It's been a good week to be a Falcons fan.

[coryb78]

I am not a fan of Arthur Blank. Never really have been but I have to commend him on his two latest hirings. Right now I am a believer in Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff. I didn't want either of them here at first but so far I have really liked what I have seen. Right after the hiring of Smith I started hearing things like, "he is a teacher" and with Dimitroff I heard, "great college scout and evaluater of talent." When your team is in shambles these are things that you want to hear because these are the basics. They aren't really sexy or fun to talk about but before you get the big beautiful house you have to have a foundation to put it on.

I really started to believe in Dimitroff when he put the best draft that I have ever seen together in April. I couldn't argue against a single thing and for a fan who like all of us had to go through what we went through last season something solid and sensible is welcomed. Dimitroff should also be commended along with Smith for the type of players that he has brought in. They seem to be going for, "hard working. intelligent players who believe in roles" over, "talented flashy players who have pre-planned dance moves and dry erase boards on standy by with Aloha written on them." Don't you just love how Michael Turner just flips the ball to the official after he scores. Looks like he has been there before doesn't it? So far Turner looks like exactly the kind of class guy that you want in your organization and it seems like he has about 52 other guys standing behind him that you could say the same about. Again it's not that sexy but it's the results that count.

Smith seems to have done a fantastic job of assembling a crew of good football coaches/teachers that have similar philosophies and work together to compliment each other in the areas that they differ.

Very exciting times. I'm not saying that the Falcons are going to the SB and I'm not even saying that they are going to make the playoffs but I am a believer. I believe in what we are doing and the way that we are doing it. I believe in the GM, I believe in the Coach and I believe in the types of players that are on the team now. Things are turning and we have turned the corner. Vick is further in the rearview and so is Petrino.

I know that Smith has taken just a bit of heat for his decision at the end of the 1st half but I have no problem with it at all. Smith tried to get points on the board to increase the lead and by doing that he showed that he wants to step on throats and he believes in his men. He believes in them enough right now in game 1 to trust them and just as the players have bought into his philosophy he has bought in to them as players.

Look at the philosophy of the team right now. They draft a young, solid, game managing QB and compliment him with the one thing that he has to have to be effective at this point in his career which is a solid to great running game. Then they have an offensive coordinator who seems to call solid plays that convert 1sts and yet he keeps the defenses on their heels a bit by throwing in gimmick plays that aren't on anyones radars.

What I am trying to say is that the organization has brought in pieces that seemingly compliment each other well from top to bottom and that is how you get a solid foundation that you build not just houses but successful franchises on.

[coryb78]

Arthur Blank: "The rich man that wanted to be famous....so he bought a football team!"Hey Artie! Sit down, shut up and stay off the sidelines! Leave the running of the team to the guys that know the game because you don't know a thing about it!

I think starting Home depot will make u pretty famous. who doesnt love the man that created the store of everyones dreams.

I don't go there.

[Norwood'stheman]

Arthur Blank: "The rich man that wanted to be famous....so he bought a football team!"Hey Artie! Sit down, shut up and stay off the sidelines! Leave the running of the team to the guys that know the game because you don't know a thing about it!

I think starting Home depot will make u pretty famous. who doesnt love the man that created the store of everyones dreams.

If your dream is to get harrassed by 20 mexicans asking you for work before you get into the store, than yes

[coryb78]

If your dream is to get harrassed by 20 mexicans asking you for work before you get into the store, than yes

So true.

Plus you almost have to hurl yourself in front of a HD worker to get them to talk to you about something. When you look at them you can almost see in their eyes this, "don't ask me anything look" it's kind of squinty.

[coryb78]

If your dream is to get harrassed by 20 mexicans asking you for work before you get into the store, than yes

You aren't a contractor by chance are you?

[Norwood'stheman]

You aren't a contractor by chance are you?

No, but if I was I wouldnt get my illegal aliens from Home Depot....

I'd get them from the liquor store parking lot, they seem sturdier and a little bit bigger for some reason than the Home Depot ones

[Brewcrew]

How do you not like Arthur Blank? Man has shown he will do and spend whatever it takes to win at football. That's more than you can say for 90% of the owners in the league.

[coryb78]

How do you not like Arthur Blank? Man has shown he will do and spend whatever it takes to win at football. That's more than you can say for 90% of the owners in the league.

I think that so far he has been reactionary rather than pro-active. I think that he gets too involved with the organization and influences too many moves. I think he fired a good solid football coach in Dan Reeves, then jumped too early to sign Jim Mora. I think that he should have actually met Bobby Petrino before he hired him, I think that he made a mistake in focusing on Rich McKay and then stopping at nothing to get him here. All of these decisions set us back and they could have been avoided.

[Brewcrew]

I think that so far he has been reactionary rather than pro-active. I think that he gets too involved with the organization and influences too many moves. I think he fired a good solid football coach in Dan Reeves, then jumped too early to sign Jim Mora. I think that he should have actually met Bobby Petrino before he hired him, I think that he made a mistake in focusing on Rich McKay and then stopping at nothing to get him here. All of these decisions set us back and they could have been avoided.

So you, in hindsight, think he made the wrong moves. But you would have left Dan Reeves in charge... The same Dan Reeve's who went 51-60-1 in his career here? The same Dan Reeve's who had 2 winning seasons in the 7 years he was here? So if it was up to you, Dan Reeve's would still be making personell decisions here.

Whatever. I like Blank. I wouldn't trade him for any owner in the NFL. If you don't like him you should find another team because he isn't going anywhere.

[coryb78]

So you, in hindsight, think he made the wrong moves. But you would have left Dan Reeves in charge... The same Dan Reeve's who went 51-60-1 in his career here? The same Dan Reeve's who had 2 winning seasons in the 7 years he was here? So if it was up to you, Dan Reeve's would still be making personell decisions here.

Whatever. I like Blank. I wouldn't trade him for any owner in the NFL. If you don't like him you should find another team because he isn't going anywhere.

It's not actually in hindsight because I said it then and stand by it when called on. As for finding another team that's pretty petty for you to say but apparently you think pretty highly of yourself. You have your opinions and I have mine. Keep yours.