So, you say you'd like to coach the Hawks, huh?
After Saturday's exhibition - and it resembled exhibition basketball more than playoff basketball - it's pretty easy to start the office pool on when things to shaking out, and it'll likely begin with Mike Woodson getting a pink slip.
I tend to counter knee-jerk reactions when it comes to changes and firings and hirings, but damn. You lose at home by 30? After you played well on the road for three quarters, which should have indicated that you are competitive with a championship-caliber team? And at home, where you were 34-7?
I've never bought that players on a pro level are ever really playing for their coach's contract or survival. Pro athletes just don't care about such things much, though they are expected to at least look like they're trying hard.
But there is a certain level of unacceptability, and Saturday may have passed that level.
Woodson has caught hell each year despite the organization being a mess and moving forward nevertheless. The Hawks have won more games each year under Woodson than the year before, from 13 to 26 to 30 to 37 to 47 to 53.
That's normally very easy to defend. And it's very debatable how much talent the Hawks have, let alone how many winners. Woodson doesn't sign players and overpay them.
But it sure looks like things will be a-changing.
Joe Johnson is gone, and not for nearly as much money as we thought he might be worth.
If I was a fan, I'd sure be done with him after his pouty "could care less" if his paycheck-makers show up. That's a punk, loser attitude, and I damn sure wouldn't want to pay big money for that.
Meaning, of course, he'll be in Atlanta, courtesy of the Spirit.
Johnson used to be easy to defend, in terms of keeping him, and hard to defend on the floor. That's reversed, especially in the postseason.
How are you today, Mr. March?
Johnson is making $15 million this season, and let's be honest, NBA players make the money by improving a team. Johnson may have reached that ceiling in Atlanta.
The simpletons in charge of the Hawks need to lock Al Horford down now until retirement do they part, and open some trades and see what passes by and improve the chemistry and work ethic of this team while figuring out who can take the Hawks to the next postseason step.
Because this postseason step is a massive stumble.
LOUGHDMOUTHINGS
Jamie Moyer is 47. Almost no-hit the Braves.
Pirates announcer Steve Blass has started throwing again in hopes of getting a short contract for the Braves' visit to Pittsburgh next weekend. ...
NBA websites are brutal. Sought Hawks' regular-season stats, only has playoffs. Hard to find a regular-season link anywhere. Clicked on one, it had a javascript prompt that said 'do nothing.' It did not send me to the Hawks’ page.
It's just stupid, and has been for years. ...
Fernando Valenzuela has start dieting in preparation for starting to work out and get a contract for the Braves' visit to L.A. next month. ...
Actually, the templated and overdone sites of all the pro leagues are pretty crappy. Designed by people-hating people. ...
Never one to over-hype - somebody has to stay lucid - but man, Al Horford is absolute gold. Might be the best pro athlete in Atlanta, in terms of quality of play and integrity of play. He's been a stud since Day 1 and is an adult and professional despite being in only his second season. ...
Steve Carlton got in a little bullpen work over the weekend and should be primed to take the hill when Atlanta returns to Philadelphia the week before the All-Star break. ...
It's 71 degrees in almost the middle of May. Let us join hands in prayer thanks and of hope. ...
How bad are things in Atlanta? Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel hears it and sees it.
"In the playoff-opening series, the Magic turned the Bobcats into Bobkittens and now they are turning the Hawks into chickens. If a surgeon were to perform an autopsy on the Hawks after this series is over, he would shockingly find a peach pit where their heart should be."
Ouch.
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