What’s your wing order?
I’m a lemon pepper, all flats type of fella. And beat it with this “jumbo” nonsense — I want 15 or 20 of the small, crispy boys all to myself.
This is Atlanta, people. And the big game’s on the way.
Quick links: Hawks make money moves | Vick riffs on Penix | Sharpe to the Hall | Tech WBB tops SMU
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
Credit: AJC file photo
Credit: AJC file photo
This was meant to be one of those “oh man, how many wings will Atlanta eat during the Super Bowl haha” kind of stories.
But none of the restaurants I wanted to talk to called me back.
So instead I spent an inordinate amount of time digging my very own internet rabbit hole — and learned a whole bunch of stuff that did not answer my question.
🤔 For instance: Buffalo wings were first created in (gasp) Buffalo, New York, in the 1960s, but they “officially” arrived in Atlanta in 1979. That’s when some dudes originally from Buffalo opened a restaurant called Taco Mac and started slingin’ their Erie County eats to the fine folks in Virginia-Highland.
A couple years later, a Taco Mac manager and fellow Buffalo native named Paul Juliano split and set up shop over near the Varsity. His restaurant: J.R. Crickets. (Whose mascot is apparently a peanut dressed as a cricket? And not just a cricket? Did we know this?)
All fun stuff! But not especially relevant to my original query. Or my next one.
🤔 How and why did wings really become a thing in Atlanta? Like, a wing-joint-around-every-other-corner kind of thing?
I couldn’t really find that on the internet, so I called Mike Jordan.
He’s the former-and-still-occasional food writer who’s now senior editor of UATL, the AJC’s Black culture offshoot.
“When I travel, I find myself looking for wings and thinking, ‘What is going on in these cities?’” he said. “And then I remember, oh yeah, these places are not Atlanta.”
Some folks credit the Buffalo Bills’ (otherwise wildly unsuccessful) Super Bowl runs of the early ‘90s with bringing wings into the wider national consciousness and permanently tying them to football.
Mike said a far more recent episode of the award-winning TV show “Atlanta” solidified our city’s reputation as wing king of the South, at least from the outside looking in.
🤔 What fueled that phenomenon in the first place, though?
It’s hard to quantify why something catches on. But back in the day, Mike said, sports bars and spots like American Deli (also Atlanta-founded) became community hubs of a sort. Places to kick it and watch the game.
Wings were “a way of measuring a kitchen’s prowess without having to go too deep into it.”
“Or maybe” he said later, “we just love eating birds here. The Falcons, the Hawks, they get ate up on the field all the time.”
C’mon, man!
Looking to cook? Peep these Super Bowl-worthy recipes from our esteemed friends on the food and dining team.
TAKE YOUR PICK
Credit: Brynn Anderson/AP
Credit: Brynn Anderson/AP
OK, now to the football part.
The Chiefs are a 1 1/2-point favorite over the Eagles, who hope to avenge their loss in Super Bowl in 2023.
But who do our experts at the AJC expect to win? Here are a few picks (in alphabetical order, calm down boys).
Columnist Michael Cunningham: Eagles 27, Chiefs 23
“The Chiefs have annoyed me all season, and Taylor Swift has nothing to do with it. KC escaped with several lucky victories as quarterback Patrick Mahomes ran around diving for flags like he’s in WWE. Chiefs fans pretend they are victims of persecution whenever someone makes these obvious observations. I don’t pick against teams because they irritate me, but, in this case, my aggravation with the Chiefs aligns with my dispassionate belief that the Eagles are the better team.”
Falcons reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter: Eagles 38, Chiefs 24
“This Eagles team is much more powerful than the unit that faced the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago. The offensive line is massive, and they have eight new starters — a few from Georgia — on defense. The Eagles defense can get after Mahomes and take away his favorite weapon, Travis Kelce.”
UGA reporter Connor Riley: Chiefs 23, Eagles 20
“I think the Eagles have the more talented team. But I’d feel like an idiot by picking against Mahomes in this spot. The Chiefs have won 17 straight one-score games, and they just know how to execute in these situations.”
Columnist Ken Sugiura: Eagles 24, Chiefs 23
“Perhaps wishful thinking for an upset, as another Chiefs Super Bowl title almost feels inevitable, but Mahomes has had difficulty against Vic Fangio-coached defenses in the past. I can see the Eagles winning behind running back Saquon Barkley.”
😬 As for me … I’m just hoping someone blows a 29-3 lead.
VERY INTERESTING!
Credit: Matt York/AP
Credit: Matt York/AP
You probably know all about the former Georgia Bulldogs on the Eagles’ defense, including starters Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith.
But Kansas City actually carries more active roster players (six) from the state of Georgia than Philly does (two). Among them is former Westminster and Georgia Tech kicker Harrison Butker — who’s about to be part of a trivia question.
😲 Sunday will mark Butker’s fifth Super Bowl. The only other Georgian to appear in that many is Rayfield Wright, a Hall of Famer who played offensive line for the Cowboys in the ‘70s.
Wright attended Griffin’s now-defunct Fairmont High.
MORE FROM NEW ORLEANS
Check out the AJC’s coverage of Jalen Hurts' growth, Saquon Barkley’s dominant season and Travis Kelce’s bumpy ride during the Chiefs’ quest for an unprecedented three-peat.
Then follow @DOrlandoAJC for more throughout the weekend.
SUCH SWEET SORROW
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
I don’t know that I have one singular memory of Bogdan Bogdanovic from his time in Atlanta. But the man could hoop. And despite being Serbian, he always reminded me of this redneck kid named Travis I knew growing up.
Immaculate vibes.
So I was a wee sad to see him and De’Andre Hunter (the better player these days) shipped out just prior to yesterday’s NBA trade deadline.
The Hawks, of course, got real, live human players in return.
💸 But here’s the real point of it all, via the aforementioned Michael Cunningham: “After signing their picks from the draft in June, the Hawks will be about $14 million below the projected salary cap and $48 million below the luxury-tax line. They can be players in the free agent and trade markets this summer.”
WHAT ELSE TO WATCH
Here’s what’s on tap this weekend for the locals:
🏀 The Hawks host the Bucks tonight at 7:30 on FanDuel Sports South.
⚽ On Saturday, a newly reloaded Atlanta United squad plays a preseason match against New England in Bradenton, Florida. You can stream at ATLUTD.com/live.
🐶 Georgia men’s basketball resumes its conference gantlet on Saturday, hosting No. 22 Arkansas at 6 p.m. Watch on SEC Network.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: David J. Phillip/AP
Credit: David J. Phillip/AP
Former Green Bay wide receiver and Glennville, Georgia, native Sterling Sharpe (center) reacts to joining the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Thursday night in New Orleans. He and brother Shannon are the only brothers in the hall.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I never expected to be here. I never wanted to be here. I never prayed to be here. I wanted to play football in the NFL. That's all I every wanted to do. ... I can't ask for anything better.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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