Ever been on the wrong side of a menacing stare from an Atlanta Falcons fan? Or any fan of a professional Atlanta/Georgia sports team? Well if you haven’t —probably because you are that fan — it’s flabbergasting and hilarious at the same time.

Before you ask, yes I’m from Georgia, born and raised in Macon to be exact. And before you ask, I’m a fan of the Baltimore Ravens. The only Georgia team that I’ll support to the fullest forever is my alma mater, Georgia Southern.

My issue with Falcons fans isn’t necessarily with the team, although it does have faults. My issue is with how Falcons fans almost blindly uplift them to heavenly status, yet never realize that they’ll never be as good as you say they are.

Recently, before graduating from GSU, I worked as the sports editor at the school newspaper and we held a banquet the week before graduation. All of the graduating seniors were roasted by an underclassman.

I was roasted by my good friend and, at the time, sports chief, Will Cheney. Through his short, funny segment, he managed to take a dig at my favorite NFL team when he said they were “overrated.”

What? You mean the team that, established in 1996, and has the best playoff win percentage to go along with two Super Bowls is more overrated than the Atlanta Falcons? A team that’s been in the league since ‘65, I believe, and has one demeaning Super Bowl appearance to their name? OK, gotcha.

Still, that’s not the issue here. I mean yes, the Falcons don’t have much to show for their tenure in the NFL, but the issue is you. Why is it that you guys bark so much? All that barking and no bite, that is, if bite means Super Bowls. Stay humble — which is ironically a phrase Cheney used to say often.

It’s baffling to me how much dirty bird fans have to say about a team that’s accomplished so little. Falcon fans should understand this simple concept of “stay humble” the most.

Their team’s slogan is “Rise Up,” a fitting one since they’ve never actually been on top of the NFL. They’re constantly looking to rebound each season from some disparaging playoff loss that breaks the hearts of their fans. Hence the words “Rise Up” like a Phoenix from the ashes. How many times can you rise again?

If you think I’m exaggerating or just don’t believe me at all, then during the next big Falcons game, just get on Twitter. Just search around and see what’s being said. You’ll see that the most outlandish claims are being made by, you guessed it: Falcons fans.

My thing is, the Falcons are good, they have something going for themselves as of late, but don’t throw it in someone’s face that your team is good. Usually for Falcons fans or even Braves fans, anytime the team shows some promise, you think you’re championship bound. That’s hardly ever the situation.

Just look at Cleveland fans. All of their teams suck and they know it. They own it. As Tyne Patterson told Jax Teller, own your place. Success is on the tip of Atlanta’s tongue but they’re the ultimate tease. They show you a little something and just when you’re ready for the big reveal...

I just ask that you accept the fact that your team is good on a regular basis, an accomplishment in itself, and that until you get over the “We’ve never won a championship hump” you should probably keep disparaging comments about other teams to yourself. At least the ones that are better than you.

That is, unless you’re talking to a Saints or a Browns fans. Then by all means, unleash the dirty birds talk upon them, like pigeons on a car windshield.

Shakeem Holloway is the sports editor at The News. You can reach him at 770-728-1413 or sholloway@covnews.com.