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A Falcons House Divided
Fathers and sons often disagree on many things, and sports are no exception. Luckily, my son Jack and I root for the same teams, Mets, Knicks and Notre Dame. We also booth root for the Atlanta Falcons.
I know it’s weird, two New York guys rooting for the Falcons. But I’ve been rooting for the Dirty Birds since 1976, and when my son was born, my dad tried to make him a Giants fan, but it never took.
So, lo these many years, we have lived and died with our Falcons. But we are now a Healey House Divided.
We were still eagerly awaiting April 14, a day that the Atlanta Falcons were supposed to unveil their first uniform redesign in almost 20 years.
I had been hoping for a return to the sartorial glory of the original Falcons, the best uniform the team has ever worn. For a brief time, the Falcons wore throwbacks that many of us Falcons fans had hoped would once again become the primary set.
However, leaked images on social media on April 7, forced the organization to unveil the new uniforms the following morning.
They were — and are — an atrocity.
Jack loves them.
“I’m glad they didn’t ask you to design the uniforms,” he said. “They would have been boring.”
JACK: I actually really like them. A big reason I’m excited about them is because they could have done a lot worse. We have all seen some pretty ugly uniforms and logos recently, and it would have been tough to watch my team if they looked dumb. I love the new concept.
MARK: Clearly, I have failed as a father.
JACK: I fell in love with the jersey even more, after seeing (new Falcons RB) Todd Gurley tease his jersey number and how he would look in the new threads. If I had to have one criticism, though I would say that it’s weird to not have a regular red jersey without the black in it. I also really hope that they bring back the old red helmet with the new helmet rule allowing teams to have different ones.
MARK: Ok, not a complete failure. He wants the red helmet.
JACK: I think it was a great idea to make the white jersey the main road jersey and to add different combinations with the red pants and black pants.
MARK: They have had a white jersey as the road jersey before, it used to be beautiful. (I do like the red pants, I must admit.)
MARK: The “ATL” wordmark is ridiculous. We know where they play, so do they. It’s also huge. Terrible element.
JACK: It’s ok, I liked having “Falcons” on the jersey better. But I like it. It’s one of the better-looking city abbreviations. It’s “NYK” for the Knicks, which I like.
Mark: Also, what’s with the side panels? Are we the Houston Texans? Terrible on every level.
JACK: Awesome, the side panels look sick. [sick means really awesome].
MARK: So, a few people seem to like the whole 30% bigger helmet logo, and the team is touting it as if they are being faithful to the team’s history by “keeping the falcon.” That’s NOT the Falcon. Our current logo is what I call the Vick Fat Wing. I’ve never been a huge fan. The original Falcon was elegant. A few years ago, this uni concept, by Mike Armstrong was poted on Uni-Watch. I mean, this is what the new uniform set should be!
JACK: The logo could be a lot worse, I like the current logo, I just didn’t want anything weird. It would have been cool if they incorporated some red into the facemask.
MARK: The gradient effect didn’t work for the Diamondbacks, nor for the Jaguars’ helmets and is a terrible look for the Falcons “Rise Up” jersey. I love the “Rise Up” slogan, and now they have ruined it with this stupid-looking jersey.
JACK: I like it, looks really nice. But I still really wish they had an all-red jersey (like the Color Rush).
MARK: I have three Falcons jerseys, all throwbacks, and I’m never wearing one those things,
JACK: Oh, first chance I get, I am getting a Gurley jersey, probably the gradient one. Maybe a white Julio Jones next.
Well, we’ll never agree on these new uniforms, but we’ll always agree that we love the Falcons.
If You’re Offended By Notre Dame’s Leprechaun, It’s You
Following the demise of the “Chief Wahoo” logo used by MLB’s Cleveland Indians, ESPN’s Max Kellerman and MLB Network’s Brian Kenny set their sights on the Fighting Leprechaun used for The University of Notre Dame’s athletic teams, dubbed the “Fighting Irish.” a moniker that’s been equally branded as “offensive” by people like Kellerman and Kenny.
I have a few friends that agree with the two sports media personalities; specifically my friend Dan Twohig, who believes the image of the leprechaun that is used by Notre Dame and by the Celtics is derived from caricatures created in Victorian England to stereotype the Irish as less than human.
“Today the Irish embrace the idea of the leprechaun,” said Twohig on Twitter. “There is even a leprechaun museum in Dublin. That does not take away the fact that the specific characters are racist stereotypes.”
Now I cannot speak to the Celtics logo, because I’ve done no research on it, but I have done my homework on the imagery. I will say I don’t particularly like the Notre Dame leprechaun logo, never have — it’s a poor aesthetic. Nor do I dismiss the idea that many have depicted the Irish in abhorrent fashion.
However, when I delved into the history, I found nothing of the sort — as it is related to the ND logo. Ted Drake — who also designed the still-used logo for the Chicago Bulls — was the artist who created the “Fighting Leprechaun” in 1964
After he created it for the University of Notre Dame, the school paid him 50 bucks for his work, updated and copyrighted it themselves. The mostly Irish school with an Irish Catholic leadership– then updated it and made it their own:
When asked about his creation many years later, Drake shared the following:
“…the first thing I can remember drawing – I just vaguely remember it – but I’ve been told that at the age of four, a neighbor came over. They were planning a St. Patrick’s Day party and they wondered if “little Theodore” – that was me – could draw them an Irishman. That’s the first thing I remember drawing.”
That’s kind of prophetic, isn’t it – seeing as your most famous creation is the Fighting Irish leprechaun for Notre Dame?
“Yes, isn’t that kind of strange that that was the first thing I did? Probably the thing I will be most remembered for, if at all, is that little leprechaun.”
So using my good friend Dan’s logic, four-year-old Drake channeled his inner racist and drew a leprechaun, then many years later, decided to do so again…for the Irish school with the mostly Irish administration and clerical faculty.
Then there’s this artwork that Drake created for the U.S. Navy…see the resemblance to our little leprechaun? Racist or nah?
I’m half Irish, my father is Irish, my wife is Irish, and many of my friends are Irish. The Notre Dame logo has never offended me, and now that I know the history, I’m even more convinced that Drake’s depiction of the leprechaun is symbolic of the fight that every Irishman has in his heart for his country, his family and his faith.
Brett Yormark Is A Fibber
New Jersey born and bred, Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark needs to get his facts — and his story — straight.
The Nets and now Islanders’ delicate genius has been bent out of shape with how some Islanders fans have been voicing their displeasure on social media with some of the organization’s latest decisions.
The stupid goal horn was bad enough, but the defending of the new black jersey the Islanders will be wearing this year takes the cake.
“The colors of the borough are black and white,” Yormark told ESPNNY’s Michael Kay. “We need to connect and cement this team in Brooklyn in a couple of ways. One of the ways to do that, is by identifying this team with the colors of the borough.”
When did black and white become the official colors of Brooklyn? The answer is never. The official colors of Brooklyn are blue and gold.
But silly Brett, you already knew that, didn’t you?
In January 2014, when the Nets announced their alt grey sleeved jersey, Yormark said “Blue is one of the official colors of Brooklyn, so we are proud to connect the Nets with the borough’s storied tradition.”
So which is it, Brett?
Take it from a Brooklyn-born, Flatbush-bred Islanders fan since birth. This is our team, bub. You are out of your depth.
#HelloBrooklyn worked for the Nets, congrats. It was really successful. However, unlike the Nets — whose traditions are murky at best (with the exception of the awesome ABA era) — the Islanders’ faithful are vocal, proud and loyal.
Maybe you should consult with a few before making like a Wilpon.
Go, New York
Woke up this morning to a FB post from an old friend of mine, who’s a Rangers fan. The post was “Bye-Bye,” referring to the Islanders losing 2-1 in Game 7 to the Caps.
Here’s my response:
https://www.facebook.com/heals9/posts/10153222314247440?pnref=story
Look, I got hammered by my fellow Islander fans when I said I was pulling for the Rangers to win the Cup last year. I didn’t wear any Rangers gear, or anything like that. But they were playing the Penguins, Flyers, Canadiens and Kings on the way. I’m going to root for them?
No.
Part of it was doing some freelance work for SNY.tv last year, writing about all of NY’s teams, and writing about the playoffs is more fun. But it’s more than that.
Having lived outside NY, and seeing how other people feel about NY, I’ve become very pro-NY, even with the teams I’m not a fan of. I can appreciate these other fans’ love for their team, but trash-talking other fans is, well, juvenile.
I was at a Jets game in 1983 to watch my Atlanta Falcons at Shea Stadium; I wore my red Falcons helmet and my Steve Bartkowski jersey. Now I didn’t hate the Jets, I actually liked that team (especially Bob Crable, had his jersey), but the Falcons were — and are — my team. Grown men jeered, cursed, threw food and screamed at me — I think I was 14 — as Jets built a 21-0 lead. As the Falcons came all the way back and finally won 27-21, it was pretty awesome. Bartkowski threw a couple of TD passes, one to my fave William Andrews the other to Billy “White Shoes” Johnson — who also had a 70-yard punt return TD. But I didn’t say a word. I didn’t dance or scream, or throw anything back at the grown-ass people who didn’t know me. I didn’t have to. My guys won.
I’ve had similar experiences, like the year the Jets mauled the Falcons at the Meadowlands in 1998. Poor Steve DeBerg started because Chris Chandler was hurt. I took a lot of heat that day too. Yet, when the Falcons went to the Super Bowl and the Jets didn’t that year, none of my Jets fans friends got a “suck it” call from me. I don’t do that.
See, I’m trying to teach my son about how to be a good sportsman, to avoid the Sportscenter mentality as he grows as an athlete and as a fan. Be better than the grown-ass people who cuss and taunt women and children at sporting events. When your team wins, treat people who lost like you’d want to be treated.
Sure, I have enjoy my debates with Rangers/Devils/Nets/Yankees/Giants/Jets fans, but ultimately they love their team, as I do mine. The only teams I truly despise?
The Chicago Cubs
The Philadelphia Flyers
The New Orleans Saints
The Miami Heat
Well, most of the time, I ignore the stupid fans. Sometimes, like today I will call out people for their bad form. They don’t get it either, but I make the effort for people I like who are being petty.
But, ultimately, most of the time I will know more about the teams you root for than you do. So, yes, I have a problem with negative energy. I pull for New York teams.
This is Gotham Nation after all, isn’t it?
Buck, Black Aces, and Black History Month 01/29 by Mark Healey | Blog Talk Radio
Appropriate to share today, which would have been Jackie Robinson’s 95th birthday, a archived podcast on which I talk about the roles that Negro League Legend Buck O’ Neil — including excerpts from my one-on-one interview with him just a few months before he passed away — and “Black Aces” author Jim “Mudcat” Grant played in the African-American journey to Major League Baseball.
Buck, Black Aces, and Black History Month 01/29 by Mark Healey | Blog Talk Radio.
Five Good Questions: Mark Healey
My good friend Gary Armida asked me Five Goood Questions. I hope I gave five good answers.
Should MLB Treat Jeff Wilpon Like He Treated Leon Lee?
When the Mets decided to enter into the Kaz Matsui sweepstakes, a lot of things had to happen. They had to engage the help of the other Wilpon son — Bruce, married to the daughter of Japanese billionare Kenshin Oshima — and Leon Lee, the father of then-All Star first baseman Derrek Lee.
As a thank you, Lee was hired to manage the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones in 2004. Jeff Wilpon ran the Cyclones then, and when Fred Wilpon’s pride and joy was faced with a tough situation, he dealt with it swiftly.
On April 8, Lee was arrested for indecent exposure in a hotel after seeking to quiet a noisy late-night crowd that was disturbing his team.
The NY Times’ Lee Jenkins detailed the way in which he was treated here – https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/02/sports/baseball/a-baseball-career-hangs-in-the-balance.html
Another version of the story is here, including a description — which I can confirm because I was covering the Brooklyn Cyclones at the time — of how Jeff Wilpon handled the situation.
http://baseballsacramento.com/Spotlight-Leon_Lee_Sidebar_Cyclones.html
Lee pressed for more than a year, costing him thousands of dollars and his baseball good name, just to get a court date to clear his name. The charges were dropped in 2005.
It’s a good thing for Jeff Wilpon that he doesn’t work for Jeff Wilpon…
Gotham Baseball: Endangered Species: The New York Baseball Player
I’ve had the pleasure of covering big league baseball and being involved in youth coaching the last several years, and I have often wondered why the “New York Game” as we call it here at Gotham Baseball, isn’t as well-represented in MLB as are other parts of the country. Part of the problem is how MLB teams look for talent, as there seems to be very few MLB scouts on hand in NYC for even the best of programs.
Despite the obvious weather-related reasons why most kids playing baseball in New York don’t get as much attention as their warm-weather counterparts, we decided to look closer at the problem.
First we sat down with Jordan Baltimore, who runs a top grade teaching academy in NYC called New York Baseball Empire, which spends as much time training older kids to coach, as teaching younger ones to play.
Go to GothamBaseball.com for the entire interview…
The Wave, The Stoop and Moving Forward
So, you may have noticed the cobwebs around the Gotham network of sites and podcasts lately, the bad news is they may stay that way for awhile, but the good news is, I have a new job.
That’s right. A real newspaper, one that’s been around since 1893, making it one of the longest continuously published newspapers in the country. I’ve been there since May 9, and am having the time of my life. Busy, but happier than I have been in my career since leaving Associated Press in 2006.
So bear with me for awhile, let me get my feet wet in Jamaica Bay, take a few walks on the rebuilding boardwalk, and have a few pops at Healy’s Pub (hey, it’s ok, they lost their “e” somewhere, maybe I’ll help them find it), and before you know it, things will be back to normal.
Until then, you can read The Stoop, my new sports column in The Wave.
A Wilpon Blast From The Past
I can’t predict what’s going to happen, he’s a different guy. He has the strongest desire I’ve ever heard about not ending his career without making it in New York. That’s motivation. I have high regard for what he has left. I think he will be an important addition to this club. He has one wonderful, smart and strong-willed wife, she loves Greenwich, where they live. She’s ecstatic. She wants to be here. They want to be here. It makes a difference. He’s going to live in Greenwich when he’s through playing. So he has a lot of motivation.” – Fred Wilpon, on the return of Bobby Bonilla to the Mets in 1999.
Awesome.
Gotham Nation 