Greg Oden Shines

joelor — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:19:40 -0000

Greg Oden Shines

Cool Hollinger article on Greg spending time with kids. It makes you remember that, regardless what you, Charles Barkley, Colin Cowherd, or anyone thinks of Greg, he is a great human being.

New Kobestoppers Game Diary

joelor — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:17:23 -0000

New Kobestoppers Game Diary

What a depressing loss. At least the Kobestoppers are here to find light within the darkness. Click for thoughts on TNT, Oden's happiness, and plenty of burns on the Jazz.

Kobe's new sneakers.

joelor — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:35:26 -0000

Kobe's new sneakers.

Blazers - Wizards game diary

joelor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:55:16 -0000

Blazers - Wizards game diary

Those jokers at Kobestoppers are at it again. Enjoy. Oh, and try not to catch the Songalia that's going around, I hear it's nasty.

Running Diary: Blazers vs. Knicks

joelor — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:06:03 -0000

Running Diary: Blazers vs. Knicks

Funny running diary of last night's game from the new blog Kobestoppers.blogspot.com. The site is still getting a few tweaks but its worth checking out.

Bellotti as AD, Chip Kelly as HC

joelor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:59:03 -0000

An anonymous source of mine just broke the news:

Mike Bellotti will be the new Athletic Director for the Ducks, while Chip Kelly is going to be named Head Coach of the Oregon football program.

I think this is great as I was (and this had been addressed in a recent fanpost) worried that Chip was going to be lured away to a head coaching position somewhere else.

It's unclear exactly when this will be officially declared, but expect an announcement in the near future.

Greg Oden is HUGE!

joelor — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:27:05 -0000

Greg Oden is HUGE!

Google-translated version of Rudy's newest blog entry. Enjoy.

Ron-Ron defends GO. This man is hilariously crazy.

joelor — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:14:55 -0000

Ron-Ron defends GO. This man is hilariously crazy.

11/14 Drunk Jawer

joelor — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:20:52 -0000

It's Friday. Blazers v. Hornets tonight at 5, be there or be square. These events combine to result in a near 100% likelihood that Joe will be very drunk this evening. Also this seems like another great opportunity to point out that Chris Paul IS Carlton Banks from an alternate universe where he put his dancing skills to use on the basketball court at a young age.

In other news, Quantum of Solace comes out today to mixed reviews. I don't have insanely high hopes but I expect I will be amused and entertained for at least 90 minutes. I will await Channing Frye's verdict with bated breath.

The auto industry bailout is up next for Congress, I believe they will decide on it next week (Monday, I think?). I've been away from the news a little bit lately, so my thoughts on this newest bailout are not yet refined. Maybe some BEdgers can provide some insight.

I flipped on network TV last night to learn that over 100 homes had burned in Santa Barbara as a result of a fire that started only a couple hours earlier. The blaze was whipped up by gusting winds topping 60 mph and destroyed an entire neighborhood. Good thoughts sent out to those unfortunate families.

Tom wrote a great song about poop in the last JD, I would love to hear something off his next LP.

More Blazers Dramatique

joelor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:14:29 -0000

More Blazers Dramatique

I don't know if anyone else has been keeping up with this, but more NBA fiction is out! Here's the epic battle of The Underground (Blazers) under siege by the Sky Force (Rockets).

NBA Dramatique: Growing Pains
The secret was out. The Underground was no longer an unknown factor and had become a target of enemy forces. The man-beast remained under lock and key. Their only combat victory had been against a clearly under-performing Machine. Those two factors, plus the bloody lesson they were forced to learn within the walls of the Western Banner, had diminished a great deal of the confidence they had been building. McMillan saw the problem and understood the setbacks, but knew he had to find a way to reverse the trend.

His first idea didn't turn out so well.

They had traveled incognito under McMillan's advice to get a little rest and relaxation away from the tunnels and the stress of training and combat. He took them all to a performance by a band of traveling musicians that had become rather popular, hoping that the songs would help take their minds off of the setbacks they had endured. In that sense, McMillan's plan may have been too successful. They had not been vigilant, and several of his men had their pockets picked while their attention was on the performance. Worse, they had been followed out of the venue and unceremoniously mugged. Nothing at all seemed to be going their way. The hope of bringing back positive spirit had definitely failed at that point, so they returned to the Underground tunnels tired and defeated.

*****

There was a large pool of water - bright blue - with scattered light bouncing off of its surface. The light was reflected back upwards against the dark stone walls of the cavern and the skin of the man looking down into the water, and it made patterns like jump-ropes, intertwining and revolving around one another. The one watching was McMillan, and his interest was not the usually tranquil and relaxing Underground pool, but the activity taking place within it. Oden was walking across its floor, fighting against the drag of the water and pulling a huge stone block behind him, tethered to his waist by a large iron chain. Two other men, trainers, were in the pool with Oden trying to encourage his efforts. Even from high above, McMillan could read the exhaustion on Oden's face, and could sense the will of the hulking man beginning to bend under the pressure.

"I need you to get there, big guy. I need you to get there." McMillan said, too quietly to be heard. He turned and walked out of the pool cavern, hearing the deep and tired grunts of his biggest hope echoing all around.

*****

An early warning siren had sounded and the fighters had gathered in the planning room, less than twelve hours after returning from their poorly-fated trip. Fast approaching was the Sky Fortress.

"I know as well as any of you that things aren't going according to plan." said McMillan. "We had an idea of how things were going to go. We worked hard to develop strategies and we knew our roles based on those plans. Things changed. That's life. We can't spend another day acting like we are finished. We've had a little bad luck, but that's all it is. Remember a year ago? Nobody cared about us. Nobody thought we were worth a damn bit of their attention. We thought we were hot because Oden was going to rip people in half while we watched. What happened? We couldn't use him. We had to learn to do without him, and you know what? We did well. We grew. And we still stayed under the radar for the most part. We waited and we trained and we were going to go out and rule the world. But Oden got hurt and we're without him again. All of you feel like it's last year all over again and you're going to work hard with no pay off." McMillan paused. "You're wrong."

He looked at the faces in the room and could see in every one of them that they were listening, and wanting to believe, but they needed more.

"Oden is going to fight in this war. I see him getting closer every day. But you guys can't expect to have him do it all for you. You have to fight like he's not there so that when he shows up, he becomes the extra piece and not the centerpiece. All of you can do this. I've seen it. I've watched you. You don't need him. You want him to be there and so do I, but he doesn't have to be. Get that into your head and lock it in. You guys are killers. Kill. Kill! And when Oden is unleashed, kill with him."

Brandon and Aldridge looked at one another and nodded. They stood, embracing their roles as leaders and fighters. Brandon spoke to the assembled group.

"Get ready. Now."

*****

A long battle. Hard fought. An experienced and talented enemy. Blake slices and Brandon stumbles. Scola hunts. Batum. Ka-boom! From below, Oden hears the sounds and longs to contribute. Bones with an eagle-eye. Outlaw and Frye fire at will. One so young his beard looks false. Brandon out of rhythm. The young one, Brooks, demonstrates a blinding speed and a true shot. Fernandez with the spirit of war. Major Artest joins the front lines and his troops rally, but Aldridge helps the Underground push back. A brief calm, but no surrender. Przybilla on the offensive. As the fight rages, McMillan has hope. Sees the change in his men and imagines Oden's return. Major Artest is denied a kill. Ka-Boom!! Aldridge, Przybilla, Outlaw all showing the fighting acumen that McMillan had seen in the training hall. A face-off - Bones and Fernandez. Bones is reduced to a shaking wreck on the floor. Major Artest and Yao try to stop Fernandez, but he bests them both. The speed of Brooks, the cruelty of Commander McGrady. Neither side will quit. Neither can yet claim a win. Commander McGrady is trapped, but drops a smoke bomb and narrowly avoids capture. The endgame arrives.

*****

Brandon wanted to be the one to end it. He believed himself made for moments like these. No side was going to give up, so one must be forced to do so. He darted towards the enemy, unable to discern their faces, and flanked their position. He saw the Commander and stopped on a dime to shoot. The Commander dove to the ground, and Major Artest stumbled as he tried to intercept the attack on the Commander. Brandon's shot hit, and the Commander fell, bleeding. Still, the Sky Forces would not surrender, and Yao saw an opportunity. Brandon left his allies vulnerable, and Yao fired a tiny rocket from his wrist that destroyed a stone support, cutting off a number of the Undergound's fighters. There was little chance for an Underground victory now. The calm stillness of necessity took over Brandon's body, and with uncanny speed, he fired a shoulder-cannon towards the whole of the attacking force. Luck had decided to come back to Brandon, and his shot caused an explosion that rocked the Underground tunnels and left the Commander's squad burned and coughing within a cloud of debris. Their position compromised, the Sky Force retreated back to their landing craft, and returned to the Fortress in defeat.

Brandon took the time to account for all of his soldiers, then found McMillan. The strategist was giving his top man a knowing look, but waited for the young fighter to speak first.

"We can do it." Brandon stated, sounding more surprised than he had intended.

"I know." answered his boss. "Will you?"

SB Nation User Blog: joelor

Greg Oden Shines

Greg Oden Shines

New Kobestoppers Game Diary

New Kobestoppers Game Diary

Kobe's new sneakers.

Blazers - Wizards game diary

Blazers - Wizards game diary

Running Diary: Blazers vs. Knicks

Running Diary: Blazers vs. Knicks

Bellotti as AD, Chip Kelly as HC

Greg Oden is HUGE!

Greg Oden is HUGE!

Ron-Ron defends GO. This man is hilariously crazy.

11/14 Drunk Jawer

More Blazers Dramatique

More Blazers Dramatique