Wizards in the Media Thread

[closg00]

J-Mac his a blog and you can follow his tweets. Thanks Gene Wang.
http://javalemcgee.yardbarker.com/blog/ ... AC/1726091

Edit: ...and he responds to posts to his blog....we'll see how long that lasts.

[closg00]

Too bad for Mike Jones

The Wash Times is axing all local sports coverage. Hell that was the only reason to read the rag. MJones is a darned good beat writer though, always operating under tough conditions (no travel budget for Wiz writers, etc). Nice guy too, I hope he lands on his feet, tough hit for him personally tho' considering the state of the industry.

Slevin would not confirm that the metro and sports sections will be dropped, saying no final decisions have been made. But with the Times pursuing a national audience, he said, coverage of the Washington Nationals or suburban governments would "be of less interest, if any, to someone in Spokane."

edit-- for proper Mike. I knew that. Typo only.

Mike Jones is still writing his Wiz pieces, what's up?

[nate33]

He mentioned in a post a while ago that he'll be writing through the end of the month.

[nate33]

Wood shuts down his blog

I’ve had a great time blogging, interacting with the fans and letting yal know my points of view on different dicey topics but with the way this season has gone –at this point, I don’t want anything written about me that’s not basketball related. When you’re winning and you’re on top, you can really speak your mind and put your thoughts out there. When you’re losing and trying to stay afloat, you’ve got to know when it’s time to be seen and not heard.

Well said.

[closg00]

Wood shuts down his blog

I’ve had a great time blogging, interacting with the fans and letting yal know my points of view on different dicey topics but with the way this season has gone –at this point, I don’t want anything written about me that’s not basketball related. When you’re winning and you’re on top, you can really speak your mind and put your thoughts out there. When you’re losing and trying to stay afloat, you’ve got to know when it’s time to be seen and not heard.

Well said.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... f-blogging

[closg00]

SI feature on the Wiz.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... index.html

[Hoopalotta]

Trade rumors swirl around woebegone Wizards

To summarize the article: We're all going to die and Grundfeld hates us.

Well, either that or he's talking out the side of his mouth. At least people are calling about Jamison

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/18/trade-rumors-swirl-around-woebegone-wizards/

With the Washington Wizards mired in their second six-game losing streak of the season as owners of a 7-16 record, a $79.18 million payroll and with roughly an $8 million luxury tax bill on the way, the rumors have begun to fly.

The Wizards have their three All-Stars - Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler - back together. They have the big-name coach in Flip Saunders. They have plenty of depth thanks to holdover prospects, the offseason trade that brought in guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller, the signing of veteran center Fabricio Oberto and the in-season pickup of backup point guard Earl Boykins.

But something's not working, and league insiders have begun to surmise that Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld could blow up the roster - or at least move a key piece or two.

Grunfeld didn't return a call seeking comment, but a source with knowledge of the team's inner workings said the Wizards have told inquirers that they want to see whether things turn around when Miller returns late this month or in early January, giving Washington a healthy roster for the first time this season.

[nate33]

I understand why they don't want to blow it up completely this early in the season, but I'm disappointed that they won't even entertain any trade offers. Clearly, this team has some chemistry problems and a lateral move trade could help.

My biggest fear is that we continue to suck and then Jamison gets hurt. If we can't trade Jamison at the trade deadline, then all hopes for a quick rebuild are lost.

[nate33]

Some interesting quotes from the players:

Arenas said making drastic roster changes wouldn't be wise, and he believes the Wizards - who have lost those six straight by a combined 14 points - are close to stopping their slide.

"No, you don't want that," Arenas said. "When you make a trade in-season, then you seem desperate. We have the pieces. We have all the pieces we need. We just need to get them firing."

Jamison agreed.

"I do have confidence in this team," he said. "We're in games. We're competing; we're just not finding ways to pull them out in the end. ... The only thing you can do is keep fighting, keep plugging away and staying positive. ... Eventually it's going to turn around, but you don't want it to be too late and you're going to be in the cellar and you've got to play catch-up the whole second half of the season. It's really a sense of urgency now."

Arenas - after Wednesday's last-second collapse, when he turned the ball over with 3.5 seconds left while attempting to drive for a winning shot - said the team's inability to fare well late in games rests on his shoulders. He insisted he is close to top form after a two-year injury-induced layoff, and part of the reason he remains confident is the support he has received from his teammates.

I may be making too much out of this, but I'm getting kinda tired of this positive attitude. It doesn't matter how bad we do, it's always: "we have the pieces", "we had the best record in the league a few years ago", "we're competing". Just once, I want to hear: "Clearly, we're not as good as we think we are. We're not working hard enough and we're not playing smart basketball; and I'm part of the problem."

[MJG]

I may be making too much out of this, but I'm getting kinda tired of this positive attitude. It doesn't matter how bad we do, it's always: "we have the pieces", "we had the best record in the league a few years ago", "we're competing". Just once, I want to hear: "Clearly, we're not as good as we think we are. We're not working hard enough and we're not playing smart basketball; and I'm part of the problem."

This is probably the biggest reason I'm really kind of sick of this group: the completely undeserved sense of hope. I mean, this is a team that hasn't done anything in years, and even when they did something, it wasn't all that special. The level of hope is just ridiculously out of proportion with what it should be for such a mediocre group.

[keynote]

I hear you guys, but I don't mind if the players have confidence - even it appears borderline delusional to us as fans. Of course, I want them to put in the work to continually improve, but I don't think that confidence necessarily breeds complacency.

Now, the coach and the GM, on the other hand, need to be brutally realistic.

[miller31time]

I find it hilarious they're even commenting on potential roster moves (or lack thereof) when the ONLY thing they should be concerned about it playing better basketball.

Don't tell us how talented you are. Go out and show us.

[nate33]

I assume their comments were in response to a question about trade rumors.

[miller31time]

I assume their comments were in response to a question about trade rumors.

I'm sure they were. But I think just saying "all we're concentrating on is getting better and winning some games" is appropriate.

[Hoopalotta]

Oh sure, if the players were calling for trades, then we'd really know there was an oyster fork stuck in our posteriors.

But if Ernie's really suh'rious about this, and he well might not be, I'm at the point where I'm rooting for losses. Or maybe loosening for rotting. Something bad like that anyway.

But don't let us get on a little hot streak so as to encourage this madness!

Sanity would suggest that it's probably all just posturing and I hardly can imagine that anyone other than Teddy can decide on the direction of the team and future salary commitments.

But still, don't make be rot for the loosening! I'll do it, I'll do it I tell you!

[fishercob]

Oh sure, if the players were calling for trades, then we'd really know there was an oyster fork stuck in our posteriors.

But if Ernie's really suh'rious about this, and he well might not be, I'm at the point where I'm rooting for losses. Or maybe loosening for rotting. Something bad like that anyway.

But don't let us get on a little hot streak so as to encourage this madness!

Sanity would suggest that it's probably all just posturing and I hardly can imagine that anyone other than Teddy can decide on the direction of the team and future salary commitments.

But still, don't make be rot for the loosening! I'll do it, I'll do it I tell you!

Considering how awful the last year of Wizards fandom has been, the addition of Hoopalotta may be this board's highlight of 2009.

[Hoopalotta]

Aw-Shucks Fish.....

where's the "Golly-Gee, little old me" emoticon anyway....

But you'ze guys can expect the big-head and lots of laziness and tantrums from here on out. I got too much, too soon.

[closg00]

I heard Mike Jones of the Times on 106.7 earlier today, pretty active for a guy about to be unemployed.

[closg00]

Saunders flustered by Wizards' poor shot selection
There is a moment in just about every game when Wizards Coach Flip Saunders watches one of his players take a contested jumper or a long jumper early in the shot clock and he either slaps the scorers table, claps his hands angrily, or turns to the sideline with a shoulder shrug that says, "What was that?" Sometimes, he'll just shout, "Bad shot!"

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/

We've been talking about this for years.

[Hoopalotta]

Washington post has "Morning Brew: Benching the starters"

I actually read that as "Morning Brew: The B*tching starts"

I honestly did read it that way.

Incidentally, Bullets Forever and the Washington Post articles are not opening for me (the front page opens; odd). Must be an Asian thing.