Gilbert Arenas once called himself the Black President, but the way he governed the basketball court and his world around it after injuring his knee in 2007 was far from diplomatic. The former star’s fall from grace in the nation’s capital is, however, fitting of political scandal.

Many have painted Arenas a complicated person, from fans to media to teammates to team personnel. But he’s not as dense as a mortgage-backed security. No, it’s the digestion of Arenas that was always complicated. One story one day, another the next. His antics were often a disruptive force, pardoned by organizational higher-ups and accepted in the best “boys will be boys” way possible. What former coach Eddie Jordan once dubbed as “Gilbertology” often spilled into the headlines. The NBA has had characters galore, but Arenas’ idiosyncrasies and flaky personae, at their height, were unmatched.

He carried the insistent whimsy of a child with the ability to drop 60 points in a game, something that’s still only been done by nine different players 16 different times in the last 26 NBA seasons — Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Tom Chambers, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan (four times), and Kobe Bryant (five times). Arenas’ brand of roller coaster fun captured basketball fans in Washington, and dragged franchise to its only sniff past the first round of the playoffs in the last 28 seasons.

Arenas was also the first big-time blogging athlete, and also one who exemplified the ills of careless athlete tweeting in the early days of the social media tool. Now, even with much of the league directly available in a variety of online ways, plot-twists similar to Arenas’ candid character cannot be found anywhere near in abundance. While Shaquille O’Neal is known as the predictable goofball, graphically depicted as a clown in Free Darko’s Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History with quips ready-made for his cushy new television gig, Arenas was depicted riding a bike on a tightrope above the circus, taking a risk for your attention.

“At the end of the day, everybody in this business knows that superstars get away with certain things. And at the time, Gil was Gil. Gil was on top of the world, making game-winning shots,” DeShawn Stevenson told me when his team at the time, the Dallas Mavericks, visited Washington in February 2010. “He doesn’t go out, he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t do stuff like that. So I think they kind of overlooked [the pranks] … everybody has something that’s bad. I think they over-looked that like it was his bad thing.”

The December 2010 trade that sent Arenas to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rashard Lewis is a glowing wart on Orlando general manager Otis Smith’s inability to build a title team around Dwight Howard. For Wizard team president Ernie Grufeld, it relieved the knots in his stomach, and saved some money for his new boss, Ted Leonsis. Although, the current circumstance in D.C. likely doesn’t help Grunfeld’s stomach much.

Arenas’ knee, his psyche, and who knows what else, did not allow him any success on an Orlando team that got bounced by the seven-seed Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. In 1,070 regular season minutes with Orlando his averages per 36 minutes were 13.2 points, 5.3 assists, 3.6 turnovers, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He shot 34.4-percent from the field and 27.5-percent from beyond the arc. Arenas’ 8.6 PER with the Magic equated him to Wayne Ellington in 2010-11, and slightly below the 8.8 season PERs of Travis Outlaw and Hilton Armstrong. The Magic paid Arenas an estimated $11,720 per minute of game clock time on the court, spread out over 49 games, before they sent him the amnesty way in early December 2011. Orlando still owes him just under $60 million through 2013-14. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy recently fell on the sword  and blamed himself for Arenas’ troubles in the Magic Kingdom.

In 21 games and 726 minutes with the Wizards at the beginning of last season, for which he was compensated an estimated $7,148 per minute of court action, Arenas’ numbers were more respectable — 18 points per 36 minutes, 39.4-percent on field-goals, 32.4-percent from three, a PER of 14.0. Still, no where near his once well-chronicled apex, nor a reflection of his time as a Wizard. In more than 350 regular season games over seven-plus seasons with Washington, he scored 8,930 points, good enough for eighth most in franchise history.

“I can’t remember past yesterday, so…” Arenas facetiously responded under the guise of a serious face upon his first trip back to Washington in February 2011 as a member of the Magic. He was being asked about bitter feelings toward the Wizards franchise in the aftermath of his locker room gun incident with Javaris Crittenton. After the game, a 110-92 Orlando win, Arenas still referred to D.C. as home. Most Washingtonians chose to fondly remember him with an appreciative and joyous ovation when he checked into the game off the bench. An audible minority chose to boo. It wasn’t championship-less Timberwolves fans welcoming back their Big Ticket in Kevin Garnett. It wasn’t Cleveland witnesses wanting their king LeBron stricken from the record. It was the polarizing Gilbert Arenas, the only player of epic legacy the Wizards have had while they’ve carried their current nickname. (If you’re wondering, Michael Jordan doesn’t count).

At the height of his career with the Wizards in 2006-07, in 74 games before hurting his knee, Arenas had a PER of 24.0, placing him 11th in the league, right above Steve Nash’s 23.8 — Nash’s ’06-07 was thought to be better than his previous two seasons in which he won back-to-back M.V.P. awards. Clearly Nash’s value on the court is much higher than a statistic could ever convey. Nonetheless, Arenas was supremely talented, and the difference from what he once was and what he seemed capable of just last season is significant. His per 36 averages in 2006-07: 25.8 points, 5.4 assists, 2.9 turnovers, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals on 41.8-percent shooting from the field and 35.1-percent from long distance, where he made 2.5 threes per game. Those numbers would represent the last of his best.

The Wizards started that season slow, going 4-9 over their first 13 games. But by the end of January they were 27-18, and head coach Eddie Jordan would lead the Eastern Conference squad at the NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas the following month. During a break in the festivities, after a contingent of flying Elvis’ dunked off a trampoline, Arenas, an All-Star for the East, did the same, putting the ball through his legs while in the air. People ate such personality quirks up like half smokes. But that 2007 All-Star weekend would be it for the team constructed by Grunfeld that also featured Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. Fun Street came up on pro basketball like a D.C. pothole, many thanks due to the injury bug.

Jamison missed all of February with a sprained right knee; the Wizards went 4-7. Butler missed significant time that month with back spasms and a bruised knee forced him to miss time in March; the Wizards held on with a record of 7-8 that month. Then the April rains came. Days after returning from knee injury, Butler broke his index finger on the backboard trying to block Ruben Patterson’s shot, during a homecoming appearance in Milwaukee no less. Three days later on April 4 in Washington against the Charlotte Bobcats Arenas experienced that fateful collision with Gerald Wallace, tearing the meniscus in his left knee. The Wizards went 3-7 in the season’s final month and finished the year with 41 wins, 41 losses, and the seventh seed in the play0ffs. Jamison and a main supporting cast of Antonio Daniels, Jarvis Hayes and Darius Songaila were swept 4-0 by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.

The issues with Arenas’ knee and the Wizards’ descent since have been well documented. Arenas missed all of 2007-08, save for 13 games, his knee injury drama becoming its own sideshow. The Wizards cobbled together a 43-39 season and a 4-2 playoff series loss to the Cavaliers, again in the first round. Handcuffed by circumstance — not wanting to lose their own free agents for nothing, compounded by one last championship chase by former team owner, the late Abe Pollin — the Wizards heavily invested in risky propositions.

There was a message of hope contained in re-signing the 32-year old Jamison and the shaky-kneed Arenas in the summer of 2008 to the grand total of 10-years, $161 million. Jamison was a great player and community guy, perhaps deserving of being overpaid with a four-year, $50 million contract. And Pollin had taken the zero to hero Arenas under his wing, who was in turn a personality that put butts in seats and made the franchise a lot of money.

Riddled by continued knee issues and his own erratic nature, Arenas earnestly strove for a return to the court. But he did not have reasonable physical restraint, nor people and treatment around him capable enough to deal with injuries such as his, physically and mentally. After continued surgical procedures on his left knee, Arenas saw an NBA court only twice by the end of the 2008-09 season, a horrid campaign for the 19-63 Wizards.

Then came 2009-10. Before guns triggered trades of Butler, Jamison, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood, there was Arenas saying he felt profiled by the refs, Flip Saunders opting for gimmicks like pulling all five veteran staters in early in the third quarter after bad effort, and overall, a crumbling village of Wizards in an NBA kingdom, accented by the death of Abe Pollin at the end of November 2009. After Arenas asked Crittenton to “Pick One” of his novelty guns at the end of December and was subsequently suspended for the rest of the season by David Stern, on his January 6 birthday no less, the music had stopped. The thrill ride was over. In the NBA’s carnival, the Wizards had been reduced to a tightrope with no one to cross.

Perhaps for too long fans in Washington held on to the possibility of an Arenas return to glory. If you can shoot, you can shoot, right? No sir, in the NBA its often about leg strength and unwavering confidence. Arenas quickly seemed to be without either. But that’s not what made jettisoning him so easy for Grunfeld.

This past summer, people asked if Crittenton being charged with murder cast his card game dispute and gun involvement with Arenas in a different light. Whomever Crittenton really is, it’s hard to absolve Arenas’ penchant for crossing the line. The price he paid could be considered fair by most — the suspension, the money lost, the court case, the halfway house.

“Why can’t Tiger Woods get away with what he did when Lil’ Wayne can?,” I heard Arenas once wonder aloud in the Wizards locker room in late 2009, way before his gun incident. He speaking of Wood’s transgressions with women. Dissecting Gilbertology, he’s probably since wondered why Bryan “Baby” Williams, CEO of the aforementioned rapper’s record label, Cash Money Records, stood by Wayne’s side through gun charges while Grunfeld turned in Gilbert and his Desert Eagle to the NBA league office.

Arenas always considered himself an entertainer along the lines of a musician or an actor, so he never understood why his bad decisions came under such scrutiny on the sporting stage. He felt that as long as he was playing well, he was entitled to do as he pleased. And when he lost his effectiveness on the court, he thought he could cure everything with a joke.

No one cares to see the tightrope walker go back and forth all day; you either get to the other side or you fall. After hitting the safety net last year, Arenas remains entrenched in embarrassment bordering on irrelevance. No one knows if anyone’s going to extend him a ladder for a small climb from the depths, or if he’s just going to quietly fade under a deflating big top. It was a memorable performance nonetheless.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2011 -- Gilbertology Returns to the DC Airwaves; Agent Arenas is All Used Up
• November 19, 2010 -- Why Gilbert Arenas Chose No. 9
• March 27, 2010 -- Gazo The Prankster Makes An Appearance In Cartoon Form, Kinda

Okay, so why No. 9? Well, it was probably time to ask Mr. Arenas himself, so I did.

“Nine means the rebirth … you know it’s the last number before you start something else,” Arenas said. But it sounds better coming from him, so let’s take a look-see:

Gotta like how …

• Arenas told a bit of a fib about choosing No. 6 at first.
• LeBron changing to No. 6 had something to do with him switching to No. 9 (and the fact that the element of surprise was over).

Notes:

• Many thanks to the Washington Post’s Mike Wise for allowing me to interrupt his session with Arenas to ask my question. I know Mr. Wise will have a helluva story on Gil in the papers soon.
• Arenas also said the selection of No. 9 had nothing to do with the apartment he grew up in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8BBipmqKxg

Other reads from Truth About It:

• March 12, 2010 -- Video: Mike Miller Talks About Giving Up His Number For Gilbert
• January 6, 2012 -- Gilbert Arenas Is 30 Years Old
• February 4, 2011 -- Gilbertology Returns to the DC Airwaves; Agent Arenas is All Used Up

Arenas’ varied pranks are infamous, and for a recent spell due to a horribly failed prank with guns that wasn’t really a prank, they became blemishes open for all armchair psychologists to analyze to their core, from a distance.

And then there’s pooping in someone’s shoe, an act that added a somber twist to Arenas’ locker room gun affair and his history of egregiousness excused by a franchise. Or in the least, it was Gilbert’s most memorable prank, which went from the punchline of comical stories among those in the know to something that was used to further indict Arenas’ character.

The proper term, kids, is defecation … in verb form: to defecate. And it was first properly used in reference to Arenas and victim, Andray Blatche, by Mike Wise and Michael Lee of the Washington Post in January 2010:

“Former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan and his staff privately intimated they felt undermined by Grunfeld when it came to matters of discipline with Arenas. Arenas, a notorious practical joker, often crossed the line of acceptable decorum. The example often cited was how Arenas once defecated in teammate Andray Blatche’s shoe during Blatche’s rookie season. His behavior often went unchecked and unpunished, said a former team employee on condition of anonymity.”

Early 2010 Internet yuks and blogging gold were the mostly innocent results of the newly divulged information about an act that occurred in 2005/06. And then the story remained relevantly dormant and unmentioned by all parties involved and aware … until recently.

Speaking to the media in the Big Apple after his season debut against the New York Knicks last Friday, Arenas made mention of ‘The Incident: a shoe, a poop, a story,’ which was conveyed by Chris Mannix in Sports Illustrated (quoted via Dan Steinberg’s DC Sports Bog):

“I understand what people think because of the perception of me. They read the funny stuff, like me taking a crap in [teammate] Andray Blatche’s shoes. But nobody is going to ask what Andray did to deserve it. You read about it because that’s when I’m at my goofiest, when I’m around my teammates. I don’t get in trouble outside of this building. You are not going to catch me drinking and driving, or picking up prostitutes. People don’t see what my teammates see, the guy who is in here three times a day working out. That’s the guy they don’t see.”

Why not be that nobody?

It was the last question of the night after the Wizards’ win over the Rockets, yet clearly the first one I’m writing about. Please don’t hold it against me, but the situation called for a back story. Here that story is, what Andray did to deserve ‘it’, straight from the horse’s mouth.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 31, 2011 -- Channelling More Incites From The WIZZNUTZZ
• December 28, 2011 -- Andray Blatche Just Can’t Help Himself
• December 23, 2011 -- Washington Wizards: Rolling Toward Roles

On Friday, in the aftermath of the mythical Gazo the Prankster serving as a character witness for Arenas (via The Washington City Paper), the mold for the cartoon appeared in cartoon form … well actually, “illustrated” with some sort of art medium.

It’s not exactly the Gazo the Prankster kids might watch, but the courtroom sketches of Gilbert may be the closest we ever come to seeing him in cartoon form. Here they go.

Here, Arenas seems to be shrugging his shoulders, with a tinge of Alfred E. Neuman. The cartoon version of Judge Robert Morin seems to be an elder Keith Olbermann-looking kind of fellow, with perhaps a little bit of a perm up front.

Also almost lost amongst the fray is that the artist is named Bill Hennessy.

But since, according Arenas’ defense sentencing memo, you’re more likely to see him pushing a cart in Costco than the club, (although Gil did throw a million-dollar birthday party at Love, a D.C. nightclub set to “finally” reopen today after being shut down since a stabbing there on New Year’s Eve), Hennessy might be a more appropriate sketch artist for an Allen Iverson courtroom appearance.

In this next picture, Arenas’ attorney, Ken Wainstein, seems to be clapping his hands in some sort of manner. The other guy to the right, whom I’m assuming is the prosecutor, is gesturing his hand in the form of a karate chop that probably indicates he objects.

And finally we have our picture of Gil. Look, I applaud the quick craftsmanship of Mr. Hennessy, but that does not look like Mr. Arenas. It looks like someone, I just can’t put my finger on who.

Maybe Charlie Bell of the Milwaukee Bucks? … as site photographer Adam Douglas suggested.

Worth noting …

Some people have thought NBA commissioner David Stern to be a tad irrational in suspending Arenas indefinitely on January 6, 2010. Of course, much criticism of Stern goes off the fact that the decision seemed to be a personal reaction to Finger Guns, and perhaps to Gilbert calling him a “mean man.”

Not exactly.

When the many and constantly changing “tales” of Arenas, Gilbertology if you will, publicly surfaced, showing that Arenas “adjusted” his story multiple times before January 6, it’s safe to assume that Stern was aware the whole time of how the Wizards guard, with a history of revising the facts for his own benefit, could not get his story straight.

The suspension for spitting in Stern’s face via Finger Guns was on top of all the untruthful B.S., further justifying the acts of the Commish.

As I’ve previously written, I’m glad Arenas will not have to spend time in jail, but that doesn’t mean he should get away scot-free. Answers, and change, should still be demanded from him.

The lies and massaging of reality needs to stop. Gilbert Arenas must put Gilbertology to death.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 6, 2012 -- Gilbert Arenas Is 30 Years Old
• October 6, 2011 -- ShareBullets: REMEMBER: Bryon Russell Is Responsible For Gilbert Arenas
• February 4, 2011 -- Gilbertology Returns to the DC Airwaves; Agent Arenas is All Used Up

What does it all mean? The death of Agent Zero? The birth of Agent Six? With Gilbert, who knows. What we do know is that a current Washington Wizard wears #6, and that would be Mike Miller, who probably had to file paper work himself.

Miller was asked about the number change after the game. {more below the jump}

Although this move achieved a certain level of knowledge by late Friday in the least, the February 26 deadline to submit paper work to the NBA (also exactly a month prior to Gilbert Arenas’ sentencing date), there are whispers that Arenas’ intentions have been known for longer.

Miller likely would have taken #33 in the first place had Brendan Haywood not been around. He wore #33 in Memphis and in Minnesota, but #50 when he started in the NBA with Orlando. Grant Hill was #33 then. Miller sported #13 when he played for the Florida Gators.

But why #6 for Gil? Some have pointed to the fact that Gilbert was born on January 6th, which was also the day he was suspended prior to a game in Cleveland against LeBron, who, by the way, has also filed paper work to change his jersey to #6.

At the time, Michael Lee Tweeted (via SB Nation):

“Surprised few focusing on real story w/LeBron changing #s from 23 to 6: If he plans to change teams, he wouldn’t have to make request w/NBA.”

Part of me wonders if LeBron’s proclamations of being to Michael Jordan as Andray Blatche is to Kevin Garnett is all about the pomp and circumstance. Others have claimed it’s about the money. Not exactly. It’s about the attention.

Even if there’s truth to some of the other assumptions, LeBron is easy to read. Gilbert Arenas isn’t. His representation could be about the day of his incarceration, which also could mean yet another number change in the future. Because in basketball imprisonment you do two days, the day you go in and the day you go out, whatever date that may be.

Maybe Gilbert wants to one up LeBron and make a bigger splash. Maybe he wants to honor Bill Russell and play some defense for a change. Maybe he wants to wear six to honor Antonio Daniels or Buddy O’Grady or Mike Riordan or Johnny Ezersky or Paul Gordon or Buddy Jeannette or Red Rocha or Don Barksdale, all members of the franchise who have donned numero seis. Maybe Gil read the theory on LeBron and wants to prove he doesn’t want to change teams. Maybe was a fan of that show Blossom.

Whatever the reasons for Agent 006 or whatever we will eventually be calling the unavoidably charismatic Arenas, it’s all a prelude to a comeback, a set-up for there to be a tale behind his return to the court. Gilbert wouldn’t have it any other way.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2011 -- Gilbertology Returns to the DC Airwaves; Agent Arenas is All Used Up
• November 19, 2010 -- Why Gilbert Arenas Chose No. 9
• October 16, 2009 -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Arenas, Gilbert Calls The Media “Lazy”

As a fan, this season has been nothing short of a tragedy. As a person, this has been one of the most sadly interesting experiences I’ve ever had … and I wouldn’t trade it for much (Well, aside from a million dollars and an NBA title to D.C.).

There’s been some light moments, some dark moments, and everything in between. And I’m just talking about Gilbert Arenas … you know, the “So goes Gil, so goes the Wizards” guy. Now that a suspension for the rest of the season has been officially handed down by David Stern, it would be a good time to dig into the archive and provide the best of Gilbert quotes, Gilbertology if you will, for the 2009-10 season.

As I compose this post, and after just listening to Gilbert Arenas’ father on the Mike Wise Show, this situation still wreaks with sadness, and probably will for quite some time. Not so much because a huge, unfortunate joke has been played on Wizards fans, but because I still don’t get the feeling that Arenas understands the remorse aspect of this case.

Gilbert Arenas, Sr. comes across as a well-spoken, well-reasoned man, but also defends his offspring with a large touch of bias. For one, and yes, Gilbert is his child, but Gil Senior refers to his son as a “kid” in a way that almost excuses the fact that Gil Junior is a 28-year old man.

On the Mike Wise Show, the Senior Arenas played down the gravity of the situation while playing up the “it was just a joke” part. He also helped point the finger at the media that was responsible for painting his Junior as a “thug.” Yes, much of the media coverage surrounding Arenas has been unfair … but hey, that’s the nature of the beast. Not to excuse the media (mostly Peter Vescey), but it happens to most every public figure who does something wrong. The way to nip that in the bud is to not do anything wrong in the first place.

But what makes a large part of this whole ordeal so sad, or so frustrating, is the fact that Arenas has lied and continues to lie. Gilbert’s father has unfortunately turned a blind eye to this … for which, I can’t completely blame him. I am not a parent, but I’m old enough to understand that sometimes, in the eyes of a parent, a child can do no wrong. I’ve been that child, doing wrong, but yet defended by a loving parent. It is what it is … as Mike Miller would say.

It sounded fishy when Gilbert Arenas, Jr. initially said that he brought guns to the locker room because he wanted them out of his home and away from his children, citing a newborn that arrived on December 9, 2009. He already had two kids, a daughter born in December 2005 and a son born in March 2007. Why not get guns out the house for them?

Court documents deriving from Gilbert Junior’s testimony would reveal that he brought at least one gun, if not all four, after the airplane gambling dispute between himself and Javaris Crittenton. That’s a lie folks.

And Gilbert Arenas, Jr. is still lying. Just yesterday, word surfaced from Arenas (via Comcast’s Chris Miller) that he was the one who suggested a season-long suspension to Stern and that the commissioner was so “shocked” by this offer that he accepted it right away. Not so fast. Stern has denied the idea that Gilbert “requested” his punishment. Sounds like Arenas is, again, doing anything to make himself look better.

Stop lying. Stop pointing fingers. Grow up and take responsibility like a man.

‘The Gilbert Arenas of 2009-10: A Season of Interviews’:

Disclaimer: These quotes are only from home appearances, and please excuse the amateur video (it’s a hand-held Flip Camera) along with any time the video doesn’t exactly match the sound. My bad. Otherwise, enjoy the nine minutes and twenty-eight seconds of fun.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 20, 2010 -- The Fill-In Vocal Leadership of Josh Howard
• November 13, 2010 -- From The Other Side: Mr. Livingston Returns To Washington
• November 12, 2010 -- Gilbert Arenas On Playing Weight & Regaining Basketball Shape

It all derives from Gilbert Arenas and some of his teammates are becoming increasingly weary of his apathy toward consequences. Hard to believe that this guy has yet to grow up.

It’s all there, even what Ernie Grunfeld might do with the team.

Go read everything at Mike Jones Sports. Our friend, formerly of the Washington Times, has put out the best reported story on the Arenas-Crittenton gun situation yet. What are you waiting for? Go read already.

[Also see what Mike Prada has written at Bullets Forever, 'Trying to make sense of the Gilbert Arenas/Javaris Crittenton incident']

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 3, 2011 -- Washington Wizards Suspensions & Fines Since 1995
• August 29, 2011 -- ShareBullets: John Wall Should Look Out Below
• January 27, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Portraits Of A Young Team & Wizards Picture Leftovers

Gilbert Arenas tweeted a lot as he brought in the new year. He acknowledged that his gun thing is serious, but that he doesn’t do serious things. He said the Shaq rumor wasn’t true, but indicated that even so, panties, blowies and massages were supposedly at his disposal. Arenas almost complains about the drama in his life, yet embraces it because it gives him the attention he so seemingly and desperately craves. He was just being the crazy (in a good way) Gilbert we know, but yet don’t quite understand.

There are a couple reasons to document Gilbert Arenas’ first 24-hours of Tweeting. For one, you might not be one of his 13,338 growing army of followers, students in the study of Gilbertology. Secondly, Tweets can be erased. This site isn’t going anywhere. And if it does, there’s still always the Internet Archive: Way Back Machine. Also worth considering: It’s quite possible that Gilbert Arenas will deny that he was behind his January 1st 2010 Tweets (@gilbertarenas is not currently a verified account). But knowing Gil (sorta), I doubt it.

During the height of Arena’s Tweets on New Year’s Day, while many were planting a palm-smack on their forehead or pleading with him to stop, I wanted Gilbert to keep going. Not because it provides good blogging fodder, although it does, but more because Arenas was being allowed to be human. Twitter offers celebrities such as him, and normal folks such as you and I, the unfiltered freedom to share thoughts, etc..

Sure, everyone should be careful what they say in a public venue, but with $111 million dollars on your side, you don’t always have to go tip-toeing over people’s sensitivities when it’s your own life. Who is to say that Arenas must shut himself up? Or speak through a mouthpiece, an agent, such as Drew Rosenhaus … could you imagine if he was involved?

I’m just as pissed about the gun incident as the next passionate Wizards fan. These dudes are messing with the franchise I’ll still follow long after they are gone. I imagine I’ll still write something ripping Arenas and Crittenton once all the facts come out. But folks, Gilbert is not a basketball-playing robot. Plus, his tweets are pretty entertaining, albeit a tad immature, a bit naive, and sorta egotistical.

Did you know Javaris Crittenton used to Tweet?

Crittenton, or @JayCrittDT, ended his brief Twitter run in late July. He wasn’t very entertaining, rather gave a simple accounts of what he was doing at any given time. I imagine tales of going to the mall, eating out, watching movies and working out/practicing is pretty typical of a young NBA millionaire (of course, one who might be out of the league after this season).

During last September’s media day, I asked Javaris about his Twitter retirement. He said:

“There’s just a lot going on and I  wanted to stay focused on what I needed to be doing. Sometimes, the Internet, FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, that can take away from your concentration on something that’s more important. And as soon as I got off, some of the players started getting in trouble … you have to watch what you say on there. I think the best way to avoid that is to just not be on there, so I got off.”

Little did Crittenton know at the time, but associating with guys like Kendrick “Bookie Ball” Long can get you in trouble too. The best of Crittenton’s Tweets are below Arenas’.

{gilbert arenas on twitter}

i wake up this morning and seen i was the new JOHN WAYNE..lmao media is too funny

i guess nobody thought that last text was funny.well i hav 2 change subjects.umM what about that TIGER WOODS.i heard he dated 2 MIDGETS jk

i understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me

i hav media outside my house…sumone tell them its to cold to be sittin out there they might get frost bite…it is winter still…

when u become a great blogger u need great stories and a little drama …for sum reason i stay with drama and i dont even leave my house

first the SHAQ drama..which im sorry to say wasnt true but it was great drama ..girls was throwin them panties Lt and rt 2 pay her bac

if u read the dates on the text on dec 23 we were gettn ready to celeb my daughter 3rd bday and march 5 the diesel was in houston playin

and she ws at hm..unless she knows how to teleport its hard to be in 2 places at one time..and if she can teleport i hope she does in the

summer so i can throw a killer pool party…just like the movie harold and kumar..its gonna be bottomless…jk or am i

most people was wondering why i never commented..becuz it wasnt true so what was the point in wasting my time..commenting on it

i felt it was the diesel problem ad i ws the victum..lol…being the victum was great i had girls hit me sayin im so so sorry if u need any-

thing just let me know and ill take care of u..i got like 45 massages about 32 (blow) i mean hand rubs LMAO pls dont take me to serious

im talking about it now becuz i cant talk about todays new like i want..and why do u think i got a twitter after the news becuz i was gonna

eat this stuff up becuz i knew everybody was waitin and thats why i made the first the first vid using his name he gave me the ok to do it

u rt i almost forgot i had kid followers out there..so i guess i might change it to rate G until there bed times.ummmm SIKE this is why ur

following me becuz keep it REAL funny

well i hav to go shoot sum freethrows now becuz nobody likes gettn booed for missing them…ps i need more twit space then 140

and again if ur not laughing i dont think u should follow me becuz im never serious and i will never not say anything dumb and silly

befor i get off….4 all the (confused admirers)which means haters..why follow sumbody to hate on them..thats seems pointless to me but do u

they say bad decisions make for great stories…only true if u dont take urself too serious..see u guys in rated x hours ..LOL

{javaris crittenton on twitter – june to july 2009}

• JayMoneyDT: Nice lil look for tonight. Bout to head to Layla in a lil. Man, I almost forgot how fun DC is.
• JayMoneyDT: What you know bout 20 grand stuffed in a white sock? Pull off in a white drop like I play for the white sox.
• JayMoneyDT: I been waiting on this my whole life. These dreams keep waking me up at night. And I wonder if you know what it means…to find your dreams
• JayMoneyDT: Just got through hoopin. Pull up jumper is cash. Still gotta put up more and more shots everyday. Repetition+Confidence= Cash Money Jumper
• JayMoneyDT: Put up 700 shots 2day. Repetition+confidence. About 2 head 2 this Beyonce concert at the arena with my cousin, Gil, and the homies.
• JayMoneyDT: Damn, I done walked in here….looking like the muhf**kin man of the year.
• JayMoneyDT: Man its dude in the crowd singing, “if I were a boy” including my cousin. I gotta watch this dude when I go to sleep. Ahahahahaha, jk
• JayMoneyDT: At Josephine’s with Blackboy, Gil, and Elke
• JayMoneyDT: About to head down to Berry Farms or whatever you call it to hoop with Gil and Miles. Never been to this spot before. Heard its like Rucker
• JayMoneyDT: On Wisconsin Ave. shoppin with my cuz. Gucci & LV shawty. I always had a passion for flashing before I had it id close my eyes and imagine.
• JayMoneyDT: Bout to have a dinner/meeting with my dude Ken Kavanaugh. Think its better to keep my money with Merrill Lynch or Smith and Barney?
• JayCrittDT: @MiaVenice Lol, its Duct Tape Mimi. You see the duct you see the tape. You see the DT in my face. Just label it gutta.
• JayCrittDT: Man its soooooo hooooot in Vegas. I stepped outside by the pool and almost blacked out. No joke. This is crazy
• JayCrittDT: Women be shooopping…women be shopping. You can’t stop a woman from shopping. (Chris Rock voice) lol
• JayCrittDT: Im retiring from twitter. Goodbye people. Thanks to everyone who followed and supports me. Keep me in your prayers and be blessed.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• September 2, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Basketball Wives & Crittenton’s Tweets
• September 1, 2011 -- So What If Gilbert Arenas Is A Weirdo, According To Javaris Crittenton
• October 3, 2009 -- Unheard and Unseen Cuts from Wizards Media Day

This latest news warrants its own playlist. And since the good folks at WizzNutzz are making mixtapes for JaVale McGee, I figure why not join in on the fun.

This one’s for you Gilbert and Javaris. I don’t know much about astrological signs, but it seems like Capricorns don’t get along … especially when it involves gamblin’.

Oh yea, Happy Birthday Javaris. You turned 22 on New Year’s Eve. Hope you woke up feeling well today. Arenas will turn 28 on Wednesday.

Oh, and Gil, I’m sorry that the media is camping outside of your house. On a positive note, you made it man … Whitney Houston levels. If we’re lucky, we’ll get a chopper with live video.

In the meantime, enjoy the music.

The Roots – Guns Are Drawn

album: The Tipping Point

winning lyric:

It’s outrageous and they just ain’t nothing
But save us an ocean of brown fists in various flavors
A favor for a favor man, this is the majors
Tell me what you would do with no phone or pagers

Onyx – Throw Ya Gunz

album: BacDaFucUp

winning lyric:

It’s time to get live, live, live like a wire
I set a whole choir on fire (uhh!)
Well done, on the grill, shot skills kills
And no frills – they try to diss me? they gettin crispy

Aerosmith – Janie’s Got A Gun

album: Pump

winning lyric:

Janie’s got a gun
Her whole world’s come undone
From lookin’ straight at the sun
What did her daddy do?
What did he put you through?

Notorious B.I.G. – Machine Gun Funk

album: Ready To Die

winning lyric:

So you wanna be hardcore
With your hat to the back, talkin bout the gats in your raps
But I can’t feel that hardcore appeal
that you’re screamin, baby I’m dreamin
This ain’t Christopher Williams

Erykah Badu – Penitentiary Philosophy

album: Mama’s Gun

winning lyric:

Why can’t we get along and
Take all the funky tones
And make up a funky song
That be bangin on and on

Cam’ron – Get Ya Gun

album: Killa Season

winning lyric

Guns matchin my jeans (what’s that) I’m just stylin’ my friend

Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz – Déjà Vu (Uptown Baby)

album: Make It Reign

winning lyric:

Friends call me gunz, sons call me trife
Cause I’m quick to slide off and slide this d*ck up in your wife
And that’s life, you should learn how to treat her

Black Joe Lewis – Gunpowder

album: Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!

winning lyric:

I said a gunpowder baby …

Public Enemy – Fight The Power

album: Fear Of A Black Planet

winning lyric:

Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant sh*t to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Muther f*ck him and John Wayne

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 2, 2010 -- A Tale of Not Paying Gambling Debt & Pranks With Guns: Your Washington Wizards
• January 1, 2010 -- Wizards Make Official Statement on Arenas-Crittenton Gun Situation
• October 3, 2011 -- Washington Wizards Suspensions & Fines Since 1995

It’s just Wizards being Wizards y’all.

At 10-20, with more than a record’s reason to be distraught, i.e., read this piece on Hardwood Paroxysm by Matt Moore, people ask me if it’s hard covering the team. I say …

1) I’ll always love the Wizards.

2) For the reason(s) below, being around this team will continue to be fun. {And we must remember, even though they get paid a lot^4 more money than you and me, they are people too. Not basketball playing robots. That being said, I wish the Wizards would start earning their goddamn salary. (So does Flip Saunders, more from Thursday’s practice to come.)}

3) Happy 2010 everyone.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• July 2, 2010 -- CHECK MY STATS: Kirk Hinrich, Sioux City Shooter
• October 22, 2009 -- Observations & Screen Shot Lessons In Defensive Fundamentals From Philly
• August 28, 2009 -- 10 Questions for the 2009-10 Wizards

Gilbert Arenas’ frustration with what he perceives to be a lack of calls in his favor seemed to culminate on Tuesday night in Toronto. Late in the first quarter, he was given a technical foul by referee Greg Willard for arguing a non-call.

On a drive to the basket, Arenas left his feet for a shot and initiated contact with Toronto’s Amir Johnson. Johnson had his arms straight up, but his body did come into contact with Arenas to the extent that Phil Chenier, Wizards television color-analyst, said he was “incensed” because a foul was not called.

When the whistle wasn’t blown, Arenas circled past the ref on the baseline, clapped his hands together and yelled, “Come on!” This did not warrant a tech. But when Arenas clapped his hands a second time, looking back at the ref and saying something else while running down court, a line was drawn. Willard wouldn’t let Gil continue any further and blew the whistle, adjusting his hands in a perpendicular fashion.

Arenas continued to make impassioned pleas to anyone who would listen. Not as impassioned as Scott Skiles when he was given two technicals and an ejection Wednesday night in the Verizon Center, but it was an issue that continued to be on Arenas’ mind nonetheless, including during the game against the Bucks.

Just past the midway point of the second quarter against Milwaukee, Arenas tried to aggressively attack the basket on three straight offensive possessions. Attempts one and two resulted in blocks by Carlos Delfino and Andrew Bogut. A good case for a foul call could have been made on at least one of those attempts.

On the third straight attempt, Arenas seemed intent on making the refs blow the whistle. The strategy didn’t work. Gilbert was called for an offensive foul against Bogut. He didn’t get a tech this time, but his frustration and pleas to the refs was visible for all to see as Flip Saunders called a 20-second timeout. He also would only end up attempting two free-throws for the game, which came with four minutes left in the third quarter.

So what gives? Is Arenas out of control? Is he not getting a fair shake? Is he trying too hard to initiate contact instead of worrying about simply finishing the shot? Is he being targeted by the refs?

After the Bucks game on Wednesday, I asked Arenas, not specifically about frustration toward the refs, but rather if him not getting calls when he attacks thwarts his aggressiveness.

His answer:

“They made this new rule, I don’t know what it is … it’s frustrating this season. I used to average about 11 or 12 free-throws a game*, now I can’t even get a call. I feel like they’re profiling me as a player.

I’m creating all the contact, and I’m saying that’s what a scorer is supposed to do, they’re supposed to create the contact when they get into the lane. It’s not double-jeopardy, but if they’re outside the lane, it’s a charge. Now if they’re inside the lane and I get into them, it’s a no call.

So I’m asking, ‘Where do I win at?’ Last game I got so frustrated I had to get a tech.  It’s just frustrating because I can’t play my game because I’m “jumping into everybody.”

If two refs say it, that’s fine. But if every ref says it to me, that means before the game you’re consciously thinking, ‘When he goes to the lane, we can’t call it because they’re jumping straight up.’”

Do you feel you need to change your aggressive approach?

“I think they need to change the way they call a game. That’s all it is … am I making basketball plays? If the big man is out of position, if he didn’t work fast enough to get outside that lane, anything in there is a blocking foul. If they get outside, it’s a charging. Now, if you get inside, it’s a ‘no call’ … where the hell this come from?”

So where does Arenas go from here? One moment he says he’s lacking confidence, which resulted in Antawn Jamison and Saunders telling him to be patient and just be himself. Now, frustration with the referees is mounting.

The Wizards can’t complain too much about the results since Jamison implored Arenas to play “his” game. In the last two games, both wins, Arenas has totaled 44 points and 18 assists to only five turnovers. He could, however, improve on 41.5% from the field.

From where I sit, Arenas needs to stop worrying about the refs (at least not more than the standard in-game politicking). Warranted or not, he can’t use a lack of calls as a lingering reason in the back of his head to why some things might not be working. Keep attacking the basket, but do it with scoring in mind, not trying to draw a foul while throwing up whatever attempt that can be mustered.

Arenas is still trying to get a feel for his own game, his new coach, and his teammates … much less a feel for how he will be addressed by referees on aggressive moves to the hoop. Allowing frustration to mount won’t help his play or standing with the whistle-blowers. But just like anything else, and to quote a favorite term of Ernie Grunfeld and Flip Saunders, Arenas achieving an offensive comfort zone is a “process.” Only time will tell if this process will result in success for Agent Zero his team.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• November 2, 2010 -- Best of The Wizards/Bullets: Three-Point Shooting and Gilbert Arenas
• October 21, 2010 -- Worst of the Wizards/Bullets: Shooters Edition
• December 24, 2009 -- Wizards vs. Bucks in 12 Frames

{flickr/Keith Allison}

Episode #4 of the Dagger Report (a Washington Wizards podcast) is here.

This week, Mike Prada of Bullets Forever and I talk about the ways and means of Gilbert Arenas amidst early season struggles. To join us for his conversation, which was recorded on Sunday evening, is Jake Whitacre, contributing editor at Bullets Forever and managing proprietor of Gilbertology.net.

The second segment, recorded on Saturday afternoon, features Jordan Sams of SB Nation’s 76ers blog, Liberty Ballers. Here, we discuss Eddie Jordan’s first year in Philly and the troubles of the Sixers (which aren’t as bad as those of the Wizards).

Enjoy.

Episode 4: The Dagger Report – Washington Wizards podcast

Or click here to subscribe via iTunes.

Previous Dagger Reports:

• The Dagger Report, Episode 1: Season Preview
• The Dagger Report, Episode 2: Wizards-Cavaliers Rivalry
• The Dagger Report, Episode 3: Early Season Struggles
  

Featured Music:

• Survivor – “Eye of the Tiger”
• The Beastie Boys – “Sure Shot”
• The Clash – “Rock The Casbah”
• Billy Idol – “White Wedding”
• The Romantics – “What I Like About You”
• Steppenwolf – “Born To Be Wild”
• Heart – “Crazy On You”
• Iggy Pop – “Lust For Life”
• And of course, the Rocky Theme Song (we are playing Philadelphia after all)

{flickr/Keith Allison}

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 23, 2009 -- Flip Saunders’ Wholesale Third Quarter Substitution: Wizards Top Sixers 105-98
• November 27, 2009 -- Wizards vs. Sixers in 10 Frames
• October 3, 2011 -- Washington Wizards Suspensions & Fines Since 1995

Waiting to be let into the gym, I surveyed the media scene. A bunch evil, lazy looking mofos … with daggers in their eyes and hate in their blood. Of course, I’m being extremely facetious here. But in the eyes of Gilbert Arenas, that’s what they are. Ok, again, I must confess, I’m putting words in Arenas’ mouth … but he did call the media “lazy.”

Arenas spoke in such a sullen and somber tone, he seemed like a kid who’d just lost his puppy. I halfway expected him to break out in a smile, but he didn’t. I know I broke out a couple uncontrollable smirks myself. When Arenas was done, he just quietly put his head down and walked to the locker room.

Here’s an excerpt of his presser …

I later spoke with Mike James about the differences between Agent Media and Agent Teammate:

“Gil is crazy and he’s going to continue to be crazy. That’s just who he is. He just wants to play basketball. He doesn’t want to think about all the other stuff. He doesn’t really care what the media says about him and how they express their feelings about him. He’s only talking to the media because he has to talk to the media.

Gil is Gil … cracking jokes all the time. He’s a fun guy to meet. I enjoy him. So now, he’d rather spend more time on the basketball court than in front of the cameras.”

So there it is. Arenas just wants to play basketball. And on the court with his teammates, he’s a totally different person … a regular Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Arenas.

Sorry media. It may be a tad immature, a wee-bit overboard … too bad.

Hopefully, what Arenas does on the basketball court will be entertainment enough.

Another oh yea … Arenas has a book coming out in February 2010. [also via Gilbertology]

Take that again media! Gilbert Arenas will be his OWN media!

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 2, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Do We Even Know John Wall?
• February 4, 2011 -- Gilbertology Returns to the DC Airwaves; Agent Arenas is All Used Up
• March 12, 2010 -- Video: Mike Miller Talks About Giving Up His Number For Gilbert

Arenas is probably saying something interesting to David Aldridge. {flickr/Keith Allison}

On late Tuesday the NBA fined Gilbert Arenas $25,000 for refusing to speak with media and the Wizards $25,000 for not making him talk. Later that evening, Gilbert’s first “interview” since media day (via Michael Lee of the Washington Post) was an unfortunate dissipation of his personality … about as lethargic as watching elderly people eat white toast while they watch paint dry.

Arenas’ games with the media are a bit annoying. He’s partially silencing himself because he just wants to concentrate on basketball after being injured for so long. Perfectly reasonable. The other part seems like an attempt to be ‘cute’ since he feels he’s been tragically wronged by the media in the past. Uh, not so reasonable.

I’m not saying Arenas isn’t somewhat justified in being miffed toward previous coverage of him. But at the same time, his own words caused much of the strife. It’s not like Arenas was constantly misquoted or taken out of context with malicious intent. He was able to speak directly to fans via ‘Agent Zero: The Blog File’, which was how people became so attracted to his sincerity in the first place. Without blogging, he’s probably just another Ben Gordon.

I guess Gil just feels misunderstood. But the problem is that he doesn’t understand how he could contribute to the cause of him being misunderstood. If that makes any sense. Perhaps his ghost-writer/blogger should have used more emoticons and ‘LOLs’ so that we would ‘get it’.

I’ve recently wondered how Gilbert’s teammates feel about his silence … since they’d become the closest access to Gil there is. We’re kidding ourselves if we don’t consider it the media’s “job” to ask them questions about Arenas … especially since that’s who fans want to know about.

Being a hybrid fan-media person (sorta), I’ve been conflicted about this issue when in the locker room. Am I really okay with asking Mike James if the team said anything to Arenas at halftime to get him to stop passing up shots and to start being more like himself? Meh … I really don’t care. If it’s not me, it’s somebody else. I’m not the one who created the situation (kinda fatalistic, I know). Besides, having to answer questions about a teammate isn’t a unique situation in professional sports.

Via the recounted “interview” on Wizards Insider, some of Gil’s teammates are having fun with the situation (Brendan Haywood), and some have Arenas’ back (Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller). Good for them. Between that and trips to Target with JaVale McGee, it seems that Arenas’ relational apathy is reflected toward those on the outside of the team, not inside. And that’s really all that matters.

How could I not respect the man’s desire to remain in stealth mode (or now that he has to talk, banal mode)? Maybe the fans are deprived to some extent, since part of the media’s purpose is to be a conduit between players and fans (and not to strictly “report” on events), and especially since fans no longer have a direct window into Arenas with his retirement from the blogosphere.

If all we’re going to get from Gil is disappointing cliches like “at the end of the day,” “it is what it is,” and “both teams played hard,” he might as well go back to not talking. Let the NBA give his money back and leave him alone. Agent Trite doesn’t benefit anyone. I’d rather see Arenas stay silent and do what he wants to do, play basketball.

But at the end of the day because it is what it is, if the Wizards represent one half of both teams playing hard and start winning, the fans really won’t give a damn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqVHnsLww0

Maybe that evil LeBron fellow damaged Arenas' vocal chords {flickr/Keith Allison}

Other reads from Truth About It:

• November 19, 2010 -- Why Gilbert Arenas Chose No. 9
• March 12, 2010 -- Video: Mike Miller Talks About Giving Up His Number For Gilbert
• March 1, 2010 -- When Mike James Took A Media Bullet For Gilbert Arenas

A scene from glorious Grand Rapids, MI - {flickr/OZinOH}

Listening to basketball on the radio is hard … damn hard. Hard like drinking warm milk and eating boiled eggs in the hot July sun while getting bit by mosquitoes and suffering from a tequila and red wine hangover.

Ok, well maybe it’s not that bad. Wizards radio guys Glenn Consor and Dave Johnson do a helluva job keeping team faithful updated with developments.

Still, when I hear Consor officially declaring Gilbert Arenas to be “back”, indicating that he hasn’t felt this way about the guard’s preseason cameo appearances up until now, I feel pretty deprived from not being able to see the moving pictures.

But the Wizards’ second unit held on late to win 101-98, and Arenas scored 24 points in just under 28 minutes (along with 5 assists to 6 turnovers). This team is getting their ‘LA Looks’ on and starting to gel. And hey, looks like they figured out a way to play some okay defense without Brendan Haywood (Fab Oberto led the Wiz with a plus-13).

moving on …

An Appearance By Mike Miller’s Three

Miller continues to show he will be a diverse contributor (9 rebounds, 3 assists) … and he finally hit a three pointer in a Wizards uniform. Of course, this didn’t happen until about two minutes were left in the fourth quarter of the fourth preseason game.

Even Consor and Johnson were openly wondering why Miller wasn’t looking to score during their broadcast of the Pistons match-up. On one occasion, Miller drove to the hoop and passed up an opportunity so he could dish the rock to Dominic McGuire (of all people) at the three point line.

But when Miller finally connected from deep, it was timely, giving the Wizards a four pout cushion in the waning minutes. Consor raved the make as the perfect “shot ready” opportunity from Miller. Consor also related that Miller later went by the media/scorer’s table and said something to the effect of ‘See? I can hit threes.’

Good. Now just show us a little bit more.

‘Groundhog Day Dray’ Watch

Now, because I listened to the game over the radio, I can’t exactly attest to how Andray Blatche looked against Detroit … but stat heads will certainly see his team low minus-15, along with his 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 fouls in just under 15 minutes, and say, “Hmmm.”

Guess I have to invoke the over-used expression, “It’s the preseason.”

Links:

Jumping JaVale

Flip Saunders said after the game that he is trying to help McGee “fight through that wall” by playing him extended minutes, to see if he can produce even while fatigued. Saunders was pleased to see McGee finish strong in the fourth period, when he scored eight points — all on dunks. “He’s been good,” Saunders said of McGee, who is averaging 11.8 points and shooting 73 percent from the floor. “He’s been very productive with what he’s done. I tell our guys, ‘If he’s even, he’s ahead.’ No one is going to jump with him. Just throw that thing up there and let him go get it.”

[Michael Lee - Wizards Insider, Washington Post]

Michigan Connections

The Wizards have been in Grand Rapids since Sunday night. Saunders said that he spent the extra time in Michigan to visit his good friend, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo in East Lansing.

Saunders isn’t the only member of the Wizards with Michigan connections. Paul Davis is a native of Rochester and played for Izzo at Michigan State. JaVale McGee is a native of Flint, where his mother, Pam McGee, played high school basketball. He also played high school basketball at Detroit Country Day before moving out of state. During the first quarter, a fan yelled at Saunders, “We want to see McGee, Flip!”

[Michael Lee - Wizards Insider, Washington Post]

From The Other Side

For the second time in four games, Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey both picked the same game to have miserable shooting nights. They combined for 3-for-16 shooting against Miami in the opener and were 6-for-26 Wednesday against Washington.

Gordon is streaky and known for having the occasional poor-shooting night, but Stuckey, who gets most of his points on drives or 15-foot jumpers, isn’t a guy who would be expected to have wildly up and down shooting nights. Hopefully the trend of both struggling on the same nights doesn’t continue.

The Wizards don’t have a very good defensive backcourt, but they do have really big guards in Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young, Caron Butler and Mike Miller, which perhaps caused some shooting problems for the smaller Gordon and Stuckey. The smallest guard, Will Bynum, however, continued his great preseason with 23 points. He’s leading the team in scoring this preseason at about 18 per game.

[Patrick Hayes - Full Court Press, MLive.com]

Other Recaps:

Bullets Forever | Motown String Music | AP

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 20, 2010 -- Tuesday Night Radio Starring The Wizards and The Pistons
• November 23, 2010 -- Wizards, Pistons and Defensive Responsibility
• August 19, 2010 -- Flip’s Formula

Even though we’re in a state of “this damn economy”, we can rest comfortably that there’s always an NBA player willing to implement his own mini-stimulus package to consumerism … such as Gilbert Arenas and his need to purchase a refrigerator and microwave for one day. And this took place in Michigan, which has recently fallen on hard times … so more kudos to Gil.

How do we know about all this? Why, the Twitter account of one @bigdaddywookie aka JaVale McGee.

{via @bigdaddywookie}

Now, some were calling it ‘rookie hazing’ … but JaVale will be the first to tell you, he ain’t no rook.

But since Arenas was out pretty much all year, is JaVale a rookie to him? We’ll probably never know since Gil isn’t talking to the media.

Still, that doesn’t answer the question at hand … did JaVale end up carrying Gil’s ‘Top Chef For A Day’ accouterments?

{via @bigdaddywookie}

A follow up Twitter-query as to if Gil and JaVale both pushed the cart side-by-side went unanswered.

Still, McGee should feel lucky. In the past, the prank-playing Arenas might have rubbed Icy-Hot on the inside of McGee’s transformer helmet or de-clawed his Wolverine toy for such an instance of non-compliance.

Whatever the case may be, shopping with Gil is probably better than being lonely in Grand Rapids.

{via @bigdaddywookie}

Other reads from Truth About It:

• August 24, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Earthquake After Effects & The Detriment of Gilbert Arenas’ Twitter Account
• July 2, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Wizards Weekender of Lockout Links
• June 22, 2010 -- LINKS: It’s All About John Wall, faster than a speeding cheetah

{via WashingtonWizards.com}

It started sometime in the hour of three o’clock pm on Thursday when Mike Jones of the Washington Times (@sptswrtrjones) tweeted, “Arenas watched two scrimmages this afternoon. Jogging with a slight hint of a limp.”

Uh oh.

My first intuition was to not push the panic button. If Wizards fans are approaching the 2009-10 season as a whole with guarded optimism, then they’re probably guarding optimism surrounding Arenas’ knee more than Avon Barksdale’s crew guards the stash house.

Including reports that Arenas sat out of Wednesday evening’s scrimmages to “rest,” Flip Saunders has maintained that his absence is because he recently aggravated a dislocated finger on his left hand that initially occurred about two weeks ago.

But even an inkling of an issue isn’t a good sign. It’s like just thinking you hear Omar whistling ‘The Farmer in the Dell’ echoing off the bricks in The Pit. Trouble could be a brewing.

(Yes, I realize I’ve amped up The Wire references lately … I started re-watching the whole series starting with season one recently.)

Subsequent Thursday afternoon tweets went as follows:

• @sptswrtrjones: Zero popping mid-range J’s post practice w ease though.
• @sptswrtrjones: Arenas now engaging Foye in 3-point shootout game.
• @MrMichaelLee: Flip Saunders says Arenas’s left finger, not his knee, forced him to sit him out of scrimmages on Wed. and Thurs. I dunno, saw a slight limp
• @BulletsForever: It’s tough to tell if Arenas was limping. More like running gingerly. Maybe a slight limp. Bottom line is, he wasn’t running normally.
• @MrMichaelLee: Saunders said Arenas’s knee is fine, ran thru everything else. “If we had a game he’d play. He’s got no problems at all.”
• @BulletsForever: Flip said Arenas “ran sprints at the end, so he’s had no problems [with the knee].” Let me tell you … Gil definitely wasn’t sprinting.
• @BulletsForever: Just to clarify again … this Arenas thing could easily be nothing, but it’s worth pointing out because of his injury history.
• @MrMichaelLee: Might not be big deal but Arenas isn’t talking. He said, “I’ll see you guys media day of next year.”

What’s to make of all this? Mike and Mike and Mike have more …

After the scrimmage was over, the players each shot free throws to determine how many sprints they’d have to do. Despite making both of his shots — meaning he didn’t have to sprint — Arenas did do some jogging while the others were sprinting full-on. It definitely appeared like he was running a bit gingerly on his left knee, the same one on which he had all the surgeries. -Mike Prada, Bullets Forever

But what of the ginger movements? Arenas was sitting on the scorers table watching the scrimmage when the gym was opened to the media. No ice, no brace. Maybe he had iced it earlier and was just a little cold and stiff as the running was his first movement since? Maybe. Maybe it’s a little sore from five practices in three days? Maybe. Maybe he was just having a little fun? (He did than glance up at the three Mikes after each jog up and down the court.) For now, we must continue to watch and wait. -Mike Jones, Wizards Outlet

Now, Arenas appeared to be moving around fine while engaging in a shooting contest with Randy Foye after practice. So, it really could be no big deal. His personal trainer, Tim Grover, wasn’t around him monitoring his leg or anything. Arenas has toyed with the media before, so he could’ve just been playing around with us to get some attention. Mike Jones of the Washington Times, Mike Prada of Bullets Forever and I noticed how Arenas glanced in our direction every time he completed running up and down the court.

If it is something serious or much ado about nothing, we’ll know soon enough, but that sort of thing cannot be overlooked considering Arenas’s past struggles with his left knee. -Michael Lee, Wizards Insider

Is Arenas up to his old tricks? Just because he claims he’s going to be ‘serious’ (which some of his teammates don’t even believe), doesn’t mean he still won’t mess with people, as he has the propensity to do.

Part of me is skeptical over Arenas sitting out so much because of a finger. Tape that thing up and get on the court so Flip can assess the situation and arrange the various pieces where they need to be.

Another part hopes that Saunders would be a straight shooter with the media and fans when it comes to concerns over Arenas’ knee. The last thing this city needs is a buildup of false sports hope.

Then again, getting over the knee is one thing, Gil doesn’t need any other lingering injuries to deal with … maybe the finger does need rest.

And we must also remember, the observations of the media represent just a small glimpse into an entire day’s practice.

Whatever the case may be, you didn’t think a deadpanning, media-reclusive Arenas would mean that there wouldn’t be any excitement surrounding the Wizards, did you? Maybe just not the excitement you were hoping for.

More From Day Three

Saunders continues to be pleased with the progress his players are making. He did say, however, that he would like to see more improvement in grasping some aspects of the defensive strategies, but said that’s to be expected. “Of course I’ll never be completely satisfied, otherwise I wouldn’t be a coach,” he chuckled.
[Wizards training camp: Day 3 - Wizards Outlet, Washington Times]

Foye has been spending a lot of time handling the ball and looked good in the scrimmage for the second day in a row. Dominic McGuire has been really aggressive defensively, but he turned a few heads with his offensive repertoire on Thursday. He had a nifty baseline drive and reverse layup and also hit a nice turnaround jumper over Jamison.
[Day 3, Final Rundown - Wizards Insider, Washington Post]

Video

Other Reads

Haywood and Butler Still Support the Redskins [DC Sports Bog]

Mike Wise raps for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood

• Gilbert Arenas on the Mike Wise Show, 106.7 The Fan [SportsRadioInterviews.com]
• Mike James tries to make the battle for minutes even more complicated [Bullets Forever]
• Time is now for ‘Future Three’: New focus motivates Wizards trio [The Washington Times]
• Abe Pollins to receive D.C. Chamber award [Washington Business Journal]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 31, 2009 -- What Went Wrong When Oklahoma City Came To Washington, DC
• December 30, 2009 -- Denial and The River Without A Paddle: Wizards-Thunder Post-Game Locker Room Video
• December 28, 2009 -- The First Two Minutes of the Third Quarter Against Minnesota: Just Part of What Flip Saunders Was Talking About

At first Gilbert Arenas wasn’t going to vote….then he changed his mind, got tatted, and blogged it out.

Change is good, but why did Gilbert Arenas really vote for Barack Obama? Well, I will tell you (via theory).

Barack Obama’s Presidency has the science community giddy because he has promised to end the ban on federal funding for stem cell research.

Yesterday, Britain’s Weekly Telegraph came out with an article, “Knee injuries could be healed by ‘living bandage’ made from stem cells.” Here’s an excerpt:

So there you have it…..not only does Barack Obama love the game of basketball, but he can also take the actions that may help Gilbert’s knee issues, all while being a champion for healing knee injuries across all sports.

Random Posts

• July 18, 2008 -- Good Ol' Fashioned Link Fest
• October 1, 2010 -- John Wall: Just Let Him Play – 2010-11 Wizards Player Preview
• March 17, 2008 -- Previewing Wizards Killing Hawks With Clubs

Back in August, Gilbert blogged that he would essentially rather die than vote…..conveying a disheartening state of confusion about whether a vote counted or not, and admitting that he wasn’t even registered to vote because he didn’t want jury duty. No one laughed.

Arenas then reiterated his anti-voting sediment in late October. Still no chuckle. Thankfully, the pretend “Black President” is more side-show than influential subject. America’s youth disregarded absurd negative associations with the right to vote and their voice was heard.

Lo and behold, Barack Obama gets elected POTUS and people are celebrating in the streets. All of a sudden, Gil is registered to vote, getting the Obama family portrait painted on a wall in his home, and tattooing tributes to the President elect’s message of change on his digits. Gilbert, I thought your knee was hurting…..how were you able to catch up to the bandwagon so quick?

Michael Lee of the Washington Post wrote: Arenas said on Saturday that his previous comments about not voting because he was afraid of having higher taxes were “a joke that nobody got.”

I guess Gilbert Arenas forgot that part about not wanting to participate in the American justice system, or about no longer paying attention because he doesn’t get the party delegate process, or that his pessimism about democracy just might have made a kid who looks up to him not care. What can I say? Typical Gilbertology.

Random Posts

• April 17, 2009 -- Wanna Meet Gilbert Arenas Tomorrow?
• June 2, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Next Right, NBA Draft Rumors
• January 6, 2010 -- Wizards vs. Sixers in Seven Frames: When Gilbert Arenas Became Ziggy

• Pat Forde of ESPN.com writes a pretty nice article about New Orleans and the continuing recovery process (pre-BCS national championship game). I hope that NOLA continues to receive media coverage…..anything to further assist the rebuilding.

• Have you ever wondered what a wad of cash looks like spread all over the floor of a Virginia Tech football player’s abode….err…. the dwelling of a “friend”? — thanks to the Big Lead for showing us how the Flo-Rida dope boiz do the damn thang.
• Ahhhh memories…..I’ll admit it, I used to have a pair of Redskins Zubaz pants, much like the ones worn here by Jim Lachey and brought to the us by Mr. Irrelevant. I’m not sure what happened to my pants….can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not. But I used to be the flyest 8th grader who never wore ‘em out in public. What I can’t figure out is why the good folks at zubaz.com are still in business. They even have pictures on their site of people from modern times modeling the ‘baz.
• Winnie Cooper is still kickin’, lookin’ tasty, and just about a third of a century old.
• Speaking of hotties, Co-Ed Magazine.com has the run-down on the top 25 sexiest female athletes of 2007 – Not sure about you, but my #1 vote goes to #6 on the list, Allison Stokke, University of Cal pole vaulter. College Candy has the coverage — easy gents, she’s just a college freshman, for now.

• A little late in the game to jump on the Gilbert Arenas blogging band-wagon, but I’m sure that Gil appreciates the love from the San Francisco Chronicle nonetheless. Found via Gilbertology, the article, “Arenas leads the league in humorous blog entries,” by Dave D’Alessandro actually touches on the blogging fad of many NBA players. It will be interesting to see how professional sports leagues and individual team PR will handle the new means of communication as it continues to blow up. Many sports media pundits, such as Michael Wilbon, have expressed their displeasure with blogs….and they have some valid points……but their dirty little secret is that more and more “traditional” journalists are monitoring blogs for information with a different perspective, just like the general public.

  UPDATE: Slam Online has this timely post touching on the dangers of professional sports players in the limelight and the ability to personally broadcast to the masses.
  [The dangers of YouTube for NBA players by Vincent Thomas]

  YET ANOTHER UPDATE: True Hoop’s take – NBA Players, Please don’t fear YouTube

• Can you make change on top of a back-board? True Hoop is intent on figuring it out with these posts:
  James White vs. a Jumping Myth
  About “Making Change” off the Top of a Backboard

  I don’t know about ya’ll, but I seen a guy do it….It was Bo Kimble in the 1991 movie, Heaven Is A Playground (which also featured Hakeem The Dream Olajuwon).

• Speaking of Bo Kimble…..we all know how he is tied to Hank Gathers — if you don’t, here’s the quick background: Kimble & Gathers played high school ball together in Philly. They both decided to head west for college, signing with USC. After the coaches who recruited them were fired after 1 season, both decided to transfer to Loyola Marymount. In his junior season, Gathers led the NCAA in points, 32.7, and rebounds, 13.7 — the second player in history to do so. Kimble, limited to 18 games, only averaged 16.8 that season. But the following year, in a Paul Westhead system, Kimble averaged 35.3 PPG and Gathers 29.0 — AND they had another guy, Jeff Fryer, who averaged 22.7 [what a Big Three, 87 points per game...in college!].

  The death of Hank Gathers: In a WCC tournament semi-final game vs. Portland, Gathers scores an alley-oop dunk, putting his team up 12 with just over 13 minutes left in the 1st half. Gathers then collapsed and never got up; he died from a heart muscle disorder.

  Here is what I didn’t know: Not only was the rest of that game canceled, but the rest of the WCC tournament was canceled. Loyola Marymount was given the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. 1990 doesn’t seem like that long ago, but I suppose a lot has happened in the 18 years since. Was this fair to the rest of the teams in the WCC? Would a conference basketball tournament under similar conditions be canceled today?

  I’m not sure….being only 9 at the time, but I would like to know about any controversy surrounding this decision. Yea, Loyola Marymount was the WCC regular season champion — so the move somewhat made sense. I’m just imaging what the reaction would’ve been if the Skins were given a playoff spot after Sean Taylor passed away.

Random Posts

• September 19, 2010 -- ShareBullets: Are We Allowed To Scoff At Josh Howard?
• December 29, 2009 -- Wizards Game 30 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Live Twitter Blog
• July 31, 2008 -- Washington Wizards & North Carolina Tar Heels