Woodson running his new offense: Pick-and-whine
Here's Mike Woodson holding his breath, waiting for a contract extension.
Most coaches would embrace a strong off-season like the one the Hawks have had and try to use it to build some momentum and excitement for the upcoming season.
But Mike Woodson is not like most coaches. He prefers to whine.
Woodson is entering the final year of his contract. He apparently wants to make sure everybody knows that. I guess the hope is, I dunno, somebody starts a Save-The-Woody write-in campaign. The combustible one spoke about his situation again this weekend to Yahoo Sports. Most of the comments echoed those he told our premier hoops writer, Sekou Smith, three months ago. But Woodson turned up the rhetoric, saying: “Am I a little disappointed that none of my staff and I were extended contracts this year? You’re damn right I am because we deserve it. … Any other coach probably would’ve been extended, without a doubt. … For us not to be extended is not right.”
You know what’s not right? A coach who goes 106-222 in his first four seasons and doesn’t get fired, only to then ask for a new contract after his first — first — winning season before the existing contract has expired.
The Hawks won a playoff series last year. Woodson wants to cash in. But the Hawks aren’t exactly in contract extension mode right now. General manager Rick Sund didn’t even give an extension to point guard Mike Bibby before last season. Why would he do that for Woodson, who doesn’t nearly have Bibby’s career resume? (Bibby got his extension after the season).
Sund could’ve fired Woodson when he was hired as GM last year. He didn’t. He gave him a two-year contract. He basically told the coach: “I think you deserve a chance to come back but I’m not committing to you long term. Let’s re-evaluate in 2010.”
It’s 2009.
If Woodson really felt as secure as he claims he is, he would coach the team Sund improved this off-season, take the Hawks to the next level and then use that as leverage in negotiations. Then again, maybe he’s just not as confident as he says he is.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
207 comments Add your comment
J.C.
September 4th, 2009
6:44 am
Jeff Shultz, I am still waiting for you to post your resume. Be truthful on why you are not with your previous employer. I would also like for you to list your salary for each job and tell me about any accomplishments and achievements. Please note any recognitions . Let’s even discuss how you received your job at AJC. (Probably networking with a friend or another former co-worker. I doubt very seriously that AJC recruited you and said ” Oh please Mr. Jeff, will you come and write stupid things to spread poison and negativity in the community. We need someone to be as disruptive as possible because foolishness is what we want to market.
Sure , I would love to have lunch with you. I just so happened to solicit a pay raise and a job committment based on what I did last year and guess what “I GOT A RAISE AND A COMMITTMENT !!!” GO FIGURE !
Bob Weiss
September 4th, 2009
5:51 pm
Bob Weiss
September 3rd, 2009
7:10 pm
Ken, Ray, Help me get my job back.
Big Ray
September 3rd, 2009
10:23 pm
Bob Weiss,
Sorry, no can do. But you can contact Truth Serum. He might be able to help. But don’t tell him you’re white. You might get gibbered at, then chased around the yard with a sharp stick.
Look smart alec, I understand that you are a fake black man who pimps racism to get your jolly on. Im white and I know that counts for something with you. I just want my job back. Keep up the hate on Coach Woodson and then when guys like Mike Vick or O J ask you who do you think should be the coach you plug and play my name see. Its a complicated scheme that can be between you and me see…
Truth-Serum
September 6th, 2009
12:03 am
Now I am posting as Bob Weiss. Not that anybody can tell. Uh oh there goes one of the voices in my head telling on me again. I wish my other voice JC would stop posting on this blog when my main personality is asleep.
Truth-Serum
September 6th, 2009
12:06 am
“We need someone to be as disruptive as possible because foolishness is what we want to market.”
Truth-serum
September 4th 2009
12:00 a.m.
Wow, that description fits me to a “T.” That describes me in a nutshell.
jt in dallas
September 6th, 2009
1:51 pm
Dos Hawkquis, the Hawks could replace Woodson with a high school coach for a lot less than Woodson is costing them now. ANY coach can tell the players to just give it to Joe. Maybe, Sund should trade Woody for a player to be named later.
rusty
September 6th, 2009
10:51 pm
if this was new york the ny post would have drove him out 2 years ago,last season was his first winning season. he doesnt get along with his players except jj. his offense is pathetic,the one thing i hate is getting blown out of a game early which happens way to much & i blame him for this. our offense has no flow,no ball movement. i dont think our defense is much better.we win because we have good players. i do not think that jj is an allstar, i think he has to play within the flow of the team. i think in the last two seasons that he has regressed. i also blame woodson for this. i cant stand how we play offense with no ball movement
HawkFaninMiami
September 13th, 2009
6:09 pm
Sports Fans of Atlanta, find another sports writer to follow. As this writer knows nothing about the game. Or if he does know the game, he must have a hidden agenda. I am an avid NBA fan just visiting your wonderful city. But I made the mistake of reading this newspaper article that was criticizing the past years performance of Mike Woodson. I was shocked. In my opinion, Woodson has done an outstanding job and here is my opinion, why I think so. Simply said, his record has improved every year, from not making the playoffs (which the Hawks did not do for many years prior to his arrival) to round 1 last year (taking Boston to 7) to making the 2nd round this past year.
Now here the most important part, he has accomplished these successes with basically the same team. In fact, very possibly, they could have gone further had not been for the injuries suffered last playoffs, most notably by Marvin Williams.
So what does this idiot reporter expect, to go playoff-.less one year and directly to the finals the next? Woodson is a seasoned NBA coach whose training came from over a decade in the NBA and who was trained by some of the most prestigious basketball minds ever in basketball (Bob Knight, Larry Brown) not to mention the various coaches that Mike Woodson has worked or played for in the NBA.
So Schultz sports readers, you should find your basketball news from another source. A source that is willing to give you an unfiltered version of Atlanta pro basketball. This Schultz guy has either been jilted by the NBA or Woodson and is willing to further his own personal by writing articles that further his own personal agenda. Or he is simply just another idiot that has no knowledge of the game.
Just before I sign off, I will give you another example of why this guy Schultz doesn’t know his business. During the year last year, there was a well publicize spat between Woodson and his star but young player, Josh Smith. This spat was basically a minor incident that should never had made the news. But that being said, this idiot Schultz took the position supporting the young Josh Smith. What is really lacking on the Atlanta team is team leader within the players themselves. What would have happened on a Lakers or Bulls or Celtic championship team of years past, is that the team leader (player, not coach) would have nipped that conflict in the bud very early and basically told Josh to bluntly “put a cap on it”
But the current Hawks players are silent leaders, as a result this conflict made it to the public. But how do you take the side of a player with only a couple years of NBA experience, no college experience, fundamentally challenged and immature over that with Woodson credentials?
I’m not saying the Hawks should trade Josh, but please recognize, he needs many years of training and gametime experience to develop. Also keep in mind, he is very inexperience and does not yet know what is needed to win an NBA championship. Championships that Mike Woodson has already accomplished in his basketball career.
So, as I said before, I was just passing through your wonderful city, and read this silly article. Shame on Shultz.
I hope you Atlanta Fans can see that Mike Woodson is doing a good job. And now I frequently go and see Hawk games on my visits when possible. And today the games are good games because the Hawks now can play with any other team in the league.
So distance yourself from taking the views or reading the articles of this guy. Remember, it’s one of 2 things that are behind these articles. He simply doesn’t know the game or he’s just another bitter jilted member of the press and is not willing to give a real and fair assessment on Hawks Basketball. He is a fiction writer. Either way, he cannot provide you real and actual information on Hawks basketball, because he is not an insider. That may be why he is angry.
Regards, MikeVan