Dame 1st public comments since end of season

[crandc]

No way dude. Right now it's all very smooth. My birthday is the 3rd. My daughter is the 8th. My wife is the 12th. Dame is the 15th.

July is CLEARLY the best month.

My brother, nephew and I all born in July. My sister and cat in August. Having combined birthday party.

 

[Natebishop3]

My brother, nephew and I all born in July. My sister and cat in August. Having combined birthday party.

It's clearly the best month.

 

[Idog1976]

Where is Dame lying? Show me where Dame says he is referring to Haynes. Haynes is not the only person who has reported on Dame. I'm saying Dame is playing the media game more this offseason, clearly more than in the past. And part of that is skating around issues.

Just like I don't believe for a second he wasn't aligned with Neil on Billups at the very beginning. He been saying a lot of stuff that isn't lying but doesn't really answer the question. It's a stark contrast to how he's answered questions in the past.

Ok that’s fair. Still seems you’re saying Dame is being highly manipulative. Isn’t it possible he means what he says?

 

[B-Roy]

Ok that’s fair. Still seems you’re saying Dame is being highly manipulative. Isn’t it possible he means what he says?

I’m not saying he’s being manipulative. I’m just saying he’s not as up front anymore.

Maybe he took dealing with media classes or something, who knows. One thing I’ve always appreciated with dame is how honest he was with the media. We got good insight on how he was feeling based on what he said. Now he’s being more choosy with what he says. That’s fine, he is free to handle things how he wants.

All of this is just observation, not criticism.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Like I mentioned earlier in the thread he was just pissed at the time bc the soft corny fans were crying loud about the Billup hiring and damn near questioning Dames integrity. So he was pissed and told Hanyes to send that warning article.

And quite honestly it worked. Since then things have quieted down. Fans don’t want to piss Dame off..

Another "Soft Corny crying out loud" fan that wants to put thoughts and words into Damian Lillard's head and mouth.
Seriously can you not read what the man publicly quoted?

 

[illmatic99]

Watched the whole thing.

"US firing Terry..."

"OUR organization..."

"WE make strides... and WE could become a better team."

"...for MY team."

 

[MickZagger]

I think the idea that the Haynes report goes out without Dame's explicit approval is blasphemous. Just based on the way it's worded "could lead to asking for a trade". It seems like it was clearly expressed by Dame to Haynes to write it like this. Haynes doesn't get inside sources on many things, Dame is his one competitive advantage (even Woj doesn't have access to Dame's camp). There's little to no chance he would sabotage his relationship with Dame to put this out behind his back.

Who knows why Dame wanted it to go out? There could have been a number of reasons. He was getting a lot of shit at the time for the Billups hiring. It could have been sending out feelers to the fans to chill the fuck out. Or applying public pressure on Neil. Or putting out feelers for other superstar players in similar situations to see if they want to team up. Could be any number of reasons. It's obvious he's been playing the media game a lot more this offseason than he has in the past.

I think it’s a message to Neil to “put a fucking team around me”

 

[Idog1976]

I’m not saying he’s being manipulative. I’m just saying he’s not as up front anymore.

Maybe he took dealing with media classes or something, who knows. One thing I’ve always appreciated with dame is how honest he was with the media. We got good insight on how he was feeling based on what he said. Now he’s being more choosy with what he says. That’s fine, he is free to handle things how he wants.

All of this is just observation, not criticism.

Ok thanks for the clarification and I agree with that final bit for are. Cheers.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Portland doesn’t have a bad team, it’s just not a complete team.

I think we all learned a lot about Dame’s leadership this summer. Dame is a great lead by example guy, but when it comes to getting in someone’s face, I don’t think that’s as much his style. Pair that with Stotts and his laid back approach and you get sloppy defensive play and iso bullshit ball

I hate to give Ole Shady any credit, but being 29th in defense is unacceptable with this roster. CJ, Melo and Kanter are all shitty defensive players, but everyone else is at least average


I’ve said nothing here, sorry for rambling. Sometimes my transfer of thoughts just doesn’t work

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Some of these comments remind me of conversations i have with my wife when she puts words in my mouth and changes the entire meaning of a statement.

Me- "I don't like the recliner sitting like that because i can't see the TV as well when it's facing that direction"

My Wife- "So now your gonna quit your job and watch TV all day?"

Me- "Huh?"

People need to read what Lillard said and take him at his word just like the comment says to do. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[PCmor7]

Laker fans punching the air right now

I first read this as "Laker fans punching themselves ...."

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I didn't really get a positive vibe. It's more what i didn't hear than what I did. Didn't hear any commitment to staying. Didn't really hear an endorsement of the new coach. I still believe if the team doesn't make great progress this year, he will ask out.

 

[B-Roy]

I didn't really get a positive vibe. It's more what i didn't hear than what I did. Didn't hear any commitment to staying. Didn't really hear an endorsement of the new coach. I still believe if the team doesn't make great progress this year, he will ask out.

Agreed. But he didn't seem negative either. All this trade request talk is pre-mature. He seems like he's willing to give it a go for at least one more season.

 

[julius]

I didn't really get a positive vibe. It's more what i didn't hear than what I did. Didn't hear any commitment to staying. Didn't really hear an endorsement of the new coach. I still believe if the team doesn't make great progress this year, he will ask out.

That's how every interview with him goes. He doesn't get too high, or too low. He says what he says, and then goes on.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Agreed. But he didn't seem negative either. All this trade request talk is pre-mature. He seems like he's willing to give it a go for at least one more season.

Or half a season?

 

[B-Roy]

Or half a season?

I think a lot depends on this off-season, and how much Neil improves (or doesn't improve) the roster.

 

[B-Roy]

Anyone catch this?

EDIT:



Windhorst on Dame:

"It was a non-denial about trade rumors. He (Dame) has dealt with trade rumors for the last 4 or 5 years and over and over he has said no, I want to be in Portland, I want to be with these teammates. He stopped short of that this time, whatever I said about the direction of the team I've said to the team and that was it. Now you can interpret that in many different ways. Reality is, people around Damian Lillard have been saberrattling behind the scenes with different teams and with the Trailblazers themselves. I don't think he's at that threshold yet, but I think he's closer than he has been in the past, and I think his comments yesterday were revealing in that regard."

I don't know what saberrattling means, but otherwise I think it's a fair assessment of the situation.

 

[Natebishop3]

Anyone catch this?

Sounds like not much at all.

 

[B-Roy]

Sounds like not much at all.

From watching the video it seemed like speculation based on Dame's comments. I agree with him though.

 

[Mediocre Man]

These two things aren’t related. Basically he lied and got called out

 

[Hoopguru]

These two things aren’t related. Basically he lied and got called out

There was a time when if reporters mis-informed the public purposely it was deemed unethical. I still view it that way it it tells a lot about a person that fabricates because he doesn't have anything else.
Of course now days there is no ethical approach with many bloggers and reporters, just throw it out there and see if it sticks. Sprinkle some super negativity in for juice and wall la.

 

[tykendo]

So true. Someone should create a flak vest to repel B.S.

 

[Eastoff]

It's clearly the best month.

I can't belive you guys have mentioned the birthday of our nation.

 

[Eastoff]

There was a time when if reporters mis-informed the public purposely it was deemed unethical. I still view it that way it it tells a lot about a person that fabricates because he doesn't have anything else.
Of course now days there is no ethical approach with many bloggers and reporters, just throw it out there and see if it sticks. Sprinkle some super negativity in for juice and wall la.

We need to get back to this for our news as a whole.

 

[crandc]

I can't belive you guys have mentioned the birthday of our nation.

Also Canada, France, Cuba

 

[ehizzy3]

Also Canada, France, Cuba

Argentina’s Independence Day was yesterday. Colombia is the 20th of July. Peru and Venezuela also have July independence days

 

[wizenheimer]

So true. Someone should create a flak vest to repel B.S.

it would have to be an inflatable vest to keep you on top of the ocean of BS coming from media these days

 

[Blazerreynolds]

I have a prediction.

We are going to see the true value of Dame Time; and it will go something like this.......

Dame will eventually get what he wants.

Dame will go to another team like NO or MIN. He will go play with another star.

However, he will not win a title.....

Now, people will finally see what I have been saying. They will finally question, "Can you win with Dame as your number one?" The answer is NO.

If he goes to LAC or LAL (Which I cant see given what they have to give us....Or don't have), he will win, no longer being the number 1 guy.

Would I like to keep Dame? YES!!!! But what doe that matter without another superstar???? Not a Beal, not a Zion, not a Jaylen, not a Butler....A legit 1-A, 1-B guy.

 

[Natebishop3]

Not a Beal, not a Zion, not a Jaylen, not a Butler....A legit 1-A, 1-B guy.

Like who?

 

[Hoopguru]

I have a prediction.

We are going to see the true value of Dame Time; and it will go something like this.......

Dame will eventually get what he wants.

Dame will go to another team like NO or MIN. He will go play with another star.

However, he will not win a title.....

Now, people will finally see what I have been saying. They will finally question, "Can you win with Dame as your number one?" The answer is NO.

If he goes to LAC or LAL (Which I cant see given what they have to give us....Or don't have), he will win, no longer being the number 1 guy.

Would I like to keep Dame? YES!!!! But what doe that matter without another superstar???? Not a Beal, not a Zion, not a Jaylen, not a Butler....A legit 1-A, 1-B guy.

The Suns & Bucks have gotten to the finals with really two super stars although I wouldn't deem CP3 one, sure HOFer, but a notch down from MJ,LJ,KB,KD imo. I wouldnt even put TGF in the top Super Star category yet.
I think you can be lucky with late first, second round players that bust open and put them around 1 Super Star and win it all.