Home > Furman Bisher > Archives > 2008 > November > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAtlanta is no longer “Losersville”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yes, our town is “Losersville” no more, a condition cleverly revealed by checking the present-day standings and news of the Falcons, the Hawks, the Thrashers, and those wintertime games in which this old town used to wallow about in.
The self-deprecating term was first used by Lewis Grizzard, when he was executive sports editor of The Atlanta Journal — which, I might add, probably comes as a revelation to you now. That Grizzard was ever a sports editor. That was Lewis’ ambition in life, to be sports editor of the Journal, our afternoon paper which claimed to “cover Dixie like the dew.”
So a sports editor he became before he struck gold as a national humorist, something he didn’t realize he had in him until Jim Minter set him on the right path. His career producing sports sections didn’t turn out to be his joy in life, mainly because I was his boss, and he didn’t like the way I yanked on his reins.
I dawdle, though. About “Losersville,” Atlanta just about led the nation in losing franchises. The Flames had been here and soon would take flight to Calgary. The Hawks were consistent losers, until Dominique Wilkins came along, but ‘Nique couldn’t get it done by himself, even with help from Doc Rivers, who has found latter-day serenity with the Celtics.
I won’t apply the insufferable term “miserable” here, as applied to the Falcons, but truth to tell, there were often the laughing stock of the NFL. Coaches came and coaches went, and except for a brief flirtation with joy when Norm Van Brocklin presided, only when Leeman Bennett came on did they have even a fling with the romance of winning, then blew it in the title game with Dallas on our own stadium grass.
Now, have a look. Falcons just a game out of first place in the NFC South. Hawks leading their division of the NBA. Thrashers on a four-game winning streak and looking good safely removed from last place. Only bunch sloshing along in the muck of mediocrity — the Braves. This was the one team that we once could count on to deliver our supply of pride. I wouldn’t contend that they’ve reverted to the condition of rebuilding, but Terry McGuirk and Frank Wren have a full off-season to change course.
Meantime, while we haven’t yet become “Winnersville,” at least we’ve finally shaken the embarrassing old title of “Losersville.”
Permalink | Comments (28) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons/NFL, Hawks/NBA, Thrashers/NHL
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By yeah
November 13, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Amen! And after we get Peavy, the Braves will be back on track, too!
By N/A
November 13, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Yes! Finally! Though it might be a sign of the end of thw world….Oh well :D
By G-man
November 13, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher,
You forgot about Coach Dan Reeves and the Dirty Birds making it to sunny Florida and SuperBowl XXXIII in 1998.
But yes, it’s been an enjoyable fall thus far. Just need to have the teams stay hot to keep us warm through the winter until the Boys of Summer come round. Maybe Mr. Peavy and young Mr. Hanson will keep the heat going with their mid-90s fireballs.
Go Hawks! Go Falcons! Go Thrashers! and Go Braves!!!
By Scott
November 13, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
Yeah, I wouldn’t say we’re completely rid of the title, but a couple of playoff making teams sure wouldn’t hurt.
BTW, Furman, that Falcons game vs. Dallas of which you speak was not a title game. It was the divisional round. Dallas went on to lose to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game and then Philly lost to the Raiders in the Super Bowl. Bartkowski’s Falcons could have, and I believe would have, beaten both of those teams for a Super Bowl title. Imagine what could have been from there.
By rrrrr
November 13, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
And the boys down at Grant Field are looking good as well….
By Brendan
November 13, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
Not to be argumentative, but the City of Atlanta has one (1) major professional sports championship (1995) out of how many completed seasons among its NBA, NHL, MLB, and NFL ranks?
Yes, in 1995, in a strike-shortened season, our Atlanta Braves won the World Series. And a prouder, or finer moment for our city, is hard to recall. The Falcons are 1-1 in NFC title games. The Braves are 5-4 in the NLCS. They’re 1-4 in World Series. That’s all pretty decent. But they haven’t managed to win a game in the World Series since 1996, yet they retain Bobby Cox, out of loyalty.
The Atlanta Knights, a now defunct team of the IHL, also defunct, brought Atlanta its only professional hockey championship. I think it was 1994. The Gwinnett Gladiators, of the ECHL, were Kelley Cup Finalists in 2007. Or was it 2006? They lost to the Alaska Aces in five games.
The Women’s Football league produced a “Super Bowl” Champion in the “Xplosion.” Yay, Atlanta won a Super Bowl, of some variety. I don’t think any of the pro and semi-pro soccer teams in the area have ever won anything. I won’t mention the Atlanta Dream or Beat.
The funniest thing, to me, about the lack of success in Atlanta sports history … is that much of it was largely “self-inflicted” setbacks. In other words, just preventing some stupid trades or poor draft picks, or unfortunate ownership/sales of teams could have resulted in more sports championships for Atlanta.
Winning takes committed ownership. The only thing resembling that … is Arthur Blank. When his players contracts come due, he ponies up the money. Cover quick. With no excuses. Can that be said about whoever is temporarily running the Braves these days? And look, let’s not EVEN GET STARTED on The Atlanta Spirit, LLC.
You know something, Furman Bisher, every time Bruce Levenson (Part-owner, Atlanta Spirit, LLC) opens his mouth … you just know it’s going to be bad. But no matter HOW PROFOUNDLY you brace yourself for the worst, Levenson manages to transcend that barrier. Really, I think the courts should issue a gag order on him. Bruce Levenson’s silence actually makes me feel better. At least that way … I can pretend that the owners care about the Thrashers.
By rob
November 13, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
I don’t know if anyone remembers but Atlanta was actually first tagged as “Losersville” on the cover of SI back in 90 or 91 I believe. It was shortly before the braves went on there tear and our other teams have dipped in and out of mediocrity ever since. It is truly a proud time to be from Atlanta now though!
By joedanger22
November 13, 2008 9:17 PM | Link to this
1995 was not the strike shortened season,1994.
By Jake W
November 13, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Brendan, the Atlanta Chiefs soccer team, of the NPSL, won a championship in 1968.
But, yes, I do agree with you about everything you posted.
By Brendan
November 14, 2008 12:06 AM | Link to this
Thanks Jake W, I didn’t know that about the Chiefs. But I am glad to know of it.
Joedanger22, in the 1995 season, the play finally resumed, but only 144 games were played, instead of the traditional 162. I believe the Cleveland Indians, whom Braves defeated, were 100-44 that season. It’s rather impressive to amass 100-wins in a 162-game season, much less a 144 game season. The WS defeat was utterly ‘crushing’ for Indians fans, who were … and ARE … still starved for a Championship.
Does anyone remember how the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) team travel budget was insufficient to travel back to Anchorage, Alaska, to play Games 6 and 7, if necessary? The plan was to start up a collection if the Gladiators extended the series. Gwinnett trailed 3-0 in the series, won Game Four, and then lead, 3-1, in Game Five, if I recall correctly. Now, I’m not saying the owner came down to the locker room to scream, “What do you boys think you’re doin’, we can’t AFFORD to go back to Alaska. Drop this game, but make it ‘look good,’ but the Gladiators wound up losing the game and the Championship. And a very, very potentially embarrassing situation was avoided.
By Flustered Fan
November 14, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this
As long as Liberty Media owns the Braves and as long as Cox is still manager, they are going to suck…let’s not forget about Frank Wren..didn’t Baltimore run this guy out of town? His first year as GM was nothing like Schuerholz’s. Bring JS back, please.
By Kevin
November 14, 2008 1:30 AM | Link to this
Ah yes furman been in wine again…sorry we not winnersville yet Braves no make playoffs again under Bobby cox n TP..Not get Peavy he be in NY Yankees uniform…Tampa will rule east again Hawks will get to finals someday,Thrashers be in another city by then thanks to there GM…also remember atlanta chiefs in Naslsoccor outdoorwon at atlanta stadium before 48,000 people…I wonder is where is the championship banners at of the Now defunt NASL soccer team n Trophy at..only way braves be back is fire cox if he out of it by all star break again…But if do his wife be beat up again
By Dr. Warren
November 14, 2008 1:39 AM | Link to this
“Loserville” dates back to a 1970’s article in Sports Illustrated about Atlanta sports. Mr. Bisher, with all due respect, the Hawks were actually pretty good in the late 70’s with Eddie Johnson, John Drew, Tree Rollins, and Hubie Brown coaching. They made the playoffs a few times, too. And the Falcons-Dallas game, which I attended as a kid, was not the title game—just a divisional playoff.
By scottbravesfan
November 14, 2008 3:14 AM | Link to this
The Braves will be back next summer when they have Peavy and Hanson in the rotation.
By lakerat
November 14, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this
Ah, yes, good ‘ol Lewis Grizzard - all he ever wanted to do, in his own words, was to be able to enjoy UGA football and write like Furman Bisher!
Thanks for the memories, Mr. Bisher!
By Dr. Warren...
November 14, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this
…you do know that Lewis Grizzard, of whom Mr. Bisher speaks, was a sports writer in Atlanta in the ’70s (before he became Sports Editor), and that SI plaigerized the term from him, don’t you?
By Vince
November 14, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Don’t hold you breath just yet, we have all been down this road before. As far as ATL becoming “Winnersville” another Georgia town already has that title, Valdosta.
By Realism, look my way
November 14, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
Uh, it may be wise to hold off on giving up the Loserville tag just yet. I think we’re going to have to pass through Mediocreville before hitting Winnersville.
By Salami
November 14, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
The Atlanta Hawks will reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season. You heard it here first.
By Salami, Salami
November 14, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
Baloney!
By dannycardwell
November 14, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
mr bisher, reading this reminds me of a piece on espn on larry munson. one guy on the program wanted to know what a “hob nail boot” is. you may want to email them. as usual very good reading. thanks
By Dr. Warren
November 14, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
Sure I know. I grew up reading Lewis Grizzard. Not sure SI plagiarized from him though. I’d have to check with the lawyers to prove that…
By richbrave
November 14, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
BRAVES be back on top soon. Meester TURNER is goin’ to buy theese team from LIBERTY MEDIA and than we will be glory days agin.
By kracker
November 15, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
I went to a game of the Atlanta Chiefs playing soccer in old Fulton County Stadium when it was young and new. The Chiefs had a star South African player named Kaiser “Boy Boy” Motaung that won rookie of the year honors that year. (Wow, that nickname really wouldn’t fly today!) What I remember from that day was Boy Boy kicking the ball straight up in the air, in warm-ups, higher than our upper deck seats. Up, then back down and BOOM! straight up again, over and over. I just couldn’t believe that anyone could do that with such seeming ease.
By ATL yeah
November 20, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this
Heck yeah! The Atl is starting to become a sports town(Except Ga Tech)! GO HAWKS! GO THRASH! GO FALCONS! GO BRAVES! And GOOOOO DAWGS SIC’EM WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!! BTW Georgia State with Curry as a coach will definately be good, and even though the Dawgs will always be Tech’s daddy, Tech could start to consistantly be in competition for the ACC. Let’s not forget about the GSU Eagles either! All in all, the state of Georgia id starting to make some noise in all sports!
By Rob P
November 22, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this
Atlanta may not be the #1 Losersville anymore, but Cleveland barely beating you out for the top spot isn’t too much to be proud of. There is plenty of time left in the seasons of the Falcons, Hawks, and Thrashers to continue the losing ways of Atlanta teams.
By to
December 23, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
right on…with the jackets rout of the puppies between the twigs…and the falcons and hawks winning…it looks up/if we can get braves and thrashers to rebound………YELLOW FEVER…GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO JACKETS!!
By deanerdawg
December 25, 2008 8:28 PM | Link to this
thanks for the laugh to. come talk to me when trek is relevant on a national scence. Come talk to me when you play in a BCS game in this era…You get lucky in 1 game, which by the way was no blowout. 6 of the previous 7 were blowouts, and look for that trend to continue next year. Yall won’t even be able to fill that place you call a stadium let alone beat the mighty dawgs!!! nerd!