In the days after the 2010 regular season ended, the folks at Sporting News announced a slew of awards, such offensive and defensive player of the year and comeback player of the year. Because the Associated Press delayed by several weeks its release of the officially unofficial NFL postseason awards, some assumed incorrectly that the Sporting News awards were the officially unofficial awards. They weren’t.
In one category, an award issued by Sporting News remains officially unofficial, primarily since the AP has no award for the category of executive of the year. Sporting News has spoken, and the winner is Falcons G.M. Thomas Dimitroff.
“I am thrilled for and proud of Thomas and his staff,” Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank said in a statement released by the Falcons. “Winning this award twice in three years is validation and recognition of Thomas’ many contributions not only to building a winning team over his first three seasons, but his unwavering focus and vision for this team’s future. He is truly deserving of this award.”
Other candidates for 2010 were -- or at least should have been -- Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli, Buccaneers G.M. Mark Dominik, Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum, and Packers G.M. Ted Thompson.
Though the announcement of the Sporting News award was delayed until after the Super Bowl, the honor likely was determined based only on the regular season. With the postseason included in the consideration, even Dimitroff would agree that the award should go to Thompson.
We mean that as no disrespect to Dimitroff. But we’re still confused about the failure of those who hand out postseason awards to not take into account the outcome of the postseason.