Attitude Reflects Leadership

If anyone is from Cleveland and listens to sports talk radio, then you know Mark "Munch" Bishop. I was listening to his broadcast on ESPN Cleveland 850 AM this afternoon on my way home from work, and he made an amazing point about the way the Wizards are playing. Eddie Jordan has set the standard for how hard a hard foul is in the 2008 playoffs. I don't disagree with the idea of making it hard for LeBron to get to the rim and making him earn it at the foul line in the process. But enough is enough already. You are just playing into the hand of LeBron James. He wants you to boo him and chant "Over-rated" when he touches the ball. That way when he succeeds, and you know he will it's just one of those things that you know will happen, he looks like an even bigger hero. You are giving him a reason pull out the improbable to defeat your team.

Don't get me wrong, I have a legitimate man-crush on LeBron and the way he plays basketball. You can't legitimately say anything bad about his game, and the scary part is that he's only 23 years old. If he's gotten this good this quickly, who good is he going to get? God I hope he stays in town... We'll save that for another day.

I'm not advocating a defense making it easier for LeBronto get comfortable by playing timid here. I think its the smart thing to do for any team against the Cavs. Do what you can to keep LeBron out of the lane, when he gets into the lane be physical with him and make him earn it form the line, and make him leave it to his teammates to beat you. I just think Eddie Jordan is just getting a little frustrated. Think about it for a second. The first year the Cavs and Wiz played: LeBron told arguably your best player and unarguably your biggest asset in the series, that when you miss these crucial free throws that would seal a victory and a force a game 7, that he is going to beat you. He told you to pull out your man card and check it at the door, Gil. Honorable mention to that kickin' beard Z had that year. Then the next year all of your best players are hurt in some way and you get swept. Finally, you get your shot at redemption for the previous two years and your team is as healthy it's been in years. Looks like a good situation for you. But no. Eddie Jordan needs to do a better job controlling his team. The sad thing is that if the Wizards would just play basketball and not worry about all that other stuff, you'd probably have a better shot at advancing.

You probably were right on when you said "they are a .500 club since the trade". But you had to go running your mouth and trying to make sure everyone saw you do it, you got distracted and choked. For that you'll never have the privilege of going into a playoff series with your team knowing the fact that no matter what they throw at you, you are going to win. Just because your team has that one player that you know is going to get it done, no matter what.

And for that I hope Boston chokes, after just losing to Atlanta in game 4, to even the series at 2. Because they think they have 3 guys that fit that role and that means they are more deserving. What's that sound I hear? Oh yea its the sound of another KG team fizzling away for not being able to play a 90 game season at the level of intensity that KG requires his teammates to play at. Kinda weird how that always seems to happen.