THE WEEK OF GOOD GUYS
This week is all about the Wizards good guys.
First, Gilbert Arenas announced he will again team up with Wizards owners Abe and Irene Pollin to donate $100 per point scored by Gilbert in every Wizards regular season game to a public school in the DC Metro Area in his second “Gilbert Scores for Schools” program.
Then on Friday, Caron Butler flew back to his hometown to hold his second annual “Coats for Kids“. Caron partnered with Wal-Mart to provide 700 coats, hats and gloves to the students of Gilmore Middle School in Racine, Wisconsin.
This weekend, Antonio Daniels was one of seven new members to be inducted into Bowling Green State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Daniels, and his fellow Class of 2007, participated in an official induction ceremony on Friday evening and were introduced on Saturday afternoon at the Bowling Green-Temple football game at Doyt Perry Stadium.
Today, it was another good guy who we’ll miss his energy and toughness on the court as well as his good character and active involvement in the community activities. It was announced today that free agent forward Michael Ruffin (6-8, 248) has signed a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
A seven-year NBA veteran, Ruffin played the last three seasons with the Washington Wizards averaging 1.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 185 games. He played in 19 post-season games with the Wizards during the last three seasons, averaging 1.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. In the 2004-05 season he ranked 5th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (5.0), and in 2005-06 he ranked 3rd in the NBA (5.8) in the same category.
Posted: September 22nd, 2007 under Gilbert Arenas, Wizards.
Comments
Comment from Reuben
Time September 23, 2007 at 8:04 AM
We need to pick up a decent center
Comment from edry09
Time September 23, 2007 at 9:49 AM
what do you think about trading Haywood and Jamison for kirilenko and giricek?
or maybe signing Jasikevicius to pair with Songaila!??
Comment from Reuben
Time September 23, 2007 at 11:45 AM
I would get kirelinko. We do not need any more guards
Comment from FLOYDBT
Time September 23, 2007 at 8:31 PM
Yeah we need another center on our roster. top two left free agent centers are Danny Fortson,and Esteban Batista………but the way to go would be esteban batista a much cheaper and younger player who can do enough to fill that third string center positon!!!
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 23, 2007 at 11:25 PM
Why are we even talking about Danny Fortson or Mr. Batista when we now have Pesherov? Who of you would trade Mr. Pesherov for either of the above? I sure wouldn’t! Guys… we have 3 seven footers now And Mr. Thomas. We aren’t looking that bad in the middle this year. If players like Mr. Young can back up Mr. Stevenson, and, Mr. McGuire can effectively back up Caron…. we have a “real” team! Like Bruce said (kinda lol) we have unloaded almost all the “dead wood”.
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 23, 2007 at 11:31 PM
and…lol… if Dmac is the player I think he is, Eddie is going to have to find some minutes for him at the 2 also. He is going to be a player that is going to be very hard to put on the bench!
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 23, 2007 at 11:33 PM
Almost training camp! I’m not too excited, but, how about the rest of you? lol
Comment from aznzero
Time September 24, 2007 at 7:34 AM
man i love ruffin. i had alot of respect for him always playin hard. we should try to get kirelenko somehow.
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 24, 2007 at 7:54 AM
Michael Ruffin is a great guy by all accounts, but he didn’t have much impact on the Wizards as a player, despite all the talk about ‘intangibles.’
Doesn’t look like there are any new centers in our future. I think this is our team. For Ruffin, Hayes and (probably) Mason, we’ve got Pecherov, McGuire and Young. This is certainly good long-term as these are young guys w/ an up side.
But… how much difference will it make this season — who knows? The 3 guys replaced didn’t command a lot of minutes.
Then there is the other tall, young walking question mark: Andray. Will he step up? Or will he keep eating nachos?
Comment from fooseballmn
Time September 24, 2007 at 11:09 AM
hey im thinkin about goin to the scrimmage at the end of training camp.. i am a HUGE wiz fan… would it be worth it.. also do all the players do autographs after the game? please lemme kno
Comment from BruceO
Time September 24, 2007 at 3:39 PM
blatche better step up, pech got better work ethic and plans to be good within four years max. Pech has the tools to be good as well. A 7 footer who can actually shoot the three (not pretend to) the only other ones I know are bargnani and dirk who can do that. Rasheed can too, but he’s like 6-10 ish. I’m with grifon, I see Dmac playing some two as well If we need a big defender there, or the three with caron at two at times so they can switch effectively. I can’t remember his ball handling, his shot will come with hopla in camp and his passing, rebounding and blocking is above average. Nick young will one day end up our go to scorer at the two though. defensively he wasnt in stance but people we’re exploiting him in one on one situations, they were passing around him though. It was summer league though, even stuckey (the next dwayne wade?) didn’t try do any damage against him, but stuckey might have been in pg mode.
Comment from oldphoneman
Time September 25, 2007 at 9:42 AM
What’s the status on Gilberts contract? I thought it was up this year.I live up in PA and miss going to Wiz games. (lived in DC for years)Got the dish though cause I need my Bball fix..
Go Eddie, ya really got this team playing ball!
Comment from oldphoneman
Time September 25, 2007 at 11:05 AM
What’s up with Gilbert? Did he get a new contract? What’s the play here? It sounds like he’s just gonna play this year. I was under the impression that he might hold out….At any rate I can hardly wait for the season to start…
Hats of fto Abe Polin for getting Eddie and Earnie, and the way the team has improved.
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 25, 2007 at 11:04 PM
Oldphoneman….. I’m not a numbers guy, but, here is the situation as I think it to be. If I’m wrong there will be a lot of informed people on here correcting me. Mr. Arenas is under contract for this season and had a players option for next season. He opted out of that option earlier this summer making him a free agent after this season. The free agent is the limit of my knowledge. I don’t know wether it’s a restricted free agent or not. Either way I’m sure the Wizards are making plans to offer him the max next off season. This season, however, will be business as usual.
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 25, 2007 at 11:06 PM
Oldphoneman…. I did it the other way around. I was born and raised in Pa. then came to the DC area in 77….. just in time for 78! lol
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 25, 2007 at 11:13 PM
got my dish to watch the Steelers ,but, you have to DUCK when you say that around here LOL
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 26, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Steelers aren’t missing a beat w/ their new coach, are they?
I believe Gilbert will be unrestricted, but we have the ability to give him a little more than any other team — i.e. I think an advantage for the player’s current team is baked in to the Agreement. neal, is that right?
Comment from oldphoneman
Time September 26, 2007 at 6:30 PM
Griffon Racing
Thanks for setting me straight! Go Wizards!
Comment from FLOYDBT
Time September 26, 2007 at 8:40 PM
if we resign gil to a huge contract how much would be left to resign antawn.Or will we just let him go and stick with Darius and The young PF’s Andray,Pech,And the smaller Dmac….another suggestion with the money left over that you would pay antawn i think u should use that money to sign a younger and better free agent…my favorite josh smith great all around player and is just what the wizards would need…
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 26, 2007 at 11:11 PM
Floyd…. I’m thinking after Mr. Jamison’s “large” contract runs out at the end of the season the Wizards will probably sign him to a potential “career ending” contract for much much less per year. At least that is what I’m hoping.
You are quite welcome Oldphoneman. My father in law is a retired “oldphoneman” too! Spent almost 45 years with Bell in the Pittsburgh area. He is long since retired.
YEAH TOM!! The Steelers are doing a lot better than anyone expected after last year. Did you notice in Oldphoneman’s response there was no Steeler referance? No doubt one of those Philidelphia guys! LOL
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time September 26, 2007 at 11:17 PM
This has NOTHING to do with any of the Threads….. but… what do you all think about trying to set a date for a Wizards home game we, as Wizards bloggers/fans, could attend together. Possibly Will could help us get in a good section with seats all together. I really enjoy this, and, would like to meet ya’ll. (being from Pittsburgh… Ya’ll = yinz guys) LOL
Comment from oldphoneman
Time September 27, 2007 at 9:54 AM
GrifonRacing……Haaa! Haaa! Haaaa!…I’m from the land of the 49ers and Giants…Worked in SF for thirty years (Ma Bell) and came East 14 years ago (My wife is from Northern VA.)
I left my heart in SF as far as the Niners go, but not the Giants..Gotta say though, that I pull for the ‘Skins now, except when they play the Niners…The Wizards are my Bball team though, especially since things livened up with Eddie Jordan, and Ernie….I like Eddies approach to the game, and the guys seem to really try when they’re out there. It also looks like AbePollin is happy now too…That means that things could get even better as far a getting players goes…
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 27, 2007 at 3:21 PM
About Antawn: I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end his career w/ the Bobcats, him being a NC guy.
If Josh Smith is unrestricted next year, he will get a *big* contract; yes, he is a terrific young player.
Getting the bloggers together at a home game is a terrific idea! I live in Lewes DE, but I’d try to make it.
Hey oldphoneman — I moved to DC from SF 15 years ago. Wonder how many ex-Californians we have here.
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Comment from BruceO
Time September 23, 2007 at 2:52 AM
wha? no more ruffin? other than etan we are almost eddie proof. not that i dislike etan but he’s more P.forward also if you look at the wages of wins we have gotten rid of all the players who contributed negatively