Maybe Jim L. Mora Jr., or whatever the moniker is now, didn't really insult the Dimitroff/Smith era of the Atlanta Falcons. Remember this? We thought it was all water under the bridge. Maybe it was just a poor choice of words. He was always so adept at making poor choices.
"The bottom line is this: The last time the Falcons won a playoff game, I was the head coach," Mora told the AJC. "Kids remember that game, the 47-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams."
Seems harmless enough. When you're the reviled new coach of a school lacking a competitive program and fighting a Goliath in your own city, bragging can't hurt. PR mulligan for Skippy Mora.
"A lot of kids around Atlanta, the state of Georgia and the Southeast follow the Falcons. They know that was the last time that the Falcons have won a playoff game."
We got it, Jimmy, but you're bordering on an insulting brand of redundancy.
And these current high school seniors were 10 years old when you solved the treacherous riddle of Marc Bulger. Apropos of evaluating your entire flummoxing run in this city, this is how to make that particular resume item shine. You are, in fact, the last coach to do that particular thing for us.
"So kids are interested with that connection to the Falcons, and the parents are interested in that, too. They all wonder why the Falcons haven’t won a playoff game since, and I can’t answer that question.
Aaaaaand there's the line being crossed. How are we sure? Because the Jimmy we knew never had to feign not having the answers. Well, at least he didn't try and claim ownership of Vick's current success. To an audience too young to know better, that would be the dirtiest of tactics.
“When we recruit kids around there, people remember me as the coach that led the Falcons to the NFC championship game, and the coach who coached Mike Vick. So I think things like that are very helpful when recruiting in that area.”
Jesus. You know what else teenage kids are receptive to? Googling. They're really good at Googling. They can Google almost anything.
So.... Go Huskies.
For a less smarmy analysis of the Atlanta Falcons' playoff circumstances, visit The Falcoholic.