MVN - Most Valuable Network

Old pro’s advice goes deeper than football

One of the most popular quarterbacks in Falcon history (no, not the one in federal prison) took some time last week to give some advice to new quarterback Matt Ryan.  Steve Bartkowski a first overall pick from the 1975 draft spent 11 seasons with the Falcons and holds numerous team records.

The advice Bart gives the new Falcon gunslinger is not only fitting in this case but could apply to any pro football player.  Matter of fact, his advice translates past football and could actually be a piece of a motivational speakers seminar.

 “Stay level and don’t forget the game is fun. Remember, you never are as good as they say you are, and conversely, you’re never as bad as they say you are. Focus on what you can do to be the best you can be and then set about to do it.

“Simply tune out both fans and critics. And if at any time you are tempted to listen, remember this: The ones talking, or writing, usually have little clue as to what it takes for you to do your job.”

 

“Comport yourself like a ‘long-shot, free-agent reach’ among the boys. Humility will always win friends, and you can do nothing at that position without friends.”

Take the football euphemisms out of his quotes and Bart’s advice could just as easily be applied to anyone’s job and almost anyone’s life.  Focus, fun, humility.  How can you go wrong with that advice?  I realize that Bart was trying to prepare young Matt for the rigors of the NFL but he very well may be preparing him for more than just handling the life of a pro football player.

I urge all of you to take a look at the article and the advice given by Bartkowski.  I for one found it as appetizing food for thought and applicable to much more than just a game.

Scantily clad cheerleaders under hot lights

Before you plunk down your hard earned money for Atlanta Falcon season tickets this season make sure you have an understanding of what to expect.  Odds are that the most exciting thing you will see are the aforementioned cheerleaders and not anything that resembles playoff contention football.

Now I’m not advising you to stay at home Sundays during the upcoming football season.  Actually I suggest the opposite.  Support of this team is crucial and it would be fantastic if this team could see  several sell-outs this season.  I just hope that expectation is set at a realistic level and that the mediocre play you will see on the field doesn’t resort to premature cries for the head of Arthur Blank on a plate or the resignation of Head Coach Mike Smith.

You see, I started to get sucked up in the post-draft hype.  Looking back over the draft it’s easy to get excited.  A quality draft combined with projecting possible starting lineups and depth charts can give one a real sense of excitement…at least on paper.  Looking at these lineups is what gave me an early case of Falcon Fever but it didn’t take long for my temp to come down and return to reality.

Looking over the names on the roster got my adrenaline pumping.  Abraham, Norwood, White, Turner, Brooking…..this is one helluva team I thought to myself.  Then as I moved starting lineups around I found one word being repeated over and over to myself.  It was becoming the team mantra and it sums up everything about the Falcons in 2008.  That word is “If”.

If Jamaal Anderson has a breakout season, the DLine should be Ok.  If Turner or Norwood can handle 25 carries a game the RB’s will be fine.  If the OLine can protect our QB we should be good.  If the Ryan/Redman can playaction then the team will move the ball.  If our corners can adapt to the cover 2, then our secondary will be great.  If Dimitroff knows his stuff, our rookies should be great.  If Mike Smith can bring this team together then we will be fine.

If, if, if.  Not the word you want for your team mantra.  Now I realize it is May, which is very early to be writing a team off, but give me a chance to explain my thought process here.  First and foremost, I am all for supporting this team in any variation.  I think that the right steps have been taken towards building a strong nucleus from which the team can grow.  I believe that Coach Smith and TD are the right guys for this job and I believe that with time, this franchise will become a formidable force in the NFL for many seasons to come.

That being said, our ride to glory as Falcon fans is going to take a little bit longer.  While most NFL teams could handle a crisis involving their starting QB and probably rebound the following season, it wont be that simple for the Falcons.  The loss of the starting QB to a felony conviction combined with the fiasco that was Bobby Petrino has set the Falcons back to the stone age in football terms. 

A couple of months ago I wrote a piece about the rebirth of the Falcons and I spoke about the lean times ahead and said that the fans have to be prepared for some bad football and even worse win/loss records before we tasted glory.  I reiterate those statements today and hope that the fans come in droves to see the Falcons play but do so only with the understanding that Rome wasn’t built in a day nor will the Falcons be built with one good draft and a lot of “ifs”.  Just remember that even if the football on the field is sub-par, you always have those cheerleaders to put a smile on your face.

Boley (Allegedly) Tosses Wife Around

The latest news regarding Michael Boley is heart breaking. He was quickly becoming a dominant force on the defensive side of the ball for the Falcons. Now he’ll be on the defensive side in a Gwinnett County Court House.

Boley has been charged with Battery after police say he tossed his wife, Chantelle, around the living room, into the kitchen , and out the door. According to the police report he then locked the door and that’s when his wife called the police. He has been released on a 1200 dollar bond.

Boley recently signed a one year contract tender for 2 million dollars. He was expected to be offered a long term contract before the end of next season.

With the hiring of Thomas Dimitroff and the off the field issues with Michael Vick, the Falcons have made character a top priority. I’m not sure how a wife beater will fit into their plans as they desperately try to improve the team’s image. I’m not saying Boley did what he’s been accused of but it doesn’t look good.

It will be interesting to see how Dimitroff handles this and what steps will be taken to prevent something similar from happening to anyone on the team. This type of distraction and embarrassment to the team is what we’re trying to move away from. Lets hope everyone on the roster understands that. If you’re hanging with the wrong crowd, or girlfriend, or if you’re beating women up, this is a black eye to the team. Pick your friends or change your ways. I don’t think the Falcons will tolerate these types of headlines.

Was Sam Baker a reach?

Reaching for a draft pick.  We hear about it all the time.  Teams using a high draft pick to select a player that wasn’t valued that high…or was he?  The reason I bring this up a full week after the draft is because I have been hearing a great deal about how the Falcons selection of Sam Baker was a reach. 

Baker is an imposing offensive tackle from USC who was projected by the experts to be a second round pick.  He was projected to be between the fourth and sixth tackle selected in the draft.

Players’ on-field rankings and expert opinions are not the only factors that figure in when a team selects a draft pick.  Character, work ethic, common sense, a passion for the game, the ability to be easily taught, and placing team success over personal success are several of the intangibles not measured by a stopwatch or tape measure.

So lets assume that after studying the tapes, grading the performances, and interviewing each and every prospect, a team decides that out of the 200+ players that will be selected in the draft, 12 are the exact perfect fit for their team.  They target another 20 as top prospects that would be a very good fit for the team.  Another 10 designated as good prospects.  These players meet or exceed not only the physical rankings that we see on ESPN but also the needs of the team from a positional standpoint and the intangible standpoint.  These 42 players are now on the top of their wish list or draft board.

Come draft day the team has their list up and ready.  Their goal?  To obtain as many players from the top of their list as possible.  When pick #3 rolls around, the Falcons look at their draft board and see that Matt Ryan, their #1 guy is available…he is selected.  As the draft progresses, a few more players from their list fall to other teams.  Guys like Clady or Otah fall quickly and it is determined that Sam Baker, their next highest pick on  top of their draft board, could be snatched up during this latest run on offensive tackles.

The Falcons move up and trade picks in order to obtain Baker.  Some NFL experts furrow a brow, some fans groan,  yet the Falcons are ecstatic.  They have just acquired the next highest player on their best player list.  Now remember, that list isn’t Mel Kiper’s list.  It isn’t Mike Mayock’s list, it is the Atlanta Falcons list.

This list, compiled by the entire Falcon staff and meticulously refined by Coach Smith and Thomas Dimitroff, is the only list that matters.  Unless we are in the room when the tape is watched, or when the mini-camps are conducted we can never know what the staff knows about the Falcons and their needs.  Unless we sit in on the meetings and listen to directives laid down by Arthur Blank, we can never truly know the foundation from which this team will be built on.  So it is the Falcon draft board from which the team makes its selections.

Who cares what Mel Kiper thinks.  Who cares if some fans are questioning the moves.  What does it matter if the Falcons draft grade is less than stellar in USA Today?  What matters is that the Falcons targeted certain players and went out and got them.  They didn’t wait for a player to fall into their lap or cross their fingers in the hopes they got lucky, they went out and FOUGHT for their picks and got the men they wanted.

These players have the tools, skill, and intangibles that the Falcons want in a player and they landed the players that meet all the criteria laid down by the GM and his staff.  Whether Kiper had Baker going in round one or round two does not matter.  Kiper doesn’t sit in on the team meetings and run drills at mini-camp.  Kipers list is based on a generic overall picture based on statistical grading.  The Falcons list is based on so much more and I have to believe, held to a higher standard than that of any mock draft “expert”.

Sure there are exceptions and blunders that can be made.  The Jets drafting Johnny Mitchell in 1992 comes to mind when thinking of all time greatest reaches.  I’m sure the Jets front office was happy to get the player they wanted but with only one tight end taken before and none taken after (in the 1st round), I think that there is also accountability when it comes to building a proper front office and scouting staff.  If either fail in their jobs its almost impossible for a coach to do his.

Baker was taken 22nd by the Falcons, the fifth tackle taken. 

So let the media cry reach.  Let the “experts” believe we overpaid for a draft pick.  Let the message boards flow with words like “waste” and “poor value”.  The Falcons got just what they wanted and they didn’t go outside the realm of reality to get it.  I predict Baker will be a staple on the Falcons offensive line for years to come and the 2008 draft will be the first of many victories for Thomas Dimitroff and his staff of talent seekers.