The Chat House
Michael Wilbon
Washington Post Sports Columnist
Monday, March 14, 2005; 1:15 p.m. ET
Welcome to another edition of The Chat House where Post columnist Michael Wilbon talked about the latest in sports.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Waynesboro, Va.:
Glad to see the Nationals have already clinched the faux-Parkway series from Cuban Pete's minions (okay, yesterday's win came over a split squad), but what I really want to talk about is that red, white, black and gold enigma called Maryland. Is this the year the Terrapin community's obsession with Duke backfired? If they had exerted half as much energy against Clemson, Miami or Virginia Tech as they showed against Duke, they'd be in the NCAAs right now. (At least the improving Terp women are in it, though their season would be a success if they can get past their second-round opponent, presumably a very good Ohio State team.)
Michael Wilbon: Great point about the Duke obsession Maryland folk have...It's so counterproductive...such a waste of energy and resources. I would say, "Well, mayb Maryland folks will learn something from this..." But they won't. It'll be Hate Duke Business as usual next season.
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Reston, Va.:
I'm wondering about the future of Kwame Brown with the Wizards and in particular, will they let him go and will he do better in another city?
Michael Wilbon: I think it's time Kwame goes bye-bye. I'm talking about after the season. And yes, he'll do better elsewhere. So the Wizards need to get something in return for him. Don't you think Donyell Marshall, who must be 31, 32 years old by now, would look good on a young team like the Wiz?
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Anonymous:
Do you think less is better with the Skins' losing Smoot, Pierce? Adding players in the past hasn't worked. So why's everybody freaking out? Replace Smoot with Rolle another Miami guy. We will win with more guys from the "U".
Michael Wilbon: This is a very valid point you make. Problem is, really good cornerbacks don't grow on trees. And Smoot not only is very good--one of the top dozen guys in the NFL--but he wanted to be here. And Pierce, if I heard the Redskins coaches correctly all season, was just what they needed. Obviously, a team cannot keep everybody. The Patriots have already lost something like five free agents to other teams. But I think the problem here is the Redskins have no off-season credibility because of the mistakes made the last five years. The Patriots could lose everybody on their roster and we'd say, "Well, they seem to know what they're doing, so let's give Scott Pioli and Bill Belichick a chance..." But the Redskins, because of so many blunders, haven't earned such benefit of the doubt. The burden of proof isn't on the fans or the critics; it's on the Redskins to get it right...at least once.
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Washington, D.C.:
Hey Mike, as a sportswriter in D.C., who would you like to see takeover as UVA's coach?
Michael Wilbon: Great question. Pete Gillen, as some of you might not know, has been fired by Virginia after, I think, 7 years. Who would I like to see? Hmmmmm. How about Duke assistant and D.C. native Johnny Dawkins? How about Virginia going after Mark Few at Gonzaga? I know there are a lot of capable people out there. How about Steve Lavin, the former UCLA coach who is working for ESPN now? How about my buddy, a proven big-time coach, Perry Clark? I really like Perry Clark in that spot. He, too, is a D.C. guy who knows the lay of the land and how to get some big-time players to Charlottesville.
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Arlington, Va.:
Why are Football players e.g. like Fred Smoot and Mr. Pierce leaving for couple of Millions Dollars (Greed) when they know that they can be in better situation for recent future? Why go back to the circles start all over again and ruin your career?
Michael Wilbon: Football isn't basketball or baseball. Guys have no security. Their contracts aren't guaranteed. They play for six, seven years and they're cut loose. A guy named Troy Brown sacrificed his reachable incentives as a receiver because the team asked him to play both receiver and cornerback. Then after doing that, and putting himself at risk physically for the good of the team, the Patriots told him to get out. And you want these guys to take less money? Are you crazy? The answer, obviously, is yes you are. I don't know what you do but if somebody asked you to take the gig that $2 million less would you? Or even if we just come up with similar percentages you wouldn't do it. And it's not like a situation in the NBA where Michael Jordan made $3 million on the court and $40 million off of it. Hey, if a guy WANTS to take less to be in a place, good for him. But to call him greedy for not doing it just points to you having an agenda.
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Washington, D.C.:
You made a valid point about the lack of credibility the Redskins have with their off-season maneuverings.
That said ... don't you think Coach Gibbs deserves at least a little margin for error. This isn't simply the same Dan Snyder show we've seen for years. Gibbs has a proven ability at building winning teams, in the NFL and in NASCAR.
Won't you give this Hall of Fame coach with three Super Bowl Titles (in four tries) the benefit of the doubt, for at least one year?
Michael Wilbon: Joe Gibbs told me this week these are his calls. His proposed deals that are simply approved, and that Snyder has had zero to do with these deals. I've known Joe Gibbs for awhile and I've never, ever, ever, ever had him tell me something that was misleading or a lie. If he can't talk about something publicly, he'll say that. He'll no comment or say he cannot deal with something publicly. But when Joe says these are his deals, I believe they are his deals and he'll live or die with the results himself.
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Michael Wilbon: Okay, that's it on the Redskins. That's it. Back to March.
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Washington, D.C.:
The Wizards seem to really be struggling as of late. Right before their last surge going into the playoffs, they seem like they're no longer able to hold leads and win games on the road. How much success do you think they'll have in the playoffs -- and do you think they'll really challenge Miami and Detroit for the Eastern Conf. championship?
Michael Wilbon: The Wizards, who play the Lakers here in five hours, are indeed struggling. They're injured (Jarvis Hayes, Antawn Jamison, Juan Dixon) and sick (Etan Thomas). And who knows what's up with Kwame Brown from day to day? But the team hasn't been at full strenght and they need to beat the Lakers. Yes, NEED to. The Wizards aren't really capable of playing interior defense. They don't hit free throws either...They've got some issues. I think they can recover, and they're still tied for fourth in the east. But it's a short fall from fourth to eighth or ninth...They need to get it together starting about now.
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Louisville, Ky.:
Hi Wilbon. Your column correctly points to the big head scratcher in Albequerque: Washington as #1 and Louisville as #4. The Cards finished #4 nationally in the Coaches poll released last night -- it's the first time that a team ranked at least that high at the end of the season got anything worse than a 2-seed. We're used to getting hosed with the seeds in C-USA ... but I'm worried sick about Georgia Tech in the second round.
I'm back on the Tech wagon with you -- they're deadly, healthy, and experienced -- and they beat UNC with McCants playing his A-game (although only for bursts off the bench).
The Yellow Jackets, Illini, Heels, and Orangemen will be there in Saint Louis. Although whoever comes out of Nova/Florida (assuming the matchup materializes) will give UNC a run for their money.
Beware the ides of March ...
Michael Wilbon: Thanks for the love.
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Falls Church, VA:
Mike:
I am getting a little distressed about the apparent new nickname that the D.C. baseball team has acquired, the Nats. This is awfully close to gnats. Do we really want to have the new team identified with a tiny annoying fly-like insect? Can't we find something better? Since D.C. hocky is dead, how about transferring the "Caps," as in the "Baseball Caps?"
Michael Wilbon: I'm with you on "Nats" being too close to "Gnats" and it's one of many reason I liked the Washington Greys. That would have been so cool. And the Nationals uniforms are so incredibly boring. Just like the city they represent. Big Block Letters...How creative. #&$*#@@*^&%!
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Falls Church, VA:
Has GW beaten anybody of Ga Tech's caliber this season? Any hope there?
Michael Wilbon: Yes, GW beat Michigan State this season, and while I don't have a bracket in front of me, I think Michigan State is a No. 5 seed. But wow, GW seems to have gotten hosed with this No. 12 seed. The A-10 isn't some chump league, but the league was treated that way this season by the selection committee. I can't see GW, as well as they've played, beating Georgia Tech...
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Roanoke, Va.:
What is your take on the mild ressurection of Georgetown basketball under JT III? How will they fair in the NIT? PLEASE RESPOND!!!!
Michael Wilbon: What is your CAPITAL LETTER FIXATION???? Georgetown had a nice season. If they'd started slowly and improved to 17-12 it might have been better than going 16-6 and slipping up from there and losing six of seven and the last five regular season games. Either way, JT III came up larger than anybody outside of Georgetown could have expected. But he now has to go out and get some players...The Big East is going to be so good with Louisville, Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette and South Florida coming in...it's going to be so hard to win in that league. You've got to have the players.
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Roanoke, Va.:
Is the Post doing a bracket challenge?
Michael Wilbon: I have no idea. A couple of years ago there was a "Beat Wilbon" challenge. And I actually did very, very well against The Peeps. Very well. So, I'm not afraid of it! Maybe somebody at washingtonpost.com will read this and decide to throw together ME AGAINST THE READERSHIP in some bracket madness.
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Alexandria, VA:
Okay, Wilbon, will you as a Maryland, G-Town, and any other non-GW school lover FINALLY give GW some dap for being the LONE D.C. school in the tourney? I've barely heard a peep from you on this subject. I will bet that you cover Md.'s NIT appearance more than GW's short, yet existent big dance appearance.
Michael Wilbon: SHUT UP! You're a poser. I've written in the pages of The Washington Post about GW, talked locally on the air with Tony about GW, and always included GW in Chat House discussions about the hopes of local schools. So don't come in here with your misinformation designed to whip up a frenzy among GW people, most of whom know I've included GW. The Colonials will never be as big a story as Maryland here because Maryland is so much bigger and has so many more alums who live here and read the paper and drive the news agenda with their interest. But The Post covers GW, and I'm going to Nashville to cover the GW game. So if you're going, come introduce yourself so I can keep ranting!!!
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Washington, D.C.:
Where do you stand on Congress' desire to have players testify? It's hard to decide who to side with on this one -- a bunch of cheating, lying players or a bunch of cheating, lying politicians.
Michael Wilbon: I'm tired of both sides. Congress is just trying to get on the record with something it probably should have investigated months or years ago. And MLB does nothing as well as it obstructs. All MLB, particularly its union, wants to do is say "No" and try to explain why its interest are more important than anything else in America. So don't ask me to root for either side because they're both so fradulent on this steroid issue.
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McLean, Va.:
I saw your list of favored UVa coaches abovec... in the Charlottesville paper today there was an argument that the Cavaliers need to do all they can to get a big name coach to be sure to fill their new arena ... specifically named were Rick Barnes, Tubby Smith, or Bobby Knight.
Do you see any real chance that a Hall of Fame coach would come to Virginia now?
Michael Wilbon: Whoever suggested Bob Knight should be fired. Today. Rick Barnes is a good suggestion. Tubby Smith has ZERO chance of coming to UVA unless he's fired from Kentucky. Why leave Kentucky, where kids want to come, to go to Virginia, where kids have to be begged to come.
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Alexandria, Va.:
In college sports, be it basketball or football, it goes without saying that the coach picks the talent and he coaches it. That's the job. Why, in the pro game should this be such a dread prospect (putting aside fin. mgt.)?
P.S. -- Now I'm wondering why it is that no NBA coach has ever demanded to be his own GM (and heck, it's about 1/4 the players).
Michael Wilbon: There is no job in college anything as demanding as pro football. And I know how hard college football coaches work. Ask Jimmy Johnson where he worked harder, longer, more stressful hours. I'd argue that no job in sports is as hard as being head coach of an NFL team. So nobody with the HARDEST JOB IN THE UNIVERSE should be asking for more work, for ANOTHER job. By the way, a smart NBA GM I know pointed out to me recently that if players are upset at the GM for a tough or contentious salary negotiation, the player can be mad at the GM but not the coach. But suppose the coach is the GM? There's no Good Cop in this scenario. The player is forced to interact with and take orders from somebody he hates during those negotiations...Bad policy. And it doesn't work. Don't point out one or two exceptions (Jimmy Johnson). Look at the rule (Ray Perkins, Marty Schottenheimer in D.C., Mike Holmgrem, Mike Shanahan, Dave Wannstedt in Miami...)I could go on, but I won't.
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Arlington, Va.:
Will the Post cover the NIT? It always ignored the NIT when Virginia would play there, but is there more interest now that the Terps are going?
Michael Wilbon: The Post will cover the Terps and Hoyas. Will you read general NIT coverage? No. Who do you think, in general, is interested in the NIT. If you think I, as a columnist in sports, will skip a North Carolina vs. Kansas game (just as a potential example) to see an NIT game you're sadly, sadly mistaken. I will hopscotch the country to find good NCAA Tournament stories. I wouldn't leave my house, except for a GU vs. Md game, to see the NIT...Unless, of course, my Northwestern Wildcats were in, which they aren't. The point is, NIT interest is local. You're interested if you have a team in it...but not beyond that.
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Alexandria, Va.:
Great words regarding the job Coach K has done this year. To earn a #1 seed w/eight scholarship players (down to seven with Dockery out) is just amazing.
One change I would like to see in the tournament, make the "play-in game" be between the last two major conference teams and slot it into a 12 seed or something. What would you think of that? I think it is such a special thing, and it takes the impact out of the smaller conference championships.
Michael Wilbon: I think by design the play-in game has to be two bottom feeders. Why else would they be playing just to get in? So that has to be a No. 16 seed. But what Coach K does is amazing. To be in eight straight ACC Tournament finals, given the talent, coaching, depth and tradition of that conference, speaks to no end in his favor. Coach K is the best. I don't care if you hate him or hate Duke...HE'S THE BEST!
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Arlington, Va.:
If I want to win my office pool, should I listen to you or Tony?
Michael Wilbon: I have actually won office pools. Tony hasn't. I see games, talk to coaches, scouts, players. Tony talks to...his dog, Maggie. I'm taking me.
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Happy Valley:
Hey Mike ... how do you think our PSU Lady Lions will fare in the women's bracket?
Michael Wilbon: Are you on drugs?
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Washington, D.C.:
I think you underestimate the Colonials and overestimate GA Tech. Tech is really inconsistent, and the Colonials can hang with any team in the country. They may not play much D, but man, they can run the floor and score. They're fun to watch.
(Ok, I'm a little desparate, since GW is the only local team in the Dance, but I still think they can make an impact on the tournament.)
Michael Wilbon: I like watching GW. How cool would it be if they advanced? Yes, I probably overestimate the Techsters a little bit. Hey, I picked them four months ago, before there was a bracket, before there was a season. I jumped off the bandwagon when it looked like B.J. Elder might miss the rest of the season. But he's back, Tech is playing much better, so you want me to switch off the team I said IN NOVEMBER would win the whole thing? Sorry. Can't go back now. But I like Coach Hobbs. What a job he's done! Pops has hops and can post up against almost anybody. Problem is, Tech has a 7-1 center in Big Luke and a host of bodies to throw at the Colonials...
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Michael Wilbon: Okay, gotta run and prepare for PTI. We've got a big day planned today, Selection Monday. It's one of the coolest days in sports. Thanks for Chatting. We'll do it Monday after the first round of the NCAAs.
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