First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is experiencing the disaster that is out in Japan right now. If you're out there, please stay safe and take care of yourselves. Also, reader YokoFalcon, if you're able to do so and/or haven't done so already, check in and let us know you're alright. I for one would love to hear that you and your family are doing alright out there.
If you're wondering why this is titled the way that it is titled, then take a few minutes and look around the league. Essentially, all of the NFL owners have written some form of letter to their fans, and this includes Falcons owner Arthur Blank.
I'll redirect you to James's TWESTOTE of the Day for yesterday. He essentially highlights the letter and voices his frustration about how he wants a deal done and he wants it now. I completely understand his opinion and I have no qualms with it.
My take, however, is a little different. Take the jump with me.
Edit: Reader YokoFalcon is doing well out in Japan. I wrote this last night so I wasn't aware of the development this morning. Glad to hear everything is alright out there.
The letter from Mr. Blank to us is, indeed, something that had to be written. It is essentially that strictly-for-business letter that is basically something that can say, "Well, we wrote something for them."Even though every team will eventually have something written to their fans (any team that doesn't do it is a fail), I do at least appreciate the letter from Mr. Blank because it's not so full of business B.S. that it's unreadable. That being said, I expect every single draft pick to be someone who is fast, explosive, and good for the locker room because Mr. Blank hath decreed it in his letter.
I realize a personal bias exists here, but when I read "There is nothing I want more than to field a winning football team for you and for our community." I don't feel like that's just a standard business line, and the proof is the Comrade/Smitty era. I don't think it's necessarily to relive the fail dump that the Vick/Failtrino era was, but the effort and determination to bounce back from it all speaks volumes about Mr. Blank.
We have to exercise patience in this regard. Essentially, there's nothing we as fans can do except hope and pray that a deal gets done sooner rather than later. I fully believe Mr. Blank is a good man, but this deal requires more than just one good man in order to get an agreement.
I want a deal done as much as anyone, but unfortunately all we have for now is this letter, and we have to take it for what it is - a letter that tries to keep our focus on the last little bit of football that remains (NFL Draft) and tries to get us to understand that it's not just the players that want a deal done, but the owners, too.
Still, this isn't fun. Your thoughts?