Another home blowout tells us the Hawks have quit on Drew

Dawg Lover

March 22nd, 2011
11:50 pm

First

Najeh Davenpoop

March 22nd, 2011
11:50 pm

Just because Larry Drew is abysmal doesn’t mean Mike Woodson was good.

It’s been 43 years since the Hawks moved to Atlanta. Where is our Derrick Rose? Where is our Tom Thibodeau?

Aaron

March 22nd, 2011
11:51 pm

Gonna get bounced in the first round.

ITS BRAVES SEASON!

Blow them up

March 22nd, 2011
11:51 pm

Pathetic performance all round tonight.It is an embarrassment to the city. First

JeJe

March 22nd, 2011
11:54 pm

M.Bradley was dead on when he said we should’ve hired Dwane Casey and not the nice guy Larry Drew

JeJe

March 22nd, 2011
11:55 pm

LD IS A SOFT COACH. HE IS TIMID. HE DOESN’T TALK

NO ACCOUNTABILITY

Arff

March 22nd, 2011
11:55 pm

I think Drew is gone after this season. Marvin Williams, Jamal Crawford and Josh Smith should also go. Unfortunately the biggest problem with the Hawks is Joe Johnson. When your highest paid and best player acts and plays as though he would rather be somewhere else you got problems. After giving him max money the Hawks are stuck with that albatross for the forseable future.

Joe

March 22nd, 2011
11:57 pm

Enter your comments here

Dawg Lover

March 22nd, 2011
11:58 pm

Great day. The Lady Dawgs beat FSU to advance to the Sweet 16. At least one team is still playing basketball in this state.

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
12:00 am

Amen!!!!!!!!

Ben

March 23rd, 2011
12:01 am

This team is a joke. I was sitting in the first row again tonight and Drew is just awful. Teague and Armstrong should be getting regular minutes but he doesn’t even play them. He plays Cheeseburger Collins in the 1st half who does NOTHING but give 2 fouls and let the Bulls backup center score at will on him. I’m about done with this team. Drew has NO IDEA what he is doing.

mikey

March 23rd, 2011
12:03 am

Agree with Bradley. Maybe for the first time.

DunkinDon

March 23rd, 2011
12:05 am

Cannot explain how the Hawks can look like last year’s LA Clippers right here at the end. Go figure

Joe

March 23rd, 2011
12:06 am

Josh Smith is with out a doubt killing this team. He continues to take his dumb a$$ jump shot HOPING it all go in. If you were on the floor and this saw this clown clang shot after shot would u play hard. What a loser. AH has to loath playing with him.

Joe

March 23rd, 2011
12:06 am

Josh Smith is with out a doubt killing this team. He continues to take his dumb a$$ jump shot HOPING it all go in. If you were on the floor and this saw this clown clang shot after shot would u play hard. What a loser. AH has to loath playing with him.

Ramrod

March 23rd, 2011
12:06 am

You get what you deserve, paying Joe Johnson all that money. You can loose without him.

William Satterwhite

March 23rd, 2011
12:10 am

I wouldn’t say no one else would want Marvin Williams, he’s still young enough and good enough for a lot of teams to have interest.

I’m not sure it’s a case of the players quiting on the coach as much as it them quiting on ownership and/or Rick Sund- whoever it was responsible for not making the kind of truly big move this team needed to make to keep pace with the East’s elite.

Fan of the Game

March 23rd, 2011
12:10 am

Quit – The word is in the Drew Family’s vocabulary. No sympathy from me for him or his son. Quitters!

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
12:11 am

Look what i found on SI:

The Hawks’ frustrations showed when backup center Zaza Pachulia and Drew exchanged sharp words on the bench late in the game. The 7-foot Pachulia left after missing a long jumper.

“I told him I didn’t want him taking that shot,” Drew said. “He shoots an 18-foot shot. That’s not his shot. … I told him ‘You don’t take that shot.’ That was the end of that.”

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
12:17 am

I totally agree with you on this article Mr.Bradley,they have given up on this guy and to tell u the truth,i kinda feel bad for the guy.
He’s been an assistant coach for 18yrs. and when he gets his shot with a team that he knows well,then,it goes down hill from there.

He’ll get another shot it he is released after this year.

But one question Mr.Bradley,i heard “the czar”say tonight that not only are the hawks for sale but its a chance that they may move out of Atlanta as well..

Is this true.Could there be prospective buyers for this club who are looking to move them out of Atlanta??

IlliniDawg

March 23rd, 2011
12:17 am

Only 17 more days till Braves Opening Day game against the Phillies. That’s 17 days till the Hawks go from underwhelming to irrelevant in the ATL sports scene. God I hate this team!!!

Terry

March 23rd, 2011
12:17 am

Might as well run ISO Joe because the Hawks won’t run an offense. Josh Smith should have went to college and learned the fundamentals of the game. He is 3 playing four because he can’t shoot worth a darn. Our 4 is playing 5. Run all those big guys on the bench at 5 and let them hard foul anyone who drives to the basket–put Horford at 4 and go with Joe, Teague and Heinrich with Crawford, Josh and Marvin off the bench. If any of them gripe sit ‘em. We’re losing at home by 30+ anyway.

Steve

March 23rd, 2011
12:18 am

Problem is, if you hire coaches that aren’t player friendly they rebel against them as well, in the media if not on the court. Remember some guy named Mike Fratello .. by far the best coach in the history of the franchise in Atlanta .. he got ran out of town for winning 50 games a year and winning first round series in the playoffs every year with less overall talent than Woodson or Drew.

It’s not the coach, it’s the players. Only four guys on this team play with any heart that I have seen (Horford, Smith, ZaZa and maybe Hinrich). Smith lets his emotions control him though, which isn’t always good. ZaZa doesn’t get enough court time because he is lacking in true skill. That basically leaves Horford to man the ship. The rest of the Hawks have less heart than guys I play pick up games with. It’s ridiculous.

Don’t blame the coach when the GM is the problem. We should have NEVER resigned Joe. That was the biggest mistake the Hawks have made since Jon Kontract .. which is saying something when you consider the Sharif trade and the Sheldon and Marvin Williams picks. We could have given Marvin his chance so we would know if we needed to move him or not (instead, with limited minutes he hasn’t shown any ability that another team would trade to have).

For the Hawks to really get good, they have to stop being in the middle tier of teams. They also have to get lucky in the lottery, hope there is a stud available, and not blow it. Thing of the teams winning lately and how most of them were worse off than the Hawks for a decade or so but at some point in the last 20 years they hit rock bottom and built back up. The Hawks were there, but instead of toughing it out and drafting good picks, they traded away high picks in the Sharif and JJ deals and neither of those guys were true ‘take you to the finals’ kind of players.

Should have blown this thing up this last offseason. Sign and trade of Joe would have garnered two #1 picks most likely. Sign and trade of Josh might get us two more. Try to trade these guys to perennial losers so you know the picks will be good .. trading them to stud teamsbasically means you net nothing, because you have a much lower chance of success with lower first rounders (the days of Kobe type guys going that late are over, because the league is now wise to drafting younger players). But now … NOW … we are stuck for the next half decade with an inferior team in the ever improving East.

For my part, I don’t even want to see Joe or Marvin on the floor the rest of the year, I don’t care if we lose every game. Give guys that play with intensity and that truly care a shot. Start the four guys mentioned above and let Jamal play the 2. If Joe wants to prove he still cares, then he can do it as a sixth man. Maybe that will wake him up. Best player or not, his attitude permeates the team and needs an adjustment.

Ron Jirsa

March 23rd, 2011
12:19 am

Maybe he should shave off his eyebrows like Mr Potato Head did

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
12:20 am

I heard “the czar”say that not only is this team for sale but they could be moved out of Atlanta as well…

Is this true?
There are no stipulations on keeping this team in ATL???

FACTS

March 23rd, 2011
12:25 am

Is this a B-ball season or we watching teeth being pulled?

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
12:29 am

Mark Bradley

March 23rd, 2011
12:20 am
Nunna!!, I don’t think the league would let the Hawks leave.
————————————————————————————————

I hope not.I’ve been rooting for this team since the days of John Drew,and Super Lou Hudson #’s 22 and 23 in the central division going up against the likes of the cavs and others and i would hate to lose that history.

I just think we need a change at the top,and drew is part of the problem.

Sund’s contract is up at the end of the year,from what u may know from inside the hawks organization,what are the chances that he will not be asked to return next year?

And a few more questions if u have the time to answer them:
Do the players believe in Teague? They are not treating him like the floor general that he is supposed to be.

Would any of the potential buyers be a famiiar name to us here on the blog?

How serious are the hawks in re-signing Jamaal Crawford?

And can the ASG afford all the demands of ownership of this team for another year?
Because the way it sounds,is that,they are broke!!

FACTS

March 23rd, 2011
12:34 am

Ha Ha Nunna!! With the possible NFL season in jeapordy I think no city could stand losing any pro franchise.

IlliniDawg

March 23rd, 2011
12:35 am

@Steve: one of the better/best commentaries on the Hawks that I’ve read in some time. We have three main problems, and NONE of them have to do with the coach: too many lazy heartless players, an overrated overpaid “superstar” who we can’t be moved, and missed chances to improve through lottery picks. And that’s why I hate this team and just can’t stand to watch them.

How I long for the days of players like Nique, Tree, Spud, Steve Smith.. hell even Laettner put more effort into the game then most of these guys.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
12:39 am

Nobody wants Marvin at almost any price. They tried to move him before the deadline (Zaza too)… They haven’t quit on Drew, they been found out and they’ve had no answers since Game 7 of the Milwaukee…

@ Najeh…
Your “Tom Thibodeau” is sitting in the analyst seat for TNT… The players revolted on Hubie Brown in 1981. Hubie went to the Knicks, and the Hawks went on to try to win with crazy people like Eddie Johnson, John Drew, and the only stable one Roundtree… This team just can’t get out of its own way…

a1andonly

March 23rd, 2011
12:40 am

Are there any clauses in Joe’s contract that state he has to play to the best of his ability? If so can we release him for breach of contract?

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
12:41 am

oops “Roundfield”

papason

March 23rd, 2011
12:43 am

We traded a #1 for kirk lmao….He was worth bibby only…but we traded bibby,jo crawford and a 1 for kirk lol…Sund and spirit please leave..Drew needs to go please…Now i see why the sold away teams jerseys ….

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
12:46 am

IlliniDawg
March 23rd, 2011
12:17 am
“God I hate this team!”

Well Tenured Professor, you can solve that pretty quick. Stop watching and commenting on them… Grade some papers and use the time for Hawks games to add extra office hours! See ya!!!

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
12:46 am

“By process of elimination, the only real candidate for a trade is Josh Smith, and he’s one of the most talented players in the league.”

No he’s not. Athleticism and talent are not the same thing.

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
12:47 am

And I say that as a Smoove fan. Smoove is not a potentially elite player just because he can jump out of the gym. That’s not the way it works. Ball skills > athleticism.

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
12:49 am

“Here’s the problem: Can’t trade Joe because he makes too much; can’t trade Horford because he’s the heart of the team; can’t trade Jamal because he’s going to be a free agent; can’t trade Marvin because who’d want him?”

If Gilbert Arenas and Rashard Lewis can get traded for each other, and if Baron Davis can get traded, then Joe can get traded.

I’d be willing to bet the Nets would trade for Joe if given the opportunity. And I think the rebuilding of this team has to start with him.

I’d let Jamal walk and trade everyone except for Teague, Smoove, and Al for whatever I could get. Then in the summer of 2012 I’d give Dwight Howard his choice of either Al or Smoove as his running mate at power forward. Whoever he picks stays; whoever he doesn’t pick gets traded for a 2-guard.

Anthony

March 23rd, 2011
12:51 am

Folks, the only way to salvage this season is to fire Drew now. The players are not gonna play hard for him and they need somebody proven who will come in here and demand that they start earning their money. These players are lazy, over paid kids who let anyone that wants to push them around on their own court. That’s embarrasing. And they wonder why people cheer for the other team when they come here. No passion and no pride. All the while the broke, penny pincher owners are happy just to have a team and be able to rub elbows with the rich while sitting in their courtside seats. What they don’t realize is everyone is laughing at them. We, the fans are the ones having to put up with this nonsense. What ya think? Anyone else agree?

FACTS

March 23rd, 2011
12:52 am

No matter what, it is the coach’s responsibility to have his team prepared for the game. I agree with some of the posts, Sund has done nothing to help this team’s standing in the East, but Drew knew coming in what we had to put out on the floor. Some of these performances have been completely embarrassing, ASG has nobody to blame but themselves, stupid contract to JJ & no improvements to the core.

IlliniDawg

March 23rd, 2011
12:54 am

@JSS: that’s exactly what I’m doing now – grading papers.

BTW – do you have some kind of deepseated hatred for professors?

geoholman

March 23rd, 2011
12:58 am

What a bunch of losers! Getting blown out at home like this shows no self-respect or pride, and why would anyone pay to watch this? I had hopes for this team with three bona fide stars, but no coaching, no team leadership, and no gumption leads to this gutless performance. They have quit; no question about it, and all we, as fans, have to anticipate is another first round and out post season. The only way to build this team is to blow it up and start over. Keep Hortford and send the rest packing..

Bring on the Braves!

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
1:00 am

IlliniDawg
March 23rd, 2011
12:54 am
“BTW – do you have some kind of deepseated hatred for professors?”

Nope, my last college professor (who I TA’d for) is one of my best friends in the world. It is just you…

IlliniDawg

March 23rd, 2011
1:01 am

@JSS – sorry about that dude, but I certainly have nothing against you. Peace.

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
1:09 am

“@ Najeh…
Your “Tom Thibodeau” is sitting in the analyst seat for TNT… The players revolted on Hubie Brown in 1981. Hubie went to the Knicks, and the Hawks went on to try to win with crazy people like Eddie Johnson, John Drew, and the only stable one Roundtree… This team just can’t get out of its own way…”

It’s funny that you bring up something that happened 30 years ago. It is totally like this organization to not be able to make up for something they did before I was born.

Sh-t, this team is still trying to live down trading Dominique, and they will probably be trying to trade for a point guard when my grandchildren go to college.

Legend of Len Barker

March 23rd, 2011
1:13 am

Forget Derick Rose. I’d like to have Charlie Criss.

The Hawks didn’t bother to address a single one of their problems from last year. Another first round pick that barely plays. Josh Smith and his me first attitude. An aging Joe Johnson who has had poor playoffs and no help. Jamal Crawford. Maurice Evans. Zaza Pachulia being anywhere near a starting lineup is horrendous. Josh Powell being your big pickup in the off-season is worse. While losing Bibby is nice, Hinrich isn’t the solution.

Goodness, I almost forgot about Marvin Williams. That’s how far up to our necks we are in terms of mediocre to bad players.

It’s sad when Ted Turner’s attempt to torch the team was one of the best clubs Atlanta has ever had.

Are u kidding me?

March 23rd, 2011
1:13 am

Josh smith is one of the most talented in the league? Really! He has not developed who really fears him? No consistent outside shot can’t handle ball well enough to drive down the lane. No heart and bad attitude! We need to get a real coach in here that can get out his full potential or cut him loose! Or have we done that long enough? And Joe Johnson mr apathetic or zombie Joe! Who cares he obviously don’t! And Hindlick he is just awful I have not seen that many bricks since my masonry days

NorCalHawk

March 23rd, 2011
1:19 am

My hometown team, the awful Sacramento Kings, might even be playing a notch above the Hawks these days, and they’re likely headed to Anaheim next season. At least the Kings won’t have the opportunity to get shellacked in the playoffs.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
1:23 am

@ Najeh…
Now you see why “us” old-timers just laugh when Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz keep trying to reinvent the wheel!

I knew Woodson was never going to make this team a champion; but you could see the problems were with the roster! He was in over his head…

Bibby for all his flaws was brought here for a reason. Instead of using the team that they got while he gave them a chance not to free fall in the 2 seasons he was serviceable; they blew it…

Teague is about as schizo as this team… Hopefully he’ll work around it, poor kid…

Then there is Marvin, destined to join Adam Keefe, Roy Marble, and Doug Edwards on the great Hawks draft pick funeral pyre… SMDH!

Larry

March 23rd, 2011
1:28 am

Being the Hawks, and owned by the committee of idiots, I would expect to read in the next few days an announced extension for Mr. Drew.

D-Man

March 23rd, 2011
1:34 am

This team simply has the wrong mix of players and no coach can fix that especially Woodson and now it seems Drew. Everyone always says- “well hey, they improved every year he was coach…” Well dam when you start with a 12-win season one year, you have nowhere but UP to go.. You win what, 20 the next season? Really? Wooowwww – still dead last. The next season, congrats now you what the first team in NBA history to make the playoffs and look if your only claim to fame is a 1st round playoff LOSS, you got issues. Now when the Hawk’s players finally got tired of the ole Milk Dud, a guy they played hard for seemingly out of spite, they went for the nice guy and now they’re just chilllllllling hard. This will not change with the Atlanta Hawks until the “culture” is changed from top to bottom like the Falcons starting with the Atlanta “Kills My” Spirit group. Until that happens, there might as well be no NBA in Atlanta…

S'paw_99

March 23rd, 2011
1:35 am

I know the NBA only cares about big market teams (LAL, Bos, & Knicks), but I also don’t think that they’d let the Hawks leave the Atl. What bigger market can they go to? The big reason being:
Who owns a lot of the TV rights for the NBA … TNT, & where is TNT headquartered: Atl.

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
1:51 am

Atlanta is actually one of the bigger markets in the NBA. Unfortunately, being a big market doesn’t guarantee that the team will be managed well, as the Knicks proved over the last decade. And unlike the Knicks, the Hawks don’t have a fan base of sheep who will support the team even if they make terrible move after terrible move and fail to build a contender.

J.J.M.

March 23rd, 2011
2:12 am

damn that lil kid was crying at the hawks game

Hawk 4 Life

March 23rd, 2011
2:18 am

You can blame the coach all you want, winners don’t quit. They got embarrassed by 100 points total against the Magic last year so let’s not act like they didn’t quit on Woodson either. The fact that it took 6 years to do so against Woody is no excuse, to get beat by the margins we are losing is the fault of the players and a lack of pride.

The players didn’t like Woody, now Drew, players should play and coaches should coach and these guys are not playing.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
2:20 am

And people still think it can’t get “worse” than that 12 win team. Ha ha ha ha, man you must have been a baby in 75? That 12 win season would have been 30 wins against the 75-76 Hawks! That team lost 23 out of 26 at one point!

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
2:42 am

I never got the sense that the players didn’t like Woody. Some of y’all seem to think that just because Smoove got into it with Woody a few times that they didn’t like each other. Grown men who have to work together to get things done are going to disagree on things.

I did get the sense that Woody was stubborn as a mule and refused to make adjustments to his schemes even when it was plainly obvious that they weren’t working.

Buddy Grizzard

March 23rd, 2011
2:57 am

Quitting is what Larry Drew teaches… see Larry Drew II. Suggesting that the arrival of Hinrich is the reason for the Hawks’ season long woes at home is a little silly. Don’t you just love those commercials where they talk about the Hawks being one of the NBA’s “elite?” LOL.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
2:58 am

@ Najeh…
That is true… Like switching all the time. He rarely seemed to trust the intelligence of his players in that light… Still, some of that lack of trust seems to be out there for the world to see now… This team has gone Phoenix Suns disinterested when it comes to caring… Very sad…

kaminari

March 23rd, 2011
3:00 am

I kind of feel bad for LD now. Watching him sit there on the bench, he look plain frightened. Completely clueless of what to do next. There wasn’t even that glazed look in his eye tonight. Just fear, plain and simple. How bad can it get? Lose out the season?

FACTS

March 23rd, 2011
3:02 am

Sorry bloggers, but hiring Drew was a step backwards! The little kid with the Hawks hat that was crying at tonight’s game sums up this whole franchise, from ASG to the players, just saddddd!

The Atlanta Hawks: Failure in Leadership | The Connoisseur of Couch Potato-ism

March 23rd, 2011
3:29 am

[...] Simply there is no excuse for it and that kind of performance isn’t just an isolated incident at this point. A lot of the time the Hawks can overcome listless starts and comeback. Mark Bradley of the Atlanta-Journal-Constitution says the Hawks have quit on first year head coach Larry Drew. http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2011/03/22/another-home-blowout-tells-us-the-hawks-have-quit-… [...]

Texas Hawk

March 23rd, 2011
3:35 am

Ok, I told most of you last year that you would sorely miss Woody and here we are playing like dead fish. This team had a chance to get a coach who would make the PG’s better and for the players to play defense, Avery Johnson. But no this dumb team goes and hires Woodys coaches for cheaper money………..SMH. As much as we disliked Woody’s coaching style we played HARD at home everynight last year but even thats gone. This team will get BOOTED out the playoffs in the first round by Orlando. Why? Because the Hawks have needed a big man for the last 3 or 4 years but Nooooooooo. These boys trade away the 7′2 project for cash and give away our 1st rd draft pick for an over-the-hill PG Hinrich who has clearly lost a step or two. Now we have a promising PG in Teague that for some unknown reason has been getting limited minutes or garbage time (while we are getting blown out). We have the 6th man of year playing in the last year of his contract and WILL BE LEAVING TOWN after this playoff loss. Why? Because the Spirit Group lied to him about his contract at the end of the year last year. Unless this team gets a better coach and a big man, they will step back even father nex year

Dr. Warren

March 23rd, 2011
3:51 am

Has anyone checked out JORDAN CRAWFORD in Washington. He’s scored several 20+ games already. We basically traded a 21-year-old version of Jamal Crawford for an old Hinrich.

ATLER (RAMBLIN WRECK)

March 23rd, 2011
3:57 am

The Hawks are making me sick. Every time they play a good team the act like little girls. They NEVER show up to play. And then they want to sit on the bench and look sand & depressed!!!!!!!!

ATLER (RAMBLIN WRECK)

March 23rd, 2011
3:58 am

sad I meant to say.

TLH404

March 23rd, 2011
4:20 am

Here’s a solution. Fire Larry Drew. He’s lost control of this team.

Slick Rick

March 23rd, 2011
4:56 am

Where is Joe Johnson?

FACTS

March 23rd, 2011
5:17 am

Almost time to head home. Drew is not the answer but who really knows what is the answer. If ASG goes the rebuilding route, ticket sales will plummet, all I have to say is thanks alot Sund. The only choice for the future of this team is to mortgage everything & make an all out run at Dwight Howard.

JAM PONY XPRESS

March 23rd, 2011
5:19 am

Garbage ***************************************************************Hawks**********************Garbage!

BlahBlahBlah

March 23rd, 2011
5:26 am

I’m getting tired of hearing about Josh Smith’s talent. 7 years in the league. Zero All-Star appearances. His game has peaked.

DcStan

March 23rd, 2011
5:36 am

I know it old news but you had Chris Paul and Darren Williams for the taking, who was the GM, and if he is still on the team he gots to go

Wrong

March 23rd, 2011
6:20 am

ASG are the root of all problems. These bumbling idiots couldn’t run anything. Their incompetence has been pervasive since taking over the two teams. In the end, they’ll end up as the example to NBA and NHL for new criteria for evaluating future owners.

Born2Buzz

March 23rd, 2011
6:35 am

Sadly this will only go downhill further until the ASG is bought out. Selling both the Hawks and Thrashers to this group was the worst thing that could have happened to this city.

Reggie

March 23rd, 2011
6:43 am

I thought i would never say this but we should not have made that Bibby trade…all we had to do was start Teague and bring Bibby off the bench.. also i think we may need to bring Josh Smith of the bench so he can be a Lamar Odom type player with a instant impact and able to sub for any of the three bigs that do start…Marvin,Al or Hilton

Paddy

March 23rd, 2011
6:48 am

Nunna….you got a change at the top last year with Drew. Now you want to change again??? Drew is what ASG can afford, he is not going anywhere. Joe Johnson is not going anywhere. The Hawks and the NBA is what it is. Not very entertaining and each year more fans move on to something else not so transparent.

Melvin Flowers

March 23rd, 2011
7:00 am

The Hawks Are Just Sorry This Group Is Done.Trades are Needed After The Season. Harford In My Book The Only Hawk Worth Staying On The Team. The Gm Need To Go Also. Atlanta Will Never Win With This Sorry Group Of Players. Teams Have Gotten Better And Rebuild Around The Hawks, The Bulls Are One of Those Teams. The Hawks Still The Same Old Sorry Group.
Im Not Spending Another Red Cent To See These Clowns We Call Pro Ball Players, Play Like An AAU Team. Also A New Coach is Needed Also.

JustAThought

March 23rd, 2011
7:01 am

If LA can survive without the NFL, the ATL can surely survive without the NBA. My vote is they pack this crap up and move!

John

March 23rd, 2011
7:04 am

Mark, you hit the nail on the head. Everybody’s worst nightmare has come true with regards to proomting from within. A different “nice guy” would work. There is no reason to fire Woodson if you are going to promote his top assistant who has no head coaching experience. Of course, the players are to blame too. However, this roster is set up to be a very good team. Maybe not a championship contender, but it should not be losing games like this. You are right. The Kings and Twolves should not lose at home like this. Heck, they should not lose on the road like this. It is one thing to lose by 20 slowly throughout a game, but to be down so much so quick is inexcusable. The Bulls were on absolute fire last night, hitting difficult shots, however, the loss is uncacceptable. The Hawks are playing so bad right now it is hard to determine what the real problem is. To me, other than letting the Bulls get in the lane so easily and shooting too many jumpers, there is not one player just playing awful. It is collective losing which shows they have tuned Drew out. I was at the game last night and it was embarassing to hear the MVP chants for Rose. Why did Drew not try Teague on his earlier, quick on quick, when Heinrich could obviously not stay with him. Why does Josh Smith hardly challenge any shots at the rim these days. (he wasn’t before he hurt his knee). Also, as Al has developed a better offensive game, why can he not do the little things that made him so good so early anymore. I know most think Al is the player that can do no wrong on this team, but he missed so many defensive rotations last night and did not even challenge guys for dunks. I hope they turn it around, but I feel like I was more positive in the Shareef, Antoine Walker, and Al Harrington days.

juice sourcer

March 23rd, 2011
7:05 am

So my question is…why don’t the fans of the Atlanta Hawks quit on them…they have quit on us…I don’t understand why people pay big money to go see them play. Please Atlanta fans….boycott the next home game..would it not be epic for no one to show up…totally epic…

City Heat

March 23rd, 2011
7:08 am

larry will have the hawks primed and ready for the playoffs—these games now mean nothing, so the hawk players don’t put much effort in. when the prime time starts, the hawks will be ready! Look for an upset in round 1—hawks beat orlando—mark it down!

Starrman

March 23rd, 2011
7:13 am

I was born and raised here and I,have been a Hawk,Brave and Falcon all my life,but this team should be in the NCAA Tournament.LD,SUND,JOSH SMITH,MARVIN WILLIIAMS and THE 7BROKE DWARFS all need to go.

flintrock70

March 23rd, 2011
7:18 am

Josh Smith is a punk with no heart. Stop crying, jerk, when stuff doesn’t go your way play harder and stop giving up.

ormewood

March 23rd, 2011
7:20 am

Karma. Drew II quit on UNC. How’s that working out for UNC?

Melvin Flowers

March 23rd, 2011
7:31 am

What Have The GM Done? FIRE HIM, GETTING RICH DONE NOTHIN.
NEW CONTRACT TIME? WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Atticus

March 23rd, 2011
7:38 am

Call it what it is Mark, a failure of pathetic leadership, same as with the Thrashers. It’s a joke.

Rum Runner

March 23rd, 2011
7:41 am

The Hawks are heartless and gutless. Who cares if they move out of Atlanta? We won’t miss them at all. Bunch of overpaid primadonnas. Good riddance.

Fan

March 23rd, 2011
7:42 am

Get a new young gm from a winning team and let him turn this thing around he will hire the right coach I don’t enjoy watching the hawks they play with no heart or passion

john

March 23rd, 2011
7:44 am

Who cares. The team is absolute garbage. The only one that’s gonna be held responsible is LD. Granted, he’s over his head and is not doing a good job…but the team is nothing short of pathetic. Absolute garbage. We all used to wonder how come Atlanta is never on national TV…well…lol.

dap01

March 23rd, 2011
7:44 am

Billy Knight was the cheapest hire, Sund was the cheapest hire, Woody was the cheapest hire, LD was the cheapest hire. See a pattern?

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
7:45 am

“GIVE TEAGUE A CHANCE!”

DJK

March 23rd, 2011
7:50 am

The Hawks need to play Jeff Teague at least he wants to play. Kurt did not prepare to be in the playoffs on a good team in the off-season who can tell by his demanor. Teague went into last season expecting to be the starter he gives us a change of pace that we desparately need otherwise like last nite there are no fastbreak points and did we really expect D. Rose to have two bad games in a row against us. Before the last game when we beat them here the Bulls had not won in Atlanta in seven tries when Kurt was on their team. Now I will not say that he is not an upgrade from Bibby defensively but, there is some problem that is not here. Another reason to start Teague is because Crawford definitely has quit on us being unprofessional pouting because he did not get his contract extension, since we traded the other J Crawford he feels no pressure to perform knowing that he should get an offer but his play of recent leads me to believe he does not want to be here as if he feels disrespected. As far as Joe is concerned I feel he did not want to be here he should have left the money while I understand they did entice him with that out of control contract his inner mind and spirit should have convinced him otherwise. He could have been in Chicago or Miami playing his second tier to a real superstar instead of holding the city and franchise to his subpar, unexcuseable lack of an effort against the elite teams in the NBA. If I have to watch one more game were our starters are on the bench in the fourth because of getting blown out I will start the boycott the Hawks movement. Did anyone see the little kid on the highlights crying about the game, Hawks now that is a Damn shame!!!!!!

Sloan

March 23rd, 2011
7:50 am

Bradley is only half correct when he says this is the result of hiring the “nice guy assistant” to be the HC. Truth is this team was done last year when it completely tanked in the playoffs. Joe Johnson should not be in a Hawks uniform. Neither should Marvin Williams. The fact that both of those players are still in Atlanta has nothing to do with who is coaching the team. Granted, Larry Drew is getting much less effort out of the Hawks than Coach Woodson was, but the team should have been deconstructed after last year. The good pieces like Horford, Crawford, Smith should have been kept and built around with some new pieces even if it meant a step back this season to get better over the long term. Instead the Hawks have taken that step back without any real reason for anyone to believe they can improve this team in the near future.

Double Zero Eight

March 23rd, 2011
7:52 am

BOOM…….Blow the team up!
If it wasn’t for Teague, they would have lost by
50 mpoints.

I said at the beginning of the season that the team
would not listen to LD. Unfortunately, that has been
proven throughout the season.

To say the team quit is an understatement. They need a
veteran coach like Larry Brown. Is he still available? I doubt
he would want to come here as long as ASG owns the team.
In addition, ASG would not be willing to pay him what he is
worth.

The season is a FAILURE per Sund’s earlier assessment
that the team needed to improve its regular season record.
He made this statement before the all-star game when it
appeared the team was likely to do so.

Drew, Sund and ASG are “clueless in Atlanta”.

mike

March 23rd, 2011
7:58 am

That’s okay folks, baseball will also be losers just like the rest of the Atlanta sports team. BTW if you goobers think you can do better, how about trying out for your favorite team. Pick any of them here in this city since they are all in the same boat.

reebok

March 23rd, 2011
8:00 am

There is no reason any fan should waste their entertainment dollars on this piece of crap team or their sisters-in-misery the Thrashers. do something else with your money, don’t subsidize these lazy millionaires-employed-by-billionaires when they can’t be bothered to suit up, show up, and play hard.

Cheer for the other team

March 23rd, 2011
8:00 am

I used to get so mad when Atlanta fans would cheer for the other teams stars, but now I understand a little bit. After the recent performances at home where we have been getting blowed out, who else are we going to root for, It comes down to playing hard, having some heart, and some hussle, oh yeah, and pride. I can t watch them anymore, its horrible. A few years ago I was at those home playoff games against Boston, best Atlanta Basketball since Nique left, and the building was rocking, it should be like that every night, this team and management have killed the vibe. This is a sports town that cannot stand too many more dismal performances like we saw last night. Horrible……………………………………

Marlon

March 23rd, 2011
8:01 am

Hawks are embarrrasing! Where is the pride? That is the third blowout of 30 or more at home. There should be a policy in place that protects home team fans that if your team gets blowed out by 30 or more points you get a complete refund on your tickets. Larry Drew may not be a top notch coach but he can’t coach lack of effort and pride. I went to the Knicks game a few weeks ago. Josh Smith and Al Horford shooting long range jump shots. Heinrich turned the ball over 4 times in the fourth quarter. Joe Johnson wasn’t there. You can’t coach players who give no effort and make as much money as they do. We are paying players championship money and there are no rings on the team. The Hawks have not even been to the Eastern Conference finals. Its pathetic!

Tech Sucks

March 23rd, 2011
8:02 am

Besides Horford which was a no brainer pick, our pathetic front office has doomed this team for years.

Jim

March 23rd, 2011
8:02 am

Folks don’t waste your time, energy or money thinking any Atlanta team will win the game that counts, they won’t, never have and never will. Do what I do, make money off these clowns by buying and reselling tickets to the opposing teams fans. While you all were shaking your heads last night, I was laughing all the way to the bank after selling my tickets to a Bulls fan.

Dre ATL

March 23rd, 2011
8:02 am

I live in Atlanta but I am a Chicago Bulls fan. Derrick Rose should get the MVP. The Atlanta Hawks suks and they need a new team. When you pay less look what you get weak players. CHICAGO BULLS #11111111111

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
8:03 am

Jeff Teague- would be better in the starting lineup than coming off the bench. We don’t need him to score. We need him to play defense, get to the basket, and run the fastbreak. Tired of seeing Jason Collins fumble good passes by Jeff.

Kirk Hinrich- would be better coming off the bench. Kirk can play defense and score but he does not get to the basket like Teague can.

Marvin Williams- has played a lot better coming off the bench this season.

Zaza should be the first big coming off the bench.

Sam

March 23rd, 2011
8:08 am

I just have to say, I am a die-hard fan, and it hurts me to watch this team. Good lord, this is why I could never coach basketball – if my players lost like this, my head might literally explode while I am yelling at their sorry asses.

Jeezy

March 23rd, 2011
8:08 am

I haver to say i agree with part of this article … Hawks stunk it up and against the better teams, they have really shown up. Our last decent win was against Portland, and shame to say, at least we didn’t have a lot of Portland fans in the building. I’ve never seen our home court run over by so amny fans of the visiting team. If i was these guys, i’d lay it up each and every night too if i had to deal with 75% of the fans in attendance cheering for the other team. I call out the Hawks for these bad performances but i also call out these fans getting into the building. The city of Atlanta should not allow these fans to take over our games. It’s awful and pathetic!!!

Ex-fan

March 23rd, 2011
8:08 am

I grew up here and loved the Hawks as a kid. I don’t even follow the NBA anymore. Who really cares about a bunch of overpaid athletes who don’t even play hard? Give me the NCAA and college bball any day. If the Hawks were to leave Atlanta, most Atlantans wouldn’t care less. Sad but true.

Badgerina

March 23rd, 2011
8:10 am

This article is a great metaphor on life.

Double Zero Eight

March 23rd, 2011
8:11 am

They played like the Atlanta Buzzards and stunk
the place up!

Jim

March 23rd, 2011
8:15 am

Hawks, Falcons, Braves, Thrashers, all in same boat they just takes turns showing their true colors.
They will never win, none of them. The Braves have the one championship from a strike year, but does that really matter? But the Hawks and Falcons makes money for me, so I ain’t mad at em.

Timothy

March 23rd, 2011
8:15 am

Who in their right mind is spending their hard-earned dollars to go to Philips to watch this garbage called Professional Basketball. What a waste ot time and money!

Buck

March 23rd, 2011
8:16 am

There is no coach fix for this team. There may be an owner fix, but even if they change owners tomorrow, it will take at least two more years for this team to be “decent” again.

Does anyone know whether Mr. Blank is actually in the running to buy this team?
Fratello was acting like he knew something that no one else did about a sale.

b17211

March 23rd, 2011
8:17 am

Ownership is as much to blame as the players.While key rivals in the conference got better, the Hawks did nothing. They overpaid Joe Johnson who is not a elite NBA player, and they got no help for Al Horford inside. Marvin Williams is a huge disappoinment and they didn’t get a good head coach because of tight pockets. The fans quit on them during last season’s playoff blowout to Orlando and ownership hasn’t done anything to bring them back.

Badgerina

March 23rd, 2011
8:17 am

Hire Harry Angstrom to coach the team. The guy has stones!

Paul H

March 23rd, 2011
8:19 am

From now on, whenever the Hawks post one of these blowout home losses, all fans who showed up should refunded their tickets.

If the team wants fan support, they have to support the fans and the city. It’s a two way street. This team is SAD.

just wondering

March 23rd, 2011
8:28 am

Larry Brown wants to coach again. Anything would be an improvement over Drew (and it’s not all his fault but now that the players don’t believe in his ’system’ , then he has to go, as you can’t fire the whole team– although it’s a thought).

Joshua Barlowe

March 23rd, 2011
8:30 am

Two albatrosses on this team: Joe Johnson the all-star who isn’t: Mr. Not Clutch. And Marvin Williams, the 2nd overall draft pick who plays like a CBA rookie. That’s a lot of money to be tied up in two guys who look like they’d rather be taking a nap during most games.

Fix it!

March 23rd, 2011
8:31 am

I love my hawks & always will. It’s hard to blame this on Drew guys. Notice when we play good teams (over .500) Joe is playing the 3 spot @ times, while having to guard PGs. He’s 6′8, not a very good formula for chasing cat quick 6′3 PGs during the game. You wonder why he struggles on offense, there you have it. Al is our beast but the elite teams has @ least 2-3 of him that’s 6′10 or better.. Poor Josh settles for jumpshot after jumpshot against the elite teams & that becomes so painful to watch. Of course he plays out of position too, so what is else new.. Although while he’s out of position, he could be a matchup nightmare for opponents. I said all of this to say this, Phil Jackson probably couldnt get this group out the 1st round bc they are missing a true center.. Not Drew or the players, I’m looking @ management & we have to make some major moves this summer. Go luck the rest of the way ATL Hawks & I’ll continue to cheer you guys on!!

YardDawg

March 23rd, 2011
8:34 am

Mark, I don’t understand the concept of “quitting on the coach.”

The PLAYERS are either quitters or they aren’t, in my opinion. It’s a sad state in professional sports when players making hundreds of thousands of dollars PER GAME won’t play hard.

The Man

March 23rd, 2011
8:35 am

Pretty easy to see, but the Hawks were too scared to be bold-subsequently put them in a position to be very mediocre for the next half dozen years. Problems are Joe Johnson doesn’t care. He is at best a good teams third option. Marvin Williams should be your third guy off the bench. You will never win at an elite level with Josh Smith. THe only player the Hawks can trade is Smith as no other GM will take Johnson’s money and Marvin is vastly overpaid for what he gives. THen again, Johnson to New York will work. He’d be their fourth best player and Dolan doesn’t mind taking on offensive players who refuse to play real defense.

Whopper Dawg

March 23rd, 2011
8:35 am

Man, this is hard to figure out, but I am going to try

Decent but not complimentary talent. Terrible management and terrible coach. This is the guy the players wanted, remember? The worse thing is, this collection peaked two years ago, and no one in management knew. And they still don’t.

tc

March 23rd, 2011
8:36 am

Mark: The Hawks do need need to find anyway to get rid of JJ. Why?, because he is a cancer . The fans are disgusted and will continue to be as long as he is here. Me personally, I would rather keep JS. He seems caochable for a different coach. JJ is JJ. Paid like Lebrun, but is not a leader and when he is down which is usually, he is a drag on the team and the other players follow that lead. While JS has his issues they are different from JJ in my opinion. Mark, I know you probably won’t agree with this because you were a huge supporter saying “Hawks have no choice” They did have a choice and made the wrong one. Now we need to recognize it and trade him best we can.

STRETCH

March 23rd, 2011
8:38 am

MAN IF I WERE COACHING THIS TEAM LAST NIGHT, I WOULD HAVE LEFT THE STARTERS IN TO SUFFER THAT BEAT DOWN! THEY AT LEAST DESERVED THAT!

Devoted Reader

March 23rd, 2011
8:39 am

…And the tradition of this city’s pro teams continues, and the ASG is in it again. Looking forward to cheer for WNBA, Atlanta Dream!!! Hope Falcons do better too!

G'Vegas Dawg

March 23rd, 2011
8:39 am

LD should be fired today. Quit delaying it. Even when he is fired the hawks have this thug-selfish-immature-self absorbed money pit by the name of Joe Johnson that we’ll be paying for the next 5 years nobody in the nba would touch that guy with a 50 ft pole. Put Steve Smith In charge of these clowns.

preston

March 23rd, 2011
8:40 am

I never thought that LD would tank this soon with this team. This team started off hot……..just like they did under Woodson, but the wheels have fallen off with this bunch way too fast. When the hawks traded Bibby and JC2, I was not impressed at all, b/c Kurt H. doesn’t have much impact in games……..his defense was certainly an upgrade, but Bibby was clutch, and at the very least we should have brought him off of the bench, and started Teague. I hated giving up JC2 b/c we didnt give him a chance to show us anything, and now that he is getting a chance, he is showing that he could have been used a lot more to help this team out…..sure the Wizards are crappy, but that has nothing to do with what JC2 is doing…..the guy is just doing what comes naturally to him……and that is to score…..and let us not forget that the guy is just a rookie, so the ceiling is high for him. And what can we say about Joe Johnson?. This guy has turned out to be one of the most overrated players in the NBA. Yes, JJ can score, and he has had a few games for the hawks…….but great players have a few bad games, and many good games………..and JJ just hasn’t delivered for this team……..and even more so in the playoffs. Johnson has become Robin without Batman…………..Scottie Pippen without Micheal Jordon…………….Dennis Johnson without Larry Bird…………..Byron Scott without Magic Johnson. I was a big hawks fan, but I am done with this team for this yr……the constant starting of M.Williams, the immaturity of J.Smith, the constant wasting away of talent is getting really old, and something needs to change.

tc

March 23rd, 2011
8:41 am

YardDawg, I am sure you are one of those die hard CMR supporters that continue to blame all his players as well. Well coaches do motivate players and are paid to do it. Why should any coach be fired? How di we know it is not all the players fault every time. Coaches are paid to manage, motivate, and get players to want to work hard. I am sure all the players have worked hard for other coaches in previous years. What is the difference now?

atlnative

March 23rd, 2011
8:43 am

The Atlanta Hawks are a bunch of p______.

G'Vegas Dawg

March 23rd, 2011
8:44 am

TC- do you see a scenario where anybody in their right mind would take JJ off of our hands? He’s got a max contract and plays like he should be getting the veteran’s minimum. I don’t see a way to get rid of him unless the hawks pick up 90% of his salary.

bigeasy830

March 23rd, 2011
8:44 am

The problem with this team is ownership, they are too cheap to hire a decent GM and coach. Until the team is sold they will underacheive. You all must realize the Coach Woodson was not the problem with this team. He got all he could have out of this group. This team just doesn’t have heart, they quit on Coach Woodson in the play-offs and now they have quit in the regular season. No one can win with this group of players. For Coach Woodson to improve them to 53 wins last season shows his ability to coach.

Priest Lauderdale was underrated

March 23rd, 2011
8:45 am

And this is why it should have been Smoove, naot Woodson that left the building. Woody, for all of his faults, did a good job, taking the team from 13 wins and improving every year to the 50 plus win team of last year. Considering the B Knight left him with a team of mostly 6′8″ 220 pound swingmen and no point guard or center, as well as not one, but TWO blown lottery picks, Woody did a great job.

TarHeel74

March 23rd, 2011
8:45 am

Marvin Williams: bad karma. Delete him at any cost.

STRETCH

March 23rd, 2011
8:46 am

Time to blow it up.

Fark Badley

March 23rd, 2011
8:47 am

Mark thinks the Hawkd should hire the greatest coach ever….Paul Johnson. He can coach football, basketball or rugby and be the best, according to Mark.

Concerned fan

March 23rd, 2011
8:47 am

Our power forwards are “throwing” up jump shots while their gaurds are driving to the hole (while we stand by and watch)! We play one-on-five ball and our opponents play as a team. This kind of says it all.

Hawks should look into disqualifying themselves from the playoffs and allowing the number 9 team in the East to replace them. Also, the organization should not allow any “show” introductions of the Hawks starting line up at home games for the rest of the season – they really don’t deserve it.

Priest Lauderdale was underrated

March 23rd, 2011
8:47 am

What’s Hubie doing these days?

Nunna!!

March 23rd, 2011
8:49 am

(John and Yoko Ono singing):
“All we are saying,is give Teague a chance”

GTT

March 23rd, 2011
8:50 am

Don’t feel bad professor, JSS hates everybody and everybody hates him.

STRETCH

March 23rd, 2011
8:50 am

If last night wasn enough evidence to blow it up, then what is??? Chirs Webber said last night that “this was the team they brought in from the off-season and they didnt try to get any bigs”

They got out rebounded and dominated in the paint. They got beat down and quit like they always do. Rick Sund’s “Core” has reached its peak and are descending at a furious pace!

Hirsutedawg

March 23rd, 2011
8:56 am

Can’t we just jump in the ol’ time machine, go back and let Joe “Gutless” Johnson walk and build this team around Josh & Al? Might of had to take your lumps for a season or two, but this crap coming out of the “Lowlight Factory” is unwatchable. ASG should apologize to Al.

heartofdarkness

March 23rd, 2011
8:59 am

The NBA, where amazing happens while the inmates run the asylum. Time to lose Nurse Ratched and bring in McMurphy and the Chief.

city of losers

March 23rd, 2011
9:00 am

This worthless ownership “group” should sell the hawks and thrashers and both of these terrible franchises leave the city and quit wasting tax dollars. Total morons running both teams. Atlanta—the true loserville! I can’t wait to move back north to jersey—the sports down here is a joke!

Ace

March 23rd, 2011
9:04 am

When players quit on the coach, why blame the coach?

The problems with this team is the players, until they move a few of them, nothing will change.

Lee

March 23rd, 2011
9:05 am

The Hawks proved they don’t care about winning when they drafted Marvin Williams. They could have taken Deron or CP3 (when everyone knew they needed a PG) and drafted a guy who didn’t even start for his college team instead.

As a fan, why should I care about this team when the front office obviously doesn’t?

allan in texas

March 23rd, 2011
9:07 am

THE ATLANTA HAWKS WINNING!!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

allan in texas

March 23rd, 2011
9:08 am

Keep Al Horford! The rest of the team can kick rocks!

Peter

March 23rd, 2011
9:09 am

Mark for years I have told you they need a bigger front line…….a legit center, you said they were big enough.

I also think the Spirit is a poorly run organization, and signing JJ was a huge mistake…….he must be a cancer, because he is not a leader.

Signing Marvin was a huge mistake, and please is Teague a legit NBA player at all ?

Why were both of these guys taken in the first round ? And this year we gave up on a legit talent sent to Washington…….so honestly until this franchise gets SOLD……Atlanta will have more of the same.

Jelly Sandwich Meat

March 23rd, 2011
9:09 am

Everyone knows basketball sucks.

allan in texas

March 23rd, 2011
9:11 am

They wonder why people don’t come out to support the teams in Atlanta. People work to hard for their money everyday to spend it on crap!

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
9:12 am

Lee

March 23rd, 2011
9:05 am
The Hawks proved they don’t care about winning when they drafted Marvin Williams. They could have taken Deron or CP3 (when everyone knew they needed a PG) and drafted a guy who didn’t even start for his college team instead.

As a fan, why should I care about this team when the front office obviously doesn’t?

Even though we need a point guard, Marvin didn’t miss a jumpshot when they had him in for workouts. That was a there reason behind drafting him.

Kelvin

March 23rd, 2011
9:13 am

I have been telling you guys that the Hawks are going to be a first round exit. Now I see others are starting to realize what I have been saying for months. This team is the result of bad draft choices. In the NBA you can easily get stuck in mediocrity where you are not good enough to advance in the playoffs, but not bad enough to draft anyone that could help you. That’s what the Hawks are right now. This team has been together too long and it’s time to make wholesale changes. But for me, I have already tuned them out because I have seen this movie and I know what the ending is going to be. Another embarrassing playoff exit, only this year it will be a first round exit.

O'Brien

March 23rd, 2011
9:17 am

Mark,

If the Hawks lose in the first round of the playoffs, do you think LD should be fired?

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
9:20 am

Well the “FIRE LARRY DREW” facebook page is up to 11 people. Let’s see if we can get it up to 100 before tonights tip-off with the sixers.

schmeckdawg

March 23rd, 2011
9:24 am

After reading what most all of you are saying about Drew, I can now understand a little bit better how his punk son could just up and quit on North Carolina 3/4 through the year!

Larry Luv

March 23rd, 2011
9:29 am

I didnt want to be one of the people yelling fire the coach. But here is my problem with him, He has said plenty of times that the hawks problem on offense is that they get stuck or sucked into shooting jumpshots. Yet this game and the last game Josh opens up with 4 or 5 jumpshots that he misses but DREW NEVER PULLS HIM OUT OF THE GAME but he pulls zaza after taking one bad jumpshot? Josh doesnt even block shots anymore. dont get mad at JJ for his iso moves because if somebody anybody would cut or move when he has the ball he would give it to them another mark against the coach, i used to say trade Marvin but hell u can atleast see that he is trying to do what the coach told him, take it to the basket. JOSH can hear the crowd SCREAMING NO dont shoot it but he does it anyway. and where has Jamal’s game gone?, we all know that only one team will win the championship but the fun is having that hope that this year is our year. BUt there is no such feeling with these HAwks and thats why the fans dont support. BTW all u people yelling bring on the braves we dont support them either hardly ever sold out (even in the playoffs) this town sucks as far as fans go.

sav'h dawg

March 23rd, 2011
9:29 am

Biggest problem was giving all that money to Johnson. Draft the kid from BYU and see if that doesn’t atleast energize your fan base. My guess is that it will bring in a different breed of fans.

DDog10

March 23rd, 2011
9:31 am

Pathetic. How can management expect fans to show up and pay money to see this bunch of losers. They have no pride. An embarrassment. The coach may stink but the players have not pride. The only good news is baseball starts next week.

kb

March 23rd, 2011
9:35 am

People are seeing the Hawks as the truly are. The mgt team is terrible. There is no way in hades I would have given J. Johnson that type of money when we could have gotten J. Salmons of the Bucks. J. Johnson is no leader.

If I am part of the mgt team for the Hawks, this is what I would do:

1) Trade M. Williams. He is too soft and a true disappointment. He is living breathing example of what is wrong with this team. He has not worked on his game and he was taken waaaaaay too early in the draft. He has not shown growth as a player. By now he should be leading the team. Everyday he knows that he being judged by the players that were picked before him and after him in the draft that he was in. The pressure is probably killing him and stunting his growth. I say cut him loose and call it a day.

2) Build my team through A. Horford and find you a rebounding center (a.k.a Jeff Foster, Joel Pzysbilla, Marcus Camby, and the like.) Horford has the temperment and the tools to be a superstar. Horford was the one that led Florida to those back to back championships in college. He would settle the team down and he would demand the rest of the players to get their game in line.

3) Put J. Smith at the three. Have some older superstar player like D. Wilkens that Josh would respect (like J. Worthy, L. Bird, B. McAdoo) to help teach him to become a great three. Josh is out of place at the four sport.

4) Start K. Hinrich at the beginning of the game at the point and let J. Crawford at the end of the game.

5) Go get a vetern coach like P. Silas to help L. Drew coach the team. Drew is not the problem with this team. He does need a coach who has won in the league before as a head coach, but doesn’t want to do the job now. Drew can gain knowledge on how to handle certain situations better. Remember, he is new on the job. I wouldn’t say he is soft. I would say he doesn’t have an older coach on his team that can motivate the players to play as the professionals night in, night out each and every day. Young coach can try to relate to the team to set what makes them tick. Older coach get the players to act like the professionals they are supposed to be. Older coaches get rid of wimps and immature children posing as professional ball players.

You know what is so sad it that Bulls a couple of years ago were waay worse than the Hawks, and they have suppassed the Hawks in a nick of time…..

Max JJ

March 23rd, 2011
9:36 am

Get JJ a bigger max contract soon! JJ be the answer to the hawks—they need JJ’s leadership. $24 million per season? That’s an insult—bump that up to $30 mil plus benefits—or JJ be walking. JJ demand respect!

L.A. Mont

March 23rd, 2011
9:37 am

Agree with most comments that Drew has to go and this team has to be broken up which is sad. Too much talent going to waste. What’s scary is that despite its disfunctionality this team has still won 40 games. Tells you how watered down the league is.

Hawks Blow

March 23rd, 2011
9:37 am

Josh Smith is pitiful! The only reason he was ever considered good was because he was athletic and could jump out of the gym. Aside from that he’s probably the least coachable player on the team. How we keeps shooting jump shots and refuses to stop is a testament to just how dumb of a person/player he is.

Marvin is completely worthless. We should have traded away that dead weight years ago…

We give up Jordan Crawford and he’s playing well in Washington.

Joe is good when he decides to actually play. We NEVER should have given a player like that huge money. He has no incentive. Lazy, lazy, lazy player

Rick Sund….terrible GM. Cheap to hire, just like Larry Drew. That’s why these two losers are running the team. Because the owners are the worst in the NBA. They are selling the Thrashers, I only hope they sell the Hawks too.

We could have built and build off the Celtics game 7 series a few years ago…back when this team was up and coming. But instead the owners couldn’t get their act together, so now we are left w a half-assed team that barely plays.

They are no long up-and-coming. They are boring and embarrassing.

SELL THE TEAM, GET A NEW COACH, GET A REAL GM NOT SOME HALF-WHIT, KEEP HORFORD AND GET THE REST OF THESE LOSERS OUT OF HERRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE THIS TEAM.

GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed

March 23rd, 2011
9:38 am

If they quit on the coach, at season’s end bust up the team get rid of them… Where are the falcon players who quit on the new coach after Jim mora was fired, not many are still around are they…. and as a team the falcons are better.

The Real JC

March 23rd, 2011
9:39 am

Want to hear something really funny? The Hawks have the seventh highest payroll in the league. This year, Joe gets $16, Josh gets $11.6, Jamal gets $10.8, Hinrich gets $9, Marvin gets $6.7 and Al only gets $5.4

By comparison, the Bulls have the sixth lowest in the league. Boozer is at $14, Deng’s at $11.3, Rose is at $5.5 and Noah is at $3.1. Even the NEW YORK KNICKS have a lower payroll than us, with Melo at $17, Stoudemire at $16.4 and Chauncey at $13.1

It’s not that the Hawks are cheap (which they are), it’s the lack of roster tinkering. We’re so afraid to lose this once-promising nucleus that we’ve overpaid each one to stay and are now dealing with the consequences.

VolGuy

March 23rd, 2011
9:42 am

Between the Hawks and the Thrashers, it is a miracle that the inside of Phillips Arena doesn’t smell so bad that the entire building needs to be torn down.

Tell It Like It Is

March 23rd, 2011
9:44 am

Where is the pride in these guys? No Professional team should lose by 30 on their own floor. I watched a little of the game and was amazed at the lack of effort. They seemed not to care. There is something awfully wrong with this team and it is not coaching. Maybe they need more guys who do not live on talent alone but on effort. They will not win any more games but they will bring in more fans and they will not get beat by 30 points.

PMC

March 23rd, 2011
9:44 am

Not really, they just don’t care. They figure they are in the playoffs and they won’t finish ahead of Orlando so they aren’t trying hard at all.

How many guys on the team would you consider “hard working”

Joe Johnson couldn’t lead butter to toast.

Marvin Williams is a never was. The guy was a backup in his only year in college and we drafted him at 2.

Josh Smith has loads of talent, but has never been consistent.

Crawford wants to get paid, and he’s not happy.

These guys have checked out, becuase they can.

What did we expect? We’ve been saying all year this is the Hawks team we have.

Why be upset with them. We know they can’t win anything…. so do they.

So…they’re mailing in the season becuase they have no pride.

DrG

March 23rd, 2011
9:45 am

Joe Johnson makes $190,000.00 PER GAME!!!!! If you cant play hard and earn your money for that alone you dont deserve to be in this league!!!! He and Josh Smith pout and cry and whine more than any two players I have ever seen! It is infuriating! These sorry a$$ cry babies make more than most people do in a year in one game and can’t even show up and deliever a decent effort?! At this point I don’t care about Joe’s huge contract. CUT HIM!!! He is more a detriment to the team than he is good. Josh Smith as well. If you dont want to show up and play then be gone!!!!

atlpaddy

March 23rd, 2011
9:46 am

Isaiah Rider, a city turns its lonely eyes to you.

That Guy

March 23rd, 2011
9:47 am

How could this team take him seriously when he called Roy Williams to tell Roy that his son quit? He doesn’t even hold his own son accountable, how could he possibly hold those players accountable? How could they respect him after that?

PMC

March 23rd, 2011
9:47 am

The Hawks will go out this week, play some bad team and beat them soundly and it will be further proof, that they just don’t give a crap. They are just playing out the string waiting on the off season.

The Real JC

March 23rd, 2011
9:51 am

I hear Paul Hewitt’s looking for head coaching jobs. Heck, so is Tony Ingle! He’d give great postgame interviews!

Blue

March 23rd, 2011
9:53 am

The AP is reporting that this off season, the ASG will …

1. Resign Larry Drew to a 5 year extension.
2. Resign Kirk Hinrich to a 6 year extension.
3. Trade Al Horford and the 2012 first and second round pick for Ronny Turiaf.
4. Re-up Rick Sund for an additional 5 years.
5. Move Josh Smith to center.
6. And raise ticket prices.

DrG

March 23rd, 2011
9:54 am

Josh should be on the bench EVERY SINGLE TIME he takes a shot outside 15 feet unless the shot clock is about to expire….at which point the ball shouldnt be in his hands anyway. He camps out around the three point line all night…instead making cuts and looking for the ball that way….and God forbid he be under the basket to fight for an offensive rebound. This kid is pathetic. He can jump and he can dunk the ball. He cant handle the rock at all and he is a turnover waiting to happen! Take away the dunks and he probably shoots 10% from the field. He is a loser and this team will never win with him. He only understands the me concept of the game…not the team concept. That’s where college comes in…and from listening to the interviews with this kid he probably couldn’t spell his name on a college application.

jake

March 23rd, 2011
9:57 am

They Stink, but I gotta throw a bone to Jsmoove, yea he takes some bad shots, but his shooting is much improved, and who else is gonna step up. How many times did we see someone get beat off the dribble, and no one rotate to challenge the lay-up. When he does drive, Joe shoots the same floater, disappears for games at a time, Marvin is a headcase because Jamal took his minutes after his best season, Jamal is a headcase because he doesn’t have a contract, Al is solid but undersized, the team is constructed to fail. We cannot and will not win with Al playing the 5….he is 4, in the most classic sense.

Happy St. Pat's!

March 23rd, 2011
9:57 am

Honestly, how do you justify *retaining* Coach Drew? That’s the question. It is not a question of releasing him or not. Who in the world buys season tickets if you keep him?

Larry Luv

March 23rd, 2011
9:58 am

@ DrG Josh Does Put and cry alot way to much actually. BUT NOT JOE thats the problem Joe doesnt show any emotion good or bad, if he would get mad or fired up this would be a different team. people screaming cut him or trade him its not that easy people. what needs to happen is that these players need to start calling each other out forget these behind closed doors meeting. Horford needs to say JOSH need s to stop shooting jumpshots and Joe needs to show some life out ther. Thats what the lakers do Phil will call out a player to the media in a heartbeat. and usually that player responds on the court

Nick

March 23rd, 2011
9:58 am

Yall are all just bandwagoners…. when the Hawks get better in the years to come yall all will be saying go Hawks and crap like that. That’s why Atlanta fans have been voted to the worst

jeffrey d

March 23rd, 2011
9:58 am

The Hawks are grown men who are paid (well) to perform a job. They know what needs to be done to win. How much of this can you scapegoat on the coach?

5150 UOAD

March 23rd, 2011
10:00 am

I know the Hawks are our cities Pro Basketball team but i just don’t care anything about the NBA. I was a fan as a kid, but somewhere in the 90’s I just totally lost interest. I still love the ACC brand of Basketball and even more so now that Hewitt is gone. I guess The NBA game just isn’t exciting to me. Maybe if the Hawks could be good for a few years I would enjoy it again.

schmeckdawg

March 23rd, 2011
10:00 am

I say gooooooooooooo Hawks…and take the Thrashers with you!!!!!!

JustaBBfan

March 23rd, 2011
10:01 am

Its always hard for home boy to return as boss. (Thats one reason GT should not hire X-players as coach)

Put the blame where it belongs THE OWNERS! Please sell the Hawks so fans can have hope. To many Chiefs and Sorry a@@ results..
Can they (Spirits) even go to toilet right?
Congrad to GT ladies making 2nd round before tough lose.
Congrad to UGA ladies for making 2nd round still playing. Win it all ladies.

Congrad to UGA Ladies going to 2nd round.

Bill Gullion

March 23rd, 2011
10:02 am

After building up a talented squad of young players, management chose a rookie coach. A veteran mentor was badly needed!

freeeman

March 23rd, 2011
10:05 am

As much as I dislike the direction of the Hawks

At least we are not the Nets, Clippers, and Knicks

Bama Mike

March 23rd, 2011
10:05 am

As soon as Rick Sund was hired and you got to take a look at his track record it should be no surprise that this day would come.

dave

March 23rd, 2011
10:06 am

I miss Woody. I miss 53 wins. no doubt last years team has been ruined. is there any doubt where this ends? next year 28 wins, 15 the next. welcome back to the basement, hawks fans. see you in 10 years when the Hawks make another surge, only to fall as quickly as they rise.

Jason

March 23rd, 2011
10:08 am

Mark,

Why the *U*K did we get rid of Mike Bibby again? This hawks team comes out and plays their hearts out one night and then the following 3 or 4 games they look like the 15 win team we had before.. I’m sick of this shit.. The owners need to get off their pocketbooks and fork over some cash for a good viable center and get us a TRUE point guard!! None of this Kirk Heinrich crap.. I’m tired of this team..and I’m not watching them again until they can string together 5 wins in a row..which I know they are capable.. !! This is ridiculous!!

DrG

March 23rd, 2011
10:09 am

@ Larry….agreed. I guess i should have put Joe in a different category other than a whiner….that belongs to Josh alone. Joe is apethetic in every sense of the word. He shows no fire…walks around with his head down…he is being paid to be a team leader and he drags them down night after night. For $200K a night i would run a nightly marathon while being beaten with sticks along the route if you asked me too!!! He just isnt a winner. Hes proven it in the play-offs time and again.

phil

March 23rd, 2011
10:10 am

The master of the obvious, MB, strikes again, only he apparently just now realized that the Squawks have quit playing hard….earth to mark…this happened months ago.

and in another earth to mark, talent is useless if it won’t try….dump JJ and Smith along with Drew and what’s left will start playing….it may lose a lot too but at least it won’t be because it cries to its mommy every nite out….

DawginLex

March 23rd, 2011
10:11 am

Honestly who cares?

I don’t.

I gave up on this bunch before the season started.

It also says a lot that UNC’s fortunes took a major upswing when Drew’s kid departed Chapel Hill and the freshman took over at PG.

This hire was another huge mistake in a series of idiotic blunders made by the Hawks going all the way back to when the Pistons basically ridiculed the Hawks by tricking them into signing Koncak to a pay raise over a false “threat” that he was going to switch teams and play for Detroit.

Pathetic.

Paul in RDU

March 23rd, 2011
10:11 am

I have to agree with Mark that the problem here is with the people who appointed Drew. This is not an uncommon problem in business when someone is promoted “from the ranks” at a company. Suddenly people who were peers/buddies are now manager and subordinate and it can cause problems. Drew may not have been a player but as assistant coach for Woodson he would have been the good cop to Woodson’s bad cop.

The Real JC

March 23rd, 2011
10:11 am

@Nick – bandwagon fans don’t complain on comment boards about why the team is bad and what needs to change to fix it. They ignore the Hawks until they start winning, then jump on the message boards to say how much they love them.

Trust me, guys like Najeh, tremaine, sav’h dawg and allan in texas are anything but bandwagon fans. Tortured souls, maybe. Machostic, probably. But bandwagon, no sir.

carlton

March 23rd, 2011
10:11 am

Najeh @ 11:50 last night. You nailed it, but we might sub Carlos Boozer for the Derrick Rose, and think how much better. But Tom T. might have been the best hire of all.

schmeckdawg

March 23rd, 2011
10:13 am

Where’s the time machine? I want the team with Dominique, Roundfield, Tree Rollins, and Doc Rivers back! And while I am on the subject, can we also have the Atlanta Flames back. Never won a championship, but, they were in the playoffs almost every year! Ahhhhh, the good old days!

joey

March 23rd, 2011
10:13 am

jake,
Jsmoove, yea he takes some bad shots, but his shooting is much improved.
you are 100%right the hawks problem is not him its joe , he is sopposed to be our superstar, and joe when he does want to play he is a top 10 player but he very rarley shows any killer instinct thats his problem hes to passive. he needs to take more shots and get othera involved, and yes horford is awesome but hes playing out of position, and the hawks take way to many jumpshots their is never anyone under the basket to rebound

TNScott

March 23rd, 2011
10:13 am

Mark, When you have a team that is owned by what could be best described as a “Banana Republic” if not for the fact it would be an insult to Banana Republics, you will get management decisions that defy logic such as the Drew hiring. You get bone-headed lottery picks based on buzzwords or catch phrases like “higher ceiling” or “unlimited potential” instead of going with the proven better player in a position of need(Marvin Williams Sheldon Willians over Chris Paul, Brandon Roy, Deron Williams). All the Hawks learned from selecting Sheldon Williams was they would have been better off drafting his wife(Candace Parker) as she was the more NBA ready draft pick. Their problems are top-down not bottom-up. Until we fix ownership we won’t be a viable championship team. Of course, I’m merely restating the obvious.

John

March 23rd, 2011
10:13 am

I actually think Joe should pout and whine more. It would show a little emotion from a guy who never has fouls called for hiim.

DrG

March 23rd, 2011
10:14 am

@ Larry. Agreed. Joe just pouts with his head down. He make $200 grand a game to be a leader and he is a loser. He is proven it time and again in the playoffs. For 200K a night I would run a nightly marathon while being beaten with sticks if you asked me to. This is a team full of over paid primadonnas. Period. I have no problem watching a team lose when they give it their best effort (I was a Braves fan when they were in the cellar for years). These guys just don’t show up to play. Its pathetic.

Hawks No

March 23rd, 2011
10:15 am

quit on the coach, they are paid to play every game, not every game for the coach. they are professional players and if they playing for the coach or not playing for him, then there is a problem with the players. these hawks are not a good team. they have been together for years now and they won’t get any better. the star player, JJ, doesn’t show up for big games and he’s not best or 2nd best player on the team. now with that said, maybe the rest of the team is playing down to his level since he is not leading by example. JJ should be the leader on the court each game, but Al is the only player with any leadership skills on or off the court. Paying JJ and he’s not showing up when it counts, makes the whole team bad. this team won’t do anything in the playoff, so trade eveyone except Al.

Atlanta

March 23rd, 2011
10:15 am

It’s my fault…I am only attending at 16K (about the same as most of the league) a game to attend this trash….I am such a poor sports market.

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
10:16 am

freeeman

March 23rd, 2011
10:05 am
As much as I dislike the direction of the Hawks

At least we are not the Nets, Clippers, and Knicks

All of those teams have a brighter future than the hawks.

DP

March 23rd, 2011
10:17 am

Mark Bradley, hasn’t it only been 3 or 4 weeks since you were proclaiming this Hawks team might be different from the ones who laid down against Orlando in the playoffs last year because they made a big comeback to beat the Bulls in one of an 82 game schedule?

And I seem to recall you saying that the Hawks had to hamstring the team’s payroll flexibility for years to come by signing a 29 year old jump shooting second banana (at best) Joe Johnson to a 6 year contract that made him the highest paid player in the NBA. Why? For the owners to show the fans they were serious. More like seriously stupid.

Please, leave the commentary on the Hawks to the beat writer.

Wink

March 23rd, 2011
10:17 am

No surprise in the out come of this game! National audience, prime time exposure,playing at home = embarrassment / blow out. Atlanta sports across the board can’t take the bright lights.

Secondly, the team has been up for sell. The Hawks current ownership is focused in on managing assets & liabilities to make the bottomline look attractive to a buyer:

a. The fight with Belkin over signing Joe’s first contract. We had to have him then, Spirit felt we had to have him now – Star Player signed locked up for six years.

b. Ownership group may concede its a bad contract, but they want have to deal with Joe’s salary or the state of the Hawks after they sell.

c. Of all the GM’s Sund may as under paid as Drew, so his track record of success was questionalble; helps bottom line if GM is cheap hire & contract ends this year; meaning new owner can hire his own GM.

d. Hiring of Drew, also was a cost cutting measure for bottom line. Cut 1 million from payroll by letting Woodson walk – he was not fired.

e. Sell the fans the CORE story, intact for 5+ years and improve thru organic growth, 3rd in East, advertise as Elite team and a new offensive philosophy, no more ISO Joe…which is what the fan base wanted or and Drew land job because he is familiar with CORE. Base championship aspiration on Continuity not TALENT. Improves bottomline because fans continue to come to games thinking they have a team that’s here to stay and all the while up for sell.

f. Signing ZaZa, Marvin, Bibby, Josh (forced to match Philly offer), convinced JJ to stay along with the dollars, which convince management to sign Horford, before Jamal; whild JC2 was insurance should Jamal leave. This insured we would have a team to market to a buyer, at least giving them something to start with: Improved every year for five years and currently a playoff team (SPIN Doctors)

g. Sign never were & never will player to the bench for league minumum contracts to keep liabilities down.

h. Hold on to all cash, sell picks for cash (3 mil), do not use player exemption, trade away future first round draft picks & current one; to limit current & future contract expenses.

i. Avoid the Luxury TAX at all cost…. entering the luxury tax would make sell of team more difficult and mess up the SPIN on how the team is on the up swing.

Proof is in the actions…BUYERS… are looking at assets to liabilities & potential for profit… Hawks are what they are…middle of the road. They are not good enough to make any noise in the playoff & not bad enough to end up in the Lottery….of course they don’t have any first round draft picks if they did.

Where is STATE FARM when you need them, “Like a good neighbor, sell this mess already”

bro

March 23rd, 2011
10:18 am

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR-IN COACHING AND PLAYERS. IT IS WELL PAST THE POINT OF HAVING A REAL OWNER LIKE MARK CUBAN, WHO REALLY WANTS TO WIN. A PROVEN COACH AND FIRST LEVEL PLAYERS. NEED COACHES AND SCOUTS WHO KNOW THE RIGHT PLAYERS TO DRAFT. THERE ARE NO REALLY BIG NAME STARS ON THE HAWKS AND YOU DO NOT WIN WITHOUT ONE OR TWO.

schmeckdawg

March 23rd, 2011
10:20 am

@DawginLex, It also says a lot that UNC’s fortunes took a major upswing when Drew’s kid departed Chapel Hill and the freshman took over at PG.

GREAT CALL!!!!!!!!!!!! The Heels have only lost two games since the little puke left AND can you believe he didn’t even have the stones to tell Roy Williams he was quitting, he had his dad call for him. Plus his roomate found about it through Drew II tweeting! What a p*^&y!!!!!

AS

March 23rd, 2011
10:21 am

The problem with this team is that the team have given up on LD. The guys are not running plays and the production has fallen with that. Two players that are killing the team, Atl Sprit I hope you are listening. Josh Smith and Marvin Williams. Marvin Williams does not deserve to be a starter in this league. He does not have a shot, he gets lost in the offence. When he gets the ball he misses the shot evertime. He has not heart, please trade or release this guy. He has not given anything since in Atl. Josh Smith, just not a smart player at all, stop shooting three’s and get on the block and post up.

AS

March 23rd, 2011
10:23 am

I cant watch the hawks anymore this season unless they make some changes, not buying anymore tickets, to watch these guys give up.

Marvin Williams suck!!!

joey

March 23rd, 2011
10:23 am

the hawks minus al horford play with no effort or heart when they get down 8 points they start to give up and thats a coaching problem . if the starters wont play with heart bench them and play the backups. i will tell you jeff teage and zaza play with more heart that any of the starters other than horford

jfreak13713

March 23rd, 2011
10:25 am

To say you CAN’T trade Josh Smith because he is talented is really stupid. Really and even better players get traded all the time. I’d trade Smith to whoever gets the 1st lottery pick that needs a SF and try to get a young center or point guard. This team isn’t going to win with Smith so maybe they should try to improve through the draft with younger and cheaper talent? Risk for sure but what options do they have?

joey

March 23rd, 2011
10:27 am

the hawks have so much talent but they are very inconsistent

Chill

March 23rd, 2011
10:28 am

This team has hit its collective ceiling and the worse part is that you could see it coming last year. There wasn’t any real reason to resign Joe to that God awful contract. If the big argument was to keep fans in the seats I implore you to go to Phillips and check out the imaginary people seated in the arena. You had an opportunity to go in a different direction but you decided against it and now you’re stuck with him and all these mediocre unmovable players. It’s Purgatory. This team should have been blown up last year after the Orlando Series.

mikey-mike

March 23rd, 2011
10:28 am

I gave up on this team last year when it showed so transparently how little they care and what little heart they have. Until the core of this team is changed, I will never be a Hawks fan again. Which will be a while because I think it all starts with Joe Johnson’s passive attitude and Josh Smith’s immaturity. This group should be campaigning for championships…not getting blow out by 33 at home on national TV.

Way to represent your city, guys!

steve brown

March 23rd, 2011
10:28 am

Drew gambled and made Josh Smith a co-captain and let him shoot the 3. Josh is not a leader in any stretch of the imagination and last year he took 7 threes, this year he is North of 140 which means he is nowhere near the hoop. The gamble is lost and with it the season and a number of jobs.

As sickening as this game was your comment that Smith is one of the most talented players in the league is as sick. Smith will read this garbage and believe it making him all the more intolerable. You have done as much damage with this idiotic comment as anyone or anything else.

Dwight Howard was the best man at Smith’s wedding. Make Smith or better yet his dad the coach and GM and get Dwight to come here. That we be a real circus.

jfreak13713

March 23rd, 2011
10:29 am

Oh, maybe time to fire the coach? There has to be an assistant who can take over and do as good a job. I like Marc Jackson but probably wouldn’t bring in new coach with new system this late in year. However, you can fire the current coach to send message to players and fans.

GT

March 23rd, 2011
10:30 am

I think Mike Bibby was the real coach on that team. He kept the young guys loose and focused. I have not been a Drew fan since his son through his father pulled that bone head move with Roy Williams and North Carolina. I kept thinking how can a guy that smart, as it appeared he was at the time, allow his son to make one of the most stupid moves, professionally and ethically, I have ever seen. Walking off the Carolina basketball team in the middle of the season, because his feelings were hurt. Now we are beginning to see a correlation between the private life Coach Drew and the basketball coach Drew. There is a disconnect between the culture some come from and the rest of the world. I suspect Hewitt had this problem too. Popularity with your culture become more important than worldly success and obligation. Mike Bibby was not of that culture though he was very popular. His was a professional outlook he showed wonderfully by buying out his own contract. I think the reason Atlanta has had such losers is the distractions this town offers off the playing field and courts. It is encouraged by a certain community that find success in cars and jewelry not in character. Mike Vick fell into that crowd, many of us knew he was there before all his trouble began. You start seeing that “too cool” attitude. Him getting busted was really a wake call and blessing for the Falcons. I think that is what Richt is fighting at Georgia. The press is not doing its job in this town which helps this conduct and immaturity infest the city and state.

b17211

March 23rd, 2011
10:33 am

No one on the Hawks works harder than Horford, Teague, and Zaza. The Hawks need a true center and an explosive point guard and we’ll see a world of improvement.

Carlos

March 23rd, 2011
10:33 am

The problem isn’t altogether Larry Drew. No, they shouldn’t of fired Mike Woodson. We see that now. Larry Drew unlike Mike Woodson isn’t a defensive coach. Woodson was. The Hawks need a leader. Lets face it, Joe Johnson i’m sure is a nice guy. Seems to be very humble, but he doesn’t want to be the leader of this team. So it’s hard justifying him making almost as much as Kobe and more than Lebron and Wade. He wants to be a Robin and not Batman. I said it last year the Hawks until they move Horford to the forward position and get a decent center and a true point guard will not advance past the good teams. That doesn’t mean that they should be losing as big as they do, escpecially at home but coaches can only work with what they have. If they get rid of Drew then I believe Mike Brown would be a good fit for this team. By paying Joe all the money and not rewarding Crawford for what he did last year, it plus all the problems are now coming to a head at the wrong time and right now the Hawks will probably play Orlando in the first round and likely get swept. I hate to say it but it does appear that certain players have quit and I think there is a lot of animosity to Joe getting all the money while he’s not even the leader on the team.

Steve

March 23rd, 2011
10:34 am

Glad I don’t waste my hard earned money on these quitters and very inept team management, and very sorry for those thousands who do – Atlanta deserves much better – getting blown out by 30 on a regular basis at home – OUCH!!!!!!!!!

Simple Jack

March 23rd, 2011
10:35 am

Good article, Mark! Agree 100%. Heard last night during the telecast that Josh Smith had said something to the effect of they (Hawks) don’t play together or communicate or help out. Soooooo, that means there is a serious trust issue amongst the players. Where is Drew when this happened? Really, a nice guy, but he is not going to pan out at all. Cut the losses now and let him go. AND then let’s go after a top tier coach—even take one from another team.

Sam

March 23rd, 2011
10:35 am

The Hawks have a lot of problems but where every other team in the East did something improve it’s team either in the offseason or pre trade deadline the Hawks made a lateral move and got Hinrich and gave way too much. Denver has 2 fast point guards (Lawson and Felton) that can get to the hoop and Hawks have 0, that needs to change. And the fact that Josh Smith has shot something like 140 3-pointers this year is unbelievable (he shot 7 all of last year which is more on the right track for him).

b17211

March 23rd, 2011
10:36 am

The team quit with the Mike Bibby trade.

Jackets 2011

March 23rd, 2011
10:36 am

Folks agree with Mark’s bluntness today but can’t stand it when he doesn’t sugarcoat any criticism of their precious college team.

Gwinnett Fred

March 23rd, 2011
10:37 am

Said it before and will say it again.

If the ASG had spent the same amount of money on the Thrashers has they’ve poured into the Hawks, they would be a playoff team every year – but unlike the Hawks, could get past the first round.

It doesn’t take nearly the money to develop an NHL championship team as it does an NBA team.

In the NBA, if you are not one of the 4-5 ELITE teams – forget it, your ring will be on back order forever. The NHL has shown time and time again a team can rise from the ashes and compete for the Cup in a very short period of time.

Not to mention unless you are the Lakers or Heat – the NBA is pretty damn boring – especially compared to an NHL game IF YOUR TEAM IS WORTH A DAMN!!!

mikey-mike

March 23rd, 2011
10:41 am

no one could coach this group…not even phil jackson. i mean…you can train someone to care and have some heart. that joe johnson signing was the worst in atlanta sports history….next to mike hampton.

MistaGamer

March 23rd, 2011
10:44 am

As always, the problem first starts at the top:

1) We are so unsatisified with our coach that built the team for 6 years that we fired him (and rightfully so, it was time for him to go) only to hire his long time assistant with a “new voice???” on the cheap.

2) This “New Voice” talks the talk that everbody wants to hear in installing a motion offense, but the motion offense he installs doesn’t take advantage of our atheletic bigs by leaving the out on the perimeter. He then talks in the pre and post game press conferences about being more aggressive on the boards????

2) We gave a guy that is not a leader of the locker room, not a leader on the floor, and not a leader in any statistical category in the league $120M when his style of play and lack of attitude is one of the biggest problems night in and night out. Then we talk about no leadership in the locker room???

3) We then draft a guy at Mr. “Max Contract” aka Mr. “Screw You Guys I’m Going Home’s” position.

4) We then trade a very talented rookie (only after he’s rack up an unfathomable amount of DNP-CDs) AND 1st rd draft pick AND washed up point guard for ANOTHER washed up point guard that is a walking turnover.

5) We then have aurguably our best point guard on the team collect DNP-CD’s in the meantime while playing another matador defense, out-of-position, ball-hogging shooting guard at point guard.

Do you REALLY still have to wonder why this team of talent is steaming pile of poo? And if it sounds like I’m taking shots that’s because the bullseye is just way too big to miss, so let the hit dogs holler.

brad

March 23rd, 2011
10:46 am

anyone else notice last night that at about the 5 minute mark in the 4th quarter ther seemed to be some serious arguing going on on the Hawks bench. Drew called someone to go in and the player started to go to the table. Then Drew waved him back on the bench. Somebody than said something to Drew and he started walking down to the end of the bench but his assistants held him back.

Bill Stanfill

March 23rd, 2011
10:48 am

Last year’s play-off performance by the Hawks set me straight with this team.

I can take losing; I can’t take quitting.

Then came the “give-him-the-absolute-max” unrealistic contract for Joe Johnson, which basically put the team in a strait-jacket.

What to do now? Who knows. Trade for young talent and future draft picks?

Probably the best hope is the team gets sold and the new owner brings in new energy and completely new management. A thorough spring cleaning is what the Hawks organization needs.

TNT won't be back

March 23rd, 2011
10:50 am

Do the Hawks make the playoffs under Woody?: yes
Do the Hawks make the playoffs under Drew?: yes
Do the Hawks get bounced in the 1st rd. under Woody?: yes
Do the Hawks get bounced in the 1st rd. under Drew?: yes
Can we get blown out by 30 with Bibby?: yes
Are we getting blown out by 30 without Bibby?: yes
At which position are the Hawks deficient?: Center
At which positions are the Hawks pretty much set?: 1 thru 4 Teague, Joe, JSmoove, Horf
So why trade away Jamal Crawford’s heir apparent and a 1st round pick?: because somebody’s clueless

steve brown

March 23rd, 2011
10:50 am

For anyone interested-Jordan Crawford’s stats his last few games:
Game By Game Stats

Date Opponent Result MIN PTS
Regular
Mar 22 @ POR L 76 – 111 35 12
Mar 20 vs. NJN W 98 – 92 44 21
Mar 18 @ TOR L 107 – 116 42 25
Mar 15 @ CHI L 79 – 98 48 27
Mar 14 vs. OKC L 89 – 116 28 12
Mar 12 vs. LAC L 101 – 122 26 16
Mar 08 vs. MIL L 76 – 95 27 22

Chris

March 23rd, 2011
10:51 am

Hawks??? You mean we have an NBA team in Atlanta. Sorry, I had not noticed

JJ acts like a va-jay-jay

March 23rd, 2011
10:51 am

this is the reason i have been a bandwagon hawks fan since they traded dominique. almost every major move since the jon kontract (lol) and trade have been head scratching at the least. i blame ownership, management, and coaching. players too cuz they get paid waaaay too much money to be playing they way they are now. the resigning of jj and hiring mr nice guy was the nail in the coffin. we are destined for about four more years of this nonsense because ASG and Sund believed we could not function without jj who is NOT a leader, NOT a superstar, and most importantly NOT the answer. we all owe steve belkin an apology. im sorry steve for believing jj wud take us to new heights we had never seen before. u were right all along. blow this thing up PLEASE! i wont go to another game let alone watch this train wreck until i see players other than al, zaza, and hinrich, and maybe smith (who at least plays with some sort of passion and heart) who give a damn! im done with this version of the Atlanta Lost. Lets go Braves and Falcons!

Disenchanted

March 23rd, 2011
10:52 am

I agree with Najee to a point. We could have had Tom Thibbodeaux potentially but the Hawks chose to promote Drew without even shopping around. Much of the Hawks fairly recent woes began when they chose to draft Marvin instead of a point guard. They still have too many guys who play the same position. I blame the front office. They’ll be bounced in the first round. They should fire Drew and blow up this team except for Al and they are stuck with Joe because no one will trade for Joe with that huge contract.

JeJe

March 23rd, 2011
10:53 am

Mike Bibby kept the guys focused?

LOL. He was a bigger joke than we are now. He cared more about his lame locker-room pranks than ACTUALLY LOSING WEIGHT, GETTING IN SHAPE, AND ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING ON DEFENSE.

WTF was with Hinrich’s defense last night?

Mike

March 23rd, 2011
10:53 am

I had a chance to think about this mess that Hawks got themselves into, but here is the biggest thing, you dont hear nothing from ASG about this at all, not one word. The words that Drew and others are saying is the same thing, over and over again. The fans cant take it anymore. That is the reason why we are one of the most saddest sport city in America.

I think it is time for the Hawks to take a page out of the Falcons playbook; scrap everything and begin anew. This team has good pieces like Horford, Teague, and others. But you need to ship away those who doesnt want to complete at all like JJ, JC, and Marvin. High contract or not, those contracts are given to guys that work hard for it and they didnt do it. If they want to complain about it then they dont play, simple and clean. Then we can shipping them or release them after the season.

PBT Wednesday morning one liners | ProBasketballTalk

March 23rd, 2011
10:56 am

[...] The players are essentially the same but the results are worse this season in Atlanta. So new coach Larry Drew’s seat is getting a little warm. [...]

Dawglasville

March 23rd, 2011
10:57 am

Horford is the only keeper in the organization. I wouldn’t miss the rest of the team, Sund, or The Spirit Group.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
10:57 am

GTT
March 23rd, 2011
8:50 am
“Don’t feel bad professor, JSS hates everybody and everybody hates him.”

Ha ha, thanks, I suddenly feel like Ray Romano… Stay out of Vegas, you’d be broke in a half hour…

joey

March 23rd, 2011
10:59 am

1st,the hawks minus al horford play with no effort or heart when they get down 8 points they start to give up and thats a coaching problem . if the starters wont play with heart bench them and play the backups. i will tell you jeff teage and zaza play with more heart that any of the starters other than horford

South ga boy in the Atl

March 23rd, 2011
11:01 am

Najeh, I don’t understand how u can contradict yourself and, I guess, not realize it. You stated to MB, correctly, about Smoove that athleticism doesn’t equal ball skills but then you say that you wouldn’t trade him. It’s a pipe dream to think anyone will take JJ contract in a trade, even a Russian billionaire. Smoove is not mentally tough. I’m not saying he’s not smart because he speaks fairly well and seems to be thoughtful at times, but he almost always will take the easy way out. Because people have derided his shooting over his 7 yr career, then he thinks, no is determined, to keep shooting jumpers even when it’s detrimental to the team. He let’s calls or non-calls get him all upset and then lose his focus for the next 4-5 minutes of a game. He will berate other players about their play but doesn’t like it if anyone dares to say anything to him. You can tell in his body language. Smoove may be the most undisciplined athlete I have ever seen in Atl and that’s saying a lot over the last 45 yrs. I think he’s probably a good guy away from the court. I love how he helped the family of the young man that was tragically killed last yr, but he’s not mentally tough. His actions on the court hurt the team, and they only get worse when the pressure is increased. He’s the only player of some value we can move this offseason and after LD going then he must be next for the sake of the TEAM

No Show

March 23rd, 2011
11:02 am

What do you expect when you pay dummies millions of dollars a year?

All these jerks are interested in is picking up their ludicrously bloated paychecks.

joey

March 23rd, 2011
11:02 am

235

Disgusted

March 23rd, 2011
11:04 am

Mark, you are dead on. They have quit on LD and he has allowed it and is clueless. The problem starts at the top with ownership, down to GM-Sund, to LD, and to the players. These blowouts at home are completly pathetic with our talent. It is a shame that we are not even able to compete.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
11:07 am

atlpaddy
March 23rd, 2011
9:46 am
“Isaiah Rider, a city turns its lonely eyes to you.”

Not even in sarcasm make that joke… That went over like ‘Kramer’ doing stand-up!

Hawks Fan

March 23rd, 2011
11:08 am

Any real fan saw this coming when they went cheap with Larry Drew and I’m still not understanding the JOE Johnson contract why give max money when no one else bid!!! Rick Sund was hired as a cheap GM he sucked at Detroit and Seattle. The owners should man up and admit they were wrong about Joe Johnson and they have no clue. Once Boston wins another championship the hawks should call a doctor say Doc Rivers and give him total control!!!

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
11:09 am

Mark Bradley

March 23rd, 2011
11:01 am
I won’t make the argument that Mike Bibby was a great player, but I will tell you that Jamal Crawford said: “He’s the best teammate I’ve had.”

If that’s the case then the hawks traded the wrong Crawford.

GStateBen

March 23rd, 2011
11:12 am

It’s more about an ownership group who hired the cheapest GM and the cheapest head coach. It’s unfair to criticize Sund because he is operating under the worst conditions in the NBA for a GM.

Drew is a competent head coach and it’s proven over and over and over this year.

Remember how everyone was talking this “New Offense.” Umm, no. The NBA game doesn’t work that way.

Please investors by this team so we can move forward.

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
11:14 am

Mark, last night the guys from TNT said that the ASG is close to selling the hawks. Is that true?

Pete

March 23rd, 2011
11:15 am

Look, when will sports fans wake up and realize that the NBA is riddled with uneducated, undisciplined, LAZY clowns with the work ethic of a mannequin ???
Every year we read where this team or that team is “underachieving”.
Most of these over rated, overpaid dopes want nothing more than to play on a playground somewhere……………..like ALL children do.

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
11:16 am

“Smoove may be the most undisciplined athlete I have ever seen in Atl and that’s saying a lot over the last 45 yrs.”

You got to be kidding? Harmon Wages, Daniel Brouchard, Steve Bartkowski (before a bolt of Jesus hit him), Terry Furlow, Eddie Johnson, Chris Washburn, and Issiah Rider played in this town. It is not even close…

CazLand

March 23rd, 2011
11:18 am

IMO,it was only a matter of time before the players locked out Drew. He brought nothing new to the table cept for an “aww gosh guys play hard please,pretty please” attitude. The problem is that some of these players are spoiled brats.If we can get a legit big man and a competent one(or vice-versus) in a trade for JSmith then I say do it. KirkH and Teague are not the answer at starting point,both are serviceable backups and offer contrasting styles. And we have no #5 at all!!! I like Horford but he is a four all day long. Until they fix the SAME problems they’ve had for years and get rid of the babies,they will be stuck in the status quo.

Blue

March 23rd, 2011
11:22 am

I know Joe’s contract is arduous, but he CAN be moved. I would seriously try to move this guy in the off-season (possible suitors, Knicks, Mavericks, Cavaliers, New Jersey). All of these teams are always looking to add pieces, and are not afraid to go above the salary cap. Then I would certainly try to move Josh Smith. I’m sure there would be numerous suitors for his “talents”. We all fell in love with the high-flying, shot-blocking, nightly ESPN highlight-reel 19 year old with limitless potential. However, this kid has hit a wall here. I think a change of scenery would be helpful to him and this team.

Even if the Hawks get a bunch of stiffs in return, they have to go in another direction. Drew has to move on. Most on this blog knew his hire was going to be a disaster. Lastly, let Sund walk. He did not have a lot of resources at hand (money and/or expiring contracts). However, his moves, or moves he was forced to make by ownership, has been calamitous to say the least. Destroy and rebuild.

The Point Forward » Posts Some small steps could help Hawks improve «

March 23rd, 2011
11:24 am

[...] narrative going around today, best represented here, is that this Hawks bunch has quit on Larry Drew — that perhaps Drew’s long stint as an [...]

The Real JC

March 23rd, 2011
11:24 am

Woody was at the Naismith awards banquet Monday night. Probably there to chat up Austin Rivers to ask his dad for a job…

Short bus riders

March 23rd, 2011
11:30 am

Part of the problem is that this isn’t the brightest bunch in the NBA -in fact maybe one of the –hmm not sure what word to use here -lets just say they were as far away from the top of their class as you can get. BTW did you see AJ Green had one of the lowest Wonderlic scores ever in the NFL tryout camps! Yeah UGA is attracting the brightest student athletes in the country LOL explains a lot about the last few years i.e. discipline, penalties ,losses

David Stern

March 23rd, 2011
11:31 am

Atlanta Has an NBA team ?????????? since when?

Ar

March 23rd, 2011
11:34 am

What I found amazing is the 3 worst home losses in the nba this year are by the hawks. Thats usually something you see by a last place team. I fee sorry for horford. The rest of the lazy pos on this team suck

Daniel

March 23rd, 2011
11:35 am

Bradley- I hate to say it, but you are exactly right on this one.

schmeckdawg

March 23rd, 2011
11:35 am

@ Short bus riders,
BTW did you see AJ Green had one of the lowest Wonderlic scores ever in the NFL tryout camps! Yeah UGA is attracting the brightest student athletes

You don’t get 93,000 people in a stadium to watch a kid take a math test. Sad, but true!!!!

TM

March 23rd, 2011
11:35 am

Your article may be correct and the players very easily have quit on coach Drew.
The evidence sure points in that direction…

But, I also believe the talent on this team is not very good.
JJ is Waaaaaay overpaid. (because of it, it limits what the team can do with other talent)
J. Smith is uncoachable. He has all the talent in the world, but continues to revert to old bad habits.
M. Williams, don’t even get me started… ridiculous he is still on this team.
K. Hinrich is what he is and too early to judge.
A. Horford is awesome, but playing out of position. (which leads to other problems)

Not blaming AL at all, love him.

And worst of all, the players know they are not that good and as soon as a team that is superior plays with intensity… game over.

So you can change the coach and voice, but until the players change… not much is going to change.

SlimG

March 23rd, 2011
11:42 am

Told all u fools it was a mistake to let Woodson go…..What is it with this town and it’s reporters? All the guy did was take us from nowhere to playoffs in what 3 years…..Loserville lives on…….Hey Mark, guess u probably will not admit u were wrong about Mike…..

Orlando Magic and NBA News: Wednesday, March 23 | Ultimate Team Sports News

March 23rd, 2011
11:46 am

[...] 10. Another home blowout tells us the Hawks have quit on Drew, Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]

MitchC

March 23rd, 2011
11:49 am

Mark, as I’ve stated before, I dont follow the Hawks as closely as I do the Braves.. but I know the Hawks have been playing terribly lately.

With 11 games left, looking at potential playoff matchups.

The Hawks are five games behind Orlando, in fifth place in the East, and three and a half games ahead of Philly. Unless they put on a furious challenge, and Orlando really falters, they wont get home court for the first round.

Also, the way things stand now, if the Hawks and Orlando coast over the next few weeks, and finish in the spots they are now, the teams will meet in the first round, with Orlando having home court. Considering how their playoff meeting went last season, and the way the Hawks have imploded the last few weeks, that series could very well be a four game and out Orlando sweep.

The Hawks need something to energize them. They will make the playoffs, simply because of the math.. but.. the prospects dont look promising once they get there.

gcs

March 23rd, 2011
11:50 am

You are right about Drew being a nice guy but that does not win you championships.

The Hawks were right to fire Mike Woodson but they replaced him with a worse option in Drew.

Time to stop the bleeding and cut Drew loose and hire a REAL coach. I suggest going after Rick Pitino.

.

Chill

March 23rd, 2011
11:51 am

Another problem I have with the Hawks is everyone believing that Josh Smith is really good player that is still developing. NEW FLASH…He’s 7 years into his NBA career and looks just as raw as the day he came out of high school. He’s a 6′8 small forward with the game of a Power Forward. He can’t shoot, He still can’t drive right and he’s uncomfortable playing with his back to the basket. However people are so enamored with him because he can jump really really high…Please. So could Harold Miner. That’s why getting a true point guard was so important to this team. Josh needs a true up tempo point guard that can push the ball and get the ball to him in transition. That’s where his game is suited best. IMO with the way the team is currently constructed he’s almost useless except for the occasional highlight dunk or block. Personally I need more than that from one of my “Stars”.

cooper

March 23rd, 2011
11:54 am

Enter your comments here

cooper

March 23rd, 2011
11:56 am

That’s why I don’t support Basketball. In

Hollywould

March 23rd, 2011
12:00 pm

Chill, you are dead on. Smith is NOT a basketball player ( just a great athelete) Everybody on this blog wants him to post up. WHY? He can’t go to his right and he has nothing to his left. If he could not jump he would be at Grant Park now. Get rid of this cancer.

cooper

March 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm

In football and baseball you have a true team sport because if one or two players decide not to give it all they have, it want affect the team as bad and after a short time of under performing they will be replaced. But in Basketball the team on the court is so few when only one decides 2 or 5 million is not enough to warrant his full effort every second it can have devastating results for the team because there are only a few extra men to pick from to replace him.

JeJe

March 23rd, 2011
12:13 pm

Drew is a competent head coach and it’s proven over and over and over this year.

^^Typo?

joey

March 23rd, 2011
12:13 pm

hawks so much talent but so little heart or effort

joey

March 23rd, 2011
12:13 pm

again,the hawks minus al horford play with no effort or heart when they get down 8 points they start to give up and thats a coaching problem . if the starters wont play with heart bench them and play the backups. i will tell you jeff teage and zaza play with more heart that any of the starters other than horford

BOBBY STRONG

March 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm

AL HORFORD AND JOSH SMITH CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE PERIOD!!!!!! Smoove may not be the best but hes one of the defensive game changers weve seen since MUTOMBO!!!!! H

BOBBY STRONG

March 23rd, 2011
12:18 pm

SMOOVE IS NOY ONLY AN ATLANTA NATIVE BUT HES THE BEST DEFENDER WEVE HAD SINCE MUTOMBO!!!!! ABSOLUTELY UNTRADEABLE

Mike

March 23rd, 2011
12:24 pm

@Boobby Strong

But with Joe and Horford contracts, he is looking like the odd man out, besides he can find go to a system that he can learn. Unless there is a way to send JJ contract to somebody else.

joey

March 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm

we need to trade joe johnson if its possible and teage for chris paul , im not sure they would accept it although it does sound good. joe has way too much talent to be so passive if he just put up 10 more shots he would always score 25 plus

JeJe

March 23rd, 2011
12:28 pm

JOSH SMITH ASKS LD WHAT IS A GOOD SHOT AND WHAT’S A BAD SHOT

allan in texas

March 23rd, 2011
12:29 pm

Joe Johnson’s contract can be moved. Gilbert Arenas got traded. The question is can the Hawks get something of value in return!

allan in texas

March 23rd, 2011
12:32 pm

The GM’S Contract is up at the end of the year.If the Hawks are bounced out of the first round,the Head Coach should be gone as well as the GM. Blow the whole thing up!

Mr. X

March 23rd, 2011
12:40 pm

Maybe Daddy Drew can quit just like his son Larry did. Birds of a feather indeed.

Bravo

March 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm

How inept is this ownership? Can you imagine Arthur Blank doing/saying nothing as his boys give these kind of performances over and over again? Between all the bad decisions this ownership group has made, and a completely ill-equipped GM named BILLY KNIGHT, this franchise may actually be worse off than the Thrashers… because this needs to get blown up and rebuilt… whereas the Thrashers have already gone that route. Oh well… there’s always hope with the Braves and Falcons.

BoomBoom

March 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm

The thing you guys are glossing over is the fact the Hawks ownership group is not interested in winning a title.

Being a fractured ownership group, they’re more interested in:

A) Making money…Which they continue to do so long as they contend.

B) Giving themselves personal cache. Which they acquire by being owners of the Hawks.

For the organization to compete at a high level, a few things have to happen.

1) The ownership logjam needs to give way to a majority owner…preferably the one with the most business sense and success.

2) The front office needs to make a commitment to selecting true talents. For too long, the Hawks have subsisted on drafting the wrong players. Players with limitless potential and questionable skill.

Marvin/Sheldon Williams were colossal mistakes. The Hawks could have picked up Chris Paul or Deron Williams in 2005 and followed that up by selecting Rudy Gay or Brandon Roy the next year.

Now, you can argue that the 2006 pick would have been different had the Hawks taken Williams or Paul…Fine.

In that case, heading into the 2005-2006 season, the Hawks could have had a nucleus of:

Chris Paul/Deron Williams
Joe Johnson
Josh Smith

And if you tell me right now that a Hawks lineup featuring those 3 isnt a title contender…you’re crazy.

ZT

March 23rd, 2011
12:45 pm

I think its hilarious how much of a topic of discussion Marvin seems to be on these blogs. He has career averages of 12 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45% FG and 80% FT’s. This is all while watching Joe, Josh, Al and Jamal take roughly 75% of the shots. He defends the premier position in this league (SF) very well and you’re hard pressed to find any instances of him complaining or being a distraction to the team. The Hawks didnt have to re-sign him, but they did because they didnt want anyone else to reap the benefits (selfless teammate, hard nosed defender,capable jump shooter) that he would bring to a team that isnt dysfunctional such as the Hawks. They also resigned him because while everyone thinks Josh Smith is a great defender and could play the SF, the reality is he cant stay in front of many PF in the league and most certainly not a Carmelo, Lebron or a Kevin Durant. Was his #2 draft status a little lofty? Maybe so but hindsight is 20/20. What I can tell you is that whether it be with the Hawks or hopefully another team in the very near future, he will have a long productive career in the league. Maybe you should starts asking questions like why is Joe Johnson going in for lay-ups at 6′7 or why Josh Smith after 6 yrs in the league still cant do anything with his right hand or to the right side of the floor. I promise you that Marvin is not the issue in Atlanta and he continues to play for a reason.I cant wait for the day when he can get out of a town with a bunch of fair weather fans who give more support to opposing teams rather than their own and respect players who do their job day in and day out on a team full of wanna be stars who love to bask in the limelight whether it be negative or positive.

bronkelliott

March 23rd, 2011
12:48 pm

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. the hawks players would rather be clubbing and spending time with the ladies then playing basketball. Riley and other good coaches would never have tolerated the rich man’s club mentality of playing this way. This team should be booed from high heaven for their clubbing mentality. They would rather be the lady’s man than the team man.. Shame, I used to love watching this team play. Now I turn on other sports when they are on TV.

TROTTINGHOME

March 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm

fine their butts and start over…larry made a major mistake making josh a starter should have keep rotating till they played better…and i believe the players can be fined if they refuse to cooperate

tyger

March 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm

An oversimplification – ownership knew what they had after the Orlando massacre last year. They did nothing, it’s more than LD.

Why?

Because even if you fire LD alone, you still have a major problem. If you change your pieces, i.e personalities and find slashers/defenders; a true center and point guard – then you can fairly evaluate your coach.

This mismatched roster was Woody’s undoing and LD inherited it. Until it is fixed, this team is jinxed. They are average! Which was fine compared to the last 10 years, but not now.

Good to see Teague shoot so well during garbage time, but notice his line: 0 oreb, 0 stl, 0 pf – he’s just running up and down the court jacking up shots – he’s not impacting the game in a positive way, surely, its great when your’e hitting shots, but we know thats an aberration – you win stopping people. The guy you’re looking for has a few PFs, a couple steals, a hustle rebound or two.

Did like Hilton Armstrong however, he could be useful down the stretch. Hustling, rebounding and blocking shots – reminds me of Solomon Jones. Our starters used to play that way.

Forget LD – has it come to anyone’s realization that they are playing as well as they can? The East got stronger, we’ve been saying it all year!!! The Hawks did nothing until it was too late.

joey

March 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm

again the problem is joe has no killer instinct ,we need to trade joe johnson if its possible and teage for chris paul , im not sure they would accept it although it does sound good. joe has way too much talent to be so passive if he just put up 10 more shots he would always score 25 plus

yeahsure

March 23rd, 2011
12:56 pm

ASG needs to sell this team fast!!!
New ownership (hopefully a single majority owner) needs to clean house.
New GM, New Coach. Trade Josh, Williams, Zaza.

The entire franchise as it is right now is broken. There is no accountability. The culture needs to change.

Bravo

March 23rd, 2011
12:56 pm

Could not agree more with ZT . Marvin shouldn’t have been a second overall pick – but that’s not his fault. He’s a decent player and – along with Al Horford and Hinrich – are the only ones working their a**es off..

tremaine cooper

March 23rd, 2011
1:02 pm

Am I the only one that woke up this morning hoping that the hawks had fired LD? The guy looked like a wounded animal waiting on somebody to put him out of his misery lastnight.

wcj

March 23rd, 2011
1:03 pm

These moves will solve this mess.
1.Force these owners to sell the team by not showing up for games.
2.Trade Joe Johnson and Zaza for Nene from Denver.
3.Trade Malvin Williams from two backups: Shooting guard, Small forward.
4.Trade Josh Smith for the first pick in the draft along some backups.
5.Sign the best free agent available.( Any position will do)
6.Firer all the coaches and start over.
7.Do not resign Crawford.
Do all these moves or combine some, but this craziness has to end now.

Blue

March 23rd, 2011
1:04 pm

@ BoomBoom

Not to beat a dead horse, but the 2005 and 2006 draft picks still cuts deep to this day. But 2004 still hurts as well. Still on the board when we selected Josh Childress at 6 (LOUL DENG, who went next at 7, and Andre Igoudala, who went 9 to Philly). So in that three year period (2004 through 2006), we passed on Loul Deng, Andre Igoudala, Chris Paul, Derron Williams, Brandon Roy, and Rudy Gay.

And it’s not like these guys got lucky once they became pros. Every last one of these guys were BEAST in college. Silly Knight just thought he was smarter than everyone else and passed on them all. Shelden Williams over Brandon Roy, really.

dale in newnan

March 23rd, 2011
1:12 pm

Ain’t no way in Hell Dwight Howard is gonna come to Atlanta!!! This is about the most insane comment since that hack Terrence Moore floated the perception of Kobe coming here; in an aside, thank God Tm has gotten the complete F%^& out of Atlanta. Listen, the ugly truth is no elite player is gonna come here and play with this bunch of mutts, or for this Mickey Mouse wannabe orginization. Quit deluding yourselves. Just not gonna happen. This franchise is in serious trouble. Baring a Falcon-type intervention, I could see horrible scenarios where this team could leave. Sadly if they did, most people would not even care. Been a fan since ‘75, but this team is getting mighty painful to watch. What a bunch of Dogs.

Bravo

March 23rd, 2011
1:14 pm

“Silly Knight”? Come on – you should use more forceful language than that! After this inept ownership, he is single-handedly responsible for the rotten state of affairs this franchise is in!

DC

March 23rd, 2011
1:22 pm

nothing significant will happen with the franchise till its sold… to owners who care…. we need a new GM and Coach…. time to revamp the team. Get rid of joe and josh…. build around al…there are centers like M.Gasol and d. Jordan of the clippers out there. keep teague and give him pt

dale in newnan

March 23rd, 2011
1:24 pm

Nuclear Winter Scenario #1. David Stern has all but promised there will be a hard salary cap when the next Union Contract is signed later this Summer, or next if there is a lock out. Like these players won’t fold like shirts in a Chinese Laundry when their make-it-rain money and multiple child support payment money starts to dry up. What this unfortunately means for the Hawks is that, barring finding a Oakland Raider-Washington Bullet like dupe, they will be perpetually stuck with these overpaid contracts.

Kaevanna James

March 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm

Drew probably plans to draft his son to play point. Ugh!

MistaGamer

March 23rd, 2011
1:52 pm

This might be one the best aricles written on the Hawks current state:

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/03/23/some-small-steps-could-help-hawks-improve/

The best line is this:
“Trading Smith — or Horford in a more dramatic move — amounts to shaking things up for the sake of shaking things up, since both young bigs are more valuable long-term assets than Johnson. Trading one of them because you overpaid Johnson would be a sad scenario.”

And that sums what I wrote in a previouse blog. It’s just so unfortunate that we are so unfortunate. Most of this has been created from those at the top of the decision making process.

Ted M

March 23rd, 2011
2:06 pm

Thanks for telling it like it is…but you were wrong when you said this offseason that the Hawks had no other choice but to give JJ a max contract.

The Hawks will be out in the first round of the playoff for the life of that contract.

The Spirit suck…nothing profound there.

wcj

March 23rd, 2011
2:22 pm

Mark, The Hawks are going have to make changes after the season is over. Who do you feel is more likely to be moved?

Dee

March 23rd, 2011
2:27 pm

WHERE YOUR PRIDE, HAWKS!?! God, I hate the Atlanta Spirit Group. Please someone buy the team from these idiots.

joey

March 23rd, 2011
2:46 pm

56+5

JJ acts like a va-jay-jay

March 23rd, 2011
3:28 pm

@chill

dead on with the development of josh smith. truth is, he hasnt. he is the same malcontent player with tons of athleticism but no smarts on the court. think about it………….where has he improved since his rookie year? im still waiting…………………

HeelsFan

March 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm

Coach Drew should be ok with his team quitting. Isn’t that what his son did with his approval?

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
4:06 pm

Bravo
March 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm
“Can you imagine Arthur Blank doing/saying nothing as his boys give these kind of performances over and over again?”

Did you forget 2003? Arthur sitting in sky box crying, sending open letters to the NFL apologizing for the team laying down on National TV… Well, somethings never change!

JSS

March 23rd, 2011
4:10 pm

The Hawks have no luck, when they were the team in history, they can’t even win the Draft lottery! A Hawk GM with a choice is a dangerous thing!

Coolio

March 23rd, 2011
4:20 pm

Mike Bibby couldnt have did worst than Hinrich last night.Damn why do everyone hate on him so much?Obviously he ran this team good and now they don’t have a vocal player on the damn court and thats a good thing.Bibby could give you what Hinrich gives you on offense which is 10 points so wtf is everyone hating.Yeah he slowed down but he still shoots like no ones business.He is a top 10 3 point shooter and he sucks?Really?Because his Defense sucks,you degrate him as a bad player but damn the other day he went 5 for 5 from 3 point for Miami off the bench.But Joke Johnson is making Lebron money and cannot do nothing Lebron does.He can’t come down and pull up u know y because he wants to hold the ball.And everyone talks about Smoove but don’t point out HORFORD inability to Block shots or come up on help defense.Damn don’t degrate 1 player degrate them all

bill

March 23rd, 2011
4:25 pm

heck, he thought his son was better than Kendall Marshall–that proves the guys is either an idiot or in over his head. Maybe he’ll quit mid season–it does run in the family!

J.J.M.

March 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm

If im josh I would want to leave this team. Josh would be perfect for the knicks or thunder

Najeh Davenpoop

March 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm

“I don’t understand how u can contradict yourself and, I guess, not realize it. You stated to MB, correctly, about Smoove that athleticism doesn’t equal ball skills but then you say that you wouldn’t trade him. ”

First of all, I was responding to Bradley’s contention that Smoove is one of the most talented players in the league. He’s far from it, but that doesn’t mean he has no talent either.

Secondly, my post was meant to illustrate what I would do if given the chance to rebuild the Hawks. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t envision alternate scenarios in which Smoove would get traded. I would prefer to deal Smoove for a player or players who have his level of impact on a game, as opposed to simply dumping him for the sake of dumping him like some want to do.

joey

March 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm

the problem is joe. he has the talent to be a top 10 player but he is to passive,and he has no killer instincts, he needs to take the team on his shoulders and carry them like he did in 2007 against boston if he does that the hawks have the talent to contend but the problems is he lacks killer instinct that d rose d wade l james, k bryant have, when he starts becoming more aggresive this team the hawks will drastically become better

joey

March 23rd, 2011
5:03 pm

12

joey

March 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm

??

RustyDanielson

March 23rd, 2011
5:10 pm

Of course the Hawks QUIT ON DREW. They should. The Hawks players are not stupid. They know the history of the NBA. The Hawks players realize there is a future hall of fame coach available who is unemployed and they decided collectively to QUIT ON DREW so that the powers that be upstairs will set their navigation systems on finding JERRY SLOAN. Sloan is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NBA. Sloan has no peers and there is no coach better than him. Sloan had the privilege of coaching TWO HALL OF FAMERS Karl Malone and John Stockton who were among the best to play ever at their respective positions. The Hawks players KNOW THIS AND THEY ARE CHOMPING AT THE BIT WAITING FOR SLOAN TO COME AND RESCUE THEIR SEASON. Trust me; the Hawks players want Jerry Sloan as their next head coach. Hopefully Sloan will be interviewing soon for the Hawks upcoming vacancy. Should Drew lose a few more games by 50 points Drew will be shortly in the unemployment line.

GW

March 23rd, 2011
5:14 pm

Seems like they played better with Teague in the starting lineup and Marvin coming off the bench. Drew seems clueless going back to the old lineup. How is Teague ever going to get better by not playing? Marvin is worthless and has had too many opportunities and just needs to ride the pine.

dub366

March 23rd, 2011
5:16 pm

You can say whatever you want, this is not Larry Drew’s fault. These players are getting paid a lot of money to play this game; if they want to continue to go out and play like they are doing, this is total embarrassing. A lot of this is Joe Johnson’s fault. He is supposed to be your leader and he is no where close to being one. The Hawks have wasted money on this contract. The team has not quit on Larry Drew, they just don’t have a clue on what they are doing out there. Someone needs to tell Josh to get his butt in the paint. Al is the only player who plays within his game. You can say what you want about Marvin, at least he tries. The court is still out on Hinrich. Joe needs to start earning his money, Teague needs more playing time; the rest is up for grabs.

drmaryb (*_-)

March 23rd, 2011
5:26 pm

STAR-TIME Drive Thru Theatre
(No Shirt and Shoes Required)
$5.99 per person (kids under 8 FREE)
__________________

Please select your feature film from the Movie Menu below:

The Titanic (Atlanta Spirit Group) crowd scenes: The Fans
Dumb an Dumber (Starring: Larry Drew & Rick Sund)
Training Day (Starring: Jeff Teague)
Mrs. Doubtfire (Starring: Josh Smith)
Disappearing Act (Starring: Marvin Williams)
Daddy Daycare (Starring: Mike Woodson & Josh Smith)
Money Train (Starring: Joe Johnson)
Jerry McGuire (Starring: Jamal Crawford)
Ghost (Starring: Marvin Gaye Williams & Co-Star: Joe Johnson)
Madea Goes To Jail (Starring: Josh Powell)
Eight Mile Road (Starring: kirk Hinrich)
Twins (Starring: Jason Collins & Co-Stars: Danny Devito &
Arnold Schwarzenaeger)
Free Willy (Starring: Jordan Crawford)
Coming To America (Starring: Pape Sy)
Thelma & Louise (Starring: Lester Connor & Jonathan Bender)
Malcolm X (Starring: Etan Thomas)
The Alien (Starring: Tyrone Hill)
Pet Cemetery (Starring: Nick Van Exel)
Ground Hog Day (The Play Offs: Coming Soon!)
________________________

That’s My Hawks!

joey

March 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm

21again,the problem is joe. he has the talent to be a top 10 player but he is to passive,and he has no killer instincts, he needs to take the team on his shoulders and carry them like he did in 2007 against boston if he does that the hawks have the talent to contend but the problems is he lacks killer instinct that d rose d wade l james, k bryant have, when he starts becoming more aggresive this team the hawks will drastically become better

mmixon

March 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm

Mark … I think it’s the front office period. And it STARTED with hiring Larry Drew. Here are the moves they’ve made:

- Thibobeau and Drew available … they Hired Drew
- Joe Johnson made a feeble threat to leave, they max him out when 5 million people in Atlanta knew that was a bad idea
- Derron Williams was on the trading block and they either didn’t know it, or didn’t want to do what it took to get him here. (obviously Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, Jeff Teague, and a couple of draft picks would have done the job)

- They let Josh Smith test the market to gain his worth … they didn’t do the same.
- They didn’t resign or trade Jamal Crawford … now he’s unhappy and playing like it.

The FRONT OFFICE needs to be blown up. Their inept ability to run the franchise has trickled down. Starting with ownership.

The U

March 23rd, 2011
5:42 pm

Quitting is a character issue of the individual. If the players have quit it’s on them and not the coach. Obviously the Bulls are better than Atlanta this year, are they that much better who knows. Chris Webber made a statement about the teams management saying “insanity is doing the same thing over and again and expecting different results”. Couldn’t agree more with him.

The Game Has Changed

March 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm

@Coolio-You are 100% right about Bibby. Everyone was so glad to see him gone. And Im saying to myself what did he do so bad. He ran a team for the last three years that did well. We lost in the second round two years in a row. Now it may be ten years before we make the playoffs again. (after this year) Now they want to see LD gone. These cry babies need to give the man a chance. He is a new coach and it may take him a minute to feel his way through this thing.

Joehawk

March 23rd, 2011
6:12 pm

I really think it’s time to cut bait with Josh “I love to shoot the long jumpshot” Smith and Marvin “bust as a 1st round draft pick” Williams. Josh doesn’t learn and Marvin is just not that good. Josh is best when he plays the inside game but he continues to hang back and hoist up the bombs. Marvin on the other hand (who was billed as another “Nique”) just doesn’t have the moves to the basket. He’s too awkward and as one fan pointed out “walks like a gas station attendant”. Both looked like crap last night against the Bulls.

cdog

March 23rd, 2011
6:19 pm

you reap what you sow.rick sund and management was wrong for firing mike woodson.now its coming back to bite them now.serve them right.too much underhand things was done to woodson now GOD is punishing them for doing woodson wrong.until sund is gone from the organization, the franchise will suffer.look for another drubbing tonight at the hands of the 76ers

Alex

March 23rd, 2011
6:20 pm

Joe’s nickname is now Vanishman , Josh’s is brick mason, and Marvin’s is Ghostman.

Long story short…blow the team up. Build around a future hall of famer( Al H.). I get so tired of media people saying that fans in the A are sorry. This coming from a lot of people who live in cities that have multiple All-stars, playoff births, championships, and do go through embrassing blowouts like only we see on the norm. People rally athletes that have pride and are tough.

JIm

March 23rd, 2011
6:48 pm

The problem obviously is the owners of the team. They hired the cheapest coach. If you don’t have the funds to hire a quality NBA coach, get out of the business.

windu

March 23rd, 2011
7:02 pm

“If the team stops listening to the coach, they will play bvery poorly.”

The premise of this article is a non sequitur.

” A helper of the coach you fired is probably not better than the coach you fired.” Now that’s a premise.

Put Me In Coach

March 23rd, 2011
7:35 pm

Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!Play Jeff Teague!!!

nono

March 23rd, 2011
11:05 pm

Hawks 4 Life how do you know the players did not like Woody, did they tell you NO you just running off at the mouth.

Blake

March 23rd, 2011
11:26 pm

This team stunk before Hinrich…this team sucks and their pathetic!

Mike Woodson

March 24th, 2011
8:27 am

FIRE LARRY Drew

jeremy

March 24th, 2011
10:11 am

why in the WORLD is coach drew not starting OR EVEN PLAYING teague. it makes absolutely no sense. can you give us fans some insight as to what is up with coach and his lack of use of the super speedy and lightning fast assist/block machine jeff teague?

David

March 24th, 2011
11:25 am

The Hawks are the perfect example of how not to run an organization and how to get players who quit halfway through the season. I have always been a die hard hawks fan but watching them this year makes me sick to my stomach. The only player who we should keep is Horford. Get rid of everyone else including personnel. It’s sad to think were we might be if we had drafted Chris Paul or Deron Williams. What could of been. Thank God for the Braves

June

March 24th, 2011
12:22 pm

One again the regular season is winding down and Larry Drews philosophy is to work on the things that are difficult …If you are watching the games you clearly see the Hawks are either winning or right in every game early..They won just enough games to make the playoffs ..They are not trying to get hurt b4 the playoffs …I put $$$ they bump Orlando in round one and maybe even get out of round 2…They are in a great position next year with Being able 2 sign a couple of decent centers and the ability to deal Josh Smith ..They will never win the championship …Small Market NBA teams don’t win Championships it’s the politricks of sports but best know the Hawks are a top 5 Team as long as they Have Joe and Al

big o

March 24th, 2011
1:37 pm

Great article MB !!! I think you are right on point. I have said the same thing from the begining. We need a new direction. We should not panic and blow up this team. We need to do whatever it takes to bring D. Howard home. He will come !!! I would give up our 1st and 2nd pick for the next three years. If you put Dewight on this team and move marvin to bench put Josh at the 3 and resign Jamal and get a tough coach maybe Larry Brown we win the title.

eddie mcdonald

March 24th, 2011
3:38 pm

how about alot of this started when larry Sr. encouraged his son to quit on the tarheel basketball team with no explaination whatsoever. Sr. even made the phone call himself to protect his immature son. Hard to respect someone with such little respect for other professionals.

E

March 24th, 2011
4:03 pm

When you are sorry you can’t quit on the coach. Even Phil Jackson nor Dr. Phil could help those so call pro-basketball players. They look just like the same team to me and again they will be out of the playoffs in the first round. I have not seen so many teams that sorry in once city like Atlanta… WOW!

sam'l

March 25th, 2011
1:47 pm

Most of the stuff you said is obvious Mark…..what I would like from someone who has the resources and the backing of the major newspaper in the South is to find out who is trying to buy the team and whether they will move it within two years..

The players are lost…..they refuse to play together in organized fashion. Then, they say nonsensical things after the game. They are a gigantic part of the problem.

Fire Drew now. (Unfortunate but necessary).. Bring in a highly paid genius (and none of the names I see make any sense either, Mark Jackson yuck, Christ I’d take don nelson in this situation). Spend the last ten games or so experimenting…..seed makes no difference. or plan to face the top seed and come up with a game plan and practice against that team.

Use the remaining games to perfect a scheme.

Mr. Bradley…who is buying this team? Put out your operatives and bring us some news. .

Thanks.

BB Genie

March 25th, 2011
4:04 pm

Damm! Hawks Fans HDI!!!!! Hurt Don’t It????? I’m Burning my Hawks Flag Tonight. I’m Officially Quitting on the Hawks like they Quit on us. Go Bulls!!!!!!!!!!

BB Genie

March 25th, 2011
4:10 pm

I’m Officially Quitting on the Hawks. Like they quit on US!!!! I’m Burning my Hawks Flag Tonight!!!! HDI!!!!!!! Hurt Don’t It!! Stop the pain NOW.. Burn your Hawks Gear!!!!!

RB

March 26th, 2011
9:20 am

I would blast this team but the bloggers have done a good job of it. I’ll just say, DITTO!!!!!!

RB

March 26th, 2011
9:29 am

I Just saw a guy being arrested for stealing donation jars for homeless cats. He was wearing a Hawks sweatshirt!! That news story says it all!!

ClownStephenson

March 28th, 2011
5:20 pm

The only thing I can say about the Hawks is WATCH OUT! I know the Hawks players are excited about the prospects of having another 50-win season should the Hawks round out the season by winning the last 8 games. Its doubtful, but the biggest problem of running the table in the last 8 games is that it is a murderous row of games coming up with Orlando, San Antonio, Boston and Miami. I doubt seriously that the Hawks can run through those four teams undefeated. If the Hawks finish the season 50-32, it will be an incredible job and I know the fans will be proud of them despite if they get kicked out of the playoffs in the first round. MY HAT IS OFF TO ANY TEAM THAT CAN GO THROUGH, BOSTON, SAN ANTONE, ORLANDO AND MIAMI UNSCATHED AND UNDEFEATED. THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE FOUR BEST TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE. Good luck Hawks as you get plastered again.

Another home blowout tells us the Hawks have quit on Drew

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Another home blowout tells us the Hawks have quit on Drew

347 comments Add your comment

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