Live from Game 5: Do the Hawks have an answer for Bango?
Seeking to one-up a deer, Joe Johnson shoots from the bench. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Big game. Lots of pressure. If the Hawks lose tonight, they probably lose the series. But enough gloom and doom. Let’s talk about Bango.
Bango is the Milwaukee Bucks’ mascot. He — and I believe he’s a he — wears a deer costume. He’s not what you’d call intimidating. (When last did you see a scary deer?) But Bango did become the biggest Internet sensation of the NBA playoffs with a feat performed in Game 4 on Monday.
During a timeout, Bango climbed up a 20-foot ladder and, with his back to the basket, jumped off and dunked the ball. The Bradley Center crowd went Bango-ballistic, and even the Hawks took note. “That,” Joe Smith pronounced before tonight’s Game 5, “was sweet.”
And here’s my challenge to the Hawks: Last year Philips Arena produced a playoff star in Spirit the Hawk, who flew rampant before Game 2 of Round 1 against Miami and became so famous that he — the bird himself informed me in a Tweet that he was a he — had his own Twitter postings. But Spirit has been strangely quiet this time.
I say, on the behalf of Hawks fans everywhere, it’s time to unleash the fury. Un-tether Spirit and let him dunk the ball from the rafters. This is the postseason. Gotta bring your mascot’s A-game.
Oh, about Game 5 itself: You all know what’s at stake. So do the Hawks. They seem ready, and they’d better be. Lose tonight and Bango could easily sky-slam them into the floorboards Friday in Milwaukee.
And with that, we’ll open the floor for questions, comments and your favorite anecdotes about dunkin’ deer. I’ll be here until the Hawks have taken a 3-2 lead in the series — yes, I think they’ll win, but I’ve been wrong rather recently — and I’d love to have you alongside.
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736 comments Add your comment
Jacket13
April 28th, 2010
10:44 pm
Why is it that every Georgia sports team lacks heart and good coahing? Its so disappointing watching any Georgia team. The all underachieve and look for excuses. Will Atlanta play with the same heart that Milwaukee played with tonight? No they wont because Skyles is a way better coach than Woodson. The Hawks trhought because they were home the Bucks wouold roll over, like they do when they go on the road! What a disappointing season and team this is. Woodson and Joe Johnson are both gone and the Hawks will be lottery again with a bunch of stiffs on the post in JSMith and ZaZa. Hortford is good but they have nuthing at the guard position.
Greg
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
With the exception of a 4 minute run in the 2nd quarter, the Hawks stunk it up the entire game tonight. So the Bucks are now the 2nd worst team in the playoffs this year.
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
Id have to put the 98 Braves World Series as the worst collapse over the Falcons
Spitting in the graveyard
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
good job Bone
Adam
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
Is there still nothing to do in Milwaukee?
NCBravesFan
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
Hard to be supportive of Joe after he criticized the team after game four and then laid an egg in game five.
It is what it is, folks.
Fresh
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
Out of all the letdowns I’ve experienced as a Atlanta sports fan, this one takes the cake. I’m literally STUNNED right now.
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
i meant 1996 vs yankees
D Hawks
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
this is a big call. It leaves room for them to miss a free throw and we steal this game. This team is really an enigma. They’ve got guys with good basketball IQ, but they don’t have leadership and mental toughness late in games. Not from the “superstar” or from the coach.
Adams Rib
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Patrick are you serious, you must be a blind fool. Why does Mchale even mention it. Not the 16, but the 0 free throws. Hawks have been going inside the entire game.
bobo
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Over
Big L
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Hey Bone, we get it. I’m typing from an itouch , which makes it hard to get to the bottom of your super long post. Lay off, we get it.
todd grantham
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
the Hawks now have a choke
this ain’t just mirrors and smoke
they have no heart
and need a new start
it seems they’re lost in the world of Coke
J-Smoove
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
So BONE… if I’m not mistaking I think would like to see Mike Woodson fired?
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Woody is gone
Mark Bradley
April 28th, 2010
10:46 pm
Epic fail.
jack
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
this will just save the heartbreak of losing in the second round,,,so in reality,, they’re doing us a favor,,,,,,THEY SUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nique's Revenge
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
FIRE WOODY NOW
DO NOT WAIT
GET RID OF HIM NOW
SUND COME ON
FIRE WOODY
Adam
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA @ ALLOF YOU!!
YOU SAID IT WAS OVER IN AT LEAST 5 GAMES. HAHAHAHAHAH
Hey Woody!
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
only way Woody comes back to Atlanta is to clear out his belongings
Keith B
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
Fear the Deer
Greg
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
Hawks outscored 30-18 in the 4th quarter. What a bunch of heartless, brainless bums.
BONE
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
AND YALL HAD THE NERVE TO SAY WE FAIRWEATHER FAN? STFUUUUUUUU THIS IS Y HE NEVER SUPPORT THESE BUMS
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
lol!
LOL WOODY
U SUCK AS A COACH. LETTING OUR GUYS GET COMPLACENT
“NO COMEON JEJE WOODY IS GREAT COACH”
Joe
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
Joe needs to pack it up and leave ATL – there’s no wsy I’d pay a player that fails to step it up in big games and fails to make his teammates better. He’s not worth the money.
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
when does the Falcon training camp start?
Fitten
April 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
Get Woody out of here. Let Joe walk. Sign D Wade.
And we’d have hope
TruthSeeker
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Just when I think Atlanta sports can’t become an even bigger embarrassment we keep playing…
Cletus Dooley Earnhardt SR.
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
i havvent wached thee nba sence thoze thuggs sttarted gettinng arressted all the time. Thatss why i ndorse a good cleen laaw abidding teamm like UGA football. I cannt suppport the laww brayking thuggs like All Horrfordd and Joo joNson. Gllad i suppport a holesome spoort like collegge damn foootball.
-GO UGA!
Time
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
You’re pathetic bums, all of you. Pathetic.
Count me as another now in the fire Woody and let the f^*&ing iso show that is Joe Johnson go dribble away the clock in NY>
grayman
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Choke city for the guys with less heart.
Justin
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
The search for a new coach has officially begun. I really like the Stevens guy at Butler. I think that we should give him a call.
Nique's Revenge
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
53 wins and a 1st round choke.
FIRE WOODY
quickwitt
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Totally embarrassing! But leave it to ASG to find excuses not to make changes. Face it fans, we’re are doomed to mediocrity in the ATL as long as we’re stuck with this dreadful ownership group.
Jody
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Mark,
Epic fail is putting it nicely.
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
A signature loss ..what a disappointment
Fresh
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Fresh
April 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
Out of all the letdowns I’ve experienced as a Atlanta sports fan, this one takes the cake. I’m literally STUNNED right now.
Dude, are you really surprised by this? the hawks have been blowing leads in the 4th all year. Josh smith standing 10 feet outside the 3 point line the entire 4th qtr.
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
82-79!
82-79!
82-79!82-79!82-79!
82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!82-79!
D Hawks
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
9 point lead blown. So I refer back to my post about smart basketball and no 5 minute scoring lapses. 18-5 run to close out the game.
dark30
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Hawks will lose by 30 in Milwaukee and it will finally be over. Oh well, they would have been blown out by Orlando anyway. Between these clowns and the Braves, time for S.I. to come back for Losersville 2.
JSS
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
Who Adam?
Big L
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
About two miles from the Joke. Good job Todd.
David
April 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
More than an epic fail, Mark. I can’t put into words what this is. Up 2-0 against a VASTLY inferior team, and now we’re down 3-2 and heading to Milwaukee, where we’ve already demonstrated we won’t play defense. This team has very little heart, very little coaching, and it’s now showing that we have very little leadership (Joe Johnson, at one point another, has to step up in a game that actually matters; we haven’t seen it yet in the last three years of the playoffs).
Sid
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
people in Boston. NYC, Philly laugh at this city and its teams. Guess the Falcons will be the salvation. Yea, right.
S Uga Fan
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
Come on Mark…. say it Fire Woody or you are a major homer!!!
J-Smoove
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
I really can’t believe that just happened… I guess I shouldn’t expect anything else pulling for ATL proffesional sports teams. Oh well, the series isn’t officially over yet. Hawks in 7… GO HAWKS!!!
Adam
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
I know something to do in Milwaukee…
LOSE A BASKETBALL GAME!! GO MILWAUKEE!!
Thats the beauty of the NBA Regular Season . . .
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
Hawks get to $#$% up the home court advantage—–Mike Woodson
Josh B
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
Fire Mike Woodson
PlusSizeModel
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
The Hawks got some bad bounces down the stretch. At least this team is well coached.