Sherman had the right idea.

Hey, atleast they have good music! (in my opinion)

I've never been to Atlanta before, but I was thinking of maybe popping down there for a couple games this year. Doesn't seem like it would be hard to get tickets. Isn't there one section of town with lots of bars and restaurants that's supposed to be fairly hopping? Apart from that, I don't know what there is to see there except for the CNN and Coke HQ's and I'm not sure how interesting they would be. On a wholly unrelated note, why is it still called Turner Field when the Ted-ster hasn't owned the team for years? You think they'd have sold the naming rights to Coke.

Atlanta is awful. Horrible traffic, too many streets with the word Peachtree included, brutally hot summers and at best, passive sports fans.

Virginia Highlands and Little Five Points neighborhoods are tolerable - but the rest of the city is a hole.

We found Atlanta to be pleasing.

Turner is also a major media and technology brand name.

...just like Busch and Wrigley are names of former owners but also are brand names.

What ever happen to Jason Simontaachi? He seems to have disappeared

Simontacchi is still in Viera, Fla., which is basically the same as having disappeared.

GM Jim Bowden said he Simontacchi won't be back from strained groin until sometime between April 25-May 5.

In future editions, can you do maybe a blanket "insert your own joke wherever necessary" at the top, and we'll take it from there? (Just trying to save you a little typing time...)

I lived in Atlanta - Decatur, specifically - for the better part of the late 1980s. Even back then I could tell that the city was poorly designed for future expansion. With the exception of the aforementioned Virginia-Highland and Little Five Points/Emory areas, it is just not a pedestrian-friendly city. Even getting into those neighborhoods by car is painful.

It was also a very green city in terms of being wooded. Alas, not so much anymore.

For what it's worth I grew up in the Carolinas and was an expansion AL Nats fan; when they left the Braves were the closest MLB club and gradually my allegiances shifted there. The return of baseball to Washington in the form of an NL East team has created a dilemma for me. I've lived in DC since I lived in Atlanta, but then again I've lived outside of Philly since living in DC and there's no way I could ever become a Phillies fan.

I won't say Atlanta is the worst city in America -- because I haven't been to every city in America. It is, however, certainly going to be on the short list.

I followed the Braves on TBS in the '80s, but I gave up on Atlanta as a baseball town in the '90s when I saw that they failed to sell out a game in the NLDS. Apparently the first round of the playoffs wasn't worth buying tickets for. That's the problem with cities that grow too fast. The newcomers don't remember when the team was so lousy that ANY playoff game was reason to celebrate.

Oh yeah, I forgot to add: I am a UGa football fan (and an alumnus), and I will agree that Atlanta is a mediocre sports town at best. The Braves' fan base was completely unsophisticated when I moved there, but as the team improved they quickly went beyond sophisticated to blase. A different attitude toward getting so close to championships without winning them than in, say, Boston, but at least it's without the vitriol in say, Philly.

Too early in the season to comment on Philly but here's hoping!! For what it's worth Simontaachi, is listed on the Columbus roster. Never been to Atlanta, but the Braves attendance never seemed to measure up to the great teams they've had.

Lineups - yes, please post when you can. Relieves stress for the scorers among us. Thanks!

Isn't the real "dirty little secret" regarding Stan's tenure in Atlanta that:

a) Schuerholz and Cox built that team, not him;

b) The Olympic Committee oversaw the building of the statdium, Stan just converted it into a baseball field;

c) New stadium + great teams (still)= mediocre attendance/ticket sales in Atlanta; and

d) Stan's other charges -- the Hawks and Thrashers -- did exactly nothing on the court/ice or in the stands before, during and after the Stan era?

Never spent much time in Atlanta, but the airport is one of the worst in the country (world?). I dread connecting through there because, as a rule, your luggage will not join you on your connecting flight.

I will actually be moving from Boston to Atlanta this summer, after having grown up in DC. I will tell you this:

Those of you who claim Atlanta is not pedestrian friendly, you clearly have not spent much time in Boston. You have maniac drivers, lights that skip the crosswalk signs, and then if you wanted to take the T, chances are you'll wait 20 minutes before it comes. DC Metro is God compared to the T (amoeba?). Also driving = impossible.

Boston forgot what trees were and decided to build modern buildings made of glass and concrete next to their beautiful historic buildings. Really weird.

Lastly, the weather. Atlanta might be smoldering and humid, but its better than getting a snowstorm on April 12th.

Last perk: The aquarium there is sweet! Worth living there for? Depends on how much you like whale sharks I guess...

Atlanta as a place to live? no worse than 5 out of 10. Atlanta as a baseball town? no worse than 5 out of 10. Atlanta as a bastion of culture, democracy, and social tolerance. no worse than 5 out of 10. Bagdad gets a 1. Viera: does not qualify. Other notable 5's: Charlotte, Dallas, Cleveland....

Surprised some Southerner hasn't lept in with a "War of Northern Aggression" comment. A lot would claim Sherman burning down Atlanta is exactly the reason why, like LA, there is no "there" there.

It's a hole. I've been all around the perimeter, and other than Virginia Highliands and Little Five Points, I feel like wherever I go, I'm in Tysons Corner.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how can Atlanta be a UGa town? Last I checked, UGa is in Athens, which is an hour and a half outside ATL, not counting traffic. The Redskins are a ways out, I suppose, but we're talking like 75 miles between the infamous hedges and downtown. Though I guess the case could be made that Baltimore is an excellent Yankees town...

That said, make fun of Atlanta all you want. My brother lives there, and it's a terrible town. Compared to D.C., anyway, but I guess I'm spoiled being here. Now only if the Nats could win a game from time to time, I'd be all set...

Wow! Thanks for all the insights on Atlanta and Kasten. Not that the comments have changed my views, only solidified them. I think the Lerners will be lucky to get 18,000 per game. Will the new stadium boost sales? Maybe, for a while. But Washingtonians are sophisticated enough to realize that the stadium was built for major league baseball, and when only one of the teams on the field is of major league caliber, most people will look elsewhere for recreation.

May not be the worst city in the country, I think Detroit still holds that wonderful distinction, but it sure is bad. Someones description of it as a whole city of Tysons Corner seems accurate. What a waste of space. I was downtown walking around and people were looking at me like I was a Martian.

Great Mint Juleps in Atlanta.

NattyDelite!: No arguments here. I loathe Boston and, although I've seen a number of games in Fenway and can appreciate it for what it is, I loathe Red Sox Nation as well.

As for Atlanta being a UGa sports town, I probably should be able to answer that but I can't. Maybe Georgia Tech fans aren't as vocal, or else they move away? Georgia State is a commuter school and none of the other schools in town have much of an NCAA presence.

First off, Atlanta is a horrible city. Bad sports town, nothing to do, downtown clears out at 5pm, and its a beer wasteland. Even the airport doesn't want to be near it!

To NattyDelite: How can you say that Boston isn't pedestrian friendly? (Former Bostonian now in DC) You can walk everywhere in that city. Just don't be timid. The T may be dirty, it may smell, and there may be a bit of a rat problem but that just adds character! Besides, it is still better than what you will fine in Atlanta!

As far as Nats attendance and the new standium, I agree with JohnR. I don't think the stadium will be a savior. A new stadium is not the draw it used to be (such as Camden Yards). They are like mushrooms now... popping up everywhere! The attraction will quickly fade since the Nats have little hope of contention next year (sad but true).

I don't know much about Atlanta, but the new Nats stadium is going up right outside my window on MStreet. I just don't see how people are going to get in and out of here. South Cap, Mstreet and the bridge can't handle the traffic now. I think the new stadium will be the boon everyone thinks, especally if the team can't win 40 games.

The new stadium will be a boon for exactly one year. The following year, like Barry has said, will be the real test.

Went to Altanta for a vacation one time (weird, I know). We went for the restaurants, however. There are some really good ones. The two I remember most are the Buckhead Diner (in the famous Buckhead district - http://www.buckheadrestaurants.com/diner.html) and Bones (http://www.bonesrestaurant.com/). Vene Vidi Vici and BluePointe (although, a little over the top for me) were also great. Try to hit a few while you're down there. Otherwise, I can't really comment on the city.

Took a train into Atlanta... I have never felt like I needed a shower more after that night. Atlanta was ugly, old (but not in the endearing District way) and not very friendly for being the heart of Southern Hospitality. There's a possibility that I may end up moving there in the near future and its definitely not for the location. I may need to rethink my future...

I only went to atlanta once and it was to see some music--I was 22 at the time. Found a cheap motel right off the highway for $40. Met the crack dealer in the parking lot while walking to my room and he bummed a cigaret from me. I saw him again later when he delivered a girl to the room next to mine. The guy in that room had asked me to pick him up a 6 pack. He told me "I just get a little wound up sometimes." And we saw 3 hookers on the way to the music venue around noonish. So yeah, atlanta is really, um, great.

Went to college in Atlanta and really liked it. Pre-Olympics, it was really cheap (compared to DC) and the yuppie numbers were down. Great punk rock, cheap food, warehouse spaces with art galleries and skateboard ramps, lots of young people from all over the south etc...I went to school, played in bands, worked at a local restaurant, got involved in local politics, dated people in Athens and met some of my best friends.

I'll give yall two things though - horrible humidity and horrible transportation.