Mike Jones elaborates on Gilbert Arenas' comments

Let's just say they're more drastic than I originally thought. Arenas said point blank that he's the only guy who has sacrificed.

That's ... uhh ... not true. Brendan Haywood also fired some lobs back at Gilbert, though he didn't name him by name.

Yikes.

2 months ago Mike Prada 41 comments 0 recs |

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Wow

we are completely dysfunctional. We need to right the ship and fast too or this season will slip away.

by ooba on Nov 22, 2009 10:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This team is literally self-destructing before our very eyes. I can see now that Flip made a mistake when he asked Gilbert to be a leader. He is clearly not leadership material. If he would have taken most of the blame, like good leaders do (even when they don’t deserve it), this situation could have calmed down. Instead, he calls out his teammates by name. Are you kidding me?

But I’ve got trust in these guys that eventually Randy’s going to start hitting shots. He’s coming off of injury.

Right, and he’s been one of the least of our problems lately. Plus, you missed one less shot against San Antonio than he did the past two games!

That Caron’s going to start catching and shooting, …

I’m really curious what Caron has to say about this. He at least appears to be doing the right thing and keeping things in-house. I happen to agree with the premise of Gil’s comment, but this should NOT have been aired in the media.

… that we’ll start getting production out of Dray again.

Dray had a bad game last night, but like Randy Foye, he is not the reason this team has lost 8 of 9 games! He is playing the best basketball of his career this season, while you are playing some of the worst of your career.

Before, I would’ve taken 27 shots on a night like this to keep us in the game. But I’m not trying to revert to that. Before, I’d look at Eddie and he’d say, take over the game. …. But it’s only so many nights, so many games before I’m going to have to start doing what I do.

Put up or shut up. We’re all waiting.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 22, 2009 10:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Dont know what to say….

by Unxpekted on Nov 22, 2009 11:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

boom.

this team is self destructing before our eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laydODN6xVk

by hibachi on Nov 22, 2009 11:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Goes the dynamite.

When i said “slow start” at the beginning of the season, I didn’t mean 3-9 and ready to start tearing each others heads off. When’s the schedule start getting easy? Will they make it that far?

by bronco6778 on Nov 22, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Michael Lee's take on the situation is a must-read

Here.

As Arenas spoke, Haywood walked past him to get something to drink and started singing “Ego,” a song by R&B diva Beyoncé: “I’ve got a big ego-o-o,” Haywood sang, offering a musical take on comments he made a few minutes earlier when asked how frustrating it is for the Wizards to be only one game better than they were this time last season, when they finished 19-63.

“It’s very frustrating because our talent is not winning out over our egos,” he said. "If you want to win, you have to check your ego at the door. Bottom line. If you normally score 20 and you don’t get your 20 but the team is winning, who cares?

“We’re 3-9, and we’re still doing the same things we did the first couple games of the season — that’s ego!” he said, shouting. “And it’s not just one person; it’s everybody.”

Arenas was walking out of shower while Haywood spoke. He immediately walked back into the shower until Haywood finished.

Based on this account, it sounds like Haywood made the first comments and Arenas responded to them publicly. If so … well … I don’t want to use the “he started it” defense, but it does appear like Gilbert felt Haywood was picking on him publicly. This kind of makes me more annoyed about Haywood’s actions than Gilbert’s.

Especially the whole “signing Beyonce song” while Gilbert was talking. That’s kind of a dick move.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 22, 2009 11:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Does it seem to you

that Haywood is becoming as much of, if not MORE of, a soundbite than Arenas now? It seems that the mikes are flocking to Haywood more and more these days. It doesn’t bother me really. At least with Haywood you get talk about the “team.” I love Arenas ON THE COURT. But I am growing weary of his center of the universe attitude. First he calls attention to himself by saying that he doesn’t want to call attention to himself anymore. Then he says the team “needs” him to be the “Entertainer” again. Now he singling out teammates, while ignoring his own failings. Where does he take accountabiity for his turnovers, free throw shooting, etc? One thing that DID bother me the other night. Clock running down, he passes it to a covered Caron Butler in the corner. The Arenas we signed for $115mil takes that shot. I wonder if he’s the same player, or if he’s afraid to fail now.

by CJHutch on Nov 23, 2009 6:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good Points, Mike

But I still am more upset with Arenas’s comments than with Haywood’s for three reasons:

Brendan is still playing relatively good basketball, while Gilbert is not. Brendan’s shooting percentage has fallen off a bit this season, but his rebounding, blocks, and turnover percentages have been at better than career averages. While it is rarely a good thing to call out your teammates, when you do so, you need to make sure your game is at par or better. Haywood’s is, Gilbert’s is not.
Brendan is not a team captain, Gilbert is. Being a team captain is an honor, but it also comes with responsibility. It’s your job as a team captain to maintain composure both on the court and off. For a regular player to call out his teammates like Brendan did is unfortunate, for a team captain to call out his teammates like Gilbert did is inexcusable.
Even though Brendan wanted to make sure Gilbert knew he was one of the guys being talked about, at least Brendan did not name names to the media. It’s one thing to make vague statements about certain “egos” on the team, it’s another more harmful thing to start pointing fingers directly. Granted, Gilbert did not make his statements with acrimony, but it was still completely uncalled for.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, both are out of line

But I also think it’s really bush league to yell your answers to the entire room, then start singing Beyonce when you walk by Gil.

I guess I’m just concerned that Gil’s going to get all the blame, when Haywood at least deserves some. Bottom line: practice is going to be interesting today.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 10:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Brendan was out of line and he deserves some of the blame for this team’s poor start. His increasingly frequent mid-range jumpshots are becoming increasingly annoying to watch, and his true shooting percentage is near the worst for his career.

But in the whole media relations incident here, I consider his passive-aggressive antics to be less offensive than Gil’s direct and specific criticisms. One could not that Mike Jones didn’t even think to put Brendan’s behavior in his column, while Gil’s damning criticism of specific players made both.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 10:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can I revise my 43 win estimate?

by BayAreaBullet on Nov 23, 2009 12:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Dick move or not...

Haywood is probably right. At the end of the article Jamison pretty much echoed what Haywood said, albeit in a more tactful manner. We don’t know everything going on behind the scenes, and Arenas does seem to be the one that did start it pubicly by calling out by name other teammates to the press, as stated by another poster above.

Arenas and his ego will never change and I don’t believe(and never have) that the Wizards will ever win a championship with him holding the keys.

Anyway, I really like your blog…keep up the good work.

by Mike Uhrich on Nov 23, 2009 12:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It sounds like Haywood was first, not Gil

And from my experience being in the locker room after games last season, Gil’s usually the last guy to talk.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And Haywood is usually one of the first

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think its safe to say that this team… This team… Is… Um… Hmm… I dont know.

Talented, but yet. How can I explain, imagine a 700 hp, gorgous chassis with no handling characteristics. Unable to put its power to the pavement, thats the Wiz kids.

I think our record will be around 20-25 total wins fpr the season. I think this team will never win a championship. And I think this team will be split up by egos, monetary measure, and the pursuit of happiness.

I dont know whats going to happen. I don’t know anything. Im confused.

i think a 5 game winning streak ends all the bad feelings. If I was doing a project with classmates and we consistantly were getting F’s believe me we would be at eachothers throat.

If we were 9-2 we would not hear any drama. Maybe these guys would all be a in circle jerk of compliments. I realize my thoughts are broken and fragmented but this is my thought process with this confusing situation/team.

Amen.

by Unxpekted on Nov 23, 2009 1:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Now we really get to see what Flip's worth...

With all those off season conversations with players and all his coaching experience, you would think Flip is mulling his options for how to get this team back on track mentally. And now it seems like the situation got a bit more urgent.

I started off this season very pro-Flip, and I still am, but this strikes me as the type of thing that Eddie Jordan was skilled at – being the mental manipulator. Now’s your chance Flip. It’s not about the scheme, its about Jedi mind tricks.

by mogoman on Nov 23, 2009 8:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm happy to hear/read all of this

If this team was not communicating at all, just sitting in a silent locker room, that would spell big trouble. As we all know from our personal lives, an immature argument often is what starts the necessary process to get all the issues on the table and to start to resolve them. I’m glad these guys are arguing … IF they take the next step to really communicate and start figuring this thing out.

At least most of the comments are on point. Haywood is right that guys are playing selfishly. Gilbert is right that the team does have a lot of free agents, and that he’s willing to sacrifice shots for others, but he’s not going to do it if other guys are just going to jack up bad shots, etc.

by disgrunted on Nov 23, 2009 8:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The thing is

He’s averaging more shots per game this season that at any other point in his career. He’s right that he’s had to sacrifice and adjust more stylistically than anyone else, but at this point he’s still getting all the shots that he wants. I think part of the problem is that he’s not getting to shoot from the sweet spots he had developed in the Princeton. He’s still learning where the best spots are for him to shoot in the new offense.

Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.

by JakeTheSnake on Nov 23, 2009 8:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Right

It’s his way of saying “I’ve sacrificed my comfort areas to make everyone else comfortable.” Which is silly, of course, but I think he was hoping that the rest of the team would just hit the ground running while he slowly got his rhythm back from being out for two years and now being in a new system. That hasn’t happened, so he’s lashing out.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can Gilbert Be Effective With His New Role in This New System?

Everybody used to say that Gilbert could not be successful in the NBA because he is a combo-guard. He doesn’t distribute the ball as much as a typical point guard does, but he is too small and doesn’t play well enough off the ball to be a typical shooting guard. The Princeton solved this dilemma, allowing Gilbert to be himself without hurting the offense.

I can’t remember him playing for Golden State, so I’ll have to let others comment as to how well he can play in another offense with other high-volume scorers. So far, I’m not seeing Gilbert play like himself out there, and I’m really wondering if he ever can as long as he is asked to be Chauncey Billups 2.0 instead of the old Gilbert Arenas.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 10:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This does suck...

And I for one am laying it on Flip’s doorstep.

Flip did a lot to help Chauncey get over a bad hump early in his career and find his comfort zone as a pass-first guard who can also hit the big shot.

But Gilbert has a much different hump to get over now and he won’t get there if Flip keeps pressuring him to play a different game than the one he excels at, which is for better or worse based on volume shooting.

Most of all, I agree with Mike that losing Miller at this point is a very, very bad thing. Someone has to step up and be the glue guy or we are going to be in too deep a hole to climb out. There are still 70 games left and a 43-win season is not at all an absurd hope, but that window is not going to be open much longer… and the next window that opens will have FIRE SALE written on it.

by khrabb on Nov 23, 2009 11:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

players - SHUT UP!

keep it in house, for gods sake. i don’t want to parse every veiled dig at team-mates. i don’t care. i care that they are actually working to fix this and get better.

"a crab dribble is when you travel" - caron butler

by little stevie colter on Nov 23, 2009 12:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I Care That They Care

But other than that, I agree with you. Bottom line – this is the season that the excuses have to stop. I never again want to tell another team’s fan, “the Wizards would compete for a championship if…”. “The Wizards would have beaten Cleveland if…” I’m sick of the excuses! It’s time the Wizards give their fans something concrete. It begins with a W. I’m still waiting for them to happen.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you

Firing squads tend to be circular.

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Nov 23, 2009 3:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This mess was created by Grunfeld

In the offseason, Grunfeld pushed the storyline that his team’s 19-63 record last season was a fluke, caused solely by injuries to Gilbert and Haywood. That his team was ready to win now, and all it needed to contend was a couple of complimentary pieces to the Big 3, and a new coach.

Jamison and Butler, perhaps too eager to dismiss their dismal 2008-09 season, bought into Grunfeld’s worldview fully, actively touting the Wizards as title contenders this season, with the Big 3 leading the way. I’ve never heard Flip indicate that the Big 3 are the central focus of the team, but I’ve never heard him challenge or question that. So everyone comes back this season thinking that they will pick up right where they left off, doing things the old way, with everyone in their same roles. And that’s been a disaster. The Jamison injury provided a convenient excuse for a while, but now that’s gone.

What needs to happen going forward is that the team needs to remake itself. Not by trades, but by a clean slate where new roles are identified and adopted. Perhaps Butler no longer is one of the team’s key scorers. Perhaps they will become a running team, or perhaps they will be a slow-it-down, half court team. Perhaps the team will be more defensive-oriented than offensive-oriented. Who knows? But they need to start over in terms of developing a team character, style, and determining the roles each guy will play.

by disgrunted on Nov 23, 2009 1:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Whatever Happened to Butler?

Perhaps Butler no longer is one of the team’s key scorers.

He isn’t, but why? What happened to the guy who was so valuable in 2007-08? Who made me think for a brief moment in time that he was a budding superstar and the team’s best player? I would really dig it if someone could analyze his game now compared to back then and tell us exactly what’s wrong.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 1:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know enough to compare him in 2007-08 and now

But the change in his game from his first days as a Wizard to now are pretty dramatic. When he first was a Wizard, he was a hard-nosed defender, and on offense, was a meat and potatoes guy who drove, hustled, hit the glass, and hit some jumpers. In short, “Tough Juice.” Now (and last season), he envisions himself as an offensive force who is a great jumpshooter, who can shake and bake off the dribble, and who lets other players do the dirty work on defense.

by disgrunted on Nov 23, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He's played some pretty tough, hard nosed D this year.

by MR on Nov 23, 2009 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In Other Words

It sounds like he got used to being the star player on the team in 2007-08, and allowed it to inflate his ego to the point where he thinks he should be the man. He needs to watch some old tape of his game to remember how he used to play. The offense works best when he takes a back seat to Gilbert instead of trying to be the co-pilot.

Whatever he decides to do, he needs to figure out how to stop turning the ball over on every other touch.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

translation...

He needs to pass the damn ball. And that applies to a lot of other guys as well. I watch us and i’m painfully reminded of the nuggets team from a few years back when iverson, smith, and melo were all on the floor.

by five by five on Nov 23, 2009 2:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If I knew the answer to his problems, I'd write more about it

I have tried to figure it out (wrote that post about five ways to get him going, tried talking to him, etc.), but so much of it really is a mystery to me too.

I’ll keep plugging away during Thanksgiving.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just From an Observational Sense

What exactly is he doing differently? It seems that he takes more jump shots, but he always took a lot of jump shots (and was usually money on them). It seems he turns the ball over more and doesn’t pass as much, but I haven’t dug into this. Maybe it’s just been that he’s been injured and his shot isn’t falling?

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 3:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He's hesitating a bit

Taking wayyyyy more contested shots.

I’ll write more about this, but I do think it’s a combination of him taking bad shots and him being deployed in bad spots. More the first. The reason I haven’t brought the hammer down more on Gil is that, in large part, if he’s talking about Caron, I think he’s right. I think Caron has played somewhat selfishly. He’s saying all the right things, but the ball does kind of stop when he gets it. He’s also not driving nearly as much.

Obviously, getting it out this way is bad, but I’m honestly more frustrated as a fan with Caron than with Gilbert.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 4:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i believe the game threads back this up

i recall more than one ’i’m done with caron for this game’ comments from you.
i missed the spurs game, but from what i have seen he is really stopping the ball, always about 10 feet from the rim, near the baseline, and trying for a few seconds to beat his man 1-on-1. it happens seemingly EVERY time he gets the ball there.
that seems so correctable though, but it keeps happening.

"a crab dribble is when you travel" - caron butler

by little stevie colter on Nov 23, 2009 4:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

while i'm bashing gil's ability to run the team elsewhere

i’ll say that i completely agree that caron has been awful. and he’s definitely been a total ballstopper. and in terms of the team needing to get on the same page, he’s a huge part of the issue.

however, it sure as hell ain’t as simple as caron just needs to catch and shoot when he gets the ball. maybe caron needs to pass sometimes? just make a basketball play quickly. at least some of the time… once or twice a game at least… please…

i think the frustration level with both players should be high.

by DarrellWalkerFan on Nov 24, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

survey

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2009/11/i-wasnt-really-able-to.html

I think that survey at the bottom is interesting…over 1000 votes so far and over 50% blaming Gilbert…seems like people are starting to see things differently…

by DynaMix on Nov 23, 2009 2:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

well

To be fair, lee leads the voter down that path. Nearly the entire article is a screed against gil.

by five by five on Nov 23, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who are the captains? Who are the leaders?

I recall in the offseason it being written that since there can only be two captains on a team, that either Jamison or Butler would lose their title if Gilbert became a captain. Could someone tell me which two were ultimately named captains?

And as a separate discussion, who do we think the two best leaders on this team are? I’d go with Jamison and Haywood. I’d love to say Mike Miller instead of Haywood, but I don’t know how vocal Miller is. He strikes me as a “leading by example” type which I discount because it is somewhat passive.

by mogoman on Nov 23, 2009 2:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I Know That Gil Became a Captain

Because a lot of ink was written about it, both real and virtual. I’m not sure if it was Caron or Twan that lost their captain title, but my guess would be Caron. Maybe that’s one of the reasons he’s played so poorly, because he feels that he is being demoted now that Gil is back and is trying to prove that he is still an All-Star.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 23, 2009 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm pretty sure they're all tri-captains

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 23, 2009 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You seem to be right...

That’s what the articles (WPost, times, etc) are saying now, but before the season the articles implied each team was only allowed two captains. It looks like Twan is a Captain and Gil and Caron are Co-Captains. Gee, I’m glad nobody has an ego on this team.

by mogoman on Nov 24, 2009 9:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs