• I love the Trailblazers. For all the talk about their renaissance, about the way they’re rebuilding, they still do a lot of not-so-smart things. Recently they traded Zach Randolph for pretty much nothing in return, which was a horrible move considering a lot of teams would’ve given you more than just Channing Frye for a 20-10 guy.

Today’s report is that they’re buying out Steve Francis. That is actually a wise thing. What I don’t get is that Francis was owed $33.6 million, and the Blazers are supposedly going to buy him out by paying him “more than $30 million.”

That’s not buying him out, that’s just paying his contract. If I’m Portland, I go to his agent and say, “Look, we’ll pay you half of the contract and you get him out of here and let him play somewhere. Otherwise, we’ll keep him under contract for three seasons. Make him practice every day and sit on the bench every game, and we’re never going to play him. Ever. And when his contract is about to run out we’ll tell every team in the League that he can’t play. But we’ll expect him to completely honor the terms of his deal. It’s your choice.” (That’s probably not allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, but who says it has to be an on the record conversation?)
Don’t you think Francis would have to accept that? Basketball players hate nothing more than having to sit on the bench night after night after night. And with Francis’ window closing, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t want to spend his next three years in Portland on the bench.

Invite a friend

Magloire gone Bye Bye to the nets

ust days after re-signing Vince Carter to a new multi-year deal, the New Jersey Nets shored up their frontcourt by agreeing to terms with free agent forward/center Jamaal Magloire on Saturday.

Contract terms were not made public but the Nets organization said the deal is a go unless the big man fails an upcoming physical.

"We are very pleased to add Jamaal to our roster," team president Rod Thorn said. "He is an experienced low post player who will add depth to our frontcourt rotation."

The addition of Magloire is an important one for the Nets because they recently lost Mikki Moore to free agency and Nenad Krstic missed most of last season due to a knee injury.

Magloire, a former first round pick of the New Orleans Hornets in 2000, played in 81 games for the Portland Trailblazers in 2006-07 and averaged 6.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.

Since New Jersey has offensive stars like Carter and Jason Kidd, the former All-Star's biggest benefit to the team will be his rebounding.

During his All-Star season of 2003-04, Magliore was a beast on the boards as he averaged 10.4 rebounds for the Hornets.

His numbers have declined since that season, but that is mostly because of the decline in his minutes played. Last season, Magliore averaged only 21.1 minutes a game-his lowest amount since his second year in the league.

Besides announcing the addition of their new big man, the club also said it waived guard Hassan Adams. The former Arizona standout was selected in the 2006 draft and averaged 2.9 points a game for the Nets last season.

blogging

were still looking for more bloggers to add to the site. if your interested you can email me at trailblazerfans.net@gmail.com

roy has a point

with all this talk about who should be are starting PG are we overlooking brandon roy running the point? i think it would be a crime not to have the ball in his hands everytime we walk down the court. the decision making ability alone makes a case for him, but the way he can take it to the hoop on almost every play it just makes sense.

oregonlive is reporting blake is back

According to the Rocky Mountain News, Steve Blake is coming back to the Blazers:

The free-agent point guard said today he has agreed to a three-year deal with the Trail Blazers. Though a Florida native, Blake and his family make their offseason home in Portland.

Blake averaged 8.3 points and 6.6 assists in 49 games with the Nuggets last season. He was willing to return to Denver but opted for Portland as the Nuggets were on the verge of finalizing a contract with guard Chucky Atkins.

"That's OK, if that's the direction they want to go," Blake said in a brief phone interview. "I just decided to go back to Portland."

According to that article, Blake was seeking something near the mid-level, but the terms have not been disclosed.

So what do you think? Good move? What about Jarrett Jack, and Sergio Rodriguez for that matter? Do we have another clog at the point, or are Jack's days as a Blazer numbered?

I'm off to what the Trail Blazers practice, so I'll try to get more information from there. In the meantime, leave your thoughts in the comments.

funny oden joke

i was up in seattle this morning and was listening to the local sports station 950am and they said that is wasn't that the tonsils were swollen, but that the tonsils were starting to grow a beard and was blocking his air.

ok it wasn't that funny.

oden resting

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer
July 11, 2007

AP - Jun 29, 6:04 pm EDT More Photos

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Greg Oden is ready for his upcoming tonsillectomy because the NBA's No. 1 draft pick is "worn out" from a hectic summer and he welcomes the chance to rest.

The 19-year-old pick of the Portland Trail Blazers will have his tonsils out Saturday at the Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver, Wash.

"I'm not nervous," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday before attending the ESPY Awards. "People told me when you're older it's kind of bad, but I'm ready for it."

Oden said he needs the surgery to improve his breathing.

"Most people get maybe one or two sore throats a year. I'm at five or six and I can't swallow water," he said.

Post-surgery, Oden said he's looking forward to eating ice cream and Jell-O, his favorite flavor being blue raspberry.

Oden said the Blazers want him to remain in the Portland area for two weeks to recover from surgery. He will miss the rest of summer league play and the U.S. senior national team's minicamp July 20-22 in Las Vegas.

"I'm going to flush the basketball out for a couple weeks and just get ready for an 82-game season," he said.

"This summer I've traveled so much I'm actually worn out. I didn't think you could get worn out from just flying, but believe me I'm worn out."

durrant oden wheres the northwest?

funny pic i got from espn.com

the next oden already? from yahoo sports

Ignore the college recruiters – NBA executives and scouts are fascinated with 7-foot-2 John Riek, a Sudanese immigrant who surfaced last season at Our Savior New American on New York's Long Island. With his dominant performance at the LeBron James camp in Akron last week, Riek solidified himself as perhaps the most desired commodity in amateur basketball.

He's a junior in high school, so he won't be eligible for the NBA until 2010. Nevertheless, this didn't stop comparisons to Greg Oden from pro and college personnel. Maybe most intriguing about Riek have been the private debates about his age. School officials are listing him at 17, but even Riek says he isn't sure about his true birth date. Said one Western Conference scout, "I think he could be as old as 26."

Of course, one Big East assistant coach insisted, "It would not surprise me if he was 30 years old."

Our Savior New American is a one-room school house where the coach happens to be the teacher, and several college sources believe Riek is eventually destined for the Winchendon Prep School in Massachusetts. Foxsports.com's Jeff Goodman reported that Riek has been accepted (surprise, surprise) and will soon enroll.

Thoughts on Summer League

From all the highlights, box scores and from the parts of games I've seen, here are some thoughts on the blazers people probably aren't talking about at summer league:

1. Martell Webster - His shot is so pretty, I'd say its perfect, however he really has no other parts of the game still coming into his third year. His ball handling skills look the same as they always have and he can't really break his man down even vs summer league competition. I hope he can continue to work, I think a couple years in college would have done wonders for him, however I'm glad to see hes still in a blazer uniform as his potential is tremendous. I did see an improvement in his defense which is a good sign, he also tends to hang around the three point line on offense which at this point is one of the only thing he can do on offense which is stroke open shots.

2. Josh McRoberts - Why doesn't he play more in the summer league, why do we keep feeding Zendon Hamiliton the ball and not giving this guy more burn, I just watched him hit a few mid range shots and he seems like a tremendous leaper for dunks. He also seems to be a pretty good passer for a big, I think this guy was a huge steal and I hope to see him get some serious burn as the the 4th or 5th big in the rotation next year.

3. Sergio Rodriguez - I love this guy, his energy and speed and ball handling is unmatched by anyone else out here in the summer league and hes so young. His defense needs work and he still tends to be the same Sergio we saw last year, very energetic however also very hectic. When he is running around its like chaos and out of control and thus makes mistakes and often tries to fall back to a three point shot that he hasn't developed fully yet.

4. Taureen Green - I think this could end up being another steal of the draft, I just wish he played more in the summer league. His shot is consistent and he is a pesky defender but can get bullied by bigger pgs. He is a good ball handler but tends to pass off and disappear in the offense.

On a final Note, I have noticed that there are so many fouls in summer league, its actually ruins the game and makes it unwatchable, it slows it down so much and some of the fouls are so ridiculous so I wouldn't put alot of stock into the Greg Oden foul situation.

Why portland will be the next NBA dynasty

Greg Oden was selected by the Portland Trailblazers first overall in the NBA draft this past Thursday, but that's only part of the reason why his new team will be the team to watch for the next 10 years. Matt McCready takes a look at why this might be the best NBA franchise since Michael Jordan hung out with Spike!

Out of the big four professional North American leagues, the NBA is the one where championship dynasties are most prevalent. The reason for that is that it's the only league where one or two players can carry an entire team (unlike Major League Baseball), has a playoff format that favors the squad with the most talent (unlike the sudden death NFL playoff structure) and points are scored with such regularity that one or two lucky bounces cannot determine a game (NHL). All these characteristics tend to favor the more skilled team, which keeps the same teams from winning on a consistent basis.


Dominic Hasek knocked out a lot of championship caliber hockey teams throughout the nineties by flopping around like an old lady who fell in the tub

Notable dynasties include the Bill Russell era Boston Celtics of 1950s and 60s, the alternating championships of the Los Angeles Lakers and Celtics of the 1980s, the six Chicago Bulls championships of the 90s, the turn of the century Shaq and Kobe Lakers and the current routine dominance of the Tim Duncan led Spurs.


Magic Johnson and Larry Bird won a lot of championships, had a lot of fun and posed for a lot of stencil drawings throughout the eighties

There are similar characteristics that championship caliber franchises tend to have. The most important ones are that it employs one or two superstar caliber players, an elite core of role players and (in the salary cap era) relative bargains and fiscal responsibility to ensure a flexible lineup. The Portland Trailblazers have all of these aspects and will be the next dominant NBA franchise.

To be labeled a superstar player, one typically has to be among the top five of his position in the NBA. The Portland Trailblazers have three players with that potential. The one with the most is the number one overall pick of the NBA draft, Greg Oden. Oden's nine foot standing reach, impeccable timing and explosive athleticism will make him a terror around the defensive glass.

For the next decade, any player who drives the lane against the Trailblazers will either
a) make a spectacular contested basket
b) have his shot contested by Greg Oden, miss and have the rebound gobbled by the man-beast out of Ohio State
or c) have his shot blocked by Greg Oden

Oden's offensive game has potential but his defense will define him. He could easily turn into a modern day Bill Russell. Even when a player avoids the nightmarish Oden he'll have to deal with ‘the Boogeyman' LaMarcus Aldridge.


Oden has been compared to Bill ‘TreeBeard' Russell

It's weird that a second overall pick can be so easily forgotten. Last year's draft runner up Aldridge had a turbulent rookie campaign which started off slowly, turned red hot when given ample amounts of playing time (including a couple of at least 24 points and 14 rebounds) and was shut down completely when diagnosed with a heart disorder (he will make a full recovery). There was ample talk that Portland should select small forward Kevin Durant over Oden because many felt that Aldridge could play the center position. While that may be true, Aldridge's mid range jumper heavy offensive game and questionable aggressiveness suits him more for the power forward postion. The most dominant trait that LaMarcus has showcased is his shot blocking. In upcoming years, the Portland basket will be better protected than Chuck Norris' niece at a Rob Lowe pool party. The most obvious comparison for these two defensively gifted big men would be Tim Duncan and David Robinson – the Twin Towers – of the first two San Antonio title wins.

The player selected several slots after Aldridge actually had a much more successful rookie campaign and showed his own superstar potential. Brandon Roy, featured here in my list of the 25 best NBA players under the age of 25, showed an all around game that resembles that of Danny Ainge of the Boston Celtic's dynasty (minus the obnoxiousness). Roy's unselfishness and high basketball IQ is typical of the player that Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard is trying to build the team around. With two potentially dominant big men and a gifted perimeter player, the Trailblazers have an abundance of the star power that's needed to put together a NBA dynasty.

Another characteristic of NBA championship squads are the complimentary players. Robert ‘Big Shot Bob' Horry was never anything close to an All-Star throughout his NBA career but has won five championships as a complimentary player on two separate dynasties (the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs) and two more on the back-to-back champion Houston Rockets of the mid-nineties. The Chicago Bulls employed the eccentric Dennis Rodman, not to score, but to play fantastic defense and to clean up any available rebound. The Portland Trailblazer roster is filled with young players who could develop into similar role players. Players that Portland head coach Nate McMillan can insert these players into the lineup to either exploit mis-matches or for specific plays down the stretch of the game. If his team is being outrun by a smaller lineup there are adjustments he can make to improve his team's athleticism and when it comes to pure athleticism few can match small forward Travis Outlaw. He'll perform frequently freakish acts, whether it be finishing on the break with an Oprah Winfrey worthy ba-dunk-a-dunk or swatting a weak shot attempt. He can be used to compete with the insurgence of fast break offensive attacks throughout the league, ensuring that Portland will not be ‘Dallased' so easily.

The thing that separated San Antonio winning and Cleveland losing in the NBA Finals more than anything was the respective quality of their backcourts. The Cavaliers backcourt were out-classed by both Manu Ginobili and finals MVP Tony Parker. Both guards were overlooked by every other franchise in their draft years and were late pick steals. Sergio Rodriguez and Rudy Fernandez could give the Trailblazers that same edge. Both picks used to select the Spaniards were towards the end of the first round and were bought by deep pocketed Trailblazer owner Paul Allen from the Phoenix Suns. Rodriguez showed exceptional quickness and unnatural playmaking ability as a rookie while struggling with his shot – which was the exact same scouting report on Tony Parker as a rookie. Fernandez has more Ginobili in his game. He plays a frenetic style which seems a bit out of control but is efficient and effective. They'll have the advantage of working out together and building chemistry in the off-season when they both play internationally for the Spanish National Team.


Manu Ginobili looking suave

Steve Kerr never averaged ten points per game during his NBA career but won four straight NBA championships with two separate teams. Kerr filled a VERY specific need, long range shooting. As valuable as the three point threat was, the main advantage to having a player like Kerr on the floor was that it spread the floor for his superstars (Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan) and prevented defenses from collapsing on them. Martell Webster, the high schooler drafted sixth overall by Portland in the 2005 entry draft could be that player. Webster's defining characteristic is his shooting ability – although he's got a ways to go to match Kerr's sharpshooting – but also has good size for his position and ample athleticism as well. He's a classy individual with a smile that makes women swoon and babies happy.


An autographed photo of sex symbol Martell Webster

Josh McRoberts is an absolute steal for Portland at the 37th position. Remember, this is a guy who many figured had top five overall pick potential as he left high school. He underperformed at Duke and was hampered by injuries but players with his combination of size, athleticism and passing ability are hot commodities. If he could realize his full potential, he could fill in like Bill Walton did for one year with the Boston Celtics in 1985.


Wow…anyways, the last Portland NBA Championship team was headlined by this guy

Let me just clear one thing up. There is NO way that I think McRoberts's career will have anything on the career of the redheaded Hall of Famer. However, maybe Josh's game - in his prime - could come close to resembling the season that the cardboard kneed, visible pain every second he was on the court, Walton gave Boston in the final full season of his career.

A lot of Portland fans are chastising Portland management for ‘giving away' Zack Randolph. Randolph enjoyed possibly his finest season last year, averaging over 23 points and 10 rebounds per contest. However, he's non-existent defensively (averaged a Richard Rich tiny .2 blocks per game last year), has a questionable disciplinary history and is owed a ridiculously bloated contract. In exchange for Randolph they acquired Steve Francis who only had two years left on his deal (which will be bought out by Portland) and promising big man Channing Frye. Whereas Randolph is still owed 17 million dollars in 2011, Francis's contract will be off the books after 2009. With this added financial flexibility, Portland will be able to fill in the necessary gaps in their lineup through free agency and will not be handicapped as much by bloated contracts.

The 2007 NBA Draft was a successful one for the city of Portland and it's basketball fans. There's no guarantee of even making the playoffs with a squad this young but all the pieces are in place for future dominance.

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired guard/forward James Jones

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired guard/forward James Jones and the draft rights to guard Rudy Fernandez, whom Phoenix selected with the No. 24 pick, in exchange for cash considerations, it was announced Wednesday by the Blazers.
This deal's been unofficial since draft day, but Jones can officially call himself a Blazer now. Jones averaged 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds with a .368 shooting percentage from 3-point land in 2006-07, his second season with the Suns. "We are thrilled to have a long-range shooter and a young man with very high character in James Jones," said GM Kevin Pritchard. "And Rudy Fernandez is a tremendous prospect who has excelled at the highest levels of international basketball." Fernandez may stay in Europe for the upcoming season. Jul. 11 - 3:42 pm et

team salary before the draft

new affliate site

check out the Legendary Ticket blog.

Udoka and Blazers about 2 mil apart

Udoka want's 4, blazers only want to give up 2 mil. The biggest barrier is Travis Outlaw. The blazers want to resolve his contractual status before turning there attention to Ime. If push comes to shove, I would resign Ime at 3 mil per season. The consistancy he shows on the perimeter, his steady defense and the fact he doesn't make mistakes could prove to be important for this very young team.

Oden Done for Summer League

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/07/breaking_news_odens_summer_lea.html

For the best. Get well Gregory

were not the best..... yet

ok after hearing about how we were going to dominate the summer league we stand at 0-2. to me though that doesn't matter at all. the summer league is all about getting some work in and getting a look at some of the rookies. i think were going to look alot sharper come preseason.

Trade Rumor: Conley to Portland

Word out of Memphis has the blazers and the grizzlies discussing a potential deal that would send Jarrett Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, Martell Webster and Joel Pryzbilla to Memphis in return for rookie pg Mike Conley Jr and swing man Mike Miller.

My prognosis: I like it. Mike Conley Jr has been labeled by many nba insiders as a franchise point guard very similar to that of Chris Paul. Mike Miller would fit in perfectly at the three and give this team something it desperately needs in outside shooting. If you can picture it, see it in your mind a triple team invloving Aldridge and or Oden with Mike Miller wide open on the perimeter. That's deadly folks. Extremely deadly. As for Conley. Can anyone pick him up whenever decides to penetrate and break down the defense? Think Chris Paul for a moment. Not a chance.

Oden's Second Summer Outing Better Than Debut

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2929920

Boxscore: Blazers vs Mavs Las Vegas Summer League

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2007/games/boxscore.jsp?gameId=1520700009

Look closely at the block shots. Aldridge and Oden combined for 7 block shot for the game. Thus, only playing 10 minute quarters. How many would they have had if they played a full 48 minutes? Yikes.

LaMarcus Continues To Impress

LaMarcus Aldridge played another solid game at the Las Vegas Summer League versus the Dallas Mavericks. Aldridge put up 16 points, grabbed 11 rebs and swatted away 3 shots in a loss to the Mavericks 72-68. He was the leading scorer in a game that saw Greg Oden come out of his rookie shell a lil bit. Between the two LaMarcus and Oden had 7 block shots total. As blazer fans this what he get to look forward to for the next decade or so. Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge complement each other perfectly. Greg plays deep inside and LaMarcus can take it outside aswell as being a dominant force inside. If the two continue to put up 7 blocks per game. This franchise won't see to many losses in the next decade or so. Defensively. They are about as good as it gets. Unbelievable.

http://fans.trailblazers.com/CampusStore/detail.aspx?ID=278

Oden, Durant ROTY? Not So Fast

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/46981/20070707/belinelli_drops_37_in_warrior_debut/

greg oden blog from 7 days ago

I'm in Portland, Oregon. it is a very beautiful place, a place that i can now call home for a long time. Being drafted # 1 is great but to be drafted by Portland and # 1 is the best thing in the world. I'm feeling really good right now in my life. I'm finishing off the greatest year of my life. Enough about my feelings, let me tell you about how great the place im going to be living is and representing for sometime. The summers here are the greatest thing in the world. It rarely rains in the summer, the temperature is always perfect, there is no humidity, and when there's a breeze, you can feel it. Now the winters on the other hand, that's a different story. I haven't experienced it but from what people have told me, it rains but not very hard, and not a lot at a time just slow drizzled spread out through a long time. I'm sure i'll be able to handle it.

The people here are great, they love their Trailblazers. When i got here i went to the Rose Garden and met the staff, they all had on ODEN shirts and gave me a big welcome. I loved all of it. They showed me the video of what had happened draft night when people went crazy and stormed the court after they called my name. The staff is really cool. i cant wait to get to know all of them. After i met the staff the staff and i went to downtown Portland where they had a rally for me. There was a whole lot of people there. When i'm in interviews and i say i dont want to put a lot of pressure on myself, it is very hard when you see all of these people and the excitement they have for the Trailblazers, how they look at me as the savior. It's hard cause you want to be, to make everyone happy and just have a good time and enjoy basketball. A lot of people do not get to do that for there city or themselves. The rally was fun. i got to introduce my family. I introduced my brother first so he got all excited. He thinks he's gonna get every lady in Portland now. After the rally i went and did media, where the length of the week really hit me. I just had nothing in me, but after that i had a photo shoot, jumbo tron video and an audio voice over. Actually the guys who were doing all that stuff gave me energy so those were fun. I also got to see one of my good friends that night, Josh McRoberts. He's here with me and thats gonna make everything that much better. To be here in this great city with one of my good friends is awesome. I love it here and i'm glad to represent this city and i will do everything in my power to give this team the chance to bring back a NBA championship, and i know it will not be easy.

Cheeks: Ostertag Dominated Duncan

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2007/07/in_defense_of_oden.html

Just a tidbit for those of you are jumping on the "Greg Oden is a bust bandwagon". ROFL. Read up.

Yo Peeps, Frye Speaks

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/sports/basketball/08knicks.html

He adds an additional 7 footer to an already big frontline. When they all get there timing down. Look out. Defensively, they will be phenominal.

Aside from Oden....

Who had a chance to watch LaMarcus Aldridge last night? Speaking of talent, this is another kid that is unbelieveable. When he first came out as a rookie. I have to admit, I wasn't high on him. I had him as the next Felton Spencer, Pervis Ellison. I thought it was a grave mistake to put high hopes on thie kid mainly because I questioned his heart, his work ethic etc. Not any longer. He is a kid that has a ton of skill and prob more than the prominant player we picked up at number one in this years draft, Greg Oden. He is a 20 pt 10 reb guy. He won't be considered the best player on this team by the end of the run that includes Oden, Aldridge and Roy. But he will have the same impact, same value to the club as Big James, James Worthy did for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 80's. Put up huge numbers in a very quiet manner.

Oden Increases his Stock

Seriously. Banter is going on back and forth about Greg Oden's debut on friday night against the Boston Celtics in the Las Vegas Summer League. Words have been used such as bust, to unconditioned, to fatigued to Sam Bowie. Yes. Sam Bowie.

I'm sure all of you have heard the phrase "You would rather look pretty and lose, rather than look ugly and win". Actually that came from one of my favorite comedy-dramas of all time "White Man Can't Jump". In Greg Oden's case in describing his friday night performance is "looking good yet performing badly". That's how I saw Greg Oden in his first game. Yes, he collected a total of 10 personal fouls. He only scored 6 points and pulled down a measley 2 rebs. But if you put his numbers to the side and look at the things he did do. You will see why he was the number one choice in this years draft.

First of all, Greg is a beast. For only being 19, the kid is huge. He is very strong and very tone. For a 7 footer he is one of the faster players running the entire length of the court. As a matter of fact on several plays he looked more like two guard running up down the court. Secondly, he by far was the most athletic player on the court. His vertical leap is off the charts. I already talked about his strength and speed. He can play two to three different positions on the court. To add to that, he has great hand and eye control. And if you watched him closely you could see plenty of reasons on why he is going to a be a dominant force for years to come in this league. Thirdly, his fundamentals for a man his size and his age are terrific. He posts down low in the low block about as good as any vet I have seen in the league. His defensive fundamentals as far as timing, man to man defense, his help defense are really, really good. You can tell once he is able to polish his game. He will be a great all around center in this game. And by the time he retires, will probably be one of the 10 best big men to play the game.

I was excited at the prospects of getting Greg Oden before the draft. But after what I seen last night. I had no choice but to salivate and really envision what we have been blessed with. This kid is nothing of the kind. He has the goods to be a scorer and one of the best defensive players to play this game. We as fans need to sit back watch and be patient while he grows. He is not a project. He is player that will make an immediate impact right away and will improve with each and everygame. This is one fan that can't wait to watch this Greg grow. He is special.

blazers.com site

I've got to say that the blazers.com official site is one of the best looking and functioning sites i have ever seen. if they have some sort of web site making emmys they should win. good work over there guys!

im not to big on the iamatrailblazer.com site. mostly just because of the message board layout is kinda lame. i like the idea behind it though.

greg just warming up

it's so funny to read through some of the blazer forums and hear people talk about he's not as good as we had thought and we should have took durrant. huh people just take a nice deep breathe and relax it's only 1 summer league game ;)

this guy has been on a worldwide rock tour for several months now and he is just now finally able to play some basketball.

i didn't get to see the whole game, but saw some of the fouls and they weren't that bad. the refs were a little jumpy i think.

what's with the cheap nba can't even provide some free summer league games? they only make about 100 billion a year.... a rough estimate :)

here are some highlights from the game

Oden foul trouble cause for concern?

I was unable to watch the first summer league game because the webcast was blacked out in my area (must have been on NBATV?). I did however see the box score and highlights and read ESPN to see that Greg Oden, the next big man of the NBA, struggle with fouls and foul out with 10 fouls! Should we as blazer fans be concerned about Greg?
The answer is no of course, I do believe that it might take Greg a bit more time than most people expect to adjust to the NBA game, remember he struggled in college with fouls throughout the tournament. I see no reason to be concerned after one game either, I think most of these people need to be quiet and patient to see what he can do. Greg will bounce back in this summer league and will eventually be the dominant big man in the NBA, the truth is after one game no one can really judge how well this rookie season will turn out until it happens. I for one am not concerned and think people need to wait and see, do you think Seattle is worried about Durant going 5-17 with only 1 rebound and literally no other stats?, I think not we all know he can score and we all know Oden will be a beast.

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 24 POINTS 9 BOARDS ODEN FOULS OUT WITH 10 FOULS FIRST SUMMER LEAUGE GAME BUT HE DOES MAKE ESPN TOP PLAYS WITH A MONSTER BLOCK

(cOPIED fROM NBA SUMMER LEAUGE WEBSITE)
LAS VEGAS, July 6 --In front of a sold-out crowd, the Boston Celtics ran away from the Portland Trail Blazers, 74-66, in the debut of first overall pick Greg Oden.

Oden grabbed the first rebound of the game, but quickly committed three fouls in the first 3:04 of the first quarter. Fouls hampered Oden the entire game as he played limited minutes (20) and finished with more fouls (10) than points (6). Summer league rules permit a player to commit up to ten fouls before fouling out. He fouled out with 2:47 left in the game.

“It is a different game and they call it a lot different here (college versus pro),” Oden said of his foul trouble. “There is a lot of hand checks and movements that you can’t do on this level.”

Oden showed flashes of brilliance with his soft touch down low and post moves. He wooed the crowd by swatting a Celtic shot out of bounds at the 5:01 mark of the fourth quarter.

“I didn’t play too well and I didn’t play hard enough, Oden said of his play. “When you don’t play hard enough you don’t win.”

The Celtics came out of the gates strong, ending the first quarter up 25-14 thanks to a 50-foot long distance three-pointer from Rajon Rondo to beat the buzzer.

Leon Powe led the Celtics with 19 points (7-13 FG) and nine rebounds, while high-flyer Gerald Green chipped in 14 points (5-11 FG). 35th overall pick Glenn “Big Baby” Davis struggled from the floor in his first game, missing all five of his shots, but contributed three points from the free throw line (3-4 FT).

“I tried to keep the big fellow (Oden) out of the lane,” Powe said of his match-up with Oden. “He is big and strong, so I tried to do my work early and not let in the paint.”

LaMarcus Aldridge was the star of the game for the Blazers, pouring in 24 points (9-16 FG, 6-7 FT) and nine rebounds. Aldridge played with confidence and took over the scoring load for the young Blazers. Swingman Martell Webster had 18 points (5-11 FG, 6-6 FT) and eight rebounds. Webster struggled in the first three quarters, going just one of seven from the field, but was red hot in the fourth quarter, hitting for 13 points (4-5 FG, 3-3 FT).

NOTES: Celtics’ fan Maria Menounos of Access Hollywood and the Today Show was courtside in a Paul Pierce jersey, while Boston native Donnie Wahlberg was also in attendance. Point guard Sebastian Telfair watched the game from the stands.

we want greg oden rap video

don't make me break out "bust a bucket!"

This is Me If we dont make the playoffs This Year

Summer Leauge Game

Dont forget about the summer leauge game friday the 6th. It can be viewed on nba.com!

can't get enough of this video

after seeing wilsonriverfisher post this. i had to repost again just because it's so funny. "DID YOU SEE DID YOU SEE DID YOU SEE... WE GOT ZACH RANDOLPH? DID ANYONE SEE THAT? THEY SCARED NOW!!!!! hmm who the nypd?

WE GOT A BEAST DOWN LOW NOW!!!! you mean a ballhog downlow?

WELL HE SOUNDS VERY SURE OF THERE TEAM NOW. MAYBE THINKING CHAMPIONSHIP? then reporter asks you expect to be in the playoffs now? WE EXPECT TO BE BETTER THEN LAST YEAR.

CLASSIC!!!

Zbos New York Interview

A Dynasty (Stolen From The internet)

it's not just Oden, its' the fact that they have a tradeable max contract expiring in 2 years(LaFrentz), two up and coming projects straight out of high school(Webster, Outlaw), draft rights to Joel Freeland, all thieir future 1st round picks, and back to back drafts this year and next that they will posses 3 2nd round picks with yet another still to come in 2011.

How hard would it be to use some of that treasure alongside Raef LaFrentz in a deal to get Rashard Lewis? Lewis and Oden plus their current rotation would be a high playoff team next year, and a contender over the next decade so long as they don't muck it up. I think that they are in an enviable position, but I disagree on the timeframe. I'd be surprised if the Blazers garnered more than 45 wins next season as they continue to gain more experience playing together. I think that would be a reasonable target in a powerful Western Conference. Yep, it's nice that they retain all of their own future 1st round picks right now. I'd look for them to trade next year's for a veteran SF or possibly a PG.Do you think Raef's contract is going to be attractive this season? I was thinking next off-season.A dramatic turnaround in the last two years. I think Kevin Pritchard is well on the right track into creating a winner here in Portland.
It's not that La Frentz's contract is inviting, but would a Sacramento, Minnesota or Memphis be all that concerned? It's not like their going anywhere over the next two years.

As for next season, right now they'd probably improve enough to get into the 35-40 wins range. Add Oden and someone like Rashard Lewis and you can add 10 wins to it roughly.



With what they can expect to have after the draft (not taking trades into consideration) I would say that 35-40 wins would be considered a failure after a 32-50 season.

Realistically, making the playoffs should be their goal next season.





nothing againts greg oden or kevin durant...im sure they are great players but just because u get the first pick dont mean anything...look at olowokandi and kwame......even allen iverson himself....as good as he was, they only reached the finals once with him....we can go even farther and bigger with the likes of hakeem olajuwon....one of the best centers, but only 2 rings in his 15 year career and that was only because jordan went away....the first pick does not mean anything




Well, it means something... but I agree it doesn't translate to automatic success. I would expect the Blazers to improve a further 10 wins this season on the strength of drafting Oden or Durant and the benefit of a year of experience to the rest of our young core.

I think we'd have to suggest that Oden and Durant are more heralded potential #1 picks than either of the two you mention though.

from the Olive Board

funny post from Ebertsfinger


Hi fair-weather bastards!

Z-Bo here. Just checking in to say good-bye and see how my trade is affecting the old fan base. You know, I'm hurt. I carried this team through the bad times. Remember when Telfair was the great hope? Sure you do. Who was the man then? Me! That's who! 20 and 10 not good enough for you? Work my (expletive deleted) off to come back from micro-fracture and what do I get? Nothing! No Bobble head, No nothing!

It's all right though, Z-Bo is going to be just fine. In NY they don't care if you go to strip clubs, infact it's practically a requirement. I'm gonna wash you hicks off my shoes and step up to the big time. I'm going to be playing with All-Stars, infact talked to Marbury the other day, and he promises me he's going to average 10-20 pts, 3 assists 10-15 dimes, 2 nickels, and a subway token. The Big Apple is going to love me!

Guess what? I'm taking "The Hoops Family" my community charity organization, with me! A lot of string thonged, clear shoed, pole dancing, community are going to miss all the giving we used to do! Plus you vultures of destruction be warned, I've grown up! I drink coffee now, and most often sleep with all the lights off. I'm taking my new found maturity with me to NY City. Nothing but basketball, and early to bed, early to rise! I'm going to be a role model! Trust Me.

I know it's not everyone. Some fans appreciate me. To them I offer a sincere good-bye. But the rest of you, plan on weeping when I lead NY to a Championship! At first I was upset, but now I feel a lot better. You know what they say about New York, it's the city that never sleeps, and my hobbies are pretty nocturnal so it's a match made in heaven!

Also when I come back to Portland as a Knick, I'm going to drop 50pts on you guys. Fair warning.

OK? Good-bye Portland! You won't have Z-Bo to kick around anymore! Just hate to leave my buddy Miles behind.

Oh and two special personal messages. #1 to the Portland Police, Ha! Ha! I had the keys all the time. And #2. To the unnamed player that requested that I be traded. I know who you are! Better stay out of my way! Ask Ruben Patterson!

In a NY State of Mind,

Z-BO

ODEN

We finally are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and its looking good for blazers and the city of portland. After years of troubled players taking part in everything to marijuana smuggling to dog fighting and street racing. We have finally made the turn around and finally can reap the fruits of are labor. Last year two great draft picks showed the nba that they call throw down with the best of them. Getting rid of the troubled zach randolph has been either loved or hated by the most of us and I see this as a great step. Its obvious from some videos I have seen that it was lemarcus who requested a trade of zach ant n0t brandon roy. In the video that made my conclusion Lemarcus was asked what its like to play with oden and he said " He's fun and some players were not very fun to play around on and off the court.

ODEN ASSERTING HIS AUTHORITY





Here is the great summer leauge roster:
# Name Pos Ht Wt NBA Yrs Birthdate From
12 LaMarcus Aldridge F/C 6-11 245 1 7-19-85 Texas
18 Rick Apodaca G 6-3 190 R 1-7-81 Hofstra
40 Chris Ellis F 6-9 250 R 3-5-84 Wake Forest
41 Joel Freeland F 6-10 225 R 2-7-87 England
4 Terrance Green G 6-3 212 R 1-10-81 Nevada
0 Taurean Green G 6-0 177 R 11-28-86 Florida
31 Zendon Hamilton C 6-11 254 6 4-29-75 St. John's
28 Petteri Koponen G 6-4 195 R 4-13-88 Finland
6 Stefano Mancinelli F 6-8 214 R 3-17-83 Italy
2 Josh McRoberts F 6-10 240 R 2-28-87 Duke
52 Greg Oden C 7-0 250 R 1-22-88 Ohio State
11 Sergio Rodriguez G 6-3 168 1 6-12-86 Spain
8 Martell Webster G/F 6-7 233 2 12-4-86 Seattle Prep HS (WA)

Want to see how dumb The knicks really are?