Last offseason, Falcons owner Arthur Blank stripped Rich McKay of his general manager duties, although he retained the title of team president. Thomas Dimitroff took over as GM, had a lot to do with bringing Matt Ryan to Atlanta, and some eight months later, the Falcons are headed to the postseason. Along with the Dolphins and Lions, it's easily one of the most amazing stories of 2008. Despite McKay having no say in personnel matters this season, he was Atlanta's general manager from 2003-2007, and earned a Super Bowl ring during his nine-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in that same role.
And now, the newly GM-less Browns are interested in talking to McKay. According to FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer, however, McKay is quite content with his current set-up.
... [D]espite reports that the Cleveland Browns will interview ... McKay, FOXSports.com has learned that McKay has rebuffed Cleveland's overture. McKay is slated to fly to Phoenix with the Falcons and not New York to meet with Browns owner Randy Lerner.After surviving (figuratively, not in the dog-fighting sense) the Michael Vick melodrama, I'm guessing McKay wants to enjoy Atlanta's resurgence. Whatever the reason, this is good news for Patriots vice president Scott Pioli.
There were talks between the two sides, but McKay informed them he is happy where he is and did not want to interview for the job or consider it until after the rest of the candidates had run their course in Cleveland.
This morning, the Boston Herald reported that Browns owner Randy Lerner had given Pioli till the end of the day to accept the GM job. Depending on who you believe, that might not be true. Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot, Pioli doesn't have a deadline, and that "no timeframe was placed on the decision."
Which means that Pioli, who allegedly made "impossible" demands when meeting with Lerner about the Browns gig, now has even more leverage. Assuming, for the moment, that any of this is true, Lerner has to decide if Pioli is worth it.
The guy has three Super Bowl rings (I know, so does Romeo Crennel, but unlike Crennel, Pioli had a hand in building those championship teams), and if he can do for the Browns what Dimitroff and Mike Smith did for the Falcons, well, I say give him whatever he's asking for. Of course, it's not my money; I suspect Lerner might feel differently.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-01-2009 @ 8:52PM
Rich said...
Dear Mr. Wilson:
Forgive me for being critical, your article is informative, insightful and makes for interesting reading, BUT, I must point out a major blunder in your second paragraph: " Despite McKay having no say in PERSONAL matters" Do you self edit? I think we both know what you meant, essentially PERSONNEL Matters. Hence the primary function of a GM.
Unless, of course McKay really has no say in personal matters
with the Falcons, and then I would like to be enlightened as what to you are referring.
I don't mean to castigate you, but being realistic, I would expect that since you are making a living from your writing, you would want it to be the best it could be. I would expect this kind of error from 16 year old son, not someone like you.
It does not make you a bad person or for that matter a bad writer, but it does make one question your disciplines in the process.
Nuff Said!
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your family!
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1-01-2009 @ 10:07PM
ryan said...
Rich,
Thanks for your comment. Yeah, it should be "personnel." Fixed. I can only assume that McKay doesn't deal with personal matters given how Michael Vick's career turned out.
1-01-2009 @ 10:19PM
jvsiii3 said...
Somebody got a dictionary for Christmas.
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1-02-2009 @ 6:02AM
giant fan since 57 said...
There was a time when a mistake like that was always considered a "major blunder." There was also a time when I knew all my friends phone numbers by heart, but that doesn't make sense any more either since they are all available in my cell phone or computer.
I'm an old Boomer and grammar was drilled into us in school by grouchy old maid school marms who warned us of the consequences of missusing words or spelling incorrectly.
Nowadays it seems not to matter much anymore. I constantly see bad grammar (their for there, hear for here, etc.) on the Internet but it doesn't bother me much anyomer and I no longer feel superior to people who make casual mistakes, as long as I can still catch the meaning of the message.
Like an old boss told me in describing the best filing system for paperwork, "Son, the purpose of a filing system is to be able to figure out where the stuff you want is." I think that holds true for written communication as well.
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1-02-2009 @ 9:23AM
Mike said...
Be honest, if Rich's last name was not McCay, he would never had the chance to be anything. His dad opened every door for him. As a Brown fan, I do not want and we sure do not need Rich McKay at all. But getting an Iowa coach with problems of there own is sure not going to be some big step upward for the Browns either. Ferentz will end up just another coach who came thru Cleveland.
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1-02-2009 @ 11:30AM
Blanks said...
This headline should read "Good News, Browns Fans"... McKay ran the Falcons into the ground until Dimitroff got there.
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1-02-2009 @ 11:42PM
rich said...
Ok Folks, let's clarify a few things, First I got the dictionary and a thesaurus for christmas quite sometime ago, second I did not point out out the error to be morally superior to the writer. I happen to be a avid reader of his work. I too am a long time Giants fan and was educated by some head cases as well.
But It does matter, to me and at least to Mr. Wilson, who took the time to correct the mistake, and made made a humorous aside for fun's sake, and he is so correct by pointing if McKay was involved in personal matters maybe Mike Vick would not be where he is..........
A few other points, "Giants fan since 57" the idea of using technology is all good and fine, but as I was taught the technology is only good if you use it correctly and with discipline, other wise it equals GIGO.
The purpose of an education is that one uses the tools given to us, by your logic should we not teach children basic math so that when they want purchase something they just accept what they are told, rather calculate the fiscal logic of it?
If I accept your logic, it should come as no surprise that we have a sub-prime mortgage crisis in this country. ( in other words do not think, do as you are told!) I concur with your analogy about filing systems, but in this matter I fail to see the relevance.
Lastly, whether you agree or not, in my estimation it was a blunder or better yet an oversight, and I had the conviction and cared enough about Mr. Wilson's work to express that, if that makes me "Dennis the Menace" I can live with that too.
Nuff said, a happy, healthy and prosperous to all! Well maybe not the Cowboys, as I am I Giants fan.
Rich
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1-04-2009 @ 6:12AM
giant fan since 57 said...
Rich,
I did not accuse you of acting superior, I merely pointed out that I once did. My post was not hostile towards you.
As for the relevance of the "filing sytem" comment I was trying to show that the object of any system, whether it be language or filing, is to make it possible for anyone using the sytem to comprehend it. I doubt that anyone misunderstood the meaning of Ryan's comment because of the incorrect use of the word personal.
Time marches on, Rich. That's why our kids have talents we never had even though they no longer use slide rules.
And I think that greed, rather than any shortcomings in math skills is the primary cause of our subprime mortgage problem.
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1-09-2009 @ 6:32AM
skipinaz said...
hey everybody, happy new years!!! scott piolo, not a bad pick, been with the pats for along time, has a couple rings, but is he, or the hoody making the personnel decisions? and does that mean K.F. from iowa is coming with him?..... after romeo and savage giving us all this false hope, i guess it couldnt hurt..nothing against mangini, but i don't think hes a good fit.shannahan.....i dont want ratso in cleveland....as far as im concerned, the broncos and any one associated with that franchise is almost as nasty as raven or bengal personnel..yo ozzie...im talking to you,you turncoat..and mr. lerner...a great little PR move would be to draft clay matthews III and give him the ol 57. well, hopefully we can catch lightning in a bottle next year.
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