Koonan on 929 the game right now!

[Diesel]

Clippers and Hawks' situations are apples/oranges though.  Sterling was signing their checks but he wasn't dealing with them day-to-day or really making many personnel decisions (IIUC).

 

Although I've been very vocal about wanting him gone, I do acknowledge that his comments could be explained to a degree.  The problem is we already have sooooooo many negatives when it comes to building a team, Ferry hasn't been good enough at his job to warrant putting up with any additional negativity due to his mere presence.

 

It's not about the reality that he's probably not racist and that his comments are probably more elitist than anything.  It's about the perception and having to overcome it.  We just don't need that.

 

This is not about whether Ferry has been good at his job.  It's about how he is perceived by Free agents.  On a franchise where it's already hard to get FAs, we now have a woopsy in the GM's chair.  I say Woopsy because he has made a fatal error that maybe not was intended to be so bad but in lieu of his post is fatal.

It's like a former pedophile working at the Boys Club.  Sure, he may mean well and would do a great job but once people know... The trust is gone.

[AUhawksfan]

It's not about the reality that he's probably not racist and that his comments are probably more elitist than anything.  It's about the perception and having to overcome it.  We just don't need that.

 

This is exactly my thinking.  The guy has been in the league awhile without incident so my hunch is that this is an isolated and stupid mistake by Ferry.

 

That said, it is still an incident with negative connotations that could have an affect on future players and free agents coming here.  I actually am a fan of Ferry and would have wanted to see him stay, but just due to the fact that this has negative connotations to it we just need to get rid of the guy.

 

Poor Bud, didn't know what he was getting into.....keep him and clean the rest of the house!!!!!  We need one owner, it's obvious these guys just can't get along - too many stubborn power players with their own interests.

[AHF]

Let's not ignore that free agents of any stature avoided the Clips and most of their picks fled for 98% of Sterling's tenure. That is part of why they stunk.

[Randy]

If Ferry stays, not only will FA's not want to come here, our own players will want to leave as soon as they can. 

Edited September 9, 2014 by Randy

[ag82]

Now I'm questioning why Ferry has only brought in hard working lunch pail guys. It could be just coincidence and a good practice, but can we be sure it's not fueled by something else?

 

Our GM likes to bring in hard working guys. Lets find some deeper meaning in that.

[AHF]

Our GM likes to bring in hard working guys. Lets find some deeper meaning in that.

Many sports people (esp commentators) describe whites as hard working and blacks as athletic. Not ascribing that to Ferry but that has been a crutch of lazy writers and broadcasters for a while.

[Admin]

It seems that if "he likes hard working guys" and he has mostly signed black players, that would be contradictory to what some are trying to crucify him here for...

[DS5]

Remember, Ferry's standard for choosing players is that they had to be "high character" guys.

Now, we have to question what exactly does that mean?

Yeah, what did it mean when he said "high character guys like Millsap and Carroll"? Obviously, it was bad judgment by Ferry to read the scouting report verbatim, but let's stop with this crap that he's a racist...

[AHF]

It seems that if "he likes hard working guys" and he has mostly signed black players, that would be contradictory to what some are trying to crucify him here for...

Same with the draft picks (JJ, Dennis, Sideshow, Payne). Just wanted to point out that many see "hard working" as sports code for white so anyone who thinks Ferry is a through and through racist is going to view that as loaded language.

[Admin]

Same with the draft picks (JJ, Dennis, Sideshow, Payne). Just wanted to point out that many see "hard working" as sports code for white so anyone who thinks Ferry is a through and through racist is going to view that as loaded language.

 

Yeah I get what you're saying. I think that the only people who associate race with the term "hard working" are those with their own racial demons. 

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I'm on the keep Danny Ferry bandwagon, not just because I think he is a good GM, but us keeping Bud depends on it. If a new GM comes in, he'll want his own head coach; not one leftover in the fridge. Also, I believe Ferry has been limited by the ASG. I think we would have signed Deng if it wasn't for the ASG.

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[Afro]

If a GM wants another coach over Bud, he is a moron, and we shouldn't be hiring him in the first place.

 

Who are you getting thats better? You can talk about relationships and all that, but a GM knows at the end of the day he needs to win to keep his job. 

[Admin]

If a GM wants another coach over Bud, he is a moron, and we shouldn't be hiring him in the first place.

 

Who are you getting thats better? You can talk about relationships and all that, but a GM knows at the end of the day he needs to win to keep his job. 

 

But would Bud want to stay here under a new GM? Part of the success that we've had (through 1 year) is in their symbiotic relationship and he's not likely to have that under someone else. 

 

Losing Ferry would almost certainly cost us Bud. 

[RWF]

How is Ferry going to attract FA now?

 

When was he before? lol. The same way he has been.............NOT attract FAs.

Edited September 9, 2014 by RWF

[Admin]

How is Ferry going to attract FA now?

 

He could always throw on a wig... 

[AHF]

But would Bud want to stay here under a new GM? Part of the success that we've had (through 1 year) is in their symbiotic relationship and he's not likely to have that under someone else. 

 

Losing Ferry would almost certainly cost us Bud. 

 

I wouldn't assume that is the case that either a new GM would want to get rid of Bud or that Bud would bolt from a new GM.  If you assume Ferry doesn't make it, I could see a dream scenario where we get some new billionaire owner who hires a respect GM and actually gives Bud a contract extension as part of the deal and everybody gets along.  

[Admin]

I wouldn't assume that is the case that either a new GM would want to get rid of Bud or that Bud would bolt from a new GM.  If you assume Ferry doesn't make it, I could see a dream scenario where we get some new billionaire owner who hires a respect GM and actually gives Bud a contract extension as part of the deal and everybody gets along.  

 

I guess we can all dream... 

[DJlaysitup]

I remember when Woody wanted Shelden to come in here as a "hard-working guy who will do the dirty work"...I guess if both Woody and Shelden were white some folks may have made something out of that as far as being some sort of "code". 

[Jody23]

Listening to the Koonin interview and hearing that the league, after a FULL investigation, will not take any further action against Ferry tells me who the REAL problem here is. The one who thinks he stands to gain by pouring more gasoline on his own franchise.

[Eddielives]

We need some Harry the Hawk driving randomly around Atlanta humor to lighten the mood up around here.  Having our franchise on life support and waiting to see if it wakes up is just draining me emotionally as a hawks fan.  I don't even know if I even care anymore.  I'm just going to sit back and see how this all proceeds.  Personally, if Ferry's image can be salvaged, as far as being able to attract any free agents, I hope he stays because I think he's done some very promising things in his short tenure.  Mainly, his getting rid of Joe's contract and bringing us a league wide respected coach.  So I really hope people will let this play itself out and possibly realize that DF isn't the main culprit in this situation.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Eddielives