I don't have much to add to the completely embarrassing news about Gilbert Arenas. Tracee Hamilton sums it up pretty well in today's Post.
Talk about the "Curse of Les Boulez" - times two in this case.
One, how embarrassing for a team that used to be the Bullets, a name the late Abe Pollin changed over disgust with gun violence especially in DC but also over the assassination of Yitzak Rabin, to have guns waved in their locker room. Guns apparently drawn in the locker room by two professional athletes. Pretty pathetic.
Two, the lame Wizards are now stuck, really stuck, with Arenas. There is no way they can trade Arenas in an attempt to jump start a team off to a 10-20 so they are on the hook for the remainder of his $110 million contract. That contract was the original reason he was tough to trade, but who would want a guy who brings - and may wave them around - guns to the locker room.
Finally, this instance obviously raises serious concerns about Arenas the person. His professionalism, dedication, and maturity are all in question. I guess I need to give him and Javaris Crittendon the benefit of the doubt; maybe guns weren't drawn. But either way, Arenas is damaged goods - and I'm not talking about his repaired left knee - and the Wizards are stuck with a player who is NOT the professional and leader they thought they had when Pollin signed him to that mega contract three years ago.
To paraphrase Chief Justice Earl Warren, after reading about man's defeats you can read about man's triumphs at the link below on the best of college basketball in the last decade: Looking back at the top players and coaches of the decade.
5 comments:
I don't think you need to give him the benefit of the doubt. I've never really understood why people have been so crazy about Arenas - in his years in DC, what has he delivered? Not a whole lot other than a few glimpses of success, a crappy knee, and a big contract that's proven to be a bust.
You should check out his Twitter feed too. What a trainwreck.
Agree completely with Justin. The Wizards made the playoffs WITHOUT him two years ago. He's a classic NBA fraud, a second-division player if there ever was one. If he is guilty, isn't it a felony? Can't the Wizards (no one really calls them the 'Zards, do they Athan?) void his contract if he's, you know, in jail for five years? This is worse than what Plaxico Burress did . . . hope he does go away if he had guns in the locker room and pulled one on Crittendon, and same for Crittendon too. The Wiz will be better off without them.
Arenas did deliver in the playoffs, but it was four years ago against the Bulls. The following year in the playoffs he famously missed two free throws in a decisive game six versus Cleveland after LaBron James said something to him.
You have to give him some credit as he was a consensus all-star/elite player prior to his knee problems. Again, it was three years ago, but when he was last healthy the Wizards had the best record in the Eastern Conference. After years in the post-Webber wilderness Arenas did make the NBA relevant again.
I don't know what year you're talking about with "best record in the East," but the Wizards' best record with Arenas is 45-37 in 2004-05, the year they won their one playoff series. They didn't even win the division that year. Perhaps I didn't give him enough credit for his accomplishments but this is a blog, I'm allowed to be reactionary.
At the time of his injury - January 2006? - the Wizards had the best record in the Eastern Conference. Without Arenas they did not FINISH with the best record.
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