Top 20: The Final Four

Famed Science Fiction writer Frank Herbert once wrote the line “There is no real ending, It’s just the place where you stop the story.” While this may very well apply to fiction, undertakings like my top 20 list of Atlanta sports stars eventually do come to an end, and we have almost reached it. Before we delve into the last four names on the list, a quick look back at how we got here:

20. Kevin Willis
19. Craig Kimbrel
18. Ron Gant
17. Brian Jordan
16. Jamal Anderson
15. Brian McCann
14. Andre Rison
13. Dikembe Mutombo
12. Greg Maddux
11. Deion Sanders
10. Mike Kenn
9.  Mookie Blaylock
8.  Tom Glavine
7.  Gerald Riggs
6.  Chipper Jones
5.  Matt Ryan

For more on these Atlanta luminaries, check out my previous posts. And now, without further delay, here are my top four professional sports stars of the ATL:

4.John Smoltz: Pitcher-Braves

In 1989 and 1990, John Smoltz won 26 games for one of the worst teams in all of baseball. It appeared that the Braves had come out okay in the trade that brought him to Atlanta, when they sent veteran Doyle Alexander to Detroit. But his success for a last place team gave little hint of what was to come next.

From 1991-2005, the Braves won 14 consecutive division titles. During this great run there was a lot of turnover on the team. Over the years the roster often looked quite different from the season before. But there was one constant; one man who was a part of the run from beginning to end: John Smoltz.

Though often overshadowed by fellow Hall of Famers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, Smoltz was always my favorite. He was the gunslinger, the flame thrower of the staff; the one who would throw the ball right on by you, or make you look like a fool with one of the best sliders the game has ever seen.

From 1991-1999 Smoltz won 129 games, including his 24 win Cy Young award season in 1996. Then, after missing all of 2000 due to an injury, the Braves asked him to try his hand at closing games. All he did was save 154 games in the next 3 and a half seasons, including a National League record 55 in 2002.

In 2005 Smoltz returned to the starting rotation and promptly won 44 games over the next three seasons. No one else in the history of baseball has made such a transition not once but twice. Overall, in 21 seasons in Atlanta, he won 210 games, saved 154, posted 3011 strikeouts, went 15-4 in the postseason, was an eight time All-Star, and posted a 3.26 ERA.

I have two favorite Smoltz moments. In 1991 he was on the mound when the Braves clinched the first of the 14 division titles. Watching video of catcher Greg Olsen jumping into Smoltz’s arms still give me chills. The other was attending a Braves game in 2002 and watching him come out of the bullpen to nail down a win over the Cubs. I’ll never forget that moment, and I’ll never forget John. He remains one of my all time sports heroes.

3.Jessie Tuggle: Linebacker-Falcons

There have been a number of bad defenses in Falcons history. Over the years the franchise has struggled to put together a consistent unit of that side of the ball. The time period from 1987-2000 was no exception. During this stretch Atlanta finished better than 20^th in defensive ranking only three times. There was only one constant on the Falcons defense for all those years: the presence of “The Hammer.”

Jessie Tuggle was a tackling machine. For so many years he was the man the team could count on to make a stop. In 14 seasons with the Falcons, Tuggle racked up 1640 tackles. From 1989-93, he averaged 193 tackles per season, which is nothing short of incredible.

Tuggle also had a nose for the end zone, despite not being a player who got his hands on the ball very much. Though he finished his career with just six career interceptions and ten fumble recoveries, he managed to score six touchdowns on returns.

Since he wasn’t a big time pass rusher (21 career sacks), Tuggle often doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being one of the NFL’s best linebackers during his prime. Despite playing on some bad teams, he made five Pro Bowls and was selected as an All-Pro on three occasions. Not bad for an undrafted free agent from Valdosta State!

The best thing about Tuggle was the hits he put on opponents. He was neither a dirty player, nor one who tried to hurt anyone. He was simply a hard nosed player who worked hard and made quite an impact. When he hit someone, they thought twice about going his way again.

My favorite Tuggle memory was watching him enjoy the 1998 season, which culminated in the Falcons facing Denver in Super Bowl XXXIII. In his first 11 seasons, the Falcons had made the playoffs just twice. Now he was finally getting to enjoy playing on a good team, with a defense that ranked 4^th in the NFL. He deserved every second of that great season, and if you ask me, he deserves something else: enshrinement in the Hall of Fame; much like the next person on my list.

2. Dale Murphy: Outfield/First Base/Catcher-Braves

How can I convey how much Murphy meant to Braves fans? He was our All-Star, our candidate for best player in the game. During an era when we often found our team eliminated from playoff contention before the weather even got hot, he was the reason to watch a game.

Due to the fact that his numbers began to decline sharply after he turned 30, people sometimes forget just how good Murphy was in the 1980’s. He won back-to-back MVP awards in 1982-83. He was a seven time All-Star, won five Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards, and twice led the league in home runs and RBI.

In fifteen seasons in Atlanta, Murphy hit 371 home runs and drove in 1143 runs. But his impact was far greater than the numbers. Widely regarded as the nicest man in baseball, he never turned down an interview, and never shot down a request to make an appearance. In 1987 he shared Sportmen and Sportwomen of the Year Award with seven others due mostly to his work with charities like the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the March of Dimes, and the American Heart Association.

As a young boy, Murphy was my favorite. I made it a point to always watch his at bats, even if I didn’t watch the whole game. I tried to emulate him when playing pick-up baseball or softball, and even wrote reports about him in school when prompted to write about heroes or favorite people.

I’ve always felt bad for Murphy, as he was traded the year before the Braves run of division titles began. After carrying the torch for so many years, he was the one left out; the one who didn’t get to live the dream. The day he was traded to the Phillies remains a lowlight of my life as a fan.

A few years ago I bumped into a man wearing a Boston Red Sox jersey at the supermarket. The Sox had just signed John Smoltz, and upon seeing my Braves shirt, the man stopped and asked me how I felt about it. After mentioning my disappointment over the loss of Smoltz, the man asked me about my favorite Brave. He seemed surprised when I said that it was Murphy, and not Maddux, Glavine, or Chipper Jones. But that’s the thing about the Murph, you had to be here to fully appreciate everything he did for our team and our city. There will never be another like him.

1.Dominique Wilkins: Forward-Hawks

Who else could it be? If you’ve followed my list from the beginning, you know that I’ve mentioned nearly every star player to ever take the field or court in Atlanta. But I’ve saved my favorite for last. Nothing could ever compare to watching, night after night, the exploits of the man they called “The Human Highlight Film.”

Much is made of Nique’s dunking ability, and rightfully so. He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest twice (and should have won another over Michael Jordan in 1988 in my humble opinion), and his in-game dunks were often even better than the contest ones. I’ll never forget being at the Omni for a game and watching him throw down a windmill dunk as time expired.

But there was so much more to his game. In 12 seasons with the Hawks, Wilkins scored 23,292 points, averaging 26.4 points per game. You don’t score that many points just dunking. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds per game, was a nine time All-Star, and led the Hawks to eight playoff appearances.

But it was more than the stats. During a time when both the Falcons and Braves were down, the Hawks were often the only successful team in town. Many a night I watched their games knowing that my entire sports year was based on how they fared. If the Hawks were the Solar System of Atlanta’s sports scene, then Dominique was the Sun. Plus, he played for Georgia in college! What more could you ask for?

In 1994 Wilkins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning. To this day I don’t understand why a team with the best record in the Eastern Conference would trade its best player. It was, and still is, the saddest day of my sports life.

My favorite memory of Nique came during a game I attended. With the Hawks down by three points and time running out, he nailed a three point shot to send the game to overtime, leading to an eventual win. He was never a great outside shooter, but that’s the kind of player he was; able to elevate his game at the most important moments.

Even though he has been retired for a number of years, these days Dominique is everywhere. He makes appearances, holds a job in the Hawks front office, and serves as a color commentator on T.V. broadcasts. I love the fact that he is still around, and I hope he stays on for years to come.

Well, that wraps up my list. You don’t agree with all my choices; I know this without even asking. But let’s face it, that’s part of the fun of lists! Feel free to submit your own list in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my list, your own selections, and Atlanta sports in general. Thanks for reading, and remember that one day we will have another championship to celebrate. Of this I am certain. As always, thanks for reading. Keep the faith Atlanta!