Mora Fired

[TexasPete]

In a move that proves that some franchises in town demand accountability, the Falcons just fired Jim Mora. Mora dealt with a rash of injuries all year on both sides of the ball and had a winning record in his tenure but Blank demanded more.

What a contrast to the Spirit who lack the cajones and the cash to do anything significant. The Falcons have the highest payroll in the league, the Hawks have the 2nd lowest. Please, Arthur, make an offer to buy these guys out so we can have a team that we can be proud. Or, at least competitive. Blank would never had hired Woodson. But he would have certainly fired him for cause by now.

[Eddielives]

In all fairness, if Blank owned the Hawks, more legitimate applicants would be lining up to get some of his money while at the same time knowing that he will spend to get the coach what he needs to win.

[Diesel]

There wouldn't be a problem spending the money to get the players that you need.

YOu can't demand Total Accountibility without supplying.

It's stupid to believe that you can.

Now, Blank has signed all the checks with the Falcons and have gotten the people that were asked for.

Right now, the Hawks can't buy a beer at the game without 6 owners agreeing and Belkin's OK.

[TexasPete]

I think what your saying is that Blank is viewed as a professional and legitimate owner while the Spirit have no cash...and no cajones. People lining up means he is viewed as the real deal.

[rascurrein]

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I think what your saying is that Blank is viewed as a professional and legitimate owner while the Spirit have no cash...and no cajones. People lining up means he is viewed as the real deal.

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Is not about cash or about cojones, is about make the right decissions.

Maybe you are to young to understand; years ago i used to think like you.

[TexasPete]

I also understand its tough to make a decision with 6 people and no one man with final say. That means that nothing gets done because its rare that they all agree. And I have heard these gentlemen have had some fairly large disagreements but realize that they can't have a repeat of the Belkin ordeal. David Stern should never let this many guys buy a team without at least one of them in charge. Its OK to have many owners but they have to have one chief. I know that some like Woodson and some don't...some like BK and some don't...but it seems like decisions can't be made because there are just too many people involved. The loser in all of this? All Hawk fans.

[AHF]

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I also understand its tough to make a decision with 6 people and no one man with final say. That means that nothing gets done because its rare that they all agree. And I have heard these gentlemen have had some fairly large disagreements but realize that they can't have a repeat of the Belkin ordeal. David Stern should never let this many guys buy a team without at least one of them in charge. Its OK to have many owners but they have to have one chief. I know that some like Woodson and some don't...some like BK and some don't...but it seems like decisions can't be made because there are just too many people involved. The loser in all of this? All Hawk fans.

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With Belkin gone, I actually think it is the threat of the lawsuit and the legal limitations on the Hawks that are the problem. Check out the Thrashers for an example of a team the ASG runs without interference from Belkin.

[Sothron]

Yes, the legal restrictions and the very real chance the Spirit owners could lose tens of millions of dollars apiece as owners is what is keeping the current hapless regime in charge.

[AHF]

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Yes, the legal restrictions and the very real chance the Spirit owners could lose tens of millions of dollars apiece as owners is what is keeping the current regime hapless.

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I would phrase it this way, but I think we are pretty close to the same page here.

[TexasPete]

What does the lawsuit have to do with firing the coach and getting a better one? I think David Stern should step in and tell Belkin he doesn't have the votes even if he wins. That may slow Belkin down a bit. All owners have to approve any new owner and if Belkin doesn't have the votes he has nothing.

If the Spirit give a new coach a 3 or 4 year nice deal the coach has no downside. Belkin may want his own coach but if a coach is doing a good job and is owed a lot of money Belkin would likely keep him. Plus, Belkins pockets are not super deep so money is an issue with him as well.

I think it sucks to have a lousy coach because of an ownership squabble.

[Sothron]

They (Spirit) are not going to spend any money to hire a head coach when each individual owner in that group could possibly lose tens of millions of dollars apiece. None of them were rich enough on their own right to buy this team. They are being extremely conservative with their spending and it has had a trickle down effect to all of our personnel decisions. This includes players and coaches and the front office.

No respectable coach regardless would take this team with the real possibility of being fired in two years or so by a vengeful new owner.

[Diesel]

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What does the lawsuit have to do with firing the coach and getting a better one?

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Two things:

1. What coach would want to come to this situation without a truckload of money thrown at him?

It's not about the Hawks or their personnell but about the fact that a coach can accept a job, start working with this team and then be let go because the ownership changes.... as early as next year. Belkin seems like a Scourge the earth kind of guy. Meaning that if Belkin gets full power, he will definitely fire everybody.

2. The Remnant of Atlanta Spirit should not spend big money on a coach if they are not 100% sure that they can win this court case.

If they lose this court appeal, Belkin gets to buy them out at the original price that they put in. In short, that's like 75 million to be divided by the Spirit group. That doesn't count all the money that they spent paying off the debt. That doesn't count all the money that they have made on the Payroll. That doesn't count the money that they have spent on fan appreciation nights or any of the money that they have put in like Salaries. If they lose, they stand to lose really big. So in order to cut their loses, it seems that they have decided to keep spending to a minimum for now. I don't blame them. Nobody thought that this Judge would rule the way that he has. So there's no counting a logical argument can win.

[KB21]

Hmm.

I wonder why that same owner doesn't hold his quarterback accountable then? Could it be that said owner doesn't want to admit that giving him a $100 million contract was a grave mistake?

The coaching search for a replacement is already flawed, because the Falcons are going to ask the new coach to structure the offense around their extremely flawed quarterback.

The Falcons might as well just hire someone like Pat Sullivan and install the option offense, seeing as how the option offense is the only offense Michael Vick can efficiently run.

Jim Mora Jr. is not a bad football coach, and if he had a real quarterback, the west coast offense would work very well for the Falcons.

[emeans]

I know this is not a football forum. But I will say this....Vick is not a bad QB like a lot of people try to brand him. First of all he doesn't have an offensive line that can pass protect and second of all his receivers drop way too many passes.

It is not Vick's fault that the defense can't stop my son's little league offense on EVERY 3rd and 20 basically playing a prevent defense. Give me the offense just like it is and a decent defense and this team wins 11 to 12 games easily.

It's not Vick's fault that the entire team looks totally flat when playing inferior opponents (Cleveland, Detroit, etc.).....that is coaching!!

I get tired of people always blaming Vick for the Falcons problems. It is not entirely Vick's fault.

[TexasPete]

I agree with you. Mora didn't get the job done and was terminated. Woodson is just flat embarrassing...and keeps right on trucking. Accountability is one place, no nads in the other. It's that simple.

[mudderfudder77]

Diesel said:

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Belkin seems like a Scourge the earth kind of guy.

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I don't think that means what you think it means...

[Lascar78]

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I agree with you. Mora didn't get the job done and was terminated. Woodson is just flat embarrassing...and keeps right on trucking. Accountability is one place, no nads in the other. It's that simple.

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Mora was not fired mid-season even when his team quit on him and he openly discussed taking another (taken) job.

[gsuteke]

[troubleman]

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Hmm.

I wonder why that same owner doesn't hold his quarterback accountable then? Could it be that said owner doesn't want to admit that giving him a $100 million contract was a grave mistake?

The coaching search for a replacement is already flawed, because the Falcons are going to ask the new coach to structure the offense around their extremely flawed quarterback.

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Extremely flawed? If Matt Schaub is completing passes at about the same rate as Vick (52.2% in his career), and has a career passer rating of 69.2, despite the fact that he is a "passing" qb, wouldn't that point to a bigger problem than Mike Vick?

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The Falcons might as well just hire someone like Pat Sullivan and install the option offense, seeing as how the option offense is the only offense Michael Vick can efficiently run.

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So the option offense is the only offense Michael Vick can efficiently run? Did Dan Reeves run the option offense? Is it also the only offense Matt Schaub can run, since he seems to have the same problems completing passes, and not turning the ball over as Vick?

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Jim Mora Jr. is not a bad football coach, and if he had a real quarterback, the west coast offense would work very well for the Falcons.

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I agree, Jim Mora Jr. is not a bad football coach, but his gimmicky style had to go. Did the Falcons run the option offense in 2004 on their way to the NFC Championship game? If you watch the Falcons offense, and I mean truly watch the offense, you will see a qb that is blitzed more than any other in the league, and you will see an offense designed to fail against the blitz. Where are the hot routes? Where are the passes across the middle? Why is there no audibling?(Garcia couldn't audible in SF either) Why not use the fullback (Griffith) in the redzone, instead of trying to pass? Jim Mora is a victim of his own inability to reign in his moronic offensive coordinator. I'm originally from the Bay Area, so I have several friends who are 49er fans, and when Gregg Knapp was hired as the Falcons offensive coordinator, they were happy as h*ll to see him gone. I really wonder do people in this city actually watch the games?

[Guest Walter]

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Hmm.

I wonder why that same owner doesn't hold his quarterback accountable then? Could it be that said owner doesn't want to admit that giving him a $100 million contract was a grave mistake?

The coaching search for a replacement is already flawed, because the Falcons are going to ask the new coach to structure the offense around their extremely flawed quarterback.

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Extremely flawed? If Matt Schaub is completing passes at about the same rate as Vick (52.2% in his career), and has a career passer rating of 69.2, despite the fact that he is a "passing" qb, wouldn't that point to a bigger problem than Mike Vick?

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The Falcons might as well just hire someone like Pat Sullivan and install the option offense, seeing as how the option offense is the only offense Michael Vick can efficiently run.

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So the option offense is the only offense Michael Vick can efficiently run? Did Dan Reeves run the option offense? Is it also the only offense Matt Schaub can run, since he seems to have the same problems completing passes, and not turning the ball over as Vick?

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Jim Mora Jr. is not a bad football coach, and if he had a real quarterback, the west coast offense would work very well for the Falcons.

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I agree, Jim Mora Jr. is not a bad football coach, but his gimmicky style had to go. Did the Falcons run the option offense in 2004 on their way to the NFC Championship game? If you watch the Falcons offense, and I mean truly watch the offense, you will see a qb that is blitzed more than any other in the league, and you will see an offense designed to fail against the blitz. Where are the hot routes? Where are the passes across the middle? Why is there no audibling?(Garcia couldn't audible in SF either) Why not use the fullback (Griffith) in the redzone, instead of trying to pass? Jim Mora is a victim of his own inability to reign in his moronic offensive coordinator. I'm originally from the Bay Area, so I have several friends who are 49er fans, and when Gregg Knapp was hired as the Falcons offensive coordinator, they were happy as h*ll to see him gone. I really wonder do people in this city actually watch the games?

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I think Mora is already a better head coach than Woodson will ever be. I will never understand the Knapp error initially and Mora not "correcting" it sooner. THAT (and Mora's quotes) is why Mora is out. He forced himself to be the one held accountable by making a poor offensive coordinator choice and sticking with it far too long. Frankly, it didn't appear he minded being fired so, good riddance.

W