SB Nation User Blog: Krang

Why GO First?

Krang — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:38:41 -0000

Seems to be a some growing debate between the camps believing Oden should be brought off the bench and those believing he should start. I just wanted to chime in with my 2 cents worth. First of all Greg Odens talent and potential in my opinion is greater than Joel Pryzbillas. No knock at all on Pryzbilla whom I think is a great defensive center who brings energy and toughness. Pryzbilla also of course has experience that Oden does not have. Brandon, Blake, LMA all have played with Pryzbilla a lot more than Oden. All that being said I say you must start Oden.

You must start Oden because we drafted him not just as a project, not as just another 1st round pick but because he was the 7ft center of our future. Since this latest foot sprain there seems to be a movement to back off Oden, to give him less to worry about, to move him from starter to back-up. I think this is maybe subconciously a desire to protect him. Injury prone or Iron Man, this is not the correct path to player development in Odens case. If you still believe and I do, that Oden is our All-Star center of the future then you must give him the starting spot. The quicker our starters get used to Oden and Oden to playing with our starters the better.

Yes, it's been a rocky start, to say the least, for Greg Odens N.B.A. career. However I think the worst thing we could do would be lower our sites as to what Oden could mean to this team. Unless you've given up on Oden already, then in my opinion you must believe he is a starting center. Sure he's going to show you growing pains that you wouldn't see with Pryzbilla. An occasional missed assignment, some painful schoolings from the Yao's and Shaqs of the league. But that's the quickest, best way for Oden to learn. Keep in mind you will also see the occasional monster dunk from Oden. Hopefully the occasional fast forward flash to the complete package that hasn't yet arrived.

As far as the stanima and conditioning arguement, I agree that obviously Oden isn't in N.B.A. game shape yet. Coming off micro-fracture it might be a whole season or two until we see the complete 100% recovery of Oden. But if he is fatigued, or his stanima isn't what it should be then starting and playing is still the best way to improve that area. If fatigue and stanima are a problem then the responsibility is on Nate and coaching to monitor the starters minutes he is getting. If he's dangerously tired or fatigued sub him out. The old truth cliche is that you can get injured in 1 minute as a back-up, or 20 minutes as a starter. No way of predicting what might happen in any given moment on a basketball court.

The biggest danger I see in not starting Oden is the lowering of expectations. Whether people admit it or not I see it as putting the bubble wrap back around Oden. Bring him along slowly, let's let him catch up, lets take some pressure off him, let him develop his game against #2 centers instead of starters...Pop, pop, pop it's bubble wrap. Sure- talk to Oden during the game, limit his minutes to avoid dangerous fatigue, but with a talent like Odens you MUST let him play and to be the best and get better you must play against the best, that means being a starter. It was always the role projected for Oden and in my opinion still is.

No Boba Fett

Krang — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:10:01 -0000

Very minor controversy over Ricky Davis placing a bounty on dunking on Oden. Yes, I know the arguements as to why we shouldn't care, why it doesn't matter and why it even might make the game more exciting but I don't like it. I think public placing of bounties for actions within a game should be discouraged by the league.

Do I care that Ricky Davis placed a bounty? No. Do I think opposing players would want to dunk on Oden bounty or no bounty? Certainly. But it's not so much what it is today as what I'm afraid it could become. It's mostly innocent if we are talking dunks. But what is the next evoulution? Soon does it become rewards or bounties for knocking a guy to the ground? Bounties for vicious picks? Even the seemingly innocent "dunk" could have it's dangerous side. What happens if a player is so focused on obtaining the bounty that he tries a dunk that really doesn't exist. A wild drive to the basket that could put himself in danger of injury and in defense perhaps even Oden?

No for a league desperately trying to keep a squeaky clean image, for a league wanting to promote the integrity of it's play and the open and fair image of it's play I think pre-concieved Bounties for in the game actions are dangerous. Certainly a degree of this has always existed and certainly a lot of this is unstoppable but the public nature of it could be stopped easily by either agreement between the league and teams and/or simply fines levied at players publicly setting up bounties. You can think I'm over reacting or being a whimp on the issue but what if a player get's injured trying a dunk that didn't develop naturally in the course of the game just because they were trying to make points in a separate "game" being played behind the scenes in the locker room? What if Oden get's hurt trying to block a dunk that a player really shouldn't of really even tried?

If I'm a coach I also want my guys running my offense and playing our defense. I don't want my players thinking, "Hey tonight at some point I HAVE to dunk against Oden" .

I'm just afraid this seemingly innocent nothing is a slippery slope to sloppy and potentially dangerous play, and I think it would be best if The N.B.A. did what it could to discourage it.

Bring back the Kid!

Krang — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:53:28 -0000

Just read Jason Quicks article about Oden and the pressures of being a 20 year old rookie with all the expectations surrounding him. The following excerpt really struck me.

'He has lost a lot of personality," Roy said. "I look at it that that's the NBA. You come in with a high, then it humbles you, then the person that comes out of being humble is the person you are going to be for the rest of your career." -Brandon Roy as Quoted within Jason Quicks Article.

I thought it was one of the more interesting articles I've read in a long time, revealing of the reality of Greg Oden the person and player as well as revealing of Jason Quick himself, recognizing and apologizing when he believes he has fallen into the lockstep scrutiny of the often over zealous media machine.

Do we all need to step back? I remember the thrill and excitement of winning the #1 pick, the almost carnival atmosphere surounding the aproaching draft with the Oden vs. Durant debate. I remember the near hysteria surrounding his selection and the almost worshipful greeting at Pioneer Courthouse Square. We were a franchise getting healthy, and we were a fanbase hungry to be healthy. Then we all know the next happening, the unfortunate Knee surgery. We all said the right things. KP, Oden, most of the fans, the rest of the team. We had a good season, with Brandon in the All-Star game and a league awakening 13 game winning streak . But let's be honest, some place in our hearts as fans we still were waiting. We were waiting for this season, as much as we didn't want to admit it.

So now the waits over. It's here. Has the wait taught us patience? Or has it just made us and the league that much more hungry? Oden came into the league with attachments like "Next Great Dominant Center". Whispers of all the greats names were put alongside Oden. Here was a kid in Oden that shared with fans his own created, nearly unedited tours of his own apartment, complete with aknowledgements of a love for Cookie Crisp cereal. Here was a teenager, at the time, giving thumbs up reviews for the movie "Transformers". It was unique, it was refreshing and it was Oden. How quickly the N.B.A. and the media and maybe even ourselves as fans seem to be grinding that freshness away.

A few preseason games, with decent to good performance considering the long road Oden has been on and the new whispers begin. Sprain an ankle and even more whispers. We know what those whispers are, "How good is Oden?, Is Oden injury prone?, Can he stay healthy?". Suddenly the easy going kid we drafted is gone. Suddenly he isn't smiling, joking and being his confident self.

I'm guilty myself. Did I want to tune into a preseason game and see flashes of a Hakeem, Ewing, Russel in Oden? Sure I did. I'm as hungry for that as anyone. But do we need to try and step back. Given Odens appearance, his mature look and physical size, it's so easy to forget that a year ago this kid was a teenager. Can we after waiting a year for Oden, step back and again be patient and let Oden develop?

When all is said and done, part of what made me believe Oden could be a great center was his personality. He had a built in charisma, built in confidence. I'm saddened to read quotes to the extent that is being taken from him. I guess this whole fanpost is mostly just a call for all of us as Blazer fans to continue patience. I think Oden will be great player. But I also hope that when he becomes that dominant center, it will be with the smile attached that he brought into the league. Does it take too much for the media or ourselves to simply understand that we are dealing still with a very, very young man who is in an almost impossibly unique situation? We drafted the rumored next dominating big man, a kid arrived in Portland. His potential greatness might be fueled by his own personal desire and sensitivity to his own and others expectations but if we stamp out the kid, and the joy for the game, I think we will have less of a new Oden emerge. So Yes, I say Bring Back The Kid! .......it's going to be alright!

Olympic Future?

Krang — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:15:21 -0000

One thing I took from watching the USA vs. Spain Gold Medal game was that we need to send our best...always. Sure, the Deron Williams, Carlos Boozers are good enough to get us through a lot of an international tournament but when the bullet hits the bone the world is catching up. Spain really played an excellent game. Being short Calderon and using a 17 year old PG they still were able to throw a real scare into our team. To win the gold, we needed Kobe, we needed LeBron and we needed Howard. Think about it, if Kobe sits out this Olympics or LeBron do we win that game? The best basketball in the world is still played in the USA. The best players still come from the USA but the world has caught up to the point where to compete against these very well coached and very talented national teams we need to always send our best.

Which brings me to this thought. If the Blazers improve. If in 2-3 years we are that upper echelon team challenging for a N.B.A. championship that will probably go hand in hand with Oden, Brandon and LMA being thought of as "The Best" of the N.B.A.. That means we Blazer fans probably have a stake in what team shows up in 2012. The next Olympic incarnation could have a decidedly Blazer bent. As I already stated, I think to win the gold we need to send our best. However, to be totally honest I'm a little nervous about the extra load Olympic Play and National Team commitment would put on a Brandon Roy and a Greg Oden. Which brings me to a simple question would you be excited to see a Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and/or maybe even a LMA Blazer contigent on team USA? I think ultimately I would. I even think having a nucleus as described that has played together on The Blazers could be an advantage to our future national olympic team.

Alright, I'm looking way ahead, but simply if you really believe The Blazers are going to be N.B.A. champions in the near future then you have to believe our players will be coveted as Olympians. Rest up guys, the new definition of overall success now includes not only winning an N.B.A. championship but keeping the USA ontop the Olympic podium. With the growing popularity of Basketball worldwide that means sending, being and staying the best.

In defense of Blake

Krang — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:26:40 -0000

Seems to be a lot of momentum for The Blazers to upgrade at PG. It almost seems to me to be a rabid fervor. Traveling around the blogs and posts of the internet it almost seems to be a given that The Blazer MUST find a way to land a new PG.

I'm certainly not against upgrading at any position any time one can. However I'd like to take a moment to simply take stock and step back. Would it be the worst thing in the world if we did NOT obtain a PG this summer? Seems strange in a way that so many seem so convinced that The Blazer absolutely must upgrade now, when what I heard most of the season was how much Steve Blake meant to this team. I kept hearing all season about how he was a steadying influence, ran the team well and we were so lucky to have gotten him back. Plus, there were season long raves about how well Brandon handled offensive exectution during the 4th quarter.

I know we have all seen the success of Chris Paul and Williams and recently Steve Nash, so there is a strong impetus to suggest to teams that you must have a dominating PG but I suggest that The Blazers don't necessarily need to obtain one right now. Blake, Jack, Sergio, and we have Koponen albeit a unknown in the pipeline. Could the best move for The Blazers just be to show continued patience with the group we have? I think our next step in development is becoming a Playoff team, not "winning" a championship, and with Brandon, Aldridge, Oden, Fernandez, Outlaw, and our stable of PG choices in Blake, Jack and Sergio I'm thinking that step is possible and plausible even if we stand pat in the PG department.

I just don't want a rush, or sloppy unbalanced trade to be made in an effort to bring in a slightly better PG that might not even be as good as Jack or Sergio in 3 years. Of course keep the phone lines open, keep the discussions going but unless it's a "Pritch-Slap" type of trade I'm for a conservative approach this off-season. I think The Blazers are in the enviable position of being able to be conservative. We don't need to make any move out of desperation but strangely when it comes to obtaining a PG the tone I'm hearing is almost desperate and I don't understand that.

Diary of the Weak

Krang — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:25:48 -0000

I'm weak, I'll admit it. Since the formal inception of a diary of the week "contest" I'm afraid to even post a diary.

Before we were being evaluated, I did not care. So what if I posted a diary and only got 1 response? Big deal.

So what if I got 50 responses and they were all off-topic and spiraled into mayhem? Burn baby Burn was alright.

But now? I don't know....how can you do it? You pour a bit of your creative self into a posting, post it, only to check back later and find nobody gives a damn about your opinion. I could be thicker skinned about it when meaningless definitions weren't being placed on the diaries.

Before I can round into shape, I'd like to see some "Responses of The Week". That's where you get some real creativity.

In the meantime humor me and pretend this had something to do with The Blazers. Please.

Rolling the dice....

Krang — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:56:36 -0000

I'm not at all convinced that obtaining Shaq will result in Phoenix improving or winning a championship. The most I can muster for the move is a "maybe" in relationship to potential results. For me it's not so much the conflict of having a slow moving center put into what has been the fastest paced team in the league, I actually think that can be made to work. Sabonis was far from a runner by the time he reached Portland, and we played him with Rasheed and Stoudemire and were able to strike a good balance of breaking and half-court, and I think Phoenix can do the same. The big issue with Shaq is just how much left does he have PERIOD. Next season he's turning 37...I don't know if he has enough left in the tank, regardless of how much he might want it, or think he has.

But wait, lest you think this is just a diary bemoaning the moves of a western conference rival. Given all that I just said, I still like the move by Phoenix. Why? Because they looked at their team and decided they weren't good enough to win a championship, decided very very good wasn't good enough and rolled the dice. I like that. That takes guts. So even though I'm not convinced it will work, I admire Phoenix for taking the chance. It would of been far easier to just stay "as-is", be one of the best but fall short again. Leaving Nash another year older and Phoenixs hopes another year paler. This gives them a different look and reasons to think they can win. Is Shaq so great a talent that put alongside Nash, Stoudemire and The Phoenix talent he might be able to contribute the difference? ...like I said, maybe, and when we are talking Championships I think maybe is better than "not going to happen" which really was the reality with Phoenix pre-trade.

Kudos to Phoenix for rolling those dice, win or lose. If it backfires the fans will complain. If the next two seasons is Shaq fading like cheap wallpaper then Phoenix management is going to take a lot of flak. I'm sure they all know this. So I admire their guts for making the trade.

I remember when The Blazers were one of the top teams in the league with Kersey, Buck, Clyde and Porter, Duckworth. Barkley wanted out of Philadelphia. There were rumors we could obtain him for Kersey and some change. At the time we were Championship contending, legitimate. I did not want to make the move, because Kersey was one of my favorite Blazers, and as I said, we were great anyway. In retrospect? What if we had the guts to roll the dice? Would a team of Drexler, Porter, Barkley, Buck and Duck faired better?....maybe....

Speculation is never an answer, but I admire those organizations that don't settle for very, very good. Phoenix made a move for a championship. Will it work? I don't think so, BUT I admire the roll of the dice they were willing to take.

Bad Childhood Flashback

Krang — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:29:31 -0000

I just needed to get this off my mind. Yesterday when I first heard of the Pau Gasol trade and the ugly details, I had a flashback to childhood.

One time my Dad, my brother and myself were playing a game of Risk. I had dominated, and taken over 1/2 of the world! Yee Ha! at 12 years old beating your Dad and your Brother at Risk is a big thing. But just as my dreams of board game world domination were about to be solidified, my Brother and my Dad made a peace pact, refusing to fight each other and focusing only on me.

What resulted was a combined effort of two opposing forces that destroyed my effort to take over the world. Before I was relegated to the embarrasing home base of Australia, I think I threw the board against the wall, sending millions of plastic roman Numerals all over the living room. It was a Napoleonic temper tantrum, but I thought the peace pact was not in the spirit of the game.

So when I heard the details of the "trade" Memphis made with the Lakers, that was much the same feeling I had.

Like Memphis and The Lakers had joined forces to ruin my day. Despite the emergence of Bynum, I looked at the Lakers as losing competitive relevancy over the next few years. Damn, now they will be a true rival.

I still think The Blazers are the team of the future. Plus for The L*kers or The Blazers you never know what the future will hold, there are no guarantees. It was just I was so looking forward to our envitable assencion and what I saw as The L*kers inevitable decline, and now it's going to be that much harder.

Well what I've learned since I was a kid, is to enjoy the battles. I think this is the dawning of a rebirth once again of The Blazers vs. The L*kers, they will once again be a relevant rival to The Blazers.

Innocence Lost?

Krang — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:09:48 -0000

I am posting this here, it's not exactly a typical diary thread but I'd like some feedback. I'm sure most or a lot of the fans on this site are familiar with Greg Odens YardBarker site. I just watched his latest video posting.

It was a copyrighted Blazer Productions clip. I haven't been to The Blazers official website but my guess is that it is running on that site as well. I was disappointed. Not in content, as it was interesting enough. Some comments from Oden about rehabbing and watching games to learn from them, some comments from Bayno (I think) about Oden getting the opportunity to learn by watching. For a Blazer fan, not a bad way to spend a minute.

My hope is that Oden continues to place real unproduced self made video clips on his Yardbarker site, or even The Blazer site if The Blazers want a piece of the action. I got a sense of the genuine Oden from his self camera held, self spoken videos. It was refreshingly unproduced, unscripted. In this day and age it actually felt somewhat unique.

I know as Oden "grows up" and his career progresses it might just become more difficult for him to maintain that level of connection. However it was a nice insite to see non-professionally produced video and read semi-spontaneous postings from Oden complete with the occasional spelling error. As a fan it made me feel I was getting a glimpse of Oden the human being, not Oden the N.B.A. "product".

I'm not sure this is even a problem at all. Oden often posts and has posted other videos from interviews and commercials, I'm just hoping that he continues and is allowed to continue to post his own personally made comments and observations. Hopefully this isn't a case of The Blazers, or Odens advisors trying to control the image or "product".

Oden showing me his messy apartment and his favorite watermelon and Cookie Crisp seems so much more real, and unrehearsed than Oden carefully telling me about learning from watching the game, followed by Bayno more or less repeating the same message.

I suppose there must be both. The Marketed Oden, and Hopefully the "real" Oden. Even before we drafted him, his "realness" was a quality I liked about this newest Blazer. I hope he is allowed to continue to share this with fans, unrehearsed and unscripted.

Blazers Sounding Good

Krang — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:34:24 -0000

Without naming names, and just remaining general, I think we can all remember the players and management of the past. Unfortunately the past few seasons have often felt like walking through a tornado. We all remember the turmoil, trouble and seemingly lost direction of the franchise.

I guess all that is what makes "now" so nice. I can remember in the past seeing links to Blazer articles, or interviews and actually being scared to click on them. Why? Because there was such a good chance the news was going to be bad, or the commentary from the player offensive or stupid. Or that I'd be watching a "press conference" introducing the newest Blazer Trent Hassel.

My point in bringing up this darkness at a bright spot? Because it is so great that The Blazers are playing good, acting good and sounding good. I don't fear a sound bite with any of our players anymore. I don't scratch my head at the actions of management, and I don't get the nagging headache that I often got reading the local sports section.

The good times have returned and it's GOOD.

An interview with KP? Great turn it up! Brandon? Oden? Blake? Aldridge? Jack? go through the roster, do I have the subconcious fear any of these guys are going to say something counter productive or damaging, or down right embarrasing? No! Refreshing to have the interview end with myself feeling better about the team and the player as opposed to wondering about the wisdom of trying to sweat the alcohol binge of the night before off in practice.

Nothing sounds better than Rip City right now.