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Introducing The Scale Of Falconliness: How Falconly Is Warrick Dunn?

Warrick Dunn offers high fives in exchange for votes. (via <a href="http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2008/football/nfl/03/02/dunn.release/p1_dunn-getty.jpg">SI</a>)
Warrick Dunn offers high fives in exchange for votes. (via SI)

You've probably heard players, coaches, fans, writers, and announcers say things like these:

  • "That guy's a true Celtic."
  • "The ultimate Yankee."
  • "The definitive Pittsburgh Steeler."
  • "She perfectly represents UConn."
  • "Not just a Miami Hurricane; he's the Miami Hurricane."
  • "Sigh... typical Raider."

This crossed my mind -- what does it mean to embody the Atlanta Falcons? Who's the ultimate Falcon? Which players and coaches most evocatively represent this franchise and city -- not necessarily the best players, but the most quintessentially Falconic? (And who's the ultimate anti-Falcon? Who's least worthy of being called a Falcon?)

That's what we're going to find out with our summer project: the Scale of Falconliness. We'll rate former Falcons on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most Falconly. I'll keep a chart as we go, showings who's been ranked where.

Let's kick it off with a tough one:

Warrick Dunn

Falconly Unfalconly
  • Six seasons as a Falcon
  • One Pro Bowl as a Falcon
  • Won 2004 NFL Man of the Year Award as a Falcon
  • After retirement, became minority owner of Falcons
  • Best season came as a Falcon: 1,636 yards from scrimmage in 2006
  • Featured back on Falcons offense that led NFL in rushing for three straight years
  • Graduated from college before NFL Draft
  • Through his charity, has bought homes for 93 struggling single mothers
  • Rallied up $5 million in donations from NFL players for Hurricane Katrina relief
  • Six seasons as a goddamn Buc
  • Two Pro Bowls as a Buc
  • Won 2009 Bart Starr Award as a Buc
  • First Buc to ever be named Rookie of the Year
  • Retired as a Buc
  • Played 91 games as a Buc -- only 90 as a Falcon
  • Had 84 more career yards as a Buc than as a Falcon
  • Complained about drafting T.J. Duckett

Bottom line: Very good player -- and more importantly, great man -- but when you're reviewing the Hall of Falconliness, how willing are you to overlook the following image:

Nfl_g_dunn_576_medium

via a.espncdn.com