NBA: Atlanta Hawks’ Great Start but Sobering Atlanta Sports History

Kudos to the Atlanta Hawks, whose more than stellar (34-7) record exactly halfway through the usual endless and unusually surprise filled NBA season, has them well out in front in the weak NBA Eastern Conference.

However, let’s not make any parade plans in Atlanta as the Hawks are still a long shot to win the title.

Atlanta sports history is wrought with overall failure.

The Hawks first season in Atlanta was 1968-1969. The franchise moved to Atlanta from St. Louis, where they won one NBA title in 1958, led by the great player, Bob Pettit.

In their 46 seasons in Atlanta, they have never even made the NBA finals, going (1-8) in games and (0-2) in their only two semi-final appearances.

The baseball Braves despite 14 straight divisional titles in the completed seasons from (1991-2005),– (there was no completed season in 1994 due to a labor dispute, something weak fans have forgotten while more idealistic, albeit masochistic ones like me have not) won just one World Series in that span and for that matter, in 48 completed seasons in Atlanta from (1966-2014).

The NFL Falcons have made but one Super Bowl since joining the NFL as an expansion team for the start of the 1966 season, which was also the first season that ended with the Super Bowl.

They lost to the Denver Broncos in their only “Supe” appearance and this season is their 49th sans a Super Bowl victory.

Both NHL Atlanta incarnations have moved the Flames to Calgary and the Thrashers to Winnipeg. Neither expansion team won as much as a playoff series in 14 combined seasons in Atlanta.

In fairness, the hockey teams were expansion teams but adding it up in 157 completed seasons of Atlanta sports there has been but one championship.

There have been only 6 finals appearances, 5 by the Braves and in 109 combined seasons, the Falcons, Hawks, Flames and Thrashers only made the semi-finals 4 times, winning just one.

Maybe the Hawks will change some of that negative history this season.