The Hawks need a wall puncher.

The post game quotes in all there "I am getting dressed and sleepwalking through these questions" glory.

"If we would've put a little more effort in, it would have been a different story," point guard Mike Bibby said.

"It happens," Hawks center Al Horford said. "That's the way the season is. There are highs and lows. Right now, this is our low."

99 times out of a 100 you are going to get a canned response from a player after a game. They are practically trained to shut off all emotion. If it didn't happen, you would see so much passive aggressive triangulation through the media, than it would be the juiciest show in town. Newspapers would be thriving.

But players don't to that. They give coach speak answers. They are focused more on not missing a button than they are giving insight into their psyche. So I don't really care what they say in the post game unless it is something along the lines of "I chose not to try tonight because I have a deep seeded fear of sweat."

What I do care about is that the team is actually upset. That when the cameras turn off and the tape recorders are put away there is some wall punching going on. That some yelling happens. The Hawks are in a rut. And yea, Al Horford is right that the season has its peaks and valleys, but if the mindset is we will just keep doing the things we are doing and more often than not all 12 guys won't continue to be terrible on the same night, then the Hawks are in for a deja vu season.

This team has the talent to avoid four game swoons. Always. No exception. Clearly, the way that talent is employed and the mindset that talent has is perfectly capable of putting up performances like last night, but they should be self-aware enough to know that is unacceptable. And when I do something unacceptable at work, I vow to change, and I mean it. If I do it twice, I get fired.

Sometimes wall punching is the trait of a leader. The real question is do the Hawks have a wall puncher in the group?

Loser Dots

• On a happier note, we are a horrible call and fourth quarter play away from being 2-2, which I think most people would have been fine with.
• Ok that is not that close, but at least the Hawks are
• Even Al Horford didn't look like he was trying last night. I think I am....wait I am right now....yes I am crying.
• If Jeff Teague cannot crack four minutes in a blowout where Bibby starts the game in foul trouble, two things are clear 1. Jeff is out of the rotation and 2. the Woody haters again have the unknown as ammunition against the coach.
• I think we can officially say Zaza is not playing with the same energy as last year. Not sure what it is, but the guy looks a step slower....which is saying something. On that note, I think we can also officially call this the most depressing recap ever.
• Jamal Magloire played in his 600th career game. It was the 200th with at least four fouls. If Magloire played for Woody, coach would no longer be living due to a heart condition.
  
• To think the Hawks first basket last night came on a shooters bounce.
• One positive about last night is that blowouts do not cause unhealthy, have trouble focusing on important tasks hate toward Dwyane Wade. Just normal hate. So thanks for not trying Hawks. I have been super productive today.
• Joe Johnson played 38 minutes last night. So you can either laud praise on Woody for having supreme confidence in his starters or say he is a total idiot.
• Mr. Collins, Randolph. You look much better out there as a victory cigar.
• At least James Jones did not get a four point play.

82 game season. Long season. Lots of good still to come. Still, I can say without a shadow of a doubt I could have done without four of them. And they all just happened in a row.

Go Hawks!