Number ten on the Wizards’ top plays of the 2009-10 season is of particular interest … because one could argue it was the play of the year (or perhaps the play of the last five years), but it also could have been one of the worst bad luck plays imaginable. And it’s nothing more than a Cedric Jackson game-winning three-pointer that gave the Wizards a 98-97 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the last game of the season. So what significance is that?

It’s of John Wall-level significance.

Let me explain by quoting something I wrote on the night of May 18th when the Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery:

Irene Pollin spoke before the fourth quarter of the last game of the season. The Wizards, down by six and looking everything like a 25-win team heading into the final 12, came back to beat the Indiana Pacers by one point. Flip Saunders played his most inexperienced, least talented squad down the stretch. But little-used Cedric Jackson bucked and scored the last five points of the game.

That win, much to the chagrin of tanking proponents at the time, tied the Wizards with the 26-56 Golden State Warriors and not the 25-57 Sacramento Kings. Who knows what would have happened if the Wizards had a tie-breaker with the Kings. Just know that the Wizards lost their tie-breaker with the Warriors and jumped both Golden State and Sac-Town on their way to No. 1.

So, thank you Cedric Jackson … in an odd way. Oh, and sorry that the Wizards rescinded, by the July 23rd deadline, a qualifying contract offer that had previously been extended to you. Guess that’s what you get for wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers issued bag in the Wizards’ locker room last season.

Andray Blatche invited Wizards season ticket holders to a recent Washington Nationals game, which also happened to be ‘Dray’s first visit to Nats Park. In the video below, he butchers the Star-Spangled Banner, shows off his batting technique, and tries to convince Nats manager Jim Riggleman to offer him a contract. Oh yea, Blatche isn’t even recognized by the MLB umpires … hopefully after next season, ‘Dray, hopefully. One ump asks him if he’s ever fouled-out of a game. “Probably twice,” Blatche answered.

For the record, he achieved six fouls four different times in 2007-08 and twice in 2008-2009, so six total foul disqualifications in his career. He didn’t even foul out once last season, achieving a career-best 3.5 fouls per 36 minutes. His previous fouls/36 tallies are as follows: 7.4 (2005-06); 5.0 (2006-07); 5.5 (2007-08); and 4.5 (2008-09). That’s improvement folks.

And finally … 5, 6, 7, 8 … A behind-the-scenes look at the 2010-2011 Wizard Girl auditions. Was the dance troupe on Ted Leonsis’ list of needed improvements?
I can’t remember.

[John Townsend assisted with gathering video and comments.]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• May 27, 2010 -- Rooting Interests of The Washington Wizards
• January 19, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Pt. 2: On Booing Blatche, Inspiration From Marines & Help From Tupac
• January 5, 2012 -- Andray Blatche Goaltends A Free-Throw & Does Other Andray Blatche Things

I went to Stephen Strasburg’s major league debut last night. And oh man, what a night it was. Jamie Mottram hit the nail on the head with his observations on Mr. Irrelevant.

I’ll add that Strasburg’s focus must be intense. The kid is not wired like anyone else on this earth.

ZERO walks and 14 strikeouts? Sure, the kid had a couple bad pitches, in particular the 2-run dinger given up to Delwyn Young with two outs in the top of the 4th. But don’t forget the broken bat double-play he got Pittsburgh’s 4-hole batter, Garrett Jones, to hit into with men on first and second right before Young’s homer. And definitely don’t forget that after giving up those two runs in the fourth, Strasburg struck out eight of the next nine batters he faced to close out his night — all went down swinging except for one, and the guy who didn’t strike out, Jason Jaramillo, had a measly ground out to first.

The best part of the evening was obviously seeing the game live. But the second best was much later when I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. Something clicked inside as thoughts on Strasburg’s debut ran through my head, making me realize how amazing it was to see that 21-year old pitch; “special” doesn’t even begin to describe. Strasburg is going to revolutionize the pitching position. Chicks will no longer did the long ball that much, they’ll want to get with those Ks.

John Wall, the ball is now in your court … although, it will be highly unfair to expect you to dazzle as much as Strasburg in your debut. You’ll pretty much have to drop 40 points, 15 assists, 5 amazing dunks and win the game with a big shot in the waning minutes. I know, it’s a lot … and it still likely won’t be enough. Sorry kiddo.

108 Seconds of Strasmas

My extremely amateur video of random shots on the night of Strasburg’s debut. Sure, I could have done more, walked around the stadium, etc., but I didn’t leave my seat once (not even to use the restroom), save for the bottom of the 8th when I got up to leave for good. I normally would’ve stayed until the end, but my brother was in town for a night and I figured it would be a good idea to meet him for a drink.

More Video: All 14 Strasburg Strikeouts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhSFq8EOnJs

Also, check out Chris Needham’s article giving thanks to all those who made Strasmas happen on SB Nation.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled Wizards/basketball programming …

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 9, 2012 -- DC Council Game 26: Wizards 93 vs Knicks 107: Mission: Lin-possible
• February 8, 2012 -- 3-on-3: Wizards vs. Knicks: The Long-Awaited John Wall vs. Jeremy Lin Part 2
• February 8, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Nick Young: ‘That’s Our Word, Be Great’

Last night, Washington National and San Francisco native, Nyjer Morgan, attended the Wizards game to put on for his Golden State Warriors.

Known in gentlemanly circles as “Tony Plush,” the center fielder showed up at the Verizon Center dressed in a warrior outfit and sat adjacent to a similarly dressed bro, who some have speculated to be the exact physical appearance opposite of Mr. Plush. Both rooted for the enemy.

The presence of Morgan was first noted on the Nationals blog, The Nationals Enquirer, which has a screen-grab of Plush throwing up a numero uno. Site photographer Adam Douglas was also able to get a couple shots of the baseball player.

Unfortunately for Morgan, his Warriors, all seven of them, didn’t provide too many highlights … but one of the few is this Reggie Williams block party …

Williams also had a monster dunk on JaVale McGee, but that didn’t seem to make the game highlight clip from NBA.com …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7gfko_yOrA

{Wizards-Warriors Game Links}

[Craig Stouffer - Washington Examiner]

Okay, before the same I said it seemed like Golden State’s season hasn’t been as bad as Washington’s. Upon reconsideration, that may apply only off the court because the Warriors barely have enough players to actually field at team on the court.

How bad are things? C.J. Watson, who has a rib injury, had to dress tonight for the Warriors to give them the minimum of eight players.

[Michael Lee - Wizards Insider]

If the last two games have proven anything, it’s that the opponent really does matter. The Wizards (24-53) have already doubled their win total from the month of March, and it has as much to do with playing the New Jersey Nets and Golden State Warriors as it does their inspired play of late. Washington has swept the season series against just three teams this season – Philadelphia (3-0), New Jersey (4-0) and Golden State (2-0), which became the only Western Conference opponent to lose both games to the Wizards.

In the last meeting in Oakland, you’ll recall that Gilbert Arenas went off for a season-high 45 points with 13 assists and Caron Butler also had his best game at that point, with 28 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high five steals. Golden State continues to be the gift that keeps on giving, as their depleted roster — they had just seven healthy players on Tuesday night — restored the confidence of several Wizards by allowing them to have their own personal highlight reels.

[Brian Jackson - CSN Washington]

Shaun Livingston started his 13th consecutive game for the Wizards and he’s getting better by the day.  Coming in there was no question that he had the ability to run a team.  At 6’7’’ he’s a match up nightmare for opposing teams and Tuesday night he went toe-to-toe with Rookie of the Year candidate Stephen Curry.  Livingston played 37 minutes (good sign the knee is holding up) and scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field.  The best thing about Livingston is that he’s a true point guard as evidenced by his eight assists to zero turnovers. Livingston said his main focus as the point guard is control the temp and get guys running and that’s exactly what Flip Saunders likes to see.

{Also read …}

Why do people dislike Duke?

Rashad Mobley of Hoops Addict asks Florida State alum Al Horford, former Dookie Corey Maggette and almost Blue Devil Shaun Livingston.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• August 24, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Earthquake After Effects & The Detriment of Gilbert Arenas’ Twitter Account
• August 4, 2010 -- Wizards Videos: Top 10 Plays, Dray Day at Nats Park & Cheerleader Auditions
• June 9, 2010 -- 108 Seconds of Strasmas, Something John Wall Can Top?

Nats opening day will surely get attention as Obama is scheduled to throw out the first pitch against the World Champion D-Bags from Philly……their baseball team that won the most recent World Series will be playing as well.

What does this have to do with the Wizards on this purported “Wizards” blog? Not much…..other than I came across the below picture of Reggie Bush wearing a Nationals hat…..and I hold the right to post about DC sports in general.

Not exactly sure how I feel about this. Bush’s playing habits convey a slightly douchey persona. Oh well, if the curly dub is getting repped in public, then I’m cool with it.

image via Epic Carnial

Random Posts

• February 4, 2011 -- Arenas and Young: No Longer Teammates, But Still Friends
• May 9, 2008 -- Washington Wizards Future Part III: Needful Things
• November 3, 2007 -- Wizards PreGame #3: Agent Zero vs. Man-Child Thunder

Posada is scheduled to have an MRI on his left shoulder today, the results of which will chart the path of the Yankees future. For one, the Yanks have some options in the event that Posada can’t make it back behind the plate. Jose Molina, who A-Rod called an “angel,” filled in the other day, and Chad Moeller is available for spot duty as well. Moeller was actually with the Nats during spring training, but was later cut and signed to a minor league contract by the Yankees.

Second, I doubt the Yankees would want to make some drastic move, giving up prospects in return for a playoff rental. Making the post season this year is far from guaranteed, and this tactic has failed the Yankees in the past as their farm system has been pilfered by ill-advised moves.

Which brings me back to Lo Duca. The Nationals should have never signed the guy. In my opinion, Jesus Flores showed enough last season to earn more time in the pros this season, others feel the same way. And if Kasten, Bowden & Co. are in full rebuilding mode, why throw $5 million to PLD for a year in the first place? Quite the waste of money for a bunch of penny-pinchers.

Knowing the Washington franchise status, shouldn’t they be ready to trade Lo Duca for a ham sandwich? I’ll admit that with his injuries, appearance in the Mitchell Report, etc., Lo Duca doesn’t appear to be the best option for New York, but he should be the cheapest option. Thing is, Lo Duca is a New Yorker….straight from Brooklyn. He played for the Mets in the previous two seasons, shouldn’t the guy be afforded the chance to play for the other NYC team?

In the end, this is just a dream hypothetical. I may not have as much hatred towards Lo Duca as others, but I certainly wouldn’t mind sending his ass packing. Nats save money, Bowden saves face, and the Yankees get some dude, on the cheap, who may or may not be able to help. I’m just sayin’…….

Random Posts

• November 30, 2007 -- Linked In – Kobe, Kwame, Timmy & The Onion
• January 22, 2011 -- Mustafa Shakur Arrives In Washington In Time For Celtic Green
• January 23, 2012 -- Wizards vs. Celtics: Braking With The Clutch

What a huge goat he almost was (and to an extent, still is), in hitting into a double play in the top of the 10th and then booting two balls on the first two batters in the bottom of the inning. I bet his mouth was as dry as a bone under a heat lamp in the desert when Grady Sizemore grounded to him in a bases loaded FC out at home-plate after Carlos Guillen was intentionally walked. I know this, Aaron Cook pitched a helluva 10th inning keeping all hit balls on the ground and in the infield. If the American League had prevailed in the bottom of the 10th, the headline would’ve read: National League Hits Every Stick On The Uggla Tree.

Getting struck out by Joakim Soria on a “knee buckler” with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 12th didn’t aid Uggla’s redemption efforts. In fact, yet another boot to the chest, the 3rd error of Uggla’s night, in the bottom of the 13th pushed him lower. Joe Buck had plenty of sympathy for the kid giving Dan the benefit of the doubt with a bad hop call.

In the end, the National League could not survive the marathon. Hopefully, next time, Dan Uggla will have a much better looking effort than going 0-4, striking out three times and leaving six on base.

Defensive MVP?
In the bottom of the 11th, Nate McLouth made a great throw to put out Dioner Navarro at home. If the National League would’ve went on to win in the 12th, I was ready to give Russell Martin the All-Star MVP for blocking the plate and making an unbelievable tag….the 3rd of the last five outs which came at home plate.

Delayed Response
It sure did take Joe Buck and Tim McCarver a while to mention that the All-Star game actually counts for something after they initially wondered if the game would be a tie situation as it was in Milwaukee in ’02. And I wasn’t the only one questioning this….c’mon fellas, know what’s going on….that’s awful announcing.

I’m glad it counts
I’m all for the MLB All-Star game counting for something. Why should the better record between teams from two different leagues determine home field advantage for the World Series? Sure, inter-league play has gone towards leveling the field for comparison between the AL and the NL. But I think what baseball has (over the NBA) is league divisions based on tradition and not geography. Having a win in the All-Star game be an advantage for a league as a whole promotes unity in rooting interests and the natural sense of sporting rivalry between two sectors of the sport.

Part of me says, well, if the All-Star game “counts” then choose the best players…..out with a man from every team rule. I understand that it’s beneficial to make smaller markets feel significant and remain interested……However, on that note, as a Nationals fan, I enjoyed seeing Cristian Guzman around to be a potential hero. He surely didn’t disappoint playing out of position at 3rd base and making a sweet stab to get the 3rd out for the NL in the bottom of the 11th. Oh yea, don’t forget the sweet scoop and flick to close out the 12th. Oh and I should also mention his nice throw to home during the Uggla breakdown in the bottom of the 10th. Guzman went 0-3 and left three on base, along we getting caught stealing….but oh well, you can’t please everyone.

Manny Still a Douche Bag
In the first inning, A-Rod hit a pop fly back to the NL starting catcher, Geovany Soto, in foul territory. Manny Ramirez, who was on deck, got out of the way, but failed to move his weighted bat on the ground. Sota stepped on the bat and came close to busting his ass. Sure, Manny didn’t intend to almost hurt Sota…but still, pack up your crap and get out the way…..Manny had time.

Random Posts

• November 7, 2010 -- Wizards Pre-Game In The Mecca of Basketball Ft. Knicks City Dancers & Blatche v. Cassell
• November 16, 2007 -- VOTE 4 GILBERT (like a million-billion times)
• December 23, 2009 -- Wizards-Sixers Post Game Locker Room Portraits & Quotes

See the full photo slide-show here.

I love to people watch. Coffee shops are good, but metro rides on the way to the debut of Nationals Park are even better:

• You got your enthusiastic 12-year-old, complete with a mitt and a blue & red Nationals “crazy hair” wig…..along with his suspiciously effeminate father, who was wearing a purple-blue jacket with a pink collar, glasses with frames you’d expect to see on a 14-year-old schoolgirl from the 1960s, and a tan Nationals hat. “It’s opening day son!…Time to break out the tan Nats hat!”
  
• The couple of mid-60s white women with beauty-parlor dyed hair and pudgy mid-Western décor hustling and bustling into the green line train from their blue/orange transfer at L’Enfant Plaza. Beware of such determination to find one of the few open seats for a two-stop ride…. women with their own seat cushions don’t mess around.
• Finally, you got your average white guy along with his average white girlfriend projecting that uncomfortable white guy smile at the sight of some black folks tusslin’. He appears to convey his delight at the hijinks, but we all know he wants to charge out of the train like George Kostanza at a child’s birthday party.

And then there was exiting the Navy Yard Metro station where riders were “treated” to the anti-George Bush protesters. Purposeless crazies like these folks give a bad name to free speech. Most reacted negatively to the protesters, whose main goal seemed to simply prod those with differing opinions. Here are some overheard quotes directed at the protesters:

“Not the time, not the place…this is a baseball game.”

“Well, it’s Washington, DC – I guess this is to be expected.”

“Kiss my little white ass you Commie.”

“Anywhere else they’d lock you…..anywhere else, they’d lock you up brother.”

The side-effect was that the Bush protesters distracted from a cause which is much more deserving of attention, saving Positive Nature (read about it from the Washington Post)….along with the four-piece bluegrass”ish” band there to greet fans with a down-home musical score for the walk to the ballpark.

On to the stadium….
Nationals Park has a much closer feel than RFK…..then again, RFK was like playing tee-ball in a massive air plane hanger. And a stadium built around a baseball diamond rather than a football rectangle will obviously increase the sense of a communal environment.

While once semi-accepted at RFK, the sparse “O’s” which came out during the national anthem received a plethora of groans. For those not familiar with the DC/Baltimore area, a tradition started at Orioles games in B-More where fans would yell “O” at the beginning of the ‘O say, does that….’ part of the Star Spangled Banner as a tribute to their hometown team. As the Orioles games used to be frequented by many from the District (and Maryland, and Virginia), this tradition became transplanted to RFK…to Bullets/Wizards games as well. Over the years, the enthusiasm has died down considerably. I’m in agreement with the groans – recognition of a crappy Baltimore baseball team at a DC venue should cease and desist.

Tourists are great for the DC economy and they are always welcome….but my 2 Lincolns is that I hate them. Not all tourists, but those who neglect common sense in their obliviousness to a new area. Unfortunately, most tourists fit the bill. The first and foremost rule of travel is to be aware of and respect the way life works in the cities you visit. And I’m not even touching upon the prerequisite horrendous appearance of said tourists.

But last night in the new Nationals Park, we were all tourists, faced with the overbearing need to consume anything and everything in our paths of vision. Maybe this all led to the quiet nature of the stadium. Maybe it was just me, maybe it was my seat location, but the expected “buzz” was often missing. Then again, the acoustics might just need a little breaking in as fans get their bearings.

Overhead

Chubby White Girl: “I went to a party the other night…..it was off the chain!”

Semi-Dorky White Guy: “Off the chain? I don’t even know what that means?” (possible sarcasm….it was hard to detect)

Chubby White: “It means that Charley hooked up with his 10th Arlington Young Democrat.”

D-White Guy: (sounding a bit jealous) “So, they all know this, but still give him a pass?”

The Food
I opted for a dog smothered with Ben’s Chili (but not from the actual Ben’s Chili Bowl vendor). It wasn’t bad, but fell far short of what I desired. Line planning also seemed to be a neglected aspect, at least in the Stars & Stripes area where space wasn’t as abundant as in the regular concourse. First nights can expect to have their hiccups…running out of Bud Light, chili, etc. But I observed the staff to be as friendly and cordial as one could ask.

Later, I made my way out to the right field area. Five Guys, along with their stadium-escalated prices, seemed to be more than I could handle at that point. I opted for the Cajun Cord Dog from Cantina Marina. Not bad for the $5 price.

As usual, there was the ‘Bottom of the 7^th Beer Cut-Off Rush’ – A Cantina manager declining the attempts of a hustling drunk: “Nope, my supervisor’s supervisor’s contracted supervisor says ‘no’.”

I need many more experiences to provide a complete investigative report. Until then, take the food tour with the DC Sports Bog.

About the Game
Could you have asked for a more perfect ending? If it wasn’t for Lo Duca’s bobble in the top of the 9th, allowing a run to score, Zimmerman probably never gets to the plate. The only disappointing aspect of the fairy-tale ending was those who left a 2-1 game after the bottom of the 7th inning. Of course, being the District of Columbia, there should be no surprise that many in attendance were part of the “there to be seen” contingent. The fact that the Boston or New York (or St. Louis) faithful would shutter at giving their teams the same treatment is disappointing nonetheless.

Catch the Zimmerman homerun at Mr. Irrelevant.

Overall, I, along with most, were wowed. Nationals Park looks like a championship stadium. There is plenty of surrounding room for development which will enhance the stadium community and the fan experience. And the team is in good hands. Yes, the Lerners are in it to squeeze as much money as possible for their family name ($7.50 beers), but they do seem to believe in customer service and top-notch Major League Baseball entertainment. I saw team president, Stan Kasten, canvassing the concourses late in the game. Kasten’s attentiveness to opening night led him to sacrifice witnessing Zimmerman’s game winner. The franchise seems to be in good hands and baseball can now be considered “officially” back to Washington, the District of Columbia.

Zimmerman’s Curtain Call

Other Reads:

• 10 Best Things About Nats Park (And Five Worst) [Raw Fisher]

• Finally, a Foundation Built for Winning [Thomas Boswell]

• A ‘Storybook Ending’ [Washington Post]

• A ‘Home Run’ for DC [Washington Times]

• Zimmerman 3.0 [Nationals Journal]

• Lapping Up a Major Victory, And Luxuries, at New Stadium [Washington Post]

• Giant Racing Teddy Attacks the Braves [DC Sports Bog]

• Stadium opening beyond politics [Washington Times]

• What Do You Get For Your $611 Million? [Raw Fisher]

• Opening Day [DCist]

• Zimmerman Wins It For Nats [DC Pro Sports Report]

Random Posts

• March 12, 2010 -- Video: Catching Up With Alonzo Gee
• May 13, 2008 -- Not only is LeBron a baby, but he's an a-hole…to his mother
• April 21, 2010 -- Cardboard Bullets: Don MacLean, the basketball player

Remember when the Lakers came to DC? It was the game where Caron Butler probably re-injured himself and ended his consecutive FTs made mark at 73. A truly tragic loss, 103-91, for which I stayed the entire time, and then was forced to watch a SuperBowl between two teams I genuinely dislike. Not the best DC sports Sunday.

Today, I believe, will provide some reconciliation for that February 3rd. And I have a higher mission than the Wizards-Lakers game at 9:30 tonight. I’ll be taking the trusty green line down several metro stops to check out the debut of the Washington Nationals new ball park, Nationals Park and the domestic debut of the 2008 Major League Baseball season on ESPN (8:05 pm).

I’m really looking forward to it. I’m not a sentimentalist, nor some type of baseball purist (basketball is obviously my main squeeze), but there is something about the crack of the bat and a sporting environment which is most conducive to a day of social interaction with family and friends…..awww, screw all that, I’m just ready for the cold weather to be put out to pasture.

And who knows, if the DC metro system doesn’t betray me, I just might be able to catch the end of a game where the Wizards will hopefully have the upper-hand over the Los Angeles Lakers.

I’ll have my own review of the Nats stadium (along with photos, etc.), but here are some good Nats-related posts you should check out if you so desire:

• Nationals Park: Tighter Rules, Friendlier Staff? [Raw Fisher] - interesting tactics by the Kasten and the Lerner family; I give it to them, RFK really improved last season after the Lerners took over.
• Capitol Punishment will be in attendance – check there for some good Nats info.
• Poe’s Epic Journey From Griffith to RFK to Nats Park [another Raw Fisher post] - great story about an old usher who has authoritatively seen and heard all there is about DC baseball.
• Last night’s cherry-breaking exhibition game against the Orioles seemed to go well. [Nationals Insider]
• Get out the way when the Meat Hooks are around. [great photos from Mr. Irrelevant]

Wizards Stuff

• Do you like long walks on the beach? So do Eddie Jordan and the Wizards.
• For awhile now, I’ve been saying good riddance to the basket-completion-challenged Jared Jeffries. Now, it looks like his defense is on the decline. [Epic Carnival]
• Is the beard lying? Looks like some people think that Drew Gooden has a better beard than DeShawn Stevenson.
• The Pradamaster covers Eddie Jordan’s constriction of his game rotation. – Me? I’d love to get Nick Young more time, but yea, it’s just not realistic at this point heading into the playoffs. Not too mention that he could be hitting a rookie slump soon. In any case, Nick needs to learn to be ready to produce off the bench at any time, in any situation. Somehow knocking on wood as I type this, but the next injury could be just around the corner.
• A case for D-Song to make the All-Fundamental team, if there were one. [Washington Post]

• Yet another Jekyll and Hyde performance. Yet another instance where smallball succeeds in spite of itself. Yet another game in which Darius Songaila saves the day. [Bullets Forever]

• If interior defense were bread, Sacramento would starve. [SacTown Royalty]
• My favorite Caron Butler dunk is still the one he threw down over Yao Ming last season because well, the guy is 7-7. Another was the one he pounded on Alonzo Mourning’s head in Miami last year and of course, who can forget the one he hammered on Andris Biedrins in a game against GS at the VC last season? But tonight, Butler literally changed a game with the dunk he jammed on Kevin “I look like a late 80′s hip-hop video extra” Martin in the third quarter with the Wiz trailing 75-71 with 2:58 to play. [Wizards Insider]
• “Caron did a great job finding me and all I had to do was to lay it in and then make free throws,” Songaila said. “The biggest thing for us was getting stops at the other end. Roger came in and we were down and made a couple of shots and from there, we stayed with it, got some stops on the other end and in the end we got the W.” [Washington Times]
• “We need Mikki in the game to win,” Artest said. “We’re not beating nobody without him, and he knows that.” [ target="_blank">SacBee.com] – Mikki Moore letting Ron Artest down, what a world.

• “It’s lack of leadership on the floor, that’s what it is,” Theus said. “When things start going south, you have to have someone on the team that steps up and grabs hold of the team and says, ‘Hey guys, this is what we’re going to do and this is how we’re going to get it done,’ outside of what we’re talking about as coaches.” Kevin Martin said he agreed “100 percent” that the team lacked leadership. [SacBee.com]

photo from flickr/kla4067

Random Posts

• December 26, 2011 -- 3-on-3: Wizards Season Opener vs. Nets & Over/Under on 19.5 Wins
• March 14, 2011 -- Sunnier Days For A Frozen New Jersey Soul
• June 3, 2009 -- Tony Kornheiser Is Just A Hater

Random Posts

• October 19, 2009 -- Mike James Expresses Frustration On Twitter, But Not Throwing In The Towel
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