Have the Wizards run out of "Air?"

Before we go on, allow me to make a brief public announcement.

Ladies and gentlemen, all those preparing to jump off the Washington Wizards bandwagon please be careful when jumping off the seats, and no screaming allowed. On your way out please leave your 2002 NBA Eastern Conference Championship paraphernalia on the table.

Since September, those of us in the DC Metro area and Michael Jordan fans across the nation were singing "Oh, Happy Day," with the return of MJ, and how he led the woebegone Washington Wizards to the status of, gasp, playoff contenders.

With his recent injury to his arthritic knee, we're now singing the famous B.B. King classic, "The Thrill is Gone."

There hasn't been this much of a fiasco in the nation's capital since those hanging chads and presidents seeking marriage counseling.

When Jordan first decided to come back to teach his young Wizards' teammates how to win, there were numerous naysayers who said that his older body wouldn't be able to hack the rigors of an 82-game season.

Most notable of those doubters were Lakers superstar Shaquille O'Neal, who made the quote, "Bro, 39 ain't 29."

Many of us did doubt that MJ could stay healthy for the entire year, much less lead this team of underachievers (see Laettner, Christian) and role players to become playoff contenders.

As always, Jordan made fools out of us, making game-winners against Cleveland and Phoenix.

He also played to his usual All-Star status despite having career lows in numerous games, and his game was reduced to jump shooting, as it was for the years after his first retirement.

But, we didn't care.

Jordan was back, and he showed the young studs of the league a thing or two about who is still the top dog in the game.

He also turned the Wizards, a team that was best known for its lousy front office deals (thank you Wes Unseld), into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, which really isn't saying too much.

After the Wizards started out the gate at 2-10, Michael uttered the now-infamous words "We stink," and they began to turn things around.

It may not have been the stuff of Knute Rockne, but all of a sudden the Wizards began to play with the kind of fervor that was seen during Jordan's days in the Windy City.

Players like Richard Hamilton, Popeye Jones, and Hubert Davis became reincarnations of Scottie Pippen, Hoarce Grant, and Steve Kerr.

Washington was among the league leaders in defense and in sellouts.

There wasn't a bigger attraction in DC since Marion Barry's fondness for home movies.

However, there was this one nagging factor that hung over them like a black cloud, and it was with his knees.

Even Coach Doug Collins, who apparently has gotten over that getting fired thing by MJ back in Chicago, would rest Jordan in blowouts to prevent further pain on his knees.

For all of Jordan's bravado and grit, bad knees are bad knees, and cortisone shots can only do so much.

He had missed only two games before Sunday night's contest against Miami, but he had to sit out the final 6:34 of a close game and the Wizards went on to lose and fall to under .500.

There was a huge letdown after hearing the news that he would have exploratory surgery and might miss the rest of the season.

"He's got to go in there and just find out what's causing the irritation and why his knee is continuing to swell," Collins said. "And depending on how much work he has to do, that will be the deciding factor in how long Michael will be out."

This was a season of promise and surprising expectations.

Then the second half came, and sans a Jordan game winner in Phoenix, we'd be talking about an eight game losing streak.

Where do the Wizards go from here, and can they recapture any magic to make a playoff push.

If the three games without Jordan has been any indication, the answer is an easy no.

This is where players such as Laettner, Hamilton, and castoff Courtney Alexander must step it up, and Jahidi White and rookie Brendan Haywood must play strong inside.

The Wizards would have benefited by making a trade to help Jordan, but staying at status quo has now come back to haunt them.

Collins will revert back to his egomaniacal days of screaming on the sidelines, and this team must begin to play like one.

For Washington, it comes down to two choices.

If there is a chance Jordan can come back, they must hold down the fort.

Otherwise, the only sport they'll be playing in May will involve nine irons.

What about MJ? Is his season and career over? >[? How many times have we doubted him and he has come back to burn us?

No one has Jordan's heart and determination, but sometimes he must listen to his body and not his head.

"I'm getting old," he said after the Miami game. "It's a sign that this might be coming to a closure as to where my career is heading. The body sends you messages, and tonight my body won."

When he said the word closure, it sent a chill that no snowstorm could ever provide.

The fact that this team was trying to build something special and long lasting might have went down with his knee as well.

However, is there a chance that things may be restored in time to make a push?

If nothing else, his legacy only grew with how he (albeit temporarily) taught a group of vagabonds to become winners.

I've learned my lesson about doubting Jordan before, maybe we all should do the same. After all, he's earned the benefit.

In case he doesn't come back, does anyone know how long until Redskins' training camp?