Jamison calls out teammates

[nate33]

"The makeup of the locker room, the environment of the locker room needs to change," Jamison said. "I'm not saying that it's almost like acceptable, but guys are not upset. Guys are not hurting. This is your job. It's all about representing what's on your chest and doing it the right way. When you don't do your job and don't represent the right way, it should hurt."

I wonder who he is talking about? And is he more worried about the attitude in the locker room, or the effort on the floor?

Nick Young is a happy-go-lucky type who may not be crying in the locker room after a loss, but he's bringing it on the floor every night - at both ends. McGee is working hard too. Songaila, Dixon and Butler are playing hard too.

If Jamison wants to blame somebody, he needs to start by looking in the mirror. He was fighting on the offensive glass against Orlando, I'll give him that. But his closing out on the perimeter is no better than anybody else.

Blatche certainly deserves criticism; as do Daniels and Stevenson (though Daniels may have an injury excuse).

It seems to me that the problem is more mental than physical. There have been a few times when the team has fallen asleep defensively, but for the most part, the mistakes are in their spacing and positioning on D, not their effort. We have GOT to stop collapsing in the paint anytime anybody gets within 10 feet of the basket. Doubling Howard or Randolph? Sure, I can see that. But don't double Tony Battie or Antonio McDyess. Three guards shouldn't sag into the lane when a random swing man like Mbou Moutah (or whatever his name is) dribble drives. Let Etan/McGee/Blatche do their jobs. The guards aren't gonna be much help down there anyhow.

[Benjammin]

"
It seems to me that the problem is more mental than physical. There have been a few times when the team has fallen asleep defensively, but for the most part, the mistakes are in their spacing and positioning on D, not their effort. We have GOT to stop collapsing in the paint anytime anybody gets within 10 feet of the basket. Doubling Howard or Randolph? Sure, I can see that. But don't double Tony Battie or Antonio McDyess. Three guards shouldn't sag into the lane when a random swing man like Mbou Moutah (or whatever his name is) dribble drives. Let Etan/McGee/Blatche do their jobs. The guards aren't gonna be much help down there anyhow.

The Wizards have been doing this since Eddie got here. It's been pointed out for years. It's all part of the "protect the paint at all costs" philosophy. This is Eddie's responsibility. It is a prime example of why he is not a good coach. He and Norv Turner were probably long lost twins or something.

As for Jamison, he is a straight out poser. He's a nice guy, says all the right things, is polite, looks good on camera, but when it comes to really putting forth the effort he's too busy giving up weak touch fouls for three point plays. He's good enough to lose with if you're counting on him to be a true 36 minute a game power forward. But usually he'll look good doing it with lots of style and panache.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The Wizards are 30th on defense. Dead last.

Jamison is arguably the worst defender on the team.

Instead of calling anybody out he needs to take a long look in the mirror.

[TheKingOfVa360]

Time to fire Eddie Jordan, the team is tuning him out. This team will not improve with him at the helm. Trade the vets and build around Nick Young, McGee, and Blatche.

[P'Oed]

can't wait to see Jamison post another 5 for 30 night so Eddie can say "well Jamison was the only one out there who even tried tonight..."

[GilArenas88]

^
Jamsion just has no room to talk this season I've usually been I pretty firm supporter of his, but he's absolutely blows so far. Ill advised jumpers, soft defense, and anti-clutch have been his calling cards this season.You want the locker room to turn around look in the mirror, good forbid you except a rule of the bench when you could be a 6th man of the year easily.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Hate to interrupt your catharsis but Jamison is not the problem on this team. He does what he can. The fact that he cannot play defense because his feet are too slow are not a character flaw. It's a fact.

The fact that everybody goes a step too far on their double teams on a consistent basis is the coach's fault, not Jamison's. The fact that screens are far too effective against the zards defense in creating space for the offensive player is probably the coach's fault too. Although the fact that screens are effective against weak, slow footed players is probably not doing us any favors.

[Benjammin]

Here's the thing, the character flaw isn't about having slow feet. The character flaw is basically blaming other players when you are the worst offender in that area and have been for years. The character flaw is sounding like the winning veteran player who is leading by example and others are not following.

[miller31time]

That quote was a big "WTF" moment for me as well when I read it.

Jamison says all the right things but his poor play and lackluster effort (at times) has been one of the main reasons we're 0-5 right now.

It seems like, in each of our 5 games, I've made at least 2 or 3 posts in each game-thread commenting on how Jamison is just chucking up any shot instead of trying to work within the offense. I didn't have a problem with his offense last season (yeah, he'd occasionally have a "chucker" moment but not often) but he's just been awful this season and, in my opinion, very selfish and me-first.

And what's scary is that I have yet to mention the word 'defense' at all in this post until now. Jamison looked like he gave a much better effort last season. Who wouldn't? It was a contract year. But don't get on other people's tails when you can't do what you're being paid 10+ million dollars to do.

[hands11]

It's great that AJ is trying to do something to get them rallied but there is only one long term solutions.

This stuff is old. It's tired. It's the same. it's EJ. We have only wasted time and talent keeping him here. I hope they keep loosing. That is the best things for this team to turn the corner and maximize it's talent.

It make me sick reading and listening to people blaming EG. With Abe as the owner and EJ as the coach, EG gets an A grade for what he has done.

Year by year EG has balanced salaries, player, future, present to give up a team that came win each year. 0-5 start last year turned into some wins because of talent. 40+ mins of CB and AJ and Haywood starting who EJ didn't want to give mins until he had no other choice.

We could have won more in previous year and Haywood would have been more productive if he would have played more sooner. We wasted time and talent with EJ. instead we invested mins in Ruffin who we know wouldn't be here and wasn't a key part of the future.

We have seen this so many times before with so many players.

I have rarely agreed with who EJ started, how he rotated players, mins, time outs, etc.

Even a blind square finds a nut sometimes. Sure, luck dishes him a winning hand sometimes but I rarely feel like he wins because he played his hand better then the other coach. That is what I want from a head coach.

NY was the best one on one player on this team last year when we needed that. Did EJ play him enough ? Did he start him. NO

EJ holds back this team way more then he moves it forward. I will not give up on Blatche till we have a new coach and hopefully we get one before he become damaged goods.

Because this is my team and I want us to have a future and win, I hope we loose every game until EJ is gone.

[Kanyewest]

If the Wizards go on to win a few games after this, Jamison looks like a genius. Still, he's the one that probably needs to look in the mirror. He needs to improve his shot selection, defense, and his efficiency from 3 point range. At least Jamison criticism was not directed at a particular teammate.

[Wizards2Lottery]

This is coming from a guy who fooled this franchise into giving him a huge contract. He should be the last guy talking. He got his money, now hes back to being the chucker he used to be.

His nice guy persona is so fake. He's one of the last guys I would like to have being a focal point on my team.

[hands11]

Here's the thing, the character flaw isn't about having slow feet. The character flaw is basically blaming other players when you are the worst offender in that area and have been for years. The character flaw is sounding like the winning veteran player who is leading by example and others are not following.

This sounds like double talk. He is leading the way he can. He is saying people are not focused enough and not giving enough effort. Each person skills dictate what they can do. AJs isnt going to have quick footed D. He has quick hands, smarts, effort and touch.

Actually, he is calling this team out in a way ( again ) that the coach should be doing.

The coach lines them up. Chooses the starter and match ups. The D. Etc
If AJ is getting burned because of his slow feet, then you have to adjust. Move him or play your best player to cover up for him. That would be McGee. Its a no brainier. But instead you have ET behind him so he is going to get burned.

AJ was better at rebounding last year because he had Haywood eating up space.

You can't start ET, AJ, CB, DS and AD your took short, to slow, to old and 5 games shows that line up has lost every first quarter. Yeah. Really. Is any really surprised ?

Who is your post presence ?
Who is your slasher/driver ?

AJ is totally exposed to under perform in that line up and then it snowballs from there.

You have a tall, athletic, leaping, blocking, alley op dunking young man who in his first 5 games is already way better at center then ET will ever be but you don't start him. And I doubt this just happened in the first 5 games. You should see this in the pre-season.

You have a young very talented NY who is the best on the team at creating his own shot but he is not starting.

This team will win if they just change the line up to play the best players regardless of how old they are.

McGee, AJ, CB, NY, AD/Dixon will win way more games then what EJ is doing.

How many wasted, needless losses will it take until he figures that out ?

Hopefully enough that he gets fired because I'm sick of wasted time and losses because it takes him to long to figure everything out.

[nate33]

The other thing that bothers me is Jamison's (and presumably everybody's) insistance that the problems have everything to do with effort and nothing to do with the scheme. Do they not watch tape? Can they not see how transparent our "defend the paint" defensive philosphy is? To my eye, either the scheme is at fault, or a heck of a lot of players are consistently failing to execute the scheme. If its the players that are failing to execute, we must have the most (Please Use More Appropriate Word) guards in the league. How hard is it to remember stay with your man rather than sag into the paint on every play?

[junot111]

can't wait to see Jamison post another 5 for 30 night so Eddie can say "well Jamison was the only one out there who even tried tonight..."

HAHAHA

[Dat2U]

As for Jamison, he is a straight out poser. He's a nice guy, says all the right things, is polite, looks good on camera, but when it comes to really putting forth the effort he's too busy giving up weak touch fouls for three point plays. He's good enough to lose with if you're counting on him to be a true 36 minute a game power forward. But usually he'll look good doing it with lots of style and panache.

I've been saying the same thing for years. His so-called "veteran leadership" has been ridiculously overstated.

[hands11]

As for Jamison, he is a straight out poser. He's a nice guy, says all the right things, is polite, looks good on camera, but when it comes to really putting forth the effort he's too busy giving up weak touch fouls for three point plays. He's good enough to lose with if you're counting on him to be a true 36 minute a game power forward. But usually he'll look good doing it with lots of style and panache.

I've been saying the same thing for years. His so-called "veteran leadership" has been ridiculously overstated.

Well, from someone who wanted AJ coming off the bench a long time ago, I can only say this.

AJ is way down on the list of problems so he isn't what I'm focused on because, if you don't like him for any of those reasons, then you have to hate the coach who always started him before you blame him for things he can't help, like slow feat.

You don't blame Ruffin for his weakness. You blame EJ for starting him over Haywood.

You don't blame Hayes for his weakness. You blame EJ for playing him so much when there were better line ups.

Etc. Etc. Etc

[omegatronic3]

I don't have a problem with Jamison calling people out..he's the vet on this team and an all star.....that gives you the right to call people out....but you better walk the walk as well. He's no spring chicken and last year was a contract year so he's not gonna get much better.

He has no credibility calling people out on D though and I dont think offense is the problem.

Obviously guys in the locker room aren't as upset as they should be about starting 0-5.

I think tough juice or Arenas needs to weigh in as well though...the reality of the matter though is the talent isnt there..hate on EJ all you want but without his system we wouldnt have been able to squeak out playoff appearances. I'm feeling like he's lost the team though..but we'll see what happens in the next few games

[LyricalRico]

I posted another part of Jamison's quote in another thread. My initial reaction was to laugh out loud because of the hypocrisy. But I dismissed it as the general type of talk you hear from team captains during losing streaks.

But my delayed reaction is this: Is anyone on the team even listening? If most of us had the reaction of "this guy is an overpaid shot jacker who doesn't play defense", it's conceivable to think that his team mates (who know his game more intimately than we do) could have the same reaction. And that's scary on two fronts.

When the Memphis Grizzlies were coming off consecutive playoff seasons under Hubie Brown, everybody thought they were the up-and-coming team of the West. And then they just fell off the map. One thing that many thought contributed to that was Jerry West giving Brian Cardinal $30M for no apparent reason and it created tension in the locker room because other guys hadn't gotten theirs. Maybe something similar is happening here where guys resent Jamison (and Arenas for that matter) for getting one last huge payday at the expense of the team being able to make more moves and then losing a step right after it. They aren't listening to him in the locker room anymore so now he vents to the media.

He also could be viewed as the leader of an overrated veteran group that's holding the young guys back. It wouldn't surprise me considering how EJ has historically treated younger players. How would you feel about somebody at your job who kept getting all of the best assignments just because they were friends with the boss, even though you were clearly better at the job and more qualified. Sure you'd be angry at the boss but you'd also resent the person who's benefiting. Is there an old vs young battle brewing?

This could get a lot worse than 0-5. This thing could completely unravel if EJ isn't careful.

[MJG]

I agree with the initial post, in that as long as the guys are doing all they can on the court, I frankly don't care how they react after the game. N1, for example, is someone who I simply can't imagine taking most losses that hard. That's just his personality; he's a go-with-the-flow type. But he's been our best player through five games. Does that somehow matter less because he doesn't punch the walls or lay down crying on the locker room floor after the games? Ditto on a majority of the players.