Andray Blatche has been such a polarizing character during his time in D.C. that it's too easy to read too much or too little into what he's been doing in the offseason. His charity work is commendable, he's been having fun after work, OK. In the past, he has been stung (and relayed it to the media, no less) by criticisms from disgruntled fans, so we can reasonably infer that he cares what we're thinking. And the man does try.
But it seems like these efforts come and go. They usually strike me as well-meaning, and a thought has occurred to me that perhaps Dray himself doesn't really know what we're looking for from him; consistency. NBA fans put up with what they come to expect of their players; produce on the court, play statesman occasionally, and we'll get along fine. Andray's latest attempt to step up to the high side of the bell curve has occasioned more than a few snickers, but you know what? I think he can make it there.
Andray Blatche a captain? During the NFL lockout, quarterbacks were looked to organize team workouts. It started to put the edge back on for the coming season and was generally looked at as good leadership, especially for newer quarterbacks. Training camp is (in theory) just a few short weeks away, and guess who's running the only players-only workouts in the NBA (that I've heard about, anyway)? Yeah. These aren't just glorified passing drills, either. And while that will likely change after the Impact League concludes, it's a step in the right direction, but it must be followed by consistent actions.
Flash in the pan leadership is something emotionally scarred Wizards fans are familiar with; forgive us if we hesitate to buy in right away. However, if Andray sustains these workouts throughout the lockout, we keep hearing about how he's getting after guys to come in to practice, and see some practice footage 'praps we aren't going to be worried if he's hitting a club after work. We hit the bar after work, right?
If Dray is showing us that effort, showing the team that effort, maybe taking some of the newer guys along on some charity work, we can forget 7-Day Dray and simply be grateful we have Andray Blatche on the team. He's hitting all the right notes at the moment, but rehabilitating a public image is a lot like playing Mozart on a violin. Relatively simple, but it's like crystal. One false note is all it takes to shatter what you're putting out there. Maybe it's not fair. But when you're playing a solo at Carnegie Hall or getting paid to feature as an above average player in a class-of-the-planet league, the spotlight is on you, and it's time for Andray Blatche to shine.