TheNorthCydeRises

Let them accomplish something great first Diesel. Because as great as this season has been so far, an early exit in the playoffs would be completely devastating to the city and the fan base. Now we all don't think that has any possibility of happening, but the playoffs can be cruel sometimes. Let them accomplish something significant first ( like a trip to the EC Finals ), then let's put them on a Mt Rushmore.

Nique thanking everybody. Special thanks for Koonin, saying that everything positive that has happened with the Hawks this year, is partially because of him. Nique also giving heavy praise to Coach Bud. Also thanked the former Hawks players ( or as he called them, Hawk Alumni ). Haha @ Nique saying that he hated Boston, even though he played there one year. Damn . . Hugh Durahm still alive? Just watching this, and listening to the former players and coaches, you see the effect that Nique has had in their lives, and them in his life. Just one of the beloved sports figures in that city, and in the country really. Tremendous speech by Nique.

They were at full strength last night when they beat the Raptors.

The "Celebrating Nique" special on SportSouth is tremendous. For those of you who aren't watching it right now, it will be replayed at 11 PM ( EST ) and again tomorrow at 6 PM before the Cavs game.

I'm fully expecting to see a ton of highlights either featuring Lebron dominating and leading them to victory . . . or clips of Lebron bricking, and showing one or two clips of the Hawks, citing how we won the game. It's what they do. Looking for any kind of validation from a Cavs win is pointless. I simply want them to win to cap off "Nique Week". What a win MIGHT DO though, is kind of ease the thought that their new defensive pieces aren't what they're cracked up to be.

Now that's funny as hell. And Bird can say that and Nique be cool with it.

This is one of Holman's most famous commentary lines, which was said during the 2009 playoffs vs Miami. Coming from Holman, people love this. It's the type of unobjective homerism that is routinely heard on team radio broadcasts. Had Nique said this on TV though, they'd despise him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXds7oOCdTw

What announcer DOESN'T use cliches? I mean, seriously? Cliches are what announcers become known for. Ya'll kill Dominique for doing things that most announcers in sports do. Can you name 5 announcers that DOESN'T use a cliche? And last I checked, a team's home announcers aren't expected to be entirely neutral in calling a game. Nique and Bob slant toward the Hawks, but they'l give the opponents credit as well. So this is awful announcing right here? In the clip below, Nique expresses a growing opinion that the Cavs should actually foul right here, to put the Hawks on the FT line . . . rather than to let someone shoot a 3 to tie or beat you. Cavs were up 3 with 5 seconds ago. If they foul, they put a guy on the line and pretty much force him to make the 1st FT and miss the 2nd, then get a rebound and try to score, in about a 3 second span. Or you can play defense and hope you can prevent a clutch shooter from getting off a good look at a 3. Cleveland decides to play defense, and this is what happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o7jsGusGRk Bob and Nique accurately point out that you can't give JJ that much room to shoot the ball. It wasn't some great in-depth analysis. It was simply telling it like it is. But to you guys, this type of commentary is just so bad, you have to turn the sound down. Well if you guys don't like Nique, don't EVER listen to Holman on the radio. He's not only a huge homer, he'll crack jokes on the Hawks themselves, and get all bent out of shape if calls go against us. AND he uses cliches too.

Nominee for Post of the Year. Excellent commentary man.

Hawks went all out with the statue and the private ceremony for the VIPs. Can't wait to see the statue at Philips. Congrats to the ICON of Atlanta sports. You deserve it man.

Well damn. I wish I would've known about Ballstreams before the season started.

Also . . . the best PG that Joe ever played with, was the playoff version of Jeff Teague back in 2011, when they pushed the Bulls to 6 games. For most of JJ's tenure in Atlanta, HE was the point guard. HE was the guy who had to be Lebron James lite, because there were no other playmakers on the team. Bibby did it for one year, then basically became a small shooting guard. As for JJ and his not caring for the fans comment, I have that youtube clip bookmarked, for every time some one wants to bring it up. Here is the quote in its full context. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u01z0bbfPXg

That was the only time in my life that I ever cheered against the Hawks. That game was electric and surreal at the same time. The crowd naturally was cheering for the Hawks for most of the game, but every time Nique scored, he'd get a huge ovation. So when the game came down to the wire, everyone was kind of hoping that he'd pull it out . . and he did.

He was never just flat out disrespectful toward Jordan. The most he would say that he took a bad shot or that he was trying to do to much. Nique wasn't talking Stacy King type smack toward Jordan or singing songs like Austin Carr does. He simply refused to give Jordan any compliments.

Yes sir. And I would give you a "like", but it seems as if I've reached my quota on positive votes. Didn't know we had a quota on here. I think I have given out about 10 likes today though.

Dominique being classy yet again, even when he doesn't even have to. And he's right.

I didn't say he was the only Hawk worth media attention. I'm saying that he's the only Hawk that ever gets it. Nobody calls Dikembe to talk about his days as a Hawk, because he's been all over the place. The same goes for Steve Smith, although Smitty being on NBA TV does help us have somewhat of a knowledgeable voice about the franchise and the team. Other than that, who is the national media talking to, in relation to the Hawks? Kevin Willis? Mookie is in jail, so they can't talk to him. Josh Childress? Even with this year's team, you've seen sporadic interviews with Horford at times, but that's really it. I care about the current team AND the greatness of Nique. I can separate the two and appreciate them both equally.

Joe spent 7 years here. Longer than guys like Steve Smith and Dikembe Mutumbo. How was he not a "real Hawk"? He made 5 All-Star games as a Hawk.

Joe is playing about 1/3 of his minutes at the 4 these days. Hollins is trying every single possible lineup he can think of to get the Nets in the playoffs. So maybe an old man JJ can be a stretch 3/4 that stands in the corner, and defends guys who do the same thing. He can guard a guy like Trevor Ariza. And my votes go to JJ and Zaza. And I agree that Zaza will win this.

Hilarious. Korver is shooting 32% from three since the All-Star break. Pero would kill to shoot 32% these days.

Yeah those cheap tickets are a thing of the past. Cheapest ticket for Friday's game on Stubhub, is $103 . . in the 300 section. People in the city are now making the Hawks their #1 entertainment option. That's a good thing for the team. A bad thing for economical fans. It simply means that more money needs to be saved up to attend games.

LOL . . . Oh wow. I know Teague is happy now. He gets to bring the ball up the court, instead of waiting to receive the ball after Josh can't take it all the way to the basket. If they'd ask Horford about Josh's booing, I'm sure his answer would be more diplomatic. But look at Jeff, just telling it like it is. Proud of you man.

You'll never see Nique actually gloat and be disrespectful toward the opponent like that either. He'll express his opinion on a situation. But the disrespect, you won't see it. Even with Josh, he tempered his emotions at times when he could've flat out trolled Josh.

He didn't have to come back to the Hawks at all. And it was Gearon who brought him back. Hate that dude all you want, but Gearon is the ONLY reason why Nique is even affiliated with the Hawks. My feelings on this is that you do NOT disrespect a franchise ICON, simply because he mispronounces words or doesn't see eye to eye with The Great Exiled One. A lot of times, that dude represents the ONLY tangible link we have on the national NBA stage. More radio announcers ask to do interviews with that guy, than any current player on the Hawks. And he ALWAYS speaks highly of the franchise. People not affiliated with the Hawks or are non-Hawks fans, have a lot more respect and admiration for that dude, than some in this fan base. All of you are entitled to your own opinions about Dominique, but I just think it's sad that he doesn't get the respect he deserves. Even Boston fans will defend the over the top homerism of Heinsohn. They love that dude through thick and thin. Can't say the same thing about Hawks fans and Dominique.

Here are some of the announcers around the league Austin Carr . . . Cleveland Cavaliers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz4j0epMXuo Stacy King . . . Chicago Bulls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRAp00SxP30 Tommy Heinsohn . . . Boston Celtics . . a 2012 game vs the Hawks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GryTCp-jk2A