Hawks

By hawks_4_life

December 15, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this

Very frustrating being up at 2 am in germany to follow the hawks online only to find them struggle to the inferior bobcats. This is how it is to be a magic fan in the past when we were inferior

By Eric C.

December 15, 2008 8:12 PM | Link to this

Is it just me…or have the Hawks really been stinking up lately from behind the arc? That used to be a big strength but now tonight they are 1-13 as of halftime and recent games haven’t been much better it seems???

By CT

December 15, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

Following the game online. Josh Smith hasn’t played in a while, according to Yahoo. Is he hurt or just not playing much? Too many fouls?

By cp

December 15, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

It’s been ugly.. Is Josh hurt? He went out and didn’t come back in. Its time to give Solo the minutes Pachulia is getting. Pachulia is horrible on the defensive end and is always trying to draw a foul instead of trying to make the basket. Solo got in but only because Pachulia had 3 fouls.

Diaw was abusing Joe and Josh out there. He was getting what he wanted in the paint. Flip is chucking it up and turning the ball over but still manages to get minutes. Evans and Marvin have not done much. If it wasn’t for Bibby and Joe this might be a blowout. They have to come out with some type of energy the second half.

By Astro Joe

December 15, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this

What I find interesting is the number of emails I have received about the Celtics contest… they must be a little concerned about it not being a true sellout. Ludacris giving a half-time performance of the Celtics game? I wonder if he requested the date to ensure he could promote his new CD to a sellout crowd or if Hawks Marketing department asked for that date so that they could ensure a sellout? Seems Ludacris negotiated the better deal.

Is anyone else haviong problems with the NBA.com broadcast?

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 15, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this

Is this game on TV ANYWHERE? I can’t even find it streaming on the internet…

By rms

December 15, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this

will there be an Acie Law sighting or will Bibby play 38min. and Flip play the point in place of him?

By big dave

December 15, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this

im having problems with the audio feed

By E. G.

December 15, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this

Hey guys,

The Hawks are a SAD team right now. However, with all my criticism that you will not cease to hear from me, I still believe that they will finish 2nd in the EAST.

Hopeful thinking you would probably say.

By Hawk Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this

Trap game? This is more like a crap game! This whole playing down to the competition is beyond getting old. If they drive more and stop jacking up 3s from eveRy where then we can pull this out.

By Sekou K. Smith

December 15, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

It’s a family show Hawks Fan in New Orleans, I couldn’t put that word in the headline. Ha.

The Hawks just seem to fall in love with taking and making 3-point shots, sometimes to the detriment of their own cause.

They can be a tremendously frustrating team to watch when they play like this. That said, it’s anyone’s game to start the fourth quarter (68-68).

By ray

December 15, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

I am NOT happy that this game is not on tv. But what can you do….I wouldn’t be surprised if some back room deals weren’t done. Trade televising this game for the one against the Celtics.

Hah! I didn’t know you could be a senior citizen at the age of 31! How come I miss all the discounts? And If I’m senior at that age, then what is Kirk? An adolescent? Well, that might explain a few things….

Surely talking about playing with yourself is bad form even for bitter senior citizens.

Is that anything like “I know you are, but what am I?” Beginning to sound more adolescent by the second…I guess it would be funny…if we were all 16 or 17 years old.

Someone needs to be a cheerleader type on this blog that features too much from too few,and Ill accept the role(and the predictable ridicule).

Well, the truth finally comes out:

Cheerleader: A person who is willing to look mildly to exceedingly ridiculous while jumping up and down and screaming out primitive glittering generalities (“Go team, go”, “Score team, score”), regardless of what is going on during the game or what the outcome is. Generally a person with the inability to either play the game or keep up with the nuances thereof. Is often oblivious to anything that isn’t painfully obvious to all in attendance.

And for the final piece of the definition: Usually ends up being somebody’s biatch after the game….

Yeah, I’d say this applies…hee hee!

To all you real cheerleaders out there, past, present and future, I don’t really mean that about you. You’re always appreciated for what you do. Keep it real.

By Hawk Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this

Go Horford! Way to take lead mayne. All I have is satellite radio to check out games. Flip Mo are horrible right now if Woody doesn’t play Solo and Acie more i’m gonna flip my mo.

By Hawk Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this

Trap game? This is more like a crap game! This whole playing down to the competition is beyond getting old. If they drive more and stop jacking up 3s from eveRy where then we can pull this out.

By Astro Joe

December 15, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this

Looks like the starters may have to play throughout.. not only is it a tight game but Flip Mo Squad looks more like the Hit No Squad… as in hit no shots.

Poor Woody, gets balmed when he doesn;t use his bench and when he does use his bench they shoot like a bunch of kindergarten girls. Let’s hope Utah keeps Boston’s Big 3 on the floor for 35) minutes tonight.

By Hawk Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this

I hear ya Sekou! Well we up now and rollercoaster that is Hawks Basketball rumbles on. We can live by the 3 but can’t die by it - glad coach got on them about reckless 3PT jumpers. that help turn the tide of game… Satellite radio and cellphone internet is the only way to go down here. Until Wednesday of course:) Gj

By JMar

December 15, 2008 9:17 PM | Link to this

If I had to pick two players to put on my bench after Zaza, my first two picks would be Solo and Acie before Mo and Flip. It’s okay to be streaky. It’s not okay to be bench role players that continue to shoot when they’re off. Let Joe and Bibby shoot through their woes; Flip Mo needs to know that when they’re off, they’re off.

By ray

December 15, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this

I see we managed to regain the lead. Good. Sure wish this was on tv…

Bibby is playing a good, solid game. Maybe not stellar, but we don’t need stellar from him tonight. Either way, he’s outplaying his counterparts, and I’m happy to see it.

Al Horford is doing what I love to see him do: grab a double-double. He’s outplaying Okafor, who matches up pretty good with him.

I also see Josh may have regained his shooting stroke to a point. 1-2 on threes, but 6-9 from the field. I’ll take that any day.

I love when JJ has games like this. Nothing like a near 30-point, 10-assist performance. This looks more like the JJ from the beginning of the season. Yeah, boyyyy!!

By Hawks Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this

I hear ya Sekou! They are pulling it out. The rollercoaster called Hawks B Ball rumbles on.

By ray

December 15, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this

Astro Joe,

Right you are. I would grouse about JJ’s minutes tonight, but our two veteran bench players are underperforming again. Badly, at that. Can’t fault Woody on that one.

However, I do have to agree with JMar, who says that Acie and Solo should be coming off the bench more, especially with the Flip/Mo squad struggling so much. But you know how Woody is…he’s going with those veterans, come hell or high water…

By E. G.

December 15, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this

ASTRO JOE

You said, “Poor Woody, gets balmed when he doesn;t use his bench and when he does use his bench they shoot like a bunch of kindergarten girls.”

My question is HAS WOODY USED ACIE LAW FOR A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME?

It seems like Woody is only using the veterans from the bench. You know; the ones they just signed this year (Flip and Mo), but what about Acie. Is he using Acie like he should?

By Hawks Fan In New Orleans

December 15, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this

Good to see coach make those guys cut all the 3pt jumpers out. Now all he needs do is play Solo and Acie more IMHO.

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this

My feed on the net was bad. I could listen to all the other games. But this one kept quitting on me. I guess everyone but Hawks fan in New Orleans can hear cause he has satelite. Not worth me going to the car. We’ll win I’m sure!

Go Hawks!

By cp

December 15, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this

If you have league pass the game was on t.v. We won because of Joe, Bibby, Horford, and Josh… Marvin and our bench was pretty much non existent… Huge blocks by Horford and Josh in the clutch. Joe also hit some big shots near the end… If we are going to beat Boston then Marvin and the bench has to give us something… I’m still baffled as to why Flip got so many minutes. The guy was turning the ball over, and straight chucking out there. I think he made only one basket… I would get Solo some minutes against Boston. Im tired of seeing Pachulia receive a great pass only to try and draw a foul and miss the shot. Law hit him with a nice pass down low but instead of going up strong, Pachulia tried to draw a foul and lost the ball. Hopefully Marvin finds his stroke against the Celtics because we will need him. A win is a win and we got one tonight.

By ant banks

December 15, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this

its a win, but we got lucky tonight. 15% from 3pt land, 58% free throw?? wtf?? 8pts off the bench!! WOW!! we won’t be able to do this often and get a win. this win was not about the hawks, but a reflection on how sorry the bobcats are.

GO HAWKS!!

By cp

December 15, 2008 9:33 PM | Link to this

The Bobcats are a scrappy team. I think they are a go to guy away from being a nice team. Right now they just don’t have a guy to go to when they need a bucket. The bench is a little thin too but I think they will be a better team in the future. Hopefully MJ wont make anymore bone head moves.

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this

Yeah, fellas Woody is trying to save his job that’s why he strinks the minutes of Acie and Solo. I’m sure he’s seeing all these other coaches getting the ax. He’s panicking. I can’t blame him. To many out there waitin to step in. However, he is sacrificing the careers of Acie and Solo for journeyman vets so he can possibly save his job. Too bad:(

By ray

December 15, 2008 9:38 PM | Link to this

I’ll take that win, thanyou very much.

I hate having to judge by the box score, but here goes.

JJ had an all-star caliber game. What else can you say?

Bibby was solid, even if his long range shot was way off. 7-15 from the field and a half dozen dimes is not exemplary, but it’s ok with me. It was enough for this game, was it not?

Josh Smith apparently got in his groove this evening, hitting most of his shots (and not taking too many of them). He even hit 1-2 from the arc. Sure, we’d like for him to just leave the arc alone most of the time, but I’ll take 1-2 any time from him from that distance. Add 7 boards (ehhh, I wanted more from him), 2 assists, 5 blocked shots, and just 1 turnover, and I’m happy.

Horford out-beasted Okafor. I always love to see that. 12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocked shots, AND 5 assists? Man, I love to see this guy play, and I love to see how our team does when he gets enough touches.

Marvin nearly faded into obscurity with a 6 and 6 night. Ah well, we have those from time to time.

Didn’t get much from the bench. Gotta get more so that we can get our starters some rest.

Speaking of which, we are going to need Solo against Boston, and I cannot figure out why Woody has kept him glued to the pine. Is he injured? Did he call Woody Mr. Potato Head one too many times in practice? Sekou, what was it? Solo was instrumental against Boston last year, and I repeat: we will need him against them.

We’ll likely need Acie as well. Especially if Rondo gets after Bibby the way he did in the playoffs…One thing is for sure, we’ll see how much of it was really heel and thumb, I can tell ya that.

Good win, Hawks. Always good to take care of each task as it comes, rather than looking ahead to the next one before it’s time. Besides, it was time to make the Bobcats our biatches, not the other way around!

By ray

December 15, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this

Meant to add this: at least Evans grabbed 8 rebounds out there. He added to the beating we handed the Bobcats on the boards.

By kirkinga

December 15, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this

Another night and another win!

The Hawks are almost halfway to their entire win total last season. Yes they were looking forward, but kudos to the coaching staff for getting to refocus and lock down the Bobcats in the 4th. Holding any team to 11 points is quite an accomplishment.

My apologies to those claiming not to be senior citizens. I didn’t realize that being a senior was something to be ashamed of.I’ll happily changed from senior citizen to senior citizen-like fans.

The “beating a retard” comment could only be a self reference, so again, bad form to discuss such personal matters in this forum, not only impolitic but just poor taste(seniors may not be aware that the usage of “retard” went out of fashion decades ago) but at a certain age..oh yeah, not a senior.And now to add talk of becoming someone else’s object of intentions, all I can say is eww.

Anyway, all in good fun.I take the insult and apathy from certain corners as a badge of independence and honor.

The Hawks won that’s all that matters. Now the World Champs coming to town, very exciting times to be a Hawks fan. It’s only a day away, but Wednesday seems a long ways away.

Go Hawks!!

By ray

December 15, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this

Ant, you’re right, we can’t win tougher games this way. But don’t say things like that or you’ll get kicked off the cheerleading squad by the cheermaster…..LOL!!

The Hawksta, yeah but that don’t make no sense, homey! We’re 15-9, all those other coaches were enduring losing seasons.

Funny thing is, each of those teams has a GM that made a series of moves that just isn’t working out for them. Toronto, Philadelphia…had nothing to do with the coach, in my opinion (though I don’t know a damn thing about what happened on the inside).

Now Sacramento is a different story. Theus might just not be the right guy for that squad. Or he might just be a bad coach. I don’t know. Hadn’t paid much attention to them in a while.

I wouldn’t have fired Eddie Jordan. But maybe it was time for something different, and Jordan gets a job in a better opportunity as well. Besides, would you want to be stuck with a team where the GM spent boatloads of cash on a guy that hasn’t played a single game this year (and might not all year), but blogs (and talks) a lot? Man please….

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this

Najeh, to answer your question about the televised games. Only 4 games without broadcast this year. So far there have been two. Both Bobcats games so far haven’t been broadcast.

By richbrave

December 15, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this

doc:

JCRIT took the floor in the last two for the first of his garbage minutes. Didn’t scratch. Played statue on both ends. WIZARDS tie the score with :55 to go in the third. PACERS go on a 35-16 run to close out the win. WASHINGTON’s front court starters go 26(BUTLER),26(JAMISON), and 19(BLATCHE). Bench scores 16(SONGAILA 8) total. One PACER guard outscores the entire back court for the WIZ. That’s starters AND subs. JAMES a liability in this one. WHEW.!!!! 54 points in the paint for INDIANA. Truth is, the entire PACERS team came to play. Half the WIZARDS did.

DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS SYNDROME is rampant in D.C. ZORN and TAPSCOTT infected. No cure short of a new season for each. Jeeze.

Going to CHATTANOOGA folks. Tix and board in hand.

What do you other HAWKS fans think of the DIAW-JOHNSON trade.? I’m smilin’ How about you.? I love it when the spurned other player shows up against the home-team and has his ire scrubbed in his face. LOVE IT.!!!! How’s that record dooin’ HAWKSTERS.? 15-9 - YEAH. One-third of the way home with only 28%(approx.) of the season gone. Looks like 45 wins is in the bag.

By terrell barron

December 15, 2008 10:02 PM | Link to this

15-9. Dont mess with 500. lol!!!

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 15, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

At least when Mo doesn’t make shots, he contributes in other ways — either by playing defense, rebounding (like he did today) or something. When Flip’s not hitting shots he’s pretty useless, and lately he hasn’t been hitting many shots. If he can’t break this shooting slump I’m all in favor of giving Acie the ball, at least he passes it when he can’t get a shot.

By ray

December 15, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this

LOL at Kirk…

“Beating a retard” is a reference to playing with yourself? On what planet? No, no don’t tell me or I’ll begin to believe Ando’s theory that these contributions are coming from a cell in which the walls are padded, and nobody can explain why the subject was allowed internet access….

And now to add talk of becoming someone else’s object of intentions, all I can say is eww.

Sorry, did my little joking insult stir up some possibly all-too-recent memories for you? Please, don’t explain….the “ewww” was enough.

By doc

December 15, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this

glad we got this one under our belt. now bring on the C’s.

go hawks!!

home grown did you get the tix?

thanks for the update richie. enjoy the river walk in chattanooga.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 15, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this

Thanks Hawksta. Good to know that at least two of the non-televised games are out of the way.

By ray

December 15, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this

True dat, Najeh.

By HB Ando

December 15, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this

Kirk, if by “independence” you mean that no one supports, aligns with, concurs, etc, with your tone and opinion, then you have truly personified the definition of the word. I certainly feel that a “majority” opinion is never evidence of truth. But a singular, dissenting, voice, repeatedly offered, and almost never supported, is more Don Quixote than freedom fighter.

When one combines your understandably solo perspective, with your ongoing efforts to miscast the perspectives of your intended foils, you’re less paradox and more pariah.

Fortunately, you’re so off as to be completely harmless.

By kwooden1

December 15, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this

Ray welcome to following the games on the internet, it really stinks try to evaluate from stats. I think this is a Very Good win by the guys. I know the Bobcats aren’t very good and I know that we shot terrible from 3, but this was definitely a trap game. The guys took care of business in the fourth quarter and only gave up 11 points!!!!! You can’t play much better defense than that, especially when it counts. I’m confident their not going to shoot that poorly Wednesday night. With that said…..

On to Wednesday night, the first none Play-off televised game in who knows how many years. (at least 9 years???) Celtics are playing great and they definitely want prove their Champions and stop their 3 game losing streak at Philips!!! I hate to say this but I believe the key to the game is 3 pointers! The HAWKS are going to play great defense, but if they shoot well from 3 the Celtics won’t be able to guard them. They especially need 3’s from Marvin. If he’s hitting his shot Pierce will have to play him straight up and can’t help out on Joe. I hate to say this also, but if JS has to take and make jump shots! IF he does Perkins/Garnett will have to come out and guard him, which leaves more room for Joe and Bibby to work. Flip needs to definitely stop shooting 3’s and drive to the basket, not because he can’t make them, but Evans and Bibby have to shoot 3’s. (that is what they do, for better or worse!) They can definite win this game. It’s must see TV.

GO HAWKS!!!!

By ray

December 15, 2008 10:27 PM | Link to this

Anyway, all in good fun.I take the insult and apathy from certain corners as a badge of independence and honor.

If any man here is an island….you’ve got the position monopolized. Hands down. Good attitude, especially considering that you’re getting it from any corner that shows an interest…

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this

I feel ya RAY. But it appears that 4 game losing streak made BWAF panick. He has not had the same rotation since! Sometimes I laugh when I see him, sometimes I’m mad as hell! lol! In a way he reminds me of JOSH! You kind of wonder what’s goin on in his head when Flip is out there chuckin it and won’t yank him. He won’t hesitate to yank Josh though.

By cp

December 15, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this

ray Josh would have probably got more rebounds if he hadn’t sat for so long. He picked up a few fouls and Woody sat him for a long time. I guess Woody forgets it takes 6 fouls in the NBA to foul out. Solo made a brief appearance but only after Pachulia got 3 fouls . Pachulia was horrible out there. Flip was equally as bad. Evans got owned by Wallace a few times. Evans seems to have trouble finishing and lately his 3 point shot has not been falling. Bibby played well too but he sat for a while at one point. I still don’t understand why Woody plays Flip and Acie together. They don’t mesh well at all. At one point during the game he had Pachulia, Joe, Evans, Flip, and Bibby out there. Wasn’t a good line up at all.

By ray

December 15, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this

kwooden,

Yeah, it really stinks, but I agree, this was a good win to get. We’re showing that we’re learning what it takes to be a good team by beating the teams we should beat.

CP, Da Hawksta, I feel ya. The BWAF is in full effect. However, it cannot continue throughout the season. Good teams have benches that get used. Sooner or later, a starter breaks down. Don’t know just how durable Bibby is these days, and we all know how bad things are with JJ out. Gotta trust certain members of the bench. Going with only Zaza and the Flip/Mo squad is not going to cut it.

Missing Childress…

By kirkinga

December 15, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this

Kirk, if by “independence” you mean that no one supports, aligns with, concurs, etc, with your tone and opinion, then you have truly personified the definition of the word…

Uh, that is so not what I meant but interesting you and others see it that way. Independent thinking, not independent of you people.

Look, there are only about 6-7 people who make up 90% of what’s said here. That’s sad considering the efforts Sekou brings to the blog and the resurgance of the team.

That more people don’t care to come and engage here is not my fault, it’s on people like you and the rest of your group who think “independence” means separate from you…lol!

Get over it, this isn’t high school, no one is coming seeking acceptance from the popular group. That you would even think in such terms is just so weird for mature folk.

I come here because I’m a Hawks fan, it that simple. I have something to say, I say it, that is independence.If y’all want to only talk to each other or to those who really desire your approval then so be it. As we can see, it’s a small group.

Good attitude, especially considering that you’re getting it from any corner…, that’s just nasty, and again..eww!

What a shame.The Hawks deserve better.

Go Hawks!!

By The Truth

December 15, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this

Even though I was disappointed with Marvin and the bench performance tonight, I see that Mo Evans got 8 rebounds in 20:46 min. That’s good for him. In fact, based on the stats, the glaring difference in this game was our rebounding advantage. Joe was just being Joe. We out-rebounded Charlotte 47 to their 33. Those are extra shooting opportunities. It apparently made up for our poor shooting percentage.

This overall lack-luster performance may be a blessing in disguise for the Hawks. Now they know they will have to bring their “A” game to beat the Celtics. Tonight was not it. They must know that overtime-preparation is required to bring out their best. They got to work extra hard doing practice. It’s going to require a yeomen’s team effort to win. Phillips will be rocking and we fans are expecting a win. With ESPN covering this game and nothing else going on in the media cycle on Wednesday night; the game will get plenty on hype. This will be the time when boys will be boys (and lay eggs) and men will be men (and play lights out).

Go-Hawks!!

By Lifelong Hawks Fan

December 15, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this

Last season there were a total of 5 Hawks games that were not televised here locally. Does that number seem to be increasing this year? Or is it just me?

By HB Ando

December 15, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

Rich, do I accurately sense another Makers Mark Monday? Though I’m mainly Kettle One these days, I’ve got a long-term relationship with the Mark, that goes back a long ways.

Look, 15-9 is simply awesome. And, as several folks have mentioned, looking at them with a critical eye is not the same as being negative. The reality that this team could go in either direction, at any given moment, is statistically supported by a wildly volatile series of runs, highlighted by Sekou, that saw the Hawks go 6-0, 6-9 and 3-0. The exciting thing about the two great runs is they both included a healthy Josh Smith.

Two straight games in which Woody has reverted to leaning heavily on his starting five carries some fairly obvious risk: what happens if anyone but Marvin (easily replaceable by Mo Evans and JJ’s ability to slide over and allow the Hawks to cover minutes with a 3-guard offense) goes down?

This team is still at its best when the players show up with their lunch pails packed. Blue collar defense is still their ticket. Over confidence is still their potential trip wire.

Wednesday should be playoff-level intensity, without a doubt. I can’t imagine that the Celtics will come here with anything less than full focus. So no excuses, for either team…..

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this

KIRK, you are welcomed here. What happens alot of times is people come here to blab about who they hate on the squad. Start alot of nonsense to get a rise? When that happens you will immediately be exposed! I’ve been reading this blog for a long time and didn’t start posting until this year. Due to my not so better half. They is some real passion here thanx in large part to SEKOU! Be loyal, be passionate, and let her rip! But I promise ya, al HATERS WILL BE EXPOSED!

GO HAWKS!

By mrHonline

December 15, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this

Sekou,

I know you get tired of answering questions about Speedy, but even you have to admit this is a LONG time to be out with a “hamstring” injury…Is he having issues with his knee(s)?

Also, any speculation of what the Hawks are planning to do about him come February? Those insurance payments might come in handy for a rebuilding team, and could possibly net the Hawks a nice role player if the right trade materialized.

Thanks!

By Samuel

December 15, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this

I was able to make it down tonight.

The game was pretty much like I expected. Larry Brown vs. Larry Brown Jr. The battle of the half court masters. Unfortunately for Senior, he doesn’t have the talent that jr. has.

A couple of weeks ago I said that I could tell that the Hawks had truely arrived because they believe that they can now coast against scrubbs like CHA.

Tonight they proved it again. It’s as if they shifted into the next gear in the 3rd quarter and put the Cats away, just like they planned it.

Not pretty but a W.

WOODY=COY

By HB Ando

December 15, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this

Kirk-as-martyr, better than the 90% of us who constitute the less-mature-than-him participants, failing our Atlanta Hawks in our desire to see them reach for greatness, is the funniest Kirk to date.

With each passing engagement you drift farther from any logical participation. You’ve now added every person (dozens, if not more) who does not consider themselves one of the “6-7 people” who make up the majority of this blog, to the list of folks who view you as nonsensically irrelevant.

Why do the Hawks, who haven’t broken .500 in over a decade, deserve better? The fact that Sekou’s blog has grown, exponentially, in it’s following, is more than a fair statement that the Hawks’ improvement has been duly noted, and appreciated, locally.

Nothing you say seems grounded in actual word, or sentiment, as you flail against imagined enemies. Your perspective is a combination of paranoia and absolute misrepresentation, continuing to find absolutely no support amongst the otherwise diverse opinions of this forum.

Babble on, sir……..

By HB Ando

December 15, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this

Sam, I guess that “arrival”, and the subsequent coasting, explains the home-and-home losses to NJ. If they follow your logic, of believing they can coast, they’ll be in for a rude awakening over the remaining 58 games.

This is not a team that can coast. At least against the majority of the NBA. Better bring the D, or face the consequences.

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 11:35 PM | Link to this

HB Ando!?! hee! hee!

I thought I was reading a thesis or something! lol! Whoa, that guy may never post again! LMOA! Like ya’ll Ma Bell or something! I bet that Celtics game will bring the haters out in force on this blog! Boy, I hope Josh and Bibby and Marv play well or they’ll both be traded by Friday! lol!

By Ken Strickland

December 15, 2008 11:36 PM | Link to this

I believe the gm wasn’t televised because of the possible conflict with Monday Night Football. I’ve said it before, but Woodson and the SAASG are not thinking ahead. First, we know for a fact Zaza want’s to be a starter again and will not resign with the Hawks. We also know Solo is a FA after this season and could also refuse to resign. Based on the way Woodson is sill giving him inconsistent mins, despite tremendous improvement, would you blame him.

So, what do we have. A HC that’s giving primary mins to Zaza, a pending FA backup 5 that’s a strong rebounder, but provides limited DEF and OFF, and definitely is not returning.

Then we have Solo, a young, rapidly improving 5 that provides excellent DEF, which you would think a DEF minded HC would love, and rebounds well when given consistent, extended mins. His recent treatment by Woodson would give him little reason to resign, especially when their is such a shortage of, and high demand for, young, aggressive, mobile, inexpensive, DEF minded 5’s.

That leaves us with RMorris, a young, OFF talented 5, with size, who’s the only backup 5 signed beyond this yr. So far, he’s been ignored to such an extent, he’d probably jump at the chance to have Solo’s issues with Woodson. How can a HC or organization, who’s team is undersized by NBA standards, have such a cavalier attitude towards developing, playing and retaining all 3 of it’s backup 5’s?

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this

HB the dept of your thoughts!?! lol! I’ve never seen you so… for lack of a better verb…animated! Are you trying to take Sekou’s JOB!? On the serious tip… if you don’t mind me asking, are you an editor?

By HB Ando

December 15, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this

A little “Rondo irony”, as the young man who was the subject of some conversation in the previous days, torched the Jazz for 25 points, 9 boards and 8 dimes.

This performance heightens the hype of Wednesday’s match up.

Will Bibby prove that he’s a better, healthier, player than he was during last springs’ playoff series?

Will the Celtics show up in Atlanta fixated on proving that their three road playoff losses, were more about them failing to take the Hawks seriously, than proof that the Hawks were legitimate?

The Hawks tremendous performance, in Boston, 4 weeks ago, made it clear that they feel ready to take on the champs. Now, on the heels of a home-court victory over the white-hot Cavs, Wednesday is a major opportunity to clarify just which Hawks team we can expect, going forward.

Should be one of the most intense crowds that Philips has ever seen!

By The Hawksta

December 15, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this

Good post Ken. You bring it. Are second rounders not restricted after the first 3yrs?

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 12:14 AM | Link to this

Hawksta, if you haven’t ever seen me so animated, you’ve only been around for a short while. Long ago, doc tagged far more intense offerings with “Andro”. No, I’m not an editor, and we actually don’t disagree on some points from this evening: I agree that Kirk is welcome here, though it’s not my place to say that anyone is or isn’t.

And there is truth to the point that some folks will come here to “hate” on Hawks players. But since I haven’t engaged in any such discussion, you’re not addressing me, and I have no reason to take a side.

The term “thesis” has been directed at me for over four years here, so I guess I’m a creature of habit.

We also agree, wholeheartedly, on what an amazing job Sekou has done in building an ever-growing base of active participants here.

I don’t want his job, but I owe him a tremendous gratitude for creating this forum.

Ray and I could have never received such an opportunity without his support and encouragement…………..

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 16, 2008 12:40 AM | Link to this

“Are second rounders not restricted after the first 3yrs? “

My understanding is that there is no set salary scale for 2nd rounders, but typically they are signed to two year minimum-salary deals with the 2nd year being a team option, and after those 2 years they become unrestricted free agents.

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this

Ken You make some good points. Regarding management, its called the short-sighted approach. Just win now, make money, the hell with tomorrow.

On a previous blog, I wrote: While we are winning, our shortcomings will be overlooked but if we continue to lose, Woody and the team shortcomings will be magnified

We have since then won 3 straight games. While the truth squad on this blog (including myself) have somewhat turned down the temperature on Woody Azz, I see you are still making the point. On the eve of an expected great game against the Celtics, I will resist the temperation to point out these much-talked-about obvious shortcomings (you mentioned) out of respect for the task at hand. Let’s call it a 48 hour delayed reaction.

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 1:09 AM | Link to this

Temperation??????

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 1:37 AM | Link to this

Hey, you said that you are NOT an editor…deal with your mentalism ;-)

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 1:38 AM | Link to this

Ando This response from yesterday. I ditched on 3rd shift blogging last night. Rondo had the Celtics PG job. When Cassell weaseled his way to Boston, they gave him Rondo’s job. It’s not like Sam came into camp and outplayed Rondo. After seeing Sam in the job, Rondo got it back.

As for our own rookie killer, as a rookie coach, he played rookies (the Joshes) on a really bad team. Not much choice there. Probably committed to it in interviews for the job. Take a look at that roster He wasn’t as picky in year one with really bad vets. The tricky question comes back to who gets credit for development? Did these guys develop because of OR in spite of the head coach?

Sautee I have to avoid the temptation to egg you on with the colon thing, but there are some jokes sitting in the weeds of punctuation humor.

It was like backup fan night in Philips tonight. I recognize most of the folks that sit near me. I don’t know who those folks were tonight. Hopefully some of them will continue to buy tickets and support the team. Big tent, bigger bandwagon, biggest team success…that works for me.

The Hawks often had trouble with the Bobcats when Bickerstaff was the coach. While it’s not an easy game, the team does seem to have a better time with the Larry Brown Bobcats.

Did I miss something or did Donald Trump invest in the NBA. Everytime I see NBA news lately, it always includes the phrase…you’re fired.

Najeh The 2nd rounder question has probably changed over the past few years as teams shorten their commitment on that rookie contract. However, they ARE restricted, but the rules are a little different, due to richbrave most famous Wizard—Gilbert Arenas.

Won’t go into all the details now, but here is your link…and yes, 2nd rounders are still restricted after 3 years.

BWAF

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 1:50 AM | Link to this

Wow, I just read the Junkyard Blog. It reminded me of just how solid, generally, the overall contribution is here, despite the micro-analysis of so many members here.

We may not agree on many things, but for the most part, the strings of conversation can be followed in a fairly linear fashion.

Makes me proud of our broad base of opinions (clearly contradicting Kirk’s bizarre position that 90% of this blog is made up of 6-7 individuals).

Wonder when the new Hawks’ “fan” blog will start up, in replacement of the old Hack (who really did have, at best 6-7 participants, over his 3-year tenure)?

Be nice to have a forum that could complement Sekou’s beat blog, and generate a twist, a variation, on Sekou’s style.

I think I hear a clock ticking in the background of my expectations.

What could that mean………….

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 2:06 AM | Link to this

Guys, as a dude who had 18 inches of colon removed back in July, colon humor brings some painful memories. The scar tissue I have, provides some thick skin. Feel free to dance the dance of word play. I’ll always vote for a clever attack, at my expense, rather than an uninspired offering, not necessarily focused on taking me down, and otherwise uncompelling in its ability to rock someone back on their heels.

The passion, intensity and execution, here, should seek to mirror that of the team we follow, as we seek to perform at a championship caliber.

The knowledge that cheerleaders, like Kirk, will be on the sidelines, dressed in drag, and not particularly educated on the nature of the actual competition at hand, is equally parts supportive and oddly creepy. But a world without freaks is a lesser experience. And everyone should have a purpose, even one as obscure as a Hawks’ blog contrarian/soloist.

By BA

December 16, 2008 2:55 AM | Link to this

Touche, Ray, with the ancient history (earlier today)! Guilty as charged. I couldn’t resist- that Harrington thing was an interesting subject (whether I agree or not, our long-winded one comes up with some gems along the way). Harrington vs. Marvin? Bargnani for Marvin? This stuff is gold on a blog.

A few positives from tonight- it’s good to know the Hawks can win WITHOUT the three-pointers falling. It’s good to have a Joe Johnson around for nights like this. And of course, it’s good to see offense running through Horford- it can only benefit the balance of this team.

And two things about Woodson, Ray (from yesterday afternoon)- when you say he is a mismatch, and might be better suited to a different roster, that’s a compelling idea. I don’t disagree, but I think it has actually worked for this team BECAUSE of the differences. Check it out-

These players (excepting ZaZa Pachooooooooooolia) are going to run. It’s all they want to do, in this regard they need no coaching. Woodson forces them to focus on the things they don’t want to do all the time- running set plays (as opposed to any freelancing gone awry)and bringing ando’s lunch pale attitude on defense. You aren’t 15-9 (damn, that’s flashy) without those things.

And yeah, it’s true that the possibility exists that these younger cats have developed “in spite” of Woodson. But that seems highly unlikely with a bunch of 20 year-olds. Remember when you all were 20? What are the chances a group of us would have developed into anything cohesive at that age on our own? If we all had, say, millions of dollars?!

By richbrave

December 16, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this

HB:

I was just falling into a long winters nap when you posted me up. After all it is the MM season. But no. Actually I had just seen the HAWKS highlights on ESPN and was carried to giddy heights by the need to shake out of the funk created by the two and one-half hour assault upon my eyeballs that was the WIZARDS latest performance. Now refreshed and ready for the rigors of a new day, I caught you post. You’ve been a busy man. A veritable pletheria of information. Keep up the good work. I love a well phrased commentary with an underlying twist. Peace. Later, breakfast becons.

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this

HB Ando I see you discovered one of my typos at 1:09 AM in the morning (EST). Well Done and Congratulation!!!! ;-)

By CLINT

December 16, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

i completely agree with ken. Solo has looked great when he has been in there, and ZAZA is nothing but a flopping machine. If you don’t give Solo some burn he will be gone after this year, and what team doesn’t need a big that can block shots. Solo will have all kinds of offers on the table next summer, and we will be stuck with Randolph Morris and whatever big we can get in the second round because I believe the Hawks will pick a point in the first because they won’t know if Bibby will return.

Someone put Mark Price and Mo Evans in the gym and lock the door. His shot has left him and his confidence is leaving as well.

By Left knee hurts

December 16, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

I kept watching the score last night - down 7 every time I checked until the end of the 3rd. Glad they could pull out the W.

In last year’s playoffs, KG set moving screens constantly. Watch him Wed night - he will set the screen then hop in the direction toward the Hawks defender. Never gets called. Zaza can hold his thumb in the wrong direction and hear the whistle. I want Marvin to drive on Pierce and draw contact. One way to take down the C’s is to put Pierce on the bench. Last year Posey could cover for Pierce but no Posey this year. Go Hawks! Take down the evil Celtics.

By one66soul

December 16, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

Mo got blocked and got the rebound took the shot backed up and missed and he looked like he was about to cry after miss. The Body Language was awful even when he was walking to bench during timeout…..

HEY RYAN CAMERON & HAWKS ORGANIZATION PLEASE HaVE A SOUNDBITE OF A CRYING BABY WEDNESDAY WHEN BIG BABY ENTERS THE GAME…

WOODY PLAY SOLO MORE…..

By doc

December 16, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this

home grown, sorry, i just talked to my service rep with the hawks about another matter and had him check to see if the tix went through last night. he says they didnt. i cant do anything about last night but i am sure something can be done in the future. it seems there is some hang up between them and my computer. there was no way for me to know it hadnt as it looked like on my screen that all was fine. technology is great when it works this time it didnt.

By one66soul

December 16, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

Doc you should email tickets to yourself and then forward them from your personal inbox.

By HOME GROWN aka E.J.

December 16, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

DOC I dont have the net at the house, I know I’m the only one in the world without the net at the house. I waited at work for your e-mail, but never got it. I don’t know what happened but thank you for tring, I appreciate the effort. I know what you were saying about not knowing me from a can of paint. I will see you all at the game on Wendesday, let me know where we hang out and I will come and say what’s up? Yes sir!

By hawks_4_life

December 16, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

GOOD NEWS I WILL BE BACK IN THE STATES ON VACATION FOR THE HAWKS-CELTICS GAME….YESSSSS TOO BAD I WONT BE IN HOTLANTA THOUGHT…

GO HAWKS

By happyhawk

December 16, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

i don’t know what in the hell is woodson thinking? why can’t he figure out that acie and flip don’t mesh together. and i thought that acie is supposed to be the back up pg behind bibby this season? why does flip get all the damn minutes doing nothing but turn the ball over. i want to see a combination of acie and bibby on the floor together with jj making acie play the 2 position. i don’t think acie’s size won’t hurt us if we put him in the 2 cause he’s fast enough blow past his defenders in that position and he can open up a shot for jj and bibby to hit the long bomb. maybe we can start up by putting marvin on the bench and having jj in the 3 but it depends on the match up. i’m sure we can pile up more assists and cause havoc with this kind of line up. oh and horford with 5 assists? MORE PICK AND ROLL OFFENSE PLEASE. SCREENS has been our greatest strength in the offensive end. and we’ve been very successful so far why in the hell that we don’t use it often? how i wish we have adelman.

oh and theus just got fired….don’t you guys think woody will be next?;-) maybe 2 consecutive losses to a bad team can get it done.

By Ken Strickland

December 16, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this

MANNY T-good points. Woodson cannot be given credit for the development of any of our young greyhounds. If anyone thinks he should be, think again. The only young player that’s shown in season improvement was Shelden Williams. He was given extended mins the 2nd half of the season, due to injuries, and garnered player of the wk, or month, honors.

Smoove’s improvement was the result of working with Hakeem THE DREAM during the offseason. Marvin’s improvement is the result of offseason work, especially this offseason, in NC where he’s working on his degree. Solo’s improvement is due to his decision to develop himself individually this offseason, rather than waste time playing in another summer league.

Salim Staudamire actually regressed under Woodson, as did Zaza. Chills’ improvement was due to his basketball IQ and overall maturity, and Woodson giving him extended mins from the beginning. Now we are seeing Acie’s development and attitude being challenged by Woodson, and he’s having to deal with the same stupid issues that plagued Salim.

Pat Riley and Phil Jackson are future Hall of Fame HC’s, but neither of them is known for developing young players. However, they’re not known for retarding the development of young players either. Both have shown a strong preference for veteran players, like Woodson, but neither has made an issue or habit of punishing young developing talent just because of their youth and inexperienced.

The Hawks didn’t make the playoffs last yr, or take Boston to the limit, because of Woodson coaching. Neither is this yrs improvement and winning record the result of his coaching. These young Hawk players, and team, reached these overchievements not BECAUSE of Woodson, but INSPITE of him. It appears players, under Woodson’s system, aren’t given mins and or respect, based on skills, efforts, contributions or team needs, but on the basis of experience in the league.

That’s the old Bobby Knight philosophy at work. Break the young players down, no matter how talented they might be, and make them into whatever he wants them to be. If they don’t respond, punish them with the doghouse approach and make them tuck their tails and beg their way out. That works in the military, and it has obviously worked for Knight on the college level, but it won’t work sucessfully for anyone in the NBA long term.

That’s why NBA HC’s like PRiley, PJ Carlesimo, MFratello, Larry and Hubie Brown, all of whom employ that approach to varying degrees, have to move on after a period of time. Their players start rebelling against their approach and then tune them out. I have no doubt these players and this team could accomplish even more than they have already with a more openminded, progressive and versatile HC. And they could accomplish it without placing such a physical burden on our starters.

Someone previously stated that the players Woodson’s not playing must not be showing anything in practice. Well, Acie had the most successful training camp and preseason of any Hawks player this yr, and Solo had the most successful training camp and preseason of any 5, besides Horford of coarse, and they still can’t get consistent mins? WHY?

By terrell barron

December 16, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

I wonder if Dumars wants Chauncey back? Denver is 17-7. Wow!

By ray

December 16, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

BA,

Bravo!

Quite the take on Woodson, and something that probably explains the nature of the relationship (and the record) more than any other single theory. I think we too often get stuck in the one-way rut of either “Woody gets all the credit” or “Woody gets none of the credit”, never once thinking that some things are very possibly happening as a positive side effect, rather than a direct result of intentional actions (of any of the involved parties).

I was talking with Lacsho late last night (he can’t wait to get back from Jersey and watch some of these games), and we both agreed that we still have major reservations about the fit he has with this team. Getting rid of him is all but a joke right now. Nobody fires a coach with a winning record. Well, I take that back. Nobody fires a coach with a winning record without a very good reason.

Case in point: why is Flip Saunders no longer in Detroit? The man has coached his teams to winning seasons consecutively. But a pattern has been established. While he has won, the expectations in Detroit have been higher, and with good reason. These guys expect to be in the Eastern Conference Finals every year. When they’re not, something ain’t right. So, what you have is an existing higher standard. Something that is higher than that of a team like ours. Something that says “We don’t just expect to win, we expect to win a lot. And we expect to be more successful than the competition.” Which means that making the second round of the playoffs is more expectation than accomplishment. The winning pattern was the norm in Detroit. Making it to the East Finals was the standard of success. And thus, Flip was canned.

Of course, this is also predicated on the idea that the coach in question had been provided with all the necessary tools to get the job done.

One can easily take this theory and use it to defend Woody’s job retention, with a single caveat.

First, there is no winning pattern established for the Hawks at the present moment. Sure, we made the playoffs last year, but we did so with a losing record.

So what defines a winning team? If you ask most people, they will say a season-long record of above .500. I would tend to agree, as it is the only thing that makes sense to me. Either you’re winning more games than you lose (above .500 record), losing more games than you win (below .500 record), or you’ve managed a draw (right at .500). Here’s the trick: This can only be determined by a full regular season’s record. Considering that last year brought a high of 37 wins (the most in the last several years), I’d say we’ve established a pattern of losing. This year, we are on pace to win more games than we did last year. At 15-9, we are doing better at this point in the season than we’ve done in the last several years. This can only be defined as progress. But does it guarantee that we’re a winning team, as defined? No.

So are we a winning team now? Can’t say right now, as the season is not over. What we DO know is that we’re a team that is winning.

Second,

One could argue that Woodson does not have all the tools to get the job done. But what job is that, exactly? To make the playoffs a second consecutive year? To make the second round? What is the goal?

Either way, does Woody have all he needs to be successful? Maybe, maybe not. Some will argue that we have all we need. Others will argue that we do not, that we must change out some parts and pieces. The fact that it is debatable indicates that the ultimate goal for the season is not altogether clear, and that likely…the answer is “no.” Of course, when you’re defining what is “needed”, you are also bringing to light a very common problem: who thinks the team needs what.

So, let’s set a simple, common goal just for the sake of argument: the goal this season is to play above .500 and make the playoffs again. This of course, brings up yet another debatable point, but we’ll skip that for now, as Ando and I will be bringing that forth on another platform. Anyway, the question that arises is who determines what is needed to reach this goal? The GM, yes? But the coach is the man in the trenches….

If the GM thinks he has brought in what is necessary to achieve the goal, and the goal is not achieved, then what must be examined is why it was not achieved. If certain patterns are discovered that indicate that this failure will be repeated, then the source and largest factor therein will be dealt with. That’s usually the coach. However, if extenuating circumstances (such as numerous injuries to key players) are determined to be the reasoning for failure, then everybody gets a pass.

Then there is what the coach feels that he needs. This is where things get dicey. Sometimes the best thing a coach can ask for is the worst thing for him. A coach can ask for veteran players. He can ask for a shooter. He can ask for a back-up big man. But once he gets them, and the ink dries on the signed contracts, it’s all on the coach. It’s called improper or irresponsible utilization of supplied resources. I guarantee that every GM has a key phrase (I’m sure it’s phrased differently, but you get the point) like that, which they use to hammer that last nail in the coffin. Happens all the time, and has happened 4 or 5 times already this season.

So in the end, Woodson stays for now. He may not play the bench the way we think he should, but we sit at 15-9 right now. We’ve shown that we can beat good teams. We’ve shown we beat the teams we’re supposed to be better than. If this team ever dips below .500 and stays there long enough, I’d be looking for the guillotine to appear. But we must consider that a winning or losing season is not determined until the magic numbers are reached. If you have already lost 41 games or more, you will not have a winning season. Conversely, if you have won 41 games or more, you’ve guaranteed yourself a winning season.

Let’s assume that this and a playoff appearance are the goal for the season. Woody has to prove that he can coach this team to a winning record. He’s not going anywhere right now. The only thing that gets him gone is a serious implosion and reduction in performance. I don’t think anybody is hoping for that.

And sorry to those who protest otherwise, but no Coach of the Year awards are handed out for best record in 24 or so games. If it was that simple, Doc Rivers would own that plaque already….

By doc

December 16, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

yeah home grown, i am not that tech oriented and i couldnt stick around my computer to see if it worked as i had to be somewhere at a certain time. again sorry it didnt come to pass and hope it didnt put you out too much. i will make it up to you.

i will be around the portal 5 pretzel stand near the mustard probably or close by. maybe manny t, volman and jhan will be there to make it a playoff reunion of sorts. i am 6’3” with a white goatee and moustache to almost match my hair with a 20 yr old daughter at my side. btw i am caucasian to help discriminate further.

ken, good points, doubt anyone is thinking down the road though. there are some coaches that go exclusively with 7 or 8 players, maybe not the front runners in the end but very good. d’antonio is one that pops to mind as he did that with the suns and may be inclined to do it with the knicks.

i like many here think it comes back to haunt you in many ways down the road. players are not ready to play at nba speed. the starters are not ready because of either injuries or fatigue. finally, you get a rep that says there are certain fringe players that are not going to get action. in the end it is hurting you as you recruit for your bench in the off season. in the meantime the players win and continue to give effort to their coach so it is what it is and i am pleased to be on the winning side for the first time in ten years.

before someone comes back to say a player should always be ready to play at that speed it just cant be replicated in practice. so many things are different in the environment of a game as the reaction can’t be controlled by the player though folks give maximum effort i am sure. i ask you, why would anyone want to fail under the circumstances? it is probably the opposite that they “over perform” to their own detriment and there are psych studies to confirm it, see test anxiety. it is the same for regular season speed and playoff speed. totally different game and atmosphere.

now hawks nation lets get ready to storm the C’ s with our enthusiasm. cheerleader doc reporting for duty sir, …… GO HAWKS!

By paul revere

December 16, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this

Last year, you guys got lucky. We slept on you all at home for whatever reason, but when you came to the beantown, we beat the breaks off ya’. only difference is this time we will beat the brakes off ya at your place.

Your team is joke, along with your coach. you play Joe 46 minutes per night, have a stiff for a center in Zaza and a stickman in Soloman and you really think that you can beat us.

Beantown has a lot to prove to you “ATLiens” we will beat you all by 19pts to prove a point that last year was a fluke

By JerryWest

December 16, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

Put Acie on the floor and give him any 4-combo of the starting 5 and let him create for them.

By Matt = niremetal

December 16, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

I think that most of the people around here who criticize the way Marvin played last night are focusing too much on his stat line. He and Smoove both were beasts on the defensive end, especially in the second half (Smoove got torched by Diaw a few times early, but he more than made up for it late). Smoove was patrolling the lane with a vengeance, and Woody put Marvin on Raja Bell down the stretch - and Raja never got an open look (and that boy can shoot the trey). He might not have shown up in the box score much and he wasn’t as aggressive with the ball on offense as he should have been (again), but Marvin was a key reason that the Bobcats didn’t crack 80 last night.

By one66soul

December 16, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

Sec 122 stand up!

By terrell barron

December 16, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this

Give it up Happyhawk. Woodrow wont listen to us. If he would, we’d be a better team. lol!! And btw “Acie and Flip dont mesh”, is an understatement. I like your lineup, but I’d play Acie at the 1 and Bibby at the 2.

By ray

December 16, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Matt,

There is no denying that Marvin has improved his defense by quite a large margin. He’s finally using his length to bother people. That, and he’s actually rather strong (and can jump), though somehow it’s just not translating on the offensive end. I’d love to see him take better angles to the basket, stop twisting his body away from the defender (it’s almost like he’s scared, but I just don’t believe that), and finish in traffic.

But defense? Oh hell yeah, he’s not the weakest link anymore. Not even close.

By terrell barron

December 16, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Can someone please tell me who was guarding Boris freakin Diaw? Or trying to guard him, for that matter? NBA.COM kept going off, so I said “Forget it, I’ll just catch the highlights”.

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

Ken Your comment: Solo had the most successful training camp and preseason of any 5, besides Horford of coarse, and they still can’t get consistent mins

If I’m not mistaken, Solo didn’t participate in training camp this summer and got criticized by Woody. He decided to work out in the weight room to get bigger. It paid off, however, as his game has improved but Woody has not rewarded him with more minutes.

As a reminded, I will say that none of these types of Woody comments will carry any weight until Woody starts a long losing trend; until than, knock knock knock, nobody is home.

By doc

December 16, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

truth it was the rookie league in utah the rockie mountain revue, he chose not to go to. it wasnt mandatory and he felt he needed a different type of work and i dont remember woody’s criticism as he probably cant comment by cba terms. many questioned his desire by not going but he fooled us all and came in stronger. just to set the truth straight, heh heh.

By Astro Joe

December 16, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this

Doc, wear the baseball hat backwards, that’s how I was able to find you at half-time of Game 4 last season. That and the mustard stain on your shirt. Hehe.

So KG said that the Celtics wanted to send a message to the Wizards because DC had won the season series (regular season) against last year. (by the way, I think they won by 30 points in their recent game against Caron & crew). The Celtics are finding creative ways to maintain their hunger, including looking at teams they struggled against last year and breaking franchise records. So anyone think that they will be just a wee-bit fired up after losing 3 consecutive games at Philips during the playoffs? Hey, they are looking for any and every excuse to get geeked and no doubt tomorrow evening’s affair must be one of the few that the champions have circled on their calendar. Celtics won’t be looking to win, they’ll be looking to dismember the Hawks and leave them in a bloody heap.

By SlimG

December 16, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

Hey, have any of you clowns tried to play 82 basketball games this year. Nope. So stfu, until you do and just support our fellas. Peace

By cp

December 16, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

happyhawk, last night Woody did have law, Bibby , and JJ on the court together at one point but it wasn’t for long. The problem I have with Law and Flip on the court at the same time is that Flip is the one who usually dominates the ball. Our young pg cant develop if he doesn’t have he ball in his hands. He usually gives it up to Flip and just runs to a corner. Flip was pretty bad last night. A few turnovers and a lot of chucking. I wish somebody would get on ZaZa and tell him to stop all that pump faking and trying to draw a foul. It is frustrating watch him blow easy baskets with that crap.

By Freshmaker

December 16, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

It’ll be a heckuva game for sure. I think the Hawks will be fired up as well. They know the Celtics are going to come to play, and the Hawks want to avenge the loss up in Boston earlier this year (which gave them their first loss of the season). I think it’s going to be a great game, and I expect the Hawks to come out of it with a W. Not going to guess at how big, though. ;-)

By doc

December 16, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

dern aj i was hoping the hat was a diversion. my you have perceptible powers beyond the typewriter and the blog. ok hat it is … backwards and depending on whether i have a pretzel in my hand or ice cream with chocolate will determine the stain. heh heh

it is great getting older.

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

this text will be bolded

It’s official: The new Hawks’ Hacks blog is up and running, on the AJC Sports Home Page.

And your blog brothers Ray and Ando are the new Hacks (let’s go ahead and get all those obvious “hack” jokes out of the way as soon as you can).

I can only imagine the looks on a few faces, as this news is announced.

Ray and I look forward to any and all of you contributing on the new fan blog, and invite everyone to speak their mind. We hope to complement Sekou’s blog, rather than replicate it.

Just what a bunch of blog junkies needed: yet another forum to spout their opinions on the Hawks and the NBA!

Looking forward to hearing from all of our brothers (and even folks like Kirk, TB and Steve-o).

Better come correct. You know Ray and I don’t pull any punches………

By Mychelfromatl

December 16, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this

Wednesday 7:00 Sharp. I can’t wait…had to talk my college professor into letting me take my final exam an hour early so I can make it to game on time:) I agree Freshmaker, I think it’s going to be a great game, and I expect the Hawks to come out of it with a W!!!!

By Sautee

December 16, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

MannyT

Sautee I have to avoid the temptation to egg you on with the colon thing, but there are some jokes sitting in the weeds of punctuation humor.

Don’t I know it. And I knew that you’d appreciate the colon thing.

But don’t think for a minute that I can pretend to match you. You are the King of Pun-dits around here. ;-)

By doc

December 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

i guess ando thought you guys were hitting him below the belt with all this talk of colons.

manny t see you there, wednesday?

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

Doc Thanks for keeping me honest. By the way Doc, can you write a prescription for memory lapse?

By doc

December 16, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this

if i could only remember where i put it i would truth.

By Ken Strickland

December 16, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

RAY-very good observations, and one of your comments made me think. You said, DOES WOODSON HAVE ALL OF THE TOOLS HE NEEDS TO GET THE JOB DONE? Well, that depends. You see, maybe that’s not the question you should be asking in relation to Woodson. Maybe you should ask, DOES WOODSON HAVE ALL OF THE TOOLS HE NEEDS, BASED ON HIS DISDANE FOR YOUTHFUL PLAYERS, HIS PREFERENCE FOR VETERAN PLAYERS, HIS OVERALL APPROACH TO THE GM, AND THE CONTROLLED, HALFCOURT STYLE OF OFF HE PREFERS AND CAN’T SEEM TO GET OUT OF HIS SYSTEM.

To that question the answer is maybe not. DOES HE HAVE THE TOOLS NEEDED TO GET INTO AND AVDANCE TO THE NEXT RD IN THE PLAYOFFS? The answer to that question is a resounding YES, provided that talent is properly managed, developed and an uptempo style of OFF is employed that takes maximum advantage of those tools.

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this

Sautee I’m like one of those moles in the arcade game whack a mole. I pop up and duck down just often enough to be entertaining and/or annoying. Probably similar to the correct usage of a semicolon…or is that when a big truck runs over your backside ;-)

I’m gonna have to learn a new blog language for Ando & Ray. Old blog formatting doesn’t work quite the same in their new place.

At least I can substitute HH for Ando & Ray now. I can’t wait for Kirknga to post them up. I’ll also enjoy using the I have to discount your post, because you represent the establishment line now that he’s on the other side of the blog. I see too much foolishness over the holidays.

How is it that we don’t even make the list of games to be voted on for Fan Night?

Sekou We need an uprising. It’s one thing not to win, but it’s an entirely different issue that we are not even on the ballot.

As I roll back the Hawks marketing clock, it’s time for RISE UP!

BWAF

By jhan

December 16, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this

Let’s be real - Woody will never embrace the up & down floor game. In interviews he seems to talk about our team needing to run. In the games it never comes to fruition.

Is it the players wanting to slow down or the coach?

I have to believe a squad of Law, JJ, Al, Josh & Marvin would never stop running. I can’t believe the players refuse to run an up-tempo floor game.

Got to be the coach.

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 5:30 PM | Link to this

doc I don’t know him well enough to take cheap shots, but no harm intended…as you locate my next (wise)crack.

…and if I’m not mistaken, there is no need to write a prescription for memory lapse, you just hit the guy in the head really hard ;-)

Ando will appreciate my gift suggestion for his little one. Grammatically correct and no colons were harmed in the probing of this link.

I’ll be at the game on Wednesday…and for Friday’s spin on the Sund-dial.

I’m thinking the old red Hawks warm up shirt and one of my non standard hats…just nothing green.

BWAF

By Sautee

December 16, 2008 6:10 PM | Link to this

MannyT

Probably similar to the correct usage of a semicolon…or is that when a big truck runs over your backside ;-)

LOL!

Actually I though a semicolon was what Ando was left with after his operation. ;-)

Sorry Ando, that was a low blow.

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this

OUCH

By jhan

December 16, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this

good one Sautee!

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 7:07 PM | Link to this

I bet you guys would have preferred if I’d had 18 inches of comma removed, rather than colon……

Many of you will appreciate this: my Mom, the retired English teacher, read the intro post for the new blog and called me up to inform me I use too many commas! I told her it’s my calling card and that I actually posted regarding my addiction to commas just the other night!

I’ve been thinking about changing my blog handle to “HB, Ando”……….

LOL

I think I’m intimidated by my own blog, so I’m hiding out over here, where I feel safe.

Gonna have to go next door, and talk about this Celtics match up.

By Sautee

December 16, 2008 7:19 PM | Link to this

Ando

That was freakin’ hilarious!

By Samuel

December 16, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this

Tomorrow night’s game is not really a statement game IMO. Of course you want to win every game but realistically, if we lose, so what. Boston is the best team in the league right now. They will still be the best team in the league after tomorrow night, win or lose.

Our goal is to play at a high level. A level of a team who not only wants to make the playoffs but to host and win the first round series.

I still see entirely too much criticism of Woody on this blog. Who here thinks that we should be better than 15-9 and in 4th place in the league? Thought So. Woody has a better record than 21 coaches.

You guys are gonna look real STUPID when Woody wins Coach of the Year.

Right now, he really has no competition. George Karl maybe but not likely. The GM gets more credit for that one. Brown maybe but he has possibly the best player in the world and we just beat them. Spoelstra not really. They will struggle to make the playoffs. Dantoni and Walsh don’t really care how this year turns out. They are betting the bank on ‘10.

So, Woody really has no competition.

How can you Hate on COY.

By Don Keeballs

December 16, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this

SO IS SPEEDY GOING TO STEAL ANOTHER $5MM FROM US THIS YEAR OR ACTUALLY EARN SOME OF IT?

By Melvin

December 16, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this

Looks like Woody could take some pointers from this 1st year coach in regards to ACIE….

Ed Tapscott (wizard interim coach) on 2nd yr player Nick Young

*-Nick Young has been on a short leash recently, but Tapscott said he plans on giving the second-year guard a little more margin for errror along with more playing time.

“I’m going to take a little blame for Nick’s troubles,” Tapscott said. “I’ve had him thinking a little too much. Sometimes you can stress execution, execution, execution and what that does is force a guy to start thinking about everything he does. Some guys [are] better just playing in the flow, so I gave him the release today. I told him, I’m going to play the full segment and leave you alone and let you play.”*

By ray

December 16, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this

Sam,

I think we get who you’d vote for. 15-9 is a great record, but can you not argue that it could be better, or do you think that none of our 9 losses were winnable? This isn’t a knock on Woody, by the way.

So we’ll look stupid when Woody wins COY? If he wins it, then great, because that probably means we achieved that 50 win mark this season. But will a COY award get us a higher seeding in the playoffs? How about a first round win? Didn’t think so.

Again…they don’t hand out that award for a 15-9 record in an 82 game season. Call me back when we’ve played 82 games.

By the way, how are those articles on Bleacher Report coming? Any comments?

MannyT,

Kirk will be more than welcome at our fan blog. Picket signs and all….

By Ben

December 16, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this

Sekou, any news on Speedy? Is he returning soon?

By Melvin

December 16, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this

Hmmm, I wonder if the Hawks brass would be interesting in getting JChill back in a Hawk uni this season…

*League executives say that the agent for ex-Hornets shooter Jannero Pargo is trying to create a market for the exiled guard in the NBA.

Because the Moscow Dynamo have been slow to pay the guard and his agent this season, Mark Bartelstein could have grounds to terminate Pargo’s contract with the elite Russian team based on late payments to his $3.8 million contract.*

By Hms

December 16, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this

Wow. So the Braves aren’t going to get Furcall back after all. Don’t look now, but there appeared to be some negativity towards Frank Wren on DOB’s blog. Noooo, that’s not possible.

By richbrave

December 16, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this

doc:

Look me up Friday evening. I’ll be the ancient dude with the blue and red face paint on the t.v. scan in the UNIVERSITY of RICHMOND cheering section. GO SPIDERS.

By Ken Strickland

December 16, 2008 10:39 PM | Link to this

THE TRUTH-Solo didn’t skip training camp, he skipped playing in the summer league. Training camp is mandatory, unless you’re injuried or excused for some other reason, but summer league is optional, especially for an active roster player.

SAMUEL-I am one of those who thinks we could have a better record than 15-9. We were in position to win each of those gms we played against the 3 Texas teams, or at least 2 of 3. They all played us for the 4th qtr, knowing Woodson’s habit of overplaying his starters, especially against the better teams. In each gm they rested their star players down the stretch for a 4th qtr blitz. And in each case it worked. Their star players took over the gm because they were obviously less fatigued and had more energy than our overworked stars.

That was the reason they were able to do OFF/DEF things against us in the 4th qtrs they couldn’t do during the 1st 3 qtrs. Any team with a bench as deep and versatile as ours should never enter the 4th quarter with it’s key players fatigued. THAT’S THE RESULT OF POOR STRATEGY AND POOR TIME MANAGEMENT. BOTH ARE THE RESULTS OF POOR COACHING. Young players don’t progress during the season under Woodson because they’re afraid to extend themselves for fear of being placed in his doghouse and/or they’re just too tired.

We suffer an awful lot of unforced turnovers, end up taking too many long jumpshots and our DEF allows too much penetration in 4th qtr’s due to fatigue. YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE THESE ISSUES AS PROBLEMS THAT COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT US AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES. YOU SEEM MORE CONCERNED WITH OUR CRITICISM OF THE CAUSE OF THOSE PROBLEMS(WOODSON), THAN THE PROBLEMS AND THEIR LONGTERM EFFECT.

By HB Ando

December 16, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this

Rich, do you hit the Makers before or after the face paint (I know which one it would be for me…)?

And speaking of the greater DC area, where is our old friend Flash?

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this

Just a thought:

For the Hawks to beat the Celtics tomorrow night, they must not let KG play JEDI mind tricks on them. He has a habit of looking mean, pumping his chest, and talking trash. The purpose is for the opponents to feel inferior and not worthy of being on the court with him. The incident with ZAZA butting heads with KG is an example of him at his mind games. As ZAZA did in that incident, we must not yield. We must match his intensity. Since he is the heart and soul of the team, to beat Boston is to beat him. The best player on our team to play the role of KG is Josh Smith. When Josh dunks and blocks shots, it also has a JEDI effect. I never will forget the expression on Donte West’s face, the Cav PG when his 3-pt shot was blocked by Josh. He looked completely demoralized. Or when Josh made those thundering dunks in Phillips and Fans went nuts. After those dunks the opponent was usually calling TIME OUT. This was to regroup and calm the crowd down.

The ideal scenario tomorrow night will be for Josh to be making monster dunks in KG’s face and blocking his shots in front of a screaming packed Phillips crowd. That would put daggers in their hearts because in the art of war, we must go directly at the general.

By The Truth

December 16, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this

Ken You are correct about Solo. Doc already pointed that out. I’m still waiting on Doc to prescribe the memory lapse pills I requested. He said he would if he could remember so that means I’m not getting them.

By Evan

December 16, 2008 11:18 PM | Link to this

Anybody know what’s up with Claxton?

By doc

December 16, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this

ok sam, i’ll bite on this COY JUNK. try the names stan, pops, nate, rick, terry, zen man phil and even doc if the c’s repeat or come close to it as juggernauts two years in a row. brown should be there if doc could win last year with three superstars then why not brown who only has one. you are becoming a real comedian dude. come back when you are going to be serious, objective and not outrageous. if women are from venus and men are from mars where are you coming from with outlandish comments like that. that is 8 coaches i can probably say are stronger candidates for very obvious reasons.

i for one have my hesitations about woody but he continues to keep going up the ladder slowly. he is at best an also ran when it comes to COY among those i mentioned above unless the hawks reach the top tier that you even suggest they cant become in your comments. to suggest that tomorrow night isnt a statement night is beyond comprehension when touting woody as COY in the same three paragraphs. talk about incongruent. i beg to differ. they can put something in the C’s minds and hearts with a win since they certainly showed they can stay with them in boston which they werent able to do last year. win a few more statement games and i will be in line with you touting woody otherwise we wait until he and the team grow up. those that have followed my comments on woody over the years know that i am no hater and have been very quick to point out his successes as well and his short comings. even the year we won less than 15 games i said some positive things about him.

BA, good remarks and i believe woody has had a positive impact on the those you mention but chills, josh with his dad close by, marvin and horford are very exemplary studs with a very good upbringing and background. when the kids are not true vanilla and march a bit to a different drum he seems to tune them out rather than have a true positive influence, in turn he gets tuned out.

there have been some notable failures along the way such as shels, and salim who went the other way to extermination in the league much less the team coming in as the class of four year players with experience and confidence and championships under their belts. nary i say they left with none of it intact. zaza was very young and has had his confused moments as well. is woody to blame totally? probably not but they didnt thrive here and took a turn for the worse.

you only have to look toward what nate and the portland program did with outlaw who has a learning disability and has trouble decoding auditory spatial info. they figured it out and teach him an a special way instead of thinking he is not trying to learn or not listening. do you or anyone think he might have had a similar understanding coach here? shell shocked might have been a better reaction in him here.

By MannyT

December 16, 2008 11:40 PM | Link to this

Melvin I like those words of wisdom from Coach T. Now let’s see if he holds true to the words. I recall words here over the summer about misuse of AC Law. After roughly 30% of the season, I doubt AC would say he is in a better situation this season.

That worldwide economic slump is a real stinker. Pargo doesn’t get paid. The top paying women’s team (CSKA in Russia) stopped operating for about a month and lost their position in the top tier of the Euroleague. They are rioting in Greece over a kid that the police killed. Probably a very different experience for Chills. Anything can happen.

Samuel Be careful what you wish for or you just might get it. Byron Scott won the last coach of year, but four of the last five to win NBA COY are no longer coaching the team they led when winning the award. Only Mike D’Antoni has another coaching job of those four. Coach of Year seems to evolve into - get out of town within two years.

Truth For the Celtics game we can use our own Jedi Mind Tricks.

*I can see Harry the Hawk getting rolled out in a wheelchair during introductions, only to return later at full strength to stomp on a Paul Pierce jersey.

When Zaza comes into the game, I want to hear Rocky music.

Take Hawks blue uni + add fear (chicken yellow) = Celtics uni

Get Manny Ramirez (or Matt Ryan) in a video clip saying Let’s Go Hawks!*

As one of my favorite (fictional) Massachusettsans said, You like apples—how about them apples.

BWAF

By The Hawksta

December 16, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this

Thanx for the reply ANDO!

As I watch “Fanman” fly into the ring at the Bowe Holyfield fight for the thousandth time, I am embarrassed to know I was the only person not in Ceasars that night:)

Good look NAJEH!

We should offer Solo and get rid of Woody! Speaking of Woody he’s getting kind of soft. He is passing out plenty of compliments to the squad lately.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this

Although I don’t agree at all with Sam on the Woody = COY thing, and I’m just as big a Woody critic as anyone else here (ok, maybe not as much as Ken Strickland) it wouldn’t surprise me to see him among the COY finalists at the end of the year if the Hawks do end up winning 50 games and/or getting home court in the first round. Let’s face it, even after last year’s playoff appearance nobody was sold on this team to start the season. The people voting for MVP, COY, ROY etc. probably don’t watch a lot of games other than those televised on ESPN or TNT, and considering that the Hawks have so few national TV appearances this year they are likely to make up their minds just by comparing the Hawks’ record to their preseason expectations.

All that said I do think that Woody with all his flaws has improved. I still don’t think he’s good, but he’s not as blatantly bad as he used to be.

By The Hawksta

December 17, 2008 12:17 AM | Link to this

HB,ANDO(wink) and Ray

Brothers of other mothers(lol)!

Sautee your right freaken hilarious!

By The Hawksta

December 17, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this

Didn’t see Hawk Hack on the AJC home page?

By doc

December 17, 2008 12:46 AM | Link to this

truth thanks for reminding me. i am looking again.

richie you are too much babeeee. i will be at the hawks game but dressed like that you are sure to be on espn plays of the day. just thing POD man richie now that is something to aspire to my friend. i’ll look for you there. btw sautee wants to go with us when we take a game in since you got so close to here once we can surely get you back in the spring to see the braves if they field a team this year and the hawks unless they trade bibby and everyone else. you can wear whatever you want on your face just dont offer me any.

just thought of a new name for the hack site, the HATIN HAWKS HACKERS. heh heh

hmmmm, i wonder if that even got a smile from kirk? lol? guffaw? comon dude surely the smallest of smiles, even a smirk?

see the good thing about the blog now with the new and improved team is that we dont have to answer the really stupid, daily, incessant, insipid trade suggestions that folks used to come up with when we were really bad. the funny thing was it got response after response after response burning up the nba salary site to see if it could fit. manny t earned his masters in nba salarycapology during that time span. one of the quickest to go through it i might add. very talented dude he is, pundit extraordinaire. kirk, you just dont know how we have suffered here. buddha would have been proud of us. this is real positive, before it was prozac city with xanax sprikled to boot. this is a tree to sit under and be punished.

i wonder if ray and ando will remember who got them there. we small time foils of theirs. how could ando turn roid man andro without us and ray even have an opportunity to churlishly mock so many in comic relief, his own i might add sometimes, as he figuratively hoses us down if we werent here. do you think ando will even recognize me (ray has never seen me so he is off he hook for the sake of this argument) or jhan. durn straight he will as we gots the tix babee. remember.

finally, glad to know only seven or eight people out there are reading this, right kirk? good job security for sekou, one of the best in the biz i might add. some beyond you and are are well read tout this as one of the best nba blogs. heh heh national writers mind you are so stupid beyond your mind. geez, kirk got to admit that was about as inflammatory as it gets. it puts you in a league of your own. you can call it the independence league, i guess.

do you realize, one swipe and you demean everyone on here including sekou? i know i may deserve it, maybe not, cant tell as you remain tangential at best but the others? class babe, nothing but class. straight out of be positive and influence others textbook. glad you care enough to come into our cesspool. now did you really mean that? do you really think you are that frigging smart and trashing sekou inadvertently? can anyone spell narcissism? large brush you paint with.

take umbrage folks of the liars table. heh heh

By HB Ando

December 17, 2008 12:53 AM | Link to this

Manny, I’m glad I read the small print on “Eats, Shoots, Leaves”….

If I hadn’t, I might have surmised it was a book about one-night stands.

Hawksta, they’re working out the kinks. At this moment, I can’t find us on the AJC home page (we were still there about an hour ago), the Sports’ home page, or the Hawks’ home page. E-mail has been sent to the webmaster to solve this dilemma.

We’re supposed to join the roster of “fan blogs”, on the Sports’ home page, as well as showing up right below Sekou’s beat blog, as the previous “hack” so resided.

BTW, if you saw Ray and Ando standing side-by-side, there wouldn’t be much doubt about our lack of genetic relations. But we do seem to think alike much of the time (though we haven’t always, and reserve the right to disregard each others’ opinions at any given moment), as it relates to basketball.

I’m just glad that Ray’s 300-pound, gun-toting a* has my back (given that I’m prone to writing checks with my mouth that my a* can’t cover)…..

I’ve got a bunch more “comma” jokes worked up. I’ll release them in the coming days, as we shore up access to the new blog.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this

“just thought of a new name for the hack site, the HATIN HAWKS HACKERS. heh heh”

Or how about just the Haters? They can even have a picture of Ando and Ray side by side looking like Silky Johnson and Buc Nasty.

By BA

December 17, 2008 2:11 AM | Link to this

Hey Paul Revere- you got a very, VERY nice squad in your city. I can’t deny that. But a FLUKE?! One win would have been a fluke. We beat ya’ll three times STRAIGHT down here, in the first round of the playoffs no less! That’s no fluke brother. It’s a shame you won’t see this, because WHEN your boys lose tonight (and it’s a lock) we won’t see your tired horseback riding azz around here…

Back to this Woodson thing, Ray (is that true what your boy said about a dynamic duo fan blog, or was it some ando joke that went right over my head), I’d say anything short of the second round would be a failure, realistically.

But that’s not Woodson, or these players would tell you. These cats play like they KNOW they could make a title run now. It’s the only way to think and stay competetive.

And for me, someone who watched the best National League team in the last quarter century go home early every year, that’s the only thing that I would really be happy with. But realistically I know it’s a little early on in this teams development for that to happen.

And I’m willing to concede that I’m a little partial to the BWAF. As a guy who’s stubborn, hard-working and fiercly loyal, how could I not like the guy? Now matter how many people question the logic of (for example) the JJ iso- the guy keeps drawing it up, game after game, until ultimately Joe is doing it in the fourth quarter of the playoffs to beat Paul Revere’s impetulent one seed.

But clearly he’s evolving as his players become more effective. The question is, are the basg willing to stick with this guy, or are they going to knee-jerk fire him next year like half the league has done this year, in freakin’ December (c’mon, they fired Eddie Jordan? Don’t make any damn sense).

That’s hard to believe about the new blog. It never occured to me that the AJC could make GOOD decisions…

By doc

December 17, 2008 7:42 AM | Link to this

i pray everyone knows that all comments above about the new blog was very much tongue in cheek. i have the utmost respect for both ray and ando. they have been tremendous contributors to the blog of sekou’s which over the years to rise on a national scale as mentioned also in my comments. it is desired to emphasize what i said above in spite of a minority of bloggers that tend to blog only about bloggers rather than the facts or the hawks. my comments were to beat those detractors to the punch on any ludicrous comments by making my own tongue in cheek before them.

ray and ando have over and over shown their passion and knowledge of basketball both college, professional and their own home team the hawks. they have both taught me much and entertained me through the last few years and allowed me the pleasure to get to know both of them as wonderful true people with great depth. their absence has been noted whenever gone for long. if you get close enough to them you realize they are “homers” in the worst way wanting only that our hawks improve to the point they win something they havent dont since1957, win the nba championship. only ONE franchise is waiting longer to win one since that time, ONE. thay is the franchise in sacramento. that is a very long dry spell. ray and ando if given time will be the HAWKS HACKS HOMERS but with a deeper intelligence that can be met by only a few once they get into their endeavor.

i look forward to ray and ando bringing their a game and relating to fans in a way to allow them greater impact on a subject we all hold so dear. they will succeed in doing this and we will all prosper. i look forward to supplying my own HITS to their site to make it more meaningful and i hope many here can do the same without losing our own momentum. there is plenty of room for folks on the hawks train and to bring more folks into the fold. may we freely go back and forth to have even more opportunities to continue our time at the hawks liars table. may we all wish them well as they have successfully entertained us and cajoled us during the past four years looking forward to more. here is to their success as they deserve this opportunity!

now back to cheerleading go hawks! gonna bring my loud voice tonight.

By richbrave

December 17, 2008 7:45 AM | Link to this

HB:

It’s in the water around here. Not a matter of hitting what you’re never removed from. heh,heh. Actually my favs are WILD TURKEY RARE BREED, OLD GRANDDAD, and my newbie MAKERS MARK. I’ll check out KETTLE ONE at the state store next week. ‘Tis the Holiday season after all. You’d think from all the high-octane distilled spirits flowing through my body that my arteries would be running free and clear. Alas, such is not the case. Oh and grease-paint after - I think.?. WaHooWa.

By doc

December 17, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this

also glad to see others are regaling this moment.

ba good comments on woody. he is steady handed with them held out of site but that night that he threw his arms losing the bwaf with another flip turnover was hilarious.

By richbrave

December 17, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this

BA:

Since when does ABE POLLIN have to make any dammed sense.? I’ve followed the BULLETS-WIZARDS since they were this irrelevant in the late 60’s. The man’s tryin’ to emulate ART ROONEY. He ain’t cuttin’ it.!!!!

By Sekou K. Smith

December 17, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this

NEW BLOG UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to talk Celtics.

By MannyT

December 17, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

new blog up

By HOME GROWN aka E.J.

December 17, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

Here Here about the new site. Anytime we as hawks fans get to vent, praise and talk about our team is a good thing. I remember a time when I couldn’t get any kind of coversation about this team. I am glad that I found this site.

As for the Boston folk who seem to think that we just “lucked” our way to three wins last year and came to within .05 seconds this year, We will see tonight.I will have my playoff hat from last year on and I know that we will have Phillips rockin!!! It’s the BIG PAYBACK!!! Yes Sir!