I hate to mention this another year, but.....

[Swish]

There was a story, about 3 years ago, I think, where Mark Price talked about visiting one of Woodson's "practices". The jist was that the practices were disorganized and consisted mostly of guys doing what they wanted and Woodson yucking it up with other guys in the gym. Price was less than impressed.

That is the only report I have ever seen on how Woody runs practice.

And I don't have any idea why anyone would assume he has changed. An NBA Insider TV piece on J-Smoove after game 1 showed him just hanging around the gym telling JS to hit his FTs. Whats that about? Of course he needs to hit those.

[Red Hawk #21]

There was a story, about 3 years ago, I think, where Mark Price talked about visiting one of Woodson's "practices". The jist was that the practices were disorganized and consisted mostly of guys doing what they wanted and Woodson yucking it up with other guys in the gym. Price was less than impressed.

That is the only report I have ever seen on how Woody runs practice.

This story sounds very familiar, I think I have also read about this same thing somewhere. Woodson sucks as coach but I always hope that the more experience he gets the more he will change for the better.

[EazyRoc]

Any of the 8 of you who think Woody can get it done care to tell us why you think so? Please. Give me something to hope on.

I think having players on the bench who can actually contribute in the NBA will make a lot of difference. Woodson has got to focus on putting his team in better positions to succeed offensively. I don't think there's any question as to his qualifications as a defensive coach. How many times have the Hawks came back after being down 10+ at the half by playing great D ? Plenty. The players need to make a commitment to put forth their absolute best efforts on D night in and night out. Woody needs really find out what works for his team, and stick to that.

[Lascar78]

I don't think there's any question as to his qualifications as a defensive coach.

Oh yes there is. There are plenty of questions. You can choose to remember a few games where we started playing D and came back (after playing horrible D), just like you can choose to remember the couple of times our offense looked great. But the stats speak for themselves.

When you look at points scored per 100 possessions / points allowed per 100 possession, our offense was 16th in the league, our defense was 18th. So I hardly see how his qualifications are unquestioned when our defense performed worse than our offense.

His reputation as a defensive coach may be deserved, or may have just been inherited from Larry Brown. Either way, even if he has a vast defensive knowledge, it is absolutely worthless if he can't get it across to the players. A coach doesn't get paid for his knowledge, he gets paid for how he gets the players to perform. And Woodson is a massive failure that should not have been re-signed.

[EazyRoc]

So, if players don't play D consistently, then that is the coach's problem ?

You could bring in Larry Brown himself, and if the players don't want to give the effort, then is it Larry Brown's fault ? Let's not forget it's the players who play the game.

[thefloydian]

Please, someone. Tell me one thing you think Woodson is good at as a coach. I've asked this question about 20 times since I've posted here, and no one will give me a direct answer.

[DJlaysitup]

Please, someone. Tell me one thing you think Woodson is good at as a coach. I've asked this question about 20 times since I've posted here, and no one will give me a direct answer.

Personally, I don't have very much confidence in the "Woodster". He may be a good/decent HS coach....at best.

[Lascar78]

So, if players don't play D consistently, then that is the coach's problem ?.

Of course it is. That is what the coach is there for, to get the most out of his players. If a coach can't get his players to play D and another coach could, then that coach is worthless.

[High5]

Woodson is the one that has the Hawks switching every chance they get which puts us in a lot of bad situations. Woodson may be a decent assisstant coach, but he has no business being a head coach.

[EazyRoc]

Of course it is. That is what the coach is there for, to get the most out of his players. If a coach can't get his players to play D and another coach could, then that coach is worthless.

So, you think there's another coach out there that could get them to play D more consistently ? I don't think so. I t's on the players to make that commitment. The fact that there have been a few games where they have played great defense throughout the whole game shows me that Mike Woodson is a good defensive coach. These are professional players, not high school ballers, so they shouldn't need motivational speeches night in and night out. Sometimes fans have to start looking at their players when things go wrong, instead of their coach. I do know if the team does something good, fans'll be the first to ignore whatever contributions the coach had in their success.

P.S. The reason we usually fall behind in games is not poor D, but terrible offense. When Joe forces up shots with hands in his face, or when Josh shoots a jumpshot.

Edited August 17, 2008 by EazyRoc

[thefloydian]

What is Woodson good at? With the logic being displayed in this thread, ASG should just fire Woodson and let the players coach themselves.

[Lascar78]

So, you think there's another coach out there that could get them to play D more consistently ?

Yes. I think there are plenty of coaches that could get them to play better D, and even more coaches that could get them to play better offense.

[EazyRoc]

Outside of Popovich and Larry Brown, who do you think could get them to play better D ?

[TroyMcClure]

Outside of Popovich and Larry Brown, who do you think could get them to play better D ?

Eazy, It's not worth any of our time to explain to you in detail why Woodson is an incompetent coach. It's been done and then some. I suggest you actually watch Hawks games. Our defense is terrible, just as our offense is. This isn't football. Basketball is a free flowing game with offense and defense being closely intertwined. He is garbage. If you don't know it by now, your knowledge has to seriously be questioned.

Also, your hypothetical question is silly. Especially since you didn't even mention Jerry Sloan or maybe a Phil Jackson or a Riley.

[EazyRoc]

Too bad you don't know what we were talking about. I'm not making the case for Woodson's competence. In my opinion, he's definitely a below average coach from the 40 or 50 games I watched last year. Our defense isn't consistently terrible, and after Bibby was brought in, neither was our offense. Perhaps you need to watch some games ?

Also, my hypothetical isn't silly. The point was made. Other than a Hall of Fame coach, who could get these guys to play D consistently every night ?

Nice try, though.

Edited August 19, 2008 by EazyRoc

[Cwell]

Too bad you don't know what we were talking about. I'm not making the case for Woodson's competence. In my opinion, he's definitely a below average coach from the 40 or 50 games I watched last year. Our defense isn't consistently terrible, and after Bibby was brought in, neither was our offense. Perhaps you need to watch some games ?

Also, my hypothetical isn't silly. The point was made. Other than a Hall of Fame coach, who could get these guys to play D consistently every night ?

Nice try, though.

our offense actually wasn't better.It was still horrible. Bibby just happened to be one of if not the best 3 pt. shooting PG in the league.

Edited August 20, 2008 by Cwell

[A-town Hawks]

Too bad you don't know what we were talking about. I'm not making the case for Woodson's competence. In my opinion, he's definitely a below average coach from the 40 or 50 games I watched last year. Our defense isn't consistently terrible, and after Bibby was brought in, neither was our offense. Perhaps you need to watch some games ?

Also, my hypothetical isn't silly. The point was made. Other than a Hall of Fame coach, who could get these guys to play D consistently every night ?

Nice try, though.

Your hypothetical is definetly silly, it makes no sense to limit the NBA to having only two coaches(Larry, Pops) that can command the attention and effort out of theirs respective players. There are many other coaches in this league that do a great job at getting the most out of their players thats what a coach is for, they design the plays make the speeches and run the practices all in efforts to put their team in the best position to produce.

Woody has problem in all of those aspects listed and thats the difference between him and a good coach. Now I have no doubts that Woody has some good defensive knowledge in that thick head of his, and who wouldnt after being a main assistant under Larry Brown for a couple of years. So he has a good defensive foundation in his head but to be a head coach in this league you need to have the WHOLE package.

Here's a list that consists of all the tools one needs to be a good coach in this league (ofcourse maybe missing some) check off how many Woody qualities actually has on this list compared to how many he doesnt have.

1. Ability to command respect from players

2. Ability to motivate players

3. Ability to develop young player prospects

4. Ability to make keen in game decisions

5. Ability to make good pregame strategies

6. Ability to exploit matchups

7. Good defensive knowledge

8. Good offensive knowledge

9. Ability to create a communication flow with assisitants

10. Ability to create a communication flow with players

Edited August 21, 2008 by A-town Hawks

[EazyRoc]

Your hypothetical is definetly silly, it makes no sense to limit the NBA to having only two coaches(Larry, Pops) that can command the attention and effort out of theirs respective players. There are many other coaches in this league that do a great job at getting the most out of their players thats what a coach is for, they design the plays make the speeches and run the practices all in efforts to put their team in the best position to produce.

Woody has problem in all of those aspects listed and thats the difference between him and a good coach. Now I have no doubts that Woody has some good defensive knowledge in that thick head of his, and who wouldnt after being a main assistant under Larry Brown for a couple of years. So he has a good defensive foundation in his head but to be a head coach in this league you need to have the WHOLE package.

Here's a list that consists of all the tools one needs to be a good coach in this league (ofcourse maybe missing some) check off how many Woody qualities actually has on this list compared to how many he doesnt have.

1. Ability to command respect from players

2. Ability to motivate players

3. Ability to develop young player prospects

4. Ability to make keen in game decisions

5. Ability to make good pregame strategies

6. Ability to exploit matchups

7. Good defensive knowledge

8. Good offensive knowledge

9. Ability to create a communication flow with assisitants

10. Ability to create a communication flow with players

C'mon man. Keep up. Someone wanted to know what was a good quality of Woodson. I said he's a good defensive coach. Like I said in the post you quoted in your reply, I don't think Mike Woodson is a good coach. Good god. I wish people would read threads, instead of a few lines before replying. Also! The question wasn't about getting the most out of players, but about a coach who could get these guys to play great D (that they have shown they're capable of) consistently besides a Hall of Fame coach.

[High5]

What makes you think Woodson is a good defensive coach? Just because they have some stretches of great defense? Every team has great stretches or even great games that go against the usual. The Hawks seem to switch on defense more than any team I watch and this leads to some terrible, unnecessary match ups. The Hawks also have problems adjusting. If a team has some success with a certain play or a certain player, they will milk that for the entire game. Those are two specific things that I'm basing my opinion on, what do you have Eazy?

[Swish]

He was with Larry Brown! He has to be good defensively! :rolls eyes: