AD on Sportstalk 980

[newslowsad]

Did any of you catch AD on John Thompson today? I caught most of it. He said he was at home, not fishing. He gave a lot of credit to Randy Ayers and said he felt that the foundation for a solid defense has been set and used the "Rome wasn't built in a day" analogy. Maybe that means the team will learn to guard the perimeter this training camp. He sounded positive about next season and believes that that the Wiz can beat anyone in the league when healthy. AD also mentioned that he is enrolled in some coaching internships and is also considering a media internship as well (announcing maybe?). I think he would make a great coach.

[BruceO]

yeah I think those are things he wants to get invested in, coaching and broadcasting. He's a smart player and knows the plays, I would be willing to give him a chance as an assistant coach

[Wizards2Lottery]

He gave a lot of credit to Randy Ayers and said he felt that the foundation for a solid defense has been set and used the "Rome wasn't built in a day" analogy.

this a veteran team that still can't play fundamentally sound defense for four quarters. Yeah "Rome wasn't built in a day" AD, but defense shouldn't take you all years to learn.

This team is all talk and no substance. As of now, even after five years this team is one of the worst defenses in the league and this has nothing to do with the roster because the potential to be an average defense for a whole season is there.

[newslowsad]

Truth.

[TheKingOfVa360]

-= original quote snipped =-



this a veteran team that still can't play fundamentally sound defense for four quarters. Yeah "Rome wasn't built in a day" AD, but defense shouldn't take you all years to learn.

This team is all talk and no substance. As of now, even after five years this team is one of the worst defenses in the league and this has nothing to do with the roster because the potential to be an average defense for a whole season is there.

I agree, this team talks so much and doesn't back it up. They will never even be an average defense. Time to break up this squad.

[yungal07]

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

How long did it take to build Rome? Is that how long I'm going to have to wait before I see the Wizards play NBA calibre defense?

Ugh...the amount of excuses from this team's players, coaches, and GM's is frustrating.

[hands11]

It's hard to believe how round and round people can go with this topic.

This has everything to do with personnel. Until that changes, we won't have good D.

We actually played decent D when we had better line ups for D because of injuries. Sure we scored a little less but that is what happens anyway in the playoffs. You need D first. But given these line ups that EJ played , it just isn't going to happen. We had no perimeter D in part because AD was injured and he is getting older. We had 1 PG most the year and he was injured most the year. When we had Wilks for 10 days you saw a pesky PG who was quick enough to defend.

Add to this that we didn't have great post D because we play AJ at PF and DSong is a slow dude who sometimes played center. We never had a chance of being good at D with these line ups. There wasn't much Ayers could do with this group.

Better D is going to come from our younger more athletic talent learning it and us lining them up better.

Starting
AD - injured and old
DS - OK but injured
CB - OK but injured
AJ - slow footed
Haywood - pretty good against other big centers.

RM
NY - to young and was focused on scoring but got better.
CB
DSong - to slow but strong and gave effort.
AB - not strong enough in the post as a center.

AD
DS
CB
AJ
DSong - way outmatched in the post as center. specially with AJ next to him.

You want D? We'll you need to be tall, quick footed or both.

More AB and BH in the post is a good core. AB being stronger will help a bunch but as is, you have on tall strong guy with a tall weak side defender. That's a nice combo.

2009/10 - once AJ can come off the bench we will have a better chance of a starting line up of good defenders.

CB at SF. I think CB is a very good defender. He is strong, quick and focused.

NY SG - By this time I think NY will a good defender. He is quick, long and young.

PG - ?

DMAC off the bench will bring energy as a defender.

So by 2009/10 we will be a good defensive team because we will have players starting who are tall, young and quick.

Next year ?

GA
DS
CB
AJ
BH

I just don't see us being good at D with GA at the PG and AJ at the 4.

GA
CB
AJ
AB
BH

We would be better at D with this line up. CB can do everything DS does at the SG only better all around player. AJ can use size on the outside and AB/BH can clean up the blow bys.

But 2009/10

GA or ?
NY
CB/DMAC
AB
BH

But once we get to this, we will be much better at D. And by this time I expect EG will probably have added some nice pieces that make sense. 2009/10 is the big year for this team. That's when change will happen if this 2008/09 experiment doesn't work out. We will likely see only one more year without major changes.

Lots of questions about who will stay and where they will play.
GA, AD, DSONG, AJ, Etan, DS, RM?

Next year is a huge evaluation year.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

It's hard to believe how round and round people can go with this topic.

This has everything to do with personnel. Until that changes, we won't have good D.

We actually played decent D when we had better line ups for D because of injuries. Sure we scored a little less but that is what happens anyway in the playoffs. You need D first. But given these line ups that EJ played , it just isn't going to happen. We had no perimeter D in part because AD was injured and he is getting older. We had 1 PG most the year and he was injured most the year. When we had Wilks for 10 days you saw a pesky PG who was quick enough to defend.

Add to this that we didn't have great post D because we play AJ at PF and DSong is a slow dude who sometimes played center. We never had a chance of being good at D with these line ups. There wasn't much Ayers could do with this group.

Better D is going to come from our younger more athletic talent learning it and us lining them up better.

Starting
AD - injured and old
DS - OK but injured
CB - OK but injured
AJ - slow footed
Haywood - pretty good against other big centers.

RM
NY - to young and was focused on scoring but got better.
CB
DSong - to slow but strong and gave effort.
AB - not strong enough in the post as a center.

AD
DS
CB
AJ
DSong - way outmatched in the post as center. specially with AJ next to him.

You want D? We'll you need to be tall, quick footed or both.

More AB and BH in the post is a good core. AB being stronger will help a bunch but as is, you have on tall strong guy with a tall weak side defender. That's a nice combo.

2009/10 - once AJ can come off the bench we will have a better chance of a starting line up of good defenders.

CB at SF. I think CB is a very good defender. He is strong, quick and focused.

NY SG - By this time I think NY will a good defender. He is quick, long and young.

PG - ?

DMAC off the bench will bring energy as a defender.

So by 2009/10 we will be a good defensive team because we will have players starting who are tall, young and quick.

Next year ?

GA
DS
CB
AJ
BH

I just don't see us being good at D with GA at the PG and AJ at the 4.

GA
CB
AJ
AB
BH

We would be better at D with this line up. CB can do everything DS does at the SG only better all around player. AJ can use size on the outside and AB/BH can clean up the blow bys.

But 2009/10

GA or ?
NY
CB/DMAC
AB
BH

But once we get to this, we will be much better at D. And by this time I expect EG will probably have added some nice pieces that make sense. 2009/10 is the big year for this team. That's when change will happen if this 2008/09 experiment doesn't work out. We will likely see only one more year without major changes.

Lots of questions about who will stay and where they will play.
GA, AD, DSONG, AJ, Etan, DS, RM?

Next year is a huge evaluation year.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

It's hard to believe how round and round people can go with this topic.

This has everything to do with personnel. Until that changes, we won't have good D.

We actually played decent D when we had better line ups for D because of injuries. Sure we scored a little less but that is what happens anyway in the playoffs. You need D first. But given these line ups that EJ played , it just isn't going to happen. We had no perimeter D in part because AD was injured and he is getting older. We had 1 PG most the year and he was injured most the year. When we had Wilks for 10 days you saw a pesky PG who was quick enough to defend.

Add to this that we didn't have great post D because we play AJ at PF and DSong is a slow dude who sometimes played center. We never had a chance of being good at D with these line ups. There wasn't much Ayers could do with this group.

Better D is going to come from our younger more athletic talent learning it and us lining them up better.

Starting
AD - injured and old
DS - OK but injured
CB - OK but injured
AJ - slow footed
Haywood - pretty good against other big centers.

RM
NY - to young and was focused on scoring but got better.
CB
DSong - to slow but strong and gave effort.
AB - not strong enough in the post as a center.

AD
DS
CB
AJ
DSong - way outmatched in the post as center. specially with AJ next to him.

You want D? We'll you need to be tall, quick footed or both.

More AB and BH in the post is a good core. AB being stronger will help a bunch but as is, you have on tall strong guy with a tall weak side defender. That's a nice combo.

2009/10 - once AJ can come off the bench we will have a better chance of a starting line up of good defenders.

CB at SF. I think CB is a very good defender. He is strong, quick and focused.

NY SG - By this time I think NY will a good defender. He is quick, long and young.

PG - ?

DMAC off the bench will bring energy as a defender.

So by 2009/10 we will be a good defensive team because we will have players starting who are tall, young and quick.

Next year ?

GA
DS
CB
AJ
BH

I just don't see us being good at D with GA at the PG and AJ at the 4.

GA
CB
AJ
AB
BH

We would be better at D with this line up. CB can do everything DS does at the SG only better all around player. AJ can use size on the outside and AB/BH can clean up the blow bys.

But 2009/10

GA or ?
NY
CB/DMAC
AB
BH

But once we get to this, we will be much better at D. And by this time I expect EG will probably have added some nice pieces that make sense. 2009/10 is the big year for this team. That's when change will happen if this 2008/09 experiment doesn't work out. We will likely see only one more year without major changes.

Lots of questions about who will stay and where they will play.
GA, AD, DSONG, AJ, Etan, DS, RM?

Next year is a huge evaluation year.

1.) I feel this team should be well beyond "evaluation years", those terms need to stick with the Knicks, Bucks, etc.

2.)
AP
ZE
RA
CB
LH

and don't forget...
RE
GH
ER
AI
NO

and oh yeah...
LA
VA
PU
WA
DE


JK