But Atlanta has changed that loserville image by winning, and winning big And by winning, the Atlanta area has brought in some of the biggest sporting events in existence. The Olympics, of course, was the big one. But there are the Braves in baseball, and the Falcons in football, and the Hawks in basketball. There are the golf tournaments, and the Super Bowls not to mention the Peach Bowl. And Atlanta now has the National Hockey League Thrashers.
Hall County has been a part of this growth in sporting events. Road Atlanta came in during the last 25 years and gave us an immediate world sporting presence, and now it is headed for a higher level. We are home to the Atlanta Falcons, a team we proudly support through thick and thin. Fishing tournaments, which don't get much coverage by the politically correct media, are major events on Lake Lanier and a big part of our local sports world. The canoeing/kayaking venue, an Olympic legacy, has worldwide recognition. Hall County also has an opportunity to be a major factor in the fast-growing but worldwide sport called soccer.
All this does not mention one of the most important parts of these major sports, and that is the fact news media all over the world cover sports events so Atlanta and its surrounding area has gained an image of a dynamic, thriving, important, metropolitan area. That wasn't the image we had 25 years ago.
This is Gordon Sawyer, from a window on historic Green Street.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/1/199521