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LIMITED PARTNER ATTENDS PRACTICE:One of the Falcons' new limited partners, Derek Smith, the former Chief Executive Officer of Alpharetta-based data aggregation business ChoicePoint Inc., inspected practice on Wednesday with the keen eye of a former player.
The team announced on July 14 that Smith was one of four individuals to whom Owner and CEO Arthur Blank sold a small percentage of Atlanta Falcons Football Club, LLC. According to the news release at the time, Blank retains an ownership interest in more than 90 percent of the team.
Smith, who recently endowed his Myfifident Foundation with $10 million, said he played wide receiver at Georgia Tech and Penn State, the school from which he received his undergraduate degree.
Smith, who said he has been a Falcons fan for a long time, said "it was really a thrill" to be a part both of the NFL and the Falcons.
"The team is doing a great job on the field," he said.
He and Blank share a similar ethos on charitable giving.
"It's very important, most of all, to give back to the community of Atlanta," he said. Smith, who owned a sizable share in ChoicePoint when the parent company of LexisNexis bought it for $4.1 billion in 2008, is one of the team's six limited partners.
OTHER INJURIES:Second-round draft pick William Moore, a safety, missed practice because he is having issues with his knee, Head Coach Mike Smith said, and will be back on the field as soon as the training staff clears him. Defensive tackle Trey Lewis is day-to-day and the team hopes to have him back in a day or two, Smith said.
Linebacker Curtis Lofton (hamstring) remains out.
WEATHER REPORT:Despite temperatures of more than 90 degrees, the heat was less of a factor on Wednesday because of a strong breeze. Temperatures are expected to hit 90 again on Thursday for fans looking to attend practice.
Day Five -- Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009
1:30 p.m. Practice@FalconsJMoore "Words of the Day"
TRANSCRIPT:Head Coach Mike Smith talks about Douglas injury * FEATURE:Gonzalez working hard to learn playbook * NOTEBOOK:Douglas leaves field with knee injury * RELEASE:Falcons release rookie receiver Lyons * VIDEO:Head Coach Mike Smith | Gonzalez | Ryan * BLOGS:J. Michael Moore's blog posts from Aug. 5, 2009 * PHOTOS:Images from Day No. 5 at camp (Flickr)
