Ball in Stern's Court(article from Marc Stein)

[Buzzard]

Quote:

---

That is an outside Atlanta viewpoint, and also the ignorant inside Atlanta viewpoint. The 8 owners other than Belkin are very tight, very much in support of GM Billy Knight and Coach Woodson, and have done a lot to reach out to fans. I don't know what is the matter with Belkin. He obviously put on a mask when he joined this group. He was making it look like he was really excited and part of the team. Really I think from day one this guy wanted total control of the basketball side and wanted to be a Sterling type GM, being a Celtics fan at heart. The Washington guys really weren't into basketball, they were into the hockey. Then the lockout came and they had nothing to see but basketball so they got into it and became tight with the Atlanta ppl, into basketball. I think that Belkin went into this deal thinking privately but not disclosing to the other guys that he wanted to control the basketball operations, and since he would have the largest share he would be governor and at the same time express what was in the best interest of the team. He thought the Washington guys wouldn't pay attention to basketball and since they were also from the North like him they might vote in his favor just for grins. He thought as governor and having as much of the team as the Atlanta guys they could be silent partners, or forced to be so because he could count on Washington. His role as governor hasn't been a problem yet he has been powerless all this season, As the Washington and Atlanta groups have consistently outvoted him 2 to 1 on everything. He is a bitch having a hissy fit now. Its all his fault. He is an [censored]!

I don't think the other owners when they voted Belkin in had any idea he would abuse the power as he has. His actions are solely the cause of the embarassment of the team and also the ownership debacle. He violated the principles of the agreement by failing to express the will of the majority of the owners.

---

Outside Atlanta viewpoint and inside Atlanta ignorant viewpoint.

I am sorry man but that just does not hold water, I lived in Atlanta from 1974 to 2001. Outside just is not happening. Ignorant, whatever dude. To say they did not know is making excuses for them and to say they did not know when dealing with a 200 mill or so investment makes them ignorant, not me.

If they get Belkin out of there, good. If Belkin gets them out of there, so be it. I will always follow the Hawks but it does not mean I have to agree with everything ownership does. Especially when it comes to creating a fiasco as stupendously embarrassing as this.

You are right on about this, I do live outside Atlanta now and even people here in Cinci are laughing at us. This is a very sad thing when you take into account 1st, Cinci does not even have a NBA team and 2nd they laugh at us and have a team that up until last year most residents nicknamed them the "Bungals".

I guess in the national media now the Hawks are the NBA's version of the Bengals. So I will be a Hawks fan (ie a fan of the players), but most definetely not a fan of this ownership group until they can show me something that resembles a legitamate NBA management team.