Thursday, October 7, 2010

Don’t be sad, Gilbert Arenas

cheerupgilbert[1] Its hard being a basketball player sometimes. Its even harder when you’re a basketball player that was a superstar, and then was injured, and then was busted for pointing guns at people (momma always said never to point things at people), and then was suspended because of his gun-wielding and then came back only to find that your superstar status on your team was taken from you by a rookie.

And in case you didn’t know, that would be Gilbert Arenas’ story. Its tough to swallow, for sure.

But usually, you’re supposed to be able to bounce back from these kind of things. Or at least try. Gilbert hasn’t done either. From FanHouse.com:

"Teach John (Wall) the ins and outs of the game and then eventually go on and move on, and I'm on my way,'' Arenas said after playing with the point guard and No. 1 draft pick Wall for the first time in a 97-94 preseason win over Dallas at the American Airlines Center.
Wait a minute. Move on? What does that mean?

"I mean, this is the NBA,'' said Arenas, speaking for eight minutes after the game and for the first time since barely talking to reporters for three minutes at the team's Sept. 27 media day. "There's few players that stay in the same city. Right now, the city is John's. I'm not here to fight anybody. I'm here to just play alongside him. He's Batman and I'm Robin. When I came (to Washington in the summer of 2003), Larry (Hughes) moved aside for me to become a star and I'm moving aside so he can become a star.''

That’s tough to even read, you guys. Gilbert Arenas was once one of the most charismatic and special players in the NBA. He had a Dwight Howard-type of thing going, with his always-upbeat attitude.

But now, we’re seeing a completely different Gilbert Arenas. To paraphrase, Gilbert Arenas said he hates basketball, is giving up being a great player to let John Wall shine and plans to leave the Wizards at some point.

Now, we’ve seen this guy, this guy, that dude and that other person all bash Gilbert Arenas. However, I’m not sure Gilbert is understood at all.

What Gilbert Arenas is displaying in his second chance with the Washington Wizards is that he needs attention. And not the “oh look at me, feel really bad for me while I still make millions of dollars as a second fiddle” kind of attention. But just that “It’s okay, Gilbert” sort of support.

It’s true that Gilbert Arenas has done some questionable stuff. He is (probably) only human, after all. He’s made stupid mistakes and he has said some stupid stuff. But is that enough to have to be depressed?

It could be.

Gilbert Arenas is the kind of guy that loves to love and be loved. He loved the game of basketball and he loved playing for the Washington Wizards, even if they were a really crappy team during his prime in D.C.

But here he is, talking about “moving on” once he has helped John Wall get going. He says he has “lost all feeling,” and that is something you hear that should alarming coming from a guy as rowdy and light-hearted as Arenas.

Yet, sportswriters across the globe are talking about his behavior as attention-seeking and self-pitiful. Come on, guys. The dude is suffering from something. You can’t pull off a charade like this for this long.

This is what needs to happen: Gilbert Arenas needs support. He needs a boost to get him going again, because if he keeps slipping into this type of depressive mood he is in right now, things won’t end pretty. The very best that will come out of it is that we will see one of the more entertaining players retire quicker than expected. The very worst? The worst you can expect from someone when they are battling depression.

I, personally, cannot stand seeing Gilbert like this. And not because I’m on an apparent first-name basis with him (which I’m not), but because, like him or not, he’s fun to watch.

And for him to not even crack a smile in front of the media? That’s very alarming and very not-cool.

This NBA season will have some of the ‘greatest basketball ever said,” says David Stern

David Stern always seems like that kind of guy that you just want to punch right in the ovaries.

And while he's usually a guy you try not to listen to, this might be one of the few times he might actually be right. From the Associated Press:

Stern says, "We're going to have, really, our most successful season. I don't think it's good guys and bad guys. I think you're going to be getting to see some of the greatest basketball ever played."

Finally, David Stern. We were getting sick of you complaining about players for awhile, now.

Either way, I’m going to have to (reluctantly) agree with David Stern here. This NBA season could include some of the greatest basketball season ever played. And not just because the Three Musketeers (Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh) are supposed to be good, but because the Lakers are still in their prime, the Celtics have gotten better, the Orlando Magic are the Orlando Magic and the Hawks still have Joe Johnson (insert eye-roll here).

We should see quite the awesome season, you guys. And competition will be flying everywhere, like a loose booger.

If this NBA season sucks, however, we can point the finger at David Stern and his ovaries.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Phil Jackson thinks the Lakers are "behind on the eight ball"


You know how crazy things can get in Los Angeles. When we're talking parties, people in L.A. don't mess around.

And while the Lakers aren't in Los Angeles right now, they're bringing the Hollywood to Barcelona. From ESPN.com:
So far, the team has gotten the promotion part of the trip down pat. They're still waiting for the basketball part to kick in.
"We're doing pretty good in the NBA Cares clinics, we're not doing so great with our own practices," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after the team's practice at the Palau St. Jordi on Wednesday. "Five guys missed the team bus this morning. I'd blame Pau [Gasol] for that but we won't hold it against him. He took them out last night and showed them some of the sights in Barcelona. So, we got a little bit behind the eight ball, I think, on this trip."
Blame Pau Gasol. Typical Phil Jackson, blaming those Spaniards. Sure, he took the Lakers' squad to go out and party late at night before practice, but it isn't like Pau is holding guns to anyone's heads or anything.

Either way, Hollywood is as Hollywood does, guys. I'm not so sure about Phil Jackson being upset. How do we know he didn't party hard in Barcelona either? We don't, so for now, we'll assume he has.

Oh well. At least we now know Pau Gasol likes to party, too. With those post-game interviews, you would think he'd rather be in his hotel room, listening to Los Tigres del Norte. Such great tunes, guys.

Friday, October 1, 2010

NBA Blog-World Alert: Trey Kerby is leaving BDL

Now, many people have noticed that I'm pretty decent with writing. I'm usually pretty modest, but I have to admit that I get a lot of praise for being entertaining with my apparently-awesome skills.

And while people praise me for my work, I don't get a big head. There's a reason for that, people. That reason is that I've learned and studied the best. If you ask anyone, I model my style of writing after three great writers: Jim Murray, Jason Whitlock and Trey Kerby.

Which is a great transition into the topic of the day: Trey Kerby is leaving Yahoo! Sports' NBA blog, Ball Don't Lie.

Now, I have been a huge follower of his since The Blowtorch. I've followed him around from the Fourth-Place Medal, to his swag rankings on BDL, all the way to his arrival (and departure) as editor of Ball Don't Lie.

Is this creepy? Probably. But I'll stick to my guns and say that Trey Kerby has had the biggest influence on my style of writing as well as my views on the NBA and the world that surrounds it. And I say all of this without shame.

Now, Trey Kerby didn't disappear, mind you. Rather, he's going to work with The Basketball Jones. Sounds familiar, since his predecessor, J.E. Skeets, did the same exact thing.

Yet, this departure is far too disheartening for me. I know that the guys remaining at BDL will do a fine job, but I'm going to miss Trey Kerby, in a very not-creepy sort of way. His crazy analysis of NBA news is oftentimes the most hilarious part of my day, and that is saying something if you have ever lived my life.

All I can say now is that I'll miss Trey Kerby writing for BDL. I'll definitely keep tuned in to the Basketball Jones, but it just won't be the same.

Anyway, good luck Trey Kerby. Hopefully, Kelly Dwyer can hold the fort.