If the Hawks won the championship...

[Diesel]

How long would the city give them Love?

Just thinking, the Hawks march through the season, to the championship and beat (let's say the Suns) in the finals. How long would the city give the Hawks love?

[Lascar78]

Everyone would give them love and suddenly the whole city would be full of "lifetime" hawks fans. Voted 2 years.

[Sothron]

2 years plus here as well. We only have ONE SINGLE TITLE in ALL of Atlanta sports history...if the Hawks won it would be huge for the city/state and for the fans.

[Diesel]

I don't know. I watch how the Falcons and the Braves get little love.

[Final_quest]

Since I have been in the city the most love given to a sports entity was during and after the Braves 1991 season. The excitement and response was much greater than when they actually won the championship. They were given a parade and thought of like champions.

[Final_quest]

I guess it would depend on what happend in the following two years. You do have to follow up on your success to continue to get love.

Let's say there's a scenario where the Hawks make a deadline deal for a star player who gets us a championship. If they blow up the team after the championship, I don't think the next two years would be full of love.

[Sothron]

The 1991 Braves were special. Worst to First and if not for King of Trash Leibrandt and Lonnie Smith they would have won the Series. That was the first time any Atlanta team AFAIK had ever even **played** for a world title. The whole state and Braves nation was going insane that year. I well remember that.

That being said, if the Hawks came out of nowhere to win a title I definitely think the fans would come out of the woodwork to support them.

[Diesel]

No doubt that the city would come out to support the Falcons during that run.

I remember the city coming out to support " the Dirty Birds" during their run...

Then the next year, when Jamal Anderson got hurt...

[Sothron]

Yeah you had us, the diehards that are here every game, every year for every losing season for all Atlanta teams left while the [censored] bandwagoners jumped ship. The Falcons have always been the worst bandwagoning team in Atlanta.

[pimp]

i remember i was shopping at walmart during the Nfc championship vs Vikings.They played the entire overtime over the intercom.After Mortan Anderson made that field goal, people were celebreting at walmart like they were in the stadium.

[gsuteke]

it would be alot longer than 2 years.

[Nicholasp27]

'91 was insane

in public school they actually ended classes and sent us all to homeroom where they wheeled in a tv so we could watch the division clinching game

[Dejay]

It would be a moment where we all would all be beyond plastered. Could you imagine when that moment comes what it would be like on this board? Our longtime loyalty from back in the AJC forum days being paid off with David Stern handing the trophy to the Hawks? Better yet, the soundbites from the likes of Walton, Ford, Williams, and countless others who made a living badmouthing our team and city all of the sudden acting as if they were longtime fans only for Marvin or JJ to verbally tear a crater-sized hole in their hindparts? There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house (certainly not on this board).

As long as they don't collapse like the Falcons did in '99, they wouldn't need concerts or giveaways at the gate to bring the masses in for quite a while.

[Diesel]

Quote:

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Our longtime loyalty from back in the AJC forum days being paid off with David Stern handing the trophy to the Hawks?

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You saying that made me think about BK recieving the trophy. You know how most GMs say something to the effect, we won this championship for the city of ...... or for our fans?

What would BK say...

Stern: I give this trophy to the NBA Champions 2006-2007, the Atlanta Hawks.

Hands the trophy over to BK.

Mike Tirico moves in with the microphone

Tirico: Well, Billy what do you say to all this?

BK: Nobody thought we could win it, but we won it. I would like to thank my staff, the coaches, and the owners.

Tirico: Did you think that this would be the year and when did you know that you guys would be on this stage?

BK: I always knew that this team would win it all. I hand picked each player and knew that they could win.

Tirico: What do you have to say about these great Atlanta fans.

BK: Well, everybody wants to be at the parade.

Tirico: Yes, we know that there will be a great parade. One this city has never seen before. How does it make you feel to know that the same fans and media criticized you every step of the way and now are praising every move you made.

BK: NO Comment.

You know.. this also makes me think. If we did win it this year, what owners would step up on the podium? Could we possibly have a melee right there on the podium. I can see it. Belkin goes to take the trophy from BK and out of nowhere Gearon Jr. Comes in with a forearm and tells him: " you don't deserve ---- you son of a -----" Stern wouldn't step in then but there would definitely be big fines.

[Blunt91]

A Realistic timetable for when the Hawks could have a shot at winning the title would be around 2010. I think in 4years if everything goes well we could have a shot at the title.

[Diesel]

Are we the only team eyeing 2010 for a championship?

I'm sure I heard Warriors, Celtics, and 76er fans stating that that would be their year too!