# Gilbert Arenas comments about being cut from Team USA



## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

> "They already knew what they wanted. They said it was a tryout, but they already had their team selected," he said after playing in a Goodman Summer League game at Barry Farms Park in Southeast Washington on Tuesday night and showing no signs of the injury.
> 
> Arenas emphasized that he hopes to remain part of the national program and play in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
> 
> ...


Washington Post


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Is that in the sense of "those guys gave me a hard time, so I'm gonna blow up on them" or is it in the sense of "those guys believed in me, so I want to show my appreciation by showing how competitive I can be"?


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## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

SheedSoNasty said:


> Is that in the sense of "those guys gave me a hard time, so I'm gonna blow up on them" or is it in the sense of "those guys believed in me, so I want to show my appreciation by showing how competitive I can be"?


Something tells me it's the former.

And for what it's worth, I think Team USA would be better off with Gilberta over Kirk. He'd provide a steady outside shooting presence, which'd make a nice complement to the slashing styles of Wade, Lebron and Carmelo.


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## BealzeeBob (Jan 6, 2003)

Seems like that could all be boiled down to "WHAAAAAAAAAAH".

Go Blazers


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## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

Thanks for reminding us why you're not on Team USA, you selfish little ****.

You gotta love how he doesn't say "I'm gonna try to help my team beat Portland and Phoenix by 50." It's "I'm gonna try to score 50 on them." Big difference.

On the flip side, you have to like that players actually want to play for Team USA and get upset when they can't. Not too long ago, you had to beg these guys to play.

But Arenas is an ***.

-Pop


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## Talkhard (May 13, 2003)

Shut up, Arenas. You sound like a little girl.


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## blakeback (Jun 29, 2006)

article said:


> Arenas emphasized that he hopes to remain part of the national program and play in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.



I'm sure they'll want you. 




> "I'm going to be the silent assassin this year," he said. "I can't wait to play the Suns and Portland. Against Portland, Nate McMillan, I'm going to try to score 100 in two games and against D'Antoni, I'm going to score 100 in two games.



"Silent" assassins usually don't tell the media that they're going to kill someone. 
:thand::rocket:


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## mook (Dec 31, 2002)

I really don't see that Arenas would give them much more than Hinrich. 

both are really good perimeter shooters and decent passers. the main difference is that Arenas would've had to have drastically altered his playing style to play the role of backup PG. he'd have to take far fewer shots and just focus on defense. it's also worth noting that Arenas averaged more playing time than any NBA player last season. 
meanwhile, Hinrich is basically just playing the same way he's always played. 

besides, Hinrich has been a key guy for their second unit in turning up the screws on defense. he's made a lot of opposing PG's feel like they've really achieved something just by getting the half court offense initiated with more than 12 seconds on the clock. as good as Chris Paul has been, you could make the argument that Hinrich has been the better PG for this team. 

I just don't see what Arenas adds to the equation. we get the scorers in Carmello, Wade and LeBron. we get the playmakers in Paul, LeBron, Wade and Hinrich. we get the defense in Hinrich. 

I've tivo'ed every game of the World Championships. I'm having much more fun watching the US games than I did watching any stretch of games the Blazers have played in the last 2 years. I strongly suspect Arenas wouldn't add much to that enjoyment.


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

Don't sould like Arenas sounds like a "little girl". It's usually the "men" who whine and cry. There are currently 3 women for the 2 remaining spots on the women's team and no one is crying. 
Maybe more boys should act like women.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

crandc said:


> Don't sould like Arenas sounds like a "little girl". It's usually the "men" who whine and cry. There are currently 3 women for the 2 remaining spots on the women's team and no one is crying.
> *Maybe more boys should act like women.*











(poor taste mode) about 10% of the male population already does (/poor taste)


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## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

Besides, I don't know why Gilbert is so pissed at McMillan and D'Antoni.

His injury is what forced Team USA's hand: http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2006/06_mwc_arenas_out.html.

-Pop


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

I don't know, I find this somewhat comical. He'll probably look back at his comments 3 weeks from now and realize how ridiculous it sounds. But hey, now you guys will be looking forward to those two games this season...adds a little spice to the season.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

crandc said:


> Don't sould like Arenas sounds like a "little girl". It's usually the "men" who whine and cry.


Bullcrap.

Little girls cry at a much higher clip than grown men. If you deny that then you're living in some sort of dreamworld.

Ed O.


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## Talkhard (May 13, 2003)

Ed O said:


> Bullcrap.
> 
> Little girls cry at a much higher clip than grown men. If you deny that then you're living in some sort of dreamworld.
> 
> Ed O.


Not only that, grown women cry a lot, for all kinds of reasons. I once worked at a small public relations firm for about 9 months and saw all 6 of the female employees cry in the office.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.


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## Todd (Oct 8, 2003)

crandc said:


> Don't sould like Arenas sounds like a "little girl". It's usually the "men" who whine and cry. There are currently 3 women for the 2 remaining spots on the women's team and no one is crying.
> Maybe more boys should act like women.


It's usally the women who have avatars with gay inuendos. Really, what is the point of having the gay avatars?


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## handclap problematic (Nov 6, 2003)

Todd said:


> It's usally the women who have avatars with gay inuendos. Really, what is the point of having the gay avatars?



Not to get in a debate here, but what does this have to do with her post? This question just seems plucked from the depths of nowhere. And, to my knowledge, this question has been rehashed several times, all equally vehemently as well. 

I personally like her avatars. I find them quite funny, not only because of he defiant type stance that she sets, but also for the reactions that I imagine other posters to have. Keep going crandc. Show the board that not everyone thinks alike, and that equality should be accepted. If men can have avatars of women, which I enjoy, then women should be able to have pictures of men. Or, the other way around if one so chooses. Thus, we have freedom; equality in the masses.

Prunetang


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

I like Arenas a lot.

But I think team USA did the right thing in sticking with a point guard who more naturally would rather look for a pass than a shot...

I know if I was developing a powerhouse team and i had bonafide scorers at every position, I would look a for a guy who is more willing to distribute the ball to fill out my roster...


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

Ed O said:


> Bullcrap.
> 
> Little girls cry at a much higher clip than grown men. If you deny that then you're living in some sort of dreamworld.
> 
> Ed O.


Link?


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

How about this:

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1672



> Apple calls meeting after making little girl cry
> 
> By Katie Marsal
> 
> ...


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

SodaPopinski said:


> Besides, I don't know why Gilbert is so pissed at McMillan and D'Antoni.
> 
> His injury is what forced Team USA's hand: http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2006/06_mwc_arenas_out.html.
> 
> -Pop


Seems clear based on Gilberts comments that (as was whispered about at the time) the injury reports are bogus.


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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

as much as a more traditional pg hinrich is than arenas, who is just a shoot first pg, the games that i have watched, hinrich is left open on the perimeter the most and it seems to me he always misses. yeah arenas would have made the team a much better shooting team, but that's the thing with him: he'll keep on shooting. 

when kobe gets back, bye bye joe johnson. and when morrison kills it this year, i see him being added back on for beijing. as well as amare stoudemire in place of elton brand or brad miller.


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## southnc (Dec 15, 2005)

Gilbert is entitled to rant all he wants - he is an allstar player. His attitude comes from being continually "pushed aside" thought-out his career, yet seemingly always overcoming the obstacles. That's why he wears number "0" - he was told that was the number of points he would score in college.

Successful athletes always come with a little attitude - that kind of moxie is what makes you a winner. As a fan, you have to not take it seriously and read in between the lines, so to speak.

And, I'll take Arenas over hinrich any day.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

Arenas is a very good basketball player. Based on his comments he is extreamly selfish and thinks only of his own #'s. I think it's kinda cool though. Now when we play the Wizards there will be a little side story we can pay attention to. We can put Roy on him, and watch them battle!


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

Anyone else see this quote as either totally out of character or delusional? 



> Arenas emphasized that he hopes to remain part of the national program and play in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.


I don't get Gilbert Arenas. But considering the talent on that team without him, I don't see any reason to keep him around if that's the kind of attitude he's got when spurned.


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Public Defender said:


> Anyone else see this quote as either totally out of character or delusional?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't get Gilbert Arenas. But considering the talent on that team without him, I don't see any reason to keep him around if that's the kind of attitude he's got when spurned.


God forbit he desires to play for his country. I really don't see what's wrong with him wanting to play on the national team.


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## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> Arenas is a very good basketball player. Based on his comments he is extreamly selfish and thinks only of his own #'s. I think it's kinda cool though. Now when we play the Wizards there will be a little side story we can pay attention to. We can put Roy on him, and watch them battle!


You should pay more attention to Gilbert's comments, interviews, etc ... I'm a huge fan of Agent Zero, and he said before the summer that he would clean the floors every night just to be around this team. He was one of the few who said that he wants to represent the country and help the team take back the gold medal. In a league where so many shy away from the committment, hearing a player like that come out and make his goals known was pretty cool to hear.

He's not selfish or thinking of himself ... what I see in Gilbert is someone who's maligned ... someone whose intentions were to help the team win the gold and do whatever it took to get back on top. And yet, he feels like he didn't get a fair shake (obviously from D'Antoni and McMillan moreso than Coach K) for whatever reason. 

I won't say he was the difference between a gold and a silver medal, but he was one of the few who publically lobbied to help this team and do whatever he could, and yet he was sent home with a bogus injury.

Also, anyone who thinks this is out of character for Arenas or that he's selfish or any of that normal BS ... he is the most outspoken and dare-I-say "quirky" guy in the NBA. He's always been different from most guys -- sometimes changes uniforms at halftime if he can't get his game going, plays online poker at halftime, etc. Read this SI article from the 2004/2005 season to get a better understanding of Gilbert. So this is just Gilbert speaking his mind, as usual.

Oh, and if anyone here really thinks Brandon Roy is going to stop Gilbert when the teams get together is kidding themselves. He might be good (even great some day), but Brandon Roy is only a rookie going up against one of the best players in the NBA.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

SheedSoNasty said:


> God forbit he desires to play for his country. I really don't see what's wrong with him wanting to play on the national team.


By out of character I meant that he showed nothing but vindictiveness toward the coaches of the team that will be representing the United States for the foreseeable future in everything else he said - indicating to me a bitterness toward the team, that didn't seem consistent with a desire to continue playing with the team. 

By delusional, I meant that he doesn't recognize that slamming his coaches after being cut is a terrible way to get back with the team. 

I'm not questioning his desire - only that his statements seem to give the coaches all the more reason to continue in a direction that doesn't include Gilbert Arenas.


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Gotcha.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

SheedSoNasty said:


> Gotcha.


No prob. I see where it could have been interpreted as more of a slam than intended.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Public Defender said:


> By out of character I meant that he showed nothing but vindictiveness toward the coaches of the team that will be representing the United States for the foreseeable future in everything else he said - indicating to me a bitterness toward the team, that didn't seem consistent with a desire to continue playing with the team.
> 
> By delusional, I meant that he doesn't recognize that slamming his coaches after being cut is a terrible way to get back with the team.
> 
> I'm not questioning his desire - only that his statements seem to give the coaches all the more reason to continue in a direction that doesn't include Gilbert Arenas.


I recall Carmello being more then a bit vindictive towards the last Olympic coaching staff. If coach K really didn't speak to Gil during the whole process and then pretended he was injured :nonono: well I hate Duke already so this seems in character. I'd guess a lot of these entitled athletes wouldn't be graceful in their parting comments if treated the same way. That doesn't make saying those sort of things right, but I think it's to be largely expected. 

If I were making up the roster, I definitely would have had Carmello behind Gilbert in the pecking order for minutes... in fact I think that I'd probably would have featured GA with Wade and Labron as starters. I think that lineup is more balanced and talented on both ends of the floor. Featuring Anthony didn't make much sense to me at all as the only thing he excels at (IMO) is shooting... heck I'd have rather seen Artest on the club.

STOMP


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