Bushing It

Gilbert Arenas explains the Wizards game plan against Cleveland:

It's funny, those two don't play the same position, but DeShawn told Caron that he'll guard LeBron (sounds like a children's nursery school rhyme) so that Caron can rest his legs. DeShawn was like, "I'll run him around and play D on him and get the fouls so you can just go off on the other end." So we have our own little gimmicks we're brewing. With a team like the Cavaliers and a player like LeBron, all you need is distractions. We got to be Bush. We got to be Bush-league. We're having everybody talking about the war, when we just want to get the oil. We're Bushing it. That's all we're doing. We're trying distract LeBron over here while we try to get some wins over there. That's all we're doing.

Of course if the war had gotten us some oil, it would have at least gotten us something. But last I checked, oil costs more than ever.

UPDATE: Perhaps if Agent Zero bought Heads in the Sand he'd be in a position to offer a more nuanced critique of the Bush foreign policy. Matt Berman says it's "highly readable and filled with great insights."

Comments

Agent Zero's understanding of contemporary American foreign policy seems a little underinformed. Matt, could you recommend a book on that subject for Gilbert to read?

Posted by FMguru | April 16, 2008 6:04 PM

Wouldn't it be fascinating if, while they were running this little scheme, Boobie Gibson developed nuclear weapons?

Posted by southpaw | April 16, 2008 6:20 PM

The oil companies have unfathonable profits. So the war is a success from the point of view of oilmen bush and cheney.

Posted by John McCain: More of the Same | April 16, 2008 6:35 PM

I actually find this somewhat insightful. I wonder if Arenas knows that this is not the original meaning of "bush league?"

Posted by Stacy | April 16, 2008 6:35 PM

I've never at all been an "its for the oil" guy, but found this posted elsewhere today and it really got my mind spinning:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/254255.stm

Oil hits rock bottom

November's fall in the price of Brent crude to $11.07 a barrel has been blamed.

1000x increase in 10 years. A lot of people have made a lot of money off ME instability.

Posted by Dan | April 16, 2008 6:43 PM

"Highly readable" has never seemed to me to be flattering praise.

Posted by Freddie | April 16, 2008 7:02 PM

Gotta think like an entrepreneur, Matt. Send Arenas a review copy for free, wait for him to plug it on his blog, and watch the cash roll in.

Posted by Gabriel | April 16, 2008 7:08 PM

1000x increase in 10 years.

I think that's a 10x increase. 1000% may be what you mean.

A lot of people have made a lot of money off ME instability.

The Saudis have a tremendous interest in keeping oil prices highly volatile over the long term. Periods of high prices let them rake in the cash, while periodic (and unpredictable) periods of low prices discourage investment in alternative energy sources.

Posted by right | April 16, 2008 7:11 PM

My dad read your book and said that he completely agrees with you, and it's a shame that noone with any power does.

Posted by eriks | April 16, 2008 7:30 PM

God, I love Gilbert. Great to have him back, and everything that entails.

Too bad I think the Wizards are going out in 5.

Posted by Dannity | April 16, 2008 8:17 PM

"I actually find this somewhat insightful. I wonder if Arenas knows that this is not the original meaning of "bush league?""

Does it surprise you to know that an NBA player is ignorant of such a common idiomatic English phrase? What else would surprise you to find out that Gilbert Arenas doesn't know?

Posted by Fred | April 16, 2008 8:47 PM

Of course if the war had gotten us some oil, it would have at least gotten us something. But last I checked, oil costs more than ever.

You're just not using the right value for "we" in your analysis, Matt. As far as Bush is concerned, "we" did get the oil.

Posted by dj moonbat | April 16, 2008 9:06 PM

Does it surprise you to know that an NBA player is ignorant of such a common idiomatic English phrase? What else would surprise you to find out that Gilbert Arenas doesn't know?

On the other hand, he may have been cognizant. Why don't you go ask, peckerwood?

Posted by cmholm | April 16, 2008 9:27 PM

Sounds like your readers understand perfectly well why Bu$hCo won't be able to resist 'war' on Iran and $200/bbl oil.

Posted by opit | April 16, 2008 9:44 PM

Couldn't even win 24 games Perhaps even the draft will not help.

Posted by 4jkb4ia | April 17, 2008 10:19 AM

Of course if the war had gotten us some oil, it would have at least gotten us something. But last I checked, oil costs more than ever.

Due to constant instability in the oil supply, prices are high. But U.S. companies control, or have influence over and can threaten more of the oil supply than before. Therefore, the war has done a great job of getting us oil... for a given value of "us."

Posted by Cyrus | April 17, 2008 10:19 AM