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Hello everyone!!!! Just want to take this time to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Please take a moment out of your weekend to remember the men and women of our country that have sacrified to keep our country free. Thanks everyone.
Mark
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Every year around this time all the rookies get together at a certain location and the NFL goes over the "do's" and "don'ts" of being a NFL player. The main topics that are usually discussed are the financial aspects of the game and how to present yourself as a professional.
Playing college football, the players play for the love of the game, they are not paid. At least they are not suppose to be paid. And a player one day earning next to nothing and then waking up with millions in their bank account can be a stressful, yet rewarding turn of events. A lot of what is talked about is investing your money wisely, the money that you are garanteed to receive. A good piece of advice that they are given is people are going to come out from nowhere saying they are relatives, and we go way back, so how about a little piece for me. The players learn to say no, and also learn that it is sometimes good to say no. If a player making millions says yes all the time, there will be no more money left. So spend what you have to spend to make you and your family comfortable, and if you want close friends, give some to them, but that is it.
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Isn't it sad when you go see your favorite football team at their home stadium and you either see more of the away team fans, and also a stadium that looks more like a marketing ploy than a haven where the home team plays? Well, in the Atlanta Falcons case it is both. As was until this upcoming 2008 season. In the past years, not counting the years Michael Vick was starting quarterback (because the dome was sold out just to see Vick and not the football team) you could not even give away a Falcons ticket because fans could care less about the team.
Fans and companies from the opposing teams would buy up the unsold Falcons tickets and implode the dome with rants and cheers for the opposing teams. That could possibly be the case for the 2008 season with a new era of Falcons football under way. If you go to a game this year, you will not see the likes of Vick, Warrick Dunn, or Alge Crumpler. All released and picked up by other teams or in prison. The only way to fill the dome up this season is by winning with the young team head coach Mike Smith is going to have in place. And winning cures all. So the fans will come if the Falcons start to win.
Continue reading "Falcons finally to play home games in 2008"
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The birds inked another 2008 draft choice this past Wednesday by signing six round pick running back Thomas Brown. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
While at Georgia Brown put up some good numbers. The 5-8, 204 pound Brown had 3,767 all-purpose yards, which was fourth best in school history. Brown's total rushing yards were 2,646 with 529 rushing attempts. As a senior in 2007, he put up 779 rushing yards and had a career best 10 TDs.
I was on my way home that Sunday listening to the draft on my Sirius NFL radio when I heard and saw Brown's name come across the screen. At first I thought this was a PR move because Brown was a Georgia Bulldog. Later on, after listening to coach Mike Smith talk about how they plan on using Brown, I thought this might actually be a good move. As of right now, he is third on the depth chart behind starter Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. Brown is fighting for the third spot with second year man, Virginia product Jason Snelling. Snelling could also play fullback behind Ovie Mughelli.
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Before training camps start around the NFL, teams always seem to sign players early, which means they have to let other players go to be in compliance with the 80-man roster set forth by the league. Then when the regular season begins, the roster is divided up between the active roster and the practice squad. The Falcons signed 2008 third round draft choice wide receiver Harry Douglas, and veteran safety Deke Cooper. The team also released offensive tackle Michael Butterworth, defensive end Derrick Jones, safety Jamal Lewis, and offensive lineman Kurt Quarterman.
Douglas (5-11) 175 pounds, out of Louisville University, and a native of Jonesboro, GA, signed a 4-year contract. While as a Cardinal, Douglas garnered 2,924 yards and 15 touchdowns in his 4-year career. Douglas started 19 of 46 games and was fifth all time in catches with 173. He also became the number one receiver in the high powered Cardinal offense during the 2007 season.
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Just like the old saying goes, "every person is different in their own unique way." Same goes for athletes when they step on to the playing field. In this case, when Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan's name was called third in this years NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, some questioned that he would step in immediately to take over the realm at starting QB. With Chris Redman, Joey Harrington, DJ Shockley, and now Ryan on the depth chart, the starting position is wide open. But with the signing of Ryan to a six-year $72 million contract, one would figure he would step in as starting QB from the get go. But wait just a minute, in your real life, would you rather think about a big purchase, and take your time in deciding, or jump right into it and buy the first thing you see? You probably want to think about it. Same goes for the decision in starting Ryan or letting him grow into the position. Spend the $72 million wisely, don't rush him into the starting position to have him lose confidence or get hurt and possibly end his career. Yes, I know football is a rough sport and injuries happen, but let them happen when he is comfortable lining up under center. It is a faster game between the NFL and college.
Continue reading "Why Falcons' 72 million dollar man should play later rather than now"
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Posted by Mark A Kirkley | 0 comment(s)
Hello sports fans out there. My name is Mark and I just started my first blog. I am new to this type of thing. As you can probably notice, I love sports. I enjoy most any type of sport, but my love is football, either NFL or college. I graduated back in 2000 with a Communication degree and did a little writing after graduation. I enjoy writing and I enjoy sports, so why not combine both. I have a full time job, but trying to get back writing on the side. Take a look at this article I wrote. I believe this is a very good thing to implement for rookies.
After former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irving was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame summer 2007, he talked to commissioner Roger Goodell and thought rookies should get a taste of this historical site before they play a down of professional ball.The idea was accepted by Goodell, and rookies from all 32 teams have taken turns taking a peak at the history of the NFL. Hopefully this will be implemented every year before the regular season begins. This will help the players coming out of school gain a better perspective of what football has meant to everyone that has worked and played in the NFL. The thought that crossed my mind was this is going to give these young players a better understanding of the game, and hopefully they will have dreams to one day see their name edged by the likings of late Reggie White, Joe Montana, and Irving.
Continue reading "NFL Rookies get a taste of the Hall of Fame"
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