Time to Ramp Up Yet?
posted: 9/07/2009 at 9:25 PM
What did I do for the holiday weekend? Yes, of course, I played with my kids, spent time with the family, watched college football, and a bit of the U.S. Open (looking for Mike Rice in the crowd). But, of my TV time, which is usually very limited but greatly expanded in the last few days because of college football, I spent a lot more time watching something else- Blazer basketball.
I've been doing this lately, especially at night, when the kids are in bed and things slow down. Being there are only so many NBA websites you can visit and only so much you can read about the league, especially here during the dog days, my release has been a stack of DVDs of random games from last season. I'll just pop them in and start watching. Believe me, it
is possible to get sick of hearing your own voice (ever hit the mute button to shut yourself up?)
In the last few days I've watched a game from January 12th against Chicago. I watched a great win over New Jersey on March 13th, and really enjoyed watching our win in San Antonio from April 8th. This past weekend I watched games 2, 5, and 6, from the playoff series with Houston.
I started out doing this thinking it would give me a chance to critique the broadcasts, and really watch what we do, what we say, and how we present the games to the fans. But, I usually find that I get so into the game, so into our offense, so into the action, that I'm doing this just because I miss basketball.
I guess I have accomplished a little bit of my original goal of learning what I like and don't like about our broadcasts. But, more than that, I end up basically re-living moments. Some of them good, and some of them bad. I find myself hanging on the edge of my seat watching games that were played months ago. I guess I'm just a junkie in need of a quick fix.
I know I haven't posted for a couple of weeks, and really, that was kind of by design. The plan was to force myself to take a step back (which is very difficult), and, as I said in my last blog, take a deep breath before things get going again. But, I've come to realize that my efforts are fruitless. It's not like I've been on the computer any less. I guess I just always feel like I want thoughts to flow naturally, and not be forced, or artificially attempt to polarize just to fill space. Which brings my to my next thought: This is truly a new day, isn't it?
I started this blog about five years ago as basically a way to keep the Blazers on your minds during the off-season (that wasn't always as easy as it sounds- especially back then). It started during summer league. At that time there weren't many people doing this. The team was all about change, and progress, and the thought of what might be- what could be. It wasn't risky because when you win 21 games you don't have much to lose. And, as it turns out, we had some interesting relationships with many "transitional" players (yes, very much like the transitional girlfriend between break-ups- pretty good, and fun, but really just a place holder until the right one comes along- never really considering a walk to the altar).
The daily topics could be something like, "Is Ha Seung-Jin the answer?" "Telfair's tremendous upside" and "Sergei Monia: The future at the two." It was easy. It's always easier being bad than being good.
Some of this still applies, when talking about the Trail Blazers, and what we've now got in front of us. But, it's different. We're married now. Married to this team, and to this core group of players. We're in it for the long haul.
I said something right after game 6 of the playoffs, as the season had just ended. It was simply that there would never be another time like right now. By "right now" I meant right then- the season that was. The innocence is now gone. Flying along without facing big-time expectations is over. Time to be good. Maybe even scary good.
Another time I remember saying this was during the 13-game winning streak during December of 2007. It was shocking and magical. With each game during the streak things got more amazing. We constantly shook our heads and said "can you believe we're doing this?" Maybe more often was the though of "
how are we doing this?" I don't think I'll be saying that anymore.
Late last season we found ourselves in one of those are-you-ready-to-be-good situations. Really, it wasn't until the win over Phoenix on March 26th that we started feeling comfortable with the fact that this team would make the playoffs. You can say what you want, things could have gone either way before that game. It was that tight at that time. Of course, as it turned out, the Blazers had an incredible close to the regular season, got their 50th win in that game I watched recently, at San Antonio on April 8th, and went on to win 54 games. That win total surpassed everything that was predicted of that team.
So, here's my question, and, I guess, my point. In this current era, are we ever going to be able to say that again? Will we feel that same thrill of surprise that comes with an over achievement? I know many have fired back at me when I've suggested that last year's team overachieved by winning 54. They did. The youth, the inexperience, the difficulty of the schedule, strength of the west, losing Martell for the season, Oden's injuries and adjustments, yadda, yadda, yadda.. I think they did.
Now then... as we've said, the page is turned. This next chapter is going to be decidedly different. It'll be more challenging than the first few, and maybe even a little scary at times. But, it's why we hopped on this train in the first place. Not to use one of the more overused phrases when discussing such things, but,
is the window now open? Are you in wait-and-see mode, or are you one of those who will be disappointed with anything but a Western Conference title? Have you set your immediate goals for this team?
I ask this because I have to admit that I really haven't. I've got ideas, but I haven't hit on anything yet. Really, how good? I've got questions that will need answers before I throw out a win total, or a playoff goal.
The good news is, Labor Day has come and gone. As TV executive producer Scott Zachry put it, as we were going through our daily texting about all these topics, Labor Day is the official line in the sand- time to get serious. Most of the players have arrived. Workouts are intensifying. The countdown to training camp is on.
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Has five years come and gone? My goodness how time flies. I remember your first game and how pleased I was to finally see the Blazers with a TV announcer that I really liked. Glad you are still with us Mike.
mb,
thanks for the post!
hg,
the fab 5 were the michigan wolverines of chris webber, jalen rose, juwan howard, jimmy king and ray jackson. for starters, at the time i loved watching that team for their brashness and dominating talent. this is only my opinion, but i have since come to believe that players associated with this team can not outrun their karma. none of them will win a title (howard is their last chance at this point). you can read more on them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fab_Five_(University_of_Michigan)
and you can also click on the link to the scandal. or you can just forget that it was mentioned...
more importantly, in reference to what mb has posted, my immediate goals for this team are sky high. this team is special by virtue of their combination of talent and character. they have intangibles galore, and this will seem to have them overachieving for years to come. there is no game on the schedule next year that is not winnable. additionally, despite some obvious growing pains, this team has risen to the challenge of adversity. if andre has the effect that we all hope he will, the rest of the league will begin to recognize this blazer squad as one of the elite teams. i feel so fortunate to be some miniscule part of this team, and am eagerly awaiting fall, winter & spring. who needs summer when the real adventure is just ahead.
GO BLAZERS
Mike:
Wow what a dry spell for us; we are glad you are back and we hope you had a great time to rest.
First of all, would you consider selling some of those DVDs. I know a whole lots of people that would pay a fortune for copies of them. Not me of course, I wouldn't do anything to screw with Comcast or would I do any thing illegal. TEE HEE.
I have gone to Blazers Edge for some of my quick fixes but yours tells it all.
I have got updates on Martell, Greg, Batuum, and Rudy, injury to Pendergraph, and wondering tidbits on LMA contract. One article was how far would the Blazers go? I am like you it is to early to know; but in the spirit of speculation, I guessed 61 games and bet MGB a beer on that.
I think you said it right once, we are scary good. I do not predict how far we will go because so much rides on the development of other teams, winning close games to build TOUGHNESS. All the speculation of who will start and who will be on the super second unit.
Our speculations on how much better the players of last year will be on their own and with the addition of Andre. how much better we will be with two experienced pg.
We can erase much of the things that went wrong by just a year of growth and having two great pg's. Start thinking of some of the different line-up possibilities gives a super fan goose bumps.
With all that being said, I am back to I don't know what the season will bring with you.
Great to have you back, Mike
hg
opps I goofed
great post mike...I'm sure everyone is excited to get things going again also.
If you could provide pictures/videos/updates of the pre-training camp action that would be amazing.
Mike, first off thanks for starting this five years ago and keeping it going... it has been a wonderful journey that you have taken us on with your writings... I really look froward to your blog each day...and the responses it gets from other fans of the blazers.... although I am not a heavy contributor I am a avid reader...it is what connects me to this team the most...as i have been living across the pound in Australia since i left Portland in 96.. and your insight and access you have to this team is second to none... keep up the good work... and lets get this party started...
"Is the window open?"
In a short word, yes. I honestly believe we have the potential to win a championship. This season.
However, the western conference is a tough neighborhood, and I don't think that we're guaranteed a better record this year. One nice thing about having youth and inexperience is that other teams tend to underestimate you, at least the first couple times.
I truly believe we have the potential to be a 60-win team. But i sincerely doubt we'll hit that mark this season. Even with Martell's return, Oden's Nic's Rudy's and LMA's growth, the addition of Andre, and all the other things that are going right (or will get better) for us, there are too many question marks.
We have the potential, and I sure hope we exceed expectations yet again. But the bar's pretty high this time. The goals are pretty lofty for this young team. They're capable, but that doesn't mean it's a lock.
I hope for a championship, and it's doable. We really do have the raw talent and will to go all the way. But my prediction?
55 wins, 3rd seed, bow out in the Western Conference Finals. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
Mike, first off thanks for starting this five years ago and keeping it going... it has been a wonderful journey that you have taken us on with your writings... I really look froward to your blog each day...and the responses it gets from other fans of the blazers.... although I am not a heavy contributor I am a avid reader...it is what connects me to this team the most...as i have been living across the pound in Australia since i left Portland in 96.. and your insight and access you have to this team is second to none... keep up the good work... and lets get this party started...
Hey Mike,
Happy to have you back! I still think I will be excited for every win. I have to say I still think of this team last years team and untill we get a few games under our belt with the new squad I can't have hardline expectations. I know what I would like them to accoplish but we have a few "don't know yet's" aka Oden, Miller, Martel. So, I would opt for let's let them gel for a month or so and see what we got then we can say if they don't make Western conf. Finals well be disappointed or whatever. I will say this, if we don't do as good as last year (give or take a few games) that would be disapointing but to say I EXPECT them to win it all at this point is too early.
Rock on,
James
Abandon Stage
Yeah yeah, again late, Mr. Barret...
Now, without jokes, this window of training and vacations is just boring...
I wish they had some mini camps, or things like that, some kind of division cup, or conference cup. (just said that knowing it will never happen)
But, well, our players and broadcasters and etc. need some rest, after a 80+ games season.
Until the 1st 09-10 season game begins, I keep playin my NBA 2K9 ><
Mike,
It has been a long summer waiting for this day -- they day the new season kicks in. In years past it has been the first pre-season game. Now with the Internet and blogs like yours, I'm ready for some hoops -- the first pre-season game is too far away.
GO BLAZERS!
MB nice post.Good to hear from you.Hope you are rested and ready to rock-n roll.It's true,the better the team gets, the higher the expectations get,It is also scary because of those expectations. Now Pendergraph is having surgery,they're bringing in Howard and Swift.Another thing is the Heat has interest in Blake.I don't know what they would offer,that we would want short of Wade. Traing Camp is going to be insanely competitive. BlazersRock
Travis:
Thank you for your reply. Although none of them were on a Championsip team some of them had great careers.
Question: Wasn't it juwan howard that hurt Anderson (can;t remember his first name)in that play-off game between Dallas and San Antonio. I felt at the time that was a cheap shot, but now everybody is encouraging it.
hg
Mike Barret!! It is good to hear from you again! I too am a basketball(Blazer) junky and your blog is usually my quick fix. With no recent Blazer news I am starting to lose my mind!! But on to what you were talking about. What I think this team can accomplish. Remember towards the end of the season when we destroyed the Lakers and the Spurs? The way we completely dominated the first half in each of those games. I remember Brandon and Lamarcus together outscored the Spurs in the first half of that game. Those teams are arguably the best in the West. When I saw how this team played in those games, I couldnt help but imagine what it will be like with Martel back. Were those games a glimpse of what the future may hold? With the hunger that this team now posseses I believe that we can dominate not only the Western Conference, but the entire NBA this season. I am not saying I expect a 60+ win season, or a conference championship. I am saying nothing this team does will be a surprise anymore. They have proven they are here to stay among the elites. And with such a young core they are gonna be here for a long, long time.
Hey Mike, I think we could have won even more games last year that we weren't supposed to. Like that game at Cleveland and the extremely LUCKY bank shot Turkeyglue made here.
Anyways, I think that mentally the Blazers need to realize that they are as good as, if not better than, the Lakers. I think one main reason people think the Lakers are so great is because Sports Center wants them to be, and they are pretty much unashamed of how biased they are and they force feed every thing the Lakers do no matter how minuscule. I won't even watch Sports Center any more because it's like watching the Lakers and The Lebron James network.
I think Nate needs to do a better job this year of subbing in favor of the flow of the game and staying with who is hot also.
One more thing, you hear mostly about when people meet someone famous they turn out to be pricks and then everyone hears about it. Well I have a different one. I met Jerome Kersey for the third time the other day. I was at Costco this time. Every time I have talked with him he has been really laid back and cool to talk with. Really down to earth and really nice. I told him when he is on Comcast this year they need to show his highlights when they introduce him! I forgot to mention that when Batum blocks a breakaway layup or a dunk you and Rice should say something once in a while about how great Kersey was at that, especially when there seemed to be no chance anyone could stop it, then out of no where comes Jerome and he stuffs it back in the guys face! Hustle plays like that put Kersey in my top 3 list of all time.
this years team is very unsettling to me mike. so many questions. how is andre going to fit in? will martelle live up to the recent preseason hype? whats going on in steve blake's head, and rudy's too? how is joel doing? and lastly whats up with greg and will he be able to have a breakout year? i do know this tho, this team better be ready to strap on their big boy jocks cause they have a lot of work to do to gell this puddin before the season starts. really, i think anything short of a strong run at the conference championship would be unacceptable. really excited... just love a good mystery! FANGS AND FOAM BABY FANGS AND FOAM!!
thanks for the great post Mike...do you know if JP's hip injury could be season ending??
Hello all...I've recently moved to Boise Idaho and there are a bunch of Blazer hating clowns at my work...The question came up the other day about top 5 players in the NBA. Not by position just straight top 5. Mine were (in no particular order) James, Bryant, Wade, Paul and Roy. I was crushed with the homer calls. So I replied with the fact that I've seen him a lot more then they have and therefore have a greater appreciation for his talent then say a Carmello or a Dwight Howard or anyone else . So tell me (homers and not) is B-Roy a top 5 player?
Mike,
I have perennially loved the summer because of my passion for the outdoors and fishing in particular, but I must say that this one has been excruciatingly long. I can honestly say that I have never looked forward to an October as much as have this one. With a freezer full of fish I am more than ready to see this team lace them up.
As for expectations, I think it depends on one's perspective. For me, I have to admit that at this point in time I would be disappointed with anything less than a competive trip to the conference finals. Honestly though, it doesn't matter one bit what you or I or Rice or Vinnie or HG expects. What matters most is what this team expects of themselves.
One of the main reasons that my summer has been so long and my anticipation so great is directly related to that point. I saw Brandon in that press conference following the loss to Houston, and I witnessed the fire in his eye and the resolve in his voice when he talked about it "never happening again". That gave me goosebumps.
Brandon also talked about the toughness that this squad would need to ensure it doesn't happen again. I believe it to be just as important as chemistry, health, and the improvement of GO and Martell are to the Blazers' success this year. We know Brandon has it and Joel has it, and it has been abundantly clear to me watching 'Dre the past five years that he possesses a kind of silent assassin type thing inside. Blake has it too.
I believe that somewhere along the line the Blazers are going to have something happen during a game that pulls them all together, kind of like the Ariza assault on Rudy did last year. I can easily see Shaq getting frustrated at Joel during a tight contest in Cleveland, taking a cheapshot at him as has been known to happen, and having it escalate to the point that Brandon and the rest of this team remind them that they haven't won anything yet.
With that type of resolve and the inevitable success that I believe Portland has coming their way this season, I see them developing a swagger, a confidence, that potentially could carry them to the promised land. This year? Next year? Who knows? It depends on their expectation.
RIPCITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey MB,
Glad to hear from you again and also hoping you have had a refreshing and satisfying vacation (watching Blazer games...lol) and with the family.
I followed Bill Schonely on the radio and TV as a youngster growing up and as fan I just want to say thanks and my whole family from my Grandmother (a fan since the Blazer's first season) to my little brother all appreciate the coverage and work that Mike Rice, yourself and the staff do.
We signed Jeff Pendergraph today, moving our roster up to 13. Who's next? I've heard a little bit about Stromile Swift and Juwan Howard- certainly a solid and capable vet would be nice to back up LaMarcus...I could see Howard as a good fit but I am not fully aware what is still available in the market. Veteran leadership seems to be the way to go, but someone with some rebounding and defensive presence that can impact even for short stints would be good.
My prediction...where's Merlin?...jk. For me, I think conference and division titles will all come down to the series played against our conference rivals. I think to win the West we need to at LEAST split (hopefully win or sweep) our series with Denver, Houston, Lakers, Clippers, Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Utah. Also we need to win our home games against the beasts in the East (Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta etc..) This is possible and realistic I feel, and if we get the job done I think we'll be between 52 and 59 in the 'W' column this season...BUT, we all know that the playoffs is when the best basketball must be played regardless of home court ( a playoff loss against the Lakers and Magic Johnson in the early 90's comes to mind, I think we were 63-19 that season). To further this thought, of course game 1 against Houston also comes to mind from last year.
The question for me is: Do we need to win 60 games? I'd rather see Brandon, LA, Rudy, Andre, Steve, Travis, Greg, Martell, Nic, and Joel all get their games on in the post season, maybe reserve a little flare and also become a cohesive and trusting unit in the regular season. I want to see the Blazers best games against the contending and elite teams and see them control the bottom feeders. I think we're good enough, but I also think this team will improve throughout the season. Winning the division should be within reach and if we find a way to win the Conference then we have no reason to discount going all the way, but even if we don't, we are a very dangerous and balanced group. Needless to say, regardless, this is going to be a great year. The excitement is growing at an exponential rate but it's only fair to be realistic. Meanwhile, I love this team, and while satisfied with the staff and players we have been blessed with- it would be a total lie to say we all wouldn't be the proudest fans in the world if the Blazers won it all...
Like you said MB, the learning curve is over...Who da thunk it??? 5 years ago was a different dimension. We are very fortunate to be in this situation and to be cheering for this group. It is great to not feel bad or be frustrated about any player on this team.
What happened to Ha Seung-Jin anyways...anyone know? He was fun to cheer for, too bad he didn't turn into NBA talent.
What can I say, I am believer that has seen great change and foresees great success. With this team it's a little difficult to be realistic or even define it, hopefully we are not the only ones...
Nice hearing from all the Balzer fan too.
Peace,
fathom
All this talk about holes,people being unsettled,questions about whether Dre will fit in.(If I hear that one again,I'm gonna puke)Can you say check out his track record,people.IMO ,the fans are worried that the Blazers won'be as good or live up to our expectations.Or that we are gonna do one of our famous emplosions like in the past.CALM DOWN,PEOPLE, this is the same team as the one last year...........but better.Oden will be better,Martell is back,Dre replaces Sergio,Batum is better offensively,BRoy always gets better.,Get on board,y'all. BlazersRock
Thanks for the blog entry, MB!
I have mixed feelings about this season.
I think we will definitely improve, but it's a lot easier being the underdog than being the favorite. We are not going to surprise anyone this season.
I think the area we need to improve the most at is winning on the road. To be a real contender you have to win on the road. We actually did better at that at the end of the season so I think we can do it.
I feel we should at least get out of the first round, that will be a improvement right there. Realistically making it to the conference finals would be a excellent year and put us right on track to a championship all lot sooner than many expected.
There are a lot of questions as others have mention such as Oden, Webster, and how Miller fits in with the team. If these question marks are answered positively then I think we will at least make it to the conference finals.
As long as we continue to improve through the year anything will be possible!!
GO BLAZERS!!!!
Oh, I forgot to mention that I predicted we would win 56 games during the regular season. I do have a bet with hg for a beer. 58 and below and I win, 60 and above hg wins, and 59 wins is a push.
I hope hg wins because the more playoff series that we have home court advantage the better chance we have.
GO BLAZERS!!!!
second base- apples and oranges
but what do you mean by best player at what they all have great highs and lows and there is alot more players in that conversation then just the ones you mentioned but just so you know broy is not even in the top 50 for double doubles for the season so he has plenty of room to get better. so i would say broy not yet but hes in the top 8 hands down.
melo is not even close to the top 5 so who ever said that is slow and does not no the game of basketball(he is in the top in 50 in dd). he is a modern day iverson and will never see a ring.
p.s. the only thing kobe has on broy is about 4 points per game so i guess what im saying is its kinda hard to compare all the players in the nba.... a's and o's
brandon roy is easy to agree with because he has the right ideas.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=125192382775874700
this article is from last week, enjoy!
I can't agree with Millertime so I'll say top 7! :)
No, actually that is what I thought originally. BUT Roy has improved each season so by the end of this season he may be top 3 in the league!
Morning MB: i still think a "TRADE" is coming.....my gut tells me a "sign/trade" w/the Knoicks for David Lee....
Hmmmm, we sign another big man who will miss the season to surgery, but can't get a deal done with LMA?
millertime: I don't think you can just go by stats to determine greatness. Team play and chemistry with your team is very important and doesn't show up on any stat report.
D miles was probably one of the greatest as well as Ryder, but their attitude down played all of that and I be they are not mentioned even in the top 100. Of the active players I don't know if he is in the top five because he said excluding positions. PG lovers would pick 5 pt guards, Shooting lovers would pick shooters post up or inside game lovers would pick centers and PF.
being the most popular doesn't make you the best. I hate Bryant but he is a great player.
My answer secondbestug: would be I just don't know, but you would be wasting your time arguing with them. Just tell them in your opinion he is in the top 5, and leave it at that.
hg
Nice to hear from you Mike,
Like always, nice blog. First off, don't be too critical of yourself and Rice. Having the NBA ticket on Direct TV allows me the opportunity to see (and unfortunately hear) other broadcasters. You both are far and away the best in the league.
As far as what this season will hold... difficult to say. I'm with you as far as the Blazers overachieving a bit last year. If I had to guess a win total, I would put it at 56 plus or minus a game. The West is still going to be stiff competition down to the wire.
Where I think there will be a difference is come playoff time. I wouldn't be surprised to see them up against the L*kers in the Western Conference Finals. Consolidating some of our talent at the trade deadline for a needed piece also seems like a viable option.
Love the team and can't wait for the season!
fathom.................,nice post,Glad somebody is on board with this team.Glad to hear it.
Good to hear from you, Mike. That "Deep Breath in August" turned into a yawn pretty quick. For my part, I haven't commented in about a month. There have been tidbits floating about(Martell's clearance, Batum's growth), which has been enough to keep me interested, but with the end of summer approaching, I have been far more interested in getting all the BBQs in that I can. That storm blowing in gave us all a frightening preview of what lays in store. I love the Willamette valley, and cannot picture myself living anywhere other than Portland, but November through April can be a little...bleak. Thank goodness for basketball.
At the end of the season, you wrote about how once you breach the 50 win mark, the rest is just sugar on the rim: unnecessary, but sweet. I can see us getting to 60, but after 50, who cares? It's not about about how many you win, but who you beat. Unless we drastically improve our road game, we will depend on home court advantage to advance in the playoffs. So really, we need to win the season series with the Spurs if we're going to get to the WCFinals. Apart from that, it would be nice, but not necessary, to take the season series from Denver. LAL is still unrealistic. Other than those three teams, I don't see any real threats. LAC will be good, PHX will be better, OKC might pull some upsets, but otherwise it's all winnable.
So what do I predict? A solid, defined starting 5 by playoff time. Who's going to be in it? I don't know. I think a move will be made to slough off Outlaw, but I couldn't guess for who. I don't know how the Martell v. Batum battle will go, nor can I foresee the outcome of the Blake v. Miller head-to-head. Furthermore, Oden v. Przybilla is far from over. All that can be said is that BRoy and LMA will be there, better than ever.
Is the window open? Absolutely. Will we be able to squeeze through? Tough to say...
Go Blazers
If I had a nickel for every time I heard an even-keeled, realistic expectation for this team I'd have, well.... a nickel. If Batum could develop into another Kersey, then I would agree he would indeed become an asset. Jerome never gave up on a play and would often chase opponents from one end of the court to the other, It was his hustle and energy (not his talent) that endeared him to fans. As for the team, I think a lot of stars would have to align for the blazers to meet the expectations of being in the conference finals. But who knows, maybe they already have. Could that Big Dipper instead, really be just a big basketball hoop pointing the blazers to glory?
ya that was my point hg glad your keepin me in cheak. i agree 100%
go blazers
I had a few of those games on DVR but the wife wanted the space for other stuff. I still watch the Spurs game and the Boston game every couple of weeks. It would be great to have access to those DVDs.
I am so excited to see what the team will be able to accomplish this year. I agree with your comments on Talkin' Ball tonight about Oden being the key. They can still be a good team if he struggles but if it starts coming together for him this year and he can stay on the floor, it could be a wild ride.
Yes it is time to ramp up...Let's get this thing going already!!
hg,
Simple solution, start Miller. :)
Actually I don't think Oden will be the forgotten man even with Blake starting. And it's not like if Oden starts and Miller doesn't they'll never be on the court together. Miller might not start and still play more mins than Blake.
First thing though is for Oden to dominate on D and rebounding. His offense will be there with easy buckets just from hustling and progress as the year goes by so I wouldn't start or not start him just because of who'll be the starting pg.
Hi Mike,
I watched you last night on "Talkin' Ball". You seemed to be pretty excited about the development of Greg Oden and Martell Webster.
If you're right, and if they really are improved as much as we are being told (by several sources), this team IS ready to compete for it all RIGHT NOW! In addition to those two, we have Andre Miller and a host of youthful players now a full year and a playoff series wiser.
I'm not saying we'll win it all this year, but if the reports are really accurate, this team is ready to go head to head with anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Go Blazers!!!
Thanks for the post Mike, you're the best!
What is the latest with the contract of LA.
We need this distraction behind us and move on to a great month of training.
Hey hg and mgb, if they win 59 games then the only fair thing to do would be that you both owe me a beer!
If they can win more games on the road against elite teams then they will be right around there I think.
secondbasetug, Roy I believe is definitely within the top 5. Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul I think would be considered the best right now, and I believe only Lebron and Wade are definitely above Roy. BRoy seems to be just as smart of a player as these guys and maybe not as athletic as DWade or Lebron but still really athletic. If his defense gets better and his desire becomes stronger to be a better defender, he will easily be in the top 3. One thing for sure he is on my slightly biased top two list right now with Wade being my favorite player outside of Portland. What I love the most about Brandon is he seems really humble, unlike Lebron or Kobe. I just hope our team believes in him and themselves with the utmost confidence this year, and it will be a great year to experience.
Tom L,
Ok, but if the Blazers don't win 59 then you owe each of us a beer! :)
Mike I just playing pick up ball with Brian T Smith up at Laurelhurst park. New sports writer playing in the heart of Portland. Which makes me wonder why you and Quick are no where to be seen around here. Come on man you can't just stay out in Tualitin and play at the Y all the time.
check out casey's center court:
http://trailblazerscentercourt.blogspot.com/2009/09/eurobasket-2009-born-on-fernandez.html
for you frequent barrett blog folks, born puts a great case forth for what i've been saying about how to use rudy. i've chopped a few paragraphs from center court:
'“I felt like during the course of the game, Rudy provides for them an offensive terminal,” said Born. “He’s a guy that can give you offense but he’s also a guy that can draw enough attention away from other people as a passer and by moving without the ball. You have to be aware of where he’s at and you have to play him on the perimeter and you have to pay attention to him, so I think it allows Pau Gasol and some other guys to get more space on the floor.”'
now that he's past his rookie year, i hope he gains more of the role outlined above for the blazers. the stats of the difference in spain's efficiency with rudy in the line-up are dramatic.
"The statistical improvement from the Spain’s first game, a loss to Serbia, in which Rudy didn’t play, and their second game against Great Britain, this time with Rudy in the lineup, does much to support Born’s theory of Rudy as Spain’s “offensive terminal”. The Iberian’s showed significant improvement from Game One to Game Two in two-point field goal percentage (42.9 percent to 48.3), three-point percentage (10.5 percent to 52.6), free throws attempted (28 to 40) and assists (9 to 19), and one would figure at least some of that improvement is attributable to Rudy’s play. Serbia is considered by most to be a far superior team to Great Britain, which could have something to do with the improvement, but Rudy didn’t seem to be 100 percent healthy either."
as many of you are aware, i believe that the long term success of the team/backcourt rely on rudy and brandon realizing their potential together.
Tom L if we win 59, we can all have a beer in celebration of a great season.
MGB, you would love Miller and Greg to start, but after this much time and all the reading, I am not to sure I don't agree with you, But, If Miller and Greg starts and wins 60 plus games, I would not gripe.
My change of heart came from BRoy saying he would love to run the wing with Miller. That gave me a flash-back of CP3 and BRoy in the All-star game. Therefore I would be glad to buy you a beer to see that.
But like you said regardless of whom starts that doesn't mean Miller, Greg and BRoy won't share time on the court together.
You are right again in regards to the main thing is for Greg to be a force on D, although I would love to see him involved in the offense, since like Stephens says we need to pick up our post and inside game to prevent staying a jump-shooting team.
The reason I wanted Miller and Greg in the game together was to develop a pick and roll that would help Greg to get involved in the offense, because whether he scores one basket with a play called for him or 5 offensive sets. The idea, is to keep his head in the game on offense. That is also true on the small forward. If the only thing the SF is used for is an occasional 3, they become stagnated.
If Miller becomes the 3rd scoring option with Miller starting with BRoy, LMA, and Greg that would pretty much take SF and Center out of the offense. But if Miller was in the second unit, it could be Miller, Rudy and Greg as the 1,2, 3 option with Travis and Martell keeping the D honest with outside shooting.
Hg has spoken LOL!!!
hg
just want to echo and highlight what daniel said about joel, "he is the ONLY reason i did not abandon the blazers during the jail blazer era." many of us feel this way about him, and the piece they had on blazers edge does him great justice. in case you missed it:
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/8/16/985445/przybilla-i
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/8/17/985010/pryzbilla-ii
let me start by telling you all of you cats are a bunch of portland homers and you need to understand the top 5 players...
1st of all any of you who think dwight howard is in the top 5 should already exclude urselfs from this conversation.. anyone who puts a raw offensive player in the top 5 clearly shows they have room to grow in understanding basketball..
next any of you cats who think carmelo anthony is not considered in the top 5 should be excluded as well.. he can score on anyone and get any shot on the floor.. he also has developed a defensive game which has haulted him from the top 5..
last any of you cats who think broy is in the top 5 also shows that you need to development in understanding the game of basketball.. you cant put a guy in there who has not accomplished anything besides leading a sorry team to the playoffs.. he is clearly in the top 8 but he is not ready or deserving to be amoungst the top 5 just yet.. so all of you homers need to slow down on him in ur top 5
Mike,
Great to see that you're back and so excited to see the season start ramping up again.
I think this season is going to depend on the progress Greg's made over the summer. I hate to put all the pressure on him, since that's what's been done since day 1 when the Blazers drafted him, but I really think that if he shows improvement, and continues improving, the sky's the limit with this team. So many of the other pieces are already in place.
I'll go out on a limb and say 62 wins.
trashtalktk,
Mess with the bull and get the horns. get it. blazer fans get defensive when people talk trash about their team on their blog. don't hurt yourself, u were just trying to sound smart but u came off dumber than shaq. seriously, listen to shaq...
"one lucky shot deserves another"-shaq
funny thing is, shaq thinks he's brilliant but he sounds retarded.
i bet tk loves shaq. why am i not surprised.
go blazers!
you can have carmelo
b-roy is my guy any day
melo plays d like blake dunks the ball, never looks good and almost never happens. you did alot of talking but never really told us who were the top 5 and why. if your going to say something back it up with some kind of facts or something.
TrashTalkTK,
To say that Brandon Roy has not accomplished anything shows that it's you that is in need of understanding basketball.
I'll break it down for you, try to keep up!
These numbers are from NBA.com
In Roy's three years in the NBA his scoring average looks like this.
06-07 16.8 PPG
07-08 19.1 PPG
08-09 22.6 PPG
An average of around 3 PPG increase in each year which would put him at at least 25 PPG for 09-10 providing he continues to improve, which is pretty much a given.
If Roy averages 25 or 26 PPG this season, it would put him right about in the top 5 according to last years averages which were
Dwayne Wade 30.2 PPG
LeBron James 28.4 PPG
Kobe Bryant 26.8 PPG
Dirk Nowitzki 25.9 PPG
Danny Granger 25.8 PPG
Roy had 26.7 PPG in last years playoffs, 7th in the league, with Melo only averaging a little higher at #5 with 27.2 PPG
Carmelo Anthony has been in the league 6 years, Roy 3 so I have no doubt that Roy will surpass Anthony by his sixth season. Oh and Roy has been picked for the All NBA team twice.
So really if you look at his progress and accomplishments in just three years, he is one the best. Top 5? Time will tell but he is definitely on his way.
Lastly, to call people homers on their own teams blog page is ridiculous. Of course were homers, isn't that what part of blogging about your team is about? If you go to other teams blogs (and you probably do just to make ignorant comments like the one you posted here) you will read the same kind of posts about their players.
TrashTalkTk: Usually I live by the rule to never get in an argument with an idiot lest I become one myself, but for you I'm going to make an exception. When an invading bee enters the hive to stir it up, it's a natural tendency to want to sting it. In the case of blazer fans, it's more like chewing off your head and urinating down your skinny neck. I actually agree with you that Brandon is not a top 5 player at this point in his career, but Carmello Anthony? The only thing he is good for is serving as a bad example. He's the poster child for everything wrong in the nba. Unlike some others whose feelings are easily offended, I welcome those with differing opinions. I've been guilty myself of just saying something to get a reaction, but if you truly have something valuable to say let's hear it. This time though, back your statements up with some facts that support your opinion. Keep in touch.
shaq has a complex and is the biggest dumb ass to play basketball.ever!
didn't broy block melo when he tried to post the smaller broy up for the game winner. ya ya had broy inside the paint with time running out its all up to melo(the guy who could score anywhere right). what!!! wait what happened
broy packed that ball down melos throat tighter then s squirl packs nuts for winter.
The nice thing about that match up is broy can guard melo but melo cant guard broy. melo sounds like a top 5 player huh. he is number 7 in the league in turnovers with 3 a game. he only shoots 44% from the field and 37% from the 3 point line. he is a volume shooter and does not make most of his shots all over the court. his stats show that he is not what you say he is. he is ranked #233 in field goal % so their are 232 players in the nba that shoot the ball better then melo and 7 are on his team. broy is #130 in field goal % and shoots 48%. so your statements sound more like broy then melo. broy is a better passer with 2 more assists per game but melo gets two more rebounds a game and they both average 22 points. broy has done all this in two less years then melo. broy is also the only player of this decade besides lebron to get the rookie of the year then get to the all star game the next two years. not melo.
so pussycat, if u think melo is in the top 5 you just showed us that if anything, you should exclude yourself from any conversations we have on this site in the future.
phi slamma.........you mean you say stuff to get a reaction?...........hard to believe!Nice Post,man.I would have to concur with phi slamma and ;as much as I hate to,even millertime.TTTK............It seems its all smack with no fact.I bet your'e a closet Laker fan.I think you came to the wrong site,cuz.Fivehundreddogs..never seen that kind of fire out of you..I like it.By the way BRoy is atop 5 on character alone,not to mention his tremendous abolity.A top 5 player is unstoppable at times and can carry a team,BRoy is all those things.Another Snapperhead gets Bslapped by the Blazer faithful.AWWWWWWWWW.
DowntownVinnie:
You are trying to convince us again that Dre can walk on water.
He is good but we were already good, so therefore he is not our savior.
You don't necessarily need to be tough to score inside, just be smart enough to execute the play. Joel made several uncontested dunks last year and he wasn't touched. Of course he is tough though
hg
I just can't let that over-barring trash talking imbecile say that crap with out a reply. I know that is what he wants and from reading all the answers I would say he got his wish.
I am sure we are homers, I know I am. Since the top 5 NBA players is controversy subject in the respect if you asked one hundred NBA fans, you would probably get 100 different answers and almost all of them would lean towards their favorite player on their favorite team. It is quite obvious that trash talking TK is a Denver or a melon (opps darn that spell check). It is a Melo fan. So his augment is for his favorite and he calls us homers.
Another point, my wife probably isn't in the top 5 chicks in the USA, but she is to me because she is in my heart and brings beauty to my life. So homer I am proud to be.
Trash-talk TK you are being ignorant if you think you can disprove an opinion. Are you saying I am wrong for having an opinion or are you saying that my opinion is wrong? There is no way either is wrong, since I wasn’t stating a fact. fivehundreddogs is right you didn’t make a statement you just said we are wrong, but not of what we are wrong about, and you really should brush up on your English and understanding of the human race. Try joining the human race sometimes; it is more satisfying then living in the pool of negativity you live in. Damn I got mad again and am feeding the troll.
hg
I read every post that is written on Barrett's Blog. I most generally just read and respond if there is anything to respond to.
There is one thing that bothers me about post in relationship to how many games we win or how far we may go in the play-offs. There have been several posters that have said that if the Blazers don't go this far or win this many games they will be highly disappointed and ashamed. I just don't understand the statement. Will you be disappointed and ashamed of the team because the did something wrong by not winning as many games or going as far as you wanted them too. Or are you disappointed and ashamed of being a Blazer fan?
If you look and hope for something in the future but don't plan the out come then there wouldn't be any thing to be disappointed about. If you have no control over how the team played and it has no reflection on you as a person, why would you be ashamed?
I have loved the Blazers since the beginning and although I feel hurt and upset I have never been disappointed or ashamed of the team. Of a few members that showed their true colors. YES, I have been disappoint
Do I have a different definition of ashamed and disappointment then everybody else?
hg
Every so often there is a debate about who should start at point guard. The main thing is we have two outstanding, designated point guards (Steve and Andre). We are lucky to have these talented, dedicated players. It is not a question of who starts but who will compliment the rest of the roster at any given moment in the game. This will be up to the coaching staff rather than bloggers or posters. The main thing is that we use everyone's talent, in a cooperative way, to win.
hg,
Steve or Andre both have the ability to get the ball to Greg. Greg needs to be prepared to react and dominate, after getting the ball, without getting flustered. Hopefully he will be prepared to do just that.
RIP CITY!
I read every post that is written on Barrett's Blog. I most generally just read and respond if there is anything to respond to.
There is one thing that bothers me about post in relationship to how many games we win or how far we may go in the play-offs. There have been several posters that have said that if the Blazers don't go this far or win this many games they will be highly disappointed and ashamed. I just don't understand the statement. Will you be disappointed and ashamed of the team because the did something wrong by not winning as many games or going as far as you wanted them too. Or are you disappointed and ashamed of being a Blazer fan?
If you look and hope for something in the future but don't plan the out come then there wouldn't be any thing to be disappointed about. If you have no control over how the team played and it has no reflection on you as a person, why would you be ashamed?
I have loved the Blazers since the beginning and although I feel hurt and upset I have never been disappointed or ashamed of the team. Of a few members that showed their true colors. YES, I have been disappoint
Do I have a different definition of ashamed and disappointment then everybody else?
hg
Fanman:
Of cause you be right. It just that everybody seems to think Steve can’t.
Greg will get better I am sure. It is said he has soft hands and can catch, pass and dribble some.
hg
I'm not going to lie. The wind was taken out of my sails, this summer. I could rant for hours about what transpired and how i'm not liking the way our organization has been handling things, lately. Instead, i'm just going to realize a hero of mine has decided i'm too stupid and ignorant to know the truth and too naive to know when a GM is stuffing B.S. down the throats of fans of the organization for which he works. This is his new way of dealing with things, and i sincerely hope it doesn't work out for him.
I'm a big believer in that it is as much about the journey as it is the end result. The organization for which i give way too much of my time has made several choices, lately, unworthy of my pride and respect. If we can't do this thing with integrity and by doing the right thing, i'd rather it didn't get done at all.
I wish the KP without all the pressure to be an a$$hole would come back. We could use him. And i hope he brings his balls back with him, as well. They've been missing in action. Unless, of course, you think it takes balls to look someone in the eye, who has busted their a$$ to make you look like a genius, and tell them you don't want to give them something they've cleary earned.
But hey, at least we did improve the team. I'll probably just get caught up in the excitement and put this in the back of my mind.
I'm just praying that the stench of this offseason will wear off once the season starts. If it doesn't, i could be missing games for the first time in a very long time.
hey, i need to modify what i post earlier. i need to clarify...
disapointment is not the same as ashamed
i'll be proud no matter how many games we win or lose as long as we play aggressive basketball every game and every minute
i'd be ashamed if we won 82 games without class, guts, and effort
go blazers!
Mr Blazer:
I don't know of what deeds you are talking about because I am naive. I am in the beliefs that the summer has gone OK, but I live across the mountains.
I can not hear your tone but your words sounds that you are really ticked off. I have read all your post from the past and I kind of thought you were friends with Mr Barrett. Plus you are one of the great supporters of the organization.
I surly hope you get over your anger and continue to give us your wisdom and support.
Take care
hg
Danial:
I can understand that. I lost respect for D Miles and was very disapointed with him because he had so much talent, and it wouldn't of made any differenc how good he played or how many games he won for us. But it was mostly that I was a big fan of his and he made a fool out of me.
hg
Mike, Is courtside going to be streamed? I haven't seen any news on it.
hg
hg............Ok,I disagree that you have to be tough to score inside.Ever play any ball?Just try and post up and see if you don't get some war wounds.The person passing it does have to be smart,for sure. Secondly,I do not pray to the god Dre .And I never said "And on the seventh day after he created the earth,Dre rested". I'm just saying that Dre will help our weakness sometimes feeding the post and getting us easy baskets.And he is tough,we need toughness.IMO he can HELP change the culture.I do not try to force any player on anybody.I am enthused about his arrival to this team and what he will bring to the table,whether he starts or not.I will cotinue to be enthused by him, my friend.I would also say that IMO Dre gives us a better chance to get the ball to the bigs,as well.
hg........ And I have never said that I wasn't confident about Blakes abilities,ever.He is a great player who will continue to help this team with his steady, consistent play and his high bball IQ.Just to clarify
What would have made this off season perfect for you, mrblazer? Picking DeJuan Blair, signing Turkoglu, and giving Roy and Aldridge max contracts as soon as possible?
Personally, I'll take a possibly great overseas prospect, Miller, and shrewd business over predictability, and boot-licking any day of the week. Our team got better. That's all we need to know. Furthermore, our franchise players will be secured, just not in the fashion we are accustomed to seeing.
I don't know about y'all, but I lost more than a little change in the recession, and I'm sure Paul Allen lost more than I will ever make in my entire life. It just makes sense to rein in the big spending. It's no secret that professional sports stars are ludicrously overpaid. I'm not calling for all-out reform, but I will say that I understand where Mr. Allen and his organization is coming from...then again, if there is one sector that is more overpaid than athletes, it's white collar businessmen.
I'm making an assumption here, but was your ire stirred by the Aldridge negotiations? If so, I understand, he's an amazing player and a vital part of our roster...but he's not a max contract kind of guy yet. He really pulled it together towards the end of the regular season, but the "soft" image that he resists so fiercely was not laid on him by accident. He is breaking out, and these negotiations might be just the thing to motivate him. Nothing is going to handed to him on a silver platter. This season, LMA needs to prove that a max contract should have been a no-brainer. He will get what he's worth, and when it comes time to renegotiate, I bet the process will be smooth as silk.
So call off the hounds, mrblazer. We're going to have a great season, and it is in part due to the tireless work of this organization.
Go Blazers.
Well I was a running back in high school. Played PF. in high school, but was not good at it. Not because I was tough or not, I just couldn't get that big ball in the little whole. I was pretty good at D, but never considered myself tough.
You say scoring inside and getting battle wounds is what makes you tough. LMA had his ear drum punctured, had a concussion and probably many bruises I am unaware of and he is considered as being soft with no toughness. Travis cracked is tailbone he is considered soft. Steve dislocated his shoulder he is soft, Batuum hurt his shoulder, his ankle twice and he is considered soft. Rudy has been hurt and he is soft. So why does Miller bring toughness with battle wounds and the rest of the team is soft? Why does our culture need changing?
I just don't understand everybody’s definition of toughness. Maybe what I call conditioning is what you call toughness. I worked in a sawmill all my life and had to put up with wise guys asking how many sawmill workers does it take to change a light bulb, (yes you but head)getting hit with knots flying out of saws. Picking up boards that were too heavy for the human body, that all isn’t toughness it is just being conditioned to put up with your job.
Second, I never said you prayed to Dre, I said you act as if he is coming to Portland to be our savior.
I have never brought us Steve’s name regarding you other then who is starting.
Do you always take sentences and twist them around to your likings?
Your definition of toughness is anybody that gets battle wounds from doing your job. Hell I have battle wounds from being a husband. A tongue lashing with a two edged tongue can give you more battle wounds then any elbow can.
To sum everything up, I guess all posters should take a class on word definition. Nate definition of toughness is lots different then Stephens. Stephens definition of toughness is different then some computer game playing nut that thinks you do any kind of body harm that you can get away with without a conscience. My definition of toughness is the mentality to stay in the trenches when the going is bad and you have little of no chance of winning. Or The Trailblazers trademark of never giving up. Therefore I feel the Blazers already have the toughness. Just need some body mass to help diminish the physical blows.
Cheers
hg
downtown Vinnie:
It was brought up to me by fanman after I took your word on the fact that Miller could get the ball to the bigs better that both Steve and Miller has the capability to get the ball to the bigs Greg had to stay alert and catch the ball.
So maybe I shouldn't listen to you quite as much since it seems you twist facts and sentences around to your likings.
hg
hg,............you do much better at twisting my words than I do ,my main man.If you want to believe fanman ,then please do.In points in the paint ,we were 20th in the league.(because I know how you LOVE stats).I would disagree with fanman that Oden dropping passes is the reason that we don't get assists to the post.It IS because we ARE a jump shooting team that relies on JUMP SHOTS. If we are so tough,then why did Houston spank us? Bad calls? No. We weren't tough enough. I didn't say getting battle wounds make you tough.I said going inside will give you battle wounds.Stats ,as much as YOU hate them ,don't lie.20th in the league ,man. And Iknow you'll hate this,but if Blake is so great,then why did we get DRE? To improve,thats why.Why was BRoy so pissed about the Houston series ,because they flat out out toughed us,face it.Never said Dre is our Saviour,thats why I made the two "JOKES" about his godlikeness,ok. We ARE mentally tough,but that doesn't make us physically tough,yet. Maybe some of the posters should take a class on humor so that they might learn to laugh at even themselves a little instead of getting annoyed over a JOKE. Heres one for you.How many buttheads does it take to screw in a lightbulb?None ,Thats the stick chain pullers job.!!!!!!! The one thing I can certainly agree with you on is that a wives tongue lashing require way more toughness than posting up does..........You defend Steve like somebody beat up your son,I know he's ya boy,but lighten up.I'm entitled to my opinion,just like you,bud.I must say that I am burnt out on people who only know me from this site,telling me that I twist things to my liking.Do yourself a favor,stop reading into everything I say .What I say is what I mean .Don't drive yourself and me crazy by over analyzing my posts.What I post IS what it IS. Toodles,My man.
HG: I enjoyed your explanation of toughness. I have to say, I'm sensing some of your comments to be a little edgier than in the past. Often, getting injured doesn't necessarily correlate to how tough someone is. I did some go-cart racing this weekend and evidently strained my calf muscle on my drivers' foot. Man is that ever pathetic. Playing in the trenches with fortitude when you have little or no chance of winning, really is more about pride. There are plenty of players with pride but who shy away from contact if possible, therefore not very tough in my book. In the case of Andre Miller, the comparison might be because of his ironman status. He has only missed a couple games in quite a few seasons. Maybe he is just lucky. But then look at A.C. Green. Same type of ironman and plenty tough.
When it comes to what fivehundreddogs had to say about Paul Allen trying to save a few bucks, I've found that few are those who feel sorry for billionaires. I gave up arguing to people that it was easier to spend others' money than your own. Salaries are certainly out of control and may eventually lead to the ruin of more than one franchise. Let's ask the Sonics about their financial struggles. Oh that's right, there is no more Sonics.
fivehundreddogs,
When speaking about the negotiation process between the organization and Roy, KP made the insinuation that the process was just incredibly "complicated." He insinuated that most fans just don't understand how "complicated" the process can be. He also said that much of the organization's hesitation had to do with "getting comfortable" with Roy as the corner stone.
Give me a break on both accounts. If the process is so complicated, why is it that other teams can sign their superstars a few hours after negotiations are legal to begin? The only time that doesn't happen is when the player is asking for something that shows a lack of committment to the team (deron williams ring a bell?). Of course, Roy didn't do that. Complication wasn't the reason for the standoff.
The idea that it took the organization a while to "get comfortable" with Roy as the cornerstone is also a laughable excuse. I was the guy that said if Roy didn't win rookie of the year, i would crap in a bowl and eat it like ice cream. There was no doubt about who was the cornerstone of this franchise, starting a very long time ago.
The reason for the standoff also had nothing to do with the Aldridge negotiations. To think Arn Tellem would actually fold to hardball being played with Roy is another laughable concept orchestrated mostly by the media. The truth is they don't have a clue what it was about and are grasping at anything that sounds remotely plausible to the layman.
Whether i'm stupid or not is debatable. However, i am not ignorant or naive enough to swallow the crap KP is selling. I'm not about to just write off the way this organization did business, this summer.
They offered Roy 4 years. That made sense because of his age. They want to negotiate Roy's next contract when he is 30 rather than when he is about to turn 32. At that point, he will probably have a ring or two, and there will be no way they won't be compelled to max him out, again. That would put the franchise in a position to be paying Roy 20+ million when he is 36 about to turn 37. Look around. How many 36 year old guards are making that kind of money?
Now, Roy's camp is just fine with that plan. Renegotiating in 4 years is much better than playing an entire season after the age of 30 an injury away from losing out on a deal worth more than 100 million. So they said fine, we'll make it a 4 year contract. However, we want the financial security of a 5th year. They asked for a player option on year 5.
This is where the blazers balked, and that was the reason for the standoff. What is unacceptable is that Roy did everything a player can do to earn a deal of max years and max pay. No player of Roy's caliber that i know of has ever had a club balk at 5 years of security...no matter what the reason.
It was absurd for them to believe they were going to accomplish anything by saying no in the first place. His agent, and everyone else in the league, knew Roy deserved it. It seems like KP and whoever else was working on it were the only people not completely confused about what it was they planned to gain from not giving him what he deserved.
In the end, i'm forced to believe that the higher ups actually thought they had a leg to stand on. In fact, they didn't, and that is why they ended up maxing him out, anyway. Meanwhile, players around the league were raising brows and questioning our front office.
I honestly don't care if anyone else in Portland sees this my way or not. I've always tried to be someone who is a good checks and balances type of fan. I'm not going to stand behind every BS move the organization makes. I love the blazers, and when the organization does something that i find out of line, i won't hesitate to express what i think about it.
MrBlazer.......Even with Brandons contract there was talk about how KP was frustrated by not having the backing of his boss.Now, last I remember Paul Allen is still the owner. All final decisions go through him,especially ones having to do with moolah.Even our #1 guy took a little while .Plus knowing KP, he might still be thinking about another move.With the economy being what it is,and this contract is a little trickier as 500dogs posted,I agree he isn't a max contract guy.He is atremendous talent who deserves to get paid handsomely,but I'm tryin to be patient,because I trust management.Look how far theyv'e taken us so far. oh yeah..............BLAZERSROCK
Mrblazer,
I agree that BRoy deserves his max contract, the argument I am making is that LMA does not. The difficulties with Roy seemed to me to be a matter of establishing a position on negotiations in general. The organization was saying,"It ain't gonna be a cake-walk for anybody; not even Brandon Roy", which I think was smart. As Phi Slamma pointed out, The Sonics were careless with their cash, and look what happened; repairs were due for their venue and they couldn't scrape the dough together.
Just look at all the guys who have contracts coming up and tell me where the money's coming from. We got a bargain on Rudy and I doubt we'll get another one. Batum will need to get paid in a couple years, and you know there's interest out there for him. Then there's the small matter of Greg Oden. If he breaks out, we will need to pay the man. Same goes for Bayless. Not to mention, I don't know what our plans are for Blake, Outlaw and Przybilla, but if we want to keep them, it could get tricky.
What I'm trying to say is if they had folded on Roy and Aldridge, you know all the other player's agents would be smelling blood and going in for the kill. If that was allowed to happen, we would end up broke with a couple talented, well-paid players. That is simply not sustainable, especially if we're trying to create a dynasty that will bring us more than one parade.
But hey, I understand: it's frustrating. In the past, you're right, a deal would have been inked within minutes. This ain't the past. Welcome to the broke-ass future. Wall Street bent this country over and gave it the hard goodbye. There just isn't the kind of financial freedom to take stupid risks with a past-time. Unemployment numbers are still up here in Oregon, and a lot of folks might not be renewing their season tickets. This ain't the time to be in the luxury tax. This ain't the time for luxuries at all.
So say what you want about Paul Allen being a wealthy man, but he didn't get that way by dropping millions on a business which has been waning financially. But hey, if you're really sore about it, write them a letter. I enjoy these discussions, but if you really want to make a difference, write to Paul Allen directly. Even if you don't get a reply, it might feel good to express your frustration to the source, instead of a crew of maniacs who hold zero influence with the organization(us).
Go Blazers.
why would we want to post oden up all the time when we have LA. he is a much better post player then oden. oden needs a couple more years befor we just dump it to him in the post like the lakers did with shaq. I thought we all wanted oden to become a good defender and rebounder not a scorer. a least for the the next season mabey two.
the reason we lost to the rocket is yes toughness but we are a young team that has never been there. the rockets have and they know what it takes to win during the playoffs we don't. they also had two great defenders in ron and shane. the best in the league when it comes to defence. I would say the best one two punch on defence and they still could not stop broy.
IT was the rest of the team that did't come to play. LA a little but did't bring it every night.
On LA being soft i think he needs to hit the weight and not let players like scola get the best of him. he will not be soft this season mark my words. he is very smart and will improve on whatever it takes to take his game to the next level.that will be this year.
If La is soft why would't sheed be soft. he does not pound the bourds, lots of fade a ways, stays on the perimeter he dunks it hard but so does La. La does get less techs is that why hes soft.
one more thing how maney passes did oden drop this year i would like a # if you think thats the reason we dont have assist in the post whetever that means. if your talking out your ass then that one thing but if you know how maney he drop then we can figure it out.
I played basketball sence i was in kindergarden. i played point guard till my soph year then was a pf because i grew from 5'6 to 6'3.(i till played point alot)
i avg 25 points a game and went to state with my team and took 4th. one sevearal district titles too. so ya i know how to play the game inside and out.blazers
why would we want to post oden up all the time when we have LA. he is a much better post player then oden. oden needs a couple more years befor we just dump it to him in the post like the lakers did with shaq. I thought we all wanted oden to become a good defender and rebounder not a scorer. a least for the the next season mabey two.
the reason we lost to the rocket is yes toughness but we are a young team that has never been there. the rockets have and they know what it takes to win during the playoffs we don't. they also had two great defenders in ron and shane. the best in the league when it comes to defence. I would say the best one two punch on defence and they still could not stop broy.
IT was the rest of the team that did't come to play. LA a little but did't bring it every night.
On LA being soft i think he needs to hit the weight and not let players like scola get the best of him. he will not be soft this season mark my words. he is very smart and will improve on whatever it takes to take his game to the next level.that will be this year.
If La is soft why would't sheed be soft. he does not pound the bourds, lots of fade a ways, stays on the perimeter he dunks it hard but so does La. La does get less techs is that why hes soft.
one more thing how maney passes did oden drop this year i would like a # if you think thats the reason we dont have assist in the post whetever that means. if your talking out your ass then that one thing but if you know how maney he drop then we can figure it out.
I played basketball sence i was in kindergarden. i played point guard till my soph year then was a pf because i grew from 5'6 to 6'3.(i till played point alot)
i avg 25 points a game and went to state with my team and took 4th. one sevearal district titles too. so ya i know how to play the game inside and out.blazers
DowntownVinnie,
The reason we got Dre, in my opinion, has nothing to do with Steve's abilities. Rather, Sergio was not able to hold his own as a point guard, and we needed a reliable point guard to hold his own while Steve was getting a rest. Now, with Dre, we are counting on a continuation of reliable, savvy play.
I am not trying to decide whether Steve is better than Dre or Dre better than Steve. Each has his own unique abilities and specialties. What I will say is that I am glad we acquired Dre because he will work well with our offense, and he will help the fluidity of our team with his inside shooting and passing ability. Again, the coach will decide when to use Steve and Dre. If he starts one it does not mean that the other is "second fiddle". Instead, it is because he believes that one fits better with a certain group of talent during a particular phase of the game in order to win. That is the bottom line.... To Win.
If you look back at what I said about Oden, you will notice I said nothing about his dropping passes (not that he didn't on occasion). What I did notice about Greg, at times, was that he would sometimes get flustered. He would get indecisive as to whether he should dribble, dunk, or pass, and this indecision would lead to "turnovers." My hope is that he will be the decisive, dominant player that he can be for our team. I like Greg, and I wish him the best year that he has ever had as a player.
Hey enough of this contract crap, how about those Euros?! I've been checking with the Center Court blog, and I am loving the numbers our guys are putting up! Batum is going to make it very hard on old Webby and Mr. Trout.
The man from Les Mans is tearing it up over there on a French squad that looks headed to the top. I don't know if it's something in the baguettes, but a team with a starting 5 including Diaw, Parker, Turiaf, and our guy Nic is pretty impressive. These guys are going to come back to our side of the drink having accomplished something pretty spectacular. I can't imagine the pride one must feel to represent one's country in a continent-wide challenge. French basketball was in danger of losing what fan base it had going into this, but seems to have undergone a renaissance since qualifying for Eurobasket and remaining the only undefeated team in the actual tournament.
Spain isn't faring as well, but still stands a chance of taking home the whole paella. Personally, I would love to see France v. Spain in the final match, but am leaning towards the French. It's that Rubio kid...what a tool! "I'm Ricky Rudio; there's no one like me." Ooh, you just want to slap the little punk! Also Pau must be stopped. The children of the world should feel safe crossing beneath bridges without fear of that troll getting his paws on them. Tough luck for Rudy, but he's got enough cred already. Actually, I hope they get knocked out soon so he'll be %100 for training.
Someday I'd love to get tickets for Eurobasket, preferably when it's somewhere a bit more central than Poland, although I've heard Warsaw is a helluva city. Still, I can think of prettier places to spend September...
Go Blazer. Vive la France!
Stairs to the Sun: The Brandon Roy Story
The cellar door shut behind me. The darkness was deafening. I tried not to panic, but the overwhelming cold sent a shiver up my spine. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a glimpse of light. I wandered towards it and found the first step. There was no railing to hold onto, so I began my climb unassisted. I could hear shouts from the distance as the light grew brighter. My fear slowly began to fade away and whispers of a confident voice seeped in. I had always been a basketball player since I could remember. I had always believed in myself and knew I was destined to rise above mediocrity. My legs were tired from the climb, but something kept pushing me. The burning deep down in my soul would not let me stop. I finaly came to top and the door swang open. I was blinded by the immense light, but quickly saw I was not alone. I was on a basketball court and I had many friends around me, many people I believed in. I knew my time had arrived, I knew I could bring a championship to this team.
fivehundreddogs,
I've never had a problem with the way LMA's contract negotiations have been handled. Both sides know what his value is and are just having a difficult time putting a number on that value due the unstable projections of next years BRI. This is the kind of thing that takes time.
I will make my point about Roy, succinctly, and move on. Roy was always going to get max money and max years. It was inevitable. The fact that is took so long for the organization to come around to reality says one of two things. Either someone upstairs is a jerk or incredibly naive. I'm beginning to think it's a little bit of both.
I have been tripping over my praise of this franchise and the things it has done to bring a great product to its fans for several years, now. However, in order to not render my applause meaningless, i feel compelled to hold it accountable when it drops the ball, as well.
I won't forget about the thousands of fans that were abandoned when the franchise decided to put its broadcasts in the hands of a cable company. I will remember the horrendously embarrassing way the Miles situation was handled, last year (another inevitable situation that should have been recognized). Finally, i will voice my displeasure over the treatment Roy received after probably doing more to earn his pay day than any other player i can think of in the NBA.
BTW, hg, there is no bigger fan of Mike Barrett than me. He was our life raft when this team was sinking. And, Mike, we miss you, buddy. But we all know family comes first. Thank you for all you do. Not only do you allow us the right to have our opinions, no matter how controversial, but you also give us a voice by having the guts to post whatever hits your board. You may want to strangle me, right now, but you still give me my voice. Thanks again.
Edgar Allen (Knighto) Poe: If the darkness was "deafening" and you were "blinded" by immense light, does that mean you're "dumb" for writing this poetic scribble? First, Brandon is in a cellar, then he is climbing stairs, so many in fact that his legs grew tired. The only thing this tells me is he is either in a cellar so deep it would be the envy of Earnest and Julio Gallo, or Brandon is terribly out of shape.
Cmon now badddawg,You think hg has aluv affair with MGB and I.That would be a Manage a Blah.Pleease.Do you feel better now, hope so.good for you
Vennie:
I know that stats don't lie, but they don't tell the whole truth.
Like mike said every moment in the past will never be again. Stats are the results of work in the past. In Dre's case with other teams. The slate is wiped clean and he starts anew in Portland. BTW, I agree with all the rest of your blog. Isn't that amazing.
We must have had a lovers spat.
hg
Mike; I got to watch courtside tonight on streaming. The audio and video was in sync and It didn’t refresh all the time.
I have a question for you are anybody else that can answer. Talking Ball said that Nate was going to cut the rotation to no more then 9 players. Which 9 will play?
Andre Steve
Broy Rudy
Martell Batuum
LMA Travis
Greg Joel
I thought everybody would pick Travis, but Nate likes to use Travis when we go small. Unless they use Greg or Joel as twin towers often they also need Travis as a four. So who can we play without?
hg
hg.............is that the real hg? It can't be ,you agreed with me.I am so happy,I'm gonna send you flowers,hon. Love,Vin,Ha.
hg is not the only poster with a little edge, lately. Some of the posters need to take a valium or smoke the rope as MB coined the phrase.(he was talking about a term the kids use ,just to disclaim) Maybe everyone will calm down when the season starts. I think its funny when phi slamma and I are now the least edgiest posts.Untill the trolls come out from under the bridge,anyways.
DowntownVinnie,
We are on the same page as to what Steve and Andre bring to the team. Where we differ is in the rotation of the players. It appears that you would rather start Andre because he can drive to the basket better. However, isn't that Brandon's job? Steve becomes an outlet for Brandon when he gets trapped. Wouldn't it be better to use Andre with the next rotation where the pace will be faster, and he and Rudy can click and make creative plays together.
This is why I say it is up to the coach to decide which rotation is best at any given point in the game. It does not mean that one individual is less talented or important.
We are looking for the balanced rotation that will inevitably win games.
What we don't want is for individuals on our team to start getting upset over playing time or rotation. This will not help in the long run.
FANMAN:
I so agree with you, that is what I have been trying to get across the whole off-season. It seems that most fans think that the best 5 players on the team are starters and it is all players dream to start. That is what the controversy is all about.
I think Miller would be better with the faster unit of Rudy, Batman, Outlaw and either center. I wouldn't care if they started or came off the bench because one is as important as the other. But that doesn't mean that the two units can't interlace. Miller and BRoy on fast breaks or pushing the tempo would be great at times. I just think it would better fit the whole team to use the players where they can do the most overall good.
I am glad you joined in the Debate. I have not enough knowledge to argue my point. (So there Vinnie (tongue out).
Oops joking around on a serious blog is taboo, sorry about that.
hg
mr blazer your going to hold the blazers accountable by getting on a blog and bitching about somebody up stairs hmmm..... write paul a letter . then you end it with mb being the blazers life raft what? he saved this team from sinking. how did he do that?
I love how everybody is an expert negotiator too. they say things like how roy was mistreated why LA is taking so long to get a deal when you really have no clue how this all works. Do you
Hey Mike
Yes the window is wide open for this team to make a run at a title the next few years but remember the Blazers made the playoffs 19 straight years and didnt win one. Truthfully Im happy with any success this team can give us even if it means no title. After all the scandals and turmoil I now realize how spoiled I was as a fan, Im just glad I can be proud to be a Blazer fan again.
fanman.........................good point .It is BRoys job. He is the only one who,on a consistent basis ,does it.One thing that was talked about earlier was having someone else to take the pressure off BRoy.Because it is a long season,there were nights where he was gassed and running on adrenaline because when we have scoring lapses he trys to carry us.Thats when injuries happen.I think they are both so unselfish that they could play together and............defer to each other when needed.I would have to agree with the theory that Dre could help run the second unit.But,back to being a stat freak.........Dre has never been on a team where he hasn,t started.I know I have repeated that statement a bunch of times. It just sticks with me for some reason Hes got a little bit of junkyard dog in him.I do know for sure that Steve won't just roll over and play dead.
Have I missed the signing of LeMarcus Aldridge and where is the outcry if he is not signed? I thought he, along with Brandon Roy, was to be the heart of this team. What is happening here? Did I miss something?
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