Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 10:30 AM

Good Morning All

Sportwiz I submitted a question so hopefully it will get a response…..thanks again for the heads up…Also great news on Juan in the community I look forward to the photos.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 10:51 AM

More on where’s Waldo?

Last I understood Gil’s physical status and preparation to return to play, it was stated that he is competing at full speed in five-on-five practices with the team and that the Wizards medical team would determine when he could return to play.

Uh Huh!

I had my doubts about this entire injury/rehab situation from the time that it was announced that Gil was limiting his practice to full-contact two-on-two competition. More Uh Huh!. If you’ve played both two-on-two and five-on-five basketball you know that in the five-on-five game you were not always directly involved in the play; in the two-on-two game, you are involved always. Two-on-two is the more intense game. You are always setting a pick, cutting, shooting or driving. Your chances of being injured in two-on-two are greater than in five-on-five simply because you are always involved. I thought if Gil could play full-contact two-on-two, he should be ready to play the game.

That aside, we are now told that Gil is practicing full-speed five-on-five with the team, but the medical staff has not yet cleared him for games. Maybe the medical staff should consider that:
“Most injuries appear to occur during practice rather than games in organized competitive basketball.” – Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science – Basketball, an International Olympic Committee Medical Commission publication.

I can only conclude one of four things is at work here:
1. The medical staff in inept, or
2. Gil is not really healthy and is not practicing full-contact five-on-five with the team (has anyone actually seen this take place), or
3. Gil could play, but he is afraid of reinjurying himself, or
4. Gil is healthy but the Wizards are not going to place their best team on the court in an effort to have a better chance in the lottery.

All four of these options STINK! If there is another option, I’d sure like to hear it from the team.

Season ticket holders were inticed to purchase seats with the understanding that Gil would be playing during 2008-2009; then we were told that he needed another minor operation but that he would play by December 2008; then he would be playing by the end of January; now the Wizards are pitching their season ticket plans by implying – of course Gil will play in 2009-2010 because he is almost ready to play this year.

The Wiz will not get my $ until I know what I am buying. I can live with Gilbert not playing. Although I enjoy watching the team with Gil playing, good basketball players come and go. I would be willing to buy season tickets knowing that Gilbert would not be playing and that it would be a different team next year. I am not, however, willing to buy a “pig in a poke”.

How about some straight talk from the team.

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 11:00 AM

GABBO-as usual you are spot on with this, I had asked about this before as it relates to information on Gil. It would be great to have updates at least once a month on Gil and Haywood, the fans really deserve that, and deserve better from the organization. I saw a photo with Gil and a “Do not Disturb” sign around his neck, although at the time it was funny too me, however this is not a pick up game, this is a professional franchise and I want to disturb if we are treating this as a hotel, Mr Arenas are we checking in (for the season) or are we checking out (not coming back)?

In a perfect world I want what is best for the fans,franchise and the players, so we can put the BEST product on the floor.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 11:21 AM

I can only tell you what I have seen and that is Brendan has been going through non-contact drills during practice, his specialty wrist doctor in New York has been seeing him every few weeks to see how the wrist is.

As far as Gil, I have not seen him practice along with the rest of the media.

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 11:27 AM

SportzWiz-as always “thank you” and the above comment was no slight to you at all. You can only report what you see or what is allowed to come out. I still always feel that the most reliable and trusted info comes from the “blog”.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 11:30 AM

Thanks Jeff, I hope you guys know we try to do our best and give you whatever information we can.

Comment from millie mill
Time March 12, 2009 at 12:00 PM

I’m not a season ticket holder but, I can really feel getabigboyoffense’s pain. I wouldn’t want to feel cheated at McDonalds let alone the Washington Wizards season tickets.

On the other hand if both Haywood and Gilbert are healthy with 17 games to go and no chance of going to the playoffs why bring them back. ( know the team can’t come out and just say that)

I really don’t care too much about how the Wizards keep everything so hush, hush. Especially in a losing season where you are losing fan’s confidence in their team.

Instead of doing an interview with Tommy Sheppard. We would like to hear form Ernie Grunfeld with some real answers. Not BS!!

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 12:18 PM

SportzWiz, thanks for the update.

jeff and millie, I’m glad that other bloggers see the injustice of the management gag rule surrounding Waldo.

I also think it’s bizarre that we no longer see Gil at any of the games. I don’t want to hear that he is in the practice gym during the game. There are enough other hours in the day when he can do that. Is he physically unable to attend the games? If he really can practice, how about if he took part in the pre-game warmups so the fans could see how he is, or is not, able to move around?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:05 PM

Gabbo if he were at the games that would open him up to the media. It seems like they are trying very hard to keep him away from the media. With the Wizards, who knows what that means? I sure doesn’t sound very encouraging. I don’t subscribe to the notion that no news is good news.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Fyi – we saw gilbert play a little 3-on-3 today after practice. Probably the most we’ve seen him play.

It wasn’t an extremely high intense game, but he had a nice drive and score and made a bunch of jumpers.

Can’t really say that much more. When he played defense it usually was help, and he was guarding Dominic and Dom never really attacked the basket.

Comment from dcbutler357
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:36 PM

LOL….Who needs coffee in the morning, when we have the blog…..”where it happens”…;-)

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:38 PM

I can tell you honestly that the first thing I do every morning is look at the blog and see the comments from the previous night.

OH and don’t forget CB3s live chat is starting any minute now

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:41 PM

dcbutler-I am with you, the blog “where it happens”, classic…..SportzWiz about to go to the chat as we speak, thanks

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:50 PM

Caron a class act, he did answer my question….loves the fans and the city

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 1:53 PM

This one Jeff?

Charles, Los Angeles: Caron what do you like the most about the DC Metro area? And I am sure next year the “take over” will be back in full effect next year when the team is healthy

Caron Butler: What I like most, is the monuments, the city and most important the fans. The fan support here is terrific.

Comment from gbkdc
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:01 PM

JeffMalone1990, I thought that was you! He did not answer my question. But that’s okay. Glad he got to yours!

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM

sorry gbkdc. Hopefully we can host more of these and they will get to you next time.

Comment from Rick
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM

for some reason i thought the “live chat” meant video. but oh well.

i feel for gilbert. he probably really wants to play, but given the reality of the season so far, the team would be better off losing as many games as possible at this point.

he’s already saddled the organization with an albatross of a salary. what good would it do for the fans if came back this year and helped us win 7 or 8 games and fall 2 or 3 spots in the draft? NONE!

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:22 PM

SportzWiz and gbkdc-that was it, great chat, I especially loved what he said at the end, about a championship and being patient

Comment from dcbutler357
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:25 PM

Gil has literally carried this team on his back the past couple of years, and due to this un-foreseeable injury, we have learned to really appreciate what a “special” player he is(not that we didn’t at first, but this season has really brought it home).

Much Luv goes out to Gil for what he has provided to this team/city and to all the wiz for going out every game and trying to bring home a “w”.

Thanks to the bloggers, Glen/DJ, Sportswiz, Green Turtle, ESPN and anyone else that has anything to do with the blog. This was my first year blogging and to know that there are other sports fans to connect with outside of my regular circle deserves a

Now, we only have a few games left and I can now watch a game and not only watch it for it’s entertainment, but now I understand about salary caps (moreso than just hearing the words), how a player going to the d-league affects their NBA roster, why getabig is still going to buy next year’s season tickets and why I think TomM is the guy that wrote the book, by the way he promotes it

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:33 PM

SportzWiz, Ivan Carter wrote the following on February 24th:

Gilbert Arenas confirmed to me a short while ago that he’s been all-out practicing since last Monday, the day the team got back together following the all-star break. As I reported a few weeks ago, Arenas has been feeling a lot better on that left knee since meeting with a specialist in Miami in the last week of January.

Arenas: “I’m out there feeling like the old Gilbert Arenas again. I’m running, jumping, dunking, feeling good. No pain, no swelling. My balance is back, my speed is back. The only thing I have to get used to again is being around other bodies out there on the court. I’m working on getting timing back. The only thing I’m not doing is playing in games.”

Today you wrote:
Fyi – we saw gilbert play a little 3-on-3 today after practice. Probably the most we’ve seen him play.

It wasn’t an extremely high intense game, but he had a nice drive and score and made a bunch of jumpers.

Can’t really say that much more. When he played defense it usually was help, and he was guarding Dominic and Dom never really attacked the basket.

The message that I’m getting is that Gilbert has regressed. We have 17 games to go and I don’t feel as though we will see Gil. I just don’t get all the secrecy on the part of management.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM

dcbutler357 – “why getabig is still going to buy next year’s season tickets”

I can tell you in all honesty that that is not going to happen. Fool me once…

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 3:42 PM

gabbo, I don’t know why your saying that he’s regressed based on my comments and since you are i would say your looking WAY too much into what I wrote.

First off Ivan wrote what Gilbert told him, not what he saw. As I said earlier this is the most anyone in the media (including Ivan) has seen is what they saw today after practice. Also as I said it was “after practice.”

Rarely are guys going their hardest after practice, do they play hard, sure, but in all the pickup games ive seen (the 3on3s and 2on2s) after practice, you rarely see guys killing each other. Its usually a fun competitive game with neither player doing any high-risk moves.

Today’s game was between Mike James, Juan Dixon and Gil vs. Dray, Dom and Nick. Mike James was guarding Dray, I guess thats usually why he was helping out, it was either dom shooting from 20 feet or dray postin up james.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 3:57 PM

SportzWiz, I guess I misunderstood when you said that you saw Gil playing three-on-three. I took that to mean that that was all that he was doing. I forgot that you don’t always have access to practice, so I guess Gil could still be going five-on-five with the team. Sorry.

I would still contend that the Wizard management should be more forthcoming about Gil’s condition and status. Saying that he’ll play when he is cleared to do so by the medical staff is not providing the fans with any information; in fact, it makes us downright suspicious.

As always, I appreciate your candor and insight.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 12, 2009 at 3:59 PM

Foul on GABBO for not letting the facts intefer with his opinion.

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:01 PM

for all the bloggers on this board

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:02 PM

agreed JEFF.

Its been a tough year, but our blogger base has continued to go strong and that says something about the fan base.

Gabbo, no problem. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:03 PM

check out more info on the Juan Dixon reading timeout here

http://www.nba.com/wizards/community/index_main.html

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:14 PM

SportzWiz-this has been a tough year, but Ihave to say I love to see the Wizards in the community, the post on Juan is really good and also a great program for Juan for being professional and an asset to the community and the Wizards.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:16 PM

we’ll have an article on it tomorrow that i will post as well,

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time March 12, 2009 at 4:18 PM

thanks SportsWiz!!

Comment from dcbutler357
Time March 13, 2009 at 1:01 AM

Great interview with Roger Mason on TNT. The way he described the blue print of the Spurs makes you go hmmm

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 13, 2009 at 7:39 AM

Somebody above calls for Ernie to give us some real information — no more BS. I had to laugh. Ernie is *the most* closed-mouth GM in the league, and they are all pretty much closed-mouth anyway.

Someone else speculated on Antawn being traded to Charlotte. He has 3 years left on a very big contract. With the economy the way it is, that does not make him a very likely target to trade for. If we were to trade him, we’d have to take back a similar salary in the year of the trade (not necessarily in the years that follow), so it wouldn’t help our situation for the ’09 season.

Moreover, who would we take back? The only reason to do this would be for shorter contracts. We could take back Radmanovic and Raja Bell, I suppose. That would take a lot of money off the books. But, remember, we are squeezed for roster spots as well as salary. I don’t think we can take 2 for 1.