BERNIE MULLIN RESIGNS

[scottt]

What do we make of this?

[DJlaysitup]

Oh no! That means no more breakfast with Bernie?

No more of the boy from Liverpool - the KU Jayhawk - the guy who assured us that Speedy would be 100% this season.

[WraithSentinel]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/s...ullin_0122.html

Atlanta Spirit honcho resigns

Mullin leaves president/CEO posts with Hawks, Thrashers

By TIM TUCKER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 01/22/08

Atlanta Spirit President and Chief Executive Officer Bernie Mullin resigned Tuesday, according to Mullin and part owner Michael Gearon, Jr.

Mullin called his resignation a mutual decision between him and the Hawks-Thrashers owners.

Your Turn

Do you think Bernie Mullin's resignation will endanger the job security of Hawks GM Billy Knight and/or Thrashers GM Don Waddell?

"I'm leaving to pursue other opportunities," Mullin told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this morning. "It's a mutual decision.

"Basically ... I believe the owners want to get more intimately involved in the running of the business on an everyday basis," Mullin said. "And obviously that impacts the role I performed, and therefore it makes more sense for me to move on."

Employees of the Atlanta Spirit, owners of the Hawks and Thrashers, were informed of the move Tuesday.

Mullin has held the position since April 2004.

[TheDude]

I have no clue what to make of this except for maybe it shows that change may be coming.

[Packfill]

On the one hand, the fact that the owners are going to become more intimately involved in the operation of the team could be a good thing - i.e., they realize the FO and coaching is a mess.

On the other hand, these are the same dummies that signed a horrendous agreement with Belkin and have generally shown very poor judgement in all things related to basketball - i.e., agreeing to partner with Belkin, retaining BK and allowing BK and Woody to continue in their current positions for so long.

Should be interesting to see how this turns out.

[DJlaysitup]

It could also be that Bernie got another offer and sees the lack of a real future with this organization. Maybe he wanted more money. Who knows. These guys are always putting lipstick on the pig when it comes to information released to the public.

[Packfill]

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It could also be that Bernie got another offer and sees the lack of a real future with this organization. Maybe he wanted more money. Who knows. These guys are always putting lipstick on the pig when it comes to information released to the public.

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Or, the Atlanta Spirit are so short on funds they are getting rid of overhead.

[lifelong]

Oh well, aside from appearing on the radio every once in a while, it didn't seem like Bernie Mullen really added much. It's up to Billy Knight and Don Waddell to improve their respective products on the floor/ice.

[Diesel]

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"Basically ... I believe the owners want to get more intimately involved in the running of the business on an everyday basis," Mullin said. "And obviously that impacts the role I performed, and therefore it makes more sense for me to move on."

Sounds to me like the owners were interested in making moves without Bernie's consult. I think it suggests that we are about to do something?

[Dragitoff]

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"Basically ... I believe the owners want to get more intimately involved in the running of the business on an everyday basis," Mullin said. "And obviously that impacts the role I performed, and therefore it makes more sense for me to move on."

Sounds to me like the owners were interested in making moves without Bernie's consult. I think it suggests that we are about to do something?

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Boy I hope you're right.

[TexasPete]

Bernie was clueless and this is a good move. They bring in a guy from the UK who has no clue about either basketball or hockey...a soccer guy.

Bernie has no instinct for the game of basketball. The Hawks need a lot more than this (BK and Woody gone) but this is a start.

Hopefully, they will bring in a true basketball guy. Bernie was a nice guy who was in above his head.

[mrhonline]

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"Basically ... I believe the owners want to get more intimately involved in the running of the business on an everyday basis," Mullin said. "And obviously that impacts the role I performed, and therefore it makes more sense for me to move on."

Sounds to me like the owners were interested in making moves without Bernie's consult. I think it suggests that we are about to do something?

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I hope so.

[Lascar78]

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Sounds to me like the owners were interested in making moves without Bernie's consult. I think it suggests that we are about to do something?

That's how I read this too. If this is a shakeup to fix the problems, you would expect a follow up (firing Woody and/or BK) quick. Definitely within a week or two.

Either way this is good news, but I guess we'll have to wait and see if this is going to make a difference or just be symbolic.

[AnakinJoe]

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Bernie was clueless and this is a good move. They bring in a guy from the UK who has no clue about either basketball or hockey...a soccer guy.

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Bernie worked several years in the NBA HQ offices with David Stern being around the corner from his office. He's an administrator with a lot of team sports management experience. That doesn't mean he knows how to evaluate talent. That's what the GMs are supposed to do.

[Guest]

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Bernie was clueless and this is a good move. They bring in a guy from the UK who has no clue about either basketball or hockey...a soccer guy.

Bernie has no instinct for the game of basketball. The Hawks need a lot more than this (BK and Woody gone) but this is a start.

Hopefully, they will bring in a true basketball guy. Bernie was a nice guy who was in above his head.

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My thoughts exactly. This news is very exciting. Mullin is a pompous guy who hasn't make much contributions to the organization. I am so excited to read this.

[TroyMcClure]

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Bernie was clueless and this is a good move. They bring in a guy from the UK who has no clue about either basketball or hockey...a soccer guy.

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Bernie worked several years in the NBA HQ offices with David Stern being around the corner from his office. He's an administrator with a lot of team sports management experience. That doesn't mean he knows how to evaluate talent. That's what the GMs are supposed to do.

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So, how would you judge his "administration" of the Hawks? Pathetic and firable, imo. Just because he talked his way into a job or two doesn't mean he ever knew anything about what he was doing. The results speak for themself.

I guess I have to change my sig. Maybe the Hawks are finally putting winning ahead of entertainment?

[DJlaysitup]

From the AJC article:

"to replace Mullin as president and CEO and that the executives who previously reported to Mullin will report to the ownership group.

"I have enormous respect for Bernie, and we appreciate what he's done for the organization," Gearon said. "We [the owners] have been very active in all aspects of the business, and I think going forward we don't need a person between us and senior management."

Wow - fired and not even replaced! That tells a person something about their percieved value within the organization.

[DrReality]

On the radio Buck and Kincaid couldn't believe it. They said the following:

He was the only one who had a clue about running the organization, that it was motivated out of their egos wanting more attention, that the Spirit are described as "cartoonish" by others in the league, Mullins was respected and a positive face on the franchise. The timing could not have been worse with NHL allstar game coming to town. It was a cost cutting move and they have no plans to replace him.

I can't stand Kincaid, but this is one instance that I agreed with him.

Woody . . . .incompetent

BK . . . . . .incompetent

Mullins . . . . competent and FIRED

Owners . . . . clueless

The one guy that had a clue resigned or 'fired.'

If all of this is true it will have a huge impact on resinging Smoove and other FAs.

[Lascar78]

Just curious but how do you know that he was competent in any way? We know that he is a good public speaker and good at painting a pretty picture whether it's true or not.

But as far as the important stuff and the decision making related to basketball and hockey operations, how do you know that he was competent at all? It seems to me that we are not aware of what he did, that the GMs themselves made the bulk of the decisions. If Bernie was involved in approving the moves, I don't know what he did / didn't approve. Given BK's mediocre job, I'm not sure how he's so competent if he approved every move. So how do you know his competency and involvement?

It seem to me that Bernie and the Spirit owners don't agree on things, but I haven't seen any evidence of who wants what on any of the hawks' decisions.

[DrReality]

I don't know for a fact but was conveying what was on the radio. If nothing else, perception in the league is pretty important at this point.

I guess we will find out in time.