Sides Continue to Talk About a New Stadium for the Falcons

January 25th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

Eleven months ago, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the Falcons agreed to enter negotiations about a potential new open-air football stadium downtown.

And according to Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution they’re still negotiating, both parties say.

A possible sign of movement came earlier this month, when Gov. Nathan Deal included money in his 2012 budget to purchase property next to the proposed stadium site.

The GWCC Authority, which oversees the state-owned complex that includes the Georgia Dome, voted last February to negotiate with the Falcons toward a possible memorandum of understanding on a $700 million stadium that would be built about a half-mile north of the Dome.

“We continue to meet with the Falcons on a whole array of business terms and items attendant to that,” GWCC Authority executive director Frank Poe said this week. “We have tried to quantify the issues that each side would have and talk through a series of items that are important for both sides, but nothing has been resolved in the form of an agreement.”

Asked how far along the process has moved, Poe said: “It would be hard to say we’re 10 percent or 50 percent or 60 percent there. There are some areas where there is common acceptance of positions, but there also are a lot of areas in which we still have work to be done. It’s not going to be something that will be resolved real quickly.”

The Falcons, who have made clear their desire for a new, more lucrative stadium when the Georgia Dome bonds are paid off later this decade, declined to comment on the status of negotiations beyond providing a written statement in response to inquiries.

No Comments »

DB Coach Alvin Reynolds Won’t Be Back with the Team in 2012

January 23rd, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

DB coach Alvin Reynolds will not return for the 2012 season, head coach Mike Smith announced on Monday.

“We would like to thank Coach Reynolds for his dedication and hard work over the last four seasons,” Smith said. “We wish him all of the best.”

Reynolds joined the Falcons after spending five seasons coaching under Smith with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-07). In addition to the Falcons and Jaguars, Reynolds has coached with the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos.

Last week, the Falcons replaced departed defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder with Mike Nolan, who will likely bring in some assistant coaches who he is familiar with.

No Comments »

Super Bowl Parties – Creating Memories for a Lifetime

January 19th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in Contests, News

Family parties around the NFL have always been a staple in my family. My first memory from a family party was Super Bowl XVII on January 30th 1983.

While that was fun, finally in 2006 it was my turn to host my first Super Bowl party, a bash complete with food, games, and the two best teams that season in the league.

The menu was pretty basic, yet effective. Pizza, wings, pasta, red potatoes, a veggie and cheese tray, and even fruit salad. The party kicked off with some squares, a football tradition, and even some football bingo with some small prizes for those lucky enough to take home a game. Finally at 6:25pm, it was kickoff of Super Bowl XL.

While I have gone back and watched the game probably about 3-5 times, the real memories of that party is not the game, but the fact that it was all about the people that attended.

We had a number of people rooting for both teams, so the game vibe was pretty solid, which was a cool element to the party. Add to the fact the game was close, there was a lot of rooting during the contest.

There was a healthy mix of people that included relatives and friends. The conversation during the game centered not just on football, but on the holidays that had passed just a few weeks before, new jobs, new relationships, and even about other sports like baseball and basketball.

That’s the best part about football parties. It’s the games, the food, and most important, the people that make the game great, like the family and friends you spend it with.

Falcons fans will recall with great happiness the Super Bowl back in 1999 when the Falcons took on the Broncos. While the outcome was a downer, the parties in Atlanta that week, they were some of the best I will ever remember!

February 6th is another chance to create memories at yet another Super Bowl party, and now there’s a perfect way to figure out just who to invite!

Visa has come out with the Visa’s YOU+TEN Draft app, and it’s a perfect way to have some fun figuring out who to invite over for the big game on the first Sunday in February, or if your actually lucky enough to win the sweepstakes – WHO to take to the game!

Super Bowl XLVI – another chance to create that connection with family and friends once again. Don’t miss out on it.

Disclosure: We received compensation from Visa for sharing our views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely ours, not Visa or the NFL’s. For more information about Visa’s YOU+TEN Draft App, please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/VisaNFL?sk=app_259824094080710

No Comments »

Top 10 Greatest Quarterbacks In Atlanta Falcons History

January 19th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in Features, Opinions

The offseason will have a lot of reflection for the Falcons, and sometimes it’s fun to go back and look at some of the great players of the past and the present. Today, we take a look at the Falcons QB’s from years past, and we put together this list of the “Top 10 Falcons QB’s of All-Time.”

Feel free to debate the topic in the comments section, or submit a list of your own!

10. Bob Berry – Berry was probably better known for his Super Bowl outings with the Vikings, playing in Super Bowls VIII, IX and XI. He was the Falcons starter five seasons, from 1968 to 1972. He started in 51 games, throwing for 8,489 yards and 57 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 79.2. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1969. Never a flashy thrower, Berry was consistent and a solid QB for the time he played in.

9. David Archer – Though he only started 23 games for the Falcons between 1984 and 1987, Archer had some memorable moments, and he ranks ninth in team history with 4275 passing yards. In 1986, Archer threw for a career high 2007 yards with 10 TD passes (also career high) and 9 interceptions. Best known as the current color radio guy for the Falcons.

8. Randy Johnson – No, not the pitcher, this was a QB that was the Falcons QB who was the starting quarterback for the Falcons in their inaugural season of 1966. He quarterbacked the Falcons from 1966 to 1970 and ranks eighth in franchise history with 5538 passing yards. Johnson’s best season in Atlanta was 1966, when, despite 21 picks, he threw for career best numbers in yards (1795) and touchdowns (12).

7. Jeff George – A loud, brash QB that was supposed to thrive in the run and shoot, George did have some big numbers, but never truly lived up to the hype. He played three seasons for the Falcons, 1994-96, and still is 5th in yards throwing with 8575 yards. George had one of his best seasons in Atlanta in 1995, when he threw for a career high 4143 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 picks. He could have been a star for a long time if he would have kept his mouth shut.

6. Bobby Hebert – Probably still better known for his years with the Saints, Hebert came to the Falcons and had a couple solid seasons in 1993 and 1996. His best season with the Falcons was 1993, when he went to the Pro Bowl with 2978 yards with 24 TD passes (career high) and 17 interceptions.

5. Chris Miller – Miller played in 10 NFL seasons from 1987–1995 and 1999. His best year as a pro came during the 1991 season for the Falcons when he threw for over 3000 yards and 26 touchdowns. He has a losing overall record as a starter with the Falcons (23-43), but ranks second in team history with 14,066 passing yards.

4. Chris Chandler – He will be remembered for being the QB that helped the Falcons make it to their only Super Bowl, losing to the Broncos in the 1998 season. He put up a 13-1 record as a starter in 1998, and overall played for the Falcons from 1997 to 2001 and ranks third in franchise history with 13,268 passing yards as well. !998 was Chandler’s best season, as he threw for career highs in yards (3154) and touchdowns (25) with 12 interceptions.

3. Michael Vick – A tragic story with the Falcons, as Vick could have went down as the greatest QB in team history. Instead, his dog fighting conviction stopped it all, and destroyed his legacy with the team. Still, he ranks fourth in Falcons’ history with 11,505 passing yards, and his best season was 2002. That year, Vick threw for a career high 2936 yards with 16 TD passes and just 8 interceptions. He also rushed for 777 yards and 8 more TDs that season

2. Matt Ryan - Matty “Ice” as he’s better known, as jumped up the charts as the second best QB in team history after just four seasons. He’s started all but two games in those four seasons, and led the Falcons to the playoffs with an 11-5 season record. He has also earned honors as the 2008 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. In four years Ryan has thrown for 95 TD’s and 46 picks, and 14,238 yards. He’s well on pace to being the best QB in team history, but a few playoff wins would be nice.

1. Steve Bartkowski – He played for the Falcons from 1975 to 1985 and while his record wasn’t the best (55-66), he threw for a lot of yards and was as good as they come for those years with the Falcons. He ranks first in Falcons’ history with 23,470 passing yards. Bartkowski went to the Pro Bowl in both 1980 and 1981. In 1980, he had a career best 3829 passing yards, but 1981 was a better overall season-3544 yards with career high 31 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions.

No Comments »

Falcons Hire Mike Nolan to Run the Defense

January 17th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

The Falcons have a new man to run the defense, as the team has hired Mike Nolan to be their new defensive coordinator.

Nolan was with Miami for the past two seasons, taking them from near the bottom of the ranking and moving them to sixth in total defense and 14th in scoring defense this past year. In both seasons, the Dolphins ranked in the Top 10 against the run.

Nolan replaces Brian Van Gorder, who left the team to accept the same position at Auburn University. The Falcons ranked 12th in total defense and 18th in scoring defense, but were just 29th on third down. Miami’s defense ranked seventh on third downs last season.

No Comments »

Falcons Hire Dirk Koetter as OC

January 15th, 2012 Alex Welch Posted in News

Dirk calling the shots for the Jags

Atlanta has finally decided on who will lead their offense into next season. Dirk Koetter, former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator, will being calling the shots going forward for the Falcons.

Koetter was with the Jags since 2007, and worked with Mike Smith in his last season with the franchise before making the leap to Atlanta. Before his NFL tenure Koetter was all about college football. From 1985 until his journey to northeast Florida, he worked for several different schools, notably as the head coach of Boise State and Arizona State. His passing attack for the Sun Devils must have been enticing to the Falcons’ management. In 2005 Arizona State finished third in passing yards per game.

Fans have been quick to react towards this new hire, with a good amount of negativity filling the social media boards. Obviously Jacksonville had a horrendous season offensively this year. The Jags ranked dead last in passing yards, but with rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert, you can’t really blame Koetter for that debacle.

Look at what he’s had to work with in his prior years in the NFL, though, before you make any rash judgments. David Garrard was his best quarterback for four seasons in a row. Now I’m not the biggest expert on pro football, but I think everyone will agree with me in saying Matt Ryan is far above Garrard’s level.

Koetter has had no help with his receivers either. Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt, Ernest Wilford, Matt Jones, Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas, these are the guys he’s been able to use in his arsenal. Unfortunately this isn’t a joke. In Atlanta he will have a Pro Bowler in Roddy White, a rising young star in Julio Jones and a legend in Tony Gonzalez, and we don’t even know who else the Falcons will have for next season. The future is already looking brighter for the former Idaho State QB.

Maurice Jones-Drew led the league in rushing this season, and has ran for over 1,300 yards for three years straight now. Even with little to work with on the passing side, Koetter made the Jags run game a powerful force.

So before you write him off, let’s at least give the guy a chance. He will have plenty of talent to work with in Atlanta. The Falcons have to hope he won’t imitate Mularkey, for if he does, this fan base is going to riot. They (Blank, TD and Smith) said they weren’t happy with these first-round exits in the playoffs. Well, Koetter better making something happen quick. More changes will be on the way if he fails.

 

1 Comment »

PFW: Falcons Will Let Grimes Leave Team Via Free Agency

January 14th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in 2012 Free Agency

Dan Parr of Pro Football Weekly reports that a team source believes that the Falcons will allow free agent CB Brent Grimes to sign with another team during free agency.

Grimes is seen as the Falcons top cornerback but unfortunately underwent knee surgery back in November and four of the teams final five games as well as the last weeks playoff game against the New York Giants. Atlanta feels that their combination of Dominique Franks and Chris Owens will allow them to deal with the loss of Grimes. Obviously they could consider adding a more affordable option at some point during free agency and possibly the draft.

No Comments »

Blank Adds a Limited Partner

January 13th, 2012 Matt Loede Posted in News

The Falcons have added a new limited partner, though Arthur Blank continues to hold more than 90 percent ownership of the team.

Brian J. Barker is owner of AFS, a domestic freight forwarding company headquartered in Shreveport, La. He lives in Park City, Utah, but says he couldn’t pass up the chance to become involved with the NFL.

Barker joins a group of limited partners who invested in the Falcons between 2002 and 2010 under Blank’s ownership, including former NFL running back Warrick Dunn.

The Falcons have four straight winning seasons, making the playoffs three times during that span. But Blank is promising changes after a dismal 24-2 postseason loss to the Giants.

No Comments »
« Older Entries
Write For Us