FearTheFlop: The Braves have lost seven straight playoff series, going back to 2001. Despite 14-straight division titles during the Bobby Cox era, the team managed just one World Series title (1995). Atlanta was also the first team to ever lose the Wild Card play-in game, falling in dramatic fashion last year in a game that included one of the worst calls in sports history—one that drove fans to use the outfield (infield?) as a trash bin. The Braves bullpen, albeit worthy all year, saw Jonny Venters and Eric O’Flaherty miss the season. Tim Hudson also went down mid-year with a freak ankle injury while covering first base.
Blood Pressure, Rise Up: The Falcons have compiled five- straight winning seasons, going 56-24 in that span (including two NFC South titles and two top-seeds), yet have gone just 1-4 in the postseason during that time-frame. Heading into this year, the team had do-or- die Super Bowl aspirations.
But, since the beginning of the year, the Falcons have seen significant injuries to Roddy White, Julio Jones, Sean Weatherspoon, Mike Johnson, Kroy Biermann, and Bradie Ewing. Jones, Johnson, Biermann and Ewing are on injured reserve, and will miss the rest of the year. The Falcons have started their Super Bowl campaign with a 1-4 record, and have managed to lose all four games in heartbreakingly close fashion.
Vet(eran) Clinic: The state’s biggest college football program has started 4-2, losing its national title hopes, after losing 41-26 to SEC newcomer Missouri this past weekend. Georgia has also been walloped with injuries, including season ending blows to the knees of tailback Keith Marshall, and starting receivers Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott- Wesley. All-American tailback Todd Gurley has been hobbled with a high ankle sprain, missing the last two games, and Mr. Reliable, Michael Bennett, is also out for significant time with a knee injury.
Dream On: No team has lived the true Atlanta “Dream” quite like, well, the Dream. Atlanta’s WNBA franchise (which has only existed since 2008) has already lost a league-record eight straight WNBA Finals games. Atlanta fell in a three-game sweep this week as Atlanta-area native Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx steam-rolled their way to a championship.
“Boozenholzer”: The Atlanta Hawks have their own recent history of being really good and then going to the playoffs and being really bad. While playoff expectations are at an all-time low thanks to the epitome of a re-building year roster, the Hawks have managed to make headlines with their first-year coach Mike Budenholzer, who was charged with a DUI on Aug. 29.
