Josh D. Weiss-USA TODAY Sports
When Roddy White talks…people in Flowery Branch cringe, because usually when the Atlanta Falcons talented and outspoken wide receiver takes to the twitterverse or airwaves to exercise his first amendment rights, he ends up giving the news media of the world enough material for a week’s worth of columns.
Roddy was on the ESPN morning cup of joust, First Take, recently and did not disappoint.
“We know it’s now Super Bowl or bust,” White said. “Anything short of that is not a good season for us right now.”
(Atlanta head coach Mike Smith reaches for some nitroglycerin tablets)
Then White was asked by the warm and friendly First Take crew to name his top-five NFL teams coming into 2013. His list? The Seattle Seahawks (No. 5), the Denver Broncos (No. 4), New England Patriots (No. 3), San Francisco 49ers (No. 2) and — his number one team? You guessed it, his own Atlanta Falcons.
(Smith now digging for a cardiac needle and vial of epinephrine)
Never mind that the Falcons barely escaped with their playoff lives against the Seahawks, and then were thumped in the second half of the NFC Championship game by the 49ers, (a fact that White was reminded of on the set.)
“I don’t think that can happen this year,” White said.
(Smith calling down for a defib kit)
One thing Falcons fans should be happy about, White certainly isn’t lacking for any confidence in his team. But prudence? Good judgement? Yeah..he’s missing quite a bit of that.
It’s one thing to have faith that your team will do well, and to set realistic goals, (and yes, the Falcons reaching the Super Bowl is of course a realistic goal), but it’s an entirely different thing to basically call out the teams that oddsmakers have you facing in the postseason at some point, and announcing your superiority.
Generally speaking, White has never had a problem backing up his own talk on the field with his performance. Rarely does a DB get the best of Rowdy Roddy. Let’s hope the rest of the Falcons are as enthused about him sticking their heads on the chopping block of public predictions.
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Michael Collins is a Rant Sports Senior Writer, and Atlanta sports columnist. Follow him @GaSportsCraze on Twitter and here on Facebook
