By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 25, 2022 | Don’t you just love it when someone bows out with class and poise? It might happen anywhere, and whoever it is gains new stature because of their grace under dire circumstances.
This week we saw one person departing an Atlanta career with distinction. We’re talking about former Atlanta Falcon Quarterback Matt Ryan, who was summarily traded to the Indianapolis Colts after 14 seasons in Atlanta. He came to Atlanta in 2008 as the first quarterback taken in the National Football League draft after a great college career at Boston College.
Ryan has been the most prolific quarterback in Falcon history, amassing record after record. He has also shown not only his athletic ability, but his work under pressure, with characteristic aplomb. He has conducted his life in an exemplary manner, never sullying his name, someone kids could especially look up to.
He is departing for another team, though he plans to continue to live in Atlanta. Ryan reflected on his career in Atlanta in a timely full-page advertisement in Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday, two days after being traded.
“Thank you, Atlanta,” it headlined. Ryan said to his fans: “You have made all of this worth it, and thank you so sincerely, for the life you have given me all of these seasons.” He added: about the Falcons and Atlanta: ”There were disappointments, large and small. They did not shake my faith in this team, or in my determination to deliver. The disappointments became motivations. I will always be proud to come from an organization and a city whose creed is to rise up.”
No, thank you, Matt Ryan. Though we are not heavy pro football fans, we appreciate your diplomatic departure and plans to continue to live in Atlanta. We will be pleased if you can win a Super Bowl ring in Indianapolis!
Nonprofit agencies need to report periodically to their donors, often through annual reports, which can sometimes be a wordy document difficult to read. But have you seen the Annual Report of the Neighborhood (former Norcross) Cooperative Ministries? It’s a bright fan-fold shortened report which notes recent highlights of their ministry, lists member churches (27), names corporate partners (29) and lists the board of directors (19). It also shows how their funds are spent.
It’s one of the most attractive of such accountings we’ve seen. We congratulate this non-profit on their distinctive effort in communicating with us all.
The Georgia Legislature is in session. Many of you know of our being among those who get scared each year when the Legislature meets. We’re concerned, as many people and especially businesses are, about what the Legislature is about to do to us. They introduce much legislation that is not only disturbing, but often useless, which many times obviously helps a legislator’s neighbor or special interest of that legislator.
Unfortunately, many times such legislation becomes law that throws our tax system out of whack, as another group or company benefits, and the rest of us have to pay the consequences.
You might name your own recent legislation that you think is awful. (There is enough to go around.) It’s both political parties who are capable of introducing pieces of bad legislation. That hurts us all.
This is why we propose, as one of our List of Continuing Objections, that Georgia’s Legislature start meeting not for 40 days every year, but 40 days every other year. Cut the amount of time the legislators have for mischief and Georgia will be better for it.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Follow Us