FanPost

Why I'm a Falcons Fan

Steve Bartkowski. William Andrews. Billy White Shoes Johnson. Mike Kenn. Jeff Van Note. Alfred Jenkins. Fulton Kuykendall. Tom Pridemore.

But most of all it was that loss to the Cowboys. To be a Falcons' fan is to experience that blinkered moment of disbelief when every good thing falls apart at the most heartbreaking moment. What happened in Houston a few months back was really the apotheosis of Falcons' football. It took the heartbreak of Eugene Robinson's poor decision making in 1998 and stretched it out into overtime.

As the Falcons stumbled for years and never had back-to-back winning seasons, it was only natural that they had to find a new way to tease and torment me. So we entered the confounding Mike Vick Era of promise and denial, ending in the absolute disaster of Bobby Petrino.

The Falcons had always been that Bad Relationship I couldn't quit. They weren't good for me, but I couldn't leave them. Because if anything, they needed me (or us) more than ever because what else was left to them if not their fans?

Then came the relative success of the Mike Smith years. Actual winning seasons strung back to back. Until that didn't work either.

Now, we have pundits picking the Falcons as the second or third best team in the league. We have an owner that isn't a joke. A GM that isn't a joke. A head coach who isn't a joke.

The Falcons seem poised to go on a run of sustained success, something they've never truly had before. Maybe it's because of Blank and Dimitroff. Maybe it's because of Matt Ryan. Maybe it's because of Dan Quinn. But it feels real. Then again, it's felt real before.

Sustained success?

As a lifelong Falcons fan, I'm not even sure what to think about that.

<em>This FanPost was written by one of The Falcoholic's talented readers. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Falcoholic.</em>