Atlanta magazine has been around for about as long as former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason has been alive. Oddly, though perhaps not so surprisingly, I only knew the publication existed sometime in the 90s…when I paid more attention to newsstand reading material that didn’t have Wonder Woman, Alpha Flight, or the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 on the cover.
You may find it hard to believe that I may or may not have purchased an issue of Atlanta magazine before today. Surely, I would remember if I had in the distant past, right? It’s not like forgetting if one locked the doors or brushed one’s teeth already. Those things easily snake into the realm of uncertainty. Alas, I shall have to leave that doubt in the comment…
Or, let me rephrase, the statement, Your Honor. Today marks the first time (in a very long time) that I’ve been compelled to purchase an issue of the magazine. The Barnes & Noble in Alpharetta had on display the August issue, featuring Atlanta Falcons darling-of-a-phoenix QB, number 2, Matt Ryan.
Aesthetically, is it the best image? Maybe no. He looks zoned out, perhaps a bit distracted. Nevertheless, take a closer look at his face:
He is looking into you, reader. Now, behold his hands.
It’s as if Matt Ryan is offering the ball to you. He’s not holding it very securely. And yet, notice the left index finger resting on the tip of the ball. If he doesn’t hand the ball to you, I’d doubt you’d be able to wrestle it from his grasp.
The exposition of the article, and indeed the rest of the Thomas Lake piece, reads a bit ironically. He is so wonderfully marvelous because of his “excessive modesty,” “habitual freeloading,” and “conduct unbecoming a millionaire” (71).
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The cover story wasn’t the only reason why I bought the magazine; there’s also an excerpt from Marc Wortman’s book , The Bonfire, about the burning of Atlanta during the Civil War.
Zach Gilford, who plays Matt Saracen on the TV show Friday Night Lights, was in my dream this morning. I have no idea why. I’m not even sure what happened….only that I had mentioned his character. Coincidentally, though, he is in a film called Dare, which is directed by Adam Salky, a friend of mine from college.
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Click here for a more legible snap of the article’s introductory text.
Pic creds: Atlanta magazine.
Sitting Pugs: Sports Movies 