So much for getting a reliable closer at the deadline

I was a small kid when the Braves moved to Atlanta with Alou and Aaron. At that age, I adopted them like only a kid could a little puppy. I loved them no matter what. I lived through 100 losses a year, every year. I loved them when 5'1" (maybe a little taller) Pat Jarvis was the best pitcher on the team. I loved them when they spent the house to get Andy Messersmith who took his money and went to sleep. I loved them when they second mortgaged the house to get that guy (I forget his name) because he pitched a perfect game for somebody else but came to the Braves and couldn't get me out.

I loved them through all that, and would have continued to.

Then came GM John Schuerholz, and they actually had a team. A great team. A fabulous team. The team of the decade, if measured in wins. 100 wins every year. Four Hall Of Fame pitchers on the same team. Hitters everywhere.

What they excelled at was beating everybody in August and losing to everybody in October. You are entirely correct: They could have had Mariano and Babe in October, and they would find a way to lose. As far as I can tell they have never risen above that identity.

But God help me, I still love them.

CUintulsa®

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LOL, I don't mind saying I like your name better than

Aug 4, 2019, 6:55 PM

Nockahoma. I mean, it turns out that we did indeed have the chief of nockahoma, and I love the Hammer, but we couldn't beat anybody. We needed Chief Winnagame. You got my vote.

Gosh, Phil Niekro. What does it say about you when he, yes the best knuckleballer of all time, is your ace? Sigh. Dale Murphy. Great player. Loved him. But 1 out, top of the 8th, down 4, nobody on, he'll hit one in the upper deck. Bottom of the 6th, up 1, not so much.

My dad took me to a game when Joe Torre was catching. Loved that guy. Torre, Alou, Aaron. How did those guys finish last? I don't know, but they did. Anyway, on the way into the game I said, as a kid would, "I hope somebody hits a home run tonight." Everybody hit one. Going into the 9th the Braves were, again, behind, on a score of something like 15-13. Bottom of the 9th, we got the bases loaded, 2 outs, Torre is up. This was when there was still an actual fence inside the outfield wall. Joe hits a rocket out there, the right fielder makes a running leap, snags the liner as it is clearing the fence, the fence rail hits him at about the knee and he flips over it. Stands up holding the ball, game over.

We were on the bus to the parking area after the game, and some delightedly drunk guy hollers out so everyone can hear, "I think I know who the winning pitcher was, but who in the hell was the LOSING pitcher?" Everyone laughed: at least 6 pitchers were used by both teams. No way to figure out who the loser was without an abacas.

That was what it was to be a Braves fan. I still am.

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Yeah this kid from Detroit is awful

Being a Braves fan is pretty much being a Cubs fan.

I remember when Phil Niekro

LOL, I don't mind saying I like your name better than

Great golf tournament today. I always love this one, right

Some good news..

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