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Arthur Blank Gets No Love
Arthur Blank: I’d like to believe that Blank, having served as the NFL’s most shameless enabler (for Michael Vick), has snapped out of his adulatory haze and will now become the star he has always had the potential to be. I’d also like to believe that the hiring of former Patriots scouting director Tom Dimitroff as general manager was a shrewd move. But I’m skeptical, not because I doubt Dimitroff’s ability to succeed, but because of the way the whole thing played out: After being embarrassingly spurned by Parcells, Blank extended an offer to Dimitroff without having ever met him in person (the job interview was conducted via video conference) and retained Rich McKay – the man Dimitroff was replacing – in the role of team president. Throw in the fact that Blank accompanied Dimitroff on his pre-draft visits with prospects such as quarterback Matt Ryan (the Falcons’ eventual selection with the No. 3 overall pick), and it’s easy for critics to portray Blank as meddlesome and amateurish. Still, Blank has enormous potential, something that can’t be said for most of the people below him.
