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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2009 > January > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHawks’ patience with Woodson pays off
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since the Hawks have gotten it right involving that patience thing with their head coach, let’s ask one of their primary owners why so many of his peers around the NBA have continued to get it wrong.
First, here’s a memo to those peers of Hawks owners: In pro sports, it’s about the players (or lack thereof), especially in basketball.
Coaches? Not so much. They only matter a lot in the NBA if they can get their naturally offensive-minded players to defend more often than not — you know, like a particular coach in Atlanta.
That said, talent-challenged Memphis just became the seventh NBA franchise this season to whack its head coach. So, courtesy of previous firings in Washington, Toronto, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Minnesota, the league is two firings shy of tying its record of nine during the 2004-05 season.
It’s outrageous. In contrast, when it comes to the Hawks, it’s outstanding, with their young roster maturing, and with Mike Woodson spending his previous four seasons as their defense-minded coach watching his team surge in victories from 13 to 26 to 30 to 37. Now, after their 117-87 thrashing of the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at Philips Arena, the Hawks are dribbling toward their most victories during a season in more than a decade at 26 and counting.
“You kinda gotta be patient with coaches,” said Michael Gearon Sr., the noted everyman of the Hawks. He has spent 30-plus years with the franchise, including the past five as one of its nine owners. Added Gearon, who joins his son, Michael Jr., in making the key basketball decisions for Atlanta Spirit, LLC, “I think there is a tendency to look for immediate solutions and to look for scapegoats. But you should treat this in the same sense as if you’ve started a restaurant, and you’ve just hired a new cook.
“He’s back there, cooking stuff up, and you may be getting a lot of smells out of the kitchen, but you’re not going to know what you’ve got until that new cook puts it on the table and people eat it. You don’t want to start messing with him based on those smells out of the kitchen.”
Those smells were awful for the Hawks after general manager Billy Knight blew up the mess of roster that he inherited. He handed the cooking duties to Woodson, a rookie NBA head coach, whose recipe involved defense, defense and more defense. Even so, his young team refused to digest it all.
It didn’t help Woodson’s cause that Knight kept ignoring brilliant point guards in the draft (In case you’re wondering, the aforementioned Chris Paul and Deron Williams rank first and second in the league in assists).
Then, after Knight acquired veteran Mike Bibby last February in a trade, Knight told the Gearons and the other Hawks’ owner that they should fire the cook.
The Gearons ignored Knight and the smells. As a result, Woodson’s Hawks made the playoffs for the first time this millennium, and then they gave the eventual world champion Boston Celtics fits during a seven-game series.
Knight resigned.
Woodson is still around.
“I am very humble and appreciative of [the owners] being realistic about what I walked into five years ago,” Woodson said. “I’m a realist. I know that when you gut a team, regardless of what the media and fans say, and you start young — you know, this is 26 years for me [associated with the NBA], and I’ve never seen a young team win.”
You never will, but you will see coaches get the blame for it.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: Hawks/NBA
Comments
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By Ariose
January 24, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this
Moore, I have to give you credit. you’ve supported Woodsen even when everyone else was calling for his head. I honestly thought you(and Joe Johnson) were crazy.
But let’s not throw Billy under the bus like that. Sure he made some poor moves, but you know if he had full control better moves probably would have been made. Let’s also not forget that the madjority of the Hawks players were aquired by him.
When the team fails, it’s everyones fault, players,coaches, and management. I personally am starting to come around as far as woodson is concerned. I’m not there yet(There’s absolutely no reason why Salim Stoudamire deserved 50 DNP-CD’s last season…..woodson personally put his career on hold) but i’m coming around.
Hopefully Woody will continue to expand his rotation, because you’re not going very far in the playoffs if you only use an eight man rotation.
P.S- Let’s forget about the 05’ draft shall we. Marvin is turning into an exellent pro. Besides, everyone seems to forget that the golden boy(Chris Paul) hit some guy in the groin on purpose his last season at Wake Forest. Why would Billy Knigh drat a player with poor character like that?
Anyway, back to your comments about that 05’ draft. Chances are ou won’t be getting any exclusive interviews from Marvin Williams any time soon if he reads your comments heh.
~Sir Links A Lot~
By Josh
January 24, 2009 4:31 PM | Link to this
Good article, Mr. Moore. The myopic “quick-fix” mentality plagues most of our society, not just sports. And when you’re constantly turning over your workforce, there’s no stability, no loyalty, and no institutional memory of what DOES work. I don’t know if Woodson or any of the current players will lead the Hawks deep into the playoffs or beyond, but a solid core just entering their collective prime should be given time to gel; constant roster/coaching turnover is a great way to guarantee nothing more than constant turnover. I think Woodson’s getting this team turned around. The bench still needs some work, but when healthy, we’ve got as athletic a starting five as anybody else in the NBA. Go Hawks!!
By Connie Lingous
January 24, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this
Young teams have actually won in the NBA, but never without a point guard.
That being said, it’s hard for me not to wonder how good the Hawks could be with a good coach.
By JMar
January 24, 2009 4:52 PM | Link to this
You have lost your mind. Woodson is still one of the worst coaches in the NBA. This is a team winning in SPITE of Woodson, not because of him. Doesn’t know how to run an offense, doesn’t know how to control Josh Smith, doesn’t know how to motivate the team. And for all the talk about defense being the reason we’re winning, the stats tell a different story.
By Skipper
January 24, 2009 4:54 PM | Link to this
Terence, Very nice and informative article. I also agree with your thoughts about the coach. Having been a AJC sports page reader for 40 years this is the types of things I like to read. Ya,Hoo HAWKS.
By The Grinch
January 24, 2009 5:05 PM | Link to this
“I’ve never seen a young team win.” Here we go again with the inspirational speeches. He has GOT to be the least inspiring coach in all of professional sports. He certainly sets the bar the lowest with his public comments, anyway.
I’m sure the Hawks have benefited to some degree from having consistent coaching, but how much has that been offset by it being consistently mediocre?
If I were ownership, I’d be upset about the money being wasted on bench players that are never used. If I was Joe Johnson, I’d sue Woodson when I had to have my knees replaced at 32 from playing 48 minutes a game my whole career.
I’m proud of this team and delighted they’re winning. I think as a reward they deserve an upgrade at coach next season.
By falconfan42
January 24, 2009 5:07 PM | Link to this
I totally disagree….. Woodson plays his starters way to many minutes.. He does not have great bench play. Wait and see during the playoffs when the starters get worn out. He has never developed Acie Law a #11 pick. Geez…..Just trying to save his job in the long run……We will never win a title with Woodson. Every see him courtside….He looks like a deer in the headlights…. NO CLUE….GEEZ!!!!
By LONG TIME FAN
January 24, 2009 5:13 PM | Link to this
ALL THE HAWKS NEED RIGHT NOW IS MARCUS CAMBY . IF SOME HOW SOME WAY THEY CAN PULLTHIS OFF WE CAN TAKE THE EAST.
By Ed
January 24, 2009 8:43 PM | Link to this
totally disagree….. Woodson plays his starters way to many minutes.. He does not have great bench play. Wait and see during the playoffs when the starters get worn out. He has never developed Acie Law a #11 pick. Geez…..Just trying to save his job in the long run……We will never win a title with Woodson. Every see him courtside….He looks like a deer in the headlights…. NO CLUE….GEEZ!!!!
DITTO!!!