Intro:

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank fires Mike Smith as head coach after failing to reach the NFL play-offs.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank
"As you know this morning we released Mike Smith from his contract. As all NFL owners learn, some end of the season decisions are more difficult than others and I will tell you that, probably including my 20 years at the Home Depot, this is the most difficult decision that I've ever had to make. And I mean that very sincerely."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank
"Sometimes you have people that you are close to personally, that you care a lot about, that you go to war with, that you are in the trenches with, you care about their families etc. To make those tough decisions is very challenging. And that was certainly the case with Mike Smith."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank
"I haven't had to do it very often, but at times you're faced in doing it is that you're working with a leader and you ask yourself in the cold light of day, 'can that individual, or individuals, take you to the next level?' And if the answer is 'no' in your heart of hearts, you have to put aside - which is very difficult to do in many cases - your personal affections and feelings for the individual and their families and do what is right for the institution and the organisation and for the people that are supporting you. Fans have expectations of coaches and general managers and players. They also have expectations of owners. And when it's my job it's my job. Today is my job."