tlongII
03-23-2008, 03:35 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1206239106137470.xml&coll=7
A steep road to the court
TIGARD -- Nate McMillan was huffing. And puffing. And sweating.
So when the Trail Blazers coach gave his assessment of a day in the life of Greg Oden, it was with broken and gasping words.
"This," McMillan said, catching his breath before continuing. "This is the real deal. The kid is going to be all right."
The kid, of course, was Oden, the 20-year-old center for the Blazers who is spending his first NBA season on the sidelines while rehabbing a surgically repaired right knee. And the "real deal" was a steep, half-mile residential street in Tigard that in Blazers parlance has come to be known as "The Hill."
McMillan on Wednesday lived up to a recent promise he made to Oden to take part in one of his rehabilitation workouts. He made the promise in part out of curiosity to see what Oden has been doing, and in part to offer support for the player who has been somewhat detached from the team all season.
So on a day when the Blazers were given time off, McMillan joined Blazers athletic trainer Jay Jensen and Oden for three grueling trips up "The Hill," which passes by the houses where former Blazers Jermaine O'Neal and Brian Grant once lived.
"I wanted to see it. I wanted to feel it. And I wanted to be there with him," McMillan said. "Because he is going to be a big part of what we are going to do."
With a morning fog still clinging to the tops of evergreens, the three men began their walk up the steep incline, McMillan and Jensen wearing black stocking caps and Oden in full Blazers practice gear.
Oden did the first third of the hill in side-to-side steps, as if he were guarding a player going baseline to baseline. In the middle section of the hill, Oden jogged backward. On regular days -- Oden does this workout three times a week -- Oden finishes the final third of the hill walking straight ahead. But on this day -- with his coach there to see exactly what his prized player has been doing -- Oden finished the final legs in impressive sprints, once playfully brushing McMillan's shoulder as he passed him.
"I just wanted to basically show him this wasn't easy," Oden said. "I didn't want him thinking that I'm out here doing something that wasn't going to help me out. And it was hard on him. Jay stepped up his game, and said, 'We're going to kill Coach,' and we did. But it was good to get Coach out there, to say, 'Look, this is hard. This isn't easy at all.' "
McMillan said he never doubted Oden was working hard in his rehab, which is in its sixth month. The reports from Jensen and strength and conditioning coach Bobby Medina have been filled with effusive praise of Oden's work ethic.
But after Wednesday's excursion, McMillan admitted he has a new appreciation of how hard Oden is working.
That night, McMillan said he had a fitful sleep. His calves felt like they were on the verge of cramping. And his buttocks hurt every time he changed positions in bed. The next day, McMillan -- who still is in good shape 10 years after a 12-year NBA career -- had to schedule a massage with Jensen.
"Any type of movement reminded me of pain," McMillan said. "I mean, that's a good workout. I can see that helping him, I really can. It really works your legs. And it's the way he is doing it. He's not just going through the motions, because he went up that hill pretty easily. And he finished it strong. That to me was a good sign."
It was a vindicating day for Oden and Jensen, who often feel like the players and coaches take for granted what they go through during their treks up the hill. And clearly, Jensen said, McMillan's presence motivated Oden during the workout.
"I loved hearing about Nate's aches and pains today," Jensen said laughing. "Because when we say we walked The Hill, it's like everyone says 'Yeah, right. You walked up a hill.' But it was good for Greg, because it pushed him, and it was good for Nate because he could see what Greg is doing. And the way Greg does it . . . you have to be in pretty good shape."
Jensen, who is in his 14th season with the Blazers, said "The Hill" has been used in the past by Blazers Ime Udoka, Grant, John Crotty, Steve Smith, Detlef Schrempf and Scottie Pippen, to name a few. Jensen said he thought it would be the perfect exercise for Oden because it involves low impact on his knees, helps build quadriceps muscle and burns calories. In the three weeks since Oden has started walking up The Hill, his weight has gone from 294 pounds to 290. The goal is to have Oden at 280 pounds by the time the team starts training camp in October.
Oden said the hardest part of the workout is walking back down the hill, knowing he is going to have to do it again. He said he often uses the descent to absorb the Northwest's beauty.
"It's foggy this morning, but on a clear day you can see all the mountains, even the volcano (Mount St. Helens)," Oden said, his hand panning the skyline. "It can be really beautiful."
However, it is a view he doesn't figure to see much of this summer. Oden said once the season is over, he plans to fly to Columbus, Ohio -- where he spent his freshman year at Ohio State -- to work out with the Buckeyes strength and conditioning coach Dave Richardson and take some summer courses. He also plans to spend time in Indianapolis, his hometown, where he will continue his rehabilitation under the supervision of Jensen.
The Blazers said they do not plan on Oden playing with their summer league team in Las Vegas, but they might have him take part in summer league practices and drills.
His only time in Portland before reporting in September will be to find a new place to live. He currently resides in Tualatin, but he said he wants to live in Portland, either in the Pearl District or in the newly developed South Waterfront.
"I want to be fully settled before we have to report back here," Oden said.
Until then, there is at least a month left of daily rehab. After his Wednesday workout on The Hill, Oden drove his red Chevy Avalanche truck directly to the team's practice facility in Tualatin for an hour-long shooting session with assistant coach Maurice Lucas. He also goes on six-mile bike rides with Jensen, and once a week he runs the length of the court and back 10 times. In addition, there are periodic pool workouts, where he jumps in water, and sessions where he jumps on a trampoline. All the while, he does pilates and weightlifting.
Jensen said Oden's right knee -- which underwent microfracture surgery in September -- has shown no problems. However, Oden's left knee has developed a slight case of tendonitis, which Jensen said is of little concern. Because the right knee has been undergoing so much rehab, Jensen said the left knee is trying to catch up. Now that many of the workouts involve both knees, the left knee will adjust and the pain will subside.
"Right now, we are the ones holding him back," Jensen said. "We don't want to rush him. But his knee feels great and there are no problems. In fact, he says his surgically-repaired knee feels stronger than his left knee. And that's because of his hard work. What he is doing isn't easy, and Greg is intense about it. Like The Hill -- he absolutely crushed it (on Wednesday) -- but when he started he was sucking air."
McMillan, for one, can relate.
"There is no question he is doing the right thing," McMillan said. "I really feel like Greg being able to do that now, at this point in his rehab, he's only going to be able to build and get stronger. And that's definitely going to help him."
A steep road to the court
TIGARD -- Nate McMillan was huffing. And puffing. And sweating.
So when the Trail Blazers coach gave his assessment of a day in the life of Greg Oden, it was with broken and gasping words.
"This," McMillan said, catching his breath before continuing. "This is the real deal. The kid is going to be all right."
The kid, of course, was Oden, the 20-year-old center for the Blazers who is spending his first NBA season on the sidelines while rehabbing a surgically repaired right knee. And the "real deal" was a steep, half-mile residential street in Tigard that in Blazers parlance has come to be known as "The Hill."
McMillan on Wednesday lived up to a recent promise he made to Oden to take part in one of his rehabilitation workouts. He made the promise in part out of curiosity to see what Oden has been doing, and in part to offer support for the player who has been somewhat detached from the team all season.
So on a day when the Blazers were given time off, McMillan joined Blazers athletic trainer Jay Jensen and Oden for three grueling trips up "The Hill," which passes by the houses where former Blazers Jermaine O'Neal and Brian Grant once lived.
"I wanted to see it. I wanted to feel it. And I wanted to be there with him," McMillan said. "Because he is going to be a big part of what we are going to do."
With a morning fog still clinging to the tops of evergreens, the three men began their walk up the steep incline, McMillan and Jensen wearing black stocking caps and Oden in full Blazers practice gear.
Oden did the first third of the hill in side-to-side steps, as if he were guarding a player going baseline to baseline. In the middle section of the hill, Oden jogged backward. On regular days -- Oden does this workout three times a week -- Oden finishes the final third of the hill walking straight ahead. But on this day -- with his coach there to see exactly what his prized player has been doing -- Oden finished the final legs in impressive sprints, once playfully brushing McMillan's shoulder as he passed him.
"I just wanted to basically show him this wasn't easy," Oden said. "I didn't want him thinking that I'm out here doing something that wasn't going to help me out. And it was hard on him. Jay stepped up his game, and said, 'We're going to kill Coach,' and we did. But it was good to get Coach out there, to say, 'Look, this is hard. This isn't easy at all.' "
McMillan said he never doubted Oden was working hard in his rehab, which is in its sixth month. The reports from Jensen and strength and conditioning coach Bobby Medina have been filled with effusive praise of Oden's work ethic.
But after Wednesday's excursion, McMillan admitted he has a new appreciation of how hard Oden is working.
That night, McMillan said he had a fitful sleep. His calves felt like they were on the verge of cramping. And his buttocks hurt every time he changed positions in bed. The next day, McMillan -- who still is in good shape 10 years after a 12-year NBA career -- had to schedule a massage with Jensen.
"Any type of movement reminded me of pain," McMillan said. "I mean, that's a good workout. I can see that helping him, I really can. It really works your legs. And it's the way he is doing it. He's not just going through the motions, because he went up that hill pretty easily. And he finished it strong. That to me was a good sign."
It was a vindicating day for Oden and Jensen, who often feel like the players and coaches take for granted what they go through during their treks up the hill. And clearly, Jensen said, McMillan's presence motivated Oden during the workout.
"I loved hearing about Nate's aches and pains today," Jensen said laughing. "Because when we say we walked The Hill, it's like everyone says 'Yeah, right. You walked up a hill.' But it was good for Greg, because it pushed him, and it was good for Nate because he could see what Greg is doing. And the way Greg does it . . . you have to be in pretty good shape."
Jensen, who is in his 14th season with the Blazers, said "The Hill" has been used in the past by Blazers Ime Udoka, Grant, John Crotty, Steve Smith, Detlef Schrempf and Scottie Pippen, to name a few. Jensen said he thought it would be the perfect exercise for Oden because it involves low impact on his knees, helps build quadriceps muscle and burns calories. In the three weeks since Oden has started walking up The Hill, his weight has gone from 294 pounds to 290. The goal is to have Oden at 280 pounds by the time the team starts training camp in October.
Oden said the hardest part of the workout is walking back down the hill, knowing he is going to have to do it again. He said he often uses the descent to absorb the Northwest's beauty.
"It's foggy this morning, but on a clear day you can see all the mountains, even the volcano (Mount St. Helens)," Oden said, his hand panning the skyline. "It can be really beautiful."
However, it is a view he doesn't figure to see much of this summer. Oden said once the season is over, he plans to fly to Columbus, Ohio -- where he spent his freshman year at Ohio State -- to work out with the Buckeyes strength and conditioning coach Dave Richardson and take some summer courses. He also plans to spend time in Indianapolis, his hometown, where he will continue his rehabilitation under the supervision of Jensen.
The Blazers said they do not plan on Oden playing with their summer league team in Las Vegas, but they might have him take part in summer league practices and drills.
His only time in Portland before reporting in September will be to find a new place to live. He currently resides in Tualatin, but he said he wants to live in Portland, either in the Pearl District or in the newly developed South Waterfront.
"I want to be fully settled before we have to report back here," Oden said.
Until then, there is at least a month left of daily rehab. After his Wednesday workout on The Hill, Oden drove his red Chevy Avalanche truck directly to the team's practice facility in Tualatin for an hour-long shooting session with assistant coach Maurice Lucas. He also goes on six-mile bike rides with Jensen, and once a week he runs the length of the court and back 10 times. In addition, there are periodic pool workouts, where he jumps in water, and sessions where he jumps on a trampoline. All the while, he does pilates and weightlifting.
Jensen said Oden's right knee -- which underwent microfracture surgery in September -- has shown no problems. However, Oden's left knee has developed a slight case of tendonitis, which Jensen said is of little concern. Because the right knee has been undergoing so much rehab, Jensen said the left knee is trying to catch up. Now that many of the workouts involve both knees, the left knee will adjust and the pain will subside.
"Right now, we are the ones holding him back," Jensen said. "We don't want to rush him. But his knee feels great and there are no problems. In fact, he says his surgically-repaired knee feels stronger than his left knee. And that's because of his hard work. What he is doing isn't easy, and Greg is intense about it. Like The Hill -- he absolutely crushed it (on Wednesday) -- but when he started he was sucking air."
McMillan, for one, can relate.
"There is no question he is doing the right thing," McMillan said. "I really feel like Greg being able to do that now, at this point in his rehab, he's only going to be able to build and get stronger. And that's definitely going to help him."