AJC Article on Marvin

[mrhonline]

Let's treat Josh Smith's comments with the same scrutiny as you guys have Marvin's, just to even things out:

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But as the Hawks' 2006-07 season wound down Smith realized that he needed a break.

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What! He needed a break! Shame on him.

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My dad has come out here and been here for a week at a time, just see how I'm doing, work out with me a little bit and even cook a little.

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How can he have time for his father? He's a professional. He should tell his father that he'll see him in 15 years.

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I wanted to be more consistent on my jump shot and my handle

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What! You're not working on your post-up game?

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You don't want to start working out too early or too late because you don't want to come back to training camp out of shape.

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What! You didn't workout hard the moment the off-season began?

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I just wanted to get that individual attention

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How selfish of you, Josh.

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I'm at 235 [pounds] right now and I was like 245 or 240 part of last year

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What! He's LOST weight? Isn't he on a weight-lifting program?

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I'm coming into training camp not worried about anything.

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Oh, that CAN'T be a good thing.

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Now, do I really have to do this with poor Zaza's English to make my point?

Let the season speak for itself.

[drzachary]

Well-said, MrH. More than anything, your post illustrates how ANYTHING can be interpreted to serve a pre-existing agenda. We saw this with the "Spongebob" nonsense a few years back.

[TroyMcClure]

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Marvin's job ended in April. I'm a teacher, and although my job is 1,000,000x more important than Marvin's, I don't work in the summers, either. It's not a complicated idea.

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Is this the kind of enlightened arguments you make to your classes?

Almost every teacher I came across was a hack who opened a book and told you the answer, eschewing teaching you comprehensive thought and critical thinking, for the easy way out of every situation. Maybe you should work in the summer, given the standardized test scores I see. I know kids are getting dumber. You may be the best teacher in the world. Statistics would say that most of your peers are not. Do they deserve 3 months off? For what?

On to Marvin. If you don't understand what leaving college for a job in the real world requires you to do, I really can't help you on this one. Where is the priority? He's being paid millions. We suck as a basketball team. He is a professional player now. Not a college student. It's not a complicated idea. Why does he need a degree? For his own ego? Funny he doesn't have that ego on the court. If he just gave his money to a reputable investment firm, he could do whatever the f he wanted down the road. Truth is, every second he is thinking about something other than basketball, he is shortchanging his employers.

I would not care if we were winning, but we're not... and Marvin sill has no post game. From what I hear, Smoove has been going to post school. Let's see who had the better summer.

[TexasPete]

Your making far too much sense for the Diesel's of the world. His agenda against all things Marvin never sleeps or takes a day off.

As far as following Diesel around on weekends, you wouldn't have to wait till the weekend at all. You could just follow him everyday and you would laugh that he questions somebody elses work ethic. It takes time and energy just to spew out his anti-Marvin garbage on here, too much time to fit in an honest days work.

People railing against Marvin already is just stupid. Diesel already has him dead and buried in year 3. He implies in his post that Marvin's comments already have Year 3 as a bust. Diesel has already declared Marvin's Year 3 as a bust. And in his mind it will be regardless of what happens.

Were all going to have to stomach a lot more years of Diesel's Marvin garbage because neither is going anywhere. Thats real exciting for all reasonable posting people on this board. The dude just never gives it a rest.

BTW, shame on Marvin for getting his degree. What a lousy guy. Millionaires should never better themselves by bothering to educate themselves. What is he thinking?

[TroyMcClure]

Funny. I don't have an agenda. I like Marvin. Facts are facts, though. We suck. He has no post game. Going to school will not help that. This in turn, does not benefit the organization for which he is employed in any relevant, tangible way.

Diesel obviously dislikes Marvin. This doesn't make what he or I have said untrue. I think he could flourish under a different coach. Having said that... he doesn't really want it. He obviously wants other things(school). We'll see, though.

You've went out on a huge limb for this kid, TP. For what? What has he done for us. You are a huge Hawks fan, and I question you in no way there. But is it possible you are looking at this more from a Marvin's personal career type of angle here than a Hawks wins and losses angle. I like his game, too. But again, where is the priority? We suck. He has no post game and going to school, which isn't easy on the brain, is not going to fix it. As a well paid athlete he should be living basketball, every moment. Unless Marvin absolutely blows up, which I'm hoping he does, this diversion is unwarranted. Speaking strictly as a fan. I feel he is shortchanging me while enjoying a comfortable lifestyle at my and certainly your expense. He thinks he's already earned his contract. He can ge his degree in ten years, or when he gives us a winning record... which may be in ten years! His first priority should be the organization and his role in it.

He has no post game, TP. Honestly, do you believe we are better served with him going to school as opposed to the court? This is a W/L industry. Right now, he's a loser. Part of that is the Hawks, part of that is him. Will going to school change that? I don't think so. I hope it does.

[exodus]

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I would love to follow you around on weekends Diesel,

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I did that one time and took this picture of Diesel going outside and getting some fresh air.

However he does have a point in that this year it is time for Marvin to produce. No more waiting on his potential.

[chillzatl]

The article makes two mentions of him getting his degree, but at least four mentions of him working out (not just lifting weights) and "some people" stretch that out to mean he's not interested in getting better and he's just going to class, ho hum.. lets worry about basketball later...

Some here THINK they know what Josh Smith did the entire off season, and they assume is was something far more "basketball serious" than what Marvin was doing. I know what Josh did for most of the off season and I can assure you he wasn't working out every day of the week. If I wanted to I could just as easily say that he was slagging off and isn't serious about the NBA, but just as I do for Marvin, I know better.

The lengths some will go to to feed an agenda and the extent that others will let themselves be influenced by that agenda is amazing to me.

[TexasPete]

I've gone out on a limb? How? What you should be saying is that I have refused to rip a just turned 21 year old kid a new A-hole at every turn like some of you.

Listen up...I'm not high, nor low, on Marvin Williams. My opinion is that he will likley (not certainly) be a very solid NBA player for many years. That brings me out on a limb?

So, you honestly believe that it's better to just keep ripping away at a kid who was just 20 years old last year? That makes more sense than my position?

Look, I've read enough Diesel crap to know he is more cartoon than anything else. So, I never take his posts seriously on any topic. It's more for amusement.

But, if ripping a young guy with upside who will be 21 makes you feel good then do it. You can be on Diesel's side of the aisle. Sorry, it just doesn't seem like a logical approach. Now, were on here saying that Marvin needs to be working on his post game instead of getting his degree. My guess is that he has worked hard on his game and isn't just sitting in a dorm room.

There is far too much hysteria with Marvin. Diesel can take any article on Marvin and turn it upside down, he lives for it. Why anyone would follow his lead is a little off the wall.

[OGRat]

Funny how we chew on a few statements in an article and think we know everything going on. I am sure a lot was not mentioned in the article.

I am not thinking Mavin abandoned b-ball for his education this Summer, but I am dissapointed that his statements do not reflect a clear understanding of the holes in his game. He probably did things all Summer to improve his game, but his statements do not reflect the same type of focus Smoove used in his approach.

Maybe he wanted to give his body time to recoop. Maybe he did things not mentioned in the article. Maybe weight-training was the plan for the first part of the season. Maybe he thinks that all he needs to be a dominant player is to let his hand heal completely.

I won't judge the approach until I see him play, but I hope that he did more than he conveyed in his statements. I hope that, in whatever he was thinking and planning, he factored in that this year he has to "show up" and play up to the potential he was drafted on.

[OGRat]

I believe that a player needs to be well rounded to have a successful life. Do you know if Smoove has been taking college classes somewhere? I hope he too is thinking beyond the game. While college is not necessary, it helps.

[gsuteke]

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This is pure BS.

Marvin gets paid Millions of dollars and was picked 2nd overall to be a basketball player. However, by his own admission, he put being a student ahead of basketball for most of the offseason. There's no hunger in him. This is why he sucks.

Zone03... This is why people like Smoove and not like Marvin. Becuase when you see Smoove, Smoove is working out with Calvin Murphy and Hakeem because he wants to be the best player he can be. When you see Marvin, he's goign to class and not doing basketball related stuff at all until somebody lights a fire underneath him.

That sucks.

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and that is pure BS as well.

let's talk about lifestyle choices.

It's great Josh Smith went to Houston to work on his basketball game. It would have been even better if Josh Smith worked on his basketball game this summer while also working on becoming a better person, i.e. continuing his education. That's assuming Josh Smith ever started one.

Josh Smith is immature. Josh Smith makes bad decisions as we have all seen, especially last year. That sucks.

[chillzatl]

The article mentioned him going to school twice and mentioned him working out (not just lifting weights) at least four times... it's funny how that gets twisted as if he's only been lifting weights and going to school ALL OFF SEASON. Summer school is six weeks.. Do people really think that EVERY PLAYER doesn't take that long or longer completely away from the game in the off-season? I know for a fact that most all of them do.

The article wasn't supposed to be 100% basketball, as the title and sub-title clearly suggest. So why would anyone base the notion that he's not been working out on a short article designed to cover a range of topics?

I could understand it if it were a 100% basketball article in which Marvin said "Well, I didn't work out at all this off-season because I was getting my degree, but I did lift a bunch of weights.", but it's quite obvious that wasn't the case.

[chillzatl]

I could find out for sure but I don't think that he is. I do know that he didn't spend every week working on his game though.. he did lots of "fun" things that didn't involve basketball in the least.

[West]

This guy hasn't even picked a major yet.. so he isn't even focused on the school aspect either.

[AHF]

I don't get worked up into a lather over anything in this article but I am a little dissappointed not to hear more ambition in his communications to the press. He sounds very content to continue along his current path. I would love to hear him say that he is ready to be a leader on this team and is doing everything he can to take his game to the next level this year. Even if he is doing exactly what he did at UNC (which I am sure was a lot of playing with UNC alums), I want to hear more from him from a PR perspective. The proof will be in the pudding regardless of what is said in an article, though. If he is ready to be a beast next year and pound the boards, assert himself, etc. then it is all good. If not...

[HawksFan87]

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This is pure BS.

Marvin gets paid Millions of dollars and was picked 2nd overall to be a basketball player. However, by his own admission, he put being a student ahead of basketball for most of the offseason. There's no hunger in him. This is why he sucks.

Zone03... This is why people like Smoove and not like Marvin. Becuase when you see Smoove, Smoove is working out with Calvin Murphy and Hakeem because he wants to be the best player he can be. When you see Marvin, he's goign to class and not doing basketball related stuff at all until somebody lights a fire underneath him.

That sucks.

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and that is pure BS as well.

let's talk about lifestyle choices.

It's great Josh Smith went to Houston to work on his basketball game. It would have been even better if Josh Smith worked on his basketball game this summer while also working on becoming a better person, i.e. continuing his education. That's assuming Josh Smith ever started one.

Josh Smith is immature. Josh Smith makes bad decisions as we have all seen, especially last year. That sucks.

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So what do you say about Marvin,Shelden,and Salim who have all had problems with the coach.... They are also immature not just Smoove...

Oh and Josh Smith was one of the top students in his class so if you're trying to say he's dumb then you are wrong..

Marvin has the potential to be one of the best players in the league, I didn't think much of the article. With Marvin it's like as a Hawks fan I want him to succeed but no more excuses for him. If he doesn't step it up this year. The Hawks needs to think twice about who they will and won't keep..

[AtLaS]

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But as the Hawks' 2006-07 season wound down Smith realized that he needed a break.

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What! He needed a break! Shame on him.

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I agree with someone taking a break, but I don't like what Marvin said, "It wasn't until later in the summer that the coach told me specific things to work on."

What?!? The season ended in APRIL, and it wasn't until LATER in the summer that he worked on specific things? That's like 4 months, WAY too long IMO. Marvin has TONS of specific things to work on, as does just about everyone else on this team. Playing in pickup games and scrimmages with UNC alumni doesn't HONE specific aspects of your game. Getting by yourself in the gym and doing drills and specific workouts do that.

Whatever, hopefully Marvin proves me wrong, but I just don't like the way he came off in that interview.

[gsuteke]

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This is pure BS.

Marvin gets paid Millions of dollars and was picked 2nd overall to be a basketball player. However, by his own admission, he put being a student ahead of basketball for most of the offseason. There's no hunger in him. This is why he sucks.

Zone03... This is why people like Smoove and not like Marvin. Becuase when you see Smoove, Smoove is working out with Calvin Murphy and Hakeem because he wants to be the best player he can be. When you see Marvin, he's goign to class and not doing basketball related stuff at all until somebody lights a fire underneath him.

That sucks.

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and that is pure BS as well.

let's talk about lifestyle choices.

It's great Josh Smith went to Houston to work on his basketball game. It would have been even better if Josh Smith worked on his basketball game this summer while also working on becoming a better person, i.e. continuing his education. That's assuming Josh Smith ever started one.

Josh Smith is immature. Josh Smith makes bad decisions as we have all seen, especially last year. That sucks.

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So what do you say about Marvin,Shelden,and Salim who have all had problems with the coach.... They are also immature not just Smoove...

Oh and Josh Smith was one of the top students in his class so if you're trying to say he's dumb then you are wrong..

Marvin has the potential to be one of the best players in the league, I didn't think much of the article. With Marvin it's like as a Hawks fan I want him to succeed but no more excuses for him. If he doesn't step it up this year. The Hawks needs to think twice about who they will and won't keep..

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comparing Marvin to Roddy White and Michael Jenkins is a stretch. that being said, there comes a point in time where you need to cut bait and move on. The Falcons are very close to being there and the Hawks are next.

If Marvin doesn't play better this year look for heads to roll in the following order

2007 Mike Woodson

2008 Billy Knight and Marvin Williams

I believe Marvin's deal runs two more years.

and btw I'm glad to hear if it is indeed true that Josh Smith was a good student in High School.

Anyone who thinks he's out in Houston though for any reason other than to play this season for a contract is mistaken.

It's Josh Smith's contract year so Josh is taking care of Josh.

[jerrywest]

2 reasons for coming to camp:

1. Peer pressure.

2. Disappointing seasons.

Now, if he didn't have peer pressure he could have more fun in the summer, I guess.

If he had an average season, I guess, he didn't have to do extra work in the summer.

Love that killer instinct. Talent can only take you so far.

Look at the reason for his degree. He is doing it as a backup for "if things don't work out in the nba".

Smart, safe kid. Not a leader. Not a big winner. Nothing special. This interview very clearly showed how Marvin's mind works.

[AtLaS]

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second-guessing a guy for focusing on getting a college education in the off-season is silly to me.

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Because he is paid to be a basketball player. If you were hired at a firm to sell computers, do you think your firm would appreciate it if you were taking time to learn an entire different profession? And if your performance was suffering from it? No.

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Plus, he says he's been lifting weights, which is something people on here constantly say he needs to do. Do you really think he's not been playing basketball with Sean May & Co. in and out of Chapel Hill all summer long?

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Just like I said in the other quote, playing in scrimmages does not HONE specific aspects that need to be improved. EVERYONE lifts weights, so everyone will be stronger, it's what you do after that that gets players to turn the corner.

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For all of Marvin's hard work in the summer league, it was wasted because of his injury.

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That is just horribly untrue. Completely WASTED? An entire season because of a hand injury? Smith, Childress, JJ all suffered injuries last year and still played OK when they received PT. There are TONS of players in the league who get hurt and still perform once they get up to shape.