By mountain jim

January 14, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

This all sounds pretty unwieldy, decisions by committee sure has not worked well so far in the Blank era.

By Brian Piccolo

January 14, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this

SECOND!

By Left to Right

January 14, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

First thing he should do is fire everyone in the Falcon’s front office who has been involved in trades, free agent signings and salary cap management (Everyone but McKay, of course, who he can’t fire.) The only “experience” they have is in how not to do things!

By SLD

January 14, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this

Great hire, Look at the young talent on that team he comes from!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Mave2124

January 14, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

I think the front office needs a small makeover…you can’t have so many people with titles running around. I will see what happens in the next few weeks, but this year is definitely rebuilding 101…

By gary

January 14, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this

does anybody know whos on his list of coaches

By cpvrice

January 14, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

I feel this is a great hire. His affiliation with winning and scouting for the winningest team in football the past ten years will assist us in a very positive draft. We can look forward to a new beginning as a franchise. I also predict Mike plays next season after serving an 8 game league suspension. No QB needed in the draft, Let Redman and Shockley fight it out for starter and cut Leftwicth and Harrington.

By PoliticalMan

January 14, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

There is absolutely no doubt that Dimtroff is here because of his talent analysis abilities. The rest of it, he may need help. One can hope that his expertise extends to evaluating coaching candidates. All in all, the hire seems a little shakey. Remember Mora Jr. - smart but not really ready. This guy is smart, but is he ready to be a GM? For Blank’s sake, let’s hope so.

By Bubba, Lower Forty

January 14, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

Hi y’all!! Let’s see what Tom comes up with. I’d like to see a coach hire this week, if they are not employed by a playoff team. I’m getting pretty excited about the draft, this fella should know enough that even though he’s come in pretty late, he will ramp up everything witht the draft in a timely fashion. Good hire, Arthur.

By John Lovelace

January 14, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

He seems to have the credintials to do something with this franchise, but there have been a lot of qualified leaders in the past fourty+ years. I hope that Blank does’nt try to run the show any longer. He needs to be in the shadows and let this man do the job he was hired for. He has already show us that he knows absolutely nothing about football and his decisions stink!

By dufferdawg

January 14, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this

let me get this straight…the Falcons hired a GM with NO experience handling free agency, trades or salary cap issues…??? If his strong suit is evaluating college talent, it sounds like he should REPORT to a GM not BE a GM !!! The abyss known as the Atlanta Falcons grows deeper and darker…

By JCSmalls

January 14, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

I really don’t know what to think. How did Blank and McKay interview like 10 people last week in person and this guy not be one of them. I love the fact that he came from the Pats, but other than College Scouting, how much experience does he have? I would like it if we got Jim Caldwell in here as coach and if Dungy retires, we could get a bunch of personnel from the Colts. Setting up our franchise with Colts and Pats personnel would not hurt my feelings.

By Dawgbyte

January 14, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

You couldn’t watch the playoff games without being struck with how many rookies and FA’s were playing important roles with those teams. Contrast that with the Falcons whose #1 pick didn’t have a sack and hardly had his name called in 16 games. It shows what a poor job the Mckay “team” has done in evaluating and acquiring talent. He has had his shot at leading, now it is time for him to follow, or get out of the way. Also, a camel is a horse designed by committee.

By SirReal

January 14, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

It’s great to me. The NFL has changed and we needed someone with new and fresh ideas. (instead of Parcellasaurus Rex) He’s great with college scouting which is already an upgrade from what McKay’s been seeing over the last three years. (there are a few exceptions like Boley, etc and Snotty White’s finally growing up)I suggest bringing in some new people to help with trades, free agency, etc b/c obviously the people in place now aren’t doing a great job of attracting any talent here. Time will tell but it all seems like a decent move so far….

By UnHappyFan

January 14, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Seems like you’re giving this organization a lot of credit for past good decison making..

Arthur and Rich have a QB in federal prison and have been through several coaches, and are most likely the worst team in the NFL. Arthur, several times, has looked foolish nationally.

So when people hear the falcons hired someone with no GM experience and did so by video, the burden of proof seems to be on the falcons not the fans.

I’m willing to bet if you interviewed Atlanta’s top CEO’s none of them has ever hired a top candidate by remote services alone.

This is also in is stride as you can question if coaching has really been the falcons problem.

By Cornjolio

January 14, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

I’m 100% supportive of the new guy !

PLEASE, I hope he’s a believer in a solid offensive line !

By TX DAWG

January 14, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

Interesting about his lack of free-agency expertise, considering the Patriots glued the draft picks together with some great free agents. I’m in wait and see mode!!

By michaelgee

January 14, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

Huge kudos to Athrur Blank on this hire.

I also expect for Dimitroff to bring in additional support staff, especially in our scouting department which has always been suspect. By making this bold move and handing swing vote power to Tom Dimitroff, the Falcons will finally have an opportunity to give the Falcon Organization to break away from their troubled past and become what the fans in Atlanta have always wanted, a consistent winning team.

By scrapiron

January 14, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

This is going to be a great situation. To have a real football man with experience is the start of something really good. Talent is the key in all business. I have never seen a business with success without the proper people in place. I really like the fact a young man with alot of experience is going to run the new show in Atlanta. Go Falcons

By Ronald

January 14, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

this was a good charge for a team that have been destroge by none other then Rich Mckay he did’nt give a jack when you been in the business as long as he have you should know who’s good and who’s not unless you does’nt care and that was his mind set i would like to say Mr.Blank good charge in bring in someone who knows how to pick player

By Getaway

January 14, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Mountain Jim, for not starting out with that idiotic “First” nonsense. Those dopes remind me 3rd graders scrambling for a spot in the kickball lineup.

I was skeptical about this when it was a rumor, but the more I’ve read the better I like it. Let’s face it; the Falcons’ have been historically bad in evaluating collegiate talent. This is certainly a step in the right direction.

By Chan Gailey

January 14, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

I’m available.

By Awesome

January 14, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

Great Hire! Do we get the “Spy Gate” cameras as well?

By JB

January 14, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

He has some hard things ahead of him, other than hiring a coach, telling long time , popular players good bye i.e. Dunn, Brooking etc. rid the team of the Vick groupies. I would say 12-15 players need to go. We need young, Athletic guys with great attitudes and work ethics. I would rather go 4-12 with a bunch of guys who WANTED to be here, and to be a TEAM. Vick ain’t coming back.HOSE THE PLACE DOWN !!!!!

By jrod

January 14, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

I hope this guy is good, but you honestly dont know. I guess atleast he wanted the job and coming from the Patriots doesnt hurt either.

Hopefully we can draft well (o-line hint, hint) and wait for our qb to get an early release date (sad I know). 2009 will can make a run at the playoffs

By phatt

January 14, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

It’s gonna be Josh McDaniels and I can’t WAIT!!!! We are gonna have the Patriots of the south in 5 years. In 2 years we will be in the playoffs again.

CAN’T WAIT!!!!

By Keeping IT real

January 14, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

The new guy came from a good team. Now we can see if he can stand on his own. I hope he don’t get any rehash coaches. I hope he finds a coach he can build own!

By doobird

January 14, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

Blank and McKay already picked the coach and told him before he was hired to make it appear he hired the coach!! Cool, don’t you think? That’s why he was hired, because he said “ok”! That way they still are screwed with a “talented” personnel man that they can control. Yet it will all be blamed on him if it fails!

By Neckville Rednecks

January 14, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

I think he knows talant. But he is in the south now. I want to see if he get the best talant and not listen to the rednecks and hommie just get the best players like a Randy moses and offense lineman.

Please don’t listen to AJC sports. A good coach the players respect him. A lot of the players love the city of Atlanta and live here in the off season.

All this team ever needed was good management and a coach the players respected and would play for not loved!

If he is a good Gm he will draft Lineman something Mckay was clue less on!

By Ben

January 14, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this

Hiring a person that does college scouting on a team mainly made of veteran players that were drafted by other teams does not seem like a good thing.

By Disgruntled Atlanta Sports Fan

January 14, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this

Why in the world didn’t Blank wait and see if Tony Dungy does walk away from the Colts? One Dungy is worth more than a dozen Dimitroffs. Why go with an unknown when you can go with a proven winner?

By Chess

January 14, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

Dang. Good point Nashville. I say give the kid a try.

By none

January 14, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

Yall chill out about this guy. We dont know what his plans are, theres a reason behind this hire, he probably had candidates on his list that cheered Aurthur Blank up. Possibily a Josh McDaniels or Mike Singletary. They want to build a young team based out of the draft with a few free agents. He had to have a good plan to get hired. He will def pick some personal that will help on salary, free agents, etc.

He knows hes better off staying with the Patriots and learning from Pioli if he wasnt ready for the task. He obviously believes he is ready. He is not going to risk losing his old job to come build a team up if he did not believe he has the skills to do so. He’s in a situation where if he does a good job, he will be in a position to be the next Scott Pioli or if he does bad, he will never be a GM again.

So lets just sit back and wait to see what this guy has to offer. If he does a bad job, then theres only one person to blame, that is BLANK.

By Neckville Rednecks

January 14, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

Joe Brave no matter how many time you say Vick is not comming back don’t make it so.

Like I said before I bet all of your redneckness vick will be back in 2009 because he is the best talant this team has in the bank. HE has never been cut clown.

when you start buying tickets JB maybe you will have a point with your views! Vick fills seats at the dome That money. what does JB do for the falcons . just talk hatful BS! Turn the hose on you JOE Brave hate make you clueless! Don’t die JB when #7 is playing in 2009! Southern hate!

By humbug

January 14, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

I’m confused. The Falcons go looking for the best gm and coach they can find. Then they settle on a gm who has no experience as a gm, no experience dealing with free agency, trades, hiring, professional players, or coach evaluation, which he will now do. He was not even in the upper management of the Pats after so many years with them. What qualifies him as a good hire?

By Gray Mule

January 14, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

A G.M. is only as good as his assistants. Same with the new head coach. This move is just the beginning, the first piece of the puzzle. In the upcoming weeks, we will see a lot of new people coming to the Falcons. Players will be traded, drafted and free agents signed. A new and different Falcon team will greet us next season. I think this is a great first move!!

Gray Mule

By Daryl

January 14, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this

I am suprised they did not hire the Eagles GM. They have been a solid organization for a while and he seems more experience in the role. Typical Falcons reaching for straws instead of a proven commodity.

By Booger

January 14, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

Disgruntled Atlanta Sports Fan? Should be “Retarded Atlanta Sports Fan”. Tony Dungy has never said he wants to be a GM and even if he had, you don’t just snap your fingers and get him here. He would actually have to agree to it and I’m guessing someone who doesn’t want to coach the Colts anymore sure as heck doesn’t want to be the GM for the Falcons. And, it’s not like the Colts dazzle anyone with their smooth dealings in free agency or find diamonds in the rough in the draft.

By vnjagvet

January 14, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

If Dungy leaves the Colts, why in the world would he come to Atlanta?

By Nechville Rednecks

January 14, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

Joe Brave you would go 4-12 with your kind of players and where are you going to find them. no way you would last. Most player ant no saints .The players make million in the NFL That why college coaches don’t make it in the pro boys to men. If they respect you they play for you If not the coach get fired just the facts. The player saw right though petino they knew he was BS! Joe get to know the game!

By Keefer

January 14, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

Attn Ben:

Drafted by the Patriots:

Tom Brady Laurence Maroney Kevin Faulk The entire O-line Teddy Bruschi Asante Samuel Richard Seymore Troy Brown Ellis Hobbs The entire D-line James Sanders

I think the Pats scouting department is a pretty good training ground for an NFL front office job.

By Green Tea

January 14, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this

C’mon Terrence Moore you imbecile let’s hear your reaction to the hiring of a GM by Mr. Blank. I am sure it is going to be negative. You are so predictable you hack.

By TLAw

January 14, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this

Listen up BEN, and all you other people that don’t know anything about football.Tom Brady, Richard Seymour, Ashanti Samueal,Vince Woolfork are pro bowlers that dimitroff drafted or had a hand in drafting and Laurance Moroney,jarvis green, logan mankins and ellis hobbs are all realy good players that cam e from patriots drafts..Try listing players like that, the falcons have drafted and are that good…u can’t.Be satisfied that we have a definite upgrade.and please don’t talk football if you don’t know it.

By tired of losing

January 14, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

We need Rex Ryan as coach if he’s anything like his dad. we need somebody to rule over all the sorry draft picks and free agents that have come to atlanta. it will take 2 years to get rid of thier a*’es you can’t get rid of all the trash in one year. falcons may be respectable in about 3 years if every thing falls into place.

By The Murf

January 14, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

Good hire, but why all the coaching interviews prior to this? Seems like a waste of time. This whole organization needs an overhaul, dump all the big money players and start over. I’ll sacrafice a couple of years in the gutter for a chance at a ring for the city in the near future!

By Richie

January 14, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

Wow! What sport fans are in Atlanta! We have AJC Sport Columnists with no athletic writing ability trying to run the ATL Teams based on what they hear from ESPN, Bubba, and an assorted bunch of rednecks and racists. Give the Falcons a break! They made a great hire, taking talent from the Top team in the NFL! Great things can come from this if we give the guy more than a day to operate!

By nelson

January 14, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this

DID SOMEONE SAY “COMMITTEE”?

By Gary

January 14, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

Thank God they got rid of the real problem, and that was McKay. now they can start making some progress.

By ThisAintNoDemocracy

January 14, 2008 5:16 PM | Link to this

What in the HE!! do you mean, “Swing Vote” ?!?! That is NOT how you run an organization (unless it is a big useless bureaucracy). You need to get get someone good, give them authority, and then hold them accountable. Ideally, they themselves value good input from the people on their team — BUT YOU DO NOT EVER, EVER VOTE! There needs to be a clear person in charge. The reason you would have hired that person as GM should be that he knows things the other people on the team don’t know — so ultimately he needs to be the decision maker. I hope Blank gets that better than this article leads one to think. “Swing vote”, indeed!

By Hello, I'm Marshall!

January 14, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this

Oh well. We’ll see. Oh and Neckville, I was encouraged by your first comment but unfortunately you went back to being a hateful racists. Just because we are all embarassed that a very talented man let us all down doesn’t mean you have to start using your racial slurs. I really wish he wasn’t a felon because I enjoyed watching him. But success wasn’t good enough. He insisted on being associated with trash, so unfortunately he’s gotta go. No pun intended, but ‘if you sleep with dogs you get fleas’, and ‘jailbirds of a feather flock together’.

By football joe

January 14, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this

ON HIS PRIORITY LIST IS THE HIRE OF CHAN AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR,AND I FOR ONE THINK THIS IS A GREAT HIRE. BUT SHOULDN’T THE HEAD COACH DO THIS HIRE? ANOTHER MEDDLER!!

By deadbird

January 14, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

Because of his relative lack of experience, this hire seems to be the same old present but wrapped in a different box. McKay will obviously still have plenty of input into the football operations (salary cap…), but the area he could not handle was player eval. I dont see Blank putting an unproven commodity alone at the controls of his rapidly descending jumbo jet. When he lost Parcells he decided to not scrap his HOME DEPOT template, but to apply more of it to the Falcons. Dimitroff may be the best GM of the future, but for Atlanta he will be the best talent scout with a GM title that will have to get approval for everything he wants to do outside of the draft.

By hitwriter

January 14, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

This McKay thing is confusing… You say… “As for McKay, he will not have final say on football issues. Dimitroff will hold the swing vote if his staff is tied on some decisions. Then, he will bring things to McKay and Blank for final approval. Blank, of course, has ultimate say and veto power.”

Is the new guy in charge or not and how much power does McKay still have?

The AJC is sending mixed signals.

By tony

January 14, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this

Please hire Ron Rivera(HC). Please draft Jake Long(OT) in 1st Rd. Please draft Vernon Taylor(DE) in 2nd rd. Please draft Rashard Mendenhall(rb) or Mike Hart in 2nd rd. Please draft John David Booty(qb) or Dennis Dixon(qb) in 3rd rd.

By henry

January 14, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this

I like the idea that he is from a winning Organisation, and should have learnt something over the years understudying peoli, and watching how that Organisation functions. The points made about his lack of evaluating free agent talent is well taken, but he will not be doing it all by himself, and l;ets hope he will not retain any of our present scouts. It is good that he is strong in College scouting, which in itself is 50% better than we ever had.