Mike Smith wins coach of the year

[Admin]

Just heard this on the CBS pre-game. I think Smith did a terrific job but I don't feel like he should have won the award over Tony Sparano. I don't think I'm being biased here since Miami had a 10 game improvement and won their division and had the same record as the Falcons. Maybe they should have split this award since both coaches were deserving but as it stands I think Sparano got robbed here.

[tonegully]

Nah, the right man won it.

Mike Smith is a rookie coach, with a rookie GM, a first time every down back, and rookie quarterback.

Sparano had The Big Tuna, and a veteran quarterback who just won the comeback player of the year for the second dam time..lol.

Go look in the any 2008 preseason picks every picks the falcons as the worst team in football. They didnt even say we would even win our 4 games from the year prior. The so called experts said we were the worst team hands down. We proved them all wrong.

But Sparano did a great job in Mia though and i think everyone knew it would be close.

[AHF]

Two worthy candidates. One of them edged out the other. No robbery here. You can make arguments one way or the other as to who was the most deserving but clearly, IMO, both guys fit the bill.

I suspect the carryover from the Vick imprisonment, Petrino abandonment and veteran purging may have been the difference. Even though Miami's record was worse last season, the Falcons started the season with fewer answers and a worse perceived talent pool.

For coach of the year, it is rarely the best coach who wins anyway. The award should just be renamed "Coach of the Team that Most Exceeds the Media's Expert Pre-season Predictions."

[DrReality]

Definately behind him all the way. Rookie coach, GM and QB. Heck of a record.

[Eddielives]

Two worthy candidates. One of them edged out the other. No robbery here. You can make arguments one way or the other as to who was the most deserving but clearly, IMO, both guys fit the bill.

I suspect the carryover from the Vick imprisonment, Petrino abandonment and veteran purging may have been the difference. Even though Miami's record was worse last season, the Falcons started the season with fewer answers and a worse perceived talent pool.

For coach of the year, it is rarely the best coach who wins anyway. The award should just be renamed "Coach of the Team that Most Exceeds the Media's Expert Pre-season Predictions."

Couldn't have been stated better. One vote was the difference. It could have gone either way, but the Falcons had a helluva lot more turmoil. To turn things around so quickly is nothing short of miraculous.

[Admin]

Perhaps robbed was overstating it, but Miami turned over more than half of the roster, brought in a qb to be the starter just prior to the first game, had a rookie head coach, and a rookie gm, and improved by 10 games. I believe that the Falcons are a more talented team and Ryan is already a better QB than Pennington. I think the award should have been split, but I guess it doesn't matter since nobody will remember who won it 6 months from now.

[DjGrizz]

Perhaps robbed was overstating it, but Miami turned over more than half of the roster, brought in a qb to be the starter just prior to the first game, had a rookie head coach, and a rookie gm, and improved by 10 games. I believe that the Falcons are a more talented team and Ryan is already a better QB than Pennington. I think the award should have been split, but I guess it doesn't matter since nobody will remember who won it 6 months from now.

Smith deserved it. Not to take anything away from Sparano, but what happened to the Falcons last year was unbelievable.

They trade Schaub before they realize Vick will be indicted.

Vick gets indicted on Federal charges

Bobby Petrino quits 13 games into the season to go coach Arkansas. Leaves a not on players locker say "Dear Falcon player"

They cut Crumpler, Dunn, Coleman, trade Hall.

Arthur Blank tries to get Parcels to no avail. Cowher turns them down.

So in other words, the Falcons had a horrible season with unthinkable things that happened. It's one thing to turn around a 1-15 team, it's another to turn around a franchise that lost it's franchise quarterback, and had their coach quit mid-season only to see him hours later, on a news conference singing the Razorbacks alumni song.

BTW, first time in 63 years that a rookie QB and rookie coach made it to the playoffs. It is great what Sparano did, but it is remarkable what Smith did.

In the end they both deserve praise!