There is simply too much work to be done this off season to have another lackluster off-season. Rick Sund was like plugging a tire for the Atlanta Hawks franchise, but he can make this tire brand new with the off-season decisions this year.
We have the assets and we have the players, but I believed this past season was the ceiling for the team we have currently. Change is needed and we need a change of heart.
When the Hawks have made changes, they were ho hum. Obviously Craig (I dare not call him Speedy) Claxton is not what I had in mind when it came to a big off-season addition. Drafting the Williamses (Shelden and Marvin) were also lifeless acquisitions. Mike Woodson's appointment to coach, atrocious. We can talk about what Billy Knight has done to harm this franchise. But Knight did not leave us in a bad situation. We can right those wrongs. Its up to upper management to do so.
With that being said, the change has to come within. The Atlanta Spirit must come together on some things and not be selfish. Its already bad enough that there are six people with majority ownership. All of them have ego problems just because of who they are. So when it comes to differences, they do not want to compromise. Hence the situation, regarding the Joe Johnson acquisition, that had one of the owners in court.
We cannot be cheap but we can just throw money at people and assume that is the answer. I don't have a problem with keeping Mike Bibby but it has to be at the right price. We would also have to get the eventual replacement. At pick 19, I like two point guards. Eric Maynor and Ty Lawson are solid picks at that place in the draft. Me personally I would like something more sure fire.
Trading the pick to someone else is an option. A package deal is also an option.
We have the options this off-season to make this a better situation in Atlanta but we cannot sit still. While others are making the necessary changes to improve, we can not give the impression that we will return to the playoffs doing what we did last season.
This draft is rich with point guards, there is a but to selecting a point guard where we are right now.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
My Fanhood
Ok, ok. Let it be known that I have teams. I ride or die with the home teams, which would be Georgia as a whole. (And I have been dead for quite some time) College and professional, you name it, I support it.
You can ask anyone I know or don't know that I have been a Lakeshow fan since 1996. That's when Shaq and Kobe joined forces. I mean Showtime was cool in the 80s and early 90s but I was simply stuck on the Jordan affect. It was solidified with the first appearance in the finals against that same Showtime Lakers team. (Championship number one)
Who wasn't a Bulls fan? Everyone secretly is or was at one point in time. If not, it was a certain level of respect that people had for Chicago. Why? Because of Jordan and MJ is the reason why people today are always looking for the next Jordan.
I was 5 when I first started paying attention to the game of basketball. It was instilled into everyone, from the NBA, during that time period that you should "be like Mike". Let it be known that I still like the Bulls. That probably will not end.
I detest Boston as a whole! I despise the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox! New York too! Knicks, Giants, Mets and those damn Yankees! But I still respect those teams. The thing about me is I'm a sports fan, I'm a realist. Those teams do things necessary to win even though I will give my opinions on those teams.
I may pick a team to win at the beginning of their respective seasons. Hence, I may pull for that particular team. I like the Tar Heels for Men's basketball. They were my favorite to win it all this past season, and I am a fan. I had a friend of mine pick Kansas the year before last and that is simply not my college to follow, but I agreed. I want to be right when it comes to who will be the champion so I can simply say, "I told you so." "I know what I'm talking about." 99.9% of the time I will tell someone, initially, that a team will win barring any significant changes. (i.e. injuries, trades, etc.)
People, people, people. Don't judge Kobe on his past. You may think you are on top of your game right now, but your day of reckoning will come. You will reap what you so and what comes around goes around. Your past is not perfect and neither is Kobe's. We can only try to correct it and I think he is definitely headed in the right direction. Championship number four and Finals MVP number 1 as of June 14, 2009.
Harp on that, and with that,
Gone!
Trill I Am
You can ask anyone I know or don't know that I have been a Lakeshow fan since 1996. That's when Shaq and Kobe joined forces. I mean Showtime was cool in the 80s and early 90s but I was simply stuck on the Jordan affect. It was solidified with the first appearance in the finals against that same Showtime Lakers team. (Championship number one)
Who wasn't a Bulls fan? Everyone secretly is or was at one point in time. If not, it was a certain level of respect that people had for Chicago. Why? Because of Jordan and MJ is the reason why people today are always looking for the next Jordan.
I was 5 when I first started paying attention to the game of basketball. It was instilled into everyone, from the NBA, during that time period that you should "be like Mike". Let it be known that I still like the Bulls. That probably will not end.
I detest Boston as a whole! I despise the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox! New York too! Knicks, Giants, Mets and those damn Yankees! But I still respect those teams. The thing about me is I'm a sports fan, I'm a realist. Those teams do things necessary to win even though I will give my opinions on those teams.
I may pick a team to win at the beginning of their respective seasons. Hence, I may pull for that particular team. I like the Tar Heels for Men's basketball. They were my favorite to win it all this past season, and I am a fan. I had a friend of mine pick Kansas the year before last and that is simply not my college to follow, but I agreed. I want to be right when it comes to who will be the champion so I can simply say, "I told you so." "I know what I'm talking about." 99.9% of the time I will tell someone, initially, that a team will win barring any significant changes. (i.e. injuries, trades, etc.)
People, people, people. Don't judge Kobe on his past. You may think you are on top of your game right now, but your day of reckoning will come. You will reap what you so and what comes around goes around. Your past is not perfect and neither is Kobe's. We can only try to correct it and I think he is definitely headed in the right direction. Championship number four and Finals MVP number 1 as of June 14, 2009.
Harp on that, and with that,
Gone!
Trill I Am
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
This Officiating is Offensive
Last night was the epitome of the postseason when it comes to the officiating. Why does it have to be this way. Consistency seems to be a forgotten art in this industry. Another thing that has me puzzled is the drama that it creates. I want justice and we are not getting a fair opportunity for just that.
One player in particular yesterday had the best game that I have seen him play in the playoffs. Jordan Farmer has been terrible with the time he has received this year, but was a much needed spark off the bench with his production last night. He was the main reason there wasn't a Shannon Brown citing.
It is a move (jump stop) that has become popular for the last decade-and-some-change now and the league has just started to pick up on it recently. But just think if LeBron (golden boy) gets called for the travel on any jump-stop that he does. He would lead the league in turnovers easily. The officals have only called travel on that move (infamous crab dribble) once on "The King."
Another instance was when Mickeal Pietrus had a brake-away after a turnover in the second period. Farmer fouled him to prevent the dunk around the three-point line right in front of Joey Crawford. There was no whistle and the crowd was uphoric. Farmer did plead his case to Crawford saying that he did commit the foul but to no avail.
Here's the inconsistency. On two occasions earlier in that period, touch fouls were called against the Lakers only. How can you swallow the whistle when the play is right in front of you?
Consistency is the key here. Please do not play both sides of the fence when we are talking about the championship being at stake Refs.
Trill I Am
One player in particular yesterday had the best game that I have seen him play in the playoffs. Jordan Farmer has been terrible with the time he has received this year, but was a much needed spark off the bench with his production last night. He was the main reason there wasn't a Shannon Brown citing.
It is a move (jump stop) that has become popular for the last decade-and-some-change now and the league has just started to pick up on it recently. But just think if LeBron (golden boy) gets called for the travel on any jump-stop that he does. He would lead the league in turnovers easily. The officals have only called travel on that move (infamous crab dribble) once on "The King."
Another instance was when Mickeal Pietrus had a brake-away after a turnover in the second period. Farmer fouled him to prevent the dunk around the three-point line right in front of Joey Crawford. There was no whistle and the crowd was uphoric. Farmer did plead his case to Crawford saying that he did commit the foul but to no avail.
Here's the inconsistency. On two occasions earlier in that period, touch fouls were called against the Lakers only. How can you swallow the whistle when the play is right in front of you?
Consistency is the key here. Please do not play both sides of the fence when we are talking about the championship being at stake Refs.
Trill I Am
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