It All Makes Me Sad...

[Supes™]

We all remember 2008. The train wreck called the Atlanta Falcons was projected by most talking heads to win 1 or 2 games but ended up 11-5 and in the playoffs! Next came our first ever back-to-back winning seasons, followed by 4 more playoff appearances in subsequent seasons. 3 of those 4 playoff games were downright embarrassing (Green Bay, New York, San Francisco), and 1 was a narrow escape (Seattle), but by gawd, we were in the playoffs! A couple of 13-3 seasons and NFC South crowns, 10 yards away from a Super Bowl (San Fran), and plenty of reasons to believe that, with a little tweaking, the Promised Land was finally right around the corner!

But no. We have witnessed the complete and utter collapse of a promising football team. Blame injuries, blame Smitty, blame TD, blame Nolan, Koetter and Blank. Blame whomever and whatever. Blame the gods of football, but it is what it is and the writing is on the wall. It's time for a thorough retooling in Flowery Branch and it will come at season's end, no doubt.

Part of me is excited to anticipate a new brand of football in Atlanta with new directions and renewed hope. Part of me languishes over how long it could take a new regime to get this team back on it's feet or if that may happen at all. But the biggest part of me is just sad. We were cooking up what promised to be a delicious stew in Atlanta but it soured almost overnight and now we gotta chunk it and start over with new cooks in the kitchen, yet to be determined. We need master chefs in the ATL. No more short-order cooks from the Waffle House, please.

[papachaz]

yeah all very true.

the one thing that makes me trepidatious is how long it might take a new staff to put it all together. Will they do so while Matt still has a few good years in him? Heck speaking of Matt, will a new staff be able to get him his 'matty ice' status back?

But then we know we have SOME great pieces, and we can remember back to what this staff did with the team when they first got here, so I'm going to think positively, and plan on a new staff being able to come in and make us relevant again pretty quickly

[Guest facelessman07]

Don't invest your emotions too heavily into this team

[Supes™]

Don't invest your emotions too heavily into this team

I don't, really. I'm just a fan that wants to see his team do well, as any fan does.

[papachaz]

I don't, really. I'm just a fan that wants to see his team do well, as any fan does.

yeah, I like my entertainment to at least be somewhat, um, entertaining

[Guest facelessman07]

I don't, really. I'm just a fan that wants to see his team do well, as any fan does.

I do as well, but when it gets to the point of experiencing the emotion of sadness on any other day but game day, maybe it's something that needs to be evaluated

My life used to be dominated by football until I realized I was only hurting myself when my emotions got too high or too low. Then I gave myself permission to be the sole reason for my happiness or sadness, not football. That which controls your thoughts controls you

I guess you could say I've adopted the mindset of Mike Smith: indifferent to the outcome of a game

[clownorg]

I'd say I'm more disgusted & disappointed than sad. But I feel your pain

[Big_Dog]

Supes, you took the thoughts and words from my mouth. NAILED IT.

[Ironhead1956]

I don't, really. I'm just a fan that wants to see his team do well, as any fan does.

Speak the truth for all of us. Thanks.

[Orange Julio]

No more short-order cooks from the Waffle House, please.

You're giving them too much credit.

[Karst41]

I don't, really. I'm just a fan that wants to see his team do well, as any fan does.

The sad fact is that this team keeps repeating its wretched history.

The loss to San Fran was a repeat of 81 and the following preseason was

inexcusable on every level,,,,,,,,,and it still is!

Our total failure in Management and Coaching has surpassed levels that

were only obtainable by Cleveland and Oakland!

Yet Arthur Blank sits with his thumb up his Asz!

Atlanta Soccer?

The Atlanta Chiefs were decent and exciting, but at that time this Country (USA)

was too arrogant (stuck up) Mom Apple Pie and Good ol USA) and did not support

the game that the REST OF THE WORLD calls FOOTBALL!

Good ol Western Greed and Controll.

So now Soccer is Finally to return to the USA.

This Country may finally come of age by having a National Soccer League.

If you remember back in the day the NFL put Atlanta on the Map.

and a Soccer League will work wonders at Uniting many Nationalities

in each City that Host a Team.

What really worries me, is that the Same greadyidiotmoneygrubbingPOSArthurBlank

will own the team and he will likely F'kituptoo.

So wake up put your pants on and get to work.

Allofthisshit is just Entertainment...

For you or anybody to get butthurt over this team is no different than being butthurt over

Madona getting into a slap fight with J Lo.

[Supes™]

You lost me, Uncle Fester. ^^^

[Karst41]

You lost me, Uncle Fester. ^^^

At the end of the Day Does Belichick give a ratsass about what Bob Kraft thinks?

A. NO

B. HeII NO.

C. All of the above.

[Eight Track]

Fan frustration could be at an all-time high!!

[Big_Dog]

I nominated Ryan last week for the biggest QB Dufus award for that pick but apparently there is no such catagory.

[Supes™]

At the end of the Day Does Belichick give a ratsass about what Bob Kraft thinks?

A. NO

B. HeII NO.

C. All of the above.

I still have no idea what you're trying to say, Charlie, but thanks for the replies non the less.

[FalconTough]

Sometimes you just have to laugh it off. Even though you know it hurts that you root for one of the most ungiving teams in football; you have to look for the comedy in it.

I was with my Dad who's been a fan for 37 years, who I believe will have heart problems because of this team, and I looked at him and just started laughing my head off.

We were in the basement that is completely covered with Falcons paraphernalia; everything from a Steve Bartkowski fathead to a Julio Jones figurine. I just started thinking that this man has devoted his entire life to a football team, and there's a chance that when it's all said and done, they will have given nothing back to him.

We both laughed, with tears down our faces, that he may never see a Super Bowl in his lifetime. It's more sad than funny but at this point we were willing to laugh at anything.

[Mega Flare]

Don't invest your emotions too heavily into this team

Or your dollars, for that matter. The team hasn't earned either.

[Peyton]

The good news is that this team is starting so far ahead of where it was in 2007-2008. Heading into the off season in 2008, the Falcons had no QB, no LT, and no reason to attract a credible coach.

That's not the case now. There are reasons to be optimistic. The fact that Mike Smith is still here is not one of them though, because he has lost the team.

[Reginald VelJohnson]

There are other things that should make you much sadder.

Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIB1nqFpFMo

(BOO POLITICS! BOO ME!)

Anycray, don't let this team get you down. It's the only thing -- as a franchise -- they've been successful at. Hug your kids. Do your wife. Pet your dog. Or mix up any of those three actions.

Be happy. Sports are not important.

[FalconFanForLife]

Very good post Supes, as usual. You pretty much nailed my feelings with that post as well. On one hand I am very optimistic about a turnaround here just because we have so many more pieces of the team already, unlike 2007. We have a great starting QB, which is the hardest component to find. We have very good receivers and running backs. We have a young, but promising LT to anchor the line for years to come, and two good CB's to anchor the secondary.

Of course, what we don't have is equally challenging to find, and architect to build this franchise (Thank You Thomas, but you are not the one), and a coach to get us there, I guess I am also optimistic because I really don't set the goal for my enjoyment as a Superbowl win. Yes, I would love one, but I can thoroughly enjoy this team if we can just get back to consistent winning. There are so many factors that have to align for a ring, that I just am not going to drive myself crazy over one. If we can just be consistent winners, we put ourselves in the position to have those elements all fall into place one magical season.

[charliechaplin]

For those of you who remember this skit from way back when:

See? We could win out and end up 10-6.

That's what we'll do!

We'll win all our games!

Yeah, that's the ticket!

[Supes™]

Very good post, FalconFanForLife.^^^

[truth..]

"Part of me is excited to anticipate a new brand of football in Atlanta with new directions and renewed hope. Part of me languishes over how long it could take a new regime to get this team back on it's feet or if that may happen at all. But the biggest part of me is just sad. We were cooking up what promised to be a delicious stew in Atlanta but it soured almost overnight and now we gotta chunk it and start over with new cooks in the kitchen, yet to be determined."

This is exactly how I feel. Im excited for change, disappointed that we might be bad for a while, and sad that we are moving on from Smitty/Dimitroff without winning a Super Bowl. I really believed in those guys. But, change is needed now....lets see how this goes.

[GeorgiaFalconFan]

The good news is that this team is starting so far ahead of where it was in 2007-2008. Heading into the off season in 2008, the Falcons had no QB, no LT, and no reason to attract a credible coach.

That's not the case now. There are reasons to be optimistic. The fact that Mike Smith is still here is not one of them though, because he has lost the team.

That's a good point Peyton. My question about getting a new head coach is if there is going to be some type of Falcons filter when it comes to choices. I hope the Falcons get a coach that isn't afraid to try and run the score up when getting a substantial lead rather than Mike Smith type of play it safe style of football when getting a lead. I think this is one reason around the NFL most analyst while I suspect some to be anti-Falcon view the Falcons as a soft team starting with the Head coaching decisions. You know the theme in training camp was to get tuff, but having tuff players with a soft coaching style in my opinion is a recipe for disaster, that was my first thought when I saw the "Get TUFF" campaign in training camp.