This is me breathing a sigh of relief

by Mike Prada on Mar 1, 2007 1:56 PM EST in Injuries

Just saw this in the Wizards Insider blog.

In the hallway at Verizon Center right now and wanted to get the word out. Coach Eddie Jordan said Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison practiced today and will start tomorrow night against Atlanta, barring any overnight relapses. Butler just spoke to reporters and said he's going for sure. He wanted to go right up to tip off last night but the back was still tight and he wanted at least one more day to get it right.

The sad reality is that the Wizards are in big trouble without Butler and Jamison in the lineup, so this is obviously incredible news. Combine this with a very easy schedule upcoming, and I think things will start to get better.

Of course, this didn't stop my onetime favorite writer Michael Wilbon from writing a doom and gloom column in the Post today.

Miami, without Wade, can still fashion victory out of nasty defense and a whole lot of Shaq in the post and Shaq passing out of the post. The Wizards, without Butler and Jamison, look to be doomed, especially when Gilbert Arenas is slopping around in the ugliest shooting slump imaginable.

Wilbon used to be a really great columnist, but since moving to ESPN, his columns have gotten worse and worse. This one might be the most egregiously bad one yet. Wilbon forcasted a Wizards drop by extrapolating from one game played without their second and third best players. Based on one game, Wilbon suggests that the Heat are on their way back, despite losing to the Knicks two nights ago. On one level, I understand the need to write these colums, but why do we need to forecast doom and gloom based on watching one game?

I guess I wouldn't have as big of a problem if Wilbon was at least specific. If there was something in there about how missing Butler means everything needs to go through Arenas, or how missing Jamison robs the offense of their best pick and roll player, it would be worth writing about. If there was something in there about how exactly Shaq was able to dominate in the post (e.g. he was catching the ball in great position,), then it would be worth writing about. But no, instead we see a lot of generic blanket phrases, a couple meaningless interviews (obviously, the Heat are going to talk themselves up), and a negative premise based off one game of observation. Why would anyone read something like that if they can go to a team blog and get a more in-depth look? And you wonder why the newspaper business is failing.

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Comments

siiiiiiiiiigh

Thanks for the update, man. GREAT news.

Yeah, I couldn't believe Wilbon's article today. The undermanned Heat (who still have a couple of former all-stars waiting on the bench) can beat the way-more undermanned Wizards? How is that even news?

The real question is whether the Wizards will hold the two-spot or slip to the three. They're tied with the surging Raptors right now, with two home games against them this month. I'm putting together a revised schedule strength analysis, will post in the next day or so.

by sierradave on Mar 1, 2007 5:08 PM EST reply actions

I hope they arent rushing back

Lets face it. The east is so weak that they can afford to lose more games. I hope they arent panicking and bringing these guys back too soon. The worst thing that could happen is for them to get an injury that ends up affecting next year too.

If they both really are ready to come back I hope gil takes the oppurtunity to sit out a bit. If the wiz can go on a nice 5 game win streak with this easier schedule comming up they could afford to rest him.

by riskus on Mar 2, 2007 9:23 AM EST reply actions