Wizards in the Media Thread
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:23 pm
Rather than a new thread every time there's an article written about the Wizards, I though we could keep things clean with this baby.
Sally Jenkins:
and
Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02588.html
I think it's right on the money. Yes, Eddie did get a bit of a raw deal because of all the injuries, but ultimately it was the culture that completely de-emphasized defense that did him in.
Sally Jenkins:
It became a nightly ritual for Jordan: He had to pray for the Wizards to score 110 points, because it was their only chance to win -- to score so much it covered up their fractional effort on defense. For five-plus seasons under Jordan the Wizards -- despite four playoff appearances -- were blithely unconcerned with stopping the other team, and that chronic lack of commitment was the undoing of a terrifically nice man and promising young coach. Jordan was never able to get the Wizards to play both ends of the floor. That was his real failing.
and
Jordan's supporters will say that the losses were inevitable, given injuries and a thin roster -- the Wizards are without their best player, Gilbert Arenas, and starting center, Brendan Haywood. But that viewpoint ignores the recurrent nature of the Wizards' defensive problems even with healthy players. The Wizards' defense is an open, swinging door, annually among the four or five worst in the league. It ignores the absolutely viral effect poor defense has on a team over the long term, how it saps a franchise. The Wizards' D has been like a drain through which everything disappears, all of their effort, money and commitment wasted.
Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02588.html
I think it's right on the money. Yes, Eddie did get a bit of a raw deal because of all the injuries, but ultimately it was the culture that completely de-emphasized defense that did him in.