SB Nation User Blog: Devyn

New SB Nation platform coming soon

Devyn — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:31:55 -0000

Just a couple of hours ago SB Nation launched it's new layout/platform for it's sports blogs. Athleticsnation was the first to see this update. You can have a look for yourself over at http://athleticsnation.com

Some new things that jump out at me is the removal of "Diary's" and the addiction of "FanPosts". The same thing, just don't have to use the girly diary word now.

And comments in game threads, as well as any other thread or post update automatically. No more have to click the refresh button to see what everyone has said.

There's many other things in the new update, but instead of listing them all right here I'll let you see them for yourself.

Do you want this new update on BE?

Poll

Do you want this change?

Darius next season

Devyn — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 11:30:38 -0000

I for one would LOVE to have Darius back.

Darius Miles is basically... what we HOPE for Trout to be one day, without the baggage. Darius is athletic as they come, and he can jump out of the roof just like Trout can.

Having these 2 fighting for minutes at the PF/SF position while Jones and Webster fight for the SF/SG positions would be great. Minutes would not be a problem, obviously neither one would be a clearcut starter, but who cares? As shown by our last 12 game win streak, we don't need a starting 5, we need a TEAM. It's our second team that puts fear into the opponents eyes, if we can improve that even more, were a lock for the playoffs next year.

We would have something like this if I were GM

Centers: Oden, Przybilla, Aldridge
Power Forwards: Aldridge, Frye, Miles, Trout
Small Forwards: Miles, Trout, Webster, Jones
Shooting Guards: Roy, Rudy, Webster, Jones
Point Guards: Blake, Roy, Sergio, Jack

Obviously this shows that we kick Josh, Raef, Green and any draft pick we get to the wall or to the D league. I know Raef's expiring contract is going to be valuable so I don't know if were allowed to send him to the D-league? Someone elaborate on that for me if you know.

With the lineup, I'd hope for Both Oden and Aldridge to get 30 minutes respectively at there starting positions. This leaves enough space for przybilla to get some time at center, and also leaves room for trout/frye and somewhat miles (i like him better at SF) to go at it for the remaining PF minutes. Then We have Trout, Webster and Jones fighting for backup SF/SG duties.

Competition breeds improvement and raised level of play. When you guarantee people spots, and giant contracts, then they get to comfortable and forget there playing for there money and minutes.

Christmas Dump 12/25/07

Devyn — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:22:02 -0000

In about 15 hours, Portland will be wearing red at home for the first time this season in the holiday match up against the green Sonics.

"I think they are ugly, but everybody else wanted them,'' Przybilla said. "Look at these things. I'm going to look like a big ketchup bottle out there. It's just ugly man."

Hoopsworld came out with there rankings and has the Blazers listed as high as FIVE ahead of the likes of Phoenix, and L.A. Crazy what a little win streak can do for national exposure and respect.

"5. (5) Portland Trail Blazers - With games against Seattle, Minnesota and Philly, the Blazers could be sporting a 13-game winning streak by next week."

Ray Ratto came out with a column today that was amazing in my opinion, and exemplifies what all of us think and feel, difference is he's a national writer and were not. So it's nice when he publishes something like this here little article.

" More to the point, they spent the past several years teaching America how to destroy a franchise. Losing was bad enough, the crime thing was worse, and the open-sore feud with the Oregonian, Portland's million-ton media elephant -- all of it testified to a tin-eared operation seemingly hell-bent on actively offending every person in town.

But between the much-encouraged firing of general manager Steve Patterson in March, the winning of the best pingpong ball in the NBA Draft lottery and the subsequent selection of Greg Oden, the Blazers thought they were on to something. That subsided when Oden went down with microfractures in his right knee, but Oden remained a fixture in the community, and the team went on without him -- slightly older, true, but still the third-youngest team in NBA history, and now with someone other than Oden to love in Roy.

Taken in and of themselves, none of these items is that special, but when combined, the Blazers trump every other hot-team-warms-cold-town story you've got. Sunday's Oregonian, for example, devoted a large chunk of its Sunday cover to a huge picture of head coach Nate McMillan, who was neither wearing a Santa hat, rescuing kittens from a burning building nor buying toys for the economically repressed."

GET READY SONICS!!!

Happy holidays!!!

Link Dump (Aug 10)

Devyn — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:35:42 -0000

Hey, haven't posted a diary on this site in a while... and well I've been wired off caffeine and Halo 2 all night so what better time to post a random collection of sports links? Feel free to add your own links as well.

250 million dollar man David Beckham made his debut yesterday for the L.A Galaxy.

Before a sellout crowd of nearly 47,000 and a national television audience, David Beckham came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute, shortly after a pouring rain let up. His Los Angeles Galaxy team was trailing 1-0 and also playing a man short after Kyle Martino was red-carded in the 67th minute for a hard tackle.

Mmmmmm, good to see our good money is going to good use on Beckham, wouldn't want him to break a sweat now playing the whole game.

Now how's this for oddness. The Mets fan who caught Barry Bonds 756 HR ball reportedly is leaning towards keeping it instead of selling it. The ball is said to be worth 500,000 - 600,000 dollars.

"Part of me wants to keep it. It's the greatest American sports accomplishment in history," Murphy said Thursday on NBC's "Today Show." "Part of me might want to sell it, but I really am leaning towards keeping it. It's just too valuable, sentimental."

Selling the ball for that amount would instantly put Murphy in the highest tax bracket for individual income, where he would face a tax rate of about 35 percent, or about $210,000 on a $600,000 ball.

Even if he does not sell the ball, Murphy would still owe the taxes based on a reasonable estimate of its value, according to John Barrie, a tax lawyer with Bryan Cave LLP in New York. Capital gains taxes also could be levied in the future as the ball gains value, he said.

I don't think you could ever force me to keep a ball like that and take a 200,000 hit to my bank. Nuh uh. There's gotta be some loophole around something like that... Like say you inherit a house... you don't actually have to pay taxes until you decide to sell it. Someone elaborate if this is alone the same lines.

And apparently MSNBC likes us now and is giving us some spotlight over at there page. I guess thats what landing the beast we call Greg Oden number 1 overall in the draft does to a team.

They may not be championship contenders, but they may have the most intriguing nucleus after another terrific off season, this being their fourth straight with nothing to do after mid-April. And perhaps there'll be another one or two. But it seems there are some interesting times ahead for the Trail Blazers, though not necessarily because of Greg Oden.

Oden, of course, was the No. 1 pick in June's draft, projected -- or promised -- as the Next Great Thing for the NBA, a classic low post big man."

Well that about does it for me, back to Halo 2 and Twinkies and Ding Dongs for me.

Oh my, Somebody pinch me.

Devyn — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:11:04 -0000

Seriously now people, did any of you guys think we had a remotely possible chance at snagging Oden or Durant? Even though it was sweet to play the ESPN draft machine 50 times a day, and see the Blazers win 5/50 times, you still figured that we were going to end up with the good, but not great Corey Brewer or Wright.

When they got passed the 7th spot, I just assumed, like everybody else, that we were going to end up like 5th or 6th... Maybe even 4th! But no, when Memphis and Bostons cards were shown, I just had a feeling that Portland was going to be in that final 3.

When it was announced that it was going to be Portland, Seattle and Atlanta for the last 3 before going on commercial break, I calmed down and started to think rationally as possible. I even made a comment just for my own sanity if we didn't get the top 2 saying, "Even if we get 3rd guys, this draft has already been amazing". We had the worst odds out of the 3 remaining, and not to mention it always seems like the team your rooting for to win something, comes out on the bad end of things.

So the commercial break ends, and it goes straight to the 3 finalists standing on the podium. I can't even remember who the other 2 representatives were standing to Brandon Roy's right. Now in my mind, all I'm thinking about is, " Just not 3... JUST NOT 3!"... And then there it is... with the 3rd overall pick... The Atlanta Hawks. I was so excited at this point, It didn't even hit me yet whether or not we would get Oden or Durant yet, just the fact that we were going to get one of them made me scream! Then, with no dramatic 5 minute wait, or player interview, the man at the podium grabbed the card out of the envelope... It was the Seattle Supersonics.

So this is what it feels like to have the first overall pick to what has been said to be the best draft in the last two century's? I just couldn't believe it... I kept thinking about it, Oden in red and black... next to LaMarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph and Brandon Roy. The feeling was surreal, It's like the basketball gods felt they owed us something for taking away our number one overall slot last year and shipping us to fourth.

This is a new age in Blazers basketball ladies and gentlemen. This is a player that will change the face of the Portland Trailblazers franchise forever, someone who can arguably become one of the best players in all of basketball if he just keeps up what he did in high school and college. this is a player who is already an amazing player, and who's potential ceiling hasn't even been touched yet.

Welcome to the soon to be best 15 years of Blazers basketball that you've ever witnessed.

Indiana - Golden State 8 player deal

Devyn — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 19:36:19 -0000

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ao14SvOaj_IJqMYzr.CriyW8vLYF?slug=pacerswarriorstrade&prov =st&type=lgns

BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT (TICKER) -- The Indiana Pacers reportedly have traded scorers Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in an eight-player deal that netted Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

ESPN.com, citing unidentified NBA front office sources, is reporting the deal, which also has guard Sarunas Jasikevicius and forward Josh Powell going to the Warriors and forward Ike Diogu and guard Keith McLeod going to the Pacers.

Wowowowow, I feel bad for Al Harrington, It seems Indiana really just can't keep him.

A Blazers Edge get-to-gether?

Devyn — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:31:42 -0000

After noticing that Dave was in Sacramento for the game, I got to thinking about possibly going to see my first game live. Yes, I know it's bad, but it's hard for someone who doesn't live in Portland, and only gets to select from the limited choices of the Kings and the Warriors.

The good thing is, My family and I travel up to Portland + Seattle every year to visit relatives. Would anyone be interested in possibly organizing a B.E get-to-gether, something like tailgating/bbq, game, drinks (soda pop for me).

Obviously first choice would be at the Rose Garden, but if there's a big fan base somewhere else, possibly perhaps * prays * the Bay Area, would any Portland people like to make a trip? Or vice-versa, would any California/Washington people like to make the trip to Portland?

Perhaps it's too soon to think of something like this, and we should wait until next season. But we do seem to have quite a few dedicated members, it could definitely be doable this year.

DLD 1/7/07: Ummm, Erstad?

Devyn — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 12:19:08 -0000

Good morning, virgin link dump by me, sorry if yours is written already salb...(not really)

Darin Erstad appears to have options, with the A's?

Erstad said six teams have expressed serious interest in signing him, either as a left fielder, center fielder or utility player. Though he declined to name the teams, the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners are believed to be among them.

Serious interest? Is this written in like Ray Rattorion language, which changes words from possibly to likely, and in this case... possibly to seriously?

Perhaps we can get him on a cheap contract, because it would be nice to have gold glove defense at 1B if DJ sucks, and gold glove def in CF if Kotsay gets hurt.

Romo's drop saves the Seahawks, 21-20.

Romo's botched hold on a 19-yard field goal try with 1:19 remaining forced the Pro Bowl quarterback to scramble left, but he was tackled at the 2 and the Seahawks escaped with a 21-20 victory in the wildest of NFC wild card games Saturday night.

"It looked like it was a pretty good snap. He was the holder all year," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "We were in position to win if we could just execute the extra point."

I just want to go on the record and say that I feel for those kickers/long snappers and holders. They get all the blame if they mess up once, because there always needed in pressure situations. The entire game was filled with mistakes from both teams, Dallas just seemed to suck just a tad bit more.

Commence dumping.

Saturday Link-Dump

Devyn — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 16:08:14 -0000

Wanna test this out and see what everyone thinks. It's a daily thing over at AthleticsNation.com and usually gets 300+ comments a day, and is very well liked by everyone. You guy's can add in your own stuff as well, or comment about any of them. It would be pretty boring if I just listed 50 million links.

So without further ado, an Arrest Made In Connection To Darrent Williams Case happened yesterday.

Willie Clark, 23, was arrested at 5:45 p.m. for alleged parole violations but "will be asked to provide any information that he may have in relation to the homicide of Denver Bronco Darrent Williams," Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.

"His name surfaced during our investigation as someone we want to talk to," Jackson said. "We are not calling him a suspect at this time. We're just talking to him about the information he may have that is relevant to this case ... He is a person who might have pertinent information."

So uh... Why is he being arrested then if they just think he knows about it? 20 says they charge him a few weeks down the road with murder.

The Mavericks have more then double our teams wins. and has totaled our entire seasons wins in one winning streak.

Dallas, which is 27-3 since losing its first four games of the season, can equal a franchise record for its longest winning streak with a triumph over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers Sunday night in Los Angeles. The Mavericks won 14 in a row to start the 2002-03 season.

I gotta admit, I was laughing when they started off the season 0-4. Thought it might have had something to do with the Finals.

Nick Saban apparently is a "Nasty Jerk". And Gregg Doyle at cbsportsline hates him for it.

Saban became the Alabama coach 13 days after saying, "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach," and nothing offends the media more than a coach who lies about his next career move, even though we've mastered the art. Show me a sportswriter who hasn't used one newspaper against another to get a raise -- flying into another town on another paper's dime for another round of empty job interviews -- and I'll show you a peanuts-earning sucker worth exactly what he or she is getting paid.

Eh, who cares about Saban... Oregon ST. beat Missouri baby! Did any of you guys see that game? Was freaking amazing.

And what would this be if there wasn't any Blazer news?

Nate McMillan apparently needs help with a question, "What's wrong with the Blazers?"

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Distressed by his team's performance against the New York Knicks, Portland coach Nate McMillan gathered his players to ask point-blank what was wrong.

Guard Jarrett Jack spoke up.

"Everyone's not playing," he replied, but didn't point fingers or name names.

Hmmm Nate... maybe if you stopped acting like my traveling teams baseball coach... and stop playing damn favorites.

McMillan's recent theme is that the Blazers lack a vocal leader who can take over on the floor.

"I think it's experience you're looking for, that leadership," McMillan said. "That leader. That captain. That player to step up and say `We're going to get through this.' "

Jack, for his part, vowed to step up.

"I'm going to try everything: try to be more aggressive, play in-your-face defense, give words of encouragement, anything I can do."

There's a player for you right there. Sure would be nice if Nate would let Jack play his PG position instead of trying to convert damn Roy to PG.

------ Hope you guys like this. If it turns out to be a success, I might just do one every Saturday or Sunday, something like that.

Poll

Would you like to see this weekly?

Can we dream?

Devyn — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:22:37 -0000

Awww yes, 6:00 AM, been up since 4... still have icky greenish sleepy stuff in my eyes, and I haven't even had my bowl of cherios that I now eat religiously. And no, this isn't about the dream of Jessica Alba I was pleasently having before I was rudely awakended by my 120lb dog to go take his morning glory.

It's about the Blazers and if we have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs this year. Yes yes, lock me up and throw away the key, I said it! I said Blazers and playoffs in the same sentence! Really though, I don't think im THAT crazy, actually if you think about it I have a legitimate reason not to be thrown into a mentral hospital with THAT guy again and i'm gonna explain my maddening explanation why.

Exhibit A - Jarrett Jack

Now... my client here Mr. Jack outplayed the wonder boy Telfair last season, despite having something like 70% bad tissue in his ankle. Nate has raved over him and his ability to be a true PG for this team and lead it. He even trusted him so much as to bench Telfair, our "Holy Grail" to get this 22nd round pick, who's a rookie the starting job.

Then Telfair is traded to Boston for Brandon Roy, all but sealing the PG job to Jack. Hell, PTB management didn't even blink an eye when Jack said he was going to have surgery in the offseason to get his ankle fixed. I know everyone always claims to be the expert, and that these highroller coaches and GM's don't know anything, but my god if someones going to get this much trust in them, im going to take there word on it that there the real deal.

Exhibit B - Brandon Roy

Now is it just me or does it seem kinda cool that the 2 main Rookie Of The Year canidates names kinda got that rhyme thing going on. Randy Foye... Brandon Roy... oh hell it doesnt matter. My client Mr. Roy should win it on default just for the fact that his name is ROY. Take that O.J!

In all seriousness though, I can see Brandon having a similar year like Wades first year. Maybe not as good, but somewhere close. Roy has been getting all these huge reviews about how he's a "ready to contribute now" type of player, whereas Aldridge, Bargnani... Morrison and Thomas are gonna need some more time and seasoning. And folks, after what he's shown us in the Summer league, I for one believe them. He played the entire summer league at a position that's not his primary... in a league of elites where everyone is the best at there position, and he went above and beyond the expectations I had for him.

No, he wasn't scoring 25ppg every night like Foye was at PG. He went out and did better, he went out and did what a PG is supposed to do, he made assists. Now his 3.6 APG does not show him justice, the man passed the ball around like it was hot potato, and I believe (correct me if im wrong) that he had a 9 assist game like his 2nd game. then you add in that he was shooting an amazing .647% FG from the floor, and a .667% 3PT and I don't know how the top Rookie Honors went to Foye.

And then there's his attitude. Staying in college for all 4 years, even when he could have came out earlier and entered the draft alongside with his buddy Martell, he decided he wanted to learn the most that he could, and up his game before the pros. When I heard him talk about he was somewhat disapointed when Minnesota picked him, and how estatic he was when he was told that he needed to change hats to the Red and Black. Did I mention he was local? Yes, good ol Washington.

Exhibit C - Martell Webster

Aaaaawwww... what is there to say about Mr. Webster... OoOo, I know... He was not at the Leaky Caldron at 10:27 PM on the night of August 10th, 2006! Yeah, that was kinda dumb right there but who cares? I can write it and you can't stop me ;). Oh, basketball right? Ok, Martell as well as Roy has lit up the entire Summer league posting huge amounts of points. I believe it was something ridiculous the first game of the season he got like 29 pt's and was crowned "player of the day". Hey, don't mock it, I'll take an award anyway i can get it.

The Blazers were sold on Martell ever since he had his first workouts in Portland. PTB management still say to this day that they have never ever in there careers seen a more amazing workout then Martells. He basicly just put on a show and that was enough for Blazer management to select him as the first high school player out of the draft. He was also said to be the most dangerous deep threat shooter in the draft, which is always nice to have "Steve Kerr moment :)".

Also, Martell needs to get somer sponsers with Got Milk, or wheaties or something! The guy is now 6'9! he was like 6'6 when we drafted him! I say we sign him longterm now, and teach him how to rebound so that he can be our center in a few years. Also with this added growth, he can now successfully play SF which will make room for one of his old friends from Washington,Roy to play the Guard. Martell has the highest ceiling in terms of potential on this team, Nate just needs to groom him right and we have our own personal Ray Allen.

Exhibit D - Zach Randolph

Awww, look at our Zachy-poo, isnt he just adorable now that he's got his huge monster contract? Well, you can't always guess how all deals are going to work out, and it's obvious now that PTB management made the wrong decision in signing such a young player to such a huge deal like that with guys like Sheed, Stoudamire, Wells, Miles around, because it will go to there head. There's still hope though, Zach is a very talented player, it's what got him his huge cotnract, because he was a premier PF.

Zach is a, how do I say this... Presence down low. He's the only PF I know that I can see him get about 5 offensive rebounds in a row on his own misses. Also, maybe i'm the only one here who falls in love with that sweet left handed 19 footer that he shoots from the right side of the court. Agreed he needs to charge in more and get to the basket, but man I don't see how people can turn him into a one dimensional player like that when I see that jay.

Then there's the attitude. Now this is my personal opinion, and many will disagree. Zach is a good person. Curious, stupid at times but inside he's a good person. He is still young, and he was given a contract before he was even allowed to drink. Now tell me, have any of you ever smoked marijuana before? (rhetorical question, don't answer that in fear of those damn coppers :P) Have any of you ever drank before 21? The same thing applies to Zach, just because he's got the wallet now doesn't change things, in fact it probably makes it harder. In a league where he's surroudned by older, rich people who do all those things must be a lot harder to resist, so there's my take on Zach.

Exhibit E and F - Pryzbilla and Magloire

Now I put both of them up for the simple fact that I have no idea which one will start, and frankly it doesn't matter to me. Both of them are good players and have great attitudes. Pryzbilla may just get it because he has seniority on this team. In terms of player skills, Magloire probably get's the nod just for the fact that he's one of the best rebounders in the league and does the "dirty work" snickers. So Pryzbilla has the seniority thing going for him, Magloire has the skill thing going for him, let's pick a number between 1 and 2 and see who Nate "Mcmullan" picks.

Ok, i'm tired, been writing this for an hour and 20 minutes when I could have been playing some quality poker :(. Took a lot of time into this and I would love to see some comments on it, agree/disagree + adding on whatever.

I'm going to go back to bed now, Junior Registration at my high school is in 6 hours and I need my beauty rest. This is Devyn... OUT