Mike Smith may deserve an extension along with Matt Ryan

I’m not sure if this is my final takeaway from the Falcons 2013 draft, but I the more I look at it, the more I like it. At least if judging on this lone criteria, that being that the Falcons targeted athletes.

My main takeaway from the Falcons loss against the 49ers this past January was that the 49ers were clearly a better team. I had been hopeful that the Falcons could get off to a fast start which could negate that somewhat. Because I knew that over the course of four quarters, the 49ers were just a better team, with more athletes that could dominate the game physically in the trenches as well as at the offensive skill positions.

So when I look at the 2013 draft, I see the Falcons appearing to be targeting more athletes than normal. Players like Robert Alford, Malliciah Goodman, and Levine Toilolo really epitomize that in that all three I would consider players with a lot more athletic upside than polish as of today. One could label all three projects, which is something the Falcons haven’t seemed to target in their previous five drafts under Thomas Dimitroff.

I don’t think those three players or any of the Falcons rookies this year really would slant things in the Falcons favor if they were to meet the 49ers again, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Which leads me to my next point, which is what are the expectations for the Falcons 2013 season. I know there are many within the fanbase that expect the Falcons to get over the hump and into the Super Bowl in 2014. You won’t count me among them.

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Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Atlanta city mayor Kasim Reed announced an agreement this afternoon between the team and the city for a new stadium to be built in downtown Atlanta. The deal has not been finalized yet, and the final site for the new stadium won’t be chosen until it is. But it appears likely that a site adjacent or near the current Georgia Dome will be chosen.

Under the proposed deal, $200 million will be contributed by the city via the hotel-motel tax. The Falcons will be responsible for $800 million themselves, as well as $50 million in infrastructure costs. There will also be investment by the Arthur Blank Family Foundation in adjacent neighborhoods for economic improvements and developments. The city and the team also reached an agreement that there will be equal opportunity for women and minority-owned businesses to participate in construction of the new stadium.

The team and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, who owns the Georgia Dome, came to a non-binding agreement last year to build a new retractable roof stadium. The Falcons intend to begin playing in the new stadium in 2017, although construction won’t begin at least until the team and GWCCA finalize terms. They appear one step closer now.

Recapping the news and headlines involving the Atlanta Falcons from the week of July 10…

Clabo trying to end the lockout

Tyson Clabo flew to New York along with the player representatives of all 32 teams in this latest (and hopefully final) slate of negotiations between the players and the owners to end the NFL lockout, which as of this morning reached its 125th day. But Clabo has a more prominent role, as he has been in the room with other top player reps as part of actual negotiations. Joining Clabo, are Colts center Jeff Saturday, Ravens and former Falcons corner Domonique Foxworth, retired players Sean Morey, Don Davis, and Pete Kendall, along with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and counsel. Clabo was invited to represent the face of the hundreds of impending free agents that will be directly affected by the end of the lockout. Recent reports indicate that progress is slow, but steadily being made. Reports indicate that a breakthrough was made on Thursday in terms of the rookie wage scale. (Source: Pro Football Weekly)

Falcons 35th most valuable team in the world

Forbes did a ranking of the 50 most valuable sports teams in the entire world, and the Falcons rated 35th among them with an estimated value of $831 million. All 32 NFL teams were represented on the list and the Falcons placed 26th among them. At the top of the list was the world famous soccer team, Manchester United being valued at over $1.8 billion. They were followed by the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees. Making the list were two NBA teams, two Formula-1 racing teams, 8 soccer teams, and 6 MLB teams. (Source: Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes)

Falcons somewhat difficult to root for

The Business Journals did a study rating the fan difficulty of all the pro sports teams in the four major sports in North America and the Falcons placed 15th among the 32 NFL teams. Their methodology included rating each team’s success over the past ten years and their overall success since their inception to find out which teams are most disappointing to their fan base. The Detroit Lions rated as the most disappointing NFL franchise, while the New England Patriots followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers were the least disappointing. The Falcons did better than other Atlanta-based teams, with the Atlanta Hawks placing 4th most disappointing among NBA franchises, and the Winnipeg Jets (nee Atlanta Thrashers) were 7th among NHL teams. The Atlanta Braves did much better as they were the only Atlanta-based team to earn a negative grade, which in this study indicated a relative ease in rooting for them. They placed 20th among the 30 Major League Baseball teams. (Source: G. Scott Thomas, The Business Journals)

White becomes spokesperson for USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling has started a new campaign which is urging high school athletes to compete in both wrestling and football, as both sports have historically competed for the same players. And to do so they tapped Falcons receiver Roddy White. White was a two-time state champion at James Island Charter High School in his native South Carolina and played both sports at the time. White invited ten wrestlers and the school’s coach with him to Colorado Springs to USA Wrestling’s Olympic Training Center this week to get a brand new experience and see Olympic champions work out. Four of the wrestlers play both sports just as White did. (Source: Jeff Hartsell, Charleston Post and Courier)

Warrick Dunn

Former Falcons running back Warrick Dunn has rejoined the team, but this time as upper management as it was reported that he has been approved to purchase a minority stake in the organization. NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the deal, which should be finalized by March 1, 2010.

Arthur Blank still maintains a 90-percent majority in ownership of the team. Blank has already sold minority stakes in the team earlier this year.

Dunn played for the Falcons between 2002 and 2007. His 5,981 rushing yards rank second all-time on the team behind Gerald Riggs. Coupled with 1,635 receiving yards, his 7,616 total yards from scrimmage rank third all-time in the franchise. Along with six seasons he played for the Falcons, Dunn also played six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from whom he retired following the 2008 season. Including his Tampa totals, he is currently ranked 19th in rushing yards with 10,967 and 15th in yards from scrimmage with 15,306. He was voted to three Pro Bowls and was voted Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2004. Not only known for his accomplishments on the field, Dunn was noted for his off-field contributions and community relations in both Atlanta and the Tampa Bay Area.