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July 2006
Take your pick(s)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cornerback DeAngelo has been flashing fancy footwork throughout training camp. He’s sporting a different version of his licensed cleats by Reebok daily. And he gave coaches and teammates reason to feel encouraged about his play this season by picking off deep passes by Mike Vick and Matt Schaub on successive series. He kept the celebratory high-stepping to a minimum; just enough enough to show the blinging soles of his cleats, which somehow defy dirt and grass stains.
At last a show of force by newly drafted running back Jerious Norwood, but at a price. On a goal liine dive play Norwood slashed through a first wave of tacklers, only to collide into pulling guard Kynan Forney. Forney had to be driven off the field on a cart due to a re-injured right angle.
Something to ponder overnight, in anticipation of 8:15 practice in the morning: which Mike Vick do you really want? The one who drops back, cocks to pass, re-considers, pulls it down, re-loads and tries to split defenders? Or the one who makes a quick drop, then flings it when he’s initially, instinctually feeling it?
Discuss…
Trial and error
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What’s NOT working (today at least)? Wide receiver reverses are being sniffed out and squelched by the scout defenses. Also flare passes of mid-length over the middle. Vick just nearly had one intercepted.
What IS working (today at least)? Designed scrambles where Vick fakes a handoff up the 2-hole, then rolls in a wide arc left before sprinting up the sideline. No one got within 20 yards of him, and he ran it twice the same way.
Finally getting a good look at top draft pick Jimmy Williams. He’ll need some coaching up. Right now he’s relying on his core strength to knock receivers off their routes or tie them up. Meanwhile he’s trying to read into the backfield. The league’s top receivers will toast him with that type of technique.
And Allen Rossum’s giving himself away. He can cover you tight unless you take him on a deep winding route. That leaves him flailing and getting outlept. Still, he’s running faster backward than most players could dream of running forward.
Water break’s over. Back to the field.
Catching on
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The most intense aspects of practice center on the passing game. In two-minute drills, Michael Jenkins, Roddy White and Jerome Pathon (being scrutinized as a possible replacement for the injured Finneran) are running with the first unit.
In drills devoted to the short passing game, coach George Stewart is really pushing technique and running crisp, 11 yard in and out routes. “Look me in the eye,” Stewart keeps barking. “If you’re looking low the guy knows it’s short.”
More discussion and instruction than action going on with the DBs. Not getting much to look at from top draft pick Jimmy Williams. Would love to see if he’s shaken off all the sluggishness he had entering camp.
Warrick Dunn is dipping and zipping through holes so effortlessly and quick. Still not a bit of work out of Alge Crumpler; unless you count schmoozing on the sidelines with owner Arthur Blank. Head coach Jim Mora, meanwhile is spending the bulk of his time with the defense.
That is, after all, what wins championships.
Passive-agressive tendencies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This isn’t the most spirited of practice sessions. Perhaps the injury to Finneran has sapped some of the team’s enthusiasm. Perhaps it’s the heat that’s starting to feel withering.
Mike Vick’s showing some serious zip on his sideline passes, whereas D.J. Shockley appears to be struggling slightly to keep his throws up and tight.
Receivers and defensive backs seem to have more spring in their steps than anyone so far. Though he’ll probably be used most as a returner and a nickle specialist, Allen Rossum’s showing amazingly quick feet and smooth hip rotation. DeAngelo Hall and Lawyer Milloy seem to have some kind of tough-guy competition going on. Each is doing sets of fist-to-ground push-ups between drills. Over in the receivers pit, it’s like a fire drill. Vets, rookies and prospects all look like something’s got them motivated.
So far, Alge Crumpler’s pretty idle; not in pads like the rest of the team, and scowling a good deal.
That new kicker, Martinez is a southpaw, by the way. He gets a lot of air under the ball and kicks it straight. Early on, Michael Koenen’s kicks are spraying left to right.
Desparate measures?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a new hired foot on the field and he’s being quickly placed into action.
Diminuitive kicker Carlos Martinez is in camp trying to win a position and he’s booming kickoffs downfield as I write.
Martinez doesn’t have the most sparkling pedrigee, being a product of Buena Vista College. But he’s’ not entirely a slouch. He comes to Flowery Branch from the Arena Football League, where he converted 117 out of 130 PATs last season, and successfully kicked 2 out of 3 field goals over 50 yards for the Dallas Desparados.
At 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, Martinez looks Lilliputian compared to his prospective teammates. But he’s already getting some congratulatory headslaps between slaps. So he may not have too hard a time blending in.
The hit parade has begun
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first Falcons practice in partial pads ended on a bootleg run by D.J. Shockley to the sideline.
“Shock! Shock! Shock!” chimed a Falcons employee on the sidelines.
Shockley said the atmosphere doesn’t feel much different from the spring minicamp, but he does “feel the sense of urgency of getting ready, of being in a competitive enviroment.”
Nobody touched the former Georgia quarterback on that final play, but there were some pretty good hits during a spirited 2-1/2-hour workout that will be followed by full contact drills starting at 6 p.m. today.
Rookie fullback Jerious Norwood got, well, crocked by newly signed safety Chris Crocker and had to be helped off the field. The hit wasn’t why he left practice; apparently he was feeling ill.
Sitting out practice were Alge Crumpler and Ed Hartwell, who were pedalling on exercise bicycles while watching practice. Coach Jim Mora said it’s nothing serious, they just want to keep a limit on the early pounding for players recovering from injuries.
Yes, the coach was pumped to hear some cracking. He even postponed his customary post-practice run to chime in with some crispy talk about the morning proceedings. By now, the cool early breeze has been replaced by searing sun.
“It’s the first time since that shellacking by Carolina [the 2005 season finale]” to get in some licks, Mora said, right off the bat, looking like he wished he could have been in on it. “For a lot of guys, it was good to get the shoulder pads back on. You always want tough conditions for training camp. It’s good to build up for the pain of what’s going to come down the road.”
The King of Pain was clearly chomping at the bit to say that, as well as sprinkling in such appropriate football words like “nastiness” to confirm his mood.
Jimmy Williams’ first practice went fine. He had a pick in 7 vs. 7 drills, but left a lot of pigskin out for the plucking instead of tucking it safely in his chest.
“We preach ball security,” Mora said. “He’s not doing that yet… . He’s a bright-eyed kid who’s eager to listen and learn and he’s a hard worker.”
Then again, DeAngelo Hall does the same thing at times, but Mora was a bit more forgiving.
“D. Hall has some skins on the wall,” Mora said. “I’m going to cut him some more slack than Jimmy.”
Hope that’s enough meat on the bone for your football carnivores out there. I’ll have one more blog in the early afternoon.
Two-a-days begin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, for all you busting my chops yesterday, I’ll try not to be so cranky today. But that’s no guarantee. It’s a beautiful morning in The Branch! It’s so beautiful the Falcons are practicing twice today, in fact they’re going right now, then will workout again in the early evening.
They’re alternating with one daily practice, as they did Thursday, and two-a-days starting this morning. Weather has nothing to do with it. But you couldn’t pick a nicer day to start the grind. There’s just enough cloud cover up here to keep the sun away, at least for the moment.
I’ll get into some more nuts and bolts after I watch some of the workouts this morning, but the overall objective of this blog is to give you a bit of the picture from behind the scenes, and off the field, as well what happens on it. I know some of you are thirsting only for football, but our Falcons beat writer Steve Wyche is plugging away at his own blog for that purpose and is busy gathering news for his stories that appear on this site and in the paper.
I’m just the parachute-dropper, trying to give you a bit of the flavor of what it’s like to be here as a fan, watching things from a lay perspective. I get grumpy and ornery and wish they could lay off the circus atmosphere. Yes, it’s supposed to be fun, and believe it or not, I did have a lot of fun yesterday. Especially reading how some of you got so worked up over a different take on training camp than what you might have expected.
Hey folks, sometimes Grouchy is my middle name, especially when everything is amped up to ridiculous levels. DAVE-FMs speakers are too damn loud, and so is 2 Live Stews act. Not to mention tiresome. And making everyone walk through the makeshift Falcons gift shop to get to the practice field is just plain tacky. Surely I’m not the only one here who thinks that.
It’s a bit before 9 a.m., and already a good several dozen fans have trickled into the Falcons complex, including a group of adorable children from a church, all wearing the same t-shirt and holding hands. Since this is one of the final days before a lot of kids start school, this isn’t a bad way to see out the end of their summer.
Jimmy Williams reaches The Branch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Right at 4:50 p.m., sidling up in street clothes, about 10 minutes before the final horn sounded. His status was literally up in the air, or airplanes, that is, all day.
Later on, the 2nd-round pick out of Virginia Tech described his crazy travel ordeal from Blacksburg to Flowery Branch, via Hampton, Va. Missed a plane, etc.
“I’m here but it’s been a long day,” said Williams, wearing a Yankees cap and some casual attire including Nike socks and sandals. “I wanted to go out there today, but I’m just glad to be in the NFL.”
He’s not letting himself get pinned to any timetable for fitting in with the defense, or possibly starting. But his fellow ex-Hokie and fellow corner DeAngelo?
Jimmy refers to him as “Mr. Hall.”
So now the full complement of Falcons have flown in.
Also here is New York Times columnist William Rhoden, author of a recent book, “Forty Million Dollar Slaves,” a diatribe against how he believes African-American athletes have been treated throughout history.
Rhoden didn’t make it outside with the rest of us Media Sweathogs, except to appear on 790 The Zone while 2 Live Stews rested their considerable lungs for a while. Not even the music can drown them out. Wish they’d crank up some Zeppelin just now.
Some drillin’ and grillin’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Correction to an earlier post: Alge Crumpler is here, and is working out with the No. 1 offense. The only notable no-show is newly-signed draft pick Jimmy Williams, whom we’re told is on the way. Maybe he’s stuck in traffic on I-85, finding out how Great Gwinnett Is.
The Falcons just went through some 11 vs. 11 drills, and they were pretty high tempo. Rookie RB Jerious Norwood made some smooth moves through the No. 2 defense, causing a radio type to coo:
“He’s a gliiiiiiiiider!”
And Norwood is. Very, very smooth. He looks terrific.
A moment or two before that, Vick hurled a high, floating pass around 40 yards or so toward Roddy White in the end zone, but overthrew him. In fact, the pigskin dropped nearly straight down on the turf. Some media types gave a Falcons’ flak-catcher some serious flak:
“Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!”
To which the flak-catcher said, with a huge grin: “You don’t want to peak too early!”
The AJC’s Falcons beat writer, Steve Wyche, says this little stretch of practice was pretty intense for the early nature of practice. Lotsa barking out there by players and coaches, and Jim Mora was up in the middle of it. Everybody’s rather animated. They know Uncle Arthur is watching. Always watching.
Near the end of the drills, This Blogger and some of her cohorts nearly became part of a play when Bryan Randall floated a looping, end-over-end ball to Cole “Sunshine” Magner near the sideline. An onlooking scribe made a toss back to the huddle that was a near-perfect spiral.
Beau Bock wears Crocs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yes, yes he does. LIME GREEN ONES! His feet look like sherbet. It made it seem a bit cooler outside, that and a brief spell of wind.
Arthur Blank is here, natch, wearing a red “Falcons” shirt, with beige shorts. The Owner was strolling on the field as non-contact drills began, and almost waltzed right into a frozen rope thrown by Michael Vick.
Don’t think Uncle Arthur is eager, agitated for this season? Not with the reinforcements he authorized in the off-season, especially on the defense. Eight and eight ain’t so great, but the murmurs among The Fourth Estate include this: Did they do enough? These guys seem good on paper, and the paper on which they signed for signficant bucks is real enough.
Rich McKay is also here, the GM rumored to be among the 11 finalists for the NFL commissioners jobs. Some interviews start tomorrow.
Don’t see Alge Crumpler out here. Not yet.
The selling of training camp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flowery Branch — The Boss Man said 45 minutes might not be enough time to get here, aka Uncle Arthur’s Pigskin Palace in the Boonies, from the office in Downtown Atlanta.
But This Restless Native Blogger weaseled her way through the front gates at the Atlanta Falcons complex, past the overheated, huddled masses of about 30 or 40 fans, in precisely that amount of time. And while niftily navigating her way through stop-ang-go traffic from the Gwinnett Is Purgatory water tower sign northward, including the fresh hell that is Highway 316 construction.
And all the while listening to the pillbox oratory of Chuck Smith on 790 The Zone. Had to slap in the “Dire Straits” tape just to maintain a bit of sanity. Unlike O’Brien, I don’t do lyrics.
With just a few minutes before the first practice of training camp, and an even bigger crowd is settling in on the hilly grass next to the main practice field. With this being the overhyped, overmarketed NFL, they had to walk past blaring pop music, ZZ Topp, then walk through the “Falcons 365” tent, which is a whittled-down licensed merchandising outlet, overflowing with overpriced “official” balls, jerseys and helmets.
The Falcons have set up a fan zone and port-a-johns right next to the stereo blasters, which ought to be enjoyable for the pre-rock and roll generation. Folks, it is hot out here. HOT HOT HOT!
The media work room is cooler, but crowded, with assorted local media wedged in all sorts of ways. Including 790’s Beau Bock, who just stumbled in through the doors wearing a t-shirt that says “Falcons” on it. No big Atlanta sporting event is complete without him.
Back at you after the Dirty Birds have practiced a little football.
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