Yes! Another writer makes a case for the Hawks to hire Casey
I’ve felt like the Lone Ranger on this one. I’m convinced Dwane Casey would be a fine hire for the Hawks, but few seem to agree. You say, “What has he ever done?” You say, “Why get a guy who lasted only a season and a half as head coach in Minnesota?”
And I understand, to a degree. Casey isn’t on TV talking, the way Avery Johnson and Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy are. (No, Casey actually has a job coaching.) He’s not a big name. He’s just a really smart basketball man who has a great way with people, and if that’s not the essence of head-coaching material I don’t know what is.
But you folks don’t know him, and you haven’t heard him talk about the game and seen him relate to people. I have. (I’ve known him for 25 years.) And I fault myself for not crafting my message better. So maybe I should let someone else deliver it.
On cue, here’s Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo! Sports and the blog Ball Don’t Lie. And here’s what Dwyer has to say about Casey:
Dwane Casey is not just another retread. [He] can actually coach. [If] he Atlanta Hawks make him their next sideline stalker, general manager Rick Sund may have found an answer for the blasé attitude that permeated the Hawk locker room more times than not during Mike Woodson’s tenure.
But wait. Dwyer is only warming up. That half-season when Casey was dumped by the Timberwolves? When president Kevin McHale and GM Kevin Taylor dumped him with a 20-20 record? That was actually coaching at its best. Writes Dwyer:
He put the Wolves in the playoff hunt midway through the season with a lineup built around Kevin Garnett that should have been in the Greg Oden [meaning the NBA lottery] hunt. The Kentucky product and one-time-understudy-to-many had the Wolves overachieving, and working hard on both ends. And for Taylor, it wasn’t enough. It should have been.
For Hawks fans, and especially Hawks players? This guy is enough.
This guy is more than enough. He’s game matched with smarts and doubled up with focus. Plays, and the inspiration to want to run those plays. You will want to execute. And in a locker room that was poisoned by a coaching staff that gave up once spring hit (why wouldn’t it? Woodson heard the rumors, and the Hawks lamed his duck months ago), Casey is exactly what the Hawks need.
There’s much more, and I encourage you to read Dwyer’s article in its terrific totality. Because I’ve been trying to make the same arguments for a while now, and I’m not seeing much fruit from these labors. But I’m encouraged to know I’m not a lone voice crying in the wilderness. At the very least, there are two of us.
And if the Hawks do hire Dwane Casey, there’ll be more. Anyone who hears him speak at the introductory press conference will say, “Know what? This guy’s got it.” Trust me on this.
And if you don’t trust me, trust Kelly Dwyer.
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93 comments Add your comment
steve
May 26th, 2010
4:30 am
I think they have found their man in Casey
Gilley
May 26th, 2010
4:31 am
Good things were said about Woody before he got here so of course we are gonna hear the same about wait what’s his name again? Exactly. I don’t trust our owners Sund nor this yahoo writer but I do trust you Mr. Bradley so…….I endorse Casey….shrug… First
Gilley
May 26th, 2010
4:35 am
Second I meant. Irony is my first name steve last name gilley so I was still first hahaha
Tweets that mention Yes! Another writer makes a case for the Hawks to hire Casey | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
May 26th, 2010
4:37 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Gilley. Gilley said: http://bit.ly/9nMx5h /via @MarkBradleyAJC <….Casey's biggest fan!! [...]
Some Sense
May 26th, 2010
5:12 am
Sold, Mark.
hawks fan
May 26th, 2010
5:35 am
I assume without even checking that Casey has a Kentucky connection if MB is high on him. MB would hire bin Laden if he ever coached or played in Lexington.
supermane6000
May 26th, 2010
5:42 am
If I had three choices right now, Casey would still be #3 on that list. Let’s give a person who has experienced more success on this level first. Winning breeds winning, being average breeds being average, and so on. Sund has never won as a GM but he will put together a good team. I fear Casey is the same. Just look at Orlando now. A good team that is simply being outcoached to some degree. We don’t want Dallas of the 80’s or Seattle of the 90’s. Let us raise our level of expectation and imagination. Let us stop low-baling ourselves in this town by going for the best, lowest common denominator.
bravefan
May 26th, 2010
5:46 am
idk ithink we should hire phil jackson, sign d-wade,lebron, and bosh, trade bibby straight up for cp3 and bring back mt. mutombo! that will be a nice start!
NCBravesFan
May 26th, 2010
5:52 am
There’s no ‘y’ in Dwane, so I will not question your judgment, Mark.
Grandad
May 26th, 2010
6:01 am
My last name is Comments, so I was really 1st.
TROTTINGHOME
May 26th, 2010
6:29 am
Well then I am one of the few.
Vinny D
May 26th, 2010
7:33 am
20-20 in the west with that roster is pretty impressive.
Big Ray
May 26th, 2010
7:38 am
Mark ,
Old Testament references? I like.
I’m becoming more sold on Casey by the day, despite the by and large opinion here in blogdome. People do tend to despise what they think they know, or what appears to be status quo.
As for the person comparing this to the advent of Woodson, we’ve seen Casey do things as a HEAD COACH. Woody was hyped as the next great thing in the ASSISTANT COACH ranks. Kinda like a draft lottery prospect: he’s got all the potentia, but ain’t done sh!*& yet….
Big difference between the two.
jamie
May 26th, 2010
7:41 am
casey would be a good hire. so would avery. a coach that is a motivator is what we need. casey would more than likely cost much less than johnson, thus leaving us more room for a f/a. i mean, whoever thought van gundy was a good hire in orlando? look how that’s turned out. you never know where the next hot coach is gonna come from. who knows where avery johnson was before his dallas maverick days? who in their right mind would’ve thought he’d be a good coach? and if he was soooooo good, why did he get canned?
WalterEgo
May 26th, 2010
7:46 am
Gilly, While similar things may be said about any head coaching PROSPECT, especially one who rode the defensive coat tails of Larry Brown, Casey is not JUST a coaching prospect as demonstrated by his making a team of horrible parts play better than the sum of their parts. He got canned for it, but McHale didn’t do one thing right in Minny. Casey is no Woody whatever his faults are. In this class of coaching candidates there aren’t any without faults.
Hawks73
May 26th, 2010
7:56 am
Mark, It took me a while to figure your love fest with Casey, but know my genius mind made the connection…he’s an old Kentucky dude. Look there’s nothing wrong with the Kentucky thing (my wife who was born & raised in KY would certainly support your logic).
Not Sold
May 26th, 2010
7:57 am
What about this guy’s ethics and background as a cheater in college? There’s no NCAA on patrol in the NBA, but is this not revealing of something? Is this to be completely ignored? I’d think the Hawks would want to hire a guy who believes in doing things the right way, no matter the level of play.
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
8:05 am
NOT SOLD,
We all make mistakes in life..shouldnt hold EVERYTHING over someones head.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
May 26th, 2010
8:15 am
Casey very well could be the best man for the job which means he probably won’t get it . My opinion is based on years and years of following the Hawks . How many times have they made the right choice.
and Doc Rivers may be available in a week or so. do you think sund may be waiting on the celtics season to end before he makes an offer ?
F-105 Thunderchief
May 26th, 2010
8:18 am
I’m not sold on Casey, mainly because I don’t know that much about him. Same with Johnson. I watched him play and know his team made the finals, where it took a swan dive and then there were early playoff exits after that. So, I guess I have an open mind on whoever the new coach is. I have to wait and see. I’m just glad Billy and Woody are gone. Shelden and Marvin … geez. Speedy. Has to get better, right?
F-105 Thunderchief
May 26th, 2010
8:19 am
Oh, and I looked it up … Billy Cunningham is just 66 if Sund wants to give him a call. Man, that guy was good.
niremetal
May 26th, 2010
8:25 am
Well, Mo and Larry have chimed in on Casey’s behalf. Now we just need to get Curly’s opinion.
layinlow
May 26th, 2010
8:25 am
Casey played college basketball at the University of Kentucky between 1975 and 1979. While he served as an assistant coach there, Emery Worldwide employees discovered $1,000 in cash in an envelope mailed by Casey to recruit Chris Mills.[1] The resulting scandal contributed to head coach Eddie Sutton’s resignation and Mills’ transfer to the University of Arizona. Does this make anybody wander about this guys character? How bout it BRADLEY?
Also, Casey’s overall record at Minnesota was 53-69 and he did have Kevin garnett. Maybe he was fired because of some behind the scenes stuff that we don’t know about. If he is such a super assitant why hasn’t he got another chance at a head coaching job? He was fired over three years ago by the Wolves.
Bradley, what makes you think this yahoo writer is such an authority on basketball matters. Until you mentioned this name in the article I had never heard of this person. If someone like ESPN analyst Jalen Rose had said this then I would take notice, but this yahoo from yahoo? Not so much.
Nite Owl
May 26th, 2010
8:27 am
(1) Will he have total command of the locker room and the respect and full attention of the players?
(2) Can he create the right roles for his players and get them to commit to those roles?
(3) Does he know substitution patterns and how to encourage young talent?
(4) Can he prepare game plans and make in-game adjustments?
Haven’t heard if he can do any of these things. And I would be more impressed if he was .500 for the Timberwolves WITHOUT Garnett.
But he may also be the best of a horrible crop of coaches.
i_am_soulstar
May 26th, 2010
8:31 am
I agree MsDee, if we compare candidates to one another in any setting, you’re basically evaluating someone based on what they have or haven’t been caught doing. Everyone makes mistakes. One slip up doesn’t make the guy morally corrupt.
Stockdog
May 26th, 2010
8:34 am
Mark, what time do you wake up? Sometimes you post at midnight. Then, you post at 0400, anyway. I prefer Rev. Avery Johnson. I’m not completely sold on Casey. He didn’t get a fair look in Minnesota. However, what has he done in Dallas to make one think that he can elevate the Hawks to another level.
DirtyDawg
May 26th, 2010
8:35 am
I think the key word in the Dwyer quotes was ‘retread’. Clearly Casey’s coaching stint was cut short by short-sighted management. Avery and most of the others that get hired year after year have all had longer tenures and were ‘dumped’ when it was clear to their management that they weren’t the ‘man for the job’. This Casey guy sounds like a breath of fresh air, and although he’s gonna need more than ‘fresh air’ to ‘air-out’ the Hawks’ locker room from the stench that the Josh Smith’s and the Joe Johnson’s have left behind – can you imagine what a ‘real’ coach would have done when he found out that his players had hired a limo to take them to Chicago for a night out before a playoff game instead of having a good meal (you can get those in Milwaukee you know) going to bed and concentrating on the task at hand? – and if Casey can deliver that leadership, along with the basketball stuff, then I’m all for him.
Mr. Phil
May 26th, 2010
8:38 am
Sorry Mark,
Still not sold.
Regardless of what you say about the Wolves’ talent level at the time, you gotta give KG some credit as a motivational teammate and floor general. Everybody who has played with Garnett has pointed to him as the emotional leader. So if your argument for Casey is based largely on his motivational skills, can it.
Casey has yet to motivate a team without a floor leader. Lets we forget, the Hawks don’t have one.
Further, I have found (with very little effort) plenty of sources who will say his offensive play calling, substitution patterns, and in game adjustments strategies leave something to be desired.
So again- sorry MB, but I am not sold yet. I am not against, just not convinced. No matter what any Yahoo! has to say.
beauvighn
May 26th, 2010
8:41 am
Oh well. that changes everything. If Kelly Dwyer(who?) gives him the seal of approval then how could I argue. MB. do you have a man crush on this guy or something. I can read the story now the day the hawks fire this guy…” I was never really comfortable with casey…yada yada yada. The proof is in the pudding, If the guy was the second coming of Red Auerbach he wouldnt have a losing record.
Ced
May 26th, 2010
8:50 am
He sounds pretty good. Im not sold on a “Big” Name, I just would like for us to hire a compotent coach, one that will demand his players play hard, one who actually has a game plan and when that plan needs to be tinkered with to make adjustments, he can actually make those adjustments and keep his players on board. If that is Casey so be it, I don’t come to watch the coach actually coach but it will comforting to go and see the game and watch our players play and be able to have the peace of mind in witnessing that we can clearly see the COACH is actually doing his job. A name is merely a name, its the man behind the name that brings the fame and respect to his name. So all those people that want the big names think about that.
cdog
May 26th, 2010
8:59 am
mark, why am i not shock to read where you want to hire casey over avery johnson?because you love mediocrity when it comes to atlanta.you would love to see cleveland hire avery johnson, then beat the hawks eyes out with him, then you will be the first to print a negative article about how bad dwayne casey is.thats just your style.
Mr. Phil
May 26th, 2010
9:03 am
P.S.
Mark did you actually read this article?
It does not read to me like a case for Casey as much as a case for blowing up the roster.
“Casey is exactly what the Hawks need…Casey can make this work. Not championship-work, the ceiling is too low for this roster, but he will have the Hawks working, should they pull the trigger.”
“And its players? They have to treat this guy as the last chance. Because as young as Horford and Smith are, this is their last chance with this unit.”
If this is the last chance with this unit and the ceiling is too low for them to sniff at a championship, then what are we really doing?
If we are not trying to win a championship,what is the point?
Do you really want your friend (I assume he is a friend if you have known him 25 years) walking into a situation where there is no hope to win it all and we are on the verge of blowing up the whole thing?
Based on this article, the Hawks are just around the corner from full rebuilding mode. So Casey no matter how good, would just be a new captain for a sinking ship.
Are we just trying to be entertaining, or are we trying to win the whole thing?
As a life long Hawk fan, scrappy does not cut it for me anymore. Based on Dwyer’s article, that is what I can expect to get. So if the Hawks hire Casey and don’t make any significant roster changes- tell ASG to count me and my checkbook out. I will checkin when it is time to hire the next-next coach.
petepeters
May 26th, 2010
9:09 am
Mark,
I’ve become disappointed in your consistent pandering for Dwane Casey to be Hawks coach. At least now I know why you’re behind him – he’s your friend and you’ve known him for 25 years. Sure, that makes him a good guy and I’ll buy that. But, if you’re wondering why the rest of Atlanta won’t hop on the same bandwagon you’re on, it’s because it’s the only argument you’ve made for him being the head coach – “he’s a good guy.”
I assume that Tom Thibodeau, Avery Johnson, Byron Scott and even Woody are good guys. What you haven’t discussed is why Dwane Casey is the favorite even though his current team, the Dallas Mavericks, are perennial underachievers – even with much better talent than the Hawks. Dirk is better than Josh – Kidd is better than Bibby,- Jason Terry is comparable to Crawford, etc.
I would rather have a coach that has been a proven winner or would bring a discipline to skill positions that the Hawks underachieve at. Avery Johnson or Tom Thibodeau have proven that they can work with young guards like Terry and Rondo, respectively, and turn them into superstars. Thibodeau is also a winner that preaches defense – just like Woody was in Detroit. And I know Woody added a lot to this team; he just couldn’t take them any further.
So, unless you can show that Dwane has worked to develop a star guard and can do the same for Teague and Joe’s replacement. Or talk about how he will enhance the low post game of Josh and Al, please get off of that bandwagon and help bring a coach to Atlanta that we can all be proud of – because of his skill set and track record – and not just because “he’s a good guy.”
Go Hawks
May 26th, 2010
9:17 am
I’ve been following Casey since his Seattle days, he is the real deal! Not only a good offensive coach, but good defensive coach as well. Casey is what the Hawks need!
Mr. Phil
May 26th, 2010
9:23 am
@peters
I agree totally. Everybody wants to see Casey get another chance because of what happened in Minnesota. Granted the Wolves owner was (and as far as I can tell still is) an idiot and Mchale was not much better as a GM. But getting hosed in Minnesota is not an argument for getting the job in Atlanta.
In fact, I don’t particularly care to hear any names for the coaching job with the Hawks. All I want to hear are plans. What are the plans for using the players we have -or can easily acquire- to win a title. Period.
Let’s set aside everything that has happened in the past for Avery Johnson, Dwayne Casey, or {insert coaching candidate here}. I don’t care who the names are. What I care about is how realistic the plan is and can it be executed. If Sund truly believes that Casey’s plan is better than anybody else’s then fine. But if he hires him because of a previous relationship in Seattle, on the fact that he is a nice guy and has a 25 year relationship with some writer, or because he got hosed in Minnesota we should all turn our backs on this regime.
beauvighn
May 26th, 2010
9:32 am
If we are going to only consider Ex-kentucky coaches who are friends with Bradley then I propose Tubby Smith. I still would like Rick Pitino myself but it looks like we are not considering any white coaches
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 26th, 2010
9:35 am
How can anyone say Woodson gave up once the spring hit? That is completly ridiculous. The man is a professional coach in the NBA. Woodson knew he also was going to be a Free Agent at years end, so one would think he would coach his tail off to impress if not the Atlanta ownership then another NBA front office into hiring him.
If this is part of the logic the writer uses to describe the final months of Woodson’s tenure, then I simply cannot find this a credible source for why they should hire Casey.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 26th, 2010
9:40 am
Mark,
The writers speaks of how Woodson stopped trying in the Spring? Really? The man is a Professional NBA coach. He knew he also was a Free Agent at years end. If the Hawks would not look to resign him then perhaps one of the other teams looking for a top man would, so why would he just lay down then? That is a ridiculous statement.
If this is the logic the writer uses then Casey obviously isn ot the right choice.
Craig
May 26th, 2010
9:41 am
Out of all the candidates, Casey makes the most basketball sense. We need a technician and a motivator. I say pull the trigger and get him in here to start planning for next season. Good article Mark.
Bill
May 26th, 2010
9:44 am
Mark agree. Look at Falcons, they hired Smith and everyone was “bitching”. But look now at the job Coach Smith has done. I say give Casey the job and see what happens. I believe everyone will be happy.(can’t get worse) Go Hawks!
Smiling Jack
May 26th, 2010
9:47 am
I’m just glad that I’m not Rick Sund!!!! However, it seems Blogdome is filled with Sund wannabes. I would like to see Atlanta Hawks be a great team winning championships. That level is so difficult to achieve. So few organizations have achieved that status…Celtics…Bulls with Jordon…Lakers. The Hawks probably will never be great. It starts at the top with ownership.
Smiling Jack
May 26th, 2010
9:48 am
Keep on smiling, however!!!
GetwhatUpayfor
May 26th, 2010
9:52 am
Not much to pick from!
Old Hawks Fan
May 26th, 2010
9:58 am
If Sund think Casey is the answer for this hawks team………………make the hire. Do it today and let’s look at the needs for the up-coming season. Whether Philly made the wrong decision on hiring Doug Collins, the GM there did not drag it out as it is being done here in atlanta. Hire Casey Rick Sund if you think he is the guy to get this team better and fighting for an nba championship. Or do the safe thing and hire Avery Johnson, Bill Lambeer, Ty Corbin, Mark Jackson or Pat Ewing.
Stat Man
May 26th, 2010
10:00 am
Bring back the old green & blue “maravich era” uni’s – that’s the ticket! Get the opponents on the verge of throwing up looking at those things all night.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
May 26th, 2010
10:01 am
hey anybody else think the celtics are going to lose to the magic , I do
man wouldn’t the NBA powers hate to have a suns/magic finals
Wanted: True Center
May 26th, 2010
10:05 am
Can someone please give updates on what the hawks are thinking as far as the draft goes… after reading several articles i think we would be dumb not to trade up and get Hassan Whiteside who has been WORKING WITH(cough patrick ewing and dwight) and modeling his game after Hakeem Olajuwon. If all else fails please just snag solomon adibi of FSU and hire a REAL big man coach to develop his game.
Dominique Wilkins
May 26th, 2010
10:07 am
But Jeff Schultz have said otherwise.
The Tone
May 26th, 2010
10:11 am
lets just wait until the first preseason game of next year and hire a fan out of the nosebleed section to coach the hawks. Let Dominique run the team until then .
Not Sold
May 26th, 2010
10:19 am
There are rumblings in Boston that Doc Rivers will want to look at things after the season, and one reason stated was having a daughter about to finish school in Atlanta. If the man with rich, deep roots to Atlanta and the Hawks would even listen to the Hawks, then Sund must wait for the Celtics’ season to end before making any move. There’s absolutely no reason to rush after Casey if there’s even one chance in 100 that Rivers might be approachable. If the Hawks could hire Rivers, then that’s certainly a slam dunk that wouldn’t require validation from Yahoo! or anyone else.
JC
May 26th, 2010
10:25 am
Let’s be honest, any of these guys would be a good head coach. Casey would do a fine job. So would Johnson, Corbin or Thibodeau.
These guys are all being considered because they are not Woody. They would command the attention and respect of their players, actually run plays during the playoffs and hold players accountable for their performance. It’s not about Casey’s X’s versus Corbin’s Y’s, it’s because they fit a certain coaching mold that this team needs in order to get to the next level. Whoever coaches next year will inherit a talented, still young 50+ win team that succeeded in spite of their coach during the regular season instead of because of him.
It’s nice to see the Hawks moving in the right direction. And as long as they don’t hire John Anderson, I’ll be happy with the decision.
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
10:38 am
I hear folks posting that we should get Doc Rivers…why in all the world would Doc leave Boston???? I think Doc is giving himself a safe way out by taking time off next season if Boston dont go all the way this year. But if they do go all the way, trust me, Doc will NOT leave Boston, esp when they were projected to be ‘too old and out of gas to even make it this far this year’. Heck, Atlanta even topped them in the regular season getting 3rd overall in the East. And another question concerning this same situation, why would Tom T leave Boston IF Doc decides to leave when he would be the next best thang to Boston coaching vacancy??? I just dont understand yall logics on here sometimes…
Frontman
May 26th, 2010
10:40 am
Consider this: since 1980, only 8 teams have won an NBA championship. That fact illustrates why this league stinks: not enough teams have a chance. Although 5 different teams have won in the last 6 years, the usual suspects are always the favorites at the start of the year. Even in MLB, 8 different teams won the World Series in the decade 2000-2009 (though all you hear about are the Yankees and Red Sox). Until the NBA achieves a better balance, the playoffs are almost as big a joke as the season itself.
Andy
May 26th, 2010
10:56 am
I am already tired of this coaching search. Just let me know when it’s over.
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
10:56 am
Hire AJ. Even if he’s no better a coach than Casey, he’s short, compact, and cute as a button. Even as a heterosexual male I would love to see such a stud on the sidelines 82 games a year.
In Avery We Trust.
Bangkapi Ajarn
May 26th, 2010
11:01 am
As The Hawks seem to this uninformed ignorant soul to have hit a ceiling, be it because of players or coaching (I don’t know which, does anyone???), I have one litmus test for Csey, Avery, or anyone –
In crunch time, will Van Gundy out coach the new hire? Scheme, matchup, motivation, etc. Woodson was a resounding, nausiating YES, sadly.
The playoff exits the last two years were frightening in the contrast between the TEAM Atlanta put out there (including coaching synergies, or the lack thereof), and the other guys. That litmus test MUST be applied in this poor opinion.
Not Sold
May 26th, 2010
11:02 am
MsDee, I agree, you’re probably right. It’s probably a long, long, longshot that Rivers would leave Boston for any team. But wouldn’t it make sense that if he’d leave Boston for any team, it might be Atlanta with his roots here and this roster of talented, young players? Wouldn’t Doc be the kind of coach Josh Smith might respect enough to listen to when told “Let the guards take the ball up the court” or “Don’t take that 3 at that point of the game”? Coaches don’t sell tickets, but might Rivers at least energize the fan base? Shouldn’t the Hawks at least reach for the stars in this search?
Khao$
May 26th, 2010
11:11 am
Sorry, but I’m still not convinced. I think at this stage (after becoming the 3rd seed) we should aim higher. The last legitimate head coach we’ve had (in my view) was Lenny Wilkens. We need someone who can come into that locker room and their pedigree will command respect. We need that to happen before you get to the X’s and O’s part. I respect what Mr. Casey has done, but I don’t think he’s what we need right now. He’s what we needed in the 04-05 season.
Westurd
May 26th, 2010
11:11 am
call me when its over…….I’ll make a decision on how I feel at that time.
Not Drinking the Kool-Aid
May 26th, 2010
11:16 am
Mark, it is interesting in watching NBA Gametime last night the question was posed to Kevin McHale and Chris Webber which NBA coaching vacancies were the most appealing? Both McHale and Webber had these jobs in this order as the best: 1)Chicago (Based on talent, town, and cap space)2)New Jersey (Based on owner, draft status, cap space, and minor talent) 3)LA Clippers (Based on talent, and cap space). Interestingly enough Hawks were not even mentioned. I have never heard Kevin McHale endorse Dwane Casey as a coach. I have never heard Nate McMillan endorse Dwane Casey as a coach. I read the article you mentioned and really gave no clearly identifiable evidence of Dwane Casey’s ability. I have nothing against Dwane Casey and he may be a fine coach. The problem we have in Atlanta is the Hawks are at a crossroads: The impression throughout the league about the Hawks is that ownership is not cohesive and runs the team unorganized and own the cheap. Most consider the team talented but very disorganized and not a serious championship contender. So the coaching hire will have to prove that ownership is serious about competing for a championship not only to the league, but to the Atlanta Hawks fans, to Joe Johnson, and to the Hawks team. Frankly, I don’t know if hiring Dwane Casey makes that statement.
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
11:35 am
If we hire Casey, I’d prefer the team name be changed to the Sonics. The man is not a Hawk. Never has been, never will be.
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2010
11:36 am
And Avery J. is a Hawk?
Not Drinking the Kool-Aid
May 26th, 2010
11:41 am
Mark, it is interesting in watching NBA Gametime last night they posed the question to Kevin McHale and Chris Webber which coaching job seemed to be the most attractive for a coach? These are the jobs they stated were the best: 1)Chicago (Based on talent, cap space, and the city and fans) 2)New Jersey (Based on the owner, cap space,limited talent, and draft position) 3)LA Clippers (Based on talent and cap space). Atlanta was never mentioned. I have never heard Kevin McHale say anything about Dwane Casey’s coaching ability. I have never heard Nate McMillan mention anything about Dwane Casey’s coaching ability or Rick Carlisle. The article you mentioned showed no tangible evidence of Casey’s abilities as a coach. I don’t really know if Dwane Casey is a good or great coach. But there in lies the problem. There seems to be a feeling throughout the league that the Hawks ownership is run disorganized, on the cheap, and divided. This flows down into management, the team, and to fans. Why would fans be loyal to a franchise who gives the impression they are not serious about competing for a championship? Notice I said “impression”. See how all the great work the team did in the regular season was dulled by the playoff collapse of the Hawks. So the Hawks ownership have to prove they are committed to competing for a championship through the hiring of a coach. The hiring has to prove it to management, to Joe Johnson, to the rest of the team, to the fans, and to the league. I don’t know if Dwane Casey is that hire?
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
11:50 am
No, Avery is a Spur. If he is hired, I’d prefer the team name be changed to the Spurs. The man is not a Hawk. Never has been, never will be.
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
11:51 am
Consistency is the key.
Dante Fitzgerald
May 26th, 2010
12:10 pm
HIRE AVERY!!!
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
12:15 pm
I’m with ya, Dante. I’d rather win 50 games with that sweet-smiling AJ on the sideline than 55 with that scowling Casey.
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
12:23 pm
NOT SOLD,
No, I dont think Doc would want to come here simply b/c lately, Atlanta is considered being Boston new rilary team of the East. why would Doc, who has gained much respect from the Boston organization, come to their rilary team?? Its kinda disrespectful of Doc to do that, and I kinda would lose cool points for Doc if he’d do that. So No, I wouldnt think Doc would do Boston like that. and think about it, we play Boston 3 or 4 times in a regular season..do u really think Doc wants to see his ex-ball players 4 times, esp with ATLANTA??? NO!!
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
12:36 pm
MsDee,
Define rilary. I’m interested.
HawkKingBibby
May 26th, 2010
12:40 pm
Im glad that Casey is a nice guy and you know where they finish right MB !!!!!
HawkKingBibby
May 26th, 2010
12:45 pm
Give me some examples MB. What you have seen or heard from Casey in all this time you say you have known him that makes you think he will not tolerate the nonsense. Whats he going to do when #5 goes into his own world on the court? What will be done about all this partying they do the night before road playoff games that they lose by 20-40 points? If you know of examples with Casey please do tell?
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
12:59 pm
Avery is the man,
Not interested in defining..SORRY!!
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
1:07 pm
It’s okay, MsDee. It’s just when I hear a new word, I become interested in unraveling its meaning. I tried a google search for this word but it returned nothing so I assume it must be a word too sophisticated for google.
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
1:14 pm
Avery is the man,
Naw, it just too sophisticated for a person like u..u know, someone who is sarcastic and who may really know what one means but rather waste time blogging about it..right??
tyger
May 26th, 2010
1:15 pm
Why would it be different for Casey or anybody else?
Woodson went to the playoffs 3 years straight, twice to the second round. Took a team of freshman from 13 wins to 53 wins, yet wasn’t given an extension or vote of confidence from the lackluster GM or ownership group.
What makes anyone think a new coach will be treated any differently? This organization evidently doesn’t know which way is up or where they’ll be 6 months from now no less a year from now.
It’s a temp job! A stepping stone to something more stable – notice the candidates – only Avery Johnson has a head coaching pedigree – big names aren’t lining up at Phillips for interviews.
I fear we will realize that Woody too had the Hawks playing over their collective heads despite our insistence that he should’ve done more. Looking at the rosters of the remaining contenders, we have no competitive BIGS to play with the big boys, so what were our real chances to move forward?
You’ve got to be able to get a rebound and two years in a row, Cleveland and Orlando, we weren’t big enough. And what did we do? We got two guards: Crawford and Teague.
I thought we could’ve made better use of Collins, Joe Smith and RandMo but nobody else was beating down the door to sign those guys either so maybe they’re only useful on NBA2K10.
Point is, this isn’t a strong organization accustomed to winning – they’re trying to win on the cheap and we all know that won’t get you outta the second round. So, good luck and wishful thinking.
Now, one thing Casey could provide, where Woody was obviously negligent, is player development. He should have and would not give the players he had a chance and for that amongst other things he was rightly fired. But again, that’s wishful thinking too – there was a reason those guys were at the end of the bench.
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
1:18 pm
Correct, MsDee. You are far too sophisticated for me.
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
1:28 pm
Yeah..I already ‘new’ that…
Avery is the man
May 26th, 2010
1:31 pm
Clever. I don’t know how to respond to such biting humor.
Asheezy
May 26th, 2010
1:43 pm
PSA: Mark, please don’t write anything else that endorses Casey as the Hawks next head coach. You’re seriously discrediting yourself as a journalist
MsDee
May 26th, 2010
1:50 pm
Yeah..Im speechless…wow, never thought that could happen…lol
cdog
May 26th, 2010
1:50 pm
does it really matter what color a person is?probably so when you are an idiot.if there is a blue person out there and they can help the hawks win a championship, bring them in and hire them.right now the obviuos best coach available is by far avery johnson.it doesn’t have anything to do with his color, he is by far the best coach for the hawks right now if they want to win a championship.but we are dealing with rick sund so look for mediocrity from him, then he will blame the coach instead of himself. sund is a loser.who hired him for our GM job?whoever it was, no one should ever listen to their recommendations again
Bring back Lenny
May 26th, 2010
1:57 pm
Lenny Wilkins should be the next Hawks coach. Also dump Marvin the duck and bring back Tyrone Corbin at SF.
ryan
May 26th, 2010
3:05 pm
This is going to be a big mistake because you look at Casey’s record is not that good we are taking a step back so long Joe Minn under Casey was a lottery team and Seattle.
MaxxHawk
May 26th, 2010
3:10 pm
Casey could be the guy, but I also like Ty Corbin
Bring back Lenny
May 26th, 2010
3:17 pm
Lenny as coach, Avery as PG and Corbin as SF. Bring back Smitty, Deke, and Laettner and we’ve got ourselves top 5 picks for the next few years. We get a great player and we’re set.
Ken Strickland
May 26th, 2010
4:22 pm
All of the HC prospects on the Hawks list would be upgrades over MWoodson. So, all of you wounded WOODY LOVERS, who seem to be looking for any excuse to diss every prospect, need to realize Woody ain’t coming back. I wouldn’t be upset if any one of the prospects being seriously considered was hired. I’m an Atlanta Hawks fan, not someone that’s developed some crush on a particular player or coach.
I’m more concerned with getting the job done, rather than who gets it done. I would’ve been satisfied with Woodson, if he’d had the sense and ability to get the job done. What I know, and have read about Thibodeau, Johnson and Casey, just let’s me know we are considering some very outstanding prospects.
For any fan to say one of these 3 is a much better prospect or fit for the Hawks than the other is talking out of his or her ANUS. None of us has enough detailed info on either prospect to intelligently make that assessment. I feel good about the Hawks chances of coming up with an outstanding HC. And, if we resign JJ, I feel even better about the prospects for the Hawks having an outstanding season and playoff run.
Making a couple of adjustments, a PG change, and putting our core talent in an OFF/DEF system that features ball and player movement, picks, penetration and total player involvement, is all this team needs to take off next season.
Ezekiel
May 26th, 2010
5:23 pm
The key phrase that Kelly Dwyer said was when he referred to Case as “the one time Kentucky product”. Thus, the reason why Mark Bradley likes Casey.. they are both Kentucky grads.. Gotcha, Mark!
atlienforlife
May 26th, 2010
5:34 pm
Casey may be a good hire, but I don’t think this franchise has the luxury to roll the dice on an unproven. This fan base and organization is at a cross roads right now and cannot afford to go down. A proven winning coach is needed to provide some ray of hope to the “casual” fans here. The only expection I see is Tom Thibodeau, with that boston pedigree. On another note what is all the love for bosh coming here, I don’t get it. What did bosh do against the hawks in the games they played this year? He was non existent! Besides that one last second shot he hit (that wouldn’t have been there if we grabbed a rebound on there foul shot) to win the game. He averaged around 10 points in that series. He is a second tier star at best, he has proven that in toronto, and will not put the hawks over the top. I would take Horford over him anyday. Not to mention Josh smiths all around game is better than bosh, beside a slightly better jump shot. People forget, Josh is the only player in league history at he’s height, to have over 100 steals and 100 blocks in a season!
J
May 26th, 2010
5:42 pm
Jason Heyward to play the 2!!!
vava74
May 26th, 2010
6:01 pm
I have ZERO regard for your opinion Bradley since you have been consistently giving bad opinions on the Hawks and making idiotic remarks and posts.
Every once in a while I come here to check other people’s commentaries and see with what type of drivel you are rewarding your audience this time and confirm how many people can clap to such a lousy tune.
Your case for Casey is my case against him. If he has your support, he is certainly the wrong man for the job.
Willy
May 26th, 2010
7:05 pm
If Dwane Casey gets the job I’ll dress up as a hamburger every time I go to a game. Why? I used to work at a hamburger joint called Mighty Casey’s. So when thousands of people imitate me you can say it all started right here.
glenn
May 26th, 2010
10:02 pm
Phil Jackson would be a better hire .
geewiz
May 26th, 2010
10:42 pm
another experiment…thanks