We patiently (or not) await October 7th

[Gray Mule]

August is winding down. Then, there is all of September and finally there

is that date, October 7th!

What happens on that date? Hawks 1st pre season game. We jump right

into the heat of the NBA pre season as we visit the Miami Heat @ 7:30 PM.

The very next night, Hawks are in Asheville, N.C. to play the Bobcats.

Seven very important games to allow the Hawks to mesh their new players,

of which there are several, with our players left from last season. These

don't count in the standings so we expect to see a lot of different players

and we get to have a peak at our new coach and his staff as they work.

We drafted not one but two centers and stashed them away overseas until

next season so we've got something to look foreward to already for the

2014-15 season besides all those free agents coming up after this season.

Someone is sure to keep us informed about those two really young centers.

Our other draft pick, Dennis the Menace, we all look foreward to seeing as

our 3rd extra young player. But, unlike the other two, he's on board and

is expected to push Jeff to new heights. We hope so.

Then comes the real stuff. Hawks are off Halloween but, the night before

they open the regular season @ Dallas and the night after Toronto @ Atlanta.

Then we go on the road for another three games. 4 of first 5 on the road.

Here I insert a joke to make a point:

An elderly couple was visited by an antique dealer and among other things

he purchased an old brass spittoon. You snuff dippers and tobacco chewers

know what these are.

A few days later the old man said to his wife, "Maw, I really miss that spittoon

since it's gone." To which she replied, "Paw, you missed it a lot when it was here."

Josh Smith is no longer a Hawk. He was, esentially, "The Highlight Factory" and

he will really be missed. But, remember, he missed a lot while he was here, especially

when he was at the charity stripe and when he tried all those very long two point

shots, which he always seemed to love so much. Detroit will really love him, at least

for a while and he will look foreward to meeting the Hawks and, he hopes, single

handed, lay a beating on his former team.

So much can still happen (or not) between now and October 7th. Hawk fans check

on here regularly becaue we all know that, when our GM makes a move, we weren't

forewarned that it was going to happen. We just log in and, "There it is."

With all the changes, a new team. A new, 1st time head coach and his staff. All this

we have as we prepare for a new season with high expectations. We have all sorts

of hopes from one poster here who hopes we have a record of 0-82 for the season

to some of our most optimistic Hawk fans who hope for the 3rd seed in the plyoffs.

Like young kids starting off on vacation, we want to yell, "ARE WE THERE YET?"

GO HAWKS!

Edited August 20, 2013 by Gray Mule

[Randy]

I sort of like the pre-season games more than regular season. Its a chance to get to see some guys who probably won't be playing much later or maybe won't make the team fighting it out for roster spots.

[Canopy]

Do we know when the training camp starts? Do Hawks allow fans to watch the practice?

[macdaddy]

End of september is the start. Hawks are playing a game in Biloxi and I"m going to be there that day. Don't know if I'll get to the game but i'm hoping.

Looking at the Jazz from last year they had almost the identical record as the Hawks but of course a much harder schedule being in the west. Milsap was a big part of that. I think this Hawks team is better than last year's jazz team. My big question mark is still coaching. I'm hoping Bud is even better than LD but I know that LD could take this year's team to the playoffs easily.