Archive for May, 2010

Corey Peters was a three-year starter for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Rick Petri starting his coaching career at Pittsburgh (Kans.) State in 1977 as a graduate assistant.

He coached the offensive line for the 1979 season at Arkansas State. The next season he switched over to the defensive line and has never left that position.

He went on to stops at Mississippi, Louisiana Tech, Miami, South Carolina, and Kentucky, where he coached Falcons third round draft pick Corey Peters. He’s since returned to coach at Miami.

“He’s a real intelligent guy and he’s a good athlete,” said Petri, who also coached first-rounders Warren Sapp, Kenny Holmes and Kenard Lang. “He was a wrestler in high school which helped him to understand leverage and body control and things like that.”

Peters was born in Pittsburgh, moved to Mississippi and then to Louisville when he was in the eighth grade.

“He came in and played right away and was very confident about doing it,” Petri said.

Peters was an all-SEC …

Continue reading Corey Peters had same position coach as Warren Sapp »

Falcons running back # 44 Jason Snelling is tackled by Saints defensive end # 94 Charles Grant as he picks up yardage during 1st half action at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com

Flowery Branch — Falcons running back Jason Snelling will be the Grand Marshal and lead the parade of athletes at the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics Georgia State Summer Games at 8 p.m. Friday at Emory’s McDonough Field.

WSB-TV retired sports anchor Bill Hartman will emcee the ceremony.

The State Summer Games will take place Friday through Sunday and will have about 2,600 athletes and coaches from all over Georgia competing. Athletes will compete in athletics, aquatics, soccer, soccer skills, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, tennis and gymnastics.

On Friday, before the games begin, a law enforcement torch run press conference will be held at 9 a.m. on the State Capitol steps. Gov. Sonny Perdue will attend and thank the law …

Continue reading Jason Snelling to serve as Grand Marshal for Special Olympics »

080730 ATLANTA: The replacement of the questionable mauve and teal exterior at the Georgia Dome with new red and black exterior definitively gave the Dome a Falcons flavor. Wednesday, July 30, 2008. POUYA DIANAT / pdianat@ajc.com

Birdland – It’s real simple today, folks.

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Are you guys and gals ready to head back outside for some NFL football?

Here’s a snapshot of the stadium situation.

Here’s a look  at the modified Georgia Dome after its 2008 refurbishments.

A lot of work has already been done on this project and they usually take almost a decade to complete, so expect more

The Buc's pirate ship. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

twists and turns along the way.

Fortunately, this isn’t our first Stadium Rodeo …

Continue reading Are you Falcons fans ready to head back outdoors? »

We found out that Kroy Biermann had good feet when he had to perform kickoffs against the Bills last season. (Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com)

With Chad Ochocinco and the lovely Cheryl Burke eliminated from Dancing with the Stars, it looks like we have a local NFL candidate to replace Ochocinco next season.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke performing on DWTS. (AP Photo/ABC, Adam Larkey)

Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann finished tied for first place in the Dancing Stars of Atlanta contest last Sunday, which raised funds for the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at The Foundry at Puritan Mill.

Biermann had a final score of 28 out of 30 to tie Georgia Tech assistant baseball coach Tom Kinkelaar for first place.

Biermann and his partner, Amber Reich of the Daza Dance Academy and Academy Ballroom danced “The Jive” to the Robert Palmer song “Bad Case of Loving You.”

Biermann, who brought his own pair of black …

Continue reading Kroy Biermann wins Dancing Stars of Atlanta contest »

Falcons owner Arthur Blank welcomes safety William Moore to last season's mini-camp, May 8, 2009. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC).

Falcons safety William Moore and defensive linemen Vance Walker and Trey Lewis will participate in an Atlanta Falcons Gatorade Junior Training Camp as part of the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation Fitness Zone program at 3:30 p.m. today in Gainesville.

Peria Jerry (94) and Vance Walker (61). (Curtis Compton/AJC)

The camp will be held at the Positive Place Boys & Girls Club.

This free football camp, a program geared towards children in third through sixth grade, will stress the importance of proper football technique and promotes physical activity as well as proper hydration.

Moore, Walker and Lewis will be coaching the children through the various stations and will teach them different football techniques.

The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and the Hall County Boys & Girls Club have a relationship through the Atlanta Falcons Fitness Zone program. This …

Continue reading Falcons to take part in football camp today in Gainesville »

Terrell Owens didn't have much of an impact in Buffalo last season. (Mike Groll/Associated Press)

FLOWERY BRANCH – Folks keep asking the  question and now is the time to finally address it.

I’ve been getting tweets at AJCFalcons on twitter.com. (Come follow, we have to celebrate going over 1,600 followers!) Folks have been leaving comments on the blog, sending e-mails and my guys at the barbershop keep asking it, too.

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Should the Falcons sign Terrell Owens? Do you think the Falcons should go after T.O.? Man, the Falcons can’t sleep on T.O. again, can they?

Some fans don’t think Michael Jenkins is a worthy No. 2 and are not sure that Harry Douglas will make it back from his knee injury. It’s hard to panic in …

Continue reading Should the Falcons finally sign Terrell Owens? »

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan spent part of his 25th birthday volunteering with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb/Atlanta Falcons)

BUCKHEAD — Falcons coach Mike Smith took a break from waiting tables in the middle of the second annual Huddle Up for Miracles at the Capital Grille to give us an update Monday evening.

“We’ve got a full house and the guys are up there serving food, having a good time,” Smith said.

Linebackers Curtis Lofton and Mike Peterson were selling flowers to the lady guests trying to raise funds.

Announcer Wes Durham, center Todd McClure and tackle Tyson Clabo. Wonder if this trio won the Karaoke competition? (By Jimmy Cribb/Atlanta Falcons)

“Guys are competing for tips and they are being as creative as they can to earn money,” Smith said. “We are competing to see who will be the top waiter. The money we raise will all go to a great cause.”

Last year’s event raised $194,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network, which locally …

Continue reading Mike Smith holds Huddle for Children’s Miracle Network »

Dominique Franks is projected win the return duties in the three-deep depth chart. (Associated Press/ Sue Ogrocki)

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons practiced for just over an hour during the first day of their rookie minicamp on Monday.

It was a bit ragged, but that was to be expected. In minicamp, the rookies get to watch the veterans run the drills and plays first and then they can at least mimic them.

With no veterans on hand, some of the operations were a bit sketchy at best.

“This is a great opportunity for these guys, because they get an opportunity to re-learn what is taught in the minicamp,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s a chance for them to get up to speed as quickly as possible.”

In the short practices, the players are trying to show they are picking up the football lessons as the rookie minicamp is heavily titled toward more classroom work than on the field work. Smith compared it to like cramming for a test in college.

“They need to really get in here for …

Continue reading Dominique Franks has big pick during rookie minicamp »

100509 Flowery Branch – Atlanta Falcons running back # 33 Michael Turner confers with quarterback # 2 Matt Ryan. Perhaps they are talking about Matt's 25th birthday party. Where's the afterparty? (Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com)

Flowery Branch – Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan turns 25 today.

He’s not throwing a big party with the George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars playing all night on the big stage at the Georgia Dome and inviting us all down. They could play Tear the Roof of the Sucka and show Ryan highlights on the big screen.

However, the Falcons flagship radio station , 92.9 dave.fm is changing their name to “Matt FM” today to celebrate his

George, Bootsy and the rest of the P-Funk All-Stars wish Matt Ryan a happy 25th birthday.

birthday.

Listeners will be encouraged to call-in with questions they would like to ask Ryan and five will be selected to win an autographed football signed by Ryan.

Also, when listerners hear a Ryan highlight, they can call in for a …

Continue reading Celebrate Matt Ryan’s 25th birthday on “MATT FM” »

Curtis Lofton being interviewed by Britton Lynn, a University of Alabama student who was a finalist to become the Falcons Taco Maco Insider. (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

Flowery Branch — Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton was tied for sixth in the league in tackles with 133 last season, according to NFL.com stats.

Only three middle linebackers – Washington’s London Fletcher (142), Tampa Bay’s Barrett Ruud (142) and Carolina’s Jon Beason (141) — had more tackles.

He played a major role in the Falcons finishing 10th against the run last season.

While he got snubbed by Pro Bowl voters, Lofton’s hometown of Kingfisher, Oklahoma did not. They retired his jersey this offseason.

After a recent minicamp practice, Lofton told about the retirement ceremony and about how the Falcons plan to have a top 10 overall defense in 2010.

Here’s the Q&A:

Q: What was it like to have your jersey retired by your high school?

Giants quarterback Eli Manning had his best game of the season, …

Continue reading Q&A: Curtis Lofton sees a top 10 defense »