That's your Homefloor, Michael Gearon Jr...

[Devon]

Hear that ASG?

Did you hear it on Wednesday when the crowd chanted "M-V-P, M-V-P" for Derrick Rose?

Did you hear it on Friday when the crowd cheered for Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook?

Did you hear the crowd tonight... This is disgraceful.

You want to go on Radio and talk about how the fans need to get behind your product and support "your vision"... Well I am here to tell you "Your Vision Sucks"...

We clamor in the offseason for a true PG and C; you give us a max $ deal for a 2nd tier player and Josh Powell...

We swing an amazing trade securing New Jersey's 1st pick of the 2nd round with multiple big men available (Whiteside, Pleiss, Alabi, etc)... You broke a$$holes sell the pick

We beg for a move at the trade deadline to make us a true contender; you trade away our 1st round pick, our previous 1st round pick, and a guy you should've never re-signed (x2; mo evans sucked) for Kirk "lateral move" Hinrich and HIlton "DNP-CD" Armstrong...

You throw us the table scraps and waiver wire players and we're supposed to be happy?

You watch 4 teams in the East get better around you, whilst doing NOTHING, and we're supposed to be enthused?

Sell the team Mike... Do the city a favor and get the hell out of it.

[Guest]

Junior went on the radio again to complain about our fans? What a surprise, he's a piece of s***.

[EazyRoc]

Yes he did. I think it was last season during the playoffs. The reason we don't get the recognition in our own city is because we don't have players that casual fans can easily recognize. We should have made a move for someone major even if it hurt our team in the long run, at least people would've got excited about the Hawks. All the teams around us are generating buzz from making moves and we miss out. The East has pilfered the West for talent and we played no part in it.

[Devon]

Yup, he was on 680 talking Thrashers (another organization the ASG has royally f***ed) and had to get in a jab or 3 about the Hawks' not drawing what they feel they should and how the fans need to support more of what they're doing....

I really hate that smug POS

[willthepureshooter]

Well said my guy.. well said..

[Devon]

EazyRoc I remember what you are talking about but I am referencing as recently as 2 weeks ago when the word about the Thrashers needing to be sold came out into the public... He's trashed the fans as recently as the All-Star Game

Wow, I have negative rep... Interesting.

Like I've said in other posts, I've been to 13 home games this season, went to 19 last season, went to 17 the year before that...

I love the Atlanta Hawks, I hate The Atlanta Hawks owners and front office. If people say I'm negative, so be it, i spend good money every season to "be a part of the winning atmosphere", and frankly I'm pissed off that I feel my money would've gone to better use by lighting up cigars with hundred dollar bills.

If I'm negative, eat me... I speak the truth.

[troubleman]

If it wasn't for my promise to the nephew to take him to a game, I wouldn't bother going to see the Hawks. Contrary to popular opinion, Atlanta is a good basketball town, full of knowledgeable basketball fans, and they are proving it by staying away from Phillips Arena to watch this schizophrenic team. The goal should always be a championship, and it is obvious to me that ASG does not see it that way.

[EazyRoc]

EazyRoc I remember what you are talking about but I am referencing as recently as 2 weeks ago when the word about the Thrashers needing to be sold came out into the public... He's trashed the fans as recently as the All-Star Game

Wow. That's just terrible, and incredibly foolish. How can you blame the casual basketball fan, though ? Boston, Orlando, New York, Miami, and Chicago all had major roster shake-ups from last year. Meanwhile, people are looking at the Hawks (who weren't an elite team to begin with) sit by and do nothing to compete with the hype that these other teams are generating. That's 5 teams that one could argue are better than the Hawks, and they are complaining about fan support. We should have made a move for Deron Williams or something! Hinrich isn't a popular player to excite most Hawks fans into showing up at Phillip Arena. I've tried to be optimistic and will continue, but Gearon is totally out of line.

[MVP23]

If they cared about the city, and the team, they would sell this team to the highest bidder.

[Devon]

Not to mention race but... We're in the 7th or 8th largest market in the country; of which 68% of the population is African-American...

You have an opportunity here in that same way Kevin Costner had an opportunity in "Field of Dreams"; IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!!!

You don't excite a dormant yet willing fan-base with a journeyman (white) PG when the freakin' Nets are able to get a top 5 PG in Deron Williams and the Knicks snag Carmelo...

the ASG has proven themselves to be inept in so many ways; hell these guys kept Billy Knight around for YEARS... enough said.

At least my NCAA team is doing semi-decent, HOOK Em' HORNS!

[Diesel]

i HEARD Gearon say, as long as they paid to get in, he doesn't care.

[EazyRoc]

Playing it safe almost always seems to get me burned whenever money is involved. Now I see it isn't just me.

[Devon]

...and that, Diesel, is THE problem.

I've read your posts on here for the better part of 6 years and I'd love your insight on this situation.

Does the eventual sale of the Thrashers/Phillips Arena mean that the ASG will retain the Hawks? Will they sell the team? Why have two major sports organizations (NHL & NBA) allowed this bullsh*t legal court battle to go on for YEARS without so much as uttering a word either way? How in the hell did this group of bastards get the 2 leagues to agree to sell them the teams?

I'm so fed up with the ASG at this point I could scream...

[benhillboy]

Contrary to popular opinion, Atlanta is a good basketball town, full of knowledgeable basketball fans, and they are proving it by staying away from Phillips Arena to watch this schizophrenic team.

+1.

[Diesel]

...and that, Diesel, is THE problem.

I've read your posts on here for the better part of 6 years and I'd love your insight on this situation.

Does the eventual sale of the Thrashers/Phillips Arena mean that the ASG will retain the Hawks? Will they sell the team? Why have two major sports organizations (NHL & NBA) allowed this bullsh*t legal court battle to go on for YEARS without so much as uttering a word either way? How in the hell did this group of bastards get the 2 leagues to agree to sell them the teams?

I'm so fed up with the ASG at this point I could scream...

First, let me greet your anger with education.

The league only cares about financially stable teams. When we had Belkin, we were financially stable enough. I don't think anybody re-investigated since. Let's be honest, a lot of these owners were cheapskates who got in with a modest down payment and became rich from the Jordan years. All the while, they were cheapskates. Why should ASG be any different.

The thing is though... you have to look at the intent of the owners.

I think Gearon Jr, Sr., Turner and Seydell were fans who wanted to see the Hawks do better.

I believe Levenson, Peskowitz, and Foreman were in it for other reasons.

Of Course ,Belkin was the fan of basketball who would have moved the Hawks to Las Vegas if it meant he made a buck and was an owner.

However, you have to think carefully about our ownership. I think they like the Hawks but just like all of us, the Hawks is secondary to money. They are disposable cash ownership who thinks of this team as an investment first. There's nothing wrong with that. However, they have to have better people surrounding the team than they have if they want to make more money.

I guess they have said "to hell with the gate and the Season Ticket holders. Many owners get a liking for the profit sharing that the league gives to the owners who do not overpay to win. I think that's our guys.

But here's the kicker. Small market teams ownership will go to the table and plead for better revenue sharing. Everybody must remain solvent should be their plea. Here's why....

For all the mismanagement of the Isaiah Thomas years, Dolan never made less than 10 Million dollars in profit. He has a great product in a Large Market. For all the right that Walsh did in his Indy years with Reggie being the feature... he barely even turned a profit for his owners. Even though the Simon Brothers are billionaires, they will be on the pleading side of this fight because they have a great product in a small Market. I believe our Hawks are middle of the road. We have a potentially Large Market.. but the product is just mediocre. Therefore our owners do a little better than Break even. What will have to happen is that they have to realize that if they put out a better product, they can explode this market and they can make better profit.

Now a lot of people looked at the Joe resigning as being over the top.. overpayment. However, Joe is the only player that has brought consistency and some semblance of a winning look to this team. At the time, ASG could not afford to lose Joe for nothing. ASG is not in a position to start over or go backwards. You would have thought that they would have the same consideration for their coach but obviously, LD made a good pitch.... And he was cheap.

So this is where we are: Our market and profits determine our moves. I don't think it would be much different if Turner were the owner. Even Turner likes to turn a profit. You can't save the world with no money!!

[HawkItus]

I call bullsh*t. I saw this same fan base with a division champ football team have the arena be dang near half full of Packers fans. It is what it is when it comes to big market teams vs. Atlanta teams. All the transplants and all the ticket scalpers make this a problem. The Hawks could have been undefeated and the crowd still would have been pro NY. Don't blame Gearon.

[Diesel]

I call bullsh*t. I saw this same fan base with a division champ football team have the arena be dang near half full of Packers fans. It is what it is when it comes to big market teams vs. Atlanta teams. All the transplants and all the ticket scalpers make this a problem. The Hawks could have been undefeated and the crowd still would have been pro NY. Don't blame Gearon.

So now, Green Bay is a "Big Market Team"?

I think you need to understand the difference between Market size and Fan loyalty. Green Bay is the smallest of Markets, but they have a very loyal fan base. I don't think they make as much of a profit if they were a NY sized Market with a sorry team. Atlanta has had problems with Fan Loyalty. Period. That's with all sports. A big reason is because we're not a sports town. We have too many transplanted fans. It was sickening to see so many Knicks fans last night. The thing is that they didn't fly down from NY. They live here. That's the problem. Atlanta teams have to figure out ways to make other fan bases become loyal Atlanta fans. It won't do that with losing or even coming in Second. Atlanta teams have to do what the Bulls did under Michael. Dominate. If Atlanta had a dynasty.... that actually won, they would have fan loyalty.

[mrhonline]

I call bullsh*t.

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Been at Braves games where we've had to boo loudly just to be louder than fans of teams like the Cardinals and Cubs. It drives me crazy here in Raleigh to drive down the street because I see about 6 or 7 different NFL team logos. It's a problem all over the Southeast.

I personally hate the transplant mentality. If you move to an area, embrace that area as your new home. Become part of the community, including sports.

/two cents

[ATLSmith]

Man, Atlanta is full of transplants. There's nothing new about having a large number of fans of the apposing team at games. Heck, if lived in NY I'd go see the Hawks when they came to town. If it fills the seats, who cares.

[macdaddy]

So now, Green Bay is a "Big Market Team"?

I think you need to understand the difference between Market size and Fan loyalty. Green Bay is the smallest of Markets, but they have a very loyal fan base. I don't think they make as much of a profit if they were a NY sized Market with a sorry team. Atlanta has had problems with Fan Loyalty. Period. That's with all sports. A big reason is because we're not a sports town. We have too many transplanted fans. It was sickening to see so many Knicks fans last night. The thing is that they didn't fly down from NY. They live here. That's the problem. Atlanta teams have to figure out ways to make other fan bases become loyal Atlanta fans. It won't do that with losing or even coming in Second. Atlanta teams have to do what the Bulls did under Michael. Dominate. If Atlanta had a dynasty.... that actually won, they would have fan loyalty.

I went to the Falcons-Packers game and was with a guy who wore a packers shirt (he hid under a jacket until halftime. wuss) who lived in Wisconsin until he was 13. And he's lived in Atlanta for the last 25 friggin years!!!! Get a life. These folks need to be abused until they are embarrassed to come to a game to support some team that they think gives them more style points than supporting Atlanta. The Hawks are a mess, but the Falcons and Braves are damn good teams.

I have vowed to never attend another Knicks game in Atlanta. They had more fans than us even when they sucked and their so-called fans are just wannabe new yorkers who've spent their whole life here. Go ahead and move to NYC and see how you like it. By the way you'll need more than a blue and orange velour track suit to keep you warm.