Let’s take care of the introductions first.
Falcons this is the world.
World, meet the Falcons.
The two of you will be spending a lot of time together in the next 12 days – and it’s about time the two of you got know each other a little bit better.
It’s no surprise you are strangers. A largely undistinguished franchise in a metropolis so long lacking a unifying championship identity just doesn’t command a lot of attention. The Falcons, not by choice but by circumstance, have pretty much been the ignored most of their life. They assumed the role of the quiet guy nursing the club soda at the back of the bar, the loner holding up the wall at the school dance.
Normally, ESPN would much rather air a Tottenham Hotspur highlight than a big Falcons moment. This team makes the cover of your big national publications with a frequency common to spelling bee champions and Pillsbury Bake-Off winners.
In general, it has been too easy to be dismissive of the Falcons – in the manner of Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy, whose recent work seems to be getting everyone's suspenders in a twist. (Relax, there'll be plenty more slights to go around before this fortnight is finished. Don't let your outrage peak just yet).
The world should in no way feel bad about just now coming around to the realization that these Falcons are pretty good. Hey, Atlanta just started reaching that conclusion about six weeks ago.
For 12 days more the media-industrial complex will have little choice but to spend a large amount of effort catching its audience up on these Falcons. What else is it going to do, an investigation into the secret yearnings of Bill Belichick to ditch it all and become a street mime?
So, by all means world, extend a hand to this team.
You’re going to find a lot to really like about it. You’ll love the offense, especially if you are a Millennial who likes shiny objects.
You’ll find a star wide receiver who is better than Beckham, and beats Brown all day long (and is so much lower maintenance than both). You’ll recognize the best when you see it.
You'll discover a quarterback who will never make a great pizza salesman, but who is an Andretti at the wheel of an offense.
And a coach who is full of energy and positivity – and the only known antidote to a Belichick news conference.
And if you make the effort to get to know any one of the children on defense, that will speak to your curious and adventurous nature. Go ahead, branch out.
Here are the Falcons, world. I just know you’re going to be impressed.
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