No I’m not talking about this website….yet….

This is the swan song for my fair Braves! As I’ve written in the past, I was there in 1991 as they triumphantly made a charge from worst to first, some 9 and a half games behind the Dodgers at the All-Star Break. Behind the Cincinatti Reds even.

In those halcyon days pre-Wild Card when there were two divisions and it was winner take all, I was truly amazed by the great job they did. It went down to the wire and it was truly riveting for a 12 year old who was JUST starting to become a sports fan. Perhaps that is why I live and die with the Bravos.

Year in and year out they were winners, until winning the division became a forgone conclusion. I used to get alot of grief from people (like my boy Geoff whose Detroit Tigers are currently in the midst of a revival…I truly want him to enjoy it even amidst my anguish) who would wonder how I could support a team who always came so close but only won one championship. I didn’t see it that way. I saw it as my team was always, always, always in the hunt.

But now….they aren’t….they aren’t and it hurts. My once ever steady team had the worst month in franchise history in June. Mind you, this is a franchise who during the 70’s and 80’s routinely lost 100 games. I almost wrote this entry then, but then in the month of July they provided me and other fans with some Iron Pyrite (fools gold) by getting back into the wild card hunt. Then came the sweep at the hands of the Mets and their most recent slide.

The Braves are now some 9 games under .500………….there will be no Sid Bream rounding 3rd on a desperation single by Francisco Cabrerra. There will be no midseason trade for Fred McGriff that both literally and figuratively set the team ablaze. There will be no ninth inning magic from David Justice or wall climbing feats from Otis Nixon or one hit pitching performances from Tom Glavine or any of that.

Those days are over and I shed a single tear on this gloomy Friday afternoon here in Nashville. There is no joy in Mudville…..no 15th division championship in a row. October will not be worth watching. Farewell and goodnight Atlanta Braves, perennial division champion. One day history will look upon you fondly, as no one will ever duplicate your success.