clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The Backlash Against Mora Is Surprisingly Small

According to this story by D. Orlando Ledbetter from the AJC, the players have largely rallied behind Mora in the wake of his exceedingly  ill-advised radio comments. I found this a little surprising, to say the least. DeAngelo Hall was perhaps his staunchest supporter.

"If you really know Jim and spend time with him, you know that he jokes like that all the time," Hall said. "For him to go out and say a comment like that, and say he said it jokingly, I'm behind him 100 percent because I know him. I've spent time with him away from here. I know him. I know how he acts."

That's a very strong defense from one of the team's most outspoken and visible players, and it definitely counts for something. Mora has always struck me as a likeable coach to his players, and Hall's support would seem to, well, support that. Other players seem to fall into the "I don't like it, but we have to focus on the rest of the season" camp, including Alge Crumpler:

"Guys didn't sit there and harp about it," Crumpler said. "Had this happened earlier in the season it would be tough, but we knew what we were facing. I tried to get guys to focus on what was at hand."

That's a little less of a ringing endorsement. Then again, Crumpler is a very intense player, so maybe that's about what's to be expected. It is clear, however, that the players aren't going to be publicly calling for Mora's head, which is probably a good thing in the long run. I just wonder what they'll think if he's fired after the season. I may have underestimated his support in the locker room, so I hope the team can rally around him and get into the playoffs, because that's bigger than the radio flap, for sure.