The burgundy and gold once again came close to winning a game. It's too bad that the game they were playing wasn't horseshoes instead of football. You can win a game by getting close to the pin in horseshoes, but in the NFL you must have a killer instinct. The 'skins once again took a lead into half-time and once again failed to hold it. Some solace can be taken in the fact that the passing game was very effective. It was good to see the coaches finally take the handcuffs off Jason Campbell. It was not good to see the defense continue to allow big passing plays. You can't tell me that one man (Sean Taylor) makes that much of a difference in the pass defense.
The Cowboys found a weakness in the 'skins zone defense and exploited it...repeatedly. How can any defense allow Terrell Owens to run virtually untouched through the secondary? Why didn't Gregg Williams make any adjustments in the coverage? When the 'skins were in man coverage, Shawn Springs appeared to be a step behind T.O. on every such play. Has he lost a step or was he using poor technique? I don't know but he needs to play at a higher level if the pass defense is going to improve.
Coach Gibbs was criticized for being indecisive on short yardage calls in the Eagle game. He was decisive in the Cowboy game but once again leaned toward the conservative side. What sense did it make to throw the ball on 2nd and 1, 3rd and 1, then kick a field goal on 4th and 1? Coach Joe has got to develop more of a Belichick attitude in those situations and go for the jugular. Touchdowns beat field goals any day. The 'skins can't continue to leave points on the field. They need aggressive play calling. They need bold decision making. But above all, they need victories. There should be no satisfaction in playing well enough to lose.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
No Morale in Moral Victories
No Arenas, No Problem?
Welcome to day one of the Washington Wizards AA (after Arenas). The Wizards have followed a 5 game losing streak with a 6 game winning streak. The formula for this change of fortune has been improved ball movement and shooting on offense, better defensive rotations and a reduction in turnovers. This trend began prior to Agent 0's latest injury and has continued during the 3 games that Arenas has missed. It would be foolish to think that the 'zards can be a better team in terms of wins and losses without their all-star guard. But it is not foolish to think that they can be a better "team" in the sense of cohesive play. Arenas will be missed more at the end of quarters and games when some one needs to create a shot. He will not be missed on the defensive end of the court where his matador defense allowed opposing guards to get dribble penetration almost at will.
This is an opportunity for the young guys, Andray Blatche, Nick Young, Dominic McGuire and Roger Mason to step up their level of play. Blatche has shown signs that he is ready to accept that responsibility in the last 2 games (Philly & Charlotte). It remains to be seen whether he can consistently perform at this level. Young and McGuire are rookies. They will make errors, but they will bring energy and enthusiasm to this team. Young can flat out score. McGuire is a solid presence on defense. He is also an underrated passer.
The Wizards margin for error is very small right now. The current 6 game winning streak has been against some of the NBA's bottom feeders. These are the teams that the 'zards must defeat in order to stay in playoff contention. Yet, a win is a win. I'll take it. The loss of Arenas for at least 3 months will hurt, but it won't cripple the team. They will still be competitive and if Arenas is able to return this season...maybe they can surprise some people in the playoffs.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
You Can't Go Back
Joe Gibbs' second tour of duty in Washington or should I say Ashburn, VA has not been anything like the first. The burgundy & gold are currently in year 4 of Gibbs 2.0. The results to say the least have been underwhelming. Gibbs 1.0 earned kudos for imaginative game plans, play calling and in-game adjustments. Gibbs 2.0 is earning criticism for momentum killing play calling and poor clock management.
Gibbs hired Al Saunders to bring the 'skins offense out of the stone age, but seems to keep much Al's playbook locked in a cave. In a roster stocked with highly paid skill players, Saunders has all of the talent necessary to implement his dynamic 700 page playbook. The problem is that Coach Gibbs won't allow Saunders to have complete control of the offense. Six running plays from inside the 10 yard line last Sunday? Where is the play action pass? Where is the quick slant? Where is the fade? I can think of at least 10 other plays I would have called before I would even think about running a draw play.
The defense under the guidance of Gregg Williams started the season strong, but is now fading like a pair of old blue jeans. Would it have helped if the offense had scored two touchdowns in the 4th quarter last Sunday instead of field goals? Sure. But the defense gave up two very big plays...a 55 yard screen pass and a 45 yard TD bomb. On the screen pass the secondary was so far off the line of scrimmage that nobody could get a hand on Bryan Westbrook. Pierson Prioleau was in position to defend on the 45 yard pass to Reggie Brown but failed to make an adjustment to the flight of the ball.
Where does this leave the burgundy & gold? A record of 5-4 that could easily be 2-7 or 8-1 depending how you choose to look at it. I think a 5-4 record is fairly representative of the effort given by the coaching staff and players. I also think it's time to upgrade Gibbs 2.0 to Cowher 2.0 or somebody else 1.0. I respect Joe Gibbs for what he accomplished during his first tenure with the 'skins, but I doubt he will come close to matching that success this time around. Hiring Gibbs was a great public relations move by owner Daniel Snyder. But PR doesn't win ball games. Players win ball games and coaches put players in position to win ball games. The 'skins' coaches are not getting the job done. They are only proving that you can't go back to move forward.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Mark of Futility
The Wizards have matched the worst start in franchise history. And in my opinion are one game closer to having a new coach. It is apparent that this team has given up on coach Eddie Jordan. All of the alleged emphasis that was placed on defense in the pre-season has been for naught. This team just doesn't get it on the defensive end of the court. The rotations are slow, the defensive rebounding is awful and there is no intensity at all. On the offensive end of the court the ball doesn't move enough. The usual offensive set consists of a pass and a shot...usually a jump shot. The Wizards are a team of jump shooters. The problem is that the shots are not falling. There is an old adage in basketball that says "if you live by the jump shot, you die by the jump shot." That pretty much sums up the Wizards season thus far -- dead!
There is no quick fix for the problems that ail this team. The team as it is currently constructed will continue to struggle if it is not making shots. Can you blame that on the coach? No, but I don't see many adjustments being made by the staff. The Wizards were unable to generate any offense against the zone defense New Jersey employed Thursday night. "They threw in that zone, and that was the game-change," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "We haven't worked against it enough to feel comfortable against it. It was a good strategy by them." Why haven't you worked against a zone in practice and why weren't you able to make adjustments during the game?
The Wizards allowed Bostjan Nachbar to score 10 points in the 4th quarter in the New Jersey game. Nachbar continued to get open looks even after hitting 3 consecutive shots early in the quarter. Jordan said "We thought we were closing out on him aggressively, but he really made some good shots, he and Richard." I don't know who he thought was closing out aggressively? I didn't see a defender within 6 feet of him on the two 3-pointers Nachbar drained.
In the Denver game dribble penetration by the guards especially AI was again a problem. Iverson was able to beat his man and dish the ball off to open shooters who were making shots. (the Nuggets recorded 30 assists). The Wizards also had no answer for Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is a bad match-up for most teams, but he is an especially tough cover for the 'zards because they lack a player with the combination of size and quickness to slow Melo down. The game was essentially over when he made 5 straight shots in the 3rd quarter to push the Denver lead into double digits.
The schedule doesn't get any easier in the near future. The Wizards play a much improved Atlanta team on the road Sunday then return to the VC to face Indiana on Wednesday. Each player needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask himself what he can do to help the team get out of this slump. Coach Jordan deserves better effort than he is getting from these players. I hope they don't end up getting him fired.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Fear for the Turtles
The University of Maryland football program has taken a step backward this season. Injuries along the offensive line combined with ineffective play calling by coach Friedgen have caused the offense to struggle. Poor tackling and missed assignments have led to breakdowns on defense. The inability to sustain a high level of play for 4 quarters has led to 3 consecutive losses.
The Terps need 2 victories in their last 3 games in order to become "bowl eligible". That task will be hard to accomplish with 2 out of 3 on the road including games against Boston College & Florida State. How did the Terps get into this situation? It all starts and ends with the head coach, Ralph Friedgen. Friedgen has not successfully recruited the top talent in the Baltimore-Washington area. He let his best recruiter, Mike Locksley, leave in 2002. Friedgen won coach of the year honors in 2001 with players recruited by Locksley and his predecessor, Ron Vanderlinden. The Terps have not had the same level of success since those recruits have moved on. Meanwhile programs such as Illinois, Penn State and Florida have been able to gain a strong foothold on some of the best high school players in the D.C. area. Is it any coincidence that Mike Locksley has worked for both Florida and Illinois (currently offensive coordinator) since leaving Maryland)? I think not. Not only can coach Friedgen not recognize and sign the top talent in the area...he apparently can't recognize the top talent evaluators on his staff.
Maryland entered the season with a collection of unproven quarterbacks. Jordan Steffy is a brave young man. I admire him for his ability to come back from an assortment of injuries to compete for the starting QB job. However, I've seen nothing in his play for the past 3 years that indicates that he can be a competent NCAA Division I QB. I watched in disbelief at his inability to get passes off during the first three weeks of the season. I'm sorry that he was injured in the Rutgers game, but that injury was the impetus for a change that was long over due...the insertion of Chris Turner into the starting line-up. Turner has struggled at times, but his problems stem from a lack of game experience, not talent. I saw more down field passes completed by Turner in the second half of the Rutgers game than I saw in all of the games that Steffy started. What I haven't seen lately is coach Friedgen having the confidence in his young QB to take more chances down field. The Terps didn't take any long shots in the UVa game after scoring two early touchdowns and literally went into a shell (no pun intended) on offense. They subsequently lost the game when the defense allowed the Cavaliers to drive 86 yards in the final 6 minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
So...the Terps stand at 4-5 after nine games needing to win 2 of 3 to become "bowl eligible". I hate that term, "bowl eligible". What it really means for the Terps is that they have had a lousy season and need 2 more wins to get invited to a lousy bowl game. The Terps should aspire to win conference and national championships, not become "bowl eligible". That change in philosophy needs to come from the top. Until that happens there will be far more fear for the turtles than fear of the turtles.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Wizards 0-2. Panic Time in DC? Maybe.
Two games into the NBA season the Wizards are still looking for their first victory. Is it time to panic? Maybe. It seems that every pre-season Eddie Jordan places a high emphasis on improving the team's defense. And every season we end up with the same type of team...one that can score and can't stop the opposition from scoring. If the Wizards best defense is their offense Wizards fans are in for a long frustrating season.
The 'zards opened the season with an Indiana team that was missing two starters, one of which (Jermaine O'Neal) is a perennial all star. Yet they allowed this team to score 119 points! Both of the local newspapers hailed the 4th quarter play of Indiana point guard Jamal Tinsley. Tinsley scored 16 fourth quarter points and almost recorded a triple double. Tinsley was able to get into the lane at will and either score or kick the ball out to wide open teammates who unlike the Wizards, were able to make shots. Who was guarding Jamal Tinsley? It was none other than the beloved Agent 0, Gilbert Arenas, who lived up to that moniker by playing no defense.
Let me be clear. I am an Arenas fan. I love his passion for the game. He is a great talent (on offense). However, he is still a defensive liability. He also dominates the ball too much on offense. Basketball is a team sport. Arenas must learn to share the ball and make his teammates better to be the elite player he wants to be recognized as.
The Boston Celtics unveiled their "Big 3" Friday night in Boston, thoroughly whipping the Wizards 103-83. That's two bean town beatings in a week for D.C. area sports fans (the Patriots gutted the Redskins 52-7 on October 28th). I didn't see the entire game, but what I did see was disheartening. I saw a team playing with no energy, no defensive intensity and poor offensive execution. I saw players that have what I call a low basketball IQ. Some of the players just don't seem to understand what a 'good' basketball play is. For example, if your much maligned center (Brendan Haywood) is working his butt off getting offensive rebounds (11 in Indiana), what makes a player (DeShawn Stevenson) think that jacking up a 3-pointer is the proper play to make 2 seconds into the new shot clock? Why does Gilbert Arenas attempt a cross court pass from the post when Kevin Garnett is directly in the path of the pass? Why does Caron Butler throw a bounce pass through the legs of a 7-foot center cutting to the basket?
It may be early in the season, but Saturday night's home opener at Verizon Center is a must win for the Wizards. Hopefully the home crowd will energize them. They must prove to team management that keeping this team basically intact was the right thing to do. Much has been said about the Wizards having the best record in the eastern conference before injuries began to take a toll on the roster. Not much has been written about the fact that chinks in the armor were apparent before then. The Wizards had what amounts to one good month (December) last season. Let's hope they get it together and play at a consistently high level this season. The bar of expectations has been raised for this team. It's no longer enough to make the playoffs. Nothing less than a deep run into the postseason will be seen as a failure.
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