She Taught Me To Love Again.

I wrote this article while I was in college. I didn't use her name because she didn't like the attention. I still talk to her from time to time. I'll forever owe her a debt, for, She taught me to love again.

As an aspiring sports journalist I make it my business to involve sports in my life, in some way, everyday. Perhaps I over-saturate.

This being the case, I sometimes take my love of sports for granted. I will slack off on reading box scores of basketball games or I will fall away from watching SportsCenter highlights periodically in the name of alternate recreation.
This trend was forever destroyed when I met a member of the University of Minnesota Women’s Volleyball team in a class last semester. Her quiet personality and thoughtful insight did not scream “student athlete” but she would eventually prove that both parts of the word described her well: especially the athlete part.

The most exciting sporting event I have witnessed in person occurred at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) representative Georgia Tech traveled to the “U” to compete in an NCAA Tourney Sweet Sixteen match to determine who would advance to an Elite Eight match up with the Ohio State University.
In sports there is a quote that says “the best players shine on the biggest stages.” The stage was certainly set on this night. Every point was hard-fought and every pass, spike and dig was coaxed with “ohhs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. A game with so much at stake could only be won in grand fashion. Someone would have to shine on that night and provide a performance worthy of the occasion. Filling the role of a true “go to” offensive player she tallied a career high kill total and led her team to victory. I will always remember that performance as that of a true athlete rising to a challenge and succeeding. She trusted in her preparation and produced when her team needed her.

I learned valuable lessons from her that night. For the length of the semester, I witnessed her dedication to school and athletics. I noticed her passion for her sport, her willingness to dive, scratch, or fight for the next point. That passion completely redefined to me what it means to have heart, what it means to give your all. It means that no matter how sore your knees, ankles, or shoulders are due because of a grueling preseason, regular season, and NCAA tournament games, as soon as the lights come on and sneakers hit the floor winning is all that matters.

In every person, a great degree of affection lies inside for a myriad of different things. While we do not all have the same interests, we as people should all know what it is to love. We should all know what it is to enjoy an activity so much that it consumes you. For some people it is a hobby, for others it is a sport.

My passion is sports and I’m glad that she showed me how to love again.

Week in Review

1. Yankees complete sweep of the Red Sox.

The Yankees/ Red Sox rivalry is the most interesting in baseball. The combination of two well run, well funded, historically relevant teams makes for drama each and every time they take the diamond. This meeting was no different. Boston punked New York early in the season and this time the Bronx Bombers returned the favor.

The Yankees won big (the shellacking of John Smoltz) and won small (the extra innings thriller capped by an “A-Bomb from A-Rod”). While I’m sure this sweep of the hated Sox felt good at the moment, the postseason will tell which of these teams is truly superior.

2. Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomes new members.

Randall McDaniel, Rod Woodson, Derrick Thomas, Bruce Smith, Ralph Wilson Jr., and Bob Hayes comprised the newest round of Football Hall of Famers. Since this class was heavy on defense I’ll focus there.

Rod Woodson was the perfect combination of football player and athlete. It’s rare to have a man combine a “get your nose dirty” mentality with the ability to produce a highlight worthy play at any time. He was finesse and he was powerful all at the same time.

If not for Reggie White, I believe that Bruce Smith would be considered the greatest defensive end of all time. His combination of size, quickness, and strength made him the NFL’s all time leader in sacks. Buffalo’s early 90’s defense was littered with All Pro’s but they all benefited from playing alongside Bruce Smith.

I lived in Kansas while Derrick Thomas roamed Arrowhead Stadium and witnessed his dominance firsthand. He was truly larger than life. Thomas was the football progeny of linebacker/ sack artists like Lawrence Taylor and a precursor to current stars like Shawn Merriman and Demarcus Ware. Thomas still owns the record for sacks in a single game. If you wanted to design the prototype for a pass rushing line backer, your end product would be Derrick Thomas. He was that good.

3. Twins sign Carl Pavano.

I wondered aloud why the Minnesota Twins didn’t make a move at the trade deadline for a frontline starter. Francisco Liriano has yet to regain the form that made him a dominant starter and if this team wants to compete down the stretch they need a stud at the top of the rotation. Good pickup by the Twins front office.

4. Michael Vick signs with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He's baaaaaaack. As it became apparent that Michael Vick would indeed return to the National Football League I started to think of situations that would benefit him as a player. I figured that a strong organization with a starting QB in place and an environment for Vick to hone his craft under the tutelage of quality football instruction would fit best. I thought Pittsburgh, San Diego, New England and Philadelphia.

Kudos to Andy Reid and the Eagles for taking a chance on what still remains the most electric quarterback in football. If Vick can salvage his career, Philadelphia is a great place to start.

5. Rick Pitino gets his freak on.

The lurid details of Rick Pitino’s affair with a Louisville woman that occurred six years ago were forced upon us this week. I am not a proponent of infidelity and take every opportunity to say so. Morality and personal responsibility have their place.

To me the bigger issue here is that Pitino is in charge of the well being of young men. Every year young men look to him for leadership and guidance. This goes beyond basketball. How does one hold others accountable when they fail to police themselves? One of the burdens of leadership is holding one’s self to a standard of living that is beyond reproach. Yes, mistakes are made. Forgiveness must be sought. Most importantly, Rick Pitino should look every one of his players in the eye and apologize because he let them down.

6. Tiger dominates.

Tiger Woods enters the last Major Tournament of the year playing at a level few can match and none can surpass. Woods won the previous two tournaments that he entered and is showing the focus, ability and tenaciousness that makes him the premier player in the world. He is the best player in golf and if he continues on this type of hot streak then the question changes all together. It goes from “can he win” to “how much will he win by.”

7. Brady impresses in preseason.

All of the lingering questions about Tom Brady’s ability to bounce back from a devastating knee injury were answered in New England’s first preseason game. All of the whispers about New England’s return to offensive juggernaut status ceased. Aside from the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning, no team depends on a player the way that the Patriots depend of Brady. With him they are Super Bowl contenders. Without him they are like a sports car in need of a tune up; it looks nice but it just doesn’t quite run the same. If Brady stays healthy this team will challenge Pittsburgh for AFC supremacy and a spot in the Super Bowl. Yeah, he’s that good.

8. Roddy White signs extension.

Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White reports to camp with the extension and pay raise that he coveted. Great move by the Falcons on rewarding White for his improvement and acknowledging his value to the offense. I believe this move also shows the rest of the Falcons roster that hard work and production will be rewarded. White played like one of the premier wide outs in the league last year and now he’s getting paid like one too.

Week in Review

1. McCutchen goes crazy.

Andrew McCutchen busted out this week in a huge way by going 4-5, with 6 RBI. Such success at the plate would bode well for the Pirates center fielder but hitting 3 home runs makes his performance historical.

This young man is apart of baseball's future hope. His aggressive approach at the plate and on the bases and the combination of skill and promise are rare. If we look through the rose colored glasses, perhaps we see the next Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry or a young Barry Bonds. At the least we have the very first Andrew McCutchen. That, my friends, is nothing to sneeze at. For all of the Pirates perceived dysfunction, the play of McCutchen certainly gives fans a reason to come to PNC Park.

2. Burress indicted on weapons charges.

The powers that be in New York seem intent on making an example out of Plaxico. Carrying a weapon is nothing to sneeze at especially if said weapon isn't registered properly. Having it in a crowded night club isn't a good look either. It's looking like Plaxico is going to have a rough go of it as far as these charges are concerned. Burress is 32 and doesn't need anything to take away from the precious few years of his football prime.


3. Rashard Lewis tests positive.

Drugs and sports seem continue to mingle at an alarming rate. Regardless of sport it seems as though performance enhancing drugs are engrained into the fabric of the sports that we hold dear. Rashard Lewis’ positive test for a banned substance is both surprising and expected at the same time. Basketball doesn’t seem like the type of sport that would lend itself to drug use in the same way that baseball, football, track or even cycling would. Still we have an athlete taking something that he shouldn’t for the sake of gaining an edge. Again, when drug culture is addressed properly then maybe a suitable solution to the problem will appear. Until then hope your favorite athlete isn’t the next to be “exposed.”

4. San Francisco draft pick still holding out.

First and foremost holding out IS NOT a big deal. Let’s not pretend that holding out is some type of scarlet letter which brands said athlete a failure in the NFL. It doesn’t. I find it amusing that analysts and talking heads feel the need to attack Michael Crabtree for holding out to get what he feels he deserves. Future Hall of Famer Woodson missed half of his first season and he turned out ok. I’m not saying that Crabtree is anywhere near what Woodson turned out to be. I am saying that the young man may turn out to be a player despite the time he is missing.

Now to this “advisor.” Michael Crabtree’s cousin made some statements that can be called posturing at best. Nothing more nothing less. The attention that his comments have garnered is already too much. It’s only a big deal because people continue to report on it. Enough already.

As for the contract situation I do feel that Crabtree was the best available receiver in the draft. I do think that he’ll have a better career as a 49er than Heyward-Bey will as a Raider. I also think that San Francisco should pony up the dollars here. I understand the draft slotting system and that first round draft picks are essentially paid on a sliding scale. Here’s why Crabtree should get the money he’s asking for. In drafting a Wide Receiver as high in the draft as they did, San Francisco showed their approach. They want a game changer, an impact player, a legit # 1 receiver. They felt that guy was Michael Crabtree. His career at Texas Tech showed that he has a flair for the dramatic. He can make the electric play. If you want quality, you have to pay for it.

5. Eli gets paid.

Eli Manning is balling in a recession. I don’t believe he’s the best QB in his family and as such I don’t believe he should be the highest paid pass thrower in the NFL. That being said the New York Giants have secured their franchise player, playing in the prime of his career. I’m not mad at Eli for getting paid but I question the Giants wisdom in paying Manning like the best quarterback in the league when he’s not even in the discussion.

6. Smoltz gets rocked.

John Smoltz was assigned to the minors after being rocked by the New York Yankees in the second game of a pivotal four game series. Playing in Boston, in the thick of a pennant race takes the best that one can muster. Sadly I believe that Smoltz best days, and pitches, are behind him. If this were ten years ago I have no doubt that John Smoltz would shut the Yankees down. Alas, it’s not 1999. It’s 2009 and this version of future Hall of Famer isn’t up to par.

7. White still not in camp; Douglas out for the season.

Roddy White is playing hardball with the Atlanta Falcons in hopes of securing a deal that would pay him like one of the elite receivers in the NFL. The fact of the matter is White broke out in a big way last year and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Whether or not White is top five is up for discussion. Is White a better receiver than Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson or Andre Johnson? I would not take him over any of them. Is he better than Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, Chad (Johnson) Ochocinco, Marques Colston, or Anquan Bolden? I think he fits squarely into this conversation.

Regardless of your opinion of his talent and how he stacks up against the best at his position, he does have value to the Atlanta Falcons. It’s up to them to determine that value and see if it matches up with what White believes he is worth.

Meanwhile, at camp, second year receiver Harry Douglas tore an ACL and is out for the season. Douglas was a pleasant surprise last year and provided a nice target on check downs for fellow rookie QB Matt Ryan. Injuries are an unpleasant part of the game but you never like to see a player get hurt.

Week in review.

1. Vick released.

Michael Vick is a free man. Commissioner Goodell has conditionally re-instated the former Falcons QB and he's free to sign with any team that is brave enough to sign him. There is clear historical precedent of players being suspended from the NFL and returning to play again. Think Alex Karras and more recently Tank Johnson. What's more important here is that a game changing quarterback is available.

This man is in his prime. I'm going on record as saying he should sign with a very good team (Pittsburgh? New England? San Diego?) and sit out this year. Hone his craft, study the QB position. Vick version 1 was an electric play maker. His speed, mobility and ability to improvise were unprecedented. With the time off let's say Vick has slowed to a 4.5 forty. I'm pretty sure that still makes him the fastest QB in the league, easily. Combine the necessary QB progression with the God given ability that is surely still there and you have a most formidable weapon at the most important position on the field. Who wouldn't want that?

There are three other reasons that I think Vick should sit this year out. Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. Holmgren and Shanahan in particular have had incredible success molding quarterbacks into stars. Cowher would build the type of defense that could compliment Vick as an offensive juggernaut. How surreal would it be for one of those head coaches to assume the reigns of a team with Michael Vick as starting QB? I'm just saying.

2. Trade Deadline Passes.

Big names joined big teams as power players gear up for the stretch run. I have to admit, I'm not really a baseball fan until after the trade deadline passes. Players are tested in that they have to prove their real value from August to October. Managers are tested in that they have to control incoming players, assign roles, and deal with the pressure of creating a finished product from varied parts.

In the American League the Boston Red Sox (C/1B/DH V. Martinez), Chicago White Sox (P Jake Peavy), Detroit Tigers (P Jarrod Washburn) and Minnesota Twins (SS Orlando Cabrera) all made moves intended to make their rosters as formidable as possible. In my opinion the teams that made moves for starting pitchers did the most to improve themselves. If you can't get quality innings from your top 3 starters this time of year then you're in big trouble.

In the National League the Philadelphia Phillies (P Cliff Lee) and Los Angeles Dodgers (RP George Sherrill) made the most noteworthy moves in what could only be considered the rich getting richer. Both teams have to be the class of the NL are probably made the aforementioned moves with each other in mind. Advantage Phillies. Hamels and Lee form a duo that could be indomitable.

3. Manny and Ortiz tested positive in '03.

Okay, and? Look steroids are a tired story. Alot of guys used. Right now it seems as if the powers that be only care to out the "stars." To me what's truly damaging to the game has to be the prevalence of drug use in the sport itself. From the utility infielders to the relief pitchers everyone was looking for an edge.

Baseball doesn't seem to have lost it's luster. It's still popular and the game remains beautiful to purists. If the holier than thou baseball people hope to clear baseball's tarnished reputation then it'll take more than big names. It will take an honest portrayal of the drug culture that infiltrated America's pastime. Everyone that was at fault will have to be made accountable. Let's see what happens.

4. Favre stays retired.

The courting of Brett Favre by the Minnesota Vikings died this week. I'm not shocked that the Vikings attempted to improve their team. I am however shocked and appalled that they felt the answer was a 39 year old QB and not a complement to Jared Allen at the opposite defensive end position. Or maybe a game changer at linebacker to match the star power in the division. Wait, how about a big play wide receiver to complement the running game?

In short Favre wasn't the answer anyway. I'm glad the fiasco is over.

More sports stories will drop next week and I'll have more first class analysis. Tune in again, same time, same station.

Better than Kobe

Better than Kobe?

Who?

When you talk about best player in the NBA, there are a few guys in the conversation. But there’s nobody better than Kobe Bryant.

No current player has been through what Kobe has. Walk a mile in his low top Nikes and it will destroy your feet. Who has the talent to play for one of the league’s most storied franchises and relish the spotlight. Who played for a title contender before 21, had the zeal to launch game altering shots, AIR BALL THEM, and come back for more?

Who had the skills and the drive to emerge from the shadow of “His Airness” only to dominate in a similar fashion? Who comes with the ability to improve year in and year out, holding off all comers to his throne. Kobe Bean Bryant has dominated the post Jordan era and this just may be the time for him to seal his legacy.

“Kobe Doin’ Work” wasn’t a documentary. It was a snippet of the man’s life. He does this. Kobe is unlike most players in that the game is all he really cares about.Combine that passion, with his skill set and you have the best thing going today.

Kobe Bryant has won and lost. He’s been the hero and the pariah. The post Shaq years have been lean. Think about it. The Lakers have had the best record in the regular season and lost in the post season. He’s endured playing with teams ill equipped to match up with better constructed, team oriented squads. They’ve lost to teams they shouldn’t have. They’ve failed to live up to the hype.

Each time Kobe shouldered the blame. He’s suffered enough at the hands of the basketball gods to curse them without ceasing. Despite the pitfalls he comes back for more. He continues to grow; he continues to play.

How fitting was it that the road back to the NBA Finals went through Denver. Kobe exorcised some demons ya’ll. One bad decision in Colorado almost took away what no man could. On the court Kobe seemed perfect. Outside the lines he proved to be a flawed human being. By going there and winning he showed the world that he had overcome that situation and that place. He faced it and grew as a man.

What happened on the court symbolizes his continued basketball maturation. Sure the Lakers beat Denver last year but this was a more potent challenge. After being pushed, tripped, and roughed up Kobe emerged victorious. Previous Lakers teams might not have been able to beat a “team” like the Nuggets. They found a way to do. Kobe led them.

I think the Lakers have the better team in the NBA Finals. I think it will be harder for Orlando to defend L.A. than the opposite. The Lakers size and versatility is difficult to prepare for. That being said you can’t coach heart. Eventually you have to man up. Even Mike got over the proverbial hump once Scottie retook his manhood from the Bad Boys.

You can’t coach size. Gasol is maxing out. Don’t expect 35 and 20 from him. That’s not his game. He’s rebounding and scoring in the paint. He’s doing his job. Lamar Odom is playing for his future. What happens to talent unrealized? Mitch Kupchak trades it away, that’s what happens. Andrew Bynum is still tentative due to his knee injury. Maybe he’ll show up and maybe he won’t. Pre injuy he played well against Orlando.

The Shannon Brown/Derek Fisher/Jordan Farmar triumvirate will need to show and prove. Ariza will be huge in this series as a defender and secondary scorer. Then bench will have to give help in stretches. If they turn the ball over and allow Orlando to overwhelm them then there could be more drama than necessary.

That being said, if the best remaining team emulates the best remaining player, they’ll be alright. Learn from your mistakes, show the heart to rebound. Show the drive to outlast the competition. The last two times Kobe Bryant played in the NBA Finals, he lost to better teams. Detroit and Boston did what they could to contain Bryant but the supporting cast couldn’t step up to the challenge. I think the group around Kobe is better equipped to handle the task this time around.

Dwight Howard poses a serious threat to L.A.’s title hopes. I think his having to defend two legitimate post players will make him less daunting defensively. His willingness to help on drives will be much more costly against the Lakers than it was against the Cavaliers.

Odom/Ariza can give Lewis/Turkoglu problems on the perimeter. I don’t see the versatility of the Magic frontline creating nearly as much havoc for the Lakers as it did for previous Orlando opponents.

Then consider this. There isn’t a defender playing for the Magic that can defend Kobe Bryant. The low post threats are in place to keep the defense honest. LeBron didn’t have Gasol, Bynum or a motivated Lamar Odom. Shooters are in place to punish over aggressive help defense. He didn’t have guys like Fisher and Ariza.

The stage is set for Bryant to perform. He’s going to hug that trophy and cry like Mike did, watch. It means that much to him. Just wait and see.

Lakers in 6.

Interview with Atlanta Hawks Beat Writer Sekou Smith

There are things about a new place that stick with you. Perhaps you despise it because of what you left behind. Maybe you love it for the same reason. The possibilities of resting your head in a fresh location are endless. For me, moving to Atlanta introduced me to the practice of following a sports team through the eyes of a beat writer. Reading his words and sharing in his carefully crafted experiences allowed me to visualize a team in a way I hadn’t before. His knowledge has allowed me to extend the dreams of what I could do and be. I can tell stories, I can give insight and I can make an impact. I know this because I’ve witnessed it firsthand. I know this because I read Sekou Smith.

Enjoy.

Jerold Wells Jr., The Starting Five.net: “What made you want to be a Sports Journalist?”

Sekou Smith., Atlanta Journal – Constitution: “I don’t think it was a Sports Journalism thing at the time that I was choosing a career path. It was more a matter of me being introduced to journalism my second year in college at Jackson State. A professor of mine, Professor Stringfellow, he opened the door for me. He asked me if I wanted to learn more about the business. He invited me to come down to the local paper and see how it worked. He paired me with a man named Dewey English who was the managing editor at the paper. We talked about how the newspaper fit into the larger society and really the world. He wasn’t a sports guy; it wasn’t about sports to him. He was just explaining to me how the paper fit in with the city and its people and how the paper had influenced them historically. That’s where my interest in journalism came from. The sports aspect was already in me and in my mind. Growing up my father read papers like you couldn’t believe. I grew up in between Chicago and Detroit so we’d have six or seven papers in the house on a Sunday morning. All the Chicago papers, all the Detroit papers, the local papers, whatever. I was exposed to newspapers at an early age. We always had them around so I was always conscience of what was in them. Sports was an interest of mine that married in with the journalism much later in my life."

JW: “What makes a good sports writer?”

SS: “First and foremost you have to be inquisitive. I think it’s the same thing that makes a person good at anything. You have to be a person that wants to know why this thing ticks the way it does. I’ve come across all kinds of people in this business who were really good writers. There are a lot of good writers out there. That’s totally different than being a good reporter. I didn’t understand that when I was younger. They aren’t the same thing. Some guys are good writers and some are good reporters. So I would ask people, ‘how do you know?’ Or, ‘how can you distinguish?’ After years of being in the business you realize that some people are good at making contacts and cultivating relationships. They can find things out and dig up dirt. Others are fantastic wordsmiths. They can take next to nothing and write it up to amaze you. It’s a totally different craft and a totally different aptitude. The best are those that can combine those two disciplines and make them work together."

JW: “Who has influenced you professionally?”

SS: “You know it’s tripped out, when I first broke into the business my goal was to be a college beat writer. I thought the college beat was where it was at. When I was in college I used to follow Michigan football from almost a 1,000 miles away. I’m a big Michigan fan and everybody that knows me knows that. This was when the internet was still young so not all newspapers had good websites. I used to be locked in reading about Michigan football on the Detroit Free Press website. I also started studying newspapers and columnists about that time. Now by studying I don’t mean studying in school because I was an English major. I mean studying newspapers, sports writing and sports writers to really hone my craft. I read a lot of Sports Illustrated at that time as well. I didn’t read bylines though. The only byline I read consistently was a woman name Paula Bovin, she covered Arizona State for the Arizona Republic. Now she’s a columnist out there. I’ve actually seen her, met her, talked to her, sat next to her in press row before but I never told her this. She was the person I modeled my career after. I would read her stuff about Arizona State and I had no interest in them at all. I think I came across one of her stories on a message board and I started following her after that. I wanted to get a feel about how you should follow a college beat. Not just the basketball team and football team but the entire athletic department. I wanted to know how to come up with stories in the spring and summer that were relevant to the reader, and that made sense in regards to the bigger picture of beat you were covering. To me she was the ideal model of what a college beat writer should be and I followed her work until she stopped covering Arizona State and started with her column. I still read here today. I think she had a good handle on how to comprehensively cover the beat. In every sport, from every possible angle, she always had that program covered."

JW: “What brought you to Atlanta to cover the Hawks for the AJC?”

SS: “It’s funny, I had a few people here that I knew already. Steve Wyche is a good friend. He came from the Washington Post to cover Georgia. Mike Lee, who used to cover the Hawks, is a good friend of mine. When he left to cover Washington he gave me a call and said, ‘I’m leaving, the Hawks will be looking for a beat writer.’ I told him, nah, I’m good. I loved my job. I was working for the Indianapolis Star covering the NBA and I loved it. I didn’t have a ton of interest in moving. Not only did Steve and Mike mention it to me but Mike Nobla, my first boss after I graduated from Jackson, was here. He was a college editor at the time. I don’t know why my name kept coming up to these people here but I talked to them all and at one time or another told them I wasn’t really interested in moving. So on opening night of the ’04 – ’05 season I was driving to the arena in Cleveland before the Pacers – Cavaliers game and Mike called me. He said he wanted me to talk with the sports editor down here because they were looking for someone to cover the Hawks. The conversation with the editor escalated into some further opportunities and I came down for an interview a few days after the Pacers – Pistons brawl at the Palace. Yeah, I was there. I went home for a day and then flew down here, interviewed and the rest is history. The strange thing about coming here was that in Indianapolis the Pacers were such a big deal that we didn’t have to fight to get them coverage or for the resources needed to properly cover a team. Coming here I knew it would be a little different. The Hawks were relegated to the back of the sports page and weren’t really a priority. For me it became a challenge. I figured I would find a way to make the Hawks a big deal. I kind of juiced myself up to make them relevant. I knew they were bad but I figured I needed a challenge to get myself going. I wanted to prove people wrong about Hawks basketball. Plus city wise you can’t go wrong with the city of Atlanta. My wife is from a place about four hours from here so for her it was an easy sell. It was a good move family wise. The decision really came down to covering an established team with a huge fan base and national attention or coming here and figuring out how to make this something people want to pay attention to. It’s been a challenge but it’s been rewarding as well in terms of creating something out of nothing.”

JW: “How hard is it to cover a bad team?”

SS: “You know it’s funny I’ve found that covering a good team is tougher. I say that because when someone is good it’s harder to find openings. Guys are guarded and nervous about keeping things on an even keel. They don’t want to rock the boat at all. It’s difficult to find any openings. Loose lips are not common on a really good team. Now when you’re bad, guys are unmasked. Guys will say anything. You’re inhibitions are gone. When you’re horrible you don’t think anything else can really go wrong. When a team is 13 -69 what is there to really worry about? What else can go wrong? On a winning team there’s a different dynamic in terms of the guys being nervous and guarded because they don’t want to mess things up. That helped a lot when I came here. I came in and got with this team when they were at their lowest. My coverage of this team has evolved as they’ve gotten better. I’ve chronicled them from the 13-69 days up until now with the back to back playoff appearances.”

JW: “Talk about the evolution of the Hawks. They are a legitimate franchise now. How did they go from the laughing stock of the league to a team that can compete with any team on the league on any given night?”

SS: “It’s funny, I’ve taken so many lumps from other writers and people in the business about this team it’s crazy. People would approach me on the road and tell me straight up, ‘your team is horrible.’ It’s not like I picked the team or coached them but I knew what they meant. They were that bad. I don’t think people understand what it’s like to be the worst team in the league unless you’ve covered it. Think about the guys who covered the Nuggets before Carmelo or the Cavaliers before LeBron. They understand where I was at. When you win between 14 and 17 games in a season that’s as bad as it gets in this era; add to that not everybody gets that magical get out of jail free card. Every team won’t get Carmelo or LeBron. Now the Hawks could have drafted some pretty good players. Maybe the Hawks wasted their get out of jail free card by not drafting Chris Paul or some of the other players they missed on. I think they’ve taken the longest hardest road possible. The Hawks have gone against the grain in nearly everything they’ve done. Fighting the power in the draft, taking guys everybody said they shouldn’t. Then the ownership situation in the midst of signing Joe Johnson to a free agent contract happened. It’s been a professional boom though. I say that because even when the team wasn’t very good they got attention due to the drama and soap opera. You have an appreciation for better times now when you think of the horrible times. If you want to know something that’s hard to do in this business try writing a ‘this team is bad and got the snot beat out of them’ 69 times in a season. Your creative juices start flowing when you have to recreate the ‘this team is awful’ story that many times. Plus, you don’t want your writing to read stale and lose the interest of your readership. I learned a lot about myself during that time though. I couldn’t let how bad they were influence the quality of my work. After the year I go back and read my work and try to follow it to guard against that. That’s where having a blog is helpful because you go back and look at how critical you were when they were bad as opposed to when they are playing better. My coverage has definitely changed. Whereas before there was really sharp criticism and almost sympathy to a more constructive thing now. I’m analyzing how to piece things together to keep moving forward. The evolution isn’t just for the team. It’s for ownership and the fans too. Going from horrible to respectable is a journey for everyone involved.

JW: “Let’s talk a little the Hawks in terms of draft picks. Look at this team. Josh Smith is still here. Sheldon Williams is gone. Josh Childress is overseas. How close do you think the organization is, or should be, to parting ways with Marvin Williams?”

SS: “That’s a good question. I don’t think they should be close at all. They only way I would say consider it is if they know they have a sure thing coming in. The value of that asset should match or be better than Marvin. I think too many times, teams want to wash away a mistake just for the sake of washing it away. Sure the Hawks took Marvin when there were point guard options that needed to be addressed in that draft. The thing is I wrote at the time that I could live with not drafting a point guard as long as they addressed that need in free agency. They didn’t do that. They brought in Speedy Claxton. That wasn’t the answer. They didn’t go out and find a top shelf starting NBA point guard. They found a guy that was basically Chris Paul’s backup. That’s not good enough. What I’ve learned watching the NBA over the last decade is that the good teams fix their mistakes quickly. They don’t compound them by adding another one. Sometimes you don’t know you made a mistake until after. Most people had Marvin ranked as a top five prospect in that draft, he and Bogut. It just so happened that he and Bogut were the first two off the board. I know everyone talks hindsight like they knew Chris Paul and Darren Williams would be this good. Who knew those two would the transcendent point guards of their era when they came out in that draft? If there was a consensus on that they would have gone 1-2. The worst thing you can do if you’re the Hawks is scapegoat Marvin because you picked him when maybe you shouldn’t have. It’s not like he’s been a bust in the NBA. It would be different if he were like Sheldon (Williams), where you realize quickly that this dude can’t play. Add to that, I said this too: the more egregious mistake to me was taking Sheldon the next year instead of Brandon Roy. I’m not sure you can make that kind of mistake twice. How do you come back the next year and stare Brandon Roy in the eye and not take him? It was a consensus that Brandon Roy was the most pro ready prospect in that draft. That wasn’t a debate. People knew that if you picked him he could come in a play meaningful minutes. So you take a Sheldon Williams, a guy nobody was going to pick before ten at best. To me that mistake, after missing on the point guards, is ridiculous. Can the Hawks get equal value in a sign and trade for Marvin over the summer? If they can, good. If not you better be very careful of throwing away an asset. This is a guy that’s averaged double figures the last three years and been a starter. You can’t always get a good return on the time and money you’ve invested in Marvin thus far."

JW: “There’s been a lot of criticism of Mike Woodson. It’s been aimed at coaching style, player management, and maybe even his personality. He didn’t get a contract extension. The GM, Rick Sund will be here. How closely tied to you think the performance of the team and the impact of draft picks/ free agent acquisitions will be with him being retained or dismissed?”

SS: “I think they colored his future before that. I think that the draft picks and free agents, as well as the team dynamic in training camp, will determine if he even completes next year. He doesn’t have the security of a contract beyond this year. A lot of times you’ll see GM and coaches tied together. When you’re someone else’s coaching hire and you don’t have the security of a contract that’s not good. And even if you do, look at Sam Mitchell, there are still no guarantees you’ll be around past a bad start to the season. They started this season 6-0 and that really set the tone for the rest of the season. Say they have a rough start next season; what if they go 0-6? What if they struggle until around Christmas and they’re still under .500? I don’t know if Mike Woodson survives that. That’s the predicament he’s in. I don’t think that’s foreign to him, having been around this league as long as he has. He’s had longer than a lot of people would have imagined. I don’t think he feels sorry for himself or anybody else. It’s a hell of a challenge for him. You basically have to re piece half a roster before training camp and be ready to rock when the season starts. That’s daunting. The guy lived through one rebuilding project during his tenure and survived it. I don’t know if he, or any other coach, could survive another one. Sure it won’t be as drastic because you have Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Josh Smith who are here and ready to move forward. Still, you have to address the point guard situation. You have to get some more pieces and solidify a bench this summer. By anyone’s estimation those factors are going to affect Mike Woodson’s future with this team.”

JW: “I was looking at the draft. Mike Bibby, if he comes back, is getting older. The team could use some point guard help. They could also use help up front to rebound and defend alongside Al (Horford), Josh (Smith) and Zaza (Pachulia). Who do you see in the draft that can help the Hawks?”

SS: “First and foremost you look at the draft as who picks ahead of you and who may fall to you. At pick number 19, in a draft that’s light on bigs/top shelf power forwards, it becomes a guard draft. So the one need you know you can address is the point guard issue. It might be a backup for Bibby or an eventual replacement. It might be an immediate replacement. Based on draft position and need, there’s a point guard in this draft with the Hawk’s name on it. That’s if they decide to go that route. I don’t know how you would find immediate help on the glass. That’s a skill that requires more proficiency than a college guy might have right away. That’s when you scour the free agent ranks. Maybe you trade for it. That’s a skill. For example, Chris Anderson’s NBA skills are rebounding and blocking shots. You’d have to go find a guy with that skill set and make him a part of the rotation. I think Zaza Pachulia, who’s a free agent, brings that element to this team. I think Al does and I think Josh, who led the team in rebounding in the playoffs, does. I think you have half of what you need. Half the battery of players you need to rebound and defend at a high level are already on the roster. I wrote this on my own blog yesterday actually. I don’t think you can get to the conference finals without five to six serviceable big men on your roster. You need those 6’8 to 7’ players that can go out and play extended quality minutes. That’s just a fact. Look at who’s still playing right now: L.A., Orlando, Cleveland, and Denver. Run down the list of frontcourt players those teams have that can play. Those teams have the quality up front. I think you go into the summer comparing yourself to the teams that made it to the conference finals the year before. They set the standard and you set the bar for your team by them.”

JW: “It’s funny you mentioned that. Look at the team that’s having the most trouble right now, Cleveland. They don’t have that aspect. They don’t have five cats, they don’t have four cats. Ben Wallace and Joe Smith are old. Ilgauskas can’t move. That leaves LeBron, he rebounds like a power forward anyway and Varejao. Essentially they only have two of the five or six you need when it comes to the rebounding and defending aspect.”

SS: “Exactly. It’s funny how the league shifts. I was talking to one of the Hawks assistant coaches before this interview and we were talking about the direction the league is going. I’ve also discussed this type of thing with other guys in the business that do not cover the NBA. I remember when Jordan kind of vacated that spot as the #1 player in the league and guys were debating if it would be Kobe or Vince Carter that would be the heir apparent. Allen Iverson was obviously there to doing his thing. We knew there wouldn’t be another Shaq so our argument went along the lines of who would be the next Jordan type player? Who would set the standard? I personally thought it would be the Allen Iverson type of player that would dominate the league going forward. After the Bad Boy era, some of those Knicks teams and some of those physical Miami Heat teams the league started to move away from the rough and tumble physical style. After Shaq, I didn’t see another big man being able to dominate the league. Focus on the end of games. It’s guards and forwards dominating games. Kobe’s going to work, LeBron, Carmelo. Hybrids like Rashard and Tukoglu. Those guys are taking and making shots to decide the outcome at the end of games. You have to judge your team based on these standard bearers. Kobe is the man right now with LeBron following very closely. When it comes to your team you have to ask yourself, how do I match up with this type of player. For the last six or seven years the league has been one where you have to match talent for talent at two guard and small forward. Now, this is not to discount the contributions in this era of Shaq, Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan. The thing is that talent doesn’t come along every year. There isn’t a KG in every draft. You know there will be a plethora of 6’4 to 6’7 two guard types coming in and out of the NBA forever. That’s not going to change. When you’re building a team that’s going to win a championship I think that changes. What Dwyane Wade did was rare. Having a 6’4 guy as your catalyst is almost unheard of. Traditionally you build around a point guard like Chauncey Billups or a post. Now that formula is all over the place. There is no set formula anymore. Even the two star system is out as a way to build a championship team. For years teams tried to emulate the impact of two guys like Mike and Scottie or Karl Malone and John Stockton. Now I think it’s three or more. Boston won with the three headed monster of KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. If you ask yourself about the teams still playing what do you get? Well Cleveland doesn’t have three. They don’t have three guys on that level. The Lakers definitely have two in Kobe and Pau Gasol but who’s the third? Lamar Odom? Who’s the third guy? Denver has Carmelo and Chauncey. Who’s the third guy there? If you look at Orlando they have three. Dwight, Hedo and Rashard come the closest to that formula. They have three legitimate guys that can carry you on any given night. That’s what I love about the NBA. There’s so much more than just rolling the ball out. Before I covered the pros I used to complain that it was scripted, the same thing happens every night. When you cover it you get a sense of the history of the game. You realize how intricate the game is and the trends that influence the game. You would think that after the success of the triangle that more teams would try to run that offense. That’s when you realize that the system really is based on the talent that you put inside it. You can’t duplicate that. This is a pick and roll league, much like it’s always been. Basketball basics baby. It’s the foundation of just about every team’s offense. It’s amazing how complex a thing can be that should be so simple. There’s so much more to the pro game than what you see on TV.”

JW: “Weigh in on this debate. Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. I’ve watched the growth of Joe Johnson from High School phenom to college star. I watched him blossom in Phoenix after the trade from Boston. I’ve watched him play here. When I see Joe Johnson I see star. I’ve also watched the growth and promise of Josh Smith. I see the physical tools, the potential, the skill set. I’ve watched his growth. That being said, whose team are the Hawks and whose team should they be? ”

SS: “I don’t think the Hawks are either one of their team and I don’t think it should be. There is a clear tug of war here as to what style of basketball to play. I don’t think its conscience or even spoken but it’s there. I think this team needs that same thing Denver needed when Chauncey Billups came. Sometimes you need a guy that eliminates the friction from a situation. To me Chauncey is the consummate point guard. He’s the model in this era. You want a guy that’s not so overcome with being a star that he overshadows the team. You want a guy so overcome with winning that the will to win supersedes egos. Look at this. It’s a little different but in Denver there was confusion about their style of play. Would they play George Karl’s way or would they play a style that complemented Carmelo Anthony and the rest of that roster? Billups was a guy that came in and was the go between. A.I. came and that didn’t work. They could run all day but they couldn’t win. Chauncey showed them how to have backbone and play a certain way in order to win. That can’t come from a coach or a scheme. Sometimes its about a guy being a moral compass for a team; some people around here think it may be Al Horford to fill that role. They think he could be the guy to be the skeleton to build your culture and identity around. I think that’s a lot to put on a guy that’s been in the league for two years. I’ve been here all of Josh Smith’s career. I’ve watched his growth. I was covering the SEC when Joe came up. I remember before he started playing, Nolan Richardson was excited about a kid he had that was a Prop., so he wouldn’t be eligible until Christmas of his freshman year. People had expectations for him then and he lived up to it. Since then he’s become an All Star here. For me that background is unique when it comes to this situation. I think it’s vastly overblown. I’ve talked to the players about it. I’ve talked to the coaches and the agents. It’s a complete non factor if the organization is committing to winning. The team doesn’t have to belong to either one. Plus I don’t think either one of them is good enough to have that hanging over their heads or define them. I don’t think either one is that kind of superstar. I think that era is done in the NBA as well. I really don’t believe we have that cache of superstars in the league anymore. People say the league is down but there are so many good players in the NBA right now. Why not be a part of a conglomerate? Why not contribute to a team that can win for a long time? Who knows, Joe may continue his All Star ways. Josh and Al may rise up and become All Stars. It’s up to them and how they improve year to year. Whose team it is should be the least of their worries. Hell they need to be working together. Think about this. I had this stat from last season: when Joe and Josh both score 20+ points in the same game they were 11-1. So the question around here should be how do we get both of these guys scoring 20+ more often. I’d key in how to get these two guys playing better together, not which guy should be the focus. I see that as one of the valid criticisms of Mike Woodson. Running everything through Joe may be an old theory. That’s the way he wanted to play but if they want to keep getting better they have to figure out how to incorporate the other guys into what they do. If Mike likes it or not, that’s on the money. It’s not hard to notice that the Hawks play better when they have threats outside of Joe Johnson."

JW: “Talk about the demise of the newspaper industry. Where do you think newspapers are headed?”

SS: “Man that’s a horribly good question. For a guy like me who has been doing this since 1994 it’s a little frightening. I have no clue man. For years I’ve been working on things other than the traditional newspaper model. When I came into the business message boards and other internet tools were just taking off so I’ve always had a basic understanding of other things outside of print. I knew the role that your brand played in what you do and your success. I know there’s a place for the gathering of this information and the repackaging of this information. I’m not sure where that fits in regards to the traditional newspaper model. I’d love for there to be a clear cut answer so the industry could stabilize. That’s a part of evolution though. Some time ago, I remember the so called traditionalists would bash the USA Today. They would say it wasn’t a real paper or that it wasn’t this or that. Now, in a few years it may be the only hard copy paper you can get outside of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times or the Washington Post. This is an ideas business and an innovation business. You have to be on the cutting edge of that as opposed to chasing the tail of it. I think the newspaper industry lost sight of that for a while. People figured folks would just always pick up a newspaper. Then again I’ve heard from people a lot older and wiser than me that we’ve been through this before. Think about it. Newspaper’s demise was predicted when radio took off and again when television news went through the roof. We’re still here. I would like to think that we’re resilient enough to reconfigure and stay relevant for a long time, certainly as long as I’m in the business. I don’t know exactly where we fit in the traditional model. I know there’s a place for what we do. It’s just a matter of finding that place."

Interview with Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter

The success we have in attaining our goals is often directly related to the company we keep. The people that we choose to leave behind represent our freedom from the tyranny of negativity and the weight of doubt, depression and ill will. The people we choose to associate with at present represent the strength found in a multitude of friends and smiling faces. Lastly, those that we place as role models and set their examples as those to emulate serve as the gasoline which powers our destiny flight.

D. Orlando Ledbetter fits squarely into the last category for me. The Atlanta Journal – Constitution Falcons beat writer is a wonderful example of what success in this business looks like.

Sit back and takes notes……….

I asked Mr. Ledbetter a series of questions ranging from the obvious (How did you get into Sports Journalism?) to the slightly controversial (Is Matt Ryan for real or are people down here just trying to get over Michael Vick?). I found this man to be insightful, funny, full of knowledge, and incredibly giving. It’s nice to see a lion that’s had his fill not intimidated by a young lion attempting to eat as well.

Enjoy.

Jerold Wells Jr., The Starting Five:
“When did you get into Sports Journalism and what made you want to be a sports writer?”

D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal - Constitution:
“I first started writing at my Jr. High School student newspaper, I played on the basketball team, and we needed a story so I did a Q&A with one of my teammates and that was my first sports article. I didn’t know if I really wanted to do it but I stayed with it and kept writing at the student newspaper. Then I went to Howard University I majored in Journalism because I already knew a little about the field and I figured I could switch over at some point if need be. I started writing for the student newspaper there and began to consider it as a career. I got an internship after my sophomore year at the Newport News Daily Press in Virginia. After that I got more newspapers that wanted to talk to me every year. I did another internship with a paper in Greensboro and finally another one in Cleveland after I graduated. Then the Charlotte Observer hired me for my first job after college. From writing in middle school and staying with through college that led me to a career in sports journalism.”

JW: “From your experience, what do you think makes a good sports journalist?”

DOL: “Professionalism is the first thing. Everybody is going to be able to write. Being able to be professional and elicit the stories from your subjects have to be your biggest strengths. Getting people to tell their innermost secrets, their strategic movements, why they do this or why they do that is the key. Why did you throw the curveball in that situation? What were you thinking when you made that block? You have to get intimate with them but not in an unprofessional way. Your credibility and your professionalism are vital to your success. What I’ve found is that people just want you to tell the truth, especially football guys. They don’t want you to write or tell them how great they are. They want to deal with what happens and why it happens. One instance of that was when I was in Milwaukee covering the Packers during Randy Moss rookie year, the Vikings played the Packers and Moss torched them during a Monday Night game. So after the game Tyrone Williams, the cornerback that got abused, is there and I just walked up to him and said ‘you had a pretty rough game out there’ and from there we just had a conversation. Of course then everybody else wants to come and talk to him as well and get in on that. You have to be able to deal with guys on their level. You have to be sensitive yet be real with them. Again football guys are different because, in my experience, they’re easier to approach and talk to. Baseball and basketball guys tend to hide in the clubhouse or avoid you when things are going bad. Then when they’re doing well they are available again.”

JW: “It’s funny you mention Randy Moss in his rookie year. I’m from Minnesota and am also a huge Vikings fan. I remember Randy in his rookie year and all of the praise he got during his tenure. I also remember the criticism. When I moved to Atlanta, I felt the exact same thing in relation to Michael Vick. People were amazed; they’d never seen anyone like him. I personally make the parallel between Moss and Vick in that people were so attracted to his prodigious talent that they wanted to make him into something that he wasn’t. I just don’t think the maturity was there early on to be a team leader or a role model with either player. Both paid the price for poor decisions; Moss by being banished to Oakland and wasting years there and Vick by being put in jail and humiliated. That being said, do you think Michael Vick will play again in the NFL?”

DOL: “Yes. He will get a chance to play again and redeem himself in the NFL. I think it’s just based on the history of all the players that have been suspended before him. This is going all the way back to Jim Taylor and Alex Karras, those guys got suspended in the 60’s. Gambling is considered a more egregious crime but nobody could have predicted dog fighting, you know? The league just started to suspend players for unlawful behavior and personal conduct, you know, guns/weapons charges and such. The Tank Johnsons and Pacman Jones type situations. The league put up with that for a long time. If you weren’t incarcerated then you were ok. If you think about it, he (Vick) has already been out for close to two years, it’s close to 24 months already. This has been longer than any of the other cases."

JW: “Do you think it’s the gambling aspect of dog fighting that has people coming down so hard on him (Vick)? Is this another sports and gambling scenario?”

DOL: “No, it’s the humanitarian aspect. There are a lot of people who love dogs. I didn’t know that the Humane Society receives almost $20 million a year in donations, that’s a lot of money and this organization has been around since 1860’s. So the importance of animals and people’s love for them adds to the undercurrent of opposition for Michael Vick. I have a friend that teaches law in the city, single lady with two dogs, and she won’t even mention his name. The thing is really about the animals.”

JW: “What brought you to Atlanta and the AJC?”

DOL: “I was in Milwaukee with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and I took my wife up there with me when we got married. My wife accepted a marketing position with Suntrust Bank and with her also being career minded I didn’t want to stand in the way of that opportunity. I came down here and worked in the legal field, practicing employment law, and eventually the AJC had an opening. I covered the Olympics in Sydney and originally interviewed with the AJC in 2000 but the opportunity did not come through at the time. We stayed in touch and by 2003 I was brought on staff.”

JW: “Why do you cover football?”

DOL: “I’ve had a chance to cover everything. In Charlotte I did High School and small colleges. In Cincinnati I covered High Schools and Ohio State as well as college basketball with the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, that’s a big thing there. I also did some work on the Bengals. In Milwaukee they wanted me to take over the Marquette basketball team beat, with Kevin O’Neil kind of building the program back up. One of my buddies was already there covering the Packers and he asked me to add a little to his coverage. For those six years I was able to catch the Holmgren Era there and witness the success they had. I also did a column. By the time I got here I kind of figured that I liked the pace of football more. The travel is not as invasive and I really do think that football players are easier to deal. Definitely more so than baseball players who will run and hide in the clubhouse. I’ve been a fortunate NBA guy. I was able to cover Michael Jordan and the Bulls. They were a good group. You get so much time with basketball players. You have the 45 minutes before the game, then interview time after and then your deadline so if you hustle and build up your relationships you can end up with pretty good stories. I made sure to be in with the best players and the players that were intelligent enough to share information with you. I had to fill in a little for Sekou (Smith, Atlanta Hawks Beat writer, AJC) this year and he doesn’t really have a tough locker room. I guess Bibby can be somewhat of a diva, but otherwise that’s a good group. Half the battle is being there; going to shoot around and practice. Sekou is the only guy there everyday with those cats. I’m the only guy there for the Falcons so that helps.”

JW: “Who influenced you professionally? Who are the people that had an impact on your career?

DOL: “My dad, Albert Ledbetter Jr. and my uncle Gerald Ledbetter. There was just a passion for sports in our family. All of us played at some level. That carried over into my career. At Howard University that person was the head of the Journalism Department, Dr. Lawrence Kaggwa. He helped a lot of people at Howard and Norfolk State get into the Journalism field. Curtis Bunn, myself, Sean Powell, Darryl Richards are just a few of the people that learned under Dr. Kaggwa. Professionally it’s been more of my contemporaries. Again, Sean Powell has always been there for me, Clifton Brown with The Sporting News, Mike Wilbon is a good friend. He was covering Georgetown when I was editor of the student paper at Howard, The Hilltopper. Mike came and spoke to my staff back then. He doesn’t remember it but I know that staff does. The best advice I ever got in this business was from Sam Lacy, the old black sports writer for the Baltimore African American. He said ‘Use a period.’ It was simple but true. Write short, tight, crisp sentences and don’t belabor your point. Sam is definitely a legend in the sports writing field dating back to his work covering Jackie Robinson helping to integrate baseball. “

JW: “Now that we’ve done some of the background questions I’d like to transition into some other topics. The Atlanta Falcons have a history of being an up and down franchise. They’ve never had back to back winning seasons. Do you think this is the year that they break that curse? How good can the Falcons be in the ’09 – ’10 season?”

DOL: “The tradition is that the franchise has been around 44 years and they’ve never had consecutive winning seasons. I guess that tells you this year isn’t going to be a winning year. I mean last year some people picked them to win one game. I believe I picked them to win four. A lot of stuff can go your way in this league. Some teams are built to be powerhouses. Think of the Pittsburgh’s and Dallas’ in the 70’s. I believe that’s a thing of the past. You don’t really have the dynasty teams anymore. I think of the NFL like this. Everyone is 8-8. If two or three things go your way then there you are with 10 or 11 wins and a playoff berth. Some teams don’t manage their 8-8 correctly. They don’t take advantage of the parity that the Commisioners have created. For one reason or the other they just don’t get there. Now the Falcons do have a history of bizarre injuries and drama. Think about Jamal Anderson blowing his knee out after they went to the Super Bowl. Think about the team going 7-9 after an appearance in the NFC championship game and the coach saying he wants to be in Washington. After that your franchise quarterback is in jail and your coach leaves to coach in college. I don’t know what going to happen. One thing is certain, if it’s a smooth sailing type season, the coaching staff and new administration are really talented people. Even so, they can’t control everything that may happen. If they can get a clean run at it (in the upcoming season) good things can happen. Look at last year. There were no major injuries, well Sam Baker got hurt a little bit and John Abraham played hurt.

JW: “But he played, that’s huge for him.”

DOL: “Right. And he set the franchise single season record for sacks. If everything goes right they can be back in the hunt for the playoffs. They are going to be awfully young. To expect them to go to the playoffs may be a little premature. 8-8 may be about right.”

JW: “That was actually my follow up question. Talk a little about the maturation of this offense with a new, younger, and better offensive line. Talk some about the emergence of a top notch, Pro Bowl receiver. The ability at the quarterback and running back is there. How will this offense impact the Falcons chances next season?”

DOL: “Well, I think the offense will be there but the fact remains that the Falcons will be very young on defense. Five projected starters are new to the team. Only one of those guys can be considered a veteran (LB Mike Peterson). About 1/3 of the roster have been in the league 3 years or fewer. They got rid of a lot of veterans, so if they do come back from that and have a winning season it would add to overcoming the history of not winning in back to back seasons. It would definitely be unprecedented.”

JW: “You walked into my next question. With the turnover at linebacker, bringing Peterson in as well as Michael Boley and Keith Brooking leaving and considering the youth in the secondary how good can this defense be this year? I think the scheme is there, but is the personnel? Can this be a top 10 type defense in the NFL?

DOL: “No. Not yet. They were ranked 24th last year with the veterans they had last year. Those guys just got old and they looked old in the playoff game. Now are these young guys going to come in a bump them up into the top 10? No. Now can they make it to 14? Maybe; if they can get into the top half of the league that’s progress. They have to progress in increments. Plus I don’t think the talent is there at cornerback. That goes back to D’Angelo Hall. Sure I personally like the guy but you don’t just trade a cornerback away in this league. I don’t care if you have problems with him or not. You need football players, this is a football game. You’re supposed to be trying to win games, not the humanitarian of the year award. The guy could play football. Now if you can’t communicate with a player that’s your fault. Get guys in there that can communicate with him and get through to him. If you don’t have that then you need better coaches, which I think they have in place now.”

JW: “How much do you think the Petrino year set this team back? That was really a lost year. I’m talking about the veterans that soured on the organization, the players that left, the horrible on field performance. How much did that hurt the Falcons? How much did it set the team back?”

DOL: “I originally thought it would have a lasting impact, but the new regime has done such a good job of changing the culture that the negative impact was minimal. One good thing that came out of that season was the emergence of Roddy White as a legitimate NFL threat. Warrick (Dunn) is gone, Michael (Boley) is gone. We still have Jamal (Anderson, DE) he’s hanging in there. That whole team is pretty much blown up. On the offensive line, McClure, Forney and Blalock are still there, but again, that’s a different type of unit. What the new administration has shown is that they’re not afraid to purge. Last year with Dunn and this year with cutting Keith Brooking loose they showed that. I think the Brooking move came a year too late.

JW: “Was his (Brooking) release a surprise?”

DOL: “Oh no. Not with what happened in the playoffs last year. You know, it’s 3rd and 17 and he blows coverage. Add to that he really hadn’t been covering anyone all year so, no, I’m not surprised.”
JW: “Is being the hometown guy what kept him around this long?”
DOL: “No. He was a good player. I didn’t think he made any impact plays last year. The organization had chances to part ways with him and just didn’t do it right away. When Dan Reeves left, Jim Mora chose to stick with him instead of moving him out. Petrino’s people moved him to the middle and finally Smith moved him back outside. He could actually be in the perfect situation now though playing inside in the 3-4. He should do well down there (in Dallas).

JW: “What type of impact to you think Tony Gonzales will have on this offense?”

DOL: “Huge, no question. Substantial impact. It’s pretty clear in watching him in OTA’s and minicamp that he still has plenty in the tank. Just look at last year. He had no established NFL quarterback, Tyler Thigpen got most of the snaps with Croyle and Huard hurt, and he still had a 1,000 yards with at least 80 catches. Consider this: this may be the best quarterback he’s ever played with. If you go back and look the quarterbacks Kansas City has had, with the exception of Montana of course, I think Matt Ryan will be the best he’s ever played with.”

JW: “With all the fanfare around Matt Ryan, I was skeptical. I didn’t know if people were praising Ryan for being a good young quarterback or if they were just trying to fill the void that a star like Michael Vick left. Is Matt Ryan the real deal?”

DOL: “Well he rewrote the book on what a rookie could do. I think he’s a top level quarterback. How he gets it done is different. He’s definitely more traditional. But what he did last year was come in and not lose the games for them. They were carried by a 1,700 yard back. That makes playing quarterback easier, a lot easier. I didn’t know this during the season but I was talked to a friend that is an offensive coach at the combine and I asked him the same question. He said yes, Ryan was for real, but that the Falcons were able to make the game very easy for him. Here’s how. When Ryan comes off of a play action fake all he has to do is read the safety and throw to the other side. There had to be eight in the box to stop Turner so that means there’s only one safety back. If he cheats over to Roddy then Jenkins is open. If he shades Jenkins then Roddy is open. Plus consider this; the opposing team’s safeties never had to worry about the tight end because that threat wasn’t there last year. That’s why it was so important to get a big time tight end because it will further simplify his reads. Plus, he’ll have another weapon to spread the ball around to. What Ryan did last year wasn’t all that complex but it was effective, it won them eleven games, got them in the playoffs and almost won them the division title. ”

JW: “You mentioned some things about your experience on a basketball beat. I was able to cover the Hawks first round series with the Miami Heat. I felt I witnessed the growth of a team. I saw the impact a few key signings and stability within an organization could have. You filled in some for Sekou and did some work with the Hawks. What do you think it will take for the Hawks to continue progressing and not fall back into irrelevance? What are they missing that separates them from the top level teams?”

DOL: “If you look at them and Denver, they basically have the same parts. What’s missing for the Hawks are those 6’9, 6’10 board crashers. Birdman, Nene, Kenyon Martin, they go 3 deep at the 4/5 spot. Shoot you can add Carmelo in there, he’s rebounds like a power forward. You can never have enough tall guys to hit the boards and dunk. Never. Look at the Hawks, they weren’t in the Cleveland series rebounding wise. And that’s Cleveland; look at the trouble they’re in right now. Illgauskas is being exposed. We see how stationary he is. If he’s not hitting his jumper he’s a liability. He doesn’t fill that void. You used to be able to find that guy in the CBA or overseas. You don’t even have to score. All you need is a little five foot offensive game. Again, look at the Birdman. He’s making a living hitting the offensive glass. They just throw it up and he goes and gets it. LA is making him look like an All Star. If you’re not going to body a guy like him, he’s going to make a killing. He’s not an offensive threat so of course you help off of him then he hits the glass hard and gets a bunch of layups. It’s not hard but every team needs players like that. What does Atlanta have? Horford is good. Zaza is limited, plus he’s only a 20 minute a game type guy. They need some 6’9, 6’10 guys that can hit the boards and set screens for shooters and not let your team get pushed around. If you can stick a jumper fine. Think Ben Wallace in his prime. Also people in the business say they may be looking to make a move on Jarrett Jack to help them out in the backcourt.”

JW: “After the series with Cleveland ended there was some discussion on TNT about the Hawks and the direction they should go in the future. The discussion turned to the idea of whose team the Hawks should be, Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. The consensus before the season was that Joe Johnson is the man. In that discussion though, the physical ability, potential, and promise of Josh Smith sort of made an argument for him to be that guy. What do you think?”

DOL: “Wow. Both players are flawed. I don’t think Joe is a go to guy. I mean Michael Jordan would have never scored 13 points in a crucial playoff game. He’s a nice player. But if you’re a superstar you get your 25 -30 every night, regardless. Josh just isn’t basketball savvy enough to put a team on his shoulders. I mean he’s still shooting 20 foot jumpers and he doesn’t have a jumpshot. He doesn’t know when to go inside and when to play outside. I remember a sequence in the Miami series where they fought like the dickens to force a turnover and he immediately tries to throw a full court pass. Stuff like that just doesn’t make the case for him. I think you stick with a team concept to take the Hawks to the next level. Look at Cleveland. They traded and traded until they found a formula that worked for them. There are some pieces on the Atlanta roster that could bring in value. I think that’s the way for them to go.”

JW: “How do you feel about the decline of newspapers as an entity and as a business?”

DOL: “It’s rather depressing. I don’t see newspapers just going away. I do see them changing the business model. We’ll still deliver news, just in a different form. The day may come when you only get an actual paper on Sunday and the rest of the week the paper is delivered digitally. Or the situation could get like the one in Detroit where the newspaper is available but it doesn’t come to your house. You have to go get it at the gas station or something like that. I see the operations becoming leaner, more aggressive and multi platformed with the paper being one part of that platform. I’m selfish in wanting a seven day paper to remain but that might not be a reality. The Sunday paper makes money so I don’t see them throwing that out. I’m not sure if the paper can remain profitable during the week. There will be a newspaper. There will still be news so it will still be delivered. I don’t think you can just be a newspaper person anymore. You may have to shoot video, edit it and post it to the website. It doesn’t take 475 people to run a paper anymore, we’re seeing that.”

JW: “To me that question is important because young people like myself coming into the business need to know what the climate is and what to be prepared for. That being said, if you were to talk with a young person that wants to get started in this business what would advice would you give them?”

DOL: “The buzz word is convergence, multi mediums. When I went to Howard we had a Journalism department print and broadcast as well as public relations. It was focused. Now you have to be able to do everything. Look at Michael Wilbon he’s doing his column and he has a show. Look at Tony Kornhieser being on Monday Night Football. On a smaller level, look at Jemele Hill. She does a great job writing and appearing on TV. She’s also excellent with her Twitter account and Facebook stuff, keeping you aware of her work and any new things she may have going on. You have to be able to work in depth as far as communication goes. You have to move in between the different mediums and converge your skills. Look at Mark Bradley (sports columnist with AJC) he tweeted, ‘would anyone care if the Thrashers left Atlanta? Tweet back with responses’ and got a whole column out of that. I just did ‘Sports Extra’ with Sam Crenshaw (local television personality). Maybe you have to go on ‘The Two Live Stews’ (local radio personalities) and chop it up with those guys some. I would make myself as open and diverse as possible so that I could succeed on multiple platforms. Again, the academic buzzword is media convergence. I taught a convergence as Clark Atlanta University just last month. We went out and shot some footage; we setup a blog and posted our story. We also did a podcast. In that we showed the ability to write, do video, and showcase the work properly. I think that’s the direction of the business.”