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Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A Falcons town no more
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
There already were questions about the general manager’s personnel decisions. There already were obvious cracks in the quarterback’s leadership and maturity. But the Falcons really didn’t begin to jump the tracks in this town until about a year ago.
That’s when things turned goofy. That’s when a marketable product began to morph into a punch line. That’s when Jim Mora, a coach with some talent but lacking in leadership and maturity himself, went on a Seattle radio station to declare his love for the coaching job at the University of Washington.
Whether Mora was serious or joking didn’t really matter, because the two were equally disloyal and dumb in Arthur Blank’s mind. And Blank’s product was irreparably damaged. The Falcons were 7-6, coming off consecutive wins to resuscitate playoff hopes. But they lost that week to Dallas. They lost their final three games. They missed the playoffs. Mora was fired.
The Falcons mercifully close this season at home Sunday against, ironically, Seattle, which now employs Mora as a secondary coach. Mora is not the reason the Falcons are 3-12. He’s not the reason Michael Vick is in prison, or Bobby Petrino is loony, or the Falcons’ season-ticket waiting list is about to evaporate.
But Mora’s radio interview triggered the start of this franchise’s image trainwreck. And this is a town where you have to fight pretty hard to get on the radar.
Atlanta is the most fickle of sports cities. As a rule, fans pay attention to only two things: 1) The football team in Athens; 2) Something else.
The second is forever written in pencil. The Braves had their extended buzz moment in the early to mid 1990s. The Thrashers had their moment for about five minutes last season. The Hawks certainly have had their moments but locating somebody with a memory is the tricky part.
This was, from the time Blank became the owner and Vick became a starter in 2002, a Falcons town.
Even after the firing of Dan Reeves, they were viewed as a rising and vibrant franchise, largely because of their four corners: owner, general manager, coach, quarterback. Blank was invested with his checkbook and his heart. Rich McKay was bright, widely respected and had won a Super Bowl. Mora was fiery and engaging. Vick was a difference-maker.
Now Mora and Vick are gone. McKay is a name on the letterhead. Blank finds his own decision-making being questioned publicly more than ever. The only franchise considered in worse shape is the 1-14 Miami Dolphins - and they just convinced Bill Parcells that was a better job.
Blank knows. Rebuilding the front office and roster represents only part of the equation. This off-season also will be about regaining credibility, not just locally but league-wide. The Falcons have been a coveted destination for free agents. Players came here or stayed here, partly because of money but also because of perception of the team’s direction.
That’s gone now.
The Falcons’ win total the last four seasons has steadily dropped: 11, 8, 7, 3. As Blank searches for a new general manager and coach, candidates will stop to ask themselves why things haven’t been working. They didn’t stop before.
Ticket sales won’t be automatic next season. The most talented and marketable player on roster, DeAngelo Hall, also is the most disruptive one. Instead of trying to steady or unite the team last week, Hall held court in front of his locker, threatening a holdout or a trade demand if he didn’t get a new contract.
Go ahead. Try to market DeAngelo Hall.
This will make three straight seasons without a playoff game. The empty seats Sunday will serve as foreshadowing for next season. The only thing harder to do than building an image is repairing one.
This is Atlanta, and it’s not a Falcons town any more.
No. 2 is wide open again.
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