Greg Oden blogs about the Spurs game

http://www.yardbarker.com/users/gregoden

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submitted by gregoden 1 hour ago
So on Tuesday we had our first. The guys played a pretty good game unfortunately we lost to last year champs the Spurs. I was proud of the guys even with Brandon not having his best game we stayed pretty close. I felt so bad because all i could think about is what it would be like if i was playing. I know Tim Duncan would of bust my head, more than a couple of times, but i wanted to know how i would play against him.

Yesterday was a very hard day for me because all i could think about was going out there and playing. I know that i wont be playing for a year, for the fact that i dont want to rush back and come back worse. I just want to be out there tomorrow.

LaMarcus playing so good didnt help because the announcers keep saying "with Aldridge playing so good, it makes you wonder what it would be like if the other piece of the puzzle was there," that really hurt me because i want to play so bad. Good thing is that im keeping good spirits, lifting every other day, and i get to scout the whole entire league.

Knowing that the season started its going to be really hard to be the happy always smiling guy that i am, because i want to be playing so bad.

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He was right about Timmy busting his head had he been out there.

But this makes me respect Oden, the fact that he shows respect. He could've easily been a dumbass and said, "If I was out there, there might have been a different outcome to the game!."

:tu

I really think that the announcers should STFU about him ... it's the same thing that's ruining Amare ...

Oden isn't a megaegomaniac like Black Jesus is. In fact he keeps a pretty low profile for a guy that has been in the national spotlight for about 4 year now. He and Durant really seem to be level-headed. I would put both in the Duncan category, not the Amare one.

I like Oden and wish him well getting back. Class act.

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Originally Posted by LEN BIAS 4EVER

Oden isn't a megaegomaniac like Black Jesus is. In fact he keeps a pretty low profile for a guy that has been in the national spotlight for about 4 year now. He and Durant really seem to be level-headed. I would put both in the Duncan category, not the Amare one.

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I think what enigma was referring to is the fact that if the announcers keep talking about him, it'll only spur him to come back faster than he really is ready for (like Amare did in the past).

Portland might be a legit title contender next year. Props to this guy.

That makes sense to me now. I hope he does stay healthy and isn't the newest Sam Bowie for the trailblazers.

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Originally Posted by bdictjames

Portland might be a legit title contender next year. Props to this guy.

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not

maybe 2 years not next year

Somebody must have edited all the ebonics out.

I like Oden.

He has a Duncan air about him in that hes quiet, goes about his work, but has tremendous respect for everyone.

It's got to be frustrating for Oden to just sit back and watch without ever having had the chance, even in preseason, to measure himself against the best in the world. He certainly seems to be a humble and respectful kid who just wants to participate in the game he seems to love.

I do wish him a speedy and full recovery and can't wait to see him play at the NBA level.

The fact that he is looking at this year's absense as a way to "scout" the rest of the league is a very good sign :tu

I wonder if Amare was doing that the year he was out? :)

I should clarify about what I said - the one good thing about this happening to Oden is he will not have to face the whole, "He's not quite what he was before surgery" thing because we didn't know what he was like before the surgery, playing in the NBA.

I really like the new TB team, and with Oden, I could quickly see them being a team I cheer for. Oden seems like a smart guy, and I hope he doesn't rush himself.

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

The fact that he is looking at this year's absense as a way to "scout" the rest of the league is a very good sign :tu

I wonder if Amare was doing that the year he was out? :)

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To hear his excuse for game 4 in the semi-finals - apparently he spent the year trying to forget the rule book. Good thing Oden isn't following that example.

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Originally Posted by ducks

not

maybe 2 years not next year

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Seriously, if they play like they did last night against the Spurs, Portland fans should be happy the year after this.

I think Im the only one comparing Oden and Aldridge to be the next Twin Towers.

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Originally Posted by enigma

I really think that the announcers should STFU about him ... it's the same thing that's ruining Amare ...

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Given that Oden has already spoken (and his game shows) that he puts an emphasis on defense, his mindset is already light years ahead of amare.

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

I wonder if Amare was doing that the year he was out? :)

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I still think ":07 seconds or less" should be required reading for NBA fans, if only to see from an outsider's eyes what the Suns' brass actually thought of Amare during that time and how disrespectful they are of just about everyone else in the league.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

I still think ":07 seconds or less" should be required reading for NBA fans, if only to see from an outsider's eyes what the Suns' brass actually thought of Amare during that time and how disrespectful they are of just about everyone else in the league.

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I just read it this summer.
Never got to talk about it here, when I searched the thread was so old I left it alone.

It should be required reading. It was an intense insight to the running of a team. The Suns let McCallum so far in it was scary. And he wrote what he saw/heard. The good, bad, and ugly. And the ugly outweighed most of it.

I could never see the Spurs giving an outsider that kind of access.

If Oden is 80% as good as he's expected to be, Portland will have the best front line in the league with him, LA and Webster.

Oden should be well prepared for next season...he has a whole year to observe other teams players which should make him even better next year.

Get well soon Greg. The NBA needs more good guys like him.

once they get rid of miles and keep building with their core group of guys they'll be dangerous soon

I agree with the general consensus, Portland has a great future ahead of them. Their frontline will dominate, and they have talent across the board. Oden is looking like he will be one of those rare superstar class acts that graces the league every once in a while (see Duncan, Timmy). He would make a great Spur! I always enjoy watching franchises turn themselves and because of that I'll say something I've never said in my humble life: I'm excited about the Portland Trailblazers.

With Oden sitting out this year, scouting the league, watching and learning Nate McMillan's system, and with the rest of the team playing together for another season, next year looks to be a breakout year for the Blazers.

I'm excited to see what my hometown team does in the 08-09 season.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

I still think ":07 seconds or less" should be required reading for NBA fans, if only to see from an outsider's eyes what the Suns' brass actually thought of Amare during that time and how disrespectful they are of just about everyone else in the league.

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Yea, I'll definitely have to check it out...you're the 2nd person that's told me about this book. So what did it say about Amare during that time and how exactly were the disrespectful?

Not only Aldridge and Oden, but throw in Roy. That is going to be a scary team if they are all kept together.

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I still think ":07 seconds or less" should be required reading for NBA fans, if only to see from an outsider's eyes what the Suns' brass actually thought of Amare during that time and how disrespectful they are of just about everyone else in the league.

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I just finished it. I didn't get the sense that D'Antoni and his assistants were disrespectful about the rest of the league - to me, the overriding trait which came through was stubbornness. D'Antoni comes off as though his system is just fine, the Suns only lose when they abandon the system, they don't need to tweak it at all, they don't need to add more physical players (despite the obvious assets Raja Bell provided to that end), and so on. It's pure hubris on D'Antoni's part, and when Nash loses his edge, D'Antoni will see the hard way that his system isn't as good as he thinks it is.