Holy Mackerel there, Andy!!!

Leprechauns

Bigfoot

The Easter Bunny

The Great Pumpkin

Vatican Sues Stanford University over Trademark Infringement: Church claims exclusive ownership of Cardinal

Atlanta Falcons stage last second comeback to win a football game

Until yesterday all of the above seemed like the fantasies they are. Pardon me. Like the fantasies they were. Is it possible the Atlanta Falcons that we know and hate, the Atlanta Falcons who have sown despair and broken hearts for most of their forty plus years of existence, our Fall Goons. Is it possible they finally have a clue?

Yes. Yes. Yes. A resounding yes. And not just because the Jesuit trained quarterback Matt Ryan, looked like the right arm of God on a perfect throw to Roddy White whose strong, sticky fingers snatched it out of the air and dove out of bounds with one second left. And not just because one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL history went from goat to superhero in one second. And not because these things just don't happen in the NFL.

But because ownership has finally put the responsibility of football operations in a real football man, who hired a real football coach, who signed real free agents and who drafted the a franchise quarterback who in his fifth game already looks like a five year veteran HOF potential.

From despair to ecstasy in eleven seconds. Every Falcon fan in attendance or watching in TV land watching this game, had their spirits crushed with a long drive and terrific throw by another young quarterback, Chicago's Kyle Orton to give Chicago the lead with 11 seconds left on the game clock.

After dominating the vaunted Chicago Bears, Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway for the entire game, Jason Elam, old reliable had missed a chip shot field goal which would have given the falcons a two score lead with four minutes left in the game. When the ball hooked past the left goalpost, there was an audible psychic sigh and sad recognition that the door had been left open for Bears to march right through to claim a victory that they didn't really deserve.

So much anticipation, so much enthrallment so far this season, An improbable win in Green bay last week. Spirits riding high. Locker room cancers excised, this looked like an expert-defying team on the make, not the NFL two win patsy Sports Illustrated predicted. All of this hope, all of this unreal expectation, all this uplifting belief in themselves, all threatened to come crashing down on a team, that's right, you heard me a TEAM that just wouldn't quit.

And damn if it didn't. But out of nowhere came the gift of an inexplicable Chicago squib lick on the ensuing kickoff. Sure the Bears had been burned by Jerrious Norwood earlier with an 85 yard kickoff return. But listen folks, there were only 11 seconds left. Every football mind says even if Norwood has a good run back, precious seconds will have run off the clock. Time left probably for one play.

But squib it they did. A falcon fell on it and called time out. Eight seconds left. Time for one deep throw to the sidelines and if successful a chance to for Jason E-goat to redeem himself,

And that is exactly what happened. against all odds, against the mighty Chicago Bears, Against decades of tradition of failure, here comes this down to earth quarterback who can see the game in slow motion deliver a perfectly thrown ball to Roddy White, a stud just now coming in to his own, out of bounds, One second left.and on this one wonderful Sunday afternoon on to the field trots not Jason E-goat but Jason E-hero, who quickly, like the professional he is, overcame the his last misfortune and drilled a winner through the old uprights.

Somebody pinch me.