Early take on the Falcons

[dawgball]

With the purchase of the team this past off-season by Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, the team has something it (as well as many other sports franchises) has never had: someone who understands business.

First thing on Blank's mind: Get people to the game. Being a sports fan who was brought up on college football rather than NFL, there is one thing that will always keep me from buying a ticket to a ballgame...A DOME! Now the Vikings have somewhat of a reason to play under a cover (NOTE: Watch the Packers and the Bills play home games and this reason is obliterated!), but I will not pay a bunch of money to go inside on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to watch overpaid players and eat overpriced hot dogs. Put me in a situation (when I lived in Cincinnati) where I can go watch overpaid players and eat overpriced hot dogs OUTSIDE, I will venture to a game 1-3 times a year.

So, how is Blank going to fill the dome. 3 weeks ago the Falcons came out with radio spots selling season tickets for $100. That is $100 for the entire season. If I remember correctly, the cheapest ticket to Paul Brown Stadium (Bengals) is around $45-50. Now you have the opportunity to see every home game for $100 (or $12.50 per game). I've paid more to see the Atlanta Beat (WUSA soccer league--whole other story). 9 days after this marketing attempt, they had to go back in and change the arrangement. There are actually people lining up (figuratively speaking) to buy tickets to go see the Falcons.

Why is this important? Well, two reasons in my opinion. First the reason that matters to us. This, the way I see it, will be viewed by the players as a step that shows that they are working for someone who respects the organization. Arthur Blank is a winner, and he will expect his players AND COACHES to be winners. If Dan Reeves does not win this year, he will be gone--mark my word. Blank does not have patience for people that do not give 100%, and he's not just blabbing bullshit. He will put everything that he has into making the franchise a winner, and he will expect no less from everyone down the chain.

The second reason why this is important is the city's attitude towards the team. Speaking of Cincy again, and everyone in that town despises Mike Brown, but they still like (love would be a real stretch here) the Bengals. Starting last season when the Bengals won a few games, the city swiftly embraced the players and team. That city needs the Bengals to win (for one because there is nothing else in that god-forsaken state). The Falcons are in the same situation. It will not be the affluent of Atlanta that is supporting this team, but the tried and true home-grown Atlanta natives that need something to call their own. Sure, big business will buy their block seats once they start winning, but a $100 season ticket lets ANYONE enjoy the product that is out there.

What Arthur Blank understands that half the babboon's asses that run pro sports teams don't is MARKETING. He knows he is not going to make money off of a $100 season ticket, but how many hot dogs and Coca-Colas are they going to consume. Let's get beyond that. Coca-Cola has banners everywhere in the Georgia Dome that cost them a certain figure when there were the player's family and friends watching the games. Blanks packs the stadium and those advertising revenues will sky-rocket. Whose pocket would you rather be pulling money out of? Mine or Coke's? I'll let you answer that question.

So after this rambling, what does this mean for us? I feel like the players will feel the excitement and WANT to win as a team and prove their worth to the community. They've been given a great opportunity by their new owner, and they have a limited time to be in front of this fickle city. If they win, this town will show--but if they continue to lose Blank will be back to the drawing board to attract more numbers.

Falcons at home will be more lethal than in the past, and the number for total wins may prove to be too low. According the numbers posted by IE, they have the 4th easiest schedule to pick from. I guess we have some time to see this one develop.

Any feedback?

 

[Nolan Dalla]

Excellent post, Dawgball. Very informative.

I totally agree that a new attitude in the front office can translate into better on the field performance. It all starts at the top.

However, the Falcons have three major problems that they will have to deal with this season:

(1) Lack of depth at WR....this is going to kill the Falcons offense, unless at lest two reserves step up.

(2) Michael Vick's unproven passing ability. I still don't trust this arm (accuracy) or his judgment (reading defenses). Great runner, but still has a way to go to develop into an NFL QB.

(3) Dan Reeves......over the hill, in my opinion. Should have been let go a couple of years ago. Doesn't relate well to today's athlete.

 

[IE]

dawgball, tight call on the season over and under....there are 7-8 winnable games for the falcs.....

this is a new season, and as you know things swing fast when a team gets momenteum early...wade has brought in the perfect defense for the personal , questions marks?? will be outside pressure containment....vick looks like he has stepped up learning curve 100% offseason....if he get's field positon and short yardage 2nd down situations he will be a differnet qb...looks like the mix of dunn and duckett could be the trick for him, but time will tell...playbook from what i hear is TE galore.

special teams will be special for this team this year on both sides.....bigtime.

should be a interesting season as a fan.....as as sports investor will look at under possiblities early.

good luck and thanks for the insight!

IE

 

[Hooks]

I would like to add that owner,Arthur Blank(co-founder of Home Depot) will have good company in co-owner and former great head coach Joe Gibbs (Redskins) plus Sr. advisor, Bobby Beathard,former Washington and San Diego general manager. Should really help things.

 

[IE]

curious, in what terms early going each week are those gentleman going to help me either way for a ( non-public non-fan LV view )the first 6 or 7 opps. pointspread wise,Hooks?

 

[IE]

even though this report from insider is two weeks old....has some semblance....
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june 21st report:

Atlanta Falcons - Dale Barbour


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New owner Arthur Blank has just reduced season ticket prices for the Falcons' home games this season with some seats going for $100 - for the season! I think this will fill the Georgia Dome and hopefully the team will feed off of it.

In passing camp, RB Warrick Dunn has been fielding punts and kickoffs. Perhaps that is how the coaching staff is going to pad his "touches". Rookie RB T.J. Duckett has looked surprisingly agile and has impressed those on the sideline. In pass receiving it was said that "he looked smooth" and didn't drop a ball. I hate to be the first one to say it, but it looks a lot like last years Bucs in the backfield. That is to say both Dunn and Duckett may very well be splitting the carries in Atlanta much the same way that Dunn and Alstott did in Tampa. While this is probably good for the team and QB Michael Vick, it spells disaster if either are on your fantasy roster. It's still too early to tell what the offense holds in store for this season, though.

Michael Vick has had his ups and downs in passing camp but mostly it's been ups. The knock on Vick last year was his intermediate passes and short throws across the middle. He has shown marked improvement over last year hitting everything the first day. The next day he missed a few, but again - it's still early. QB's Kurt Kittner, Dusty Bonner and Doug Johnson all threw the ball pretty well and in my opinion it's either Kittner or Bonner who will be the odd man out when it comes time to trim the rosters.

As it stands right now, it's WR's Shawn Jefferson and Brian Finneran as the two starters at that position but I think you will see a lot of switching at the number three spot as there have been a multitude of young receivers stepping up and making plays - R.J. English, Quentin McCord, Travis McGriff, Mareno Philyaw and Alvis Whitted to name a few. Keep an eye on former Jag Whitted as he has blazing speed and is said to be the fastest player on the team - faster even than Michael Vick. His hands have been suspect in the past but that has not been the case here so far. Former San Diego Charger Jeff Graham showed up to camp late - then left - then returned again. His legal matters aside, he has shown the coaches he can still run with the best of them hauling in some nice catches during camp.

TE's Alge Crumpler and Reggie Kelly pretty much have the position sewn up. Crumpler has not dropped a ball yet during passing camp and has one-handed a half-dozen passes that were poorly thrown, but caught none the less. He should be the primary receiving threat from the position as Kelly does a better job in pass protection, but Kelly will see his share of passes to keep the defenses honest.

K Brian Holmes is trying out for the team but will have a tough time unseating incumbent Jay Feely who had a decent season last year.

The defense is switching to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips so it's still pretty much a work in progress. The secondary has been outstanding in coverage and there are plenty of newcomers that have been stepping up giving Coach Phillips a very good unit with depth. If the front seven can put some pressure on the quarterback there should be plenty of picks to go around this season.

 

[Hooks]

IE-Of all the posts on this team,not one of us is even talking about betting and covering a spread:shrug:

As Nolan Dalla said earlier in this post, "I totally agree that a NEW attitude in the FRONT OFFICE can translate into BETTER ON THE FIELD PERFORMANCE.IT ALL STARTS AT THE TOP!!!

 

[IE]

Hooks, i will grant you that, my apologies go out.

IE

 

[Hooks]

Apology accepted,don't freak me out:nono: Just trying to help!

IE, thanks for all you do

 

[dawgball]

I will be taking the info from pre-season camps to look into how this will help us in a game to game ATS capacity.

The moral behind this post is whether a new attitude for the team (trickling down from everything else) will effect the Season win total. My opinion is that it will, and the Over will more than likely be the right side to be on.

Thanks for everyone's feedback. Are there any teams in the past that have gone through this same type of scenario that we can use for comparison. The only one I can think of off the bat is the Dallas Mavericks. Cuban has taken them from doormat to darlings in a matter of a couple of years.

Can the same thing happen in the NFL? I think this will be a good test case.

 

[mw]

And the Mavericks' turnaround is a good example because it occurred midseason with no changes in personnel other than the addition of Greg Buckner.

 

[4bubba]

July 18

As far as betting and the point spread, I worry about the Falcon's defense. Wade Phillips had teams like BUF that had drafted talented players to fit the 3-4. Pit is another good example. Right now the plan is to convert 2 DE's and play them as outside linebackers. Kearney had a good year last year, but now they are moving him farther away from the QB. He played DE in college and 4 years in the pros. Thiery is 31 years old and played DE 9 years in the pros. As an OLB they are expected to go against quicker TE / OT combinations. But mainly, they have to watch the pass and cover TE's and RB's going out for swing passes. Before the ball is snapped, they have to decide weither to rush or cover. How much experience can they gain in 1 preseason?
The Steelers have Porter and Gildon as OLB's. How much of a step down will Kearney and Thiery be? I would guess a whole lot.

 

[4bubba]

July 18

continued

Also when looking at the 3-4, the Falcons dont really have a nose tackle. Jasper is 6-2 and 295 which is pretty light. Hall and Dronett are the DEs now, but there is a drastic falloff in depth. When they play teams like the bears (week 2), everything is going up the middle, and the Falcons will have a very hard time stopping them.