Working Through The Anger

[etherdome]

I have followed and supported the Falcons for over thirty five years. I guess that I carry some sort of loyalty gene buried within the protein matrix that makes me who I am. I don't belong to any other digital forum and I certainly don't hover over any other website, like I do here. Some days, I feel quite embarrassed that at my age, I am so obsessed with something so trivial as this. After all, I am very successful in an extremely demanding career. Believe me, I can put my time to better use. The only explanation I can offer is that I am simply obeying a natural instinct that is built into every cell of my body. Perhaps that is what binds us all together on these message boards....we are genetically programmed to be of the Dirty Bird Nation.

Having said all of that, I have to admit that this season has challenged my loyalty more than any other. The chronic disappointments that this franchise has delivered has trained me to bolster for the very worst of times. Yet, this season has been the most painful for me. The cause of my pain can be described in only one word: BETRAYAL.

I truly felt that the Smitty-Tommy leadership have betrayed my trust. Last year's failures could easily be excused with all of the devastating injuries. I was able to deal with the losses because I had faith that the leadership would have those holes patched. Needless to say, my expectations have not been met and my anger has spilled over onto these boards. I have been on the "Fire Smitty" bandwagon that has euphemistically been called GROUP TWO. I have felt uncomfortable calling for the firings, but never the less, I have been quite vocal. That is until we beat up on the lowly panthers and buccaneers (lower case intended).

The last two games have opened my eyes to, at least, the possibility of hope. Yes, the wins have come against two of the worst teams in the NFL. Clearly, they were not "quality" wins. But, those wins abated my anger long enough to entertain the possibility of how I would feel if this team turned its fortunes around.

If the recent wins are the first indications that the team has finally overcome their faults and will live up to expectations, then I might reluctantly come back into the fold. We all remember how the Packers and Giants orchestrated incredible turn arounds in recent seasons. Both started abysmally and were able to perform very well in the play offs. Could the Falcons be headed for a similar season? The mere possibility has me decidedly less angry and marginally hopeful.

I am wondering. Is there anyone else, out there, feeling even the slightest glimmer of hope? If so, and IF the Falcons finish the season winning one play off game, will the anger fade away? Will hope be restored? Can Smitty and Tommy be forgiven?

To tell you the truth, I don't know how I would feel. But, I'd like to find out.

Edited November 22, 2014 by etherdome

[Tribal Chief]

I just don't take it serious. There are more important things in life than getting down over a sports team.

[GeorgiaFalconFan]

I have felt similar at times over the years but I've learned to not take things so seriously, after all it's just a game and win or lose it wont change your life for the better or worse.

Although I am hoping and looking at it like this, one thing about it, it seems like in years past not counting the 2013 season it seems like the Falcons had seasons where they were hot during the regular season only to go cold during the playoffs. My hope is perhaps this season the Falcons start gaining some momentum and get hot toward these last 6 games and make the playoffs going into them on a hot streak rather than cold like they've seem to have done in the past.

While I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen it is possible. And something worth mentioning for as even as bad as this season has been for the Falcons, at this point in time they seem to have something they've lacked in years past and that's a "Sense of urgency".

My biggest complaint about the Falcons under Mike Smith and I've said it lots of times along with others, and that's the fact that when the Falcons go into the half with a lead it seems for whatever reason be it the coaching staff, the players or whatever they start trying to hang onto a leading score rather than put teams away. 2nd half for the Falcons seems to be most of the time a couple field goals.

Either way I know how you feel, it's very frustrating at times. Something in the last few years that took me a long while to learn and that is at the end of the day it's just a game and while I would like the Falcons to always win, if they don't it's not the end of the world and it's not really going to change my life one way or the other.

It's sad but I know some people who get so wrapped up in sports teams to where when their teams lose the way they react if you didn't know any better you'd think they just lost a loved one in their family.

[FentayeJones]

You win some you lose some brother... one of these days the stars will align and the Birds will win a championship. Until then just take it for what it is... entertainment. Dont beat yourself up over it because as a fan there is abosolutely nothing you can do about it.

Edited November 22, 2014 by FentayeJones

[SyCo]

Completely understand. I spend the offseason daydreaming of the exaggerated possibilities. The brick wall defense. The unstoppable offense. All the pieces we were missing the year before seemed to be fixed and I convince myself some have fixed themselves.

So much of my time and energy is put into following this team, supporting them, defending them, I expect it to pay off, but reality sets in. The support turns into resentment. How can they not see what we see? We've had the same issues for six years and here we go again.

But I'm a sucker and keep buying in because I've made the team apart of who I am. If the Saints had a five game lead I'm still going to work out the possibilities in my head to get into the playoffs.

So here we are with the division lead after one of the most disappointing seasons I can remember and I'm buying into the 1 n 0 tee shirts and the will power to win. I know I'm setting myself up for heartbreak but we knew that was a possibility anyways right?

I think we're pretty lucky at this point that we get a second chance at enjoying being fans of our team even though we know where it's heading. Gives us something to talk about instead of next year's draft.

Season could end tomorrow so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts

[Dirtybird56]

I still have hope for this season. The law of averages has come back to bite us the past two seasons in terms of injuries, as we had been one of the healthiest teams in the league 08-12. We have also been extremely unlucky in terms of our postseason opponents, every single one of them advancing to the Super Bowl and/or winning it. As of now I'm thinking just get to the playoffs and win our home game. From then on I'll sit back and hope the law of averages comes back, this time, to play in our favor

[Karst41]

LOYALTY?

Your Loyality has F'kn Nothing to do with it.

Arthur Blank is selling you Pure Trash of the worst sort.

Because you do not support this has NOTHING to do with Loyalty

other than Arthur Blank not taking action to straighten out this

plate of hot steamy dog chit.

As long as you support this, it is what you will be stuck with.

You deserve better,, we all do, and being a fan for 35 years

has nothing to do with it.

STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE 2014 FALCONS

This team is the joke of the NFL, and thats a fact!

[Willy Mo]

This team has been worse. Not concerned too much with it.

[toadfishtom]

Hope in your soul or soap in your hole........whatever works brother

[freefall]

I have followed and supported the Falcons for over thirty five years. I guess that I carry some sort of loyalty gene buried within the protein matrix that makes me who I am. I don't belong to any other digital forum and I certainly don't hover over any other website, like I do here. Some days, I feel quite embarrassed that at my age, I am so obsessed with something so trivial as this. After all, I am very successful in an extremely demanding career. Believe me, I can put my time to better use. The only explanation I can offer is that I am simply obeying a natural instinct that is built into every cell of my body. Perhaps that is what binds us all together on these message boards....we are genetically programmed to be of the Dirty Bird Nation.Having said all of that, I have to admit that this season has challenged my loyalty more than any other. The chronic disappointments that this franchise has delivered has trained me to bolster for the very worst of times. Yet, this season has been the most painful for me. The cause of my pain can be described in only one word: BETRAYAL.I truly felt that the Smitty-Tommy leadership have betrayed my trust. Last year's failures could easily be excused with all of the devastating injuries. I was able to deal with the losses because I had faith that the leadership would have those holes patched. Needless to say, my expectations have not been met and my anger has spilled over onto these boards. I have been on the "Fire Smitty" bandwagon that has euphemistically been called GROUP TWO. I have felt uncomfortable calling for the firings, but never the less, I have been quite vocal. That is until we beat up on the lowly panthers and buccaneers (lower case intended).The last two games have opened my eyes to, at least, the possibility of hope. Yes, the wins have come against two of the worst teams in the NFL. Clearly, they were not "quality" wins. But, those wins abated my anger long enough to entertain the possibility of how I would feel if this team turned its fortunes around.If the recent wins are the first indications that the team has finally overcome their faults and will live up to expectations, then I might reluctantly come back into the fold. We all remember how the Packers and Giants orchestrated incredible turn arounds in recent seasons. Both started abysmally and were able to perform very well in the play offs. Could the Falcons be headed for a similar season? The mere possibility has me decidedly less angry and marginally hopeful.I am wondering. Is there anyone else, out there, feeling even the slightest glimmer of hope? If so, and IF the Falcons finish the season winning one play off game, will the anger fade away? Will hope be restored? Can Smitty and Tommy be forgiven?To tell you the truth, I don't know how I would feel. But, I'd like to find out.

I am more angry with the fan base than I am with the team. Team can be good again, but fan base never will unless some of them go root for another team. It fine to want the team to do better, but it's hard to take sometime when people insult the team you are rooting for, especially by those who claim to be fans of it.

[XXVIII-III]

LOYALTY?

Your Loyality has F'kn Nothing to do with it.

Arthur Blank is selling you Pure Trash of the worst sort.

Because you do not support this has NOTHING to do with Loyalty

other than Arthur Blank not taking action to straighten out this

plate of hot steamy dog chit.

As long as you support this, it is what you will be stuck with.

You deserve better,, we all do, and being a fan for 35 years

has nothing to do with it.

STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE 2014 FALCONS

This team is the joke of the NFL, and thats a fact!

Watching your slow, and now complete, descent into the dark side has been most amusing. I am in complete agreement with all of your pessimistic posts of late. This team is what it is, hot garbage, and Blank has approved it. I was such a huge Blank fan, if heads don't roll at the end of the season then I don't know...

[birdz4i]

I just don't take it serious. There are more important things in life than getting down over a sports team.

this x10. do i get upset for a min if we are playing like ****? sure. but once the game is over, it is just that, a game. i have bigger things to worry about than just a game.

[Tribal Chief]

this x10. do i get upset for a min if we are playing like ****? sure. but once the game is over, it is just that, a game. i have bigger things to worry about than just a game.

Yep. Only team I care about is my fam

[Dirtybird#11]

This is spartaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

[toadfishtom]

Yep. Only team I care about is my fam

real talk

[PokerSteve]

Very good post, etherdome and I agree with you that when I think of the 2014 Falcons, I also find myself getting mad. The only difference between us is, these last two wins haven't changed my mind about this team, its HC or its GM. Even if Smittyball were still successful in barely squeaking by the mediocre teams and sneaking into the play-offs and getting curb-stomped, I've had enough.

I don't really give a flying dam if the Falcons make it to the play-offs. The team sucks, it's best players are on the bench or playing out of position, the OC is a one-trick pony, the DC doesn't have a clue how to rush the passer, stop the run, stop the pass, hold a lead or get off the field on 3rd and long. The HC is an anal-retentive, clueless coward whose ClownShoe in-game decisions, passive, soft-as-poop defense, and scared, ultra-conservative, low-scoring, try-not-to-lose offense is nothing but a disgusting charade; he's much more a horribly comical caricature of a HC than one who might someday lead a team to the SB.

But this team isn't going to the play-offs. Some other teams like the Giants or the Seahawks might rise up from the dead and do something late in the season, but they didn't have Mike Smith, Koetter and Nolan coaching their teams. I'd rather Arthur Blank not have to concern himself at all about possibly keeping any one of these losers.

If Mike Smith is Falcon HC next year, I'm done with them, not that anyone cares. And I won't be back unless and until he's gone and a new regime has been put into place. I've had enough putrid, pussified football to last me through another two or three lifetimes already.

[PokerSteve]

this x10. do i get upset for a min if we are playing like ****? sure. but once the game is over, it is just that, a game. i have bigger things to worry about than just a game.

Funny how the pathetic performance of the team you allegedly support barely registers with you, but yet any fan who has something negative to say in here gets your blood boiling so much you just gotta run your mouth at them? You're a real prize, son. Yes sir.

[youngbloodz]

This team has been worse. Not concerned too much with it.

this.

[Karst41]

Steve,, You and I will never "be done" with the team,, you just spend time diong other things

on Sundays or watch another Game.

Now lets say this was a all new Coaching Staff and Management.

Yeah, ya damm skippiy we slog through the chitty games because you know

improvement is comming.

But this? this is a good team with a HC who has totally lost his way.

A GM who can build but not maintain.

They both need to move on at season end.

Smitty will get HC or DC elsewhere. TD will probably return to NE

and Direct Scouting.

[etherdome]

Thanks for the responses. I agree that none of this is truly important.

[Falc_Fan_Since_Six]

I have been a vocal supporter of Mike Smith. I just don't believe all the struggles of this team can be laid at his feet and I think it's an idiotic endeavor to try and do so. There are many on this board who seem to think that a coaching change is going to mean an instant turnaround, wine and roses, 16-0, Superbowl here we come. Yes I exaggerate a bit but not by much. I'm happy to have a couple of wins in recent weeks regardless of who they were against or how ugly the Carolina win was. Unlike some here,l always want this team to win. I don't have a separate agenda of hoping we lose for draft position or to help get a coach fired. IMHO you are not a real fan if you think in that way.

All that being said, I feel like it would take a win streak of monumental proportions to save Smitty's job at this point. Even though I still am not 100% sure that a coaching change is the right way to go, especially with this teams history of picking coaches, I've resigned myself to the fact that it's probably going to happen. I just hope that if it is done, that TD is not given a free pass in all this. If AB pulls the trigger then it needs to be a clean kill. As far as anger, the only real anger I feel is towards the afore-mentioned portion of our fanbase that seems to relish in losses because they think it somehow helps their idiotic loser mentality and agenda of higher draft picks or firing coaches.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Falc_Fan_Since_Six

[RunningThePiszOuttaTheBall]

Unfortunately, hiring a good GM is a bit of a shot in the dark. You do your best, but then it takes 5 or 6 years to find out whether or not you made a good choice.

We are just now finding out we made a bad choice. Some lucky things early made it look promising, but now we know the truth.

However, we do have a franchise QB, which is equally as important as a good GM (and maybe harder to find). So we have to do our best at picking a new GM and a new coach now, and see if we can right the ship. It sucks, but that's just how the NFL reality works.

[nitro_929]

I have been a fan of this team for over thirty years and I played football for over 12 years. I enjoy watching the games, but I keep it in perspective. Do I know better than the coaches, who see these players everyday and the answer is a resounding NO. After this team loses or wins, I don't give it anymore thought afterwards. This is a game and it is entertainment for us to watch. So I guess what I am saying is chill out, it's just a game. Real life things are much more important to put my time towards.

[blkbigdog35]

this x10. do i get upset for a min if we are playing like ****? sure. but once the game is over, it is just that, a game. i have bigger things to worry about than just a game.

Yep. Only team I care about is my fam

That's whats up fellas, REAL TALK!!!

[birdz4i]

Funny how the pathetic performance of the team you allegedly support barely registers with you, but yet any fan who has something negative to say in here gets your blood boiling so much you just gotta run your mouth at them? You're a real prize, son. Yes sir.

what i get tired of is the constant bashing and bitching. **** happens, its life, get over it and stop acting like a 5 year old and support the team. i call it like i see it.