Comments on: Linked on draft day, Falcons’ first picks took different paths

By: Ed Larios

Ed Larios — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:59:52 +0000

Al Thomy is a great guy. I was a rookie WR for the Falcons. He probably would’nt remember me but he wrote an article about me during training camp in 1968 at ETSU and my inability to sing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” during rookie hazing. I eventually was put on the “Taxi Squad” but got to know Tommy and Randy. I was scared to death of Tommy and really liked Randy. Randy helped me alot that year and was really a class guy. His death and sad story are a real tragedy.

By: russell nittinger

russell nittinger — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:51:46 +0000

great piece. lets not forget jeff van note for hall of fame !

By: Falcon228

Falcon228 — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:31:04 +0000

My most memorable Nobis game was on Dec. 18, 1966. The Falcons had won 3 of the last 4 games and they were playing the Pittsburg Steelers. Now this wasn’t the Steelers of the ’70’s by no means. They were worse than the expansion Falcons. I had won 4 tickets in a promotion from the local Coca-Cola Bottling Co. in the community I grew up in. We just knew it was going to be a win. As it was all the Falcons wanted to do was show up and get it over with. Get a paycheck and go home. But not Tommy Nobis. He played his heart out that day. Tackle after tackle. The other story of that day was a former UGA QB that had been released by the Falcons early that season. The Steelers picked him up and converted him to running back and he ran all over the Falcons that day. That QB’s name was Preston Ridlehuber. He took over the game and almost single handed beat the Falcons. He had to be sore after that game. I think Nobis was the only one that tackled him that day.

By: crabapplejoe

crabapplejoe — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:00:47 +0000

Furman, keep it comin’ old guy. Been reading you since I was a youngster back in the ’60s. It is wonderful that there is still a “journalist” at the AJC. I had no idea that Randy Johnson had taken such a bad turn….too bad..he did take a beating in those early years. Hope he can shed the demons.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:11:07 +0000

Check google news concerning a San Antonio sports radio talkshow host, Eugene Williams, who is attempting to start a campaign to raise the profile of Nobis and get him in the Hall of Fame. It would be nice to see the Atlanta sports media get behind such a campaign. Nobis earned it on the field; unfortuantely he happened to play for a lousy franchise, in a then-small market, which was seldom one of the featured teams on the two or three nationally-broadcast games on each Sunday afternoon back in the latter 60s and early 70s.

By: Reno 911

Reno 911 — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:50:03 +0000

Mr. Bisher- Always a pleasure to read your columns, and this is no exception. Thanks for all you do.

By: Brian Hunt

Brian Hunt — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:44:25 +0000

I really enjoyed reading this piece.

By: Rev. Charles W. Brown

Rev. Charles W. Brown — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:57:24 +0000

When I served as pastor of a Baptist Church west of Atlanta back in the mid-70’s, I heard a knock on my office door one evening and greeted a casually dressed, stumpy, athletic-type guy that was looking for a certain church in the area, where he was scheduled to speak to the Boy Scouts. His name was Tommy Nobis. I marveled that such a high profile, professional athlete would take time out to drive to Mableton, GA and address a group of scouts. Needless to say, I was impressed by the man as well as the athlete. Unquestionably, he was a role-model for many.

By: angry banker

angry banker — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:10:09 +0000

Nobis is in the Falcon’s ‘ring of honor’ – beyond that, what else would you want AB to do? He doesn’t have any direct say about who goes in the HOF.

great article Mr. Bisher

By: wes

wes — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:07:42 +0000

If I owned the Falcons, I’d go wherever the hell I pleased!

Arthur Blank cares. It’s no big deal to see him down on the field…he’s only down there during the last couple minutes.