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Sekou-Inside Camp

HawkItus

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Inside camp

By Sekou K Smith | Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 03:49 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HAWKSVILLE - Whatever you think of Hawks coach Mike Woodson, and I hate to even go there knowing the quick-witted cruelty that’s so prevalent around here, no one can accuse the man of being inconsistent.

The first thing I heard him say when I hit the practice court today was, “Nobody is in shape. You can’t run for five straight minutes and we’ve got to play 48. It doesn’t look like anybody did anything this summer.”

That’s four straight years with Woodson singing that song on the opening day of training camp.

“He says it every single year,” Marvin Williams said with a smile. “I’d be worried if he said something else. But we’re good. We know we’ve worked hard. But the first day of camp always brings it home for you.”

Woodson softened his stance when he addressed the assembled media after practice, toning down the rhetoric after cranking it up throughout the portion of practice we were allowed to view.

“For the most part guys were in tune to what we were doing,” he said. “But I always look at the first few days of camp from a conditioning standpoint and see who did some work in the offseason. And I thought this time last year we were a little ahead of pace. That’s not to knock any of the guys’ effort, because when you start camp everybody is excited and they give effort. But bodies fatigue because we’re doing a lot of running the first few days as we start to prepare for preseason games.”

MORE FROM MARVIN: Woodson did mention that the expectations for Williams this season have been raised, as they are for all of the players. But Williams in particular is a player Woodson has his eye on (mostly because of the position he plays and how crucial it is with so many of the league’s top talents lining up at small forward).

“I think with Marvin, when you’re a small forward in this league and average 15 points in your third year, his numbers have to go up for us to be successful,” Woodson said. “He and I have talked about it. And I don’t think he’s the type of player that will shy away from a challenge. I expect that his numbers will rise this year. He needs to be probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 or 19 points this year. Each year he’s grown as a player and has gotten better from an offensive standpoint. But it’s not just offense. That’s a strong position he’s playing and your opponents are strong offensive players as well, so you’ve got to take pride in defending and rebounding the ball, too. We’re expecting all of those things from Marvin. And I would shortchange him if I didn’t expect all those things.”

LINE OF THE DAY: Woodson let all the players know that any player that plans on shooting a 3-pointer this season better be in the gym either before or after practice working with shooting consultant Mark Price or assistant coach Jim Todd.

The players were on the floor in a giant circle doing their post-practice stretches as he was talking and Joe Johnson raised his hand so he could speak. “I don’t plan on taking any 3’s this year coach,” he said, igniting a chorus of laughter that even Woodson couldn’t help but join.

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AtLaS Proficient

AtLaS

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I'm not a Woody basher, but does he go out of his way to be a jack @ss?

What about this says that Woodson was being a jackass? The way he sounded in this article is very typical of any coach, and this is coming from someone who can't stand Woodson. It sounds like you have never played organized, non-recreational basketball.

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exodus Newbie

exodus

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LINE OF THE DAY: Woodson let all the players know that any player that plans on shooting a 3-pointer this season better be in the gym either before or after practice working with shooting consultant Mark Price or assistant coach Jim Todd.

I would have liked to have seen Smith's reaction to that quote. Hopefully it isn't just lip

service.

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Played plenty of organized sports, not every coach feels its necessary to throw out cliches and give the you guys got a gotta get together speech. Treat these guys like men. You've got a veteran team now. That stuff that flew with rookies and young guys isn't needed so much anymore. I just don't see the benefits of not being sincere.

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DrReality Rookie

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Hawks BasketBlog

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Training Camp 2008 - Day 1 Report

Posted by: Micah Hart on September 30, 2008 at 5:02PM EST

What did I say yesterday about training camp being a good time to work out the kinks? One of these days we'll get it all right. Today I went down to practice to observe the action and get some good action pictures (I even took the good camera, not my crappy personal one). When I got back, I went to upload them all to my computer, and of course, I accidentally deleted all of them. Dooop! So, no pics today, but I promise to get some good ones tomorrow. Update: I managed to (sorta) salvage one pic. It's above. Enjoy.

As far as the action today, I thought most of the drills and scrimmages were designed to work on conditioning more than anything else. If you know Mike Woodson, you know fitness is a high priority for him, and he wasn't shy to yell several times about guys looking winded. Still, it's early in camp, and I expect everyone's fitness level to improve quickly over the course of the next few weeks.

There were some highlights during the scrimmage session at the end, which featured a 16-second shot clock and a running timer to get the guys moving up and down the court at a faster pace.

- On the first play of the first scrimmage, I was pleased to see Speedy Claxton blow past his man and get to the rack...where Josh Smith promptly erased the evidence of his journey. Smoove's shotblocking and dunking are already in regular season form, I can tell you that much.

- Flip Murray can score. During his time on the court, I think he scored on 4 or 5 straight trips down the floor via a variety of jumpers and lay-ups. I know he is a volume shooter, but I really think he has the potential to be a big help off the bench.

- Maurice Evans was matched up defensively with Joe Johnson, and you can tell they enjoy going against each other (and neither were shy to rib the other during the game). D'ing up Joe in practice will be great, ummm, practice, for Evans, who often times will be matched up with the opposition's top perimeter threat when he's on the floor.

- Frank Robinson impressed me a bit today. Frank is a rookie training camp invite, and probably a bit of a longshot to make the team out of camp. I often wonder what it's like to be in that position, but Robinson appears at ease. He took part in several after-practice shooting competitions, and he seemed right at home jawing back and forth with his camp teammates. I liked the confidence - I'm sure you need it in spades when you are matched up against some of the best basketball players in the world and trying to earn your own spot.

I'll have more as we continue through the week (the guys practice here in Atlanta until Sunday, when they leave for their first preseason game in Orlando), as I anticipate the intensity of the drills and scrimmages will begin to pick up as everyone regains their legs. And of course, there will be pictures...

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DrReality Rookie

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Morris eager to mix it up

By Sekou K Smith | Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 10:09 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HAWKSVILLE - While the rush excitement on media day included first looks (for many people) at the familiar names and faces that helped the Hawks to the playoffs last season, Randolph Morris held down his corner of the room in relative obscurity.

That’s not an easy task for a man that stands 6-11 and 275 pounds, but since signing his free agent deal with the Hawks over the summer Morris blended in as well as anyone.

While appearances by his more high profile teammates made a bigger splash during summer workouts, it was Morris that made it the weight room and gym every day during the offseason.

“I didn’t have nothing else to do,” Morris said and then laughed. “Seriously, though, I’m trying to make my mark. I had to be in here every day. I had to go to work. I had to be back in this gym to get my game right.”

No one was happier than Morris to get on the floor for the start of the contact work of training camp (the first official practices started 10 minutes ago). When he targeted the Hawks during the early stages of free agency, he pointed to this morning as his first real chance to make an impression.

“The opportunity is what I make it,” Morris continued. “That’s why I’m going to continue to work my hardest and try and get in where I fit in.”

Morris didn’t have the same opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation in his previous NBA stop, in New York. With a roster stocked with high salaried big men and the cosmic dysfunction that plagued the Knicks over the past few years, his initial voyage into pro basketball was an adventure, to say the least.

“Every team has its own vibes and it trickles down from the management and the coaches and how your infrastructure works,” Morris said. “Right here, it’s just a totally different set up and one that fits where I am right now. So if I just work, grind every single day and bring that lunch pail with me at all times, I think I’ll be able to get where I want to be this season.”

I’ll have Day 1 updates and observations this afternoon, so stay tuned.

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Swatguy Newbie

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^Exactly right. Although I doubt Woodson is just going to all of a sudden change his coaching style, he has ZERO excuses for not utilizing a seemingly deeper bench than we had last year.

Everyone felt last team was 10-11 deep also. It always looks deep before training camp.

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Swish Newbie

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- On the first play of the first scrimmage, I was pleased to see Speedy Claxton blow past his man and get to the rack...where Josh Smith promptly erased the evidence of his journey. Smoove's shotblocking and dunking are already in regular season form, I can tell you that much.

That gets me pumped right there. Awesomeness.

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crimedog Newbie

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Everyone felt last team was 10-11 deep also. It always looks deep before training camp.

Yup, as of right now the only guys we know are going to be productive are 1-5+Mo. Those are the only guys who will be assured of big minutes. Flip does his thing which has been alternatingly successful and infuriating for coaches (although I think we need his skills here more than some places in the past have). Zaza will get burn too because he's our only big man off the bench but we still don't know if his decline last season was because he "wasn't comfortable with his role" or if it was something else that might continue to hurt him.

I'd say we are running 7.5 deep right now until we know for sure that some of these guys are for real.

Not saying that they can't ball mind you, just that I need to see it.

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