Would you rather have Woody back instead of LD?

[Admin]

This is just a quick poll to see whether the move to replace Woody with LD lives up to the assertion that "anyone" is better than Woody that we've heard over the past several years. So are we better off with LD or do you wish that we had Woody coaching us now?

And no for this poll there is no option for another coach, it's an either or situation.

[frosgrim]

I'm going with LD at this point just because we saw what Woodson's inability to adjust did to the team. At the same time LD's apparent lack of a spine is going to kill the team as well. Essentially we've gone from a statue coaching the team to a jellyfish.

What this club needs is a motivator and tactician who has the stones to tell the players it his way or no way.

[Bawse]

At least Woody was vocal and had emotion. LD just sits there. As much as I hate to say it, I believe Woody is a better all around coach. He had defined roles for these players. The Smoove jump shooting would never fly as much as it does now.

[macdaddy]

Everyone is comparing Woody's 6th season as head coach to LD's first. I'd still put LD on top though. Woody went from god awful head coach to ok and it took him 5 years.

Plus I think there is some memory lapses about Woody. Remember when the GM tried to fire him multiple times because the team didn't really listen to him, Remember the team coming out of timeouts and failing to be able to run a play. Remember Joe just dribbling and dribbbling, Remember Horford rarely touching the ball on the offensive end. Remember the switching? Horford guarding the PG. Bibby guarding the PF?

[AHF]

I'm going with LD at this point just because we saw what Woodson's inability to adjust did to the team. At the same time LD's apparent lack of a spine is going to kill the team as well. Essentially we've gone from a statue coaching the team to a jellyfish.

What this club needs is a motivator and tactician who has the stones to tell the players it his way or no way.

+ 1

[TheTruth]

About the only thing LD has going for him is his ability to change things up. Woody would NEVER do that. He just stuck to his guns, shaved his eyebrows, and poked his head in the sand. The problem is, LD will oftentimes say one thing and do another.

Woody was stubborn and incompetent; I would never want that clown coaching here again. With that said, LD isn't much better...both have proven to me (admittedly LD hasn't had a full season to completely validate the claim) that he is in over his head and can't coach much better than Woodson.

So yeah, I'd take Drew, but neither measure up.

[tbhawksfan]

I would NEVER even think about bringing Woodson back. He was shown the way out of townbecause he wasn't a good coach. I give LD more time. Got some questions, but see some positives. Heck I hope he works out. If not, NEXT.

[Watchman]

This is just a quick poll to see whether the move to replace Woody with LD lives up to the assertion that "anyone" is better than Woody that we've heard over the past several years. So are we better off with LD or do you wish that we had Woody coaching us now?

And no for this poll there is no option for another coach, it's an either or situation.

It's like asking would you rather have arsenic or strychnine.

[coachx]

Woody's offense makes my eyes bleed.

[bird_dirt]

woody was so consistently routine, you could've put a chimp in a suit to stand on the sidelines. everyone in the areana knew what was coming before the game even started.

ld's not a great coach, but at least there have been some minor tweaks game to game and within the games. at least teague has had some play this year, moreso than probably his last year, plus acie iv's and salim's careers as hawks combined.

[yungsta]

no way i truly believe no one can coach as bad as woody did in the playoffs.

Edited March 14, 2011 by yungsta

[Dexmethylphenidate]

If you follow the Hawks (watch them on a nightly basis instead of seeing box scores) for the last 5-6 years, there's no way in hell you'd want Woody back. It's too frustrating to even thinking about it.

LD has made it a bit more bearable in terms of in game adjustments goes and disposing most of the inexplicable asinine systems from Woody, but still leaves a lot on the table. The only transparent problem that I'm seeing with LD that carries over from Woody is that he doesn't realize Crawford is not a PG (hence no playing time for Teague) and over use of Zaza.

[Wretch]

Aside from strengths and weaknesses...the main questions I had have never been answered.

Why were we afraid to replace him? How long do you hold onto a coach before you realize....DAMN man, can we get some change just for the sake of change?

I understand that some coaches are just VERY good, are well respected around the league, and have past merits to rest upon. But how and WHY do you hold onto a guy after 6-7 years, that is clearly an average or OK coach at best. AT BEST.

I just can't get passed this...............PEOPLE, it was time for change!

[niremetal]

I'm going with LD at this point just because we saw what Woodson's inability to adjust did to the team. At the same time LD's apparent lack of a spine is going to kill the team as well. Essentially we've gone from a statue coaching the team to a jellyfish.

What this club needs is a motivator and tactician who has the stones to tell the players it his way or no way.

I agree...kinda. The problem is that coaches with "stones" tend not to work out so well in the player-driven NBA. PJ Carlesimo is a brilliant coach with 500-pound stones. He ended up getting choked half to death. The best coaches are the ones who find ways to motivate their players without having to fall back on their stones. That's true of Phil, Pop, Doc, Rudy T, Sloan, etc.

That being said, it doesn't seem at all like LD is doing what needs to be done to motivate the team.

Edited March 14, 2011 by niremetal

[frosgrim]

I agree...kinda. The problem is that coaches with "stones" tend not to work out so well in the player-driven NBA. PJ Carlesimo is a brilliant coach with 500-pound stones. He ended up getting choked half to death. The best coaches are the ones who find ways to motivate their players without having to fall back on their stones. That's true of Phil, Pop, Doc, Rudy T, Sloan, etc.

That being said, it doesn't seem at all like LD is doing what needs to be done to motivate the team.

I get what you're saying, but those guys don't back down from their core philosophy and let players do what they want. Phil is a great example of being able to get guys to buy into what he's preaching. The fact he's gotten serious mileage out of the likes of Artest, Rodman, and so forth is a testament on how to work with players.

What I would like to see is a guy that can just get the Hawks to play as a team within a sound concept where each guy does his role.

[macdaddy]

I agree...kinda. The problem is that coaches with "stones" tend not to work out so well in the player-driven NBA. PJ Carlesimo is a brilliant coach with 500-pound stones. He ended up getting choked half to death. The best coaches are the ones who find ways to motivate their players without having to fall back on their stones. That's true of Phil, Pop, Doc, Rudy T, Sloan, etc.

That being said, it doesn't seem at all like LD is doing what needs to be done to motivate the team.

I think this is true too but I still feel like he's working on it. I don't think the team has tuned him out and I don't think he's quit trying to find the right combination to get things going.

The one thing I'd say that LD and Woody have going against them is the leadership void amongst the players. You look at those coaches you named and every one of their good teams had a leader vocally backed up what the coach was doing. You've got to have an MJ, Kobe, Garnet, Pierce, or even a Malone/Stockton, Duncan who's going to get on the other guys when they are slacking. This is Joe's job. Smoove can't do it because he's making mistakes everywhere and Horford isn't the focal point of the team, at least not yet.

[benhillboy]

I never understood the rabid hate that Woody got on this board given his results (big a$& ring on his finger, improved record EVERY SEASON). Some can shoot down his merits at all costs, which I can also relate to with Mr. You-Know-Who. We all have our respectful opinions. But what do we really know about how a coach conducts himself in practice? I would never try to fully evaluate a coach unless I sat in on 20 practices, knew what his hours were, his daily routine, his road habits, etc. Especially with this team that has a couple of players who don't seem very receptive to set play-calling and direction. It has been stated here that perhaps Woody's best asset was knowing his player's personalities and switching and Iso was indeed the best strategy for them, regardless of how bad it looks to an outsider. I also liked his stubborness and "F$&k everybody not in this locker room" attitude at times, although it clearly was a hinderance at other times. It is much easier to judge a player than the HC. They earn their money when the lights come on. Coaches earn it when they're off. I happen to like Woody, a very small minority on this board. I think anyone on Woody's staff could have this team where it is now. This core has been in tact for some time now. There should be a considerable amount of self-policing, although we all know about Josh's lapses. I'm indifferent toward Drew. All I know is he doesn't grow the brand at all. So to answer, Woody. I consider myself a novice basketball historian and have the utmost respect for all involved in the Pistons Championship over the Mighty Lakers. I can't knock a guy who was part of implementing a championship defense alongside a historic coach and went on to improve his win total as a HC every season, no matter how poor the start off point was. Can't do it. Won't do it (Mike Singletary voice).

Edited March 14, 2011 by benhillboy

[Admin]

I get what you're saying, but those guys don't back down from their core philosophy and let players do what they want. Phil is a great example of being able to get guys to buy into what he's preaching. The fact he's gotten serious mileage out of the likes of Artest, Rodman, and so forth is a testament on how to work with players.

What I would like to see is a guy that can just get the Hawks to play as a team within a sound concept where each guy does his role.

I'd like to be able to spend a night with [insert name of hot out of my reach woman] too but I have to face the reality that I just don't have what it takes to make that happen. Same here with the Hawks in that I really doubt that any coach could get this current group of players to play as a team within a sound concept and with a defined role for each player for any type of a prolonged stretch.

[tbhawksfan]

You can get anyone to do anything. What price are you willing to pay? If they still won't do it, gotta make a move.

[Admin]

You can get anyone to do anything. What price are you willing to pay? If they still won't do it, gotta make a move.

Ah I've been burned by trying to pay a price for something I wanted from a woman once, spent a little time in jail because of it ... jk ... but I still don't think there is a coach out there that could get this bunch to do what he wants them to do on a consistent basis.