Players are talking now!

[Wurider05]

My link

Some players felt Woodson didn’t rebuke certain players as strongly as he did others for their mistakes, according to four people familiar with the locker-room dynamics. The differing levels of accountability led to resentment for some players , the people said.

Players credited Woodson with helping to maintain a loose atmosphere and reducing the length, frequency, and intensity of practices in an effort to keep them fresh for the playoffs. But one player said he hopes a new coach who doesn’t “play favorites” can improve the team’s chemistry.

I wonder who Woody's favorites were?? JJ anyone.

[coachx]

My link

Some players felt Woodson didn’t rebuke certain players as strongly as he did others for their mistakes, according to four people familiar with the locker-room dynamics. The differing levels of accountability led to resentment for some players , the people said.

Players credited Woodson with helping to maintain a loose atmosphere and reducing the length, frequency, and intensity of practices in an effort to keep them fresh for the playoffs. But one player said he hopes a new coach who doesn’t “play favorites” can improve the team’s chemistry.

I wonder who Woody's favorites were?? JJ anyone.

JJ and Smoove of course.......and soon Crawford too. Most coaches are guilty of this to an extent. JJ and Crawford were given a pass for poor shot selction. They were free to shoot whenever they wanted without consequence. That is pretty normal with your leading scorers.

However, there are not many coaches who would allow Smoove to act and behave the way he did on the court. They had a rough relationship the first 4 years. Then Woody just started letting Josh be Josh without consequence.

Time for Josh to grow up and start acting like a man.

Sure JJ got special treatment.................most 4 time allstars do..............but at least Joe would not act like a total *ss on the court.

But one player said he hopes a new coach who doesn’t “play favorites” can improve the team’s chemistry.

Sounds like Horford or Marvin to me.

Smith is the only player on the roster to play all six seasons under Woodson. The two had a contentious relationship at times but Smith said they had come to an understanding.

“It was rough starting out, but everything was smooth sailing a couple of years ago once we finally figured out what we wanted out of each other,” Smith said. “You just hate to see somebody you came in the game with leave like this.”

My translation...Once

Woodson stopped treating me like a 12 year old...........even when I acted like a 12 year old..........we were cool. At least Smoove stopped shooting 3's this year. Maybe they had a deal.............if Smoove stopped shooting 3's then Woody would leave him alone. When your dealing with babies you have to take baby steps.

Edited May 15, 2010 by coachx

[Brotha2ThaNite]

My link

Some players felt Woodson didn’t rebuke certain players as strongly as he did others for their mistakes, according to four people familiar with the locker-room dynamics. The differing levels of accountability led to resentment for some players , the people said.

Players credited Woodson with helping to maintain a loose atmosphere and reducing the length, frequency, and intensity of practices in an effort to keep them fresh for the playoffs. But one player said he hopes a new coach who doesn’t “play favorites” can improve the team’s chemistry.

I wonder who Woody's favorites were?? JJ anyone.

My bet is JJ, Bibby and even Smoove. This is pretty much the same thing Chillz said but ppl just didn't hear him at all.

[NJHAWK]

Tlue was a fav.

[HawksFan87]

I don't see Smoove as one of Woody's favorites at all. He got on him more than most players on the team. If anything Al, Joe and Jamal were. He rarely pulled them when they were having terrible games, or not playing as hard as they should have been.

[mrhonline]

I don't see Smoove as one of Woody's favorites at all. He got on him more than most players on the team. If anything Al, Joe and Jamal were. He rarely pulled them when they were having terrible games, or not playing as hard as they should have been.

You forgot the green font.

Edited May 15, 2010 by mrhonline

[Joker]

I don't see Smoove as one of Woody's favorites at all. He got on him more than most players on the team. If anything Al, Joe and Jamal were. He rarely pulled them when they were having terrible games, or not playing as hard as they should have been.

You don't???? Everyone knew Smoove, JJ, Craw had the green light on the court. He wouldn't take those guys out of the game for anything unless it's his two fouls and your out rule, while he bent the rule for Joe and Smoove at times. Marvin clearly didn't as well as Horford.

Edited May 15, 2010 by nbasuperstar40

[coachx]

I don't see Smoove as one of Woody's favorites at all. He got on him more than most players on the team. If anything Al, Joe and Jamal were. He rarely pulled them when they were having terrible games, or not playing as hard as they should have been.

I don't think he was a favorite but that does not mean Smoove did not recieve favorable treatment by being held to a lesser standard. Smoove can't take hard coaching. Every player is different. Some players respond to basic discipline and accountability. You can get in some players face when they screw up......but not Smoove.

Smoove cried to refs and was slow to get back on defense so much it became the norm.......it became acceptable. Then another player slacks off, but to a lesser extent, and Woody chews them out. That causes a coach to loose respect.

Woody came from the Bobby Knight school. He liked to coach hard.........especially early on. Smith does not respond to that. A guy like Chillz, Marvin, & Horford have the maturity to take it. Coaches normally do not treat every player the exact same............but the ones that do have the respect of ALL their players, not just some of them. Sometimes you have to get rid of a very talented player if they can't get with the program b/c special treatment can tear up a locker room and hurt the respect of a coach with his players.

Edited May 15, 2010 by coachx

[Joker]

I don't think he was a favorite but that does not mean Smoove did not recieve favorable treatment by being held to a lesser standard. Smoove can't take hard coaching. Every player is different. Some players respond to basic discipline and accountability. You can get in some players face when they screw up......but not Smoove.

Smoove cried to refs and was slow to get back on defense so much it became the norm.......it became acceptable. Then another player slacks off, but to a lesser extent, and Woody chews them out. That causes a coach to loose respect.

Woody came from the Bobby Knight school. He liked to coach hard.........especially early on. Smith does not respond to that. A guy like Chillz, Marvin, & Horford have the maturity to take it. Coaches normally do not treat every player the exact same............but the ones that do have the respect of ALL their players, not just some of them. Sometimes you have to get rid of a very talented player if they can't get with the program b/c special treatment can tear up a locker room and hurt the respect of a coach with his players.

Woody loves Smoove because Josh was such a tough nut. Once you coach up someone like that and stay on them, you build a closer relationship with that person. That goes for life as well.

[APE]

I knew Josh would miss Woody the most

[LouFan]

I knew Josh would miss Woody the most

I would think so, because no other coach will let Josh do the childish antics he has. He would be benched immediately. Especially the things Hubie called him out on the interview, with jogging lazily down the court in game 2. Throwing up jump shots.... We need to get a coach to make this guy grow up.

[Wurider05]

I bet you that it was probably Marvin or Horf that made the comments in the article.

[coachx]

Woody loves Smoove because Josh was such a tough nut. Once you coach up someone like that and stay on them, you build a closer relationship with that person. That goes for life as well.

Very true. Woody has been quoted as he has a framed picture of Smoove on his desk b/c he has coached since Game 1. That picture reminds him how far they have both come. He loves Josh as his child it seems.

For the record...........Josh is still a tough nut. Maybe the next coach can get that shell cracked and make him wake up to become that great player we know he can be.

Edited May 15, 2010 by coachx

[DreamChaser]

I'll put my money on Josh Smith whining behind.

[mrhonline]

My $ is on Mo Evans.

[APE]

What did Rook say? :whistling:

[Brotha2ThaNite]

I bet you that it was probably Marvin or Horf that made the comments in the article.

add Zaza and Mo to the list too. lol

Edited May 15, 2010 by Brotha2ThaNite

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I bet most of those quotes came from Zaza, and people close to Zaza. He and Woody constantly butted heads, and did it as recently as last month. He's been in "Woody's Doghouse", has seen someone come in and take his starting spot, and has had words with Woody during games. He probably feels that whenever Smoove or Horford are playing bad, he should be in the game for one of them.

The other guy is probably Mo Evans. He made it known earlier in the year, when Woody was real tight with the bench rotation, that the "bench" should get more playing time. Remember, there were a few games in whic Woody would cut the rotation down to 6 or 7 men in the 2nd half. And if he did play Mo as that 8th man, it wasn't more than 3 or 4 minutes.

So I'll say the players doing the most "negative" talking, are Zaza and Mo. I think Teague wouldn't say much, seeing that he's a rookie.

JJ, Bibby, and Smoove are the obvious "favorites". Marvin used to be a favorite. Crawford is probably a favorite.

Horford is a favorite . . but I think he feels that he should get more touches on the offensive end . . A LOT MORE. So he may speak of "favortism" toward other players, when it comes to playcalling or number of shots.

[frankthetank966]

I said that he favored players in a post months ago. And I said it before the players quotes were revealed in the article. Anyone who watches Hawks games continually would be able to pick that up easily. JJ is one of the favorite as is Marvin. Mo Evans and Joe Smith were not utilized properly throughout the season. Thats b/c of Woody

I said that he favored players in a post months ago. And I said it before the players quotes were revealed in the article. Anyone who watches Hawks games continually would be able to pick that up easily. JJ is one of the favorite as is Marvin. Mo Evans and Joe Smith were not utilized properly throughout the season. Thats b/c of Woody

[KB21]

Josh Smith may just be one of those players that no coach will ever be able to get to completely. I can draw a lot of parallels to his time with the Hawks and Andruw Jones's time with the Atlanta Braves. Both guys are/were supremely talented players who should be/should have been a lot better as overall players. Both players are/were a lot better defensively than offensively even though they have some offensive gifts. With Andruw, it seemed like no coach could get through to him to stop trying to pull everything. Just take that pitch on the outside corner to the opposite field. He had the power to drive that ball if he would just do it. Josh is similar in the sense that he thinks he is a perimeter player that tried to do too much shooting rather than playing within himself and letting the game come to him.

I'm really curious to see if Josh turns into trade bait this offseason. I have a feeling that Rick Sund is going to go hard to resign Joe Johnson, and I think he might use a pursuit of Chris Bosh in a sign and trade deal to try and convince Johnson to resign. I think Josh Smith could be part of any sign and trade deal for Bosh. In fact, I think he has to be part of it for Toronto to even consider it.