SBNation.com User Blog: VBfan

Now the "real" season begins

VBfan — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:50:50 -0000

Who to root for now that the Wizards are going home? I know that I'll be cheering for any team that's playing the Heat. Labron is no doubt the best player on the planet but as a Wizards fan I just can't root for him or his stacked team.

I have to say that our Wizards did make the games more fun to watch this year. The effort was there most games and I think that Randy did a great job. Some bright spots were, Martell, AJ, Temple and the improved play of Oak & Ariza as the year went on and the defense. I was able to watch all but one or two games ( thanks Comcast).

I hope that next year that our season doesn't end until June.

With all the optimism that will develop as we near the start of next season I hope that Ernie & Ted find us someone to get us not into the playoffs but into the contender group that the Heat & Thunder are in.

Thanks Bullets Forever. Great group of fans.

I hope that next year that our season doesn't end until June.

Thanks Bullets Forever. Great group of fans.

Ch Ch Ch Changes

VBfan — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:13:30 -0000

I think the entire culture of the Wizards needs changed. Get rid of GM, the coach and everyone of his staff. Start over with a proven NBA coach, Jerry Sloan, a Van Gundy, Phil Jackson -- get ready to spend some money Ted. Then a proven GM.

Things won’t change with little moves. This team has a systemic condition that can’t be helped by a band aid. It needs a complete restructuring.
Yes injuries have hurt but I think if we didn’t have any injuries that we’d have only a few more w’s. This team (even when healthy) does not measure up to the talent on 90% of the opposing teams.
Maybe there is a curse.
How much more can us fans endure?

Labron's fouls ---- Is this true???

VBfan — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:56:21 -0000

per ESPN.Com

Who's the MVP of the first trimester?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-121221-awards/nba-trimester-awards

Tom Haberstroh, ESPN.com: LeBron James. I'd be fine with Kevin Durant winning this fake award, but LeBron is No. 1 in PER and a defensive player of the year candidate on a title contender. I mean, he hasn't been called for a foul since the 2:30 mark in the first quarter of a game on Dec. 8. That's 212 minutes without a whistle.

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Zero foul calls in 212 minutes?????

Is there favoritism among the refs??

I would like to see officiating that is equitable. Do you think that Stern has directed the refs to give the stars (especially L James) a break and make rookies and lesser known players earn the free throws? I see many calls that the Wizards do not get but I bet that if the player was Mr. James that those calls would be made. I do not in any way want to detract from his talent as a player but I think that something needs to be done to even out the officiating.Zero foul calls in 212 minutes ---- Vesely would commit more than that playing horse. Consider me vented.

per ESPN.Com

Who's the MVP of the first trimester?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-121221-awards/nba-trimester-awards

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Zero foul calls in 212 minutes?????

Is there favoritism among the refs??

Some Wizards are working out at Verizon Center

VBfan — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:03:06 -0000

Some Wizards are working out at Verizon Center

Per Michael Lee

John Wall, Martell Webster, Trevor Booker and Chris Singleton are among the players already at Verizon Center working out in anticipation of the first practice on Oct. 2.

Good to hear.
Who else is working out there?

The results of the keep Randy Wittman poll

VBfan — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:15:52 -0000

Poll Should Randy Wittman be retained as the Head Coach?

40% YES 41 votes

38% NO 39 votes

21% MAYBE 22 votes

Looks like we are split pretty evenly with regards to keeping Randy Wittman or finding a new coach to lead this team to the play offs. I thought that the results would have been more decisive but that is why we have such great discussions on this board. We had our chance to give our opinions and but now we will have to wait for Ted to give his.

Too bad the announcement about Ernie Grunfeld has been made as that was going to be my next poll. I have a feeling that the results of that one would have been more decisive although I think that keeping him is a good move for the Wizards.

It's going to be a very interesting summer.

Poll Should Randy Wittman be retained as the Head Coach?

40% YES 41 votes

38% NO 39 votes

21% MAYBE 22 votes

It's going to be a very interesting summer.

Do we really need a new Head Coach?

VBfan — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:50:12 -0000

Randy Wittman is the interim Head Coach. Should the "interim" be removed? I don't think that any other coach could have done a better job of getting this team playing at the current level. Flip Saunders couldn't and he was an established head coach with a 67% ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_Saunders) winning career record before he came to the Wizards. I think that Wittman and the current group of assistants should be retained. I don't know what else they could have done with this group. Remember Eddie J and his frustrating weave offence and Tapscott?

Poll

Should Randy Wittman be retained as the Head Coach?

YES

65 votes

NO

47 votes

MAYBE (explain in comments.)

27 votes

139 votes | Poll has closed

Season likely over for Wizards’ Andray Blatche & Lewis

VBfan — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:50:44 -0000

Season likely over for Wizards’ Andray Blatche & Lewis

Wizards Insider
Blatche’s season likely over
Michael Lee 2:04 PM ET

Attention Mr. Stern - The Big Markets will kill the NBA

VBfan — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:18:58 -0000

Per ESPN.COM:

Brandon Jennings, the Milwaukee Bucks' leading scorer, told ESPN.com Thursday he will strongly consider leaving Milwaukee for one of the league's larger markets once his rookie contract ends.

The Big Markets will kill the NBA.

A 30 team league that repeatedly has the same 6 or 7 teams competing for the championship is not going to be able to attract owners & fans that will invest their money to see their teams constantly losing their top players to these big markets.

Per ESPN.COM:

Brandon Jennings, the Milwaukee Bucks' leading scorer, told ESPN.com Thursday he will strongly consider leaving Milwaukee for one of the league's larger markets once his rookie contract ends.

The Big Markets will kill the NBA.

Poll

Will John Wall Stay A Wizzard ?

NO

32 votes

YES

20 votes

Depends on Team Progress

73 votes

125 votes | Poll has closed

Forget the players and owners what deal will be best for ME? I want an NBA that isn't just a...

VBfan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:23:20 -0000

Forget the players and owners what deal will be best for ME?

I want an NBA that isn't just a handful of major market teams that dominate year in and year out.

What deal will make the NBA better not bigger/richer players and owners.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/post/nba-gives-players-until-wednesday-to-accept-deal/2011/11/06/gIQAPQAcrM_blog.html

Summer games payola?

VBfan — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:59:56 -0000

Do players get paid for playing in various games/leagues?

I know some players have been traveling all over the country to play. Are they getting paid. I can't imagine they are doing it on their nickle. What about the playground legends?

Also who gets the profits? Some of these games get huge crowds and some kind of TV time.

Are players covered by any insurance if injured during one of these games?

Just wondering.

Do players get paid for playing in various games/leagues?

I know some players have been traveling all over the country to play. Are they getting paid. I can't imagine they are doing it on their nickle. What about the playground legends?

Also who gets the profits? Some of these games get huge crowds and some kind of TV time.

Are players covered by any insurance if injured during one of these games?

Just wondering.

Kevin Seraphin Makes Fr. Team

VBfan — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:25:59 -0000

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/48556/arti.html

10/08/2011

Comments: 1

FRA - Collet swings the axe

ALMERIA (EuroBasket 2011) - Competition for places in the France team has been fierce this summer.

Veteran big man Ali Traore can attest to that after being told by coach Vincent Collet that he hasn't made the team for the EuroBasket.

Following France's heavy friendly defeat to Spain on Tuesday night in Almeria, the French Basketball Federation announced that Traore and promising shooting guard Abdoulaye M' Baye would not be in Lithuania.

While M' Baye's exclusion comes as no surprise, the departure of Traore is not what anyone had expected - including Collet.

Traore had been an integral part of the French team last year in Turkey when France played at the FIBA World Championship.

"Ali showed better things in 2010, and although initially he was to be in the final 12, the revelation to his position has been (Washington Wizards power forward) Kevin Seraphinso I decided to gradually change the team we had planned," Collet said.

"We had no idea that Kevin could be at this level and even if the decision is cruel to Ali, the interest of the France team must come first."

France, meanwhile, will have to dismiss the setback in Spain as just a bad night at the office.

Spain took control with a 19-4 run in the first half.

"In the first half, we clearly weren't ready to play," Seraphin said.

"When we woke up in the second half, the Spaniards were already 20 points ahead and it really was not easy to catch-up.

"In games like this, you must be ready to go to war, not present gifts because there is no mercy to be had...

"We must learn from this defeat."

France struggled to contain the one-two punch of the Gasol brothers.

Both Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol started for Spain with Jose Manuel Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro and Rudy Fernandez.

The Gasols combined for 26 points.

Nevertheless, Collet was able to learn something about his own team.

"As the Spaniards played with two very large players in the paint, I tried to line up a big enough frontline by having Ronny Turiaf and Joakim Noah in the paint (at the same time) and Boris Diaw by shifting him to position three (small forward).

"It was not a bad thing.

"I think we did some interesting things at that time."

France EuroBasket squad: Andrew Albicy, Nicolas Batum, Nando De Colo, Antoine Diot, Mickael Gelabale, Charles Kahudi, Joakim Noah, Tony Parker, Florent Pietrus, Kevin Seraphin and Ronny Turiaf.

FIBA