Here's the letter I am sending to the ownership

[Johnnybravo4]

You should just change your named to castrated fan. Because that is exactly how you sound, apathetic and nutless.

[Sothron]

Trying to insult me doesn't change reality. I HATE Billy Knight and I HATE Mike Woodson and that will do JACK [censored] in seeing them gone from this team. The owners are NOT going to make those kind of changes until the legal battles are over. I really don't see how you can't understand that.

But hey, flaming other people on the internet must sooth your shattered ego somehow. So keep insulting me. You can start with my ugly e-mom or my small e-wenis if you want. My e-feelings will be appropriately insulted.

[Guest Walter]

CrawDaddy, the same events surrounding Belkin and the trade for JJ that further united ownership, BK, and Woody may make needed change all but impossible. Furthermore our ownership circumstances and our "leggo my ego" GM may dissuade a real coach from joining us (Not that there isn't such an appropriate, willing individual but would BK conceed any of the power necessary to convince a proven coach or if the individual were in the assistant coaching ranks would you have any hope BK could and would choose them after the likes of Lowe and Woodson?).

I'm almost convinced this ownership is so tethered to BK after the fiascos of the past two years that they'll go down with him. While Woody is a little more expendable to them, BK's absolutely needs the cover he provides him.

I agree Woody is a nice guy. The team plays hard for him. I think part of that is because BK hasn't much sacrificed character (save Salim) in his draft selections (though I can't recall any instances where he could have had to). We have motivated individuals with good character. Unfortunately, Woody is not head coaching material. I have asked the question many a time: How many games has Woody won for us? Too date I do not think his tenure here has held us back a significant amount as the team was so young it would develop just by getting its collective hands on a basketball. The team needs a more sophisticated in and out of game coach if it is to take the next step. One where the coach costs us fewer games and steals us more.

Hope the letter has its intended effect.

W

[DJlaysitup]

Quote:

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Perhaps what we are seeing is a mix of bad coaching and just young players without an established roll.

I don't get to catch many Hawks games but I do see a bunch of King's games. Adelman was a good coach who lost his job because he couldn't win the big series. Yes he can take some blame but at the end of the day the players have to do their part. I can clearly recall when they got Artest and the man spent half the game going one on one turning the ball over or wasting the shotclock. In this scenario the team was still figuring out what Artest's roll should be.

Fast forward to the Hawks and we have Woodson's terrible substitution patterns mixed in with young players still figuring out their roles. Who is the second scorer after JJ? Marvin? If that is the case why was Woodson on his ass for taking a shot at the end of the Bull's game? Then you have Josh who some nights fills up the stat sheets and other nights steals minutes.

Perhaps JJ is basically saying that the Hawk's don't yet have an identity to fall back on to close games. From Woodson's press conference I got the feeling he is just as annoyed with the fact that his coaching is not translating to the end of games. We've never heard the players say they were not prepared. All we've heard from them is they don't know what to expect out of themselves and have a pattern of not closing out games.

Blame both I say.

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Good (and well thought out) post CHORO - it demonstrates exactly why you can't have a young "learning" team together with a young "learning" coach. It is a recipe for disaster.

...and if not total disaster (like the Utah game)...it at least is unfair to young talented guys who need to learn how to play at the top level...and is a pain for us fans who want to see them excel.

[bonethugz]

Quote:

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Great letter, I agree...Woodson is horrible. But he's going nowhere until the ownership situation is settled. Just accept it and try to support the team.

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same here.

[Wretch]

Obviously, it is the players on the court who are responsible for winning or losing the game. It is through their efforts and ability that they make plays, make shots, and get stops.

But that's every team.

The reason why other teams are taking advantage of the inexperience our young guys (and beating us consistently) is because our coach is creating just as much opportunity for the opposition.