VERY TIRED of Bandwagon/Fair-weather fans around here.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

We have done a lot of things wrong...going back to Babcock. One thing that we did wrong was not letting the team cycle at the right time. You can't stay good forever. Not even the Lakers can do that...and let's use them as an example. They'll scramble like crazy to keep a winner on the court. And because they are the most glamorous franchise in the NBA, they will always be a threat to attract big names.

But you watch...

When Kobe finally gets over the hill and IF they get stuck with a bunch of salary and a team that can't be expected to compete for a title...they will cycle the team. During their cycle, say we choose to stay the course of being "good." We'll embarrass the Lakers. We'll make the playoffs and laugh at them while they fool around in the draft and fumble with trades. We'll stay good while they suck. We'll enjoy 2 or 3 years of being a playoff team.

Then it'll happen... *poof* Just like that...

All of a sudden, a light is going to pop on in the form of a young and prolific scorer. We'll call it luck or big market operations or just the way it is...we'll have all sorts of labels for it. But they'll get a guy that they can build around and the world is going to take notice. Soon, he'll own ESPN's front page, he'll have 20 games on TNT, people in your office will be rocking his jersey...and some All-Star is going to see him and say, "I want to play there...with him." And the Lakers will sign him.

Or they'll grow another young talent...

Or they'll trade some draft picks for that player...

Or they'll trade a player for that player...

They will get it done and before you know it, there will be this team that is WAY better than us and is a threat to contend. The thing you have to really understand though is that this could be ANY team going through a rebuild. Again, I'm not advocating that we tank the season and aim for the #1 pick. I'm also not denying that the arena would die during a down cycle. I'm just telling you, and I'm telling this whole board... The least important thing right now is making the playoffs and winning. The most important thing for us is to simply DO what it takes to get an extremely talented young player in here and to build around him. Just get him...and seriously, it doesn't matter even a little bit how we do it. Not even a little bit.

Maybe somebody like this guy? Is there a 2013 version of him in the NBA on some roster? Funny how he's a part of our organization now.

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvwCFpGOsF8

[Wretch]

I always liked Ex - dude was ice water in the clutch. You want it to end better than that, but yeah...that's how it happens.

Fans need a reason to look. Nobody cares about the guys that lay down. They care about the teams that are still standing and the big time match ups. If you're not playing in those games and if you don't have a player that gets people talking...you aren't really doing anything.

That's another good point to make here. What is Atlanta Hawks basketball? What are we remembered for? Just Nique really...and the highlight of his era was a 2nd round loss. That's where my frustration is, because that's when I came into basketball. Funny enough, I started out as a Lakers fan because that's what my older brother watched. (Still a Lakers fan too, but not nearly the fan that I am of the Hawks.)

Edited January 21, 2013 by Wretch

[niremetal]

If it were only the Hawks who had this problem, but it's not. Not even close. The Dome had a buttload of 9ers fans today AT THE NFREAKINGC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. And the Braves couldn't sell out early round playoff games starting in 1997 despite being only 2 years removed from a World Series title. And the Thrashers...and Flames...

Atlanta does not have a loyal sports fan base, in large measure because more than half of the city's population was born outside the state of Georgia. I think it'll get slowly better over time now that the city's population has stabilized a bit.

[tbhawksfan]

Maybe some people are Bball fans first. Some just want to be associated with winners. In any case to impose culture on another person is a very bad thing. Instead of peer pressuring people, maybe all of the presssure should be on the Hawks to earn their fans.If the Hawks continue to accept mediocrity as their peak, you'll see more of the same. Personally, I'll remain a Hawks fan, it's a connection to my childhood; kind of a sentimental thing.You might actually want to thank the fans of other teams for spending money at a Hawks game. What would the attendance be without them?A true hard cap would help to eliminte the big market dominance in the sport.

[macdaddy]

This is our lot in life. I mean the Falcons were one of the best teams in football this year, have been successful for while now and there were still thousands of 49er fans there yesterday. What's worse if opposing fans of all sports for some reason feel free to come here and be absolutely obnoxious. I don't know if its that way elsewhere.

But I agree that a huge percentage of these people have lived in atlanta all or most of their lives. And it's not about winning at all. I went to so many Hawks-Knick games when the knicks absolutely sucked and still most fans are there cheering for them.

After the Braves and now the Falcons I think i'm done going to the big games. I just can't take it. After going to that last game in fulton county stadium when we lost game 5 to the yanks 1-0 i should have gotten the message. As far as the Braves not selling out though, to me that was overblown. Just like the Yanks not selling out this year. Many of those braves teams were not championship caliber and we knew it, and the seats that were unsold are terrible seats. Most sports fans have big comfy rooms with giant tvs to watch these games in.

[Wretch]

If I were to relocate to any city in the US, I would remain a Hawks fan. I can tell you that my kids would remain loyal too. So, there's no denying that people carry their sports loyalty with them. There's also bandwagon fans everywhere. I'm sure the term didn't originate in Atlanta Georgia after all.

What's wrong with the Hawks (and really, pro sports in Georgia) goes a little further. It's funny that I was talking about a Spurs fan that I've known since 1987. Because as the Falcons lost yesterday, another of my good friends from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL who has never left the state of Georgia was on Facebook cheering San Francisco and taunting the people who were pulling for the Falcons.

You guys want to cling to the transplant theory and blaming it on "bad sports fans", but you need to spend some time outside of Atlanta. You need to listen to what people are saying and you need to look at the bigger picture. The collective history of Atlanta sports is that of impotence, irrelevance, and flat out CHOKING.

That's it. What are people supposed to get excited about? Another pennant for the Braves and a post season choke out...? Another choketacular job by the Falcons...? A basketball team with no star, no personality, that has never been further than the 2nd round? Ever? And what's in between the "decent" years...? Terrible, terrible, terrible teams...

You want to tell me that's NOT the biggest factor in determining the amount of bandwagon fans and lack of native fan support? I don't think so. Just...no. My head spins thinking about all the great sports matchups and legendary players over the past 30 years.

Now think about the Hawks...

Please. GTFO... You can go to other sports towns...and you can go to sports bars around their towns and talk about the old days or title shots. If you're a Hawks fan, you ain't got shit to talk about. You can get laughed at and stoned.

I'm sorry...but this team has been f***ed over (and f***ed HARD) by shitty ownership and shitty management. And the Braves and Falcons choking don't do jack-shit to help. Don't blame it on the people here.

...and again, this is why I want to avoid the "win without losing." This franchise cannot afford to roll through another 5-6 years of getting bounced in the 2nd round. It needs a personality. It needs a WINNER.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Wretch

[niremetal]

If I were to relocate to any city in the US, I would remain a Hawks fan. I can tell you that my kids would remain loyal too. So, there's no denying that people carry their sports loyalty with them. There's also bandwagon fans everywhere. I'm sure the term didn't originate in Atlanta Georgia after all.

What's wrong with the Hawks (and really, pro sports in Georgia) goes a little further. It's funny that I was talking about a Spurs fan that I've known since 1987. Because as the Falcons lost yesterday, another of my good friends from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL who has never left the state of Georgia was on Facebook cheering San Francisco and taunting the people who were pulling for the Falcons.

You guys want to cling to the transplant theory and blaming it on "bad sports fans", but you need to spend some time outside of Atlanta. You need to listen to what people are saying and you need to look at the bigger picture. The collective history of Atlanta sports is that of impotence, irrelevance, and flat out CHOKING.

That's it. What are people supposed to get excited about? Another pennant for the Braves and a post season choke out...? Another choketacular job by the Falcons...? A basketball team with no star, no personality, that has never been further than the 2nd round? Ever? And what's in between the "decent" years...? Terrible, terrible, terrible teams...

You want to tell me that's NOT the biggest factor in determining the amount of bandwagon fans and lack of native fan support? I don't think so. Just...no. My head spins thinking about all the great sports matchups and legendary players over the past 30 years.

Now think about the Hawks...

Please. GTFO... You can go to other sports towns...and you can go to sports bars around their towns and talk about the old days or title shots. If you're a Hawks fan, you ain't got shit to talk about. You can get laughed at and stoned.

I'm sorry...but this team has been f***ed over (and f***ed HARD) by shitty ownership and shitty management. And the Braves and Falcons choking don't do jack-shit to help. Don't blame it on the people here.

...and again, this is why I want to avoid the "win without losing." This franchise cannot afford to roll through another 5-6 years of getting bounced in the 2nd round. It needs a personality. It needs a WINNER.

The Braves failing to sell out playoff games in 1997 and 1998 blows that theory out of the water. I can't imagine any other city failing to sell out baseball playoff games just 2-3 years after winning a World Series title (and 1-2 years after winning the NL pennant, and with a still-active streak of division titles). The Braves actually finished in the bottom half of the NL in attendance in 2004 and 2005. We always seemed to finish behind the Cubs in attendance. I mean, come on.

Plenty of other cities endure bad and/or choking teams year after year. Philly went 25 years without a major sports team title, but you never saw 6ers games packed with Knicks fans. Atlanta's the only one I know of that has the problem of having Knicks fans outnumber the home team fans every damn time (even in years where the Knicks suck) or persistently ranking lower in attendance than their position in the standings in every single sport.

Edited January 21, 2013 by niremetal

[macdaddy]

The Braves failing to sell out playoff games in 1997 and 1998 blows that theory out of the water. I can't imagine any other city failing to sell out baseball playoff games just 2-3 years after winning a World Series title (and 1-2 years after winning the NL pennant, and with a still-active streak of division titles).

Plenty of other cities endure bad and/or choking teams year after year. Atlanta's the only one I know of that has the problem of having Knicks fans outnumber the home team fans every damn time (even in years where the Knicks suck) or persistently ranking lower in attendance than their position in the standings in every single sport.

Didn't the Yankees fail to sellout their playoff games this year? They just won the series in 2009 right? I'll say that Braves fans, a lot of those years, knew that the team wasn't going to the world series and it was just a lot more fun and a LOT cheaper to stay at home or a bar rather than pay huge prices for parking, food, beer for crappy-ass seats in the upper level down that right field line. I mean those seats are terrible. Talk about second class citizens. If you get those seats its about a 30-40 minute committment to get to decent food or beer.

Anyway, I agree with the second part. There are plenty of terrible teams and organizations that are able to maintain a fan base. The problem is all reputation. For whatever reason it isn't hip to pull for an atlanta team. But past performance is definitely an issue.

[drzachary]

I'm tired of hearing crap like "oh, that's Atlanta," and "Atlanta fans are bad."

If your product isn't selling, don't blame the customer. Improve the product or market it differently/better.

[Wretch]

The Braves failing to sell out playoff games in 1997 and 1998 blows that theory out of the water. I can't imagine any other city failing to sell out baseball playoff games just 2-3 years after winning a World Series title (and 1-2 years after winning the NL pennant, and with a still-active streak of division titles). The Braves actually finished in the bottom half of the NL in attendance in 2004 and 2005. We always seemed to finish behind the Cubs in attendance. I mean, come on.

Plenty of other cities endure bad and/or choking teams year after year. Philly went 25 years without a major sports team title, but you never saw 6ers games packed with Knicks fans. Atlanta's the only one I know of that has the problem of having Knicks fans outnumber the home team fans every damn time (even in years where the Knicks suck) or persistently ranking lower in attendance than their position in the standings in every single sport.

I'm almost 40 years old and I have lived through the the miserable sports history in Georgia - supporting the Hawks for nearly all of that time and the Braves for over half of it. I know how people who are from here and not transplants feel about the Atlanta Sports teams. I don't have the words or the strength to detail the misery and at best, MEDIOCRITY, that was the Atlanta Braves in the 20 years prior to 1991. 20 YEARS OF IT.... I can't even muster the seriousness to discuss the Falcons and the Hawks...?

The Hawks...? What.......EVER...........

Yet you cite some attendance figures from a Braves team that, save for ONE post season, that did nothing but CONSTANTLY choke (and choke on it's own vomit for 20 years prior to the 90's)...as the writing on the wall that explains it all? Yeah, this is the wall, go ahead and scribble 1997 and 1998 Braves all over it:

Having lived through this nonsense since I was a boy, I think I kinda know what's wrong around here. You show me a history of Atlanta sports (ANY of the 4 sports that have been here) that does not embody failure, ineptitude, and choking and I would be inclined to agree with you. As it were, I'm done with this.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Wretch

[bruincoach]

Goes back to the theory that a championship/association with a winner is all people want. Even constant trips to the playoffs aren't good enough for the braves hawks or falcons. No one likes to get stuck in mediocrity but things could always be worse. I know some will cry "accept being average" no not really. Te answer is I accept my love for Atlanta sports especially the falcons and hawksAs far as selling out the arena my personal opinion is lower ticket prices and more will sell. I have a buddy or two that sell tickets on the side and they will tell you a sold ticket is better than a kept one. Make it cheaper and the numbers will have to go up a little

[ATLscrubLove]

Goes back to the theory that a championship/association with a winner is all people want. Even constant trips to the playoffs aren't good enough for the braves hawks or falcons. No one likes to get stuck in mediocrity but things could always be worse. I know some will cry "accept being average" no not really. Te answer is I accept my love for Atlanta sports especially the falcons and hawksAs far as selling out the arena my personal opinion is lower ticket prices and more will sell. I have a buddy or two that sell tickets on the side and they will tell you a sold ticket is better than a kept one. Make it cheaper and the numbers will have to go up a little

For sure, our teams aren't bad by any means. We have it better than a lot of other cities, I mean all of our teams pretty much consistently make the playoffs. Granted they make an early exit but they make it nonetheless. Falcons came the closest an ATL has come from a championship game. Thankfully the Braves will be stacked this year, maybe they will be able to make a nice little push in the post season.

[Wretch]

Goes back to the theory that a championship/association with a winner is all people want. Even constant trips to the playoffs aren't good enough for the braves hawks or falcons. No one likes to get stuck in mediocrity but things could always be worse. I know some will cry "accept being average" no not really. Te answer is I accept my love for Atlanta sports especially the falcons and hawks

We should make a distinction between the different kinds of fans. The point you make here is really how all of us feel - by "us" I mean the Squawk. I'll support this team no matter what. In the worst seasons, I'll go to games against other crappy teams and buy GOOD seats. That's because I'm a true fan. My loyalties don't change as the rest of the NBA changes. Though we bitch and moan, that's everybody on this message board.

For a fan like me though, at some point you want to see a return on something you've invested so much loyalty in. You want to see YOUR team with a chance to win it all. Years of watching mediocre playoff results should leave you expecting more. It doesn't mean you don't love the team, but if you don't want more...then how can you call yourself a true fan?

Regardless, even though WE will always support the team, the casual/fairweather fan that outnumbers us will not. That's just a fact of life about anything (except Alabama where every conversation starts or ends with with "Roll Tide."). If you want to get the attention of the fairweather fans, you've got to build a winner.

The Falcons are doing that right now and the bandwagon is responding in full. Look at how many people stopped following the team once Vick left. I count a dozen people that I know personally. They're back now...lol. The need to keep pressing and get over the hump. The fans will respond....but not if you keep letting them down.