Tuesday, May 25, 2004

This is how you build a winner

From today's Washington Post:
"Me and Rasheed just the other day talked about what kind of team we could have had there," Ben Wallace said. "I'll tell you a story. . . . Rasheed and I weren't actually there together. Rasheed got traded, and I came in later. When I got there they didn't ask me what jersey number I wanted to wear. . . . I'd worn No. 32 [in college]. But real quick, they gave me a jersey No. 30 that had 'Wallace' on the back. It kind of smelled like moth balls. . . . Then it hit me after some guys told me my jersey was on sale in some of the [sports] stores. All they had to do was give me Rasheed's jersey."
--Ben Wallace, former Wizard, commenting on how the Washington organization economized on uniforms by giving him Rasheed Wallace's old jersey.

Michael Wilbon goes on to document how many former Wizards are scattered throughout the league and are doing pretty well. I guess there's a reason Washington hasn't been to the playoffs in almost 20 years.