Bench him; Oden's not ready to start

[PapaG]

Canzano's piece in today's fishwrap.

Hell, even Oden agrees if you read the entire article.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/or....ssf?/base/sports/1230420302261660.xml&coll=7

Bench him; Oden's not ready to start
Saturday, December 27, 2008
The Oregonian

Paul Allen's customized jet has a bedroom at the back. The bedroom is for Allen's personal use, and while the Trail Blazers utilize the 757 aircraft "Blazer One" for travel during the NBA season, Allen's room has been off limits to players.

All, except one.

Greg Oden used the bedroom last year so he could stretch his injured leg out on flights. And even this season, team insiders tell you the now-healthy Oden will sometimes disappear to the back of the plane, and close the door, and spend the flight by himself while his teammates socialize up front.

I bring this up today because the franchise has one set of standards, rules and expectations for the majority of players -- and apparently another for Oden. And this is how a team aiming to make the playoffs for the first time in five seasons ends up starting a player at center who hasn't earned it.

Oden's not a bust. This isn't saying the team should give up on him, but developing him doesn't mean he has to start.

I know Joel Przybilla deserves to start at center. You know he does. Your spouse knows. Your children know. Your dog knows. Even Oden knows.

...continued at link...

 

[Tortimer]

I would keep starting Oden. Joel gets plenty of time off the bench and he doesn't seem to mind from what I hear and read. If the Blazers are ever going to be a championship team it will have to be with Oden playing well especially with Roy and LMA. I don't believe anything Canzano writes in his article and I hope this isn't correct about Oden going to the back of the plane and not being with his teammates. I know most star players get special treatment but I just thought this group might be a little different and Oden hasn't done anything to get anything special this year. I can understand when he was injured last year but not now. Many times teams start their high draft pick when they have another player probably just as good or maybe even better. They know in the long run it will be better for the team if the player develops when the current better player is at his maximum development already.

 

[Blaze01]

Yeah another piece of trash by Canzano...what a surprise....

What is wrong with the way it is now? Pryzbilla plays more minutes and more often in clutch time anyhow? So what is the problem here? Aren't minutes played more important than who starts?

The guy was the #1 pick...and yeah that does make a difference....and he is expected to be a major part of POR future...I don't see how benching him and playing him 10-15min a game prepares him for the NBA....

Oden needs to be involved and in the game as much as possible, so he can see what he is going to face and what he needs to work on...

So what if he is struggling...I am not overly surprised...he was 1 injury plagued year out of college...missed a whole year to micro fracture surgery and is 20 years old....I think struggling given all of that shouldn't be a major surprise to anyone...

I just don't see the point of Canzano's article here...and then mentioning the bed on Blazer1 as if it means something significant? Come on...all that shows is how petty Canzano is...not how allegedly "spoiled" Oden is...

 

[PapaG]

I would keep starting Oden. Joel gets plenty of time off the bench and he doesn't seem to mind from what I hear and read. If the Blazers are ever going to be a championship team it will have to be with Oden playing well especially with Roy and LMA. I don't believe anything Canzano writes in his article and I hope this isn't correct about Oden going to the back of the plane and not being with his teammates. I know most star players get special treatment but I just thought this group might be a little different and Oden hasn't done anything to get anything special this year. I can understand when he was injured last year but not now. Many times teams start their high draft pick when they have another player probably just as good or maybe even better. They know in the long run it will be better for the team if the player develops when the current better player is at his maximum development already.

So your position is that Canzano is lying about this?

What if he isn't? It's odd, isn't it?

That said, I'd bring Oden in off the bench simply because his early fouls are killing any momentum he or the team has early in games.

 

[PapaG]

I just don't see the point of Canzano's article here...and then mentioning the bed on Blazer1 as if it means something significant? Come on...all that shows is how petty Canzano is...not how allegedly "spoiled" Oden is...

Actually I hope it isn't true because it tells something about Oden than I hope isn't true. Although it makes sense, because Roy and LMA did an interview where they talked about bonding all day in a trailer in LA during the LeBron James commercial, and how Oden was there but he just slept in another part of the trailer all day.

 

[RoyToy]

Let me just add this:

Oden's splits:

As Starter: 6.5pts, 7.2rebs, 1.1blks, 59.1 FT%, 49.4 FG%

Sub: 10.3pts, 7.1rebs, 2.0blks, 66.7 FT%, 57.1 FG%

 

[PapaG]

Let me just add this:

Oden's splits:

As Starter: 6.5pts, 7.2rebs, 1.1blks, 59.1 FT%, 49.4 FG%

Sub: 10.3pts, 7.1rebs, 2.0blks, 66.7 FT%, 57.1 FG%

See, makes sense.

But Canzano wrote it, so it's crap.

 

[Tortimer]

So your position is that Canzano is lying about this?

What if he isn't? It's odd, isn't it?

That said, I'd bring Oden in off the bench simply because his early fouls are killing any momentum he or the team has early in games.

I know for a fact he has lied in his articles before. I'm not saying this is a lie but I hope it is because I really like Oden and don't want to think he would do this very often. I don't think it is killing any momentum and even if it did a little I would still start Oden. I think Oden will be better for starting and playing with Roy and LMA. I still believe he will get better by the end of the year. I really want to make the playoffs this year but what I really want is the Blazers to get back to being a championship caliber team like the Walton/Lucas team and the Drexler/Porter/Kersey teams(I know they didn't win a championship but was close) and would keep starting Oden.

 

[PapaG]

I know for a fact he has lied in his articles before. I'm not saying this is a lie but I hope it is because I really like Oden and don't want to think he would do this very often. I don't think it is killing any momentum and even if it did a little I would still start Oden. I think Oden will be better for starting and playing with Roy and LMA. I still believe he will get better by the end of the year. I really want to make the playoffs this year but what I really want is the Blazers to get back to being a championship caliber team like the Walton/Lucas team and the Drexler/Porter/Kersey teams(I know they didn't win a championship but was close) and would keep starting Oden.

Oden played better off of the bench and says in the article that Joel should probably be starting.

 

[Tortimer]

Oden played better off of the bench and says in the article that Joel should probably be starting.

I don't care about anything Canzano writes. He has about as much knowledge about basketball and the NBA as my 3 year old grandson. The stats do show that Oden was a little more productive off the bench. I think partially it might be the bench players (Sergio, Rudy) would pass to Oden more when he was open. Like I posted before if the Blazers are going to be a championship caliber team they need Oden playing well especially with Roy and LMA. So, he needs to start and even Nate who wants to win realizes this and is sticking to starting Oden.

 

[PapaG]

I don't care about anything Canzano writes. He has about as much knowledge about basketball and the NBA as my 3 year old grandson. The stats do show that Oden was a little more productive off the bench. I think partially it might be the bench players (Sergio, Rudy) would pass to Oden more when he was open. Like I posted before if the Blazers are going to be a championship caliber team they need Oden playing well especially with Roy and LMA. So, he needs to start and even Nate who wants to win realizes this and is sticking to starting Oden.

OK, then this season's results really don't matter to you. Because Joel is a much better starting option at this point and clearly gives the team a much better chance to win. Plus Greg plays deeper into the game off of the bench because he won't have two fouls in the first two minutes.

At times, I wonder if Greg is still hurting a bit and is afraid to tell anyone.

Also, it is clear the you DO CARE about what Canzano writes. You've called him a liar and you've commented in this thread. Just saying...

 

[Tortimer]

OK, then this season's results really don't matter to you. Because Joel is a much better starting option at this point and clearly gives the team a much better chance to win. Plus Greg plays deeper into the game off of the bench because he won't have two fouls in the first two minutes.

At times, I wonder if Greg is still hurting a bit and is afraid to tell anyone.

Also, it is clear the you DO CARE about what Canzano writes. You've called him a liar and you've commented in this thread. Just saying...

I don't want to do the work but he is a liar and could document it if I felt like looking up old articles but I'm to lazy. I don't care about anything he writes. I never read any of his articles anymore for about the last year plus. I do care about this year and really want to make the playoffs but the longterm is more important for me and I would rather not make the playoffs if we would be a better team in the next couple years. With that said I still think the Blazers will make the playoffs and starting Oden or Joel will not be the reason if we don't IMO.

 

[PapaG]

I don't want to do the work but he is a liar and could document it if I felt like looking up old articles but I'm to lazy. I don't care about anything he writes. I never read any of his articles anymore for about the last year plus. I do care about this year and really want to make the playoffs but the longterm is more important for me and I would rather not make the playoffs if we would be a better team in the next couple years. With that said I still think the Blazers will make the playoffs and starting Oden or Joel will not be the reason if we don't IMO.

Sounds good to me. I'm not looking for an argument, I just at times don't understand the hatred toward Canzano. His article on the young woman with terminal cancer going to the XMas game was stellar, and the team clearly saw it and upped the ante for her.

Although perhaps he lied about it...

 

[Tortimer]

Sounds good to me. I'm not looking for an argument, I just at times don't understand the hatred toward Canzano. His article on the young woman with terminal cancer going to the XMas game was stellar, and the team clearly saw it and upped the ante for her.

Although perhaps he lied about it...

I do agree some of his none sports related articles are good and I'm sure those are true at least I hope they are.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I've actually talked to him about that dichotomy when he was on KJR up here:

"John, I generally enjoy many of your columns, but there's a marked difference in the caliber of articles you write about human-interest stories and when you write about sports. You seem much more vindictive in the sports stories (this was after the Mrs. Belotti article), and then break out a story about a Portlander in need and make me want to send cash. What gives?"

His answer was that his human-interest ones are generally for awareness, and he empathizes a lot with the human-interest subjects. He said that in his sports columns he generally takes views he doesn't see anyone else making. he also brought up how he's a "columnist", different than a "journalist".

Was actually pretty cordial about it. I was slightly impressed...it wasn't quite what I expected. I don't hear him on his radio show, so I don't know what goes on down there.

 

[toutlaw25]

I'm trying to figure out why this is even worthy of an article..........that's right crapzano wrote it. The guy seems to have a vendetta against everyone just to write a column sometimes. Oden has been his whipping boy all year starting in preseason.

 

[mgb]

Sounds like Oden just got in a habit of sleeping during flights and continues to do it now. Big deal.

 

[PapaG]

Sounds like Oden just got in a habit of sleeping during flights and continues to do it now. Big deal.

Meanwhile, everyone else isn't allowed in Paul Allen's bedroom.

Can weat least say Oden appears a bit high maintenance at this point?

 

[toutlaw25]

Meanwhile, everyone else isn't allowed in Paul Allen's bedroom.

Can weat least say Oden appears a bit high maintenance at this point?

No, not based on an article written by a guy that has been dishonest in the past and has been biased in many of his previous articles. If this is the most dirt he can dig up on Greg, that is pretty sorry, and not newsworthy IMO.

 

[PapaG]

No, not based on an article written by a guy that has been dishonest in the past and has been biased in many of his previous articles. If this is the most dirt he can dig up on Greg, that is pretty sorry, and not newsworthy IMO.

It's not "dirt" if it is factual, and Oden agrees in the article that Przy should be starting.

Weird how people can't even read anymore...

 

[toutlaw25]

I think you have a hard time understanding the meaning of "dirt." I think most people would define the meaning as unfavorable information you have on someone. In this case I was referring to the fact that Oden was using the bedroom in the back on "occassion" as the article states. Needless to say, it's based upon hearsay, which is nice name for a rumor. I never said anything about Oden starting over Pryz, and Crapzano could have made his point without throwing around weak crap about the use of a bed on the team's plane. Do you honestly think every single player huddles around together the entire flight. True or not, the article is weak and lacks substance.

 

[oldmangrouch]

It's not "dirt" if it is factual, and Oden agrees in the article that Przy should be starting.

Weird how people can't even read anymore...

You know how I feel about Canzano, but if he had stuck to the "who should start" debate, I wouldn't have had a harsh word to say.

Talking about when and/or where Oden sleeps? It may be "factual"....but so is a story on Paris Hilton's genital warts. Doesn't mean I want to hear about it!

 

[barfo]

Meanwhile, everyone else isn't allowed in Paul Allen's bedroom.

It's a coverup. The truth is they are all in Paul's bedroom, every flight. And Paul is there too, wearing a leather mask.

barfo

 

[PapaG]

It's a coverup. The truth is they are all in Paul's bedroom, every flight. And Paul is there too, wearing a leather mask.

barfo

Wow. You are on the inside too?

I was sworn to secrecy, you magnificent bastard!

 

[Drink Your Milkshake]

Yeah, good call. Oden is dominating the Toronto game right now.


As far as Oden going to the back of the plane... so what? IMO, Oden is struggling with his sexuality. He needs to come out.

 

[Rodolfo]

I heard a Rumor that Greg and HCP were caught spooning in Paul's Bed...Scandalous!

 

[THE HCP]

Canzano is a fucking tool!

 

[Drink Your Milkshake]

It's the truth. He's just coming off like an overreaching turd right now. Big men get big men treatment, that's the way it is. If the Big Man wants to lay in the back of the plane and rest his knee that's what the Big Man gets.

I really don't know why he's hired by the Oregonian.