SB Nation User Blog: Blenzer

Batum deceived not having been drafted by the Spurs

Blenzer — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:57:46 -0000

In a french interview Nicolas Batum is saying that he really wanted to join SA, that he had talked to Popovich and that they planned to put him in the rotation sarting next year because their forwards are getting old and that they planned to make him one of their main forwards in two or three years...

He's saying that he was praying NOT to be selected until the 26th pick and that his selection one spot prior to that one was even tougher to swallow... He's saying that his goal IS to go to SA and that it's a real shame it's gotten played within one spot.

Then after the interviewer is saying that Batum looked very deceived which Batum confirms before saying the important thing is that Portland is a good team, with an interesting game and lots of players of his generation, and that he thinks there's gonna be some beautiful game next year. He's saying the team is very young and that it's the second best choice for him (seems pretty sincere...).

The interview ends with the journalist asking him what's he gonna give to Portland, to which he answers his vivacity and his team play, and that since it's a very young team, he's gonna try to fit in the mold to take full advantage of this experience.

I must admit I'm a bit disapointed by these declarations. Though I can understand some of the reasons he wanted to go to the Spurs, I find it very awkward to express it so clearly, very unprofessionnal. Why did he work out for other teams than the Spurs if he wanted so badly to join them ?

I hope he's gonna do well in Portland because I follow this player since his beginning and like him as a player, and if he succeeds with the Blazers there's gonna be a lot of Portland coverage in France, but.... Shut your mouth or try to think before you open it.

Not meant to be offensive,

Blenzer — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:45 -0000

but who is the player or the players you like the least on the team ?

I don't see it from a basketball point of view, not the player you think would benefit the most from being elsewhere, or whose departure would better the team the most.

No, this question is about which player you like the least, whether it's because you don't like his demeanor, his style, the way he talks, his face, you don't feel him etc...

It can be because you really don't like his style of play though, because you think he's not flashy enough, or too much flashy compared to his effectiveness...

I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just curious to know, and NO, you can't say Darius (who I personnaly liked) anymore.

Mine are

Jack : no specific reason, I just don't like him too much

Blake: too much average, not flashy enough

And, who is your most hated blazer of all times ?

Mine is Z.Randolph, just couldn't stand him, his play, his selfishness, his apparant stupidity, his black holeness, his face, anything...

The question may sound a bit stupid but...

Blenzer — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:16:39 -0000

Why do Nate McMillan has that anti-headband policy ?

While I personnaly dislike headbands as they make a lot of players bad looking in my opinion, I tend to think that it's too "fascist" (sorry, it's a totally inapropriate word, but english is not my language, and I can't find a word fitting more, I hope you can all understand what I mean, and I really like Nate...).

What I mean is that people should be allowed to do what they want, as long as they don't do anybody any harm, though I prefer it now than at the time when everybody except Arvydas wore headbands, including Pippen.

Maybe it's comon knowledge around here and everybody knows why, and I surely don't want to sound too superficial as I don't care that much, but I've been wondering from long time ago why coaches like Skiles and McMillan have such policies... Because at the time when everybody wore headbands, they said it was to create a sense of team unity... Moreover, if you start to forbid bands, why wouldn't you force your players to have short hair or whatever ?

Is it to create a sense of team, rules only to be rules, and to put their print on the team or something else ?

Thank you for answering