Comment from Aj
Time October 16, 2009 at 7:15 PM

It seems like gilbert is mad that he is forced to talk to the media. I think people overated his antics in the past. The only thing he did wrong was predict how much he would score in a game or tell other teams like boston two years ago we would beat them.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 16, 2009 at 8:51 PM

I thik Gil doesnt want to talk until we prove ourselves. If after 20 games we are one of the top teams then I think he will talk more. Not in a cocky type way but moreso he will be comfortable telling people that all we needed to do was get healthy and that he himself is one of thee elite players in the league

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 16, 2009 at 8:56 PM

Aj, yeah that was a really weird interview by GIl. I don’t think he is mad, he is just putting on his show in a new way.

Comment from neal
Time October 16, 2009 at 10:11 PM

I get a little tired of Arenas. I wish some team would get enamored with him and trade us the world for him.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 16, 2009 at 11:41 PM

Neal, you are going to totally take that back by the end of the season

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:07 AM

neal, I understand the frustration. In my mind this coy attitude is probably another antic of his. However I agree with dlts20, Arenas is gonna explode like a rocket and it’s going to be beautiful to watch.

This big three ain’t like it used to be, ain’t like it used to be, ain’t like it is used to be.

Comment from M2
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:56 AM

I LOVE GILBERT ARENAS EXCLAMATION POINT

Comment from reddog271
Time October 17, 2009 at 6:07 AM

Neal likes to complain about everyone on the team. So far he’s asked for Gil and Jamison to be traded already this year. Go Figure

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 17, 2009 at 8:31 AM

And grifonracing — wants to trade him to the Crabland blog!!

Gilbert is a very good basketball player, especially a good scorer.

Is he a superstar? Maybe you should look at our record in games Gil has started. Or, for that matter, in games where he/AJ/CB started?

Not to be coy myself, no, Gil is not a superstar. And I believe we’re about .500 in games started by the big 3.

Comment from reddog271
Time October 17, 2009 at 11:56 AM

and what were we before the big 3 got here?

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 12:44 PM

I do not complain about everyone on the team.

I think Jamison and Arenas are excellent players. However, I am open to trading Jamison because his expensive contract likely extends beyond when he will be an impact player and I am open to trading Arenas because I believe he is overpaid. He has some negatives that offset many of his positives. He is prone to turnovers and his shooting % is low because he has (at least up to now) shot too much.

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 12:46 PM

I also think Arenas’s ego must detract some from the team chemistry. Not sure about this.

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:18 PM

AJ
I can feel Gils pain because they wanted to make him out to be crazy or off and thats wasn’t true. The media loved his every word and they sold alot of papers and said alot of nasty things so F=them. They have to stand in line now so they are a little pissed off so be it! You will get a more focused guy who is only about his game and short to any foolishness and they are mad. You want a show you got one now!

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:36 PM

Neal
This is a make or break season for everyone, so lets see if Coach Saunders can turn this thing around before we get too negative. Jamison is not going anywhere because Abe loves him and the real fans love him too! Gilbert Arenas is not going anywhere either so get that thought out off here! We have a great nucleus this year of veterans and very skilled young players under 24 years old so lets see how is works out! I like what I’m hearing and most of all seeing right now with the franchise so Bloggers feel free to comment!

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:42 PM

LOL Tom. I would never be so cruel Maybe to the Spitons

I don’t think Neal is advocating trading Arenas. I kinda agree with him. It is hard at times to seperate the great player he is from the “big bag of hot air” he can be.

Comment from Babakism
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:49 PM

@grifonRacing exactly! Thats why he doesn’t wanna talk to the media right now. He’s trying to make the seperation

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 17, 2009 at 1:55 PM

reddog — we are a *much* better team, since the moves Ernie made to acquire AJ, Gil & Caron. Did I say otherwise?

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 17, 2009 at 2:35 PM

Tom, of course you’re going to get opposition for being realistic. I, however, do disagree with you on Gil’s superstardom. He is a superstar in much the same way Allen Iverson was a superstar. Iverson’s play never lead to a championship but as basketball-reference.com says, his probability of Hall of Fameship is 100%. I’m not saying Gil has or will reach Iverson’s level. I think Gil would have been well on his way if it wasn’t for his knee.

That said, what good is a superstar to an organization if there are no championships involved? The best news is, Gil still has time whereas Iverson’s ship has sailed.

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 17, 2009 at 2:50 PM

Also of note, Gilbert already has a 54% chance of Hall of Fameship using basketball-reference.com’s model which is 96.7% accurate. For how much he hasn’t accomplished, that is saying a lot. Now it’s time to see what he can accomplish.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 17, 2009 at 3:33 PM

on the insider it said Wood should play Monday and that AJ is progressing well. Thats great news

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2009/10/haywood-coming-back-monday-cri.html

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time October 17, 2009 at 4:08 PM

good find dlts20 but i can see people taking that out of context right now lol just to prove a point thats prob why Gil says little about anything most the people who read that will say haywood was bashing every one at the PF/C back up spots when all he was realy saying was they dont have 12 centers and PFs to back them up unlike the 1-2 gard spots

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 17, 2009 at 4:52 PM

dlts20, good read. We’ll only really know for sure with the next MRI but no/very little pain is a great sign.

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 4:52 PM

I like the thought behind Arenas’s not talking to the media. It probably won’t last, because that’s not really his nature. But I really like that it means he’s more serious about winning, and a little less serious about entertaining the fans.

Comment from datonypony
Time October 17, 2009 at 5:28 PM

I started to support wizards because of Arenas but I have learned to love this team without him. I think that he will become more or less the same once season starts and we have a good start to it!

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 6:03 PM

One more comment about the two aforementioned stars. Both have been defensive liabilities up to this year. If they (with the help of Saunders and staff) can turn that around, we really could compete for the conference championship IMO.

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 17, 2009 at 6:48 PM

neal, Flip’s system puts a lot of focus on help defense. With Haywood back in the fold directing traffic it should really boost the defense of both Arenas and Jamison.

Comment from Rick
Time October 17, 2009 at 8:40 PM

we don’t need to worry about jamison’s defense, until after the all star break. gilbert does need to get much better at not letting guards into the lane so easily. sam cassell should be able to help him with that if Gilbert accepts the help.

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 9:59 PM

Arenas is saying all the right things, and I think he means it. It’s going to be tough, however, for the big three to break old habits. Was Cassell a good defender?

Comment from neal
Time October 17, 2009 at 10:00 PM

Arenas is saying all the right things and I think he means them. It’s going to tough, however, for the big three to break old habits. Was Cassell a good defender?

Comment from Gotabigboyoffense
Time October 17, 2009 at 10:41 PM

Gilbert Arenas is the most versatile player in the NBA. Is he quirky, sure; but that is one of his lovable features. Wake up Wizard fans, Gil is the straw the stirs the drink. Without Gil we are a 30 win team; with Gil we can win 60.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time October 17, 2009 at 10:51 PM

I don’t think anyone questions the fact that we are a good team with Gilbert and only a fair to poor team without him. He gives us hope for this season. Sometimes I’d rather he play a little more and speak a little less is all

Flip’s play book is supposed to have as much defense and it has offense. I haven’t really seen much difference in the preseason, but, those things take time. Like Brendan said he has been playing in a different system for the last 5 years. Learning a completely different system for the Wizards veterans will take some time. Cassell was a very good on the ball defender. He was as tenacious as you would imagine him to be from his actions as our coach

Comment from Rick
Time October 18, 2009 at 11:23 AM

let me echo, that even when he is not playing good defense, I still love Gilbert out there! He makes the team so much more competitive and fun to watch.

Comment from wizards_fusion
Time October 18, 2009 at 11:49 AM

I believe most of us (clubhouse, media, and fans) were completely spoiled by how open Arenas was for the last several years. Since he’s supposedly changed his ways, we don’t get the sense of “fun” from, at one time, the most popular athlete in DC (until a Big Red Scoring Machine took the crown – and I’m not talking about Pech).

While most here want more player access and info (as mentioned by doclinkin a couple of weeks ago), I take it as they come. If Arenas wants to opin his heart out – go ahead; and if he doesn’t – that’s his choice and he should now know that fines are set in place to prevent a complete separation between player and media. Arenas is only talking because he got fined – he would have continued the cold-shoulder treatment if the league didn’t hammer him 25k.

From about 3:45 on, Flip said the following

- guys are executing well (I’m guessing offensively)
- Blatche will see more action at the 4 (duh)
- lineup goes small by having Miller in there instead of Antawn (@ Babakism – see, I don’t make this stuff up)
- McGuire is a specialist and just like any specialized player, he’s only needed in special situations (sorry @ all the Dom supporters – this regime aint no Jordan/Tapscott anymore)

So, for those that think Dom has earned a spot in Flip’s rotation, I don’t think so. Dom has to add another specialized skill or two (on the offensive end) to get Flip to think about #5.

Also, am I the only one that noticed a gigantic mosquito bite behind Flip’s ear?

Comment from dcbutler357
Time October 18, 2009 at 2:28 PM

lol….there’s a reason Gil isn’t paying attention to his critics…lol….some remarks on this blog prove that…lol

These players are human, no matter what/how we feel about them or how much they make. If Chicago would have gotten rid of Rodman for his antics, they may not have won some of their six championships. If the wizards would have had “formidable” big men, prior to Gil’s injuries, we may have won a championship already. Gil will analyze what needs to be done and handle his business, he has proven that. He’s not worried about a fine, he has proven that also, he makes a point in his way, and does his thing. The question is whether the needs of the team are being answered, to win a championship, while at the same time marketing itself to be a profit-making team????? We’ve needed big-men for the last five years? or so, what has been done to get us over that hump? Brendan has need help for a while now, and previous to that, he wasn’t producing….and they pitted Brendan and Thomas against each other (which at the time, I felt neither one of them where starters). All of this is IMO, of course.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 18, 2009 at 4:15 PM

More on AJ and it sounds to me like MM will start the opener with DS being the backup and NY out of luck. Thats how I thought it was looking:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2009/10/jamison-making-progress.html#more

Comment from neal
Time October 18, 2009 at 5:46 PM

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION seven slots are determined:

Starters: Arenas, Miller, Butler, Jamison, Haywood

Backup PG: Foye, Backup PF: Blatche

Backup SG will be Foye, Young or Stevenson. If it’s not Young he’ll still get a few minutes for development purposes.

Backup C will be Oberto or McGee. If it’s not McGee he’ll still get a few minutes for development purposes.

McGuire will play if an enemy player can’t be stopped.

James and Crittenton will wait for an injury to Arenas or Foye.

Comment from neal
Time October 18, 2009 at 5:47 PM

Oh, and the backup SF will be Miller.

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 18, 2009 at 6:21 PM

neal, as many have point out with Flip the second and third units aren’t cut and dry. Minutes will be based on match-ups as well as performance. Most notably we may see Oberto and McGee splitting minutes. They have wildly different styles and each have deficiencies that mean one guy can’t serve all purposes.

Neal, I see you’re still underestimating McGuire. His work ethic is up there with the best on the team (and we’ve got some very hard workers). He is going to earn his minutes. Like everyone else I’m going to wait and see how many he earns. Based on last season’s performance as a starter, the logjam at SG (the only position Nick can play), Nick’s lack of defense (as well as Dom’s great defense), and the plethora of scorers the Wiz have (the only thing Nick is known for) I have no doubt Dom will once again get more minutes than Nick Young. Anyone who believes otherwise is ignoring a great deal of empirical evidence.

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 18, 2009 at 6:22 PM

Dang I keep messing up my italics.

Comment from GlingGling
Time October 18, 2009 at 6:25 PM

dlts20, thanks for the read again. All signs point to yes with Jamison. Even if he misses a few of the opening games this is the kind of injury I like to see (if I have to see any at all, which I do because injury is an integral part of sports).

Is there an address we can send a get well soon card to? No, jk. But seriously… get well soon.

Comment from dmac
Time October 18, 2009 at 7:48 PM

I am looking to a comeback player of the year for Gil. Saying that I believe Gil has always been the type of person who when everything is going well you love him. When he has been hurt the last couple of years after signing the big contract many have thought that Pollin was foolish for resigning him. I think it was the right thing to do. Now i had reservations about AJ when he signed his contract. But he has proven himself worthy of his contract signing. Even though he may not be a prototype he has been the consumate professional game in and game out. Well I feel Gill will begin to earn his contract big time this year. To the point of having a Chris Paul/Steve Nash PG affect on the team. Just watch and see.
Now with AJ hurt AB has a chance to come in and seize the moment in regards to all this improvement he has made in the offseason. If AB can show us that he can be a starter in this league then when AJ comes back he can be our 6th man. This will prolong his career and place us in a position to match up better in the league.

Comment from Aj
Time October 18, 2009 at 8:11 PM

Dmac
I bet you antawn will be the starter but along the way we just might drop caron to the 2 and play dray with twan and haywood in the frontcourt. And can anyone tell me how antawn can improve as a defender? As hard as it might sound I think he tries his best on d but his lack of size and athletism makes him a bad defender. People like Josh Smith and Amare S. are not very good defenders to me but block a lot of shots because they jump high. They would be just like aj if they had his physical attributes.

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 18, 2009 at 8:26 PM

DJ
I miss the Channel 7 Wizards Magazine interview with Coach Saunders do to prior engagements. I would definitely like to see the podcast of that interview if possible. Thanks.

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 18, 2009 at 8:57 PM

Lost in Rotation is something I feel Nick Young has been the last 3 preseason games. The shot selection doesn’t look very promising when your shooting 2 for 10 but its all about refocusing and building your confidence back up again. What can Nick do to regain his MOJO, 1 attack the basket on a regular if fouled then use that 90% free throw percentage to make them pay. You studied Rip Hamilton all summer so do that and do it like no other for quick mid-range shots behind dual picks. Lastly bring the nasty quick release three pointers we know you can make! Presto Change OO you are back in the house once again!

Comment from SportzWiz
Time October 18, 2009 at 9:27 PM

we should have all of wizards magazine up on the web later this week AUNDRA. I will post it here when its up.

Comment from neal
Time October 19, 2009 at 8:25 AM

I think Jamison plays D flat-footed. That makes him a split second late to react. Same with Arenas. It has to be hugely difficult to play successful D against NBA players. Requires total concentration and willingness to go all out on the defensive end. And even if our big 3 are willing to do that they have to break long-established habits. It’s a huge challenge for them and the coaching staff, but IMO will determine whether we can compete with the best in our conference.