Atlanta Spirit, LLC

[KB21]

There they are, and I don't think it was possible to get a better set up for success. In Steve Belkin and Michael Gearon Jr., who have two guys who will strive to make the Hawks one of the better teams in the NBA. In Leveson, Foreman, and Peskowitz, you have three guys who have experience in running a hockey franchise. Great for the Atlanta Thrashers. I don't know a [censored] thing about hockey, but I may have to start paying attention to what the Thrashers do.

The set up is that these eight men formed a business venture called Atlanta Spirit, LLC. Steve Belkin will have 1/3rd of the business. Michael Gearon Jr, Michael Gearon Sr., Rutherford Seydel, and Bud Seretean will have 1/3rd of the business. Bruce Levenson, Todd Foreman, and Ed Peskowitz will have 1/3rd of the business.

Belkin will be the majority owner, but it looks like Gearon Jr. will be the face of the Hawks while the local face of the Thrashers will be Seydel.

Good things come to those who wait. It was a pain to wait for an ownership change for as long as we had to wait, but I think the process of waiting has yeilded a much better set up than the one we were waiting on.

[Hawksman]

I love em. I've heard that some of these guys love the Hawks. This is great. I am soooo relieved. We back baby!

[Blunt91]

Yeah but what do these guys know about basketball? Do they know how to put a winning team on the floor? If Iwere them I would hire someone who is knowledgeball about the game. I would say hire Micheal Jordan or Isiah THomas but these guys would want some part of the ownership. Would you guys hire Thomas or Jordan as the new president of the Hawks?

[KB21]

Jordan and Thomas are nothing but big names. Thomas was a terrible coach, and Jordan was a terrible personnel executive. I'm glad these two are not part of this. They are about themselves, not the team they are supposed to represent.

The Hawks have Billy Knight who has spent years working under Donnie Walsh and showed promising signs while the GM at Vancouver/Memphis. He's going to have final say on all deals now, seeing how Kasten is no longer in the picture.

We are in a much better position with Billy Knight running things than we would be with Thomas or Jordan running things.

[Inside_Man]

highlight...

Belkin "we have the financial resources to do what’s necessary to create a championship [basketball] team. We will do what’s required."

http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/AOLAtlanta_S...e-84410-33.html

[capstone21]

I am glad it is done!

I am glad AOL is basically out of the picture (now just silent partners)

I am glad we have some passionte people taking over the team. This is a good sign for the Hawks future.

I have a feeling things are going to happen quickly now that that is settled. Look for roster and coaching to be finalized.

[Admin]

Oh I like that statement alot. It sounds like we are getting a great group to own the team. I really hope that they can do for us what the Maloofs and Cuban did for the Kings and Mavs, respectively.

[Diesel]

I have to seriously disagree with you there KB....

You said Jordan was a terrible personnell manager.

Had Jordan not came to Washington... The would have just gotten rid of Howard and would have had Strickland and Richmond til 2001. I think Jordan did a wonderful Job of getting Washington out of a Debt situation.

He traded Howard. Cut Strickland and Richmond. He then allowed the team to go into the draft and they won the lottery. They picked Kwame Brown.

this is what you said about Kwame Last year.

In reply to:

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I think Kwame Brown will develop and grow into a center position as well. It would be nice to sucker Washington into trading him for a veteran presence that will help them make the playoffs.

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I believe that Kwame has talent.

The things that I think were messed up that Jordan did:

1. Trade Rip for Stackhouse.

Although I can't really blame him. Rip didn't get along with Jordan and Stack was coming off of being the leagues top scorer. It seemed

http://www.hawksquawk.net/forums/showflat....amp;o=&vc=1

When it happened, everybody thought it was a huge lost for Det and a huge win for Washington.

2. getting Hughes.

Hard to say again. Huges was what they needed. Another big Gaurd to play alongside Rip (at the time) and Jordan at Sf.

Other than that, I think he did a decent job at it. Compare it to Babcock first few moves?

He drafted Roy Marble and called him the next Jordan.

He lost Carr and Levingston.

He traded Doc for Mayes.

He drafted Rumeal Robinson.

He traded Nique.

I think Jordan trumps whatever we had.