Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 26, 2008 at 8:04 PM

What? Steve and Phil don’t get to go to Barcelona to broadcast the game against the Hornets. That’s not fair!!

Comment from BruceO
Time August 27, 2008 at 12:58 AM

so where are all the stories about off season workouts for our players. It’s like every Tom, dick and harry has a story except this site and this is the wiz site. I mean what is Nick young, Andray, Gilbert and his knee, Caron, Etan, Brendan, MCgee up to? real basketball fans want to know how these guys are preparing so we can know what to look forward to in the future

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 27, 2008 at 8:13 AM

Agreed. A blog is not a place for simple, formal facts like the schedule. It’s a place for observations, thoughts, analysis, personal perspective.

Cell phone pix and video, any kind of media — and what could be easier to create at this point? — would liven things up. Should we point out examples out there that could show the way?

Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 27, 2008 at 10:02 AM

Guys I dont know what to tell you it’s pretty quiet right now. We didnt have a player in the olympics and most guys are scattered around the country. When it comes to players here is what I know.

Gil’s in the building rehabbing.
Pech is also going through some drills getting his ankle back into shape,
Dray’s in town working out
CB’s working out in VA and as I said from a source close to him “is in the best shape of his life.” CB’s goin to head to Africa for Basketball without Borders next week
Nick was over in beijing watching his girlfriend participate in the olympics,
DeShawn was in town but went home recently
Twan’s in Charlotte and doing some great things there with Kaboom.
Songaila and Brendan are in Charlotte
Dominic’s in cali working out
AD’s in San antonio.
Javale’s getting settled into D.C.

Media day’s one month away and we’ll have plenty for you leading up to the season. The NBA in general is not very active right now, free agency is all but over and for players this is the final month they get to see their families before the season gets really going.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 27, 2008 at 10:28 AM

Thanks, SportsWiz — don’t mind us; we can’t help ourselves.

Does JaVale need any assistance w/ grocery shopping or moving furniture or anything? We all don’t have anything better to do! We can help.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 27, 2008 at 10:53 AM

If i see him I will let you know .

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time August 27, 2008 at 12:16 PM

hey SportzWiz if you see Gilbert hollar at him and tell him me and a couple bloggers came up with a new nickname for him: “The Operator”, or just “Operator”……..because his number is 0, to dial operator u dial 0, the Verizon Centers nickname is “The Phone Booth”, and he can operate his scoring on his own free will…..personally I think that nickname is cash money for him lol

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time August 27, 2008 at 12:19 PM

Now back to the Bonzi Wells thing, SportzWiz over the past couple days some of the bloggers have been saying they would like to have Bonzi Wells on the team since he is an unrestricted free agent…..He is a great perimeter defender, can rack up points and boards, is quick on help defenses, and does not need to play more than 30+ minutes to put on a show……and he would work awesome pairing up with Deshawn and Nick Young at the 2 position……..what do you think? do you think it would be wise to have him on the team, or should we let another team sign him (which in reality is probably gonna happen even if we wanted him)?

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time August 27, 2008 at 12:36 PM

ESPN rumor central says Stephen Jackson and Jamal Tinsley are unhappy with their situation…….now to get one of these players we would have to do a trade……how would yall feel about having one of these guys on the team? i mean sure they can score, but they are also good passers…..which could be great if one of them played the 1 and gil played the 2 (something i think needs to happen because gilbert is a shooting guard really, and not a point guard)

Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 27, 2008 at 12:58 PM

Wizfan4life u dont want captain jax or tinsley’s contracts.

I actually saw gil yesterday, if i get the chance I’ll let him know. Bonzi for the veteran minimum would be ok with me. Do i see it happening…. no.

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time August 27, 2008 at 2:23 PM

SportzWiz: I most certainly wouldn’t want the Wizards to have Jacksons or Tinsley’s contracts, but if they were waived or had a buyout clause maybe……I really dont see which teams have the money to sign people like Bonzi wells and Ben Gordon now…….the only teams I can think of that are way below the salary cap are Memphis and Minnesota. Are there any other teams im forgetting about?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 27, 2008 at 6:25 PM

I don’t know how far we are below the luxury tax ceiling — *exactly.* Whether we do anything or what we do is in no small measure affected by that.

Comment from wizskinz00
Time August 27, 2008 at 8:04 PM

I want to see Wizards grils dance with Redskins Cheerleaders on the court, how can they do that? (I think Redskins Cheerleaders are much better than Wizards Girls. LOL)

Comment from Bridge
Time August 27, 2008 at 10:05 PM

Maybe it’s just the “burn the bra” in me, but what are we? Maybe some women wanna put themselves out there like that; I guess I respect that cuz that’s their job, but damn. They wouldn’t like me if I were a cheerleader – straight up…My slogan as one would be: “try to touch me and/or make stupid lewd comments, and I’ll chop something off.” Men are such pigs – why aren’t there like real professional MALE cheerleaders like there are female ones.

-from a “Bridge” collapsing

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time August 27, 2008 at 11:11 PM

Right Bridgy!

Why should we men oogle semi clad wiggling young women? I agree with you no reason at all and we should all be ashamed of ourselves. The Wizards “Dancers” and the Redskins Cheerleaders are there for “team spirit” only. Sex and Sport should be kept totally seperate!

Now… where was it I could get the new Wizard’s Dancer Calender? Hey I have to know what date it is don’t I?

Comment from Bridge
Time August 27, 2008 at 11:57 PM

My bad GR…

This all just makes me even more determined to recruit me some male cheerleaders and make them into my little feMALE dogs (with this being a “family site,” I couldn’t say the word that I really wanted to say). I’ll even go as far as making them use jazz hands in tight spandex outfits with cutouts to expose their male boobies. They’ll mostly have to perform to Madonna songs. Calendar that GR! LMAO

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time August 28, 2008 at 12:18 AM

if you do that bridge let me know so i can not watch i would hate to see that my self

Comment from BruceO
Time August 28, 2008 at 12:47 AM

hey sportswiz thanks for this info:
Gil’s in the building rehabbing.
Pech is also going through some drills getting his ankle back into shape,
Dray’s in town working out
CB’s working out in VA and as I said from a source close to him “is in the best shape of his life.” CB’s goin to head to Africa for Basketball without Borders next week
Nick was over in beijing watching his girlfriend participate in the olympics,
DeShawn was in town but went home recently
Twan’s in Charlotte and doing some great things there with Kaboom.
Songaila and Brendan are in Charlotte
Dominic’s in cali working out
AD’s in San antonio.
Javale’s getting settled into D.C

quick questions: I know gil is rehabbing as expected, but will he be back 100 percent? they always say that they will be back but you saw what happened last season.
Pech a couple of people are questioning whether his ankle will be ok or nagging because he’s had a history of ankle injuries
Hows dray doing? he looked good in summer league but is his strength and cardio getting better. I’m really looking forward to him being a starter
caron butler: best shape of his life? I heard his jump shot is still money. Some guy on realgm played against him in wisconsin and uploaded some pictures. Says he’s bigger but we’re not sure if its all muscle
Nick Young. I heard he was working out with a former wizards scoring leader, don’t remember his name. But is he gaining strength, he didnt look good in summer league, he still hasn’t improved his runnng strength by running with a parachute behind him. He hasn’t shown anything new defensively. I just wonder what is being done.
AD I heard something about his wrist and how he still hasnt had surgery, whats the deal with that?
Songaila I heard has an issue with his spine again according to some euro website is this true?
How’s mcgee coming along I know he’s moving into town but isn’t he staying with a mentor and trainer and should have been all but moved in by now? What kind of work is he doing?

My point about the offseason is that alot of kids and amatuer basketball players need to be inspired by knowing hard work comes before success. So they don’t just see players doing ok and assume its all talent. They have to know the players put in work to get to that stage and the work continues to go on. It also puts pressure on our players to actually put in the work because we the fans become familiar with what they are doing. Someone might randomly point out what is going right or wrong

Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 28, 2008 at 9:24 AM

Thats the tough part about this time Bruce, we just really wont get a good idea until training camp.

I can tell you AD either could have surgery or let the wrist rest and I believe he chose the 2nd one. We’ll know more in a month.

I hear McGee is with a close mentor (according to something Ivan wrote) but I really don’t know. In the off-season most players aren’t in contact with the media unless it has to do with a signing or a trade, otherwise most guys do their own thing in the offseason.

As for the Wizard Girls vs. the Redskin Cheerleaders, I think all fans in attendance will be very happy with the new team (other than maybe bridge )

Comment from Bridge
Time August 28, 2008 at 10:59 AM

Actually SportzWiz, I’m okay; I’m the type of person who’s happy for some of everybody – I’m not like that. Big props to the new dance team . And I didn’t mean to make that statement as if generalizing that ALL men are pigs, because some aren’t. I know what type of female I am and am happy with that; usually people who are comfortable with themselves don’t look to degrade the other sex. Of course I was just joking when I said that I’m going to recruit some male cheerleaders – why was I joking – because I respect myself and the opposite sex. Yeah, I understand, there to promote “team spirit,” but I have two older brothers who also LOVE the game; I don’t remember ever recalling them saying “oh, I looking forward to watching this game because of the dance-team.” Instead they were like, “oh, I can’t wait to see what Jordan et al. do this time around.” That’s why with my little brother I’m trying to bestow him with that mentality similar to MJ’s, because that’s what sold-out crowds back then. So besides bringing up a “bust” draft pick choice [Kwame Brown] when speaking of the best player in the world, how bout doing a little research on him in which you’ll discover that HE put butts in seats and eyes on screens, not cheerleaders and/or his love for half-naked women.

Comment from GlingGling
Time August 29, 2008 at 12:26 AM

Hey SportzWiz, how do we get tickets to the preseason game @ Verizon center? Three preseason games just aren’t enough for me.