Atlanta Hawks: Still undecided on coach, ASG to try again Friday

Another day passed with no decision by the Hawks on which of three candidates to offer their vacant head coach position. They’ll deliberate again on Friday and hope to reach agreement on extending an offer to Dwane Casey, Larry Drew or Mark Jackson.

Atlanta’s delay in making a decision illustrates the complexities of a process that includes members of the Atlanta Spirit ownership group and GM Rick Sund. A person with knowledge of the process said each candidate has support within the organization, adding that the varying schedules of the decision-makers also has contributed to the delay.

Atlanta parted ways with Mike Woodson after the season. The Hawks, Cavaliers and Clippers are the only teams without a coach after Avery Johnson, once a Hawks candidate, accepted the New Jersey job yesterday.

MC

234 comments Add your comment

O'Brien

June 10th, 2010
9:04 pm

Thanks MC.

From Marc Spears, yahoo sports.com;

Atlanta Hawks officials will hold a conference call on Friday with hopes of determining who should be offered the franchise’s coaching job, sources with knowledge of the search told Yahoo! Sports.

Sources say there is division within the team’s ownership over which of three finalists – Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey, Hawks assistant Larry Drew or TV broadcaster Mark Jackson – should receive the offer. While one source ultimately believes the decision will come down to either Casey or Drew, there is still enough debate among team officials on all three candidates to warrant the conference call.

The team hopes to extend an offer by the end of the weekend and possibly as early as Friday. If the Hawks’ ownership group can’t reach agreement on who should receive the offer, the team might expand its search next week to a fourth candidate.

I wish the Russian billionaire had bought the Hawks instead of the Nets. Too much indecision in Hawksville.

Michael Cunningham

June 10th, 2010
9:09 pm

@O’Brien: i’ve heard that “fourth candidate” thing, too. if that happens, i would think your concerns about indecision would only grow.

AG

June 10th, 2010
9:13 pm

Do not understand why Byron Scott was never interviewed. If it is up to those three, I would go with Jackson. The other two will never bring fans to the Highlight factory. If Avery would have been the Hawks coach, we would have expected a lot out of our team.

JeJe

June 10th, 2010
9:14 pm

I whole-heartedly believe that if the ASG had a choice between Phil Jax for 5M/yr or Casey for 5M/yr, they’d take Casey

WHY IS EVERY CANDIDATE BLACK?

JeJe

June 10th, 2010
9:16 pm

WE WILL HIRE LARRY DREW BECAUSE HE COSTS NOTHING. THIS GUY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE ANY INPUT AS AN ASSISTANT COACH

U DONT WIN RINGS WITH ASSISTANT COACHES. U WIN RINGS WITH VETERANS LIKE LARRY BROWN. I AM PRETTY SURE LB WANTED THIS JOB 3 YRS AGO WHEN HERB WAS HERE, BUT NO. WE STUCK WITH MIKE WOODSON

GOOD JOB ASG/SUND/BK/WOODY

FIRE WOODY
FIRE SUND

JeJe

June 10th, 2010
9:23 pm

IF WE DIDN’T HAVE 8 DAMN OWNERS THE DECISION WOULDN’T BE SO HARD. HALF THE OWNERS DON’T EVEN FOLLOW THE TEAM. THEY COULDN’T NAME 3 BENCH PLAYERS ON THE HAWKS

AJGREENFAN

June 10th, 2010
9:28 pm

All the candidates are black because: it is a conspiracy to piss JeJe off.

Fluffy McNutter

June 10th, 2010
9:32 pm

Well, of those three candidates, I sure hope it’s Mark Jackson.

O'Brien

June 10th, 2010
9:33 pm

northcyde,

Thats the ASG for you. And you wonder why Avery would take the Nets job over the Hawks?

I wonder what JJ is thinking right now…

Fluffy McNutter

June 10th, 2010
9:35 pm

FWIW, Sekou Smith posted this on Twitter: “Per sources, Hawks are torn between Dwane Casey and Larry Drew as their next head coach. Decision could come at anytime.”

http://twitter.com/SekouSmithNBA/status/15885668569

4 Jacks

June 10th, 2010
9:37 pm

This ownership is so effing stupid, pathetic and laughable. These guys must have been left whatever they have, because they have no clue what so ever. Any moron could do a better job than these idiots. Wish Gearon and the rest would leave town and never come back. Atlanta fans deserve so much better than these bozo’s. If you can’t lead get out of the way, and if you can’t afford to pay for a decent product then for the sake of the fans get rid of your sorry ego’s and sale the team to someone who cares.

Hoops

June 10th, 2010
9:37 pm

I will not be surprised if a 4th candidate comes to the front. There is no way ASG puts a team with 53 wins and 3rd seed in the East in the hands of Casey, Jackson, or Drew. Doc Rivers, Byron Scott, and Mike Brown would be much better choices!!!

fanATicaL

June 10th, 2010
9:38 pm

Just hope that Sund can be the deciding factor.Somehow the Coach and the GM ,HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME VISION.As to direction and player, personel movement.If you have a mess at the top.It will be a mess at the bottom.Surely this decision can be made before the draft and free agency.Or really noone will come here.

CONFEDERATE DAWG

June 10th, 2010
9:42 pm

ANYONE BUT MARK JACKSON, IF TERRIBLE ASS KNICKS DIDNT WANT THEIR OWN WHY SHOULD WE. THERE IS A REASON NO ONE HAS EVER HIRED HIS ASS.

Bob Weiss

June 10th, 2010
9:46 pm

I’ll take it!!!

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
9:49 pm

The Hawks should go after Tom Izzo, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley or Red Auerbach– WINNERS.

Come on

June 10th, 2010
9:51 pm

I can’t believe they’re giving Larry Drew serious consideration. He’s Mike Woodson part II.

Steven A.

June 10th, 2010
9:53 pm

“KAREEM ABDUL JABAR” ‘,” PATRICK CHEWING” WHY CAN’T A RETIRED CENTER GET ANY LOVE,…. MORONS?

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
9:59 pm

I’d have Wilt Chamberlain exhumed and placed in a chair courtside holding a dry erase board before I’d hire Larry Drew.

ASG = Americanized Sabado Gigante

June 10th, 2010
9:59 pm

fanatical,

I agree. They need to Sund make the decision.

Melvin

June 10th, 2010
10:01 pm

I wish Stern could make these owner sell this team. They are an embarrassment to the NBA…

Jesse

June 10th, 2010
10:03 pm

I’m sure season tickets will boom with the hiring of either Casey or Drew….. two exciting guys. Now they deserve a shot, I guess….. but they better prove themselves real quick around here. BK built the team to run, and hired a slow down coach. Just hire whoever says they are going to run like PHX runs. Play uptempo… that’s how the team was built.

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
10:04 pm

Do we know if Jon Koncak has been interviewed for the job yet?

Feudfinder

June 10th, 2010
10:07 pm

So what? Phil Jackson was Doug Collins’ assistance in Chicago. The last time I checked, he won series of championships with the Bulls. People you need to come up with reasonable excuses why someone should not be hired. Stop this hatred. Common man!

Jody

June 10th, 2010
10:07 pm

Again, there will be some who will try to do spin control, but the reality is if it’s pathetic at the top, it’s going to be pathetic every where. This situation truly is…..pathetic.

jordan

June 10th, 2010
10:09 pm

Drew is a mistake but not because he will make a bad coach. This team won’t respect him. I want Jackson, A FREAKIN TRUE LEADER, a very successful point guard. Please Hawks be smart. MARK JACKSON. OMG he will make a great coach. A fast thinking smart point guard that will will be a great leader. What is it with the Hawks and their inability to understand the importance of a great point guard?

Feudfinder

June 10th, 2010
10:11 pm

So what? Phil Jackson was Doug Collins’ assistant in Chicago. The last time I checked, he won series of championships with the Bulls. People you need to come up with reasonable excuses why someone should not be hired. Stop this hatred. Common man!

JeJe

June 10th, 2010
10:12 pm

“Any moron could do a better job than these idiots. ”

^^^LMAO!!!!!!!

ASG ALIENATES FREE AGENTS. SMOOVE DIDNT EVEN WANT TO COME BACK. ONLY REASON HE SIGNED WAS BECAUSE ASG HAD HIS RIGHTS. F’ING MORONS

HOW CAN THEY BE TORN ON WHO TO HIRE? HALF OF THEM DO NOT FOLLOW THIS DAMN TEAM

AUG24

June 10th, 2010
10:13 pm

Do not hire Drew! Anytime the players want an assistant its not good. It means he probably won’t push them hard. This team needs someone to light a fire under them. The best coaches are the ones you don’t really like but respect. Jackson or Casey!

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:13 pm

i remember this off-season when i was lobbying for a Sheed signing someone took wanting a physical veteran defensive presence for a “man crush”…

lol.. how many shots did Dwight miss against us again?

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:13 pm

i fux wit Casey.

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:14 pm

http://wcco.com/video/?id=14332@wcco.dayport.com

this link was great. almost like sitting in on an interview with Casey and Hawks mgt.

AUG24

June 10th, 2010
10:15 pm

What did Drew do with Teague? You don’t think Mark Jackson could help Jeff Teague run this team? Teague will get this team playing good defense at the point and get the team running on the break. Teague reminds me of Rondo with less rebounding ability. Neither can shoot a lick but they force the tempo.

Section 303

June 10th, 2010
10:16 pm

OK…this is stupid. Rick Sund is the GM, let him hire the coach. No one in that stupid Atlanta Spirit Group is capable of making a sound b-ball hire. I wish we had just one owner, and he/she was likable. I have a hard time liking the members of ASG. Bunch of preps born with silver spoons in their mouths.

Stay out of Sund’s way….

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:17 pm

seems like a guy that wont say the same things over and over after a loss in a press conference…

and then even worse..

fall victim to the same flaws the very next outing..
fall victim to them

Mike Fratello

June 10th, 2010
10:18 pm

Call me..the Hawks’ best years were with me !!

Dominique

June 10th, 2010
10:19 pm

Enter your comments here

AUG24

June 10th, 2010
10:19 pm

I wish Arthur Blank would buy this team. Then we would get a real coach and stop all this craziness. This ownership is cheap when it comes to coaches.

Go Lakers

June 10th, 2010
10:20 pm

The ASG or a joke. You lose out on a great coach because all 8 owners can’t decide. You fire Mike Woodson to hire who….. Casey, Larry Drew, Mark jackson. Funny their names are not surfacing in any other places except Atl. This entire franchise is a joke. There will never be any banners hanging in this arena except the lame going green one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brownie

June 10th, 2010
10:20 pm

Understanding that all of ASG’s owners are wealthy men used to getting what they want, you can’t help but laugh at their ineptitude. From day one, their structure was flawed in that EVERY owner apparently gets his say in how the team is run. They needed (and still need) to name ONE owner as the decision maker, and the rest of them can just SILENTLY enjoy owning a piece of the action.

Arthur Blank does not own ALL of the Falcons, as they have a number of SILENT minority owners, but his voice/face is the only one addressing the fans, the media and the league.

For all of you blaming Sund…don’t. He has actually done a pretty good job considering he has several bosses.

OK, I’ll throw in my 2 cents worth….of the three leading candidates, I’m not crazy about any of them. For whatever reason, they don’t want to interview B Scott. My choice would be a guy who has proven to be a winning head coach, is smart, very tough, driven and would earn instant respect….Bill Laimbeer.

ASG needs to get out of their own way.

Sean Casey

June 10th, 2010
10:20 pm

I think the Hawks should hire my big brother Dwane. He’s got HC experience. His team sucked under his leadership but he does have HC experience.

AUG24

June 10th, 2010
10:21 pm

Hell, Hubie Brown at 75 years old could coach this team to the finals. The man is old but would be good for 2 years. He can break down a game.

Spud Webb

June 10th, 2010
10:22 pm

Yep…me, Nic, Doc, Kevin, & Jon….we gave the Celtics a run for the money…Should have won that game in the GAHDEN

Schmohawk

June 10th, 2010
10:22 pm

Why not try to lure Pat Summit away from the UT Vols? Talk about a proven HC with championship experience.

Jody

June 10th, 2010
10:22 pm

If you logically think about why Drew and Casey (supposedly the final two) are candidates, it reveals just how pathetic this situation is. Not hating on Drew or Casey, but it’s clear to me that they are candidates for the wrong reasons.

Ginger

June 10th, 2010
10:24 pm

Would like to see Dwayne Casey….He did ok with a bad Minnesota team…

AUG24

June 10th, 2010
10:24 pm

The fans will not be excited about this hire unless it is Mark Jackson. Casey and Drew would have as much fanfare as Woodson. The owners need to let Sund make the decision. Ultimately, Sund’s job is on the line for this hire.

From Atlanta Stinking Garbage (ASG)

June 10th, 2010
10:25 pm

I heard what you guys have been saying about our management. If you don’t like who we about to give you as a coach, Georgia is bordered by Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Alabama. You are free to move to anyone of those states. You don’t need a visa to travel to those places. Understand? This is our town, and we are gonna rock this town like Jay Z said

MannyT

June 10th, 2010
10:25 pm

The candidate that gets the most twitter followers (or sells the most season ticket packages) by Friday afternoon gets the job ;-)

…and Sund did call Dean Demopoulis about the job. It’s like one of those NFL coaching vacancies when they invite the black coach to interview about on the morning of the announcement for the guy that’s getting the job.

WWSD

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:26 pm

“our fans will appreciate, the hard nosed defensive effort that our guys have given , the way they (share) the ball offensively, and the way they play the game of basketball the right way”

-Dwane Casey

u mean it will actually look like a real NBA game when we play? no non sense @ practice? paying attention to the huddle during TO’s?

Hawks Fan

June 10th, 2010
10:27 pm

Hawks management sucks. Can’t even interview but one proven Coach. If the hire one of those three Clowns they can kiss my A@@.

Justafan

June 10th, 2010
10:32 pm

Byron Scott…just give the man a interview!!!!!!!!

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
10:33 pm

These candidates are boring. I’m about to fall asleep just reading about it.

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:33 pm

but listening to Mark.. it sounds like he would place emphasis on Joe (if resigned) getting to that line..

and our guards being more attacking and play making vs. jump/spot up shooters..

Senator Blutarski

June 10th, 2010
10:33 pm

–my hunch is that Casey would actually do the best job…

Jeff D.

June 10th, 2010
10:34 pm

jordan, your rationale about Jackson sucks. How can he be a GREAT coach when he hasn’t coached anything in his entire life? Hasn’t sat on an NBA bench with a clipboard, zero, zip, nada. NO coaching experience at all. You expect him to just learn on the job? Please! I do agree with you about Drew. I can’t see him making any impact on the team that basically checked out when the playoffs started. Avery would not have let those guys zone out the way they did but he’s off to N.J. My vote goes to Byron Scott. The man has real coaching experience. He’s won in this league and I think he could take us higher. Casey may not be a bad choice. KG apparently gives him the thumbs up. To be honest, I feel like the Spirit is going to screw this up. They already let the best coach slip away. I pray I’m wrong.

Adam Keefe? Really?

June 10th, 2010
10:35 pm

The Hawks owners are a bunch of disconnected egomaniacs who are convinced they are captains of industry. Sund is hamstrung by the purse strings of these idiot owners who want to do everything on the cheap. Let’s pray that the rumors of the team being for sale are true.
BTW, how is the lawsuit between Belkin and the other idiots coming along?

BIG JIM

June 10th, 2010
10:35 pm

MARK JACKSON IS A “SEXY” CHOICE. NOT IN THE LITERAL SENSE, BUT IN THE WAY THAT HE MAKES US A “HOTTER”, MORE INTERESTING BRAND.

NO OFFENSE TO DWANE CASEY OR LARRY DREW, BUT I WOULD THINK HE COMMANDS THE RESPECT FROM GUYS LIKE JOSH.

BETTER PG PLAY WOULD HAPPEN AS WELL. PLUS, HE PLAYED THE GAME UNDER GUYS LIKE MR. LOU CARNESECA AND LARRY BROWN.

NO OFFENSE TO THE OTHER GUYS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY QUALIFIED.

Section 303

June 10th, 2010
10:40 pm

Aug24, I really don’t care if fans are excited or not. I care about who will do the best job and we won’t know if the pick is the answer until the end of next season….maybe the season after, depending on what next year’s roster looks like.

Fans will get excited if the team wins. If I were an owver, I would give two sh#ts what the general public thought of the hire in June. Talke to me in April or May. We will know then.

Jeff D.

June 10th, 2010
10:41 pm

Ken Cade, Is Red going to coach from his casket or what?

Bill

June 10th, 2010
10:41 pm

Agree with Jeff D and Justafan, Bryon Scott is the one they should be talking to. ASG will screw it up big time.

The Charismatic Enigma

June 10th, 2010
10:42 pm

Hire Dwane Casey and the Hawks will be NBA Champs within 2 years. Mark it down. Take it to the bank. Put it in your pipe and smoke it. Etc.

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
10:44 pm

Jeff D.

Red would be exhumed, seated courtside and positioned to hold a dry erase board. He’s a proven winner and I think he can bring some of the Celtics mystique to ATL.

GetwhatUpayfor

June 10th, 2010
10:45 pm

A DA in section 303. What U smoking man? The public(fans) pays the bills.

Melvin

June 10th, 2010
10:46 pm

Jroc,

I hope you saw the offensive 3 seconds call on the Celtics tonight. It was mathematically inpossible for KG to be in the lane for 3 seconds with 20 seconds left on the shot clock and the Celtics had to advance the ball across halfcourt.

Big Ray

June 10th, 2010
10:48 pm

I wonder if certain people still think the problem is Rick Sund? Heh….who am I kidding. Once a dumb dog gets ahold of a bone, that’s it….

In the meantime, I sure hope these clowns can get it the heck together tomorrow. This is the type of nonsense that sets a franchise back a few years.

Jeff D.

June 10th, 2010
10:48 pm

Adam Keefe? Really?, I agree w/ you 100%. The proof is in the pudding and those ASG jerks are clueless. Let a real basketball man make the decision here. I think if I heard an excerpt of this wonderful conference call I’d probably get ill. “Wait, my latte machiato will be here in just a sec!”

ballhawker

June 10th, 2010
10:49 pm

Front office, show some balls and hire Byron Scott if winning is important to you.

GT Fan

June 10th, 2010
10:49 pm

Hell hire Paul Hewitt. We will be glad to see him go!

Grandad

June 10th, 2010
10:49 pm

If they hire Drew it will be akin to UGA hiring Jirsa (sp)
when Tubby left. I think someone else has already drawn
that analogy [on this board) before.
In another word - disaster - !

If they do not hire 'Casey' then Mr. Sund should resign,
as did Danny Ferry.
Of course @ 58 years young [Sund] I cannot tell a man how to
live his life. But there are principles involved.
I’m pulling for RS to be overcome & be allowed to do the job
he was hired to do.
Now we know what has taken so long.
Otherwise, Casey would have been hired weeks ago.
Before you jump on Gearon…he may be, Sund’s ally.
He appears to me to be a passionate basketball man
who would acquiesce to the man he hired to run the
basketball side of the show.
But that’s the side of me that is my achilles heel.
I see the good in almost everyone.
However, I know, there is a monkey wrench thrower in the bunch.
*[probably not Belkin / but you never know]

ballhawker

June 10th, 2010
10:50 pm

We will only get worse if one of the three candidates are hired. I would hire Mike Brown before the three of them.

Hawks Fan

June 10th, 2010
10:52 pm

Byron Scott, Bryon Scott at least talk to him. Better yet just go get him and give him the job.

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
10:53 pm

he was before my time but, Rondo has a lil of “Magic” in his game..

The Charismatic Enigma

June 10th, 2010
10:54 pm

Why not hire “The Icon”? Yeah, I said it. Why not hire Sting?

Jeff D.

June 10th, 2010
10:55 pm

Ken Cade, cool. If that’s possible Wooden may still be warm. I think this Hawks team would get confused by his pyramid of success and run away faster than a used car salesman who’s customer showed up with a calculator.

From Atlanta Stinking Garbage (ASG)

June 10th, 2010
10:55 pm

If your dad can coach, apply within.

ballhawker

June 10th, 2010
10:55 pm

Sund will hire the lowest bidder, just watch.The Hawks will never play into June with this attitude and lack of a comitment to winning.

Jody

June 10th, 2010
10:55 pm

I don’t think winning is the number one priority for the ASG or Sund and it’s reflected in who the candidates are.

O'Brien

June 10th, 2010
10:56 pm

Ray,

JJ must be wondering, why sign with a team when they can’t even decide who to hire.

As for the new coach, gearon said he leaves it up to rick sund. Just like they left the decision up to rick about whether or not to bring woody back .

So why wont they leave him alone to make him hire a coach.

Bart Simpson

June 10th, 2010
10:57 pm

Homer Simpson for coach!

Bart Simpson

June 10th, 2010
10:57 pm

Enter your comments here

Joe's place Joe speaking

June 10th, 2010
10:58 pm

Is there any way for our voice (the fans) to be heard? They are always trying to save money and all the while pissing the fanbase off!! The owners and Rick Sund need to know that we are the ones that ultimately pay these a$$holes salary!! If they spent money to make the fans happy then they’d make money which would make them happy!!! Michael Cunningham please try to interview the owners and gm to subliminaly tell them WE DO NOT WANT CASEY OR DREW!!!! Either Jackson, Scott, or Rivers would fit our team needs much more appropriately. Please help us fans voice to be heard amongst owners! All they’ll do is lose money because I know they’re not getting my money for tickets, even single game tickets! Along with every other Casey, Drew hater non believers!

Section 303

June 10th, 2010
10:59 pm

GetwhatUpayfor, If you run a buisness based on public opinion, you will run it into the ground. The general public changes their minds like the wind. I would not let their take have any impact on the hire. But this is the ASG we are talking about, so they probably will do just the opposite.

Really, if the season is a good one, everyone will be happy. And, those bills you talk about will get paid because people will come to the games.

I do not understand everyone getting so worked up in June. I’m fine with either Drew or Casey. Not sure what I think about Jackson. He is not my favorite, but I’m willing to give him a chance.

Mike Woodson

June 10th, 2010
10:59 pm

Sund, I told you that you should kept me. A bird in the hand beats a bird in the bush!

Ken Cade

June 10th, 2010
11:00 pm

Jeff D.

Good call on Wooden. He’d probably be a lot easier to exhume at this point than Red. Like you said though, who knows what the current Hawks players would make of him. It’s a dice roll but really no more of one than the 3 candidates mentioned in the article.

Avery Johnson

June 10th, 2010
11:04 pm

Sund, refused my offer of 3 million per year .

locdog59

June 10th, 2010
11:05 pm

Steve Belkin is looking better and better! I agree Byron Scott should get an interview, but I have a dread fear that I know why he was fired from the Nets and the Hornets after having much success with both. I think he is just an A-hole, who loses his team after a while. I’d take him here if he could get us to the next level though. Look at what happened to the Hornets and the Nets after he was let go. The Hornets are an also ran and the Nets are a “still running”. If my choices were down to Casey, Drew and Jackson (never been a coach); my answer would be “what else do you have?”

Carpet Bagger

June 10th, 2010
11:05 pm

When you lose out to the Nets, does it really matter who you hire? Here’s to 30 wins and mediocrity part 2000.

Grandad

June 10th, 2010
11:07 pm

You Byron Scott folks forget he was shown the door twice.
He could not handle our locker room.
He cannot coach. He always [must have an X's & O's guy]
on the bench with him. he is NOT a teacher.
He is an appeaser. Didn’t they replace him in NJ
with an 11 year old Lawrence Frank. He also played golf
with C.Paul in N.O., now what is wrong with that you say?
A coach must seperate himself from the team as he is
their leader not their buddy. Think Jim Mora Jr.
OR
Woodson yelling @ Teague yet Bibby is obviously flying
1st class while certain other members are in the baggage
compartment.
Sorry – way too much time spent on BS. No / well yes pun intended.

GetwhatUpayfor

June 10th, 2010
11:08 pm

Well SECTION 303, You maybe right. Everyone has a opinion and I’m a good guy so I’ll respect yours. It just makes me sick that they only interviewed 4 and only one was proven winner. Why stop there? Interview Bryon Scott and couple more. We the Fans deserve a winner. No hard feeling section 303.

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
11:09 pm

lol @ Big Baby foaming @ the mouth..

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
11:11 pm

i remember listening to JVG on 790 talk about how the organization (front office), culture and commitment to winning plays a role in his desire to return to the sideline.

considering future and present free agent considerations this is sloppy.

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
11:18 pm

“emotionally drunk”

-JVG

cp

June 10th, 2010
11:21 pm

Great post Section 303 ,,,,, The team won 53 games last year and the fans still didn’t come out as they should but people on here think by hiring a certain coach fans will get excited and show up? Get the hell out of here with that logic. I just want them to hire the right guy. I don’t care about a sexy pick or any of that other crap. Get the right guy in here and I’m happy.

i_am_soulstar

June 10th, 2010
11:22 pm

Forgive my impatience, but I almost don’t care anymore.

Hawks Fan

June 10th, 2010
11:23 pm

Boston 81 to lal 72- 5 mins

Melvin

June 10th, 2010
11:26 pm

You gotta love Doc for staying with his bench players late in the 4th qtr in the NBA Finals…

Hawks Fan

June 10th, 2010
11:26 pm

cp, thats all we all want”The right guy.”

bigdave

June 10th, 2010
11:35 pm

officiating has left a lot to be desired..

HawkKingBibby

June 10th, 2010
11:44 pm

TYRONE CORBIN, ITS PRETTY SIMPLE COME ON SUND.

Section 303

June 10th, 2010
11:47 pm

GetwhatUpayfor, never any hard feelings about stuff on here. Just talking about Hawks b-ball, which I actually like to do.

Hoops

June 10th, 2010
11:54 pm

The Hawks need a “Big Splash” with their coaching hire! Casey, Drew, or Jackson will not fire up the Hawks fans or players. Go get Byron Scott, if Doc is not going to be available.

Byron Scott!!!

Dr. Warren

June 11th, 2010
12:04 am

Guys, it’s worth remembering that NO ONE had heard of Mike Smith, but he has done well with the Falcons.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
12:06 am

Larry Drew player’s choice.
* (they know he’ll be a player’s coach, whatever that is)
Larry Drew owner’s choice.
* (on the cheap)
Dwane Casey RS’ choice.
* (teacher)
Mark Jackson, I reckon he’s somebody’s choice.
* (yankee, carpet bagger, northern oppressor)

Did yawl know Mark Jackson had a rule named after him?
Known as the Mark Jackson rule:

“Notable for prompting an NBA rule change. In response to Jackson’s penchant for backing down opposing point guards in the post for 15 or more seconds at a time, the league instituted the Five-second rule (basketball), sometimes referred to as the “Mark Jackson Rule,” prohibiting an offensive player from dribbling with his back to the basket for more than 5 consecutive seconds when below the free throw line.”

cp

June 11th, 2010
12:12 am

@Grandad, wouldn’t that tend to make Mark effective?

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:13 am

@Joe’s place: “Michael Cunningham please try to interview the owners and gm to subliminaly tell them WE DO NOT WANT CASEY OR DREW!!!! Either Jackson, Scott, or Rivers would fit our team needs much more appropriately. Please help us fans voice to be heard amongst owners! ”

sorry, Joe, afraid i have no sway with the owners. i’m sure they are aware that Avery was the popular choice. the best way for fans to let owners know what they think is with their money.

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:16 am

@ Sec 303: “If you run a buisness based on public opinion, you will run it into the ground. The general public changes their minds like the wind. I would not let their take have any impact on the hire. But this is the ASG we are talking about, so they probably will do just the opposite.”

haha, good one.

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:18 am

@locdog: “I agree Byron Scott should get an interview, but I have a dread fear that I know why he was fired from the Nets and the Hornets after having much success with both. I think he is just an A-hole, who loses his team after a while.”

well, some people say the same thing about Avery . . .

HawkKingBibby

June 11th, 2010
12:18 am

MC I thought you guys at ajc all said that Sund had the owners trust here and that they would go with the coach Sund recommended. What happened? This isnt going to wind up like that JJ trade fiasco is it.

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:19 am

@cp: “The team won 53 games last year and the fans still didn’t come out as they should but people on here think by hiring a certain coach fans will get excited and show up? Get the hell out of here with that logic. I just want them to hire the right guy. I don’t care about a sexy pick or any of that other crap. Get the right guy in here and I’m happy.”

solid . . .

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:22 am

@Granddad: “Did yawl know Mark Jackson had a rule named after him? Known as the Mark Jackson rule”

Iso-Mark?

HawkKingBibby

June 11th, 2010
12:23 am

I thought that rule was named for Charles Barkley?

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:28 am

@HawkKingBibby: “MC I thought you guys at ajc all said that Sund had the owners trust here and that they would go with the coach Sund recommended. What happened?”

well, we didn’t say it. we reported that Gearon said that was the case. Sund himself said he consults with the owners. in the end, it still could end up being Sund’s choice. but i think it’s fair to say that this whole episode shows that ASG has more input into Sund’s choice than they’ve let on.

HawkKingBibby

June 11th, 2010
12:32 am

Yes sir MC, I think Sund is slowly but surely finding out why Billy Knight chose unemployment over a one year deal to work under ASG again.

Michael Cunningham

June 11th, 2010
12:32 am

@HawkKingBibby: “I thought that rule was named for Charles Barkley?”

funny you say that, because it seems most of the references i can find for this “Mark Jackson rule” seem to be come from Jackson’s people himself. and that whole scenario fits with Jackson’s rep for being kind of self-important and grandiose about his own rep.

MsDee

June 11th, 2010
12:33 am

Actually I’m kool with either Casey or Drew getting the HC position but Mark Jackson should DEFINELY be the assistant coach to help with Teague!! I believe fans and the players would still appreciate that coaching staff running the team.

CJDawg

June 11th, 2010
12:34 am

At least ACT like ur gonna interview a white guy….is there a clause in Chocolate City forbidding a white person from being involved? Wait, I ALMOST cared for a minute. I reallllly don’t care about the Hawks. I do appreciate the efforts that JS puts forth most of the time. I am ready to see No Show Joe Go and go soon. Rebuild around JS and Al Horford with a firm coach. JJ is a joke in big games now. I will continue to support the Celts and that is awful for a guy that loves this state.

Ice Berg Slim

June 11th, 2010
12:36 am

Je Je You asked “WHY IS EVERY CANDIDATE BLACK?” I ask “WHY NOT?”

HawkKingBibby

June 11th, 2010
12:43 am

Why is race even an issue here? Stop acting like clowns.

ntrigue

June 11th, 2010
12:55 am

MC,

Why hasn’t Steve Smith been interviewed he’s way better than Mark Jackson?

Masood

June 11th, 2010
1:20 am

Mark Jackson was a great point guard. Great point guards are an extension of their head coach on the floor. That trumps being an assistant coach. In order to be a great point guard, you have to always be aware of time, score, and situation. You also have to command respect and articulate what needs to be done to win — same as a coach. Jackson played under Rick Pitino, Pat Riley, Larry Brown, Lenny Wilkens and Jerry Sloan. He managed the egos of stars like Ewing, Reggie, Stockton and Malone, and hustled with role players like Oakley, Byron Russell and the Davis boys. He’s lead his teams to the Finals. None of the other candidates can say any of those things. Mark Jackson is the next Doc Rivers, and a perfect fit for what the Hawks need.

Joe

June 11th, 2010
1:28 am

I hope it is Mark Jackson, he will bring something new!

ntrigue

June 11th, 2010
1:51 am

Between the 3 left Id prefer taking a gamble on Larry Drew!

Clyde

June 11th, 2010
2:00 am

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
2:01 am

NEVER HEARD!

I NEVER heard anybody say, “I’m going to buy a ticket to go see Phil Jackson coach.”

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
2:36 am

Among other things, Mark Jackson is also a licensed minister perhaps explain his authoritative voice. He’s also a “street-baller” at heart, which means he should have no problem in communicating with a wide variety of players. Furthermore, if the ASG is looking for a celebrity star, Mark Jackson (and his lovely wife, Desiree Coleman) will be hard to beat. The Truth can’t lie; he would be an intriguing selection, no doubt. However, with him as coach, everything depends on how well he surrounds himself with coaching talent. Regardless of who the Hawks eventual coach will be, our 53 wins (3rd seed) will likely experience a setback at least for while until an adjustment of a new coach is in place.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
2:42 am

cp:
“@Grandad, wouldn’t that tend to make Mark effective?”

What’s he gonna do teach young Teaguer to back ‘em down?
Like MC said “Iso-Mark”.

How’s that kind of exp. gonna help develop young pt. guards.

Nah – we just got rid of one *jack-leg.
* ’scuse me he’s [M.Jack] a carpetbaggin’ northern oppressor.
My apologies to Mary Ellen.
I read today that you were from the north.(Queens, I believe)
I so happy you escaped.

By the way I had already read your 2:44 PM post today.
It didn’t matter though;
I knew your heart.
That’s why I counseled the young fella.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
2:44 am

*[I'M] so happy
still can’t type a lick.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
2:48 am

* I’m – (that’s better) dad-gum capital ‘M’ in my correction.

sam'l

June 11th, 2010
3:10 am

M. Jackson is clueless an an announcer, will be clueless as a coach…..There are other ex-ballplayers who would be better. If Drew had been effective as assistant, Hawks wouldn’t have been so blindsided at every turn……Casey…I don’t know…certainly not a slamdunk success. These are 3 very unappealing options, very limited search…..WHY?

Byron Scott sounds ok to me…….is this just a name being thrown about? .

Hotlanta Hot Sauce

June 11th, 2010
3:54 am

We have been season ticket holders for 3 years. All 3 years we have been calling for Woodson to be canned. Of the 3 candidates that people have said (Casey, Mark Jackson, Drew), I would have to go with Casey. Definitely not Mark Jackson. I say bring Doc back to Atlanta or offer Mark Price the head coaching job. He was a great PG but I don’t know about offering an assistant the job either! I’m just happy it’s not Woody. He was terrible and nobody paid attention to him in the TOs…

truthspitter

June 11th, 2010
4:01 am

Casey is not the guy. He did not maximize his situation as the pro Casey club will assert. You judge a coach by what he did with his role players not star, the same as everyone that hated Woody claimed that it was all iso-Joe, Minny was all Garnet in the words of Casey’s club. Casey is a joke. Fresh blood, shock the world with Mark Jackson or Laimbeer

ken

June 11th, 2010
6:03 am

marc jackson wasnt a great point guard he jus played wit great players n passed because he couldnt do ne thing else good…defense.. F, same 4 shooting

Muhammad Cali

June 11th, 2010
6:17 am

The reason why the Hawks are stalling is because the season isnt over yet. once the season ends , the hawks will then go after doc rivers , mikebrown, and byron scott. mark jackson will be the fourth ” candidate”. The ASG( Atlanta Sucker Group) would be complete idiots if they chose a coach from their current group of candidates. and will someone tell me how the hawks lost to new jersey in the Avery Johnson sweepstakes ??????

Notso Fast

June 11th, 2010
6:25 am

We need not only someone that can not only coach but also give the team some PR with the public. Mark Jackson may be the man. The other two may be just more of what we had.

wcj

June 11th, 2010
6:25 am

As long as these 8,9, 10 or whatever the number whom call themselves owners are involved in this, the hawks will most likely blow it. There are too many chefs in the kitchen for me.

How long....

June 11th, 2010
6:32 am

How long does it take to fire Sundofabytch? The idiot hasnt got a clue! What a foolish move to fire Mike Woodson. Of the three candidates remaining Mike Woodson is a clear UPGRADE!

Idiot Sund!!

How long....

June 11th, 2010
6:35 am

Fire the Con, ing han!!

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
6:50 am

Melvin,

You gotta love Doc for staying with his bench players late in the 4th qtr in the NBA Finals

Co-sign. He kept Rondo, Pierce, and KG on the bench until less than 4 minutes left in the fourth. Bench plays well, reward them. Although if the bench gave up the lead, Doc would have to deal with the question of why leave your starters on the bench so long. But his move shows trust in all his players.

Watching this game also reinforces that the Hawks were too dependent on one guy (JJ) last year. We need other players to step up for us to be successful, so hopefully players are working to improve their game, and the new coach will give them more responsibility.

MC,

but I think it’s fair to say that this whole episode shows that ASG has more input into Sund’s choice than they’ve let on

Some teams just let the basketball guy make the basketball decision (I don’t recall hearing all those other team owners meeting with potential coaches). But as the owner, I can understand you want to be part of the decision. I just wish they would be able to make the decision already, especially before all these articles come out about how they cant make up their mind.

SWAT Native

June 11th, 2010
7:50 am

I was watching Kenny Smith last night do analysis on NBA TV after the game, and I still say that if you want to hire a TV guy (and a point guard), he’s the guy I would go after. Won two championships, comes out of the Dean Smith program, even played for the Hawks briefly. When you hear him talk, he seems to have much more insight than Mark Jackson (hand down, man down, mama, there goes that man again – please). Kenny interviewed when they hired Woody and I hear he was very impressive, but they wanted someone with coaching experience. If they are still deadlocked after this weekend, I would call Kenny.

wordsmithtom

June 11th, 2010
7:52 am

Big Baby! 18 off the bench….
Watched him during the final game before the playoffs. He was on the floor, into the stands, all over the place. Jackson noted, he’s trying to make a statement about wanting more minutes in the upcoming playoff rotations. A statement was made and heard.

Whomever our new coach, he MUST play the bench, give them burn and push them. Our bench was a laughing stock…a ghost. Replace the bench we have or play them, whichever. Just give the bench burn. We wear out our starters and don’t develop our own “Big Baby”.

Get the new coach in before looking at draft prospects, please. We don’t need Rivers…just someone willing to play the bench and not rely on ISO when running out the clock is not an issue.

dap01

June 11th, 2010
7:53 am

If we are going to only hire from the scrap heap, why not interview Steve Smith. He is very smart, he was a smart player and he knows the team.

Since the Hawks had to start over several years ago, we have made bad decisions at almost every opportunity.

Atlanta Spirit

June 11th, 2010
8:04 am

It all comes down to which one is cheapest. Anyone interested at $7.25/hour?

BIG SWILL

June 11th, 2010
8:09 am

If the HAWKS havent contacted VANGUNDY who ever they get is going to be a step back DUMMMMMMIES!!!

Paddy

June 11th, 2010
8:21 am

what a sad way to operate a franchise. time marches on but nothing changes with the ASG. the hockey commish has had enough of theses guys when will david stern?

John Doe

June 11th, 2010
8:33 am

Steve Smith would be a great coach!

lewis

June 11th, 2010
8:35 am

Kenny the jet is far superior to Mark Jackson.
TNT buy’s the Hawks.
Kenny the Jet named HC.
Charles Barkeley his assistant.
We win at least 10 straight division championships starting 2010-2011, winning it all in 2015!
Just like TBS and the Braves.

Hire Casey already though, this whole ordeal is making our organization look even worse than it already did.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
8:37 am

Kenny Smith is on record of saying he’s interested in going into someone’s front office, not trying to be a coach but a GM or VP of Basketball Operations.

Right now, I’m truly starting to feel like shopping with my wife in a furniture store. And after saying your opinion for so long, all you can finally say is “Pick out the one you want and hurry up. I’ll be in the car waiting.”

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
8:42 am

Lewis, this isn’t making the organization look weird. New Jersey Nets fired their coach 3-4 weeks before we fired ours, and they just picked their coach 2 days ago.Cleveland and Atlanta are the only teams who were put out of the 2nd round of playoffs and fired their coaches. And both of those teams have yet to officially hire anyone. This doesn’t seem weird. If Sund chooses Drew (which I wouldn’t have a problem with), some of you will say why didn’t he just name Drew the head coach 2 days after firing Woody. Its all about doing a due process. And I really believe Sund took this long because he was told there was a small chance that Rivers could’ve been available. And if the Lakers would’ve beat Boston 4-1,4-0, or 4-2, he may would be right.

SC Smith

June 11th, 2010
8:44 am

I agree Bill Swill, Can’t figure out why Van Gundy was not contacted same as the case for Byron Scott.
Two proven coaches who the players would respect. With the final three they are looking at its like giving the keys to a Porche to a kid with a drivers permit.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
8:50 am

SC Smith, Van Gundy and Scott have both been FIRED TWICE! So its not as if both of these ‘drivers’ come with experience of winning a checker flag. The more experience without rings, just mean the more times that coach has failed.

JEWELL ROLLEN

June 11th, 2010
9:02 am

GRANDDAD. BYRON SCOTT TOOK THE NETS TO THE NBA FINALS…TWICE! TO INCLUDE LARRY (I’VE NEVER BEEN A HEAD COACH) DREW AND NOT SCOTT IS A JOKE. AND THE APG WILL GET WHAT THEY DESERVE!

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
9:11 am

Ramon,

You really believe it was suggested to sund to slow it down to see what doc is doing?

On the chance that doc might leave Boston? On the chance that he may want to coach somewhere else? On the chance he may want to coach the hawks (who chose Woody over him 6 years ago)? On the chance the ASG might pay his asking price?

I disagree. That would be too many chances for sund and the ASG.

And the issue for the hawks is not that they are taking long. The issue is they can’t agree who to hire.

ryan

June 11th, 2010
9:16 am

I think this is the end of the Spirit group owning the Hawks and Thrashers they have no money and no direction.

Mike is back

June 11th, 2010
9:21 am

MC, hoopsworld seems to be under the impression that it still will be Casey. However, by the time you get a chance to respond to this comment…it will probably be already announce.

I KEEP HEARING PEOPLE SAY…the ASG needs to sell the Thrashers and concentrate on the Hawks. However, I think the opposite is true. Clearly, the divide that sent the owners to court still exist. How else can you explain this recent debacle with the coaching search? WHO ALWAYS TAKES THE HIT…THE FANS OF COURSE!!!

No the ASG doesn’t need to sell the Thrasher…their pockets are deep for a Hockey team. However, they clearly need to sell the Hawks. When an organization has this much dissension amongst its leaders…they will always under achieve.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
9:36 am

Maybe us, the fans, should create a new site called WeWantANewOwner.com lol With blogs and petition about our distaste for ASG.

Big Ray

June 11th, 2010
9:52 am

1) I don’t think Steve Smith wants to coach. At least not right now. Maybe not ever. But it’s nice wishful thinking to ponder him as a Hawks head coach.

2) Assistant coaches are only as effective as their boss (the head coach) allows them to be. Do you think Thibodeau would be such a hot prospect if Doc Rivers didn’t let him run the defense and be so prominent on the sideline? For that reason alone, I say stop bashing Larry Drew for all the things Mike Woodson had control of.

3) A franchises’ owner or group of owners should not have this much spotlight all the time. More importantly, they should not have their flaws in the spotlight so much. They are only hurting themselves and this franchise. Every time an owner(s) is in the spotlight this much, it’s because they are either selling the team, firing somebody, or “F”-ing something up. More often than not, it’s that last one. Let your GM do his job. Whether he makes himself look like an a$$ or a champ, it’s all on him, and not you as the owner(s). That’s the way it’s supposed to work.

On the flip side of the coin, if you’re going to micromanage, then you better be out there making big moves and spending money. Nothing is worse than constantly micromanaging, and being a cheapskate at the same time. Public image then takes a major hit, and image/marketing is very important. You would think that businessmen would know that.

4) Yes, Rick Sund IS finding out why Billy Knight “quit.” Maybe Sund has more patience. We shall see.

5) Apparently trusting your general manager precludes the need/desire to get your hands in the mix. Seems the ASG would know by now that they don’t know how to pick a coach. They rebuffed Knight every time he tried to fire Woody, then along comes Sund, who decides to let him go.

That should have been clue #1 right there – you don’t know what you’re doing on the coaching scene, let the professional you hired handle it.

6) If I’m Joe Johnson, I’m outta here as fast as I can go. Why stick around for this foolishness?

Big Ray

June 11th, 2010
9:53 am

Hey, is David McDavid still wanting an NBA team of his own? Somebody got his number?

Thanks a lot, Ted Turner. Sold us out to your son and his friends. You deserve to be sued…

bigdave

June 11th, 2010
9:55 am

if the Hawks want Doc they could contact him/his agent now to see if there is mutual interest. they aren’t waiting for Rivers. speculation would be all in the media by now.

bigdave

June 11th, 2010
9:57 am

“If I’m Joe Johnson, I’m outta here as fast as I can go. Why stick around for this foolishness?”

or why would any other free agent or proven coach want to join it..

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
9:59 am

Big Ray, did David McDavid want to move the team though? It was a few owners who wanted to buy the Hawks and move them.

devoted reader

June 11th, 2010
10:03 am

Omg, look at all these comments! Screwing up not one, but two teams! Look how much damage they (ASG) have done, and doing it over, and over again. Look at the Thrashers – a decade of bad decisions, but of course, we hear that (DW) ” we are moving the right direction”… As long as ASG owns these teams, there is no good future for either one of them. So pathetic!

Hawks get flushed

June 11th, 2010
10:04 am

What we waitin same as No coach for Thrashers inept owners n president is Waddell makin decison on Hawks coach to…

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
10:10 am

Ramon – Don’t let your frustrations get the best of you.
it means they took their time made
a good decision & everything is running smoothly with
our Hawks.
Do not let the negativity overcome you.
Most decisions that are solid are made with time & deliberation.
C’mon now, be patient, we are almost home.
RS & the ASG are not Arthur Blank + Dimitroff but we are -NOT-
the “Clippers” either.
Relax, think positive.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
10:13 am

*If they hire Casey*
Was omitted as the beginning of 2nd sentence.
Don’t know how that happened?

sbeck

June 11th, 2010
10:24 am

None of the ones considered will take us to the next level. You dont hire Avery Johnson with experience but you consider hiring Mark Jackson with none. He is a good announcer but I doubt he will be a good coach. The Hawks are going backwards!

Hawks73

June 11th, 2010
10:24 am

Enter your comments here

Terrell

June 11th, 2010
10:26 am

Does anyone know why they fired B Scott? It was because the team wasn’t winning. That’s why the hornets fired him. He didn’t played his younger guys ala Woody and you all want him as a coach? The only person on the Hornets that was mad he got fired was Chris Paul so what does that tell you?

The Flash

June 11th, 2010
10:27 am

This is a tug of war between Gearon, on the one hand, and the dudes from DC on the other, who could agree on only one thing–how to get rid of Belkin so they could continue their game of King of the Hill without the one guy who could actually manage an organization and make strategic decisions.

They hired a GM and a damn good one and he should be making this decision.

The reason that he is not is because the tragi-farce of a game of King of the Hill goes on. You can bet that the negotiations about the head coach will include trade offs about who gets to name which assistants, or who gets to decide on how much to pay which free agent, etc.

Sund, I’d have to believe, is pretty pissed off by now. However, he has done well by this team and I’m sure he is in there fighting. I have to think at the end of the day he will decide which of the candidates will be hired, or will not be around long.

Life is too short and he is too good to put up with these three guys treating the Hawks as their play toy. He will not be able to stop that completely but, in the end, will have his pick among the choices that are now on the table. Whether they are his choices to begin with is, however, anybody’s guess.

I hate to say I told you so but I did. When this battle with Belkin began over the trumpted up issue of whether they needed to give the picks to get JJ after they had bought the pot with the dollar offer, I said that BK had sold his soul for 10 pieces of silver, that he didn’t know it but he had emasculated himself, and that Gearon and the DC dudes would soon turn on eachother, because that is what guys like them do.

You guys had a real chance for decent ownership until Stern bailed out when Gearon et al failed to ever have their own evaluation of the team conducted and the Md court of appeals screwed the pooch by overturning a well-grounded decision of the trial judge.

Now you are stuck with a bunch of bad boys masquerading as an ownership “team” but who are its antithesis.

The media in this town should be demanding to know WTF is going on, how in heaven’s name ownership has not ceded complete authority to make this decision to Sund, whose job it is to make it and who has shown himself to be a very, very capable GM

Jason

June 11th, 2010
10:32 am

“adding that the varying schedules of the decision-makers also has contributed to the delay.” – Wish we could change that about the franchise. Not a fan of ownership groups OR corporate ownerships. Individual and family ownerships seem to make smarter decisions and keep the franchise more in touch with the community.

dap01

June 11th, 2010
10:41 am

Surely, the media will question this obviously foolish decision making process.

Carpet Bagger

June 11th, 2010
10:53 am

I’d pay money to watch CHARLES BARKLEY coach. He’d at least tell Josh Smith to grow up when he needs to. Imagine the post game interviews.
Charles- “We were terrrrible tonight. Mike Bibby need to retirrrre. He can’t guard a shopping mall with those neeeees.” “If I had half of Josh Smith’s abbbbbbilty I’d still be playing.”

It’d be golden. A lot more fun to watch then someone acting like they can make this group contenders when we all know better.

Get a center first. Move Al (the hardest working man in the biz, to PF)
Then worry about a coach.

It don’t matter until we get some size. No Joe Smith don’t count.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
11:00 am

Grandad, the problem is the ownership disagree so much, and take so long to make wrong decisions. Last season they took a good while to re-sign Bibby and Marvin. Although they took that long, they still made a wrong decision in overpaying both of them. During the playoff series, the owners should have already been prepared of what to do if they decided to retain Woodson, or if they decided to let him go. If its not a unanimous choice, take a vote on four options CASEY- JACKSON- DREW- OR NEITHER. The one who has the most votes, go with that option. Majority of these owners don’t know anything about basketball. So its frustrating sometimes as a fan.

Think about it before you say it

June 11th, 2010
11:14 am

It’s funny to me how many people say that we shouldn’t look at Larry Drew. So many have said he’s Mike Woodson partII. This is ignorant. For one, how many of you would expect to be considered for your manager’s job if he/she were to move on. And how many of you would resent the notion that you are not your own person.
Second, I think it speaks volumes when you have a lead assistant who tried to leave but was basically held at gunpoint by his contract. Since he tried to leave, that would indicate he didn’t like the directoin the team was being directed.
Third, for all you same folks saying that it should be Phil Jackson, you need to consider the fact that he had the same detractors stating that he was just Doug Collins part II. Yes, that’s right….PJ was Doug Collins’ assistant. I’m just sayin’…..

Better to have people wonder if you’re a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Khao$

June 11th, 2010
11:17 am

The Hawks biggest problem isn’t who is playing the 5, running too many isolations for Joe, Josh’s immaturity or a switching defense. The issue is upstairs: The ASG.

Khao$

June 11th, 2010
11:31 am

My question to all is this: what is the true role of an Assistant Coach NBA? Are they simply called upon to help run drills in practice or are they relied upon to provide significant imput to the Head Coach that will influence the game plan?

If it is the latter (ala Tom Thibedeux for Boston, Avery Johnson under Don Nelson, or Tex Winters and his Triange for Phil Jackson), I do believe people are are justified in their concerns that Larry Drew is going to be the next coach. Based off Thibedeux (sp), Johnson, and Winter’s examples, word gets around the league when an assistant has placed his imprint on a team without usurping power from the HC. I don’t see nor have I heard that Larry Drew has done such with our Hawks…and he’s been on our sidelines for 6 years. Nobody has been knocking on our door to make him THEIR HEAD COACH. The Alvin Gentry comparison falls short because Gentry has been a head coach before.

IMHO Either 1) Drew didn’t bring anything to the table to make Woody rethink his strategies, player development or rotations, 2)Drew was in agreement with Woody’s style of play, 3)Drew was too silent OR 4) Woody was too stubborn to listen to Drew and ownership and the players knew it.

If it’s not example four, there is NO WAY Drew becomes my coach. I’m sorry, but after losing by the largest point margin in PLAYOFF HISTORY, the idea of anyone coming in from Woodson’s staff terrifies me.

I believe Drew is a good guy. He’s a family man, for sure. He wanted to move out west to be closer to his son, but the ASG wouldn’t let him out of his contract. All that being said, I’m not sold on him being our coach.

Truth be told, Woody’s rep around the league (if we recall media reports before we hired him) shined brighter than Drew’s.

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
11:47 am

One thing for sure; the longer the ASG wait, the more likely it will NOT BE Casey. His issue may have nothing to do with his basketball knowledge or X’s and O’s. After reviewing his video interview (again), it may have more do with his even uninspiring temperament and lack of NBA player experience. That would translate into questions about his ability to motivate his players. In other words, could he actually motivate and inspire players like Josh and Al to play harder even though he’s telling them all the Right things? It is without question, that Casey is a “nice guy”. The problem is that “nice guys” with the wrong temperament and no NBA playing experience will likely always finish last. Kevin McHale main reason for firing him was that he couldn’t get his players to play consistently. The players would tone-in some games and then tone-out during other games. Even Lebron James has indicated in a recent report his preference for playing for a coach that has played in the NBA.

According to a source, one thing James has let the organization know is that he’s interested in a coach that has played in the NBA. Scott, who had a good relationship with James’ close friend Chris Paul, would fit that bill. That is why the Cavs are so interested.

Big Ray

June 11th, 2010
11:51 am

This just in, guys…

The ASG has made a decision.

They’ve decided to have a forum on a committee to appoint a time to have a caucus on when to think about having that conference call.

cp

June 11th, 2010
11:53 am

Lol Big Ray. I think Clyde and myself were wondering 2 years ago how much different this team would be if David McDavid had actually bought this team instead of the ASG. It looks like Sund is finding out why BK said he would rather leave than come back another year. If you don’t trust your gm to make the decisions then why even have one? Sund seems like a pretty good basketball guy. Let him make the decisions and stop the foolishness. Drew will probably get the job and the crazy thing about that is if the owners had let BK do his job Drew would have been the coach years ago anyway…. I don’t think you can hold Drew being Woodrows assistant against him. All he could do is offer suggestions to Woodrow. The Woodpecker came out numerous times and said his assistants tried to convince him to try other things but he wouldn’t listen. I’m sorry but you cant blame that on Drew. At the end of the day it was up to Woodrow to either listen to the advice or ignore it. And we have all seen how stubborn he is so most times he just ignored it.

Big Ray

June 11th, 2010
12:00 pm

Well said, Flash . I see you’re still lurking, though far less often…

Big Ray

June 11th, 2010
12:02 pm

CP

I couldn’t agree more, my friend…

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:36 pm

Will 1 person, and 1 person only, please buy this freakin team?

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:41 pm

Dr. Warren, the Falcons were rebuilding when they hired Mike Smith. Thats a totally different situation. It’s ok to hire the “no name” coach, if you will. Example: Mike Woodson.

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
12:41 pm

Cleveland has their plan A (Izzo) and plan B (Byron Scott). The Clippers are rumored to be waiting until after July 1 to hire a coach (they want to gauge LbJ’s interest, and which coach he likes). Mike Woodson was let go on May 14, and the Hawks have no idea who the next coach will be.

If I’m JJ, I am signing with the Bulls (assuming the money is close), because I think they have better players, and better ownership.

PG – Rose is way better than any of the Hawks PGs
SF – Deng is better than Marvin
PF – Josh is better than the Bulls PF
Center – Although I give Horford the edge, Noah is good enough to keep it close.

Not to mention, the Bulls can sign one big name FA outright, and SNT for another one. Plus I would rate Thibodeau over Drew, Jackson, and Casey.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
12:42 pm

While we’re talking about what are the ASG members going to do, the question I would like to pose is, what David Stern going to do about the officiating which seems to get worse every year? The worse the referees get, the worse the NBA seems. I can’t even say the referees have been cheating, because they’ve made bad calls to all 32 NBA teams. Something has to be done.

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:47 pm

MC, you think Byron’s an a..hole? Well at least he gives his bench an opportunity to play, lets his rookies play through their mistakes, and never blames his players after losses. Now that’s an a..hole for ya!

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:51 pm

And MC , if you dont think more fans would show up if we hired Rivers, Avery, or Scott, as opposed to Drew, or Casey, you must be smoking.

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:52 pm

And people, MARK JACKSON ISN’T LEAVING ABC TO BE AN ASSISTANT COACH. Jesus!

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
12:56 pm

Terrell, actually its the opposite. The only rookie Byron let play through mistakes was CP3, and that’s because he had no one else on the bench to replace them. Byron doesn’t have an offense that’s creative and productive either. Not saying he wouldn’t win with the Hawks, but I think he’s more like Woody than he’s different from Woody.

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
1:00 pm

Whether Lebron James realized it at the time, but by him making the statement suggesting he’s only interested in a coach that has played in the NBA, means he will not be playing for Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat (just to name a few teams with non-NBA player coaches)

D.W.

June 11th, 2010
1:01 pm

Hopefully whatever decision is made it works out good. After this they need to move agressively forward with some player moves, like trading Josh Smith. I’m fine with him going somewhere else and being a superstar if that’s his destiny.

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
1:07 pm

The Truth,

I wouldnt put too much into it though. These guys will say a lot of stuff, but in the end, it will come down to money, and the ability to win.

Ramon,

I would have been okay with Byron Scott, but I wasn’t that impressed with him either. But thats the thing about coaching hires. If the coaches were that good, they would not be unemployed.

They all have their flaws. Who would be the best fit? I dont know. If I had to choose between Drew, Jackson, and Casey, I think I would go with Casey (but he has to bring in very experienced assistants). But I would be okay with Drew too.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
1:18 pm

O’Brien, hears a name for you. Del Harris. I wonder would management be willing to spend to bring Del Harris as a top assistant for either one of the three.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
1:20 pm

terrell

June 11th, 2010
1:36 pm

Ramon, he played his young players,(didnt have many), and his bench players. Julian Wright, Hilton Armstrong, Pargo, Rasual Butler, Ely,, etc. They all got decent min, and I never seen him scald any of them for making a freakin mistake.

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
1:38 pm

O’Brien

With a player like Lebron James, money is perhaps his least concern since he knows that’s a given no matter what team pursues him. I will agree that “the ability to win” is his most pressing concern and perhaps the reason he made the statement. His statement also revealed an issue he may have had with Mike Brown who also has no NBA player experience.

DC

June 11th, 2010
1:40 pm

ASG….PLEASE PLEASE sell the Hawks to a rich basketball fan who do what’s right for the fans. Picture no one wanting to come play with the Hawks because of ownership and us fans dreading to pay full price for a ticket to benefit an ownership group that does not give a crap.

MARK CUBAN please by the HAWKS.
Arthur Bkank you too, PLEEEAASSEE!!

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
1:48 pm

Ramon,

I would like having a Guy like del Harris on the bench, regardless of who gets the HC job.

I would like a Guy like maurice cheeks too (former sixers HC who was an assistant with Scott Brooks in OKC staff).

Terrell,

What I read about Byron Scott is that his success was due mostly to the talent of Kidd and CP3 running the show, not necessarily his coaching.

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
1:57 pm

@ O’Brien I would too! Harris was the head coach of over 10 playoff teams. Now that I think about it, I would love to be able to have Mark Jackson with Harris (or Cheeks) as the lead assistant. With a situation like that, you get the best of both worlds, experience with the name. Actually I wouldn’t be disappointed if Harris was the HEAD COACH. He’s just as good of a candidate as the three that’s left.

northcyde

June 11th, 2010
1:57 pm

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:51 pm

And MC , if you dont think more fans would show up if we hired Rivers, Avery, or Scott, as opposed to Drew, or Casey, you must be smoking.

*******************

Terrell . . . the Atlanta fan base might show up for those first few games to see a Doc Rivers. But it’s not like they’re going to show up to more games, simply because Doc is the coach. If we’re a mediocre team at home, they’ll stop showing up altogether.

Shoot . . we won 34 home games, the most in about 15 years, and the fans showed up LESS than they did in 2009.

**********************

terrell

June 11th, 2010
12:52 pm

And people, MARK JACKSON ISN’T LEAVING ABC TO BE AN ASSISTANT COACH. Jesus!

***************

LOL . . now THIS we agree with. He’s not leaving a job like that to be an assistant coach. He may be getting paid more doing commentary, than he would being an assistant.

Show me state

June 11th, 2010
2:02 pm

It looks like da hawks are gonna make dwane casey their next head coach….
http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/22483460?tag=headlines;nba

tyger

June 11th, 2010
2:10 pm

The real question is are any of these guys better than Woody?

NO!

terrell

June 11th, 2010
2:14 pm

“Hawks hiring Casey to replace Woodson, is like hiring Bob Weiss to replace Fratello”. Lol!

Clyde

June 11th, 2010
2:20 pm

I thought Sund was the GM. Why does he need permission to hire a coach? That’s what’s wrong with the Hawks. We got too many heads trying to steer the ship.

BillyKnight tried to Fire Woody but the Spirit Group stopped him. Now Sund probably wants to hire a coach but the dam Spirit Group is at work again. SMH

If you hire someone to do a job let them do the job and sit ya tail down. Atlanta sports have the worst ownership groups in professional sports.

Rondo

June 11th, 2010
2:32 pm

Your hawks won 53 games and you fellas treat them like they r basketball garbage-And Clyde the Falcons-Braves-Hawks-Thrashers all have winning seasons this year your teams are better than most teams in other major cities.

northcyde

June 11th, 2010
2:38 pm

I agree that they need to let Sund handle the hiring process. If he’s the GM, let him be the GM. That way, Sund can get the credit if the new coach succeeds, and get the blame if the new coach fails.

It seems to me though that each group had their own pick.

Sund – Casey

Gearon? – Drew

Somebody else – Mark Jackson

And Avery was brought in to appease the fans, and may have been the consensus favorite amongst the owners

Now that Avery is out of the picture, the owners want their guy to be the coach. While Sund prefers to do the hiring himself, and bring in his guy.

Clyde

June 11th, 2010
2:39 pm

Yea they all had winning seasons but how many championships do they have since they been in Atlanta?

1

Sean Williams

June 11th, 2010
2:41 pm

Yeah, Clyde’s the man! Let me hit that Clyde…

terrell

June 11th, 2010
2:47 pm

Rondo

June 11th, 2010
2:47 pm

Hey Sean be careful what you smoke you may end up with the meth mouth

Clyde

June 11th, 2010
2:50 pm

Sean did you get your invite to participate on the summer league team?

Ramon

June 11th, 2010
2:54 pm

So it seems Sund isn’t leaning toward Casey, but towards Jackson, and Gearon may be leading towards Drew.

jroc

June 11th, 2010
3:07 pm

Jackson can bring better assistant coaches than Casey or Drew.Matter of fact the hawks should hire the top three guys and make Mark the coach and Drew and Casey top assistants.

jroc

June 11th, 2010
3:09 pm

Instead of having two coaches like the C’s got the Hawks can have three Jackson, Casey and Drew.The three headed monster.

MsDee

June 11th, 2010
3:22 pm

Mann!! I would love it if Larry gets the HC position and Mark be the assistant! That would be great for the team and fans!

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
3:23 pm

HIGH SCHOOLIN’

The Truth

It is very ironic to me that LeBron said he prefers to play for a coach who has played in the NBA?
Considering, he NEVER played in COLLEGE!

Ken Strickland

June 11th, 2010
4:45 pm

Have you ever heard the old saying, YOU CAN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES? Well, if you have, consider this. When former GM Billy Knight realized that hiring HC Mike Woodson was a big mistake and tried to fire him, who do you think prevented him from doing it. As the GM, he sure as hell didn’t prevent himself from firing him, DUH.

Now to our current HC situation. Even though it’s been substantiated numerous times by insiders in the know that the holdup in making a selection is due to ownership being divided on their choices, we still have these delusional and agenda driven fans who insist on placing all of the blame on GM Rick Sund. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT SOME PEOPLE LACK THE ABILITY AND/OR INTELLIGENCE TO SEE THE FOREST OR THE TREES.

Here’s my take on the problem:

First, RSund probably wants to hire Casey because of his loyalty and familiarity with him, due to having worked with him for 6yrs in Seattle.

Secondly, part of the ASG group wants to hire MJackson, even though he’s totally unproven and has absolutely no coaching experience whatsoever. Why, because they probably think as an announcer he’s more of a celebrity and has more name recognition, which they feel can generate more fan interest and put butts in the seats, at least in the beginning.

Thirdly, there’s the portion of the ASG that supports LDrew. They probably feel that hiring him would reduce the amount of change the players would have to go through, as well as lessen the effects of having to go through the potential problems of adjusting to a new personality. They might also feel, or have some inside information that leads them to believe, his hiring would give them a better chance of resigning JJ.

One thing is certain. None of the other candidates can possibly have a greater insight into what was wrong with certain Hawk players, and the team in general, or what it would take to correct those problems, than Larry Drew. And those fans who’ve put forth so much effort to try an justify hiring Mark Jackson have to be commended for trying to make a mountain our of a none existent mole hill.

I mean why fire Woodson, a former NBA vet who was successful despite definitely having issues, and who apprenticed under one of the best HC’s ever, if all we’re going to do is hire another former NBA vet who’s too arrogant and self absorbed to feel the need to get any coaching experience whatsoever? How do we know he’s not another version of Woodson? You know, stubborn, arrogant, self absorbed, unable to make changes or adjustments, paranoid, and unwilling to listen to input from his coaching staff, especially since he’d be less qualified and/or knowledgeable than any of his assistants.

All I can say is I hope in the end, both Sund and the ASG don’t fall for the sizzle rather than the steak, like some of our fans, and hire Mark Jackson.

O'Brien

June 11th, 2010
4:57 pm

Ken,

Co-sign. Mark Jackson will have growing pains, and OJT. but it should not be with a veteran team like the hawks.

An it bothers me that He wants to be a HC but refuses to be an assistant HC, which is the best way to improve and make yourself more marketable.

jroc

June 11th, 2010
5:12 pm

A 50 plus win team that advanced to the second round in the playoffs for two straight years i wonder why there haven’t been more coaching canidates knocking the door down begging for this head coaching job.

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
5:24 pm

Jroc

Your answer is in your question.
- dali lahma maryb -

gcs

June 11th, 2010
5:38 pm

ASG, Keep looking. All these guys are losers and will not get the Hawks out of the first round.

.

DawgDad

June 11th, 2010
5:59 pm

If they were going to hire Drew wouldn’t they have do so already? I mean, on Monday you release Woodson and on Tuesday you announce Drew. Didn’t happen.

If the owners are truly “torn” on who to hire, good luck Hawks. I really don’t see any way this team doesn’t take significant steps backward in the next few years.

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
6:06 pm

Big Ray:
I read somewhere that David McDavid went bankrupt.

Ramon & O’B:
Del harris is older than I am.
However, he is probably the best basketball mind out there.

The Truth:
You mentioned, The; Bulls, Heat, Cavs [if Izzo signs on],
+ *Knicks* D’Antoni didn’t play in NBA (did he)? [euro]? Italy.

That leaves the Nets & Avery !!!

* Unless the Clippers hire Woody. “Iso-Bron~Bron”

Grandad

June 11th, 2010
6:12 pm

* The Truth – was referring to the fact he wanted
to play on a team that had a coach who had played
in the NBA.
* I forgot to note the referrence. * ABOVE…^…*

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
6:17 pm

Grand-Daddy

Last I heard David McDavid won a $20 something million dollar judgment against the Ted Turner Group.
(TNT / TBS ?)

Of course that doesn’t mean he will ever see a dime of it. Didn’t he own car dealerships in Texas?
I guess when the financial markets crashed, a slew of dealers went down in flames.

Oh Well!

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
6:20 pm

drmaryb

Great observation about Lebron; With him being the biggest pampered star in the league, he will likely get what he wants (again) so the Cavs will likely pass on Izzo and pursue Scott. For a noncommittal player that hasn’t signed a contract, he has basically called all the shots; so much so that the Cavs should make him their GM/player. Though he puts butts in the seats, that organization has gone through 2 coaches and now 3 GMs since his arrival. I hope their ownership is making a profit because “baby Labron” sure as hell been squeezing them.

The Truth

June 11th, 2010
6:28 pm

Grandad

Believe it or not, Mike D’Antoni played for the San Antonio Spurs in 1977. But his Spurs career lasted just two games before he found an opportunity to play successfully overseas. Depending on how Lebron feels about that, the Knicks could still be in the mix.

Keith

June 11th, 2010
6:29 pm

It was just now on the news they went with Larry Drew the assistant coach. That is confirmed.

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
6:37 pm

The Truth
(The whole TRUTH and nothing but …so help me …)

I have heard of Coach – Killers, but this LeBron guy takes it to a whole ‘Nother (dang – is that a word?) Level!he is becoming an “Organization- Killer”

Players keep saying, “He’s so humble.”. Humble my azz! The devil is in the details.
Why the charade LeBron? Just say if your are going to re-sign or not, the world is waiting and so are the Cavaliers. Be a man about it – you are NOT Brett Farve, you have won nothing, but personal accolades!

If you have a team you like, call them and begin negotiations. It’s just basketball – man!
You’re solving any world issues, you’re not stopping the oil leak in the Gulf!

JeJe

June 11th, 2010
6:50 pm

Larry Drew?

are you !@#$ing serious? That’s the best we can do with a borderline elite team?

Wtf did he say in the interview to get this job?

drmaryb

June 11th, 2010
6:51 pm

Congratulations!

To the new HC – Larry Drew. He has paid his dues and he deserves this opportunity! I like stability within this organization, as it relates to keeping things “status – qou” until the owners settle their decade law suit!

I don’t like revolving doors at the coaching levels. Woodson had six years and that was stability as well.

See: Utah & San Antonio & Duke University, et.al.

Don’t worry about the coaches so much, focus on the roster and get some real players in here.
I am sure the players exit interviews all endorsed Larry Drew as a keeper & that is also a critical key to creating a winning locker room atmosphere!

When the Hawks hired the college rookie coach, Lon Kreuger?
Dikembe Mutombo said, “I already went to college!”. I knew right then, that hire wasn’t gonna work, the players have to buy into whoever is selling what they’re selling! That is step one!

Like Charles Barkley said when asked his thoughts on how much fault is it when teams lose,
“This is a PLAYERS league, and you can not win without the PLAYERS.”. He, in essence put the onus on the players for not winning basketball games.

So, great hire for Larry Drew. Best wishes to Mark and Dwayne.

JeJe

June 11th, 2010
6:52 pm

Good luck ever getting a free agent in here with this guy as coach.

Maybe it was Woody’s stubbornness or the !@#$%yness of our assistants or both

Who the hell are his assistants gonna be?

Bob Bender, Jim Todd, Tyrone, and Mark Price?

SMMFH

JeJe

June 11th, 2010
6:53 pm

THIS WAS PURELY A FINANCIAL MOVE AS THE ASG HAS NO MONEY, IS MAKING LOSSES ON THE TEAMS, AND SUCK

northcyde

June 11th, 2010
7:12 pm

But JeJe . . . this is what you wanted right?

They “fired” Woody.

Now we have a new coach.

If this is true, congrats to Coach Drew. You’ll probably get about a 60 day grace period before the fans turn on you.

Fortunately, they’ll probably turn on Crawford, Smoove, Horford, definitely Marvin and Bibby even more, and most definitely JJ if he’s still around . . . . before they turn on you.