Home sweet home?
How loud does Joe Johnson have to holler before someone shows up to see the Hawks rock the house at Philips Arena?
HAWKSVILLE - Ask Joe Johnson the difference between the Hawks at Philips Arena and elsewhere and he’ll give you a simple answer.
“This is home for us and we have to act like it,” he said. “So we’re feeding off our fans like anybody would in this situation. Our crowd is where we get our energy. That’s what’s fueling us right now. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
A 25-7 home record can be improved to 26 tonight with a win over Sacramento. That would push the Hawks’ record on their current seven-game home stand to 6-0, one win away from matching the seven they piled up (with just one loss) during a December home stand they used to vault to a 21-10 start to this season.
Still, it’s hard for me to imagine Johnson bragging about the home crowd when there have been so many empty seats lately. So this is what home sweet home looks like?
It’s strange, for all the bellyaching that’s gone on (here and elsewhere) about wanting a legitimate NBA team to root for in this town, it seems few people are actually willing to venture out to Philips Arena to see it in person.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking anyone that roots from afar. In these economic times, watching the Hawks in HD from the crib is every bit as righteous as showing up for games. If the choice is making your car payment or buying those Hawks tickets, there’s really no choice. And unlike Polow Da Don, Jeezy, Dream, Ciara and all the other A-listers that show up most every night, funds for things like Hawks games are limited these days.
It’s just that there have been sellouts for certain teams and then crickets for others. Again, nothing out of the ordinary when the Hawks were a laughingstock. I just thought it would change now, with them being a legitimate playoff team.
Polow and Jeezy are down with the Hawks ...
The Hawks have had just nine sellouts this season. They are averaging 16,494 fans, which is impressive when some of the league’s stalwarts (Detroit and Sacramento) are struggling to put fannies in the seats. I guess I just expected more with all the chatter about wanting a big time team to fit a city that felt it was so deserving.
I’m sure this conversation will be useless next week, when the Celtics and Lakers are in town. But that has as much and more to do with the opponents than it does the Hawks, who are still chasing that 50-win pipe dream like it’s a possibility – even if cats like me abandoned the mere mention of such foolishness weeks ago.
The worst part for local fans who have suffered through years of frustration is that you haven’t had a chance to see your team play lights out basketball the past week. However fantastic it looks on the screen, it looks even better in person. As the Portland game ended Sunday I turned and chatted up some of the regulars who sit behind me every game and they said as much.
... Cici is too!
Once the playoffs start there’s no doubt in my mind the city of Atlanta will represent. That’s never going to be a problem. But on nights like tonight, when the lowly Kings stroll into town, you can count the people in the stands for the national anthem on two hands (this is Atlanta and unless it’s Kobe or LeBron, the crowd will arrive fashionably late as always).
Then again, it’s taken the Hawks the better part of a decade to crawl out of obscurity and back into the realm of the relevant in the NBA. Maybe we should allow the same for the crowds at the building formerly known as the Highlight Factory.
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306 comments Add your comment
The Hawksta
March 19th, 2009
8:52 am
Also did alot of hanging out at portal 5. My seats were in section 113 Row G seat 5. I kept trying to ease drop on other conversation checking for my fellow bloggers to no avail. Was anyone else there?
I MUS.WRITE
March 19th, 2009
9:27 am
Whass up Ray…. Its no big deal -I was jus having fun with David Duke….I dont know if we would be better with Marvin,Al and a true center or JS,AL ,True center…….. I wish we could keep them all and add a center but -I know we are financially challenged so i guess we’ll see this summer.
Rod from College Park
March 19th, 2009
9:28 am
First a racist, then a homo. Wow. Yo guys find that entertaining? Maybe I am on the wrong blog.
Daniel
March 19th, 2009
9:39 am
wow guys-
seems like things got a little crazy on the blog.
Anyway, I am going to be at the game tonight. sec103. Unfortunately, my wife is a big Dallas fan, so please take it easy on us. I ,of course, will be rooting for the Hawks. I was also thinking if we could end up with Orlando in the second round….
I am just dreaming
Elijah
March 19th, 2009
9:52 am
After we lose by 1 in Cleveland Saturday on a phantom call in favor of LeBron, I want to see Woody and Joe (who still has never been fined) blast the hell out of the refs in the media and get fined. I would LOVE to see thsi
doc
March 19th, 2009
9:55 am
hawksta, look for a guy with a white goatee white short hair just beyond a buzzz about 6′3″, maybe manny t will have on an outrageous coat, ando is 6′5″ looking haggard at 40 because he has a 10 month old, someone about 5′8″ with a buzz and a 6′2″ cop that looks like your worst nightmare and a goateed grey hair hippie and you might begin to hear some blog talk. usually pretty close to the pretzel stand. if manny t doent have o a coat he has popcorn in his paw. then wade in.
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
9:56 am
Daniel, in order for us to play Orlando in the 2nd round either they would have to move up to the number #1 seed or we have to slip back to the #6 seed. I don’t see either one of those scenarios happening… But I would love to play them in the Eastern Conf finals…
MannyT
March 19th, 2009
10:01 am
I’ll be easy to find tonight…in honor of the best annual 4 consecutive days in sports, I’ll have on a red final four cap.
If I catch up to folks before the game, I might not have enough stomach capacity for the jumbo popcorn
MannyT
March 19th, 2009
10:23 am
Red Final Four hat will be in play tonight. I have to honor the best annual 4 day run in sports!
MannyT
March 19th, 2009
10:24 am
Melvin are you making the trek to the game tonight?
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
10:34 am
MannyT, I do not have my running legs tonite. I will stay with the theme of this blog and use my NBA league pass. However, I will be down next weekend for the CELTICS and LAKERS…. Until then, yall cheer loud for me and keep our boys undefeated until I can join yall next weekend…
Oh yeah, If you happen to see them two HUGE FEMALE Pistons fans again. RUN..
Daniel
March 19th, 2009
11:42 am
Manny what section are you guys in? I am in 103
Sam from the Swats
March 19th, 2009
12:21 pm
Wow, love the attention that someone has to slander my name. Too bad I.P. addresses can be traced. What numbskulls…… The host is laughing at you idiots… Oh well, time to get on the Braves blog about this Chipper Jones guy. $18 million a year and hasn’t played a whole season in 7 years. Hmmmmmm, steroids? Nah, not good ole Chipper!!!
Clyde
March 19th, 2009
12:40 pm
I’m going to the game tonight. Meet me at the Jack Daniels Bar at halftime.
bigdave
March 19th, 2009
12:54 pm
otrhawksfan,
L’ville… Uconn
Duke… Heelz
I MUS.WRITE
March 19th, 2009
1:01 pm
Rod from CP you may be on the wrong blog…. basketball for dummies is on another website.
I MUS.WRITE
March 19th, 2009
1:05 pm
RCP …My fault if i offended you and David Duke – I guees you sweet boiz stick together, do your thing rainbow man.
Mychelfromatl
March 19th, 2009
1:26 pm
Elijah, Lol…I think there’s a BIG possibilty of that very scenario playing out on Saturday. Hopefully we’re wrong but I just got a feeling that’s what gonna happen.
yessir
March 19th, 2009
1:34 pm
Yup, Sam. IP addresses can be traced. Which means that the hosts can see that you and Rod are the SAME PERSON and that you were the one who faked DOC’S post.
Of course, the truth is that EVERYONE not just the hosts/admins are laughing at YOUR schizo azz.
doc
March 19th, 2009
1:56 pm
yessir, seems you speak of cowardice or cowardly motivations. time to put on the scroll folks, isnt it?
Ken Strickland
March 19th, 2009
2:46 pm
I HAVE TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO HC MIKE WOODSON. HE’S MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS AND DOING THE THINGS HE’S CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO DO FOR THE PAST 4YRS+, AND THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. HE SEEMS TO BE ENJOYING THIS AS MUCH AS ALL OF US. I ONLY HOPE HE UNDERSTANDS OUR RECENT SUCCESS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE VERY CHANGES AND DECISIONS HE’S MADE.
Who would have thought an actual 7 man bench, with talented players that are able to consistently contribute when given consistent mins, was sitting to the left of Woodson all season long. Isn’t it amazing what one can discover when one gets his/her head out of their “A” and faces reality.
The Hawks will play one of the better teams tonight. I know the players will be up for this gm. I just hope Woodson doesn’t panick and revert back to the decisions and habits of the past that’s caused the team to play so inconsistently before this curreent streak. GOOD LUCK TONIGHT HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MannyT
March 19th, 2009
4:27 pm
I knew I should have stopped by Tech before I filled out my bracket.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2009/03/19/georgia_tech_ncaa_brackets.html
terrell barron
March 19th, 2009
5:52 pm
Ken, you wouldn’t be giving him any credit if Marvin hadn’t of went down. Trust me. Our bench play would still be the same. (Flip/Mo/Zaza) No winnining streak. JJ and Bibby tired. etc…. I guarantee it. It always takes an injury for Woody to see that the other guys sitting beside him,(Mario, Solo, Acie) are actually on the team.
niremetal
March 19th, 2009
6:03 pm
Hopefully the Hawks recognize that the Mavs are sufficiently dangerous that coming out without energy like they did versus the Kings just won’t cut it. Dirk and J-Kidd might not be the players they were 2-3 years ago, but they’ll still bury you if you give them an opening.
PS, Dallas’s record reminds us that were we in the West, our record wouldn’t be good enough for an 8 seed. I told folks at the beginning of the year that the East was still the East. Can I say “told ya so” yet?
niremetal
March 19th, 2009
6:09 pm
One thing I was wrong about thought – I said Derrick Rose’s rookie numbers wouldn’t be much better than what Duhon put up last year. Heh. Whoops.
Blast
March 19th, 2009
6:42 pm
Sam from swats and Rod from CP are one and the same people. One would think he would be smart enough not to use identical monikers. Dude is just trying to start something and get some attention. I suggest we ignore him.
RMS, I know Nique is an awful analyst. If you can’t bear him that bad, I suggest you mute your tv and get your game commentary from 790AM. Those radio guys are very good, and call the game the way it is.
Wally out for Cleveland. Will that matter for Hawks or not? I think not, Cleveland is pretty deep, just like Hawks have weathered the storm with Marvin out.
Should be a great game tonite.
Go, Hawks!
chuckw/deadjournalist
March 19th, 2009
7:03 pm
big game tonight fellas – real big game
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:03 pm
niremetal, dosent the east have a better win/loss than the west?
chuckw/deadjournalist
March 19th, 2009
7:25 pm
A) Get Bibby out of the game
B) Drive to the basket
C) Get a body on a Mav
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:27 pm
I am so tired of seeing Mike Bibby not having to guard the other team point guard. Can he guard any other PG in the league besides Luke Ridnour???? Joe is stuck with spending alot of his energy on defense chasing around speedy (not claxton) PG’s…..
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:34 pm
I think that was the best qtr of play I seen from Mo Evans this season…
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:42 pm
Was AC in the game for more than a min?????? My Gosh…
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:48 pm
Flip and ZaZa got us back in the game. Evans playing well. Who says we have a weak bench. Nice job.
Blast
March 19th, 2009
7:49 pm
Whoo. The action is hot, fast and furious! Hawks stepping up defence. Marion chasing Terry all over. Flip owning the midget. Go Hawks!
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:53 pm
Lets see if Josh watched ZaZa and brings it.
Reggie
March 19th, 2009
7:54 pm
Sam: Yeah I know that Chipper guy is horrible. He has hit .364, .337, and .324 the last 3 years and has hit over 25 Homers all those years. That guy is horrible. No Sam you are horrible actually you’re an idiot. Nice drive by Flip there 4 on 1. He just holds on to the ball too much sometimes. I guess that whole aggressive thing wasn’t working for Joe so he went back to what he is doing tonight.
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:54 pm
lol I like the Flip owning the midget.
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:54 pm
Yessir… Here come the Hawks… 16-0 run…
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:56 pm
Mario put the clamp on their .ss
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:58 pm
The FLIP MO squad got it going tonite….
Blast
March 19th, 2009
7:58 pm
Mavs team, coach cracking under pressure. heh, heh, heh…
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
7:59 pm
Temper temper
Flip = MVP
Melvin
March 19th, 2009
7:59 pm
Get Rick Carlisle out of there.. Hopefully that don’t inspire the Mavs.
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
8:00 pm
Only 6 frigging points for Dallas this quarter. Can you believe it?
Blast
March 19th, 2009
8:23 pm
Dallas Turnover. Nice way for Hawks to start the 3rd. And a basket by Joe!
Blast
March 19th, 2009
8:35 pm
That was a horrible call. They don’t give the Hawks the continuation when they make plays like Dirk just did. Where is the justice? NBA refs sucks, man!
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
8:38 pm
Evans took a mugging.
KevinA
March 19th, 2009
8:40 pm
Smith took a mugging.
bigdave
March 19th, 2009
8:41 pm
“Great play by Josh… even better play by Josh”
-Dominique Wilkins
bigdave
March 19th, 2009
8:42 pm
correction…
“Great pass by Josh… even better play by Josh”
-Dominique Wilkins