Hawks

By Jody

October 10, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this

The hawks are really going to have to come up with another option at center and move HORFORD TO THE FOUR! He will be solid at the center but, he could be exceptional at his natural position. Judging by tonight’s game and the game against Phoenix, he’s obviously struggling against bigger guys.

By Jody

October 10, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this

What do ya know? Solomon Jones comes in at the five, Al moves to the four and he immediately goes to the post and scores.

By richbrave

October 10, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this

If WOODen-one becomes malleable in his thought process, the HAWKS can pull off the move of the decade in the NBA. The remains of DRMARYB’s fab five can be awesome with the new playa’s around them. LAW busts a move after WOODSON has to give him play-time. Imagine that. SOLO creates in the 5 slot. Imagine that. If big AL can play all season at the 4, look out southeast division. Imagine that.

By kwooden1

October 10, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this

Listened to the game off and on tonight, but still can make some observations.

1) Bibby is definitly the starting point guard for this team. Even though he’s a shoot first PG, they desperately need that second guy that is a threat to make 3-4 threes in row. Acie is playing well, but they need someone that can spread the floor. If Bibby is shooting well than the team is total different.

2) They definitely need the size that Zaza brings. Just having a guy that big taking up space on the inside changes what teams can do against the Hawks.

3) And most concerning about the team. Not enough assists overall and especially not from the PG’s. Your starting point guards can’t have 2 assists… Someone has to create for this team, especially when their not shooting well.

Hunter and Gardner seem like pretty good players and West “is who we thought he was” ALL ENERGY! Not a good game for the team, but it’s good to have these games in the preseason.

GO HAWKS!

By doc

October 10, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this

put the blame on mame er woody, heh heh

By ant banks

October 10, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this

hawks 80-portland 102. oh, oh, here we go again with these blowouts. hawks scored 19 pts in 2nd qtr and 16 in the 4th qtr!! who was in the game 4th qtr.

woody didn’t put an emphasis on winning at all cost tonight. i don’t mind losin’ as long as they learned somethin’ from it.

horford 25min 6pts, marvin 20min 7pts. this is not good!! i know that bibby wasn’t there, so you have to factor that in.

here is the kicker they outrebounded us 42-31 and had more assists than us 27-17. rebounds/assists/to are where games are won and lost.

By ant banks

October 10, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

also we shot 37% from the field!! wtf!! and they shot 58%!!! dang!! marvin/horford were 3-8 from the field. marvin ain’t ready!!

please read my blogs from 2 blogs ago. i had been askin’ about solo or zaza at the 5 and leavin’ horford at the 4. where did he play most of the min. tonight? how did he go 3-8??

By ray

October 10, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this

Well, we got our a*******es handed to us that time….heh heh. Oh well.

Kwooden, if your teammates aren’t shooting well, yeah you gotta create as the pg…for yourself. You’re right, there weren’t enough assists. But is that because the pg isn’t passing the ball or because the recipients aren’t converting? I figure at that point, the pg has to start scoring to create for his teammates. He has to be a threat in order to begin to draw the defense, leaving teammates open for easier buckets. Acie does it mostly by penetrating, though he’s showing his outside shot is beginning to work more and more. Bibby does it mostly through outside shooting…when his shot is falling.

I think the real problem there is that when Bibby’s shot isn’t falling (and we haven’t seen it much…outside of Sekou saying he was “lights out” during some scrimmages), he’s not creating much for teammates. But then, Acie isn’t getting a pile of assists either. Tonight, nobody shot all that well, except for Josh and Flip.

You say that if Bibby is shooting well, it’s a totally different team. I think you’re right. So what are we going to do when he’s NOT shooting well? Roll over and die? Go back to JJ ISO? Other options have to be explored, and the best ideas implemented. I can think of a few myself…

I also agree that a well-motivated Zaza is a big help.

Congrats to both Zaza and Bibby on their new additions.

By new jersey faithful

October 10, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this

We as fans should just be lucky that Woodson is back…LOL

By Ariose

October 10, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this

………………yup….

By ray

October 10, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this

You said it, Ant…

By Ariose

October 10, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this

Morris Played five minutes…….most of those against Oden. I wonder if woody liked what he saw. Woody played Othello Hunter a lot more minutes than Morris….and what happend to Solo and Evans??? Can you say SHUT DOWN.

….In other news, Salim is still sidelined with that strained right groin, but his health is improving. He re-injured it in practice this past wensday so hopefully he’ll play in SA’s 6,7,& 8 preseason games.

~SalimFan Sir Links A Lot

By Najeh Davenpoop

October 11, 2008 12:13 AM | Link to this

It’s understandable to get your azz kicked by the deepest team in the league, but to let Shavlik Randolph drop 19 points on you? That is inexcusable.

By doc

October 11, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this

Ray, what the heck?

You post, without checking either your e-mail or voicemail?

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this

Hmmm had a long day to day didn’t get a chance to listen to the game. I’m getting ready to fly to Denver Sunday for a week (training for the new job).I think I’m going to catch the Nuggets vs. Jazz game…..

First, thing I notice Woody still played the bench. Which is a good thing, hopefully this will last throughout the regular season.

Second, the hawks really haven’t had a fantastic shooting game, even through the wins.

Third, we need a spankin like this. This brings the team back down to reality, and hopefully they realize they have to play 48 minutes, not 36.

Fourth, I’m still riding with Acie. Your point guard needs to facilitate, there shouldn’t be a major emphasis on him scoring… Sekou said Acie was smoove, however I’m disappointed that he only had 2 assist in 31 minutes… I don’t know if that was due to poor shooting, but I do know Flip had 5 assist in 20 minutes… Something to ponder on….

Lastly I’m looking forward to the open practice tomorrow.. I’ll be there after my son’s soccer game. We’re going to put the smack down on our opponents. My son had six goals in one game two weeks ago, and last we he got bust playing goalie….. He’s turning into the new improve Pele…He’s 6 years old playing with, and against kids who are 8… Man I love coaching this guy…..

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this

EDIT Long day

Lastly I’m looking forward to the open practice tomorrow.. I’ll be there after my son’s soccer game.. We’re going to put the smack down on our opponents… Two weeks ago my son scored six goals in one game..Last week he got busy playing goalie.. He turning into the new and improve Pele.. He’s 6 years old playing with, and against kids who are 8…Man I love coaching this guy….

Time to get some rest….

By HB Ando

October 11, 2008 1:29 AM | Link to this

that stated all opinions must be positive, and support the local franchise.

What is this, Russia?

By HB Ando

October 11, 2008 1:46 AM | Link to this

OK, the last, 16-word, post, was the end of a typically long, and actually balanced, post, primarily to lacsho.

I don’t have the energy or interest in reconstructing it.

It’s still just pre-season.

And getting p** because someone doesn’t agree with your optimism, especially regarding a team that has done nothing to substantiate it, is kind of weak.

I respect a passion for the local franchises. And though the point is lost on several of you, I couldn’t have spent the collective amount of time I’ve spent, here, if I didn’t have a passion for both the game of basketball, and my hopes for a competitive team (which I’ve reiterated a hundred times).

But exploding on someone for a negative opinion (especially when that opinion has been supported by recent history), is no more logical than if I pitched a screaming hissy fit because someone here was relentlessly positive.

Both are simply the byproduct of differing opinions.

But can you imagine how ridiculous it would be for someone to lose it because another opinion was consistently, and hopelessly, positive?

It’s a blog. And it’s a basketball team that none of us have any control over.

Let’s try and keep that in perspective (especially for those of us who have 6-year old soccer prodigies, or 5-month old baby girls).

By darrell starks

October 11, 2008 2:34 AM | Link to this

ITS PREASON WOODY HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEVALOP BENCH PLAY IF HE IS GOING TO BE A GOOD COACH AT LEAST HAVE A FOUR MAN ROTATION OF THE BENCH. AND ONE MORE thing its going to be hard to make the playoff this year the east have become stronger. go hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By ant banks

October 11, 2008 5:55 AM | Link to this

lacsho, your son scored 6 goals in a game…looks like we need to be going to his games instead of the hawks game. LOL!!

hbandoyou are correct. the bloggers who are “exploding on you for negative opinions (especially when that opinion has been supported by recent history), ” are similar to the mccain supporters who are “exploding” on barack obama. recent history and fax are the can not be ignored when it deals with the candidates or the hawks.

By a thinking fan

October 11, 2008 8:15 AM | Link to this

Congratulations to Bibb & ZAZA!

It’s preseason! Some of us need to take time with our families this weekend - it’s PRICELESS!

By DarkRyder

October 11, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this

HBAndo you know what the problem is? We both know that this franchise isn’t smart enough to build a championship contender?

The ASG likes to get on their soapbox and preach that they are putting a good product on the floor? We all see that if Josh Smith wasn’t a high flying act who drew fans with his highlight dunks then they never would’ve matched that Memphis offer sheet. And they wonder why they don’t earn our respect!

Yes, we know the front office SUCKS! We know that Mike Woodson SUCKS! Yes we know that Atlanta Spirit could really care less about building a championship team, because if they did, they would have fired Woodson instead of kow-towing to Gearon’s fanboy wishes.

Instead, once again, they’ve pulled the wool over the eyes of the people like 90% of NBA teams do. Wonder why San Antonio is always in the hunt for a championship every year? It’s because they could care less what the fans think or what the media thinks and just want TITLES! They make the moves that results in being a contender.

Ando and fans of Atlanta, ask yourself do you really think that’s what the ASG is doing now? Realistically, most teams in the league will do just enough to keep a team in the playoffs so they can generate revenue, but not make the ballsy moves necessary to win a title.

I’m sick of mediocrity and sick of the “just getting by” mentality.

By kwooden1

October 11, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

Ray I’m not saying that Bibby is Chris Paul, but think he creates more space even when he’s not shooting well. Other teams respect his shot, they don’t respect Acie’s yet. I wish I could see the games to make much better observations, from what I could hear guys were missing contested shots. This tells me that they’re not running the offense, (or they have a poorly conceived offense to run - Woody!) or the PG is not getting guys open looks. I’m not going to believe that Portland has that many more great shooters, from what I could hear Roy, Bayless and Rodriguez were creating more shots for their team. I’m not saying Acie can’t do this, but as a team they need to move the ball more to find better shots. I really think they need to push the tempo much more, which again is something that could have been happening, but I can’t see through the radio! I’m almost thinking that they need to run their offense through Smoove because he can almost always beat his man off the dribble and he’s a pretty good passer. (turnover prone though) I know this is an almost sacrilegious statement on this blog, but they need someone else besides JJ to attack the defense and finish at the rim. The Hawks need to take advantage of their speed.

As some has already said, this is the kind of loss that should help them focus on improving and coming together.

GO HAWKS!

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

Ando

I’m not the Blog police. You can say what you want. I’m through with the subject. You can direct your words to me only. That’s cool, but there’s a lot of people who feels the same way. As of now I’m done with this topic.

Banks

I’m definitely not like the McCanin supporters… That’s funny you should use that reference, because it seem like ….. ahhhh I said I was going to leave it alone, so I’ll stop that comment right there. I might be running a little late, so if I don’t see you before the game we can meet up at halftime…. I’m 6’3” 225 lbs and I’ll be with my son (he has a mohawk) If you see someone similar to this description at Phillips, just say my name, and I’ll be looking for you….

Peace

By Ken Strickland

October 11, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

It seems Woodson is still up to his old tricks. With Zaza out and us playing a very tall, talented team, he only plays Morris, our biggest available player, only 5mins+. In fact, Morris has played the fewest mins of all active players. I guess Morris is now the new Solo.

Zaza is in the final yr of his contract and will likely be gone after the season. Morris is signed beyond this yr, so wouldn’t it make more sense to get him ready for the season or at least see what he can do, now. We already know what we can expect from Zaza. I know TERREL BARRON and I have been discussing Marvin, but Marvins impact will be nothing compared to Woodson. Man, I hope the SAASG doesn’t put their collective egos above what’s best for the team overall and fires Woodson the second he starts revertig back to his typical coaching BS.

By Bertie

October 11, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this

Ken, I agree with you. I like the team I think is a better roster than last year’s but I am concerned about Woodson. Your point with Morris is dead on he should be giving him minutes at least in the pre-season and particularly against Shaq and Oden to see what he can do.

By Astro Joe

October 11, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this

SI offers a pretty fair analysis of the team for this coming season.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/chris_mannix/10/10/hawks.preview/index.html

By mavid

October 11, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

lol Ando, you kill me man. You’ve been a broken record for 3 years now. We know man, this team isnt THAT good. I do enjoy your 3,000 word posts telling people that tho.

By reese

October 11, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this

I missed listening to the first half and I lose focus listening on the radio. However, I have to agree with Ken Strickland about the limited amount of time give to Morris.

Woodson’s common theme over his tenure has been to play 1 big man and 4 shorter players. Even when he has taller players, he just can’t bring himself to play them extended minutes together.

You would think that during the preseason, he would at least try a couple of games to see out it plays out.

I hear Sekou, Josh and Al say that Morris has a good offensive game in the practices. I can’t imagine that his defense is any worse than Zaza or Marvin. I don’t hear any Hawks player dominating in low post or even consistently opening in the post.

The funny part about it is that the 3 teams the hawks have played in preseason would not even double Morris down low because the coaches of Howard, Oneal and Oden would think that their player would be able to guard any other big man 1 on 1.

Playing undersized bigs against those players reinforces the other’s teams theory. Leaving your tallest player on the bench who supposedly has offensive skills makes me wonder what it takes for Morris or any other true big men to succeed under woodson???????

By Jody

October 11, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

I’ll say it again. If Horford has to continue playing out of position at the 5 for this team, he’s not going to have the impact that he could have or become the exceptional player he could be. I think it’s a HUGE mistake to force our most promising big man out of position to make room for marginal players. The Hawks should be building their frontcourt around Horford at his true positon. If they put him at the four, he becomes a 20 and 10 player in the post who commands double teams. None, I repeat, NONE of the other front court players can give you that. They may score some points, but they won’t draw double teams and they won’t give you a true post prescense. That’s why it’s a bad and silly idea to play Horford out of position just to make room for players who have a best a marginal impact on the game.

By darrell starks

October 11, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

jody i 100percent agree with you im not saying signing josh smith was a big mistake because i am A HUGE JOSH SMITH FAN BUT the big question is can he play the 3 position let randolph morris starte at center and move alhorford to power ford and let marvin come off the bench this team will be better on denfense and have a stronger bench. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By richbrave

October 11, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

the RYDER returns. Where ya’ been man.

By doc

October 11, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this

thanks aj an interesting one little tidbit from the article for those that dont understand how important and effective josh smith is:

The Hawks allowed seven fewer points per 100 possessions with Smith on the court last season. That was the best on-/off-court defensive impact of any player in the league.

By Ariose

October 11, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

It’s funny, with Bibby not playing we looked like the Hawks of old. Winning low scoring games (Between 80-88 pts) and grinding them out. Even with Murray getting off there wasn’t enough bench fire power. But i’m encouraged because if you put the 12pts law score on the beng and figure in zaza and Bibby playing we would’ve been Good……Morris defenetly should have played more.

BUT that’s not the problem. The problem is our defense. We need a new scheme…

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this

Well this team just lost one season ticket holder. I’m convinced this is the worst organization in the NBA… Parking was not free, so I paid $10.00 to park.. After waiting 30 minute in the concession line… Yes these idiots only had one concession stand open… They stated the practice was over after one quarter… My son was so upset, and I had to apologize to him several times… The practice was supposed to be over at 4:00pm… These fools ended the practice at 2:15pm… I wasted gas and my time…. This will never happen again. I will watch all of the games on TV… I will not give this lousy organization a dime of my money… The look on my sons face broke my heart… This organization can kiss my azz…………

By cp

October 11, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this

Well I guess it didn’t take Woodson long to get back to acting like Mike Knapp. We have a big man out and instead of playing the only other legit big we have ,Mike Knapp decides to only give him a few minutes. One would think that preseason would be the best time to let Morris get out there and play through his mistakes but we have the Woodson factor. Im with Ken as far as firing him when he reverts back to the same crap.

By jhan

October 11, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

Just got back from the open scrimmage. Parking was free for season ticket holders. Scrimmage was over at 3:00 instead of 4:00.

Mario & Hunter impressed me during the scrimmage. Mario got to the rim with ease but had some trouble finishing. Hunter was taller than advertised & had a couple of very nice blocks.

Marvin appeared to be stronger but still looked awkward when attacking the basket. He still needs to work on his dribbling and footwork.

Morris showed me absolutley nothing today. He had trouble getting position in the post - even with Hunter or Hubbard guarding him. He has a long way to go.

Strange observation: ZaZa & Horford are exactly the same length from the shoulders down. ZaZa is 1-2 inches taller from the shoulders up. Does a longer neck & bigger head help you while playing basketball?

By Jody

October 11, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

Darrell Starks, I fully agree with you. We I talk about players that are at best marginal in impact, I’m certainly not referring to Josh Smith. I think Josh Smith makes a big impact on the game at what ever forward spot he plays. Moving Smith to the three and Marvin coming off the bench has nothing to do with whether Josh is more effective at the 3 or the 4. Josh Smith at the 4 still doesn’t give us legitimate low post threat. It has everything to do with building around our only legitimate big and maximizing his ability rather than limiting it. Horford at the 4 gives us 20 and 10 player and a mismatch everynight in post. That’s something the Hawks need if they are to go to the next level. This idea that they can be a running team ALL THE TIME is silly. Real NBA title contenders have halfcourt post games.

By terrell barron

October 11, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this

When we WIN, the Preseason does’nt matter, but when we LOSE, you guys act like it’s life or death. This is a totally different team from last year. Give em some time to gel. Last year we went 7-1 in the preseason and barely made the Playoffs, so no need to jump off the bandwagon.

By MannyT

October 11, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this

As for all you Woody bashers, as tempted as I might be to pile on…it’s still fake 8 season. Let’s see what happens in November.

jhan Good seeing you today. In the basketball world, it’s probably more about who has the longest wingspan. The longer neck means the model has better sight lines ;-)

Lacsho Unfortunately they did end the scrimmage part early. Season ticket holders did get additional benefits. You should have received an e-mail invite to the scrimmage. If you printed it out, you could use it for free parking. (They also had some of the same on a table near the entry/exit around 2:45 PM)

I do regret that your son was upset. They did some nice things prior to opening the event to the public. There was free pizza & drinks and an autograph session with the players earlier in the day.

I don’t praise the ASG when I look at how they run the sports end of the operation, but they do try to make things nice for the season ticket holders.

BWAF

By jhan

October 11, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this

Manny - I think Al probably has a longer reach than “the model”.

It is unfortunate for your son Lascho. These types of events are really fun for the kids. The players seemed to be having a good time interacting with the fans - even though they didn’t get home from KC until 3:00am.

By MannyT

October 11, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this

The scrimmage did give me a visual of Sekou’s description of Mario’s continuous assault on the basket.

His new address is 6 Rio Drive. It’s also the only offensive play he has. Go hard to the hole. I hope he makes the team.

Ando I would never protest your right to preach doom and gloom. Just understand that most folks cannot handle it…especially if you are correct. If you are wrong, they will spend days celebrating. If you are correct, they will spew hatred your way.

Fortunately I have enough widespread sports joy to be ok regardless of how well the Hawks do (or don’t) this season. There is always an interesting sports story somewhere…especially now that the economy is plain depressing.

Looking forward to seeing an entire fake game on Monday.

BWAF

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this

Manny

Thanks for the info. I printed the email, but once I arrived the free parking was over… My emotions come from the look on my sons face… I’ll get over it.. I’m going out of town for a week, and this is something I promised my son several weeks ago…. I guess I’ll take him to a couple of falcon’s games when I get back… I’ve been to the open practices three years straight, and they never cut the scrimmage short… Oh well you live and learn…

By Najeh Davenpoop

October 11, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this

Co-sign pretty much everything jhan said about Hunter, Marvin, and Morris. I wasn’t quite as impressed with Mario because although I saw the same effort and athleticism he displayed last year I didn’t see a noticeable increase in skill level. I didn’t notice the difference in head size between Al and Zaza either haha. It did seem to me that Josh Smith was slightly taller though… I wasn’t sitting all that close but that’s how it seemed to me, don’t know if it’s accurate or not.

I took MARTA and ate at CNN center so no parking or food worries for me.

I did notice that a) Zaza looks as awkward as ever, b) Josh Smith seems to have somewhat better body control than before when finishing at the rim, and c) the place was quite as hell. Seriously not a person in the crowd was making a sound. Maybe everyone was eating?

By HB Ando

October 11, 2008 7:10 PM | Link to this

Manny, a couple of things:

As I hadn’t revisited the blog since Monday night, before last night, my perspective, had I not subsequently encountered that massive overreaction and personal venom of Lac and the bandwagon folks who pile on, I was inclined to highlight that I can actually appreciate how folks who want to believe could get frustrated with my ongoing lack of faith in the organization.

But the personal attacks are pretty weak, especially on Ray.

As far as doom and gloom go, I don’t think that’s what I’m preaching at all. Hollinger said 13th in the East. I’ve been saying no better than 10th, all summer. Projecting the Hawks to finish just outside of the playoffs, and failing to cross .500 is hardly doom, nor gloom.

It’s simply an ongoing opinion that the roster still lacks balance, and that the ASG won’t keep Bibby, his salary, or the current, projected payroll, of mid-$60 million.

I am guilty of repeating myself, something I’m not to happy about, that plays into my less than daily participation (well, that and the fact that my family, with our first baby, and my business, are simply more important, during the off-season).

But until there’s evidence of tangible improvement, proof that my ongoing concerns are inaccurate, what’s the logical justification for freaking out because I don’t agree with more optimistic members of the blog?

I hate it that Lacsho’s son ended up being disappointed today. But the irony of having Lacsho spend a week attacking me for being negative about the organization, only to have him pull a 180 and become their biggest critic, is hard to ignore.

What he experienced today is the basic foundation of my lack of faith in the franchise. This isn’t the first time something like that has happened. They held a draft party, two summers ago, and kicked everybody out at the end of the first round.

They’re underfunded and fragmented, from a decision making standpoint. And there’s no way their going to fund an increased payroll of over $10 million, for a 37-win team. So Bibby will go, before the trade deadline. It’s when, not if.

The East is improved. We essentially traded Childress for Mo and Flip. Woody is still the head coach. Our Marvin, Josh, Al front line doesn’t seem capable of defending bigger teams. Our front line, when Al plays 4 (his best position) and Josh plays 3, projects to be one of the worst shooting in the league. Either variation has pretty obvious weaknesses.

This is “hating”, how?

Why is it so unreasonable to believe that significant improvement is unlikely?

I’ll change my tune when this team proves me wrong.

Gladly.

‘Till then, if my opinion really makes you that upset, ignore me, or take a pill, have a drink, or attend an anger management class.

Such a difference of opinion, housed on an open, opinion-based forum, is hardly worth having an aneurysm over. And it’s certainly pretty petty to personally attack people you don’t know, because you don’t agree with what they think or say.

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this

Now that’s irony for your Azz… I just hate it had to be at my son’s expense… Once I give him my word, it becomes my bond…

By MannyT

October 11, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

Lacsho Hopefully there will be another chance for some father/son pro hoops bonding. Later in the season there will be some good promotional night where the kids get jerseys or something cool.

Ando while I agree generally with your assessment of the team, but remember, I am with doc, on the fence in that hope and dismay camp.

As for the hard feelings with disagreement, I think that comes from too many people that don’t peek behind the curtains of life enough. I remember, back in the day, pro wrasslers would do their thing in front of the camera and possibly “break” a chair over someone’s head. If you saw them later, yucking it up with each other, you would wonder why their fans were so serious about the whole thing instead of remembering…it’s entertainment.

Similar things happen with politicians from opposing parties.

Najeh You hit on a point that makes me wonder. Will those playoff crazed crowds be into the games this year? I am not one of the cool, trendy types. If it is going to be the quiet, fashionably late, not aware of basketball crowd, I’d rather have extra space and might return to the cheap seats next season.

If they are ready to create a home court advantage, I’ll yell, wave, jump, and clap. Boisterous fans are encouraged unless you’re into golf and tennis. That’s probably why I prefer miniature golf to the real thing.

The biggest change I saw in Mario was his initiation of the offense. He spent more time bringing the ball up court even though I would not really call him the PG. I don’t get why anyone would guard him before he gets close to the lane until he makes a jumper. Nevertheless, I still like his energy. I did not see that from the guys that are fighting for end of the bench perimeter jobs.

Then again, it was a short scrimmage after flying back home from a road game.

BWAF

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this

Ando

What I don’t get is why do you keep harping on the same issue. Let it go, or use your own advice and ignore it… I’m trying to take the high road, but you keep talking about me like its all good… Maybe that’s how you do everyone else, but you talk that ish about me… I’m going to give it right back to you… Again I repeat for the umteenth time I through with this issue…..

By MannyT

October 11, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this

Guess what coach said this…hint-not ours.

“I don’t get too caught up into preseason games as far as trying to ‘win’ them as I do as just trying to get a better look at what we’re trying to achieve, ” said COACH NAME HERE, who said his only agenda will be evaluation of the progress his club has made through training camp and two exhibition victories. “But when you get into game situations, you always want to win. But I’m not going to go all out, go for broke in the third preseason game to try to win.

This link says all my eyes need to hear.

BWAF

By ray

October 11, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this

Kudos to all of those who reported on what they saw at the live practice. It was nice to hear from other fans how the guys looked in person. It does a fan good to hear about stuff when he lives further away. Thanks, fellas.

I guess I’m not all that surprised that Morris isn’t showing out so well. At least we only signed him for minimum money. But…I wouldn’t throw a guy in the trash after 3 preseason games and one live practice. He still has plenty of time to get better and work on his game. On the flip side of that coin….history has shown us that if you don’t show Woody early on that you are bustin’ your a$$ as hard as you can, you ain’t playin’ a single minute until somebody gets hurt and he has no one else to go to. Hope you get the memo, Randolph….

I still have high hopes for Othello Hunter. I think he’d be a good guy to sign up for a couple seasons. He won’t command much cash and he’s hungry. Sign him. Gotta have an alternative to Morris anyway, even though Solo and Zaza seem to be doing well. That, and we apparently aren’t signing a veteran big.

By ray

October 11, 2008 10:34 PM | Link to this

Lachso,

See that up there? That’s your name. Now you know I’m talking directly to you, and not the blog. Wouldn’t want you to misunderstand or anything.

Pardon me while I spit soda all over my keyboard after having read your 3:58 post. Let me get this straight. You had a coniption fit because “some person or persons” come in here with gloom and doom attitude and have negative things to say about the organization. Never mind that the last several years support such opinions. I mean, facts definitely are irrelevant.

Yet, one screwed up live practice situation, and you are ready to not only declare the organization as the worst in the NBA, but you vow not to support them, choosing to only watch the games on tv. Wow. Somebody recently remarked to me that this pessimism and hatred stuff travels in packs (or something like that). I just can’t for the life of me remember who said that….heh heh.

You know, the part about your son being disappointed is a genuine heart breaking thing. That would be rough for anybody to deal with. I’m sure other people brought their kids and they were disappointed as well. But it’s not the end of the world, and hardly the most disappointing thing that will happen to them, I’m sure.

But…I’ll bet they’ll show up to the games anyhow. You ready for the stinger? Betcha Clyde will show up (t-shirts and all). Betcha the pessimistic, hated Ando will show up. But you won’t. Because of one lousy practice where you didn’t get there in time to receive the normal season ticket holder benefits, and practice was over before it was scheduled to be. And now you’re not going to allow your son to go to any games because you swore not to? Your word is your bond, and I understand that in ways you can’t imagine. But that’s a crutch when you’re talking about giving it rashly and in haste.

I ain’t tryin’ to tell you how to handle yo biz…but did he ask you not to inconvenience him with any more Hawks games? So by keeping your word…are you honoring yoru word and punishing the organization? Or are you punishing him (and yourself)?

What happened to all that heart you told me you had, when you were typing up that venomous diatribe? Huh? Where’s that faith in the team? You’re quitting after one disappointing pre-season experience?

Say it ain’t so. Or is it?

By ray

October 11, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this

Manny, LOL!

You ain’t right bro’. You ain’t right. Oh wait a minute. You are right. LOL!

By ray

October 11, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

Getting beaten by Portland shouldn’t come as a surprise. They kicked our tails last year. News flash: they were a better team than us. Another news flash: with Oden around and a whole year under their belts, they’re still better than us. Better balanced, better coached. Better team.

Yeah we made the playoffs last year. In our conference, not theirs, where even a team that won nearly 50 games didn’t make the playoffs. They won more games than us. And they beat us.

But we could be better than them. What would it take? Better defensive play. Better offensive schemes. We can whine about not having Bibby and Zaza. Or we can pick up the slack. One or the other. Some of our guys know how to do that. Some do not.

Josh Smith has it right, they have to improve their team defense (Johs’s exact words). Horford holds his own. So does Josh. Same for JJ. 3 out of 5 ain’t good enough.

What is the first point of attack on defense? The point guard, with ball pressure. I’ll ask this question: does Bibby give us that? That is a question that has to be answered straight up. No bringing up isolated stats to try and prove some half-baked argument. No silly side arguments about some other subject. Straight up answer. Same question has to be asked of Acie, because he’s the back-up pg.

And then there’s Marvin. Look, the NBA is not full of dominant centers. Or brilliant, dynamic point guards. There are several very good power forwards. But more than anything, there are more guys at the 2 and 3 that can hurt you than at any other position. JJ has the 2 locked down (although a lot of times we’re not paying attention…he’s a quiet player). That leaves the 3. And that leaves Marvin. And Evans. Evans is a defender by trade. What does Marvin, our starter, give us on defense?

Team defense, Josh says. That involves everybody. One bad link….and off the whole thing goes. It isn’t so much the point guard and small forward’s offense that will be the determining factor in our success or failure. It’s the defense from those positions. Pressure the ball-handler and he can’t get in a rhythm, or get the ball to guys when and where they need it.

Stifle the small forward and the power forward isn’t having to chance leaving his man so much to cover ground. Which means the power forward can continue to help the undersized center against the league’s bigger centers…and be the weak-side absolute terror that he is. Or so that the star shooting guard doesn’t have to rotate and leave his man all the time. Team defense. Our weak points are currently at the 1 and the 3 in our starting lineup.

As for Woodson, he’s already making concessions that maybe his guys are tired and he might be pushing them too hard. Here we go again….will he never learn?

By Lacsho

October 11, 2008 11:44 PM | Link to this

Ray

I don’t expect you to understand the relationship I have with my son.. I support the team and always will, but I never supported Management.. Don’t act like you know anything about me. The only thing we have in common is our skin color (if you’re a person of color).

My son is not being punished.. You trying to give me advice to me, is like a crack head trying to advise the person he purchase drugs from…Should of known you would show up after your man type his bogus lines.. You two kill me, after I read all of the personal attacks you did to Samuel over the summer (give me a break)…

For now on I will keep my son out of all of the post. Please don’t make any suggestions to me about my family.. What you need to do is handle your business, and worry about your family, and your extended family Ando…

I tried to take the high road with you two, but I see if you take out one, you have to take out the other. I should’ve known you wouldn’t sit back, while I confront your boy…..

Speaking of games, how many games have you shown up too? Exactly!!!!!! I been to more hawks game in one season, then you been to your entire life….

But you’re so supportive (lame)

By ray

October 12, 2008 12:37 AM | Link to this

Lacsho,

What the hell is wrong with your bipolar a$$? I said I wasn’t trying to tell you how to handle your business, or did you not read that part? I asked questions, I did not make suggestions.

I wonder: are you incapable of understanding rhetoric or are you taking offense to everything I say on purpose? Only God knows the answer to that one.

You can leave my conversations with Samuel right the hell out of this. Samuel is at least enough of a real man to talk trash and get the hell over it. Yeah we argued all off-season. And when he was right about Solo, and I was wrong, I admitted it to him right here on this blog. And if he’s right, and I’m wrong, about Woody, Bibby or anything else we don’t completely agree on, I’ll admit that too. Some of us are capable of this.

You support the team, but not management. Well hallelujah and join the crew. Nearly everybody here seems to have the same feeling about that, even the ones you hate. If you could climb down off your cross and stop playing the martyr long enough, you would could see that I’ve been trying to point that out to you.

And don’t give me that crap about trying to take the high road. You spewed your $hit and didn’t have the presence to respond when I took you to task on it. Oh wait, you must have been on the high road and missed the whole thing. Heh.

You don’t have what it takes to “take me out.” Not here, not anywhere else. And you can keep lumping me in with Ando or whoever else you want to if it makes you feel better while you play your “oh, I’m a high road guy who is being attacked” bit. How lame is that $hit…

You have no idea how many games I’ve been to, so talk what you know. I will be at some games this year as well. Enjoy your television. You don’t know me anymore than I know you, and I have no interest in your family whatsoever, or your relationship with your son. NONE. So quit making $hit up to be mad about. Of course, I can understand you being mad about me cramming your own words back in your mouth. Hard to fit ‘em in their with your feet and all.

You’re so right, though. We don’t have a damn thing in common except skin color, and even that is not likely to be the same exact shade of brown. Who cares. Don’t want to know you. I already know enough crab-a$$ brothas that get mad no matter what you say or how you say it. So I’ll leave you with this post and your “high road.” Rhetorical question. Will there be a response or will you take the “high road.” Heh. To borrow your phrase, I’m done with you.

By ray

October 12, 2008 12:44 AM | Link to this

Sigh….

My bad, guys. Didn’t mean to sully the blog by joining someone on the low road. B-ball from here on out. Though I can’t swear off a little trash talking here and there with those of you who know how to engage in it…

By Clyde

October 12, 2008 12:54 AM | Link to this

Hey lets give props to The University of Texas for handling their business today.

Thanks to them, Alabama will finally take their natural position at #1. I told yall we were coming for the #1 spot. Just call me “The Prophet”.

As for the Hawks we stll have the same coach so I expect the same ole stuff we have seen for 4 years now. A whole bunch of hype during the preseason but a losing record at the end.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

By HB Ando

October 12, 2008 1:20 AM | Link to this

Lac, which part of “pill, drink or anger management class” did you not understand?

You say you don’t get why I keep harping on the same issue, but I just explained it in very specific detail. So which part of my explanation did you not understand.

You keep saying you’re trying to take the high road, but you, alone, started the whole beef. That’s kind of like slapping somebody, and saying, “I don’t want any trouble”, when they look to retaliate.

This whole confrontation is in your head. We don’t agree. And there is no big battle between you and me. Other than our $50 bet, there is no “you and me”.

You and me are just 2 of a handful of random opinions that happen to frequent the same blog.

You’ve turned your differing, subjective opinion, on an issue neither of us has any control over, this season’s performance of the Hawks, into some convoluted personal battle, that simply does not exist.

Let it go.

You haven’t done a single thing that any sane person would call “taking the high road”.

It’s just basketball. You’re not the self-appointed defender of the Hawks’ honor. You’re just a guy, like me, and Ray, and Joe, doc, Manny, jhan (and the list goes on and on), with an opinion, and a desire to see the team get better.

How in the hell did you turn something so simple into something so personal?

Move on and let it go.

I stand by my $50, no matter what. I’m pretty sure you’re an honorable guy, so we’ll settle at the end of the season.

By Matt = niremetal

October 12, 2008 2:08 AM | Link to this

Saw the Yahoo BDL preview of the Hawks today. Thought it was interesting - though I still don’t get how people think that losing Childress makes us a worse team even in light of 1) the addition of Evans, Murray, and Randolph; 2) a healthy Bibby; and 3) expected improvements for Horford, Law, and Marvin. Yeah, I know Ando is still doom-and-gloom (c’est la Ando, c’est la vie). But I really am not impressed by the “improvements” made by any teams that finished behind the Hawks in the standings last year.

Why does everyone think that Derrick Rose will even replace the production of Duhon this year? And how does getting Richard Jefferson solve ANY problems for the Bucks? The Bucks finished dead last in defense last year, and Jefferson is a poor defender. The Bucks needed a defensive stopper, not another scorer.

I said this earlier in the summer, but it’s worth repeating, I think: The East is still the East. I think the Hawks can sneak into the playoffs with 38-40 wins, and I think that’s what will happen.

By Lacsho

October 12, 2008 2:14 AM | Link to this

Ray Bipolar because I called you out for jocking another man… We can look at all of your post and see the jocking… Man enough? A man riding another mans jock.. Some man (smh)

You don’t have what it takes to take me out not here or anywher else

Hmmm that’s the third time Mr. Officer has asked for a physical confortation… I’m not scared of you Ray (you pump no fear here)

Next time you make a comment like that, I’m going to take it as a threat… Then we can deal with each other however you want.. Mr. Officer (what a joke)

By Lacsho

October 12, 2008 2:51 AM | Link to this

RAY

I think we need to figure out a way to talk face to face or over the phone.. I have a feeling this is about to get out of hand..

I’m going to Denver for a week… You let me know how you want to handle this, and I will make it happen….

By Ariose

October 12, 2008 3:29 AM | Link to this

Lac…..seriously????

Your last post had absolutely nothing to do with B-Ball. I’m not trying to weigh in on the pointless(but funny) arguement of yours, but it seems to be just a tad personal(A subconscious anger respone b/c of issues not handled with ray and Ando in the past when their opinions may have rubbed you the wrong way?? Maybe??).

Either way, does it really matter? I only went to about seven home games last year(College and whatnot) does that make me any less of a fan? Although with that seven game homestand i’ll more than likeley break that in a week lol.

Look if their opinions bother you that much then take the drmaryb approach and just keep on scrollin’.

It’s not like they’ve made it a point to personally attack you evey time the get on here (for me, that’s Casey and Stevo). I Did ignore (although I didn’t scroll past, I just read and didn’t care lol…..not Hawks or Salim related hehehe) this whole running dialouge with Ray and Ando of yours until your last post which really sent up a red flag IMHO.

Just let the bet you guys have speak for itself and leave that other stuff at the door. We’re here to support the Hawks not bash each other.

Speaking of the Hawks, even if they loose a lot this year(they shouldn’t). They have the most talented team that they’ve had in nine years so i’ll enjoy this win or loose(Hopefully win…….50 games please lol).

~SalimFan Sir Links A Lot~

By Ariose

October 12, 2008 3:47 AM | Link to this

Seiously Lac, if this is how you’ve handled your “disagrements” with people all of your life, i’m prety sure you’ve ran into a few of ray’s work buddies over the course of your lifetime hehehehe…..

~Sir Links A Lot~

By RA

October 12, 2008 6:32 AM | Link to this

Please let me preface this email by saying first, to hell with Josh Childress. There, I said it. Astro Joe, you’re right, the Sports Illustrated article was fair, but they spent at least a fourth of the article talking about how much the Hawks are going to miss Josh Childress. I recently read an article in Athlon that spent most of the print talking about Childress and the “botched” negotiations with Josh Smith. Now here’s the thing, Childress turned his back not only on the Hawks, but on the NBA, his country, and his mama. (Okay, maybe not his mama, but you get the idea.) Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t know how much the Hawks offered him, but I can tell you, with every confidence, that a small portion of it could have paid off my mortgage, my car note, and all of my short and long term debt. I mean, how much money do you really need? And I’m not about to start passing the hat around for Josh Smith either. The deal that he ended up with was fair, and the Hawks didn’t cripple their ability to make a deal if they need to by burdening themselves with huge multi-year contracts that no one else would have taken off their hands. So, if Childress is happy with his “loophole,” so be it, but to hell with him. He left us, not the other way around.

By DAP01

October 12, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this

Sekou,

Give us a new blog. We need help. We have a Bama fan blogging. We have people arguing about non Hawks issues. Tell these people to got to leave and let’s talk about the Hawks.

Does anyone have confidence in Woody? He seems nice but does it seem to you that he is trying real hard just to become average?

By Samuel

October 12, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

Guys, Been out of pocket. I was kinda upset that I couldn’t make it to the open practice but from the looks of things. I didn’t miss much. I went last year and I definitely liked the one at Woodward better.

The last Portland game was pretty much what I expected. Acie played a good game but we still lost. Bibby is still a better leader for this team at this point. Portland is a better team than a lot of teams. The addition of Oden and Bayless should put them in the top 5 teams in the west this year, IMO.

On Childress,

The moves do not seem to bother Commissioner David Stern, however. While on a speakerphone with a reporter for a recent interview, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Adam Silver, entered Stern’s office. Stern sarcastically said to Silver that he was “wringing his hands” wondering how the NBA will move on without Childress and Boykins.

That about sums it up.

By RA

October 12, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

Classic quote from the commish. Thanks Samuel.

By doc

October 12, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

niremetal may have it right but maybe for the wrong reasons as he wants to argue that we are improved with the idea that a randmo (not, though maybe solo), healthy bibby, acie possibly stepping up, organic growth and woody getting smarter are our hopes to playoff heaven and then negating all this to say we really arent that good if we will be in the playoffs with the equivalent number of wins because the east still is the east. seems to say we get there by default. not arguing but agreeing but leaving out the notion that there has been a considerable upgrade. seems like if taken at face value though the lawyer to be will argue it, i expect. i think niremetal is in the hope and dismay group maybe, manny t agree?

clyde, i hate it for me but i enjoy your glee. simply put, i cant stand alabama and it goes waaaay back to the darwin holt hit on chick granning in 64 i think way before your time. ;-)) i will hold my distress and merely tolerate your fun. heh heh still appreciate the t shirt my son ripped off me and admire your holding to your pledge to drop your moniker as you said you would. all would do good to remember that.

sure hate it when three folks i like start disagreeing with each other. kiss and make up you are all three worth the effort in my eyes.

do know it is not the doing that enriches the relationship with children, it is more the loving and being. sorry for the disappointment. though i disagree thatthey didnt blow it as th e practicewas cut short maybe it will come out that the team just got off the bus from a 6 day trip and were very tired. having been a road warrior or spent many sleepless nights at a hospital i have some empathy. i know i had to explain it when i got home tired and just wasnt ready to go out and play because of severe fatigue. if they dont get it then they get it now. at times i had to ask myself was it about someone else doing something wrong or me wanting to appear to them in a certain way. i still have to ask myself that as metaphysical as you want to make it it is abut being authentic and acting with integrity. none of us are perfect just keep the mantra of doing your best to get there.

not at all concerned about the dismal performance against portland, even on our best days at full strength we probably wont match up well to them. they are truly becoming the cream rising to the top as the order of things change. we arent no matter how one slices it.

go tide! oooh that felt bad.

samuel, when woody looks to the bench to find chills as a stopper at the three when no one else can he might ust be wringing his hands. i guess that will better than the BWAF. heh heh

By Samuel

October 12, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this

Clyde,

You know who always seem to put a damper on the Tide’s season. My Mississippi State Bulldogs. We knocked off Vandy yesterday and we always get up for that one. I’d hate for Sly and the boys to cramp yalls title hopes. I actually like Saben. He’s a gamer but watch out.

Doc, Mario and Mo will fill that void i’m sure.

Ando, your teams pegged to replace the Hawks look like crap. I know it’s only preseason but I don’t see anybody out of the lotto teams that stand out as greatly improved.

Larry Brown needs to hang em up. They were down 40-19 in the first quarter to Orlando the other night.

Fire MJ and LB

By terrell barron

October 12, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

Lascho, who made you pay 10.00? I thought you said you were a season ticketholder? And it was over at 3:00, not 2:15. Are you sure you were at the right place? lol!!

By doc

October 12, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

cool, samuel thanks for the idea.

goooooo, slyvester croom’s dogs! heh heh

clyde, it is all good.

By ILL-Logical

October 12, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Good piece about JChills today in the dead tree editon of the NYT( I saw a quote from the article in an earlier post so some can provide the link). His take: The Hawks are going to create cap space with his rights. He ain’t coming back here. My hope is that it will be part of a larger deal involving current players as well that nets something more than a back up to a back up.

By richbrave

October 12, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

SAMMY:

Thank you for FRED SMOOT.

By ray

October 12, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this

Lacsho,

I’m not going to dirty this blog any further by engaging in this foolish and useless posturing with you. You’re the only one here thinking that you and your family are being threatened, harassed, or whatever it is you might be thinking right about now. I don’t attack people like a rabid dog. If anything, everything you accuse me of is exactly what you’ve done. Everybody in the blog got the flamethrower joke except you. That’s not my fault. From that point on YOU have intimated threats, insults, etc. I have offered none. I simply gave back what you offered. Go back and read our exchanges again.

Here are your choices: you can continue rambling like an insane person on a blog where there is nothing but a war of words. You can have the last word if you must, so that you can save face or whatever it is that you seek. Getting “punked” on this blog has no meaning for me, so if you value that, have at it. After that, we can consider it squashed, because I won’t reply to it, only b-ball related conversation.

Or…

If you choose to pursue this for whatever reason, you can give me your e-mail address. From there, we will establish a more personal and private connection. Since you insist that you’re not afraid (you’re the only one talking about fear) then this shouldn’t be a problem if you feel the need to make the connection. Although several people on this blog have my personal contact numbers, I will not post them here. That’s common sense. How far this goes is up to you. I said I was done with you. Now it’s up to you. If it gets out of hand as you say, know that it got that way because you chose to pursue it. I offer no threats. I offer resolution. And what that turns out to be is up to you. Think on this.

By ray

October 12, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

Doc, have to agree with Sam on this one at this point. Mo Evans is able to defend at the three just fine. As I said before, I see him an Murray as additions, not replacements. Childress is taller, but Mo is stronger. That, and would you rather have one guy to use at both backup 2 and 3 spots, or one guy for each? To me, that makes all the difference. Add in the fact that both guys can create for themselves offensively, and don’t need to be on the baseline to do it.

Of course, this all comes with one caveat…how Woodsoon uses his reserves.

By ray

October 12, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

Posts by terrell and Ariose….proof that I’m not the one who looks crazy and out of control. I don’t mean that as an insult. But the posts speak for themselves. All of them.

By ray

October 12, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this

Also, Doc, I agree that RandMo is definitely a project. Hunter seems to be hungrier. RandMo better “get it” or he won’t even get the chance to get better on the court….Woody don’t play dat.

By jhan

October 12, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

Clyde - the title is within your grasp. Win the SEC & the bowl game and Alabama will not be denied.

I’m a guy from Illinois so nobody I grew up watching has a shot.

This blog bantering reminds me of several pick-up basketball games I played in over the years. If all we’re going to do is argue & name call instead of actually play, then I’ll wait until there are new guys in the gym or move to another gym.

No need to make any of this personal. Nobody here can make ANY difference with the Hawks - on or off the court. All we can do is enjoy blogging about it.

By ray

October 12, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

Makes sense to me, Jhan. A sensible person will understand that.

By Astro Joe

October 12, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this

I took my boys down to Phillips Arena yesterday. Unfortunately, we got there late after a soccer game (my son is becoming a pretty good defender) and a traffic jam on 75. Anyhoo, got there around 2:45 for what was promoted as an event that would last until 4:00. As mentioned above, it ended at 3:00. So not only did we see about 3 possessions of the scrimmage but the concession stand ran out of popcorn, Sprite, Coke and hot dog buns. In hopes that some starters would come out and sign autographs, we waited as some players came out for some shooting drills. I’m a huge Hawks fan (as most know), but I only recognized Morris of those who were out there signing merchandise. I think one was Hunter, but not sure. I joked a few weeks ago about Morris asking Price for 3-point shooting lessons. I got to see him shooting 3s with Hunter (maybe) and some guy I wouldn’t know from any random D-II collegian. I almost yelled, “get your big butt down low and practice post moves” but I realized that he would likely hear me and I have a policy to never allow my boys to see there Daddy beaten to a pulp by a 6’11” 275 ultra-fit athlete.

I’m glad it was a quality event from the perspective of those who arrived early or on-time. We’ll try again next year, but only if we can get there on time… and with our own popcorn hidden someplace where security is unlikely to check.

Go Falcons (and Hawks). Helluva win today.

By jhan

October 12, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

Astro - sounds like a good policy!!

By ray

October 12, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this

Heh heh heh…Astro you’re a cagey one.

Damn good Falcons win today. What a freakin’ finish. Yelled my lungs out. I gave some of my officers the vacation time off they requested. At least three of them were at the Dome for that game. I should’ve took off and drove the 3 1/2 hours with ‘em, but I had other obligations.

By RealSquawk

October 12, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this

It appears that making the playoffs or even matching their win total from last year would exceed the expectations of many NBA reporters. ESPN, SI, Yahoo, and probably more have almost all come to the consensus that the Hawks will not improve despite the improvement in their record the past four years.

This is great because not only does it give the Hawks plenty of bulletin board material, but it also gives the fans of the Hawks a chance to say that every nationally sports reporting unit guessed wrong when the Hawks return to the playoffs.

I am predicting 40 to 45 wins next season just off the fact that there are some serious veterans on this squad who can contribute in a major way and everyone is ready to play and focused not what the goals are and how to attain those goals.

Go Hawks 2008-2009!

By newkid

October 12, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this

Thanks for the Childress piece Sekou.

Guys, does the possibility that Marvin will consider following Childress’ lead to Europe next summer affect Sund’s decision regarding extending him before the end of October, or trading him before the trade deadline? If Marvin finds next summer that his US market value is something on the order of $45M for 5 years, doesn’t it seem plausible that he’d have to at least consider - if not have his agent encourage - a European deal (if offered) that would net him something north of the approximately $5.5M per annum after taxes he’d collect under a 5/45 arrangement? Can Sund afford to lose two top ten picks with zero compensation within a 14-month span?

By doc

October 12, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this

i now know the role lorenzen had last year ….. to make sure there was enough popcorn for the free events. guess he overdid it last year and had to use it to fill up acie and rio’s cars to get them to haul it off. i imagine the guy who was running the popcorn stand this year also saw how they unceremoniously got rid of rens because he over spent and made sure he stayed within budget.

cannot believe the falcons won. i arrived at a destination with the bears scoring and with 11 seconds left didnt bother to hear it through to the bitter end. wow this could be catching with the thrashers starting off with three points on the weekend and all three local teams winning their football games.

By doc

October 12, 2008 7:55 PM | Link to this

ray, chills percentage and even where he made most of his threes last year are right where mo made his. still like them as additions but think there will be some threes that mo wont be able to match up with guys. it was also a very visual joke that i couldnt resist. levity seemed to be needed.

liked the way hunter sounds as i havent a clue as to what he actually looks like on the court yet.

dad gum ray first you smell up on ando and now you are sucking up to samuel, no other way to look at it. heh heh how can you dispute me? and big heh heh of self denigration.

By Astro Joe

October 12, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this

Doc, I was thinking of you and “Ren when I was told “we’re out of popcorn”. I wondered if ‘Ren had swung by and picked up a trailer load for his drive to Cleveland.

By ray

October 12, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this

Doc,

Your point is quite valid. But the whole story is not told here. On the subject of three pointers, it matters not that both guys got theirs in the same places on the court. The difference is this: Childress hit 22 3s last year. Evans hit 82. Evans is the greater offensive threat in that area, and overall…in my opinion.

As for defending the 3 spot, there will always be mismatches here and there. We had those same problems last year when Childress was here. He didn’t exactly lock down all the guys he matched up with either. The same could be said of everybody, regardless of position. But whatever.

By the way, as to the end of your post: I rather figured that acupuncture wasn’t your only hobby when it comes to needling somebody…but I’m not taking your bait, old man.

By doc

October 12, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this

ray, next you will be accusing me of memory probs like our buddy. heh heh guess you are too quick for the grey beard.

aj too funny. when you brought it up that “popped” into my head though others had mentioned it.

wonder where our ninja is?

By doc

October 12, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this

ill here is the article on chill.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/sports/basketball/12childress.html?ref=sports

and another:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/sports/basketball/12childressqa.html

By Najeh Davenpoop

October 12, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this

Speaking of Chill… (don’t know if MannyT or Ariose has beat me to that link yet)

By doc

October 12, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this

ray mo doesnt have tjis kind of lift or length:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDubp5GqYfU&NR=1

By richbrave

October 12, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this

ray:

Just posted you up on the FALCONS eyrie.

By ray

October 12, 2008 11:50 PM | Link to this

Ha ha! Doc, surely you saw that coming. Hee Hee! Certain devious minds have figured your MO out…some time ago. Including the effective counter measures. Heh, heh, heh!

I too have been wondering where ol’ Abe is…

By stevo

October 13, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this

just thought i would drop in for a shout out (is that what the kids call it?).

absolute tools/fools: ando doc

good reads: mykhalc (is that right?) astro joe najeh davenpoop

back and forth: ray

funny in his blissful ignorance: ariose/sf

totally insane: lacsho

glad to be of assistance and clarification in these matters: stevo

i put down the blog completely for a few months (it was great, some of you should try it) as i found it had lost most of its use at that time. but since i got back into the states and basketball season has kicked back into gear, i have started reading it again (and, funny, but it is still largely without use - oh well). i have been happy to only read and not write, but since ariose (albeit, innocently enough) tangentially called me out, i thought i would pop up briefly just to re-iterate the total lack of intellect, class, and meaning that exudes from, and exists in, both doc and ando on a excruciatingly constant basis. you are welcome.

as for the hawks, definitely an improvement with evans and flip over childress. the great thing about childress was that he could make things happen without being a focal point. the problem with that with the hawks was that is what you want from a role player in your starting 5, not the first scorer/man off your bench. evans and flip can actually create, score, and lead off the bench, while losing nothing in defense, and that is a BIG improvement.

hawks need to definitely trade bibby by the deadline. he should be a huge bargaining chip with teams trying to make space for lebron and co. in 2 years - a sweepstakes the hawks will likely not participate in. do not lose that value by letting him get to free agency. and we should be able to get a better player or combo of players than just him (in terms of thinking of re-signing him).

marvin needs to come off the bench and childress and bibby need to be traded for the fictional true center that is good but not so good that a team would be willing to trade him. oh well.

that is all for a while. peace and love to all in life, but chaos and hate (or something like that) to complete nothings like doc and ando on the blog. :)

cheers!

Steve

Let there be light! said God, and there was light! Let there be blood! says man, and there’s a sea!

By DAP01

October 13, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

Marvin will really have to elevate his game to merit a extension similar to other #2 picks.

If he shows growth similar to his previous improvement, what kind of money will he be demanding?

It seems that the Hawks can spend a few million $ to have a Mo and other journeyman combo that will out perform Marvin. And the combo will certainly cost millions less than Marvin.

What are your thoughts?

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

Hey Lascho- I think the word you’re looking for iz MAN CRUSH… LOL…

Really though I think yall should chill, but on the other hand-I understand your anger, To mention sumones kids or family is way off base.

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

The Falcons game yesterday was one of the better games I’ve seen all year…….Way to fight guyz…Gotta give them props for their play…..

Jezzuz man -I know he’s a rookie but ol Matty Ice looked like Joe montana ….6 for 6 on third dwn conversions……..

By doc

October 13, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

sometimes it pays to have a short memory. stevo who?

By ant banks

October 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this

ray and lacsho i was misunderstood a few blogs ago. things can get lost in translation on this blog.

we have alot of other issues to focus on and we as a hawk nation need to be focused on them

ISSUES TO FOCUS ON RATHER THAN CYBER SQUABBIN’

1. how many minutes will horford be able to log at the 4?

2. what will we do with bibby before the trade deadline.

3. will woodson play his bench this yr or burn his starters up?

4. will marvin and zaza play up to their expectations in a contract yr?

5. WILL I EVER CATCH A T-SHIRT A PHILIP’S ARENA?

these are issues that we need to focus on rather than cyber squabbin’ especially #5. shake hands and cut it out!!

By Sotheby

October 13, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

I find it absolutely mind-bending that somebody can write an entire post in bold mentioning their own family, and making a big issue out of it, then so react so irrationally when someone else actually replies to it. Then it gets even better. Someone else comes along and agrees that the person responding to the post is at fault for mentioning the subject, rather than the person who brought it up as a subject for everyone to see in the first place. What a crazy world. That’s akin to running out and yelling in the middle of a crowd that you have syphillis, then getting mad when people ask you questions about it or want to talk to you about it. Common sense would dictate that if you don’t want something to become the subject of conversation, then perhaps you should not mention it. Of course, common sense is not a widely known commodity. And yet the responding party should have perhaps recognized the apparent angst or imbalance of he original poster, and ceased all conversation with him after the first rant. Sometimes no answer is even better than a soft answer. Not that I wish to judge either person involved, for I do not know either one. All the same the situation appears to be rather cut and dry. I do find this an intriguing crucible, although I came here for what was recommended to be one of the better basketball blogs for Atlanta team fans. Perhaps HawkSquawk is the better choice, though judgement of just one experience is hardly fair.

By newkid

October 13, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

DAP01, in a pre- ‘Childress-to-Greece’ world, Sund would have the luxury of comfortably delaying a decision on Marvin until the summer of ‘09 without much fear of losing him without compensation. Whilst Sund hasn’t completely lost the option of playing that hand, it’s now fraught with much more uncertainty - for the Hawks - if Europe is at play (save a fairly hasty revisiting of the collective bargaining agreement). A few RFAs who aren’t quite max players could potentially drastically improve their net earnings (on & off court) if their agents are effective at marketing them to wealthy, ambitious European owners.

Marvin and his agent must know that his performance to date renders him at best a 5 year, $45M - $50M RFA in the NBA. Maybe that’ll get it done for Sund prior to the beginning of the season. They’ll of course want more. They’ll likely rely upon the promise of a much improved ‘08-‘09, or the leverage of Europe, or both, to bargain toward the higher end. If I’m Sund I think I try diligently to close such a deal over the next couple of weeks, and thereby give myself some real transaction options during the ‘09-‘10 season. Sund must secure his chips before be can sit for any hand.

But would Marvin bite? Yes, if he, like Childress, wishes to feel wanted and needed. Yes, if he dislikes uncertainty. Yes, if he’s concerned about a possible career ending injury being visited upon his this season.

By reese

October 13, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this

Thanks for the updates from the saturday practice. I’m not to concerned with Randolph Morris not being able to back down the smaller Hunter. Take it from someone who has played on the block. It’s not always easy to push a smaller player without getting a foul called.

The more important question is could he just shoot over him and consistently make a shot. Also, was there good form on his shots. Was there a mixture of shots (i.e. hooks, jumpers, using backboard, dunks, range).

Did he have any low post moves to go around him? Did the coaches recognize his problems pushing hunter and have him get closer to the basket when first coming down court or during play movement (i.e. moving from high post to low post, screens, start on the wing and then go to the post).

Also, how was his defense. Does he rotate in time to help his teammates, did he block or alter shots and was he able to cover his own man without help.

I just can’t believe that Randolph Morris’ defensive effort is worse than Zaza and Marvin. These two players hardly ever play good team defense by rotating to help others, recognize trapping situations or are able to cover their own men.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Morris may not get too many chances to prove himself this year. Especially, since woodson knows that Marvin, Zaza and Solomon Jones are playing for new contracts.

I just hope that the coaches are recognizing his flaws and working to correct them and not giving up on the young man.

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

Sotheby….whass that directed at me bro… if so then say my name…

Listen guy there are a wide variety of topics that come across this blog that arent hoops related. EX. Dr. MaryB and her cheetah thongs???. If sumone wants to brag on his yung’n for being athletic or academically sharp, then so be it.

I dont have any kids but I luv children ,Why would a grown man take the time to talk shyt or down sumone else’z kid. Why not be supportive -they are children…..With enuff support u may be here blogging about that same child in a few years. Then u will look like the fool.

Oh yeah “rant” these nutz patna

By reese

October 13, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this

Sekou, who was guarding Slavik Randolph of Portland when scored 19pts in 7 minutes of play.

I would love to see that kind of production out of a Mario West. I know he is loved for the hustle plays and feverish pace at which he plays. However, if he is not scoring points and is committing a bunch of files which place teams in the bonus earlier, I’m for keeping a skill player.

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

Before this getz ugly….Im not taking anyones side -Just dont like to hear folks talking down about kids………

By Tyger

October 13, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

Randolph Morris is really a Rookie

Morris came out immediately after Kentucky was eliminated from the NCAA big tourney. And really never played for the Knicks.

He had a year of NCAA eligibility left, which he theoretically spent on the Knicks roster.

Without all the drama, this would be his “rookie” year. Not an excuse, but whenever we talked about Marvin, Smoove’s shortcomings, we always referred back to what year in college they wouldve been had they stayed, so why is it different for Morris? Givem a chance.

“A Western Conference official scouted Morris against the Tar Heels and couldn’t believe his eyes. This was Randolph Morris? He watched Morris deliver a 10-for-11 shooting performance against Carolina’s lottery-pick frontline of Tyler Hansbrough and Brandan Wright and discovered a transformed player. “He outplayed both of them,” the official said. “He was the best player on the floor. Listen, I couldn’t stand this kid for two years. He was out of shape. He didn’t seem like he cared at all. But from what I’ve seen out there, most teams can’t get a guy like Morris in this draft. You just can’t find quality bigs out there. “

By Ariose

October 13, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

I.MUS……..this as a piece from Ray’s post:

“You know, the part about your son being disappointed is a genuine heart breaking thing. That would be rough for anybody to deal with. I’m sure other people brought their kids and they were disappointed as well. But it’s not the end of the world, and hardly the most disappointing thing that will happen to them, I’m sure.”

“But…I’ll bet they’ll show up to the games anyhow. You ready for the stinger? Betcha Clyde will show up (t-shirts and all). Betcha the pessimistic, hated Ando will show up. But you won’t. Because of one lousy practice where you didn’t get there in time to receive the normal season ticket holder benefits, and practice was over before it was scheduled to be. And now you’re not going to allow your son to go to any games because you swore not to? Your word is your bond, and I understand that in ways you can’t imagine. But that’s a crutch when you’re talking about giving it rashly and in haste.”

So I.MUS:

1) How is ray “talking Down” about Lac’s kids??

2) Is rays premise or conclusion wrong? I don’t think so IMO. He seems to have a very sound arguement to me.

3) Do you think it could be a case of Lac, and maybe even you, overreacting???

Look, I call em’ how I see em’. Nothing personal but based on what i’ve read, it seems to me that Lac just overreacted.

1) B/C Ray made a valid point about him wanting to sever all ties with the Hawks after one bad experience, but have no remorse for those on this blog who view the Hawks in a different light, or don’t have a positive opinion for everything they do.

2) Who hasn’t been p** off at one time or another b/c of having to put up with annoying downtown shyt while trying to attend a sporting event???

3) I think the outburst was just a cover for having been proven wrong on a previous debate that has continued over a few blogs.

4) Once again if you read what ray wrote, someone please tell me how ANYTHING that he said was offensive to Lacsho’s children????

My conclusion: Lac, was angry b/c of poor service and his anger was blinding him from coherently understanding any other opposing opinion in it’s true meaning.

There’s a quote in Proverbs I like to use:

“A wise man stays calm in the face of anger.”

Acting out on those temporary feelings can cause you to not evaluate a situation properly and act out on irrational anger. It can also cause to get into a lot of trouble hehehehe….

Look, i’m not a fan of the doomanddismay approach either, but everyones entitled to ther own opinion. I’m much more fond of hopeandexcitement.

I’m sure Lac is a good guy, nothing against him. I just think he’s in the wrong in this instance. I bet there’s a ton of you on here who have had troble in downtown Atlanta, but i’m sure that hasn’t stopped you from coming back for more hopeandexcitement.

I also understand that Lac was probably just venting at the time and didn’t mean for his statements (about never attending a Hawks game again) to be taking literally by Ray or anyone else.

I also see that Ray was trying to prove a point which is why he did it. There’s nothing wrong with that. Lacsho typed his statements (even though he probably didn’t wnat them taken literally) and ray took those statemnts and ran with them. If I was in an ongoing debate with anyone on this blog i’d have done the same thing to prove you wrong…..nobody likes to loose a debate on this blog lol, including me.

BUT, when i’m wrong I have no problem saying so. It it what it is. I’ll play my hand again some other day.

~SalimFan Sir Links A Lot~

By j

October 13, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

Lacsho,

I read your comment and wondering to my self how come you didn’t get the RSVP invite to the event like the rest of us did (which started at 11:30 for us season ticket holders)?

Even at the event, there was FREE parking passes at the first table when you walked in, and it was catered by Mellow Mushroom.  Had you gotten there on time, you would have had free food and not waited in the concession lines.  Maybe you should blame yourself???

By J

October 13, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this

Lacsho,

You are insane … just read the other comments on the blog. If you have to resort to fighting b/c somebody says something you didn’t like, then you might need to cancel your week in Denver and spend a week in therapy. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Sad about your son though … I would be upset too. He’ll get many more occassions to come out and get autographs. Maybe you should talk to your rep about getting you a freebie??? There is always a rational way to resolve an issue!!!

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

DAP01, I agree with newkid. I think that is also consistent with the salaries received by Josh Howard and Tayshaun when they were extended beyond their rookie agreements. I think Marvin will be a better all -around player this season. It may not translate into an 18 point scoring average but he will definitely take another positive step this season. Now that his body has filled out, it will be interesting to see how he uses that long-term. Will he eventually develop into a Jamal Mashburn type of player? Someone who was effective in the low-post while aslo owning a lethal mid-court game? I certainly don’t expect him to show any low-post moves this season, he has been working on his 3-point shot and he needs to master one thing at a time. But next summer, I could definitely see him spending a lot of time learning how to use his bigger and stronger body to abuse SFs down low.

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

If anyone wants to actually discuss the basketball points that are the foundation for my ongoing concerns about this years’ team, I’m still waiting. Seems like since this is an opinion-based blog, a real fan, optimistic about this Hawks’ team, with expectations of a .500+ outcome, and the making the playoffs, might want to engage in specific points of disagreement, rather than ignoring issues and ranting about what a negative dick I am.

I can’t imagine a much bigger waste of time than personally attacking a individual because they disagree with me about something neither of us can control. If you have that much time and energy on your hands, write your congressman or senator, and let him/her know about your concerns on issues that actually matter.

Then come back here and talk about basketball, for fun, and be prepared for folks to have a different perspective on how they think things will unfold this season. Some folks will be right, and some will be wrong. But if I’m the Hawks organization, I’m probably not too concerned about fans disagreeing. I’m probably more happy that folks care enough (certainly more people, and posts, here, than in years’ past) to actually show an interest in the team.

They’ve gone from irrelevant to discussion-worthy. Now we have to see if they can continue an arc, over the last few years, that has seen them go from historically bad (13 wins), to perpetual lottery team, to fringe playoff team, to…….(only time will tell).

Let’s get through this pre-season, with everybody healthy (lord knows I don’t want excuses, if they don’t tear it up). Let’s see if they keep Bibby (I think either a slow start and/or Law making it increasingly clear that he can handle big minutes, with Murray giving the team plenty of depth, will lead to a trade of Bibby) and a mid-$60 million payroll. Let’s see if what I believe are inherently flawed, potential rotations, can overcome the concerns I have for just about each possible variation.

Like Ariose, and I’ve said this many, many time, I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong (thought the Celtics would sweep us last year).

If we had a big man who could face the basket and knock down the 20-footer, allowing Horford to play the four, and Josh to play the 3, off-setting his inconsistent outside shooting and allowing Marvin to come off the bench, you’d be hearing a completely different tune from me.

You’d hear me being optimistic. And I think that some of you are so fixated on an inaccurate perception of me, as a fan, that you folks wouldn’t know what to do, or say, if I was finally in a position where I believed the Hawks could really be legitimate.

When that time comes, and I hope it’s sooner than later, some of you people are going to have to find a new villain to b*** about.

If no Okur-like big man is acquired, during this season, then I’ll stick to a no-better-than-10th in the East prediction, which I’ve been making all summer long.

I’m pretty sure ESPN provides an e-mail address for John Hollinger. Why don’t some of you folks, angry with me for a 10th, in the East, projection, fire off the same kind of irrational attacks, unrelated to actual points of basketball, to him?

Thank goodness it’s college football season. What a great series of games on Saturday. That Oklahoma-Texas game was as good as I’ve seen in years. And I sure didn’t expect to see Florida dominate LSU like that. Clyde has to be feeling really good about Alabama’s chances to come out of the West and play in the SEC championship game. I have a gut feeling that my Dawgs aren’t going to beat both Florida and LSU, though I’m confident they’ll win one of them. But I think it’s Florida or UGA against ‘Bama for the SEC title. And I think the winner will be playing for the B(S)CS championship. Just think that Georgia’s O-line is too beat up, and too young, to run the table for the remainder of the toughest schedule in the country, this season. So it could be ‘Gators and ‘Bama, and I’ll have to take the Tide, if that ends up being the game. ‘Course if we beat Florida, lose to LSU, and win out our other games, I assume we would be in with 2 losses. But even a win over ‘Bama in the SEC championship, won’t get a 2-loss Dawg team in the BCS game IMHO. Penn State could easily run the table, USC will likely end up with only one loss, and I’m betting that whoever comes out of the Big 12 will only have one loss.

Sure wish they’d go to a 4-team playoff, for a true national championship. Maybe one day………

By adam sadler

October 13, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

LACSHO

YOU NEED TO SEE MY MOVIE, ANGER MANAGEMENT. IT’S QUITE FUNNY! IT WILL REMIND YOU OF…WELL, UMM…YOU.

CHECK IT OUT!

By g-thang

October 13, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

Y’all should lay off of LACSHO! He is going to change his name and come back as a “new” person. There is no way that he will return to this blog after he has embarassed himself and the way that you all have ripped him a new one.

This is exactly why I stopped dating on the net. There are some crazy folks out there and LACSHO is definitely one of them. I bet he is voting for McCain, too

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

Ariose-I never mentioned Ray’s name, not one time…… My post was directed to Mr. Sotheby- Unless Ray is Sotheby-I have no idea what you are speaking of sir.

Either way -Grown azz folkz should’nt involve kids in their cyber fueds period ….

Im done with this its pointless-

By I.MUS WRITE

October 13, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

I went back and read Lascho’s so called tyrade……. Come on guyz give me a break…What was so bad about that…… The man was a little upset for his kid so freakn what……..

I live downtown and Im peeved on the regular…..Traffic/ panhandling etc…..

I still dont see a reason to even mention his kid or give him anykind of child raising tips………

Sum of yall probably dont even know ur kids . Atleast the guy is with his boy on a saturday spending time and bonding. There are 1,000’s of dead beat dads out here give the man a break.

cant wait for the season to start because there is a bunch of garbage floating right now….. O and if you’re changing your name to talk sidewayz about sumone that is soooooo lame . A real Bytch move -be a man and say ur shyt

By BA

October 13, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

How is it that ando has pumped out forty paragraphs on this blog alone and yet NOTHING of any relevance? The same song and dance, over and over and over… the same, overuse, of, commas…the same half-azz payroll theory- yes, you fool- they’re absolutely going to trade their starting point guard- makes perfect sense. We all understand that despite RAISING the payroll (like you claimed they would never do during the offseason), Hawk’s brass will have a firesale.

This argument is nonsense. Time for papa to get a new bag.

Also cute to see ando, the guy that revels in insulting strangers on the internet, scolding someone for insulting a stranger on the internet. ando, do us all a favor- find a team with the big white stiff that you crave, and play your sad song ad naseum on their paper’s basketball blog.

And for the record, Marvin will NOT be coming off the bench. I know, alpha spanker, that you’re a basketball novice, but NBA teams don’t draft people #2 to come of the bench.

By MannyT

October 13, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

For the offseason, the tally is probably canniblogging 4, hoops 2…but I’m not really keeping score. Speaking of basketball…

The Hawks have to tune up against one of their nemesis teams tonight. No matter how many struggles the Bobcats have, they always give the Hawks trouble. While I don’t expect anything revealing to happen during the fake 8 season, it will be interesting to see the twist that Larry Brown puts on this thing.

It is a bit of a master/student battle.

Darth Larry hasn’t done anything noteworthy lately, but Obi-Wood only has that playoff run on which to hang his coaching hat.

Any of you going to show up tonight?

May the force be with whom? hmmm

In the real, I hope Woody is taking the Byron Scott approach and checking out the lower end of his roster and some ideas for his rotation. I don’t care who wins.

BWAF

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

BA, ignoring the points, as always. Nice article on ESPN that Stern is laying off 80 NBA employees, 9% of their staff, do to the economy and expectations that both season ticket sales and single-game ticket purchases will likely decline, across the league. So I’m supposed to believe that an ownership group that folks like Astro Joe and doc have been calling broke and underfunded, for years, is going to increase it’s payroll by $10 million.

I didn’t say Marvin will be coming off the bench, you half-wit. I said the team would be better if they had an Okur-like center, that would allow him to come off the bench. No, people don’t draft players #2 to come off the bench, but then the Hawks probably didn’t draft Childress, a #6, to come off the bench. Or Shelden, at #5, to come off the bench. So that’s pretty much a typically ridiculous BA comment, lacking any logic at all. Even folks who don’t agree with me would find your comment that I’m a basketball novice pretty laughable.

Now, for the record, I don’t attack anybody, personally, who doesn’t attack me first. You like to go through the archives, so find me the last time I attacked someone, completely unprovoked by that person.

And when they dump payroll, and I’m proven right, again, you’ll suddenly be scarce around here, like you are every time you’re wrong (which is pretty much every time you disagree with me).

BA, you’re inconsequential. Always have been and always will be. I offered yappers like you the chance to put your money where your mouth is, and bet on whether the Hawks make the playoffs. You were no where to be found. How unsurprising….

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

Ando, check your logic up there with regard to your Bibby trade prediction. Either he sucks early or a pair of guys making about a fourth of what he makes provide comparable performance. Is that a fearless prediction? That a team would dump an over-priced non-performer with an expiring contract? Or that a team would dump someone whose contributions are matched by younger, cheaper players on the team? Wow, that’s going out on a limb. I mean, has a team ever traded a player (with an expiring contract) under those conditions?

The Hawks’ most fatal flaw is their coach. Woody presents a greater danger to the team falling short of another playoff appearance than being undersized in the pivot. The Hawks will play far more competent coaches in 82 games than they will a game-changing big man. There are more teams like Miami, Washington and Chicago than Toronto in the East. And pardon me if I don’t worry too much about a West coast team whom we play only twice (like Portland).

So let’s see what happens with Woody and his development. Sund appears to be on the fence (at best) and has made sure that the players have new resources to supplement Woody’s coaching. If Woody knew that he would outlast BK, he must feel differently about Sund. So if Sund suggests that he not sit a player with 2 fouls at the 5 minute mark of the 1st quarter for the entire freakin half (like he did last year), I’m guessing that Woody will adjust that philosophy this season. And surely, Sund believes in the concept of a bench, and maybe with vets on the pine ready to hit the floor running, Woody will truly utilize his experienced assets. And I’m betting fewer guys will land in Woody’s doghouse this year, too. Somehow, I don’t beleive that Flip will get the Diaw/Delk/AJ/Salim/Acie treatment, not if Sund has anything to say… and I think he will. If I’m wrong and Woody’s bad ways are still supported by Gearon, then all bets are off and I hope that teams loses 75 games. But I’m betting that Gearon sees how the Falcons are experiencing relative success by allowing an expert to run the team and do his thing (Dimitroff). So I am hopeful that while the spoiled brats are preparing for the February showdown in a Maryland court, they will allow Sund to do his job.

Lastly, I used to agree that a shooting center was the missing link for the Hawks. Now I’m not so sure. I think offensive balance can be achieved by a diversity of offensive weapons. If our starting 5 does what they did last year, and if we can get 7-10 points from Law, Flip and Zaza every game, then we’re set. No, not in the “challenging for the conference title” kind of set, but in the 6-7 seed playoff team kind of set.

Oh and one last thing, if Hollinger came on our blog with doomanddismay, I would fire back at him too. And I would also point out how his magic formula suggested that Carl Landry had a better season than either Josh Smith or Al Horford last year. WTF? Think it might be time to re-look that equation?

By ray

October 13, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this

I feel like this has gone much further than it should have by a long shot. And ashamedly, I have contributed to it.

Ariose, I appreciate both the understanding and the support. I really do. But I did help make the mess by bulldogging my point. Lesson learned, and I hope to help clean it up.

Ant Banks, you are absolutely right and I’m going to end it right here.

I.MUS,

I realize that you didn’t address me directly with anything (although I’m sure the man crush and kid comments were meant for me…am I right?). I’m not insinuating that you’re accusing me, but I’m addressing things anyway. I don’t know who Sotheby is. I don’t know who a lot of people are. I know that I’m ray and I have no problems addressing people as myself (except for the occasional humor-driven interlude where I make it obvious) directly to that person. I think I’ve proven that time and again.

But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I attempted to reason with Lacsho on something he said that seemed directly the opposite of what he came at me saying before. That’s all. I didn’t offer him any advice, tips or anything of any kind. I just asked some rhetorical questions to get him thinking about what he was saying. No, he does not need my help with anything, and I already knew that. I also realize now that perhaps he is not the kind of guy to have those kinds of discussions with. Or maybe it was just bad timing, I don’t know. Either way….My mistake. Don’t put me in that category of people who says or does such things as talking down to someone or their kids, or about their kids. That just isn’t right. And it just isn’t me.

One more thing, I. MUS, and you might get a wry chuckle out of this one. You came to Lacsho’s defense (or more or less sided with him) on more than one post (like in your 3:04 post). That’s cool. Is it really all that different than me coming to Ando’s defense on occasion? I mean, would it be appropriate to label your posts as “jocking” or evidence of a “man crush”? I’m just sayin’….you have to laugh at the irony of that. Hell, the fact that many people despair of Ando’s very presence was the whole point of the flamethrower jokes…

Lacsho,

I’ll assume that you’re out of town, hence the lack of reply. No big deal. I have a bad habit of pursuing a point too aggressively, which is what I feel is one thing that really set you off. I stand by all that I say because I said it. However, some of the things I said, most specifically in my second to last post to you were out of line. Oh, it’s what I was feeling at the time, but it was out of line. As for the things you took offense to that I know good and well I didn’t mean to be offensive, I don’t know what to say….other than sorry that I offended you. That’s really all I can say. I won’t admit to doing something I didn’t do (i.e., give advice about your kid or talk down to you about him, threaten you with bodily harm). I still am not sure what happened there. But I concede the fact that my timing and aggressive nature was ill-fitting. Sorry about that, too. At any rate, having cooled a bit, I don’t see the need to become enemies, and so I will not encourage the opportunity to do so. By all means say your piece upon your return, but I’m ready to call it squashed after that and move on. I even promise not to continue arguing if you say I did or said something that I feel I didn’t do. Heh.

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

From ESPN wire:

“LONDON — The NBA is laying off 9 percent of its work force over worries about the U.S. economy, commissioner David Stern said.

“We made a decision some months ago that the economy was going to be a bit wobbly, so we began a belt-tightening that will result in a work-force reduction of about 9 percent domestically,” Stern said Sunday, speaking before an NBA preseason game at London’s O2 arena.

This translates into about 80 jobs, he later told Reuters.

“There is a season-ticket renewal rate decline, and new sales are also being hit,” he said. “My guess is when [the regular season] kicks off, we will be down modestly in season ticket sales.”

So, BA, a franchise who’ve never spent more than $55 million, and apparently doesn’t have the money necessary to buy out their divorced partner, is now, in the worst economic conditions everyone under the age 70 has ever seen, is, despite losing millions, annually, now going to increase payroll by $10 million? Here’s another wager I’ll make, that you won’t take: I bet you $100 that by season’s end, the Hawks actual payroll will come in under $60 million.

You can try and dismiss my fairly sound logic. And you will disappear when I turn out to be right, about payroll, Bibby, and the outcome of the Hawks’ record. But you’re s** is weak. You’ve got nothing but petty comments. If you think you’re somehow convincing people I don’t know what I’m talking about, you really are even more clueless than you sound (and that is no small feat).

There’s no reason for me to change my tune, until the Hawks do something to prove me wrong. I’ll go point by point with you anytime you want. But you won’t do that, because it’s far more easy to avoid the issues and whine about me than to actual tackle the foundation of my opinion.

The only thing less original than my last few months of posts, is the same, tired repetitive name calling that folks like you toss at me month after month, year after year.

The funny thing is that folks like you are responsible for keeping my rhetoric alive. Every time someone like you acts like you’ve shown me up, with some lame trash talking, you leave me no choice but to respond, highlight the basketball-specific points that drive my opinions, underscoring that those points still haven’t been addressed, and essentially invite me right back up on my soap box.

Seems like if you really wanted me to go away, you, and the couple of people who share your feelings, would quit calling me out. But, I guess, you folks would have to have a modicum of intelligence to see something so obvious and simple, right there in front of your face. So you’re either too stupid to understand how to rid yourself of me, or you really want me around.

Pretty damn funny……

By Sotheby

October 13, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

There is apparently more personal agendas here than Atlanta professional basketball discussion. One written observation of the activities here has earned me a nasty reply within minutes. Mr. Hart’s message board is often slow and very unresponsive but this is certainly not the case here. Where is Mr. Smith I wonder? Personal agendas are intriguing but hardly of substance over the long term and I shall withdraw to less acidic areas. Had I wanted this I would have watched a soap opera.

By ray

October 13, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this

BA,

I think that the Hawks have proven so far that they sure as heck didn’t draft Marvin to come off the bench. At least we followed through with him. You say teams don’t draft a guy #2 for him to sit the bench….stranger things have happened:

Detroit drafted Darko #1. Did he even ever get the splinters out of his a$$ up there? That name is no longer even mentioned in Detroit, LOL!

Tell you what I think, though: Marvin, regardless of where he was drafted, will have his minutes eaten into this year. The only reason I say that is because Mo Evans is a better defender (despite being smaller) and seems capable of producing just as much offense. So unless Marvin is producing at a higher rate on both ends of the floor….naw, I don’t think he’ll be coming off the bench….but I do think he’ll be seeing it just a bit more than he was last year. Of course, I could be wrong.

But Mo Evans is going to get his minutes somewhere, and it ain’t gonna be behind Joe…

Astro Joe,

I figure a shooting center ( or at least one capable of shooting) is one of the better options, but surely isn’t the only one. The advantage is somebody with more length to help on the defensive end. Then again, you don’t always get that with a shooting center, so you have to be careful who you pick up. A guy like Rasheed Wallace gets the job done and then some. A guy like Okur? Yes and no. He’ll get you some boards, but how is his defense? In fact, a big shooter like Nowitzki can be problematic on defense. However, he is able to offset that big time by grabbing plenty of rebounds and being one the more prolific scorers in the game.

I agree that various offensive weapons and schemes devised to use those weapons are an alternative to using a shooting center. But you know where that brings us right back to: Meester Potato Head. You may dang well be right about Sund’s influence on him (one can only hope so). It’s all on this guy to implement, adjust, and overcome. The good news is that Horford has worked on his game and is now able to go outside and face up to bigger defenders (like Shaq) when he needs to, hitting that 15-17 foot jumper.

Few things were more encouraging that hearing that this has happened, then having it confirmed by JJ. I just hope we find ways to make good use of Horford’s talents, and not waste them.

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

MannyT, I don’t spend my entertainment dollar anyplace where I’m not guaranteed a big box of popcorn. So I’ll wait until the regular season starts. I understand that Grady is on stand-by in case Speedy and/or Sean May have delusions of trying to play.

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this

Joe, if you are a person who has, and continues to, agree with my summer long position that the ASG will not fund a mid-$60 million payroll this season, then of course the logic is pretty obvious. But since the point is made to folks who continue to disagree with that belief, and/or folks who believe we will/should keep, and re-sign, Bibby, then its a very pertinent point.

You’re pointed comment suggests that this blog is bereft of any dissenting opinions regarding the ASG committing to such a large payroll, as well as the idea that trading Bibby is a foregone conclusion.

So don’t pull you typical approach of being dismissive of my point, when you know quite well that many folks don’t agree with either my payroll position, or my Bibby position.

At least you’re still consistent: you define the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to condescension and arrogance. For someone who likes to point out my redundancy, you’re perpetual attempt to minimize my positions by doing nothing but scoffing hasn’t changed since the birth of the blog.

Look at how you hang onto “doomanddismay”, rather than acknowledging the reasonableness of my multiple attempts to point out that predicting the Hawks to come in at no better than 10th in the East is hardly “DOOM”. It’s just an expectation that they probably won’t get much better, record-wise, and that 37 wins won’t capture the 8th seed again.

Since you seem to project the team as a 6-7th seed range outcome, how far off are we, really?

Not very far probably.

But I know it’s more fun for you to try and perpetuate a negative image of me, to build yourself up.

I’ll say it again, why don’t we see how they actually do before folks like you smugly pretend there’s no basis for my less optimistic expectations of the team.

The starting front line, of Marvin, Josh and Al, will struggle defensively, though they’ll be very formidable offensively. The “big” lineup, of Zaza/Morris/Solo, at center, with Horford sliding over to his natural position of PF, and Smith, at the 3, will be one of the worst shooting front lines in the league. When they go with Evans at the 3, with Josh and Al, they’ll be even smaller, despite the fact that all 3 are very good defenders. And other rotations will see so few minutes, they’re largely inconsequential, because they all include either Horford or Smith on the bench, and there’s just not much chance Woody is going to do anything but keep those two on the floor (Horford is the future of the franchise, and Smith is getting paid $58 million, so it’s a safe bet that the ASG will expect those two to play all the time).

No matter what rotation the Hawks go with, they’ll frequently find themselves in some type of mismatch, on one end of the floor or the other. And, as someone who, like you, and many other here, has seen a lot of Hawks’ games, my observation is that Woody typically gets match ups imposed on him, rather than the other way around.

I’ll stick to my opinion, until proven otherwise, on the need, whether it’s this season, or in the near future, for the Hawks to optimize their potential, and value, of both Horford and Smith, they’ll need to get a big who can stretch opposing defenses on a nightly basis. And that can’t happen if the Hawks commit a sizeable extension to Marvin, and maintain a future with him at the 3.

The comparison of Marvin to Mashburn, has been discussed for years. There was a time when I thought their physical similarities, and outside shooting ability, made that a possible evolution. But, from day 1, when we drafted Marvin, the player I thought he most projected, potentially, to develop into, is the guy he replaced, Al Harrington. And at this stage, he still doesn’t have anything close to Harrington’s post game, nor does he yet have Harrington’s 3-point range (though maybe this season will see that happen).

So the question I had about Marvin, the day they drafted him, remains unchanged: why did the Hawks pass on Paul to draft a guy who’s upside projected to match the existing ability of the guy they already had here?

And from what I’ve seen, that’s still a damn reasonable question.

Now, feel free to to respond to my comments with your typically dismissive tone, like you are scolding a child, and pretend that in doing so, you’ve somehow shown me up. The folks here that can think for themselves know that’s all you’ve got, when it comes to me. Because as much as you want to minimize the range of points I make, you are the blog’s original, and reigning, one-trick pony.

Lastly, Hollinger’s PER ratings aren’t meant to define a players literal value. His is an arcane statistical analysis, intended to highlight efficiency, with that data set into the context of per minute averages (if I understand it correctly). Dismissing his prediction that the Hawks will end the season in 13th, in the East, because of his unrelated Player Efficiency Ratings, is a classic Astro Joe “misrepresentation” move. Doesn’t mean he’ll be right about the Hawks, but it also doesn’t have anything to do with his prediction.

But what would you have left to say if you weren’t twisting someone else’s words, or opinions, to suit, and defend, your position?

They should give you the Hawk’s Hack gig. There couldn’t be a better, more accurate, fit than you and the term “Hack”.

By ant banks

October 13, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this

if anyone is at the game 2nite holla at me. sect 111 r U. i will be wit wifey and my baby daughter. jus’ holla ant banks!!

By ray

October 13, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this

Ando come on. Not the Chris Paul thing again…please don’t get that antbed stirred up again..

One thing that may change the front line shooting situation if we go bigger (i.e, send Zaza in while Marvin sits) is that Horford seems to be developing his outside shot. JJ said he’s getting it going pretty good. We did see evidence of this capability late last year when Al actually got the chance to show it off (which still wasn’t frequent enough).

If this is an offensive set that can work, and be allowed to work (Woody), then the next question is: can Zaza and Josh provide the matching inside presence that requires defensive attention, and thereby opens up the lane?

Big question. And I’m not sure of the answer, but it’s an option. Then again, if you believe like I do and think that Horford does his best work down low, then that offensive option doesn’t work.

Here’s one more thing to consider: do you really think you’ll get that outside shooting big, be it center or otherwise, with a guy like Sund at the controls? He likes big stiffs alright, but the ones he always picks can’t shoot (or do much else…except maybe Robert Swift). Just sayin’…

Sotheby, you poor wretch. You say that you didn’t want in on personal stuff, but what basketball stuff were you discussing exactly? Trolls….

By ray

October 13, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this

Ant Banks,

please tell me that you’ll report on the game for those of us th at can’t go. I look forward to first-hand accounts.

By jhan

October 13, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this

Rick Sund was asked on Saturday to say some words about the team for this year. All he basically talked about was home much depth this team has now. How our guys won’t be “run down” by the end of the year & this team has enough depth to overcome injuries if needed.

If Woody tries to run a 7 man rotation again this year he most certainly will be canned. His boss basically said so to the season ticket holders. No excuses for Woody this year.

Joe, great observation about the Hawks meeting more quality head coaches this year than quality centers. Al can hold his own against 80% of centers in this league. Can Woody say the same?

As far as the outside shooting big man, I’m already on record stating I don’t like that idea. It’s never proven to be a title winning formula & I have no faith Woody could make it work.

It still doesn’t address the fact that we are undersized. If our new center spends his time shooting from 20’-24’ how does that help our interior offense? Teams will just switch on defense & use their SF to guard our center outside. That leaves Josh/Al being guarded by bigger players. Right back where we started.

By MannyT

October 13, 2008 6:52 PM | Link to this

Astro Joe You crack me up. Sure my favorite popcornistas may not be in regular season form yet, but the building will be half empty so why bring out the big poppers?

ant banks I am glad to see that someone else is likely to be at the game. I’m sure that I’l get there by the end of the first quarter…wearing lots of black including the Ft Wayne Mad Ants cap in section 108 row S.

Sotheby Once the season starts the canniblogging will slow down. There’s only so much arm chair analysis that can happen in the summer, and most of us have over analyzed most everything about this offseason. Don’t bail out permanently, things should get closer to normal around the end of the month.

ray I’m glad that you are trying to put this thing to rest. The silly part of me wants to give y’all air cannons full of popped popcorn in a giant one of those moonwalks. It would be the great popcorn blog battle—with guest referee, Lo Wright!

If it goes more than one round, we can work in a bunch of hot chicks to carry signs and wink at me as the Vince McMahon of this sideshow ;-)

Ando I saw that NBA layoff thing earlier. It will be interesting to see how the smaller funded teams handle this cash crunch. Similar issues are there across sports. As for the Bibby thing, time will tell. A good run may make the ASG feel like they have the will to pour in more equity. A typical Hawks run will put Bibby on a plane for a trade exception that they won’t use ;-)

Gotta get to the game.

BWAF

By ray

October 13, 2008 7:31 PM | Link to this

Manny, you have got to be the most balanced guy on here. Bar none. And I swear, just when I think you and Joe can’t come up with one more popcorn pun, you come up with five. That’s what I love about this blog and its inhabitants.

Time to tune in to yahoo sports (thanks again for the tip Samuel, nba.com sucks at this live update thing).

Jhan, that’s encouraging to hear, as long as the powers that be allow the one they hired to do the job that his title suggests…

By ray

October 13, 2008 7:54 PM | Link to this

We should be whoopin’ Charlotte’s butt…

By terrell barron

October 13, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this

Marvin is coming off the bench. It’s about time.

By terrell barron

October 13, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this

Joe Johnson for 3eeeeeeeee!

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

Ando*, if you’re saying that the difference between a 6-7 seed and 10th slot is “not very far”, then I guess we have nothing left to discuss. And you’re forecast that the Hawks will finish in anyone of 5 slots I’m sure will come to fruition.

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this

Jhan, “never proven to be a title winning formula”?

I have one name for you: Rasheed Wallace

Little team called the Detroit Pistons.

Here’s a far less successful formula for championships: playing a power forward at center

Let me know how many teams have won with that set up, in the last few decades. Even Jordan had guys like Longley, Cartright, and even Wennington. And Duncan has always had a bigger guy playing behind him, even though he’s truly a power forward. So the Hawks are going to compete for championships, with Horford at center, but the Spurs had the good sense to always provide one of the most dominant low-post scorers, and defenders, of all time, in Duncan, a starting center, so that he wouldn’t have to bang with guys like Shaq?

So, logically, if you do the right thing, and play Horford at the 4, where no less than Barkley, during last season’s all-star festivities, said he could be a STAR, for the next decade, then you pretty much have to slide your $58 million forward, Smith, to the 3, right?

And if you do that, and you don’t complement them with a center who can consistently knock down the long-range shot, reducing the ability of opposing defenses to collapse a zone, in the paint, reducing the effectiveness of Horford, on the block, and Smith’s room to drive to the basket, then we see nothing but zone defenses, and we have what we do now, when Zaza plays alongside of those two: the worst shooting front line in the NBA.

J, nothing about this team, as it’s currently constructed, has elements of championship teams. If Smith becomes a dangerous 3-point shooter, in the next year, then everything changes. But is there anything you’ve seen to suggest that’s realistic?

Kobe didn’t get back into the championship mix, loss in the finals not withstanding, until Bynum emerged, in the regular season, and Gasol arrrived, via trade, for the playoffs.

Even Garnett has Perkins playing behind him. Horford isn’t the answer at center. His playing there limits the teams’ potential, and will continue to wear him down, despite his great talent, and even greater heart.

By Samuel

October 13, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this

Yea. I have to say I don’t get that one either. 6 or 7 vs 10 is waaaayyyy apart.

Good win guys. A good all around effort. Acie played another good game. I’m not sure why Marvin was benched but FlipMo played big down the stretch. Solo got some key rebounds and a key steal.

We got kinda 3 pt happy there for a while but we pulled it out.

Cuz, any idea when will Bibbs be back?

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this

What happened to Marvin, why so few minutes? Sounds like Woody went with Flip & Mo in the final few possessions of a close game, along with Smith, Law and Horford. Law makes game winning basket while Horford makes game saving block. I only heard bits and pieces of the game and I missed why Marvin played less than 15 minutes tonight.

By Macaroni Tony

October 13, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this

I heard that it was nothing wrong with him it just that Woody wanted to see how the rest of the guys would perform. I heard that from Dominique Wilkins while listening to the game.

By Astro Joe

October 13, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Tony.

Sam, I heard Dennis Scott say that Bibby should be okay and back soon, but he wasn’t anymore specific than that.

By King K.C.

October 13, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this

Listen up raymond, or shall we say Dark Kharma? If you disapprove of your own antics on the blog, why then do you continue to poorly portray yourself in such a manner? Cease, please.

As far the Hawks are concerned, you pathetic peasants need to RISE UP and support the best young squad in the league. Don’t worry bout Marvin. The young fella is primed for a breakthrough this season. His shot may seem awkward/goofy at times, but MW is gonna be awesome. If ASG is wise, they will quit stalling and extend his contract. Don’t give him a chance to join Chill in Greece. Hope to see many of you in attendance, once the real season begins. We need Philips to rock like it did during the playoffs. God bless you all, and be careful with that popcorn. It’s a choking hazard.

Sincerely,Your Royal Ambassador of Basketball— King K.C.

By doc

October 13, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this

samuel your guy oj hammered the pacers tonight. looks to be solid. they might surprise a few folks.

By BA

October 13, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this

Ok, alpo, you’re a veritable genius. Let’s convienently disregard the fact that your chicken little payroll theory was posted here BEFORE the offseason was even underway. Since then, they’ve re-upped Smith and ADDED payroll. So you’ve already been proven wrong.

Tell you what, explain the logic in signing additional players if you are cutting payroll. Can’t be done.

Just doesn’t make sense.

Kind of like Noah and Yi.

You’ve dodged it for months, and you continue to post the same half-baked conspiracy theory as if the signings never occurred. At least you made a departure with your retarded “trade Marvin for Bargnani” post awhile back. Of course- trade Williams for a SOFTER small forward! Brilliant!

Dumb, but more creative than the “trade Bibby” jargon that has been dismissed by everybody from our esteemed beat writer down to the lowly BA types.

Think creativity, alpo. A shame to waste you delightful, effeminate, over-punctuated diatribes repeating the same tired mantra that has already been invalidated.

By HB Ando

October 13, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this

Last season, the difference between 7 and 10 was six games. While six games isn’t an insignificant number, my point was that Joe uses a six-game difference of opinion to paint himself as reasonable and optimistic and to castigate me as the purveyor of “doom”?

That’s a bit of an overstatement, don’t you think?

My exact point wasn’t that there is no difference between 7 and 10, but that the difference was hardly great enough to continue this ridiculous assertion that I seek to be the grim reaper of the Hawks fortunes.

In other words, Joe, why don’t you try something a little more valid, to build yourself up, than opportunistically jumping on Lacsho’s rant about how my lower expectations are a buzz kill?

In classic Joe fashion, lacking any substance, your response to a detailed rebuttal, regarding front-line rotations, and the issues I highlight, is to, as I predicted, dismissively state that “we have nothing left to discuss” if I think that the difference between 7 and 10 is not that great. This is now four straight years of you calling me out, me responding with actual basketball-related perspectives, and you bailing out and failing to ever finish anything you started.

You did exactly what I predicted you would. You arrogantly dismissed the point, without actually objectifying the facts (six games), and did so as if the very idea was beneath you. Regardless of the basketball issues, you absolutely validated the exact traits I highlighted, regarding your substance-less, and always predictable, style.

Thank you for making my point that much more obvious.

So, Joe, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is: $100 the Hawks don’t make the playoffs. After all the blather we’ve heard from you, regarding your history of corporate management, I have to assume you can afford to risk a measly $100, since you’re opinion is beyond reproach, and you’re so certain I don’t know what I’m talking about (and the difference between 7th and 10th is great enough to tsk-tsk me).

As far as Marvin goes, lacking an injury report, I’d guess that Gerald Wallace rendered him so ineffective that Woody had to go another route. Not that Wallace doesn’t do that to a lot of small forwards in the league.

Stats from tonight that are disconcerting: 22 less FG attempts, six less boards, nine less dimes and five more turnovers. Only at home, against a weak team like Charlotte, will those kind of team stats lead to a win.

On a good note, the ongoing development of the Flip/Acie tandem, as the inevitable replacement to the soon-as-they-can-trade-him Bibby, continues, in good form.

By BA

October 13, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this

Ray, in regards to Williams, he’s shown marked improvement every year. But I agree, he’ll lose minutes- and that would be a good thing, because it would mean Woodson is getting production off the bench. If these new guards are balling, they’ll eat into Johnson/Bibby’s minutes as well. But that’s all relative, because the backcourt was expected to log too many minutes last year, with NO bench.

But yeah, as soon as I hit post on that, I realized that there are certainly many examples of high picks that didn’t start. I don’t see Marvin as being one of those situations. Even if the Hawks plucked your boy’s great white all-purpose center out of the sky.

By Ariose

October 13, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this

Oh, Lord. I’ve awaken the sleeping giants Casey and Stevo lol.

Your apperances and/or lurking around theses parts defently means that the season is around the corner heh. I see your both up to your ususal antics hehehe.

Good to hear from both of you. Theres no such thing as too much company on a blog lol. Now all we need is Jami$$ion and Maryb here full time and we can start the festivities…..sombody pass the chips hehehe…..

Maaan, I had this long post prepared and apparently it got sucked into the void(i’m crying on the inside). Right now I don’t have the will power to probe my thoughts for it again(it was awsome though).

I understand marvin not playing many minutes, They will be without him when the season opens against Orlando. So I guess it’s just a tune up.

Hopefully the rwest of our startes will get some rest later in he preseason as well.

I like the fact that Acie is playing a ton of minutes this preseason. That should have a great carryover effect into the regular season. Hopefully that will make woodson able to trust him a lot more.

What’s going on with Solo? I know he had six rebounds and a block, but 2 points. Where’s that improved offensive game we’ve been hearing about?? I think he’ll be fine though.

~SalimFan Sir Links A Lot~

By MannyT

October 13, 2008 11:33 PM | Link to this

They really should limit fake 8 games to towns that do not have the NBA. That place was so empty a nudist colony could have started in the 300 section and no one would have been the wiser.

Astro They had the real popcorn out tonight. I did not get close because I was quite late and I don’t want to know how much they are jacking up the concession prices to pay for the new and improved salary structure yet. A few years ago, I’d have gotten an interest only concession loan with no proof of income. I’ll have to figure out what to do with a Buckhead appetite and a Bankhead bank account. Now days, people want cash for food…go figure. Since politicians won’t preach personal responsibility. I’ll blame it on Wall St. At least until November 5th ;-)

Maybe Marvin got a light night after pulling the most minutes in the Portland game. It was nice to see AC attacking the basket in the 4th qtr.

While I am for keeping Bibby around as long as we are winning, I have been a Rasheed Wallace fan for far too long. Ando I’d pack Bibby’s bags if we could have Hawk for a Game back! Salary hit goes down a little. Bibby has swagger—Wallcae has more. Woody even has history with him that might make this a positive. Granted, we would need to move Zaza in a separate deal to free up some minutes and salary. The big question is how much is left in Rasheed’s tank? He would be up for a new contract at the end of the season, but he’s in his mid 30s so the salary numbers likely decrease each year. Worse case Wallace walks like Bibby probably will next summer if he’s still here.

ray my form of blog crazy probably just self edits more before I tap that post button, but balanced sounds good.

For those of you who are suffering through withdrawal because you are not close to the ATL, you can always hear the game for free on the internet. Truth be told, you are better off doing it that way than trying to hear the local radio broadcast after dark. I think their transmitter was setup by some kid that got a D in high school science. Use this link to get your NBA Audio crack…all season long. Works for all the teams and all the games.

As I close this blog entry, I’ll wrap it up in a link that allows me to think about choreography for the A-town dancers, a little Crazy Frog for all the nice kids, and a touch of popcorn.

BWAF

By MannyT

October 13, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this

new blog up

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