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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2009 > January > 02
Friday, January 2, 2009
No gimmicks for these Falcons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hear that sound coming from the direction of the Falcons? You shouldn’t, because it doesn’t exist. Well, at least not regarding a catch phrase, a gimmick or any of those other silly things that this historically insecure franchise used during other playoff runs to promote its worth.
No Gritz Blitz. No big belt buckles, with the likes of MC Hammer, Travis Tritt and Elvis Presley’s ghost on the sideline. No cornerback high-stepping into the end zone after kick, punt or interception returns. No quarterback with magic legs.
No folks flapping their arms while performing disco moves, the Holy Ghost dance or whatever.
That’s why, with the current Falcons preparing to face the Cardinals Saturday in Arizona as a wild-card team, defensive tackle Grady Jackson frowned when asked if he joined his teammates in viewing themselves as something like the 21st century Dirty Birds.
“No, not really,” said Jackson, frowning some more. “You know, we just go out there and play, man. We don’t look at the nicknames or anything like that. We just keep playing and keep forcing people to believe in us. I mean, if we had a gimmick, it would just be ‘believe.’ “
Works for me. More importantly, such an approach works for a youthful Falcons team that jumped out of nowhere after that Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino mess during last season’s 4-12 finish to win 11 times this year. They have a rookie quarterback (Matt Ryan) who is prospering with a businesslike approach on and off the field. They acquired a free-agent running back (Michael Turner) who ranks among the rushing elite by letting his legs speak more than his mouth. Even their dominate force on defense (John Abraham) lacks the loudness and brashness that characterizes many of his peers.
The Falcons also have a slew of other rookies who join Ryan in actually listening to their elders. Then there is that grounded group of veterans. Finally, there is first-year NFL head coach Mike Smith bringing a professional approach to his job, and his assistants do the same.
Imagine this: These Falcons of the postseason mostly are into just playing football to the best of their ability and keeping their mouths shut.
“I don’t mean this in a negative sense, but the best thing about this team is that there is no emotional baggage here,” said Gerald Riggs, a local television analyst, who began his NFL career as a Falcons running back at the end of their Gritz Blitz run to the playoffs in 1982. “There is not anything hovering around this team to try and unify them with the city or whatever. Me, personally, I’m glad they don’t have those things. I still remember all of that Jerry Glanville stuff (“Too Legit to Quit”). Please, let’s not go there anymore.
“In the past, those types of monikers made for something that everybody could latch onto from a city and also from a fan standpoint. But as a player, those types of things always had a tendency to come back on you in a negative way.”
Take the Dirty Bird, for instance. That was the rage during the Falcons’ 1998 sprint to the Super Bowl.
Even so, more than a few opponents have spent the 10 years since that season mocking the Falcons with their own little dance of yore after touchdowns and other significant plays.
There is nothing to mock with these Falcons. Said linebacker Keith Brooking, the last remaining player from that Dirty Bird bunch, “I think the way you sum us up right now is ‘team.’ “
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