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.

Kyle Weidie

Founder / Editor / Reporter / Writer at TAI

Kyle founded TAI in 2007 and has been weaving in and out the world of Wizards ever since, ducking WittmanFaces, jumping over G-Wiz, and avoiding stints on the DNP-Conditioning list. He has covered the Washington pro basketball team as a member of the media since 2009. Kyle lives in D.C. with his wife, loves basketball, and has no pets.