Bobby Petrino resigns as head coach of the Falcons to take Arkansas head coaching job

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

He is alot like your boy Billy Gillispie or even Thad Matta as well, most coaches are opprotunnist (sp?) always looking for the next big job or contract. Its just reality.

Nick Saban says hi.

I would have liked to have seen Petrino stay and draft Brohm.

[15fan]

Originally Posted by Raisor

This doesn't surprise me at all. Those of you not in the Atlanta market have no idea what it's been like here in 2007. Football wise the city is dead. Right now it's every man for himself.

Yup.

Time to take a page from Sherman's playbook: That which is still standing should be burnt to the ground. Start from square 1.

My guess is that any of the players who were "supporting" Vick last night (hello Roddy White) are gone by the start of the 2008-2009 season. Even if it means eating contracts.

And in an interesting bit of symmetry, I say the Falcons take Darren McFadden from Arkansas with their #1 pick.

(Kinda like they took the DL from Arkansas w/ their #1 pick last year...)

I'm trying to remember a sports franchise that has gone down in flames as quickly as the Falcons have in the past 12 months. Sure, the Marlins have had some doozy fire sales. And other teams have been more inept on the court/rink/field.

(Hello Golden State Warriors & Pittsburgh Pirates...).

But seriously, the crash & burn at the Georgia Dome & in Flowery Branch has been absolutely epic in the past 12 months.

[Blimpie]

Here endeth the Chris Redman feel-good story.

[IslandRed]

Job-hopping is in the typical coach's DNA, true. At the same time, there are right and wrong ways to pursue opportunities and make moves. I don't have a real dog in the... maybe I'd better not use that metaphor in a discussion involving the Falcons... I'm not a fan of any of the teams Petrino's coached or pursued, but from my vantage point, Petrino's chosen "wrong way" pretty much every time.

[redhawkfish]

There was an article in this morning's Cincy Enquirer that said Lawyer Milloy(Falcons defensive back) had the form letter Petrino gave the players telling them of his resignation taped or thumbtacked on his locker with the word "coward" wrote on it in big red letters.

[Chip R]

So it appears that the NFL is a stepping stone to a great job in college football.

[traderumor]

The nature of the business does not promote loyalty from either side. Considering that no one is crying crocodile tears for the "bums" when they are fired, usually after a number of public lynching by the fans, folks should not be surprised that there are coaches looking out for themselves, because rarely is anyone watching their backs for them.

Not to mention that loyalty is not one of the strengths of our current culture, but I digress.

[redhawkfish]

While I don't disagree with your premise that every one should look out for themselves, would you agree that a form letter to your former players is pretty weak?

[Roy Tucker]

Something tells me Petrino isn't going to be asked to the Falcons Christmas party.

[cumberlandreds]

Good article by Pat Forde on Petrino. I have to say I agree with him.


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...t&lid=tab3pos2

[FIRELEFT]

Here in Arkansas, everyone is loving it.
They ran off a guy that was a good coach that loved the state and would of stayed forever.
However, they thought he couldn't take the program to the next level.
know they got a guy that is (in theory) going to be a great coach but might #$%@ us in the end.
Welcome to the other side of the grass, i guess we will see how green it is.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by redhawkfish

While I don't disagree with your premise that every one should look out for themselves, would you agree that a form letter to your former players is pretty weak?

Lest you misunderstand, I am not endorsing what he did. I really do not know about how he told his players of his decision, but based on the fallout, I'm assuming he knew where he stood with his players and would not be respected even if he gave each of them a hug and a handshake as he left.

All I am really saying is that it is certainly conceivable why coaches like Pitrino develop the "looking out for #1, because no one else is" frame of mind when jumping from place to place. Plus, he was probably looking at getting canned when the Falcons decided "to go another direction" either this offseason or next.

[George Foster]

Originally Posted by Chip R

So it appears that the NFL is a stepping stone to a great job in college football.

and another big time coach in the SEC...wow

Past success does not guarantee future success, but recruiting at Arkansas has to be easier than Louisville and we all know he was pretty good at Louisville.

I fell sorry for his kids. He still has 2 in school (middle and high school). 3 schools in 2 1/2 years. Louisville, Atlanta, and now Fayetteville. He's not exactly thinking of them.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by George Foster

and another big time coach in the SEC...wow

Past success does not guarantee future success, but recruiting at Arkansas has to be easier than Louisville and we all know he was pretty good at Louisville.

I fell sorry for his kids. He still has 2 in school (middle and high school). 3 schools in 2 1/2 years. Louisville, Atlanta, and now Fayetteville. He's not exactly thinking of them.

How in the world can you comment on what someone else's kids need?

[M2]

Not that I follow these things all that closely these days, but football coaches have always seemed less mobile than basketball coaches to me, like it was just sort of baked into the mentality of the sport.

Basketball coaches are forever looking over the hedge to see what's out there. Football coaches, traditionally, seem to be of the mindset that they're going to make it work where they are. Maybe there's a new breed of football coach - Spurrier, Saban, Petrino - who's more of a rambler, but I can see where football fans would take a dim view of that kind of behavior. I know a good number of New York and New England fans who view Bill Parcells as a complete mercenary.