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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > April > 24
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Confident Blank leaves draft choice to new GM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s been an epidemic for days, maybe weeks. Whether the setting is a supermarket, a red light or a church parking lot, inquiring minds keep asking, “So who are the Falcons going to draft?” To the chagrin of the questioner, my reply always is the boring but honest, “I don’t know.”
That’s because I don’t know, which brings us to some wonderful news for those dreaming of a Dirty Bird replica someday in terms of success. When I asked Falcons owner Arthur Blank that question of the moment earlier this week at his Buckhead office, he chuckled before responding in a hurry, “I really don’t know.”
Such an admission is huge, because it means the omnipresent Blank when it comes to his preferred role of running an NFL franchise is taking the right approach regarding this weekend’s NFL draft. He is suggesting that he’ll stay out of the way and that he’ll let his football people do what they were hired to do.
“They’ve done really good work,” said Blank, referring to general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith, both only months on the job of trying to restructure a heavily flawed roster for a franchise that has digressed steadily on the field for three consecutive seasons. Added Blank, “I think Mike and Thomas really have a great relationship. Often times I’ll call them pretty late at night, and they’re always together, always watching tape. So I’m real happy with that relationship.”
Said Blank later, after describing the strengths and weaknesses of others he has hired since buying the Falcons six seasons ago, “I’ve got complete confidence in this duo. I really do.”
Sounds like Blank is edging closer toward that historically successful NFL model, where owners own, general managers general manage, coaches coach and players play. Then again, let’s make sure. Barring a possible trade, the Falcons will spend Saturday on the clock with the No. 3 pick overall. What if Dimitroff wants defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, but Smith wants defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and Blank wants quarterback Matt Ryan?
Whose voice would count the most, and would others in the Falcons’ war room hear Blank’s voice at all?
“Thomas will make the decision,” said Blank, flatly, before scaring us a little by placing some roundness to his answer with the following: “But Thomas is a very collaborative guy. The decision will have already been made [by Saturday] … They’ll tell me that these are the five or six players … If Miami [who signed offensive tackle Jake Long earlier this week at No. 1 overall] and the Rams [at No. 2 overall] take this player and this player, this is who we’ll take at No. 3. They’ll run every scenario for me, so I’ll be aware on Saturday, and obviously, they’ll be aware of what the final pick will be.”
Yeah, but how much will Blank influence that No. 3 pick either now or later? He has spoken with Dimitroff and Smith “on a regular basis” regarding the draft, and the owner was scheduled to spend “three hours” on Thursday in Flowery Branch reviewing the draft board with the general manager and the coach. Plus, at the request of Dimitroff and Smith, Blank joined them on a trip to scout quarterbacks.
Sounds like the owner is doing more than just owning. “I would say this. Who I want [in the draft] is not a factor in this. I mean, it really isn’t a factor,” said Blank, leaning forward in his chair. “What I want is Mike Smith and Thomas (Dimitroff). It’s the coach and the general manager. It’s their decision now to make the football decisions. I’ve made the decision to hire what I think are the two outstanding people to run the football side of business for us.”
Sounds like the owner actually will just own in this case. Hopefully, for the Falcons, it will happen in all cases.
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