SB Nation User Blog: BlazerFanSince1970

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

BlazerFanSince1970 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:56:38 -0000

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Nothing could possibly go wrong in Memphis this year.

Iverson checked into Monday's game with four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the first quarter and finished up the period.

"I had no problems (with the hamstring)," Iverson said afterward. "I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That's the only thing I got a problem with."

"I'm not a reserve basketball player. I've never been a reserve all my life and I'm not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. ... To answer the question, 'No, I'm not a bench player. I'm not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I'm not a sixth man."

" ... Hollins seemed incredulous before the game when he was asked if Iverson would be in the starting lineup against the Kings. "He hasn't even been with the team until just a couple of days ago," Hollins said."

He (Andre) Said, He (Nate) Said Audio. You Decide.

BlazerFanSince1970 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:09:56 -0000

Since Andre Miller's interview with Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports there's been a lot of discussion about what Nate did or didn't tell Andre over dinner in Vegas. While there's no audio recording of that dinner, there is audio of both Nate and Andre from July 28, the day before Andre came to Portland for his first press conference. This is the first time either of them spoke about their now infamous dinner conversations. So now you can hear both of them address the issue of who would start at point guard.

First however, let's look closely at what Marc Spears wrote (Link to Oct 10 article):

“If I was told right out when I had my meetings that I would be a backup, then I wouldn’t have come here,” Miller told Yahoo! Sports this week."

Obviously he came here. So what did Miller mean?

a) Did he mean Nate promised him the starting spot, else he wouldn't have come here? If so, then this is a complaint that Nate mislead him into thinking the starting spot was his.

b) Or did he mean that he wouldn't have come here if he had been told that he would definitely be a backup, and not have a chance to compete for the starting spot. If that is what he meant, there's nothing wrong with a player of Miller's stature not wanting to go to a team where the starting spot was "locked up" for another guy.

So is Miller complaining that he was promised the starting spot, or simply stating that he was promised the chance to compete for the starting spot? If the latter, there is no conflict here, unless Miller's claiming that he isn't getting a real chance to compete? (He started on Friday so that makes little sense.) You decide.

But then Spears wrote:

McMillan has said he told Miller during their summer meeting in Las Vegas that he very well might make him a reserve. Miller doesn’t remember the meeting quite the same way.

There are no quotations here from Miller or Nate. So what does Spears mean:

c) that Nate said he told Miller in Vegas the starting spot was up for competition, but Miller claims it was promised to him?

d) that Nate said he told Miller in Vegas the starting spot was locked up for Blake, but Miller believes Nate told him it was up for competition?

Interpretation c) goes with interpretation a) above. This is the negative way to view the article - Miller claiming he was promised the starting spot to come to Portland. Does that make sense? Remember that Miller had no other offers except to return to Philly on a one year contract, or to try to get a one year deal with NY (NY wouldn't sign anyone, not even David Lee, to more than a one year contract). No one else that had cap space wanted him. (Miller said that himself in another Oregonian article.) So it was Miller begging Portland for a $7M deal longer than one year. Nate didn't need to mislead Miller to convince him to come here.

Interpretation d) goes with interpretation b) above if Spears uses Nate's statements about Blake starting to mean Blake starts the regular season without Miller getting a chance to compete. Is that what Nate meant? Or is Spears just using that narrow interpretation of Nate's words to create apparent conflict between Nate and Miller? You decide.

So now let's go to the Audio Tapes ....

This article (Link) by OregonLive.com's Sean Meagher contains 3 audio recordings of Miller and Nate.

First, there's Miller on the Bald-Faced Truth with John Canzano:

Canzano: “Do you expect to start – have that given to you. Or do you go into camp saying I go to earn this job?

Andre: Nothing is given. You’re going to always have to earn it ... My expectation is to go in and compete for a starting job.

Clearly on July 28 Andre is not saying he was promised the starting job. That would seem to rule out the negative interpretations a) and c) above.

So next, did Nate say the starting job was Blake's unconditionally for the regular season, or did he say it was Blake's to start the preseason and it would be open for competition?

Here's Nate on Trail Blazers Courtside:

Barrett: A lot of people have assumed that Miller will come in and start. … Did you guys discuss with Andre at the Dinner … is Miller a guy - who the people assuming he's going to start - are they correct?

Nate: No, they’re not. I talked to Andre about that. …. Steve Blake started last year. Our starting unit last year won 54 games. We’re not going to mess with that starting unit at the beginning. We will start out the same way with Brandon and Steve as our guards, and bring Andre and Rudy as the guards off the bench.

So Nate says he told Andre at the Dinner that Blake would start. Clearly then, Nate would dispute that he promised Andre the starting job. But it's not clear in this audio if Nate meant that Blake would start the preseason or the regular season when he said "at the beginning".

So we go to the last tape of McMillan on Wheels at Work:

Wheels: Will you look at combinations and decide maybe which unit each guy fits in best with?

Nate: Well, I will look at combinations. But I talked to Andre about that. … I talked to him about coming off the bench and playing in that role. … That will take care of itself once we get into camp. But right now Blake is our starting point guard. Andre, I talked to him about that and he was fine with coming in and just doing whatever is needed to make the club better.

Again, Nate says that Blake is the starter, and he talked to Andre about coming off the bench and Andre was fine with it. So clearly Nate would dispute any suggestion that Andre was promised a starting job to come to Portland. But Nate says "that will take care of itself once we get into camp". Did he mean the starting spot for the regular season was open for competition during training camp?

It seems to me this is a lot to do about nothing, and perhaps this post is just more to do about nothing. But I thought it useful to break down the statements from Spears article and to present the most relevant audio clips I could find. I don't think Miller is claiming he was promised the starting spot, and I don't see how he could feel that he is being denied a chance to earn the starting spot. The audio certainly supports the former and the fact he started the last preseason game refutes the latter. This "controversy" appears to be more a result of how Spears wrote the article, than what Andre actually said.

Why he chose to talk to Spears at all is another matter. If as he said today, he was trying to put forth his side in the media it looks to me like it backfired and Spears didn't do him any favors.

Blazers Stranded on a Desert Island

BlazerFanSince1970 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:33:11 -0000

Blazers Stranded on a Desert Island

Funny stuff.

Miller's loosening up.
What's Greg watching on TV?
Martell's the most likely to beat the Kobayashi Maru test.

Greg Oden Full-court Fast Break

BlazerFanSince1970 — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:00:33 -0000

Greg Oden Full-court Fast Break

OK, that's it. Now I'm excited !!!

"Toward the end of practice Saturday morning, during a drill which involves a three-on-two situation at one end, that turns into a two-on-one at the other, Dante Cunningham decided to challenge Oden at the rim. Oden cuffed the shot attempt in his right hand, and then took off with the ball. Cunningham, in a full sprint (and isn't a slow guy), couldn't catch Oden, who dribbled coast to coast and slammed the ball down with two hands. While maintaining professionalism, the players erupted. Oden, who hung on to the rim and swung completely under, landed, and while laughing, flew up into the air and did a full body bump with Martell Webster."

Blake Wins 1st Round vs Miller

BlazerFanSince1970 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:33:46 -0000

Blake Wins 1st Round vs Miller

OK, it's no big deal, but indicative of Blake's competitiveness. He won't go down without a fight.

The 10th annual McMillan Derby was run last night at practice.

The Winner (and new record holder) - Steve Blake.
The only player with a guaranteed contract to fail the conditioning test - Andre Miller.

Biggest Upset - Travis Passed. Way to go Travis!

"Blake set what McMillan believes is the best time for any player in his 10-years of holding the test, finishing with 24 seconds to spare."

"Miller finished his four sets 8 seconds under the required time. His punishment is a seven day, 30-minute detention with strength and conditioning coach Bobby Medina."

Actually the most meaningful news was that GO tied for the 2nd best time on the team. That's definitely good news, even if everyone doesn't push themselves.

Nic and Rudy found a loophole to avoid Nate's torture test.

"McMillan allowed Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez to skip the test because they have been playing international basketball all summer."

Rudy's Blog - Sept 30

BlazerFanSince1970 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:12:13 -0000

Rudy's Blog - Sept 30

A new challenge
September 30, 2009

After European Poland, the gold medal and a great summer, it's my second season in the NBA. A challenge I face with great enthusiasm. I think my first year in the league was good, but it was not easy. And they say the second year is harder, because the rival teams and players know you more. But I'm looking forward to this new challenge and a step forward in my career in the NBA.

After the celebrations for the European gold did not have much time to rest. I had to take some pictures for an advertising campaign for American Crew and also an act with Bido Bido that helped me to dismiss the summer and to welcome the new season. On Saturday the 26th I traveled to Portland, a trip very, very long. On Sunday took the opportunity to do some shopping and Monday to work. The "average day", which was Monday, is a day to be taken with enough humor and patience. We spent many hours taking pictures, videos, interviews, promotions, ads ... And on Tuesday and began the training, which will be two a day all week ... and I will tell you how it goes

A greeting

Rudy

Paul Allen Optimistic LMA will be signed by Oct 31

BlazerFanSince1970 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:08:24 -0000

Paul Allen Optimistic LMA will be signed by Oct 31

" Are you optimistic that you will work out an extension with LaMarcus Aldridge by end of month?

"We have made some progress there. So, yeah, I am optimistic." "

Wells Fargo FanFest on Comcast

BlazerFanSince1970 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:06:08 -0000

Wells Fargo FanFest on Comcast

The Wells Fargo Fan Fest will be televised live on CSN NW starting at 5 pm on Sunday October 4th.

RealGM Comments on Oden & KP

BlazerFanSince1970 — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:37:14 -0000

RealGM Comments on Oden & KP

RealGM appraises OKC potential, but comments on Oden vs Durant and KP's summer.

For insecure Blazer fans that love to see positive reinforcement about drafting Greg:

In the interest of full disclosure, I was absolutely in favor of picking Oden over Durant in the 2007 debate. I remain solidly committed to that position even after Oden's injury and the quicker than expected development of Durant as a scorer. My position is based more on Oden being a center and the relative dearth of quality at that position than it does with comparing the two players in a vacuum. For the same reason, I would rather start a franchise with Dwight Howard than LeBron even though I believe LeBron is a vastly superior talent.

Food for thought on KP:

I avoided making Portland comparisons throughout this piece as much as possible, but it is worth noting that Kevin Pritchard was in an identical situation at the 2009 Trade Deadline and during this past summer's free agency period. Instead of using his cap space and talent depth on a blockbuster for a younger player to grow old with Brandon Roy, Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge, he improved the team in the short-term with Andre Miller. If the Blazers perpetually fall just a little bit short, I think this is the summer where Pritchard will be criticized for being too conservative/unimaginative.

HoopsWorld Blazer Season Preview

BlazerFanSince1970 — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:32:42 -0000

HoopsWorld Blazer Season Preview

Good analysis, lots of detail.