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
Tommy B
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Getting screwed on spots
JSS
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Mr. Nicks
stendek
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Falcon D showed what it is made of! MARSHMALLOW. Total shet! Wrap this one up. OVER!
ROUT NOW OFFICIALLY ON!
scfalcon
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
No matter what coaching regime, the Falcons always play these big games like they just want to hang around. Our defense plays valiantly, but gets tired and that is the story.
Mixxo
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Ballgame.
ramblinwreck80
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
nice Lofton…let him make the first down on you…
Tomahawkin
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
F***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcons Man
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Why would we put Franks on Nicks. He sucks more than Robinson.
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
TD. Hakeem Nicks.
evil empire
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
same old falcants…
Spencer
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Ok they’re up 7-2. We gotta score with this next possession before halftime. We get the ball back 2nd half. You know we weren’t going to get a shutout. Our offense has to do something.
J.J.M.
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
gotta score before halftime…
whodat70816
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Too easy….
Falcons defense is spent…luckily the 1/2 is coming up…they need a break!
Tremaine
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
28 soft as toilet paper.
barry
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
what do you say now katherine you idiot!
RB
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Time for Ryan to get a td
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Can’t trade safeties for touch downs. This is why the Ravens advance.
phil
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
2:00 pm
katherine you can’t call folks idiots and then complain when you receive the same.
Sure she can….does it all the time…two-faced.
Back to the game…..now they’re awake. We punt. They kick our backsides.
Surprised? Hope not.
Time to rise up in the big apple!
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
I agree Steve-O
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Look on the positive side. If safeties counted for eight, the Falcons would be in front.
Baby Ruth
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
GAME OVER MAN!!!!!
Ace Ventura
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
Ok. Now take off the wussy kiddie gloves and go vertical with the ball Mularkey !
tmc
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
missed tackle by our “run stopping” middle linebacker (Lofton) gave up that first down… and TD.
Andy
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
That looked like a different team on offense. What happened?
Red
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
Offense looks nervous and lethargic. Defense will hold up so not going to bash them they have held it together even tho NY just scored. NY is not a good team that’s what bothers me. GB, NO, SF, NE, Balt those are good teams. We just aren’t there yet we need some holes filled on the O line – protect Ryan and we can win more even tho he can not throw an accurate long ball.
stendek
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
I had a Michigan State flashback! Scary.
AIGHT MATTY ICE
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
THIS GAME IS OVER
Joe
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
Mike Smith is a LOSER just like Mark Richt. Quit being a chicken poop whimp!
YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME! Bunch of p%ssies.
Tomahawkin
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
@Mixxo
Its Not Over Til I Say So!
I’m gonna Drink the Kool Aid but We are Still In This
Time for A Bud Ice!
1 4 GT
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
face mask is never legal!
Lil' Barry Bailout
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
Ah well, I need to go to Home Depot anyway.
phil
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
The offense can’t convert fourth and inches….twice.
Inspiring confidence!
Falcoons
January 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
This Giants team sucks. Kinda sad we can’t do more on offense. Hope Mike Mularkey is gone in 2012.
FHZ
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
See..Falcons left the defense on the field too long..If Turner can’t move, or if the centers can’t run-block a tough D-Line, pass the ball more! lolol Sit Turner or the linemen, and give someone else a chance..
katherine
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
barry
January 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
what do you say now katherine you idiot!
I say its the second quarter..so saying a game is over when one team is ahead by 5 is stupid
barry
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
Saints get first downs on 3rd and long and 4th and short with no problem. Giants got it on this drive. And we can’t get a freaking yard. Totally inept offense.
bigdave
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
“28 soft as toilet paper.”
not a fan of his.. but he brings the hat better than our starting MLB.
keepinitreal
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
The same thing that killed us against New Orleans is killing us today. We move the ball well and then Mularkey gets cute.
CONservative Johnson
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
I knew they’d score after Coach Smith’s ballsy decision to punt at their 40 . . .
FHZ
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
Falcons mall bad teams at home
ramblinwreck80
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
Giants go for it and MAKE it on 4th down…then Giants get a TD instead of FG…take note Falcons…this is what you have to do to win a playoff game!!!
Caesar
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
Falcons have no offense. When they go on the road in big games Matt Ryan turns into Joey Harrington. Eli might not be elite but he’s a big game QB.
bigdave
January 8th, 2012
2:04 pm
“28 soft as toilet paper.”
not a Decoud fan.. but, he hits harder than our starting MLB
Mixxo
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
@Tomahawkin
I hope you’re right.
Falcoons
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
FIRE SMITH IF WE LOSE!!!!!
Spencer
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
Wow. Giants finally scored, it’s 7-2 and the game is over? I don’t get you haters. Where were you when we were owning them on defense? We still are. It was one drive. Get a life.
Falcons 2012
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
@Tomahawkin.
Thanks for the backup dude.
Franklyspeaking
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
4th and inches Falcons continue to fail why doesn’t coach learn.
Ace8
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
So they drew first blood. We’ll score before the end of the half, plus we’ll get the ball back.
FHZ
January 8th, 2012
2:05 pm
Falcons maul bad teams at home that’s it..