Greg Oden back to rehabbing

[maxiep]

Are you kidding me?

So, now Oden is not only unlucky and completely 100% not responsible for every thing that has happened in his career, but now you have devolved your argument into the fans are responsible for his low interest level in his own career.

What evidence do you have that he as a "low interest level in his own career"? Everything I've read, heard and seen indicates the opposite.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

What evidence do you have that he as a "low interest level in his own career"? Everything I've read, heard and seen indicates the opposite.

Oden said he didn't like the idea of making alcohol and clubbing an issue in his professional life. So he will simply stop so it doesn't become a distraction to his career.

Three months later he in fact is not stopping. He might have a high interst level in his career but his will power (or lack of it) seems to override how he wants to be percieved as an athlete.

Personally, being serious about my career and trying to uphold a repuation, I won't do something that is likely going to change the professional image I am trying to create. It would seem irresponsible and show a lack of commitment on my part, IMO.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Here is the beauty of Oden's situation, if he comes back contributes, all will be forgot.

Now if he turns out to be a bust . . . perfectly fair for Blazers fans to question what went wrong. Maybe nothing but bad luck . . . maybe not.

 

[Ed O]

Oden said he didn't like the idea of making alcohol and clubbing an issue in his professional life. So he will simply stop so it doesn't become a distraction to his career.

Three months later he in fact is not stopping. He might have a high interst level in his career but his will power (or lack of it) seems to override how he wants to be percieved as an athlete.

Did you answer about why you don't think he was talking about late-night fast food in that article? It seems to me just as likely that he was.

Ed O.

 

[maxiep]

Oden said he didn't like the idea of making alcohol and clubbing an issue in his professional life. So he will simply stop so it doesn't become a distraction to his career.

Three months later he in fact is not stopping. He might have a high interst level in his career but his will power (or lack of it) seems to override how he wants to be percieved as an athlete.

Personally, being serious about my career and trying to uphold a repuation, I won't do something that is likely going to change the professional image I am trying to create. It would seem irresponsible and show a lack of commitment on my part, IMO.

You and I have different opinions on this issue. Vive la différence!

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Did you answer about why you don't think he was talking about late-night fast food in that article? It seems to me just as likely that he was.

Ed O.

I didn't.

If you read the tone of the article, it really is all about alcohol. I don't think (unlike others) that Quick is here to mislead us or write an article that clearly focuses on alcohol and then use a quote out of context because Oden was talking about fast food. I guess it's possible, but it would be unethical and I don't believe Quick would go there.

Here is the quote and surrounding context I have been using about not wanting it to be an issue:

"My first year (2007) was probably my worst," Oden said of his drinking. "But after that, I definitely cut back. I never thought that I had a problem or anything. I actually stopped last season."

But also understand that there were enough late-night escapades that they turned up in the "intel" reports gathered by new general manager Rich Cho. And there were enough rumors of partying floating around that team leader Brandon Roy admitted some fans would ask him 'What was up with Oden being out on the town all the time?'

With most things Oden-related, his partying is probably part truth, part exaggeration, and part fiction.

But the important thing to realize here is that Oden is now eliminating all of it – the fact and the fiction – from his equation. And his pledge to pursue to a calmer lifestyle could help erase the doubts about his commitment to basketball that have persisted.

Of course there has been so much talk and so few results in the past three years regarding this team's talent and potential that declarations like this can make one leery.

And to be honest, Oden admits that he hasn't totally gone cold turkey. There has been an occasional adult beverage here and there.

"Hey, I'm 22," Oden said. "I'm legal."

But he said for the most part in the past 10 months he has been alcohol free.

"It's a non-thought thing that I wanted to take out, to not even worry about it," Oden said. "Just in case anybody talked about it a little bit. I just wanted to eliminate it."

I don't read that quote talking about fast food given he mentions age and that many people have been asking about his partying not his eating habits.

Maybe it is all funny editing by Quick, but I'm pretty sure those quotes are related to the topic of alcohol.

 

[Dirty_F_Baby]

Maybe it is all funny editing by Quick, but I'm pretty sure those quotes are related to the topic of alcohol.

Klinky and ed.0 are going to hate you forever.

did you listen to their conspiracy theory podcast?

 

[Ed O]

Here is the quote and surrounding context I have been using about not wanting it to be an issue:

"My first year (2007) was probably my worst," Oden said of his drinking. "But after that, I definitely cut back. I never thought that I had a problem or anything. I actually stopped last season."

...

But he said for the most part in the past 10 months he has been alcohol free.

"It's a non-thought thing that I wanted to take out, to not even worry about it," Oden said. "Just in case anybody talked about it a little bit. I just wanted to eliminate it."

I don't read that quote talking about fast food given he mentions age and that many people have been asking about his partying not his eating habits.

Maybe it is all funny editing by Quick, but I'm pretty sure those quotes are related to the topic of alcohol.

I don't take it as some sort of pledge to never drink, either, and I'm not sure why anyone would do so to the extent that they see him having a drink now is some sort of failure. You said that he said he WILL stop. I don't see that at all.

That is actually a different quote than the one I was referring to, for the record.

Ed O.

 

[Minstrel]

Oden said he didn't like the idea of making alcohol and clubbing an issue in his professional life. So he will simply stop so it doesn't become a distraction to his career.

Three months later he in fact is not stopping.

The quotes you posted had Oden stating that he never felt he had a problem in the first place but wanted to remove it as an issue. I didn't see anything about 100% abstinence. So if he's having a drink in a club once in a while but drinking and clubbing less than before, for example (I'm not saying that this is or isn't the situation; I don't know) that wouldn't be a lack of willpower or going back on what he said.

It still goes back to none of us knowing what he's doing, so while anyone can have an opinion about whether he's drinking too much or more than he said he would, it's going to be an uninformed one. But everyone has a right to that, no question.

 

[MickZagger]

So, who won this argument?

 

[mgb]

So, who won this argument?

Denny.

 

[Minstrel]

Denny.

Yup. Some nice post count numbers on this here thread.

 

[Klinky]

@Ed O, yes the article is partly about alcohol, the link to it has been posted multiple times throughout the the thread.

@Treaty_of_Batum, The question I have is how does your brain interpret an article with the following as Oden making a commitment to stop drinking?

And to be honest, Oden admits that he hasn't totally gone cold turkey. There has been an occasional adult beverage here and there.

"Hey, I'm 22," Oden said. "I'm legal."

But he said for the most part in the past 10 months he has been alcohol free.

Where does he promise he will never drink again? He NEVERsays it, and a month later he is interviewed by ESPN:

And, he has been lauded for stopping drinking.

Only ... did he?

"They kind of blew that up a little bit bigger than what it is," he says. "I'm not saying that I stopped drinking cold turkey. I have a drink. Occasionally I go out with my teammates. I don't do it as often as I did before. I didn't really go out and drink that much anyways. I just made a little bit more effort. I feel the same. I wasn't out there partying every night and drinking every night. ... This summer I really didn't want to go out. I just wanted to concentrate on getting my knee back."

*GASP*

*Edited* Oden never claimed he would stop drinking, he never said he had a drinking problem and you have no proof he ever did. The only "proof" you have is the preconceived narrative you've developed in your head that Oden has a drinking/eating/partying problem despite your brain having no recollection or proof as to how it came to that conclusion. *Edited*

Edit: Alas, my hosility lives on the quote, was going to remove them myself.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I don't take it as some sort of pledge to never drink, either, and I'm not sure why anyone would do so to the extent that they see him having a drink now is some sort of failure. You said that he said he WILL stop. I don't see that at all.

That is actually a different quote than the one I was referring to, for the record.

Ed O.

I guess when he says he wants to eliminate the issue of him drinking and talks about stopping . . . I figure he is swearing off alcohol not because he thinks he has a problem (another topic in itself) but he wants to rid himself of the perception that he drinks alot (and that perception is out there as even Roy acknowleged).

To me, saying he doesn't even want it talked about a little bit so he will eliminate it says that he will stop drinking . . . or at the very least stop doing things that will give people fuel to talk about his drinking. Going to a club and having a drink in hand doesn't exactly achieve what he said he wanted to do, IMO. (Quick got the same imprssion too)

Makes sense that you were thinking of another quote. I ddin't answer you the first time because I actually thought you were joking, didn't mean to ignore it.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

@Ed O, yes the article is partly about alcohol, the link to it has been posted multiple times throughout the the thread.

@Treaty_of_Batum, The question I have is how does your brain interpret an article with the following as Oden making a commitment to stop drinking?



Where does he promise he will never drink again? He NEVERsays it, and a month later he is interviewed by ESPN:



*GASP*

*Edited*

You are just
*Edited* . I'm sorry I wasted the time yesterday responding to you. I thought you were
*Edited* .

 

[BBert]

Is Oden fat? Does he lack musculature?

I don't know where you get the idea that pro athletes exist only on wheat grass juice and brown rice while living in a monastery.

Considering all the high intensity weight lifting Greg has done since he came to Portland, I hope to god he's eating a few cheeseburgers, and steaks, and potatoes, and whatever fuels his body. Otherwise he'd pass out. Have these guys not seen "the snapshot?" Let's say, my wife was impressed, and not just with his Johnson. The guy works out. He's spent a hell of a lot of lonely time working out, and rehabbing, more than probably anyone on this board can even imagine. And he can't go chill at a club once in a while? Some people need to get a fucking clue.

 

[Klinky]

I guess when he says he wants to eliminate the issue of him drinking and talks about stopping . . . I figure he is swearing off alcohol not because he thinks he has a problem (another topic in itself) but he wants to rid himself of the perception that he drinks alot (and that perception is out there as even Roy acknowleged).

Why did Quick have to put a qualifier in the article stating Oden is not going to quit drinking and never did stop completely? Maybe he reduced, but he didn't eliminate it as the quote said. Oden may not have used the best word choice for that quote, this is supported by what was stated in his follow-up with ESPN, only a month later, where he clarified his position. So I am not sure how people can get so upset with him about "breaking his promise to 'eliminate it'" when he already stated that was not true months earlier...

Also the whole point of this is that his partying/eating/drinking lead to his injuries or slow recovery from his injuries. It sounds like he put a ton of effort in during those 10 months & yeah maybe he did reduce his nights out or his drinking "just in case" rather than "oh I have a problem and it's interfering with my recovery" and guess what, his knee still broke.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Why did Quick have to put a qualifier in the article stating Oden is not going to quit drinking and never did stop completely? Maybe he reduced, but he didn't eliminate it as the quote said. Oden may not have used the best word choice for that quote, this is supported by what was stated in his follow-up with ESPN, only a month later, where he clarified his position. So I am not sure how people can get so upset with him about "breaking his promise to 'eliminate it'" when he already stated that was not true months earlier...

Why does Roy acknowledge that Oden likes to go out alot when talking about drinking?

How does going to a bar and drinking eliminate the perception that he drinks alot? Clearly he has been confronted with this perception, denied it and said won't be an issue anymore because I'm going to eliminate it. Does going to a bar and hanging out eliminate that perception?

 

[PapaG]

Oden Apologists continue to amaze me.

At least no one is still standing by the "Oden isn't injury prone" argument.

Now, they've moved on to comparing him to Brandon Roy and also getting at angry at people who are concerned about Greg's lifestyle.

Roy bad; Oden good.

Hilarious.

 

[Klinky]

Oden Apologists continue to amaze me.

No one is apologizing for Oden. Just would like some proof to back-up where all this "concern"(*cough* anger) comes from?

 

[PapaG]

No one is apologizing for Oden. Just would like some proof to back-up where all this "concern"(*cough* anger) comes from?

Really? If you had been here for more than a week, I'd consider your post. As it is, there is a whole lot of excuse-making in this thread, which is odd, because I don't think that there is anybody who does not want Oden to succeed as a Blazer.

As for "proof", it's there for some people, at least in terms of being concerned about his lifestyle, and how it impacts his career. For others, like you, it isn't.

Who cares?

 

[oldguy]

The team should wrap Greg in bubble wrap and lock him in a padded toilet room until he's healthy. Feed him nothing but Purina Center Chow (in liquid form so he doesn't get hurt chewing anything.)

He can have a life after he leaves the Blazers. He owes that to me 'cause' I help pay his salary.

Go Blazers

 

[SlyPokerDog]

The team should wrap Greg in bubble wrap and lock him in a padded toilet room until he's healthy. Feed him nothing but Purina Center Chow (in liquid form so he doesn't get hurt chewing anything.)

He can have a life after he leaves the Blazers. He owes that to me 'cause' I help pay his salary.

Go Blazers

It puts the lotion in its skin before it dunks the ball again...

 

[Klinky]

Really? If you had been here for more than a week, I'd consider your post.

Attacking my post count "noobness" is pretty weak. Please think of something more substantial in the future.

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

And there we have it. What you really want is Oden to be a baby kissing, glad-handing politician. You want to believe that he's your buddy, your pal, one of the guys. I hate to break it to you but not everyone is a gregarious, outgoing, attention hound. Despite Oden's titanic physique I think it's been fairly clear from the start that he's a fairly reluctant giant who would probably prefer a life out of the public eye. A lot of this is demonstrated by his body language and he's made more than a few comments about being uncomfortable living in the fishbowl environment of a small city like Portland where everything he does is scrutinized and dissected, with all of this magnified by his failures to live up to fan, media and team expectations.

So, going clubbing at a popular night club in small lil fishbowl Portland is staying out of the public eye? If he didn't want to get bugged shouldn't he not have gone out? And if you are going to make the pathetic argument that he should be allowed to do anything he wants because he is a kid, then I ask this: why did he not get a VIP access at the club that allows him to be with his friends, still enjoy the nightlife, but also be separated from the public if he doesn't want to get bothered? Surely a guy with Odens clout could get walk up VIP. If I was able to do so, he should have been able to also.

I don't want Oden to be your as described smiley glad hands, but it sure would look nice for him to show that he cares about the fans, or at least try to do something that would not make him look like a waste of Paul Allens money. Maybe he went to the STH event at Big Al's. I'm sure the Blazers required him to since they are paying him after all, but he could still make a public appearance other than a dedicated STH event or sitting on the bench at a couple games.

Show you are interested big guy. Look at LA. People were all over him for being soft for as long as he was here. He finally came into his own and people forgot about all the soft talk and now LA is pretty much the face of the franchise. Oden would (and could) still be right up there, keeping people interested in him. But, as you just said, Nik, he seems to not care at all. Even if he does, it really doesn't show at all in the slightest, which makes seeing all these other players and teams getting better even harder.

Did you answer about why you don't think he was talking about late-night fast food in that article? It seems to me just as likely that he was.

Ed O.

What did you answer in this whole thread? Why are you asking for people to answer in this thread when nobody is? There you go contributing nothing to the conversation again...

 

[Klinky]

I don't want Oden to be your as described smiley glad hands, but it sure would look nice for him to show that he cares about the fans, or at least try to do something that would not make him look like a waste of Paul Allens money.

I think not being able to play is more of a waste of PA's money than not high-fiving fans. If Oden never plays, how many high-five's will it take for him to not be a "waste of money"?

he could still make a public appearance other than a dedicated STH event or sitting on the bench at a couple games.

How many Blazers just randomly show up in public locations unannounced to high-five with fans? The only guy who really did this regularly was Channing Frye. Why haven't we heard anything about Roy or LaMarcus going to the grocery store to high-five random strangers?

Look at LA. People were all over him for being soft for as long as he was here. He finally came into his own and people forgot about all the soft talk and now LA is pretty much the face of the franchise.

Well everyone can see LaMarcus play & there is tons of video evidence supporting his play over the last couple of years. LaMarcus has improved because he has the ability actually, ya know, play basketball. I am not sure what you're suggesting Oden do? Show that he's committed to some fans misinformed notions that he should never go to a club or drink? Or that he should hold public events that no other Blazers are beholden to?

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

I think not being able to play is more of a waste of PA's money than not high-fiving fans. If Oden never plays, how many high-five's will it take for him to not be a "waste of money"?



How many Blazers just randomly show up in public locations unannounced to high-five with fans? The only guy who really did this regularly was Channing Frye. Why haven't we heard anything about Roy or LaMarcus going to the grocery store to high-five random strangers?



Well everyone can see LaMarcus play & there is tons of video evidence supporting his play over the last couple of years. LaMarcus has improved because he has the ability actually, ya know, play basketball. I am not sure what you're suggesting Oden do? Show that he's committed to some fans misinformed notions that he should never go to a club or drink? Or that he should hold public events that no other Blazers are beholden to?

*Edited*

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[Ed O]

I guess when he says he wants to eliminate the issue of him drinking and talks about stopping . . . I figure he is swearing off alcohol not because he thinks he has a problem (another topic in itself) but he wants to rid himself of the perception that he drinks alot (and that perception is out there as even Roy acknowleged).

To me, saying he doesn't even want it talked about a little bit so he will eliminate it says that he will stop drinking . . . or at the very least stop doing things that will give people fuel to talk about his drinking. Going to a club and having a drink in hand doesn't exactly achieve what he said he wanted to do, IMO. (Quick got the same imprssion too).

Isn't the quote in the past tense? Not the present tense or the future tense. He talked about why he DIDN'T drink. Not why he ISN'T drinking nor why he WON'T drink.

The quote (and context of it) seems to be an explanation of why he took a break from drinking, rather than a pledge or a plan to keep not drinking forever.

Ed O.

 

[Klinky]

Isn't the quote in the past tense? Not the present tense or the future tense. He talked about why he DIDN'T drink. Not why he ISN'T drinking nor why he WON'T drink.

The quote (and context of it) seems to be an explanation of why he took a break from drinking, rather than a pledge or a plan to keep not drinking forever.

Ed O.

The quote is probably Oden misspeaking or not going into more detail about what he meant or maybe Quick left out that part. The reason I say this is because the rest of the article doesn't jive with his quote.

The article is so ambiguous and poorly constructed it's hard to figure out how Quick came to his conclusions & why he spends large chunks the article reaffirming a falsehood while only spending two sentences on revealing the actual truth.

He no longer drinks alcohol. No longer goes to clubs. No longer partakes in late-night fast food.

But the important thing to realize here is that Oden is now eliminating all of it...

And to be honest, Oden admits that he hasn't totally gone cold turkey. There has been an occasional adult beverage here and there.

News of Oden's vow to stop drinking had spread among his teammates.

And Roy said that he heard "out of the blue" this summer that Oden had stopped drinking.

The article should be taken with a big grain of salt because, again, Oden clarified his position and said Quick made a bigger deal out of it than it was in the ESPN interview he gave a month later.