Merged: Grantland - Free Agency Winners and Losers

[drzachary]

I still don't get how in sports, when the product's not selling, you blame the consumer.

 

Give the crowds a reason to be there, and they will be there.

[Dejay]

Simple really. Ted Turner made the Braves a destination for free agents and he brought in the right people who built a dynasty. They have a top tier scouting department and have money to spend when they need it. All of that has made the Braves a first class organization and are consistently a true contender. Even without recent playoff success the fans know that we did everything possible to make our team better and that's all fans can ask for. Honest to God effort and a good/great product will gain you loyalty.

With the Falcons Arthur Blank came in and completely changed the culture of the team. My father was apart of the Falcons in the mid 90's and the team and facilities were a joke. They operated out of an old Best Western or Holiday Inn, hard to remember exactly but it was pathetic. Blank came in and threw tons of money into the team and built a first class training facility and fixed a falling apart stadium. He also brought in guys from successful organizations that turned the product around. He also had a hand in drafting Ryan. So now the Falcons are a place that big time free agents want to come. And the great thing about Blank is how pissed off he gets after the post season failures. He had a press conference and has let the current regime know that first round failures aren't an option. We as fans know for a fact that he wants a Super Bowl and will do anything to make that happen because he's a true fan of the team. We fans can put our loyalty behind a team like that.

So it's all about having actual hope. I believe these two franchises are willing to do anything it takes to win championships so when they come up short it sucks but they put forth their best effort and the fans know it. The Hawks and Thrashers have told me that the ASG doesn't give a crap. They let the Thrashers absolutely die and had no real desire to even want the team in the first place. The team wasn't allowed to spend money and they refused to fire Don Waddell who made terrible picks and terrible trades. This man went through a ton of coaches but never lost HIS job despite only 1 playoff appearance(which ended poorly) the entire time the team was here. This ownership group has done nothing to warrant any kind of loyalty. How do they expect the fans to care when they themselves don't. And I absolutely hate it because I love the Hawks, but I loved the Thrashers too.

Sorry for the novel. I just really love sports.

I was going to answer this but you beat me to it. When Blank first arrived, the Falcons averaged more empty seats than Philips Arena had in it. The team was like the Hawks in that the only guys who chose to be here were those on their last legs looking for one last payday or dregs no one else wanted. Now the stands are packed and folks actually want to play here. Good players sign extensions here instead of looking for the first flight out of Hartsfield (see Sanders, Deion) after their contracts end. Did it take them winning the Super Bowl before fans bought in? Nope. His regime hasn't gone perfectly, as anyone watching in 2013 will sadly attest. It took the owner doing whatever it took to market the team; something the ASG knows nothing about. If it meant selling $100 season tickets, he did it. If it meant buying up tickets to keep his game on TV instead of them watching infomercials and other games on the Sunday Ticket, he did it. He built practice facilities that other NFL teams envy. He renovated the Dome and when that wasn't good enough, put $800M into building a new one.

That is the stuff that puts and keep butts in seats. The Hawks could take some lessons...

[tonegully]

Atlanta just sucks when it comes to supporting the Hawks. You guys can talk all that other BS. Lets be real, half of the city doesn't even know whats going on with the team. I hear that every time i listen to sports talk in Atlanta. 

You guys still want to blame Ferry, lol. We just need to continue to win games. If i was in atlanta i would have season tickets. 

You guys talking about the ASG and the Thrashers......please. They have smarten up and starting to turn this ship around and some of you guys holding grudges like someones baby momma. lol. Let it go dude.

If the city isn't excited about the team what makes you think free agents would be excited to come to Atlanta?

[tonegully]

I was going to answer this but you beat me to it. When Blank first arrived, the Falcons averaged more empty seats than Philips Arena had in it. The team was like the Hawks in that the only guys who chose to be here were those on their last legs looking for one last payday or dregs no one else wanted. Now the stands are packed and folks actually want to play here. Good players sign extensions here instead of looking for the first flight out of Hartsfield (see Sanders, Deion) after their contracts end. Did it take them winning the Super Bowl before fans bought in? Nope. His regime hasn't gone perfectly, as anyone watching in 2013 will sadly attest. It took the owner doing whatever it took to market the team; something the ASG knows nothing about. If it meant selling $100 season tickets, he did it. If it meant buying up tickets to keep his game on TV instead of them watching infomercials and other games on the Sunday Ticket, he did it. He built practice facilities that other NFL teams envy. He renovated the Dome and when that wasn't good enough, put $800M into building a new one.

That is the stuff that puts and keep butts in seats. The Hawks could take some lessons...

Give credit where its due..

 

MIKE VICK did all that. lets face it people ATL is a black city and a flashy city. They would rather have a black superstar who is flashy and never win nothing than an average consistent winner. Look at falcon games..people still wear Vick jerseys. All that stuff Blank did was because of Vick. 

[Diesel]

Atlanta just sucks when it comes to supporting the Hawks. You guys can talk all that other BS. Lets be real, half of the city doesn't even know whats going on with the team. I hear that every time i listen to sports talk in Atlanta. 

You guys still want to blame Ferry, lol. We just need to continue to win games. If i was in atlanta i would have season tickets. 

You guys talking about the ASG and the Thrashers......please. They have smarten up and starting to turn this ship around and some of you guys holding grudges like someones baby momma. lol. Let it go dude.

If the city isn't excited about the team what makes you think free agents would be excited to come to Atlanta?

 

Nobody has put the radio on LOCK!!  A lot of sports franchises own the Sports radio in it's city.  The Hawks don't.  So a  lot of times, Sports radio is nothing more than National Programming... and then if it is Local sports talk, they talk so bad about a team that has been to the playoffs for 8 years straight that it creates the Anti-fan.

[tonegully]

Well, NFL = Most popular Sport.  Most teams in the NFL has good followings.

 

Braves... Did you watch the magic?  Schurlholtz... maybe I spelt that wrong... but the Braves developed a system that encompassed their Single A all the way to the Big Leagues.  They trained players to play for them... that's how you got a Justice, Chipper, and so on and so on.

Next, they overpaid for great pitching.

Finally, they marketed themselves very well.  Freakin "America's Team".   Fireworks after every victory.  Endeared themselves to the schools and the local businesses by having free games.

Erased all memories of the years when Dale Murphy and Gene Garber and Gary Matthews labored for nothing.

They built a legacy.

LOL.

 

Ted Turner did that. Had the Braves on TBS all over America. Thats how i became a Braves and Hawks fan. Braves got lucky that their talent developed. The Braves were trash for years. Yup, Ted Turner and a little bit of luck

[Diesel]

Give credit where its due..

 

MIKE VICK did all that. lets face it people ATL is a black city and a flashy city. They would rather have a black superstar who is flashy and never win nothing than an average consistent winner. Look at falcon games..people still wear Vick jerseys. All that stuff Blank did was because of Vick. 

 

It's not about Color.

 

Remember, Vick was the Highest Paid QB in the league.  He didn't get there because he was Black.  He got there because he was marketed well.  He brought the same type of excitement that Primetime brought.  A guy who in 1 play can turn the fortunes of his team.

Also recall, Vick wasn't the best QB.  However, he was the most watched guy in Football when he had the ball.

That's not color.

[Admin]

I still don't get how in sports, when the product's not selling, you blame the consumer.

 

Give the crowds a reason to be there, and they will be there.

 

Clearly that's not the case. For Atlanta give the crowd the best team in the league or a super duper star and they'll be there. Otherwise they'll see you in the playoffs where they'll go through the motions of having pride for the team and city. 

[tonegully]

Nobody has put the radio on LOCK!!  A lot of sports franchises own the Sports radio in it's city.  The Hawks don't.  So a  lot of times, Sports radio is nothing more than National Programming... and then if it is Local sports talk, they talk so bad about a team that has been to the playoffs for 8 years straight that it creates the Anti-fan.

Let me tell you what I would do to get these fans out there. There is no reason why we shouldn't be giving out free seats to all these entertainers in Atlanta.  I would roll out the red carpet for these people. i would have limos picking these people up bringing them to the game. Like T.I did last year and even did some TV with Bob that was a great idea. 

 

We need to find a player that can relate to Atlanta. Man someone like AI wouldve blown up big time and owned the freaking city but we need someone to connect with the young people in the city. 

 

I would also expand the Hawks Sixth Man section. First I would rename it something else besides that. I would actually give everyone  who sat there a voucher for liquor and let them get a little faded and have them booo and insult the visitors team and their fans. To me Phillps is to friendly for the other team and their fans to come to. 

 

Our players need to be more active on social media. I mean you see the signs in Phillips. Kyles kids or some stupid stuff like that but what is it? Along with the rest of it. 

 

We need more in game promotions. Hawks player gets a triple double free hotdogs or something like that. I love the halftime concerts. 

 

Another thing...get rid of the organ and play the latest music like everyone else does. When bron was in cleveland the 1st time. I would watch their games cause it felt like a party was going on and i wasn't even there. Second we need our own special pre game intros. ala Bulls in the 90s. Something to get the people and the players hyped. 

 

I have more ideas but I'm tired of typing.

[Admin]

It's not about Color.

 

Remember, Vick was the Highest Paid QB in the league.  He didn't get there because he was Black.  He got there because he was marketed well.  He brought the same type of excitement that Primetime brought.  A guy who in 1 play can turn the fortunes of his team.

Also recall, Vick wasn't the best QB.  However, he was the most watched guy in Football when he had the ball.

That's not color.

 

That's true I don't think with Vick it was about color. It was about the type of play he brought to the QB position because he's electric.

 

And I totally agree with @tonegully re: TBS and the Braves. That's a HUGE part of why the Braves have such a wide fanbase. 

 

With the Hawks, go outside of Atlanta and especially Georgia and Hawks fans are like Native Americans, you'll never see 2 of us in the same place at the same time. 

[Dejay]

Atlanta just sucks when it comes to supporting the Hawks. You guys can talk all that other BS. Lets be real, half of the city doesn't even know whats going on with the team. I hear that every time i listen to sports talk in Atlanta.

You guys still want to blame Ferry, lol. We just need to continue to win games. If i was in atlanta i would have season tickets.

You guys talking about the ASG and the Thrashers......please. They have smarten up and starting to turn this ship around and some of you guys holding grudges like someones baby momma. lol. Let it go dude.

If the city isn't excited about the team what makes you think free agents would be excited to come to Atlanta?

Let me ask you a question; if Atlanta sucks so badly supporting the Hawks, why is that? It is because we're like elephants and don't forget their owners' misdealings, which cost us an NHL team? Is it because they make the playoffs almost every year in a league where over half the teams make it, only to lay down like a cheap card table when it matters most? Is it because they don't have the cache of those other franchises because they actually, get this, WON GAMES THAT MATTERED? Perish the thought.

Ground floor-level progress don't put butts in seats; results do. Banners do. Superstars do. Ticker tape parades do. If the Hawks had done those things and were still averaging 13k a game, I'd be right there with you. Have they?

[Admin]

So sayeth the Hawks fanbase, win it all or else we aren't coming out to support ya. smh only in Atlanta! 

[tonegully]

It's not about Color.

 

Remember, Vick was the Highest Paid QB in the league.  He didn't get there because he was Black.  He got there because he was marketed well.  He brought the same type of excitement that Primetime brought.  A guy who in 1 play can turn the fortunes of his team.

Also recall, Vick wasn't the best QB.  However, he was the most watched guy in Football when he had the ball.

That's not color.

It is about color. Atlanta is black capital of the south. The youth and city could relate to Vick, young, black, flashy. All through the hood was Vick jerseys. Only time i saw a Joe jersey was on the clearance rack because he didnt relate to the city he was playing for

[Admin]

It is about color. Atlanta is black capital of the south. The youth and city could relate to Vick, young, black, flashy. All through the hood was Vick jerseys. Only time i saw a Joe jersey was on the clearance rack because he didnt relate to the city he was playing for

 

Do you think that if the Falcons had Johnny Football that it would be any different? I honestly don't know because he plays the same sort of football and he's electric and the fans love him. Plus he's not an angel and knows how to party. 

[tonegully]

Let me ask you a question; if Atlanta sucks so badly supporting the Hawks, why is that? It is because we're like elephants and don't forget their owners' misdealings, which cost us an NHL team? Is it because they make the playoffs almost every year in a league where over half the teams make it, only to lay down like a cheap card table when it matters most? Is it because they don't have the cache of those other franchises because they actually, get this, WON GAMES THAT MATTERED? Perish the thought.

Ground floor-level progress don't put butts in seats; results do. Banners do. Superstars do. Ticker tape parades do. If the Hawks had done those things and were still averaging 13k a game, I'd be right there with you. Have they?

Lets be real. ATL should NEVER have a hockey team. I laughed when we got it. I knew it wasn't going to last. 

This team has been trash since 2000. Everyone knows it. We have had bad coaching, bad ownership, just bad leadership from the top of the freaking organization. Players know this and agents know this also the fans know this. Smoove, Joe, Al, Bibby. that team was a smoke screen. We (real fans) knew that Woody was garbage and so was Larry Drew. We also knew that Sund was garbage and BK was garbage. 

My deal is that now we are finally starting to build something for the long term. We are starting to have a foundation. ASG not messing around with basketball operations, A GM who just doesn't go blow money just to say he did something, and a coach that has implement a dam good system and someone who commands respect and hold players accountable. It pisses me off that fans and so called local sports talk (92.9) can't see what is happening right in front of their eyes. 

Go look at the stats before Horford got hurt. Go look at the stats against the Pacers and you don't think we don't have nothing. 

The freaking fans of the Hawks need to start taking some freaking pride in the team. There is no way you allow another supporters group to come to your gym and do what they want to do. Look at football, do you think you can go to a Raiders home game and talk shit and cheer, regardless if you are winning and not get cursed out or yelled at? 

People crack jokes about the Hawks support and then the fans want to say "put a good product out and we will support" I call BS. You should support your team regardless, but thats just me.

[Dejay]

So sayeth the Hawks fanbase, win it all or else we aren't coming out to support ya. smh only in Atlanta!

In the middle of SEC country where coaches get run after winning bowl games because they can't get it done against an archrival? Where high school football coaches are forced to resign after losing in the state playoffs? Yup, only in Atlanta...

[tonegully]

Do you think that if the Falcons had Johnny Football that it would be any different? I honestly don't know because he plays the same sort of football and he's electric and the fans love him. Plus he's not an angel and knows how to party. 

Johnny Football is one of those cool ass whiteboys. lol. Like he the type that can be the Hamptons one weekend and the Hood the next. Young people can relate to him. He is flashy, loud, does what he wants, and he about his money. I love Johnny Football. I wouldve bought me a jersey too if the Falcons wouldve drafted him.

[tonegully]

We need someone that can relate to the city. Im not going to lie. Someone like Millsap and Horford would get a lot more respect and love if they played for a team in Pittsburg. They are bring ya hardhat to work, work hard, then go home lol

[Admin]

In the middle of SEC country where coaches get run after winning bowl games because they can't get it done against an archrival? Where high school football coaches are forced to resign after losing in the state playoffs? Yup, only in Atlanta...

 

SEC country huh? Then why aren't the Pelicans (2,000 more per game) and Magic (2,000 more per game) and Hornets (1,200 more per game) having as poor of fan support as us? Sure those aren't spectacular #'s but the players notice when there's 1k-2k fewer fans in the stands and they especially notice when many of those fans are booing the home team and cheering on the visitors. 

[Admin]

We need someone that can relate to the city. Im not going to lie. Someone like Millsap and Horford would get a lot more respect and love if they played for a team in Pittsburg. They are bring ya hardhat to work, work hard, then go home lol

 

And therein lies a BIG problem. Never in a million years will a flashy type of superstar personality be the type of guy Ferry will go for.... UNLESS it's someone like Lebron. Because that's not the type of player who is "over himself" like the Spurs culture requires. 

 

But as you said earlier the city of Atlanta needs an AI type of player but that's so anti-Spurs / new Hawks that it's never ever going to happen. 

 

So what then? I guess unless we're playing for the title the fans aren't going to come out... at least until the playoffs when they can pretend they were behind the team all season long.