Live from Falcons-Giants: We’re a lousy sports city, are we?
"If I give you two dimes and a nickel, will you give me a quarter back?" (AP photo)
East Rutherford, N.J. – Here’s a fun little nugget that was posted on the New York Post’s web site yesterday: As of Friday night, the Giants-Falcons playoff game was not sold out.
If said game were being staged at the Georgia Dome, we Atlantans would be hearing yet again how lousy a sports town we are. But this is New York, where millions live and where sports are, we’re constantly reminded, a point of strutting metropolitan pride.
Let the record reflect that an attempt to find available tickets this morning via Ticketmaster was unavailing, so we can assume that the game finally has sold out. Still, the thought of a Giants’ home postseason game with available seats not 30 hours before kickoff would surely come as a revelation to those New Yorkers who love to poke fun at us dumb ol’ Southerners for our indifference/inattention.
But I digress. The Falcons arrive with a point to prove, and the belief here is that they’ll prove it. The belief here is that they’ll win because they are, top to bottom, the better team. The tabloids have been full of Matt Ryan stuff this week, the thrust being that he still hasn’t proven anything in the postseason. (He hasn’t, but I’d suggest two games in his first three NFL seasons isn’t quite a true sample.)
I remember another day in Ryan’s pro career, a Sunday here in November 2009 when he overrode a second-half deficit to force overtime. The Giants won the toss and scored in the bonus canto, but that remains, at least to this dumb Southern observer, one of the shining performances of a very good career.
If you can do it here once, you should be able to do it again. And if you can make it here, the song has it, you can make it anywhere. I think Matty Ice will author his playoff breakthrough today, but maybe you disagree.
Which is why we have these little live chats — for you to interact with a dumb Southern writer like yours truly. I invite your comments. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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4,613 comments Add your comment
steve-o
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
I bet the rest of the country is enjoying this bore-fest.
AIGHT MATTY ICE
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
OK AT LEAST MATTY IS MOVING THE OFFENSE
scfalcon
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Bad decision. They cant stop us every time on fourth. Defense cant keep this up.
JSS
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
@ Phil…
So you gotta Animal House stalker?
J.J.M.
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
lol@stendek…I like the way our d playing so far but soon ryan will have to take deep shots
stendek
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Crap coaching is gonna cost us this one too! F- Mike “Another Punt” Smith!
Ace8
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
The defense will get another turnover this series.
mountain_jim
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Time for another strip/TD
Michael G.
January 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
bosher has to improve on pinning the other team inside the 10.
Falcons 2012
January 8th, 2012
1:52 pm
I agree with evil empire unfortunately
stendek
January 8th, 2012
1:52 pm
Matthew Ryan worthless on passes over 15 yards! Just like fourth down attempt. Although I do think he MADE that one.
ijonathan
January 8th, 2012
1:52 pm
Why do you go for it on one series and not another? Those 12-15 yards further back really made a difference?
FHZ
January 8th, 2012
1:52 pm
The play-calling is scary conservative..putting too much pressure on The Falcons D, and they are not that good to hold The Giants for long..
Franks is the best CB, and they were forced to sit Grimes just to play him…If it wasn’t for Franks..this game would be over..really.
JSS
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
Gilbride never learns, keep 8 in and run some 2 man routes…
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
William Moore has a groin injury. Questionable
Spencer
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
We get the ball to start the 2nd half.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
ok back….looks like I didnt miss much
phil
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
Apparently so….
This blog abounds with idiots.
Falcons Man
January 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
Don’t let Cruz get started
Tomahawkin
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Why Cant Our Fans Get This Loud?
Falcoons
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Don’t let that guy get involved. Scary.
ijonathan
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
It seems like the Falcons O strategy depends on the flow of the game. Shouldn’t be that way. YOU DICTATE.
Falcons 2012
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
That’s the great Cruz?
I expected he’d get a 1st at least.
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Manning scramble
phil
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Neither did we…
Feel free to leave again.
Falcons Man
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Wow Manning running
J.J.M.
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
lmao come on abraham
Lil' Barry Bailout
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Haven’t seen the D line play this well since…?
evil empire
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
nice job eli…
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Abraham almost had the sack
Tomahawkin
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
OMG!
SMH
cybo
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
The Giants are doing a lot of holding
Sid
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Eli is a winner…..does not bode well for the Birds.
whodat70816
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
Falcons Defense will tire out…once that happens…game over
stendek
January 8th, 2012
1:54 pm
The coillapse has begun! Just shet. NEVER LOSE QB CONTAIN! Bye bye season. Crap!
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Matt would never run on that play. Eli has guts at least.
bigdave
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
thats what happens when you step in the pocket.. not bail outside the tackles..
FHZ
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
That’s it folks…
No confidence play-calling = Defense plays a good game, but becomes too tired..
ijonathan
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Turner never hits anyone like that anymore
CDawg42
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
@WitStream Why in the world would you care?
Because on a national broadcast, I would like some bit of objective commentary…
phil
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
And the wheels are beggining to loosen…
Falcoons
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Tomahawkin – Falcon fans are at games to party and get their drank on. Football is second. I like that the NY fans boo their team in the playoffs.
Tomahawkin
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Defense Is Gonna Start Slacking off, Not Good!
Tyler
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
and now they are well past where we punted
phil
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Or beginning perhaps…
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Big moment here. Third and 2 for the Giants
Falcons Man
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Jacobs is weak to be as big as he is.
Isthaturbesteffort....roflmao
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
ouchie……here it comes. Our defense isnt supposed to win the game.
ijonathan
January 8th, 2012
1:55 pm
Did these teams not get the memo about the “new, QB-driven, pass-happy NFL?”
Link
January 8th, 2012
1:56 pm
Nice chip on that writers shoulder, may be he should move to NY and write for the Post.