What's eating Gilbert Arenas?

by Sleepy Freud on Feb 28, 2007 9:15 PM PST

Old friend Gilbert, aka Agent Zero, aka The Black President hits the front page of the New York Times (online edition) today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/sports/playmagazine/04play-arenas.html?hp

The basic thesis is something even the most casual Gilbert observer knows: not only is he crazy-good, but he's also just crazy, period. Some of the relevant evidence:

Once took a shower at halftime without removing his uniform.

Prefers to spend road trips alone in his hotel room, staying awake all night to watch infomercials and do situps and jumping jacks.

Has become a paternal figure to a 12-year-old boy named Andre McAllister, who lost almost all of his family in a fire. Arenas contacted the boy after hearing the story. (This, I suppose, is more "nice" than insane.)

Claims he would sacrifice an entire N.B.A. season to play one game against Duke, solely to punish its head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who, as the head coach for the United States team competing in the world championship last year, cut Arenas from the squad.

... He goes on. Most Gilbert fans have heard it before (though I hadn't heard the one about the 12-yaer old orphan). Overall, I agree with the author's basic take, which is that Gilbert, unlike a lot of other annoying self-consciously "crazy" athletes (Rodman, Bosworth, Canseco, et al.) is somehow ... crazy-lovable.

But to give this diary some reason for being, let me pose this question: does anyone ever worry about Gilbert's emotional state, just a little? Sometimes I wonder if his "eccentrities" could spiral out of control and affect his shot at superstardom. I actually was considering writing this diary even before I saw the NYT piece, in light of his obscene 10-43 line from the field the last two nights. I mean, all players have hot and cold streaks, but 10 for 43?? Is seems unlikely that someone of his talent and sweet outside touch could shoot that poorly unless something were a little amiss upstairs.

Of course, conversely, when he's on (as in the famous "Hibachi" game) he seems literally convinced he can take on the world -- which is part of what makes him so great.

Anyway, I'd be curious to see if Ws fans still covet Gilbert as much as ever, or if Baron and Monta have taken up some of his place in our hearts. These things are always hard to ask in the form of a poll question, but let me try this: in a fantasy world, who would you like to see as our point guard over the next two seasons: Baron, Gilbert, Monta, or Nash? I threw in Nash because at one point a few years ago, if we had made a concerted effort, we probably could have acquired him. Assume basically good health for all (yes, a big asumption with Baron) but do consider their respective ages.

Poll

Who's your ideal Ws PG for 2007-09?

Baron Davis

5 votes

Monta Ellis

7 votes

first season Baron; second season Monta

2 votes

Gilbert Arenas

8 votes

Steve Nash

12 votes

Sleepy Floyd

0 votes

Sleepy Freud

4 votes

38 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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Comments

thing with gilbert

is he seems to be pretty self centered and doesn't really make his teammates better. He is way to focused on his stats. I am not saying he is egomaniacal like TO, as he is a pretty likable guy, but he needs to grow up before he wins

Guy is very talented though

by Zig on Feb 28, 2007 9:22 PM PST 0 recs

and further Monta

baron and Gilbert can't even be mentioned as great points like Nash a Hall of Famer

Come on

by Zig on Feb 28, 2007 9:23 PM PST 0 recs

How can you compare Nash to Baron or Gilbert?

First of all I'm going to go on the record that Steve Nash, although very good, gets more recognition than any other PG mostly due (sadly) that he is a white guy and doing well in the NBA. This is not my perception of the situation, but I do feel that it does have a significant impact on how the basketball community perceives him.

Secondly, Nash is nothing like Gilbert or Baron. Baron and Gilbert are more scoring oriented points who like to take over a game in many ways. Nash is more a pass before shoot guard that would be more than content scoring zero points but assisting his players for easy layups. Although Baron does make everyone around him better through scoring, he also can get it done by driving to the basket with strength and aggression, and then playing his card to either finish strong or dish off to an open player. But to say that Nash is on a different level than both players is being a little ignorant. And I don't think one person could have told me that Nash Pre-Suns, that he would be an MVP. Not while he was at Santa Clara... not his first try at the suns, nor his try in dallas. I'm going to go ahead and say that nobody gave him any credit or recognition as a dominating pointguard until he got MVP.

by david240z on Feb 28, 2007 10:42 PM PST up 0 recs

hmmmmm

seems to me nash gets recognition b/c his teams win.

by the evil monkey on Feb 28, 2007 11:12 PM PST up 0 recs

correction...

BACK TO BACK MVP'S

Also when you say that "Nash is nothing like Gilbert or Baron", i argue that Gilbert or Baron is nothing like Nash. You compare Nash to those 2 as if they are the standard. Nash is on a winning team and is not only the current MVP, he's the current back-to-back MVP. That makes HIM the standard. The reason that you put those guys above Nash is because you prefer a score-1st PG. There's nothing wrong with you preferring. But to say that it's ignorant to think that the 2-time MVP is not on another level than those other guys needs to check his understanding of basketball as a team sport.

by ssmokinjoe on Feb 28, 2007 11:54 PM PST up 0 recs

Look at Phx when Nash

is hurt and when he is playing and get back to me. Winning percentage, assist to TO ratio, shooting percentage. Purest of points

Listen around the league and hear everyone give Nash his due. It has nothing at all to do with being white

by Zig on Mar 1, 2007 9:52 AM PST up 0 recs

Steve Nash

Scoring 19 point per

shooting .532
from 3 .482
12 assists

Gilbert

28.9 point
shooting lower from the field than Nash does from 3 .414 (horrible)
6 dimes per game

Baron? A carear .409 shooter this year .426 shooting .278 from 3

This isn't even close. Switch the points around and and the team with Nash is the best.

by Zig on Mar 1, 2007 10:01 AM PST up 0 recs

What Difference Does It Make......

If we can't play any defense, have no rebounding or post-up players, and have a team that mostly want to shoot 3's or take shots with 20 seconds left on the 24 second clock.

I don't mean to be on a downer but it's just hard to think about point guards when we have a very good one and potentially a very good one while we have much more serious needs to address.

by commish on Feb 28, 2007 9:26 PM PST 0 recs

Gilbert is definitely crazy...

there's no denying that... but this was touched on above. At least he's crazy and a fairly amiable person, and very much so in love with himself, but not to a point where it makes him a jerk, but more of that guy you knew in high school who was cool as hell, and has a ton of potential, but put a little too much time in to making you laugh, and making sure you and everyone else like him and are entertained by him.

Big ego, but at least he's funny and kind... too bad it seems like it keeps him from reaching for the stars...

But again, I hate jackass athletes that are too in love with themselves to be decent people... (T.O. Bonds, maybe even Michael Vick... flippin birds and smuggling pot)

Ah well, who am I to talk? I'd probably be a total d*ckhead if I was that good at ballin'

by KCBS Warrior Fan on Feb 28, 2007 9:28 PM PST 0 recs

his blog

is a must read:
http://www.nba.com/blog/gilbert_arenas.html
each entry is good for a laugh in its own way.

Other info on Gilbert:
He's starting a clothing company with baron davis. At least that's what his website says

winter soccer

by baumerworld on Feb 28, 2007 9:35 PM PST 0 recs

Baumer!

Good to hear from you again. That blog is weird and amazing: you should make another grand GSoM re-entrance with a diary about it. His comment on the NYT article I posted:

Chuck Klosterman called me "the rock star of the NBA," but I'm not getting women like I'm a rock star.

Aw, poor ol' Gilbert. Maybe if he didn't spend his nights doing jumping jacks alone in his hotel room he'd have better luck with the ladies...

But hey, Baumer, if you don't have time for a diary, do me a favor and go post a simple HELLO in mydedgerbil's diary, will you? He's crying in his alphabet noodle soup that you never write diaries anymore; and if he finds out you posted in my diary and not his, he may never lick that pesky thumbsucking habit...

by Sleepy Freud on Mar 1, 2007 5:48 AM PST up 0 recs

Man...

If I could trade Baron for Gilbert Arenas and pay Arenas what we're paying Davis, I'd do it in a heartbeat. No offense to Baron Davis, who is a tremendous point guard, but Arenas just has this natural charasma about him which makes him so likable. Me and my friend were talking just earlier today (or yesterday... its 2 in the morning already) about when Gilbert Arenas was with Richardson at his first of the two Slam Dunk championships and how Arenas was in the background while they were interviewing Richardson just bouncing up and down yelling out "Golden State!" repeatedly. You gotta admit that no one was more excited about this team than him in a long time... that includes anyone who is currently on this roster. And about his scoring complex... he essentially has to. He has stated before that he would gladly defer his scoring if he had more dependable options, which i guess he sort of has now in Caron Butler... Well I miss him being with the Warriors... just imagine if we had him and Ellis... DAMN! With Richardson, Jamison, and even Foyle in the starting lineup... we'd be pretty impressive... DAMN!

by mightymadskillz on Mar 1, 2007 2:41 AM PST 0 recs

I want them all,.

Nash, Baron, Gilbert, and monta along with yao for my starting 5 .
but if I could choose any point guard for the warriors I'd probably take chris paul for his combination of skill and age(or maybe that wade guy from miami?).

by Skeptic con Urquell on Mar 1, 2007 9:20 AM PST 0 recs

okay

basically i disregaurded nash cuz he was definately an afterthought of this whole peice and irrelevent. i thought about between baron and gilbert and i actually thought about this along time ago. i voted gilbert because he is young, talented, more dominant then monta less injury prone then baron and he is very likeable. he is my favorite non warrior, possibly my second favorite player over all next to monta. i miss gilbert everytime i see him almost every day and i especially miss him when baron is hurt. this baron getting hurt shit is kinda getting old to me. im not blaming him its just this is ridiculous. i really doubt that he will ever be an all star again and i really doubt that he will ever play 75 games in a year and ive been one of the biggest baron supporters. also gilbert is an all star and that is saying something. he is unbeleivably clutch and a fun guy to watch. i definately think that he would bring swagger, enthusiasm, heart, confidence, emotion and would be a leader and a guy that can take over. he is a superstar. also when baron is healthy its always like he's too tired and the announcers are always saying poor baron this poor baron that and he carries such a burden and has to play so long and all this garbage like poor baron no one else is playing very well now he has to do something. it really looks like baron is playing like that sometimes. im not taking anything away from baron its just sometimes it seems like that. plus baron can't shoot a three to save his life. i don't think we would have the same shit with gilb. i think gilbert would take the situation of him being needed to do everything in stride and would just simply dominate. He's younger and more energetic and more athletic. baron definately in his prime before all the injuries was extremely athletic, but in my opinion he has slowed down and has lost explosive leaping ability. Gilbert come back please