Even worse than the Al injury...

[ATL_BALLER]

...is that now Gearon has yet another excuse to pin the Hawks' inevitable failures on, and thereby keep the precious (and fundamentally flawed) core together. The soundbite's already been written: "We weren't at full strength - this team deserves another shot to see what they can do."

Big fat UGH.

Related note: Did you see Blank's comments after the Falcons' losss? He said his team is "playing for rings and championships. We’re not about being in the playoffs. . . this organization is about greatness.”

Compare that with Gearon's go-to: "We're one of only three teams to make it to the second round three years in a row." (Nevermind that the other two went on to win championships).

SIGH.

[01d0rd3r]

How did the falcons do in the playoffs?

[frosgrim]

How did the falcons do in the playoffs?

Point is that the Falcons are now taking a serious look at their organizational structure, including coaching, players, and draft. Ownership is not satisfied with making the playoffs, which are harder to make in the NFL than in the NBA. The Hawks organization isn't anywhere near the caliber of the Falcons.

[Wretch]

How did the falcons do in the playoffs?

I don't watch football anymore, but it's about the mindset. I'm not going to get too deep in to why one team should be more scrutinized than another. That's just an argument that is too polarized.

But I have watched this game for a very long time and our Atlanta teams have lacked something pretty much for as long as I have followed them. Part of it is a star to drive the franchise. The other part is attitude. We have always found ourselves at a point where we think a small tweak is going to get us over the hump - when in reality, we don't have the engine to get over the hump.

...and in the case of our owners, nor do we have the driver.

[AHF]

Point is that the Falcons are now taking a serious look at their organizational structure, including coaching, players, and draft. Ownership is not satisfied with making the playoffs, which are harder to make in the NFL than in the NBA. The Hawks organization isn't anywhere near the caliber of the Falcons.

Quoted for truth.

[Admin]

Point is that the Falcons are now taking a serious look at their organizational structure, including coaching, players, and draft. Ownership is not satisfied with making the playoffs, which are harder to make in the NFL than in the NBA. The Hawks organization isn't anywhere near the caliber of the Falcons.

Blank can talk all day long about what the Falcons are going to do and how they're focused on championships and blah blah blah ... hell I'm focused on working out 3-5 days a week but that's probably not going to happen, although it sure sounds good! I'd rather not hear the owner give me some rah rah speech about what they're going to do, instead I'd like them to just do what needs to be done and then do it, without the PR pitch.

And you can diss the Hawks organization all you want but the Falcons have had a lot less success over the past 5 years when compared to the Hawks, so the organization must be doing something right!

[AHF]

Blank can talk all day long about what the Falcons are going to do and how they're focused on championships and blah blah blah ... hell I'm focused on working out 3-5 days a week but that's probably not going to happen, although it sure sounds good! I'd rather not hear the owner give me some rah rah speech about what they're going to do, instead I'd like them to just do what needs to be done and then do it, without the PR pitch.

And you can diss the Hawks organization all you want but the Falcons have had a lot less success over the past 5 years when compared to the Hawks, so the organization must be doing something right!

I wouldn't go that far. The Falcons v. Hawks regular season finishes and (postseasons):

5th in the NFC - 5th in the EC - tie; (better post-season for Hawks who showed well against a team that made the ECF)

1st in the NFC - 3rd in the EC - Falcons; (disasters for both teams but since both bounced in 2nd round and Hawks lost worst series in history and Falcons lost to super bowl champs I give this post-season to the Falcons)

7th in the NFC - 4th in the EC - Hawks; (better for Hawks)

3rd in the NFC - 8th in the EC - Falcons; (both lost close to opponents with home court - I'll call it even with the Hawks' home games trumping the Falcons' play but the 20+ point road disasters pulling it into a tie)

In sum, I don't see much difference the last 4 years.

[Admin]

I wouldn't go that far. The Falcons v. Hawks regular season finishes and (postseasons):

5th in the NFC - 5th in the EC - tie; (better post-season for Hawks who showed well against a team that made the ECF)

1st in the NFC - 3rd in the EC - Falcons; (disasters for both teams but since both bounced in 2nd round and Hawks lost worst series in history and Falcons lost to super bowl champs I give this post-season to the Falcons)

7th in the NFC - 4th in the EC - Hawks; (better for Hawks)

3rd in the NFC - 8th in the EC - Falcons; (both lost close to opponents with home court - I'll call it even with the Hawks' home games trumping the Falcons' play but the 20+ point road disasters pulling it into a tie)

In sum, I don't see much difference the last 4 years.

Honestly when I look back on a season the regular season results don't mean anything to me. I only really remember what the team did in the playoffs, and while the Hawks have had some awful performances in the playoffs, they've also had some incredible moments as well. Hell I'd go so far as to say that single series with the Celtics or even the Magic series last year alone are enough to validate my point that the Hawks have been better over the past 5 years as the Falcons, if memory serves, haven't give the city of Atlanta anything to be proud of in the playoffs during that time. I'm not a Falcons fan so I can't say that with certainty, but I'm confident that either and certainly both of those series by the Hawks did more for Atlanta than anything the Falcons have done.