Dear Atlanta Sports,

You are probably the last group of people who want to hear about being “cursed” and “endless futility” at the moment. You are probably thinking “Yes, we are aware, can we please move on?” and to that I say, no. Atlanta, you should instead reflect on your mistakes, and use that to fuel a fire in your heart. Because after embarrassing ourselves on the National stage for hundreds of millions to see, I think we need a refresher on why the Super Bowl meant so much.

In the late 60’s all three major American sports were brought down to the city of Atlanta, and in that span, we have somehow, over a combined 150 seasons (Including our now moved hockey franchise, the Thrashers) we have 1 championship, a lone World Series against the Cleveland Indians. Not only is this pathetic, for context, the Chicago Cubs, formerly the poster child for championship droughts, have won a championship more recently than all three teams, and more often than two. (Statistically speaking)

What went wrong? Well, the Braves team that won a championship in Milwaukee was on its last legs when they moved, and despite appearing in the first NLCS (1969), they lost to the upstart “Miracle Mets” who would later go onto winning the World Series. After that, the Braves would fade into obscurity until the 90’s. In that decade, we went to 5 World Series, but only came out with one. Why? Choking when it counted. Losing to the Twins and Blue Jays in win it all games? Check. Blowing a 2-0 game lead to the Yankees? Check. Of course, since, they have seen moderate success, with some playoff appearances, most cut short by the classic Atlanta luck (Thanks Brooks Conrad and Fredi Gonzalez).

Next, the Atlanta Hawks. How have they done since moving? One division title, 2015 to be exact. And while we have had consistent playoff appearances in the last decade, it’s almost comical how mediocre these Hawks teams are. Good enough to win, but never when it counts. While we have seen good teams on the court, the closest they came to championship contention was in 2015, where they made history by going 17-0 in a calendar month, the first time a team in NBA history had done that, and going to the first conference championships in Atlanta franchise history. Unfortunately, they ran into the Cleveland Cavaliers, and were promptly flattened in four games.

Finally, the Atlanta Falcons. A team that didn’t finally make the Super Bowl until 1998, only to get crushed by a superior John Elway led Denver Broncos team. Since, they have had Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino controversies, Matt Ryan come in and surprise us all, and even come within ten yards short of a Super Bowl in 2012. That all came to a head this year. In a game where we outclassed the genesis football mind of Bill Belichick for 3 quarters, Tom Brady used his black magic to cast a spell on Kyle Shanahan to only call pass plays for the rest of the game, killing any chance of scoring the needed field goal to put the rallying Patriots down. Instead, this led to the Patriots not only coming back, but beating us in the first and probably only Super Bowl overtime in the game’s 51 year history.

While it seems dismal, fret not. We have hope. The Falcons are making an effort to keep as many of the players and staff from last year, (except where changes were needed) the Braves have a young core of talent (ranked 1 by many top analysts of the sport) and while the Hawks seem to be destined for more mediocrity, the team led by Mike Budenholzer is always primed to surprise.

So Atlanta Sports, I challenge you to look upon your failures and futility and use them. Look at what went wrong. Change that. Show the sports world and our city what you mean to your hardcore fans, and show them the grit you’ve shown us over these past few years. In the words of a wise man, “What do Falcons (and Braves and Hawks) do? Rise Up!”