Now it is time for that feature of the week, Spot the Loonie.  This week we are asking you to consider the Atlanta Falcon coaching candidates that are being mentioned or have popped up from the dark corner of my mind.  Remember it is your job to spot the Loonie.  Feel free to call in as soon as you have spotted the loonie.

1)  Atlanta will check out Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops who supposedly is high on Atlanta’s wish list.  But I don't think he is the loonie. 

2)  Atlanta will check out former head coach Steve Mariucci who should be considered simply for his past successes.  Mariucci’s ties to the Packers Mike Holmgren made him a prime catch in the eyes of the 49ers, who were motivated to end a losing streak against Green Bay. The 49ers had three consecutive defeats to the Packers, two of them in the postseason. In Mariucci, the Niners believed they had somebody who could beat the Packers at their own game.

When the Jets hired Mangini away from Bill Belichick last January, they were in the midst of a six-game losing streak against the Patriots, their A.F.C. East rival and the dominant team of this decade.  Today the Jets are preparing for a playoff game on Sunday.  Mariucci's name has risen to the top again.  Mariucci has the San Francisco pedigree that Blank and McKay are tapped into and has tasted success with the Patriots and Jets to boot.  But is he a loonie?

3)  Atlanta will check out Mike Martz, who transformed Jon Kitna into a 4,200-yard passer,  and should be considered simply for his past successand for his offensive brilliance.  Of course, Martz can’t afford to ask for total control and definitely needs a talented defensive coordinator in order to be successful.

Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz stopped short of taking his name out of the running for potential head coaching vacancies this winter, but he did say he feels "certain" he'll be back in Detroit next year.  When asked " Are you going to be here next year?", Martz responded, "Oh, sure. Yeah. I feel certain that I'll be here. Who knows?".  Those are words that sound a lot like a loonie.

4)  From dark recesses in my mind the name Jimmy Johnson has popped up.  This makes sense to me because Arthur Blank could have talked to Jimmy during the season personally since Jimmy is a FOX and NFL broadcaster without it raising su####ions.  A smart businessman does not fire a coach without already having a replacement in hand.  I don't like Arthur's style, but he has a history of making fast decisions.  And he has proven himself a smart business man with Home Depot. 

Jimmy could be announced tommorrow.  He was crazy enough to coach under Jerry Jones.  And he is used to coaching questionable characters at "the U" and in Dallas.  I may be out on a limb here but it makes sense to me.  Call it a seventh sense if you want to.  But I'm feeling it.  Ladies and gentleman, Jimmy Johnson is a loonie.

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/NFL_Czar/
2007/01/01/The_obvious_has_happened

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/sports/footb
all/02jets.html?ref=sports

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID
=/20061229/SPORTS01/612290319/1049/SPORTS01>

http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5248350_36_2.jpga>