Admit it: It hurts!

It's like we've switched places with Boston.

Aside from a few years with the Celtics, and a random playoff run by the Bruins, Bostonians used to revel in their misery, celebrate it, really get up in there and feel the failure.

But now the BoSox have won two pennants and the Patriots are on their way to a fourth. Even the hapless Bruins are playing some good hockey under defensive-minded Claude Julien. I almost forgot about the Celtics: 20-2!

Now it's Atlanta at the bottom, led by the spectacular fall from grace of one Mike Vick, and now we're going to have to figure out how we lost out to a bunch of raggedy razorbacks from the Natural State. We can all debate the merits or demerits of Bobby Petrino, but no matter how you slice the cheese this still hurts.

The Thrashers aren't yet playoff contenders, and the Hawks are struggling on the parquet.

When the Atlanta sports world recoups, just remember how this felt. Just ask any real Patriots fan: It'll make winning that much sweeter!