Comments on: Winderman: How July 8, 2010, helped lead us to lockout

By: wiLQ

wiLQ — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:35:19 +0000

“It arguably is Example A at the negotiating table of what can’t happen again, a star holding a franchise hostage because of lack of a replacement option or replacement means.”
That’s not true, they gave away rights to sign Childress…

By: 1historian

1historian — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:25:44 +0000

Just like with the NFL – the players get huge salaries and those who do get the salaries and who don’t pan out immediately become the poster children for what’s wrong with the league.

Meanwhile the fans just keep paying their salaries. Because don’t forget whose money these billionaires and millionaires are arguing over – yours. If you think they give one single s..t about you you are playing right into their hands – the ONLY language they speak and understand is empty seats.

By: jjstrokes

jjstrokes — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:10:41 +0000

What about investing team resource’s into scouting & developing young talent. That’s how the Spurs got their rings. I know Dallas is active in signing big-names. They rarely offer ludicrous maxed-out deals, eventho Haywood’s is pretty bad. They scout Overseas better than anyone in the business while finding hidden gems here in the States, i.e. DeJuan Blair!

By: jjstrokes

jjstrokes — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:05:42 +0000

I agree, my Magic really screwed that one

By: skip3525

skip3525 — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:32:42 +0000

I think it started before 2010.
But Rudy Gay was a worse deal to me that year.
They got better when he got hurt and missed the playoffs.
Rashard Lewis shouldn’t be get $10M a year let alone get $22M.

By: winstonhussein

winstonhussein — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:09:03 +0000

The problem with that is the ownership is essentially saying they will pay him a ridiculous amount of money in order to continue settling for just making the playoffs for the next several years. The fun of being a fan of any sports team is the chance that the team will win a championship and that starts with the front office making the right moves.
Joe Johnson doesn’t respect the fans of Atlanta and they shouldn’t respect him. Does he sell millions of dollars in jerseys like Lebron? Does he have a single endorsement deal to help expand the Hawks brand? Joe Johnson was not worth that money and his productivity has already dipped. The team has made their decision based solely on the idea of making the playoffs and we will not be championship contenders until after this contract expires because there is no way we are getting rid of this albatross.
Until then, I’ll continue to cheer for the Hawks, because that’s what I do. But I do not hold any hopes that we will make it any further than the second round of the playoffs for the foreseeable future.
Really? Could any other sports ownership group in the world mess up one contract so bad that it is viewed as a detriment to the entire league a mere year later?

By: mytthor

mytthor — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:59:28 +0000

The problem isn’t that the Hawks offered him a max contract, it’s that several owners would have. And then cried about how much money they’re losing. And everyone who has max money feels they have to spend it, even if it’s not the guy they want.

A metaphor for the situation. Like anyone, I sometimes crave certain foods. Let’s say I’m craving BBQ ribs. My favorite BBQ place is closed on Mondays though. So it’s monday, so I go get a Carne Asada burrito instead. Then I go get ribs on Tuesday. Sometimes, I’m not even still hungry for ribs, I just wanted them and never got them so I get them. So the ribs, yeah, they help make me fat, and the burrito too. But overall, my ridiculous approach is what makes me fat. I could have had a salad, then ribs, and been kind of fat. I could have had a burrito, then a salad, and been kind of fat. But I’m really fat.

The owners are the fat guy. The players are the fatty foods. And the owners are addicted.

By: themanchine

themanchine — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:19:29 +0000

Jamal Crawford could give almost the same production for half the cost.

By: aboogy123456

aboogy123456 — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:42:19 +0000

Helin doesn’t know what he’s ever talking about, look at it from the hawk’s point of view. No players are gonna want to play in Atlanta, so they have a choice, max out joe johnson or lose him to another team that he’d rather go to. I think they understand he’s not worth that type of money, but if this guarantees them in the playoffs for the next few years then from a money perspective this is what they had to do.

Kurt if you think it was so bad what would you have done? Offer Joe Johnson 10 million a year? Do you think they would offer lebron the same contract and lebron would go to atlanta?

By: n2thaizzo

n2thaizzo — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:38:01 +0000

Honestly… If you were an Atlanta fan, would you have complained if Joe Johnson left the team because some other team offered him $122 million? How about $119? $100? Classic case of a team where the GM/president/whoever should have been fired!

By: jjstrokes

jjstrokes — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:27:17 +0000

Is it just me or is Helin really starting to come around….. NICE

By: phintasm

phintasm — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:19:08 +0000

Yes, how selfish of the Hawks to give Joe Johnson a massive contract instead of helping the Bulls beat the Heat…

By: huegtoad

huegtoad — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:11:14 +0000

yeah, sign J Johnson, keep him away from a team that could have really used him to combat the heat(chicago) and all while trying to sell the team. They signed him essentially to jack up the price on the sale and then saddle the new buyers with the contract then again with no real value for the hawks, dressing up the balance sheet was probably their only option because they knew there was some sucker who wanted this beleagured and embarrasing franchise.