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
Drew
April 28th, 2010
10:49 pm
Woodson MUST GO!!!! Tonight would be great.
Locke
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Damn Steve Holman complaining about the free throw disparity. I mean come on Holman. Call it like it is. We blew the game.
JSS
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Epic compared to what? 1988? 1989, 1993?
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Joe and Woody leaving will be addition by subtraction. Dont let the door hit you in the ass on the way out..
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
HOW DO U LET THESE GUYS GET COMPLACENT?
“WE WERE SUPPSOED TO DEFEND HOMECOURT”
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY
FIRE WOODY V
Stern will have to explain
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
It will be fun to hear the league explain how the hawks shot 0 free throws in the 4th. I wonder if that has ever happened to a team in the playoffs. And the hawks were going inside.
jojo sunshine
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
The Hawks are terrible. How do you lose to the Bucks? Get rid of Joe Johnson. Get rid of Mike Woodson. Get rid of Josh Smith. Clean house and keep Horford and Crawford. I told a colleague before this series started that Atlanta would be the only eastern conference team to get upset.
@ReanuKeeves
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Looks like we peaked last year. At least now we finally get rid of Woodson’s sorry a-s.
There was absolutely NO game plan in these 3 straight losses–we looked like a 4th grade church league team. All over the place, no structure, no clue–we wouldn’t have beat a g-d damn high school team with this crap.
The Spirit should save the hotel and airfare they’d spend sending this heartless cowardly bunch up for the Game 6 loss and invest it in a point guard and a real coach.
GOOD RIDDANCE MIKE WOODSON
I’m gonna miss Joe though. It’s a crying damn shame we were never able to get a superstar here to pair him up with.
D Hawks
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Dear Rick Sund, please DO NOT offer Joe Johnson a max contract. If he couldn’t step up in this game, he never will for this team. P.S. – Don’t re-sign Woody either.
ThrowdownG
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Man, the Bucks played with some HEART (in case you guys are wondering what that looks like).
BONE
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
OOOOOOO, I KNO WHAT JOSH CAN DO IN MIL-TOWN THAT HE CNT IN ATL………..GO TO A SECOND ROUND PLAYOFF GAME CUZ THE HAWKS ARE GOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN FISHING!!!!
Nique's Revenge
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
cmon Mark get us the inside scoop
woody fired tonight right??
cmon give us something to cheer about
TechMan
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Man the Hawks are like watching the wizard of oz part II. The 1st team has no heart, the coach doesn’t have a brain and the 2nd team doesn’t have any courage.
Drew
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Fire Woodson!!!
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
JOE’S POST GAME WILL BE ALL ABOUT HOW “WE DIDN’T EXECUTE DOWN THE STRETCH.” NEVER HIS FAULT – ALWAYS “WE”
Mike Hunt
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Hawks have no heart. JJ can go. Woody can go. Doesn’t matter. This team is spineless.
Lil' Barry Bailout
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
It’s the NBA. The Hawks. Who f’ing cares?
todd grantham
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Says Mark the loss is really quite epic
there’s no cure for the Hawks that’s quite quick
for this bad team
there is no gleam
the whole thing really smells pretty septic
jack
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
they blow,, they suck,,they stink,,,they’re rank,,, overpaid,,, underachieving,,,,, spoiled,,, unmotivated,,,,lazy,,,,uninspired,,,,,poorly coached,,,,,no heart,,,,,punks,,,,, ego-centric,,,,bush league,,,,wanna be’s,,,,never will be’s,,,,,,undeserving,,,,collecting a paycheck,,,,,,whimpy,,,,,bent over,,,,poor excuse for professional athletes,,,,,, I KNEW in the first week of the season that this team was going to fold like a cheap umbrella when it came time to man up,,,,,,,,, disgusting !!!!!
Fresh
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Went away from Marvin and Al who were both carrying the team SMH, then proceeded to go to ISO Joe and Jamal SMDH. I have never stated these words before on this blog but…
FIRE WOODY.
Words literally cannot describe what I’m currently feeling, I may be done with ALL Georgia sport teams after this one…
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
JOE’S POST GAME WILL BE ALL ABOUT HOW “WE DIDN’T EXECUTE DOWN THE STRETCH.” NEVER HIS FAULT – ALWAYS “WE”..
jose
April 28th, 2010
10:51 pm
Like I predicted, we may not make it to 2nd round. We’ve got the talent but we can’t use it. INCONSISTENT, INCONSISTENT, INCONSISTENT
FeerTheDeer
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Lol you guys were talking about a 4 game sweep a week ago. Before todays game you have an article about mascots. Pathetic!
FEAR THE DEER
Lil' Barry Bailout
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Who’ll win first…Hawks or Braves?
Big L
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
This is why people choose college sports to love. This was the biggest lack of give a damn I have ever seen. Get your checks and start the off season, bunch of half assed losers. Why should fans give a squirt if the players don’t?
Getaways
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
My son’s winless high school basketball team has a better chance against the Bucs than the Hawks do. Least they have pride and play with guts and like men.
Hawks a Joke
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Absolute embarrasment for the city of Atlanta. I am ashamed to be a Hawks fan. Joe Johnson is trash. Let him go. Sign Dwayne Wade to a big time contract. Trade Josh Smith. Dude is inconsistent and lazy. Horford can stay and Marvin showes flashes so he can stay 1 more year. Crawford is a beast. I could care less if we win this series or not. up 9 with 4 to go and get outscore 18-5? LOL. Bye Mike Woodson.
Spitting in the graveyard
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
can you have an intern coach for the playoffs?
PlusSizeModel
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
You knew when J. Smith made that long one halfway through the 4th that it would be followed by an idiotic shot down the stretch, and sure enough…
Matt
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
I know something to do in Milwaukee too, Adam — get swept by the Magic. Have fun …
Drew
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Fire Woodson Tonight!!!!!! NOW!!!!
Lucky
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Locke
April 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
Damn Steve Holman complaining about the free throw disparity. I mean come on Holman. Call it like it is. We blew the game.
Dude, the hawks were getting to the glass every offensive trip. I think the refs need to explain how 0 foul shots were shot by the hawks in the 4th.
MrHughes
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
Fire woody…
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
FIRE WOODY
FIRE SUND
FIRE ASG
FIRE WOODY
FIRE SUND
FIRE ASG
FIRE WOODY
FIRE SUND
FIRE ASG
Hey Woody!
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
outplayed in the 4th, nothing new there
Hey Mike: “You’re outta here!”
Mad Hawk Fan!!!!
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
The next game will be Woody’s last as coach and Joe’s last in a Hawk’s uniform.. One because he has no choice and the other because he is already on south beach in WADE COUNTY!!!!
UGASlobberknocker
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper could do a better job than Woody.
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
MY DOG COULD PLAY WITH MORE HEART DOWN THE STRETCH THAN THESE CLOWNS
Keith B
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
The Bucks deserve credit, once again, for just being mentally tougher in the 4th quarter. The Hawks were got beat down, once again, perhaps ATL people will start to show them the respect they deserve.
Tim Tebow's Tears
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
Bye Bye Joe and Woody
Jason
April 28th, 2010
10:53 pm
I could go for some Avery Johnson right about now. Fire Woodson tonight, hire Johnson tomorrow. Seriously, what’s the worse that could happen?
Matt
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
Mark, how hard would it be to trade Josh Smith — I firmly believe he’s the emotional compass for this team — and the surefire reason they lost this series. His body language is awful. He looks like he couldn’t care less about winning now that he got his contract.
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
IS ANYONE EVER GONNA TAKE A FINE AND CALL OUT THE REFS?
NO
THIS TEAM SUCKS
Loser Town
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
Is football season here yet? Hawks and Braves are HORRIBLE!!Hawks are being outcoached and outplayed. I hate to say it, but the Hawks will be crushed in Milwakee on Friday. I hope that I am wrong. The Braves should shave gotten rid of Cox, TP and Chipper. Neither team plays with HEART.
Adam
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
“I know something to do in Milwaukee too, Adam — get swept by the Magic. Have fun ”
HAHAH HAVE FUN WATCHING THE BOGUTLESS 6th Seeded Bucks…
MotS
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
Fire Mike Woodson. Today. Let Joe Johnson pick the next coach, hopefully Scott Skiles.
JeJe
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
WE’RE GOING TO LOSE A SERIES TO THAT COCKY POS BRANDON JENNINGS WHO WEIGHS LIKE 125
LOL
NO BOGUT, NO REDD
Hawks a Joke?
April 28th, 2010
10:54 pm
Crawford a beast. Sorry to say, Crawford is the reason the Hawks are down 3-2. He has done nothing in the series. How did he and Smith miss the two layups. Is the Mob involved. This was strange to watch.
Well coached
April 28th, 2010
10:55 pm
The Army at Little Big Horn was better coached than the Hawks have been this series.
houstondawg
April 28th, 2010
10:55 pm
Dumb bucks fans, dont get your hopes up, because you are going to get embarassed by the Magic. Bet your mortgage on it. They do not have a chance in hell of beating the magic. Hawks don;t either with Mike Woodson as the coach. The front office for the Hawks is really dumb if they dont fire woodson after this year. The bucks are not that good of a team, its just the hawks make them look good, look at all the no name players coming up with big plays on the bucks. Its coaching and motivation and game plan, exploiting the Hawks weakneses. period!!!