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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > May > 12 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USNew head coach has Falcons’ respect
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flowery Branch — The Falcons’ first full minicamp wasn’t unlike that first spring training scene in the baseball movie “Major League,” except that I’m fairly certain owner Arthur Blank and general manager Thomas Dimitroff did not replicate this exchange between members of the Indians’ front office.
Rachel Phelps (owner): “I want to put together a team that will help us relocate to Miami.”
Charlie Donovan (GM): “What do you mean? Some of these guys are furniture movers?”
Falcons players wore logo-less helmets for three days, which seemed appropriate because nobody can be sure whether they belong here or Bekins. But there is this: By this time a year ago, Bobby Petrino voodoo dolls already would’ve been a hot seller in the locker room. This season, players are at least following Petrino’s successor, Mike Smith.
“He’s a guy you want to fight for,” said Lawyer Milloy, one of the few veteran holdovers. “It’s like night and day. When you create a positive atmosphere, when you don’t mind coming to work, you just do more. That was a little bit of a problem last year. Guys still worked hard last year, but it’s not the same as when a guy comes over and pats you on the back.”
Milloy was a rarity in the three-day camp. People actually recognized him.
When players first walked onto the field Saturday, there was such a high degree of who-are-these-guys that former Falcon Gerald Riggs mused: “It looks like some sort of virus came along and took everybody out.”
Anonymity seldom is a good thing in sports. But the NFL is a strange league. There aren’t that many great teams. Even most of the good ones are just an injury or two north of mediocre. It’s remarkable what an even unspectacular team can achieve when it stays healthy, plays smart and is willing to fight for its head coach.
Petrino lost this bunch early. The same will not happen under Smith. That’s a start.
“If you’re doing something wrong, just tell me — don’t MF me and curse me out,” said Milloy, one of the most outspoken critics of Petrino after his resignation. “Just tell me what I’m doing wrong, and then it’s up to me to be a pro and get it right. Just to curse me out and turn your back on me, that’s not productive. That’s not how you get results. I think [Smith] gets that. And he’s really trusting the few veterans that we have to make his job easier. He asks us what we think about certain things. Any time you have open lines of communication, you get results.”
The Falcons won four games last season. Some would find that a fair over/under for this season.
Smith isn’t thinking that way. He wore a safari hat the last two days of camp, which was his practice as a defensive coach in Jacksonville. “I used to tell them, ‘We’re going big-game hunting, boys,’ ” he said.
But the mind-set now is not about win totals — it’s about attitude. The Falcons haven’t had a winning season since going to the NFC title game in 2004. When a franchise has such a pronounced slide, goals need to be a bigger picture than, “We need a better pass rush.”
“The biggest challenge,” Smith said, “is changing the culture in the whole building. When you change the culture, you change the behavior. When you change the behavior, you change people’s habits. We want to create a winning culture. We want our guys to have the habits that winners have.”
It’s so basic. But it’s no revelation that the Falcons underachieved last season. That’s not all on Petrino. Too many players tanked it, early and often. They didn’t like their contract. Or the game plan. Or the coach. Veterans were as guilty as rookies, even if they wouldn’t admit it.
Losses and discontent are a lethal combination in any locker room, particularly in the NFL, where the season is only 16 games long.
Players fought for Jim Mora in his first season. But Mora lost them during year two when they sensed he started playing favorites. He lost his edge. They lost theirs.
Milloy realizes most don’t expect much from these Falcons. But he said, “After what we went through last year, anything this year will be a cakewalk.”
Most would probably choose other words for the outlook next season. But in May, it works. Let somebody else prove they should be moving a fridge.
Permalink | Comments (48) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons/NFL
Comments
By Curious George
May 12, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
Will the new head coach still enjoy being here after “ARTIE BLANK” starts telling him how to do his job?
By San Antonio Falcon
May 12, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
I can’t wait to get my Direct TV fired back up to enjoy Sundays in San Antonio watching the Birds! You have to admit, Blank’s personality has kept us in the National spotlight to some extent. Which can be a good thing. Being a Ga Tech grad, I actually commented to myself during the BC game last year, “damn, this Ryan guy is pretty good”. He was the best QB in college that I have seen since Peyton Manning. Not to thump my chest, but I watch alot of college football as well-Just ask my wife.
By TrojanMan
May 12, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this
Does anybody know if Mike Vick has taken a husband in prison yet, or is Vick still ‘sleeping around’ with the other prisoners?
By 3rd shift Guard
May 12, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this
Trojanman, sorry to say but Vick has yet to settle into anyone’s pocket. He did make a pass or two at a couple of guys but every time he does it tends to go right over their head. I guess that’s ok because he seems more comfortable letting the other guys chase him. Word around here is that he’s a tough one to sack unless you double-team him. The biggest knock on him is that he loves to run around so finding someone to commit may be difficult for him. I’ll keep you posted.
By Reggie
May 12, 2008 11:39 PM | Link to this
TrojanMan?
You have a deep seeded homosexual desire?
By big tom
May 12, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
TrojanMan and 3rd shift Guard when you two guys get done giving each other reach arounds come back to bed and oil and lotion me up. Since you two guys are so in love with another mans sex life. Come sit in my bed and tell me a bedtime story. They dont call me big tom for nothing. Ask Shultzie about me. wink wink
By Fan?
May 13, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
Just keep Arthur off the field and things might be alright.
By Ted Striker
May 13, 2008 12:03 AM | Link to this
Another good column, Jeff.
Mr. Blank’s hires appear to understand this process is like building a pyramid — one brick at a time.
By 3rd shift guard
May 13, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this
big tom, I spilled coffee on my pistol and dropped my doughnut when I read your post. I have to give you credit though. I haven’t done that since Deion Sanders helicoptered from one sport to the other in the same day. So anyway, if you know Shultzie I guess I can tell you a bedtime story. Get your hoping and wishing cap on though ‘cause I’m telling the one where Matt Ryan leads the Falcons to the Super Bowl this year.
By Reality Check
May 13, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this
It’s good to hear that players are saying positive things about their coach for a change. What’s the saying? Attitude is everything.
I don’t expect a stellar season but as always, I will cheer for the Falcons in every game and I hope they exceed everyone’s expectations (including mine).
One thing’s for sure….it starts with the coach.
GO FALCONS!
By John Madden
May 13, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this
Dear Mr. Blank,
When Michael Vick wrote you that letter in Crayon to say that he was “playing for BOTH TEAMS since arriving in prison,” he was NOT talking about football.
The closest thing to a football team Vick is playing on in prison is the Fudge Bay Packers. Reports from the prison state Michael Vick started out as a confused and reluctant TIGHT END. Since then, however, experience and proficiency have molded Vick into a natural leader who now serves as a (very) eager and enthusiastic WIDE RECEIVER.
By Singindablues
May 13, 2008 12:50 AM | Link to this
Is it really to much to ask for someone from the AJC to delete & ban these pathetic people posting this crap?
By Lifelong Falcons Fan
May 13, 2008 1:02 AM | Link to this
This is the most confident I have felt about a Falcons coaching hire since WSB jumped the gun back in 1989 and reported, albeit WRONGFULLY, that Joe Gibbs was leaving the Redskins to come coach Atlanta.
By Dawgs1313
May 13, 2008 2:03 AM | Link to this
Singindablues you getting a little offended?
By JSS
May 13, 2008 6:16 AM | Link to this
Hey Schultz,
Just sent a copy of your using copyrighted material without permission to the Writer’s Guild and to the Legal Department at Paramount. So get out your checkbook you dumb phony…
By Dan
May 13, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this
The comments in your comments section are getting out of hand. You might want to weed some things out. 10 to 12 year olds read your column too.
By JSS
May 13, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this
Dan
This is a mild reaction for the perversion that masquerades for blogging, if they haven’t reigned it in before now, why would you expected them or the true inciter of this whole thing (Jeff Schultz) to do it now? He thrives on this, it is his ambrosia… The person who needs to actually do her job regarding these blogs and the comments is Angela Tuck, drop her an email…
By Dan McQuire, esq.
May 13, 2008 7:36 AM | Link to this
JSS. David O’Brien posts lyrics of entire songs every day with less credit than Schultz provided. So, we’re not thinking around here that your little ploy will see much success. Choose your next actions carefully.
By Old Skool Coon
May 13, 2008 8:20 AM | Link to this
TrojanMan /3rd Shift Guard - I dont care what these folks say, that was funny stuff right there. Good work.
By Charles
May 13, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
I’m no Vick fan but you bloggers trashing Vick’s prison life are just a bunch of crude, lewd, losers who take delght in making bad jokes about others. Your repressed desires are obvious but take them elsewhere and leave us free of your sicko, disgusting, unfunny comments.
By JSS
May 13, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
Bring it on Dan… http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html The song and lyrics provision of the Fair Use section is different than the film script provision… Dave O’Brien has never stepped over that line, and if ever does and someone notifies the producing company, WGA or the MPAA, he’ll get a nice letter from MPAA and the WGA West too…
Stick to dreaming about chasing ambulances around Newton County…
By Joe
May 13, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
These clowns all said the same things about Petrino last year. We have lots of energy. No favorites. We love coach…. same garbage this year and to many of the same old Falcons.
By Charles
May 13, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this
Hey, Old Skool Coon: why don’t you and TrojanMan/3rd Shift Guard all get a motel room together, read (if you can) your comic books and do whatever it is guys (?) like you do.
By kreese31
May 13, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
It kills me that all of you FAIR Weather Fans are attacking MV7. How many of you were rooting for the Falcons consistently b4 MV7. Most of you haters are probably hypocrites!!!!, lets find out. If you are a Falcons fan, and you or your kids HUNT and you codemn MV7, then guess what you are—a hypocrite!!! at least in dog fights, the dog has a chance to win, when YOU go hunting, that poor animal is toast. then what do you do with the animal afterwards, hang its HEAD on your wall as a trophy. why isnt PETA attacking ya’lls butts. what MV7 did wasn’t that bad. epecially if you condone hunting!!!!!!
By kreese31
May 13, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
how is it that all these bs comments get posted and a sensible one like mine is not do you all NOT want to hear the truth
By Gary
May 13, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this
Charles man if you don’t like what they are saying, then just ignore it. Freedom of speech. Their comments are no worse than those of the late night comedians making jokes about Vick either. It just shows how some people get a kick out of life.
By Gary
May 13, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
kreese31, your logic does not make that much sense. Vick breed dogs to fight and kill, which is against the law. Hunting on the other hand is a sport that is governed by the state, two totally different scenarios there.
Now as for the fair weather comment. I have been a Falcon fan since the 1980s and enjoyed the excitement that Vick brought to the Falcons, but he made a mistake and has to pay for it. His time with this team has come to an end.
By Dan McQuire, esq.
May 13, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
Oh, I was just pretending to be an esq. for funsies. I don’t care if Schultz is hung by his toes. Good luck to you and have a great day.
By kreese31
May 13, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
The logic is there, just because hunting is legal does not take away the brutality of KILLING an animal for sport!! In that regard, MV7 and Hunters are the same. Whether or not its legal or not is irrevelant. PETA is suppose to be protecting the rights of all animals, not just those protected by law!!
By bob
May 13, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
this clown of a coach will not do very much for the falcons. As reggie nelson what he thought of their game plan against new england. At a time when he had a chance to do something special he played conservatively and got picked apart by Tom Brady. The guy is average. As always everyone gets to wet the bed with the falcons. if arthur had brains he would realize that the team’s best was when it was under a proven winner. dan reeves. hey but what do i know. very few coaches get it right their first time.
By ChicagoPOW
May 13, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Who’s this Vick guy some of you keep mentioning?
Nice to hear the positivity coming out of the minicamp! All the new faces are looking more and more comfortable. Looking forward to seeing this group in action! GO FALCONS!!!
By mmm hmm
May 13, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
kreese 31 big difference in hunting and dog fighting. Im not a hunter myself but know plenty of them. The big diff in hunting and dog fighting is that hunters eat deer meat, dog fighters dont eat dog meat (unless they work for a local chinese restaurant) so thats a huge diff imo. But otherwise, vick is gone man give it up. Been a falcons fan for 26 years, loved the excitement he brought to the team and the playoff wins he helped bring here. But he’s gone and we have to move on with a new qb. I think matty ice is WAY beyond anything we have on this roster. GO BIRDS
By Dreski
May 13, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
The homo jokes about Vick was hilarious! good stuff. but i kinda have a good felling this year though really cant wait to see my beloved Falcons play some football GO FALCONS 7-9 record at least!!
By Thorpe
May 13, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
I liked Vick when he was here, but it’s time to move on. Matt Ryan shows a lot of poise and promise and I am excited to seem him play. I think he has the same intangibles that Bobby Hebert had, only Ryan has more talent to back it up.
Can’t wait till September.
Go Birds.
By toshie
May 13, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
These people on this blog are not Falcons fans. They just want to be negative about anything that the Falcons do. Get off the blog and go play in the mud. Thats sounds like where you belong.
By KJinCton
May 13, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
I’ve had season tickets for 9 years now and I love how i never hear any of this kinda crap at the games. Fans are fans there, end of story.
There are too many racists…on both sides on the aisle on these AJC blogs. The Falcons homepage blog is so much better because none of this crap is allowed.
Shame on the AJC for letting this go on for as long as it has. I wouldn’t doubt the sports staff views these comments as amusing….why else would they not moderate it.
By are you kidding?
May 13, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
we got the guy everybody is saying without a doubt was the best quarterback in the draft. then we drafted a 3 time all american tackle from the best college football program this decade to protect our new quarterback. and someone cries race because they both happen to be white. that is pathetic.
i don’t understand why the black community began backing the falcons when vick joined the team. and now it seems they are all leaving because he is gone and we got rid of guys like d hall. why can’t people just support this team because they are representing atlanta? who cares what color the players are on the team? i’ve been a falcons fan my entire life and it makes no different to me if our quarterback is white, black, green, or purple. i don’t understand why drafting a few white players is a bad thing. if they can play, who cares what color they are.
all that matters is they are falcons, so i’m going to support them.
By you people?
May 13, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
are you kidding get back to flipping your burgers and drinking your miller light. nobody wants to hear that crap. funny how the dome could not sell out before vick and cant do it now after vick. why dont you and bubba actualy go buy some tickets instead of comoplaining about people who actually went to games.
By are you kidding?
May 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
i’m not complaining about people who went to the games. i am simply saying these are OUR falcons. this is OUR team. they represent OUR city. why can’t we support them regardless what race the players are? i supported the falcons before vick, during the vick years, and i will continue to support them in the future.
so tell me, why can’t the falcons sell out the dome after vick? yes, he was a good player. but he went to prison. the falcons couldn’t exactly do anything to stop that from happening. they did go out and get the quarterback that is head and shoulders above the rest of the others in the draft to replace vick. had the best quarterback been a black guy, it wouldn’t have bothered me a bit. but to hear members of the black community talk about how they aren’t going to be at the dome this year kind of ticks me off. it seems to me that those folks are the racist ones. why can’t you support a team just because they have a white quarterback?
it’s true we may have a rough season ahead of us this year. but if we can get ryan some good experience and have another solid draft next year, i think we have the potential to be a very solid team in the next 2 or 3 years.
By propman12
May 13, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this
Please let the Vick thing go. He’s not coming back. Neither is Chris Miller or Jeff George or Chris Chandler,Neon Deon, Dan Reeves Jerry Glanville, Tommy Nobis, Mike Kenn . Thats the past man. As for Vick the man is doing his time Let him be!!!
By A.Richey
May 13, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
As much as i love the falcons and we need to move foward from vick.I cant help to think when he gets out he will play for dallas and they will beat the falcons in the dome 45 to 3.And to throw more salt in the wound the will win the superbowl.I can tell you i see this coming!!!!!
By falconsrreal
May 13, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
go matt ryan
By WILL
May 14, 2008 2:27 AM | Link to this
VICK WILL NEVER PLAY IN THE NFL AGAIN IF HE IS FOUND GUILTY IN THE STATE TRIAL HE WILL GET 5ORMORE YEARS IN PRISON HOW OLD WILL VICK BE THEN ? ITS OVER!NOW TO THE FALCONS YOU BETTER SIT RYAN THIS YEAR WITH A CLIP BOARD IN HIS HAND OR HE WILL TAKE PERMANENT RESIDENCY AT PIEDMONT HOSPITAL WITH ATLANTAS OL THE FALCONS WONT BE VERY GOOD THIS YEAR BUT SINCE 1966 HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY BEEN GOOD THIS TEAM HAS NOT HAD BACK TO BACK WINNING SEASONS EVER,WINNING A SUPERBOWL IS ONE THING BUT NOT BACK TO BACK WINNING SEASONS IS PATHETIC AND THIS TEAM MIGHT WIN 4OR5 GAMES THIS YEAR BUT TO THE BLACK FANS VICK CANT FUMBLE THE BALL ANYMORE LIKE HE DID AGAINST CLEVLAND 2YEARS AGO WITH NO ONE AROUND HIM WHICH COST THEM THE GAME AND THE PLAYOFFS,PLAYOFFS,AND IF THE BLACK FANS DONT SHOW UP TO THE DOME OH WELL WITH GAS PRICES AT 4.00 A GALLON IDONT THINK WHITE OR MEXICAN, OR BLACK WILL SHOW UP ITS CALLED ECONOMICS SO IT WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RYAN HO WABOUT HIGH TICKET PRICES!GAS PRICES IWOULD MUCH RATHER WATCH MY NFL TICKET AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR MY KIDS THAN GO SEE THE FALCONS IN PERSON,TEH LAST GAME I WENT TO WAS THE SUPER BOWL IN MIAMI WITH ATLANTA THATS IT REMEMBER WHO WAS THE QB IT WAS CHRIS CHANDLER ,AWSOME RB JAMAL ANDERSON,AND GOOD,DL,OL,AND SPECIAL TEAM LETS SEE NOW, ISEE TURNER,RYAN,WE GWT BEST KICKER,IN ELAM IN 2OR 3YEARS THIS TEAM WILL BE IN PLAYOFFS,PLAYOFFS,ARE YOU KIDDIND ME PLAYOFFS YES FALCON FANS IAM A GAMBLER BANK ON IT
By Goober Johnson aka Zeb McCluskie
May 14, 2008 3:14 AM | Link to this
I’m still looking for the REAL ZED McCullough, or whtever in the world he calls himself. I’ll bet he don’t know a dam thing about Falcon Football. Lets compare DJ and Kieth. DJ from Georgia - aint playing. Kieth from Georgia Tech - Playing, and an all Pro. ‘Nuff said dawg sh!t McKluskie? Oh, and fatass, you didn’t even go to Georgia, did you?
By Danman
May 15, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
Good article today Jeff,
I’m glad to hear that Smith is trying to change the culture. As a former player, I can’t tell you how important that is. Football players aren’t machines that perform on command, they’re human beings. A head coach doesn’t need to be a “players coach” or an a* kicker to be effective. They need to set their expectations and be able to effectively communicate them to their players. That’s true in athletics as it is in real life. Good work environment + hard work+ renewed sense of purpose= good morale and positive results. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Falcons have a better record this year if nothing more than the morale is better this season.
By Brooking sucks
May 16, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
Ok Goober, you hang your hat on Keith Brookings. That guy should be paying the Falcons so he can remain on the team. Half the tackles he gets credit for are after the play is over and he is just piling on. He sucks, just like GT!
By Ryan
May 17, 2008 5:32 AM | Link to this
I think the previous poster is, in fact, a Troll, because whatever else he is he evidently doesn’t bother to watch actual games…
By GT IronMan
May 17, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this
Do you just LexusNexus the column from last year and change the names? “Petrino has Falcons respect”
And a note to President Bush - “Please pardon Michael Vick in time for the preseason.” (I just saw six bulls get the sword in madrid at las ventas. What’s up with a few dogs?)