Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem?
The Thrashers “released” John Anderson on April 14, four days after the team’s final regular season game against Pittsburgh.
The Hawks “chose not to offer” Mike Woodson a new contract on April 14, four days after Orlando completed a four-game sweep in the second-round of the playoffs.
(Remember back when we used to call these firings? Lawyers.)
Before you ask — and I feel compelled to address this since readers have already asked me via email and blog comments — no, the Atlanta Spirit is not holding off on hiring coaches
Hawks general manager Rick Sund and Thrashers GM Rick Dudley haven't made their picks yet.
to save money. The contracts are annual salaries, not hourly wages.
Here’s the bigger question: Is this a concern?
My view: No. And yes.
♦ Thrashers: Not a problem.
From the outset, it was clear that new general manager Rick Dudley had Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach John Torchetti on his radar. Even if Torchetti isn’t a lock for the job, we know he’s a high-profile candidate. But Dudley couldn’t talk to Torchetti before Wednesday night when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Dudley has spoken to other candidates for the job, including Boston Bruins assistant Craig Ramsay, so it was just a matter of waiting for Torchetti. Also, for what it’s worth, Dudley said earlier this week that he didn’t expect to have a head coach in place before the June 25-26 draft. He also didn’t feel that was important. We can debate that. It doesn’t hurt to have a coach’s input on veteran players around the league should the Thrashers make a trade at the draft. But that’s Dudley’s view. Most importantly, he has not strayed from his plan.
♦ Hawks: Yes, potentially a problem.
If general manager Rick Sund and owners were waiting on the conclusion of the Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics’ series to talk to a coach, the wait would be understandable. But there’s no indication they’re waiting to talk to an assistant on either staff (Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau already has accepted the Chicago Bulls’ job). There’s the longest of long shots that former Hawks star Glenn “Doc” Rivers could be available. But Rivers has a year left on his contract. He is likely to either return to the Celtics for one more season or take a one-to-two-year break from coaching to spend more time with his wife in Orlando.
What exactly is going on now? Nobody can be certain.
Avery Johnson, the strongest of the four candidates, took the New Jersey job. That leaves Dallas assistant and former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey, Hawks assistant Larry Drew and ESPN commentator Mark Jackson as the known finalists.
All have been interviewed. All are waiting. It had been expected that a decision would come by this week. The lack of a decision thus far has fueled speculation in the media and among fans that Sund and owners are not in complete agreement on a choice.
For the record, this is generally how things work: Sund makes a recommendation and the owners take it from there. Sund has said that ownership has accepted his recommendation in the past, such as the decisions to give Woodson a two-year contract in 2008 and the one to let him go after this season.
So what do you think? Are you concerned neither franchise has a coach yet?
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89 comments Add your comment
PMC
June 11th, 2010
8:58 am
I don’t think it’s a problem quite yet because the playoffs aren’t over. They just need a coach by Free Agency. Maybe they think they can make a run at Doc Rivers and they are just stalling.
PMC
June 11th, 2010
9:03 am
I have confidence in Dudley to find the right guy. The Hawks ownership I think has enough money but just enough. This is the financial behavior people who can’t afford to make big mistakes make. It’s really a smart way for them to be. They aren’t wasting money paying people to not be here and they want to make absolutely sure that they get a guy who will work with the talent they have and still have capital to resign (or sign and trade) critical talent like Joe Johnson.
The Russian dude, he can be wrong about Avery Johnson he’s got more money than sense. The ASG can’t afford as many missteps.
Marcus
June 11th, 2010
9:06 am
Thrashers, No – Hockey isn’t my thing
Hawks – 50/50
Marcus
June 11th, 2010
9:09 am
oh … let me break out my my commeorative, just-exercised my 2010-2011 Mo Evans HOME jersey …
for those that don’t know, he rocks jersey No 1
Jeff, as long as they pick the right guy, they can wait until kickoff of the Falcons season opener [exaggeration off]
Marcus
June 11th, 2010
9:10 am
oh, crud … looks like I gotta break out my “see ya wouldn’t wanna be ya” free agent-to-be, NBA.com discounted Joe Johnson No. 2 (AWAY) jersey
cheese
June 11th, 2010
9:27 am
there will always be a problem with the hawks & thrashers as long as asg are owning them.
Astro Joe
June 11th, 2010
9:29 am
Considering that several new coaches are building their staffs and we haven’t even chosen our coach yet, yes, it’s a problem (for the Hawks). Based on the last few days of the Woodson regime, it appears that we need both a strong head coach and assistants who can support a group of players who are not always “serious” enough. With Thibodeau, Collins, Avery and Monty Williams out there completing their staffs, the Hawks may get less than ideal assistants to help direct the ship.
JC
June 11th, 2010
9:33 am
With Avery out of the picture, Sund would clearly favor Casey in this situation. Which means that ASG want one of the other two candidates. I’d be happy with either Casey or Drew, but really don’t think Jackson’s “great knowledge of the game,” as all his boosters have put it, guarantees success as a coach. He’s a risk, which I wouldn’t want to gamble on to lead a playoff-caliber team.
Khao$
June 11th, 2010
9:35 am
I think the Hawks situation is a problem. For starters, I do think it is a good idea in any sport to have your coaches input before the draft and in preparation for free agency. Although I don’t expect the coach to buy the groceries (to steal Parcell’s quote), they are the one’s cooking the dinner for 82 games plus the playoffs. Therefore, they should have some say so in the ingredients. This is clearly another sign of the ASG’s ineptitude. The sad part about it is, I believe they really think fans can’t see their issues and are oblivious about their internal turmoil. Said problems trickle down from the courthouse to the ball court.
JC
June 11th, 2010
9:35 am
Prediction – Sund wants Casey, ASG want Drew. Sund wins out. Casey the next head coach of the Hawks.
Ted Striker
June 11th, 2010
9:39 am
Not overly concerned, as long as they get a hire in place by the draft. I’m on board with Casey, Drew, or (no-way-he’s-coming) Rivers. Jackson, no thanks. Nothing against the guy — he’s scored a lot of NBA points and had a lotta NBA assists.
However he and I have coached exactly the same number of NBA games.
BIRDDAWGONE
June 11th, 2010
9:51 am
Jeff, collegefootballnews.com (not CFN.com), I usually Google “cfn”. I always go staight to this site after I check with the AJC.
TommyJack
June 11th, 2010
9:58 am
Is it me, or does Rick Sund look like a creepy Burt Reynolds circa 1980?
Mr. Phil
June 11th, 2010
10:07 am
I think ASG are a bunch of no account clowns who don’t know the first thing about basketball or what it takes to build a winning sports franchise in general. Further, non of them seem to have either the time nor inclination to spend any real amount of time learning what either of their sports teams need. So no matter what the final choice is (Be it Casey, had it been Avery, or be it Doc Rivers) it will be a failure. Because this ownership group is weak and indecisive with no direction or leadership.(notice how that trickles all they way down to the players) This ownership group does not know how to allow the people they hire (Rick Sund) to do their jobs. When you have a respected and experienced GM who has to make recommendations and wait on a group chat/vote to determine the teams direction. C’mon this is a friggin joke.
The Wad
June 11th, 2010
10:08 am
Until the Hawks get a center of better than average ability to control the paint it won`t matter if I coach the team.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:19 am
Marcus — Falcons kickoff? I guess we can skip that whole training camp thing then.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:20 am
Cheese — I understand that segment of the population exists.
balismith
June 11th, 2010
10:20 am
i just wonder if the new hawks coach will be any kind of upgrade.I have ahard time understanding the reasoning in firing a coach after he leads a team to 50 plus wins.Maybe it was time to part ways after 5 years,wish the new coach well…know the heavy lifting has been completed…kind of reminds me of when the braves traded jeff fran forryan church
the TRUTH
June 11th, 2010
10:21 am
Yeah…no worries here. The only place the Thrashers can go is UP, UP, UP and away to Hamilton. The Hamilton Horn Frogs. I like that name for the team.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:21 am
Astro Joe — Excellent point on the the assistants. It’s true that the teams that already have hired coaches have a head start, although sometimes head coaches have “their guys” already from previous jobs or friendships.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:23 am
Ted Striker — Are you throwing your hat in the ring?
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:24 am
Birddawgone — Oh yeah, been there before. Thanks.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:26 am
TommyJack — Next time I see Rick, I’ll ask him if he was in “Cannonball Run.”
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:27 am
The Wad — I hear ya on the center. But they’re in the same boat with about 20 teams.
ant banks
June 11th, 2010
10:36 am
i detests sund’s style and the asg. jj wasn’t signed until LATE august. smoove wasn’t signed until august. we NEVER make any f/a moves on july 1. we see whose left and add them in august. we may not have a coach til august. i have no reason to believe otherwise. 3dam weeks!! pick someone, anyone. look decisive!!
Alejandro Alejandro
June 11th, 2010
10:38 am
The headline should read…
Atlanta Spirit Group are still the owners – BIG problem
Clay
June 11th, 2010
10:41 am
ant banks, yeah, Sund needs to make a move. I do think he’s done a good job though, so far.
tony
June 11th, 2010
10:41 am
I’m very concern because if they hired the wrong coach there are going to be alot of unhappy fans around Ga. Hire Bill Laimbeer and end all this talk about who we need so we can start focusing on the draft and free gency.
Telfo
June 11th, 2010
10:41 am
no problems with Dudley. He has been saying all along it would be awhile. I have no reason to doubt him yet.
Hawks either cant agree or have been turned down numerous times, which is a problem either way
NOLA
June 11th, 2010
10:42 am
Nobody wants to coach in that cesspool city of yours. It stinks.
You have no culture whatsoever except scrip clubs.
Come to New Orleans, now we truly have an identity.
ant banks
June 11th, 2010
10:45 am
WATCH
as soon as the hawks make their selection, they will SWEAR this was their man all alone. smh.
HawkKingBibby
June 11th, 2010
10:45 am
Sund is learning why Billy Knight chose to be unemployed over working another year with the mess known as the Atlanta Spirit Group. Could we have another Joe Johnson fiasco here over which coach to hire? Could we have another Joe Johnson fiasco over….. well Joe Johnson this summer?
ELVISINTHEHOUSE.
June 11th, 2010
10:49 am
Hey jeff just wanted to apologize for the prank the other day,was just having a little fun.Sorry sir.I would not be surprised if atlanta spirit sell the franchises.But if not i think the slow process is good considering these teams(hawks,thrashers)history of losing.But also they bring in quality and not a plug in.
Big Ray
June 11th, 2010
10:49 am
I care nothing about hockey.
For the Hawks, this is a problem, plain and simple.
Big Ray
June 11th, 2010
10:51 am
Nah….no Joe Johnson fiasco this time. Either Joe leaves, or Joe stays. It’s up to Joe.
N.D.T.K.A.
June 11th, 2010
10:53 am
Jeff, How do you think all of this indecison by the Hawks affect our chances of resigning JJ? Do you think JJ or the rest of the team will respond to any of the finalist for head coach the ASG & Sund are considering at this point?
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:55 am
Elvisinthehouse — You’re off the banned list. Just leave any race-baiting comments out. Thanks.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
10:58 am
N.D.T.K.A. — I think any player would get excited to play for a certain coach. We don’t know obviously who the coach would be for Joe. But let me say this: I still think it will come down to money for Joe, not who the coach is.
Big Ray
June 11th, 2010
11:04 am
This just in….
The ASG are meeting today to determine when they should have a committe on when to have the conference call.
Paddy
June 11th, 2010
11:04 am
Jeff….I am not concerned about the Hawks and the ASG now. I have been concerned about them a long time ago. Nothing they do will rattle my cage any longer. You sort of get numb after awhile and just turn the page to the BP oil spill stories. You get the same kind of feeling reading either!
Remarkable
June 11th, 2010
11:07 am
I don’t think the coach is available who can help the Hawks now. Not unless it is Doc. I know you think highly of Larry Drew but thats a crap shoot at best. It does give them time and plenty of excuses when and if it doesn’t work out. But of them all I think Mark Jackson is the only name that can help draw players and fans in.
Paddy
June 11th, 2010
11:10 am
Big Ray, this just in….the ASG has organized a sub-committe to study the conference call agenda item. So there will be no meeting to determine the conference call issue untill the sub-committe’s findings are examined. What I am hearing is an answer around 15 July on the proposed conference call. This is all going rather well, don’t you think?
Remarkable
June 11th, 2010
11:16 am
Until there is one man making the decisions, the Hawks will never get their act together. Committees of owners with no clear cut leader or decision maker is a recipe for disaster. They never should have let Mike Woodson go unless they had agreed on a new head coach. They have been in limbo and it’s no contest, we all loose.
Sonny Clusters
June 11th, 2010
11:19 am
Some big walks would look good right about now. That’s a baseball post, though. We was thinking Dudley has a lot of suits like Arthur Blank does but probably a different tailor.
Ted Striker
June 11th, 2010
11:22 am
Jeff — I have too many skeletons in the closet to be in the public eye.
Khao$
June 11th, 2010
11:40 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.
Dr. Warren
June 11th, 2010
11:47 am
Let’s not forget the job Mike Smith has done with the Falcons. A no-name head coach can succeed in the NBA, too.
masivatack
June 11th, 2010
11:47 am
Schultz…. You are the guy who is always calling for a coach’s head… Shouldn’t you know how to best replace the ones who are actually fired.
Waiting….
N.D.T.K.A.
June 11th, 2010
11:50 am
I wonder if the ASG is considering selling the Hawks as some rumors have indicated? Hawks fans, players, etc. would probably prefer a more stable owner. Preferably, someone like Arthur Blank who wants to win a championship and doesn’t mind spending the money to do it. I wonder if there are any singular owners with deep pockets interested in buying the Hawks that won’t move the team out of Atlanta? The fact that the Falcons are so well supported in Atlanta should be proof enough to the ASG that if you put a good product on the floor fans will come. Hawks have no consistency in winning under the ASG. That is why fan support is so weak.
dap01
June 11th, 2010
11:52 am
DISFUNCTIONAL!
justme
June 11th, 2010
11:52 am
The NFL has a rule that at least one black candidate must be considered for any head coaching vacancy. Apparently the Hawks have a rule that no whites can be considered for their coaching vacancy. Looks like now their”search” has come down to three coaching mediocrities, none of which would be considered by any other franchise.
N.D.T.K.A.
June 11th, 2010
12:00 pm
Everything starts from the top. If the league, coaches, GM’s, and players don’t take Hawks management seriously, how are they going to attract top talent on any of these levels without overpaying. The sad reality is the ownership group has been a public fiasco and changing that image still haunts this team today. I think this is reflected in the lousy coaching search process we are watching now.
Ted M
June 11th, 2010
12:00 pm
Isn’t Thrashers GM Rick Dudley the bottom picture or burt in cannonball run?
JSS
June 11th, 2010
12:01 pm
@ Ted Striker…
Dude, I just want you to direct Rick to the nearest Jos. A. Banks! That gentleman’s closet skeletons all ran out and were screaming: “1988!” I say name Striker executive in charge of righting the ship ASG!
@ Jeff Schultz…
My girlfriend and her whole office are about to go into meltdown if Mexico loses to South Africa.
The Hawks hire is not as much of a concern to me as the flawed bench and the lack of perimeter defense that they have.
Do you remember Ned Harkness (the old Red Wings GM/coach)? Just be careful not bring in some one like that who might regress Kane, Zach, and whomever might finally develop in the minors. What is the deal with our IHL team now? Are the Wolves really going to help us now or keeping giving us more of the same? The Thrashers just need to build two more solid lines. This team can grind, they really need a solid defense (including tender play) that can keep us from getting into those silly string of going pointless for 2 weeks by losing leads and ending up in shootouts.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
12:07 pm
@ Sonny Clusters…
I want to hear your take on Anita Baker’s version of the Star Spangled Banner last night before Game 4; or were you enthralled in another one of those Braves games?
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:07 pm
Get on the Lemay story Jeff. You’re the man.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/11/1492178/butler-star-qb-lemay-could-face.html
Mr. Phil
June 11th, 2010
12:17 pm
Y-not give Joe Johnson anything he wants in salary, the head coaching job, and partial ownership. Clearly, he is the best player to ever come along. We can’t let him get away right.
This just in….
Mayor Kasim Reed and ASG in a joint press release announce that the fans will VOTE for the next coach in a referendum to be introduced in mid-February. Anybody who is still a fan of the Hawks or Thrashers at that time will be invited to participate.
Until the vote is organized, the ghost of Soupy Sales will coach both teams simultaneously.
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:21 pm
Come on Shultzie….your paper is dropping the ball.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:28 pm
Remarkable — Well, when you come down to it, yeah, they’re all a crapshoot (except Doc).
Barnacle Bill Bavasi
June 11th, 2010
12:34 pm
Hey Jeff, is Mark OK? Usually when you guys are not going to be posting for a few days, a heads up is given. Thanks.
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:34 pm
Word on the streeet is that Lemay was caught in an intimate act with a girl at school.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:38 pm
Masivtack — Are you asking who I favor for the Hawks’ job? If so, I’ve previously ranked the four interviewed candidates in my eyes: 1) Avery Johnson (gone); 2) Larry Drew (but it’s close to …); 3) Dwane Casey; 4) Mark Jackson. But personally, it wouldn’t bother me if they opened it back up.
Dawg Head
June 11th, 2010
12:38 pm
Well, at least it was a girl.
Harry the Hat
June 11th, 2010
12:39 pm
About the Atlanta Hawks, it doesn’t matter who they sign as coach. No one they hire will be able to get any more out of the sorry, lazy-azz players the Hawks have, starting with Joe Johnson, who should be run out of town on a rail.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:44 pm
JSS — Sorry for your girlfriend’s impending meltdown. I trust you were treat her kindly. … Agree on the Hawks’ bench (beyond Jamal) and defense. … Minor-league situation with Wolves always has been a problem (Thrashers would never admit this) because the Thrashers can’t dictate to Chicago who to play, when to play, how to develop players, etc. Many NHL teams have a greater say with their affiliates on how to develop players. Wolves’ owner is more concerned about winning games, selling tickets, making money.
rob
June 11th, 2010
12:59 pm
well if JJ is the best to come through and he walks from the Hawks, it will be the same slap Ilya gave the owners when he left. They offered him the highest salary in the league and he left, what does that say to other players in the league(s)? what does that say to the league(s) themselves? This should be a HUGE market for every major sport! It only needs committed ownership that will put a good product out. Teams go through slumps, fans understand that, but there have to be highs to go with the lows or else you lose the fairweather fans and those new fans that may check out a game or two. I feel sorry for the players who have to suffer through playing in front of 4,000 people because ownership can’t get their act together! MORONS!!! We need a marketing team to find some empty billboards and post something like, “Atlanta Spirit Group: Taking the “spirit” out of Atlanta’s Sports” . Maybe that would get the attention of the leagues and put heat on ASG to put up or get out of ownership.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
1:00 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Disaster averted, Mexico tied it up and it ended in a draw… Hint: Mexican supporters are a lot UGA and Clemson fans, they are always talking about how great they are… But… She also supports Atlas of Guadalajara, they are like the Clippers of Mexican soccer… Thank goodness she is a wonderful person!
Steve
June 11th, 2010
1:01 pm
Bill Laimbeer
Cough it up Tabby
June 11th, 2010
1:06 pm
after all, are coaches really needed in todays sports? They do arrange for bail at times but what else?
Gray Mule
June 11th, 2010
1:10 pm
Give JJ all the money and where is the $$$ to pay others?
Build a winning team __ Sign some really good bench players?
With what? You’ve given it all to JJ.
You can’t give one superstar all the money and all the other
players the NBA vet minimum and expect great things to happen.
JJ is not a super star. Does he really expect to be paid as one?
Sooner or later, someone will sign on to be our coach. Until then,
we will all sit around and fret and worry.
As soon as the new coach is hired, we will find a hundred other
coaches who would have been so much better, won’t we!
Gray Mule
tp
June 11th, 2010
1:11 pm
Hey Jeff – If Dudley is in reality what he says he is in regards to player selection and development, perhaps the situation in Chicago will change a bit.
I understand what you’re alluding to regarding the Chicago owner, but I don’t think you can dismiss the argument that Waddell has not delivered more than a (small) handful of quality, drafted players to Chicago from our minor league system. Give them better players on a more consistent basis, and I believe the situation will get better!
steve brown
June 11th, 2010
1:25 pm
Thrashers=we will see. Hawks=definite problem as I expect Sund made his recommendation (as in I like this one) and the ownership group did not approve his pick. They are now debating. This undermines the GM and potentially screws up the new coach and the players relationship with the GM. But of course this is par for Hawks ownership.
wxwax
June 11th, 2010
1:28 pm
If in fact the owners are messing with the GM, that’s a concern.
They hired him to do a job. Let him do it.
Sund’s hiring record, as detailed here, is pretty frightening. But if the Spirit don’t like the job Sund’s doing, then fire him.
In the meantime, give him the power to do the job they hired him to do.
Georgia recruit LeMay might be facing suspension | Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
1:30 pm
[...] ♦ Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem? [...]
Sonny Clusters
June 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
When we was just about to graduate we went to buy a nice suit. It did not look anything like those suits Rick Dudley was seen wearing on Jeff’s blog page. Clusters are built like athletes and require an athletic cut to accommodate muscle mass in the arms and legs but we need only a small waist and we have a long inseam to work with. They have to fit us like they would a movie star because of the way we look. We came up with a nice looking suit and we still have that suit somewhere and we will probably put it on and go see Jeff someday down in Dunwoody at the AJC. We was thinking he might leave us some credentials at the desk.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
1:46 pm
Oh oh. Clusters is dusting off the interview suit!
Show me state
June 11th, 2010
2:03 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
Brendan
June 11th, 2010
2:14 pm
Dudley doesn’t seem to want a coach’s input anyway. But, I still think a coach’s consultation at the draft can only be a positive thing.
tyger
June 11th, 2010
2:31 pm
Where’s Woody?
Alabama Jack
June 11th, 2010
2:33 pm
Now who are these Hawks and Thrashers? Are they in the SEC?
Hoops
June 11th, 2010
2:52 pm
Byron Scott has rings from his playing days with the Lakers and has coached in 2 NBA Finals. Who has a better track record, that is available to coach the Hawks??? Come on ASG! Open your eyes!!!
A True Hawks Fan
June 11th, 2010
3:50 pm
I wish Arthor Blank would come buy the them. These guys in ASG are more indecisive than a 2 year old. Get a coach in here so we can get his perspective on JJ, the Draft, and Free Agency. Casey seems like a good coach who was fired too early by Kevin Mchale a little too early. Minny fans are still regretting that day. Also Casey was an assistant to Nate Mcmillian(coach of the year) in Seattle while Sund was there. Sure we missed out on Avery but Casey is a good coach who draws up effective plays in the late game situations. Get him in here now and look to change ownership @ the end of the season!
Mystikal
June 11th, 2010
4:11 pm
This is so classic of the ASG, instead of even “trying” to make a decent choice, they are going to BS around and take the last man standing. Kind of like we do in the free agency or like i’m sure we’ll see in the upcoming draft. It’s a wonder that this organization has had any success the last few years, always being ten moves behind everyone else. Go figure..
Big Ray
June 11th, 2010
4:12 pm
The silence is deafeaning. It’s bad when even rumor mongers like Chad Ford aren’t saying anything right now.
Pi$$onaDAWG
June 11th, 2010
5:01 pm
Jeff I think you shut down the UGA article or maybe you cut my comments off. I am sorry for the LOW BLOW on B.O.B but I just culdn’t resist with the use of sexual wares over sexual wyles by a UGA fan. All good have a great weekend.
GSmooth
June 11th, 2010
5:47 pm
Jeff – The Hawks don’t have a problem waiting on any of these potential coaches.. it’s not like any of them are being considered for any other positions currently. From following this – I’m pretty sure Mark Jackson and Larry Drew have no other potential offers coming their way. Why not wait and see if they can get a Doc Rivers?
Academics? Right. College administrators are selling out | Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
6:37 pm
[...] ♦ Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem? [...]
Lee
June 12th, 2010
5:01 pm
Jeff – In my opinion, the Thrashers are not a problem at this point. The descision is in good hands and Rick will do whatever he can at the soonest possible moment. Torchetti was one of the main people that Dudley is considering. That said, he has other people in mind. He was probably waiting until the Stanley Cup was over, to see if any of his coaching skills would come out in Game 6. I’m not concerned at this point, unless something major happens, I think we’re on the right road!
NOW LIGHT THE TORCH!
Jeff D.
June 14th, 2010
4:24 pm
Rick Dudley could use a little help from the old Queer Eye for the Straight Guy crew. Whoa. Hey, isn’t it great to see old Ted Marchibroda back… coaching Team Italy?