How mcuh longer before new onwership takes over?

[Blunt91]

We have been waiting for ab out 3months now for the league to approve of the ownership change. Shouldn't this deal be approved of in the next week or so. We need big changes fast.

[Gray Mule]

We were told, once the sale went through, the leagues,

both basketball and hockey, would approve the sale

{Or, at least vote on it} before Christmas.

Seeing no reason to expect anything but approval, it should

happen soon. Christmas is almost here.

[Playmaker0017]

Blunt91,

If you look at what Knight is saying, he doesn't want to make any changes.

He has said that player changes haven't been explored, nor does he want to explore them. He also said Stotts is doing a wonderful job.

Unless the owners don't want to listen to the GM, we are stuck with that idiot Stotts for life.

Play.

[Boondocks]

Well for life is greatly exaggerated but we get the point. I'm thinking perhaps we'll take a look at Doc Rivers for next season, butsofar I am disappointed in the play of the team and the coaching besides perhaps SAR and Diaw (he's a rookie afterall).

It is taking far too long though the ownership change, after the months and months of McDavid I felt really relieved when atl spirit came in and swooped up the franchise, but their "control" of the team is being delayed waiting upon approval which has been months now too. Anyone remember when exactly the franchise went for sale? Feels like over a year now, sigh.

[Plainview1981]

We see how much Billy Knight cares about winning. No

wonder he was Pete's friend....

[Diesel]

I happen to believe that both Knight and Stotts are lame ducks... Seriously. AOL was cutting funds. They needed somebody cheap. Stotts and Knight just happened to be here so they got the jobs... I think Gearon and Co. have some people in mind already for coaching...

1. Either Fratello or Rivers. My hope is Fratello. More experience, Better Coach.

There are also other jobs to be considered...

Team President... Nique! Is there any Doubt?

GM - Babcock????

Would we bring Babcock back???

I pondered that for a long time the other day. Babcock is Scouting our players? He has been to every Hawks game. Why would he do that? When Babccok got fired, there were many who said that he had done a good job. I have never been a fan of Babcock but I must take into account that some of these owners have been Hawks fans too.

[Playmaker0017]

I have to agree about the new owners and about Knight and Stotts.

Stotts is awful. Whether he is preparing the team well or not, the team is not displaying it. They aren't getting motivated or doing well out of timeouts. There is nothing good we are doing or improving on. And we still go to Theo Ratliff to start EVERY game and EVERY half. Can someone explain that? It hasn't worked yet.

Knight is okay. He didn't get it done with the Grizzlie franchise and signed Big Country to a bigger deal than Shareef makes currently. That move single-handedly sunk the Grizzlies organization. They were stuck with a guy that didn't want to play and couldn't merit that tpye of fundage. It was the equivalent of signing Hendu to more than 7 million.

I still don't think Rivers is the way to go. He is a motivator, but I don't think he has a basketball mind like Van Gundy or a veteran coach. I think Skiles would have been a great move... but from what I hear of Fratello... I'll take him instead of Rivers.

Play.

[Diesel]

Sounds like the NBA is stalling???

In reply to:

---

The NHL owners meet Monday and Tuesday in Palm Beach, Fla., and the Thrashers' sale "is on the agenda," one of the team's prospective owners, Bruce Levenson, said Friday. Others within the league said the NHL owners could formally vote to approve the sale at this week's meetings but that it might be a preliminary approval contingent on some final issues being completed to the satisfaction of the buyers, seller and league.

The NBA owners, meanwhile, have not voted on the Hawks' sale, even though deputy commissioner Russ Granik said seven weeks ago that the league hoped to complete the process within three weeks. "The process is still going on," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said, "and when completed it will be put up for a vote."

In general, the leagues have a two-part process in approving ownership changes. The simple part: a personal and financial background check on prospective owners. The complicated part: The league and the prospective owners must enter into a legal agreement that spells out the new owners' obligations and commitments, including financial, going forward.

One of the Hawks-Thrashers buyers, Michael Gearon Jr., said the process in this case has been complicated by having two teams and two leagues involved in the transaction.

"There are conditions to every sale, and every condition is unique to that particular situation," Gearon said. "We are working through the guarantees and conditions that both leagues are asking for, and our response to one is almost bundled with the other."

The sale should close about two weeks after both leagues have approved, and the expectation has been that the closing would come by the end of the year. "That is our goal," Levenson reiterated Friday.

---

[Diesel]

I can't understand why Fratello is not coaching. He's really that [censored] good. I think that many teams are so quick to look for the next Carlisle that they miss a guy like Fratello who can motivate, teach, and has a basketball mind.

[Playmaker0017]

Diesel,

Owners or no... we should make this coaching change.

Stotts is NOT getting it done and his philosophy is that of a college coach.

I just can't take it. It drives me nuts.

Gordon.