More questions than answers

"And to facilitate that transition to a new team it might be in Arenas's best interest to let the team void his contract."

I can't believe Wilbon wrote this statement. Give me a break, who do you work for Wilbon the Wizards?

Two Points: Grunfield a "victim"? no way, he has attempted to 'make' Gil a superstar/franchise player...he's not. He also chose to waive Paul Davis, trade Songaila and keep Critt who was already injured?

2nd Pt: If Gil honestly accepted that the suspension for the season was fair, and forfeiture of the season's salary as well, then he knows his future here is 100% impossible, why would he expect that a contract would still be good. How bout doing the honorable (for once) thing and accept the void of the remaining contract and move on...knowing he'll still get millions w/ another team, no doubt.

Gilbert was never a franchise player. He is solid and very good but overated. and got paid as such. What has he really done. This current team would have never beat Cleveland or Orlando. And Gilbert was not the main problem.

The problem basketball was Jamison & Butler. Jamison takes too many 3's and jumpshots and plays no D. Once Butler recieves the ball, the ball stops. And why isnt McGee playing more. I really could care less what happens with the Wizards at this point.
Go Skins! Looks like they are headed in the right direction

Keep the money Gil and sit back and relax... Why play ball when you get paid regardless.. Arenas and Haynesworth for 200 Million +. Looks like Snyder was the smarter owner.

Hey Barno,
Based on your logic, only the dead can write obituaries. We also now know that if a coworker of yours committed a felony that you would do what you could do to help him get away with it. Hence the crime in this country. You and the player's union that is. I can hear the players' union now. " Even though he shot at the other player, he missed him so no harm was done." The NBA has earned it's reputation as a league of self centered, immature adults with more money than brains. Of course this is not universally true. You have guys like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Dwayne Wade, etc. who are solid citizens, Bu they are smeared by the behavior of too many others.

I agree with another writer..BARNO is an idiot. Being charitable, and being a big brother are admirable..having nothing to do with the things he did in the locker room, and at the Philly game. In case you didn`t hear..he committed a felony..gun related.
That is big time bad. All NBA personnel knew that it was illegal to bring guns to an arena..an NBA rule. Any crime like having guns is federal..if he did not know that..he is really stupid...and so are you.

UHURA..you are just as stupid as Barno! What the players did WAS NOT SNITCHING. It was following not only the law, but helping protect the rest of the team. Things like this have a way of developing rapidly..and could have become a shooting incident in shot order. Seems JC actually chambered a rebound..you don`t think that is serious?
Turning them in, may well have saved someone`s life..and the other from totally ruining his.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW THOSE OTHER PLAYERS YOU MENTIONED WOULD HAVE REACTED IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT. BEING MACHO CAN GET YOU KILLED..QUICKLY.

Given that they'll likely tank the rest of the way (not necessarily willingly), it'd be great if they lucked out in the lottery for a change. Drafting John Wall and signing LeBron James - I know, gotta get that $111M voided 1st - would go a loooong way toward rinsing the bad taste of the last couple years out of our mouths. Git er done, Ted! (Well, once you officially get the team.)

Why would Arenas want to help out the Wizards? No matter how you slice it, they threw him under the bus! Certainly, he was culpable, but he got no support from ''his team''. He should sit back, and wait for the buyout offer. He is not going to do jail time, at least more than token jail time. Whizzes pay twenty million for a buyout, well, then he should take his jump shot to the Knicks for seven million a year.

The Wizards should NOT be interested in free agents this summer, even if the ownership is settled, which is not likely.

Instead, they should build initially through the draft. Signing a free agent or two just guarantees continued mediocrity. Blow the motha up.

Who care about multi-millionaires fighting for "millions"! I need a job and I will settle for pennies right now! Thank goodness for the Caps otherwise it may not be worth living in this area at all!

Speaking of divorces, can't you just work at ESPN full-time, man? You're obviously very anti-DC and don't seem to understand that in this forum you're being read by DC people who don't appreciate how: 1. egotistical, 2. unyielding, 3. arrogant, and 4. anti-DC, you are. We have NOT "accepted around Washington for awhile now that neither would ever play for the Wizards again." First of all, don't speak for what "we around Washington" have accepted or not. You're in Bristol, CT, dude - not DC. Secondly, are you really that arrogant to believe that you alone speak for all of us?? You do that a lot - make these sweeping statements of fact which aren't facts. In fact, your other employer tends to feel strongly that Gil and Wiz are stuck with each other til the end of the contract. So, we around Washington haven't accepted anything. Also, man, it would seriously behoove you to just sprinkle in a couple more "in my opinion"'s or "I believe"'s or "some think"'s. I mean, seriously, dude. Your opinions are not facts so just get over yourself.

It's time for this city... white or black to embrace the one thing that is good & forget about this sorry franchise & David Sterns FIXED LEAGUE!!! C-A-P-S... Caps! CAPS!! CAPS!!!!

Ahh, so Barno is back! He had been laying pretty low from the Redskins Insider (RI) comments after predicting playoffs this year even while the 'Skins were 2-4...then 2-5...etc. He eventually got laughed off RI for slurping Cerrato most of the season.

Here is his MO: Barno gets off by adopting extreme opinions on subjects that he knows about as much as the rest of us, then ridicules people for not agreeing with him. His favorite method is sticking up for teams with bad records, arguing that everything with the team is fine and normal and that they will pull out a miracle finish to their season (Terps last year, for example). Then he insults people that don't agree with his optimism. This approach didn't work out too well for him with the 'Skins last season.

Some people like to exercise in their free time. Others like to read, or hang out with friends and family. Barno likes to insult blog commentors.

Keep on keeping on, Barno!

Gilbert was never a franchise player.

The team and not Gilbert is responsible for the fact he holds a $111M contract which the team now wants to get out of.

Whether the gun incident happened or not, the Wizards were evidently trying to shop Arenas to other teams including the Rockets where T-MAC's contract is up after this season.

Abe Pollin despite his philanthropy did the fans in this city little service in running the Bullets/Wizards the past 30 years.

He built the MCI Center but then failed to get out of the way so basketball people could build a winning team, which is really what fans go to games for.

They don't go for amenities.

Ask Redskins fans if they would rather have a 14-2 team and play in a venue with fewer shops, restaurants and without a new Jumbo HDTV setup.

Arenas should have been allowed to walk when he was a free agent.

The team could have rebuilt their backcourt and kept Butler and Jamison for a 2-3 year run to see what the club could accomplish.

Improvement was not going to happen without the addition of players that were willing to defend and rebound the basketball.

But Pollin MADE Grunfeld do the Arenas deal.

Just as Leonsis MADE the Jagr deal when McPhee was on vacation.

And getting out from under it is going to be a similar gut-wrenching experience that costs a bundle of money and hamstrings the team against the cap for a couple of years.

... for those of you who are saying that he did not shot, rape or kill anyone with his prank should have their head examined. Moreover, they should never serve on a jury either.

Let's face if, if Gilbert Arenas was Gilbert the Bus Driver, all of you clowns would say that he should be fired, serve jail time, etc., because Gilbert the Bus Driver is just that a Bus Driver without the cash that Gilbert the NBA Player has in his the bank. You are focusing on his money and what he has, not who he really represents.

Let's play on a level field here, because had Gilbert had got away with his prank; the next prank would have resulted in a violent injury. This man required checking in more ways than on the basketball court.

In short, F!@# Arenas and that complete scrub, Crittendon. Who cares where he/they goes? Why would anyone in their right mind wish this a$$hole well? No amount of charitable contribution's offset what he has done here. You can argue about who contributes more cash to charity or who visits a poor kid or two but WTF does that have to do with destroying a Franchise? Most of you are so indoctrinated into the "politically correct" syndrone that you are incapable of saying what you truly feel about this and our Society's current sad state in general.

Why am I angry about this you ask? Here is why. I have followed and supported this team financially since 1967 starting with Earl Monroe and Wes then to Elvin and Bobby D all the way through the mediocrity that has been Bullets Basketball for decades now. I, like many in the area had developed something called LOYALTY to this Franchise. As I say that, I think I need to have my head examined. Why? Because Loyalty is for Country, Family and Friends, not spoiled, dysfunctional, out of touch with reality rich kids like Arenas.

It would be completely naive to think that their were no a$$holes back in the old days because their were. They just were rare back then. Why was that? Hard working decent Parents or Family that gave a damn about education, hard work, morals and decency. That said, not until the money started flowing on a grand scale in the 80's combined with the explosive growth of single parent households did the sheer absurdity of the modern day athlete's selfishness, greed and lack of humanity and decency really come to the forfront.

Blame it solely on money, no. I blame it mostly on the complete breakdown in Parenting, sense of Family and common decency and morals. WTF has happened to us? Does anyone care enough to just be humble and decent anymore. Why does money have to change anybody?

It will not go away with Arenas as he goes on to make millions more for another dysfunctional Franchise who will sign him.

This current Rap Generation of NBA players are every bit the THUGS that we are scared shi!less to say they are. They are mostly THUGS, yeah, I said it! THUGS in every sense of the word. Show boating, chest pounding,look at me I can dunk and then glare at you THUGS. Not only are these current day NBA ballers dumb off the court, they are equally dumb on it! (see Blatche and Young for two prime examples) Low basketball IQ we say? I say that they are just good old fashiones plane DUMB and do not care one bit about it. Education, who gives a shi! right? Just get me a fat guaranteed contract, an Escalade and watch me roll on my 24's down to the Club to show off my bling. Describing this current generation as shallow is a complete understatement.

I will never support this NBA Team again no matter who the Owner, GM or Coach are. My Son and I used to attend about 10 games per year but never again.

Back to my roots of High School and College Ball, not that their are not issues there. Just not enough to keep me from following the game that I love.

Goodbye Agent Truly A Zero and good riddance!

23 and 7 wilbon...get with it!

"Arenas isn't coming back to Washington, and shouldn't. The club doesn't want him and he doesn't want to play here, which he made clear in his meeting with league officials."

How can MB write this in an article about the uncertainty surround the organization's ownership. It would seem entirely possible that the future owner, if it is Ted Leonsis or someone else, may want to give Gilbert a second chance, particularly when the cost of a buyout will be exorbitant. Secondly, who is Wilbon to say that Gil wouldn't come back to play for the Wizards under new ownership and management?

A 7 Million Dollar vacation. This guy has learned nothing out of this, unless he serves some time in jail, which would be appropriate.

Yey uhuru123 "Real players, like those mentioned, would have handled the issue like a real team - in the locker room like men and like a team. Without the Justice Department, Management or Mr. Stern."

Go brings guns to where you work, threaten a co-worker, steal some rims, maybe take a poo in your boss's shoes.....Then come back and tell us how that goes down and that all was forgiven, and that management decided not to call police and handle it internally.

"Seriously folks, if you don't have any idea what you are talking about regarding Arenas, don't feel compelled to post comments on here. You're just embarrassing yourself."

Barno is always wrong, he just never admit's it. A true "know it all" in every way, shape, and form.

Keyboard in one hand, and you know what in the other.

- Ray

In a town punctuated with ownership cluster*****, this potential Pollin > Leonsis nightmare...is just another exclamation point !!!!

"Gilbert Arenas is the most generous and charitable professional athlete in the history of DC sports. And whoever is in second place it's a very, very distant second."

Darrell Green is in 2nd place?

"Gilbert Arenas is the most generous and charitable professional athlete in the history of DC sports. And whoever is in second place it's a very, very distant second."

Darrell Green is in 2nd place?

BARNO, before you crown gil the king of all charitable athletes, why dont you do some digging about olaf kolzig. i guaranty he donated more time and effort into charitable efforts in dc than gilbert. he made far less money than gilbert in his time yet i would guess he contributed or raised just as much for his various causes. he is not a very very distant second by any measurement.

stop trying to make yourself to be the know it all source of everything sports in this town. lots of people know lots about sports and atheletes in this town. you dont have the market cornered.

The prediction here is long, drawn-out negotiations between the Team and Arenas, and between the Pollins and Leonsis, that result in a buy-out of Arenas and a sale to Leonsis. Arenas and the Team both want Arenas gone, so the parties will agree to a buy-out. But it will take time, because the Team must figure that Arenas will get ancy and impatient, and the time pressure on Arenas will drive his price down. Meanwhile Leonsis' right of first refusal gives him enormous leverage. He, too, will take his time, hoping that the Pollins get ancy and impatient to get their money. We have two large games of chicken going on.

Reading these comments suggests to me that most, if not all, of these writers have never played a second of organized basketball (or any sport)in their lives and therefore have no idea what it means to be a part of a team or to be in a locker room with fellow atheletes-grinding it out day after day for a season. I can not imagine that the Washington Bullets of Unsel or Mahorn, or the Pistons circa Lambier, or players like Moses Malone, Kareem, Dr. J, Patrick or Michael would have run to the media to complain that a member of their team, someone in their locker room, did what Arenas did. I'm not going off on a "no snitch" rant. Arenas didn't kill anyone or rape anyone or sell drugs to anyone or even beat his team mate. Real players, like those mentioned, would have handled the issue like a real team - in the locker room like men and like a team. Without the Justice Department, Management or Mr. Stern. I don't think any real serious players would want to play on a team or in an organization like the Wizards (the real serious players get paid alot but don't really play for the money). The vitriol spouted by people commenting here and elsewhere says alot about Washington as a city and the Wizards as a team. Good luck finding that "dream team" you seem to think would be willing to play on that squad, in that city.

Posted by: uhuru123 | January 28, 2010 2:31 PM

re-posted for its awesomeness. Excellent commentary uhuru123.

Gilbert is always running his trap about people having his back and his issues for trusting people. It is all a joke, this guy only cares about himself and the dollars in his pocket.

Posted by: jason5 | January 28, 2010 1:21 PM

Jason, no offense, but you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. Gilbert Arenas is the most generous and charitable professional athlete in the history of DC sports. And whoever is in second place it's a very, very distant second.

The guy single handed raised and donated more money than you or I could ever dream of to charitable causes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars to DC schools, tens of thousands to Katrina victims, etc etc.

And it didn't stop with money...he took in an orphaned child who lost his entire family in a fire and made him his little brother.

Seriously folks, if you don't have any idea what you are talking about regarding Arenas, don't feel compelled to post comments on here. You're just embarrassing yourself.

Reading these comments suggests to me that most, if not all, of these writers have never played a second of organized basketball (or any sport)in their lives and therefore have no idea what it means to be a part of a team or to be in a locker room with fellow atheletes-grinding it out day after day for a season. I can not imagine that the Washington Bullets of Unsel or Mahorn, or the Pistons circa Lambier, or players like Moses Malone, Kareem, Dr. J, Patrick or Michael would have run to the media to complain that a member of their team, someone in their locker room, did what Arenas did. I'm not going off on a "no snitch" rant. Arenas didn't kill anyone or rape anyone or sell drugs to anyone or even beat his team mate. Real players, like those mentioned, would have handled the issue like a real team - in the locker room like men and like a team. Without the Justice Department, Management or Mr. Stern. I don't think any real serious players would want to play on a team or in an organization like the Wizards (the real serious players get paid alot but don't really play for the money). The vitriol spouted by people commenting here and elsewhere says alot about Washington as a city and the Wizards as a team. Good luck finding that "dream team" you seem to think would be willing to play on that squad, in that city.

"He doesn't want to play here anymore" good riddance you baby brat.
Now in the coming draft or the free agent market the Wizards need to look not only at a players playing attributes but their character as well. Why do these athletes want to portray themselves as gangstas adn thugs? What is wrong with being a good guy to show the fans that they can be normal instead of a freak show. All this seemed to get out of control with the antics of Dennis Rodman and from there it has all been downhill.

Hopefully if/when Ted Leonsis owns the team, he does a complete top to bottom restructuring similar to what he did with the Caps and return basketball legitimacy back to the DC area.

Just like 911 is a joke. The Wizards from the top down including the players are a joke.

For some reason these beat writers at the Post have given Ernie Grunfeld a pass they need to grill his a%$ like they do Snyder and the Skins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could you imagine if Portis had done something this insane , this paper would be all over Snyder an him ...

"was averaging 21 points and 7 assists per game"...and couldn't defend to save his life. Basketball is a 2 way sport - something the "professional" basketball team around here hasn't known for years.

Maybe Arenas should go to the NFL so he can do what he loves - play offense and be a ball hog.

The first post has a good point.

What about the city, owner, fans, and children routing for this guy.

Gilbert is always running his trap about people having his back and his issues for trusting people. It is all a joke, this guy only cares about himself and the dollars in his pocket. Most people are like this but they don't cry about it as much as Gilbert does. No need to feel sorry for him because he could care less about the fans or this organization.

Thanks for throwing this team and whole organization into a tailspin.

@tojo45

The only shame is what Arenas has done to this city and to the youth that looks up to him. Stop wishing people luck who break our laws and make our justice system their "joke".

Gilbert will play again, and get in trouble again for something. Its his destiny. Next time he pulls a gun, he might get his *ss capped though. Plus none of the major stars (Kobe, Bron, Wade, Bosch, Dirk, CP, even soon to star Durant,..who did I miss?) would even want him on THEIR team. They would not suffer the distractions, no defense, and goof ball attitude of Gilbert. Have him go play with Baron Davis or something. Take Blatche with him too...

Such a shame. Gilbert was in many ways ideal for the area, but you can't go back. Good luck to him and the Wizards.