From Michael to Eddie: Jordan, five years gone
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Emancipation Day will shut down the nation's capital today (well, at least delay our trash collection) but another milestone will pass unnoticed for most D.C. residents--probably for the best, as many wouldn't know whether to celebrate or mourn.

Today's the fifth anniversary of Michael Jordan's final NBA game, an inglorious end for the sport's greatest star: A blowout loss that was further sullied by his adopted Wizards uniform.

The Jordan years were an odd chapter, even for a star-crossed franchise that once employed the NBA's shortest and tallest man (twice).


Years later, it's still unfathomable: The Greatest Of All Time wanted to come here--the Clippers of the East?

Well, no, not really.

But back in January 2000, after the Chicago Bulls refused their legend and the Charlotte Hornets rebuffed the local kid made good, Wizards part-owner Ted Leonsis swooped in and made MJ a $56 million offer he couldn't refuse: A free stake in ownership, equity in Leonsis's holding company, and control over basketball operations. And when MJ needed to scratch his basketball itch a final time, there was only one natural place to play.

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Washington is a town of transients, filled with college students and young professionals, with political types who come and go with elections. So we forget the irrational exuberance of eight years ago, when the Wizards first courted Jordan--at the time a basketball Midas, with six straight championships in his six previous full seasons--stirring the city into frothy anticipation.

Sure, some wondered if Jordan would make a good GM--noting that athletic stardom hardly translated to operational excellence--but they were drowned out by the 56-point headlines. "Washington gets a new 'Air' Force," the Post quipped. "Mr. Jordan goes to Washington (to rescue the Wizards)" wrote the AP. Even when the team cratered at 19-63 the following year--and absentee executive Jordan took a few PR hits--D.C. was again electrified for months when MJ started dropping hints of his on-court return.

We won't spend much time summarizing that third act, which is captured quite well--if critically--in "When Nothing Else Matters," by the Post's Michael Leahy, and in Pradamaster's excellent essay at Bullets Forever. Simply, Jordan remained amazing, with his will and shot-fake arsenal enough to win games on his own (although he'd shoot the team to a loss just as frequently). Still, walking into an crackling MCI Center, the great one's presence always infused us with anticipation...even after we saw him flat-footed and clad in Wizards' white-and-blue, like a parody of himself. Some weird Bizarro wearing #23.



However, most memories of the Jordan-errs--an ill-matched collection of mediocre lottery picks and second-tier veterans--are best lost to time. Jordan's own indecision ultimately doomed the team, as he yo-yoed between a sixth-man mentor (trying to "teach the young players to win") and an aging king who wouldn't leave the court (50+ minutes in three games his final six weeks).

Still, when Jordan waved goodbye in Philadelphia, more than three years after becoming a part-owner and two seasons after coming out of retirement, he'd turned the Wizards into box office champs, packing the house at home and selling out every road game. He'd gotten the team on TV and transformed the MCI Center into a destination (and, not insignificantly, boosted Nike's Jordan sales by a few hundred million dollars). Now one of the oldest guards in league history, Jordan had seemingly accomplished everything asked of him in three years as player/GM...except get the Wizards into the playoffs.

And with his stunning exit three weeks later--fired by majority owner Abe Pollin, dividing the Washington Post's own sports section and roiling the town--Jordan never got a chance to try again. Later, the Wizards leaked stories of a dysfunctional relationship with Pollin, of disgruntled players in the locker room. Retroactive spin or long-buried problems...it's hard to say. But the era of Err ended as unexpectedly as it began.


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There's still a Jordan in D.C., of course--Eddie, the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, who was hired weeks after Michael's dismissal. And after the doom-and-gloom predictions of five years ago, it's beyond amazing that a coach--who struggled for years to win a third of his games--has made a far bigger impact on Washington basketball than the GOAT.

We're not the first to notice that in taking the Wizards to the playoffs (four years and counting), Eddie did what Michael could not. But it is striking that the two Jordans have eerily similar winning percentages in D.C., albeit with totally different results--MJ, leading a flawed team that couldn't get over the hump; EJ, steering a squad that can challenge the league's best.



As discussed on Bullets Forever, Coach Jordan may not have had the firepower to win in D.C. if player/GM Jordan hadn't made the franchise relevant and profitable; perhaps MJ's lingering aura even attracted free agent Gilbert Arenas--a future three-time All-Star--and proven GM Ernie Grunfeld. But who could've predicted that those three moves would've paid off? Incompetent, dishonest Abe Pollin??

NBA.com chat, Sept. 9, 2003
Rafael Masakayan - Fairfax, VA: With Michael Jordan no longer with the Wizards, do you expect your attendance to decline? Are lots of people asking for refunds?

Abe Pollin: Good question...While I know that we will not sell out every game next season, I'm confident that our fans will enjoy Eddie Jordan's up-tempo style of coaching, Gilbert Arenas' exciting basketball talent, and the management decisions of Ernie Grunfeld.

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Of course, had Arenas not chosen Washington, creating a domino effect that brought Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, we might remember the MJ era as a rare highlight in decades of mediocre Washington basketball--a rare superstar gracing the city. Instead, it's more likely that firing Michael Jordan ranks as a shining moment; certainly, it was a franchise turning point and, given MJ the GM's track record, it's hard to imagine that he could have produced the turnaround that's followed.

In fact, we now know that the NBA--once tied to their incandescent star, and constantly searching for the "next MJ"--was ready to move on, too. Even as Jordan wrapped his final game, the seeds were being planted for his successor.

The very next night, high schooler LeBron James played his first game at MCI Center.

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posted by Crucifictorious @ 02:38, ,


Re: "If you could be GM of any lottery team..."
Sunday, September 30, 2007

My favorite part of the EA Sports games isn't the games. Honestly, I never get the guys who camp in front of the TV for weeks on end, playing Madden by themselves. Doesn't beating the computer by 30 get old?

Instead, it's building a team--growing the Raiders into a juggernaut, or transforming the Charlotte Bobcats into contenders--that hooks me (or at least did, back when I had the time).

So of course, I'm fascinated by this very interesting post by Steve Weinman over at Taking it to the Rack. (Ok, full disclosure: Steve kindly spent the entire post answering my question: "Pick among last year's non-playoff teams and build a contender within three years.") His choice--the Bobcats, the newest team in the L, but still the only franchise never to even sniff the playoffs, let alone make a run. Not the first team most of us would pick.

But you know what? Steve's buying Charlotte stock at the right time. The Bobcats have 1) a young, talented core; 2) aren't in the West, which should continue to be awful competitive across our self-imposed three-year window; and 3) have the three offensive cogs that most good teams need to compete (Gerald "next MJ" Wallace, Jason "next MJ" Richardson, and Emeka Okafor).

However, who takes the shot at the end of the game? Wallace? Every good team needs that closer and I don't know who's it on the 'Cats. Guess Sam Vincent's got three years to figure it out.

Other nice chips include Sean May (who's been great, if injured), sweet-shooting Matt Carroll, and sweet-hair-product-using Walter Hermann.

Of course, the team's backcourt is weighted down by bricklayers Adam "Che" Morrison and Ray Felton. Steve's plan to move Morrison is a great, if fanciful, idea, but he oversells Felton, whose 39% career shooting percentage terrifies me, and who didn't really improve between his rookie and sophomore years, other than boosting his PT.

And I don't buy that Gilbert Arenas or Shawn Marion would relocate to Charlotte. (Steve, have you been to Charlotte? Place is sleepy. I'm getting tired just thinking about it.) If anything, if the Bobcats want an impact free agent, they should hope that a local college legend--maybe an aging Antawn Jamison type or even a Carlos Boozer--comes home to relive glory days.

Still, a solid selection. Which shames me...in asking the question, I hadn't really though through who I'd choose. Also, like most bloggers, it's not as if I have any special basketball knowledge. Sure, I can pick others apart no problem. But I'm no expert on the L. The further I get away from high school basketball camp, the less I know.

So, relying on my mere fandom as a guide, the Hornets are the easy answer, the Celtics are the real easy answer, and--since Steve's removed Portland from discussion, while another commentator argued for the Hawks--I guess I'm taking...the Bucks. Almost unbelievably so. But perhaps it was fated to be.

A few caveats though. Namely, I hate half their roster.

Desmond Mason isn't worth $5M a year. Bobby Simmons also isn't worth $5M a year--which makes his $9M salary some kind of crime. Royal Ivey is cheap at $750k, but isn't anything special on D and couldn't score at the Bunny Ranch. And so on.

That said, the Bucks hook me because of one guy: Andrew Bogut. He's a more athletic, less dominant Yao Ming. What can I say--ever since Hakeem, I've loved the good-passing big man...and Bogut is downright Walton-esque at times. He's still young enough to build around and is clearly an inspirational figure--you don't see Etan Thomas penning a letter to Dwyane Wade or LeBron James, do you? Guys flock to Phoenix to play with Steve Nash. The Euros will courra to 'Kee to commiserate with their truth-talker.

(Look, I don't know if I'd like Bogut, the person. But as a young big, you could do a lot worse).



Admit it, NBA fans: The buzzworthy comments. The hairstyle. The blog fans. Mark my words, this year will be like the Takeover for Bogut. Only, it won't be, because Bogut hates dealing with the media. But if I was the GM, I'd brand the team around his cuss-worthy image. Market the heck out of his Australian connection--maybe work out a deal with Star TV to show the games overseas, if there isn't one already.

Anyway, it's not like Bogut's the only good chip for the Bucks. Their strength is currently in the backcourt, although Michael Redd is probably overpaid (sense a theme?), and so is Mo Williams. But Redd is about a solid a two-guard in the L and, as a great shooter in his prime, he shouldn't really diminish in value the next few years. Williams' performance is parabolically improving, so who knows--perhaps the Bucks get a few vintage Jason Terry years out of him. Charlie Bell seems like a total flake, but at $3M a year for a decent backup guard, he'd be a good bargaining chip if it didn't fly.

Going back up front, I like Charlie Villanueva a lot, actually. Scores over everybody, any which way. Yet clearly, a guy who needs motivation to play well so I'd start badmouthing him to sites like The Bratwurst; when he's in the crib, ego-googling, he'll be stunned by the amount of renewed draft-bashing ("#7 in '05? Over David Lee??"), TJ Ford-praise-singing ("Raps completely won that deal"), and misidentified C. Villanueva-bashing ("What an awful gopher ball to Nate McLouth--guy can't pitch a lick").

And maybe take out a billboard challenging his manhood, just to be on the safe side.

Then, there's a guy you may have heard about: Chairman Yi. The kid is taking a lot of flack. And you know what? He's not the next Nowitzki or Gasol. The guy is 22, let's not pretend otherwise. We know the Chinese athletic association is all about age-fixing. And 19 or 22, he looked real bad in summer league. If scuttlebutt has it, Yaroslav Korolev may not long set the standard for recent lottery busts.

But...what if...he's a contributor?

Is it that hard to imagine? Yao was 22 when he came over. Toni Kukoc was 25. Heck, Arvydas Sabonis was 53. All made the move--and thrived--and certainly none had the NBA-quality athleticism of Yi. He looked good against the Americans at the 2006 World's, too.

I'm holding out hope.

So: Bogut, Villanueva, Simmons, Redd, and Williams as my starting five. Gadzuric, Yi, Mason, and Bell off the bench.

Two years for that young core to gel--for Bogut's numbers to rise to 17/10. For Charlie V to emerge as a solid 18 ppg scorer. For Yi to become a more athletic Detlef Schrempf. For Mason's contract to expire and be replaced by a Marquis Daniels-type. For Redd to remain a dead-eye gunner.

Knock on wood, I like them to emerge from the 2009/2010 East. They'll just have to get by those pesky Bobcats first.

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posted by Anonymous @ 21:24, ,


A player so Ledell-icious
Sunday, September 2, 2007

August was Mediocre Month at We Rite Goode...where in the spirit of things, we were only devoting two weeks to celebrating lousiness. And sure, the month's over, but what's the point of being mediocre if we actually followed through on time? Here's another of the awful-yet-great athletes who made us grin or, more likely, groan.

Ledell.

Ledell Eackles.

We assure you--it's a real name.

But try saying it five times fast. Ledell Eackles Ledell Eackles LedellEackles Ledellckles Ledeckles.

It gets better every time, really.

As offense off the bench, the late '80s/early '90s Detroit Pistons had "The Microwave," Vinnie Johnson. The Washington Bullets had a 240 lb., 6'5 shooting guard who was never in shape, frequently disinterested in defense, and missed more practice than Allen Iverson.

(In a related story, those Pistons teams won championships, while the Bullets couldn't even win the lottery).

Eackles wasn't a total chump. Fans loved that he was a 2nd round pick from a small college (New Orleans) who made good, not to mention his ability to score in bunches; in just 23 mpg, Eackles put up about 13 ppg his first four years in the league. Although, the scoring numbers are a bit deceptive--it's easy to score on a bad team, and those Bullets were truly awful (across those four years, their win total consecutively declined from 40 to 31 to 30 to 25). Basketball-Reference.com is a better, deeper gauge of Eackles' playing career; his PER was a wonderfully blah 13.8 and his list of comparable players reads like a roster of all-time mediocre players: Harold Miner, Terry Teagle, and Luscious Harris.

What was best about the young Eackles was his complete lack of hesitation in putting shots up. In his second season ('89-'90), Ledell made the league's top 10 for "usage rate," which is the basketball stat measuring how many of a team's posessions a player uses--either by taking a shot, turning the ball over, or getting to the foul line--per 40 minutes. Basically, how much a player hogs a ball.

Ledell's usage rate that year: 29.5.

(To compare to current players for perspective, that's about the same usage rate as LeBron James last season, and a higher rate than Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki...the list of all-stars goes on. A list that Eackles doesn't quite belong on.)

After that initial run with the Bullets--which included a hilariously overblown contract holdout, where Eackles and his agent asked for a higher annual salary than Larry Bird, Karl Malone, or even Clyde Drexler, and the Bullets basically told him he could sit out a year instead--Eackles hopped in and out of the league, later becoming more of a three-point specialist before fading into Bolivian. However, the name lives on: A Ledell Eackles, Jr. just wrapped his college career, although at 5'9", appears less likely than his pa to make the L.

So why did we love Ledell so? The name? The game? Nah...probably the name.

Plus, there was a charming ignorance about the ex-Juco. Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum has a great story from his book :07 Seconds or Less; apparently, when Eackles played for the Miami Heat, he tried to fire up the team during a meeting by walking to the whiteboard and writing, "No Your roll." Glen Rice replied, "Sit down, dumbass."

We'd love to leave you with an Eackles highlights package--as he goes on a scoring, or more likely, a pancakes binge--but video is, unsurprisingly, tough to find. So instead, here's a vintage Michael Jordan scoring 51 on the hapless Bullets of '92. Eackles (#21) actually had a decent game that night (28 pts), but his only YouTube appearances come when being a) scored upon and b) hoisting the last shot of the game (a half-court miss).



For us, though...these precious few seconds are enough to bring back a lifetime of memories. Godspeed, Ledell Eackles. Tonight, we will eat four hamburgers in your honor.

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posted by Crucifictorious @ 18:30, ,


Most patriotic moments in sports history: Honorable mentions
Wednesday, July 4, 2007

So at We Rite Goode, the 4th means a lot to us. It means "The Wire" marathon on DVD. It means catching up on phone calls to relatives. It means Go America!, and we really do mean that.

And with a few DC residents on the writing roster, the 4th also means WRG wants to play its own small part to fight for freedom, punish evil, etc.: Chronicle the most patriotic moments in (American) sports history.

Now, the Internet's a big place--we know that someone, somewhere has probably done this already and, most likely, better than we could hope to achieve. But with cursory searches turning up zilch, and with the whole "ignorance is bliss" motto that's informed WRG from the beginning, we plowed ahead.

So here's the scoop. We used a highly scientific process--i.e., e-mailed each other and asked a few friends--to determine which moments were truly patriotic versus which events inspired applications for Taliban membership. Frankly, some suggestions were exceptional and truly stirring, and those went right to the top 10 list. There were also a handful of moments that warranted mentioning; they may not inspire an America tattoo, but they usually came with a YouTube clip that made them easy to post. Enjoy, check back later for our Top 10 (and dishonorable) lists.

Most patriotic moments in sports history: Honorable mention



  • Michael Jordan's "What is Love" commercial. So many great Jordan ads--there's nothing Americans do better than commercials. But this end-of-career retrospective made me realize: There's only one superman, and he's ours.



    • (Update: Our final list of the top-10 moments can be found here, while the less-proud memories are shunted off here. Please let us know what we've missed.)

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    posted by Crucifictorious @ 03:30, ,


    Around the Web...
    Wednesday, June 27, 2007

    From the dude abides: Beckham vs Bush proves better than Hatton vs Castillo...or at least, Dan vs. Dave.

    From Yahoo! Sports: NFL Europa going hasta la vista.

    From SPORTSbyBROOKS: Who needs to be Marvin Brando? Even Matt Geiger was living in the lap of luxury.

    From CNN/SI: Best and worst GMs. John Paxson in awkward position to give MJ assists.

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    posted by Crucifictorious @ 14:01, ,


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