Petrino to the Razorbacks

[Joemailman]

Petrino's exit a dirty shame

Posted: December 11, 2007

I was starting to feel sorry for Bobby Petrino, the embattled, first-year head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Then he abruptly resigned Monday, apparently to return to the college ranks as the new head coach at the University of Arkansas.

Now I feel a different emotion. Disgust.

I'm sure Petrino had high aspirations when he left the comforting environment of the University of Louisville and accepted that five-year, $24 million contract to become the Falcons' coach last January. Then his dreams turned into a nightmare.

Michael Vick, the team's linchpin, was indicted on dogfighting charges, suspended indefinitely by the NFL and eventually sentenced to 23 months in prison. Petrino's revolving door of quarterbacks thereafter included Chris Redman, who hadn't started an NFL game in more than five years before Monday night against the Saints. His team lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

But you know what? Bad things happen -- in football just like in life. Those with heart, gumption and mettle fight through adversity. Those who lack those characteristics look for the nearest fire escape.

Petrino took the easy way out. He put his own interests above his team's and quit. Way to set an example for the young men you now will be leading at Arkansas, Bobby.

Coaching a football team can be discouraging, but maybe Petrino didn't bother to look at the standings. Do you think Cam Cameron is enjoying his first year as an NFL head coach in Miami, where the Dolphins are 0-13? Do you think the Jets' Eric Mangini, the Rams' Scott Linehan and the 49ers' Mike Nolan are sitting around, toasting their teams' 3-10 records?

What about when Jim Haslett coached the Saints in 2005 and the entire organization had to be uprooted from New Orleans and transplanted to San Antonio in the ugly wake of Hurricane Katrina? Now that was the mother of misfortune. But Haslett gutted it out.

Petrino must have adopted the Lou Holtz blueprint for coaching in the NFL. After four years at North Carolina State, Holtz accepted the job as head coach of the Jets in 1976. He didn't last the season either, resigning with one game left. Coincidentally, the Jets were 3-10.

The person I feel sorry for now is Arthur Blank, the Falcons' respected owner. First, his quarterback deceives him. Now, his coach leaves him in a lurch.

See ya, Bobby Petrino. Don't expect to be welcomed back into the NFL any time soon. And if you ever think your Arkansas team is quitting on you, don't be too hard on the boys.

After all, they'll just be following your lead.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

[the_idle_threat]

Agree with ^^^.

[FritzDontBlitz]

Petrino's exit a dirty shame

Posted: December 11, 2007

I was starting to feel sorry for Bobby Petrino, the embattled, first-year head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Then he abruptly resigned Monday, apparently to return to the college ranks as the new head coach at the University of Arkansas.

Now I feel a different emotion. Disgust.

I'm sure Petrino had high aspirations when he left the comforting environment of the University of Louisville and accepted that five-year, $24 million contract to become the Falcons' coach last January. Then his dreams turned into a nightmare.

Michael Vick, the team's linchpin, was indicted on dogfighting charges, suspended indefinitely by the NFL and eventually sentenced to 23 months in prison. Petrino's revolving door of quarterbacks thereafter included Chris Redman, who hadn't started an NFL game in more than five years before Monday night against the Saints. His team lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

But you know what? Bad things happen -- in football just like in life. Those with heart, gumption and mettle fight through adversity. Those who lack those characteristics look for the nearest fire escape.

Petrino took the easy way out. He put his own interests above his team's and quit. Way to set an example for the young men you now will be leading at Arkansas, Bobby.

Coaching a football team can be discouraging, but maybe Petrino didn't bother to look at the standings. Do you think Cam Cameron is enjoying his first year as an NFL head coach in Miami, where the Dolphins are 0-13? Do you think the Jets' Eric Mangini, the Rams' Scott Linehan and the 49ers' Mike Nolan are sitting around, toasting their teams' 3-10 records?

What about when Jim Haslett coached the Saints in 2005 and the entire organization had to be uprooted from New Orleans and transplanted to San Antonio in the ugly wake of Hurricane Katrina? Now that was the mother of misfortune. But Haslett gutted it out.

Petrino must have adopted the Lou Holtz blueprint for coaching in the NFL. After four years at North Carolina State, Holtz accepted the job as head coach of the Jets in 1976. He didn't last the season either, resigning with one game left. Coincidentally, the Jets were 3-10.

The person I feel sorry for now is Arthur Blank, the Falcons' respected owner. First, his quarterback deceives him. Now, his coach leaves him in a lurch.

See ya, Bobby Petrino. Don't expect to be welcomed back into the NFL any time soon. And if you ever think your Arkansas team is quitting on you, don't be too hard on the boys.

After all, they'll just be following your lead.

Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.

I feel the same way. Petrino is an ass, just like That crank Nick Saban. Take your damn lumps, you might actually win over the players and fans by how you deal with adversity. When you bail before your first year is done it makes you look like a complete coward.

Its a shame. Blank was in the booth speaking highly of Petrino, even as the the Falcons were stinking up the joint. Then, a few hours after the game is over Petrino quits.

[The Leaper]

Not true. You won't find better college football (and baseball) fans in the world.

OK...you are right on that.

I should have qualified my statement to include the word PROFESSIONAL. ATL is a horrible PROFESSIONAL sports town in terms of fan support. The Hawks couldn't fill a thimble. The Falcons have rarely had much support. The Braves were only fashionable when they were winning...and even then sometimes had difficulty filling the stadium for big games. Don't even bother discussing the Thrashers.

I agree that in terms of college sports...especially football...just about any city in the southeast is extremely passionate.

[LL2]

You definitely will not see too many college coaches get offers in the next few years. Quitting after the MNF game is a joke! He couldn't stick it out a few more weeks to the end of the season? You would think college and NFL teams would hold coaches to their contracts rather than letting them jump ship whenever they want. If I was a Razorbacks fan I'd be disgusted he's the new coach and probably find a new team to cheer for. Also, it has to suck right now to be a Falcons fan.

[Spaulding]

I'm on board with thinking Putridino has zero integrity in that he says one thing and then does another, BUT the fact that he is leaving a 4+ million a year job for the Arkansas gig (which has to be less than half that) says something.

His authoritarian style obviously wasn't working in the NFL ranks and he took action. He's giving up quite a bit of money to move back to the college ranks and in some bizarre way, I kinda respect that. Wouldn't want him as my head coach and can't imagine any recruited atheletes trusting him to be around for their four year run but admitting a mistaken and giving up dough to move back to something he was good at does make sense in many ways.

[Freak Out]

I think it would be exciting to build a team from the ground up....a ton of work but it's worth it when you see the end result and the community that it can help build. Sounds like he likes the path of least resistance.

[Cheesehead Craig]

He's a quitter. I have no respect for him.

I think he's going to fail at Arkansas.

[LL2]

I'm on board with thinking Putridino has zero integrity in that he says one thing and then does another, BUT the fact that he is leaving a 4+ million a year job for the Arkansas gig (which has to be less than half that) says something.

He must have hated his Atlanta job a lot to take a $2 mil a year pay cut.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Hired to be the genius to harness Mike Vick. Not hired to rebuild a devasted team. I wouldn't want that job either.

True....but I'm surprised NFL owners don't require these guys to have a "no leaving for a college job" in the contract when they sign for boatloads of money.

You mean like the no leaving for pro jobs contract he had at Ville?

This is america. You have the right to quit any job, any time. And, for the most part, they can find a way to fire you any time they want.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Only problem is there is no real fan base to support the team. Half the stadium was empty for Monday Night Football.

ATL is pretty well known for being rather indifferent to their sports teams.

PRO SPORTS TEAMS.

They live for high school and college football.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Only problem is there is no real fan base to support the team. Half the stadium was empty for Monday Night Football.

ATL is pretty well known for being rather indifferent to their sports teams.

Not true. You won't find better college football (and baseball) fans in the world. Atlanta has always been a college first, high school second and pro sports team third town. The only reason the Braves got all that support in the '90s is because Ted Turner basically bought a winning team. At that point he was no better than Steinbrenner....but I digress...

Petrino is a liar. He interviewed for a job at Auburn while he was still coaching at Louisville and then denied it. It was made known later that he had indeed interviewed at Auburn. When rumors circulated that he was leaving Louisville for the Pros, he emphatically denied it and then a couple of days later signed with the Falcons. He told Arthur Blank last night that he was with the Falcons for the long haul and then quits less than 24 hours later. The man has no credibility with me whatsoever. He's a liar and the Falcons are better off without him...addition by substraction. Good Luck Arkansas.

Petrino had lost the players. The veterans...Crumpler, Dunn, Brooking were questioning his leadership and his ability to control the team. I though that was very evident last night by the player's lovefest for Vick. How embarrassing was that for Blank! His players showing love and support for a player that bred dogs for fighting and participated in their brutal murder. "C'mon men...lets go out, stink up the joint and lose one for the felon!"

There was talk that Blank and Petrino were going to blow up the team, off load the vets and start fresh. Now I guess that will wait until they hire a new coach to see what direction he wants to take.

From what I can tell, they have a decent general manager to run the team but Blank needs to get the hell out of the way. He tries to be Jerry Jones by prowling the sidelines...scowling and barking when the team doesn't play well, joking and chatting up with the players when they do. As long as he keeps meddling, the Falcons will lose. It's his money and everything but starting up and running Home Depot is not the same as running a professional football team. You would think a smart business man would know that, hire someone and get out of the way.

Missed your post before i responded. Right on the money.

Liar: Let's call a spade a spade. All coaches are liars. And, most employees are as well. They will always look for other jobs and tell you they love it where they are. And, owners do the same thing...and then fire you. It is the nature of the game.

Petrino: I don't know if he was outta his league. He did coach in the NFL before. For what that is worth.

But, for sure the team was torn apart and that isn't what he signed up for. It was ridiculous watching a team PUBLICLY support a player in prison. Nothing wrong with saying, "we miss you" or something to that effect, but "free mike vick" that was atrocious and embarrasing.

Petrino saw the handwriting on the wall. Stay, and face a major rebuilding job...that is the case even if they don't dump all the vets. Can anyone in ATL say that Jenkins, etc. are the future at WR?

The Falcons basically handed the team completely over to Vick by trading Schaub.

They are screwed.

[The Leaper]

Quitting after the MNF game is a joke! He couldn't stick it out a few more weeks to the end of the season?

Not really. The college recruiting season is already underway, so a college isn't going to want to wait until early January to get a coach in place.

If he waited until after the NFL season, he probably would not be coaching next season.

[Badgerinmaine]

He reportedly told the Falcons, who were asking him whether he was staying, "I'm your coach" the day before he went to Arkansas.

From CBSSportsline.com:

Petrino's news conference late Tuesday at Arkansas caused a stir among Falcons players watching on TV.

"When we saw him doing his press conference at Arkansas, that's what I think brought up the anger to have him talk about family, about team and about commitment, and then to come in here and have a form letter at your locker," said quarterback Joey Harrington. "That's not how a man acts. That's how a coward acts."

[KYPack]

I love this situation, Pertrino is a real lightening rod for hate.

Now the whole country knows what a lying scumbag BP is. It's been known around here for years.

Petrino went to Blank & asked for permission to check out college gigs. Blank denied permission, but "Bobby the weasel" ignored orders & did it anyway. He lied to his boss, his coaches, & the guys. That's what people are pissed about.