AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2006 > December > 15
Friday, December 15, 2006
Mora’s radio interview
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whether it was a joke, a half-truth or sincere, an interview Falcons coach Jim Mora had with a radio station in Seattle in which he said he would like to coach the University of Washington has generated a firestorm of controversy.
Mora said he would love to coach at his alma mater even if the Falcons were in a playoff chase, which they are. In fact, the timing of his comments comes a day before the biggest game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys.
What he said, not when he said it, is the issue, though.
Mora told me this morning that the radio co-host, Hugh Millen, was his college roommate and friend and that they were having a light-hearted conversation about him taking the Washington job.
The problem was, it was on air.
As a follow up, ESPN emailed the transcripts to tons of media outlets and Mora’s remarks look and read harshly.
He apologized to his players, employers, fans and Washington coach Tyrone Willingham in a statement this afternoon, hours after public backlash whipped through talk radio and message boards.
The private backlash, if any, will be what is really interesting. The fallout in the locker room, in managerial offices and with owner Arthur Blank, who I am pretty sure is not happy about this.
