Wizards links in bullets with general commentary on the side, and a picture…

[NYC subway transit, E line - photo: K. Weidie]

> Is the NBA destined for a lockout? Why yes, it was. But check out my pre-lockout contribution about the lockout on ESPN’s 5-on-5 anyway.
[ESPN.com]

> I know it’s very old now, but he’s what I wrote for the DCist about the draft and the kiss that saved it.
[DCist]

> If you want to feel somewhat encouraged that the NBA lockout won’t drag out too long, check out this brilliant post by TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott. Huge point No. 1 from Henry: Read more »

While I and others may criticize and analyze and break down the Washington Wizards to varying degrees, sometimes it’s best to sit back and appreciate that the game of basketball is fun, or at least it’s supposed to be. And that’s just what this team is trying to do, play ball and have fun. Of course, the millions they make comes with strings attached. Darn. So for now, enjoy the fun of some choice cuts from Media Day to Midnight Madness in pictures and video … at least until we starting counting wins and losses, and judging effort, and crunching advanced stats, and deciphering measured locker room comments, and analyzing coaching decisions, and etc….

{Video}

[produced by TAI's Adam McGinnis]

{Pictures}

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

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

{image via DC Sports Bog}

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

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

Steinberg then provided a blog-worthy highlight of the synopsis with a subtle bit of snark in a post titled, “Wizards fans want ketchup, mustard, draft picks.”

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This week I’m on vacation, but not a vacation from the computer/writing about the Wizards because, well, this is something I really like to do. No, this is a vacation from regular work … relaxing, seeing some family, and eating some very good New Orleans food at the tail end of the trip. And yes, my vacation was scheduled around the Wizards’ four-game West Coast swing.

I might not be as active on this site, as I’m not sure if I’ll be able to watch some of the Wizards games, but there will be some guest posts covering the team, so stay tuned …

{Links}

Next time I see Ernie Grunfeld, I may flash him a thumbs up. Sure, he’s taken some heat, and justifiably so, but Shaun Livingston could be a nice addition to Grunfeld’s resume (and yes, it’s early).

Also, I’ll leave you with a quote from Behlehem Shoals of NBA FanHouse that will make you nod your head in approval: Read more »

Flip Saunders on preparing for the last game of the preseason, the ‘Swine Flu’ back-court he will start against the Bulls on Friday, and getting Andray Blatche into his role of coming off the bench.

Brendan Haywood on getting Gilbert Arenas and Mike Miller back from the flu and the Wizards’ ‘Window of Opportunity’.

Caron Butler on his defensive progression

“So far so good. You know, still gambling a little bit after looking at some film. But, it’s still preseason … just trying to focus in on the rotation for the most part, getting to spots, talking and communicating as much as possible. And … so far so good.”

Narrowing down the rotation & JaVale McGee stealing jerseys

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{ flickr/wizardsdotcom }

Economy hurting newspapers in a dying industry? Well, when Mike Jones is afforded the opportunity** the spend a couple weeks in Chicago, and thus the ability to break through Gilbert Arenas’ media silence ice, we all see why true professionals need to be around for a long time. (And honestly, they’re not going anywhere, the platform/game is just changing).

Ok, enough of the digressive spiel. Jones has put together an epic* post on Gilbert Arenas’ nameless comeback tour.

* Well, epic to Wizards fans and those dedicated to the NBA, perhaps in hope that Agent Zero will make things a little less ‘boring’, and in a sense that Arenas has been on a media hiatus for a long time, with many probably not expecting him to talk again until September 28th’s media day.

** And who are we kidding? The Washington Times plays the dark horse to The Post in D.C. — the Rev. Sun Myung Moon must be a huge Gilbert Arenas fan. This, in my opinion, is a pretty big pull for Mr. Jones … even though he is an established piece of the main stream media.

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flickr/Keith Allison

In one clip [Stephon Marbury] cries uncontrollably for 5 straight minutes with no shirt on while his homeboy rubs his shoulders – why, I don’t know?! In another clip, he eats Vaseline, claiming his throat is sore and that this would solve the problem. Not to be outdone, he has another clip where he dances to a song called “Barbie Doll!” That was very disturbing. If I was on his team, there’s no way I’m getting undressed in front of him after watching that…

When Brendan Haywood blogged the above quote a couple weeks ago, it struck me as something that could be interpreted as slightly homophobic. But at the time, no one really caught on.

Since the comment seemed relatively subtle, I withheld from drawing conclusions, wondering if it would eventually garner more attention … likely unwanted attention. Perhaps leading Brendan to conclude, like his teammate Gilbert Arenas, that blogging can be a “double-edged sword.”

Well, it happened. Haywood couldn’t resist, once again playing a two-bit comedian in the crowded line to pile on Marbury.

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When the DC Sports Bog’s Dan Steinberg was in Vegas, he tweeted the question:

“Is mike miller the wizards’ best white player since….gugliotta?“

Dan later followed up in a Sports Bog post saying:

I was asking some of the other media members who would be the answer to this question: “Mike Miller is the Wizards/Bullets best white player since…..” There was no consensus. I will keep working on this. In a purely jesting, non-offensive way.

Steinberg’s nomination of Tom Gugliotta seems like a choice with which most of Wizards nation could concur. But thinking back, the organization hasn’t exactly had a history of illustrious contributions from the white man on the basketball court.

All of this got me thinking … and research would have to respond to these thoughts.

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This is JaVale McGee and his team USA Basketball mini-camp jersey. Don’t ask questions, just know it came from his TwitPic account.

JaVale McGee interview at the USA Basketball mini-camp:

And now the best links from ’round the world wide wizards web …

Somebody Is Noticing

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Dan Steinberg of the DC Sports Bog has a quick Q&A with Diamond District-bred San Francisco Giants shortstop Manny Burriss. It’s a must read if you put on for the DMV. Here are a couple of the better excerpts (h/t @macg_og):

I should know the answer to this, but did you grow up rooting for all D.C. teams?

All of them. All of them. The only one I didn’t really do was the Bullets when I was growing up, because that’s when everybody loved the Bulls. But yeah, I loved all of them. And once they turned into the Wizards and moved back into the city, that was my team. I love D.C. When the Nationals came here, that was my team, for real, until I got drafted.

Is it weird though, to be representing another city and still root for D.C. sports teams?

No, not at all, not at all, because I’m so about D.C. Last year, the Wizards did horrible, and I was there cheering it up, screaming in our clubhouse whenever a Wizards game would be on TV, because that’s my city, I don’t want to root for anybody else. Except for baseball.

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I’m tired of Tony Kornheiser’s “haha, look at me and my self-depreciating ‘comedy’ when I really have an over-inflated ego the size of Shaq’s dumps” shtick … it’s been stale for a while now.

People tell me that long ago, he used to pen some great stuff …. and I even remember reading some of said stuff. But Kornheiser is becoming the epitome of a bitter old codger who I aspire not to be when I get older.

Tony Kornheiser is nothing but a hater.

Of course, I write this with the caveat that as a ‘blogger’, I have “hated” on some people/things, i.e, LeBron James, but I do so comfortably knowing that I’m no where near the jerk/dick Kornheiser is, especially in terms of his unabashed and unreasonable hatred of “new media” … such as blogging.

But also, Kornheiser has touched on a subject near and dear to my heart, the Washington Wizards.

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