WhoRUSupposed2Be
August-15th-2009, 07:01 AM
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2009/08/arenas_makes_surprise_appearan.html
Arenas's Surprise Barry Farms Appearance
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/arenas815.jpg
I'm not talking right now, but I am playing. (Washington Post File Photo by Jonathan Newton)
Gilbert Arenas signed the last of about 100 autographs, posed for the last of dozens of photographs, slid on a crisp white T-shirt, slipped into his black Ferrari and snuck off, quietly, into the night. But it was only moments before, when Miles Rawls, commissioner and play-by-play man for the Goodman League, announced -- quite loudly -- before a standing room crowd, "He's back!"
Rawls was merely stating the obvious, because one only needed a few minutes to watch Arenas at Barry Farms Recreational Center on Friday night to see that the three-time all-star is rounding into shape after three knee surgeries robbed him from most of the past two seasons. Arenas had 35 points, mostly on aggressive drives to the basket. He was surprisingly spry and springy, as he effortlessly attacked the rim for dunks. He had two-handed slams. He had a vicious tomahawk slam. He even dunked on someone. When was the last time you recall seeing Arenas dunking?
More impressive, he wasn't wearing a knee brace or favoring his leg in any way. The explosion wasn't all the way there, but it was close. After Arenas blew past two defenders to get to the basket and draw a foul, Rawls said, "Gil came out here tonight and I think we can safely say, the knee is fine. Looks like I'm going to have to renew my seats at the Verizon Center."
Before Arenas attempted his free throws, Rawls, the infamous President Obama trash talker (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2009/03/the_wizards_fan_who_talked_tra.html), stopped play to ask Arenas a question. "Hey, Gil. Can you hook me up with Tim Grover? I'm trying to get ready for the old-timers' game. He's got you looking good. Grover's good, huh?"
Arenas smiled and nodded.
I've been hearing all summer that Arenas has lost of ton of weight, that he's the lightest he's been since entering the league. And, this past week, Coach Flip Saunders, LeBron James, Andre Iguodala and Quentin Richardson have all taken the opportunity to talk about how good Arenas has looked on the court and in workouts in Chicago.
Former Wizard Awvee Storey got Arenas involved with the Chicago Pro Am, where I hear Arenas had a couple of 50 point games up there. Saunders said Arenas told him that he was averaging 44 points a game in that league.
I got word that Arenas was going to play at Barry Farms late Friday afternoon, so I had to drop by and see for myself. I got to the playground in Southeast a little bit after the game tipped off, but as I walked toward the court, some fan told me, "Gil out there putting on a show, man."
When I finally found a spot to see Arenas, the first thing I noticed was that Arenas really does look a lot slimmer than the last time I saw him play an NBA game. I hear he's down to just 207 pounds. I asked some guy next to me how Arenas was looking. The guy said, "He's killing it."
He then gave a very animated description of how Arenas crossed up somebody and dunked on him early in the game.
James told me that Arenas was in "the high 90s" of what he once was, and I'd have to agree that Arenas isn't quite his "Hibachi" self. But he appears to be making some progress. His first step isn't quite at his pre-April 2007 levels, but he was able to lower his head and get to the hoop as often as he liked. He only took about two long jump shots, but he had some bounce in those legs. At one point he timed a driving layup and batted it into the front row. He was called for goaltending.
Granted, this is playground hoops, where defense is optional -- Arenas's counterpart, Gerald "P [Bad Word]" Brown, a native of West Baltimore who played last season in Turkey, scored 41 points. And, Arenas was the only NBA player on the floor, so I won't go overboard.
But as I stated earlier, the $111 million man is making progress. You know he has to feel confident in what he's doing to test his knee on some pockmarked blacktop. After the game, Arenas shed his jersey and gave away his shoes. Fans at Barry Farms were definitely appreciative, as they swarmed him each white-socked step he took from the court to car. And for the second week of August, that has been encouraging for fans of the Wizards.
Well, as much flak that I give Arenas, he appears to be heading in the right direction health-wise.
I guess maturity is beginning to set in for him.
Arenas's Surprise Barry Farms Appearance
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/arenas815.jpg
I'm not talking right now, but I am playing. (Washington Post File Photo by Jonathan Newton)
Gilbert Arenas signed the last of about 100 autographs, posed for the last of dozens of photographs, slid on a crisp white T-shirt, slipped into his black Ferrari and snuck off, quietly, into the night. But it was only moments before, when Miles Rawls, commissioner and play-by-play man for the Goodman League, announced -- quite loudly -- before a standing room crowd, "He's back!"
Rawls was merely stating the obvious, because one only needed a few minutes to watch Arenas at Barry Farms Recreational Center on Friday night to see that the three-time all-star is rounding into shape after three knee surgeries robbed him from most of the past two seasons. Arenas had 35 points, mostly on aggressive drives to the basket. He was surprisingly spry and springy, as he effortlessly attacked the rim for dunks. He had two-handed slams. He had a vicious tomahawk slam. He even dunked on someone. When was the last time you recall seeing Arenas dunking?
More impressive, he wasn't wearing a knee brace or favoring his leg in any way. The explosion wasn't all the way there, but it was close. After Arenas blew past two defenders to get to the basket and draw a foul, Rawls said, "Gil came out here tonight and I think we can safely say, the knee is fine. Looks like I'm going to have to renew my seats at the Verizon Center."
Before Arenas attempted his free throws, Rawls, the infamous President Obama trash talker (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2009/03/the_wizards_fan_who_talked_tra.html), stopped play to ask Arenas a question. "Hey, Gil. Can you hook me up with Tim Grover? I'm trying to get ready for the old-timers' game. He's got you looking good. Grover's good, huh?"
Arenas smiled and nodded.
I've been hearing all summer that Arenas has lost of ton of weight, that he's the lightest he's been since entering the league. And, this past week, Coach Flip Saunders, LeBron James, Andre Iguodala and Quentin Richardson have all taken the opportunity to talk about how good Arenas has looked on the court and in workouts in Chicago.
Former Wizard Awvee Storey got Arenas involved with the Chicago Pro Am, where I hear Arenas had a couple of 50 point games up there. Saunders said Arenas told him that he was averaging 44 points a game in that league.
I got word that Arenas was going to play at Barry Farms late Friday afternoon, so I had to drop by and see for myself. I got to the playground in Southeast a little bit after the game tipped off, but as I walked toward the court, some fan told me, "Gil out there putting on a show, man."
When I finally found a spot to see Arenas, the first thing I noticed was that Arenas really does look a lot slimmer than the last time I saw him play an NBA game. I hear he's down to just 207 pounds. I asked some guy next to me how Arenas was looking. The guy said, "He's killing it."
He then gave a very animated description of how Arenas crossed up somebody and dunked on him early in the game.
James told me that Arenas was in "the high 90s" of what he once was, and I'd have to agree that Arenas isn't quite his "Hibachi" self. But he appears to be making some progress. His first step isn't quite at his pre-April 2007 levels, but he was able to lower his head and get to the hoop as often as he liked. He only took about two long jump shots, but he had some bounce in those legs. At one point he timed a driving layup and batted it into the front row. He was called for goaltending.
Granted, this is playground hoops, where defense is optional -- Arenas's counterpart, Gerald "P [Bad Word]" Brown, a native of West Baltimore who played last season in Turkey, scored 41 points. And, Arenas was the only NBA player on the floor, so I won't go overboard.
But as I stated earlier, the $111 million man is making progress. You know he has to feel confident in what he's doing to test his knee on some pockmarked blacktop. After the game, Arenas shed his jersey and gave away his shoes. Fans at Barry Farms were definitely appreciative, as they swarmed him each white-socked step he took from the court to car. And for the second week of August, that has been encouraging for fans of the Wizards.
Well, as much flak that I give Arenas, he appears to be heading in the right direction health-wise.
I guess maturity is beginning to set in for him.