All told, yesterday was a pretty rough day for Atlanta sports enthusiasts. Not only did their former shortstop spurn them to stay in sunny Cali, but the local pro hoops team lost in heart-breaking fashion (again) to their arch nemesis from Boston.
And the worst part was how much the Hawks had done to build up the hype prior to the game. From over-dramatized YouTube productions, all of the town’s celebs showing up, to wild-eyed statements from the players themselves. Here was Joe Johnson’s take on matters, courtesy of the AJC:
“It’s so much trash talking, and I think that’s what makes it such a big rivalry. You look at all the altercations that came throughout that series. It’s a rivalry when you know that there’s going to be a fight for your life every time you face a team. And it’s going to be like that every time we see them. But it’s a respectful rivalry, too. When it’s all said and done, both teams respect what the other has done.”
Riiiiight. Some rivarly. What I see, more than anything else, is a nice little matchup.
Sure, these two teams don’t like each other a whole lot, and often play highly entertaining games filled with drama. At the end of the day, though, Boston wins, as they should. And they will likely continue to do so.
But, hey, thanks for coming out to play (again), Hawks.
