McDavid Article

[jeddelong]

I keep hearing people say the deal is shaky and won't get done. I have a feeling he is going to change everything for us, he says all the right things. This deal is going to get done, and I think we will be happy!

Buyer: Atlanta fans will be back

By MICHAEL LEE

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Dallas -- It has been nearly a month since David McDavid signed a letter of intent to purchase the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights from AOL Time Warner. And it is expected to be nearly another month before the sale -- estimated at $350 million to $400 million -- is completed. So the Fort Worth-based automobile tycoon wants to make it clear that he is not the owner -- yet.

But, "we will be surprised if it doesn't close," McDavid said Friday afternoon from the spacious glass office in one of his many car dealerships in Texas.

This two-story building stands behind a huge red and white sign that reads "David McDavid Auto Group" and is easy to spot on West Airport Freeway in Irving. McDavid is sitting at as his cherry wood conference table, where an autographed basketball and an autographed Dallas Cowboys helmet serve as the centerpieces. A rubber chicken, seemingly misplaced, is resting near a mound of paperwork.

Since there are "a few points" still to be resolved -- including the approval of both the NBA and the NHL -- McDavid can't outline his plans for a team that technically is still owned by AOL Time Warner. But he was quick to point out what he thinks the Hawks, Thrashers and their fans need.

"They need some love," McDavid said with his Texas twang. "Somebody needs to love those teams. If the owner doesn't love them, why should anybody else? Our vision is to embrace the community. Embrace our fans [and] do the best we can to bring the best people we can find to have a winning team.

"We think that AOL has done the best they can do. But we think because it will be our 'core business,' if you will. We're going to be involved and interested in it," McDavid said, leaning back in a green leather chair. "If we lose, we're going to bleed. And if we win, we're going to be happy. We're going to live and die with those teams."

When he was a minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, McDavid said he made himself available to fans. He also has been studying the entertainment models of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and hopes to make a similar splash in Atlanta.

"We think Atlanta is a great sports town," he said. "There are people who tell you it's not, but I think Arthur Blank has proved that's not true. Michael Vick helped him a lot, but Arthur Blank had made some major strides. You have to work at putting a good product on the field, work at trying to have good entertainment value for your customer. We think you need to win, but even if you don't it should be a fun experience for the people who are involved."

McDavid said he spoke with NBA commissioner David Stern during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, then had to endure an almost two-hour drive home to Fort Worth since Interstate 30 was backed up ("I don't know if it's like this in Atlanta, but you sit there for an hour and you never see what caused it," McDavid said, laughing).

He is so impatient that he often avoids the stop-and-go Dallas traffic by hopping from his Irving dealerships to his Plano dealerships in his personal helicopter. That lack of patience is evident when talk turns to the coaching turnover and turmoil since the NBA regular season ended.

"It's difficult," he said. "We will not have any time to spare. If we closed today, we would not have any time to spare."

McDavid said he has been contacted by "a lot" of people who have expressed interest in living and working in Atlanta. He would not go into specifics.

"I'm kind of in a spot where I can't do anything about that," he said. "But there's not a reason in the world Atlanta doesn't have a contender in those teams. They've got incredible talent, an incredible facility, and there are some good people there in management, too. Certainly, there will be changes. But there are some pretty good-looking coaches in there, too. I mean, we don't know what we're going to do.

"Because we don't [own the team], we can't really go reach out to anybody. We can't go talk to anybody that's there. It's got to be an uncomfortable position for them, because they don't know what we're thinking. And I hate that."

McDavid is beginning to like hockey. His son, Jimmy, plays in a men's hockey league and his grandson, Matthew, plays youth soccer. But McDavid loves basketball and has been keenly watching the work of Hawks director of basketball operations Billy Knight, scout Chris Grant and coach Terry Stotts as the team prepares for the June 26 draft.

"They're doing it, I guess, because it's the honorable thing to do," he said. "They don't know whether they will be there or not. The fact is, we think a lot of [the Hawks' staff] will be, but we don't know who. It's an awkward position for everybody."

As for the Hawks missing out on the first three picks in the NBA draft, "That's OK," McDavid said. "The Lord wants us to earn it. He wants us to work hard," McDavid said.

"The Hawks were, what, eight games out of the playoffs? That ain't many, you know. They've got a great team, a great core. Because of our involvement with the Mavericks, we know a lot of NBA people across the spectrum, and you'd be amazed at how many well respected basketball people feel, without fail, that team is a whole lot closer to being really good than it is to not being good."

No, the deal is not done and McDavid is not the owner. So consider these the words of a very well connected fan 800 miles away.

"If we just get this thing closed -- and we think we can -- we think we're all going to have a good experience in Atlanta," McDavid said. "We'll get the fans back."

[Guest]

"They need some love," McDavid said with his Texas twang. "Somebody needs to love those teams. If the owner doesn't love them, why should anybody else? Our vision is to embrace the community. Embrace our fans [and] do the best we can to bring the best people we can find to have a winning team."

Good Point here I'll give him that....

""We think Atlanta is a great sports town," he said. "There are people who tell you it's not, but I think Arthur Blank has proved that's not true. Michael Vick helped him a lot, but Arthur Blank had made some major strides. You have to work at putting a good product on the field, work at trying to have good entertainment value for your customer. We think you need to win, but even if you don't it should be a fun experience for the people who are involved."

It's more th Atlanta than just a winning product.Marketing

plays such a huge part and this is where I question him.Does he understand(or hire the right people to do

it)how to market a franchise?

[KB21]

The guy started out washing cars on his dad's used car lot and turned that into a multi-million dollar auto empire. I think he knows a little bit about how to market something. This guy has made his millions on selling things.

AOL didn't care. The Atlanta Sports Franchises were just non-core assets to them. They did nothing to market the teams properly. They had no one that would get out and actually mingle with the fans to get a perspective on what they wanted to see.

[Guest]

I see what you're saying...But marketing a NBA

franchise has to be different from selling cars

and making some lame car commericals with his

wife and dog.

The people of Atlanta will be probably the toughest

sale job he's tried to do.How is an old country boy

going to market a basketball team in a big city??I

think it's questionable.

[KB21]

How about making Dominique Wilkins the head of the marketing department, deposing Lee Douglas who has been a Stan Kasten cronie for ages?

You then have the greatest player in franchise history in a key position and a more visible position to the fans.

That would be a start.

McDavid will need to be a visible owner as well. Fans need to see him on the front row at games.

[Guest]

I feel Nique does deserve a bit part in the future of

this franchise.Even though I feel he was a tad overrated

(but still great player)he has the Atlanta Hawks.I would

also bring Smitty in with a part of the franchise if he

retires this year like he should do.

But we need someone with experience...Good marketing

has gave NASCAR/WWE and lots of other things life

with a big fan base.

I think PAt Croce should be here also.It isnt about how

any one of us here feel(BHD)it's about getting the city

to embrace the team.

I would also try and figure out how to get Vick a little

involved.If he likes ball I'm sure management could get

him to come to more games and stuff.

We also could use some players with good chrisma to

help draw in the crowd.I really feel the good ole boy

image the Hawks have carried for years has kept the

fans away.Regardless of how some think different,the

fans don't fall for the good ole boy players like Smith/

Shareef/JT and so on....

Fans come out to see teams like Philly and LA because

they are hip.We need to become a hip franchise instead

of the sleeper franchise like David Aldridge said.

[ATLien_]

Hotlanta I've always seen Neke as underated, so can you please explain to me how he is slightly overated? However, when writing a reply remember he played in the NBA's golden Era of Bird, Jordan, and Magic.

[Guest]

Because of his lack of defense.He's overrated if you

try and throw him in with Bird/MJ/Kareem/Hakeem/

and those type of guys.Alot of fans seem to want

to throw him in that group.

His 25/6/2 wasn't bad...But it wasn't on par with the

true hall of famers.Plus we never got out of the

second round of the playoffs.

He's the best player we've ever had...He isn't in the

Top 40 players.

[ATLien_]

So your saying Bird and Magic were good on Defense? The only one of the 3 I mentioned thats ever been mentioned as a good defensive player is Jordan. So in that case are Bird and Magic overated also? From the tapes I have viewed of Bird he looks very stiff defensivley and Magic is slow of foot.

Please don't give me the never made it out of the second round line. There are a lot of great players that never won a championship or made it out of the second round. Its not exactly easy to make it out of the second round when you have to play Jordan(probably best ever) and the Bulls or Zeke and the Bad Boys.

If Nekes Hawks were together now they would own the NBA, and I'm pretty sure of it. The only reason they didnt win a championship is because they came along at the worst time possible.

I really don't understand how you can say Neke isn't a top 40 player but ay your entitled to your opinion.

[Guest]

Those guys were better allround players...Bird was

a 24/11/5 guy and Magic was a pretty good scorer

and passer....And he could play basically any of the

5 positions.....

"If Nekes Hawks were together now they would own the NBA,"

Maybe they east...But not teams like the Kings/Spurs.

Nique was a scorer and not much else.

[Guest]

I'd say the best comparison to Neke in the current NBA is Vince Carter...of two years ago. Not the one most people think of, but when he was a true all-star and Nike posterboy. Nique was slightly more of a sf than Vince.

However, Nique sustained that level of play and aggressiveness throughout the better part of a decade...and then rode his remaining talents (after the athleticism started fading) for several years after that. He's a HOF for sure, Top 50 in a large majority of people's minds. He does indeed get disrespected (probably much like Karl Malone) for his lack of championship(s)...thanks in large part to MJ.

[Dejay]

In my opinion, Dominique was one of the best small forwards in the history of the league. The fact that he couldn't steer the Hawks out of the second round was more of an indictment on the front office (read Kasten, later Babcock)than on him. The reason he had to dominate the ball and shoot as much as he did was because of the surrounding talent (or lack thereof) on those teams he played on. Who else were you going to trust to make a shot on that squad? Kevin Willis? John Battle? Mike McGee? Tree Rollins??! I heard folks talk about his teams not getting past the second round of the playoffs. Well, let's evaluate, shall we......

Boston had Larry Bird (along with Robert Parrish, Kevin Mchale, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge). Laugh about me putting Ainge on the list but he represents one more pure threat from the perimeter than Nique had during his time here.

Detroit had Isiah Thomas (along with Joe Dumars, which gave them one of the best backcourts in the league. Again, name a perimeter scorer on any of those Hawk teams and no, Randy Wittman's 11 a night doesn't count. I can go on with Laimbeer, Rodman, Aguirre, John Salley, and James Edwards but why?)

Chicago had Jordan (and the best all-around player in Pippen, Grant, Rodman, a stable of outside shooters (see Paxson, Armstrong, Kerr) and big men to give away fouls and minutes. 'Nuff said.

We all know what the Lakers had with Magic, Worthy, Scott, and Kareem.

What do those teams have in common that the Hawks didn't? SUPPORT AROUND THEIR SUPERSTAR PLAYERS. In the playoffs, it doesn't really matter how good you are as a player, if you don't have enough surrounding talent to help your cause, YOU LOSE. There's a reason why KG hasn't sniffed the second round of the playoffs and why Tracy McGrady is watching the NBA Finals with you and me and it isn't entirely because of their performance. Before you take shots at 'Nique's lack of defense, passing, and leadership, take a look at the rosters around him. Take a long look at what he had to work with all those years.

[chillzatl]

I can't believe that you've ever seen more than a few highlights of him play and read your opinion printed by someone else.

For half a decade Nique matched Jordans stats line for line. Nique would score a PPG more, jordan would have one apg more, they'd be even in boards, etc etc. I guess jordan was just a scorer too?

The difference is that Jordan had a team around him and Nique had.. nobody.

Neither Magic nor Bird were great defenders. Stats wise neither of them matched up to Nique. They just had better teams.

[ATLien_]

Thats my point exactly Chillz. Everyone talks about how good Bird and Magic were, but their supporting casts were outstanding. Each played with atleast one other HOF if not 2, but people want to rag on Neke for not getting out of the second round?

IMO Neke one of the most underated players in history. He could go out against any player in the league and match them if not exceeding their stats for the night. Not only would he match them, but he would do it with all the raz taz you could ask for. I never saw Neke back down from anyone; Jordan had no Jedi mind tricks on him. Neke would not be intimidated and that in its self is what made him special.

[coachx]

Atlanta is very similar to Dallas in size. Atlanta is really no bigger.

the difference is that there are other large cities surrounding Dallas. (Fort Worth, Houston, SanAntonio, St. Louis, New Orleans, Phoneix) However, with Atlanta you have very small markets surrounding it (Macon, Savannah, Charlston, Charlotte, Nashville, Chatanoogoo, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Tampa).

Both towns (Dallas and Atlanta)are made up of a bunch of country boys.

Atlanta is only a big city to those who grew up and stayed in the South. In every other region of the country (except Southeast) there are several large cities in the area. It is only in the Southeast where one "city" dominates. If you lived around Boston, NY,LA, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta would not seem big anymore.

[coachx]

Nique is only a tool for the marketing manager. He will never be the head of marketing, he never even showed the mental capacity to finish college.

He will just be hired to show up and promote the team with personal appearences. I bet he never took a marketing class in his life.

[emeans]

Excellent Post Dejay.

Nique never had the surrounding cast that the Bulls, Lakers, Celtics and Detroit had around him. Also, the time they had probably the greatest opportunity to win it all, Lenny and Co. decided to trade Nique when he was having the best all around year he has had in some years.

To top that off the refereess cheated for Boston when they allowed Boston to go to 7 games against Nique and Co. The Hawks deserved to win that series and go on to win a championship. Boston always got the benefit of the doubt from the refs during that time.

He is a top 50 player, hands down!!

[Guest]

Like I said,you see Bird who was a scorer/rebounder

and could pass and Magic could play any 5 positions

and make his team better.True Nique never had a

great team and I started watching sometime in

latter 1989 after my mom died...So maybe his

best years was 83-88, but I never got to see

those years.But Bird/Magic were better allround players.

Perhaps maybe you're right....He might have been

sadly sucked into the bad luck the Hawks have

always had.

"Neither Magic nor Bird were great defenders. Stats wise neither of them matched up to Nique. They just had better teams."

Bird was a 24/11/5 guy and Nique was a 25/6/2 guy.Nique

obviousally had athletic ability over them, but I think

they had a higher basketball IQ.

"For half a decade Nique matched Jordans stats line for line. Nique would score a PPG more, jordan would have one apg more, they'd be even in boards, etc etc. I guess jordan was just a scorer too? "

Well that's dumb to say...If JT averages 20PPG 10APG

againest Jason Kidd does that make him as good as

Kidd is?Does it mean Jt is as good of a PG?NO

Maybe I'm alittle unfair with my expectations as far

as the playoffs go...but that's just the way that it is.

[Diesel]

Dominique the player from The Hawks.

We had some mediocre Jokers around Nique for most of his career. THis was at a time when teams were STACKED. Boston was Stacked with talent. The Bad Boys was stacked with talent (their bench could have beaten most teams). The 76ers were Stacked with Talent... Cheeks, Dr. J., Moses M... Dang, do you need anybody else.

I became a Hawks Fan because I would watch this one guy... Dominique HOLD the rope every night. Every night, he would put 11 guys on his back and he would carry them to wins. He never took a break. He never came home with less than 20 points? He never let a team stop him. He was UNSTOPPABLE. Truthfully, in the early part of his career, Jordan would get beat the [censored] up by Detroit (the bad Boys). However, that same Detroit team couldn't hold Dominique. Then Trades changed everything. I think the worse thing was when Doc became Doc Hollywood. That was the beginning of the end.

However if you take one of those Nique teams that made it to the playoffs and put them in this NBA, They'd own it.

[Guest]

However if you take one of those Nique teams that made it to the playoffs and put them in this NBA, They'd own it."

Nah..Kobe would abuse Battle/Whitman and all the other

Hawk SG's..Shaq would wipe out anyone the Hawks had

to offer.

That Hawk team would win about 55 games and take the

east and maybe reach the finals but would lose.