ajcsportstalk

By Pompano

April 18, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

What candid feedback? These were softball questions even a Ms America pagent contestant could answer.

Pretty wimpy Q&A

By Ryder

April 18, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

Bk’s vision for this team was never the problem. Many times you hear people saying things like, “the Hawks are too talented to make the playoffs with such a poor record.”

So obviously if people aren’t saying the talent is the problem, then it must be on the COACH!

He is obviously going to use the “well we made the playoffs” mandate as the reason he should be retained?

Let’s look at a few things shall we? Have the Hawks become a complete team after his 4 years at the helm? No! Have the players grown as a result of his coaching? No!

In short if all Atlanta wants is a coach that can get them in the first or second round of the playoffs each year then yes Woodson is their choice. However if Atlanta has their sights set on championships then they need someone who can utilize Atlanta’s vast array of talents on and off the bench!

By Christopher Marcusky

April 18, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

I believe a change needs to be made in regards to the head coach. Though only an assistant who has been out of coaching for a few years, Davis Harvey would be the man for hte job. He would bring enthusiasm and his knowledge of beating the zone defense is unbelievable. With all the zone defense being played nowadays, he would be perfect for the job.

By roro

April 18, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

i’ll give both of these guys one year extension and go from there.the draft choices they made in the past did’nt make alot of sense.how many forwards of the same caliber do you need!chris paul and deron williams do these names ring a bell?

By CP3

April 18, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this

They need a better coach to utilize the talent. Billy Knight made some questionable draft picks passing on CP3 and Iguodala. In the last draft he made up for some of his mistakes, but we need an upgrade at both GM/Coach. Coach is more critical because he’s the one that will guide the team.

By Darrin "The Vent King"

April 18, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this

I agree with Pompano, that was nothing my vanilla-flavored ice cream responses, nothing candid. My main issue is just not with the GM and coach (which I will save for another day), it’s also the way the Atlanta Spirit operates amongst themselves. We the fans, bless our hearts, are supposed to believe in an ownership group that sues each other? We are supposed to believe in a GM/coach tandem that has one trying THREE times to fire the other? Now by way of this interview we are supposed to believe everything is honky-dory? C’mon man, thankfully for a moment we’ll be able to enjoy the playoffs and not these Keystone cops running this team. I’ve never seen one NBA franchise that won a championship carrying on like this. I still like most of the guys on the actual team, but the GM, coach, AND ownership’s actions the past few years instills as much hope things will be okay as having pots and pans coming out of skydiver’s parachute bag than an actual parachute.

GO HAWKS!!

By WalterWindmill

April 18, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

I totally agree with the formula that both Knight and Woodsen have used to create a playoff team. The only problem is that they have not created a winning team. They still have a losing team with a losing record and were rewarded a playoff berth so keep in mind that this is still a losing team. Now the next order of business is to create a winning team. Hopefully that will come next season. I believe if it doesnt come than I think Woodsen and Knight should both be moved on and relieved of their duties because the name of the game is winning and all you have to do is look at ALL eight playoff teams in the western conference and you will see eight WINNING TEAMS ALL OF WHICH HAVE WON 50 GAMES and NO LOSING TEAMS REPRESENTED IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS. I think its kind of embarrassing to be called a playoff team with a losing record. HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU REWARD LOSING!!!

By Pete Carrill

April 18, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Davis Harvey would be an excellent choice to lead the Hawks…He was a standout player and unbeleivable young coach before his hiatis…I winder what he is doing these days???

By baller

April 18, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this

Chill out people. LARRY BROWN will be the new coach. David Aldridge has reported the rumor.

By RD

April 18, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

typical AJC interview. Afraid to ask tough questions.

By T

April 18, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

BORING Q&A.. Softball questions with regurgitated answers. Moving on, I think the Hawks should make a play for Bynum in LA. They have Gasol and might take a decent offer for him. I would trade Marvin, Za Za and a pick for Bynum right now. Who’s with me?

By hsballcoach

April 18, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

DAVIS HARVEY WOULD BE THE MAN!

I have seen him coach circles around his peers, and would not be surprised at all if he was invited to meet with the Spirit group-

his rapport with these young players would be EXCELLENT!

maybe this time they’ll; make a change and get it RIGHT!!!

The REAL question is whether Coach Harvey would accept the position…

By Glenzo

April 18, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Billy Knight has done a good job with what he had to work with coming into this job… We have some overpaid players that he had to get rid of before fixing anything else on the team…. kinda the same situation that the Knicks are good! Good job Knight. Of course everyone knows he made the mistake with CP3 but Williams is coming into his own now.

Question i have, with Larry Brown looking for a head coaching position and he has a great past with him, any chance of landing him? He is a great coach!

By bill

April 18, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

This is one of the problems with the team. They (GM & Coach) actually think the season is a success. We had a loosing record and lucked out to make the playoffs. There are 11 teams in the West with better records. If you think this team has a shot at beating Boston then you do not know anything about basketball. The GM & Coach need to go but the sorry group of owners will probably let them stay and give them a raise.

By STEVE BELKIN

April 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

Lets see…..we are a playoff team (+1)…but we had a losing record…(-1)…..by 8 games…..(-1)…then we may lose both of our Josh’s to free agency (-4)…..and we have no draft picks for this year(-2). Will somebody explain how there is ANY CONSIDERATION at all about keeping these two? How can this team improve? Spend an extra dollar on a free agent…right like these cheapskates would allow that….The caoch and general manager need to be gone the minute Boston sweeps us in the playoffs.. Where is all of this cap money we have been saving all these years

By Good Knight!!!

April 18, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

Wow Sekou!

Wow lil’ buddy! That was a pretty hard hitting interview you did. Mommy and Daddy might put that one on the fridge. How’d you get up the courage to say all of that? Were you nervous asking those tough questions to such a magnificent and powerful sports icon?

AHHHHHH! What is the problem with Atlanta Sports Media?!?! Does the Atlanta Spirit Group have them paid off? Sekou, did you get free season tickets to keep your mouth shut about Knight sinking the ship? How does he avoid any tough questions from everyone? Knight has screwed this franchise over and nobody will call him out on it. I saw “candid” interview and I thought I might finally get some answers from the man that avoids the media better than speedy gonzalez in a game of dodgeball. But no I get questions like “could you have envisioned a better season for Al Horfod”? Sekou how bout what we really want to know like - Hey Billy, Could you envision the Hawks with Chris Paul?!?! or Hey Billy, Could you envision the Hawks if you took someone better than Sheldon “the mega bust” Williams. Sekou, where was the Chris Paul question though seriously?!?! We finally had him in a room with a media person and we didnt corner him on his B.S. Sorry just needed to vent. Quit being scared to ask the real questions and get real answers. Please!

By Marques

April 18, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

Yes, Larry Brown is a great coach, but the real question is can the Hawks handle Brown as a coach? He is not for everybody.

www.unfilteredsportsbiz.com

By Realist

April 18, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

I’m glad Billy Knight has chosen to show some restraint and not say, “I told you so” to all of us dim-witted doubters. I do wonder what that would sound like, though…

“I told you that with my handy-dandy five-year plan we could improve from the 35 wins when I took over all the way to 37 wins. It would only take five years, I said, but none of you fools listened. And I TOLD you at the beginning of the season that we could make the playoffs by one game, if only we could get a little help from the timekeeper against Toronto. And that happened too! But did any of you listen? No! So all you haters can hate on, but BK is in the PLAY-OFFS baby! And we plan to use this four-game sweep as a springboard to even bigger things next year, like 39 wins and another 8 seed!”

By Bob H

April 18, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this

Sekou - how about addressing Good Knight’s questions/points. Your questions were cream puffs but I’m guessing your hands were tied in what you could ask. If so, then why not just forego the whole thing instead of offering up such pablum? And if you had a free hand and that’s the best you could come up with……….well, don’t hold your breath waiting for that Pulitzer.

By FUNK DAT

April 18, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

You can make a VERY WEAK argument that both Woodson and Knight should return. They’ve increased the amount of wins each year and finally stumbled into the playoffs. However, you can make AN EXTREMELY STRONG argument that both Woodson and Knight need to pack their bags. We still have a losing record, we BARELY made the playoffs, we dont have CHRIS PAUL or a TRUE CENTER, AC Law our future pg is gettin no experience, WE LOST TO THE HEAT, etc. etc. etc. etc. I really dont understand how these two guys have the audacity to say they should stay and not admit that both of them have done a MEDIOCRE job. In the real world, both would have been canned after a year at best. Furthermore, our pathetic ownership group, the ASG, should be embarassed and ashamed that this has been allowed to go on. As a matter of fact, I would add a third article discussing why the ASG should be fired.

By AK-47

April 18, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

Gee, I’m sure glad that BK didn’t say “I told you so.” Ooooor did he? That was pretty tricky there.

I agree with the stance that this is still a losing team. I’m not sure what sports planet exists where 8 games under .500 is considered a successful year. I’m glad they’re in the playoffs, such as it is. And I’m glad that their W/L has improved. They have gotten better slooowly but surely. But Knight is the worst GM in all professional sports, except maybe Matt Millen. Please please please hire a talent evaluator who is worth a darn.

I see this team heading down the same path that the Thrashers did. Swept in the playoffs, and starting over the next season. I hope I’m wrong but I’ve seen this movie before.

One miscellaneous side note - can Marvin EVER take it to the rim without falling down? He’s frikkin’ horrible. And to lose to the Heat when you’re trying to build momentum for Boston was ridiculous.

By Traceman

April 18, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

You guys are unbelievable! You guys wouldn’t know a candid interview if it smacked you in the face! I thought Sekou asked some GREAT questions, particularly the questions regarding the relationship between Billy and Woody. You guys obviously wouldn’t have been happy unless Sekou asked him stupid leading questions like:

“Billy, don’t you feel like an idiot for passing on Chris Paul? No? Well surely you must feel like an idiot for drafting Shelden Williams?”

What the hell is asking BK if he could envision the team with Chris Paul going to do? Is that going to somehow get Chris Paul here? Besides, he has already been asked that question and he has answered it. Bottom line, he thought Marvin had more potential and he thought Marvin was going to be the better player in the long run. Oops! Marvin is going to be a very good player in this league for a long time but he will NEVER be as good as Paul is right now. Simply not going to happen. Still, asking Knight about it is not going to change anything.

“Woody, don’t you feel like a loser? I mean, how can you possibly feel good about yourself when you can’t get this talented team to .500?”

How far do you think Sekou would have got if he asked questions like that? Wht kind of relationship do you think he could have had with the team/management going forward if the interviews went like that?

You guys wouldn’t last 5 minutes a beat reporter for any team thinking like you do. Get a clue!

By Traceman

April 18, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

You guys are unbelievable! You guys wouldn’t know a candid interview if it smacked you in the face! I thought Sekou asked some GREAT questions, particularly the questions regarding the relationship between Billy and Woody. You guys obviously wouldn’t have been happy unless Sekou asked him stupid leading questions like:

“Billy, don’t you feel like an idiot for passing on Chris Paul? No? Well surely you must feel like an idiot for drafting Shelden Williams?”

What the hell is asking BK if he could envision the team with Chris Paul going to do? Is that going to somehow get Chris Paul here? Besides, he has already been asked that question and he has answered it. Bottom line, he thought Marvin had more potential and he thought Marvin was going to be the better player in the long run. Oops! Marvin is going to be a very good player in this league for a long time but he will NEVER be as good as Paul is right now. Simply not going to happen. Still, asking Knight about it is not going to change anything.

“Woody, don’t you feel like a loser? I mean, how can you possibly feel good about yourself when you can’t get this talented team to .500?”

How far do you think Sekou would have got if he asked questions like that? Wht kind of relationship do you think he could have had with the team/management going forward if the interviews went like that?

You guys wouldn’t last 5 minutes as beat reporter for any team thinking like you do. Get a clue!

By Rog

April 18, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

This organization, from (top?) to bottom will NEVER put a championship team together…why?…no brainer…NO committment from the ownership(?), NO clue from the GM and NO formula from the coach!! That equates to NO ticket buying from me. Love the game; officiated b’ball for 26 years…I’ll stick to local high school and college games…MORE committment, MORE EXCITMENT. Do I have a solution? I do but there’s not enough room in the blog to post my answer. FLY AWAY, HAWKS!!

By Harry Hawk

April 18, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

Traceman,

Beat writers don’t ask questions like that, my friend. They travel with the team all year and can’t afford to alienate everyone in an organization. Columnists are the people who are supposed to ask the tougher questions that might get volatile responses. The AJC beat writers are fairly candid on their blogs about the realities of their jobs. Sekou Smith is actually the most opinionated of the beats. Read his blog and see for yourself.

By Playoffs?

April 18, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

Sekou, first off, this is not a real playoff team. They were way below .500. Their only wins over the last few weeks were over sub .500 teams with the exception of maybe 1 or 2. We don’t have a center. We don’t have any draft picks next year. Our point guard has one more year left and he’ll be gone. Some good questions would have been about Shelden Williams or Chris Paul or the fact we have no draft picks or that we have 10 forwards on this team. Did Billy write the questions himself and hand them to you? Did you ask about Woodson and if he really wanted to fire him? What happened there? The AJC sucks when it comes to asking pivotal questions to guys like Billy Knight. I predict we take game 4 because Boston takes us lightly and the Spirit Group will ask that we have a parade to celebrate.

By Harry Hawk

April 18, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this

I’m sure it will be posted, but I have to apologize to Traceman for my last post. I meant to direct it to the same moronic people he was attempting to educate, so I’m sorry about that, Traceman.

By Kev

April 18, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

Fire Knight Keep Woodson. The Hawks are a very young team people. Williams would only have been in his last year at NC if he had stayed. J.Smith never played collage ball. Hardford is in his first year. Woodson in wins 13,26,30,37. on the rise in every season since he’s been the coach. The hawks are going to be a great team in two more years people. Keep woody it will cash in watch. Remeber the Braves they they kept a core of a few good guys and where a power house for 14 crowns.

By Bob H

April 18, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

Gee Traceman….you admonishing those of who think those questions were less than compelling or getting your heartfelt regrets about Chris Paul and Sheldon Williams draft choices off your chest? And I hope that Sekou won’t long have to worry about cultivating his relationship with either of the two clowns soon to be shown the door.

By BA

April 18, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

Question for Woody: Why have you steadfastly refused to use your bench AT ALL, all year long, even having clinched a playoff birth? Question number two: Why do you run the Joe/iso play ad nauseum? Question for Knight: What do you think of your coaches gross misuse of so many players you drafted? These were hardly candid interviews. And Knight, it’s hardly time for “I told you so”.

By AK-47

April 18, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

TRACEMAN - You’re absolutely right. I’m with you. I was a beat reporter in a previous life, and backward-looking irrelevant questions don’t get you very far. If BK was asked about Chris Paul, the interview would have been over before it began.

It infuriates me that CP may win NBA MVP this year. But there’s no need to ask BK about it. We all know he whiffed there (as well as on Brandon Roy, Deron Williams, et al). It now goes without saying.

By JB

April 18, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

RE: the softball questions—yeah, they’re a little bit softball. But keep in mind: when you get a feature interview with the big man, you HAVE to toss ‘em a little slow UNLESS you never want to be allowed back in his office (or the locker room) again. Even Babwa Walters knows that.

But if you’re using this interview as a guage for journalistic credentials, you’ve got problems. Remember, this is the guy who broke the story about Knight trying to fire Woodson and being overruled by ownership. If you’re dissing him as a reporter, I’m not listening to you unless your name is Walter Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow.

But down to the nitty-gritty: Do the heads get a pass?

WOODSON I think he does get a pass. Someone says the players haven’t grown under his tenure. I vehemently disagree. Josh Smith has gone from an out-of-control boy to a full-out game changer who generally makes excellent decisions on the court, especially when you consider his age and the energy level with which he plays. Does he still hoist the ill-advised three from time to time? Absolutely. He also helped us win a key game recently with a couple of those ill-advised threes. My take is that if you want to develop a kid (and I mean a KID) from the get-go, have him operate at a high energy level (whichout which, frankly, a Josh Smith is useless), and if you want him not to shrink from taking (and sometimes making) big-game shots, you need a very light touch as an authority figure. It is clear from the amount of court time Smoove has garnered the last three years that he has been given that leeway to grow. (Yet Woodson also had cojones enough to bench his burgeoning star when Josh fought with AJ, who is a journeyman at best.)

And in the first third of this season, you saw a very clear picture of what happens when you have done all that: Smoove sat Smoove down and had a talk about what Smoove needed and what the team needed. He took OWNERSHIP of his own development. ALL of that came about because of the fine touch of the coach.

Marvin has been less successful than Josh SO FAR. But I still have hopes. Diaw made the coach look like an idiot. Until this year, when it became clear that Diaw needs the right niche to be successful. So the worst you can say is that he (Woodson) is not batting a thousand.

Do I have wishes? Sure. I wish Salim had seen the floor more this year. I wish Joe were on the bench more, especially lately. On the other hand, if Woodson had leaned less on Joe and played Salim more, who knows if we’d even be having THIS discussion. As opposed to the discussions we USED to have about who to draft. Oh, wait. I mean we’d be cussing Knight because we’re not IN the draft.

Speaking of which, I’ll save Knight for another post.

By Najeh Davenpoop

April 18, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

I’d rather fire both Billy and Woody, but if I had to pick I’d keep Billy and fire Woody. For all of Billy’s foolish moves, even when you consider the fact that he completely lucked out into getting Al Horford, he has managed to stumble his way into building a team whose top 6 players can hang with most of the teams in the conference, working within the restrictive framework of the Atlanta Spirit Group’s dysfunction. Woodson on the other hand has been completely clueless in trying to utilize these players to the best of their ability. Sure, individually players’ stats have improved, but collectively this team should be a lot better right now, especially with the addition of Bibby. Why this team doesn’t play at the same pace as Phoenix or Denver, I have no idea and never will. That is entirely on Woody. No, he hasn’t been given a great roster to work with, but this roster should have been good for more than 37 wins in the Eastern Conference.

The more I think about it though, I’d rather fire Atlanta Spirit Group before either Billy or Woody.

By Najeh Davenpoop

April 18, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

And I give Sekou a free pass for his somewhat softball questions, since he pulls no punches analyzing the team on his blog. Like others have already pointed out, if he had gone up to Billy and said “Hey moron look what CP3 is doing right now” that would be the last interview he would have ever had with him. Read his blog and you will see pointed and correct criticism on a daily basis.

By Front, Middle and Back Beach Road

April 18, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

Heck no! Billy and Woody MUST BE FIRED! Let’s not get all warm and fuzzy at making the playoffs. This team has underachieved big time. And, while Knight has added some great pieces, he has also neglected to provide a point guard and center for years. Inexcusable!

That said, Panama City Beach is the greatest place in the world to live.

By bring 1 home hawks

April 18, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

well even though woody may not be the coach next year the man has surely redeemed himself and he is going out on a good not the man has braught this team to a place that they havent been in 9 years THE PLAYOFFS so much luv and respect to MIKE WOODY ya feel me BRING ONE HOME HAWKS!!!!!!!! WE DONE MADE IT TO THE SUPER BOWL, THE WORLD SERIES, NOW LETS GO TO THE FINALS POTNA!!!!

By Dr. Knightcall

April 18, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

Good Knight: Sweep the house clean and rid itself of Knight and Woody. Hey Polly, want a cracker, Mr. Woody Woodpecker?

By Matt from Hotlanta Hawks

April 18, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this

They’ve got to go. What the heck is Woodson talking about with those of us “who don’t even have a clue”? This team hasn’t had a semblance of a strategy or style during his tenure, and the ridiculous number of times we heard the quote “we just weren’t ready to play” or “we didn’t have the energy tonight” is a direct indictment of his abilities- AND YOU CAN PRINT THAT.

Knight might not be horrendous. In fact, he has had a fantastic year this year- great draft, perfect trade. At the same time you could say that those moves and choices fell into his lap, and maybe he shouldn’t get much credit. The fact that Josh Smith doesn’t have a long term contract already and his lack of remorse about the Shelden Williams and Marvin Williams picks (and the Speedy Claxton signing) are enough to show him the door. He gets my respect for trying to fire Woodson, though.

By BriskWatson

April 18, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this

The only regret I have in the season is that its a shame the Hawks didnt get Shaq instead of Phoenix. If the Hawks had gotten Shaquille, we could have moved Al Horford to power forward, slid Shaquille in the starting center position and you would have had the nucleus and all the components of a championship team with Mike Bibby running the show. Oh well, we could always root for Phoenix.

By bill

April 18, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

Start by firing billy knight, then work your way down to woodson, then to marvin williams. It wont happen beacuase the problem starts at the top….fire the owners!!!

By tpattycake

April 18, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this

For all you negative b*******. Take your negative behinds to the barn in the Western Conference and eat CROW cause the HAWKS IS IN THE PLAYOFFS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE like it or not. And thats for alllllllllll of you who said it couldn’t be done. TO YOU COACH WOODSON AND YOU ATLANTA HAWKS TEAM you GO !!!!!. FOR all of you who don’t like it Im gonna tell you what “MADIA” would tell you: SIT BACK AND SHUT THE HELL UP. GO HAWKS !11

By Commet

April 18, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this

Bill you need to shut the HELL UP, don’t you know by now that you are talking to the hand and nobody’s listening. Get a life and leave basketball to the proffessionals, something you have not the foggiest idea of.

By JB

April 18, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this

KNIGHT Does not deserve a pass, IMO. His trade for Claxton looks to me like an admission that he whiffed twice: first on seeing Joe as a PG, second on not picking up either of two very good PGs in the draft.

The trade was also apparently done without due consideration being given to what kept Speedy on the bench a good part of the last two years before the trade. The moral of the story: you can’t always make up for the last mistake you made the next trip down the floor.

I believe there was a similar motive in drafting Shelden Williams. This team of swing men was getting pounded on the glass, and he felt like he needed to draft for need for a change. Bad time to change your strategy. Nothing was REALLY wrong with the strategy in general, except that in personnel decisions, there are other considerations to consider besides your overall strategy—namely, the overall quality and ability of the player. Shelden DID fit the strategy (he’s a tweener), but he should never have been an early first rounder.

One big reason we’re in the playoffs is that BK ABSOLUTELY LUCKED UP with getting the third pick. But I do give him credit for not blowing the layup and picking Durant or the Chinese guy.

Furthermore, I believe he knocked a homer with Smoove and hit a solid double with Chills, tho I understand that some people disagree with those assessments.

But the BIGGEST reason we’re in the playoffs, of course, is Joe Johnson. And I haven’t heard ANYONE on this board (granted, I don’t read every post) give it up for the guy who believed in Joe enough to lay everything (and I mean EVERYTHING—remember the declined handshake in the courtroom?) on the line in order to bring in our cornerstone. Someone with that kind of vision cannot be easily dismissed. He could’ve played it safe in a hundred thousand different ways, but he moved this highly dysfunctional organization forward into an era where there’s at least a little hope at this time of the year.

I’m almost surprised to hear myself say it, but getting Joe (and bringing in a coach who could push him further and push the team to support him) is easily the biggest and best thing any GM could have done for this club. And he did it all from an office sitting halfway between limbo and no-man’s-land. I’ve almost talked myself into keeping him.

I guess the only way to decide whether to keep him, if I was an owner, would be to gauge Joe’s faith in him. Can he keep Joe happy by bringing in the next pieces that are needed? I kind of figure that’s the easy part. I have to believe we are a much more attractive destination for free agent big men and shooters than before this season started.

Because we’ve got a nucleus. A nucleus that SOMEBODY had to believe in enough to lay himself on the line. IF he IS kept as a GM, the next real test will be if he can keep that nucleus together. I hated that he didn’t lock the Joshes up and throw away the key early on, but are we really sure he was given the green light to spend the cash? I’m not.

By Oscar

April 18, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this

Rick Carlisle is the right man for the job. He started the winning formula in motown which they’re enjoying to this day, did the same thing in indy uptill the Artest fiasco. LB has little patience with young players he will bolt before his contract ends sighting retirement or his health only to resurface elsewhere.

By JN

April 18, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this

What did I just see in print? Woodson thinks that making the playoffs means he should keep his job. Please excuse me while I go barf!

By Lil E

April 18, 2008 7:20 PM | Link to this

It’s a damn shame that Billy gets knocked because of the players he didn’t get, instead of the team he has built. Although I don’t think BK has don’t an excellent job, if he were being graded, he’d pass.

Also, if I’m correct, Chris Paul didn’t want to play in Atlanta. Did he even come to the A and workout pre-draft ?

By ray

April 18, 2008 7:24 PM | Link to this

Knight has made bad draft picks and good draft picks. He has made bad trades and good trades.

Woodson does the same bad things over and over. He doesn’t change the gameplan (whatever that is). His biggest and best adjustment was this:

“Hey Bibby! You healthy now? Ankle okay? Thumb okay? Alrighty then, let’s do what you want to do.”

“I told you so?” You told us what? That we’d make the playoffs because Indy couldn’t beat Washington? Remember, they had the tie-breaker on us if it came down to a neck-and-neck race at the end. Trading for Bibby after the all-star break bailed us out. Funny, nobody “told us so” on that one, or it would’ve been done earlier in the season. Let’s see, what else did we get “told?” How about, another sub-.500 record? Or maybe that we’d have no draft pick this year. Yeah…”I told you so”. Heh.

Stop acting like we’ve arrived. If defaulting into the playoffs is “it.” Then I want my money back.

By ray

April 18, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this

Let’s not give a pass to the ASG either. They refused to fire Woody (who knows how long ago or how many times). They allowed Knight to butcher one draft after another. They constricted money. Sorry, but they have as much or more to prove as anyone. For every drafter and engineer, there is an architect or builder behind it all. Let us not forget that.

By FUNK DAT

April 18, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this

Honestly, I’d rather have Mr. Potato Head coach then Woodson. He’d probably do a better job.

By ray

April 19, 2008 1:54 AM | Link to this

Actually, Chris Paul did want to come here.

By CP3 shoulda been here!

April 19, 2008 2:50 AM | Link to this

Ray…that sucks!

By RealSquawk

April 19, 2008 3:45 AM | Link to this

We really don’t have a playoff team people. yes we are in the playoffs, but if you had looked at it at the beginning of the season you would have saw that the only way for us to get into the playoffs was either to become dominant. not going to happen under woodson or a team previously in the playoffs had to fail miserably

and guess what Miami failed more than any other team they failed

so yes we got into the playoffs but only because a team basically took a season off a team that will be more dangerous and probably in the playoffs next year.

so unless we out play either miami, the wizards or miami this stagger in the playoffs wont happen

By WILL

April 19, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this

ILIVEIN ATLANTA WHEN BOSTON SWEEPS ATLANTA AND THEY WILL WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS GONNA SAY THEN THE SPOPTS FRANCHISES IN ATLANTA ARE LOSERS PERIOD ALL OF THEM 1 CHAMPIONSHIP IN A GA ZILLION YEARS PLEASE YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK BILLY KNIGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED 5YEARS AGO IWOULD NOT PAY A PLUG NICKLETO SEE ANY OF THESE FRANCHISES PLAY WHEN YOU HAVE 2LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BACK TO BACK COLUMBUS AND WARNER ROBINS WITH THOSE KIDS AND THESE SPORTS FRANCHISES IN ATLANTA ENOUGH SAID CASE CLOSED ALL TEAMS IN ATLANTA SU X ALL OF THEM WAY TO GO ATLANTA IF ANY FRANCHISE WANTS TO STAND UP AND BE MEN AND PLAY THE WAY YOUR ANCESTORS DID THEN DO IT DONT WIN FOR THE FANS WIN FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA NOWONDER PEOPLE CALL US LOSERSVILLE LOOK AT THE TEAMS,BRAVES,HAWKS,THRASHERS ,AND THE FALCONS, OH YEA GT.

By WILL

April 19, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

BILLYKNIGHT AND WOODSON NEED TO BE FIRED AND SENT TO SEATTLE WHERE THERE IS NO TEAM SO THEY CANT SCREW UP ANYMORE.

By WILL

April 19, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

WHERE IS MY BLOG TRUTH HURTS DOESNT IT

By WILL

April 19, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AJC WHERE IS MY BLOGS AT

By JuliusCesaer

April 19, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

The Hawks have treated the fans of Atlanta to one stupendous season of basketball and it feels good for the team and the city to have risen from the ashes of mediocrity and back to a level of consistency and achievement with this current group of Hawk players. That being said * THE CELTICS CAN POSSIBLY STOMP THE HAWKS INTO OBLIVION, but only if they win game 1. The Celtics won 20 more games than the Hawks during the regular season and they are a prohibitive favorite to sweep the Hawks out of the playoffs. My only salvation is that if the Hawks play loose and carefree enough to steal game 1, IT WILL THEN BE ON: and momemntum will shift to the Hawks and you can rest assured that the Hawks will win the series against Boston. The pivotal game and swing game in the series will be the first game because most experts believe that Bostons wrecking crew will come in and flatten the Hawks like a pancake so the Hawks are not expected to do much in this upcoming series. However, if the Hawks steal game 1, then all of a sudden the Celtics will realize that the Hawks really to have a pulse and a DNA and then the Celtics will be scrambling to get back in the series but it will be too late because the Hawks will then realize that they are the class of the NBA and worthy of being champions of the league. *So watch out NBA, HERE COME OUR ATLANTA HAWKS to take possession of the Boston series and subsequently go on to win the NBA championship and SHOCK THE WORLD IN THE PROCESS.

By Don!

April 19, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this

Fire Woody.

I would have wanted to fire Billy too, but it appears he had the foresight to fire Woody, just not the support of the owners.

Woody just hasn’t been able to make this team any better through his coaching. The talent has improved, but if anything the team hasn’t improved as much as the talent would/should indicate.

I keep watching this team make the same mistakes over and over — especially in the third quarter of games where the differences in coaching are most apparent.

Keep Billy on a one-year extension. Fire Woody.

Later,

Don!

By SilverShadow

April 19, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

A Knight to Remember

A Knight In Shining Armor

Knight Rider

Ghost Rider

BK Night at Burger King

Knight Hawk

Nite Nite

Good Knight and Good Riddens

Which one of the above titles refers to Billy Knight?

None of them.

How about “The Knight Watchman” as Billy Knight watches over the Atlanta Hawks and sets them up for greatness and eventual glory!

Billy Knight promised a playoff team, delivered on that promise and thus deserves a salary raise for assembling probably one of the most exciting and electrifying blue collar teams in NBA history!

Evidence: First Playoff Appearance this year in almost a decade

By jami$$ion

April 19, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

first off no gm in history has ever lost his status over one draft pick,if so let’s get rid of dumars for darko over melo wade & bosh.the chi gm that passed over josh smith twice for gordon and deng and the philly dallas and charlotte gms as well.and the hawks aren’t where i want them,but they’re better than 8 other eastern teams and five in the west record wise.So by our standards ofexcellence 13 coaches and gms should be jobless.Talentwise were better than over half the league.so the problem is coaching

By Ken Strickland

April 19, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this

Actually, I’m glad BK didn’t draft CP3. It would be a shame, and I would be even more p**, if Woodson had anywhere near the negative effect on him that he’s had on ALaw. Until someone proves me wrong, I continue to believe Woodson is the reason BK didn’t draft CP3 or Williams. I don’t know what Woodson’s feelings were towards rookie PG’s before becoming the Hawks HC. But it’s obvious he had an issue after the way he mishandled the rookie PG BK drafted out of Texas. After that episode, BK didn’t draft another PG, even in the later rds, until ALaw. Woodson insisted on having a vet PG, so BK wasted money(SClaxton) and picks(AJohnson)to acquire Woodson’s preferred vet PG.

BK’s now given Woodson the vet PG he’s coveted(Bibby). So now he just stands on the sidelines with his arms folded, working the refs, while placing the fate of the team exclusively in the hands of Bibby, his recently acquired veteran PG. It appears Woodson was so hung up on having a vet PG, he deliberately retarded the development of Salim, the Texas rookie(I can’t remember his name)and Acie to force the issue.

By FUNK DAT

April 19, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this

Need more proof to fire Billy Knight just watch the New Orleans series.

By tlisms

April 19, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this

I suggest we fire those so called Hawks fan who can’t enjoy the moment. It’s the same old story. There have been so much negative talk about Isaiah and Woodson, but no talk about Pat Riley who has the worst record in the NBA with quality players. I know he has several NBA championships , but he should with the caliber of players he had on his team. The Hawks players have matured over these 4 years, hats off their Woodson who cares about their growth

By JB

April 20, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this

Still waiting for ONE armchair-Monday-Morning-wannabe-GM here to acknowledge what cojones it took for Billy to go to the mat on getting Joe.