Who will go on record against firing of Knight?

[bumpyphish1]

I will. It really shakes me that our owners did this considering how much I care about the Hawks. Sitting and watching our ownership not only fire a good GM but CHOOSE Mike F'ng Woodson is just a really tough pill to swallow.

On a side note, hiring Billy King would be the f'ng icing. This guy is horrible. His stock is up b/c the Sixers made a late run but that was all because of Mo Cheeks. If we add Billy King, I really might cry.

I know there are some other Billy Knight supporters out there and I am curious who all they are...

[Murat]

It really depends who we bring in, but also i am not sure if it matters anymore since the owners make the decisions and not the GM.

[TheTruth]

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It really depends who we bring in, but also i am not sure if it matters anymore since the owners make the decisions and not the GM.

That's the problem...they exercise WAY too much power. They didnt trust BK (especially if those reports about him wanting to fire Woodson, get Calderon, etc were true) and are just a bunch of clueless clowns. BK had to go, and they didnt exactly CHOOSE Woodson. All BK said was that he was not coming back. Was he pushed out? Probably. But the ASG didnt [publicly] come out and say "We will not be renewing a contract with GM Billy Knight." That would have been something different altogether. Anyway, our next choice for GM will be interesting. This new one should really have the power to hire/fire and should also be able to let Woodson walk or retain him if the ASG havent decided on Woody's contract before June.

[DrReality]

I hope it happens, but after hearing Gearon on the radio . . . . . I don't think it's going to happen.

[macdaddy]

I will. Absolutely. Most around here (at least prior to the playoffs) believed that Woody was a bad coach and not directing this team properly. Despite that this team has improved steadily with a team consisting entirely of young players that BK acquired. I'm guessing we have more cap space than any playoff team (?)

BK screwed up some draft picks sure but we are now getting to the point of rebuilding that he has shown aptitude for. We need to sign some players, make a few trades and acquire some players without breaking the bank.

[NJHAWK]

I AM 100% AGAINST IT. There is not a name out there that has been linked to this job that is a better basketball and buisness man than Knight. I am actually a little depressed by him leaving. If we hire Billy bad contract giver King that depression will turn to physcotic rage.

[Packfill]

Billy Knight is not a good GM. There is evidence a-plenty on that, including:

1. The record of the teams under his watch (both Memphis and Atlanta);

2. His track record of hiring terrible coaches;

3. His poor drafting record; and

4. Inability to balance a roster.

[jhay610]

BK should have been gone a long time ago. It was evident he was on the way out when the story broke about him not being able to fire Woodson.

I have never seen a more aloof, condescending, pompous know-it-all in the seat of GM. By nature that job requires some tact and deft handling of the media. BK's dealings of the press were simply to avoid them, or chide anyone with the gall to suggest that he was not all-knowing at his throne as god of basketball.

Taking his personality out of the mix and looking at just his business decisions, he failed at just about every turn. I'm not going to rehash that here as it's been posted ad nausea.

The thing that bothers me is that ownership has pretty much given a public endorsement of Woodson. I hope that the next GM will have the power to hire and fire coaches. The Spirit group needs to hire a good GM and then get out of the way. I can only hope that the reason BK was denied the Woody ouster was because the Spirit had him on his way out, not because they plan to be the meddlesome ownership group.

Bk's legacy: Woody, Marvin, Speedy, Shelden; CP3, Brandon Roy and Andre Iguodala. Thanks for the memories.

[Vol4ever]

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I will. It really shakes me that our owners did this considering how much I care about the Hawks. Sitting and watching our ownership not only fire a good GM but CHOOSE Mike F'ng Woodson is just a really tough pill to swallow.

On a side note, hiring Billy King would be the f'ng icing. This guy is horrible. His stock is up b/c the Sixers made a late run but that was all because of Mo Cheeks. If we add Billy King, I really might cry.

I know there are some other Billy Knight supporters out there and I am curious who all they are...

I won't defend him. How many years did it take to get this team into the playoffs AND just look at his record in the draft and the Speedy signing? I don't know how old you are and if you understand, but he is in the business of competing and just flat out didn't get it done. His philosophy of building the team is really flawed. It will be surprising to see who will hire him.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

I don't think he's a great GM, but I think he's a solid GM and that's what this team is looking for right now... a solid GM to take a solid foundation to the next level. It's a shame that the ASG has pushed him out the door, but it's either him or Woody.. one has to go.

And I don't think you can blame the record on him because he's assembled the talent to win 42 games this year... everyone's amazed at how this team is only a 37 wins team --- well, I think you know who's mostly responsible for that.

[Guest]

From all accounts I have read, BK wasn't fired, he just quit. So I don't know where you are coming up with a thread against his firing, are you against BK being a quitter?

[bumpyphish1]

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"It's a strange day," Smith said. "I don't know what to make of what's going on right now. I do know that I feel for BK. He drafted all of us and watched us all grow the past four years and for him not to be a part of it anymore just doesn't feel right to me."

That is "Smith" as in Josh Smith. Apparently, he is a "BK guy." JJ's comments make it seem like he is a "Woody guy" although JJ didn't exactly give him a ringing endorsement.

[DJlaysitup]

I hope the SOB washes Belkin's car for change.

[DJlaysitup]

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...Bk's legacy: Woody, Marvin, Speedy, Shelden; CP3, Brandon Roy and Andre Iguodala. Thanks for the memories.

and let's add Deron and Deng and Milsap. The man was a - "one man wrecking crew" ...negatively - that is.

and SHELDEN !!!!!!!!!!! what a Goddamn mess! (pardon my cussing)...High pick TOTAL LOSS.

(is BK out of town yet?...does anybody have a gun?)

[Dejay]

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BK should have been gone a long time ago. It was evident he was on the way out when the story broke about him not being able to fire Woodson.

I have never seen a more aloof, condescending, pompous know-it-all in the seat of GM. By nature that job requires some tact and deft handling of the media. BK's dealings of the press were simply to avoid them, or chide anyone with the gall to suggest that he was not all-knowing at his throne as god of basketball......

Bk's legacy: Woody, Marvin, Speedy, Shelden; CP3, Brandon Roy and Andre Iguodala. Thanks for the memories.

The phone lines are now closed; we have a winner!!!

That's been my sermon for three years. I've never, ever, seen a guy do soooo little and think of himself as highly as BK did. It would've been different if he was putting the team in contention every year like Schoerholz did with the Braves but BK could carry that man's left one even if his own life depended on it.

[Admin]

It's totally different in the NBA though. We don't have a farm system and he basically had to start completely from scratch with players and coaches. I don't see any reason to think that we won't be in contention every year going forward for at least the next decade with the talent that we have. BK made a couple of mistakes in the draft (1 massive mistake and 1 pretty big one) and not much in FA (although how much of that was his fault and not the owners?) but other than that did great with trades. He left us in FAR better shape than Babcock did that's for sure.