J.Mike's Missives

A lot of talk over the past few days about the consistency the Falcons are enjoying from Year 1 to Year 2 of the Mike Smith-Thomas Dimitroff era.

“Well, we’re ahead of where we were last year, because of the familiarity with one another,” Smith said. “We’re a group of men and when we come together on the practice field, we’re going to work hard. At the same time we want to have a communicative culture. We want guys to feel like they are part of the process, and not only the players, but everybody in the organization. I think when you set that tone and you have that culture in place, then everyone feels like part of the process. I think we’re ahead of last year because these guys are familiar with me and what we’re trying to get done as a coaching staff.”

This is an underrated aspect of NFL success.

Consider for the first time in three years, I and other Falcons staffers can plan around a fixed schedule. This morning off enjoyed today? There was a similar one about this time in last year’s camp. The dozens of players returning from 2008 know the ins, outs and everything in between about a Mike Smith practice.

“He’s going to work you hard but he’s fair,” quarterback Matt Ryan said on the first day of camp. “He’s going to take care of the guys, especially some of the older guys who have been around this for a long time. Smitty does a great job. He works us hard and gets the most out of us but, at the same time, he takes care of us.”

It’s easy to hit a fastball if you know it’s coming.

NFL players have enough to worry about on the field. A little consistency with everything else can go a long way in generating peace of mind and preserving focus.

Russell Falcons Training Camp Info, AF.com
Just one practice today. That’s rare in the midst of training camp. And much appreciated.

Holdout Falcons receiver White working out in Birmingham, CBSSports.com
This is no time of year to fall out of shape. So, wherever players are, good to see they’re taking care of their bodies.

Lofton will test sore hamstring, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Slow and steady wins the race. Smith made it clear on the first day of practice: the goal is to not rush injured players and keep the team healthy for Week 1.

DeCoud, Moore just two in the mix at safety, AF.com
There’s quite the battle shaping up in the secondary. I have to remind myself to watch other positions at practice because this one is so intriguing.

Which Mike Peterson Did Falcons Get?, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Something tells me there will be more added to the list of positives in bringing in Mike Peterson once the season rolls around.

Falcons sign free agent receiver Dicky Lyons, AF.com
Some people have been asking me about additional roster moves. Wanted to clarify there wasn’t any more Tuesday besides the addition of Lyons.

Falcons cheerleaders become model fund-raisers, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not going to be able to make it to the annual cheerleader meet and greet, but I’m sure it’s going to be a great party.

Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Observations, The Falcoholic
A clearing house of news and notes on Falcons camp.

In White’s absence, Douglas gets more reps, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Extra reps never hurt anyone. If anything, the Roddy White holdout gives the Falcons a chance to get an extra look at the other receivers on the roster.

New Falcon Winborn impressed with team, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As a Vanderbilt football fan, I watched Jamie Winborn in college. One of many talented linebackers to wear Black and Gold over the past 10 years.

BLOGGER’S NOTE: Examiner.com seems to be down for maintenance. I do recommend following the work of Daniel Cox, though. Click here and bookmark the page.

J. Michael Moore Uncategorized AF.com, AJC, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, CBSSports.com, Curtis Lofton, Daniel Cox, Dicky Lyons, Erik Coleman, Examiner.com, Harry Douglas, Jamie Winborn, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Mike Peterson, Mike Smith, Roddy White, Russell Falcons Training Camp, Thomas DeCoud, Thomas Dimitroff, Vanderbilt, William Moore

When your parents live out of state, holidays take a little planning.

Father’s Day is coming up in just more than a week and I’m starting to think of some gift ideas for my dad, including options to be delivered on a later date (the whole out-of-state thing). For the “Falcon Dad,” I’ll point out a deal on Falcons365.

So, before we get into the rush of next week I thought I’d dedicate this “Birdseed” to dads around the world.

In thinking about fathers and the impact of being a dad, my mind wandered to (where else) sports. A father’s love and guidance is a powerful thing.

This game came to mind…

I remember watching the 1996 NBA Finals more than some other league championships. Not sure why, but Michael Jordan playing in his first Finals after his father’s death hit an emotional chord with me.

It wasn’t the best game of his career, but it was the Jordan everyone expected and the Bulls won the title.

Since then I’ve seen several sporting events on Father’s Day, particularly new or old dads winning a U.S. Open title on their special day.

Just subtle reminders that athletes are fathers, too.

Tweeting from a Cheer Shoot, Tight Spirals
Had to leave the cheerleader photo shoot early yesterday, but the rest of the AF.com team keeps things covered.

Hutchins itching to contribute to Falcons, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Von Hutchins could be a wild card in the Falcons revamped secondary. If he’s 100 percent, the position gets deeper and more versatile.

NFL’s top franchise players under 30, FoxSports.com
I agree with everything here, especially the note about Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons are looking to make a move into elite territory.

Ultimate Building Blocks: NFC South, ESPN.com
Interesting concept in this blog post. I can think of nothing better to spark discussion and thoughts of the future (that’s what GMs do) for the offseason.

Double trouble: Tandem backfields sweeping NFL, NESN.com
Let’s think about this “carries per game” thing. I’m the first to keep an eye out for player health and longevity. But, considering the narrow windows teams in the NFL have to navigate for success, you need to give the ball to your best players — as many times as he can handle.

Falcons in a fighting mood, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Believe me, more things happen at practice than scuffles.

New expectations follow Ryan, Falcons in second season, AccessNorthGa.com
I don’t believe in sophomore slumps. In fact, my sophomore year in college was pretty good. Of course, that may be because I was able to schedule two days off during the week to go play golf. On second thought, forget this analogy.

Q&A with … Falcons coach Mike Smith, The Sporting News
Random headline ellipses. Nice.

Get to know rookie Chris Owens, Gainesville Times
Thoughts on football, life and the NBA Finals from a Falcons rookie.

Ranking the NFC South defensive backs, ESPN.com
This reflects many of the unknown aspects of the Falcons secondary. It’s not unexpected, so get used to more until the team takes the field and shows what its got.

Lofton ready to take leadership role on defense, AF.com
“The offense gets a lot of publicity and notoriety and they deserve that but don’t overlook this defense,” Lofton said. “We have a lot of young guys that started for us last year and really didn’t know what they were doing. This year we’re into the system and we know what we’re doing. I think we’re going to shock some people on defense with how good we are.”

Ranking the NFC South linebackers, ESPN.com
Speaking of linebackers… Falcons one of two teams in the division with all projected starters ranked in the top 10.

Davis speaks to youth about school bullying, AF.com
And to think, how many players do stuff in the community that doesn’t make its way into the media? More than you think.

Leaving Their Mark, J. Mike’s Missives
This was more than an excuse to work on my video editing skills, it’struly one of the cool things that goes on around The Branch.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed, YouTube AccessNorthGa.com, AF.com, AJC, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, Chris Owens, Curtis Lofton, ESPN.com, Father's Day, FoxSports.com, Gainesville Times, Head Coach Mike Smith, Michael Jordan, NESN.com, The Sporting News, Tony Gonzalez, Von Hutchins

With emotion in his voice, Falcons linebacker Coy Wire brought a special message to soldiers stationed at Ft. Benning Monday evening.

Attitude is everything.

After thanking the gathering of more than 250 men and women for their service, Wire noted the urge to wilt in the face of adversity but asked everyone to rise above the challenges with a positive attitude.

Wire and 10 of his Falcons teammates flew to Ft. Benning on Army Blackhawk helicopters Monday afternoon to have dinner with soldiers soon to be deployed to Iraq. A group of Falcons Cheerleaders also made the trip and gave a brief performance — their first of the 2009 season.

“We came to show our appreciation,” Wire said. “To show how much respect we have to each and every one of you. We came to represent not only the Atlanta Falcons, not only the city of Atlanta for which we play, but for all the people across this country — strangers you’ve never met — who are thinking of you and praying for you every day.”

Wire said attitude is something people can choose to control and, through a brief anecdote, illustrated the impact of a positive outlook on life.

Everyone goes through tough times.

The secret is in the process.

“We see the world not as it is; we see the world as we are on the inside,” he said.

“There’s a saying that the strongest steel is burned in the hottest coals. Each and every one of you men and women will have to go through something difficult in the next few months or year. It’s going to make you strong. It’s going to refine you and make you ready for anything and everything that you may encounter in your lives.”

Wire said the Falcons plan to dedicate the first game of the 2009 season to the soldiers at Ft. Benning and across the nation.

Members of the brigade the Falcons visited should be deployed in October.

Running back Jerious Norwood, center Brett Romberg, lineman Quinn Ojinnaka, guard Justin Blalock, defensive end Willie Evans, fullback Ovie Mughelli, tight end Justin Peelle, wide receiver Brian Finneran and tackle Will Sviteck also made the trip.

Finneran’s father served in Vietnam, adding special meaning to his trips to military posts.

“It’s awesome, especially the ride in the helicopter,” Finneran said. “We’re here to support our guys, our troops that fight for us.”

The veteran wide receiver said it’s easy to take the joys in life for granted, particularly air conditioning after a hot training camp pracitce.

But he knows none of it’s possible without the daily activity of service men and women around the world.

He joined Wire and his teammates in an expression of gratitude.

“We’re here to say thanks, shake their hands and tell them how much we appreciate all they do.”

Members of the Army thanked the Falcons with a custom, engraved sledge hammer — the symbol of the brigade. Wire proudly carried it the rest of the day and, once practice starts, will find a way to keep it in front of his teammates for motivation.

The Falcons organization is also offering a military-only deal on tickets to the Carolina Panthers game on Sept. 20 (click here for details). Tickets are $30 and include a limited edition, camouflage Falcons hat (pictured).

Click here for more pictures from the Falcons trip and work in the community.

J. Michael Moore Falcons in the Community, Feature, News Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, Brett Romberg, Brian Finneran, community, Coy Wire, Ft. Benning, Jerious Norwood, Justin Blalock, Justin Peelle, Ovie Mughelli, Quinn Ojinnaka, Will Sviteck, Willie Evans

Got a little behind with the whole NFL Draft and mini camp thing, but I wanted to post some clips from Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader auditions before I clean the hard drive on my Flip video camera.

The squad was selected on April 23. Click here for more information on the 2009 team and look for bios, blogs, photos and more from the team in the coming weeks.

J. Michael Moore Cheerleaders, YouTube Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders

Today’s the last day to submit your YouTube video telling us why you want to be a fan judge at 2009 Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader auditions.

Click here for all the info.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just turn on your webcam and tell us why you want to be a part of selecting the next group of Falcons cheerleaders.

Auditions are April 19 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

J. Michael Moore Cheerleaders Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders

The whiteboard in my new office is still void of markings.

But that will soon change.

Right now Falcons players are trickling into the team’s Flowery Branch practice facility for a day of weighing in and meetings.

Voluntary offseason conditioning is set to begin. Media availability will follow in the next few days.

That’s when my whiteboard starts getting its workout.

I’m a planner. Always have been. So, as the whiteboard fills with names and story ideas you best believe I’ll start crossing them off.

(I’ve been known to write a simple, unscheduled task on the board just for the satisfaction of marking it complete).

This day isn’t nearly as exciting as the first day of the NFL Draft, the opening practice of Russell Falcons Training Camp or kickoff of the NFL season but it is symbolic when it comes to returning to work and planning for what’s to come.

I’ve got some ideas that are about to flow out of my brain and onto the whiteboard.

Any other suggestions?

English goes to Falcons in early Mock Draft, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Another opinion on the first round. I like the Colts picking a running back (almost did that in my mock) and it’s interesting to see a few players I had low going high. Isn’t the NFL Draft wonderful? Oh, and if you want to see some highlights on Larry English:

Falcons’ HC Smith on Stephen Nicholas: ‘He will get a chance to compete for a starting position,’ Examiner.com
Keep an eye on No. 54 through the preseason. His talent fits well with many defensive schemes and no one would complain if he won one of the open jobs at outside linebacker.

Falcons already have some options at OLB, ESPN.com
Speaking of linebackers… Pat Yasinskas makes a great point in the final paragraph that often gets forgotten in the talk of free agency and criticism of the Falcons offseason actions. Competition. When there are bodies in camp with experience the team has no choice but to compete and get better.

Be a fan judge at Falcons cheerleader tryouts, AF.com
I know it’s not really an article or blog but I built this page last week and I’m hoping to add some traffic. Grab your camera and tell us why you should be a fan judge at cheerleader tryouts. What do you have to lose?

NFLPA head hot topic, The Washington Times
NFL owners may be in California this week but it’s anything but a vacation.

Falcons Take Butler in Scout.com Mock Draft, Scout.com
Note the nice explanation of why “best player available” actually applies to the Falcons this season. If outside linebacker is truly a need I wouldn’t be surprised to see moves made to get players before they come off the board. Then again, Darius Butler wouldn’t be a bad pick.

Draft Discussion: Offensive Line, AF.com
It’s not too late to join the discussion about offensive line prospects.

Falcons WR Roddy White visits North Augusta, WRDW.com
Not every NFL player goes on a month-long respite during the offseason. There’s always work to be done. Bravo, Roddy!

On the Clock: Atlanta Falcons, ESPN.com
Two heads are better than one. Note: “Coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff are one of the most harmonious duos in the league.” I know that makes me feel good about the draft.

J. Michael Moore Birdseed AF.com, AJC, Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, Darius Butler, ESPN.com, Examiner.com, Head Coach Mike Smith, Larry English, NFL Draft, NFLPA, Pat Yasinskas, Roddy White, Scout.com, The Washington Times, Thomas Dimitroff, WRDW.com