SINGLETARY EMERGES AS EARLY FAVORITE TO REPLACE PETRINO
An industry source tells us that 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary is the guy whose name has initially popped up in discussions regarding the potential successor to former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino.
Per the source, Blank wants Singletary; Petrino was hired at the behest of G.M. Rich McKay.
There are multiple potential benefits that would flow from such a move. First, Singletary will be (in our view ) a great NFL head coach. Second, the thinking is that he'll straighten out a dysfunctional locker room. Third, the Falcons have the highest concentration of African-American season-ticket holders at 52 percent; in the wake of the Mike Vick fiasco the hiring of an African-American coach could go a long way toward reconnecting with an important segment of the Atlanta fan base.
In our view, however, skin color shouldn't be a factor in any hiring decision. The best person should get the job. But it would be naive to think that Blank isn't thinking about the potential impact of hiring a coach who is of the same race as a majority of the season-ticket holders, especially as the franchise moves forward without a player who is still beloved by many Falcons fans, whether white, black, purple, green, yellow, or red.
Stay tuned.
An industry source tells us that 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary is the guy whose name has initially popped up in discussions regarding the potential successor to former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino.
Per the source, Blank wants Singletary; Petrino was hired at the behest of G.M. Rich McKay.
There are multiple potential benefits that would flow from such a move. First, Singletary will be (in our view ) a great NFL head coach. Second, the thinking is that he'll straighten out a dysfunctional locker room. Third, the Falcons have the highest concentration of African-American season-ticket holders at 52 percent; in the wake of the Mike Vick fiasco the hiring of an African-American coach could go a long way toward reconnecting with an important segment of the Atlanta fan base.
In our view, however, skin color shouldn't be a factor in any hiring decision. The best person should get the job. But it would be naive to think that Blank isn't thinking about the potential impact of hiring a coach who is of the same race as a majority of the season-ticket holders, especially as the franchise moves forward without a player who is still beloved by many Falcons fans, whether white, black, purple, green, yellow, or red.
Stay tuned.
