Longform Shoals: The Upside of Gil's Injury

Here's what Gilbert Arenas gets out of his knee surgery: at least three months on the shelf, the grueling task of getting his game and body back to normal, a more complicated off-season than he'd hoped for, and a chance for rampant self-improvement.

Injuries are bad news that can sometimes help in a roundabout way: David Robinson's torn-up 1997-98 allowed Tim Duncan to land in San Antonio, while Greg Oden's absence has allowed LaMarcus Aldridge to prove he's the suave offensive ying to Oden's towering defensive yang. There have been a number of variations on the "Ewing Theory," -- which held that Patrick's Knicks played better when he was injured or on the bench -- though few hold up over the long-term.

Gil's Washington Wizards, who were inexplicably in "now or never" mode, can stay afloat without him. But if they're going to generate any electricity down the stretch -- and convince Antawn Jamison to stick around, and keep Eddie Jordan from being fired -- they'll need Arenas back better than he left.

Which is right up Gil's alley: after six months of inactivity, distraction, and media-baiting statements, Agent Zero is finally back in the role he made famous: the magical underdog, out to take what's his with a mix of ferocity and levity.



So, advice: Gilbert, shelve the cartoon, step back from comparing yourself to Kobe and LeBron, and spare us any further talking lobsters. Those of us who have jocked you since the beginning want to see you get back to what started this legend in the first place: this is a chance for Gilbert to get back to his roots, and rekindle the relationship with fans who might have tired of his recent excesses. The more famous Arenas has gotten, the less front-and-center this accessible, entertaining, and totally believable basketball icon has become.

Certainly, there have been a few other examples of a player using injury as a chance for personal renewal. Amare Stoudemire's year off allowed him to expand his game, mature as a person, and despite the slight loss of athleticism, probably end up a better player and person than before.

Before his microfracture surgery, Amare was a frighteningly volatile player, as likely to bring down the Suns as he was to obliterate his opponents. Now, he's fiery without posing a threat to those in the same jersey as him. And while before he'd been a man-child, now those two sides of personality have made their peace.



Only a few hours before news of Greg Oden's surgery came out, I joked that "microfracture is the new Jesus." That week, former bad boys Kenyon Martin and Darius Miles had drawn praise for their efforts to come back from that infamous procedure. Coming back from this kind of injury is such a difficult, taxing feat that it's morally significant.

Even Shaun Livingston's gruesome injury might be an opportunity of sorts. Livingston was at an awkward phase of his development, where it can be hard to differentiate growing pains from bad habits. If Livingston does ever return healthy, he'll have a chance to start with a clean slate: a talented player ready to go out and contribute whatever he can. Gilbert Arenas doesn't need that radical a rebirth. He just needs to remind himself -- and us -- what he's really all about.

But there's no question that an injury, provided a player recovers, can set him up for a kind of rebirth.

Wool Shirt of the Week: Only Tyrus Thomas Can Save the Chicago Bulls


A hairshirt makes you look silly and feel uncomfortable. A wool shirt looks good, but still makes you uncomfortable. The Wool Shirt of the Week calls out a player or team that makes my inner-fan jump off the couch -- while my inner-analyst snorts in contempt.

Scott Skiles hates Tyrus Thomas. He hates that the Bulls saddled him with a raw, undefined player who he was expected to develop. He hates that Thomas sometimes seems lacking in direction. And he probably hates that, with a single, galvanic play, Thomas can motivate the Bulls in ways Skiles just can't these days. That's why Thomas is kept on a short leash, and why Coach isn't afraid to single out Thomas in the press, adding insult to injury.

Whatever. Tyrus Thomas needs to start. And if Skiles won't let him, well, Thomas probably has the power to get him fired. Stop pandering for minutes by following directions. Stop letting Napoleon rule the roost. Even if Thomas only gets 10 minutes a game, it's within his power to bring the house down a couple of times in that time span, to become the underground king of that Chicago Bulls team.

Maybe it'll just be dunks and blocks, but they'll be a meme unto the rest of the sports world: down there in Chicago, this kid can do enormous things, a pathetic team won't let him off the bench. I just wish he'd decide to turn coach-killer, for his sake and for the rest of the Bulls.

Watch or Die: The New Past Meets the Old Future

Magic at Suns, 11/30: Orlando's the surprise team of the East. Dwight Howard has gotten even more overwhelming. The inside-outside tandem of Howard and Rashard Lewis is like formulaic basketball updated for the future. The Suns, on the other hand, are a fully-formed institution at this point, like the Spurs without rings. They present match-up problems and score more than most teams, but they're not the running revelation they once were.

This is a nice pivot-point for the NBA. Can a big man-centric team keep pace with a Suns-style onslaught? Can Orlando hang with the West?

Cavs at Celtics, 12/2: So, hopefully LeBron will be back by then. Because he's on an otherworldly run, and the Celtics offer up an especially robust challenge to this year's mightiest one-man team. Of course, even with James, you'd expect the Big Three to trounce this thin, thin Cleveland squad.

Pistons at Atlanta, 12/4: Do you like blocked shots? Then, judging by their first meeting of the season, this game will be candy for your soul.

This Week's Great Moment in NBA Photography


If only refs understood everything Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson say with their secret hand language. The two would each get like a million more techs a week.