AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > August > 03 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USEx-Falcon Mathis dreams of being GM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
No offense to Rich McKay, but Terance Mathis wants his job.
More specifically, Mathis wants to replace anybody in the future with the job of his eternal dreams, and that job involves serving as general manager of the Falcons. Not only that, Mathis expects to have that job long enough to keep the Falcons among the NFL elite, and he told Arthur Blank as much soon after the former Home Depot king bought the club five years ago.
“My thing is this: I think there needs to be a new breed of general manager out there, and I’m that guy,” said Mathis, 40, the former Falcons wide receiver and Redan High School standout, speaking with the same passion he used to slice through defenders for 13 NFL seasons. “I can’t tell you everything I want to do as a general manager. But after being on the field, and getting released when nobody would return my phone calls, I know there needs to be a connection with players. The NFL is a business, but you’re messing with people’s lives. If you don’t have that connection, you won’t be successful as a franchise.”
Now all Mathis needs is for McKay to retire or to move on. Neither is likely at the moment. As a result, Mathis continues with the Baltimore Ravens during his first stint as a coaching and scouting intern. His primary role is schooling the Ravens’ wide receivers at their training camp in Westminster, Md., but his secondary role is studying the guy living his eternal dream.
Ozzie Newsome.
“He’s gone from being a player to a coach, and then he went into scouting, and now he’s the Ravens’ general manager, so I know I’m on the right path,” Mathis said of Newsome, who became the league’s first African-American general manager five years ago. Mathis has huddled with Newsome as often as possible. Added Mathis, “I’ll tell you how well the Ravens draft and pick up free agents. I don’t know how they cut guys. The ones they cut, you can make another team, and they would win eight or nine games. So I’m just picking the brains of Ozzie, scouts, coaches. That’s my whole job right now.”
Then, when Mathis’ internship expires before the start of the regular season, he wants to become an assistant coach in the NFL or the college ranks. He plans to follow in Newsome’s cleat steps after that as a scout, and you already know what Mathis wants to do after that. “No one is going to just say, ‘Hey. Come on in and be our general manager.’ You have to earn your way,” Mathis said. “I’m prepared to do whatever it takes.”
If nothing else, Mathis is consistent with his goal and his game plan.
For instance: When Blank delivered his first words at Flowery Branch in early 2002 to the players he inherited, Mathis was among those listening with fellow wide receiver Tony Martin. Afterward, Blank strolled through the locker room. That’s when Martin leaned over to Mathis and spoke loudly enough for the new boss to hear every syllable: “Tell him what you said. Go ahead. Tell him.”
Since Mathis is the owner of a famously blunt tongue, he didn’t need much prodding. He stood before Blank with a strong voice to say, “I’m going to be your next general manager of this team.”
And Blank’s reaction? “He kind of looked at me, giggled, and then he went on his way,” said Mathis, who didn’t become the Falcons general manager back then. In fact, Mathis wasn’t even a Falcons player a few days later. After eight seasons of moving toward becoming the team’s all-time leader in receptions and touchdown catches, he was released for salary-cap reasons. He played the 2002 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he eventually retired to do some local broadcasting and to dabble as a potential NASCAR owner.
Those weren’t parts of Mathis’ eternal dream, though. “If it takes me five years, 10 years. Whatever. I’m going to get there as the Falcons GM sooner or later,” Mathis said, with another strong voice.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
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By drew
August 3, 2007 6:03 PM | Link to this
Wow Terence…that was absolutely riveting! Where do you keep getting these fantastic scoops. This kind of work, combined with your recent face time on sports television, will surely bring an early end to your career in print journalism…
…thank God.
BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH.
But you’re right about Vick.
By Frankie
August 3, 2007 6:53 PM | Link to this
Drew guys like you really puzzle me. Do you really think that the writers here care that you yokels disagree with what they write?
If you don’t like it Cletus don’t read it. He’s been doing this for a long time. What have you accomplished?
By honest_abe
August 3, 2007 7:01 PM | Link to this
amen frankie. people seem to rag on t. moore like its the vogue thing to do. disagreed with a part of the article then point it out and move on. thats part of what this forum is for.
drew grow up and get a life.
By scott
August 3, 2007 7:37 PM | Link to this
Hey Drew-Terence is not a beat writer. He doesn’t cover a particular club. He doesn’t need to scoop anybody. This was an interestin piece about a former Atlanta player with high aspirations. In case you haven’t noticed, we could use some of those stories right now. Kudos. I hope he gets his first GM job replacing Ozzie because Ozzie has come home to the Tide. RTR!
By hitwriter
August 3, 2007 7:48 PM | Link to this
I hope Mathis doesn’t find himself in trouble with the Ravens like Mora did talking about his dream job?
By Shady
August 3, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
rofl, dream on…
By Gumbo
August 3, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
Nice article, Terence. I think Mathis can do whatever he wants. Needs to stay with Ozzie for a couple of years, but I woul love to see him with the Falcons in some capacity soon.
By SC
August 3, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this
Terence, you have no credibility as a sports commentator with me after you said on national TV that MV had a weak arm. I think you’d be a great HR manager though …
By ATLFalconFan
August 3, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this
Uncle Tom I mean Terrence this is your usual lame crap. I guess you are trying to make amends after all of your attacks on Michael Vick. Go shine some more shoes and when you are finished lick some boots!
By Singletary
August 3, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this
Mathis is smart. I bet he’ll make it to a GM job somewhere.
Since some one else referenced Mora, did you see his most recent quote about “distancing myself from the Falcons” Does he ever NOT put his foot in his mouth?
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sports/story.asp?ID=202807
By Ryan
August 4, 2007 6:48 AM | Link to this
IN writing I have accomplished about the same amount of useful published writing as Moore: Absolutely none.
By JB Stoner
August 4, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
I’ve never read a more agonizingly boring piece.
By dirty byrd
August 4, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this
as much as we have going on in training camp and all, it does not suprize me t moore writes story on a past players dreams yes we can now all remember back in a few yrs what was said that mr mathis want to be gm of falcons it would not shock me if in future we did hire him on our coaching squad he was a good player and has skills to help any nfl team
By Lee
August 4, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
Whenever I read one of Terrence Moore’s columns, I have an internal bet with myself as to how long it takes him to interject race into it.
Yep, there it is, paragraph four. Less than halfway through. I wasn’t disappointed.
…”Newsome, who became the league’s first African-American general manager five years ago.”
By knowing the game
August 4, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this
He would do good as a GM. waiting on oct.1. Moore you are so negative about anybody you and you and Rome talk on his show, negativity sells! you and the hole AJC sport staff need a review and a make over !
By unclebob
August 4, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this
Terance simply isn’t qualified to be a GM.
By JackP
August 4, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this
Interesting story TM. I hope Mathis makes it. He is a good guy and a hard worker. That usually spells success.
By David Duke
August 4, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
It’s always fun to read the insults hurled at Terence. Whites dislike him because they think he’s too vocal in support of other members of his own race. Blacks call him “Uncle Tom” because he doesn’t support members of his own race blindly. The unifying factor for most of Terence’s readers and bloggers is none of the idiots can spell his name, even though it’s at the top of the page. Terence, you’re a good writer and I enjoy your work.
By Terence Tom I want A job at ESPN Moore
August 4, 2007 6:03 PM | Link to this
Terence Tom Moore only takes times to write stories when he is bashing Mike VIck or any other Atlanta player or team. This guy is a joke. I really hope ESPN gives this stuttering, spitting clown a job with the way he has been slurping them up lately.
By David Duke
August 4, 2007 7:23 PM | Link to this
So, do you like Terence?
By Deal With The Devil
August 4, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this
I said three years ago that I would use all of these racist comments to try and draw recruits away from Dixie and towards my school. Today another one!!
Keep blogging on any subject, all you fools know is race. Go Trojans!