AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIn search of a GM, coach
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While Falcons players cleaned out their lockers after taking exit physicals, team owner Arthur Blank, interim GM/full-time president Rick McKay and outside consultant Ernie Accorsi, ex-general manager of the New York Giants, began seeking permission to interview candidates for the head coaching and GM jobs.
The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Falcons will interview Cowboys offensive line coach/assistant head coach Tony Sparano for the head-coaching job. Other names that have surfaced: San Francisco assistant head coach Mike Singletary, Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith and Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, among others.
In terms of potential general managers, Green Bay director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie is generating a lot of chatter around league circles as coming to Atlanta. So is Kansas City VP of player personnel Bill Kuharich. A potential sleeper might be emerging as well.
Former Packers GM Ron Wolf, 69, is said to be interested in returning to the front office after retiring in 2001. Wolf has served as an advisor to several teams regarding player and front office personnel. He most recently has been helping Bill Parcells make the transition from coach to football operations chief with the Miami Dolphins. Parcells snubbed the Falcons to work for Miami.
Whether the Falcons would seriously consider Wolf is one thing but it should not be ruled out. Wolf is a highly respected football man who has spawned some highly regarded proteges, including Dallas’s Jeff Ireland, who is expected to bee hired as Miami’s GM, and McKenzie, who is highly regarded among his peers.
Comments
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By roan st
December 31, 2007 5:36 PM | Link to this
Fix the blog please because this one should stir up some good banter!
By Danny
December 31, 2007 5:50 PM | Link to this
Still can’t believe these idiots won yesterday. They could very well lose any chance of getting Darren McFadden.
By roan st
December 31, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this
Who cares if wolf is 69 because he is one of the greatest front office men in NFL history! He could come in and rebuild the front office better than Parcells ever dreamed of doing and then he would groom a successor before he is ready to step down. Afterall, who did parcells call to consult him about rebuilding the dolphins? Do this arthur and the falcons franchise might finally lose the jinx/loser label forever!
By CJ2
December 31, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this
Tony Saprano. Cool. Discipline won’t be a problem anymore.
By Larry
December 31, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
What about Mike Shannihan as the new head coach.
By long time falcon
December 31, 2007 6:09 PM | Link to this
Why wouldn’t Blank consider Wolf for the same job he was going to hire Parcells to do? Then wolf could hire one of his many proteges in the league to be his GM just like parcells was going to do. Wolf would also be involved in the hiring of a coach with his many contacts in the league just like parcells was going to do. In fact I would put more stock in ron wolf rebuilding a front office than Parcells. This is an absolute no brainer and if wolf is really interested then Blank would have to be a complete fool to not listen.
By roan st
December 31, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
Why want this damn blog post comments in a timely fashion? Every steve wyche run blog sucks. You need to take a lesson from you’re counterparts from the hawks and braves blog. Those guys know how to run a good blog.
By gg
December 31, 2007 6:23 PM | Link to this
has anyone mentioned Brian Billick as a possible name for head coach? He has experince, he’s won a super bowl. Why not? A new place with a new team?
By long time falcon
December 31, 2007 6:36 PM | Link to this
Why is there such a long delay in blog postings? This is new years and a lot of folks are off work and would probaly enjoy blogging about the falcons possible new direction. I’m an AJC subscription holder and would like to know why the hell this blog is not allowing comments to post?
By David Duke
December 31, 2007 6:39 PM | Link to this
the Falcons are on the cusp of making another stupid move.
they accept help from Ron Wolf but snub an offer of assistance from Gil Brandt. Ron wolf is good but Gil is a legend. Look for them to hire a bozo as GM who, in turn, will bring in some loser to coach the team. Hire Coach Thomas and bring in a good, knowledgeable guy to stock the team. it’s that simple! This franchise is one of the losingest in the history of the NFL, so there shouldn’t be all this gnashing of teeth about not having a winner right away. The Falcons have three hundred eighty-one regular season losses. Any new coach, including myself, could safeguard this legacy.
By long time falcon
December 31, 2007 7:19 PM | Link to this
David duke, what the hell are you talking about? The falcons retained ernie accorsi as an adviser not ron wolf. Gil Brandt was never a GM he was an underling who worked for cowboys GM tex schramm and retired in 1988. Wolf not only built the packers into a super bowl winner in the 90’s but he also built the great raider teams of the 70’s and 80’s era. Brandt was once a respected exec but he is not even close to being in ron wolf’s lofty status. Although the falcons probably would have been better off retaining brandt than that idiot accorsi. I personally hope the falcons hire ron wolf to do what they were going to hire parcells to do. Ron wolf is the legend my friend.
By Singletary
December 31, 2007 7:19 PM | Link to this
Just PUUHHHHH-LEASE no Brian Billick as head coach. I live in the mid-Atlantic & his patronizing (jerk) press conferences are unendurable. He embodies SMARMY. Whatever props he got for his offensive coaching in MN is now over because the Ravens’ O has been uniformly offensive.
I just hope Ozzie doesn’t hire Mike Singletary before we have a chance!