http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/?cxntfid=blogs_hawks A beat writers perspective. en-us sksmith@ajc.com 2008-09-02T07:54:11-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 A beat writers perspective. http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/09/02/blogcation.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - That’s the longest hiatus I’ve taken from this blog since it was born shortly after the end of the Hawks’ dreadful finish to the 2004-05 season. And I have to admit that it was strange being away (I... 6489503@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-09-02T07:54:11-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/20/quittin_time.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - The greatest upset in Australian sports history, per legendary Aussie hoopster Andrew Gaze, never got off the ground Wednesday morning in Beijing. Team USA trashed the Boomers 116-85, blowing open a reasonably competitive game just before halftime for... 6160203@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-20T09:45:29-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/18/olympics_overlo.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - Thank goodness the Hawks are in crickets mode right now, because if they weren’t I wouldn’t have any time to watch this wall to wall coverage of the Olympics (and that’s not one of my usual slights, I’m... 6088403@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-18T11:21:05-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/12/around_the_rim.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - I know the US-Angola game in Beijing this morning is a tough sell for most, but having missed most of Sunday’s game with China, it was my first opportunity to see Team Kobe in action. And while I... 5951703@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-12T12:05:51-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/09/the_dynamic_duo.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks Every time someone mentioned breaking up the Hawks’ Josh Smith-Al Horford frontcourt tandem in the past six weeks, I’d remind them of the one night that convinced me more than any other that doing so would be disastrous. I’m talking... 5888603@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-09T09:51:44-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/08/no_more_games_s.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks This is the move nobody saw coming. The Grizzlies have been sitting on the salary cap space all summer. Everyone assumed they were saving up for the free-agent classes in the future, but it appears they have been targeting Josh... 5871903@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-08T12:46:22-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/08/06/can_you_handle.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - The hate-infested waters that this space has become in recent weeks in easily the most disappointing development of the summer. Even more disappointing than Josh Childress bolting for Greece without the Hawks receiving any compensation. And even more... 5809603@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-08-06T13:18:00-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/31/looks_like_a_me.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - I’m afraid that’s what we have here or certainly what we are in store for where the Hawks and Josh Smith are concerned. Neither side appears to be interested in budging from the positions they’ve assumed on the... 5671603@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-31T19:04:54-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/29/market_value.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - So let me get this straight, Emeka Okafor gets $72 million, Monta Ellis $66 million and Andris Biedrins $62 million and folks are still willing to stand on this argument about the market value of restricted free agents?... 5583203@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-29T08:23:50-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/26/switching_lanes.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks THE BASEMENT - This time a month ago I was busy calculating just how long it might take for the Hawks to wrap up negotiations with both Josh Smith and Josh Childress before putting the finishing touches on the roster... 5531303@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-26T10:11:16-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/24/aftershocks.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks THE DECK - As stunning and surreal as Wednesday’s fallout was from the (ongoing) Josh Childress saga, the Hawks, believe it or not, actually have more pressing matters to attend to this morning. And trying to save face on the... 5488503@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-24T12:51:33-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/23/childress_leave.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the closet as a true Atlanta sports fan, things go even crazier than they’ve gone in the past 15 months. Former Hawks swingman Josh Childress has signed with Olympiakos... 5451803@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-23T09:04:30-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/23/brace_yourself.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks THE MATRIX - If you thought the tango Josh Childress danced with Olympiakos was simply a negotiating ploy, you were wrong. And I mean 100 percent wrong. This is no joke people. Childress is still in Athens and won’t leave... 5448603@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-23T01:55:36-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/21/dollars_and_sen.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - That’s the only thing standing between the Hawks right now and signed contracts for both Josh Smith and Josh Childress. The Hawks have the dollars to spend (they can bust the bank to sign both of these young... 5382803@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-21T08:39:05-05:00 http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/07/16/so_much_for_tho.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks SMYRNA - My plan was to regale you with observations from the Hawks’ rookie/free agent mini camp workouts and scrimmages, to fill you full of details that you can only get here. And then the Los Angles Clippers stole my... 5277703@http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/ 2008-07-16T00:32:28-05:00