Live from NASCAR … er, Game 4: Hawks look to drive safely
Milwaukee — You’d think this would be the last place to come for a traffic accident, there being little traffic downtown the Brew City. But by now you’re aware the Hawks’ bus was hit by a car leaving the Bradley Center after shootaround today at noon. We’re happy to report that nobody was hurt. Everybody, however, had a story.
The bus was struck by a driver who would later tell police her brakes failed, and the Hawks could believe it. Those seated in the front of the bus saw the car screeching around a curve. It hit side of the bus. The car’s front was crumpled. The bus was dented and suffered cracked — but not shattered — windows.
Mike Woodson was first off the bus — head coach sits up front — and reacted like an action hero. “I saw the smoke,” he said, speaking of the car, and he unbuckled a little boy from the back seat.
“He was about 3 or 4,” Woodson said. “He said, ‘I want my mommy.’ ” [The boy's mother had been driving the car.]
Then it got kind of funny. The Hawks milled around taking pictures of the dented bus. [Josh Smith showed me three on his cell phone.] Then they started looking for cabs. Five of them — Smith, Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, Jason Collins and Randolph Morris — found one and piled inside, only to discover that it was already occupied.
“There was a lady in there,” Smith said. “She was going to the hospital. [This lady wasn't the one involved in the mishap.] We dropped her off there. She tried to pay for all of us, but we said, ‘No, we’ve got it.’ ”
It must be noted that the Bradley Center is maybe a 10-minute walk from the Hawks’ hotel. Did Smith consider walking? “No. It was cold. I was shivering.” [It was in the mid-50s today here, the balmiest day of the Hawks' stay.]
Besides, it just wouldn’t have looked right for a bunch of big-time ballplayers to be hoofing it in their sweatsuits. “You never know who you’re going to meet on the streets,” said Al Horford, laughing. “It’s rough up here.”
Said Hawks publicist Arthur Triche: “We were wondering if the Bucks’ mascot had anything to do with it.”
And that would have been truly weird. The Bucks’ mascot is named Bango and wears a deer costume. Deer strikes bus?
Oh, yeah. They’re also playing a game here tonight. It’s kind of important. If the Hawks win, they can clinch the series at home Wednesday. If they lose, they might not clinch this series anytime anywhere.
I’ll be happy to step away from my duties as Captain Herb to discuss Game 4 as it plays out. But first y’all have to promise to drive safely. Deal?
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437 comments Add your comment
FearTheDeer
April 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
Mark Bradley and the Hawk fans lookin like fools with their pants on the ground! How did that 4 game sweep go for you guys? It’s funny Bradley your article before the game Saturday you were pretty sure of that sweep (ooooo Fear the Deer I don’t think the Hawks are shaking in their boots), today you say “And folks, if you haven’t noticed: It’s hard to win on the road. No matter where you’re playing. A one-point road victory in the playoffs is a mandate.” Where did all that confidence go? Your pathetic and a joke.
Series over! Bucks in 6!
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
@Truthseeker
With how undermanned the Bucks are… we can talk the trash now. With Redd and Bogut out, there wasn’t a single fan who actually thought the Bucks had a shot at beating the Hawks… whether or not they are roadkill.
PD
April 26th, 2010
11:18 pm
Hawks cannot lose Joe Johnson though
To: Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
I don’t care what anyone says from the state of Wisconsin , its still the ugliest and most boring state on the planet. I’m originally from Il and everyone from WI always runs to Chicago for any type of activity outside of ice skating.
Granted the south has its problems, but Milwaukee couldnt hold a candle to the city of Augusta or Savannah, let alone Atlanta.
Pleeeeaze- have you seen the women from that part of the country?
Defense?
April 26th, 2010
11:19 pm
The Bucks ran the same stupid play the entire game. Pick and roll. Hawks can’t defend it, especially with Zaza in the game. Either they don’t know how to defend it or the coach has no idea what he is doing. He waited until the 4th quarter to bring two guys out on the ball handler to make him give it up.
That was the most frustrating game of basketball I’ve watched in a long time. Getting beat by a team that runs one play is even more embarrassing than losing by 20.
Stuart
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
How symbolic… that’s what the Braves and the Hawks are right now… train wrecks. (so a bus wreck is close enough..)
Peter
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
How about a legit Big man, a legit small forward……..and a legit point guard……
This is my Christmas wish list !
FearTheDeer
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
TruthSeeker Atlanta fans have been “poping their gums” before game one. You win two and you all claim sweep, yet we even the series and win two and we are still have no chance? You guys sure are cocky for a team that has a history of doing nothing in the playoffs.
adam
April 26th, 2010
11:20 pm
“LOL @ Bucks fans coming out the woodwork. The Hawks might be colossal underachievers, but until you win a game at Phillips this is still their series. If you win Game Five, then you can start popping your gums”
LOL @ YOU. I’m sure you thought this would be a sweep.. right?
truthspitter
April 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
The Hawks are garbage and deserve to play in front of half packed arenas
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
Hey Smith, “If there’s nothing to do in Milwaukee”… then you should have had plenty of time to practice!! What a chump.
Peter
April 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
Marvin Williams scored 4 points tonight…..he is averaging 8.8 points so far………worse then his already poor 10 a game regular season average.
How do we pay this guy 7 million a year and he gets worse..NOT BETTER ?
I ran into him at a Pet’s Mart in Sandy Springs………I wondered to myself……does the guy even lift weights ?
Peter
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
Marvin Williams 4 points………WOW !
truthspitter
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate: Josh Smith phucked your slutty wife and daughter while he was visiting you redneck Bucks fans
TheAntiMe
April 26th, 2010
11:26 pm
Two main differences between these teams:
1) The Bucks play defense for 4 quarters. The Hawks play defense only when they feel like it, which isn’t very often.
2)The Bucks coach Scott Skiles has succesfully made adjustments throughout the series to counter what the Hawks were initially able to do to hurt his team.
The Hawks coach Mike Woodson has refused to make any adjustments, whatsoever, during this series especially on defense – such as going away from the switches that aren’t working or maybe double teaming Brandon Jennings since no one player on the Hawks has been able to guard him. And people say that Bobby Cox is stubborn.
truthspitter
April 26th, 2010
11:27 pm
Marvin Williams, Sheldon Williams, Josh Childress, and whoever selecting those chumps should be put in front of the firing squad and handled
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:28 pm
@truthspitter
Wow, that’s not a very Christian thing to say!
PMC
April 26th, 2010
11:29 pm
you may want to make sure Rod Coleman wasn’t driving the car that hit the bus… especially if a buck was involved.
Peter
April 26th, 2010
11:30 pm
I agree not very Christian thing to say……. How about fire the guy who is making the picks….fire the coach…..
Better idea……sell the franchise PLEASE !
truthspitter
April 26th, 2010
11:31 pm
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate: I never confessed to be a Chrisitian
PMC
April 26th, 2010
11:31 pm
are people from milwaukee really talking crap about Atlanta?
Shall we mail them a case of rustoleum?
Enjoy the beer and sausages…. and STFU.
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:33 pm
Okay then truthspitter, if insulting me lessens the pain of this loss… go right ahead then.
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:34 pm
@PMC
You’re right PMC… technically calling something Atlanta is enough of a dis itself.
truthspitter
April 26th, 2010
11:35 pm
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate: You sound like the average prejudice, republican christian, you come around doing something very un-christian like in bragging, then you bring up some religion. What would really make me feel better is if your whole family died in your sleep, we all have to die sometimes
Woody where are you?
April 26th, 2010
11:37 pm
I’m so freakin mad at this team right now. I was in Woody’s corner on a contract extension until this game. We lost this game with 5 mins left. 92-86 Bucks, we stop them 3 straight posessions, and the best we can do is settle for three straight Mo Evans jumpshots from outside 15 feet?! Are you kidding me?! That is lack of coaching. You can’t win 53 games and then act like you don’t know how to run the offense with 5 mins left in a playoff game. Woody should have called timeout after the first debacle possession and fixed it right then. I used to think this team had some heart, but now I’m not so sure. And if I see another dumbass switch outside the three point line with Pachulia chasing around Brandon Jennings for 22 seconds, I’m gonna throw something through the TV. I’ll tell you how to stop that BS, tell someone on the front line to hammer Jennings, or Salmons, or Ridnour 5 rows into the stands the next time one of them dribbles in for an easy layup. Their guards have no fear driving straight to the rim against us. Think that would happen against the Cavs? Magic? Cetics? Hell no. They (Bucks) would be punished, big-time. It’s easy to shoot 60% from the field when it’s a layup drill. Take the flagrant 1 and put the fear of God in their minds that they’ll need dental work the next time they try a finger roll. The Birds gotta start acting like they want it.
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:37 pm
@truthspitter
First off, I don’t care that much about religion. I only said that because Shatlanta is kind of in the Bible belt… so no, I’m not really a hypocrite.
Now what you just said there, about wishing my family died in their sleep… that’s just harsh. You should call Dr. Phil maybe he can help you.
Atlanta is the only city the Union wishes stayed Confederate
April 26th, 2010
11:41 pm
@Woody where are you?
Are you seriously suggesting they add an element of football to the game? Defense is played with the feet.
If you want to start laying out our guards, we have a few big guys on the bench who could knock down JJ or that other forgettable guard 6 times… Then all that happens is a bunch of T’s… grow up.
Woody where are you?
April 26th, 2010
11:49 pm
@ Union…
No it’s not football, that’s called playoff basketball, which I know Bucks fans and players are definately not used to. When your “Deer” are done prentending in this series, try wathcing a few games with legit teams playing. Right now, we’re not playing like one of them. There isn’t a serious contender in the field who would let a couple 5 foot nothing guards get comfortable shooting 15 layups a game. You foul them, and you foul them hard. You make them think twice about driving the lane. Sorry that concept is too hard for to grasp.
Defense?
April 26th, 2010
11:54 pm
Let the Bucks fan talk his junk. They can’t win at Philips and they know it. That franchise is awful. I can’t believe any Bucks fan would be on here running his mouth.
Mark Bradley
April 26th, 2010
11:59 pm
Sorry to have stepped away. Tight deadline on the ol’ 8:30 p.m. tip.
The Hawks are not devastated. They still think they’ll win. But they know they’re in for a long slog now. Forget about getting in and getting out.
truthspitter
April 27th, 2010
12:09 am
Charles Barkely and Chris Webber calling the Hawks pretenders, when Charles has never won anything and Webber was part of maybe the biggest choke job in history.
Feer the Deer and the Beer
April 27th, 2010
12:47 am
Hey Atlanta, quit stealing our teams (the Milwaukee Hawks and the Milwaukee Braves) and we might stop stomping your Southern arse. What, you want the Packers too? Falcons (snicker)!
Josh Smith-Wisconsin tourism director
April 27th, 2010
4:33 am
Frederick Douglass…um, I dont think you live in Illinois. If you did, you would know that half of your state runs up to Wisconsin Dells and/or their cabins in Wisconsin’s Door County during the summertime. I grew up in Wisconsin and visit Chicago a lot…its a nice place, but as for your city and state, the jokes sort of make themselves. You’ve had 4 governors in jail in the last 40 years, and Blago is about to join them. There is serious discussion about the National Guard being called in because gun violence and shootings are so bad in Chicago. I was in Atlanta for the olympics…nice city with nice people. As for the people in here talking trash one way or the other, nothing really happens in a playoff series until one team wins on the road. So nothing has really happened yet. Talent wise, the Hawks should have this series easily. But this Bucks team plays really hard and are a great reflection of their coach, who demands everything from them. The Bucks were picked to finish last in the conference preseason, and everyone thought the playoffs would be a massacre for the Bucks. So the predictions and everyone calling them ‘nobodies” really motivates them. In the end, talent will win out though. Hawks in 7.
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