Seriously Woody? WTF?

[AHF]

Well played, exodus. Well played.

[Admin]

Because that to me, was extremely important for Joe, for our team and for our entire organization.”

I'm not saying I believe his reasoning for why JJ played so many minutes but would it surprise anyone to hear that it was suggested to him by management/ownership that we need the dollars that come from jersey sales/exposure of having him in the All-Star game?

There is a lot more wrong with this organization than just Woody is all I want to point out.

[DrReality]

Marvin Gaye said it: Makes me want to holler and throw up both of my hands. Disgusting.

[Colin]

I actually don't mind that Woodson said it...

Joe Johnson is an all-star, i'm sure JJ didn't mind playing.

I find it odd how some of you are upset when JJ is out of the game and the other team would start to make the runs and get back in it, you would all say "where the **** is JJ?!"

If our bench was more effective, I would be fine with JJ playing 35 minutes a game. But for a LONG stretch, Maurice Evans and Acie were worthless, so JJ got the time.

[Swatguy]

I actually don't mind that Woodson said it...

Joe Johnson is an all-star, i'm sure JJ didn't mind playing.

I find it odd how some of you are upset when JJ is out of the game and the other team would start to make the runs and get back in it, you would all say "where the **** is JJ?!"

If our bench was more effective, I would be fine with JJ playing 35 minutes a game. But for a LONG stretch, Maurice Evans and Acie were worthless, so JJ got the time.

I agree. Besides, Joe's style of play is "cruise control". 35% of his minutes he is half sleep. I dont think his minutes are his problem.

[Packfill]

Well played, exodus. Well played.

If Saturday Night Live ever did a skit on Woodson, it would be just like the ones they did on Palin - Repeat what he/she actually said verbatim, no need to make stuff up as the real stuff funnier.

A second half collapse would probably help the team in the long run as it would hopefully mean the end for Woodson. That said, the Atlanta Spirit can't exactly be trusted to bring in a competent replacement.

I am not routing for a second half collapse, just saying there is an upside.

[macdaddy]

I just keep thinking of the Twolves. Despite having a very young rebuilding team Mchale didn't use that as an excuse. He fired Wittman (after a blowout by the clippers!) and took over. No one thinks of Mchale as a hall of fame coach but he took a team that was like 4-20 something and now their playing almost .500 ball. It can make a difference and it doesn't always require bringing in Jerry Sloan to do it. The one thing you can say for certain about Woody's teams is they are inconsistent and often lack intensity. The longer we settle for mediocrity the longer we will never be able to get over the hump.

Wittman is also an Indiana guy who played under Bobby Knight much like our guy.

[Admin]

I just keep thinking of the Twolves. Despite having a very young rebuilding team Mchale didn't use that as an excuse. He fired Wittman (after a blowout by the clippers!) and took over. No one thinks of Mchale as a hall of fame coach but he took a team that was like 4-20 something and now their playing almost .500 ball. It can make a difference and it doesn't always require bringing in Jerry Sloan to do it. The one thing you can say for certain about Woody's teams is they are inconsistent and often lack intensity. The longer we settle for mediocrity the longer we will never be able to get over the hump.

Wittman is also an Indiana guy who played under Bobby Knight much like our guy.

McHale was demoted, he didn't have a choice but to replace Wittman as the coach. And while McHale has a young roster he's got more talent than we do and lots of depth and yet we still beat them. No decision should be made on Woody without a healthy roster like we had earlier in the year and were playing extremely well with. Even then we're still about 2 quality bench players short of really having a roster that I'd expect to be a top seed with.

[Traceman]

Cue some Woody suppporter spinning this...

I cant believe this joke of a coach said that. Just wow.

And ex, that gif is PERFECT!

If anything, I think Woody is actually trying to cover for JJ's poor play by making excuses for him. If that is indeed the case, I don't think that is the right approach. JJ has been in a funk for a while now and even if Woody has overplayed him up until this point, coddling him and making excuses for him is not going to get him out of his funk. JJ is clearly frustrated (his always poor body language was even worse Sat night) and he needs help to get his game back on track.

JJ needs for someone to step up and tell him what he is doing wrong rather than just allowing him to continue to do the same things that are leading to his poor play. SOME of this can come from the coach but it would be nice if Bibby (or another player) could pull him to the side and give him a good talking to. I am a firm believer that the best teams police themselves. The probem is that I don't think any of the players on the team feel comfortable getting on JJ (particularly when he has never been one to get on them even when they sucked). SOMEBODY needs to do it, I just don't know if any of them have the cajones to do it.

Honestly, I don't think JJ realizes how his demeanor affects his teammates when he is struggling. If he would say to Marvin or Smoove, "Come on man, pick me up, I'm struggling a little here," I think it would do wonders for him and the team. The thing is, somebody has to tell JJ though. He was thrust into the role as leader of the team because of his talent but that doesn't mean that he was necessarily equipped with the skills to lead.

I am not absolving Woody of blame here. He is the coach and if none of the players can step up and help JJ, he needs to figure out a way to get it done. It may be time for a swift kick in the arse to get JJ back on track. If Phil Jackson can get on Jordan, Kobe and Shaq and Popovich can get on Duncan and Ginobili, Woody should be able to call JJ to the carpet on occasion.

[AHF]

McHale was demoted, he didn't have a choice but to replace Wittman as the coach. And while McHale has a young roster he's got more talent than we do and lots of depth and yet we still beat them. No decision should be made on Woody without a healthy roster like we had earlier in the year and were playing extremely well with. Even then we're still about 2 quality bench players short of really having a roster that I'd expect to be a top seed with.

I think an NBA coach needs to be able to deal with injuries and should be evaluated taking those injuries and other challenges into consideration. If you didn't evaluate coaches except on healthy rosters who would you be able to really evaluate this year?

Boston - healthy.

Philly - No Brand.

NJ - No Yi.

NY - healthy.

Toronto - Inj to JO & JC

Clev - Inj to Z and West

Det - Relatively healthy

Milwaukee - No Redd, no Bogut

Chi - Inj to Gooden, Hinrich, Deng, Hughes

Ind - No Dunleavy

Orl- No Nelson

Miami - No major injuries

Charlotte - Inj to Wallace, Augustin, and May

Wash - No Arenas, no Haywood

Not many coaches would get evaluated if you limit it to only healthy teams, only teams that have talent enough to be near .500, not too much young talent, etc. Obviously, the same deal would apply to the Western Conference. LA - No Bynum. SA - Inj to Manu, Parker. etc.

These are things coaches have to deal with, IMO. Every coach should be evaluated against the talent and situation applicable to their roster.

[AHF]

JJ needs for someone to step up and tell him what he is doing wrong rather than just allowing him to continue to do the same things that are leading to his poor play.

This is a recurring theme on the issue of shot selection over the years.

[Traceman]

This is a recurring theme on the issue of shot selection over the years.

Agreed. I would LOVE to see Marvin yell at JJ, "Stop forcing it EVERY play! Pass me the damn ball! I'm wide open!"

[macdaddy]

McHale was demoted, he didn't have a choice but to replace Wittman as the coach. And while McHale has a young roster he's got more talent than we do and lots of depth and yet we still beat them. No decision should be made on Woody without a healthy roster like we had earlier in the year and were playing extremely well with. Even then we're still about 2 quality bench players short of really having a roster that I'd expect to be a top seed with.

All I'm saying is that youth, rebuilding, injuries all could have been used as an excuse for Wittman but they weren't. He was replaced with someone with no real coaching experience and they immediately improve.

I know most people here just want Woody gone and bottom line is I think he should be. But I've been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. We are improved and our defense can be very good. I just think four years of: we didn't show up tonight, we don't play as a team, our effort wasn't there is a large enough sample to say there is a leadership problem. I don't see why we can't bring effort every night regardless of whether we're 100% healthy. I'm not judging woody on losing some games. I'm judging on piss poor effort for way too many games in 2009

[HawkItus]

Cue some Woody suppporter spinning this...

I cant believe this joke of a coach said that. Just wow.

And ex, that gif is PERFECT!

Hmmm.......let's see.........my bosses have admitted to losing millions on my team in the past years.......bad economy.......ticket sales are down......and my team hasn't had a pulse in over a decade(last year not withstanding)....star's sale tickets in Atlanta.......JJ is the closest thing we have to a star.......hmmmm.

French looks dumb to an English major.

[exodus]

Hmmm.......let's see.........my bosses have admitted to losing millions on my team in the past years.......bad economy.......ticket sales are down......and my team hasn't had a pulse in over a decade(last year not withstanding)....star's sale tickets in Atlanta.......JJ is the closest thing we have to a star.......hmmmm.

French looks dumb to an English major.

Speaking of dumb, did you happen to look at JJ's stats for January? Do you really think the extra minutes were helping his cause?

:slap1:

[HawkItus]

Speaking of dumb, did you happen to look at JJ's stats for January? Do you really think the extra minutes were helping his cause?

:slap1:

Certainly not, but the reasoning for Woodson playing JJ is quite evident if you follow the team. Was it a good decision? Nope. But, I understand why he would do it on his own if he wasn't pressured from higher up.

[exodus]

Certainly not, but the reasoning for Woodson playing JJ is quite evident if you follow the team. Was it a good decision? Nope. But, I understand why he would do it on his own if he wasn't pressured from higher up.

Woody's logic, like yours, is completely backwards.

If the goal was for JJ to make the All-Star team without regard to the team's record it would make more sense to hold JJ out of a game or two. That would let him get his legs back and it wouldn't hurt his stats.

Running him into the ground obviously killed his stats and made it iffy whether he would get in or not.

[HawkItus]

Woody's logic, like yours, is completely backwards.

If the goal was for JJ to make the All-Star team without regard to the team's record it would make more sense to hold JJ out of a game or two. That would let him get his legs back and it wouldn't hurt his stats.

Running him into the ground obviously killed his stats and made it iffy whether he would get in or not.

My logic is backwards? Considering what you consider logical in your arguments around here, that's a complement.

[exodus]

My logic is backwards? Considering what you consider logical in your arguments around here, that's a complement.

If we are missing one starter and the opposing team is missing 3 starters only our injury matters.

If the goal is to get JJ into the All-Star game let's run him so far into the ground that he can't make a shot.

If i ever start agreeing with you i will know it is time for a checkup from the neck up.

[HawkItus]

If we are missing one starter and the opposing team is missing 3 starters only our injury matters.

If the goal is to get JJ into the All-Star game let's run him so far into the ground that he can't make a shot.

If i ever start agreeing with you i will know it is time for a checkup from the neck up.

Completely wrong on both accounts. I never said 3 starters to our 1 starter was was all that matters. I never advocated playing Joe that many minutes was the RIGHT thing to do. Just said I can see a scenario where Woody thought or was told it was the right thing to do. Stop being a drama queen and using faulty information that is easily researched and corrected. :hush: