Mike Barrett
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A Long Day
posted: 9/13/2007 at 10:05 PM



Knowing that Greg Oden had gone into surgery very early Thursday morning, for what we had hoped would be just a fairly minor and routine scope of his knee, it was easy to feel the negative thoughts start creeping in as it approached 10 o'clock and we had heard nothing. There wasn't much reason to fear for the worst, and I'm not about to believe that this is the worst. It's not what we were hoping for, but truly things could have been worse.

Once Dr. Don Roberts took a closer look at the cartilage in Oden's right knee, a viewed a small lesion, he informed Kevin Pritchard and trainer Jay Jensen that a micro fracture procedure would be necessary. It was then that Pritchard realized the team had just lost it's number-one draft pick most likely for the season.

The Blazers staff was alerted at 11am, just as the story was hitting nationally. As you know by now, it quickly became the sports story of the day across the country. Oden, still groggy following the surgery, was most likely coming to grips with the news as we all were. He was also probably as surprised as we all were, and most definitely was more disappointed than we all were.

"He must have apologized to me more than 20 times as he was beginning to realize what this meant," Pritchard told me early Thursday afternoon. "He's felt the entire weight of this franchise and city on his shoulders. No one is more devistated that Greg. But, it also made me so thankful that we have a guy like this in our family. A guy who cares so deeply about this franchise."

The rest of the team was notified just as they were getting set for their Thursday workout session, and sat in stunned silence. But, as Brandon Roy told us later in the day, the silence didn't last long. "We looked around at each other and decided that we've all got to band together and pick up the slack. We knew we wouldn't be playing with Greg anytime soon, but immediately took it upon ourselves to work even harder to help this team move on."

Among the first questions the rest of the players had were "when can we go see him," and "what can we do to raise his spirits?" They embraced their new teammate the first time they met him, and that won't stop now. "He's family," said Roy. "We're going to make sure he knows how important he is to all of us, and how much we're going to help him on his road to recovery."

I have been floored by the collective response from Blazer fans. On random fan sent Pritchard a quote, and he passed it along to the staff. "Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. " You search for motivation in so many places, and this was very fitting for Thursday. It's going to be strange not seeing Oden in a Blazer uniform this season, even though we've never seen that. That make any sense?

We hosted our radio show, Trail Blazers Courtside, on Thursday night. It was tough to plan for the show earlier in the week, because we knew that everything could change at some point during that day. What obviously hasn't changed is the support and love for this team from the Portland fans.

We prepared ourselves for negative calls and e-mails from disappointed fans. We didn't get any. The ticket department was prepared to deal with fans asking for refunds on their season ticket purchases. There were very few who even inquired about that. The franchise was instead swamped with supportive calls and e-mails, and votes of confidence. Some of these messages were forwarded to the staff.

On our radio show we were joined by Pritchard, coach Nate McMillan, and reigning Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy. If you missed the show, here are links to the interviews for you to listen to. Click here to listen to the Pritchard interview. You can hear our chat with McMillan by clicking here. Click here to listen to Roy.
You can also watch two video interviews I did with Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan on the news page of trailblazers.com.

Friday the players will continue their workouts and pick-up games at the practice facility. Roy told us not to be surprised if things appear to be "kicked up a notch" because of Thursday's news. It was a difficult day in what has been an incredible off season. But, the franchise is in very good hands. And, these guys can play a little basketball as well.



One small addtion today. I've been receiving a lot of questions about the TV schedule, and it'll be released in a few days. I can tell you we've got some new additions to the broadcasts, in number of TV games, pre and post-game shows, and some new personnel. But, the play-by-play/analyst teams (Wheeler/Harvey on radio, and Barrett/Rice on TV) will be unchanged. There was a mention in the Portland Tribune this morning that indicated a change in the core teams. That was simply a mistake and it will be corrected.


36 Comments:
Blogger Ryan said...

Mike,

We have all heard the Oden/Bowie comparisons today. I do not think this is the case. While there are no perfect comparisons, I see the Oden situation as Oden = Sabonis, rather than Oden = Bowie.

Portland waited years for Sabas to arrive after drafting him. Prior to coming to Portland, Sabonis had ankle problems and During his years in Europe, he suffered a series of knee and achilles’ tendon injuries. Yet during this time he was regarded as one of the best centers of all time. By the time he arrived in Portland he was practically in a wheel chair yet was still considered one of the top centers in the NBA. In fact he played an instrumental roll in Portland’s playoff runs in the late 1990s and the early part of this decade. The good news for Portland fans is that we won’t have to wait as long as we did for Sabonis. Oden will be back next year.

I posted earlier at Oregonlive.com forum with the following:

“Let there be no mistake, today was not a good day for Blazer fans. However, I don’t think any Blazer fan is being naïve for finding a silver lining or maintaining hope for a promising future. All things must be kept in perspective.
So if the lottery had played out the way it should have, we could be sitting here discussing the contributions of Joakim Noah coming off the bench and giving us an average of 4 points per night in his rookie season as a Trailblazer. Instead, we are talking about FREAKING Greg Oden! Every doctor I heard on the radio today has said that they expect Greg Oden to make a 100% recovery. I trust the medical experts a hell of lot more than the opinions of Bill Simmons at ESPN or Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Oden is young, he will be back, Blazers will be fine.

Yes, I was totally bummed today, but I am still glad that we are discussing the recovery of Greg Oden today rather than Brandon Wright, Mike Conley, Jr., Joakim Noah, or Acie Law in a Blazer uniform.

We waited years for Sabonis. When he arrived in Portland he was practically in a wheel chair, yet he was still rated as one of the top centers in the league while playing for Portland. Oden will recover. The future looks bright. Now he will return to a Portland team in 2008 that has more maturity, chemistry, and is a step closer to that championship window.”

Oden is Oden. The one and only! However, if we are to look for comparisons, I think it is more accurate to say that Oden = Sabas rather than Oden = Bowie. The future looks bright!

11:24 PM  
Blogger BRoyFTW said...

We are still going to be good this year. I don't care if I have to wait another year. I would still got to ever Blazer game this year if I had the money. I'm so tired of the "I told you so" people. They will have nothing to say when Oden is dominating. Oden is going to be fine. I look forward to the start of the season. Tell Oden I'm praying for him.

I still support him 100 percent. I hope he has a great recovery and everything goes fine with him. He is too good a guy to let this get him down.

11:42 PM  
Blogger Allen35 said...

I still love ODEN and he will come back at 100% It did feel like I got punched in the stomach this morning but hey stuff happens and greg is only 19! Ill just pretend we won the #1 pick for 08 gregs sophmore year at ohio state. With the first pick in the 2008 NBA draft the portland trailblazers select greg oden!!! works for me.
Get well greg.... ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN ODEN

11:57 PM  
Blogger jason said...

Just like anyone would be, I am disappointed. I do believe Greg is the most disappointed of all, and I feel horrible for him. I just want to say that I still completely support the organizations choice in the draft; it was and is the right move.

Greg, we are behind you man. You haven't let us down. You couldn't control this. It's not your fault. What you can help to control is your recovery. Take as long as it takes man. I don't care if you have to sit out two seasons to get to %100. DON'T RUSH IT! Do not come back before you are ready. When you are ready, we'll still be here.

GO BLAZERS!

12:40 AM  
Blogger blazerman said...

I just want to say while this is very dissapointing we have lots of other young talent on this roster I only have one request JUST COME TO THE GAMES AND GIVE THE TEAM AND GREG 100 PERCENT SUPPORT BECAUSE THESE OTHER GUYS WILL DO IT FOR YOU WE WILL BE FINE!!!! GOD BLESS GREG AND EVERYBODY ELSE GO BLAZERS!!!!!!

12:58 AM  
Blogger Mark said...

MB,

Very disappointing news indeed. But I have a question for you.. or more of an opinion to get out of you:

Did you see Oden's hops before the surgery? After he's healed from this surgery, he will have hops of a normal basketball player but still have the instinct to swat balls and play great defense. He'll still be able to dunk with ease because of his size. He'll even be able to work on his jump shot A LOT more now. Do you agree?

Notice how Amare Stoudemire can hit an occasional Jumper from time to time now? He must have worked on his jump shot a lot when he was rehabbing considering he could barely hit the broadside of a barn before his surgery. So do you think it's possible for Oden to develop a nice 15-18 foot jump shot while he rehabs? This might not be such terrible news after all...

1:00 AM  
Blogger vic said...

I went through 6 major knee surgeries last year and came through it okay and I'm 53 so I have all the faith in the world in Oden and his upcoming road to recovery. Please give him a great big hug from all of us fans. We love you Greg!!

1:17 AM  
Blogger BOB said...

First things, first. Kevin Pritchett is a world class act. He showed today why the Blazers have made an amazing comeback with the fans of Portland. I watched every lick of news coverage today, and at times cried my feelings for this man, who withstood barrage upon barrage of questions. And he stated it best... its a team. And a new team, cleaned up, young and full of spirit. I truly feel we have a force wrapped around Roy and a great group of class players.
The GM said Greg ODen said time and time again how sorry he was. That ripped my heart out. And Pritchett said "that just shows you his love for this team". I know my friends and Blazer fans remain optimistic and ready to get RIP CITY rolling......I still believe! Count me in!

1:38 AM  
Blogger MGB said...

Wow, didn't expect this. My feeling of disbelief almost matches my feeling of disbelief that we won the draft lotto.

My heart goes out to Oden. I can just imagine what he's going through right now. This stuff happens he certainly didn't do anything wrong and shouldn't blame himself. I'm sure he'll come back even stronger next year!

MB, do you know if the surgery was on a weight bearing location?

1:59 AM  
Blogger DGA said...

Hey Mike: if you see Greg, please tell him that an old man with creaky joints and bad feet is praying for him.

Daniel Gustav Anderson

6:33 AM  
Blogger chrisinhawaii said...

hey Mike. great job as always. this may be a stupid question but did they check his left knee just in case. the injury to his right knee came out of nowhere. i just figure if there is something wrong with his left knee also now is the best time to take care of it. not when he returns from rehab. right now i feel sick. i think about all the match ups i was looking forward to and the chance to really get a look at just how good this kid is. i keep thinking this isnt really happening and then i see that it really is and i feel sick all over again. after i go thru that cycle i think that if i feel this bad Oden must feel even worse. i feel for him. please let him know that my prayers are going out to him and his family. i have alot of respect for Greg and i am very happy and proud that Kevin selected him with the #1 pick.

7:02 AM  
Blogger Sean said...

Having been a Blazer fan all of my life, growing up in Portland through all the Rip City years, and just embarassed through all our our JailBlazer years, I have to say that while yesterday was a very difficult day, it was still a day that made me feel more proud to be a Blazer fan than any other for a long time. I'll tell you why. Our team's reaction. No backbiting, only support and love for the newest member of (did you catch Roy's comments?) our "family." I haven't heard that in a long time. Our team is bonding together. I watch the highlights of them in the gym, practicing hard. We may not have the best record in the NBA next year, but to this Blazer fan, heart, and character matter most. I'm proud to be a Blazer fan. Let's continue to support Greg for what's ahead, knowing this adversity taken on with the attitude of our team is going to make us that much stronger, and that first championship all that much more sweeter.

7:46 AM  
Blogger Wa-Bish Troops said...

Am I sad today? Yes. But you know what -- I can't wait for opening night when the Rose Garden is packed to the rafters and every fan is on their feet cheering for Greg and supporting him in is recovery! And when Greg does return for his rookie season, can you imagine the violence with which he'll be attacking the league? It will be a great year with the likes of Roy, Aldridge, Frye, Blake, Jack, Webster. No more off the court distractions, no more jailblazers, but a year to grow deep championship forming roots. Add Oden, Fernandez next year and a top tier free agent in '09 and we are well on our way. Patience my friends, patience. It will feel THAT much better when we finally do win it all.

Just glance back to the Sheed, Bonzi, J.R. Rider, Telfair, Randolph days --- you will instantly feel better. Guaranteed.

8:34 AM  
Blogger The Hillsboro Realtor said...

Mike - The trailblazers are a TEAM - Pritchard & Company is building the organization back to it's heyday...is this a letdown? of course, but I ain't giving up my season tickets. Wish Greg well & the organization....

9:26 AM  
Blogger johnblazer77 said...

Sure this news isn't the best but I'm still excited for the upcoming season. We have lots of great young talent. Here's a poem reflecting my thoughts yesterday:

Our Fate

It was July twenty-second when we heard David Stern's voice,
Announce the Blazers will take Oden with the first overall choice.

Excited the city became as season tickets were sold,
Expectations rised and stories of '77 were told.

Just as the bitter memories of Sam Bowie started to fade,
The foundations of more disappointment were so suddenly laid.

I'm not too concerned though because a year I can wait,
Knowing a championship for sure is in our fate!

9:52 AM  
Blogger Sy said...

Mike,

I know Oden needs to stay off his legs for about 8 weeks. After that, what kind of physical therapy does a player goes through in regards to his lower body?

10:01 AM  
Blogger Pastor Michael said...

This whole situation only makes me love my Blazers and Oden more. That quote about adversity was golden. The resounding theme is that these players are great people who care about each other, their team and the city. I don't care if we only win 30 games again, I love this team more than any of the Blazers teams in the last decade. Although I believe the chemistry and the heart these guys have will make things a lot more exciting than that.

10:12 AM  
Blogger Captain GEO said...

Mike,

I bought a quarter season tickets so my son whose 10 and I could go together to games. He is a huge Oden fan. When I told him that he would be out for the season he told me he didn't want to go to any games. When I told him that Greg would be going to games but just wouldn't play this season, he was excited again and said he really wanted to go. Portland fans are different than other fans. We care about our players like family. We cheer players that come and play for other teams and are extremely disappointed when they run cross ways with the law. Tell him to come to games. I can guaranty you that the fans will give him support and will be happy to see him. He doesn't owe anybody apologies for something he couldn't prevent. Just take care of himself and we will see him at the games.

Captain GEO

10:37 AM  
Blogger MC said...

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP GREG. WE ARE ALL HOPING FOR A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY!
I HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE AND THIS FAN BASE IS GREAT! THE YOUTH AND EXCITEMENT OF THIS TEAM IS UNBELEIVABLE.
MC GRESHAM

10:41 AM  
Blogger Dan said...

Just to echo what ryan said at the top, I sure as heck would settle for another Sabonis! When the Blazers picked Oden, the first thing I thought was "They should lock him in a room with every video ever recorded of Sabas playing ball." Just imagine Oden in 6 months, standing on a court with his legs tied together, working on his behind-the-back passes and body control. Heck, maybe the Blazers could hire Sabas to tutor the young man...

12:15 PM  
Blogger Randal said...

Keep your chin up Greg. GO BLAZERS!

Randal

12:20 PM  
Blogger cascades1057 said...

As a long time blazer fan, the only concern I have about Greg Oden, is convincing him that Portland is the best place for him to live and play basketball for his entire career! what a neat kid!

2:48 PM  
Blogger dbuscho said...

MB,

Will Oden technically be a rookie next year and are there any rules that would prevent him from competing for ROY??

Greg,

I am SO sorry you don't get to enjoy this season ON the court but please don't rush this rehab and just listen to the doctors and KP and please don't feel bad about this, there are many upsides to this situation that we Blazer fans can see and we hope you will too.

2:49 PM  
Blogger LTG said...

Sigh!!!! damn it. I am so sick of the utter garbage being spewed by these so called media "experts" They were just waiting for us to fail.

To my Blazer players: take a look at what the media is saying about you, how they are underrating you and giving you no hope. They say we might get the number 1 pick again implying we will be last. Take a look my Blazers and be angry and hungry.
Oden is but a piece he is young and undeveloped in a technical sense. He will have time to grow and to watch tape and to continue conditioning and working on shooting and staying out of foul trouble. He will have the best around him. Put him aside for now. I see this as a very good thing..I t is just what he needs. Now he wont have the pressure of being "great" in his first year. The rest of the team will not be distracted because they know what needs to be done. Joel will step in and will be our center and help lead our team. Every one I mean everyone is over looking us except us. Lets shove those words down there throats and unleash our fury on the league. Brandon, Lamarcus and the rest...lets give em hell!

This year...as I have said before...RIP CITY will return.

3:37 PM  
Blogger nester66 said...

I am ashamed to say the first thought that came to my mind was Bowie... But after some reflection, soul searching and watching and listening to this young teams comments I quickly changed my tune. My heart goes out to the man, I was at first detatching myself from the situation but I realize I need to support the man. He is, after all, only a 19 y/o kid.. And sometimes we forget they are human beings.

With his age and drive he will be fine, I just hope we don't drive him away or push him to hard. I sincerly hope The blazers would let us meet Oden in a signing or something, perhaps we could even sign his cast (Us giving Greg "Oh DAMN!" Oden our sig' and showing our support, gives goosebumps) He would see in our eyes the hope and belief we have in him. Hopefully it would make him feel at home.

I know my son would probably cry meeting him, and it would be hard not to join him. Chin up young man, your just starting. When Greg meets our fans after this I believe he will have the drive to push through this and come back in top form.

Greg, if your reading this please know we hope for you, we believe in you, and we feel your pain. We will never know what feelings you are feeling right now, but we are behind you and are here for you. We may just be fans, but we believe we are more of a family. If someone disses you in a bar, we are first to punch em in the face, no one messes with our little big brother.

To throw some small quotes out there "A man does what he must.. in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers, and pressures.. and that is the basis of all human morality" JFK

To Greg "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." MLK

To the Blazers players for playing this season "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Emerson
And for their care for Oden as family "When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." Henry Nouwen

And for Blazer Fans "Someone once asked me 'why do you always insist on taking the hard road?' and I replied 'why do you assume I see two roads?'"

Only because as blazer fans, we see no other way to be, we just are.

3:47 PM  
Blogger david said...

hey Greg hope you are doing well!! i been a fan since i move to the area back in 88. you are a hell of a talent i have a feeling you will be back sooner than people think so keep your head up high cause champions keep their heads high for good or bad! my prediction is PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONS... GREG ODEN FINALS MVP!!!! much luv..

5:06 PM  
Blogger myemic said...

This is why I love KP, we have a solid team. One player cant make or break or season. Sure this one stings, but the big fella needs our support. Lets show him good portland fans are, and make him want to stick around for a couple decades.

6:29 PM  
Blogger bawb said...

I really thought that Blazer fans were into the team game. It is very disappointing to read that people want their money buy for tickets just because Oden is out. Did they not see the incredible change in the Blazers last season? Are they not bursting at the seams to see Roy, Aldridge ane Outlaw come out and show how they have improved over the summer? Remember the roar from the crowd every time Sergio came off the bench? With the addition of Frye, a true stand up guy, this team should be 8-10 ahead of where they were last year. Come on Portland! We begged for character and prayed for team players. Well we got it! Don't turn tail and run now. Show you are a true fan! Greg will be back and the CORE team around him will be amazing. He will transition into the big man everyone projected. And he will do it with the help of an excellent polished team. Rip City is back, whether Oden plays this year or not! BOOM-SHAKKA-LAKKA!

9:34 PM  
Blogger BGtodd said...

This is still an exciting team! I'm going to make a prediction right now! Come May, sportscasters nationwide will be proclaiming that no one could have predicted that the Blazers would qualify for the playoffs, except for that crazy BG Todd fan, after Greg Oden's nearly season-ending microfracture knee surgery, let alone qualifying to play in the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs. And the most amazing part of the story will be that Oden will suit up and be available to play limited minutes in his NBA debut against the reigning Champions!

10:36 PM  
Blogger Steve said...

Hey Mike,

Great to hear all the strong fan support for Oden after the surgery. (Wish him the best!) We are all hoping for a strong recovery and know the team will be still be very exciting to watch this year.

So, does this mean that Oden will not officially be a rookie until the '08 season, since he won't play this year, or is he still considered a rookie this year?

Thanks,

Steve (Bend)

11:00 AM  
Blogger nester66 said...

Yes it means he won't be a rookie until next year, unless the blazers or Oden try to rush it. Knock on wood that they wait the whole season to play him.

3:52 PM  
Blogger civil said...

Thanks MB for the great coverage of the happenings. Now that I've gotten over the shock I'm even more excited, and wanting the season to begin. The rest of the player have a year to step up their game. I feel really bad for the big man and pray for a complete recovery. BUT! I couldn't help but to look at the up coming draft. It's a solid one. There are some good players in the next draft, and we are going to get one. Maybe one of those scoring centers to back Greg up.. I'm not putting presure on my heart by keeping the same expectation on the team. I know it's early, but our team stands to get another draft pick somewhere around number eight. Mark my word (this year we are winning 34 games and just missing the playoffs!)

3:05 AM  
Blogger civil said...

It's so good to read all of the positive feed back. I'm so looking foward to the up coming season and the one after. We have something special here. It's nice to hear the fans stand by the team. It hurts to the core when some one calls themself a fan and then rips the team.

3:28 AM  
Blogger Buddytime said...

Hey everyone,

It's very sad news to hear to Greg will miss this season, but I am confident he will bounce back given his character, work ethic, and the organization around him. Greg seems like a tremendous young man and my heart truly goes out to him during this difficult time. Imagine the pressure and frustration of being annointed a "franchise cornerstone" and then being labeled a "bust" before even having the opportunity to truly take the court.


Greg, don't let these haters who are actually enjoying this get you down. Think about them and how much pleasure they take in calling you a "bust" as you crank at those final reps in rehab. Your true fans will always have your back and look forward to silencing your critics. Best wishes with the rehab, keep your head up kid.

4:08 PM  
Blogger David said...

I am encouraged by everything that has happened. Yes, it is disappointing that Oden is out for the season, but he is only 19 and will make a full recovery. And i dont want to hear comparisons to Bowie or Walton. Nobody is the same. And its better now to have the sugery than later because making a full recovery at an older age is pretty much impossible, just look at Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber, they have never recovered and have not been the same since. But then you look at Amare and he was in his early 20's when he had the surgery done and he's better than ever. As long as Greg sticks to his rehabbing schedule and tries his hardest, he will be even a bigger beast than he is now.... This will give us a chance to see what Channing Frye can do, which i hear has been doing awesome at workouts. I would like to see him start alongside with Alridge. I think those two will be great together this year. It also means more playing time for our younger and newer players, like McRoberts, who really really impressed me during the summer league.... Stephen A. Smith from ESPN said the whole city of Portland is depressed, but i dont think we are. Oden isn't the only player on the Blazers, we have another 14 players that will step it up and we will have a great season, with or without Greg. I am still very excited for this upcoming year and all of you should be too!

10:03 PM  
Blogger SweetJ1984 said...

Dear Blazers Fans,

Fear not Blazer fans the end is not here. We have nothing to worry about and nothing to be mad at Oden for. He is not Sam Bowie 2.0, he isn’t the next Kevin Duckworth, and thank God he isn’t the next Bill Walton. He has the best medical care money can buy and the NBA‘s best fan base to support him.

Rest assured Portland Oden is not an average 19 year old. He has a huge heart and cares a lot about our franchise. His critics should be ashamed that Greg has to read the papers with all the down play about his future and his draft position. He is in an immense amount of pain and has to wake up to “Greg Oden, the second coming of Sam Bowie.” I bet they wouldn’t like to have surgery and have their names in the paper being related to the guy Portland took over His Airness. That is about the worst thing critics can say about Oden, cut him some slake he is 19.

Nobody should question Oden’s draft position or Blazers choice of him over Durant. No offense to Durant, but Portland made the right move. This move especially looks appropriate since Pritchard made it. Blazer fans forget since taking the helm Pritchard has changed the face of this one thug like franchise, most notably in the draft. Maybe people don’t quite realize what we have here. There are no wife beaters, players speeding back from a game in Seattle while smoking weed, no more gun charges, no more players in trouble for pet abuse, no more players being stopped in the airport trying to cover up their weed in tinfoil, no more fighting in practice, and more importantly no more players giving up at the end of games because they know they‘re getting paid either way.

The Jail Blazers are a thing of the past. Players like Oden, Roy, Webster, Aldridge, Fry and Jack are the new faces of this franchise. Not to mention we still have Blake, Pryzbilla, Rodriguez, Fernandez and Josh McRoberts. Yes Blazer fans there are a lot of question marks surrounding this cast. Most notably how good are they, or better yet how good can they be? However, one thing is for sure, they’re not the Jail Blazers anymore.

Finally Portland, don’t worry to much. There is no pressure this year, no expectations. If you think the people at SI. or ESPN really thought we were a contender for the eight spot, think again. They wanted to get as much publicity out of the Oden story as possible, they didn’t really think we were a playoff team.

Why do you think Portland is facing San Antonio first? Duncan the living blueprint of a perfect power forward facing the next projected David Robinson in Greg Oden, that’s why. Why do you think we have a national televised game on Christmas day against who other then Kevin Durant? When was the last time you saw the Trail Blazers play on Christmas day? Oh yeah, when we played the Lakers while there was still beef surrounding the two teams after how we folded to them in seven games. Nobody believed in Portland, they believed in making money off the next big thing. Do you think anyone cares about the Cleveland Cavaliers, no because they’re simply promoting LeBron James?

The plan stays to course if you ask me. Get better Oden because next year will be the push to get back to the playoffs. This year there will be no pressure, so once again with our backs against the wall we are going to have to earn the respect of the league and we will. The players should take note to all the negative criticism and give those teams who are supposedly better then us hell. All that having been said, my heart goes out to Oden, don’t apologize, we have your back, just take it easy and focus on getting better and for all those critics getting even! God Bless Greg and good luck.

10:24 PM  

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