Coach Smith Will Be Respectfully Fired After The Final Game (Loss) Of This Miserable Season

[WOR 24,249]

Who wants to make a serious bet? Mike Smith is going nowhere. This isn't coming from support. This is just real. Y'all mudder fudgers are setting yourselves up for failure.

TD already took care of that.

Ba dumm tss

[slamee101 7,143]

Poor Smith. Just sitting there as the big mean TD is forcing Grinch minions onto Smith's roster. They've come to steal his Christmas.

Stop acting like Smith isn't right there along with him telling him what players he wants and needs. TD isn't Jerry Jones.

That is...the $64,000 question...

[FalconinPA 12,699]

I don't get this place.

People think posters are absolutely crazy for thinking Smith gets fired.

But then THEY say what will happen like they KNOW all about the organization.

Were fans. We don't know anything. News flash. Your opinion of smith staying is no better or more true than smith might get canned. None of us know Blanks mindset right now

Yeah, it is a special place I don't get it either sometimes but it is fun to hear peoples opinions. It is funny how many think that Smith can't be fired. How many times do you hear GM's and owners of other teams say the head coach isn't going anywhere, only to hear later that the coach has been fired or let go (breaking news). I can see Smith being fired at season's end, but I can also see him being brought back as well. I hope he and TD would be let go, but no one can say for sure.

[PrimeTyme#21 34]

To everyone that keeps saying that M.S will be fired needs to get real. Smitty and the falcons success have been the product of NFL scheduling. It's funny how this year is one of the toughest schedules we have seen in the smitty error both in & out of the division and we suck. As bad as i would like to see this team move in another direction, it's not going to happen. It's obvious that smitty has peaked. We need someone more aggressive and that will put teams away, that knows how to pick coordnators, that has a real scheme. I could go on & on. However, we are stuck with smitty for another year. So, keep wasting time with the fire smitty post. I see us having a weak schedule next year which will save smitty & ryan. It's all seesaw year after year.

[Tuggle'2 47,648]

Is that you Brad? lol

[Willy Mo 9,856]

He's not getting fired.

[DirtyBird8711 895]

He planned to fire Reeves for one bad season right after a playoff run in his first year as owner.

Stop acting like you know Blank won't fire over 1 bad season. He was planning to with Reeves.

It's like the board is filled with stupid people.

1: Both TD and Smith are responsible for the players on the team. Not one or the other.

2: You don't know if Blank will give Smith a pass because(see above)

Common sense and logic is definitely foreign language around these parts....

Edited November 13, 2013 by DirtyBird8711

[sirlot 166]

TD is in over his head. McKay still handles a big chuck of GM duties, while TD focuses on player development & scouting. And he has failed miserably. Matt Ryan fell into his lap. Blank technically had Smith hired before TD was even on board. TD needs to go. Go get a Ted Thompson and win a super bowl

[sirlot 166]

Common sense and logic is definitely foreign language around these parts....

Completely disagree! Reeves was here before Blank bought the team, completely different situation.

[JD dirtybird21 22,946]

Firing Smith after one bad season would be a bad look for the FO. At the moment I'm not sure how I feel personally about Smith remaining our HC, but I know if you want to look appealing to top HC candidates in the future you don't fire a coach for one bad season.

When you look at the talent of the team and the position they were in last year, a bad season is 8-8 or even 7-9. This team is on pace to finish 4-12. That's a pathetic season. If the owner has super bowl expectations and instead gets a result of a top 5 pick, "bad" isn't the word to describe the season.

[PokerSteve 28,040]

I'm very sure based on everything I know about Arthur Blank that he is going to give Mike Smith the opportunity to get this team back to respectability next season.

Now, looking at worst-case scenario, if the Falcons are 2-7 at this time again next year, or somewhere in the same neighborhood, I think home game attendance will start to fall off precipitously. Blank as you said is a businessman. At that point he would have to put loyalty and appreciation aside and make a change. The last thing Blank can afford is for the team to be mired in mediocrity and fan interest in the toilet just as his billion dollar stadium opens for business.

People's eyes are going to pop when they get a whiff of the new ticket prices, PSL fees, parking, food, merchandise, blah, blah, blah. But the only way he can make this work is if there are sell-out crowds. It's going to take a bold move by the FO if they're going to convince this disgruntled and jaded fan base that the Falcons really are serious about doing "whatever it takes" to win a championship. Blank sure isn't going to generate any excitement by keeping Smith and all the other coaches around and he knows it.

If I were a betting man, I would wager 2014 will be Smith's last hurrah as Falcon HC. But as I've said before, Smith's fate doesn't lie in the hands of TD, or even Arthur Blank. The Falcon fans will decide his fate by their continued willingness to buy tickets. If and when those ticket sales start trending drastically downward, bye-bye Smitty.

[Guest Cally307a]

One horrible season out of six is pretty good considering our history. Granted, the expectations were than ever higher this year, but still, it's ridiculous to call for Smith's head. He's easily the best head coach we've ever had.

Name some franchises with a qb with the success of matt ryan that have 2 wins this year???????????????/ OTHER THAN FLACCO

Name some teams that won their division last year and almost went to the big dance that lost a couple players that are now 7 losses deep?

Arent you supposed to get better in your second year in def and off systems?

NE plays with more injures and have a flipped records

This is garbage coaching at its best

JUST NOT GETTING THE OUTCOMES WE WOULD LIKE

talks about it like its a scratchoff

its your effing gameplan thats not getting the outcome, its not a lottery quit talking about this like its luck or happenstance bro

[Tuggle'2 47,648]

I'm very sure based on everything I know about Arthur Blank that he is going to give Mike Smith the opportunity to get this team back to respectability next season.

Now, looking at worst-case scenario, if the Falcons are 2-7 at this time again next year, or somewhere in the same neighborhood, I think home game attendance will start to fall off precipitously. Blank as you said is a businessman. At that point he would have to put loyalty and appreciation aside and make a change. The last thing Blank can afford is for the team to be mired in mediocrity and fan interest in the toilet just as his billion dollar stadium opens for business.

People's eyes are going to pop when they get a whiff of the new ticket prices, PSL fees, parking, food, merchandise, blah, blah, blah. But the only way he can make this work is if there are sell-out crowds. It's going to take a bold move by the FO if they're going to convince this disgruntled and jaded fan base that the Falcons really are serious about doing "whatever it takes" to win a championship. Blank sure isn't going to generate any excitement by keeping Smith and all the other coaches around and he knows it.

If I were a betting man, I would wager 2014 will be Smith's last hurrah as Falcon HC. But as I've said before, Smith's fate doesn't lie in the hands of TD, or even Arthur Blank. The Falcon fans will decide his fate by their continued willingness to buy tickets. If and when those ticket sales start trending drastically downward, bye-bye Smitty.

Exactly man. That is all I have ever been saying. Smitty is here to stay unless something TOTALLY FARKED UP HAPPENS.

[slamee101 7,143]

That may be, although I don't recall much protest against Blalock's contract when it was signed.

And he's competent enough for the next year and too expensive to cut.

I remember being a little disappointed. Clabo got signed 1st and I was happy with that at the time. I remember knowing we'd only be able to keep Dahl or Blalock and I was hoping it would be Dahl. I'd never been too high on Blalock but the season before he got the new deal (contract year) he actually played well. I just feel like for the mistakes Dahl would make he was still very solid (especially in the run game) and we underestimated what we'd lose as far as toughness goes when we let him go.

[Peyton 21,045]

Name some franchises with a qb with the success of matt ryan that have 2 wins this year???????????????/ OTHER THAN FLACCO

Name some teams that won their division last year and almost went to the big dance that lost a couple players that are now 7 losses deep?

Arent you supposed to get better in your second year in def and off systems?

NE plays with more injures and have a flipped records

This is garbage coaching at its best

JUST NOT GETTING THE OUTCOMES WE WOULD LIKE

talks about it like its a scratchoff

its your effing gameplan thats not getting the outcome, its not a lottery quit talking about this like its luck or happenstance bro

Your post completely ignores the fact that this team is built on star players, specifically the best WR duo in the league, and that those guys are out or so injured that they are worthless.

But it's cool. Keep thinking it is the coaching.

[Andras 1,294]

Your post completely ignores the fact that this team is built on star players, specifically the best WR duo in the league, and that those guys are out or so injured that they are worthless.

But it's cool. Keep thinking it is the coaching.

Are you suggesting that Mike Smith has no say as to how his roster is built....as the COACH?

[Peyton 21,045]

Are you suggesting that Mike Smith has no say as to how his roster is built....as the COACH?

I am saying the reason this team is getting its azz kicked every week is that it doesn't have enough good players out there.

Maybe that is everybody's fault, but it is definitely mostly on TD.

[Mega Flare 5,544]

To everyone that keeps saying that M.S will be fired needs to get real. Smitty and the falcons success have been the product of NFL scheduling. It's funny how this year is one of the toughest schedules we have seen in the smitty error both in & out of the division and we suck. As bad as i would like to see this team move in another direction, it's not going to happen. It's obvious that smitty has peaked. We need someone more aggressive and that will put teams away, that knows how to pick coordnators, that has a real scheme. I could go on & on. However, we are stuck with smitty for another year. So, keep wasting time with the fire smitty post. I see us having a weak schedule next year which will save smitty & ryan. It's all seesaw year after year.

This says it all, ironically.

[Falconwhit 389]

Remember who owns this team, a man who never played football but has the business mind and smarts to suceed at the most unlikely business he has ever owned. He will not let this ride nor give him another year. All the Brave hype for moving is not good press for the Falcons downtown and the new stadium.

King Arthur DID play football. From the Falcons website:

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

A native of Flushing, N.Y., Blank attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, where he competed on the football, baseball, and track teams. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with Distinction from Babson College, where he was active in a variety of extracurricular activities. He co-founded The Home Depot in 1978 and retired from the company as Co-Chairman in 2001. At the time of his retirement, The Home Depot was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of Fortune magazine’s “Global Most Admired Companies.” During Blank’s last year as CEO of the company, The Home Depot ranked first in social responsibility in an annual survey conducted by Harris Interactive, Inc.

[CraigSmackDaddy 2,091]

Mike Smith isn't going anywhere. Real leaders respond, they don't react. And, being the leader he is, Arthur Blank isn't about to make any knee-jerk decisions based on one bad season. Mike Smith is a 3-time NFL Coach of the Year, so, given his track record since coming to the Falcons, he has earned the right to at least attempt to right this ship. With that in mind, 2014 will be the make-or-break season for Smith as far as his future with this organization, in my opinion. So, let's not be too hasty here with Smith. I'll bet Cleveland Browns fans are still wishing their organization would have stayed the course with Bill Belichick. Just sayin'...

Ditto. TD has already came out saying that Smitty is going nowhere so I don't even understand why the OP would come to the conclusion that he won't be a Falcon come 2014. Now if we don't get back on track next season then I'll understand and agree that it's time to move on.

[russ7000 751]

Smith should'nt be fired... but they way Blank looks at the end of these games makes me wonder

[delaigle 2,212]

Ok in 2008 Smith and co. took over a 4-12 team and they went 11-5

Besides the draft he brought in the following

Def::

Frazer, Moorehead, G Jackson(back), J Jefferson, Gilbert, Wire, Foxworth, Fudge

OFF:

Turner, Weems, Gandy(back), Rader, Hartsock, Peelle, Stepvonich

Don't you think that can be repeated???

Don't need a Wire or Foxworth Don't need a Turner

Do need DL and OL

[Pringle 164]

I'm very sure based on everything I know about Arthur Blank that he is going to give Mike Smith the opportunity to get this team back to respectability next season.

Now, looking at worst-case scenario, if the Falcons are 2-7 at this time again next year, or somewhere in the same neighborhood, I think home game attendance will start to fall off precipitously. Blank as you said is a businessman. At that point he would have to put loyalty and appreciation aside and make a change. The last thing Blank can afford is for the team to be mired in mediocrity and fan interest in the toilet just as his billion dollar stadium opens for business.

People's eyes are going to pop when they get a whiff of the new ticket prices, PSL fees, parking, food, merchandise, blah, blah, blah. But the only way he can make this work is if there are sell-out crowds. It's going to take a bold move by the FO if they're going to convince this disgruntled and jaded fan base that the Falcons really are serious about doing "whatever it takes" to win a championship. Blank sure isn't going to generate any excitement by keeping Smith and all the other coaches around and he knows it.

If I were a betting man, I would wager 2014 will be Smith's last hurrah as Falcon HC. But as I've said before, Smith's fate doesn't lie in the hands of TD, or even Arthur Blank. The Falcon fans will decide his fate by their continued willingness to buy tickets. If and when those ticket sales start trending drastically downward, bye-bye Smitty.

In my humble opinion I don't think Smitty makes it to 2014. My reasoning is that I give Blank a lot of credit for being a brilliant business man. Any smart retailer knows that you fix a product before it gets a bad reputation in the market place and you let your customers know that the below standards for your product will not be tolerated by you personally.

If Blank were to be made aware of a his hammer department at Home Depot was selling defective hammers he is going to fix the problem as soon as possible. He is not going to wait until everyone stops buying hammers because by then you have created a reputation that is difficult and time-consuming to recover (he is already had to repair that rep once and he is not going to want to do it again). As a businessman you must act boldy and decisively if you see a problem so that your customers will continue to have confidence in your brand.

Your next comment might be 'well based on that theory he should be fired now'. Well, no, because Blank is also very careful to try to let people leave his orginization with as much dignity as possible(this is a philosophy talked about in the book 'winning friends and influencing people' that I am sure Blank has read). He would never walk back to the Hammer section at a Home Depot in the middle of the manager's shift and fire him on the spot. He would wait until after his shift and sit down with him man to man and let him know that he will not be back the next shift. Besides a new coach right now will not do any good for the fans morale this year but if this happens again next year he would not be able to afford another losing season to the Falcons 'brand and reputation' which is what he is ultimately repsonsible for.

This is why I am positive Blank will fire Smitty this offseason IF he is sure that there is a problem with him. Now there are many things that we don't know that goes on behind close doors and maybe there are things we don't know. But I do believe Arthur sees the same things we all see and will not 'gamble' another season just to 'see if things gets better'. That is how failed operations run their businesses. Successful orgnizations spot a problem and fix it immediately and by all accounts Blank knows how to run a successful orginization.

That's my 2 cents, anyway...

[putnam6 5,006]

Your post completely ignores the fact that this team is built on star players, specifically the best WR duo in the league, and that those guys are out or so injured that they are worthless.

But it's cool. Keep thinking it is the coaching.

Give a Waffle House cook foi grais and see how he fooks it up.

Didn't get the maximum out of those star players, though they were good enough till the very upper echelon. i.e. the playoffs.

A Smitty led team needs a perfect scheme,perfect players, and perfect disicpline to succeed..

[FalconinPA 12,699]

He'll get 1 more season. After next season.....

No Super Bowl, no more Smitty

I guess we will be saying Bye Bye Smitty, might as well do it at season's end