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J. Mike's Missives

A behind-the-scenes look at anything and everything Falcons and a touch of insight on the NFL. As a bonus, some thoughts on life from North Georgia.

Todd Weiner

Sunday April 13, 2008

The Birds are Back

Posted by: J. Michael Moore at 6:28PM EST on April 13, 2008

BLOGGER'S NOTE: The Falcons begin the first mini camp of 2008 today at their Flowery Branch headquarters. Look for blogs and coverage on AF.com through the day, especially after this afternoon's practice.

The caravan of SUVs and luxury cars rolling through the front gates this morning signify just one thing.

Mini camp begins in just a few short hours.

The Falcons begin the first organized practices of the Mike Smith-Thomas Dimitroff era with plenty of questions to answer. But those aren't nearly as important as the symbolic step of this day.

Last season was something easy to leave behind but not readily forgotten. Today more than 60 veteran players -- some old, some new -- take the field with a new head coach and an new outlook.

Throw in the unseasonable, 50-degree weather and it really does feel like football is back in Flowery Branch for good.

And isn't football what we all need?

One day we'll look back on this day and smile, not because it was anything overly monumental but because it was another unofficial start that eventually got covered up by numerous victories.

It's something to document, however. Another landmark on the NFL highway.

This three-practice camp may not be the most exciting in terms of big hits (the players won't wear pads) but it's something to gauge the progress Atlanta made in its first round of re-loading and to see what's needed in the upcoming NFL Draft.

I'm curious to get a look at the free agents including Jason Elam, Michael Turner, Erik Coleman, Ben Hartsock and Von Hutchins. I'm also excited to see how some rehabing players like Todd Weiner, Renardo Foster and D.J. Shockley look in a practice jersey. Today we'll also see Chris Redman continue his work as the team's No. 1 quarterback.

Get ready for a first peak at a new era Falcons fans.

The sun is spilling yellow light over a filling parking lot in Northeast Georgia and you can see people's breath as they walk into the building.

Feels like football season.

Feels like the perfect setting for a new brand of Falcons football.

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Thursday March 20, 2008

Thursday Morning News and Notes

Posted by: J. Michael Moore at 9:45AM EST on March 20, 2008

Plenty of news this morning and some updates to offer...

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports this morning that the Raiders and cornerback DeAngelo Hall are still hammering out the details of a contract. A new deal is vital to a trade between the Falcons and Raiders going through that would, reportedly, give the Falcons a second- and sixth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.

When official news breaks, we'll have it on AtlantaFalcons.com.

As a note, the NFL still in many ways works with a traditional paper trail. Any trade likely won't be official until a new contract is filed with the league. Since Oakland is three time zones over, it could be a while before "official" news of this thing breaks.

In other Falcons info, Jason Elam is reportedly in town for a two-day visit with Falcons officials.

The team also re-signed offensive lineman Tyson Clabo -- an exclusive rights free agent. The deal keeps Clabo in town, though the Falcons had soul rights in negotiating with him because of free agent rules.

Clabo enters his third season with the Falcons after being signed as a free agent in 2006. Last season, he started in 11 contests at right tackle filling in for an injured Todd Weiner. Clabo paved the way for Atlanta’s 1,520 rushing yards in 2007 and blocked for running back Warrick Dunn who reached the 10,000-yard rushing plateau against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12.

In three seasons, Clabo has competed and started in 21 career games.

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Thursday November 29, 2007

Weiner to IR

Posted by: jmike811_DEP at 2:15PM EST on November 29, 2007

Head Coach Bobby Petrino confirmed at his Thursday press gathering that left tackle Todd Weiner (knee) underwent surgery and would be placed on injured reserve.

"Yesterday, I guess, was the final decision," Petrino said. "He needed to go in and have surgery… Therefore he'll be on IR."

Weiner becomes the third offensive tackle to go to the reserve list this season. He joins opening day starter Wayne Gandy (knee) and backup Renardo Foster (knee).

Weiner started the 2007 season at right tackle before missing three starts. He then moved to left tackle to fill holes created by injury.

Petrino is encouraged, however, by the way younger players like Quinn Ojinnaka have performed in the face of injury.

"It’s a tough deal," he said when asked about the long list of injured players along the line. "There's no question about it. The good thing is guys have come out and practice and worked hard at it and we’re getting a lot of guys experienced.

"Anytime you lose your left tackle and your right tackle you just have to work through it."

Ojinnaka, a second-year pro who has started two games at left tackle this season, moves up the depth chart as the team prepares for a trip to St. Louis.

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Monday November 26, 2007

LIVE: Petrino Monday Presser, Week 12

Posted by: jmike811_DEP at 12:18PM EST on November 26, 2007

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Welcome to the first live blog of a Head Coach Bobby Petrino press conference. I'll keep these up on Mondays.

11:50 AM EST: We're set up and ready to go and enjoying some time with Atlanta Journal Constitution writer Steve Wyche and others from the Falcons web and PR staff.

12:01 PM EST: We're a minute past our scheduled start time and it's a pretty small group of media -- two reporters from the AJC. As we speak, however, Georgia Tech has a news conference scheduled -- presumably to discuss the future of head football coach Chan Gailey. That's likely where everyone is at on this rainy Monday.

12:10 PM EST: Here we go...

12:11 PM EST: Coach Petrino, fresh from practice, is in a rain slick.

12:12 PM EST: Petrino said the staff spent the weekend evaluating the video and, at most, is frustrated with how the team "came out ready to play" and took an early 10-0 lead over the Colts on Thanksgiving (the Falcons would lose 31-13). The coach is also frustrated with penalties.

On the "running into the kicker" call that led to a Colts touchdown: "He has to have a place to land," Petrino says. "We just need to stay away from him."

Nothing new on Todd Weiner, the team may know more on Wednesday. Petrino says Joe Horn did practice.

12:13 PM EST: Petrino says he was pleased with D'Anthony Batiste, who started Thursday in place of Kynan Forney, who got sick before the game.

12:14 PM EST: The coach said the team is run blocking better and is looking to bring more pieces together during the last five games of the regular season.

12:15 PM EST: The coach is talking about how the game plan changes when backups have to come in along the offensive line. He said the plan shrinks, mostly because of limited practice time.

12:16 PM EST: The team will stay with Joey Harrington at quarterback and "Either Byron or Chris would be the backup," the coach says. Petrino adds Harrington understands what the team is trying to do on offense.

12:17 PM EST: Petrino is asked about college jobs and planning for the Falcons future after the season...

"I haven't given that one bit of thought," the coach says on college openings. "I certainly don't want to get into any speculation or rumors. I'm focused on our football team here. I'm focused on playing the Rams this week. One thing I really like about this team is we come out and practice really hard each week...

"You look at Green Bay before our game and a year ago at this time they were 2-8 and strung six wins together... We'd really like to finish the season with momentum."

12:18 PM EST: And, we're done. Short but sweet.

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Monday November 19, 2007

Musings: Turkey Day Coming

Posted by: jmike811_DEP at 4:51PM EST on November 19, 2007

Got an email from the league office today that made me chuckle.

Subject?

"Week 12 Playoff Scenarios"

What?

That's right NFL fans, the New England Patriots can secure a spot in the playoffs with a win this week or a Buffalo Bills' loss.

Yes, those same Buffalo Bills the Pats throttled 56-10 on "Sunday Night Football." As an interesting aside, Tom Brady put up 108 points in one fantasy league this week (I know that because I was on the losing end of that epic game).

You Falcons fans my wonder why I'm mentioning an AFC team in my weekly musings column. There's no particular reason except to kickoff the normal discussion of how crazy this NFL season has been.

Falcons fans, you know first hand how a season can became one long news event. Well, turns out every team has something crazy going on -- sometimes it just happens with five touchdown passes from what seems to be a truly dominant quarterback.

Speaking of dominant quarterbacks, Peyton Manning visits the Georgia Dome Thursday night for a Thanksgiving contest against the Falcons who, as you know, got beat 31-7 Sunday.

There were several striking story lines that hit me during the game, but injuries kept leaping to the top of my post-loss checklist.

Trey Lewis.

Rod Coleman.

Todd Weiner.

Players get banged up every game, but all three of these injuries looked rather serious.

Now for the understatement of the blog. The Falcon's don't want to weather many more injuries.

That leads me to my second musing/point.

There's not time to dwell on hurt bodies or hurt feelings.

I've been a part of a team that played on Thanksgiving each of the past two seasons. There's no time to worry about what happened or -- in some cases -- game planning for the next team.

You've got four days to make it happen. Your reward? A sort of de facto bye week in the middle of the season.

But enough of my thoughts. Lawyer Milloy? Take us home.

"We got our butts kicked today and that is basically the bottom line," the veteran safety said Sunday. "We have the defending champs coming in here so we don't have time to dwell on the outcome of this game. The beautiful thing about this is that we get another opportunity on Thursday."

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