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Sunday, Jan. 04, 2009

Falcons fans gather to cheer team in its first playoff game since 2004

For some midstate Falcons fans, watching Saturday’s playoff game on a home TV was out of the question — a sports bar was the place to be.

“There’s just something about the camaraderie and getting together with friends to cheer on the home team,” said Marie Neel of Macon, whose party of four viewed the football contest at Wild Wing Cafe at The Shoppes at River Crossing, sharing plates of fried mushrooms and BLT sliders. “As large as this place is, it becomes very intimate during game time.”

About 200 customers visited the restaurant to watch the team’s first playoff appearance since the 2004 season. The Falcons lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 30-24.

“Everyone shows out for all the Georgia games and all the Falcons games,” said Trish Hall, the general manager. “We have a real sports-enthusiastic crowd.”

The game was shown on 22 television sets, including a 72-inch-by-120-inch big screen.

Lynn Wood, a 29-year-old Macon stockbroker, said he usually comes to the sports bar to watch college football, but the Falcons’ “comeback story” had piqued his interest this season.

“They were just coming out of the Michael Vick controversy. Who knew what Matt Ryan would do? But they came out with a great new quarterback and a great new coach,” he said. “To have predicted this? No way.”

Wes “Bird” Williamson, a 34-year-old Georgia Power employee from Centerville, said he’s been supporting the Falcons since he was a kid.

“I’ve been a fan all my life,” he said, standing in a Matt Ryan jersey, surrounded by his wife, Brandi, and two friends.

Williamson said he likes to express his enthusiasm for the team in public ways, including team flags in his yard and attached to his pickup truck, vehicle magnets and a decorative license plate holder.

Brandi Williamson said football was never really her sport. But after seven years of marriage to her husband, she’s grown to love the Falcons, too.

“I’ll be listening to sports talk radio and everything now,” she said. “Football can kind of be like a little soap opera sometimes.”

Wes Williamson attributed the team’s success in the regular season — 11 wins and five losses — to running the ball well and making few mistakes otherwise.

“I don’t get to many games but I do training camp and preseason every year,” he said. “I’m really happy about this. I figured they’d win eight games at the most.”

Sheila Johnson of Thomaston, who drank beer and watched the game with two friends, was in great spirits minutes into the first quarter, despite having missed the kickoff.

“Our kids locked themselves out of the house, so we had go back,” she said.

Johnson, Darcey Fuller and Niki Adams said they left children and husbands at home to come cheer on the Falcons from the sports bar.

“It’s fun to just get out with the girls,” she said. “Everybody gets into it.”

To contact writer Ashley Tusan Joyner, call 744-4347.