Fans flock for Falcons

It was just another preseason practice for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans, but it was the first chance to go against someone with a different colored jersey.

But what impressed Falcons head coach Mike Smith during the combined practice between the two teams at Coahulla Creek High School on Monday was the atmosphere from the fans who showed up in droves, the facility at the second-year school and the hospitality of area residents.

“The people of this community rolled out the red carpet for us,” Smith said after the event, which drew an estimated crowd of 8,627. “In terms of facilities it is just beautiful. When we came in, it was great to see the fans lining the streets for a practice, and that really gets your juices flowing for your entire team. I can’t say enough about the people here in Whitfield County, and I certainly hope that if we can do it again and have an opportunity to do it we will be able to come back and do it.”

The numbers tell most of the story from the local angle: 2,000 hot dogs, 2,000 hamburgers, more than 300 pizzas from Luigi’s and Domino’s sold, a field painted with the Falcons’ logo at midfield and the “Rise Up!” marketing phrase in the end zone and plenty of fans crowding the fence on the Colts’ home side to get an autograph.

It was a touchdown according to Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Danny Hayes, who was a big reason the Falcons and Titans were at Coahulla Creek to begin with.

“My hat is off to the our safety unity, our maintenance department and the booster clubs of all three high schools have done a great job,” said Hayes, who coached at Tennessee Tech with Smith from 1986 to 1990 and helped bring the practice to Whitfield County. “This was a team effort from the entire community, and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Smith sounded as if it could become a regular event.

“Danny set this thing in motion, and did a great job,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to get back with (Tennessee coach) Mike (Munchak) and see if we can’t do this again in the future. It was a good day’s work. It was very productive, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was great work. I thought it was very competitive on both sides of the football.”

Hayes would be in favor of that.

“I’ve already hit up (Falcons general manager) Thomas (Dimitroff) and coach Smith and told them this would be a great place to do this every year,” Hayes said. “We had a lot of space to use with both the football and baseball field, and a lot of people putting in a lot of hard work. I couldn’t be more excited about what happened this day.”

Atlanta All-Pro quarterback Matt Ryan said going against another team was the goal of the practice, but seeing the support from the community gave the event atmosphere.

“It was great,” Ryan said of the turnout. “The people of Dalton were really nice and really exciting. We are thankful so many people showed up to cheer us on.”

While the practice was free and open to the public, Whitfield County’s athletic programs at Coahulla Creek, Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield stood to benefit the most from the day. Working together to provide all of the concessions at three different locations on the two fields, the schools received the profits from concession sales split among the three programs. Numbers weren’t available Monday night, but all called the evening a success.

“It has been a labor of love for our schools,” Coahulla Creek booster club coordinator Leatha Whitfield said. “It has been a challenge, but everyone was able to work so well with each other, going above and beyond what they were asked to do.”

Southeast head football coach Sean Gray said the opportunity was one that Whitfield County couldn’t afford to waste.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” said Gray, who worked the home concession stand with the rest of his coaching staff. “I love the community coming together and love the way Mr. Hayes handled it to give all three athletic programs a piece of the responsibility and a piece of the rewards.”

Coahulla Creek principal Phillip Brown said the unity displayed was the key.

“I am always proud when a community comes together and pulls off something like this,” Brown said. “We heard from several of the Falcons and the Titans about the facilities and how pleasing an experience it was for both teams.”

Many in attendance thought the action on the field would be a straight scrimmage between the two teams and were disappointed when they took the field. While the first-team offense did run plays against the second-team defense, and vice versa, there was minimal contact with the general rule of not taking the opposition to the ground.

“I wish it was some kind of scrimmage game,” said Chris Arnett of Chatsworth. “It wasn’t something to get your attention or get you very excited.”

Others in the crowd agreed, and some left within an hour of the beginning of the practice either from boredom or the stifling August heat.

“I thought it was going to be a game,” said Mary Rolen of Dalton. “But I would have come out anyway. I heard about it last minute, but it is cool to see all of the players this up close and personal.”

Others didn’t mind the lack of contact.

“It was a must-do event for us,” said Jason Culberson, who brought his wife Morgann and eight-year-old daughter Erica from Chickamauga. “We are diehard Falcons fans, and I have been a fan since the days of (late 1970s and early 1980s quarterback Steve) Bartkowski. You get to see something you will never see in games, and it is fun and great for the fans.”

Falcons season ticket holder Vicki Postelle agreed.

“I think it is really good and good for the area,” Postelle said. “I hope that if the crowd is enough that they will come back and do this again.”

For the players, it was good enough for them.

“It is fun to see all of the fans and be able to interact a little more with them than you could at a game,” Falcons defensive end John Abraham said. “It’s good to go against other players, and it was just a real good experience.”

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