It’s About Time…The Atlanta Hawks are in the NBA Playoffs

By Trey Cosby

It has been a long time coming for the Atlanta Hawks, as they have not made an appearance in the NBA Playoffs since 1999.  They are doing their best to gain new fans and to generate interest from the up-tempo style that they incorporate into this year’s high-powered athletic team.  Gone are the old red and yellow uniforms, the outdated logo and the Omni where they used to play all of their home games.  No Dominique Wilkins, or Kevin Willis or Doc Rivers or Randy Wittman.  The team is young, the team is strong and the team is ready to play.  They have a difficult draw in the first round with playing the favored Boston Celtics, but one thing is for sure: They are very happy to be a part of this year’s playoff party.  Throw out the record books and all the stats that were calculated during the regular season.  On paper, the Hawks are the “worst” team in NBA the lineup, but none of that stuff matters now.  They can proudly say that they are one of the 16 best teams in the NBA.

 It doesn’t mean much to the rest of the league, but from this fan’s standpoint it is a huge boost for the city of Atlanta and for the economic infrastructure of the organization.  The Atlanta Hawks have been one of the absolute worst organizations in sports for over a decade.  Even when they last made the playoffs, they could not fill the stands and NBA basketball was the last thing that anyone in the south wanted to see.  The Braves were the hottest ticket in town at the time, but remember that even the lowly Atlanta Falcons went to the Super Bowl in 1999. 

Now we are looking at a different day and time.  The Braves are one of the best team businesses in baseball.  The Falcons are struggling as of now, but they do have things pointing in the right direction.  Fans in Atlanta are supporting their teams, even when those teams don’t win. 

So it has been a natural transition to start following and supporting the now playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks.  It is a pleasure to watch no matter what the Hawks do in the playoffs; most of us don’t care if they win or not.  Fans are just excited to be able to attend playoff games once again.  If they get a couple of wins against the Celtics, it will be fun, and it will generate even more interest from the fans of Atlanta.  If they don’t win, we will still be behind them because we appreciate the effort that it took to get this team into the playoffs in the first place.  As a unit and as a city, our team will play like they have nothing to lose.  Either way it is a win-win situation.  IT IS GOING TO BE FUN FOR ALL OF US REGUARDLESS OF ANY OUTCOME OF THESE GAMES!  THE OPERATIVE WORD IS FUN!

I love seeing the new jerseys popping up all over town.  The Hawks jerseys are navy blue now, as opposed to bright red and yellow, so it takes a bit of getting used to but we love it anyway.  It is great to look out your window when you are driving down the street in Atlanta, and check out all the high flying flags and bumper stickers with other Hawks memorabilia.  The sports bars are loaded with Hawks posters and other novelties.  There are fresh billboards all over town that have 2008 Hawks players printed on the front of them.  Memorabilia and apparel sales are up in all the sporting goods shops.  The malls are packed with autographed plaques and banners where the Hawks players have made appearances and signed those rare pieces.

Excitement is at an optimum level here in Atlanta now and fan will keep it that way, if the Hawks will just go out there onto that basketball court and play with that “ATL” spirit.  The one thing the Hawks have even more so than the Celtics, is athleticism.  Every player on the team can jump, and every player on the team can shoot if they get into rhythm.  They are fast, and they are reckless.  If they can harness that recklessness, and turn it into controlled energy, then the Hawks have the ability to surprise the basketball world.  I am not saying that they are going to win the series with Boston.  However, if they can get a few breaks, play tough defense and make some shots, then I am saying that they can take Boston to five or six games.

One thing is for certain: Atlanta fans are proud of this NBA franchise.  From the owners, to the GM, to the President of Basketall Operations, to the Head Coach and staff, this organization has reached the ultimate goal together.  A team plays NBA basketball for the right to win an NBA championship.  It all starts at the top, and works its way down the totem pole just like any business.  Championships cannot be won if you don’t accomplish the first step.  In other words, The Atlanta Hawks may not win the 2008 NBA World Championship, but they have given themselves and the organization the opportunity to do just that, which is all a fan can ask for in spite of how they got there.  We salute you Hawks ownership, and we thank you for bringing a winner back to this part of the country.  The support of the fans will be evident on Saturday night, April 26, 2008.  PLAYOFF BASKETBALL WILL BE ALIVE AND WELL IN ATL, SO WE WILL CATCH YOU ON THE FLIP-SIDE.