way to go Childress!

[chillzatl]

It's good to see the kid come on. It would be one thing if he were putting up solid numbers against other junk teams. But he's doing it against playoff level teams. PROPS!

[djcorley]

Most Everyone in here needs to just shut-up....you guys are supposed to be what i am....a True Hawk Fan!!!!...you guys have been dissing J-Chill from the beginning. Instead of giving the young man a little time to find his way. Not to mention givning BK a little credit for finding talent and better yet, knowing talent when he sees it. It's clear to me, as it would be to any real basketball man, Chill has a much much greater upside then does to Deng. And well can see what Smooth is going to bring in time. Ivey has already shown himself more the capable at this level. Donta got guranteed money for a reason. This is a team on the rise and by the all-star break we'll be as good as most teams in the east. Just may have dug ourselves a hole to deep to climb out of in time to make the playoffs....Don't jump on Chill's bandwagon now...just be a TruHawkFan!!!!

[deester11]

First of all, we're all just as big Hawks fan as other fans. We've dealt with mediocrity and stupid personnel decisions so I'm coming to the defense of some of the posters here. I'm not sure of all the people who dissed Childress, but I can say that Diesel and myself and a couple of others NEVER dissed the guy. Additionally, we even put scouting reports on here so that people could see that Childress was just as highly regarded or higher than Deng.

Let's keep this all in perspective. When/if Childress has an inevitable off night, there will be some who dog him out. That's not every poster on here so don't lump everybody in the same boat. We love the Hawks and want them to succeed, but recent history has made more than a few fans skeptical.

The Hawks will always be my team, just like the Braves were when they sucked, and just like the Falcons when they sucked. The trend I'm seeing is that the fans are getting behind this team.

[chillzatl]

I dissed him. I'm not ashamed to admit it. He deserved to be dissed. Whatever reason you want to give for it, he stunk for a month solid. I admit I wanted Deng. But if childress keeps playing like he has been, I'll forget all about that.

I don't think anyone here is going to dog him for having off-nights. It's to be expected, he's a rookie. But right now he's earning off-nights with quality play. While making a name for himself amongts fans and the league.

[deester11]

But the point is that he is doing what BK envisioned him doing. I was just looking at the stats that you posted a minute ago, and I think it's high time he was starting. Given starter minutes they project to be in the top 5 of all rookies. That's saying something. Plain and simple you could make a very good case for starting Chill and Ivey and I think this team would take off. Add Delk and KA and Barry as second units and our second halves might be a lot different. I know there were a lot of haters (I wasn't pointing you out though Chillz), but he's learning FAST. At the beginning of the season we all envisioned a more athletic team. I'm just glad that SOME of the pieces are coming together.

[Weez]

you can't deny the fear in starting two rookies in the backcourt though, at both guard positions.

[Wretch]

There were only a couple of people (don't know who they are) that I recall REALLY dissing Chill. Realistically, there were only a few people truly putting the man's game down without giving him time to show himself. Most everyone else was simply enamored with the strong play of Luol Deng.

Me personally, I've been a supporter of this pick since before they started playing. I just didn't see the need to constantly jump up and remind people that it had only been a couple of games. I did once or twice, but people were so blinded by Deng's bright play that they didn't listen to anything ANYONE was saying.

Quoth my damn self from A MONTH AGO:

Quote:

---

About chill...

He's going to be good.

His shot is absolutely hideous *shudder* But when he goes hard to the basket, he's a guy that can make things happen. He's going to get stronger, smarter, and more experienced...and his game going to the basket will be something to watch. What he really needs is to get more aggressive.

Mark my words: there are going to be plenty of people eating crow over this pick.

---

From 2 weeks ago

From FOUR months ago

From FIVE months ago

Anyway, I like the kid AND I like Deng too. I followed Luol for a LONG time, up until draft night when I thought we could fenagle our way to the 1, 2, or 3 pick to get Howard or Livingston. When we didn't, and Harris went to Dallas, I thought we should have picked up Deng...until I read up on what BK saw during workouts, watched Chill's highlights, and read up on him.

From that point forward, I have always been in his corner. As have most of the people on this board because we are ALL Hawks fans - and we should ALL get recognition for being that. And that's really the point.

Don't come in here with one post blindly proclaiming everyone else to be on some kind of bandwagon.

[djcorley]

I grew up in Atlanta...have been and will always be a fan of any and every Atlanta team FOREVER...No matter how good or bad they become...All, I was saying is that too many posters were down on this ROOKIE way to early. Some rookies develop more or earlier then others...doesn't make them better...We can't change the culture of his franchise with so much negativity around it...If we, "True Hawk Fans" don't have the vision to be positive then who will?

I read post after post after post about how this kid was a bust and how deng and so many others were so much better...now all of a sudden...everyone is saying how great he is???...I don't know about you guys but, this is the most excited i've been about watching the hawk players in a long, long time...won't miss a game if I can help it.

I saw the upside in childress and yes, of course, there were some neagtives and lapses and all those thing that go along with being a rook...but, the kid can do it all...and it's just a matter of time...we have to stay positive and those positive thoughts will spread...

[Wretch]

Personally, I've followed them for nearly two decades; but the majority of these people in here Have been true fans of this team for a LOOOOOOOOOONG time. At a time when apathy towards the franchise couldn't be lower, the people in here (and some on Real GM) couldn't be stronger supporters of the team. I can only think of one or two right off hand (and you know who you are) that truly dissed players on this team.

People didn't give the rookie a chance to really show himself, but mostly that was due to the strong play of Luol Deng. But as fans, they still rooted for Chill to get better.

If you want to find TRUE bandwagon jumpers, got to a home game when we start winning. In here, you'll only find people that will follow this franchise into the flames.

[deester11]

Well, at least we can all agree that the majority of us on this board love the Hawks. With every Atlanta team, all I've ever wanted was to be competitive and win consistently. The fly-by-night good seasons can happen to any team, but the perennial winners are what I've always wanted (I still love those Fratello led teams..). I still have the polaroid pictures my brother and I took during a fan visit game as kids with Dan Roundfield, Tree Rollins and John Drew. I'm excited about what BK has done in his short time here because we have athleticism and we're improving. I just say that Chill has been a big part of what the Hawks are trying to accomplish and we're in for some better times. The bandwagon fans will always be lurking.....

[Wretch]

The last time we had a team that was exciting to watch was over a decade ago. When Nique used to electrify... Babcock built these teams that could win and could compete but A) they couldn't win the BIG games and B) they were honestly...boring by comparison.

There were teams with exciting players dunking and passing, and beating the crap out of teams. And we had this nice little team full of good citizens, that'd put together 50 or so wins, and get kicked out of the playoffs. They could put the defensive clamps on, and they could shoot the lights out, but there was no flair...except for the Mutombo finger wag...no above the rim action, no excitement. And when the playoffs came, they just disappeared.

But none of our teams could crack that elite circle. Seems like every team in the league has been there at least once. The closest we got was during the late 80's and we never got back. I have ALWAYS wanted one of those Lakers, Sacramento, or Indiana type of teams...a favorite to win it night in and night out.

But Babcock would go right out and build these incomplete teams, with little money or draft picks to improve with. What's funny is how vocal I was 5 or 6 years ago. When we were winning, I thought the best thing for the squad to do was roll over and play dead - just to get into the draft lottery. I spent so much time on the old AccessAtlanta forum, and even a little in here and on Real GM, making my point and everyone called me a nut.

All we need is Stephen Jackson...or sign so-and-so for a minimum contract...

Pfft.

Now, after just one true season of falling into the darkness AND coming away with a high draft pick, our future looks brighter than ever.