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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > September > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWhat if McDavid owned Hawks, Thrashers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Thrashers open training camp this weekend. The Hawks’ first practice is Sept. 30. On Oct. 6, the lawsuit of David McDavid, the Texas car salesman, against Time Warner is set to begin in an Atlanta courtroom. Is there anyone among us who can look on this convergence of events and not wonder: What if?
What if Time Warner had sold the Hawks and the Thrashers to McDavid, as the conglomerate seemed poised to do, instead of seeking another bidder and finding the many-headed Atlanta Spirit? Could our winter pro teams possibly have been any worse?
A confession: I preferred the Spirit, or at least I did then. (My first sentence the day after the new group of bidders was presented: “This way is better.”) I was leery of McDavid because he had no connection to Atlanta. But there are times now when I’m leery of the Spirit because it seems to have little connection to reality.
The Thrashers still have Don Waddell as general manager. The Hawks still have Mike Woodson as coach. The Thrashers are a one-man team whose one man seems destined to depart. The Hawks saw their fourth-best player depart for Greece. The Thrashers haven’t yet won a playoff game under this ownership, and the Hawks haven’t yet had a winning season.
And it isn’t as if these owners have contented themselves to spend money and keep quiet. They’ve become front-page news by suing one another, and that case still seems years from final adjudication. We forget this now, but the only reason Steve Belkin became a Spirit man is the locals (the Gearons and Rutherford Seydel) and the Washington, D.C., contingent (Bruce Levenson and Ed Peskowitz) were seeking one last investor to join the cobbled-together partnership, and Belkin’s name came up.
Five years later, I wonder: Would a Texas car dealer have done any less with not one but two teams? Would his brother-in-law, acting as on-site steward, have been this ham-handed? Would McDavid have contrived to sue himself?
We’ll never know, and there’s no way McDavid’s suit can rewrite history. (Even if he wins, he’s not getting the teams. Time Warner no longer has them.) Five years ago, I thought Time Warner had done our city a favor by spurning the Texan. Now I think: Some favor.
Permalink | Comments (41) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
Comments
By get real
September 18, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
worthless
By Matt
September 18, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
ASG has to be the biggest joke ownership group in professional sports. (Even Donald Sterling and the Clips seem to have it together more).
Hockey fans in this city have been treated like dirt by the ASG (I’m looking at you Bruce Levenson). Frankly, as a long time hockey fan, I despair of the thought that Kovy is going to walk at the end of his contract (See Marian Hossa).
By Darrin "The Vent King"
September 18, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
A- (A)ll those owners
S- (S)eem like
G- (G)oofballs to me
nuff said…
By Zelmo Beatty lives
September 18, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Proving once again, inheriting money does not make you an astute businessman, just lucky.
By Mike
September 18, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
The Hawks & Thrashers would have been better off with one owner, David Mcdavid, instead of the ASG. There’s to too many fingers in the pie with all those owners!! I agree the are a complete joke!! They either don’t have enough money or since to effectively run any sports organizations.
By Mark Bradley
September 18, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
To Zelmo Beatty lives: In the interest of fairness, I should point out that Michael Gearon Jr. made his money in a completely different business (cell phone towers, as opposed to real estate) than Michael Gearon Sr.
By fifty mission cap
September 18, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
the thrashers are the pittsburgh pirates of the NHL.
i dunno, maybe the way to fix that would be to HIRE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GAME OF HOCKEY IS, AND HOW IT IS PLAYED AT THE NHL LEVEL.
the thrashers as it stands right now are nothing more than a cross-reference to the rankin smith-owned atlanta falcons.
kovalchuk will be a maple leaf in 09.
thrashers will win a playoff game two days after the end of the world.
By Jason
September 18, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this
I wonder if McDavid even has half his money left after the downfall of the auto industry due to the issues like the rise in gas prices and a much weaker economy? I know some of the big auto dealers here in the metro area are doing pretty bad right now.
That said…the ASG still are compleatly clueless about producing successful franchises.
By 40yr. old native
September 18, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
Easy. David McDavid. Despite the funny name, it couldn’t possibly any worse than it is. However I do think the hawks could continue their upswing. The thrashers are dead.
By Hanoi Jane
September 18, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
Bring back Ted Turner !!!
By Sanjeev
September 18, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
What kind of blackmail pictures does Wadell have of the ASG? They must be very good ones, there is no other reason he is still employed. Every other NHL franchise would have canned him by now. I sure wish I could be that bad at my job and be employed and get raises.
By Najeh Davenpoop
September 18, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
I’m not gonna front like I saw the ASG disaster coming from the time it happened, but has a 9-man ownership group ever worked in the history of any sport? I’m seriously asking, because I have no idea. Looking back it seems like we should have all seen this coming from day one.
By Blueland Blues
September 18, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP:
The “Clayton County School System” of Professional Sports Ownership
By Spud Webb
September 18, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
Bradley you can write and article a day for the rest of our lives (I’m 35!) about how p** poor this ownership group is. THEY DONT CARE ABOUT US. Sad, very, very sad. This city has all the potential to be the best sports city in the country. Yet we have these &ss clowns running the two teams into the ground. They’ve got no money and I’m not sure why they wanted these franchises? Write offs? Tax breaks? How are they making money, nobody goes to the games, especially the Hawks. I actually challenge you Bradley and the AJC to write about this ownership every single day. Lets make this the Philly of south and run these guys out of town. lol, can you imagine if they owned the sixers and flyers. They’d be dead!!! The joke is on us as fans.
By KIRGT
September 18, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
my guess is that the sports teams (if not already sold), would be in the same backwards position if mcdavid was the owner
By RS
September 18, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
Even though I am a Thrashers fan I recognize the fact that they were basically a “throw in” in the deal. If McDavid had bought the team they would already be gone, just as they will if Belkin ever wins the court case.
And Kovalchuk will be a New York Ranger.
By YoungDawg(formerly MDawg)
September 18, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Good blog Mark. I’ve often thought the same thing myself. You’re right at the time the ASG seemed like the better ownership group but in hindsight it turns out they weren’t. Does all of the legal mess with ASG have to be settled before they can sale? To me if they can’t sale the teams & Phillips as a package then they should sale them off to three different buyers. Bottom line is we need some real owners for the Hawks & Thrashers! I’m even to the point were Belkin as the sole owner would be acceptable, that used to scare me but not anymore he can’t be any worse than the ASG guys running the show now. While were talking ownership I’m also ready for the Brave to be locally owned by someone who’ll spend the money needed to contend! How much longer do we have to wait on the tax deal to expire?!?
By The ANTI-Monica Kaufman
September 18, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Imagine if the Rankin Smith Family had purchased a hockey team instead of the FALCONS all those years ago.
THAT is what a David McDavid THRASHERS ownership stint would be like, only less polished.
By Mark Bradley
September 18, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
There was some sentiment at the time that a McDavid operation would seek to run things on the cheap. The same sentiment, I should point out, exists today about the current ownership. So it could well be — or have been — a wash.
By Archie
September 18, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
The owners don’t want this team to be profitable, they just want the tax write off. I agree with Spud Webb, the responsibility is on fans like us to speak up and run this rag tag bunch of corporate sleaze bags out of town. It doesn’t even matter if you like hockey and basketball or not, they’re dragging our city through the dirt just so they can save a little money on their taxes.
This team needs local ownership who cares about building winning franchises for the fans of this city. Even if a single out of town owner bought this team with the actual intention of building a winner, what kind of loyalty would he have when a city like Hamilton, Ontario gives him a sweetheart deal to move his team?
By Bemused
September 18, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
What does it matter? The one person who could fire the owners, perhaps, is David Stern, and if he hasn’t by now, he won’t. Arthur Blanks is the only the most stable owner in town, but also the only one who seems willing to spend what it takes to create a winner—and we see where all that has gotten the Falcons, and us.
By Bemused
September 18, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
What does it matter? The one person who could fire the owners, perhaps, is David Stern, and if he hasn’t by now, he won’t. Arthur Blanks is not the only the most stable owner in town, but also the only one who seems willing to spend what it takes to create a winner—and we see where all that has gotten the Falcons, and us.
By Bemused
September 18, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
What does it matter? The one person who could fire the owners, perhaps, is David Stern, and if he hasn’t by now, he won’t. Arthur Blanks is not the only the most stable owner in town, but also the only one who seems willing to spend what it takes to create a winner—and we see where all that has gotten the Falcons, and us.
By Bemused
September 18, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
What does it matter? The one person who could fire the owners, perhaps, is David Stern, and if he hasn’t by now, he won’t. Arthur Blanks is not the only the most stable owner in town, but also the only one who seems willing to spend what it takes to create a winner—and we see where all that has gotten the Falcons, and us.
By This Gets Old
September 18, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
You know Mark I’ve been wondering the same thing for some time now but I have also wondered about TW’s handling of this sale and sale of the Braves.
They seemed almost preternaturally inclined to not only get the best financial deal which is natural. But they also seemed to choose people who were at best long shots to be successful with the teams.
In addition it is mind boggling that both of these sales were approved. If David Stern is so keen on strong local ownership how did this one get past the Board of Governors? Same with Bud Selig.
Paranoia thy name is This Gets Old.
By Slow Dribbler
September 18, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
RE: REMEMBER DAVID McDAVID?
Yes, I certainly recall that undereducated, slow-witted, constipated redneck who used diction such as the word “lawyering” when trying to sound legitimate and successful.
I wouldn’t buy an overpriced, intestinal bleeding-causing Philips Arena polish sausage to go with my overpriced basketball ticket, much less an overpriced used car, from that dishonest, inarticulate bag of methane.
By Josh Howard is a punk biach
September 18, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
Hello…my names Josh…im ANOTHER unappreciative, egotistical, all about ME black player, by the way… kill whitey and i HATE America!!
And we actually SUPPORT these fools with our $$??
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
September 18, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
I didn’t realize there’s a professional basketball team in town. I love the Trashers though. There’s nothing like a good game of Ice Puckey. It really gives you your money’s worth too-three halves. I like it when the players hit each other with their rhythm sticks. It’s really exciting! Of course, some of these fellows are high-sticking off the ice in all probability, if you know what I mean. Come on down to Boohoo Land and watch a good game of Ice Puckey.
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
September 18, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
Josh Howard is a punk biach
Mr. Punk, I believe you left a ‘t’ out of biatch. It just doesn’t sound right without it. Perhaps you should look into some remedial ebonics. This blend of ebony and phonics is very difficult to master and requires a great deal of study. I do agree with your assessment of Mr. Howard. He’s overpaid, unappreciative and, seemingly, racist. He, however, is guaranteed free speech under the Constitution and I support that. I don’t agree with anything he represents but he has a right to an opinion and he has the right to express it. I won’t be contributing any dollars to the NBA. As far as I’m concerned the NBA could go away tomorrow and it wouldn’t affect my life at all.
By I Hate ATLANTA SPIRIT, Too.
September 18, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this
The ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP owners may all be idiots, as they have done little to dispel that notion, but at least none of them were stupid enough to give $130 Million to a brain dead, felonious THUG “Quarterback” from Virginia Tech who raped, tortured and murdered pit bulls while gambling on them with other brain dead THUGZ.
By Hillbilly Deluxe
September 18, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this
If you are unhappy with these 2 franchises, (in my opinion you have ample reason to be), don’t buy tickets, merchandise, etc.
By kenny from athens
September 18, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
David McDavid was the crappy owner of the Dallas Mavericks before Mark Cuban bought them and turned them in to a decent franchise. The Mavs were a joke before Cuban and nothing leads me to believe that McDavid wouldn’t turn the Hawks in to more of a joke than they are right now.
By josebenzaca
September 18, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this
The Thrashers will be sold in the very near future. Don’t look for the ATL to have a hockey team within two years.
By Thrash - #0
September 18, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this
Dear josebenzaca,
Go Kill Yourself with a pair of pruning shears in a Taco Bell restroom.
You are worthless.
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
September 19, 2008 1:12 AM | Link to this
josebenzaca is right. This isn’t a town for Ice Puckey. It’s more suitable for climes further toward the North Pole. Very few folks here care much about high sticking and hat tricks and all that other mularkey that comes with Ice Puckey. It’s not a very entrtaining game. It’s rather boring and would do very well in a locale where threre’s not much to do!
By ?
September 19, 2008 6:40 AM | Link to this
M.B. DAVID MCDAVID…Was thinking about him when all of the ASG mess was going on. We will never know, only speculate. Soon enough, hopefully we’ll have new owners of at least the Hawks… & hopefully it won’t be Belkin!
By Charlie Gibson
September 19, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
FYI:
The poster known as “Algonquin J. Calhoun” is also the same Barack Hussein Obama Supporter known as:
“David Duke”
and
“Tito the Bear”
Thank You.
By Crazy Diamond
September 19, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
We are so screwed.
No matter who is the owner, or who wanted to be the owner, or who becomes the owner, hockey in Atlanta won’t work. The national TV contract pays nothing. The local ticket base, sponsorships, local TV and radio contract will not allow the team to have a payroll at the ever increasing CBA cap. We will always be behind. Doormats. Maybe the Thrashers can be a better team than some in our division but never good enough to rise to the top of the league. In a few years the team will be sold. And moved.
On the basketball side - we deserve a great team. Without great ownership we will not have a great team. Belkin alone may be the best alternative here. He has deep pockets. My impression of McDavid is that of a used car salesman - a successful one, but not a NBA owner. We would have been so screwed with that guy for sure.
By worthless article
September 24, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
4th best player? Childress?
How is Mark Bradley still employed?
cough one paper city cough
By Atlanta Fan
September 26, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
ASG is very bad, but McDavid only had enough capital to possibly “buy” the teams, not run the teams. And seriously the Thrashers will always be a throw in, especially when their most profitable year was called a lock out. Give it to Belkin, dump ASG and the Thrashers. Hawks/Thrashers dumped to garbage owners. Braves dumped to a company writing them off for taxes. And somehow Rankin JR (Artie Blank) gets a pass with his garbage.
Atlanta Sports, gotta love it!!!!!!!
By Seriously?
October 2, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this
I think David McDavid would have done a much better job with the teams than ASG, only because anyone in Texas knows his passion for sports teams. When he PARTLY owned the Dallas Mavericks, he wanted to do a lot more with them, but Ross Perot Jr. (the dominant owner at the time) consistently stood in the way. David McDavid wanted and deserved another shot; everyone in Texas knows what type of business man he is; there certainly are not many like him as is clear by his rare success in the automotive industry. And the comment on him owning car dealerships and being down in the dumps right now… do your homework before you post a comment like that, David McDavid sold his dealerships years ago to the public company Asbury.