1. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Week Three, Falcons @ Patriots

    Sept. 27, 2009, the date of my Atlanta Falcons' game against the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts, was staring me down across time. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Dirty Birds meeting the perennial powerhouse...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 296 reads 5 comments

  2. Do Da Dirty Bird: Falcons' Embarassment of Receiving Riches

    There's nothing "relative" about the Falcons' receiving corps any more. Anywhere, anytime, to anyone, they kick tail. Yes, I'm on a bit of a delusional high having just got back from the crushing of our rival Carolina Panthers at the Dome...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 361 reads 5 comments

  3. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Week Two, Falcons v. Panthers

    Looks like the Birds are going to catch the Cats in a weird situation. First, there's the obvious quarterback issues, what with Jake Delhomme imploding how he did on Sunday and A.J...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 334 reads 0 comments

  4. Do Da Dirty Bird: D-Line Looking Like "Giants Lite"

    When it comes to defensive lines in today's NFL, it's safe to say the New York Giants take the cake. There's no doubt in my mind that the Vikings' and Cowboys' units are elite, and as always, ...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 329 reads 5 comments

  5. Do Da Dirty Bird: Cuts Like a Knife

    September is pretty far from the holidays. I guess we're closer than we were in July, but we ain't hearin' no sleigh bells. For some people, September is the straight-up antithesis of the holidays...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 213 reads 0 comments

  6. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Week One, Falcons v. Dolphins

    About time the regular season got here. Hopefully you read the last DDDB, which explains my new super-fortunate Falcons situation; I am typing this with my fingers crossed, praying that my luck ...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 571 reads 4 comments

  7. Do Da Dirty Bird: Goin' Off to the Press Box in the Sky

    Although there are many deceased media members who deserve a tribute, this article is not about paying homage to one who's passed on, as the title might suggest. It's basically a "Dear Diary" entry describing a young professional's ascension...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 103 reads 4 comments

  8. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Preseason Game Four, Falcons v. Ravens

    The similarities between the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens are many and obvious: They each finished 11-5 last season, both making the playoffs just a year after having a losing record...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 342 reads 2 comments

  9. Do Da Dirty Bird: Shape Up, Secondary

    If it wasn't the linebackers, it was the tight ends. We had holes in our Atlanta Falcons roster, and people liked to point them out...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 287 reads 4 comments

  10. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Preseason Game Three, Falcons v. Chargers

    You could say that Preseason Week Three is the most enjoyable week of preseason games, as teams normally run their first-teamers the most in these contests. But at this point, my attitude toward exhibition football has soured...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 207 reads 0 comments

  11. Do Da Dirty Bird: Falcon in the Dawghouse

    Fear not; the meaning of my triple-entendre of a headline will soon become clear. After all, it does not take the brain of an ESPN talking head to evaluate the preseason stats so far of Falcons QB D...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about over 3 years ago 245 reads 0 comments

  12. Positional Evolution: 'SF' Has a New Meaning in the NBA

    Allow me to begin by saying that the small forward position has always been played in a variety of ways. Havlicek and Barry shot sweet as sugar, Dr. J and 'Nique took to the skies, and Bird retains the top spot with his combination of stroke and size...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 1,192 reads 24 comments

  13. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Preseason Game Two, Falcons @ Rams

    Already time to preview another Falcons game. I tell you what, weekly doses of Dirty Bird ball is just what this writer needed. Of course, this is preseason. And I'm writing previews for these games...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 245 reads 2 comments

  14. Do Da Dirty Bird: Mano-a-Mano Matchups

    It was the NBA that originally hooked me on sports, way back when I was in the third grade. If you want more info on my introduction to competitive athletics, check out my first ever B/R article for a positively heart-warming yarn...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 150 reads 0 comments

  15. Cycling's Impending Shakeup: Looking Ahead at 2010

    Ah, what a Tour de France it was...but if you want more on the past, check out the article I wrote a few weeks ago. This piece is about the future of pro cycling...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 830 reads 4 comments

  16. Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Preseason Game One, Falcons @ Lions

    Was it not delicious? I'm referring, of course, to the brief taste of football we got this past Sunday night, when the annual Hall of Fame Game was played. Just remembering T.O.'s two receptions has me licking my lips...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 1,192 reads 29 comments

  17. Do Da Dirty Bird: Oh Yeah, and We Play the Bears and Niners, Too

    Here we sit, one week before the "warmup games" begin. In the editions to date of DDDB, I've broken down our AFC East and NFC East matchups, given you the heads-up on potential breakout players, ...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 257 reads 10 comments

  18. Do Da Dirty Bird: What No HD on Your TV Really Means

    Chill out dude, the glimmering picture on your boob tube is just fine. I'm talking about HD as in Harry Douglas, No. 3 on the Dirty Bird wide receiver depth chart...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 155 reads 0 comments

  19. Do Da Dirty Bird: Debating Michael Turner's '09 Outlook...With Myself

    Within each of us is both an optimist and a pessimist. In the editions of DDDB thus far, you, the readers, have seen mostly the knee-jerk Falcon defender, glass-is-half-full side of me...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 126 reads 0 comments

  20. Do Da Dirty Bird: Taking On More (NFC) East-ern Beasts

    Allow me my one sentence of complaining... "It plain stinks that the Falcons got dealt such a difficult schedule the year after an encouraging turnaround!" ...and that's it...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 143 reads 2 comments

  21. The Top Tour de France Stories You Didn't Hear About

    Lance Armstrong coming out of retirement to ride a full docket of Pro Tour races, including the Tour de France, is a great story...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 1,006 reads 13 comments

  22. Do Da Dirty Bird: Projecting the Falcons' Projects

    This is not a slideshow for NFL headline-skimmers. If you're on the edge of your seat regarding Favre or Vick's destinations, click away from this page...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 425 reads 0 comments

  23. Do Da Dirty Bird: Coach Mike Smith Doing Good Away from Falcons Sideline Too

    I was checking my e-mail for about the millionth time on Tuesday, and lo and behold...something new?! Long story short, I was getting hooked up with a phone interview with Mike Smith. Yes, that Mike Smith, head coach of my hometown Falcons...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 370 reads 0 comments

  24. Do Da Dirty Bird: Taking the AFC East Part of the Sched to the Shed

    It just had to happen this way, didn't it? A young Atlanta Falcons team, just having bounced back from the desertion of a coach and the arrest of a superstar quarterback, just had to draw the AFC East as their non-conference opponents...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 215 reads 5 comments

  25. Attention, Georgia Bulldog Nation: All Eyes on These Matchups

    It's getting oh-so-close. Trust me, the two months between now and the first college football kickoff of '09 will fly by...

    John McCurdy Written by John McCurdy about almost 4 years ago 805 reads 15 comments