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A Championship Landscape For Atlanta Sports Teams

By W. M. Lawson

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 4: Ozzie Albies #1 and Ronald Acuna, Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves pose for a photo in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 4, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 4: Ozzie Albies #1 and Ronald Acuna, Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves pose for a photo in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 4, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Sports scene has known its disappointments. The scars of past misses still checker the landscape. A quick look now, though, shows something else.

The Atlanta Falcons lost another playoff game. February 2017 still lingered. Their Draft this year was even a little baffling. The University of Georgia football team lost a heart breaker in the National Championship. The Georgia Tech football team lost hopes in a Miami monsoon. The Atlanta Hawks. Sigh. It hasn’t been easy. A quick look now, though, and things look better for the Atlanta Sports scene. A lot better.

Naturally, the go-to here is the surprising and exciting National League East leading Atlanta Braves. I can write that now, because, even if they were to lose Saturday night against San Francisco, they’d still have the lead. A fusion of exuberant youth, that flashes All-Star talent, matched with the leadership of veterans and award winners, these Braves are starting to resemble legitimate Divisional contenders.

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It’s only early May, but the last time Atlanta entered May with a Divisional lead was also the last time they had a winning record going into that month: 2014. They collapsed that year, but this team looks and feels different. There are bright days ahead at The Battery.

Very quietly, unless you have the pleasure to see them at The Benz, Atlanta United FC has the best record in all of MLS. At (6-1-1), they’re technically in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, but that is only because New York has played two more matches. ATL UTD takes on Chicago Saturday night, and are expected to win. If so, Atlanta will have two Major League teams leading their Division or Conference.

Actually, make that three teams. The Georgia Swarm finished 2018 as the Eastern Division Champions and enter playoff play Saturday May, 12 as hosts. It was a sick turnaround for a team that seemed destined to miss the playoffs as recently as February. The Defending NLL Champs go into these playoffs with a ton of momentum and cause for hope. It’s a fun ticket, if you’ve never seen them, I’d suggest it. I’ll be there next week.

In all, things are pretty, pretty, pretty good right now on the Atlanta Sports scene. The Braves, 5 Stripes, and Swarm are all leading their divisions or conferences and look to cash in this year.

As the haze of Winter slumber and disappointments fade, Spring offers championship play for the area and the beautiful City of Atlanta.

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