Archive for May, 2009

  Because it’s all about the page views these days, there’s an outside chance AJC.com will lead a story with something like: “Sources indicate Matthew Stafford and Lindsay Lohan are dating and plan to attend next year’s Georgia-Florida game, which by the way could be moved to Atlanta, and for more on the LATEST RECRUITING WARS, CLICK HERE!!!!!”

  This makes it difficult when the actual story is about topics that generally don’t generate as much Internet traffic, like, say, the economy or world peace. But that’s what transitions are for.

  Which leads me to the leadoff item in this week’s Tuesday Countdown: Horse racing.

The Count is a lady's man.

NO WAIT! COME BACK! THIS IS REALLY GOOD!

  It’s also about SEX!

  See. It works.

  Take it, Count.

 10. Blanket of roses not much of a consolation

If you missed Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, it was won by a horse named Mine That Bird. This is the sports equivalent of the Nationals winning the World Series, if most of the Nationals’ …

Continue reading Nothing worse than a gelding in a singles barn »

If Mike Woodson feels vindicated after going 106-222 in his first four seasons but winning a playoff series in year five, it's no wonder. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)

Two months ago, the Hawks were coming off a loss in Charlotte that dropped them to 2-6 in a stretch and 13-18 since January. They were sliding. They had an enigmatic star (Josh Smith) and a combustible coach (Mike Woodson) who were having a very public feud.

Woodson, the aforementioned coach, took the brunt of the criticism. It happens. When a coach goes 106-222 in his first four seasons, he gets a lot of things thrown his way. One of them is not the benefit of the doubt.

It follows that when new general manager Rick Sund decided to bring Woodson back – albeit with a lukewarm two-year contract – the public response was mixed.

But Tuesday night, the Hawks are some place few figured they would be: In Cleveland. In the playoffs. Playing.

It doesn’t matter that the Hawks are massive underdogs against …

Continue reading Playoff series win is validation for Woodson »

Dwyane Wade (41 points) was at one level Friday night, and the Hawks were significantly below in a 98-72 loss to the Heat.

MIAMI — It really doesn’t matter what it was the Miami Heat finally zeroed in on Friday night as a source of motivation. Pretty much everything had been thrown out there — an “insulting” showboating dunk attempt by Josh Smith in Game 5, an excitable turbo-lipped broadcaster, possibly even global warming.

Here’s the only real question that matters: What happened to the Hawks’ motivation?

With a chance to clinch their first playoff series in 10 years, they instead reminded everybody why it has been 10 years.

They lost 98-72. That’s really only an assumption because most people stopped paying in the third quarter.

“I didn’t have a good game, and a lot players on the team didn’t have a good game,” said Josh Smith. If nothing else, he gets points for his ability to summarize. (And there is nothing else: He was 3-for-13 for eight points.)

The Hawks shot 37 …

Continue reading This is a lesson on how not to close the deal »

This was Miami's Dwyane Wade in Game 5, clearly not feeling so good. (AP photo.)

LIVE FROM MIAMI! — Sorry for the screaming. But it’s been a while since I’ve been to a potential series-clinching game. In the NBA. Involving the Hawks.

You know a playoff series is starting to get out of hand when camera crews go to a Hawks’ shoot-around and surround their radio play-by-play announcer. That’s what happened this morning, when broadcaster Steve Holman was encircled by Miami media members, as if, like, he was an escaped war criminal, or maybe had something to do with this pig flu.

If you haven’t heard by now, Holman was a little bit rough on the Heat’s Dwyane Wade in Game 5 Wednesday night at Philips Arena. Here’s a link to a nice audio/picture montage and another link to a recap in the Palm Beach Post.

Here's Mr. Meanie, Hawks' radio voice Steve Holman. (Getty Images.)

I’ll wait here until you’re done listening, watching and reading. Then I’ll give you Holman’s …

Continue reading Hawks’ Holman a meanie, film at 11! »