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2019 was a dud. Let's look towards 2020
Posted on 12/3/19 at 9:44 am
Posted on 12/3/19 at 9:44 am
Plain and simple, Atlanta sports in 2019 looked about as bad as a collective since... probably 2007.
2007: Falcons went 4-12 on heels of Vick/Petrino disaster. Braves finished 3rd in the division. Hawks were in final rebuild year of the "Highlight Factory Hawks" (JSmoove, Horford, Marv, Joe Johnson, ZaZa) and missed the playoffs. Thrashers won the division but were swept 4-0 in first round of playoffs to the Rangers.
2019: Falcons are 3-9, with no winnable game in sight. Braves caughed up 10 runs in the first inning of an elimination game. Hawks showed promise with 4-2 start, but had their second best player suspended for 25 games, and have had every single starter miss multiple games due to injury. There is no hockey team.
Point blank, not a great year.
However! Hope springs eternal. In 2008, the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan and went 11-5. The Hawks turned the corner, made the playoffs, and pushed Boston to 7 games, kick-starting a 10 year playoff streak (with way less top-end talent).
Things go in cycles. This year was a total whiff, and I look forward to great things next year.
Falcons: The brotherhood has 4 games left. We get to look forward to a new coaching regime (most importantly, a new offensive coordinator), and a bushel of high draft picks. Looking forward to continuing to build our front-lines, getting rid of a lot of roster dead-weight, and getting back into the thick of things in the NFC. So long as we have a QB, we are never more than a year away. It's the NFL.
Braves It looks like we care about the bullpen again! Baseball is all about getting hot at the right time. Hopefully, we can bring back Josh, reclaim the division, and get streaky in October. Unfortunately, Snitker is still our manager - so, we still may only pitch our ace 1 time in a 5 game series. But the talent is still there to overcome that, and go deep into October.
Hawks When Trae, Collins, Huerter, and Hunter are all available, this team plays with anyone. The downside to this season is, that has quite literally been only 6 games. If JC suspension/injuries push us into the lottery, we may be fortunate enough to land another stud to our already incredible young core. People forget - the year before the Warriors dynasty took off, they lost Steph for a bulk of their season and it derailed their 8-seed aspirtation, but yielded them... Harrison Barnes. The core was complete. We may have to endure one final playoff-less season, but, with the core and cap space we have, it's only a matter of time before the W's come piling in.
2020 is going to be a great year! Let's keep our heads up. In general, it's never that bad here in ATL. We generally send 2/3 of our teams to the playoffs annually. We've got sound talent all around us, we just need to make it happen.
2007: Falcons went 4-12 on heels of Vick/Petrino disaster. Braves finished 3rd in the division. Hawks were in final rebuild year of the "Highlight Factory Hawks" (JSmoove, Horford, Marv, Joe Johnson, ZaZa) and missed the playoffs. Thrashers won the division but were swept 4-0 in first round of playoffs to the Rangers.
2019: Falcons are 3-9, with no winnable game in sight. Braves caughed up 10 runs in the first inning of an elimination game. Hawks showed promise with 4-2 start, but had their second best player suspended for 25 games, and have had every single starter miss multiple games due to injury. There is no hockey team.
Point blank, not a great year.
However! Hope springs eternal. In 2008, the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan and went 11-5. The Hawks turned the corner, made the playoffs, and pushed Boston to 7 games, kick-starting a 10 year playoff streak (with way less top-end talent).
Things go in cycles. This year was a total whiff, and I look forward to great things next year.
Falcons: The brotherhood has 4 games left. We get to look forward to a new coaching regime (most importantly, a new offensive coordinator), and a bushel of high draft picks. Looking forward to continuing to build our front-lines, getting rid of a lot of roster dead-weight, and getting back into the thick of things in the NFC. So long as we have a QB, we are never more than a year away. It's the NFL.
Braves It looks like we care about the bullpen again! Baseball is all about getting hot at the right time. Hopefully, we can bring back Josh, reclaim the division, and get streaky in October. Unfortunately, Snitker is still our manager - so, we still may only pitch our ace 1 time in a 5 game series. But the talent is still there to overcome that, and go deep into October.
Hawks When Trae, Collins, Huerter, and Hunter are all available, this team plays with anyone. The downside to this season is, that has quite literally been only 6 games. If JC suspension/injuries push us into the lottery, we may be fortunate enough to land another stud to our already incredible young core. People forget - the year before the Warriors dynasty took off, they lost Steph for a bulk of their season and it derailed their 8-seed aspirtation, but yielded them... Harrison Barnes. The core was complete. We may have to endure one final playoff-less season, but, with the core and cap space we have, it's only a matter of time before the W's come piling in.
2020 is going to be a great year! Let's keep our heads up. In general, it's never that bad here in ATL. We generally send 2/3 of our teams to the playoffs annually. We've got sound talent all around us, we just need to make it happen.
6
Posted on 12/3/19 at 9:53 am to ATLabama
I think the Braves have a legit shot to make noise. Unfortunately with so much money wrapped up in Matt Ryan and Julio, I think the Falcons are not going to do anything. Another coaching staff will need at least 2 years to do something.
The Hawks are destined to never do much. At least there's always Atlanta United.
The Hawks are destined to never do much. At least there's always Atlanta United.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 11:23 am to ATLabama
quote:
There is no hockey team.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 11:39 am to ATLabama
quote:
Falcons: The brotherhood has 4 games left. We get to look forward to a new coaching regime (most importantly, a new offensive coordinator), and a bushel of high draft picks. Looking forward to continuing to build our front-lines, getting rid of a lot of roster dead-weight, and getting back into the thick of things in the NFC. So long as we have a QB, we are never more than a year away. It's the NFL.
This roster is going to look significantly different in 2020.
I believe the following players will be gone for sure: Beasley (FA), Freeman (cut), Bailey (cut), Sambrailo (cut), Carpenter (cut), Campbell (FA).
I think these players have a decent chance of being cap casualties: Trufant, Mack, Allen (although his restructuring makes this far less likely).
Keanu Neal is going to pose an extremely difficult decision for the next regime. He's incredibly talented, but severe injuries have mounted over the last few years and the team can save almost $6.5M by cutting him.
I think the team really wants to keep Hooper but he will be a highly coveted FA and Jayden Graham has flashed enough for the Falcons to possibly let Hooper walk. I don't want to see this happen at all though.
Dimitroff not trading Freeman to the Lions at the deadline was football malpractice, and giving a 30 year old Julio a nearly fully guaranteed contract was unbelievably stupid for a team who needs upgrades in so many other places. The draft will be really interesting. Trading down should be explored heavily if they can't draft Chase Young. This team needs as much cheap talent as possible right now with the bloated contracts on the roster.
I still really, really like Matt Ryan but he is not getting any younger and it looks like he has lost a bit of arm strength. I think he may be playing through an unknown injury this year considering how often he has been hit and how he hasn't looked like himself at times.
quote:
Braves It looks like we care about the bullpen again! Baseball is all about getting hot at the right time. Hopefully, we can bring back Josh, reclaim the division, and get streaky in October. Unfortunately, Snitker is still our manager - so, we still may only pitch our ace 1 time in a 5 game series. But the talent is still there to overcome that, and go deep into October.
The Braves look like they're about to up the payroll significantly. I think we'll see at least one of Wright, Anderson, Pache, and Waters traded this offseason to try and upgrade the rotation.
That said, I'm concerned that someone like the Rangers will come in and offer Donaldson a 4 year deal worth $85-$90M knowing that he can DH at the end of the deal if his play in the field declines. I know the Braves want to bring him back but there is concern.
I also think Swanson and/or Inciarte could be moved as part of a deal to improve the rotation. Inciarte is much more likely than Swanson, but I think it's possible.
quote:
Hawks When Trae, Collins, Huerter, and Hunter are all available, this team plays with anyone. The downside to this season is, that has quite literally been only 6 games. If JC suspension/injuries push us into the lottery, we may be fortunate enough to land another stud to our already incredible young core. People forget - the year before the Warriors dynasty took off, they lost Steph for a bulk of their season and it derailed their 8-seed aspirtation, but yielded them... Harrison Barnes. The core was complete. We may have to endure one final playoff-less season, but, with the core and cap space we have, it's only a matter of time before the W's come piling in.
I'm not an NBA fan so I can't make an informed comment on the Hawks, but I really, really liked DeAndre Hunter coming out of Virginia and think he can be a good secondary core piece to go with Trae Young. Hunter was probably the best 3 and D player in the draft last year and he put UVA on his back in the second half of the title game against TT last year and UVA needed every bit of what he was providing.
This post was edited on 12/3/19 at 11:42 am
Posted on 12/3/19 at 11:51 am to DoubleDown
quote:
I think the Braves have a legit shot to make noise.
They do. I think the team's biggest hurdle is their own manager.
quote:
Unfortunately with so much money wrapped up in Matt Ryan and Julio, I think the Falcons are not going to do anything.
It's the NFL. Team's quite literally go from 5-11 to the Super Bowl semi-regularly. If you are good at QB, you can be ready to roll at any year. Get a few lucky bounces, stay injury free, get good coaches. The Saints had three catostrophic 7-9 years before their current 3 year roll. It's absurd to give up hope in a league where winning teams coming out of nowhere is the norm. Drafting well and getting a competent coaching staff is the obvious, major variable.
quote:Every major news publication has the Hawks as either the highest, or second highest rated "young" roster in the league. Like baseball, and unlike football, this takes time. If I'm putting money on a team in Atlanta to become a "dynasty" out of the group, it's probably Trae Young's Hawks.
The Hawks are destined to never do much.
quote:
At least there's always Atlanta United.
I like that they do well, and man are those games fun, but an MLS championship will never be a Lombardi, Larry O'Brien, World Series, or Stanley Cup trophy.
Hopefully Tony Ressler continues his roll with the Hawks, and can parlay that into a hockey team (insert daily frick you Atlanta Spirt Group memo). They've got enough space in that beautiful Brookhaven training facility, and the new arena was retrofitted to house a rink.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 11:55 am to ATLabama
quote:
The Saints had three catostrophic 7-9 years before their current 3 year roll
They had an incredible 2017 draft that totally revamped their defense from the worst in the league to a top 10 unit with a bunch of cheap talent. That draft also got them Kamara, which balanced their offense to the point where opposing teams feared the run more than Brees and the passing game. We need a big time draft class like that.
This post was edited on 12/3/19 at 12:11 pm
Posted on 12/3/19 at 12:06 pm to VADawg
quote:
They had an incredible 2017 draft that totally revamped their defense from the worst in the league to a top 10 unit with a bunch of cheap talent. We need a big time draft class like that.
2016 draft yielded: Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, Austin Hooper.
I think we can do it again.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 12:48 pm to ATLabama
quote:
and the new arena was retrofitted to house a rink.
State Farm? I thought the renovation had removed the arena's ability to house an NHL rink.
This post was edited on 12/3/19 at 12:49 pm
Posted on 12/3/19 at 12:54 pm to Wally Sparks
quote:
State Farm? I thought the renovation had removed the arena's ability to house an NHL rink.
Chris Kirschner of the Athletic said that it still maintains viability for an NHL rink, and, has 3rd/4th locker rooms.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 12:58 pm to ATLabama
I haven't given a shite about the Falcons since the SB against the Broncos. I am probably a much more pleasant person because of it.
Never been a fan of NBA, although I do know the Hawks will be competitive in a few seasons with their young core.
The Braves rip my fricking heart out but I'm still living off of the 1995 WS win and the nostalgia from going to games at Fulton County with family who is either dead or have moved away. Battered Wife Syndrome is a motherfricker. I don't see the front office getting rid of snit until a losing season, which despite Snit's best efforts might not happen for a while.
If there was some way for the United to be good, but not have so many sanctimonious douche bag fans I might give a shite about them.
Never been a fan of NBA, although I do know the Hawks will be competitive in a few seasons with their young core.
The Braves rip my fricking heart out but I'm still living off of the 1995 WS win and the nostalgia from going to games at Fulton County with family who is either dead or have moved away. Battered Wife Syndrome is a motherfricker. I don't see the front office getting rid of snit until a losing season, which despite Snit's best efforts might not happen for a while.
If there was some way for the United to be good, but not have so many sanctimonious douche bag fans I might give a shite about them.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 1:40 pm to ATLabama
Atlanta United won 2 trophies and made the conference finals in 2019. Also was the only team to beat Monterrey between Nov 2018-mid Mar 2019.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 1:42 pm to Murph4HOF
quote:
If there was some way for the United to be good, but not have so many sanctimonious douche bag fans I might give a shite about them.
Actually really liked the team and followed them pretty heavy in year 1... but their fans are quite literally the worst people in the city.
If all of these man-titted baristas had to pay Falcons prices for games there would be 10 people there. They should be thankful for the Falcons and they're fans for subsidizing (literally, through PSLs) their good time. Instead, they chide every other fanbase as if an MLS title is the FIFA world cup. We're all supposed to be on the same team together, Karma and Saffron.
quote:
I haven't given a shite about the Falcons since the SB against the Broncos. I am probably a much more pleasant person because of it.
It's a frustrating experience. They're basically the Mark Richt Georgia Bulldogs of the NFL from a performance standpoint. Crazy talent, can get to a lot of big games, somehow always fall short. It's maddening that Matt Ryan doesn't have 1-2 rings right now. 2012 and 2016 they were the best team in football entering the playoffs. 17 and 25 point collapses ended both runs.
This post was edited on 12/3/19 at 1:50 pm
Posted on 12/3/19 at 1:46 pm to pvilleguru
And qualified for CCL again.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 5:59 pm to pvilleguru
quote:
pvilleguru
quote:You're proving my point.
Atlanta United Fan
Posted on 12/3/19 at 6:16 pm to Murph4HOF
How so? I just listed the accomplishments that the OP neglected.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 6:46 pm to pvilleguru
quote:
2019, ATL UTD blow 1-0 lead in MLS semis to lose 2-1 at home.
FIFY
This post was edited on 12/3/19 at 6:47 pm
Posted on 12/3/19 at 6:47 pm to pvilleguru
Soccer is an extreme niche/hipster sport in this country (unless it is the USA in the World Cup). If Atlanta stopped winning, their attendance would be about 16 people per game.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 6:56 pm to Murph4HOF
shite happens, was still a great season. Picked up some hardware, beat 2 Liga MX teams, and made the conference finals even though we were never able to field our full starting XI.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 6:58 pm to VADawg
quote:Holy hyperbole, Batman.
If Atlanta stopped winning, their attendance would be about 16 people per game.
Posted on 12/3/19 at 8:09 pm to ATLabama
quote:
Chris Kirschner of the Athletic said that it still maintains viability for an NHL rink, and, has 3rd/4th locker rooms.
DON'T PLAY WITH MY EMOTIONS!
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