Saints at Falcons: Be There, Be Them

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday Dec. 13, 2009.

It’s almost game time and you are the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Huddled around are your soldiers and as always, they are psyched and ready to go. But, you know that half of them are banged up, some pretty bad, including your No. 1 QB and RB.

Outside under the dome are 70,000 fans, equally as pumped and just as desperate to win. Standing quietly to the side is the team owner. You know he is waiting to hear what you have to say before wishing the warriors well for the coming battle.

Across the way, in the visitor’s locker room, you know the enemy: the New Orleans Saints. They want this game as much as you do and they have both the talent and momentum to take it.

Games like this just don’t get any more important.

You open your mouth to speak and from somewhere in the recesses of your memory you find words. But they are not yours, nor are they spoken aloud. Not these words. Right here and now, they are for you, to keep you going through what is sure to come…

“Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up, then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is."

Life becomes a blur as you and the Falcons hit the tunnel. This is probably as close as any of us could ever come, here in the 21st century, to what it was like in the ancient Roman gladiator arena.

The sights, the sounds, and the smells of an NFL contest are unimaginable to anyone who has not experienced it.

The air is thick with excitement and energy, as the fans pour themselves into the players to give them added strength. You can feel each drop of sweat as it runs down the side of your head, and hear each voice in the crowd as they rise to the looming spectacle.

Time briefly stops. This is the moment you worked your entire life for; you are the head coach of an NFL franchise and are about to fight a desperate battle against overwhelming odds. There is no thought of losing.

The whistle blows, the clock ticks in, the stadium rocks, and the ball is in play.

All hell is about to break loose in the NFC South and you are there.

**Quoted: Outlaw Josey Wales (IMDb)