lethalweapon3

A suitable backup for Marvin AND Joe AND Teague, so long as he's not spread too thin. Well done, Mr. Sund. Now, get back to work! ~lw3

~lw3

I'm penciling in Giraffe for now... ~lw3

~lw3

Where's that Paul Harvey soundbite when I need it? From 12/1/2011 AJC, which the Chron took its quotes from: (EDIT: not the Chron, actually, just an AP freelance writer that the Chronicle copied from. So it's not about Houston, or any town's media, after all) http://www.ajc.com/s...to-1248475.html ~lw3

Are there many flowery praises of the Rox in the Chron and on their fan forums? Maybe there are, I'm just asking aloud... We all have a tendency to get all Haterz' Ball on our teams when they fail to overachieve, or even just 'achieve.' Especially over a cumulative span of four going on five decades. But I think many of us read too much into the AJC's two-line "contemplated while waiting in an empty gym" bulletpoint by MC. It wasn't so much the write-up that was negative in orientation and context, it was some of our reactions to it. Smoove is not "unhappy" "with Atlanta." The blanket statement is too broad... maybe 'dissatisfied' would've created a better reaction? In a perfect world, he'd rather do without a few writers and talk radio hosts, and a few yahoos like me screaming "Noooooo!" in a 25% full arena when he's more than 10 feet from the basket and gets the ball. But if his more recently stated concerns with "Atlanta" surrounds "team chemistry," that's not about the external critiques... I believe that just means he's engaging in constructive dialogue internally, with coaches, teammates, management, with the intention that they can improve and make what they have work here. He just knows, as we do, adjustments have to be made to get the Hawks into competitive parity with the title contenders. He knows going out on the floor with the same strategies as last year is not enough. And he knows with a hamstrung ownership group at the helm that major improvements might mean shaking things up where possible... including moving him. I believe a "change of scenery" (as MC opined in the bulletpoint) would indeed do him well professionally, as long as it's to the right scene. That doesn't mean he's personally clamoring for one. He greatly prefers to improve the "scenery" he's got working around him now. Yes, that means he has to continue evolving, and he is still learning that the "Mopey Smurf" approach on the court won't help this team get to the proverbial promised land. But he is mature enough, now, to know he'll get critical slings and arrows no matter where on Earth he'd land in a trade/free agency, and all things considered, he'd probably prefer to absorb them right here in the 404. ~lw3

We've come an awfully long way since the days of 19-year old Smoove. Bread was like a nickel... He has, too, come an awfully long way, and still with plenty room to evolve his game to a championship-caliber level. Would be nice to have it happen for him here someday. ~lw3

Really? There was just one time? LOL ~lw3

(Going-on-32-year old Jamal somewhere singing like Sinatra: "When I was 26... it was a VERY good year...") ~lw3

Just to keep that old-skool vibe going... Jerry Stackhouse is working out today (with Pape Sy), as per @ajchawks. ~lw3

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-saturday-pacers-want-crawford-gasol/ ~lw3

http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2011/12/5/2612024/orlando-magic-hire-mark-price-player-development-coach-nba ~lw3

via sam_amick (SI.com) on Twitter: Looks like we pretty much got them all! I never did get to do Jersey's though. ~lw3

If he'd take a million and some change in salary... come on down! ~lw3

aaaaah, I see. Beyond Brewer, what else would we want in a deal? Gibson? Watson? Asik? picks? I figure we would want something at least "in addition to" Brewer (although knowing A$G it'll probably be cash). ~lw3

http://www.hoopsworld.com/bulls-exploring-sign-and-trade-options/ ? ~lw3

Hope one of the home&aways is NOH. Maybe DEN since they were 5th in the West? And then one Pacific Division squad, maybe GSW since they were 3rd? Beyond that, no idea. ~lw3

I rambled on about my reservations in another CP3 thread yesterday. I don't see the tickets/sponsorships/revenue making a blip unless it's Season 2, after a test run in the Conference Finals (and a couple wins while we're in them). And we'd still be heavily dependent on Smoove to bring highlights to the factory. ATL vs. NY (if those were the sole competitors, and if the Knicks haven't won the title in Season 1) would come down to who has more capspace to accommodate him and improve the roster. It might make it imperative to do something with Joe's contract, ahead of the free agency green light, to gain some kind of edge. ~lw3

^Ditto ~lw3

Broussard reported earlier the Hawks were among at least 8 teams inquiring about Josh Howard, FWIW. ~lw3

Yup yup. I'll shave my eyebrows or something for that. ~lw3

Question... In Atlanta's pro sports history, are there sportsmen who played somewhere else before coming here, then, upon arrival in Atlanta, either became superstars or enhanced their star-worthy notoriety to the effect that attendance increased and remained high for years? (**) I ask this because I'm admittedly a bit of a skeptic about the whole "CP3 will electrify the city!" mantra. Drafted players (Vick, Dale) and other rookies who started here (Nique) pumped some life into stale franchises, and I don't doubt that if we hadn't screwed up the draft, either CP3 or D-Will would be as synonymous with ATL sports as a red #7 football jersey. But now that Paul has earned his national notoriety as part of "somebody else's franchise," I don't foresee a net effect of local excitement translating into packed arenas... at least, not until AFTER he shows he can carry a team to a conference trophy or something. A few more basketball-purist afficionados would get to Philips more often, sure. And jersey sales couldn't help but go up (Hawks jerseys have their own aisle in the discount corner of Ross Stores these days). But if after adding him (and subtracting other talent to get him) this franchise doesn't get any further in the playoffs, that "new car smell" would wear very fast, no matter what a swell guy he would be locally. "Another second round exit? Heck, we did all this with (Smoove/Horf/Joe) here!", "Deron would've been better anyway!", and all the woe-is-us local media and fan blather would ensue. It's certainly unfair to see him as a failure as a draw in New Orleans, what with the recovery and all. The Hornets did rise to 8th overall in % attendance the season after they won their division and got to the semifinals (2009), and they were dead-last pre-Katrina (and pre-Paul). But early last season, they were just several thousand unsold tickets away from being able to pack up and relocate to KC, despite Paul being there for 40 games. He's certainly the key reason the franchise was salvaged in the Big Easy. But his presence amid even a couple decent seasons were not "electric" enough to either keep the undersized New Orleans Arena full or keep the Hornets as a sustainable, profitable venture for its ownership or any prospective buyers. I just don't see the "Fish That Saved Pittsburgh"(***) vibe happening here, not with him alone, anyway. (**) I gotta rule out Mutombo since they remained near last in the league in attendance despite 56 wins and a DPOY award, although they got some of the bump they needed (up to 13th) the next season, after they drew MJ's Bulls in the second round. As a Yankee-turned-Brave, Deion was kind of a baseball star, but primarily due to the two-sport thing he had going on for a minute. Maddux surely went from All-Star to HOF legend upon arrival from the Cubs. But the Braves had already been through the worst-to-first story and two World Series before he got here, and was already at the top of the NL in attendance by then. (***) not the best analogy, I know since it was on like 20 times on NBATV this fall... "Moses Guthrie" was already on the team before the "Pisces" renaissance occurred. But I'm thinking of an effect where the team goes from "laughingstock, ennui, and irrelevance" to "mania, packed houses, and triumph." ~lw3

It's not hopeless yet... http://www.nba.com/2011/news/powerrankings/12/01/preseason-rankings/index.html?rss=true I thought PR would be tired of having people ask what HEAT stands for by now. Alas... I'm trying to enforce caps-correctness for my own references, but it sure would be nice if the NBA itself would lead the way. ~lw3