Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog

The star quarterback has been sentenced to prison, the new head coach resigned after only 13 games and for the first time in six years, a game was blacked out due to slow ticket sales. Just when it seems it can't get worse for the Atlanta Falcons, it does.

With the franchise in limbo, where do the Atlanta Falcons go from here?


Who Will Takeover?

On January 4, Rich McKay signed a two-year contract extension Friday to remain the Atlanta Falcons' president, but relinquished the general manager's duties. Now that the regular season is over, the search for a new Falcons head coach and a general manager are about to heat up.

Defensive backs coordinator Emmitt Thomas took over as interim Falcons head coach for the remaining three games of the season and under his watch, the Falcons had two rough loses in row to Tampa Bay and Arizona. Finally the Falcons' prayers were answered with a win over the Seattle Seahawks for the last game of the season.

Back in December, legendary Dallas Cowboys coach, Bill Parcells was offered a position with the Atlanta Falcons that would have made him head of football operations. It would have been a role that would have put Parcells in charge of hiring players and finding a new skipper for the sinking Falcons.

Parcells announced to the New York Daily news that he would most likely take the Falcons position, but soon after, talks broke down.

A statement released by Falcons owner Arthur Blank on Wednesday, Dec. 19 said Parcells thought the Miami Dolphins were offering a better deal.

"We gave it our best shot, and it didn't work out," Blank said.

Parcells signed a four-year contract with the Dolphins on Thursday, Dec. 20.

The search for a new Falcons head coach continues and now, the Falcons are also looking to fill the role of general manager.

"We will continue down the same overall path, proceeding with plans to hire a general manager and a head coach," Blank said. "We will identify and consider every strongly viable candidate for these positions, with the goal of hiring the best. Rich McKay remains president of the club and will retain general manager responsibilities until a new GM is hired."

As for the position of Falcons head coach, Bill Cowher quickly took his name out of the running, saying he wasn't ready to return to coaching.

Now that the regular season is over, the Falcons will most likely start officially interviewing candidates. Some of the names that remain on the table are Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, Falcons offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Georgia Force head coach Doug Plank.

The Prospects - Pros and Cons Jason Garrett He's a young, energetic offensive coordinator for the explosive Dallas Cowboys.
Garrett has limited playing experience behind Troy Aikman and has absolutely no head coaching experience.

Doug Plank Plank is currently the head coach for AFL's Georgia Force which shares Flowery Branch facilities with the Falcons. How would success in the AFL translate on an NFL field?

Mike Zimmer He is widely respected as one of the NFL's best defensive minds. It is his first year with the Falcons, why wouldn't he want to jump ship too?

Hue Jackson Jackson helped develop Atlanta's receivers into a respectable unit in his first year with team. He has limited experience at this level.


Beyond the question of who will lead the Falcons on the sidelines, there is now the question of who will lead them on the field.

During Petrino's short tenure, he rotated three players at the starting quarterback position: Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and Chris Redman. None of the them met with much success and the Falcons were sitting with a 3-10 record by the time Petrino announced his resignation.Related Story: Petrino Looks for Fourth Quarterback


The Falling Star

The hits just keep on coming for the Atlanta Falcons. Less than a year ago, Bobby Petrino left Louisville for the more lucrative pastures of the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons. Just 13 games later, Petrino announced he was done in Atlanta and headed to the University of Arkansas to coach in the SEC.

The season from hell began even before the first day of training camp.

In April, federal agents stormed Michael Vick's Virginia property to investigate a possible drug situation involving Vick's nephew. When police arrived on the property, they found evidence of a dogfighting ring.

At first, Vick steadfastly denied any involvement in dogfighting and the Falcons organization rallied around the star quarterback.

By July, federal investigators indicated that they had a strong case against Vick and he was later indicted on federal charges. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ordered Vick to stay away from training camp and Vick was suspended for four games.

Training camp went on without Vick. As the season began Vick entered a guilty plea on August 27 and it became clear the season would have to go on without Vick as well.

Vick admitted to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls. He denied betting on the fights, only bankrolling them.

Vick apologized to the NFL and the Falcons saying, "I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to."

On December 10, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison and the former Falcons star fell amid controversy and disgrace.


Jumping Ship




The same day that Vick officially lost his freedom, the Falcons racked up an embarassing loss to bitter rivals the New Orleans Saints. That night, head coach Bobby Petrino assured Falcons owner Arthur Blank that he would stay with the team, only to announce his resignation the following day.

Petrino accepted an offer to return to the college ranks as the head coach at the University of Arkansas.

"Today was a day of decision," Petrino said. "It was difficult on one side very easy on the other. It was difficult to leave Atlanta, the staff, players, fans. The timing of it probably the thing that made it most difficult. Coming to Arkansas was the easy part."

It was a swift one-two-three punch and the Falcons are now left reeling and scrambling to put an end to the free fall.

So many questions surround the ailing franchise that no one really knows where to begin to put the pieces back together.

Labels: Atlanta Falcons, Coach, Football, Mike Vick

When Rich McKay put the finishing touches on his first draft class with the Atlanta Falcons, he had the makings of a Super Bowl contender.

Four years later, the Falcons are in shambles. McKay will no longer decide who’s on the roster.

McKay’s downfall is another stunner in a season filled with them. Michael Vick, Atlanta’s franchise quarterback, is in federal prison. Bobby Petrino suddenly resigned as coach last month after just 13 games.

How long McKay remains in Atlanta is uncertain. Both he and owner Arthur Blank sidestepped questions about the GM’s future when Petrino resigned. Eight days later, Blank revealed that Bill Parcells rejected an offer to take charge of Atlanta’s football operations. He said McKay would retain general manager responsibilities until a new GM is hired.

Blank reportedly met this week in Green Bay with Packers personnel chiefs Reggie McKenzie and John Schneider. Today, Blank received permission to speak with Eagles GM Tom Heckert.

Other candidates to replace McKay are Thomas Dimitroff, New England’s director of college scouting; Bill Kuharich, Kansas City’s vice president of player personnel; San Diego assistant GM Buddy Nix; Falcons assistant GM Billy Devaney; and Chris Polian, Indianapolis’ vice president of football operations.

In the coaching search, the Falcons interviewed Indianapolis assistant head coach Jim Caldwell today and are scheduled to meet tomorrow with Dallas assistant head coach Tony Sparano, expected to be a candidate for Miami’s coaching vacancy as well. Jason Garrett, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, could be on the Falcons’ list, along with San Francisco assistant head coach Mike Singletary, a finalist for the job a year ago

Labels: Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, Falcons, McKay

Chris Redman gave the Atlanta Falcons a feel-good
finish to an otherwise ugly season.

Redman set a career high with four touchdown passes, including
two to Alge Crumpler, and the Falcons rode three fourth-quarter
touchdowns to a 44-41 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday that
should give Seattle cause for concern about its defense in the
playoffs.

Seattle, the NFC West champion, allowed the woeful Falcons to
best their previous scoring high by 17 points. The Seahawks had to
wait to learn whom they'll play next week.

The Falcons ended a six-game losing streak, giving interim coach
Emmitt Thomas his first win in three tries. Redman, the third starting quarterback for Atlanta in the post-Michael Vick era, also threw touchdown passes to Joe Horn and Roddy White. He was 17-of-27 for 251 yards with no interceptions.

Warrick Dunn rushed for 70 yards with a 5-yard scoring run and Morten Andersen kicked three field goals for Atlanta.

Shaun Alexander and Maurice Morris, who rushed for 91 yards, had
touchdown runs for Seattle. Crumpler's first touchdown catch, a 55-yarder on the first play of the fourth quarter, tied the game at 27-27.

Atlanta (4-12) then made Seattle (10-6) pay for two fourth-quarter turnovers by backup quarterback Seneca Wallace, who played the second half.

Wallace fumbled when hit by Jonathan Babineaux. Defensive tackle
Montavious Stanley recovered to set up a 7-yard touchdown pass from
Redman to Crumpler.

On the first play of Seattle's next possession, Wallace was intercepted by Chris Crocker, who returned the ball 18 yards to the Seahawks' 10. On first down, Roddy White's touchdown catch gave the Falcons a 41-27 lead.


Wallace recovered to throw touchdown passes of 45 and 13 yards
to Nate Burleson .Andersen answered with a 32-yard field goal after the first touchdown pass to Burleson. Burleson's second scoring catch came with 54 seconds left.


White recovered Josh Brown's onside kick to end Seattle's
comeback.Matt Hasselbeck completed 15 of 25 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He was pulled to start the second half
even though the game was tied at 17.


Wallace was 17-of-22 for 206 yards with two touchdowns, one
interception and a fumble.

Labels: Atlanta Falcons, Football, Michael Vick

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A man who sold a champion pit bull to suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick's dogfighting operation pleaded guilty in Virginia Wednesday to a federal dogfighting charge.

Oscar Allen entered the plea to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to aid in illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting. That's the same charge to which Vick and his three co-defendants in the Bad Newz Kennels operation pleaded guilty. Vick is expected to be sentenced in December.

The 67-year-old Allen -- who lives in the Williamsburg area -- is scheduled to be sentenced January 25, 2008. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was released until sentencing with conditions, including a prohibition on buying or selling any dogs.

Allen admitted in a statement that he sold a female pit bull named Jane in 2001 to Bad Newz Kennels in rural Surry County and traveled with Vick's dogfighting associates to Jane's fights.

Labels: Atlanta Falcons, Dog Fighting, Falcons, Michael Vick, Mike Vick