The recent story of a minor league baseball player being traded for ten maple bats got me thinking. In pro basketball we have players, draft picks, future draft picks, money, future considerations, etc. offered as trade currency. Some folks on here have even suggested donuts or beer as equal value for certain un-named players.

When making trade proposals, GMs often get to a point of stalemate and the negotiations end. I'm thinking that with a little creative pot-stirring, a crazy offer could be thrown into the mix to spice up the deal and achieve the desired result. Here's an example: GM "A" wants player "Z" but his offer of a future 1st round pick and players "Y" and "X" just doesn't quite get it done for GM "B". GM "A" then offers to relenquish his two scheduled home games and play them at GM "B"'s venue the following year. The intrigue of the offer is just enough to get the deal done and everyone is happy.

Another example: to finalize a deal that is going nowhere, GM "C" throws this out: "OK, GM "D",...in all our head-to-head games at our house, for the next three years, your fans will be issued megaphones and free beer. Bingo! Deal done! WARNING: the "free beer" clause in this proposal will definitely separate team "C"s true fans from the bandwagons.

One more: To consummate a tough deal, GM "E" counters with this: "If you really want player "W", in addition to your offer, in all our mutual games this year, your players must wear their vintage 1970 unis. I mean literally - short shorts, tight jerseys, Converse AllStars."

Get the idea? Let's give KP some trade fodder to work with this summer.

It's midnight. Thunder and lightning outside. The high-pitched howl of jackals pierces the tense thickness of anticipation as I prepare to assemble the ideal point guard for the Portland Trailblazers. I have shelves and bins filled with spare parts from all the great PGs of past and present (DNA technology is a wonderful thing). Near my workbench is plenty of duct tape and baling wire. Electrodes are connected to the lightning rod on my roof awaiting the next atmospheric jolt. I can't stand the suspense. I leave the room momentarily to prepare a cup of calming tea....

Watching the whole scene from behind the curtain, you realize you have but a minute or two, at the most, to step in and create your version of the answer to Portland's need at point guard.  And remember, you're not after the ultimate, perfect player neccessarily - just the ideal player for Portland's need.

Chose wisely and work fast. I hear the teakettle heating up...

Remember the hot debate over Kevin Durant or Greg Oden on this site as draft night drew nearer? They were touted as the two best prospects in a decade. We didn't know for sure how KP was going to pick until the final hours. Unfortunately we were not able to see Oden in action but Durant went right to work in Seattle.

So...how is Kevin Durant doing in your opinion, in his rookie year? He's averaging about 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Is he meeting or exceeding expectations? Will he be a major force in the league?

Here's a totally un-related musical interlude to listen to as you ponder.....and an un-related poll to satisfy a curious dog lover.

Poll

In appearance and demeanor, I resemble...

4%

a Pug

2 votes

14%

a Boxer

7 votes

4%

a Doberman

2 votes

42%

Goofy

20 votes

0%

a German Shepherd

0 votes

10%

a Black Lab

5 votes

2%

a Poodle

1 votes

10%

a Golden Lab

5 votes

4%

a Collie

2 votes

6%

an Irish Setter

3 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed

As opposed to evaluating a particular player based on statistics, I thought it would be interesting to place a value on the statistic itself. For example an ASSIST, by its very nature, would have a high value because it always results in points scored. Whereas an OFFENSIVE REBOUND simply represents a retained possession with no guarantee of points scored. Other than satisfying one's curiosity, quantifying certain stats could help in designing game strategies, coaching emphasis and even player evaluation.

I've listed several common statistical categories. Rate them in order, in terms of value to YOUR team. Comments welcome, too.

ASSIST
BLOCKED SHOT
FOUL (before penalty)
FOUL (after penalty)
FLAGRANT FOUL COMMITTED
JUMPBALL POSSESSION
LANE VIOLATION (offense)
LANE VIOLATION (defense)
REBOUND (offensive)
REBOUND (defensive)
STEAL
TECH.FOUL COMMITTED
TECH.FOUL COMMITTED/ejection
THREE SECONDS (offense)
THREE SECONDS (defense)
TURNOVER (forced)
TURNOVER (unforced)

BONUS QUESTION: where would you place the "zero line",  separating positive value from negative value?

Poll

In basketball, possession is (choose one) of the law

9%

100%

2 votes

38%

Doesn't matter. I'm Bruce Bowen.

8 votes

28%

90%

6 votes

19%

75%

4 votes

4%

50%

1 votes

0%

25%

0 votes

21 votes | Poll has closed

With talk now of possibly making the playoffs, let's take a look at the remaining schedules for the top three teams in the Northwest Division:

DENVER - At first glance, Denver has a moderately difficult schedule the rest of the way with a 24-28 home/away slate. Their longest homestand remaining is a three-gamer in the middle of March. After that, they have 6 and 10 home and away with a five game and a four game road trip in that four week span. Twelve of their last sixteen are against the Western Conference.

PORTLAND - A daunting task remains directly ahead for Portland. Twenty-three at home and twenty-eight on the road including outings of seven, four and five games before March 14. Yes, that's a 13-22 home/away schedule between now and March 13! An absolutely grueling stretch. There IS a six game homestand sandwiched in the middle of that Bataan Death March. Mercifully, from that point on it's 10-6 home/away, however 14 of those are against Western Conference foes.

UTAH - By far, the easiest schedule of the three. They have 27 home games and 22 road games remaining. Their longest road trip ahead is a four-gamer in the middle of March. From that point on, they have 10 of 14 at home including a five and a three game homestand. Eleven of those against the Western Conference.

There seems to be a defining point in the middle of March for all three. This is about the time competitive teams make their stretch run. Utah and Portland will be driving for the finish line before home crowds. Denver not so much.

Will Portland have anything left after those long road trips? This is one place young legs and a deep bench can help. Will the use of that zone defense have helped or hindered the team in the late stages of the season? Many questions arise - and at this point, it's all conjecture - but considering the task ahead of these three teams, what do you think?

So, there I was, relaxing in my Bark-a-lounger after the latest sweet Blazer victory. I decided to engage in a little 'remote viewing' and shoot forward about ten years...

I found myself in this very same spot, albeit this time in a new-fangled, air suspension, self-propelled, atom-powered lounger. The radio (yes, still a viable medium) was playing and the KPTB Sports Roundup was on. This is what I heard:

The five-time World Champion Portland Trailblazers will be hoping to extend their current 12 game win streak tonight against the upstart Boise Banditos, the newest and youngest franchise in the NBA. The Banditos are hoping to repeat an earlier feat when they stopped the Blazers' eight game win streak early in December, 48-44. The Boise full-time zone press has given the league fits since it's introduction by coach Bruce Bowen last year. The Blazers are expected to counter with their trademark "prevent' defense which has limited opponents to an average 5.5 points in the paint... ...Young point gaurd phenom Derek Deckard has announced through his agent David Deckard that he will forego signing a letter-of-intent to Duke or UCLA at this time. The two college powerhouses have been recruiting the younger Deckard since his amazing performance in an exhibition game last July at the NBA Summer League.
"I just want to enjoy fifth grade a little longer" said the slightly shy lad. "Besides, I'm just getting to know that cute, new girl in the second row..." ...In a related story, David Deckard tells KPTB he is being wooed by Trailblazer management concerning the expected vacancy in the Sports Information Director post. Deckard has also been approached by KPTB regarding an opening alongside play-by-play icon Brian Wheeler with the KPTB radio broadcast team. Deckard, as you may recall, earlier declined a plea from the Jeb Bush administration to help broker a peace deal between Israel and Islamistan... ...Former Trailblazer Clifford Robinson replied, "Let's wait and see...I feel like I can still compete" when asked if he would retire after this season... Citing a need to "blaze new trails",Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard has been negotiating with Boise Banditos owner Kobe Bryant. Pritchard, who master-minded the Trailblazer dynasty, sees a new challenge in the young, talented Bandito franchise. His contract with the Blazers expires this year... ...The Portland Trailblazers organization will honor Blazeredge at halftime of the next home game. Blazeredge was one of the pioneer "blogs" in the days of computers. Pushed aside by advancements in telepathic and bio-kryonic communication, computer interaction has become virtually obsolete. However, the early contributions of blogs such as Blazeredge will forever be recognized as stepping stones to the inter-planetary popularity professional basketball now enjoys.

As I re-established contact with the present, the pain of the last three years seemed to fade a bit. If my 'viewing' was accurate, we're in for some good times, folks! And...remember the old adage, "The more things change, the more they stay the same".

Merry Christmas everybody! PS I can hardly wait for that nifty lounger!

NBA basketball has rules. They were instilled for the safety of the players and to provide a level standard of play for both teams. We all know the rules are not strictly enforced and much is left to the discretion of the officials - for example, hand-checking, "star" treatment, home-crowd pressure and downright bias against certain players.

There is another category of intentional rules violation we are also well aware of which usually takes place in close quarters, behind the official's back. These are the elbows in the kidneys or knees to the groin intended to inflict pain and send a message. Think Bill Laimbeer or Karl Malone...as extreme examples. Less extreme examples might include anything from verbal threats to spitting on an opponent.

One of the indictments against our current team has been a lack of toughness. My subject for your discussion includes these questions: Is there a place within the game for these sometimes-not-so-subtle physical suggestions? Can a line be drawn between "competitive spirit" and "covert flagrant foul"? If so, where is that line? Can these acts be included in an attitude of toughness? Is it a level playing field if one team strives to play strictly within the rules? Is there a classy way to play a little bit dirty? The questions could go on...

I'd love to get your input on this matter.

Joe Freeman's recent piece on Jarrett Jack finding his niche got me thinking: what are the dynamics behind a guy who actually performs better in a non-starting role as opposed to a starting role - and seems to relish coming off the bench? This question is not necessarily centered on Jack. Think of some of the great off-the-bench guys ( John Havlicek, Detlef Schrempf w/Indy, Manu Ginobili, et al ). What is the common thread(s)?

A short answer might be that watching the flow of the game from the bench gives certain players a better perspective as to exactly what is needed at critical times. I think it goes deeper than that. I have some ideas and will weigh in if my points aren't covered. But I'd really like to hear from our panel of armchair analysts out there in BE land.

The recent chatter concerning Greg Oden's bulking up has raised some questions for me:

How much is Odie "owned" by the Blazers?
Is it all spelled out explicitly in his contract? Where do Greg's personal rights end and the Trailblazer's rights to his body begin? It is intriguing to me to think a team owns the rights to a still developing youngster and can "shape" him to conform to a particular need. For example, Nate wanting a wiry-strong body for his style of play. Another coach may want a bulky wide-body for another style and need. A young developing body is like clay in the hands of a potter. How will this tinkering affect a young man later in life? How would an athlete's body naturally develop without the intense isolation training?

Where's the communication?
How was Greg allowed to get so top-heavy before Nate had to say "Whoa!"? Aren't these things covered in staff meetings? Why do we rarely hear from Oden's agent?

Have we really come that far?
With all the modern shoe technology, R & D, training methods, innovative offensive and defensive schemes - in essence, making a science out of winning games - has the game really improved over the years? Sure, players do fly higher and the average physical size of teams has increased. But I bet we still have as many or more injuries, careers are shorter, and overall fan interest in pro basketball has diminished.

I suppose it's just the natural evolution of the game where equipment, strength training and cerebral court concepts are emphasized so much that we find the simpler, inner virtues like heart, effort and the will to win sometimes so wanting. I can understand doing all one is able to make winning happen but is there now a line one eventually crosses where he becomes more machine than man?

This may be much ado about nothing and I admit to ignorance. But that's why I'm asking. What do you think?

Everyone is justifiably giddy over the recent homestand! Here's a little semi-related sidetrack.

I am constantly impressed with the work of Brian Wheeler as official radio play-by-play guy. He's got the voice. He's got the passion and he has an unabashed homerism. He has his own unique style with his "BOOM-Shaka-Lakas" and "Mystified, Mortified and Mummified" when he feels the game is in hand. And now, with the franchise on the upward track, he sometimes delves into a little light-hearted ridicule of opposing players and coaches, re: his recent imitation of Avery Johnson's high pitched voice and references to Sheed's tendency to under-achieve while at Portland. One gets the sense he's just another fan like us with his undignified excitement during games. And, he's a respectable interviewer, unafraid to ask the tough questions.

There will never be another Schonz. He was the seventh man of those early Blazers. In that same way I think Wheels will make a name for himself as this version of the Trailblazers eventually makes their way to the top.

What do you think?

Hypothetical situation:
You're coach McMillan. It's March 14, 2008. The Oden-less Blazers have surprised everyone and played with remarkable chemistry and teamwork to compile a 28-38 record. They are still in the running for a playoff spot with 16 games to go. Ten of those games are at home and 14 are against Western Conference opponents. After two recent long road trips, the team is beginning to feel the rigors of a tough NBA schedule. With a three game home stand beginning tomorrow, Greg Oden has approached you privately and said, " I'm ready. Let me play!". He has made a nice recovery and trained hard in rehab. Last week, doctors released him to go full speed in practice...

Friends, this is not a trick question and my focus is not so much the feasibility of this hypothetical scenario. But I'm really interested in your rationale as You Make the Call.

Poll

Given the situation above, here's my call

19%

Let him play

23 votes

80%

Save him for next year

95 votes

118 votes | Poll has closed

As the black widow said to her soon-to-be mate/meal, "There's good news...and there's bad...".

Put on your "Prophet" hat. Go to the day before preseason. Looking back on the days of summer, what would you say was the "best news" concerning the Blazers? The "worst news"? Is there another trade in the works? Who will survive training camp? What villian will sabotage the 'plan'...?

I'm looking for a serious answer but I know with such a loaded question and with so many jokers out there, humor may run rampant. That's OK.

Just give me your prediction based on what you really feel, not on what you hope.

Poll

Would you rather get...

19%

...the good news first?

9 votes

80%

...the bad news first?

37 votes

46 votes | Poll has closed

Quick is reporting (see story in left sidebar - a link here will not open as of this posting) that there are no plans to trade Jarrett Jack. Apparently Pritchard called JJ to inform him of the Blake deal just before it went down and told Jack he will be in a Blazer uniform. KP thinks the competition at the one spot will only be good for the team. Pritchard went on to say that having Blake, Jack and Roy will add a flexibility component that will work.

This may have been around before but it's a revealing glimpse into Odie's various passions. Of special interest is his need for sleep. Doesn't sound like a recent development. Also, he has a tattoo: "Always There" - similar to BE motto "We'll be there".

Enjoy the read and get to know our #1 pick a little better.

I was fortunate enough to make it to the Vegas Summer League this year, if only for the weekend. It's been a while since I had driven by way of Highway 95. I had forgotten how picturesque and desolate (and hot!) this part of the country is. My son, Andy, who is also a Blazer fan, came along for company and to do most of the driving. Old mining towns like Hawthorne and Tonapah provide the needed rest breaks for stretching and eating. And, for comic relief, the famous roadside brothels with names that make you chuckle: Wild Kat Ranch...Cottontail...Shady Lady...

There's almost an imaginary line you cross as you leave desert behind and come into Las Vegas. I always wondered whose idea it was to make a city in this particular corner of the world.

I saw Dave and Ken at the Sunday game. Andy got lots of autographs. It was a great weekend. I recommend the trip to anyone who enjoys travel and basketball.

Something very unique and intriguing happened the other day when Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge went down to pick up Greg Oden at the airport. It was undoubtably the first meeting of the 'core' of our ballclub. Just the three of them - together for about half an hour...

Of course at that time (presumably) no one knew who our pick would be. And, Roy and Aldridge  were alone with Kevin Durant a few days later as well.

Imagine you were the limo driver and the intercom was mistakenly left on. With the benefit of hindsight, give us your best guess as to what went down - for either player. (be nice)

With all the talk of playoffs and an eventual championship, I offer this question: is Nate the general who can lead his warriors to the ultimate victory?

Many have commented that McMillan is good with young players, teaching fundamentals and discipline. How does he do with veterans and 'superstars'? He certainly has respect as the coach of the present but does he have the stuff that can carry a team to the future? At crunch time in a title series will he bring a championship caliber performance as coach?

Others have opined on this site that Nate would eventually have to be replaced for the team to go all the way. I would like to hear more detail from those of that persuasion.

No doubt Nate thinks he can deliver and I personally have no reason to think otherwise - I simply am not that familiar with his strengths and weaknesses. Having heard little tidbits from both sides over the course of the season, I now throw this out for your discussion: in effectively communicating vision, purpose and goals as well as executing the nuts and bolts of championship coaching, is Nate 'The One'?

Poll

Totally unrelated poll: describe your personality

3%

Skateboard

1 votes

6%

Dodge Minivan

2 votes

3%

VW Beetle

1 votes

3%

Rolls Royce

1 votes

12%

Ford Bronco (w/ gunrack)

4 votes

0%

Yugo

0 votes

12%

Chevy Corvette

4 votes

34%

Bicycle

11 votes

25%

Toyota Camry

8 votes

32 votes | Poll has closed

With all the talk of who's going where?, who's going to have the most impact?, who's future is brightest?, and so on, these two kids are about to engage in yet another form of competition: marketability.

You can bet both agents are working overtime to  secure the best endorsements and commercial contracts possible for their clients. And the shoe giants are already in a bidding war over these two potential stars.

Personally, it's a bittersweet, yet inevitable aspect of the pro game (although I do enjoy watching most commercials). What are your thoughts on the concept of marketability and which guy brings the most to the table in that regard?

My daddy taught me to "never say never", always leaving room for the possibility of change. However some things are so ironclad you just know they will become part of the fossil record in their present form. Some of the banter in here got me to thinking about "neverisms".

For example:
   *Blazer fans will NEVER wear Laker apparel.
Here are a few more I came up with:
   *Greg Oden will NEVER be called "Babyface".
   *The Bowie/Jordan fiasco will NEVER be forgotten.
   *Dave, at Blazersedge will NEVER be known as a man of few words.
   *We will NEVER see Jamaal Magliore do a coast-to-coast fast break dunk.
   *The jersey of Bonzi Wells will NEVER hang in the Rose Garden (unless in effigy).
   *NEVER will Nate utter, "I've been too hard on you guys. Take a week off".
   ...and so on...

I know you guys can come up with some neverisms of your own. Go for it!
   

This is way off topic but overdue and neccessary: I just wanted to thank everyone for your nice comments and contributions during the poetry contest. The appropriate post and related thread have disappeared into the archives and the recent lottery news has rightfully dominated the talk in here, so I thought a diary would be a good place to do this.

I can't believe the incredible talent we have here at the Edge! There wasn't a bad poem in the lot and most were excellent. I thought Dave's poem was right up there with the best (loved the Greenpeace line). And, to repeat the general concensus, the Blazertalk is always high level.

So...thank you and awesome job everybody! This truly is a special place.

You know Oden and Durant are on the edge of their seats today too, and will be watching with all the interest of fans everywhere. The outcome of the draft order is going to effect them as much as the teams they go to. Let me turn the tables and ask...who do you think each of them is pulling for...and why?

Not trying to dig up more worms but here's an interesting story about the Horry/Nash incident told from the perp's perspective. I won't soon forget Horry's coffin-nail shot against the Blazers a few years back but you gotta admire his ability to hit the big shot at crunch time over the years. Perhaps this was just a different form of another big time series-changing "shot".

First, a little brain-teaser: What do the following players have in common: Nick Van Exel, Jeff Hornacek, Rick Barry, Karl Malone, Chris Dudley? Give it a shot before you go to the next question...

Answer: .yreviled worhteerf railucep a dah lla yehT

Now the diary question: Considering total body motion, elapsed time and positive results, who was (is) the most EFFICIENT freethrow shooter in the NBA? And...using the same criteria, the most INEFFICIENT ?

Was listening to an interview with J. Allen at KXL. He says the name most tossed around for President of the Blazers organization is not Rick Adelman or Jerry West...but Steve Miller (not the rocker).

(Que chorus: "Go on...take the money and run...")

Miller has been the head of Global Sports Marketing at Nike and President of the PBA among other executive positions. I've never heard of him but it sounds like he has the expertise to run the business side of the franchise as opposed to Adelman or West who are more personnel oriented.

Just a heads-up, so we don't get blind-sided. Anyone else got any info?

An underlying theme in these posts is the tension between LOGIC (facts,data, stats, etc.) and EMOTION ( gut feeling, sympathy, affection, etc.) especially concerning trades, re-signings and drafts.

A GM must struggle with these opposing forces when making decisions involving millions of dollars. How sweet it is when a player comes along who causes the brain and the heart to line up in agreement.

My question to you is " In general, how do you personally lean on the facts vs feelings curve?"

Below is a poll. Please vote and leave a comment if you like.

Poll

You're Kevin Pritchard. You're ultimately responsible for millions of dollars. How do you handle your decision-making ?

0%

Roll the dice.

0 votes

35%

75% by the numbers.

13 votes

40%

50-50 head and heart.

15 votes

13%

75% intuition.25% information.

5 votes

2%

Gut feeling totally, Baby.

1 votes

8%

I'm a cold-hearted machine all the way.

3 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed

Wow! Talk about flashbacks. Maybe you folks in the Portland area get to hear this a lot, but I haven't heard these for 30 years. As we wind down to season's end, enjoy these classic radio moments from the early days of Blazermania. I especially like the conversation with coach Ramsey. See if you can't hear a little Nate in there. Also, if you've never seen the Lucas 'GLARE'...that's it.

It may seem like an unlikely comparison, but I can't shake this impression when I see Martell Webster coming back downcourt after scoring a basket: Jerome Kersey. It's more the look in his eye than a physical resemblence, although, in stature, they are very similar.

You would say the comparison ends there. Jerome was more rugged and defense-minded. Martell is a finesse shooter. I did a little research and discovered some interesting facts. Both were first round draft picks and fan favorites right off the bat. Their average point production in the first two years is remarkably close. Martell is getting more playing time than Jerome did at first, but Kersey exploded in his third year and went on to climb among the alltime leaders in games, points, rebounds, blocks and steals.

It got me thinking: Webster is struggling to find his game. What if, this summer, he really worked on his defense - every aspect - footwork, rebounding, blocks, steals. Do you not think it would pay dividends on the offensive end? It certainly didn't hurt Jerome who, in his prime, was averaging 16-19 ppg. while remaining a defensive force. It seems to me Martell needs to clear his mind and re-focus, perhaps on defense. Think of the possibilities if Martell blossomed on both ends of the court?

I know...times have changed. Team dynamics are different. Apples, oranges? Thoughts?

Have been re-reading John Wooden's old book "They Call Me Coach". He has been one of my all-time favorite sports figures. I admire his deep faith, principled lifestyle and ability to consistently get results. I appreciate his old school approach to the game of basketball and his zest for life.

It got me to wondering: Who is the one SPORTS FIGURE you admire the most and why?