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Thursday, July 26, 2007
Petrino a master at keeping focus
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Flowery Branch — Say this for the new man: He has the worst — or, depending on your slant, the best — case of tunnel vision in the annals of ophthalmology. With distractions to be found on every flank and even overhead, Bobby Petrino put his team through its first real practice without taking his eyes from the field.
There were dueling protesters outside the gates, the PETA chants of “Sack Vick now!” being answered by one man’s shout of, “When you gonna marry your dogs?” There were signs borne aloft, “From Role Model to Parole Model” being the most inspired. And there was even an aerial assault: A plane bearing the banner, “New Team Name? Dog-killers?!” circled the opening session of training camp for nearly an hour.
Being human, Petrino’s players noticed.
Being something else, Petrino did not.
“My son [also named Bobby] told me about it after practice,” Petrino said. And what did the younger Bobby Petrino think of this welcome-to-Atlanta moment?
“We’ve been through controversy before,” the elder Bobby Petrino said. “He kind of thinks it goes with the job.”
Later, Petrino would concede that nothing else in his vocational life — not even the infamous flirtation with Auburn in 2003 — approaches the ongoing saga of Michael Vick for sheer spectacle. But that’s the greater point, and it’s also the Falcons’ greatest hope going forward. The new man doesn’t get sidetracked. The new man coaches football. The new man takes whatever quarterback he has and plugs him into a matrix that works. And the franchise that has spent the past five seasons waiting for Vick to work his wonders looks now to the slight man in the ballcap to think of something.
Said Alge Crumpler, a Falcon since 2001: “Bobby’s a great mind. One of the reasons Bobby was brought in here was to function with distractions and injuries.”
Said Joe Horn, a seasoned import: “I believe in this [offensive] system.”
Said Joey Harrington, suddenly the No. 1 quarterback: “It’s the complete opposite of the West Coast offense.”
And there it was, the first reason for hope after an offseason of astonishing gloom. On a day when Vick was in a Richmond courtroom, the team he leaves behind got to work trying to put aside the misguided notions of the previous failed regime. The offense Petrino brings from Louisville was good enough to win when his two best offensive players — running back Michael Bush and quarterback Brian Brohm — were hurt last season. Petrino, see, doesn’t just coddle talent. He coaches football.
“I liked to stay focused on the football team,” Petrino said, and if he could manage that on such a frazzled day, who’s to say what else this man might do? Bleed eight wins out of Harrington? Make the Falcons look well-coached for the first time this century?
“Today went good,” Petrino said. “The circumstances being here were not the easiest. … But it was a great experience. It’ll probably never happen again.”
We can only hope. This camp and this season will be a test of the remaining Falcons’ capacity, as Warrick Dunn said, “to maintain their sanity.” On Thursday the new coach gave his new team a morning pep talk — about Handling Adversity, duh — and then set to teaching.
Said DeAngelo Hall: “It’s what we were all waiting for — the Bobby Petrino era.”
Certainly not everyone on hand here Thursday cared about, or even knew, the identity of the Falcons’ coach. (Even though Petrino’s surname and PETA share three prominent letters. Coincidence? Probably.) The protesters have their agenda, but Petrino has his.
He’s here to coach football, not to right the world’s wrongs. And that buzzing overhead? Bobby Petrino doesn’t even hear it.
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Permalink | Comments (53) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Mark Bradley
Vick can’t even speak for himself
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Richmond — In spite of the multiple chances to get it right through the days, months and years, ranging from that water-bottle fiasco to flipping off the hometown fans to the stiffing of those U.S. congressmen to his 18-page indictment surrounding illegal dogfighting, Michael Vick still doesn’t get it.
Where was he? After the riveting 54 minutes it took on Thursday inside a stuffed room at the Lewis F. Powell Jr. U.S. Courthouse for a federal judge to set Vick’s bond in that dogfighting case and for another federal judge to run the arraignment proceedings, everybody was there outside the courthouse before the microphones.
Well, almost everybody. You had Vick’s four lawyers. You had his mother, Brenda Boddie, standing as a clear-eyed supporter in brilliant red beside noted defense attorney Billy Martin, the leader of Vick’s dream team. You had a slew of television cameras and notebook pads representing media outlets from various parts of the western hemisphere.
There was no Michael Vick. Then again, such was the case after the Ron Mexico thing regarding herpes charges and the missing-watch thing at the Atlanta airport security involving one of his so-called “crew” members and all those other things involving Vick that Falcons officials allowed their troubled quarterback to shrug away while hiding.
This time, with the universe watching, waiting and wondering, Martin said of his missing client, “He’s still inside [the courtroom] signing papers.”
Oh. Just a crazy thought: If Vick really does want folks to know that he is innocent in bold and loud terms (which Martin kept alluding to), why didn’t his dream team wait until star client finished signing those papers before starting such a high-profile news conference? Since police in Surry County discovered an elaborate dogfighting ring at one of Vick’s Virginia homes in April, he has said virtually nothing. He did plead not guilty with little emotion Thursday before one of those federal judges and about 100 live witnesses, but he has to do more than that. He has to take responsibility for his actions in public for one of the few times during his NFL life.
Mostly, Vick has to realize that he’s fighting not only for his freedom but for his reputation. Both are on shaky ground, since the feds have a celebrated 95 percent conviction rate. Plus, many of those deafening boos he heard from hundreds of spectators after he arrived at the steps of the courthouse were coming from those living in his native Virginia.
This was as sad as it gets for an imploding sports hero. After the three other co-defendants were marched into the courtroom, Vick appeared a minute later, with whispers exploding throughout the place. Why is he wearing a dark suit and dark blue shirt and tie? (Most wear crisp white shirts to these settings). What is he thinking with his teammates preparing for training camp while he’s sitting there in anticipation of those chilling words?
“ALL RISE.” The other federal judge came in for the arraignment, and following a few responses of “Yes sir,” and a “not guilty” plea, it was over. Actually, it should have been the beginning for Vick to start his PR push with the public by rushing outside with the rest of his handlers and supporters, but it didn’t happen.
In a different time and for different reasons, Simon & Garfunkel would have moaned on what was a beautifully ugly day in Richmond County, “Where have you gone, Michael Vick, the miracle in cleats for the ages? The Falcons Nation turns its angry eyes away from you.” The same goes for the Virginia Nation, once huge for Vick as a standout for the Hokies in Blacksburg.
On the west end of Richmond, they’ve got gigantic statues of Confederate heroes and Virginia icon Arthur Ashe on pedestals along Monument Avenue. Chances are Vick won’t join their ranks any time soon, especially after he sauntered into the U.S. Courthouse as Case No. 3:07CR274.
Not exactly the stuff that inspires bronzed immortality.
Permalink | Comments (100) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
My thoughts and yours on Falcons record
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
We come now to the audience-participation part of our program. I actually want to hear from you folks, and not just the responses that begin, “Bradley, your [sic] an idiot.” (Nothing gives a writer a greater chuckle than being called an idiot by someone who can’t differentiate between “your” and “you’re.” But I digress.)
I want to know what you think the Falcons’ record would have been with Michael Vick. I also want to know what you think it’ll be now.
I’ll go first. I was ready to say 9-7 with Vick, figuring the Falcons have somewhat more talent than most realize and figuring also that Vick would have a big year under Bobby Petrino. Now I’m thinking 5-11 because, no matter how much lip service will be paid to the need to Circle The Wagons and Handle Adversity, the 2007 Falcons have already suffered the sort of blow from which the 2003 Falcons, to cite a convenient local example, never recovered.
I think Petrino will coach his ballcap off, but I also think Joey Harrington is no Matt Schaub, let alone a Michael Vick. I’m thinking 5-11 because that’s what the 2003 Falcons wound up, although it must be noted that three of those five victories came after Vick returned from his broken leg. I don’t see him returning this season, if ever.
But that’s just me. Let’s hear what you good people have to say. Extra credit will be given to those who use “your” and “you’re” correctly. And next week we’ll work on the difference between “its” and “it’s.”
Permalink | Comments (384) | Categories: Mark Bradley, Quick Hit
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