100 Things Falcons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die Book

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction Knox Bardeen xiii

1 Finally, a Super Day 1

2 A Super Kick 3

3 The 1998 Season: The Games That Led to the Super Bowl Run 6

4 The Smiths Made It Happen 10

5 The Gritz Blitz: Best Defense Ever? 14

6 Listen to Jessie "the Hammer" Tuggle 17

7 The Falcons-Saints Rivalry 19

8 Arthur Blank: The Owner Who Keeps On Giving 25

9 Remember Dan Reeves 29

10 Mike Smith Is Solid 31

11 Neon Deion 34

12 The Big Heart of Warrick Dunn 36

13 Arch and Wes 39

14 The Big Back of Gerald Riggs 41

15 The Wonder of Vick 44

16 Dave Hampton: 1,000 Yards…or Not 46

17 The New Stadium 47

18 Mike Turner: Swell Guy 50

19 Riggs Enters Record Books As Falcons Top Rusher 53

20 Hometown Kid, Keith Brooking 54

21 William Andrews-a Sad, Injury-Shortened Career 58

22 The 200-Tackle Club 60

23 Falcons' First Win: November 20, 1966 63

24 Finally, Back-to-Back Winning Seasons 66

25 Norb Hecker: Atlanta's First Head Coach 73

26 Mike Kenn: No One's Played More Games for the Falcons 75

27 The Catch That Gave Atlanta Its First Winning Season 77

28 1983: The Year of the Comeback 79

29 Two-Sport Stars: Sanders and Jordan 81

30 Rolland Lawrence: A Cover Corner Like No Other 84

31 Bob Whitfield: All-Pro Tackle, Media Mogul, Original Mr. Housewife of Atlanta 86

32 The Falcons Got It Right 88

33 White Shoes 91

34 Roddy: What the Falcons Needed 93

35 The Dirty Bird 97

36 Center of Attention 98

37 The Note: Petrino's Exit 101

38 Roddy White: Momma's Mandate 103

39 Ryan: He Is the Guy 107

40 Speaking of QBs: Bart 109

41 Covering Vick, Sort Of 111

42 The Man in Black: Glanville 112

43 Brett: We Hardly Knew You 115

44 Glanville's Trophy 116

45 Leeman Bennett: A Playoff Win…Finally 119

46 Jeff vs. June: The Debacle of 1996 121

47 The Spike and Bike: Dimitroff Rules Roster 123

48 Turner's First Day on the Job 125

49 Here, Hold My Monkey 127

50 1981: The Year That Could Have Been Great 130

51 1978: Atlanta's First Playoff Run 133

52 Want to Succeed in Atlanta as a Wide Receiver? Wear No. 84 135

53 Claude Humphrey: Sack Master 138

54 Eat Like an All-Pro 140

55 Quarterback Bob Berry: First 300-Yard Passer 142

56 Tony Gonzalez vs. Jim Mitchell for Greatest Falcons Tight End 144

57 Visit the Hall of Fame and Find Deion's Bandana 147

58 1973: Two Big Wins to Put Atlanta on the Map 149

59 Watch Live from the D-Block 152

60 Catch the Alumni Weekend Festivities 156

61 The "I-85 Rivalry" 157

62 See a Game under the Big Top 159

63 Falcons Training Camp 2004: So Close You Could Feel It 161

64 Routing the Ghosts in Lambeau 163

65 5-for-1: Julio 165

66 1967, 1968: Back-to-Back Nightmares 167

67 1980: What Might Have Been 169

68 1991: Farewell to Outdoor Football 172

69 Todd McClure: The Steady Mud Duck 174

70 The Pro Bowl Lineup 176

71 John Zook/Claude Humphrey: "NFL's Best Defensive End Combo" 179

72 Falcons' First Monday Night Football Experience 181

73 1995: The Falcons' Individual Accolades 182

74 Ovie Mughelli and the Falcons Go Green 184

75 Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor 186

76 Why "Falcons" 188

77 Visit Heritage Hall 189

78 The Beatdown in the Dome 191

79 Big-Play Ray Buchanan: The Good and the Bad 193

80 Terance Mathis: Great WR, Not-So-Great NASCAR Owner and Potential GM 196

81 Atlanta Falcons As Wrestlers: Bill Goldberg, Bill Fralic, and Roddy White 198

82 Falcons Uniforms Throughout History 201

83 Dunta Robinson Comes Home 202

84 Entire Falcons Team Employs MMA Training after 2009 Season 206

85 Glanville's Black Uniforms 207

86 Trading Schaub Too Early 209

87 The First Time Ticket Prices Were Raised 212

88 40,202 No-Shows 214

89 Back to School: John Rade 215

90 Pat Sullivan: High Expectations Led to Worst Draft Pick of All Time 218

91 What's Said Here…Doesn't Stay Here 219

92 Press Box Coconut Crème Cake 221

93 Man On Fire 222

94 Postgame Blather 224

95 Get Tied In With the Foundation 226

96 Bill Fralic: The Anti-Steroid Champion 228

97 The Freak 231

98 Visit the Tommy Nobis Center 232

99 2004-2006: The Falcons' Vaunted Rushing Attack 234

100 Colonel Joe: End With Him 236

Sources 241