I don’t think you guys got the best end of that deal, but, I’ll try to keep you smiling a little.

So I watched the game. With a judicious use of fast forward, I can get through an NBA game in about 40 minutes, and I kept waiting for the moment when we surged and took the game.

Of course, it didn’t come — silly me, what was I thinking?

I think we can now add to Ed Tapscott accomplishments as an NBA head coach that he has coached Caron Butler into complete ineffectiveness. He’s also completely worn out Antawn Jamison. Well done, Tap!

Yes, it was nice to see a game like that from Nick; very entertaining to watch him. And Pecherov did have a good 5 minutes too. But both those things happened after the game was lost. I.e. in garbage time. Once we tightened the score just a little, the Bulls went back to playing organized basketball, and that was that.

We are a *terrible* team, alas. It’s painful to watch us.

Posted at 6:58 PM ET, 01/ 9/2009
Wizards (7-27) at Bulls (15-20)
Wizards starters: Mike James, Caron Butler, Dominic McGuire, Antawn Jamison, Andray Blatche

Bulls: Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha, Tyrus Thomas, Aaron Gray.

Refs: Bob Delaney, Violet Palmer, Curtis Blair.

Line: Bulls by 5.

Notables: Interim coach Ed Tapscott likes to break the season into seven game segments and one of those just came to an end with so tonight, he said he will likely shake up the rotation slightly. Look for some minutes for JaVale McGee and Juan Dixon. Chicago won the first meeting between the teams 117-110 on Dec. 6 United Center…Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Michael Ruffin are out for the Bulls…

Tapscott on what he wants from McGee, who has not seen the floor since the game at Boston last Friday: “Take good shots. I don’t want him to feel like he can’t shoot, just take good shots. Play the game intelligently and play the game with passion. Do that, and we’ll be fine.”

I’m convinced were trying to lose games to get a high draft pick or we just don’t know WHAT THE HELL we’re doing!!!! In the 1st qt. we’re getting killed inside and the first sub in the game is a guard????? Tapscott and the organization would rather work on developing Crittenton (who can’t shoot) than Magee a 7 footer!!!!!!! Guards come a dime a dozen (unless your tring to get a Cris Paul & Crittenton AIN’T NO Cris Paul plus we have Gil anyway) or if your going to develop a guard how about Nick Young.
If they want to develop Crittenton they should send him to the D-league. I would be satisfied with just playing James & Juan at the point. Not tring to kill the kid but, I don’t think he should be that high up on the Totem pole. We need to be thinking inside out!!!!

BIG MEN WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS……. Shaq, Duncan, Garnett not saying Magee is in that class but you never know? Even developing Pech, he can shoot but needs to work on everything else. I’m glad to see Blatche is finally getting some run. The year the Pistons won the title they didn’t have the classic big man in the middle but, they had 2 very good big men (the Wallace boys) to help each other out. Blatche & Magee should be playing beside one another if not starting, we should see that combo at some point in every game.

This may be the problem our priorities are all screwed-up. If our managment doesn’t know how to build a championship team we need to get someone in here who does or copy the model of a championship organization. I consider myself a die-hard Wizards fan so watching them this year is hard to stomach. You can hear the fustration in everyone who blogs. For the talent we do have, I don’t feel we’re using our guys properly. After Tap got kicked out Ayers took over and we started playing better. Maybe Ayers coaches better or the players were just happy to see Tap go??????????We need a coach who knows how to develop big men & will teach our team how to execute off. & def. & won’t settle for less.

I think we should make an all out effort to win games and not TANK for the rest of the season. We need to learn how to win games so we don’t end up in this same situation next year. Besides I don’t think there’s a player in the upcoming draft that would make us a championship contender anyway. We’ve gotta get Gil & Haywood back at 100% & add a player here & there in the hopes that we can get everyone on the same page. A knowledgable coach, 3 ALLSTARS, a good committee of centers & a group of quality role players should = success. (sounds like I just described the Celtics) It worked for them.

Go Wiz!!!!!

I’m gonna repost this tomorrow & maybe until the Wiz get the message.

This excerpt from todays article and the meritocracy article from yesterday ought to convince anyone that this franchise not only has no clue as to what they are doing but are throwing a young man under the bus because of their own incompetence. Is there anyone who has watched this team play that does not realize that Tapscott has lost this team and that the team is headed south. Who the hell ever heard of 7 game segments as a barometer for lineup changes and setting rotations. If merit is the standard, half of the team should be benched because tonight was the most uninspired effort I have ever watched from a Wizard team.

What the heck is meirtocracy anyway? I have never heard this term used in my 40 years of playing and watching basketball. What are the criteria for this “meritocracy” and how is it evaluated on a team that has won seven games (including home wins over Golden State and Oklahoma). If it truly was a meritocracy the then we would not have enough players to field a squad. How did Mike James and Javaris Crittenton earn their playing time when they just got here. They both have made more turnovers and mistakes and have been given free reign to play big minutes. If meritocracy is a function of seniority, then we should sign Dikembe he is almost 42 years old. What Tapscott is really saying is that the NBA is a close knit fraternity where you can be unsucesful in New York, Charlottee and in DC and still get a cushy well paying job. Guys look out for their people as long as they can create the illusion that they are competent. (Psychobabble is all this rhetoric is).

Now if this was truly predicated upon merit, Tapscott would have gotten his pink slip about two weeks ago but most definitely after tonights escapade. And the won lost thing is only part of it, more important is the damage that he is doing to the team and player development. Tapscott has committed the equivalent of coaching malpractice because he has gotten into the head of his young players and doing long term damage. Nick Young played well because he was not thinking and the substiitute coach was gone.

The last thing I will say is this. In the last two articles Tapscott clearly is addressing fan pressure as to why McGee has not been playing. I have no doubt that it is personal (that has got to be the only reason on a 7-28 team). Something is up, no doubt. But to infer that one bad shot from this kid, on this team that has exhibited some of the poorest, most blatant shot selection I have ever seen, is a cowardly and poor way to treat your first round draft pick.

There is absolutely no way that Grunfeld can let this staff finish the year. I am a diehard supporter but I can’t support an organization that does not attempt to do things the right way. If Tapscott is back, there is no way in the world I will renew my season tickets.

You don’t develop in the NBA without minutes. Crittenton will also have the chance to prove that theory.

When he made that steal & went hard with his dribble to the bucket with Gooden on his hip only to take it up with some soft a$$ nonsense I threw up in my mouth. That shoulda been an “and one”. He probably should have gathered himself & punched it?
He’s weak!