PRO BASKETBALL: Sweating the suits
Coaches to bosses: You have floor
[font=geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=-2]Tim Tucker - Staff[/size][/font]
[font=geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=-2]Wednesday, September 29, 2004[/size][/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,geneva,sans-serif][size=-1]Hawks coach Mike Woodson gathered his troops at midcourt Tuesday evening, introduced himself ("I'm Coach Woodson") and admonished them for being late.
"On a normal day, if we say 5 o'clock, we're on the floor at 5 o'clock," he said. "Since you guys are late, I want everyone on the baseline, and we're going to run [sprints] before we get started."
Dutifully, several of his subjects turned toward the baseline.
"I'm just kidding," Woodson said.
These weren't the Hawks' players on the court. These were the Hawks' . . . owners.
The nine owners --- and a 10th owner-to-be --- took a break from two days of meetings here, changing out of their business suits into Hawks uniforms with their names on the back for a clinic conducted by Woodson and his staff on the Philips Arena practice court. The coaches guided the owners through defensive drills, offensive drills and a brief full-court game. The trainers were nearby, just in case.
Next one to score wins, Woodson said with the game tied at five baskets apiece, the energy level noticeably waning. Michael Gearon Jr., 39, a former Marist School shooting guard, hit a long jumper. You want to try out for the Hawks? Woodson asked him.
A few of the owners showed a bit of game. Steve Belkin, 57, a Boston businessman, can shoot. And there was another who executed a dunk and looked very much at home on the court:
Dominique Wilkins.
The former Hawks superstar, 44, is in the process of becoming the 10th owner, his pending investment a done deal except for some legalese. While the other nine got a kick out of joining Wilkins on the court, he got a kick out of joining them in the boardroom for five hours earlier Tuesday to focus on budgets, financials and sales.
"I'm sitting around a table with a bunch of entrepreneurs who have been doing this for a number of years," Wilkins said. "Not only do you know you've arrived [when you're in the boardroom], but you know that people have a lot of respect for you."
Woodson seemed to take the clinic seriously, vowing to give the owners a glimpse of the way he wants his team --- their team --- to play offense and, especially, defense. Offense can be fun if you share the basketball, he told them at one point.
"Coaching owners is unique, something I've never done before," Woodson said. "I think [it says] these guys aren't just investors, looking at this thing from afar. They're excited about the Hawks as a whole."
Woodson will have another group on the court next week --- the Hawks for the start of training camp. Meanwhile, the owners --- whose holdings include the Thrashers and the Philips Arena operating rights --- look forward to other perks of ownership. "I look forward to next year when I get to pull out my ice skates," said Gearon, envisioning a hockey clinic from Thrashers coach Bob Hartley. "And maybe after that we'll dress in rock-and-roll uniforms like a rock star performing at Philips Arena." [/size][/font]
</FONT>
Coaches to bosses: You have floor
[font=geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=-2]Tim Tucker - Staff[/size][/font]
[font=geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=-2]Wednesday, September 29, 2004[/size][/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,geneva,sans-serif][size=-1]Hawks coach Mike Woodson gathered his troops at midcourt Tuesday evening, introduced himself ("I'm Coach Woodson") and admonished them for being late.
"On a normal day, if we say 5 o'clock, we're on the floor at 5 o'clock," he said. "Since you guys are late, I want everyone on the baseline, and we're going to run [sprints] before we get started."
Dutifully, several of his subjects turned toward the baseline.
"I'm just kidding," Woodson said.
These weren't the Hawks' players on the court. These were the Hawks' . . . owners.
The nine owners --- and a 10th owner-to-be --- took a break from two days of meetings here, changing out of their business suits into Hawks uniforms with their names on the back for a clinic conducted by Woodson and his staff on the Philips Arena practice court. The coaches guided the owners through defensive drills, offensive drills and a brief full-court game. The trainers were nearby, just in case.
Next one to score wins, Woodson said with the game tied at five baskets apiece, the energy level noticeably waning. Michael Gearon Jr., 39, a former Marist School shooting guard, hit a long jumper. You want to try out for the Hawks? Woodson asked him.
A few of the owners showed a bit of game. Steve Belkin, 57, a Boston businessman, can shoot. And there was another who executed a dunk and looked very much at home on the court:
Dominique Wilkins.
The former Hawks superstar, 44, is in the process of becoming the 10th owner, his pending investment a done deal except for some legalese. While the other nine got a kick out of joining Wilkins on the court, he got a kick out of joining them in the boardroom for five hours earlier Tuesday to focus on budgets, financials and sales.
"I'm sitting around a table with a bunch of entrepreneurs who have been doing this for a number of years," Wilkins said. "Not only do you know you've arrived [when you're in the boardroom], but you know that people have a lot of respect for you."
Woodson seemed to take the clinic seriously, vowing to give the owners a glimpse of the way he wants his team --- their team --- to play offense and, especially, defense. Offense can be fun if you share the basketball, he told them at one point.
"Coaching owners is unique, something I've never done before," Woodson said. "I think [it says] these guys aren't just investors, looking at this thing from afar. They're excited about the Hawks as a whole."
Woodson will have another group on the court next week --- the Hawks for the start of training camp. Meanwhile, the owners --- whose holdings include the Thrashers and the Philips Arena operating rights --- look forward to other perks of ownership. "I look forward to next year when I get to pull out my ice skates," said Gearon, envisioning a hockey clinic from Thrashers coach Bob Hartley. "And maybe after that we'll dress in rock-and-roll uniforms like a rock star performing at Philips Arena." [/size][/font]
</FONT>
