Tony Taylor Featured on AF.com

AF.com has a feature story up on Tony Taylor today. J. Michael Moore talks to Tony and his coaches about his progression in the NFL.

Apparently Tony has been running with the first team at times this off season. The common opinion is that Curtis Lofton is going to take over at middle linebacker with Brooking moving to his natural weak position...I mean weak-side position. I don't necessarily think Taylor will start this year. But, I do think he'll play a lot more defense this year, whereas he played mostly on special teams last season.

There's some quotes I want to grab from the article. This was a funny one from Tony...

"I was trying to trim my baby fat off and, at the same time, build muscle," he [Taylor] said. "I feel like I'm a step further than I was at this time last year. It's hard not to eat Zaxby's all the time but every once in a while you've got to leave that to the side."

Come on Tony. Zaxby's? Guthrie's is where it's at.

Then there was a trend from the coaches...

"I think he's a guy that's very sharp mentally," linebackers coach Glenn Pires said. "That's what's allowing him to continue to grow. He understands the game and is a very good instinct guy. (With) those instincts he keeps getting better and making good decisions."

"Tony has done a nice job," [Head Coach Mike] Smith said. "He's a very intelligent football player and has played extremely well for us. Tony doesn't necessarily have all the measurables you look for but there are a lot of guys that have been successful in this league that don't have those measurables. Tony has done a really good job; he's a good communicator and gets us lined up."

It's nice to see these comments made about a black player for once. If you watch the NFL draft, it's amazing how all of the black players have raw talent and natural ability. On the other hand, white players are often described as being intelligent and maximizing their potential. It's refreshing to hear coaches not following the stereotypes that the so-called experts always seem to go by.

Falcons Sign Thomas Brown

Thomas Brown signed a contract with the Falcons today. Look for The Thomas Brown Affair to be returning kicks in the fall...

Latest Dawgs/Falcons News

J. Mike over at AF.com has a story up on Martrez Milner. From the article...

The current roster seems right for Milner to make his move. With the departure of Dwayne Blakeley and Alge Crumpler, Milner is the only tight end on the team with game experience from 2007. Thus far he's worked opposite veteran tight end Ben Hartsock, who was signed in free agency.

I couldn't agree more. The Falcons have been signing "blocking tight ends" left and right during the off season. I'm looking for Martrez to lead tight ends in receptions this season for the Falcons.

In other former Dawg/current Falcon news, Steve Wyche of the AJC tells us that...

D.J. Shockley has been medically cleared to take part in all football-related activities and even ran some sets with the first-team offense at Wednesday's offseason workouts.

I love that he's already getting to run with the first team some. I already feel like this coaching staff is giving D.J. more of a shot than Petrino's did.

We'll continue to follow Shock's chances on staying with the Falcons in the coming months.

J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Musa!

Muuuuusa signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday. The Jets already have Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and Jesse Chatman at tailback. I mean, obviously Musa is better than these stiffs. Last season, Jones was not the back from Chicago's Super Bowl run. If that stays the same in 2008, and Musa can avoid the injuries that have plagued his NFL career, maybe he can do some damage. If not, the Jets can always rely on their great draft picks...or not.

Watch Shockley's Live Chat

If you missed D.J.'s live chat today on AF.com, you can catch the whole thing here.

The topics of discussion range from rehab to where D.J. sees himself on the depth chart (which he kind of dodges) to "Georgia homers" that want him to start to Georgia's high expectations this upcoming season.

It's worth watching. Enjoy!

More Falcons/Dawgs News

Today I was checking out the mini camp wrap up piece from J. Michael Moore on AF.com when a sub header in the article caught my eye..."BULLDOG REPORT." Ha! Like I said yesterday, the Falcons have learned to try and make Georgia fans into Falcons fans. At any rate, J. Mike has some good info in there, so you should check it out. Now, it did take him three times in the article before he finally spelled Shockley right, but I'll cut the guy some slack. The Deaner corrects stuff in my posts all the time (thanks Deaner).

In other Falcons/Dawgs News, A.J. Bryant was among several players the Falcons tried out during last weekend's mini camp. The team has yet to announce if any of these players made the team. I'll keep you posted on that when I hear something.

Finally, don't forget about the live chat with Shockley Wednesday at 1:30 pm. I'll be at work, so I'll miss it. Fill me in if you check it out. Oh, and if you want to meet D.J., he'll be at Flagstar Bank in Duluth on Friday signing autographs from 5-6 pm. Again, how many teams can do this kind of stuff with their 4th string qb?

Falcons No Longer Afraid of Dawgs

From this picture, it looks like Thomas Brown is fitting just fine with his Falcons teammates. Of course, it helps when the teammate was your quarterback in college.

Image from AF.com

A few years ago, I never would have believed that the Falcons would have so many Bulldogs on the roster. The Falcons I grew up a fan of passed on the likes of Rodney Hampton, Hines Ward, and Jermaine Phillips, only to draft lesser players at the same position. Steve Broussard, Jammi German, and Kevin McCadam anyone?

But looking at the current roster, you can tell the new regime is not afraid of having some former Dawgs. Here's a rundown:
Thomas Brown
Brandon Miller
Martrez Milner
D.J. Shockley
Tony Taylor

And I'll tell you something else. The Falcons' marketing people are using this to their advantage. It's not often you see a marketable 3rd, or now 4th, string quarterback, but that's what Shockley is for the Falcons. You can even have a live chat with D.J. this Wednesday.

I'll try my best to link over to content on AF.com featuring former Bulldogs, but it's quite possible I may miss some of it. There's a lot of them to cover these days.

Stockpiling Dawgs

After years of seemingly going out of their way to avoid players from the University of Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons have nabbed two Dawgs in one year for the second straight year. Last year, the Falcons drafted Martrez Milner and signed Tony Taylor as a free agent. History repeated itself today. The Falcons drafted Thomas Brown in the sixth round and are rumored to have signed Brandon Miller as a free agent. When I talked to The Deaner today, he was wondering if Matt Moore is now in charge of personnel for the Falcons...

Two Dawgs/Bengals Headed in Different Directions

Just after we found out the NFL reinstated Odell Thurman, we're told that David Pollack will most likely retire.

I'm sure it will be debated if Odell's reinstatement is a good thing or not. His troubles have been well documented. All I can say is I hope he gets his act together. He is one heck of a football player, and he's proven that on every level.

As for Pollack, if he goes through with this plan to retire from the NFL, I wish him the best. If it's the decision he makes, then it is the right one. I'd hate to see him get hurt again, and maybe not be able to recover as he has this time. If he does retire, he's still got a bright future ahead of him whether he wants to coach, go into broadcasting, or do something unrelated to football. I have no doubt he will be successful in whatever career he chooses.

Shockley Missing Mini Camp

The Falcons' first mini camp is underway, and DJ Shockley cannot participate due to injury. The AJC's Steve Wyche writes that Shockley may be the odd man out for the Falcons.

Shockley is in the unenviable position as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Both Redman and Harrington signed new contracts in the off season. By April 28, a day after the NFL draft, Shockley could be No. 4. That isn't good since most NFL teams typically carry three quarterbacks. Atlanta is expected to select a quarterback — possibly Boston College's Matt Ryan with the No. 3 overall pick — and the pecking order will change.

I agree with Wyche, except for the Matt Ryan stuff. The Falcons will pick a QB that will be ahead of Shockley on the depth chart, but it won't be Ryan. At least I hope it's not.

At any rate, Shockley is going to need to look good to stick around. I think he has to beat out Joey Harrington to make the team. Who knows, maybe that is possible. I mean, they are competing at quarterback, not piano.

Image from AtlantaFalcons.com

Free Agency Kind to Dawgs

So far, the NFL free agency period has been kind to former Dawgs. First up, we had the Philadelphia Eagles signing defensive end Chris Clemons. Am I the only person that didn't know Clemons moved to defensive end? I had no idea! Then again, I didn't even know Clemons was on the Raiders last year. I thought he was still with the Redskins. Oops!

On the same day, Marcus Stroud was traded from the Jaguars to the Bills. Stroud is ready to put his steroid mess behind him.

That’s all last year, it’s already in the past.

Stroud may end up being on an improved defense in Buffalo. They also signed one time Dawg and Super Bowl Champion Kawika Mitchell.

Odell Moving Closer to Reinstatement?

In a positive move for a troubled former Bulldog, Odell Thurman has been cleared by the league to begin training and practicing with the Bengals. I still can't believe that he has been gone for two years after a sick rookie season. From espn.com:

Thurman appeared in 15 games in 2005, all as a starter, and registered 148 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, nine passes defensed and four forced fumbles.

I mean...what else do you want from an LB? While Odell obviously has had his struggles he does have 2 years left on his rookie contract and Cincinnati seems open to having him back. We at The Blawg hope he can team up with another Dawg, Robert Geathers, and resume wreaking havoc on AFC backfields.

Brian VanGorder Hearts Changing Jobs

I'm Brian VanGorder, and I'm Georgia.

I'm tired of waiting to be a head coach. If I get some NFL experience, I'll become a college head coach sooner.

I'm Brian VanGorder, and I'm Georgia...Southern. See, I told you the NFL experience would help me become a college head coach!

It's worth leaving my college head coaching job to work for a great man like Bobby Petrino. Plus, I get to coach Tony Taylor again!

He only worked for me for a month, do you think we actually have pictures of him at South Carolina?

Ah, it's good to be back with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL...where I always wanted to be. Hey, I get to coach Tony Taylor again!

NFL News

Somehow one week turned into two...At any rate I'm back. First off I wanted to share some NFL news with everyone.

Verron Returns
After Willie Parker went down, the Steelers needed another back to add to their roster. They called on a familiar face in Verron Haynes. I don't think Verron was active in yesterday's game, but he's listed as the third string tailback on the depth chart. Look for Verron getting some playing time on third downs in the playoffs.

Musa's Big Day
With Willis McGahee sidelined with broken ribs, Musa Smith took advantage of his first NFL start rushing for 83 yards and one touchdown in the Ravens win over Pittsburgh. Way to go Musa!

Perfect Pats
Congrats to the New England Patriots, but especially Richard Seymour and Ben Watson, on their perfect season. Coincidence that both the 1972 Dolphins (Jake Scott, Bill Stanfill) and this years Pats had multiple Bulldogs? I think not.

Petrino's Ripple Effect

Earlier in the week, PWD talked about how Petrino leaving the Falcons would affect Brian Van Gorder. However, there are more Georgia people involved with the Falcons than coach Van. Tony Taylor, Martrez Milner, and DJ Shockley are the only Georgia players still under contract with the Falcons. Let's take a look at each player one at a time.

Tony Taylor
I'll be honest, I don't feel great about Taylor's chances of hanging around with the Falcons. It's tough for undrafted free agents to make it in the NFL. Add to that his old college coach (Van Gorder) who I'm sure vouched for him, will likely be gone. I just remember Terrence Edwards making the team under Dan Reeves. Then Reeves was fired and Jim Mora didn't keep Edwards around long. I could see Taylor having the same fate.

Martrez Milner
Since the Falcons used a draft pick on Martrez last year, I think his status with the Falcons is in the best shape of any former Georgia player. He's on IR right now, but he actually played pretty well this season.







DJ Shockley
While I do think Milner is in the best position with the Falcons, I also think Petrino's departure will have the most positive impact on DJ Shockley. I get the feeling Petrino didn't think very highly of DJ. He was a very low draft pick by the prior regime, and Petrino obviously had a soft spot for Chris Redman. I'm not saying DJ will definitely make the team next year, but I think his chances increased significantly when Petrino resigned.

ProDawg of the WEAK

No bueno Marcus. It looks like a former Bulldog is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Marcus Stroud, Richard Seymour's former D-Line mate, is looking at a 4 game suspension for steroid use. It's really disappointing to see guys you watched while in school turn up in stories like this. I mean you follow them while you're a student, go to away games, cheer your guts out, continue to watch them in the pros, etc. It just feels like a let down sometime. Stroud and steroids just don't seem to mix. I guess the only way it looks better could be from the following:

Stroud, 29, underwent offseason microfracture surgery on his chronically problematic right ankle, and it is believed he may have taken supplements to speed his recovery.

Sounds like the 3-time ProBowler is trying to save his career. We'll see how this shakes out over the next few days as his B-Sample still needs to be tested. I wish that being a sports fan didn't mean that I know what a B-Sample is. Sad state of affairs indeed.

ProDawg of the Week

Statistically speaking, this should go to Ben Watson. He had six catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots win over the Cleveland Browns this week. However, then Deaner and I have discussed, and we've decided to go with Mack Strong as the ProDawg of the week.

Strong retired this week when he was told his spinal cord is being pinched by a herniated disk in his neck.

Strong woke up Sunday in Pittsburgh feeling tingling in his left arm. He thought it was from a crick in his neck. He then left the loss to the Steelers in the first quarter after feeling burning sensations down his arms and legs to his feet following a routine block. Strong knew it was far more serious than what the Seahawks announced: a stinger, a nerve sensation from the neck that he's had more times than he cares to count in 15 years as a battering ram for Seattle's running backs and quarterbacks.

Strong leaves the NFL having played in 14 seasons. Over his NFL career, Strong amassed 909 yards rushing on 230 carries with 5 touchdowns. He also caught 218 passes for 1456 yards and 10 more touchdowns. Strong also played in the 2005 Super Bowl, and was named to two Pro Bowls (2005 and 2006). Not bad for an undrafted free agent fullback out of the University of Georgia.

ProDawg of the Week

I almost had to call this post ProDawg of the Weak. Reggie Brown continued his ineffectiveness despite his team putting up 56 points. Hines got injured and went catchless. Champ did have 8 tackles but when does a team want their corner to have to tackle that much? And Leonard Pope backed up my previous statements by not even getting targeted in Week 3.

One bright spot was Martrez Milner's first career reception for the Falcons followed by a UGA shout out by Tony Boselli (credit Jim). By the way, Boselli has been in the booth for all the Falcons games so far and I think he is a quality color guy. He was even pretty good at being impartial during the Jags game even though he still lives there and is in their "Circle of Honor" or whatever.

So, this week's ProDawg of the week? Jermaine Phillips! The former DonnanDawg wideout had 7 tackles, 1 Pass Defensed and his first Interception of the year en route to shutting down a struggling St. Louis offense. The Roswell native has really made himself into a very solid pro on a rejuvenated Tampa Bay team. Growing up nearby I remember seeing Jermaine play basketball...dude is a freak! I always wished he had given hoops a more serious run in college. Phillips overcame injuries and a position change in school and has carved out quite an impressive 6 year career, especially when you remember that he was a 5th round choice.

ProDawg of the Week

Sorry for the delay. I was busy getting trounced by The Blawger in Fantasy Football...sad. Ben Watson, who had a great week again, helped Jim's cause...ugh.

Anyway, this week's ProDawg of the week goes to Pope Leonard the First mainly because I don't want to miss the opportunity to give it to him! The pious one had a 30 yard teeder for the first Touchdown of his young, and slightly disappointing, career. I remember seeing him for the first time and immediately pointing him out to The Blawger. I mean, dude looks like a cartoon character he's so tall.

Let's hope that his big catch and the ProDawg trophy jumpstart Pope's productivity. Should we be Tight End U instead of Tailback U?

News on David Greene

As was promised by his agent, David Greene signed on to a practice squad today. More specifically, he is on the practice squad for the New England Patriots. They sure do love their Bulldogs don't they? On their roster they have:
Benjamin Watson (Starter)
Richard Seymour (Physically Unable to Perform)
Jason Rader (Practice Squad)

Ok, so Jason Rader didn't finish out at Georgia, but he was there for a few years.