The Polish Machine

Right before the beginning of the 2013-2014 NBA season, I was sitting in a bar in Clarendon having one or two (or maybe more) beers when I saw the ticker on the bottom of the ESPN screen announce that the Wizards had traded starting center Emeka Okafor and their 2014 first round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Marcin Gortat. Okafor was coming off a comeback year with the Wizards and had re-established himself as a legitimate defensive minded center on a team with playoff aspirations. 

Yes, I said aspirations. At that point, the John Wall version of the Wizards had yet to make the postseason.

Unfortunately for Okafor, there was a mysterious back injury which promised to sideline him indefinitely (it would be this calendar year - or more than four years - before Okafor's next NBA game) and the Wizards needed a solution. For the Suns, they flipped Gortat's expiring contract for a first round draft pick. For the Wizards, the team got a starting center in his prime on a one year rental with the hope that they could re-sign him long term going forward. The Emeka Okafor era was over in Washington. Time to see what Marcin Gortat could do for the Wizards.

Turns out Marcin was a pretty good Wizard. His stats rank better than any other big man the Wizards (I said, Wizards, not Bullets) have ever had. Over his five seasons, Marcin managed to place seventh all time on the franchise rebound list (fifth in defensive rebounds and seventh in offensive and overall, if you must know); third in field goal percentage all time; and eighth on the franchise blocks list.

Yes, you can get pretty far up these lists if you play enough games in Washington and there have been so few long tenured players in this organization recently that in some categories, it's easy to measure up on the all time leaders list in just five years. But Marcin genuinely produced in his time in Washington. He averaged double figures in scoring every year except last season and at least 8.7 boards per game each year with the exception of last year. He also was a perennial league leader in screen assists (4th last year and 1st in 2016-2017) and seemed like the perfect screen and roll partner for John Wall.

And, unlike a number of other Wizards players over the last five seasons, Marcin showed up  healthy, in shape and ready to play pretty much every game. His regular season games played totals over his five years in D.C.? 81-81-75-82-82. The 75 game season was affected more by his mother's illness requiring him to leave the team for a few games than it was by anything else.  Bottom line, Marcin kept himself in shape and came to the arena ready to play every single week and month. And he wasn't shy about letting folks know how proud he was of his conditioning. Of course, that's where things went a little south.

When Marcin joined the Wizards in the fall of 2013, they had just drafted Otto Porter. Marcin took one look at Otto and knew he needed some serious time in the weight room to bulk up and made it one of his missions his first year in D.C. to add some pounds to the rookie's frame. It was exactly the kind of mentoring that teams should want and expect out of their veterans. 

Unfortunately, finding fault with his teammates' conditioning seems to have been more of an issue for Marcin than he could really be expected to contain. After a loss in January of 2016, Marcin was quoted "they've got to take care of their bodies. At the end of the day it's the players' responsibility. I personally can't understand how this is possible, how people can constantly get hurt." That rant of sorts was seen by me as a direct criticism of fellow front court mate Nenê who admittedly had difficulty at times in his career setting foot on the court each night and was at times seen as a bit of a diva. But on a team, you have to keep that frustration in house.

Marcin didn't. It happened time and time again and eventually he couldn't even stop with franchise cornerstone John Wall, tweeting "Great 'team' victory" after a March 2018 victory over the Toronto Raptors in a game that John Wall missed. While Marcin downplayed the significance of the tweet, the press made a lot of it, perhaps even more than should have been made. But whether Marcin's intent was accurately inferred or not, it seemed that this incident was turning out to be a tipping point of sorts. The conventional wisdom with the Wizards became that what was really holding this team back was locker room chemistry and that Marcin Gortat was a cancer that needed to be cut out.

So now we are 16 games into the post-Gortat Wizards era after Marcin was traded this offseason to the Los Angeles Clippers. His replacement, noted non-locker room chemistry guy Dwight Howard, has been a dream signing, producing on the court and remaining quiet off it (I know, it's only 16 games...). Yet the Wizards are not fixed. In fact, they might be worse. Their record through 16 games? 5-11 with bad losses already to Orlando, Brooklyn, Dallas and Oklahoma City amid a notable lack of passion and effort. Like really noticeable.

So what's the problem this year? Maybe it's the coaching. Maybe it's the front office's failure to adapt to the modern NBA. Maybe Brad and John don't like playing with Otto? Or resent his salary? Maybe Markieff Morris needs to sit? Maybe it's the rotations? Maybe it's conditioning? Maybe Brooks needs to stagger his starters more? (he does) Or at least some? Maybe Troy Brown needs more time on the court during games? Maybe the Wizards need to realize they have a real G-League team of their own and use it properly? Maybe it's rebounding? Maybe it's effort? Maybe it's the fact that one or more of their three max deal players lack motivation? 

Whatever it is, it's not Marcin Gortat's fault. And given the start to this year, it probably wasn't Marcin's fault last year either. There's something way more wrong with the Wizards than a starting center. I'm not saying the Wizards trading Marcin this off season wasn't a good idea. Marcin is averaging fewer minutes, points and rebounds than any point in his post-Orlando career. He's also on a team with a winning record and surprisingly in the playoff picture at this early point in the season.

I have a personal tradition at Wizards games when a former player returns to Washington. If I felt that player contributed in his time in a Wizards uniform and left on good terms (i.e. not Jared Jeffries) then I'll give a personal standing ovation. Marcin Gortat is going to get one from me on Tuesday. And he'll have deserved it.

All-Time Franchise Leader Check

Last September I wrote a post on this blog detailing where John Wall stood on the all-time franchise leaders list and making the case that by mid-season last year, John would be number one on the franchise leader board in assists and steals. He got that easily and now stands atop those two categories where he'll stay for I assume a long long time.

I thought this year I'd do an update to where John stood after last year in the same seven categories I looked at last year (games played, minutes played, points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals).But after looking at our franchise leaderboards, I've decided to not do that. Instead, I've taken a look at where our current roster stands in each of these seven categories and where our current team is likely to be at the end of this season as they continue to make their mark on the team's history.

Games Played

Franchise Leader: Wes Unseld (984)

Current Wizards in Top 10: None

Of all the Wizards on the current roster, John Wall is the only one who will crack the top 10 in terms of games played this year and he should make a serious move on this all time list. Right now Kevin Grevey sits in the 10 spot at 530 games. John has 500 under his belt and played in 78 last year. If he plays the same number of games again this year, he'll sit in 7th place, one game behind Brendan Haywood and 18 games ahead of Gus Johnson (who's number is retired; just saying). If he somehow plays 80 or more, he'll be in 6th place with Kevin Loughery up next at 591. From there he's probably one more season away from third place behind just Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld.

Minutes Played

Franchise Leader: Wes Unseld (35,832)

Current Wizards in Top 10: John Wall (7th; 18,031)

At the beginning of the 2016-2017 NBA season, John Wall placed 10th on the minutes played list. After last season, he's at 7th and poised to make a big jump after logging 2,836 minutes last year. If he does the same thing this season, he'll pass Gus Johnson (who's number is retired; just saying) and move into the number three position. After that, he's got several more seasons to catch Elvin Hayes at 29,318 minutes.

No other Wizard is going to crack the top 10 list in this category this year.

Points

Franchise Leader: Elvin Hayes (15,551)

Current Wizards in Top 10: John Wall (7th; 9,419)

In addition to hitting the seven spot on the top 10 minutes played list after last season, John Wall also hit number seven on the points scored list, after scoring 1,805 of them in 2016-2017. If he does that again, he'll find himself tied exactly with Wes Unseld for third place with 10,624 points. That will be almost 800 points clear of Kevin Loughery who currently sits right behind Wes. So given a reasonable push this year, John could find himself at number one in two categories on this list and third in two more. Not bad for a guy who's under contract through 2023 who wants to see his jersey in the rafters one day.

For those of you wondering about Bradley Beal on this list, remember he's two full seasons behind Wall. Unless he averages more than 36 per game this year and plays in all 82, Brad's not hitting this list this year.

Rebounds

Franchise Leader: Wes Unseld (13,769)

Current Wizards in Top 10: Marcin Gortat (10th; 3,074)

Last year I offered the opinion that it would take John Wall three more seasons to have a shot at the top 10 list in rebounding. I'm backing up my statement this year. However, Marcin Gortat's managed to sneak into the number 10 spot after last year's performance. Whether we like to acknowledge it or not, Gortat's an awfully consistent rebounder. Last season he finished 11th in the NBA at greater than 10 rebounds per game while also playing a full 82 game schedule. Karl-Anthony Towns was the only other player to do that (although admittedly there were several more who played 81 games).

So how does Marcin project this year? Well, if he puts up a similar number to last year's 849, he'll likely pass Antawn Jamison and move into sixth. Even if he logs more than 100 fewer, he'll still be in sixth by season's end. Seems like Marcin just got to D.C. even though that's not true. Don't sleep on Gortat, folks.

Assists

Franchise Leader: John Wall (4,610)
Current Wizards in Top 10: Just John Wall

What's to say here? John Wall is clear of number two by about 800 assists. This gap is only going to get bigger. No other Wizard is cracking the top 10 this year.

For Beal fans: unless he has an exceptional couple of years, he's three years away from cracking the top 10. Not saying it won't happen next season (meaning 2018-2019) but it's a real long shot.

Blocks

Franchise Leader: Elvin Hayes (1,558)

Current Wizards in Top 10: Marcin Gortat (10th; 388)

It's been a good few years for Marcin Gortat as a Wizard. Not only did he make it into tenth place on the all-time rebounds list, he managed to land in the same spot on the blocks list. That after recording just 61 last year. If he does the same thing this season, he'll be in eighth ahead of Gheorghe Muresan and about 20 behind JaVale McGee (ugh!). Go get 'em Marcin.

If Gortat was no longer a Wizard, John Wall would have a shot at the top 10 list after this season. He's at 322 for his career right now and in his best year he blocked 59 shots. That would approach Marcin's 388 but that number's going to go up also. He'd need 85 to catch Etan Thomas who will slide to 10th once Marcin picks up 20 more swats. Maybe 2018-2019.

Steals

Franchise Leader: John Wall (870)
Current Wizards in Top 10: Just John Wall

John is the franchise leader over Greg Ballard by over 100. He'll be the franchise leader for years and years to come for sure. No other Wizard is cracking the top 10 this year.

For Beal fans: he'll be close to the top 10 after this season assuming similar numbers to last year but not close enough. Give it this season and next, please.

That's the rundown this year. This current group of Wizards players has the opportunity to make a real dent in the franchise record books but after this year, don't expect to see anyone but Wall and Gortat in the top 10 of these categories. The two years after that will get really interesting if this bunch manages to succeed enough for the front office to keep them together.

Top 10 Wizards

The 2016-2017 NBA season is the 20th that the Washington Wizards have played under their current nickname. By and large, it has NOT been a wonderful ride. But with the team seemingly surging towards more wins than they have had in over 35 years and with point guard John Wall in the All-Star Game this past weekend for the fourth consecutive year, I thought it might be a good time to create a top 10 list of the greatest players ever to suit up for the Wizards. Sort of a mini-20th anniversary celebration.

Now admittedly, I haven't been around for all 20 years of Wizards ball. I mean, I've been alive and watching NBA basketball for all that time but not necessarily paying close attention to the Wizards. I started watching the Wizards as my primary team during their third season under the new name, bought season tickets one year later and am now in my 17th year as a season ticket holder. I figure that's close enough, especially given the team's performance (9th and 13th in the Eastern Conference) in those two years I missed. No matter what list I create, there are always going to be folks who disagree with me.

This list considers a player's accomplishments as a Wizard, not a Bullet or on any other franchise's team. I'm deliberately considering the accomplishments of players who played for the team under both nicknames as Wizards. That both emphasizes performance since 1997 and makes my job a little easier. It also is not a list of the 10 greatest players to don a Wizards blue, black and bronze (later gold) or red, white and blue jersey. Michael Jordan may be among the greatest, if not the greatest, to play in the NBA but he ain't the number one Wizard with just two years under his 38-40 year old belt.

So having said that, let's get right to my list. There are some honors listed under some players' names; these are their achievements while playing for the Wizards (everything before or after is missing) There are also some top five franchise rankings in the list below. These are the spots these players occupy on the Packers / Zephyrs / Bullets / Wizards leaderboard. I know I'm switching standards there. Just deal with it. And finally a quick spoiler alert: none of the players in the cover picture of this post made the list.

10. Marcin Gortat (2013-Present)
Two Postseason Appearances.

I really wrestled with this 10 spot. I was tempted to sneak in someone like Paul Pierce or Emeka Okafor; someone who impacted the Wizards in a teammate development way (Pierce with the whole team; Okafor with John Wall and leadership) but ultimately I decided Marcin's three plus years of steady play meant that I had to put him at number 10. 

I think Marcin's under appreciated as a Wizard. So many fans focus on the games with little offense or quick fouls and ignore the larger body of work. Sure there are bad games out there and Marcin's not the number one locker room leader some fans want him to be but look at the numbers: three plus years averaging double figure points with close to double figure rebounds (for sure double figures this year). Moreover, he's extremely durable; he's played at least 75 games each of his first three years with our team and is poised to do the same this year.

9. Bradley Beal (2012- Present)

Two Postseason Appearances. NBA All-Rookie First Team (2013); Franchise Leader 3rd in 3 Point FG Made.

Before too many people get upset with Brad at this spot, let me say I don't expect that if I made this same list two or three years from now that he'd be at number nine. At least he better not be. Not with his contract.

I believe Bradley Beal is having a fantastic year. All the promise of his first four years are coming to bear in a single season. He's also healthier than he's ever been which I am sure is a huge relief to Wizards fans beyond me. I also believe Brad should have been an All-Star this year. If not on the coaches' ballots then as a replacement for Kevin Love. He and John Wall should provide many many moments for Wizards fans to savor this season and the next few years. He's clearly the second best player on our current squad. And (again) he should be with his contract.

But one year doesn't rocket you to the top of a list like this created by me. I need to see some more consistency first, which I believe I will see for hopefully the rest of this season and the next four beyond this. Beal has turned the corner in major way. And I love it. I just want to see more of it.

8. Nenê (2012-2016)
Two Postseason Appearances.

There may be some emotion behind my number eight selection on this list and I think that's OK. I'm a fan, after all, and this is a blog about being a fan.

If this current Wizards squad ever amounts to something serious, I'll always remember Nenê as the first one in the door. Once the Wizards traded away Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and every other player that resembled a leader in the locker room in the spring of 2010, things devolved into chaos pretty quickly. One year later it was no better; the team had failed to instill any sort of professionalism in the 12 months since the team had been dismantled. The stakes were pretty high: John Wall was supposed to be the face of the franchise and he had nobody to show him how to be a professional ballplayer.

Enter Nenê, on the trading block in Denver because that team was convinced Kenneth Faried was going to be just as good in a couple of years if not in the moment the Nuggets pulled the trigger to swap Nenê for JaVale McGee. Thank God for this trade. Nenê was never a vocal leader in Washington, but he brought a credible presence to the Wizards team. He also showed everyone in Washington what it meant to be a team player after a period of misdirection. Nenê produced in his time in D.C., averaging double digits as a starter. Yes, there was always the next injury looming but I give Nenê a ton of credit for holding this franchise together until John Wall could assume the clear role of team leader.

7. Michael Jordan (2001-2003)

2x All-Star (2002-2003).

I hate putting Micheal Jordan on this list. I thought Jordan's two years in Washington put the franchise on hold just so Jordan and Doug Collins could try to make one more run at playing and coaching in the league. I thought his leadership in the locker room (which spilled out in public all too often) was poor and every move he engineered emphasized getting into the playoffs now at the expense of player development of anyone not worthy to play with MJ. It was completely selfish.

However, he was good, even at 38, 39 and 40. He was clearly the best player on the team those two years he was in D.C. (I know the bar was set pretty low) and he had some spectacular nights. Sometimes he just seemed to will himself to beat the other team. He scored 40 points or more six times in two seasons, including an MCI / Verizon Center record 51 on December 29, 2001, a mark that stood (Gilbert Arenas tied it years later) until John Wall scored 52 earlier this season. Those two years were exciting until they ended and you realized it was all for the glory of MJ. 

Jordan is one of only five Wizards players to make it to two All-Star Games, although the first was a fan vote and the second was likely a coaches' sympathy vote. 

6. Larry Hughes (2002-2005)

NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2005); One Postseason Appearance.

Larry Hughes is the one guy in my 17 years as a season ticket holder that I wished had not walked away from the team. I don't feel the same way about Trevor Ariza or Paul Pierce or Jared Jeffries or any other player. I understand why Larry did it; it's hard to turn down that kind of money. But he and Gilbert Arenas were a backcourt to behold. Yep, it was fun seeing Gilbert team up with DeShawn Stevenson and for sure D-Steve was a cheaper option but I always thought Larry and Gil could have taken that team to a really good place.

Larry spent just three years in Washington, and he never played a full season (he never played more than 67 games). But the two last years he played at 601 F Street were among the best of his career and his last (the 2004-2005 season) was without a doubt the best. That year he averaged an astonishing 2.9 steals per game (albeit with a lot of gambling that paid off) and led the league in that category. Larry should have been in the All-Star Game that year; his injury right before the voting ended game coaches an excuse to not put him in the game along with Gil and Antawn Jamison. I saw Larry at the Oklahoma City game this year and told him as much. He agreed.

5. Brendan Haywood (2001-2010)

Franchise Leader 4th in Blocks; Four Postseason Appearances.

Brendan Haywood is at the five spot on this list for four simple reasons: (1) he made it to four consecutive playoff appearances with the team; (2) he was the most important defensive player in his years as an established starter; (3) he has played more games as a Wizard than any other player ever; and (4) he was my first favorite Wizards player. I warned you it was a fan's list.

I loved Brendan Haywood playing for the Wizards. Yes, he was selfish; he fought with Etan Thomas (I mean like actually fought with fists) and was reluctant to or just plain refused to mentor JaVale McGee. Yes, he was terrible from the free throw line except for that one season that Dave Hopla got him to shoot 73.5 percent.  But he was the primary starter at center in his second year in the league and held that spot (except for the 2008-2009 season when he was hurt) until the Wizards traded him to Dallas and he was the difference maker at the defensive end. He called the defensive sets for a team which sometimes had few defenders and made up for the mistakes of his teammates. The Wizards would have been a lot worse off if it wasn't for B Wood back there.

I'm putting Brendan unapologetically at the five spot while also conceding there might be a lot of emotion behind this decision.

4. Caron Butler (2005-2010)

2x All-Star (2007-2008); Three Postseason Appearances.

Caron Butler has spent time with nine NBA franchises in his 14 year career but he spent more than twice as long in Washington than he did in any other spot. He also had his greatest success in a Wizards uniform, being named to two All-Star Games. He also acquired his nickname, Tough Juice, while playing too hard in practice at Verizon Center. Nicknames don't really make much difference to me but Tough Juice is such a great nickname that it counts with Caron.

Caron's greatest seasons statistically during the 2006-2007 season and the 2007-2008 season, the two years he represented the East as an All-Star. The work he did along with Antawn Jamison in keeping the franchise afloat was phenomenal. If there's a season this franchise could have collapsed but didn't it was that one. I'll always remember Caron for the buzzer beater at Cleveland in the 2007 playoffs to stave off elimination (at least for one game) and for the monster slam dunk he had in Sacramentto. It's number two in this video.

Good times...

3. Antawn Jamison (2004-2010)

2x All-Star (2005 & 2008); Franchise Leader 2nd in 3 Point FG Made; Four Postseason Appearances.

Antawn Jamison was the guy that first put the Wizards into the playoffs. The franchise had struck out on the postseason in its first seven years under its new name. Jamison got them there in his very first year and he kept them there for the next four years. Before Nenê joined the Wizards in 2011, AJ was the only guy who showed any sort of leadership in the locker room. He was rewarded with the captaincy and with Abe Pollin's undying affection.

Antawn earned his only two All-Star nods while in a Wizards uniform and was the model of consistency on the offensive end, averaging more than 19 but less than 23 points every year he suited up in D.C. Antawn is likely to be one of two players (along with Tom Chambers) who scored more than 20,000 career points who will not be in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (hoping I'm wrong here; maybe in a down year?) and he scored more than 8,500 of them in Washington. He still has one of the quickest shots I've ever seen. I'll forget all about the baseline he let LeBron James have to beat us in the playoffs. There were few better than Antawn in the last 20 years for the Wizards.

2. Gilbert Arenas  (2003-2010) 

All-NBA Second Team (2007); 2x All-NBA Third Team (2005-2006); 3x All-Star (2005-2007); Franchise Leader 1st in 3 Point FG Made / 5th in Steals; Four Postseason Appearances.

And then there's Gilbert Arenas. I clearly love Gil. I mean I named this blog after him for crying out loud. There's only one player in Wizards history who has captured national attention with his play and his antics off the court. Where do I begin? Agent Zero. Hibachi. Oxygen tents. Walk off three pointers. Highest single game point total in franchise history. Throwing jerseys into the stands. Staying at season ticket holder events to sign every autograph even when the rest of the players have gone. Early morning shooting sessions at Verizon Center after sleeping on the couch in the players' lounge. Guns in the locker room. Trampoline dunks at the All-Star Game. His swag was phenomenal. 

Unfortunate about that whole guns in the locker room thing. More unfortunate about Gerald Wallace landing on his knee.

Gilbert is the only player who as a Wizard has been arguably the best player in the NBA. I'll admit it didn't last long but there was a time when he was dropping 60 and 56 points on a west coast road trip during the 2006-2007 season where he was legitimately in the discussion. There were rumors about the Lakers and Wizards discussing a Kobe for Gil deal and the Wiz legitimately saying no. And that was before Kobe's fourth and fifth championships. Gilbert was amazing that season and for the three that preceded it. He was instantly my favorite player (sorry B Wood) and I still love the signed gold jersey I have hanging in my closet with the "Agent Zero" personalization. Gil's the only Wizard other than John Wall and Michael Jordan to be voted as a starter in the All-Star Game and he's the only one to be named to an All-NBA team three times, or at all really. That knee injury...

1. John Wall (2010-Present)

NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2015); 4x All-Star (2014-2017); NBA Slam Dunk Contest Winner (2014); NBA All-Rookie First Team (2011); Franchise Leader 1st in Assists / 1st in Steals; Two Postseason Appearances.

As good as Gilbert Arenas was in a Wizards uniform and as many All-NBA teams as he made, he's still not John Wall. John has more All-Star appearances than Gil, he's a more complete player than Gil, he's a better leader than Gil and I can't tell you how many passes that he's thrown down at the east end of Verizon Center that have taken my breath away from my seats in Section 109. And this season has been the best of all; the leap he's made this year whether it's due to his health or Scott Brooks or just natural maturity is astounding. He's a better player than I could have hoped for this year. He's definitely for me in the top 10 discussion of players in the NBA.

On top of all that, John openly wants to be here in D.C. There is no question that this team is his and he wants as many fans in the building cheering for the entire team (not just him) as he can possibly get. He's already the franchise leader in assists and steals and he's likely to be second in scoring if he plays out his current contract with the team and remains healthy. All this from a guy who rival team executives say can't pass and who most everyone in the media says can't shoot. I don't see any competition for John Wall as the greatest Wizard. Just don't.

So that's my list. Call me crazy for some of these picks but that's what I believe. I took a hard look at (in no particular order) Otto Porter, Paul Pierce, Rod Strickland, Chris Whitney and DeShawn Stevenson but ultimately I went with the ten above. I expect some guys to move up the board quickly if I ever do this again. Wizards back in action on Friday in Philly. Let's go Wizards!

Happier Times

My beloved Washington Wizards are on a disastrous four game losing streak in one single week, three by blowout and one by heartbreak to the Toronto Raptors on a last second game winning shot this past Saturday. I said it two days ago and I'm saying it again: it wasn't supposed to be like this. Now Marcin Gortat is complaining about locker room negativity and pining for Nenê to spend more time on the court with him. I like Marcin a lot but if there's one thing I don't agree with about him, it's how he airs the team's dirty laundry to the press. I get that he's in some respects Randy Wittman's new whipping boy (with Seraphin leaving) and who wouldn't want to play more with Nenê (I mean he only makes everyone better…) but some stuff needs to stay behind closed doors.

It's times like these that I need some perspective and some reminders of better times. The Wizards started the season two years ago 14-14 before turning things on and making the playoffs, including a second round appearance. And just last year the Wiz were trounced by the Raptors in the regular season only to sweep them 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs at the end of the season. And here's where my self-indulgent basketball card collecting hobby helps me out this year.

Last year, Panini America, the official basketball card partner of the NBA, produced an insert set with their Hoops line of cards tracing the playoff journey of each team all the way to the NBA Finals. I loved it! Issuing an individual card for each game of the playoffs seemed like an awesome idea to me. It created a point in time souvenir for the memories of the last postseason which I could pull out and remember any time I wanted. And after Saturday's loss to the Raptors, I really needed to review these cards.

The 4-0 sweep of Toronto features two John Wall cards, a Paul Pierce card and a Marcin Gortat card, highlighting the contributions those three players made to put a quick four nails in the Raptors' coffin. Just like last year, the first round playoff card set is numbered to the year so each card is sequenced 1 through 2015. These cards take me back to everything from the game one upset, where I sat in the back of a church during a wedding getting text updates on the score from my friend Mike, to the closing 31 point blowout at Verizon Center. I love the back of the fourth card: Wizards win series 4-0!!!!! The exclamation points are mine.

Unfortunately, the Wizards did not win the NBA title last year. Spoiler alert, I know. So just like I own four cards to celebrate the first round series victory by the Wizards, I also own six cards (just like last year numbered to 999) documenting the six game second round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the second year in a row the Wiz lost to the one seed in the Eastern Conference.

Win. Loss. Win. Looking good!

This set of cards is especially painful. There's a lot of ups and downs in here worth remembering and never forgetting: the joyous game one upset behind Bradley Beal; John Wall breaking his wrist in game two; the Wizards winning without him in game three behind Paul Pierce's game three "I called game!" shot at  the buzzer; game five's winning shot by Al Horford, whom the Wizards failed to account for (and after Paul Pierce erroneously called "series" to the Hawks' bench); and the heartbreak in game six when Pierce's game  tying three point shot was ruled too late, ending our season. That last game was a killer; I actually went to the bathroom as that shot fell so I'd be ready for overtime only to find out when I got back that the season was over.

Despite the bad stuff in there, I hope Panini America continues to issue these kinds of cards each year. I can think of no better way to remember the postseason each year. For your viewing pleasure, I'm including the fronts of all ten postseason Wizards related cards. I hope there will be some cards for the Wiz next year. Cleveland tomorrow. It doesn't get any better, folks.

Loss. Loss. Loss. Season over!

Paper Tickets Are Back!

Two years ago, I wrote a post in this blog lamenting the death of actual paper season tickets in favor of a swipe/scan card system adopted by the Wizards for home games at Verizon Center. I was upset at the time on a number of levels but first and foremost among those was the loss of a critical game day souvenir for those of us who tend to save such things. And I really really used to save basketball tickets.  Until the Wizards stop sending them to me that is.

I wrote that post in the fall of 2013 after the second consecutive year of receiving nothing in my Wizards season ticket package except an electronic card, a couple of advertisements from Verizon Center sponsors and some lanyards which used to be for holding tickets but now somehow were for the one electronic card delivered to me. Why I needed four lanyards for one card I still to this day don't understand. It's not like these things wear out quickly. At the time I thought it was the end of an era and that I'd never again hold a paper season ticket in my hand.

I remember the day I got my first delivery of printed, full-color, high quality graphic Wizards season tickets. After my first season using monochromatic Ticketmaster tickets (no real idea why it happened that way), I finally felt I'd arrived. At last, I'd be able to enjoy the cache that came with presenting a genuine season ticket to the folks guarding the doors at Verizon Center. No more would I be some scrub buying individual game tickets. The ticket taking staff would recognize my commitment to our local five instantly, even if it did take five seasons before we even made the playoffs.

One of the thrills of receiving my season ticket package used to be discovering which players made it onto the season tickets. Look, after two months being starved for basketball happenings, this is big news. The guys on the tickets were the guys that the franchise intended to build around, or at least we thought so. Jared Jeffries? Al Thornton? Andray Blatche? JaVale McGee? Steve Blake? Jarvis Hayes? Yep, all those guys made it onto season tickets in the past. OK, so maybe getting your mug put on the tickets was the Wizards' equivalent of the Madden NFL curse.

But two days ago, my world changed. My 2015-2016 season tickets arrived and THERE ARE PAPER TICKETS INSIDE!!! Yep, for some reason (and I assume it's not my blog post from 2013), the Wizards decided last spring during season ticket renewals to offer the option to fans of receiving actual tickets that you can hold for their loyal fans. And of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Yes, that likely means I'm killing trees by requesting these things and I really truly feel bad about that. I promise I'll re-think this every year. Promise.

Over my 15 prior years of Wizards season ticket holder membership, the Wizards have delivered some pretty OK packaging ideas. I don't think anything has topped the paint can delivered prior to the 2002-2003 season and sure some have been total duds (much like the on-court performance some years) but I look forward each early fall to what's going to show up at the concierge desk of my condo building from Monumental Sports and Entertainment. 

This year's package is a telescoping box featuring a panoramic photograph of Verizon Center during a Wizards game with the tickets, lanyards, a note from the Wizards and a couple of advertisements inside. The note promised at least one lapel pin which appeared to be missing from my box. I'm sure the Wizards can fix that omission pretty easily for me. The team's new primary logo (which I love and have already bought two shirts which feature it prominently) is front and center of the box when in the closed position and I guess the packaging is a pretty decent idea this year. It's not 2002-2003 but it's better than some other years.

But the big excitement of course is who's on the tickets???

Well, this year the Wizards opted to go with four players: Marcin Gortat, John Wall, Otto Porter and Bradley Beal. I think this is a pretty smart choice. The four players divide perfectly into the 41 regular season plus three pre-season game schedule although honestly I think Nenê is getting slighted here. I get that Wall and Beal are the stars of our team, Otto's poised for a breakout year and Marcin is here for another four years (in theory). But Nenê was the first man in to making this team credible and he's still a super important part of this squad. I would have put him on the tickets.

Actually, if it were up to me, I'd just have everyone on the team have their own individual ticket. I suppose that may present issues if someone got cut from the team but heck, we already put Chris Whitney on the 2002-2003 tickets and then let him go before the season started so it's not like we've had issues with that in the past. It's not up to me and so given that, I'm fairly pleased with these season tickets. I know they are not the best I've ever had but I can touch them and hold them and they will be so much faster than the card I've used the past three years. Thanks, Wizards! Can't wait for preseason game number one in five days. FIVE DAYS!!!! Are you kidding me? It's that time of year…

What I've waited for the last four years...

2015-2016 Wizards Bobbleheads?

With Summer League just a couple of days away (Vegas, here I come!), a couple of new signees and a trade in the books, the promise of a new season of hoops is right around the corner, once we get through the NBA starved months of August and September. So with an eye towards the new season this fall, it's time for the Wizards to start thinking about this year's promotional slate. At least I think it is. Here's some help for those in the giveaway war room.

I've been going to Wizards games at Verizon Center in downtown Washington for about nine and a half years now. Before that, I watched my favorite hoops team play ball at MCI Center, which is the exact same place but with a different name. Whether the building has carried the MCI name or Verizon name, signage letting you know who paid some bucks to get their logo on the marquee have been prominently displayed on F, 6th and 7th Streets NW since day one. Reports surfaced earlier this year that Verizon was considering pulling its sponsorship of the arena in 2018 when their current deal expires. Until then, the place remains theirs.

But sometime last season, some new names appears on the outside walls of Verizon Center. There was no fanfare that I noticed but sure enough, Monumental Sports and Entertainment affixed metal signs just to the left of the main entrance doors with the logos of Capital One Bank, GEICO, Pepsi and Etihad Airways. It's the first time I've ever seen this kind of acknowledgement of a second tier of corporate sponsors at an NBA arena. Not that I spend a lot of time at any other team's home; I just find it interesting. It probably means that these four sponsors are paying a little more than the average advertising partner at VC, which means we as fans might start to expect more than just a logo on a metal sign. What do I mean by this? Well, read on please.

Last year the Golden State Warriors won their first NBA Championship since 1975. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, who made only their second Finals appearance in franchise history and their first since 2007. Last year, the Warriors gave away six bobbleheads to thank their dedicated fans for showing up game after game, year after year; the Cavaliers gave away two. Now, I'm not trying to correlate the number of bobbleheads distributed by a particular team to postseason success but I am trying to make the point that successful teams give away multiple bobbleheads in any one season. Not to get fans in the door with some cheap piece of plastic but to say thank you. And bobbleheads need sponsors to pay for them or at least defray the cost. Getting the picture?

Last year the Washington Wizards gave away zero bobbleheads. Sure there was a G Wiz bobble made available "free" with a $20 Kids' Club membership but that's not giving a bobblehead away. It's also G Wiz. As much as I love our mascot, it's not the same as a player bobbblehead. I know we got a Marcin Gortat action figure but action figures are not bobbleheads. The previous year saw a similarly disturbing trend: just one player bobblehead (Nenê) given away plus a bonus Martell Webster bobble if you pony up some dough for a Kids' Club membership.

So now that we have some second tier sponsors (or Legacy Partners as Monumental Sport and Entertainment prefers to call them) on the outside of our building, can't we get some more bobbleheads? I'm thinking YES! Now just in case our new Legacy Partners are at a loss as to what to do here, I'm offering a few suggestions totally free of charge. Here goes.

Otto Porter, sponsored by Capital One Bank

So when I originally conceived of this post, I of course wanted to have Paul Pierce in this spot since he banked in one of the most famous Wizards shots in recent memory in last year's playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks (the "I called game!" game). But…since Paul decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and not take a serious run at an NBA title, I'm sliding Otto Porter into his spot, who demonstrated that he is likely more than ready to take Pierce's starting spot this coming season.

The Wizards have been hesitant in recent years to give away bobbleheads of their rookies to fans. Sure, John Wall and Bradley Beal got bobbles their first years but Otto did not two years ago, nor did Jan Vesely, JaVale McGee, Nick Young or Oleksiy Pecherov before him. So after last year's playoffs, when Otto doubled his rebounds and assists per game over the regular season in about 80% more playing time and had the entire arena chanting "OT-TO POR-TER!", I think Otto needs a bobblehead this year.

Who has more upside for Wizards fans right now than Otto? The last couple of years he's been labeled a bust by folks from one end of this country to another and the Wizards were mocked for taking him with the number three pick. But the Wizards always insisted that while he had no obvious one strength, he did show a well rounded game with no obvious weakness and they (and he) saved all that for the playoffs last year. His length, improved shot, passing skills, speed and ability to rebound in a crowd were all on prominent display in last year's postseason. He got passed over his rookie year and his second year, it's time to make the Otto bobble. Andray Blatche got one a couple of years late. Otto ain't Dray (he's better) and he deserves one too.

Drew Gooden III, sponsored by GEICO

Need some insurance off the bench for the Wizards? Maybe a couple of three balls to get the offense going and keep the other team's defense honest? And perhaps at a 15% discount over other bench players? Looks like it's time to call on Drew Gooden. 

If you had asked me in the winter of 2010 how I felt about Drew Gooden, I'd likely have had some unkind words to throw his way. Drew was acquired by the Wizards in a deal that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to the Dallas Mavericks but he made it pretty darned clear he didn't want to play for the Wizards. A couple of days later he was gone to the Clippers in a deal that sent Antawn Jamison to Cleveland and brought back pretty much nothing in return. Drew's first tenure with the Wiz brought nothing but heartache.

Fast forward a few years and Drew's one of my favorite players. I'm always there screaming DREEEEEWWWWW! whenever he checks into the game or hits a three. The Wizards should make all players wear "III" on the backs of their jerseys. It paid off great for Drew. After the Wizards picked up Drew from the parking lot of the Bethesda Whole Foods about a season and a half ago on a veteran minimum (he was amnestied by the Milwaukee Bucks and was still drawing a $6.5+ million salary), my opinion of Drew has gone way up and I'm all for keeping him as long as he can do what he's done or close to it the last couple of years.

So why not a bench bobblehead from an insurance company? I think he's as worthy as anyone else? Who else you got? Garrett Temple? DeJuan Blair? Kris Humphries? I don't think so. If it's insurance guys at a discount on the bench, Drew has to be the guy. And it has to have a headband.

Yes, I realize Drew has not technically agreed to re-sign with the Wizards yet. And yes, I know with yesterday's Alan Anderson signing that we only have one other roster spot right now but plan on it just the same, GEICO. 

Marcin Gortat, sponsored by Pepsi

Over the years, Pepsi has sponsored a ton of bobbleheads in a variety of sports all over the country. Don't believe me? Search for "pepsi bobblehead" on eBay and you will come up with a ton of hits. A recent search I did while writing this post yielded 179 items, including a Ray Allen bobblehead from 2001 (Milwaukee Bucks), Vince Carter from 2010 (Orlando Magic) and undated Al Harrington (Indiana Pacers) and B.J. Armstrong (Chicago Bulls) bobbleheads in addition to an enormous number of baseball bobbleheads; I especially like the Manny Sanguillen throwback Pittsburgh Pirates bobblehead from 2003. 

If that's not enough, the Wright State University Raiders have promised a Pepsi sponsored Coach Ralph Underhill bobblehead giveaway for the 2015-2016 season. Now that they have their name on the front of Verizon Center, they should be itching for a Wizards bobblehead night. If other teams can get one from Pepsi, why can't we?

If I were Pepsi, I'd be pushing for a Marcin Gortat bobblehead night. I know we had an action figure giveaway featuring Marcin last season but as I've already stated, action figures are not bobbleheads. Why Marcin? Well the best I can come up with here is he's sweet and bubbly just like Pepsi or if nothing else, Pepsi and everyone else ought to be dying to get Marcin's melon onto a bobblehead with their logo on the base. Of the Wizards projected starters right now, only Gortat and Porter are without team issued bobbleheads. I've already fixed Otto by setting up Capital One gorgeously; Pepsi should take Marcin.

Randy Wittman, sponsored by Etihad Airways

If Verizon decides to not renew their sponsorship of the Wizards' home arena, I'm guessing Etihad will step into the void and plonk down some serious bucks to get their name on the place. They already have a huge presence in (perhaps) the number one sports league in the world by sponsoring the Barclay's Premiere League's Manchester City's jerseys and stadium. Now they just need a foothold in a United States sports league. Washington's up and coming basketball team and its location as the capital of our country seems an ideal match.

So with Etihad presumably looking for the brass ring to raise their profile instantly, why not just go straight for the head man with their bobblehead and get what most all true Wizards fans long for: a Randy Wittman bobblehead. OK, so let's face it, right now the Wizards fan base probably has a love-hate relationship with Randy. And by that I mean half the people love him and half the people hate him. Well, maybe it's likely to be skewed more one way than the other.

I love Randy so personally speaking I'd be thrilled to get my paws on my very own Witt bobble. Plus right now I have a bunch of players, a mascot and even a mini model of Verizon Center but I have no bobblehead coach. Randy's earned it. Please, please, please do this for me, Etihad. 

And for those of you who don't know by now, Etihad is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. There…a little free air time for Etihad. I'm sure we'll see a spike in the number of travelers to Dubai as a result of this post. If we do, you know how to repay me.

A couple of final notes here. First, If our sponsors decide other players are more worthy or four just ain't enough, well who am I to argue? But we need at least one from each I think and your name on the building sort of ropes you into sponsoring a bobblehead each year. Even if it's not contractually required, you should feel a moral obligation anyway. Show us what you got.

Secondly and finally, yes I know the graphics in this post are horribly amateur. Half of it was intentional and half of it was due to technology and/or user limitations with the software on my MacBook Air. If you are similarly limited with technology or find my graphics appealing, feel free to use them absolutely free of charge. I won't mind at all. The promotional schedule usually comes out in October. You have about three months to make good on this post. Go Wizards! Go bobbleheads!!