Zombie Greg's playing

[Natebishop3]

Yes, that was my point. He basically thought he'd successfully completed rehab and was eager to test the knee.

BNM

The point was that he didn't take his rehab seriously. Do you consider playing pickup games in the middle of his rehab to be taking it seriously?

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I didn't. But now that I do -- Good riddance you big oaf!

We had other trash on the roster we could have waived instead. You do know that, right?

 

[KingSpeed]

Curious for what reason?

He badmouthed the city of Portland, for one.

John, I get that you know these guys personally, but for most people they're just another form of entertainment on the tv. No different than their favorite tv show actor, or their favorite musician on the radio. When someone chooses to become a professional entertainer, they open themselves up to criticisms, and public displays of affection or hatred. That just goes with the job. They get paid millions of dollars because people care about what they do. If nobody cared about basketball, Greg Oden would be a nobody and he wouldn't make shit for money.

So either you can take the money and deal with all the shit, or you can stay another face in the crowd. That's the choice.

Exactly

I don't think he ever really cared that much about basketball. I think the only reason why he's back is because he never got the payday that would secure him for life. He only had his rookie contract and then the one year deal that we gave him. He needs to succeed this time so he can get a decent contract.

Exactly. Yep, I think he would've probably quit long ago if there wasn't the possibility of more money to be made.

Do you 'give a shit' about your day job when you are partying? There's a time and a place for everything. Getting away from work and its pressures is healthy.

Being a professional basketball player is not a day job. Like being an actor in a Broadway show, you have to take care of yourself all day and night and be prepared to do each show.

Turned his back in what way? You do realize the Blazers waived Oden to clear a roster spot to enable the trade that got us the draft pick we used on Damian Lillard, right?

BNM

Not true. We could've waIved Thabeet and kept Oden.

Wasn't the 24-hour Fitness game after his first rehab? If so, he played 61 games that season and didn't yet know his knees were made of glass. He hadn't yet ruptured his patella and had three more MF surgeries. As a 20-year old coming off his first knee surgery, he probably thought he'd successfully completed rehab. He really didn't have a frame of reference for what a successful rehab meant. He played in 61 games that year, and missed games when he came down on Andrew Bynum's foot and banged knees with Corey Maggette. Not exactly the kind of injuries you can blame on not taking your rehab seriously.

BNM

As Nate said, thus was before he played a game in the NBA.

 

[RoyToy]

and he always took his rehab seriously.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[RoyToy]

How are you taking your rehab seriously when you gain 40lbs and are out all night drinking?

Christ people. It's not hard to figure out.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think the Blazers definitely made some mistakes with Greg. As BNM said, I thought they never should have allowed him to put that much weight/muscle on his frame during the first rehab. That was a very poor decision, and that was ultimately one of the reasons why I felt that Jay Jenson and Bobby Medina should have been fired. In fact, I don't think they should have been the only people fired over the handling of Greg. He was our number one pick. He was the future of the franchise and he was mismanaged. Heads should have rolled.

Was Greg alone in the blame? No, but at the same time I don't buy the "too young to be responsible" argument. If he was 20 and he robbed a bank, he'd go to jail just like anyone else. Young kids make mistakes and they are held accountable for those mistakes. He didn't take his rehab seriously and it might have had significant impact on his ability to come back from the first, second, third, etc etc etc surgeries. He needs to accept blame for that. Does that mean we should boo him? That's a decision that fans need to make on their own.

I personally wouldn't boo him, but at the same time I don't think I would blame someone for booing him.

 

[RoyToy]

The trainers didn't let Gred gain too much weight. They can't stop him from eating hot dogs and drinking all night.

The injuries were a tough break, but the rest is on him. He had some bad injuries and he couldn't have handled it any worse.

I really have no sympathy for him.

 

[Natebishop3]

The trainers didn't let Gred gain too much weight. They can't stop him from eating hot dogs and drinking all night.

The injuries were a tough break, but the rest is on him. He had some bad injuries and he couldn't have handled it any worse.

I really have no sympathy for him.

I was under the impression that the weight gain during the first rehab was all from strength and conditioning. The reports were that he put on 30 lbs of muscle, not 30 lbs of fat.

 

[THE HCP]

I still think the 24 hr fitness thing never happened. It was some washed up has been media guy trying to get some attention!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I still think the 24 hr fitness thing never happened. It was some washed up has been media guy trying to get some attention!

Hahahahahaha.

Oops, I guess I should say, that was mean HCP, really mean.

 

[Natebishop3]

I still think the 24 hr fitness thing never happened. It was some washed up has been media guy trying to get some attention!

Oh yeah? I have a PM somewhere from a guy.... I don't remember his name.... but he worked for the team and he was very concerned about Greg playing in a pickup game that night

 

[THE HCP]

Hey everybody look at me.........I broke a story!

 

[Natebishop3]

Hey everybody look at me.........I broke a story!

Does your homeboy know you ratted him out to the team?

 

[THE HCP]

SHHHHH

 

[HailBlazers]

My interpretation:

This debate is pretty stupid.

Oden haters: We don't like Oden because he didn't take his rehab seriously.

Oden supporters: Okaaay, how do you know?

Oden haters: We have XZY proof.

Oden supporters: Your XZY evidence does not equal proof.

Oden haters: Your blind.

Oden supporters: And you can't see the forest for the trees.

I don't claim to know "the truth" but I do know that there are so many factors that went into this debacle that it's impossible for anybody to summarize it with any accuracy, or be able to judge Greg.

 

[BBert]

We had other trash on the roster we could have waived instead. You do know that, right?

I didn't. But now I do. I miss the big oaf!

 

[tlongII]

Seriously? There are multiple stories out there that show he didn't take rehab seriously. What makes you think he did take it seriously? His amazing recovery time and ability to stay healthy?

You guys are the ones making shit up..

Sent from my banana using Tapatalk 4

Bullshit. Where have you ever seen one of the trainers complaining about Greg's lack of workout ethic? He was even doing yoga for chrissakes! All you have to do is look at him and you can tell he works out like a MOFO! All you hear is some fans saying that they've seen him out drinking and you assume he isn't taking his rehab seriously. It's ridiculous.

 

[Natebishop3]

Bullshit. Where have you ever seen one of the trainers complaining about Greg's lack of workout ethic? He was even doing yoga for chrissakes! All you have to do is look at him and you can tell he works out like a MOFO! All you hear is some fans saying that they've seen him out drinking and you assume he isn't taking his rehab seriously. It's ridiculous.

Is playing pickup ball in the middle of his rehab considered "taking it seriously?"

 

[tlongII]

Is playing pickup ball in the middle of his rehab considered "taking it seriously?"

To be at the point where he's feeling good about himself and ready to play pickup ball after MF surgery I would say it definitely means he took his rehab seriously.

 

[tlongII]

I mean since Andrew Bynum isn't playing pickup ball does that mean he takes his rehab more seriously than Greg?

 

[Natebishop3]

To be at the point where he's feeling good about himself and ready to play pickup ball after MF surgery I would say it definitely means he took his rehab seriously.

I mean since Andrew Bynum isn't playing pickup ball does that mean he takes his rehab more seriously than Greg?

The team had a very specific plan for his rehab, just like I'm sure Bynum has a very specific plan for his rehab. That plan does not include playing pickup basketball with a bunch of schlubs like myself, especially when he's not cleared for full contact.

It's extremely irresponsible to put his rehab in jeopardy by playing pickup ball when he's not ready yet. Just because he feels like he's ready doesn't mean the doctors agree. By not taking the plan seriously, he is not taking his rehab seriously.

 

[blazerboy30]

I don't agree with the idea of booing him, but what is the reason for cheering for Oden?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Not true. We could've waIved Thabeet and kept Oden.

Actually, it is true. I was referring to what actually happened, not what could have happened. The Blazers waived Oden to clear a roster spot so we could complete the trade with New Jersey that landed us the 6th pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

BNM

 

[jlprk]

Greg Oden is not going to last long. You don't get injured that often and stay out that long unless something is seriously wrong withyou.

Get a grip, everyone. Oden is an accident waiting to happen. It may not be today, or tomorrow, but it will be soon. He is simply too fragile to withstand any extended time on the court. The only thing that will be "painful" will be watching him crumple to the court again.

Correct. He will never play again in Portland. Thread's about nothing.

He played 1 minute, and the refs sentimentally let him travel before dunking. They won't again. He used to take steps here while collectinghis thoughts under the basket, gathering his bag of bones to jump and dunk. All emotion, no natural smoothness.

 

[BBert]

I don't agree with the idea of booing him, but what is the reason for cheering for Oden?

same reason injured players are cheered when they get up and hobble off the field/court?

 

[Boob-No-More]

The point was that he didn't take his rehab seriously. Do you consider playing pickup games in the middle of his rehab to be taking it seriously?

Middle of his first rehab? I thought you said it was near the end of his first rehab...

No. It was towards the end of his first rehab.

Yep, you did. Like I said, he was eager to test the knee. It was a bad decision, but no harm actually came of it. He did not reinjure the knee in that pickup game and did not set back his rehab schedule. Was it an ill advised choice? Sure. Is it reason to boo him. I don't think so, but I generally reserve my boos for the refs.

BNM

 

[blazerboy30]

same reason injured players are cheered when they get up and hobble off the field/court?

I don't see it.

We don't cheer for every player that has had an injury and then played again.

 

[jlprk]

Is playing pickup ball in the middle of his rehab considered "taking it seriously?"

You've never made a mistake in your life? One that came from wanting badly to play, the opposite of laziness?

 

[Natebishop3]

Middle of his first rehab? I thought you said it was near the end of his first rehab...



Yep, you did. Like I said, he was eager to test the knee. It was a bad decision, but no harm actually came of it. He did not reinjure the knee in that pickup game and did not set back his rehab schedule. Was it an ill advised choice? Sure. Is it reason to boo him. I don't think so, but I generally reserve my boos for the refs.

BNM

Except I don't personally know what stage he was in. It happened in March of 2008. If you want to go back and see where he was in his rehab, be my guest. He had surgery in, what, October? It certainly wasn't 61 games into his rookie season as you pointed out.

 

[jlprk]

It feels great to finally get noticed by my favorite poster...I have a mullet, and of course I'm white, I'm using a computer aren't I?

What? Dennyyy! This guy's lying about liking me!

Stop making fun of me!