Something to ponder?

[Diesel]

There have been 2 reports of Conley Jr's horrid shooting in the workout for Atlanta.

One by Sekou.

One by the guy at Yahoo Sports.

If you believe that the guy at Yahoo Sports was just going off of hearsay..

Where do you think Sekou got his information?

I just read where somebody said "reporters were not allowed at the workouts"... Yet, moments after the workout, Sekou reports to Conley's bad shooting. So did the guy at Yahoo. One thing I know is that a reporter has his sources.

But I think in this case, Sekou's may have been either woody or BK. If MCJ's shooting stunk so bad that Woody or BK mentioned it, then it's kinda obvious that it left a lasting impression on them or whoever was present and talked to Sekou.

THE PAU AND THE LAW!

[DJ_Money]

All I know is that Sekou better be careful to not get the Jason Walker treatment for publishing things like that.

[frosgrim]

Sekou says he has "spys" within the organization that tell him what went on.

The guy at Yahoo probably read what Sekou wrote and just regurgitated it, or, maybe he talked with Sekou?

[Sothron]

Yeah the Jason Walker Rule is actually squashing my own sources ability to relay much information.

[uga2006]

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Yeah the Jason Walker Rule is actually squashing my own sources ability to relay much information.

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What the hell is the Jason Walker rule?

[Sothron]

Jaywalker got banned from workouts because (cover story) agents complained his workout reports were so good and honest that they damaged their clients draft status. The real story is that when he did the offending articles it was about players Knight was hoping would drop to the Hawks. Instead they were drafted higher than our picks and Knight banned the media from attending the workouts.

Now the Jason Walker Rule as my sources claim it is called inside the franchise extends to pretty much not revealing any kind of information to the media before the draft even internal measurements of prospects. The only thing my sources will tell me is little better than what Sekou hears.

[jaywalker72]

To be clear also....nobody told me when I was covering these things not to do it in the manner in which I did. I was simply doing what I always did: Provide an honest, open look at the Hawks to the people that care about them, something that was/is in small supply around the country re: the Hawks. I did three other reports before the seminal report on Luke Jackson, Kirk Snyder, JR Smith, and Ricky Minard got me tossed forever from workout viewings with the Hawks.

I don't think that anyone in the organization, especially Billy Knight and Chris Grant, ever thought that anything I wrote would have any kind of impact in any way.

I think they might have thought that I was far from being savvy in the ways of basketball...

They're probably right.

[D.R.P.]

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I just read where somebody said "reporters were not allowed at the workouts"... Yet, moments after the workout, Sekou reports to Conley's bad shooting. So did the guy at Yahoo. One thing I know is that a reporter has his sources.

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I guess the guy's sources told him that Noah was there also, and that Horford and Conley worked out the same time, because thats what the guy implies in his article. It's obvious the guy just read Sekou's blog and wrote his own litte story off of that. Also its funny how you won't mention that Woody said "that Conley stood out as the most complete prospect in terms of a "true" point guard", and "He's a leader," and that "He's a quality guy from a great background and he's one at every level". It appears you read only what you want to read and not the whole thing.

[Teeareess]

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The real story is that when he did the offending articles it was about players Knight was hoping would drop to the Hawks. Instead they were drafted higher than our picks and Knight banned the media from attending the workouts.

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I think MCJ's bad shooting is being highlighted with the hopes that he'll drop and be there when the Hawks pick at 11.

[Sothron]

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To be clear also....nobody told me when I was covering these things not to do it in the manner in which I did. I was simply doing what I always did: Provide an honest, open look at the Hawks to the people that care about them, something that was/is in small supply around the country re: the Hawks. I did three other reports before the seminal report on Luke Jackson, Kirk Snyder, JR Smith, and Ricky Minard got me tossed forever from workout viewings with the Hawks.

I don't think that anyone in the organization, especially Billy Knight and Chris Grant, ever thought that anything I wrote would have any kind of impact in any way.

I think they might have thought that I was far from being savvy in the ways of basketball...

They're probably right.

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I still think it was highly unprofessional (not to mention naive) to ban you for something you were already doing, encouraged to do, and had no warning to stop doing it. Of course Knight is so out of touch with current times he didn't even know who Britney Spears is let alone how powerful internet sports sites like realgm.com had already gotten when your incident happened.

What's sad is that some of the younger GMs in the league pan team boards and sites like the Squawk for information and it wasn't until that happened that Knight realized how powerful a scouting and informational tool the internet had become.

[Diesel]

Well, the guy at Yahoo mentioned things that Sekou has yet to really speak about... Namely Luke...

I wouldn't suppose that he regurgitated Sekou.

[frosgrim]

He can be putting several sources together and making an "article" out it, something like the undergraduate papers I have to read when I teach.

*hint to anyone in college, put some original thought into papers you write, you will get a better grade than stringing together quotes from various sources

[Swatguy]

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Jaywalker got banned from workouts because (cover story) agents complained his workout reports were so good and honest that they damaged their clients draft status. The real story is that when he did the offending articles it was about players Knight was hoping would drop to the Hawks. Instead they were drafted higher than our picks and Knight banned the media from attending the workouts.

Now the Jason Walker Rule as my sources claim it is called inside the franchise extends to pretty much not revealing any kind of information to the media before the draft even internal measurements of prospects. The only thing my sources will tell me is little better than what Sekou hears.

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It may be that you have a source of information inside the Hawks organization.

However, I know Sekou's character is of High integrity. I know he is a polished professional. Off the record is off the record. I believe his reporting is circumspect of fairness.

I have dined in the presence of BK and Sekou (not to brag). I have been in situations with Both (Yes they Know me by name).

So I am prepared to say, for you to say/write "The only thing my sources will tell me is little better than what Sekou hears" is certainly foolhardy.

See, Sekou and BK are Tight. Sekou is trustworthy.

I doubt you get anything before Sekou gets it, or at all.

[Swatguy]

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Well, the guy at Yahoo mentioned things that Sekou has yet to really speak about... Namely Luke...

I wouldn't suppose that he regurgitated Sekou.

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Sekou wrote about Luke some time ago.

[jezmund]

Thank g_d that none of Luke Jackson, Kirk Snyder or JR Smith were taken over Josh Smith.

[jaywalker72]

I really didn't have any problem with a restriction at all....Heck, it would be what I would do.

I wish they had laid out the ground rules before hand and simply told me to keep what I see "off the record" and let me monitor the workouts to be able to ably comment on things after the draft, etc.

But, there were no such things, and the Hawks reacted as they felt they needed to in order to protect the team, which I was/am in total favor of.

Hey, I was/am in the same boat they were in....I never felt anything I wrote would go beyond the boundaries of the Hawks world, small, proud, and determined as it is.

Still, I am sure it was a shock to Billy and Chris (who always treated me kind, as did the entire organization...first class) to hear that something I did caused even a ripple to their cause.

BTW, since I was notified within two days of the article and long before the draft of my banishment, it speaks to the timing of an agent balking at my presence than any draft impact, though that certainly might have come into play after the fact, hence the hoarding of information regarding workouts today--"The Jason Walker Rule".

At any rate, it's a fun story to tell and I hold the Hawks Front Office in very, very high regard. (Did I cover that already?)

[jaywalker72]

I have to say that Sothron, Sekou, and BK are all great guys....

I believe that Sekou probably only shares part of what he knows, just like Sothron, I am sure. Guys are only as good as the sources that feed them and you can't cross the line of "off the record" info getting on the record, no matter the temptation.

I appreciate any real info we can get about the Hawks, especially at this time of the year, when guys like Ford, etc are actually focusing on the team and not the low hanging, bash the Hawks fruit that is out there year round.

[AHF]

That is why we all were so bummed when you got removed, Jay. In addition to being a standup guy from everything we have ever seen of you, your articles were the highlight of the draft process for Hawks fans.

It is nice to see you back at the Squawk.

[mrhonline]

Jay, I still go back and read the articles you did on "replacement value" and the one where you basically predicted that the Hawks would trade for 'Reef.

Good stuff.

[AHF]

Speaking of good predictions from Jay, how about:

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Jay Bilas of ESPN said that Smith is “most likely to bomb”. I would inject that, at 17, he is more likely to be the biggest steal of the draft.

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