‘Batman’ takes over Wizards

So much for Gilbert Arenas giving reporters the silent treatment.

The reinstated guard of the Washington Wizards has abdicated his throne as the Wiz's main man and doesn't think he's going to be in the nation's capital long enough to see the end of his contract when it expires in 2014.

In his first extended discussion with the media since training camp opened, Arenas said he has a different role now that he's sharing the backcourt with rookie John Wall, the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick.

"Teach John the ins and outs of the game and then eventually go on and move on and I'm on my way," Arenas said Tuesday after the Wizards beat Dallas 97-94 in their preseason opener. "I mean, this is the NBA. There's few players that stay in the same city.

"Right now, the city is John's. I'm not here to fight anybody. I'm here to play alongside him. He's Batman, and I'm Robin."

The stats might prove Arenas right. Wall scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists in 18 minutes Tuesday. Arenas had 12 points in 26 minutes. Perhaps the torch indeed has been passed. Maybe Arenas should change his name to Dick Grayson, Robin's secret identity.

■ TOO BIG? WE QUIT! -- A Massachusetts private high school pulled out of a football game this week, claiming its opponent was too big physically and represented a health risk.

St. George's School opted out of its scheduled game against Lawrence Academy after seeing that several of Lawrence's linemen weighed from 300 to 350 pounds.

"This is strictly a safety issue," St. George's headmaster Eric Peterson told the Boston Globe. "We are trying to keep our kids reasonably safe in a game that can be terribly exciting but has risks."

Peterson might have a point. The idea of a 350-pound defensive tackle mauling a 160-pound running back probably falls into the risky category.

■ WATCH YOUR BACK -- Chicago might be known as "The Second City," but the neighborhood around the United Center has gained the dubious distinction as being the unsafest place in America.

According to Walletpop.com, a person has a 1-in-4 chance of being a victim of a crime if he walks down Lake Street between Damen and Western avenues. Lake Street is a block from the United Center.

The FBI and local law enforcement agencies compiled the data.

With the NHL season opening tonight, perhaps Blackhawks fans can arm themselves with hockey sticks on their way into the building and check them at the door. Bulls fans? They're on their own. Maybe lace up their Air Jordans and try to outrun the muggers.

■ LATE DINNER PLANS -- Pau Gasol invited his Los Angeles Lakers teammates to his house in Barcelona for dinner Wednesday before the Lakers' preseason game today in Spain against Gasol's former team, Barcelona.

Dinner was supposed to be at 7:30 p.m., but coach Phil Jackson, who usually doesn't eat dinner until 10, told his center not to go to any trouble.

"We can just have some hors d'oeuvres," Jackson said.

COMPILED BY STEVE CARP
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL