Atlanta sports: So lousy we can’t even top the misery index
"Oh, yeah? Well, our one team is better than all four of yours!" (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Not long ago, this correspondent was moved to bemoan the forlorn fortunes of our local pro teams – 149 completed seasons, one championship. Now comes Forbes magazine to make like Smokey Robinson and second the emotion, and I do mean second it.
Forbes rates the nation’s most miserable sports cities, and Atlanta — that’s us, people! — is No. 2!
And who, you’re asking, would be ahead/behind us? Seattle would. And why? Writes Tom Van Riper:
The loss of its NBA club was just enough to nudge Seattle past Atlanta, a city with one sports title in 153 cumulative seasons, to the top of the misery list. Atlanta’s postseason misery is legendary, led by the Braves’ failure to take home a world championship in 13 of 14 playoff appearances from 1991 to 2004.
You might have noticed that Mr. Van Riper’s second sentence above contains an error. The Braves won 14 consecutive division titles over completed seasons — the 1994 season was truncated by the players’ strike — from 1991 through 2005. He also has the Atlanta Hawks reaching the Eastern Conference finals twice, when in fact they haven’t made the Eastern finals at all. (They did make the Western finals in 1969 and 1970.)
And I’m not sure how Mr. Van Riper comes up 153 pro seasons for Atlanta teams. The Braves and Falcons have each been here for 45 seasons, but we can’t count the 1994 baseball year as being completed, can we? The Hawks have logged 42 and the Thrashers 10 — we don’t count 2004-2005, lost to the NHL lockout — and the Flames were here for eight seasons. That adds up to 149 completed seasons, not 153. (I’m sensitive on this point because I, too, miscounted the first time around. We had to run a correction, and woe was I.)
The only way it adds up to 153 is if we count the aborted 1994 baseball season, throw in the NHL lockout and assume the Hawks and the Thrashers won’t win a championship in 2011. And that really would seem to fit the definition of misery: Being ruled out when there are still games to be played.
Oh, and maybe you’re asking: Where’s Cleveland? Astonishingly enough, that charming city ranks only eighth — this with no championships since 1964 — on the Forbes list.
- Seattle
- Atlanta
- Phoenix
- Buffalo
- San Diego
- Houston
- Kansas City
- Cleveland
- Denver
- Cincinnati
I guess the good news is that the only way we could sink below Seattle is to lose one of our teams, and we all know that could never happen. Don’t we, Thrashers fans?
By Mark Bradley
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234 comments Add your comment
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
5:55 pm
Since Herchel, the hated Gators have three football NCs and two basketball NCs.
And half the Uga fan base is too young to remember your one from 1980.
There is no thrill like the NC.
Five count em five.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
5:56 pm
Forbes hates the south.
Phoenix should not make the list.
Bills should be higher.
What could be worse than being so close 4 times and never winning it all?
Coach Grohbo
February 28th, 2011
5:59 pm
Being close 13 times and not winning it all. Go Braves.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:00 pm
Say why didn’t some Dawg fan kick a$$ on that punk packer fan for picking on the old man?
Otto
February 28th, 2011
6:01 pm
Native southerners are generally College Football or Basketball fans. Pro sports have never done well in the deep south. I do not expect that to change anytime soon. The transplants generally are fair weather on the local team but may show up for their hometown.
College however if you look at the size of Football stadiums, and the SEC hold on the BCS CG and then UNC, Duke, UK, and UF in basketball The south does very well.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:02 pm
Oh many of those 13 years you knew they hadn’t jelled and were not going to win.
One beats the Bills none.
No Superbowls kept Mark Levy from being recognized as a great coach.
Mark Bradley
February 28th, 2011
6:04 pm
I agree that the 1993 Braves were the best of the bunch, dawgfu. They just got outplayed by the Phils. Sometimes it happens.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:05 pm
What the hometown and college of the Forbes writer.
He knew to dump on the South with his selection.
Cleveland #1.
Lost Lebron.
Best insult of a nickname: mistake by the lake.
And last championship in 1964?
It’s no contest.
Has to be a northern writer.
Coach Grohbo
February 28th, 2011
6:06 pm
1995 wasn’t a full baseball season. It was shortened by the player’s strike.
Very few people cared about baseball that year.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:07 pm
Mark
What about the roids use by their centerfielder?
I thought he had a great attitude and now we know it was aided by drugs.
We need astericks by WS winners as well.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:08 pm
Wrong year I think.
Strike was 1994.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
Braves also beat Cleveland in 1995.
They are so #1 loserville it is ridiculous.
Coach Grohbo
February 28th, 2011
6:10 pm
Mistake by the lake = Cleveland Municipal Stadium, which no longer exists.
Losersville = Entire city of Atlanta, which still very much exists.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:11 pm
BTW why should hockey even count?
I have seen maybe 3 Flames games and none of the Thrashers.
Few in the south care.
Transplants care a lot more than us.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
Well well well.
I must have exposed a Cleveland fan.
Thank u Packers
February 28th, 2011
6:13 pm
Better check your stats on which cities are growing (Atlanta) and which are dying (Cleveland and Detroit).
Lebron
February 28th, 2011
6:15 pm
Cleveland or Miami?
Help me decide.
Ha ha ha.
1eyedJack
February 28th, 2011
6:26 pm
Anybody remember the “good ol’ days” when you could buy a general admission seat in the outfield of Atlanta Fulton Co. Stadium and then once inside you could sit anywhere you wanted?
Paul in RDU
February 28th, 2011
6:32 pm
1eyedJack
Early 80’s – I loved those days. Buy a ticket in the “lower pavilion” – wait until the 3rd while you watched the game and spied out your preferred seats near home plate. Walk down the steps with a beer in your hand like you knew where you were going. You were never stopped by the ushers
max money
February 28th, 2011
6:40 pm
what is needed is a state of art, $700 mil new outdoor stadium—that will draw more fans and attract the top free agents, pushing atl to the top! Get busy atlanta and build that stadium–blank’s waiting.
dawg4u
February 28th, 2011
6:45 pm
Paul in RDU
Those were definitely the days and I remember at times you could carry on a conversation with someone 20 rows up. The best line I remember was directed at Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba – “Hey Biff what are you gonna be when you grow up?” Remember the Thursday night one dollar admission prices. Those were some good times.
Supes
February 28th, 2011
6:55 pm
What a craptastic article…too bad you are just throwing gasoline on the FIRE Mark!
Let’s examine the local sports shall we?
FALCONS – Yes the playoff loss still hurts, but all things considered we are on solid ground there. FUTURE is bright!
Braves – With the Phillies in our division, and other teams getting better (watch out for the Nats in the future) still holding our own. Made the playoffs last year. Wealth of young promising ARMS, solid position players at key positions (FREEMAN, McCANN, HEYWARD, PRADO). Future looks bright.
Hawks – Will be in the playoffs, the East is very much top heavy…Heat, Celtics, Bulls, (now Knicks)…what more do u want?
Thrashers – We’ve seen better days…but if NEW ownership arrives there is HOPE.
College – Tech/UGA – both decent (not great but better than many other cities college football/basketball/softball/baseball teams)
So how are we 2nd (you can’t just count CHAMPIONSHIPS) on that list is total CRAP.
Atlanta will be a premiere sports town in the future…it maybe many years down the road, but our pro/college teams will always CONTEND.
hiramsaint
February 28th, 2011
7:00 pm
can’t even get a #1 in that category.-typical
Dejay
February 28th, 2011
8:58 pm
I’ve been preaching this sermon for over a decade now and I’m glad to see that a few are finally echoing my sentiments. Job well done, Billy Ray.
Atlanta is not a bad sports city AT ALL. In fact, I would dare anyone from another place to challenge the loyalty and support that we have for the college football programs we love and adore. You want to tell a UGA fan from Acworth how ‘unsupportive’ they are or a lifelong Vol or Bama fan in Lithonia about being a ‘fairweather’ fan? Better bring some friends if you do. Those colleges were around LONG before the Braves moved in town, Rankin Smith’s $4M check to the NFL for an expansion franchise cleared his account, or the Omni was built. Trying to get us to think otherwise would be like trying to convince Philly fans to run out and buy tickets to see Temple football; over half of them don’t even know they still carry the sport.
While a lot of us do love the pro teams here, they don’t have enough beacon points on their FICO score to get the benefit of the doubt. Just like SEC coaches are put on the hot seat after one too many Music City Bowl appearances, we demand EXCELLENCE when it comes to the teams we follow. Simply put, the pro teams here have to win and win big in order to get us to the building. Anything less than a championship-caliber product and/or having a transcendent superstar will put us back on the golf courses, back to watching what technique the 3rd string left guard has during spring practice at our alma mater, and AWAY FROM THE BUILDING WHERE SAID PRO TEAM PLAYS ITS HOME GAMES. Winning 50 games and getting bounced two weeks later might keep hope alive in one-horse towns like OKC, Sac Town, and Salt Lake but isn’t enough here as Dan Roundfield, Nique, JJ, and Steve Smith will attest. Winning division titles, only to watch (insert NL team here) splash champagne on each other days later might get the fans in a frenzy in Kansas City but isn’t enough here, as Chipper, Glavine, and John Smoltz will surely attest.
Know why? Because unlike those other cities, whose citizens openly crow about their loyalty and undying support, we’ve seen enough losing here, especially in the playoffs, to discern the difference between a playoff phony and the Real McCoy. We don’t spend hard-earned jack on tickets to boo a bad team like they would in Philly or NYC, while the owners laugh in his luxury box because he still gets to take home their $$$. We don’t care about how nostaglic a place their games are being played like they do in Chicago or Boston. We care about the bottom line; THAT’S IT. If we don’t think the local team here has a shot at winning a world title we’re not wasting our time, energy, and $$$ on the product until they do.
And that’s the major issue most (NOT ALL) of us have with the local pro teams. With very few exceptions, our teams have historically been run as sideshow items, an entertainment venture like the WWE. As long as the team is ‘decent’, everything is a-ok in the owners’ minds. In fact, they get disgusted when the place isn’t sold out because in their little world, they did their part (see Gearon, Michael Jr.) and the fans should be kissing their hindparts that they’re over .500, no matter how many draft picks their GM blew or how capped out they are because of bad free agent moves. Nevermind that the team is no closer to winning anything that matters than they were when they were a lottery-bound bunch of misfits.
My only gripe with the fans here is that they’re not as demanding of the pro teams as they are with their college teams. You think folks in NYC would’ve had sendoffs of Bobby Cox after losing in the playoffs 14 out of 15 tries? They fire managers after MAKING the playoffs; just ask Buck Showalter and Joe Torre. You think the folks in Philly would tolerate Don Waddell having anything to do with their hockey team? He’s the sole reason why folks in Quebec City and Winnepeg are salivating at the Thrashers right now. And I really could care less how many times Gearon and his mighty men crow about the Hawks payroll; it still doesn’t excuse them for hiring a GM who’d pass on the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Al Jefferson, Andre Igoudala, Brandon Roy, Rajon Rondo, and Luol Deng. Wonder why JJ received a $120M extension to stay in town, knowing that he wasn’t worth half the price? Have you taken a look at this roster? They had no other choice but to pay him or have us suffer the indignity of watching Marvin Williams fall over himself in the paint, Josh Smith fight Jamal Crawford over the ball, and Al Horford blow a gasket and demand a trade. But then again, we all know that, don’t we????
Patrick Romano WAR DAMN EAGLE
February 28th, 2011
9:36 pm
Who is the homo that started with this First BS-Get a life loser-LAST
Matt
February 28th, 2011
9:43 pm
The folks at Forbes must be reading Mark Bradley’s blog — he’s a miserable bastard.
Tammy
February 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
Mark Bradley,Ur a D***!!!Why does this even matter!!!!Your just making ATLANTA look like a fool!!!Now go write a article on how ur still a virgin!!!Yes,im a girl.
Tammy
February 28th, 2011
10:01 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn-_b-1dXPo
World Be Free
February 28th, 2011
10:02 pm
Tough to say we have great weather with the tornado sirens blaring outside!
I’d rather have snow than have my ass blown across the state.
This survey only matters to people who take sports too seriously. I sat through Super Bowl losses and still had to go to work the next day. It’s sports folks, Bradley has to take it seriously because it’s his paycheck – it’s not yours. If this matters so much to you then move to Pittsburgh with their multiple Super Bolws and Stanley Cup championships. But remember, you will still wake up in Pittsburgh Monday morning.
Since when do we go to Forbes Magazine for sports? That’s what Penthouse is for…..
Red
February 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
I just lost brain cells just reading this. I am now having uncontrolled bowel movements.
World Be Free
February 28th, 2011
10:04 pm
dawg4U-Bills won 2 AFL Championships, 64 and 65
hope
February 28th, 2011
10:05 pm
i love the thrashers but the owners are frauds…they are selling out in what could be a great hockey market
World Be Free
February 28th, 2011
10:07 pm
Denver has 2 Stanley Cups and Super Bowls in the last 15 years-so why are they on this list. Steve Forbes in not a handicapper in any sport.
Michael
February 28th, 2011
10:12 pm
Can we not count top-level pro soccer teams and double our championship total to two? Since the Seattle Sounders never won the old NASL and haven’t won an MLS Cup, we can gain on them that way! Phoenix, Buffalo and San Diego might even jump us if we include soccer. NEW FORMULA!
KEEPING IT REAL
February 28th, 2011
10:13 pm
Atlanta is last because the city doesn’t push sports in marketing… All major cities support there teams. You can go to Chicago, L.A, New Orleans and as soon as you get in town you know what teams belong to the city..
So it starts with the Mayor and trickles down to the citizens of the city.
Zaza
February 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
What about the Atlanta Chiefs?
Unsportsmanlikeconduct
February 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
Lets face it people…espn, forbes, etc. always knock Atlanta sports and their fans because we are a city full of transplants… Or in other words, many don’t support our professional teams because their azzes are too busy supporting their own home teams… Really, how many people actually get on their high horses and move to cleveland?
deezanuts
February 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
What people seem to forget is that Atlanta is an implant city. How many people who actually live in Atlanta are even from the state of Georgia? I would say about 20% at the most. These people are loyal their hometeams and also cheer for Atlanta when they are doing good.
Ed
February 28th, 2011
10:21 pm
The Hawks are a wet fart snoozefest. Who cares.
The Thrashers are ok but have terrible ownership.
The Falcons are sometimes exciting but hard to get behind 100%. I really like the Falcons, but there’s just something about them that keeps me from getting completely on board. Sometimes I think its the dome. I hate that place. This is Georgia, for chrissakes. Build a regular stadium and play football outside on the grass. And a retractable roof dome is not a stadium. Its a retractable roof dome.
The Braves are still the best sports attraction in this city for me. Liberty Media isnt an ideal owner, but it could be worse. And the team dynamic is outstanding, the leadership is fantastic, and the young talent is exciting. These guys still make me love baseball, and they are the only team in the city that I will repeatedly pay money to go see in person. I love you, Braves.
Thanks for letting me share.
Dose of Reality
February 28th, 2011
10:22 pm
Lets face it people…espn, forbes, etc. always knock Atlanta sports and their fans because we are a city full of transplants… Or in other words, many don’t support our professional teams because their azzes are too busy supporting their own home teams… So really, how many people actually get on their high horses and move to cleveland?
Dose of Reality
February 28th, 2011
10:22 pm
Lets face it people…espn, forbes, etc. always knock Atlanta sports and their fans because we are a city full of transplants… Or in other words, many don’t support our professional teams because their azzes are too busy supporting their own home teams… Really, how many people actually get on their high horses and move to cleveland?
deezanuts
February 28th, 2011
10:25 pm
Mark how about you go jump off spaghetti junction seriously. the ajc sucks with articles like these. i wouldn’t even consider you a journalist. I can tell he must be an undercover guy from midtown who secretly plays with his peter and supports the New Orleans STANKS!!
scott
February 28th, 2011
10:26 pm
what??new orleans not on the list??it should be..all in all i have never been so dissapointed in the Atlanta teams till january 15th 2011 when the falcons failed to show up in a ROCKIN GEORGIA DOME!!THE CROWD WAS READY BUT THE FALCONS WERE NOT!!!THE GEORGIA DOME ROOF WAS ABOUT TO COME OFF FROM THE NOISE AND THE FALCONS LET US DOWN ..THATS WHY FANS HERE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING BEHIND THE TEAMS HERE WIN BABY AND WATCH THE RESULTS!!!ATLANTA IS HUNGRY FOR A WINNER !!THE FALCONS WERE HOPE FOR THE METRO AREA THIS YEAR AND THE LET US DOWN..build an outdoor stadium and watch it get worse please arthur blank do a retractable roof..i will not spend money to broil , or freeze in Atlanta weather
Angie O'Plasty
February 28th, 2011
10:29 pm
oil well…..
willnrva
February 28th, 2011
10:36 pm
How did Denver end up on the list? Two superbowls and lots of success with the the Avalanche winning two Stanley Cups in recent history. Also the Rockies have done fairly well since their inception albeit no championships.
Peter
February 28th, 2011
10:52 pm
Please would you rather root for the Braves ….or the Reds, or the Indians or the Mariners….How about the Falcons or the Browns the Sea hawks or the Bills ?
Who made up this silly stuff…..some guy with an ego problem wanting to point out his team is better, or his town is better ?
We have two legitimate teams here the Braves and the Falcon’s……
Hawks and Thrashers are a joke, but all goes as management goes………the Spirit suck as owners period.
Vick Supporter
February 28th, 2011
10:55 pm
We haven’t been sh!t since Vick left…
mike
February 28th, 2011
10:58 pm
if the sports arenas were outside the city of atlanta it would be a lot better. I like sports but do not attend because of the traffic and being channeled into unsafe areas after the games by apd
Yoyo
February 28th, 2011
11:01 pm
Seattle? What have they done lately? Why are we at #2? Who dies and let Forbes in charge? Why aren’t we #1? Atlanta should be by far the #1 sports town which can never win a championship. If you do not believe me, just ask the falcons or braves and soon hawks or threshers. The dreams deserve better.
John Schuerholz
February 28th, 2011
11:05 pm
You will be happy with division titles.
-John Schuerholz