A Deep Breath in August
posted: 8/13/2009 at 1:19 PM
I'm sure many of you are crossing the days off the calendar until the start of the new NBA season. When August rolls around, it's true, the news slows down, and for some it's the only time to actually get a break.
After the playoffs, the draft comes pretty quickly. Right on the heels of the draft is the free agent signing period and summer league. That leads us up to where we are now. It's the small lull between the flurry of free-agent news, and the start of training camp.
For the coaches, and front-office staff, if there is a time to take a vacation, it's right now. For the veteran players the time to get away is usually right after the season, and they've already begun the process of ramping up to training camp. None of the NBA players I know actually sit still for very long, and most never really let themselves fall out of shape. So, the process of getting ready for the full-court runs in September isn't really a big adjustment.
What this period leaves is a chance to obsess on whatever news we have. As of late the talk has been about the schedule. Like I do every year, I continue to pour over every home stand and every road trip, looking for advantages and disadvantages. I also search for key dates in the season, and how they will effect my personal life. When you travel with a team, and have a family, the day the schedule comes out is basically like having a day planner immediately filled for seven months of your year.
I look to see if I'll be home for the holidays, for school programs, for birthdays, and for anniversaries. We're gone for Halloween, gone for my daughter's birthday, home for my wife's birthday, gone on our anniversary, gone for my son's school Christmas program, and even though we'll be working on Christmas, at least it's a home game. This is not to complain about any of this, as many people sacrifice stuff like this for work, I'm just explaining where my thoughts immediately turn when the schedule comes out.
After all of the personal stuff is checked, I dive into the games, the trips, the huge home games, and start cross checking our schedule with that of our opponents, looking for opportunities.
As I've already stated, at first glance this schedule appears to be easier than last year's. But, as I've gone deeper into it, I'm not sure that's the case. Catching teams on the second of a back to back 27 times was a key for the Blazers last season. They'll only get that opportunity 14 times this coming season.
I also usually look at the opponents we get at home, to see where we fall on their road-trip schedule. It makes a big difference whether you catch an Eastern Conference team at the start or end of a trip.
One other thing that stands out to me about this schedule is the fact that the league has obviously tried to help teams with their travel budgets. That means, simply, fewer nights in hotels by scheduling shorter road trips.
During just the regular season last year, we spent 56 nights in hotels. This season, we'll spend just 47 nights in strange beds (I'm married, so save the obvious jokes). Nine fewer nights in hotels probably doesn't seem like a lot, but when you add it up, it is. Again, this is just considering the regular season, and not the playoffs.
Of course, our geographical location means we travel more miles than any other NBA team. A whole lot more, in most cases. Our closest NW Division opponent is in Utah. Minnesota, and Oklahoma City aren't short trips, and they are in our division. I think there's an argument for realignment at some point, but that's probably not going to happen. After all, most of the schedule makers probably need a map and a good 10 minutes to find where Portland sits- not that they'd take the time anyway. We're not that important.
We'll continue to watch the LaMarcus Aldridge situation closely, as he's certainly the next, and perhaps final big item on the "to do" list, at least for now. I wasn't worried about the Roy extension, and I'm not worried about getting LaMarcus done.
I was out of town over the weekend, and had a chance to think back to the Roy press conference last week. Any bad PR that came from not getting him immediately extended was completely put to bed, not by the Blazers, but by Roy himself. How amazing was that? Brandon could have gone in a different direction, but he put the entire situation on himself.
He viewed the entire experience as a positive, and talked about how it changed him, and how he matured because of it.
"Before I talked to (UW coach Lorenzo Romar) I was discouraged," Roy said. "Once I talked to him, I realized ... I had to mature a little bit and say, 'Hey, I can't take everything so personally. The organization is trying. My agent is trying.' The biggest thing for me is I've never been in a situation where I had to worry about myself. I've always been more worried about ... how's this team improving or how can I help people? I've never been a Me guy. So I was a little frustrated because I didn't want people to think I was being selfish or that I was holding out for myself. And that's why I wanted it to end faster than it did. I was handling things like a teenager; taking everything personal and every day personal. (Romar) said to relax."
I'm not trying to make way too much of a press conference exchange, but that says so much about who Brandon is as a person. That's a leader, and that's a man stepping up. That's also money well spent.
As Roy went on and on, and continued to impress with his honest, thoughtful dialogue, I kept thinking to myself, "this was a prop 48 guy in college?" Not to get off on an entirely different subject, but if this is the case, something is seriously wrong with that system. I know many people, a lot smarter than me, have argued that point.
Lastly, I appreciate all of your comments and debates during the time between blog postings. I read everything, and enjoy the conversation. I've been posting less frequently, just to try and get some time away here during the calm before the storm, but that'll change soon.
RSS FEED
Good to hear from you Mike. We had a nice pod cast to listen to earlier today from Casey and the guys, so today has already been a "full" day by August standards. :-) It must be hard to be away from family during the season, so props to you and the broadcast team for the sacrifice. About the schedule, I think the the guys were also saying that with some teams' improvement (LAC, OKC), some of the games that we might have gotten last year, might not be as easy (though, those two in particular weren't easy last year anyways. That's not my area, so I'll leave that to you guys to analyze, but I do hope we take care of those teams and keep up the standard that we developed last year and hope that the wear and tear of the road trips are also dealth with in the best possible manner by the guys on both as a team and individual basis. I'm leaving the country next week as I study abroad, but hope to read your and Casey's stuff during down time (i.e. weekends.Enjoy the rest of your summer. Peace.
Hey Mike. Nice mellow August blog. I think one thing to remember about the schedule is that we are supposed to be better prepared for all of it this year. This year we shouldn't NEED all those back to back games to post wins. We just take care of our business at home, deal with those shorter road trips, and play like the pros we're becoming. Great teams don't need crutches to win. Sure, a good schedule makes a difference, but a tough schedule gives great teams an opportunity to prove their greatness in new ways. And it gives young teams the chance to show off those young legs. So if you have the best of both worlds - youth and talent - you just say "BRING IT ON." The excitement and anticipation are almost too much - and I'm 65 years old. Keep up your great work and rest up for a busy winter. Thanks.
Mike,
I'm glad not everybody can point to Portland on a map. We've quietly got the coolest city in the United States, and it's not too crowded. Folks can keep their exaggerated beliefs that it rains all year and everybody's mopey, so long as they keep them somewhere else.
If the world knew how beautiful Portland is we'd have a population rivaling Calcutta: swarming masses of humanity spilling over each other for the chance to inhale our clean air, to guzzle our pure water, to ogle our hipsters, to root for our champions. With every step they would trample the fertile earth to a smooth rut, and in their lust to understand the mysteries of our culture, they would destroy it.
So guess what everybody; it does rain all the time! That's right, those rumors you heard were true. We're all a load of drenched losers that just couldn't afford to move to California. Yup, pretty sad existence over here. Oh, and our only professional sports team is a joke. That's right, the Jail Blazers; pretty funny, eh? Yeah... Oh, they just whupped your team's butt on national television? Huh, weird... Must have been a fluke.
This tactic can only work for so long. Word will get out. Rent will go up. Space will run out. The crush of humanity will come... Better get a job in the tourism industry! I can see it now: Fivehundreddogs Hotel and Casino, the official nightspot of the Portland Trail Blazers! Blaze a trail to bankruptcy at our vintage craps tables, then drown your sorrows at The Dog House Saloon!
Ah, the bright, shining, neon, soulless future. May the day never come...
Go Blazers.
MB.................Appreciate the sacrifice with your family to bring us sports.I would much rather watch you and "The Wild One" do a game than any national station.I like that homey feeling. Must be wild on the road with Rice.Thanx for helping keep occupied during the summer because I think baseball is boring.Every time I watch a game I fall asleep. I watch the highlights on Sports Center and thats good enough 4 me. Broy continues to amaze me.I am so proud to have a person who is so humble and so selfless on our team.It just gives me the warm fuzzies.Bet you never thought a callous s.o.b like me would say such a thing.It just seems whenever you think we have seen all of BRoy's sides and he comes up with another one. Ever evolving,honest, pure of heart,and an incredible talent to boot.We coudn't ask for a better role model or leader I can't think of anyone more deserving to wear a championship ring.Hope we can get him one ,soon. BLAZERSROCK
HG...........you going to any games this year? I'm going to hopefully make it to my first .I'm in Eugene,so it's a long trek.But worthwhile,for sure.
I really wish we signed Roy faster, but I have no idea how these things work, so I am really happy that it did get done! I think Brandon has proven to be a valuable leader.
LaMarcus on the other hand, seems to have proven that he is soft around the rim, a soft rebounder, a soft defender, and he always goes away from the rim when making his moves! I hope he can become way more tenacious like he did the last month of the regular season, but if he doesn't, a huge contract is gonna hurt us real bad once again! I'm glad they are taking their time with him and hopefully they make the right decision.
Thanks for the insiders view of the schedule. I can't wait to watch the games this year! Especially to see Andre with the team and to see what Greg will do with a year under his belt from a major surgery!
fivehundreddogsnegativenancy, uh... it does rain here all the time! It is August and it was raining yesterday and today! I am glad you like dreadful and dreary weather 10-11 months out of the year so you can enjoy some quirkiness and high unemployment rates. You like it so much that you show how selfish and smug you are to go along with your fear of people and technology? Some of what you fear is called progress, while some is wantonly irresponsible behaviour. How are people to learn though, from elders such as yourself, when you hoard all this knowledge and don't show them how to live the exact same way you want everybody to live? ;)
Sorry, I am being mopey because this weather is lulling me into being a drenched loser!
I think Portland is ok, I think it would be a great place if the weather was better, and you didn't have the news telling you that every time it rains in the summer it's a good thing or that 2 weeks without rain is a severe drought! Of course this is my opinion. I am thinking of moving to Eastern Oregon or somewhere the sun shines more. I need more sun than this!! But wherever I go I will always root for the Blazers!! Unless they start Steve Blake this year... lol
Tom L,
Don't hurt yourself, champ.
Go Blazers.
Not that we really need updates during August, but during september we'd all like to see some scrimmage video of training camp, and to hear how Miller fits in out on the court.
Mike: as usual your post is more then welcome in slow times of the BB world.
Not only is the BB news short, but almost all the scenario’s has been discussed, all the speculation has been talked about on all the blogs concerning the Trailblazers. Therefore it is a dead time for us posters on your blog too.
I too listened to center court podcast today as they also took a brief vacation. Everybody came back all at once.
It is important for the players to get their time off too. Not only to get prepared once more for the long haul of next years games, but also to unlearn bad habits from last year. It is just as hard to overcome bad habits or rituals as it is to develop new good habits. LMA has a bad habit of getting frustrated taking it to the rim and getting fouled that he retreats to his bread and butter shot.
BRoy says he has a bad habit of always going left and staying away from his midrange game. Now he has to practice making it a habit to go right and do more mid range shooting so he is not so predictable. Not that they could stop him anyway, but if he is more versatile and also start running the wing when Dre pushes it up the floor will be another good habit to create.
James:
I have to agree with your assessment of bring them on and let the games began. Gives you Goosebumps to realize we are a great team and can look any other team in the eye and say give us your best shot.
Downtownbennie, My only game and getting to meet MGB will be very exciting for me and I really am looking forward to it.
Mike: I read on OR-live that Batuum had a shoulder problem due to the injury he had in a game last year. Do you have any scoop on that? Could you bring it up in the courtside show Monday? Also, Martell's release time from the DR is about now, How is he doing?
Your time is appreciated,
We all thank you
hg
fivehundreddogs,
Sure.
Hey MB: nice to hear your thoughts. YES - Lamarcus next, BUT a trade will be made before season starts (JMHO) - this is my proposal. Pryz/Outlaw for David Lee. I have been mulling this trade over for a few months now. I luv Pryz, BUT David Lee brings a double/double EVERY nite. Can you imagine him w/the 2nd team? Go Blazers
Thanks God you posted MB...
I was getting bored here, and getting worried about you, kinda "did he died, he got kidnapped"?
lol, kidding...
But, nice post again.
August is really really boring, no news anywhere, nothing cool.
I'm not worried about LA too.
And I think this schedule is a lil bit better than last year's, I'm aiming for 58+ victories.
We have a lot of consistent guys, security guys in Broy, Rudy, LA, Joel, AM, Blake and Batum.
And we have some guys that can rock everything out like Broy and Rudy (again), Outlaw, Oden, Webster.
And even with great Lakers, Nuggets, Mavs and Spurs getting pumped...Our team has a great mix and chemestry, in every and each point we need.
Playoffs? off course.
I'm hoping for at least conference finals.
GO BLAZERS!
And by the way...
Nice effort, being away from home so many times and etc.
I know it was not a complain, it's just reality
But i would trade everything to live in USA and travel with Blazers *-*
Mike,
I almost hate to do this, but you are a guy who makes his living with words. Using the right word is important.
You didn't "pour over" the schedule. At least I hope you didn't. What you did was "pore over" the schedule. As a verb, "pore" means "examine closely", and is almost always used with "over" or "through". "Pour" refers to transferring a liquid out of a container.
Thanks for the blog. I check in here every weekday and enjoy reading your perspective on the Blazers and the NBA.
Rob Allen: MB makes his living speaking his words, as in on television, not writing them. The word "pore" sounds the same as "pour" if spoken aloud. The next time you spot a critical error such as this try climbing onto your roof, and just when you think you can't go higher, climb the chimney to (oops, I meant "too"), then proceed to jump off. For Gods sake man, read between the lines, I could make a career out of correcting people on this blog!
Tom L: Fivehundreddogs is a relatively young man. If it's years of wit you are seeking try HG. Fivehundreddogs is a poetic soul whos writing requires a certain refined taste in order to appreciate. Since this obviously does not apply to you, I've written a little somethin, somethin that may appeal to your more basic palette.
"There once was a man named Tommy,
who cried all day for his mommy;
with a forked tongue he'll quip,
Yes, he shoots from the hip;
His words stink like a stick of salami."
phi slamma:
I will take your lines about my line of wit as a compliment.
To grasps true knowledge you must experience life. To read from the book abut others experience is not true knowledge.
To grasp true wisdom you must acquire true knowledge. The same you can get artificial knowledge from a book but you can not feel the true Pease wisdom brings you.
As I am old I have true knowledge and true wisdom. I don't necessarily have the true facts that go along with that, therefore it is wise for me to read and listen.
hg
phi slamma again:
I didn't realize you say the words the same and pour and pore. I am really hard hearing and I thought it was just me that was hearing them the same. I thank you for the info.
I thought it was in bad taste to give grammar lessons on a post. As you said the posts are full of grammar errors including mine.
That was splendid of you to defend MB although he is use to it and has tough skin.
hg
MB,
Do you hear anything about comcast sportsnet getting to the dishes? I figure I got to ask at least once year, it sure would be nice.
Thanks Larry
Thanks, Mike, for your analysis of the schedule. One other thing about schedules can also be important and that is are there any bunched up games against one opponent?
Two seasons ago, if I recall correctly, we played Utah three times in a couple weeks and finished our season against them by January. We caught a break because we played them three times without an injured Carlos Boozer.
In a tight division and/or conference race for seeding, that kind of luck could make a huge difference.
Real Estate broker,GRI,ABR..............As much as I like Lee. Joel is our Maurice Lucas.The Enforcer. He is the one guy who knows what toughness is. I think Travis will develop and he is versatile,too. And he has his own unique skill set . We, also don't know yet about Martell.Plus that's addition by subtraction. I think I like the team as it is,IMO. Intriguing, though.
My thoughts on top 8 in the west - 1)Lackers unless Artest/Kobe/Oden/ have issues .2)Dallas-They're hungry for it .The Matrix will be a good fitt .They're deep.So, far......they have OUR number.that coulg change. But for now,they are ahead of us.3)Blazers -adding Dre, two Solid, smart rooks for backup. A healthy GO. And hopefully Martell. Even with their additions SA can't stay with our young legs and depth.4)SA -RJeff will help considerably.This team has had a lot of injuries,maybe due to age. But if healthy ,very dangerous.And Coach Popo can turn water into wine.5)Denver-They have indeed gotten worse and not better this summers as Travis stated. But they still have Chauncey ,Melo ,Nene,and Chauncey knows how to win.6)NO-Anytime you have Chris Paul you always have a chance,David West very underated,had an off year,this year.Great pick and pop combo.7)Utah should be able to hold on to the 7th spot.They just don't impress me at times. Deron Williams is a stud,though.We'll see what Milsap does as the starter.*8)GS- I think Stephon Curry is a big time High IQ player and can burnnnnnnnn down the twine.With Ellis penetrating,dishing to Curry, a scary combo, not to forget Steven Jackson.Bedrins does all the dirty work .Curry will thrive in Nellys system.Can you say Rookie Of The Year? Sure you can Any thoughts on my top 8 or your top 8? Throw it down,big fellah!
As I said in another post I'm happy Roy was extended, but I thought it was funny when he said he wish he could have signed for 10 years. If that was so why did he insist on a player option on the 5th year? Of course I'm just going by reports that the 5th year is a player option.
just to clear something up, i think that mb was meaning that he was pouring his beer whilst reviewing the schedule. easy to see how someone might get confused. this is an opportune time for me to pour a beer and look over that pesky schedule again myself.
i'll also propose a new guideline for the blog. how about if we only comment on grammar, spelling and proper usages when lkrs fans post to the blazers blog. it is hard to focus on proper english while breathing that crappy air down there. houston has the same problem, but we probably won't hear from them this season.
and while i'm on here, i'll do a top 8
1) blazers -sure i'm a homer, but i really do believe that our teamwork will win out over the other teams in the end. miller will exploit any and all matchup advantages we have & greg will start to show extended bursts of legitimate dominance. rudy, roy, lamarcus and the rest will enjoy the attention that oden commands & relish opportunities to make the opposition pay.
2) spurs -having antonio mcdyess and r-jeff will free the big three to do what they do, only this year it just barely won't be enough. they will face stiffer challenges than having to put amare in a late game pick and roll in order to succeed. a bruising and surprising conference semi-final against the lakers takes its toll.
3) lkrs -injuries to gasol, odom and kobe will slow their roll as things wear on. championship success is too much for a team that never sustained their focus to begin with. they start pilling up surprising loses to the league's other elite squads. artest is confounded. kobe struggles massively to answer the challenge.
4) mavs -the last great hurrah for a dirk nowitzki led team. getting stomped in the second round for the second straight year will be the beginning of the end. marion will help them to pose a solid challenge to the rest of the league.
5) jazz -they will surprise a few folks. improved health will drive them ahead of the nuggs & n.o. deron williams will put together a career year.
6) denver -age is too much for chauncey and k-mart to overcome. their season includes several injury induced slumps and george karl gets the boot at the end of the year. they won't sneak up on anyone this year and carmelo will implode.
7) n.o. -their peak is now two years behind them, and emeka is a horrible fit. chris paul will lobby for help that never arrives. a trade for boozer never quite comes together for them. the 7 seed is a testament to their tenacity.
8) phoenix -the suns run their way back into the playoffs, barely holding off the clippers and warriors. it may not make for great playoff basketball, but they sure are fun to watch as they build a decent record by beating the league's weaker teams.
There is news! Just check the European Championship games happening!! Nicolas Batum is proving to be a player that France can really count on! He was the second best scorer behind Parker last night.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2009/08/batum_shrugs_off_shoulder_pain.html
MB,
I got to watch Courtside for the first time last Monday, but I couldn't hear a lot of the Roy interview. I couldn't find it online any where, do you know if it is online?
Don,
You ask me a question a while back that I've been meaning to answer, but never got back to. You ask if Comcast carried CSCNW on it's basic package? No, they don't. They carry it on their digital starter package, but not their cheapest package.
Now from what I understand Comcast doesn't want other providers to do exactly what they are doing. They don't want someone to have to pay extra for it if they want it, they want everyone to have to pay extra which is why a national provider won't pick it up. Some local providers have because it makes more sense locally because a lot of their customers are going to be Blazers fans while nationally most are not going to be.
What's funny is the fight Comcast had over the NFL network was the same thing except the opposite. Comast wanted to carry it on a higher package, but the NFL network didn't want them to. They wanted them to carry it on the reg package like Directv does. So what Comcast wants other companies to do do with CSCNW they are not willing to do themselves with NFL network.
We are just in the middle of a fight betwen Comcast and satellite providers. They want to take customers away from satellite companies so they are making the price more than they'll pay. It's unfortunate for Blazers fans especially the ones that can't even get Comcast and now can't get the NBA package either.
So don't count on this changing unless the Blazers make Comcast change or go with a different provider. This isn't going to happen. The Blazers tactic seems to be that time will take care of it. Eventually people will quick complaining.
Hi,
sorry my comment has nothing to do with the article. It's about Nic Batum, do you think he's going to be able to get back with the national team and why does nba staffs
1/not trust our national medical staff??
2/ would they act like that if one of the guys was selected by team USA?
Many people here find it a bit disrespctful... what do you think about it?
Cheers,
Lydie
Lydie,
The Blazers have a lot invested in Batum so I think it's quite natural that they would want to check him out for themselves. How much does the National team care about his play with the NBA? Some resent players that play with the NBA. Also some NBA teams, the Mavs owner comes to mind, don't even want players to play for their national team. I disagree with that, but if a player is injured I see nothing wrong with their NBA team checking him out. After all they are the one paying him. Just makes common sense.
dion ice:
IMO, it has nothing to do with trusting other Dr. the Trailblazers has lots of plans and money invested in Batman. If he has any complications at all from the injury he had last fall it is their responsibility. With that in mind, I am sure he is ok, but we can't answer for the Blazer staff.
I would rather have him healthy and play for a long time then to play injured aa Nic is guilty of, and shorten his career.
He is very young, and I know playing for France and the championship is very important, but so is Nic's health
Cheers to you too
hg
Travis the poster:
I sure like you optimistic views.
I do believe we can be number one, just because we are going to get better then the Lakers. Therefore they can't use injuries as an excuse to loose to the low life Blazers. It will be a toss up between the Spurs and the Lakers for second. I say that because the Spurs do depend on lack of injury and old bodies buckling under the strain of the regular season. You sure can't count them out. Utah depends on going broke, Nuggets are going to be like the old jailblazers, can't keep their heads out of their behinds long enough to put two consecutive years together.
I just don't know about NOH, I thought they were our team just one year ahead. I hope what is happening to them isn't contagious.
I have to disagree with you with one of the 7th or 8th place teams. I think Houston will finish ahead of Phoenix because of their D. plus they played pretty good without their stars against the Lakers. Rockets will finish 7th and the fight between NOH and Phoenix for eighth
I worked in a sawmill all my life, so I never learned true English until I left that sawmill town called Kinzua. I only had about a 5 word vocabulary and none are repeatable. I can pour a rum and coke while I am poring over your post with the best of them.
Take care, I really enjoy your post.
hg
MGB;
I fit in the category that you were referring to. I have Dish Net work. Comcast blocks out the NBA package, even the back east games if the Blazers are playing on one. I would rather switch then fight, but I have nothing to switch to. It is a very perplexing situation.
hg
Hi, MGB -- Thanks for the Comcast info. It confirms what I've always thought about their marketing of the channel to other providers. What I can't understand now though is how the Blazer organization ever thought their customer base would all have access to the channel in a reasonable time period.
lydie,
the concern is not your doctors. the blazers are worried about the same thing as the spurs. manu playing injured for his national team probably cost them a chance at the nba title this year. if they had come into the playoffs as the #2 seed, they could have had a chance. the league was weak in '08-'09 and manu could have made a huge difference last year. to answer directly, yes, they would act like this if we were talking about the u.s. national team. brandon roy who is our top player has never played for our national team.
i do think that there is a difference in the u.s. about the level of regard for international competitions. u.s. players sit out at the slightest hint of injury. i think that u.s. players regard only the olympics as international competition worth sacrificing greatly for. eurobasket is important, but not as important as an nba title. eurobasket is not even as important as the world championships, wouldn't you agree? if nic has a small injury, he should rest since he is likely to play 100 games for the blazers this year counting pre-season and playoffs. that is a lot! he has a chance to be a great player in the best league in the world. there is no disrespect intended, but there is likely a difference in perspective on what the priorities are.
by the way, there are many blazers fans rooting for france and spain in this years eurobasket. i check the eurobasket website daily for news about batum, rudy, claver and to learn more about international competitions. as a fan of basketball i find the tournament very interesting.
please respond again with more on your perspective.
travis
hg............ I think Phoenix internally has been a bust for awhile. I don't think Amare will play happy,will probably be traded.They don't have a supporting cast,either You could be right about Houston. But,I dont think Ariza will give them what Artest gave them.
travis................first question.Since you are one of the demi-gods on this site.I must address the spurs part about Amare? Did I miss somethimg there? Secondly,Friends don't let friends drink and post!Phoenix has a supporting cast of Jason Richardson and Grant Hill,Sad,.I just don't see Phoenix having ENOUGH weapons,especially if Nash gets injured ,which happens frequently,with his back.
Mgb.......it is I the prolific one.The Broy interview was great .I was gushing about it in an earlier post.If you go to the Blazer site ,Punch in- Brandon Roy interview Courtside 7-10-09- into the"search blog" search engine,hit search.It will bring up a Courtside icon on the left for streaming video.Click on it,play the video You might need to install a streaming video catcher if you don't have one already on your PC.Its easy ,the site will help you. I use one called Juice. Hope that helps, its a interview you'll want to hear ,for sure. BLAZERSROCK
vinnie,
the point of referencing amare with regard to the spurs is that they will have tougher opponents lined-up before them than the run & fun phoenix suns. coach popovich enjoyed repeated success against phoenix in the playoffs by putting amare stoudemire in pick and roll situations. in 2007 the 3 seed spurs beat the 2 seed suns (the highest seed they faced and most games they would lose in a series that year), 4 games to 2 on their way to the title. in 2005 the 2 seed spurs crush the 1 seed suns (the year before amare's micro-fracture surgery), 4 games to 1 in the conference finals on their way to the title. if amare learned to defend the pick and roll on the angle that joel. lamarcus and greg employ, defending the hoop instead of biting too hard on chasing the guard, he might not be such a defensive catastrophe. our coaches made an adjustment during last season, and the results were dramatic. basketball 101, stay between your man and the hoop, even on a switch.
having said all that, if golden state can play cohesively they could be the 8 seed. phoenix lacks their perimeter defense of old (raja bell & shawn marion), so i do agree with you that their supporting cast might not get them there. golden state could get in front of them, and so could the clippers believe it or not. if the clips jump from 19 wins to the 45 or so they will need to catch the 8 seed, that will be something to watch. it is probably more likely that the clips run out of gas though. their coach is a nimrod, and the proud owner of one of the single worst coaching decisions EVER.
Hi again!!
I agree with facts that
1st, the Blazers have invested a lot of money and do have objectives, for that reason they must be concern about their players, though i doubted their interest in him when they tried to get Turkoglu coming...
I also agree with the fact that Nic's health is the most important but there are two things.
1st I do doubt that the world championship is more important.
To me it would be olympics, euro champ and then world. Trust me the european is way harder to win when teams can gather their best players... The tension around the European championship is just crazy!! Specially in Spain and France.
Look a guy like T. Parker has won 3NBA titles and hasn't led the national team to any Olympic games, nor european final. bdw he's not fully responsible of it but it just highlights the pressure weighting on winning that competiton.
Also, the Eurobasket haven't started yet, it's just a qualifying tournament as we did bad last time... but you should definitely check on the eurobasket next month!!
Well, you're right about the fact that US players do step out when they get injured, I didn't realize it and you're right about Manu but Manu had a very bad injury and the French staff has always been very responsible about those things.
Plus, I didn't blame Manu at the time cos you know, you're representing your country, it's like the highest you can do because they are the first ones who actually trusted the players thus investing in their training and it's just representing your family, friends...
You know, here guys are used to play in youth national team so it grows as an important personal objective.
And competitions are not every year so it's a long lasting pride.
One more thing, if you can, check the game Italy-France (August, 14th?). Bat'man is gaining a lot of minutes and confidence and if he can bring that to the blazers, you're gonna have a monster so I think national teams are good for young players, specially that they ARE young. They can handle it.
But, Anyway, now I understand why the organization called him back and as long as they do allow him to come back if there's nothing wrong then that's fair.
Thanks for your posts guys was nice to read!!
bdw where does batman nickname comes from? I think I gave it to him by telling one of his French teammates... lol
have a good one!
dion ice:
I call Batuum Batman because when he first started playing no one could pronounce his name and one of the posters used it once and it stuck for me. Plus when he is blocking a break-away dunk from opposing team's he is as graceful as our cartoon Batman.
I am for one that thinks this summer play is great for Batman only if he is healthy. If the injury needs time as in surgery or what, that would be for him and the Blazers to decide.
Remember it is Batman's decision to play for the NBA, and like T Parker the decision for him to come back wasn't his, it was the Spurs. I don't know if that is fair or not, but the NBA is a big business. There are many things that the big businesses of the world do that I feel are unfair.
I cannot argue with you on the importance of which championship is most important. I am just a Blazer fan so The Blazers are my number one priority. That is again Nic's choice. I am sure he would like his cake and eat it too. I would like to see that also.
Things will work out.
Hg
Travis:
When you were speculating the first time, when I had my gag order put on me, I asked you about The Clippers. This time I forgot about them. They could very easily become a play-off contender. They have had the teams many years over but can never get over the hump.
Like in the case of Andre and Cash they took the cash, same with Miles. Maybe even Brand.
hg
Travis............Thanx for the clarification on Amare.I get it now.I had thought about Clippers but ,it would be a big turn around for them.
Hey MB,
Thanks for the blog. As you well know, the love for the Blazers never grows stale or dormant in Portland, even in the quiet months of the off season. Apparently you too follow the team and have your thoughts...the sign of dedication and loyalty to a special franchise in this biz. We as fans appreciate the job you do...I can still hear your announcing from last season: "Brandon Roy has done it again!"...lol. What an awesome season!
Anyways amongst all this stagnancy I guess I'll comment on the Aldridge situation. I think we need to keep him here at all costs. I can['t say numbers wise what the man is worth. I will say that he has not reached his limit yet and he's put up around what...17-18 pts and 6-8 rebs the past couple years? About a block or two. That's pretty good for a third year player. And he compliments our man Brandon very well. There is a lot of good chemistry and friendship between them. I think that's important to factor in. I think they take pressure off one another and neither one is begging for the ball, they're will to share the burden of stardom for success in the W column(even though Brandon gets a lot of credit). But LA really doesn't need to be a 25 and 12 type of player for us to win. Fact is I was sold on him when he was playing behind Zach. I thought LA was practically better then or at least a lot more for to watch. Honestly who I see when I look at LA is one the best future power forwards in the league. Let's put potential aside for a sec...Who is better than LA in this league at the 4 spot right now? KG, Duncan, Gasol(maybe), Bosh(?), David West?(I'd say about equal), and I can't think of too many more. That's why I was upset about the Aldridge for Amare' deal. I don't even think Amare' is better than LA even at this point. Then when you factor in his growth, including his hard work in this off season...I'd say to our team's management that he's a keeper. We drafted him, we traded to get him...let's keep him here, he's part of our championship recipe. And as last note, it's clear that Coach McMillan likes his role players: guys like Outlaw, Fernandez, Blake and Przybilla, Batum..so in theory Brandon and LA will not be carrying the whole burden, so I guess we can't judge the situation on LA's numbers, awards or achievements etc... like those guys on Talkin' Ball were saying. But lastly I know I'm just a fan, and as a fan we are all luckier than holy heck to have a passionate owner like Mr. Allen and Pritchard for our manager...so I'll leave it up to the guys I put all my trust in.
On another note, since guys were talking about Batum. I hope he gets well with the shoulder. He's another guy I grew to like and I think the key to his success is consistency. It would be nice to see consistent numbers every game from him but I must say he and Rudy were an unbelievable amount of fun to watch and they had terrific rookie seasons. About Batum...assuming he and Outlaw are both here next year, even though they're both very similar players in a way(kind of), it would be real cool to see them playing together more. I mean Travis plays the 4 sometimes and Nic is defensive nightmare for some guys (that's where I see the Scottie Pippen comparison, on defense). I think they could tear it up against slower and less athletic teams that clog the paint. In some situations I think particular teams would have a tough time answering to a combination like that.
Anyways, that's all for now. Looking forward to the exhibition and to see who picks up the remaining roster spots.
PEACE, -jw
hey just to add to my long post above....
when talking about our role or 'other' players, I forgot to mention Oden. I like Oden a lot. And he's a big key to this team's success. Honestly what I see in him, maybe I'm crazy, but I see similarities to Hakeem Olajuwon. I think clearly he has the potential to dominate but also have more to his game than just doing the dirty work. As a matter of fact I think we should push to get Hakeem here to mentor Greg...a la Patrick Ewing to Dwight Howard in Orlando. Anyone else agree? I can see the benefit Patrick Ewing has had with Dwight, I think something like that would be great for Greg. I mean we gave up Clyde to Houston for Thorpe so their dynasty could reign, maybe Clyde can talk his buddy Hakeem to join our coaching staff and teach Greg some of those classic unstoppable post moves? Anyways just a thought... If he could harness all that talent...THEN we would be unstoppable!
fathom:
I don't know if I agree with you on Hakeem Olajuwon as a coach or not. Antonio Harvey said that many great players can't coach because they try to teach way obove their students head. He also said you don't have to be that big to be able to teach the foot work and the moves.
If Luke can make it back, in which I think he will, he will be in good hands. Luke was also great at his position. If Luke doesn’t make it back then, I believe Brian Grant will be his mentor.
Well that is just my opinion anyway.
hg
dion ice:
I just read the news that Batman is cleared to play and is back in France. I know many people in France thought it was a needless trip, but if i was paying a player that much money, I would want the peace of mind that he is ok.
I told you things would work out.
Speaking for me and most of the Blazer fan's and I think the Blazer staff, we are more then pleased that Batman is playing for France National Team, to get more experience and confidence. It sound like that is what is happening.
We all are on Nic side and have been rooting him on. If you read Barret's blogs often, go back and read the Travis the bloggers post. he gives us the links and updates on Batman.
All is well
Peace my friend.
hg
I just read what sounds like good news for Webster.
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090815/BLOGS05/908159989/-1/BLAZERBANTER
sounds like he is good to go.
hg
hg,
Thanks for the comment.
I already knew about the clearance when i posted my 2nd msg, i just wanted to reply because some of the arguments you guys offered were interesting.
By the way, i do check on Mike Barrett's blog... and I think what the team has been doing lately is very interesting (playoffs, Andre Miller) and I'm looking forward to see how far you're gonna go next year. I still have a doubt about how the coach is going to deal with so many good players but well, that is a good dilemma!
Then, I wasn't criticizing the business side of it but more highlighting a cultural difference as, in the US, kids grow up with the NBA dream while here in Europe they do dream of it but they also dream about the national team. That is maybe because in Europe sports like soccer where the biggest competition is the world championship give them the feeling that representing a country is much more important.
I mean in the US, you've got amazing leagues like the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL but those are mainly American sports. Hockey is maybe the only one that counts internationally with basketball probably.
And that's why the french staff has been working very hard on commuication with NBA teams.
Remember before the Olympics 'redemption' the debate in the US was about wether team US should gather the best players to win again. The difference is, you've got much more high class players than we do so if we miss one, it jeopardizes our chances to win a competition, to qualify for the olympics and so on.
To conclude I was just worried at the time that the blazers wouldn't care about team france's concern and try to prevent Nic from playing in order to get him ready for the season, whilst he has looked good on the floor and been very important for the nat. team...
As a comparison you can see the Bulls that have called Noah back whilst he wasn't injured, just to get him doing some weight and stuff like that, while he could have gained experience playing with the national team. But anyway, like you said, it's a business decision and it is not necessarily good nor fair...
hg:
More or less, in a nutshell I meant to say it would be nice if he had an NBA great (such as Hakeem, 2x NBA Champ, Back to Back) that played the same position that could teach him how to punish other teams with all that talent he has. I think Greg has a lot of skill. Yeah everyone want the monster dunks posterizing someone but I just think basketball skill wise he's better than a few very dominant & big name current centers when they were rookies (I won't name names) . Some of his stuff has natural knack I would say. And not to discredit Maurice Lucas...unfortunately the championship was before I was born but I've seen the footage of he and Walton and Co. and what I've seen of Lucas was most definitely All-Star caliber and 100% Trailblazer basketball, and his element of toughness was unrivaled...IDK??? it's just I have really seen Howard's game improve in Orlando with Pat Ewing (free throws, post moves, hook shot, on the boards) and I think it would help Greg with a similar scenario here but who knows? Maybe he's gonna come out after this off season and shock the world with a much improved and maybe a little more relaxed (like I KNOW I'm gonna get mine) kinda game!? With his laid back demeanor at least till' Playoff time :) But yeah Lucas is great and I love Brian Grant too, DEFINITELY one of my all time favorite Trailblazers especially in 98'-99' with Jackson and the Wizard, Greg Anthony etc...and Harvey's probably right but, IDK, I know I am dreamer but it just woulda been pretty cool alright? The Dream and GO...jk...peace
and also I pray that Lucas is coming back and healthy too...
Also in response to my crazy ideas...
in NO way do I want Greg to try to become a clone of anyone...not Shaq, Hakeem, Ewing, Mourning,...well maybe David Robinson...JK. No I just want him to be Greg and play his own style cause he's awesome...
fathom:
I understood what you meant. I agree with you on Hakeem Olajuwon. He is great.
I was pointing out that he may not be coach material or just plain don't want to. Antonio Harvey at the same time said there was no better pg then magic Johnson but he couldn't coach a bit because he has so much more BBIQ then his students and he didn't know how to communicate with them.
If we could get Hakeem to coach Greg I would be all for it. but if he was interested in doing any coaching I am sure he would have already been coaching.
Greg is still in good hands, and our shooting coach did wonders for Joel's free throws so we are covered there also.
The coaching staff did wonders for ZBO so I am confident that they could do much better with Greg.
Your idea is great, just getting it done may be the problem
hg
All the talk about getting a coach for GO is interesting .I think that Bayno is helping GO a lot this summer.People forget that Bayno has helped a few before GO. I agree with fathom that I don't want a clone of anyone .GO has already showed improvement this summer. GO is coming into his own.In theory it is a good idea but I think its too soon to add a new coach,especially one with no coaching experience. Last Courtside tonight till sept .
Forgive me, Blazerfans, while I wax nastagic for a moment......
I remember back to when I was five years old. It was Portland's inaugural season in the NBA (those of you with a working abacus feel free to figure out my age now), and my Dad took me to my first game. Memorial Coliseum seemed immense to me though it is considerably smaller than the Blazer's current digs. It sat a quaint 12,666, although I doubt we were anywhere near capacity that night. I have no idea who the opponent was, I didn't really care, I was just thrilled to be there with my hotdog and coke, secretly hoping and expecting I was somehow going to be on T.V. So much so that I wandered the concourse trailing my father at halftime with my two-fingered peace sign proudly displayed. At least I did up until the point that my Dad asked me what I was doing, and upon hearing my response he explained to me that it wasn't going to happen. It bummed me out a bit. Not nearly as much as it did after my coke had worked its way through my system and we were forced to use the bathroom. It was the first time I ever peed into a trough. That was so cool.
As I stated before, I don't know who Portland played that night, but I do know that the Blazers won. My Dad was happy and went on and on about how glad he was that the city had gotten pro basketball and about which game we would go to next.
Now, four decades have passed and I can't remember for sure if we made to another game that year or not, but there is one thing I do know, that is the day Blazermania infected me, and there is nothing that a trip to the free clinic and a boatload of penicillin can do about it.
I have ended each and every one of my posts to this blog with Bill Schoneley's moniker, "RipCity". You see, I am old school, and in the midst of this upcoming 40th anniversary season, I am finding myself thinking about how this franchise and I both got here. We were both born during that first season, but we were raised and nurtured by Schonz. I am thrilled that the Blazers will be playing in the Glass Palace this season and am even more proud that this most recent management has honored Schonley with an alternative "RipCity" uniform. I will be at the MC with my kids, with our headbands and jerseys on. We'll have our dogs and cokes and beers and I will be hoping that my kids find something in their lives that gives them the same kind of joy that this team has given me.
RIPCITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think some of you bloggers on here are setting yourself up for major disappointment putting the Blazers to finish first in the west. Trust me, as a lifetime Blazers fan I hate the Lakers, but they're still the team to beat and Artest made them better. Personally I don't feel the Blazers have made any major improvements over last season. Last years team didn't have a solid backup point guard to Steve Blake who by the way, ran the point guard spot brilliantly. With Miller, we've now got that position nicely filled, but automatic more wins? That's a stretch.
Count on Duncan, Nowitski, Carmello, CP3, Devon Williams, all to be in position to make a case for 2nd, 3rd, 4th even 5th place-ahead of Blazers. And in this you won't feel let down at seasons end and rather find that any spot higher than 6th is another great season.
By the way. Phoenix will be nowhere near the playoffs. They were all very ecstatic over the acquisition of Channing Frye as if he is their savior-who also in my opinion is/was a better option to backup Aldridge than 2 rookies. Blazers kinda got weaker there.
perrynoid1:
You are probably right about 1st place. But I have to disagree with you on impovement. The team we had last year without adding will improve by leaps and bounds this year because they are going up and got some experience.
hg
Perrynoid..............dont be a buzz kill on our lofty goals!Ha. Let me break it down 4 u.First of all,I,personally never said they would be the first team in the west.I do agree that the Lackers are the team to beat.I think that Artest could either help or hurt LA. Depends on which Artest shows up,In your jersey Artest or pouty Artest.Ariza fit better from a chemistry perspective.We still have to beat Dallas and they are much improved. I do think Dre is a major upgrade. Travis backed up LA more than Frye. I think DC and Pendergraph will give them 12 fouls. Both are smart and DC has played against bigger players at Villa. as that team was relatively undersized.SA could give us a run ,but we have younger legs and are deeper .DERON Williams and CP3 don't have the supporting cast.Denver has some parts but I think now we can matchup better with them.Plus we are adding A healthy Bayno-rized GO and if we get anything from Martell that will be a bonus,too. OUR depth is a huge weapon during the long season.Nobody has 10 players as good as we do or as versatile.I would say third at least,second if we learn how to beat Dallas.
I have heard that Anagrams never lie. Well if that is the case i have one for the NBA finals next season
"Brandon Roy=Ran By Rondo" 'nuff said
From your friends who always come see you after Utah Jazz Games, and now Phoenix Suns games
Danny and Lindsay in Phoenix
it isn't out of the realm of possibility that the blazers rise to the challenge. being disappointed is not what i am worried about. at the beginning of last season someone on here cautioned me about my optimism and then stated that the jazz would finish the season 15 games ahead of the blazers...
frye is a great fit for the suns by the way. watching channing play for phoenix should be fun. with amare, lopez & amundson they will have bigs that run. if they put together a defensive concept that is complementary to their running offense, they have a reasonable shot at the post-season.
Travis............are you drinkin and postin again?Now you used Phoenix and Defense in the same sentence. WTH!
hg.............its good to see you back in action.( Gary who ?)So,do you think OKC will challenge any body for a playoff spot?AND who's your top eight?
i said it. they'll have to mix in quite a bit of zone defense. amare will probably play center a lot, especially at the end of games when they try to run other teams out of the building.
travis..............ok, just checking.
Theres a Blazers preview for the upcoming season.Its on RotoEvil.com. It's pretty interesting.Also part2 of a great piece on Joel on BlazersEdge. I really identify with Joel immensely.Except for the whole millions of dollars thing............ So, check em out they're both worth reading.
Great Blog Mike. While this is a downtime for some of you guys my band "Abandon Stage" just auditioned for the Blazers MVP project at the Crystal Ballroom (Lolas Room) last Monday. If anyone wants to hear our demo version of the Blazers theme song go to www.myspace.com/thestageisback
Hey Mike, got any pull in this situation...haha. Go Blazers!
Great Blog Mike. While you guys get a little time to breath my band "Abandon Stage" just auditioned for the Blazers MVP Project at the Crystal Ballroom (Lola's Room) last monday. If anyone would like to hear our version of the Trailblazers theme song go to www.myspace.com/thestageisback
Hey Mike, got any pull in this situation....haha
James................I always like to support my fellow musicians,would love to hear your tune but the link is giving me nothing.I even went to MySpace and couldn't find it.I copied it straight to the browser,did you perhaps miswrite it?Try again,I'd like to check it out.
Hey Mike, while it's slow why don't you see if there is anything anyone can do about getting more games for us fans to watch. Comcast has turned out to be a real drag as it is non-existent on satellite and I live too far away to get it on cable. It's a shame but I find I am becoming a fan of the teams I CAN watch, and not the Blazers whom I love, but can never see.
DowntownVinnie:
I copied his link and got the site ok, It must have been your browser.
hg
Hey Guys,
The link to the site should work. It is. Www.myspace.com/thestageisback
If that don't work then go to my space and search for "Abandon Stage" (From Gresham, Or) that is our band name. I truly appreciate the support from my fellow musicians and Blazer fans! Let me know what ya think. Keep in mind we recorded it in a warehouse in about 2 hours. Thanks guys. Rock on, james
James........My Yahoo browser wasnt havin it.I switched it to Google and it worked fine.Thanx,hg.It had a crisp sound to it.It was nice..Any kind of contest is great exposure for your band. We had a band in the 90's ,it was fun.No time for such now.Now Ijust do studio stuff.Good luck.It was tight enough to win.
Thanks Vinnie, I appreciate the nice words. By the way I dig the new Uniforms!
Although a little belated, I have to begrudgingly admit that MGB made a valid observation about Brandon Roys' new contract. He noted that Brandon stated that he wished that he could have signed for 10 years, yet he insisted on a player option for the final year. Just doesn't add up. All is right with the universe, our $80 million dollar man is worth every penny. Afterall, we're not actually the ones that are paying for it. And don't give me that it's included in the ticket prices b.s. either. If your $8 beer is paying Brandons' salary then you've got a serious drinking problem. I have seen family circle like buzzards when money is involved. When my stepdad succumbed to cancer a while back, his brother chimed in and proclaimed that money was no object when it came to family and the finest funeral money could buy was in order; his fist pounding the point home. But when it was discovered that the estate wasn't footing the bill, my stepfather was promptly cremated as the least costly alternative. What does this have to do with basketball? Probably nothing, I just get on a tangent sometimes. I hold no ill-will towards Brandon for getting what he could, but just what exactly were the blazers holding out for? If this is an example of their negotiating skills, then I can forsee the Rose Garden being sold to some Japanese firm in a few years wanting to convert it into the worlds' largest karaoke club."Lovin' you... is easy cause you're beautiful.."
we need to hear from you mike! its tough not having blazer news. But i know this is the only real time off with your family, and i hope that is going great. We miss ya though mike!!! hopefully hear from you soon
They signed DC .When we picked him in the draft,I went WHO? After seeing him in summer league, I changed my mind.He has all the intangibles to be able to play in this league.He,ll help the Blazers this year,too.I know,I know ,I'm swooning again,but I just like Dante,he's definitely Nate Material.Dantes inferno,baby.It,s either drive you guys crazy or drive my wife crazy while she goes,"Who in the hell is Dante Cunningham ?" She says if I keep it up ,I,ll have to go live in my friends basement in Portland. I like players that hustle and are smart,athleticism is just a bonus.Thats why I like Joel so much.Anybody check out that article on Joel? Man,it is so quiet this summer,I'm even missing phi slammas posts.By the way phi,thanks again for the tip on Magnesium oil,we are going to get some this weekend. BLAZERSROCK
I am so happy that Dante got signed. This should spell the end of our dependence on Outlaw. With reliable options at the 3 and 4, we can use Outlaw more sparingly, and in the process spare ourselves the anguish of watching his man drop an easy one when Travis has his back turned.
I have always said that Outlaw is best when he's either expanding the lead, or saving the bacon. He is not a pillar. More minutes does not equal better play with this guy. He leaps off the bench, does damage, then gets lazy. He's a spark, not a bonfire. We are now in a position to finally use him that way.
Last season, we were in a pinch at the SF. When Martell went down, we only had Batum and Outlaw. This season, we're stacked at every spot. If Martell goes down, there are a slew of quality players champing at the bit to take his place: same goes for LMA, Blake, Roy and Oden. Remember last season when LMA got that concussion the day before our game in Cleveland? Who did we have to turn to? The Fryer. This season, we can look to Dante and Jeff(no, I'm not convinced Outlaw can play PF), two guys that will go for the ball at all costs; especially Dante.
Right now I'm picturing a 2nd unit of Dre, Rudy, Nic, Dante, and Oden to start the season. A lot of folks have been yammering on about how Dre's going to start over Blake, but I don't think so. By starting Dre, you're putting his only weakness on display. He doesn't shoot the 3 well, people. We need that threat to stretch the defense. By starting Martell and Steve, we have two three point threats and plenty of power down low with LMA and Joel. Then, of course, there's BRoy. With Andre in the second unit, we still have two legitimate three point shooters in Rudy and Nic, Greg under the hoop, Dante prowling the mid range, and Dre cutting through it all.
I think the big problem here is that folks think that the best five players should be the starters. Personally, I think that the single best player should start, and the rest of the cast be tailored to them. In our case, Brandon Roy is obviously that guy, and we should be looking to populate the starting 5 with guys that compliment his game the best. Right now, I think those guys are Blake, Webster, LMA and Przybilla. The second unit should run the same way, with the best of them being Rudy by a mile. So just like Blake compliments Roy by stretching the defense, Miller will find Rudy at those perfect moments when the Spaniard shakes free at the perimeter, or cuts to the hoop. If you thought you saw some ally-oops last season, just you wait.
Go Blazers.
Phi slamma..........I had not read your post when I made my smartass remark..No disrespect meant ,my feisty brutha!You've been through the same kind of stuff I have been through in my life,Lost my mom at 56 ,my brother at 55. Tends to harden a man .It also forces me to laugh a lot,too. Laughing has probably saved my life .So feel free to rant.But, then again consider the source!
it is nice to read some of these articles on nic.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122592219444225200
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/02/01/weekly.countdown/
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10365
also, for those who may be bored, the treasure trove from last year. enjoy some highlights everyone! (300 clips including summer league)
http://www.nba.com/video/teams/blazers/
fivehundreddogs:
I got a new name origin; it would take at least fivehundreddogs to keep me from posting.
I have the same thoughts that you do, on the two units. In fact I more or less made that statement on Blazers Edge, but asked how BRoy and Andre could play together if we started like that. The answer was you don't have to sub two separate units all the time. You start one then sub the other unit, then change the parts. Therefore I am getting more satisfied with yours and my assessment of the two units.
As you said the role players play around Roy. I have an opinion that Batman may be a better starter right now then Webster only because he takes some of the defensive load off BRoy. Nevertheless, that second unit is going to be a mean scoring machine with mostly pushing the ball and running fast breaks, and Batman until Martell can prove himself to run would be the best at running. Also, Martell as far as we can asses from last year is the more pure 3 pt shooter of the two.
In short I agree with your opinion.
Great post
hg
Great
DowntownVinnie:
You once stated that I had to get the last word in. Therefore I feel comfortable in saying me thinks you let your alligator mouth override your crocodiles behind in regards to your last two statements to Phi Slamma.
hg
fivehundreddogs:
I think Outlaw, at the start of the season, has the back-up PF spot until Cunningham or Pendergraph takes it away from him. That depends on rebounding and D. It was said by many in an open court that Outlaw could be a star with Andre running the controls. As much bad that Outlaw does he can run, jump and dunk. other then his quick shots that is his bread and butter. I think it depends on the situation and the team we are playing as to who backs up LMA.
It is hard to trade for a backup PF because whoever we target will know the playing time is limited. This is just all IMO.
hg
hg..............did you not get my question about OKC and your top 8 or are do you thinking I'm baiting you or something. It's actually my evil little plan that I only post here to bait people into posting away their whole summer in retort to mindless rants about players who no one cares about like Pooh Jeter and things that no one cares about like the top 8..........................Curses,foiled,again.I hate when my evil plans go awry,damnit,back to the drawing board...............hee heee. BLAZERSSTILLROCK
Vinnie sweet Vinnie: The only way someone could ever hurt my feelings in cyberspace is if I let them. I do not empower people with such priviledges. As long as you state the truth or your opinion as you see it, then you will never have a problem with me. Infact, your initial correspondence with me was one of the harshest, below the belt commentaries I had ever seen written in print, before or since. Yet I realized at the time that you were responding out of anger. And at the risk of a Freudian deduction, anger is always a secondary emotion, not a primary one. I was having some fun (at your expense of course). Since then you've taken your own advice and realized that sometimes humor and venom really can coexist. My barbs are never intended to kill, only maim. Oh ya, Go Blazers.
Dr.Sigmund Slamma............Thank you so much for the psychoanalysis.Where should I send the check?.....
hg...........I am hardly worried about phi slamma .One:we have a healthy respect for each other.TWO:We have more in common than you might think.Three:Thats-Don't let your Alligator mouth overrule your Banny Rooster ass. Makes more sense that way.I came from where those kind of sayings were made,bud.FYI..............BLAZERSROCK
vinnie if you said anything worth commenting on i would chit chat but as for now you just type and never really say anything. you are getting closer to some real discussion but lack of fiber makes the topics you have choosen of no interest. think about it like this your a fisherman fishing in a lake you have never fished before. you throw random lures out trying to get bits. in your case any bits will do because you have never caught any fish at this lake. You found out if you throw negitive lures you seem to get more comments.
p.s. comcast is a joke
millertime.............was that your big burst for the week?There isn't much to talk about now .I only mirror the energyhere .So' if its boring here,I'll stir up some discussion. By the way,its known as sarcasm.Do I have to post a sign?I'm here to have fun.So throw out something good for discussion. I can sit back and learn from all the "big fish". The fact that you posted that much about me ,tells me you might have a hook to take out of your jaw tonight...................I HOPE that I don't have to post LOL every time I make a joke on this site. Thank you for your input.much appreciated.Let me know when I'm getting closer.
Hello again...
Congrats to Dante Cunningham. Anyone who hasn't already needs to check out his vids on youtube. Paste this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07eyQ-rnXvw
He seemed to be quite a favorite at Nova, to be honest I am surprised he went as high as he did. He's got some skill and looks pretty dangerous offensively and very good physically for the defensive end. I think he has a pretty complete package and with his 4 years college experience he should be able to contribute when his name is called. I like what the Blazers are doing.
Here in Portland, we are like always talking and blogging, it's crazy. I don't want to put unreasonable expectations or burdens on anyone's shoulders but with Brandon Roy at the leadership helm of this team, I see more clutch performances and less cracking under pressure. That being said, this has been a unique and great era for me as a fan. I can't really compare it to any other time since I've been a fan.
OK so I know I am just another crazy fan but I think the potential for a ring is there. I think most of the NBA doesn't think that Portland fans know anything about basketball (maybe sometimes rightly so), maybe that's partly why we don't get a lot of respect or attention. I don't like to complain either and sometimes no credit or attention is a good thing. But how can people overlook Rudy Fernandez and L. Aldridge. The media acted like LA had no business being considered for an All-Star spot. He's pretty darn close to David West I think. Fan votes aren't everything, I think he deserves more credit. And as for Rudy, I was at the Suns game where he got that lay-in and then got the steal on the inbounds pass and drained the 3, WOW!!! the RoseGarden went nuts and that was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in person.
Anyways...to silence my babbling, this team- the core and bench cannot be underestimated at any moment. IF we keep guys healthy and keep getting better, we got can do some serious damage . If we play with heart and infect ourselves with the love of the game that out leader Brandon has, a championship is a possibility. I am not being biased. I am not playing favorites. In the NBA, even as a fan, you have to be realistic, and their is lot of talent in the NBA...but as a realistic fan I think we may be an underdog but if we make good decisions and play the way we're we're capable of, we are right there.
It's Monday,Business is good,Sun is shining,I'm still ramblin about nothing for no apparent reason,I still have a soft spot in my heart for a hungry trolls,Life Goes on.............Oh and Travis,thanks for your positive contributions ,the great links on Nic and for keeping the site fresh ! We appreciate you. BLAZERSROCK
Man, is it me or is this freakin' month just draggin'. I am dying without my daily fix of Blazer news! Yikes!
MB,
Just a thought... Theres been so many blogs lately i dont get a chance to read them all at once! Is there a chance we might be able to have the posts numbered so it's more convenient to pick up where we left off??
Now about Dante our newest blazer.... I just got done watching the link fathom posed and it has me a little curios about his playing style! I was under the impression we were looking for a banger to come off the bench in place of LA not another perimeter shooter? He's got some skills and i seen some spectacular blocks but i didn't see him attacking the rim on offense as much as i would of liked! Those who know more about him maybe could fill me in? I like his D but is he just gonna be another shooter like Outlaw and LA? I feel we have enough guys like that on the team already!
Also… His highlights from all 4 summer league games are on you tube as well!
ya i had to let everybody know im still around. as far as dante he will be a small forward not a power he is not tall enough. mabey someday but not soon. he will pick up scraps from the 3 little 4 but thats it. seasons getting closer but i don't really have much to talk about till we get closer. sorry. comcasts blows go blazers!!!
fathom..............It is indeed a great time to be a fan.It has the same kind of excitement as when we won our first championship. Having gone through missed opportunities,such as choking with the lead with the Rasheed led Blazers against the Lackers,Jordan taking down the Blazers with his monster series and the shot with the famous shoulder shrug,the JailBlazers,and all of the frustrating seasons since,this is redemption time.I was lucky enough to be around for the first one.It would certainly be nice to see a second one to go with it. It's even sweeter for me as I am not afair-weather fan,so I've watched games that made me cringe.Not any more. Looking forward to a great season.
the only thing thats been on my mind is the outlaw thing. I have stated befor( about 3 months ago) that i like outlaw and i think he should stay. most people don't like his random shots and his lack of rebounding but if you remember broys game winner in houston you prob don't remember that outlaw had a double double with points and rebounds so we know he can do what we want him to do. I like him coming off the bench behind La. for won he brings in another scorer that comes right in with instant offence.with la playing 37 min a game that leave little room for playing time behind him. we would need somebody that comes in for a short time with a big punch. outlaw fits. he would also pick up 5-7 min at the 3 spliting min with batman and webster. I don't think we need a banger anymore because i believe La is going to come back bigger and badder then befor. lots of poeple call la soft and when asked about it he said he was going to show that he is not soft and become a tougher power forward. that was like half way through the season i think. If i was going to bet i would say he works on all his post moves but mosly power post moves to the rim. plus put on 10 20 pounds. late in the season their where games where he took the game over. one comes to mind when he hit eight shot in a row. he will be in the top three power forward next year. he is better then david west and has a higher ceiling then west(i don't like west he is over raided). after the season starts i will be able to explain better what i think is going to happen but for now i just give you my hypothesis. cumcast sucks go blazers!!!!!
Millertime:
Dave at Blazer Edge said that it is not necessary for the 4 to be a banger and deep player, it more then likely would bottle up Greg in the low post. That is why Outlaw gets less rebounds, he can't compete with Greg. That is why LMA is important on the high post which he is excellent at. along with Outlaw. We do need them to drive and dish but not all the things they had to do before we got an established Center.
Therefore I agree with you.
hg
I like Outlaw, but I don't think he should play a lot of mins at PF. No matter how LA plays we still need a backup PF to replace Frye's mins and some of Outlaw's mins at PF. Roy even said so at the end of the last season and I don't think that has change. Of course Cunningham might take those mins, he is undersize, but so was Barkley. Now I'm not saying he's a Barkley, but I think he can play limited mins at PF especially if Outlaw can. Our other rookie might help as well.
GO BLAZERS!!!
I believe the game where LA hit 8 consecutive shots was against OKC. As for him transforming into a beautiful rebounding butterfly, I see his game more as a beautiful jump-shooting caterpillar. Neither LA or Travis' game is about rebounding. Rebounding is about desire. Charles Barkley was called "The Round Mound of Rebound", not because he was taller than everybody else, but he wanted the ball more than the other guy. Greg Oden was often a starter and not even on the floor at the same time as Outlaw. To say Travis was a poor rebounder because of Greg is a stretch. It is dangerous to point to one game and say that it is typical of a player, such as a game where Outlaw got 10 rebounds. Jerryd Bayless had a terrific game against New Jersey and everyone (including me) crowned him the next best thing since white bread. Well, maybe a really light wheat.
Good to hear from you hg. with greg in the middle and zilla along with miller and roy who both have high rebounding numbers for a guard i would say the blazers are not going to have any problems out rebounding the opposing teams. we did a damn good job last year but i think oden is going to be better and is going to be a spider web this year catching everything that comes off the rim. so outlaw would not have to rebound that much just those loose balls from jump shots that are long rebounds or what they call a 50/50. thats where two players go after the ball and they both have a 50% chance of gettting it. I would rather see outlaw run the floor then try to be a elite rebounder. he also cause match up problems for every team in the league. comcast sucks go blazers!!
p.s. oh ya if outlaw does try to get more rebounds i would like them to be on the offencive end
hg here:
Hey I was just saying what was said on Blazers edge. The fans are getting worked up on Travis and LMA for not getting rebounds and getting down deep and it was stated that the fans were over reacting and Travis and LMA should be out for mid range jump shots or something of that effect.
hg
Travis is under more pressure than anyone on this team.It will be a year where he obviously has to step up big.Dc will be pushing for minutes.DC may be undersized,as is Trav,but he has nore desire IMO than Trav .As I said before,DC is used to matching up against bigger players at Villa.He also has a chiseled NBA body and is more physical than Travis. I also see Pendergraph,who is also a smart player helping out at PF. Nate has already said that he trusts them both. This is the same conversation we've been having all offseason.Questions about him being out of place, taking ill-advised off balance jump shots,whether he has the DESIRE to be agood rebounder.As we have discussed,he certainly has the athleticism.IMO,There is more pressure on Travis than anyone on the team this year.How he answers those questions will be a big part of how successful the Blazers are this year. Vegas odds are out for this coming year . Of course,1.)Lackers-2.25-to-1 2.)Clev-3-to-1 3.)Boston-4.5-to-1 ,other noteables -SA-15-to-1 ,Blazers-15-to-1.Sounds like a good time to place a bet. BLAZERSROCK
there is a big difference from collage to the nba so i don't think dc will push anybody around. we can check look at all the back up power forwards and we can make a list of power fowards we think he could push around or dominate in one shape or another or the other way around. after that we go with the starts. he has along way to go.
the way trav deals with power forwards is with is athleticism. If he learns how to dribble and go to the rim with bad intesions he would open up all kinds of doorways when he gets his 15-20 min a game. is there a power forward that can stop him on a regular? prob but 95% can't. talk more tomarow
the outlaw debate gets me going. his game gets me feeling so conflicted. his physical potential is phenomenal, but his instincts & practices are bewildering. the tweet where he mentioned that he'll be getting paid like out of this world befuddled me. isn't he already getting paid like out of this world? shouldn't he always show up to training camp in great shape and ready to play? on the other hand, (as i've mentioned many times before) he'll have a game like he did last season against lebron, where he gives us a shot to win a game against the cavs. he will make ridiculous shots to win games. in the end, i think that it boils down to defensive intensity and having a nose for loose balls. are these things that travis could have learned from 4 years in college? training camp will be interesting.
dante cunningham is going to be a rookie, but is only 2 & 1/2 years younger than outlaw. at 6'8" he is an inch shorter than travis, but outweighs him by 20 pounds. will those 20 pounds and refined basketball practices & discipline be the difference?
my guess is that dante is more of a coach nate type of player. his demeanor is more intense than laid back. so far dc seems to do things with measured intentionality and determination. cunningham to this point seems to be less of a physical phenom, and more of a blue-collar workman. it also appears that dc would provide an extra 20lbs of toughness to go alongside joel, greg and lamarcus. that may be what we're missing to make things just a touch easier on the rest of the blazer players.
MB,
Going through withdraws here! Waiting impatiently for your next blog post! Come on you are not allowed any time off! :)
Travis the poster:
Didn't the coaches say that Dante couldn't stay up with Martell and Travis at the three and we lacked the jumping ability and heigth to be a great 4. If his short jumper is as deadly as it was in summer league then offensively he is a treat even to LMA. But like Millertime said, playing the summer league and top NBA 3 and 4's are completely different.
I am like you can't wait for training camp.
Did you listen to the podcast on center court, with KP talking about Batuum. It is reported that Batuum even played pg when Parker needed the rest. He can create for himself, powerful dunks over giants; he can dribble, control the ball, good with pull up jumper, but don't know about his court vision. Anyway there is not much more you want from a 3.
Martell is supposed to be released for five on five the middle of Sept. That seems like the same story as the middle of Aug. With that I think Batuum becomes even more important.
Blazer Edge had a article on who will be here and who will be gone in three years. The big three was unanimous but with lots of thoughts on Batman making it the big four. There is a lot of great 3's in the NBA and it was said the reason Batuum is doing so good is because of the confidence he acquired guarding Kobe, The King, and others. I think it should be the big four, but that will take the willingness of the Blazers to come up with big bucks
back to Dante, I have great hopes for that kid, if he is a consistent short jump shooter and having the knack to get at the exact right spot at the right time, makes me believe that only good things can come from him.
I can't wait.
hg
Travis;
I forgot, it is almost certainly that Outlaw was joking when he said he would get paid out of this world. Blazers Edge calls it Mars Money.
hg
what i'd love to see from outlaw is for him to say that he'd really love to be a part of a championship in portland. defense, hustle plays and getting to loose balls have to take more of a priority. he does not have to be a vocal leader for the team, but should show everyone that he wants to take his place as a world class player. he has the ability. travis outlaw should be competing for a spot in usa basketball, and laying to rest any question as to whether he belongs on this team or any other. rudy and nic are out showing the same kind of hunger for greatness that brandon puts on full display at every turn. on the other hand, there is still the question of whether #25 can be a starter or give a consistently determined effort. we all want travis to rise to the challenges before him. i love watching him play, and realize that he can do things that few others in the world are capable of. the other elite teams in the league have stacked their rosters and we need everyone on ours to keep taking big steps forward. ron artest, richard jefferson, & shawn marion and a whole bunch of others are now standing in the way.
an article on greg...
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090827/SPORTS04/908270460/1062/SPORTS04/Oden+eager+to+prove+his+value+to+Blazers
Travis:
There is a video of Travis on OR-live. Practicing in the summer is a step forward.
hg
To clarify my earlier post.I never said DC would push PF's around,or that he would throw Tim Duncan aside like a rag doll.What I inferred was that even tho under sized,with his nose for the game,with his Physicality,he would ADAQUATELY defend The 4 if needed.He certainly isn't the kind of player that would let another player go in for a layup while he was out of place.Just because he was a college player last year ,I wouldn,t under estimate DC.He was a 4 year college player in agood system.All the coaches have had high praise for him and they know more than we do. I really like Trav but I just wonder where his head is at,sometimes. Just like I said Dre would start over Blake,IMO If Trav doesn't bring it every night ,DC will steal his minutes.We'll see soon enough .
To clarify my earlier post.I never said DC would push PF's around,or that he would throw Tim Duncan aside like a rag doll.What I inferred was that even tho under sized,with his nose for the game,with his Physicality,he would ADAQUATELY defend The 4 if needed.He certainly isn't the kind of player that would let another player go in for a layup while he was out of place.Just because he was a college player last year ,I wouldn,t under estimate DC.He was a 4 year college player in agood system.All the coaches have had high praise for him and they know more than we do. I really like Trav but I just wonder where his head is at,sometimes. Just like I said Dre would start over Blake,IMO If Trav doesn't bring it every night ,DC will steal his minutes.We'll see soon enough .
about travis not working out or practicing in the offseason that is false he has improve the last 3 years and is one of the first to be in the gym this year. tavis is also very young because he was drafted out of high school so he has 5-6 years before he will be in his prime. I like how people use that to down play him. hes been in the league 5 years and can't do this or that he should be a vet by now Ect. he sat on the bench for three years and rotted. After we gave him some hope for playing time and being part of a team he took it and showed he does belong on the floor with players like richard jefferson who basically is a clone of trav or the other way around. I would say batum gets the starting position and outlaw backs batman along with min at power forward. webster has along way to go still befor he gets a bunch of min. we need to work him in slow
and not force the issue again like the prevous year. ask grant hill about how injuries can mess up your better years.
millertime.......... I agree that Trav has spent a lot of pine time and he is still young,came straight out of high school.These have probablly hindered his development some.I watched Outlaws workout,His shot looks considerably smoother.It just looks like he's squaring up better. He also is working on going left a little more,it looks like.Hopefully he can develop as a student of the game to aid his athletic skillz.
Travis TP,.............Thanx for the link once again.I am immensely looking forward to what GO does this year .If he has consistent confidence,on man,watch outHe is one the most important pieces in the Blazer puzzle.If Oden dominates ,we become an elite team.Just remember how many NBA champions have had a great big man as their anchor.
Heres a link ,T the P style,to a Jason Quick piece to help relieve some of that late summer boredom,it's very thorough http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2009/08/rip-city-revival/
there was a link to this the oregonian's website
http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2009/08/rip-city-revival/
one of the better articles of late. the picture of b-roy way above yao is awesome.
also, eurobasket is finished with qualifying and on to actual games starting sept 7th and going until the 20th. if anyone finds a reliable source for euro highlights, please share a link with the rest of us.
Just had an intersting Tweet on Twitter.It was a RT back from Travis Outlaw.My original message said "gonna be a good year, but a tough one, lots of competition at the 3.Wish you the best this year" Travis asked why everyone is reading into it for more than it really is".I told him" its called fan disease.We don't know, so we speculate.But if you are cool with it , thats what counts. Interesting,IMO.
James-Abandon Stage .........sorry your band didn't make it.It was a worthy cut.Accoring to the feedback on O live, some good bands got hosed .Keep pluggin away
Travis:
If you can't find it any where else
Casey on ceter court has updates but not hilights.
hg
Travis:
What Quick is saying about Miller coming off the bench with Rudy, Batuum, Travis and Greg is what I have been saying since we got Miller.
Also this is BRoy's team. everybody has to adjust to him, not the other way around. I do think we will see BRoy and Miller together at times but not as a strickly first unit.
I know downtownvinnie you will jump all over that but that is my opinion.
hg
hg...........my main man. How did you get that from reading the same article I did.After re reading the article again,I got that Miller makes us better ,brings savvy,and can help Oden and is a proven scorer when we are under duress.And that he's better than Blake. Thats all I read.
hg,
I can see that lineup happening, but then again we haven't even got to TC yet so I think it's a bit premature to set the lineups. I wouldn't be surprise though if that was the lineup. I wouldn't be surprise if it was any combination of those players. TC will let Nate see which players play best together. We might be surprise by the result.
Great news that Lucas is healthy enough to return as assistant coach!
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/09/maurice_lucas_will_return_to_b.html
From that article:
********
This will be Lucas' fifth season on head coach Nate McMillan's staff, and after watching an informal scrimmage with players on Tuesday, he said it might be his most anticipated season. Taking part in the scrimmage at the team's practice facility was Oden, Brandon Roy, Steve Blake, Jerryd Bayless, Martell Webster and free agent Dan Dickau, who is from Vancouver, Wash.
********
Great news that those players are already here and practicing. I'm a little surprise that Miller isn't there. I know he generally takes off the whole off season to recupe, and being such a iron man it obvious works, but I'm surprise he wouldn't want to take a little time to get use to his new team.
********
"This is something I really love doing, and I'm really looking forward to this season,'' Lucas said, noting that Webster looked especially impressive. "I think this can be a good team, it has a good make up. Andre (Miller) will help the bigs, and he will be another ball handler and another guy who can penetrate. And our second unit can probably start in most NBA cities.''
********
I think Martell is going to be really special this season!
Ok, last post of mine for a while, I promise!
First a great piece at Blazersedge on the Blazers offense:
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/9/1/1001028/anatomy-of-portland-trail-blazers
Next a couple nice videos on Oden from the same site:
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/8/30/1008429/heres-an-awesome-video-of-greg
I got these and the other links from ripcitytwo.com I even got into a meet and greet with KP that a poster from there organized. Plus we get to go to the practice facility after and then a happy hr meeting with Wheels after that! Great site to check out.
Great links MGB, not sure if you've been on it yet, but iamatrailblazersfan.com
has a News Submission page as well so that you can post links for other fans to check out. You should post some of your finds there too.
DV,
I think hg was referring to this part:
********
Or could this happen… Blake, who is so good at hitting that corner three off a Roy penetration, starts with Roy and Miller comes off the bench where he throws lobs to Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden? McMillan has been a master in Portland at mixing and matching his lineups to best fit his players.
DOWNTOWNVINNIE:
JQ: Like I said in my earlier response, I think Andre will alleviate the defensive pressure put on Roy and Aldridge. It was a huge factor in the Houston series—the Rockets simply overloaded on Brandon in particular, and LaMarcus. It led to a lot of forced shots or shots taken under duress. Andre is a proven scorer in this league and he gets to the line a ton, so that threat of penetration and of finding, say, a LaMarcus or Oden on a lob wi ll give defenses much more to think about than in years past.
Mostly, I think they are looking for Andre to bring some know how, some perspective, some savvy. And that’s not to say Steve Blake was greatly lacking in any or all of those areas. Blake had a great season. I just think Andre is better, and as a result, makes the Blazers deeper and better.
Everyone keeps saying that the Blazers will be able to run more now with Andre. I will believe it when I see it.
As I said earlier, I think one of the biggest subplots to this season is how Miller and Roy coexist. Roy’s biggest strength is having the ball in his hands and busting a pick-and-roll. Can Andre defer like that and still be effective? Or is it Roy who has to adjust and become a better off-the-ball player than he has been in the past? Will be interesting to watch.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT
Or could this happen… Blake, who is so good at hitting that corner three off a Roy penetration, starts with Roy and Miller comes off the bench where he throws lobs to Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden? McMillan has been a master in Portland at mixing and matching his lineups to best fit his players
HG
hg..........just clarifying and then you know I just love to rave about Dre.I agree that Blake is not short on savvy.And It's going to be a war in training camp.Hopefully we can get some clips of camp Welcome back,Maurice, we need you to show these Blazers what toughness really is.When the Blazers won their championship ,Maurice was known as the enforcer of that team and the league,for you younguns.He had this look on his face and it said nobody messes with me. BLAZERSROCK
hg (and all),
i agree with what you said about this being b-roy's team. i still also feel that for all the talk about miller, blake & outlaw, our best crunch time line-up will have rudy, roy, batum/webster, lamarcus & greg. this is where the greatest potential lies, and where we have players at every position that are the most consistently scrappy and competitive on offense and defense (no disrespect to any of the other guys on the team). against the lkrs, spurs, and mavs, when it matters most, these are the guys that we need on the court. until i see miller provide a dramatic difference in live game action, i will stick to this opinion. i feel that rudy is a better defender than miller or blake, can shoot the three, come off screens and take it to the rim. he can defend opposing pgs while roy handles the ball. underutilizing rudy would be a huge mistake.
MB,
Do have any info on the reports that Rudy pulled his hamstring playing for the Spain?
Travis:
That is a great plan, but me in the books as confirming that plan.
Another aspect of Rudy's game is he is good at lobbing the ball to BRoy while drawing the D to him. That would probably be true with Outlaw and LMA, but we have seen him lob to BRoy. I don't know about Batuum, but from all the reports from all those links you put out he will also be a offensive threat. I don't remember if Martell plays D or not. He has length and speed to stay in front of his man, so I don't see why not.
hg
MGB:
Go to Blazers Edge: they have a report on it. or read the latest here.
Update (7:41 PM): Blazersedge has learned that Rudy Fernandez is out 7-10 days with what a team official called a "thigh contusion."
Original Post (9:16AM)
Thanks to Norsktroll for this article. EuropaPress.Es -- a Spanish website -- is reporting that Rudy Fernandez has suffered a hamstring injury on his right leg during the run-up to this summer's EuroBasket tournament.
The article states that the injury forced Rudy to leave practice this morning and that it may take up to 48 hours for further information to develop.
Update: LaVanguardia.Es -- another Spanish website -- also has a report. They refer to the injury as a "minor hamstring injury" and confirm that the recovery time will not be known for at least 48 hours.
Update: ElMundo.Es -- another Spanish website -- reports that Rudy is doubtful for the start of EuroBasket. The report also states the injury occurred while Rudy was shooting a 3 pointer.
Update: Marca.com -- another Spanish website, the bane of my existence -- has another report. Here's a good translation of Marca's relatively optimistic report, courtesy of Good Work Doc Roberts.
Rudy Believes that He Will Return in Time for the Start of Eurobasket
The guard will have to wait 48 hours to know the exact extent of the injury, but is optimistic. He suffered a sprain in the last Spanish Team practice.
Jose Luis Martinez - Madrid 9/2/2009 3:23 PM
Rudy Fernández has had to leave the last team practice with a sprain in the right leg, but, as has assured the Blazers guard himself, it's possible that he will recover in time for the start of Eurobasket, on September 7th versus Serbia.
Rudy has submitted to various medical tests that have revealed a superficial tear, specifically a small, two centimeter break in the hamstring of his right leg. The team doctors have urged patience and will wait 48 hours to know the exact extent of the tear, as this period is key to determining the downtime needed (for recovery).
In whatever case, both the player and the doctors are optimistic and consider the first examinations to have been good. "We have to see how it all evolves, luckily, it's only been small. I noticed a strong pinch on defense, but I believe that on the 7th I'll be there for sure," Rudy has assured us before traveling to Lithuania.
hg
Hey Mike,
August is over bro. COME ON MAN! Ok, I am just itchy for the season to start!
Rock on,
James
juwan howard is part of the fab 5. he carries the bad mojo that goes along with that team. he should not be signed.
Any news on the LA signing? First post here, hope to be a welcome addition.
Knighto in the house finally. Been watching all your great posts and arguments for some time. Decided to join in. Where is the LA signing? If you guys want to beat me down, I get it after following your posts.
Blog owner: I posted the same post twice because I didn't notice the above quote about owner approval. Could you please post only one of those so I get off to a smooth start? Thanks.
Travis:
I don't know what you mean by the fab 5 and bad mojo. I am a hill billy from the sticks. Please explain to me so I don't feel so stupid.
hg
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