How the Atlanta Hawks Regime Fell Apart (ESPN) Great Read!

[Blunt91]

How would Nique influence a free agent? Most of the current players have never seen Nique play. It's not like he's a revered champion. A free agent should be more concerned with pay, opportunity, playing style fit, fit with teammates/coaches before he even blinks an eye at Dominique Wilkins.

 

I think the bolded statement you made summed up what Ferry thought about Dominique.  He viewed Nique as a once very good player but not a superstarl/legend.  Let's be honest if we had Larry Bird or Michael Jordan doing color commentary for us it wouldn't have mattered if they weren't very good at the job.  However,  to Niques defense I don't think there are a lot of color commentary guys who are well spoken like a Kenny Smith or even Reggie Miller.   I would have liked for the article to have addressed the issue with the statue.  Seems like Nique still has his job because of Steve Koonin. There was only a matter of time before Ferry got rid of him, heck who knows Bud might have done the same thing, but you can't fire somone after you have given them a statue.

[JETSET]

I think the bolded statement you made summed up what Ferry thought about Dominique. He viewed Nique as a once very good player but not a superstarl/legend. Let's be honest if we had Larry Bird or Michael Jordan doing color commentary for us it wouldn't have mattered if they weren't very good at the job. However, to Niques defense I don't think there are a lot of color commentary guys who are well spoken like a Kenny Smith or even Reggie Miller. I would have liked for the article to have addressed the issue with the statue. Seems like Nique still has his job because of Steve Koonin. There was only a matter of time before Ferry got rid of him, heck who knows Bud might have done the same thing, but you can't fire somone after you have given them a statue.

From the article, it sounded like Ferry just wanted Nique to improve. I don't recall seeing anything that said he wanted to remove him from all activities associated with the organization. He simply wanted him to improve within his commentating role and I think we can all agree that Nique has plenty of room for improvement in that area.

[Duff_Man]

This whole thing makes me want Nique gone, too. I have no issue with moving on from the "old Hawks" way. He was right to at least try to get him some training for his broadcasting role. He needs it badly.

[JETSET]

This whole thing makes me want Nique gone, too. I have no issue with moving on from the "old Hawks" way. He was right to at least try to get him some training for his broadcasting role. He needs it badly.

Exactly. Nique wouldn't be a commentator if it was solely based on skill or his name wasn't Nique. I would prefer to keep Nique around the franchise in some role but I'm surprised to see people upset that Ferry tried to help him improve when he is so mediocre.

Edited October 7, 2015 by JETSET

[Blunt91]

From the article, it sounded like Ferry just wanted Nique to improve. I don't recall seeing anything that said he wanted to remove him from all activities associated with the organization. He simply wanted him to improve within his commentating role and I think we can all agree that Nique has plenty of room for improvement in that area.

I wasn't saying Ferry wanted Dominque gone all together from the organization just his job as a commentator.  I guess I should have made that more clear.

[MaceCase]

Can't say I'm surprised about the uproar over Wally, I mentioned Ferry taking a direct shot at him during his introductory press conference on another message board a while back and one of Wally's fanatics attacked me.  Thinking back on it, it might have been Gearon himself.

[hazer]

I wish we could get Steve Smith involved with the Hawks again, in any way.....

[benhillboy]

Man I idolized Nique as a kid, it hurts to be indifferent toward the man now. Any friend of Gearon automatically calls his own integrity and character into question. He's simply not very bright and the statue is a symbol of mediocrity.

I don't care for Steve Smith's safe, cookie-cutter analysis or commentary but it's light years ahead of Nique. I'd think another year or two of Ferry would've gotten Ferrell the job permanently. Hell, there isn't a regular poster here who couldn't do Nique's job twice as good, with no remedial lessons. Okay, maybe one ;)

Edited October 7, 2015 by benhillboy

[HawkItus]

Let's get this straight.  Nique wasn't mediocre.  The teams success, was mediocre.  But, if Nique was mediocre what is Ferry?

Edited October 7, 2015 by HawkItus

[bird_dirt]

Let's get this straight. Nique wasn't mediocre. The teams success, was mediocre. But, if Nique was mediocre what is Ferry?

I wouldn't say Ferry is king, but he did build a team that went further than any Nique was ever associated with here.

Edited October 7, 2015 by bird_dirt

[capstone21]

This is not a hate on nique string ... he is the Hawks.

[JETSET]

I wouldn't say Ferry is king, but he did build a team that went further than any Nique was ever associated with here.

Exactly.  Ferry only had one healthy season with his team and they made it to the ECF's, something Nique couldn't achieve in 12 years as a Hawk.

[JETSET]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=13824465

 

Fast forward to about 54:30 for an interesting discussion between Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst about this article. 

I was surprised to learn about Budenholzer's first interview.  Ferry and Levenson flew to San Antonio during the finals and sat down with Bud for the first time.  Bud bombs the interview badly and Levenson has had enough.  Ferry insists that Bud is their guy and gets Pop to have a hour long phone conversation with Levenson during the Finals.  Levenson is impressed by Pop and gives in, Bud does much better in the second interview and lands the job. 

 

 

 

[Duff_Man]

This is not a hate on nique string ... he is the Hawks.

Not anymore. He is a Gearon guy. My opinion of him has diminished a lot in this whole mess. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

 

Not anymore. He is a Gearon guy. My opinion of him has diminished a lot in this whole mess. 

You'd be a "Gearon guy" too, if that man basically idolized you since he was a teenager.  Gearon is a snake, but the man was loyal to his people.  Dominique is the same way.  He is a very loyal individual.

Nique going against Gearon for his selfishness and loyalty, would be like Falcons fans going against Mike Vick.

And let's be completely real about something.  Until the Hawks do something to make people forget about Nique, he will ALWAYS be the entity that most people associate with the Hawks ... just like when someone says Falcons, most think about Mike Vick ( although Julio Jones may change that in a few years ).

[capstone21]

Nique just wants to be a part of the Hawks.  Gearon is the one who actively involved him.  Its not like Nique is going behind people's back and doing all the snakey things Gearon was.  He was just friends with him.  

[MaceCase]

Nique just wants to be a part of the Hawks.  Gearon is the one who actively involved him.  Its not like Nique is going behind people's back and doing all the snakey things Gearon was.  He was just friends with him.  

  Most the board cringed at how hard he went out of his way during his statue ceremony speech to make sure that he gave Ferry zero credit or mention for the team's success during a record breaking streak and season.  That came along with other comments he made on Ferry even in the midst of him beginning to garner plenty of public support from other NBA stars so I'd say they were more than just friends, they both shared similar views.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

  Most the board cringed at how hard he went out of his way during his statue ceremony speech to make sure that he gave Ferry zero credit or mention for the team's success during a record breaking streak and season.  That came along with other comments he made on Ferry even in the midst of him beginning to garner plenty of public support from other NBA stars so I'd say they were more than just friends, they both shared similar views.

It's hard to respect someone that doesn't have any respect for you.  That's how Nique perceived that Ferry felt about him, so he didn't respect Ferry.  

I'm glad all of this extra stuff came about about Gearon and Ferry, because I pretty much summed up the dynamic going on after the AJC article about this in February.

http://hawksquawk.net/community/topic/404095-private-agendas-still-at-play-in-hawks’-offices/?page=6

 

Edited October 12, 2015 by TheNorthCydeRises

[MaceCase]

It's hard to respect someone that doesn't have any respect for you.  That's how Nique perceived that Ferry felt about him, so he didn't respect Ferry.  

I'm glad all of this extra stuff came about about Gearon and Ferry, because I pretty much summed up the dynamic going on after the AJC article about this in February.

http://hawksquawk.net/community/topic/404095-private-agendas-still-at-play-in-hawks’-offices/?page=6

 

Respect is one thing, pandering is another.  Expecting you to be competent at your job isn't exactly a sign of disrespect but when you've been surrounded by those who tell you you can do no wrong because of your alleged God status then I can see how that could come across as disrespectful.  Reality is often hard for many to cope with.

Edited October 12, 2015 by MaceCase

[RandomFan]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=13824465

 

Fast forward to about 54:30 for an interesting discussion between Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst about this article. 

I was surprised to learn about Budenholzer's first interview.  Ferry and Levenson flew to San Antonio during the finals and sat down with Bud for the first time.  Bud bombs the interview badly and Levenson has had enough.  Ferry insists that Bud is their guy and gets Pop to have a hour long phone conversation with Levenson during the Finals.  Levenson is impressed by Pop and gives in, Bud does much better in the second interview and lands the job. 

 

 

 

Good stuff. Thanks for posting. Gearon is a slimeball...