Look who's talking

[DrReality]

HAWKSVILLE - Whoever thought that late August and early September would be a quiet time for the Hawks didn’t count on Twitter changing the game.

Hawks captain and All-Star Joe johnson, known around the NBA as one of the league’s more subdued stars, has suddenly taken the gloves off on his Twitter page. He hasn’t mentioned anything about that extension the Hawks offered and whether or not he’ll be agreeing to sign on for another four years after this one, the final year of a five-year, $70 million deal.

But he’s sharing plenty of other things with anyone interested in following him. In fact, he’s sharing more than I can remember him giving up at anytime before now (and he might be sharing a bit too much for some of our more sheltered members, so be warned). I’m still scratching my head over this one, what with all the work it takes some days to get JJ to open up.

Maybe he’s shedding that hard shell of his and taking some steps in the direction of being a more vocal and engaged leader, which I’d argue is a blessing in disguise of peculiar Tweets (or whatever I should call them) from a usually reserved man - he went almost two months, from late June to late August, without a single update. I’m just saying … (scratching my head), something has changed.

JJ isn’t the only member of the family talking these days. You might remember the ditty we had with Hawks coach Mike Woodson way back when detailing the fact that he would head into the final year of his contract without an extension.

Well, Woody spoke about it again late last week in an interesting story by my main man Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports. I don’t expect this story to move the needle at all on the non-existent extension talks for Woodson and his staff.

We’ve had the Woody debate around here for pretty much every day of the past five years (or so). And the sides never seem to give much ground. The Woody supporters (Steamboat has been relentless from the outset) have campaigned for him without fail, through good and bad times. The Woody detractors have been equally steadfast and resolute in their belief that he’s not the right guy for the job.

The anti-Woody camp was winning the debate his first three years on the job. But the pro-Woody crowd is crowing a bit these days (with the pro-Rick Sund crowd soul-clapping their guy into the discussion as well).

As far as I can tell, the general mood of the partisan divide at this time was captured best by our good friend RA, who fired off this email late last week after the Hawks finished up Joe Smith’s paperwork:

“This summer can only be summed up in one word, brilliant. Everything that the Hawks usually don’t do, Sund managed to pull off. He managed to get marquee talent while at the same time giving up very little. He managed to keep the core of the team together, something that I would have thought was impossible going into this summer. He’s also managed to bring in a veteran, that the young fellas are going to listen to. All I can say is that regardless of what else happens this summer, Sund has done EVERYTHING that he could have been expected to do. The question now is whether or not Woody can handle the arithmetic?

Whatever side you’re on in this thing, one thing is certain. When the season starts, the pressure is all on Woodson (who, by the way, has been asking for a roster like this since he took the job) and his staff. Because for once, the summer has gone just as about as well as it possibly could have for the Hawks. The expectations from last season to this one couldn’t be higher. And with so many familiar faces returning and so few new additions (four might seem like a lot, but when three of them are seasoned vets like Smith, Jamal Crawford and soon-to-be Jason Collins, along with rookie PG Jeff Teague, a rugged transition is not expected) folks won’t tolerate a slow start.

The Collins tidbit, which was folded into Sunday’s Hawks’ Insider, is proof that these guys aren’t finished filling out this roster. The frontcourt could see the addition of at least one more player after Collins. And said player could punch his ticket for the season with a strong training camp showing. That means a host of guys, including Garret Siler, Othello Hunter and perhaps even Mario West (should he decide to attend) could crank up the tenor of what should be an otherwise business-like training camp.

Hunter and West (twice) have already shown that they are capable of making the team with strong camp showings. The dynamic changes a bit this year, though. If the Hawks plan on keeping the roster at 13 players, which according to most of the folks I’ve spoken to seems to be the way they are leaning (in an effort to maintain roster flexibility should another player shake out of the league’s training camp covers later on), they’ll have to make a tough choice about that 13th man.

Do they want a third point guard as security for Mike Bibby and Teague? - And yes, Crawford can play the point in a pinch but is better off playing at shooting guard.

Do they scour the landscape for a utility player that won’t rock the boat if he’s in a suit most nights as opposed to a uniform?

Or do they go the safe route and locate one more big man as injury insurance, in case they suffer through the wave of injuries again up front like they did last season (when Josh Smith, Al Horford and Marvin Williams all succumbed to injuries at one time or another)?

The pickings are slim everywhere but point guard, where journeymen always seem abundant. But a third point guard isn’t specifically necessary unless someone higher on the depth charts hits a snag (injury or otherwise).

Still, I think the smart play here is keeping a spot or two clear for the best-player-available in late October.

[Admin]

Interesting. What has JJ been saying on Twitter?

[Deeman]

Interesting. What has JJ been saying on Twitter?

http://twitter.com/JoeJohnson501

Whats up tweeples?! I aint been on this s*** in a minute but im finna go LIVE on UStream for the 1st time yall...f*** wit ya boy

9:58 PM Aug 26th from web

more

Me and my homies bout to go out and I have a 5,000 dolla bet to the first one who Tongue a random chick down in tha Club lmao. Stay tuned

yo tweeple u mean to tell me ya'll would'nt kiss a random person for 5 STACKS???

1:52 PM Aug 29th from web

We just got pulled ova by tha Cops ain't that bout something

[Admin]

That's how JJ talks? No wonder he doesn't say much publicly.

Thanks for posting it though.

[ATLNY7]

I can't believe Joe Johnson would say something like that.

[Admin]

I can't believe Joe Johnson would say something like that.

I know right? Hard to believe that's him writing that. It reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies. From Chasing Amy

Gentrification! They gon' drive out the black element to make thegalaxy quote, unquote, safe for white folks. And Jedi's the mostinsulting installment! Because Vader's beautiful black visage issullied when he pulls off his mask to reveal a feeble, crusty, oldwhite man! They tryin' to tell us that deep inside we all wants to bewhite!

[buckeye242424]

That's how JJ talks? No wonder he doesn't say much publicly.

Thanks for posting it though.

It is strange. I thought this "tweet' of his raised some eyebrows:

"How u a cab driver and don't know the city where they do that at"

Wow.

[HawkItus]

I can't believe Joe Johnson would say something like that.

Come on now JJ is from the South. He is a relatively young guy. Of course he talks like that when he's around his friends or in a relaxed setting. The JJ that plays for the Hawks and the one who lives the other 90% of his life are to different people. Just like most people.

[DrReality]

Wondered why Sekou had not posted it . . . . . now I know!

[EazyRoc]

I think Joe could have exercised some restraint with his tweets. He needs a public and a private account.

[macdaddy]

I'm apparently very old but how does anyone know these are actually from Joe? The last thing i'd do as any public figure is tweet anything that doesn't say "I'm at the hospital visiting sick kids and saving some puppies that fell down a well"

[coachx]

I think Joe could have exercised some restraint with his tweets. He needs a public and a private account.

I am sure his agent is exaplaining that to him now.

He sounds immature to me...............you think Kobe or Lebron would be tweeting crap like that.

The gin must have been talking to him that night.

JJ is 28 right ? Maybe he should try sounding like it.

Edited September 1, 2009 by coachx

[Deeman]

At 1st I thought the account was fake. I'm still not 100 sure%. Sekou and Lang Whitaker say its real so IDK. I mean he is paying his boys 5 stacks to makeout with random chicks. WTF?

[KrishATL]

At 1st I thought the account was fake. I'm still not 100 sure%. Sekou and Lang Whitaker say its real so IDK. I mean he is paying his boys 5 stacks to makeout with random chicks. WTF?

yeah, it's pretty sad that the "leader" of our team is sayin s**t like that on a public basis. dont even think J Smoove would be tweeting something so ridiculous.

I understand that he is in a relaxed environment and that he prolly had something to drink, but u still have to be more acountable. esp when u're making around 16 mill a year and have legitimized yourself as one the top players in the nba and as the face of a young but contending team.

disappointed. talk like a man JJ. or keep your account private if u cant.

and this is coming from a huge fan of his...i love his game no matter what, but there are kids out there who are more impressionable who look up to him for his off the field stuff too. he needs to understand that.

[Sothron]

Are we sure that is a real account? I've never heard him speak in such horrible broken English before.

[coachx]

Are we sure that is a real account? I've never heard him speak in such horrible broken English before.

It would be hillarious to hear his pickup lines.

I bet it goes something like..........."I'm Joe Johnson b*tch !"

Straight off David Chappelle's "I'm Rick James b*tch !"

Now open up while I throw my tounge down your throat !

Man, I miss The Chappelle Show.

[Admin]

It would be hillarious to hear his pickup lines.

I bet it goes something like..........."I'm Joe Johnson b*tch !"

Straight off David Chappelle's "I'm Rick James b*tch !"

Now open up while I throw my tounge down your throat !

Man, I miss The Chappelle Show.

Don't make Joe Johnson have to smack a b*tch!

yeah, it's pretty sad that the "leader" of our team is sayin s**t like that on a public basis. dont even think J Smoove would be tweeting something so ridiculous.

I understand that he is in a relaxed environment and that he prolly had something to drink, but u still have to be more acountable. esp when u're making around 16 mill a year and have legitimized yourself as one the top players in the nba and as the face of a young but contending team.

disappointed. talk like a man JJ. or keep your account private if u cant.

and this is coming from a huge fan of his...i love his game no matter what, but there are kids out there who are more impressionable who look up to him for his off the field stuff too. he needs to understand that.

I'll second that entire post.

[hawkman]

Don't make Joe Johnson have to smack a b*tch!

I'll second that entire post.

Jeez, I hope this isn't really JJ's account. This has to be a joke or somebody playing around with his account.

[HawkItus]

yeah, it's pretty sad that the "leader" of our team is sayin s**t like that on a public basis. dont even think J Smoove would be tweeting something so ridiculous.

I understand that he is in a relaxed environment and that he prolly had something to drink, but u still have to be more acountable. esp when u're making around 16 mill a year and have legitimized yourself as one the top players in the nba and as the face of a young but contending team.

disappointed. talk like a man JJ. or keep your account private if u cant.

and this is coming from a huge fan of his...i love his game no matter what, but there are kids out there who are more impressionable who look up to him for his off the field stuff too. he needs to understand that.

But, he has been accountable. Joe has never had any public issues come out as to date. Nothing. So what if he speaks slang on twitter and says he has some pretty foolish bets. He's done nothing, but be a model citizen his entire professional life. But, now because he is showing a little personality he gets the wagging finger from all of you? Shaq has said much worse. Dwight Howard has even had a few hiccups. Let Joe be.

[Admin]

But, he has been accountable. Joe has never had any public issues come out as to date. Nothing. So what if he speaks slang on twitter and says he has some pretty foolish bets. He's done nothing, but be a model citizen his entire professional life. But, now because he is showing a little personality he gets the wagging finger from all of you? Shaq has said much worse. Dwight Howard has even had a few hiccups. Let Joe be.

You think it's a good idea for him to post things talking about getting pulled over by the cops? Call it slang, having some drinks in him, or whatever but he really comes off like a Chad Johnson there instead of what I've come to expect from him. Do you think Michael Jordan or Larry Bird or any of the truly great players of the game would ever write things like that? He just comes off as immature and illiterate to me and I guess maybe it's my fault for expecting more from him.

And I'll also say this, would you write something like that where you knew there was a GREAT chance that your bosses would read it?