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
Joe Tess Fish House
January 8th, 2012
12:27 pm
Mr Bradey. Is it true Grimes is hurt or is he faking it so he dont have 2 be part of the masacer?
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
Mark, IF the Falcons win today, do you think they even have a chance next week in Green Bay? I just don’t see it happening. Then again, I did not see the win in Minnesota happening in 1998.
Rick
January 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
I can’t get excited about MM and BVD coaching the O and D. This team has yet to prove it can beat a good team. While I think they can beat the giants, I just think the same bad play calling, dunta giving up big plays, the d line not getting any pressure and a boring lame calling offensive plan will doom us again. Would love to see some offense like the saints. But our coaching and qb can’t deliver.
Giants 24 Falcons 20
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
Steve
I think many of them are frustrated with the annual failure in the playoffs.
Maybe they realize Blank will make changes if Ryan fails again.
NOODLE ARM = ZERO PLAYOFF WINS
January 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
The guy who wrote that article about us being the worst sports city is a real piece of work. He probably just got dumped by a girlfriend or boyfriend that lives here.
I dont think Matt Ryan is the best qb for this team, and I think the Falcons will wallow in mediocrity and failure as long as he is at the helm, but I think this is a great sports city.
Of course our attendence numbers arent as great as other markets. The overwhelming percent of atlanta residents live out in the suburbs and we have no major metro transportation system. We also have a ton of residents from other cities who moved here to pursue careers or raise families and remained committed to their hometown teams. Does that make us a lousy sports city? Of course not. It just makes the fans that are committed and passionate all the more important and respectable. Its not easy to be a real fan in this town, and to those of you who suffer through the heartbreak of so many dismal seasons, my hat is off to you.
Now, lets get ready to watch Ryan blow this game so we can start looking forward to Braves season.
Sam
January 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
I bet they all pick the giants except for terry
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
If the Falcons win today, they’ll have a chance in Green Bay. If they don’t, they will not have a chance.
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
I can’t believe how negative so many of you are regarding Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Do you not know his record as a starter?
Tommy B
January 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
Grimes out ouch
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
Thank you for your insight Mr. Bradley. You know your stuff!
JSS
January 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
ijonathan
January 13th, 2011
10:42 pm
“Hey CHOKE, no, what are YOU doing after 1/15…NOT posting on any of the AJC blogs, that’s what.” “Tick tock CHOKE, tick tock..”
“Schultz…so, will you help CHOKE honor his commitment and ban him after this Saturday night…assuming the Falcons win?”
He’s one hell of prognosticator!!!
NOODLE ARM = ZERO PLAYOFF WINS
January 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
Yes, Steve. I also know his competition as a starter. And I know his record in postseason games.
JSS
January 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
0-2 in the playoffs, that is his record… Good luck with that…
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
Why does Matt say “I” when the team wins, but says “we” when they lose?
That is not a good leader.
No more excuses.
Matt from MN
January 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
Unfortunately, I don’t have a good feeling about this game. I think I’ll find something productive to do with my afternoon and make an effort not to read “the trolls” that are going to come out of the woodwork on this blog if the Birds lose today.
D man
January 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
Mark – here is a great headline for tomorrows sports page after we win today; “Dirtbags ICE Giants”.
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:40 pm
Do you people know how many good QB’s started off terrible in the playoffs?
Sam
January 8th, 2012
12:40 pm
Noodle
Many great qb’s like elway and peyton lost their first few games in the league. It’s rare to win your first start. And look who ryan has had to compete with. Warner, sb winner and rodgers, a sb winner. Today’s it’s eli a SB winner.
Badgerina
January 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
Is Big Fan there today?
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
Dan Marino is still criticized for his post season failures and Matt is no Dan Marino.
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
From an article by Jeff:
Eli Manning lost his first two playoff starts, then won a Super Bowl.
Peyton Manning lost his first two playoff starts and six out of nine, then won a Super Bowl in his ninth season.
John Elway lost his first two playoff starts, eight of 15 and had dropped three consecutive games before winning two Super Bowls … in the 15th and 16th seasons of his career.
J.J.M.
January 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
is it too early too open a cold one?
keepinitreal
January 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
The Falcons have to win today. No excuses about cold weather or playing on the road – just get it done. I can’t tolerate another year of hearing about how we can’t win a playoff game.
D man
January 8th, 2012
12:44 pm
What time is it? It’s time to RISE UP FALCONS… Go get em boys…….
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
It’s not cold here. It’s about as nice a day as you could ask. And the Giants haven’t been very good at home
Mike Falcon fan
January 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
Hoping we play like we’re capable of today…matt’s biggest adjustment has to be finding the open receiver who ever that may be instead of forcing it to the predeterminded receiver like we do on Madden videos…….Its an absolute travesty that Douglas has been such a non factor…Why isnt Rodgers utilized similar to how saints use their 5′6 Sproles? No tip toeing today up the middle …I’m a huge Falcon fan …just a realist…..
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
hey guys…I sure hope the falcons have a great game
bpjim
January 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
I like the falcons today 38-14. That’s right!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcons4Eva
January 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
@ Mark – Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
————————————
LOL – That was classic !!!
phil
January 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
Matt Ryan is not John Elway nor Peyton Manning.
Not even close.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
Matt from MN
January 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
Unfortunately, I don’t have a good feeling about this game. I think I’ll find something productive to do with my afternoon and make an effort not to read “the trolls” that are going to come out of the woodwork on this blog if the Birds lose today.
Wow..what a fan. Go do something “productive” and let us real fans watch the game…win or lose
phil
January 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
The blog cop is here!
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
It doesn’t help the Falcons not to have Grimes and Nicholas … but you play with what you have. No excuses
Falcons4Eva
January 8th, 2012
12:49 pm
Wow – Did Detroit fall apart last night or what? I had hope they’d win, but then…poof…I woke up and so did the Saints…..dang
Falcons4Eva
January 8th, 2012
12:50 pm
So Grimes is inactive officially?
JSS
January 8th, 2012
12:50 pm
@ Phil…
You mean co-cop!
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:50 pm
Im not dealing with you today phil…I want to enjoy the game. If you want to call me names, or a lesbian, go for it.
this dawg want hunt!!
January 8th, 2012
12:51 pm
Yes, Atlanta is a lousy sports town, with incompetent sports writers. Don’t get your feelings hurt MB, sometimes the truth hurts. It’s a shame, but since Atl. will never have a championship sports franchise, you would think ATL. would at least have one good sports writer, but that will never happen with this joke of a paper called the AJC.
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
12:52 pm
I wonder what Art Blank meant by that statement of quarterbacks playoff success.
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:53 pm
“this dawg want hunt” Atlanta will never have a championship franchise huh? Please tell me, who won the World Series in 1995? I can’t recall.
Also, as much as you bash the AJC and their writers, you obviously read it and comment. Nice.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:53 pm
I think it’s funny that as of yesterday this game wasnt sold out…where is the media in that one?
Yo Vince
January 8th, 2012
12:53 pm
A stiff breeze on the field………………
Great, just what Matt needs.
P B Orr
January 8th, 2012
12:53 pm
Ready for some beatdown?
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:54 pm
Four of the five folks on ESPN’s pregame thing — I’ve never watched it, by the way, but I happened to be standing in line at the drink machine while it was airing — pick the New Yorkers. Chris Berman took the Falcons
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:54 pm
The two games today should both be entertaining….yesterday not so much
Falcons4Eva
January 8th, 2012
12:55 pm
Look on the bright side guys….
if the Falcons win – we are that much closer to Mike Mularkey going to Jacksonville….
if the Falcons loose – we are that much closer to BVG getting fired. (or Mike Mularkey)
JSS
January 8th, 2012
12:55 pm
Arthur Blank made the same statement back on January 18th last year before the Buckhead Business Council… Nothing new there, just reinforcing an earlier statement..
Mark Bradley
January 8th, 2012
12:55 pm
Grimes is officially inactive.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
12:55 pm
thats not surprising mark….espn is basically a new york station
Steve
January 8th, 2012
12:56 pm
Mark do they serve alcohol in the press box or is that a no no?