SB Nation User Blog: Steve The Hedge

I'm Your Huckleberry!

Steve The Hedge — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:53:15 -0000

KP, I'd like to apply for the position of Overpaid Free-Agent. I'd love to play (sit on the bench) for Portland next season. You need not shmooze me, I'll be more than happy to suit up for the Red & Black Attack.

I admit that my 5' 10" 175lb frame isn't long, I'm not freekishly athletic, and I haven't been bouncy since I was a toddler on my daddy's knee. But I do have what nobody else does: I can shag balls, tote luggage, fetch donuts, make people laugh until milk spews from their nose...ah did I mention I can fetch donuts? OK, so maybe one or two other people in the world can do that kind of thing, but how many of them REALLY want to be a Blazer? Huh? Huh?

If my incredible locker-room personality doesn't seal the deal, let me offer one other tidbit. It would really be a wake-up call to other NBA teams and players if you spent your cap-space on someone with zero professional or college experience simply because he loves Portland and the team. That would be an awesome press conference. You could even time it so it airs at prime-time on the East Coast. You know, so Hedo is watching. So, you think you're too good for Portland? Fine, we'll spend our money on someone that will be a great representative for the team. Heck, you could even put me into a game to go thug on the opposition a bit. Denver does that with Kenyon Martin, afterall. I know I've got more passion for the game than he does.

Finally, I'd accept a one-year deal. There's no need to have this year's cap-space disappear, never to be seen again. Simply sign me to a one year deal for what you've got to spare, and I become a valuable trade chip that you could part with and not hurt your core group. You'd miss me after I'm gone, but fear not. I'll come back to the Rose City once my NBA career comes to an end. If I happen to head for the Hall of Fame, I'll demand to be inducted as a Blazer. I'll even let you retire my jersey. See, I'm a giver.

It's a win-win-win, KP. You get cap flexability, you get to stick it to the FA market, and you get a high-character player that fits your culture. So, what do you say?

Trade Drawer: 6/23 Trade Machine=Crack!

Steve The Hedge — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:25:54 -0000

Hello, my name is Steve, and I'm an addict.

Hi, Steve!

I don't know how I managed to sink this low. I thought I'd had it under control. It's been almost a year since I last touched the stuff, and I tought I could handle it. One little taste, you know? A small trade to use that trade exception was all I was after. I wasn't trying to get LeBron or CP3 or anyone all-star-ish, just a small nip to whet the appetite of my inner GM. I couldn't handle it.

Before I knew what was happening, I'd managed to waste an entire day at work believing I was doing right because Paul Allen had said "Go for it." I delved into the permutations like a fish to water, ignoring the real world for my supreme fantasy of GM-dom (geeky, I know). A friend of mine finally snapped me out of it, but it was really close. I was almost lost forever. I don’t know if I’m fortunate or not, but I still remember the dream I had before I woke up.

Talent consolidation:

Trade w/ Charlotte- Outlaw, Webster, Sergio, and #24 & #38 for Gerald Wallace.

Trade w/ Chicago- Blake for Hinrich. Takes place after July 1 (new salary year & we’ll have cap space for lopsided trade), and assumes that Chicago retains Ben Gordon.

C- Oden/Przybilla

PF- LMA/(Pendergraph or Victor Claver with #33 pick)

SF- Wallace/Batum

SG- Roy/Rudy

PG- Hinrich/Bayless

Sprinkle a few veteran minimums for emergency need, and that’s it.

Was it worth the trip?

Feel free to get your FIX in the comments.

Will refs let Oden be physical in playoffs?

Steve The Hedge — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:19:04 -0000

It's a cliche saying that the playoffs are a different season. Teams step up their games to a new level of intensity with the finish line to the marathon in sight. Physical play is the standard and not the exception, which raises a couple questions:

1. Will the refs be more lax when calling touch fouls on Oden come playoff time?

2. Have the Blazers, as a team, earned enough "toughness credit" from the refs to get neutral rather than unfavorable calls?

I'd hope to see Oden make a positive impact in the playoffs, a part of the season he was brought in to effect. Guard play can get you to the playoffs, but solid post play wins games once you're there. If Oden is able to play without fearing the whistles, we could see the dominant center combination that we glimpsed during the regular season.

I believe the Blazers have developed a bit of demonstratable toughness since the All-Star break. Senior NBA official Dick Bavetta was reffing the LA game where the Blazers as a team made a stand against the evil empire. I believe that we earned a bit of respect from him in how we handled that, and that such respect will spread and pay dividends come playoff time. I don't think we'll see any star treatment, but I think we'll see fewer obvious bad calls.

Poll

Will refs lighten up on Oden's touch fouls?

Yes

58 votes

No

83 votes

141 votes | Poll has closed

Greetings, Traveler! : Respite Edition

Steve The Hedge — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:32:34 -0000

Come in from the storm, Traveler. The sand is lashing with a fury, and you look as if you could use a moment to gather yourself before we reach the All-Star Oasis.

Sit. Rest yourself. Take stock of yourself and tomorrow we will continue the journey together.

In years past this pilgrimage didn't seem so difficult because the weight of expectations were lighter. Victory was always a goal, but never taken for granted. With the addition of our newest warriors has come a greater weight and expectation to succeed. Each misstep is scrutinized in detail, and each success is bloated. It would seem that expectations for the young ones have gone from realistic to impossible with no middle ground for growth and development.

Does a tree rise to fight the wind from a single seed overnight? No. Time and testing is needed for it to reach the full blossom intended. The roots must be planted deeply for it to hold fast against the onslaught it must face each day. Those roots take time to set, and are unseen. Unseen, but crucial. It is the strong roots that allow the tree to stand against the raging tempest and provide shelter to us in times of need.

The flexibility of a sapling is a necessity when young. Though it can be the cause of unpredictability and inconsistency as it is tossed by the winds, it allows the young tree to survive the battle with the wind and gain in wisdom. As time passes the core gains in strength, the roots sink deep, and the tree learns to stand against the wind without fear.

Was it only last season that we were thrilled with our progress and promise of the future? Has so much changed? No. We have seen glimpses of true greatness from many of our warriors. Glimpses, but little consistency. With the steadying hand of our captain much of the turmoil has still resulted in victory, but time is still needed to develop the other members of our clan. With that development, however; a profound greatness could be in the making.

Whoooooooshhhhhhhh!

Easy my friend. That was simply a gust of trade talk. There is little we can do to battle them. They arise unseen and unbidden to distract us from our journey. They are a nuisance and mean little to our true core. Once we pass the Trade Deadline Mountains the force of their bluster is spent.

Time is all we need. It's the simplest thing to say, yet is so difficult to practice. Time.

I pray for patience. I will pray for you as well my friend.

Stay and rest, for tomorrow our journey continues to the All-Star Oasis. After that we shall fight the wind together on our journey to the Oasis of Playoffs. Long has it been since I've tasted its waters.

Thank You Blazers!

Steve The Hedge — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:31:29 -0000

Thank You--

Paul Allen: For putting your money where our heart is.

Kevin Pritchard & Front Office: For your ability to bake a cake.

Coaching Staff: For teaching and learning.

Wheels & Tone: For calling it so we can see it and feel it.

Fans: For rocking the Garden.

Players: For being our family.

From the top down, this team has found it's direction and is developing a winning identity that resonates with fans of the game. Such effort and dedication deserves to be recognized and applauded.

Happy New Year, Rip City!

Comcast: Revisited

Steve The Hedge — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:26:00 -0000

I'm less interested in pointing a finger than I am with finding a course through this minefield. At this point it looks as if there will be no agreement between Comcast and the satelite companies (and Charter). That will be two years without an agreement. Two years. It's time the Blazer organization takes action. I believe there is an opt-out clause in the agreement, but I've yet to hear any specifics regarding the terms and conditions under which such a clause might be executed.

Following the money: The Blazers.

The Blazer organization is looking for cash to boost their bottom line, but that's not all. They're also trying to establish a loyal fan following. The Blazers have always had a good percentage of die-hard fans, but those aren't the ones that make NBA teams the big money. It's the casual fan that is the true revenue maker because there are so many more of them. Hundreds of thousands more.

The Blazers have invested a lot of time and effort in building a team that everyone can be proud to root for, but they're now having their market limited by their Comcast deal. Whether it's the fault of Comcast or not, it's that deal that has hampered the ability of many would-be fans from being able to follow the team when they're not on national TV.

Though the Comcast deal has benefited the bottom line of the Blazer organization to the tune of $10 million per year, they are loosing out on the real revenue generator...fan participation.

Following the money: Comcast.

Big risk equals big reward. Before the Blazers won big in the lottery Comcast was willing to bet heavily on the Blazer organization, outbidding the standard $4 million per year that Fox had been offering. In addition Comcast would establish a new channel with the Blazers as the cornerstone along with other Oregon-centric sporting events. No longer would we be the step-child of Seattle sports options. Similar to Field of Dreams, if you build it, we will watch. We will DEMAND it. They did it. And now they want a return on their investment. I can't blame them for that mentality, but I can blame them for shortsightedness and questionable business expectations.

Comcast wants what it wants because it believes that's what it's worth. That's where they've made their mistake. Much like die-hard fans overvalue their players on the trade market, Comcast has overvalued it's product outside Oregon. It's not hard to understand why the smaller cable companies have agreed to Comcast's deal. They have a larger portion of their subscription base wanting to root for the Blazers. With smaller companies, it's easier for a few voices to be heard when asking for a certain product. Comcast ASSUMED the same deal would work for everyone. Wrong!

Now Comcast is stuck. They've gotten almost everyone in their service area to switch that was really going to, but that isn't anywhere near making this a cost-effective deal for them. $10 million per year plus the costs of running their own sports channel is a big undertaking that requires a broad revenue base. Seattle's loss of the Sonics has likely been an unforeseen bonus for Comcast as it seeks to expand it's subscriber base. What are the odds Seattle people would switch from satelite just to watch the Blazers? Low. I don't expect that to stop Comcast, however. They will likely wait out the current season to see how many more homes they can squeeze before they reconsider their position.

Following the money: Satelite companies

Portland Who? Jail-Blazers? When was the last time they were in the playoffs? Please buy NBA League Pass for only $189.00 for the entire season. Catch every game from the comfort of your own home (except the ones you really want).

The large satelite companies have no interest in being all things to all markets. Remember how long it was before they offered local channels? Direct TV and Dish aren't headquartered in Oregon, and likely don't realize the demand. A few hundred calls or e-mails won't move an entrenched bureaucracy when they think in terms of millions of viewers and not thousands. It's that mindset that will prevent any substantial shift in their negotiation position.

Following the money: Fans

In this trying economy, I cannot fathom why companies wouldn't be trying everything in their power to get my money, especially when I tell them exactly what I'd be willing to pay for.

I want to watch the Blazer games on TV, and I'm willing to pay for it!

Take my money...please!

Conclusion:

The Blazers haven't gotten to the breaking point yet, though they should have by now. Don't confuse a sold out Rose Garden with adequate marketing. So many dollars are being left on the table, it's not even funny.

Comcast has found that it can dictate terms in their pond, but in the big ocean they're just another sucker fish hanging around the large sharks. They've painted themselves into a corner with this deal, and the only way out that's profitable is to stick to their guns.

Satelite providers are trying to meet national expectations rather than market-centric demands. They don't have any incentive to cave to Comcast's demands. Even if every satelite subscriber in Oregon were to cancel their service out of frustration, they would hardly even notice the blip.

Fans are, as always, left to the mercy of outside forces. Frustrating as this ongoing saga has become, I've come to terms with the fact that I'll be watching only ESPN and TNT feeds of the games and listening to Wheels when those aren't an option.

It's a shame nobody wants my money.

Is Captain Kirk available now?

Steve The Hedge — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:56:16 -0000

Is Captain Kirk available now?

Would it be possible to trade a disgruntled Sergio for an injured but capable Kirk? Kirk makes 10 mil per year with a reducing number as time goes on, while Sergio makes less than a million. I'm hesitant to use RLEC in a package for him, but it seems like it would benefit both teams.

Would Paxon deal with KP again? Heck, should we demand that KP swindle Paxon out of Rose?

Rehash the draft

Steve The Hedge — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:44:26 -0000

Training camp is done, and we've had a chance to see how the rookies for each team have done in the preseason. What have you seen, and what are your expectations?

1. Rose. He got game. Sure, he'll be inconsistent, but he has shown the flashes that make fans stand up and shout.

2. Beasley. Odd. Big-O, little-d, very little-d. Zach Randolph with better elevation and speed.

3. Mayo. This year's Kevin Durant. He'll shoot a lot, and lose a lot.

4. Westbrook. The reach of the draft. Seems like a Leandro Barbosa clone. Great straight-line speed, but lacks the lateral quicks and court awareness needed in a PG. I bet they wish they'd picked Bayless to put alongside Durant. Those two together would have been devistating in a few years.

5. Love. Hmmmm. Can make an impact, but I would have expected him to be a starter during preseason. He didn't. Mayo did.

6. Gallinari. Broken. Not a good start. Just ask Oden.

7. Gordon. Good potential. Came off the bench and had some really impressive games and a couple ho-hummers.

8. Alexander. There's a little something there, but it was hard to see in the preseason. Late bloomer?

9. Augustin. Will see plenty of action due to his playing style. He may even become the starter this season.

10. Lopez. He's big. He's starting. He hasn't had a positive +/- yet. Doh!

11. Bayless. The Summer League MVP has the individual game, but needs to learn how to be a member of a team. With Coach Nate's help, he'll become a true game changer. Not this year though.

12. Thompson. Better than I'd expected. He can rebound well and score some garbage points. He seems a bit spotty on defense, but there's potential there.

13. Rush. Only two good preseason games. Both when he came off the bench. Once against a Memphis team he struggled against in a previous game. He's got role player written all over him.

14. Randolph. Better than expected in the preseason, but Nellie won't play him when the games count. Just ask any other rookie whose played for him.

One more bit of random speculation generated in an effort to kill the next few days.

Psychology of Jerryd Bayless

Steve The Hedge — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:04:34 -0000

I’d like to discuss the Psychology of Jerryd Bayless. I’ve been watching him. No, not stalking. I’ve simply been watching his interactions as best I could, and I’ve come to a few loose conclusions. I’d be interested in hearing other opinions.

Situational Awareness. That is Jerryd’s Kryptonite. He wants to win, and he’s always been the best player on the floor. That has resulted in him developing tunnel vision to some extent. His first instinct is to create his own shot, using his teammates as needed for him to score. That style of play has been reinforced throughout his college experience as well as in summer league. Does that mean that he is always going to shoot? No, but it does mean that his situational awareness seems limited to himself and his defender. There are moments where teammates create an obvious situation of advantage that he can recognize, but any assist seems due to his inability to create a shot, rather than an attempt to set-up a player. Is that a new interpretation of Jerryd? I don’t think so. It seems to be agreed that he is a shoot-first type of playmaker. Much like Kxbe, Jerryd wants to dominate the opponent, not just win. That killer instinct is needed on this team, but even more importantly is the multiplier effect a good set-up man brings.

Brandon Roy is a great set-up man. He’s tall enough to see the court well, skilled enough to get his own shot when needed, and intelligent enough to use the other players on the floor to get the TEAM an optimal shot attempt. IMO he’s the new version of Jason Kidd or Magic Johnson. It’s that multiplier effect that not only makes Roy great, but makes those around him better than they would be with another player.

It’s undeniable that Jerryd is a baller. The question becomes, how do you put him in a position to take advantage of his abilities while at the same time maximizing the abilities of the players around him? The answer? Practice. Practice. Practice. For now, put him up against Sergio for minutes as the back-up PG for in-game experience. He should be a strong plug-in player capable of coming in to instantly put any defensively weak PG on his heels, create havoc in the paint, and basically do what Jack did last season with better results (hopefully).

In practice, he should be added to Nate’s group of pupils for personal training. Nate should be able to turn his raw abilities into something honed and infinitely more dangerous by helping him trust that his teammates will dominate for him. He needs to learn that his true power lies in his mind and his ability to recognize offensive/defensive patterns and act accordingly. By using his mind he can harness the power of his teammates to exploit one weakness in the opposition’s defense, creating a higher percentage shot attempt than he would have been able to accomplish alone. If he has the mental bandwidth to process that much information he’ll be unstoppable. At the moment, however, his situational awareness seems to be that of a rookie needing more experience and knowledge. That’s not a negative for Jerryd, it’s a fact of life for any rookie coming to the NBA after a single season of college. If Jerryd works at the TEAM part of his game as hard as he did his individual skills, he’ll put Chris Paul to shame in three years.

Is that a fair estimation, or am I reading too much into this?

You had me at hello, but lost me before the half.

Steve The Hedge — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:49:53 -0000

With the rain, my Blazer drought is coming to an end. It was like trying to subsist on nothing but Skittles. Sure it's great for a week or so, but soon you actually miss things like meat and potatoes (not veggies). I've read every article (and written a few) about the Blazers, sucking the last molecule of Blazermania from my computer monitor. In a remarkably short time the sustenance was insufficient to ahhhh....sustain me. I needed more. I needed something...substantial (didn't see that coming did you). Today was the day I'd get something new. Although an intra squad scrimmage is like having pizza rather than skittles, at least it was something better than the hype and rumor I've been forced to survive on.

After slogging home through Friday traffic among a bunch of "Oregonians" that forgot how to drive in rain, I was greeted at home by my barking puppy, my loving wife, and...my radio.

The voice of Brian Wheeler filled my headphones as I laid my head on a pillow. Eyes closed, I transported myself into the Rose Garden to experience the scrimmage. The real world tried to intrude many times during his show, but I battled valiantly to remain connected. Brief flashes of exhilaration flooded me as I watched what Wheels projected for my mind's eye. And then it ended.

I'd waited so long. So long. Through an off-season that saw the Fakers going to the Finals, thereby making them tainted and unwatchable (until they lost). I made it through the draft, the Olympics, and summer league, but none of them were real. They were all ghostly shells of the real thing. Now, when I finally get a chance to hear a live game, I'm foiled because it ended before the half.

Although I was actually craving more of a play-by-play from Wheels, I found the interviews entertaining. So, why did it end before the half? Am I the only one that feels despondent? It's like being in a jet that's been granted clearance to take off. The engines are kicked to full, and right before the brakes are released and you go barreling down the runway they shut the engines off. All that build-up and no release. Hmmm. Maybe I should stop the analogies there.

Now I'm forced to vent my frustrations until Tuesday. This is going to be a really long weekend. Well, at least I've got my in-laws coming over. Yee-haw....not really.

P.S. Comcast, did you get my e-mail? I meant it. My wife will NOT be happy if you don't get a deal done. Trust me, you do NOT want to make her mad. Big. Green. Scary. Get the idea?