Last Night's Best Dressed Wizard

This time I didn't even have to manufacture a reason to ask about wardrobe choices; the Wizards' game day ops people gave me a perfect excuse. As Reader Nancy has previously noted, last night's game featured a "Best Dressed Wizard" video contest. The three choices we were given were Donell Taylor, Jarvis Hayes and Gil, in their dress clothes, walking into the locker room on a red carpet. [Still trying to get this on YouTube, bear with me.]

At this point it's probably worth quoting Nancy's previous comment, since she's written more about the team's threads than anyone I know:

Which really WAS the best-dressed Wizard? Of course, we all wanted to vote for Gil, we really did. Some times he gets it right. But Jarvis Hayes really had it going on -- there was no two ways about it. Sounds cruel, GA having just earned a starter position and all, it was his night. But my sincere effort to put my hands together to them was stymied by this magnetic repulsion field created by the white shirt poking out from the too-short jacket. C'mon! Gil, if for this reason alone, get a girlfriend!!

He has a girlfriend, but never mind; Nancy has spoken. I don't remember exactly what Donell had on. This photo shows the winner. The crowd was asked to vote, via noise, several times. Donell received minimal support, Jarvis had a fair bit of noise, and Gil--who I figured would win on name alone--got the respect vote, but it was fairly muted. All in all, a tame response. Jarvis was shown on the 'Tron, smiling at his victory.

Jarvis Hayes, and the look that made him a champion. (By Sports Bog)

"I had just checked into the game, and I was trying to envision what was going on and listen to the play," he explained. "We've got a well-dressed team altogether; I mean, anybody could have won it. But, you know, I guess I take home the honor tonight."

Which is not to say there was locker room consensus on the issue.

"Look at Jarvis, man, how you gonna say Jarvis is better than this?" Gilbert asked after the game. "He didn't even have a tie!"

"I love Jarvis's outfit, but if you're going to give me the no-tie look you've got to unbutton the top button," Brendan Haywood said. "He looked like he was choking himself, couldn't swallow."

"Where was I?" Roger Mason wanted to know, gesturing to his floral-print shirt.

"You didn't win," Brendan said. "You definitely weren't nominated."

Roger: "Are you serious? Do you know how many compliments I've gotten on this shirt today?"

Brendan: "Huh? From who, florists?"

Roger: "From every woman that's seen me."

Anyhow, of the three finalists, I would have probably voted for Jarvis. But who chose the contestants? Where was Caron? I've always pegged him as the team's fashionista. I asked a serious dresser, Nike pro basketball representative Keith Veney, about my Caron vote.

"Without question, I agree, hands-down," Veney said. "He is definitely the best-dressed. Disregard that he's Nike; he's sharp."

"Caron stays spiffy," Jarvis acknowledged.

Others had a different opinion.

"Honestly, the best-dressed guy on this team is probably A.D.," Brendan said.

"Yeah, I'd agree with that," Roger said. "Who does the most with less?" he asked.

"That's not the question, man," Brendan pointed out.

"Well, my budget's not the same as those guys," Roger said.

Anyhow, they had a plane to catch, and, truth be told, I had already covered much of this ground during the playoffs last year. Still, in the interest of fairness, I asked A.D. why he wasn't included in the competition.

"Well, at the time when they tape that I'm not coming in; I'm here a lot earlier," he said. "I didn't see a red carpet out there when I came in. I'm here three hours before the game."

And did he think Jarvis deserved the honor?

"Hey, more power to him," A.D. said. "I'm not gonna hate, I'll congratulate."

By Dan Steinberg | January 31, 2007; 2:01 PM ET | Category: Wizards
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AD made 750K this year, not super-star money but he shouldn't be b**ching about working on a restricted clothes budget!

Posted by: DMG | January 31, 2007 2:14 PM

me and my friend were yapping about this at the game last nite..
clearly, the winner should have been donell. the dark suit and the diagonally thick-striped tie with matching hankerchief in the pocket was money. gilbert got cheers cuz of him being gilbert (but the headphones and untucked shirt did him in)..
was surprised jarvis got it. didn't even realize he had no tie until seeing this pic now... for shame jarvis!!

but i really was surprised caron wasn't a contestant. once they announced the contest, i told my friend caron would win in a landslide, but lo and behold his face was no where on teh jumbotron..... can't have a contest with out caron IMHO.

side note: anyone else notice the scoreboard was broken the whole first half?? it didn't list any player or player pts and fouls. i guess abe does need that $50 mil... ;-)

Posted by: hmmmmm | January 31, 2007 2:58 PM

Scoreboard has been down for G-Town games as well.

Posted by: Dave B. | January 31, 2007 3:03 PM

Florists...hahaha, Brendan has had some good material this year.

Posted by: AV | January 31, 2007 3:21 PM

Like hmmm, the minute they said "Who is the best dressed Wizard?", I yelled out "Caron".

Of the three guys Gil probably looked the best, but to be honest I didn't think any of them were rocking it quite right.

Posted by: Paul | January 31, 2007 3:27 PM

They aired that bit during a timeout of a relatively close game against Detroit, a team the Wizards will likely be competing against for playoff seeding. Brenda (who otherwise played well) spent the whole timeout looking up at the screen, watching. Swear to god.

Posted by: bryc3 | January 31, 2007 3:27 PM

what could any of the others been wearing that a gold suit w/ orange shirt [no tie, pun intended] would win out!? my, my, who are the judges!!!

Posted by: bg | January 31, 2007 3:50 PM

You're seriously interviewing Keith Veney!?!?!? I know for fact he only wears Nike gear and can't dress

Posted by: Ramo | January 31, 2007 4:38 PM

Why, thanks Agent Stein! Of course, I thought I'd have a LOT to say on this subject. But you've covered it! EXCEPT I fully confess I was dying to know a little about the inevitable lockeroom talk. So THANKS THANKS THANKS!

In the Eastern Conference Wardrobe playoffs, top seeds gonna go to Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels. CB3 and AD dress differently but both age-appropriate, if you get my drift.

Yeah, Jarvis Hayes' smile on the Jumbotron was real charming: he was clearly pleased and you could just imagine the locker room talk.

Gilbert -- we all *did* clap for you. Just not as loudly as Hayes. But Jarvis Hayes had really obviously good material, differing textures that worked together, a neat look, and a great use of color. Gilbert's competitive: he should go for a rematch. (The black leather lapel on ESPN was good. But generally, for NBA man-about-town, remember a black-and-white club look is better for the clubs.) CB3 does this well -- good color.

What about Mr. Hayes's collar looks choking? Nuh-uh: it's just an interesting button-up look that, in lieu of a tie, adds a hint of formality. Plus, there's no getting around this, Jarvis really hammed up the walk pretty good. Real smooth.

Fans loved this, by the way. People *were* talking about it afterward. I think they should do it again and again.

P.S. I'm going home on the Metro talking about Haywood and the game with my fiance, and another male fan joins the conversation. As I leave the train with my honey, he says to my beau: "I wish my wife had a quarter of the interest your girlfriend does in basketball!" :D As we're going up and out the Metro escalator, I suspect my sweetie was thinking: "If only he knew she spent every time out reliving the wardrobe contest."

Posted by: Nancy | January 31, 2007 5:47 PM

Yeah, I'd agree with that," Roger [Mason] said. "Who does the most with less?" he asked.

"That's not the question, man," Brendan pointed out.

"Well, my budget's not the same as those guys," Roger said.

Wow. I'm thinking: perhaps I should start a website to collect $ for Roger Mason?

Most respectfully, by the way, while I appreciate the "I covered it last year" -- didn't know that, new to the blog -- the idea that Wizards fashion is this one news angle that, once covered, is covered is a little -- if I may be mischievous -- male. See, we women don't view fashion that way. Fashion changes every year! Or so we're taught. So a girl's gonna read that and think, "So? Cover it THIS year." Even if you just say the same thing over and over. Just going on, blah, blah, blah. See? See why fashion is often female territory? ;)

Posted by: Nancy | February 1, 2007 9:29 AM

I see I'm late to this party. But I have to say that "hmmmmm" is correct: Donell Taylor, while his game is not that great, definitely was the best-dressed of the three in the contest that night. Gil's look was not quite look-worthy with the headphones on and the untucked shirt, and to me, Jarvis's outfit was pretty good, but not quite as good as Donell's, with no tie and the colors being so close to each other. I mean, don't get me wrong, his outfit had a very nice warmth to it. Just not as suave as Donell was, I think.

Posted by: Josh | February 1, 2007 4:04 PM

Last Night's Best Dressed Wizard

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