Do you think Petrino is using Mayflower?
Bobby Petrino's hurried exit from Atlanta is absolutely one of the most astounding things a coach has ever done in my recollection. I've seen coaches and managers go on tirades at reporters, have immature outbursts directed at officials, fight with their own players. We know of at least one who bet on games. Some have even quit in the middle of a season before, mainly to save the owner the trouble of firing them.
But that wasn't the case with Petrino. Falcons owner Arthur Blank wanted him to stay.
But this was Petrino's way:
Pledging allegiance to the franchise hours before he quit and, in the process, making the team owner look like an idiot on national TV. Leaving notes for the players in their lockers rather than telling them personally. And hanging his assistant coaches out to dry.
The comments from the players provide of a litany of hurt and betrayal. It's kind of revealing when you see how the Falcons have reacted. It's evident that even though they make big money, pro football players do buy into this business of brothers-in-arms. When a coach talks about "family," many of them really, really believe it. They stake their careers and their well-being on the concept.
Here's Falcons safety Lawyer Milloy: "One thing I'm really [mad] at was while he was having a half-hearted approach to games, he was putting us all at risk. His mind wasn't in it. That explains why he threw a challenge flag a play after he was allowed to. Why we went for it on fourth-and-9 and punted on fourth-and-1. Maybe he was on the phone at Arkansas to the AD at that point.
"The cancer was diagnosed. Never would you want it to be your head coach, your general, to be that cancer, but in our case, it was."
Only former Raven Chris Redman, the quarterback that Petrino plucked from civilian life for another shot at the NFL, had kind words for the new Arkansas coach.
From the mess that Petrino has left behind, you really wind up rooting for Emmitt Thomas, the defensive assistant who has to lead that team over at least the final three games of the season. And you also have to wonder whether GM Rich McKay, who obviously helped bring Petrino to Atlanta, still has the confidence of the owner. When you miss as badly as the Falcons did on Petrino, do you want the same guy picking the next coach?
Comments
Bill: Great article. I am as shocked as you. When the Arkansas job gets too tough, and Petrino quits or gets fired, who will hire him then? I recommend that Petrino watch the movie "My Cousin Vinny," which is really about perseverance under adversity, hard work, and attention to detail (not to mention Marisa Tomei). At this point, Petrino was obviously not the guy to turn it around anyway. Robert
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Robert,
Yeah, would you want that Bobby Petrino coaching your yutes? I love that movie. I've spent my whole life trying to blend.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Robert Hurdle | December 13, 2007 10:13 AM
You just need to shut your face, and move on! God its over so just stop talking about it.
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Blake,
You talking about Petrino or the Colts?
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Blake Bryant | December 13, 2007 10:54 AM
Petrino was 100% right......why stick around to allow a group of losers another chance to make a fool of themselves....dragging you into it?
I believe he would have done more harm--to himself----if he would have stayed AND how much does it take to coach a bunch of thugs/losers....I could coach a losing team.
The Falcon's need some real MEN....get rid of the thugs and gangstas, they're ruining the NFL.....people are growing tired of these rich whiners.
Life's tough, get tough.
Posted by: 4therealMEN | December 13, 2007 11:31 AM
I think Bobby Petrino was right in leaving Atlanta. Think about it, obviously a man not of his word, playing both sides of the fence and working a deal when pledging false loyalty to his owner and players. Why would players want a scam artist like this around. They are better off. In Petrino's case, when the going gets tough, the wimp hits the road. Arkansas is a good place for him - far away. So Falcon players and fans, count your blessings this holiday season and value "loyalty" in the future.
Posted by: Dennis | December 13, 2007 11:46 AM
Two sides to this fence. It doesn't seem right that petrino stated his "allegience" to the team, but hey the team is full of self servers Sure would hate to play with any of them.
If they were all free agents not many of them would be grabbed by another team very soon.
Posted by: rayminer | December 13, 2007 1:10 PM
There is no need to make excuses for this guy, Petrino. He has embarassed himself and his family by the cowardly act of abandoning the Falcon organization, the players and the coaching staff that he brought along with him.
While it may be true that the players do sometimes complain about situations that they see unfit, no one is without flaw. Countless times I find myself as well as others whining about things that "don't" affect my wallet, my safety, or my family. The players that do complain obviously feel that they have a reason to complain and it should be handled the same way it is handled at your job, by talking to someone that can assist in fixing the problem.
For the young man that said that the Falcons' need REAL MEN, not "THUGS AND GANGSTAS" need I remind you that they have men like Warrick Dunn who has continued to mentor younger athletes in the NFL and gives back copiously to his community.
Joe Horn, Keith Brooking, Ovie Mughelli, Joey Harrington- are these the players that you are maliciously accusing of being "Thugs"?
This is a great blog and it should not be distorted by the blind one-sided comments of an ill-willed patron.
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Calvin,
Thanks for mentioning Warrick Dunn. A lot of players do out-reach work but his has been exceptional and should really be noted.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Calvin Sturgeon | December 13, 2007 3:58 PM
Time will tell about Petrino. Unfortunately, Petrino found out quickly he didn't want to coach in the NFL and should have stuck it out for three more games. However, he was presented with an opportunity to coach in the SEC but with recruiting time constraints and had to make a quick "gut" decision. Hopefully, the Falcons will be a better team through this transition and Arkansas can build on what Nutt started. -Razorback fan
Posted by: Mike | December 13, 2007 5:01 PM
Seems to me there's something more to all of this than meets the eye. There's no question Petrino has always been a winner...until he got to Atlanta. There's no question he's always placed the best interest of the players lives as football players and human beings as paramount...until he got to Atlanta. I just think it's a case of the shoe didn't fit. I don't condone the 'run from your troubles' scenario, although all of us have done it at one time or another. I believe that his calling is college coaching, like Steve Spurrier's was. Obviously, something made him feel so cornered and burdened down that he simply could not face it another day, no matter how much money was at stake. Let's not totally discard the man and let's not let the Falcons off with an excuse to play poorly for the rest of the season. I think Petrino will be highly successful at Arkansas and I believe the Falcon players need to tighten their shoestrings and just play some football. The game is still afoot.....
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Nick,
To focus on the Falcon effort ... if only to rally around Emmitt Thomas, who at age 64, is finally getting a chance to be a head coach.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: NICK COSTNER | December 13, 2007 5:26 PM
Bill,
"...one of the most astounding things a coach has ever done in my recollection." Well then, you must not recall 1977 when Lou Holtz did the exact same thing - resigned as coach of the Jets with a 3-10 record and 3 games remaining to become Arkansas coach. Another thing no one seems to recall is Arthur Blank FIRING Dan Reeves, who only took his team to the SUPERBOWL, with games remaining. But I guess that would put a damper on all this highfalutin' righteous indignation, wouldn't it? Hey national media - hypocrites much?
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Mike,
That's why I qualified it by saying ... one of the .... and ... in my collection. If your memory is better than mine, be my guest, did Holtz leave notes in players' lockers on the way out. How about his assistants ... did he tell them. But just to set this much of the record straight, Holtz quit with one game left. They played 14 games that year. Really, I'm not trying to pull a gotcha on that but c'mon, the way Petrino left that place and seamlessly slipped into his new job was astounding.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: MIke | December 13, 2007 5:52 PM
Interesting comments. Personally, I think Petrino is a self-serving individual who only thinks what is best for him. Petrino's actions should not be a shock - he did this at UofL when he was a coach there. He would say, 'I love it here, I have no intention of leaving, etc.'... sound familiar?
How any organization either college or pro can trust this guy is beyond me. He does not know what the term family means - I pity his real family, look at how he is abruptly uprooted his own family over the years!
Posted by: Pam | December 13, 2007 6:07 PM
Petrino was ahead of the curve on this deal. Within the past 48 hours Parcells played Blank for a fool and DeAngelo Hall is already threatening a 10 game hold out next season. Blank needs to remove himself from the picture. This is the same owner that fired Dan Reeves (with 3 games remaining) and all Dan did was take them on the road to Lambeau Field in the playoffs and walk away a winner the prior season. Fool me once (Vick) shame on you. Fool me twice (Petrino) shame on me. Fool me three times (Parcells) who's to blame now? Come on Blank, get a clue.
Petrino is not at fault. It would have taken him 10 years to turn things around with the void in talent on that team. He saw an opportunity and he knew he had to take it. Otherwise he'd be stuck for the long haul. All the college positions have already dried up.
Posted by: Travis | December 22, 2007 11:53 PM