Rejoice! New Hawks’ owner means end of Atlanta Spirit
We know little about Alex Meruelo. But ...
He is the right guy if for no other reason than he is a new guy.
“I will be in complete control of the team,” Alex Meruelo said.
And really, does anything else matter right now?
Because if Alex Meruelo is in charge, it means Bruce Levenson isn’t in charge. It means Michael Gearon Jr. isn’t in charge. It means Ed Peskowitz, Rutherford Seydel, the ghost of Steve Belkin, Topo Gigio and anybody else who ever was among the blur of Atlanta Spirit partners isn’t in charge.
They don’t call the shots any more.
Say goodbye to exploding clown shoes.
So ends the rule of the Atlanta Spirit. It’s too late to save the NHL franchise that the former ownership
... he has to be better than Peskowitz, Gearon and Levenson.
group destroyed, lied about and ultimately sold off to Winnipeg. It’s too late to save us from the absurdity of owner-vs-owner lawsuits and daily dysfunction we witnessed for most of roughly seven years — why does it seem like 27? — in the front office. But we’ll take it today because it’s better than waiting until tomorrow.
If the Atlanta Spirit wasn’t the worst ownership in the history of professional sports, it at least is in the argument. No sports town wants to be in that argument.
I don’t know a thing about Alex Meruelo, other than what I Google and read. Pizza restaurants. Construction. A casino. A television station. Dandy.
The guy could have made his fortune selling second-hand nuclear reactors and I’d be cool with it. Alex Meruelo suddenly emerging the top of Atlanta Hawks’ food chain is like popping a few extra strength Tylenol, knowing the headache is bound to get better.
I know. He’s not from here. He doesn’t live here. He never has owned a sports team before. He comes with no guarantees.
Sorry, there is no such thing as guaranteed perfect owners, any more than there are guaranteed perfect general managers, coaches and point guards.
For all we know, Meruelo could be another Levenson (get down on your knees and pray no). Or he could be another Arthur Blank (get down on your knees and pray yes).
But wouldn’t you rather take the unknown vs. the known?
Meruelo, who will be introduced at a 2 p.m. news conference Monday at Philips Arena, says he will own more than 50 percent of the Hawks and Philips Arena operating rights. That’s all we need to know right now. Logic says Levenson, Gearon and/or Peskowitz will remain as minority partners because the rest of the money has to come from somewhere. But when one man owns controlling interest, it means one votes and one man decides.
Know this: When all of the Hawks’ owners get together in a room, only one of them will have had nothing to do with the Joe Johnson contract. It’s the one now in charge.
The NBA is in a lockout. I kind of like that. It gives Meruelo a chance to assess the Hawks, assess Rick Sund, assess Larry Drew, assess the franchise as both a business and a potential competitor for an NBA championship. There should be no rushed decisions here.
Meruelo said: “I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta.”
Yes, this is standard speak from the new owner talking points manual. Everybody involved with the Spirit said they wanted to win championships, too. It just doesn’t necessarily mean they were equipped to.
Maybe the new guy will know what he’s doing. He can’t possibly know less.
By Jeff Schultz
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238 comments Add your comment
max $$$
August 7th, 2011
7:08 pm
max joe johnson is not happy about this deal—he was hoping for more money from the current owners to come back.
TheDorkBaller
August 7th, 2011
7:13 pm
Too little too late for us Thrashers fans.
The Grinch
August 7th, 2011
7:15 pm
What wonderful, wonderful news. This guy could have made his living clubbing baby seals and selling their fur for all I care…he’s NOT THE SPIRIT, MAY THEY ALL ROAST IN THE DEEP CINDERS OF HELL.
CONservative Johnson
August 7th, 2011
7:20 pm
Señor Herman Cain… your new Hawks owner!
Bye Bye ASG
August 7th, 2011
7:22 pm
Im excited about the Hawks since the ASG is gone. Now hopefully Alex will spend money to get better players and a new coaching staff. I woudn’t mind him cleaning house. It’ time for a change.
Reid Adair
August 7th, 2011
7:22 pm
If only there was some way for Alex Meruelo to get the Hawks out of that ridiculous max contract with Joe Johnson.
It doesn’t matter what he does, though. Like you said, Jeff, the key point is that Bruce Levenson, Michael Gearon Jr., and company are not making any more decisions.
dawg4u
August 7th, 2011
7:25 pm
Good article Jeff! I completely agree. Bet you wish this story could have waited until Monday or Tuesday what with the PGA in Atlanta this week. I guess there is never a day off for you guys at AJC but you really do a great job of reporting and I know it is tough, hard work and takes a lot of time. Thanks!
not one penny
August 7th, 2011
7:27 pm
I still won’t spend a penny on the Hawks as long as any ASG owners are involved.
LAC
August 7th, 2011
7:35 pm
I simply HOPE this guy MOVES the team to a Better market, SEATTLE, nba does not belong here any longer !
CrazyDiamond
August 7th, 2011
7:36 pm
We are no longer so screwed.
steven A.
August 7th, 2011
7:36 pm
Hopefully he will be smart enough not to resign marvelous Marvin Williams. Maybe he will move
broadway Joe Johnson as well. Mr. Sund, PLEASE give someone else a chance. Even Stevie Wonder
could see that marvelous Marvin did not deserve starters money.
Lou Hudson could flat out shoot
August 7th, 2011
7:37 pm
No more trust fund babies running the show? Wow. A self made millionaire as owner. Wonder if he likes baseball?
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 7th, 2011
7:39 pm
“Can’t know less”, at least we’ll know who is on point. That’s a win, regardless,
Hear that Liberty Media?
JRY
August 7th, 2011
7:40 pm
I’m with “not one penny”… if any former ASG investor is involved, I’m out.
Yum Yums
August 7th, 2011
7:42 pm
Great news for the Hawks. Still won’t go due to the fact I just don’t care about any type of thug ball played. Would have rather saved the Thrashers and shipped off the Hawks.
Harry Hawk
August 7th, 2011
7:49 pm
I really hope Alex Meruelo is as talented and cool as this dude and his band.
Ricardo
August 7th, 2011
7:50 pm
“Meuruelo, who will be introduced at a 2 p.m. news conference Monday”
Can’t we at LEAST spell his name right?
Too bad for Thrasher fans…don’t know what the new CBA will bring, but I’m not sure much can be done about “fixing” the Hawks unless we can shed some salaries…
Booger
August 7th, 2011
7:50 pm
This is good news for the Hawks. For Atlanta sports fans.
No point bringing up Thrashers – they’re gone. Move on.
Quit being babies about ASG still having minority stake in Hawks. You got a new owner. Get over yourselves.
Native to the ATL
August 7th, 2011
7:53 pm
Maybe they can build a new arena on Buford highway, then change the name of the team to Los Hawkes……:-)
Vain Jangling
August 7th, 2011
7:54 pm
Wouldn’t it be nice to have an owner like Mark Cuban? We can only hope. And yeah, Schultz, Topo Gigio is gone, but you didn’t say a thing about Jose Jimenez.
bigcalidawg
August 7th, 2011
8:00 pm
I frickin hope the team stays in ATL. I hear the same types of things were said when the Sonics were sold.
I just hope bonehead moves like signing JJ to max don’t happen again. We have needed a big for years.
MightyQuinn
August 7th, 2011
8:06 pm
Color me cautiously optimistic…
Fred
August 7th, 2011
8:11 pm
Good news that the Hawks are sold, Bad news that they will still be in Atlanta.
DB
August 7th, 2011
8:11 pm
As lost as there is still stink from the ASG involved, I’ll have zero interest.
Let NONE in
August 7th, 2011
8:20 pm
Good-bye ASG – you bunch of Liars.
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 7th, 2011
8:26 pm
The NBA shedding the ATL is about as real as the ATL shedding Peachtree Street(s).
Josh Smith
August 7th, 2011
8:30 pm
Hey, Hawks fans. I’m just as excited as you about Mr. Meruelo running the Hawks now. We’re looking forward to bringing a few championships to Atlanta. Oh, and thanks for all the advice about me not shooting so many 45-footers. I’m feeling alot better about next season, whenever that is. ‘Preciate it.
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 7th, 2011
8:30 pm
The good news? The ASG has become the low-water benchmark for Pro-Team Ownership.
Including roller derby.
San Diego
August 7th, 2011
8:41 pm
Hopefully, the hawks get moved to San Diego—better climate, beaches, more fans and tons of hot chicks wearing very little clothing all day!!!
dawg day afternoon
August 7th, 2011
8:43 pm
“hot chicks wearing very little clothing all day”
You really should come see Atlanta sometime…
Terrell
August 7th, 2011
8:44 pm
Yum Yums
Another racist comment about the NBA? Why am I’m not surprised.
darb
August 7th, 2011
8:48 pm
Atlanta Spirit, rest in hell. You set back pro basketball in Atlanta by at least 20 years, and you “only” owned the Hawks for 7 years.
Puck Like A Porn Star
August 7th, 2011
8:56 pm
They set back pro basketball and straight up KILLED pro hockey. Good riddance.
A single majority owner is enough for me to end my boycott of Philips…for now.
Jeff Schultz
August 7th, 2011
8:57 pm
LAC — Atlanta’s a great NBA town. Check the NBA TV ratings.
Jeff Schultz
August 7th, 2011
8:57 pm
Dawg4u — Thanks. The stories come when they come. None of us got into this thinking it was a 9-5, Monday-Friday job.
Jeff Schultz
August 7th, 2011
9:01 pm
Ricardo — Fixed. (Typo, not Hawks) … And nobody’s taking Joe’s contract in trade.
Jeff Schultz
August 7th, 2011
9:01 pm
Bigcalidawg — Hawks are tied to Arena. They can’t leave.
Jeff Schultz
August 7th, 2011
9:02 pm
Vain Jangling — And don’t forget Senor Wences!
Paddy
August 7th, 2011
9:06 pm
Levenson should be banned from owning any sports franchise except maybe an WNBA team. He could not hurt that product!
Grandmaster JeJe
August 7th, 2011
9:11 pm
FIRE SUND
FIRE LD
As bad as BASG was, Sund is still here. He is the worst GM in the NBA and challenges BK for worst ever. His hubris is obvious
heartofdarkness
August 7th, 2011
9:11 pm
Who is the basketball equivalent of baseball’s Bill James? Should get the first phone call.
Grandmaster JeJe
August 7th, 2011
9:12 pm
FIRE Sund
Work isn’t done. sUND must go
ryan
August 7th, 2011
9:16 pm
The Hawks can’t move get it through your head also there not moving to San Diego that other owner had his chance enough with Hawks moving its not going to happen .
JSS
August 7th, 2011
9:26 pm
The names: Donald Sterling, Rankin Smith, Sr., and Calvin Griffith will forever keep those losers who composed the DASG from being the worst of all times…
Jeff Schultz, why do you keep cursing Topo Gigio?
shootoutloss
August 7th, 2011
9:36 pm
Rot in hell A$G
extremus
August 7th, 2011
9:36 pm
Now if Liberty Media will just sell the Braves off to a caring (and willing-to-spend) human owner, Atlanta pro team sports will be really flying high.
P. Bull Terrier
August 7th, 2011
9:37 pm
A new owner is a good thing, but that won’t help the Hawks for several years. The convoluted NBA salary cap rules and poor management by the ASG have put the Hawks in a position where there’s not much anyone can do to improve the team quickly. This is still, first and foremost, Joe’s team.
Grandmaster JeJe
August 7th, 2011
9:49 pm
SUND MUST go.
He was just as bad as ASG.
ASG might’ve been better than Sund, because they did spend some money (#7 payroll I think)?
Well they both sucked
FIRE SUND
FIRE ASG. THEY SHOULD NOT BE MINORITY OWNERS
bweb blapho
August 7th, 2011
9:58 pm
@Grandmaster JeJe, Billy Knight was NOT the worst GM. BK did not give that contract to JJ. And, Sund is NOT the worst GM. Perhaps you don’t remember the Kontrak: Pete Babcock
C
August 7th, 2011
10:03 pm
Too late for the Thrashers. Sad.
NBA strike is gold
August 7th, 2011
10:09 pm
.. free pizza with every loss ! ..
Hawks fan
August 7th, 2011
10:14 pm
Either he us unwilling to spend to buy 100% or gearon and levenson want to remain owners. Either way it is an ominous sign. I will celebrate when ASG is totally gone. It is a step forward.
cpsman_atlanta
August 7th, 2011
10:22 pm
He’s buying a team that’ll have an empty arena because of the NBA lockout, but didn’t want to buy a team that would be playing in our Thrashers? Wait a minute, does he work for the government? At least I can possibly go back to Phillips Arena again, especially once we get a hockey team again.
d
August 7th, 2011
10:28 pm
I agree, with no hockey, this is no big deal for me.
Atlanta Hawks New Owner, Alex Meruelo Becomes NBA’s 1st Latino Owner : Jocks and Stiletto Jill | ESPN meets Sex and the City | Jocks And Stiletto Jill // ESPN meets Sex and the City
August 7th, 2011
10:28 pm
[...] The Atlanta Hawks finally have a new majority owner after years of in-fighting amongst the previous ownership group, Atlanta Spirit, LLC. The new owner is Los Angeles area-based businessman Alex Meruelo, owner of The Meruelo Group. This … [...]
Artie B's not Walking Through That Door, People
August 7th, 2011
10:28 pm
Jeff, ask MGJr if this means Alex gets to schtup Mary Moran now?
Jimmy
August 7th, 2011
10:30 pm
YES!
May the names of Gearon, Levenson, Peskowitz and Seydel go down in history
as the worst professional sports owners ever.
We should not forget…we should not let Atlanta forget…the names of these men.
We should boycott their businesses.
They are disgusting individuals who hurt Atlanta by destroying and selling the Thrashers.
Thankfully, the Hawks have escaped their clutches.
ArtMan
August 7th, 2011
10:32 pm
Pete Babcock. was by far in the worst GM in Atlanta Hawk history. Billy Knight was head and shoulders above Babcock.
ArtMan
August 7th, 2011
10:33 pm
Anyone who thinks Billy Knight was the worst GM has been smoking too much of the loco weed.
Pete Babcock has that distinction.
ASG Killed The NHL in Atlanta
August 7th, 2011
10:34 pm
Great Job Jeff…………..sad hockey fans had to deal with ASG. Happy for Hawks fans.
DawgDad
August 7th, 2011
10:35 pm
“Pizza restaurants. Construction. A casino. A television station.” All that’s missing is “Bada Bing”.
Billsen
August 7th, 2011
10:38 pm
As a still-bitter Thrashers fan, I only wish this had happened last year. But as least I can now go and see events at Philips, and not feel scummy.
Puck Like A Porn Star
August 7th, 2011
10:43 pm
Did that that deal for the new NY Islanders arena fall through recently?
Well now…
Blazerdawg
August 7th, 2011
10:44 pm
Atlanta Islanders?
Puck Like A Porn Star
August 7th, 2011
10:57 pm
If we can’t win championships, let’s at least inherit some. Get those Isles down here, Alex!
Hockey night in Atlanta
August 7th, 2011
11:07 pm
The Thrashers were the only reason I ever went to Phillips; and since they’re still gone, there’s still no reason to go back. I am glad that Atlanta Spirit won’t be able to completely distroy another franchise though.
B. Thenet
August 7th, 2011
11:09 pm
So ASG found someone foolish enough to go into business with them and some of you are celebrating this?
Until any portion of my money goes to those scum Levenson and Gearon, it ain’t over. There will be internal lawsuits within two years.
Now I may be able to go back to Philips
August 7th, 2011
11:09 pm
Well I might support the Hawks after all now. Granted, I wish this guy had come around a few months earlier. If he really wants to be the hero in Atlanta, buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to Atlanta next Summer and bring hockey back to the ATL. For now, Go Hawks! and Meruelo!
superiorblogman
August 7th, 2011
11:12 pm
It’s not rocketscience, fire Drew and Sund. Go get a Center that is a Center all day everyday and can not be mistaking for anything else. Put Marvin Williams, Zaza, and Kirk Hinrich on the trade market.
BAMA Dude
August 7th, 2011
11:20 pm
OK, new guy. First order of business: send Horford back home to Florida along with Hinrich’s expiring deal (after 2011-12) and a couple first rounders to bring big Dwight back home to the ATL. Josh and his buddy get to play together as a dominating frontcourt.
Bart
August 7th, 2011
11:22 pm
Wake me up when all of the Thrasher-killing ASG members are finally gone (not just moved to a minority play). Until then, I’m not watching the Hawks or setting foot in Philips Arena.
Up Yours ASG
August 7th, 2011
11:26 pm
If douchebag Levenson and cry baby Gearon still own part of the team and operating rights to the arena, the “newest” Cuban in the NBA isn’t going to be receiving any of my discretionary income.
I’ll REJOICE when every last remnant of the Spirit Clowns is gone.
josh
August 7th, 2011
11:31 pm
Amazing! The difference between the MLB & NBA – http://www.atlantainsight.com
hawks4life
August 7th, 2011
11:33 pm
ok ok thrashers fans we get that your not gonna spend a dime at philips arena. However, you should want to support an Atlanta team on the rise so get over yourself there aren’t that many of you anyways
Puck Like A Porn Star
August 7th, 2011
11:36 pm
Here’s a photograph of a few of us Thrashers fans:
http://tinyurl.com/43wtcht
Grandmaster JeJe
August 7th, 2011
11:43 pm
I love watching Schultz tear apart the ASG. It’s like he’s had this venom ready in his arsenal and now he’s letting it lose.
FIRE SUND
FIRE LD
FIRE WOODY
Grandmaster JeJe
August 7th, 2011
11:46 pm
Since ASG are minority owners, does that mean we still have to see Moron Jr at every game court side? He just will never give up his stake since he’s a lifetime Hawks fawn and enthusiast
kreedham
August 7th, 2011
11:49 pm
Wouldn’t be surprised if in a year or two or three he bought out the minority owners. At least he’s got control!
Thrashers Season Ticket Holder
August 7th, 2011
11:54 pm
If Bruce Levenson & Michael Gearon were both on fire and screaming for relief, and I really had to empty my bladder immediately and BADLY, I would choose to wet my own pants with a smile.
….
Those two losers should’ve been ENDED by their own mothers with coat hangers before birth.
Tater
August 8th, 2011
12:05 am
ASG = Manure
Be informed
August 8th, 2011
12:43 am
You people kill me. The Hawks are the only Atlanta team to make the playoffs the past four years in a row. The Hawks can not be moved because they are tied to the lease of Philips arena for something like another 20 years. Yes, Joe’s contract sucks and makes it nearly impossible to make any significant moves. They will be in the playoffs again if there is an NBA season.
tlaw
August 8th, 2011
1:02 am
a couple of words Schultz…hallelujah.hallelujah.hallelujah…halle…lu…jah!!LMAO!!!
truhawkfan
August 8th, 2011
1:24 am
People are not satisfied with nothing the new owner owns more than half of the Hawks and people still complain about the ASG having something to do with the Hawks.I understand where your fustration lies with them but when it comes to decisions only 1 opinion will truly count at the end. So people be happy that strides are being made to better the team.Now lets focuse on the players and the coaching staff.
James
August 8th, 2011
1:39 am
The Hawks need to be moved out of Atlanta cause Atlanta is not a basketball city it’s a football and baseball city. The team should be moved to Anaheim so that Sacramento can stay in Sacramento.
Father Slapshot
August 8th, 2011
2:38 am
Hell isn’t HOT ENOUGH for Levenson and Gearon….
…but it would be a great place to start!
#####
We need an “Exorcism Deluxe” to get those limp-wristed losers and the rest of the demonic Atlanta Spirit Group out of this town.
Father Slapshot
August 8th, 2011
2:41 am
Begone, Demonic Millionaires, Begone!
I cast thee OUT of Atlanta.
Stinger2
August 8th, 2011
4:13 am
Schultz: Why do you and Bradley write about the same thing at the same time? Seems to happen often.
bob from account temps
August 8th, 2011
5:21 am
i guess the hawks dancers will go from hip hop to the macarena next season.
also informed
August 8th, 2011
5:27 am
Arthur Blank, A quality owner, is also on the board of directors of the Atlanta Newspapers, who own the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. When is the last time you read Shultz write ANYTHING negative about the Falcons or Arthur Blank? Shultz writes that the Hawks have the worst ownership in all of sports, yet they are the ONLY Atlanta team to have made the playoffs the last 4 years in a row. No ethical journalist would make such a factually insupportable statement, but for a hack with a grudge, who is neither ethical nor a journalist, its not a problem.
Big Ray
August 8th, 2011
7:01 am
This should more or less spell the end of the Rick Sund era. For all his warts, the man did precisely what Gearon wanted him to do. Still, I’ll shed no tears when he’s gone. And make no mistake, he’s gone. Only question is who we get as a replacement. If Portland’s former GM Kevin Pritchard can be had, I’d take a flier on him.
Larry Drew is on a very short leash, I’m guessing. Or, he’s gone. I’m okay with that as well. Bring in Dwayne Casey or somebody like that. If we’re going to get a “hotshot assistant coach looking for his first head coach gig”, then let it be somebody SMART and discipline oriented like Chicago did with Thibodeau.
Well, the ASG is done with majority ops, and that’s all that matters for now. Hope the new guy has way better range of vision, better management skills, and less micromanaging tendencies.
Oh…and good lawyers. Just in case the former ASG members try to pull a Belkin on him. Again.
Paddy
August 8th, 2011
7:13 am
be informed…..not really a great accomplishment to make the NBA playoffs.
The way I read the column is he wants no part of any hockey team. He does not want to be an Atlanta hero. He wants to make alot of money. Who can blame him for any of that?
Brad Lyons
August 8th, 2011
7:35 am
The ASG lied to me for over 4-months, especially the last several weeks where I emphatically DEMANDED MY MONEY! It took getting the media involved and wouldn’t you know it, suddenly that check they had no ability to write was cut and waiting within an hour! Imagine that, just more proof of these slimeballs. WHILE I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THIS NEWS, I REFUSE TO SPEND A DIME UNTIL ALL OF THOSE LIARS ARE GONE. All the ASG did was lie, argue, and file lawsuits—-they did NOTHING and I mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING other than everything wrong—especially for the Thrashers fans of Atlanta. The fact is—-HOCKEY WORKS HERE BUT THE OWNERS MESSED IT UP FROM THE BEGINNING AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THINKS IT IS BECAUSE ATLANTA DOESN’T SUPPORT HOCKEY. That’s the bad news here, is they did such a poor job—-the image was tarnished. The reality is, the ASG tarnished it and we did NOTHING wrong.
Larry E
August 8th, 2011
7:51 am
The Atlanta Spirit can rot in HE&*$%. They killed the Thrashers and I hope nothing wins in Phillips Arena. And the gall of any of the Spirit group becoming part owners, are you kidding me! Put us an NHL team in Gwinnett Arena and let Atlanta sink into the hole it is.
Puck Like A Porn Star
August 8th, 2011
8:03 am
You can badmouth ASG all you want, but you better not say a word against Atlanta. Know thy enemy.
Still Boycotting
August 8th, 2011
8:22 am
Still won’t set foot in Phillips. This guy had interest in the arena and the Hawks before the exclusive agreement with Moores. He didn’t step up and make an offer for the Thrashers too. Besides, ASG members are still part of the new ownership group. There is no way those crooks and liars will get my money, ever. So therefore, my boycott is still on of Phillips Arena and the Hawks. About the only way he’d get me back in the arena is to purchase an NHL team and move them back here. NHL > NBA for me.
dmr
August 8th, 2011
8:32 am
I don’t know what this means for the Hawks other than I should no longer have to listen to Michael Gearon Jr. tell the fans how they don’t understand basketball or the overpaying of middle road talent. Gearon reminds me of the President of the U.S.; not because of his leadership, but because nothing is ever his fault or the fault of the A.S.G. So long.
hip czech
August 8th, 2011
8:36 am
hawks4life – and how many Thrashers games did YOU attend?
Thrashers Fan
August 8th, 2011
8:36 am
Who cares about the Hawks? The NBA is nothing more than a league of overpaid thugs!!!
BBrown
August 8th, 2011
8:38 am
“Say goodbye to exploding clown shoes” – That says it all! Hilarious!!! New ownership here is a good thing. Hopefully, more in the mold of Arthur Blank. Now, any chance the Braves can move on from Liberty Media?
Blob Horner
August 8th, 2011
8:44 am
Every busines, organization, sports franchise…. makes a bone-head move at some point(don’t we all). The question is, do they have the overall philosophy and management skills to overcome the occasional blunder. Even “Stan the Man Kasten(not Pete Babcock) slapped a hasty contract on John Kontrac(sic). The ASG somehow managed to overcome a Sunami of of bad hires, drafts, contracts, lawsuits and other disfuntion to put together maybe the best run outside of Stan Kasten’s team of the ’80’s( can’t count the team we inherited from St. Louis and promptly dismembered). So, from a BBall perspective, they certainly did better than most Hawks management when you look at the record. What we’re all left with is the fealing of what could have been if this group wasn’t making Apple Records look like Apple Computers.
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[...] media in Atlanta is excited about the new owner, mostly because this means the previous ownership group can’t screw things up anymore. And [...]
JROLL1
August 8th, 2011
9:02 am
Topo Gigio ……CLASSIC!!!! YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME WITH YOUR WIT!
Mike
August 8th, 2011
9:06 am
Can he fix a bad 120 million dollar contract and players with no heart? I may consider becoming a Hawks’ fan again if that’s the case.
Kudzu
August 8th, 2011
9:18 am
Please take the Hawks back to CA with you……
B-Baller-4real-deal
August 8th, 2011
9:22 am
Maybe he will sign a true point guard for the Hawks that’s been missing since the 1980’s…
I hope he told Levenson this “I’
ve got to be in control. Morons like yourself pick Marvin Williams (another forward when we already had 6 forwards) over Chris Paul, a point guard when you had none.”
Moe Larry and Curly
August 8th, 2011
9:23 am
See you later ASG! You redefined incompetence in sports ownership.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 8th, 2011
9:27 am
I hope in the future he can eventually buy out the minority share of the ASG group. As long as they are even a small part of the team, it can’t be good. They have proven to be the most inept group, major sports has ever had the misfortune of seeing. Maybe this new owner, can get this team to the top.
PMC
August 8th, 2011
9:28 am
The best part of this is “controlling interest” It shouldn’t take literally 7 years to get decisions made.
These guys were in court for basically the last 7 freaking years, coming out of it, they’ll be all better off financially than they were while leaving one property the Hawks in slightly better state than they found them and the building they play in in much worse shape because they sold off an entire professional teams season worth of bookings.
If they are still 50% of the ownership, do we still want to support the product?
Well, I’m looking foward to reasonably priced stadium pizza anyway.
PMC
August 8th, 2011
9:29 am
The rest of the ASG is going to be parasitic to anything good the new owner would bring. Just having them in the discussion is poisonous.
bobby g
August 8th, 2011
9:29 am
Maybe in 2 years he will want to bring back an NHL team and Gary Bettman the snake will agree cause how he is running the hawks…( Yea wishful thinking…never going to happen)
D man
August 8th, 2011
9:38 am
Guy from California comes to the South where he probably thinks we are all hicks and he is going to keep the Hawks here? I bet as soon as the contract with Phillips arena expires, he moves the Hawks to California. The good news – I think that is a 20 or 25 year lease that will expire in like 16 years or so. Maybe by then, he will learn to love the south and keep the team here.
Larry
August 8th, 2011
9:50 am
So, if I may “axe,” will this mean the Hawks players will have bigger earrings, more tattoos, and more illegitimate children than before for all those suckers in the stands to cheer and idolize more? And then couple this with a 3rd grade vocabulary and double digit IQ’s?
Yea, I’m real excited…rather have a root canal that watch these animals hop up and down trying to slam a round ball into a slightly larger round hole for millions of dollars!
B-Baller-4real-deal
August 8th, 2011
9:56 am
Larry, you must really love watching players toss an oval shaped leather ball and try to hit a small round white ball with seams all over it. Face it, every pro player is overpaid not just NBA players…
JSS
August 8th, 2011
10:04 am
No, it is just “Larry Bedford Forrest” being “Larry Bedford Forrest.”
“will this mean the Hawks players will have bigger earrings, more tattoos, and more illegitimate children than before for all those suckers in the stands to cheer and idolize more?”
Who knows? I mean all of that pure living kept Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Larry Jones, Tom Brady, Troy Biermann, and many other non-NBA players true to their wives and in one case true to his baby’s momma! You’re a clown!
Yum Yums
August 8th, 2011
10:10 am
I would rather watch paint dry than watch the Hawks or for that matter any team in the NBA.
Larry
August 8th, 2011
10:14 am
B-Baller-4real-deal,
Agree on most baseball players, but at least with people like Drew Brees with a degree from Purdue, Matt Ryan with a degree from Boston College, or Justin Blalock of the Falcons who scored a 41 on the Wonderlic.
Here’s a quote from Justin:
“As much as I love doing well in football, I also enjoy excelling in the classroom. My family promotes academics even more than athletics. When I graduated from high school, I was one of five finalists for the Watkins Award for the nation’s top scholar athlete. So in my junior year at Texas, when I had the possibility to leave school for the NFL, I chose to stay in school. I graduated in December 2006 with a degree in Youth and Community Studies in the School of Education. It was a proud moment for my family and for me
Blalock perfectly exemplifies the standards that African Americans should celebrate, not those that prefer to wear their pants down at their knees with their butt cheeks hanging out!
The NBA is a league of illiterates and thugs and I wouldn’t pay a penny to watch it!
Yeahsure
August 8th, 2011
10:15 am
@Be Informed,
Bradley is far from a homer when it comes to the Falcons. Let’s try to be informed a little better.
I’m glad we have a new owner. First on the list: Find a new GM.
Unfortunately, the ASG and Sund has created an impossible situation for Mr. Meruelo. Binded his hands with stupid players and stupid contracts. This will take some time to rebuild.
Larry
August 8th, 2011
10:29 am
Always predictable to hear from Just Simply Stupid (JSS for short), whom has yet to offer a single point or comment worthy of reading.
Now just wait, he’ll come back with another of his patented bizarre and irrelevant movie character references that only he and his grossly inadequate mind can associate with any topic.
Speaking of double digit IQ’s….
PMC
August 8th, 2011
10:33 am
yeah, illiterates and “thugs” like David Robinson with a degree from the Naval Academy and distinguished service to this country before being an NBA MVP and champion.
Illiterates and “thugs” like Wake Forrest’s Tim Duncan.
Larry
August 8th, 2011
10:41 am
Yes, Robinson and Duncan are among the more classy players; however they were drafted many years ago where more of the cerebral game was appreciated than now.
Let’s focus on today, shall we?
drmaryb .(*_*).
August 8th, 2011
10:50 am
Debt Ceiling!
The ASG were the equivalent of Congress in Washington. The sum of their parts rivals only the:
Republicans
Republican Tea Party
Democrats
The quintessential of dysfunctionality!
_______________
Good Writtens! To bad the linger like rotten limberger-sic cheese. Even the rats won’t touch that!
Bye-Bye! Go away on a one way world tour Carnival Cruise Ship!
drmaryb .(*_*).
August 8th, 2011
10:52 am
* Too bad they linger like limberger-sic cheese …
sam'l
August 8th, 2011
10:58 am
Hmmm….Blogman still wants to trade hinrich…..hasn’t figured out that maybe with hinrich we could have kept our LEAD IN THE CHICAGO SERIES in the fourth game…..quit picking on hinrich……..
Bringing in Dwight Howard would be a bad move…..bad personality…embodies thug basketball……sort of like Smith…Josh could be saved if only he wakes up……..
This team will not necessarily stay in Atlanta regardless of any bone measures of existing contracts…these contracts seem to go away in the face of economics…..so you can rejoice all you want, but you really don’t know where this team is going to be in a few years.
Have nothing against hockey fans, but I remember the first hockey team being given a royal welcome….i.e. first story on sports reports was hockey, not hawks, notwithstanding the hawks history….fans didn’t buy it then, and given a second chance hockey failed there too….
San Diego….god knows we all need mentally and physically healthy women….but even with Bill Walton you guys couldn’t fix the leak in the Sports Arena. Atlanta is a bigger market….not cut off by the ocean and Mexico…..otherwise, good idea….
Really the ASG kept saying they weren’t selling the Hawks….but really, that’s exactly what they did, regardless of the “seeking an investor” terminology. And we knew it. We knew they were fibbing. Why would anyone deal with this group for any business or service in or outside of the NBA? Sheesh….and you can thank Mr. CNN Turner for this mess in the first place. ..
Go Hawks….but not too far……
sam'l
August 8th, 2011
11:01 am
corrects previous typos/mistakes
lead in the FIFTH game of the Chicago series…..(which was tied at 2-2)
bone measures to bond measures
heat check
August 8th, 2011
11:01 am
Ahhhh what great news! So long DASG!
I’m assuming this will result in some much needed management changes, but hopefully this also means Nique won’t be bringing his Human Grammatical Error Show to the booth anymore. Someone get this man any local Hawks footage from the last 3 years ASAP!
Drop a few hundred thousand on a professional analyst (or just slide the Stinger back over) and the games would be much more watchable. Loved Nique as a player, but I’m confident the guy flipping pizzas at Mucho Macho Pizza in Riverside, CA would give Bob Rathbun more to work with. Whoever he is.
JSS
August 8th, 2011
11:02 am
Larry Bedford Forrest, I don’t have to come back at you… Your daily one trick pony show about the NBA wore thin a L-O-N-G time ago.
“Focus on today?” You must high on diesel fumes from the generator in your bunker. You keep preaching that 1995 vision of the NBA player demographic every time you crawl from under your rock.
You wit is about caustic as baby shampoo…
sam'l
August 8th, 2011
11:10 am
This is my only political statement…..Mary B….What happened to the party of Yes?
Tea Party is correct. Taxes, border and patriotism…..it’s not republican tea party…its tea party, for whomever (R or D or I) believes the country has financial and demographic problems. Or I guess you can say our finances are in good shape as gold zooms to 1700 from 1100 in just one year.
drmaryb .(*_*).
August 8th, 2011
11:14 am
Pants on The Ground!
“Blalock perfectly exemplifies the standards that African Americans should celebrate, not those that prefer to wear their pants down at their knees with their butt cheeks hanging out!” – Larry -
_______________
Enthusiastic Co-Sign! I was against the ordinance for fining young men who wore their pants on the ground – UNTIL:
I left the confines of the suburbs in Roswell, GA yesterday and trekked over to South West Atlanta. I went to The Pearl Bistro next to Greenbriar Mall for the first and last time. While eating dinner with some new friends, I looked up and saw a THUG leaned over the bar and his pants were belted underneath his butt cheeks. All up in my face was his azz covered in gray cotton under-roos and his butt crack clearly defined!
I’m a beautiful young black woman, who had NEVER seen such a disgusting display of disrespect for others in public!
I nearly barfed, became enraged and simply left to head back to the suburbs, where I don’t have to see that ISH!
I will NEVER go to SWATS again! NEVER!
I now, fully support the ordinance. As a matter of fact? The ordinance is not strong enough. These THUGS should be arrested for indecent exposure! (smdh)
Clean up your act – my brothers! Do it NOW!
Bernard
August 8th, 2011
11:15 am
GGGGGGGO Hawks:-)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Warren
August 8th, 2011
11:18 am
Atlanta is nearly tied for the 7th biggest TV market in the U.S. There are 28 cities represented in the NBA. And Jeff is correct about Atlanta’s NBA viewership. Does anyone really think the Hawks will be allowed to move? And if they did, we’d probably get a new franchise a couple years later anyway.
drmaryb .(*_*).
August 8th, 2011
11:27 am
Sam’l
You make some very fine points up there. But, here is my point:
Systemic Dysfunctionality! And, there is a plethora of blame to go around? Did I leave anyone off that list? If so, then add them!
No industrialized country in the world leverages paying their past due bills (owed to creditors) along with their deficits! NONE! If I am wrong please list those countries?
You PAY your past due bills! First and fore most! It has nothing to do with budget planning for tomorrow! Those are two well defined dichotomies and should/must be handled separately, even though one does impact the other!
Again, the point is DYSFUNCTIONALITY at the highest level. Aye Congress! Stop bickering and do the peoples work! Stop fighting and slinging feces! Balance the BUDGET already!
Will
August 8th, 2011
11:28 am
Let’s withhold judgement about the new owner until we learn more about the new owner.
Yes, it would appear that anything would be better than the “yoyos” who ran the Thrashers out of town and made the Hawks a laughing stock for most of their period of ownership but the new owner has got to do something more than not being the old owners.
The Hawks will not progress beyond the second round of the NBA playoffs with the current coach and current roster.
Of course, worrying about the Hawks for the next year is most likely a moot point as it appears the union and NBA are hell-bent on losing the upcoming season so that the billionairs and millionaires can quibble over becoming greater millionaires and billionaires.
TheAntiMe
August 8th, 2011
11:41 am
Cool, now maybe we can get that guy from here who plays center for a team in Florida. What was his name again? Oh yeah, that’s right… Dwight Howard. I’ll even by him a crazy pizza if that happens.
TheAntiMe
August 8th, 2011
11:48 am
Not only that, I’ll also buy him a crazy pizza, as well. Unless, of course, Dwight prefers something else, then I’ll bye his pizza and substitute in it’s place any darn type of food he prefers.
da'boomer
August 8th, 2011
11:55 am
Too bad we had to lose the Thrashers. There will be a special place in hell for these ASG clowns. I hope the next time I read about them the phrase ‘fiery plane crash’ is part of the article. I hope the Hawks move, too. The NBA is the worst sport on earth.
big don
August 8th, 2011
11:56 am
I live in Stone Mountain and if I want to see large black folks, all I’ve got to do is open my door. Why in the hell would I PAY to see them? Never spent a dime on Hawks, never will. However, I do agree that the ASG sucks big time. Hope you season ticket holders are happy with JJ and Marvelous Marvin.
Larry
August 8th, 2011
12:01 pm
“You wit is about caustic as baby shampoo…”
I rest my case…spelling, diction and syntax are completely absent from Just Simply Stupid’s (JSS) comprehension. Talk about self incrimination! LOL!
drmaryb .(*_*).,
Touché, Madam, for your standards and values so abundantly absent from ALL races! I’m just as hard on the “goobers” and bubbas–like “JSS,” for example–as I am on the “brothers!”
Ok
August 8th, 2011
12:05 pm
Bet mommy and daddy bought that 1st pizza place.
A lot of money in pie?! I remember something in the ’80’s about “the mob and the pizza connection” in Philly…didn’t sell a lot of pies, but did a lot of other business out of those parlors.
Herman Cain did some things with pizza too…How appropriate, “Godfathers pizza”.
I’m selling all my stock and getting into pizza!
Where's the Logic?
August 8th, 2011
12:06 pm
“If we American people ever allow monopoly banking to control the issue of currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, these banks and bureaucracies that will grow up around them will deprive we, the people of all our property until our children will wake up homeless on the continent which God gave us for stewardship.”
~ Thomas Jefferson
“Mission Accomplished!” bubba jr/bummer sr
I’ll take a Burrito and a Tequila please…
djthescorpian
August 8th, 2011
12:10 pm
Clean house-from the top to bottom-let’s gettim while we gottem!
Ok
August 8th, 2011
12:18 pm
HAIL PIZZA!
Ok
August 8th, 2011
12:19 pm
How good could the pizza be? It’s California for crying out loud…
maybe he can buy Braves
August 8th, 2011
12:27 pm
Then we can get all the Cuban players!
Prince
August 8th, 2011
12:27 pm
TRADE JOE JOHNSON NOW!!!!! and pay a real superstarplayer the money he makes.
Oh, FL tried that
August 8th, 2011
12:28 pm
Huzeinga tried to buy Cuba…look at Marlins now.
Maybe he can bring boxing to Phillips
August 8th, 2011
12:29 pm
the cubano variety
Great food!
August 8th, 2011
12:31 pm
Maybe he can bring some great Cuban food to town….
I don’t get the pizza thing, not their dish.
Ray
August 8th, 2011
12:32 pm
This is great news for the Hawks– and for the thousands of NBA fans in Atlanta. Jeff you’re right, Atlanta is a great NBA town and deserves a winner. The fans will support a team that plays hard, and smart and wins. I’m tired of hearing these stupid comments by people like Yum Yum about “thug ball” being played. There is no such thing as “thug ball”, nor are there thugs playing professional basketball. If you don’t like the NBA then say that! I don’t like hockey because it’s boring to me and I don’t watch it. But I would never insult the players by calling them a bunch of thugs– even though they fight all of the time and sometimes go after each other with sticks. Anyway– the sale is GREAT news… GO HAWKS!!
Atlanta native
August 8th, 2011
12:54 pm
ASG- You DESTROYED the hockey franchise here and we will never forgive you for your incompetence. We will remember each of your names and will dislike you until the day we die.
signed,
The Hockey fans of Atlanta
Basketball...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
August 8th, 2011
12:54 pm
wake me up for football
Bruce
August 8th, 2011
12:55 pm
I agree JRY. I will not support the Hawks by either attending games or even rooting for them plus will not attend any event at the arena as long as any member of the ASG can make one penny or claim any part of any success the team may have. My attitude would be different if the Thrashers debacle hadn’t taken place.
Bunch of tatoo freaks
August 8th, 2011
12:55 pm
who cares
Take away the basketball
August 8th, 2011
12:59 pm
Go read a book…..sorry, they can’t read.
Yep
August 8th, 2011
1:02 pm
Take away their KFC eatin’ fat a$$ mamas and their basketball…
LetsGoThrashers
August 8th, 2011
1:04 pm
Excellent news! Mr. Meruelo, if I may offer a bit of advice, I think your first order of business should be to see if True North Sports would be interested in owning an NBA franchise and, if so, I think you should see about trading the Hawks to Winnipeg in exchange for the Thrashers/Jets.
deb
August 8th, 2011
1:07 pm
Another great column, Jeff!
watching paint dry
August 8th, 2011
1:12 pm
Basketballzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
watching paint dry
August 8th, 2011
1:13 pm
hockeyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
To the new owner
August 8th, 2011
1:21 pm
Suckerrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jon
August 8th, 2011
1:24 pm
Levenson, Gearon and/or Peskowitz will remain as minority partners? Then I STILL WILL NOT INVEST IN THIS TEAM!
Let's see.....
August 8th, 2011
1:31 pm
3 jews and a cuban are in a bar talking about a basketball team……
Maybe they'll move to Havana
August 8th, 2011
1:33 pm
Take your basketball and get outta here.
Imperial Stern...
August 8th, 2011
1:39 pm
David Sterns next move>HAVANA>take over the world!!!!
He’ll offer the ownership approval if this guy moves the team to Cuba
BRILLIANT
If u like pina colladas......
August 8th, 2011
1:40 pm
bye bye hawks….don’t let the door kick u in the….
yes
August 8th, 2011
1:44 pm
Miami Heat and Havana Hawks will have rubber raft tailgaiting parties.
Send each others fans to detention centers after games!
looking forward to....
August 8th, 2011
1:47 pm
all the pig roasts at the arena now…
or a good cuban sandwich
Is Mark Cuban, Cuban?
August 8th, 2011
1:48 pm
enquiring minds want to know.
Really???
August 8th, 2011
1:50 pm
“Logic says Levenson, Gearon and/or Peskowitz will remain as minority partners because the rest of the money has to come from somewhere. But when one man owns controlling interest, it means one votes and one man decides.”
____
So long as any membery of the Atlanta Spirit group remains in any way associated with the team or the arena they will not receive my money. I can think of no better way of showing my thansk to the ASG than keeping my money in my wallet until their bum @$$es are out of this town forever.
Smiling Jack
August 8th, 2011
1:51 pm
It’s really easy to see what’s wrong with the world especially the USA, when you read the comments made by most bloggers! It has been said, “stupid is as stupid does,” I think Forrest’s Mama said that. Well, I say “stupid says; stupid does; and you can’t fix stupid.
Look people give the new owner a break. You cried, pleaded and begged for ASG to sell the Hawks. Now the Hawks are sold, but the new guy doesn’t even get a chance before the insults begin, the threats of non support are made, and the illiterate unsolicited advice is given by people who don’t know the entire picture. Give the man a chance! Welcome his courage! Go Hawks! We all will enjoy a winning team contending for a championship. Go Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, Hey Goodbye!
August 8th, 2011
1:58 pm
Latin ladies night at the Arena….Dios Mios…..muy caliente! hot, hot, hot
Go Hawks!
August 8th, 2011
1:59 pm
Prediction: Trade Al and Marvin, within 5 yrs the Hawks will be in the finals for the 1st time in almost 50 years…
Go Hawks!
August 8th, 2011
2:00 pm
LatinEuro.com! muy caliente!
What did Mr. Robinson say....
August 8th, 2011
2:00 pm
“Pizza son….futures in pizza.”
That's a whole lot slices....
August 8th, 2011
2:03 pm
he must have sold!
TIM
August 8th, 2011
2:03 pm
Looks like the guy got rich by selling flavorless pizza to “i like to eat cardboard” cheap customers in Socal.
I guess Little Caesars will buy the Braves.
Sounds like a........
August 8th, 2011
2:05 pm
Pizza Ponzi Scheme!!
He gets a pizza shop for his 21st b-day....
August 8th, 2011
2:07 pm
and all I got was a lousy t-shirt.
And now
August 8th, 2011
2:09 pm
he’s playing hookers in Vegas…..and it all started with one slice
Jeez, my parents must've sucked
August 8th, 2011
2:11 pm
After looking at this guy
Go Hawks!
August 8th, 2011
2:14 pm
I once heard that it cost only about one dollar to make a full size pizza @ Pizza HUT!
The profits are ridiculous..
Good luck trying to replicate that down at Phillips
Yeah baby!
August 8th, 2011
2:18 pm
Maybe he’ll hire Dick Vitale as announcer…
“Yeah baby, look at the slice on that cheerleader!”
“now that’s a pizza PIE baby”
Go Hawks!
August 8th, 2011
2:27 pm
I hear a pizza cost about 1 dollar to make! Nice profits?
NOT AFRAID TO SAY IT
August 8th, 2011
2:31 pm
Finally a real businessman with the Hawks. Daddy’s Money can remain as minority owners or walk….I really don’t care. They just can’t eat at the grownups table.
my parents still must've sucked...
August 8th, 2011
2:39 pm
I didn’t get a pizza, much less a pizza shop when I was 21.
Can I have the Braves please?!
JSS
August 8th, 2011
2:52 pm
“1,000 percent Hawks fan!”
-Alex Meruelo
That is good enough for me…
Larry,
You are the only “Bubba” or “Goober” trolling on this comment section… Oh just friend, and the only 1870’s level bigot on the comment section as well, so get off the potty, you’re just farting now…
Is new owner..
August 8th, 2011
2:53 pm
“Hawking” pizza slices outside arena?
cdog
August 8th, 2011
2:56 pm
everyone was defending rick sund as a GM. now with theASG group gone, we’re going to really see what kind of GM sund really is. now there is no more excuses.the new owner first line of business moves should be to find a way to keep josh smith and bring in dwight howard by any means neccesary
@Jeff Schultz
August 8th, 2011
2:56 pm
looking forward to your next interview with pizza face.
Does he pay the hookers in vegas with slices?
That's a spicy meatball
August 8th, 2011
2:58 pm
How many slices do you have to sell to get the toys pizza boy has?
mama mia
August 8th, 2011
2:59 pm
Thatsa spicy meataball….
mama mia
August 8th, 2011
3:00 pm
?
mama mia
August 8th, 2011
3:02 pm
How many slices do you have to sell to have pizza boys toys?
Get back in the kitchen
August 8th, 2011
3:11 pm
and cook those pizzas mama….I shelled out a lot of meatballs for this team….need to make a billion more slices.
nickp
August 8th, 2011
3:17 pm
THANK YOU GOD!!! The Hawks finally got a new owner and it’s one person!!
NipTuck
August 8th, 2011
3:25 pm
FIRE CONGRESS!!!!!!!! Market down 400 pts!!
Reno
August 8th, 2011
3:26 pm
Overheard casual conversation of one of Spirit owners with other “Dads” at kids’ school night years ago – it was abundantly clear from his own pronouncments that he had absolutely no idea how to run a professional sports franchise.
HAWKLESS
August 8th, 2011
4:08 pm
I HOPE THE OWNER BRING IN A COMPLETELY NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM FROM THE FRONT OFFICE TO ALL OF THE COACHES.
Tim
August 8th, 2011
4:46 pm
Now, if we could get rid of our entire government we’d be on to something.
BZR
August 8th, 2011
6:17 pm
The Atlanta Hawks teams run by the Atlanta Spirit have been making the playoffs and improving every year since the Atlanta Spirit took over. It has been the best run since the Dominique Wilkins era.
You have to look at what the AS started with AND look at the white collar, unsupportive city that Atlanta has ALWAYS been to understand why the Hawks are not taking home rings. Atlanta didn’t even show up in the Omni when Dominique was the most exciting players in the world (50 point games) and Ted Turner was sitting on the sideline.
The Hawks won’t change until the city does.
The writers above need to get a clue.
NipTuck
August 8th, 2011
6:26 pm
Memo to new Hawk’s ownership: Make sure the ALL NEW Latina Cheer leading squad are at least 5′9″ in their bear feet!
Put them in micro-fishnets to accentuate their long gorgeous legs! Excitement down @ Phillips!!
LetPhilipsRot
August 8th, 2011
7:48 pm
Sorry Jeff, but while every single person in this city is happy ASG is essentially gone, the legacy they have left has tarnished this state, city and our reputation. For Thrashers fans, there is nothing to rejoice in. For Hawks fans, I would be worried that…GUESS WHAT… this was ASG who sold to this man. ASG was never honest or upfront with ANY of their dealings – ask any Thrashers fan. This is an individual owner – something every Thrashers fan DREAMED of. And now, we see one, and yet, our Thrashers are gone. It is still painful, surreal and surreal that they are gone. They should have NEVER been allowed to sell either team until the found an owner for BOTH teams. Where was this guy when the Thrashers were for sale? Something is very fishy about all of this. This guy cares zero about Atlanta… he’s not from here and doesn’t have any connections so why would we care if an Atlanta team wins or loses? In a few years he’ll move em to CA and we’ll have no NBA or NHL teams. Way to go, ASG.
Stan
August 8th, 2011
8:22 pm
Who is that idiot columnist for the ajc who said the braves could catch the philles?
As Week 18 begins, the Philadelphia Phillies have become the first team in baseball to reach 100 percent in the playoff probabilities. They went 6-1 on a road trip through the NL West and are now forecasted to win 105 games. The Braves have just a 1.1 percent chance of catching Philadelphia for the NL East Division title.
darb
August 8th, 2011
9:12 pm
Please buy out all former members of Atlanta Spirit, they are loosers who couldnt ever figure out ownership by committee would never work, and as even minority owners, they will want to have a say so. Buy the out no!w !!!
cloudy
August 8th, 2011
9:52 pm
Oh no!!!! You mean we won’t have the jock sniffers around anymore?!!!
BZR
August 8th, 2011
10:05 pm
This is only my opinion of course. The city had it good when the the Spirit ran the club. BUT – Clearly an immeasurable improvement from pre-Spirit days. First round playoff win last year – that means (approximately) the 8th BEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE”. I agree, best teams since the days of Dominique. So…..
How can 8th BEST = “worst ownership in the history of professional sports”? How can you (Shultz) say that when describing a group that took their team from the NBA gutter to 8th BEST in a few years. Seriously, how can you say that (and still get paid for writing). Are you serious? I am curious. Why do you think that? What do you know that we don’t? You must know something. 8th BEST = “worst…in…history”????? What numbers are you looking at? What crimes do you know about that you have not told us? There HAS to be more going on for you to insinuate “worst ownership in the history of professional sports”.
Sorry but I want substance in what I read. If you are going to criticize, back it up with something. Give me some statistics, reasons, some substance, something to think about. Otherwise you are just whining. Just sitting around whining. Which to me, describes the above article. Nothing there but whining.
Shultz – I have not read you enough to know if this is always the case, but the above article is vapid. It is empty. All I read is you whining.
And I think 10 years from now we will miss the Atlanta Spirit – and the 2011 Hawks – who came back from being crushed the year before – and beat the Orland Magic in the first round of the playoffs. I thought it was AWESOME!
cloudy
August 8th, 2011
10:10 pm
BZR Perhaps you need to reread the article. Perhaps you were not here when all of the above mentioned dramas took place from the get go. Perhaps you just don’t like the messenger. Know this- most of Atlanta is happy to see them go.
Jeff97
August 8th, 2011
11:12 pm
what are the chances that if this guy turns out to be a good NBA owner that maybe we get a chance at another NHL team? ATL needs another chance at a hockey team, this time with a legit owner. something we did not have the last time.
Kevin
August 9th, 2011
2:45 am
Well as soon the NBA board of Governers approved and its okay with Al sharpton n jesse Jackson he can own then should be no problem in him ownin all n he owns the arena too folks ASG…..is bye bye but we have to wait there be No NBA david stern will see that happens…..time for owners fire the Commish of NBA n Hire ….former laker who was center n was at Ucla and was No1 scorer pass the wilt chamberlin…..u know who is i just can’t spell his name…sorry folks!
BZR
August 9th, 2011
8:32 am
Cloudy. I want my sports team to win. They did. More than any Hawks team since the 80s.
The “dramas” were creations of the media. That stuff did not have to play out in public – the media and the readers who feed off of the drama made that situation what it was. Should have been and would have been private if it weren’t for the media and the drama hungry reader.
Bottom line – they won more games than any hawks ownership has since the 1980s and the people of Atlanta still whine. Though I honestly think it is a small segment of Atlanta feels that way. Most recognize that the team won and the legal dramas were separate.
GT
August 9th, 2011
8:41 am
The Thrashers are where they belong, like Manchester is a good place for soccer. The local sport’s press have a dog in the hunt. If there is no hockey there is no reporting which leaves less money on the table. This team was for sale. Any transplant was welcome to buy it and keep it here, would have saved the sellers 60 million. There is a reason why no one wanted to throw good money after bad and it had nothing to do with the ASG. Watch what would happen if the Georgia Bulldogs decided to move, or something in this town people really cared about. If you want to get mad at someone get mad at Atlanta, we don’t care plus or minus about hockey. I can’t remember a sport I heard less about being here. No one in this town started a conversation off about hockey. People would think you were nuts. “How bout those Thrashers?” Too funny.
BZR
August 9th, 2011
8:51 am
GT – I could not agree more. Atlanta has tried to support professional hockey once before and couldn’t.
Peter
August 9th, 2011
8:51 am
I agree……… if the Spirit is involved in any way I will mot spend a dime !
Browncoat
August 9th, 2011
9:00 am
I hate the Atlanta Spirit.
Browncoat
August 9th, 2011
9:15 am
And GT, you really don’t know what you are talking about. I was a Flames fan and a Thrashers fan. Both teams had solid bases of support, however the teams left because of ownership problems. If you go back to the Flames and look at their attendance numbers, they were good. Although the team did poorly in the playoffs, they made the playoff most years. However, Tom Cousins’ real estate empire began to collapse and he needed cash. At the same time, a group out of Calgary came and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. The offer was way above market price, and no one could match it.
The Thrashers were undermined by the Atlanta Spirit group. The team had good support in the early days, and actually the Thrashers attendance numbers were better than the Hawks for several years. However, it became clear that the Spirit group wouldn’t and couldn’t make the decisions necessary to build a consistently successful franchise. Franchise player after franchise player left the team through trades or free agency, the wrong supporting players were added, the coaching was suspect, and Don Waddell proved himself to be incapable of running a franchise. We now know that the Atlanta Spirit had been trying to sell the team for years, not trying to spend money to build a winner. Slowly, even support from some diehard fans faded. Once again, a Canadian market desperate for a team came in and made an offer that the Spirit wouldn’t and couldn’t refuse. Add this to the NHL stepping in to keep hockey in Phoenix while pushing hockey out of Atlanta (presumably in order to receive a 60 million dollar relocation fee from Winnipeg), and we once again have Atlanta without NHL hockey.
da'boomer
August 9th, 2011
10:17 am
GT – you are an ignorant douche. Browncoat – Amen! Thanks for your post. Very good account of exactly what has happened to hockey in Atlanta. Just the facts. Unfortunately, anything that happens in Atlanta seems to come back to race. In the case of the Thrashers, I think it was a big factor in the lack of action by the city. Were the Hawks or Falcons in the same boats the Thrashers there would have been bonds, referendums, etc to ensure they stayed. And in regards to demographics, why would you build the arena for a predominately white sport in a predominately black downtown area.
GT
August 9th, 2011
10:34 am
This has nothing to do with support. The same scenario was played out with the Falcons. The problem there was the owner, Smith, would not let go of them, lots of local people were in line to buy them, but the Smiths would let go. Plus people like Arthur Blank loved football, the money was secondary.
I worked with Cousins during the Hawk, and Flames era. He owned the Omni. He needed a show, in the Omni to pay the rent. It filled the office building next door and made the retail work. It was a novelty just like Winnipeg, sold out till the new washed off on it. Don’t forget Winnipeg lost a NHL franchise before too. The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was put in the building next door for the same purpose and it went bust too. When Cousins wanted to sell a team unlike the Falcons where people were begging for it, he was the one begging for a buyer. The man had done a herculean thing in bringing hockey and basketball to Atlanta, which in itself should make him a saint. You go from his begging the hockey and NBA for a team to complete silence on the hockey front for a person to step up and take it off his hands. It is like as long as he was having the party we are in but if I have to pay for my on booze I am out. The Same thing goes with the ASG, who were force to swallow the hockey and the Omni in order to get the basketball. This is not a draft where you are entitled to a hockey team you have to want one. We don’t want one in Atlanta and for most of us our lives have not changed one bit now that it is gone. I do miss The World of Sid and Marty Krofft though.
Hawks New Owner Alex Meruelo Must Combat A Spirit of Fan Apathy in Atlanta | Atlanta News
August 9th, 2011
10:49 am
[...] you read Jeff Schultz’ article regarding this matter, you’d think that The Atlanta Spirit drained the spirit out of NBA fans in [...]
GT
August 9th, 2011
11:08 am
Have you ever been in a community that has a golf course? Drains the hell out of the developer, but adds value to the community. The developer sells the lots or houses for about 30% more than they are worth because of the golf course. ASG bought the people of Atlanta a golf couse. The problem is they didn’t own the subdivision the golf course was in. Atlanta’s value went up, the Omni value went up, but none of this was reaped by the owner of the golf course, “sports team”.
DAWG Days of Summer
August 9th, 2011
11:28 am
Clearly, GT is a virgin.
miner
August 9th, 2011
11:33 am
so John Smoltz is foreclosing on 1.6 million dollar property in Wyoming..is he broke or just decided to quit paying his bills? The latter I’m guessing. IS Smoltz a bum now?
mike
August 9th, 2011
11:36 am
asg arguable worst ownership, Atlanta arguable worst pro sport city in universe – terrible combination. did you hear meruelo “i am not interest in hockey team” it’s because his hope to make couple bucks on Philips Latino concerts and pizza – la Cora in one of the fastest growing Latino populations city. need combinations of Howard , lebron and coby to fill up arena here. one of the best sport in the world – hockey had no chance to establish here. so good luck new owner in the football college capital. go dawgs.(by the way some times attendance on beloved braves close to marlins 15000) again it not going to be easy even for Cuban.
Browncoat
August 9th, 2011
11:42 am
GT, you’re not making any sense. The Calgary group payed way abover market price. At the time, there were potential buyers but none were willing to pay the price Calgary was. My point is that Atlanta will support hockey, and has done so in the past. Many times cities lose teams even though fans support the team (i.e., the Baltimore Colts)
Atlanta got lucky with the Falcons. Smith toyed with the idea of moving them to Jacksonville, and there were other rumors that they could be sold and moved out of town. Fortunately, they were sold to Mr. Blank. Likewise, the Braves in the late 70’s were doormats and attendance was poor. Again, there were rumors that the team could be sold and moved. Fortunately, Ted Turner stepped in and bought the team.
My point is that team’s fortunes are often based upon chance and luck when it comes to ownership changes. The hockey teams in Atlanta have not been so much a victim of lack of fan support as ownership problems.
Hawks fan
August 9th, 2011
12:27 pm
GT ASG bought into arena revenue in Philips not the Omni as your comments state multiple times. By separating the thrashers from the arena( the refinancing of hawks) it acted as a poison pill in keeping thrash local. The NHL has no real tv contract so when you assure the buyer of thrash will have not arena revenue you guarantee nobody in their right kinds will buy team and keep it in Atlanta. Only guaranteeing losses with no arena revenue. Plus who wanted to be tenant to ASG. Parting thrashers from arena almost guaranteed they would be moved. That is why prospective buyers looked at thrashers and were frightened off in keeping team here. Hockey can succeed here but not without arena revenue. It would either need to be able to participate or move to a new suburban arena. If it moved to the suburbs we would have finally heard from the Atlanta mayor. He was fine with them leaving to another city but the suburbs would be a problem. Philips will he awful quiet this year. Happy I don’t own restaurant in CNN center.
R.I.P. Thrashers
August 9th, 2011
12:43 pm
The ASG are millionaires who wanted to act like billionaires. They had no business owning a professional sports team. Owners should have some sense of an obligation to the people of the city for which they are purchasing a team in. The ASG did not have the money nor the sense of responsibilty to own a team. Their egoes came before the people of Atlanta.
RHJ
August 9th, 2011
1:38 pm
having been a season ticket holder there seems to a be bait and switch ideal within the spirit group, keep season tickets low and reasonable. then you have the fans hostage. If your in the building your gonna spend money, between parking, tickets and concessions the spirit group is trying to make up for lost revenue regardless of how many people show up to watch an inferior product. RICK SUND we can do better LARRY DREW didnt do bad but wont win us a championdship. we need new blood in scouting as well < HEADS NEED TO ROLL IJS
mgm
August 9th, 2011
3:41 pm
Never has an ownership of professional franchises left so much despair in its wake. They destroyed our hockey franchise and while they may have improved the Hawks, they left it strapped with horrible contracts that will be its ultimate demise in the short term. I say our because as Arthur Blank has said about the Falcons, a pro sports franchise is the communities and the owners are just its stewards. ASG was the blueprint for how not to run a sports franchise. We may never see hockey again and a basketball championship will take another period of rebuilding after the money is freed up from the worst contract in basketball history.
I miss them
August 9th, 2011
4:49 pm
Season hasn’t even started yet but I still miss the Thrashers. Hawks are fine and all, but can I please have our Thrashers back?
KevinM
August 9th, 2011
7:06 pm
Too many mistakes by the ASG left a bad taste all over this city. They have been lucky to get the success they have had, with all the lower draft picks to screw up and a couple have been good. But they have peaked and have left AM and the city with nowhere to grow.
We have Marvin handcuffed to us, (thanks Rick)…
We have Joe taking over 25% of the salary allowed (thanks Rick)
The ASG spent money, but they also made money….they are whining about losing money, but I don’t see losses in their sale price.
Fans aren’t as ignorant as the ASG make them out to be…they absolutely were over their heads and whoever told them we had a contender should be fired…..(thanks Rick and Larry)
Move these 2 ‘leaders’ out of their authoritative positions and bring in some NBA people that know how to build a team….our 3 captains look good against under .500 teams…..other than that, we have little to root for.
KevinM
August 9th, 2011
7:28 pm
Jeff Teague shows you how clueless Larry Drew is….as stubborn as Woody.
Josh Smith and his jumpers show you how clueless Larry Drew is…as stubborn as Woody.
Mike Bibby showed you how clueless Larry Drew was…..as stubborn as Woody.
I don’t think any further examples are needed. Can’t help it…one more…
Al Horford being benched in a critical playoff game with 2 fouls shows you how clueless Larry Drew is….there goes the momentum!
BZR
August 9th, 2011
9:10 pm
Hockey WILL return to Atlanta. It will retrun when someone can afford to lose a tremendous amount of money every year to put a team into a city that will never fill the seats of the stadium to watch hockey on a regular basis.
LD
August 9th, 2011
11:20 pm
Good riddance Atlanta Spirit Group! I don’t know who lies more….Mike Gearon or Obama!?
Gary Bettman
August 10th, 2011
7:30 am
Any truth to the rumor he might hire Waddell as GM?
Dejay
August 10th, 2011
9:56 am
Well, I guess I’ll chime in since everyone else is. But allow me to clear a few things up…
First let me address the hockey argument. Browncoat had it right, a bullseye on the target. The sole reason why the Flames are not celebrating its 40th season here is because of the real estate collapse of the 70’s that sunk the Cousins empire. They sold out the old Omni more often than the Hawks did; in fact, they still had attendance records that the Hawks didn’t touch until Nique’s heyday in the mid-late ’80s. Fan support was NOT an issue with the Flames at all. It was simply the fact that Nelson Scalbania and his merry men from Calgary put a Joe Johnson-esque offer on the table ($17M; to put that amount in perspective, the Omni was built for $17M, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for $18M) that no one locally could match. By the time Ted Turner got the scent, the Flames were already out the door. Had the Flames stayed in Atlanta, they would’ve been the biggest show in town in the ’80s when they were competing for Stanley Cups while the Braves and Falcons were losing to small college and high school teams in a dreary, run-down, half-empty AFCS; that’s a fact.
As far as the Thrashers are concerned, they never had a chance to succeed, even at the Flames’ level. We all know how little the Notorious A.S.G. cared about hockey when they allowed one of the most incompetent GM’s in the sport to run the team into the ground, so as long as he did it under budget (which was normally at the NHL salary floor). That would be like the Hawks keeping Pete Babcock as GM for a over a decade and…oh wait (I’ll get to them later).
As far as the Falcons are concerned, yes, the Smiths were in talks to move them to Jacksonville in the late-80’s. But it was the construction of the Georgia Dome that kept them here, not Arthur Blank. Knowing that taxpayers wouldn’t support a known cheapskate like Rankin Smith getting a domed stadium at their expense, the state legislature, Atlanta Chamber of Congress, and then-govenor Joe Frank Harris sold it to the public as a showpiece to host Super Bowls, Final Fours, and national conventions (which went a long way after the DNC openly complained about the outdated, smallish Omni they used in 1988), which it did. Factor in the ‘96 Olympic bid and the referendum to add a hotel/motel tax to build it was approved (which you’re still paying for right now if you were at the Hyatt last night). But in his cheapness, Smith was burned in the end. Because he wanted guaranteed $$$, the state paid him $4M/year in lieu of the revenue generated from luxury boxes and club seats. It is because of that tiny, little clause in the deal why Arthur Blank is hiring stadium architects right now because his Falcons miss out on roughly $15-20M generated by those leases every year.
Now that we cleared that up, back to the A.S.G. I too was going to go on a self-imposed embargo from Philips as long as those clowns were in charge. But with the sale of the Hawks, I’ll return. I don’t know anything about the new owner but he HAS to be better than what we’ve had to endure. I’ll withhold judgment on him until the lockout is lifted and moves can be made to improve the product. And even so, it’s going to take some time to erase the many, MANY errors the previous owners have made. It is like buying a house on the cheap that’s liveable but you have to get new cabinets, redo the plumbing, install a new HVAC system, and put on a new roof to get optimum value on it. For those wanting to get this player and that player, who in their right mind is taking on JJ’s contract, Smith’s propensity to shoot 27-footers at the worst time, or Marvin’s laziness? Are you seriously thinking that the Hawks are going to get equal value for any of those guys? And no, unlike some folks here, I don’t applaud the previous owners for ‘leading’ them to three consecutive winning seasons; heck, the Falcons did that under much worse circumstances and without wasting THREE TOP-10 DRAFT PICKS to boot.
So like all of us, we’ll wait it out and see what he brings to the table. Hopefully and prayerfully, it will be more than what Gearon and the gang brought. A LOT more…
Winny Pegg
August 10th, 2011
12:23 pm
I can’t believe these Thrashers trolls hold it against the new owner of the Hawks that he didn’t buy two franchises. People seem to forget that these are businessmen making investments not donating to charity.
BZR
August 10th, 2011
3:14 pm
Not sure who posted it above BUT – If you want to read an article with some depth on the subject – read “Hawks New Owner Alex Meruelo Must Combat A Spirit of Fan Apathy in Atlanta” by Patrick Rishe.
He reviews the numbers – amount that the owners are paying in salary and wins they are getting out of this investment. He also compares it to other teams around the league. It is a mathematical analysis without a lot of emotion so a lot of the writers above will likely not be interested.
Not sure if Schultz will really get it either. I think it will be too deep for him…..
Dejay
August 10th, 2011
3:54 pm
Hawks fan made a great point. By keeping the Thrashers completely out of the discussions in terms of being packaged with Philips, it became a poison pill. The ASG knew from the jump that there was no way any local business person would buy a team without being able to get a dime from concessions, parking, et al, and THEN have to pay rent to another entity (likely, them). That’s like buying a house, only to be told that you can’t move your things in it; but you still have to make the payments.
Make no mistake, the ASG wanted to keep the Hawks and sell the Thrashers (and their losses) locally to some unsuspecting dolt who would be obligated to pay them rent, on top of pocket all of the revenue generated short of ticket sales. When that didn’t happen, the ASG was ultra-quick to tell the folks not in the know (see ESPN) that no one locally ’stepped up’ to buy the team, thus justifying them to sell out to True North. That alone should tell you everything you need to know concerning this group. The only reason they sold the Hawks was because they knew that they were black-flagged locally because of the way the sold the Thrashers down the river; no one was stepping foot in that arena for the Hawks if they were still in charge. They knew that if the lockout ended with them still in control of the basketball team, we would make it our pleasure to stay away from Philips, to the point of them having to sell in order to stop the flow the red ink.
Simply put, those guys (Gearon, Seydel, Levinson, et al) are pariahs in this town and there’s little that they can do to change that. Jeff George, Danny Manning, and Jon Koncak have nothing on that bunch. Even Rankin Smith’s ghost is shaking his head at them in shame…
Hawks New Owner Alex Meruelo Must Combat A Spirit of Fan Apathy in Atlanta | Atlanta Local Me.me
August 10th, 2011
4:00 pm
[...] you read Jeff Schultz’ article regarding this matter, you’d think that The Atlanta Spirit drained the spirit out of NBA fans in [...]