Gilbert Arenas Pleads for Washington To Bring Back His Bullets

Gimme back my bullets
Put 'em back where they belong
Ain't foolin' around 'cause I done had my fun
Ain't gonna see no more damage done
Gimme back my bullets

-Lynyrd Skynyrd

Gilbert Arenas is a quirky guy with a great sense of humor. The Wizards were aware of this when they signed him to a six-year, $111 million contract two years ago.

Washington saw Arenas as, not only the face of the franchise, but the voice as well. Now that he's making a statement, nobody is listening.

Washington team owner Abe Pollin changed the name of the Washington Bullets to the Washington Wizards in 1995. Pollin felt uncomfortable with the name that brought to mind violence and Washington DC's high crime rate.

When Pollin died on Nov. 24, 2009, the team was left in ownership limbo. It is widely believed that Washington Capitols owner Ted Leonsis will take over the team in the near future.

When Gilbert Arenas was called out for keeping guns in his locker at the Verizon Center, he was quick to point out that the guns were unloaded. This must have been Gilbert's way of expressing his frustration with the lack of "bullets" in the Verizon Center.

Sure, he hasn't come right out to say that he wants the team to change their name back to the Bullets. He doesn't have to. It is an unwritten understanding that Washington DC is tired of the Wizards moniker.

During the years as the Bullets, Washington had a proud history. Players like Wes Unseld, Earl Monroe, and Elvin Hayes led the Bullets to seven division titles, four conference titles, and the 1977-78 NBA Championship.

The Wizards experiment, on the other hand, has been a failure, starting with trading Chris Webber to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe. Since that move, the Wizards have continued to make poor decisions.

In 2000, the team decided to bring Michael Jordan in as the president of basketball operations and minority team owner. Jordan couldn't resist the urge to play and put himself back on the court in 2001.

During his tenure in Washington, Jordan used the first overall pick in the NBA Draft on highschooler Kwame Brown. Brown proved to be a bust. Jordan traded Richard Hamilton  to the Detroit Pistons for Jerry Stackhouse. MJ also put Larry Hughes and Tyronn Lue on the bench during their better years.

All this lead to Abe Pollin firing Jordan. This led to the Wiz rebuilding, becoming a playoff team, and since, dropping back to the cellar.

Gilbert Arenas has been the leader of the Wizards in recent years. Arenas has a large personality, earning him the nicknames "Agent Zero" and "Hibachi" (literally translates to "bowl of fire") over his years with the team.

Arenas has had his qualms with the organization and seems to need constant reassurance that the team is behind him. What better way to let Gilbert know that Washington supports him than giving him back his bullets.