Get to the playoffs and what.................

[LOL_Hawks]

Considering the Hawks haven't actually been to the playoffs since 98-99, just making it would be huge. It'd certainly be something to build off of for next year.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Are we in agreement that almost any coach other than Woody, is a "real" coach?

I definitely don't agree with that. If the Hawks change coaches, they either need to get a guy who has won in the past ( Brown, Fratello, etc ), or a guy who is a great teacher of X's and O's. It's like I've always said. Put a Lawrence Frank or an Eddie Jordan as our head man, and we're no better off. Pat Riley has Dwyane Wade, and lost 27 out of his last 29 games. They're even 1 - 5 with the Marion / Wade combo ( soon to be 1 - 6 after tonight's loss @ the Lakers )

I guess Riley is the worst coach in the league now?

Just a mere coaching change may or may not improve our situation. You, as well as everyone else, know that we need upgrades across the board. We still don't have a legit low post scorer. Or a big man who can defend. Or a dependable bench. We finally got a PG, so we'll see how that works out in the long run as the season progresses.

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The only problem with that is the ownership. Would these guys actually let the contract run out on a guy who improved his record every year, culminating in a playoff appearance? I don't have any indication that they are smart enough to let him go. That would mean we would have to start the next year in the dumpster to even think about dumping Woody. That's another year gone. Also, what about Smoove? No way he stays if Woody does, no matter the money, imo.

I've never heard of one NBA player that has turned down a mega-buck deal, just because they don't like the coach. I'm sure you'd even play for Woody for 55 - 70 million dollars over the next 5 years. When Smoove gets that money, and if he keeps developing, he'll actually have the power to complain enough to get Woody out of here. JJ has that power now, but is too much of a team guy to do something like that.

If the Hawks win 36 games, make the playoffs, but still lose in the first round, Woody is definitely fired, unless the Hawks can't find a decent named coach to replace him. What we should worry more about, is if the Hawks are willing to just settle for Woody, in order to keep from paying a big named coach much more money. If that's the case, it's not going to matter what we do anyway. The ASG will always settle for a cheap option, whether it's Woody, or some other assistant somewhere that they can hire on the cheap, and sell to the fan base.

Contrary to popular belief, Memphis is NOT better off with Ivaroni, than they were with Fratello. The same goes with Chicago and their firing of Skiles.

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And what confidence does an intelligent human gain from making the playoffs when they don't deserve it. I don't want players so dumb that they don't even realize they're not working or thinking hard enough, just because they made the playoffs in the East. A very strong push at the end of the season could be big for the players but idling in just won't do it. Winning record or bust, imo.

It is not the fault of the Hawks that the East is so weak this year. So if they get in, they deserve it. What's important, is for our young guys like Smith, Law, Horford, Marvin, and Chill, to get a taste of what it is like to be in the playoffs. Even if our chances are slim to none of actually winning the series, they can take that experience and use it as motivation for the 08 - 09 season. That really isn't hard to understand at all is it?

[DieHardHAWK]

You get back what you put out. The negativity on this board is ridiculous. I would love for this team to make it to the playoffs, better yet the finals. Just gotta have faith people, even if the coach or asg sucks. Yall sound like the same folks that was chanting "M.V.P." for Kobe at Philips.

[Atlantaholic]

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You get back what you put out. The negativity on this board is ridiculous. I would love for this team to make it to the playoffs, better yet the finals. Just gotta have faith people, even if the coach or asg sucks. Yall sound like the same folks that was chanting "M.V.P." for Kobe at Philips.

This is bad logic. When the Hawks were 15-12 everyone was pretty much ecstatic and optimistic...I know I was.

The reason people are unhappy and negative is the performance... To think that the teams performance is influenced by peoples attitudes is, at best, a retarded superstition... and by all accounts false.

The reason people want us to miss the playoffs is because it guarantees that one of the teams biggest weaknesses will be gone next year... Most people understand that making the playoffs is a false victory... with a grand total of 7 road wins in the entire year, it is incredibly unlikely that we win a single playoff series against anyone, let alone a top seed. Why is this such a travesty to want us to miss the playoffs in order to improve next year?

Would you trade our first round picks for the next five years in order to get a player that will make us a top 4 team in the east?

Would you trade Josh Smith and Horford for Jason Kidd and Shaq?

Despite the fact that these moves would give us a shot at being good right now, you probably wouldn't... because it hurts the team in the long run.

People arguing for us to miss the playoffs are using this same line of thinking, in no way puts their fandom into question... Perhaps they are wrong in assessing Woody's impact on the team (doubtful), but they aren't any less of fans. They all want the team to be good. Comparing them to the Kobe chanters is completely baseless.

[ATLSmith]

I for one didn't think the Hawks would be a shoe-in for the playoffs this year. I knew that it was going to be a fight to get in.

Look how close we are. Every game counts at this point. Aren’t you excited about the playoff race and the fact that the Hawks are right there in it?

If the Hawks were 10 games out I would understand your argument, but they are so close, why give up now?

What happens to Woodson is between BK and the ASG. He's not guaranteed a job even if we do make the playoffs. I don't see why you want to penalize an entire team just to have one man fired. Seems a little selfish to me.

Don't you want these young guys to get a taste of the playoffs? Even if they do get blown out, they'll know just how good they need to be and work that much harder. Only good things can come if they reach the playoffs this year.

[Atlantaholic]

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I for one didn't think the Hawks would be a shoe-in for the playoffs this year. I knew that it was going to be a fight to get in.

Look how close we are. Every game counts at this point. Aren’t you excited about the playoff race and the fact that the Hawks are right there in it?

If the Hawks were 10 games out I would understand your argument, but they are so close, why give up now?

What happens to Woodson is between BK and the ASG. He's not guaranteed a job even if we do make the playoffs. I don't see why you want to penalize an entire team just to have one man fired. Seems a little selfish to me.

Don't you want these young guys to get a taste of the playoffs? Even if they do get blown out, they'll know just how good they need to be and work that much harder. Only good things can come if they reach the playoffs this year.

I would love for us to play well and make the playoffs.

We are 8 - 20 in our last 28 games. That's expansion team type of performance. The only way we make the playoffs at this point is if New Jersey and Philadelphia loose like crazy, or if Bibby plays like he did against Sacramento for the rest of the year. I would love for us to go on a tear, but realistically, the only way we make the playoffs is by backing into them.

I do not want us to back into the playoffs with a record of 10 wins under 500 or worse and then get swept by Boston/Detroit... Getting swept in the first round by blow outs is NOT good experience for any team. Look at Memphis... two years of making the eighth seed and getting swept. Lot a good that did them.

[Atlantaholic]

For the record, and I think that I speak for all my fellow fans, the people that hope we miss the playoffs still cheer for us to win every game we play.

It's kind of like betting against your own team scenario... You cheer for them to win the game (or make the playoffs in this case), but if they loose you've still won something (Woodson getting fired)

[ATLSmith]

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For the record, and I think that I speak for all my fellow fans, the people that hope we miss the playoffs still cheer for us to win every game we play.

See, this doesn't make any sense to me. To each his own I guess.

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The only way we make the playoffs at this point is if New Jersey and Philadelphia loose like crazy, or if Bibby plays like he did against Sacramento for the rest of the year.

I believe that we make the playoffs if the team plays their heart out every night. Let NJ and Philly worry about their own games.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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For the record, and I think that I speak for all my fellow fans, the people that hope we miss the playoffs still cheer for us to win every game we play.

It's kind of like betting against your own team scenario... You cheer for them to win the game (or make the playoffs in this case), but if they loose you've still won something (Woodson getting fired)

This is idiotic fan thinking at its finest.

The events of the past 24 hours should CLEARLY show you that the main problem here, is the ASG itself. Woody and BK are only symptoms of the major disease crippling this franchise, which is the ASG.

So if they won't fire Woody now, and BK doesn't have the absolute power to fire him, who do you think this ownership group will bring in?

A lot of you think a coaching change, just for the sake of change, will have us better off. Well look at all of the struggling teams that have given power to one of their assistants over the years. Almost all of those guys fail to get the ship back on track.

Just like with the PG situation, if they're going to make a coaching change, then do it RIGHT. Go out and get a guy that you know can coach, or just interview a lot of guys at the end of the year, and make your decision then.

This reminds me of Bear fans complaining about Rex Grossman. All of them wanted Rex on the bench because he'd flat out lose games. When coach Lovie Smith finally makes the change, Bear fans were delighted to see Brian Gresie take control. LOL . . that happiness lasted for all of 2 weeks. Then he started to do he same ish that Rex was doing, with untimely INTs.

Their situation is not going to change, until they get a legit signal caller running the show.

Ish, you could use that same analogy with the Falcons. All those people that wanted Vick gone, even before the dogfighting stuff came out, look at the Falcons now. Maybe things would be different if they kept Schaub, but look what they ended up with . . Joey Harrington. Even Leftwich couldn't get the job done.

As for the Hawks, people have no idea if Drew is an upgrade over Woody or not. He's just the simple cheap cosmetic replacement at this time. If they want to give him a chance, then fine . . give him a chance.

But don't act like our situation will immeadiately be better with Woody gone, and BK and the ASG still here.

[PureGreatness]

the hawks gotta start somewhere. if that means getting swept then we will just have to get swept. if making the playoffs mean signing woodson to a extension then im against it. if he can still be fired and we make the playoffs then im all for it. i rather play boston than detroit.