Hate the direction we're going in...but I LOVE this team.

[Wretch]

I thought I would put it out there. You guys know I'm pro-"throw it in the toilet." But, I'm still a Hawks fan first and foremost, and I have to say...it was fun watching that game last night. I felt like we actually had a chance to win and not once did I launch a projectile at the screen (except when Vince Carter does that ridiculous thing he always seems to pull out of his ass on us...).

I can't...can't...can't..can't...stress enough how much I love Millsap and Carroll. This is my first extended look at the new team and I'm sold on the way we play (or the way we WANT to play). They do look like they will struggle for points some nights and I'm terrified of what's going to happen on the boards and with our defense, but they played hard and they played smart. And I absolutely love it.

I'm not happy about the direction we're going in...I wish we would just scrap it and rebuild, but I can at least get excited about the games that are happening in the mean time. I get to watch Teague step up in the absence of a disruptive black hole... I get to see if Horford can grow into a more reliable scoring option (which...if there was a negative from last night...c'mon Horf....please don't start pissing me off with that weak ass disappearing act shit...!)

I know I talk about having a franchise player and a "superstar", but those are not my favorite kind of players. I like dudes that'll pull down 20 rebounds, eat garbage points, do dirty work, and hustle. That's Millsap and Carroll all day.

We need some firepower, but this is my kind of team. :D

[Guest]

Lol - you want your cake and eat it to. Like you I enjoyed this game and love what I saw from DMC and Millsap.I'm gonna enjoy this season,What if we play like this but don't win - that way we don't have to trade our players and still secure a good lottery pick? Lol

Edited October 31, 2013 by JayBirdHawk

[Wretch]

Lol - you want your cake and eat it to. Like you I enjoyed this game and love what I saw from DMC and Millsap.I'm gonna enjoy this season,What if we play like this but don't win - that way we don't have to trade our players and still secure a good lottery pick? Lol

Yeah...lol. I wish there was a comfortable compromise... The only time I'll root for losses is if we are deliberately tanking/rebuilding. Other than that, I'll root for them to win every game. I want to see these guys win. You can see how much they want to and it just doesn't feel right wishing failure on them. So I don't.

As far as actually wanting to lose/rebuild...it's like JTB was saying in the other thread. The team is built with flexibility in mind, so if it doesn't look like we're really progressing, at least DF can move things around and change our direction if need be. If and when it becomes apparent that we're just spinning our wheels (no matter how good we look at doing it), I hope we bite the bullet and do what needs to be done.

Until then, I'm just going to be a fan.

[DJlaysitup]

I feel almost the exact same way. I want to see us tank like no one's ever tanked before but I can't bring myself to root for us to lose when watching a game.

I enjoyed an attacking Teague and thought Schröder did some nice things too.

I'm not as high on the lunch-pail or garbage-pail guys (not sure which is which) as you are but I get where you're coming from.

Yeah...they are a fun team to watch with multiple story lines to follow during the game...I had fun last night.

I just don't want to hear "And with the the first pick in the 2014 NBA draft the Philadelphia 76ers pick...and with the 2nd pick the Boston Celtics pick...(time passes).....and with the 14th pick in the NBA draft the Atlanta Hawks pick Vladimir.....

[Gray Mule]

Neither Korver or Horford had a good first game. Yet, with these two

starters having an off night, this Hawk team pushed things to the limit.

I'm a Hawk fan. I root for them to win. If they can't, I want them to have

the very best game possible. I felt like we had a very good game in spite

of all the things that didn't work as well as we might hope.

To me, our offense is ahead of our defense, as far as having this new

system down pat.

That ancient Dallas player who came in and exploded was said to have the

third best scoring record in the NBA against the Hawks, King James and

Paul Pierce are the top two. Some day these two will be old enough to retire

and that will just leave us the King to worry about.

We, the Hawks, still have two players out with injuries. After seeing only

one game, we've arrived at this conclusion, "We ain't great but, dang, we're good!"

GO HAWKS !!

Edited October 31, 2013 by Gray Mule

[MrMeltdown]

I don't really get the direction tbh. Why re-sign Teague to a deal where we can not trade him this year without his consent if he is only here until Dennis is ready and then trade bait? People claim this is the best draft ever or some exaggeration, what if someone offered you a lotto pick for Jeff this year? Why sign all of those vets like Milsap, Carrol, Brand, Antić, not like they are familiar with Bud's system? Why re-sign Korver to a 4 year deal? His trade value is not that great, he is a good piece for a winner but winners usually don't have the greatest of trade assets.

I am just looking forward to see player development, system development, and what we can do without harmful egos and over the top contracts. I can't say I like the way we spend money or the players we spend it on, but you had to get some players this offseason

Edited October 31, 2013 by MrMeltdown

[jy23]

My feelings on this season is that I want every game to end exactly how last night did. See great things from certain players in every game but that we also lose those games. As a fan I've never wanted my team to lose more than I do right now. I'm tired of mediocrity and this is as good a time as any to change that through the draft as well as keeping financial flexibility.....wouldn't that be wonderful. Let's lose these games and get to this offseason!!!!! GO HAWKS lol

[Bahamut]

If we had the 20-rebound guy mentioned above, the sky's the limit!

[frosgrim]

FWIW, I think the direction is to build a team that guys want to come to. The only way to do that is to demonstrate that you have a competent coach, management, and ownership is winning. Right now we don't have any of that cache in the league. Hence, Ferry is built a team that he thinks will win and demonstrate that Bud is a guy you want to play for and can win with. Face it, we have to eventually attract FAs. Teams just aren't built through the draft any more. They are built through trades and FA.

I do agree with the sentiment that this is a "look and see" team. If it isn't working 25 games into the season I think we'll see some moves from Ferry.