As the Hawks approach a new season, the buzz is long gone
Jamal Crawford and Larry Drew: Why aren't they smiling? (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
There was a time when the Hawks were coming off a 13-win season, but that was in 2005. These Hawks are coming off 53-29, which represents the third-best mark since the team moved here from St. Louis. So why does it feel as if last season was an epic dud?
Because the season ended with a playoff series that was an epic dud, and the summer was worse. The Hawks underspent for a coach and overspent to keep their best player, and their solution to the annual plaint of we-need-a-real-big-man was to sign the journeymen Josh Powell and Etan Thomas.
Getting swept by Orlando by an average of 25.3 points set the Hawks, who’d been clambering ever upward since the 13-69 nadir of Mike Woodson’s first season, back years in the eyes of its constituency, and the double move of promoting Larry Drew and making Joe Johnson the highest-paid free agent simply underscored the long-held notion that this club doesn’t know what it’s doing. (Never mind that losing Joe Johnson would have issued a similar message.)
The result: The team that finished third in the NBA East will open its season next Wednesday, and there’s no buzz of anticipation. There’s only a rumble of discontent.
“I’m not oblivious to what people are saying and feeling,” said Jamal Crawford, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and the happiest story of what should have been a happy season. But Crawford contributed to the fractious summer by demanding that the Hawks sign him to a new contract or trade him, neither of which has happened.
“Everyone has an opinion [as to how these Hawks will fare],” Crawford said, speaking after Wednesday’s practice. “It remains to be seen. We’ve got a whole new offense, a whole new system. I hope we’ll be able to take the next step. But you never know.”
Note the contrast. This time a year ago Crawford was as happy to be a Hawk as a 5-year-old running loose in Toys R Us. And now? “You never know.”
Exhibition games don’t mean much in any sport, but it’s worth noting that the Hawks have lost four of five, the most recent being another ritual drubbing by Orlando. On Thursday LeBron James will bring his talents to Philips Arena, and that could get messy, too. Indeed, this whole operation has the capacity to go really bad really fast.
Five of the first eight regular-season games are on the road. Said Drew, speaking of his retooled offense: “I see guys starting to pick it up. I was aware it was going to take some time. But the guys have bought into it, and what’s more important is that the main guy, Joe Johnson, buys into it.”
The proof of this purported buying-in, however, won’t be found in any preseason game. It will come in the final two of minutes of the games that count. Only then will we see if Johnson, who’d grown accustomed to taking nearly every key shot under Woodson, will be willing to defer to Crawford and Josh Smith and Al Horford. Only then will we see if Drew is up to the task.
Woodson was never popular with Hawks fans, and replacing him with just about anybody should have yielded a PR boost. Instead the Hawks replaced him not just with a man who hadn’t been a head coach but one who had been Woodson’s aide-de-camp for six years. (And who, not incidentally, came cheap.)
It was clear the Hawks had gone as far as they could under Woodson. Unclear is whether a guy who has been around this team — the starting five of which has remained unchanged since February 2008 — all along can be an agent of change. It’s possible Drew could represent an upgrade; it’s also possible he could be to Woodson as Ron Jirsa was to Tubby Smith at Georgia.
I take no pleasure in being so downbeat so soon, and I’d love to tell you I’m expecting nothing but great things from these Hawks. But I’d be lying through my teeth if I did.
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159 comments Add your comment
I.MUS WRITE
October 20th, 2010
11:44 pm
5th place in the east……2nd round loss- Nothing to see here people keep it moving
Pinky AKA Tomahawkin
October 21st, 2010
12:05 am
Seems Like There are more Bandwagon Heat Fans In Atlanta Now than Hawks Fans…? Go Figure?
No wonder why Atlanta Fans are considered America’s worst when it comes to supporting its pro teams…
Not to Mention since the fact that the NBA is rigged its starting to lose fans to the NFL/NCAA Football as did the MLB did after 1994.Sure some came back because of the roid era but they are going back now because that is over
Pinky AKA Tomahawkin
October 21st, 2010
12:08 am
Whats Sickening is The Blatant Hype that 103.3 gave the Heat they Hype since they are coming out here rather than hyping up the Hawks…Pathetic!
scottbravesfan
October 21st, 2010
12:09 am
I like both teams but there is really no reason for the Hawks and Thrashers to stay in Atlanta. The owners don’t care and this makes the fans not really care. Neither team draws well and neither team really has much of a following like the Braves and Falcons. It’s a shame but it’s the truth. I wish someone would step up and buy them and buy the Braves while they are at it.
scottbravesfan
October 21st, 2010
12:16 am
Pinky,
baseball has tons of fans. That’s why they have 6 billion in revenue every year and attendance at minor league stadiums is through the roof during the Great Recession. Attendance at major league parks is high as well with only the two Florida teams and Oakland not drawing well. What hurts MLB is that most baseball fans don’t really care about other teams that they don’t follow and the fans don’t watch the playoffs once their team is eliminated. I watch about every Braves game every year but I could care less about the playoffs now because the Braves got eliminated. And most baseball fans that I talk to agree with me. Once the Braves are eliminated I switch over to football for the rest of the year.
As for the NBA, that’s how the game is marketed. It’s not the team’s that are marketed it’s the players. The NBA thrives on bandwagon fans. The people that wore Jordan jerseys in the 90s, then bought Kobe jerseys in the 00s and now they are buying Lebron James jerseys this decade. The NBA doesn’t have a problem with it because it is a revenue stream for them. Fans jumping from team to team means they have to go and buy new jerseys, hats, t shirts, etc to make it seem like they are real fans. The only downside to it if a team somehow makes it to the finals without a popular player the ratings are non existent and are closer to hockey. Look up the ratings for the 2007 NBA finals between the Spurs and Cavs. Lowest ratings ever with 5 million people watching, with no competition from other TV shows because the finals are during the summer when other shows are on re runs. Notice the last two years the NBA made sure that didn’t happen again, got the Lakers and Celtics back in there quickly.
Chokeville
October 21st, 2010
12:30 am
I gave up my tickets 2 years ago after all these chokes. These millionaires will make the playoffs and probably lose in the first round, then complain about money the whole time. I’ll just use my cash and go somewhere entertaining.
Pinky AKA Tomahawkin
October 21st, 2010
12:36 am
ScottBravesFan
Good Points on all regards in that last post, especially bandwagon fans…
Not To Mention Going to an NBA costs WAYYYY more Than Going To A Braves Game…
I can Tailgate/Buy Dollar Seats and Hangout and Drink at the Chophouse and I’d still spend less money as opposed to going to the “Highight Factory”
blonju
October 21st, 2010
12:49 am
MB with the truth serum as always.. i can’t help but echo the same sentiment for the upcoming season because of the aformentioned moves of the summer.. it feels like basketball in atlanta will be crippled until joe is gone.. it was a great run, but unless the players find some new magical chemistry that make them care enough together and to consistently play at a high level, every possession, every night, then a downturn is entirely inevitable this season.. Joe and LD are the ones who will have to prove as all wrong.. i wouldn’t say that it’s impossible, but i’d be 100% happily suprised.. if such a stubborn fan regardless so gooooooo HAWKS!! see ya at the game tomorrow!!
Lol @ the Hawks
October 21st, 2010
12:51 am
The only buzz that hawks will be getting will be the buzz of the flies in Phillips on gamedays. They peaked last year and its all downhill from here. They wont even get home court adv in the playoffs. We will be lucky to get 5th seed. The Bucks and Bulls are better than us. And don’t forget about the Griz. With that being said, i will still root for them, but i wont go to anymore games, and i wont clear my schedule to catch the games on tv. I used to go to 10-15 games and watch the rest on tv. But im sure i can find better things to do.
keith butts
October 21st, 2010
12:52 am
Why all the fuss…just let the Lakers and Heat play and be done with it all!!!
Willy
October 21st, 2010
12:55 am
You have to admit, it would be hard for any team to have much of a buzz after Bosh, James, and Wade teamed up on Miami.
Hawks Fan
October 21st, 2010
1:00 am
The Hawks owners suck bad they bid against themselves for Joe Johnson, why do you think he took their offer so quick nobody else really wanted him. Shaquille O’Neal showed interest in coming here but the owners stayed cheap and insulting Shaq with minimum wage but they signed two big stiffs to clog up the bench. The Hawks owners are so cheap they sell Josh Childress for nothing and draft players and sell them for money they never spend. I hope the Hawks owners read this when you look into the stands and see no one don’t be mad at anybody but yourself. The Hawks ownership will threaten to take the team somewhere else to play that will be the best day for basketball fans in the city of Atlanta.
Lol @ the Hawks
October 21st, 2010
1:01 am
Man I wish there could be some way to make sure that not a SINGLE person is in the stands of Phillips during a few games. Maybe that would freak out the ASG and they would sell the team to someone who cares about winning it all, lets say Arthur Blank. But there is at least one idiot fan that would still spend money on these hawks.
JSS
October 21st, 2010
1:27 am
@ Niremetal…
See the first line of my 6:55PM post…
Harry from da Burn
October 21st, 2010
2:23 am
This is going to be one of the most exciting regular seasons in the last decade in any sport, and the playoffs will be even better.
6-1-3
Lake show
Celtics
Knicks (when they get Amare)
even orlando.
Dr. Warren
October 21st, 2010
3:12 am
Two bad seasons, and I predict the Hawks could end up in Kansas City. They have a new arena that needs an NBA team. That playoff debacle against Orlando was huge–it seems to be carrying over to this season in the team’s attitude. And Joe Johnson, in a contract year, played mediocre basketball down the stretch. Now that he has the fat contract, does anyone expect that he’ll make the All-Star team?
Billy Bob
October 21st, 2010
7:03 am
So that Hawks are going to leave a big city to go to a smaller one, that also won’t care about them? Yeah, the Hawks will suddenly be relevant in KC……not.
Who cares about the NBA regular season. Boring! We already know which teams matter, There are about 6 teams that matter, and everyone else is an also-ran. What a broken league.
Atticus
October 21st, 2010
7:14 am
The Atlanta Spirit Group is a joke. Until they sell the teams, I no longer go or even watch any games. And I have lived in Atlanta all my life and loved the Flames and the Hawks of the 80s. So pathetic this ownership group.
sal
October 21st, 2010
7:18 am
Prices are too expensive. No one has any discretionary income. Republicans have destroyed the middle class so no one has any extra money to spend on leisure activities.
Med
October 21st, 2010
7:31 am
My God, who cares???
JustAThought
October 21st, 2010
7:54 am
Hey Mark, tell the ownership to staying in hiding, cause no one wants to hear the BS they are spouting……..especially about the hawks.
S(n)oaring Hawk
October 21st, 2010
8:05 am
This team sux. If the atlanta spirit can not make the right decisions, then they need to hire somone that does!!!!
Wolverine
October 21st, 2010
8:08 am
Why would you hire the assistant of a coach you fired ? In politics, that’s like voting out a politician and then voting for his wife to replace him. The pre-season sometimes is a preview of a team though. And I think it is in the Hawks case. Most teams improved in the off season. All the Hawks did was resign and overpaid JJ and add two European talented little bigmen. The Heat resigned Wade and added LeBron & Bosh in comparison. If the argument is still “The Spirit group has no money” then sell the team to someone who ain’t broke. It is amazing that the Braves and Hawks operate on modest budgets but the Falcons spend like crazy to win. Arthur Blank clone can you buy the Braves & Hawks please ?
Wolverine
October 21st, 2010
8:24 am
Hey Mark, why don’t you ever interview the ownership of the Hawks and ask them if they are competent enough to own a team ?
Wolverine
October 21st, 2010
8:27 am
After this 40-42 season the team will have a new name. My name…
Atlanta Buzzards
October 21st, 2010
8:27 am
No this name…
dap01
October 21st, 2010
8:59 am
We pay JJ to be an anchor like Kobe, Shaq, Wade, Lebron. The problem is he is not. He is a great second level player. The rest of the lineup is poorly constructed. The draft picks were made with no regard to our needs. Compare Oklahoma’s rebuilding to the Hawks. We did nothing right.
Championship teams are strong in the middle and strong at the point. We are weak at both. We pay our $ and our top draft picks on forwards (which are the easiest position to fill).
We did nothing right in the long and painful rebuilding process.
Sund – Average, it is hard to be excited. Jamal stinks.
Bandwagon Detective
October 21st, 2010
9:00 am
This group of comments is the worst I’ve ever seen. Once this team makes the playoffs (and they will make the playoffs), this same group of fans who blabber about not paying another dime for tickets will be scrambling to the phones about playoff tickets. Stop acting like nobody would care if this team left. You really think the people working the concession stands and the guest services staff would be alright with the team leaving? Give me a break. Oh, and to the guy who said under 10,000 opening night? I’ll take the over. Call it a hunch.
JSS
October 21st, 2010
9:01 am
There goes the “Tenured professor” again, imposing his lifestyle on everyone else again! Man, when can the New Madrid Fault shake some sense into his mental dystrophy? Braves and Bulldogs? You are a self masochist!
Larry
October 21st, 2010
9:26 am
The buzz can’t be long gone because it wasn’t here to begin with. If I get a bad case of insomnia I’ll watch the Hawks and will be asleep in minutes.
JSS
October 21st, 2010
9:27 am
Arthur Blank, the local billionaire who is actually losing money? No thanks, please don’t clone him! He’s like early Ted Turner, the exception is he’ll never get it right! Bernie Marcus was the brains of that duo… Just look the results, Blank: Falcons and ABF, both have lost value… Marcus: The Georgia Aquarium, go look at the true economic impact on our town! It ain’t even close, and Bernie is not being subsidized by the taxpayers of GA either!
Carlos Turner
October 21st, 2010
9:30 am
It amaze me how everyone is down on the HAWKS…. When actually they are Atlanta Sports most consistant team. They continue to get better every year no matter what the so call Pro Experts predict year after year a less winning team. So until the Falcons who I love , the braves who I always cheered, the Thrashers that I never understood, the Bulldogs who breaks my heart and the Jackets who some how always let me down, untill all of these teams get their acts together. Neither can say they had any consistance compared to the Hawks in the last three years……
Hoops
October 21st, 2010
9:46 am
Don’t you just love it when your own local writers beat down your local team instead of building them up. It makes you wonder who they are really cheering for!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
niremetal
October 21st, 2010
10:40 am
JSS, you know me too well
Rufus1
October 21st, 2010
10:44 am
Not make the Playoffs…
If you think the Hawks won’t make the Playoffs you are either crazy, stupid or both. Please stop pretending you have any basketball knowledge…. Why not just say Durant will only average 10pts a game… that is just as crazy thinking a team that won 53 games last, won’t make the playoffs this year.
1st you have to name the 8 teams that will be better.
2nd What majors changes have occured with that team(i,e. Lebron leaving the Cavs)
“anger clouds a reasonable mind”
JSS
October 21st, 2010
11:28 am
@ Niremetal…
I bow to you sire!!! Wonder when Schultz is going to take his shot?
ward
October 21st, 2010
12:43 pm
how good are the hawks this year! i;m afraid they didn;t do enough.
ward
October 21st, 2010
12:44 pm
it would be nice to see them in the play offs again. Go!!!! Hawks!!!!
Don't let us down JJ
October 21st, 2010
12:47 pm
I don’t care how good JJ is or how far it would have set us back as a franchise; the hawks should have never resigned a player that shows more disdain for the fans that have cheered for him than an opponent on the court. MC your right this can go bad and I have a strong feeling that it will. I don’t think JJ or the team is ready for what will happen if they take even one step backward.
JeJe
October 21st, 2010
1:25 pm
WHY IS THERE ONLY MENTION OF THE ORLANDO SWEEP.
WE GOT SWEPT BY CLEVELAND 2 YEARS AGO. DOES NO ONE REMEMBER THAT?
NO – NO ONE REMEMBERS IT
THIS TEAM STINKS
4TH BEST TEAM IN THE EAST….IF LUCKY
FIRE SUND
jay dubu
October 21st, 2010
3:09 pm
If this team comes out of the gate strong, and plays well, the buzz will be there. If Marvin, Teague, or any other player comes out and sets the nets afire, the buzz will be there.
Something unusual needs to happen to stir a buzz around this team. As of now, there’s a new coach, who doesn’t have a NBA reputation, so we don’t know what to expect. A new offensive scheme, and a new defensive scheme, both of which the players are working to pick up, but the early results have not been positive.
It looks as though the team has taken a step backwards. If it takes 10 – 15 games into the season for the new schemes to settle in, in a competitive Eastern Conference, it may very well be too late for the Hawks to position themselves for improvements over last season.
jay dubu
October 21st, 2010
3:21 pm
Whopper Dawg, I think drafting Sheldon Williams with the 5th pick in 2006, compounded the error of taking Marvin at #2 the year before. They had a chance to build a team through the draft, and failed to take advantage of it.
Never the less, that’s water under the bridge now. With the budget constraints, who knows when they’ll have another opportunity to become an “elite” team.
Hawksareclueless
October 21st, 2010
4:00 pm
I have no words for this team. I’m sure the Hawks will disappoint the fans again. Just sell this team already!
Buddy Grizzard
October 21st, 2010
4:15 pm
“5th place in the east……2nd round loss- Nothing to see here people keep it moving.”
Who are we going to beat in round 1? We wouldn’t have made it out of the first round last year if Andrew Bogut didn’t get hurt.
Buddy Grizzard, President and Founder, The Rick Sund Glue Factory Committee
“It’s time to put this horse out to pasture.”
Decatur Native
October 21st, 2010
4:55 pm
welcome to Atlanta where we have all major sport teams with no hardware to be proud of, FYI fans don’t spend money if we get embarissed in historic fashion, look at our list of failures…
Hawks…ASG
Braves…13 straight trips=1 ring
Falcons…they never had a real shot till Authur Blank
Thrashers… see Hawks
Historic letdowns in grand fashion
Hawks… record playoff felony ( Orlando should have a warrant for their arrest for killing they Hawks)
Braves… Going up two to Goose eggs on the Yanks only to come home and never win again
Falcons… only trip to the big game blown by a player trying to get blown
Thrashers… give them time their due to add themselves to this list
Welcome to Atlanta
JeJe
October 21st, 2010
5:21 pm
WHY IS THERE ONLY MENTION OF THE ORLANDO SWEEP.
WE GOT SWEPT BY CLEVELAND 2 YEARS AGO. DOES NO ONE REMEMBER THAT?
NO – NO ONE REMEMBERS IT
THIS TEAM STINKS
4TH BEST TEAM IN THE EAST….IF LUCKY
FIRE SUND.
Come on Man!
October 21st, 2010
5:36 pm
At least let it be Mid-season before you start putting the Hawks down. I know that we didnt have the best offseason, in terms of roster changes. But we did take care of a BIG problem by firing woody. We (the Fans) need to give Larry Drew a chance before we start saying things. We also need to see how the players work out in the new scheme.
Last year the fans were crying about Iso-joe, the lack of plays for Josh, Al, and Marvin and the lack of motivation late in the game. Maybe Larry Drew can fix that.
My point is that we need to give the Hawks a chance before we start making Judgments. Last year the biggest problem in the fans’ eyes was woody. Now hes gone, so lets see how it works out. We won 53 games last year, despite all the Woody problems. Its a new season with a clean slate. This article was not needed, alteast not now.
Carlos
October 21st, 2010
6:44 pm
Like I said before the Hawks are the only consistant winning team in Atlanta and surrounding area… So Ya’ll just leave them alone… when they don’t make the Play-Off Then what you going to say…. Ya’ll some spoiled ass folks… Damn we only been wining for 3 years… Please! Stop acting like we always been a good team……… SMH!!!
exchange student
October 21st, 2010
8:01 pm
In 87 i took part in a Student exchange program and beeing a baller i observed the hawks ever since.
Back then i saw ´Nique and his Hawks getting whupped by Michael in the Omni.
While this might be something of an unfair comparison (because of you know who) things haven´t really changed to day. This franchise has been stuck in mediocricy ever since (as it has been before obviously), sometimes slightly better and often worse than the mass of NBA teams.
If the organization really wants to go for that jewelry it needs a complete overdo (again)
That means loosin´, top draft picks and a management, thats able to make some moves in the offseason. This summers free agent market was hotter than ever, and the hawks came up with…
Then they hired the assistant of the former coach (who has yet to buy himself a suit that fits him).
These are somewhat questionable moves that will ensure another 40 wins season, a bad draft position and another year in mediocricy.
40 wins max, because i don´t think they underachieved in postseason, they overachieved in the regular season and will not surprise anyone this time around.
This all looks like another disappointing year for the hawks!
greets from germany
Gtfan11
October 22nd, 2010
9:09 am
fractious, nadir, purported, aide-de-camp ? Who really uses these words. Mark you might want to put down the thesaurus and sit in the stands. See if anyone in the entire facility will use just one of these words at any given time. Remember, you are writing to sports fans.