AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFailing to register with people
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sorry it took me so long to get back here from Miami. But my postgame routine Monday took a detour to Ocean Drive (no, I wasn’t frolicking on South Beach until the wee hours with all those wanna-be model types, though they were swarming all over the place. I was taking in a late-night gabfest with a couple of friends who are connected with the Heat and Hawks.
We were having a gloves-off conversation about all things basketball when one of them said something that made my jaw drop. She was asking about the Hawks and what I thought was wrong with them (you don’t have the time to read it all and I’d need a six-month sabbatical to write it all) and I uttered the phrase, “since they lost Joe,” and she interrupted me by asking, “Joe who?”
Now she argued immediately that it was a temporary mental glitch on her part. She was quite embarrassed and insisted I didn’t use her name (so I won’t). She said that she had just totally blanked on the Hawks’ lone All-Star and captain, leading scorer and best player. And that’s entirely possible.
But it dawned on me that her overlooking of Joe is part of a much more significant issue around the league (one that we’ve all discussed here incessantly).
The Hawks just don’t register with people.
They lack a universal identity, a public persona and a real bonafide face of the franchise that people recognize. It’s actually pretty sad when you consider all the hard work that Joe Johnson has put in (All-Star, Team USA, etc.) to raise not only his own profile but that of his team. But being a controversy-free and relatively laid-back, quiet guy doesn’t excite many people in this “look at me,” Bling Bling world.
That’s not a knock on anyone involved, the basketball public or JJ, it’s just the truth. And I didn’t really start to analyze it until about 1:45 a.m. with the wind slapping my napkin up in my pineapple juice and all over my shirt (only I could find a way to muck up a late night trip to South Beach).
So as I was preparing to leave Miami this morning (and outside of LA, Miami is the hardest road trip to finish because you’re hoping for anything to cause you to spend at least another 24 hours in that spot), I couldn’t stop thinking about my friend forgetting Joe was even a member of the Hawks.
And to be clear about the person who did this, she’s as well-versed in the inner-workings of the league (from all sides, having worked in high levels within the league and for teams and even on other side of the business) as a person could be. So this wasn’t some basketball novice doing this. She knows this stuff inside and out, from a perspective most of us could only dream of having.
And that brings me to my final thought and the only tangible solution I can see to this thing.
The Hawks have entered that nasty netherworld reserved for only the most futile of organizations in professional sports. They’re working on their eighth straight season without a visit to the postseason (and there’s no NIT for the NBA). If Golden State finds its way to the playoffs this year, the Hawks will be the owners of the league’s longest playoff drought, which is instant fame for all the wrong reasons.
The only way they can cure this thing is to move heaven and earth (and perhaps a few unwanted and/or redundant pieces on the roster and within the organization) to make themselves a legitimate playoff team. Not a playoff contender but a team that from the start of training camp until the middle of April is playoff bound. I know that’s easier said than done (and if I knew exactly how to make it happen I wouldn’t be writing this, I’d be somewhere botching drafts, cuddling up to Kevin Durant’s mother at the Big 12 Tournament and jetting off to Europe to scout players I knew couldn’t change the fortunes of my franchise).
Admitting you have a problem is the first step in recovery, or something like that. And too many of these teams refuse to admit the obvious; that in order to be a postseason player decision makers have to have the guts to make the big moves that can improve a franchise now rather than waiting and trying, in vain, to do it over the span of time. That over time approach usually involves compound mistakes that set a franchise back more than it pushes it forward. If it works out, that’s fantastic for the franchise bold enough to take that chance. And so what if it doesn’t work out. The rest of us are going to pick your bones anyway, so you might as well go out swinging.
Nearly the entire league sat on its hands at the trade deadline this year, in an embarrassingly uneventful scenario in which no team truly changed it’s immediate future. That can’t happen again this summer, not if a team like the Hawks wants to be relevant again, here in the city of Atlanta and beyond.
Now, I’m done preaching (to the choir), at least for today. Leave your money in the basket.
Comments
By Ryder
March 27, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this
Actually Sekou the Hawks are well known for one thing in the past few years: drafting Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul. Brilliant!
By Ryder
March 27, 2007 3:02 PM | Link to this
I remember living in DC when no knew about the Wizards (or even Bullets for that matter) when they completely sucked. It wasn’t until they made the playoffs in back to back years (not to mention the quirky personality of Agent Zero) that people began to notice them. You won’t believe how awesome it was to hear the name Wizards in a DirecTV commercial. HUGE! Anyway, I guarantee you that once the Hawks make the playoffs Josh Smith will become a STAR in this league. He has the highlight ability to get fans to love him. I understand TNT or ESPN has a clause in their contract not to show the Hawks (although they do show the Warriors despite not making the playoffs in 11 years) because they’ll probably be embarrassed by the low attendance. All I know is that from watching the Wizards rise from cellar dweller to playoff regular I know it can happen in Atlanta. Oh that’s right, the Wizards didn’t become any good until they got a real GM (Gruenfeld). Sorry, Hawks.
By Ricardo
March 27, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
SS -
Thank you for your insight and good topics of discussion. Agreed with all that you said.
I think the thing that is so frustrating to the 2 or 3 fans left is that there appears to be no end in site to this debacle. We’ve got a GM that no one has seen or heard from in months (which, come to think of it, is better than him messing things up more than he has already), an ownership group that may or may not actually own the team and even if they do, they don’t have the money to invest in the product or the acumen to know what to do if that did have any money.
So hear we sit on the deck of the S.S. Hawks as the band begins to play and the ship starts to take on water, then list to the side and finally sink in the abyss of total and utter NBA failure.
By Ryder
March 27, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this
I remember living in DC when no knew about the Wizards (or even Bullets for that matter) when they completely sucked. It wasn’t until they made the playoffs in back to back years (not to mention the quirky personality of Agent Zero) that people began to notice them. You won’t believe how awesome it was to hear the name Wizards in a DirecTV commercial. HUGE! Anyway, I guarantee you that once the Hawks make the playoffs Josh Smith will become a STAR in this league. He has the highlight ability to get fans to love him. I understand TNT or ESPN has a clause in their contract not to show the Hawks (although they do show the Warriors despite not making the playoffs in 11 years) because they’ll probably be embarrassed by the low attendance. All I know is that from watching the Wizards rise from cellar dweller to playoff regular I know it can happen in Atlanta. Oh that’s right, the Wizards didn’t become any good until they got a real GM (Gruenfeld). Sorry, Hawks.
By GT80
March 27, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Turned on the Hawks game last night to catch the very end of the 1st half. Hawks scored, cut deficit to 1 then made a good D stop to get the ball back with 20 seconds left. Woody calls TO to set up final play to take the lead into the half. Uh-oh, turnover by AJ, foul, stupid turnover by Marvin W, foul and half ends down 5. Poor Woody stood there with a look on his face like he wanted to kill somebody. I didn’t watch the 2nd half, I knew I couldn’t stomach it. And that leads to Sekou’s point, the Hawks are such a travesty that even us fans can’t stomach watching them sometimes, so why would anyone else in the NBA world care about this franchise. Maybe a miracle will occur and we hit the draft lottery motherload with the #1 pick overall and somehow Indiana’s pick gets to be top 5. Then we can pray that Billy Knightmare doesn’t screw the pooch again.
By mavid
March 27, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this
sekou, im not too worried about joe’s lack of notoriety for 2 reasons
1) He is setting a good example about humility and hard work for our young guys
2) J-Smoove is going to be the face of this franchise anyways and EVERYONE is going to know about this kid very soon (starting next year in my opinion). I’m convinced he will be the most exciting player in the league for at least 5 years. He’s going to be the guy people know about. He’s going to get the large shoe contracts. He will be the face of the Atlanta Hawks.
What I am worried about is this offseason. All I can hope for is that we get this top 3 pick, someone falls to us at the Indy pick who can immediately help (if we get that pick), or we somehow get an impact FA like Chauncey or trade for someone like Marcus Camby.
And also, what is the deal with Marvin’s perimeter game? This kid needs to handle the ball and drive more from the perimeter. His standing around taking only 15-18 footers is starting to get tiring, repetitive, and is very predictable for other teams (who know exactly how to guard him).
By GT80
March 27, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Ryder, how about these last few drafts - ‘03 - Boris Diaw over Josh Howard ‘04 -Josh Childress over Lual Deng ‘05 - Marvin over ARRRRGGGGHHHH ‘06 - Shelden Williams over ARRRRGGGGGHHHH
Say it isn’t so.
By Peter
March 27, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
Come on now have you seen them play???
They are flat out horrible….zero ball movement, zero coaching, zero management, and totally terrible picks.
There are maybe 5 guys on the entire squad that would play on other teams around the league, and the rest should be in the developmental league.
Marvin Williams should only play in the rookie league, he is slow, terrible body and a joke, along with our #1 pick of 2006………too small for his position, and not at all effective as a scorer.
This team lacks legitimacy starting at the top with the million owners, the GM who has zero idea how to put a team together, and finally a coach who is not teaching anybody anything.
This team will not be in any type of contention, until it is shipped some where else, and the entire organization starts from scratch.
HA HA HA HA Hawks!
By Marie
March 27, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
The Hawks don’t register with people – that was the point of this entry. I definitely agree with that fact about our A-team. We don’t have a Kobe or a Gilbert who is always in the news. In my opinion, we actually have something better, a team player who leads by example, a Joe. As far as Joe not bling blinging, I think the people who do notice him are more won over by his quiet disposition and laid back manner than they would be if he carried himself as an obnoxious jerk (we have enough of those in the league already). Of course the fact that he isn’t as flashy a player as others tends not to pack the seats of Philips Arena, and it doesn’t get the Hawks games on major networks. I personally think that once everybody is 100% healthy, and we get another big guy on the court, people will be unable to say things like, “the Hawks…are they still a franchise?” because the team will be on a winning streak that the people of Atlanta can’t miss seeing. Although Woody seems to be 11 eggs short of a dozen half of the time (the only good thing he did last night was let Esteban play), our team isn’t the worst out there. J-Smoove and J-Chill can outshine anybody on a good night. Once people actually start watching the Hawks at their full capability, they’ll see that our players actually are a Highlight Factory.
By J. Shuttlesworth
March 27, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
No one knows the Hawks? Even NBA people? You really have only been here for a couple years.
Part of it might also be his name. Every team has a Joe or two. Every team also has a Johnson or two, so I can see how mentioning his first name might not ring the bell (and it’s not like his injury is national news, anyway).
Most other big time players have an identifiable name, but Joe doesn’t have that. KG, AI, Melo, Kobe, Joe, Lebron, Shaq, Zydrunas, Chauncey. Who’s the odd man out?
By Anakin Joe
March 27, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this
I believe it was Bernie Mullen that I heard recently say that when you have cap space in the NBA, you essentially have an incomplete team. That made me feel a little better. It made me feel that the Hawks leadership does recognize that they do have a problem. Of course, the ultimate resolution of the court case is likely required before they choose to address the issue.
JJ had an outstanding year. But let’s be honest, had Paul Pierce or Michael Redd been healthy, he would have been an All-Star after thought. As it was, he was the 13th man after Kidd was injured. JJ obviously needs a side kick and I’m not convinced that this new version of Josh Smith is the answer. Smith seems to have excelled recently with the ball in his hands. He’s akin to the old C-Web in half court sets. (But of course, the Hawks don’t run anything as sophisticated as the Princeton offense). Will that work with JJ back on the floor? Will Smith’s ego allow him to be JJ’s “Robin” or has he spent too much time recently starring as Batman?
But your overall assessment is dead on. The franchise is a non-factor in the league (which I am sure is why the Spirit balked at the appraisal that valued this franchise as if it were the Mavericks or Heat). Using the cap space to simply extend the contracts of our uninspiring core will only lead to the occasional 8th seed playoff slot. The best way to regain credibility is through the hiring of an effective coach. Neither Smith nor JJ seem to have much to offer Madison Avenue. And unless we get a top 2 pick, we can’t expect a franchise type player from the draft. But if we had a coach who demanded the attnetion of players and media, that would be huge.
The model is the Thrashers. A championship coach with a bunch of young, exciting players. But the team is more Hartley’s than it is Hossa’s.
The cheapest option to quickly change this team’s image is through a coaching change. Put the right man on the sideline and watch the team’s reputation change. Isn’t that what Nellie did for the Warriors?
By GT80
March 27, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this
Mavid, you are right about JSmoove, he is going to be a star. But without help elsewhere on the team (can you say a real PG & C) the team will still suck and he will need to go elsewhere for the big payoff. They interviewed him as he was going to the locker room at half last night. He looked like HE wanted to kill somebody, most likely Marvin.
By Ricardo
March 27, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this
Anakin -
Good idea to switch coaches - it would probably have an impact right away. Problem - ownership would rather the team stink than fire a coach with years left on a contract that they would have to pay, even if it is a “small” amount of money, it ain’t gettin’ spent over there.
By J. Shuttlesworth
March 27, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this
P.S. The Hawks currently have the 5th worst record in the league. That gives them a 29% chance of getting a top-3 pick. The Bobcats have one fewer victory, and the Bucks have two fewer victories than the Hawks. If they can slip down to the 4th or 3rd worst record, the Hawks will have a 38% or 47% chance of scoring a top-3 pick.
The upcoming games with the ‘Cats and Bucks are HUGE.
By Ricardo
March 27, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this
Does anyone believe that we will actually have a draft pick this year (let alone 2)? Remember, this is Hawks we are talking about. It’s not like Lady Luck has risen her skirt in our direction in the last 15 years or so.
By MannyT
March 27, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
To get more recognition, you leverage your unique gifts. The Spirit need to put some Hawks in the stands for the NHL playoffs like the big TV networks do for major sporting events. Let the Hawks hang out with the Thrashers on TV commercials. In the world of business, anyone who knows our players and is willing to pay for a ticket is the target. Who cares if they are basketball savvy. Most of the basketball savvy folks in the arena root for the other team.
Once this ownership thing is settled, have funny ads with either the 8 dwarfs/owners or Belkin. You can gain a rep through the folks that own the team (Mark Cuban, the Maloofs).
To get better, I have blogged it before, you have to get another good player via trade, then a quality free agent may come here. BK did a good job clearing out cap space—now he has to fill it in carefully, but more aggressively for a vet that has 2 or 3 years left on his deal, but is no longer needed because his old team drafted the next best thing.
Give me a year in marketing and I would put the Spirit on the map…before the first regular season home game of the next season.
By #21=Top 50,1stBallot
March 27, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this
Speaking to the point of the post. I was watching Hawks on league pass, since I unfortunatlely live in Jersey, and the Heat broadcast was talking about the impact of Riley when he came the first time. Outside of Riley himself being a star and bringing cred to a young franchise, a move he executed to bring some excitement to the squad was trade Glenn Rice (the franchise player and top 3 shooter in his prime) for Zo. Rice is like Joe from the PR standpoint, outstanding player if you know bball, but hardly a seat-filler (pains me to say since Joe is my favorite player). He wasnt afraid to pull the trigger on Shaq, despite short term answer. All that said I agree Sekou, a major move needs to be made within the current roster- simply adding pieces wont do. Only players can’t be moved are Smoov and Joe. All esle is game (draft picks included when we finally have some back). Chemistry is part of equation and we dont appear to have any. Time to get aggressive.
By King JEC IV
March 27, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
First things first, the Hawks don’t even register on the citizens of Atlanta’s minds. When they do go to the games, they leave with 2:58 left on the clock. I was at Phillips Arena when they played the Mavs. They left long before the game was decided. Second, Billy Knight ranks right up there with Matt Millen for the worst GM in all of sports! Chris Paul should be your point guard. Shelden Williams shouldn’t have been drafted because he’s a Dukie! Duke players are never Hall of Famers! Marvin Williams hasn’t developed yet, which raises questions about the coaching staff. The Hawks are a young team. Knight should have hired a veteran coach like Larry Brown. Woodson could coach a veteran team, not this team. As a matter of fact, Larry Brown should be the next coach. You want to see action & improvement- hire LB pronto!!! Fire Matt Millen and Billy Knight!!!
By morris
March 27, 2007 5:19 PM | Link to this
Sekou, why don’t you have the guts to come out and lay the blame at the feet of the two culprits responsible for this fiasco. Every true hawks fan knows that knight and woodson should should be sent out on the next rail. Yet every blog you dance around and don’t go to the source of the problems. SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.
By GM R
March 27, 2007 5:34 PM | Link to this
Dream on SS. All the time you have an arrogant buffoon as GM things will not get any better. Just think what a team the Hawks could have now if BK had drafted the obvious choices in Deng and Paul and taken a chance on one of the Free Agent bigs currently getting their careers back on track in new homes. Dream on.
By Ricardo
March 27, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this
GMR -
High five! In addition to the absurd deals he’s made, the thing that really chaps me is his arrogance about everything. He’s got no use for the media or the fans and he makes no attempt to hide any of it. The thing is, he’s safe until the ownership situation is settled. Who in their right mind would take over as GM of the Hawks right now? Even if Spirit had any money, there’s no one of note to take it, knowing that if the outcome is favorable to Belkin (as it well might) you’re fired?
By Hatertots
March 27, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this
Billy’s made some questionable calls in the draft, sure. But guess what? So have most GMs; drafting seems like one of those things that’s more art than science. Otherwise, players like Lo Wright wouldn’t get drafted six spots before players like Kobe. We could go on and on about CP3 would’ve made the Hawks relevant again (and plenty in the media have) but those same media personnel pretty solidly agreed that Bogut and Williams were the top two picks in that draft.
Where Billy has really distinguished himself as a world-class ignoramus is in his trades. I was floored to find out that our Indy pick was top 10 protected. For a guy of Harrington’s caliber, I don’t care if Indy went 0-82; they got a very solid player, we got a draft pick. We should’ve gotten more than a pick, and that pick should outright be ours. No protections, no exceptions.
Then of course there’s the now legendary Battle of Joe Johnson in which the collective idiocy of the front office literally split the Hawks ownership in two, plunging the franchise into chaos. Compared to the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, the Darfur region looks like they’ve really got it together.
By clueless
March 27, 2007 5:52 PM | Link to this
Josh Smith already has one of the largest shoe contracts in the NBA. He also has a shoe called the J-Smoov. Adidas would love for him to get traded. The Hawks are clueless when it comes to marketing. Their idea of markting is to have the 700th time honoring Dominique.
By Mike
March 27, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
Guys I couldn’t agree with you more. A coaching change will be needed if this team is become a serious contender. The more you guys off the bench get minute, the worst Woodson looks. It should be painfully obvious to the spirit that Woody is not the right guy for this team. He just seems in capable of incorporating the right personnel to match up with the right opponent. The offensive sets are so elementary teams have no problems determining where to attack the offense. That explains why the team has so many close loses. The opponent always knows who the play is design for, and we run the same plays to the same guys. When it’s a time-out or an out of bounds play, you want to just take Woody’s clip and let the guys create something on the fly. What ever play he design never works. I’v said it before the problem with Woody is his staff; all of the guys are school defensive players minded players like him, they haven’t a clue about up-tempo basketball or imaginative offensive Sets. Miami is the oldest team in the league why would you not play up-tempo. It’s time for the spirit to bring someone in with a different philosophy. Woody has had more than enough time to get the job done.
On the subject of a player on the Hawks team that resonate with the fan and the rest of the league, we have that player already. It’s Salim Stoudamir. This guy is got everything we need in terms of marketability. He’s a big time player, a big time scorer, and a big time shooter. Nobody knows about him because Woody waits to the end of the season to give’em some PTP time. I would throw J-Smoove name in there too. When you think of how young he is, and what he can do on the basketball court. The fact that he’s second in the league in block shots at SF position is unreal. I wouldn’t be surprise if someone came knocking on S-Smoove door this summer. I like the ideas MannyT have for marketing the team also. That highlight factory stuff is dead. What good is a highlight reel when you have one of the worst records in the league?
It’s the end of the season and Slava is still getting DNP’s what possible message is Woody trying to send. Every time a guy that’s been left for dead on the bench gets minute they peform well if Woody leave’em in the game long enough. How many games could we have used Solomon and Estaban. How many games could JJ have gotten a break if he had used Salim? How can you use any of these guys for trade bait if they never play? It’s time for Woody to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Sekou K. Smith
March 27, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this
Morris, I have the guts to come out and call you a clown. How about that?
I’m not here to make up your mind for you (which it seems you’ve already decided who is to blame). I’m here to stir the debate.
And I can’t dance at all. But I can spot a clown a mile away. And your red nose shows every time you com here and ask me to tell you what you’ve already cooked up on your own.
For the last time, I’m not the hype man here. You’re wasting your time expecting it.
Make up your own minds about these people and the job they’ve done and then let ‘em (opinions) fly. That’s what this forum is here for.
By Volman
March 27, 2007 6:34 PM | Link to this
I’m a business major at Georgia Tech, and I swear, I’m going to work in marketing for the Spirit to help them turn things around.. (if they’d actually pay me, hah)
Goofing around aside, I think this team (not franchise, team) is on the rise. They are a few pieces away (big man, coach)..I really like how Anthony Johnson runs this team. There were lots of you who agreed with me when the Hawks won 4 straight.. Now it’s “off with his head”!!
Enough of the Marvin Williams over CP3 stuff… It’s been SOO oversaid. Everyone knows. This isn’t like the Hawks didn’t choose Jordan. Seriously.
Yes, nobody knows about the Hawks nor do they respect this franchise.. BUT, there are many players who see this franchise can sign them and that this team is on the rise..and are very young/athletic. The Hawks are gaining respect (very slowly) around the league, and with an addition of a decent free agent and possibly a top 3 pick (highly doubtful though) then things could turn around.
We’ll see.
By Malted Falcon
March 27, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this
Ugh, this is a shame because there are good fans in this city that would support a good team like the Hawks of the late ’80s and early ’90s. How about going back to those uniforms, for a start? That’s about the only good thing this franchise has left that’s identifiable, if you want a mark. Of course, a GM with a plan and a coach that does something besides stare with a lost look from his seat on the sideline would be a great start. Maybe a little luck in the lottery for the first time ever would get things started but most likely Phoenix will be enjoying our #4 draft pick.
By jbzoso32
March 27, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this
I am tired of this crap. Bomb the rest of the season and hope for Oden
By Wedgie Evans
March 27, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this
Sekou’s absolutely right. Most of the league’s stars were either highly touted coming out of college/high school and picked high in the draft, or were huge stars in college, or have street cred, or have a crowd-pleasing game, or have been in the news for some other reason. Joe Johnson’s a legit star, but I don’t think he really fills any of those categories. He was good in college but not a nationally recognized star, he didn’t make an immediate impact in the NBA, he’s not very flashy, he’s on his third team, and he doesn’t do and say crazy things like Gilbert Arenas to get attention. It’s not surprising that he’s not as well known as he should be. Josh Smith’s probably the most widely recognized player on the Hawks, because he won the dunk contest.
I’ve felt all year that the only two players worth keeping around on the Hawks as players to build around are Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. Childress is a valuable role player so he can stick around too. Everyone else, including Marvin Williams, has more value as a trading chip than as a player on the court. If the Hawks package all their remaining assets for the best big guy available (or a lottery pick that will get the Hawks a good big guy), they will probably be solid playoff contenders next year. But unless the Hawks get lucky and end up with a top 3 pick, they probably won’t be significantly improved next season barring a trade.
By morris
March 27, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
I’m a clown? Thats the best comeback you have for being a journalistic coward. In places like New York the heat is put on players and coaches and a lot of it is media driven. We need a voice at the AJC to help put the pressure on these two failures so we can get our team in better hands. If my nose is red I believe yours must be brown.
By Chris
March 27, 2007 7:23 PM | Link to this
Morris, do you really think anyone in the upper levels of Atlanta Spirit gives a damn what the AJC says (sorry Sekou)?
The answer: no.
There are some problems with ownership, you know. I think the AJC probably takes a distant back seat to all the other nonsense this group has thrust upon itself.
By Jay
March 27, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this
“They lack a universal identity”
Not true.
Their universal identity is joke of the league, pushover team, and worst fans in the nba who never fill philips. All us Hawks fans know the team is improving, more fans are going to the game, etc…but to anyone who doesnt closely follow the Hawks, they see an awful record, awful offensive stats, and a roster filled with a bunch of young guys sprinkled with a couple has-beens.
Thats the perception of the Hawks, right or wrong.
By ray
March 27, 2007 8:00 PM | Link to this
Morris, get a job as a writer and then show us all how much of a brave journalistic hero you are. Then enjoy your stay in the unemployment line while everybody who bothered to pay attention to you forgets who you are. Sekou has a job to do. And that job doesn’t include intentionally trying to crap where he eats. But then a crap eater like you probably wouldn’t understand that. Back to the falcons blog with you. SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND AN ARSE WHOOPIN’. How about them apples, you cowardly blogger? Yeah, it’s real easy behind the computer screen, ain’t it?
Back to my usual peace loving self…
Anakin Joe, you hit it on the head. Coaching change, coaching change, coaching change. Nellie was one of the best at running a small quick offense against opposing teams. He ran it all the time. And the teams he had ran all the time. And he won. Woody doesn’t fit here. I don’t even see signs of progress. What I see is accidental positive reactions via force of situation. Joe is out, forcing a different game plan. Smith, Childress, and lately Salim have really been getting it done fairly consistently. Who knows what will happen if Joe comes back this season (he really shouldn’t) but Woody isn’t the right guy to work those things out.
And really, all the talk about who we should’ve drafted loses some of its drive when we consider that Woody’s coaching style is what it is. Just how good would CP3 been in this situation? How about Roy or Foye? Maybe we’d be looking at them like Shelden and wondering what went wrong? Okay, maybe not quite like that, but you get the idea.
By morris
March 27, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
It’s funny how you challenege people and they respond by name calling. A sure sign of weakness. Now I’ve got some dude calling me a crap eater and saying I’m a coward for hiding behind the computer. Yet he is threating to whip my a* BEHIND A COMPUTER SCREEN. Thats too damn funny. And how am I hiding behind the computer screen anyway? I didn’t threaten anybody bodily harm, just made an observation about the lack of journalistic guts.
By Dr. Dave
March 27, 2007 8:49 PM | Link to this
The bottom line is that Mike Woodson is more than 100 games below .500 since his arrival. Billy Knight has accumulated some talented ballplayers. Unfortunately he has too many 3’s and 4’s without a solid point guard. Marvin Williams will eventually blossom into a good ballplayer. It would be a mistake to trade a player with this much skill who is only 20 years old. The Sheldon Williams pick was atrocious at that spot in the draft. The Hawks could have picked a better player like Brandon Roy or traded down if they really wanted Williams if they wanted him that badly. I bothers me the Hawks are losing games to teams with less talent, and that falls at the feet of the coach. Time to set up a firemikewoodson.com website.
By Dejay
March 27, 2007 9:11 PM | Link to this
As been said a thousand times over, leadership starts from the top. Who’s in charge in regards to the Hawks? A fractured ownership group, a GM who’s put together as many winning teams as I have yet carries himself as if there are world title banners hanging in the rafters at Philips, and an assistant head coach trying to piecemeal a lineup. That’s our Atlanta Hawks in a nutshell and its been a recipe for disaster.
What would get the Hawks some notoriety would be to run BK and his warped idea of putting a team together without any defined roles out of town, ASAP. He’s had more than enough time, draft picks, and cap space to get this franchise back on its feet and he hasn’t gotten the job done. As bad as Woodson has been at times, even he doesn’t deserve to be sold down the river for not getting this collection of misfits into the playoffs.
By doc
March 27, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this
a j, name one team that isnt 20 mil over the (non) cap that is competitive and in the playoff picture. mullin was truthful but understated it by a mile or thirty mil, take your pick. shamefully, the hawks were at 65 mil when this ownership took over a team that had already missed the playoffs 3-4 years in a row. no wonder aol got rid of it as quick as it did and held onto the braves with a tight payroll.
thrashers are in their 7th year and are playoff bound, the hawks are in the midst of their eighth straight year out of the playoffs. the hawks are second only to the sacramento franchise in longest time without a championship …. over fifty years. the thrashers went out and got four very good veterans for the run so they arent a young as you might think a j. what they do have is a stand up take charge and accountability general manager. again a different economy and one dependant on turnstyle count with a true cap at about 46 mil. hawks management will make money on the hwaks because of the nba franchise and what it brings from other revenue sources quicker than the thrashers.
morris, there is a saying in medicine that some folks brains have only two betz cells to work for them and unfortunately one of them is inhibatory. dont really get what your beef is with sekou as his last few posts have been about as pointed and on the edge as you can get when you have to walk a fine line between telling it like it is and antagonizing the folks you have to essentially have dinner with to get stories. now if you want to join the roll tide group go ahead and say it every time you post. you can even buy a year’s supply of t-shirts to wear along with all your friends but until you are ready to buy sekou’s dinner for him and his family for the rest of their lives or put him on your payroll and allow him press passes to say whatever he thinks, realistically you need to back off, show intelligence as your diatribe doesnt really show guts either but it is probably getting closer to the real anatomy it shows.
now back to basketball …. the hawks suck with or without joe, say thirty five wins max with him and twenty without. sadly, if the pacers dont rally the hawks will have very little to show for next year and this years draft unless there is an ownership rally, that is the only way next season can be better. can anyone say clippers or griz as that is the franchise the hawks have become? by this time next year jj and maybe a young, chills or josh, who wants his payday will be gone to fortify our rebuilding as we get an expiring contract or two and a couple of firsts for them as they break us up again. yuch!
By hawks are cursed for trading Nique.
March 27, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
wow some of you fans on here are idiots…check out this one blog:
By jhan If the Hawks are lucky enough to get a pick from #1-3 & the Indiana pick from #11-15 I would be looking to trade them both. BK should be able to parlay both picks & possibly Marvin/Childress into a quality starting PG & C
WHAT??? u would trade Oden or Durant if u got them…your about as bright as our current GM. Do you not watch college basketball at all??? The hawks would be idiots to actually try to win any more games and heres why. Based on the teams close to the hawks if they win games they could fall all the way to the 8th or so spot. And if they loose enough they could get the 3rd spot in the draft. Heres the chances of getting the top pick in the draft. 25.5%, 19.9, 15.6, 11.9, 8.8, 6.3, 4.3, 2.8, 1.4%
I dunno what yall r smokin but us having a 15.6% chance at Oden is alot better than a 1.4% chance. And yes…as of now i think the hawks are one of the least talented teams in the NBA. And if the roster stayed the same and we got….say billips…what would that mean? that we would get killed in the first round of the playoffs is all. This team needs MAJOR changes…keep joe johnson and josh smith and get rid of everyone else. Althought Salim would be a good player off the bench as a 3pt specialist. As ive been saying all season long….LOOSE hawks LOOSE!!
Thank God im a Rockets fan and before that i was a Sixers fan (the mutombo/iverson days) (i was a hardcore hawks fan growing up till they traded Nique into obvilion where i never got to see him play anymore).
I love how a true center like Mutombo dominants the paint! And Mcgrady….thats a top level superstar! not overhyped like “king james” sorry a*.
By Mike
March 27, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Ray you beat me to the point. You always hear guys like Morris blowing a lot hot air. It’s funny because there usually lonely bored and ignored all the time, so they always need a little controversy to grab a little attention. The problem with most of these guys is they’ve been low foyers all their life. They’re not comfortable expressing themselves so they need someone to validate them. Why else would a guy be upset with Sekou, because he didn’t say what he wanted him to say. “Wha Wha Wha.” There is only one word for people like that vain!!!!!!!!!
Sekou and the rest of guys can we maintain the level of respect we have for our fellow bloggsters, and let the vain infidels continue to make their pointless argument. These hate monger’s don’t just hate the team, they hate everybody asked JJ.
Now back to my Hawks. I agree with Volman this team still has a bright future. The biggest change the team needs to make is to bring in a more experienced coach. I’ll take Rudy T over Larry Brown. Woodson studied under Larry Brown, so we don’t need another coach coming in trying to run the same system. Rudy T would be a great coach for this team. He knows how to get the best out of his players and he won two championships with Houston. Give this team and up-tempo style of play and watch them evolve into something special. They want be able to play up-tempo against every team, so we have package some of this young talent to bring in a legit Big. Only legit Bigs, no more Speedy’sssssss
I still love the Hawks and I still feel this team will continue to get better. Some of same guys blogging and whining will become avid Hawks fans. Like always ship jumpers like to jump ship, and hop back on when the wind stops blowing. I’ve never been a ship jumper and so I’ll see you jumpers when you hop back on. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Volman by the way I heard your boy Crittenton was declaring for the draft.
By hawks are cursed for trading Nique.
March 27, 2007 10:05 PM | Link to this
NOOO i hope crinennton stays at Tech another year!!…thats the one real basketball team this city has!! If anyone leaves early i hope its young.
Go Gt! Go Braves! Go Falcons!
By Steve T
March 27, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
I think the problem may be more coaching. What I saw last night showed me that may be the hawks needs to be a running team. This team has failed to put teams away. I have been preaching that we need a go to guy.
Last night, I saw a way the Hawks can put teams away. Did anyone see Esteban run the floor last night? Did you see Salmin play? Can you picture Salmin and JJ in the same backcourt?
Can you see the Hawks running the floor with a mix of Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, JJ, Chill, Salmin, Solo, Z-man, and Esteban. This is the line up they should use when they have those huge 4th quarter lead and need some baskets to close the game.
By doc
March 27, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this
rick adelman is the guy with the ego that would fit here in this town for this team. he can coach the style of play that this team needs to play, can coach in games, can be flexible with different types of players and has gotten teams into the playoffs regularly for the oners that have hired him. check the declines that occur when he leaves.
realistically any well known good coach (rudy, adelman or otherwise) that comes here would want more say in how it is run and would therefore disqualify themselves from the start with this gm and ownership group belkin or spirit. said it in another post that the hawks were blessed with many good coaches through the years until the last three guys that have walked the sidelines for the hawks. in fact that was their strength through the years except the bespectacled guy who got another short run in seattle last year. cotton, hubie, fratello, richie guerin and wilkins were all among the best of their time.
By Mike
March 27, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
Doc I gotta agree you on that. There’s some experience coaches out there that seen this young team and would jump at the chance for another coaching opportunity. Coaches like to coach it’s in there blood. I think when and if we are fortunate enough to get a coaching change it needs to be someone with a lot of coaching experience. Woody is better suited for a veteran team. When you look at the recent teams that have won the NBA championship they all were veteran coaches. Avery Johnson may be first young coach to accomplish that feat, but I think the Spurs will have a lot to say about that. I would even consider Rick Carlisle word is he’s on the out at Indy. Go figure Larry Bird makes one of the worst trades of the universe and they blame the coach. This guy got a raw deal in Detroit know it’s happening again Indy. He’s definite would be an upgrade from Woodson.
By Mike
March 27, 2007 11:21 PM | Link to this
hawks are cursed for trading Nique, that’s a decent blog. Now we finally agree on something. Those aforementioned teams are my teams too. It’s true Crittenton is as good as gone, although I think his game will be greatly improved if returns to GT for another season.
By jhan
March 28, 2007 8:56 AM | Link to this
hawks r cursed - where to start with you?
You are about as unimaginative & narrow minded as the guy you claim to have ruined this team - BK.
I’m still waiting for your example of a team that went from worst to first strictly through the draft - which according to you is the only way the Hawks will win the title.
How about if the Hawks have the 1st pick and the Celtics have the 2nd? The Celtics really want Durant. You wouldn’t trade the 1st & Wright to Boston for the 2nd and Jefferson & then draft Oden? A front line of Oden, Jefferson & Smith would be awesome.
How about if Memphis has the 1st? You wouldn’t do the same for Gasol? What if Memphis really wanted Oden & we landed Durant? Then you could take our pick from Indy (maybe at this point), one of our SF’s and trade that for a kick butt PG.
Show some imagination. Ando, I think this guy is really BK!
By A Thinking Fan
March 28, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this
Where is the Heat today without Wade? That Shaq guy is a bust without him - Right?
By jhan
March 28, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
I meant what if Memphis had the #2 pick.
By Anakin Joe
March 28, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
I’m on record as supporting 2 coaches to take this team over… Rick Adelman and Bill Laimbeer. Adelman for his Princeton-style offense and Laimbeer for some added toughness and the likelihood he’d bring Rick Mahorn along as an assistant. The modern player I’d consider is Mark Jackson, although he would rank as a distant third on my wish list. It seems so simple to me, either invest $3M-$5M in a head coach or spend $8M+ on better players.
Not only is Woody fairly non-descript, but so is his group of assistants. None of them seem to have a commanding presence on the bench nor in the league. I appreciate the maturation of the players based on practices but their game time decisions (including play calling, substitutions, etc.) continue to be laughable during 4 out of 5 games.
By SekouHater
March 28, 2007 9:31 AM | Link to this
The Hawks are still playing? I had no idea. Why don’t they just pack it up and give up? Also, good to see Sekou post a blog without race becoming an issue. Who knew? I’m surprised you didn’t talk about the lack of apes in Miami or something to that effect. Of course you have all those silly Cubans in Miami, so I’m not sure you have much of a trade off there. HA! Anyway, keep up the good work. I bet you can’t go two straight blogs without race being an issue. Typical ape wannabe journalist. God basketball sucks. Good thing it’s time for a real sport to finally start, baseball. Sekou sucks.
By Anakin Joe
March 28, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this
No way would I give Smith an $18M contract. I think guys like Tayshaun and Josh Howard received an extension worth around $10M per year. I’d consider something around $12M for Smith.
By Traceman
March 28, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this
Sekou, as a die-hard Hawks fan and season ticket holder for many years, your observations are something that I have realized for quite some time. Other than the relatively few “die-hard” fans of the team, nobody really knows the team and its players.
It is simply amazing to sit at Hawks games night after night and see fans from other teams be more vocal in Philips Arena than Hawks fans. You can kind of understand it when big market teams like the Knicks and the Lakers have huge followings because Atlanta is a city of transplants but when “fans” of teams like the Spurs, Suns and Mavs are as loud or louder than the home fans, you know you have a problem.
I think that at this point, the Hawks need to focus on building with JJ, Marvin and J Smoove as their future at the 2, 3 and 4 and they need to do everything in their power to find a franchise player at the 1 or 5. Obviously, Oden would be the ultimate at the 5 and if win the Oden Sweepstakes, that problem is solved. If we don’t, I think we need to look to put together a package to trade for Pau Gasol. Pau is not a true Center by any means but he is young enough to grow with our young core and I think he is more affordable than Jermaine O’Neal. If we can’t get the big man we need, I would go for the franchise PG next.
By Traceman
March 28, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this
Anakin Joe, J Smoove won’t be eligible to make $18 M a year to start in his next contract. The max starting salary for a player coming off his rookie contract for the 06-07 season was around $12.5M. I seriously doubt it will be much (if any) more than that for 07-08. That being the case, I think you will see the Hawks offer Smith an extension in the $10M - $11M a season range like the ones that Howard and Prince got. I think that would be fair to him and reasonable for the team.
By Dee
March 28, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this
What needs to be done is for Woodson to GO!!! What good is getting a top 3 pick if Woodson just bench him. Look what he did to Marvin W at the #2 pick. He played no time, didnt make all rookie team as a result, and was a big upset! What coach benches the #2 Pick!! You see other caoches playing their top #10 players but NOOO, not Woodson. Look what he did to JSmoove when he came. All he did was dunk his 1st year but it got the fans excited but what did Woodson do..he benched him. And of course what he still doing to Salim. How do u have a season high in scoring one game and get no playing time the next..salim scored only 1 pt??? Woodson really do need to just leave!! PLEASE!! Top players like Oden & Durant dont want to come here even if they are guaranteed top contacts..they want to play, not be benched without the opportunity to make it in the All-Rookie game!!
By doc
March 28, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
anyone check out the line scores from last night? lakers lose in la to griz, smush and kobe go 13 for 41 in loss.
draft watch is worse when it comes to the pacers as they come perilously close to number 10 slot. dont think the walsh bird tando is really trying to measure the benefit to winning a playoff spot and a three and out or losing a top ten draft pick in htis draft.
hawks now edge closer to bottom three and a few more ping pong balls, only a half game out now folks! pragmatist suggests that jj stay on bench and woody continue to coach them down. unless management changes and with talk of extensions at big bucks for chill and josh, when does that come into effect and really who do you see we losing to keep our team neatly under the “cap”? that is a few of the depressing notions that we face as we end this ignonimous season. me thinks that players will go and we will still have our opportunity to have draft picks to moan about for years to come until ownership changes and we get a quality owner to go wiht the phillips areana and fan base to bring this to what it could be.
By honest_abe
March 28, 2007 11:00 AM | Link to this
thats a beautiful outlook doc… looks like another wretchingly, horrific season has you in the dumps. oh the joy to be a hawks fan:)
By Anakin Joe
March 28, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this
Doc & Abe, there will be a draft next year, too. Part of me wants us to have 0 picks in the upcoming draft as it would either force BK/owners to acquire some veteran talent or it will guarantee that our own ‘08 pick will be a top 5 selection. If Indy falls below the top 10 threshold this season, they will likely begin a major over haul. Unfortunately, I think the pick is top 8 protected next season, but it could still be more valuable next season than this season. In other words, we may do better having the #5 and #9 picks in the ‘08 draft than #3 and #11 in the ‘07 one.
By Clyde
March 28, 2007 11:52 AM | Link to this
FIRE BILLY AND WOODY
By Sekou K. Smith
March 28, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this
My nose is brown, so Morris did get something right.
By marie
March 28, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this
Sekou rules! We couldn’t ask for a better Hawks writer.
On Josh Smith, he’s good and soon to be great, but he’s definitely not worth more than 10 million a year.
By doc
March 28, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this
honest, i said a few months back that the kid gloves would come off after these guys had a chance to show themselves. they have sporadic moments of brilliance but arent focused for individual games much less the long term. as a doc in the o. r. i could not come with it when i wnated to or hold stuff back on one end to do it on the other end and still had a family to go home to. true professionals are that, they bring it on both ends daily, full time.
this organization is terrible from the top to the bottom. no one should not be held unaccountable for this sorry season starting with the owners as they played there little power games even BEFORE there was ever wind of a trade involving said joe johnson. as a fan we are trapped and sorta like sekou and his delemna that moreeese didnt understand of whether or not to tell it like it is. the only way to truly protest is to not buy a ticket and not show up. guess what that gets a hawks franchise in las vegas? soooo, we continue to fabricate a solution here every day at our little liars table down at the coffeee shop.
By Victoria Wilcox
March 28, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this
I like that post to be story.