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DEL.ICIO.USFalcons fans get louder, and defense gets happier
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Flowery Branch — Lest we get carried away with the Georgia Dome’s transformation into a noisy mess for opponents during Falcons games, it still has a ways to go. For instance, it isn’t the Frozen Tundra South with an artificial surface. “In Green Bay, it’s tradition, and it’s weather and that kind of stuff,” said Ed Donatell, the former Packers defensive coordinator who works in Atlanta these days. He chuckled, adding of Lambeau Field, “I mean, there are ghosts walking around up there.”
They just have weirdos walking around the Black Hole, where visitors to Raiders games discover in loud and ugly ways that Halloween never ends near the Oakland hills. Defensive tackle Rod Coleman shook his head, when he spoke of his old days with the Raiders and his current ones with the Falcons. “No, I don’t think any other place can be like it is out there,” said Coleman on Wednesday after practice before he qualified his remark.
After all, with the Minnesota Vikings coming to town on Sunday, Coleman remembered when the rocking and rolling Georgia Dome helped the Falcons win their first and only home game this season on a Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. With racket pounding its ears, the Eagles’ offense earned three false-start penalties, and the racket got louder. “It was just, oh, man, ridiculous,” Coleman said with a smile. “Me and everybody else on the defense, we were just loving it, because we were feeding off the crowd noise. It’s just great, man.”
Actually, it’s about time. Before the 2004 arrival of Jim Mora and his ability to extract passion from a chin strap, the Falcons were a rarity. They were the only domed team in NFL history to lack an overwhelming advantage at home with crowd noise. That’s because the Georgia Dome only had spurts with crowd noise, and here’s the strangest thing: Such was the case only when the Falcons were playing. During Peach Bowls and SEC championship games, the Georgia Dome’s Teflon roof always threatens to rip from all of the high decibels.
Then, just like that, with encouragement from towel-slinging coaches on the Falcons sideline and players frantically waving everything from their arms to their tongues on the field, something began to happen in the Georgia Dome stands last season on a consistent basis. Yep, noise, and it didn’t hurt the situation that the Falcons kept winning at home, all the way to their current seven-game streak. According to team officials, 23 of the false starts committed by opposing offenses last season were due to a bunch of folks yelling as if they were watching the Bulldogs, the Gators or the Vols or something.
Good thing for the Falcons. During these days of parity in the league, where you have the usually pitiful Cincinnati Bengals looking more potent than the New England Patriots, owners of three Super Bowl rings during the past four seasons, every little bit helps. To hear the Falcons tell it, having the Georgia Dome as a mad house helps the home team a lot. And get this: “They’ve actually been packing the place for the last couple of years, but last season is when I really began to fill the electricity inside the dome, because they’ve become educated fans,” said Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney, in his seventh season.
That’s long enough for Kerney to recall how the Falcons had the only NFL fans who performed The Wave when the home team had the ball. Not good. Not when your offense is trying to hear signals from your quarterback. Even so, Falcons fans continue to get louder and wiser. They just have to remember when the game starts. They leave thousands of empty seats before the opening kickoff, and that often delays the Falcons’ dome-field advantage.
“We couldn’t feel better about what the fans are doing in Atlanta. It’s awesome, because it takes away the ability for the other team to audible, but we just want them to come about 30 minutes earlier and start heckling the other team while they’re warming up,” Donatell said.
Then he laughed, adding, “Come early, and we’ll reward you with gifts.”
Donatell didn’t specify what kind of gifts, but here’s a guess: How about victories along the way to championships?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
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By William Kitchens
September 28, 2005 09:29 PM | Link to this
Golly Gee Mr.Moore… Hop back up on the wagon.
By Randy
September 29, 2005 12:43 AM | Link to this
Last years playoff game with the Rams was nuts but the floor was moving under my feet when Philly came to town a few weeks ago. I agree..fans need to get to the seats sooner and crank up the volume for warm ups too. Hey you may even get to see a little “pre-game action” like with Philly. I am a season ticket holder and it has been so much fun the last few years…These aint your daddy’s Falcons.. Thank you Mr Blank.
By Kim
September 29, 2005 05:58 AM | Link to this
I’m season ticket holder. It’s been fun yelling, screaming, and heckling at the opposing team and their fans. I’m with Ed Donatell though. I’m hoping fans start coming in a little earlier this season. I, personally, love the introductions and wouldn’t miss it.
By Jim
September 29, 2005 08:01 AM | Link to this
We were at the Falcons-Rams playoff game last year and you had to be there and actually experience that atmosphere to see what everyone is talking about. Best 300 dollars I ever spent on tickets.
By PreyDawg
September 29, 2005 09:40 AM | Link to this
I have sat in the Dome when it was like a morgue. And I was there during the Ram’s playoff game when we (yes I said we) extracted much needed and deserved revenge on the Lambs.
What I found most satisfying about the Philly game this year was not just the noise. But the fact that Atlantan’s and Falcons fans from other burgs got passionate about
A) Cheering for the Falcons and
B) Defending the honor and integrity of the city.
The Eaglets jumping on the logo was great symbolism for what has come out of Philly (and most of the rest of the sports world) since last year Championship game. That is the sentiment that Atlanta is a horrible sports town, Falcons fans are not true fans, Falcons fans and Atlanta dont deserve the Super Bowl Trophy…yada yada yada
Well without having an excessively long post I say…BUNK. As Falcon’s fans we have suffered greatly through the years and in some really bad years we did indeed stay away from the Dome. But many that fill the seats now also filled them in Fulton County Stadium. And we darn well do deserve a championship and we WILL stick up for our team and our city!! Are you kidding me??!! This is the Southeast. The rest of the Sports world has no idea how big football can be down here if you just give us fans a team that gives it’s all to cheer for. We have that again now.
By Will
September 29, 2005 10:12 AM | Link to this
I’m a season tickt holder. I’d like to get to the game on time but MARTA is SLOWA.
By chris
September 29, 2005 10:52 AM | Link to this
Hey T,
Saw an article on ESPN.com about discrimination in Iowa’s locker room. It seems that the pink paint they have painted the visitors locker room in for the past 10 or so years is really offending some people. Thought you might like to capitalize on this one and see if you can take it to the next level as only you can.
Thank goodness it wasn’t black paint!
By chris
September 29, 2005 10:53 AM | Link to this
Hey T, saw an article on discrimination in Iowa’s locker room on ESPN.com. Seems that many are taking offence to the PINK pain they have used for some time. Seems like the perfect issues for you to feed on and take to the next level.
By Bulldawg Momma
September 29, 2005 02:30 PM | Link to this
Nice writing, T. Primera vez que lo he dicho eso. Felicidades.
By Stephen
September 29, 2005 06:13 PM | Link to this
There are fans, like me, that would love to be inside the Dome when the game begins, but the security folks outside still don’t have a clue when it comes to checking security and handling large crowds. Hopefully the Falcons fans will continue the noise levels throughout the entire season.
By DbleD23
September 30, 2005 12:38 AM | Link to this
I’m a season ticket holder and if they promised to introduce Vick last every game I would be there early to see it. I hate when they do the defense.
By Erik
September 30, 2005 04:15 AM | Link to this
Vick has been introduced last every game i’ve been too. Granted i’ve only been to Nationally televised game’s of late. But, the Dome has gotten pretty crunk of late….
Falcons Daily
By Bird Man
September 30, 2005 08:37 AM | Link to this
I was there when it all started, it was the year tha Vick was announced the starter and he started the first pre-season game.. The place was electric, the announced number #7 and the roof was torn off of the place. Another memorable game from two years ago is when we beat the Saints pretty badly and I never sat down, it was bananas. Thanks VIck, Mora and Blank for producing a great product. As for you haters, just leave the house earlier, quit blaming MARTA, and the security folks..It’s always something…
By Dr. Jackson
October 1, 2005 09:07 PM | Link to this
Since moving to the area, I have adopted the team as my own. It was not easy! Fans here are not passionate. I could not believe my eyes when I would see them walking out of the Dome when there was still time on the clock. We didn’t do this in Philly or Pittsburgh! Slowly they are acting like true fans and I am loving it! Standing up throughout the game, who sits at a football game?, yelling until it hurts, heckling the opponents( idea born in the Northeast), and being the protector of your “house” is just AWESOME! I LOVE MY FALCONS!