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New Year's Resolutions For The Bullets

Well, everyone should have their New Year's resolutions. I've got my personal ones (but they're personal, so bug off), and Edward Katz has shared his resolutions with us. Now, I have just a few things I wish for the Bullets to make this a happy and joyous new year for all involved.

1. Trade Calbert Cheaney. I've already gone over the details on what I'd deal for Cheaney. He needs a new venue, his talents (and yes, he still is very talented) are just being wasted here with the Bullets. He can never be counted on to provide 3-point shooting. If a team could play him at SF, they would have a jewel. His only weakness at that position would be guarding larger SF (like Juwan Howard) in the post. This is a win/win situation for all parties involved.

2. Improve team free-throw shooting percentage. There is no excuse for how poorly the Bullets are shooting. Chris Webber (47.8%), Gheorghe Muresan (66.7%) and Jaren Jackson (66.7%) are all shooting under 70%. Two other frequent visitors to the line, Juwan Howard (72.7%) and Rod Strickland (72.5%), are shooting below the league average.

   Most embarassing is probably that the team is shooting 67.7% from the charity stripe through yesterday, WORST in the league. Further, they are only shooting 34.7% from the 3-point line, after leading the league (at over 40%) last year in that category. It's time for the shooting guru, Buzz Braman, to earn his dollars. If this team's free throw percentage is not above 72% by the end of the season, then he's not doing his job. He, and all of the players, must work extra hard on improving their shooting, or this team is going to continue to lose games they should not.

3. Start a 3-point shooter at the beginning of each half. This is one of the biggest bones of contention I have with Lynam. Lynam seems almost to be managing by professional stature, rather than by dictating advantageous matchups. Plain and simple, this team is more effective when at least one 3-point shooter is on the court at all times.

   Even when Cheaney briefly went down with an injury, he was replaced by Harvey Grant, not a 3-point shooter (Tracy Murray or Jaren Jackson, both of whom would have been more than adequate in my opinion). And the lack of outside shooters on the floor mean that the Bullets can't get proper spacing if they have to pass out of a double-team in the post. So, please, PLEASE--make sure a 3-point shooter is on the court at all times.

4. Finish the MCI Center on-time. This is also very critical. Bullets' owner Abe Pollin recently hinted that the MCI Center (or whatever it's going to be called) may not be ready for the start of the basketball or hockey seasons next year. That cannot be allowed. It must be ready on time.

   If this team wants a clean break and to start a new tradition, it must happen all at once, and not spread out over several weeks. And so, MCI Center must be completed on time. After my visit last Friday (to be written up shortly), I think that they can make it on time. In fact, they seem to be making very good progress in many areas, although some areas seem to be falling behind. But, despite this, MCI Center must open in mid-October.

5. Make sure affordable tickets are available. I don't think it's just me that's noticing how ticket prices are going through the roof. For my season tickets alone (lower level), they will have more than doubled in 3 years (from $35 to $75), if current indications are correct. And prices in the upper level and basket ends are also increasing rapidly.

   That's unfair to the fan. And is there any wonder why the arena doesn't sell out on weekdays? Besides it being late on a school night, it's also a rather expensive indulgence for most families in the middle of the week. They tend to spend their entertainment dollars on the weekend. And the only families that can generally afford to attend games are the already affluent. That's writing off a whole generation of young fans, confining them to watching a game only on television. And for those of us who have been to games, the live action is much better than television.

   So, come on sports owners and players, this greed is getting more than a little out of hand. Let's see if you can find in the corner of your heart the desire to make the game more accessible.

6. Attend Bullets games. This is the other half of the equation above--making sure Bullets fans are vocal when they attend Bullets games. The fans have a part of the bargain that they must uphold, and that is being partisan toward the home team. That place can be like a tomb, especially if the Bullets are struggling on the court.

   It's especially bad on weekdays, when almost no one attends. But if tickets were made more affordable, more Bullets fans could probably attend games. At least, that's what the hope would be. Fortunately, Bullets home games have been more partisan in recent years, now that they are more successful. In the past, attending Knicks/Bulls/Magic games would be painful when you realize that nearly half the fans in attendance were rooting for the other teams. No more--now, it's more like one-third of the crowd. ;-) Still, I call on all Bullets fans to attend games and cheer loudly for the home team (and don't boo Cheaney too bad).

7. Make the playoffs. Is there any doubt that the Bullets must make the playoffs this year? The Eastern Conference has been especially tough this year--despite having a record over .500 at the end of the calendar year, the Bullets are tied for the eighth playoff spot with Milwaukee (and Indiana and Orlando aren't too far behind).

   If the Bullets don't make the playoffs, you have to imagine that coach Jim Lynam will be fired. In fact, if the Bullets go through a swoon like they did last year (when they faded from 15-13 to 24-32 in a two-month period), Lynam could be fired by the All Star game. Don't be shocked if it happens. But in the meantime, root hard.

In the meantime, have a happy new year and celebrate safely. (I know that's in my plans.) And hopefully, in less than 5 months, all of those years of patience with the Bullets will be paid off with a playoff berth and eventually a brand new state-of-the-art arena.

wtf 31 December 1996

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