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Sinus infection?
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=13951
Is It Oden's Time to Shine? This time of year every team is optimistic. Every team has a player they gush about, a player who improved a ton, and player they think is going to make "the leap" in their career. For the Portland Trail Blazers that player is oft-injured center Greg Oden.
If you follow the Blazers at all, you can't go past a single article, blog post, message board, or tweet without seeing something about how Oden is doing. He's impressing his teammates and coaches with his expanded face-up jumper and spin move post game. He's blocking shots like a maniac. Grabbing boards in a frenzy.
So is it true? Will this be when Oden lives up to the expectations? He's talked about being healthy and in shape, a little lighter, and how he feels last season he was a half second late on everything, hence the foul trouble. He feels the offseason has cut off that half second, allowing him to stay in front of plays instead of lagging behind them.
You have to be no better than cautiously optimistic at this point, knowing we saw all these same things last year at this time, but at the same time it's different.
Last year was when people first got a look at this physical specimen and saw the tease for what he could bring. We saw the raw strength, the power, and thought of what could be. His teammates were in awe of his power, and practically drooled over the possibilities.
And then Oden suffered through a season with few bright spots while fighting foul trouble and injuries.
So what makes this year different? Why should we pay attention and think it could be any different?
Oden had serious deficiencies in his game, apart from being a half-step slow all the time. He had very few post moves and almost no jumper in his game. Now, the team can give him the ball in the post and his teammates trust he has move game than just trying to dunk. No longer are his teammates in awe of his pure physical and athletic gifts; now they are impressed with his true production.
The young center has been playing fantastic in scrimmages and has whetted the appe es of a fan base the way few things could. Don't take my word for it if you don't want, but it's worth noting that Dwight Jaynes, a Portland writer who has covered the Blazers and other local sports for over a quarter century for the Oregonian, the Portland Tribune and other outlets, is also quietly optimistic.
"He's running better, for sure," writes Jaynes. "He seems to jump well. He's being aggressive and much more animated with his teammates. He's finished his chances around the basket and looks more comfortable on the floor. I don't see a lot of the awkwardness we saw last season. It's all good so far — I just want to wait a little bit longer before going too nuts about it."
Most sportswriters don't get too excited about the sports they cover, because there is a sense of having seen it all before. So when you see a writer with as lengthy a career as Jaynes writing those words, it's a reason to sit up and take notice.
I'm with him – cautiously optimistic.
Sinus infection?
Never seen a troll with so many posts.
Promise that if he sucks again this year you'll finally give up and stop with the Oden posts.
He didn't suck last year so why would I do that? He's going to be dominating this year.
Pot, meet black kettle.
Shoes? Yes.
Dude is going to be injured this year...again.
LMAO Blazers
lol hoopsworld
yeah..except for I'm not a troll, flamer.
Well, no, not now. Once Kobe rung/sans Daddy you wanted nothing more to do with trollin'. Now you want to act decent & do things right.
Uh, uh. Not on yer sweet bippy, sassafras.
You ain't even got the courage of your convictions. Yer as phony as a $3 bill.
Banana, meet @ss'ol.
How many seasons do we have to ask this question?
Maybe its Kwame Brown's time to shine too.
O & 41!
tee, hee.
0 & 41, Precisely.
Yep, yep.
Seriously..I didn't understand a thing you just said. Secondly, you need to watch who you're talking to. I'm the guy who always said Kobe was the best player in the league, and I still say that. I wasn't one of those guys who talked about him not winning without Shaq...so, wrong again, flamer.
Is it Mbenga's time to shine?
It won't change Kobe goin' sans Daddy, DPG. You guys put all your hopes & dreams in that Kobe can't win one without Daddy Basket. Now you have to pay the piper.
As obsessed as you are with making fun of people for thinking Kobe couldn't win without Shaq, you're leading me to believe you're flaming ass believed it yourself. It's sad that that's your only argument anymore. You even use it on people who never said it (me).
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