Hawks

By honest_abe

November 3, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this

if history holds true… there will be more ny fans than atlanta ……but if atlanta can get out to a lead.. they can usually sway the fans that make our city famous.. these fans tend to be limited in knowledge of the game, cheer for whoever is winning and love to criticize the home team, even though they don’t follow them closely!

By Falcons Fan

November 3, 2006 04:20 PM | Link to this

Sounds like your begging people to come and cheer for a basketball team that hasn’t won in years and seem to show a lack of effort in games already this season (pathetic)!! I don’t think I’ll be joining you tonight SS, tell me how it goes against the overpaid bums that reside in NY.

By Kappy

November 3, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this

Well said Abe. Atlanta pro sports fans are awful. And I’ve lived here all my life. Theyre so susceptible to being swayed to the opponents side. Just no sense of identity, character, or loyalty.

Forget them, I’ll be cheering for our lowly hawks tonight regardless of the score.

By John D.

November 3, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this

Excellent, Sekou. The Hawks will be less talented and with less experience but talent clearly does not always prevail and neither does experience.

Play as a team, play defense and the wins will come even for the less talented and less experienced and the opportunity to exert those characteristics and prevail is probably more likely in the NBA than in any other league at any other level. Fewer players in the game, over a long season and the teams with those who “phone it in” will lose to the less talented and less experienced team with high energy and effort.

The Hawks must win at home and certainly against a team such as the Knicks with enough combustible parts to implode at any time.

By bill

November 3, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this

Abe — You are so on target…everytime the Knicks, Sixers or Lakers come to Philips, there are thousands of middle-aged men (& women) with Marbury, Iverson & Kobe jerseys on!!! It’s a Catch-22…the Hawks have to start winning consistantly to get the true home fans in the seats, while the fans should come to support a yooung team that needs all the help it can get. I still don’t understand why with all of our youth we don’t run, especially since some of our inside guys play such soft defense.

By BRING 'NIQUE BACK

November 3, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this

The Hawks need to play harder, sure. From every game that I watched last year, and from Wednesday night, I have gathered that we are poorly coached. I actually think that we have a pretty decent line-up, with some depth now at most positions. Our biggest problem is our guys are not being put in a position to succeed. The Hawks need to raise the tempo of the game by 2-fold. With a line up of Claxton, JJ, JSmith, Childress, and Shelden….why would we ever want to play a half court game???????? Speed the game up, get JJ moving around the perimeter Jacking 3’s (ala Pheonix), and get Marvin and J-Smooth taking the ball to the whole on Fast Breaks. We can’t shoot like the Suns, but we can sure as heck run like them with the guys we have.

Coach Woodsen, release the hounds!!! Please !! Speed up the tempo

By BRING 'NIQUE BACK

November 3, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this

The Hawks need to play harder, sure. From every game that I watched last year, and from Wednesday night, I have gathered that we are poorly coached. I actually think that we have a pretty decent line-up, with some depth now at most positions. Our biggest problem is our guys are not being put in a position to succeed. The Hawks need to raise the tempo of the game by 2-fold. With a line up of Claxton, JJ, JSmith, Childress, and Shelden….why would we ever want to play a half court game???????? Speed the game up, get JJ moving around the perimeter Jacking 3’s (ala Pheonix), and get Marvin and J-Smooth taking the ball to the whole on Fast Breaks. We can’t shoot like the Suns, but we can sure as heck run like them with the guys we have.

Coach Woodsen, release the hounds!!! Please, Speed up the tempo!!

By TTCO

November 3, 2006 05:43 PM | Link to this

ThugBA oh I mean NBA what a joke!

By KPH

November 3, 2006 05:46 PM | Link to this

Gangsta rappa wanna bes in baggy basketball uniforms now thats entertainment!

By Jay Willis

November 3, 2006 06:38 PM | Link to this

I watched Atlanta play Philadelphia and am sad to report that a(nother) woeful scam has been perpetrated on Atlanta sports fans. Not only can’t Atlanta’s “stars” dominated, but Speedy Claxton and Zaza Pachulia do not belong in this league. If you can only hope to break even at three of the five matchups on your best night and can expect a dreadful drubbing at the other two, you can’t expect to win (m)any games. And Mike Woodson is either a bad coach or just not good enough to do anything about the poor players, or both. You know what I think.

By Jay Willis

November 3, 2006 06:39 PM | Link to this

I watched Atlanta play Philadelphia and am sad to report that a(nother) woeful scam has been perpetrated on Atlanta sports fans. Not only can’t Atlanta’s “stars” dominated, but Speedy Claxton and Zaza Pachulia do not belong in this league. If you can only hope to break even at three of the five matchups on your best night and can expect a dreadful drubbing at the other two, you can’t expect to win (m)any games. And Mike Woodson is either a terrible coach or just not good enough to make up for the poor players, or both. You know what I think.

By Jay Willis

November 3, 2006 06:40 PM | Link to this

I watched Atlanta play Philadelphia and am sad to report that a(nother) woeful scam has been perpetrated on Atlanta sports fans. Not only can’t Atlanta’s “stars” dominated, but Speedy Claxton and Zaza Pachulia do not belong in this league. If you can only hope to break even at three of the five matchups on your best night and can expect a dreadful drubbing at the other two, you can’t expect to win (m)any games. And Mike Woodson is either a terrible coach or just not good enough to make up for the poor players, or both. You know what I think.

By reese

November 3, 2006 07:22 PM | Link to this

Let’s not underestimate these knicks under Isaiah Thomas. The talent level is there and they are playing hard for their coach.

This season, both Childress and J Smith are going to have to improve their ball handling and using their opposite hands to shoot/dribble.

Childress has got to get stronger. He missed too many put backs.

Woodson has got to play his big men or Billy has got to trade to get some he will play.

By Jambazy

November 3, 2006 07:50 PM | Link to this

DNP

Ivey, Batista. Whats up with these two DNP’S. I hope spirit is saving some money with them on the bench

By Astro Joe

November 3, 2006 08:11 PM | Link to this

Zaza looks great during this 1st quarter. He seems much more aggressive and much more confident tonight. Its easy to forget that he is a 22 year-old guy who only got extended playing time last year for the first time in his young career. I know his game is not pretty nor athletic, but he is providing some low-post scoring. And he even had 2 blocks Wednesday against Philly.

By Sean

November 3, 2006 08:57 PM | Link to this

It is November right?

‘Cos if I didn’t know better, I’d say it was 32 degrees in August. Either that or the Hawks have really been playing D, rebounding and pushing the ball inside in the 1st half and this isn’t really a dream where I’m about to wake up and I’m running late for work.

By A Thinking Fan

November 3, 2006 10:27 PM | Link to this

Let’s hear from the wimpy blog fans… 19K+ at the game supporting their team, wimps on the web being nothing but wannabe critics!

By reese

November 3, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this

Great games hawks. The Good: JJ and Zaza utilize the pick and roll to perfection; Childress continues to block/alter shots and provide double digit scoring off the bench. Josh smith continues to block/alter shots and scores in double digits. Woodson gives zaza some rest and plays more big men. Huge improvement in team field goal percentage (47.5%). Shelden Williams uses inside hand to block the shot of Nate Robinson.

The BAD: who cares, we won.

By Andy

November 3, 2006 10:41 PM | Link to this

Fun, fun, fun game. One the hawks did NOT give away at the end. Way to go. One win I know—but who cares. A win is a win. It was fun to watch.

By ray

November 3, 2006 11:03 PM | Link to this

And there we have it. First blood drawn, the home opener won. Yeah, I know, it’s just game two, but are we going to keep saying that game after game ( “dude! it’s just game 54, this doesn’t mean anything!”). Ha! With this blog, you never know…But the team looked different, once the slow start was overcome.

JAY WILLIS. Where have you been watching basketball? Speedy and Pachulia don’t belong in this league? Yeah, okay. I seem to remeber Steve Smith saying what a big help Speedy was in helping the Spurs win the title a couple years back. And Pachulia has been an absolute steal. He’s pretty solid, even if he got run over by Eddy Curry tonight. Man, you are just ate up with the dumba## syndrome.

I still see too many guys standing around in the half court set. Childress is already being a rock for this team. If we do end up moving him, it better be for somebody good. And I mean good. JJ…we knew he was gonna blow some guys up…he looked good from the arc and driving in. Smoove was great on the move, but still looks kinda lost in the half court set. And his perimeter shot is doing everything but falling. Really makes you wish Marvin was out there, ‘cause you can see him driving left and right, plus hitting jumpers from all over the place. God Speed, Marvin.

A word or two on the opposing starting centers tonight. I’ll start by saying that Pachulia is not and may never be an All-Star. But he is a good player. For those of you who think lowly of him, how about tonight’s stat line: Curry (39min, 20pts, 1assists,2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 0 steals) Pachulia (29min, 22pts, 3assists, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 steal). While Zaza didn’t stop Curry…Curry was even worse trying to stop Zaza. And he played 10 more minutes than Zaza did. How the devil does the biggest guy on the court play 40 minutes and manage only 2 rebounds. Anybody still yellin’ for Curry down here? People might be complaining that Zaza isn’t the answer at center, and while we can do better, we could have done worse. If you saw the game, you know what I’m talkin’ about.

Well, we did look good in transition a few times. At least we know we CAN run. The defense was better, even Smoove learned about taking a charge. But it has to get better. Lue has been Mr. Clutch here and there, which is nice. All the same, I’m glad Speedy is back and look forward to him hitting his stride. He and Lue will make quite the 1-2 punch. Yeah, yeah I know. The Knicks looked bad out there. There’s no denying they have a multitude of problems. On paper, they win by a landslide, yes? I’ll take the win, though. We are going to have to play harder against teams that come out to play, though. The Knicks didn’t have that fire, although some of them played pretty hard (Nate Robinson, David Lee, Q-Rich). The Star-Spangled Backcourt sure wasn’t impressive. But like I said, I’ll take the win.

By Lacsho

November 3, 2006 11:05 PM | Link to this

I’m not going to say much, but haters beware. Fair weather fans beware!!! I’m not going to let you get on the band wagon like you did Vick.

Now if we can get ZaZa to play some defense we will be alright. ZaZa’s defense is a liability. Other than that, Great game Hawks

Ray watch these fair weather fans get on the bandwagon…

I can’t wait to see my Buckeyes put it on Michigan That’s for you Sekou, yes I’m a Ohio native..

And I’m Gone

Peace to the real Hawks Fans

By ray

November 3, 2006 11:06 PM | Link to this

Right on, Reese. I hope we build on this and play harder. Would love to see what we can do when Marvin returns. Josh didn’t do bad, but I’m looking for the level of aggression from him that Childress displays. He is just all over the court. And he’s very animated on defense. When Smoove gets there, he’ll be a true terror. But that alley he caught from Speedy…damn. He was UP THERE! Nice jam on the steal, too.

By ray

November 3, 2006 11:09 PM | Link to this

Okay, who authorized Bob Rathbun to be a commentator? This guy should only be allowed to say one small sentence every ten minutes. I mean really. Steve Smith deserves a better partner.

Rathbun sucks monkey squeezins.

By reese

November 3, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this

Ray, I just don’t think that Josh Smith wants to play the 4 spot. Whenever, Josh Childress and JJ are in the game, josh seems to rotate to the 4 spot and he does not embrace it. He is not a banger. I see that Woodson again tried to play Shelden at the 5 spot and curry ate his lunch. Now that I think about it ray, how about Curry at the 5 and zaza at the 4.

By Richie Rich

November 3, 2006 11:46 PM | Link to this

we barely beat a PATHETIC basketball team and here ya’ll go complaining about were the real hawks fans are. we had to scrap and claw to barely beat the knicks! I’m from here, i go to almost every single game(thanks to my free tickets), and i just can’t get excited about what i see. that’s my opinion, i have a right to that!

let’s see what happens on sunday!

By ray

November 3, 2006 11:49 PM | Link to this

Well, Reese, if Curry would use that big-as* body and play some D! But getting abused by Zaza says he’s just as disinclined to play D as before. A disappointment, although in plays in our favor right now. And you’re right about Josh. But I’ve said that it takes committment to get the job done, at any position. I guess it will end up being Marvin. As for Shelden: he blocks little Nate’s shot on one play, and then on another play JUST LIKE IT, Nate beats him. This is NOT the blue collar lunch pail guy I thought we had. As has been said before, he most certainly isn’t ready for the 5 spot, not against anybody decent. We’ll see how he develops, I guess. He did put Channing Frye down once or twice. I don’t expect a star’s performance, but I want to see better than that. You just don’t allow smaller guys, especially really smaller guys drive in time after time. I’d rather see a hard foul. Robinson came right back after him…Shelden has to be more convincing.

By Lacsho

November 4, 2006 12:19 AM | Link to this

Rich you sound like those Falcon fans, after Vick led them to victory against the Steelers.

Weather they win or loose I will remain consistent!!!

I had my beef with ownership about the draft, but Doc and the others were right “what’s done is done” we cannot change the past. This is the team we have, so either you support, you straddle the fence, or maybe you just hate.(Wasted Energy) It is what it is!!!

By CJ

November 4, 2006 12:22 AM | Link to this

The Hawks did the right thing tonight. They played hard and ran. If these guys try to half court any game they are going to get killed on any given night..even with Williams back in the lineup. These guys have to run and Sheldon only needs to focus on rebounds and D. That probably means he’s going to spell backup center more often than not b/c in order to run the Hawks need quick offensive able players on the floor. This team still has it’s flaws b/c they pretty much have to outwork every team they play every night b/c of the skill gap. I say stay in playoff contention until the last month.

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 12:27 AM | Link to this

well, at least we can say we’re 1-1!! couldn’t even have thought that last year. NICE WIN!! again, did not see the game but followed it on ESPN’s play-by-play. one thing that stuck out, especially in the first qtr was the amount of jump shots taken!!?? no drives??!!! JSMITH is in luv with his jump shot, huh??? REESE, i think you hit it on the head tonite on JS and the 4 spot. MARVIN is the 4. no way JS is a 4 nor wants to be a 4 playin’ like he’s playin’!! and i know ANDO has brought up that point many times, about who wants the 4. and i’ve actually posed the question before, on who was settin’ up where, when MARVIN was in the lineup??!! was SALIM a DNP due to WOODSON or somethin’ else?? BATISTA and IVEY are just takin’ up space and a paycheck (sorry guyfromuruguay, just callin’ it like i see) FREIJE has a quick trigger it seems!!LOL needs to go get some boards with that 6’10” frame!!

again, good win. at least they took care of home!!!

By reese

November 4, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this

Ray, Shelden is doing his job by rotating over, challenging the shot and keeping the clock running. Nate Robinson just made some excellent shots. I was disappointed as well that he didn’t continue to block Nate’s shot, but that has more to do with Nate being a better offensive player than what Sheldon is accustomed to playing against. Not to mention that Shelden is undersized and not a great leaper.

But, blocking shots is not always about being a great leaper or height. Its about positioning and touching the ball before the offensive player can get rid of it. Crawford for the Knicks demonstrated that by blocking JJ’s shot twice. J Chill did the same against one of the knick players.

Hopefully, Woodson will be able to instill in these players that they have to pack the paint and nate should be challenging 2 or 3 players and not 1 late in the game.

By rob

November 4, 2006 03:18 AM | Link to this

Rich, how does being up by 17, controlling the final three quarters of the game, and winning by 10 qualify as “barely beating the Knicks”? I thought they played well tonight although they will be seriously hurt by not having Marvin against some more talented teams. I hope he heals quickly…Looking forward to sunday!

By RichieRich

November 4, 2006 08:49 AM | Link to this

ATF, out of those 19k fans, 12k were NY fans. There will only be a few sellouts all season, and it’s not because of the Hawks.

Rob, yeah we got up big early, partly due to the fact that the pathetic Knicks had 9 turnovers in the second qtr alone. As for barely beating them, they cut our lead to 3 pts in the 4th qtr, but we won by hanging on. That Knick team is absolute garbage, Marbury only took like 6 shots, Steve Francis did nothing, the Chicago bulls will be sitting pretty come draft time thanks to the Knicks!

By Astro Joe

November 4, 2006 09:10 AM | Link to this

I think many of us are sometimes guilty of preferring style over substance. The Zaza/Curry match-up was very compelling last night. While watching the game, I thought Curry was an unstoppable force. When he got the ball, he was decisive, quick and strong with his moves. It was one of the best low post display of offense I have seen in many years. And then there was Zaza. A few awkward moves here and there, a lot of brute force kind of plays and a general ugly but effective effort. Then I look at the box score and I see that Zaza outperformed Curry in every stat. More points, boards, assists and free throws. So I am guilty of getting caught up in style and not substance. Chances are Zaza won’t score 22 every game, but this shows some of what he can do when rested and healthy. It also shows why the depth that Shelden and Lo Wright bring are critical to the success of the existing team members.

Helluva game, Zaza. And keep bringing the ugly… its a thing of beauty.

By mike

November 4, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this

Really enjoyed the game last night. The Hawks cheerleaders by far are the most attractive in the league. WOW what talent. Oh I almost forgot there was a game. Same old Hawks. Really nothing to get excited about it was just a game of who wanted to give it away. Both coaches are “Dead Men Walking” within their organizations. The unfortunate thing is the league is so bad this year we could actually look worse than last year and improve our win/loss record by 10 games ie., the Knicks. As long as BK can continue the “Rome was not built in a day” philosophy we are only going to be as good or bad as the league itself.

By michael m.

November 4, 2006 10:39 AM | Link to this

the way we played in the second quarter is what needs to occur on a more regular basis, pushing the ball upcourt and using our athleticism to get easy baskets. our best quarter of the season by far.

in the fouth, joe and zaza showed a lot of recognition in the halfcourt, playing well off of each other in a two man game that allowed us to remain in front despite little nate’s best efforts. it’s great when guys start to know how and where to get each other the ball in position to score. that’s the type of chemistry that only comes from playing together a lot, growing as a team. it’s vital we have those types of weapons and tricks up our sleeves in the half court game. they are never going to be stockton and malone, but their efforts sealed the win last night.

neither the first or third quarters had a positive hawks flow, but we hustled and played enough defense to not suffer any extended knick runs. i thought shelden’s incredible rebounding in the first quarter was a key in helping us stay close.

as for josh smith, he really needs to have a better basketball iq. just because his first drive to the basket doesnt result in a score doesnt mean he should resort back to standstill jumpshots when he is clearly not in rhythm. loved seeing him out in transition slamming home the speedy lob, but the coaches need to be in his ear constantly. he just isn’t playing smart and it’s disappointing to not see him pick up where he left off last year. with his skills he should be all over the place out there instead of disappearing. rebound, move without the ball, something. this is his third year and his inconsistency right now is maddening.

great to get a win though. hope we can keep it up.

By roan st

November 4, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this

To all you boring diaw fans out there he has been benched in favor of barbosa. Last year he was the product of a great system and snuck up on people but now teams are coming after him this year. The suns have way overpayed this guy as he will slip back towards anonimity.

By Clyde

November 4, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this

I don’t understand how a guy 5’11 can get a shot off over a guy 6’11. It doesn’t make any kind of sense. Again this game people drove right down the lane without getting put on their back. When will it stop?

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By Ken Strickland

November 4, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this

The significance of last nights win should not be overlooked.(1)We rebounded from an awful season opening loss to Philly.(2)50% of the active roster is new to the organization, including one starter.(3)One starter, Claxton, is not in game shape and is acclimating himself to the system and players, after missing training camp.(4)A 2nd starter, MWilliams, is on IR.(5)We are still the youngest and least experienced team in the NBA.

Despite all of these factors, most of which are negative, we showed poise and maturity when it counted most, in last nights win. Last yr our 1st win didn’t come until the 10th game. And during that stretch we didn’t have any 17pt leads to blow and we didn’t make any comebacks. So, with all things being considered, this was a very good win. With 6 new faces, 2 vets, 3 rookies and a 2nd yr player, chemistry will obviously be an issue. If we win half of the next 20-30 games, while overcoming injuries and chemistry issues, we’ll challenge for a playoff slot. GOOOOOO HAWKS!!!!!!

By TTCO

November 4, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

After the sorry excuse we have had for a basketball team the last 15 years us wimpy bloggers have every right to be critical of the Hawks as well as the THUG.B.A. As of this season there are 84 active players that have arrest records and some of them multiple times. Like I said GANGSTA RAPPA WANNA BE`S IN BAGGY BASKETBALL UNIFORMS! The Thug.B.A will only continue to decline if mainly THUGS are on the floor. As they say GO HAWKS GO!, GO HAWKS GO!, ACROSS THE FLOOR AND OUT THE DOOR! GO HAWKS GO!

By jhan

November 4, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this

The reason Nate Robinson got his shots off is because he is a legitimate NBA player. Because he is under 6’ doesn’t mean he should get all his shots blocked. How many baskets did his coach score during his career? Nice overall effort on both ends. Still too many jumpshots for Smith. He needs to attack the basket on both ends. He also needs to quit making those goofy faces all the time. Someone should remind him that the camera is on him a lot. LOL

By Ken Strickland

November 4, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this

TTCO, what is with you and your obsession with BA and the Tug issue, as it relates to the NBA? I would think your concern would be about criminal behavior and the criminal eliminate in society overall, not just the NBA. What about all of the child molesters and drug users that are ministers, priests and politicians? what goes on in sports is nothing more than a reflection of society, and vice versa. And to judge all by the action of a few is the 1st step towards racial, sexual, religious and ethnic bigotry.

By reese

November 4, 2006 01:06 PM | Link to this

mykhalc, I don’t understand a lot of the coaches in this league when it comes to playing two big men together. Riley doesn’t play Mourning and Shaq, Eddie Jordan won’t play Haywood and Thomas together. Both coaches last night had the opportunity to place another big man on the floor with their starting centers.

Kelvin cato has averaged more than 1 block per game over his career. Isaiah thomas should have had Curry playing zaza and kato playing smith or williams. Cato could then have rotated over to challenge zaza’s layups to the basket in the 4th qtr.

As far as woodson goes, he doesn’t have a tall shot blocker who can rotate over to challenge curry. Shelden does what he is suppose to do by rotating over and putting his hands up. The problem is that he is just too short. Smith is too short and commits to jumping before the big man shoots (at least he is right some of the time) and wright, I don’t know what his problem is. Either he is just not that smart or has short arms like kevin willis.

But hey, as long as other coaches are just as unimaginative as Woodson, I guess it won’t matter.

Besides, making those types of changes doesn’t guarantee that good offensive players still won’t make shots. But, it does allow an arm chair coach like myself provide some analysis.

And Yes Ray, adding Curry to the hawks while we have zaza is not providing a compliment to either of those players. They are really mirrors of each other. Offensive minded only. We need a shot blocker to compliment zaza who is as tall or taller than lorenzen wright.

By talk_chillin

November 4, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this

Ken watch that stuff. You are making way too much sense to these blog WIMPS! Truthful facts and stats are way beyond these WIMPS!!! Their ability to discern is dysfunctional and dangerous… Watch your back Ken!

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

JOE, great line!!LOL

REESE, i don’t get that either. especially in the case of playin’ SHAQ and ZO together. seems like there’d be game situations where it would certainly present problems for the opposing team.

the one thing that i like so far in these 2 games is, at least WOODSON has been playin’ the new guys, FREIJE and BOZEMAN. ‘cause they clearly are upgrades from IVEY and BATISTA. it’s sad to watch the SPIRIT count pennies instead of takin’ the best players that were in camp!! but such is life as a HAWKS fan!!LOL

it was real nice to see JJ bounce back from game 1 and show like he did. i really do feel he’ll be one of the best in the league this year.

SALIM, my fav topic…LOL…i don’t know what caused his DNP last nite (i think i know but it would speculation (at the highest level, of course) LOL) but my point is, i would much rather see him bring us somethin’ in a trade, than to see his talents wasted on the bench if/because he is not givin’ WOODSON what he’s askin’ for. at this point, BOZEMAN sees the court before SALIM. if he’s not gonna play, then use his talents to bring us the talents we need from another team. so SPIRIT since you’re countin’ pennies, count ALL OF ‘EM!! at least SALIM’s pennies have value and can bring us somethin’!!! and i WILL say this in his defense. if FREIJE can jack up 9 shots in 6 mins (or whatever it was) then might as well give SALIM the same chance. FREIJE needs to trade some of those shots for some boards!!!

By roan st

November 4, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this

Has anyone else noticed that the play of all rookies with the exception of ROY has not been that good. Gay started out like gangbusters but he came back to earth last night with only two points. Where are all the randy foye fans now? He has 0 points in two games this season. I’m not saying shelden was the right choice but most of the guys picked before and after him are doing nothing for their teams. Roy, the one exception plays the exact same position as jj so he didn’t really make much sense on draft night. I would like to see shelden score more points but 9 rebounds and two blocks is a solid contribution from a rookie player. If shelden develops into a solid player he will probably be better than 3/4 of last years drafted players because many of them will end up complete bust.

By TTCO

November 4, 2006 02:18 PM | Link to this

Several years ago I took my then 12 year old son to see a Hawks game. We had 3rd row seats right behind the Hawks bench and were really looking forward to being up close to the game and players as some of them were real heros to my son, he had thier basketball cards etc. and had actually gotten a couple of autographs just before shoot arounds. As the game started it took about 5 minutes to realize I had made a big mistake as the players became foul mouthed thugs. I bet my son and I heard MF and F you 10 times in the first quarter coming from the floor as well as the bench. We finally moved to the nose bleed seats just to find that we were surrounded by drunken thugs and just left the game. I spent over a hundred bucks on tickets and all I got out of it was cursing lessons for my 12 year old. This is the main reason however not the only one why this wimpy blogger hates the Thug B.A. I just wanted to let Ken and Talk chillin know that there is a reason for what I have said and I will be signing off this blog and leave it to you THUG WORSHIPERS! I wish the Hawks another horrible season with the hope they will leave this city and stop embarassing the true sports fans that live here. By the way I am sure you will deem me a racist for my remarks but rest assured I am not a racist and there are a lot more decent folks like me that feel the same as I do about this joke they call the N.B.A.!

By Lacsho

November 4, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this

I don’t Roan Tryus Thomas was looking pretty good before he received a broken nose in that Miami game, and your boy in Charlotte is a scoring machine, but his defense is a liability. Shelden’s not looking to bad, and that shot Nate made over him was an offensive foul, upon viewing the replay you can see Nate’s other arm was holding Shelden back. Do not sleep on Nates’ strength remember he was once a great football player. Anywayz I think its clear that we really miss Marvin, JJ is playing good ball, and Josh needs to take the ball to the hole. He’s playing the same way he played during preseason (settling for jump shots). This guy should be driving to the hole every chance he gets. I reiterate that once Speedy get acclimated, we will see a different team. Speedy really pushes the ball up the court, and Lue is nice off the bench. Almost forgot, J-Chill is looking like he wants the Six man of the year award!!!

By talk_chillin

November 4, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

TTCO become a Change Agent for good and not a “Whining Wimp.” When you raise 2 young adults (boy & girl, respectively in college – studying to acquire professional designations - children of color), you know that to avoid evil/bad you have to know it enough to teach it to them. You obviously retreat in the face of life’s challenges…

By A Thinking Fan

November 4, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this

This blog keeps adding my email address as my name…

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this

MM, i agree with you on JSMITH’s court smarts. look at LA’s BYNUM, 19 yrs old, and he GETS it…ALREADY!!! but then again, look at who he’s surrounded with and being mentored by. regardless tho, at this point, i think we should expect more from our 3rd year pro!!!

By TTCO

November 4, 2006 03:18 PM | Link to this

Talk chillin, That made a lot of sense LOL!

By newkid

November 4, 2006 03:25 PM | Link to this

My buddy and I were surrounded by Knicks fans (many of them now reside here in the metro area) in section 310 last night, and the good-natured needling went back and forth throughout the game. Some guy from Brooklyn kept referring to Tyronn Lue as the NBA version of the once diminutive Raven Simone.

As I watched the game I found it difficult to get a handle on our strengths and weaknesses this early in the season, and because we primarily used a half court set-up style of play even though our board strength would have allowed more of the ‘board/run/gun’ style I assumed we’d play this year. Seems our premier point guard isn’t yet in the kind of game shape necessary to lead us in a running game, and with Marvin out we’re down a significant piece of our running puzzle. Nevertheless Woody and the staff coached them up and the guys consistently found Joe in low post mis-matches against the shorter Marbury and Francis. And Joe made them pay.

In the flow of the game, it wasn’t at all apparent that Zaza was being as effective on the offensive end as the final results indicate. Guy’s a steal at $4 mil per annum.

Some here have insisted that Marvin and Smoove represent duplicate skill sets. IMO this perspective isn’t at all accurate. Have seen them both in the flesh several times this year and last, and Josh isn’t even close to a SF (even though that may be HIS preferred position). The SF simply MUST able to put the ball on the floor for at least a dribble or two to free yourself for a jump shot, or to penetrate the lane for ‘and ones’. Josh isn’t remotely close to being able to free himself for shots by putting the ball on the floor. His strenght is that he excels at finishing on the break in a transition game with his exageratedly long strides and hops. An emerging strengh could be his ability to excel at ‘catch and shoot’ when his jumper improves, but dude has neither the footwork nor the handle to be a SF in the near future (Marvin on the other hand has the handle, the footwork, head/body fakes, and the jump shot needed to play the 3 spot). Oh, and while Josh doesn’t show it consistently, he sometimes shows signs of potentially being a really good ‘on ball’ defender. He’s already super at helping from the weakside. Dude’s a 4 with a 3 mindset. The sooner he realizes that his future is as a 4, the sooner he can start to refine his game to suite his natural attributes.

Hawks are fortunate to not have a team of hot tempered players. The super quick “T” whistle this year is gonna really hurt teams with players of that ilk. Little Nate got T-ed up on the wink of an eye last night after he showed the slight bite of disgust with a 2nd quarter foul call. Poor Rasheed. Speaking of Nate, dude’s a 5’8” stud who deserves much more PT, but won’t get it as long as both Francis and Marbury are playing in the Garden.

Bottom line: Much better ‘effort’ from our guys last night (compared to the Philly game); I’ll continue to pay to see that sort of effort whether we win or lose. Sticking to my 42-40 pre-season prediction.

By A Thinking Fan

November 4, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

TTCO I knew you weren’t gonna’ leave us. That-a-boy, hang in there. This blog will get you right…

By Ken Strickland

November 4, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this

TTCO, race has nothing to do with your concerns, which are legitimate. I fully understand your feelings, especially the dissappointing experience with your son. However, let’s look at your issue from a broader perspective. The vulgarity and disrespect you and your son experienced would likely have been expressed anywhere in the stands, to varying degrees. Last yr the NBA introduced a dress code in order to, supposedly, enhance its overall image. This yr, they have ordered officials to crack down on emotional displays and arguing. However, the NBA has made no attempt to crack down on profanity, because it would affect more than just the players. Keep in mind, NBA coaches are among the biggest culprits. Players have been fined and suppended for doing just about everything imaginable to the officials, except using profanity.

What I am saying TTCO, it’s not a players problem, it’s an NBA problem. The issue is almost nonexistant on the high school and college levels, because the schools and the NCAA regulate it. The NBA’s feable attempt at a solution is to levy fines in the thousands on players making millions. It’s like going tiger hunting with a spoon. Suspensions, along with fines, would deprive teams of players services and force them to self regulate their behavior. Just food for thought. I hope it helps in broaden the scope of your concerns.

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this

NEWKID, nice post!! i live in SF and don’t have the NBALP, so i don’t get to see many games at all. just follow the team thru the blog and boxes. pls answer if you can…how does WOODSON use MARVIN and JS on the floor together??? in other words who’s playin’ what, when they are on the floor together?? my take is that MARVIN seems to be embracing the post up game, thus ready to play the 4. whereas, JS consistently wants to settle for jump shots! anyway, any more insight you can add is appreciated!!

By newkid

November 4, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this

mykhalc, I’m afraid we’ll have wait until late December or early January to witness Woody’s plans (if he’s still ‘in the saddle’) for Josh and Marvin. Through the pre-season and two regular season games, injuries have prevented the on court union of the quintet we’re all eagerly awaiting. I’d be surprised if Woody doesn’t very quickly - and happily - move Josh back to the 4-spot when when Marvin returns.

Josh is an Atlanta kid; grew up here watching and idolizing Nique, who’s a natural 3. Nique’s an icon here (rightfully so), and it’s not too much of a stretch for me to imagine that Josh sees himself as following in Nique’s footsteps. Josh could be special, but it won’t be at the 3.

On another note, after last night I wonder if we’ve seen the last of Ivey and Batista in Hawks uniforms (barring unforseeable injuries). Neither dressed for the game last night; both were there. Bozeman has been the 3rd point guard off the bench in the 1st couple of games, and Woody played Solomon Jones (with limited pre-season action) in the 1st half of the game against Philly. If not for the guaranteed contracts or the need to have access to contracts that can be packaged in a transaction, I suspect they both would have been waived at the end of camp. Wouldn’t be too surprised to see Salim in some sort of package as well. The all have modest contracts that expire at the end of this campaign, and might find themselves in a sort of ‘John Edwards’ role in a trade before the deadline.

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this

thanks NEWKID. i thought there were at least a couple of pre-season games that had them BOTH in the starting lineup!!????

By newkid

November 4, 2006 05:21 PM | Link to this

You’re correct mykhalc, but none of those pre-season games had Speedy, Josh, and Marvin. IMO the manner in which Woody uses the Marvin/Josh tandem is VERY MUCH reliant on Speedy. Without a healthy fully functional Speedy we’re essentially a half court set-up team, and the Marvin/Josh tandem functions differently in that sort of offense than it does in a run and shot offense.

By mykhalc

November 4, 2006 05:32 PM | Link to this

that’s what i’m curious NEWKID, the half-court set. who was at the 3 and 4 in the half-court set when both were in there?? thanks…

By Ken Strickland

November 4, 2006 07:28 PM | Link to this

NEWKID, as usual you are on top of things. Keep it coming.

By kg

November 4, 2006 09:26 PM | Link to this

If the playoffs started today, the Hawks would be in it.

By Ken Strickland

November 5, 2006 12:05 AM | Link to this

Sunday’s game against the Magic will be a good test for the Hawks. Speedy will have his hands full with Nelson and JSmith will have to contend with GHill. The key will be how well SWilliams performs against Howard. Man, Orlando has a very talented team. GO HAWKS!!!

By HB Ando

November 5, 2006 03:31 AM | Link to this

I’m not too worried about Speedy’s slow start. Johnson will be an all-star. Zaza looks to have improved over his surprising success from last year. Childress has re-affirmed his versalitility and production with Marvin out.

But this team needs Josh Smith to quit pretending he’s a wing player, soft as a baby’s a*, and take the challenge of using his length and athleticism to make the team better. Dude, you’re not a finesse player. And if you refuse to take the challenge of putting your team in front of your own self-image, on the court, then you’ll be the guy that this team ships (once there is qualified front office management in place).

It’s simply pathetic, the numbers you have produced in the first two games. Go to the boards, attack the basket, move without the ball, run the damn wing. How hard is it? What’s so different from right now and your post-all-star numbers? Where is the heart? Where is the effort? Be a man!

I was going to post your numbers, to make my point. But they are so weak that I’m embarrassed for you. Where the hell is 15-8-4, with a steal, a 3, and 3+ blocks? Pride, pride, pride. I just don’t know what’s lacking. Pride or heart?

By Samuel

November 5, 2006 09:38 AM | Link to this

TTCO,

Wake up guy. This is the world we’re living in. It would have been no different had it been the NFL,NHL,or NCAA. Did you happen to see that piece on Charlie Weiss at ND and his cussin tyraids on the sidelines at ND? Let’s not forget that these guys are at work and at work Adults have foul mouths. Yall might wanna just watch it on TV, next time.

Good win against the Knicks. This was one of those games that definately were winable, although I thought the Knicks woul “bring more to the table”. I guess they just aint got it in them. I think Zeke’s a goner. Today’s game is also winnable but we will have to work our butts off to stop that Train named Dwight.

By Glutton for Punishment

November 5, 2006 10:19 AM | Link to this

Samuel… I was gonna say the same thing to *TTCO.. it has nothing to do with the so called THUGs of the NBA.. it is just one sport where you are so close that you hear the language on the bench. It happens in every sport. I am in the medical profession and I have heard a few fu,sh, and he** come out of people’s mouths during emotional events… and that was just the patients waiting in the waiting room waiting to be seen…LOL

By honest_abe

November 5, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this

i think it’s sad when society makes excuses for people who curse in public.. whether it be because you work in an intense, emotionn filled environment.. there are still other classy ways of getting your point across… (i still haven’t figured out how) but when i see high profile public figures such as Coach Richt who always handles himself with such a high level of professionalism.. it’s definitely something that should be commended.

any win in my book is a great win for the hawks… we’re always going to have some punks like rich who come on here just to rag on the opponent or some other negative aspect of the game. i saw a team that is slowly progressing.. a team that might have a hard time getting shots to fall on the road, but should be fairly competitive on the home…

flash!!! i know i gave you all kinds of grief about etan… so let me be the first to apologize…he looked pretty darn good last night against the celts.. maybe he’s not quite the stiff i had always envisioned..

By jhan

November 5, 2006 11:25 AM | Link to this

Dead on HB about Josh Smith. If he wants to be the next AK-47 he needs to adjust his game in a big way. His road to glory in the NBA isn’t going to be as a 3 point shooter.

By Samuel

November 5, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

Abe,

No one is making excuses. I’m just saying, that’s how it is, therefore I wouldn’t take my child around it.

How do you know how Coach Richt is on the sidelines. I would love to have him miked these last few weeks since the Dawgs are getting scrubbed. It might not be as G Rated as you might believe.

By A Thinking Fan

November 5, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this

HB Ando Is that you? Did I hear some positives come from you concerning the Hawks? LOL!

By HB Ando

November 5, 2006 02:14 PM | Link to this

ATF, I’m trying to mix it up a little bit. That way I can go from being always negative, to just mostly negative…….

Howard is turning into a beast before the eyes of the NBA public. I suggested that Sekou was a tad hyperbolic to suggest that Howard would quickly surpass Amare as a force. Looks like Amare really might struggle to regain his explosiveness, at least in the near term. And Howard is showing some serious footwork down on the block. Kid is downright nasty. Anybody else seen the numbers G. Hill has put up the first few games. If he stays healthy, there are a playoff team this year.

By Melvin

November 5, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this

FYI…. NBA league pass is broadcasting today’s game against the Magic…

By Buddha

November 5, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this

Anyone see that the Sonics picked up the Big Greek. So he can play for Seattle, but we have no room for him here? Whatever BK. At least we still have Batista.

By mykhalc

November 5, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this

ANDO, last post…too funny!LOL your first post was dead on-point bro!! and it’s something you brought up time and time again!! guess he really doesn’t want to be a 4 huh?? i’ll ask again, is he the 4 when he and MW are on the court together???

By Melvin

November 5, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this

Good win buy the Hawks today. Speedy and JJ look like they are going to be one the better backcourts in the league. ZaZa had Howard fustrate and in foul trouble for most of the game. JSmoove, JChill, Shelden and L.Wright played solid.. I think that Solomon kid will be a contributor this year for this team.

By Jay

November 5, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

“I could bore you with more of my travel-related horror stories”

…but instead I’ll use my blog.

By Samuel

November 5, 2006 06:21 PM | Link to this

Hey Jay, Stop the Hate.

By Tim

November 5, 2006 06:27 PM | Link to this

Another sign of the apocalypse: The Hawks have a winning record.

By doc

November 5, 2006 06:46 PM | Link to this

atf, i dont know about you but when i get to agree with ando it does my ego sooo much good because i feel soooo smart and not sooo stupid. got to say again that when the spinners drop the smoove stuff and call the kid smash then we might see josh grow into what he can become. marvin being out will possibly slow josh’s growth as marvin sets the standard for working even as a young guy from inside out rather than the outside in and seems to have shown more agressiveness inside against bigger guys. seems like josh did his job today with 11 boards and 11 points in another surprising win against a team picked to finish higher than the hawks and one to be noted for their youth and size and smarter upper management.

atf, also cant resist pointing out the mvp is off to another impressive start but his supporing cast is letting him down beyond shawn marion. is diaw now failing to again live up to expectations as he struggles to get the same handle as last year with 2 t.o.’s to every assist avg only 1.5 assists a game and less than four boards a game? not what i would want from an 8 million dollar a year invesment. if they continue to lose though it will force stern’s hand to give the mvp to someone else, right?

as an observation it is hard to believe, after less than one week in the league there are only four undefeated teams, one of them the sixers.

honest, my bees and hawks are the winners this weekend. heh heh. have you shown up over at the dog or falcon blog or are you going to ride with the good guys? maybe the roll tide clyde is going to make some big bucks soon by selling “fire cmr” shirts if this keeps up.

samuel, you out and running in the fantasy league? sorry i missed the opportunity to sign up to try and chase you this year. hope aj and ando among others can keep you more honest this year. guys to keep up you better get up and do your homework by 6 am each morning as the guy goes to school mighty early and makes his moves while you are sleeping.

By JohnD

November 5, 2006 06:50 PM | Link to this

I hate to tell you DEFENDERS but the world is not full of profanity and to accept such from the floor in the NBA is wrong. Teh idea that profanity is somehow adult is also just something a user would say. PROFANITY BESPEAKS IGNORANCE.

The difference in the other pro sports is the fans are close enough to hear what happens in basketball. What the Notre Dame coach says has nothing to do with the NBA. Clean it up or lose significant numbers of fans.

Advising a father to simply keep his children away does nothing to build a fan base. If there are drunks and thugs in the stands then arena security should remove them and not allow them back. The idea that the decent people in this world should just learn to live with the bums, drunks, and profanity-spewing filth is absurd. Does not matter whether in Philips arena, the Dome or on the streets. The public should complain long and loud until the depravity is cleaned out of the arena and the city.

On a more pleasant note:

The Hawks have a winning record so where is Clyde the Clown and his “Fire Billy and Woody” nonsense. The 76ers are winning now but it will not last and there does not appear to be a team ready to dominate at the start of the season. Looks like a lot of 40-50 win teams but still with a few like the Knicks who will be dreadful.

By Lacsho

November 5, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this

Melvin thanks for the fyi. I caught the game. Good win for the home team. Speedy is slowly getting into basketball shape. The Hawks dominated the whole game. Orlando only had 11 pts after the end of the first quater. I think the Hawks defense is looking pretty good. I still would love to see ZaZa play better defense. Could you imagine if ZaZa would add ten pounds of muscle?

Damn the 76ers are on fire!

By A Thinking Fan

November 5, 2006 07:18 PM | Link to this

DOC I hear U about Nash and Phx…

I was at the game! LW is a grown man, who does the grunt work - small things that add-up. Things that make wives happy, takeout the trash, put a new roll of tissue on the holder, clear the table… He does things that win games!

The Hawks play DEFENSE AND RAN DEPTH at OM! Of all things they (ATL) has depth in the front court positions. Who would have thung it?

By ray

November 5, 2006 07:19 PM | Link to this

Jay, you remind me of something that lives under a bridge and chases billy goats. Dig? You no likey blog, you no post.

Ando, you’re on the money with Josh. I’m tired of him saying he’s learned that he has to play the game that’s coming to him and go to the inside more often. However cliche` it sounds, actions speak louder than words. Although I said earlier that he may emerge as the greater talent, rather than Marvin, his early play makes me want to retract my words. Of course, we’ve yet to see Marvin in the regular season this time around, so I really couldn’t compare them anyway. And by the way, you’re last post was pretty funny.

Mykhalc, as usual I’m feelin’ you. I don’t know that we CAN have two bigs on the court at the same time for very long. We don’t have much of what I’d call bigs anyway, so they gotta sit to spell each other.

I know it must seem that I’m baggin’ on Shelden, but I’m not. I just expect him to be more intimidating down low. He has to project the image of toughness and then back it up. I know it’s only been three games, Nate’s a tough guy, blocks and steals are stats. Attitude is everything. A scowl and hard (but not flagrant) foul here and there helps. That’s all I want, honest. Otherwise, I have no choice but to raise my trumpet alonside Ando…

By ray

November 5, 2006 07:40 PM | Link to this

Ken, thankyou for adding some sense. If some people think the NBA is full of thugs and that is the true threat in life, they better never go to an NFL game.

“Profanity bespeaks of ignorance” Ahem. Ignorance can be caused by a multitude of things, or a lack of things. Profanity is not likely to be one of them. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or recognition of something. The above quoted statement would then surely assume that anyone that has used profanity in any way, shape, or form, for any reason, is therefore ignorant. Yes, I’m afraid the world IS full of profanity, John D. I hope you don’t watch television or movies, step out of your front door, attend any social or sporting event, shop where there might be other people, or work anywhere but inside your home. Am I defending profanity? No. I’m hoping you’ll take my advice so that reality doesn’t physically slap you in the face. Is it wrong or right? Who am I to say. But I can tell you this: demand loudly wherever you wish that people curb their language…I’d like to know which street in the city you’ll try to purify first. That way we’ll know where to send the EMTs.

By ray

November 5, 2006 07:41 PM | Link to this

Lascho, if this keeps up, we’re gonna need a bigger bandwagon. I better shut my mouth, though. If we collapse ANYWHERE in the season, I’ll need plenty of salt and pepper to eat my words. JJ is the TRUTH, is he not? Nice win in Orlando.

By Bertie

November 5, 2006 08:19 PM | Link to this

I don’t ever get to see the Hawks on TV but today I caught the 2nd half of the game and the team looked pretty good although Orlando was off. JJ and Zaza are playing great, JJ can score on anybody and Zaza seems to always be in the middle of the action. Shelden will help Zaza because he is a banger inside that takes up space in the paint. I was impressed with Josh Childress’ play, he has a great basketball I.Q. However, I wished he would’ve gotten upper body strength in the off-season because he is a small forward not a guard.

I was dissapointed with Josh Smith even though he got a double double. He has great ability and talent but his basketball I.Q. is not good. In transition he is good but in the half court set he is lost. He was standing around the 3 point line for most of the 3rd quarter without crashing the boards. The guy does not know how to play and move without the ball. He got his numbers today because he got a lot of minutes due to Marvin’s absence but in my opinion he is not starter based on how he played today. On one play at the beginning of the 3rd quarter he passed the ball to Zaza down low on the left side and Zaza missed, Shelden crashed the boards from the right side and tipped it but 4 Magic players crashed the boards and got the rebound and Josh stayed behind the 3 point line instead of crashing the boards with both our guards back defensively.

By Ken Strickland

November 5, 2006 08:19 PM | Link to this

Great win for the Hawks. Last yr it took 16 games before we got our 2nd win. We beat a very talented team on the road, and did it with DEF. It looks like Woodson has realized it would be better to play Childress at SF with JSmith at PF. JSmith played 39.44 mins and Childress played 38.13mins. I am sure most of those mins were at the SF position. Playing together, the two collected 19rebs. SWilliams played only 13.51mins.

With JSmith playing PF, instead of SF, he will usually be closer to the basket on DEF. That might explain the 4 blocks and 11 rebs. JChildress is the most mature, consistant and underrated of our draft picks. I want to reiterate, if we finish the 1st 20-30 games at 500 or better, we will make the playoffs. As bad as we’ve been the last 2yrs, we’ve always improved and been very competitive after the break.

By Lacsho

November 5, 2006 09:09 PM | Link to this

Ray I hear you, and I think JJ is a basketball machine. This year he will finally get his due respect around the league.

Bertie you nailed it. Josh Smith is lost in the half court set. Josh stands out on the wing waiting for a jump shot. He’s been doing the same thing for over a year now. I don’t understand the logic for that. This guy has too much talent, and it being wasted during the half court set. If we can see this, I know Woodson has to be able to see this. Hopefully they will get this fixed. I think he lacks a killer instinct; I don’t know if he has the drive, nor passion that will help elevate him to the next tier of elite players in the NBA. I think Marvin has it, but Josh I don’t know.

By A Thinking Fan

November 5, 2006 09:21 PM | Link to this

It’s been 5 hours since the Hawks played, no sight of the usual BLOG WHINING WIMPS!

I know they are over there on the Falcon’s Blog yakking it up!

By JohnD

November 5, 2006 09:34 PM | Link to this

Ray,

Perhaps you should understand that which you attempt to critique before you put your foot in your mouth. “Profanity bespeaks ignorance” simply means that to use profanity indicates you are too ignorant to utilize a more intelligent thought process or words that are not profane. The phrase does not mean that profanity causes ignorance, exactly the opposite.

If profanity exists in all those places you cite then you live in the wrong place. The point is that when a sport, or any other activity, is advertised as a family event the event promoters or sponsors have a responsibility to keep the action clean.

Again, the NBA should move to clean up the language in just the same manner as they have moved to tone down the gesticulations by the players and coaches after an official’s whistle. Technical fouls would be more common for a short time but once the rules are established even the NBA players would fall in line.

Ray - as for your admonition to avoid any place other than my own home, I can and do point out to anyone I find offensive that there are children in the area and they need to be respectful of the right of others not to be exposed to such behavior. If you lack the courage to stand for what is right that is your problem not mine. General acceptance of this behavior in your world does not mean profanity is acceptable in POLITE society, in the business world or in my society and culture.

If crass, ignorant and abusive behavior is acceptable in your culture then I suggest you move to improve your culture or simply learn to live in the gutter.

As for your EMT comment, when anyone in society concedes to an ignorant element the right to determine the culture then all is lost and the thugs, crooks, criminals, gangs and other vermin of society will have prevailed. I have stood up in the past and will do so in the future, whether those I speak to number one or twenty. No EMT’s for me yet. Try it sometime Ray, you might feel better.

By jhan

November 5, 2006 09:38 PM | Link to this

I attended the game today and was impressed early with Sheldon. He only had 2 rebounds on the stat sheet, but played much better. He was able to play position defense against Orlando’s big men and keep them off the boards. He rotated nicely on defense and set numerous picks for Speedy & JJ. I’d say several of his teammates rebounds came after Sheldon fought 2 guys for the initial rebound and they were there to clean up. I think this guy is going to be exactly as advertised. High quality inside player. No superstar, but extremely solid.

By Clyde

November 5, 2006 10:26 PM | Link to this

“Clyde the Clown”. That’s funny. Good win for the Hawks today. I’m just concerned who will emerge as tht 2nd and 3rd scorer when JJ has a off night. I’m also concerned wit our offensive sets. Seems like the only we run is give it to JJ and let him go one on one.

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By GuyFromUruguay

November 5, 2006 10:30 PM | Link to this

Well, I’m surprised by the win today, I had Orlando penned as a playoff candidate, so, unlike the win vs Knicks, this one does give me hope. BTW, where are the guys that disputed that Philly was underrated now :)

On another note: “Sonics sign Glyniadakis, adding depth to thin frontcourt”, ESPN reports. The Sonics are pretty weak and needed him even more than us, but I’d rather the Hawks had signed him.

By JohnD

November 5, 2006 10:42 PM | Link to this

Clyde,

How did you know I meant you?

You are correct about the scoring. If JJ is not on the Hawks are in trouble, but these guys are young and all have been scorers at some time so one or two will have to step up and perform. Lue appears to be the best option right now.

The sets revolve around JJ because he is the best player and should have the ball in his hands. He is also the one player the other teams respect and he can break down a defense to allow someone an open shot.

What was your win total prediction?

By JohnD

November 5, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this

Philly beat the Hawks and a Miami team without Shaq at home. This does not make them a contender even at 3-0. Hunter and Dalembert are still marginal.

A little losing will be very difficult for the 76ers to take - they are still a very fragile team.

By Samuel

November 5, 2006 10:51 PM | Link to this

I’m glad Big G got signed by somebody. I really liked his game. I believe he’s gonna help somebody in this league.

By HB Ando

November 5, 2006 10:55 PM | Link to this

I know that there have been quite a few of us to predict a monster year from Johnson. All-star team, he he comes. Great win for the Hawks. I think JJ’s quote, in Sekou’s wrap up, says it all. He’s publicly telling his young teammates that any let up of effort returns them to a string of losses. This team is not good enough to cruise on anybody. They will have to out work every team they play. Rebounds and blocks from Smith today, but his inconsistency, in light of his talent, is simply maddening. I don’t know the kid, so I don’t feel too solid questioning his hoops IQ, buuuuuttt……….

Jhan, that is about the most glowing report I’ve ever heard for a starting PF who scored 2, grabbed 2, and turned it over 3 times, in 14 minutes. That would be pretty solid if he was our second round draft pick. That pick really hampered our rebuilding.

2-1. Being able to consistently hold home court is crucial to a young team.

Jhan, how was the crowd today? Light and quiet, or making a little noise. Let me know when you have one of those extra tickets……….

Doc, you’re not stupid. Maybe getting a little old. But what can you do about that? Hope you had a fine weekend my friend.

By mykhalc

November 5, 2006 11:20 PM | Link to this

RAY, i’m sorry…but i gotta laugh bro…lives under a bridge and chases billy goats!! LMAO ok..ok..i’m good…LOL

good win by the home team!! 2-1 ain’t a bad start at all for the young guns. and guess what…back-to-back wins at that!! NICE

ok, would like to hear what you guys think about this. tho JSMITH did produce today, after ANDO called him out, which way is best for the team to proceed…

1) a starting line-up that keeps JS at the 4, if that is his spot on the team. and somebody like, FREIJE (or even BOZEMAN) is moved to the 3 to start and provide minutes until the rotations with JC and SW happen.

or

2) keep starting SW at the 4 with the lineup like it is now??

and the reason i’m askin’ is cause if JS really is gonna be the starting 4, it would seem like the overall flow of the team would be best if most things could be kept the same (ie…line-up and rotations) during MW absence. then the only thing is plugin’ MW back into the lineup with all else pretty much remaining the same.

i guess i’m wondering if the team suffers in the long run if JS is not put in a slot and allowed to develop even in MW’s absence?? and don’t get me wrong, i’m happy with the wins and SHELDON’s play. but he’d still get his minutes if he did not start, right???

and maybe the answer is MARVIN is actually the starting 4. afterall, he’s the one with more of a lo-post game, right?? and he seems like he wants to post up and not settle for the jump shots. definitely not the shot blocker JS is but maybe has more of that 4 mentality. i really do see MARVIN as a ‘potential’ baby KG in the makin’!!???

ok, i’m ready to hear how bad my idea is!!LOL

By Clyde

November 5, 2006 11:48 PM | Link to this

30-52

By G-Money

November 6, 2006 03:30 AM | Link to this

What a great time to be a Hawk fan, .667 ball and leading the division. If this were but April. Nonetheless, the ability to add better quality bench strength, having played together a year, having JJ play with the other young All-Stars and having Speedy has definitely improved the team both mentally and physically.Yeah, Smoove needs to be Smash, but I do believe that they will address this. It will take more than a game but by December, he’ll be playing much better in the PF position. I also see SW getting quality minutes there to do a lot of the dirty work. Unless, playing small ball, I don’t think they can run SW in the pivot and not suffer. Perhaps that first game embarassment was enough of a kick in the pants. I sure hope so. It’s great that the young Hawks are learning the value of protecting the “house.” If they can consistently win at home and manage to steal a few on the road, it will be a nice season. Maximizing the advantages of being home this first month will do nothing but pay dividends later. Does anyone believe they can be 8-5 at the end of Nov?

By GuyFromUruguay

November 6, 2006 07:25 AM | Link to this

Mmm… 8-5? Let’s see: next up, Cleveland, it’s winnable but I think not, 2-2. Then back-to-back Toronto & Seattle, I’d say we win one of them, 3-3, then Milwaukee & Miami at home, again win one (I think Miami is actually the easier one) 4-4, then Detroit, Toronto & Orlando again, could win 2 optimistically, 6-5, then Washington & Charlotte… I’d say we end 7-6 which would be a very good record.

I’ll probably get to see one of the Toronto games at the Air Canada Center :)

By Bertie

November 6, 2006 07:41 AM | Link to this

8-5? It’s doable, but will have to win all the “easier” games (Toronto 2, Seattle and Charlotte) and catch both Milwaukee and Miami flat at Phillips and beat them. Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando and Washington on the road will be difficult games to win.

By honest_abe

November 6, 2006 08:49 AM | Link to this

i’m figuring the hawks will win around 28-30 home games… so far they have looked pretty darn good at the “highlight factory”..

doc, yes my college football season has oficially ended.. kentucky and vandy in one year……. SAY IT AIN’T SO!

jj for president!

By honest_abe

November 6, 2006 09:04 AM | Link to this

TTCO ….. welcome to reality my friend… i like how you ONLY pointed out the nba. i’m sorry you and son had to listen to profanity at a hawks game… but what other sporting event can you go to without hearing profanity… my comments earlier were out of context..(sorry sam) i scrolled up and read your ridiculous comment about the nba and i suggest this… if you want to go to a sporting event that is clean …a place where you won’t be subjected to crude and insensitive words.. take your son to go watch some gymnastics… it might just be more to your liking.. however, i’m not too sure if they have gymnastic cards for your son to play with.. LOL

By Astro Joe

November 6, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this

Sekou, looking for some inside scoop. Why is Salim buried on the bench? He’s been getting the Tony Delk treatment so far this season. And wasn’t that former banger Tyrone Hill sitting behind the Hawks bench Friday night? Is he joining the team to work with our young bigs? He would be a very solid choice to teach Shelden, Solomon and others how to play hard-nosed, low-post defense.

A few early season observations:

Childress is a very productive player, period. I’m guessing that he comes off the bench because he can still be productive in that role, while the struggling Smith may be even worse if he wasn’t starting. But Childress, who has gotten off to slow starts his 1st few seasons, is proving his worth and is truly stepping up in Marvin’s absence.

Smith is validating my posts about him a few weeks ago. It is getting very close for Woody to “let the grown folk play” and sit the young man down. I don’t care about upside, youth or potential. After 200+ NBA games, we need production. I’m leaning on effort being the issue more than lack of IQ. It takes more effort to want to drive to the basket and less effort to throw up long distance bombs. How many times have we heard “he settled for the jump shot” from commentators about guys shooting instead of driving? On a team with hard-workers like JJ, Zaza, Childress, Lue, Lorenzen and Shelden, Smith’s apathetic demeanor just feels out of place. (I will always believe that Marvin was drafted because of management’s concerns about Smith’s ability to translate his talent into consistent production).

Speedy looks disappointing to me. I know he is still getting his legs, but I haven’t been impressed with his decision-making skills. But he is still getting to know his new teammates, so I’ll give him another 10-12 games before passing judgement.

JJ is the man.

Zaza is the other man.

Shelden is adjusting. But I like that he seems to always be around the ball. And I like that he is mixing it up down low and has never appeared timid in his first 3 games. Sure, he is supposed to be “NBA ready” but that doesn’t mean from the first game of the season. I continue to believe that his rookie contributions will show in wins/losses and the production of others (e.g. Smith, Marvin & Zaza).

The good news is that Philly has not had problems scoring in other games. So maybe our defense is that good. I predicted a 45% winning percentage, which is 5 out of 11. We need to win only 3 of the next 8 games to be on that pace. So far, so good.

By jhan

November 6, 2006 09:54 AM | Link to this

The announced crowd was 14,000. I’d be suprised if there were over 10,000 in the seats. The people there were fairly loud & seemed to cheer at all the right times.

There was actually a Josh Smith post-up sighting! He easily posted his man & scored. I’d love to see more of this. Still too many flat-footed jumpshots & lots of standing around watching teammates try to rebound.

By HB Ando

November 6, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this

Joe, I ran into T Hill, in the lobby of 12 at Atlantic Station, this summer. Asked him if he was done (I think this was before the draft). He said no more hoops. I told him the Hawks REEEEAAALY could use some help on the glass and he just chuckled. Hill, in his prime, is probably about all we could ever hope for from Shelden. He could rebound and that was about it. He’s a little longer than Shelden. I notice that Shelden’s early season numbers are about the same as Simmons, in NO. Still think he was drafted about where Shelden should have gone.

By Astro Joe

November 6, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this

Ando, in today’s NBA, Tyrone Hill would be a god. I think Shelden will post numbers that are somewhere between Hill and Buck Williams. Buck averaged about 13 points and 10 boards for his career, Hill about 9 points and 8 boards. These numbers don’t sound great, but that’s about where Drew Gooden is performing and he was a 4th selection (I think) and just got a lucrative contract. And, personally, I still believe that we have enough long-term projects like Smith and Marvin to delight and frustrate us simultaneously. Simmons would have been my plan B (actually I really wanted to trade for Stromile who has since been lost for the season) but Simmons would have been my plan B as a draft pick. One interesting thing, both Webber and Frye struggled to score against the Hawks. Let’s see how Gooden and Shelden match-up tomorrow night.

By A Thinking Fan

November 6, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

Good to see you Old School Bloggers having a positive exchange! (HB & AJ)

By honest_abe

November 6, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this

i find their cordial exchanges rather boring and disinteresting…lol

i know it’s early, but does anyone else think that heat championship last year was an aberration? all i see on that team is one legitimate superstar.. (dwade) and a bunch of overpriced, really old, players.. they didn’t make any significant moves to improve themselves… the only thing that changed was that they all got a year older which in their case might not be such a great thing.

aj.. i understand your frustration with jsmith… but he still contributes in his own way… he could always be better…but his overall improvement is there… i heard woody say on the radio the other day… straight out of high school this is a guy that had no fundamentals… in two years, he has gotten considerably better in just about every aspect of his game… aggressiveness is a result of confidence… and it just might be that he isn’t as confident about his game as we might all like…

i really like the way this hawks team is getting after it this year… it tells me they are all buying into woody’s preachings… and THAT is a great sign!

By crs

November 6, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this

I agree on the Heat, Shaq is really showing his age at this point and outside of Wade, the heat is without a consistent scorer. That team will really struggle at times and I don’t think they can win 50 games this year.

By A Thinking Fan

November 6, 2006 01:07 PM | Link to this

ABE I used the word positive. It can be contentious and positive at the same time…

By Astro Joe

November 6, 2006 01:18 PM | Link to this

Abe, I’m not seeing any improvement this year. I think he is a guy who needs a “shock to the system”. Being left off the sophomore team last year, winning the Slam Dunk title his rookie year. Maybe he’s waiting for Woody to bench him when Marvin comes back. Do we wait for him like other teams waited for Tim Thomas and Darius Miles? Do we look at JJ, who Boston dumped as validation that we should wait? Or do we call Portland in January and see if we can trade Smith for Aldridge (and a 2nd round pick)? I’ve said it ad nauseum, Smith is the kind of player that gets coaches & GMs fired. Maybe he needs to try some of that medicine that kept the Braves’ Adam LaRoche focused on his craft. Smith’s uninspiring effort and wandering focus frustrate the heck out of me.

By the way, did anyone else find the commentary interesting yesterday? The Orlando guys were giving the Hawks much love, especially JJ.

By ABL

November 6, 2006 01:51 PM | Link to this

Losing Marvin was tough but this squad is still pretty soft. The ABL

By The Flash

November 6, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this

Z’s soccer background is going to make him more and more valuable. he “gets it” in a way that Smith never will, I fear.

Smith always seemed to me to be a post-up player. His timing and confidence around the basket eclipse anything he shows on the outside. Sees, understands, feels, the game best from the inside out. Offensive concepts that don’t allow him to operate in that fashion deprive him of the best that he has to offer.

By The Flash

November 6, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this

Oh, and Astro, I really don’t know that the system has not changed significantly, or at least Smith’s role in it, from years past. No Al, who, as a 4, liked to play like a 3, while SW stays around the basket. With Z, SW, and JJ all posting, you are asking Smith to do a whole different thing.

By ray

November 6, 2006 08:23 PM | Link to this

JohnD, your statement about ignorance seemed rather general, it could have been taken a number of ways. And I’m a law enforcement officer, so I think I know a thing or two about standing up for what’s right. And I live in the wrong place? If you are ever exposed to any profanity where you work, shop, live, or just happen to be, then surely you are in the wrong place as well, huh? In fact, you’ve admitted as much by saying that the public should “complain long and loud until the depravity is cleaned out of the arena and the city” is beyond unrealistic. Better to stick to your “polite” society where no one ever has a cross word. My admonition was a suggestion…a suggestion that you not take that attitude into some places where your obvious lack of discretion would get you into trouble. Oh, but you don’t live in a city that has any place like that. Denial is an ugly thing, man.