula of franchises that are consistently competitive?
A: The best teams in the NFL don't depend on free agency. They build through the draft, they draft wisely and they don't make mistakes in the draft. They extend their kids early and don't wait until their contract is up. They keep that core going for a long time. They keep continuity with the coaching staff. They keep continuity with their GM.
Q: So they do the things the Falcons haven't done.
A: That's what the best teams do and that's what we have to do. My frustration is that's what I've tried to do. Lord knows I tried. My criticism of myself is we haven't been successful doing that. I'm committed this time. I went on a search for a general manager and a head coach and said this is not about splash. This is about getting some good fundamental guys that we can build with over time. I believe with Mike and Thomas we have that.
: Neither was your first choice, though.
A: Bill Cowher, he would have been great. Bill Parcells would have been great in a lot of ways, but I'm happy with where we ended up. I couldn't be happier with how things ended up. In my view, I needed to change some of the folks who were involved in the process.
Q: You said that you are not a patient person, but are you prepared to go through a rebuilding phase and possibly another sub-.500 season?
A: It is a rebuilding year, but I'm not ready to say this is not going to be a good year for us. We'll be competitive, far more than last year. Where we'll end up, I don't know, but I think we'll be an exciting team. I'd love to see our fans come out this year and support our team. I think we've done a lot to gain their trust the last six years.
Q: Your quarterback situation isn't the best in the NFL right now ...
A: We have a lot of choices with that No. 3 pick [in the April 26-27 draft]. There are five or six players all worthy of that spot, including at least one quarterback [Boston College's Matt Ryan]. Chris [Redman] played well for us the last few games. We're happy Joey [Harrington] is back. We have D.J. Shockley back. But you can't win in the NFL if you don't have a good quarterback. That's an investment position, and we've got to look at it hard.???????-
Q: You have gone on visits to look at draft prospects. Are you trying to influence personnel decisions?
A: No. Those decisions are made by our personnel department. They [Dimitroff and Smith] want me to go. I make myself available if I'm invited. ... I'm never going to be an owner who says, "It's football and I don't care about it."
Q: If the No. 3 pick isn't a marquee player and you enter next season with no "face of the franchise," how do you get fans' interest?
A: It's a team game. We have good players on the roster from last year; a lot of them were guys we drafted. The No. 3 pick is going to be a great player, whether it's an offensive lineman, defensive lineman or quarterback. This is the best position we can be in: a team that is made up of high-quality players with a lot of depth.????-
Q: Have you been in touch with Michael Vick?
A: Michael has written a couple times. I've written him back. We have that kind of relationship. Despite the mixture of frustration, anger and disappointment in him, I believe in second chances and redemption. I would love to see Michael pay his debt to society and come out and play again in the NFL. I think he could also be a big help to ... speak to people about some of his choices.???????-
Q: Would you welcome him back to the Falcons?
A: I would not say yes. I would not say no. At this point, Michael is in a federal penitentiary [on a dogfighting conviction] and is suspended from football. We have to move forward. We are moving forward. We have to assume he's not coming back. I do wish him well. I'd love to see him play again. It would be good for the NFL.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Man I hope they take Ryan now. Blank cannot get over his love for Vick. Geez why dont he go to the prison and kiss him on visiting hours.
From the sounds of it, Blank may end up on the sidelines after every game again aka Jerry Jones.
He just does not have much to do:scared
Falcons coach hints at drafting 'big, strong guys'
By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/02/08
Palm Beach, Fla. ? Falcons coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have spent much of their time at the NFL meetings this week being incredibly coy about their draft plans, including what they could do with the team's No. 3 overall selection.
Even so, Smith described the type of players he wants, the types of mental makeup they must possess and said that the NFL-seasoned coaching staff has the talent to mold those players into contention.
"We're going to be physical," Smith said at the annual NFC coaches' breakfast Wednesday. "We're going to try and control the line of scrimmage, and if we do that, we have a chance to be successful."
To do that, the Falcons have to upgrade their roster. They landed their targeted free agents, with former San Diego running back Michael Turner being the big prize, but the guts of the team will be acquired through the draft, Smith said.
The Falcons hold 11 selections in the April 26-27 draft to add to the foundation.
"You look for mental toughness. Do they play hard? Are they consistent in the effort they put out?" Smith said about the type of player he seeks.
"You often hear that guys play hard when they want to or he plays down to the competition. That, first and foremost, is the thing you look at. You also have to look at how they respond when things are going well and how things are going poorly."
Smith reiterated the path to success comes by stopping the run, pressuring the quarterback with the defensive line and punishing defenses by running the ball. The Falcons could stockpile both lines in the draft, with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long or LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey being the lynchpin taken with the No. 3 choice.
"Up front, the prototypical guys we want are the big, strong guys," Smith said. "If we can get the big, strong and fast guys, then we are going to be successful."
A quarterback is on the way, too, Smith said. While the draft seems the easiest and ideal means, especially with the emphasis of building that way, Smith did not rule out a trade for a veteran (Buffalo's J.P. Losman?).
Smith, Dimitroff and team owner Arthur Blank said Boston College's Matt Ryan, who many people project as a top-5 pick, is a candidate for the Falcons' first pick, but so are players at other positions. The Falcons currently have three second-round picks to use on a quarterback if they choose to bypass Ryan in the first round.
As for Ryan, "I think he's an outstanding player," Smith said. "He comes as advertised."
The diplomatic coach also offered praise for the next tier of quarterback prospects, Joe Flacco, Brian Brohm and Chad Henne.
"They're all good players," Smith said. "They all have some outstanding, redeeming qualities."
Some of the draft determinations could be influenced by what coaches take out of a three-day veteran mini-camp that begins April 14. It will be a non-contact session, so any judgment of interior players goes only so far. What Smith can assess is how players take to a coaching staff loaded with NFL experience.
The change to an NFL-heavy staff from last season's college-influenced staff under first-time NFL coach Bobby Petrino could help some players improve and could also aid in earning players' trust.
"The [players] can look at those guys and see the Super Bowl rings that they have and the experience that they have ? and this is a league about experience," Smith said. "We've got guys on our staff who are former players, and that's important on your staff to have guys who have sat in an NFL locker room and played in NFL games."
.............................................................
By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/02/08
Palm Beach, Fla. ? Falcons coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have spent much of their time at the NFL meetings this week being incredibly coy about their draft plans, including what they could do with the team's No. 3 overall selection.
Even so, Smith described the type of players he wants, the types of mental makeup they must possess and said that the NFL-seasoned coaching staff has the talent to mold those players into contention.
"We're going to be physical," Smith said at the annual NFC coaches' breakfast Wednesday. "We're going to try and control the line of scrimmage, and if we do that, we have a chance to be successful."
To do that, the Falcons have to upgrade their roster. They landed their targeted free agents, with former San Diego running back Michael Turner being the big prize, but the guts of the team will be acquired through the draft, Smith said.
The Falcons hold 11 selections in the April 26-27 draft to add to the foundation.
"You look for mental toughness. Do they play hard? Are they consistent in the effort they put out?" Smith said about the type of player he seeks.
"You often hear that guys play hard when they want to or he plays down to the competition. That, first and foremost, is the thing you look at. You also have to look at how they respond when things are going well and how things are going poorly."
Smith reiterated the path to success comes by stopping the run, pressuring the quarterback with the defensive line and punishing defenses by running the ball. The Falcons could stockpile both lines in the draft, with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long or LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey being the lynchpin taken with the No. 3 choice.
"Up front, the prototypical guys we want are the big, strong guys," Smith said. "If we can get the big, strong and fast guys, then we are going to be successful."
A quarterback is on the way, too, Smith said. While the draft seems the easiest and ideal means, especially with the emphasis of building that way, Smith did not rule out a trade for a veteran (Buffalo's J.P. Losman?).
Smith, Dimitroff and team owner Arthur Blank said Boston College's Matt Ryan, who many people project as a top-5 pick, is a candidate for the Falcons' first pick, but so are players at other positions. The Falcons currently have three second-round picks to use on a quarterback if they choose to bypass Ryan in the first round.
As for Ryan, "I think he's an outstanding player," Smith said. "He comes as advertised."
The diplomatic coach also offered praise for the next tier of quarterback prospects, Joe Flacco, Brian Brohm and Chad Henne.
"They're all good players," Smith said. "They all have some outstanding, redeeming qualities."
Some of the draft determinations could be influenced by what coaches take out of a three-day veteran mini-camp that begins April 14. It will be a non-contact session, so any judgment of interior players goes only so far. What Smith can assess is how players take to a coaching staff loaded with NFL experience.
The change to an NFL-heavy staff from last season's college-influenced staff under first-time NFL coach Bobby Petrino could help some players improve and could also aid in earning players' trust.
"The [players] can look at those guys and see the Super Bowl rings that they have and the experience that they have ? and this is a league about experience," Smith said. "We've got guys on our staff who are former players, and that's important on your staff to have guys who have sat in an NFL locker room and played in NFL games."
.............................................................
Please lets not take a quarterback w/ our 3rd pick. Maybe. . . just maybe Jake Long will still be there.
Michael Vick has a new job and is playing football again. The money is not quite the same and the records of the players are a bit different, too.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank has been communicating by letter with Vick, who is at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., incarcerated at the facility's minimum security satellite prison camp.
Blank told the Daily News that Vick writes that he is washing pots and pans for 12 cents an hour. He was sentenced to 23 months in December after pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges.
And in a scene straight out of the Longest Yard, Blank says Vick is playing football at Leavenworth. That's one way to pass his time and keep his arm loose. He's likely the first player picked when the inmates are choosing up sides or the guards are choosing up sides for them. Vick's sprinter speed surely comes in handy just in case a dog-loving inmate thinks it's cool to sack an NFL quarterback and break his shoulder.
"He is staying in shape,? Blank told The News. "Apparently, there was a prison football team and he played quarterback for both sides.?
That's only fair.
Blank, a Flushing product, says Vick wrote to him first and they've now opened a dialogue by mail. He also says that Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, has visited Vick several times in prison. Blank says he has no plans to visit Vick.
"He's written me a couple of times,? Blank said. "I've written him back, he's stayed in touch.?
Vick's life has taken quite a nosedive from his days as a superstar quarterback. He can be comforted financially by Judge David Doty's ruling in Minneapolis in February that he can keep $16.25 million of the $20 million in bonus money the Falcons were trying to recoup. The NFL is challenging the ruling.
Even if Blank feels betrayed by Vick, whom he signed to a 10-year, $130 million contract in 2004, he still clearly has a place in his heart for him, if not on his team.
"I just try to be supportive and as understanding as I can be,? Blank said. "He talks about the process he is going through and what he has learned, the lessons of life, how he's going to come out a different person. He's sorry he has affected so many people in a negative way ? the league, our club, our fans. He feels awful about that. The letters sound quite sincere to me. From a mental standpoint, he sounds good.?
What does he write to Vick?
"I told Michael I'll do whatever I can to be helpful to him personally. Nothing to do with the Atlanta Falcons,? Blank said. "He's a human being and I would like to reach out and if I can be productive to him in some way, I would be happy to do that.
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Yeh Blank be productive with vick, trade him to Oakland with MeAngelol
Hard to believe that Blank used to have Vick over to his house playing nintendo with his two children. :scared
Notice Vick did not sign into the drug treatment program at Leavenworth. He would have to take drug tests if he did that. Some of the best ganga is in prison.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank has been communicating by letter with Vick, who is at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., incarcerated at the facility's minimum security satellite prison camp.
Blank told the Daily News that Vick writes that he is washing pots and pans for 12 cents an hour. He was sentenced to 23 months in December after pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges.
And in a scene straight out of the Longest Yard, Blank says Vick is playing football at Leavenworth. That's one way to pass his time and keep his arm loose. He's likely the first player picked when the inmates are choosing up sides or the guards are choosing up sides for them. Vick's sprinter speed surely comes in handy just in case a dog-loving inmate thinks it's cool to sack an NFL quarterback and break his shoulder.
"He is staying in shape,? Blank told The News. "Apparently, there was a prison football team and he played quarterback for both sides.?
That's only fair.
Blank, a Flushing product, says Vick wrote to him first and they've now opened a dialogue by mail. He also says that Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, has visited Vick several times in prison. Blank says he has no plans to visit Vick.
"He's written me a couple of times,? Blank said. "I've written him back, he's stayed in touch.?
Vick's life has taken quite a nosedive from his days as a superstar quarterback. He can be comforted financially by Judge David Doty's ruling in Minneapolis in February that he can keep $16.25 million of the $20 million in bonus money the Falcons were trying to recoup. The NFL is challenging the ruling.
Even if Blank feels betrayed by Vick, whom he signed to a 10-year, $130 million contract in 2004, he still clearly has a place in his heart for him, if not on his team.
"I just try to be supportive and as understanding as I can be,? Blank said. "He talks about the process he is going through and what he has learned, the lessons of life, how he's going to come out a different person. He's sorry he has affected so many people in a negative way ? the league, our club, our fans. He feels awful about that. The letters sound quite sincere to me. From a mental standpoint, he sounds good.?
What does he write to Vick?
"I told Michael I'll do whatever I can to be helpful to him personally. Nothing to do with the Atlanta Falcons,? Blank said. "He's a human being and I would like to reach out and if I can be productive to him in some way, I would be happy to do that.
................................................................
Yeh Blank be productive with vick, trade him to Oakland with MeAngelol
Hard to believe that Blank used to have Vick over to his house playing nintendo with his two children. :scared
Notice Vick did not sign into the drug treatment program at Leavenworth. He would have to take drug tests if he did that. Some of the best ganga is in prison.
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Vick staying busy in prison, possibly playing football
By KEN SUGIURA, MARK DAVIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/07/08
Whether or not suspended Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is staying busy in federal penitentiary by playing football with fellow inmates can't be confirmed, a federal jail official said Monday.
Who does play football on a federal-prison squad is not public information, said Tracy Billingsley, a spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Vick apparently is staying occupied by washing pots and pans and playing football with fellow inmates, according to a New York Daily News interview with Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
Blank said that the former superstar described prison life in letters the two have exchanged. Vick is serving a 23-month sentence after pleading guilty to felony charges related to dogfighting.
Billingsley said Monday that if Vick has suited up, he has little to fear from any over-zealous lineman. "Our institutes only play flag football," she said.
Blank told the Daily News that Vick "is staying in shape.
"Apparently ... he played quarterback for both sides," Blank reported.
Vick is serving his term at a minimum security prison in Leavenworth, Kan. His wage for cleaning pots and pans is 12 cents an hour, according to a letter. In his last season with the Falcons in 2006, Vick earned $1.4 million, part of a 10-year, $130 million contract that he signed in 2004.
According to the report, Blank also said that Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, has visited Vick several times in prison. Blank said that he does not have plans to visit him.
In an interview with the AJC last week, Blank said that he hopes Vick will return to the NFL. He did not rule out Vick playing again for the Falcons, although he said "we have to assume he's not coming back" to the team.
Said Blank: "Despite the mixture of frustration, anger and disappointment in him, I believe in second chances and redemption. I would love to see Michael pay his debt to society and come out and play again in the NFL. I think he could also be a big help to . . . speak to people about some of his choices."
Vick's projected release date is July 20, 2009.
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So Vick writes to Blank that he is playing on a prison football team, which turns out to be a lie , as football is not played this early in prison.
When will Blank learn to just cut the strings on this guy and stop looking like a fool.
Blank refused further comment as early as yesterday.
Geez Louise. !
By KEN SUGIURA, MARK DAVIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/07/08
Whether or not suspended Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is staying busy in federal penitentiary by playing football with fellow inmates can't be confirmed, a federal jail official said Monday.
Who does play football on a federal-prison squad is not public information, said Tracy Billingsley, a spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Vick apparently is staying occupied by washing pots and pans and playing football with fellow inmates, according to a New York Daily News interview with Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
Blank said that the former superstar described prison life in letters the two have exchanged. Vick is serving a 23-month sentence after pleading guilty to felony charges related to dogfighting.
Billingsley said Monday that if Vick has suited up, he has little to fear from any over-zealous lineman. "Our institutes only play flag football," she said.
Blank told the Daily News that Vick "is staying in shape.
"Apparently ... he played quarterback for both sides," Blank reported.
Vick is serving his term at a minimum security prison in Leavenworth, Kan. His wage for cleaning pots and pans is 12 cents an hour, according to a letter. In his last season with the Falcons in 2006, Vick earned $1.4 million, part of a 10-year, $130 million contract that he signed in 2004.
According to the report, Blank also said that Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, has visited Vick several times in prison. Blank said that he does not have plans to visit him.
In an interview with the AJC last week, Blank said that he hopes Vick will return to the NFL. He did not rule out Vick playing again for the Falcons, although he said "we have to assume he's not coming back" to the team.
Said Blank: "Despite the mixture of frustration, anger and disappointment in him, I believe in second chances and redemption. I would love to see Michael pay his debt to society and come out and play again in the NFL. I think he could also be a big help to . . . speak to people about some of his choices."
Vick's projected release date is July 20, 2009.
..................................................................
So Vick writes to Blank that he is playing on a prison football team, which turns out to be a lie , as football is not played this early in prison.
When will Blank learn to just cut the strings on this guy and stop looking like a fool.
Blank refused further comment as early as yesterday.
Geez Louise. !
