Comments on: Legitimize your rise Hawks!

By: Rollins Tree

Rollins Tree — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:17:13 +0000

WOODSON CAN NOT LEAD A TEAM TO WIN ON THE ROAD!!!!!

HOPE HE IS GONE AFTER THIS SEASON!!!

By: Sekou K. Smith

Sekou K. Smith — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:10:58 +0000

New blog up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Melvin

Melvin — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:34:07 +0000

Sautee,

If you was a GM of another team, would you pay Bibby 10 mil?

Kwooden1,
Keeping with your scenario. I dont think it will be that difficult if the Hawks choose to bring back the same team. Keep in mind, Bibby takes a 8-9 mil paycut (this off season) and Speedy’s contract comes off the books after next season. So techinally, BASG will have roughly 15 mil in savings going forward to resign/spend on payroll if they so choose to.

By: Sautee

Sautee — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:09:16 +0000

kwooden1,

Just gotta ask. Would you stay at your current job if your employer asked you to take nearly a 60% cut in pay? Even if you thought it would be tough finding a job?

I think the idea that Bibby would sign for $6-7M after making $15.25 is a little optimistic.

Yes, he’ll make less on his next contract, but I’ll be SHOCKED if it’s THAT much less. But, hey, I’ve been shocked before.

By: ILL-logical

ILL-logical — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:26:17 +0000

Tonight’s game, hopefully, will shed some light on not only the Hawks current status but serve as a snapshot for what we might become in the future.

The Sixer’s may be more than our first round opponent; the are also the new up and coming team. The current status of the Hawks.

Where the organization goes from here regarding development of an identity/brand; building market share and eventually winning the championship begins tonight.

By: kwooden1

kwooden1 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:06:20 +0000

Astro, Hinrich is a great player but he’s making 9M next year, which is more than I think Bibby would be willing to take. I personally think that Bibby would stay for between 6-7M (a little more than Speedy’s salary), so I think the priority is getting Speedy off the books. Zaza is actually playing really well, so he might be the hardest one to resign this summer. If we let him go, we’re definitely going to have to sign Solo and hope that Morris is ready to play. I think they should be able to resign Flip because he’s finally in a position that really fits his skills. The real difficult issues are going to come when they have to give Horford and JJ raises! They are going to be right at or above the salary cap. Not to mention I’ve heard the entire 10/11 season is in question because of the collective bargaining agreement. (where’s MannyT when you need to talk NBA contract issues!) The HAWKS have some real questions to answer, especially since they don’t have a traditional lineup, with Horford playing out of position. I don’t think any team has proven that it can win consistantly without a traditional scoring center accept Detroit (But they have Rashaed Wallace)

By: doc

doc — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:36:51 +0000

not to be contrarian i agree with your views there aj. pragmatic i am more than contrarian. heh heh

no reason to run either woody or josh off or marvin for that matter. just have to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. i still think the odd couple can make each other better just by the abrasive quality of their “love’ for each other. kind of reminds me something of the blog, eh?

By: Astro Joe

Astro Joe — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:26:53 +0000

Ray, trust me, I don’t “like” Woodson. But I’m a bottom line kind of guy and while I had empiracle evidence to rant against him when we were winning 30 or less games, I personally feel foolish doing so this season. We’re all guilty of biases. Marvin clearly was having a better season this year. Better 3-ball, nice running hook in the lane, much better on-ball defense and improved rebounding. Yet some still want to criticize him because he isn’t graceful or because of what BK did on draft night. Neither of those criticisms hold water to the results and the evidence of watching him for those 50+ games this season. Smith has significantly reduced his 3-ball shooting yet some fans have that stuck in his head. I personally don’t think that he should ever shoot a 3 ball with more than 3 seconds on the shot clock, ever, but evidence shows that he is shooting less 3-balls. So I guess if some are willing to recognize Smith’s progress or Marvin’s progress, then I am hard pressed to continue to scream about Woody. Much like I think Smith is an undisciplined, selfish player who won’t likely realize his vast potential (certainly not in Atlanta), I also think that Woody is a stubborn control-freak who is limited in his ability to make game-time adjustments. But the warts on both Smith and Woody (and Joe, Bibby, Horford, Marvin, Mo, Flip, Acie, Zaza, etc) have been well-enough concealed this season that I simply have decided to enjoy the ride. And yes, sometimes I even try to defend them (mostly Woody)… just because I think it’s foolish to use the same criticisms in a 45+ win season as we did in the 26-win season. We all have a blind-spots when it comes to individuals associated with this team.

Ray, I mentioned in a later post that I am not a Jarrett Jack fan (it was me that you were thinking about). But he seems to play better when he is a “combo” guard as opposed to a classic PG. And obviously with JJ, no PG would be expected to truly be a John Stockton-type. But let there be no doubt, Kirk Hinrich is the guy I want. He’s my top choice and the next choice wouldn’t even come close. I just don’t know that we have the assets to make it happen but he is far and away at the top of my PG wish list.

By: doc

doc — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:51:11 +0000

ajw, there is a core of hawks fans that come to games. funny 15000 have sounded pretty impressive, not like it was for the playoffs but loud enough. the problem with that is it leaves about 5000 seats “open” for relocation folks to atlanta to buy up when there team or favorite star comes in. they fill the seats and make some noise. the best way to stop them is to win and develop a larger core of fans that are willing to pay put for season tix. winning helps and the better job the basg does the better it will be to keep others out of ear shot.

until then i welcome those that come. it helps our hawks as it provides revenue stream to get more players if the basg decides to go that route. double edged sword to complain about those folks as they are paying top dollar for those seats and it indirectly helps us devoted hawks fans. of course ajw, it is your right to go out and buy up those seats to keep them out.

By: dap01

dap01 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:17:22 +0000

The Hawks record is improving DESPITE of Woody. He is terrible in every area of coaching. He was hired because he was the cheapest option for our disfunctional owners. He remained last year because he was the cheapest option for a bunch of disfunctional owners.

I love the Hawks and yes, they have promise. But it is also frustrating to be this many years into a total rebuilding, this many years into lottery after lottery and still have a poorly balanced team, a coach who does not fit the players, a mystery GM who is quietly doing nothing and a bunch of owners whose only focus is court proceedings.