One scout said via email that, “It?s more just a series of unfortunate events. Injuries last season and injuries again this season. I questioned how much they would mesh with [Gilbert Arenas?] return. I believed Gil?s return would affect [DeShawn] Stevenson?s play the most. [Antonio] Daniels is back to being an afterthought again. If he doesn?t contribute, he gets frustrated. Just a tough deal to work out in two weeks.”

Though many in this area, and a few nationally, picked the Wizards to win, one coach disagreed.

“You weren?t favored to win, so I don?t know why you?d put that on Eddie,” the Eastern Conference coach said. “They?ve never been favored in a series against Cleveland. If they were the No. 1 seed and got beat by the No. 8, now you?re talking a different story. But is that team better than Cleveland? They don?t have the best player and the best players win when they step up ? and LeBron steps up in the playoffs.

“Eddie?s game plan has been sound; but when you have a guy who can put people on his back, it?s a huge difference. The only thing I didn?t like is, don?t give him extra incentive. Washington should have kept their mouths shut and killed him with kindness.”

Barry Zito: A $126 million long reliever

1 Are you kidding? Do the Wizards ever learn? Now Brendan Haywood accuses LeBron James of being a crybaby. Um, how has the other trash-talking stuff worked out? For a team that?s never achieved anything, they sure are mouthy.

2 Money for nothing. Seven years and $126 million bought San Francisco this: an 11-19 record by lefty Barry Zito. He?s lost some zip on his fastball, leaves it up in the zone, and is now in the bullpen. This is why you don?t give pitchers seven-year deals.

3 In all honesty. If only Roger Clemens had been a little more, well, honest before Congress then he wouldn?t be in yet another mess. But because he wasn?t, more digging ensued and ? yada, yada, yada ? Mindy McCready has confirmed the long-time affair.

4 Buyer?s remorse. We can?t imagine anyone, especially the Suns and the Mavericks, still thinks it?s wise to trade for aging veterans who are past even the twilight of their careers.

5 Bungled pick. The Cincinnati Bengals (sponsored by Chico?s Bail Bonds), once again paid lip service to character. In the fifth round, they drafted defensive tackle Paul Shirley, who, as a senior at Fresno State, was suspended three times ? and arrested!

Rookie looks to stand tall on Ravens

Once again, Haruki Nakamura will have to overcome his size.

Despite plaudits as a senior, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Cincinnati safety must prove his value on special teams as much as in the defensive backfield if he is to make the Ravens? final 53-man roster next fall. Size was an issue for him attending a Division I school and it?s why he slipped to the sixth round.

“Nakamura is a possible special teams ace,” according to Scouts Inc. “But will have a tough time making the Ravens secondary as a rookie.”

Nakamura was a unanimous All-Big East selection his senior season, finishing with 95 tackles and had a reputation as a hard hitter. On special teams, he showed his versatility by returning 15 punts for 104 yards, but he was at his best making sure-handed fair catches.

“A hard worker with top intangibles,” Scott Wright of NFL Draft Countdown wrote. “Profiles as a backup and special teamer.”

In case you missed it

The Jason Taylor saga continues in Miami. The defensive end, and participant on Dancing with the Stars, wanted to be traded, but the Dolphins declined to do so despite several requests, including from Jacksonville. Things might get worse. According to the Miami Herald, Taylor dropped by the Dolphins facility and hoped to talk to team president Bill Parcells. But Parcells declined the offer and, with Taylor in the room, looked up at him, then returned to watching film.

On the record

“The calls for change are external. Ask others here how strongly they feel for a call for change. I don?t see it.”

? Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney on the outcry for a major college football playoff system.

“Every time you do something good you have to go out to the top step? That?s not baseball.”

? New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado explaining why he failed to answer a curtain call after hitting his second homer of the game.

By the numbers

10.5: Scoring average of sophomore guard Ben Hansbrough, brother of AP Player of the Year and North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough, who announced he is transferring from Mississippi State to Notre Dame.

25,000: Dollars Celtics forward Paul Pierce was fined by the NBA for making a menacing gesture in Game Three in Atlanta. The gesture is believed to an L.A. Piru Bloods gang sign