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thatcrazycajunKnown fact #1: Along with co-founder Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank built a multi-billion-dollar, multi-national business that was and remains a tremendous success despite the poor performance of his first successor in the head office. (I should know; I currently work on its website.)
Known fact #2: As owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Blank was dumb enough to hire a man enamored of illegal gambling and abusive fighting-dog breeding as quarterback and the face of his NFL franchise. That quarterback has just been sentenced to 23 months in prison for his predilections.
Known fact #3: As Falcons owner, Blank was also dumb enough to hire as his head coach a notorious serial betrayer of football teams that had previously hired him. That head coach has just betrayed the Falcons now too, jumping ship and signing on as coach of a college team after swearing up and down to the fans, the press, his bosses and his players that he was staying despite the team's dismal performance in his inaugural—and, as it turns out, only—season at the helm, and the aforementioned contretemps at quarterback. And with three games still left to be played in that season!
As a local sports columnist who has followed the team for years points out here, there's no way on Earth Blank could not have known what to expect from such a coach; even if it's arguable that there was no way he could have learned in advance of the quarterback's deficiencies, the coach's were quite well documented. And most people I know, had they possessed Blank's millions to spend on personnel, would certainly have done what accounting types call "due diligence" on both hires before signing them to such lucrative contracts.
I'm guessing Bernie must have been the one doing the hiring when they were here, because the evidence does not speak at all well for Arthur's intelligence or his skills as a judge of character. And I can only wonder what in the sainted name of Paul "Bear" Bryant the people at the University of Arkansas were thinking in hiring this sleazebucket. Have they the least idea what they're getting?
Known fact #2: As owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Blank was dumb enough to hire a man enamored of illegal gambling and abusive fighting-dog breeding as quarterback and the face of his NFL franchise. That quarterback has just been sentenced to 23 months in prison for his predilections.
Known fact #3: As Falcons owner, Blank was also dumb enough to hire as his head coach a notorious serial betrayer of football teams that had previously hired him. That head coach has just betrayed the Falcons now too, jumping ship and signing on as coach of a college team after swearing up and down to the fans, the press, his bosses and his players that he was staying despite the team's dismal performance in his inaugural—and, as it turns out, only—season at the helm, and the aforementioned contretemps at quarterback. And with three games still left to be played in that season!
As a local sports columnist who has followed the team for years points out here, there's no way on Earth Blank could not have known what to expect from such a coach; even if it's arguable that there was no way he could have learned in advance of the quarterback's deficiencies, the coach's were quite well documented. And most people I know, had they possessed Blank's millions to spend on personnel, would certainly have done what accounting types call "due diligence" on both hires before signing them to such lucrative contracts.
I'm guessing Bernie must have been the one doing the hiring when they were here, because the evidence does not speak at all well for Arthur's intelligence or his skills as a judge of character. And I can only wonder what in the sainted name of Paul "Bear" Bryant the people at the University of Arkansas were thinking in hiring this sleazebucket. Have they the least idea what they're getting?
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Date: 2007-12-14 07:42 am (UTC)WRT #3. I'm not sure what Petrino is looking for. I'm not sure Petrino even knows. Petrino had a $1M buyout clause put into his contract at Louisville at *his own* request. He had to PAY $1M to take the job with the Falcons. at first it stood to reason that he wasn't going to leave Louisville because it would cost him...and when he did, then it stood to reason that he wasn't going to leave Atlanta because he paid for the privilege.
But yeah, he looked for a new job every year, and in this case, bailed mid-year. He's never going to get a job in the NFL Again. Blank made the mistake. Arkansas is making the same mistake. Colleges are going to do this because he does deliver the goods...at least for a while.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 11:51 am (UTC)