Ernie Wants More Competitiveness from Wall

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I just wish you was just as objective in your opinion of McGee as you are in Wall, CCJ... Or as impatient as you put it... Being drafted a certain position means nothing when the game is being played, ie Arenas...; if James, Wade, Melo-like players would come out last year and we drafted Wall at 4, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion...

Stardom for Wall should come after he gets better teammates, if he reaches stardom after he is traded, it would be because he is traded to a better team...

Jordan nor James couldn't even get this team anywhere; no rebounders, no shooters, no defenders...

Disclaimer: I am not objective about Javale McGee, DeJuan Blair, or Morris Almond.

Also, I have liked Javale's mom since the first time I saw the USC women play in 1984. That IS a woman--she's not like the majority of women who play hoops. She can do no wrong as far as I am concerned. She can cuss the coach, talk about the Wizards, and hug and kiss her baby boy who's over a foot taller than most of us all she wants. And she's a twin with a sister as fine as she is? Come on, man.

Those are just the biases I know of, BTW.

[DaRealHibachi]

I just wish you was just as objective in your opinion of McGee as you are in Wall, CCJ... Or as impatient as you put it... Being drafted a certain position means nothing when the game is being played, ie Arenas...; if James, Wade, Melo-like players would come out last year and we drafted Wall at 4, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion...

Stardom for Wall should come after he gets better teammates, if he reaches stardom after he is traded, it would be because he is traded to a better team...

Jordan nor James couldn't even get this team anywhere; no rebounders, no shooters, no defenders...

Disclaimer: I am not objective about Javale McGee, DeJuan Blair, or Morris Almond.

Also, I have liked Javale's mom the first time I saw the USC women play in 1984. That IS a women--she's not like the majority of women who play hoops. She can do no wrong as far as I am concerned. She can cuss the coach, talk about the Wizards, and hug and kiss her baby boy who's over a foot taller than most of us all she wants.

Those are just the biases I know of, BTW.

I 'ed... damn you CCJ...

[closg00]

I think we may be underestimating how much Wall is angry about knowing EG and company have put him in a position to fail. This roster is not built to win, it's built to get a high draft pick. At the same time, Wittman and EG want to keep putting the lack of success on Wall's shoulders. That's a pretty crappy situation to be in for a young PG.

Maybe I'm miss-remembering, but it seems like Wall's frustrated face started right after Randy's opening press conference.

Agree, Ernie and Ted are only ensuring that Wall and McGee will flee at the first opportunity.

[dangermouse]

Woah, Pump the brakes....

A page or two back someone said Ernie's contract is up after this season? For realsies?

I can't wait until we get someone new. Really, Teddy L, for all of the "we are building the OKC way" talk, you havent backed it up with much. Get us a new GM, its what the Sonics/Thunder owner did pretty much as soon as he had taken off the stereotype burglar outfit. I hope you are scouring the NBA FO's for an ambitious young Presti clone who wants a full time position.

What HAVE you actually done for the Wiz, Ted? Changed the uniform... OK, that wasnt even a huge success (they look good but sometimes the numbers are hard to read). Oh and made sure there was plenty of toilet paper in the restrooms or whatever. Ive never been to Verizon centre so I cant comment, but the only way you could be called a successful new owner would be if that toilet paper was at least 2 ply.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

He fired Flip!

Wittman as interim is doing exactly what I've wanted to see. Ted's statement a while back revealed changes are coming. I am feeling really good about things. With or without Ernie as GM all the Wizards need to do is hire Dave Joerger as head coach and maybe add ONE good FA and sign one great scorer in this draft. I am not worried about the Wizards going forward. I am really not. Things WILL get better. In fact, they already are IMO.

This team has stifling defensive potential. They're not defending perimeter shooters who flare out well (from the games I've seen). They've had all sorts of problems defending pick and roll. But those problems will be less and less the more Mack, Seraphin, Booker, and Vesely play. Sans Blatche a multitude of sins are disappearing. Also, Wall's tightening up his defense.

I'm not worried about EG getting on Wall. Word is getting out and Wall was just put in check for downing his teammates. EG might not have a leg to stand on when all is said and done, but the man did not lie on Wall. Kid has to produce and compete because he's the straw that stirs the Wizards.

[queridiculo]

I'm having a tough time understanding how so many of this teams fans are gobbling up this metaphysical bull from Ernie. Grunfeld needs to own up to building this shite roster and stop talking about what the players need to do. Last I checked that was the headcoaches job, then again, it's not as if he's ever let them do their job without running interference..

Clear out your desk Ernie, let somebody else worry about what John Wall needs to do.

[TGW]

CCJ--thank you for providing this thread with some great posts. You dislike Wall, but at least your hating is enjoyable to read.

[MF23]

I'm sorry if I'm misinformed but when did John Wall start putting down his teammates? BTW, I don't think there is anything wrong with pushing someone with Wall's talent to be a consistent leader on the court. That quote sounded like EG's being constructive unfortunately in other ways he's been hindering Wall's growth. Maybe hindering is too strong of a word but he should be further along than he is now. Even with the lockout there are things I think Wall should be a little tighter on. He telegraphs, is inconsistent with his form and he's a below average defender. Wall IMO will still be a top 10 player but there needs to be set priorities in place so he reaches his potential without developing bad habits. I'd like to see a sterner constructive system in place going forward so these young guys learn to play the right way.

[Ed Wood]

Ah yes, competitiveness, that's the thing we've all been lamenting Wall's lack of. What with all his not getting angry at his teammates for cocking things up around him and not trying to do too much and take games entirely on his own shoulders to the detriment of both his own individual performance and those of the rest of the roster. I dream of a future juncture at which those qualities are evident in our young point guard.

This is slightly less noxious than discovering that Ernie had privately confronted Wall with the same comments re: "kid please save my job" because at least this is a roundabout public admission that the best he can do with what he's made of the team is ask everybody to just try harder.

Also that was a really fabulous little post you had monte, actually.

edit: To be fair to Ernie it seems that the quote is somewhat misrepresented by the headline and the focus on Wall. He seems to be saying "well yes Wall has been playing better and competing recently but the whole team is awful and I'd like everybody involved to do something about that. Except me."

[JonathanJoseph]

You said it much less diplomatically than I did, and I've been flamed non-stop for it.

You get flamed for your opinion on Wall because at this exact same time last year you threw every single excuse in the book out there to back your boy Arenas. You used stats, you blamed EG and you certainly brought your 3rd grade quality physcoanaylsis babble into as well. You were the loudest one on the board in defending his struggles and making excuses.

So excuse me for laughing at you, then flaming you for you for holding Wall to the fire and talking about some "accountability-free excuses" crap.

It's just incredibly rich coming from you.

I know, I know, there's no need for personal attacks and yes, go ahead and change the subject and refuse to address anything points made because you always do. Better yet, why don't you delve into your typical strawman argument since you love to misrepresent folks opinions. Your posts are just so predictable. Rinse, wash & repeat.

I'm confused as to how you can accuse me of changing the subject in a post that has absolutely zero basketball content. Further, your argument seems to be that your disagreement with an opinion I had over a year ago on a completely unrelated topic makes it ok to both laugh and flame my current opinion, even when it's quoting someone else.

Got it.

If my opinion is so irrelevant, just hit the ignore button. If my opinion is so irrelevant, feel free to stop (voluntarily) following me on Twitter. Either way, get ahold of yourself and chill out. It's the Internet and we're here to discuss Wizards basketball.

(p.s.- Wall looks like a bust)

[WizarDynasty]

I think ernie is wrong. Wall is pretty competitive. Wall needs skills and ernie is poor at improving bringing in world class elite developmental coaches.
Ernie uses vague words **** competitiveness yet he doesn't define what competitveness is.
Ask ernie what he think john wall needs to improve on most to make the wizards competitive and what has ernie done to help wall improve this aspect of his game.
You won't hear an answer to this question from ernie because it is to specific and revealing of ernie and the wizards.
My first question is why haven't the wizards put wall in post up situations forcing wall to use his height advantage.
Foce wall to back down an opponent and llet wall get physical. That's wall problem now he can play with physicality and doesn't initiate contact to create advantages for himself.
We need a point guard with a iso perimeter post game that can hit turn around shots. I miss gilbert right now.
I just think ernie has no clue of how to develop elite point guards.

[montestewart]

Ernie uses vague words like competitiveness yet he doesn't define what competitveness is.

I can't wait for Grunfeld to be fired, but we don't have to hurl ethnic slurs at him in the process.

There was an episode of Curb your Enthusiasm in which Larry David is supposed to place a death notice for a relative, containing the phrase "beloved aunt," but the newspaper screwed up the first letter in aunt.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

WD, keep posting things like your first question.

Why haven't they posted Wall up more? Randy Wittman took over on 1/23/12. Washington's had 4 or 5 games on his watch. In that 9 or 10 days they couldn't have had more than 3 practices outside of pre-game shoot arounds. One thing Wittman is quoted as saying is he learned from the last time he was an interim coach to simplify things. He's running different sets and a simplified offense. Wittman has changed personnel and lineups around some. More players are touching the ball each possession. Wittman seems to like to play three guards, as Flip did. As far as the offense and Wall isolating or posting up, has that been a point of emphasis? I don't see how it could have been.

WD, this is really a good point you're bringing up about Wall. I believe you meant Wall cannot play with physicality as a post up player. I don't know if he cannot or that he simply has not utilized that technique or hasn't been asked to. That might really help Wall operate in half court.

WD, the Wizards have a guy on their staff who was a master at posting up at PG. Sam Cassell made a living doing that. John Wall has to have practiced against Sam and seen what posting up or having a turnaround shot can do. Nick Young fades away but has the turnaround shot. Wall should work that in, along with a tear drop floater iMO.

If Wall could post up, hit turnaround shots, and master the floater he would become the next Russell Westbrook.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Ernie uses vague words like competitiveness yet he doesn't define what competitveness is.

I can't wait for Grunfeld to be fired, but we don't have to hurl ethnic slurs at him in the process.

There was an episode of Curb your Enthusiasm in which Larry David is supposed to place a death notice for a relative, containing the phrase "beloved aunt," but the newspaper screwed up the first letter in aunt.

The difference one letter can make.

Ernie is Jewish and I sure hope that wasn't Freudian, WD. (Just kidding, I am positive that's a typo which is why I chose to ignore it. monte had to go there, and I'm glad he did.)

I probably shouldn't go here but Larry David's aunt had one and it likely was beloved by somebody at some time in her life. RIP Aunt BC

Last attempt at humor: Funniest thing I EVER saw on ESPN Sportscenter was when a host misread the teleprompter by one letter. A player had been injured with a bulging disc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-cq0WG_qSA[/youtube]

[closg00]

Ernie uses vague words like competitiveness yet he doesn't define what competitveness is.

I can't wait for Grunfeld to be fired, but we don't have to hurl ethnic slurs at him in the process.

There was an episode of Curb your Enthusiasm in which Larry David is supposed to place a death notice for a relative, containing the phrase "beloved aunt," but the newspaper screwed up the first letter in aunt.

+1 Ernie is master-politician and genius with the use of language, his every word is carefully measured and timed for strategic release. First Flip was fired, now John Wall get's called-out (rightly or wrongly). Ernie's finger of blame is always pointed elsewhere.

[Ruzious]

I'm having a tough time understanding how so many of this teams fans are gobbling up this metaphysical bull from Ernie. Grunfeld needs to own up to building this **** roster and stop talking about what the players need to do. Last I checked that was the headcoaches job, then again, it's not as if he's ever let them do their job without running interference..

Clear out your desk Ernie, let somebody else worry about what John Wall needs to do.

Amen. And I haven't even read the 1st 3 pages of this thread. Wall has things to work on, but he is the least of the Wiz problems. He's been put in a no-win situation by Ernest Grunfeld, and he's handling it as well as can be expected.

[TGW]

I'm having a tough time understanding how so many of this teams fans are gobbling up this metaphysical bull from Ernie. Grunfeld needs to own up to building this **** roster and stop talking about what the players need to do. Last I checked that was the headcoaches job, then again, it's not as if he's ever let them do their job without running interference..

Clear out your desk Ernie, let somebody else worry about what John Wall needs to do.

Amen. And I haven't even read the 1st 3 pages of this thread. Wall has things to work on, but he is the least of the Wiz problems. He's been put in a no-win situation by Ernest Grunfeld, and he's handling it as well as can be expected.

That's how I feel. The FO pushed Wall into this position, but they didn't bother to ask themselves if he was ready to be the leader of the team just yet. They got rid of all the positive veteran influence on this team, and expected him to just carry a team basically overnight. And to make matters worst, you surround him with probably the most mismatched, non-complimentary players in the league.

Ernie Grunfeld...you are the weakest link.

[JonathanJoseph]

I think ernie is wrong. Wall is pretty competitive. Wall needs skills and ernie is poor at improving bringing in world class elite developmental coaches.
Ernie uses vague words **** competitiveness yet he doesn't define what competitveness is.
Ask ernie what he think john wall needs to improve on most to make the wizards competitive and what has ernie done to help wall improve this aspect of his game.
You won't hear an answer to this question from ernie because it is to specific and revealing of ernie and the wizards.
My first question is why haven't the wizards put wall in post up situations forcing wall to use his height advantage.
Foce wall to back down an opponent and llet wall get physical. That's wall problem now he can play with physicality and doesn't initiate contact to create advantages for himself.
We need a point guard with a iso perimeter post game that can hit turn around shots. I miss gilbert right now.
I just think ernie has no clue of how to develop elite point guards.

A few things.

Grunfeld has never said a meaningful word in a press conference in his life. He purposely uses generic vague terms so he can imply something without saying anything of substance. So if you are looking to take concrete meaning out of something Grunfeld said to the press, you are wasting your time.

When Ernie is talking about competitiveness, I think he's talking about Wall's quitting on plays (which has happened on many occasions) and his poor body language. Wall gives off the vibe that the team is not going to win and other players take that que.

As for a post game for Wall? That ain't happening anytime soon if at all. You need a whole lot of things besides height to play in the post and Wall is no where near being able to do that. Lebron is arguably the most skilled player in the history of the sport and it took him 7-8 years to incorporate a post game. I think we've got enough of a challenge making Wall into a credible PG much less worrying about secondary skill sets.

Finally, Ernie has nothing to do with developing Wall's individual game. From the mouth of Flip Saunders (who regardless of what people here think is a very highly regarded coach for PGs) “Point guards aren’t made, they’re delivered from heaven”. The fundamental instincts for the position need to come naturally to the player, not a coach or supporting cast.