THEN & NOW

[Gray Mule]

Then: We had Lennie in his last year as coach and we

were struggling with who would play and who would sit.

Lennie, N.B.A.'s winningest coach ever, believed then

and still believes in using veteran players, primarily,

and using his bench players very little.

Things would go down hill that final season and Hawks

were sad by season's end.

Now: The national press don't believe in this Hawks

team. Many do not expect them to even make the

play-off games. Only the top eight teams can go.

The front office has been busy since Lennie departed,

hiring a very successful college coach, who has been

berated for the team's failure last season, even when

so many Hawks were out for long periods on the I.R.

Assistant coaches have since come and gone and others

added. Players here in Lennie's last season have been

traded away. Jason Terry, a raw rookie then, now is

the starter at P.G. The other four starters are new,

having been added since Lennie left.

Jason Terry has become the leader, the heart and soul

of this new Hawks team. Ira Newble, who came from

the minor leagues, a defensive guru who is learning

to score, joins him in the back court.

All three of the young men in the front court have been

on the all star team prior to this year! We have a solid

bench, which Lon is not hesitant to use. And yet, we

get not one bit of respect from the national press.

The pre-season is over. Hawks are ready. We will not

end up 9th in the east, missing the play-offs.

Someone is going to pay for their thinking that we will

simply go away this season. We will be right in the

middle of the fight and, if everything goes just right,

we just might win it all!!!

We couldn't even think about that then, but we sure

can now. Just ask Jaywalker!!!

Gray Mule