Tales from the Atlanta Falcons Sidelines
A sports fan since given a Cowboys uniform for Christmas in 1970 (blue jersey, Walt Garrison's No. 32), Matt Winkeljohn grew up in Columbus, Ohio, loving the Buckeyes, Reds, Cowboys, Lakers and Bruins. He's still passionate about Ohio State. The Falcons haven't been around as long as Winkeljohn, who'll turn 42 before the 2005 season. His history is comparatively simple. With the helmet, shoulder pads and pants from that uniform, he first played football for the Indian Springs Packers. Baseball, basketball, soccer and track followed. By high school he was down to football and baseball, adding wrestling on the advice of a twisted friend. His claims to fame were few, catching balls off the bat of prep tempest Paul O'Neill, later of the Reds and Yankees, and stealing home for Whetstone High in a district championship game against Worthington pitcher (and eventual Yankees AAA farm hand) Casey Close. Close now makes big bucks as an agent representing the likes of Derek Jeter. Winkeljohn has covered the Falcons since '98 for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joining the paper in '87 after a storied stay (and five majors) at Bowling Green State University. He's won many awards, but is most proud of the accolades he won for a '96 story about the murder of Olympic and world champion Dave Schultz by wrestling benefactor John DuPont. Winkeljohn lives with his wife, son and twin daughters.