In this episode of the Sportable Spot we take a look at the NFC South.  We analyze some key additions to the division as well as discuss some of the rebuilding processes we see going on within the division.  Though certainly not the strongest division, there is a lot of intrigue in the NFC South.

Hosts: Kevin, Rich, Ryan, Sonny

 

 NFC South [26:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Update: It turns out the Big Tuna will not be heading to Atlanta. Instead, he’s considering a position with the Miami Dolphins. Don’t you just love preliminary reports?

No team in the NFL has had a more disastrous 2007 season than the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, that includes the 1-13 Miami Dolphins. In the aftermath of Michael Vick’s sentencing and Bobby Petrino’s abrupt resignation, I’m sure most Falcons fans were looking for some positive news. They finally have it! NFL Hall of Famer (and silicone enthusiast) Bill Parcells will likely become the team’s new Vice President of Football Operations.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to do it. [Owner] Arthur [Blank] and I have had some pretty constructive discussions. I basically will oversee the football operations. We’ll meet today — not in Atlanta — and work out some of the final details but I don’t think there’s any deal breakers here,” Parcells said.

While Parcells has no desire to return to the sidelines to coach, his mere presence at the team headquarters will change things dramatically. Remember when Parcells took control of the Dallas Cowboys a few years back? They found themselves in salary cap hell, loaded with egotistical players and rebuilt them the right way. The same thing is going down in the ATL these days. I think Parcells is the perfect guy to replace some of those hacks with tough football players.

You have to compliment Falcons owner Arthur Blank in this one. He’s seen the nightmare the Falcons have gone through both on the field and in the PR department. But the hiring of a future NFL Hall of Famer is a definite step in the right direction. While we’re still unclear on who Parcells will bring in as general manager and head coach, you can bet he won’t be a bastard like Bobby Petrino.

It didn’t take long for Bobby Petrino to up and quit on his Atlanta Falcons team after Monday night’s loss to the Saints. Less than 24 hours after the game had ended, Petrino had resigned from the Falcons head coach position and had accepted the job to coach at Arkansas next season. It didn’t take long for my opinions about Petrino to stoop to Nick Saban-esque levels.

Being a head coach in college football is a year round job, what with all the scouting and recruiting that takes place outside of the season. I get that. I also get that the situation in Atlanta wasn’t working out. For Petrino to up and leave his team with three weeks remaining in the season, however, is a bit suspect to me. I don’t really care what kind of recruiting needs to be done down in Fayetteville. There’s a certain level of responsibility that a professional head coach has to his team, whether it be through teaching or through support. Petrino pulled the plug on both of those.

For Petrino, all is well and good now. He’s returned back to the level where he can be competitive at and has a nice program to boot. The Falcons, however, are hanging high and dry. Who really wants to coach this team right now what with the off-field issues and the attitudes of veterans DeAngelo Hall and Alge Crumpler. Nobody.

I’ll leave you with a quote from DeAngelo Hall about Bobby Petrino. “If I saw him in the street I wouldn’t have anything to say to him. I don’t have any respect for him. He turned his back on the organization.” Well put, DeAngelo.

Our society is an interesting one. It’s one that likes to forgive people despite atrocities that they may or may not have committed. Ray Lewis might have killed someone at the Cobalt Lounge years back. Now, we see Ray Lewis as an inspirational leader and an incredible football player. Rams defensive end Leonard Little killed someone when he got into a car accident and blew a 0.19 BAC at the scene. Yet, after serving his time and doing his community service, Little is seen as more of a problem for offensive coordinators to contain than as a reckless individual in society.

This brings us to Mike Vick. We all know what Vick did, I’m not going to retread the story over and over. Yesterday, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison, a hefty sentence that will clearly give him some time to think.

Fast forward two years. Mike Vick has just been released from prison and is applying for reinstatement into the NFL. Obviously there will be mixed feelings about this process and surely there will be a bunch of people who call for him never to see the field again. That’s our opinion and we are entitled to it.

While I’m not asking for everyone to suddenly forgive Vick (that’s something that will simply not happen), I ask that you take into account our judicial system and the way it works. Vick will serve his time. The purpose of that time is to rehabilitate him as a functioning member of society and it should be understood that after he serves his 23 months he should be given the same opportunity to redeem and prove himself once again. I’m not saying we should be enamored with the guy once he comes out, but I think we should give him a shot. He committed a horrific crime and now he’ll serve a good amount of time for it. It’s as important for us to set aside our personal vendettas and give him a shot as it is for him to bring himself back to respectability and repair his image.

For the entire month of August, the Sportable Staff will look at one National Football League team a day. We?ll look at their offense, defense and in the end, assess their playoff chances. Previews will be done by division, starting with the NFC East. Each new division will also feature a new podcast devoted entirely to that division.

Welcome to Atlanta, Bobby! You Poor Bastard.
I don’t think this is what Bobby Petrino had in mind. After leaving the University of Louisville and Heisman hopeful Brian Brohm to coach the Falcons, most analysts begin to debate what effect he could have on Michael Vick. How about none? By the time Atlanta kicks off on September 9th, Vick could find himself pleading guilty to several felonies. We know Vick won’t play this year and he might not ever play again. So where’s that leave Petrino and the Falcons?

Offense
Both Jim Mora and Dan Reeves were never able to figure out exactly how to use Vick. Was he a throwing running back or a running quarterback? It turns out he’s neither. He’s about to be a walking pincushion for some 400 pound inmate named Dante. That leaves Joey Harrington in charge of the Falcons. Yes, that Joey Harrington. Joey H. Heisman Harrington. Piece of shit. He goes by many titles. The newest one? Starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Harrington’s track record speaks for itself. It’s not pretty.

But will this work out surprisingly well? The Falcons have a couple of capable running backs, some talented wide receivers, and a Pro Bowl tight end. There’s some targets here. I’m sure it’s not Petrino’s ideal position in year one. But let’s not forget the Falcons haven’t won shit in the last two years. Behind Vick, they’ve gone 15-17 the last two years. It’s not like this team was a Super Bowl contender; they were a perennial underachiever with a clueless quarterback.

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Hosts: Sonny, Ryan, Kevin and Rich. In this episode, the entire Sportable staff discusses the NFC South. With Michael Vick out of the mix in Atlanta, how are the Falcons going to do under coach Bobby Petrino and Joey “Heisman” Harrington. We also assess the rare possibility of the Panthers not underachieving behind quarterback turnover machine Jake Delhomme. Also, will Drew Brees lead the Saints back to the playoffs?

You can find Episode 30 here. (Download mp3)