From their humble start in the NFL as an expansion team to their current journey toward becoming one of the hottest teams in the NFL, this handbook spotlights the most compelling and truly great moments in the 46 years of the Atlanta Falcons. Scattered throughout the pages are pep talks, records, and Falcons lore, including the origins of the famous Freddie Falcon mascot, the best place to grab a meal before or after a game, and which famous quarterback the Falcons drafted in 1991 and quietly traded a year later. Some the most critical moments and important facts about past and present players, coaches, and teams that are part of the storied history that is Falcons football are also shared. Fans who bleed red, black, and silver will particularly enjoy reading about some of the more colorful and unique personalities such as Deion Sanders, Jamal Anderson, Eric Dickerson, Dan Reeves, and Michael Vick. Whether a die-hard from the Norm Van Brocklin era or a new supporter of Mike Smith and Matt Ryan, any fan will value this collection of all of the things Atlanta fans should actually see and do in their lifetime. Ray Glier has been a freelance journalist for 20 years. He contributes to publications that include the New York Times, USA Today, MSNBC , the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the Miami Herald , and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and he is the former executive sports editor of the Knoxville Journal . He is the author of Always a Hokie and several books in the What It Means to Be a…series. He lives in Decatur, Georgia. Knox Bardeen has covered the Atlanta Falcons since 2009. He previously worked for AOL’s FanHouse and currently is the Rapid Reports Correspondent covering the Falcons for CBS Sports. He lives in Woodstock, Georgia. 100 Things Falcons Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die By Ray Glier, Knox Bardeen Triumph Books Copyright © 2012 Ray Glier and Knox Bardeen All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-60078-725-6 CHAPTER 1 Finally, a Super Day OK, it didn't end so super. The Falcons got to the Super Bowl and were drubbed 34–19 by the Denver Broncos. So what's worse, never getting to the big stage, or having a bad day when the lights come on? Never getting there is much worse, of course. The game in south Florida was a bar-raising event for the franchise, which had been stuck in a rut of ridicule for most of its 33 seasons. Until, that is, this 1998 team went 16–3 with a physical style of football that was to run first and knock opponents silly on defense. The Falcons lost the Super Bowl but still had a parade. Hell, yeah. Why not have a parade? The team was 8–0 at home in the Georgia Dome and 14–2 overall in the regular season, which were firsts for the franchise. Dan Reeves, the head coach, had heart surgery in the middle of the season and then returned to coach the club to the NFC title. It was a team that controlled the ball and took the ball from the other team. They scored a team-record 442 points and led the NFL with 44 takeaways. "If the ball is not on the ground, we will knock the [stuff] out of somebody," said defensive end Chuck Smith. "We are not prima donnas. We will get after people. You get hit hard enough, believe me, you will let go of the ball. There's nobody in this game that can't be shaken up, nobody who can't be hurt, nobody who cannot lose the ball." The team had an effervescent star in running back Jamal Anderson, with his gleaming smile and legs that moved like a sewing machine as he cut through the line. Anderson rushed for 1,846 yards and had an NFL-high 12 100-yard rushing games. Anderson also had the best footwork in the team's trademark dance, the Dirty Bird, which became a symbol of the team's fun style. One of the highlights of the season was Reeves, the old-school coach, dancing the Dirty Bird with Anderson as the team was presented the NFC championship trophy following the win over the Vikings. Reeves was named Coach of the Year for taking the team to just its second division title in 33 years and living to tell about it following his heart episode. But the Falcons could not finish the drill in the Super Bowl. They had their chances with four possessions inside the Denver 30-yard line in the first half but scored just six points. This was an offense that knew how to finish in the other team's territory. Quarterback Chris Chandler, inside an opponent's 20-yard line, had zero interceptions during the regular season. He had 16 touchdown passes, but he could not make the big throw that would get the Falcons some early traction. The Broncos crossed up the Atlanta defense with an empty-set backfield. The Birds were spread out, and quarterback John Elway picked them apart, but he also made deep throws to beat ambitious Atlanta safeties who were trying to make the big play on the big stage. "I'm going to keep my head up no matter what," said cornerback Ray Buchanan, who had guaranteed that the Falcons would win. "The Lord blessed this football team to com