Excellent piece by Sally Jenkins in the Washington Post this morning about the enigma of Gilbert Arenas. The question is if you should reward a guy for being an attraction to fans, and a distraction to basketball progress. As you can guess, it’s not easy to answer.
There is no athlete more revered in the blogosphere, or more puzzling on a basketball court. He can score at will, but is a defensive liability. He’s a calming presence in the huddle and an occasional annoyance outside of it.
So do you give Gilbert Arenas his money?
The answer, without a doubt is yes. You give Gilbert Arenas his money because he makes Wizards fans happy to spend it. You give Gilbert Arenas his money because professional basketball in Washington D.C. is relevant again.
Maybe his surgically repaired knee doesn’t hold up. Maybe he never grows up. Maybe he goes back to his buzzer-beating, Halo cheating ways. But at least you enjoyed every single chapter of the story. It was worth the price of admission, and it’s worth a pay raise for Arenas.
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