Sekou is a Puppet

[HorfordTheBeast]

I'm sick of reading his blogs. He'll rip every single player on the team but not once will he bring up coaching. Is Woody his best friend or am I missing something? I saw someone on a blog bring it to his attention that he won't say anything negative about Woody and he responded "I want to keep my job". So he's allowed to rip the team but not the coach? Someone please explain this to me. It's got to get old for him trying to put a positive spin on things. We're getting blown out and all he can talk about is Josh Smith's inconsistent play. Some of this needs to fall on the coaches shoulders yet Sekou is to afraid to admitt this. Am I the only one who wants a beat writer who'll speak the truth?

[macdaddy]

Actually he gave Woody an F grade the season before last. Maybe like the rest of us he sees no point in calling for the coaches head if its not going to happen. might as well focus on what we can change.

[AHF]

How can Sekou change Josh Smith's play? I would guess the "I want to keep my job" comment (assuming it was made by Sekou) is more about preserving access to the team and management. We all remember what happened when Jay Walker got on the wrong side of management for an article on draft workouts. Killed his chances of being a reporter in this town because his access was blocked. I would guess Sekou wants to avoid this.

[HorfordTheBeast]

Actually he gave Woody an F grade the season before last. Maybe like the rest of us he sees no point in calling for the coaches head if its not going to happen. might as well focus on what we can change.

The season before last? That's a long long time ago. If that's the last time Woodson has been called out by Atlanta media that's sad. His record speaks for itself. Someone in the AJC or Atlanta Media needs to call out this idiot. Someone needs to explain to me why Sekou avoids saying anything about Coach. Are they friends? Would the AJC really fire Sekou if he bad mouthed the coach? I'm just confused as to why every time we lose big Sekou puts it on the players shoulders and never addresses coaching.

[HorfordTheBeast]

How can Sekou change Josh Smith's play? I would guess the "I want to keep my job" comment (assuming it was made by Sekou) is more about preserving access to the team and management. We all remember what happened when Jay Walker got on the wrong side of management for an article on draft workouts. Killed his chances of being a reporter in this town because his access was blocked. I would guess Sekou wants to avoid this.

Might want to read what I said again. I never said Sekou could change Josh Smith's play. I said he calls out players but never the coach. Like it's easy for him to tell us Josh Smith has been inconsistent. But apparently it's off limits for him to tell us Woody is not doing well as a coach. Tell me how many times have you seen our beat writer or anyone in the Media say something about our well below .500 coach? Why do they avoid saying anything about Woodson? Why are there no AJC articles about him? I don't get it!

[AHF]

Might want to read what I said again. I never said Sekou could change Josh Smith's play. I said he calls out players but never the coach. Like it's easy for him to tell us Josh Smith has been inconsistent. But apparently it's off limits for him to tell us Woody is not doing well as a coach. Tell me how many times have you seen our beat writer or anyone in the Media say something about our well below .500 coach? Why do they avoid saying anything about Woodson? Why are there no AJC articles about him? I don't get it!

I was responding to this suggestion that Sekou ignores Woodson because he can't change things and the unstated counterpoint that he focuses on Josh Smith because it is something he can change.

Maybe like the rest of us he sees no point in calling for the coaches head if its not going to happen. might as well focus on what we can change.

I don't see Sekou controlling either of these and agree that Woodson deserves criticism in addition to the players (many of whom have also warranted criticism with their play lately).

[frosgrim]

In one blog, Sekou more or less said that he doesn't have the authority to go after the coach or the ASG. That rests on the likes of Bradly, Moore, and Schultz. In essence, the beat writer is supposed to write about the games and what he sees around the NBA. The columnists are supposed to call coaching and ownership out. That all said, Sekou did state that all phases of the Hawks need to be improved, including play on the court, coaching, and management. So, he's there with you on having issues with Woodson, but he just can't spill all the beans.

Why he can't spill the beans isn't clear. Is this an issue with the ASG-would they bar AJC reporters from the teams if they wrote a negative piece? Or is it an AJC editorial policy? I don't know. However, if its the first, then the AJC needs to call out the ASG. Go ahead and ban the AJC reporters from the team. That will go over like a lead balloon. If its an AJC editorial policy, then that's there internal business. If you are put out by it, then write to the AJC sports page editor and let him know your displeasure.

[mrhonline]

Sekou has the access he does because he keeps his criticism to a minimum.

Do you ole timers remember when Jaywalker was given access to a few draft workouts? When his write-up even remotely criticized a player, he was essentially restricted from further workouts IIRC.

[HorfordTheBeast]

Sekou has the access he does because he keeps his criticism to a minimum.

Do you ole timers remember when Jaywalker was given access to a few draft workouts? When his write-up even remotely criticized a player, he was essentially restricted from further workouts IIRC.

He actually does submit his opinions on the players and their performance. If you read his blogs he's always happy to tell everyone about how bad josh is playing or how no one can hit a free throw. It seems they only clamp down and tell him he can't talk about the Coach. Like they said "Sekou, you can have this blog and talk about the players all you want...but please don't say anything negative about our coach". That's really strange. And now there's another Josh Smith bashing article up by Jeff Shultz. I guess the AJC thinks we have the greatest Coach in the NBA considering they blame every thing that goes wrong on the players.

[Plainview1981]

He actually does submit his opinions on the players and their performance. If you read his blogs he's always happy to tell everyone about how bad josh is playing or how no one can hit a free throw. It seems they only clamp down and tell him he can't talk about the Coach. Like they said "Sekou, you can have this blog and talk about the players all you want...but please don't say anything negative about our coach". That's really strange. And now there's another Josh Smith bashing article up by Jeff Shultz. I guess the AJC thinks we have the greatest Coach in the NBA considering they blame every thing that goes wrong on the players.

If this is how it works I have no doubt that the team will have to continue to suck really hard for a few years before Woody gets fired. I hope these guys lose the team. I hope they do. They understand nothing about basketball.

[HorfordTheBeast]

If this is how it works I have no doubt that the team will have to continue to suck really hard for a few years before Woody gets fired. I hope these guys lose the team. I hope they do. They understand nothing about basketball.

my whole point is we cannot keep letting our beat writer and our paper avoid saying anything negative about coach woodson. it is not fair to blame our players every time and not let coach take some heat. ajc has not run an anti woodson article for as far as i can remember. 790 the zone spent 3 hours bashing josh smith after reading the article this morning. i get it...josh is in a slump...but why does no one in the media address our idiot coach? we do! everytime i am on this site of the hawks blog about 80% of the people complain about woody. yet no one in the media steps up and says anything. and when they do all blame is put on the players......this can't go on.

[DrReality]

He's between a rock and a hard place. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

[HorfordTheBeast]

He's between a rock and a hard place. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

what does that even mean right now? are you saying i should NOT want this man fired?

why? give me good reasoning i should want coach woodson here.

he's pitiful....the gentleman below stated it very well recently in his blog....i'm not so good with words but this guy is:

http://billyknighttookmylunchmoney.blogspot.com/

excellent read..

[BeeSwatter]

what does that even mean right now? are you saying i should NOT want this man fired?

why? give me good reasoning i should want coach woodson here.

he's pitiful....the gentleman below stated it very well recently in his blog....i'm not so good with words but this guy is:

http://billyknighttookmylunchmoney.blogspot.com/

excellent read..

I think actually he was talking about Sekou not biting the hand that feeds him.

Essentially if the Hawks didn't give Sekou access then he wouldn't have a job. That is how I took what he wrote.

[HorfordTheBeast]

I think actually he was talking about Sekou not biting the hand that feeds him.

Essentially if the Hawks didn't give Sekou access then he wouldn't have a job. That is how I took what he wrote.

aha! whoops... my fault...i totally read that wrong...sorry

well either way...if that is the case how is he allowed to rip the players but not the coach. how does woodson get a pass from the ajc....how and why? i need to understand why there are never articles from our local paper on the ineptitude of our coach. how and why is woodson protected from criticism but the players are not.

[Swatguy]

I'm sick of reading his blogs. He'll rip every single player on the team but not once will he bring up coaching. Is Woody his best friend or am I missing something? I saw someone on a blog bring it to his attention that he won't say anything negative about Woody and he responded "I want to keep my job". So he's allowed to rip the team but not the coach? Someone please explain this to me. It's got to get old for him trying to put a positive spin on things. We're getting blown out and all he can talk about is Josh Smith's inconsistent play. Some of this needs to fall on the coaches shoulders yet Sekou is to afraid to admitt this. Am I the only one who wants a beat writer who'll speak the truth?

Clue: You are mistaking the "Beat Writer" for a columnist.

[tonegully]

Why freaking own a basketball team if you dont want to win. I hate the ASG

[NowYouKnow]

I do a weekly internet sports radio show and podcast that airs from 8 to 10pm Wednesday nights. I had a chance to talk with Sekou this morning and I'll air that interview tonight around 8:10 on my show. Without degenerating into full blown Woody bashing he lays most of the problems the team has right now at the feet of Mike Woodson.

Listen tonight to the interview at www.radiosandysprings.com