Get Your Game Face On

So the other night, a friend and I were discussing the way the Lakers were putting a hurting on a team. The way Kobe just took over the game and got real serious and emotional and we could tell that he had no intentions of losing the game. You have seen this game face and change of emotion upon many different players in the league (LeBron, CP3, Paul Pierce, KG) and to be fair, Joe does show glimpses of this face and the ability to take over a game. But how come when these other superstars begin their push to dominate a game they look like they are eager to win and will stop at nothing to do so, while our superstar looks as if he wants to be anywhere but on a NBA court.

Amongst all the NBA pundits, it seems that right now Joe is struggling to get through the rest of the NBA season let alone the month of January and now Febuary. My opnion is not that he is tired but rather that Joe just does not look like he wants to be playing basketball anymore. Watch him as he goes through the motions of another Hawks game. He is chucking shots, not driving to the basket as often, playing lazy and tired, and...that face. I know many people say that what they like about Joe is the fact he comes out there and gets his job done, but come on Joe, show a little emotion here.

The name Josh Smildress came from an idea I had about combining Childress' NBA IQ and Smith's basetball athleteism. As you sit there and ponder about the truly amazing love child those two would have, think about combining Horford's intensity with Joe's overall game. The results would be astonishing.  The Hawks would have a star player who, when he wants to win, will lead the team to victory. Horford seems to play with all the intensity in the world, and if he could just lend some of that energy over to Joe - just imagine.

One reason which I think causes Joe to act as if he does not care stems from the amount (or lack thereof) of coaching that is taking place during the games. Joe has to have gotten tired of the terrible scheme (or lackthereof) that Woody seems to implement during the games. Is Joe sabotaging the team in hopes of getting Woody fired? Doubtful, but still he might now be at the point where he is tired of listening to the coach and his inepititude in running the team. Either that or Joe might just not care anymore (please don't be true).

Anyways, I hope none of you take any of this the wrong way. This entry is not an article blasting Joe. I, like many others, just want to see him have the sort of enthusiasm he displayed in the playoffs when we beat Boston in Philips Arena. If he displays that sort of intensity, the Hawks would be a dangerous team to play - even more so then they are now. But with this lack of intensity comes games where the Hawks come out flat and lose to inferior opponents. Joe is the leader of this team, and in being so, needs to lead the team with his on court mannerisms as well.