Posted on 12/13/2007 4:10:25 AM PST by Bulldawg Fan
Kickoff was still six hours away, and Arthur Blank was already having the kind of day that sends lesser men hurrying into retirement.for his role in a dogfighting operation. And now, Bobby Petrino, a college coach Blank had lured away from Louisville with a five-year, $24 million contract, was wondering whether he was cut out for the rough-and-tumble pro ranks.
What a day for "Monday Night Football" cameras to be in town to show his stumbling team's game against New Orleans.
Blank needed some good news. The Falcons' owner called Petrino into his expansive family foundation office in Buckhead, not to talk about that night's game but Petrino's future. Was he in for the long haul, Blank asked, or was he out?
"I pressed him," Blank said, "because I needed to know."
At the end of the hour-long meeting, Petrino stood up to leave. He had a game to go coach. "He shook my hand and said, 'You have a head coach'," Blank said.
Twenty-four hours later, Blank didn't.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
Even in an age where we have become used to lying and deceit, this case raises eyebrows. Here is a man who was thought fit to be the head coach of an NFL team and in the end he could not be trusted to honor his word and handshake for even 24 hours. And this is not a blip in his character, but has happened before at Louisville.
And the man has been welcomed as a conquering hero in Arkansas? Where is their commitment integrity and common sense?
This "man" will be trouble at UA and then slither away again in the middle of the night. Its a character flaw he cant or wont change.
And btw, he was a disaster as coach of the Falcons, so keeping him here was not a matter of being a great leader of football. It was a matter of him giving his word which lasted less than 24 hours.
I’ve never heard players rip a coach the way the Falcons players are ripping him now.
And never has it been more richly deserved.
Incompetent, traitorous, gutless.
Blank just can’t wait for this year to end.
I hope he keeps going with that single-wing offense at Arkansas.
1. He’s done this type of stunt before. Why did Blank hire him?
2. It’s always easier to blame the coach than the players.
3. The Falcons organization, since day one, has had zero in the front office. Bad recruiting = no talent in key positions.
4. After the thuggish stupidity of the no-talent players Monday night, I hope they never win another game. “MV7” indeed! “Free Michael Vick” my a**!
Consider me a former Falcons fan. I’m done.
What a sniveling, low-life, lying, cowardly excuse for a man! Atlanta is better off without, and Arkansas just got itself a world of troubles.
He did a Billy Gillespie.
Arkansas welcomes liars, hell, they even had one for governor and a President elect.
The Clintonization of the English language continues.
You know its bad when both Algae Crumpler and Warrick Dunn speak bad of you. These 2 guys are exemplary players both on and off the field.
I say good riddance to Petrino, he screwed up on many fronts:
1. Benching Harrington after winning two straight games.
2. Drastically changing the offense without the proper
personnel.
3. Speaking ill of players to the press (blaming Harrington
for some losses - even though the line failed to block
well).
4. Horrible relationship between himself and his players.
Obviously, one duty of the Arkansas athletic director is to maintain a plan B ready for execution.
He will screw Arkansas. Just wait until a top tier SEC coaching vacancy opens up. The guy is a quitter.
This jerk could take some lessons from another famous NFL coach who was once at Arkansas, Joe Gibbs!
Apparently his hosing of Louisville didn’t bother Arthur Blank or the fans in Atlanta.
Arkansas hired Bill Clinton. So what?
Arkansas should have seen a pattern that was not evident when he left Louisville. Now with two incidents, it should be clear.
Um, I do like Joe Gibbs but, he was an assistant to Frank Broyles for one year at Arkansas as he was trying to make his way up the coaching ladder. Not quite sure I’d use that as an example. Just sayin’....
I would say that a team/school that is willing to hire a coach who is willing to go to that team/school without even saying goodbye and good luck to his current players and team deserve each other. We can only hope that their mutual success sinks to the same depths of dishonor.
Well, Dennis Franchione is always available now that an NFL coaching vacancy has opened up...*
*Just kidding!
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