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}

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{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.

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I won’t be down in Richmond to cover training camp until this weekend, but there’s plenty of output from those in the mix on the campus of VCU. Here’s the run-down …

(and yes, still jealous that I’m not down there … still making “livin’ money” during the day instead)

Flip Saunders, master teacher [via WashingtonWizards.com]

Project Comeback

Gilbert Arenas hasn’t spoken yet this week, but according to Saunders and some of his teammates, he is rolling right along.

“I thought he looked good. If you look at how his team does [in scrimmages], I think that’s the most important thing,” Saunders said. “One of the main comments that came out from our meeting afterwards with the coaches was they didn’t realize how well he can really see the floor, push the ball and create. He’s gone three practices in 24 hours and Idon’t see any ill effects. He exploded when he needed to explode and got where he wanted to go. He’s trying to understand his role and what we want him to do, and trying to be that leader.”

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First up, our friend Andray Blatche. What you will see in the video embedded below:

• Andray making cupcakes at Red Velvet.
• Andray eating cupcakes and drinking a juice box with NBC 4′s Lindsay Czarniak.
• Andray’s mini-jersey chain bling.

And now LaVar Arrington posting up Gilbert Arenas … and missing the bunny.

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Back in late May, Mike Miller professed his ‘man-crush’ on LeBron James via Twitter. When coming across this sometime in early September, I thought, ‘okay, let’s give this guy the benefit of the doubt.’ For one, his proclamation occurred way before he joined the Wizards. And let’s be honest, despite my hatred of LeBron, the guy is a damn fine basketball player.

Unfortunately, Miller just doesn’t seem to know any better. It’s kinda like the greasy-faced tween-age boys who have crushes on Megan Fox. Grown men know better. Sure, most so-called grown men wouldn’t kick Fox out the bed, i.e., wouldn’t mind LeBron James on their team. However, neither of these happen without compromising personal beliefs (and cheating on whomever you’re with/your team … especially if you’re a Wizards fans, but a distaste for LeBron is growing around the league).

My point: LeBron getting “Chosen One” tattooed on his back is just as douchey as Fox getting Marilyn Monroe tattooed on her forearm. (Cavs fans, I know you’re wondering, where does getting Abe Lincoln’s face tattooed on the front of your neck fit in? I’m not sure, and I won’t even begin to explain.)

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I’m not even sure you can call JaVale McGee a ‘hipster’ in this instance, since so many aspects of hipsterism have been disseminated into mainstream (and copied and recycled like a virus). But thick frame glasses, a faux(ish)-hawk, and a horizontally striped v-neck is all I need to make the insinuation. Wait, what the hell is a ‘hipster’ in the first place?

McGee has already expressed displeasure with the nickname Epic Vale (or The Choppa, or whatever), opting to dub himself ‘J-Mac’ or ‘Big Daddy Wookie’ or ‘Kill + Mode = Chee$e’.

But now, perhaps ‘Blipster Daddy Wookie’ should be added to the list. And with the stuffed shark in the background, I’m not sure on which site this photo would be more appropriate, this one or this one.

In other news, via Twitter, JaVale might sell his all black Impala on 24s for 25K. Holler at him if you’re interested.

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What in the name of Eva Perón are these two doing here?

Well, with a glimmer of the Sun of May in their eyes, and perhaps fueled by a well-aged Malbec, these two Argentinians seem to be re-enacting the final match of the U.S. Open with household fireplace tools, celebrating a big win by fellow countryman Juan Martín del Potro over Rodger Federer.

Carry on boys,  see you on the hardwood.

(Speaking of … the Wizards and Spurs will first face off on November 21st in San Antonio, and the return favor will be on January 2nd in D.C.)

With Haywood back in the fold, there might not be a lot of minutes at the center position. Saunders might not lean on [JaVale McGee] too much if he starts believing his own hype and focuses more on video and music production and less on rebounding and blocking shots.

- Michael Lee – Wizards Insider, Washington Post

This may not be the first jigging of the knob on the door of criticism should McGee struggle next season, citing his “extra curricular” social media activity as a possible target for blame.

When the guy is having slumber parties with Nick Young, staying up until 7 a.m. and making videos about playing doctor, pointing out potential connections between sophomoric activities and performance on the court is easy to do.

But when it comes from a Wizards/NBA beat reporter for the Washington Post, it can be seen as a subtle, but valid challenge to McGee, preemptively opening the inevitable eyes of Wizards Nation.

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You may think yesterday’s press conference introducing Fabricio Oberto was about closure … about finalizing the chapter on 2009 summertime movement … about alleviating the angst of Wizards fans hoping for a reliable big man to secure depth.

You’re wrong. Yesterday was all about Gilbert Arenas.

As soon as it was mentioned that coach Flip Saunders, who has been visiting almost all of the players on his team in their summertime locale, made a trip to Chicago to check on Arenas, zealous ears perked up.

Maybe media types assume fans are hungry for Agent Zero morsels since the all-star’s self-imposed moratorium on communication of any type. Or perhaps Arenas’ “so goes him so goes the team” importance is realized whereas any little bit of information about him needs to be magnified and manufactured into web hits.

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mikemiller33.com

Mike Miller is for serious about his social networking. How serious? Damn serious enough to debut his new website with an inspirational ‘Eminem’ “song” that came out seven years ago.

Miller also has a new blog entry, introduced by the ‘frightening/sad/tough/crying on the inside/I’m from South Dakota/my fav rapper is Killer Mike/I’d eat a man’s heart if it were legal and tasted like cheese wiz & beer‘ face you see above.

Damn. That’s serious enough to remove the ‘r’ from ‘for’ and make it a fo’.

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