Look, I know we’ve spent a lot of font sizes and word counts on Gilbert Arenas, adding binary code to the matrix. And the more I analyze, the more I feel like I’m nit-picking and contributing to the whole absurdity of the scene. So, it’s worth taking a step back and saying, ‘this is all pretty silly, isn’t it?’

That it is.

A recent piece by Jake Whitacre on SB Nation about the rise and fall of Gilbert Arenas and Clinton Portis (and their swagger) got me thinking … do we want winners or do we want entertainers?

Well, both. But the former almost always begets the latter, and it clearly doesn’t always work both ways, at least in the recent history of D.C. sports.

Not that we don’t want ‘characters’ … flavor/swagger/flair … are all welcome. But sometimes you just want your main guy to be a winner/gamer/consistent leader.

It’s a fine line (that’s hard to define with sports buzzwords and the what-not) between the B.S. being funny and the B.S. needing to be cut out.

I wish happy Gilbert would kick emo Gilbert to the curb, but if he doesn’t … oh well.

Why? Because the Wizards have freaking John Wall, a kid who continues to amaze with with his contagiousness. From defense to energy and everything else, Wall simply has fun playing the game and he demands the same from his teammates.

Yea, I know. It’s way early … but Wall has all the appearances of a winner.

Okay, I’ll stop gushing now.

Will Arenas be okay? Will he stay in D.C.? I hope so. But if he doesn’t, that’s okay too.

It’s just refreshing to enjoy watching a fun brand of basketball again.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Speaking of, read Michael Lee’s post on Wizards Insider about last night’s un-televised Wizards-Cavaliers preseason game. Read Wall’s comments. Read about how he had a horrible start to the game on offense, but shifted his focus to help his team in other ways. Read about how he seems to have the reason, perspective and patience of someone far older than just-turned-20-years-old.

Now go watch highlights from last night’s game on WashingtonWizards.com.

3 Comments

1. 

   Owen

   October 8, 2010 at 4:13 pm

   Read the wages of wins for one take on your question. Attendance in the NBA is highly correlated to winning. The presence of “star” players, ex winning is minimal.

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2. 

   Kyle Weidie

   October 8, 2010 at 6:38 pm

   I agree, and have read Wages of Wins (for the most part), but a star player sometimes brings in revenue outside of simple attendance.

   But in the end, winning is factor 1, 2 & 3 … and if the Wizards do that, with a guy who sells jersey to boot ….

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3. 

   bgalella

   October 9, 2010 at 10:45 am

   Happy Gilbert Arenas makes the Wizards into a playoff team. No one liked emo Gilbert, there’s no way he liked acting like emo Gilbert, so shave the beard, quit listening to Enya and play some basketball.

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