Atlanta Sports: Saturday, May 20th Was Cathartic and Cleansing
By W. M. Lawson
Atlanta sports fans have had a lot of bad news to deal with in recent months. Thankfully, Saturday, May 20th was a day to relax, rejoice, and press replay.
Let’s be honest. The pall of the Super Bowl collapse…the worst collapse in sports history, regardless of sport…still hangs over our beloved city of Atlanta. It’s OK. It’s not pretty, but it’s understandable for it to take time to heal. The loss of Freddie Freeman last week only added to the combustible consternation Atlanta sports fans are enduring. A sweet reprieve and relief, though, was offered on Saturday, May 20th.
The Atlanta Braves, still reeling from the Freeman news, managed to weather a rain delay and beat the division leading Washington Nationals. What’s more, they touched Max Scherzer a little. He’s one of the best pitchers in the League. Rio Ruiz, a promising young infielder who has been called to action because of injuries to Adonis Garcia and Freeman, hit his 1st career HR. In short, it was improbable. Some thought impossible. But a complete team effort, under adversity, led the Braves to a series clinching victory.
Another Atlanta team having to weather the weather, and the loss of their best player, played in Atlanta on the 20th and made a statement. Atlanta United FC hosted the Houston Dynamo, and were very rude hosts. In what most considered a “must win” game for Atlanta, the 5 Stripes blasted Houston (4-1), and put on a show for the fans. The crowd was rockin’, and the team was rollin’. Miguel Almirón had his first ever MLS hat trick. Two of those goals were just absolutely sick. That game felt good.
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The final in the May 20th Atlanta Trifecta was the Conference Championship sealing win for the Georgia Swarm. In what has been a record-setting year for the Swarm, they beat Toronto (13-9), in front of a raucous crowd, and now head to the NLL Championship. They’ll face a Saskatchewan squad that is two-time defending champions. And Atlanta should be favored!
The last few weeks and months have been tough to chew on. Basically, it’s been a crap sandwich. But Saturday, May 20th, 2017 was not that for Atlanta sports fans.
It was the opposite. It was tasty. It was healing. That’s how winners feel. Let’s get some more of it.