On several planes, Gilbert Arenas and Dan Snyder are totally alike. On about a million they are not.
One commonality I can easily think of is that they both appear to be utterly oblivious to the general sensibilities of those who live in reality. Now, it’s not completely the fault of these men that they live in a fantasy world – NFL owner, a $100 million contract NBA man — but the ridiculous ways they can act is on their own accord.
Another similar trait of the two maligned D.C. sports figures? (One of whom the city no longer has to deal with.) Both are championing legal maneuvers against free speech.
Sometimes you’ll hear people call D.C. a basketball hotbed. Or you’ll hear claims that Washington has deep basketball roots that are just waiting to blossom, especially after the takeover of the Ted Leonsis regime and the arrival of John Wall.
All good things to hear. But let’s be honest, Washington will be a Redskins town for as long as I live (unless somehow, at some point, the Wizards win four championships in 10 years, while the Skins flounder with a few insignificant playoff appearances, making the top team choice for next generation a little more difficult — a scenario that’s more of a long-distance daydream than reality, and even then …).
Nothing wrong with D.C. being a Redskins town. Football, after all, is America’s sport, even if baseball is America’s way to pass time, and basketball is more global. I’m of the opinion that all D.C. pro sports teams should be embraced together (I’m a hometown guy if you can’t tell).
Of course, in a transient city like Washington, that’s tough to accomplish. But one thing is clear, many Washingtonians take pride in their Redskins … and where better to observe that pride than at the Adams Morgan Day Festival held on Sunday afternoon? (BTW, for those outside of D.C., Adams Morgan is a popular area of the city with bars, restaurants, shops, etc.)
[Howard Theater - 620 T St. NW - Washington, D.C. - K. Weidie]
By now you may know that JaVale McGee has been cut from Team USA … and it also served as another example of news coming directly from a player, via Twitter. This is somewhat disappointing (him being cut, not that word came by means of Twitter). Many signs/media reports gave you the feeling that McGee would at least be taken to Europe to participate in training and exhibitions leading up to the FIBA tournament in Turkey, and it would have been good for his development. Then again, maybe he didn’t want to go, knowing he wouldn’t make the final 12. Or perhaps the team thought it would be best for him to train stateside under the direction of the franchise. Regardless of the reason, a lot of eyes, D.C. and beyond, will be on McGee in 2010-11 because of this Team USA experience. If he becomes more of a student of the game, he can really be special.
Dan Steinberg conveys pretty much the gist of the Redskins’ Brandon Banks doing the John Wall dance after scoring a punt return touchdown in their exhibition opener against the Buffalo Bills. Banks did the dance in front of his boy from Raleigh, John Wall, no less.
[DC Sports Bog]
Even the website of a Lexington, Kentucky NBC television station is covering Banks doing the John Wall dance.
[Lex18.com]
The Wizards still can’t find a way to make things work. And there’s only so much tinkering/adjusting which can be made to a team that plays like they can just fix things in the next game and doesn’t understand the need to play with a sense of urgency in the now.
Is it time to stop searching for a way to make the current situation work and look in a another direction with a significant shake-up? Believers in the constancy of the Arenas/Butler/Jamison Big Three are dwindling faster than Social Security.
Not long ago, Flip Saunders said the time to truly give his team an initial once-over would be after the first twenty games. The Wizards will enter game number twenty on Thursday with a .368 winning percentage in a prime-time national television match against the Eastern Conference co-leading Boston Celtics.
In case you missed it last week, NBA commish David Stern strolled into a Harlem barbershop and displayed a skill he’s masterfully crafted, that of the silver-tongued politician. Watch for yourself.
I love how he tells almost everyone “you are right,” before making his own point, or says things like “good question,” while avoiding being patronizing.
Funny, when I say those things in public I come across as a condescending S.O.B. … guess I shouldn’t be telling the homeless guy ‘good question’ after he asks me for some change. Read more »
The blogging has been dormant because of a trip to Vegas … where tales obviously go mostly as the famous Sin City saying(s) does, local DMV futures bets being among the exceptions.
First up, the Wizards to prevail in the NBA Finals at 40-1. As a fan/follower of the team, I’m obligated to … ‘why not’, right?
Chris Cooley‘s current fiancée (right) used to be a Redskins cheerleader, until she got fired for dating him. I’d say that it’s worked out well for the both of them.
I don’t like the Boston Red Sox, but I do like Jonathan Papelbon. Why? I went to college with him. Got some stories, ain’t telling them. Nice article on Papelbon in the Hattiesburg (Mississippi) American…..where we find out that his dog ate the ball from the final out in the Red Sox ’07 World Series win. Wild and crazy guy? Yes. Down to earth? Definitely.
Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies….and what do ya know, here’s a real-life escape story similar to the movie. Either you can’t go wrong with a name like Otis Blunt, or you must go wrong with a name like Otis Blunt. And c’mon Mr. Espinosa – haven’t you learned anything from P-Diddy? That face is atrocious!
Mississippi State’s Jamont Gordon is getting his props on ESPN.com. The Bulldogs? Well, they’re not doing so well. Stories about how alcoholism affects people never ceases to amaze me. Former NBAer, Keon Clark (right), says that at one point, he was up to drinking a half pint of gin every day, and at times, drinking during halftime of games during his NBA career.
1) New England’s team this year might be the best ever 2) The Skins are a borderline “decent” team 3) The Skins had no fight in them yesterday 4) Bill Belichick and the Patriots organization are completely classless. Before, I didn’t really like the Patriots….but didn’t hate them as I would other teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Knicks, Lakers…and most of all, the Cowboys. Well now, they might have been propelled right to the top.
Cowboys – 1a Patriots – 1b Red Sox – 1c
….To go for it on 4th down, up 38 points, on the Redskins 6 could result in nothing more than Belichick being an egotistical a-hole. Completely, and utterly, classless. And then, in the post game press conference to say, “What did you want us to do? Kick a field-goal?”
A mockery of professionalism in the sport. Read more »
