11:05 Hi Wizards fans, Steve Buckhantz here handling the practice blog for today.  Feel free to write in with questions and comments.

Practice has begun, and this is an eager group of Wizards.  The scheduled start is 11:00am, but all week long they’ve been on the court and already working by 10:45.

Once again, they continue to work on defense.  Eddie Jordan and Randy Ayers have them working on several different defensive rotations.  It quite heartening to see this.  Gets me jacked up already.  And today Antawn Jamison has rejoined the group.  You’ll recall he sat out yesterday after bruising his right shin in a collision with Donnell Taylor, but he’s fine and working out now.

 11:15  Time to answer some questions and comments that came in yesterday after we wrapped up practice.  Wizards4Life, thanks so much for the comment about watching the games on Comcast SportsNet, it truely makes me and Phil feel special to hear folks say they really enjoy watching the games, and certainly we take a tremendous amout of pride in what we do.  Brendan Haywood’s “mood” seems to be no different to me than any other time.  That is to say he’s GREAT!  As you know, Eddie Jordan and Randy Ayers went down to Charlotte this summer and had a very productive sit-down with Brendan, and it looks like any differences are behind them.  Yes, Haywood will often be the last line of defense, but I think his play will continue to improve…. he’s still a very good shot blocker and he, like everybody else, worked EXTREMELY hard this summer and is in excellent shape.

Neal wrote in and asked about Brendan’s condition and also about Deshawn, Roger Mason, Jr. and Nick Young.  Deshawn also dropped some weight, as did Caron, Antawn and Antonio Daniels and they look awesome.  Deshawn is very comfortable in the off guard position with Gilbert, and Gil loves playing with Deshawn, so they complement each other and have had a year to get used to each other.  Roger Mason Jr. is signed to a guaranteed contract.  He’s been shooting lights out so far in practice and is a hard nosed defender….plus a local kid from Sidwell Friends and Good Counsel… I really like Roger.  You know his step Dad used to play for the Skins… Otis Wonsley.  And Nick Young is a heck of a scorer… he looks good and some day he’ll be a stand out player, I don’t have any doubt about that.  Reuben asked about Antawn, and again, he’s fine and back on the floor

 11:26 More write in’s, this time from our pal EEEEEEEEEE!!!    E, hope you are well, we miss you! Yes…. I think Ayers will make a difference, it appears he already HAS!  From DAY ONE, he “took control” of the defensive aspect of practice, and has a TREMENDOUS presence on the floor. And MOST importantly, it seems as if the guys are paying attention to him, are focused and are buying into what he is trying to teach and preach.

Hey BulletsFever78, thanks for writing in.  Nick Young looks good… I read those comments about his quirkyness as well but haven’t seen anything unusual so far.  He’s a heck of an athlete and as I said a minute ago, someday, perhaps sooner than we think, he’ll be a major contributor to this team… very talented young guy. And YES, I can’t wait for the first preseason game Tuesday in Cleveland as well, and I am hoping this season will be FULL of DAGGERS!!!!

11:37 By the way E… No, clearly it wasn’t PR Guru Zack Bolno who helped get me online.  It was our MVP in the organization, Will Fan….but you knew that!

JYFRESH, thanks for writing in.  JY wants to know who will be the first young guy to “break out” this season…. I’ll tell you what my friend, I think I have to agree with you.  I went to Vegas to watch these guys play in the summer league and of everybody out there, I was MOST impressed with Dominic Mcguire.  Lemmie tell you something, I believe this kid is going to be a BEAST.  He’s about 6-9 220 and actually HURT people out there.  I love how physical he is and am very anxious to see how much he will help this team rebounding and blocking shots… You know he was fifth in the nation last year at Fresno St in shot blocking, averaging over 3 per game.  Also look for Andray Blatche to break out as well, he’s look AMAZING so far in camp.

Sexy Agent ZERO wants to know about Darius Songalia… You’re right, we really haven’t talked much about him, but that’s because he blends in so well.  The guy is a VERY valuable addition to this team…. He TRULY knows how to play the game… Can shoot the spot up J and is very productive in the low post…. I really like him a lot.  Remember, he missed the first 45 games of the season last year following the back surgery, but he’s good now and got a lot of playing time this summer with his native Lithuania.

11:53 Wiz picking up the pace in practice now…. Eddie is getting them fired up a bit… This is day four… preseason game 1 is just 4 days away…. good to see this!

Wizfanonthewc  writes in from California, wants to know about Jamon Gordon the rookie from VA Tech and also Willie Deane, and undrafted guard from Purdue, who are both on the floor here. Gordon was a four year starter in Blacksburg, averaged over 11 pts, 4.5 rebs and 4.5 assists.. good player… and Deane averaged over 16 pts last year in Russia after three years at Purdue…  Both good players, but you realize it will be difficult for them to make this squad.  Eventually it comes down to a numbers thing, plus the luxury tax issues come into play.  Nobody wants to pay that tax… Not saying Ernie wouldn’t go over if he had to (with the blessing of Mr. Pollin) but it just may come down to numbers for these guys.

TAGFLIP asked which young player would develop… I mentioned McGuire, who I think will really help this year, but Nick Young will contribute as well, so will Blatche.

Garenas asks about Gilbert on Defense…. He’s working on it…. I think we all know that HE knows, to be a truly outstanding all around player, he wants to pick up his D a bit… The guy is already a superstar, not to mention starting ALL STAR!

ZONKERBRAINLESS asks about yesterday’s blog where I talked about weight and body fat on the squad…Who weighs the most and least… Highest Body Fat and lowest… Answers to follow shortly, stay tuned.

12:05 Wiz are in a FULL SCRIMMAGE now.. pace is up…Eddie urging squad to hunker down on Defense… Phil Hubbard just screamed out…. COME ON, DEFENSE, WEAK SIDE This is all good stuff… I’m lovin it…. getting VERY fired up to see this team in action!

Eric asks about Etan.  Nothing more to add about his condition.  We’re all hoping and praying that he’s okay.  You asked about the rotation if he’s not in the lineup.  Eddie will use Blatche some at center this season, along with Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov.

SexyAgentZero asks about GW’s Mike Hall.  He was signed last year by the Wiz in Sept, bu released after training camp, then resigned in Feb to a couple of ten day’s before being signed for the remainder of the season in March.  Played in just two games last year.  He’s got some upside, seems to be more experienced than his years would indicate.  Had 17 points in a summer league game Vs. Milwaukee….. I think he can contribute, we’ll have to see if he makes the team and if so, what he can do.

WIZ034 asks about Tony Massenburg, the former Maryland star who’s been in more arena’s than Mendy Rudolph.  (If you don’t know who he is, look it up).  Tony is working hard here…. he could be a Wizard but the bottom line is, the squad won’t be in a big hurry to sign him.  They can always sign him at any time, and just might do so, but perhaps not til later in the month, or maybe in Nov.  But Tony is a good guy and hard worker, I like him.

12:25 Wiz still scrimmaging hard, Songalia just hit a tough base line jumper… Caron Butler was resting on the side, but the shot went in right in front of him and Caron said “Dang boy, nice touch!!!” Clearly impressed with Darius’ shooting skills!

Okay ZonkerBrainless… here are your numbers…. although I won’t get TOO specific, so as to protect the innocent, and perhaps the guilty.  The guy who has the highest weight on the team is……Brendan Haywood, at right around 270 pounds….. But Andray Blatche is not far behind and weighs the second most, at about 260 or so…. It seems to fluctuate each day as these guys sweat and pounds come on and off.  Brendan ALSO has the highest body fat, but naturally, he makes me and you look like Louie Anderson.  Donell Taylor seems to weigh the least out here, at right around 190 with Antonio Daniels and Willie Dean right behind them.  AD also has the least amount of body fat of anybody here at training camp, with Willie Deane second, followed VERY closely by Gilbert Arenas.  Thanks to Head Athletic Trainer Eric Waters and Strength and Conditioning Coach Drew Cleary for letting me pick their brain while they work.

12:30  OKAY… Now I’ve got to make my first retraction.  I’m told Brendan DOES NOT have the highest body fat content on the team…. It’s actually Andray Blatche, if you can believe it….. But PLEASE….. Can you believe these guys are actually concerned with body fat?  My word, they’re all built like adonis’, and from where I sit, I’d break the scale on the body fat machine… so I’m not getting NEAR the thing, and again…. even a high content from THEM really doesn’t relate to the average human being.  They are all professional athletes who are in TREMENDOUS shape, including Andray, who’s come to camp in the best shape so far in three years. 

12:44 Scrimmage continues… Deshawan Stevenson just hit a very sweet outside jumper, and YES… he put his hand in fron of his face, EVEN AT TRAINING CAMP, to show that you can’t see this!!!  Roger Mason Jr. just hit a long three.. the guy can shoot the LIGHTS out!

R55 writes to ask how the starting five looks now that they’re all back and healthy.. I’m happy to report they look good… chemistry is there as you would expect…

fwade4 writes to complement me and Phil on the Broadcasts… As I said earlier, we truly appreciate that… we all work hard on it, Dave Johnson on the radio as well, and take pride in what we do, and as you said, yes, I DO wear my emotion for the team on my sleeve.  I don’t think I could do it any other way…. After all, I grew up rooting for The Pearl, Honeycomb, Wes, Jack Marin and Murph Loughery…. and of course I then became the biggest CHENIER fan on the planet… still am!

12:50 I wouldn’t worry about that Zonker…. Dray looks good.. REALLY good… maybe the best so far of anybody in camp.  He has been working very hard on his conditioning.  Yesterday he told us he’s very aware of that, and I personally saw him running after practice….. running after everybody else had finished… so he KNOWS he needs to be in better shape this season, and appears to be working hard to get there!!  I truly feel he will be one of the biggest contributors to the team this season and I’m looking forward to his further development.

And by the way… with all due props to Jim L and the Pats, GO DUKES!

13:07 Full Scrimmage is STILL going on…. Eddie is working the guys hard today.. that’s good.  Tomorrow a scrimmage OPEN TO THE PUBLIC here at VCU’s Siegel Center, 5pm, come down and check this team out…should be fun.  ‘Course as I mentioned the other day, the preseason games will be broadcast on the internet, and THREE of them will be LIVE on Comcast SportsNet including this Tuesday in Cleveland.  Then next Sunday in Philly and Friday the 19th at VS Zalgiris Kaunas at Verizon Center.

Interesting, Eddie has reminded TWO players to keep their shrit in their pants.  As you know, this is an NBA rule and officials will let them know that during a game.

This portion of the scrimmage has just ended, and what a beauty, Nick Young made a quick move to get himself open, then DRAINED a 22 footer…. awesome.

Still scheduled for another hour for this practice, the only practice of the day…. we’re hanging in there.

Speaking of NBA rules…. Last week Phil Chenier and I, along with Wizards Chief of Staff Matt Williams, as well as Comcast SportsNet producers Rich Wolf and Chris Grain, all went up to New Jersey to participate in the annual NBA Referee’s Clinic.  They invite ALL the broadcasters to sit in and go over game situations, review tape and ask questions.  The entire NBA group of officials are represented along with all the NBA top brass.  I always get myself into trouble asking questions about things I don’t think are called often enough, but what the heck.  Anyway, a new rule this year regards video tape review.  Of course they already review a shot at the end of each quarter (to see if it went off prior to the buzzer and if it was behind the three point line) but this year, following a FLAGRANT TWO foul, which carries with it automatic ejection, the game officials are REQUIRED to go to the video replay to assess what transpired.  This will give them more power to administer violations DURING the game, as opposed to it going back to the league office sometime AFTER the game has ended… Kinda neat.

13:11 Thanks Zonker…. tell ya what… if you’re ever at a game, try and slip down to the press table and tap me on the shoulder… I’d be happy to meet you and shake your hand.  If the security gives you a hard time, just tell em you know Phil Chenier.

13:25 WELL GANG…. Guess What?  Eddie has ended practice…. very good practice… the hardest work of the week so far…. and tomorrow it’s all over… scrimmage open to the public here at VCU at 5pm.

I truly have enjoyed blogging and keeping all the Wizards fans informed of up to the minute action here in camp.  A bunch of the guys are shooting around now, still honing their skills.

Got a vist today from Jane Taylor, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, she’s helped me out tremendously and I thank her for her knowledge and insight.  Also thanks to Matt Williams, Wizards Chief of Staff, Ira Frankel Director of Database Marketing, the PR Guru’s Zack (always busting on me) Bolno, Brian Sereno, Daren Jenkins and Whitney Van Wyk, and of course Will Fan who helped guide me on the blog.

By the way, Daren Jenkins lent me his computer, which is the least he could do after I beat his brains out in a much ballyhood free throw competition here after practice.

And of course, thanks to the man who has made all this possible, Mr. Pollin.  All he did was build the first arena, Cap Centre, then erect MCI, now Verizon Center and completely revitalize that portion of downtown…. truly one of the great philanthropists of our time.

See you all this season at Verizon Center and on the tube on Comcast SportsNet!

Steve Buckhantz