Not trying to be negitive

[Plainview1981]

But I really think it's time for Atlanta Hawks to move. The Hawks haven't had a relationship with the fans in forever and vice versa.

Personally, more and more I suspect this is part of "the curse". In some ways it's very easy to understand fans frustrations at the Hawks mediocrity. On the other hand, I'm not even close to being 100% sure the fans would support the Hawks even if they were good.

Sure they might againest GS... But when the Hawks battle NY, LA, Cleveland, Chicago the fans are going to be rooting for that other team. That's the way it is. It's been that way for years and years.

I think it would be best if the team were able to move and get a new start.

[drzachary]

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But I really think it's time for Atlanta Hawks to move. The Hawks haven't had a relationship with the fans in forever and vice versa.

Personally, more and more I suspect this is part of "the curse". In some ways it's very easy to understand fans frustrations at the Hawks mediocrity. On the other hand, I'm not even close to being 100% sure the fans would support the Hawks even if they were good.

Sure they might againest GS... But when the Hawks battle NY, LA, Cleveland, Chicago the fans are going to be rooting for that other team. That's the way it is. It's been that way for years and years.

I think it would be best if the team were able to move and get a new start.

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I believe the NY/Chicago/etc problem is more due to demographics than anything else. I've never seen this question fleshed out adequately in the media, as ESPN and their cronies typically are too busy making the same old, tired "LOL THERE R CHICAGO FANZ IN ATLANTA" slams. (This is especially true with the Braves.) We're a city of transients, and people usually pack up their sports allegiances and move them along with their furniture and clothes. I sure know that if I was banished to the frosty lands of Chicago, I wouldn't become a Cubs fan. Not under penalty of death.

If the Hawks moved to Vegas or wherever the rumor du jour places them, I'd cease to be a fan. That's something you learn when you study the classics (in particular, Homer.)

[Plainview1981]

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But I really think it's time for Atlanta Hawks to move. The Hawks haven't had a relationship with the fans in forever and vice versa.

Personally, more and more I suspect this is part of "the curse". In some ways it's very easy to understand fans frustrations at the Hawks mediocrity. On the other hand, I'm not even close to being 100% sure the fans would support the Hawks even if they were good.

Sure they might againest GS... But when the Hawks battle NY, LA, Cleveland, Chicago the fans are going to be rooting for that other team. That's the way it is. It's been that way for years and years.

I think it would be best if the team were able to move and get a new start.

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I believe the NY/Chicago/etc problem is more due to demographics than anything else. I've never seen this question fleshed out adequately in the media, as ESPN and their cronies typically are too busy making the same old, tired "LOL THERE R CHICAGO FANZ IN ATLANTA" slams. (This is especially true with the Braves.) We're a city of transients, and people usually pack up their sports allegiances and move them along with their furniture and clothes. I sure know that if I was banished to the frosty lands of Chicago, I wouldn't become a Cubs fan. Not under penalty of death.

If the Hawks moved to Vegas or wherever the rumor du jour places them, I'd cease to be a fan. That's something you learn when you study the classics (in particular, Homer.)

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I don't see a reason it would change. To believe the fans are truly going to change is not very wise. Just like the woman that stays with the abusive husband thinking he'll change one day.

It's not going to happen. The Hawks are never going to have a real home until they move. It's that simple.

[TexasPete]

If the Hawks were winning the fans would come. How do I know? because I was in the stands during the mid-eighties. And there were many games when that place was rocking.

Here's the deal with the Atlanta fans that you clearly do not understand...this is a smart town, a bottom line city. If you have no shot, they won't come. It's that simple. And this team hasn't had a shot at anything except ping pong balls. Then, throw in the lousy owners, the crap GM, the joke that is a head coach...voila, empty seats and a city looking for something else to do. This isn't a Philly or Boston where people LIVE for their sports. People here are smart and will do something else if the product sucks. And this product not only sucks, it has sucked for years.

I sat in a half empty Georgia Dome watching Falcon games for YEARS. Then an owners who at least strives to win took over and the place is packed every game. It is sold out every game. Many thought the Falcons would never get good attendance. But, when the fans think the team has a chance and is well run, they will show. It's the same with the Hawks. Philips Arena would be among the best in the NBA if we were a well run team that wasn't such an embarrassment.

With the Atlanta Spirit, BK, and Woody we will probably never know. But the potential in this city for sellout and raucous crowds is there. But you have to have a basic idea of how to get that done. These guys all clearly do not.

[Plainview1981]

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If the Hawks were winning the fans would come. How do I know? because I was in the stands during the mid-eighties. And there were many games when that place was rocking.

Here's the deal with the Atlanta fans that you clearly do not understand...this is a smart town, a bottom line city. If you have no shot, they won't come. It's that simple. And this team hasn't had a shot at anything except ping pong balls. Then, throw in the lousy owners, the crap GM, the joke that is a head coach...voila, empty seats and a city looking for something else to do. This isn't a Philly or Boston where people LIVE for their sports. People here are smart and will do something else if the product sucks. And this product not only sucks, it has sucked for years.

I sat in a half empty Georgia Dome watching Falcon games for YEARS. Then an owners who at least strives to win took over and the place is packed every game. It is sold out every game. Many thought the Falcons would never get good attendance. But, when the fans think the team has a chance and is well run, they will show. It's the same with the Hawks. Philips Arena would be among the best in the NBA if we were a well run team that wasn't such an embarrassment.

With the Atlanta Spirit, BK, and Woody we will probably never know. But the potential in this city for sellout and raucous crowds is there. But you have to have a basic idea of how to get that done. These guys all clearly do not.

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That was 20 years ago... And they likely only came because of Nique anyway. If a fan goes to the game to see one player then they're not real fans of the team anyway.

The fans are at the Falcons games to see Mike Vick and not the Atlanta Falcons.

[TexasPete]

Why is this issue so far above your head? It isn't the fans that need to change. It's the lousy product.

If you bought a product that sucked, would you buy it again? If you bought a car that turned out to be a lemon, would you buy another one? Should the attitude of the car company be that people will never change and buy our crappy cars? Or, should the company make a better car?

This is not rocket science. There are plenty of people who would love to get on this bandwagon. But, the Hawks aren't cool. Who wants to go support this crap? Me, and a few others. And I'm done with these clowns unless BK and Woody are gone. When you have gotten rid of me after 22 years...you have done one helluva job screwing up the franchise. This issue isn't all that difficult...the fans in this town deserve a lot better. How in the hell can you put this on the fans???

No, they didn't come for just Nique. They came because they were WINNING!!!!! They came because the team had a legit shot. I was there...you know jack shite about this topic.

[AtLaS]

Are you not a basketball fan?? Regardless of how much the team sucks (which they really aren't that bad this year), you would rather NOT have a team? I can't believe you would say I'm not trying to be negative, but they should move.

This city has so much potential to be a great bball city, last year behind Miami and Dallas we were like the #1 city in TV ratings, that's saying something. Check ANY TEAM in the league who was horrible for 7 years and still sold out and had lots of fans consistently.

Try the Nuggets, Clippers, Kings back in the day, the Mavericks, the Heat, Orlando, check out ALL those teams before they were winning, it's the SAME situation..

[TheDude]

screw the fans, i care about me..i'm an atlanta hawks fan and i want them to stay, and win.

[AtLaS]

It's also funny you didn't say anything during our winning month, or any of our comeback wins on the road, any of our good wins against good teams, but now you come out after losing to the Lakers by 8..

[PlayaPat420]

I agree. I also think that ATL is relatively speaking a young sports town (most of our teams coming in the 60's or 70's, with the Thrash in the 90's). Where as cities known as "good sports towns" have had their teams a century, at least (Boston, Chi, Detroit, etc.) Denver is one exception to this but the Nuggets and Rockies didn't draw well when they were losing. I think that the team has to start winning consistantly and be in the city for a while developing that strong fan base by converting the transient, which the Hawks nor Falcons have yet to do. As far as the Braves, I don't know why it happens with them... other than them have a boring style of play and have repeatedly failed when it matters. That being said, almost every city has its "star jockers" who will come out and cheer their loudest because it is their only chance to see that player (Kobe, LeBron, etc.)

[drzachary]

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I agree. I also think that ATL is relatively speaking a young sports town (most of our teams coming in the 60's or 70's, with the Thrash in the 90's). Where as cities known as "good sports towns" have had their teams a century, at least (Boston, Chi, Detroit, etc.) Denver is one exception to this but the Nuggets and Rockies didn't draw well when they were losing. I think that the team has to start winning consistantly and be in the city for a while developing that strong fan base by converting the transient, which the Hawks nor Falcons have yet to do. As far as the Braves, I don't know why it happens with them... other than them have a boring style of play and have repeatedly failed when it matters. That being said, almost every city has its "star jockers" who will come out and cheer their loudest because it is their only chance to see that player (Kobe, LeBron, etc.)

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The Braves actually have good attendance numbers... the problem is that Turner Field is gigantic!!

[Plainview1981]

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Why is this issue so far above your head? It isn't the fans that need to change. It's the lousy product.

If you bought a product that sucked, would you buy it again? If you bought a car that turned out to be a lemon, would you buy another one? Should the attitude of the car company be that people will never change and buy our crappy cars? Or, should the company make a better car?

This is not rocket science. There are plenty of people who would love to get on this bandwagon. But, the Hawks aren't cool. Who wants to go support this crap? Me, and a few others. And I'm done with these clowns unless BK and Woody are gone. When you have gotten rid of me after 22 years...you have done one helluva job screwing up the franchise. This issue isn't all that difficult...the fans in this town deserve a lot better. How in the hell can you put this on the fans???

No, they didn't come for just Nique. They came because they were WINNING!!!!! They came because the team had a legit shot. I was there...you know jack shite about this topic.

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I really could careless what you think of me as a fan or what I write on this topic. Now that that is out of the way....

It doesn't matter how much the hawks win or who they have on the roster. The fans are never going to care for the franchise as of it's self.

The Hawks were winning in the mid 90's and most of the fans still rooted for the Bulls.

I put on both. The fans are lazy and uninspired. They were awful and boring during the allstar game when it was in Atlanta always. Atlanta shouldn't have ever got to host an allstar game in the first place.

Everybody seems to see how it is other than some of the Atlanta fans on this board that think they know everything.

-People said BK was a bad GM years ago. People on this board wouldn't listen.

-People said JT wasn't a real PG... It took some of the people on this board years to figure it out.

When are you going to learn?

[Plainview1981]

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It's also funny you didn't say anything during our winning month, or any of our comeback wins on the road, any of our good wins against good teams, but now you come out after losing to the Lakers by 8..

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The Hawks got whipped twice in a row by THE BOBCATS. That kinda puts a shadow over a mediocre 7-6 month.

[AtLaS]

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The Hawks were winning in the mid 90's and most of the fans still rooted for the Bulls.

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You say this as if EVERY OTHER city didn't have that problem when MJ came to town. ALL the Jordan fans came out of the woodworks when they went on the road, except for Boston and LA because they had their own superstars..

It's the same way with AI, Kobe or LeBron now, their opponents attendance is always up when they are on the road.. it's just how it goes.

[Plainview1981]

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The Hawks were winning in the mid 90's and most of the fans still rooted for the Bulls.

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You say this as if EVERY OTHER city didn't have that problem when MJ came to town. ALL the Jordan fans came out of the woodworks when they went on the road, except for Boston and LA because they had their own superstars..

It's the same way with AI, Kobe or LeBron now, their opponents attendance is always up when they are on the road.. it's just how it goes.

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The fans still were not that vocal during that time period. I mean, it wasn't as quiet as it was last night, (even I was in disbelief of the lack of crowd noise last night)but the fans haven't cheered the team like the Kings fans cheer their team since I can remember.

[AtLaS]

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Check ANY TEAM in the league who was horrible for 7 years and still sold out and had lots of fans consistently.

Try the Nuggets, Clippers, Kings back in the day, the Mavericks, the Heat, Orlando, check out ALL those teams before they were winning, it's the SAME situation..

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it's funny that you didn't address this comment.

As to your little "Kings" comment, why don't you check their attendance in the mid 90s before they went to the playoffs and had been horrible for many years..

[TexasPete]

How many games do you go to every year? I'll bet you one of those that shows up for Kobe or LeBron, if at all.

[BornandDieHawks]

The fans do not come out and see bad teams no matter what sport it is in Atlanta. The Braves and Falcons went through the same thing. Once the Hawks put together a winning team, the fans will show up. I was born and raised in Atlanta and I remember the Omni packed to see the Hawks on a nightly basis. Yes, we had a recognizable superstar in Nique, but we also had good teams and better yet winning teams. Although we have a star in JJ, the average person walking the streets in Atlanta do not know who he is because he does not get the "star" publicity from the media.

Atlanta is just most other cities. I live in Charlotte now and I remember when Charlotte led the league in attentance year after year. They had good teams and they were winning. Now they are below Atlanta in attendance because people do not want to spend the money to see a bad team night after night with an occasional win here and there.

Keep the Hawks in the ATL and put a winning team on the floor the city can be proud of and the fans will fill the Phil.

[TexasPete]

^^^^Exactly. Blaming the fans for the poor attendance is about as off the mark as one can get.

[Plainview1981]

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Check ANY TEAM in the league who was horrible for 7 years and still sold out and had lots of fans consistently.

Try the Nuggets, Clippers, Kings back in the day, the Mavericks, the Heat, Orlando, check out ALL those teams before they were winning, it's the SAME situation..

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it's funny that you didn't address this comment.

As to your little "Kings" comment, why don't you check their attendance in the mid 90s before they went to the playoffs and had been horrible for many years..

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It's not all about attendance. The Atlanta crowd is a passionless and emotionless bunch. It was shown at the allstar game even. I remember people talking about how dead the Atlanta crowd was.

Like I said, everybody realizes it but the people on this board.