HAPPY THANKSGIVING
9:07am….Dave Johnson back from Charlotte….first a big thank you to all Wizards fans who have been so supportive of the team and of the BLOGCAST…I hope everyone has enjoyed interacting with us during the radio broadcast and feel free to post questions for Eddie Jordan…the news about Gilbert Arenas was a smack in the face…but perhaps you heard Caron Butler on the radio post game talking about being so focused on winning last night’s game in Charlotte after dealing with the emotianl strain of the Arenas news. It is going to be a new challenge without Arenas but with this team’s leadership I truly think we will be okay….check back later….
7:54PM…Back from dinner….thanks for all the wonderful comments and I hope everyone had a great day…..when I wrote the note about the Wizards being okay without Arenas that was before I saw Michael Wilbon’s column which is a good read if you grab a Washington Post or online at washingtonpost.com…and when I say okay…I don’t mean the same….we are going to MISS Gilbert in so many ways…..it is going to be a challenge and it’s not going to be easy…Gilbert is an elite player who is a difference maker against the elite competition….but this is a team that has the characheter to accept that challenge..but NO more injuries please….speaking of which I saw the post about Pecherov and I will ask Eddie about his status on Friday.. check back Friday AM
Posted: November 22nd, 2007 under Wizards.
Comments
Comment from AUNDRA
Time November 22, 2007 at 11:23 AM
Gilbert is one of the strongest sports celebrities in town but now he has been reinjuried some of that mojo must have rubbed off on my main man Caron Butler. I believe Tough Juice now has the pulse of this team and will lead us to victory so long as his All-Star Jamison and supporting cast play with a discipline approach I haven’t seen in years!
What I see right now is a do or die attitude with some of the toughness going through the ranks from Blatche to Songali to even Nick Young and Mason.What is the attitude from court side Dave and also tell us emotionally drained fans what is the coaching staff attitude with this Arenas set back!
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time November 22, 2007 at 1:46 PM
Dave I have a question for Eddie Jordan: What is the current status on Pecherov? When will he be ready to play? How will he be added into the lineup with Haywood and Blatche already dominating the 4/5 pos.? Will he be given a good amount of mins when he returns or what? I have not heard much about him in the past few weeks since it was announced he was injured and was curious 2 know when he is expected 2 return and how that will affect the Wiz rotation…….I mean the guy was tearing it up in training camp and in rookie summer league!!
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time November 22, 2007 at 1:47 PM
Oh and btw Happy Thanksgiving every1!!!!! The Wizards have looked solid the past 6 few games and am crossing my fingers they will beat the Warriors on Friday!!!!
Comment from ChenierFan
Time November 22, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Even with the letdown we feel with Gil’s injury there are still several things for us Wiz fans to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day:
1) That the Etan’s heart valve defect was found in time and treated before his heart could become damaged beyond repair putting his very life in jeopardy.
2) That Ernie Grunfeld is the GM of this team
3) That Haywood, even with all the acrimony left over from last season, has really come to play this year.
4) That Andray Blatche has matured into legit NBA player who, at times, dominates with his sublime versatality.
5) That Nick Young looks like a guy who was born to fill the scoring sheet
6) That Dominic McGuire has that uncanny shot-blocking ability
7) That the refs around the NBA seem to be allowing the shot blockers to be shot blockers - the fans love the blocked shots nearly as much as dunks.
That Jamison and Butler are generally productive night in and night out and that they are two really good guys to boot.
9) That we have Gilbert Arenas on our side.
10) That we have this amazing internet technology to connect about our shared love for the Wizards.
Happy Thanksgiving fellow Wiz fans!
10)
Comment from AUNDRA
Time November 22, 2007 at 3:14 PM
HAPPY THANKSGIVINGS
TO ALL MY WIZARDS BLOG FRAT CLUB MEMBERS
1.BRICKJP
2.BRUCE
3.BRIDGE
4.AZNZERO
5.CHENIERFAN
6.DJ-WIZARD RADIO AKA DAVE & GLENN
7.DUTCHFAN
8.GBKDC
9.ELYSIA
10.CARIBBEANSKILLZ
11.GILO
12.TOM MANDEL
13.FLOYDBT
14 NEAL
15SHARPIRO1991
16STEVEVU
17LILGIL
18REUBEN
19RICKLEVINENYC
20MILLIE MILL
21.TULES
22.WIZ123
23.WIZFAN4LIFE
24.WERMOL
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time November 22, 2007 at 3:59 PM
that was a good game last night as thin as we were we still pulled it out and thats a gift from the wizards for thanksgiving to all the fans.
Happy ThanksGiving all!!!!
Comment from BruceO
Time November 22, 2007 at 4:33 PM
happy thanksgiving everyone. Anyone showing up for tommorows game? its like half price tickets on the upper level. Also DAve is there a possibility Blog members can meet the team. I’m sure there are serious fans here to be posting daily on this blog
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time November 22, 2007 at 7:15 PM
BruceO I agree with u on that…..I wish the blog members could get a chance 2 meet the team as well….I mean whether u r at the games themselves cheering the Wizards on, or ur watchin the games at home on tv/bloggin online, a fan is a fan and i think it would be nice 2 have more oppurtunities for the Wizards fans and the team 2 join together. Personally i live in Richmond, Va and only get to go up 2 D.C. maybe 8 or 10 times a year so the really only chance i get to see the Wiz are for training camp, on tv, and online. I think us fans that blog daily here give really good input and opinions on the team; all of which should make us appreciate us as wizards fans because we r like a family or brotherhood….
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time November 22, 2007 at 8:20 PM
Dave Johnson here..gang thanks for all the great comments….bruceo and wizfan4life don’t know if there would be a chance for a meet the team event but it is a good suggestion…the schedule is awfully crazy but I will see if there is an option along those lines…..No promises…but I will let you know if something comes up and I mean that…we APPRECIATE the boggers passion..that’s why Glenn Consor and I spend our time online while we are doing the radio broadcast…..this is your team and we want you to feel connected!!!
Comment from neal
Time November 22, 2007 at 9:19 PM
Thanks for the thoughts Aundra. Back at you.
And thanks for your concern Dave.
Who has some ideas on available PG’s? What’s your opinion about Earl Boykins? About others?
I’d also like to know what happens when Pecherov comes back; there is more than one possibility. I guess if Pecherov becomes the primary backup to Haywood, Blatche will be playing forward. If Blatche is the primary backup to Haywood, Pecherov will be playing PF.
I had 3 pieces of pie today. Life is sweet.
Comment from AUNDRA
Time November 22, 2007 at 10:12 PM
NEAL
Earl Boykins is good but he doesn’t know the Princeton System like fast and ferious Donnel Taylor. Taylors only drawback is his propensity to turnover the ball. He was making great strides in his threepoint shooting and his speed to the rim was Barbosa like! So my vote is Donnel Taylor with a 15 day contract to show his skills or
Brian Chase who has excellent point guard skills.A smart decision needs to be made
immediately so Antonio will have a break when we play Dallas and San Antonio!
Comment from WizDom
Time November 22, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Are there 15 day contracts? I thought it was 10 days… max is 2 10 day contracts, afterwards they would have to sign the player for the rest of the year.
Comment from ultrablk2
Time November 22, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Earl Boykins would fit in perfect with our up tempo style. We need to spend some money and get a point guard that can dish and create his own shot while Gil is out. As far as him learning the Princeton System, how often are the WIZ really running that over 40 minutes. Please leave Donnel Taylor and that crazy jump shot alone. The team will be fine with that one addition. Good luck with the rehab Gil !!!!!!!!
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time November 22, 2007 at 11:16 PM
doesnt the league require 12 players minimum to be on the active list? how r we getting away with that?
Comment from FLOYDBT
Time November 23, 2007 at 1:17 AM
Hope every body had a great thanks giving…….well I have to admit that i had forgotten about donell taylor for all this time but her is a guy we can use….for two great reasons afordable and knows the system well enough to come in and play 10/15 min to rest AD…….. But the other afordable and smart point guard will have to be Brian chase all around in my eyes a better pg than Donell but wont kno the system as well as donell will…… but one thing is for sure ERNIE will make things right so well just have to wait and see what goes down….
Comment from BruceO
Time November 23, 2007 at 2:45 AM
no.. no signing donnell. He chucks the ball waaay too much. Not good for players moralls when they cut back and forth and not passed to. I don’t recall even having any memories of him running the princeton
Comment from neal
Time November 23, 2007 at 8:54 AM
I think part of Donnell’s problem this year is he knew he was on the edge and he was trying to make some shots to impress. There are pros and cons to him as opposed to a new guy.
Comment from wiz123
Time November 23, 2007 at 12:02 PM
happy thankgiving to you AUNDRA. i’m blogging from australia, dont exactly celebrate thanksgiving, thank you for your thoughts. it would be great if you guys would have the opportunity to meet the team….i would aboslutely love that…but unfortunately, i doubt that would happen especially since i’m practically at the other end of the world. lol…
i dont know…but i’m not too concerned over the point guard situation but more towards the center position. with haywood and pecherov out…the only 7 footer we have is blatche… and if he gets into foul trouble (as it was seen in the charlotte game) we lose the defensive presence inside. but since it was reported that haywood would be back soon….i guess its alright. just afraid that another NACHOOOO! would be pulled on us…
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time November 23, 2007 at 5:44 PM
Thanks everyone for the warm Thanksgiving thoughts — I didn’t have a chance to check in last night, but I take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful holiday season.
Getting together on this blog is really great fun; it’s been great to meet you guys (and gals?) and talk about our team, players, and the great game of basketball. Lets keep it up and really be, as Aundra says, a real wizards fraternity.
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Comment from wermol
Time November 22, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Hey Dave,
First off, Happy Thanksgiving, and once again thanks for the awesome blogging and match commentary