Stand up Hawks!
It's time for the Hawks to stand up, stand together and show the world that they belong.
WITNESSVILLE - Now is not the time Hawks.
And the postseason is certainly not the appropriate place to come apart at the seams.
The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t need the assist.
So to hear the Hawks talk of not “sharing the ball” and needing to “attack from all over” screams of a team in need of reconstitution (and if you don’t like what you hear coming from the Hawks’ locker room since their Game 1 loss to King James and his crew that’s a good thing, because you shouldn’t).
It’s not something that can be done by a coach or general manager intervening. It’s also not something that can be fixed with one of those trendy players’ only team meetings or any of the other conventional tools used by most NBA teams.
This is a calculated regeneration of a team that can only come from individual catharsis, and the Hawks need it to happen 15 times in 15 different rooms at the tony Ritz-Carlton at Tower Center (where NBA soul searching goes on regularly in this city) before Game 2 of this Eastern Conference semifinal tonight at the Q (the arena better known as King James’ Camelot).
As meticulous AJC wordsmith Mark Bradley points out, the choice to either fight back or get smashed, belongs to the Hawks.
Each loss the Hawks have suffered this postseason has been uglier than the one before it. The average margin of defeat (24.2 points) is preposterous at best, and an affront to the game at it’s core.
No playoff team capable of winning a seven-game series, as the Hawks have already done, should be on the receiving end of tail-whippings of 15, 29, 26 and 27 points, respectively. Those lopsided efforts speak to a team that, despite nearly eight months in the fox hole together, still does not trust each other completely, a team that can’t muster the collective energy and focus to at least make a loss respectable as opposed to making themselves a spectacle.
The first thing you hear in the Hawks’ locker room after a bad loss is, “We didn’t play together. We didn’t help each other out. We’ve got to blah, blah, blah.”
If you think I’m making this stuff up, here’s a sampling (edited ever so slightly to omit the verbal offender’s specific identity) of what’s come out of the mouths of your Hawks after playoff losses the past few weeks:
“We just have to play with a sense of urgency like we did in Game 1. We have to get after them defensively. And as long as we share the ball offensively, I think everything else on the floor clicks.”
“We’re up against it now. And we’ve got look at ourselves in the mirror and realize that we can’t get out of this mess without doing it together.”
“We’ve just got to pick up our intensity. We’ve got to do a lot of things. But it all stems from our effort. We have to play hard as a unit. That’s the key for us. And we have to bring that [today]. Because our backs are against the wall now, really against the wall. We’re going to see what this team is made of.”
“We came out and talked about hitting them first and not letting things get out of hand early like they did in Game 2. But we let them hit us first again.”
“We lost our composure, no doubt. Things weren’t going our way, calls weren’t going our way and we lost it. We let them build that big lead and it got to us. We were never in sync defensively and we just didn’t handle ourselves well.”
“In the second half we just didn’t get into any offensive sets. We were careless with the ball. We had too many turnovers. Any time we have 17 turnovers it’s never a good night for us.”
“It was very disappointing, knowing that we’ve come this far. Looking back on the first series that we had (with Miami), that was very tough, and I thought we would come into this game a little more enthused and come ready to play. I thought we had a pretty good first half, but the second half wasn’t so great.”
It never fails.
Whenever things go sideways for the Hawks they all start speaking French (”We, We”). For once, it would be nice to hear someone talk about what “I could have done” or that “I didn’t give my team” what it needed?
Whatever the Hawks do, they'll have to do it without Marvin Williams and Al Horford at full strength.
On paper, there’s no way the Hawks should do anything more than annoy the Cavaliers for a few games. Al Horford’s sprained right ankle won’t allow him to play at full strength during these playoffs.
Marvin Williams has a wrist injury that followed his late-season back injury, shredding what was easily his best (and breakout) season as a pro.
So no one is expecting these Hawks to shock the world.
But these Hawks have defied paper logic since training camp, including making a return trip to the playoffs whenever publication on the planet predicted they would not.
That they’ve made it this far, even with all the setbacks, is a testament to the resolve of this stubborn but flawed bunch.
Just how stubborn they are and just how flawed they are will come into better focus as this series continues, be it three more games or more.
Whatever happens, the time has come for these Hawks to dispense with all the locker room rhetoric and simply play the game like a team that belongs. Play it for 48 minutes, with the required fire in the belly and without any remorse.
Anything else is an injustice to those who have watched this team evolve from the 13-69 train wreck of a four years ago into the promising bunch that has defied all the odds the last year.
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645 comments Add your comment
bigdave
May 8th, 2009
10:04 pm
took the words out my mouth Sautee…
of course just those 2 wouldn’t get i deal done.. but hey, what good are draft picks to these current Hawks? id throw in an early 2 and possibly a 1 depending on what we got back… but there is nothing in this draft that we couldn’t pass up on to get one of these guys…
Najeh… not really a fan either but production is production.. and he has skilled specialist around him… and you can’t lie, Boozer was becoming Boozer long before Utah.. thats why Clev. couldnt keep him…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 8th, 2009
10:09 pm
“I JUST DONT THINK JOE IS AS “SOFT AND HEARTLESS” OR JOSH IS AS “STUPID” as folk like to make it seem”
I agree too. They do look bad when they lose, which is not a good thing, but they do win nearly 60% of the time, which is definitely good…
Big Ray
May 8th, 2009
10:10 pm
Najeh,
Good points about Josh being that close to putting up the kind of numbers that Amare was putting up. I think we have to add a few things for that to happen, though. The thing about it is, they all have to come together at once, and fairly soon. They are: 1)more maturity and better decision-making on his part, 2)a point guard who will consistently feed him when and where it benefits him the most, and makes a living more off of penetrating than shooting jumpers, 3)a coach who initiates and encourages more trust in him to take on such a role.
And none of those factors can come necessarily significantly after the others. They have to come together at once, or it doesn’t work. Period. Or so I say, anyway…
bigdave
May 8th, 2009
10:13 pm
Big Ray,
to the first half of my point there, i really think thats the key here, players react to situations differently. i credit them for not calling for Woody’s head by now. not putting coaches on blast? thats unheard of in todays NBA… maybe its that they think they owe Woody that much respect, i mean he “raised” them in a sense. or maybe they no at the end of the day, its all up to so called mgt.
i wonder how other donned “elite/superstar” players would react to a system like ours, substitution methods like ours, predictability like ours, non-adjustments, road regular season losses/post season blowouts like ours…?
bigdave
May 8th, 2009
10:16 pm
ill take my “dummies”, “quitters”, “cowards”, etc. over whiners, bit#@ers, excuse makers, over protected bailed out “elite” players any day…
I FUXS WITH MY HAWKS BUDDY… WIN.. LOSE (by 50 dammit).. OR DRAW…
Big Ray
May 8th, 2009
10:39 pm
BigDave,
I feel you. Here’s what I think. I think you’re right about our younger guys. Since day 1 in the NBA, all they’ve known is Woodson. So they don’t know any different, NBA coach-wise. You put it well: he “raised” them.
Joe is different. He is the prize pupil, head of the class. He wanted out of Phoenix, and came here to be “the man.” He’s not going to down Woody. Not yet, anyway. Joe has some class about him.
Flip and Mo won’t either. Why? Journeyman, plain and simple. These guys don’t play for a contract. They play for a freakin’ JOB. The contract is a set of details that describes how they get paid, is all.
Zaza strikes me as the type of guy who wants to play hard, wants to play well, enjoys camaraderie, and wants to be a good teammate. And he is. I believe he is more idealistic than most. He wants to belong. And he does. Any team would want someone like that, and we’re lucky to have him.
Here’s the one guy who is different than all the rest. Mike Bibby. I also think he’s the one that the ASG and/or Sund should consult on a number of things, especially if he’s part of the forseeable future ( And I can’t say that without quoting Niremetal, who actually said it himself) Bibby is playing for a contract, because at his skill level and experience, a job is all but guaranteed. He’s been with more than one coach, with more than one system, and has played at the highest levels, with the greatest competitors.
Bibby can give you a much more educated, much more informed opinion on Woody. And guess what? He has the least to lose from it, of all the Hawks. He can also tell you what this team can do, and who can do what.
Those words that Sekou quoted Bibby as saying to Woody during one of the past playoff games? Those words spoke volumes to any who chose to pay attention to them, both those who didn’t believe prior to it, and those of us who have been screaming about it all this time. Bibby knows what this offense does, how it’s designed, and what it CAN do. He knows what this defense can do, too. He put it in rare, fine form when he told Woody “if you don’t like the shot that player is taking, then DON’T put him in a position to take it. But you’re the coach. YOU tell him to go elsewhere.”
That’s a man who has nothing to fear, and knows what’s going on. He’s the guy you talk to. He’s the one guy who will tell you the unadulterated truth, and not be worried about a job or contract. Because he’s going to get one. From somebody.
bigdave
May 8th, 2009
10:50 pm
good quality shyt right there Big Ray… i agree 100 %
bigdave
May 8th, 2009
10:58 pm
too bad this dialogue is at the tail end of this blog, Sekou will probably begin a new one tomorrow… maybe he will highlight some of the discussion.. hopefully most of it will get read…
Big Ray
May 8th, 2009
10:58 pm
Thankyou sir
The Truth
May 8th, 2009
11:09 pm
I really don’t know what the fear factors are in next game. Those that are whining need to stop. We shouldn’t whole our heads low because we got beat in their building. They have just met their expectation and won their 2 home games. We are so preoccupied on the margin of the losses. A loss is a loss no matter how many points. They are playing psycho warfare on us and winning. They are mugging us, getting no calls and laughing on the sideline. We need to take the Bobby Knight approach for the next game. Woody are you listening? Knight would say “WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS KNOCK SOMEBODY ON THEIR AZZ!!!!” In other words: WE NEED TO SEND MORRIS OUT ON A HEAD HUNTING MISSION!!!! WHAT EVER WE DO, WE MUST NOT LET THEM PARTY IN OUR HOUSE!! IF THEY WIN FAIRLY, THEY BETTER SHOW SOME RESPECT OR ELSE THERE WILL BE FLAGRANT CALLS!! THERE IS TWO WAYS TO LOSE: YOU CAN LOSE WITH SOME RESPECT AND KEEP YOUR DIGNITY AND WALK UPRIGHT OR YOU CAN LOSE, PUNK STYLE, AND WALK WITH YOUR HEAD HANGING LOW. AS A FAN, I DON’T WON’T TO GO OUT LIKE THAT
calico cat
May 9th, 2009
12:10 am
Blast
May 8th, 2009
8:54 pm
Orlando Magic versus the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East finals. Y’all know I will be rooting for the Magic. Now, that is one team I do not think the Cavs can run all over.
I’m picking Houston Rockets to come out tops in the West. Wouldn’t that just ruin the leagues dream match up?
…………………………………………………………….
Blast,
You don’t have a clue . . .
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
12:13 am
BIG RAY, that was one of the best posts…PERIOD!!! and to top it off, i don’t believe it has ever really been covered like that…at least not in my readings!!! well said brah!! you summed it perfectly!!
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
12:20 am
just to add..BIBBY is not used to such a ‘fragile’ team either!! all of his SAC teams played with confidence regardless of their makeup. and you can attribute that to the coaches he’s played for there. THEUS, for all is lack of NBA coachin’ experience, had his teams playin’ with confidence. i really don’t know why they canned him so quickly!!?? but then again, SAC has some great owners ‘expect’ to win. our HAWKS are a different story.
the HAWKS, i believe, could have a great 1-2 punch at PG if they had a different HC. ok…now i’m repeatin’ myself!!! nuff said…
doc
May 9th, 2009
12:22 am
bibby goes to houston to be with adelman, old buddy artest, yao and battier. tough team there without the star back early.
niremetal
May 9th, 2009
12:32 am
Thanks for the h/t, Ray, although you obviously improved on my offhand thought considerably
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
1:26 am
Mykhalc,
Thanks, bro! What I wrote was my personal conclusion that is based on some very good conversations I’ve had with some of our fellow Hawksters, Niremetal and Sautee to be more specific. Gotta give them credit for the input.
And you’re right about Bibby. He’s used to playing on teams that have more confidence and chemistry. I’m not downing our Hawks, but we don’t play like that night in and night out. And as Sekou has said, these guys keep saying that. But at some point, words must become actions. What it takes to make that transition…well, your guess is as good as mine, but I think we both agree on what (or who) helps the situation (or in this case DOESN’T help it).
Niremetal,
Gotta give credit where it’s due. But I did think some more about the last conversation we had, and that’s what I came up with. More to follow…
Doc,
That was my initial thought on Bibby. Back to Houston, with a shot at contending, a familiar coach, etc. That, and he wouldn’t be counted on to run the team more or less by himself (or be the only one setting good screens), show the coach how to run the offense (okay, that was a low blow, but…), etc. Besides, Houston would rather have him than Kyle Lowry, I’m sure. Aaron Brooks has the con right now, but Bibby could spell him. It may not happen, but if I was Bibby, that’s where I’d want to be.
And let’s not forget that fateful interview where Chris Webber accidentally let that cat out of the bag on air…
Again, it may not happen. But him being back in a Hawks uniform is hardly a foregone conclusion, whether people think so or not. In fact, the only pg type guaranteed to be back next year is Acie Law. I’m sure I don’t have to say it….
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
2:15 am
RAY, what CWEBB have to say?? the BIBBY to HOU thing?
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
5:14 am
Mykhalc,
It was actually brought up by somebody else, but CWebb said something to Bibby in a tv appearance or something a while back. I can’t remember all the details, but he asked or made mention of Bibby going to Houston in a not-exactly-direct way, and Bibby gave him that “hey, quiet!” look. I’ll have to dig that one back up…
Steve
May 9th, 2009
7:21 am
I really don’t see a good future for the Hawks. The ownership is in flux. There GM Rick Suud was a failure in Milwaukee and Seattle. Mike Woodson the players don’t listen to him and their most talented player Josh Smith really don’t get along.
TW
May 9th, 2009
8:34 am
The word for Josh Smith is simply LAZY.
All that potential and he’s simply too lazy to develop it in the offseason. For him to not have a jumper after this long is a joke. The most glaring difference, however, between him an LeBron is hard work.
Have you no pride, Josh Smith?
Waste of height.
NEOhio Fan
May 9th, 2009
9:40 am
Going into the playoffs, I was afraid of four teams – Atlanta because their athleticism matched up well against the Cavaliers, Orlando because of their kick-out 3 point ability, Houston because of their late season defensive prowess and the Lakers because of Phil Jackson’s ability to mold his players to his style.
It’s unfortunate that so many injuries occurred to the Hawks at this time of the year, it would have been a good series if both teams were healthy, but there’s nothing anyone can do about that.
As far as everyone jumping on your coach, when Mike Brown got the Cleveland job, I’m not sure there were too many people who were big cheerleaders of his, including some of his players. However, he and the team grew together, he’s allowed his assistants to become more procactive as coaches and along with Danny Ferry’s trades/signings, the Cavaliers are where theyare right now.
With the players the Hawks have, I think patience will show that they are headed in the right direction. You only need one player who is mentally strong enough to lead the team and this blog site will turn in to a gloating forum.
Keep your hopes up, it’ll get better. I’m speaking from quite a few years of negative sports experiences in Northern Ohio.
cleveland,ohio..216
May 9th, 2009
10:07 am
THE HAWK IS NOW READY TO WALK…WINGS BEING CLIP BY CLEVELAND…GET OVER IT…REAL BALLERS DON’T REST IN THE SOUTH..JUST A HANGING..YOU GUYS SHOULD’VE RAN NORTH WHEN YOU HAD A CHANCE..THE ONE GOOD PLAYER YOU GUYS HAD RAN OVERSEAS..AND THE GM THERE SUCKS…
A Tribe Called Quest
May 9th, 2009
10:26 am
THIS IS WHAT.
WE NEED TO SHOW CLEVELAND WE’RE PLAYING AGAINST THEM TONIGHT.
ZAZA COMMIT A HARD FOUL.
PUT LEBRON ON HIS BACK
STOP BEING SCARED
cleveland,ohio..216
May 9th, 2009
10:35 am
A Tribe Called Quest ……PUT LEBRON ON HIS BACK
STOP BEING SCARED…lol…bring it …LEBRON was a football player first…get over it [PAL]
ILL-logical
May 9th, 2009
11:13 am
..”biggest challenge, though, may be to get star power — either by showcasing current players or finding new ones, the experts said. While Hawks Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby and Josh Smith are strong players, none command the recognition of Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant or Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James.
“If you get marquee players, you get people,” Newton said. “Cleveland was dead before LeBron came along”
A qote from an article in today’s deadtree edition of the AJC. Just some food for thought.
Ken Strickland
May 9th, 2009
11:32 am
How in the he!! can you expect a team to consistently play team OFF when all season long certain players have been allowed, even encouraged, to take over the OFF and play iso and one on one whenever they get frustrated with the way things are going. Refusing to force these players to stick with the gm plan and consistently allowing them to disrupt the OFF, as well as ignoring bench and player development, has suddenly come home to roost. WHY COULD ANYONE WITH A CLUE BE SURPRISED.
There’s an old saying that definitely applies to any head coaching situation, especially the Hawks, and it goes, “AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE”. NO PERSON IN CHARGE OF ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM, CAN BLINDLY IGNORE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS FOR THE DURATION OF AN ENTIRE NBA SEASON AND NOT EXPECT THOSE PROBLEMS TO JUMP UP AND BITE THEM IN THE BUTT WHEN PLAYOFF PRESSURE IS BROUGHT TO BARE. IT’S NOT SURPRISING THE PLAYERS ARE UNABLE TO DO A MUCH NEEDED 180 FROM THE SELFISH STYLE OF PLAY THAT’S BEEN THE RULE OF THUMB THROUGHOUT THE REGULAR SEASON, AND OBVIOUSLY SANCTIONED BY WOODSON.
I admit that I went overboard with my complaints about Woodson, his coaching style, and the probable effects it would have on the team and it’s players. NOW ALL OF YOU ARE SEEING THE RESULTS OF WHAT I SAW ALL ALONG. IT’S DOWNRIGHT EMBARRASSING, ISN’T IT? AS LONG AS WOODSON IS THE HC, I REFUSE TO SUPPORT THE HAWKS.
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
12:11 pm
[/i] do hmtl tags work in the blog…testing [i]
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
12:12 pm
uhhhh, guess not
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
12:27 pm
might help if i do it right???
Sautee
May 9th, 2009
12:50 pm
Ken,
Did you see this quote:???
“They are the players, but I’m the one to push the right buttons and get them to play,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “I understand that.”
Does he understand that he pushed the wrong buttons in Games 1 and 2?
Yes, with the injuries, it’s not realistic to think we’d win in Cleveland where virtually no one else has.
But my God, could he not find a button that says PRIDE. Or one that says COMPETE, regardless of the score?
steve
May 9th, 2009
1:02 pm
Who is the bigger hack?
Sucku, Schultz,or Bradley
Could all three of these guys be game-time decisions too? Except I wan’t all of them to sit this one out
A Tribe Called Quest
May 9th, 2009
1:11 pm
Based on some of the comments from players/coaches I’ve seen in the last 2 days, I would not be surprised if we get down 10 in the first and are swept.
Wtf is with all this laid-backness the players off? Smoove basically saying that the series starts now.
Woodson saying that we will come back in the series based on last year.
THE TEAM WE ARE PLAYING HAS LEBRON JAMES YOU IDIOT.
LeBron will try get up 20 in the 1st.
DON’T BE COMPLACENT
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
1:13 pm
KEN, it is impossible to go overboard with complaints about the BRAINLESS ONE. he is simply CLUELESS…PERIOD!!!
EJH
May 9th, 2009
1:16 pm
I would like to say thanks to the Atlanta Hawks team forgiving us a season of positives going forward. Forty seven Wins, a 1st round playoff series win, even if they are swept by the cavs or loose in 7 they have given us the beginning of something that will be special in the coming years.
Now as for as the off season, whenver it begins for this team. There are a lot of questions and moves that have to be made. The first is what to do with Mike Bibby. I feel Portland is going to try and sign him and I do not think the hawks will be able to match, so let’s say bibby is gone. Give the job to Acie Law and bring in a veteran to back him up like kyle lowery or rafer alston just in case acie does not work out. Scenario No. 2 trade acie and Joe to Milwaukee for Ramon Sessions and Michale Redd, or trade joe for chris Bosh straight up and move marvin to the two spot smith at three bosh at four and Horford at five and resign Mike b. or aganin turn the reigns over to Acie, bring back childress, Zsa Zsa, flip, and sign McDyess, these moves will make the bench real deep and don’t forget you still have speedy claxton’s expiring contract and draft picks to work with. I think the hawks are in good position to improve this team and return as a top four seed next year if not higher.
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
1:24 pm
” However, he and the team grew together, he’s allowed his assistants to become more procactive as coaches and along with Danny Ferry’s trades/signings, the Cavaliers are where they are right now.”
Quite the fundamental difference between Cleveland and Atlanta right now…
Big Ray
May 9th, 2009
1:26 pm
EJH,
I agree with the first sentence. These guys have made some achievements here.
Your other thoughts on roster changes are…interesting…
Ken Strickland
May 9th, 2009
2:25 pm
MYKHALC & SAUTEE-apparently it is possible because I received some complaints about my constant complaints about Woodson, and a suggestion to let it rest. Some Hawk fans’ perception and acceptance of this teams accomplishments are based on the Hawks inconsistent and lowly past. There’re just elated to see us make the playoffs and get home court advantage in the 1st rd, and that’s quite an accomplishment when compared to our accompliahments the last 10yrs.
However, that elation often makes them overlook the fragile foundation upon which we stand and that we’ve created a catch 22, so to speak. Because we’re such an awful road team, we don’t stand a chance of winning a playoff series without having homecourt advantage. We’ve proven throughout the regular season that our road woes aren’t limited to the playoffs. There’s a problem when a team is good enough to win 47gms but can’t win more than 16 rd gms.
LOOK AT ANY TEAM WITH A GOOD RD RECORD AND YOU’LL SEE A TEAM THAT HAS GOOD COACHING AND USES ITS BENCH. When I saw how we struggled against the Heat, I knew we didn’t have a chance against the Cavaliers. We lack the coaching, the system, the discipline, the strategy and the depth to compete consistently against quality teams, especially in the playoffs.
Former GM Billy Knight put together a young, quick, fast, athletic and versatile team. Contrary to popular belief, not drafting PG’s CPaul and DWilliams, or SG BRoy weren’t his biggest mistakes. His biggest mistake was hiring Mike Woodson and thinking he would/could maximize the talent and potential of the young players and team. Unfortunately for him, he tried multiple times to correct his mistake and it cost him his job.
Now the team, its fans and the entire city of Atlanta are embarrassed because the SAASG made a bad decision and got rid of the wrong person. A lot of you keep saying the Hawks don’t have any leaders. Well, we have leaders, just not the right kind. After all, who do you think is taking control of the OFF and refusing to pass the ball or hustle on DEF. They are leaders, but selfish leaders that consistently reflect the same lack of trust in certain teammates that HC Mike has demonstrated over the last 2yrs.
LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY AND DISCIPLINE STARTS AT THE TOP AND SO DOES ORGANIZAION. THE PLAYERS HAVE TO SHARE SOME OF THE BLAME, BUT IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT THEY CAN’T CONSISTENTLY OVERCOME A FLAWED SYSTEM, A FLAWED OR NONEXISTENT STRATEGY AND A FLAWED HC. MY ONLY CONSULATION IS THAT FORMER GM BILLY KNIGHT HAS TO FEEL MUCH WORSE THAN I DO ABOUT HOW THE TALENTED YOUNG TEAM HE PUT TOGETHER IS BEING MISHANDLED AND UNDERACHIEVING.
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
2:50 pm
KEN, i hear ya man. the only part i disagree on is that i think WOODSON was the right ‘type of hire’ hire 5 yrs ago. perfect for a team where dismantlin’ was the objective and winnin’ an after-thought…perfect for 19yrs bein’ drafted. WOODSON gets a shot to audition and show his asst coachin’ skills as a HC. it’s obvious WOODSON was not given the tools initially. but it is also obvious NOW that even with the tools he does NOT know how to maximize this team. and that was evident last year and definitely this year. people can holla all they want that the team won 47 games. well if they don’t wanna look at ‘how’ this team wins and under what circumstances this team wins then that’s on them. it’s clear that WOODSON’s skills are not a match with the team’s makeup. and maybe the SAASG is just happy they continue to have a team much less ‘really’ chart a winnin’ course for their team. maybe they feel obligated to WOODSON despite the obvious. but the embarassin’ road efforts, now and thru the season, should be a wake up for SUND and the SAASG. i hope they make the required efforts to continue to move this team forward in a winnin’ way. and it HAS to start with the firin’ of WOODSON…PERIOD!!!
Sekou Smith
May 9th, 2009
2:51 pm
If I’m reading the mood here right like I read the Hawks’ body language shortly after halftime in Game 2, most of you are expecting this season to end early this week, say as soon as Monday night. We’ve got to much to talk about as soon as the season is over that I agree with bigdave, that there are too many good points to lose in the ether. So feel free to cut and paste (for a later date) some of the stuff you’ve written here Ray and others, so we can have these discussions when the ball stops bouncing on the 2008-09 season.
I’ve been arguing for two days with several people about where the Hawks have to go to get better and it’s pretty radical (you have to take a Rambo knife to the roster and start removing and replacing pieces liberally to get your championship mix right). But again, that’s a discussion we’re going to have another day.
As for tonight, Game 3 is the series for the Hawks. Pull off the miraculous win and there’s a chance to put at least a little scare into the NBA and the Cavs. But if they can’t muster the energy to fight off LeBron and his boys, it’s pretty much a wrap. There’s no shame in it. These Cavs are going to be a tough out for anyone, including Kobe and the Lakers.
le brown james THE KING OF ATLANTA
May 9th, 2009
3:29 pm
ready girls for round 3 of 4 round knoutout.
rms
May 9th, 2009
3:49 pm
dang Big Ray, That was probalby the best post I have ever read (10:39pm). Smart, well thought out, and makes sense. The question is will ownership ever consult with Bibby or just show him the door because they cant “afford him”
mykhalc
May 9th, 2009
4:08 pm
s/b 19yrs old bein’ drafted
Hawk Fan In New Orleans
May 9th, 2009
4:13 pm
Time for series introspection into our lack of motivation. It starts with coaching.
Coach Woodson has a lot of postives and fewer negatives IMO.
HOWEVER!!!
My biggest gripe with Woody is his deficiency of developing his bench which goes hand in hand with his knack for over-working his starters. Burnout and injuries are inevitable with his selfish insistence on running his top 7 players into the ground ( I feel its selfish b/c he is putting his job security first at the expense of playing and developing his youngsters and underplayed role-players.) Now – that injuries have caught up with us, the 2nd unit are thrown up the creek without a paddle. I love the hunger they display – but that obviously cannot be coached or else the 1st unit would display that same characteristic that’s rarely displayed when they play on the road – Mike Vick said it best when he said “sometimes you have to overcome coaching.”
Hawk Fan In New Orleans
May 9th, 2009
4:26 pm
Time for series introspection into our lack of motivation. It starts with coaching.
Coach Woodson has a lot of postives and fewer negatives IMO.
HOWEVER!!!
My biggest gripe with Woody is his deficiency of developing his bench which goes hand in hand with his knack for over-working his starters. Burnout and injuries are inevitable with his selfish insistence on running his top 7 players into the ground ( I feel its selfish b/c he is putting his job security first at the expense of playing and developing his youngsters and underplayed role-players.) Now – that injuries have caught up with us, the 2nd unit are thrown up the creek without a paddle. I love the hunger they display – but that obviously cannot be coached or else the 1st unit would display that same characteristic that’s rarely displayed when they play on the road – Mike Vick said it best when he said “sometimes you have to overcome coaching.”
Ken Strickland
May 9th, 2009
6:32 pm
MYKHALC-ANEN TO THAT. When you watch tonights gm, pay close attantion to how often Cleveland uses our DEF strategy of switching to isolate their Pg or SG on our C or PF. Once they get the mismatch, they clearout and the PG/SG backs it out and blows by our PF/C, leaving either Bibby, JJ, Flip or Evans to defend the basket. Is it any wonder why teams are running uncontested layup drills on us?
My biggest complaint is Woodson’s refusal to make a single adjustment. Instead, he chooses to ignore the problem and blame the players for playing poor DEF. Is it really poor DEF when our C’s & PF’s are unable to keep the other teams quicker, faster PG’s or SG’s in front of them when Woodson’s own cherished PG can’t do it. Is it really poor DEF when our PG’s, SG’s and SF’s are unable to defend the basket against the other teams C’s and PF’s?
The logical solution would be to send a double team as soon as the mismatch occurs, there’s a clearout and the PG/SG backs up to run an iso against our C or PF. A double team will force the ball out of the PG/SG’s hands and allow our C/PF to drop back under the basket where he belongs. It also forces the opposition to take extra time off the clock.
WE HAVE AN INCOMPETENT HC THAT WOULD RATHER BLAME HIS PLAYERS FOR THE TEAMS DEF PROBLEMS RATHER THAN SEEK A NEEDED SOLUTION TO THOSE PROBLEMS. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS FOR SOME OF THE HAWK PLAYERS BECAUSE IT’S SOOO FRUSTRATING TO ME, AND I DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH WOODSON’S BS DIRECTLY.