As predicted on this very blog a weeks ago, Bobby Petrino has jettisoned from the NFL to take the Arkansas head coaching job. You will read several articles over the next few days bashing Petrino for leaving, explaining how he only cares about himself and always looks for the better job. However, in this case, can you truly blame him for wanting out of Hotlanta? He was brought to to Atlanta solely to bring his run and gun offense to Michael Vick and Co. The Falcons dumped Schaub, brought int Joe Horn, and hired Bobby Petrino all to make Michael Vick all the more comfortable. As it turns out, quick Vick was most comfortable in a bark-a-lounger (pun intended) watching two dogs fight until death. So instead of getting an enormously talented, yet slightly under achieving franchise player, Petrino got Joey Harrington, a washing up Byron Leftwich and gulp, Chris Redman. (Not to mention half a season without Warrick Dunn).
Can you really blame Petrino for leaving because 'this isn't what he signed up for'? Can't the team fire him without any public scrutiny because it 'wasn't what the signed up for'? If the Dolphins fire Cam Cameron because they didn't 'sign up for 0-16', will anybody blame them? I am not one to defend 'scoundrel coaches' as I despise Nick Saban about as much as the '07 Patriots. ( I still laugh every time Les Miles says 'I will be the LSU coach'). However, in this case, I give Petrino a pass, because he was brought in here to work with Mike Vick, and the only thing Vick will be working on for the next 23 months is lawnscaping duty. Not to mention, he took about a $2 million per year pay cut to head back to college, so the greedy argument doesn't work here either.
P.S. Can we get a better Monday night game than New Orleans/Atlanta? Can someone force ESPN to adopt the flex system, because I really don't think Chicago/Minnesota next week will be much better, especially when it could be Jacksonville/Pittsburgh.
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