Will History Repeat or Will We Change It This Time ?

[hands11]

I for one am hoping for change. For everything there is a season and this is a season of change.
Change in leadership does make a difference. When the old leadership is unable or unwilling to change and adapt, you change the leadership.

Here we are again. EJ has now recorded a historical first for this franchise - back to back 0-5 seasons.

Last year at this time I was praying we would loose the next games so we could end this nightmare.
Well, another wasted year later, here we are again.


Lets see what is the same between the 2 years.

Both years started 0-5
07/08 0-5 Conference
08/09 0-4 Conference
Both years we lost in (OT) on the road against a conference team.

Both years have a west coast team that has or will stomp us.
07/08 it was Denver 92-118, this year if will be Denver. Any predictions on the score?

This time we have back to backs with Miami in between our appointment with destiny, a game at ATL that could decide EJs future as head coach. Only this time ATL is 4-0 already. If we go 0-2 against Miami we will be 0-8 heading into the ATL game. Maybe we split with Miami so we are 1-8.

Will the ATL game be the final straw this time around ? If EJ leads this team to 0-9 or 1-8 with us likely ending the month 2-12, will he finally be gone. Is 0-9 or 1-8 enough or do we really have to see more of this movie ?

Can we finally get ride of this looser. Cuz if we end up with on of these records before he realizes who he really needs to be starting, it will just be more of the same. EJ making the obvious move to late and only after he had no other choice. We deserve more from our head coach then that.

If you are a Wizards fan, you should be pulling for loss after loss until this man is fired. Then EG will be squarely in charge. We will have new coaching leadership which is what this team has needed for years. Then and only then will this team finally move forward.

Time to turn the page. Better late then never.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I am a Wizard fan and I am not pulling for them to lose just so EJ gets fired.

That said, there is very little chance they go 43-34 the remaining 77 games like they did last season. I think they will be very lucky to go 35-42 from here on out.

I think my 31-win prediction will be pretty close.

[jimij]

Sadly, no matter how many losses we pile up I'm not convinced Abe will let Ernie fire his coach. Unfortunately, it may end up coming down to waiting until Abe is gone before Eddie will be gone. Very depressing - don't want him around but I also don't wish any harm to Abe.

[thewizards2k2]

Is this really Eddie's fault? to be fair, Ethan sucks, AD was playing hurt, and DS is playing like crap. the second unit doesnt have enough experience to pull us out of this hole, except for Dixon. i really don't think firing Eddie and hiring a new coach will change anything. We'll still struggle to win with any new coach.

[hands11]

I am a Wizard fan and I am not pulling for them to lose just so EJ gets fired.

That said, there is very little chance they go 43-34 the remaining 77 games like they did last season. I think they will be very lucky to go 35-42 from here on out.

I think my 31-win prediction will be pretty close.

It's only because I am a Wizards fan that I do want to see him fired. I'm sure you know that.

Time is something you can't get back.

[hands11]

Sadly, no matter how many losses we pile up I'm not convinced Abe will let Ernie fire his coach. Unfortunately, it may end up coming down to waiting until Abe is gone before Eddie will be gone. Very depressing - don't want him around but I also don't wish any harm to Abe.

Just like the election we just had, you have a vote and that vote can be for change.

In this case, you vote with your wallet and your voice.

Even Abe will respond after enough of an out cry and that out cry will become loader and loader with looses. It will come from less fannies in the seats and more criticism from the press.

When people stop showing up to the games and do things like call the team and tell them what's what, then even Abe will listen.

Someone said "when the players give up." I hope it doesn't come to that. You always want your players to try even if they don't believe in the coach.

The HC is the job of the EG to manage, and the EG is responsible to the owner. So if the owner is behind the coach, then EG has nothing to worry about.

Abe is where the pressure needs to be applied.

[LyricalRico]

Last year, they were able to hold it together when Arenas went down. This year? No way. They don't have Haywood anchoring the middle and some of their best players aren't ready for primetime just yet (McGee and Young). This is a bad team that seems to have aged rapidly over the offseason. Not only do we need a new coach but we need a trade or two to shake things up. We need to get bigger, quicker, younger, and more athletic.

[Wizards2Lottery]

This team was decent last year in part because Antawn was in a contract year. We will never see his play of last year ever again.

I hate to say told you so but so far this year Jamison has looked so much more worse than last year. But I was pretty much told to that I'm a crybaby even though it was freakin obvious that this never before seen effort by AJ was nothing but him playing for the last contract of his life.

Now he has the money and doesn't need to give effort which is why you see him chucking terrible shots and playing horrible defense again.

[mohammed10]

Last year, they were able to hold it together when Arenas went down. This year? No way. They don't have Haywood anchoring the middle and some of their best players aren't ready for primetime just yet (McGee and Young). This is a bad team that seems to have aged rapidly over the offseason. Not only do we need a new coach but we need a trade or two to shake things up. We need to get bigger, quicker, younger, and more athletic.

Totally agree, Rico.

I am worried that the 'powers-that-be' will say, well, if we didn't have all these injuries...

[newslowsad]

Unless we squeak out one of the games against Miami, this team is starting 0 - 10.

[zardsfan]

Why not fire EJ!?!? It's not like he is a hall of fame coach or anything.

What's the worst thing that could happen... we find out Jordan wasn't the problem after all???

So what! At least then we would know it's the players and not the coach. At least then EG (or the NEW GM) could start re-building this pathetic franchise... AGAIN.

But then again... maybe a new coaching staff with a fresh set of eyes could come in here and put a line-up together that would resemble a real NBA team.

Voting for "change", just for change sake, when it comes to important stuff like picking the next President of the United States, is a risky practice and boarders on foolishness... but this is the freakin NBA!

Coaches who have far better win/loss records than Eddie Jordan get fired every year in this league; so why the hell are the top brass at the Zards holding on to EJ so tight???

For the love of Pete! FIRE EDDIE JORDAN ALREADY!!!!

[nate33]

Why not fire EJ!?!? It's not like he is a hall of fame coach or anything.

What's the worst thing that could happen... we find out Jordan wasn't the problem after all???

So what! At least then we would know it's the players and not the coach. At least then EG (or the NEW GM) could start re-building this pathetic franchise... AGAIN.

But then again... maybe a new coaching staff with a fresh set of eyes could come in here and put a line-up together that would resemble a real NBA team.

Voting for "change", just for change sake, when it comes to important stuff like picking the next President of the United States, is a risky practice and boarders on foolishness... but this is the freakin NBA!

Coaches who have far better win/loss records than Eddie Jordan get fired every year in this league; so why the hell are the top brass at the Zards holding on to EJ so tight???

For the love of Pete! FIRE EDDIE JORDAN ALREADY!!!!

You can't fire a coach after 5 games. You just can't. It just screams out that management is in panic and doesn't know what it's doing.

There's no compelling need to rush. It's not like we're gonna turn this season around and win a championship with Haywood and Arenas out. If we're 5-15 after 20 games or so, then maybe EG pulls the trigger. But not now.

[mohammed10]

You can't fire a coach after 5 games. You just can't. It just screams out that management is in panic and doesn't know what it's doing.

There's no compelling need to rush. It's not like we're gonna turn this season around and win a championship with Haywood and Arenas out. If we're 5-15 after 20 games or so, then maybe EG pulls the trigger. But not now.

nate - I am usually in agreement with you. However, I respectfully disagree here. This is not like the Spurs firing Jrrry Tarkanian years ago. EFJ has had what 5 years to build his coaching resume here? His portfolio shows him leading us out of the 1st round once in that time, then three crushing series defeats to Cleveland, who own him.

No need to rush? I agree. But if not after 5 years, when?

Oh, and management doesn't know what it's doing. GMEG may have his hands tied by Abe, but how do you sign a player that you KNOW needs additional surgery, following microfracture surgery - not only sign him, but to a 6 year, 111 million dollar deal? Not to mention re-upping AJ to a bloated deal that has us hovering around the cap ceiling with no hope of flexibility for a long time to come.

[JWizmentality]

Is this really Eddie's fault? to be fair, Ethan sucks, AD was playing hurt, and DS is playing like crap. the second unit doesnt have enough experience to pull us out of this hole, except for Dixon. i really don't think firing Eddie and hiring a new coach will change anything. We'll still struggle to win with any new coach.

Won't know until we try.

[80sballboy]

Wait at least until Gilbert comes back. The fact that he took them to the playoffs without their best player, earns him at least 1/2 a year. I can care less right now if Gilbert coaches the team. They don't have the horses at the moment and there's is very little chemistry on the floor.

[lupin]

aren't the knicks(!), like, 4-2?

maybe changing the coach does work sometimes.

they did bench some irritants, but i don't think they added much either.

[hands11]

Why not fire EJ!?!? It's not like he is a hall of fame coach or anything.

What's the worst thing that could happen... we find out Jordan wasn't the problem after all???

So what! At least then we would know it's the players and not the coach. At least then EG (or the NEW GM) could start re-building this pathetic franchise... AGAIN.

But then again... maybe a new coaching staff with a fresh set of eyes could come in here and put a line-up together that would resemble a real NBA team.

Voting for "change", just for change sake, when it comes to important stuff like picking the next President of the United States, is a risky practice and boarders on foolishness... but this is the freakin NBA!

Coaches who have far better win/loss records than Eddie Jordan get fired every year in this league; so why the hell are the top brass at the Zards holding on to EJ so tight???

For the love of Pete! FIRE EDDIE JORDAN ALREADY!!!!

You can't fire a coach after 5 games. You just can't. It just screams out that management is in panic and doesn't know what it's doing.

There's no compelling need to rush. It's not like we're gonna turn this season around and win a championship with Haywood and Arenas out. If we're 5-15 after 20 games or so, then maybe EG pulls the trigger. But not now.

It's hardly after just an 0-5 start. What I laid out is a 2-12 start. Beside, it's not just this year. It's 2 years of this back to back. And it's so much more then that. We have years of data. This teams coaching isn't helping this team grow. It's success is mostly the players getting it done in spite of the coaching. Except the FT improvement from Haywood last year.

But there is a problem as you mentioned. How does it reflect on the organization. Sadly, the just extended his contract which they in no way needed to do. This is the same mistake they made last time we were in that situation. All they needed to do was start the season with EJ in the last year of his contract. If we had done this we would be fine.

But I and many other believe Abe is mostly behind the extensions. Since it is his money, I guess he can blow it as he feels. As I pointed out before, step one for this franchise is new ownership. Till that changes, you can't truly hold EG accountable. If Abe wants to stay the owner, he needs to get out of the way and let EG run things. I just never felt that was 100% true.

But when the crowd starts to boo and the seats are empty, then the pressure will rise.

This franchise is still loaded to move forward if we make the right moves.

[nate33]

It's hardly after just an 0-5 start. What I laid out is a 2-12 start. Beside, it's not just this year. It's 2 years of this back to back. And it's so much more then that. We have years of data. This teams coaching isn't helping this team grow. It's success is mostly the players getting it done in spite of the coaching. Except the FT improvement from Haywood last year.

But there is a problem as you mentioned. How does it reflect on the organization. Sadly, the just extended his contract which they in no way needed to do. This is the same mistake they made last time we were in that situation. All they needed to do was start the season with EJ in the last year of his contract. If we had done this we would be fine.

But I and many other believe Abe is mostly behind the extensions. Since it is his money, I guess he can blow it as he feels. As I pointed out before, step one for this franchise is new ownership. Till that changes, you can't truly hold EG accountable. If Abe wants to stay the owner, he needs to get out of the way and let EG run things. I just never felt that was 100% true.

But when the crowd starts to boo and the seats are empty, then the pressure will rise.

This franchise is still loaded to move forward if we make the right moves.

I don't disagree with any of this. There is a fairly long record of mediocrity with EJ. If EG had made the decision to fire EJ in the offseason, it would have perhaps raised a few eyebrows, but nobody would have felt that EG was rash or delusional. It would not have impaired the credibility of the organization (any more than it is already impaired, that is).

But now that he was recently extended, things have changed. If EG fires EJ now, it sends a signal to everybody that EG has a quick trigger finger and no loyalty. No coach will want to play for a guy who fired the former coach 5 games after extending his contract.

If we go 0-10 or 3-16 or something like that, then EG can fire EJ. But it has to get worse than it is right now. Right now things are bad, but we haven't quite reached the point of total hopelessness.

[AAEXPRESS]

Some of the blame falls on EJ, but some of it has to fall on EG. For EG's part you cannot blame him for wanting to resign Gil, I do get that. But the contract they gave Jamison was egregious. I would have preferred a younger, bigger, cheaper body. This is like the time we signed Juwan Howard to that big fat contract but never lived up to the hype. I cant believe he became a journeyman.

We debated the standing pat versus blowing this team up a whole lot over the summer and management decided the stand pat much to my chagrin. I think it is going to be a long season.

I think my issue with EJ is his rotations, he seems to be making it up as he goes. And one stigma that EJ will never be able to shake is that his teams play lousy defense. Knowing Abe Pollin, EJ will not get fired. No relief in site.

[WizarDynasty]

mos to the blame falls on Edde Grunfeld. He has an eye for offensive talent. This team didn't have a core of defensive players when eddie got here. He has brought blatche, nick young, and javale Mcgee. there are three are players that have the potential to dominant defensive and offensive players. If Gil's get healthy, he has strong perimeter defense with at least challenging a shot and Haywood is pretty much a one man defense by himself. Jamision is really a 6th man and since caron was injured he has reverted to a six man as well. The team really needs a james posey, tayshaun prince kind of player and htey almost had that with jared except for the fact that he couldn't hit the side of a barn. But you need that long athletic wing player to challenge shots. Nick is good at SG position but we grunfeld thought he that olayer with dominic mcquire, except there is nothing that can be done to cure dominics basketball awareness. His mind is hardwired to play as in the paint powerforwrd. Long james posey type player...aka..danny granger...its hard to find...but is what we have been striving for in the drafts for a while with no success. Mcquire and jared are eddie's attempts to secure our defensive perimeter against the three. Very difficult to find a 6'9 player that can hit a jump shot, and is quick and strong enough to stop dribble penetration and knock down the three. That's the real talk that eddie grunfeld has failed to deliver on and until that time, the wiz are gong to suffer. the knicks really sent us backward by forcing us to over pay on jared. He really was our best perimeter defender against the three and even now..he would be the best match up we have against a player like lebron.
even michael jordan was looking for his sf when he got tyrone nesby..very difficult to find a 6'9 player with a high baskketball IQ, long reach, can hit the three point shot..and fast feet and strength.