The Samuel trade: Another validation of Falcons management
I firmly believe these men know what they're doing. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
I understand that not winning is disappointing. What I couldn’t understand was the amount of vitriol directed toward the Falcons this offseason. They were Doing Nothing. (As if keeping eight key free agents was tantamount to nothing.) They were Content With Mediocrity. (As if four consecutive winning seasons could be deemed mediocre.) They needed — this is always a personal favorite — to Show More Urgency. (As if hyperventilation is a hallmark of clever management.)
I understand that we as a society demand instant gratification at all times. What I couldn’t understand was the utter misreading of the Falcons as an organization. Being a member of the media offers access that the general public doesn’t get, so I can excuse the masses for not knowing better. But anyone who has been around the Falcons since January 2008 surely must know that Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith are not men who spend their days reclining in Barcaloungers eating Tostitos and watching “Three’s Company” reruns instead of game tape.
These are smart, driven men, and here I want to underscore the second adjective. Not a day passes that Smitty and Dimitty don’t ask themselves the question that stewards of every professional team must ask: How can we get better? The giddy turnaround of 2008 didn’t satisfy them. (If it had, they wouldn’t have dumped half their defense.) The 13-3 season of 2010 didn’t satisfy them. (Otherwise they’d never have done the five-for-one Julio Jones trade.)
To suggest that the Falcons have grown fat and happy just to keep making the playoffs in Round 1 is, at least to these eyes, a grievous error. To suggest that this front office would leave an avenue unexplored is an affront to the brainpower housed at 4400 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Ga. Have there been draft picks who haven’t hit big? Absolutely. Has every imported free agent had the desired effect? No. But this isn’t an organization that’s apt to be outsmarted.
Having worked here since 1984, I can tell you that hasn’t always been the case. There were Falcons management teams I wouldn’t have trusted to pour Pepsi from a boot, and those who followed the team in those dark days will recall my disdain over nearly every move. But Dimitroff and Smith are different: They’re the best GM/coach in team history, and I don’t mean that as faint praise. I’m willing to cut a team almost any amount of slack if I believe it is well run.
Not every John Schuerholz move panned out, but I was never of the opinion that the Braves under that Hall of Fame general manager weren’t in wise and capable hands. I feel the same about these Falcons. Have they won a Super Bowl yet? No, but winning championships isn’t easy. It took Schuerholz’s Braves five seasons (one of them a strike year) to take the World Series. If my abacus is correct, Dimitroff and Smith are in Year 5. And their team looks better by the day.
They have new coordinators, at least one of whom was sorely needed, and a new line coach, also a necessity. (For all who wondered: Why did the Falcons stick with Mike Mularkey/Brian Van Gorder/Paul Boudreau so long … well, the 2011 season marked the first step backward under this administration, which had gone from 11-5 to a fairly gutty 9-7 to 13-3.) They kept those eight free agents, and now they’ve traded for cornerback Asante Samuel, once a Pro Bowler and still spry enough to bolster the secondary.
This has not been an offseason spent Doing Nothing. This has been a time of mid-course corrections. The Falcons got good in a hurry, but they haven’t quite gotten to great — which isn’t to say they’ve stopped trying. (And they’ll keep trying via the draft, which begins Thursday for most teams but is scheduled to commence Friday for the Falcons.) This has become an aggressive organization, and just because they didn’t make a run at Mario Williams shouldn’t have been construed as a lack of commitment.
I’m not here to serve as an apologist. This administration has made mistakes, and this team played to 60 percent of its capacity last season. But I see nothing in Dimitroff and Smith — or Arthur Blank or Matt Ryan or Julio Jones — that would preclude these men from winning a Super Bowl. They’re bright enough, and they’re hungry enough. With the Saints in chaos, the Falcons will reclaim the NFC South this fall. And then?
On March 8, 2010 — the day the Falcons signed Dunta Robinson — I wrote that this team would win a Super Bowl within three years. There’s one year left. I stand by that belief.
By Mark Bradley
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202 comments Add your comment
longtimefan
April 25th, 2012
9:43 pm
In some perverse way I will miss the asinine comments from the Joe and Choke Show when the Falcons win the SB this year.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 25th, 2012
9:49 pm
“GM COMPARISON”
McKay 2 winning seasons in 4 years
Dimitroff 4 winning seasons in 4 years.
McKay 1 Championship game in 4 years.
Dimitroff 0 Championship game in 4 years.
McKay 2 Playoff wins in 4 years.
Dimitroff 0 Playoff wins in 4 years.
Seriously you think Dimitroff had better success?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 25th, 2012
9:55 pm
longtimefan
April 25th, 2012
9:43 pm
In some perverse way I will miss the asinine comments from the Joe and Choke Show when the Falcons win the SB this year.
___________________________________________-
And the Easter Bunny will be the starting quarterback
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 25th, 2012
9:56 pm
Curtis Lofton would still be a Falcant if CHOKE would be the team player that Matt Stafford is and restructure that OVERRATED contract
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 25th, 2012
9:59 pm
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
There have been 8 Superbowl Champions since the last time the Falcants have won a single playoff win. Great stuff
Coach
April 25th, 2012
10:03 pm
Mark Hi-Jacked Bradley strikes again. Topic will no longer matter now. Good piece of writing though, even if I don’t agree with everything.
longtimefan
April 25th, 2012
10:18 pm
The Falcons could have signed Manning and Williams and 20% of the “fan” base would be critical. There are some people who are never satisfied and constantly look for the negative in all situations. Others, like Choke, just like to jerk peoples chains and like the attention-negative or otherwise. Similar the the Fish- nobody is that big of a moron. I think he is probably pretty smart to find innovative ways to intentionally mispel wrds.
jfreak13713
April 25th, 2012
10:39 pm
Samuel a nice addition to an already good team. They have some holes but are solid to really good at almost all key positions. I don’t think Samuel makes the Falcons a Super Bowl pick but it certainly moves them into the conversation. They key to next season will first be injuries but following not too far behind the play calling by the coaching staff. Questions remain about Ryan and his ability to take his game to next level but no Mularkey to kich around now. I am a Ryan fan and believe he can / will do just that but its time to move past projections and into accountability.
Really hard schedule this year if you assume Saints are ok and Newton doesn’t have soph slump. I think if the Falcons play really well they are 11-5 or 12-4?? I would not be suprised if they are 10-6.
super bowl!!
April 25th, 2012
10:58 pm
bradleys says the falcons will win the superbowl by next season!!! YES!!!!! Falcons–world champions!!! YESS!!! Samuel is the deal!!!!
Bigdawg
April 25th, 2012
11:17 pm
All the Tech people look at the football world with their glasses half-empty, while we Bulldogs look at the world with our glasses half-full.
Do y’all always walk around with a cloud over your head?
Malcome the Falcon
April 25th, 2012
11:55 pm
I have followed the Falcons since 1966,and I have never seen a Management team react this way. I have wanted them to, but just figured it would be the Cowboys or Oakland that made trades or F.A. acquisitions. I admired them for doing what it takes to win championships. Now it is our turn to do those things that it takes to be winners! Way to go Falcons! By the way, Nate is a saint’s fan.
Robdawg
April 26th, 2012
2:06 am
To all you losers, this guy is the best db to play w the falcons since prime time. And neon deon did not want to tackle anyone either. But, he did lead two teams to sb victories after he left the falcons. So all you loud mouth know it alls need to just shut up and quit your complaining. You have the best football talent evaluators in Atl that we have ever had. They have won more than we ever had. And all you bunch of whiners can find to complain about is how matty ice can’t win the big one. Well Peyton never
won the big one till he won the big one. Had that Brady guy in his way. Cut matty a little slack! He has lost to some pretty good defenses and been mauled along the way. I would like to see one of you big mouths take one of the shots that he takes every game. I would think you might respect him a little more if you did this . All he does is get up after every shot and go back to the huddle and call the next play. Sure, he wishes the o-line was better but he never complains about them, he just goes on about his business. We still need help there and hopefully for his safety we will either address that in the draft or pick up a few more linemen thru draft day trades. Meanwhile, all you naysayers need to take your daily complaints to Tampa, New Orleans, Philly or Charlotte where you bunch of whinning losers will fit right in.
.
Amazing Lizardo
April 26th, 2012
3:10 am
I certainly applaud the Falcon’s management for trying so hard to bring Atlanta their first football world championship. How ironic that while I am celebrating this blessing that I must also plead for common sense and a revision to the bone headed plan they have simultaneously proposed. I am of course speaking of the horrible plan to destroy the Georgia Dome as part of the plan to build a new open air stadium. The latter is something I can support wholly, provided a few common sense provisions are met without taxpayer expense, with only some sadness reserved for the likelihood that many an average fan may no longer be able to afford to attend Falcons games. They do look good on TV after all.
This kind of absurd and wasteful thinking really makes me sick to my stomach. The very idea of destroying a perfectly useful building that has been paid for by a heavy public investment of tax dollars and such makes me angry at best. For Arthur Blank to truly pay for the cost of this precious new facility, he must absolutely shoulder the costs of keeping this existing building viable whilst paying for the new as well. He will thus protect the public investment by a community he now owes a great deal to for providing a way for him to expand his profits using the subsidized gift from the public that is the Georgia Dome. Enjoying the profits that an NFL owner does is a privilege that is built on the contributions of countless taxpayers nationwide. After all, we provide the roads and public transportation and many other things that allow him to attract paying customers with ease. And public funds were involved in the construction of the current magnificent facility that has better views than the vast majority of football facilities in the entire nation. It comes up short only in the number of luxury boxes for the well to do when compared to a mere handful of other NFL stadiums. Most colleges would surely feel blessed to have this place!
Yes, I realize it is expensive to operate, but this is a blatant attempt to avoid the civic obligation to maintain a building that is and can be useful for many civic purposes-except perhaps ever larger profits for one solitary pro football team. And let’s not forget the cost of this new facility will certainly include pricing the Falcons experience out of reach for many more sports fans, just as Braves games are no longer affordable to a large number of ordinary citizens. The least he can do to make it up to the greater public is this. It would also be nice to offer just a few tickets at affordable prices so those who used to be able to afford the experience can continue to do so.
Just think. A lot of high school football players could enjoy the experience of playing in a world class facility without necessarily having to make the state playoffs. Georgia State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Morehouse and many others could also enjoy the benefit of using the Dome occasionally-thus providing some relief from such a burdensome expense for the Falcons ownership. The goodwill generated by giving back to the community in this way might well expand Mr. Blank’s popularity well beyond that of beloved local sports owner. He could indeed become a national hero by setting a great and proper example for his fellow owners.
This could also greatly improve the public perception that the well to do simply have no regard for the social contract that has allowed an unprecedented number of millionaires to enjoy the American dream on a level that only a few can truly experience, but a level to which so many aspire. We cannot all win the lottery after all. The benefits for the greater community could extend well beyond sports of course. But don’t get me started brainstorming on these possibilities, there are surely a lot of great ideas besides the ones I might offer-and I would love to hear them!
Zach
April 26th, 2012
7:02 am
Falcons fans always press the panic button way too fast at the first sign of things not going as expected. This is the greatest run of winning football in Falcons history. It needs to be enjoyed and the front office commended. Ryan, Smith and TD are winners. Mr. Blank is fully committed to winning. The playoff wins will come. Just be patient!
Jimmy Crack
April 26th, 2012
7:58 am
You can blame the fans all you want, Mark. I blame television for our short attention span and the microwave oven for our impatience. So there.
Submariner683
April 26th, 2012
8:03 am
Matt “Choke” Ryan
1967-2001 Number of Saints playoff wins ZERO! 35 Super Bowl Champions in that time! Great stuff:)
Once Brees leaves it’s quite possible they’ll go another three decades with no playoff wins.
Number of games Mckay will be GM this year 8/ Dmitrioff 16 (at least)
Number of times Dmitrioff has authorized a bounty system – 0, Mckay, you know the answer moron.
If this wire tapping thing is true, number of games mckay will be a GM in the NFL – 0
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
8:30 am
“0-3 in the playoffs”
Definitition of a bust…….anymore questions?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
8:34 am
Jim Mora took this team to the championship game in his first season. This is the great Dimitroff/Smitty/CHOKE’s 5th season.
HA HA HA
Falcon4Life
April 26th, 2012
8:35 am
Mark, I understand, that if you BASH, this organization, they will cut you off from information! However, this team has NOT won a PLAYOFF game under this regime! I think you are accepting mediocrity here…YES, you have to win in the regular season to get to the playoffs, and really appreciate the winning regular seasons under this regime, but, I want Championships, and this regime has not gotten it done! So, as far as I am concerned, they are on the clock. Their move!
I am appreciative of Arthur, because, I was around for all the Rankin days…God Bless his soul, SO….
Falcon4Life
April 26th, 2012
8:38 am
One more thing, INSTANT GRATIFICATION?!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! How Long has this Regime been here? LOL! That was HORRIBLE statement!
Dan
April 26th, 2012
8:54 am
Ha Mora was lucky, the man doesn’t understand the first thing about leadership. I recall a game at the Dome I believe against the Giants. I was amazed at the 3 “captains” that trotted out for the Falcons. Vick, MeAngelo, and Rossum. Could you select 3 worse people to be your captains? Thats really all you need to know about his management skills
TODD
April 26th, 2012
9:31 am
Even if Samuel doesn’t pan out the fact that they gave up only a 7th round pick = win. So say all you want Eagles fans but the Falcons got the better end of the deal. You didn’t have any leverage and you were forced to give him away for nothing. End of story.
Go For 2
April 26th, 2012
9:47 am
Mark: Falcons are moving backwards…the line play remains terrible…keep bring us those unsubstantiated predictions…gotta lock in Most Favored Suck up Status with Falcons, Inc….good job Mark
Von
April 26th, 2012
10:58 am
You can paint, polish and shine all the exterior you want…but it won’t matter if the there’s nothing under the hood. The Falcons are in desperate mode now and it’s beginning to show. Why was he on the trading block for two years, and no buyers until now? How many pro bowl offensive lineman do the Falcons have? The Saints had two, lost one, got another one and now have two again. Get with the program Falcons.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 26th, 2012
11:14 am
Im still mad the Flacons did not trade 4 Time Teabow. Instead they trayd 4 an over the hil cheep shot artist that wont do N E thing 4 this team.
typical know it all
April 26th, 2012
11:45 am
CHOKE is a Vick fan. Answer this quesiton CHOKE. Will Vick actually play a full season? Will he actaully make the play-offs again?
Email Profiling Is Wrong
April 26th, 2012
12:02 pm
@ Robdawg
I agree with your comments about Matt Ryan. But I’ll differ with your perception that they somehow make him virtuous. They don’t. It’s his freaking job to get up after he’s knocked down. He should support his teammates (publicly anyway).
You can say a lot of negative stuff about Matt (God knows I do), but dumb he ain’t. So tossing his O linemen under a bus with public criticism- particularly when a guy is as immobile as Ryan is – would be downright self destructive.
Here’s hoping Matt comes to camp bigger, stronger and more decisive. We need a real football player at QB. And if he’s elite as Dimitroff claims, he should make his teammates better. His teammates shouldn’t have to prop him up.
PFT: NFL might kill the Pro Bowl this year - Breaking News Online
April 26th, 2012
12:37 pm
[...] praise for the work done by the Falcons front [...]
PFT: NFL might kill the Pro Bowl this year | Hot Sport News
April 26th, 2012
12:43 pm
[...] regard for the work done by a Falcons front [...]
colelinski
April 26th, 2012
1:12 pm
I don’t think anything the Falcon brass does will satisfy a lot of these so-called fans. Jesus Christ himself
could’nt satisfythem. I believe the Falcons will win at least 10 games and maybe more if the injury does’nt
strike
PFT: NFL might kill the Pro Bowl this year - HOTTEST WORLD NEWS
April 26th, 2012
1:15 pm
[...] praise for the work done by the Falcons front [...]
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
1:37 pm
Dan
April 26th, 2012
8:54 am
Ha Mora was lucky, the man doesn’t understand the first thing about leadership
_________________________________________________________
You want some WHINE with that cheese?….ha ha.
I guess Smitty/Dimitroff/CHOKE aint lucky. Good point
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
1:41 pm
TODD
April 26th, 2012
9:31 am
Even if Samuel doesn’t pan out the fact that they gave up only a 7th round pick = win
_______________________________________________________
What round was Brady, Terrell Davis & Jamaal (running back) Anderson drafted?
It’s not the round its how you evaluate talent. Look at Trent Cole in Philly. He was a 4th or 5th round pick and he has averaged over 10 sacks for his whole career.
I will laugh if that 7th round pick turns out to be a starter….ha ha
Asante is a smart guy. He knew Philly would cut him and only the Falcants would sign him to such a good contract…..ha ha.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
1:48 pm
When the defense outscores the offense with just 2 points in the biggest game of the season….
Well that’s all you need to know about CHOKE
If it takes you 5 seasons to win a playoff game when it only took Flacco, Sanchez, Tebow & Vick their 1st season as a starter, well folks you have been RIPPED off.
CHOKE doesn’t even show any pride in working on his physique by spending some time in the weight room.
CHOKE doesn’t even show any leadership or as a team player by reconstructing his contract like Matt Stafford did in Detroit. Now Stafford is a team leader!
hbcuclassics
April 26th, 2012
2:32 pm
Falcoons Easy Button 2012 2.0
55. Bobbie Massie, OL, Ole Miss
84. Zebrie Sanders, OL, Fla. State
157. Chris Rainey, RB/WR, Fla.
192. Christian Thompson, S, SC State
229. Ryan Davis, DE/OLB, Bethune
249. Traded to Eagles for A.Samuel
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
Longtimefan
April 26th, 2012
2:53 pm
Choke-what’s with the little smiley face after all your posts. I kind of like it in a way-it reminds me of my daughter’s grade school years the way she signed letters. She grew out of it by high school.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 26th, 2012
7:42 pm
“FROM Cleveland & Minnesota”
Dear Thomas Dimitroff:
On behalf of the Cleveland & Minnesota Organization, we would like to extend a whole hearted thank you for the 4 of 5 picks you donated to us. Thanks to you, we were able to land Richardson from Alabama and all it cost us were 4 picks that you donated, and now Minnesota will rebuild their team thanks to you.
Thank you Thomas. Please shop again
Uncle Rico
April 26th, 2012
9:43 pm
Why do I have to keep come on this blog and keep reminding TD & MS that you don’t build a winner without a solid foundation e.g. Offensive Linemen. Every improvement project is completed in this manner and football is no different.
They need a Six Sigma Black Belt to come in and show them how to build a d!@m winner….And I am for hire!!
jim from Atlanta
April 26th, 2012
11:12 pm
GEEZ–Atlanta got hosed in the draft and traded for a has-been–hope Asante brings his walker with him–And we thought the Smiths were stupid–No Hope for Atlanta–Loserville.
jim from Atlanta
April 26th, 2012
11:16 pm
Does anybody see the likeness in Bartowski and Ryan–both professional losers with a team bent on hype not performance–have a cheap owner and he’s more concerned about concessions than playing football–where is the Old Ted Turner when you need him?
Mora less Petrino
April 27th, 2012
1:21 am
Mark,
Your statement, “But Dimitroff and Smith are different: They’re the best GM/coach in team history,” is probably correct. But Leeman Bennett and Eddie LeBaron did pretty good under the Smith ownership! We’ll never know how well they could have done with a better owner and and a longer tenure. The Falcons history would likely be a bit better.
The Leeman Bennett firing was one of the worst moves in the history of professional sports in ATL. (The firing of Reeves, and hiring of Mora and Petrino are way up on that list as well). The Falcons were dreadful for the remainder on the 80’s, going 57-94-1 for that decade. The team won more games in the 70’s, 60-81-3, while only playing a 14 game schedule until the 1978 season.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 27th, 2012
8:26 am
Why didnt the Flacons make a pix last night?
Joey
April 27th, 2012
8:49 am
Great get!
Now, take the shackles off of Matt Ryan. That 2 yds and a cloud of dust offense will get nowhere in the playoffs.
Email Profiling Is Wrong
April 27th, 2012
8:56 am
@ jim from atlanta
“Does anybody see the likeness in Bartowski and Ryan?”
Good Lord, no. Don’t know how old you are, but I was around when Bartkowski was drafted. Bart had some growing pains, but he matured (after he was benched for a game or two for June Jones). He QB’ed teams that one a number of playoff games. He was truly and elite QB.
Bart had a cannon for an arm and good pocket presence. He could make all the throws truly elite NFL QB’s are expected to mak. He knew how to avoid the rush and extend the play to buy time for his receivers to get open.
Maybe they have the same middle name or something. But beyond being the starting QB of the Falcons, there’s no comparison whatsoever.
Matty can’t hold Bart’s jock up to this point.
Falcons_in_the_house
April 27th, 2012
8:58 am
Yes, Eagles are so good and they only move players when they are washed out…
Michael Vick 100 millions man… How is that paying for Eagles…?
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
The Eagles give up 2 picks, and still have 3 picks before the Falcants first pick.
Now thats a REAL GM
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 27th, 2012
12:42 pm
Falcons_in_the_house
April 27th, 2012
8:58 am
Yes, Eagles are so good and they only move players when they are washed out…
Michael Vick 100 millions man… How is that paying for Eagles…?
_________________________________________________________
2010 3,000+ Passing 700 + running…..Runner up to Tom Brady for MVP
2011 3,000= Passing 800+ running…..
Never shut out in the playoffs
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
April 27th, 2012
12:44 pm
What does Flacco, Sanchez, Tebow, Vick have in common?
on the flipside……………….
What does CHOKE, Ryan Leaf, Joey Harrington have in common
Fred Macmurray
April 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
So “Choke”,, Whats your point?,,, Just kidding,, keep going,, you’re on a roll today buddy
hbcuclassics
April 27th, 2012
2:46 pm
Falcoons Easy Button 2012 3.0
55. Bobbie Massie, OL, Ole Miss
84. Zebrie Sanders, OL, Fla. State
157. Chris Rainey, RB/WR, Fla.
192. Christian Thompson, S, SC State
229. Ryan Davis, DE/OLB, Bethune
249. Traded to Eagles for A.Samuel