Tuesday afternoon pep rally draws a crowd

Pryor Street was closed between the Fulton County Courthouse and the government center, but confetti doesn’t see roadblocks.

Tuesday afternoon, red-and-white pieces of paper drifted past an area cordoned off for revelers and down the block to Underground Atlanta. It was reminiscent of the way Georgians’ joy for the Atlanta Falcons’ success has spread across the region and state.

In yet another rally to celebrate the football team’s Super Bowl berth, hundreds of people were drawn to downtown Atlanta. They posed for pictures with former Falcons players, danced in the street and cheered their team, decked out in Falcons gear.

It’s been nearly two decades since the Falcons made their first and only Super Bowl appearance. The team lost that game to the Denver Broncos.

“I was born a Falcons fan,” said Fulton County court clerk Trevia James, recording the downtown scene on her phone. “It’s amazing. It’s awesome. It’s fulfilling, celebrating this moment.”

Alicia Gibbons, who works in the Fulton County tax commissioner’s office, chased down team mascot Freddie Falcon as he was leaving the party, which was organized by county government workers. She wanted a picture with an oversized frame her daughter had made. She and the mascot put their faces through the cardboard.

“She would love to have this” photo, Gibbons said of her daughter.

Sporting a Falcons sweatshirt, Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves shouted a call-and-response into the crowd. “When I say Atlanta, you say Falcons,” he cried. “When I say rise, you say up. When I say Super, you say Bowl.”

“All right, Fulton County in the house,” he cheered. “Give yourselves a round of applause.”

Eaves said it was exciting to see the hundreds of people who poured out of downtown buildings, many in black and red, celebrating the home team. Mylar balloons in team colors were tied to building railings. Again and again, people said they were proud to show support for the Falcons.

“Especially during these times, we need love. We need unity. We need distraction from the everyday grind,” said Lori Lindsey, an employee in the Fulton tax commissioner’s office who snagged two giveaway red plastic footballs. “We need community.”

The county’s solicitor’s office bought beads in team colors online, said Dericka Mitchell, and was handing them out on the street. Ralph Russell, a Westlake High School drum major, said it was “amazing” to see the crowds. And Therrell High School majorettes Amya Allen and Jazmyn Sippio — who said they watched every game this season — said they couldn’t wait for Sunday’s.

Chuck Wiley, a Falcons defensive end in 2000 and 2001, said it’s a misconception that people in Atlanta don’t cheer for their team. Though he finished his career with the New York Giants, he moved to Alpharetta after retiring because “this is the team that really embraced me,” he said.

“It’s a great fan base,” he said. “It’s just a great feeling, feeling like you’re part of this.”

Cheryl Vortice, a judicial case manager who helped organize the rally, said she thinks Atlanta should shut down for a day if the Falcons win Sunday.