Hey, it’s Joe (again). I’m sure at this point you’ve heard a lot of other people, so you probably know why I’m writing to you. But I still have to ask, and please don’t behave coy with me this time. Are you sure you’re not cursed?
Does all of this have anything to do with the fact that you sell your soul a little bit to land a contract for the 1996 Olympics? It seems that this is definitely the matter. I mean, it adds up a bit to see how they haven’t had a big sports championship since the Braves World Series ring in 1995 – nine months before the Olympics.
Of course, we claim the Atlanta United championship. Every team that moves to Magic City, trophy in hand, is in my eyes a true champion of the city. We should be proud of our success in MLS, but they were new to their roads, so they couldn’t be completely wrapped up in their curse.
It brings me back to why I’m writing to you. Why do you have to get people who love you to observe another breakdown? To be honest, thank you for helping the Hawks find new and creative ways to lose games every week. It’s extremely impressive. This time, the Falcons managed a no-play touchdown! It sounds absolutely crazy to say, but there is nothing extraordinary for this season
It’s also especially hard not to feel some kind of way when the Los Angeles Dodgers present a constant reminder of their mistakes. Watching the action for a World Series ring against the Tampa Bay Rays, it’s impossible not to think the Braves could have been. The course were eliminated by leading a 3-1 series against the same Dodgers in the playoffs.
Did this particular hit have anything to do with the fact that you punished the team for running to the “burbs of Cobb County”? Because it’s not our fault. When the Braves pulled their stadium out of the hood, they let it pass. Now downtown fans (mostly black) can hardly reach them. Because it’s funny that his MARTA transit system just doesn’t work in this area. Or how a 30-minute ride turns into a two-hour ride because of the Clusterfuck they call highways.
ots of a Mini-headset. How could I forget the explosion of the crowd as Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” went through the PA system, as it was time for Chipper Jones to dig his studs into the dough box. Now Ole Larry might come up with something that hit a little harder than “Crazy Train,” but I’m walking away. Or how could I forget to assemble the dark memories of tailgating on the blue field as an adult?
So, Atlanta, when they turned the same stadium where Muhammad Ali once lit the Olympic torch into a low-capacity Georgia State football stadium, surrounded by Gentrification plans that had passed as renovations, I tried to figure out where they came from. I tried to shake it because I thought that if the brave escaped the city limits, you could also let them escape your curse. Instead, they doubled.
See. I’m not here to remind you of all the misfortune you’ve been through. I’m not going to blame you for paying for historic churches and spending taxpayer money building stadiums, nor will I list the countless blown tracks you’ve offered to your loyal fans. Because we both know what happened and there is no sense in reliving the pain of the past. What baffles me is that a city with so much rich history can be so short, so often when it’s most important.
But you know what? I forgive you. I forgive you, because this pain is what the fans expect from you. This is nothing new. But I forgive you especially for everything you gave us outside of sports.
You have one of the great civil rights leaders in Martin Luther King Jr. born and opened arms to the after John Lewis. They protected one of the most extraordinary Hip-hop groups in OutKast as they reappeared at every corner, and opened the doors for other rappers to follow their path as they shouted South something to say. They have one of the world’s most popular sodas made by a pharmacist brave enough to mix cocaine with fruit flavors. You are the birthplace of Waffle House, a restaurant where I went several times and where I ordered the same thing, but never paid the same price, because each time it is a unique experience.
What I basically understand is that you’re special. It is a city rich in diversity, culture and legends. But you’re not a winning city-at least not yet. I’m proud to call this place home, and it would be hard to give up everything they gave me and the world in exchange for a few championship rings and lobster rolls. But it’s extremely hard not to hide my face when you get embarrassed on the biggest stage. All I ask is that you might consider not cursing your sports teams because you have a city full of people willing to shout your name from the mountain peaks when the time comes.
