Comment from Wizards4Life
Time February 9, 2009 at 5:22 PM

just caught the game on DVR an wow that was so good to see the guys empty the 3-4 man bench and hit the floor like that i have not been this happy in a wile!!!
on a side note Roy said something to AJ in the first Qt that lit a fire under him he said ” get that weak stuff out of here” and Jamison replayed with “who do you think your talking to boy” that is a light version of what was said i would never say what he said but Jamison just went crazy and started to drop every thing around 3s layups drives all that… so i say we get a guy to stand out side the locker room and talk trash to AJ b4 games… hand him the ball and move lol

Comment from Jgarcia104
Time February 9, 2009 at 6:46 PM

im not even gonna lie guys i was driving home listening to the game and dave when you made the call i shed a tear and almost crashed and started screaming and shouting bc of how happy i was lol. im really happy for caron and the guys =) “agent zero like” as he said it =) and i was watchin comcast just now and they said that gil told chris miller today that he hopes to start practing sometime this month with the goal for comming back and playing 10 games =) VERY GOOD 2 DAYS FOR WIZARDS FANS!!!

Comment from neal
Time February 9, 2009 at 8:24 PM

Ten games – he was supposed to be back last month.

I wonder when he would have come back if we were in contention.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 8:52 PM

Wizards4Life, no disrespect intended, but where did you get that information about AJ and Hibbert? I was at the game and I saw the exchange between AJ and Foster, but I didn’t see anything between Hibbert and AJ.

Jgarcia104, if what Wlado supposedly said to Chris Miller is true, “0″ will play about 12% of the games this year. Does that mean that season ticket holders get an 88% refund? I’ve got a nickle that says that he doesn’t play a game this year. I think he is done and Abe, and the fans, got screwed.

Comment from Bridge
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:04 PM

No, W4L is RIGHT because I witnessed the same thing. It was actually a bit shocking to me because I’ve never really seen Tawn do that before, but at the same time, it made my level of excitement go up. So yeah W4L, don’t feel as if you’re going crazy or anything lol because I saw it too…Hell, I even rewinded it and let out a loud “YEA-YAH” – - Tawn put him in his place son! LMAO…

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:09 PM

i got it on TV GABBO it was in the first QT i read lips it was the play when AJ drove to the basket and tryed to slam it and he got blocked but they called a foul it was 3:39 mark first Qt score was 28-15 at the time it pissed him off bad you might have not cought it because Roy kinda shut up after that

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:16 PM

I’ve been reading everything that I can get my hands on about Ed Tapscott (there is precious little). However, it seems as though anyone who knows him likes him. He also appears to be a very intelligent person…a real renaissance man who can discuss many topics knowledgeably. Not knowing him personally, I’ll have to grant that these things are true.

I’ve never had an issue with Ed Tapscott the man. My issue has always been with Ed Tapscott the Wizards basketball coach and those issues persist despite the rare, but nice, win over the Pacers last night.

I still contend that the Wizards do not have a bona fide NBA offense. We are still running that college-level Princeton offense that was designed to enable a team of non-shooters to play a possession game until they could get a backdoor layup. The problem is that at the NBA level, you will only get so many backdoor layups. Once that option has been taken away the player with the ball has got to figure out how to score with little, if any, help. That is why the Wiz settle for so many jump shots, and those are usually contested.

I don’t believe that Tap is in-tune with the NBA-level game and, from observation, I really think that he gets most of his strategic input from Wes, Jr., who also has limited experience.

While we should certainly draft the best player that we can, the Wiz don’t need any more players. With Brendan and Andray healthy, combined with the current team, we have a winner. If Waldo really does come back, we have the makings of a championship provided, that is, we get some real management/coaching leadership.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:18 PM

Thanks Wizards4Life, I missed that exchange. I’m glad that it ignited AJ.

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:19 PM

TY Bridge im still crazy but i know i don’t see things lol

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:19 PM

Just saw your “I saw it too” Bridge. Thanks.

Comment from Bridge
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:32 PM

Caron also, during his “post-game-game-winning- interview” said that he’s an all-star (among other things, before saying that) and even gave us fans an [eye] wink. That was funny…

Also, how about Dom with that mighty defense of his! Four blocks baby! Every time he’d block, I’d be like “BAM! GET THAT OUTTA HERE!”

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:34 PM

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a team of:

1 – Arenas/Crittendon/James
2 – Butler/Young/Stevenson
3 – Jamison/McGuire/New
4 – Blatche/Songaila/New
5 – Haywood/McGee/New

60+ wins!

Fire away…

Comment from Bridge
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:35 PM

(OK Gabbo )

Thanks jgarcia for the info above. I’m seriously like a HUGE fan of Gils’, but at this point, things seem a bit confusing about his whole progress. (With how things have been reported with the whole ‘Do Not Disturb’ tag and because of his “distance” from the bench during gametime), such things could be passed off as him being a bit selfish. Not trying to add any fuel to the fire by any means, because, like I said, he’s a fav of mine…But at this point, I don’t even know what to think of him. It’s unknown as to how bad things might be (or not – - really, who knows?), but to just appear to have no regard for those around, would appear as (being) selfish. But whatever –

I just hope that 2morrow’s game is a good one!

GO WIZARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:39 PM

Thanks Bridge…Stay positive.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:44 PM

Getabig — you are adding Gil and Brendan to a team that was losing virtually every game, and you are going to go to 60 wins?

With all our players healthy we are not a 50 win team yet, and not a 2d round in the playoffs team yet either. When we *accomplish* something, then we can raise the bar.

The Suns have Amare, Shaq, and Nash — plus a bunch of other pretty good players. They aren’t going to win 50 this year. Are we really better than San Antonio? They aren’t going to win 60, that’s for sure.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 9:55 PM

Hey Tom M., good to see you blogging. I thought that I might ignite your interest.

Yep, I certainly do believe that Brendan in the middle playing a strong-body defense and Gil penetrating and scoring combined with AJ and CB playing even better with Gil in the lineup and with the playing-time progress of the youngsters that we have achieved this year would do the trick.

Gil 25+ ppg
Caron 20+ ppg
AJ 20+ ppg
BH 10+ ppg
AB 12+ ppg
BENCH +20 ppg

Three all-star quality players + a real defender in the middle and a very athletic Dray playing in-position for rare extended minutes would get us 60+ wins. Even Tom M. and/or GABBO could coach that team to victory.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:02 PM

If our coach (whoever that might be) decided to design some offensive sets that got the ball to Slick Nick in one-on-one situations frequently, he could score 30+ every game. The man is a scoring machine and I have yet to see any defender stop him one-on-one.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:17 PM

Tom M., I’m not merely adding Gil and Brendan. Their playing time replaces that of Mike James and Darius Songaila. I believe anyone would see that that is at least a +30. I’m not sure how many games we have lost by 30 or more this year but I’d guess that it is not many.

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:18 PM

by the way we made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs with the same team just switch Huges with CB3 and its a better team and Gil was not even in that high part of his NBA game an Haywood was Dragin butt at the time and you put AB in place of JJ and you got a much better team than the one that made it to round 2

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:20 PM

Wizards4Life, Word!

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:20 PM

Gabbo what is your plan for trading Etan and Pesh?

who do you see filling the “new” slots?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:21 PM

The rest of the lineup if totally healthy looks pretty sweet

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:32 PM

Hey Griff, Good evening.

I don’t know what, if anything, we might get for Etan or Pesh. It doesn’t really matter. They are not part of a winning Wiz future, nor is (sorry to say) Juan Dixon. I would pay them Etan and Pesh and let them go. Juan doesn’t have a contract for 2009-2010, so we owe him nothing.

With three slots to fill, I would then look for the best defensive players I could get in the 2, 3 and 4 positions. That way, when we had to rest our starters, we might be able to contain the opposition. Lord knows with that team we can score…we just might not have enough basketballs in play at any one time to satisfy the egos…unless we have the right coach and motivation!

BTW, it is easier to teach offense than to teach defense. Most players have the desire to score (so they will be attentive), fewer have the desire to prevent a score (so its harder to keep their attention).

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:41 PM

“Hot”LANTA at 7:00 tomorrow. 2 in a row for the good guys.

#3 and #4 shut-up and play! You are the best we have. Behave that way.

Go Wiz!!!

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:53 PM

I wish we could do that but we can’t. Etan and Pesh are “on the books” next year unless we are able to trade them. Unfortunately you can’t just release players like you can in football.

I do have an idea on the matter though. We are going to have two relatively high draft picks. Do we package one or both of them to get rid if Etan’s contract and possibly Mike Jame’s too? If we don’t do something only our first round pick will be here. We won’t have a roster spot for the second rounder cause only Juan is leaving. I say we package both roster spots if we are relatively sure Gil and Brendan are coming back at 100%. That way we could get rid of Etan (a player/contract) nobody wants and James to free up 3 roster spots one of which would be filled by who we trade for. Would Amare fit into that scenario?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 10:55 PM

sorry … we package both draft picks / not roster spots

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 11:00 PM

One thing…. both Etan and Mike’s contracts come off the books after next season. do we hang onto them and reap that benifit for ourselves in a better free agent pool?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 11:02 PM

I’m just glad Tom is the Gm and not me LOL. Well Ernie is, but, I can dream can’t I? LOL

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time February 9, 2009 at 11:13 PM

I’ll go ya 3 better…. #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 shut up and play

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time February 10, 2009 at 8:16 AM

Anyone who thinks a team like the Wizards — nearly any team, really — can afford to pass on the top (or even one of the 3 top) picks in the draft is dreaming.

Doesn’t mean we can’t make a deal to move around somewhere near the top, especially if it clears a roster spot and a contract and gets us someone we want. But, no we are not an elite team, a team that has challenged for the title, or even gotten to the conference finals, or ever won 50 games, or… you name it, we ain’t achieved it yet.

Fans can afford to fall in love with their teams and their favorite players’ talent. That’s why you see people describe Dray, who isn’t even an average NBA player yet, as if he was some big deal. But, if you are trying to really understand your team and think about its future — i.e. if you are the GM, or it’s your pleasure to pretend you are — then falling in love w/ your roster isn’t a great idea.

When we’re healthy, we’re a middle of the pack team. Yes, 2 years ago we were 28-18 and briefly led our division. No one remembers that Shaq had been out of the Miami lineup w/ an injury for 2 months when that happened, or that that was the year Detroit didn’t play until the last 30 games, or…. Fantasy land in other words.

Comment from M2
Time February 10, 2009 at 12:17 PM

Tom M finally bringing some reality to the blog… Thank you Tom!

But Gabbo, I also hear what you’re saying (I’d say we’re a 50 win team though) & do believe that our time is coming.

Look folks, EG is not an absolute idiot & has to be commended for his patience. He has known for quite a while now that we are unable to compete in our current circumstance (injury riddled) & is obviously playing the waiting game… This has been a long season…
But next season will be a VERY different story!
Sure, lets grab a top draft pick… But don’t assume that the pick will steal playing time from Butler or Jamison. He (Grifin, Fields, Hans, whomever) will be rotated in like everyone else.