theProf Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn hits home run in creating competitive atmosphere Vaughn McClure, ESPN Staff Writer It was far from a clash between Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton, but it had all the intensity of a major league slugfest.Atlanta Falcons starting middle linebacker Paul Worrilow and reserve safety Sean Baker matched each other swing for swing recently in an impromptu home run derby. Coach Dan Quinn, always looking for ways to challenge his players, set up a fence on the practice field. Worrilow and Baker emerged as the top long-ball hitters among a group that included quarterback Matt Ryan, receiver Devin Hester, defensive lineman Ra'Shede Hageman and, representing the coaches, defensive line coach Bryan Cox.Coach Dan Quinn has instituted some fun games throughout the Falcons' offseason practices to create competition and camaraderie. John Bazemore/AP Photo"I don't know how many I hit out," Worrilow said, "but Baker and I went to sudden death at the end of the finals, in which I lost to Baker."As Baker explained, both he and Worrilow started sudden death with home runs. Then they both missed. Finally, Worrilow failed to clear the fence, and Baker blasted his game winner on the third sudden-death attempt."We're just having fun, with the music and the home run derby and all that stuff," Baker said. "It's just a great environment. And you look forward to coming to work every day."Ryan, who made it to the finals before being eliminated, appreciates the concept behind the competition."I love it," he said. "It's an opportunity to get away from football for an afternoon and come together as a team and get to spend quality time with your teammates which, to me, is huge. But it also lets guys showcase what else they can do and allows them to compete in a different environment."It doesn't matter if you're shooting baskets or playing home run derby, it's the same thing: You want to win. You want to beat whoever you're going against. We got to see that. Those guys got fired up."And how did coach Cox fare in the derby?"Uhhhh," Ryan said while shaking his head to indicate not too well. "Don't tell him I said that."Quinn, who didn't pick up a bat, is accustomed to creating such a competitive atmosphere as a team-building mechanism. It was the same concept he used in Seattle while serving as the Seahawks' defensive coordinator.New Falcons LB O'Brien Schofield, a member of the Seahawks the past two seasons, is not much of a baseball guy. But Schofield relishes the basketball competitions in the meeting rooms, where Quinn set up a basketball hoop."We'll have a shoot-off usually on Wednesdays, or whenever coach feels like he wants to do it," Schofield said. "He'll match up certain guys and it will be offense versus defense. [Robert] Alford, Willy Mo [William Moore], they've been doing pretty good. [Eric] Weems, he's been pretty good. That's it so far. Some of the guys look mediocre right now."But to hear the guys cheering for one another, it's competition and camaraderie. I think that's going to flow over to the field. Once you get an understanding of who you're playing with and how hard they work, I mean, everything just meshes together. It's really forming a mindset: Everything we do, we're going to compete, but you're going to have fun. You do it so much that it becomes second nature. You go into the game and you compete your butt off, and you'll get teams that aren't used to competing like us."For the record, tight end Tony Moeaki, also a former Seahawk, made a bold statement when asked which players he could beat in a shooting contest."Anyone on this team," Moeaki said with a smile. "Undefeated."In all seriousness, Moeaki echoed Schofield's words about establishing a competitive mindset."It just says so much about Coach Quinn really setting the environment and the standard," Moeaki said. "Starting with him and the coaching staff all the way down, they just bring out the best in you. They have fun, but the standard is set so high."You're either competing or you're not. Competing is just how we do it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTBF54 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Loved Smitty for what he did for this team but it was time far a change..... So glad the Falcons held out for DQ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazoo Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 "Those guys got fired up."There it is again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest facelessman07 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 What da hail is Quinn doing trying to cross train our players to play other sports? Huh?!?!Jk, I love it. His ideas are so original & fresh. Funny since Pete Carroll does a lot of those things with his players as well...I wonder if he'll get them to play quidditch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rounz Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 What da hail is Quinn doing trying to cross train our players to play other sports? Huh?!?!Jk, I love it. His ideas are so original & fresh. Funny since Pete Carroll does a lot of those things with his players as well...I wonder if he'll get them to play quidditch?Quidditch?LOLI had to look that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest facelessman07 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Quidditch?LOLI had to look that up.My undergrad college had a quidditch club, literally. Me and some friends would be playing beach volleyball outside and on the field adjacent to us there's a multitude of 18-22 year olds pretending to fly around on broomsProvided plenty of humor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcranford2 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 This is refreshing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngbloodz Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Quidditch?LOLI had to look that up.not a Harry Potter fan I see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcranford2 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Ban!!! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukfalc Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I like it. Fans always think it must be dream to play for an NFL team, but I doubt that most fans realise how much of a physical and mental grind it can be for a lot of players. I've heard many top people in different sports say that it is just a job to them and that they do not enjoy - and in some cases that they intensely dislike - the sports that they excel at. Anything that combat that and makes the guys want to come to work, is a great thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rounz Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 not a Harry Potter fan I seeLOLNaw man,I saw the first one with my nephew but don't remember much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCCooley Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 "Those guys got fired up."There it is again!Ya Zoo, too many times the last two seasons, the guys were just going through the motions. The last game, last year, against the Kitties, we had not fire at all! Loved Smitty, but he had lost control by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCCooley Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 not a Harry Potter fan I seeThere is an Argentine gaucho game called pato (duck) that is like quiddich on horseback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Minotaur Zebra Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 **** I love seeing this. Like Faceless said Smitty was great but Quinn is definitely hitting all the right notes this offseason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peoriabird Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Hated Smitty...Love Quinn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaFanatic Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Dan Quinn was the right decision.That's my stance until something proves me wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazoo Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Ya Zoo, too many times the last two seasons, the guys were just going through the motions. The last game, last year, against the Kitties, we had not fire at all! Loved Smitty, but he had lost control by then.Amen NCCooley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GATXBOI Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Man the intensity with be high on the field this season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theProf Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 I like it.Fans always think it must be dream to play for an NFL team, but I doubt that most fans realise how much of a physical and mental grind it can be for a lot of players. I've heard many top people in different sports say that it is just a job to them and that they do not enjoy - and in some cases that they intensely dislike - the sports that they excel at. Anything that combat that and makes the guys want to come to work, is a great thing.Loved the following quote from the article:"We're just having fun, with the music and the home run derby and all that stuff," Baker said. "It's just a great environment. And you look forward to coming to work every day." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff_Man Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 not a Harry Potter fan I seeHe's probably over 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xfactor Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Really looking forward to this season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FentayeJones Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 It's really not a whole lot not to excited about with Quinn. I cant wait to see how this team look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbad8717 Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I'm sure it beats Smitty's activities of watching paint dry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpiper Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Wonderful. Show me the Lombardi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest facelessman07 Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 I'm sure it beats Smitty's activities of watching paint dryHEY!!Some people actually enjoy doing that, thank you very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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