Posts for category ‘gilbert arenas’

Remember last year? I do. I blogged about it and all. In fact, I’ve been blogging about this Wizards team solid since October 2007. And what have I learned most? Curb your enthusiasm. Now, I’m not here to sell you a glass half-empty today that I purchased half-full yesterday. I do, as just about anyone involved with the Wizards, from within the organization to outside, from media to fans, have hope for a better future (thanks to, namely, John Wall and Ted Leonsis).

It’s just that being entrenched in D.C. sports and getting hype for what may lie ahead no longer go hand-and-hand, at least for me. I’m not sure if this feeling has existed within me the whole time, it’s just now I’m older, wiser. Or if the whole Gilbert Arenas gun ordeal last year (as the topping on other D.C. sports futility), which at one point had me contemplating ending this whole blog … briefly, has created a faintly apathetic feeling toward hope (or a hatred of false hope).

My point: Donovan McNabb comes to town and I shrugged my shoulders (and thanks to Mr. Irrelevant, I’ve also been cautioning people that we’ll likely see Rex Grossman start for a couple games). The Wizards land the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft (okay, that was bat-sh*t surprising), and take Mr. John Wall … more shoulder shrugging (sort of).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than thankful that I’ll get to cover Wall, but right now, he’s just a fresh-faced kid who happens to wear the jersey of the NBA team I’m close to.

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Okay, I feel a little creepy for speculating why Gilbert Arenas chose to wear uniform No. 9, as relayed by the Bog’s Dan Steinberg and the Tweet of Michael Lee, over No. 6 or No. 0 for next season, which will undoubtedly be his most trying as a basketball player … all things considered.

I was told his new number could have something to do with this mother, who passed away on March 13. So, I speculated that Gilbert might wear No. 13. But in hindsight, that was too easy. Nothing is ever easy with Mr. Arenas.

I really don’t care to guess much more about why No. 9, but I will leave you with this paragraph from Mike Wise’s excellent, excellent profile on Arenas which appeared in the Washington Post in late October 2006:
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[UPDATE: Gilbert will wear No. 9]

Arenas could wear lucky No. 13 next season, who knows, but he certainly won’t be wearing No. 6.

Today a league source indicated that Gilbert Arenas decided to change his jersey number, again, evidently, and filed the necessary paperwork with the NBA prior to the March deadline.

According to initial reports, confirmed by league spokesman Tim Frank to the AP in mid-March, Arenas submitted paperwork to change from jersey No. 0 to No. 6 for the 2010-11 season.

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[UPDATE: An update on this topic has been posted here.]

[UPDATE #2: Arenas has chosen a number.]

{image via DC Sports Bog}

You gotta love the interaction between Ted Leonsis and “bloggers” … specifically, Dan Steinberg and his DC Sports Bog.

On June 14th, Leonsis, the open and candid one, blogged about his first impressions of emails from Wizards fans and included a listed synopsis of the concerns brought to him.

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It was only a matter of time, obviously.

“Got me bringing guns to work, Gilbert Arenas,” is a line Jay-Z uses in a verse on the recently leaked collaboration between him and Dr. Dre called “Under Pressure.” The track is supposedly on Dre’s upcoming Detox album, the release of which has been anticipated since before Antawn Jamison ever wore a Washington Wizards uniform.

Some music critics have pointed out that Jay-Z’s lyrics on “Under Pressure”, which also mention the Tiger Woods sex scandal, are rather stale.

I’ll point out that Arenas likely didn’t bring guns to work because of any kind of pressure he was under, or because of the “haters”, as Jay-Z’s line associates his actions.

It kinda paints Arenas as a thug, kinda … I’m taking liberties here. Hence, that sorta makes Wizards players 0-2 in their last two mentions by Jay-Z in a verse. Blow the whistle indeed.

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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.

I specifically asked Grunfeld about his communication with Gilbert Arenas, since as recent as a March 27 press conference before the Wizards faced the Utah Jazz, Ernie said that he’d yet to personally speak with the embattled guard.

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Wall-Nuts over John Wall has led to a lot of positive attention toward the Wizards lately … distracting from fan curiosity over the return of Gilbert Arenas. But rest assured that people of the District-Maryland-Virginia area still care about the zeroed-out hero.

As the season’s games winded down, Truth About It.net media guy, Adam Douglas, took to the concourse and got the opinion of Wizards fans on Arenas’ punishment and if they want him to return to the team.

The interviews took place over two months ago, feelings about the Wizards have certainly shifted since then. But as far as I know, there’s no statute of limitations on interviews, and it’s interesting to look back on perception. I wonder how many of the interviewees would now think that Arenas and Wall can co-exist harmoniously.

In any case, enjoy.

Daniel Wattenberg writes a very insightful piece, “The Persecution of Gilbert Arenas: How gun prohibitionists and an image-conscious NBA scapegoated a basketball star,” at Reason.com. He covers the entire gun saga and the surrounding implications, such as …

D.C. gun laws after the Heller decision:

Taken at face value, the Supreme Court’s ruling opened the door to a broad, though not unlimited, right to carry handguns in the District of Columbia, inside and outside the home. And why would Arenas have taken it any other way? Like many of us, he had probably heard or read something about the widely publicized Heller decision—and little or nothing about the inside-page story of the D.C. government’s response. Now there may be a broad public understanding of the District’s new gun rules. But if so, that’s largely thanks to Arenas’ own highly publicized arrest and prosecution.

Overzealous prosecutors: Read more »

If I were doing things in a better manner (blog-wise), I’d make a separate post for each and every little bit of John Wall-related news emerging on the world-wide-web … there’d be a thousand of them. Instead, I’m throwing the best of the recent best in this post … with commentary. Enjoy.

Michael Lee of the Washington Post discusses the possibility of an Arenas-Wall backcourt. Lee touches on the idea that Arenas might actually relish not having to lead the offense under Flip Saunders. Remember, much of his struggles in ’09-10 weren’t necessarily due to having to overcome physical obstacles, but rather how to get the ball to others within the offense while balancing the idea that he needs to attack himself in order to create for others. Now, perhaps simplifying the necessity of Arenas’ talent could create a better team-wide dynamic. Lee writes:

My point is, Arenas could easily switch to shooting guard and be effective playing with Wall. He was a shooting guard in his two seasons at Arizona. And, when he shared the backcourt with Larry Hughes in his first two seasons in Washington, Hughes led the team in assists both seasons. Arenas actually enjoyed not being the lone playmaker on the team. At times, the responsibility frustrated him last season under Saunders’s system.

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John Mitchell has covered the Washington NBA franchise for a long time now. He used to work the team’s beat for the Washington Times and in the present day can often be found writing about league matters, and the Wizards, on NBA.com. Mitchell lives in the area and attended many games this past season.

More recently, Mitchell wrote an in-depth piece, “Why the Washington Wizards will axe Arenas,” for The Grio.com.

According to one source with intimate knowledge of the team’s plans, the Wizards front office, headed up by President Ernie Grunfeld, doesn’t want Arenas – released earlier this month from a Washington DC halfway house after serving 30 days for a felony gun conviction – anywhere near Wall, whom the team has already decided it will select with the top pick in the June draft. After Arenas was convicted Grunfeld traded away four starters.

One source tagged Arenas as “the reason why a core of players that reached the playoffs” on multiple occasions had to be broken up, “and it was entirely due to what he did. He poisoned the team. He is a cancer.”

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Some are saying that John Wall in a Wizards uniform should mean the end of Gilbert Arena. They assume the two are incapable of co-existing.

Matt Moore of Pro Basketball Talk and Hardwood Paroxysm makes a solid argument using statistics. On PBT Moore cites Arenas’ high usage rate, and on HP he uses Synergy Sports to outline the types of solo offensive plays involving Arenas last season. Both pieces highlight valid concerns that a Wall-Arenas backcourt will not work because they both need the ball in their hands.

Moore also alludes that the Wizards’ locker room is likely still poisoned and assumes there’s little chance Arenas will emerge from his mess a man changed for the better … and that this would obviously be a bad situation to bring Wall into.

At least we know Gilbert’s kid has a sweet kid-SUV.

Today is Siete de Mayo, the day Gilbert Arenas was allowed to go from his halfway house to his wholeway house … at 7 am sharp. Or is it from half to full?

And of course … paparazzi pho-togs were on the scene at Gilbert’s house in an attempt to score a money shot of the elusive agent.

He didn’t wave like a goofball. He didn’t give the camera a middle finger (which is popular among athletes these days). He simply constricted the strings on his black adidas hoodie so tight that breathing probably wasn’t easy on a humid(ish) day in May.

A retreat. The old ‘Do Not Disturb‘ sign.

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Remember when Ted Leonsis gave Gilbert Arenas a fist pound and called him a panther?

Me neither, I wasn’t there. But Ted blogged about it … the chance encounter between him and Arenas last October when they crossed paths in the Verizon Center parking lot the day after the Wizards won their season opener in Dallas.

The interaction probably took place near where an unnamed Wizard would one day unsuccessfully attempt to return Arenas’ bag of guns to his ride, opting instead to leave them somewhere in the parking garage when he couldn’t find the car.

The interaction from Ted’s Take:

I said, “Hi Gil. You lost some weight? Tell me your secret ’cause you look great.”

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>> No Perks Await Arenas at Halfway House

“Each room sleeps two people, and there is one bathroom for every two rooms,” said unit supervisor Pat Braun. “He will have a locker and bureau for his things. Each room has a desk. You have to bring your own TV. There’s only one to a room, and it can’t be bigger than 19 inches.”

But if Arenas wants to watch the NBA on TNT, he’ll have to venture out of his room, which won’t have cable.

via Agent Zero Privacy | NBC Washington, by Chris Gordon

Here’s what I’m thinking. Gilbert will have the other residents of this facility eating out of his hands in no time. He’s a people person, he can’t help himself. Hopefully he’ll be able to help those he meets as much as he should be helping himself. Also bet that he’ll be fueling his competitive fire at the ping-pong table and on the basketball court. [video below the jump]

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{Ernie Grunfeld in his playing days as a Knick}

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.

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