Barkley works the Shake Weight, a Wizards ticket giveaway, commentary and links …

First, TAI is giving away two tickets to Wednesday’s game versus the Pacers (courtesy of StubHub). The seats are good (Section 101, Row L … behind the Wizards’ bench) and John Wall is good (as in he’s back and should be playing). You can win these two free tickets by being the first to email the correct answer to the trivia question I will post from the @Truth_About_It Twitter account at 11 am EST on Wednesday, December 29. The answer must be emailed to truthaboutit@gmail.com.

Also note: The Wizards are pulling something out of the Miami Heat’s playbook to get fans to arrive to games early (not sure if the idea actually originated with the Heat, but they did do something similar earlier this year). Starting when the doors open at 6 pm for Wednesday’s game versus the Pacers until 6:30, the Verizon Center will be offering food and drink discounts outside of section 107. [via @WashWizards]

WIZARDS-ROCKETS.

I’m not sure if it was his intended effect, but the technical Rocket’s coach Rick Adelman drew was the real “Game Changer” of Monday night’s loss in Houston … well, that and Chase Budinger. Up 10 points with about 10 minutes left in the game, a minute later the Rockets were able to cut the Wizards’ lead to seven via a JaVale McGee goal-tending call against Aaron Brooks. John Wall responded by jetting up the court, pulling a crazy, falling spin move in the paint, and somehow finding Josh Howard in the right corner for a jumper, putting the Wizards up 84-75 at the 8:48 mark of the fourth. It was time for Adelman to take his stand. The coach stomped and yelled in the direction of the referee, instigating a technical foul. Maybe he thought it was a charge against Wall (television replay seemed to indicate otherwise), maybe Adelman wanted to get his team fired up. Whatever the case was, it worked.

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Believe it or not, in the clip you are about to see, Charles Barkley doesn’t even talk about the trade that Mark Cuban just fleeced the Wizards for. Although, he surely will trash the move at some point.

In going down their All-Decade NBA lists and highlights, the TNT crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley couldn’t resist mentioning a specific sensitive moment in the Wizards’ failed history … The Michael Ruffin Ball Toss.

Ruffin’s infamous gaffe, the one where he tossed the ball in the air with around three-seconds left only to see Mo Peterson of the Toronto Raptors catch, shoot, and make a crazy buzzer beater to tie the game (the Wizards would go on to lose in overtime), wasn’t officially apart of any All-Decade list, but the guys could help but mention it.

“The second dumbest basketball play I’ve ever seen,” said Kenny Smith.

“Would we respect anything less out of the Wizards?,” said Charles Barkley, a perpetual hater of the franchise. Why does he seem to hate the Wizards much more than any other team in the history? I’m not sure, but I’d sure like to ask the Chuck Wagon some day. And yes, in the clip Barkley says “respect,” not “expect.” Classic Round Mound of Rebound.

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While Gilbert Arenas’ latest blog post is entitled This is Kwame’s Year, (more on than later) the bombshell that Arenas dropped was his opinion on the American political process.

Much akin to Charles Barkley, Gil kinda/sorta admits to being a Republican:

It’s hard for me to vote, because since I’ve been in the NBA I’ve been in the upper class so I’ve been a Republican. If you have any type of money, you’re a Republican, period. So, it’s hard because you see a better looking president in Obama – I don’t even want to say because he’s black, but he just looks the part – and then you have McCain who is Republican and I’m like, man. I know Obama is going to raise taxes on the upper class from 20-60 percent, that’s what I’m looking at.

Of course, Barkley “was a Republican until they lost their minds.”

But essentially, Arenas is saying that he doesn’t vote, isn’t even registered to vote, because of the 2000 Presidential election between Bush and Gore, and because he wants to avoid jury duty. He doesn’t want to be apart of a high profile case because his house might get blown up as it happens in the movies.
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Charles Barkley threw the Wizards through a plate-glass window and spit on them like a little girl when he called Washington the “dumbest franchise in the history of civilization.”

flickr/vedia

Nowadays, when the Wizards talk, the ears of the media perk up, and the word on the street starts bubbling. Of course, we throw the entire Wizards team into the mix, but it’s really only two who are opening their mouths: DeShawn Stevenson and Gilbert Arenas. Their teammates are put in the position to back up their claims. Who knows what savvy vets such as Antonio Daniels and Antawn Jamison think of all the words. My gut feeling is that they don’t mind so much (and neither does Eddie Jordan). They’re competitors too and are just as ready to strap ‘em up and go to war on the court.

Gilbert Arena’s comments about wanting to play the Cavaliers should come as no surprise. Does he really have to say that he wants to face Cleveland in the playoffs? The move seems obvious. Anyone would want to get the monkey off their back, especially Gilbert’s heavy weight of missing two key FTs with 15 seconds left in game 6 of the 2006 playoffs. Do the history. Damon “Zirconia” Jones went on to hit a jumper in the corner with four seconds left. Game Cleveland, 114-113; Series Cavs, 4-2.

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We all know what transpired the last time the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers really faced each other in the playoffs on May 5th of 2006. LeBron James talked trash to Gilbert Arenas before two crucial free-throws. Gilbert missed both. Damon Jones hit a deuce with four seconds left and the rest is history. Cleveland won 114-113 that night and took a very hard fought series in six games. Leaving the Verizon Center, my buddy Chris and I had only one choice: drink our troubles away in Chinatown with a boatload of scotch.

Even last year when the Cavs swept the Wizards without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler in the playoffs, all seemed quiet on the Eastern Conference front between Cleveland and Washington….until 2008. Below is the time-line of the trash talk that’s gone since.

flickr/wizardsdotcom

February 22, 2008
The Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Wizards fresh off completing a blockbuster trade, a minute before the 3pm NBA deadline, and were left with only eight players. Two of those eight were signed from the NBDL to meet the NBA roster minimum. Of course the Wizards, without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, only suited up nine players. With 15 seconds left, the ball in his hands and Cleveland down one, 89-88, LeBron James drove to the basket and received a superstar call. James’ two made free-throws and a DeShawn Stevenson missed layup at the buzzer gave the Cavaliers the 90-89 win. Some of the Wizards took exception to Cavalier attitudes during the game. I’m sure LeBron’s ball toss up to the scoreboard, celebrating like he just won a championship, was a contributing factor.

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flickr/wizardsdotcom

Here’s the ranks:

1) You must know that Bullets Forever has gone through a pretty kick-ass revamp. Stop waiting and go join the community. By the way, that’s where the Game 82 blog vs. the Orlando Magic will be tonight.

2) Wow, it’s been a whole five years since Michael Jordan played his last game as a Wizard. The crew at We Rite Goode has an excellent run-down.

3) Gilbert Arenas may still be spurning the media, but we now know that a “break” from blogging means about 4 days. Highlights of the latest include:
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The New York Knicks lost to the Boston Celtics 104-59 tonight. Would’ve set an all-time Knicks franchise low for points scored in the game had it not been for a Nate Robinson 3 pointer at the buzzer. And I laugh.

So I’m watching Inside the NBA on TNT at halftime of the Lakers-Nuggets game. First of all, Kenny Smith compares the Knicks to the Washington Generals….hilarious.

But Charles Barkley? I’m with you 99.9% of the time captain, but you feel bad for Isiah? Because the players quit of him? The key part of ‘the players quit on him’ is the Him and not the Players.

Now look, I know that coaches are supposed to coach and not play. I also realize that it’s the responsibility for the players to go out an win games. They are on the court. Coaches are on the sidelines.

And hell, the Knicks players DO deserve criticism for their lack of effort. But to say you feel bad for Isiah Thomas because the players quit on him? Let’s do two things Chuck: Be real with us and be real with yourself.

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