Gilbert Spills The Beans
All-Star tricks of the trade.
Gil Arenas in his never-ending quest to remain the most likeable cat in the Association, revealed what it takes for some people to get an invite to All-Star weekend. He admitted that in his first year with the Wizards, he bribed employees at a sporting goods store (with shoes and a basketball) in order to get his hands on a box of All-Star ballots. Dude then went ahead and filled them all out, putting his name alongside those of teammates Antawn Jamison and Larry Hughes. Gangsta.
According to Arenas, he’s not the only one who does this sort of thing:
“I heard there’s players out there that do that,” Gil said, non-jokingly. “Like, some of the guys who get voted in. Like, they paid the city to bring all the ballots. I heard back in the day they used to do that, too. It would be players, they used to have backpacks and they’d be pushing them in to Foot Locker. I heard it’s always been like that. Like, old players would tell me, ‘Yeah, what’s-his-name used to do that, he’d be in his house and he’s out there filling them out. His wife, his friends, he’d bring his friends down here, pay ‘em, they’d be out there filling ‘em out. Then there’s just truckloads to the Foot Locker to make sure they still was there. I’m like, ‘Oh that’s funny. That is hilarious.’”
I wonder who some of those ballot-stuffing guys could be. It’s probably not any of the top tier players (Yao for example); they have more than enough support at home and abroad. I’m guessing it would have to be someone marginal, someone like oh I don’t know, Derrick Coleman?
Update: More Gil goodness. Arenasexpress.com! (via Yaysports)
15 Responses to “Gilbert Spills The Beans”
Jan.2 at 5:50 pm
Pat B says:
Arenas is priceless, that man should have his own reality tv show….
Jan.2 at 5:50 pm
Ken says:
first! great link! gil zero remains to be gil.. what a great guy! I do think it’s possible but what good will 1 ballot do against millions of votes out there in the net.
Jan.2 at 5:53 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Derrick Coleman AND Kenny Anderson started that year. I think Ben did it.
Jan.2 at 7:02 pm
Wizfan says:
go gil
Jan.2 at 7:13 pm
John says:
Jamaal Magloire - cough
Jan.2 at 7:24 pm
Ben says:
It wasn’t Kenny and Derrick that did it themselves; believe me, those guys NEVER would have taken the time to do that. It was the Net organization that stuffed the ballot boxes for the 1994 all-star game in a desperate bid to become relevant in the face of the finals-bound Knicks. Needless to say, it didn’t really work.
Jan.2 at 7:24 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Wasn’t Magloire an injury replacement? I think that was that strange year when he and AD and maybe Anthony Mason were all named replacements AND starters. Or maybe I’m mixing a few years together.
Jan.2 at 7:25 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
And the Nets would NEVER do anything like that! I’m shocked! (Although it’s too bad they never got Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris starting spots.)
Jan.2 at 7:37 pm
Drolfe says:
They’re all self conscious he’s just the first to admit it.
Jan.2 at 7:41 pm
Drolfe says:
The whole fan voting thing is farcical anyway. They should change it to peer voting for the starters, and keep the coaches voting for the bench. Fans just vote for players in their city and from their country. Fans stink.
Jan.2 at 7:46 pm
Gilbertology says:
It should be via Yaysports via DC Sports Bog via Gilbertology.net
Jan.2 at 7:46 pm
mutoni says:
i agree, drolfe. they need to shower more often!
Jan.2 at 11:25 pm
Break'in Ankles says:
In a couple years, I’d like to see Agent Zero playing home games at what is currently the Atlantic Yards.
Jan.3 at 6:59 pm
Jake Appleman says:
BJ Armstrong also started that year. Don’t look past that baby face.
Jan.4 at 10:37 am
ron harper says:
whats funny is after reading the article without reading the comments underneath the initial person I thought of was ….Derrick Coleman no joke…its funny how we are all thinking the same thing.. what about Leatner on the 97 team?