The Bird Babe

By Misawaagent

May 20, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this

This is too much money for someone we don’t even know who he is. What if he is another Joey H? Then what?

By Jim

May 21, 2008 8:15 AM | Link to this

Contracts are not guaranteed in the NFL. The signing bonus is the only guaranteed part. Just because he signed for six years doesn’t necessarily mean he will be here that long if he doesn’t work out (hopefully he will).

By Ramblin Wrecker

May 21, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

It’ll be hard to have $72 million standing on the sidelines holding a clipboard. So I expect Ryan to be the starter early on.

By ATLplayer

May 22, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this

WOW!……WOW!!……the richest rookie contract EVER!!!!! He makes more than TOM BRADY!!!!! WOW!!!!…….what are the Falcons doing???? The Falcons just handcuffed themselves AGAIN. Didn’t they learn from history??? they talk about the Raiders and Russell last year and not making that same mistake….well what about your own history of mistakes???geeesee!!

By Tron

May 22, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

Yes, he gets paid more than Tom Brady. So do Vince Young and Ben Roethlisberger. Anyone think either of these guys is better than Brady? And Drew Brees has the same contract as Brady. Would you rather have him? Go complain on the Titans, Steelers and Saints blogs about how their QBs are grossly overpaid.

Also, Jake Long is getting paid more than Brady. Where’s the outrage? “Oh, the horrors! An OT who has never played a down in the NFL getting paid more than the 3-time Super Bowl-winning QB and league MVP? I’m never watching an NFL game again!”

Brady could’ve made much more money. Know why his contract is only for $10 million a year? Because he said it would make him happier and the team better if he signed a smaller contract than he could have and the team used that extra money on other players. That’s a fact, and pretty refreshing when you think of the other players who are showing up on pay day wearing a ski mask.

By south ga. boy

May 22, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this

i love locking up ryan up early so he can learn the offense, i love the skill picks in this yrs. draft, we’ll get the beef next yr., now eat the contract of the cancer otherwise known as j horn and show him & jimmy “to many cheeseburgers” williams the door. we are getting a good combo of athletes & character guys for the future. just keep working the blueprint thomas

By doc

May 22, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this

i’m hoping matt turns out to be an asset to the team, but 72 mill is a bit much for someone that hasn’t even been in a real pro game…

By AfroDawg

May 22, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this

If Ryan’s the answer, the question must’ve been WTF?

By JRI

May 23, 2008 6:32 AM | Link to this

I SAW MATT RYAN PLAY AT BC WHEN HE CAME DOWN AND BEAT TECH. HE’S GOOD…REAL GOOD. I HAVEN’T SEEN PASSES THAT ACCURATE IN A LONG TIME. GOOD MOVE FOR THE FALCONS. PLUS HE PROBABLY WONT BE INVOLVED WITH DOG FIGHTING OR SMOKING DOPE.

By micheal

May 23, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this

They gave Ryan all that money based based on the New York_Boston media market. Ryan Leaf had a better college career and we see how that worked out. Now we are going to be stuck with a sorry quarterback in the future, because they want cut him because of the money if he doesnt pans out. What about D.J. Shockely, it look like a hometown kid is not even going to to get a chance and why not?

By micheal

May 23, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this

They gave Ryan all that money based based on the New York_Boston media market. Ryan Leaf had a better college career and we see how that worked out. Now we are going to be stuck with a sorry quarterback in the future, because they want cut him because of the money if he doesnt pans out. What about D.J. Shockely, it look like a hometown kid is not even going to to get a chance and why not?

By Ken Strickland

May 23, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this

Now we can see why Blank drafted MRyan and paid him so much money. Everyone is focusing their attention on him instead of our DEF, which has no starting DT’s or LCB. The last 2 yrs or DEF was in the bottom 5 in passing and rushing DEF, as well as sacks. Now we’re without our top CB and all 3 of last yrs staring DT’s. Drafting MRyan may have appeased those dilusional MVick haters, but how can he help overcome our obvious DEF shortcomings.

Drafting DT Dorsey could have solved all 3 of our major DEF weaknesses. Drafting a QB only serves to ease the anxiety of certain fans with personal issues. Establishing a solid DEF, especially a solid front 4, would have expedited our ascent to becoming a solid winning team and a winning tradition.

By ATLplayer

May 24, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

TRON Yes those other guys make more than Brady but they DON’T PLAY for the Falcons. As a Falcons fan, I’m not concern with Vince Young are whomever contract. Matt Ryan’s contract handicapped the Falcons for years to come. He just signed the RICHEST ROOKIE CONTRACT EVER! That says a lot. The League is up in an uproar over these rookie contracts. Guess who leads the way? Matt Ryan. The Falcons should have waited until after the owners voted to opt out of the players bargaining agreement. His contract would have been less and he would have had to prove himself before the next contract. Once again the Falcons management goofed. Some of that money could’ve been spent on O-line and D-line. Always look at the big picture and not just the fact of Ryan was signed early and will be in camp. I don’t see Ryan beating out Redman anyway this season. I think Redman could have hold it down this season if they would have and should have drafted DORSEY.

By Ken Strickland

May 24, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this

ATLplayer-very good analysis. Not only would Dorsey have been a better choice production wise, but financially as well. Dorsey would have provided us with immediate on field impact and production, and at a far cheaper cost. He would have required nothing more than his own talent and ability to produce and improve this team. It will be far more difficult for MRyan’s to provide immediate and impact. His success would depend on how well he masters our OFF, adjusts to reading NFL DEF’s, and most importantly, how well his OL and WR’s produce.

For the money we’ve spent on Ryan, we could have possibly signed DT Dorsey and QB Flacco, or at least come close. I can’t get over how some MRyan lovers will use one gm, usually against GTech, to justify their support of his selection. I could easily use one of last yrs NFL gms to justify Redmon as a better QB option than Ryan. And he poroduced under extremely adverse circumstances and against NFL competition, not lowly GTech.

DRAFTING QB MRYAN IS JUST ANOTHER STUPID PR MOVE BY ABLANK. HIS SELECTION DOESN’T MAKE US BETTER, IT JUST MAKES THE MEDIA, AND CERTAIN FANS, FEEL BETTER.

By Cattlapher

May 26, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

the Falcons are going to suprize a bunch of people this year. Depending on a couple of issues, I.E. who starts at QB and or how fast Matt Ryans learning curb progresses. If Redman starts and finishes the season as a starter the Falcons will be in a postion to win the divison and if Ryan start they will be a .500 team or better! I hear you laughing, but as you laugh out laugh out loud ,let me explain why. The offence is going to be very much improved and I’ll tell you why. Before injuries on the O line last year the O line did a good job, With a better line coach,and a excellent o-cordinator,plus the 1-2 puch of Turner and Norwood, This Offence is gonna run well.If White and Robinson are the starting wide outs with Douglas in the slot, Watch out! There is gonna be a lot of pressure on applied on opposing defences by spreading them out.I think Redman WILL pick them apart,Ryan could do just as well but only time will tell, I think the Falcons did make the right move by picking him. At first I was shocked and dissapointed that they didn’t take Dorsey. I will say that move would have had a big time immediate impact on the d-line and the whole defence but then after alot of thought I realized the Falcons made an excellent decision. The DT position is gonna be fine for the Falcons if everyone gets healthy. Morehead has been a very underated DT,and will suprize alot of fans,add Jonathan Babinoux, Trey lewis ,Montavois Stanley, and Rashed Moore and we are solid at the DT postion. The defence is the Question mark as a whole though. A very good group of linebackers with depth. It’s the corner, safty and d- end positions that are gonna make or break this season for the Falcons. If Anderson progresses well ,and Abraham can stay healthy the d-line could do very well.If Anderson can’t step up fast he should be replaced by Chauncy Davis as the starter. The Safety poistion seems like it may be improved comparied to last year, But the fifty million dollar Question remains at Cornerback. If the corners and can do a fair job,and the d-ends can stay healty and step it up a notch, the defence will be good, if not the defence will struggle.Everyone seems to think the question remains on the offensive line, QB, and DT postions,But I will bet that if corners, safty and d-ends step up a notch, the Falcons will win the division! I would bet on it!

By Ken Strickland

May 26, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

CATTLAPHER-most of your comments are very reasonable expectations. But, I disagree with your opinion on MRyan being a good pick. Redmon has proven he can read DEF, win in this league under adverse circumstances, make the necessary passes and lead a team on the NFL level. If Redmon faulters and is unable to get our OFF to produce, what makes anyone think MRyan will magically make things better? He has yet to prove a single thing on the NFL level. And for those dilusional fans who desperately want to make MRyan into the next PManning, his performance against GTech doesn’t count.

NFL history has shown that teams with strong DEF’s and weak OFF’s have been more successful than teams with strong OFF’s and weak DEF’s. The Falcons would be a much better team with Dorsey, and a strong DL, than a face of the fanchise QB that might not get off the bench before midseason, if then.

By Navigator

May 27, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

It seems that Sir Arthur has no problem paying too much for quarterbacks. Remember the talk when he paid the last QB $100M for 10 years to lock him up. It seems that he didn’t perceive that the Federales would lock him up first. So why should be so surprised at the Ryan contract. No matter, he’s making the reverse comment this time. He’s saying that Ryan is his QB no matter what the supporters of the last QB thinks.

By captenamerica

May 27, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

in the spget more than the sports section there is a ques.should matt ryan get more than the #1. the choices are limited. do you thing a qb is worth more than any other player. should the #1 get tha biggest contract. both choices are not pertinent. history shows most first round qb pick don’t last long. and as far as #1’s getting the most money that doesn’t work either. what the teams need is,and how they thing their pick will pan out is were they should spend the money. i don’t thing the #1 should be guarrenteed the most money.

By Ken Strickland

May 28, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

The problem with ABlank is he’s trying to market individual players instead of marketing a solidly built team with a solid gm plan. Any NFL team that collapses, like the Falcons after losing QB MVick and the Dolphins after losing RB RWilliams, it shows how fragile and poorly constructed that team was.

In 03, when MVick broke his leg, the Falcons totally collapsed and didn’t recover until he returned to lead them to 3 wins in their last 4gms. Lsst yr, prior to training camp, Vick was banned from the league and ultimately imprisoned for his crimes.

The problems with the Falcons weren’t with what happened to Vick in 03, or the stupid thing he did in 06. It starts with the stupid personnel decisions by ABlank in hiring incompetent HC’s, like Mora and Petrino. They, in turn, hired imcompetent staffs who employed ill conceived OFF/DEF schemes. In each case, the schemes preferred by the HC required talent, especially on the OL, that was the complete opposite of what the team had.

Every aspect of the team, especially on OFF, was built around the ability of one player. That one players overall talent and ability compensated for the obvious lack of overall team talent, especially on OFF.

Only an absolute fool would blame all of this on a player, no matter who he might be. Hiring, personnel decisions, drafting, FA signings, HC decision, schemes etc, aren’t the responsibility of any play. So why do some of you fools continue to blame one player for everything that’s gone wrong with the Falcons, even when he’s no longer on the team?

What MVick did was extremely stupid and inexcusable. But whether he was unavailable to the team due to injury or imprisionment, the facts are, the team was very poorly constructed(GM McKay’s poor drafting and FA signings) and very poorly coached(ABlanks poor HC hiring), period. All other problems are a direct results of the 1st two problems.

Whether you disliked MVick and/or his style of play, one fact remains. HE LED THE FALCONS, DURING HIS 4+YRS AS A STARTER, TO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PERIOD IN THE FRANCHISES 43YR HISTORY. To ignore this fact, or try to discredit it based on what his off field indiscretions, reveals more about personal issues that’s affecting some of you than anytning else.

It truely amazes me how the AJC keeps promoting the drafting of MRyan as the end of the MVick era. Yet, these same AJC morons continue to use the Falcons football website to report every minute detail of Vick’s imprisonment and legal troubles. I guess it’s a matter of doing and saying whatever it takes to sell newspapers, especially to the anal minded morons on both sides, who can’t get past their personal MVick issues.

By Mike

May 28, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this

I am not sure I like 72 mil 6 yrs to a guy that has never taken an NFL snap. It seems the Falcons are handicapping themselves once again by awarding a huge contract to one player and hoping people will come to see one player play. Vick was never as good as some make him out to be, and never as bad as others make him out to be. Not sure the potential he had, I am sure he never reached it. I never did agree with the huge contract they gave him. Now it seems the Falcons have 200 million dollars in two QB’s one who may never start another NFL game and one who has never started an NFL game. If Blank is in the business to give away money I will gladly take some while the given is good.

By kreese31

May 29, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this

Ken I must say, you would be a better sports reporter than Terrence Moore or Mark Bradley, at least you know what the hell you are talking about. To blame MV7 for this whole situation is ludacris. you are right MV7 did Lead this team on the field while he was here and no one is saying that Vick aint a Bonehead, but he is a winner and those players would have died on that field for him, you saw the support from the players when they lifted ther shirts, veteran players wanting to play with MV7. The poor construct of the team and the poor selections of head coaches. Mora was not ready to lead the Falcons. Petrino = Jerk!!! these are the elements that have the Falcons down and it continues with the selection of Matt Ryan, then signing him to that ridiculous contract. The contract is ridiculous because their is nothing special about Matt Ryan, I dare anyone to name 6 top tier QB’s in this league out of 32 teams then ask yourself does Matt Ryan need to be paid as if he were worth your top 3. I’ll start you off, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Matt Ryan is barely average

By kreese31

May 29, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Will everyone please stop talking about how Good Matt Ryan is based on his come back win vs. GT. First of all, its GT!!!!!, secondly, IT’S GT!!!!! How many DB’s have been drafted in the top 3 rds out of GT in the last 10 yrs?!!!!! This Dude(Matty Ice) played in the ACC and was average. There are, maybe, four consistently GOOD teams in the ACC!!!! Just because you were at that GT game or saw that game on TV does not mean that Matt Ryan is Good, hell Ryan Leaf had plenty of Good games and come back wins too!!!!!

By Ken Strickland

May 30, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

KREESE31-I guess it’s just you and me on this blog. You know, our previous owners, the Clampetts(Smith family) were football illiterates, stingy, and didn’t know a thing about marketing. Our current owner, ABlank, is also football illiterate, but he’s generous with his money, knows an awful lot about marketing, but doesn’t seem to know what to market.

He should’ve drafted DT Dorsey, solidified the DEF and then done what winning franchises of the past have done, market their DEF. Remember the Steelers’ STEEL CURTAIN, the Broncos’ ORANGE CRUSH, the Vikings’ PURPLE GANG, the Cowboys’ DOOMS DAY DEF, and the Bears’ MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY?

Because of ABlanks football ignorance, and not knowing what to market, we’re stuck with a FACE OF THE FRANCHISE rookie QB that will be pressured to start, and perform, even though he may not be ready. The truth is, he hasn’t done a single thing, in college or anywhere else, that proves he’s a better NFL QB in any way than CRedmon, our current starting QB.

Personally, I’d much rather see Dorsey leading our DEF in sacking the QB, or suffing the run, than waiting and hoping that MRyan can take over and do what CRedmon has already proven he can do. AMD SOME OF THESE FOOLS, WHO CALL THEMSELVES FANS AND SPORTSWRITERS, CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHY THE FALCON FRANCHISE HAS SUCH A LEGACY OF LOSING, INCONSISTENCY AND EMBARRASSMENT OVER THE LAST 43YRS. ACTUALLY, I STAND CORRECTED, THE FRANCHISE HAS BEEN CONSIST AS FAR AS LOSING CONSISTENTLY, BEING CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT AND EMBARRASSING ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.

By BigMan

May 31, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this

Arthur Blank got to be the dumbiest NFL owner in history!

By Ken Strickland

June 2, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

BIGFAN-ABlank isn’t dumb or stupid. He’s just out of his element. And because he didn’t hire a competent GM(McKay), he had nothing to fall back on. It’s like a man who’s spent his entire career very successfully marketing ladies underwear, and now he’s being asked to market tractor equipment to farmers. It’s still marketing, but the dynamics and market are totally different.

ABlanks other problem is his obcession with image. Instead of moving on and letting go of the negative attention brought on by MVick and BPetrino, he’s desperately trying to fix his damaged ego and image rather than making decisions that will lay the foundation for building a solid football team of the future.

I honestly believe when Blank looks at the Atlanta Falcons, he also sees Homedepot, the organization he built his image and reputation around. That’s why he’s wo vulnerable to sales pitches like the ones McKay, Mora and Petrino suckered him with. That’s also why he made drafting MRyan, and fixing his media image, a priority rather over drafting Dorsey and immediately improving his football team.

I’ll take ABlank over the previous Falcon owners any day. At least Blank is willing to invest in his team and he’s concerned about his fans. The Smith family didn’t care about anything related to the Falcons other than the bottomline, profit. They weren’t concerned that the Falcons annually led the NFL in no shows, were a losing organization, were the brunt of jokes and an embarrassment to the NFL and the city of Atlanta. They were perfectly content to accept the guaranteed profit generated by the league contract with the networks, and use the very generous football generated tax writeoffs to improve the profit of their others businesses.

It’s obvious Blank has finally surrounded himself with football minded people that have a clue about what they’re doing. He just needs to butt out and let them make football decisions that will strengthen the team, rather than him making marketing decisions designed to strengthen the teams image.