AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2008 > January > 11 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIt could only happen to the Hawks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
It was as if someone in the NBA office took a hard look at the standings and said, “The Hawks? At .500? Tied for the next-to-last playoff spot? This can’t be.”
And then it wasn’t.
The Hawks awoke Friday at 16-16. They left Philips Arena last night at 15-17. This wouldn’t seem possible, but a slew of things have happened in Atlanta sports this young century that have beggared all belief. From two head coaches being fired on the same day to owners suing one another to a quarterback doing time to a coach leaving to call the Hogs …
And now this: A not-so-instant replay of a game that, for 23 days, the Hawks had every reason to believe they’d won.
Put it this way: As weird as the Falcons’ season was, they weren’t — mercifully, it must be said — ever asked to play a doubleheader.
For 57 days, the result of the Hawks-Miami game of Dec. 19 will be held in abeyance. Indeed, if you clicked on ESPN.com Friday night, the box score of that game read, “In progress, 0:51 OT.” And it will remain so until March 8.
“That’s crazy,” said Josh Smith said, having been informed by reporters that his team had been stripped, at least for now, of one victory. And then, thinking quickly: “I don’t think I can play in that one [the restart on March 8]. I fouled out.”
As coach Mike Woodson met the assembled media in his office, a voice could be heard yelling in the locker room. Quoth the high-volume Tyronn Lue, delivering a mock pep talk for the upcoming twin bill: “We can win that game! We’re going to win two games!”
Not that Tyronn Lue will be a part of the final 51.9 seconds of Game 1 come March 8. He didn’t dress for the fateful December game, so he can’t even sit on the bench in uniform for those 51.9 seconds. He’ll have to change into his work clothes when that one is, once and for all, done.
Said Woodson: “We’ll put our game plan together for those 51 seconds.”
And then they’ll have to turn around and play a 48-minute game afterward. As amusing as this all seems — the long-suffering Hawks can’t even win when they finish a game with more points than the opponent — losing twice on March 8 could put a serious crimp in what has been, at least until Friday afternoon, a season of upward mobility.
Woodson again: “We’re not going to let 51 seconds determine our future.” But then, being the Hawks, they went out and lost to the Wizards in overtime. (Pending official review.)
Said Michael Gearon Jr., one of the Hawks’ many owners: “We’re a team used to adversity.”
There was human error involved on Dec. 19 — Shaquille O’Neal was adjudged to have committed his sixth foul when it was only his fifth — but logistics were also at play. In order to sell more courtside seats for bigger money, NBA teams have shortened their scorers’ tables. This marks the second season in which the Hawks’ stat crew has been separated by 26 rows of seats: The official scorebook is kept at courtside, while the computer system is housed in the aisle behind Philips Arena’s lower tier. Someone sitting somewhere should have noticed the mistake, but apparently nobody did.
The reason the Hawks were hit so hard — “grossly negligent” was the official NBA word — and fined $50,000 and ordered to replay those 51.9 seconds is because they’d had a similar snafu against Toronto last season, when the Raptors were denied a rightful point. Said Arthur Triche, the Hawks’ chief publicist: “In no way was anybody cheating or trying to make money off the [Miami] game.”
OK, so it was an honest mistake. But, as happens on what seems a daily basis in our fair city, a mistake ballooned into something embarrassing, something beyond bizarre. Only in Atlanta, kids. Only in Atlanta.
Permalink | Comments (36) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks / NBA, Mark Bradley
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By Darrin "The Vent King"
January 11, 2008 8:40 PM | Link to this
Agreed, only in Atlanta. It is so hard to be a fan in this town.
And people wonder why the fans are the way they are here.
By GetItTogether
January 11, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
The Atlanta Spirit had better get a clue quick - both the Hawks and Thrashers are woeful - there’s the infighting with regard to Belkin - their season ticket reps are supposed to be encouraging fans to purchase tix but I cringe when I have to contact them because they are so rude and sometimes incompetent - as Atlantans and sports fans we deserve better - we want to support our teams but our sports team ownership is deficient - and dont even get me started about the Falcons - message to the owners: y’all are in over your heads - there are consultants that can help
By Chris
January 11, 2008 9:37 PM | Link to this
Just when you think things are starting to turn around, POW! Right in the kisser.
By Michael
January 11, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
NBA = After last year’s season collapse of the season, the Phoenix series ruined, and the fact that MOST NBA refs are under orders from the mob; does this surprise anyone? No wonder no one watches this crap any more.
By Orlando
January 11, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
Between this and watching the Hawks blow this game against the Wizards, I’m done with this franchise! I’ll stick to the Wizards or some other team who knows how to play the game of basketball or another franchise whose not cursed. BYE!
By Morgan
January 11, 2008 10:20 PM | Link to this
The Hawks suck, the Falcons suck, and the Braves are spoiled by money. At least the Braves don’t hire a bunch of THUGS though…I’ll give them that. Professional sports anymore are a bunch of rich prima donnas who behave as they wish, the Patriots being the only exception. That is why college sports remain so very special. As Mark Bradley so eloquently put it…Only the Hawks!
By Morgan
January 11, 2008 10:20 PM | Link to this
The Hawks suck, the Falcons suck, and the Braves are spoiled by money. At least the Braves don’t hire a bunch of THUGS though…I’ll give them that. Professional sports anymore are a bunch of rich prima donnas who behave as they wish, the Patriots being the only exception. That is why college sports remain so very special. As Mark Bradley so eloquently put it…Only the Hawks!
By Fred
January 11, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
I agree with Orlando. Combined with tonights debacle, I’m done with this putrid franchise.
Woodson is the worst coach ever. 5 seconds on the shot clock coming out of a TO and they get a voilation because nobody bothered to remind the players? PLU-EEEZE.
Not only that, I don’t think I’ve EVER seen that man’s mouth move when the camera is on him. Only a distant look of disbilef.
When does the women’s hoop season start anyway?
By ryc30078
January 11, 2008 10:27 PM | Link to this
Spirit LLC will be please fire Mike Woodson!! What are you waiting for, this guy has had 5 years and this team still doesn’t play a lick of defense. How do let The Wizards kill you on the boards like this. This team has too much talent in the crappy Eastern Conference to be one game under 500. FIRE MIKE WOODSON.
By Ben
January 11, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this
Wow, it’s good to see that Atlanta has so many fair-weather fans who should’ve been gone a few years ago. It’s ridiculous to use this particular situation as a platform for not rooting for the Hawks anymore. Their doing better than they have in I forget how many years and a bunch of you are blaming the players on this when it’s the scorekeepers’ faults? It’s not even that big of a deal. As Jim Rome says, “When the going gets tough, quit.”
By Lil E
January 11, 2008 11:05 PM | Link to this
OMG OMG!! I hate Atlanta and the Hawks !!!! OMG OMG!!
Ok, not really.
I think the NBA should treat scorekeepers like referees. They shouldn’t let individual teams hire their own scorekeeper.I also believe it’s b****** that we have to re-play the game. I don’t even care too much if we win it or lose it, but what if someone gets hurt ?!
I’m sorely disappointed with the NBA, and it is very evident that big market teams have a little bit too much influence on the way the game is officiated. Anyways, Go Hawks.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 12:02 AM | Link to this
Chevy Chase and Jane Curtain on Saturday Night Live in Point/Counterpoint would then have:
Morgan you ignorant jerk! There is not one “thug” (your word not mine) on the Hawk team. If you wish to comment you should at the very least have a passing knowledge of the subject.
You should aim your wrath at David Stern for bowing before his idol, Pat Riley. Shaq has been almost insignificant for the Heat this year. Woeful to the point he has been removed from close games near the end due to his poor free throw shooting and minimal impact on the game.
The replay is an absurd decision and the fine is at least twice a reasonable amount.
Attribute some of this to the “Tim Donaghy Factor”.
The Heat coaching staff, including Riley, is just as culpable. With perhaps the largest group of assistants in the league, or second to Dallas, there was no one there who knew Shaq only had five fouls? I do not believe that to be possible. Draw your own conclusions as to what actually happened on the Heat side of this.
In fact Morgan may actually be Pat Riley - both are obvious jerks.
By majorsrule
January 12, 2008 12:07 AM | Link to this
The hawks are going down the tubes as usual—-can’t these incompetent owners sell the team and to someone who knows basketball and can hire a real gm and coach, instead of the stooges they have running the team now. What a total joke of a franchise.
By Tiger Woo
January 12, 2008 12:14 AM | Link to this
Hey DemDems4Ever,
When Morgan talks about “thugs” he’s obviously referring to black people, since there is maybe one black player left on the Braves.
Regarding Stern’s ruling - hey, the Hawks have a 3 point lead with 51 seconds left - if they can’t close out the game with a win against the sorry Heat they deserve to lose.
By Tiger Woo
January 12, 2008 12:55 AM | Link to this
Go figure …
Andray Blatche - 49th pick in 2005 draft (Salim Stoudamire - 31st pick in same draft) - has 13 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks vs. the Hawks.
Shelden Williams - 5th pick in 2006 draft - never leaves the bench vs. the Wizards.
What a wasted pick drafting Shelden - right now JChill is the only one contributing off the bench.
By Dr. Warren
January 12, 2008 1:30 AM | Link to this
Where’s Ted Turner when we need him?
By Dr. Warren
January 12, 2008 1:30 AM | Link to this
Where’s Ted Turner when we need him?
By tony
January 12, 2008 3:39 AM | Link to this
Don’t you people realize that you have the power to make changes on these teams? Without you there won’t be any owners, GMs, coaches and players. What will happen if no tickets get sold? That’s right, EMPTY SEATS! So if you want change, stop going to the games or just keep silent.
By Dr. Tobias Funke
January 12, 2008 4:04 AM | Link to this
Tony, nobody’s gone to the games for the past decade. That hasn’t changed a thing. Until the owner(s) figure out who’s actually running the show, Woodson & Knight have a free pass. It’s like when your 4th grade teacher would sneak out to the staff lounge to smoke a quick cigarette and the classroom devolved into total anarchy. The rebel kid hanging out the window, the fat kid raiding the jelly beans on ol’ teacher’s desk, and the class psycho torturing the hamsters. What we have with the Hawks is essentially the NBA’s version of a teacherless classroom. No accountability, no discipline, no leadership. It’s a real shame, because before you know it, all this young talent will have skipped town and the next GM (assuming anyone actually wants the job) will have to implement a new 3-year plan to follow Knight’s 9-year “plan,” and we fans will be left to scratch our heads and wonder how we ever got suckered into rooting for a team owned and run by this pathetic group of losers.
It’s just mind-boggling that after all these lottery picks, we STILL don’t have a legitimate NBA point guard.
By hockeyman 3944
January 12, 2008 6:49 AM | Link to this
Hmm, where is Terrance Moore and his usual distain for anything Atlanta? Where is his condemnation for the dynamic duo of that pinnacle of hoops braintrust Knight and Woodson? Oh, silly me, they’re black and don’t have to be held accountable, oops, sorry! This is the same guy who thinks Terrance Mathis should be the Falcons next GM…hey Moore, you’re race transparency has to go both ways to make you a credible journalist, not a race baiting blowhard. To use the 790 Zone guys analogy… JOURNALIST???!!
By Aaron
January 12, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
It’s interesting that there have only been three or four previous columns written about the Hawks all season, and everyone of them with a negative slant. It seems that the AJC sports columnists are only interested in writing about the Hawks when something goes wrong. The Hawks are having their best season in years, but no one can give them credit for that. This statistical error had nothing to do with the players or coach, yet the entire team is slammed. The Hawks could do without catty columnists and fair-weather fans.
By Gray Mule
January 12, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
What ever will be, will be.
However, I do have a quarrel with the “continuation” of the game coming before the regular game. In order to have it somewhat resemble what was happening, play the darned thing AFTER the regular game. Why should the Hawks be forced to face a fresh Shaq, completely rested and rarin’ to go. At the time he came out of the game he was used up.
Having a “Do-over” is bad enough. A fresh, rested Shaq? Bah Humbug.
By memyselfandi
January 12, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
Hey what’s the big concern? Miami stinks worse then the Hawks. Those 51 seconds will be a breeze.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
Tiger Woo @ 12:14
I will give benefit of the doubt, even to Morgan the Jerk, as there are thugs in sports and not all are black. Hockey is the best example.
Still - No thugs on the Hawks.
Should be no surprise to see Mark Bradley jump into the Hawks/Heat situation. Just a vulture circling a wounded prey. No courage to actually make a move on his own, just circling Atlanta waiting for the next negative.
Mark Bradley and eloquent in the same sentence? Puhleeeeze!
Tony@ 3:39
Sold out arenas are best but seat sales are not the major source of revenue for profesional teams, so the effect of staying home is minimal.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
Aaron @ 8:35
AMEN.
Most unfortunate that the newspaper hires two columnists (Bradley and Moore) who are almost entirely negative when Atlanta sports teams are the topic.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
Gray Mule @ 8:38
Great idea! Do you wonder why the NBA did not impose such equity in their decision? Could it be because there is an agenda other than fairness?
Do you suppose Miami’s pitiful record, in a huge market, with Stern’s hero Pat Riley guiding the ship into the abyss, with two of the NBA media darlings (Wade and Shaq) sinking with the team, but still the ultimate hope by the NBA that Miami will have turned the corner by March and an extra win might be important?
How about the NBA’s failure to catch the Tom Donaghy mess before there were serious questions regarding the ‘07 playoffs? Create other issues to distract?
Maybe the problem is that the world can now see that although Shaq is an endearing personality, his claim to MDE (Most Dominant Ever) is as big a joke as Stern’s singing career. Had Shaq been forced to play under the rules he would have been just as ineffective in the NBA as he was in college.
By Getaway
January 12, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
This is OUTRAGOUS! Only in Atlanta is right, no other team in any other city would lose a win AND have to replay part of the game for this type of mistake. I’ve watched enough sports to have seen this happen a couple of times. Usually no one catches it.
How long after the game before something was said? I think something should have been said immediately, before the officials left. It should have been when it happened, Shaq didn’t know how many fouls he had?
What’s the statute of limitations on this, can the Hawks go back through every game they’ve played and check for STATISTICAL errors?
By Luis Malave
January 12, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this
I think it’s absurd to rule that because Shaq, who was playing a terrible game at the time and wrongfully fouled out, they have to replay the las 51.9 seconds of the overtime game. The Heat are totally irrelevant, given the current record. It does nothing for them, yet for the Hawks it means stripping them, for the time being, of a hard fought victory. It makes no sense.
By JohnD
January 12, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
Getaway @ 10:58
Shaq, Coach Riley and the Heat knew but did nothing during or immediately after the game - not until the next day.
The NBA allowed the league reputation to be damaged by the gambling referee. This is an attempt to convince the public of the league devotion to integrity in the game without regard to equity or common sense. This is a media play and nothing more.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
Luis Malave
David Stern is unhappy with the Hawk ownership dispute and this is his means to punish the team. Pretty simple actually.
If Stern were an actual commissioner and not simply a marketing man, many of the internal problems would not have arisen.
A real commissioner would have stepped into the team dispute and sought a resolution long before the public trial became an issue.
By Fred
January 12, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this
Gray Mule makes a good point about facing a fresh Shaq and Miami team (especially since Smith has fouled out and Lue isn’t eligible). I think that they should finish the last 52 seconds AFTER the regular scheduled game so all players will be in the same tired condition, just like they were that night!
By rich brave
January 12, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
HAWKS FANS:
Take heart. Don’t be led astray by all the negativity surrounding your HAWKS. I saw the core of a championship team on the floor in Atlanta last night. Smith, Johnson, and Horford are YOUR big three just as Jamison, Butler, and Arenas are the Wizards’ big three. With Childress and Williams in the mix it puts Atlanta on the verge of a great team. Allow management to add some personnel, and the coaching staff to do some tweaking and you’ll get there. I’m a Wizards fan, but I see the core of a better club in Atlanta. Those guys don’t just HOPE they will win - they know they will win. It’s in their eyes. They have chemistry and respect for each other.
Read Sekou Smith’s article re: last night’s game. One correction. Butler got the ball in OT near the end, but DeShawn Stevenson got the block from the right side.
By DemDems4Ever
January 12, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
With very little research I find:
Several people at the games are responsible for the number of fouls, both personal and team.
Assistant coaches and trainers on both teams maintain a record of the fouls and time outs.
Players normally know the number of fouls called on them during the game.
How was Shaq allowed to leave the game if the Miami coaches knew he only had five fouls? Did they want him out?
By Najeh Davenpoop
January 12, 2008 3:32 PM | Link to this
I’d like to know what happens when Miami trades half their high-salary veterans at the trading deadline, knowing they are out of playoff contention. Oh yeah, and when they shut down Dwyane Wade for the season with his laundry list of injuries. They might end up being even more short-handed for that game in March than they were originally when Shaq fouled out.
By Hawksville Resident
January 12, 2008 5:46 PM | Link to this
Go Hawks!
By Wink from Lithonia
January 12, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this
So do we get to replay the game the Hawks lost to Cleveland, because Ty Lue was credited unjustly with a 2 point basket, when replay clearly shows he was beyond the 3 point line. I fine this to be gross negligence on the part of the NBA officiating crew—-What do you have to say about that Mr. Sterns. I think this puts the Hawks in unfair competitive disadvantage!!!
While you are at it, let replay the NBA playoffs from last year when you striped Phoenix of their opportunity to compete for a CHAMPIONSHIP, when you suspended Amare Stoudimire & Diaw, for crossing a line, with no intent to escalate an on court scuffle which took place at the other end of the court. This cause a TREMENDOUS unfair competitive advantage.
Also, you have been overly quiet since your NBA referee had a direct impact on games and your overt knowledge of your referees in casinos, when you clearly have rules against this activity ie crossing a line by a step. Clearly there are double standards. Since these are the Hawks and Riley did not raise this concern until after the game—the double standard raised it’s head; THE GAME WAS OVER, PERIOD!!!
This would be the equivalent of an NFL coach not throwing his Red Flag to challenge a play. An unthrow flag means the previous play stands—it’ done same as this game!!!
Get a Life Commish or go to Iraq they are in need of another DICTATOR!!