Inside_Man

There's a bunch of stuph goin on here, and the blame can't be laid at marketing - look - we had a booming economy that pushed the stock market and players salaries to the stratospere. Ticket prices followed, making corporations and wealthy stock holders the vast majority of season ticket holders. The average family is out of the mix. The nasdaq index has lost 72% - corporations and wealthy stock holders aren't going to buy more tickets if the Hawks have better marketing. Just as nasdaq has lost 72% so should ticket prices drop 72%, but for that to happen, player salaries should drop that much as well. I can't see the air being gently let out of the bubble, rather something more dramatic is likely to restore sanity to sports economics. This problem exists in ALL sports, but is worse in those with the least revenue sharing and/or national tv deals. Football is in the best shape, which gives mr. blank the flexibility to make an offer to new season ticket holders at family and not corporate price levels. Ultimately, ticket prices and salaries will come down, but can the NBA do it without a crash that kills the sport? I don't know. Hawks attendence will improve this year, as it becomes obvious that the chances of seeing them win on any given night are very, very good. Once the falcons and dogs are done and when the better teams come to town I think attendance will reflect the better product the Hawks are putting on the floor. In a tough economy, there's competition for sports dollars. As good a sports town as Atlanta is, there's a heckuva lotta product competing for those dollars. Columbus Ohio sells out every professional hockey game of the blue jackets. Why? They're the only pro sports ticket in town. I usually see 2-3 games each year (I try to get freebies for 2 of those and pay for 1 game), and this year I'd like to see 5. What's the price point for me to step up as a ticket buyer? I'd pay $250 a seat for a 10 game package for seats in either the 200 level or the 100 level ends. I'm dreaming but, that's where I would step up and buy.

Wrong. If DJ doesn't get hurt, it's Ham who doesn't get picked up. He was signed after DJ's accident. ---------------------------------------- Correct, and if DJ had been hurt before Ira signed, I'm convinced the Hawks would have paid Ira a good bit more, as the need for defense at the 2 spot is something they both bring to the table. I'm still missing DJ. Especially when he blocks shots from behind while flat-footed. Hopefully, his career will resume and be rewarding for him.

Ebay has lots of Hawks stuff. Is this hat the one you want? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...;item=980919398

"My fave tho was JT's dagger-in-the-heart 3 at the end," My fave was Big Dog's assist on that play. Big Dog had a good look, but he knew JT had a better look. All that talk from the bucks about BallHog is crap. He had another great pass to Ira under the basket for a dunk. The Hawks are showing that they can be a tough team to defend against. Team defense was good. Ira's individual defense on Kobe was outstanding. The team maintained good concentration, especially coming out hot in the 3rd quarter. I had planned to watch just a half and go to bed, but I had to watch the whole thing. We really saw the advantage of having 3 scoring threats on the floor - Once the Lakers were keying on Shariff in the second half, JT went to work. Turnover's still a problem, but I wouldn't call a 12 point win "ugly." Can't argue with Lon's sub patterns, as all 5 starters played LennyWilken's type minutes. That can't happen every game, but I got the feeling Lon wanted this one bad. Ending the trip with a Laker win instead of a 1-4 trip record was worth fighting for. And for all those posters talking about how Shariff is not all that - PUHLEEZE. The look on Horry's face all night long told you how good SAR is!! Go Hawks!

This one's big tonight - second night of a back-to-back on a west coast road trip no less against a team that's better than then one we played last night. Yes we can do it, and the bench led by hendu/dion will be key. i had this game penciled in as a W for my 7-3 start!!

Hendu edges MJ for 6th man award. Hendu looks better than he's been in a long time.

Replaying games on the VCR in the 1st week of the season??? You get my A+ Fan Award. More of what I like about this place!!!!

There's another side to this. I thought the suits at AOL would be conservative with the shareholders dollars, but they took a risk in going over the luxury tax limit. They obviously figurued they HAD to do it to turn around basketball in Atl. The early returns are that they are right. The show that The Big Dog & Co. are putting on WILL put fans in the seats. It's just a matter of time.

SI's Jack MaCallum gives the Hawks some respect. "Last year I saw the Nets surprise the world by having a great season. Who will be the surprise winners and losers this season? --Javi Lopez, Austin, Texas My choice for surprise winners are Atlanta in the East and Portland in the West. Now, what constitutes being a "winner?" I don't think the Hawks are going to the Finals or anything like that, but I like them to make some noise and finish, perhaps, as high as fourth or fifth in the East. The Trail Blazers are the only team, top to bottom, with the talent to beat the Lakers or the Kings. I don't think Portland will defeat those two clubs, but if it doesn't implode it can be the third best team in the West, in my opinion." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_ga.../11/01/mailbag/

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/ed...f320490003.html

my letter to Mr Simmons... Let me get this straight. The Hawks have 2 legitimate ALL-STARS in the lineup that they did not have last year, (Robinson & Ratliff) and you think that translates into a net improvement of zero wins? Now let's tackle your rhetoric..."but you get the nagging feeling he's making a few more NBA pit stops before everything's said and done (he's just good enough to keep getting traded, but not quite good enough to stay in the same place)." Your argument is that you think Shareef WILL be a player who is traded often, and that doesn't happen to very good players, ergo he isn't a very good player. Too bad you're putting the cart in front of the horse. As of now, Shareef has only been traded once. This debate coach gives you an "F."

"I cannot take another year of hearing the barry bonds is the "greatest player of all time" garbage." He sure is a pathetic fielder. His steroid engorged muscles wouldn't let him bend over and pick up that ball last night.

and Diesel thinks we aren't the most improved team? I can't think of any team that added 3 ALL-STARS but perhaps Diesel will enlighten me.

The reason I posted this poll is that after the last two preseason games I've gotten the feeling that the Hawks are WAY BETTER than even most serious Hawks fans know. We've essentially improved over last year by 2 all-stars (Dog & Theo) and given up very little to obtain that improvement. We are starting 4 legitimate ALL-STARS. I think even hawks fans ARE SCARED to think how good this team could be!!! My GUESS is that the first 10 games are a BIG SURPRISE and we come back from a tough road trip with a comfortably over .500 record. I don't think we wait until January for this team to gel, because the new cogs in the wheel are EXPERIENCED VETS who are already showing that they will hit the floor running (and scoring). Yeah, I'm rooting for the home team, but barring injuries this '02-'03 Hawks team may be SCARY GOOD. I gotta believe that other teams are going to be scratching their heads trying to figure out how to stop the BigDogReefJT scoring machine, and if any team does, then Theo and Dion will combine for 35 so we still win anyways. I'm expecting nights where we BLOW OUT GOOD TEAMS at the phil. The only risks in my sights are the dreaded injuries or the prospect that those who say Lon can't coach a team out of breakaway warmup pants are right. But I don't think they are. rant mode off - --- but I am pumped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aas unfortunate as the DJ accident was, it's given Dion a fresh start of sorts, and another chance to make his mark. I'm rooting for him to come through for the Hawks!!!

the zero win option isn't available to vote on, because it's an impossibility. I say 7-3, which is an awesome start considering the west coast road trip to Sacamenna and LakerLand!!

" I really don't think it's the publics business " He's a public person offering himself as a role model to kids. My kid loved it when he drained the three late against the nets last year. Of course it's the public's business.

I think the information should be made available, but most likely the AJC will want to curry favor with the hawks and will not release it if it makes DJ look bad. DJ has/had so much talent that this entire episode is very distressing. I was looking forward to his development this year. The bigger question is; How much poor judgement on DJ's part was the cause of the accident. Was he drinking and driving? Or was his poor judgement one of being with the wrong people at the time? I think the answers to these questions will bear on how the hawks approach his status in the future. If he f*cked up big time, then I don't expect them to make too much of an effort to get him back in a Hawks uniform. On the other hand, if it's just a 'wrong place wrong time' situtution, they may be much more supportive of his comeback. The fans DO have a right to know, IMVHO. It was his car, wasn't it?

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?...amp;siteid=yhoo

Denberg reports that it's JT's call whether to sign now, before Oct. 1, or gamble for a bigger payoff in a year. Either way, the Hawks want him resigned. Sounds good to me. My own feeling is that he should sign now. You never know what can happen in a year's time (see DJ) and either way, he'll have more than enough money he'll ever need. http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/ed...bcc1860011.html

Great Pickup on The Hamster - hustlehustlehustle I'm still upset about DJ's accident. I hope his recovery is smooth and complete. It's just so bad that it came at such a critical period in his developement.