…Othyus took it like a good sport, getting a good smile out of it before LeBron even landed on the ground. Ask Jeffers about it (I didn’t), and I bet he’d honestly say, “It’s just basketball.”
[Flip Saunders & Chauncey Billups remember the good ole days. They can't last forever, can they?]
[My column this week at the DCist, the first three paragraphs of which are posted below, covers Flip Saunders, the general state of team management, and how fans should be prepared for there to be no change in basketball operations at least until the end of the current 2010-11 season. Thanks for checking it out (and yes, I'm now recycling my own content).]
Earlier this season, after who knows what number post-game press conference where he had to explain a frustrating loss, Wizards coach Flip Saunders exited the media room with an impassioned step. The media followed his path up until the point where Saunders carried forward to his office, per usual, while hurried members of the press took a quick turn left into locker room to interview players. Before disappearing around the corner, in a moment where he probably thought he was alone, Saunders let out a loud expletive, both rhyming with and feeling down on his luck.
Moving to his press conference after Tuesday’s home game against the Denver Nuggets — the Wizards’ 31st loss in 44 games on the season — Saunders’ demeanor was different. He wasn’t exactly a defeated man — Saunders’ often conveys a sleepy-eyed, subtle calmness — but he was more a coach resigned to a situation which he often likes to point out that he didn’t sign up for. He highlighted more what the Nuggets did in building confidence to beat a downtrodden, rebuilding franchise, rather than what his own team did, or didn’t do, in losing yet again. Saunders didn’t seem as angry at the loss as he did on Monday night in New York, but more faced it as a matter-of-fact. Afterward, as he went through his exit routine with the media following on their way to talk to players, Saunders didn’t drop any F-bombs. He just gently rapped his hand along the photos of Wizards stuck to the wall as he plodded toward to his office, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
[Andray Blatche sends a message with his actions.]
[UPDATE: The supposed skirmish between Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee was originally denoted as "simply a disagreement between teammates," by Wizards team officials.
On Saturday night, team president Ernie Grunfeld released a statement: "After further investigation into an incident on Thursday night, we concluded that Andray and JaVale conducted themselves in an unprofessional manner. As a result, both players will be suspended for tomorrow’s game at San Antonio."
Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld addressed the media on Thursday afternoon and the major theme of his remarks was the team is in the “beginning of a new era.” While the most newsworthy item took place when the cameras were off, Grunfeld did give highly informational updates on various players.
Here Ernie talks about how John Wall will handle the extra attention placed upon the number one draft pick and discusses the games of the new youngsters:
Grunfeld details why the Wizards brought in two former lottery picks, Yi Jianlian and Adam Morrison:
Back in early August, when it was revealed that the New Jersey Nets had filed paperwork to change their team name, I got curious, did the Wizards do the same thing?
Evidently so, as team president Ernie Grunfeld let it slip this afternoon that the team would be switching their colors to red, white and blue for the 2011-12 season.
When I asked in August, team spokespeople were relatively mum … aside from a “Ted likes red” {wink, wink}. A league spokesperson wouldn’t comment either, other than indicating that, “if a franchise wanted to change its team name or colors, paperwork must be filed 24 months prior to the start of the season when the team wants to make the change.”
Basically, it became understood that the Wizards would eventually change their team colors to incorporate red, but an announcement would be made on their own terms, i.e., with the marketing pizazz that Ted Leonsis has became known for (See:Midnight Madness, PA Announcer Tryouts). Read more »
[Below are some quick notes from Ernie Grunfeld's Q&A with the media on the first night of Wizards mini-camp. Video of the session is at the bottom of this post.]
[Kevin Seraphin]
Bullets on Kevin Seraphin
Grunfeld gave a scouting report on Seraphin, crediting him for having good hands and for being light on his feet.
He springboards that into talking about the transition the team is going through. “We’ve been a predominantly perimeter oriented team and a finesse team and I just felt like we needed some more physicality,” said Grunfeld.
It’s been known that Seraphin will miss the Vegas Summer League because of a left knee ligament tear he experienced in the French League playoffs. Grunfeld said he expects him to be back on the court running full contact drills in August.
So what can one deduce from Ernie Grunfeld’s press conference on the eve of the 2010 NBA Draft?
Not much … as usual.
On John Wall
When asked about his impressions of John Wall, aside from the ‘are you going to take him/not allowed to discuss who we will take’ mystery, Grunfeld dodged the question by saying, “As you know, we can’t say who are number one pick is, obviously.”
Grunfeld went on to say that Wall is an “impressive young man,” that he “comes from a good program,” and is an “outstanding leader ” … yada, yada, yada.
On Workouts
When asked what he wants to see out of players during workouts: Read more »
We have more understanding about Ted Leonsis’ take on Gilbert Arenas after the new Wizards owner spoke to the media, VIPs and dignitaries, and members of his newly formed Monumental Sports & Entertainment organization this afternoon. Via the DC Sports Bog:
“I think it’s very important that Gilbert be re-embraced as a person and as a player. So suffice to say that Gilbert knows that the most important thing for him to do is to get in shape, and to be a great teammate, and to be a pillar of our community, and that he will show atonement. But his major deliverable is to come back and be a great part of this next generation Wizards franchise and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
After Leonsis’ press conference, one during which he almost seemed like royalty perched atop his podium throne as other regal members of the D.C. sports scene, including Wes Unseld and John Thompson with his sons John the III and Ron, Ernie Grunfeld and Flip Saunders spoke with members of the media.
Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld spoke for just under 20 minutes prior to tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz. The obvious topic, Gilbert Arenas. And one of the main questions surrounding the embattled guard has been asked and answered.
Grunfeld has previously said that he would welcome Arenas back to the Wizards and that if he wants to play basketball, he will be with the team. Tonight he reaffirmed that by saying, “Gilbert’s part of this organization, he’s part of our team and he’s going to be with us next year. We plan to have him back and we plan to have him in uniform.”
When I specifically asked if that meant that in no way will the team try to void Arenas’ contact, Grunfeld said, “We’re not going to void his contract and I’ve said all along, he’s going to be with us. And I think I’ve said that for the last two months.”
Grunfeld still hasn’t spoken directly with Arenas, but said that he has spoken with his father, Gilbert Arenas, Sr., and his representatives. Grunfeld said that in the near future he expects to sit down and have a meeting with Arenas.
