Woody's "Playoff Attitude"

[JackB1]

Anyone else getting annoyed at Woody's "attitude" now that he's on Nat'l TV? With that stupid shaved head and flaunting his monster NBA title ring everywhere (like he had anything to do with that)....he seems to be acting a lot "different". He is smiling more and seems just "happy to be here". He was laughing at a lot of the "non calls" last night, instead of ripping the refs a new *hole, like he should have been. He also left pictures of the NBA Trophy in all the players lockers before last nights game. WTF was that? The players should put pictures of "real coaches", like Phil Jackson on Woodson's locker. Woody...the "great motivator"...lol. The "actual coaching" part of his job is a lot more important, than these stupid gimmicks. So lose the ring, Woody and stop trying to act like you "belong" here, because you don't. You belong on the unemployment line.

[AnnArborHawk]

Look at it this way....the old Woody wasn't very good, so what's the worst that could happen with a change in approach.

[AnakinJoe]

So you want him to quit today and let Drew coach the rest of the playoffs. What was it about the 82 regular season games that led you to believe that last night's outcome would be different than it was? More than X and O's this team needs to put forth consistent effort and energy. That's the starting point for a team with only a handful of skilled players. So trying to motivate them to think beyond of "we're glad to be here" and to dangle a carrot (ring & trophy) in front of them is absolutely the right thing to do.

[TruJerz]

I have no idea what you are talking about. Woody is still Woody..nothing has changed at all. The playoffs is a new thing for all of us in "Hawk Land"...so if anything everyone seems different including the players too. Woodson sis a bad job coaching last night tho. NOt getting these guys to run and also the defensive matchups were horrible..Bibby ended up on Pierce way too many times. We gotta make adjustments ASAP!!! I still believe though

[TexasPete]

Wrong Anakin. These are professional players who know they have no shot at the big trophy. This "run" is not about winning a championship, sorry. This is about doing the absolute most that they can do which is MAYBE win a game or two...and gain experience for the future.

Acting like they have a shot at a championship is stupid and delusional. The Suns, Lakers, Spurs, Celts, etc all have a legit shot at a title. How many Larry O'Brien trophy's are taped in their lockers? This is stupid gimmickry. Walking around saying things like "when we win the title this year" is not positive thinking, it is stupidity. Nobody is buying this BS act, certainly not the players or the fans.

This is another example of a coach who just sucks out loud and is truly embarrassing to our city. You don't have to tape championship trophies to your locker to be a contender. You have to shut your mouth and play. Oh, and you need a good coach. That leaves the Hawks well out of contention.

[JackB1]

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Acting like they have a shot at a championship is stupid and delusional. The Suns, Lakers, Spurs, Celts, etc all have a legit shot at a title. How many Larry O'Brien trophy's are taped in their lockers? This is stupid gimmickry. Walking around saying things like "when we win the title this year" is not positive thinking, it is stupidity. Nobody is buying this BS act, certainly not the players or the fans.

This is another example of a coach who just sucks out loud and is truly embarrassing to our city. You don't have to tape championship trophies to your locker to be a contender. You have to shut your mouth and play. Oh, and you need a good coach. That leaves the Hawks well out of contention.

That's exactly my point Pete. It makes us look like we have a coach who has no clue. Does anyone in the world really think we have a shot at a title this year? It IS embarrassing. Woody is acting like he is better than his players by saying "I have this ring and you kids don't". He should act like an unexperienced playoff coach, in there for the 1st time with his young team. Lets win ONE GAME before we start thinking about a championship Woody!

This is not the right approach for a young team that badly needs some playoff experience.

[craigo667]

How exactly is it embarassing for Woodson and the team to believe they can win the championship? For the past eight years this organzation has been caught up in a culture of losing. Now, thanks to the current team we are in the playoffs and Woodson is simply wanting his players to understand that when the playoffs start the records are thrown out and anyone can win. That is the most important lesson a young team can learn about the postseason. It is no coincidence that Big Al was dominant last night, he has spent the last two years of his life winning championships. He nows how to win and he is trying to help his teammates find their way. Every player in the NBA worth anything is here to win a championship. Every team in the playoffs MUST believe they can win every year. I love the attitude that Woodson is bringing, he is showing his team what true winning is all about.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

LOL . . I guess Woody is the first coach to use gimmicks to try to motivate his team. So if Woody would've dunked his head in a bucket of ice water as a motivational tool, that would be stupid too huh?

[TexasPete]

It's embarrassing because we have no shot. This is not about winning a championship OK? This is about gaining experience.

JJ doesn't need a trophy taped to his locker. He isn't in 5th grade. Ever heard of Popovich doing stupid stuff like this? No. How about Phil J? Nope. D'Antoni? Naw, he's too smart.

North, you aren't going to admit Woody sucks no matter the evidence. Let's just say that teams 8 games under .500 don't win titles and leave it at that. You don't throw up the white flag but there's a reason you won 37 games.

It's like saying your going to win the lottery so go ahead and buy the new car. Positive thinking right? Good luck. You have as much chance of winning the lottery as the Hawks do of actually winning the title.

Just play the games one at a time and see what happens. Leave the 5th grade motivation at home.

[JackB1]

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How exactly is it embarassing for Woodson and the team to believe they can win the championship? For the past eight years this organzation has been caught up in a culture of losing. Now, thanks to the current team we are in the playoffs and Woodson is simply wanting his players to understand that when the playoffs start the records are thrown out and anyone can win. That is the most important lesson a young team can learn about the postseason. It is no coincidence that Big Al was dominant last night, he has spent the last two years of his life winning championships. He nows how to win and he is trying to help his teammates find their way. Every player in the NBA worth anything is here to win a championship. Every team in the playoffs MUST believe they can win every year. I love the attitude that Woodson is bringing, he is showing his team what true winning is all about.

It's embarrassing because the basketball world KNOWS we have no shot at a champioship. At what point in the season did we play like we could win 4 best of 7 series in a row against better teams? Great expectations often lead to great disappointments. How about a goal of being competitive every game?

Doesn't it bother anyone else that after this whole season we still have no "identity". We are long and athletic, but we don't play to our strengths very often and for that, you have to blame the coach. All this talk about defensing and rebounding is useless because we can't do it. So lets try something we CAN do and that's run and play uptempo. At least if we lose, we went out playing our best.

[swolehawk2]

There is no need to beat this horse.....Woody has to go and should have been gone.

[TheDude]

To me, it's not neccessarily the attempt at trying to motivate the players. It's really the cheapness of it all. Photocopies of the championship trophy taped?

[JackB1]

Listen to this interview after Game 1:

http://www.nba.com/media/hawks/Woodson_042108.mp3

He keeps talking about how the players had "jitters" and that they were "nervous"???

He doesn't accept any of the blame for this loss and seems to be putting himself on a different level than his players. He keeps referring to "this young team" and "getting one game under their belt". How about the fact that we were only down by 9 at the half and made ZERO adjustments to what they were doing. They kept smothering Bibby after we got the rebound and that prevented us from getting out on the break. How about the fact that playing Chillz at the point wasn't working. Woody seems to have adopted this "elitist"

attitude since the playoffs and is alienating his players. It's almost like he's apologizing for them.

[swolehawk2]

It is the "I got this young team into the playoffs mentality.

See, if he convinces everybody that the team is too young and not ready to compete at this level...then it looks as though he has overachieved as a coach.

[JackB1]

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It is the "I got this

young

team into the playoffs mentality.

See, if he convinces everybody that the team is too young and not ready to compete at this level...then it looks as though he has overachieved as a coach.

He is already positioning himself for his plea to keep his coaching job for next year.

If Woody comes back next year, my interest level of the Hawks will go way down.

This was my first year following the team closely and one year of Woody is all I can take.

I don't know how most of you did it for 4 years!

[swolehawk2]

We have not had a decent coach since Lenny left.

[TroyMcClure]

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It is the "I got this

young

team into the playoffs mentality.

See, if he convinces everybody that the team is too young and not ready to compete at this level...then it looks as though he has overachieved as a coach.

He is already positioning himself for his plea to keep his coaching job for next year.

If Woody comes back next year, my interest level of the Hawks will go way down.

This was my first year following the team closely and one year of Woody is all I can take.

I don't know how most of you did it for 4 years!

It's made a lot of us very bitter. He is clearly the worst coach that I have ever seen... in any sport. He is also one of the 5 worst coaches in NBA history, statistically speaking.

I'm almost at the end of the road. If they resign this guy, I really don't know what I'll do. Probably watch even less than I did this year. Really, I said last year that this team would win 35 games and it would be Groundhog Day... again. Now, either I'm clairvoyant or the ceiling with this coach is right about here. We have one of the worst records in playoff history and making them is no real accomplishment. This team has the talent to play at or above .500 for a whole year. This coach has held us back for 4 years now.

[TexasPete]

Troy, I agree 100%. Making the playoffs at 37-45 is no cause for celebration. In fact, if we hadn't traded our lotto pick a lot of fans would have been hoping to miss the playoffs. This team doesn't belong and they know it. That's what makes the "trophy" thing so pathetic. This team won't win a game in the first round, let alone win a series...or a title.

Woodson is just such a joke I can't even watch anymore. If they re-sign Woodson I'm taking a long Hawks break. It would show just how clueless this ASG is and it isn't worth the effort.

I have been a Hawk fan a LONG time and until Woodson goes I'm finished. This half-ass playoff deal is about as much fun as crapping a razor blade. Now the whole country gets to see this lousy coach and our flawed roster. At least BK got Horford right. He was damn sure due.