So who’s the Hawks’ mystery buyer? Why, it could be …
This is a beluga whale. It can't shoot jumpers very well, either. (AJC photo by John Spink)
Respected journalists Ian Thomsen of SI.com and David Aldridge of NBA.com have reported that the Atlanta Hawks are about to be sold to a mystery buyer. Bruce Levenson, one of the Hawks’ many owners, said Thomsen’s initial report was “not true.”
Still, whenever the words “mystery buyer” arise, it’s human nature to try and affix a name and face. Consider me human. Possible buyers for the Hawks could – could, I said — include:
Who: Bernie Marcus. Why him? The Home Depot co-founder and Georgia Aquarium patriarch might be weary of seeing Arthur Blank get all the civic kudos. Possible complication: If Marcus thought beluga whales could be intransigent creatures, wait until he tries to get Josh Smith to stop hoisting jump shots.
Who: Mike Woodson. Why him? He used to coach the Hawks but always claimed, due to outside business interests, he didn’t need the money. Possible complication: First move would be to fire Larry Drew, his former assistant who was promoted to head coach on the dubious-but-apparently-compelling argument that Mean Old Woody never listened to his clever ideas.
Who: David McDavid. Why him? The Texas car dealer tried to buy the Hawks (and the Thrashers, and Philips Arena) way back when, only to see the Atlanta Spirit cut in front. Possible complication: McDavid won $281 million in a lawsuit against Time Warner and has never had to sit through a losing game. At last check, the man is not nuts.
"It's a good look, don't you think?" (AJC file photo)
Who: Jane Fonda. Why her? Her ex-husband used to own the team. Possible complication: First move would be to change the team’s uniforms to incorporate leotards and leg warmers.
Who: Steve Belkin. Why him? He used to own part of the Hawks (and the Thrashers, et cetera) before his Spirit brethren bought him. Possible complication: First move would be to dump Joe Johnson, his rationale being, “I told you he wasn’t worth that much.”
Who: Joe Johnson. Why him? Owing to his $123 million contract, he’s rich enough to own a team. Possible complication: First move would be to carry the Iso-Joe offense to its logical extreme, meaning he’d fire all the coaches and all the other players and let the player-owner take every shot.
Who: Billy Knight. Why him? The former Hawks general manager has had three years to plot his next move. Possible complication: Next move would be to draft more 6-foot-8 wingmen.
Who: Don Leebern. Why him? The powerful Georgia booster might be looking for a new challenge for Suzanne Yoculan, whom he identifies as his fiancee. Possible complication: Irresistible Force, meet Immovable Object. Could even the decorated gymnastics coach manage to keep Marvin Williams from falling down so often?
Rashan Michel, post-'Nique.
Who: Dominique Wilkins. Why him? He’s the greatest player in Atlanta Hawks history and has always longed for a bigger role. Possible complication: Should the Hawks lose, under no circumstances should a Philips Arena patron approach Wilkins afterward and ask for a refund. The last such postgame monetary solicitation ended badly for the solicitor.
Who: Gary Bettman. Why him? The NHL commissioner made his reputation as David Stern’s NBA aide-de-camp. Possible complication: Disgruntled Thrashers fans would form a human chain around Philips Arena before every Hawks game, preventing entry to all who would subsidize a venture of Benedict Bettman’s.
Who: Justin Bieber. Why him? His mentor Usher owns a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Possible complication: First move would be to order Zaza Pachulia to adopt the Bieb-style bowl haircut. Zaza’s first response would be to head-butt his new owner.
Who: Bruce Levenson. Why him? Could there be a more mysterious buyer than the part-owner who claimed there was no mystery buyer? Possible complication: With the pesky Gearons out of the way, the path might seem clear for Levenson’s plans for world domination. But let’s see if the Hawks can reach the Eastern Conference finals first.
By Mark Bradley
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135 comments Add your comment
Michael
June 29th, 2011
10:46 am
First
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
10:48 am
Michael is kudo’ed.
Michael
June 29th, 2011
10:50 am
And that’s one of the dumber articles you’ve ever written. That’s too bad because you could have taken it seriously, done some actual journalism, and turned it into a good piece on the future of the team. Instead, we get lame jokes.
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
10:50 am
Michael is also advised to lighten up.
HawkKingBibby
June 29th, 2011
10:53 am
Funny stuff. I hope however it is oil tycoons from Qatar.
MJC
June 29th, 2011
10:53 am
I must admit that I did laugh a few times while reading this.
Supes
June 29th, 2011
10:54 am
Mark…you have free time on your hands or something…Brian McCann is on an MVP like tear and you come up with this? Give B-Mac some love and maybe the northeastern biased national network known as ESPN will take note…how is Mac gonna get national attention if you or Schultzie (who is on vacation) won’t write it???
juvenal
June 29th, 2011
10:54 am
lame jokes very much in context when hawks are subject……
Alvin Greene
June 29th, 2011
10:55 am
I’ll take the team. I can do anything. Sell action heroes. I’ll even play point guard. Google me.
ROZEMAN13
June 29th, 2011
10:56 am
Mark,this article is the best of the best! Great humor to get the day going, Please do this more often. Thanks
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
10:56 am
Did I not write on Brian McCann, like, six days ago?
Marcus
June 29th, 2011
10:57 am
hope Thomsen and Aldridge know their stuff …. and the new owner(s) have more capital to support the teams playoff aspirations. Can we get Blank to be the Hawks sugar daddy? The color of the game ball is ‘Home Depot orange …
SC Ace
June 29th, 2011
10:57 am
What about the Russan mafioso billionaire that owns Chelsea. He’d likely be the only owner in NBA who had had rivals assassinated. A feud with Mark Cuban would be epic.
No Woody for Me
June 29th, 2011
10:58 am
Seems like it would be a perfect fit for one of the many hip-hop millionaires who reside in Atlanta. As a fan It would be worth it just to see the uniforms each year
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
10:58 am
I believe Roman Abramovich owns the Chelsea Blues, SC Ace. I’m sure he’d appreciate your characterization of him.
All I'm Saying Is....
June 29th, 2011
11:00 am
Juvenal, HawkKingBibby and MJC read it with the right ’spirit’ while Michael and Supes apparently have higher expectations from Bradley.
Me? I don’t care if they are sold as long as they stay in town, get a legit Center, figure out some stooge to take Marvin Williams off our hands, and discover a means to make Joe accept that with great wealth comes great responsibility for on the court fire and consistent production.
LET’S GO HAWKS!
Reggie Ball
June 29th, 2011
11:00 am
Mark you’re really mailing it in lately. This story fails at trying to be funny and provides nothing to the reader.
Hankie Aron
June 29th, 2011
11:01 am
Yes Michael, if he had any info or even a hunch on who that potential buyer might be then he would provide it. So instead of useless speculation, I”ll take a little humor
HawkKingBibby
June 29th, 2011
11:02 am
No you want the guys from Abu Dhabi that own Manchester City over Roman. Those guys would consider JJ’s contract as low budget.
GStateBen
June 29th, 2011
11:02 am
Ahh, the slow times of summer.
As long as there is a buyer, meaning one person, I believe everyone (Hawks fans, the city of Atlanta, the NBA) wins.
Next up an exhaustive list of who could buy the Braves…
Been there and Done That
June 29th, 2011
11:03 am
Everytrhing else in Micahel’s life must smell like roses if he is lame enough to claim first and then assail an article that most will find quite amusing
Hankie Aron
June 29th, 2011
11:05 am
If you want some speculation though, me thinks the buyer is Luducris and i won’t go to any more Hawks games because they would only play hip hop. Oh well
Notso Fast
June 29th, 2011
11:07 am
To much truth to be funny.
Hankie Aron
June 29th, 2011
11:07 am
Maybe the new owner will bring in some real actual hawks who eat raw meat and can do a mean ickey shuffle. That ought to get the crowd going.
Hankie Aron
June 29th, 2011
11:08 am
Buy the cheerleaders Hammer pants and we’re set. Just dont’ watch the game, it’s not pretty sometimes.
Jamaaliver
June 29th, 2011
11:13 am
MB’s second comment to Michael is one of the funniest I’ve seen.
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
11:15 am
Jamaaliver, I have to say I enjoyed that one myself.
dap01
June 29th, 2011
11:17 am
Funny article but I was hoping for a little substance.
BAMA dude
June 29th, 2011
11:21 am
Look at the glass as half full Mark. Michael said it was one of the dumbest, not THE dumbest.
scott
June 29th, 2011
11:23 am
I hope its that guy from LSU that USA Today was talking about earlier in the month. It was be excellent to have someone who actually played the game take the hawks to the next level of success
Bryan G.
June 29th, 2011
11:24 am
Well done Mark. There’s no reason for Schultz to have a monopoly on humor around here
THRASHERS Season Ticket Holder
June 29th, 2011
11:24 am
Hey, Bernie.
When the $#$(@# were you when Bruce Levenson was shipping our beloved THRASHERS out of town?!?!?
Day Late, Meet Dollar Short.
Anytime Bruce Levenson’s lips are moving, and they aren’t below Michael Gearon’s beltline at that point in time, it might be best to assume they are project more dishonesty.
DEAL WITH THAT!
Mike Jay
June 29th, 2011
11:25 am
Mark, you missed an easy one. You did not refer to the lack of physical play and what Jane Fonda could do to help! “I want to get physical, physical.”
Vulture
June 29th, 2011
11:27 am
I vote for Steve Belkin and dump Joe Johnson.
THRASHERS Season Ticket Holder
June 29th, 2011
11:28 am
….PROJECTING more dishonesty….
…and condescension….
Yes, I know tongue-in-cheek commentaries when I read them… usually…, but no member of the demonic cabal known as the Atlanta Spirit Group will be getting a Christmas Hockey Puck from me unless it is (painfully) going into an orifice.
Winnipeg can have the Hawks, too.
74 Dawg
June 29th, 2011
11:28 am
Mark, didn’t you realize only Shultz is allowed to write with tongue in cheek? I didn’t realize there were so many people who took you that seriously in the first place…
still recovering from the game7 loss to the celtics
June 29th, 2011
11:29 am
We’ve never recovered from the loss to the cetlics in the eastern conference semis in the 80s…one of the greatest pro games in my opinion…shootout between bird and nique in the games final quarter…had we won that game…we wouldn’t have “had” to get Theus and Malone…….
j
June 29th, 2011
11:30 am
You often write pretty good articles. This one missed the boat. You led me in thinking this would be a researched piece on what actually might become of this franchise. Instead it was filled with jokes.
74 Dawg
June 29th, 2011
11:33 am
“Instead it was filled with jokes”
Much like the ASG themselves.
bart
June 29th, 2011
11:37 am
As they say don’t quit your day job……or maybe this is your day job which you do need to quit…….this is too confusing………I’m going back to my night job……..
Brent
June 29th, 2011
11:43 am
Great piece, Mark. I’m still laughing .No more kudos for Michael.
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
11:44 am
Oh, I do, BAMA dude. And my response would be, “I’ve written a lot of stuff worse than this one.”
Bill
June 29th, 2011
11:45 am
I’m hoping Mark Cuban buys the Braves when the bean counters at Liberty Media finally can sell them.
SC Ace
June 29th, 2011
11:47 am
HawkKingBibby, I should note that I’m a City fan. I just like the Russian billionaire angle. Didn’t another Russian billionaire just buy the Nets? Could be an awesome rivalry, annual series in Moscow or something. Great theme music. Replace the cheerleaders with Cossack dancers.
In reality we’re probably looking at some corporation in Nebraska. The Mutual of Omaha Hawks or something.
smyrnabob
June 29th, 2011
11:50 am
oh….. you mean they are not taking the Hawks to Canada too?
I was really hoping for a CBA team here. Same talent level as the Hawks, but possibly better results in the post season.
Mike (not Michael)
June 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
Lame. A high schooler could have wrote that piece.
Jamaaliver
June 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
MB, idea for a Hawks article on another rainy, summer day:
What if: The Hawks’ last 12 months replayed with hindsight as a guide.
Do we re-sign JJ? Sign and trade for Ty Chandler? Draft Jordan Crawford? Hire Dwayne Casey as coach?
And how would this have affected the rest of the NBA?
JJ signs with NY. D Casey leaves Dallas last offseason. Carmelo doesn’t get traded to NY, but to NJ instead. The Thrashers DON’T move to Winnipeg.
Could be fun to map out the sports landscape and see how much we affected by maintaining the status quo here with the Hawks.
Common Sense
June 29th, 2011
12:09 pm
Consider Michael roasted
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
That’s a good idea, Jamaaliver. Thanks much.
Common Sense
June 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
Lets go even further back jamaaliver, would if we didnt draft Marvin Williams and took Chris Paul instead, we’d have 6 championships
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
Or even Deron Williams, Common Sense.
jon
June 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
I hope it is Belkin… The atl spirit used propaganda to make atlantins think he was the bad guy…. Hello he is the one who knew what he was talking about!
Jamaaliver
June 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
IDK, Jon.
Joe Johnson, flaws and all, did help us get back to respectability. Multiple playoff appearances, consecutive all-star selections.
Another legendary 7 game series against Boston. All for Boris Diaw and a couple of mid-first round picks. (Neither of which turned into productive players.)
Before JJ got here, we were the Warriors-East.
With him, we’re the Trailblazers-East.
Jamaaliver
June 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
Also, Jon.
Belkin was relying on personnel advice from Larry Bird. We’ve seen how successful THAT’s been the last 5+ years. How would you like to have the Pacers roster right about now?
Let’s not romanticize Belkin into a folk hero.
Whatthehellisthis
June 29th, 2011
12:26 pm
How about a Jair Jurjjens for CY Young article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
June 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
That’s a good idea, too.
Remarkable
June 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
Awful article. Was any of it serious? I really couldn’t tell. Certainly none of it was very funny.
Whatthehellisthis
June 29th, 2011
12:29 pm
You idiot reporters need to get off Joe Johnson’s back. You all act like the Hawks were a winning franchise before he got here. He didnt destroy the team, he made it better and relevant. Damn morons.
Jt
June 29th, 2011
12:42 pm
I’m not an idiot reporter, just an idiot but no one is on JJ’s back Whathehellisthis. I was in favor of his first signing and can’t say I was in favor of his 2nd signing but was afraid of the consequences of not re-signing him. But max dollar players are supposed to be max players and Joe is what Joe is- a very good player not a franchise level player. That’s just a fact. It’s not his fault the Hawks overpaid for him the 2nd time- it is theirs.
Ryder
June 29th, 2011
12:48 pm
Considering that we won’t see the NBA until next year, it’s a good go-home article. Mark, do you think that the impending lockout might force the Hawks to trade one of their “big 3″ (Horford, JJ, Josh) if the salary cap drops as expected?
retired
June 29th, 2011
1:02 pm
Got a good chuckle Mark you been drinkin’ with Schultzie and the Count!?
Willy
June 29th, 2011
1:06 pm
Has Thomas Pynchon shown any interest?
Eddie Long
June 29th, 2011
1:07 pm
After reading the book of Luke I buy the team and name them my spiritual sons
Time
June 29th, 2011
1:15 pm
How about Mark Bradley as the mystery owner. Apparently he’s got plenty of free time writing this piece of nothingness. And imagine the good he could do. He could act on his personal vendetta to trade Josh Smith. Same vendetta he had to trade Nique years back. Danny Manning would be thrilled at a Bradley owned team, because he knows his sorry, was never any good, completely overrated softness would be valued highly by Bradley.
DruBlood
June 29th, 2011
1:17 pm
Mailed it in with this column. So bad, I had to pause to comment.
Loosing Managar = Loosing Record
June 29th, 2011
1:19 pm
WHat about that little guy that played Webster on TV? He may still have money.
P F
June 29th, 2011
1:24 pm
What gets me is that can someone point the finger at the MAIN issue here. Mainly, the Atlanta “anti-spirit”. If it hadn’t been for the infighting, the Trashers would have been gone a long time ago. And apparently the Hawks. These guys names need to be placed in every restaurant, fast food joint, car wash, dry cleaner, and grocery store in metro Atlanta with a ‘Do Not Serve’ label on them. They are denying that they are trying to sell the Hawks? And we are to believe those cowardly lions after all of their deniles of not trying to sell the Thrashers? They have done more harm to the pro sports here than Ted did when he sold the Bravos.
heartofdarkness
June 29th, 2011
1:26 pm
No mention here of the most likely buyer, the government of Greece. They are about to get a 170 billion euro loan, and can pay for the sale in Greek 10year bonds. The Hawks will be worth every penny they eventually collect.
Jon Koncack
June 29th, 2011
1:27 pm
This article sums up Mark Bradley’s journalistic skill-set. How he has kept his job for all these years baffles me. Year in and year out nothing but pessimistic , bandwagon riding garbage.
Cullen
June 29th, 2011
1:32 pm
Mark, this is an AWEFUL piece! You could have done some actual poking and proding and brought your audience an actual serious article. Your attempt at comedy backfired BIG-TIME. This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever written and that is saying A LOT!!! You, along with the rest of the AJC are bush leaguers.
chewyandrw
June 29th, 2011
1:36 pm
Great article Mark Bradley….you get better every day
Ruthie Seydel
June 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
I can’t wait to get wasted at the next WP show and try to get up on stage!
ryan
June 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
Hey how about REM and B52’s to own the team or Sugarland .
Atlanta fan
June 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
This ownership group is dead to me. With what they did to the hockey team and their ineptitude. I won’t support this farce.
blue_moon
June 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
Very funny piece and I’m not even a sports fan. Especially love the one about Dominique Wilkins!
Eddie Peskowitz
June 29th, 2011
1:40 pm
Rutherford, I’m going to knock your teeth out the next time I see you PUNK! That $20 bill was counterfeit! You still owe me!
Ruthie Seydel
June 29th, 2011
1:41 pm
Bring it on old man! Ha ha! Life is all sunshine and rainbows for me!
Bruuuuuuce Levenson
June 29th, 2011
1:43 pm
If you two can’t get along, I’m going to tell Michael.
Dane Cook
June 29th, 2011
1:43 pm
Dude…..Even I am funnier than this.
Try using profanity and jumping around….Works for me.
chewyandrw
June 29th, 2011
1:44 pm
I honestly don’t understand how people can be mad at this article. Take a joke folks. It was clever and very well written. If you didn’t chuckle at the Dominique piece and the subsequent picture then get a life. Not everything written has to be so serious and firm. We are in Atlanta people…one of the worst sports cities in the world and one championship to prove it. A little humor won’t kill anyone.
I’d rather have a funny article about the Hawks than a serious (if you could be) about the Dream.
SAL
June 29th, 2011
1:46 pm
I don’t care who buys them, just leave town!!!!
blue_moon
June 29th, 2011
1:48 pm
What about Chick fil-A owner S. Truett Cathy.
blue_moon
June 29th, 2011
1:49 pm
Chick Fil A owner, S. Truett Cathy????
blue_moon
June 29th, 2011
1:50 pm
sorry for the duplication…thought I erased previous comment.
SAL
June 29th, 2011
1:56 pm
Atlanta headlines, ” Seven shootings in one night”. Neil Boortz is right on the money!!!!
decriz
June 29th, 2011
1:59 pm
Mark, please, leave the comedy to the professionals.
To the potential new owner:
You only need to make one move to guarantee wonderful returns on your investment.
Get RICK ADELMAN to coach the Hawks.
Once you do that, you instantly transform this team from an un-achieving, underachieving bunch to REAL CONTENDERS.
And you don’t have to go free agent hunting or trade brewing.
This is already a mega talented bunch in need of veteran, mature (basketball wise) guidance to lead them to the next level.
And Rick Adelman is capable of getting the best out of what’s currently available, at the same time, he applies the best philosophy and system to the talent available.
This is already a great roster of players, both vets and young legs, both small and big men, at all positions. You just need a real, and proven maestro to conduct this team.
Once you make this move, watch your fan following rise, ticket sales rise, merchandise sales rise, air time rise, etcetera etcetera…guaranteed.
Simple move: Hire Rick Adelman.
Remember: when a Rick Adelman becomes available, you don’t sit on the fence and say “let’s see…let’s give our guy another year, let him fulfill his contract..” Next year, he may no longer be available. When a Rick Adelman becomes available, you become DECISIVE. You hire the guy. Because you may never get that chance again. Think of getting Rick Adelman as something like getting Chris Paul or Dwight Howard on your team, but only cheaper. Because that’s the kind of difference maker he is as a coach.
Remember: Invest in the coach or else everything else is useless.
(forgive me folks, this is really just a dream of mine so I keep hoping and hoping it becomes true..hehe)
Najeh Davenpoop
June 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
The Justin Bieber part was funny.
I think Tyler Perry is the most likely candidate to be completely honest. Of course this might mean Marvin has to show up to games dressed like a grandma since he already walks like one.
Frank M from LA
June 29th, 2011
2:03 pm
I am the mystery buyer. But I just gotta take care of a few little things first.
East Point Bob
June 29th, 2011
2:07 pm
All I can say is I hope someone buys this team and MOVES IT ! Seattle or Montreal are prime locations. There is NO NEED for nba basketball in this city.
Move It ASAP Please !!!! But then I have never wasted a dime on the BLACK hawks in my 35 years in Atlanta, But move them anyhow, They are Worthless !
Jamaaliver
June 29th, 2011
2:10 pm
Man, you guys are HARSH.
You all do realize you don’t actually HAVE to read the blogs, right?
jason
June 29th, 2011
2:11 pm
i wish i had never clicked on this story. come on mark. you can write about better stuff than this.
JB
June 29th, 2011
2:12 pm
Mark, How about finding out if these 3 players kicked off the Bama football team today had any criminal activity involved.. and was it covered up……you know, like you do to every Georgia player being late for class.
Mike
June 29th, 2011
2:18 pm
I think that we all want to know who is going to take over for the Hawks. i got a theory, the new owner is a local guy that wants to follow the same model as the Falcons and be the talk of the team.
KevinM
June 29th, 2011
2:39 pm
Mark, you might as well have included Evander in your choices. That guy knows a bad deal when he sees it!
Seriously, isn’t Hooters to color orange as well? Maybe that’s why Outback officials didn’t get a sniff. How much attention would that draw to Hooters’ Philips’ arena?
phil
June 29th, 2011
3:06 pm
Who cares who owns the Hawks…it won’t make a bit of difference.
ASG = JERKS
June 29th, 2011
3:07 pm
Bruce Levinson is a proven liar and fraud. The only person who lies more than he does may be his beotch Don Waddell. Tough call on that one.
litz
June 29th, 2011
3:08 pm
Those of you on the “move ‘em” bandwagon … Hawks = Arena construction bonds … and those won’t be paid off ’til something like 2029 (or some other way far off year). They are not moving, unless someone wants to drop the coin to pay off the bonds — in full — too.
And that’s also not including the $125mil NBA loan used to buy off Belkin. That’s gotta get paid off too.
They aren’t moving. Again for the hearing impaired : they are NOT MOVING.
Just remember, ASG is the same group that denied everything, talked out of both sides of the mouth, and ended up cutting a deal to get rid of the hockey team behind everyone’s backs, while effectively blocking any local interest from possibly buying the team and keeping it here.
Don’t trust a word they way, and pray when the dust settles, none of ‘em are involved in the franchise after the sale is done.
CONservative Johnson
June 29th, 2011
3:09 pm
I’m kind of torn on this blog also; since I do think the local paper should be ashamed that the story was broken by a reporter who lives many miles away from Atlanta . . .
ASG = JERKS
June 29th, 2011
3:15 pm
Bruce Levinson’s favorite line is: The Thrashers are not for sale. He actually slipped and said it in his most recent interview.
Wheres Herman?
June 29th, 2011
3:25 pm
Please vote for me, Herman Cain!! Aka the “The Real McCoy”……A real Georgian..Well I do declare……
The Hawks? Who?
TheAntiMe
June 29th, 2011
3:31 pm
You folks need to give Mr. Bradley a break. He’s trying to keep things going for a woefully understaffed Sports Department for a seriously cheapo Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Covers dixie like the dew? Covers more like a band-aid on Lindsay Lohan’s apparatus. (Not you, Mark, I’m referring to your cheapskate employers.)
Just SHOOT Me
June 29th, 2011
3:39 pm
Reports in the Cherokee Tribune suggest a billionaire by the name of Barry Lavine is buying the team.
my guess would be uga
June 29th, 2011
3:53 pm
they have been buying athletes since before Herschel and vince ‘ i never saw an ncaa rule i wouldnt break’ dooley.
they have the reknowed bagman on their payroll. they have been buying athletes for years. the columbus-carver fiasco is getting ready to blossom into a full blown death penalty scandal. uga will only wish that their problems were about 4 tattoos.
they could buy the hawks and funnel those profits to their aa in order to buy even more sa’s *sic and maybe beat uf in the process.
‘
Dominique Wilkins
June 29th, 2011
4:11 pm
Your articles are normally informative, but this one was a heat check.
No wonder ajc.com’s reader nimbers are down.
jack wagon from mamby pamby land
June 29th, 2011
4:30 pm
Mike (not Michael)
June 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
Lame. A high schooler could have wrote that piece.
And a grammer schooler could have written that sentence!
Bob
June 29th, 2011
4:53 pm
Mark, I thought your article was pretty funny…thanks! With Levenson and the ASG as owners, dosen’t the NBA do due diligence on perspective owners?
Reggie
June 29th, 2011
5:40 pm
Dominique Wilkins
June 29th, 2011
4:11 pm
Your articles are normally informative, but this one was a heat check.
No wonder ajc.com’s reader nimbers are down. That was actually funny, the article itself was pure garbage…i stopped reading after the first few words.
scottbravesfan
June 29th, 2011
6:41 pm
I thought the Hawks moved to Winnipeg?
Anyway Mark Bradley, how about put some pressure on Fredi Gonzalez on his overuse of Jonny Venters? Putting Venters into a game with a 4 run lead is laughable. Is Gonzalez trying to destroy Venters arm?
Watching You
June 29th, 2011
7:10 pm
Mark,
What are you trying to do now, audition for a Jerry Springer type of Hawks beat-writer? Frankly, I’m not amused at your attempt of becoming a comedian at the Hawks expense. Bloggers can get away with this style of writing but as AJC writer, I expected a higher standard. There are so many negative stereotype castings in this article I won’t bother to explain. Would you cover the Falcons or the Braves in this manner, as a big joke? Your constant jabs at the Hawks and undercover bias has not gone unnoticed especially since the Hawks playoff appearances have outperformed both the Braves and the Falcons over the last 3 years. Yes these Hawks needs to improve more to continue reaching championship status but they shouldn’t be given the “Rodney Dangerfield treatment”. At least show some respect. If I were anyone of the persons you singled out in this article, I would be offended and wouldn’t give you the time of day if you ever requested an interview. Your demagoguery tone epitomizes the negative perception of Atlanta as a terrible sports town to outsiders. They read your negative articles and conform what they think they know. Outside writers playback the negative imagines you create in their reporting. You then feed on the negative playback and write negative responses blaming the players for the fiasco.
Since this new comedy angle isn’t working for you either, perhaps you should try keeping your day job which is also becoming questionable
Paddy
June 29th, 2011
7:51 pm
I vote for Bruce Lenenson because he always tells the fans the truth. And I can’t wait to when he announces his next”pick your Thrashers seats” day. Those are always fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go BRUCE
I cut the cheese Uh Huh Uh Huh
June 29th, 2011
8:19 pm
Enter your comments here
Matt the Brave
June 29th, 2011
8:54 pm
Actually laughed at a good bit of this. As for your last point, aside the humor, I think that you may have struck on something. What if Levinson is the mystery buyer? Also, does the open records act apply to any sort of records regarding people involved in buying a team? Might be worth a shot to call up the NBA and ask for a record about the soon-to-be-buyers.
dawg4u
June 29th, 2011
8:55 pm
Mark I enjoyed that column. Just spent some time in Philly believe it or not with an old military family friend and wife. The Philly blogs are unbelievable in that they are very critical of the team in many ways and sports columnists in particular. That would seem normal in any other city except the Phil’s are on pace to win 100 games plus Lee throwing his third straight shutout last night which I had the privilege to watch. Those fans in Philly are definitely passionate but not as negative as I was led to believe. I was surprised that you gave Fredi an A – grade when I got up here but hey he seems to have the pulse of this team in hand and is doing a pretty good job. I would like to see THE TED buy this team again but doubt that would ever happen. Lightning can’t strike twice in the same town right?
We were bamboozled.....
June 29th, 2011
8:56 pm
Maybe whoever this “mystery buyer” can also get us another NHL team, especially since the NHL is still looking for a buyer for the Phoenix Coyotes (The NHL should have gotten their own house in order before allowing any teams to be sold AND relocated.), and the City Of Glendale probably won’t continue to help subsidize the Coyotes’ losses past this upcoming season.
Personally, I really hope that the NBA Lockout ends up like the 2004-05 NHL Lockout and kills the entire 2011-2012 season, as I hope it puts Atlanta Spirit into bankruptcy. Have fun filling those dates the Thrashers would have been playing at home since artists now seem to prefer other venues.
P. Bull Terrier
June 29th, 2011
10:56 pm
If Bruce Levenson says the rumors of a sale are “not true”, I believe him. When has a member of ASG ever lied to us?
Speaking of the Thrashers…
If there were enough Thrashers fans to form a human chain around Philips Arena, they might still be playing their home games there next season.
superiorblogman
June 29th, 2011
11:18 pm
Tyler Perry likes attention and knows the entertainment market.
HawkKingBibby
June 30th, 2011
12:25 am
Mark its pretty eye opening to think that Joe Johnson is basically owed half what the team can sell for.
Jeff
June 30th, 2011
1:33 am
Who? Ted Turner
Why him? He owned the team before and it flourished
Possible complication? It makes too much sense and maybe Ted is tired of the politics of pro sports
Who? Jerry Jones
Why him? He loves the spotlight, loves to win, loves for his team to be relevant. Plus, Mark Cuban already owns the current basketball team in Dallas.
Possible complication? His head would not fit in Philips Arena
Who? Isaiah Thomas
Why him? He thinks he knows everything about basketball… he’s been a player, coach, and GM… why not owner?
Possible complication? He’s a complete Froot Loop in the head
Who? Kasim Reed
Why him? He let one pro team leave Atlanta without a care… maybe he’ll work to actually keep one
Possible complication? How much money can the mayor of Atlanta really make?
Who? The Glazer family
Why them? They seem to like to own things just to own them — Tampa Bay Bucs, English soccer teams, etc.
Possible complication? They have the ownership intelligence of potatoes
Who? Anybody but the Atlanta Spirit
Why? Because ASG is the devil, they already effed over the fans of Atlanta with the Thrashers, and we WON’T let them do that to us again
Possible complication? The law tends to frown upon public executions, which Atlanta’s fans would certainly have once we bought the team and rounded up the ASG guys into Philips Arena before a game against the Clippers… the firing squad at halftime would elicit the loudest cheers of the night!
ASG guys, please sell the team to a real owner, ANYBODY but you, and get the hel out of Atlanta. You’ve ruined our pro sports teams for long enough… go move to a desert island and drink Mai Tais and leave our teams the hel alone!!!
pistol'd pete
June 30th, 2011
4:19 am
get rid of the hawks too. ahh..now the hoops fans get to deal with what we thrasher fans dealt with. trust me, it’s a lot of fun.
NagoyaHawk
June 30th, 2011
4:51 am
Reading the headline & then seeing the picture of the beluga whale, I thought maybe the whale was buying the Hawks. Aren’t they worth more than the GDP of several, smaller European countries?
Anyway, I had a dream the Hawks traded Josh Smith. Then I woke up and thought it was a nightmare. I’m still on the fence about it all.
I just hope they sell the Hawks. What a sorry excuse for “owner” these guys. Really how too much money can make you look stupid. Never should have bought “our” teams. Thank God they are going away.
The Morning After: June 30, 2011 | The Victory Formation
June 30th, 2011
7:01 am
[...] A humorous look at some potential future owners of the Atlanta Hawks. (AJC) [...]
sports fan
June 30th, 2011
7:15 am
you always rip on gearon and levenson, but the truth is they bought a team that had won 13 games the previous year and have built it into a perennial playoff team with more consistent improvement than any team in the league. And the Hawks are by far the most successful sports team in town over that period. I know who the new owner/investor is (if a deal gets done-not a certainty), and you don’t know anything about him, but my guess is you will rip on him, too. too bad.
Jimmy Crack
June 30th, 2011
8:22 am
The only person on the list that would genuinely care about the team is Dominique. Mostly these folks just have money. An alternative would be for Joe Johnson to buy the team and cut himself.
BjohnDawg
June 30th, 2011
8:28 am
The mystery buyer has been identified. Its the City of Atlanta. Since they are broke on their own, they will move some water improvement money, lay off a few more employees and get some stimulus from the federal government to put the financing together.
GoldJacket
June 30th, 2011
9:16 am
Mr.Bradley, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Big Mike
June 30th, 2011
9:20 am
Do they pay you not to think.
Craig
June 30th, 2011
9:25 am
Anyone but Hanoi Jane.
Brendan
June 30th, 2011
10:40 am
Well, I liked the article. I laughed quite a few times. I’d love to see Woodson own this team. After all, he was once quoted as saying, “Records are records. I’m not concerned about our record. We can’t control our record.” That’s just the kind of owner the Thrashers had. Why not let another incompetent run the franchise into the NBA graveyard, then export it to Canada, under NAFTA? Didn’t the Grizzlies once play in Vancouver? Heck, I’d give Vancouver another shot. If for nothing else, they might riot and loot after every loss.
Brendan
June 30th, 2011
10:44 am
C’mon, Folks. Lighten up on Mark Bradley. Obviously, nothing’s happening on this front. And rather than post an article that says, “nothing’s happening. Still in limbo,” we get some humor. People, learn to laugh a little bit. Doctors say that laughing a couple of times each day … actually helps you live longer.
I just hope the Hawks get someone who will CARE for them, and treat the franchise with the due diligence it requires to be viable in the NBA. As opposed to the feckless way the Thrashers were run. I sincerely hope Don Waddell is enjoying his northside mansion home … after all … he managed to squander nine (9) Top 10 overall draft picks while failing to win a playoff game, over the course of a decade. Good thing we didn’t have some “random poster on a blog” running the Thrashers, or we’d have had results … ummn … pretty much the same way!
Nick
June 30th, 2011
11:54 am
Ted Turner
462 JC Camp Student Center
June 30th, 2011
12:38 pm
Dumb column. Waste of my time to read it.
Bad News
June 30th, 2011
2:47 pm
Mark Cuban can you please buy the Braves and bring back the championship teams we were used to.
Ashli
June 30th, 2011
3:59 pm
Lighten up everyone…this is true and funny stuff.
I was especially tickled by the Josh Smith jump shot and Zaza head butting jokes.
THIS TEAM IS A DISASTER! Run Teague and Horford while you still have a chance.
Kevin
June 30th, 2011
8:33 pm
No NBA this year The Players would not be smart so the Lockup starts….Oh some where kids are laughin dogs are barkin But Mighty ASG aka Hawks owners have struck out……Oh please if u show up for the atlanta Nightmares Um Dream where all atlanta thrashers uniforms there n if Hawks ever n NBA get together lets show ASG owners the three stooges of atlanta see Us wear Thrashers uniforms instead Hawks jersey…really Boo Mike Geron Bruce Levinson’s and Belkin so bad there Openin night…I bet if anyone did the ushers n would remove them from there…Say No and say Change u can really take a dump at!
Kevin
June 30th, 2011
8:36 pm
Oh Hawks are on strike ASG is sufferin we hope u now enjoy 84 open dates at Philips arena..and no one shows up either well morons will support the atlanta Nightmares er Dream with7,300 a night..sleepin to maybe Mayor reed will throw out the first hooker too!