While 2007 was a good year personally for our family, the same can’t be said about metro Atlanta. It truly was a crappy year and 2008 can’t possibly be any worse. So let’s recap 2007 for the city. I’m feeling cranky since this is my first day back at work in a week and a half.
Real estate prices are still free-falling in most areas (although that is symptomatic nationwide and Atlanta is actually doing better than most areas). About the only way to look on the bright side of this market is if you currently aren’t selling a house and are in the market to buy. The world is your oyster right now if you’re in that scenario.
Companies who considered relocating here are now scared away due to the traffic nightmares.
It was only because of 4 straight days of rain at the end of the year that we didn’t break the record for driest year ever.
We’re #1 in bank robberies for 2007!
If you want to include the sports teams in the city’s misery, they’re a whole section to themselves.
Braves – After so many years of success, they’re about to embark on their 3rd season of mediocrity and fan indifference. Not only are they now also-rans, they lost one of the best GMs in the biz in John Schuerholz.
On the bright side, at least the country isn’t exposed to them losing in the playoffs year after year.
Hawks – There are elementary school concerts that draw larger crowds.
Falcons – Michael Vick’s troubles resulted in a polarization of racial attitudes across the city. There isn’t a black person against him or a white person for him that I know.
The new coach leaves the team 13 games into the season under the cover of darkness. He never let his staff know, he lied to the owner the night before, and he never said goodbye to the team. He only left a note. If there is karma, he will have utter failure at Arkansas and they will fire him on Christmas Eve.
Then they courted Bill Parcells to run the football operations, thought they had a deal, and the next day Parcells takes the exact same job with the Miami Dolphins.
Thrashers – With the ownership problems preventing them from making long term free agent acquisitions, apathy towards hockey in the south will force this team to move in 5-7 years to a more deserving city.
I don’t have high hopes for the city hosting the NHL All Star Game this month, although it can’t get anymore embarrassing than when they had monster trucks in the 1996 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
This is the first area I’ve lived in where I simply have no civic pride. Decatur is a great town to live in but the state of Georgia doesn’t deserve it.