clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

AJ the leader

By Mike Prada

There's far too much negative energy surrounding this team right now.  Obviously, anytime you have a six-game losing streak, it's not going to be a positive situation.  Making matters worse is the way we've lost these recent games in the fourth quarter, where we had a chance to win.

But enough negativity for now.  Ivan Carter tells a story of Antawn Jamison teaching Andray Blatche a lesson in his latest blog.

I witnessed a funny but telling exchange between Jamison and Blatche before the game. Blatche was sitting at his locker with about 45 minutes left before tip when Jamison walked over to his spot two stalls way and started playfully eyeballing Blatche. Finally, Blatche looked up.
Jamison to me: "What time is it?
Me to Jamison: "It's like 6:15"
Jamison, turning his attention to Blatche: "You were an all star this year or something?"
Blatche says nothing. Smiles, knowing where this is going.
Jamison: "You making 15 or 16 million or something like that?
Blatche: "No." More smiling.
Jamison: "Then why did you come over on the second bus? I ain't coming over on the second bus. Why you coming over on the second bus."
(Aside: The team can take two buses to the arena from the hotel. The first comes over early so guys can get in some early shooting, a lift, treatment, whatever. The second comes later.)

Jamison, continuing: "I've been in the league nine (darn) years and I've never come over on the second bus. OK, maybe in Dallas a couple of times because I wanted out of there. I'm never on the second bus. Why you on the second bus."
Blatche: nodding. smiling. saying nothing.

Translation: If you want it young fella, you better come get it. At least that's how I read the situation.

We've been hearing a lot about how Jamison is the real leader of the team, but this is the first time that we've really seen something.  It would obviously be nice if Jamison led by example on the defensive end, but it's clear he's a professional, and a very successful one at that.  It doesn't sound like Blatche was being a cancer (like Kwame Brown), but these are the type of things youngsters always lose track of.  Kudos for Jamison for the lesson, and it sounds like Blatche listened humbly.  

Speaking of Blatche, I have to quote this section from DC Optimist, one of my new favorite blogs (thanks to Mac G for the tip).  

The Wizards thankfully ignored the red flags that may have propped up in the previous high-school big man whose lone weakness was attitude, the braintrust in Chinatown were this time able to determine that this power forward project would be less likely to throw confections down instead of dunks. Encased in his prodigiously lanky 7-foot frame, is the ball-handling of an even lankier Donnell Taylor, the jump shooting of a less awkward Antawn Jamison, the shot blocking of a more motivated Brendan Haywood and the teeth of a British sailor.

While many fans have become faithful of all five of their starting lineup players, Blatche's increasing contributions ought to pierce that fine brilliant set of individuals and catapult him into the limelight. I liken the situation to Willis Reed coming off the bench for the Knicks back in the day, except this time, the fate of an entire country rests on the big man's sharply angled shoulders.

Andray Blatche equals Willis Reed.  And I thought I had heard it all.  In a city widely known as the center of the sports blogging world, this might be the next up and coming site.