Mike Smith’s health is story again, whether he likes it or not (UPDATED)
Mike Smith may undergo more tests, accoring to report. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 10:30 a.m.)
Mike Smith hates being the story.
There have been several times when I’ve spoken to him about how well the Falcons were playing, and he would respond, “This story is about the players.” Last week when we sat for a 30-minute chat about the team’s seeming lack of focus this season and how he was dealing with it, he asked just before I walked out of his office, “You’re not writing this column about me, are you?”
But it’s game night tonight against Jacksonville and Mike Smith is the story. Last Sunday night, he was taken off the team’s plane at a Charlotte airport because of chest pains (which he and team officials have since tried to play down). Now there is a report from former AJC comrade Len Pasquarelli of The Sports Xchange that Smith, after suffering from “persistent chest-related discomfort,” likely will undergo precautionary tests as early as Friday.
UPDATE: The Falcons have confirmed that Smith has a followup appointment with doctors Friday, but say it was an appointment previously scheduled from when he was in the hospital in Charlotte late Sunday and early Monday. Smith insists that he feels fine. His appointment is expected to be at Emory Hospital.
Hopefully, Smith is OK. It’s easy to understand his concern in being “the story,” especially with only three games left in the regular season. He doesn’t want to become a distraction in a playoff race.
But Smith has to understand people aren’t going to quickly dismiss this as a case of indigestion, because logic tells us if that’s all it was, he wouldn’t have been taken off an airplane last Sunday night. The Falcons play tonight on the NFL Network, and there’s a good chance commentators are going to spend a fair amount of time talking about the Falcons’ head coach. In the big picture, that’s the last thing Smith should be worried about.
By Jeff Schultz
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88 comments Add your comment
Michael M.
December 15th, 2011
11:57 am
Falcons will blow those Jags back to Jacksonville like a Hurricane in a few more hours…the best medicine known to all of us ! A Huge Falcons Win in the Dome! Birds will be fired up tonight ! Get ready!
ATL Guy
December 15th, 2011
12:03 pm
@ Larry30 – the doctor should have slapped your mother when you were born. Falcons blog doesn’t want to put up with another epic failure in this world
Die Hard Falcon
December 15th, 2011
12:05 pm
@Falcons Fan in Wisconsin
Glad to see there are a few Falcons fans in the MW, I live on the Iowa/Wisconsin border and have had to endure a lot of trash from all the packer fans, I imagine actually living in state is only worse, at least I have an equal amount of Bear fans around here that they usually focus on each other. Go Falcons!
SawThat1nce
December 15th, 2011
12:11 pm
@9:45am…….”who is in charge if Coach has to take some time off?”
That would be Alexander Haig, no wait a minute, he’s passed away.
TD will find someone.
Falcon Hardy
December 15th, 2011
12:12 pm
The Falcons are the worst about releasing Medical Info. They are all in the public eye and we as season ticket holders, deserve to know their injury/illnees status, especially if its the head Coach.
ls1z28chris
December 15th, 2011
12:12 pm
Here is your excuse, Atlanta. You can now have another abortion of a season without regrets.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
12:21 pm
See Larry, when your team fails again… I will just wonder if the EMTs will get a heart beat… You tasteless clown….
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:25 pm
Keep looking for the Eagles on the list of potential playoff teams and can’t find them.
I’d say the Mike Vick curse goes right along with him wherever he goes.
SirReal
December 15th, 2011
12:34 pm
Some of you are truly nit wits. The man may be sick and you’re still talking trash about a GAME. But i guess people who only function at a 6th grade level should get a pass…..
JSS
December 15th, 2011
12:48 pm
@ SirReal…
Lennon said it best… “I read the news today, OH BOY!”
BooBoo
December 15th, 2011
12:54 pm
Didn’t Dan Reeves miss a game or two because of a heart condition? Isn’t he still alive? I think (unless you are an Urban Meyer) the only thing standing between a head coach and retirement is a GM or Owner (or both) who see more losses than wins as the reason to leave the game. Didn’t Wonder Boy, the Saints head coach have to hobble up to the coach’s booths to manage a game, because he couldn’t stand up on Sundays? Let Mike Smith coach home games from a Piedmont Hospital intensive care room, specially set up to communicate as he sees fit, just as a precaution in case his indigestion flares up. With that defense anyone could get some cronic heartburn.
chris
December 15th, 2011
1:11 pm
Get well coach!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
December 15th, 2011
1:22 pm
@JSS
I Seem to remember countless Mike Vick die posts.
Please dont police my posts and I will do the same.
Holier Than Thou
December 15th, 2011
1:22 pm
JSS,, what do you know about taste. Cant wait to hear this……..
Holier Than Thou
December 15th, 2011
1:28 pm
JSS,, MCR has a point there,,,, Who died and made you blog monitor…. if you dont approve of some of the posts then feel free to go away,, we dont need you.
Eric C.
December 15th, 2011
1:39 pm
“The Falcons play tonight on the NFL Network, and there’s a good chance commentators are going to spend a fair amount of time talking about the Falcons’ head coach”
Who in the hell will they be talking to? If Mike Smith’s health was a big concern, would they have him risk his life against the Jaguars? Captain Kangaroo could coach and the Falcons would still win.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
@ MCR… I just know you’re capable of more… And remember, it is not “monitoring” or “policing.” it was an appeal… Big time difference…
And to the child who is not smart enough to create a crack without to change their user name…
My palate works fine in food, and in social behavior… I don’t care what you “need” or what you “want,” or pray tell “hope!” Now go and hope that Mike Smith gets better or they find out what is “actually” wrong with him…
Larry30
December 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
JSS must have PMS, she sure gets testy these days.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
1:59 pm
@ Larry…
Gender jokes? Did you single cell forget to divide again?
Once Recent Reader
December 15th, 2011
2:01 pm
Choke . . . . you know I TRY to be logical . . .whether I succeed or not is up to others. I would be against “die anyone” posts. But there is a difference here as folks were angry for “whatever” reason with Vick, be it the dog fighting felony charges or other personal opinion issues. Vick did not go to the hospital, he went to a different institution. And anyway . . . .why are you making excuses to trash any Falcon player, coach, or other employee??
JSS
December 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
I’m going to give the same admonition that I gave your weak-knee’ed buddy TFF yesterday… I have no time for your silliness and 8 year old sandbox behavior today… You really don’t want to start your silly diatribes… And on a blog about possible health issues no less? Hey…
Once Recent Reader
December 15th, 2011
2:12 pm
And Choke . . ..I am definitely not defending any Die Vick posters. Stupidity if you ask me. Just saying this is a different situation.
Larry30
December 15th, 2011
2:41 pm
JSS=just so silly.
JeanE
December 15th, 2011
2:42 pm
I really really like Smitty, I hope he’s OK. If I was his wife, don’t know if I’d want him coaching tonight with chest discomfort, so I gotta believe he really isn’t feeling any or she wouldn’t let him be there! It would be so nice if the Birds made it easy on him and kicked some a**!!!! Go Falcons!!
Holier Than Thou
December 15th, 2011
2:43 pm
Wow,, I’ve been admonished by the Great JSS,, guess I’ll go crawl back in my hole now,,, Your really funny,, but not in a good way,,,,
Holier Than Thou
December 15th, 2011
2:56 pm
And JSS,, you could care less about Mike Smiths health. Your just here to bask in the annual failure of the Atlanta Falcons. Which I find really strange.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
3:16 pm
Oh you let your true appearance out…. I may not like how he runs that team, the environment that he might generate. But don’t you ever in your sniveling or cowardly way insinuate that I wish that man ill as far as health is concerned… It is a football game… I certainly wish that you would get a hard copy dictionary and a thesaurus, you try to interchange words and lose the intent… That is not strange, it is just “intellectually lazy.”
Hindu Elvis Pimp
December 15th, 2011
3:58 pm
Enter your comments here
Hindu Elvis Pimp
December 15th, 2011
3:59 pm
Some of you guys are real close to flinging feces at each other.
JSS
December 15th, 2011
4:07 pm
Hindu, you’re late, way pass that point…
Hindu Elvis Pimp
December 15th, 2011
4:13 pm
Way “pass” that point?
Eric C.
December 15th, 2011
4:28 pm
Jeff, what is your prediction on this game…Falcons cover 12 or whatever latest line is?
JSS
December 15th, 2011
4:30 pm
See, some folks jump online and let their alter egos get the best of them, and silly enough over a football team. So when they get their feelings hurt and fawn indignation over the point, you get this small-minded mob mentality… They are no better than the big bad men and women that stood with the gangs and threw eggs, rocks, and firebombs in the dark of night…
jerry
December 15th, 2011
4:47 pm
Can you say heart cath? And stents?
Gafan
December 15th, 2011
6:21 pm
I see M “Choke”R doesn’t have a job.
Mike Smith’s health is story again, whether he likes it or not (UPDATED) – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Anti-Aging Serum Secrets
December 15th, 2011
6:42 pm
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roberto23
December 16th, 2011
1:18 am
[...] Mike Smith’s health is story again, whether he likes it or not (UPDATED)Mike Smith hates being the story. There have been several times when I’ve spoken to him about how well the Falcons were playing, and he would respond, “This story is about the players.” Last week when we sat for a 30-minute chat about the GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_bg", "ffffff"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_text", "333333"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_link", "0066cc"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_border", "5581C0"); GA_googleAddAttr("theme_url", "114477"); GA_googleAddAttr("LangId", "1"); GA_googleFillSlot("wpcom_sharethrough"); Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
Sorka
December 16th, 2011
5:10 pm
Definitely a concern – I hope he is OK! Many people his age, especially those in high-stress jobs, are at risk of heart problems. I recall Dan Reeves’ terrible scare in the middle of the 1998 season. My thoughts are with Coach Smith.