J.Mike's Missives

Settling into the Georgia Dome press box for the final time in the 2009 preseason and there’s some early “news” to report.

I use the unnecessary quote marks because this is stuff Head Coach Mike Smith talked about earlier in the week.

But maybe it’s just now getting to a different audience.

Safety William Moore, running back Jerious Norwood, defensive end John Abraham and center Todd McClure will not play Thursday night against the Ravens.

Moore (hamstring) and Norwood (head, leg) suffered injuries in the team’s last preseason game. McClure and Abraham — elder statesmen on the offense and defense — were likely given a breather before the start of the regular season.

For the second time this preseason Brett Romberg will start at center for McClure. Second-year defensive end Kroy Biermann will start for Abraham. It’s a position Biermann is familiar with, as he worked in that spot during OTAs and mini camp as Abraham nursed an injury.

Read on for a little pre-game Birdseed.

Birds audition for roster spots in preseason finale, AF.com
It may sound a bit cliche, but Thursday really is a final “dress rehearsal” for the 2009 season. The next time the Falcons put on the jerseys, it’s for real.

Atlanta Falcons Mailbag, Examiner.com
The questions are starting to flow in as the Falcons get ready to answer some pressing issues of their own. Rosters must be cut by Saturday evening.

We’re live from the Falcons (and Dimitroff has no regrets), Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AF.com’s John Manasso will be watching some of the team’s position battles Thursday at the Georgia Dome and check in with a report postgame.

Forbes: Falcons rank 30th out of 32 for team value, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Might as well throw some business stories into Birdseed. I’ve got a broad audience.

Five keys for Falcons vs. Ravens, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cornerback, quarterback, defensive end, punt return and special teams coverage. Get the checklist ready.

Hill joins Falcons for practice, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tye Hill will not be among the players suiting up Thursday night against the Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens-Atlanta Falcons: What to watch for, Examiner.com
Take a step away from the story for a moment. What a cool shot used to illustrate the piece! That’s a perspective of football photography I don’t think I’ve seen before.

For dozens of Ravens, a last chance to impress, Baltimore Sun
Got a chance to talk with some Ravens staffers when I got to the Dome. There are some intriguing position battles in this week’s game for the opponents’ too.

The Grand Finale of Camp, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yet another description of some of the jobs on the line for the Falcons. This list was a lot longer last year.

Economy affects some NFL teams’ worth, USA Today
Be careful. Numbers in stories talking about the NFL and team worth tend to be rather large.

Hartsock signs with Jets, Chillicothe Gazette
Good for Ben Hartsock. He’s one of the nicest guys in the NFL.

’09 owner rankings, 1-16; Kraft-y payoff, Yahoo Sports
Owner and CEO Arthur Blank checks in at No. 14 on this list.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, Gameday, Preseason AF.com, AJC, Arthur Blank, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Sun, Ben Hartsock, Chillicothe Gazette, Examiner.com, Head Coach Mike Smith, injury, Jerious Norwood, John Abraham, John Manasso, Kroy Biermann, Preseason, Todd McClure, Tye Hill, USA Today, William Moore, YahooSports

Wide receiver Roddy White returned to the practice field Monday after week long holdout. He signed a contract extension with the team over the weekend.

The 2009 Pro Bowler said he’d been working out since his holdout began on July 31 to stay in shape but admits to some rust when it comes to catching the football.

He stayed after practice to work on that skill with wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie. He also thanked Owner and CEO Arthur Blank, General Manager Thomas Dimitroff, President Rich McKay and Head Coach Mike Smith for their role in building his new contract.

“I think I’m in pretty good shape,” he said, adding he may sneak in a few extra routes in the midst of the receiver rotation. “I just have to get in there and hear the huddle calls and get the plays down and listen to the snap count, (not) get too anxious out there. Hopefully I get out there on Saturday and get some reps.”

White set a single-season franchise record with 1,382 receiving yards in 2008. He was the top target for quarterback Matt Ryan.

The receiver said regaining chemistry with the Rookie of the Year after a week break won’t be a problem. He also feels no debilitating pressure to perform after signing a new deal.

“No pressure,” he said. “We’re going to go out there and we have a lot of weapons on this offense. A lot of people can make big plays out there. I’m just going to go out there, play, do what I do and bring some excitement to our team.”

Smith welcomed White back to the field and is pleased his team is healthy and accounted for heading into the first preseason game of the season (Saturday at Detroit).

“As a team, you want to have all your best players and when you don’t have your best players you’re not going to be as efficient as you can be,” he said.

“We’re at full strength. We have all 80 guys with us and I think that’s important as we get ready to go.”

J. Michael Moore News, Roster Moves, training camp Arthur Blank, Head Coach Mike Smith, interview, Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Russell Falcons Training Camp, Thomas Dimitroff

Shameless plug alert…

If you saw my rather ambiguous tweet Sunday night about a “surprise” coming to AF.com, you’re probably wondering why I have to be so secretive and coy.

Simple. Matt Moore will crack a camera on my head if I reveal too many details about his special project.

Sunday night the AF.com team began work on the Motorola Players’ Challenge — a new feature for the 2009 season that, well, challenges players on their knowledge of Falcons teammates.

It’s a season-long tournament, with the first head-to-head matchup airing on AF.com the week of the first regular-season game.

Shameless plug over. Begin Birdseed download…

Roddy White ends holdout, inks new deal with Falcons, USA Today
Big news of the day, Falcons fans. More from Roddy White later on AF.com (for more on contract numbers from ESPN.com, click here)

Blank learning to stay in background, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In any business, it’s important to surround yourself with good people. Now entering my sixth season in the NFL, I can say — without a doubt — some of the smartest people in the game work on the other side of the building scouting for the Falcons and forming a franchise.

Memories stir for Elam at Friday Night Lights, AF.com
Special thanks to John Manasso for helping the AF.com team and running all over Brookwood Community Stadium to get info for this story.

Peterson talks a big game, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mike Peterson. Master of on-the-field chatter.

Falcons, Elam return to Gwinnett, Gwinnett Daily Post
I don’t know who enjoys Friday Night Lights more, fans or Falcons players.

Atlanta Falcons live and under the lights of Friday night, Examiner.com
Yeah, it was a scrimmage but that doesn’t mean nothing was on the line. Players fight for jobs during training camp. Nothing like a little live-action football to show the full body of skills.

Mailbag: Atlanta Falcons edition, ESPN.com
I’ll be sure to catch up with Pat Yasinskas when he makes it to Flowery Branch for another YouTube interview.

Falcons try to work through distractions, The Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail
Losing Harry Douglas for the season wasn’t easy. But in the past few days the Falcons responded by getting two veteran receivers.

The 2009 Falcons: A worse record but a better team?, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that headline just seems odd and backwards. But, I see the point.

Thomas DeCoud ‘penciled in’ to be the starter for the Atlanta Falcons at safety, Examiner.com
The injury to William Moore, which could keep him off the field for up to a month, makes the starting picture at safety a little clearer. Perhaps.

NFL Photos: Falcons ‘Roam the Dome,’ Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The video boards. The cheerleaders. The fans. Hard not to get ready for some football.

Dimitroff shapes scouting department to his liking, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
See earlier comments about surrounding oneself with smart, hard-working people.

Falcons hold tryouts for punt returner, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No question the team has players with the appropriate skills to be a punt returner. Just one problem. Catching punts isn’t like working the outfield in church-league softball. It’s an art.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, training camp AF.com, AJC, Allstate All-Access Weekend, Arthur Blank, Brookwood High School, ESPN.com, Examiner.com, Friday Night Lights, Gwinnett Daily Post, Harry Douglas, Jason Elam, John Manasso, Mike Pterson, Motorola, Pat Yasinskas, Roam the Dome, Roddy White, The Independent-Mail, Thomas DeCoud, William Moore

Want to loop everyone in on the plans for tonight at Allstate All-Access Friday Night Lights. I’ll be doing a live blog via CoverItLive (click here to get a peek and set a reminder).

The Falcons will conduct their first live scrimmage at Brookwood High School and, though it’s offensive against defense, Head Coach Mike Smith developed a scoring system to make it like a real game.

I understand many Falcons fans won’t be able to attend so I’ll give you as much insight and play-by-play as possible, especially since this is the first time the Falcons will really hit and take each other to the ground.

More from practice later this morning and more from Brookwood tonight. But, for now, enjoy a late Birdseed breakfast.

Falcons sign free agent WRs, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Busy night in Flowery Branch. It’s all about press releases, roster moves and bio building!

Team examines options in absence of Douglas, AF.com
Before the roster moves, John Manasso wrote about the players that could help fill in for Harry Douglas all ready on the roster. They still could have an impact.

Roveto back at Brookwood with Falcons, Gwinnett Daily Post
If the Falcons practice facility is “Cheers,” Roveto is Norm. Veto! Happy to see your name in the headlines. Now you’re never going to hear the end of it.

White’s agent discusses holdout, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Starting to think we’ll see a story a day on this.

Falcons add WR Booker, ESPN.com
Between the addition of Marty Booker and Robert Ferguson the Falcons added a combined 18 years of NFL experience to the roster on Thursday.

Staying focused becomes the top priority for Atlanta Falcons, Examiner.com
It’s an old but proven saying. Something about how a man handles himself in the face of adversity.

Roddy’s rude awakening: WRs aren’t held in high esteem, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Interesting perspective. Ranking receivers can get you in trouble but throw in the idea of “interchangeability” (is that a word?) and it makes the argument more diverse.

Blank found paradise in solitude of Montana, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Having spent some years living out west, I can say it’s one of the most beautiful locations on Earth.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, training camp AF.com, AJC, Allstate All-Access Weekend, Arthur Blank, CoverItLive, Examiner.com, Friday Night Lights, Gwinnett Daily Post, Harry Douglas, Head Coach Mike Smith, John Manasso, John Roveto, Marty Booker, Robert Ferguson, Roddy White

You may have caught wind of our Twitter conversation with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen on Monday. What started as a simple “Talk Back” segment between the host and tight end Tony Gonzalez evolved (or devolved) into a brief run of tweets.

Rich, to answer your question, there are two “Moores” on the AF.com team. Matt and I are not related, though our father’s carry similar looks and manerisisms.

As for the interview with Tony, fantastic.

Russell Falcons Training Camp Info, AF.com
Practice times, wall-to-wall coverage, videos and more from the Falcons official website.

DE Anderson is battle for starting job, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Competition makes you better. It’s the first rule of business, football or just about anything else in life.

Atlanta Falcons: Sights and Sounds of Camp, Examiner.com
Monday the Falcons put on the pads for the first time. Now we wait a couple of days and, according to Head Coach Mike Smith, reevaluate the team’s intensity level.

Falcons take training camp to a new level, AF.com
If anyone deserves a day off in the middle of camp, it’s Brian Finneran.

Falcons get healthy dose of food at camp, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I can proudly say I account for two daily slices of that 600 pounds of bacon.

Five Questions: Blank on Falcons, White, ticket sales, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few words from Owner and CEO Arthur Blank.

Falcons could turn to DeCoud at Safety, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ll also be writing about the position battles at safety today, particularly when it comes to adding Von Hutchins in the mix and examining the versatility of William Moore.

Coleman leads young Falcons secondary, Gainesville Times
Everyone who’s in the NFL long enough becomes a veteran leader. Coleman was a voice in the secondary in 2008, too, it just gets a little more attention this year in the middle of the team’s youth movement.

High intensity first practice with pads for Atlanta Falcons, Examiner.com
In a way, the first day of full pads is the day training camp actually starts.

Babineaux’s Time for Pro-Bowl? Who’s in at DT #4?, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Note Babineaux’s progression over his career. That kind of steady improvement gets rewarded. Hence, a new contract in 2008.

Falcons’ Ryan hopes to avoid 2nd-year jinx, (Asheville, N.C.) Citizen-Times
North Carolina? The Falcons are getting some news in Panthers’ country.

Roddy White Looking For A Big Payday, The Falcoholic
The comparison to other players is routine in these situations but something about that bothers me. There’s a different level of value unique to the individual and team that can’t be charted with stats.

Contract extension in the best interest for Falcons, White, NFL.com
A nice wrap of the Roddy White-Falcons situation as it stands thus far.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, training camp AF.com, AJC, Arthur Blank, Brian Finneran, Citizen-Times, Erik Coleman, Examiner.com, food, Gainesville Times, Head Coach Mike Smith, Jamaal Anderson, Jonathan Babineaux, Matt Ryan, NFL Network, NFL.com, Rich Eisen, Roddy White, Russell Falcons Training Camp, The Falcoholic, Thomas DeCoud, Tony Gonzalez, Twitter, William Moore

The Minnesota Vikings hosted the 2009 NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament last weekend.

The group representing the Falcons from North Cobb High School made it to the championship, but fell to the undefeated Miami Dolphins contingent 48-38.

North Cobb won the regional tournament late last month.

According to a Vikings press release, more than 10,000 high school football players participated in the HPSD program last year. Teams for the 7-on-7 tournament were made up of 10-12 players, working on a 40-yard field.

Click here for more on the tournament (including photos).

Agent: Abraham will be in Falcons camp, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are two times a year you’re guaranteed to read stories about contract negotiations — the start of free agency and the start of training camp.

The Atlanta Falcons won’t let positive press go to their heads, Examiner.com
Optimism is more than a passing feeling with this Falcons team. It’s so prevalent and part of the overall makeup that it’s almost not worth mentioning. Then again, here I am talking about it.

Odds say Hawks will win title before Braves, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s take a dip into other Atlanta sports, shall we?

Blank Sells Part of NFL’s Atlanta Falcons to Four Investors, Bloomberg.com
You saw this story first on AF.com. I also cleared up some things in the blog.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed 7-on-7, AJC, Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons, Bloomberg.com, Examiner.com, Falcons in the Community, Gainesville Times, HSPD, John Abraham, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, North Cobb High School, Vance Walker

Falcons Owner and CEO Arthur Blank announced the addition of four, new minority interest owners Tuesday afternoon.

Agreements with Ronald E. Canakaris, Douglas J. Hertz, Ed Mendel and Derek V. Smith were announced and, pending league approval, each will take a stake in the team. The quartet joins John P. Imlay Jr. and John A. Williams as minority owners of the club. Imlay was a minority owner under the Falcons’ previous ownership from 1991 until Blank’s purchase of the team.

“We are very pleased that Ron, Doug, Ed and Derek are joining us as investors in the Falcons,” Blank said. “When we decided to bring in additional investors we were interested in attracting people with deep business experience and a passion for the Atlanta community, and we were successful in both regards.”

According to the release, club executives began talking to minority ownership candidates late last year. The goal was to add additional investors for increased flexibility and “directing capital to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.”

“I have no intention of selling the club or even a controlling interest in the club,” Blank said. “This decision is driven primarily by my charitable and estate planning goals and by the value that can be added to the franchise by partnering with minority owners of this caliber.”

Blank continues to hold more than 90 percent of the ownership interests.

Minority owners are not unusually in the NFL. Last month singer Gloria Estefan and here husband, Emilio, took a stake in the Miami Dolphins.

For more on the new Falcons minority owners, click here.

J. Michael Moore News Arthur Blank, Miami Dolphins, minority owners

What does a Web-addicted, news-sniffing blogger do when he needs a vacation?

He goes to Hawaii and turns the phone off.

But now it’s time to say “aloha” (goodbye) to the islands and “aloha” (hello) to Flowery Branch.

The wife and I took a nine-day vacation to visit friends in Honolulu during this slow, offseason time but I did manage to stay informed on some of the sadder news from the NFL.

(Some things you just find out about).

Before recapping some Falcons news, a word on Steve McNair.

I was relaxing before a Fourth of July barbecue when our host turned from her computer to tell me about McNair’s death. It took but a moment to realize that, for the second time, a professional football player I knew and worked with had been killed.

But it wasn’t the same story.

Darrent Williams was an inspiration — an undersized cornerback looking to prove everyone wrong before his career was cut short by a bullet. McNair was the first player I met when my NFL journey began as a Titans intern in 2004.

One of the team’s PR men took me on a tour of the building and, there in the weight room (in May), was McNair. He smiled, and — through sweat and heavy breaths — said he looked forward to working with me through training camp.

Before that day I followed McNair’s career as a fan. I watched him lead the hometown Titans to a Super Bowl and marveled at his ability to overcome pain. As my NFL path grew longer, I learned more about his uncanny ability to play through injury.

My level of respect rose.

Then, news of his death reached me half a world away. But that didn’t take away the sting.

Rest in peace, Steve.

Leadership important in youthful secondary, AF.com
Before I left for paradise, I prepared features on the website focusing on key questions facing the Falcons at this point in the offseason. More on Tony Gonzalez and the running game here and here.

Ex-Falcons Tuggle prepares son for football limelight, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For as big a sport as it is, football certainly has some eerie connections.

Video: Tony Gonzalez on joining Falcons, ESPN.com
The Falcons new tight end talks about his new team.

Atlanta Falcons’ William Moore’s approach is with common sense and no expectations, Examiner.com
If you don’t keep a level head the NFL will throw you to the side. Too many ups and downs not to approach with an open mind and a calm demeanor.

All Time Falcons Team Results So Far, The Falcoholic
Continuing a great, offseason blog feature. We’re planning some history stuff on AF.com too, so stay tuned through the season.

Offseason spotlight: What will be Gonzalez’s impact in Atlanta?, NFL.com
Note no one says Gonzalez will not make an impact.

Local NFL player greets public, Lahontan Valley (Nev.) News
From small town star to one of the “meanest” players in the NFL. Tip of the hat to Harvey Dahl.

Arthur Blank: “No question we have a better team,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eventually — perhaps sooner rather than later — we’ll be talking about “the power of the bird” in another sense.

Falcons enjoy productive offseason, The (Dalton, Ga.) Daily Citizen
I’m amazed at how little trust is put into the front office for a cornerback position that, though young, is one of the deepest on the team. I may think differently after the first preseason game but I’ll hold judgment for a while longer.

Davis to help hold camp before heading to Training Camp, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thanks for the link, D. Led! On a related note, blocking is something people forget about when it comes to tight end. Gonzalez isn’t a future Hall of Famer for his pass-catching ability alone.

Meet the rookies: Adkins happy to represent ‘The U,’ Gainesville Times
Spencer Adkins is an interesting player. He was a situational player at Miami, so keep an eye out to see where he fits into the Falcons defensive scheme.

The Falcons: From 1-15 to the NFC title game, SN says, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Certainly a different round of predictions expectations this season.

Rader returns to run youth football camp, The Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette
Sometimes I wonder how many of these great, offseason camps we never hear about.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, NFL News AF.com, AJC, Arthur Blank, Chauncey Davis, Darrent Williams, ESPN.com, Examiner.com, Gainesville Times, Harvey Dahl, Hawaii, Honolulu, Jason Rader, Jessie Tuggle, Lahontan Valley News, NFL.com, Spencer Adkins, Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans, The Charleston Gazette, The Daily Citizen, The Falcoholic, Tony Gonzalez, vacation, William Moore

Today marks the last day of OTA practice with media availability. Just one more practice remains before the Falcons take a lengthy break.

They’ve earned the right.

Different teams handle OTAs differently. Some treat them like summer camps with attention paid to teaching and big-picture thinking. Some use them as on-field personifications of film room education. The Falcons combine a little bit of everything to create up-tempo workouts designed to teach, knock of rust and get the team ready for the more difficult work to come.

Last week Head Coach Mike Smith watched as three skirmishes broke out during an OTA practice.

Maybe it was the heat.

Maybe it was passion for success.

Either way, the Falcons got a lot of work done in a short amount of time during this offseason process. We now all brace for a hibernation period before the start of Russell Falcons Training Camp.

I’m sure it will pass quickly.

And football will never be too far from the Falcons collective mind.

Falcons players to sign autographs at PGA Tour Superstore, AF.com
Come on down to the Duluth store. You may find me looking for a last-minute Father’s Day gift (or a new driver for myself). You can also get Michael Turner, Brian Finneran and D.J. Shockley’s autograph.

Falcons’ Baker invigorated for sophomore year, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not a player, but I can appreciate the frustration that must have covered Sam Baker like a blanket last season. Good luck in 2009, Sam. The Falcons need you.

Falcons sign two picks and release two players, AF.com
Now’s a good time to mention the reliability of various sources. AtlantaFalcons.com may not be the first news organization reporting roster moves, but we’re the only official word.

Falcons sign free agent lineman Newberry, AF.com
Need to call friend and colleague Casey Pearce at Chargers.com to get a little more info on Jeremy Newberry.

Atlanta Falcon Position Battles: The Cornerbacks, The Falcoholic
When the Falcons start Russell Falcons Training Camp, my sandal-wearing feet will shuffle directly to cornerback drills. There I’ll see one of the hottest position battles in camp.

Make Atlanta parks a priority, groups urge candidates, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons employees and Owner and CEO Arthur Blank recently got out and did some community work in area parks.

Vote for The Greatest Falcon QB of All Time, The Falcoholic
Get out and vote! I’m curious to see the results as the season moves along.

The Atlanta Falcons’ Defense Reloaded for 2009, Bleacher Report
It’s going to be odd spending so much time at training camp watching the defense but, the more I think about it, there’s not a need to worry much about the other side of the ball. I won’t ignore it but, early on, it’s hard to justify too many stories about one of the league’s most talented groups.

NFL Insider: Falcons’ Peterson moves near coach, USA Today
Mike Peterson and Mike Smith. Falcons player and Falcons coach. Neighbors.

Ranking the NFC South punters, ESPN.com
The Falcons record-setting punt coverage team got a lot of credit last season. Michael Koenen probably didn’t get enough love in the media for his efforts.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed AF.com, AJC, Arthur Blank, Bleacher Report, Brian Finneran, D.J. Shockley, Head Coach Mike Smith, Jeremy Newberry, Michael Koenen, Michael Turner, Mike Peterson, NFC South, PGA Tour Superstore, Sam Baker, The Falcoholic

Late last week NFL Network unveiled a video featuring Owner and CEO Arthur Blank, Head Coach Mike Smith and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff at the first Hacks vs. Jocks golf outing.

The tournament paired members of the media — including the AF.com team — with Falcons coaches and staff.

My group came in tied for fourth (minus-4) but, when I look back on the day with my kids, I’ll probably be most proud of my brief cameo in the background of this video.

(I’m the guy in the white hat as Smitty drains that birdie put).

Too bad we couldn’t turn that shot into something.

J. Michael Moore Random Arthur Blank, golf, Head Coach Mike Smith, NFL Network, Thomas Dimitroff